《The Full-Leveled Healer Transmigrates to a Real and Fake Rich Daughter Story》 Chapter 1 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Rumble¡ª Rumble¡ª The continuous loud sounds echoed in Gu Yanfei¡¯s ears. Her eardrums were ringing and the ground beneath her was shaking violently. Pain shot through her limbs and she felt as if carriages were running over her. Gu Yanfei struggled to open her eyes. Blood covered her left eye like a veil, blurring her vision. Gray dust filled the air. Her surroundings were in chaos. The narrow and dilapidated carriage was on the verge of collapse. ¡°Second Lady¡­¡± A low moan entered Gu Yanfei¡¯s ears, weak and powerless. The female voice was both familiar and unfamiliar. Gu Yanfei¡¯s pupils constricted, and her body trembled slightly. Gu Yanfei slowly turned her head and saw a 13 or 14-year-old girl in an emerald green dress on her right. The girl¡¯s hair was messy and one of her arms was wrapped protectively around Gu Yanfei¡¯s waist. The girl¡¯s face was facing down, so Gu Yanfei couldn¡¯t see her face clearly. However, from her figure, Gu Yanfei was certain that she recognized the girl. It was Juan Bi, her former maidservant. The physical pain Gu Yanfei felt reminded her that what she was seeing was neither an illusion nor a dream. She had actually returned to the Great Jin Dynasty from the Bright Spirit Realm and returned to her previous life. In her previous life, she had only lived for a short dozen years. It was only after she died that she realized that she was just a supporting character in the novel ¡°The Phoenix Journey¡±. Her short life was simply a joke. She was clearly the legitimate daughter of the Dingyuan Marquis Household and should have been the apple of her parents¡¯ eyes. However, the moment she was born, she was secretly swapped with someone else and grew up poor. It was only when she was 14 years old that the Marquis Mansion found out the truth about the fake daughter¡¯s swap and sent a housekeeper to Huaibei to fetch her back. Back then, she was filled with longing for her family and traveled all the way to the capital. How could she know that there was no place for her in the Marquis Mansion? Gu Yunrong, the fake daughter who had grown up in the Marquis Mansion on her behalf, had been pampered by the Gu family. She was the apple of the Gu family¡¯s eye and the female lead of the novel, ¡°The Phoenix Journey¡±. As the female lead, not only was Gu Yunrong a lucky girl, she was also resourceful, self-respecting, and had a reputation in the capital. She attracted a group of young talents to fall in love with her. The male lead, Kang Wang, even had a crush on her. After several twists and turns, the two of them finally got together. In contrast, Gu Yanfei grew up in the countryside. She was dull and ignorant. Other than being of the Gu family¡¯s bloodline, she had nothing else. Her existence seemed to be only a contrast to the female lead¡¯s extraordinariness. The fleeting past flashed through Gu Yanfei¡¯s mind¡­ In her previous life, she was a short-lived ghost. She was set up, framed, and trampled on¡­ She was the stepping stone for Gu Yunrong to reach the peak of her life. In the end, she ended up dead with a thousand arrows through her heart. After her death, her soul floated in the world. She watched helplessly as the Gu family fell. She watched as Gu Yunrong helped Kang Wang win the struggle for imperial power. Kang Wang ascended to the throne, and Gu Yunrong was made empress. As just a ghost, Gu Yanfei could only watch from the side and could not do anything¡­ Later, she finally reincarnated into the Bright Spirit Realm with the memories of this life. The Bright Spirit Realm was completely different from the first world. It was a cultivation world filled with spiritual energy. There were also cultivators who relied on spiritual energy to cultivate. In that world, Gu Yanfei became a medical cultivator. 200 years passed in the blink of an eye. After much difficulty, she finally cultivated tto the Greatest Enlightenment realm. However, when she was trying to break through to the Nascent Soul realm, her mental demons acted up and she was struck back to her first life by the ninth bolt of lightning. It had never occurred to her that she would ever be able to return to ¡°this day¡± when she was 14 years old! She still vividly remembered ¡°this day¡±. How could she forget!! At this moment, she had already left Huaibei and had yet to reach the capital. The housekeeper left her in Danyang City and told her to learn the rules first. She had stayed in Danyang City for a full three months. During this period, the maidservant who served her was Juan Bi. She clearly remembered that one afternoon, her carriage had fallen from a cliff thousands of feet high because of a landslide. Both the carriage and the horse had been destroyed. She was the only one in the carriage who had survived. Back then, she had thought that this was just a sad accident, but she did not know that all of this was an elaborate scheme by the British Crown Prince, Fang Mingfeng, to take her life. This was all because the person he liked was the fake Gu Yunrong, but because of his family¡¯s interests, he had no choice but to get engaged to Gu Yanfei. He could not resist his family, so he could only eliminate the pushover. ¡°Pushover.¡± Gu Yanfei pursed her lips and endured the discomfort in her body as she sat up. There was a violent surge of blood in her heart, as if a storm was brewing inside. After she reincarnated into the Bright Spirit Realm, she had never been able to let go. Gradually, the unfinished wishes and regrets of this life became her mental demons. Even though much of the past had faded and become irrelevant over the years, the ¡°mental demon¡± remained in her heart. It was probably because of this that she was unable to break through to the Nascent Soul realm¡­ It was probably because of this that Heaven¡¯s Will brought her back to this life. Since she was here, she might as well stay and make the best of it. Gu Yanfei quickly adjusted her breathing and calmed herself down. ¡°Juan Bi!¡± she cried, as she quickly flipped her tiny body round so that she was lying flat on the woolen carpet. She was greeted by the sight of Juan Bi¡¯s round, rather silly face. It was as pale as paper, and her full lips had a faint grayish purple tint. A few strands of dark hair, stained with blood and dust, were scattered messily across her face. Her breathing was extremely weak, and the movement between her nostrils was barely visible. Blood oozed from between her lips and ran down her chin and neck, as if she would stop breathing in the next moment. Gu Yanfei placed three fingers firmly on Juan Bi¡¯s wrist and focused on the weak and slow pulse under her fingers. Not only had Juan Bi suffered external injuries, she also had multiple fractures in her body. Furthermore, her spleen was bleeding. She was practically one foot in the grave. Even if Hua Tuo was reborn, he would be helpless to save her. In her previous life, Juan Bi had died. She couldn¡¯t save Juan Bi. She could only watch and sob as she took her last breath. Tears would save no one. Gu Yanfei pursed her lips and quickly tore a piece of paper from a book beside her. She bit her finger and forced out her blood essence. On the note, she drew a series of strange runes that looked like earthworms. Then, she gently patted the rune on the acupoint on the top of Juan Bi¡¯s head. ¡°Wake up, Juan Bi,¡± she said calmly. In this narrow space, her voice was ethereal and holy, like the sound of nature. As soon as she finished speaking, a bright orange flame suddenly ignited in the corner of the talisman paper written in blood and burned away in the blink of an eye. Juan Bi¡¯s closed eyelids fluttered. Her eyelashes trembled, and a low moan escaped her lips. Chapter 2 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Gu Yanfei felt a sweetness in her throat and vomited a mouthful of blood. Her forehead was already covered in sweat that trickled down her temples. She wiped the blood from her mouth with her sleeve and muttered to herself, ¡°Without spiritual energy¡­ my hands are really tied.¡± Every world has its own laws. If she was in the Bright Spirit Realm, saving a mortal would be as easy as blowing off dust for her. However, the spiritual energy in this world was too weak. Her hands and feet were bound by the laws of Heaven¡¯s Will, and she could not use many methods. In this world, the living dead were against the laws of Heaven¡¯s Will. She had to pay a certain price for it. Juan Bi slowly opened her eyes. Her gaze was unfocused until the moment she met Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes. Her eyes suddenly widened and she called out weakly, ¡°Lady¡­¡± Juan Bi tried to raise her right hand, but Gu Yanfei grabbed it to stop her. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± Gu Yanfei subtly checked Juan Bi¡¯s pulse again and said in relief, ¡°You¡¯ll be fine.¡± Gu Yanfei smiled, her blood-stained cherry lips as red as peony flowers. From Juan Bi¡¯s angle, she could not see Gu Yanfei¡¯s swollen and bleeding left forehead. She could only see the uninjured right half of her face. Her hair was dyed black, her lips were red, and her skin was fairer than snow. The young girl in her prime was as beautiful as a lotus flower. She was so beautiful that one could not help but want to pile the most gorgeous words on her. Her smile was devastatingly beautiful, enough to cause the downfall of a city. Juan Bi was stunned and smiled foolishly. She vaguely felt that this quiet and reserved Second Lady seemed to have changed. A cool wind suddenly blew, fluttering the tattered curtains and scattering the talisman dust that had been on Juan Bi¡¯s temples. In the blink of an eye, it dissipated, leaving only a faint burning smell in the air. The tip of Juan Bi¡¯s nose twitched. Just as she was about to say something, Gu Yanfei said, ¡°Juan Bi, we have to leave this place quickly.¡± Gu Yanfei held her cold hand firmly, her eyes as firm as a rock. In her previous life, everyone else had died. She had been lucky to survive, but she had also fainted from the violent impact. The last memories she had of this carriage were of blood and corpses. She had a high fever and was in a daze. When she woke up, she was already in Danyang City. The events of the day had become a lifelong nightmare. Fortunately¡ª She was not the same person she had been in her previous life. ¡°You¡¯re right, My Lady. It¡¯s too dangerous here. We have to leave quickly!¡± Juan Bi nodded without hesitation. She packed a bag as quickly as possible, feeling more or less uneasy. Today, she had followed the Second Lady to Daxing Temple in the western suburbs to offer incense. She did not expect to encounter a landslide on the way back. This area was too remote and she did not see anyone for a few miles¡­ ¡°Squeak¡­¡± Gu Yanfei pushed open the shaky door on the carriage and got out. Outside the carriage, dust flew into the air, forming a thick gray fog. Rocks of all sizes could be seen everywhere. There was also some scattered gravel that rolled down from time to time from high above the cliff. It was a scene of devastation. The air was thick with the stench of blood, lingering and nauseating. The horse pulling the wagon was dead. So were the coachman and the old female servant. Their bodies lay beside the wagon. The ground was stained with pools of blood, leaving little room for them to land their feet. Looking at this tragic scene, Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes gradually darkened like a bottomless pool. She bent down and personally closed the eyes of the coachman and the old female servant who had died with their eyes opened. She silently chanted the Rebirth Mantra. A few lives were lost because of Fang Mingfeng¡¯s selfishness! And this was only the beginning¡­ Some memories that had become a little blurry in two lifetimes gradually surfaced in her mind. Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes gradually turned cold. Under the setting sun, the corners of her eyes were slightly red, as if they were dyed with blood. The elegant and beautiful girl was a stark contrast to the devastation around her. Gu Yanfei had just finished chanting the Rebirth Mantra when Juan Bi, who had packed her bag, alighted from the carriage. She gasped at the sight of the coachman and the old female servant who had died so tragically. For the first time, she felt the fragility of human life. ¡°My Lady¡­¡± Juan Bi leaned towards Gu Yanfei uneasily, her face pale. Gu Yanfei secretly calculated the direction with her fingers in her sleeve, then pointed in the direction of the setting sun. ¡°Let¡¯s go that way.¡± According to the hexagram, West was the lucky direction. Juan Bi quickly put a cloak on Gu Yanfei and supported her as they traveled to the west. As the ground was full of gravel and the road was bumpy, the master and servant walked very slowly. The mountain breeze blew, and the cold wind blew Gu Yanfei¡¯s cloak, making it flutter. The sun was setting in the west. Red-gold light poured over the mountains. After the time it took to brew a cup of tea, they managed to circle out of the stone-strewn valley. When Juan Bi turned back, she could no longer see the carriage behind them. Gu Yanfei stopped and quietly touched her abdomen. She felt a faint pain in her abdomen and an indescribable discomfort. She thought to herself, ¡®Could it be that she had suffered some internal injuries?¡¯ Should she find some herbs nearby¡­ As she thought this, she heard a young man¡¯s high-pitched voice not far ahead. ¡°I was really right. Something fell down the hill. It must have been a carriage.¡± ¡°Xiao Shi, maybe a rock slipped.¡± Then, another steady male voice sounded. ¡°If the carriage fell from such a height, I¡¯m afraid it would be disastrous.¡± The sound of hooves approached as the two of them spoke, mixed with the sound of wheels and horse bells. Soon, a plain green carriage entered Gu Yanfei and Juan Bi¡¯s field of vision. It slowly rode over, the horse bell on the horse¡¯s neck tinkling. The driver was a plain-looking young man in his early 20s. Beside him was a dark-skinned young man who looked 13 or 14 years old. The two of them also saw Gu Yanfei and her servant. The carriage stopped 20 feet away. ¡°What are you two girls doing here?¡± The young man called Xiao Shi had a rough voice as he sized up Gu Yanfei curiously. ¡°My carriage accidentally encountered a landslide and fell from the cliff over there. Only my maidservant and I were lucky enough to survive. The others¡­¡± As she spoke, Gu Yanfei pointed in the direction she came from and sighed faintly. ¡°Miss, you¡¯re really lucky,¡± Xiao Shi exclaimed. He gave the young man beside him a smug look, as if boasting of being right about a carriage having fallen down the mountain. ¡°Grumble¡­¡± A strange sound suddenly sounded. This sound was especially loud at the bottom of the quiet cliff. The other three looked at Gu Yanfei in unison. Gu Yanfei was speechless. ¡®This sound? Could it be¡­¡¯ Her expression was startled and strangely novel. In the next moment, an unfamiliar male voice came from the carriage. It was cold and pleasant. ¡°I have some food here. If you don¡¯t mind, have some to fill your stomach.¡± The young man¡¯s voice was neither fast nor slow. It was like the strings of an ancient zither being plucked by a zither player, or a clear stream flowing over. As he spoke, Xiao Shi opened the door of the carriage. A leaf happened to be blown into the carriage by the mountain breeze. It spun slowly and landed on a short boot embroidered with silver cloud patterns. In the carriage sat a young master who had yet to be crowned. His eyes were like stars and his nose was high. His lips were red and his black hair was as black as ink. His exquisite facial features and angular lines formed a handsome face, making him beautiful, elegant, and extraordinary. He wore a frost-white cloak trimmed with white fox fur. His figure was slightly thin, as if he would collapse if the wind blew. Chapter 3 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The young man in white smiled and brushed the leaves off his shoulder. It was such a simple action, but when he did it, it seemed as beautiful as playing the piano. It was as elegant and graceful as snow on green bamboo. It had an aura that could be seen from afar but was not blasphemed. ¡°Miss, this is our Young Master,¡± Xiao Shi said enthusiastically. ¡°Our Young Master is very kind. I just saw a carriage fall, so he said to come over to see if he could help¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Gu Yanfei stood rooted to the ground in a daze. She had stayed in the Bright Spirit Realm for 200 years. At the age of 18, she had drawn spiritual energy into her body. From then on, she had abstained from eating grains and no longer needed to eat. After so many years, she had long forgotten the feeling of hunger. Earlier, she felt discomfort in her stomach and thought that she had suffered some internal injuries. Unexpectedly, she was hungry? Was this ¡°hunger¡±? ¡°Grumble¡­¡± As if in answer to the question in her mind, her abdomen gave another of those gut-stirring sounds. The young man in the carriage smiled with a hint of amusement in his dark eyes. The ends of his eyes were slightly upturned, and a dark red mole under his right eye made his phoenix eyes even more seductive. ¡°Miss, do you live in Danyang City?¡± He bowed elegantly to Gu Yanfei. ¡°We¡¯re going to Danyang City, so we can give you a ride.¡± Gu Yanfei asked with interest, ¡°How did you know?¡± The young man in white raised his hand and pointed to the sachet on her waist. ¡°This is the sachet that is only produced every autumn in Danyang City¡¯s Pint of Fragrance.¡± Pint of Fragrance was the most famous perfume shop in Danyang City. Apart from selling all kinds of perfume, it also sold sachets, incense burners, and so on. Gu Yanfei¡¯s perfume bag was only sold in September every year. ¡°Young Master has good eyesight.¡± Gu Yanfei smiled and cupped his hands in thanks. ¡°Please send us to the Gu Manor on Hua¡¯an Street in Danyang City.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± The young master in white stroked his sleeve and smiled faintly. ¡°Miss Gu, there¡¯s no need to worry.¡± This smile added some color to the clouds. Xiao Shi immediately set up the horse mount. Juan Bi pursed her lips hesitantly and quietly tugged at Gu Yanfei¡¯s sleeve. Gu Yanfei smiled reassuringly at Juan Bi and stepped onto the horse mount. If it were her in her previous life, in order to be a qualified daughter of the Gu family, she would be careful with her words and actions, just to obtain the approval of the Gu family. But now, after her experiences in the Bright Spirit Realm and seeing a wider and more mysterious world, she had long been reborn. There was no need for her to care about keeping distance from men. The carriage looked ordinary from the outside, but the interior was very tasteful. The seats were covered with fox fur mattresses, and a small carved mahogany table was fixed in the middle. A soft Persian carpet laid on the floor. There was also a tea stove, a teapot, teacups, a chessboard, and so on. After Gu Yanfei and Juan Bi sat down, the carriage slowly moved, shaking rhythmically. ¡°This pastry is still warm. Miss, try it.¡± The young master in white nimbly took out a small plate of osmanthus rice cake from the food box beside him. He gently pushed it towards Gu Yanfei opposite him and gestured for her to help herself. His right hand was as beautiful as he was. The knuckles of his fingers were distinct, white and slender, each one like jade. His nails were full, crystal clear, and neat. The young master in flawless white clothes was handsome and elegant. He was well-dressed, and his handsome appearance almost seemed to be beyond the mortal world. In contrast, Gu Yanfei¡¯s hair was messy, and her skirt was muddy. She was in a sorry state. If it were other girls, they would probably feel ashamed of their inferiority. However, Gu Yanfei did not even hesitate under the other party¡¯s gaze. She calmly reached out and picked up a piece of osmanthus rice cake. A sweet smell entered her nose. The tempting fragrance of the food made her salivate involuntarily, and she felt even more hungry. Gu Yanfei slowly bit into it. The rice cake was soft, sweet, and fragrant. Be it the sweetness or the texture, it was just right. She savored the taste in her mouth as if she were eating a rare delicacy. The young man in white picked up the teapot beside him and poured two cups of flower tea. Gu Yanfei took another bite of the rice cake and caught a glimpse of the sword at his waist when he raised his elbow. It was a short sword with a simple scabbard and a hilt carved from Hetian jade. Taking the teacup from the other party, Gu Yanfei took a sip and asked, ¡°May I know your name?¡± ¡°My surname is Chu.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, the young man in white looked uncomfortable. He tilted his head to cover his mouth with a handkerchief and coughed softly. ¡°Cough¡­¡± Outside the carriage, Xiao Shi heard the cough and hurriedly lifted the curtains in front of the carriage. He asked worriedly, ¡°Young Master¡­¡± He had only said two words when he stopped abruptly. He was shocked to see Miss Gu holding his Young Master¡¯s left hand. His dumbfounded look was no different from Juan Bi¡¯s. The coughing subsided. Gu Yanfei calmly pressed twice on the acupuncture point below Young Master Chu¡¯s left thumb. His skin was like a piece of fine suet jade, and it was slightly cold. In just a few breaths, Young Master Chu stopped coughing and his breathing clearly stabilized. ¡°It¡¯s fine now.¡± Gu Yanfei smiled and retracted her hand. Since she had taken action, the effect was immediate. He would not have a coughing fit again for a month. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to know acupuncture.¡± Young Master Chu cleared his throat. The smile on his face was like a spring breeze. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else you wish to do on the way, do you want to play chess with me?¡± Since playing chess wouldn¡¯t affect her eating, Gu Yanfei nodded readily. Within moments, the car was filled with the crisp sound of chess pieces being placed. Gu Yanfei held a black chess piece while Young Master Chu held a white chess piece. The two of them were very decisive when playing chess. They placed chess pieces one after another without thinking for too long. The black and white pieces were engaged in a bloodless battle on the chessboard, each expanding their territory¡­ The carriage arrived at Danyang City before the sun set. ¡°Young Master, we¡¯ve arrived at Danyang City!¡± Xiao Shi raised his voice and shouted energetically. All kinds of noises mixed together on the official road. Conversation, shouting, hoofbeats, the wind¡­ It was very noisy. Juan Bi eagerly lifted the curtains and looked out. She saw the familiar city gate ahead. The words ¡°Danyang City¡± were written above the gate, slightly mottled by the wind and rain. It was currently dusk, and the commoners were all rushing to enter the city before nightfall. There were two long queues at the city gate that were more than a thousand feet long. The queues advanced slowly. There were seven or eight bailiffs guarding the city gate. They were ordering the commoners who had entered the city to check them one by one. They searched the carriages, searched the commoners, and checked the goods. The surrounding atmosphere was tense and oppressive. After waiting for half an hour, their carriage finally arrived at the city gate. Outside the carriage, a rough and rude male voice shouted impatiently, ¡°Who¡¯s in the carriage? Get out of the carriage!¡± ¡°Sir, the person in the carriage is our Young Master¡­¡± The coachman answered politely, but before he could finish, a bailiff rudely opened the carriage door and let the cool evening air in. There was no cover in the carriage. The fat bailiff saw Gu Yanfei and Young Master Chu in the carriage at a glance. His gaze swept past the two girls and fixed on Young Master Chu, sizing him up. Xiao Shi could not stop him in time and said in defeat, ¡°Officer, we¡¯re good citizens. You¡­¡± ¡°Xiao Shi!¡± Young Master Chu interrupted Xiao Shi calmly. Xiao Shi could only shut his mouth and purse his lips tightly. It was obvious that he was not convinced. ¡°Officer, my apologies.¡± Then, Young Master Chu politely cupped his hands at the bailiff. ¡°I¡¯ve been suffering from a cold these past few days. I can¡¯t take the wind¡­ Cough.¡± As he spoke, he turned his face slightly to the side, put his fist to his lips, and coughed violently. His pale cheeks were a rouge-like scarlet, and he looked frail and sick. Gu Yanfei raised her eyebrows in amusement and looked at him. He was quite the actor¡­ Chapter 4 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The fat guard obviously did not have a good impression of a sickly person. He took two steps back in disgust, afraid that he would catch a cold. ¡°Go quickly¡­¡± He held up his hand for them to leave, but no sooner had he said it than they heard a commotion behind them, to their right, punctuated by the clatter of horses¡¯ hooves. ¡°How dare you stop our Young Master with just a few guards!!¡± A sharp male voice berated impatiently. Most of the guards and the surrounding commoners heard it and could not help but look over. Not far away, a few guards stopped a group of men who were about to leave the city. Leading them was a handsome young man in blue, about 16 or 17 years old. He was dressed in fresh clothes and looked extraordinary. The young man in blue was followed by four or five attendants. The big horses under them whinnied and paced, breathing heavily through their nostrils. The square-faced young man who had just spoken continued to shout at the guard, ¡°Do you know who our Young Master is? He is the British Monarchy¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Jiang He!¡± the blue-clad young man chided, his lips pursed in displeasure. The square-faced young man immediately fell silent. Only then did he remember that it was not appropriate for them to show off on this trip. The commotion on their side had attracted too much attention, even from Juan Bi, who was inside the carriage. Juan Bi looked at the young master in blue. She was stunned at first, but then she looked nervous. She lowered her voice and said to Gu Yanfei, ¡°My Lady, that¡¯s the British Crown Prince Fang.¡± The Gu and Fang families were old friends. Crown Prince Fang often came to the Marquis Mansion. When Juan Bi was in the capital, she had seen him from afar several times. Of course, Gu Yanfei also saw him. Her gaze was calm and deep, and her right hand hidden in her sleeve subconsciously clenched. The face that had blurred over 200 years came back into focus. The British Crown Prince, Fang Mingfeng. Gu Yanfei had long known that they would meet again and thought that she would see him in the capital like in her previous life, not here. It turned out that he had personally made a trip to Danyang City to kill her! In her previous life, after discovering that she did not die in Danyang City, Fang Mingfeng did not give up. He was like a poisonous snake lurking in a dark corner, waiting to strike at any moment. In an instant, mental demons spread like wildfire in Gu Yanfei¡¯s heart, and a bone-chilling coldness appeared in her eyes. Her right hand clenched tightly in her sleeve, and her nails dug into her tender palm. Some memories that had once been engraved in her heart rushed over, flashing wildly in her mind. ¡°Miss Gu, do you recognize this Crown Prince Fang?¡± Young Master Chu turned the white porcelain teacup in his hand and revealed a gentle smile. ¡°Crown Prince?!¡± Outside the carriage, Xiao Shi raised his voice in alarm. His shout was heard by the class leader and the fat guard beside him. Their expressions changed as they looked at Fang Mingfeng in fear and trepidation. It turned out that this Young Master was not only from the British Monarchy, but he was also the heir! The guards backed away silently, then back again, far away. Fang Mingfeng and the others also noticed the commotion on the carriage¡¯s side and looked over in unison. When they saw Gu Yanfei in the carriage, their expressions changed. Shock, suspicion, and contempt filled their eyes. Their eyes were as if they had seen a ghost. Gu Yanfei was actually still alive! Immediately, they noticed an unfamiliar young man in white in the carriage. The young man was handsome and the young girl was beautiful. Just from their looks, they were both dragons and phoenixes among others. At this moment, they were sitting facing each other across the chessboard, as if they were old friends. The atmosphere was harmonious. The attendants all frowned. They felt that Second Lady Gu, who had grown up in the countryside, was really shameless. An unmarried girl was actually in the same carriage as a man?! Second Lady Gu was not worthy of their heir! Fang Mingfeng¡¯s face was cold as he looked down at Gu Yanfei from his horse. His eyes darkened. After the initial shock, anger burned in his chest like a flame. Fang Mingfeng urged his horse forward. His figure was as straight as a bamboo, and there was a polite smile on his handsome face. He was noble, proud, and distant. ¡°Greetings.¡± Fang Mingfeng held the reins and cupped his hands elegantly at Gu Yanfei. ¡°My Lady, do you know me¡­¡± As the heir to the British Manor who lived a comfortable life, he was born with the arrogance of a specially privileged person. ¡°Fang Mingfeng!¡± A calm and indifferent female voice interrupted Fang Mingfeng. Gu Yanfei had already calmed down. ¡°¡­¡± Fang Mingfeng looked at her in shock, his eyes darkening. No one had ever dared to interrupt him like this. Gu Yanfei did not care about Fang Mingfeng¡¯s reaction at all. Her eyes were clear as she continued, ¡°I don¡¯t like people like you.¡± ¡°Our engagement is over.¡± The last sentence was shocking, but Gu Yanfei¡¯s tone was so calm, as if she was saying something insignificant. The young girl was in her prime and was extremely beautiful. She was like a bright moon in the clouds and had a noble aura. There was a dead silence. A glint flashed across Young Master Chu¡¯s eyes as his ring finger gently rubbed the cup twice. The class leader at the side was so shocked that his jaw almost dropped. His gaze swept back and forth between Gu Yanfei, Young Master Chu, and Fang Mingfeng. The guards were all gossipy people and exchanged looks of interest. ¡°¡­¡± Fang Mingfeng was speechless. His thin lips pressed into a tight line and for a moment, his face turned green, then red, then black. The colors changed brilliantly on his face. Of course, he looked down on this rude and unreasonable wild girl in front of him. Compared to his Fu¡¯er, the difference was like heaven and earth. But what right did she have to look down on him? And what right did she have to speak to him? Fang Mingfeng had been favored by the heavens since he was young. He had never suffered such humiliation in his life! His face darkened and he felt his face burn. ¡°Young Master Chu, let¡¯s enter the city.¡± Gu Yanfei no longer looked at Fang Mingfeng. The gaze she cast on Young Master Chu¡¯s face had a deeper meaning, as if she could see through him completely. ¡°Of course.¡± Young Master Chu¡¯s voice was as still as water, his lips still maintaining a gentle curve. He instructed the driver, ¡°Si Hai, let¡¯s go.¡± Si Hai, who was driving the carriage, responded and waved his horse whip. The guards quickly made way for them. The surrounding officials and passers-by looked at Fang Mingfeng strangely, their eyes filled with sympathy. So what if he was the heir of the royal family? Wasn¡¯t he still rejected in public! Xiao Shi quickly closed the door of the carriage, blocking out the onlookers. The carriage headed into the city, leaving Fang Mingfeng and the others frozen in place. Chapter 5 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios In the carriage, Gu Yanfei lowered her eyes and drank tea elegantly. There was a faint smile on her naturally curved lips. Fang Mingfeng had been a knot in her heart for many years. She did not understand why he liked Gu Yunrong. Why did it have to be her? Since he didn¡¯t like her, why didn¡¯t he just break off the engagement? Why did he have to kill her? Later, he even ruined her reputation and made the Gu family take the initiative to break off the engagement in shame. Meanwhile, their Fang family occupied the moral high ground. She had never done anything wrong. The person in the wrong was Fang Mingfeng. Even if the engagement was to be broken off, she should be the one to end it. At the side, Juan Bi looked at Gu Yanfei with a complicated gaze. Initially, she was afraid that Crown Prince Fang would misunderstand her and Young Master Chu. She did not expect that the girl would not even look at Crown Prince Fang. Her lady was so smart and had a keen eye. Young Master Fang was probably a loser. Yes, that must be it! The carriage moved slowly through the gates with the sound of horse whips ringing in the air. Gu Yanfei¡¯s hand that was holding the cup suddenly paused, and the tea in the cup rippled. She put down her cup as if nothing had happened. There seemed to be a rock crushing her heart. It was a familiar feeling¡­ Gu Yanfei lifted a corner of the curtain and looked out of the carriage. The sun was halfway down, turning the western sky a rouge red. On the other hand, the sky to the southeast was unusually dark. Layers of black clouds pressed down on the city, as if a storm was brewing. It exuded an ominous aura. Gu Yanfei¡¯s other hand hidden in her sleeve quickly calculated¡­ However, just as her thumb brushed past two fingers, the pressure in her heart became even stronger. There was a metallic taste in her throat. Before the blood could spill out, she swallowed it back. Unperturbed, she withdrew her hand. Her pupils were hidden under half-lowered lashes. Only she knew that her heart was throbbing in her chest. She was already very familiar with this feeling. She was once again suppressed by the laws of this small world. From the divination calculation just now, she could barely predict that Danyang City would face a great calamity. Less than 30% of the people in the city would survive! After passing through the gates, the carriage began to pick up speed. Gu Yanfei lowered the curtains absent-mindedly. When she looked at Young Master Chu again, she was slightly stunned. A dark aura lingered between the other party¡¯s handsome eyes. Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes were as deep as a black pool. She looked at Young Master Chu¡¯s glabella. When she first saw him, she realized that there was a faint green-black aura between his eyebrows. Unexpectedly, after entering the city, this wisp of black aura became even richer. In physiognomy, this meant that dark clouds covered the sky. ¡°Young Master Chu, thank you for giving me a ride.¡± Gu Yanfei took out a red brocade pouch from her sleeve pocket and placed it on the table. ¡°This peace talisman is for you.¡± From the not-quite-tightened opening of the silk bag, a folded beige note could be seen tucked inside. ¡°¡­¡± Young Master Chu put his right fist to his lips and chuckled, his eyes relaxing. ¡°We¡¯ve arrived at Hua¡¯an Street!¡± From outside came the rough and clear voice of Xiao Shi again. The carriage stopped steadily outside a mansion. Juan Bi led the way out of the carriage. Her pale and bleak face lit up in relief. Xiao Shi looked at Gu Yanfei with a strange expression and felt that this beautiful girl was really strange. She actually gave their young master a peace talisman. Did she think that it was because of this peace talisman that she could survive the fall? Gu Yanfei was about to get off the carriage when Young Master Chu suddenly took out the short sword by his waist and handed it to her. ¡°This sword is for you.¡± He looked straight at Gu Yanfei with a hint of interest in his smiling eyes. Gu Yanfei was stunned. She knew that the other party had misunderstood, but she still accepted it graciously. This sword was quite handy. Gu Yanfei pulled the sword out two inches in satisfaction and put it back into the scabbard. She kindly advised the other party, ¡°Danyang City hasn¡¯t been peaceful recently. If there¡¯s nothing else, it¡¯s better for you to leave early.¡± ¡°This is goodbye.¡± Gu Yanfei held the scabbard and said goodbye to Young Master Chu with a smile. Young Master Chu raised his beautifully shaped eyebrows and his eyes flashed. He nodded and said, ¡°I¡¯ll remember it.¡± Gu Yanfei smiled slightly, knowing very well that the other party would not listen to her advice. He should have other motives for coming to Danyang City. If he did not achieve his goal, he would not leave. She gave him this peace talisman as a form of repayment. Thinking of this, Gu Yanfei subconsciously rubbed the scabbard in her hand with her fingertips. When she first saw Young Master Chu¡¯s sword, she thought of something. She had seen this sword before. In her previous life, after she had been rescued from the bottom of the cliff, she had spent most of her time unconscious. She had only woken up once in a daze in the carriage and vaguely seen her savior. At that moment, she did not see his face and only vaguely saw his sword. She was sure it was the same sword. In other words, Young Master Chu must have saved her in her previous life and sent her back to Danyang City safely. Gu Yanfei sighed in her heart and got out of the carriage with Juan Bi¡¯s help. The taste of blood in her mouth had yet to dissipate, and her throat was burning. Only Young Master Chu was left in the carriage again, as well as the unfinished chess game. The dense black and white chess pieces were evenly matched on the chessboard. ¡°Miss Gu, we¡¯ll meet again if fate allows.¡± Xiao Shi waved goodbye to Gu Yanfei. Their green-canopied carriage sped along the wide street and quickly disappeared into the heavy twilight. The sound of hoofbeats faded. The empty street was silent and there were no more passersby. Gu Yanfei stood quietly and looked up at the dim sky. The clouds in the sky were thicker now, heavy and threatening to fall. ¡°Knock, knock¡­¡± Juan Bi raised her hand and knocked on the corner door of the mansion. She shouted at the doorkeeper inside, ¡°Old Li!¡± A moment later, the corner door creaked open, revealing only an inch-long gap. The sallow face of the doorkeeper, Old Li, appeared behind it. The door paused. Old Li¡¯s turbid eyes were filled with schadenfreude. His gaze swept past Juan Bi and Gu Yanfei, who was behind her, and he said meaningfully, ¡°Second Lady is back!¡± ¡°Old Madam Zhang, hurry up and tell Granny Xu.¡± Old Li turned around and shouted for the old woman to pass the message. Seeing that the door was only slightly open, Juan Bi frowned and urged, ¡°Old Li, open the door!¡± Old Li blocked the door and sighed with a fake smile. He did not answer the question. ¡°Granny Xu said that it¡¯s improper for girls to leave early and return late. She said that if the Second Lady doesn¡¯t return to the residence before the sun sets, she¡¯s not allowed to enter.¡± Hearing this, Juan Bi¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. She had lived here with the lady for three months and had been neglected by these servants who were used to bullying the weak. She did not expect them to be so overboard as to not let them in today! Juan Bi was so angry that her face turned red. However, the situation was beyond her control. If Old Li insisted on not opening the door, there was nothing they could do. She explained patiently, ¡°Old Li, we had an accident on the way back to the city from Daxing Temple. The carriage fell off the cliff¡­¡± ¡°Juan Bi, step back.¡± As Gu Yanfei¡¯s calm and soft female voice sounded, Juan Bi obediently took two steps back. ¡°Swoosh!¡± Gu Yanfei nimbly pulled out the short sword from its sheath. The narrow blade shone coldly under the setting sun. Gu Yanfei slashed out without hesitation. Her movements were light and skillful, like a pretentious flourish, but the blade split the door easily, splitting the thick door in two as if it were tofu. The half-split door swung back and crashed to the floor, leaving the other half hanging from its hinges. Chapter 6 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Old Li stepped back in shock at the sight of the gleaming short sword. His legs buckled and he fell on his backside. Gu Yanfei sheathed the short sword without changing her expression. Her movements were clean and decisive. She thought to herself, ¡®It¡¯s indeed a good sword!¡¯ Juan Bi stood rooted to the ground, dumbfounded. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Juan Bi.¡± Gu Yanfei smiled sweetly. She lifted her dress and crossed the high threshold, her posture still elegant and upright. Juan Bi was slow to catch up. As soon as the master and servant entered, they heard an old-fashioned and stern female voice reprimand them aggressively. ¡°Second Lady, look at yourself. You don¡¯t look like a noble lady at all!¡± A short distance away, a housekeeper in a rust-coloured dark-striped duster came trudging towards them with three or four old women in tow. The leader was a granny in her early 50s. The ends of her eyes were drooping, and there were deep grooves at the corners. A hint of arrogance rested between her brows. Juan Bi greeted her. ¡°Granny Xu.¡± Three months ago, it was Granny Xu who had received the orders of Marquis Mansion¡¯s matriarch to bring Gu Yanfei here from Huaibei. Granny Xu walked straight to Gu Yanfei and had no intention of bowing. Her picky gaze swept over her from head to toe. When she glanced at her slightly messy hair and the mud on her skirt, she frowned. She felt that this Second Lady was really unruly. She was even inferior to the first and second-class maidservants in their Marquis Mansion. If not for the marriage between the Marquis Mansion and the Fang family¡­ Granny Xu calmed herself down and said sternly, ¡°Second Lady, Madam asked you to stay here temporarily to learn the rules. Where are the rules you¡¯ve learned?!¡± ¡°You¡¯re almost at a marriageable age. A girl from a rich family should be reading ¡®Female Precepts¡¯ and ¡®Female Training¡¯ at home and doing needlework. Look at you now. Not only are you dressed improperly, you leave early and return late. Just now, you even¡­ Sigh!¡± ¡°If this gets out, people will only laugh at the Gu family for not educating their daughter well.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve really let Madam down. To think that Madam specially wrote to ask how you¡¯ve learned the rules and wanted to bring you back to the capital early.¡± Granny Xu shook her head in disdain. Her arrogant attitude and tone made it seem like she was the master and Gu Yanfei was a servant. ¡°Granny Xu, you¡¯ve misunderstood.¡± Juan Bi hurriedly told her about the carriage¡¯s accidental fall to the cliff. Her eyes were red when she talked about the dead coachman and the old female servant. Granny Xu¡¯s frown deepened, and her expression became even colder. She reprimanded Gu Yanfei again, ¡°Second Lady, if you didn¡¯t insist on going out, this wouldn¡¯t have happened!¡± This sentence was equivalent to blaming Gu Yanfei for the death of the coachman and the old female servant. Gu Yanfei raised her eyebrows and looked at Granny Xu. In her previous life, it was already the next morning when she woke up from her coma. She had a high fever and her body was weak. There was no relief from surviving the calamity, only deep fear. At that time, Granny Xu had also reprimanded her, claiming that she had caused the deaths of Juan Bi, the coachman, and the old female servant. Back then, she believed it. Just as Granny Xu had hoped, she blamed herself for everything¡­ After that, she spent many years in guilt and self-blame. She felt increasingly inferior and was always overcautious. But she wouldn¡¯t be so stupid now. She knew who was really wrong. She knew who really deserved to pay the price. She wasn¡¯t going to condemn herself for someone else¡¯s mistake. ¡°Granny Xu, how could you¡ª¡± Juan Bi wanted to defend Gu Yanfei, but Gu Yanfei stopped her. ¡°That¡¯s enough, Juan Bi.¡± Gu Yanfei and Granny Xu looked at each other with deep eyes. Granny Xu thought that she had the upper hand and smiled smugly. There was a hint of mockery between her brows. Could she not control a girl from the countryside?! Granny Xu casually brushed her sleeves and turned to Juan Bi. ¡°Juan Bi, Madam asked you to serve the girl so that you can help her follow the rules, but instead, you encouraged her to not come home!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll punish you with 30 slaps.¡± A cold smile slowly appeared on Granny Xu¡¯s face as she planned to make an example of Juan Bi. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Juan Bi,¡± Gu Yanfei said indifferently. She didn¡¯t want to waste her breath on Granny Xu and walked away. Granny Xu¡¯s face turned as black as the bottom of a pot. She shouted, ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to go!¡± ¡°What do you think of your body compared to the door?¡± Gu Yanfei glanced at the broken door on the ground as she walked forward. At the same time, she smiled, showing off her strength. There was a moment¡¯s silence. Old Li and the old women were stunned. ¡°¡­¡± Granny Xu felt as if she had been slapped in public. The anger in her heart rose. She had been in the Marquis Mansion for decades, and even the young masters and young ladies in the mansion would give her some face. However, she was humiliated by such an unpresentable country girl. ¡°Second Lady!¡± Granny Xu¡¯s voice was cold, and her gaze was like a knife. ¡°If you continue to cause trouble, don¡¯t even think about returning to the Marquis Mansion!¡± Granny Xu did not hide the threat in her words. She was certain that the other party would give in. Unexpectedly¡ª Gu Yanfei was not moved at all. She shrugged nonchalantly. ¡°Then I won¡¯t return.¡± The evening breeze blew a few strands of black hair by her cheek. The ends of her hair caressed the girl¡¯s beautiful face, giving off a distant and indifferent feeling. Juan Bi obeyed and immediately followed. Granny Xu¡¯s eyes were filled with bewilderment. In the past three months, she had guided and suppressed her step by step. She had clearly completely controlled this slow and timid country girl. Why did this girl seem to have changed into a different person in just a day?! When she brushed past Granny Xu, Gu Yanfei lightly said, ¡°I wish you bad luck. You¡¯re going to have a bloody accident.¡± ¡°How dare you curse me?!¡± Granny Xu subconsciously raised her voice, her eyebrows rising. Gu Yanfei had nothing else to say. She flicked her hair and left. ¡°Stop right there!¡± Granny Xu¡¯s face was tense, and her chest heaved violently. She was about to chase after her. But she had forgotten about the broken door-panel at her feet and tripped on her right foot. Her bloated body lost its balance and she fell forward with a scream. All of this happened too quickly. The others around didn¡¯t have time to help her at all. They just watched as Granny Xu fell to the ground. She slammed her chin against the door panel, knocking blood from her mouth. She screamed and spat out a front tooth. The hairpin on her head was askew, and half of her thinning gray hair fell loose. She looked like a madwoman, battered and exhausted. One of the old woman pulled at the other beside her, dumbfounded. She was practically on her knees. The Second Lady had just said that Granny Xu would face a bloody accident, and it actually came true so quickly! This, this, this¡­ was too amazing! ¡°Granny Xu, are you alright?¡± After a moment of silence, there was a commotion. Someone quickly went to help Granny Xu, who had fallen to the ground. Someone rushed to get a doctor, and someone shouted for the doorkeeper to repair the door¡­ Gu Yanfei did not care about this. When she returned to the house, she was alone in her room. The boudoir was simple and elegant. Against the wall was a medium-sized lacquered bed with a sky-blue canopy hanging over it. On the east side, against the wall, were a dresser and a black lacquer shelf. A large, dark red desk was set up by the east window, facing the small pond outside. Gu Yanfei sat in front of the desk by the window. She lowered her eyes and looked down, focusing on sensing the surrounding spiritual energy. Chapter 7 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Gu Yanfei closed her eyes completely and her senses magnified several times. The evening breeze was chilly, and the flowers and trees in the courtyard danced in the breeze. She could clearly hear the wind rustling the leaves, the fall of flower petals, the rush of water, the flutter of birds¡­ and the barely audible chirp of insects. A moment later, she finally opened her eyes, certain of one thing¡ª The spiritual energy in this small world was thin, almost nonexistent. Even a genius with a heaven spiritual root would not be able to absorb spiritual energy into the body. If she couldn¡¯t cultivate, she could only be a weak mortal. A cool breeze from outside blew in through the window. A stack of white paper under the paperweight fluttered and rustled. Gu Yanfei took a piece of paper and laid it flat on the table. Then, she slowly ground the ink. The ink stick circled around the inkstone, and the fragrance of the ink gradually became stronger¡­ The candlelight on the table illuminated Gu Yanfei¡¯s black eyes, making them look exceptionally bright, like the night sky filled with vast stars. Confucius said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about not having a position. Don¡¯t worry about not knowing. Seek knowledge.¡± After experiencing two lifetimes, Gu Yanfei could deeply understand the meaning of this sentence. In life, if one wanted to gain a foothold, they had to have a skill. Gu Yanfei picked up a calligraphy pen, dipped the tip of it in some ink, and wrote the words ¡°Taoist Doctor¡± on the paper. These two words were written as smoothly as flowing water. They were powerful and neat, giving people the feeling that it was written free and easy. Gu Yanfei stared at these two words quietly. The Tao of medicine was not the Tao of Taoism. Taoist doctors were born with the benefit of Tao and used medicine to help the world. Not only were they good at using herbal soup and prescription acupuncture to treat illnesses, they also included the use of guidance, regulating breathing, inner core, fasting, and other ways to nourish one¡¯s health. In addition, there were also various methods such as Taoism, Virtue, Talisman, Zhan, curse, vegetarian, sacrificial, and prayer. They paid attention to the combination of body and spirit and formed a system. When she was in the Bright Spirit Realm, she was a medical cultivator and joined the sect at the age of five. Her master had taught her that all things led to the same destination. Everything had its own ¡®Tao¡¯. This small world naturally had its ¡°Tao¡± as well. Gu Yanfei smiled. Her smile was as bright as a peony blooming under the moon. ¡°My Lady.¡± Juan Bi¡¯s voice sounded outside the door. After Gu Yanfei responded, Juan Bi pushed the door open and entered the room with a food box in one hand. Her delicate and round face could not hide her worry. ¡°Miss, the old woman in the kitchen told me that Granny Xu is returning to the capital.¡± As she put down the food box, she reported, ¡°Granny Xu said that you didn¡¯t follow the rules and that returning to the capital would be an embarrassment to the Marquis Mansion, so she won¡¯t bring you back.¡± Juan Bi frowned tightly, worried. With Granny Xu¡¯s calculative personality, she would definitely complain to Madam when she returned to the capital. Madam¡¯s likes and dislikes would determine if the Second Lady could return to the capital¡­ Gu Yanfei didn¡¯t even flinch as she spat out three words, ¡°Let her be.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Juan Bi wanted to say something, but Gu Yanfei interrupted her. ¡°Send someone to Xijiao Mountain to collect the corpses.¡± As she spoke, Gu Yanfei stood up and walked to the dressing table. She took out a pair of pure gold earrings with pearls embedded in them from the dressing box. ¡°Take these earrings. Find someone to sell it at the pawnshop.¡± Juan Bi took the earring. Her heart warmed, and then she felt a strong sourness. Granny Xu wanted to put the young lady in her place. The people in the residence would definitely not listen to her, so they could only hire someone to collect the corpses outside. Thinking of the tragic deaths of Old Wang and Old Madam Zhang, Juan Bi felt a weight on her shoulders. ¡°My Lady, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll do it now.¡± Juan Bi nodded and left in a hurry. For a moment, she forgot that Granny Xu said she was leaving. The news of Juan Bi going out immediately reached Granny Xu¡¯s ears. An old woman in her early 50s with a face full of brown spots smiled apologetically at Granny Xu and said ingratiatingly, ¡°I deliberately leaked the news to Juan Bi, scaring her so much that she almost dropped the food box. Just now, after she went to the Second Lady¡¯s place, she rushed out.¡± ¡°I think the Second Lady knows her mistake and asked Juan Bi to go out and buy some good things for you!¡± Granny Xu picked up the teacup and smiled calmly. She sighed. ¡°The Second Lady grew up outside and has a strange personality¡­ As servants, we can only be more tolerant.¡± Granny Xu had just lost a front tooth. When she opened her mouth now, there was a black hole between her lips. It was inevitable that her words sounded slurred. The old woman bobbed her head in agreement and offered more flattering compliments. At the side, two little maidservants were packing their luggage and came over from time to time to ask for instructions from Granny Xu. ¡°Granny Feng, go and keep an eye on the Second Lady.¡± Granny Xu casually dismissed Granny Feng. A hint of ruthlessness flashed across her eyes. The Second Lady had made her lose face in front of the servants. She would definitely not let this matter rest. And yet¡ª An hour passed. Two hours passed. Four hours passed¡­ When the candlelight burned out and the moon rose, Gu Yanfei still hadn¡¯t appeared. ¡°Granny Xu, the luggage has been packed. Old Li is here to ask when we will set off¡­¡± After breakfast, the maidservant braced herself and came to ask for instructions from Granny Xu. She did not dare to look at her gloomy face. After a sleepless night, the calmness on Granny Xu¡¯s face had long disappeared, replaced by embarrassment and anger. She slammed the teacup down on the coffee table beside her. The impact made the little maid¡¯s heart flutter and her head drop even lower. Granny Xu rubbed her temples in frustration. Now, she only had two options. She could either embarrass herself and not leave, or she could leave the Second Lady behind and return to the capital immediately. Of course, she could not wait to choose the second option. However, the problem was that it would be difficult for her to report back if she did not bring the Second Lady back to the capital. She still remembered that in June, before she set off from the capital, Madam had specially instructed her to teach the Second Lady the rules. This concerned the reputation of the Gu and Fang families. Madam attached great importance to the marriage between the Marquis Mansion and the British Monarchy and was waiting for the Second Lady to return to fulfill the engagement. She could not afford to make any mistakes¡­ To put it bluntly, if she did not do it well, there were still many people waiting to take over in the Marquis Mansion! As she thought about it, Granny Xu felt waves of pain from her missing tooth. This pain seemed to have seeped into her bones. ¡°Granny Xu, oh no!¡± cried Old Madam Feng in alarm as she hurried into the house. Her round chin and bloated body shook as she ran. Granny Xu despised Granny Feng for being indecent, but she still asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Granny Feng replied, ¡°This morning, when Granny Qian passed by the Dou Family¡¯s Pawnshop, she was stopped by the shop assistant there. The shop assistant said that someone went to the pawnshop yesterday evening to pawn a pair of earrings. The earrings have the mark of our Marquis Mansion on them.¡± ¡°Now, there are rumors outside that our Marquis Mansion is going to be demoted.¡± The last few words were spoken in a low whisper. Chapter 8 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Dou Family¡¯s Pawnshop?! Granny Xu¡¯s expression darkened and she almost jumped out of her chair. ¡°Go quickly to the pawnshop and redeem the earrings.¡± After instructing Granny Feng, Granny Xu brought four to five old women to look for Gu Yanfei in a fit of fury. The sun was high in the sky, and the courtyard was covered in fallen leaves. From time to time, they would be swept up by the autumn wind. It was as lonely and desolate as yesterday. Juan Bi, who had gone out, had yet to return. There was no one else in the courtyard. Granny Xu barged into Gu Yanfei¡¯s boudoir angrily. Gu Yanfei sat leisurely by the window, her right arm leaning lazily against the window frame. ¡°Second Lady, are you crazy? You actually let Juan Bi pawn things at a pawnshop!¡± As soon as Granny Xu saw Gu Yanfei, she questioned her. She looked imposing on the surface, but she was actually afraid. The Dou Family¡¯s Pawnshop was one of the most famous pawnshops in the Great Jin Dynasty. It opened branches all over the country and also had branches in the capital. If the news of the Second Lady selling her jewelry spread to the capital, the entire Marquis Mansion would be embarrassed! If things got to this point, Madam would definitely vent her anger on her. Then, her fate would be obvious. Thinking of this, Granny Xu felt suffocated and clenched the handkerchief in her hand tightly. Compared to the outwardly strong but inwardly weak Granny Xu, Gu Yanfei was so calm and relaxed. She casually grabbed a handful of fish food from the box and sprinkled it on the pond outside the window. As the fish food rained down, the goldfish in the pond caught the scent and swam over. The clear water rippled and sparkled in the sunlight. In Granny Xu¡¯s eyes, this was equivalent to adding fuel to the fire. She said angrily, ¡°Second Lady, don¡¯t be ungrateful. I¡¯m doing this for your own good.¡± ¡°Our Dingyuan Marquis Household is a century-old noble household. The rules of the Marquis Mansion are strict. All the young masters and ladies are knowledgeable and prudent.¡± As she spoke, Granny Xu¡¯s eyes swept disdainfully across the stack of paper in the corner of the desk. On the paper was a copy of ¡®Female Training¡¯. Every stroke was stiff and rigid. This handwriting could only barely be considered proper. A country girl who could not read was not presentable at all. ¡°How are you going to return to the Marquis Mansion in this state?!¡± Granny Xu raised her voice and looked down at Gu Yanfei. Gu Yanfei grabbed some fish food from the box and scattered it into the pond. She finally gave Granny Xu a look and said casually, ¡°Didn¡¯t I say that I¡¯m not going back?¡± The sunlight from the window gave her a pale golden glow and a dreamlike quality. Granny Xu was speechless. Granny Xu seemed to have choked on something. Her face turned green, and she could not continue with the excuse she had thought of. Indeed, the Second Lady had said in public that she would not return to the Marquis Mansion last night, but Granny Xu did not take her words seriously. She felt that the Second Lady was just being spiteful. What she did not expect was that she was still being stubborn after the night had passed. The veins on Granny Xu¡¯s forehead twitched. She instinctively wanted to flare up, but she suppressed it. Since the hard way didn¡¯t work, she had to do it the easy way. Granny Xu took a deep breath and raised her hand to gesture to the old women behind her. The old women behind her tactfully left, leaving Gu Yanfei and Granny Xu alone in the room. The surroundings became much quieter. Occasionally, a few goldfish would jump out of the pond and fall back into the water. Only the sound of splashing water could be heard. Granny Xu revealed a seemingly amiable smile. Her smile did not reach her eyes as she said patiently, ¡°Second Lady, you grew up outside and there are many things you don¡¯t know. Originally, Madam should have told you about this. Today, I¡¯ll overstep my boundaries to tell you.¡± ¡°Second Lady, your grandfather is an old friend of the British Monarchy. As early as when you were born, the two of them had made an agreement to betroth the girl to the eldest grandson of the British Mansion. The two families became even closer.¡± As Granny Xu spoke, she observed the change in Gu Yanfei¡¯s expression. Gu Yanfei took a plain white handkerchief and slowly wiped her fair fingers. Seeing that Gu Yanfei was listening, the corners of Granny Xu¡¯s lips curled up smugly. She thought to herself, ¡®This wild girl has become a phoenix by marrying into a family like the British Monarchy.¡¯ A girl¡¯s life was nothing more than a good marriage. As long as she wanted something, she would naturally be subject to herself. The smile on Granny Xu¡¯s face deepened as she continued, ¡°Second Lady, the Crown Prince, Fang Mingfeng, is 17 years old this year. He¡¯s a famous young talent in the capital. Not only is he from a noble background, but he¡¯s also talented in martial arts. Even the current emperor has praised him personally.¡± ¡°When you go to the capital in the future and see Crown Prince Fang with your own eyes, you will definitely¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯ve already met.¡± Gu Yanfei suddenly interrupted Granny Xu. Granny Xu was speechless. She was stunned and her first reaction was that it was impossible! Gu Yanfei raised her eyebrows and commented calmly, ¡°He¡¯s just so-so, not a very good match.¡± A few words summed up her evaluation of Fang Mingfeng. Granny Xu¡¯s old eyes suddenly widened and she scolded angrily, ¡°Second Lady, don¡¯t talk nonsense! If this matter spreads to the British public¡­¡± This time, there was no need for Gu Yanfei to speak. Another clear female voice interrupted. ¡°What My Lady said is true!¡± Juan Bi hurried in, sweating from the run and unable to hide her weariness. Yesterday evening, after she went to the Dou Family¡¯s Pawnshop to pawn jewelry, she immediately hired someone to go out of the city to collect the corpses of the coachman, Old Wang and Old Madam Zhang. She had been busy until now before returning to the residence. Juan Bi strode to Gu Yanfei¡¯s side and stood with her head held high. Then, she roughly explained how they had met Fang Mingfeng at the city gate yesterday. Granny Xu listened to Juan Bi¡¯s explanation and felt that given Juan Bi¡¯s half-witted personality, she could not make up such a story. Thinking of this, her heart was in chaos. Her mouth opened and closed without making a single sound. She wanted to say that the Second Lady must have hit her head. It was impossible to find such a good marriage. No matter how many young ladies in the capital begged for it, they could not get it. However, the Second Lady actually shamelessly said that she did not like the heir! Mad. This country girl must be mad! Granny Xu¡¯s chest heaved a few times before she recovered after a while. She said stiffly, ¡°So, Second Lady, are you determined not to return to the capital?¡± ¡°If you want me to go back, fine.¡± Gu Yanfei raised her hand and caught a red maple that flew into the house. She said casually, ¡°Get Madam to pick me up personally.¡± ¡°Second Lady, do you know what you¡¯re saying?¡± Granny Xu¡¯s voice forced its way through her teeth. The Second Lady actually dared to put on airs in front of Madam. Wasn¡¯t she afraid of hurting her back? How could Madam lower herself to pick her up in Danyang City!! ¡°Granny, remember, it¡¯s not me who wants to go back. It¡¯s the Marquis Household who begged me to go back.¡± Gu Yanfei gently waved her hand and ordered her to leave. ¡°Granny still has to hurry, so I won¡¯t keep you back.¡± Gu Yanfei smiled faintly, her eyes as cold as ice. Of course she would return to the capital and face all the causes of her mental demons in her previous life. Only then could she break through her mental demons and be reborn. Chapter 9 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°¡­¡± Granny Xu flicked her sleeve fiercely. She really couldn¡¯t stay in this damn place for a moment longer. Just as she turned around, she heard Gu Yanfei say slowly, ¡°By the way, Granny, remember to leave your monthly salary before leaving.¡± Granny Xu paused and turned back. She met Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes and said sarcastically, ¡°Didn¡¯t you refuse to return to the Marquis Mansion? I thought you wanted to cut ties with the Marquis Mansion!¡± A country girl was indeed a country girl. She was simply greedy for money and was still thinking about the money in the Marquis Mansion! Gu Yanfei took off a jade bracelet with a carved swallow pattern on it and stuffed it into Juan Bi¡¯s hands. ¡°Take it and pawn it.¡± Of course, Granny Xu recognized this bracelet. All of the Second Lady¡¯s jewelry had been prepared by Madam, and every piece had the mark of the Dingyuan Marquis Household. She had yet to redeem the pair of earrings that had been pawned. If he were to pawn this bracelet again, wouldn¡¯t it confirm the rumor that the Marquis Household had declined?! Granny Xu gritted her teeth indignantly. ¡°I¡¯ll get someone to get the monthly payment now.¡± ¡°Juan Bi, accompany Granny Xu and withdraw my monthly salary for the next three months,¡± Gu Yanfei instructed her with a smile. Granny Xu¡¯s face was ashen, and veins appeared on her neck. She¡¯d thought a month¡¯s pay would be enough, but the country girl was greedy enough to ask for three months. Those silver taels should have been hers! Granny Xu¡¯s heart was bleeding as if a piece of her heart had been gouged out. She huffed and left in frustration. She had to return to the capital as soon as possible to report to Madam. Otherwise, if anything really happened to the marriage between the Gu and Fang families, she would be finished!! An hour later, Granny Xu¡¯s carriage left Danyang City. They traveled at full speed, day and night. As soon as she returned to the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion in the capital, she did not bother to wash up. The first thing she did was rush to the Benevolent Harmony Hall and cry aggrievedly. ¡°Madam, although I don¡¯t dare to say that I¡¯ve racked my brains recently, I¡¯ve really done my best to teach the Second Lady. However, the Second Lady misunderstood me and thought that I was deliberately making things difficult for her!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The Second Lady grew up outside and is used to the old days. She always likes to go out and not come home. That day, the carriage met with an accident. I only persuaded her a little, but the Second Lady attacked me¡­¡± ¡°This is how I lost my front tooth.¡± Granny Xu vividly described Gu Yanfei as a vulgar, ignorant, and ill-bred wild girl. A cloisonn¨¦ enamel incense burner stood in the east corner of the room, quietly belching smoke. A graceful old woman in her 50s was sitting on a rosewood bed with a swastika pattern on it. She was wearing a purple brocade floral jacket and twisting a string of prayer beads in her hand. Her gaze swept across the black hole in Granny Xu¡¯s front teeth with an unreadable expression. At the side, an old granny with silver hair advised gently, ¡°Madam, calm down. The Second Lady is still young.¡± ¡°Young? She¡¯s almost of age.¡± Madam Gu sighed softly. ¡°What an evildoer.¡± There was silence for a moment. This matter was a scandal in the Marquis Household. The Dingyuan Marquis Household had been martial artists for generations. The former Marquis, Gu Ce, was the eldest son of Madam Gu. In the sixth year of the Reign of Ren and Xuan, Gu Ce and his wife, Xie Shi, guarded Qiushui County in Yangzhou. They did not want to be ambushed by the South Vietnamese. Xie Shi, who was seven months pregnant, was arranged by Gu Ce to leave Qiushui County. It was unknown where the South Vietnamese got the news from, but they sent people to chase after Xie Shi and tried to threaten Gu Ce to surrender. Xie Shi was frightened and gave birth prematurely. After giving birth to a baby girl, she died. The wet nurse, Mother Su, carried the baby girl and fled all the way back to the capital. No one expected Mother Su to secretly pretend that her biological daughter was the legitimate daughter of the Gu family and exchange the fake for the real one. This secret lasted for 14 years. It was not until half a year ago when Mother Su¡¯s gambling addict husband came looking for her and secretly blackmailed her that the truth was revealed. ¡°Madam.¡± Granny Xu pretended to wipe the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief as she glanced at Madam Gu from the corner of her eye. She said uneasily, ¡°There¡¯s something else about Crown Prince Fang¡­¡± ¡°Mingfeng?¡± Madam Gu stopped twirling the prayer beads and frowned. ¡°Yes, the British Crown Prince.¡± Granny Xu swallowed her saliva and dropped the last bomb at the right time. ¡°The Second Lady bumped into Crown Prince Fang in Danyang City. She¡­ She actually went to tell Crown Prince Fang privately that the marriage between the two families is over!¡± ¡°The Second Lady also said that she won¡¯t be returning to the capital. Unless¡­ unless you personally go to Danyang City to pick her up.¡± Granny Xu avoided the main point and pushed all the blame to Gu Yanfei. She lowered her head and clenched the handkerchief in her hand tightly. ¡°Slam!¡± Madam Gu slammed her palm on the coffee table and pursed her lips. Her entire body was shrouded in a thick dark cloud. Madam Gu could not say that she liked or disliked this second granddaughter whom she had never met. To her, Gu Yunrong was the granddaughter she had personally raised and was proud of. Gu Yunrong was good at everything. From her appearance, temperament, and talent, she was top-notch. She was praised by everyone in the capital and was even favored by Kang Wang. Kang Wang was the son of the current Empress Dowager. After he ascended the throne, he would be conferred the title of Prince. If Gu Yunrong could become Princess Consort Kang, it would naturally be the icing on the cake for the Dingyuan Marquis Household. However, the Gu family and the Fang family had long been engaged. When the Old Marquis was still alive, he had betrothed his eldest daughter to the British Crown Prince, Fang Mingfeng. Once the engagement was broken off, the Gu family would inevitably be said to be treacherous for clinging to the powerful. After thinking about it, Madam Gu decided to find the ¡°real¡± eldest daughter of the eldest branch. In this way, she could fulfill the marriage between the Gu and Fang families and also not implicate the reputation of the Gu family and Gu Yunrong. Madam Gu had already thought about the pros and cons repeatedly and was mentally prepared. This second granddaughter of hers had grown up in the countryside. If she did not train her carefully for half a year or a year, she would probably not be able to meet anyone. She did not expect this second granddaughter of hers to be so vulgar! It was fine if she was vulgar and stupid, but the problem was that this girl still did not know her limits. She actually dared to run to Fang Mingfeng and spout nonsense. She was simply an embarrassment to the Gu family! Madam Gu looked up and said slowly, ¡°I told you to take good care of the Second Lady. Is this how you do things?!¡± Her voice was as cold as ice. Granny Xu cursed Gu Yanfei a thousand times in her heart. She quickly knelt down and apologized, ¡°I¡¯m ashamed. The Second Lady is beyond my reach.¡± After that, there was an oppressive silence in the room. The air seemed to be frozen still. The servants at the side all lowered their heads in silence. At this moment, a servant girl¡¯s clear voice broke the silence. ¡°Third¡­ Third Lady!¡± The air in the room suddenly relaxed. In the next moment, the curtain was drawn from the outside and a beautiful, slender young woman entered from the main room outside, carrying a tray of tea. The gentle lines outlined a well-defined oval face. Her skin was as fair as jade, her eyebrows and lips were pink, and even her eyes were as bright as stars. When she smiled, a pair of cute dimples appeared on both cheeks. Her temperament was smart and amiable, making people like her at a glance. The girl¡¯s hair was combed into a double bun, and she wore a pair of ruby-embedded gold-threaded butterfly-pearl flowers on her head. She wore a red dress embroidered with branches of begonia. When she walked, her figure was slender and graceful, and her steps were light and elegant. Her arrival was like a warm spring breeze blowing into the house that was originally as cold as the wind. Chapter 10 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Grandmother.¡± The young girl walked towards Madam Gu with a smile. Her voice was like the first cry of a black-naped oriole, melodious and pleasing to the ear. ¡°Rong¡¯er, why are you back so early?¡± Madam Gu¡¯s expression turned from gloomy to bright. She looked at Gu Yunrong with a warm smile, and her aura softened. Gu Yunrong was sent to the capital by Mother Su when she was only a few months old. Madam Gu personally named and raised her. She watched her grow from a delicate baby to a beautiful young girl. They had been close for more than ten years. She loved Gu Yunrong, and she was also the most filial to her. In comparison, that girl was just a stranger and had no relationship with the Marquis Household at all. She probably had a grudge against the Marquis Household! A sinister look flashed across Madam Gu¡¯s eyes. Gu Yunrong walked over to Madam Gu and sat down. She intimately held her arm and said coquettishly, ¡°I missed you, Grandma.¡± Madam Gu felt as if she had been fed a mouthful of honey. She felt extremely at ease and asked lovingly, ¡°Was the flower banquet at Prince Jing¡¯s Manor fun?¡± At the mention of Prince Jing¡¯s Manor, Madam Gu smiled until wrinkles appeared at the corners of her eyes. Ever since the death of her eldest son, the Dingyuan Marquis Household¡¯s position in the imperial court had been a little awkward. The old emperor had been a little cold to the Gu family and the powerful imperial family in the capital rarely sent letters to the Gu family over the years. Half a month ago, when Gu Yunrong said that Princess Changqing of Prince Jing¡¯s Manor had invited her to attend the chrysanthemum viewing banquet, Madam Gu was overjoyed. Princess Changqing¡¯s chrysanthemum viewing banquet had been held for three consecutive years. All the young masters and young ladies who were qualified to attend were from noble families. ¡°Yes, it was fun. My pot of ¡®Ruffling Phoenix Feathers¡¯ was chosen as the runner-up of today¡¯s flower banquet.¡± Gu Yunrong nodded with a smile. Her smile was like a flower as she stretched out her hand to let Madam Gu see the jade bracelet on her wrist. ¡°This bracelet was given by the consort. Grandma, am I impressive?¡± ¡°Impressive, impressive. Our Rong¡¯er has a discerning eye. Grandma will reward you with an emerald jade pendant.¡± Madam Gu reached out and adoringly tapped Gu Yunrong¡¯s nose, smiling from ear to ear. Madam Gu also knew the origin of Gu Yunrong¡¯s ¡®Ruffling Phoenix Feathers¡¯. This pot of chrysanthemums was accidentally picked up by Gu Yunrong last month when she met a flower farmer in the suburbs. Gu Yunrong had been kind since she was young and had good luck. When she was six years old, she saved Kang Wang, who was still the seventh prince at that time, in the chaotic Yangzhou. As a result, she saved the Gu family¡¯s title. When she was nine years old, she dug up a 200-year-old ginseng when she was hiking and pulled the sick Madam Gu back from the gates of hell. When she was 13 years old, it just so happened that a rare treasure, the Nine-Curved Pearl, had been presented to the southwest. The envoy had provoked the imperial court with the stringing of the ¡®Nine-Curved Pearl¡¯, but the civil and military officials had been helpless. The previous emperor had no choice but to announce it. In the end, it was Gu Yunrong who shocked everyone by handling the matter with her wits. There were countless such incidents. Madam Gu had once brought Gu Yunrong to the White Dragon Temple to seek the abbot¡¯s help to tell her future. The abbot said that her fate was indescribably precious. ¡°I¡¯m not here to ask for a reward from you, Grandma.¡± Gu Yunrong tilted her head and smiled sweetly. ¡°You can reward me the next time my chrysanthemum wins against His Highness Kang Wang.¡± ¡°His Highness Kang Wang also went?¡± Madam Gu¡¯s eyebrows moved and the smile on her face deepened. ¡°Yes, His Highness sent me back.¡± Gu Yunrong nodded. Her eyes were bright and moving. ¡°Grandma, His Highness has recently obtained a few jars of high-grade Longjing tea. He heard that you like tea and asked me to bring one back for you.¡± Gu Yunrong¡¯s maidservant quickly handed over a silk enamel tea pot. ¡°His Highness is so thoughtful.¡± Madam Gu sighed happily as her thoughts raced. There was no doubt that Kang Wang was sincere to Gu Yunrong. The problem was the Empress Dowager. If she wanted to get past the Empress Dowager, Gu Yunrong had to cut ties with Fang Mingfeng as soon as possible. ¡°Granny Xu, you¡¯re back.¡± Gu Yunrong looked at Granny Xu, who was kneeling on the ground, as if she had just noticed her existence. She said with surprise and concern, ¡°Then is my Second Sister also back?¡± Only then did Granny Xu raise her head and answer respectfully, ¡°Third Lady, the Second Lady is still in Danyang City.¡± Meeting Gu Yunrong¡¯s puzzled gaze, Granny Xu continued to explain, ¡°Third Lady, you don¡¯t know. The Second Miss is really too outrageous¡­¡± Granny Xu chattered on as she criticized Gu Yanfei again. Madam Gu¡¯s expression darkened. Anyone could tell that she was very unhappy about this. ¡°Grandma, Second Sister has had a hard time since she was young. She came all the way from Huaibei to an unfamiliar place. It¡¯s inevitable that she¡¯ll feel uneasy.¡± Gu Yunrong comforted Madam Gu kindly and leaned on her shoulder affectionately. ¡°Grandma, you¡¯ve always been loving to us juniors. Don¡¯t be calculative with my Second Sister.¡± ¡°Tell you what, Grandma. Why don¡¯t I go to Danyang City and pick up my Second Sister?¡± Gu Yunrong considerately suggested. Be it her tone or her sweet and obedient smile, they were indescribably comforting. Madam Gu¡¯s expression softened slightly after being coaxed by Gu Yunrong¡¯s few words. She patted the back of her hand benevolently, but she still shook her head and rejected it. ¡°No. Aren¡¯t you going to the Huangjue Temple with Princess Changqing to offer incense in two days?¡± Madam Gu weighed the pros and cons and quickly made a decision. She sighed and said in a low voice, ¡°Forget it. I think your Second Sister is full of grievances. My descendants are all my debts. It¡¯s better for me to make a trip personally.¡± ¡°Grandma¡­¡± Gu Yunrong wanted to say something, but Madam Gu raised her hand and interrupted her. ¡°Rong¡¯er, I know you¡¯re filial.¡± Madam Gu stroked her head. ¡°Alright, do as I say. Stay in the capital obediently. I¡¯ll get your elder sister to accompany me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Granny Xu was dumbfounded. She pinched her thigh. The pain told her that this was not a dream. Madam had actually agreed to the Second Lady¡¯s rude request! Madam Gu naturally would not be careless when she went out. The servants of the Benevolent Harmony Hall hurriedly packed up and busied themselves for the entire night. The next morning, the horse carriage of the Dingyuan Marquis Household drove out of the capital and headed south along the official road. It took them four days to reach Danyang City. ¡°Knock, knock, knock¡­¡± ¡°Old Li, open the door. Madam is here!¡± A gruff old woman banged on the front door, rattling the bronze knocker nonstop. Old Li ran to open the door. At the same time, he sent a maidservant to the inner courtyard to inform Gu Yanfei. In the carriage, Madam Gu closed her eyes and slowly twisted the prayer beads in her hand. The carriage was silent, and the street outside the carriage was quite lively. Apart from the hawkers setting up stalls on the street, there were also passersby passing by from time to time. ¡°The guards are here to patrol again. Let¡¯s go another way,¡± a rough, mature male voice shouted from nearby. His tone was filled with resentment. Immediately after, another younger male voice said, ¡°For some reason, the guards have been patrolling everywhere for the past two days. Even the city gate has been checked layer by layer. I was stuck at the city gate for almost two hours before I came in.¡± Their voices were especially loud, and Madam Gu, who was in the carriage, heard them clearly. She waved for Granny Xu and instructed, ¡°Find out what¡¯s happening in the city.¡± Granny Xu quickly nodded. Chapter 11 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios After the carriage entered the Gu residence, the vermilion door closed heavily. The entire Gu residence was in an uproar with the arrival of Madam Gu. The servants in the residence had been guarding Danyang City for many years, but they had never seen this old matriarch of the Marquis Mansion. They were more or less in fear and respect. Surrounded by everyone, Madam Gu sat down in the main hall. The maidservant quickly served her tea and snacks. Madam Gu slowly drank her tea. When she was halfway through the pot of tea, a slender figure appeared outside the hall and walked over. Gu Yanfei was wearing a casual sky-blue dress. Her waist was slender, and her black hair was casually tied into a bun. Other than the ribbon that tied her hair, there was no jewelry on her body. When the beautiful girl walked over leisurely, her every move carried a leisurely and valiant elegance. Madam Gu nodded secretly. She thought to herself, ¡®Granny Xu has been teaching her for three months and has some results. Although this girl is an idiot on the inside, her manners are not as unbearable as I imagined.¡¯ ¡°Second Lady Gu¡± was going to marry into the British Monarchy. If her behavior was too vulgar, the British Monarchy would probably not be willing to have such a daughter-in-law. Then, the two families would become enemies. However, this girl was too wild. He had to teach her a lesson. Gu Yanfei lifted her skirt and stepped into the main hall. After 200 years, Gu Yanfei was very calm to see her biological grandmother again. In the past, she had looked forward to this biological grandmother of hers. After repeated disappointments, she finally understood a cruel truth. In Madam Gu¡¯s heart, she would never be able to compare to Gu Yunrong. It was Madam Gu who personally added fuel to the fire, making her a stepping stone for Gu Yunrong, helping her rise step by step. In the end, Gu Yunrong became the mother of the world, and she, Gu Yanfei, died tragically when she was young. The pain from back then seemed to still be engraved in her bones. Gu Yanfei looked at Madam Gu deeply, and a mocking glint flashed across her calm eyes. Look, for the sake of her precious granddaughter¡¯s future, no matter how unwilling she was, she still came to Danyang City to lower herself to pick up this granddaughter she didn¡¯t want. Gu Yanfei stopped a few steps away. Before she could speak, the other party ordered in an unquestionable tone, ¡°Quickly pack up. We¡¯ll return to the capital immediately.¡± Madam Gu¡¯s expression was cold and distant, with a superior attitude. Gu Yanfei did not care about the other party¡¯s coldness and stood there leisurely. She would return to the capital, of course, but not now. She couldn¡¯t leave yet. Gu Yanfei said indifferently, ¡°Madam must be tired from the long journey. There¡¯s no hurry to return to the capital today. Why don¡¯t we talk about it tomorrow?¡± Instead of calling her grandmother, she called her ¡°Madam¡±. Madam Gu raised her eyebrows without revealing anything. She felt that this girl was quite tactful. Before she acknowledged her ancestors, she did not shamelessly act close with her. Madam Gu hesitated and glanced at the pot at the side. It was almost midnight, and it was neither early nor late. Even if they set off within the time it took for an incense stick to burn, they might not be able to reach the courier station before nightfall. Moreover, after traveling for a few days, Madam Gu was indeed tired. The girl in blue below could see Madam Gu¡¯s fatigue and hesitation. She advised gently, ¡°Grandma, my Second Sister is right. Why don¡¯t we rest for a night before leaving? We¡¯re not in a hurry.¡± The girl was wearing a light blue silk long-sleeved coat with a bamboo-green Mamianqun. Her thick black hair was tied into a droopy bun. She had long eyebrows, almond-shaped eyes, a fine nose, and pink lips. Her appearance was beautiful and gentle. Gu Yanfei gave her a kind smile and her eyes curved like a moon. Her eldest cousin, Gu Yunzhen, should have been like this, bright-eyed and charming, not that thin and pale appearance in her memory. Madam Gu wanted to give Gu Yanfei the cold shoulder, so she followed Gu Yunzhen¡¯s steps and said, ¡°Zhen¡¯er, we still have to travel tomorrow. Rest early tonight.¡± What she meant was that she agreed to stay here for another night. An old granny with a round face hurriedly said, ¡°Madam, I¡¯ve already asked someone to tidy up the room. Why don¡¯t you go to the room and rest first?¡± Madam Gu rubbed her eyebrows tiredly and let the old granny lead the way. Gu Yanfei was the only one left in the empty hall. It was as if she had been forgotten. A thin cat purr outside the window slipped into her ear. ¡°Meow¡­¡± The meow was faintly discernible and seemed to be from outside the window. There was no wind in the courtyard, and the trees were motionless. ¡°I think I heard a cat meowing¡­¡± Gu Yanfei raised her eyebrows. ¡°A cat?¡± Juan Bi craned her neck to look out the window, too. As soon as she finished speaking, a fluffy, soft ball leapt through the window and landed steadily on the sill. It was a small kitten no more than two months old. The tip of its nose was pink and fluffy. Its long black, orange, and white fur was perfectly matched. Embedded in its small round face were round green eyes that resembled a pair of top-grade emeralds, sparkling in the sunlight. Gu Yanfei and the kitten looked into each other¡¯s eyes. Its green pupils were bright and clear, giving Gu Yanfei an inexplicable sense of familiarity. ¡°Meow!¡± The little hairball let out a happy cry. It was soft and gentle, and its green eyes were filled with surprise, as if to say, ¡®I¡¯ve found you!¡¯ It suddenly kicked its legs and leapt in Gu Yanfei¡¯s direction, looking like a swallow returning to its nest. The little guy was very fast, but if Gu Yanfei really wanted to dodge, it would be easy. She didn¡¯t move, however. For some reason, the emerald-green cat¡¯s eyes looked familiar. The way it lunged at her gave her the same sense of familiarity. ¡°Kitty!¡± Amidst Juan Bi¡¯s exclamation, the kitten threw itself into Gu Yanfei¡¯s arms enthusiastically. Gu Yanfei held its soft abdomen with one hand and touched its chin with the other, but it accidentally bit the tip of her index finger. Bright red blood seeped out of her fingertips and formed a drop the size of a rice grain. The kitten hurriedly licked away the drop of blood with its small, rough tongue, its fluffy tail swishing happily behind it. Gu Yanfei narrowed her eyes and felt as if invisible heartstrings were connecting her to the little kitten in her arms. She held the kitten higher, so that its green eyes met hers. ¡°Qing Guang?¡± she asked, raising her eyebrows. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°Why have you¡­ turned into a cat?¡± Chapter 12 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Meow, meow, meow, meow¡­¡± As the little kitten meowed, it rubbed its furry cheek against Gu Yanfei¡¯s chin coquettishly. The white whiskers on its lips swayed with its movements. It was as cute as it could be. The Classic of Mountains and Seas said, ¡°There are beasts in the mountains of stones, whose shape is like a raccoon with a white head and tiger claws. They are called Liang Qu.¡± The furball in front of her was Liang Qu, a spirit beast in the Bright Spirit Realm. Moreover, it was her contractual spirit beast who had accompanied her for more than a hundred years. She was also the one who had given it the name Qing Guang. In her memory, Qing Guang had always been majestic and invincible. And now¡­ Gu Yanfei grabbed the back of the kitten¡¯s neck and saw its four claws swaying helplessly in the air. The soft flesh at the bottom of its claws was like plum blossoms, making it look pitiful. ¡°Forget it, being a cat isn¡¯t bad either,¡± Gu Yanfei muttered to herself. Her lips curled upwards, and a faint smile spread to her eyes, laced with a hint of gentleness. How nice it was that Qing Guang was here. She was no longer alone. Gu Yanfei hugged the kitten in her arms and stroked it gently. The kitten felt extremely comfortable and meowed non-stop in its sweet voice. Its joyous cry resounded through the hall, giving off an imposing aura. The sound of the cat could be heard outside the hall. Madam Gu heard it too and could not help but stop. She asked in a low voice, ¡°Why is there a cat?¡± ¡°Madam, perhaps it¡¯s a wildcat from somewhere,¡± the round-faced old maid replied respectfully. ¡°Quick, kill that cat and throw it out!!¡± Madam Gu ordered sternly with a dark expression. As soon as she gave the order, the old granny turned around and headed back to the main hall with the old women. She held her head high and exuded a fierce aura. Gu Yunzhen frowned slightly and tried to persuade her. ¡°Grandma, it¡¯s just a kitten¡­¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Madam Gu interrupted Gu Yunzhen coldly. Gu Yunzhen gripped her handkerchief tightly. Seeing that the women had already stepped into the hall, she quickly chased after them. Madam Gu¡¯s unhappy voice came from behind her. ¡°Zhen¡¯er!¡± Gu Yunzhen did not stop. She took three steps back to the main hall. ¡°Second Sister¡­¡± Gu Yunzhen had only said three words when she fell silent. She looked at the scene in front of her in surprise. The old granny and the old women all stared at the little kitten in Gu Yanfei¡¯s arms in a daze. ¡°Good kitty, did they scare you?¡± ¡°Are you hungry? Shall I get you some dried fish?¡± ¡°I remember there was goat¡¯s milk in the kitchen. I¡¯ll fetch some over.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The old women rushed to impress the kitten. Gu Yunzhen was stunned. Finally, she returned to her senses and asked, ¡°Second Sister, is this your cat?¡± ¡°Meow~¡± The kitten in Gu Yanfei¡¯s arms called out lazily. Those clear green cat eyes were like the surface of a sparkling sea under the sun, or the brightest stars in the night sky. They were mysterious, charming, and breathtaking. The moment she met its eyes, Gu Yunzhen felt as if her heart had been struck by something. It was numb, limp, and sweet. ¡°Meow!¡± The kitten struggled for a while before jumping off Gu Yanfei¡¯s hand and running out of the hall. Gu Yanfei laughed and called Gu Yunzhen to follow. The three-colored fur ball nimbly flew over the high threshold and crashed into Madam Gu, who was outside the hall. The pair of furry sharp ears on its head trembled. This, this¡­ Could this be¡­ a cat?! Madam Gu¡¯s expression changed drastically, as if she had seen something dirty. She hurriedly took two steps back and pointed at the kitten, shouting in a sharp voice, ¡°Kill it! Kill it quickly¡­¡± Her hysterical look had long lost its previous poise. The kitten ran on, oblivious, and leapt up to a stone table. Then it casually licked its right front paw and glanced at Madam Gu. Its green eyes were smooth like silk and tranquil like water. At this moment, this soft ball of fur exuded a superior arrogance, as if it was looking down on all living beings. It was elegant, arrogant, and lazy. What a beautiful cat! Madam Gu¡¯s expression softened visibly and became kind. Her gaze was completely fixed on the kitten. She instantly forgot to speak or breathe, and even felt utterly subdued. ¡°It¡¯s my fault.¡± Madam Gu¡¯s eyes were blank, and she was about to kneel down. A sense of guilt rose in her heart, and it was so turbulent that it wanted to swallow her up. This kitten was so small and cute. How could she want to take its life so cruelly! She was really a sinner and deserved to die!! ¡°¡­¡± Gu Yunzhen watched this scene with a warm gaze and a gentle, gratified smile. She thought matter-of-factly, ¡®That¡¯s right. It¡¯s so cute. How could anyone not like it?!¡¯ ¡°Big Sister, why does Madam hate cats?¡± Gu Yanfei asked casually. Gu Yunzhen leaned close to Gu Yanfei¡¯s ear and whispered, ¡°Grandma¡¯s zodiac sign is a rat. Many years ago, she found someone to read her fortune. That Taoist priest said that cats will restrain her.¡± As she spoke, she didn¡¯t think there was anything wrong with what she was seeing. Madam Gu bowed down, her gaze level with the kitten on the stone table. She asked solicitously, ¡°Did I scare you?¡± The arrogant cat waved a paw perfunctorily, as if to say, ¡®Leave me alone.¡¯ When it turned to face Gu Yanfei, its expression changed and it meowed a few times fawningly. ¡°Meow meow meow!¡± ¡°Alright, I know you¡¯re hungry.¡± Gu Yanfei patted the little fellow. She picked it up with one hand and placed it on her shoulder. It seemed that after Qing Guang came to this small world from the Bright Spirit Realm, even if it had become a cat, its racial talent, ¡°Charm¡±, had not been lost. Instead, it had taken to it like a duck in water. Under the kitten¡¯s urging meow, Gu Yanfei left and passed by Granny Xu. Granny Xu did not even look at Gu Yanfei. She rushed straight to Madam Gu and reported solemnly, ¡°Madam, I¡¯ve asked around. When the Eldest Prince arrived in Danyang City, the magistrate ordered the entire city to be under martial law!¡± Madam Gu instantly regained her senses. Her hand trembled slightly, and the sandalwood Buddha beads slipped from her hand and fell to the ground. Gu Yanfei, who was not far ahead, also heard this. She could not help but stop and her eyes flickered. Today in her previous life, she was already in the capital. In the first few months after she arrived at the Marquis Mansion, she was almost placed under house arrest. She did not leave the house and both her ears and eyes were closed. She had never heard anyone mention that the Eldest Prince had been to Danyang City. Gu Yanfei only stopped for a moment before continuing forward as if nothing had happened. Chapter 13 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Madam Gu took the prayer beads that the servant girl picked up and muttered to herself, ¡°So fast?¡± Eight years ago, when the late emperor was still alive, the Great Jin Dynasty signed an armistice agreement with the State of Yue in the south. To show his sincerity, the late Emperor sent his eldest grandson, Chu Yi, who was only 10 years old at the time, to the State of Yue as a hostage. This trip lasted for eight years. At the end of last year, the late Emperor passed away. For the official enthronement at the beginning of the year, it was negotiated with the State of Yue to bring Chu Yi back. This was a major matter that concerned the country¡¯s foundation, and it was spreading like wildfire in the capital. Many people were worried that the State of Yue would not allow the prince to return safely. Initially, Madam Gu thought so too and even secretly hoped so. However, reality poured down like a bucket of cold water. The Eldest Prince had actually successfully returned to the country! Granny Xu naturally did not know what Madam Gu was thinking and echoed obsequiously, ¡°The heavens have blessed us. The Emperor has been looking forward to this day for eight years.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Madam Gu¡¯s expression instantly darkened. She glanced at Granny Xu gloomily. Granny Xu felt her scalp go numb and hurriedly reported, ¡°Madam, the Eldest Prince seems to be seriously ill. The personal guard accompanying him invited a doctor to treat him. Unexpectedly, not only did he not cure him, but his illness became even worse. The personal guard had no choice but to alarm the magistrate. Today, the magistrate just invited the Eldest Prince to the Danyang Manor.¡± Serious illness?! Madam Gu¡¯s eyes lit up and her heart raced. It would be wonderful if the Eldest Prince was seriously ill. He had always been weak and sickly, and it was difficult for him to live long. If anything happened to the Eldest Prince, in the future¡­ According to the laws, the ministers would have to ask the Empress Dowager, the ancestral decree, and the elders to choose a suitable new ruler among the relatives. The current Empress Dowager was the successor to the late Emperor. Kang Wang was her only biological son. He held the title of legitimate son and had a virtuous reputation. It was obvious that he would be the first candidate to inherit the throne. Madam Gu seemed to have seen the grand occasion of Kang Wang¡¯s ascension to the throne, and a hot light flashed in her eyes. Her Rong¡¯er would definitely marry Kang Wang. In the future, her wife would become the Empress of the Great Jin Dynasty and become the mother of the world. At that time, as the mother family of the Empress, their Dingyuan Marquis Household would definitely be able to return to its former glory¡­ No, to a higher level!! Madam Gu turned around slightly and looked in the direction of the Danyang Manor. High in the sky, there were no clouds. The weather had been hot of late. The air was stale and windless. Everything from the trees to the people was listless and lazy. Only the Danyang Manor in the middle of the city was an exception. The entire prefectural government office was on high alert because of the arrival of their esteemed guests. An octarine palace lamp was lit in the hall. The candle flames flickered. ¡°Cough¡­¡± The handsome young man sitting at the head of the table pressed his fist against his lips. His face was half lowered as he coughed repeatedly. He was dressed in a snow-white robe. It was spotless and as loose as jet-black hair that was half bunched and half scattered. The warm candlelight poured gently over him, coating him in gold powder. His skin shone faintly with a pale golden luster, making his face as pale as paper. The mole at the end of his eye was as red as blood. He had a sickly but elegant beauty. ¡°Your Highness, are you alright?¡± A middle-aged man in a fourth-grade embroidered robe asked carefully. Chu Yi wiped his mouth with a square of white handkerchief. There was a sickly flush on his pale cheeks, and his thin chest rose and fell with a slight urgency. ¡°Quite all right. Thank you for your concern, Lord He.¡± He smiled, his voice a little husky, his manner gentle and cultured. The Eldest Prince was as gentle as he was rumored to be. Magistrate He thought to himself, ¡®I¡¯ll send a doctor to see His Highness¡­¡¯ Before he could finish, a middle-sized servant walked in quickly and reported to Magistrate He, ¡°Magistrate He, Doctor Cheng is here.¡± Half a cup of tea later, a physician in his 50s with a straight green beard hurried into the hall with the manservant. He had a square face, a goatee, and a black turban. His forehead and neck were covered in fine beads of sweat. Doctor Cheng had long been reminded that the patient today was a noble. He bowed to the two of them in fear. Magistrate He instructed with a dignified expression, ¡°Doctor Cheng, take His Highness¡¯s pulse carefully.¡± Doctor Cheng agreed repeatedly. Then, he invited Chu Yi to extend his left wrist and respectfully take his pulse. He focused and lowered his eyes. The pulse under his finger was soft and heavy, weak and smooth, like cotton under water. This was asthenia syndrome, an illness characterized by insufficient vital energy and blood. It was even a sign that his lifespan was not long. Silence filled the hall. After a while, Doctor Cheng finally retracted his hand and wiped his sweat with his sleeve. Then, he said tactfully, ¡°Your Highness, your Qi and blood are insufficient, and there¡¯s blockage of your muscular interstices. You also have pathogenic wind. Please allow me to prescribe some nourishing medicine for Your Highness.¡± Chu Yi turned his face away and covered his mouth with his handkerchief. He coughed again. Xiao Shi gently stroked his back and shouted at Doctor Cheng angrily, ¡°What are you doctors talking about? When will His Highness get better?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Doctor Cheng was sweating profusely. He stammered, ¡°He¡¯ll have to take a few doses to know¡­¡± Xiao Shi was about to say something when Chu Yi raised his hand to silence him. Chu Yi smiled gently. ¡°Doctor Cheng, my subordinate is impatient¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Doctor Cheng did not dare to argue with the people around the Eldest Prince. Soon, a servant prepared the brush and ink. Magistrate He reminded him in a high and mighty tone, ¡°Doctor Cheng, if you need any expensive herbs, just let me know.¡± Doctor Cheng agreed obediently and quickly wrote down the prescription. He also instructed Chu Yi to take good care of himself. From the beginning to the end, he did not dare to look at Chu Yi directly. Chu Yi seemed to feel that his subordinate was being rude, so he instructed his other guard, ¡°Si Hai, send Doctor Cheng out.¡± The plain-looking gray-clothed youth cupped his fists and personally sent Doctor Cheng out. The sunset at dusk was so golden that it was blinding. The sticky air seemed to have frozen. After passing through a moon cave, Si Hai suddenly stopped and reached out to stop Doctor Cheng. He asked, ¡°Will the Eldest Prince recover?¡± No one was around except the two of them. Doctor Cheng looked at the four seas uneasily and swallowed. ¡°My medical skills are limited¡­ However, the imperial physician should have a way.¡± Si Hai stared at Doctor Cheng without blinking. After three breaths of silence, he said coldly, ¡°Let him weaken naturally and then die of illness. You should have a way to do that, right?¡± The rays of the setting sun filtered through the layers of leaves, casting mottled shadows on Si Hai¡¯s face, making his originally ordinary face look abnormally strange. Doctor Cheng: ¡°!!!¡± Even though he tried to remain calm, his eyes still widened uncontrollably. His pupils flickered and his body tensed. Chapter 14 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Doctor Cheng said with a patched throat, ¡°Sir, I¡¯m a doctor. I only save people, not harm them.¡± ¡°This matter will benefit you as well.¡± Si Hai¡¯s lips curled into a cold, meaningful smile. ¡°This is what the Crown Prince asked me to convey to your country.¡± Doctor Cheng pursed his lips tightly and was shocked. Everyone knew that the Eldest Prince, Chu Yi, had not been conferred the title of King. Could the Crown Prince this person was talking about be¡­ Kang Wang?! Could this be someone planted by Kang Wang to harm Chu Yi? The more Doctor Cheng thought about it, the more likely it seemed. What shocked him even more was that Kang Wang actually knew about their stronghold in Danyang City. Doctor Cheng clenched his hands into fists in his wide sleeves, his eyes dark. He was not from the State of Jin, but from the State of Yue. He had been lurking in Danyang City for more than ten years. Now, the Sage had the intention to form an alliance with Kang Wang of the State of Jin. Once the alliance was established, the State of Yue would do their best to help Kang Wang inherit the throne. After Kang Wang¡¯s promise was fulfilled, he would help the State of Yue take down the southwestern State of Qiang. This cooperation concerned the two countries, and there was no room for mistakes. Doctor Cheng had no choice but to be extremely cautious. He was skeptical of Si Hai¡¯s words. With no evidence, who could prove that this person was a subordinate of Kang Wang? Seeming to have seen through Doctor Cheng¡¯s doubts, Si Hai continued, ¡°The Eldest Prince is weak and sickly to begin with. He has traveled thousands of miles north and is exhausted from the long journey. It¡¯s inevitable that he will become sick again. This is a rare opportunity.¡± ¡°When he returns to the capital, there won¡¯t be another chance like this.¡± ¡°Can you take responsibility for delaying ¡®something big¡¯?!¡± Si Hai pressured the other party. Doctor Cheng clenched his fists even tighter, his eyes hesitant. After a moment, he gritted his teeth in response. ¡°I¡¯ll have it delivered tomorrow.¡± Si Hai extended his hand and made an inviting gesture. He did not continue to send the guest off and stayed behind to watch Doctor Cheng leave. The surroundings were as quiet as a tomb. From afar, Chu Yi could be heard coughing in the back hall. ¡°Cough¡­¡± ¡°Cough, cough, cough¡­¡± Doctor Cheng strode out. As soon as he left the Danyang Manor, he returned to the Cheng Medical Center and closed the door early. Doctor Cheng carefully fastened the bolt and looked out through the crack in the door. Only then did he relax and walk inside. He walked through the front hall, the courtyard, and all the way to a private room at the back. A bamboo curtain hung down, blocking the person behind it. Through the gap, he could vaguely see a man in blue sitting on the other side. ¡°Sixth Master.¡± Doctor Cheng bowed respectfully with a salute. He did not dare to look up at the man behind the curtain. He methodically recounted what had just happened at the Danyang Manor. Finally, he said, ¡°Sixth Master, the Jade Moon Grass is colorless and tasteless. It will make the consumer¡¯s body weaker. Then, he will die slowly.¡± ¡°Sixth Master, do you want to add the Jade Moon Grass to Chu Yi¡¯s medicine?¡± The Jade Moon Grass was a secret medicine unique to the State of Yue. It was a slow-acting poison. The person who consumed the Jade Moon Grass would not show symptoms of poisoning, be it in appearance or pulse. Others would only think that he had been sick for a long time and was gradually hollowed out. The blue-clothed man known as the Sixth Master casually tapped the lid of his tea, making crisp porcelain clinking sounds. The air in the house was dry and dull, making one feel as if they would suffocate in the next moment. Doctor Cheng maintained his bow without moving. After a while, he heard the Sixth Master ask slowly, ¡°Is there anything special about Chu Yi¡¯s pulse?¡± Doctor Cheng carefully recalled. ¡°Today, I checked Chu Yi¡¯s pulse again. His pulse is like cotton in water, and his Qi is weak. It¡¯s a weak pulse.¡± ¡°Chu Yi has always been weak¡­¡± The Sixth Master seemed to be talking to himself, his expression dark and gloomy. Chu Yi had been in the State of Yue as a hostage for eight years. Apart from not being able to leave the capital at will, he could move freely in the city. He also often interacted with the royal family and nobles of the State of Yue. Among them, he was famous for being a gentleman. At the beginning of the year, Emperor Mingde ascended the throne and negotiated with the Sage to release Chu Yi. Kang Wang planned to kill Chu Yi silently after he entered the State of Jin. This matter was not a secret. The Sage¡¯s attitude was that they would just sit back and watch the internal strife of the State of Jin. However, Kang Wang¡¯s plan to assassinate Chu Yi failed again and again. Chu Yi actually arrived at Danyang City safely. The Sixth Master frowned tightly and threw out another question. ¡°Can this pulse be faked?¡± Doctor Cheng thought for a moment and asserted, ¡°Based on my decades of experience as a doctor, Chu Yi has an ailment brought about by his mother¡¯s womb. This pulse is difficult to fake.¡± The Sixth Master lowered his eyes and smirked cynically. He thought to himself, ¡®Kang Wang must be anxious. He¡¯s afraid that Chu Yi will return to the capital and didn¡¯t hesitate to ask them to help him deal with Chu Yi.¡¯ Since the Sage had the intention to form an alliance with Kang Wang, this matter would not do them any harm¡­ The Sixth Master considered the pros and cons in his heart. He suddenly opened his eyes and emitted an ambitious and fierce glint. He said, ¡°Give it to him.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go prepare now.¡± Doctor Cheng bowed and accepted the order, his eyes shining. The sun was setting, but the weather showed no signs of turning cold. It was stiflingly hot. The city was dead. There was neither wind nor insects. Gu Yanfei looked up at the setting sun outside the window. The afterglow of the setting sun dyed half the sky red. A suffocating feeling came from her chest. Gu Yanfei narrowed her eyes, and her dark pupils seemed to flash with blood. She whispered to herself, ¡°There¡¯s not much time left.¡± ¡°Meow, meow~¡± The little kitten that was squatting at the table meowed softly with a cute endearment that made one¡¯s heart tremble. The kitten was less than two months old and was at the age of being playful. It reached out a furball-like claw to pull at the cinnabar in the porcelain bowl, but in the next moment, the flesh on the back of its neck was pinched by a few slender fingers. Immediately after, its body was lifted up. The originally noisy kitten curled up its body obediently as if its acupuncture points had been tapped. Just like that, it was thrown into the cat bed by Gu Yanfei. Qing Guang squatted in the cat bed, licking its paws and washing its face. Gu Yanfei picked up a calligraphy brush and dipped it in a bright red cinnabar. Spiritual energy poured into the tip of the brush, and the tip of the brush outlined a winding curve like an earthworm on the pale yellow talisman paper. But the drawing became slower and slower¡­ Over the past few days, she had been drawing talismans. However, the spiritual energy in this small world was too weak. Every talisman had failed. Only the two talismans she had drawn with her blood essence on the day of her rebirth had succeeded. She couldn¡¯t possibly use her blood essence to draw talismans every time. She would die early! Gu Yanfei stared intently at the tip of the brush that was dipped in cinnabar. Her eyes were sore, but she still did not blink. The hand that held the brush was as light as a feather and yet heavier than Mount Tai. After repeated failures, she gradually grasped how to communicate with the almost non-existent spiritual energy in the world. She learned how to turn spiritual air into spiritual energy and connect it with the cinnabar at the tip of the pen¡­ In the beginning, she hadn¡¯t been able to draw even a third of a talisman. Now she was only a fraction away. Chapter 15 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios When she reached the last stroke, the brush trembled uncontrollably. A finger-sized blood-red stain appeared on the end of the charm. Gu Yanfei put away her brush and placed it on the brush holder beside him. She crumpled the talisman paper into a ball and threw it into the white porcelain wastepaper basket without looking at it¡­ The cat¡¯s eyes lit up. It leaped up and bit the paper ball, successfully intercepting it! After it landed lightly, its little claws plucked at the balls of paper on the floor. Chase, intercept, push¡­ It was having a lot of fun. After Gu Yanfei closed her eyes and meditated for a while, she dipped her brush into the cinnabar again and drew the next talisman. Unfortunately, the tip of the brush crooked again at the last stroke. Gu Yanfei failed for the 101st time. The kitten raced over and crouched obediently by her skirt. When Gu Yanfei threw out the next ball of paper, it leaped up again¡­ The balls of paper on the ground increased one after another. The satisfied cat felt like it had a fish pond and was playing crazily. It was tired by midnight, yawning wearily and bleary-eyed. Gu Yanfei ignored it and continued drawing talismans. There was still no wind that night and it was as stuffy as a steamer. As the long night wore on, the sky began to lighten, and the sun rose. The morning sun shone through the window into the house. The flowers and trees in the courtyard shone brightly. There were a few green chrysanthemums in the plum vase at the head of the table, and an elegant scent filled the air. The room was silent. Gu Yanfei, who had not slept the entire night, was reading a book. Her figure was straight and slender, as straight as a bamboo, as elegant as a green willow. She was quiet but tenacious. Outside the window, the goldfish in the pond leaped out of the water and plopped back into it. At the same time, her brush finally completed the last stroke smoothly. She let out a long breath between her pink lips. It worked! It was the first talisman she had completed in recent days, the first using the cinnabar. Gu Yanfei admired the talisman she had drawn with satisfaction and smiled. That smile was like the warm April sun, spreading from the corners of her lips to the corners of her eyes and eyebrows, like clusters of beautiful wisteria blooming. The little kitten beside her had long fallen into a deep sleep. It was sprawled on its back and had a small furry paw over its eyes. Gu Yanfei was in a good mood. She quietly leaned over with the cinnabar brush and drew a small red plum between the little kitten¡¯s eyebrows. The sleeping cat sensed something strange. It opened its green cat eyes and yawned lazily. ¡°My Lady,¡± Juan Bi reported, entering the inner room at that moment. ¡°The Eldest Lady is here.¡± Gu Yanfei picked up the cat and walked towards the central room outside. Although she had not slept all night, she had once meditated for two to four hours on and off. At this moment, her face was rosy and she was full of energy. ¡°Second Sister.¡± Gu Yunzhen, who was dressed in a lilac-colored dress, walked towards Gu Yanfei and said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m here to have breakfast with you. It won¡¯t be convenient for us to travel later, so we can only make do with lunch. We have to eat breakfast well.¡± The maidservant behind Gu Yunzhen was holding a red-painted gold food box. Gu Yunzhen¡¯s voice was gentle, and it warmed Gu Yanfei¡¯s heart. She readily agreed, ¡°Okay.¡± She knew that Gu Yunzhen was a very good sister. She was the only daughter of the Gu family¡¯s third branch. She had lost her father three years ago and relied on her widowed mother. In her previous life, when Gu Yanfei first arrived at the Marquis Mansion, she was unfamiliar with the place and was uneasy. Gu Yunzhen took good care of her and gave her pointers from time to time. The two sisters sat down at the table. Gu Yunzhen took out a big red bib from her sleeve and said to the little kitten in Gu Yanfei¡¯s arms, ¡°Your gem-faced civet is really cute. I sewed this bib for it last night.¡± Gem-faced civet was the elegant name for a calico cat. ¡°Meow!¡± The little kitten jumped from Gu Yanfei¡¯s arms to the table. It bowed and stretched, its long fur trembling. Gu Yanfei said with a smile, ¡°Big Sister, put it on.¡± ¡°Can I?¡± Gu Yunzhen was a little flattered. She carefully put on a small bib embroidered with carp for the kitten, careful not to scare it. The little kitten remained motionless as Gu Yunzhen served it. ¡°It¡¯s so obedient!¡± Gu Yunzhen stared at the little kitten with sparkling eyes. Her heart was about to melt. After putting on the bib, the little kitten jumped back into Gu Yanfei¡¯s arms and eagerly rubbed against her clothes. Its round cat eyes narrowed into two crescents. Gu Yunzhen¡¯s eyes were filled with envy. She asked gently, ¡°Little kitty, have you eaten?¡± Qing Guang rubbed its head against Gu Yanfei coquettishly and meowed, as if to say, no. Gu Yunzhen could not help but reach out to touch the kitten¡¯s back. Her voice was softer and gentler. ¡°There¡¯s still an hour before we set off. Qing Guang has to eat something too, it¡¯s still growing.¡± Gu Yanfei smiled but did not say anything. She knew they would never leave today. As they spoke, the maids opened the food boxes and took out the food one by one. There were two bowls of green onion mushroom lean meat porridge, a cage of crab roe soup dumplings, and a few plates of assorted vegetables. Each dish was steaming hot and had obviously just been fetched from the kitchen. The sisters happily enjoyed their breakfast, and the kitten did not go hungry. Or rather, there were many people waiting on it. One of them fussed over it and added warm goat milk to its bowl, another fed it chicken, and another brushed its fur. Wherever there were humans, it was like a fish in water. The maidservants surrounding it were all treating it like a cat emperor. Even the old woman, who had been ordered by Madam Gu to pass on a message, could not help but glance at the little kitten. Her eyes wandered as she reported, ¡°Eldest Lady, Second Lady, Madam said that we can¡¯t leave for the time being. Let the two ladies rest first.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Gu Yunzhen¡¯s maid asked. The old woman answered truthfully, ¡°I don¡¯t know what exactly happened. The northern city gate was opened early in the morning, but just now, the officials suddenly ordered the city gate to be closed. They said that no one is allowed to enter or leave. Madam has already asked Granny Xu to take the token of the Marquis Mansion to the Danyang Manor. Please do me a favor.¡± Gu Yanfei lowered her eyes and drank her tea. The corners of her lips curled up behind the teacup. Not just today, but tomorrow and the day after that too. Gu Yunzhen frowned and asked the maidservant to send the old woman away. She comforted Gu Yanfei gently, ¡°My Second Sister, it¡¯s fine. Even if we can¡¯t leave today, we¡¯ll just stay in Danyang City for a few more days.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on these days. It¡¯s October, but it¡¯s still so hot and humid, and there¡¯s no wind. It¡¯s like a sauna in the carriage. It would be good to leave a few days later.¡± A smile appeared on Gu Yanfei¡¯s lips. Her Big Sister was like that. She was soft-hearted and always thought well of people and things. However, people were vicious. Sometimes, the so-called family would be more ruthless and vicious than strangers. Chapter 16 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Gu Yanfei rinsed her mouth and wiped the corner of her mouth with a handkerchief before saying with a smile, ¡°Big Sister, it¡¯s rare for you to come to Danyang City. Shall we go out for a walk?¡± Gu Yunzhen pursed her lips hesitantly when Gu Yanfei continued, ¡°I¡¯ve lived here for three months and haven¡¯t been out much. I heard that there are many delicacies in Danyang City. Saltwater duck, goose oil pastry, osmanthus sugar hawthorn, crispy dried fish¡­ They¡¯re all delicious.¡± The kitten¡¯s eyes lit up when it heard this. It meowed and helped beat the drums, looking at Gu Yunzhen expectantly. Faced with both Gu Yanfei and the kitten, Gu Yunzhen could not reject them at all. She smiled and replied, ¡°I¡¯ll get someone to tell Grandma. Let¡¯s go to the city for a walk.¡± Gu Yunzhen sent a maidservant to report to Madam Gu while she and Gu Yanfei left in a carriage. Before leaving, Gu Yanfei said, ¡°Let¡¯s go west.¡± The hexagram showed that the turning point for Danyang City was in the west. Gu Yunzhen thought that Gu Yanfei was being childlike and wanted to relax in the city. Hence, under Gu Yanfei¡¯s command, the carriage turned left and right. After driving through a few streets, they arrived at Chongxian Street in the west of the city. The atmosphere on the streets today was different from usual and the streets were much emptier. There were no hawkers or peddlers walking around. The places they passed were quieter than usual. Along the way, many passersby gathered together to talk. Most of them were discussing the magistrate¡¯s order to close the city gates. ¡°Big Sister, let¡¯s go to the Breeze Pavilion up ahead.¡± Under Gu Yanfei¡¯s suggestion, the sisters and the kitten entered the Breeze Pavilion in the middle of Chongxian Street. At this time, there were not many customers in the restaurant. The tables and chairs in the lobby were only about 20% full. The sisters chose a private room on the second floor facing the street and ordered a table of Clear Wind Restaurant¡¯s best dishes. The waiter, who had made a big deal, happily went downstairs. The scent of tea rose from the booth. The sisters drank tea while Juan Bi served the kitten. After taking two sips of hot tea, Gu Yunzhen put down the blue and white porcelain teacup and said gently, ¡°Second Sister, when we leave later, make one for Grandma and let her try it.¡± Although she had just met Gu Yanfei, Gu Yunzhen had a good impression of this cousin. She felt that she was not as vulgar as Granny Xu had said, and her bearing and words were well-mannered. She reminded her of her deceased uncle. Gu Yanfei hummed softly. She had roughly guessed what Gu Yunzhen was going to say next. Gu Yunzhen wanted to tell Gu Yanfei about the people and matters in the Marquis Mansion so that she would not be ignorant when she went to the capital in the future. She thought for a moment and started from Madam Gu. ¡°Second Sister, Grandma likes to eat fish and prawns. She believes in Buddhism and will eat vegetarian food on the 1st and 15th day of the month.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Grandma¡¯s birthday next month. Third Sister suggested that each of us sisters copy a Buddhist scripture for Grandma.¡± ¡°Third Sister¡­¡± Speaking of Gu Yunrong, Gu Yunzhen paused. Gu Yanfei knew what she was worried about and said directly, ¡°You¡¯re talking about Mother Su¡¯s daughter, right?¡± Gu Yunzhen nodded and continued, ¡°Third Sister was raised by Grandma since she was young. Grandma doted on her the most and usually listened to her advice. This time, it was also the Third Sister who persuaded Grandma to come and fetch you.¡± Gu Yanfei blinked her big eyes and came to a realization. So it was Gu Yunrong who was behind this. No wonder Madam Gu had arrived so quickly. She had arrived several days earlier than she had expected. Gu Yunzhen was about to say something when rumbling footsteps sounded in the street outside the window. Someone shouted, ¡°The officials are here!¡± The commotion outside the restaurant attracted the attention of the two sisters. Both of them looked for the source of the sound. On the street, a team of tall and mighty guards came running menacingly. They surrounded a medical center opposite them, well-trained. Several of the guards rushed into the medical center through the main entrance. The leader was a middle-aged man in a red robe embroidered with wild geese. He was waiting outside the medical center on a brown horse, looking imposing. ¡°Fourth-grade official uniform?¡± Gu Yunzhen frowned and said in surprise, ¡°Could this be the magistrate?¡± ¡°It really is Magistrate He!¡± The person who answered Gu Yunzhen was the waiter who had just entered. He held six plates of dishes in his arms as if he was performing a sideshow. As the waiter craned his neck to look out of the window, he skillfully served them dishes. Steamed salmon, anchovies, salted duck, goose oil pastry, osmanthus sugar hawthorn, clear soup stewed chicken¡­ The table was filled with delicacies. The commotion in front of the medical center also attracted the citizens walking on the street. Many people stopped curiously and discussed amongst themselves. ¡°Why are the officers here?¡± ¡°Did the Cheng Medical Clinic commit some crime?¡± ¡°First, the city was sealed, and now the medical hall. There must be a reason!¡± ¡°I remember that Doctor Cheng was invited to treat the Eldest Prince yesterday. Did something go wrong¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± On Chongxian Street, more and more passersby stopped to watch the commotion. Everyone focused on the Cheng Medical Clinic. Gu Yanfei picked up a fried fantail shrimp with her chopsticks and looked outside thoughtfully. The kitten came over and meowed at Gu Yanfei. Its green cat eyes were soul-stirring. Unfortunately, Gu Yanfei was unmoved. She slapped it away and instructed the waiter to serve the cat a serving of boiled prawns. A moment later, a man¡¯s high-pitched shout came from the direction of the medical center opposite, almost overturning the roof. ¡°I¡¯m innocent! I¡¯m innocent!¡± Amidst the shrill cries of injustice, Doctor Cheng was escorted out of the medical center by four or five tall and burly officials. He was in a sorry state, his headscarf having fallen off, and his hair a little messy. ¡°Lord He, I¡¯m innocent. There¡¯s definitely no problem with the medicine I prescribed for His Highness¡­¡± Doctor Cheng raised his head and complained to Magistrate He, who was on horseback. His heart was heavy and he felt that this matter would not end well. Just now, when the guards went in to capture him, he claimed that it was because he had used the wrong medicine, causing the Eldest Prince¡¯s body to deteriorate drastically and be in critical condition after using the medicine. However, Doctor Cheng was certain that Chu Yi¡¯s critical condition had nothing to do with him. He was familiar with the medicinal properties of the Jade Moon Grass. After taking the Jade Moon Grass for the first time, the patient would only feel good and refreshed. However, he would not know that this was just a dying flash. Next, the toxicity of the Jade Moon Grass would slowly erode the patient¡¯s internal organs, causing the patient to slowly weaken and die, making it impossible to determine either the cause of death or the time of poisoning. He¡¯d only given the packet to Chu Yi¡¯s personal guard early this morning, which meant it would be at least half a month before the virulence of the Jade Moon Grass took effect. Moreover, judging from Chu Yi¡¯s pulse yesterday, he was only weak and sickly, not fatal¡­ Could it be that someone else had drugged Chu Yi and deliberately framed him?! Chapter 17 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°How dare you! You poisoned the Eldest Prince with poison and still dare to claim innocence!¡± Magistrate He looked down at Doctor Cheng from the back of his horse and reprimanded him righteously. ¡°¡­¡± Doctor Cheng¡¯s hair was messy, and his eyes were slightly sinister. His heart fell into greater chaos. ¡°Lord He!¡± The sound of hurried footsteps could be heard as the head of the guards walked quickly from the back hall with two guards. ¡°I just found this under Doctor Cheng¡¯s bed¡­¡± One of the guards held a dark red wooden box in both hands and respectfully handed it to Magistrate He. The lid of the box was opened, revealing a stack of letters and a longevity stone seal. The envelope was impressively inscribed with several words in an odd script. ¡°This is the State of Yue¡¯s language¡­¡± Magistrate He muttered. His expression suddenly changed. When he looked at Doctor Cheng again, his eyes were filled with vigilance and his forehead throbbed. Today¡¯s troubles came one after another. Early in the morning, after the Eldest Prince took the medicine prescribed by Doctor Cheng, his condition suddenly worsened. He was on the verge of death, and Magistrate He was almost scared out of his wits. If the Eldest Prince died in Danyang City, regardless of whether it was an illness or an accident, Magistrate He would not be able to answer to the Emperor and would even be stripped of his position by the furious emperor. Magistrate He naturally would not sit back and do nothing. After thinking about it, he decided to find a scapegoat, so he brought people to seal the Cheng Medical Hall. Unexpectedly¡ª ¡°Doctor Cheng is a spy from the State of Yue!¡± Someone shouted from behind, their voice sharp and loud. The commoners who were watching outside the medical center heard it. It was as if a drop of water had fallen into hot oil and instantly exploded. These voices were clearly transmitted to the VIP seats on the second floor of the Breeze Pavilion. Juan Bi said indignantly, ¡°So it¡¯s the State of Yue!¡± ¡°These people are really despicable. First, they detained the Eldest Prince and refused to let him return to the dynasty. Now, they even poisoned him!¡± Gu Yanfei pushed away the kitten that wanted to steal food again. She used her chopsticks to pick up a piece of half-moon goose oil pastry and put it into her mouth. She gently bit it with her teeth, and the sweet taste filled her mouth. It was oily but not greasy, crispy but not dissipating. In her memory, the eldest prince, Chu Yi, should have appeared in March of the following year. It was said that his face was severely burned, and he wore a half-moon silver mask that covered the left side of his face all year round. His temperament was also said to be sinister and deep. He was the only prince today, so naturally, he wanted to be the Crown Prince. However, he was stopped by the ministers, who said that a deformed person was not suitable to be the ruler of a country. Every now and then in the royal court, there would be endless disputes over the establishment of the Crown Prince. ¡°Lord He, I¡¯m not from the State of Yue!¡± Doctor Cheng cried out in agitation, his expression extremely ugly. ¡°This doesn¡¯t belong to me. Someone framed me!¡± Doctor Cheng was telling the truth. The things in the box were not his at all. He was not so stupid as to keep such a letter that clearly had the State of Yue¡¯s words. Who put this in his house?! Si Hai! Si Hai¡¯s ordinary face immediately appeared in Doctor Cheng¡¯s mind. In an instant, Doctor Cheng seemed to have been struck by lightning as he understood the situation. His heart was as cold as ice. Shock, anger, suspicion, and other emotions seemed to weave into a huge net that trapped him. ¡°The evidence is conclusive, yet you still want to quibble!¡± Of course, Magistrate He would not believe Doctor Cheng¡¯s words. He ordered coldly, ¡°Hurry up and capture him!¡± The guards received the order in a rough voice. They roughly grabbed Doctor Cheng¡¯s arms and escorted him onto the prison cart. As they pushed him, Doctor Cheng¡¯s hair bun fell apart. He grabbed the wooden railing of the prison cart with both hands and shouted hysterically, ¡°I¡¯m innocent, Lord He. I was framed!¡± Magistrate He ignored Doctor Cheng and turned to ask the head of the class, ¡°Is there anyone else inside?¡± ¡°Magistrate He, I¡¯ve searched carefully. There¡¯s no one else except for two assistants,¡± the captain replied with cupped fists. Doctor Cheng¡¯s heart raced. Sure enough, they were here for the Sixth Master! Fortunately, the Sixth Master had already left safely through the secret passage. The Sixth Master was resourceful and would definitely be able to resolve this crisis! ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Magistrate He led the way with a cold expression. The guards rushed behind with the prison cart. The group drove along Chongxian Street in a mighty manner, leaving behind three or four guards to continue searching the Cheng Medical Hall. Juan Bi, who was leaning against the window with her upper body, retracted her gaze. Still feeling a little worried, she turned around and said, ¡°I wonder how the Eldest Prince is¡­¡± ¡°The Eldest Prince is blessed by the heavens. He will definitely be safe,¡± Gu Yanfei said casually as she looked at the departing team. Gu Yunzhen nodded in agreement. Gu Yanfei¡¯s expression was firm. Even if she didn¡¯t read fortunes, she could answer this question. In her previous life, before she passed away, the Eldest Prince, Chu Yi, was still alive and well. Gu Yanfei was about to retract her gaze when she suddenly froze and looked straight at the horizon. On the eastern horizon floated a crimson haze of blood, like clouds and mist. It rolled and flowed, changing into all kinds of strange shapes. Gradually, the bloody haze thickened¡­ Gu Yanfei muttered to herself, ¡°Is it¡­ the God of fire¡¯s calamity?¡± Her voice was as low as a mosquito¡¯s buzz. Only the kitten with the sharp ears heard her clearly. Its fluffy cat ears twitched. The little kitten excitedly jumped onto the window sill and looked in the same direction with its eyes wide open. It let out an excited cry. ¡°Meow~¡± It had the mentality of watching a show. ¡°Second Sister, what did you say?¡± Gu Yunzhen did not hear her clearly. Gu Yanfei was still staring at the dense blood energy. Her right hand, which was hidden in her sleeve, quickly calculated and said, ¡°The wind is about to blow¡­¡± A faint wind blew through the dull air and drifted past the window. The branches outside swayed slightly and rustled. The wind blew and then disappeared. The air was still dry and dull, as if the wind just now was just an illusion. On the streets below, many people were still lingering, condemning the State of Yue people with righteous indignation. Some people dispersed with the departure of the officials. A few busybodies simply followed the prison cart to the Danyang Manor to see how this matter would develop. When half of the crowd on the street had dispersed, a tall figure in a straight green robe walked out of the alley beside the Cheng Medical Hall. He wore a large bamboo hat that covered most of his face. The Sixth Master looked around warily. He lowered the brim of his bamboo hat and tensed. He was certain that they had been set up. Chu Yi and Kang Wang had joined forces to plot against them. The Sixth Master hurried in the other direction. As he passed a medium-sized man in gray, he gestured to him. The man in gray immediately understood and chased after Magistrate He¡¯s group in the direction of the Danyang Manor. Unfortunately, he was too late. He only saw Doctor Cheng¡¯s prison cart being escorted into the manor from afar. Then, the door closed mercilessly, blocking all probing gazes. Chapter 18 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Half a day later, the government posted a notice saying that Doctor Cheng was an evil spy from the State of Yue who poisoned the Eldest Prince with medicine, causing his life to be in danger. They also said that there were other spies from the State of Yue hiding in the city and asked the people to cooperate with the government to find these spies to avenge the Eldest Prince. News spread through the city with incredible speed. The State of Yue and the State of Jin were enemies for generations. When the commoners learned of this, they were all agitated. The atmosphere in the city suddenly became solemn. Magistrate He officially ordered the city to be sealed. From today onwards, no one was allowed to enter Danyang City. From time to time, the guards patrolled and searched the streets. Every household in the city had been searched by the guards, including the Gu family¡¯s residence. Even if they showed the token of the Dingyuan Marquis Household and even if Madam Gu was also in the residence, the guards still searched the Gu residence mercilessly. Of course, they did not allow them to leave the city. For the next few days, the city was filled with a thick, murderous atmosphere. ¡°Ta-da-da¡­¡± On the street, a team of officials holding torches roared past with two prison carts. The commoners pointed at the prison carts and sighed. A pair of malicious eyes looked out at the street through the holes in the window paper, his gaze like a bottomless abyss. When the guards were gone, he looked away too. He closed his eyes and sat motionless in his chair, as if he was frozen in place. Suddenly, the wind picked up. The clouds moved with the wind. Thick black clouds decorated the evening sky with gloom. The sky was darkening. The night sky was as black as ink, with no stars in sight. ¡°Sixth Master.¡± A dark-skinned middle-aged man appeared in the house and bowed respectfully to the man in blue on the chair. ¡°Shopkeeper Huang and the others are also temporarily locked up in the government dungeon. They haven¡¯t revealed your whereabouts.¡± ¡°Have someone continue to keep an eye on them.¡± The Sixth Master opened his eyes. His eyes were cold and his voice was hoarse. He could not hide the exhaustion in his expression. His days had not been easy. The day before yesterday, he had used the secret passageway to escape from the Cheng Medical Hall. After that, he went to another stronghold. However, the officials had launched a large search in the city, so he could only hide and change several strongholds. In just three days, most of the strongholds in Danyang City had been sealed off by the government. Even most of the spies lurking in the strongholds had been taken down. It could be said that 10 years of hard work had almost gone down the drain. The Sixth Master closed his eyes again, and his heart ached. He finally understood what it meant to be stabbed in the heart! Danyang City was only 400 miles away from the capital. It guarded the sea route and the North-South Canal. With the transportation of the river and sea, it could be said to be the gateway to the capital. Danyang City was too important to them. ¡°Yes,¡± the middle-aged man replied respectfully. He paused for a moment and said cautiously, ¡°Sixth Master, we still have 12 men available. I¡¯ve investigated carefully. There¡¯s nothing wrong with them.¡± He was certain that it was not the people of the State of Yue who had leaked the information to the authorities. ¡°¡­¡± Sixth Master narrowed his eyes, revealing some coldness. The officials of Danyang City had been searching for three days and had destroyed so many of their arrangements, but they still had no intention of stopping. It could be seen that they were targeting something. The answer was clear. They were definitely coming for him. This time, he had traveled all the way north from the State of Yue to discuss the details of the alliance with Kang Wang of the State of Jin under the orders of the Sage. Only Kang Wang knew that he had come to Danyang City. Kang Wang wanted to use him as a token of allegiance to Chu Yi, or to Emperor Mingde! Kang Wang was really scheming. On the surface, he and Emperor Mingde were like fire and water, but in reality, that was not the case. These brothers were just deliberately putting on an act to lure them into a trap?! They were playing the State of Yue like monkeys. He had been tricked!! Sixth Master¡¯s heart was filled with hatred. He punched the window frame so hard that his hand was numb with pain. This time, he had managed to snatch this job from Xia Houqing and even made a military pledge in front of the Sage. If he did not handle this task well, Xia Houqing would definitely kick him while he was down. Moreover, even the southwestern military power would fall into Xia Houqing¡¯s hands, making the other party even more powerful. He could not allow this to happen! A storm brewed in the Sixth Master¡¯s eyes. There was anger, unwillingness, and even vigorous ambition. After a while, he suppressed his intense emotions and asked calmly, ¡°Where¡¯s the kerosene?¡± ¡°The kerosene is ready,¡± the middle-aged man replied solemnly, lowering his upper body a little. The Sixth Master flexed his knuckles, cracking them. ¡°Tell them to stick to the plan,¡± he instructed in a deep voice. There was a desperate finality in that simple sentence. The middle-aged man accepted the order solemnly and left. It was already late at night. The candles in every house were extinguished, and the people were sleeping soundly. The streets were empty and quiet, and only the occasional bird cry echoed in the night wind. A dozen men in black sneaked out of the back door of a lacquered shop, avoiding the guards and night watchmen patrolling the streets. They shuttled through deserted alleys, as agile as ghosts. An hour later, the group led by the Sixth Master arrived at the alley outside the back door of the Danyang Manor. It was dark and frighteningly quiet. Without needing the Sixth Master to instruct them, the group of men in black spontaneously opened the jars they carried with them and quickly circled around the walls of the government office, splashing the liquid in the jars at the corners, the trees, and the walls covered in vines. ¡°Splash, splash¡ª¡± With a splash, a slightly pungent smell filled the night air. As the night deepened, a strong wind blew, causing the trees to creak like demons dancing. The Sixth Master, who was holding a torch, slowly walked to the foot of an old tree. A curled branch slanted over the wall and entered the government office. The flames on the torch swayed with the wind. The flickering flames added a hint of sinisterness to the Sixth Master¡¯s handsome and rough face. He wanted to see if Kang Wang and Emperor Mingde could continue being brothers if Chu Yi died in Danyang City! The Sixth Master suddenly let go, and the matchstick fell vertically¡­ ¡°Boom!¡± The moment the flames touched the kerosene, they spread rapidly in all directions. In a short while, the surroundings turned into a blazing sea of fire, greedily and crazily devouring everything that could be devoured. Flames danced wildly, climbing and spreading along the trees and vines and walls. Gray smoke rose in spirals. ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang!¡± In the distance, the loud banging sounds could be heard. It was late at night, and the people were sleeping soundly, oblivious to the fact that the magistrate¡¯s office was on the move. Chu Yi and the other two, who had just walked out of the corner door, saw the fire. ¡°Young Master, fire!¡± Xiao Shi looked up in the direction behind the Danyang Manor and whispered. Chu Yi, in his white cloak, was beside him, his chin slightly raised as he looked in the same direction. In the blink of an eye, the fire grew stronger. Crimson flames lit up the night sky above. Si Hai frowned and said hesitantly, ¡°Your Highness, judging from the location, it should be the back door of the Danyang Manor¡­ Could it be the people of the State of Yue?¡± ¡°Who else could it be?¡± Chu Yi said flatly, his eyes dark. Chapter 19 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°There¡¯s no profit in asking a tiger for its skin.¡± Chu Yi sighed. He instinctively reached for the sword at his waist but found nothing. Only then did he remember that he had given away the sword that his father had given him. As everyone knew, when the late Emperor was alive, he doted on the youngest son of his first wife, Kang Wang. Not only did he repeatedly propose to change the Crown Prince, but he also gave him the best fiefs, food, and military power in the northwest, causing Kang Wang to rise. Although his father had successfully ascended the throne, his foundation was still unstable and he was restrained by the civil and military officials. If Kang Wang formed an alliance with the State of Yue, it would be tantamount to asking a tiger for its skin. The State of Yue was ambitious, and if given an opportunity, it would only shake the country¡¯s foundation. Chu Yi knew that Kang Wang and the State of Yue did not trust each other. He used this to set up this trap and make the State of Yue suspicious of Kang Wang, completely cutting off the possibility of their alliance. Chu Yi raised his chin and looked in the direction of the fire without blinking. There was a faint blood color in his pupils. His half-bundled black hair was blowing in the wind, and a few strands of it lay messily by his cheek. His white clothes fluttered, as if he would blow away with the wind at any moment. ¡°If you ask me, it should be a dogfight!¡± Xiao Shi clapped and laughed, looking at Chu Yi with reverence. Danyang City could be said to be the gateway to the capital. It was not easy for Kang Wang to place Magistrate He in this position. He would definitely not give up this place easily. Everything was as the Young Master had expected. When Magistrate He saw that the Young Master was critically ill, he immediately rushed to find a scapegoat. Young Master¡¯s move to sow discord was really amazing! Magistrate He was one of Kang Wang¡¯s dogs. He would just let him fight with those people from the State of Yue. It would be best if both sides suffered! Thick smoke billowed in the wind. The fire was raging and unstoppable. ¡°Young Master, let¡¯s leave this place as soon as possible,¡± Si Hai said respectfully, his ordinary face calm. To him, Chu Yi¡¯s safety was paramount. Now that the situation in Danyang City was settled, it was time for them to return to the capital. Xiao Shi chimed in. Chu Yi closed his eyes and felt the night wind on his face. Then he opened his eyes and said, ¡°The wind is too strong tonight¡­¡± There was an old saying: The fire takes advantage of the wind, and the wind helps the fire. If the wind did not stop, this fire would probably get out of control and harm the surrounding citizens. ¡°Si Hai, inform the fire control office to put out the fire,¡± Chu Yi instructed as he turned around. Si Hai¡¯s pupils constricted, but he never disobeyed Chu Yi¡¯s orders. He immediately cupped his fists and said, ¡°Yes, Young Master.¡± Si Hai nimbly jumped onto a black horse and rode east. The night wind was fierce, each gust stronger than the last, as if some beast lurked in the darkness and roared. With the help of the east wind, the fire grew even stronger. The flames leapt higher than the walls, baring their fangs and brandishing their claws like a crazed fire qilin trying to devour everything it could. The surrounding trees and bushes were also burning. The fire spread rapidly toward the mansion next door¡­ ¡°Fire! Fire!¡± Xiao Shi shouted at the top of his voice, banging the gong. The sound of the gong was particularly piercing in the quiet night. The people in the government office and the people on this street finally woke up from their sleep. They also shouted, causing the entire street to be in an uproar. ¡°Fire!¡± ¡°The fire is spreading. Everyone, run!¡± ¡°We won¡¯t be able to extinguish such a big fire¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid the houses on this street are going to burn¡ª¡± The commoners nearby shouted as they fought to leave. A moment later, people escaped from the houses around the government office. Some of them were pushing carts, some were carrying bags, and some were crying¡­ In the chaos, a three or four-year-old girl ran over barefoot. She staggered and shouted for her parents in a panic. She looked around helplessly as she ran. It was obvious that she had been separated from her family. ¡°Ouch!¡± The little girl tripped over a pebble and fell to the ground. Her small face was blackened by smoke. Tears fell from her red eyes and she wailed, ¡°Father, Mother, it hurts¡­¡± ¡°Little girl, can I take you to find your parents?¡± A gentle and pleasant male voice suddenly sounded from above her head. The little girl rubbed her eyes and looked up. What greeted her was a handsome face. The young master was dressed in white and had an elegant aura. He did not look like a mortal. ¡°Big Brother¡­¡± The little girl opened her mouth slightly and obediently handed her hand to him. ¡°Sizzle¡­¡± Directly above them, a section of charred branch snapped and fell from the sky like a giant torch. Countless sparks crackled and bloomed. Xiao Shi returned with the gong and saw this soul-stirring scene from afar. He screamed, ¡°Young Master!¡± He was too far away to react. He could only watch as the burning branch approached Chu Yi, and then¡­ Of course Chu Yi could avoid it, but this little girl who was less than three feet tall could not. He raised his hand to block and protect the top of the girl¡¯s head. A few sparks landed on his snow-white sleeve¡­ Suddenly, a strange demonic wind rose, blowing up the burning branch, as if an invisible hand had forcefully pushed it forward by a foot. ¡°Bang!¡± The burning branch landed on the ground in front of Chu Yi. A few burning flames clung to the tips of his shoes. Sparks flew, burning small holes in Chu Yi¡¯s snow-white cloak. It all happened in a flash. Xiao Shi was only seven or eight steps away from Chu Yi, so he naturally saw this strange scene. His eyes were as round as saucers, and he was dumbfounded. He could not believe what he had just seen. An eerie silence fell around them, as if time had stopped. ¡°Brother Immortal, you¡¯re Brother Immortal!¡± The little girl clapped and laughed. Chu Yi did not hear her words. He felt a burning sensation in his sleeve and was stunned. He thought of something and took out a red silk pouch from his sleeve. It was hot to the touch. His long fingers gently plucked the drawstring at the opening of the pouch and shook it. Ash, as thin as cotton wool, drifted down from the brocade bag. In the next moment, it dissipated with the wind¡­ With a crack, another section of charred branch fell from the end of the alley. ¡°Young Master.¡± Xiao Shi rushed to Chu Yi¡¯s side in three steps, his eyes wide. He kicked away the branch that was still burning and stammered, ¡°That¡­ that peace charm¡­¡± If he hadn¡¯t seen it with his own eyes, he wouldn¡¯t have believed it, nor would he dare to believe it. This was unbelievable! Chu Yi looked thoughtfully at the red silk pouch in his hand. There was chaos all around as fire burned and smoke filled the air. The others on the street were either running for their lives or too busy putting out the fire to notice what was happening. The commoners ran over to put out the fire. Buckets of water were thrown into the sea of fire one after another. Unfortunately, it was a drop in the bucket. The fire showed no signs of abating at all. Fire chased the wind, destroying everything in its path. Chapter 20 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Many fell to their knees in grief. This was their home, and it contained the blood, sweat, and tears of generations. However, before a natural disaster, the power of humans was so weak that it was no different from an ant trying to shake a tree. There was no way to put out such a serious fire unless a storm came down now and doused it with lightning speed. Some people began to kowtow, some pounded their chests, some couldn¡¯t bear to look, and some prayed for Buddha¡¯s blessing and for a miracle to happen¡­ The night sky, however, was calm. No thunder, no lightning, no rain. The howling wind and blazing flames seemed to have long mocked them for overestimating themselves. Despair and depression weighed heavily on everyone¡¯s hearts. They felt as if they were in an icehouse. Their bodies and hearts were bone-chilling, and they were powerless to resist this fire. The ferocious fire expanded its territory without restraint, and heat waves filled the sky. Under the crisis, the tension and panic were infinitely magnified. Suddenly, the raging sea of fire stopped¡­ It was as if an invisible wall had cleaved vertically from the sky, bisecting the street. On one side was a sea of fire, on the other the surviving mortal world. ¡°The fire, did the fire stop burning?¡± A plump middle-aged woman said in a trembling voice. She pointed in the direction of the sea of fire with one hand and tugged at her husband with the other. The east wind was still blowing strongly. The huge flames had already engulfed the entire Danyang Manor. The fire was fierce, but it did not continue to spread¡­ ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right.¡± The man nodded repeatedly. He clasped his hands together in a choked voice and said excitedly, ¡°This is Buddha¡¯s manifestation!¡± ¡°Our house was saved?¡± The middle-aged woman was so excited that even her voice was trembling. Some of the commoners hugged each other in twos and threes, thanking the heavens that they had survived the calamity. In an alley nearby, a slim purple figure slowly emerged from the darkness. A fluffy kitten crouched on her shoulder. The girl¡¯s crystal black eyes were surprisingly bright against the firelight. ¡°Sigh¡ª¡± Gu Yanfei let out a long breath and whispered in a voice that only she could hear, ¡°That was close.¡± Her right hand was on her chest, her slim index and middle fingers interlaced together. Cottony ash floated down between them. The kitten on her shoulder had a talisman in its mouth. It swung its fluffy tail and curled it around her slender neck. Then, with a push of its hind legs, it jumped onto the nearest parasol tree as light as a swallow. The canopy rustled, shedding a few remnants of leaves. The little kitten had a small body and was very agile. It jumped from one section of the canopy to the other and gradually went up¡­ It shuttled nimbly through the fire and finally leaped onto the high wall outside the Danyang Manor. It stuck the talisman in its mouth. In an instant, the ground around the government office and the sparks and dust on the wall trembled violently. The invisible wall seemed to shrink, pinning the raging inferno within its circle. The talisman on the wall burned to ashes in the blink of an eye, mixing with the coke and dust around it. After completing the mission, the kitten returned the way it came. With a few light leaps, it landed steadily on Gu Yanfei¡¯s left shoulder. ¡°Meow, meow!¡± The kitten raised its chin and barked several times in a show-off manner. Its tail was practically in the air. Gu Yanfei stroked the kitten¡¯s back perfunctorily, still looking at the sea of fire in front of her, her gaze slowly condensing. There was too little spiritual energy in this small world, so she could only make up for it with quantity. She used all the talismans she had recently drawn and set up a talisman formation to control the fire. She was so close to getting herself killed¡­ Gu Yanfei¡¯s lips twitched, and her face turned pale. A suffocating feeling came from her chest, and she suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood that dripped to the ground. Her cherry lips were stained red with blood, as if she had applied lipstick. She was so beautiful that it was almost strange. She took a square of handkerchief from her belt and slowly dabbed at the corner of her mouth. After vomiting blood, she clearly felt that her body had become much more relaxed. Her meridians were smooth, as if they had been cleansed. Gu Yanfei blinked, her heart as clear as a mirror. This was the merit that this small world had given her. Even if there was no spiritual energy here, merit was fair to every creature in every small world. It was an immutable law. The kitten meowed happily, and its cat eyes narrowed in ecstasy. Its fur visibly became softer and smoother, as if it had been reborn. It rubbed against Gu Yanfei¡¯s neck in satisfaction and was in a good mood. Yes, following Boss was indeed beneficial! Gu Yanfei looked up at the Danyang Manor in the sea of flames and smiled. As early as the day she returned to Danyang City, when she entered the city, she discovered that black clouds were lingering above the city. It was an ominous sign. She immediately divined that there was going to be a great calamity in Danyang City. And she would be the only turning point in this disaster. So she chose to stay. Gu Yanfei raised her right hand and started calculating with her fingers again. Her slender fingers danced nimbly. This time, she was not obstructed. After a while, she happily stopped. Originally, more than half of Danyang City would have been destroyed by this fire, and countless people would have died. Now, the disaster has been resolved! Her master had said that their Tianwen Sect cultivated merit. She had lost some blood essence in exchange for great merit. It was worth it! Gu Yanfei flicked her sleeve coolly and turned to leave. As she turned around, her gaze swept across the alley beside the Danyang Manor. At the entrance of the alley stood a young master in a white cloak. It was Chu Yi. Not far behind Chu Yi, Xiao Shi carried the little girl and strode in another direction. He coaxed, ¡°Where¡¯s your house? I¡¯ll take you to find your parents, okay¡­¡± Xiao Shi did not see Gu Yanfei, but Chu Yi did. He smiled and looked at her from afar. Their eyes met. In that instant, time seemed to stop. At the side, the Danyang Manor was completely engulfed by the sea of fire. It was like a huge bonfire. The burning flames enveloped Chu Yi in a red halo, making him look like a painting. His eyes, brilliant as stars, were quiet and deep as he gazed at her. He held her gaze for a moment, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbing up and down as if he felt the heat. He smoothed the tether of his cloak, and bits of firelight fell softly on his neck. Gu Yanfei could just make out the beautiful curve of his collarbone, gleaming faintly. He smiled slightly, and Gu Yanfei also smiled sweetly. Then, without a word, she turned and left without saying good-bye, without a trace of reluctance. Chu Yi watched quietly as Gu Yanfei left. Her back gradually disappeared into the thick night. Chu Yi didn¡¯t look away until he couldn¡¯t see her anymore. He took the red brocade bag out of his sleeve again. There were only a few fingernail-sized pieces of ash left in the brocade pouch. Chapter 21 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Chu Yi¡¯s long, thick eyelashes fluttered, and the faint golden sparks on the tips of his eyelashes flickered. His dark eyes were filled with interest. ¡°The firefighters are here!¡± A deafening cheer echoed through the entire street. The firefighter finally arrived late and worked together with the guards to put out the fire. Gu Yanfei did not care about this. After she was done, she returned to the Gu residence on Hua¡¯an Street. Juan Bi was waiting for her at the back door. She was relieved to see her back and quickly welcomed her into the house. Now that this residence was completely under Gu Yanfei¡¯s control, the servants did not dare to say anything. Therefore, whether she left or returned, no one else was alarmed. The Gu residence was silent. Everyone in the residence knew nothing about the fire at Danyang Manor. For some, the night had been both long and grueling. For others, it had been a snap of the fingers, no more than a nap. The next morning, various rumors bombarded the Gu residence. For example, the people from the State of Yue had openly poisoned the Eldest Prince and set fire to the Danyang Manor. For example, the Eldest Prince was blessed by the heavens and was safe and sound. For example, most of the Danyang Manor had been burned, but the fire did not spread to the other nearby residences. For example, the group of arsonists were ordered by a high-ranking official from the State of Yue. The authorities had already captured most of them. Unfortunately, they were not sure if the high-ranking official had been captured. This news was shocking. Everyone in the Gu family was dumbfounded. For the next few days, the citizens in the city discussed this matter in full swing. Every time they saw the Danyang Manor that was mostly burned down, they would feel lingering fear. They did not dare to imagine that if this fire spread to the entire city, they would probably not be able to escape. The State of Yue people were really despicable and shameless! On October 15th, the Emperor sent hundreds of brocade-clad guards and imperial guards to Danyang City to escort the Eldest Prince back to the capital. It was a grand affair. It was not until October 16th that Madam Gu received the news that the city gate finally opened again. Madam Gu had been forced to stay in Danyang City for an additional six days. She did not want to stay any longer and immediately gave the order to set off that day, afraid that something would happen if they delayed. Therefore, the servants in the Gu residence all took action. They arranged for carriages, packed boxes, and asked for favors to leave early. Halfway through the night, the four carriages of the Gu family drove out of the north gate of Danyang City and embarked on the journey back to the capital. Gu Yanfei and Gu Yunzhen sat in the second carriage together. The little kitten naturally accompanied them. The two of them chatted happily. Along the way, Gu Yunzhen told Gu Yanfei a lot about the Marquis Mansion. She talked about the layout of the mansion, about the people living in the fifth branch , about the important stewards and wet nurses, and also about some in-laws in the Gu family¡­ It was fragmented and detailed. Gu Yanfei naturally knew this, but she still listened patiently. She knew that Gu Yunzhen meant well. Many distant memories gradually became clear because of Gu Yunzhen¡¯s narration. Madam Gu had something on her mind and could not wait to return to the capital. Hence, she changed her leisurely manner and ordered the coachman to speed up. In the end, the group arrived in the capital a day earlier. Madam Gu was in her early 50s and was not young. The long journey had exhausted her. Even so, the first thing she did when she returned to the Marquis Mansion was not to rest, but to bring Gu Yanfei and Gu Yunzhen to the Benevolent Harmony Hall. ¡°Grandma, you¡¯re finally back!¡± A young girl in a red dress walked out gracefully to welcome Madam Gu. The girl had bright eyes and white teeth. Her smile was as bright as the rising sun, and her eyes were as bright as a lotus. Gu Yanfei recognized Gu Yunrong at a glance. That familiar face crossed 200 years in an instant¡­ For a moment, Gu Yanfei felt that those 200 years in the Bright Spirit Realm seemed to be just a dream, just like Chang Tzu¡¯s dream of being a butterfly. Gu Yanfei tried her best to suppress her mental demons and return to her senses. The entire Benevolent Harmony Hall became lively with Madam Gu¡¯s return. The maidservants were busy serving tea, fruits, and snacks. They even specially ordered Madam Gu¡¯s favorite incense, a delicate fragrance with a tinge of herbs. ¡°Grandma, are you tired from your trip to Danyang City?¡± Gu Yunrong held Madam Gu¡¯s arm intimately and coaxed her with a smile. ¡°You¡¯ve lost weight. I¡¯ll cook for you tonight¡­¡± She smiled brightly and a pair of tiny dimples appeared on her lips. She was clever and amiable. To Madam Gu, Gu Yunrong was her sweetheart. Hearing her concerned words, Madam Gu¡¯s expression softened and she beamed. ¡°Then I¡¯ll wait to taste your cooking.¡± Speaking of which, Rong¡¯er was probably only a month or two older than that wild girl, but she was countless times more considerate and sensible. Sigh, back then, the Old Marquis had offered his eldest daughter to be engaged with Fang Mingfeng. Now, Gu Yunrong could only be the younger sister. After everyone sat down, Gu Yunrong looked around and nodded at Gu Yunzhen. ¡°Big Sister, thank you for accompanying Grandma this time.¡± Then, she looked at Gu Yanfei, who was sitting beside Gu Yunzhen, and smiled. ¡°This must be my Second Sister. I¡¯m Yunrong.¡± It was as if she was born to be good at talking and being intimate with everyone. Gu Yanfei did not say a word. She casually stroked the kitten¡¯s smooth back with one hand. The kitten was sleeping soundly in her arms. Its round head was buried in her arms and it did not move. How rude! Madam Gu glanced at Gu Yanfei with displeasure. This girl¡¯s heart was higher than the sky and her life was thinner than paper. She had been throwing a tantrum recently probably because she wanted to compete with Rong¡¯er. Seeing that the atmosphere was slightly tense, Granny Li from the Benevolent Harmony Hall chuckled. Her round eyes curved into the shape of a moon as she smiled and tried to smooth things over. ¡°Third Lady, you have another elder sister to dote on you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± The smile on Gu Yunrong¡¯s lips deepened, like a bright sun. Madam Gu picked up the teacup and took a sip of tea before saying to Gu Yanfei indifferently, ¡°Since you¡¯re in the capital, you have to abide by the rules of the Marquis Mansion.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t go out if you have nothing to do in the future. Stay at home and do some needlework.¡± ¡°In a few days, the British government will come to make a small order. In a while, I¡¯ll get someone to give you Crown Prince Fang¡¯s measurements. Go and make a set of clothes, shoes, and socks.¡± Madam Gu used a commanding tone. She looked calm on the surface, but she was actually burning with anxiety. Since the Eldest Prince had arrived in the capital, the situation in the capital would definitely change. Some of the courtiers would probably stand on the Eldest Prince¡¯s side for the sake of the so-called orthodoxy. In that case, the position of Kang Wang would not be so stable. The Empress Dowager would definitely fight for all the power she could for Kang Wang. Marriage was one of the most effective ways. And the current Dingyuan Marquis Household was not worthy of the Empress Dowager¡¯s attention. Madam Gu knew her limits. To the Marquis Household, the most important thing now was to quickly settle their marriage while Kang Wang was deeply in love with Gu Yunrong. Therefore, she had to resolve the marriage between the Gu and Fang families first. Chapter 22 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Madam Gu stroked the prayer beads in her hand and raised her hand to gesture to Granny Li. Granny Li approached Gu Yanfei with a smile, planning to bring her down to settle down. Then, she heard Gu Yanfei say calmly, ¡°I don¡¯t want this marriage.¡± Her voice was neutral, her tone flat, but to the others, it was like a bolt from the blue. Shocked eyes turned to her. ¡°Nonsense!¡± Madam Gu flew into a rage and reprimanded loudly, ¡°Marriage is a big deal. It¡¯s the order of our parents. It¡¯s not up to a girl like you to decide.¡± She did not have a good impression of Gu Yanfei to begin with. She felt that this girl was inferior to Gu Yunrong in every aspect, especially after her trip to Danyang City. During the few days in Danyang City, she had only seen Gu Yanfei twice. On the day she arrived and the day she left, she had deliberately spared her a few days of greetings to give her the cold shoulder. She saw that Gu Yanfei had been behaving herself these few days and did not cause any more trouble. She thought that she had learned her lesson, and did not expect this girl to be such a troublemaker. The atmosphere froze. ¡°Grandma, calm down. Take care of yourself.¡± Gu Yunrong¡¯s delicate voice was like a spring breeze blowing through the willow branches. She caressed Madam Gu¡¯s back to calm her down. After Madam Gu¡¯s breathing calmed down a little, Gu Yunrong looked at Gu Yanfei again. Her eyes were clear as she tactfully advised, ¡°It¡¯s inevitable that my Second Sister will feel uneasy when she comes home for the first time. However, filial piety is of utmost importance. Grandma is old and has headaches. The doctor said that Grandma can¡¯t be angry and asked us to follow her orders.¡± Gu Yunrong kindly advised Gu Yanfei. In the Marquis Mansion, Madam Gu was the law. As a junior, Gu Yanfei¡¯s fate was in Madam Gu¡¯s hands. It was not good to be too stubborn. Besides, the marriage between the Gu and Fang families originally belonged to Gu Feiyan. Now, it was just ¡°returning to its rightful owner¡±. Gu Yanfei mulled over Gu Yunrong¡¯s words in his heart. In a daze, distant memories came flooding back. In her previous life, she had never learned to say no. Whatever Madam said, she did. She had agreed to this marriage according to her family¡¯s arrangements, but what had she gotten in return? The British government said that she was undisciplined and had been lost in Danyang City for a night. They used this as an excuse to break off the engagement and publicized it, making it difficult for her to take a step in the capital later. At that time, as her biological grandmother, Madam Gu did not defend her and even sent her to live in the nunnery for a year. Later on, her eldest brother died on the battlefield, but he was accused by Kang Wang of ¡°being unrealistic and greedy¡± and ¡°acting brave¡±. In order to cut ties with her eldest brother, Madam Gu not only did not help collect his corpse, but also removed her eldest brother from the household. Her father and brother had fought on the battlefield and made countless contributions to the Great Jin Dynasty. In the end, they only ended up with a tombless corpse and infamy. And later¡­ One by one, every single incident was engraved in her heart. These past events had become mental demons that had haunted her for 200 years and were deeply engraved in her soul. Gu Yanfei was in a daze and did not speak for a while. However, in Madam Gu¡¯s eyes, her silence meant that she had given in. The strong beats the weak. It was only natural. A sharp glint flashed across Madam Gu¡¯s eyes as she instructed, ¡°Granny Li, go and teach the Second Lady some manners.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± Granny Li hurriedly bowed and accepted the order. Madam Gu stroked her sleeves and looked at Gu Yanfei with her cold gaze again. She said, ¡°Prepare well these few days. When the British government comes to settle things, don¡¯t spout nonsense.¡± After a pause, Madam Gu added warningly, ¡°Don¡¯t do what you did last time¡­¡± Every time she thought about how Gu Yanfei had actually said something to Fang Mingfeng about calling off the marriage, Madam Gu would feel her temples throbbing. She was halfway through her sentence when Gu Yanfei suddenly stood up. Her eyes were cold, distant, and deep. ¡°Madam, my parents are dead. The Gu family has neither raised me nor helped me. What right do you have to make decisions for me?!¡± Gu Yanfei asked indifferently. Madam Gu was like a big white goose that had its neck stuck. She fell silent, and her face darkened visibly, turning purple from anger. There was a breathless silence in the house. Even the drop of a pin could be heard. Madam Gu was furious. She slammed her palm on the coffee table and her face turned green. ¡°Men, take the family law!¡± In a short while, a stout old woman respectfully brought the family law. It was an inch and a half wide bamboo ruler, thick and heavy. ¡°Beat her up and teach this unfilial descendant a lesson!¡± Madam Gu ordered coldly. The old woman expressionlessly approached Gu Yanfei with the bamboo ruler. The kitten, who was sleeping soundly, was woken up by Madam Gu¡¯s sharp voice. It opened its sleepy green eyes and swept its gaze across Madam Gu and the old woman. ¡°Meow!¡± it meowed unhappily. The kitten¡¯s cry was still soft and cute even though it was a threatening roar. Madam Gu and the old woman¡¯s bodies went numb and they broke out in cold sweat. Their clothes were wet, and the old woman felt that the ruler in her hand was as heavy as a mountain. Madam Gu¡¯s mouth opened and closed, and her throat felt bitter. The word ¡°hit¡± was already on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn¡¯t say it. She raised her hand and pointed at Gu Yanfei. Her hand was trembling, and her eyes were filled with fear and confusion. At this moment, the curtain was lifted and a tall figure strode in, looking travel-worn. ¡°Stop!¡± The newcomer saw the ruler in the old woman¡¯s hand and shouted coldly, his clear voice as sharp as a sword. It was a handsome young man of 17 or 18 years old. He was wearing a slim blue brocade robe, and there was a black belt embroidered with flames on his thin waist. It made his figure look even taller and more handsome, like green bamboo and pine trees. A ponytail was tied high behind his head. It swayed in high spirits as he walked. ¡°¡­¡± Gu Yanfei looked at the young man in blue in a daze. Her eyes stung slightly, and she was unwilling to look away. In this life, she returned to this cage-like Dingyuan Marquis Household not only to resolve her mental demons, but also to see¡ª Her oldest brother. The kitten, still sleepy, looked at its owner and yawned. Seeing that there was nothing more for it, it went back to sleep with its eyes closed and curled into a three-colored ball of fur. In the next moment, Madam Gu shuddered and finally came back to her senses. Her heart turned cold. The cat Gu Yanfei picked up was very strange. Her fingers gripped the prayer beads tightly. She composed herself and asked unnaturally, ¡°Yuan¡¯er, why are you back?¡± It was the eldest son of the Gu family, Gu Yuan. Madam Gu did not expect Gu Yuan to suddenly return to the residence. Ever since Gu Yuan entered the West Mountain Camp a year ago, he had been staying in the camp all year round. Usually, he could only return to the Marquis Mansion on days of rest. Half a year ago, when the truth of the fake daughter¡¯s swap was revealed, Madam Gu had instructed the various families to hide it from Gu Yuan first. She was afraid that she would disappoint him if she could not find his sister, so she decided to tell Gu Yuan in detail after they brought her back to the Marquis Mansion. This concealment had lasted until now. Chapter 23 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Madam Gu¡¯s eyes darted around, unsure if Gu Yuan already knew. Gu Yuan took a few more steps forward as if he had not heard anything. His burning gaze was fixed on Gu Yanfei. His feet seemed to be filled with lead as he walked slower and slower. When his mother passed away, Gu Yuan was only three years old. He could still vaguely remember his mother¡¯s face. As he grew older, his memories became more and more blurry. At this moment, when he saw his sister, the beautiful and exquisite face in front of him overlapped with his mother¡¯s face in his dream. His sister looked so much like his mother! He used to love to lean against his mother¡¯s swollen belly and feel his sister¡¯s fetal movements. The family had been happy then. Gu Yuan stared at her without blinking, his eyes moist. A pulse that rose from the bottom of his heart told him silently that she was his blood relative. He composed himself and said, ¡°I¡¯m your brother, Gu Yuan.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take care of everything.¡± The young man¡¯s voice was slow and hoarse. The warmth, determination, and sincerity in his words overflowed. ¡°Big Brother,¡± Gu Yanfei called out softly, revealing her first smile of the day. Gu Yuan felt a lump in his throat and controlled his emotions in an extremely short period of time. He turned to Madam Gu and said, ¡°Grandma, Sister has just returned and is tired. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll take her away first.¡± Without waiting for Madam Gu to answer, Gu Yuan grabbed Gu Yanfei¡¯s hand and left, completely ignoring the others. ¡°Yuan¡¯er!¡± Madam Gu shouted from behind, trying to stop Gu Yuan. Gu Yuan pretended not to hear her and did not stop. ¡°Big Brother,¡± Gu Yunrong called from behind them, his voice a little low. Gu Yuan still did not turn around. He only paused for a moment and clenched his fists. He hadn¡¯t told anyone that he¡¯d made a solo trip to Huaibei in the past few days. At the beginning of the month, Gu Yuan secretly returned to the capital for an errand. However, he accidentally found out that Madam had left the capital to pick up the ¡°Second Lady¡± from Danyang City. This ¡°Second Lady Gu¡± was not Gu Yunrong. She said that she was the lost pearl of the Gu family¡¯s eldest branch and had just been found by Madam Gu. Gu Yuan felt that things were a little strange. After finishing his errand, he gritted his teeth and applied for leave from the higher-ups. He first went to Danyang City. Unexpectedly, Danyang City closed its gates tightly, so he could only rush to Huaibei. After checking, he realized that his biological sister was not Gu Yunrong! His biological sister been replaced by the vicious Mother Su and had also been tortured and abused by that family in Huaibei for 14 years. Gu Yuan traveled day and night. Halfway through, he changed a few horses before finally rushing back to the capital. He did not expect that the moment he returned to the residence, he would see Madam Gu giving the order to punish his sister, whom she had just acknowledged! Gu Yuan closed his eyes. His limbs were cold as he decisively pulled Gu Yanfei through the curtain. The curtain flapped up and down, swaying in midair. The room was silent and the air slightly oppressive. After walking out of the Benevolent Harmony Hall, Gu Yuan let go of Gu Yanfei. He looked down at the little girl who was a head shorter than him. He had a thousand words to say, but he did not know where to start. His heart was filled with guilt. 14 years ago, his mother gave birth to his sister during the war and died in childbirth. He had sworn on his mother¡¯s memorial tablet that he would look after his sister. Later, Gu Yunrong was sent to the capital from afar by Mother Su. Madam Gu took pity on her and raised her in the Benevolent Harmony Hall. Gu Yuan wanted to study and practice martial arts. Usually, other than being in a daze in the morning, he did not have many opportunities to meet Gu Yunrong. However, after so many years, Gu Yuan was still very concerned about his sister, Gu Yunrong. He thought of her in everything and prioritized her in everything. He hadn¡¯t expected to get even his sister wrong. His real sister had suffered outside for 14 years! Thinking of what he had seen in Huaibei, Gu Yuan¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°Sister.¡± Gu Yuan wanted to tell his sister that he would protect her in the future. Just as the words were about to leave his mouth, he saw the little kitten in her arm from the corner of his eye, so he changed the topic abruptly. ¡°¡­ Is this your cat?¡± ¡°Its name is Qing Guang.¡± Gu Yanfei casually caressed the top of the kitten¡¯s head. Having heard its name, the kitten instinctively wanted to open its eyes, but a white hand blocked it. In Gu Yuan¡¯s eyes, this small action of hers became pity for the cat. After some consideration, Gu Yuan said seriously, ¡°Sister, Grandma doesn¡¯t like cats. Any cat in the marquis¡¯s residence will be killed by Grandma¡¯s orders.¡± ¡°I¡¯m working at the West Mountain Camp now. There¡¯s a small farm nearby that¡¯s Mother¡¯s dowry. Why don¡¯t you move there?¡± The reason why Gu Yuan suggested this was not only because of this cat, but also because he knew that if his sister stayed in the Marquis Mansion, her life would probably not be easy. Grandma clearly did not have any affection for his sister. If there was a disagreement, she would be punished by the family law. The servants in the residence were used to stepping on the weak and flattering the strong. Most likely, they would not give face to his sister. Hence, there was no need for her to stay here and suffer. ¡°¡­¡± Gu Yanfei looked at Gu Yuan in a daze. In her previous life, Big Brother had also suggested this to her. However, at that time, she was too inferior and ignorant. She thought that Big Brother, Madam Gu, and Granny Xu all looked down on her. ¡°Big Brother, I¡¯m not leaving.¡± Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes curved slightly, and her clear pupils seemed to be filled with water. Her smile was as bright as spring. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± In her previous life, she did not go to the manor. She would not go in this life either. She would stay. The kitten in her arms meowed a few times, meaning that no one would dare to kill it. Afterall, it was a spirit beast that all humans would worship. Gu Yuan¡¯s eyelashes fluttered twice. He was a little hesitant, but he did not force her in the end. After thinking for a while, he changed to another suggestion. ¡°Then you can stay in Yuheng Garden. That¡¯s the courtyard where our mother lived when she was still alive. It¡¯s been empty all these years. You can stay there after it has been tidied up a little.¡± Yuheng Garden was located on the north side of the mansion¡¯s inner courtyard. Although it had been empty for 14 years, it did not mean that it was abandoned. There were servants in the courtyard who were in charge of sweeping and tidying it to maintain its former appearance. Gu Yuan was afraid that his sister would reject him again. He was so nervous that his palms were sweating. When she said, ¡°Okay,¡± Gu Yuan grinned and said eagerly, ¡°I¡¯ll bring you there!¡± ¡°If you need anything in the future, just let me know.¡± ¡°If I¡¯m not there, tell my pageboy, Wu Tong.¡± ¡°In a few days, I¡¯ll think of a way to transfer back to the capital!¡± Gu Yuan rambled on and on, a little long-winded and even a little clumsy. Gu Yanfei listened quietly with a faint smile. Her Big Brother was trying desperately to make it up to her and to be kind to her at all costs, just as he had been then¡­ Chapter 24 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The siblings walked around to the backyard of Benevolent Harmony Hall and turned east. They passed through a passage and headed east until they arrived at a quiet courtyard. Compared to the liveliness of the Benevolent Harmony Hall, Yuheng Garden was quiet and peaceful. There was a lush green shade that moved with the wind everywhere. The autumn breeze brushed the hem of the siblings¡¯ clothes and the ends of their hair. ¡°Young Master.¡± A skinny old woman in her early 50s bowed to Gu Yuan cautiously. The servants who stayed in the courtyard were all scullery maids. They did not have the chance to serve the masters of the Marquis Mansion, so their actions and words were a little stiff. The old woman bowed and carefully sized up Gu Yanfei. Ever since Madam Gu took the eldest daughter to Danyang City, there had been rumors in the residence that there would be a new second daughter. Could it be this girl?! ¡°The Second Lady will live here from now on,¡± Gu Yuan said as he casually scanned the desolate courtyard. Most of the eldest branch¡¯s old servants in the capital were now serving Gu Yunrong. It was not appropriate to transfer these people back to his sister. He had to choose some more loyal and reliable people. Gu Yuan was thinking about where he could transfer some people over, but he said, ¡°Whatever the Second Lady says, you can¡¯t disobey her. Otherwise, even if the eldest branch is no longer the same as before, I can still deal with the few of you.¡± He gave the old woman a casual sideways glance. His gaze was as sharp as a blade, and he had an aura of authority. The old woman immediately summoned the others in the courtyard and greeted the two masters. The arrival of the siblings caused a commotion in the lifeless Yuheng Garden. The servants began to tidy up and clean up in a hurry. ¡°Sister, let me show you around.¡± When Gu Yuan faced Gu Yanfei, his expression softened again. He calmly led Gu Yanfei inside and matched her pace. Every blade of grass and tree here held memories of their parents. ¡°After Father and Mother got married, they lived here. Father personally built this swing for Mother.¡± ¡°Mother planted this small bamboo forest the year I was born. She also planted those chrysanthemums¡­ Mother likes to grow flowers very much, so Father specially separated this garden from it.¡± ¡°The Taihu Stone used in this fake mountain was sent by my uncle¡¯s men from thousands of miles away.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Gu Yanfei listened with relish to all the new information. In her previous life, Gu Yanfei listened to Madam Gu in everything. Under her arrangements, she stayed in Caiwei Courtyard, which was located in the northwest of the Benevolent Harmony Hall. She had never set foot in Yuheng Garden. Along the way, Gu Yuan talked a lot about the eldest branch, including their father, the Marquis of Dingyuan, Gu Ce, who died on the battlefield eight years ago. The former Emperor used Gu Yuan¡¯s young age as an excuse to let Gu Ce¡¯s younger brother, Gu Jian, inherit the title of Marquis of Dingyuan. After about half an hour, the siblings arrived at the main room. The house was brightly lit and spotless, except that it was empty. Apart from some cupboards, tables, chairs, beds, and other necessary furniture, there was nothing else. ¡°Sister, in the future, when you live here, you can decorate the room however you want. Don¡¯t let yourself suffer¡­¡± Gu Yuan was about to say something when he was interrupted by a soft meow. The sleeping kitten jumped up from Gu Yanfei¡¯s arms and flew from the window to a big tree outside the window. It first stretched, then happily rubbed its claws on the branch while meowing. Gu Yanfei casually stroked her sleeve that was wrinkled by the cat and smiled faintly. Gu Yuan also smiled, his eyes as gentle as water. His sister was almost of age. He did not know what he could do for her¡­ He racked his brains for a long time and suddenly slapped his forehead. He took out a few banknotes worth a few hundred taels from his pouch and stuffed them all into Gu Yanfei¡¯s hands. ¡°If there¡¯s anything you want to buy, buy it. Don¡¯t let yourself suffer. If it¡¯s not enough, let me know.¡± There were only 400 taels. It was not a lot, but Gu Yanfei knew that this was all her brother had. There was a saying that parents did not separate from the family. Madam Gu was still alive, so the Marquis Mansion had never separated from the family. The eldest branch of the family did not have any private assets. Even the dowry of his mother, Xie Shi, was managed by Madam Gu. Gu Yuan¡¯s salary had to be handed over to the public. Usually, he only relied on the monthly salary of the Marquis Mansion to survive. At most, he would occasionally have some external income which he saved. ¡°Thank you, Big Brother.¡± Gu Yanfei took the banknotes and smiled brightly. The young girl was in her prime and had a beautiful face that did not need any makeup or jewelry. She only needed to smile slightly, and she would be like a hundred flowers blooming, beautiful beyond compare. Gu Yuan felt an indescribable feeling in his heart. His sister was no longer an ignorant and naive child. What was missed had been missed. All he could do was spoil her and be as good to her as possible so that she could smile as openly as she did now. As they spoke, Juan Bi served the siblings hot tea. Gu Yuan took a sip of tea and frowned slightly. Then, he summoned the old woman and instructed, ¡°Go to my place and find Wu Tong to get a few jars of good quality¡­ Forget it, I¡¯ll go back myself.¡± He couldn¡¯t help but sigh. His sister lacked more than a jar of tea leaves! At the thought of this, Gu Yuan could not be bothered to drink tea anymore. He reminded Gu Yanfei, ¡°Sister, you¡¯ve just arrived. You must be tired from the journey, so rest well first. There are still many things to do later on.¡± With that, he left in a hurry. Gu Yanfei watched his back disappear at the entrance of the courtyard before going to the beauty couch to rest. The sun gradually set in the west. When Gu Yanfei woke up, she was pulled by Juan Bi to visit her new boudoir while in high spirits. The boudoir had been mostly tidied up. The few pieces of furniture in the house had been rearranged neatly. Just like in Danyang City, there was a large desk by the window. However, there was nothing on it and it seemed empty. There was no pond outside the window, so Juan Bi placed a large blue and white porcelain vat the size of a washbasin on the desk. The vat was also empty. Juan Bi smiled and said, ¡°Miss, there are no fish now. I¡¯ll go out of the house in two days to buy two goldfish.¡± ¡°Meow!¡± The kitten heard her and jumped happily into the blue-and-white porcelain vat. It agreed with Juan Bi¡¯s suggestion. After all, fish soup was tasty! Gu Yanfei walked around the house. Just as she sat down, an old woman came to report with a smile on her face. Granny Li from the Benevolent Harmony Hall had come to see her. Granny Li was Madam Gu¡¯s most trusted aide. She had always interacted amicably with everyone, so not only was she quite prestigious in this residence, but she was also quite popular. ¡°Second Lady.¡± Granny Li curtsied with a wide smile. Her face was calm as she looked around the house that was still being cleaned up. Her lips pursed. If not for the Eldest Young Master¡¯s insistence, Madam Gu would have wanted the Second Lady to stay in Caiwei Courtyard. Before going to Danyang City, she had instructed her to clean up the courtyard. Now that Caiwei Courtyard had been tidied up, although it was small, it was better than Yuheng Garden in terms of facilities. The Eldest Young Master was a man and was not attentive enough. As this thought flashed through her mind, Granny Li did not intend to remind Gu Yanfei that she could ask Madam Hou for some decorations from the storeroom. She only smiled and said, ¡°Madam Gu wants you to come to the ancestral hall tomorrow at 9 pm.¡± Chapter 25 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Today, Yuheng Garden was very lively. As soon as Granny Li left, Gu Yuan sent someone over. Not only were there people, but there were also some broken things. Gu Yuan almost thought of something and sent them over. Tea leaves, incense, the Four Treasures of the Study, chessboard, buttercup, rattan ball, glass beads, goat¡¯s milk, jade pendant, jade ring¡­ Just packing up these trivial things made Gu Yanfei happy. Juan Bi counted them one by one. ¡°These are top-quality fur tips. I have to keep them myself.¡± ¡°This jade pendant and chessboard are for you.¡± ¡°These should be for Qing Guang.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Meow!¡± Deeply satisfied with this, the kitten slapped a paw on the rattan ball. The small rattan ball rolled around and around as the kitten chased it. The crisp ringing of the bell was endless. Gu Yanfei fell asleep under the sound of the bell and was woken up by the ringing again. She slowly ate her breakfast before Granny Li led her to the Gu family¡¯s ancestral hall on the west side of the Marquis Mansion. The white stone path that led to the ancestral hall was clean. Pine trees and cypress trees lined both sides of the stone path, the atmosphere solemn and quiet. A plaque hung at the entrance of the building in front of them. The words ¡°Gu Family Ancestral Hall¡± were written in a flamboyant manner. It was a beautiful day. The sky was blue and the sun was shining. The five main rooms under the blue sky and white clouds were quiet and still. When Gu Yanfei arrived, the building was already filled with the fragrance of clothes and hair. Women of various families were all present in the Marquis Mansion. Laughter sounded continuously, and the atmosphere was harmonious. ¡°Second Lady, this way.¡± Granny Li smiled and led the way for Gu Yanfei. She was friendly but not overly so. The people in the building also noticed Gu Yanfei¡¯s arrival. More than ten burning gazes surged towards Gu Yanfei like a tide. These gazes were sizing her up, or full of curiosity, contempt, and casualness. Madam Gu also looked at Gu Yanfei with a burning gaze. Gu Yuan¡¯s words to her yesterday rang in her ears again. ¡°Grandma, now that we¡¯ve found my sister, shouldn¡¯t we open the ancestral hall as soon as possible? I think there¡¯s no time like the present. Why don¡¯t we choose tomorrow?¡± Madam Gu narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips into a straight line. For the sake of the marriage between the Gu and Fang families, she had originally planned to open the ancestral hall and change the family tree as soon as she returned to the capital. However, it was different from Gu Yuan asking her to do it. The latter made her feel threatened. Madam Gu was unhappy. Before her second granddaughter returned, Gu Yuan had always been very filial to her. Gu Yanfei¡¯s gaze swept across the people in front of her. Those familiar faces matched the names in her memory. She stopped outside the building, the sun a faint golden halo around her. The morning light fell into her eyes, making her pupils sparkle. Her fair skin shone like pearls. Besides her beautiful face and noble bearing, she also exuded a temperament as bright as the sun. A few girls from the Gu family hid behind the ladies and whispered to each other. Occasionally, words like ¡°the eldest branch,¡± ¡°the second sister,¡± and ¡°looks like her elder brother¡± floated over. ¡°Second Sister.¡± It was Gu Yunrong who spoke first. She smiled sweetly, and a pair of shallow dimples appeared on her cheeks. She was gentle, generous, and amiable. ¡°What a lovely young lady!¡± A beautiful middle-aged woman in her early 30s with an oval face praised Gu Yanfei affectionately. A gentle smile appeared on her fair face. ¡°This must be my second niece. She really looks like my sister-in-law¡­ I¡¯m your second aunt.¡± This beautiful woman was Madam Wang of the Dingyuan Marquis Household. Gu Yanfei bowed to Madam Gu and Madam Wang. ¡°Madam Gu, Second Madam.¡± This form of address made everyone¡¯s expressions a little subtle. They secretly exchanged glances. They wondered if this girl was wooden and slow or if she knew the rules too well. Madam Gu¡¯s expression was as calm as water. She directly vented her anger on Gu Yanfei and said coldly, ¡°Come earlier next time.¡± As she spoke, her gaze swept across the strands of yellow and white hair on Gu Yanfei¡¯s shoulder. She frowned and said, ¡°Hurry up and get rid of your cat. That cat is strange. It must be a demon!¡± She felt uncomfortable at the thought of a cat in the residence. Gu Yanfei smiled without saying anything and sat down. ¡°¡­¡± Madam Gu¡¯s heart burned with anger, and the undercurrents in her eyes surged. Amidst the stiff atmosphere, a gray-clothed old woman hurried over to report that the Marquis and the Patriarch had arrived. Hence, all the women, including Madam Gu, looked straight ahead. The five doors ahead were wide open. From outside, a group of men of various ages and appearances filed in. At the front was an old man in a black robe with a white beard. He walked with vigorous steps and was full of energy. ¡°Thank you for your trouble today, Uncle.¡± Beside the old man was a blue-robed man in his 30s. He was tall and had handsome facial features. Unfortunately, his figure was slightly bloated. It was the current Marquis of Dingyuan, Gu Jian. Gu Jian was very respectful to the Gu family¡¯s patriarch. ¡°It¡¯s my duty, there¡¯s no need to exchange pleasantries with me,¡± the Patriarch said, stroking his beard and smiling broadly. The two masters from the fourth and fifth families of the Marquis Mansion followed closely behind. They were also talking to the elders harmoniously. Gu Yuan followed behind without a word. He was only 17 years old, and his handsome face still had a hint of childishness, but he was tall and stood out from the crowd. His every move exuded arrogance. The women surrounded Madam Gu and took a few steps forward. They greeted each other politely. A moment later, everyone sat down in the front hall of the ancestral hall. Gu Jian and the patriarch sat side by side at the head of the table. Madam Gu was at the bottom. The others sat down one by one. On such a big occasion, most people had no right to speak at all. Most of them were silent. Some were playing with their handkerchiefs, some were absent-minded, some were yawning secretly, and some were secretly sizing up Gu Yanfei. After some small talk, Madam Gu finally got down to business. She raised her hand and pointed at Gu Yanfei, who was sitting beside her. ¡°Patriarch, this girl is Rong¡¯er¡¯s twin sister. Back then, their mother, the Xie family, had a difficult labor. After giving birth to the two of them, she passed away.¡± ¡°You also know that at that time, the border area was in chaos. The wet nurse took care of the two sisters alone and was unable to do anything. She accidentally lost this girl and only carried Rong¡¯er to the capital¡­¡± Madam Gu had already come up with an excuse. She did not care about everyone¡¯s reaction and spoke confidently. The chief and the elders looked at each other, silently exchanging glances. The story of the twins was outrageous. It was obviously made up, but no one questioned it. Madam Gu had already spoken to the Patriarch and the others. Yesterday, she had asked her trusted aide to hint at them. To put it bluntly, the Patriarch and the others had only come today to go through the motions. It did not matter what the truth was. The key was that this matter was beneficial to the entire Gu family. Chapter 26 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios After Madam Gu finished speaking, the Patriarch coughed lightly and said politely, ¡°Sister-in-law, to be able to find this child today, I think Ah Ce and his wife can rest in peace now.¡± ¡°Yes, I even dreamed of Ah Ce last night.¡± Madam Gu sighed and nodded slightly. She pretended to wipe the nonexistent tears from the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief. ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to trouble you to open the ancestral hall to change the family tree.¡± With that, Madam Gu stood up with Gu Yunrong¡¯s help. From the corner of her eye, she realized that Gu Yuan and his sister were both sitting still. ¡°Yuan¡¯er!¡± Madam Gu called out softly. Faced with her urging gaze, Gu Yuan narrowed his eyes and smiled. However, his smile did not reach his eyes. ¡°Grandma, why didn¡¯t I know that Mother gave birth to twins?¡± His cold words froze the atmosphere, and the room fell silent. The Patriarch and the others looked a little embarrassed, while the members of the Gu family were dumbfounded. The juniors who were originally sleepy perked up and looked at Gu Yuan in unison. ¡°¡­¡± Madam Gu subconsciously clenched her prayer beads tightly and looked at Gu Yuan in disbelief. She indeed had not told Gu Yuan about this. She was used to being the head of the residence and did not think that she needed to discuss such a small matter with a junior. Gu Yunrong naturally heard Gu Yuan¡¯s words. Her pupils constricted as she called out softly, ¡°Big Brother¡­¡± An embarrassed expression appeared on her face. It was as if her scar had been exposed in public and she had nowhere to go. What hurt her even more was Gu Yuan¡¯s determination. She had grown up in the Marquis Mansion since she was young. Over the years, the siblings had always had a good brother and sister relationship. She did not understand why Gu Yuan could not just drop the matter. Gu Yuan did not look at Gu Yunrong. He was still sitting on the round chair with his back straight like an unsheathed sword. Madam Gu caught the subtle change in Gu Yunrong¡¯s emotions and her heart ached. She glared at Gu Yuan unhappily and reprimanded, ¡°Yuan¡¯er, Rong¡¯er is your sister. She has called you ¡®Big Brother¡¯ for 14 years. She embroidered your pouch, handkerchief, shoes, and socks. It¡¯s also thanks to her that you can gain a foothold in the military camp so quickly¡­ Have you forgotten all of this?¡± ¡°Do you still have a heart!!¡± Madam Gu could not believe that her eldest grandson was actually so cold-hearted. The brother-sister relationship of more than ten years was actually inferior to that of a wild girl whom he had half-recognized!! Gu Yuan¡¯s eyes were as deep as a well as he stated the truth, ¡°My mother only gave birth to one daughter.¡± ¡°I only have one biological sister.¡± It was like a sharp sword that had been unsheathed. Gu Yuan would never agree to this ridiculous idea! It had been 14 years. His sister had suffered for so many years, but Gu Yunrong had lived a life of luxury on her behalf, enjoying the love of his family. One grew up in an abyss of suffering, while the other grew up being treated like royalty. One was deep in the mud, and the other was in glory. Putting himself in his sister¡¯s shoes, he couldn¡¯t get over it. It would be most unfair to his sister if he allowed his grandmother to pretend otherwise. He believed that if his parents were still alive, they would not want his sister to suffer any more grievances. Madam Gu¡¯s expression darkened. Seeing Gu Yuan¡¯s stubborn expression, she was furious. Her gaze was like a knife stabbing into his face. A hint of displeasure flashed across Gu Jian¡¯s eyes as he sat at the head of the table. He thought to himself that Gu Yuan really did not know what was important. Madam Wang looked at Madam Wang, then at Gu Jian, and tried to smooth things over. ¡°Yuan¡¯er, your grandma is kind to you grandchildren. You have to understand her.¡± Then who would understand his sister?! Gu Yuan turned to look at Gu Yanfei beside him. He gently covered the back of her hand with his warm and rough palm, as if to say that he was here. Gu Yanfei pursed her lips and smiled, her eyes rippling slightly. In her previous life, her Big Brother had always been by her side without hesitation. He had swung his sword to cut through the thorns and blocked swords for her. Seeing that the situation was in a deadlock, the Patriarch coughed lightly and said in a negotiating tone, ¡°Sister-in-law, Marquis, should we discuss this matter again?¡± The Patriarch had good intentions, but Madam Gu¡¯s expression turned even uglier. To her, Gu Yuan¡¯s actions were simply a slap to her face. She immediately felt her chest tighten and her expression turned ugly. ¡°Nonsense!¡± Gu Jian scolded Gu Yuan angrily. Deep lines appeared between his eyebrows. ¡°The Great Jin Dynasty ruled the world with filial piety. Gu Yuan, you angered your grandma to this extent. Once word gets out, will you still have your official career? Will our Gu family still have any face?!¡± Gu Jian deeply felt that his nephew was too insensible. Like father, like son. Eight years ago, his eldest brother, Gu Ce, had angered the late emperor. As a result, the Gu family had been in an awkward situation all these years, falling from nobility to decline. All the families in the capital avoided the Gu family like the plague. In the past eight years, it had been difficult for the Marquis Mansion. Now that he finally had this opportunity, he would not let Gu Yuan mess around. ¡°This matter concerns the Marquis Mansion. It¡¯s not your place to mess around.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not time for you to be in charge yet!¡± Gu Jian said firmly. What he meant was that he was still in charge of the Marquis Mansion. ¡°Then when will I be in charge?¡± Gu Yuan raised his eyes slightly and stared at Gu Jian. Without waiting for Gu Jian to answer, Gu Yuan continued, ¡°I think we should split up the siblings.¡± ¡°This way, I should be able to be the head of the eldest branch, right?¡± Gu Yuan¡¯s last sentence was extremely sarcastic. Like a stone that caused a thousand ripples, the entire room fell silent. Everyone was shocked. ¡°Yuan¡¯er, you¡¯re too careless with your words. How can you casually talk about splitting up?¡± Gu Jian was even angrier. Veins popped up on his neck. His nephew was more than insensible. He was simply eccentric and unreasonable! In the face of the furious Gu Jian, Gu Yuan¡¯s expression was calm and cold. He leaned back in his chair leisurely with an indifferent attitude. ¡°You¡­ you¡­¡± Madam Gu was furious. Her fingers trembled as she looked at Gu Yuan. She could not believe that he could actually say such unfilial words. Gu Yunrong gave the maidservant beside her a look. The maidservant immediately brought over hot tea. Gu Yunrong took the teacup and personally handed it to Madam Gu for her to drink. ¡°Grandma, let¡¯s forget about this,¡± Gu Yunrong comforted her gently. She believed that Kang Wang¡¯s feelings for her were pure and would not waver just because she was not the Gu family¡¯s daughter. If Kang Wang really wavered, then there was no need for this relationship! Gu Yunrong¡¯s dark eyes were filled with pride, calmness, and suppressed forbearance. Chapter 27 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Rong¡¯er!¡± Madam Gu looked at Gu Yunrong with heartache and choked slightly. She sighed inwardly at how considerate this granddaughter of hers was. In comparison, Gu Yuan was like an ingrate. Ever since her eldest son, Gu Ce, died in battle eight years ago, Gu Yuan had become a different person. He seemed to be distant from her, his grandmother. Madam Gu would occasionally wonder if Gu Yuan had always been dissatisfied with the second branch being put in charge of the Marquis Mansion, which was why he had a grudge against the entire Marquis Mansion. Back then, she had also personally explained to Gu Yuan that Gu Jian being in charge was the former Emperor¡¯s intention. Madam Gu¡¯s turbid eyes were turbulent as her thoughts ran wild. ¡°Yuan¡¯er, you¡¯re already an adult, but you¡¯re not as sensible as Rong¡¯er.¡± When Gu Jian mentioned Gu Yunrong, he was full of praise. When he looked at Gu Yanfei, he revealed undisguised disgust. He raised his hand and pointed at her. ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re a scourge. You were born to jinx your mother. You¡¯ve just returned and you¡¯ve already stirred up the mansion. There¡¯s no peace in the family with you around.¡± As he reprimanded her, the others in the Gu family looked at Gu Yanfei with complicated expressions. Some of them agreed with him, some were disdainful, some were cold and distant, and some were sympathetic. Currently, Gu Jian and Madam Gu were in charge of the residence. As a junior, she was despised by the two elders today. She was afraid that she would not have a good life in the future, unlike Gu Yuan, who was a man and still had a chance to make contributions outside. Gu Yuan¡¯s pupils dilated, and a cold and bloodthirsty glint shot out from his eyes. He raised his arm to touch his sword. ¡°I see.¡± Gu Yanfei¡¯s leisurely sigh sounded in the hall. Sje pressed down on Gu Yuan¡¯s right arm without a trace and said indifferently, ¡°Gu Yunrong is good at everything. Why don¡¯t we let her be the Marquis¡¯s daughter so that I don¡¯t have to jinx her.¡± She vaguely remembered that in her previous life, the ancestral hall should have been opened these few days. At that time, she was too weak and was at the mercy of Madam Gu. Meanwhile, her eldest brother was in the military camp. He only knew of her existence after everything was settled. Her Big Brother did not agree to leave Gu Yunrong under his parents¡¯ names. For this reason, he even fought with Madam Gu and Gu Jian for a long time. However, even when her Big Brother died in battle, they still did not agree to open the ancestral hall again. The prospect of Gu Yunrong becoming the future ¡°Princess Consort Kang¡± or even the mother of the country was too tempting. They would not give up. If Big Brother continued to argue, nothing would come of it. Gu Yanfei did not want to waste time on such a small matter. If she had the time, she might as well comb her cat¡¯s fur. As long as the siblings drew a line with Gu Yunrong, it would be fine. The eldest branch was the eldest branch, and the Marquis Mansion was the Marquis Mansion. Mental demons were mental demons¡­ As soon as she said that, everyone was stunned. Her suggestion was unexpected. After the initial anger, Gu Jian gradually calmed down. A thoughtful expression appeared on his face. He thought about it carefully for a long time. It took him only a moment to figure it out. There seemed nothing wrong with the idea. The Gu family¡¯s daughter who was engaged to the British Monarchy was the eldest daughter of the eldest branch. Once Gu Yunrong inherited the second branch, she would be the legitimate daughter of the second branch. Naturally, she would not have anything to do with this marriage, and Kang Wang would not have the reputation of ¡°taking someone else¡¯s wife¡±. In the future, if Kang Wang could take another step forward, he might become the king¡¯s father-in-law! Thinking of this, Gu Jian¡¯s blood boiled and his heart pounded. ¡°Big Brother.¡± Gu Yunrong took a step closer to Gu Yuan and sighed. She asked seriously, ¡°Do you think so too?¡± Gu Yunrong stood with her face tilted and close to Gu Yuan. Her hair was like fog, her lips were red, and her posture was elegant and beautiful. Gu Yuan nodded silently. There could only be one legitimate daughter. He would not allow his sister¡¯s background to be unclear. Gu Yunrong¡¯s long and thick eyelashes fluttered. She raised her soft chin slightly, and a soul-stirring sorrow and forbearance appeared. Softly, she whispered, ¡°Then I agree.¡± She turned to Gu Yanfei and said, ¡°If I can make it up to my Second Sister and make my Second Sister and Big Brother not harbor any ill feelings towards me, I¡¯m willing.¡± After saying that, Gu Yunrong turned around and bowed to Madam Gu and Gu Jian. She said solemnly, ¡°Grandma, Second Uncle, please agree to it.¡± Her manner and movements were very graceful and she had an air of independence. Madam Gu rubbed the sandalwood Buddha beads in her hand with her fingers and closed her eyes. After a long time, she said, ¡°Second Brother, let¡¯s do that. Rong¡¯er will be adopted by you and your wife.¡± That statement meant the dust had settled. Gu Yanfei smiled but did not say anything. Half of her attention was on her cat. The Patriarch and the elders exchanged a glance of relief. The Patriarch put his fist to his lips, cleared his throat again, and said in a clear voice, ¡°Then open the ancestral hall and change the family tree.¡± After offering incense to the ancestral tablet, the Patriarch personally took the Gu family¡¯s genealogy out and spread it out on the large desk. The slightly yellowed register recorded the names of more than ten generations of the Gu family. The Gu family was just a commoner from the countryside in the previous dynasty. It was Gu Yuan¡¯s great-grandfather, Gu Yao, who followed Emperor Taizu in the uprising and became a famous general who founded the country and was conferred the title of the Marquis of Dingyuan. As a result, the Gu family rose and broke away from the commoner class. Just looking at this piece of history, the Patriarch and the Gu family members present felt a sense of pride. A junior served the Patriarch with ink. The Patriarch dipped his brush in the ink and asked Madam Gu, ¡°Yuan¡¯er¡¯s sister¡¯s name is¡­¡± Madam Gu: ¡°¡­¡± Madam Gu¡¯s expression froze. Only then did she realize that she had completely forgotten about this. Naturally, she would not say it out loud. Her mind raced as she thought of a name at the last minute. She said nonchalantly, ¡°She¡¯s called Yun¡­¡± Before she could finish her sentence, Gu Yanfei interrupted her. ¡°Gu Yanfei.¡± Her voice was neither servile nor overbearing. It was crisp and sweet, like a spring breeze. Meeting Madam Gu¡¯s unhappy gaze, Gu Yanfei calmly met her gaze. She knew that Madam Gu would name her ¡°Gu Yunhua.¡± In her previous life, her adoptive parents had never given her a name. Ever since she was young, they had called her ¡°loser¡± and ¡°damn girl¡±. After she was brought back to the Marquis Mansion, it was Madam Gu who gave her the name ¡°Gu Yunhua¡±. But she didn¡¯t like it. ¡°Gu Yunhua¡± represented the cowardly and defeated her in her previous life. She was long dead. ¡°¡­¡± Madam Gu¡¯s eyes were dark and gloomy. She was annoyed to see this girl now. She felt that she was as evil as her cat. She might really be a scourge! Madam Gu¡¯s expression turned even colder as she said indifferently, ¡°Alright, you can be called whatever you want.¡± The Patriarch and the elders looked at each other. The Patriarch kindly reminded Gu Yanfei, ¡°Girl, ¡®Yun¡¯ is the ranking of the daughters of the Gu family. Your eldest sister is called Yunrong, and your third sister is called Yunfeng¡­¡± If this girl¡¯s name was different from the other sisters, it would inevitably attract unnecessary speculation from outsiders. Gu Yanfei smiled at the Patriarch and emphasized again, ¡°Uncle, my name is Gu Yanfei.¡± This was the name her master had given her when she was in the Bright Spirit Realm. It had accompanied her for 200 years. It represented her new life! Chapter 28 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Yanfei, swallows in flight. What a nice name.¡± Gu Yuan smiled and clapped. He was obviously supporting Gu Yanfei. The Patriarch originally wanted Gu Yuan to persuade Gu Yanfei, but seeing him say this, he stopped persuading her. He focused on adding the words ¡°Gu Yanfei¡± to the name of the eldest branch and wrote her birthday. Then, the tip of the brush dipped into the inkstone again. The Patriarch changed Gu Yunrong¡¯s name to the second branch, under Gu Jian and Madam Wang. As the eldest daughter of the two, she was third in line in the Marquis Mansion. ¡°Yuan¡¯er, you¡¯re the eldest brother, so even if Rong¡¯er was just adopted to the second branch today, she¡¯s still your sister. You have to take good care of your siblings and be their role model!¡± ¡°Yanfei, although you¡¯ve had some hardships in the past, you¡¯ll receive blessings in the future.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°We are all members of the Gu family. We have to remember that we are bound together for good or ill. You all have to prioritize the family¡¯s glory and future¡­¡± The Patriarch gave some instructions, then everyone went to the ancestral hall at the back. Smoke curled up from the ancestral hall. Layers and layers of memorial tablets were placed on the altar. They were placed step by step like terraces, magnificent and dignified. The Patriarch respectfully placed the memorial in the ancestral hall and led the Gu family to kowtow and offer incense. After a series of complicated procedures, it was already an hour and a half later. The sun was high and warm as summer. When everyone came out of the ancestral hall, most of them were relieved. They felt as if they had watched a climax early in the morning. At this moment, the ladies from the other families were looking at Gu Yanfei differently from before. They were thinking too much. Gu Yunrong stood quietly under the eaves and looked at Gu Yanfei and Gu Yuan in front of her with a handkerchief in her hand. Her gaze landed firmly on Gu Yuan¡¯s well-defined side profile. She opened her mouth slightly, as if she wanted to say something to him. In the end, she held back and her expression was a little lonely. ¡°Rong¡¯er,¡± Madam Gu held Gu Yunrong¡¯s hand lovingly and chatted with her, ¡°Didn¡¯t Princess Changqing send you a post yesterday? Did you reply?¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± Gu Yunrong shook his head. ¡°Princess Changqing invited me to play polo at Prince Jing¡¯s Manor in a few days.¡± ¡°If you want to go, go ahead.¡± Madam Gu smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Princess Consort Jing likes black tea. I have a century-old black tea here. I¡¯ll get someone to send it to you later.¡± Madam Gu wanted to make up for the grievances she had suffered today. ¡°Thank you, Grandma.¡± Gu Yunrong smiled obediently. Gu Yanfei, who was walking in front, also heard this. Her eyes darkened as she thought to herself, Prince Jing¡¯s Manor¡­ The manor that ruined Gu Yunzhen¡¯s life turned out to be ¡°at this time¡±. Gu Yuan gently patted her slender left shoulder, her heart aching for the bone under her palm. She reminded her, ¡°Sister, I¡¯m going back to the military camp. If you need anything, get Wu Tong to look for me.¡± Gu Yuan was still worried. Everything that had happened in the ancestral hall today had verified his thoughts. His grandmother might be Gu Yunrong¡¯s good grandmother, but she could not be considered his sister. He had to think of a way to transfer back to the capital as soon as possible. Otherwise, if anything happened, his sister would probably be alone in this Marquis Mansion. Gu Yanfei came back to her senses and replied, ¡°Big Brother, go ahead.¡± She knew that Gu Yuan was ambitious. He wanted to make a name for himself and dreamed of washing away the stain on his father one day. She would not stop him. One or two long birdsongs sounded in the distance. Seven or eight birds flapped past the treetops and flew away. The crowd scattered like birds, each to its place. ¡°Chirp chirp chirp ¡­¡± ¡°Meow, meow, meow¡­¡± Qing Guang was quite satisfied with its new home, which was bigger than the house in Danyang City. There were more birds to play with, a bigger garden to run in, more trees to sharpen its claws, more servants for it to enslave and order around. And there was an unlimited amount of fish soup to drink in the garden¡­ It had only been a few days, but Qing Guang had visibly gained weight. Its fur was glossy under the sun. ¡°Snap!¡± Gu Yanfei casually snapped her fingers. The kitten, who was squatting on the window sill and sunbathing, turned to look at her and yawned. Qing Guang hopped lightly onto the desk and sauntered toward her. He cocked his head at her. ¡°Meow¡ª¡± Gu Yanfei stuffed a talisman into the small pocket on the cat¡¯s pocket and instructed, ¡°Go to work.¡± Qing Guang raised its round bottom and stretched. It was both elegant and coquettish. Gu Yanfei gently patted the base of its tail and urged it, ¡°Go.¡± ¡°Meow, meow!¡± the kitten purred contentedly, swishing its fluffy tail and leaping briskly out of the open window. It was almost dusk. The gorgeous sunset was like a burning flame piled up in the sky, covering the dense and rugged canopy with a colorful veil. Qing Guang had never taken an ordinary path. It avoided the crowd and nimbly shuttled between the branches, eaves, and walls. Occasionally, he would startle a group of birds among the trees. It ran fast and lightly, taking a shortcut through the residence. In a short while, it arrived in the backyard of Benevolent Harmony Hall. In a corner of the Benevolent Harmony Hall, there was a small willow tree. Golden willow leaves hung from the drooping branches. When the wind blew, the golden willow branches swayed back and forth in midair. The sight caught its attention instantly. Its green eyes glittered as if it had seen a rare treasure. ¡°Meow!¡± Qing Guang leaped out and slapped a willow branch with its claw. It turned around and chased after another willow branch that was swinging. The evening wind and sunlight spilled into the house through the bay window, and the cat¡¯s cry was carried in with the wind. Madam Gu, who was leaning on the beauty couch, closed her eyes and said unhappily, ¡°Bai Lu, why is there another meow?¡± The maidservant, Bai Lu, was massaging Madam Gu¡¯s legs. She lowered her head and said obediently, ¡°Madam, a wild cat outside must have sneaked in.¡± Madam Gu opened her eyes and instructed calmly, ¡°Get Granny Xu to deal with it quickly.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam,¡± Bai Lu acknowledged respectfully, her expression indifferent. Or rather, she was used to it. Everyone in the residence knew that Madam Gu did not like cats. Over the years, Madam Gu had gotten Granny Xu to kill many stray cats that had accidentally entered the residence. Bai Lu got up as quietly as she could, stepped back from the green gauze cabinet, and carefully closed the door of the partition. After Madam Gu closed her eyes, she felt a strong sense of sleepiness. She had no idea that there was a little kitten under her couch. Chapter 29 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Qing Guang tried its best to take out the talisman from its bib and casually patted it on the beauty couch. Then, it casually licked its claws. In the corner was a green lotus leaf-patterned three-legged incense burner. Wisps of green smoke curled up from the mouth of the stove and slowly dispersed in the air. The fragrance of chrysanthemum lingered in Madam Gu¡¯s nose. Madam Gu felt dizzy and half-awake. ¡°Meow!¡± A demonic cat¡¯s meow sounded in Madam Gu¡¯s ear, as if it was right next to her ear. She was so frightened that she shivered and sat up. ¡°Bai Lu!¡± Madam Gu shouted sternly, but what came out of her mouth was a meow. Madam Gu was stunned and vaguely realized that something was wrong. Before she fell asleep, she was clearly in her own room, but now she was in a garden surrounded by huge flowers and trees. She raised her voice to shout for more help, and once again heard the high-pitched mewling of a cat. Madam Gu frowned tightly and wanted to stand up. Only then did she notice that her hands and feet had turned into furry black claws. ¡°Meow, meow!¡± Madam Gu panicked. She was terrified. Her roars were hoarse and her entire body was cold. She finally realized that the mewling was coming from herself. She had turned into a cat! ¡°Gah!¡± A pitch-black crow swooped down at her from above. Madam Gu instinctively raised her arm to swat it, but she was pecked by its sharp beak. Madam Gu screamed. The crow flapped its wings and pecked at her again, cawing. In her panic, she ran wildly. Everything around her was unfamiliar. Buildings, houses, trees, flowers¡­ At this moment, they were all huge. There was a sense of oppression that came from the dark clouds. Behind her, the raven in the air refused to give up. It followed her like a shadow, pecking at her back and head. She ran through a few chrysanthemums in a panic and saw a wide and flat racecourse ahead. In the field, young boys and girls in high spirits were riding tall horses with their hooves flying. A bowl-sized polo ball flew between the galloping horses and the swaying staves. In Madam Gu¡¯s eyes, those horses were like those strange monsters depicted in the Classic of Mountains and Seas. They were fierce and demonic. As long as the hooves of the horses stomped down, it was enough to take her life. Madam Gu hurriedly stopped and widened her eyes in fear. In the next instant, she heard a thud as a bowstaff swung hard into the polo ball. It flew toward her like a shooting star, almost too fast for the naked eye to catch. Madam Gu hurriedly tried to dodge, but she couldn¡¯t react in time. She could only watch as the polo ball smashed into her forehead¡­ A bone-piercing pain spread from her head, as if the world had collapsed. Endless darkness surged towards her¡­ Madam Gu closed her eyes and fell back uncontrollably. She could vaguely hear a few noisy voices. ¡°Oh, where did this black cat come from!¡± ¡°What bad luck! Throw the damn cat out!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Madam Gu was groggy and could not exert any strength in her body. She felt the back of her neck being roughly lifted up¡­ The darkness drowned her like a bottomless swamp. Coldness and pain spread to her limbs and bones. She opened her eyes with all her might and realized that she had been thrown into the smelly trash. When she opened her mouth, a nauseating slop flowed between her teeth. Flies and gnats buzzed around her. ¡°Woof woof¡­¡± Two scrawny feral dogs had come at the scent. Hungry, bloodthirsty eyes fixed on her, and saliva dripped from their long mouths. Their sharp fangs gleamed with a startling cold light. A yellow dog howled and bit her fragile and slender neck¡­ ¡­ ¡°Meow!¡± Another mournful meow sounded. Madam Gu, who was lying on the beauty couch, suddenly opened her eyes. Her turbid eyes were still in shock, and her chest was heaving violently. Eagerly, she lifted a hand to her face, then looked repeatedly at her palms to make sure she was human, not cat, before she caught her breath. Was it a dream now, or had it just been a dream? She sat up on the beauty couch, distracted. Pain throbbed in her forehead. She had a splitting headache and was breathing heavily. The talisman paper stuck under the beauty¡¯s couch had burned to ash. When she moved, the ash fluttered to the floor. Someone outside seemed to have heard the commotion in the room. She drew the curtains and entered. ¡°Madam!¡± Granny Xu bowed to Madam Gu and reported ingratiatingly, ¡°I brought people to search the surroundings carefully. I didn¡¯t see any wild cats outside.¡± Madam Gu was still thinking uneasily about the dream she had just had. The rough crow¡¯s cry still echoed in her ears, and an ominous feeling rose in her heart. Granny Xu personally served tea to Madam Gu. When she bowed, she noticed that there were a few cat hairs on her shoes. She couldn¡¯t help but frown and sigh. ¡°Madam, in my opinion, the cat raised by the Second Lady must have sneaked into the Benevolent Harmony Hall.¡± ¡°The Second Lady is really too much. She clearly knows that you¡¯re enemies with cats, but she still insisted on raising it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Granny Xu rambled on. She hated Gu Yanfei to the core. She had traveled thousands of miles to a remote place like Huaibei for Gu Yanfei and had been delayed in Danyang City for three months. She had left the capital for four months, but she had not benefited at all. Even her originally good job had been taken by someone else. For the past two weeks, Granny Xu had been holding this in her heart. She wanted to find an opportunity to teach Gu Yanfei a lesson. Now, the opportunity has finally come. Granny Xu¡¯s lips curled up, and a hint of malice flashed across her eyes. When she heard the word ¡®cat¡¯, Madam Gu¡¯s eyelids trembled violently and her pupils dilated. Granny Xu noticed the change in Madam Gu¡¯s expression and thought that she had guessed her intentions. She said obsequiously, ¡°Madam, leave this matter to me. I¡¯ll personally bring people to the Yuheng Garden. I¡¯ll definitely end that cat and throw it out to feed the dogs!!¡± The scene of her lying in the trash could not help but appear in Madam Gu¡¯s mind. The dogs¡¯ black mouths were wide open, and their fangs were aimed at her neck¡­ Panic rose from the bottom of her heart and spread through her body. ¡°Meow!¡± Outside the window, the loud meow of a cat suddenly sounded again, startling Madam Gu so much that she jumped up from the beauty couch, as if she had become a cat in a dream again. She shoved Granny Xu out of the way. At the same time, the teacup fell from her hand to the floor. The blue-and-white porcelain cup shattered into pieces, sending shards and tea flying in all directions. Chapter 30 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Ouch!¡± Granny Xu was caught off guard and fell on her butt. The flowing tea on the ground quickly soaked her dress and the broken porcelain shards stung her butt. Granny Xu looked at Madam Gu¡¯s shocked eyes in confusion. ¡°Enough!¡± Madam Gu¡¯s heart was in a mess. Uneasiness, panic, apprehension, fear, and other emotions were mixed together. She vented her anger and berated, ¡°You¡¯re also someone with elders and children. Why don¡¯t you accumulate some virtue for the old and young in the family?! You¡¯re shouting to kill for no reason. Your hostility is too strong!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve killed so many lives. Why don¡¯t you shave your head and go to the nunnery to pray for the family!¡± ¡°Madam, please forgive me¡­¡± Granny Xu was dumbfounded, not knowing what she had said wrong. Her legs gave way beneath her and she fell to her knees. Her knees were filthy with cat hair and ash, but she couldn¡¯t care less. Granny Xu kowtowed repeatedly to Madam Gu. The smooth ground made her forehead swell, but Madam Gu¡¯s heart was like iron and stone. Unmoved, she raised her voice and shouted, ¡°Someone come!¡± Granny Li and the maidservant, Bai Lu, heard the commotion and came over. She instructed firmly, ¡°Granny Xu violated her master. She will be punished with 20 strokes of the cane as a warning to others.¡± ¡°When she receives her punishment, send her to the nunnery to reflect on herself!¡± Granny Li and Bai Lu were shocked. Granny Xu was scared out of her wits and continued to kowtow. ¡°Madam, I know my mistake.¡± Her face was as pale as paper, and her body was trembling like a sieve. She was terrified. Everyone in the Marquis Mansion had always stepped on the weak. In the past, when she was placed in an important position by the Empress Dowager, even her family benefited from it. Her eldest son and second son worked in the Marquis Mansion, and her three grandchildren who were more than ten years old followed the young masters as servants. Now that she was hated by Madam, her descendants would probably be stepped on and never be able to rise again. Madam Gu kept a straight face and remained unmoved. The entire Benevolent Harmony Hall knew Madam Gu¡¯s personality very well. She called over two burly old women who said politely to Granny Xu, ¡°Sister Xu, please excuse me.¡± The two old women were shocked. No one expected that Granny Xu, who had always been trusted by Madam Gu, would suddenly be hated. They hurriedly pulled Granny Xu up from the ground on both sides and roughly dragged her out. ¡°Madam, I¡­¡± Granny Xu was still shouting, unwilling to give up. Someone stuffed a handkerchief into her mouth, leaving only a few moans. Soon the hall was silent except for the curtain rustling in the air ahead. Two more of the maids came in and cleared away the broken china and tea as quickly as they could. ¡°Send someone to the White Horse Temple to tell them that I¡¯ll go to there to offer incense tomorrow morning¡­¡± Madam Gu instructed. Her heart was still beating fast, echoing in her ears like a drum. Unexpectedly, Bai Lu looked like she wanted to say something but hesitated. She carefully asked, ¡°Madam, the Eldest Lady and the Third Lady are going to Prince Jing¡¯s Manor to play polo tomorrow morning. The Third Lady just sent someone to pass a message that she wants to borrow your carriage¡­¡± There were naturally carriages in the Marquis Mansion, but the carriages of Madam Gu and the Marquis¡¯s wife were the best. They were gorgeous and spacious, and were also dignified to bring to Prince Jing¡¯s Manor. Gu Yunrong was raised by Madam Gu, so she naturally borrowed the carriage from her. Play polo?! Madam Gu¡¯s pupils dilated as she subconsciously raised her hand to cover her forehead. The spot where the polo ball had hit her in her dream hurt again, as if she had been hit hard by a stick. The more she thought about it, the more she felt there was an evil spirit lurking beside her. She wanted to tell Gu Yunrong not to go to Prince Jing¡¯s Manor, but she could not bring herself to say it. Over the past few days, she had heard some news that even the Empress Dowager would arrive at Prince Jing¡¯s Manor tomorrow! The Eldest Prince had just returned to the capital. The Empress Dowager, who had been staying in the palace for a long time, chose to leave the palace at this time. Perhaps she wanted to take the opportunity to visit the noble ladies in the capital to arrange a good marriage for Kang Wang. This was a critical moment. No matter what, she could not be careless. Gu Yunrong had to go. Madam Gu wanted to get the prayer beads on the coffee table, but she realized that her hands were trembling slightly. Her chaotic emotions could not calm down, and her heart seemed to be missing a hole. Even she didn¡¯t know if she was panicking or afraid. Rong¡¯er had had her fortunes told before. She would have a noble title and would even bring fortune to her family. Rong¡¯er was a pearl, but even a pearl was afraid of being covered in dust¡­ No, she had to find someone to block the evil spirit for Rong¡¯er, just in case. As soon as this thought appeared, a name appeared in Madam Gu¡¯s mind: Gu Yanfei. Whether it was the marriage between the Gu and Fang families or whether it was real or fake, Gu Yanfei had blocked the disaster for Rong¡¯er. At the thought of this, Madam Gu¡¯s eyes lit up and she finally calmed down a little. Yes! Gu Yanfei was born to protect her Rong¡¯er! The kitten in the treetop outside the window scratched its ears with its paws and leaped down. When it went back, it took a different route and played along the way. Its tail was curled up in delight. ¡°Meow, meow¡­¡± ¡°Meow, meow, meow¡­¡± The first thing the high-spirited cat did after entering the window was to show off to Gu Yanfei. Its long tail swung back and forth repeatedly. It meowed excitedly, but Gu Yanfei said indifferently, ¡°I don¡¯t understand!¡± Qing Guang: ¡°¡­¡± It fell sideways, straight onto the alder chessboard at the corner of the desk. Gu Yanfei could not help but laugh. She reached out and stroked its soft fur. In the Bright Spirit Realm, although Qing Guang had yet to cultivate its human form, Gu Yanfei could communicate with her pet spirit beast through her divine sense. But now, Qing Guang had turned into a kitten with no spiritual power or divine sense. Gu Yanfei did not understand the cat language and did not care. She understood that Qing Guang had completed its mission and said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯ll reward you with crispy dried fish tonight.¡± The kitten was not satisfied. It reached out a paw and plucked the black pieces in the chess box beside it, making a clicking sound. ¡°My Lady, Xia Lian from the Third Lady¡¯s side wants to see you.¡± Juan Bi walked in through the curtain and reported, ¡°She said she¡¯s delivering a message for the Third Lady.¡± Juan Bi wrinkled her nose, not bothering to hide her dislike of Xia Lian. It was done! Gu Yanfei made a gesture, and Juan Bi understood. After a while, she led a delicate-looking maidservant in. Xia Lian followed Juan Bi like a shadow, her gaze unobtrusively sizing up the room. She pursed her lips slightly. ¡°Second Lady, the Third Lady asked me to pass on a message. She wants to invite you to play polo at Prince Jing¡¯s Manor tomorrow.¡± Xia Lian bowed and her gaze finally landed on the kitten on the chessboard. This chessboard was a high-quality tungsten wood chessboard. The chess pieces were top-grade cloud children. The white pieces were as white as jade, and the black pieces were dark green. The chessboard and chess pieces were all well maintained. Xia Lian recognized it at a glance. This chessboard and chess pieces belonged to the Eldest Young Master. She heard that it was passed down from the previous Marquis to the current Marquis. Later on, the current Marquis gave it to the Eldest Young Master and did not even give it to his daughter. She did not expect it to be given to the Second Lady now. The Eldest Young Master indeed favored the Second Lady! As she thought about it, Xia Lian felt aggrieved for Gu Yunrong. Her lady couldn¡¯t be any better, but the Eldest Young Master still did not acknowledge her as a sister. The love between siblings of more than ten years couldn¡¯t compare to the so-called bloodline. The Eldest Young Master was too ruthless! Chapter 31 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Tumble, tumble¡­¡± A round black stone was pushed out of the chess box by the kitten¡¯s paw and rolled across the smooth surface of the table. Gu Yanfei stretched out an index finger and pressed down on the black piece. She said calmly, ¡°I understand.¡± She couldn¡¯t have looked calmer, as if it were a trivial matter, or as if she¡¯d expected it. In his previous life, when she returned from Prince Jing¡¯s Manor, half of Gu Yunzhen¡¯s face had been ruined, making her look like a ghost. However, because Gu Yunrong had saved Kang Wang¡¯s life, she had won the favor of the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager had personally issued an imperial decree to betroth him to her and made her Princess Consort Kang. When she returned to the residence, she was in the limelight. No one cared about Gu Yunzhen¡¯s injuries. In front of Gu Yunrong¡¯s glory, Gu Yunzhen¡¯s injuries were insignificant. In her previous life, she did not go to the manor. In this life, she wanted to see it. The perky, active cat went restlessly to pat her hand. Seeing that Gu Yanfei did not show any gratitude after benefiting from the Third Lady, Xia Lian felt even more uncomfortable. She could not help but say, ¡°Second Lady, it¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t know how to play polo. Princess Changqing invited all the ladies from noble families in the capital. My Lady thought that since you have just arrived, you can make a few friends at Prince Jing¡¯s Manor.¡± Her tone was slightly sarcastic. Gu Yanfei finally gave Xia Lian a look. At the same time, the kitten also turned to look at Xia Lian. ¡°Meow?¡± The green cat¡¯s eyes were clear and bright, full of spiritual energy. When the kitten met her eye, Xia Lian seemed to be struck by lightning. She knelt down, a stunned and infatuated expression on her face. She wished she could stay here forever. Gu Yanfei covered Qing Guang¡¯s ¡°charmng eyes¡± and waved her hand, asking Juan Bi to bring Xia Lian away. ¡°Meow, meow, meow¡­¡± The cat was rather dissatisfied. It slapped Gu Yanfei¡¯s hand away and meowed. This time, Gu Yanfei understood its body language and mercilessly rejected its request. ¡°No, you can¡¯t go.¡± ¡°Meow, meow, meow¡­¡± Qing Guang looked at Gu Yanfei without blinking. A faint layer of water appeared in its round cat eyes. It was so beautiful that it made one¡¯s heart palpitate. Unfortunately, Gu Yanfei was determined and unmoved. She casually grabbed a vine ball and threw it out. The vine ball rolled away and the bell in the center of the ball tinkled. Feeling as if its body and mind had been summoned, the kitten chased after the ball happily. ¡°Ring, ring¡­¡± Qing Guang¡¯s attention was only diverted for a moment, but it had not given up. So when it saw Gu Yunzhen the next morning, it rubbed against her. ¡°Meow~¡± Qing Guang circled Gu Yunzhen and Gu Yanfei¡¯s skirts coquettishly. Even if Gu Yunzhen did not look at its eyes, her heart softened by its soft voice. Gu Yanfei was still unmoved. She smiled at Gu Yunzhen and said, ¡°Sister, ignore it.¡± Gu Yunzhen reluctantly moved her gaze away from the cat¡¯s back and said gently, ¡°Originally, our Third Sister wanted to borrow Grandma¡¯s big carriage, but Grandma went to the White Horse Temple to offer incense early in the morning. The other carriages in the Marquis Mansion are smaller, so it¡¯ll be crowded with the three of us. Second Sister, why don¡¯t you take a carriage with me today?¡± Gu Yanfei naturally had no objections to Gu Yunzhen¡¯s good intentions. The two sisters went to the gate together. The kitten insisted on seeing them off. Once they were gone, it sneaked into the carriage and quietly hid in Gu Yunzhen¡¯s dress. On the way to Prince Jing¡¯s Manor, Gu Yunzhen was extremely cautious. She sat upright, afraid that Gu Yanfei, who was in the same car, would notice that something was wrong. Gu Yanfei naturally knew that there was an additional cat in the car. This was the season when cats shed their fur. The strands of cat fur floating in the air made it difficult for her to ignore them. She laughed inwardly but pretended not to know. Prince Jing¡¯s Manor was located on Shengping Street in the western part of the capital. It was about five to six streets away from the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion and was about an hour¡¯s drive away. The coachman had timed it very well. The two carriages from the Marquis Mansion arrived at Prince Jing¡¯s Manor on time. Prince Jing¡¯s Manor started from Crescent Lane in the south and ended at Old Locust Tree Lane in the north. It occupied a vast area and was at least the size of two Dingyuan Marquis Mansions. Princess Changqing was holding a banquet today, and the street where Prince Jing¡¯s Manor was located was also much more lively than usual. Carriages and horses stopped outside one after another, and among them were all kinds of regulation red wheelbarrows. It could be seen that there was no lack of relatives among the invited guests. The servants of the mansion welcomed the guests in an orderly manner. The carriages entered the mansion from the east corner gate and stopped at the junction between the outer gate and the main gate. After Gu Yanfei and her sisters alighted from their carriage, a servant girl from Prince Jing¡¯s Manor greeted them respectfully and led the way. The maid led them through the grand mansion with heavy doors. Gu Yunzhen was a little distracted. She occasionally looked back in the direction of the carriage, worried about the kitten. Before she got out of the carriage, she had told Qing Guang to stay in the carriage obediently. Qing Guang had also meowed in response. It wouldn¡¯t run around, right? By the time Gu Yunzhen came back to her senses, they had already arrived at the garden on the west side. They crossed a small bridge on the lake and arrived at the horse farm on the other side of the garden. Two water pavilions had been built by the lake, connected to each other by winding water corridors. Hazy screen doors hung around the water pavilions, dancing with the wind and giving off a dreamlike effect. At this moment, the Zhuoxin Water Pavilion near the racecourse was crowded with people. Lots of jewelry could be seen adorned on the ladies, and the place was filled with the sound of laughter. The young men and women gathered in twos and threes to talk and drink tea. It was as dazzling as spring flowers blooming. The culture of the Great Jin Dynasty was enlightened, and the status of women was much higher than that of the previous dynasty. The interaction between men and women was not strict, and these prominent families in the capital would hold such a grand event from time to time. ¡°This way, ladies.¡± The maidservant led Gu Yanfei and the other two into the pavilion and walked towards a yellow-robed girl sitting at the head of the table. The 15 or 16-year-old girl was dressed in a fitting apricot-colored embroidered butterfly riding suit. On the outside, she wore a light robe embroidered with clouds with golden threads. A pair of butterfly shoes could be seen under her skirt. ¡°Princess.¡± Gu Yunrong curtsied to the yellow-robed girl. A faint smile appeared on her lips as she introduced Gu Yunzhen and Gu Yanfei beside her. ¡°This is my eldest sister, Yunzhen, and my second sister, Yanfei.¡± ¡°At ease.¡± Princess Changqing¡¯s gaze swept across their faces. Princess Chang took a few more glances at Gu Yanfei and thought to herself that this girl¡¯s appearance was quite outstanding. She turned her gaze to Gu Yunrong and smiled intimately. ¡°Yunrong, you¡¯re finally here. We definitely can¡¯t lose to my Third Brother today!¡± Gu Yunrong agreed with a smile. As they spoke, two men and a woman entered the water pavilion behind a maidservant. The woman in blue smiled brightly at Gu Yunrong. Princess Changqing took Gu Yunrong aside while Gu Yanfei and Gu Yunzhen were led to the west side of the water pavilion by the maidservants. They passed by the two men and the woman. ¡°Thud.¡± The folding fan in the young man¡¯s hand slipped from his hands. The maidservant leading the way hurriedly stopped, picked up the folding fan on the ground, and handed it to him respectfully. ¡°Young Master Li.¡± Young Master Li took the folding fan and knocked it gently on his palm. His gaze followed a slender and graceful figure as he bragged to his cousin, ¡°Do you see that? There are still beauties in our capital!¡± Chapter 32 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Gu Yanfei and Gu Yunzhen were led to a table by the window by the maidservants. There were a few plates of fruits and snacks on the table, as well as a plum vase with a few green chrysanthemums. When the wind blew, a faint, elegant scent of chrysanthemum lingered in the water pavilion. After the sisters sat down, Gu Yanfei sent the maid away and personally poured two cups of tea, one for herself and the other for Gu Yunzhen. Gu Yunzhen took a sip of tea and looked up in the direction of Princess Changqing. The two men and the woman who had just arrived at the water pavilion were greeting her. The girl in blue was holding Gu Yunrong¡¯s arm affectionately, talking and laughing. ¡°That¡¯s the eldest daughter and fourth son of General Li¡¯s residence. The other young master looks a little unfamiliar. He shouldn¡¯t be the young master of the Li family,¡± Gu Yunzhen whispered to Gu Yanfei. ¡°Eldest Miss Li and our Third Sister are close friends.¡± Gu Yunzhen had always been considerate. She introduced some of the noble ladies and young masters present to Gu Yanfei. The girl who took a pink chrysanthemum from the vase and played with it was the Third Lady of the Chang¡¯an Manor. The girl in pink was the Ninth Lady of Prince Yu¡¯s Manor. The young man in embroidered clothes who had just arrived was the Third Young Master of Prince Jing¡¯s Manor, Chu Junhao¡­ The water pavilion was filled with laughter. Some people were chatting, some were raising their glasses to drink, and some were playing drinking games¡­ The scene was very lively. After chatting with Princess Changqing for a while, Gu Yunrong followed another maidservant towards Gu Yanfei and the others. There was a finger-wide red badge in her hand. The maidservants of Prince Jing¡¯s Manor were distributing the badges. Today¡¯s polo match was led by the siblings, Chu Junhao and Princess Changqing. They were divided into two teams and used the red and blue badges as the logo of the team. The people who were going on stage later were all in high spirits. They rubbed their palms together and wanted to show off their skills. ¡°Second Sister, the show is about to begin. Do you want to go up and try?¡± Gu Yunrong stopped in front of the table and looked at Gu Yanfei with a bright smile and clear eyes. Yesterday, when Madam Gu asked her to bring Gu Yanfei along, Gu Yunrong had agreed without hesitation. Since Gu Yanfei had returned to the Gu family, it meant that she would have to enter the circle of noble ladies sooner or later. More importantly, Fang Mingfeng would also come today. Thinking of Fang Mingfeng, Gu Yunrong¡¯s eyelashes fluttered. The Gu and Fang families were old friends. The eldest daughter of the Gu family was betrothed to Fang Mingfeng. However, Gu Yanfei seemed to have misunderstood Fang Mingfeng and was very resistant to this marriage. She had to create an opportunity for them to meet. When the two of them successfully got married, she would no longer owe Gu Yanfei anything. They would be even. Gu Yanfei lowered her eyes and drank her tea elegantly, smiling without saying anything. Seeing this, Gu Yunzhen thought that she did not know how to play polo, so she smiled and tried to smooth things over. ¡°Second Sister, sit with me. Let¡¯s watch them play.¡± Gu Yunrong thought so too and did not force her. She thought to herself that when Fang Mingfeng came later, she would bring him over. Her smile widened and she said, ¡°The princess set up a bet today. Those who don¡¯t play can place their bets.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll definitely win.¡± Gu Yunrong¡¯s eyes sparkled with confidence. Gu Yunzhen giggled. Just as she was about to speak, Princess Changqing¡¯s voice came from not far away. ¡°Yunrong, you¡¯re the only one left.¡± Gu Yunrong, who had just sat down, said, ¡°Excuse me,¡± and hurried away again, following Princess Changqing and the others out of the water pavilion. Gu Yanfei and Gu Yunzhen remained at the table by the window, drinking tea, eating snacks, and admiring the lake. On the east side of the water pavilion was the lake. On the west side was a vast, flat polo field, 300 paces long and wide. At the edge of the field were colorful flags as boundaries. A few bamboo sheds had been built as stands. A man and a horse stood under the bamboo shed in the middle. Fang Mingfeng, who was dressed in a sky-blue turtleneck, stood leisurely with a snow-white horse. His skin was fair and his facial features were handsome. When his eyes met Gu Yunrong¡¯s, they became as gentle as spring water. ¡°Yunrong.¡± He politely bowed with his hands clasped in front of his chest. His every movement was filled with the nobility of a prince. He greeted her with concern, ¡°I heard from my sister that you weren¡¯t feeling well the other day. Are you feeling better?¡± Fang Mingfeng looked Gu Yunrong up and down. The silk wrapped around her waist made her slender waist look soft and fragile. After not seeing her for half a month, she had lost a lot of weight¡­ ¡°I catch a cold occasionally. I¡¯ll be fine after drinking ginger soup for two days. It¡¯s no big deal.¡± Gu Yunrong smiled generously. ¡°¡­¡± Fang Mingfeng pursed his thin lips and hesitated. It was obvious why she was thin and ill. After chatting for a while, Gu Yunrong raised her hand and pointed at the water pavilion a few feet away. She changed the topic and said, ¡°My Second Sister is also here. She¡¯s sitting there.¡± The autumn wind blew from the lake, stirring the layers of gauze outside the water pavilion. Through the fluttering gauze, he could vaguely see two young girls sitting by the window. One had her back to him, and the other revealed her exquisite and beautiful side profile. Gu Yunrong winked playfully at Fang Mingfeng and lowered her voice to whisper, ¡°My Second Sister is a rare beauty.¡± She smiled brightly, and her tone was teasing in a way only an acquaintance would be. ¡°¡­¡± Fang Mingfeng¡¯s expression froze. He looked at Gu Yanfei¡¯s side profile from afar and recalled the scene when he met her at the city gate of Danyang City. All this time, the events of that day had haunted him like hemorrhages. Fang Mingfeng couldn¡¯t help but feel a little frustrated. His eyes darkened as a thought appeared in his mind. If only she had died in Danyang City! If Gu Yanfei died in Danyang City, no one in the capital would know of her existence. Gu Yunrong would still be the second daughter of the Gu family who was engaged to him¡­ This was all Gu Yanfei¡¯s fault! Why was she still alive?! A trace of hidden sorrow and resentment slowly appeared in Fang Mingfeng¡¯s deep eyes. Princess Changqing, who was sitting across the table, vaguely heard Gu Yunrong¡¯s words and asked casually, ¡°Yunrong, is she your distant cousin?¡± She knew that daughters of the Gu family were named ¡°Yun¡±. Gu Yanfei was probably from a side branch. Gu Yunrong¡¯s eyelashes fluttered and the smile on her face was a little forced. Her relationship with Gu Yanfei was too complicated to be explained in a few words. Besides¡­ ¡°She¡¯s my cousin,¡± Gu Yunrong said vaguely. ¡°My Second Sister is engaged¡­¡± Gu Yunrong wanted to say that Gu Yanfei and Fang Mingfeng were engaged and could not wait to publicize this matter. However, she had only said a few words when Fang Mingfeng interrupted her impatiently. ¡°We¡¯re almost off the field. Let¡¯s discuss our strategies.¡± ¡°Princess, your Third Brother is good at defense, so he should be in charge of this position. Third Young Master Wang and Fourth Young Master Wang have a good tacit understanding, so they must be a double vanguard. Princess Anle can both defend and attack. She¡¯s good at polo. Unfortunately, this horse of hers is new and unruly¡­¡± Gu Yunrong knew that he was deliberately changing the topic and sighed. Then she felt a burning gaze on her from behind and turned. A familiar figure came into view nearby and she stiffened. Chapter 33 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Under the sunlight, a tall and straight young man strode over. His skin was wheat-colored, and his facial features were handsome. A purple embroidered immortal crane cloud pattern wrapped around his slender and strong body. The silver threads of the immortal crane embroidery shone brightly in the morning light. As he walked leisurely, his entire body emitted a noble aura that made people afraid to underestimate him. Gu Yunrong lowered her eyes and looked away. Her sparkling face was a little gloomy, as if it was covered by a shadow. These days, the news that the Empress Dowager was going to choose a consort for Kang Wang had spread throughout the capital. It was inevitable that Gu Yunrong would hear about it. She trusted Kang Wang¡¯s feelings for her, but she could not be certain that his will would not be swayed by the Empress Dowager. Gu Yunrong bit her lower lip and sank her teeth into her delicate lips. It took all her strength not to lose her composure. Everyone bowed, but Kang Wang ignored them and walked straight in the direction of Gu Yunrong, as if she was the only one in his eyes. His eyes sharpened and a few flames danced in them, burning brighter. As soon as Kang Wang entered the polo field, he saw Gu Yunrong chatting happily with Fang Mingfeng, who was beside her. They even exchanged knowing glances and smiles from time to time. Even if he could not hear what they were talking about, he was sure that the two of them were chatting happily. At the very least, he was sure that Fang Mingfeng was still infatuated with Gu Yunrong. Fang Mingfeng raised his chin and met the other man¡¯s gaze without flinching. Their gazes met fiercely in mid-air, sparks flying, neither giving way. ¡°Seventh Imperial Uncle, why didn¡¯t you tell me you were coming? I could have gotten my Third Brother to welcome you.¡± Princess Changqing walked over with a smile and broke the stalemate. Kang Wang withdrew his gaze and looked at Princess Changqing. ¡°I came at the last minute,¡± he said calmly. Princess Changqing personally led Kang Wang to the bamboo shed in the center and sat down. Gu Yunrong said without turning around, ¡°Let¡¯s enter first, it¡¯s about to begin.¡± Fang Mingfeng seemed to have received great encouragement, for he also got on his horse and guarded Gu Yunrong¡¯s side. The others followed and entered the polo field one after another. Clang! There was a loud clang of gongs and drums, and the pageboy on the polo field struggled to throw up a white polo ball. On the coffee table beside the gong was a small three-legged porcelain tripod. A finger-thick incense was lit at the same time as the gong sounded, and a wisp of smoke slowly curled upward. The sound of galloping hooves echoed in the field, as fast as rain and lightning. The slender mozzies tied to their foreheads danced in the wind. One by one, they held their staves and chased after the only bow on the field like stars surrounding the moon. It didn¡¯t take long for Fang Mingfeng to hit the ball into the goal with the momentum of breaking bamboo. The red team took the lead, drawing a round of enthusiastic cheers and thunderous applause. The blue team was not to be outdone and quickly scored their first goal. The others on the sidelines cheered and clapped. The atmosphere on and off the field became more and more lively. When the incense burned out, the first half of the game was over with another clang of the gong. Then, there was an intermission of about two cups of tea. The red and blue teams¡¯ scores were suspended at five to three, with the red leading by two goals. The bamboo shed and the water pavilion were filled with cheers. Seeing Gu Yunrong leave the polo field, Gu Yunzhen stood up anxiously. Her heart was heavy as she repeatedly thought about Gu Yunrong and Fang Mingfeng¡¯s smiling faces. She was not focused on the game and was determined to talk to her Third Sister after the first half. Gu Yunzhen lowered her eyes slightly. In the next moment, she felt a tug on her sleeve tighten, so she subconsciously lowered her eyes only to meet a pair of clear black eyes. ¡°Big Sister, it¡¯s boring sitting here. Let¡¯s go play in the garden.¡± Gu Yanfei looked at Gu Yunzhen expectantly with her irresistible deer-like gaze. Gu Yunzhen was a little hesitant, but Gu Yanfei had already pulled her hand and walked out of the water pavilion. As they walked, he said, ¡°I heard that the garden of Prince Jing¡¯s mansion was specially designed by the former assistant minister of the Ministry of Works, Lord Huang Changhe. It has uniquely-designed pavilions, gazebos, trees, ponds, and so on.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Gu Yunzhen nodded. She was not good at rejecting people, so she smiled and agreed. ¡°It¡¯s rare for us to come to Prince Jing¡¯s mansion. Let¡¯s take a walk around.¡± Gu Yanfei smiled and held Gu Yunzhen¡¯s arm as they left the Zhuoxin Water Pavilion. Gu Yunzhen glanced in the direction of the polo field again, but Gu Yunrong was no longer there. Only her mount was leisurely swinging its long ponytail by the bamboo shed. Sighing inwardly, she looked away as they strolled unhurriedly toward the gardens across the lake. There were people coming and going from the water pavilion and the polo field. The horses were like swimming dragons, and it was very lively. In contrast, the garden was quiet and elegant. It had a hint of winding roads like a path leading from a bustling market into a forest. In the golden autumn season, the garden was filled with the refreshing fragrance of flowers. Four seasons¡¯ osmanthus, hibiscus, chrysanthemums, and other flowers bloomed all over the branche, beautiful and eye-catching. The sunlight filtered through the layers of leaves and branches, scattering mottled light and shadow in disorder. ¡°This garden is indeed unique!¡± Gu Yunzhen took a deep breath of the fragrance of the air and sighed. ¡°No wonder there¡¯s a saying about the marvelous sights in the capital: the house of Prince Li, the garden of Prince Jing, and the wall of Prince Yu.¡± Gu Yunzhen took the opportunity to talk about how many rooms there were in Prince Li¡¯s residence and how tall the walls were. Along the way, they saw others enjoying themselves in the garden from time to time. Some were feeding the fish, some were fighting in the pavilion, and some were strolling and admiring the flowers¡­ It was so pleasing to the eye! As they spoke, they passed a three-story building with an elaborate layout. The spire was tilted, and the glazed tiles shone in the sun. The plaque on the building wrote ¡°Moonlight Tower.¡± Gu Yanfei casually looked around. Her gaze landed on an octagonal pavilion not far away and paused for a moment. ¡°Big Sister, let¡¯s go up and rest for a while. We can enjoy the scenery there.¡± Under Gu Yanfei¡¯s suggestion, the two of them entered the Moonlight Tower and went up the narrow stairs to the second floor. The small building was empty and the windows on all four sides were wide open. A faint autumn breeze blew with warmth and coolness, the air fragrant and clean. Gu Yunzhen felt refreshed and casually chose a seat by the window. Looking down from the window, they could see the garden below. Everything from the polo field to the lake to the garden were in their line of sight. ¡°The view here is really good. It¡¯s very suitable for painting¡­¡± Gu Yunzhen smiled as she wiped the sweat from her temples with a handkerchief. Suddenly, her gaze paused and her pupils dilated. She saw two familiar figures standing in the octagonal pavilion on the northwest side of the small building. One was slender and graceful, and the other was tall and thin. It was Gu Yunrong and Fang Mingfeng. Gu Yanfei let out a low ¡°Hmm?¡± and raised her eyebrows with interest. In her previous life, she had been a caged bird. Trapped in the Marquis Mansion, she knew little about the outside world. After Gu Yunrong¡¯s marriage decree reached the Marquis Mansion, she learned about what had happened in Prince Jing¡¯s Manor from the people around her. They said that the Moon Pavilion of Prince Jing¡¯s Manor had been in disrepair for a long time, and termites had caused trouble and hollowed out the pavilion pillars. That day, the pavilion suddenly collapsed, and Gu Yunrong risked her life to save Kang Wang¡­ The main characters of this story should be Gu Yunrong and Kang Wang. Why was Fang Mingfeng here instead of Kang Wang? Strange, very strange indeed. Chapter 34 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The Moon Pavilion with its overhanging eaves was like a huge umbrella blocking above Gu Yunrong and Fang Mingfeng. Gu Yunzhen and Gu Yanfei, who were on the second floor of the small building, happened to be in the blind spot of the two of them. The sisters took advantage of their high vantage point and saw the two people in the pavilion clearly. Gu Yunrong and Fang Mingfeng were only two feet apart. There was no one around, only a sea of flowers surrounding the pavilion. It was colorful and fragrant, like a painting by a famous artist. ¡°Yunrong,¡± Fang Mingfeng said in a lingering voice. He couldn¡¯t help but take a step closer to Gu Yunrong and hold her slender wrist. Their faces were less than two feet apart. Fang Mingfeng could barely take his eyes off Gu Yunrong. From her arched eyebrows to her long lashes to the dimples on her cheeks to her soft lips, he was almost mesmerized. His gaze was deep and tender, like an ocean that threatened to drown him. ¡°Don¡¯t push me to someone else,¡± Fang Mingfeng said sternly. His voice carried clearly on the wind. It was obvious who this ¡°someone else¡± referred to. Gu Yunzhen frowned and subconsciously tightened her grip on her handkerchief. She turned to look at Gu Yanfei beside her. Gu Yanfei leaned lazily against the window frame, her right hand cupping one cheek as she looked down at the two people below. Though not quite the same as the rumors she¡¯d heard in her previous life, it seemed more interesting. A faint smile appeared on Gu Yanfei¡¯s lips. Gu Yunrong also understood what Fang Mingfeng meant and widened her eyes. She wanted to retreat, but with the pavilion¡¯s columns behind her, there was no room to escape. Fang Mingfeng had always been elegant and restrained. At this moment, his jade-like face revealed a rare loss of composure, as if he wanted to vent his frustration. He laughed bitterly. ¡°Don¡¯t you understand how I feel about you all these years?¡± He had treated her differently from others since she was a child. He had taught her to ride a horse and play polo. He had played the piano and she had played the harp. They had painted together¡­ He and she had been childhood sweethearts. They had shared many memories over the past decade or so. They were close and understood each other very well. Why was Gu Yanfei interfering with their relationship?! If Gu Yanfei hadn¡¯t appeared, the two of them would have been a match made in heaven. ¡°Mingfeng!¡± Gu Yunrong felt the heat from her left wrist and complicated emotions appeared in her eyes. She said leisurely, ¡°You know, to me, you¡¯re like my brother and my friend, like my family¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not your brother!¡± Fang Mingfeng cut her off in a rush of emotion. He felt his heart twist in pain and a bitter taste filled his throat. He didn¡¯t believe she didn¡¯t have him in her heart. His Yunrong was too kind. In order to help Gu Yanfei, she gave up on him! ¡°¡­¡± Gu Yunrong sighed helplessly. She had grown up with him. To her, Fang Mingfeng was more like an older brother. She had known since she was young that they were engaged. However, every time she thought about how she was going to marry someone who was as close to her as an elder brother, she felt awkward. She had once been worried about this. Fortunately, there was still Gu Yanfei¡­ Ever since she was a child, she¡¯d thought she was extremely lucky. Gu Yunrong stared into Fang Mingfeng¡¯s eyes and sighed. ¡°Mingfeng, you¡¯re a good person.¡± As she spoke, she gently and firmly shook off his hand and said slowly, ¡°I wasn¡¯t the one who was engaged to you in the first place. Everything is just back on track now.¡± Fang Mingfeng¡¯s eyes were red, and there was a hint of madness and hurt between his handsome brows. ¡°Rong Rong,¡± he said hoarsely, abruptly changing his words to invoke the nickname he had used for her as a child. ¡°To me, you¡¯re one in a million!¡± His words were so sincere that he wished he could cut open his heart and prove it, but Gu Yanfei almost laughed. Seeing the infatuation, pain, and anxiety on Fang Mingfeng¡¯s face, Gu Yanfei smiled and thought to herself, ¡®He really loves Gu Yunrong!¡¯ He loved her enough to be willing to get rid of all the ¡°obstacles¡± he considered, including her! Thinking of the sins of his two lives, Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes suddenly turned cold. The air around them smelled of the flowers of the moon. The wind blew a few petals into the pavilion and onto their clothes. ¡°Mingfeng¡­¡± Gu Yunrong looked at Fang Mingfeng in a daze. Her heart was sour and soft. She didn¡¯t know if it was because she was touched or helpless, or if there were more complicated emotions mixed in. Of course, she knew that Fang Mingfeng was very good. He was loyal and honest. Even in the capital, he was one of the best bachelors. To Gu Yanfei, this engagement was enough to make up for the past 14 years. Gu Yunrong took a deep breath and told herself that she must not relent. Fang Mingfeng was not hers and she didn¡¯t want him. The autumn wind blew gently, fluttering her skirt like a butterfly, making her figure look even more slender. In the Moonlight Tower, Gu Yunzhen bit her lower lip and tightened her grip on the handkerchief. Her forehead hurt. Gu Yunzhen already felt that it was inappropriate when she saw Gu Yunrong and Fang Mingfeng chatting and laughing at the polo field. They were childhood sweethearts and had always been on good terms. However, since her grandmother had already decided to let Gu Yanfei marry into the British Monarchy, Gu Yunrong should avoid arousing suspicion. Gu Yunzhen had originally wanted to look for Gu Yunrong to give her some pointers, but she did not expect¡­ Thinking of this, Gu Yunzhen looked at Gu Yanfei again with complicated thoughts. Her cherry lips opened slightly. ¡°Second Sister, Third Sister grew up with Crown Prince Fang¡­¡± Even Gu Yunzhen did not know what she was explaining. Fang Mingfeng knew that the person he was engaged to was Gu Yanfei, but he still expressed his feelings to Gu Yunrong. Logically speaking, it should not have happened. ¡°Big Sister, do you think Fang Mingfeng is a good match for me?¡± Gu Yanfei calmly interrupted Gu Yunzhen and pointed at Fang Mingfeng in the pavilion below. Her dark eyes were like calm water, deep and unfathomable. Gu Yunzhen pursed her lips and hesitated. The misalignment of the real and fake daughter 14 years ago had caused Gu Yanfei to suffer for 14 years. Everything that belonged to her had been taken away. Now that her and Gu Yunrong¡¯s backgrounds were revealed, they should return to their own positions. Since Gu Yanfei had returned to the Gu family, she should naturally return to the marriage that originally belonged to her. This was correcting mistakes and making amends. However, if this marriage only brought Gu Yanfei pain, would it still be considered ¡°making amends¡±? Meeting Gu Yunzhen¡¯s struggling eyes, Gu Yanfei looked straight at her and said slowly, ¡°Why must we pass off a pearl as a fish eye?¡± She could not keep the cynicism from her voice. ¡°¡­¡± Gu Yunzhen was speechless. At this moment, the answer clearly appeared in Gu Yunzhen¡¯s heart¡ª Fang Mingfeng was definitely not a good match for Gu Yanfei! The moment she thought it through, Gu Yunzhen felt relieved. After a moment of silence, Gu Yunzhen stared deeply at Gu Yanfei and asked, ¡°Second Sister, have you really thought it through?¡± Reality was cruel. Gu Yanfei was not wrong, but her background was awkward. If she missed Fang Mingfeng, it would be difficult for her to get a good marriage in the future. Chapter 35 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Chirp chirp chirp ¡­¡± Two sparrows happened to be flying past the window at that moment. They had their wings close to each other and were frolicking affectionately, sometimes circling, sometimes doing cartwheels. The slightly solemn atmosphere was instantly broken. Meeting Gu Yanfei¡¯s calm gaze, Gu Yunzhen smiled. Everything was said without words. She had made a fool of herself. ¡°I understand!¡± After thinking about it, Gu Yunzhen held Gu Yanfei¡¯s hand and said solemnly, ¡°Second Sister, I¡¯ll help persuade Grandma.¡± Gu Yanfei could not help but laugh. She did not say this to Gu Yunzhen to vent her emotions, nor to ask for a favor. She was just following her heart. ¡°Big Sister, you¡¯re so kind!¡± Gu Yanfei reached out two fingers and pinched a corner of Gu Yunzhen¡¯s handkerchief. She gently shook the handkerchief and leaned on her slender shoulder with the corners of her lips curled up uncontrollably. Her bright smile was as clear and bright as the sky after the rain. Her Big Sister was so cute! Gu Yunzhen¡¯s heart softened when she saw her sister leaning against her. She gently stroked the little girl¡¯s soft hair and thought to herself that as the eldest sister, she naturally had to become the support of her sisters. ¡°Chirp! Chirp!¡± A sparrow spread its wings and flew past the window, swooping neatly down toward the pavilion below, another in hot pursuit. The two people standing quietly in the pavilion finally moved. Fang Mingfeng suddenly took a step forward and could not help but raise his arm to pull Gu Yunrong into his arms. His deep and low voice seemed to come from the depths of his chest. ¡°Rong Rong, if it weren¡¯t for Gu Yanfei, wouldn¡¯t we already be together?!¡± At this moment, the killing intent in Fang Mingfeng¡¯s heart rose again, and his eyes were slightly red. That¡¯s right, it was Gu Yanfei¡¯s fault. It was Gu Yanfei who insisted on standing between them. His Rong Rong was the kindest and most good-natured. She had no choice but to give in! Fang Mingfeng¡¯s actions were so gentle and pitiful, as if he would hurt her if he used too much strength. Gu Yunrong let out a low cry. She did not expect Fang Mingfeng, who had always been respectful, to suddenly do such a rude thing and hug her, catching her off guard. Automatically she tried to push him away. ¡°Let me go!¡± He wouldn¡¯t let go! Fang Mingfeng¡¯s desire surged. ¡°Rong¡¯er!¡± A cold male voice suddenly sounded, scaring the two sparrows in the air. They flew around and a few brown feathers fluttered down. At some point, the sun in the sky was blocked by dense clouds. The sky was slightly gloomy, and there were leaves and fallen flowers in the autumn wind. Gu Yanfei looked in the direction of the voice with interest. As expected, she caught sight of a slender and muscular purple figure in the flower corridor beside the pavilion. Anger surged on Kang Wang¡¯s handsome face. He rushed into the pavilion like a gust of wind and approached Gu Yunrong and Fang Mingfeng. Kang Wang was finally here! In other words, Gu Yanfei had come to the right place. Gu Yanfei¡¯s lips curved into a faint smile as her slender fingers casually rubbed the gourd-shaped pouch by her waist. However, why was Fang Mingfeng here? ¡°Fang Mingfeng, let go of Rong¡¯er!¡± Seeing that Fang Mingfeng had taken advantage of Gu Yunrong, Kang Wang was furious. He raised his fist and punched him, causing a gust of wind. Fang Mingfeng quickly sidestepped and avoided Kang Wang¡¯s punch. Kang Wang saw an opportunity and grabbed Gu Yunrong¡¯s wrist, pulling her to his side. He was a martial artist and was extremely strong. Feeling pain in her left wrist, Gu Yunrong frowned in pain and subconsciously resisted. Her sleeves were torn with a ripping sound, leaving a long tear. Her white, delicate upper arm was exposed. ¡°Your Highness, let go of her quickly.¡± Fang Mingfeng¡¯s expression turned cold as he hurriedly took a few steps forward. He faced Kang Wang¡¯s furious eyes fearlessly and grabbed his wrist. The three of them stood there in a strange stalemate. ¡°How dare you!¡± The anger in Kang Wang¡¯s eyes intensified. He was like an unsheathed sword with overflowing cold air. He had come to Prince Jing¡¯s residence today because he had heard that Gu Yunrong would be coming and wanted to personally explain to her that it was the Empress Dowager¡¯s intention to choose a consort. Unless he wanted to, he would not let the Empress Dowager order him around. However, he did not expect to see Fang Mingfeng fawning over Gu Yunrong the moment he arrived at the residence. This made him feel very uncomfortable. Kang Wang also knew that Gu Yunrong and Fang Mingfeng were childhood sweethearts. He could tell that Fang Mingfeng was willing, but Gu Yunrong had no desire. Kang Wang did not like Fang Mingfeng circling around Gu Yunrong. He had hinted at Fang Mingfeng¡¯s thoughts more than once, but Gu Yunrong insisted that she and Fang Mingfeng were as close as siblings. She told Kang Wang that she only had him in her heart. Kang Wang felt happy for a moment, but it was quickly replaced by anger. He wanted to cut Fang Mingfeng into pieces. Fang Mingfeng refused to give up. He actually wanted to take advantage of the situation and was even rude to his Rong¡¯er! Kang Wang was afraid that Fang Mingfeng would sow discord, so he anxiously said to Gu Yunrong, ¡°Rong¡¯er, believe me. You¡¯re my only consort.¡± ¡°I only have you in my heart too!¡± The two short sentences were powerful and straightforward, burning like fire. Gu Yunrong looked at Kang Wang with slightly red eyes. An indescribable sourness arose in her heart. She was a little touched and relieved¡­ and also felt very cherished. She trusted him, of course, and those she loved. But she also knew that the Empress Dowager¡¯s heart might not be so easily swayed. Kang Wang¡¯s status seemed to be noble, but in fact, it was like boiling oil. Now that the eldest prince, Chu Yi, had returned to the country, it made Kang Wang¡¯s situation even more difficult. The Empress Dowager must be trying to use the selection of concubines to rope in Kang Wang¡¯s people. In this era where imperial power reigned supreme, marriage was often just a tool to obtain power. ¡°Fang Mingfeng.¡± Gu Yunrong¡¯s gaze seemed to have encouraged Kang Wang. He looked at Fang Mingfeng disdainfully and said coldly, ¡°What right do you have to tell me to ¡®let go of her¡¯?! Don¡¯t forget, you¡¯re engaged. You¡¯re not worthy of Rong¡¯er!¡± The word ¡°engaged¡± was like a heavy hammer that struck Fang Mingfeng¡¯s heart. His face turned green and white. He flew into a rage out of humiliation and slapped Kang Wang¡¯s hand away and grabbed Gu Yunrong with his other hand. Kang Wang snorted disdainfully and drew his sword from his waist. The gleaming blade slashed down at Fang Mingfeng. Seeing this, Gu Yunrong¡¯s expression changed and she exclaimed, ¡°Your Highness, no!¡± Gu Yunrong tried to stop the fight, but Kang Wang¡¯s sword still slashed down fiercely. The edge of the sword cut through the air like a silver bolt of lightning. Fang Mingfeng naturally would not sit still and he managed to dodge again. Clunk! The razor-sharp blade struck one of the pavilion¡¯s columns, leaving a deep, shocking gash. Gu Yunrong¡¯s pupils constricted and her face turned pale. She could not watch as Fang Mingfeng was injured. She grabbed the scabbard at Kang Wang¡¯s waist and threw it to Fang Mingfeng. This action angered Kang Wang even more. The sword in his hand slashed out again like lightning¡­ Fang Mingfeng immediately blocked Kang Wang¡¯s sword with his scabbard, causing sparks to fly with the friction generated. Neither of the two men was willing to back down. There was a flurry of swords in the pavilion, and several of the columns were covered in sword marks. Several tiles from the pavilion fell from above and crashed to the ground, shattering into a million pieces. Chapter 36 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Rustle¡­ A few brown feathers fluttered in midair as the sparrows originally perched on the top of the pavilion rose in alarm and flapped their wings in a flurry. Looking at the damaged and crumbling pavilion below, Gu Yanfei¡¯s gaze gradually turned cold. Her heart felt as if it had been struck by lightning, and she instantly understood some things from her previous life. The termites had caused trouble and hollowed out the pavilion pillars? It was obvious that the pavilion had collapsed because Kang Wang and Fang Mingfeng were fighting over Gu Yunrong. So what was the truth about the so-called ¡°savior¡± in her previous life? Gu Yanfei took out a talisman from her pouch and held it between her fingers. Her wide sleeve covered the talisman. In her previous life, the Empress Dowager and Kang Wang could successfully hide the truth with lies because not many people knew the truth. But what if things get out of hand? Gu Yunzhen suddenly stood up, unable to hide the anxiety on her gentle face. She said, ¡°Second Sister, wait for me here. I¡¯ll go take a look.¡± She was already hurrying toward the stairs as she spoke. Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes were calm. Her lips moved slightly as she silently recited the incantation. Then, with a flick of her right arm, she threw the talisman with a flutter of her sleeves. The talisman fluttered out and flew toward the roof of the pavilion as if it had wings. ¡°Big Sister, there¡¯s a fire over there!¡± Gu Yanfei pointed at the pavilion outside the window and shouted. Gu Yunzhen suddenly stopped and turned around. The moment the talisman landed gently on the roof of the pavilion and made contact with the glazed tiles, it spontaneously combusted. It was engulfed in flames in the blink of an eye and turned to ash. Then, a mushroom cloud of white smoke suddenly exploded in midair and curled away¡­ When Gu Yunzhen leaned close to the window, this was what she saw. The smoke seemed to layer over each other, making the three people in the pavilion hazy and indistinct. ¡°Fire! The pavilion is on fire!¡± The others in the garden immediately noticed the great cloud of smoke above the pavilion. They all thought it was on fire and shouted frantically. With this shout, more and more people also noticed the commotion at the pavilion and ran over anxiously. Wherever they passed, birds were startled. The crowd surged towards them like a flock of birds and caused a ruckus. Some people shouted, some went to fetch water, some went to get help, some ran to watch the commotion¡­ The commotion around them also alerted the three men in the pavilion. Seeing so many people running over, Kang Wang and Fang Mingfeng¡¯s expressions changed and they looked at Gu Yunrong¡¯s torn sleeve at the same time. The two of them had the same thought. Gu Yunrong¡¯s current disheveled appearance was really not suitable for seeing anyone. Moreover, the two of them were here¡­ If others saw this scene, it would inevitably cause some baseless speculation and ruin Gu Yunrong¡¯s reputation. ¡°Let go!¡± Fang Mingfeng¡¯s cold gaze shot at Kang Wang. How could Kang Wang let go? His response was to stab the other party. Seeing this, Gu Yunrong pursed her cherry lips tightly, her eyes flickering. She said in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯ll walk by myself!¡± She flicked her sleeve heavily and shook off the two of them, but they subconsciously grabbed her. As she moved forward, she waved away their tugging hands and stepped on a patch of broken glazed tiles. All of a sudden, she slipped, stumbled, lost her balance, and fell head-first toward the sea of Bengal rose flowers behind the pavilion¡­ The Bengal rose flowers were extremely beautiful. It was known as the ¡°Queen of Flowers¡±, but it was covered in thorns and its stem was filled with dense spikes. ¡°Rong¡¯er!¡± ¡°Rong Rong!¡± Shocked, Kang Wang and Fang Mingfeng shouted in panic and reached out almost at the same time. As Gu Yunrong fell backward, the blue sky reflected in her eyes, and a few strands of hair floated up because of weightlessness¡­ In the next moment, she felt her back tighten. A strong, muscular arm supported her, and a gentle blue arm appeared in the corner of her eye. Then another large, calloused hand gripped her wrist tightly and pulled her upward¡­ She let out a low cry and watched as the slender blue figure brushed past her and fell toward the Bengal rose flowers with an expression of pain. It all happened in a flash. When Gu Yunrong came back to her senses, her feet were already firmly on the ground. She met Kang Wang¡¯s worried eyes. ¡°Rong¡¯er, are you alright?¡± Kang Wang held Gu Yunrong¡¯s left wrist tightly in one hand, and the sword in his other hand had already been thrown to the ground. Gu Yunrong was still in shock when she heard a panicked scream from the northwest direction. ¡°Crown Prince Fang!¡± ¡°Crown Prince Fang has fallen into the flowerbed!¡± ¡°Someone come¡­¡± The crowd, attracted by the smoke, happened to see Fang Mingfeng fall from the flowerbed and also saw Kang Wang and Gu Yunrong in the pavilion. Kang Wang held Gu Yunrong¡¯s arm with one hand, his face full of worry. Gu Yunrong seemed to be in shock. Her face was pale and she was forcing herself to be calm. A few sharp-eyed people noticed that a hole had been torn in Gu Yunrong¡¯s left sleeve. They could not help but exchange glances, their hearts filled with doubts. ¡°Mingfeng!¡± Gu Yunrong anxiously looked at Fang Mingfeng in the flowerbed. The rest of the crowd gathered around, creating a bustling and chaotic scene. Fang Mingfeng gave a low groan as he reclined in the middle of the blooming Bangal rose flowers. The fall was not heavy, but the flowerbed was like a trap filled with sharp knives. The moment he landed, tens of thousands of spikes pierced his body like needles. His hands, face, neck¡­ Not only did the spikes pierce his exposed skin, but even the skin under his thin clothes. Fang Mingfeng propped himself up on his elbows and tried to get up. His thin lips were pursed tightly as he endured the pain in his body and heard gasps around him. The side of his face was bloody. Not only were there dense bloody holes the size of pinpricks, but there was also a stem leaf covered in hooks wrapped between his face and his hair. Dark red blood slid down his face, creating a ghastly sight¡­ The timid girls were so frightened that they turned pale and looked away. Gu Yunrong looked at Fang Mingfeng in a daze. She was filled with sorrow, gratefulness, and worry. ¡°Quick, call a doctor!¡± Someone shouted and ran away in a hurry. Others came over sporadically. Gu Yanfei watched this chaotic scene from afar with flickering eyes. The smoke at the top of the pavilion was gradually blown away by the wind. Fang Mingfeng¡¯s bloody face was reflected in her eyes, overlapping with Gu Yunzhen¡¯s ghostly face in her previous life and being just as shocking. So this was what happened. Gu Yanfei finally understood the cause and effect of Gu Yunzhen¡¯s disfigurement in her previous life. Chapter 37 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios In her previous life, Gu Yunzhen, who was originally an outsider, was most likely involved in the jealousy between two men. In the chaos, the Moon Pavilion collapsed and Gu Yunzhen fell into the flowerbed. Half of her face was scratched by countless spikes and was covered in scars. And not only was Gu Yunrong safe and sound, but she had also received an imperial decree to marry Kang Wang. Gu Yanfei sighed silently and thought to herself, ¡®Gu Yunrong is indeed a lucky girl!¡¯ In her previous life, she had lived a muddled life. She was angry at fate for being unfair to her and did not understand why everyone favored Gu Yunrong. After cultivating in the Bright Spirit Realm for 200 years, Gu Yanfei gradually comprehended some laws about the various small worlds. For example, every small world had a ¡°Destiny¡¯s Child¡±. Gu Yunrong was the person the heavens of this small world favored the most. She had gathered the greatest amount of providence. To put it nicely, Gu Yunrong was a lucky koi. Every problem of hers could be resolved with the help of a noble. To put it bluntly, when she was in danger, someone always took the fall for her. Gu Yanfei turned to look at Gu Yunzhen and held her hand. Gu Yunzhen thought that Gu Yanfei was uneasy and held her hand comfortingly. In her previous life, Gu Yunzhen had shielded Gu Yunrong from disaster. In this life, the person who shielded Gu Yunrong from disaster became Fang Mingfeng. Gu Yanfei¡¯s pupils dilated. At this moment, she felt enlightened and a strange feeling surrounded her. It was as if a voice in the dark was telling her that her guess was right. A bright smile appeared on Gu Yanfei¡¯s lips and her free left hand quietly kept her purse. Outside the small building, more and more people heard the commotion and came over, surrounding the parterre area in three layers. Gu Yanfei shook Gu Yunzhen¡¯s hand and smiled. ¡°Big Sister, let¡¯s go back.¡± Since her goal had been achieved, she did not intend to stay any longer. Gu Yunzhen nodded, her heart indescribably complicated. She watched helplessly as the disheveled Gu Yunrong was forcefully pulled away by Kang Wang. Everything had happened so quickly since the fight between the three of them. Before she could react, it had reached a point of no return. Gu Yunzhen went downstairs with Gu Yanfei without a word. After leaving the Moonlight Tower, she turned left. The sisters left hand in hand, completely unaware that an excited gaze was following them from the third floor of the small building. ¡°Young Master, could the ¡®fire¡¯ on the pavilion have something to do with Miss Gu?¡± Xiao Shi spoke excitedly in a rough drake voice. His eyes darted around. One moment, he was looking at Gu Yanfei, the next moment, he was looking at Fang Mingfeng, and the very next moment, he was craning his neck to look at the empty Moon Pavilion. The talisman ash on the roof of the pavilion had long been blown away by the wind, leaving no traces. On the beauty couch beside him was a handsome young master in white. A strand of black hair on his forehead gently caressed the red mole at the corner of his eye as he leaned back in a lazy and relaxed posture. ¡°What do you think?¡± He casually played with the small and exquisite tea bowl between his long and beautiful fingers that were even fairer than white porcelain. A section of his wrist was revealed in his wide cuff and he looked like he was carved from flawless jade. His lines were beautiful and exquisite. Xiao Shi rubbed his nose and recalled every detail of the ¡°fire¡±. Just now, he was making tea for his master when he realized that there was smoke rising outside the window. Only then did he stick his head out to take a look¡­ ¡°That smoke was very strange, young master. It came and went quickly. I looked carefully but there was only smoke, no fire.¡± ¡°Besides, I don¡¯t smell either kerosene or anything burning.¡± ¡°Most likely¡­ No, it must have something to do with Miss Gu!¡± At the thought of everything that had happened in Danyang City, Xiao Shi said with certainty and high spirits. Chu Yi pursed his thin lips in a half-smile and put down the tea bowl. His wide cuffs slipped off, making him look even thinner. Xiao Shi¡¯s intuition told him that his master seemed to know something. He leaned over and asked curiously, ¡°Young Master, did you see something?¡± ¡°A talisman,¡± Chu Yi said as he touched the empty red silk pouch in his sleeve with his right hand. ¡°Young Master, why didn¡¯t you call me?¡± The little boy widened his eyes. He felt that his master was too mean to have made him miss the most important scene. The noisy and excited voice entered his ears. Chu Yi¡¯s gaze passed through the window on the third floor and accurately landed on the beautiful figure who had just stepped onto the stone bridge. Outside the building, the autumn wind blew. The wind blew away the clouds in the sky and wrinkled the surface of the Emerald Lake below. It also blew off the petals of the branches, forming a scattered rain of flowers that looked picturesque. Gu Yanfei stopped at the entrance of the water pavilion and casually brushed off a petal on her shoulder. She seemed to sense something, for she turned her head and glanced casually behind her. There were not many people near the water pavilion, only a dozen or so gathered in groups of two or three. Among them, only a few faces looked familiar. ¡°Second Sister?¡± Seeing Gu Yanfei stop, Gu Yunzhen looked at her in confusion. Gu Yanfei smiled sweetly. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m just a little hungry.¡± In a bamboo shed not far away, a young man pointed excitedly at Gu Yanfei, who was at the entrance of the water pavilion. With his other hand, he patted the young master in green who was taller than him and said in a trembling voice, ¡°She¡¯s back¡­ Cousin, look, the beauty is back!¡± The young master in green stared at Gu Yanfei. At this moment, the other people around him seemed to have become a backdrop, and his eyes were focused only on Gu Yanfei. The young girl in her prime had bright eyes and white teeth. Her eyes were clear, and her entire body was bathed in golden sunlight. Her outline was clear, and her simple and elegant snow-green clothes made her look ethereal and otherworldly. She was like a goddess in paradise, cold and beautiful, without a trace of smoke. His eyes lit up just by looking at her like that. She was like a pear blossom in the snow, filling the room with moonlight. After watching the sisters enter the water pavilion, the young master in green snapped out of his daze and his eyes lit up. When he first arrived at Prince Jing¡¯s mansion this morning, he was stunned by the peerless beauty who was traveling with the Eldest Miss Gu. However, he was unable to talk to her at that time. Just now, he and his cousin had searched the vicinity but could not find her. They thought that she had left. Fortunately, the beauty was still here! The young man in green perked up and smoothed his sleeves and robe. Then he gestured to his cousin and urged, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± The cousins each picked up a red and blue tray and walked side by side into the water pavilion. At this moment, the water pavilion was very deserted and there were only seven or eight people. They walked towards Gu Yanfei and Gu Yunzhen, who were sitting by the window. Li Zhulang, who was dressed in a sky-blue robe, opened the fan in his hand and smiled at the sisters. He asked in a friendly manner, ¡°The princess has set up a bet for today¡¯s competition and everyone has already placed their bets. Do you two ladies want to play?¡± As he spoke, his gaze naturally shifted to Gu Yanfei on the other side of the table. He couldn¡¯t help but hold his breath, and his heart pounded like a drum. Even if he tried to hide it, he couldn¡¯t hide the amazement on his face. Chapter 38 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The young man took half a step forward with a red tray filled with all kinds of gold and silver ingots, jade pendants, thumb rings, pearl collars, and so on. He said to Gu Yanfei with a smile, ¡°How about you place a bet? Anyways, we¡¯re just playing around.¡± Li Zhulang said eagerly, ¡°Everyone is just here to join in the fun. We can bet on big or small¡­¡± He was just short of saying that if he lost, it would be on him. The words were actually on the tip of his tongue, but he was afraid it would seem too rash. Gu Yunzhen recognized Li Zhulang and smiled generously. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll bet too¡­¡± She looked around at the dazzling array of red and blue trays and leaned over to ask Gu Yanfei, ¡°Second Sister, which team do you think will win?¡± Gu Yanfei smiled and said firmly, ¡°I think it¡¯ll be a draw.¡± Gu Yunzhen, Li Zhulang, and the others were stunned. The young man couldn¡¯t help but remind her. ¡°The chances of a draw are less than ten percent¡­¡± A draw was rare and was equivalent to giving money to the dealer. ¡°Sure, sure.¡± Li Zhulang could not wait to interrupt his cousin. He clapped his hands and said, ¡°The odds are high if we bet on a draw. If we win, the stakes can be multiplied several times.¡± It was fine if they lost, as long as the beauty was happy! The young man really admired his cousin. He thought to himself, ¡°Cousin really has no principles to please a beauty.¡± Gu Yanfei¡¯s interest was piqued and she wanted to place a bet, but when she touched her empty pouch, she remembered that she did not bring any silver. Clang. A small gold ingot was thrown in from the window. It rolled on the table and stopped in front of Gu Yanfei. Then a dark, handsome face peered out the window and grinned brilliantly. ¡°Miss Gu, our young master will bet on it for you!¡± Xiao Shi winked happily at Gu Yanfei, holding a dark red tray with golden laurels. ¡°¡­¡± Li Zhulang also wanted to place a bet on behalf of Gu Yanfei, but he was too late. His face instantly froze, and he thought to himself, ¡®Which young master is that? If he¡¯s unaccountably solicitous, he must be up to no good¡­ Could he be a love rival?!¡¯ ¡°Xiao Shi.¡± Meeting Xiao Shi¡¯s dark and bright eyes, Gu Yanfei¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She recalled the gaze she had felt outside the water pavilion and immediately understood. So it was him. What a coincidence. ¡°Young Master asked me to say hello to you.¡± Xiao Shi¡¯s smile became brighter, revealing two rows of snow-white teeth. At the same time, he took a glass of wine from the tray and brought it to Gu Yanfei. The light yellow liquid of the osmanthus wine was as clear as amber. Tiny golden osmanthus flowers floated in it, emitting an elegant fragrance. Compared to the rich fragrance of fresh osmanthus, this faint wine fragrance was just right. Gu Yanfei picked up the cup of osmanthus wine and sniffed it. She raised her eyebrows and said, ¡°This is from Qiongfang Shop?¡± ¡°Miss, you have a good eye.¡± Xiao Shi chuckled and signaled Gu Yanfei to look at the Moonlight Tower across the lake. Gu Yanfei raised her chin slightly and saw from afar that the gauze curtain on the third floor was lifted by a slender hand, revealing a familiar white figure. Because of the distance, the young man¡¯s handsome face was not clear. She could only see that he was holding a similar white porcelain wine glass in his hand. The young man in white raised his glass and toasted from afar. Then, he downed the wine in one gulp. This toast was for her help in Danyang City. As the two of them looked at each other silently, Gu Yanfei smiled brightly. Facing Chu Yi, who was on the other side of the lake, she raised her head and drank from her cup. Anyone could see that her movements were elegant and decisive. Li Zhulang was stunned by her beautiful smile. He craned his neck to look out of the window to see who his love rival was, feeling vexed. Why was he a step too late! Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t see anything. The hazy veil covering the window blocked his gaze. Outside the water pavilion, there was a flurry of laughter. Some people had returned from the garden in groups. Seeing that the voices were getting closer, Xiao Shi cupped his hands at Gu Yanfei and bid his farewell, not giving Li Zhulang a chance to probe. At the same time, seven or eight people entered the water pavilion in a row. Most of them had strange smiles on their faces as they gossiped with interest. ¡°How did Crown Prince Fang fall into the flowerbed?¡± ¡°If you want to know, why don¡¯t you ask His HIghness Kang Wang!¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t Second Miss Gu from the Dingyuan Marquis Household also there? Isn¡¯t it the same to ask her?!¡± ¡°How did the three of them happen to be there, anyway?¡± ¡°¡­¡± The crowd¡¯s speculations floated over from time to time, their voices rising and falling. Instead of stopping even after 10 minutes, the momentum grew and spread from the water pavilion to the polo field. However, when Gu Yunrong returned in her new riding clothes, those people fell silent again like mutes, for Kang Wang was at her side. The polo game was not interrupted by this episode and the injured Fang Mingfeng did not appear again. In the second half, Kang Wang replaced him. The second half of the match was only delayed by a cup of tea before it began with a crisp gong. The sound of galloping hooves rang out again, accompanied by the cheers of the crowd. The white polo ball was thrown high into the sky¡­ Kang Wang had just entered the field and was full of energy and high spirits. He also deliberately showed off his skills in front of his sweetheart. Not long after the second half began, he scored a goal, but Gu Yunrong¡¯s condition was obviously not as good as before and she made a few mistakes. Gu Yunrong quickly adjusted her mentality and chased after her opponents. The two teams chased each other, neither willing to give way. Halfway through the second half of the game, there was a commotion at the entrance to the polo field. Upon hearing the soft exclamation of someone in the water pavilion, Gu Yanfei could not help but look sideways. In the direction of the garden, a dozen people were clustered around two distinguished-looking ladies. One was older, in her 40s; the other was younger, in her mid 30s. Everyone respected the older beautiful woman and clustered around her, willing to serve her. The beautiful middle-aged woman was wearing a dark purple embroidered horse-face skirt with a small white collar. Her hair was simply tied into a bun with a white jade Ruyi pattern. Her skin was fair, her facial features were graceful, and there was a dignified and faint smile on her lips. She was refined and elegant, and vaguely exuded the noble aura of standing above the clouds. It was difficult to ignore the presence of such a large group. Some people immediately recognized the middle-aged woman and widened their eyes. Even those who did not know her would recognize Princess Consort Jing, who was beside her. Princess Consort Jing was talking softly to the middle-aged beautiful woman, smiling respectfully the entire time. There were only a few women in this world who could make Princess Consort Jing so respectful¡­ ¡°The Empress Dowager?¡± Gu Yunzhen exclaimed. Indeed, only the current Empress Dowager could have such prestige. Chapter 39 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Gu Yanfei casually brushed away a strand of hair that was blowing against her cheek, revealing her clear and beautiful jawline and a pink slender neck. When she raised her chin slightly, there was a hint of indifference in her expression. Everyone in the water pavilion could not sit still anymore. Many people had actually heard that the Empress Dowager would come today, but that was only a rumor. They did not expect the Empress Dowager to really come. Looking at the Empress Dowager¡¯s outfit today, it was obvious that she was going on a trip in plain clothes. She and Princess Consort Jing came in quietly, which meant that she did not want to interrupt the polo match. Therefore, everyone present did not stand up and bow for the time being. They just pretended not to know. However, they couldn¡¯t help but look at the Empress Dowager and thought to themselves, ¡®It seems that the Empress Dowager is here to choose a consort for Kang Wang.¡¯ The current Empress Dowager¡¯s surname was Yuan. She was the successor of the previous Emperor and came from the Yuan family of Yangzhou. Since the previous dynasty, the Yuan family had been a famous aristocratic family in Yangzhou. The Yuan family had existed for more than 300 years and had produced many officials. Not only did the family have a place in the royal court, but they were also quite famous among the commoners. Empress Dowager Yuan was 15 years younger than the previous Emperor. As soon as she entered the palace, she was doted on by the previous Emperor and gave birth to the youngest son of the previous Emperor, Kang Wang. In the later years of the previous Emperor, he had once planned to depose the Crown Prince. It could be seen that he doted on the former Emperor. Empress Dowager Yuan sat down on a rosewood armchair under everyone¡¯s burning gazes. Her every move was elegant and dignified, as if she had been measured with a ruler. On the polo field, young figures spurred their horses as fast as lightning, charging and crashing. Both sides chased after the only ball without giving way to each other. Princess Consort Jing sat beside the Empress Dowager and whispered to her. ¡°Your Majesty, the lady in red riding the red horse is Miss Hong from the Dragon Tiger General¡¯s residence.¡± ¡°That lady in pink is the second daughter of Lord He, the Ji Prefecture¡¯s Chief Soldier.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Princess Consort Jing casually introduced a few noble ladies present who were all from noble families. Empress Dowager Yuan picked up a silk-embroidered magnolia bamboo-pink tea cup and slowly removed the tea leaves with the lid. She seemed to be listening and thinking. ¡°Snap!¡± Kang Wang, who was in the field, quickly snatched the bow. Then, he swung his staff with all his might and sent the bow flying towards Gu Yunrong, who tacitly turned around and struck the ball accurately into the goal. The two teams tied again. The crowd cheered and clapped, but Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s smile was stiff. Seeing this, an old granny in a rust-colored duster bent down and whispered into her ear, ¡°This is Second Miss Gu of the Dingyuan Marquis Household, Gu Yunrong.¡± Empress Dowager Yuan paused in the act of moving the lid of the tea. She casually put down the teacup and looked back and forth between Kang Wang and Gu Yunrong expressionlessly. This was the first time she had seen Gu Yunrong. She did not like this girl, but Kang Wang liked her. Empress Dowager Yuan frowned slightly and the words her son had said to her two months ago rang in her ears. ¡°Mother, I want to marry the second daughter of the Marquis Mansion as my main consort. Please fulfill my wish.¡± Empress Dowager Yuan had immediately ordered someone to check on Gu Yunrong. Only then did she know that Gu Yunrong was actually betrothed to the British Crown Prince. She wasn¡¯t happy about it, but no one knew a son better than his mother. Her son had a temper and had been like that since he was a child. He would get what he wanted even if he had to break his head. She didn¡¯t want a rift between mother and son, so she reluctantly didn¡¯t object. She wanted to put it off for a while before making any plans. But¡ª She never expected the Eldest Prince, Chu Yi, to return alive. Chu Yi had just returned to court and had yet to gain a foothold. Both the noble courtiers and the royal family were watching this prince who had been a hostage for many years. The Emperor had an heir, which was very disadvantageous for Empress Dowager Yuan and Kang Wang. Kang Wang needed help, but the Dingyuan Marquis Household had declined after the Marquis¡¯ death. Now, the Marquis Household had no real power in the royal court¡­ ¡°Ah!¡± Suddenly, low cries sounded in the bamboo shed, calling Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s attention back. In the polo field, the white ball quickly shot towards Gu Yunrong on the white horse. It was as fast as a shooting star, getting closer and closer¡­ Gu Yunrong¡¯s expression changed slightly. In the next moment, a purple figure rushed to her side like lightning and blocked the ball with his back as a shield. Thud! The white ball was jerked away, slicing through the blue sky. Empress Dowager Yuan: ¡°!!!¡± The injury was on Kang Wang¡¯s body but the pain was in Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s heart. Feeling as if the ball had hit her, Empress Dowager Yuan stood up and almost lost her composure. She wanted someone to call for a time-out, but she saw Kang Wang talking to Gu Yunrong in concern without caring about his injuries. ¡°¡­¡± Empress Dowager Yuan forgot her words for a moment, and her manicured fingertips dug into her palm. He was really possessed! Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s eyes were dark and turbulent. The scene just now repeatedly echoed in front of her eyes and she was too distracted to focus on the game. Clang! A piercing gong roused her from her thoughts. She returned to her senses and saw that the second half was over. The red and blue scores stopped at 10 to 10. It was a draw. This result surprised the audience and made them want more. Most of the people in the arena did not care about winning or losing. The result of a draw could not be better. All of them were beaming with joy as they chatted and laughed as they left the arena. It was a change from the tit-for-tat competition. After leaving the polo field, Gu Yunrong nimbly dismounted. Kang Wang followed closely behind and also jumped off his horse, his gaze never leaving Gu Yunrong. The game had consumed a lot of Gu Yunrong¡¯s strength. She had yet to recover and her breathing was slightly rapid. Her fair and delicate face was stained with a faint blush, making her look extra charming. ¡°Rong¡¯er,¡± Kang Wang whispered. He tried to take her hand and lead her to the Empress Dowager, but she leaned to one side and nimbly avoided his hand with half-lowered lashes. Kang Wang¡¯s slender eagle eyes narrowed and he moved faster. This time, he took hold of her wrist forcefully and pulled her towards the Empress Dowager. This scene was naturally seen by the surrounding people. Everyone could not help but hold their breaths as they watched this scene with different expressions. The sounds around them seemed to be instantly sucked away and silence ensued. Empress Dowager Yuan watched as the couple walked towards her, the distance between them closing bit by bit. Her fair hand suddenly tightened on the arm of the armchair. She could vaguely guess what her son was going to say, and her frown deepened. Under everyone¡¯s intense gazes, Kang Wang calmly held Gu Yunrong¡¯s hand and walked to the front of Empress Dowager Yuan. His expression was filled with arrogance and seriousness. ¡°Mother,¡± he bowed to Empress Dowager Yuan and said firmly, ¡°I want to marry Gu Yunrong as my consort. I hope Mother can fulfill my wish!¡± Standing beside him, Gu Yunrong¡¯s eyes widened slightly as she looked up at his chiseled side profile. He had always been cold and arrogant, but he was gentle and considerate to her. She was especially touched to see this side of him. Chapter 40 Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Empress Dowager Yuan pursed her lips into a hard line. The bamboo canopy above her cast a faint shadow on her graceful face. ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡± Empress Dowager Yuan suppressed the surging emotions in her heart and forced a smile. ¡°Miss Gu is already engaged!¡± Empress Dowager Yuan stared steadily at Kang Wang, her right hand gripping the armrest tighter. She had come to Prince Jing¡¯s mansion today to choose a consort for her son and also to see Gu Yunrong. She planned to take a step back and let this girl be his secondary consort so as to fulfill her son¡¯s wish. But now, Empress Dowager Yuan had changed her mind and disliked Gu Yunrong even more. Her son had great talent and was someone who would rule the world in the future. As a king, he could not be fascinated by a woman. Daji, the favorite consort of King Zhou, brought chaos to the Shang Dynasty, and King You of Zhou lit the warning beacons and fooled his nobles just to win the smile of a beauty¡­ As a monarch, being greedy for a beauty was a calamity to the country! ¡°Mother, you¡¯re mistaken. That¡¯s Second Miss Gu¡¯s marriage,¡± Kang Wang looked straight into Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s sharp eyes and said seriously. ¡°¡­¡± Empress Dowager Yuan was stunned. Her first reaction was, wasn¡¯t Gu Yunrong Second Miss Gu? Most of the others around him were also confused. Kang Wang summoned his personal attendant and pointed in the direction of the water pavilion. ¡°Second Miss Gu is in the water pavilion. Go and call her over.¡± In the water pavilion, Gu Yanfei and Gu Yunzhen heard everything clearly. Gu Yunzhen frowned as she recalled the chaos at the Moon Pavilion and Fang Mingfeng¡¯s bloody face. After a while, a green-robed eunuch quickly entered the water pavilion and cupped his hands politely at Gu Yanfei. ¡°Second Miss Gu, the Empress Dowager and His Highness Kang Wang have invited you over to talk.¡± Gu Yanfei put down the teacup and stood up leisurely. She held down Gu Yunzhen, who wanted to go with her, and smiled. ¡°Big Sister, I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± Everyone else in the water pavilion turned in her direction with varying expressions. ¡°Second Miss Gu, please.¡± The green-robed eunuch extended his hand. Li Zhulang looked at Gu Yanfei¡¯s graceful back in a daze and lowered his shoulders in frustration. A thought kept echoing in his mind, ¡®Is this beauty actually engaged?!¡¯ A fair lady was a gentleman¡¯s dream. If the beauty was engaged, wouldn¡¯t he have lost completely before he even got intimate with her!? Li Zhulang stood rooted to the ground in a daze with the urge to cry. The young man patted his cousin¡¯s shoulder comfortingly. The autumn wind blew and the journey from the water pavilion to the polo field was extremely quiet. The rustling of leaves became clearer, and the water vapor by the lake was brought a hint of coolness by the wind. Under everyone¡¯s gaze, Gu Yanfei walked to the other side of Gu Yunrong and bowed to Empress Dowager Yuan. Her movements were standard and casual. Kang Wang was not in the mood to pay attention to Gu Yanfei at all. Or rather, he did not even look at her directly. He said coldly, ¡°Tell the Empress Dowager, are you betrothed to the British Crown Prince?¡± ¡°No,¡± Gu Yanfei said with a smile. On her beautiful face, a smile bloomed like the sunrise and like half-blooming crabapple flowers filling the branches. As Gu Yanfei finished speaking, the surrounding crowd gradually became restless and whispered to each other. Many people noticed Gu Yanfei¡¯s unfamiliar face today. In particular, her face was really beautiful and pleasing to the eye. Both men and women could not help but take a few more glances. However, most of them did not know her identity. They only heard that her surname was Gu and thought that she was a girl from the Gu family. Now, it seemed that this unfamiliar Miss Gu had an extraordinary background! Kang Wang frowned and glanced at Gu Yanfei from the corner of his eye. The little girl stood there obediently with a faint smile, making it impossible to tell if she was deliberately going against him or if she did not know about this engagement at all¡­ Suppressing his thoughts, Kang Wang stood with his hands behind his back, emitting a cold and stern aura. His expression was arrogant and unyielding as he continued, ¡°14 years ago, when your grandfather was still alive, he arranged a marriage with the Old Duke of the British Monarchy for Gu Ce¡¯s eldest daughter to marry Fang Mingfeng¡­¡± ¡°Your Highness Kang Wang is right.¡± Gu Yanfei cleverly continued the other party¡¯s words and smiled calmly. ¡°The one who is engaged to Crown Prince Fang is the eldest daughter of the first wife of the Dingyuan Marquis Household.¡± The ribbon on her hair fluttered in the wind, and her flowing skirt fluttered, looking as bright as the cold moon. The girl seemed to be surrounded by a floating aura, which was a sharp contrast to the cold Kang Wang. ¡°The letter of appointment between the two families is clearly written.¡± As she spoke, Gu Yanfei turned her gaze to Gu Yunrong and continued, ¡°As everyone knows, the eldest daughter of the Marquis Household is Gu Yunrong.¡± Gu Yanfei tilted her head and asked Gu Yunrong, who was only half a foot away from her, ¡°Yes or no?¡± Gu Yunrong¡¯s pupils constricted and her eyebrows twitched. Kang Wang narrowed his eyes and stared at Gu Yanfei with a gloomy expression. Only at this moment did he look at Gu Yanfei. Facing this pair of lovers, Gu Yanfei¡¯s smile deepened, but it did not reach her eyes. In her previous life, after Gu Yanfei returned to the Dingyuan Marquis Household, she and Gu Yunrong were registered as twins under the names of her father, Gu Ce, and her mother, Xie Shi. However, the Gu family never explicitly introduced her to the public. Whenever they mentioned her, they would always be vague. At that time, she had been beaten and scolded since she was young. Later, after being belittled, suppressed, and humiliated by Granny Xu, she became weaker and weaker. She was trapped in the Marquis Mansion all day and did not dare to interact with others, nor did she have the chance to argue for herself. As a result, almost no one in the capital knew that she was the legitimate daughter of the Marquis Household. They only treated her as a distant orphan and an adopted daughter. She was clearly the real descendant of the Gu family, but she had become an unspeakable existence and was treated as a fish eye passing off as a pearl. Until she died, her identity was unclear¡­ This was her mental demon that had once depressed her when she was young. This lifetime was like this again and old things had repeated themselves. Even though Gu Yunrong had been transferred to the second branch, the Gu family had no intention of clearing their name. Not in her past life, not now, and certainly not in the future. Gu Yanfei tilted her head slightly and looked at Gu Yunrong, who was inches away. She asked again, ¡°Yes or no?¡± A few strands of black hair slid down her cheek as she moved. The small pearl earrings swayed gently under her earlobe, and there seemed to be a beautiful light flowing in her eyes. ¡°¡­¡± Gu Yunrong¡¯s face paled and she pursed her cherry lips. Gu Yanfei had forced her into a dilemma with just a few words. Now, no matter how she answered, it wasn¡¯t right. If she answered yes, it would be equivalent to publicly admitting that Gu Yanfei was the only daughter of the eldest branch. If she answered no, then the person engaged to the British Crown Prince was her, Gu Yunrong. Chapter 41 - 41 Unworthy 41 Unworthy ¡°¡­¡± Kang Wang¡¯s expression darkened visibly. How could he not tell that Gu Yanfei was deliberately insulting Gu Yunrong? A storm quickly brewed in his dark pupils and his sharp gaze swept across Gu Yanfei¡¯s face inch by inch. He also knew the truth about the real and fake daughter slip-up. Gu Yunrong had not hidden the truth from him and had told him immediately. Kang Wang did not care if Gu Yunrong was from the Gu family. To him, it was enough that she was the Gu Yunrong he knew. Having obtained the marriage of the British Monarchy after she returned to the Gu family, she had already gained an advantage. It was also because Gu Yunrong was magnanimous enough. Otherwise, if it were up to Kang Wang, this hidden danger would already have been resolved. He did not expect Gu Yanfei to take this undeserved gain for granted! ¡°How dare you spout nonsense in front of the Empress Dowager!¡± Kang Wang took a step closer to Gu Yanfei. His eyes were terrifying as he tried to use his aura to suppress the slender and weak girl in front of him. The crowd gasped involuntarily. Kang Wang was furious. On the contrary, the corners of Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s mouth curled up imperceptibly and she shouted at Kang Wang indifferently, ¡°Chu You, step back!¡± Empress Dowager Yuan was a smart person and could tell from Gu Yanfei¡¯s words that something was amiss. She sized up Gu Yanfei and was surprised to find that this young lady, who was not yet of age, was actually very calm in the face of the furious Kang Wang, Chu You. Moreover, her slender and graceful figure was still standing upright like a bamboo willow. After taking a closer look, Empress Dowager Yuan felt that Gu Yanfei looked a little familiar and resembled Madam Xie. When Madam Xie was alive, she was a famous beauty in the capital, beautiful and refined. ¡°Tell me, what exactly is going on?¡± Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s gaze turned to Gu Yunrong again with suspicion in her eyes. Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s voice was neither soft nor heavy, but it had a dignified aura. Gu Yunrong had already calmed down from the initial panic, embarrassment, and helplessness. She asked herself honestly and felt that she had not let Gu Yanfei down ever since her return to the capital, nor did she ever compete with her for anything¡­ She had returned Gu Yanfei¡¯s Big Brother. She had returned the status of the eldest branch¡¯s legitimate daughter. She had even returned the engagement. She had already retreated again and again. What she had given was enough to make up for the past 14 years of her misplaced life. Gu Yunrong closed her eyes and said slowly and clearly, ¡°Empress Dowager Yuan, my second sister, Gu Yanfei, is the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Dingyuan.¡± She tried her best to remain calm and looked straight at Empress Dowager Yuan. Only her slightly pale fingertips revealed her true thoughts. Everyone was confused. In the past two years, Gu Yunrong had been in the limelight in the capital. She could play the zither, play chess, write calligraphy, and paint. She could even ride horses and shoot swords. Not only was she good at all six arts, she was smart, obedient, and good at socializing with everyone. Everyone knew that she was the legitimate daughter of the late Marquis of Dingyuan, Gu Ce, and had a legitimate brother, Gu Yuan. Ever since Gu Ce and his wife passed away one after another, they only had this pair of son and daughter left. However, Gu Yanfei was very unfamiliar to them. It was only today that they saw her and heard her name for the first time. This morning, after Gu Yanfei came to the mansion with Gu Yunrong and Gu Yunzhen, several girls, including Changqing, privately asked Gu Yunrong who Gu Yanfei was. At that time, they were just chatting idly and their words went in one ear and out the other most of the time. They had not paid much attention to it, but now that they thought about it, they felt that Gu Yunrong was very vague. She only said that Gu Yanfei was her cousin and did not say anything else. If Gu Yanfei was Gu Ce¡¯s only daughter, what about Gu Yunrong? The straightforward Eldest Miss Li couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Sister Rong, is this girl your biological sister? Then why did you say that she¡¯s your cousin?¡± Gu Yunrong was speechless. She looked embarrassed. Her armpits, joints, and back were covered in sweat. It was as if a loincloth had been torn open in public. From the day the ancestral hall was opened, her and Gu Yanfei¡¯s background had been determined in the Marquis Mansion. She always thought that Madam Gu would find an opportunity to give an explanation to the public. If Madam Gu were to do this, it would definitely be more formal and easier for outsiders to accept. And now, she was completely unprepared¡­ The current situation was equivalent to directly throwing her into the fire pit. At this moment, Gu Yunrong almost resented Madam Gu. When Chu You saw Gu Yunrong like this, pity and heartache filled his chest. He suppressed his killing intent towards Gu Yanfei and said in a clear voice, ¡°Since Gu Ce¡¯s daughter is Gu Yanfei, the engagement with the British Monarchy will naturally be hers.¡± ¡°Mother, it has been made clear now. Rong¡¯er is not engaged. Mother, please give me and Rong¡¯er a marriage.¡± Chu You held Gu Yunrong¡¯s hand tightly, his hot palm pressing against her cold skin. He gestured with his eyes that she did not have to speak. He was here for everything. As a man, of course he had to protect his woman! The more Chu You protected Gu Yunrong, the more uncomfortable Empress Dowager Yuan felt. She asked indifferently, ¡°Gu Yanfei is Gu Ce¡¯s daughter, so who is Gu Yunrong?¡± Gu Yanfei smiled without saying anything. ¡°Rong¡¯er is¡­¡± Chu You wanted to answer on Gu Yunrong¡¯s behalf again, but this time, Gu Yunrong interrupted, ¡°Empress Dowager Yuan, I¡¯m the daughter of the Marquis of Dingyuan, Gu Jian. Because the eldest branch¡¯s legitimate daughter was lost since she was young, I was adopted to the eldest branch. Now that my second sister has been found, the elders have decided to let us sisters return to our original positions¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m currently third in line.¡± Gu Yunrong had made up this excuse at the last minute. As she spoke, the sweat on her back became even denser, wet and cold against her skin. Gu Yanfei let Gu Yunrong make up the story, but she still smiled without saying anything. Her quiet expression made her look even more beautiful and refined. She was simply dazzling to the eye. The crowd was in an uproar. To be honest, it was the Gu family¡¯s business who the daughter of this pair of cousins was. If not for the fact that the Empress Dowager and Kang Wang were present today, they would have just treated it as a breeze and not cared much. However, under such circumstances, everyone could not help but think too much. They glanced back and forth at the cousins, recalling their respective words. Something was wrong, and they could not help but be suspicious. If the truth was as Gu Yunrong had said, there was no need for Gu Yunrong to hide it at all. However, when they called her Second Lady Gu today, Gu Yunrong did not correct them. The more secretive she was, the more one would think that she was trying to hide some unknown secrets. Chu You did not care what the others thought at all and only wanted the Empress Dowager to quickly bestow the marriage. He continued, ¡°Since the sisters are returning to their original positions, the engagement naturally belongs to Gu Yanfei.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, a crisp and decisive female voice sounded. ¡°I don¡¯t want other people¡¯s things.¡± ¡°Someone else¡¯s engagement is not worthy of me.¡± Gu Yanfei raised her beautiful chin slightly and smiled confidently. The slender girl who was still as delicate as a flower just now was now like a different person, full of heroic spirit. She was in her most dazzling year and was like the brightest stars in the night sky, arrogant and carefree. Chapter 42 - 42 Choice 42 Choice Gu Yanfei¡¯s words were shocking, and the surroundings were instantly in an uproar. The ancestors of the British Monarchy followed the Great Ancestor¡¯s uprising and made countless contributions. Hence, the title of duke they were conferred to was hereditary. Ever since Emperor Taizu, the British Grand Duke had always been favored by the Emperor. In comparison, the Dingyuan Marquis Household was now in decline, and this marriage was originally a way to improve their social status. Moreover, the British Crown Prince, Fang Mingfeng, was a famous young talent in the capital. From his background, talent, appearance, and temperament, he was the ultimate husband in the hearts of countless young ladies in the capital. But now, he was actually despised by an orphan daughter of a marquis who had lost both her parents! Everyone¡¯s expressions immediately became very subtle. Gu Yanfei stared at Empress Dowager Yuan, who was sitting on the armchair, and continued unhurriedly, ¡°Empress Dowager Yuan, Gu Yunrong and the British Crown Prince, Fang Mingfeng, are childhood sweethearts who cherish each other¡­¡± ¡°No.¡± Unable to sit by and watch Gu Yanfei spout nonsense, Gu Yunrong corrected her righteously. ¡°This engagement was set by my grandfather when he was alive. It should be returned to its rightful owner.¡± ¡°Rong Rong, to me, you¡¯re one in a million¡­¡± Gu Yanfei said to Gu Yunrong with a smile, her eyes and eyebrows unchanged. Gu Yunrong¡¯s eyes widened as Fang Mingfeng¡¯s deep and hoarse voice sounded in her ears again. There was silence and the others looked even more puzzled. Who would have thought that the dignified British Crown Prince would one day become a hot potato to be pushed around? Gu Yanfei did not intend to argue with Gu Yunrong. She turned to Empress Dowager Yuan and said, ¡°Empress Dowager Yuan, there was a good show at the Moon Pavilion in Prince Jing¡¯s Mansion just now. I wonder if you have heard of it?¡± Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes bloomed and she smiled as if she was chatting idly. Her words made everyone¡¯s expressions change several times. They looked at each other and whispered about the incident at the Moon Pavilion. Emperor Taizu of this dynasty was a rather legendary figure. The former dynasty was harsh on taxes, and the people were struggling to survive. Emperor Taizu was originally a small constable of the previous dynasty. One day, all the black dragons in his house suddenly descended to the world, shaking the sky with their roars. Emperor Taizu rose up from this and countless righteous men came to submit to him. In less than three years, he overthrew the previous dynasty and established the State of Jing in the north of the river 50 years ago. After Emperor Taizu ascended to the throne, he encouraged fertility and abandoned widowhood and chastity. He forced women to abandon the custom of wrapping their small feet and even encouraged freedom of marriage. However, this dynasty had only been around for 50 years, and the legacy of the previous dynasty was still more or less there. Even though they usually talked about being gentlemen, the matter of the Moon Pavilion was still a little out of line. In particular, many people had seen with their own eyes that Gu Yunrong¡¯s clothes were disheveled. A middle-aged servant with a pale face and no beard took a few steps forward silently. He leaned over and whispered to Empress Dowager Yuan about the matter of the Moon Pavilion. Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s expression did not change, but her pupils constricted uncontrollably. She had looked down on Gu Yunrong¡¯s family in the past, and now, she looked down on her even more. What worried the Empress Dowager Yuan was that if she forcefully objected and separated the two of them, it would probably affect the relationship between her and her son. Now, Gu Yanfei¡¯s words gave her a chance. It was inconvenient for her to make a move, but others could¡­ Fang Mingfeng was clearly the most suitable candidate at this stage. If Gu Yunrong married Fang Mingfeng, her son could not snatch his wife, right? Thump thump thump! At this thought, Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s heart raced. She had to admit that she was tempted by this idea. When she looked at Gu Yanfei again, her eyes turned cold and she frowned slightly. She was not a fool and naturally knew that Gu Yanfei had deliberately mentioned this in front of her. This was both coercion and exploitation! Gu Yanfei really looked down on Fang Mingfeng and wanted to use him to get rid of this engagement. Although this girl was indeed a little bold, Empress Dowager Yuan hated to be swayed by others. It could be said that Gu Yanfei had completely violated her taboo. Gu Yanfei and Empress Dowager Yuan looked at each other with clear eyes and confident smiles. The golden light that filled the sky shone gently on her through the half-green and half-yellow branches, forming a mottled light and shadow. It made her fair skin look almost watery. Her bearing was high and dignified, as if everything was under her control. Gu Yanfei knew very well that regardless of whether Gu Yunrong was the legitimate daughter of the Marquis Mansion, with her family background, she was not enough to become the legitimate consort of the Kang Wang. In her previous life, after the incident at the Moon Pavilion, because no one else saw it, Kang Wang was able to distort the truth and claim that Gu Yunrong had saved his life. In order to hide the truth, Empress Dowager Yuan had no choice but to decree a marriage and stop everyone from talking. In fact, was Empress Dowager Yuan really satisfied with Gu Yunrong?! Not necessarily. Therefore, in this life, Gu Yanfei personally gave the ¡°choice¡± to Empress Dowager Yuan. There was a moment of silence and the air gradually froze. After a moment, Empress Dowager Yuan gracefully stroked her sleeve and broke the silence. ¡°If you¡¯re the third daughter of the Gu family, you¡¯re about to reach marriageable age, right? Since you¡¯re already engaged, you should get married early so that you can continue to have children for your husband¡¯s family.¡± ¡°Mother!¡± Chu You¡¯s expression changed as if lightning had struck him. His mind was in chaos. Gu Yunrong looked at Empress Dowager Yuan in disbelief. Her eyes widened and she almost used all her strength to stop herself from trembling. ¡°Thank you, Empress Dowager Yuan.¡± Gu Yanfei bowed elegantly to Empress Dowager Yuan. With the Empress Dowager¡¯s golden words, the person who was engaged to Fang Mingfeng would be Gu Yunrong. It was a done deal. As for whether Gu Yunrong would marry Fang Mingfeng or Kang Wang in the future, it had nothing to do with her. Gu Yunrong was the daughter of luck and was protected by the Heaven¡¯s Will of this small world. It was as if she was blessed with the protection of swords and armors. Gu Yanfei had never planned to fight such a person head-on. Empress Dowager Yuan was able to become the Empress Dowager because she had a phoenix life in this small world. Instead of sticking to brute courage, she might as well borrow the Empress Dowager¡¯s strength to fight. Empress Dowager Yuan ignored her son¡¯s gloomy expression and continued to say to Gu Yunrong, ¡°Third Miss Gu, when you marry Crown Prince Fang, the Yuan family will provide more dowry for you.¡± It was a great honor for a woman to get the Empress Dowager¡¯s dowry, but in this situation, it became a kind of irony. Many people present looked at Gu Yunrong with sympathy, and some of the noble ladies¡¯ eyes lit up with hope. They had thought that the position of Princess Consort Kang would probably belong to Gu Yunrong. Unexpectedly, in just 10 minutes, things had changed. ¡°Heaven and earth are heartless. They treat all things as dogs,¡± Gu Yunrong said slowly and clearly, her back straight. There was no color in her face. A gust of wind blew and messed up the hair at her temples, making her look even more fragile, slender, and tenacious. ¡°Boom.¡± A muffled thunder sounded in the clear sky. Chapter 43 - 43 Favored Child 43 Favored Child Gu Yanfei looked up at the blue sky without shock or anger on her fair and beautiful face. She thought to herself, ¡°As expected of the favored child of the heavens.¡± Gu Yunrong probably thought that Heaven¡¯s Will was unfair to her, so she kept saying to the Empress Dowager that heaven and earth were heartless. However, Gu Yunrong was wrong. The world treated everything equally. Even the favored children in a small world would not have endless providence. Chu You felt as if his heart was being cut by a knife. He blamed this on Gu Yanfei and wished he could make her bleed on the spot. Holding Gu Yunrong¡¯s hand tightly in his hands, he expressed his feelings to Empress Dowager Yuan in a clear voice, ¡°Mother, I won¡¯t marry anyone else but Rong¡¯er!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t listen to nonsensical slander and be instigated by others!¡± He pulled Gu Yunrong away, his eyes as firm as a rock. ¡°¡­¡± Gu Yunrong shook off Chu You¡¯s hand without a word. Her cherry lips pursed tightly, and bitterness spread in her mouth. In the past, she had thought that her background and status were not important. As long as Kang Wang treated her sincerely, it was enough for her to repay him sincerely. It was only at this moment that she felt the supremacy of imperial power and filial piety in this era. Even as a prince, Chu You could not resist the Empress Dowager! One word from the Empress Dowager could decide her marriage¡­ or even her fate. Heaven was unfair! Gu Yunrong bowed respectfully to Empress Dowager Yuan and left without looking back. ¡°Rong¡¯er!¡± Chu You knew she was annoyed and quickly chased after her. The entire hall was silent and the atmosphere was stiff. Everyone looked at each other and kept quiet, afraid that the Empress Dowager would vent her anger on them. ¡°¡­¡± Furious, Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s right hand tightened around her sleeve. She was a daughter of an aristocratic family and valued etiquette and self-restraint. Even though she was furious, she did not lose her composure, but her body was slightly stiff. ¡°Empress Dowager.¡± At this moment, Li Zhulang approached Empress Dowager Yuan and took the initiative to lighten the atmosphere with a smile. ¡°Have you placed your bet just now?¡± Li Zhulang¡¯s maternal grandmother was Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s cousin. He was a smoothtalker and was doted on by the Empress Dowager. Empress Dowager Yuan adjusted her emotions in an extremely short period of time and said calmly, ¡°Zhulang, you guys opened a bet?¡± Seeing that Empress Dowager Yuan did not vent her anger on Li Zhulang, the others heaved a sigh of relief, and the atmosphere eased a little. Li Zhulang nodded with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s rare for me to be the banker.¡± ¡°We fought to a draw, which meant that everyone lost. However, you, the banker, won.¡± Princess Changqing said with a faint smile. ¡°Princess, you¡¯re wrong!¡± Li Zhulang wagged his index finger. ¡°Someone bet on a draw.¡± As he spoke, the young man in luxurious clothes brought over a box full of bets and handed it to Gu Yanfei with a smile. Even if he did not name anyone, everyone had already guessed that the person who had bet on a draw was Gu Yanfei. There was silence, then another uproar. For a moment, Gu Yanfei became the focus of everyone¡¯s attention again. Changqing blinked and asked in surprise, ¡°Second Miss Gu bet on a draw?¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± The young man nodded repeatedly. Until now, he still felt that it was unreal. The chances of a draw were less than 10%, but this beautiful girl actually won. She was too lucky! If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that his cousin didn¡¯t have the ability to convince Princess Changqing and the others to play fake balls, he would have suspected that his cousin was trying to give money to this beautiful girl. Li Zhulang handed the box to Gu Yanfei. His burning gaze lingered on her exquisite and beautiful face, and his heart beat faster. Great, so this beautiful girl was not engaged. Then he still had a chance! He was not afraid of competitors, but he was afraid of husbands! Li Zhulang¡¯s eyes lit up and he asked, ¡°Second Miss Gu, how did you guess?¡± The few young masters at the side waved their folding fans disapprovingly. They felt that Li Zhulang was so eloquent that he didn¡¯t even know how to speak when he met such a beautiful girl. What was there to ask? Such a peerless beauty was naturally always right! Gu Yanfei shook her finger and smiled casually. ¡°I calculated it.¡± Li Zhulang did not take it seriously. He clapped his hands happily and exclaimed, ¡°So you can read fortunes!¡± He took the initiative to send his left palm towards Gu Yanfei with his palm facing up. ¡°Miss, take a look for me.¡± Gu Yanfei glanced at him casually and raised her eyebrows slightly. She reminded him, ¡°Mr. Li, you have to be careful of birds today.¡± ¡°Cousin, didn¡¯t you overturn a crow¡¯s nest the day before yesterday? I heard that crows are the most vengeful.¡± The young man laughed gloatingly, thinking that Gu Yanfei was joking. Li Zhulang did not take it seriously and tried his best to talk to Gu Yanfei. ¡°Is it a crow?¡± A group of young masters who were on good terms with Li Zhulang also came over and spoke one after another. ¡°Brother Li, I think you might as well not go out for the next few days. Crows are as good at forming gangs as monkeys.¡± ¡°Crows also like to peck at their feathers. How ugly it would be if you were completely bald.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Everyone knew that Li Zhulang was a good-tempered person and teased him. The atmosphere became lively again with their laughter. Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s eyes were cold. After sitting for half a cup of tea¡¯s time, she used the excuse of being ¡°tired¡± to get up and leave. Princess Consort Jing and Princess Changqing also stood up and escorted Empress Dowager Yuan away. Everyone stood on the spot and bowed in unison to send the Empress Dowager off. After that, the surroundings fell into an awkward silence. Only the sound of sparrows brushing past the branches could be heard. After the episode just now, everyone was a little distracted and would glance at Gu Yanfei from time to time. After all, the other three protagonists had already left. The atmosphere was no longer as lively as before. In particular, many of the noble ladies were here for the Empress Dowager. Now, they felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured on them, and their interest was waning. Since the polo match was over, the noble ladies asked to leave one after another. After a while, half of them left. Gu Yanfei followed Gu Yunzhen and bade farewell to Princess Changqing. When the sisters arrived at the inner gate, most of the carriages in the other residences had left. The two carriages from the Marquis Mansion were parked alone. Gu Yunzhen originally thought that Gu Yunrong had already left, but since Gu Yunrong¡¯s carriage was here, it meant that she had not left. Gu Yunzhen tightened her grip on the handkerchief and frowned worriedly. She asked a scullery maid accompanying the Marquis Mansion, ¡°Have you seen Third Miss Gu?¡± The scullery maid shook her head. Gu Yunzhen looked around but still did not see Gu Yunrong. She said gently, ¡°Second Sister, get into the carriage first. I¡¯ll wait here.¡± She summoned the maidservants of Prince Jing¡¯s Mansion and asked about Gu Yunrong¡¯s whereabouts. Gu Yanfei brought Juan Bi out of the inner door and arrived at the second carriage. Lifting the carriage curtain gently, Gu Yanfei held Juan Bi¡¯s hand and got into the carriage. As soon as she stuck her face into the carriage, she saw two figures, one big and one small. In addition to the cat Qing Guang, there was a tall and slender figure sitting in the carriage. His black hair was half tied and half draped over his shoulders, forming a contrast against his white shirt. The man sat on the left while the cat crouched on the right. The man and cat faced each other three feet apart, staring at each other in silence. Chapter 44 - 44 Chu Yi 44 Chu Yi Golden sunlight shone into the carriage through the raised curtain. Everyone inside felt the light and looked at Gu Yanfei in unison, including the cat. Its eyes were dark as ink and green as jade. The ends of both pairs of eyes were slightly raised, outlining charming arcs. Qing Guang was stunned for a moment before it suddenly realized that it had followed her secretly. In a panic, the cat kicked its hind legs and its furry body immediately bounced up high. It lowered its head and burrowed into Chu Yi¡¯s wide sleeve, but its long tail was still exposed outside the sleeve, wagging. Gu Yanfei could not help but smile. She was speechless at this stupid cat. There was only a brief pause before she sat down in the carriage opposite Chu Yi, as if nothing had happened. The curtain came down to block out the sun, and the carriage was dark again. Chu Yi grabbed the back of the kitten¡¯s neck and pulled it out of his sleeve. The cat subconsciously reached out with its sharp claws to grab his sleeve¡­ ¡°Rip!¡± Its sharp claws hooked two threads on the snow-white sleeve embroidered with bamboo leaves and instantly tore the new clothes. However, Chu Yi¡¯s expression did not change. Even though it tried its best to resist, the cat was still easily lifted into the air with its four claws waving around. Qing Guang: ¡°!!!¡± Qing Guang¡¯s eyes widened as it looked at Chu Yi in disbelief, as if it was threatening him. How bold! Chu Yi tilted his head to look at the kitten and asked with a smile, ¡°Is this your cat?¡± ¡°Its name is Qing Guang.¡± Gu Yanfei¡¯s lips curved like a crescent moon. She had no intention of taking over the cat. ¡°Meow!¡± Qing Guang felt like it had suffered an invisible blow. It looked at Gu Yanfei in shock, then at Chu Yi. Its long tail exploded like a feather duster. Gu Yanfei looked at Chu Yi with interest. She was not surprised by Chu Yi¡¯s sudden appearance. What amazed her was that when he met Qing Guang¡¯s blue eyes, his expression was normal and he did not lose his composure. Interesting! Although Qing Guang had changed from a spirit beast to a cat and there was no spiritual energy in this small world, leaving less than 10% of its racial talent behind, this ¡°Charm¡± talent was enough for it to thrive in the mortal world and become a highly sought-after ¡°Cat Emperor¡±. Only an extremely determined person could be completely unaffected by it. From Qing Guang¡¯s shocked gaze, Gu Yanfei could tell that Chu Yi was the first person it had met that could not be charmed. Gu Yanfei was in the mood to tease the cat and watched as the cat in Chu Yi¡¯s hand exploded into a ¡°hedgehog¡±. ¡°Little Qing Guang.¡± Chu Yi¡¯s voice was cold and gentle, as pleasant as jade, and his tone rose slightly. He held the soft belly of the fur ball in one hand and gently stroked its smooth back with the other. He stroked the kitten until it purred and narrowed its eyes in ecstasy. Qing Guang rubbed against his palm and also left a few strands of cat fur on his flawless white robe. Gu Yanfei chuckled upon seeing this. ¡°Hmm?¡± Chu Yi raised his right eyebrow. When his handsome face turned slightly, the line of his chin and neck became clearer, naturally revealing a noble aura. Gu Yanfei stopped smiling and personally poured him a cup of tea. She handed it to him and asked calmly, ¡°Young Master Chu, is your cough better?¡± She asked a simple greeting that had a deeper meaning. Chu Yi paused as he took the teacup. The tea rippled in it. Qing Guang felt that all of Gu Yanfei¡¯s things belonged to it. It leaned towards the cup and licked the water with its pink tongue. This time, both of them laughed at the same time, their eyes on the cat. ¡°It¡¯s better.¡± Chu Yi smiled. His smile softened his noble aura that was like a cold moon, making people feel like they were surrounded by pearls. As smart as he was, he naturally understood what Gu Yanfei meant. She had guessed his identity today¡­ Or had she seen through everything back in Danyang City? He had come to the right place today. Chu Yi looked at Gu Yanfei deeply and smiled. ¡°My name is Chu Yi.¡± His name had the meaning of protecting the country. His father had carried this hope for him and personally given him this name. Chu Yi¡¯s eyes were as deep as the vast starry sky as he said seriously, ¡°Thank you for sending me into the city that day, Miss Gu.¡± ¡°It was just a coincidence that we were going the same way.¡± Gu Yanfei smiled slightly. Her eyebrows didn¡¯t even move, and there was no surprise on her face. Back in Danyang City, she had guessed that Chu Yi was the Eldest Prince of the current dynasty. Chu Yi had saved her not out of kindness, but because he wanted to use her to sneak into Danyang City. She had also been his cover in her previous life. In fact, no matter what Chu Yi¡¯s goal was, he had helped her in her previous life and in this life. They were mutually beneficial. ¡°My name is Gu Yanfei.¡± Gu Yanfei smiled and cupped her hands in response. Previously, they could only be considered strangers. Today, they really knew each other. Chu Yi put down the teacup in his hand and returned the gesture gracefully. The kitten meowed unhappily and Chu Yi reached out to scratch its chin comfortingly. They were getting along very well. Gu Yanfei picked up the teapot and poured herself another cup of water with flickering eyes. In her previous life, Chu Yi did not appear in public until next year. He had severe burns on his face and body and wore a half-moon mask all year round. Gu Yanfei looked at Chu Yi¡¯s clear eyes. When they first met, his glabella was dark, but now, a propitious omen could be detected. Even if she did not predict it, Gu Yanfei was sure that he had passed his catastrophe. Gu Yanfei put down the teapot and said with a faint smile, ¡°Young Master Chu, it¡¯s not good to pretend to be sick. No matter how well you pretend, your pulse can¡¯t hide it.¡± This small world was not like the Bright Spirit Realm. If mortals wanted to disguise their pulses, their methods were limited. Most of the drugs that could change their pulses were harmful to their bodies. Chu Yi was completely oblivious to the embarrassment of being exposed. He asked casually, ¡°What if I ¡®need¡¯ to get sick?¡± Gu Yanfei was direct, so Chu Yi asked directly. Both sides were honest and did not hide anything. Qing Guang lay on Chu Yi¡¯s lap, its cat eyes spinning as it looked back and forth at Chu Yi and Gu Yanfei. ¡°Knock, knock.¡± There was a soft knock outside the carriage, accompanied by a familiar voice. ¡°Young Master.¡± Even if Xiao Shi did not explain, Chu Yi understood what he meant. Someone was coming this way. Chu Yi smiled and took a sign from his sleeve. He placed the sign with the engraved words ¡°Qiongfang Shop¡± on the small table between them. Chu Yi said, ¡°Xiao Shi said that you like the osmanthus wine from Qiongfang Shop. Not only is the osmanthus wine good, but there¡¯s also the Tusu Wine brewed with an exclusive secret recipe. It¡¯s never sold to outsiders. If you want to drink it, you can look for the shopkeeper.¡± Gu Yanfei looked at him steadily and her smile deepened. Their eyes met with an unspoken understanding. Gu Yanfei agreed with a smile. Then she opened the box of jewelry she had just won today and said generously, ¡°I won this on the bet. The capital is yours, so half of it is yours.¡± As soon as the box was opened, the golden jewelry inside lit up the carriage. Chapter 45 - 45 Prince 45 Prince ¡°Meow!¡± Qing Guang¡¯s attention was instantly attracted. Its cat eyes instantly widened and it flew up to slap the box with its claws and grab a round golden pearl from it. Its series of actions were so fast that it was impossible to hide. Its claw even knocked down the wooden box. In an instant, most of the jewelry in the box was poured out. Gu Yanfei was speechless. Chu Yi put his fist to his lips and chuckled softly. Qing Guang completely ignored the accident it had created and focused on chasing after the golden bead. Its nimble little claws slapped the golden beads around. Gu Yanfei glared at the stupid cat silently. Chu Yi closed the casket and accepted the portion that the kitten had ¡°distributed¡± to him. Chu Yi took the box and got out of the carriage. He casually shoved the box to Xiao Shi. ¡°It¡¯s time to meet Prince Jing.¡± Chu Yi said this lightly and walked southeast with the autumn wind blowing in his face. The back of the young master in white was thin and vigorous, like green bamboo in the snow, full of spirit and elegance. Xiao Shi carried the box and walked briskly behind Chu Yi, wrinkling his nose. Prince Jing was Kang Wang¡¯s cousin. Ever since the previous Emperor was alive, he had always been close to Kang Wang. In the eight years that Chu Yi had left the capital, the entire court, including Prince Jing, was not familiar with him. Most of them wanted to wait and see what would happen. In fact, Chu Yi had not been invited today. He had come to Prince Jing¡¯s Manor on his own accord to test Prince Jing¡¯s attitude, but he had been given the cold shoulder. After Prince Jing had asked someone to bring them to the Moonlight Tower, he had used an excuse so as to not appear. When Chu Yi left the Moonlight Tower just now, Xiao Shi thought that they were going back to the palace. He did not expect his master to specially come to see Gu Yanfei. Yes, his master had always had his reasons for doing things. He was not someone who would go with the flow and be controlled by others. Prince Jing had really miscalculated! Xiao Shi grinned and quickly followed Chu Yi. The master and servant passed through a moon gate one after another. Behind the moon gate was a wild profusion of vegetation that erased all traces of autumn. A hearty laughter came with the wind. ¡°Hey, hey, hey, let me make this clear first. No one is allowed to fight with me!¡± Not far ahead, Li Zhulang shouted at the top of his lungs. Li Zhulang and the other six or seven young masters walked over with smiles. ¡°That won¡¯t do!¡± Another rough-voiced young master objected with a chuckle. ¡°A fair lady is a gentleman¡¯s dream. Why should we give in to you?¡± ¡°Exactly, exactly!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s play fair!¡± ¡°¡­¡± The young masters talked at once, and it was extremely lively. Suddenly, three or four sparrows flew past with their wings close to each other. They cried and flapped their wings, throwing down a pile of bird poop. The pile of bird poop happened to fall on Li Zhulang¡¯s crown, who subconsciously wiped it away. When he saw the smelly bird poop on his fingers, his face darkened. The five or six young masters beside him all saw this scene. In an instant, time seemed to have stopped. Everyone stood rooted to the ground, their voices suddenly disappearing. ¡°Pfft!¡± A young man pointed at Li Zhulang and laughed until his back was bent. ¡°So Second Miss Gu was telling you to be careful of ¡®bird poop¡¯.¡± ¡°Yes! Second Miss Gu is really accurate.¡± Another young master smiled and knocked his palm with the handle of the fan. ¡°Brother Li, bird poop falling from the top of your head is a sign of bad luck. Do you want to go to the temple to pray and get rid of your bad luck?¡± ¡°¡­¡± A few young masters teased Li Zhulang. Chu Yi heard it too and naturally knew who they were talking about. He casually glanced at them, a faint smile flashing in his phoenix eyes. Dressed in snow-white clothes, Chu Yi was graceful and elegant. Every move he made had a transcendent cold charm, forming a sharp contrast with the group of young masters in luxurious clothes. As they passed each other, Li Zhulang couldn¡¯t help but glance at Chu Yi. He met a pair of dark and bright phoenix eyes. The other party had clearly not done anything, but Li Zhulang felt a gentle and invisible pressure. He was¡­ Li Zhulang stared at Chu Yi and froze. Chu Yi nodded slightly at Li Zhulang and continued walking without stopping. Xiao Shi followed behind him. When the other young masters saw that Li Zhulang had fallen behind, they turned around and called out to him. Li Zhulang turned to them in a daze and said in a daze, ¡°It¡¯s, it¡¯s the Eldest Prince!¡± Why was the Eldest Prince here?! The Eldest Prince, Chu Yi, was only 10 years old when he left the capital. He had only returned to the capital after eight years and had yet to attend the imperial court. Therefore, most people did not know what he looked like. ¡°That person just now is the Eldest Prince?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t the Eldest Prince ill and recuperating recently?¡± The others stared in surprise or curiosity, craning to see, but Chu Yi had long since disappeared around the corner. A few feet away, two sparrows spread their wings and flew across the sky one after another. They chirped as they flew out of the mansion and brushed past a flat-roofed horse carriage outside the mansion. The carriage was quiet, making the sound of wheels and hooves outside especially clear. Gu Yunzhen did not see Gu Yunrong in the end, so she could only leave another carriage in the Marquis Mansion. She and Gu Yanfei returned to the Marquis Mansion first. Feeling extremely troubled, Gu Yunzhen rubbed and twisted a handkerchief. Qing Guang, who had been playing for a while, was tired again. It curled up into a round and soft ball of fur beside Gu Yanfei. After half an hour, their carriage arrived at the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion. Gu Yunzhen was the first to get out of the carriage. Her first words were to ask the old housekeeper at the door, ¡°Is the Third Lady back?¡± ¡°No.¡± The old housekeeper shook her head. ¡°¡­¡± Gu Yunzhen frowned tightly, feeling even more worried. The two sisters said goodbye at the entrance. Gu Yunzhen went to the Benevolent Harmony Hall while Gu Yanfei carried the cat back to Yuheng Garden. However, Gu Yanfei had just changed into a lotus-colored gown and had yet to take a sip of water when the head maidservant of the Benevolent Harmony Hall, Bai Lu, arrived. She said that Madam Gu had invited her over. So she went over. She was greeted by an oncoming porcelain cup, which was thrown at her head. ¡°Evil creature!¡± Madam Gu scolded with a dark expression. Her usual graceful bearing was no longer present. The porcelain cup flew extremely quickly, but Gu Yanfei only tilted her body slightly and easily dodged it. The cup brushed past her and smashed into the wall behind her, shattering into pieces. It was obvious that Madam Gu had used a lot of strength. Seeing that Gu Yanfei actually dared to dodge, Madam Gu was even angrier. Her turbid eyes were filled with monstrous anger. She grabbed the lid of the tea again and wanted to throw it¡­ Gu Yunzhen quickly stood in front of Gu Yanfei and advised, ¡°Grandma, please calm down.¡± Gu Yanfei¡¯s expression changed slightly. Her sharp eyes noticed that there was a thin trail of blood hidden under Gu Yunzhen¡¯s neat and thick bangs. Looking at the tea stains and broken porcelain pieces on the ground in front of Madam Gu¡¯s bed, Gu Yanfei immediately understood what was going on. Before she arrived, Madam Gu had probably already smashed a cup. The flying porcelain shards had cut Gu Yunzhen¡¯s forehead. This grandmother of hers really liked to smash things! Chapter 46 - 46 Marriage Proposal 46 Marriage Proposal ¡°You¡­¡± Madam Gu¡¯s cheeks trembled. She pointed at Gu Yanfei and asked coldly,¡± What nonsense did you say at Prince Jing¡¯s Manor today?! ¡± ¡°Grandma, this has nothing to do with my Second Sister.¡± Gu Yunzhen hurriedly shielded her behind her and defended Gu Yanfei. ¡°Shut up!¡± Madam Gu gritted her teeth and shouted, the anger in her burning even stronger. Beside her, Xia Lian felt aggrieved for her lady and had an indignant expression on her face. She did not know what tricks the Second Lady had used to make not only the Eldest Young Master on her side, but even the Eldest Lady as well. Glancing at the furious Madam Gu and Xia Lian, Gu Yanfei pursed her lips with a faint smile. She knew who had added fuel to the fire in front of Madam Gu. ¡°Grandma should ask what happened today,¡± Gu Yanfei calmly corrected Madam Gu. Without waiting for Madam Gu to ask, Gu Yanfei answered her own question, ¡°In the Moon Pavilion, Kang Wang rushed to the top. Out of anger for a beauty, he drew his sword against Fang Mingfeng.¡± ¡°Fang Mingfeng risked his life to save the damsel in distress. In order to fulfill his sincerity, the Empress Dowager said that she would give dowry to my Third Sister. Grandma, aren¡¯t you happy?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Gu family¡¯s honor to have the Empress Dowager add dowry.¡± Gu Yanfei smiled brightly at Madam Gu. Madam Gu was so angry that the corners of her eyes twitched, and her chest heaved violently. Gu Yanfei, on the other hand, appeared calm and composed. She smiled and said, ¡°Or do you think Empress Dowager Yuan did something wrong?¡± ¡°Snap!¡± Madam Gu slammed her palm on the coffee table and glared at her. Her eyes were red from anger and her body was trembling. Xia Lian was also red with anger. She wanted to reprimand Gu Yanfei for distorting the truth, but she knew that there was no place for a maidservant like her to speak. Gu Yanfei could not be bothered to waste her breath on Madam Gu and said perfunctorily, ¡°I believe Grandma is busy, so I¡¯ll leave first.¡± ¡°Big Sister, let¡¯s go.¡± As she spoke, Gu Yanfei grabbed Gu Yunzhen¡¯s wrist and turned to leave. ¡°Madam¡­¡± At this moment, there was a rush of footsteps from the central room outside the curtain. A thin gray-robed maidservant ran in breathlessly and reported to Madam Gu, whose face was as black as the bottom of a pot. ¡°His Highness Kang Wang brought the Third Lady back.¡± The maidservant took a deep breath and added, ¡°His Highness Kang Wang said he was here to propose marriage.¡± Madam Gu¡¯s mouth opened slightly. She wanted to ask if it was true, but she swallowed her words. Her emotions had changed several times in an extremely short period of time. At this moment, they finally turned from anger to joy. Xia Lian widened her eyes in shock and beamed. She raised her chin slightly and gave Gu Yanfei a demonstrative look. Gu Yanfei was speechless. As expected! Gu Yanfei sighed in her heart. She was not too surprised. When the muffled thunder exploded in the sky, Gu Yanfei had already expected this outcome. Gu Yunrong was the lucky girl of this small world. Heaven¡¯s Will favored her and chose a beautiful and glorious path for her. Kang Wang was the ¡°true love¡± that Heaven¡¯s Will had given Gu Yunrong. The two of them could be said to be a match made in heaven. They were equally well-achieved and were each other¡¯s benefactors. In their previous lives, they had worked together to overcome all obstacles and finally ascended to the highest position. This was fate! Even if they encountered some ups and downs in the process, they would generally develop towards their destiny. But the heavens were not inviolable! Only by breaking this destiny could she break her mental demons. A glint flashed across Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes, and her expression was calm. Madam Gu hurriedly stood up and tidied her appearance. She asked, ¡°Where is His Highness Kang Wang now?¡± ¡°They¡¯re welcoming him to the hall,¡± the old maidservant said quickly. Gu Yanfei, who had walked to the curtain, paused for a moment before holding Gu Yunzhen¡¯s hand and continuing to walk out. Some things were still the same as in her previous life. Gu Yunrong and Kang Wang would get married on the same day. But something was different. In her previous life, Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s marriage decree not only shocked the entire Marquis Mansion, but also half of the capital. Nine dazzling carriages carried angels to the Marquis Mansion and sent a large amount of rewards. The rewards were even more magnificent than the Ten-Mile Red Dowry. In this life, the Marquis Mansion only received Kang Wang¡¯s presence. As they were thinking, the sisters stepped out of the main room of the Benevolent Harmony Hall and saw a plain-clothed woman in her early 30s in the courtyard. It was the Third Madam, Madam Yan, who had rushed over without applying any makeup. ¡°Zhen¡¯er!¡± Madam Yan heaved a sigh of relief when she saw that her daughter was safe and sound. ¡°Mother, why are you here?¡± Gu Yunzhen quickly walked forward and held Madam Yan¡¯s arm. Facing her mother, she suddenly looked like a delicate daughter. When Madam Yan heard that Madam Gu was furious, she was afraid that her daughter would be bullied and had rushed over. She forced a smile and originally wanted to ask her daughter if she had had a good time at Prince Jing¡¯s Manor today. However, at this moment, she noticed the blood mark on her daughter¡¯s forehead and her expression changed drastically. ¡°Zhen¡¯er, your face¡­¡± Madam Yan carefully pushed away the bangs on Gu Yunzhen¡¯s forehead with her fingers and looked at the half-inch-long dried bloodstain with heartache. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Gu Yunzhen comforted her mother gently. ¡°Zhen¡¯er, you¡¯re about to get married. How can there be a scar on your face?¡± Madam Yan raised her voice slightly, feeling more or less resentful. Everyone in the Marquis Mansion liked Gu Yunrong and everyone said that she was good, but Madam Yan had a very subtle impression of Gu Yunrong. Every time something happened to Gu Yunrong, her daughter would be the one to suffer! The more Madam Yan spoke, the angrier she became. She could not help but dig up the past. Speaking of which, Gu Yunrong had picked up a priceless antique when she was young. At that time, the other party wanted to play dirty, implicating Gu Yunzhen such that she was pushed down and had a big fall. Speaking of which, Gu Yunrong had dug up a 200-year-old ginseng when she was nine years old. Madam Gu was saved because of this, but Gu Yunzhen was punished to kneel in the ancestral hall because she did not look after her sister. There were countless such trivial matters. Madam Yan was really a little angry. On the one hand, she was venting her anger. On the other hand, she was deliberately saying this to Madam Gu, hoping that someone would pass the message on! Gu Yunzhen¡¯s father, Third Master Gu, had died young. After his death, there were no men in the third branch. All these years, the third branch did not fight or snatch. Madam Yan did it all because of Gu Yunzhen. Thinking of how Gu Yunzhen was her only daughter and would still have to rely on her cousins in the Marquis Mansion after she got married, Madam Yan tried her best to give in. However, this did not mean that they were pushovers. Gu Yunzhen was going to marry a dignified general. Her future husband was going to be young and promising. Gu Yunzhen gently stroked Madam Yan¡¯s back and comforted her. ¡°Mother, it¡¯s just a superficial wound, it won¡¯t leave a scar. Let¡¯s go back. Can you apply medicine for me?¡± Madam Yan also felt that the most important thing now was to treat her daughter¡¯s wound and nodded. Gu Yunzhen smiled at Gu Yanfei as a farewell and coaxed Madam Yan to leave the Benevolent Harmony Hall. Gu Yanfei quietly watched the mother and daughter leave. She pursed her cherry lips and her eyes became unusually deep. Gu Yunzhen had been engaged to Murong Yong, the second young master of the Murong family three years ago. The Murong family had already decided on a small date and was only short of an official application date. In Gu Yanfei¡¯s previous life, after Gu Yunzhen was disfigured, Murong Yong did not break off the marriage and still married Gu Yunzhen. Back then, Gu Yanfei did not know much about the capital, but she had more or less heard that her eldest brother-in-law, Murong Yong, was a generous and righteous person. Chapter 47 - 47 Profit 47 Profit Gu Yanfei did not stay long in the Benevolent Harmony Hall and returned to Yuheng Garden with Juan Bi. The autumn chrysanthemums and tree shadows swayed in the wind, adding to the quiet and cold atmosphere. Along the way, servants could occasionally be seen walking in the wind. From time to time, Gu Yanfei heard the words ¡°Kang Wang¡±, ¡°marriage proposal¡±, ¡°Third Lady¡± and so on. When she reached the entrance of Yuheng Garden, Juan Bi, who had been holding back for a long time, could not help but ask, ¡°My Lady, didn¡¯t the Empress Dowager say that the Third Lady would marry into the British Monarchy today? Why is His Highness Kang Wang here to propose marriage?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of any prince personally going to propose marriage.¡± In this play, weren¡¯t the Emperor, Empress, or Empress Dowager also the ones who chose the imperial concubines to marry? ¡°If you¡¯re curious, you can ask around yourself,¡± Gu Yanfei said with a smile. Her words were suppressed by a dissatisfied cat meowing. ¡°Meow¡ª¡± Qing Guang ran out and pounced into Gu Yanfei¡¯s arms, meowing and complaining. One moment, it blamed her for leaving it behind, and the next, it complained about sending it to Chu Yi. Not understanding anything, Gu Yanfei carried the cat and walked in. Juan Bi ran out happily with light footsteps. Juan Bi was the son of the Marquis Mansion. Her family, from her parents to her siblings, had been working in the mansion for several generations. Although they were not in charge of anything, there were people everywhere. After a while, Juan Bi heard some news about Kang Wang from her cousin-in-law¡¯s niece-in-law. Juan Bi¡¯s relative was a servant in the Benevolent Harmony Hall. She could not enter the main room, but she secretly asked the second-class maidservant in the Benevolent Harmony Hall. It was said that Kang Wang had indeed come to the Marquis Mansion to officially propose. However, Madam Gu had yet to agree. She only said that Kang Wang could not decide on his own regarding the marriage. If Empress Dowager Yuan had other plans, it would not be good. Kang Wang was finally persuaded to leave. Although this marriage had not been decided, it still caused a storm in the Marquis Mansion, making everyone feel honored. The entire mansion was filled with a joyous atmosphere. However, Madam Gu and Gu Jian¡¯s hearts were a little heavy. Even the atmosphere in and outside the house became oppressive. ¡°Mother.¡± Sitting beside Gu Jian, Madam Wang cleared her throat and broke the silence. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you agree to Kang Wang¡¯s proposal?¡± As soon as she finished speaking, the curtain of the green gauze cabinet was quietly lifted by a hand, revealing half a face. It was a housekeeper in her mid-thirties. She was wearing a sauce-colored dark-striped orange and a sandalwood mamianqun. Her figure was slightly plump, and her beautiful oval face was filled with anxiety. She stared at Madam Gu without blinking and bit her lower lip. 14 years ago, she had taken the risk of exchanging the two baby girls in the hope that her daughter would have a better future. In the past, she had thought that her daughter would marry into the British Monarchy and become the Duchess in the future. It would be the greatest dream of her life. She did not expect that her daughter would be lucky enough to be favored by Kang Wang and have the chance to become the Princess Consort! If her daughter could get her way, her life would be worth it. Back then, after her daughter¡¯s background was exposed, she almost thought that she would not survive. Fortunately¡­ Mother Su¡¯s dark eyes were like a deep ancient well. She held her breath and stood behind the curtain, not daring to make any sound, afraid that others would discover that she was eavesdropping. Madam Gu slowly took two sips of tea and was silent for a moment. She seemed to be deep in thought, but also seemed to be considering her words. The house was extremely quiet, and the sound of water dripping from the pot on one side was exceptionally clear. Mother Su¡¯s feet were turning numb from standing in the jade cabinet. When she almost thought that Madam Gu would remain silent, she heard Madam Gu¡¯s calm and slow voice. ¡°The more difficult it is, the more precious it is.¡± ¡°Now that the Empress Dowager is against it, Kang Wang can only retreat and come personally to propose. If the Gu family agrees easily, it will make Kang Wang feel that this marriage is easy.¡± Gu Jian, who was sitting below, looked at Madam Wang thoughtfully. Gu Jian thought for a moment and understood the meaning behind Madam Gu¡¯s words. He was a man, so he naturally understood men. Men were more or less inherently bad. The more they couldn¡¯t have a woman, the more precious she was. That made sense, but Gu Jian couldn¡¯t help but worry. The Empress Dowager had always been stubborn. If she refused to agree, would Kang Wang still be able to persist? Gu Jian rubbed his raised eyebrows in frustration and said, ¡°Mother, I heard that the Eldest Prince also went to Prince Jing¡¯s Manor today.¡± Gu Jian felt that the safest thing to do now was to quickly settle the marriage so that it wouldn¡¯t backfire. When Madam Gu heard this, her hand that was holding the prayer beads trembled and she almost lost her grip on the prayer beads. Her original composure was gone. Gu Jian continued, ¡°The Eldest Prince even went to see Prince Jing alone. The two of them stayed in the study for two hours before coming out. After that, the Eldest Prince returned to the palace.¡± Madam Gu naturally understood her son¡¯s intentions. She became frustrated and her cold expression was a little sinister. Just as she had speculated before, the Eldest Prince would be the greatest variable. His return would definitely cause a bloodbath in the royal court. In the face of supreme power, many things and people would become insignificant. No one could guarantee that Kang Wang could resist the temptation of the throne for Gu Yunrong! Madam Gu pursed her lips. She felt as if a heavy rock was pressing down on her heart, making her unable to breathe. There was silence in the room and it was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop. Mother Su, who was listening attentively in the jade cabinet, did not think of as many things as Madam Gu. Seeing that they were silent again, she was anxious. She almost bumped into the curtain and made a commotion, but she held herself back. Her eyes were filled with uncertainty, and she did not know what Madam Gu was thinking. Madam Gu slowly twirled her prayer beads and suddenly changed the topic. ¡°How¡¯s the preparation for Zhen¡¯er¡¯s marriage? Murong Yong seems to have made a contribution in Qingzhou recently?¡± Now that Madam Wang was in charge of the Marquis Mansion, Gu Yunzhen¡¯s marriage was mainly managed by Madam Wang. Usually, when Madam Wang nagged about trivial matters, although Gu Jian had heard it, he did not care much about it and only gave Madam Wang a look. Hence, Madam Wang replied with a smile, ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll definitely manage Zhen¡¯er¡¯s marriage well. I¡¯m just waiting for the Murong family to apply for an appointment now.¡± ¡°Marquis, Young Master Murong is about to return to the capital, right?¡± The wedding date could only be officially decided after Murong Yong returned from Qingzhou. At the mention of Murong Yong, Gu Jian perked up and said confidently, ¡°He came back this morning! This Murong Yong is indeed a young talent. This time, he went to Qingzhou with the army to suppress the bandits and personally took down the bandit leader, making a huge contribution. He will most likely be promoted this time.¡± ¡°The Divine Arms Battalion just so happens to have a vacancy for a Valiant Cavalry Captain. I think this position is almost guaranteed to be his.¡± Murong Yong was young and had made a great contribution this time. It was equivalent to showing his face in front of the Emperor. As long as he could enter the Divine Arms Battalion, his future would be limitless. What Kang Wang lacked the most now was military support. Chapter 48 - 48 Dowry 48 Dowry Madam Gu¡¯s brows relaxed slightly. She also knew that the Murong family was probably not enough to catch the Empress Dowager¡¯s eye, but at least it was a good in-law. At least, it would make the Empress Dowager feel that this marriage was not useless to Kang Wang. Madam Gu composed herself and rubbed the smooth Buddha beads with her fingers. ¡°Xin Wen, go comfort Rong¡¯er later and tell her not to think too much.¡± ¡°She¡¯s young and hasn¡¯t been through much. I¡¯m afraid she¡¯ll grieve over it.¡± As she spoke, Madam Gu¡¯s eyes darkened. Gu Yanfei was really heartless. She did not know how to be grateful! At this moment, Madam Gu regretted it. She really shouldn¡¯t have been soft-hearted and brought this girl back. She had put her precious Rong¡¯er on the spot because of this! Madam Wang immediately agreed. ¡°I¡¯ll go to Cai Ling Courtyard to visit Rong¡¯er later.¡± ¡°This child has always been magnanimous and blessed. Mother, don¡¯t worry too much.¡± Madam Wang¡¯s words touched Madam Gu¡¯s heart. Madam Gu nodded slightly and agreed. After Gu Jian and his wife persuaded Madam Gu to have a good rest, they left. Gu Jian rushed out again. After Madam Wang came out of the Benevolent Harmony Hall, she went straight to Gu Yunrong¡¯s Cai Ling Courtyard and instructed the servants to pass an invitation to the Murong family. She was so busy that she was constantly on the go. Gu Yunzhen¡¯s marriage had been decided three years ago. This year, the Murong family had already come to the Marquis Mansion twice to apply for an appointment. According to the rules, the woman would only agree solemnly on the third application. Now that Murong Yong had returned with his military achievements, the two families¡¯ discussion of the wedding date was quite festive. Both parties were sincere, so in just 10 days, Gu Yunzhen¡¯s wedding date was officially set. It had been many years since the Gu family held a wedding. Gu Yunzhen was the eldest daughter and the first child of this generation to talk about marriage. For a moment, everyone in the Marquis Mansion was overjoyed. As Gu Yunzhen¡¯s cousin, after Gu Yanfei received the news, she specially made a trip to the Jiahui Courtyard to add to Gu Yunzhen¡¯s dowry. ¡°Thank you, Second Sister.¡± Gu Yunzhen smiled and took the box from Gu Yanfei, looking a little shy. She was wearing a bright red embroidered begonia dress. Her skin was as delicate and translucent as a pearl, and her autumn water eyes were gentle and moving. The wound on her forehead had already scabbed over and was hidden under her bangs. Looking at the energetic Gu Yunzhen, Gu Yanfei¡¯s gaze softened. In this life, Gu Yunzhen¡¯s wedding date was several months earlier than in her previous life. In her previous life, Gu Yunzhen¡¯s face had really been severely injured. It would take time for the wound to heal, so she naturally would not be in such a hurry. It had rained several times in the past 10 days, and the wind from the window was still slightly damp. ¡°Big Sister, take a look at the gift I prepared for you.¡± Gu Yanfei opened the wooden box on the coffee table, revealing the item inside. She had just returned to the residence and the jewelry she had was given by the residence. They were all ordinary things and were not suitable for Gu Yunzhen to add to her dowry. She had prepared her dowry ceremony herself. Gu Yanfei pointed at the item in the box and said, ¡°This is incense that I made myself. It can calm one¡¯s mind and nourish one¡¯s energy.¡± Gu Yunzhen held the small and exquisite pouch in her hand, her face flushed like a peach blossom. She said shyly, ¡°I¡¯ll take good care of it.¡± Ever since they had spoken frankly to each other that day at Prince Jing¡¯s Manor, Gu Yunzhen felt as if they had shared a secret. She treated Gu Yanfei much more intimately than before. ¡°Even if I get married, I¡¯ll still be your sister. You can visit me at the Murong family often.¡± The blush on her face deepened, and there was a hint of longing for the future between her brows. Gu Yanfei looked at Gu Yunzhen in a daze. Suddenly, she thought of her previous life. Gu Yunzhen had returned to her maiden home once a month after she got married. At that time, Gu Yunzhen¡¯s face was covered in scars that could not be covered by makeup. She had lost a lot of weight and was extremely haggard, looking like a completely different person from her current beautiful appearance. ¡°By the way.¡± Gu Yunzhen thought of something and took out a small red vest with a circle of white mink fur as if she was presenting a treasure. ¡°Look at this. Does it look good?¡± Gu Yanfei was speechless. These clothes were clearly for Qing Guang. Gu Yunzhen looked at the clothes left and right. The more she looked at them, the more satisfied she was. She said happily, ¡°The winter in the capital is cold. With this on, Qing Guang won¡¯t be cold.¡± ¡°I also made matching bibs, collars¡ª¡± As she spoke, the curtain was suddenly lifted. Gu Yunzhen¡¯s maidservant walked over with a smile and reported, ¡°My Lady, the Third Lady is here.¡± Gu Yunzhen smiled and asked the maidservant to bring her over. After a while, Gu Yunrong, who was dressed in a lilac-colored collared long skirt with a white striped dress, slowly walked towards the sisters. Her fair oval face was devoid of makeup, and her smile was shallow. She looked as refreshing as ever. Gu Yunrong immediately noticed the wooden box between the two of them and said with a smile, ¡°What a coincidence. Like my Second Sister, I¡¯m also here to give you some dowry.¡± As she spoke, Gu Yunrong nodded politely at Gu Yanfei as a form of greeting. Her smile seemed to imply that she had completely let go of the matter of Prince Jing¡¯s Manor. Gu Yanfei was also looking at Gu Yunrong with a dark expression. A thick layer of gold light lingered around Gu Yunrong, as if it was about to overflow. The wisps of white light on Gu Yunzhen¡¯s body were like thin threads that were entangled by the golden light. The golden aura around Gu Yunrong was full of vitality, but the white light on Gu Yunzhen¡¯s body became a little dim. This scene was invisible to the naked eye, and only Gu Yanfei saw it. Gu Yanfei narrowed her eyes slightly. She knew that this white light was Gu Yunzhen¡¯s luck. The luck of ordinary people was like this. It was either weak or strong, but there would not be much difference, since Heaven¡¯s Will was fair to most people. Gu Yanfei could not help but think of Madam Yan¡¯s words when she came out of the Benevolent Harmony Hall 10 days ago. She said that Gu Yunzhen had been implicated by Gu Yunrong since she was young¡­ She raised her right hand thoughtfully to push away the golden ¡°air,¡± but felt a burning sensation on her palm. She peeled the white light away from the golden aura and silently withdrew her hand. Gu Yunzhen and Gu Yunrong were chatting happily without feeling anything strange. Gu Yanfei raised her eyebrows slightly and watched as the surging golden light on Gu Yunrong¡¯s body gradually calmed down. It was done. After sitting for a while longer, Gu Yanfei stood up and bade farewell. ¡°Big Sister, I still have to go out, so I¡¯ll leave first. I¡¯ll look for you when I¡¯m free.¡± Gu Yunzhen did not keep her and instructed the maidservant to send Gu Yanfei out. ¡°Take care, Second Sister.¡± Gu Yunrong smiled generously. She thought that Gu Yanfei was deliberately avoiding her and did not mind. ¡°Big Sister.¡± She held Gu Yunzhen¡¯s arm affectionately and sat down on the bed. ¡°Look at this hairpin. Do you like it? I drew it myself and specially hired someone to make it¡­¡± Gu Yanfei did not hear the rest. After walking out of the house, Gu Yanfei looked down at her right palm. Her delicate palm was red from the heat. She was injured by Gu Yunrong¡¯s luck. Chapter 49 - 49 Abandonment 49 Abandonment Gu Yanfei looked back and continued walking out. She really had something to do. After leaving the brothel, she instructed the coachman to take her to the Qiongfang Shop. Qiongfang Shop was located in the busiest and most prosperous Zhenhua Street in the south of the city, where there were shops on both sides of the street. There were restaurants, cloth shops, rouge shops, food stores¡­ Almost every shop was a famous old shop in the capital. On the street, pedestrians and horses came and went. It was bustling and noisy. Qiongfang Shop was at the end of the street, a two-story restaurant. There were not many customers in the restaurant now, and only two or three tables were occupied in the first-floor lobby. When the shopkeeper saw Gu Yanfei¡¯s token, he warmly led her to the second floor and walked all the way to the private room at the end of the corridor. ¡°Miss, please.¡± The shopkeeper knocked twice on the door of the private room before politely pushing the door open for Gu Yanfei. In the private room, a faint fragrance of wine wafted over. Sitting by the window was a thin white-robed young master. He was as beautiful as a snow lotus on a heavenly mountain. After Gu Yanfei entered, the shopkeeper closed the door with a creak. Only Gu Yanfei and Chu Yi were left in the private room. The commotion outside made the place especially quiet. ¡°Please.¡± Chu Yi elegantly raised his arm to invite Gu Yanfei to sit down. His exquisite eyebrows seemed to be carefully outlined. Gu Yanfei sat down opposite him and subconsciously glanced at his left sleeve, recalling how Qing Guang had sharpened its claws on his sleeve. His new snow-white sleeves were embroidered with exquisite cloud patterns with silver threads and there were no flaws at all. Clearly, he was not wearing the same clothes as before. She let out a snort of laughter, then glanced surreptitiously at the alder chessboard beside her. On it, the black and white pieces were evenly matched, dividing the world. A casual glance at it suddenly stunned her. The chess game in front of him was really familiar. It was clearly the unfinished game between her and him in Danyang City. The last move had been a white piece. Gu Yanfei raised her eyebrows, picked up a black chess piece from the chess box, and placed it down. Chu Yi smiled gently and personally poured her a glass of wine. ¡°Try this Tusu wine.¡± The scent of wine was stronger in the air, mixed with a hint of medicinal fragrance. Gu Yanfei picked up the white porcelain wine glass and took a sip. She savored the sweet and medicinal fragrance in her mouth and narrowed her eyes in satisfaction. Chu Yi, who was opposite her, casually lifted the bamboo curtain hanging on the window and silently gestured for her to look out. The street outside was bustling with activity. A luxurious black, flat-topped carriage was parked in front of another restaurant across the street. Two young men of different shapes and temperaments walked out side by side. One was in his late 20s, the other in his early 20s. The young man in his early 20s was wearing a purple brocade robe embroidered with silk from the Eight Immortals. He was heroic, arrogant, and noble. It was Kang Wang Chu You. Gu Yanfei scanned from Kang Wang to the black carriage at the entrance of the restaurant and realized that there was a golden orchid mark on the roof. Gu Yanfei thought for a moment and recognized the orchid mark. She raised her eyebrows and asked, ¡°The Yuan family?¡± This orchid mark was the emblem of the Yuan family in Yangzhou. The Yuan family was the maternal family of the current Empress Dowager. Gu Yanfei actually did not know much about those aristocratic families. She only knew that the Wang, Xie, Yuan, and Xiao families were the top families. ¡°Yes.¡± Chu Yi picked up the white porcelain wine glass and twirled it casually with his slender fingers. He sighed meaningfully and said, ¡°There is no poor family in the top grade, and no rich family in the lower grade.¡± He was talking about the Nine-Rank System. Before the establishment of the Great Jin Dynasty, the Han, Jin, Wei, and the other dynasties had implemented a recommendation system mainly based on the ¡°Nine-Rank System¡±. For the sake of profit, officials worked together and gradually formed some aristocratic families. These aristocratic families occupied a large amount of land in the area and had high status. Their status had risen again and again in the past hundreds of years. They even privately raised troops, which was equivalent to ruling the county they were in. Even the royal court¡¯s regime was almost controlled by these families. After the establishment of the Great Jin Dynasty, Emperor Taizu also intended to weaken these noble families. He tried to implement the imperial examination system in the imperial court, indicating that the Imperial Court was determined to promote talent. Unfortunately, at that time, the country had just been established and its foundation was not stable. The State of Yue in the south was also restless, so Emperor Taizu could not free up his hands for the time being and could only put it aside for the time being. Chu Yi looked down through the window and his gaze fell on the man beside Kang Wang. He was a medium-sized and elegant-looking man in a brocade robe. ¡°This is the next head of the Yuan family, Yuan Zhe, Kang Wang¡¯s cousin,¡± Chu Yi introduced. Empress Dowager Yuan was the biological sister of the current head of the Yuan family, who was also Yuan Zhe¡¯s biological aunt. Back then, when Emperor Taizu chose the empress for Emperor Xian, he did not choose a daughter from an aristocratic family. Instead, he chose Madam Liu, who came from a poor family, because he wanted to suppress the aristocratic families. However, after the death of Madam Liu, Emperor Xian still continued to marry the daughter of an aristocratic family, Madam Yuan. This was undoubtedly a sign that the late Emperor had expressed goodwill to the aristocratic families. ¡°Now, one-fourth of the courtiers in the court are elected by the aristocratic families, including the direct descendants of the Yuan family.¡± Chu Yi smiled faintly, his eyes clear and cold. These noble families that had been involved in the affairs of the world had united in the royal court for their own interests. Even the Emperor had to be restrained by them. After he returned to the capital this time, his father wanted him to attend court, but he was opposed by these officials¡­ Chu Yi stopped there and didn¡¯t say anything else. The white stone in his hand landed lightly on the chessboard, the sound of it crisp and clean. As quick-witted as Gu Yanfei was, she understood Chu Yi¡¯s current situation from these few words. The words ¡°deep trouble¡± were not enough to describe it. Still¡­ Thinking of everything that had happened in Danyang City, Gu Yanfei smiled. Clearly, Chu Yi was not easy to deal with. Gu Yanfei stared at Chu Yi¡¯s face with interest. The golden light from the window gently dyed the space between his eyebrows. His facial features were softer and more beautiful than usual. The dark red mole accentuated his skin color, making him look like a jade statue. Chu Yi: ¡°¡­¡± Chu Yi looked back at her quietly. Her eyes were so clear that they were almost straight. They were like a clear spring, as if they could reflect everything in the world, but also as if she could see through his soul. Under such a gaze, Chu Yi¡¯s expression did not change. He did not even move his eyebrows. The private room was silent. Gu Yanfei stared at him for a long time before suddenly smiling with interest. She muttered silently, ¡°As expected.¡± Chu Yi raised his right eyebrow slightly and looked at her questioningly. Gu Yanfei did not speak and only picked up a black chess piece before placing it down. She was as decisive as ever when she placed the chess piece. As expected, he was not favored by Heaven¡¯s Will. Just like her! Chapter 50 - 50 Trust 50 Trust Gu Yanfei couldn¡¯t help but think of herself. In that life in the Bright Spirit Realm, she had no parents and was picked up by her master when she was five. Her master had once calculated her fate for her. He said that she was born to be abandoned by Heaven¡¯s Will. Ordinary people only needed a year, but she had to spend 10 years to produce the same results. She had to work a hundred times harder to make up for the flaws in her fate. It was even more incomparable to those children of destiny and the favored children of the heavens. Therefore, even though she had a heaven spiritual root, her cultivation did not go smoothly. Even if she tried her best, it took nearly 200 years to have the opportunity to break through to the Nascent Soul realm. However, she was once again exhausted by the mental demons of her previous life and fell into the Heavenly Tribulation, returning to this small world. Everything started over¡­ Thinking of this, Gu Yanfei revealed a happy and sympathetic expression. Speaking of which, they were really in the same boat! Although she was thinking about it, Gu Yanfei did not show any mercy when she played chess. She aggressively killed a bunch of white chess pieces. Chu Yi was confused by her expression that was half pity and half amusement. He nimbly turned the white chess piece between his fingers from his index finger to his little finger and back again between his index and middle fingers. He gently placed the white piece between his fingers. The chess game changed again because of this move. The original broken black pieces stretched out in a line, and the black and white pieces were evenly matched. Gu Yanfei looked at the evenly matched chess game in front of her and pursed her lips into a smile. Her calm eyes were as deep as a pool of water, unfathomable. She took out a small porcelain bottle with a blue flower on a white background from her sleeve and placed it on the table. ¡°If Young Master ¡®needs¡¯ to get sick, as long as you take one of these pills, your pulse will show a weak pulse in the next month, like a patient with congenital deficiency.¡± Gu Yanfei pushed the small porcelain bottle in front of Chu Yi. After a pause, she did not forget to add, ¡°My medicine is not harmful to the body.¡± At least he had good taste! Chu Yi laughed softly and seemed to read her mind. ¡°Of course,¡± he said with double meaning. A little light appeared in his black jade-like eyes, and the corners of his upturned eyes curved into a small arc. The previous three encounters had let Chu Yi know that Gu Yanfei was extraordinary. That was why he specially went to the carriage to chat with her that day at Prince Jing¡¯s Manor. It was pleasant to work with smart people. Their eyes were filled with smiles as they exchanged tacit smiles. Chu Yi picked up the small porcelain bottle on the table and poured the pill into his mouth. His throat moved up and down as he swallowed the pill. Gu Yanfei was speechless. Gu Yanfei looked at his every move and smiled. She thought to herself that he really dared to eat anything! Chu Yi¡¯s trust pleased her. When she was happy, she could not hide it. Her smile was bright, and her dark eyes were filled with joy. It was winter, but it felt as if she were in the springtime of March. She felt that the two of them were the same. They were both unfavored by Heaven¡¯s Will¡­ but they did not intend to sit back and wait for death. Heaven¡¯s Will would not favor a person endlessly, even if that person was the chosen one. Heaven¡¯s Will would not endlessly hate a person. They were not hopeless. Gu Yanfei smiled and picked up another black piece. As the piece was placed, something invisible seemed to settle. An unspoken understanding lingered between them. The cold wind blew, and the half-opened bamboo curtain rustled slightly. Outside the window, three or four half-yellow parasol leaves floated down. A pageboy whispered in Chu You¡¯s ear. Chu You, who had been about to get into the carriage, immediately stopped and looked up sharply to see Chu Yi at the window. The uncle and nephew looked at each other quietly, neither looking away. Yuan Zhe saw that Chu You did not get into the carriage for a long time and called out softly, ¡°Your Highness?¡± Chu You did not move. He still looked up at Chu Yi at the window on the second floor. ¡°It¡¯s Chu Yi,¡± he said calmly. In this huge capital, there were only a few people who could directly call the Eldest Prince by his name. Shocked, Yuan Zhe also raised his head and followed Chu You¡¯s gaze. He saw an unfamiliar face as handsome as a painting beside the bamboo curtain. The warm winter sun splashed gently on the bamboo curtain at the second-floor window and Chu Yi could see another shadowy figure sitting opposite him. Yuan Zhe could not see the woman¡¯s face clearly and could only see her graceful figure as well as her beautiful side profile through the gap in the bamboo curtain. Despite that, he could tell that she was a beauty. Yuan Zhe sized her up for a moment before turning to ask Chu You, ¡°Your Highness, since the Eldest Prince has returned to the capital, has he gone to the court to govern?¡± ¡°No.¡± Chu You shook his head, and his sharp eagle eyes flashed as sharp as blades in the sunlight. His voice grew cold as he said, ¡°The Emperor does have this intention.¡± Yuan Zhe¡¯s expression turned serious as he lowered his voice and said, ¡°We can¡¯t back down on this matter.¡± ¡°The Emperor is testing the waters. If we let the Emperor have his way, the next step will be to appoint a Crown Prince!¡± ¡°Hmph, the Eldest Prince went to the State of Yue when he was 10 years old. How could those people raise him well to be an enemy! The Eldest Prince has probably been raised to be useless. Look, he just returned and is already traveling with beauties. It¡¯s really outrageous!¡± Yuan Zhe sneered in disdain. ¡°I heard that the Eldest Prince has been plagued with an illness ever since he was born¡­ He¡¯s talentless and weak. It¡¯s difficult for him to take on the responsibility!¡± His last sentence had a hint of authority. Chu You looked away and narrowed his narrow eyes thoughtfully. He was about the same age as Chu Yi, but Chu Yi had lived in the East Palace with his father since he was young. They had only seen each other a few times during the holidays and had no other contact¡­ Later on, Chu Yi went to the State of Yue as a hostage and went for eight years. He had only seen his nephew three times since Chu Yi returned to the capital last month. The first time was the day Chu Yi returned to the palace. The second time was at his mother¡¯s palace, and the third time was today. He could not read his nephew. Yuan Zhe thought for a moment and said cautiously, ¡°Although the Eldest Prince is not talented, he is still the Emperor¡¯s only son. Your Highness was still too careless and let him return to the capital alive.¡± If Chu Yi had died on the way back to the capital, they could have saved a lot of trouble now. Upon hearing this, Chu You fell silent. His thin lips pressed into a hard line and his eyes darkened. Seeing that his expression was not right, Yuan Zhe asked, ¡°What do you think, Your Highness?¡± Chu You deliberated over his words and said slowly, ¡°Chu Yi is either extremely well-hidden or extremely lucky.¡± Every time he thought about Danyang City, Chu You could not figure it out. It was as if he was in a vast fog. Ever since Chu Yi had entered the territory of the Great Jin Dynasty, Chu You had already sent people to hunt him down, but Chu Yi had avoided them time and time again. He had calculated that Chu Yi would definitely pass by Danyang City when he returned to the capital, so he had sent people to wait in Danyang City. Danyang City was his territory, and Magistrate He was his man. As long as Chu Yi came to Danyang City, he would not be able to escape. But something had changed in his plan. The State of Yue had caused trouble in Danyang City and even burned down the Danyang Prefecture, alarming the entire Danyang City. Chapter 51 - 51 Wrong 51 Wrong Chu You was shocked when the news reached the capital. He had clearly reached an agreement with the State of Yue, and the State of Yue Emperor had also said in his letter that he would send someone to Danyang City to talk to him in detail. At this critical moment, the State of Yue suddenly fell out with him. Not only did they set fire to the city, but they even assassinated Magistrate He. It was equivalent to cutting Danyang City from his hands. Chu Yi was also in Danyang City when it happened. It was too much of a coincidence, but there didn¡¯t seem to be any clues as to what Chu Yi had done to verify it. Ever since Chu Yi returned to the capital, he had not done anything out of line. He had always looked sick and rarely saw outsiders. He had only gone to Prince Jing¡¯s Manor a few days ago. Yuan Zhe was also deep in thought. He said in a low voice, ¡°In short, the Eldest Prince is a threat if he¡¯s alive.¡± Chu You nodded slightly in silence. ¡°Your Highness, do you want to see who the Eldest Prince¡¯s confidante is?¡± Yuan Zhe looked at the shadowy figure beside Chu Yi again and thought to himself, ¡®The Eldest Prince is already 18 years old. If he hadn¡¯t been a hostage in the State of Yue for many years, he would have long been married.¡¯ Just as the Empress Dowager had been worried about Kang Wang¡¯s marriage, the Emperor was also considering the Eldest Prince¡¯s marriage¡­ Chu You wanted to say that there was no need. He did not take a mere woman seriously at all, but when the words were about to come out of his mouth, he felt that the profile he saw through the bamboo curtain seemed a little familiar. He also looked up again, his sharp gaze directed at the hazy beautiful side profile of the girl. The girl behind the bamboo curtain suddenly leaned forward and raised her hand to lower the half-raised bamboo curtain again. This action allowed the side of her face to be revealed from behind the bamboo curtain, clearly reflected in Chu You¡¯s eyes below. It was her! Chu You¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°Your Highness, do you recognize this lady?¡± Yuan Zhe saw something strange in Chu You¡¯s expression. Chu You was speechless. This was¡­ Why was she with Chu Yi?! Chu You still remembered what had happened at Prince Jing¡¯s Manor. Originally, he could have asked his mother to betroth Rong¡¯er to him, but Gu Yanfei ruined it. Chu You subconsciously clenched his fists, his joints cracking. He could not help but feel uneasy. Gu Yanfei was just a village woman who had just arrived. How did these two people, who were worlds apart, get together?! This feeling of uncertainty disgusted Chu You. It was as if something was out of his control. Chu You¡¯s eyes flickered. The bamboo curtain that fell closed like a door in front of him and Yuan Zhe. The bamboo curtain blocked the sunlight from outside the window. Gu Yanfei, who was in the private room, felt much more comfortable and adjusted her sitting posture. The shopkeeper carefully placed seven or eight wine pots and small plates on the table and bowed with a smile. ¡°This is the wine that the lady ordered. Please enjoy.¡± With that, the shopkeeper nimbly retreated from the booth. In the private room, all kinds of wine fragrance overflowed and mixed into an intoxicating smell. Gu Yanfei looked at the table full of wine she had just ordered and rolled up her sleeves with a slight smile. Then, she skillfully mixed the yellow wine, honey water, rose syrup, and so on. After gently shaking the wine pot, she finally sprinkled some fine rose petals into the wine. This series of actions was smooth and elegant. She poured two glasses of wine from the flask, one for herself and the other for Chu Yi. She smiled and said, ¡°Try it. Consider it an apology in place of Qing Guang. I cut its nails when I got back that day.¡± She pointed to Chu Yi¡¯s cuff, indicating the last time Qing Guang had scratched his cuff. ¡°¡­¡± Chu Yi could almost imagine the shocked expression on the cat¡¯s face when its nails were cut and laughed softly. His laughter was pleasant, like a stream flowing in summer. It gently rubbed against one¡¯s eardrums and made the tips of one¡¯s ears itch. Chu Yi raised his hand and took the glass. His thin lips pursed as he took a sip and savored it, and a pleasant smile gradually warmed his originally cold eyes. He drank very slowly, as if he was tasting tea. On the contrary, Gu Yanfei drank it all in one gulp. Gu Yanfei left Qiongfang Shop after half an hour, looking slightly drunk and refreshed. It was rare for her to come out, so she did not return to the Marquis Mansion immediately and wandered along Zhenhua Street. In her previous life, although she had lived in the capital for a few years, she had almost never left the Marquis Mansion. She had the money she had just won from the polo game. Along the way, she shopped and bought things. In addition to buying some snacks, sachets, and silk flowers, she also bought some cinnabar, talisman paper, silver needles, and medicinal herbs before slowly setting off on her way back. When she returned to the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion, it was already close to dusk. The sun was setting in the west, and the afterglow of the setting sun burned the clouds in the sky, dyeing it with a colorful sunset glow. The evening wind howled along the way. The parasol leaves on both sides of the street had fallen in the continuous drizzle of the past few days, leaving only barren branches reaching into the sky with bared fangs. After entering the Marquis Mansion through the corner door, Gu Yanfei saw a two-horse carriage with jade cover and pearls parked outside. Gu Yanfei could not help but stop in her tracks. Her gaze paused on the gorgeous carriage in front of her. Having seen it in her previous life, she knew that it was the Duchess¡¯s carriage. Gu Yanfei did not speak. The female guard beside her noticed her gaze and said with a smile, ¡°Second Lady, the Duchess came an hour ago.¡± The guard¡¯s eyes lit up, and there was a strange excitement in her expression. Gu Yanfei walked forward against the cold night wind, and the broken leaves and flowers greeted her. Gu Yanfei was no stranger to the Duchess. In her previous life, after she returned to the capital, she had once visited the British Mansion with Madam Wang. She still remembered how picky the British Duke¡¯s wife was with her and how her disdainful gaze was like a needle piercing her. At that time, the Duchess did not say anything to Gu Yanfei. She only spoke to Madam Wang and mocked her silently. In a moment, she said that Gu Yanfei was a country girl whose words and actions were not presentable. Then, she said that she did not know what Gu Yanfei had experienced in the past 14 years. In the next moment, she said that Gu Yanfei was clueless about zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting. She could not read or write, how would she manage the family in the future? ¡­ The other party¡¯s words had made Gu Yanfei feel ashamed. She really wanted to dig a hole and hide in it. The past came back to her clearly, like a passing lantern. ¡°Second Lady!¡± On the other side of the door, a slightly excited female voice called Gu Yanfei back from her thoughts. The female guard slapped her thigh and said, ¡°Qing Shuang has been waiting for you for a while.¡± As she spoke, a beautiful green-robed maidservant walked towards Gu Yanfei from the outer door. She bent her knees and bowed. ¡°Second Lady, Madam invites you over.¡± Gu Yanfei stopped in her tracks and looked at the extremely luxurious carriage a few feet away again. The sunset covered the carriage in a gorgeous color. The British Mansion was a hot topic in the royal court. Their current status far exceeded the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion that did not accept anyone. It was clearly the Marquis Mansion who was in the wrong to change people at the last minute and they clearly did not like her at all. In her previous life, why did they still agree to the marriage?! It was not until half a year later that the Fang family found an excuse and broke off the engagement with her using the excuse that she had been in the same car as a man in Danyang City. Gu Yanfei had never understood these things. Chapter 52 - 52 Unknown 52 Unknown Seeing that Gu Yanfei did not speak, the maidservant, Qing Shuang, was a little nervous. Afraid that she would not go, she called out again, ¡°Second Lady?¡± ¡°Lead the way,¡± Gu Yanfei said lightly as she gently stroked her sleeve. She would go and meet the Duchess and see what the Fang family was after. Qing Shuang heaved a sigh of relief and quickly reached out her hand. ¡°Second Lady, please follow me.¡± Gu Yanfei followed casually. The two of them passed through the outer door and walked past a courtyard paved with limestone bricks before arriving at the main hall of the outer courtyard of the Marquis Mansion. The five doors of the hall were wide open. Several lanterns were lit inside, illuminating the entire hall. Madam Gu sat at the head of the table as the host. A man and woman sat on the two rosewood chairs on the left. The female guest at the bottom was about 35 or 36 years old. She was wearing a ginger-yellow pine crane embroidered with silk. Her figure was slightly plump, and her fair face was slender and noble. There was a distant smile on her lips and her eyes were indifferent. It was the Duchess. Sitting beside her was a young man in blue who was about 17 years old. He was tall and handsome. Surprised to see Fang Mingfeng here, Gu Yanfei raised her eyebrows. The young maidservant guarding the corridor bowed respectfully. ¡°Second Lady.¡± These three words made the three people in the hall realize that Gu Yanfei had arrived. They looked at her with different expressions. When Fang Mingfeng turned around, the other half of his face was revealed. The wounds on the left side of his face that had been pierced by the flower thorns had already healed and dislocated, but the new skin was different from the surrounding skin color. It was flesh red, dense, and a little terrifying. No matter how handsome his face was, it could not be considered good-looking under such circumstances. As soon as he saw Gu Yanfei, Fang Mingfeng couldn¡¯t help but remember what had happened in Prince Jing¡¯s Manor. The killing intent that he had suppressed for several days surged in his heart again. If not for Gu Yanfei, he and Gu Yunrong would have been together long ago!! His dark eyes revealed strong ruthlessness and killing intent as he glared at Gu Yanfei. Gu Yanfei did not stop walking. She calmly carried her skirt and crossed the high threshold of the hall. As soon as she entered the house, she felt that the atmosphere in the hall was a little off. Madam Gu and the Duchess both had cold expressions. The few young maidservants at the side had their heads lowered and looked like they were keeping quiet out of fear. The Duchess glanced at Gu Yanfei disdainfully and lowered her head to drink her tea. It was obvious that she did not take Gu Yanfei seriously, just like in her previous life. Gu Yanfei ignored the strange atmosphere and calmly walked up to Madam Gu. She casually bowed. ¡°Madam.¡± Madam Gu, who was sitting at the head of the table, remained silent with a cold expression. Gu Yanfei did not mind and sat down after greeting her. Ever since Gu Yanfei returned to the Marquis Mansion, Madam Gu had never asked her to come to the morning and evening province. She deliberately treated her coldly to let the entire Marquis Mansion know that she disliked Gu Yanfei. However, Gu Yanfei had been unmoved these days. Since Madam Gu did not allow her to pay her respects, Gu Yanfei naturally did not go. Just like now, Gu Yanfei did not care about Madam Gu¡¯s coldness and disregard at all. She sat elegantly and was at ease in this stiff atmosphere. Whether it was Madam Gu¡¯s indifference, the Duchess¡¯s disdain, or Fang Mingfeng¡¯s resentment, they all seemed to have nothing to do with her. After taking two sips of tea, the Duchess put down the tea cup in her hand and broke the silence. ¡°Is Madam Gu really going to break the engagement?¡± Her tone was controlled, but she could not hide the aggressiveness in it. ¡°¡­¡± Madam Gu pursed her lips. She naturally did not want to break the engagement. Breaking the engagement meant that the Gu family had completely offended the Fang family. Not only would the decades of friendship between the two families no longer exist, but they would also become enemies. However, she was even more unwilling to marry Gu Yunrong to Fang Mingfeng. Although Fang Mingfeng was outstanding, he could not be compared to Kang Wang. Moreover, offending Kang Wang was clearly more serious than offending the Fang family. Originally, Madam Gu could use Gu Yanfei to brush off the Fang family. However, with Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s golden words, even if Madam Gu insisted on using Gu Yanfei to replace her, it would not do. As she was thinking, Madam Gu glanced at Gu Yanfei from the corner of her eye with a throbbing forehead. Gu Yanfei was simply a jinx! First, she jinxed her biological mother to death the moment she was born. 14 years later, as soon as she returned to the Marquis Mansion, she jinxed the Gu family, causing everything to go wrong for the Gu family and almost ruining Rong¡¯er¡¯s future. Madam Gu¡¯s eyes were deep as she suddenly tightened her grip on the prayer bead bracelet. The thoughts that had been circling around her for the past few days came to a conclusion at this moment. If these two girls had not been secretly exchanged back then, the Marquis Mansion might have been ruined by Gu Yanfei for the past 14 years. Madam Gu suppressed the frustration in her heart and lowered her status. She sighed at the Duchess and said, ¡°Sigh, it¡¯s my granddaughter¡¯s fault for not being blessed¡­¡± She wanted to belittle Gu Yanfei, but after taking a look at Gu Yanfei, she felt that it was unlucky to mention her name. She bit the tip of her tongue and let the salty taste spread in her mouth. ¡°Let¡¯s forget about this marriage.¡± Madam Gu¡¯s heart was bleeding as she said the last sentence with difficulty. Usually, unless they wanted to deliberately disgust the other party, even if one of the parties discussing the marriage withdrew halfway, for the sake of the other party¡¯s reputation, the male party would not make a big deal out of it. Most of the time, they would quietly withdraw the marriage and try not to attract the attention of others. In this way, it would be better for both parties. Now, Madam Gu¡¯s attitude was clearly agreeing to let the man push all the blame to the woman. Implying that it was the woman who was unlucky could be considered to be avenging the man. ¡°¡­¡± The Duchess¡¯s expression was like dark clouds. Her delicate red hands were clenched in her sleeves, and her eyes flickered with a mixture of resentment, embarrassment, and hesitation. This was simply a great humiliation to the Fang family! The Duchess wished she could just brush her sleeves and leave, but she still restrained herself. Of course, Gu Yanfei could tell what Madam Gu meant. Catching the righteous anger and hesitation in the eyes of the Duchess, she fell deep in thought. Gu Yunrong¡¯s background was unknown now. With the status of the Duchess, she would not be unwilling to let go of this daughter-in-law. As for herself, from her experience in her previous life, the Duchess looked down on her. Therefore, since things had come to this, logically speaking, the Duchess could just cancel the engagement. So what was she hesitating about?! In her previous life, she was really blind. She turned a blind eye to these unreasonable places and sealed herself in a small world¡­ Chapter 53 - 53 Whip 53 Whip Gu Yanfei pursed her lips into an ambiguous smile and suddenly stood up. As a result, the other three people¡¯s gazes focused on her again. Gu Yanfei said indifferently, ¡°So the Duchess is visiting to cancel the engagement between the Crown Prince and my Third Sister. Then it¡¯s not convenient for me to stay here.¡± As she stood up, her dress flowed down like water, and her plain clothes fluttered. ¡°¡­¡± Madam Gu frowned and her expression changed. Gu Yanfei tilted her head and smiled. She asked innocently, ¡°I heard that my Third Sister has already signed a marriage contract with the Crown Prince, right?¡± ¡°Since Grandma agreed to His Highness Kang Wang¡¯s marriage proposal, it¡¯s only right for her to break off the engagement.¡± Gu Yanfei said shocking words in all seriousness. To Fang Mingfeng, these words were like lightning striking down from the clear sky. Fang Mingfeng¡¯s expression changed drastically. He lost his composure and stood up, his body hitting the chair with a thud. Marriage proposal?! ¡°What did you say?!¡± Fang Mingfeng asked sternly. His usual nobility and arrogance were gone, as if someone had poked his sore spot. Madam Gu¡¯s expression darkened further as she berated, ¡°Gu Yanfei!¡± What nonsense was this girl spouting again! Gu Yanfei stopped and only said, ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave first.¡± The moment she turned around, Fang Mingfeng could no longer hold it in. He rushed forward like an angry lion and blocked Gu Yanfei¡¯s path. ¡°Make yourself clear!¡± Fang Mingfeng was more than half a head taller than Gu Yanfei. He glared at her from above, his handsome face twisted with anger. He attacked at lightning speed, wanting to grab Gu Yanfei¡¯s wrist, but Gu Yanfei dodged it easily. To Fang Mingfeng, this was no different from adding fuel to the fire. For a moment, new and old hatred surged together and burned his rationality. He took off the whip at his waist and whipped Gu Yanfei¡­ The whip lashed out, breaking through the air like a viper flicking its tongue. There was a crisp crack. The Duchess ignored him and picked up the teacup indifferently. She also wanted to take the Gu family down a notch. Letting her son marry such a wild girl was already making her son suffer. This girl actually didn¡¯t know how to appreciate favors! The expressions of the surrounding maidservants changed drastically as they gasped. Their beautiful faces turned pale as they watched the black whip quickly whip at Gu Yanfei¡¯s tender skin. A few of them could not bear to look anymore. However, something even more shocking happened. Gu Yanfei only took a step to the side and avoided the whip. Her posture and steps were light, agile, and as graceful as a dragon. She gently snatched the horse whip from Fang Mingfeng¡¯s hand and raised it. ¡°Crack!¡± The sound of the whip hitting flesh exploded in the air. It was not loud, but everyone else felt that even their eardrums had been shaken. Another blood-red whip mark appeared on the left side of Fang Mingfeng¡¯s face. The old injury had yet to heal and a new one had been added. It was a shocking sight. The surroundings fell into an abnormally strange silence and everyone was dumbfounded. The Duchess lost her composure and rose from her chair. She had not expected such a thin and weak country girl to be so feisty. Her body trembled with anger. There was not only shock, disgust, anger in her expression, but also heartache for her son. She only had a son and daughter, who were both her precious babies. Fang Mingfeng was speechless. Fang Mingfeng glared at Gu Yanfei fiercely like a hungry wolf hunting its prey. The burning pain on his face told him that everything that had happened just now was not a dream. Blood trickled down his cheek, dripping onto the mirror-smooth ground. Looking at the disheveled Fang Mingfeng, Gu Yanfei said clearly, ¡°Fang Mingfeng, in terms of status, you can¡¯t beat Kang Wang.¡± ¡°In terms of appearance¡­¡± Her half-smile swept across Fang Mingfeng¡¯s old and new injured face. She ended with a sigh, which was equivalent to stabbing him twice in the heart. Fang Mingfeng was speechless. ¡°What do you plan to use to compete with Kang Wang?¡± Gu Yanfei stared into his eyes and said word by word. Fang Mingfeng gritted his teeth, his eyes spitting fire as if to say that it was all her fault. ¡°Gu Yanfei, are you crazy?!¡± The Duchess was almost driven crazy by anger. She wished she could drag Gu Yanfei down and punish her with 30 whips. A mere girl from a declining Marquis Mansion actually dared to whip her son! Gu Yanfei¡¯s response was to whip Fang Mingfeng¡¯s face accurately. ¡°Crack!¡± Fang Mingfeng¡¯s bun was pulled loose, and his hair was scattered messily over half of his face, mixing with the blood on it. A few strands of hair fluttered to the ground. The Duchess¡¯s heart twitched again, and her face turned pale. She ordered the servants sternly, ¡°What are you waiting for?! Hurry up and take her down!¡± The two old women from the Fang family responded nervously and wanted to go forward to snatch the whip from Gu Yanfei¡¯s hand. Unfortunately, they could not get close to Gu Yanfei at all. Another whip curled up with a whoosh, scaring the two old women so much that they took two steps back. Then, they heard another slap. Gu Yanfei¡¯s third whip ruthlessly struck Fang Mingfeng¡¯s left calf. Fang Mingfeng grunted in pain and staggered to the ground. He looked up at Gu Yanfei, who was a few steps away, and met the girl¡¯s dark and clear pupils. The light gently outlined the girl¡¯s exquisite eyebrows. Under her long eyelashes, there was a faint sharp glint in her eyes. She was like an unsheathed sharp sword. The servants of the Marquis Mansion were dumbfounded. They did not expect so many people to be helpless against their Second Lady. Gu Yanfei looked at the Duchess again with a clear gaze and asked indifferently, ¡°Duchess, are you going to do it yourself?¡± As she spoke, Gu Yanfei calmly flicked her whip. Her movements were agile, revealing a hint of flaunting and intimidation. The Duchess was speechless. Her breath was stuck in her throat and she did not dare to move. She had no doubt that if she dared to step forward, Gu Yanfei would whip her son again! ¡°Then I¡¯m leaving.¡± Gu Yanfei smiled, shrugged, and turned to leave. After stepping out of the threshold of the hall, she threw away the whip in her hand and left without looking back. Fang Mingfeng¡¯s hatred surged. The storm and waves on that rainy night wished they could tear everything apart. The moment Gu Yanfei¡¯s first whip landed on his face, Fang Mingfeng clearly understood a fact: Gu Yanfei was not pretending. She really did not want to marry him. Besides that, she was still using him¡­ to take revenge on Gu Yunrong. She would do anything to vent the anger she had suppressed for the past 14 years. Not only was this woman vulgar, but she was also scheming. To achieve her goal, she even acted with unexpected madness and stepped on him time and time again. He told himself that he could not fall for this viper beauty¡¯s ploy and could not let her get what she wanted. However, even though he knew in his heart that Gu Yunrong would marry Kang Wang, Fang Mingfeng¡¯s heart felt like it was being roasted by fire. Chapter 54 - 54 Seriously Ill 54 Seriously Ill After Gu Yanfei left, the atmosphere became even more awkward. ¡°Drip, drip.¡± The blood on Fang Mingfeng¡¯s face was still trickling down, especially loud in this silent house. Suddenly, in silence, he lifted his legs and walked out too. The sky had darkened a little. Under the evening light, his straight back was stubborn and lonely, and two or three fallen leaves flew into his robe. Madam Gu and Madam Fang looked at each other. Madam Fang wanted to stop her son, but in the end, she did not say anything. Her expression became even uglier. After another moment of silence, Madam Fang¡¯s cold gaze met Madam Gu¡¯s awkward eyes. She said indifferently, ¡°Madam, this marriage was decided when our two families¡¯ elders were still alive. It¡¯s not something the Gu family can destroy just because they want to.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Madam Fang stood up and turned to leave. As Madam Fang walked further and further away, Madam Gu¡¯s eyes were surging with emotions. Her chest heaved violently, and her heart seemed to be in an abnormally difficult battle. She was acutely aware that the British public would never let this go. The sun was setting in the west, and the sky became even darker. The evening wind carried some remnant leaves and dust into the hall, covering the place with a faint haze. That night, Madam Gu fell ill. The housekeeper anxiously left the residence and invited a doctor to visit her, alerting the entire residence. News that Madam Gu had fallen ill spread throughout the entire residence. The news had also reached Yuheng Garden. Juan Bi hurriedly reported it to Gu Yanfei and then asked slowly, ¡°Miss, the Marquis Madam has already gone to the Benevolent Harmony Hall. The Eldest and Third Lady have also gone. Do you want to go over and take a look?¡± Gu Yanfei was sitting cross-legged on the beauty couch and meditating. Hearing this, she opened her eyes and said calmly, ¡°No.¡± ¡°If I go, Madam Gu¡¯s condition might worsen!¡± Gu Yanfei¡¯s words almost sounded mocking. The curled-up kitten raised its furry little head and shook its white whiskers on both sides. It meowed, as if echoing Gu Yanfei. Gu Yanfei really did not go. Every day, she stayed in the house to meditate, draw talismans, or play with the cat. Her days were very peaceful, and she did not care about anything outside Yuheng Garden. However, Juan Bi paid attention and reported to her about the Marquis Mansion every day. For example, Madam Gu seemed to be getting sicker and sicker, and Doctor Zhuang came twice to examine her. Granny Li personally went to the storeroom in the outer courtyard to take out a hundred-year-old ginseng. Madam Wang and Gu Yunrong served Madam Gu every day. For example¡ª ¡°Miss, Shangqing Spiritual Master of Wuliang Temple was just invited to treat Madam Gu.¡± Juan Bi ran into the house with a food container and sparkling eyes. Back then, during Emperor Taizu¡¯s uprising, not only did the black dragons descend as a warning, but he was also lucky to have the help of a group of extraordinary people. Among them, the outstanding one was the Celestial Rectifier Spiritual Master. Legend had it that the Celestial Rectifier Spiritual Master was a natural genius. All the philosophers who saw him for the first time said that he could be ¡°the ruler of the world¡±. The Celestial Rectifier Spiritual Master¡¯s medical skills were brilliant. Once, Emperor Taizu was seriously injured on the battlefield and his life was on the line. It was the Celestial Rectifier Spiritual Master who pulled him back from the gates of heaven. After Emperor Taizu ascended the throne, he bestowed upon him the title of State Master and created a legend that spread throughout the future. When people were sick, they would either hire a doctor, pray to God, or invite a Taoist priest who was proficient in Taoist medicine. Juan Bi put down the food container and continued with admiration. ¡°I heard that his medical skills are even more amazing than those imperial physicians in the Imperial Hospital¡­¡± ¡°My Lady, it seems that Madam Gu is quite sick this time. However, with Shangqing Spiritual Master¡¯s help, she¡¯ll definitely be brought to life.¡± As she spoke, Juan Bi was also a little excited. ¡°I heard that Shangqing Spiritual Master is a sage and a living immortal. Unfortunately, I didn¡¯t get to see him when I went to Wuliang Temple.¡± Gu Yanfei put down the book in her hand and smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there will be a chance.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, a calm and respectful female voice sounded from outside the curtain. ¡°My Lady, Granny Li from the Benevolent Harmony Hall is here.¡± Gu Yanfei smiled gently and gestured to Juan Bi, who quickly understood and personally went out to welcome Granny Li in. Granny Li was Madam Gu¡¯s trusted aide, but she was amiable and never put on airs. When facing Gu Yanfei, she was also polite. ¡°Second Lady, Madam Gu wants you to go over.¡± Juan Bi slowly blinked as a thought circled in her mind. The lady was right. She could really see Shangqing Spiritual Master! Juan Bi secretly pinched herself in disbelief¡­ When she arrived at the Benevolent Harmony Hall, she still felt like she was in a dream. She pinched her thigh again, and tears seeped from the corners of her eyes in pain. The Taoist in front looked to be about 40 years old and was holding a snow-white horsetail whisk. He was of medium height and had a crane-like bone structure. There was not a single silver strand in his black hair. He had a goatee under his chin and exuded an extraordinary bearing while dressed in a yellow robe with big sleeves. Sandalwood fragrance curled around him, making him seem even more immortal. Madam Gu was lying sickly on the bed with her eyes closed. She wore a two-finger-wide black embroidery pattern on her forehead. Gu Yanfei¡¯s gaze darted to Madam Gu¡¯s pale face and she thought to herself, ¡®Her skin is slightly sallow, her eyebrows are dull, and her lips are purple. She¡¯s indeed quite sick.¡¯ There was already a crowd in the inner room. Both old and young men and women filled the room. The Marquis of Dingyuan, Gu Jian, the Marquis Madam, Madam Wang, the Third Madam, Madam Yan, and the masters and madams of the fourth and fifth branches were all present. In addition, Gu Yunzhen, Gu Yunrong, and the other grandchildren were also present. When Gu Yanfei and Juan Bi arrived, everyone looked at her in unison with subtle gazes. Madam Gu had been sick for three days, so everyone from the various families in the Marquis Mansion had come to visit Madam Gu. Although not everyone attended to her illness, they at least served her tea and water to show their filial piety. Only Gu Yanfei had never appeared. In particular, Madam Gu¡¯s illness came at the right time. That day, Gu Yanfei had just quarreled with the Fang family in the hall when Madam Gu fell sick that night, most probably out of anger towards Gu Yanfei¡­ At the thought of this, many members of the Gu family looked at Gu Yanfei with dissatisfaction. In her previous life, Gu Yanfei had been afraid of such gazes. Back then, she had felt inferior and weak. She had always wanted to do the best in everything and obtain the recognition of the others in the residence. However, even if she tried her best, she was still like an outsider, out of place in this Marquis Mansion. It was as if everything she did was wrong. Therefore, in the past, she was afraid of this gaze and felt that she had been rejected time and time again. And now, these comments from others no longer affected her at all. When Madam Wang saw Gu Yanfei, her first sentence was sarcastic. ¡°Yanfei, you¡¯re finally here. Your grandmother was so sick that we were worried sick!¡± Chapter 55 - 55 Spiritual Master 55 Spiritual Master Gu Yanfei walked over calmly. Compared to the room full of women dressed in jewelry, she was dressed in simple clothes, but she was dazzling and had a noble temperament. She was like the legendary snow lotus on a heavenly mountain, making people not dare to blaspheme her. After choosing a chair and sitting down, she looked up slightly at Madam Wang, who was standing by the bed. Her starry eyes were as clear as water. Madam Wang: ¡°¡­¡± It was obvious that she was looking down at Gu Yanfei from above, but Madam Wang felt inexplicably pressured. She was extremely awkward, as if she was reporting to her superior. ¡°¡­¡± Madam Wang originally had a lot to say. She wanted to say that Gu Yanfei was unfilial and cold, but she suddenly could not continue. It was as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over her head. Madam Wang cleared her throat and forced herself to continue. ¡°Your grandmother hasn¡¯t recovered from her illness for a few days. Today, we specially invited the Shangqing Spiritual Master over to treat your grandmother.¡± Gu Yanfei smiled faintly and sat upright. Under so many gazes, she did not feel uncomfortable at all and was calm instead. Seeing that she did not answer, Madam Wang¡¯s expression turned a little stiff and she could only continue dryly, ¡°Shangqing Spiritual Master said that your grandmother is seriously ill. Not only does she need to use medicine, but she also wants everyone in the family to sincerely pray for her. Your eldest brother is not in the residence, so you¡¯re the only one in the eldest branch.¡± As the saying went, there were nine doctors out of 10 Taoist doctors. Taoist doctors had a history of thousands of years. The King of Medicine Sun Simiao, the Medical Sage Zhang Zhongjing, the Miracle Doctor Bian Que, and other well-known medical doctors were all Taoist priests. Taoist medicine was divided into three parts: form, health, and divine treatment. Among them, divine treatment included Tao, Virtue, Talisman, Divination, Marking, Curse, Fasting, Sacrifice, and Prayer. A brilliant Taoist doctor was like a living immortal in the eyes of the believers. The best among them was the legendary Celestial Rectifier Spiritual Master. The Shangqing Spiritual Master had shone in the capital all these years. Not only was his Tao technique profound, but his medical skills were also exquisite. The commoners in the capital said that he was the reincarnation of the Celestial Rectifier Spiritual Master. Madam Wang wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes with a frosty white handkerchief and looked at Shangqing Spiritual Master not far away. ¡°Shangqing Spiritual Master, everyone is here.¡± ¡°The Heavenly Lord Tai Yi of Salvation from Misery.¡± Shangqing Spiritual Master flicked the silver horsetail whisk in his hand. His expression was extraordinary and had a hint of pity for the world. The Shangqing Spiritual Master flicked his wide sleeves and slowly walked to the big table by the window. The incense burner, talismans, ink, teacups, and so on had long been placed on the table. The old scullery maids in the house set up prayer mats on the ground. The others all knelt down, wrapping their left hands in their right and cupping their hands respectfully. Gu Yunrong knelt behind Madam Wang and glanced at the empty seat beside her. She saw Gu Yanfei still sitting there, calm and composed. Gu Yunrong frowned slightly and thought to herself, ¡®Gu Yanfei angered Grandma to this extent. Does she still not have any intention of reflecting?¡¯ She was about to speak when Shangqing Spiritual Master moved in front of her and gently flicked his silver horsetail whisk. His eyes lowered as he first calculated with his fingers, then his lips moved slightly as he muttered something. There was clearly no wind, but his wide sleeves seemed to be blown up by something, as if they were about to soar away. Gu Jian, Madam Wang, and the others all looked at him with bated breaths. The others could not see it, but Gu Yanfei could clearly see a faint airflow surging between Madam Gu¡¯s eyebrows and lingering around her glabella¡­ Gu Yanfei raised her eyebrows in interest. Interesting. The spiritual energy in this small world was so weak, but this person could still mobilize it. He was quite capable. A moment later, Taoist Shangqing Spiritual Master suddenly opened his eyes. His wise eyes shone brightly, as if he could see through everything in the world. He raised his hand and dipped the brush in ink, then drew winding and complicated runes on the talisman paper. In one go, his wrist moved like a swimming dragon. After drawing the talisman, Shangqing Spiritual Master sandwiched the talisman between his fingers and chanted again. A corner of the talisman spontaneously combusted without fire and an orange flame appeared¡­ Gu Jian and the others watched this scene in awe, not daring to disturb him at all. Gu Yanfei leaned forward slightly and rested her right elbow on the armrest. Her fingers supported her small and exquisite chin, and the interest in her eyes intensified. This Healing Talisman was not bad. The burning talisman paper quickly burned to ashes, which fell into a white porcelain teacup beside it, emitting a faint fragrance of plants. ¡°Give this cup of talisman water to the First Madam of your residence,¡± Shangqing Spiritual Master said calmly. His figure was as straight as a pine tree, and his voice was neither fast nor slow. His entire body exuded an unfathomable aura. ¡°Thank you for your gift, Shangqing Spiritual Master.¡± Madam Wang quickly agreed and personally went to hold the cup of talisman water. Her attitude towards Shangqing Spiritual Master was very obedient. Madam Wang ordered someone to help Madam Gu sit up from the bed. The unconscious Madam Gu¡¯s lips were tightly sealed, so Madam Wang could only open her mouth and feed her the talisman water. Gu Yunrong looked at the cup of talisman water and hesitated. She sighed silently and held one of Madam Gu¡¯s hands. The talisman water was poured into Madam Gu¡¯s mouth bit by bit. A servant would stroke her chest from time to time, but some tea mixed with talisman dust still could not help but spill from the corner of her mouth¡­ It took half a cup of tea to barely feed Madam Gu most of the talisman water. Suddenly, Gu Yunrong held Madam Gu¡¯s hand and said in surprise, ¡°Grandma¡¯s hand seems to have moved!¡± She looked at the unfinished cup of talisman water in Madam Wang¡¯s hand in surprise. Madam Wang took a closer look and realized that Madam Gu¡¯s eyelashes were fluttering. Her eyes trembled under her eyelids and she moaned softly, her voice weak. ¡°Mother, Mother¡­¡± Madam Wang handed the teacup to the servant and shouted excitedly. The others also surrounded the bed. Gu Yanfei still did not move. Her gaze landed between Madam Gu¡¯s eyebrows again. The black aura that had originally lingered between her eyebrows had already dissipated. She thought to herself, ¡®As a mortal, Taoist Shangqing Spiritual Master does have some tricks up his sleeve.¡¯ If the spiritual energy in this small world was more abundant, he might have the opportunity to draw spiritual energy into his body and step onto the Great Tao. As she was thinking, Gu Yanfei looked at the Shangqing Spiritual Master, who was standing by the window. She saw that his originally bright eyes were now laced with visible fatigue. When the wind blew, his Taoist robe fluttered like clouds and fog. Amidst everyone¡¯s cries, Madam Gu finally slowly opened her eyes. Her turbid eyes were still a little blurry, as if she did not know where she was. Gu Jian was overjoyed. ¡°Mother, you¡¯re finally awake!¡± Chapter 56 - 56 Mother Su 56 Mother Su ¡°Ah Jian, I¡­¡± Madam Gu whispered in a hoarse voice, her expression and voice weak. ¡°Mother, don¡¯t speak first. Rest well.¡± Gu Jian comforted Madam Gu gently. When the others in the room saw that Madam Gu had woken up, they looked at each other in relief. As long as Madam Gu could wake up, she should be fine. The Great Jin Dynasty ruled the world with filial piety. If anything happened to Madam Gu, be it her legitimate son or daughter, they would have to observe filial piety for three years. It would delay their future and even affect their marriage. The air around them relaxed, so they looked at Shangqing Spiritual Master with even more reverence. Shangqing Spiritual Master continued, ¡°Marquis, Madam Wang, fortunately Madam Gu has already passed the crisis. She still has to rest well. When I go back, I¡¯ll refine a furnace of pills for her. After taking the medicine, Madam Gu will be fine.¡± ¡°Now that this matter is over, I¡¯ll take my leave first.¡± He flicked his whisk and bowed again, his lean face expressionless. Gu Jian bowed solemnly to Shangqing Spiritual Master. ¡°Fourth Brother, send the Taoist priest off personally.¡± Fourth Master Gu nodded repeatedly. ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± Shangqing Spiritual Master turned around and left. His wide sleeves flew up, making him look like a God from heaven. The curtain was lifted and Shangqing Spiritual Master left with the lingering sandalwood scent still in the air. Everyone looked at the trembling curtain with surprise on their faces and someone sighed. ¡°Shangqing Spiritual Master is indeed a God.¡± ¡°When I recover, I¡¯ll definitely go to Wuliang Temple to thank you personally,¡± Madam Gu said gratefully. She looked a little better than when she had just woken up, and her eyes were clearer. Gu Yanfei could tell that Madam Gu must have suffered from liver loss due to her lack of ambition and was depressed. Perhaps it was because she had taken the wrong prescription that her illness became worse. Now, her symptoms have eased a lot. ¡°Mother, Rong¡¯er and I will accompany you,¡± Madam Wang hurriedly said. As she spoke, Madam Wang glanced at Gu Yanfei, who had been sitting in the corner without moving, and her eyes turned cold. Madam Wang coughed lightly and said arrogantly, ¡°Yanfei, your grandmother is so sick. Your sisters have been taking turns to treat her for the past few days, now it¡¯s time for you to be filial.¡± Gu Yanfei stood up from her chair and gently stroked her sleeve. She smiled faintly and said, ¡°Madam Wang, if Madam Gu looks at me, she might get even sicker. For the sake of Madam Gu, I think we should forget it.¡± As she spoke, she smiled. In her beauty, there was a hint of elegance and immortality. She was like a river of spring water written by a famous artist, clear and refined. Since she had already seen the master, it was time for her to go back and take an afternoon nap. ¡°¡­¡± Madam Wang was so angry that her face turned green and she barely maintained her composure. Gu Yunrong frowned again and pursed her cherry lips as she looked at Gu Yanfei¡¯s back without any attachment. Already blinded by hatred and resentment, Gu Yanfei really did not regret it at all. ¡°Mother,¡± Gu Yunrong said to Madam Wang as she pinched her handkerchief, ¡°I¡¯d better stay and take care of Grandma.¡± Her appropriate tone that was as gentle as a spring breeze gave Madam Wang a way out. Madam Wang¡¯s expression softened as she said, ¡°Our Rong¡¯er is still the most filial.¡± Gu Yunrong smiled gently as Gu Yanfei¡¯s figure disappeared behind the curtain. Gu Yanfei walked leisurely through two curtains, crossed a threshold, and stepped out of the main room of the Benevolent Harmony Hall. From the corner of her eye, she saw a plump figure hiding furtively behind a nearby parasol tree. The woman stuck half of her beautiful face out from behind the trunk and looked in her direction. An oval face, watery eyebrows, a hump nose, and the corners of her lips¡­ These familiar facial features formed a face that was engraved in Gu Yanfei¡¯s heart. It was her! Gu Yanfei narrowed her eyes and immediately recognized her. It was Mother Su! In her previous life, before she was brought back to the capital, she had only seen Mother Su twice. At that time, she thought that Mother Su was her mother and was filled with admiration for her. It was not until her background was revealed that she knew why that family had disliked her since she was young and either hit or scolded her. Only then did she know why Mother Su had abandoned her in Huaibei for 14 years without asking about her. It was Mother Su¡¯s greed that caused the tragedy of Gu Yunhua¡¯s life in her previous life, causing her short life of more than ten years to be dark and tragic. In the end, she died with regret and grievances. Gu Yunhua¡¯s life should not have been like this. She should have grown up under the care of her father and brother¡­ In an instant, an invisible monster seemed to crawl out of Gu Yanfei¡¯s heart, baring its fangs and brandishing its claws. An intense shadow flashed across her eyes. She knew her mental demons were acting up again, just as they had so many times in the Bright Spirit Realm. Every time she made a breakthrough in her cultivation, everything in her previous life would turn into mental demons that would bite her crazily, affecting her cultivation again and again. A strong smell of blood rose in Gu Yanfei¡¯s throat, and her fingers hidden in her sleeve trembled uncontrollably. The moment she met Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes, Mother Su¡¯s eyes darted around in panic, but she calmed herself down and raised her chin. Things were different now as Gu Ce and Madam Xie were no longer around. Gu Yanfei was just an orphan without parents, who had just returned to the Marquis Mansion. She had yet to gain a foothold and could not do anything to her!! Gu Yanfei¡¯s dark eyes were like a deep pool with unfathomable depths. It had been the same in her previous life. After the truth was revealed, Mother Su also stayed in the Marquis Mansion. At first, she would avoid her. Later, Empress Dowager Yuan issued a decree for Gu Yunrong and Kang Wang¡¯s marriage. After that, Mother Su straightened her back and acted like a high and mighty benefactor to her. Filled with hatred, she had begged Madam Gu to deal with Mother Su. In the end, Madam Gu reprimanded her instead. ¡°Sister Hua, do you want Mother Su to die?¡± ¡°Mother Su was indeed in the wrong, but back then, Yangzhou was in chaos. She was the one who fought her way out of the sea of blood and brought you out of Yangzhou¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re too hostile and don¡¯t know how to be magnanimous.¡± Madam Gu¡¯s words were like knives stabbing into her heart. In her previous life, she did not dare to resist Madam Gu. As she thought about it, the madness in Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes grew and surged¡­ It almost occupied her entire eyes, but she quickly calmed down. Her eyes were like the dark and vast sea at night. It seemed calm, but the undercurrents were surging. She moved forward unhurriedly. As she passed Mother Su, a faint glint of hatred appeared in the corner of her eye, but she did not stop. It was clearly winter, but cold sweat still broke out on Mother Su¡¯s forehead. She quickly wiped her sweat with a handkerchief, feeling a faint sense of unease. Chapter 57 - 57 Impeachment 57 Impeachment Seeing Gu Yanfei walk straight out of the courtyard without stopping, Mother Su¡¯s heart finally relaxed. The corners of her lips curled up smugly as she comforted herself, ¡®Gu Yanfei really can¡¯t do anything to me!¡¯ However, her heart was still beating violently. Thump thump thump! She gripped her handkerchief tightly and looked eagerly toward the central room at the back. The room was in chaos as familiar figures walked out of the east room one after another. Her burning gaze fixed on Gu Yunrong¡¯s slender and graceful figure. Gu Yunrong summoned an old woman from the Benevolent Harmony Hall and whispered to her to go to the backyard to see if Madam Gu¡¯s medicinal tea was ready. As she spoke, Gu Yunrong also saw Mother Su outside the house. Their gazes met and time seemed to stop for a moment. Gu Yunrong was slightly stunned. She saw Mother Su take half a step towards her, but she quickly shrank back behind the parasol tree and secretly looked in her direction, as if she seemed to have suddenly realized something. Her eyes were filled with anticipation and timidity, as if she wanted to approach Gu Yunrong but did not dare to. They were the eyes of a mother. Gu Yunrong clenched the handkerchief in her hand, feeling a little upset. Her eyes flickered and she turned around to instruct her maidservant, ¡°Xia Lian, I¡¯m going to stay here tonight to attend to Grandma¡¯s illness. Get someone to prepare salted osmanthus duck.¡± ¡°Yes, My Lady.¡± Xia Lian immediately understood and walked out of the central room. She loudly conveyed Gu Yunrong¡¯s intentions to a little maidservant in green under the corridor. Her voice was just loud enough for Mother Su, who was hiding behind the parasol tree, to hear. Saltwater osmanthus duck was one of Gu Yunrong¡¯s favorite dishes and was also Mother Su¡¯s best dish. Mother Su was delighted to hear this and smiled. She wanted to walk over and say something to Gu Yunrong, but she restrained herself in the end and only stared after her. Gu Yunrong saw the change in her expression. She watched as Mother Su, who was originally listless, suddenly perked up as if she had eaten a miracle pill. Gu Yunrong sighed faintly in her heart. Everything Mother Su did was for her. After a maidservant brought over steaming medicinal tea, Gu Yunrong returned to the inner room with Xia Lian following behind her. After everyone left, the inner room was empty and quiet. The sandalwood incense in the corner had burned out, leaving only the lingering smell of medicine in the air. Madam Gu sat alone on the bed. Her face was haggard and vaguely yellow. Her old age could not be concealed, and she looked lonely and desolate. ¡°Grandma, how do you feel?¡± Gu Yunrong sat on the edge of the bed and greeted her with concern. Hearing her gentle words, Madam Gu felt that it was exceptionally appropriate. For the umpteenth time, she sighed in her heart. Why was Rong¡¯er not her biological granddaughter?! Thinking of how Gu Yanfei refused to even serve her and only knew how to make sarcastic remarks, Madam Gu¡¯s anger began to rise. Gu Yanfei must have come to collect debts in her previous life. She did not have her in her heart at all, nor did she care about the Gu family! Madam Gu¡¯s eyes were uncertain, and her already weak expression darkened. She raised her hand and rubbed her temples. When she faced Gu Yunrong, her expression became loving. She gently patted Gu Yunrong¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Good child, Grandma is fine. My head just hurts a little.¡± Gu Yunrong¡¯s tone was softer and more considerate. ¡°Grandma, I¡¯ll get His Highness Kang Wang to invite an imperial physician over to take a look at you, okay?¡± She frowned slightly, feeling that drinking talisman water was a little unreliable. ¡°There¡¯s no need to trouble His Highness Kang Wang! Grandma has really recovered.¡± Madam Gu enjoyed it even more and smiled. ¡°Shangqing Spiritual Master is indeed worthy of his reputation and is talented in medicine. No wonder everyone says that he¡¯s a living immortal!¡± At the mention of Shangqing Spiritual Master, Madam Gu perked up and her eyes lit up. Gu Yunrong stopped persuading her and sighed faintly. ¡°Grandma, you scared me this time¡­¡± As she finished speaking, she choked slightly and the corners of her eyes turned red. Madam Gu reached out and hugged Gu Yunrong, letting her head rest on her shoulder. ¡°Good child, I haven¡¯t seen you marry off in glory. How can I bear to leave!¡± At the mention of Gu Yunrong¡¯s marriage, Madam Gu frowned. Madam Fang¡¯s threat sounded in her ears again, and her expression turned cold. She stroked Gu Yunrong¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°With Grandma around, I won¡¯t let Gu Yanfei harm you.¡± Rong¡¯er had been raised by her personally and she had protected her from suffering any grievances since young. However, ever since Gu Yanfei returned, Rong¡¯er had been stepped on repeatedly in just a few days. Gu Yanfei was really a jinx! Leaning on Madam Gu¡¯s shoulder, Gu Yunrong felt warmth in her rippling heart. Actually, blood ties did not mean everything, right? Grandma¡¯s kindness to her was real¡­ After calming herself down, Gu Yunrong straightened up and took the pot of medicinal tea from Xia Lian. She blew on it gently before handing it to Madam Gu. ¡°Grandma, drink some nourishing medicinal tea.¡± People who had just recovered from a serious illness did not have enough energy. Madam Gu had only said a few words, but her breathing was already a little rapid. She took the tea bowl from Gu Yunrong and was about to lower her head to drink when hurried footsteps came from outside. ¡°Madam Gu!¡± The curtain was drawn from the outside and Granny Li hurried in, looking worried. ¡°Madam Gu, the Marquis just sent someone to pass a message that¡­¡± Granny Li swallowed and reported stiffly, ¡°The British Monarchy sent a memorial this morning to impeach His Highness Kang Wang for wanting to snatch the British Crown Prince¡¯s wife.¡± Madam Gu¡¯s hand trembled and the white medicine bowl with blue flowers fell from her hand. ¡°Smash!¡± The tea bowl shattered, and brown medicinal tea flowed on the ground. A few drops of scalding tea splashed onto Gu Yunrong¡¯s frosty white skirt, forming a shocking contrast. Madam Gu pursed her lips tightly, her expression extremely ugly. Her heart suddenly constricted, and she felt a sharp pain in her chest. ¡°Cough, cough, cough¡­¡± Madam Gu felt an itch in her throat and started coughing violently. Her body trembled, and her eyes were sinister. The British Monarchy actually really did this! How dare they! The British Monarchy had written an impeachment letter to impeach Kang Wang for snatching the British Crown Prince¡¯s wife. This news was like a thunderclap on the ground, shocking the court. For the next few days, the British Duke sent a memorial to the palace every day. Three days later, the Emperor finally summoned Kang Wang, Chu You, to the palace. In the East Warm Pavilion, a white jade dragon¡¯s ear three-legged incense burner was placed in the corner with a wisp of green smoke curling up. Golden sunlight shone through the transparent glass window doors, making the room as warm as spring. ¡°Brother,¡± Chu You naturally would not bow down and admit his guilt. He argued logically, ¡°Both I and the Third Lady of the Gu family are unmarried. Most importantly, we¡¯re in love with each other. How can it be called taking away someone else¡¯s wife!¡± ¡°My imperial grandfather once said that marriage can¡¯t only be decided by parents, but also by mutual consent!¡± Chapter 58 - 58 Imperial Uncle 58 Imperial Uncle In the Great Jin Dynasty, everyone knew that Emperor Taizu was wise and mighty. The only thing that people criticized was his flirtatiousness. Not only did he have a harem of 3,000 beauties, but he also had many flirtatious affairs when he visited the commoners incognito. As a result, many romantic stories about Emperor Taizu spread in the streets and were even adapted into various novels and plays. However, despite being a playboy, Emperor Taizu only found women who were willing, and would never seize a woman by force. Whether it was a love affair or bringing them into the harem, he would treat those women who had slept with him well. The women got along harmoniously in the harem and were as close as sisters. Emperor Taizu had even added many regulations to safeguard the power of women in marriage. Chu You looked straight at the emperor sitting on the brick bed with a determined gaze. The Emperor, who had just passed his prime, was dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe with a white jade belt around his waist. His skin was fair, his facial features handsome, his expression warm, and his bearing noble. However, he was thin, and the whites of his eyes were slightly yellow. The fingers protruding from his sleeves were thin and bony. Looking thoughtful, the Emperor picked up the Cloisonne cup with ¡°Double Dragons Playing Pearls¡± on the coffee table and took a sip. His movements were soothing and elegant. The half-brothers were very different in appearance and temperament. Seeing that the Emperor did not immediately object, Chu You felt even more confident. He said firmly and seriously, ¡°If two people are in love, they desire to be together day and night. Brother, you can¡¯t have forgotten Grandfather¡¯s ¡®reminder¡¯, right?!¡± ¡°Brother, you promised Grandfather.¡± The threat in his words was obvious. ¡°¡­¡± The Emperor did not say anything for a while. Emperor Taizu had indeed said such a thing when he was only six years old. Emperor Taizu had watched a play called ¡°The Peony Pavilion¡± about a man and woman who had feelings for each other but could not be together because of the feud between the two families. After watching it, he had lamented, ¡°Should this love last for all eternity, would a day or a night really matter?¡± In the end, both lovers died. When Emperor Taizu was in high spirits, he had called him over and sighed with emotion. ¡°If two people are in love, they desire to be together day and night.¡± He even said that when he becomes Emperor in the future, he could not be so pedantic and insist on breaking up two people in love. At that time, he was still young and did not know anything about love. However, Emperor Taizu insisted that he agree, so he could only agree. After a while, the Emperor put down the teacup in his hand. His eyes were gentle and he was about to speak when a clear male voice on his right spoke first. ¡°Seventh Imperial Uncle.¡± After receiving a look from his son, the Emperor fell silent and pretended to feed a multicolored parrot on the brass bird rack beside him. Chu You turned to look at Chu Yi beside him. His face was expressionless, but his eyes turned cold. Chu Yi was still dressed in snow-white clothes and had a calm temperament. He looked out of place in this dazzling palace, like a pale white ink added to a carefully drawn painting of hundreds of flowers. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Chu Yi asked with a smile. ¡°What do you mean?!¡± The colorful parrot flapped its wings on the bird stand and imitated his words. Its exaggerated high voice was extremely ironic under the circumstances. ¡°¡­¡± Chu You maintained his composure, and the haze in his eyes deepened. His thin lips tightened and a strange look flashed across his eyes. The Empress Dowager refused to agree to his marriage with Rong¡¯er. After the incident at Prince Jing¡¯s Manor, he had gone to look for the Empress Dowager and had tried his best to persuade her, but the Empress Dowager, who had always doted on him, refused no matter what. In fact, after knowing that he had gone to the Dingyuan Marquis Household to propose marriage, she had flown into a rage and had even thought of killing Rong¡¯er. Chu You had begged for a thousand times, and they had quarreled in Shou¡¯an Palace, using both soft and hard methods. However, Empress Dowager Yuan had only reluctantly agreed to let Rong¡¯er be his secondary consort. She knew as well as Chu You did that Rong¡¯er would definitely not agree to be his secondary consort. Rong¡¯er was different from ordinary women and had always been tenacious on the outside, tough on the inside. How could she lower her head?! Moreover, he would not allow anyone to stand on Rong¡¯er¡¯s head and lord over her, let alone watch her lower herself in front of the main consort! This time, the British Monarchy had sent a letter to impeach him, catching Chu You off guard. He was angry that Fang Mingfeng still had designs on Rong¡¯er, but he felt that this was an opportunity. He wanted the Emperor to stand in front of him and let him come forward to confirm his marriage with Gu Yunrong. At the same time, he could take advantage of the situation to put the British Monarchy in their place. The Emperor had always respected Emperor Taizu. Chu You was originally 80 to 90% confident, but¡­ With a warning aura, Chu You narrowed his eyes at Chu Yi, who was only seven or eight feet away from him. Without a change in his expression, Chu Yi smiled warmly and continued, ¡°The Empress Dowager once said that she would find a good marriage for the Seventh Imperial Uncle. She even asked Father to promise in front of the Emperor that he would not interfere in the marriage.¡± ¡°Father has always been filial. How can Father go against the late Emperor¡¯s last wish!¡± ¡°Seventh Imperial Uncle, don¡¯t let the Empress Dowager down.¡± Chu Yi spoke at a moderate pace and at the right time. These words came from him without any aggressiveness. Chu You stared deeply at Chu Yi, a storm brewing in his eyes. He could not figure out if Chu Yi had done it on purpose, just as he could not figure out if Chu Yi was behind the incident in Danyang City. There was a moment of silence in the East Warm Pavilion. Only the noisy parrot shouted ¡°marriage¡± one moment and ¡°last wish¡± the next. The Emperor just watched from the sidelines. Without a word, he teased the parrot with his fingers and looked at Chu Yi with a smile, as if he couldn¡¯t get enough of it. Seeing that the Emperor did not fall into the trap, Chu You¡¯s heart sank bit by bit. He was frustrated, and his eagle eyes were as sharp as knives. Chu You had always looked down on his eldest brother. The late Emperor¡¯s Empress Liu came from a poor family. As a lowly commoner woman, she was not worthy of being the mother of the country at all. On the other hand, Chu Qi only had his current status because he was the eldest son of the late Emperor. Otherwise, his literary talent and martial arts skills were too ordinary. When Emperor Taizu was still alive, he had acknowledged Chu Qi as his grandson. When the late Emperor was in power, he wanted to abolish the Crown Prince a few times, but he was stopped by the ministers on the grounds that he could not abolish the Crown Prince for no reason. This allowed Chu Qi to naturally advance from the grandson of the Emperor to the Crown Prince and to the dignified Emperor of the Great Jin Dynasty. Chu You clenched his fists. The lines of his arms and fists tensed, suppressing his irritation. He simply ignored Chu Yi and said to the Emperor again, ¡°Brother, is this your idea?¡± The Emperor pursed his lips and smiled faintly. He still did not speak and left it to Chu Yi to handle. Chapter 59 - 59 Jade Pendant 59 Jade Pendant ¡°Your idea!¡± The colorful parrot beside him repeated as it stomped its feet. The Emperor reached out and casually scratched the parrot¡¯s chin twice. Chu You¡¯s body tensed even more, and hideous veins popped up on his neck. Ever since the Emperor ascended the throne at the beginning of the year, he had adopted a series of benevolent governments. To put it nicely, his attitude was benevolent and magnanimous. To put it bluntly, he was indecisive and soft-hearted. Unexpectedly, things did not go as he expected this time! Chu You held his breath. Anxiety, worry, and uneasiness intertwined in his chest like a huge spider web. He was not afraid of the Emperor, let alone the British Monarchy. However, he was afraid that Gu Yunrong would think that she had implicated him. For his sake, she might not hesitate to agree to the marriage with the British Crown Prince. Chu Yi slowly took a sip of hot tea and said, ¡°Seventh Imperial Uncle is really thoughtful to the Third Lady of the Dingyuan Marquis Household. However, no pain, no gain. Imperial Uncle, what do you think?¡± Chu Yi¡¯s lips curled into a faint smile. ¡°¡­¡± Chu You¡¯s eyes turned colder as he shot a cold gaze at Chu Yi. Of course, he understood what Chu Yi meant. ¡°Cough, cough¡­¡± Chu Yi looked away and lowered his eyes. His plain white handkerchief covered the corner of his mouth and he coughed lightly. His trembling shoulders could not hide his exhaustion. His cough only subsided after a long time, after which he picked up the teacup and took a few shallow sips, his cheeks slightly flushed. Chu You narrowed his eyes and stared coldly at Chu Yi for a long time¡­ There was silence in the East Warm Pavilion for a moment. Only the parrot flapped its wings occasionally on the bird stand, making rustling sounds. After a long while, Chu You, who had stood frozen for a long time, finally moved. He bowed dryly to the Emperor. ¡°Brother, I¡¯ll take my leave first.¡± Without waiting for a response, he flicked his sleeve and strode away, his back as straight as a pine. Without waiting for the eunuch to lift the curtain for him, Chu You roughly lifted it himself. The curtain lifted high and fell heavily, swaying violently in midair. Along the way, a few eunuchs and palace maids bowed to him, but Chu You completely ignored them and briskly walked out of the East Warm Pavilion. He was greeted by a familiar figure. It was a man who looked to be 37 or 38 years old. He was wearing a straight green robe with dark patterns. There was a rhinoceros horn belt at his waist, and he had a chicken blood stone seal and a sky-blue pouch. His hair was trimmed, and his appearance as a whole was dignified and imposing. ¡°Greetings, Your Highness Kang Wang.¡± The man stopped five steps away and bowed respectfully to Chu You. There was nothing wrong with the other party¡¯s words and actions, but Chu You¡¯s face darkened visibly. Of course he recognized this person. He was Fang Mingfeng¡¯s father, the current British Duke. It was obvious that the British Duke had entered the palace at this time to make Fang Mingfeng¡¯s proposal to the Emperor. Chu You gave the British Duke one sidelong glance before storming off without a word. After passing through a courtyard, Chu You stopped and could not help but turn around. He happened to see the British Duke walking into the East Warm Pavilion with the eunuch¡¯s guidance. The door was empty except for a broken leaf that had been blown over by the wind and fluttered down. Chu You¡¯s heart sank bit by bit with this lone leaf. From the Emperor¡¯s attitude just now, with the Empress Dowager¡¯s words, the Emperor might really agree to such delusions. Chu You gritted his teeth so hard that they almost shattered. Chu Yi¡¯s words rang in his ears again. ¡°¡­ No pain, no gain. Imperial Uncle, what do you think?¡± Even if Chu Yi did not explain just now, the meaning behind his words was very clear. It was fine if he wanted to fulfill his wish today, but what could he repay the Emperor for standing up for him?! If he wanted to marry his Rong¡¯er, he had to have something to offer in exchange. So, what could he offer?! Thinking of this, Chu You¡¯s eyes darkened. It was as if an irritable beast was roaring and going crazy in his heart. The cold wind howled and the weather was cold. Chu You had a lot on his mind as he walked faster and faster. He wanted to see Rong¡¯er as soon as possible! When he arrived outside the palace gate, he could see from afar that his personal attendant was holding the horse¡¯s reins and craning his neck to look around. ¡°Your Highness.¡± The attendant hurriedly went forward to welcome him and reported anxiously, ¡°I just heard that the British Duchess has gone to the Dingyuan Marquis Household.¡± Chu You¡¯s eyes suddenly widened, and two flames lit up in his pupils. The fire in his heart rose, and there was only one thought in his heart. The British Duke had come to see his brother, and the British Duchess had gone to the Gu family at this time¡­ Could it be that they were trying to force Rong¡¯er?! The British Duchess had indeed gone to the Dingyuan Marquis Household. Over the past few days, Gu Jian and his wife had sent a post to the British Monarchy, but it was like a stone sinking into the sea and he received no response from the Fang family. The more Madam Gu waited, the more anxious she became. She instructed her trusted aide to personally make a trip to the British Manor before inviting the British Duchess over. This matter naturally could not be hidden from Gu Yanfei¡¯s ears. At this time, the British Duchess must have made some kind of promise. Madam Gu would not give up on Kang Wang, her ¡°grandson-in-law¡±, so there was a high chance that she had raised other conditions to silence the British Monarchy¡­ Hence, she ordered Qing Guang to go to the Benevolent Harmony Hall again. It was not the first time Qing Guang had sneaked to the Benevolent Harmony Hall It was familiar with the place and walked back and forth without alerting anyone. After only half an hour, the cat returned with a pair of sparkling cat eyes and a stomach full of words. The kitten jumped from the window to the desk and meowed non-stop at Gu Yanfei. Its expression was obviously one of showing off and taking credit. Its proud little appearance blatantly implied, ¡°What will you do without me?¡± ¡°Meow, meow¡­¡± ¡°Meow, meow, meow¡­¡± It had been talking dryly, but seeing that Gu Yanfei was not grateful to it, it slowly realized something that Gu Yanfei did not understand. The cat froze for an instant, its fur visibly wilting. Gu Yanfei opened a box at the side and a fragrant smell of dried fish immediately floated out. The listless cat¡¯s eyes immediately widened, sparkling with desire for dried fish. Feeling energetic again, it bit Gu Yanfei¡¯s sleeve and tried its best to pull her towards the dressing table. It jumped onto the dressing table in a few moments and rummaged through the jewelry box with its claws. Finally, it hooked out a jade pendant with the tip of its curved claws and scratched it excitedly. Qing Guang: ¡°Meow, meow, meow¡­¡± Gu Yanfei took the jade pendant from the cat¡¯s paw in confusion. It was an ordinary round jade pendant with a circle of cloud patterns carved on the edge and a butterfly pattern in the center. Gu Yanfei was not the only one who had this jade pendant. Everyone in the Gu family had it, but the patterns were slightly different. Some were dragonflies, some were swallows, and some were skylarks¡­ Gu Yanfei gently shook her index finger, and the jade pendant hanging on it swayed back and forth. Qing Guang was immediately attracted to it. Its green cat eyes moved back and forth with the jade pendant, and it let out a mewling sound. Of course, Gu Yanfei would not think that the British Duchess wanted this jade pendant. It should be a jade pendant that was so ¡°precious¡± that the British Duchess would do anything to obtain it. She recalled that in her previous life, the British Monarchy clearly did not like her, but they gritted their teeth and accepted this marriage. Thinking back to a few days ago, the British Duchess came to visit with her son because of this marriage¡­ Gu Yanfei instantly understood something. Could it be that it was because of the jade pendant that the British Monarchy let their son lower himself to marry a substitute like her?! Or rather, to the Fang family, it did not matter if it was Gu Yunrong or Gu Yanfei who was engaged to Fang Mingfeng. What was important was that jade pendant. Chapter 60 - 60 Dowry 60 Dowry Gu Yanfei smiled with interest, her eyes curving slightly. Only the bride¡¯s dowry would follow her into the marriage with the Fang family. In other words, the Fang family was certain that the jade pendant would appear in the bride¡¯s dowry. ¡°Meow, meow, meow!¡± The cat meowed a few more times, urging her. It meant that it had completed its mission according to her instructions, so where was its reward? Gu Yanfei casually pushed the box containing the dried fish to it. The cat lowered its head and ate, making satisfied sounds. Gu Yanfei sat down in front of the desk again and casually propped her elbows on the window sill. She clenched her right fist under her chin and looked at the withered flowers and trees outside the window in a daze, recalling what had happened in her previous life. At that time, not long after she returned to the Marquis Mansion, her marriage with Fang Mingfeng was officially set. In February of the following year, her dowry was sent to the British Monarchy. Later, the Fang family broke off the engagement on the grounds that she was chaste and flawed. Even her dowry was returned by the Fang family. After the engagement was broken off, Madam Gu pushed all the blame on her and sent her to the nunnery to reflect on herself. She never even had the chance to count her dowry again. In her previous life, did she have a jade pendant in her dowry? Yes! Half of her dowry was a public dowry, and the other half was her mother¡¯s dowry. It was considered decent and had everything necessary, including jade pendants and all kinds of jewelry. In her memory, the Gu family¡¯s daughters were all equipped with ordinary items that were basically bought from jewelry shops in the capital. So¡ª At this point, the answer clearly appeared in Gu Yanfei¡¯s heart. The jade pendant that the Fang family wanted at all costs was most likely from her mother¡¯s dowry. ¡°Meow?¡± Qing Guang finished the dried fish in the box and looked up. It licked its mouth with its pink tongue, then squatted in front of Gu Yanfei and meowed at her a few more times. Even if Gu Yanfei did not understand cat language, she understood that this glutton had not eaten enough! ¡°Go away.¡± Gu Yanfei flicked the cat¡¯s forehead with her finger. As if it had suffered a heavy blow, the cat fell to the ground on all fours, revealing its snow-white and soft abdomen in front of Gu Yanfei. It curled its four claws and tried its best to act cute. Gu Yanfei pretended not to see it and took out a booklet from the drawer. This was the dowry list given to her by her mother, Madam Xie. It was given to her by her eldest brother, Gu Yuan, before he returned to the military camp. Since she had nothing to do, it was time to count her mother¡¯s dowry. The greedy kitten refused to give up. One moment, it licked the back of Gu Yanfei¡¯s hand, the next moment, it rubbed its cheek against her calf, and the very next moment, it twisted around on the desk like a caterpillar¡­ Gu Yanfei remained unmoved and flipped through the dowry booklet in front of her. The Xie family was a military family and was not from a prestigious family. Therefore, her mother¡¯s dowry was not considered generous, but it was very thorough. There were all kinds of gold, silver, and jewelry, silk, antique calligraphy, furnishings, farm houses, and so on. In her previous life, Big Brother had also given her this dowry list. However, as soon as Big Brother left, the list was forcefully taken away by Granny Xu, who kept saying, ¡°Second Lady, you don¡¯t understand these things. Let Madam Gu keep this dowry list in case you¡¯re deceived.¡± Back then, she felt inferior and had an introverted personality, so she did not dare to say no to Granny Xu at all. Since she really did not understand common affairs, she thought that Granny Xu was right. Gu Yanfei casually flipped through the dowry booklet and skimmed through it. Only when she reached the category of gold, silver, and jewelry did she become focused. There were five jade pendants mentioned in the book. The first was a Pixiu jade pendant, the second was a Qilin cloud-patterned white jade pendant, and the third¡­ Closing the dowry booklet, Gu Yanfei stood up and smoothed her skirt. As she walked out, she asked Juan Bi, ¡°Is Gu Yunrong still in the Benevolent Harmony Hall?¡± Juan Bi hurriedly said, ¡°Miss, after the British Duchess arrived at the Benevolent Harmony Hall, the Third Lady was sent back to Cai Ling Courtyard by Madam Gu¡­ Just now, the British Duchess had already left. The maidservant guarding the Benevolent Harmony Hall said that she didn¡¯t look too good when she left.¡± Gu Yanfei looked at the calico cat on the table and smiled with interest. ¡°Let¡¯s go to Cai Ling Courtyard.¡± After saying this, she walked out of the house. Juan Bi hurried after her. Outside, the sky had turned a dull dark blue. A white crescent moon could be vaguely seen between the clouds. Lanterns hung everywhere in the Marquis Mansion, flickering in the air like fireflies. Juan Bi held a palace lamp and led the way for Gu Yanfei. Cai Ling Courtyard was not far from Yuheng Garden. The master and servant shuttled through the courtyard in the evening breeze and arrived at Cai Ling Courtyard in about half a cup of tea¡¯s time. The maidservant guarding the courtyard reported Gu Yanfei¡¯s arrival and guided her to Gu Yunrong¡¯s small study. Under the sparkling candlelight, Gu Yunrong sat on a pear blossom wooden chair with her long hair half draped over her shoulders. She had changed into a water-red gown that was neither new nor old, and it was difficult to hide her exhaustion. For the past few days, she had been attending to Madam Gu¡¯s illness at the Benevolent Harmony Hall and had not rested well. She was really tired now. ¡°Second Sister.¡± Gu Yunrong bowed as a form of greeting. As she spoke, she no longer had her usual smile and instead looked at Gu Yanfei with dissatisfaction. Gu Yanfei was too cold to her biological grandmother, Madam Gu. Indeed, bloodline was not the most important. Gu Yanfei did not stand on ceremony with Gu Yunrong and said with a smile, ¡°I heard that Madam Gu gave you the key to my mother¡¯s small storeroom. I specially came to get it.¡± Gu Yunrong raised her eyebrows. She did not expect Gu Yanfei to come for this. Gu Yanfei stood three steps away and looked at Gu Yunrong. Her lips were naturally curled up, and there was a hint of a smile when she pursed her lips. Looking at Gu Yanfei¡¯s matter-of-fact expression, other than dissatisfaction, Gu Yunrong also felt uncomfortable. As early as when she was 10 years old, Madam Gu had solemnly handed her the key to the storeroom and even told her, ¡°Rong¡¯er, this storeroom is filled with your mother¡¯s dowry. Everything inside is for you. As for the farmland and silver in the dowry, you and your eldest brother will split it equally. Now, Grandma will take care of it for you first. When you reach marriageable age, I¡¯ll give it to you.¡± At that time, Gu Yuan also treated her as a pearl in his palm and said with a smile, ¡°Rong¡¯er, I¡¯ll give you all of Mother¡¯s dowry. I still have to earn more dowry for you.¡± Madam Gu and Gu Yuan¡¯s loving voices at that time rang in her ears, but¡­ A hidden corner in the depths of Gu Yunrong¡¯s heart throbbed slightly. She felt empty, as if she had lost something, or as if everything that once belonged to her had been taken away bit by bit. She retreated step by step, but Gu Yanfei did not care about her at all and pressed on. The flickering candlelight reflected in Gu Yunrong¡¯s eyes, as if an unknown flame was burning in her pupils. Chapter 61 - 61 Key 61 Key ¡°Xia Lian, go and get the key,¡± Gu Yunrong instructed the maidservant in a low voice. Stunned, Xia Lian bowed and accepted the order before turning around and entering the inner room. After a while, she slowly walked out with a copper key. When her gaze swept past Gu Yanfei, there was a hint of indignation in her eyes. ¡°Miss.¡± Xia Lian handed the copper key to Gu Yunrong, wanting to say something. In the end, she swallowed the words that were about to come out of her mouth. Gu Yunrong turned around and handed the key to Gu Yanfei. ¡°Second Sister, this is the key.¡± Gu Yanfei accepted it without another word and planned to go over and take a look. She had something on her mind and was about to leave when she heard Gu Yunrong say, ¡°Second Sister, I know it wasn¡¯t easy for you to live in Huaibei in the past. It¡¯s only right that you don¡¯t like me.¡± ¡°But that incident back then¡­ I was also innocent. At that time, I was just a newborn baby. I didn¡¯t know anything and was even more helpless.¡± ¡°Second Sister, I¡¯ve returned everything I can to you.¡± ¡°Be it your identity, brother, engagement¡­ or this key.¡± Gu Yunrong stared at Gu Yanfei with a solemn expression and said word by word, ¡°I don¡¯t owe you anymore.¡± Recalling the scenes in the Benevolent Harmony Hall, Gu Yunrong¡¯s expression became even more determined. The dust had settled in her heart. Gu Yanfei had returned with hatred and could not even tolerate her grandmother, so how could she tolerate her? Suddenly, a cold wind whistled in through the half-open window and extinguished an octagonal palace lamp near Gu Yunrong. Half of the room was dark, except for another lamp on the other side that was still quietly emitting light. Half of Gu Yunrong¡¯s face was dark, and the other half was bright. Her usually smiling face was solemn at this moment. Xia Lian quickly relit the extinguished lantern, turning the house as bright as day again. As the lights lit up, Gu Yunrong returned to her usual self and said gently, ¡°If you still can¡¯t get over the hurdle in your heart, we¡¯ll mind our own business from now on.¡± She would not back down again, nor would she put on any sisterly act. So much for that. Gu Yanfei tilted her head with a faint smile and pursed her lips into a faint smile. She asked calmly, ¡°You said you¡¯re innocent, but what about the person who swapped us?¡± Gu Yanfei was naturally referring to Mother Su. Gu Yunrong¡¯s throat seemed to be choked up with something, and she was rendered speechless. Ever since she was young, Mother Su had been by her side as a wet nurse. She took care of her clothes, food, accommodation, and transportation. She even paid attention to her emotions and cared about her every frown and smile. Mother Su might have let Gu Yanfei down, but she was extremely good to her. Gu Yanfei continued, ¡°Is she dead?¡± ¡°Has she been turned over to the court?¡± ¡°Where is she?¡± Gu Yanfei threw out three more questions in a row. They were concise, but every word hit the nail on the head. Gu Yunrong¡¯s expression turned unnatural as she pursed her lips and her eyes darted around. Half a year ago, after the matter of the real and fake daughter broke out, Madam Gu was originally going to drug Mother Su, but she stopped her and spared her life¡­ Gu Yanfei took a step forward and looked down at Gu Yunrong, who was sitting on the chair. Her voice was cold and firm as she continued, ¡°Is she still in the residence, living a life with a little maidservant serving her?¡± Gu Yunrong looked straight into Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes with her lips pursed and said righteously, ¡°Second Sister, do you want her to die? That¡¯s a living life!¡± In this era where imperial power reigned supreme, human life was as worthless as grass. The main family could kill the servants at will and throw the corpses into the mass grave without any responsibility. Even if the family of the deceased reported it to the authorities, it would be useless and they might even be beaten up. Gu Yanfei, who had grown up in Huaibei, should understand this very well. She should know the helplessness and inferiority of the commoners at the bottom the best. Gu Yunrong looked at Gu Yanfei with an indescribable gaze and sighed in her heart. Indeed, humans were the most forgetful animals. As soon as Gu Yanfei returned to the capital, she completely forgot about her past self and put herself back in the position of superiority, looking down on all living beings. ¡°The mistake has been made. Even if we kill her, time can¡¯t turn back.¡± Gu Yunrong first tried to reason with her, then tried to persuade her with emotion. ¡°Second Sister, back then, she brought you and me out of the battlefield in Yangzhou. Even if she made a mistake, she still worked hard¡­¡± ¡°Mother Su is in the wrong, but everything she did was for me¡­ Although all of this was not what I wanted, I have already thought of ways to make it up to you.¡± Wasn¡¯t that enough?! These words were exactly the same as what Gu Yanfei had heard from Madam Gu in her previous life. She smiled as the image of Mother Su acting as a superior benefactor in her previous life appeared in her mind. Gu Yunrong bit her lip slightly, her fingers curling around the handkerchief. Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes were clear and cold. ¡°You said you¡¯ve already returned everything to me¡­¡± ¡°What about my father? I should have been with him for six years.¡± ¡°And 14 years of my dislocated life. 14 years in heaven for you and in hell for me.¡± ¡°The Gu family has shaped the current you. Even now, you still enjoy everything the Gu family has given you with a clear conscience and refuse to let go¡­ You can¡¯t repay me!¡± Every word she said rendered Gu Yunrong speechless. Gu Yanfei did not want to listen to Gu Yunrong¡¯s excuses anymore and said the last sentence calmly, ¡°Gu Yunrong, listen carefully. I¡¯m the legitimate daughter of the Marquis Mansion, and you¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re just the daughter of a slave.¡± After saying that, she ignored Gu Yunrong¡¯s reaction and left with the key. The curtain rose and fell, swinging back and forth, as if laughing mockingly. Gu Yunrong froze in place, dumbfounded. It was as if an invisible mountain was pressing down on her shoulders and back, preventing her from moving. Gu Yanfei¡¯s words pierced Gu Yunrong deeply and her face gradually lost its color. Xia Lian did not send Gu Yanfei off. She looked at the swaying curtain in front of her and said indignantly, ¡°My Lady, the Second Lady really doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s good for her. To think that you treated her so well and said so many good things for her in front of Crown Prince Fang. You even gave her First Madam¡¯s dowry¡­¡± Xia Lian really felt aggrieved for her lady. Gu Yunrong pushed open the window again and let the bleak cold wind blow against her face. From the window, she could see Gu Yanfei¡¯s back gradually disappearing into the night. She had retreated again and again, giving way to Gu Yanfei only because she felt that she was the beneficiary in this matter. However, this did not mean that she was a punching bag. It did not mean that Gu Yanfei could rely on her concession to lord over her. The night air was cooler, the sky darker, and the silver moon bent like a hook. Chapter 62 - 62 Thats Right 62 That¡¯s Right After Gu Yanfei left Cai Ling Courtyard, she brought Juan Bi to the west storeroom in the inner courtyard. Granny Shi, who was guarding the storeroom, saw that Gu Yanfei only had the key in her hand and did not read the cards. She was shocked and wanted to stop her, but she could not stop Juan Bi, who was born to be extremely strong. 500: Internal Server Error Gu Yanfei instructed Juan Bi to unlock the door to the west storeroom. When he pushed open the door, he was greeted by a pungent musty smell. The storeroom was extremely cold. Juan Bi led the way in with the lanterns. She quickly lit seven or eight lanterns, illuminating the two-room western storeroom. The storeroom was filled with old wooden boxes and rows of shelves. Gu Yanfei did not know where exactly the things she was looking for were placed. She looked at the boxes one by one and matched the items in the booklet. She instructed Juan Bi to make the corresponding marks on some of the checked boxes and asked her to move all the jewelry out of the west storeroom. Heavy old boxes were placed on the stone brick floor outside the storeroom one after another with all the lids opened. The gold and silver jewels glittered in the candlelight of the lantern. Gu Yanfei reported the names in the booklet and asked Juan Bi to find and check them one by one from these boxes. When she was halfway through, there was a noisy commotion outside the nearby archway and many people seemed to be heading their way. ¡°Madam, the Second Lady is inside!¡± The cold wind brought Granny Shi¡¯s anxious voice. Juan Bi looked in the direction of the voice and saw two old women walking over with a palanquin on their shoulders. Madam Gu was sitting on the palanquin, wearing a thick rust-colored cloak and still looking haggard with the black embroidered cloth on her forehead. ¡°Gu Yanfei!¡± Madam Gu shouted word by word. Her voice was still a little hoarse and filled with surging anger. ¡°Bang!¡± The sound of a wooden clapper came from afar, its sound extremely penetrating in the quiet night. Only then did Gu Yanfei casually look up from the booklet and look at Madam Gu, who was four or five steps away. The golden light shone on an exquisite and beautiful face. In the night wind, the girl in thin clothes did not seem to feel the cold at all. Her clothes fluttered and her eyes shone. The palanquin stopped 10 feet away. Madam Gu, who was sitting on it, looked down at Gu Yanfei and questioned in an unfriendly tone, ¡°Where did you get the key from? Did you cause trouble with Rong¡¯er?¡± Madam Gu actually already had an answer in her heart and her heart had already begun aching for Rong¡¯er. Rong¡¯er was so outstanding and had been pampered since she was young. However, because of Gu Yanfei¡¯s appearance, she had lost everything overnight. Rong¡¯er was a blessed and magnanimous child. Compared to her future glory, she did not care about these external things at all. However, she had still called them her parents for so many years, so how could she leave their relationship behind just like that without leaving some memories? After the old women placed the palanquin on the ground, Madam Gu stood up from the palanquin and glared at Gu Yanfei with a threatening gaze. She said coldly, ¡°Hand over the key to the storeroom!¡± ¡°Key?¡± Gu Yanfei took out a copper key from her sleeve pocket and shook it in her hand. A faint smile appeared on her lips. ¡°Give it to me quickly!¡± Madam Gu¡¯s burning gaze was immediately glued to the key. Gu Yanfei moved and slowly took a few steps closer to Madam Gu. The key in her hand approached Madam Gu¡¯s palm¡­ Madam Gu¡¯s eyes lit up even more, and her right palm reached forward eagerly. When the key was in Madam Gu¡¯s palm, Gu Yanfei stopped. The copper key stopped only an inch away from Madam Gu. Gu Yanfei calmly met Madam Gu¡¯s eyes. Her eyes were as clear as water, and her thin dress fluttered in the night breeze, like a night cloud blooming under the moon. She smiled and suddenly said, ¡°I¡¯ve found the jade pendant that the British Duchess wants.¡± What?! Madam Gu¡¯s pupils constricted uncontrollably, and the corners of her eyes trembled slightly. She could not control the subtle changes in her expression at all. Gu Yanfei understood Madam Gu¡¯s expression and took another step closer to her, stopping only two feet away from her face. She smiled, her eyes bright and alert. Her elegant and otherworldly temperament was difficult to look at. She was calm and confident, as if she knew everything. She flicked her sleeve, and her wide cuffs floated like clouds. In the next moment, a muffled thunder suddenly exploded in the sky, shocking everyone with its loud rumble. Madam Gu staggered and fell onto the palanquin behind her in a slightly sorry state. She was instantly shorter than Gu Yanfei and her aura had mostly disappeared. The muffled thunder came too suddenly. Madam Gu and the others subconsciously looked up at the night sky and saw the moon in the sky. The cold and clear winter night seemed to have the smell of sand in the air that made it difficult to breathe. Madam Gu felt her heart constrict violently, and she was still in shock. It was so quiet that she could hear her slightly heavy breathing. Gu Yanfei looked down at Madam Gu, who had fallen onto the chair. A little talisman ash floated out of her sleeve. The night wind swept up the talisman ash and disappeared in the blink of an eye. After a few breaths of silence, Gu Yanfei sighed and said, ¡°Although the Gu family never raised me, now that I¡¯m back, I¡¯m tied together with the Gu family.¡± The girl¡¯s slow voice seemed to come from the clouds above the nine heavens, sounding calm, detached, and indifferent. There was an extreme rationality and inexplicable dignity in her words. ¡°¡­¡± Madam Gu was stunned for a moment. She was uneasy and her mind was in a mess. ¡°My surname is Gu, and my brother¡¯s surname is also Gu.¡± Gu Yanfei softened her tone, making one¡¯s thoughts be drawn to her. Madam Gu did not speak for a long time, her heartstrings swaying from side to side. Yes, Gu Yanfei was right. Benefits were the best rope to tie each other up¡­ The swaying trees above cast shadows on her pale face, making her old eyes look extinguished. ¡°What do you think, Madam?¡± Gu Yanfei asked softly. Her voice was soft and clear, like a clear spring flowing into Madam Gu¡¯s heart. In the cold wind, the sleeves of a young girl in plain clothes fluttered, as if she was in an ethereal mountain and was as pure as an immortal. Madam Gu could not help but nod in response to her question. That¡¯s right. If the Gu family was good, Gu Yanfei would be good. It was for the good of the Gu family, and also for her own good! Chapter 63 - 63 Spiritual Energy 63 Spiritual Energy Madam Gu composed herself. She gripped the armrest of the chair with one hand and softened her voice slightly. ¡°Yanfei, it¡¯s good that you can understand. Everything I do is for the sake of the Marquis Mansion, and it¡¯s also for your eldest brother and yourself.¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re unwilling to marry into the Fang family, I can agree to it.¡± Madam Gu comforted Gu Yanfei nicely. Gu Yanfei¡¯s smile was as bright as the stars in the night sky and she only asked, ¡°What¡¯s the use of that jade pendant?¡± Or rather, what secret of the British Monarchy was this jade pendant hiding that made the British Duchess want it at all costs? It had been like this in both lives. ¡°¡­¡± Looking up at Gu Yanfei, Madam Gu pursed her lips in silence and her body tensed up slightly. Her thumb subconsciously rubbed against the prayer beads as her thoughts raced, as if she were hesitating or weighing the pros and cons. The night wind howled, wantonly scraping the leaves and rustling their clothes. Candles in the lanterns flickered. The surrounding servants did not dare to make a sound and looked down at the tips of their shoes. To Gu Yanfei, the more Madam Gu acted like this, the more certain she was. This jade pendant was very important! The corners of Gu Yanfei¡¯s lips curled up again and she suddenly took the jade pendant from the box held by Juan Bi. She raised it high and looked like she was about to smash it¡­ Under the light, the jade pendant in her hand was not very clear, so all Madam Gu could see was a round jade pendant. ¡°Stop!¡± Madam Gu¡¯s eyes suddenly widened in unconcealable shock and panic. If Gu Yanfei really smashed the jade pendant, she would not be able to answer to the British Monarchy. The relationship between the Gu and Fang families would come to an end! Nothing must happen to this jade pendant! The veins on Madam Gu¡¯s forehead twitched. It was clearly winter, but beads of sweat rolled down her forehead. Her cold gaze froze on Gu Yanfei. The two of them looked at each other and engaged in a silent stalemate. Silence spread. At this moment, even the wind had stopped, and the shadows of the trees in the dark had all stopped moving. Madam Gu¡¯s breathing gradually thickened, and her chest heaved more and more violently. Slowly, she began to calm down again and her eyes settled, as if she had made a decision. After a while, Madam Gu waved her hand. The maidservants beside her immediately understood and silently retreated. Juan Bi, who was holding the box, looked at Gu Yanfei¡¯s expression and also retreated 50 to 60 feet. Only the two of them were left in silence after the servants left with the lanterns. Within a radius of dozens of feet, only the silver moonlight poured down from the night sky, scattering silver frost on the ground. Gu Yanfei was still standing in thin clothes and a long skirt that touched the ground. Madam Gu sat on a chair on her shoulder, looking old and haggard. Madam Gu cleared her throat and confessed in a low voice, ¡°The British Duchess does want a jade pendant.¡± Once she confessed, it seemed easier to go on. Madam Gu sorted out her thoughts and said tirelessly, ¡°In May 50 years ago, Emperor Taizu led his troops into the capital. On the day they entered the capital, the last Emperor of the previous dynasty burned the imperial city in a fire. Along with the Empress, the concubines, the princes and the princesses all died in the sea of fire.¡± ¡°The last Emperor¡¯s surname was Yu, and he came from the Yu family of Yingchuan.¡± ¡°She¡¯s the first aunt of the British Duchess.¡± At this point, Madam Gu paused for a moment and her eyes flickered, as if she had recalled something from many years ago. Gu Yanfei did not rush her and just looked at her steadily. A moment later, Madam Gu continued, ¡°After your mother married over, I noticed a jade pendant in her dowry. This jade pendant belonged to Empress Yu back then¡­ I¡¯ve seen it before.¡± Madam Gu¡¯s maiden family¡¯s surname was Qi. In Yingchuan, Yuzhou, although they were not an aristocratic family, they were still a famous local family. When she was young, Madam Gu had also gone to the Yu family to play and had seen the noble Empress Yu. On the day of Empress Yu¡¯s marriage, according to the local customs, boys and girls needed to say something auspicious to the bride. At that time, Madam Gu was young and was also called over. She had once seen with her own eyes that the great-aunt of the Yu family was wearing this jade pendant. This jade pendant was rare, especially since the carvings were the work of the local sculptor, Master Lu. The phoenix patterns were carved vividly and skillfully. Moreover, unlike ordinary jade pendants, the phoenix head had no eyes. Therefore, Madam Gu could recognize it at a glance. Thinking of the past so many years ago, Madam Gu sighed. The prosperity and liveliness of the past were still in sight, but things had changed. Madam Gu calmed herself down and said, ¡°14 years ago, not long after Rong¡¯er arrived in the capital, the British Duchess came to offer an engagement.¡± Back then, the British Monarchy was far stronger than the Dingyuan Marquis Household, and it was still the same now. However, the British Monarchy did not object to the Marquis Mansion¡¯s sudden suggestion to change the candidate for the marriage. In fact, the last time the British Duchess came, she even expressed her intention to keep the engagement. Her words implied that no matter who the Gu family married, this engagement could not be broken off. Madam Gu was not a fool and had long sensed that the British Duchess clearly had other motives. In Madam Gu¡¯s opinion, the only thing that the other party could want from them was the phoenix-patterned jade pendant. Gu Yanfei raised her hand to brush away her hair that had been blown astray by the night wind and asked casually, ¡°If that jade pendant really belongs to the Yu family, why is it in my mother¡¯s dowry?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about that.¡± Madam Gu sighed faintly and lowered her face to cough a few times, looking weak and haggard. She wiped her mouth with a handkerchief and extended her hand to Gu Yanfei again. She said amiably, ¡°Yanfei, give me the jade pendant.¡± Gu Yanfei stared deeply at Madam Gu, as if she wanted to see through her. Then, she put the jade pendant into her sleeve pocket. Madam Gu, who had originally forced a kind expression, changed her expression like she was flipping through a book. A sinister glint shot out of her eyes and her hand froze in midair. Gu Yanfei flicked her sleeve with a faint smile and stood leisurely with her hands behind her back. Her voice was clear as she said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Madam Gu. I¡¯m on the Gu family¡¯s side. When you need the jade pendant, I¡¯ll give it to you.¡± After a pause, she added slowly, ¡°But not now.¡± ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, Madam Gu, I¡¯ll continue to count my mother¡¯s dowry.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Madam Gu¡¯s expression turned even uglier. Before she came, she had clearly made up her mind to force Gu Yanfei to hand over the key, but now, she had even handed over her trump card. A remnant leaf was swept over by the evening wind and happened to land in Madam Gu¡¯s hair without her noticing it. Gu Yanfei ignored her and turned around, calling Juan Bi into the small storeroom. After entering the house, she opened her right palm. On her palm was a suet white jade pendant engraved with a circle of phoenix patterns. Its carving was outstanding, simple and smooth, carrying a vast and simple concept. Gu Yanfei had picked this jade pendant from a few pieces of the Xie family¡¯s dowry. She was certain that this was what the British Duchess wanted, because among the things in the storeroom, only this jade pendant emitted a faint spiritual energy. This spiritual energy came from the jade itself. In fact, its spiritual energy was very weak. If it was in the Bright Spirit Realm, it would be inferior to low-grade spirit stones and far from being a natural treasure. Gu Yanfei would not even look at it in the Bright Spirit Realm, but in this small world, it was extremely rare. Chapter 64 - 64 Engagement 64 Engagement The evening breeze blew against the door of the west storeroom. The rough creaking sound of the door was extremely piercing in the quiet night. Madam Gu, who was outside the west storeroom, did not leave. Her face was tense as she stared fixedly at the swinging door of the storeroom, unable to calm down for a long time. Apart from feeling surprised, angry, and frustrated, she also had a headache. If the British Duchess agreed to her conditions today and she could not take out the jade pendant, would the British Monarchy think that she was deliberately playing with them?! Just thinking about it made Madam Gu feel suffocated, as if something had been stuffed into her chest. However, she had no choice but to coax Gu Yanfei. Over the years, Madam Gu had been used to being the head of the Gu family. This feeling of being out of control made her very uncomfortable, and her expression darkened. ¡°Back to Benevolent Harmony Hall.¡± She spat out the words coldly and sat on the palanquin to be carried back to the Benevolent Harmony Hall. Along the way, she was silent and uneasy. That night, Madam Gu tossed and turned in bed, almost unable to sleep the entire night. For the next three days, she was in a bad mood and kept sending people to keep an eye on Gu Yanfei. She watched helplessly as Gu Yanfei spent a day tidying up everything in the west storeroom and built a small kitchen in the Yuheng Garden. She even ignored the steward in the residence and found someone outside to repair the Yuheng Garden. A small door in the backyard that connected to the racecourse northeast of the Marquis Mansion was built soon after. All her actions were challenging Madam Gu¡¯s patience, but she had no choice but to endure it. The people in the Marquis Mansion were used to reading the situation. Seeing that Gu Yanfei was acting ostentatiously now, they only thought that she had received Madam Gu¡¯s favor, so they began to curry favor with her. Even the food sent to Yuheng Garden became much more sumptuous. Madam Gu was in no mood to care about these miscellaneous matters. She thought about the jade pendant every day, but she did not know where to start¡­ It was not until November 10th that an old maidservant came to report early in the morning. ¡°Madam Gu, the British Duchess is here!¡± Madam Gu could not help but be shocked that the British Duchess would visit without informing her. Madam Gu did not have time to think carefully and quickly instructed Granny Li, ¡°Go and welcome her personally.¡± Granny Li hurriedly nodded. In the end, Granny Li hurried away and returned in a panic. Panting, she reported, ¡°Madam Gu, the British Duchess brought a matchmaker¡­ She said she¡¯s here to make an engagement with the Third Lady.¡± What?! Madam Gu¡¯s hand trembled and the prayer beads in her hand almost slipped. She had thought that the British Duchess was here for the jade pendant, but she did not expect this! Madam Gu clenched the prayer beads in her hand tightly, trying to suppress the anger in her heart that was about to condense into a ball. Obviously, the British Monarchy wanted to blow things up! There would probably be no peace this time. Just as Madam Gu guessed, the British Monarchy made a huge scene this time. The matchmaker they invited was the wife of the prince¡¯s uncle. Not only that, but they had also come today with gongs and drums. They carried more than ten boxes of small gifts and scattered money along the way. Along the way, they arrived at the entrance of the Marquis Mansion under the watch of the commoners in the capital. Because of the huge scale of the British Monarchy, news spread from one to 10 people, from 10 to 100, from 100 to 1000¡­ In less than half a day, almost the entire capital knew about this. The entire capital was excited. ¡°Look at this scene. The British Monarchy attaches great importance to this marriage.¡± ¡°When the convoy from the British Monarchy passed by just now, I ran over to take a closer look. Every box of small gifts was heavy and bent the pole carrying it.¡± ¡°I followed them all the way from the British Monarchy today and picked up a total of 20 copper coins. It¡¯s enough for me to drink a pot of good wine.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The lobby of a restaurant was full and lively as the customers drank alcohol and gossiped. The conversation below was clearly transmitted to a private room on the second floor. Kang Wang, Chu You, was sitting by the window, his eyes burning with majestic flames. He held a white porcelain wine glass tightly in his right hand, almost crushing it. There was a clatter as the flagon beside him was knocked over by his elbow. Liquor flowed from it and spilled onto the table. An eunuch hurried forward and tidied up the table nimbly before replacing the broken flagon with a new one. Inside the booth, the atmosphere was oppressive and so quiet that even a pin drop could be heard. Opposite Chu You sat a refined man in his 27s or 28s, dressed in a straight indigo robe with his hair tied up. Wearing a silver crown, this man called Yuan Zhe, who was Chu You¡¯s cousin, exuded a calm and reserved aura. Yuan Zhe picked up his wine glass and his eyes flickered as he recalled the scene of the convoy from the British Monarchy passing through the streets. Taking two sips of wine and looking at Chu You¡¯s indignant expression, he suddenly understood something and sighed faintly. ¡°Your Highness, is this ¡®Miss Gu¡¯ the person you like?¡± Yuan Zhe asked bluntly. The interests of the Yuan family and Kang Wang were naturally on the same side, so when facing Kang Wang, Yuan Zhe did not beat around the bush and spoke bluntly. Chu You nodded silently. He suddenly raised his head and downed the wine in his glass. His entire body was as tense as a drawn bow, as if it would snap at any moment. At this moment, his heart changed from initial anger to panic, as if something was about to be dug out of his chest. If the Gu and Fang families really signed the marriage contract in person today, would he still have a chance?! It was obvious that once things developed to this point, the Empress Dowager would not agree to his marriage with Rong¡¯er! Chu You¡¯s eyes were turbulent as he tightened his grip on the empty wine glass in his hand. He wished he could rush to the Dingyuan Marquis Household now. However, Chu You still suppressed the urge in his heart. He had already gone to the Gu family to propose once. Last time, Madam Gu did not agree to it. He knew that Madam Gu valued Rong¡¯er and did not want Rong¡¯er to marry casually, and he could not make any promises to the Gu family¡­ This was not the Gu family¡¯s fault. It was all the Fang family¡¯s fault for being aggressive, and his fault for not being able to convince the Empress Dowager. Chu You picked up the flagon and poured himself another glass of wine. Then he downed it again. Cold wine trickled down his throat and burned in his stomach. Chu You calmed down a little and looked at Yuan Zhe with a deep gaze. He slowly and firmly said the decision he had been considering for several days, ¡°Cousin, I want Chu Yi to enter the court.¡± As soon as these words were spoken, even Yuan Zhe, who had always been expressionless, changed his expression slightly. He raised his eyebrows in confusion. ¡°His Highness?¡± Chu You pursed his thin lips and his eyes darkened. When the late Emperor was still alive, the first time he proposed to abolish the Crown Prince, Chu Qi, he was strongly opposed by half of the courtiers in the royal court on the grounds that he could not abolish the Crown Prince for no reason and that he was the eldest son of the first wife. Most of these pedantic people were civil servants from poor families who relied on imperial examinations. Due to the constraints of these ministers from humble backgrounds, the late Emperor did not hesitate to spend more than ten years setting up the imperial court and implementing the ¡°Nine-Rank System¡± to gradually strengthen the power of the aristocratic families in the imperial court. It was to accumulate power for him and wait for an opportunity. The efforts of the previous Emperor for more than ten years were not in vain. Now, although Chu Qi had ascended the throne, he had yet to stabilize his position. He was suppressed by the aristocratic families in the royal court, making it difficult for him to take a single step. Chapter 65 - 65 About to Die 65 About to Die After Chu Qi returned to the capital, he had planned to let his only son, Chu Yi, enter the court today. However, he was objected to by the aristocratic families led by the Yuan family on the grounds that he had lived in the State of Yue for a long time and had not completed his studies. The Yuan family even took the initiative to recommend a candidate to be the Grand Tutor. Hence, the court started arguing over who could be the Eldest Prince¡¯s Grand Tutor. Until now, there was still no result. Ever since Chu You entered the palace three days ago to meet the Emperor and Chu Yi, Chu You had thought about it. Now, the only condition for the Emperor to step forward and fulfill this marriage was to relent on this matter. Chu You knew that if he did this, it would upset the balance in the current imperial court and even harm the situation that his father had carefully planned for him when he was still alive. He had been thinking about this for the past few days, but before he could think it through, he was caught off guard by what the British Monarchy had done today. He could not wait any longer! Chu You¡¯s heart tightened and his gaze darkened. He repeated firmly, ¡°I want Chu Yi to enter the court.¡± ¡°¡­¡± After a short moment of shock, Yuan Zhe calmed down and understood that Chu You¡¯s actions were most likely for the Gu family¡¯s lady. Yuan Zhe pursed his lips and twirled the wine glass in his hand noncommittally, his expression already filled with obvious disapproval. His expression was calm and composed. The Yuan family was an aristocratic family that had existed for more than 300 years. It was only in the past 20 years that the situation changed. When the late Emperor was still alive, Empress Dowager Yuan and Kang Wang were favored. The late Emperor supported the Yuan family greatly, causing the Yuan family to faintly suppress the other three aristocratic families. Emperor Taizu had the intention to suppress the aristocratic families, so the aristocratic families, including the Yuan family, had been united all these years in placing high hopes on Kang Wang. Half of Kang Wang¡¯s bloodline was from an aristocratic family. In their opinion, he was the most noble. Only with Kang Wang¡¯s succession could these aristocratic families revive their might and return to the glorious era of ¡°holding the power of a dynasty¡±. This time, Yuan Zhe had come all the way from Yuzhou to the capital on the orders of his father and ancestor to assist Kang Wang and help him advance. Now that they had finally suppressed the Emperor, if Kang Wang took the initiative to back down at this critical moment for a woman and a little personal relationship, wouldn¡¯t it ruin the current good situation!! Even if Yuan Zhe did not say it, Chu You understood what he was thinking. He calmly said something shocking, ¡°Chu Yi doesn¡¯t have long to live.¡± Yuan Zhe was shocked again and asked, ¡°What happened?¡± Chu You personally filled Yuan Zhe¡¯s cup with wine before continuing, ¡°Chu Yi was born a premature baby, so his body has been weak and sickly since he was young. From the news of the State of Yue, he hasn¡¯t recovered in the past eight years. It¡¯s equivalent to growing up in a medicine jar.¡± ¡°After he returned to the country last month, my brother has already summoned the imperial physician for him a few times. The bedroom is always filled with the fragrance of medicine.¡± As they spoke, Chu You closed the window, blocking out the commotion in the lobby downstairs and making the private room much quieter. As Yuan Zhe listened, he took a sip of wine. His eyes were calm as he cautiously questioned, ¡°Your Highness, could the Eldest Prince be pretending to be sick?¡± ¡°No.¡± A confident smile appeared on Chu You¡¯s lips. His eyes were sharp as he said in a low voice, ¡°After Chu Yi returned to the capital, the imperial physician¡¯s decree personally checked his pulse and prescribed him a prescription. However, a few days ago, his illness acted up, so five days ago, Imperial Physician Yan entered the palace to check Chu Yi¡¯s pulse.¡± ¡°Imperial Physician Yan said that Chu Yi doesn¡¯t have long to live. There¡¯s a 80 to 90% chance that he won¡¯t live past his prime¡­ He¡¯ll probably die even earlier than my brother.¡± Chu You¡¯s smile deepened as he said the last sentence. Sometimes, he had to admit that he had underestimated his brother. His only son did not have long to live, but Chu Qi was still so calm and did not reveal any flaws. Chu You¡¯s slender fingers gently fiddled with the edge of the wine glass, and his eyes darkened. Yuan Zhe had seen the Emperor three times since he entered the capital and thought of the same thing as Chu You. He thought for a while and said in a low voice, ¡°Your Highness, this is no small matter. Can you confirm if it¡¯s reliable?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Chu You said with a slight nod, his narrow eagle eyes narrowing. What he did not say was that he had something on the Yan family. This was equivalent to him holding the lives of the entire family in his hands, so Imperial Physician Yan did not dare to play tricks on him. The private room fell silent. Yuan Zhe drank his wine in silence. After drinking two cups in a row, he relaxed slightly. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s not impossible¡­¡± Chu You was overjoyed when he heard this. On this matter, he had to obtain the support of the Yuan family and let them deal with it. Chu You sorted out his thoughts and continued. ¡°Cousin, now that the royal court has aristocratic families, nobles, and poor families, this balance has been maintained for decades. It seems stable, but it can be broken at any time.¡± Just as Chu You had said, the power in the royal court was mainly divided into aristocratic families, nobles, and powerful ministers. Those nobles represented by the Fang family and the Li family were in charge of the military power. The ancestors of these people had basically followed Emperor Taizu to conquer the world back then and only submitted to Emperor Taizu. Emperor Taizu had personally chosen the current Emperor, so most of them were biased towards the Emperor and his son. As for those ministers from the poor families, these people were all scholars who mostly came from ordinary backgrounds. Because Emperor Taizu strongly promoted the imperial examination system, these people were able to jump through the dragon gate and enter the royal court, so these scholars were extremely pedantic. ¡°The aristocratic families have always been at odds with the poor and noble families, but we can¡¯t be at odds forever. Taking a step back is to let them know that I have tolerance.¡± A few years ago, because of the previous Emperor¡¯s intention, the status of the Yuan family and other aristocratic families kept rising. However, this change harmed the interests of the poor and noble families, causing the aristocratic families to stand opposite the poor and noble families. ¡°Cousin, Father is no longer around, and Chu Qi is sitting on the throne now. We can¡¯t just stay stiff with the nobles and the poor. Now is the best time to let Chu Yi enter the court.¡± Chu You looked at Yuan Zhe, who was sitting across the table from him, without blinking. The cousins¡¯ gazes met in midair. One was domineering, the other gentle. Chu You did not hide the exuberant ambition in his eyes. He was like an extremely aggressive wild leopard. Yuan Zhe was expressionless at first, but as he quietly stared at Chu You, a little light gradually appeared in his eyes. As a king, Kang Wang¡¯s strength and ambition were necessary. If he kept being submissive, he would be a docile sheep. How could he compete with the Emperor for the world? Moreover, as Kang Wang had just said, now was indeed an opportunity to break the stalemate between him, the nobles, and the humble class. Chu Yi was a person who was about to die, so it did not hinder them much. He could even use this to please the Emperor and make Kang Wang happy. Chapter 66 - 66 Agree 66 Agree Yuan Zhe was the first to move. This time, he picked up the flagon and refilled Chu You and his wine glass. Then, he put down the white porcelain wine pot, held the cup respectfully with both hands to Chu You, and downed the wine in one gulp. He toasted Chu You with this glass of wine. Yuan Zhe did not need to say anything else for Chu You to immediately understand his meaning. Chu You finally heaved a sigh of relief. He held the cup in one hand and toasted Yuan Zhe before drinking the wine in one gulp, his every move bold and unrestrained. Yuan Zhe filled their glasses again before saying, ¡°Your Highness, leave this matter to me.¡± He was not only talking about convincing the aristocratic families in the imperial court, but also convincing Empress Dowager Yuan. ¡°Then I¡¯ll entrust this matter to you.¡± Chu You¡¯s eyes were instantly filled with joy. He was no longer as violent and gloomy as before and looked energetic. Meeting Chu You¡¯s burning and bright eyes, Yuan Zhe felt a little complicated. A strange glint flashed across his eyes. After thinking for a moment, Yuan Zhe still chose his words carefully to remind him. ¡°Your Highness, you have to think carefully. The Third Lady of the Gu family can¡¯t help you with anything, so¡­¡± He paused for a moment and fixed his firm gaze on Chu You¡¯s face, then continued clearly. ¡°If Your Highness doesn¡¯t want to marry her as your main consort, you have to marry a daughter from an aristocratic family as your secondary consort.¡± Chu You was speechless. His expression instantly changed and tensed up. Yuan Zhe continued saying, ¡°Your Highness, this is my condition.¡± Yuan Zhe rarely told Chu You what condition he had, which clearly showed his businesslike attitude. Chu You did not say a word. His thin lips pursed into a straight line, and his hands on his knees clenched tightly, trying to suppress the dissatisfaction churning in his heart. There was dead silence in the booth and the atmosphere was stiff as the silence spread. The air gradually froze, as if a storm was brewing. Yuan Zhe met Chu You¡¯s cold and hard gaze without avoiding it. His face still maintained his persistence as he advised kindly, ¡°Your Highness, you need an aristocratic family.¡± He was not exaggerating, nor was he threatening Kang Wang. The truth was that Kang Wang indeed needed an aristocratic family to back him up. Chu You drank silently, his body still like a taut bowstring. Yuan Zhe observed the change in Chu You¡¯s expression and continued logically, ¡°Your Highness, although my Yuan family currently has some influence on the other aristocratic families, the reason why aristocratic families are aristocratic families is because they are noble and unyielding. If you want the aristocratic families to be willing to sacrifice their lives for you, Your Highness, you can¡¯t treat them as servants.¡± ¡°The daughter of an aristocratic family from a noble background will surely feel aggrieved to be a concubine. Your Highness, you have to let the aristocratic family see your sincerity.¡± Yuan Zhe spoke in one breath. In the end, he added earnestly, ¡°Your Highness, the Emperor never rules the world alone.¡± His unfinished words were that the world had always been governed by the Emperor and his subjects. If Kang Wang wanted to rule the world, he had to rely on these aristocratic families. In the future, if he wanted to rule the world, he also had to rely on these aristocratic families. The Emperor and the aristocratic families relied on each other. After that, Yuan Zhe stopped talking and just looked at Chu You steadily. Chu You also did not speak for a long time and the surroundings were silent. After an unknown period of time, Chu You finally nodded with difficulty. Yuan Zhe was relieved. He had been afraid that Kang Wang would be stubborn and love the beauties more than the country. As long as Kang Wang had the big picture in his heart, he could rest assured and have enough confidence to persuade the Empress Dowager. Chu You bowed to Yuan Zhe. ¡°I¡¯ll have to trouble you, my cousin.¡± ¡°Not at all!¡± Yuan Zhe stood up and bowed solemnly to Chu You. Chu You stood up and stroked his sleeve. ¡°Cousin, I still have something on, so I¡¯ll leave first.¡± ¡°Take care, Your Highness.¡± Yuan Zhe bowed and sent Chu You off. He could roughly guess where Chu You was going, but he did not say anything. As Yuan Zhe had expected, after Chu You left the restaurant, he rode straight to the Dingyuan Marquis Household. His handsome face was anxious, expectant, happy, and a little uneasy. He spurred his horse and galloped all the way through a few bustling streets. In less than ten minutes, he arrived at the Dingyuan Marquis Household. The eunuch knocked on the corner door of the Marquis Mansion. Without waiting for the doorkeeper to report his arrival, Chu You rudely pushed open the door and barged in aggressively. Chu You had been to the Marquis Mansion before, so the gatekeeper naturally recognized the dignified Kang Wang. He did not dare to stop him forcefully and only chased after Chu You from behind. ¡°Your Highness Kang Wang!¡± Chu You pretended not to hear him and strode forward. His figure was as straight as a sword, and he had an unstoppable aura. Along the way, some servants of the Marquis Mansion came over, but these servants also did not dare to stop the dignified Kang Wang. Chu You arrived at the main hall without any obstruction. He immediately saw Gu Yunrong in red. Her face was lowered and she stood with her knees bent. Her porcelain skin had lost its usual vigor, and her eyes were filled with suppressed grievance and unwillingness. Beside Gu Yunrong was the British Duchess, Madam Yu. At this moment, Madam Yu was picking up a hairpin from the tray held by a maidservant and slowly inserting it into Gu Yunrong¡¯s bun¡­ Chu You looked as if he had been slapped. His face instantly turned ashen, and he released a sinister pressure. He rushed into the hall like a gust of wind. The low cries of maidservants and old women rose and fell around him, but Chu You did not care. He rushed to Gu Yunrong¡¯s side with a clear goal. ¡°Slam!¡± Chu You raised his arm and slapped down, knocking over the red-painted wooden tray in the maidservant¡¯s hand. The corner of the tray struck the back of the British Duchess¡¯ hand as the hairpin and the tray both fell to the ground with a clang. The pearls on the hairpin scattered, and pearls the size of rice grains rolled to the ground. ¡°Rong¡¯er!¡± Chu You reached out his other hand at lightning speed. His thick palm grabbed Gu Yunrong¡¯s wrist and he pulled her to his side. The moment Gu Yunrong saw Chu You, her originally dim eyes bloomed with a dazzling light like a morning star. Her cherry lips moved slightly and she called out, ¡°Your Highness.¡± Her voice was husky and restrained, but her slightly moist pupils seemed to contain a thousand words. It was as if an invisible knife had stabbed deeply into Chu You¡¯s heart and was being pulled out again. He could not believe that if he had come any later, Gu Yunrong and Fang Mingfeng¡¯s marriage might have been decided¡­ He could have lost her! Just thinking about this possibility made Chu You want to die. Fortunately, he arrived in time! Fortunately, he did not lose Rong¡¯er! In the hall, Madam Gu, the British Duchess, and the matchmaker watched this scene with different expressions. The atmosphere was awkward and stiff. Kang Wang¡¯s actions were tantamount to slapping the British Monarchy¡¯s face in public. Outside the hall, pairs of curious eyes watched the commotion inside. One of the eyes belonged to Juan Bi. If Juan Bi knew, it meant that Gu Yanfei also knew. ¡°My Lady, it¡¯s a pity that you didn¡¯t see it with your own eyes. At that time, Kang Wang rushed in like a crazy bull and damaged that good hairpin. That¡¯s a hairpin from Jinyu!¡± ¡°Kang Wang held the Third Lady¡¯s hand and swore to Madam Gu that if she would give him three more days, he would definitely come back to propose marriage in style.¡± ¡°The Third Lady was so touched that her eyes turned red.¡± Juan Bi talked nonstop and gestured with her hands and feet as she spoke. When she reached the point of interest, she clapped happily. Gu Yanfei sat leisurely by the window with her back against the back of the chair. She listened absent-mindedly, playing with the phoenix-patterned jade pendant in her hand. The jade pendant was smooth and cold to the touch. Gu Yanfei gently rubbed the jade pendant with the finger of her right thumb. She focused on mobilizing the spiritual energy in her body and slowly guided the spiritual energy in the jade pendant into her body through the pores on her finger. Warm spiritual energy slowly flowed through the veins of her body¡­ Chapter 67 - 67 Disfigurement 67 Disfigurement Eh?! Juan Bi¡¯s gaze landed on the phoenix-patterned jade pendant in Gu Yanfei¡¯s hand that seemed to have lit up just now. Was it her imagination? Juan Bi rubbed her eyes and, at the same time, her mouth did not stop moving as she said, ¡°My Lady, at that time, the British Duchess¡¯ face was extremely dark, as if it was covered in dust. However, she did not dare to show off to Kang Wang, so she could only pressure Madam Gu to ask what the Gu family meant and if the engagement was still on?!¡± ¡°Before Madam Gu could answer, Kang Wang rushed to say that he wanted the British Duchess to go back and ask if the British Duke really wanted to go against him and the Empress Dowager?!¡± Juan Bi beamed with joy and added fuel to the fire. She even deliberately imitated the tone of the British Duchess talking to Kang Wang to watch the commotion. Juan Bi¡¯s words went in Gu Yanfei¡¯s left ear and out the right ear. She did not care much about Gu Yunrong and Kang Wang¡¯s matters and focused more on the jade pendant in her hand. Gu Yunzhen, who was sitting beside her, frowned worriedly. Her fair hands subconsciously clenched her handkerchief, wanting to ask what would happen next. Gu Yunzhen inevitably recalled the scene of Gu Yunrong, Kang Wang, and Fang Mingfeng fighting over a woman at Prince Jing¡¯s Manor that day and her beautiful frown deepened. Kang Wang and Fang Mingfeng were both unruly. As long as Gu Yunrong¡¯s marriage was not settled, the residence would not stop. Sometimes, Gu Yunzhen really hoped that Gu Yunrong would quickly settle the marriage with Fang Mingfeng and end everything. ¡°Ring, ring¡­¡± On the ground, a vine ball wrapped in bells rolled to Gu Yunzhen¡¯s embroidered shoe. The kitten meowed and chased after the vine ball. Her green cat eyes met Gu Yunzhen¡¯s. In an instant, Gu Yunzhen completely fell into those deep and charming cat eyes that were as deep as the sea. She wished she could give her body and mind to it. She leaned over and picked up the vine ball, tossing it out. ¡°Meow!¡± Qing Guang leaped out and slapped the rattan ball. It rolled quickly across the mirror-smooth ground. The winter sun poured into the house. The kitten¡¯s glossy fur shone in the winter sunlight, and its green eyes sparkled. Juan Bi looked at the kitten in a daze. Then, as if fascinated, they squatted down and played with Gu Yunzhen. ¡°Ring, ring¡­¡± The rattan ball rolled around and around, and the calico cat chased after it happily, its fluffy claws waving now and then, swatting, pouncing, and scratching. Only the sound of the bell echoed in the air. Gu Yanfei closed her eyes, unaware of her surroundings. Having already entered a state of mind-and-body fusion, she focused on absorbing the last bit of spiritual energy from the jade pendant into her body and converting it into her own spiritual energy. Spiritual energy washed through her limbs and organs, as if she was bathing in warm sunlight. When Gu Yanfei opened her eyes and looked at the phoenix-patterned jade pendant in her hand again, she realized that the jade pendant had already dimmed. It was no longer as lustrous as before, like a petal lacking water. It became an ordinary jade pendant. Gu Yanfei casually threw the jade pendant that she had been playing with for three days to the side and focused on sensing the spiritual energy in her body again. She was still far from drawing it into her body, but the spiritual energy absorbed from the jade pendant was very beneficial to her. When she had just been reborn, in order to save Juan Bi, who was on the verge of death, she had not hesitated to use her blood essence to draw talismans to pull her back from the gates of hell. However, this resurrection technique was forbidden by the rules of this small world and cost her lifespan. After being cleansed by the spiritual energy in the jade pendant this time, it was enough to make up for her lost lifespan. She felt refreshed and unprecedentedly relaxed. The skin on her face, neck, and hands was even more delicate and smooth than before, as if it was shining. When she opened her eyes, what she saw stunned her. Gu Yunzhen and Juan Bi were both squatting on the ground. One of them was holding a peacock tail feather and swinging it gently. The other was holding a box filled with chicken slices, waiting for the cat emperor to come. Qing Guang was like a fish in water as it patted the peacock tail feathers twice, ate some chicken slices, and came to Gu Yanfei¡¯s side with the rattan ball in its mouth. It stuffed the rattan ball into her mouth and gestured for her to play with it. ¡°¡­¡± Gu Yanfei was speechless. She grabbed the ¡°soft meat¡± on the back of the kitten¡¯s neck and picked it up. The cat widened its green eyes in shock. It could not believe that Gu Yanfei learned bad things and actually treated it like that ¡°bold and unruly person¡±. Gu Yanfei placed the kitten on her knees and covered the peephole with her other hand. Gu Yunzhen, who was squatting on the ground, blinked before returning to her senses. Her beautiful face revealed a hint of embarrassment. She quickly stood up from the ground. When she got up, her bangs were blown by the wind, revealing a slightly protruding scar on her forehead. It was about half an inch long and stood out against her fair and smooth forehead. Gu Yanfei¡¯s gaze could not help but fall on the scar. The Heavenly Tao had its own checks and balances. A person¡¯s fate was actually not so easy to change. In her previous life, Gu Yunzhen was disfigured in Prince Jing¡¯s Manor, leaving behind irreparable regrets for the rest of her life. In this life, Gu Yunzhen avoided the calamity of Prince Jing¡¯s Manor, but her face was injured by Madam Gu and her appearance was damaged again. It could be seen that some things had their own karma that could not be avoided. Because of this, Gu Yanfei had always been worried that Gu Yunzhen would leave a scar. More than half a month had passed, but this wound still did not heal. Instead, the scar worsened, becoming slightly protruding and red. Seeing Gu Yanfei staring at Gu Yunzhen¡¯s scar, Gu Yunzhen¡¯s maidservant, Fei Cui, could not help but say, ¡°The Third Madam has hired many doctors for the Eldest Lady. She¡¯s used all kinds of methods, but her injuries haven¡¯t healed.¡± ¡°Last time, because of the Third Lady, Madam Gu vented her anger on the Eldest Lady and even hurt her face. It¡¯s been so many days, but Madam Gu has never cared about the Eldest Lady.¡± ¡°Today, the British Monarchy came to make an engagement. Madam Gu wants to call the Eldest Lady over to accompany the Third Lady again. Fortunately, Second Lady, you sent Juan Bi to invite the Eldest Lady earlier today¡­¡± As she spoke, Fei Cui looked indignant. Now that things had turned out like that, Madam Gu might take it out on her daughter again and blame her for not going over to protect the Third Lady. ¡°Fei Cui,¡± Gu Yunzhen chided softly, interrupting Fei Cui. Gu Yunzhen looked at Gu Yanfei and reminded her gently, ¡°Second Sister, don¡¯t appear in front of Grandma for the next few days¡­¡± She stopped there to remind Gu Yanfei that if the marriage with the Fang family failed, Madam Gu might have designs on Gu Yanfei again. Gu Yanfei smiled. Gu Yunzhen had always been like this. She was gentle and strong, forbearing and not weak. ¡°I¡¯ll listen to you, Big Sister,¡± Gu Yanfei replied with a smile. She pulled Gu Yunzhen to sit beside her. ¡°Big Sister, when I was in Huaibei in the past, I was lucky enough to meet a traveling Taoist priest and learned some skills from him¡­¡± As she spoke, she gently tapped Gu Yunzhen¡¯s forehead with her index and middle fingers. Chapter 68 - 68 Rules 68 Rules There was clearly no wind in the room, but at this moment, a few strands of bangs on Gu Yunzhen¡¯s forehead fluttered slightly. Gu Yanfei poured spiritual energy into her fingertips, then moved them gently and drew a few strokes on Gu Yunzhen¡¯s fair forehead. Her simple movements had an indescribable beauty. Gu Yanfei poured spiritual energy into her fingertips. Then, her fingers moved gently and drew a few strokes on Gu Yunzhen¡¯s fair forehead. Her simple movements were indescribably beautiful. With just a few strokes, she drew a talisman smoothly with her fingers. Gu Yunzhen subconsciously closed her eyes. She vaguely felt a warm and comfortable sensation on her forehead, as if it had been cleansed by an invisible airflow from her forehead to her entire head. After a moment, Gu Yanfei moved her hand away. It was as if an invisible airflow was connected to Gu Yanfei¡¯s finger and Gu Yunzhen¡¯s forehead. Gu Yanfei flicked her finger and the airflow broke. Gu Yanfei smiled in satisfaction. The faint red scar on Gu Yunzhen¡¯s forehead had become extremely faint, only slightly paler than the surrounding skin. If one looked closely, they would notice that it was worlds apart from its previous slightly protruding and red appearance. Dumbfounded, Fei Cui stared at Gu Yunzhen¡¯s forehead and shouted in surprise, ¡°My Lady, the scar on your forehead has faded! It really has faded!¡± Her eyes stung with excitement and she beamed. Thinking back to the divine power that Taoist Shangqing Spiritual Master used in the Benevolent Harmony Hall that day, it seemed to be nothing much. It was said that people who were good at Tao techniques had the ability to revive the dead. Could it be that the Second Lady was the same? When Fei Cui looked at Gu Yanfei again, there was more than gratitude on her face, and she was about to kneel down. Gu Yanfei guessed what Fei Cui was thinking and smiled without saying anything. She had already seen the methods of the ¡°Taoist Doctor¡± in this small world. This was a Tao technique within the rules of the Heavenly Tao. Others could use it, but she could also use it without harming her lifespan. Ever since she met Shangqing Spiritual Master, she had begun to slowly explore the limits of the rules of the Heavenly Tao. Gu Yunzhen subconsciously raised her hand to touch her forehead. Seeing this, Fei Cui quickly took a mercury mirror beside her and showed it to Gu Yunzhen. The mercury mirror was invented by Emperor Taizu. Not only was Emperor Taizu¡¯s martial arts far superior to that of mortals, but he was also an inventor who was good at mechanics. He invented the mercury mirror, windmills, artillery, and so on. The palm-sized mercury mirror was as smooth as ice, clearly reflecting Gu Yunzhen¡¯s face. Gu Yunzhen looked at herself in the mirror in a daze, her face still filled with disbelief¡­ A faint smile bloomed on her beautiful lips and slowly spread to the corners of her eyes and into her eyes, like a peony flower suddenly blooming under the dazzling sunlight. ¡°Second Sister, you¡¯re really amazing!¡± Gu Yunzhen praised sincerely. Fei Cui nodded repeatedly and sighed. ¡°Second Lady, the Taoist priest who taught you this method must be a god!¡± Fei Cui was even more excited than Gu Yunzhen. Her eldest daughter had always been gentle, magnanimous, and understanding. Despite having the scar on her forehead this time, she always said that it was fine, and that her bangs could cover the scar. However, how could a girl not care about her appearance! Thinking of her master, Gu Yanfei¡¯s smile was tainted with nostalgia. She nodded and said, ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°To him, this is just a small trick.¡± Gu Yunzhen also looked fascinated when she heard this. ¡°This is also your opportunity, Second Sister.¡± Gu Yanfei smiled happily. Fei Cui thought of Gu Yunzhen¡¯s wedding date and said to Gu Yunzhen in high spirits, ¡°My Lady, when the Third Madam sees that your face has recovered, she will definitely be overjoyed.¡± ¡°Meow, meow, meow!¡± The kitten meowed angrily on Gu Yanfei¡¯s knee, dissatisfied that it had been ignored. Gu Yunzhen subconsciously looked for the cat and gently stroked its fur. Its glossy fur was smooth and soft, and it felt extremely good to the touch. Just as she was about to hug the kitten, she heard the maidservant¡¯s slightly uneasy report from the central room outside the curtain. ¡°Second Lady, Miss Bai Lu from the Benevolent Harmony Hall is here.¡± Seeing the look that Gu Yanfei gave her, Juan Bi lifted the curtain and left. When she returned, she was followed by Bai Lu, who was dressed in an aqua loose coat. Bai Lu walked up to Gu Yanfei with a smile and bowed politely. ¡°Second Lady, I¡¯m here on Madam Gu¡¯s orders to take that phoenix-patterned jade pendant.¡± ¡°Madam Gu asked me to remind you that only when the Gu family is well will you be well.¡± Bai Lu observed Gu Yanfei¡¯s expression and subconsciously clenched her handkerchief. Gu Yanfei smiled and nodded. ¡°Madam is right.¡± She covered her clear eyes and did not let it cause trouble. With her free hand, she picked up the phoenix-patterned jade pendant that she had thrown aside just now and casually rubbed the jade pendant with the finger of her index finger. Where her fingertips brushed, a white light flashed unnoticeably across the jade pendant. The smile on Gu Yanfei¡¯s lips deepened as she handed the jade pendant to Bai Lu. ¡°Thank you, Second Lady.¡± Bai Lu took the phoenix-patterned jade pendant respectfully with both hands and heaved a sigh of relief. There was a huge commotion in the hall, and neither Kang Wang nor the British Duchess were willing to back down. The British Duchess did not dare to go against Kang Wang, so she took her anger out on Madam Gu and threatened to get the British Monarchy to impeach the Gu family. Madam Gu did not want to fall out with the British Monarchy. She comforted the British Duchess and quickly instructed Bai Lu to come and find Gu Yanfei to take this phoenix-patterned jade pendant. Bai Lu was originally worried that Gu Yanfei would not be willing to hand over the jade pendant readily, and did not expect things to go so smoothly. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go back and report to Madam.¡± Bai Lu smiled in relief. She curtsied and left in a hurry. Watching Bai Lu¡¯s back disappear through the curtain, Gu Yunzhen frowned and could not help but whisper, ¡°Second Sister, that jade pendant is Aunt¡¯s¡­¡± She was only halfway through her sentence when Gu Yanfei casually stuffed Qing Guang into her arms. At the same time, she let go of her hand covering the green cat¡¯s eye, and its eyes met Gu Yunzhen¡¯s. Qing Guang was really cute! Gu Yunzhen immediately submitted to the charm of a cat and fell under the magic of those blue eyes. ¡°Qing Guang, play with Big Sister for a while.¡± Gu Yanfei stood up with a smile and flicked the cat¡¯s forehead, meaning to play with her. ¡°Meow!¡± Qing Guang meowed proudly. After a while, the bell of the rolling rattan ball sounded again in the room. Everyone¡¯s attention was on the cat, so no one noticed that Gu Yanfei had walked out of the boudoir alone. The ringing behind her faded. When she walked out of Yuheng Garden, nothing could be heard. Gu Yanfei went straight to the outer gate. The capital was even colder in mid-November. The cold wind howled, but Gu Yanfei did not feel cold at all. She was only wearing a thin and simple dress, and her plain clothes fluttered with the cold wind. Not long after, they saw the British Duchess walking elegantly in their direction. Behind her were seven or eight maidservants carrying heavy boxes. The British Duchess in a dark red cloak trimmed with mink fur was as dignified and luxurious as ever. Her graceful face was tense, and her eyes were surging with extremely complicated emotions. They were filled with anger, irritation, and panic. The moment she saw Gu Yanfei, she slowed down slightly. Her beautiful lips pursed into a cold line, and the anger that had been suppressed in her chest for a long time finally had an outlet at this moment. Chapter 69 - 69 Honesty 69 Honesty ¡°Isn¡¯t this Second Lady Gu?!¡± The British Duchess stopped beside her twin horse, the Emerald Pearl Eight Treasures Carriage. She sneered softly. ¡°Does the Gu family have any rules?!¡± ¡°Why did you come here to stop me? Could it be that you can¡¯t bear to part with your engagement to the British Monarchy? Shameless!¡± The British Duchess did not hide the disdain and contempt in her words. She vented all the coldness and mockery she had suffered from Kang Wang on Gu Yanfei. She subconsciously touched the jade pendant hidden in her sleeve pocket. Since she had this jade pendant, she had nothing to worry about. Hmph, she did not like Gu Yanfei or Gu Yunrong. They were all the same and were not worthy of her son at all! ¡°Does your grandmother know that you¡¯re here?¡± The British Duchess took another step closer to Gu Yanfei, her chin high, her expression sharp, impatient, and disgusted. Gu Yanfei stood rooted to the ground and looked at her calmly. The British Duchess¡¯ fussy and disgusted face overlapped with that of her previous life, and the other party¡¯s mean words seemed like yesterday. Gu Yanfei smiled casually. ¡°Does the Crown Prince know that the Duchess is here today?¡± she asked. As if a bucket of cold water had been poured over her head, the British Duchess¡¯ anger was suddenly extinguished, and her expression froze for a moment. Although she quickly regained her composure and was expressionless, that short moment of loss of composure did not escape Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes. Gu Yanfei remained where she was. Her sleeves and skirt floated in the direction of the British Duchess, as if she was approaching her. ¡°If the Crown Prince finds out that the Duchess didn¡¯t come for him today, he will be very disappointed,¡± Gu Yanfei said coldly and calmly. ¡°¡­¡± The British Duchess¡¯ pupils constricted, and the shock in her eyes intensified. She had made this trip and made such a big hooha that had also embarrassed the British Monarchy. Of course, it was not for the sake of making a decision, but how did Gu Yanfei know?! She told herself: No, that¡¯s impossible. It¡¯s impossible for Gu Yanfei to know! As if seeing through her thoughts, a faint smile appeared on Gu Yanfei¡¯s face. She sighed and said, ¡°Sigh, the Crown Prince is really pitiful. Not only was his love snatched away, but he was also bullied by his mother while kept in the dark.¡± ¡°How disappointed he¡¯ll be when he finds out.¡± ¡°Is it so difficult to be honest?!¡± Her voice was fleeting and ethereal, and there was an indescribable bewitching quality to it. The air seemed to be lifted by the demonic words and flowed directly toward the right sleeve pocket of the British Duchess. The sleeve pocket lit up quickly, but no one noticed. The cold wind was like a knife, hurting the face of the British Duchess, and her eyes flickered with uncertainty. The British Duchess composed herself and said coldly, ¡°What are you trying to say?!¡± She had suspected that Gu Yanfei was waiting for her here to ask for the jade pendant, but now, it didn¡¯t seem like it. Gu Yanfei smiled politely from beginning to end. She reached out and said, ¡°Have a safe trip, Duchess.¡± The more polite she was, the more the British Duchess felt that Gu Yanfei had ulterior motives. She stared fixedly at the other party¡¯s big black eyes, feeling uneasy. However, she could not bring herself to say anything more to Gu Yanfei, and only said coldly to her nanny, ¡°Return to the residence!¡± Holding her nanny¡¯s hand with one hand and holding her skirt with the other, she hurriedly stepped onto the horse stool, intending to get into the carriage. Unexpectedly, she accidentally stepped on her skirt and staggered forward. Even as the maidservant and nanny hurried to help her, the British Duchess¡¯ knee slammed into the carriage and she cried out in pain. Even the hairpin in her bun was askew and disheveled. Gu Yanfei chuckled and left. Her laughter disappeared in the strong cold wind. ¡°¡­¡± The British Duchess had never been so embarrassed in her life and her face burned. After she stabilized herself, she hurriedly got into the carriage as if escaping. Soon, the luxurious carriage drove out of the west corner gate and left the Dingyuan Marquis Household. On the way back to the British Mansion, the British Duchess kept feeling uneasy. One moment, she was thinking about Kang Wang, the next moment, she was thinking about Gu Yanfei, the next moment, she was thinking about her son, Fang Mingfeng, and the next moment¡­ Thoughts raced through her mind and she hadn¡¯t even taken a sip of tea. When the tea cooled and she arrived at the British Mansion, her heart was still in turmoil. Just as her feet landed on the bluestone floor of the British Mansion, she heard Fang Mingfeng¡¯s anxious and excited voice. ¡°Mother!¡± Fang Mingfeng rushed towards the British Duchess like a gust of wind. Half of the young man¡¯s well-defined face was perfect, and the other half was covered in fine scars that were slightly covered by his bangs. A few feet behind, two guards were chasing him. They were relieved to see the British Duchess back. ¡°Mother, where did you go just now? Is it the Gu family¡¯s manor?¡± Fang Mingfeng stopped three steps away and asked anxiously, his eyes shining with anticipation. For the past few days, he had been more or less depressed after being ordered by his father to be locked in his room and was not allowed to go out. It was only today that he heard from the old woman sweeping the courtyard that the Duchess had gone to the Gu family to propose an engagement that he regained his spirits. Meeting her son¡¯s expectant eyes, the British Duchess stiffened and her eyes wandered. She had another motive for going to the Gu family today. The British Duchess clenched her fists in her sleeves. She wanted to brush it off casually, but just as the words were about to leave her mouth, Gu Yanfei¡¯s ethereal voice suddenly sounded in her ears. Every word seemed to be engraved in her heart, especially the last sentence: ¡°Is it so difficult to be honest?!¡± Was it so difficult to be honest?! Yes, the mother and son had once been close and honest with each other. The jade pendant in her sleeve pocket burned slightly, and a heat flowed from the pores of her skin into her heart. An inexplicable urge rose in her heart. Her eyes gradually unfocused, and they looked empty, as if her soul had been extracted. ¡°Mingfeng,¡± the British Duchess said involuntarily. ¡°I just went to the Gu family to propose an engagement with Rong¡¯er.¡± That was good news! Fang Mingfeng was overjoyed and in high spirits. The British Duchess continued with a look of realization, ¡°Rong¡¯er agreed¡­¡± Fang Mingfeng¡¯s eyes shone with an irresistible light, but his mother continued, ¡°But Kang Wang suddenly barged in and pulled Rong¡¯er away¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± The corners of Fang Mingfeng¡¯s lips that had just curled up froze. His flying heart suddenly raced, and his heart constricted tightly, such that he could barely breathe. The British Duchess said stiffly, ¡°Kang Wang broke the hairpin I prepared for Rong¡¯er and even chased me out of the Gu family¡­¡± Fang Mingfeng clenched his fists tightly, and his entire body seemed to be enveloped in frost. His hatred for Kang Wang rose with his mother¡¯s few words. It was as if a treasure had been forcefully snatched away! He hated Kang Wang!! Chapter 70 - 70 Broken Jade 70 Broken Jade Whoosh¡ª A bone-chilling wind howled and crackled against the branches. The cold wind burrowed into her collar and the British Duchess shuddered. Her dazed eyes were focused again, and her mind returned to the present. She came to her senses and it was only at this moment that she realized that she had said everything she shouldn¡¯t have. Her heart was pounding uncontrollably, and she was flustered. She did not understand what had just happened to her. Why had she blurted out everything! Was she possessed by a ghost?! Thump thump thump! Feeling uneasy, the British Duchess looked around anxiously and felt a cold wind blow past her. ¡°Mingfeng¡­¡± She wanted to remedy the situation and explain, but she felt a burning sensation in her right sleeve. It was so hot that it was as if a flame was burning. The British Duchess let out a soft cry and quickly took out the phoenix-patterned jade pendant from her sleeve pocket. She realized that the suet white jade pendant had shattered into seven or eight pieces. The fragments of the jade pendant were so hot that they almost burned her. How could this be?! The British Duchess was shocked and bewildered. She felt as if countless ants were drilling through her heart and did not notice Fang Mingfeng¡¯s ugly expression at all. Fang Mingfeng¡¯s eyes were red as he clenched his fists tighter and tighter, his joints cracking. Kang Wang, it was Kang Wang Chu You again! What could he not compare to Kang Wang?! In the next moment, he could not help but think of what Gu Yanfei had said back then. ¡°Fang Mingfeng, in terms of status, you can¡¯t compete with Kang Wang.¡± ¡°In terms of looks¡­ What do you plan to use to compete with Kang Wang?¡± That disdainful voice pierced Fang Mingfeng¡¯s heart like a nail, filling his heart with excruciating pain. It was also as if he had been pushed into a bottomless abyss from behind. Fang Mingfeng felt that his surroundings were dark and cold, completely engulfing him, making him unable to see any hope. His throat was filled with a fishy sweetness. He vomited a mouthful of blood from his throat, staining his thin lips red. ¡°Mingfeng!¡± The British Duchess shouted in shock, her heart aching. ¡°Quick¡­ quickly get a doctor.¡± Worried about her son, she forgot about the broken jade pendant in her hand. The pieces of the jade pendant slipped out of her hand and fell to the ground, but no one paid attention to them. The surrounding servants were in chaos. Fang Mingfeng pretended not to hear her and rushed out. Behind him, the British Duchess shouted in a trembling voice, ¡°Mingfeng, where are you going!¡± He was going to settle scores with Kang Wang! Fang Mingfeng stumbled out of the residence. The doorkeeper and the other servants were at a loss and hesitant, not knowing if they should stop him, until a loud and dignified male voice came from the northwest. ¡°Men, capture the Crown Prince!¡± A young and rough-looking man in a sapphire blue brocade robe strode over. He had a beard and a strong, burly figure. As he walked over, he stared coldly at Fang Mingfeng with bright eyes. Behind the man was a pageboy who was panting. Just now, when he saw the Crown Prince hurt the guard and run out, he quickly ran to report to the Duke. Fortunately, he was not too late. ¡°Yes, Duke!¡± The guards hurriedly cupped their fists at the man in the embroidered robe and accepted the order. The guards no longer hesitated and boldly stepped forward to stop Fang Mingfeng. They did not hold back at all and firmly restrained his arms. ¡°Let go of me! I want to find Chu You!¡± Fang Mingfeng¡¯s heart was filled with anger and jealousy. He roared hysterically and struggled, revealing the left side of his face that was covered in thin, abnormally ferocious scars. The British Duke frowned and waved his hand. The guards immediately understood and forcefully dragged Fang Mingfeng down. ¡°¡­¡± The British Duchess looked at her son¡¯s back and hesitated. In the end, she did not dare to plead for her son. The British Duke¡¯s heavy gaze shifted to the British Duchess again. Noticing the pieces of jade pendant scattered by her skirt, he took a second look. ¡°My Lord¡­¡± The British Duchess quickly took a step away, her long skirt blocking the broken jade pendants. The British Duke didn¡¯t want to listen to her nonsense at all and interrupted her. ¡°Well?¡± The British Duchess gritted her teeth nervously. Cold sweat broke out on her back, and frustration, anger, and suppressed emotions filled her chest. She pretended to be calm and said in a low voice, ¡°You asked me to go to the Gu family, so I went. Kang Wang also came¡­ As you wished.¡± She gritted her teeth as she said the last few words. She glared angrily at the British Duke, her body trembling with anger. In the past few days, not only had Fang Mingfeng been depressed, but so had the British Duchess. It was as if the world had suddenly reversed overnight and the person beside her had become a stranger who terrified her. She really did not understand why he wanted her to go to the Gu family to be humiliated for no reason! Fortunately, her trip this time was not fruitless. At least she had retrieved the jade pendant¡­ A strange glint flashed across the British Duchess¡¯ eyes, and her plump chest heaved violently. She looked up into the British Duke¡¯s eyes and said, ¡°Fang Huairui, our son is going to become the laughing stock of the entire capital. Are you happy and satisfied?¡± Fang Huairui¡¯s gaze was like a knife stabbing at the British Duchess. Cold air filled the air as their gazes met fiercely in midair in a silent showdown. An extremely complicated emotion flashed across Fang Huairui¡¯s eyes, and in the end, there was only deep disappointment. He flicked his sleeves heavily and walked in the direction of the outer study. ¡°Madam Yu, don¡¯t go out for no reason.¡± This sentence was equivalent to a grounding order for the British Duchess. ¡°¡­¡± Madam Yu trembled in embarrassment and anger. She wanted to chase after him, but her years of upbringing made her unable to let go of her pride as a daughter of an aristocratic family. In the end, she did not move. Her face flushed and she felt as if the servants around her were looking at her with thorns. ¡°Bang!¡± The door of the British Mansion closed tightly, shutting out the commotion in the mansion. Outsiders were not allowed to snoop, but it could not stop them from gossiping. Today, the British Duchess had gone in a flashy manner, so almost half of the capital knew that the Fang family had gone to the Gu family to propose an engagement. Now that the British Duchess had returned with all the engagement gifts, it made people wonder if the Gu family had rejected this marriage. Logically speaking, for the marriage to reach this stage, the two families must have been discussing the marriage long ago. It was impossible for the British Monarchy to come and propose marriage for no reason. Especially with Kang Wang¡¯s sudden intrusion, this marriage was the focus of heated discussion. In the next few days, everyone in the capital could not help but make guesses. All kinds of rumors spread like wildfire and became more and more lively. There were even busybodies who ran to the British Monarchy to test the waters. Unfortunately, the British Monarchy closed its doors and refused guests. Many people were waiting to watch a good show. They were looking forward to seeing if there would be some melodramatic scene between Kang Wang and the British Monarchy. The British Duke Fang Huairui, who was the center of public opinion, finally left the residence and entered the palace after three days. He did not go to court, but was led all the way to the East Warm Pavilion by the eunuch. ¡°Your Highness, the matter has been settled.¡± Fang Huairui lowered his head and solemnly cupped his fists at the person behind the desk. An incense burner was lit in the corner, filling the air with the thick scent of sandalwood. Behind the desk, Chu Yi sat leisurely in a red brocade robe. Chapter 71 - 71 Chess Piece 71 Chess Piece Usually, Chu Yi was dressed in snow-white clothes. Today, he was wearing a rare red dress that made his skin look even fairer and peerlessly beautiful. It was clearly a bright red color like a peony, but he wore it with a clear and aloof temperament. He was playing with a short sword between his slender fingers, and his movements were carefree and agile. An unfathomable aura surrounded him and added to his unruliness. The warm room was as warm as spring, but cold sweat seeped out of Fang Huairui¡¯s broad forehead, and his tall body was tense. He had experienced the tempering of the battlefield and the turmoil in the royal court and was considered a person who could hold his own. However, when facing the Eldest Prince, he was actually suppressed to the point of being unable to raise his head. Fang Huairui did not dare to move and maintained his cupped fists. Time seemed to have slowed down. ¡°Swoosh!¡± The short sword was drawn an inch from its sheath. The silver blade shone coldly, and the subtle sound echoed in Fang Huairui¡¯s ears like lightning, making the sweat on his neck become denser. Chu Yi said calmly, ¡°Very good.¡± His voice was as clear as a zither, neither fast nor slow, neither light nor heavy, but also unclear. It was unknown if he was saying that the sword was very good or if he was talking about something else. The two words suddenly relaxed the stagnant air, and some of the invisible authority dissipated. Fang Huairui felt relieved, as if he had been forcefully pressed into the water for the time it took to brew a cup of tea, and had only now been picked up. He roughly raised his hand to wipe away his cold sweat with mixed feelings. The Eldest Prince, Chu Yi, had left the Great Jin Dynasty for eight years, so no one in the imperial court knew him well and most people did not have a high evaluation of him. After all, having been a hostage in the enemy country for eight years, it was obvious that the State of Yue would not raise him well! Therefore, the nobles in the imperial court were all waiting and watching the Eldest Prince¡¯s attitude, including the Fang family. Furthermore, after Chu Yi returned to the capital, he had been silent and allowed Kang Wang to press on and make things difficult for him. To outsiders, he looked helpless. At that time, Fang Huairui did not take Chu Yi seriously. He never expected Chu Yi to be so shrewd at such a young age. It was fine if he did not make a move, but once he did, he was unstoppable. Over the past few days, Fang Huairui had already deeply experienced the power of the Eldest Prince and did not dare to slight him anymore. ¡°As long as Your Highness is satisfied,¡± Fang Huairui said. A forthright smile appeared on his bearded face. Recalling the entire sequence of events, he still felt a little shocked. The marriage between the Fang and Gu families had been decided more than ten years ago. However, a few months ago, the Gu family suddenly proposed to change people at the last minute without giving a reason. What did they mean by who gave birth to whom? These messy matters were all family matters of the Gu family, so Fang Huairui did not care and could not be bothered to investigate. Since the Gu family was not sincere about this marriage, Fang Huairui thought that they would not get married. However, Madam Yu insisted, so he did not interfere. Until four days ago, the Eldest Prince, Chu Yi, had summoned him to an audience and asked him to submit a memorial to impeach Kang Wang for snatching his wife. The British Monarchy¡¯s status was stable, so there was no need to take sides at all, nor was there a need to fight for meritorious service. Therefore, Fang Huairui originally did not want to be involved in the internal strife between the two sides of the royal family and planned to pretend to be stupid and reject it. However, Chu Yi showed him a ledger, scaring him out of his wits. Only then did he know that Madam had helped her family use the name of the British Monarchy to secretly occupy a few iron ore mountains in Yuzhou to privately mine stones. The local authorities turned a blind eye and did not dare to interfere. Although the people who benefited from this matter were the Yu family, the Yu family was fighting against the Fang family in the name of the outside world. The two families were in-laws, so the Fang family could not sever ties at all, and he could not escape the crime of ¡°not strictly controlling his wife¡±¡­ According to the law, iron ore was owned by the country and could not be privately mined by the people. The crime of seizing iron ore was not light. It could give the Emperor enough excuse to seize the hereditary title of Duke of the Fang family and lower his status to a Marquis or even an Earl. The Fang family¡¯s current status was obtained by the Fang family¡¯s ancestor at the cost of his life, flesh, and blood. This status could not be lost because of him! After weighing the pros and cons, Fang Huairui had no choice but to agree. That was why he had submitted a letter of impeachment for three consecutive days. After that, under Chu Yi¡¯s instructions, he asked Madam to go to the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion to propose an engagement and cause a commotion that could shock the entire capital. In fact, Chu Yi had never explained his intentions. He would only instruct Fang Huairui to do what needed to be done. However, Fang Huairui had eyes that could see and a brain that could think. In the past few days, Fang Huairui had been panicking at first. Later, he gradually calmed down and planned to find a new turning point in the crisis. Ever since then, he had been quietly observing the young Eldest Prince. It had to be said that Chu Yi¡¯s strategies, his grasp of timing, his estimation of the human heart, and his understanding of the big picture made Fang Huairui look at him in a new light. He was so young, but his thoughts were so meticulous. He hid behind the scenes and managed to push things step by step to the situation he wanted. Everyone was just a pawn in his hands. Thud! Thud! Fang Huairui¡¯s heart suddenly raced twice. His eyes were bright and filled with excitement. With Chu Yi¡¯s schemes and methods, he was clearly a wise master worthy of loyalty. Kang Wang was powerful, and Chu Yi needed the help of the nobles. The Fang family also needed Chu Yi. Hence, working together was beneficial to both sides. In fact, if the Fang family could help Chu Yi achieve something, they could even rise to a higher level! At this moment, Chu Yi completely pulled out the short sword and carefully sized up the thin and sharp blade. Without looking at Fang Huairui, he said, ¡°Fang Huairui, sit down.¡± Fang Huairui was finally relieved when he heard this, and the smile on his face deepened. Being in no hurry to sit down, he cupped his hands casually and bargained with Chu Yi with a smile. ¡°Your Highness, on account of the fact that I¡¯ve done this job for you, can you exonerate me? Don¡¯t worry, Your Highness. I¡¯ll definitely handle Madam Yu!¡± Fang Huairui smiled warmly, as if he had known Chu Yi for many years. From his words, it was as if he had not been forced by Chu Yi this time, but had received an errand. He was indeed sincere in his words. After this lesson, not only would he restrain the Yu family, but he would also not let them off easily. Chu Yi chuckled and casually waved his sword. His simple movements were as smooth as flowing water. The silver sword light reflected in Fang Huairui¡¯s eyes, making him a little dazzled. His heart tightened and he was shocked. Feeling that something was wrong, he recalled what he had just said, but could not think of anything wrong with it. Chu Yi simply sheathed the sword, then put it aside with a clatter. He asked, ¡°Fang Huairui, do you know that there¡¯s another person hidden in the Yu family?¡± His tone was very calm, as if he was chatting with Fang Huairui. ¡°¡­¡± Fang Huairui looked at Chu Yi in shock and confusion. Chu Yi said slowly, ¡°In February of the first year of the Heavenly Calendar, a great-aunt from the Yu family returned with her newborn son.¡± ¡°A year ago, when Empress Yu and Emperor Hongwu died in the sea of fire, she was said to be eight months pregnant. When Chu Yi said these two sentences, it was as if he was talking about an unimportant matter or a needle hidden in cotton wool. Chapter 72 - 72 Court Attendance 72 Court Attendance There was an instant silence in the East Warm Pavilion and time seemed to have frozen. When the incense in the incense burner burned out, the eunuch quickly replaced the new incense without making a sound. ¡°¡­¡± Fang Huairui felt like there was a mountain of blades and a sea of fire under his feet. He almost jumped up and clenched his fists so hard that his knuckles turned white. No matter how slow he was, he understood what Chu Yi meant. His face was as calm as water. Fang Huairui¡¯s tall and burly body tensed up again, like a spear standing on the battlefield filled with corpses. He took a deep breath and asked clearly, ¡°Your Highness, do you mean that the Yu family took in the prince of the previous dynasty?¡± The words were almost squeezed from between his teeth, and his heart constricted into a ball. Chu Yi smiled without saying anything. Fang Huairui panicked even more, as if countless ants were crawling in his heart. Originally, although the account book in Chu Yi¡¯s hand would cause some damage to the Fang family, he knew that with his and the Fang family¡¯s status, as long as he was willing to submit to Chu Yi, this matter would most likely be resolved. And now, the nature of the Yu family¡¯s matter was completely different. If the Yu family really died as Chu Yi had said, even if they did not deserve to offend their married daughter, this matter would not end well. Since the Yu family dared to privately occupy the iron mine for the Yu family behind his back, they might even do something treasonous under the name of the British Monarchy behind his back. Thinking of this, Fang Huairui felt a chill in his feet and a bone-chilling coldness rushed to his head. His beard trembled slightly and he could not help but ask, ¡°This matter is not trivial. Does Your Highness have evidence?¡± Instead of answering, Chu Yi asked, ¡°Why does the Yu family insist on marrying into the Dingyuan Marquis Household?¡± Fang Huairui: ¡°¡­¡± In fact, Fang Huairui had also asked Madam Yu this question. Madam Yu said that the Gu family¡¯s Gu Yunrong had good birth characters, and she had even hired someone to calculate that Gu Yunrong could help her husband¡¯s family. Fang Huairui could not say if he believed in these things, nor did he care too much. Anyway, Madam Yu would not harm her biological son, right? But now that she thought about it, the entire matter was filled with doubts and puzzling things. Thud! Thud! Fang Huairui¡¯s heart suddenly beat faster like a drum, and cold sweat began to break out on his forehead again. From Chu Yi¡¯s appearance, he did not seem to be spouting nonsense. A gentle smile appeared on Chu Yi¡¯s lips, and the dark red mole under his eye was as dazzling as a gem in the sunlight as he said, ¡°The Yu family¡¯s great-aunt, whose surname is Bai, is a noble family in Qingzhou. Her husband is weak, so she only gave birth to a son after seven years. In February of the first year of the Heavenly Calendar, the Bai family burned down and the entire family died. Because the Yu family was visiting her family, she was lucky to escape. After that, the Yu family made the decision and the Bai family¡¯s patriarch allowed her to return with her son.¡± ¡°After that, not only did the Yu family give the thousand acres of land in Qingzhou to the Bai family, but they also gave the salt in Qingzhou to the Bai family¡­ Fang Huairui, why do you think this is?¡± ¡°¡­¡± The muscles on Fang Huairui¡¯s cheeks trembled rapidly, and he was speechless again. He did not like the arrogant aristocratic family in the Yu family and had been far away from them all these years. However, he did not expect the Yu family to be so bold! After a pause, Chu Yi smiled gently. ¡°Do you want me to continue?¡± Without waiting for an answer, Chu Yi continued, ¡°The previous dynasty¡¯s Empress Yu had a suet white jade pendant that was passed down in the Yu family. It was round and engraved with eyeless phoenix patterns.¡± ¡°One of Empress Yu¡¯s portraits was accompanied by this jade, but this jade pendant was never seen again after Empress Yu¡¯s death.¡± ¡°Have you seen it before?¡± Chu Yi looked straight at Fang Huairui with certainty. His eyes locked onto him, and his smile was warm. He was clearly smiling, but it made one¡¯s heart turn cold. Fang Huairui¡¯s eyes widened and a hint of confusion flashed across his eyes. For some reason, he felt that the jade pendant Chu Yi described seemed familiar, and Chu Yi¡¯s words seemed to be meant for him. Could it be that he had seen Empress Yu¡¯s jade pendant somewhere?! Fang Huairui tried his best to search his memories, his eyebrows tightly furrowed. An image flashed through Fang Huairui¡¯s mind. That day, there was a broken jade pendant made of suet white jade by Madam Yu¡¯s skirt. At that time, Madam Yu even took a step back to try to block the broken jade pendant, obviously up to something. Fang Huairui recalled the appearance of the broken jade pendant. It had been smashed into five or six pieces, but judging from its outline, it should be a round jade pendant with a phoenix engraved on it¡­ The phoenix had no eyes! Fang Huairui¡¯s eyebrows twitched and his breathing deepened. He slowly raised his head to look at Chu Yi again. His neck was stiff, his eyes were even more respectful, and his heart was in chaos. The problem was, how did Chu Yi know that he had seen Empress Yu¡¯s jade pendant?! How did Chu Yi know about the British Monarchy?! Chu Yi had been a hostage in the State of Yue for many years. When did he set up spies in the British Monarchy?! Did he also set up spies in other mansions in the capital?! Fang Huairui immediately felt a chill run down his spine. He felt as if Chu Yi had seen his every move. The Yu family thought that they could hide it from the world, but they did not know that neither the Yu family nor the Fang family had any secrets from Chu Yi!! At this moment, Fang Huairui really wanted to slaughter the entire Yu family. ¡°Fang Huairui, do you think I can absolve the Fang family of their crimes?¡± Chu Yi threw Fang Huairui¡¯s question back at him, a graceful and leisurely smile on his handsome face. Those beautiful phoenix eyes were so dark that they were bottomless. They were as vast as the night sky and as bright as the stars, quietly shining with a cold light. Finally, Fang Huairui lifted his robe and knelt down silently. He knelt on the cold and hard golden brick floor with his head extremely low. It was a gesture of submission. In the time it took to brew a cup of tea, Fang Huairui felt as if he had walked through an abyss of suffering and tasted all the flavors of life. It was so quiet that one could almost hear the leaves floating down the branches outside the window. Fang Huairui held his breath and waited, his heart in his throat. Suddenly, light footsteps sounded from behind. A thin middle-aged eunuch came to Fang Huairui¡¯s side and bowed to Chu Yi. ¡°Your Highness, the Emperor invites you to court.¡± Fang Huairui¡¯s eyelids trembled as he knelt on the ground. He could not help but look up at Chu Yi, who was sitting behind the imperial desk. The big red leather robe he was wearing shone faintly under the light of the rising sun. The leather robe was the uniform of the prince. It was obvious that Chu Yi had expected everything today and was even certain that Kang Wang would submit. Every step of the entire matter was within his calculations, showing how his meticulousness had reached an admirable level! Everyone said that Kang Wang was talented and good at martial arts. In his opinion, Kang Wang was probably far inferior to his nephew. Chu Yi got up gracefully, ignored Fang Huairui who was kneeling on the ground, and went out of the East Warm Pavilion. The middle-aged eunuch followed behind him like a most loyal shadow. The brilliance of the rising sun poured down, reflecting dazzling light on the glazed tiles above the palaces, resplendent and magnificent. The entire palace was empty and quiet, as if no one was there. Chu Yi walked unhurriedly from the East Warm Pavilion to the main entrance of the throne room. In the throne room, the emperor sat on a high golden dragon chair. On either side of him were the civil and military officials standing in two rows. Everyone from the emperor to the ministers obviously noticed Chu Yi¡¯s arrival, and their eyes flocked to him like waves. Chapter 73 - 73 Omen 73 Omen Chu Yi¡¯s appearance eclipsed the golden splendor in the room, making the civil and military officials in the hall the backdrop. Facing everyone¡¯s gazes, Chu Yi¡¯s eyes were calm and quiet as he walked slowly at his own pace. His sleeves and robes fluttered in the wind with his every move, elegant and noble, as if he was stepping on clouds, making people find it extremely pleasing to the eye. Everyone only had eyes for him, and everything else around him had disappeared. Silence filled the hall as everyone held their breaths and focused. Hundreds of gazes stared at Chu Yi in a daze. Some were sizing him up, some were thinking, some were looking forward to it, some were weighing it, some were disapproving, and some were anticipating. How would the Eldest Prince¡¯s entry into the court affect them?! This question appeared in the minds of the ministers. Everyone was silent, each with their own thoughts. Perhaps only the Emperor looked at Chu Yi with heartfelt joy and bright eyes. His son was finally back! The moment Chu Yi stepped into the throne room, the sky outside suddenly darkened. The rising sun was blocked by dark clouds that covered the sky. ¡°Sizzle!¡± A huge bolt of lightning split the sky like a huge blade that slashed down from above. Immediately afterwards, a heavy rainstorm fell from the sky, pouring down like a waterfall. The storm formed a dense curtain of water, and bean-sized raindrops hit the tiles fiercely. They made noises as they hit the branches and the ground, making the wet air feel unusually oppressive. In the boudoir, Gu Yanfei was drawing talismans. Her hand was still as steady as ever, and she only put away her brush after drawing the last stroke. In the next moment, a faint light rapidly reversed from the end of the big red rune back to where it started. The light flashed and disappeared in the blink of an eye. The talisman was completed. Ever since she absorbed the spiritual energy of the jade pendant, the success rate of Gu Yanfei drawing talismans had far exceeded in the past few days. Now, not only could she draw talismans with cinnabar, but she could also draw talismans with spiritual energy. That day, she had drawn a bewitching talisman on the jade pendant she had given to the British Duchess. Coupled with the charm of speech, the effect was not bad. However, that was also because the phoenix-patterned jade pendant was not an ordinary item to begin with, so it could unleash 70 to 80% of the effect of the bewitching talisman. Of course, she had not spent so much effort just to scare the British Duchess and Fang Shiming! Putting down her brush, Gu Yanfei looked up at the rain outside the window in the direction of the palace. Normally speaking, she wouldn¡¯t be able to see the palace from where she was, but at this moment, her gaze seemed to pass through the limits of space and land on a distant point. A few drops of rain occasionally splashed into the house, soaking the table and Gu Yanfei¡¯s sleeve. Gu Yanfei smiled nonchalantly. Her whole person was like the sunrise and the scattered clouds, exuding a faint brilliance, dazzling, bright, and refreshing. She stared into the distance in a daze. After a long time, her pitch-black eyes, as vast as the night sky, seemed to be able to see through all the mysteries of this world. Even if Gu Yanfei did not calculate, she could tell that this was a sign that Heaven¡¯s Will had changed. His master had said that Heaven¡¯s Will was not eternal. Even if a person was abandoned by the heavens, he would only have a harder time than others. However, once he broke through a certain shackle, the shackles of the Heavenly Tao would weaken. Gu Yanfei looked at the rain in a daze as her master¡¯s words sounded in her ears again. ¡°Yanfei, you¡¯ve been abandoned by the Heavenly Tao. Although the path of cultivation is difficult, on this Great Tao, it¡¯s to defy the heavens and change fate. If you follow it, you¡¯ll become a mortal. If you go against it, you¡¯ll become an immortal.¡± The smile on Gu Yanfei¡¯s face deepened, adding a hint of honey. Chu Yi was someone like her. They were abandoned by the heavens, but they did not abandon themselves. Gu Yanfei¡¯s heart rippled slightly, as if a person who had been traveling alone for many years had suddenly found a companion. The storm passed as quickly as it had come. It took only a moment for the rain to subside, leaving only bean-sized raindrops dripping from the eaves. The sound of the raindrops was like a piece of music played by the heavens. After the storm cleared, the air was fresh, and even the passage of time seemed to have slowed. Gu Yanfei was watching the rain, while Juan Bi was watching her. She only felt that her skin was so delicate that she could almost squeeze out the water, and her lips were like peach blossoms, which made people feel pitiful. Juan Bi was stunned and sighed in her heart. Her lady was really getting more and more beautiful! At this moment, when she recalled Gu Yanfei¡¯s sallow and skinny appearance when they first met four months ago, Juan Bi felt like she was in a dream, as if they were two lifetimes apart. A few drops of cold rain blew in and landed on the back of Juan Bi¡¯s hand. Only then did Juan Bi come back to her senses. She remembered something important and hurriedly reported, ¡°My Lady, the Third Madam just sent two rolls of Songjiang¡¯s fine cloth and a basket of oranges. She said that the oranges were just sent up by the manor for you to try.¡± Gu Yanfei knew that Madam Yan was doing this for Gu Yunzhen and smiled. ¡°Keep the two rolls of cloth first, and distribute the basket of oranges for everyone to try.¡± Juan Bi beamed in response. After settling those things, they both left. The rain had stopped, making the air thick with condensation and the ground outside wet. When the wind blew, the raindrops on the leaves fell with it, as if another rainfall was happening. Juan Bi carefully held up an oil-paper umbrella for Gu Yanfei. Gu Yanfei walked forward unhurriedly, her posture elegant and valiant. Along the way, her snow-green dress was not stained with mud at all. Gu Yanfei was going to the Benevolent Harmony Hall now. Because Gu Yanfei had ¡°obediently¡± handed over the jade pendant, Madam Gu was quite satisfied and felt that Gu Yanfei was finally obedient. In addition, she had been in a good mood recently and treated Gu Yanfei better. The day before yesterday, Madam Gu had sent Gu Yanfei a bolt of soft blue veil. Yesterday, Madam Gu had rewarded Gu Yanfei with a plate of wine-brewed steamed duck. This morning, she got someone to call her over for breakfast again. This was something that had never happened in two lifetimes. Of course she would go! Gu Yanfei led Juan Bi leisurely into the courtyard of the Benevolent Harmony Hall. A few scattered leaves were blown down from the treetops by the cold wind and fluttered towards Gu Yanfei. Gu Yanfei flicked her sleeve and raised her hand, bumping into a familiar face in front of her. When their gazes met, Mother Su¡¯s pupils constricted. She wanted to hide behind the pillar guiltily, but she had only taken half a step back when she stopped. Madam Gu¡¯s words when she comforted Gu Yunrong in private appeared in her mind. ¡°Rong¡¯er, you don¡¯t have to worry too much about your Second Sister.¡± ¡°Mother Su is in the wrong, but 14 years ago, she was also the one who saved your Second Sister from the chaos and even narrowly escaped death. Today, your Second Sister is standing here safe and sound because of her.¡± Mother Su held her head high and stroked her sleeve, staring at Gu Yanfei fearlessly. Yes, Madam was right. She was Gu Yanfei¡¯s savior. Gu Yanfei should be grateful to her! She didn¡¯t have to panic at all! Mother Su said to herself over and over again. Chapter 74 - 74 Seeking Medicine 74 Seeking Medicine Gu Yanfei glanced at Mother Su indifferently and did not stop walking. Under the guidance of the maidservant, she passed through the central room and entered the eastern room. Madam Gu was not the only one in the room. Gu Yunzhen and Gu Yunrong were also invited for breakfast today, and the four of them sat around a mahogany round table. As soon as Gu Yanfei arrived, Madam Gu instructed Granny Li to prepare the meal. After a while, the table was filled with sumptuous food in an orderly manner. Salty shredded chicken rice porridge, sweet pumpkin millet porridge, crab roe soup dumplings, bamboo rolls, yam jujube mud cake, and golden fried cake¡­ All of them were delicious. Mother Su served at the side obediently and eagerly. One moment, she would serve a bowl of wontons to Madam Gu, and the next moment, she would serve dishes to everyone. From time to time, she would glance at Gu Yanfei from the corner of her eye. Seeing Gu Yanfei eating a bowl of pumpkin millet porridge without looking up, Mother Su felt a little relieved. She was smug and raised her orchid fingers. In the past 14 years, she had only been to Huaibei twice. Her impression of Gu Yanfei was that she was weak and obedient. Her family also said that this girl had already been raised to be useless. Last time, when Gu Yanfei saw her in the Benevolent Harmony Hall, her cold gaze was clearly filled with hatred. But now, her daughter was going to be the consort, which meant that her status was going to be incomparable as well. Gu Yanfei was still that weak girl after all, who was too afraid to provoke her! While she was thinking, Mother Su carefully picked up a piece of golden fried cake and placed it in Gu Yunrong¡¯s bowl. She smiled ingratiatingly, well aware that her daughter was the only one she could rely on in the future. Gu Yunrong smiled back at her, revealing a pair of shallow dimples on her cheeks. Her eyes flickered under her beautifully curved lids. For a moment, she wanted Mother Su to go out and not appear in front of Gu Yanfei¡­ Why did she have to poke someone¡¯s scar! Gu Yunrong thought of the last time they parted on bad terms. Thinking about it now, the words ¡°daughter of a slave¡± was still stuck in Gu Yunrong¡¯s throat. However, instead of showing it, Gu Yunrong picked up the golden fried cake with her chopsticks and told herself that Gu Yanfei was insignificant in her life. The Imperial Clan Court would soon come to the Marquis Mansion to propose marriage. She would leave the Gu family and embark on a new journey in her life, while Gu Yanfei would still stay where she was. Gu Yanfei was just lucky to have been born into a good family. A person¡¯s background was only the starting point of life and did not represent everything. Her fate was in her own hands! Gu Yunrong gently bit into the golden and fragrant crispy skin of the fried cake. The outer skin was crispy, but the inside was soft and tender. The sweet taste filled her mouth, and the corners of her lips curled up as an indescribable pleasure appeared in her heart. The house was silent except for the occasional clink of cutlery and spoons. After breakfast, Mother Su instructed the maidservant to serve the masters freshly brewed flower tea. The faint fragrance of roses floated in the air with the heat. Gu Yunrong had just picked up the teacup when she seemed to have thought of something. She put it down and said to Gu Yunzhen with a sweet smile, ¡°Big Sister, Sun Medical Hall in the capital has recently invited a doctor from the State of Yue. He¡¯s best at beautifying and removing scars.¡± Her words were gentle, considerate, and thoughtful. A smile of approval appeared on Madam Gu¡¯s face as she said before Gu Yunzhen could, ¡°Rong¡¯er, you¡¯re really considerate. In a while, I¡¯ll get someone to go to the Sun Medical Hall to invite Doctor Miao.¡± Rong¡¯er was kind and knew how to love her sisters. ¡°Grandma, Third Sister, there¡¯s no need.¡± Gu Yunzhen smiled gently. ¡°The scar on my forehead has completely recovered.¡± She raised her hand and lifted the bangs from her forehead, revealing a forehead that was as smooth as jade and porcelain, delicate and flawless. Gu Yunrong stared at Gu Yunzhen¡¯s forehead in surprise, her eyes shining. She clearly remembered that the scar on Gu Yunzhen¡¯s forehead was still clearly visible a few days ago, but now, the skin on Gu Yunzhen¡¯s forehead had completely healed without leaving any traces! ¡°Big Sister, what prescription did you use? It¡¯s really amazing. There¡¯s actually such an expert in the capital!¡± Gu Yunrong clapped her hands with a smile and asked curiously, making it impossible for her to say no. Gu Yunzhen smoothed her bangs again and subconsciously looked at Gu Yanfei, who was sitting on her right. After that day, Gu Yanfei even gave her a prescription and asked her to go to the pharmacy to get medicine to make an ointment for her forehead. In just three days, the shallow scar had completely disappeared without a trace. Gu Yunzhen could feel the smoothness and delicateness under her fingertips. Her skin was even more delicate than before. Even if Gu Yunzhen did not say a word, Gu Yunrong understood. Her smile faltered and her hands gripped her handkerchief under the table. After only a moment of hesitation, a bright and warm smile appeared on her face, and she asked affectionately, ¡°Second Sister, which doctor in the capital prescribed the prescription for removing Big Sister¡¯s scar?¡± She looked at Gu Yanfei with a smile, as if there was no conflict between her and Gu Yanfei. ¡°How can a doctor in the capital have such ability!¡± Juan Bi blurted out proudly. ¡°The Spiritual Master taught this to us girls!¡± After saying that, Juan Bi realized that she had said something wrong. She hurriedly covered her mouth and looked at Gu Yanfei nervously. Gu Yanfei took a sip of rose tea and looked at Gu Yunrong. She raised her eyebrows and smiled faintly. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be injured, right?¡± Her clear eyes were like a clear lake that could reflect all the secrets in the world. Even though she could tell that Gu Yanfei wanted to reject her, Gu Yunrong¡¯s smile did not diminish at all. She had visited famous doctors for Fang Mingfeng. She had asked for the prescription for Fang Mingfeng. When she was in Prince Jing¡¯s Manor, it was all to save her that Fang Mingfeng¡¯s face was injured. The once gentle and elegant young master who used to be flawless was now flawed because of her. She had always been clear about gratitude and grudges. How could she sit back and do nothing? Even if she did not get along with Gu Yanfei, she still wanted to give it a try for Fang Mingfeng. Gu Yunrong called out with a sincere smile, ¡°Second Sister¡­¡± ¡°Madam, I¡¯ll take my leave first.¡± Gu Yanfei suddenly stood up and interrupted Gu Yunrong. Her snow-green sleeve cascaded down, and without waiting for Madam Gu to respond, she turned around and walked out. Her gaze swept lightly across Mother Su, and there was a hint of a smile on her lips. ¡°¡­¡± Gu Yunrong¡¯s smile froze on her face. Madam Gu frowned slightly and scolded Gu Yanfei¡¯s back with a displeased expression. ¡°How unruly!¡± Although she reprimanded her, she did not ask anyone to stop Gu Yanfei. Madam Su was unhappy and secretly stomped her feet. Seeing that no one was paying attention to her, she quietly moved out. After leaving the east room, Mother Su quickened her pace and caught up to Gu Yanfei, who had just stepped out of the central room. ¡°Second Lady, please wait.¡± As she spoke, Mother Su rushed in front of Gu Yanfei like a gust of wind and blocked her path righteously. They were indeed here. Mother Su was used to pushing her luck. Gu Yanfei smiled. The eaves above cast a faint shadow on her fair face, making her eyes look especially deep and cold. Chapter 75 - 75 Caning 75 Caning The ground in the courtyard was already dry, except for a few drops of rain on the treetops. It was winter, but there was no warmth, and the cold wind was bone-chilling. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Gu Yanfei stopped on a certain stone step under the eaves. She casually brushed away her hair that was blown by the wind and looked down at Mother Su, who was a few steps away. In Mother Su¡¯s eyes, she only felt that Gu Yanfei was really stubborn. A trace of disdain appeared in her heart. Her daughter was about to become the princess consort, and would rise to the top from now on. What was Gu Yanfei worth?! Other than throwing a tantrum in front of Madam Gu, what else could Gu Yanfei do?! Mother Su raised her hand and pointed at Gu Yanfei¡¯s face, scolding unhappily, ¡°Who are you trying to show off your thorny appearance to?!¡± ¡°The Third Lady has never let you down and has accepted you sincerely. Don¡¯t be ungrateful!¡± ¡°You have to know your place!¡± Mother Su¡¯s aggressive voice grew louder, and she raised her chin boldly. She had to teach this girl a lesson so that she would never dare to be impudent in front of her and her daughter again. The commotion attracted some maidservants and old women, who sized them up carefully in twos and threes. Looking at Mother Su, who was chattering non-stop, waves rose in the depths of Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes again. It was like a monstrous wave that covered the sky and destroyed the world¡­ A moment later, it returned to calm. ¡°Drag her away and give her 20 strokes of the cane.¡± A soft and faint voice escaped her lips. The old women and maidservants around them were stunned. They looked at each other in silence. The Third Lady was the future Princess Consort, so how could they dare to hit the Third Lady¡¯s wet nurse? Wouldn¡¯t they offend the Third Lady for no reason?! A smart little maidservant hurriedly ran in the direction of the east second room. ¡°¡­¡± Mother Su was shocked at first, but seeing that everyone was standing rooted to the ground, she could not help but smile smugly. That was true. In the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion, who would listen to Gu Yanfei?! She had no need to be afraid at all. However, while others did not dare to move, Juan Bi did. Juan Bi approached Mother Su majestically and said at the top of her voice, ¡°A mere wet nurse actually dares to be rude to the Second Lady. According to the rules of the Marquis Mansion, those who offend their superiors will be punished with 20 strokes of the cane.¡± Juan Bi quickly snatched a broom from a maidservant who was sweeping and hit Mother Su directly in the butt. ¡°Pa! Pa!¡± Juan Bi did not hesitate at all and slapped Mother Su twice, each blow solid. Mother Su screamed and tried to dodge, but how could she outrun the agile Juan Bi? She was struck in the calf by the broom again and screamed again. ¡°Stop!¡± Madam Gu¡¯s stern shout came from the central room. Gu Yunrong held Madam Gu¡¯s hand and quickly walked out of the east room. Gu Yunzhen was a step behind, followed by four or five maidservants and grannies. ¡°Third Lady¡­¡± Mother Su looked at Gu Yunrong aggrievedly as if she had been pardoned. A few strands of hair had escaped from her bun, and the hairpin was askew. Tears appeared in her eyes. Gu Yunrong looked back and forth between Gu Yanfei and Mother Su. She frowned slightly, her heart as clear as a mirror. For her sake, Mother Su most likely came to look for Gu Yanfei to help her get the prescription. It was fine if Gu Yanfei did not give her the prescription, but she actually asked a maidservant to hit her¡­ It was too much. Madam Gu stood in the middle of the central room, her temples throbbing. She shouted sternly, ¡°Yanfei, what are you doing?!¡± Mother Su lowered her head and wiped her tears with a handkerchief. She looked pitiful, but her eyes were rolling around to observe other people. ¡°Why is she still here?!¡± Gu Yanfei asked instead of answering. Of course, she meant Mother Su. The servants did not know the inside story and naturally did not understand what Gu Yanfei meant. However, Madam Gu and Gu Yunrong understood the threat in Gu Yanfei¡¯s words. ¡°¡­¡± Madam Gu was speechless. Madam Gu¡¯s eyes flashed as she suppressed her anger and reprimanded coldly, ¡°I thought you were sensible, but it turns out that you¡¯ve been restraining it.¡± ¡°Then what do you think we should do with Mother Su?!¡± Gu Yanfei smiled instead of being angry when she heard the reprimand that was similar to her previous life. In her previous life, when faced with Madam Gu¡¯s reprimand and questioning, she was filled with grievance and indignation and did not know how to confide in her. At that time, she was like an ignorant child, hoping that her grandmother would make decisions for her. And now she had an answer. ¡°There¡¯s a saying in the ¡®Law of Jin¡¯: Those who sell people will be punished with 100 strokes of the cane and be exiled for 3,000 miles.¡± A faint smile appeared on Gu Yanfei¡¯s face as she asked, ¡°Madam Gu, do you think the laws established by Emperor Taizu are wrong?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Madam Gu held the prayer beads tightly in her hand, her eyes sinister. Madam Gu could naturally tell that Gu Yanfei was using the law to threaten her, the biological grandmother. Gu Yanfei clearly meant that if Madam Gu did not follow the family rules, Gu Yanfei would follow the law. The dilapidated flowers and trees in the courtyard swayed in the cold wind, adding to the oppression and desolation. Mother Su had forgotten to wipe her tears and looked up blankly. She originally thought that Madam Gu would definitely help her on account of her daughter, but she did not expect Madam Gu to hesitate because of Gu Yanfei¡¯s few words. Now she panicked, too nervous to move. Madam Gu¡¯s expression was dignified, and her lips were pursed into a cold and determined line. Gu Yanfei had even mentioned the law. It could be seen that Mother Su had already become a sore point for her, so it was better to let her vent her anger and deal with this matter. Moreover, no matter how bad Gu Yanfei was, she was still of the Gu family¡¯s bloodline. How improper was it for Mother Su, a servant, to make a fuss in front of her! After a while, she said sternly, ¡°Mother Su was disrespectful to the Second Lady. Drag her away and flog her!¡± Mother Su felt as if she had been struck by lightning. Her heart raced and she knelt down weakly, her face pale. With Madam Gu¡¯s order, a few burly maidservants in the courtyard took action without hesitation. They restrained Mother Su from both sides, covered her mouth, and forcefully dragged her out of the courtyard. Madam Su was at a loss, her entire body was cold, and her limbs were weak. She could only look pleadingly at Gu Yunrong, the tears in her eyes thickening. This time, she really wanted to cry. Gu Yunrong looked at Mother Su with a hesitant warmth. As she looked around, her pink neck outlined beautiful lines. After a while, she seemed to have made up her mind and said gently to Madam Gu, ¡°Grandma, these 20 strokes of the cane are enough to lacerate one¡¯s flesh. Mother Su is just a weak woman who doesn¡¯t even have the strength to truss a chicken. She might¡­¡± She might not even be able to keep her life. It was only at this moment that Gu Yunrong deeply felt this. In this Great Jin Dynasty, the master could easily decide the life and death of a person. Selling, beating, and killing were all matters of the master¡¯s word. In the hearts of these people, a servant¡¯s life was not a life! This made it difficult for her to agree. Chapter 76 - 76 Selfishness 76 Selfishness ¡°20 strokes is too heavy of a punishment,¡± Gu Yunrong said seriously. Even if she went to jail, it was only a prison sentence, and being exiled for 3,000 miles would not kill her. Madam Gu was stunned. She thought that as just a young lady, it was inevitable for Gu Yunrong¡¯s heart to soften. Thinking that Madam Gu was hesitating, a trace of hope rose in Mother Su¡¯s ashen eyes and she trembled. ¡°Third Sister, you¡¯re wrong.¡± A gentle female voice retorted firmly. It was neither loud nor soft, but it was powerful. Gu Yunrong looked in Gu Yunzhen¡¯s direction in shock. Gu Yunzhen stared fixedly at Gu Yunrong and said methodically, ¡°Mother Su has offended her master. If we don¡¯t punish her severely as a warning to others, won¡¯t everyone learn from her?!¡± As Gu Yunzhen spoke, the shock in Gu Yunrong¡¯s eyes intensified, as if she did not recognize her anymore. Gu Yunzhen was a gentle person and had always been kind to the servants. Gu Yunrong thought that at least she would stand on her side and disagree with the flogging. Gu Yunrong asked in a daze, ¡°Big Sister also thinks she deserves to be beaten?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Gu Yunzhen nodded affirmatively. She raised her hand and pointed at Mother Su, whose eyes were filled with tears, and said firmly, ¡°Grandpa once said that the way to control one¡¯s subordinates is to distinguish rewards and punishments clearly. The master can¡¯t have selfish motives and not distinguish right from wrong.¡± ¡°Third Sister, do you have selfish motives?¡± Her tone remained gentle, but the meaning behind her last sentence was as sharp as a sword. ¡°¡­¡± Gu Yunrong¡¯s eyes widened, as if some hidden illness in her body had suddenly been exposed in broad daylight. Gu Yunrong instinctively wanted to say no, but she hesitated, her expression conflicted. Madam Gu pressed her palm and looked at her comfortingly, meaning that she knew what to do. Gu Yunrong pursed her lips, as if something was about to come out of her eyes. Sad emotions appeared between her eyebrows, but she did not say anything in the end. As if she had fallen into an icehouse, the last flame of hope in her heart was extinguished. As if she had lost her soul, she forgot to struggle. The old maidservants roughly dragged Mother Su to the entrance of the courtyard. Gu Yunrong helped Madam Gu sit down at the head of the hall. She looked at the calm Gu Yunzhen for a moment and then at Gu Yanfei, who had already sat down and was drinking tea, as if she did not care about the outcome. Her eyes flickered a few times as she held back her anger and asked herself, ¡®Do I have a selfish motive, or are they too cruel?¡¯ At this moment, for the first time, Gu Yunrong felt out of place. For the first time, she had a deep understanding that she was different from them¡­ ¡°Slam!¡± The sound of the board outside woke Gu Yunrong up and she looked over. Sticks as thick as an arm slapped against flesh, time and time again. Each blow was solid and merciless, accompanied by the loud counting of the maidservant. ¡°One, two, three¡­¡± Mother Su¡¯s pants were taken off and her body was pressed against a bench. Most of her bun was disheveled, and even her hairpin had fallen to the ground, as if she were a madwoman in a sorry state. She let out a painful scream with every slap. Her voice was shrill, like thin needles stabbing at the softest spot in Gu Yunrong¡¯s heart. No matter how wrong Mother Su was, she was a good mother to her. Gu Yunrong lowered her head, her manicured nails digging into her soft palm until the knuckles of her fingers were faintly white. Madam Gu also saw Gu Yunrong¡¯s abnormality and sighed in her heart. Her Rong¡¯er was still too soft-hearted. She would have to face this in the future when she married into Kang Wang¡¯s Manor. Madam Gu waved her hand silently. Granny Li immediately understood and sent away all the irrelevant people around her. Only Madam Gu, Gu Yanfei, and the other two were left in the central room. The sounds of sticks slapping on flesh and Mother Su¡¯s screams outside did not stop, making the atmosphere in the room heavy. Madam Gu said without too much emotion, ¡°Yanfei, I know you hate Mother Su, it¡¯s only human nature. Today, I¡¯ll let you vent your anger.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Her voice suddenly turned cold as she continued, ¡°Although Mother Su is in the wrong, you have to remember that back then, Yangzhou was in chaos. She was the one who fought her way out of the mountains of blades and the sea of blood to bring you out of Yangzhou¡­¡± ¡°She was in the wrong, but she saved you and raised you. You should be grateful too. A girl can¡¯t be so vicious and kill indiscriminately, or you won¡¯t be able to avoid retribution.¡± Her words were heart-piercing and it was obvious that she was warning Gu Yanfei. At the same time, she gave Gu Yanfei a sweet date to stop her. ¡°11, 12¡­¡± The countdown outside did not stop and was clearly transmitted into the room. Mother Su¡¯s screams grew weaker. Her bare buttocks were so red and swollen from the beating that sme of the younger maidservants outside could no longer bear to look at her. Gu Yanfei smiled faintly. Madam Gu had thought that Gu Yanfei would lower her head and that she would simply leave. Unexpectedly, Gu Yanfei nodded slightly and said, ¡°Thank you for your teachings.¡± A faint smile appeared on Gu Yanfei¡¯s face as she tilted her body and propped her elbow on the coffee table. She rested her chin on her right hand and continued, ¡°Madam, don¡¯t be too hostile, lest you kill indiscriminately and suffer retribution in vain.¡± Madam Gu¡¯s face darkened and she reprimanded in a low voice, ¡°How dare you!¡± She was her grandmother and an elder, but a junior actually criticized an elder! How rude! Gu Yanfei counted on her fingers and continued, ¡°In June this year, when Zi Yu cut your nails and it bled, you ordered a beating of 30 strokes. After Zi Yu was sent home, she was severely injured and died before she even reached adulthood.¡± ¡°Last December, when the attendant in Second Uncle¡¯s study ¡®collided¡¯ with you, you ordered to make her mute with poison and sell her.¡± ¡°Last July, the big warehouse in the inner courtyard was in disrepair for a long time. Coincidentally, a thunderstorm leaked and destroyed a lot of materials. You ordered the He Danian family, who was guarding the warehouse that day, to be beaten to death.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Gu Yanfei¡¯s words echoed in the room. The air in the central room gradually froze, as if a storm was brewing. By now, the old woman outside had counted to 20. The clubbing stopped, and silence fell outside the courtyard at the same time. Mother Su was slumped on the bench like a dead fish, her dangling arms trembling gently. Inside and outside the house, there was silence. Madam Gu¡¯s face turned pale, then purple. The colors changed brilliantly. Every word Gu Yanfei said was like a slap to her face, making her ears ring. Gu Yanfei chuckled and said, ¡°There¡¯s something that Juan Bi was right about. The prescription I gave Big Sister was given by Spiritual Master Lingxiao. Back then, when I was in Huaibei, Spiritual Master Lingxiao not only gave me this prescription, but also taught me the ability to read fortunes.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t I read Madam¡¯s fortune?¡± Chapter 77 - 77 Retribution 77 Retribution Gu Yanfei tilted her head with a smile, but Madam Gu frowned even more. She did not know what Gu Yanfei was up to. Meeting Madam Gu¡¯s angry eyes, Gu Yanfei raised her hand and casually pinched her fingers with her thumb. This simple action was done by her, inexplicably giving off an unfathomable feeling. Madam Gu had also seen some enlightened people with profound Tao techniques calculate and could not help but be stunned at the girl¡¯s decent posture. As she examined her, Gu Yanfei looked up at her and said, ¡°Madam, have you had a nightmare recently?¡± Madam Gu¡¯s eyes widened slightly and she immediately recalled that strange dream. Her hand that was holding the prayer beads trembled violently. In her dream, she became a cat at the mercy of others and died a tragic death. After that dream, she often had nightmares. Sometimes, she dreamed of herself dying. Sometimes, she dreamed of the day her eldest son, Gu Ce, died. Sometimes, she dreamed that her second son, Gu Jian, and her grandchildren also died in vain¡­ She had been wondering if she had hurt her virtue by killing a cat in the past. However, how did Gu Yanfei know? Madam Gu¡¯s gaze was exceptionally sharp. Gu Yanfei stroked her sleeve and said calmly, ¡°Dreams are often a sign.¡± ¡°This nightmare was supposed to be a reminder to Madam. Unfortunately, Madam ignored it and didn¡¯t restrain herself.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve killed too many people. It seems that retribution will befall your descendants.¡± ¡°Second Sister, stop being so mysterious.¡± Gu Yunrong endured it and finally could not help but retort. Even though she had always been kind and slick, she could not put on a good expression when facing Gu Yanfei. ¡°Third Sister, don¡¯t interrupt,¡± Gu Yunzhen scolded Gu Yunrong gently, like an elder sister. With that, she looked at Gu Yanfei seriously. ¡°Madam, don¡¯t you believe me?¡± Gu Yanfei chuckled softly. As she raised her hand and calculated with her fingers again, the casual smile on her face deepened. ¡°First your son, then your grandson.¡± The last word was like a sigh. Son?! The faces of Gu Jian and her other sons appeared in Madam Gu¡¯s mind, and her expression changed again. What Gu Yanfei meant was that Gu Jian and the others would encounter some calamity?! Was this girl talking nonsense, or¡­ As she was thinking, Madam Gu¡¯s gaze landed on a few red plums outside the window. The red plum blossoms were beautiful and bloomed in full swing in the cold wind. In the past, she thought it was festive, but at this moment, she felt that this blood-like red emitted an ominous aura. Gu Yunrong snorted at these life skills in her heart and tried her best to be tactful. ¡°Grandma, this is a superstition¡­¡± This was superstition and could not be trusted. Before she could finish, a breathless female voice interrupted. ¡°Madam!¡± Outside, a sweating maidservant in green ran toward them. As she ran, she shouted intermittently, ¡°Madam!¡± Granny Li, who was guarding outside the house, did not dare to stop her. The old woman in green walked into the central room with trembling legs and bowed to Madam Gu. ¡°Madam, the Marquis was thrown off a startled horse and has injured his leg!¡± Like a thunderclap, time seemed to stop for a moment. Madam Gu¡¯s eyelids twitched a few times as she looked at Gu Yanfei in shock. A subtle crack appeared in her originally firm heart. This girl was right¡­ No, her calculation was right!! In the next moment, Gu Yunrong met Gu Yanfei¡¯s bright pupils and her heart skipped a beat. ¡°Next, it¡¯ll be you.¡± Gu Yanfei¡¯s voice was clear and cold, like a clear ice spring flowing past. Gu Yunrong frowned slightly. She still did not believe in divination, but Madam Gu was even more agitated than her and hurriedly reprimanded, ¡°Enough! What nonsense are you spouting?!¡± Other than surprise, there was also a hint of uneasiness in Madam Gu¡¯s eyes. She was afraid that Gu Yanfei would be right again. Gu Yanfei¡¯s expression did not change, and she still said casually with a smile on her face, ¡°Madam will know soon if I¡¯m talking nonsense.¡± ¡°I heard that the Ministry of Internal Affairs is coming to propose marriage.¡± The Ministry of Internal Affairs was about to propose marriage! These words echoed in Madam Gu¡¯s ears like a valley echo. ¡°¡­¡± Madam Gu¡¯s heart seemed to be beating like a drum. The crack in her heart was spreading rapidly and she was uneasy. Gu Yanfei was just short of saying that there would be twists and turns in Gu Yunrong¡¯s marriage¡­ No, it won¡¯t. Madam Gu told herself that Rong¡¯er had been lucky since she was young and had always had a smooth-sailing life. ¡°You¡¯re misleading the public!¡± Madam Gu¡¯s eyes were uncertain as she berated in a low voice, ¡°Someone, bring the Second Lady back to Yuheng Garden and watch her carefully.¡± What she meant was that she had ordered Gu Yanfei to be grounded. When the two maidservants outside heard this, they walked in in bewilderment. They had not heard what Madam Gu and the Second Lady had said just now, but from Madam Gu¡¯s furious expression, they could tell that this was no small matter. ¡°It¡¯s useless.¡± Gu Yanfei stood up with a smile and casually stroked her dress, unperturbed. ¡°My divination can¡¯t be wrong. The wind in this swamp is strong, and the external divination is Dui, pointing at water. The internal divination is Xun, pointing at wood. It¡¯s not appropriate to drown wood in water.¡± ¡°If Madam doesn¡¯t believe me, just wait.¡± ¡°Three days.¡± Gu Yanfei¡¯s smile was firm and unfathomable, as if she had already seen through it all. Madam Gu¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Gu Yunzhen, who had just opened her mouth, silently shut her mouth. Her eyes darted around as she thought to herself, ¡®It seems that my Second Sister has her own plans. There¡¯s no need for me to plead for leniency.¡¯ Gu Yanfei flicked her sleeve and left leisurely. In the end, she said lightly, ¡°I¡¯ll wait for Madam in Yuheng Garden.¡± As she spoke, she stepped out of the central room, her words blown away by the cold wind. The girl¡¯s dress fluttered in the wind, and her black hair fluttered. She looked indescribably carefree and elegant. As she watched Gu Yanfei leave, Madam Gu felt as if countless ants were crawling in her heart. She did not expect Gu Yanfei to leave so decisively. Gu Yanfei walked further and further away, and her slender figure quickly disappeared into the forest at the entrance of the courtyard. Accompanied by the two old women, Gu Yanfei returned to Yuheng Garden with Juan Bi. Madam Gu had given her a grounding order not to go out. Hence, a few old women took turns guarding Yuheng Garden for three consecutive days. However, to Gu Yanfei, this grounding order was unimportant. In any case, she had no intention of going out. Even if Gu Yanfei did not go out, she would know a lot. For example, a maidservant called Du Juan in Gu Yunzhen¡¯s courtyard secretly copied out the prescription she had given Gu Yunzhen and gave it to Xia Lian. For example, Gu Yunrong had asked Xia Lian to make a trip to the British Mansion. For example, after Fang Mingfeng received the prescription and heard the servant¡¯s ¡°message¡±, he cried tears of joy and almost went crazy. Gu Yanfei smiled and quickly finished reading the messenger pigeon in her hand, then casually threw it into the charcoal brazier. Bright yellow flames rose from the charcoal and engulfed the silk paper in the blink of an eye¡­ Chapter 78 - 78 Fighting for a Wife 78 Fighting for a Wife ¡°Cuckoo,¡± the pure white pigeon purred docilely. As it flapped its wings, it looked warily at the calico cat not far away. Qing Guang licked its claws with disdain. ¡°How obedient!¡± Gu Yanfei rewarded the white pigeon with a few pieces of bird food and stroked it. Then, she picked it up with both hands and said with a smile, ¡°Let¡¯s go back to your master.¡± Chu Yi¡¯s white clothes could not help but appear in her mind. The smile on her face was even brighter and more beautiful than the rising sun outside the window. It was pleasant to work with smart people! After she threw the pigeon out of the window with both hands, it flapped its wings and flew high into the sky. Gu Yanfei looked at the white pigeon soaring in the blue sky from afar. Her raised chin made her neck look as slender as a swan. ¡°My Lady,¡± Juan Bi¡¯s lively voice came from behind, accompanied by the sound of the curtain being lifted. ¡°The Imperial Clan Court is here to propose marriage on behalf of His Highness Kang Wang.¡± The Imperial Clan Court was here to propose marriage to Gu Yunrong on behalf of Kang Wang. Gu Yanfei said calmly, ¡°I understand.¡± As the cold wind moaned, she withdrew her gaze from the distance and sat down at the messy table. In the middle was a palm-sized piece of wood surrounded by debris and sawdust. Gu Yanfei rubbed her fingers gently on the wood. This was a piece of gloomy golden-threaded cedar she had accidentally obtained a few days ago. It was good material for making the Eight Trigrams Compass. For the past few days, she had not left her house because she was focused on making the compass. The smaller the compass, the more detailed it was. After three days and three nights of careful polishing, she had only completed 80 to 90% of it. Gu Yanfei gently stroked the sawdust on the compass. Her movements were gentle, as if she was touching a rare treasure. She casually dialed the magnetic needle in the center, which spun gently twice before stopping. Gu Yanfei smiled and said meaningfully, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s a bloody calamity.¡± ¡°Meow, meow, meow!¡± The cat came over obsequiously and circled her chair, rubbing its head affectionately against the folds of her skirt. Gu Yanfei glanced at it. Even if she did not know cat language, she understood its meaning. This cat just wanted to watch the show. ¡°Go ahead.¡± Gu Yanfei waved her hand perfunctorily and focused all her attention into the compass with all her heart. The cat scampered off happily. It had only lived in the Marquis Mansion for less than two months, but it was even more familiar with this place than Gu Yanfei. It even knew where the dog and rat holes were. Gu Yanfei had been grounded for the past few days, but no one could control the cat. It still wandered around the residence and could not even be bothered to hide its whereabouts. The closer they got to the main hall, the livelier the surroundings became. From time to time, servants would walk past and talk about the marriage proposal from the Imperial Clan Court. Occasionally, words like ¡°Kang Wang¡±, ¡°The Imperial Clan Court¡±, ¡°Marriage Proposal¡±, and so on floated over. The kitten walked all the way to the Hall for Cultivating Virtues at the front of the inner courtyard. Today, Prince Li had brought the marriage decree from Empress Dowager Yuan to represent the Imperial Clan Court to propose marriage, which could be regarded as giving the Gu family enough face. Kang Wang and Chu You followed in high spirits because they wanted to see Gu Yunrong. Although Gu Jian, the Marquis of Dingyuan, had a leg injury, he still supported himself with his walking stick and personally welcomed the esteemed guest into the Hall for Cultivating Virtues. Qing Guang chose the best-looking plum among the bunch of red plums and squatted in the most suitable position to watch the show. It happened to be able to see everything in the Hall for Cultivating Virtues through the open window. Prince Li exchanged a few pleasantries with the Marquis of Dingyuan, Gu Jian, before waving at the middle-aged eunuch accompanying him. The fair-faced and beardless middle-aged eunuch walked over with a red lacquered wooden tray with a red gold-sprinkled invitation. ¡°Marquis, this is the letter of appointment I drafted. Please take a look,¡± Prince Li said with a smile. Looking at the bright and dazzling red betrothal letter, Gu Jian was overjoyed and his eyes bright. Ever since the British Monarchy impeached Kang Wang for stealing Crown Prince Fang¡¯s wife, Gu Jian had thought that Gu Yunrong and Kang Wang¡¯s marriage would probably be difficult, but he did not expect things to turn around in the end. Chu You¡¯s eyes were the hottest and most straightforward. His burning gaze landed on Gu Yunrong. Gu Yunrong met his focused gaze in midair, and the dimples on her lips seemed to hold honey. Without a need to say anything, she understood his intentions, and he understood hers. Outside the window, the kitten yawned lazily and found it extremely boring. It reached out a paw to pull at the red plums on the branches. Buzz, buzz¡­ A few red plum petals fell and were blown into the main hall by the wind, landing on the betrothal letter. Chapter 79 - 79 Fighting for a Wife 79 Fighting for a Wife Gu Jian exchanged a few more pleasantries with the Prince Li before he picked up the letter of appointment in feigned calmness and read it word by word. After confirming that there was no mistake, Gu Jian picked up a brush, dipped it in ink, and placed the tip at the end of the betrothal letter. The marriage was decided by the parents and the ceremony would only be completed after Gu Jian confirmed it in the name of his father. However, just as the tip of his brush touched the paper, he heard an agitated male voice suddenly speak from outside the main hall. ¡°Wait!¡± Gu Jian¡¯s hand trembled, and the tip of his ink-stained pen left a twisted curl on the letter of appointment. The originally joyous atmosphere in the room suddenly changed. Everyone from the Gu family looked towards the door like a tide and saw a tall young man in blue standing outside the threshold. Behind him were two Gu family servants, both panting from running. They did not dare to look at the masters in the main hall. ¡°Mingfeng!¡± Gu Yunrong blurted out. It was the British Crown Prince, Fang Mingfeng. Fang Mingfeng stood with his back to the light. His well-defined face was blurry in the shadows and looked a little ferocious. He flicked up his robe and crossed the high threshold. His strong chest rose and fell rapidly, his breathing ragged. Those deep black eyes seemed to hide a snarling beast about to pierce his refined skin. Qing Guang, who was squatting on the treetop, also saw him. Its eyes lit up in high spirits and its green cat eyes widened. Gu Jian, Madam Gu, and the others¡¯ expressions were stiff. They all recalled that when the British Duchess came to set a timer, Kang Wang¡¯s intrusion had ruined the ceremony and caused a complete uproar between the Gu family and the Fang family. Now that the past had repeated itself, the saboteur this time was someone else. Thump thump thump! Madam Gu¡¯s heart suddenly raced. Gu Yanfei¡¯s words from three days ago rang in her ears again. ¡°First the son, then the grandson.¡± Those six words lingered in her mind. Fang Mingfeng¡¯s appearance was like an ominous omen, indicating something. Madam Gu tried her best to control her thoughts and not think about it. Gu Jian smiled dryly and said, ¡°Nephew, why are you here?¡± As he spoke, he took his anger out on the two panting servants outside the main hall. ¡°Heh, of course the Marquis doesn¡¯t want me to come!¡± The corners of Fang Mingfeng¡¯s mouth twitched with a cold mockery and more of a madness. In the past, Fang Mingfeng had treated Gu Jian like an elder for Gu Yunrong¡¯s sake. This was the first time he had been so rude to Gu Jian. Gu Jian¡¯s expression froze. Thinking that the Gu family was in the wrong for this marriage between the Gu and Fang families, he suppressed his displeasure. Fang Mingfeng did not intend to say anything more to Gu Jian and glared at Chu You angrily. His anger rose steadily, and his gaze was like a knife. Fang Mingfeng actually did not blame Gu Jian. The main culprit was Kang Wang. ¡°Chu You, Rong Rong and I have a letter of appointment.¡± Fang Mingfeng¡¯s stubborn and high-pitched voice echoed through the entire hall. Every word was like ice and thunder. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about taking Rong Rong away from me!¡± As he spoke, he took two large steps forward. The fine scars on the left half of his face became clearer. Coupled with his cold expression and red eyes, he looked terrifying. The gentle young master that everyone used to praise no longer existed. Looking at Fang Mingfeng, who seemed to have become a different person, the others from the Gu family had complicated expressions and sighed in their hearts. Chu You met Fang Mingfeng¡¯s gaze with a cold expression, and his eyes locked onto Fang Mingfeng¡¯s persistent gaze. Their eyes met silently, like shooting stars colliding fiercely, sparks flying. Neither of them was willing to back down. Chu You was first angry that Fang Mingfeng had jumped out to disrupt the situation, but he quickly calmed down and sneered. ¡°Fang Mingfeng, there¡¯s no need to mention old matters,¡± Chu You said word by word, not hiding the pride of a victor. Rong¡¯er had already chosen him. He and she were meant to be together, while Fang Mingfeng was just a clown. Not only did he embarrass himself, but he also overestimated himself. The marriage decree had been issued, which meant that the deed was done. ¡°How can it be child¡¯s play!¡± Fang Mingfeng¡¯s voice was slightly hoarse, and his eyes were even redder. His eyes were burning as he turned to look at Gu Yunrong in a daze. ¡°Rong Rong.¡± He said these two words with such tenderness. He knew that Rong Rong was not uninterested in him. Otherwise, she would not have agreed to the Fang family¡¯s request. His mother wanted him to marry a beauty, but Kang Wang ruined it. ¡°Kang Wang suddenly barged in and pulled Rong¡¯er away¡­¡± ¡°He broke the hairpin I prepared for Rong¡¯er and even chased me out of the Gu family¡­¡± His mother¡¯s words that day lingered in his ears. Fang Mingfeng wanted to settle the score with Kang Wang, but his father was afraid of him and even locked him up. For the past few days, he had been placed under house arrest by his father. Every night, he tossed and turned, unable to sleep. He would always dream of the scene his mother had mentioned, that he was also there and wanted to stop it, but he couldn¡¯t move as if his hands and feet were bound¡­ Nightmares passed night after night. Until yesterday afternoon, when he received something from Gu Yunrong¡ªa scar removal prescription. The servant even told the person that this prescription was not easy to come by. He said that they had grown up together and appreciated each other, so he should understand Third Lady Gu¡¯s intentions that she wanted to leave the capital with him. He also said that she wanted to see him today. Fang Mingfeng held the prescription and did not sleep the entire night, thinking of how close they had been in the past. Yes, of course she had him in her heart. There was no doubt about that. Therefore, early in the morning, he took advantage of his father¡¯s appearance in court to knock out the guard and run out of the residence. Fortunately, he was here. Fortunately, he did not disappoint her and had arrived in time! Chapter 80 - 80 Fulfillment 80 Fulfillment ¡°Rong Rong!¡± Fang Mingfeng took a few more steps closer to Gu Yunrong and extended his hand to her. He was using his actions to tell her that he was here to take her with him. Knowing him well, Gu Yunrong naturally saw through his intentions. He actually wanted her to leave with him! Was he crazy?! The dimples on Gu Yunrong¡¯s face froze and her lips pursed in displeasure. On account of them being childhood friends, she had tried everything she could to persuade him, but he wouldn¡¯t listen. And he was embarrassing her on such an important day. Her face turned cold and she looked away from Fang Mingfeng. Her refusal was obvious. To Fang Mingfeng, her action was no different from stabbing him in the heart. Fang Mingfeng felt as if a piece of his heart had been gouged out and he could barely breathe. He did not understand why she had rejected him in public when she was clearly the one who had asked him to come. Chu You looked at Fang Mingfeng coldly and sneered provocatively. ¡°What right do you have to compete with me?!¡± He had Rong¡¯er¡¯s heart. Just based on this, he had won! ¡°Chu, You!¡± Fang Mingfeng shot a burning gaze at Chu You and came to a realization. Right, it was because of Kang Wang. Kang Wang had forced her. That must be it!! The anger in Fang Mingfeng¡¯s heart erupted like a volcano. His eyes were even redder, as if they were stained with blood, and he pressed towards Kang Wang with a murderous aura. Chu You¡¯s personal guard frowned and wanted to stop Fang Mingfeng, but Chu You confidently raised his hand to stop him, so the guard could only retreat silently. Chu You nimbly flexed his hand joints, causing his knuckles to crack. He suddenly kicked out with his right leg and gathered his strength to his knees which was aimed at Fang Mingfeng¡¯s abdomen. Fang Mingfeng nimbly turned sideways and swept his left leg towards Chu You¡¯s head, his movement as fast as the wind and irresistible. Chu You immediately blocked with his right arm when his attack failed. At the same time, he used his right leg to support himself, and his left leg swept towards Fang Mingfeng¡¯s right knee joint¡­ The two of them exchanged several moves in the blink of an eye, and the exchange became more and more intense. Jealousy and anger intertwined, eroding Fang Mingfeng¡¯s rationality. Taking advantage of his shorter height, he quickly pulled out a dagger from his calf and rushed towards Chu You. The dagger in his hand was cold and chilling. The temperature in the house seemed to have plummeted, and the air was so cold that it seemed to freeze. The others¡¯ expressions changed when they saw this, but the kitten watching outside the window let out an excited howl. ¡°Chu You!¡± Gu Yunrong¡¯s face turned pale. She ran towards the two of them without hesitation and used the momentum to push Fang Mingfeng with both hands. When facing Gu Yunrong, Fang Mingfeng was afraid that he would accidentally hurt her. He hesitated for a moment before she pushed him and staggered back two steps. ¡°Rong Rong¡­¡± Fang Mingfeng was stunned. A cold glint flashed across Chu You¡¯s eyes. He slashed Fang Mingfeng¡¯s wrist with the edge of his palm, snatched the dagger, and stabbed the blade of the dagger into Fang Mingfeng¡¯s stomach. Dark red blood quickly gushed out of the wound, dyeing Fang Mingfeng¡¯s blue robe red¡­ All of this happened in the blink of an eye. ¡°Crown Prince Fang!¡± ¡°Nephew!¡± In the main hall, shocked shouts rose and fell. Several people stood up from their chairs. Gu Yunrong was also shocked. She subconsciously wanted to walk towards Fang Mingfeng, but she hurriedly stopped in her tracks. Her eyes flickered as she thought to herself, ¡®Fang Mingfeng is already a little paranoid. I can¡¯t let him misunderstand me again!¡¯ Besides¡­ Thinking of how Fang Mingfeng had inexplicably come to the Gu family to cause trouble, Gu Yunrong¡¯s burning anger flashed across her eyes and she clenched her fists. ¡°¡­¡± Fang Mingfeng stared blankly at Gu Yunrong, who was a few steps away. A hurt expression appeared on his pale face. The action of Gu Yunrong pushing him away had stabbed him deeply. It was even more painful than the wound from the dagger in his abdomen, and was heart-wrenching! The terrifying blood-red color in Fang Mingfeng¡¯s eyes faded, and he seemed to have woken up from a long nightmare. Extraordinary complicated emotions surged in his eyes, rising like waves¡­ Finally, they condensed into a clear thought: She had pushed him away! Meeting Fang Mingfeng¡¯s tragic eyes, Chu You revealed a cold smile that belonged to a victor. He directly pulled out the dagger, drawing more blood. Fang Mingfeng had asked for this! He casually discarded the bloodstained dagger with a clang. Fang Mingfeng turned a deaf ear and held the wound on his abdomen tightly with one hand. A line of blood flowed from the corner of his mouth, but his gaze was still on Gu Yunrong, and the corners of his eyes were red as he shouted in despair, ¡°Rong Rong¡­¡± Chapter 81 - 81 Fulfillment 81 Fulfillment The details that he had deliberately ignored in the past were still vivid in his mind now that he thought about them. There was always a light in her eyes when she saw Kang Wang; She said that he was like a brother to her; She told him to let her go; ¡­ She had also shouted Kang Wang¡¯s name just now. The person she had chosen was Kang Wang, not him! The person she was protecting had always been Kang Wang, not him! One by one, it was obvious that he had been turning a blind eye and a deaf ear to everything. His Rong Rong had never been his. He was not in her heart at all¡­ Blood was still seeping from the wound, soaking his palm. His dark eyes faded to a desperate gray. ¡°Tick, tick!¡± Blood dripped, forming a pool of dark red blood on the smooth marble floor. The thick smell of blood filled the air¡­ Even though Madam Gu had been through many storms, she could not help but feel terrified at this moment. Her entire body was weak, as if all the strength in her body had been sucked away, and she could not move at all. A thought lingered in her mind: It came true. Everything came true! Everything Gu Yanfei said had come true. It had also happened in three days, as Gu Yanfei said. Madam Gu¡¯s heart skipped a beat. All the blood in her body rushed to her head and she felt dizzy. Time passed slowly in silence and the atmosphere became stiffer and stiffer. Everyone was hesitant, conflicted, and shocked. No one expected Fang Mingfeng to need a doctor. In the end, the first person to break the silence was Prince Li. Prince Li slammed his palm on the table. His face was as calm as water, and his beard was almost flying with anger. ¡°It¡¯s bad luck to see blood today. It¡¯s better to call off this marriage,¡± Prince Li said bluntly. Initially, Prince Li did not have many objections to this marriage. As long as the Empress Dowager and Kang Wang were willing, the Emperor would not object. However, after seeing the farce just now, he completely changed his mind. It was a disaster to marry a promiscuous wife. When Madam Gu heard this, the dizziness in her head intensified. Her temples throbbed violently and her head throbbed. She took a deep breath and wanted to persuade him gently, but she heard a cat meow outside the window. ¡°Meow!¡± Madam Gu looked as if she had seen a ghost. Her pupils constricted as she instinctively looked over. Outside the window, a red plum tree swayed crazily. Red petals fell like rain, as if a rain of blood had fallen, but there was no sign of the cat. Gu Yanfei¡¯s words from that day echoed in Madam Gu¡¯s ears again. Could it be that Spiritual Master Lingxiao was really some otherworldly expert, and Gu Yanfei was not talking nonsense. Could she really predict things?! Madam Gu¡¯s eyes were dark and turbulent as her thoughts froze on Gu Yanfei¡¯s last sentence. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you in Yuheng Garden.¡± This girl was waiting for her to beg her!! Madam Gu¡¯s expression did not look too good, and Chu You¡¯s expression was even darker. ¡°Imperial Uncle, the marriage can¡¯t be abandoned!¡± Chu You forcefully stopped Prince Li, who was about to leave. His eagle eyes flickered with a cold and sinister light. Prince Li frowned tightly, not hiding his displeasure. He felt that Chu You was simply obsessed with a woman. ¡°Ning Zhi, move aside!¡± Prince Li¡¯s voice was cold and solemn. Prince Li addressed Kang Wang as Ning Zhi. Chu You was naturally unhappy, and his thin lips were pursed tightly, but he did not move. He said word by word, ¡°Uncle, the Empress Dowager has issued an imperial decree. Today is an auspicious day.¡± As he spoke, he released a gloomy and fierce aura. Kang Wang actually used the Empress Dowager to suppress him?! Prince Li was not frightened. He was the royal sect¡¯s decree, and even when the previous Emperor was still alive, he would respect him. He snatched the big red betrothal letter with the ink on it from the desk and tore it half open. The sound was infinitely magnified in Gu Yunrong¡¯s ears, like lightning and thunder. She could have put aside everything in the Gu family and stood higher than Gu Yanfei. No one would dare to point at her and say that she was just the child of a slave anymore. But now, it was as if a pair of hands had forcefully pushed her down from the clouds¡­ Prince Li threw the torn betrothal letter to the ground in disgust. ¡°I¡¯ll answer to the Empress Dowager for this.¡± He ignored Chu You¡¯s pestering and walked around him. Looking at the betrothal letter that had been torn in half, Chu You¡¯s eyes almost popped out. He wanted to stop him again, but Prince Li¡¯s personal guard immediately stood up, his scabbard horizontal and his eyebrows raised. Chu You could only watch helplessly and with raging anger as Prince Li left with a wave of his hand. All of this was because of Fang Mingfeng! Chu You really wanted to cut Fang Mingfeng into pieces, but there were priorities. He could not sit back and watch Prince Li spout nonsense in front of the Empress Dowager. Giving Gu Yunrong a comforting look, Chu You hurriedly chased after Prince Li. ¡°Uncle!¡± Gu Jian¡¯s mouth opened and closed, and his face alternated between green and white. At this moment, he finally found his voice and shouted, ¡°Someone, go get a doctor!¡± Empress Dowager Yuan had issued a marriage decree. To the Gu family, this was originally a joyous occasion, but now, such a joyous occasion had actually ended in blood. Gu Jian was furious, but if the British Crown Prince died in their Dingyuan Marquis Mansion, it would only make the situation worse. ¡°No need,¡± Fang Mingfeng said dejectedly. He covered his wound with one hand and turned around. When he turned around, he glanced at Gu Yunrong again, his eyes filled with farewell. Gu Yunrong felt an inexplicable sense of loss. He headed out, his back wobbly and unsteady, as if he might collapse at any moment. Gu Yunrong wanted to say something but hesitated. In the end, she did not say a word. She had to let him know that she was angry because his recklessness had ruined an important day in her life. ¡°Nephew, let me send you back to the residence.¡± Gu Jian stood up with his walking stick and gave Madam Wang a look. No matter what, they had to personally send the injured Fang Mingfeng back to the British Monarchy and give him an explanation. Gu Yunrong was in a daze and did not notice the passage of time. It was not until she heard Madam Gu call out weakly, ¡°Bai Lu,¡± that she came back to her senses. ¡°Go and¡­ invite the Second Lady over,¡± Madam Gu instructed in a difficult tone. Her turbid eyes flickered as she rubbed her temples with one hand. Everything that happened today was really ominous! Chapter 82 - 82 Satisfied 82 Satisfied After receiving the order, a maidservant hurried out of the main hall. Gu Yunrong¡¯s expression changed slightly. When she heard Madam Gu mention Gu Yanfei, she recalled that Gu Yanfei had previously hinted that when the Ministry of Internal Affairs came to propose marriage, her marriage with Kang Wang would definitely change¡­ At this moment, Gu Yunrong seemed to have been enlightened. She had never believed in fortune-telling or illusory metaphysics. Fate was never something that could be calculated with a flick of a finger. So that was it! It was not that Gu Yanfei had calculated it correctly. She was just a rat hiding in the gutter, who had secretly set up this trap and was waiting for them to jump into it. ¡°Meow!¡± Outside the window, there was another long cat meow. It sounded happy, excited, and impatient. To Madam Gu, it was like a death warrant. ¡°Meow, meow, meow¡­¡± Gu Yanfei came over amidst the meowing. She saw the plum tree, scratched by the cat, and saw the blood, the dagger, and the torn letter of appointment in the main hall. Even if she hadn¡¯t seen it with her own eyes, she could almost piece together the entire story. She wasn¡¯t going to hide her good mood, so she went in, smiling and amused. The atmosphere of the main hall was heavy and everyone was silent, except for Madam Gu and Gu Yunrong. Gu Yunrong looked at the smile on Gu Yanfei¡¯s lips without blinking, her eyes darkening. It was her! It was indeed Gu Yanfei! Gu Yanfei had made Fang Mingfeng a sword to deal with her. Gu Yunrong was so angry that her hands kept trembling, and the knuckles of her fingers were faintly white. Madam Gu also looked at Gu Yanfei. She held the prayer beads tightly in one hand and her slightly pale face tensed up. She wanted to ask, but she could not bring herself to do so. It was as if as long as she opened her mouth, she would be showing weakness to Gu Yanfei and begging her. Gu Yanfei was not in a hurry. Without needing anyone to call her over, she picked a chair and sat down, then watched leisurely as the servants nimbly cleaned up the mess on the ground. The blood on the floor was quickly wiped clean. The torn big red betrothal letter was picked up and placed on the table with the Empress Dowager¡¯s decree. The house was neat again, as if nothing had happened. Madam Gu lowered her eyes and slowly spun the rosewood prayer beads in her hand, one after another. Her speed was extremely slow, as if even time had been slowed down by her. A moment later, the prayer beads in her hand stopped moving, She raised her hand and gestured for Granny Li to send away all the servants in the main hall and guard the corridor alone. ¡°What do you think we should do?¡± Madam Gu asked without rhyme or reason, her voice dry. ¡°It¡¯s very simple.¡± Gu Yanfei smiled and said gently, ¡°If I¡¯m satisfied with Madam, I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯ll be satisfied too.¡± Madam Gu¡¯s pupils constricted. She immediately realized that Gu Yanfei was doing this for Mother Su. She did not like to be coerced, and a hint of unhappiness disappeared in the blink of an eye. She softened her voice and coaxed, ¡°Yanfei, you are one with the Marquis Household and are bound together¡­¡± Gu Yanfei shook her finger and interrupted her with a chuckle. ¡°If Madam doesn¡¯t satisfy me, I¡¯m already unhappy, so why should I care about the life and death of the Marquis Household? Madam, don¡¯t you think so?¡± As she spoke, Gu Yanfei casually picked up the bloodstained dagger from the chair beside her and sized it up. The dagger was made of fine iron and the blade was straight and smooth. After being tempered by the flames and repeatedly hammered, the blade was extremely sharp. The blood on it had dried. The word ¡°Fang¡± was engraved on the blade near the rhinoceros horn handle, half-red with blood. Even if no one told her, Gu Yanfei knew that the blood on this dagger belonged to Fang Mingfeng. The cold light on the dagger was reflected in Gu Yanfei¡¯s pupils. Those unforgettable memories flashed through her mind. Gu Yanfei stared deeply at the blood-stained dagger in her hand. Her vision was blurry, as if a layer of blood fog was spreading in front of her. In her previous life, she had seen this dagger. At that time, she was being forced by Gu Yunrong step by step. The two of them had already reached the point where they were like fire and water. She threw caution to the wind and wanted everyone to know that Gu Yunrong was born by a wet nurse, while she herself was the real daughter of the Marquis Household. In order to protect Gu Yunrong, Fang Mingfeng had used this dagger to stab her. The blade had pierced into her chest, taking half her life and leaving an indelible scar on her chest! Chapter 83 - 83 Satisfied 83 Satisfied That heart-piercing pain seemed to still be yesterday, seeping into her bones¡­ At the thought of this, the blood-red color in her eyes quickly dilated and flowed violently. In her previous life, the heavens had let Fang Mingfeng off, but she would not let him off, let alone forget what he had done. Gradually, her eyes and emotions calmed down. ¡°It¡¯s a little lacking.¡± Gu Yanfei chuckled and casually threw the dagger on the coffee table with a clang. Compared to the short sword Chu Yi had given her, this dagger was far inferior. She had no particular intention, but Madam Gu listened attentively and felt that there was a hidden meaning behind her words. ¡°¡­¡± Madam Gu looked hesitant. ¡°Do you want me to calculate what will happen next?¡± Gu Yanfei raised her fingers again¡­ As soon as she saw Gu Yanfei¡¯s action, Madam Gu¡¯s heart beat uncontrollably like a drum. Gu Yanfei pinched her knuckles two or three times and sighed softly. ¡°Aiya, this is a sign that the shrike and the swallow will fly in different directions. The Empress Dowager is about to give Kang Wang a marriage. This bride is really unlucky.¡± ¡°The peach blossoms in Gu Yunrong¡¯s life have withered¡­¡± ¡°Let me calculate again¡­¡± Looking at Gu Yanfei¡¯s slender fingers, Madam Gu¡¯s expression darkened and she was distraught. It was unknown if she was afraid that Gu Yanfei would continue calculating or that she would jinx it. Madam Gu gritted her teeth and barely controlled her emotions. She asked again, word by word, ¡°What exactly do you want?!¡± Gu Yanfei put down her calculating hand and gently tapped her index and middle fingers on the armrest. She slowly said, ¡°There¡¯s a saying in the ¡®Law of Jin¡¯: Those who sell people will be punished with 100 strokes of the cane and be exiled for 3,000 miles.¡± Her meaning was clear. ¡°¡­¡± Madam Gu¡¯s pupils dilated. Her breathing and heartbeat were inexplicably attracted by the rhythm of Gu Yanfei¡¯s fingers, and her breathing became faster and faster. ¡°She¡¯s already been punished. Isn¡¯t that enough?¡± Gu Yunrong couldn¡¯t help but ask. Gu Yanfei had already beaten Mother Su half to death, destroyed Gu Yunrong¡¯s betrothal gift, and even injured Fang Mingfeng because of her selfishness. Wasn¡¯t that enough?! Gu Yanfei was actually still not satisfied! Gu Yunrong¡¯s body tensed and her expression was extremely ugly. Even so, she did not lose her composure and speak ill of her. Gu Yanfei¡¯s half-lowered eyelashes trembled slightly, and a trace of blood appeared in her cold eyes. In her previous life, Mother Su had treated Gu Yunrong very well, and Gu Yunrong had been the same to Mother Su. After Gu Yunrong married into Kang Wang¡¯s manor, she released Mother Su¡¯s family from slavery and bought them a house and land. From then on, they were surrounded by servants and lived a luxurious life. Not only that, but Gu Yunrong also hired a teacher for Mother Su¡¯s youngest son. Madam Gu also turned a blind eye to this. In this life, under the circumstances of conflict of interest, could they still stick to the choices of their previous life?! ¡°Not enough,¡± Gu Yanfei said calmly, meeting Gu Yunrong¡¯s eyes calmly. Ultimately, it was extremely easy for her to deal with a mere Mother Su, and no one could stop her. However, even if she simply killed her, her mental demons could not be resolved at all. She had to put herself in the same situation as in her previous life. She had to cut open flesh, dig out pus and blood, scrape away the bone poison¡­ Only then could she really break out of the cocoon and be reborn. This was the meaning of her return to this life! It was quiet inside and outside the house, except for the occasional fallen leaves in the courtyard. It was so quiet that the soft sound of leaves falling could almost be heard. Gu Yanfei did not rush them. She took out a handful of fragrant pine nuts from the dried fruit plate beside her and peeled the pine nuts to eat. Crack, crack, crack¡­ The sound was clearly not loud, but every crack was ear-piercing to Madam Gu¡¯s ears, making her temples ache. Madam Gu clenched her right hand in her wide cuff as she struggled with her thoughts. Gu Yunrong¡¯s pursed cherry lips turned slightly pale. This was an open conspiracy. In other words, Gu Yanfei did not care if she had discovered that she was the mastermind at all. Now, she had clearly made her request. ¡°Don¡¯t push your luck.¡± Gu Yunrong¡¯s eyes gradually sharpened, and a flame danced in her pupils. She did not want Gu Yanfei to succeed! Gu Yanfei did not look at Gu Yunrong. Her slender fingers deftly peeled another pine nut and she said briskly, ¡°So what if I do?¡± ¡°Emperor Taizu once ordered that the imperial family can choose a marriage without asking about family background.¡± ¡°However, I wonder if the Empress Dowager can tolerate a daughter-in-law who¡¯s the child of a slave?¡± Ignoring her family background was not equivalent to marrying a slave as a wife. Gu Yanfei¡¯s tone was casual, as if they were chatting. The words ¡°child of a slave¡± stung Gu Yunrong again. This was a blatant threat. Gu Yanfei was clearly threatening her. If she did not let the other party vent her anger, her background would be exposed to Empress Dowager Yuan. As she thought about it, Gu Yunrong lowered her eyes, forming a shadow underneath. She believed that she did not care about her background, and neither did Kang Wang. Who her parents and background were was not up to her to decide, and no matter who it was, it would be the same. Therefore, Gu Yunrong did not think that she owed Gu Yanfei. She was just a little luckier than Gu Yanfei, but it was not a crime to be lucky. She did not care if Gu Yanfei told anyone about this. So what if she did? Her knowledge, talent, wisdom, and even her intelligence belonged to her, not to the Gu family¡¯s daughter. Gu Yanfei could tell everyone for all she cared. The words were already on Gu Yunrong¡¯s lips. Click. Gu Yanfei casually threw a pine nut shell on the coffee table and it happened to roll onto the blood-stained dagger, making a crisp sound. The blood on the dagger was still bright red and shocking. Recalling the scene of the dagger stabbing into Fang Mingfeng¡¯s abdomen, Gu Yunrong suddenly could not say anything. She seemed to hear the sound of the betrothal letter being torn open again, and Prince Li¡¯s disgusted gaze appeared in front of her. She did not care about her background, but the world did. Prince Li already disliked her. What would he think if he found out that she had a biological mother like Mother Su?! What would the Empress Dowager think? If she could not reach the heavens in a single step and reach a position that could look down on everyone, she would always be the ¡°child of a slave¡± Gu Yanfei mentioned and would always be inferior. Chapter 84 - 84 Abandonment 84 Abandonment Gu Yunrong¡¯s face was pale, and her eyes were stubborn as she sat there with her back straight. ¡°Yanfei.¡± Madam Gu could not stand it anymore and berated her, ¡°Enough.¡± She knew that this matter would not end well. Regardless of whether Gu Yanfei was really good at divination, once the matter of her ¡°child¡± was exposed, there would be no hope of Gu Yunrong becoming Princess Consort Kang. Her heart swayed violently again. After a while, Madam Gu said firmly, ¡°Okay.¡± The word seemed to be squeezed between her teeth. Gu Yunrong moved her lips but did not say anything in the end. She did not look at Madam Gu or Gu Yanfei, as if she had finally made up her mind or given up on something¡­ ¡°Ah Hui,¡± Madam Gu called out again. Granny Li, who was guarding outside the door, entered to listen. ¡°Send her to the authorities.¡± Madam Gu slowly twisted the prayer beads and instructed with a solemn expression. Granny Li agreed respectfully. However, just as she turned around, Madam Gu stopped her. ¡°Wait.¡± Granny Li looked at Madam Gu in confusion. Madam Gu looked up and said calmly, ¡°Break the tendons in her hands and mute her with poison.¡± She twisted the prayer beads in her hand, her face expressionless. If she wanted to get rid of future troubles forever, she had to make Mother Su unable to speak and use sign language, so as to keep this secret. Back then, Madam Gu did not want to kill Mother Su. It was also because Gu Yunrong had pleaded for Mother Su that Madam Gu treated her as a blessing for Gu Yunrong. However, if Mother Su¡¯s existence would hinder Rong¡¯er¡­ A ruthless glint appeared in Madam Gu¡¯s eyes. Gu Yanfei did not hear him and leisurely peeled the pine nuts to eat. Gu Yunrong, on the other hand, trembled violently. Her cherry lips were slightly open, and her thoughts were written on her face. This was too cruel! ¡°Yes, Madam,¡± Granny Li replied respectfully without even raising her eyebrows. In this huge Marquis Mansion, it was not rare for servants to be flogged and sold. Moreover, Mother Su had indeed made a huge mistake, so she was considered lucky to have lived a few extra years. After Granny Li bowed, she turned around and left. With one less person, the Hall for Cultivating Virtues seemed empty and fell into dead silence again. Outside, there was a rustling wind and a strong murderous aura. There seemed to be faint wailing mixed in with the howling wind that could not be heard upon focus. Gu Yunrong lowered her face. The voice lingered in her ears, as if it had torn pieces from her soul¡­ Gu Yunrong felt pain that was soul-deep and she could no longer be distracted. She did not look at Gu Yanfei, but Gu Yanfei was looking at Gu Yunrong. She saw that the vibrant golden luck around Gu Yunrong had a faint gray tinge, like a peony in full bloom, except the edge of one of the petals suddenly had a hint of burning and withering. Oh, interesting. Gu Yanfei raised her eyebrows, her eyes shining. Madam Gu had had a smooth life for most of her life. Now, she had to lower her head to a junior. It was simply more uncomfortable than taking her life. ¡°Slam!¡± Gu Yanfei clapped her hands gently and nodded bluntly. ¡°I¡¯m satisfied.¡± ¡°I hope Madam will always satisfy me in the future.¡± She tilted her head and smiled brightly, her eyes curved like crescent moons. Madam Gu suppressed the urge to slam the table and took a deep breath, then asked patiently, ¡°There was bloodshed today. How should we resolve it?¡± Her eyes were burning as she stared at Gu Yanfei. At this point, Rong¡¯er¡¯s marriage could not go wrong again! Gu Yanfei casually took out a talisman from her sleeve and placed it close to the coffee table. ¡°Burn the talisman and let her drink the talisman water.¡± Ridiculous! Gu Yunrong¡¯s gaze shot at Gu Yanfei like a sword. She was so ashamed and resentful that another tearing pain came from the depths of her soul. ¡°Believe it or not, it¡¯s up to you.¡± Gu Yanfei had a lazy smile on her lips. She stood up, stroked her sleeve, and walked out of the main hall. After she turned around, the smile on her lips turned into a faint mocking smile. This talisman had no meaning and was just a piece of crappy paper. Actually, even if she did nothing, Gu Yunrong and Chu You¡¯s marriage would definitely not go wrong. Gu Yunrong was the favored child of the heavens in this small world, and Chu You was a blessing from the heavens for her. Their marriage was predestined by the heavens. Chapter 85 - 85 Abandonment 85 Abandonment However, compared to her previous life, this relationship was much more bumpy. In her previous life, Gu Yunrong had been in the limelight because she had ¡°saved¡± Kang Wang in Prince Jing¡¯s Manor. In her previous life, everyone only thought that Gu Yunrong and Kang Wang were a match made in heaven. The world only saw the glory, but they did not know that their happiness was trampled on the flesh and blood of countless cannon fodder. Gu Yanfei had only removed the seemingly perfect skin and revealed the rotten sores under it. But she also knew that no matter how many twists and turns this marriage took, they would still come together. It was fate. No one could change that. Just now, Gu Yanfei had only casually frightened Madam Gu and Gu Yunrong, but they had all given up on Mother Su for benefits. Gu Yanfei walked down the stone steps in front of the Hall for Cultivating Virtues and did not care about Gu Yunrong¡¯s cold and stern gaze behind her. She was greeted by a gust of wind with sand in it, which blinded her and made her eyes sting and shed faint tears. In her teary eyes, Gu Yanfei recalled that in her previous life, Mother Su had lived a pampered life and had a deep mother-daughter relationship with Gu Yunrong. Until the moment of her death, Mother Su had lived an extravagant life. So this was all there was to it! A line of tears fell from the corners of Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes and slid down her jade-like face¡­ The knot in her heart dissipated, as if a bubble had been gently pierced. In an instant, Gu Yanfei felt enlightened and her eyes lit up. Her sea of consciousness was like a vast and calm sea, a clear and cloudless sky, or a feeling of the vast sea and sky. Gu Yanfei raised her hand and wiped the tears off her face with her fingertips. These tears were from her previous life. Her lips curved into a smile. It was as if a heavy burden had been lifted from her shoulders. Her smile was even more dazzling and beautiful than the light from the sky. There was a sudden rustling in the canopy beside her. The kitten poked its head out from between the leaves and leaped down from one of the trees, landing accurately in her arms. ¡°Meow, meow, meow¡­¡± Qing Guang meowed happily. ¡°Have you seen enough?¡± Gu Yanfei placed the cat on her shoulder. The cat squatted down obediently and meowed again in high spirits. Gu Yanfei patted its back and said, ¡°It¡¯s time to go back.¡± The kitten was very excited and meowed again, wanting to tell her what had happened to Mother Su. Its green eyes shone in the sunlight, and it was so beautiful that it made her heart palpitate. Unfortunately, Gu Yanfei did not understand a word it said. They returned to Yuheng Garden with the lingering meow of a cat. Gu Yanfei seemed to have sensed something and looked in the direction of the boudoir. She stuffed the kitten that was licking her shoulder into Juan Bi¡¯s hands and instructed, ¡°Juan Bi, go get some boiled chicken for Qing Guang.¡± ¡°Little Qing Guang, are you hungry? I¡¯ll make you something delicious!¡± Juan Bi happily carried Qing Guang away. When she coaxed the kitten, her voice could not help but soften, as if she was coaxing a child. Gu Yanfei entered the house alone and went to the empty small study. But a familiar baby face was facing her through the half-open window. The young man in green smiled very warmly and happily without the slightest embarrassment, as if it was normal for him to climb over the wall. ¡°Miss Gu.¡± Xiao Shi smiled and waved at Gu Yanfei. His tone was light as he continued saying, ¡°My young master asked me to deliver wine to you.¡± Xiao Shi held a wooden tray with a pink enamel wine pot in his other hand. He placed the wine pot and wine glass on the table by the window and looked at Gu Yanfei with a smile. Then, he reached out and made an inviting gesture. Today was a lucky day and deserved congratulations. Gu Yanfei poured herself a glass of autumn dew. The Autumn Dew was named after the lotus dew brewed in early autumn. The wine was white and exquisite. Gu Yanfei sniffed indulgently before taking a sip. Then, she drank it all in one gulp. She felt that the wine in her mouth was fragrant and sweet. The aftertaste lingered in her mouth. ¡°Good wine!¡± Gu Yanfei praised happily with her eyes narrowed. ¡°It¡¯s good that you like it!¡± Xiao Shi smiled and praised his young master. ¡°This Autumn Dew is imperial wine that others can¡¯t drink. If you like it, I¡¯ll send it to you next time.¡± ¡°Thank your young master for me.¡± Gu Yanfei casually took a red plum from the plum bottle beside her and handed it to Xiao Shi outside the window. Plums were in full bloom in the cold wind. Lonely and proud amidst the snow, it was quite compatible with him. Was this flower for their young master? Stunned, Xiao Shi took the branch and felt that something was reversed. Strange, what was it?! Xiao Shi racked his brains and returned to the palace in a daze. Only when he handed the red plum to Chu Yi did he realize what was wrong. As the saying went, fine wine gave heroes, and flowers matched beautiful women. Why was it the other way around between his young master and Miss Gu?! Chu Yi was dressed in his usual white clothes and was playing with the red plum in his hand with interest. The red plums on the branches were as bright as fire, reflecting a hint of brightness on his handsome face, making one¡¯s eyes light up. Chu Yi turned the red plum, and the petals trembled. He lowered his head and sniffed. A trace of clear plum fragrance entered his nose. For some reason, he recalled the scene when he first met her in the suburbs of Danyang City. The girl was still so carefree in such a tragic situation. Her dress and long hair fluttered in the wind¡­ Seeing that Chu Yi quite liked Gu Yanfei¡¯s return gift, Xiao Shi joked, ¡°Young Master, Miss Gu is really a straightforward person¡­ No, a smart straightforward person!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a blessing to meet my match,¡± Chu Yi said with a low laugh. This time, they joined forces to play a wonderful game of chess. Chapter 86 - 86 Complaint 86 Complaint Xiao Shi did not understand and asked casually, ¡°Young Master, do you want to play chess with Miss Gu?¡± Chu Yi glanced at Xiao Shi lightly and said, ¡°Go get a vase.¡± The corners of his auspicious phoenix¡¯s eyes tilted up slightly, and his shimmering black eyes looked as if they had been carefully drawn by an artist. Xiao Shi happily went to get a vase. After personally placing the flower branches into a white porcelain vase, Chu Yi suddenly asked, ¡°Are they still there?¡± He did not say who he was referring to, but Xiao Shi naturally understood and smiled brightly. ¡°Young Master, Prince Li and His Highness Kang Wang are still in the East Warm Pavilion.¡± Chu Yi stood up and Xiao Shi followed silently. The master and servant went to the East Warm Pavilion against the cold wind. An eunuch guarding the East Warm Pavilion did not go in to inform the Emperor and let him in. Everyone in the palace knew that the Emperor doted on the Eldest Prince the most, and that the pair of father and son was very close. It was as warm as spring in the East Warm Pavilion, but the atmosphere was tense and there was a faint sparking intensity. Prince Li and Chu You did not look too good. They each had their own opinions. ¡°Your Majesty, this marriage will never happen!¡± Prince Li¡¯s voice was loud and clear, still insisting that the marriage be annulled. ¡°Imperial Uncle, I¡¯ve already said that Fang Mingfeng was being unreasonable today. It has nothing to do with Rong¡¯er,¡± Chu You argued. ¡°The marriage decree has been issued. It¡¯s improper to issue an order in the morning and rescind it in the evening!¡± ¡°Your Majesty, you¡¯re the eldest brother. You can¡¯t just watch Ning Zhi insist on crashing into the south wall¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± The uncle and nephew became more and more agitated as they spoke, each louder than the other. The Emperor, who was dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe, was sitting on the bed. He rubbed his temples with one hand and looked a little tired, and the silver strands in his hair made him look even more haggard. Immediately noticing Chu Yi¡¯s arrival, the eunuch quietly walked to the curtain to welcome him and lowered his voice to roughly tell him about the current situation. For example, Prince Li and Kang Wang had arrived half an hour ago because something had happened when they went to the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion to propose marriage. For example, the British Crown Prince, Fang Mingfeng, was stabbed by Kang Wang in the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion. For example, Prince Li felt that it was inauspicious to see blood today and wanted to end this marriage. ¡­ ¡°This is really¡­¡± Chu Yi clearly knew more than the other party, but he let out a low sigh that was both surprised and sad. He flicked his sleeve lightly, and his wide sleeves swayed gently like weeping willows. He slowly walked forward and interrupted, ¡°I¡¯m afraid this matter is not just about the marriage of the Seventh Imperial Uncle.¡± His words attracted Prince Li and Chu You¡¯s attention. The two of them forgot their argument and looked at Chu Yi with different expressions. The former was confused, and the latter looked unfriendly. Chu Yi walked unhurriedly to the two of them and said gently and politely, ¡°What crime has the British Crown Prince committed?¡± His words were simple, but they hit the nail on the head. The room was silent and Prince Li looked thoughtful. Chu Yi walked straight to the Emperor and sat down. His every move exuded an indescribable elegance and nobility that was pleasing to the eye. In the next moment, the little eunuch served him tea and fruits. His movements were very fast and nimble. Chu You narrowed his narrow eagle eyes, exuding a dangerous aura. Chu Yi seemed to be oblivious and continued, ¡°Emperor Taizu has ordered that the descendants of the imperial family should set an example. They can¡¯t bully the weak and hurt others for no reason¡­ Otherwise, their crimes will increase.¡± After a pause, Chu Yi slowly repeated, ¡°May I ask, Imperial Uncle, what crime has the British Crown Prince committed?¡± This time, he looked up directly at Chu You, who was three or four feet away. Chu You¡¯s face was ashen. The muscles in his cheeks were tense, and his gaze was colder than 10,000-year-old ice. This rule was set by Emperor Taizu. In Emperor Taizu¡¯s ¡®Living Note¡¯, Emperor Taizu had once said that when a family had more than two generations of power, they would be more arrogant, domineering, and hostile. Hence, they must be severely punished as a warning to others. In previous dynasties, the imperial family had always been superior to others. When Emperor Taizu proposed this law, the imperial family naturally objected. However, an arm could not win against a thigh. ¡°Cough, cough¡­¡± Chu Yi tilted his head slightly. He placed his right fist by his lips and coughed softly. The snow-white cloak that covered him was trimmed with mink fur, making his handsome face even thinner. His cheeks were flushed and he looked sick. ¡°It¡¯s the first day of the month, but you were in the cold wind when you came over?¡± The Emperor leaned over to look at Chu Yi with concern. ¡°Come, drink more hot water.¡± The Emperor personally picked up the teacup on the coffee table for him, lifted the lid, and handed it to him. Wisps of white steam rose from the cup, and the tea was steaming. Chapter 87 - 87 Complaint 87 Complaint ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Chu Yi coughed again and recovered. He smiled at the Emperor and lowered his head to drink his tea. Father and son were affectionate and the son was filial. Prince Li, who was originally angered by Chu You, softened his expression. Chu Yi slowly took two sips of tea and heard the curtain in front of him being carefully lifted. Then a middle-aged eunuch reported in a sharp voice, ¡°Your Majesty, the British Duke is here. He¡¯s kneeling outside.¡± The Emperor raised his eyebrows. His voice was low but not aged. ¡°What is the British Duke doing?¡± he asked flatly. His tone was neither light nor heavy, it was extremely clear and had the bearing of a king. Chu You¡¯s thin lips pressed into a straight line, and Prince Li frowned. A dignified first-ranked duke kneeling outside was either asking for forgiveness or seeking justice. No matter what, it would definitely cause speculation among the civil and military officials. Chu Yi held the teacup and lowered his head to smell the fragrance of the tea, then he took slow sips. The middle-aged eunuch who came to report lowered his head again and replied slowly, ¡°The British Duke said that Crown Prince Fang was injured by His Highness Kang Wang. He wants to ask the Emperor to uphold justice for the Crown Prince.¡± Even without looking up, the middle-aged eunuch could feel Chu You¡¯s knife-like gaze on him, and his back was covered in cold sweat. ¡°Sigh.¡± Chu Yi¡¯s elegant and gentle voice sounded again. ¡°The British Duke is an old minister who founded the country. They say that all birds are hidden by the bow, but Emperor Taizu is magnanimous and never killed the meritorious officials in vain. He left behind beautiful stories about the Emperor and minister, unlike the previous dynasty¡¯s Emperor Qi¡­¡± Prince Li was 64 years old this year. He had also followed Emperor Taizu and personally witnessed his peerless bearing. He loved to hear about Emperor Taizu¡¯s deeds the most. Every time he recalled the past, his blood would boil with passion. ¡°Well said!¡± Prince Li slapped his thigh heavily. He suddenly looked several years younger and was in high spirits. ¡°Your Majesty¡¯s breadth of mind is extraordinary!¡± In comparison, Kang Wang was not like his ancestors. He shouted to kill for some romantic reasons and even dared to attack the descendants of the founders! When Prince Li looked at Chu You again, he shook his head and sighed. Then, he frowned and said in a low voice, ¡°Ning Zhi, you injured the British Crown Prince today. Others will only say that a descendant of the imperial family injured the British heir. If this goes wrong, someone might think that the Emperor is using this as an excuse to kill the founder of the country.¡± Just as Chu Yi had said, Emperor Qi of the previous dynasty discarded a worthy person when he has served his purpose. In less than ten years after the founding of the country, he had killed more than half of the founding officials. It was bone-chilling. ¡°¡­¡± The corners of Chu You¡¯s eyes twitched. The Emperor slowly stroked his beard and was about to ask the eunuch to call the British Duke in when Chu Yi said, ¡°Father, I¡¯ll go take a look.¡± The Emperor had always doted on Chu Yi and agreed without hesitation. ¡°Alright, go and comfort the British Duke.¡± Chu Yi elegantly covered the tea lid and placed the teacup back on the coffee table. He turned to look at Chu You and asked with a smile, ¡°Seventh Imperial Uncle, do you want to come with me?¡± Chu You responded with practical actions and stood up with a dark expression. They passed through the double curtains and arrived at the entrance to the East Warm Pavilion. Fang Huairui, who was wearing a first-grade embroidered scarlet robe, knelt on the cold ground with his head half lowered and his face dark. When he saw a pair of white boots enter his field of vision, the corners of Fang Huairui¡¯s mouth tightened. When he looked up, his round copper eyes were red with tears. ¡°Your Highness, my son was injured by Kang Wang and is still unconscious. His fate is unknown¡­¡± ¡°I have to seek justice for my son no matter what!¡± Fang Huairui wailed at Chu Yi. Towards the end, his voice was hoarse, but his cries were 60% fake and 40% real. Fang Mingfeng was Fang Huairui¡¯s eldest son and had once been his pride. Seeing his son injured, Fang Huairui¡¯s heart ached. At this moment, when he faced Chu You, his eyes were filled with resentment and dissatisfaction, as if he would rush up and punch Chu You in the next moment. There was no need for him to act out this at all, and his emotions were quite on point. ¡°Fang Mingfeng reaped what he sowed,¡± Chu You said coldly. ¡°Your Highness, Kang Wang has really gone too far!¡± One moment, Fang Huairui pointed at Chu You, and the next moment, he wiped his tears with his sleeve. ¡°My son is a little rash, but it¡¯s understandable. His Highness Kang Wang used a sharp weapon to hurt someone without a word. He¡¯s really gone too far¡­¡± Thinking back to the entire matter, Fang Huairui felt a little complicated. Chu Yi¡¯s plan was not hidden from him. In fact, Fang Huairui had turned a blind eye to Fang Mingfeng¡¯s ability to sneak out of the British Mansion this morning. Mingfeng had had a smooth life since he was young and had never encountered setbacks. As a result, he had developed such an arrogant personality. Recently, he had become more and more outrageous, so it was time for him to suffer and learn. It was better to suffer now than lose his life in the future. A sharp glint flashed across Fang Huairui¡¯s eyes. Seeing that Fang Huairui did not know how to appreciate favors, Chu You¡¯s expression darkened. Chu Yi took another step forward and advised politely, ¡°British Duke, go back first. Father already knows about this and will give you an explanation.¡± His voice was as clear as the wind, filled with the power to comfort one¡¯s heart. However, to Fang Huairui, Chu Yi¡¯s words were cold. The corners of Fang Huairui¡¯s eyes twitched violently. He pretended to wipe his tears again and sighed. He had really boarded a pirate ship! The Eldest Prince looked gentle and harmless on the surface, but he was actually a black-hearted lotus. He was probably unable to get off this pirate ship. He could have watched coldly as Chu Yi and Chu You fought. He did not have to get involved in this mess. The more Fang Huairui thought about it, the sadder he became. At this moment, he really wanted to cry. He could not help but vent his anger on Kang Wang. He said, ¡°Your Majesty, please seek justice. A life for a life¡­¡± Chapter 88 - 88 Condemnation 88 Condemnation ¡°Enough!¡± Chu You could not stand it anymore and interrupted Fang Huairui with a voice as cold as ice. He was a martial artist and knew very well if that dagger would kill him. The British Duke was clearly being unreasonable. Fang Huairui lowered his right arm that was wiping his tears and maintained his kneeling posture. He shouted without care, ¡°Your Highness Kang Wang is only a prince, yet he wanted to kill an old minister who founded the country!!¡± He spoke each word louder and louder, wishing most of the court could hear him. The veins on Chu You¡¯s forehead throbbed, and even on his neck. ¡°My father and I are loyal to the Great Jin Dynasty. Even if we don¡¯t contribute, we have worked hard. Your Highness Kang Wang¡¯s actions have really disappointed me!¡± What a ruffian! These words could not help but appear in Chu You¡¯s mind. He flicked his sleeve and left. Instead of returning to the East Warm Pavilion, he strode past Fang Huairui. Fang Huairui¡¯s loud wails came from behind. ¡°Your Majesty, please seek justice for me.¡± Chu You walked faster, his head held high. He did not believe that the Emperor could do anything to him! Fang Huairui knelt for an entire day and night without eating or drinking. The next morning, he finally fainted from exhaustion. Kang Wang had stabbed the British Crown Prince, causing the fate of Crown Prince Fang to be unknown. The British Duke only had one legitimate son and was in tears. He would rather give up his title to punish the murderer. When the censors heard the news, they finally could not hold back. They swarmed to the East Warm Pavilion and presented several letters to the Emperor. They impeached Kang Wang, Chu You, for injuring someone and asked the Emperor to take the appropriate measures. They also said, ¡°Kang Wang is in the wrong, so he has to take responsibility. Otherwise, won¡¯t the world think that the Emperor condoned the imperial family¡¯s murder!¡± The Emperor looked at the memorial and did not comment. He only instructed the eunuch to seek an audience with Kang Wang. Those aristocratic families who supported Kang Wang exchanged glances and decided to suppress the arrogance of these censors so that these poor scholars from poor families would not be impudent in front of their aristocratic families. Therefore, the Minister of Revenue, Wang Kangyin, retorted, ¡°Censor Li, Kang Wang has always been careful with his words and actions. The previous Emperor also praised him for being magnanimous. There must be a reason why he took action.¡± ¡°How can you listen to the British Duke?¡± What he meant was that Fang Mingfeng had misbehaved. To put it more clearly, if the censors still had any objections, they would be questioning the previous Emperor. It had been less than a year since the late Emperor passed away. Even the current Emperor had to abide by the rules and not change his father¡¯s will after three years. The censors were momentarily speechless by Wang Kangyin¡¯s words. Even the Emperor seemed to be in a difficult position as he repeatedly stroked his beard. A moment later, the Emperor cleared his throat with a dry cough and said, ¡°Kang Wang and the British Crown Prince are both young and impetuous. That¡¯s why they argued and pushed each other a few times.¡± At the side, Duke Wei, who had a straight face, saw that those aristocratic families insisted on dragging Fang Mingfeng down, and the emperor still wanted to be a peacemaker. His expression darkened and he was unhappy. That would not do! Duke Wei snorted coldly and said unhappily, ¡°How dare he hurt someone with a knife in broad daylight? How can you easily understate the word ¡®pushing¡¯?!¡± As soon as Duke Wei expressed his stance, the nobles who had only come to join in the fun immediately became solemn. After the founding of the Great Jin Dynasty, Emperor Taizu conferred him a meritorious man, and he was named the Fourth Duke. According to the laws of the Great Jin Dynasty, the noble titles were decreased by one grade for three generations. Only the titles of the four noble families were hereditary and would never be demoted. They were above the other nobles, so the nobles vaguely followed the ¡°Fourth Duke¡±. Duke Wei continued angrily, ¡°Fang Mingfeng is the only legitimate son of the British Duke. If anything happens, won¡¯t there be no one in the British Monarchy to inherit the title!!¡± Usually, although the Fourth Duke would occasionally argue and not be convinced of each other, they would support each other in the face of common interests. After hearing that the British Duke had fainted, Duke Wei specially went to see him to comfort him. In the end, the British Duke cried buckets and held his hand to complain. What he meant was that Kang Wang was from a noble family and did not care about them. Today, he dared to stab his son for no reason. If he really ascended to that position in the future, he might even cut off their titles to make room for those noble families¡­ The more Duke Wei thought about it, the more frightened he felt. His voice also became louder. ¡°Kang Wang simply has ulterior motives!¡± Chapter 89 - 89 Condemnation 89 Condemnation His words enlightened the nobles present and they nodded repeatedly in agreement. So this was what Kang Wang was after. He really had ulterior motives! The Eemperor stroked his beard in thought and asked slowly, with the demeanor of a benevolent ruler, ¡°What do you think, Duke Wei?¡± Duke Wei naturally felt that Kang Wang deserved punishment, but how to punish him was also a difficult problem. Chu Yi, who was sitting at the bottom, asked indifferently, ¡°There are serious punishments. I wonder how the British Crown Prince¡¯s injury is?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Duke Wei was stunned. How could he know how injured Fang Mingfeng was? He only heard the British Duke crying that his son had been stabbed and was bleeding profusely, causing his fate to be unknown. However, the Eldest Prince¡¯s words reminded him that there were serious punishments. Duke Wei¡¯s old eyes lit up and he made a decision. He said seriously, ¡°The old Emperor said that if an imperial family has broken the law, the crime will be increased by one level. Since Kang Wang stabbed Crown Prince Fang, let Crown Prince Fang stab him back twice, and we¡¯ll consider it even.¡± The other nobles looked at each other, all in high spirits. They felt that Duke Wei¡¯s idea was simply amazing. They couldn¡¯t wait to agree and were extremely united. The officials led by Wang Kangyin were all dumbfounded. They immediately felt that the situation was not good and could not be bothered to mention how the late Emperor had praised Kang Wang. ¡°Your Majesty, you must not. If we really do as Duke Wei said, I¡¯m afraid Kang Wang¡¯s safety will be unpredictable after these two slashes. This is too harsh a sentence¡­¡± The British Monarchy probably already hated Kang Wang. If Fang Mingfeng stabbed Kang Wang twice, Kang Wang¡¯s life would probably be in danger! However, before he could finish, he was interrupted by the rough voice of a burly middle-aged noble. ¡°He¡¯s just stabbed twice. He didn¡¯t say anything about gouging his flesh!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°The old Emperor also said, ¡®Who doesn¡¯t get stabbed when they¡¯re in the pugilistic world?¡¯ Since he had the ruthlessness to stab someone, he has to know the feeling of being stabbed!¡± ¡°¡­¡± The nobles spoke one after another, each louder than the last. The Great Jin Dynasty had only been established for 50 years, and most of these noble titles had only been passed down for two to three generations. Usually, those aristocratic families would secretly mock them for not washing the mud off their legs. However, when these people stood in a line, their power was also astonishing. Anyone who put in a good word for Kang Wang would be scolded by them. Neither could convince the other, and sparks of animosity flew in the air. Amidst the commotion, Chu Yi sighed softly. ¡°Two slashes are too heavy. It¡¯s not good to exchange blood for blood.¡± His clear and calm voice was like a clear spring. When the officials of the aristocratic families heard this, it was as if they had obtained a treasure. They echoed with joy, ¡°Yes, yes, yes. The Eldest Prince is right.¡± Chu Yi elegantly put down the blue and white porcelain teacup in his hand and looked at Duke Wei and the others. He said, ¡°However, the evidence of the Seventh Imperial Uncle¡¯s crime of assault is conclusive. If we don¡¯t pursue the matter, it will also violate the old Emperor¡¯s legacy.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes!¡± The nobles responded repeatedly. Chu Yi gently knocked the knuckles of his right hand on the coffee table twice. His warm gaze turned to the Emperor at the head of the table and he said gently, ¡°Then demote him.¡± After that, there was silence in the East Warm Pavilion. Before the others could react, the Emperor raised his hand and slapped the table, echoing, ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s lower his rank to the Prince of the Second Rank.¡± Duke Wei was stunned at first, but then he thought about it. That¡¯s right. It would only hurt for a while if Kang Wang was stabbed twice, and he would probably forget about the pain after his scar healed. How could it be as satisfying as being demoted? Wonderful! It was a wonderful punishment! It was also to prevent Kang Wang from having designs on their noble titles. He would let Kang Wang suffer first. ¡°Your Majesty is wise!¡± Duke Wei was the first to shout, beaming with joy. Since Duke Wei had agreed, the other nobles were not dissatisfied. They all shouted, ¡°Your Majesty is wise,¡± their voices as loud as thunder. Some people were happy, and some people¡¯s expressions were stiff as they looked at the curtain embroidered with a five-clawed golden dragon behind them. Kang Wang, Chu You, who had been summoned by the Emperor, was standing in front of the curtain. His face was as calm as water, and his entire body exuded a cold aura. Before Kang Wang could speak, the Minister of Revenue, Wang Kangyin, answered first, ¡°Your Majesty is wise. Punishments should be given to those who have made mistakes.¡± Wang Kangyin was not stupid. He could tell that the Emperor wanted to demote Kang Wang¡¯s title this time. With these nobles here today, if they did not lower his rank, the Emperor would probably take advantage of the situation and let the British Duke stab Kang Wang twice. In this situation, Kang Wang could only blame himself for being too impulsive and insisting on offending the nobles. Wang Kangyin gently pinched his sleeve and nodded imperceptibly at Chu You, indicating that he should lower his head to the Emperor. ¡°Seventh Brother,¡± the Emperor looked through the crowd at Chu You behind him and asked indifferently, ¡°Do you have any objections to my decision?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chu You¡¯s ears buzzed, and monstrous anger surged in his narrow eyes. At this moment, he wanted to leave angrily, but a trace of rationality told him that he could not leave. If he left just like that today, he would offend all the nobles. And the current him could not afford to offend them! Chu You clenched his fists tightly. His tall figure was straight like a spear, and his heart was fighting fiercely. His mood was extremely complicated, and a thick fishy sweetness filled his mouth. He felt as if an invisible pusher was pushing him into this dilemma step by step! He told himself that in ancient times, there was Gou Jian and Han Xin. Those who achieved great things would endure a moment of humiliation! Even Emperor Taizu had once been despised by others when he was young and even said a heroic phrase, ¡°Don¡¯t bully the poor.¡± ¡­ For a long time, Chu You did not move and stood rooted to the ground. The silence spread and the atmosphere grew oppressive. After an unknown period of time, he said with difficulty, ¡°I accept the decree.¡± He lowered his head to hide the deep anger in his eyes and suppressed it. As the words fell, the dust settled. Chu You walked out of the East Warm Pavilion with a dark expression, his entire body exuding a forbidding aura. He held his breath and continued walking out of the palace in large strides. The weather in the capital today was gloomy, and the wind was strong. After leaving the palace, Chu You rode straight back to Prince Kang¡¯s Manor. He spurred his horse and ran around in circles against the cold wind¡­ He urged his horse around three or four times. A pageboy came running at full speed, panting and shouting. ¡°Your Highness, the Emperor has sent someone to issue an imperial edict.¡± ¡°They, they still want to tear down the door of the mansion!¡± Chapter 90 - 90 Regret 90 Regret What?! Chu You suddenly pulled the reins. The black horse under him raised its front hooves high, and white air blew from its mouth and nose. ¡°Slam!¡± In the next moment, he swung his whip heavily on the horse¡¯s rump and urged it towards the gate as fast as a gale. When Chu You arrived at the main entrance, one of the gates of the manor had been removed, and a few imperial guards were dismantling the other. The commotion here was too great and attracted many passersby who were watching the commotion. All of them pointed in the direction of the manor. ¡°Your Highness Kang Wang!¡± The eunuch who had come to pass the decree bowed politely to Chu You with indifferent eyes. ¡°I¡¯m here to pass the decree.¡± Of course, he came to pass on the imperial decree to reduce Kang Wang¡¯s title from the Prince of the First Rank to the Prince of the Second Rank. The eunuch took the bright yellow imperial decree from the tray and read it without caring if Chu You knelt. ¡°By the heavens, the Emperor has issued a decree. The decree says: Kang Wang, Chu You, is young and impetuous¡­¡± Chu You¡¯s ears buzzed and he didn¡¯t hear the rest. He just watched as they completely tore down the vermilion door of the prince¡¯s manor. According to the rules of the Great Jin Dynasty, the door of the Prince of the First Rank¡¯s manor was nailed in nine rows and seven columns, while the number of nails in the Prince of the Second Rank¡¯s manor was reduced to nine rows and five columns. Therefore, since Kang Wang had been demoted, the original door of the manor naturally could not be used. Not only that, but even the pair of Qilin Stone Beasts in front of the door had been carried away. The entrance to Prince Kang¡¯s Manor became empty. At first glance, it looked as if a decree had been issued to confiscate the house. ¡°Regards.¡± After reading the last two words, the eunuch closed the imperial edict and said indifferently, ¡°Your Highness, the Emperor said that there¡¯s no need to mobilize people for the changes of the house regulations.¡± The eunuch immediately changed his address to ¡°Your Grace.¡± Kang Wang was no longer a Prince of the First Rank, so he was not qualified to be called ¡°Your Highness.¡± ¡°Your Grace, please accept the decree,¡± the eunuch said as he handed the imperial edict to Chu You with both hands. Chu You gritted his teeth tightly, his expression sinister. He wanted to wave away the imperial decree, but he also knew that he would be charged with disobeying the decree and it would become evidence for him to be criticized by others. Now that things had come to this, he decided to endure it for a while. ¡°I thank His Majesty for his kindness,¡± Chu You said with a dark expression. He took the imperial edict with both hands, and a chill rose in his heart that quickly spread and expanded in his body. So what if the house regulations did not change? The world only cared about how it looked on the outside. He had been demoted. He had been conferred the title of Prince of the First Rank by the late Emperor when he was 10 years old, but now it was gone. Chu You¡¯s dark eyes were filled with humiliation as he clenched his fists. He watched helplessly as the people from the Ministry of Internal Affairs removed the plaque that had been placed on the door with the words ¡°Prince Kang of the First Rank¡¯s Manor¡± and replaced it with a new plaque with the words ¡°Prince Kang of the Second Rank¡¯s Manor¡±. The plaque was personally written by the late Emperor and was the glory given to him by the late Emperor. But now, that glory has been taken away. Chu You slowly knelt down, bit by bit, bit by bit¡­ Finally, his knee hit the ground hard with a thud. He watched in a daze as the plaque that meant so much to him faded into the distance. He felt the weight of the imperial edict in his hand. For a moment, he felt a little regretful¡­ As soon as this regret surfaced, it was suppressed by another stronger emotion. He told himself that for Rong¡¯er¡¯s sake, he would have no regrets! After the eunuch issued the imperial decree, he left in a mighty manner with his men. The commoners outside the manor who were watching the commotion scattered. These people also spread the news that Kang Wang had been demoted as a topic of leisure. That day, everyone in the capital knew about this. This news also spread to the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion. Madam Gu locked herself in the small temple hall and focused on chanting scriptures. She did not go out for a few days and told her juniors not to greet her in the morning. After enduring for a few days, Madam Gu finally could not help but instruct her trusted aide, Granny Li, to make a trip to Yuheng Garden. ¡°Second Lady, Madam wants you to go to the Benevolent Harmony Hall to talk about the Third Lady.¡± When facing Gu Yanfei, Granny Li¡¯s attitude was extremely respectful and polite, her face full of smiles. ¡°I won¡¯t go.¡± Gu Yanfei¡¯s indifferent voice came from behind a screen embroidered with a big red peony. Granny Li¡¯s expression froze and her heart sank. Through the hazy screen, she could vaguely see Gu Yanfei putting on her clothes one by one, accompanied by a faint rustling sound. Chapter 91 - 91 Regret 91 Regret Granny Li was considering her words when Gu Yanfei said, ¡°Go back and tell Madam to ask Gu Yunrong if she drank the talisman water.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Granny Li was stunned again, not understanding what he meant. Behind the screen, Gu Yanfei slowly fastened her belt and smiled faintly. Based on her understanding of Gu Yunrong, she definitely would not drink this talisman water. Granny Li carefully said, ¡°Second Lady, do you have anything else you want me to tell Madam?¡± Gu Yanfei raised her hand and tied her long black hair behind her head. She chuckled casually and said, ¡°Tell Madam to rest assured that this marriage will happen.¡± ¡°Juan Bi, see the guest out.¡± When Juan Bi heard the last four words, she immediately took a step closer to Granny Li and extended her hand in invitation. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go back and report.¡± Granny Li smiled and bowed before leaving with Juan Bi. In the next moment, Gu Yanfei walked out from behind the screen with a casual smile. She had changed into a straight black robe with dark patterns and a few orchid leaves embroidered on it with silver thread. The waist ring was embroidered with a brocade belt that hugged her waist very tightly. The simple male outfit looked especially good on her. Her lips were red and her teeth were white, giving her a valiant and heroic look, and making one¡¯s eyes light up. When Juan Bi returned after sending Granny Li off, her mouth fell open in shock the moment she saw Gu Yanfei. ¡°What a beautiful young man!¡± Juan Bi clapped her hands with shining eyes and walked around her, looking her up and down. Gu Yanfei was amused by Juan Bi. She casually smoothed the silk ribbon that tied her hair and let it fall to her chest. The kitten, squatting on the window sill, snorted disdainfully and looked at the white pigeons that had long flown away in the sky with burning eyes. Gu Yanfei casually pinched a pigeon letter on the table and stuffed it into her sleeve pocket before leaving. She only said, ¡°You two, guard the house.¡± ¡°You two¡± referred to Juan Bi and Qing Guang. ¡°Meow!¡± Leaving the kitten¡¯s unhappy complaints behind, Gu Yanfei left the Marquis Mansion in high spirits. She went to a place she had never been to in her previous life, the Tianyin Pavilion in the south of the city. The Tianyin Pavilion was a theater and was one of the most famous theaters in the capital. Every day, as long as the show opened, there would be no empty seats. Gu Yanfei arrived early. Under the call of a waiter from the Tianyin Pavilion, she sat down at a private table on the second floor. 70 to 80% of the seats upstairs and downstairs were already filled with all kinds of people. All of them had shining eyes and were in high spirits. There was a lively atmosphere in the opera house. The guests chatted as they sipped tea and drank in twos and threes. ¡°Brother, have you heard?¡± A young man in a straight green robe nudged the middle-aged man at his desk with his elbow and winked. ¡°What¡¯s the name of today¡¯s show¡­ Anyway, there¡¯s a new flower girl. I heard she¡¯s a peerless beauty!¡± ¡°I know, I know! Tianyin Pavilion invited Yao Jiaban from the south from thousands of miles away. She has just arrived in the capital these few days and her performance is amazing. Hehe, to be honest, I¡¯m here for this flower girl,¡± a middle-aged man said excitedly. ¡°Tianyin Pavilion has really invested a lot.¡± ¡°Of course! We have to spend money. Didn¡¯t you see? Yunli Garden has been getting more and more popular recently. It¡¯s catching up to Tianyin Pavilion¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± The voices downstairs entered Gu Yanfei¡¯s ears intermittently, piquing her interest. She had never seen a show in 200 years in the Bright Spirit Realm. She casually picked up the playbook and flipped through it quickly. Only then did she know that the play to be sung here today was called ¡°Lotus Fan.¡± This play was divided into four parts. It was about a prince of the Marquis Mansion pretending to be a swordsman and wandering the martial world. He couldn¡¯t believe between the princess of the prince¡¯s manor and a singer of the martial world, acting out an exceedingly sentimental love story. Gu Yanfei glanced around quickly. More and more guests entered the theater, and when the seats were 90% full, a loud gong sounded from the direction of the stage. Then, a leisurely bamboo sound echoed through the entire opera house. It was melodious and pleasant, representing the opening of the show. However, the stage was still empty. Just as everyone was feeling suspicious, a voice as sweet as a clear spring suddenly sounded, leisurely cutting through the air. The air in the building seemed to tremble slightly with this voice. The surrounding atmosphere was completely different, as if they had suddenly come from the noisy and bustling market to a quiet high gate inner courtyard. Her beautiful singing voice was beautiful and delicate. Her voice was pure, smooth, and mellow. It also contained extremely rich and reserved emotions, making one¡¯s imagination run wild with the owner of the voice. As everyone waited expectantly, a graceful figure floated out from behind the screen and appeared. Her dress, red with a hundred butterflies, glittered in the candlelight on the stage. She gently and elegantly flicked her long sleeves. At the same time, she tilted her head slightly, revealing half of her beautiful face. Her eyebrows were dyed black, her lips were red, and her face was as fair as porcelain. Her seductive phoenix eyes slanted to her temples, outlining an indescribable charm. Her facial features were perfect, forming a peerless beauty. She was like a cactus blooming layer by layer under the moon. She was beautiful, irresistible, and indescribably noble. All the audience looked at this flower girl who was playing the princess, shocked and with their breaths taken away. Looking at the beautiful woman on the stage, Gu Yanfei was slightly stunned. The wine glass in her hand paused in midair as she muttered to herself, ¡°So red¡­¡± Gu Yanfei leaned forward slightly and rested her right elbow on the window sill. She supported her chin with her slightly curved fingers and carefully sized up the person on the stage. Her entire body was scarlet. Or rather, the providence on this person was actually a thick scarlet color, as beautiful as blood. It was as if she was born from blood, or as if she was in a burning flame. Unlike others, who were surrounded by a faint white light¡­ Chapter 92 - 92 Surprise 92 Surprise Gu Yanfei had cultivated in the Bright Spirit Realm for 200 years and had seen countless outstanding people. This person was definitely one of the best, but what aroused her interest was not her appearance, but her scarlet luck. Interesting, really interesting! The more Gu Yanfei looked at her, the more focused she became. Her eyes were sparkling like a curious and lazy cat, and she could not bear to look away from this person. There were only people in this small world. But in the Bright Spirit Realm, there were humans, momsters, spirit beasts, and demons¡­ The luck of the demons was blood-red, which was subtly different from this person¡¯s scarlet color. And she was very sure that the beauty in front of her was a human, not a demon. The flower girl, who was playing the princess, looked into the distance, worried that she would miss her fianc¨¦, the heir of the Marquis Mansion. Every look and every lyric was just right, making one feel pity for her. They wished they could rush forward and pull her into their arms. As the sound of silk bamboo became louder and louder, other greasy-haired performers appeared one after another. They slowly sang in a drawl, their voices sounding like they were complaining and distressed. Gu Yanfei did not care about the plot at all, nor did she care about the other actors. She only paid attention to the flower girl. ¡°Young Master, this way please.¡± The waiter¡¯s enthusiastic voice came from behind. Gu Yanfei ignored him and was so focused that she did not even notice that there was another person in the private room. It was not until the handsome young man in white sat down at her table that Gu Yanfei slowly retracted her gaze from the flower girl and turned to see Chu Yi. She raised her eyebrows and pushed the wine pot in his direction with a smile. Chu Yi was very tactful. He smiled and admitted his mistake. ¡°I¡¯m late. I¡¯ll punish myself with a glass of wine.¡± As Chu Yi spoke, he picked up the wine pot and filled his and Gu Yanfei¡¯s wine glasses. Then, he downed the wine in one gulp. Every move was always neither fast nor slow, and his movements were smooth and natural, showing off his calm and elegant aura that came from his bones. The noise outside seemed to fade at that moment. Gu Yanfei supported her chin with her palm and began to stare at Chu Yi again. She sized him up from head to toe with an extremely calm gaze. Under normal circumstances, mortals¡¯ luck was the same as Gu Yunzhen¡¯s. It presented a white ¡°spiritual energy¡± that was either shallow or deep, and would change according to fate. This ¡°usual situation¡± was not suitable for Gu Yanfei, nor for Chu Yi. There was nothing on Chu Yi. He was abandoned by the heavens, just like her. Gu Yanfei looked at Chu Yi for a while and felt bored. She turned to look at the devastatingly beautiful girl on the stage with interest. On the stage, the beautiful woman was leaning against a beautiful couch. As she sang, she covered her face with her sleeves and pretended to cry. Only a pair of beautiful silk-like eyes could be seen from behind her sleeves, looking pitiful. In the entire theater, all the guests who were watching the show were silent. Their attention was all attracted by this flower girl, such that they forgot to drink or eat. Their emotions were affected by her every frown, smile, and tearful sigh. They were happy, shocked, worried, and distressed¡­ All for the sake of the beauty on the stage. They wished they could bring the country to the beauty and win her smile. Gu Yanfei was looking at the beauty, while Chu Yi was looking at Gu Yanfei. This was the first time he had seen her in men¡¯s clothes. Dressed in a black straight suit, her skin was as fair as snow. Her long black hair was only casually tied at the back of her head. Her appearance was extraordinary and did not have the demureness a woman should have, and her smile was casual. If it were an ordinary woman disguised as a man, it would be very easy for her to exude an overly feminine sense of incongruity. However, there was no unnaturalness in her. It only made her look extremely handsome, as if she was born to be like this. After a small climax, the flower girl slowly left the stage and disappeared from sight. The male lead, who was playing the heir of the Marquis Mansion, also appeared grandly. He was dressed in a chivalrous outfit and held a long sword in his hand, looking heroic. Seeing the flower girl leave the stage, Gu Yanfei turned back in boredom. The long headband and hair on her head floated up, and the headband happened to hook the bronze tent hook by the curtain. She casually tugged at the headband, but it was still tangled with the brass tent hook, so she simply took it off. Her long black hair instantly cascaded down her chest and back like a waterfall. Gu Yanfei untied the headband from the hook of the copper tent and was about to tie her hair back when Chu Yi suddenly said, ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± Chapter 93 - 93 Surprise 93 Surprise ¡°Let me do it,¡± Chu Yi said as he stood up and walked towards Gu Yanfei. Gu Yanfei: ¡°¡­¡± Gu Yanfei was usually not that obedient, but now, her attention was attracted by the jade hairpin in Chu Yi¡¯s hand. It was a white jade hairpin, and only one end was as red as blood. The craftsman had cleverly carved it into two plum blossoms. One was half open, half waiting, and the other had bloomed beautifully with clearly layered petals. Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes lit up and she obediently sat there without moving, letting Chu Yi tie her hair personally. He was very skilled at tying her hair. His slender fingers were nimble and agile. In a few moves, he tied Gu Yanfei¡¯s thick black hair into a bun and only used the jade hairpin to stabilize it. Gu Yanfei touched her bun and praised sincerely, ¡°You¡¯re really amazing!¡± She would not be able to tie her hair so beautifully with a jade hairpin. Her two slender fingers went from her bun to the jade hairpin, lingering. Overjoyed, she repeatedly touched the jade hairpin and felt the shape of the plum blossom with her fingertips. Her smile was like a flower, happy and carefree. This plum blossom jade hairpin was not an ordinary item. Ever since she obtained the phoenix-patterned jade pendant, Gu Yanfei had realized something. Although the spiritual energy in this small world was thin now and almost nonexistent, thousands or even tens of thousands of years ago, there should have been spiritual energy here. That was why jade stones with spiritual energy were nurtured and carved into jade pendants by craftsmen. It was obvious that the phoenix-patterned jade pendant was not the only spiritual item in this small world. Gu Yanfei originally wanted to take her time to look around, but she did not expect Chu Yi to give her such a surprise today. ¡°This is for me, right?¡± she asked, worried. Chu Yi chuckled. ¡°This is a return gift.¡± Stunned, Gu Yanfei immediately recalled the red plum she had given Chu Yi last time and smiled. She had always been unlucky, but the interesting thing was that when she met Chu Yi, her luck would become very good. It had been like this in her previous life, and it was still the same in this life. Thinking of this, Gu Yanfei¡¯s smile became even brighter, showing her joy generously. ¡°I like it very much!¡± Of course she liked it. She liked it very much! This jade hairpin was good stuff. Although the spiritual energy in the jade hairpin could not be absorbed and could not compare to the phoenix-patterned jade pendant, as long as one wore this hairpin all year round, they could nourish their divine sense. Gu Yanfei did not expect spiritual objects like the phoenix-patterned jade pendant to be very common. Otherwise, this small world would not be so lacking in spiritual energy. ¡°I¡¯m glad you like it.¡± Chu Yi raised his hand and gently helped her hold the plum blossom jade hairpin. There was an indescribable nostalgia in his gentle smile. Gu Yanfei happily poured wine for Chu Yi. Chu Yi sat back down and suddenly looked through the window of the booth at the lobby on the first floor. Then he gestured for Gu Yanfei to look down. Gu Yanfei put down the wine pot and followed his gaze. A tall and handsome young man entered the lobby on the first floor, wearing a sapphire blue embroidered robe with auspicious clouds on it and a black jade brocade belt around his waist. He was tall and mighty, with the sharpness of a martial artist. ¡°This is Murong Yong,¡± Chu Yi said. Gu Yanfei scanned Murong Yong from head to toe. Ever since she went to Jiahui Garden to put on makeup for Gu Yunzhen a few days ago and realized that her luck had been plundered by Gu Yunrong, Gu Yanfei had been a little worried. Later, Gu Yanfei specially instructed Juan Bi to ask around. Gu Yunzhen had indeed been unlucky since she was young. Besides what the Third Madam had said, there were countless examples of her bad luck. For example, this year, in February, when Gu Yunzhen, Gu Yunrong, and the other sisters were visiting Madam Wang¡¯s sister¡¯s house, Gu Yunzhen was accidentally hit in the head with a polo ball. In June, she was rowing a boat in the small lake in the Marquis Mansion when the bottom of the small boat suddenly leaked. She did not know how to swim and almost drowned¡­ In August¡­ Gu Yanfei kept thinking about her previous life. In her previous life, Gu Yunrong¡¯s disfigurement and the misery of the rest of her life should also be because of her bad luck. Gu Yanfei had no idea for a moment. Thinking that Gu Yunzhen¡¯s wedding was imminent, she asked Chu Yi to find out about Gu Yunzhen¡¯s fianc¨¦, Murong Yong. This morning, she received a letter from Chu Yi asking her to come to Tianyin Pavilion. Gu Yanfei stared deeply at Murong Yong¡¯s face. The lines of the young man¡¯s face were angular. He had thick eyebrows, big eyes, an aquiline nose, and thin lips, forming a handsome and masculine face. Gu Yanfei¡¯s gaze darted to his aquiline nose and she frowned slightly. His nose was like an eagle¡¯s beak, pecking at one¡¯s heart. Chu Yi said in a low voice, ¡°Murong Yong works in the 3,000-man battalion. He was originally a sixth-grade knight bachelor. Last month, because he went to Qingzhou to eliminate bandits, he made a big contribution. He was just transferred to the Divine Arms Battalion and was promoted to a fifth-grade Valiant Cavalry Captain.¡± Murong Yong was only a fifth-grade general and could not be considered a big shot in the imperial court. He did not even have the right to attend the morning court. If Gu Yanfei had not asked, Chu Yi would not have bothered to pay attention. His slender fingers slowly twirled the wine glass. After taking a sip of the wine, he continued, ¡°Ever since Yao Jiaban came to the capital, he has been coming to Tianyin Pavilion almost every day to support a celebrity.¡± Chu Yi¡¯s expression and tone were calm, as if he was used to it or did not care. After Murong Yong entered the hall below, he first looked at the stage with a burning gaze. Seeing that there was only a young performer and another older performer on the stage, he looked away with disinterest. The waiter of Tianyin Pavilion led Murong Yong respectfully towards the stairs. As they spoke, they were both enthusiastic and familiar. It was obvious that they often entertained Murong Yong. ¡°Who is he supporting?¡± Gu Yanfei could not help but ask. She thought of the devastatingly beautiful girl just now. Chapter 94 - 94 Plunder 94 Plunder As soon as Gu Yanfei finished speaking, the bamboo music on the stage suddenly changed from fierce to gentle. The atmosphere and rhythm of the music seemed to indicate something. Murong Yong stopped halfway up the stairs. His eyebrows raised as he looked at the stage again with a smile. In the next moment, an actress in an emerald green dress appeared gracefully. Her head was full of pearls, and she was bright and lively. Every move she made exuded a bright temperament. Her beautiful appearance and figure attracted praise from the entire hall. This woman was the singer of the martial arts in the show. Because the heir of the Marquis Mansion saved the damsel in distress, she fell in love with him at first sight. She danced with her sleeves reservedly on the stage and sang a young girl¡¯s thoughts in a moving singing voice that was full of charm. ¡°To support this girl in green,¡± Chu Yi said as he pointed at the singer, who had just appeared on the stage. From the corner of her eye, Gu Yanfei glanced at the girl, who was flying around like a butterfly on the stage. She asked curiously, ¡°How?¡± She tilted her head slightly and rested her chin on her right hand, her eyes flashing with interest. ¡°¡­¡± It was rare for Chu Yi to be at a loss for words. His expression was subtle, and for a moment, he almost saw her wagging her curious cat tail behind her. He sighed faintly in his heart. He did not know if he should sigh at Gu Yanfei for not treating him like an outsider, or if this girl was really heartless. Chu Yi deliberated over his words and said, ¡°Murong Yong likes to listen to opera and music. He¡¯s a frequent visitor to the various theaters and places of fireworks in the capital. Apart from the Murong residence, he also arranged a residence in his own name and often stays there.¡± Taking into account that Gu Yanfei was an unmarried girl after all, Chu Yi did not say things like ¡°providing for the actress¡± or ¡°keeping a mistress¡±, but the meaning was already very clear. With that, Chu Yi lowered his head to drink again, his long eyelashes fluttering slightly. The usually calm young man revealed a rare hint of discomfort at this moment. Gu Yanfei drank her wine casually and did not notice Chu Yi¡¯s abnormality at all. The more she listened, the more she felt that Murong Yong was really unreliable. In her previous life, Murong Yong did not break off the engagement because of Gu Yunzhen¡¯s disfigurement. She thought that the Murong family should be an open and aboveboard family, and there was nothing wrong with Murong Yong¡¯s character. In addition, Gu Yunzhen never reported bad news. Now that she thought about it, her understanding of Murong Yong in her previous life was still too superficial. Now that she heard Chu Yi say this, she could not help but feel a little uneasy. Gu Yanfei thought of Gu Yunzhen¡¯s dim and thin luck again. She thought of Gu Yunzhen¡¯s slightly haggard appearance after she got married in her previous life and could not come back to her senses for a long time. At this moment, a thought clearly surfaced. Perhaps Gu Yunzhen and Murong Yong¡¯s marriage in her previous life was not as good as outsiders thought¡­ She was probably prejudiced. ¡°Good!¡± There was a sudden burst of excited cheers below, followed by thunderous applause. Gu Yanfei lowered her eyes and looked in the direction of the stage downstairs. The plot gradually reached its climax. When the singer learned that the heir of the Marquis Mansion had a fianc¨¦e, she took the lotus fan that the heir had left behind and ran to the Marquis Mansion to look for the princess. She said that the heir of the Marquis Mansion did not like unnecessary and overelaborate customs and was only engaged with the princess out of responsibility. She said that the heir of the Marquis Mansion belonged to the martial arts world and begged the princess to fulfill her and her sweetheart¡¯s wishes. She also returned the lotus fan that the princess had drawn on to its rightful owner¡­ The princess was so hurt that she fainted, causing the audience to sigh. The show ended. The few palace lights on the stage were extinguished. Curtains hung from above, and the bamboo sounds stopped abruptly. The audience was still unsatisfied. At this moment, they finally found their voices and discussed the scene just now. One moment, they said the actress was indeed worthy of her reputation. Another moment, they were saying that the flower girl and the actress in green were beautiful and each had their own merits. Another moment, they were commenting on the singers¡¯ voices and figures¡­ Everyone chatted and drank until their ears were hot. The atmosphere was in full swing. A waiter happily knocked on the gong and drum below and shouted, ¡°A guest has rewarded Miss He Yanxia with 100 taels of gold.¡± He Yanxia was the actress in green¡¯s stage name. Immediately after, He Yanxia came out from backstage and bowed to everyone, thanking them in public. Everyone was in an uproar. After all, 100 taels of gold was 1,000 taels of silver! A thunderous round of applause sounded below, rising and falling. The atmosphere in the opera house became even more heated. Chapter 95 - 95 Plunder 95 Plunder Seeing the crowd below clicking their tongues in wonder, Murong Yong smiled smugly. He smiled and was about to call for the waiter when he glanced at the door from the corner of his eye and saw a familiar tall figure enter Tianyin Pavilion. It was a muscular man in his 50s with silver strands in his hair. He had a rough beard on his black face and was wearing a brown brocade robe with eight immortal patterns wrapped around his stomach. His footsteps were firm and he looked like he had a dignified aura. This was?! Murong Yong¡¯s eyes lit up and he hurriedly stood up. He hurried down the stairs and approached the newcomer with a smile. He cupped his hands and said, ¡°Wei¡­ Old Master Wei, what a coincidence.¡± Under everyone¡¯s gaze, Murong Yong could not reveal the other party¡¯s true identity, so he addressed him as Old Master Wei. ¡°You¡¯re Murong¡­¡± Old Master Wei also had some impression of Murong Yong. He remembered that his surname was Murong and that he had made a moderate military contribution not long ago, but that was all. ¡°I¡¯m Murong Yong,¡± Murong Yong immediately replied. The smile on his face was respectful but warm as he chatted with the other party. ¡°It turns out that Old Master Wei likes to watch a show as much as I do.¡± Gu Yanfei, who was sitting on the second floor, was looking down at the two of them chatting happily. She raised her eyebrows and pointed at ¡°Old Master Wei¡±, then casually said, ¡°Ah, this person is about to be unlucky.¡± The black aura between his eyebrows seemed to have been splashed by ink! All living beings were equal. Birth, old age, illness, and death were the norm in life. Whether it was high-ranking officials or commoners, they could not escape these. In the end, at birth we bring nothing, at death we take away nothing. ¡°Moreover,¡± Gu Yanfei¡¯s gaze darted between ¡°Old Master Wei¡¯s¡± eyebrows. She pinched her right hand in her sleeve and said, ¡°At most, it¡¯ll take 10 minutes.¡± Chu Yi also saw the person below clearly. His beautiful eyebrows raised slightly as he whispered, ¡°Imperial Duke Wei?¡± So this was Imperial Duke Wei! Gu Yanfei took a few more glances. There were four imperial dukes in the Great Jin Dynasty, and their titles were hereditary. To this day, their status in the imperial court was still stable. However, Gu Yanfei did not know much about the other three imperial dukes other than the British Duke, and she had never seen them before. Gu Yanfei blinked and pointed at Imperial Duke Wei. ¡°Is this person important?¡± She was talking to Chu Yi. She asked quite directly, so Chu Yi replied very directly, ¡°He¡¯s the third generations and his words hold a heavy weight, so yes, he¡¯s important.¡± Seeing that Gu Yanfei was listening attentively, Chu Yi continued, ¡°Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s grandfather is the first Imperial Duke Wei, Wei Ding.¡± ¡°When Wei Ding and Emperor Taizu got to know each other, the two of them were sworn brothers. He was trusted by Emperor Taizu the most and even married his biological sister, the Eldest Princess Jiade.¡± ¡°Wei Ding was an upright person. Back then, when the late Emperor suggested abolishing the Crown Prince, he was scolded so badly by Wei Ding that he did not dare to flare up.¡± Gu Yanfei tilted her head. She was very good at calculations, but she was impatient to calculate the seniority of these families. She took a detour in her mind before she understood the relationship between the characters. In other words, Wei Ding was the uncle of the previous Emperor. The current Duke Wei, Wei Shen, was Jin Shan¡¯s cousin, and hence Chu Yi¡¯s uncle. Chu Yi took a sip of wine and started from the first Imperial Duke Wei to the current Imperial Duke Wei, Wei Shen. ¡°Wei Ding¡¯s eldest son and second son died on the battlefield at a young age. Wei Shen was raised by Wei Ding since he was young and has the bearing of his ancestors.¡± ¡°When Wei Shen was young, he went to the northwestern garrison to guard the border for more than ten years. He was outstanding in battle and defeated the Xirong people until they bowed down and did not dare to invade our Great Jin again.¡± Wei Seng had monstrous military merits and was one of the top figures in the army. Therefore, even if the late Emperor had a grudge against the Wei family after Wei Ding¡¯s death, there was nothing he could do. Chu Yi knew that Gu Yanfei had just arrived in the capital and might not know much about politics, so he explained in detail. Gu Yanfei indeed did not know anything about politics. When she was in the Bright Spirit Realm, she was only focused on cultivating. In her previous life, she was just a little girl trapped in the Marquis Mansion who followed the crowd. However, Gu Yanfei was smart and quick-witted. After walking through the Bright Spirit Realm and seeing a wider sky, her horizons had widened. She seemed to have been reborn. Now, not only was she able to understand at a glance, but she could also draw inferences. Gu Yanfei smiled and stroked the plum blossom jade hairpin. The touch under her finger was warm and delicate, and a faint spiritual energy lingered on her fingertip. ¡°Can I help you?¡± Since Wei Seng¡¯s status in the imperial court was important, this person must be very important to Chu Yi, who was as unlucky as him. Gu Yanfei gently rubbed the plum blossom at the end of the jade hairpin with her fingertips, as if she was carefully feeling the veins of every petal. She was in a good mood, and a charming smile naturally appeared on her face, as bright as a pearl, and as beautiful as jade. Her smile was extremely infectious, like a river of spring water, flowing into one¡¯s heart like a spring breeze. Chu Yi looked at her in a daze and was distracted for a moment. His heart rippled and his lips curled up slightly. His mouth was one step ahead of his brain. ¡°Okay.¡± When his rationality returned, Chu Yi realized that he had lost his composure. He covered up his mistake and went to get the wine glass. The wine in his mouth seemed to be even sweeter and longer, making him suddenly feel a little tipsy. The gongs and drums outside sounded again, indicating that the second round had begun. There was an additional bed on the stage. The flower girl was lying on her side on the couch with a folding fan in her hand. She closed her eyes, and her thick black eyeliner made her skin look even paler, revealing a hint of pitiful charm. The theater was instantly silent. Only the flower girl was the undisputed protagonist here. Gu Yanfei stared at the flower girl excitedly. Her body was still surrounded by a rich scarlet color. The blood-like airflow made her look as charming as a flower and as seductive as a fox. ¡°Beautiful.¡± Gu Yanfei muttered. The smile on her lips deepened, and dimples appeared on her cheeks. Chapter 96 - 96 Raging 96 Raging On the stage, the flower girl opened her eyes and opened the folding fan with lotus flowers on it at the same time. She sang sentimentally, ¡°He said that seeing the lotus flowers is like seeing me.¡± Her gaze drifted in the direction of the door. On the other end, Murong Yong was chatting enthusiastically with Imperial Duke Wei. ¡°I wonder if you have reserved a private table?¡± It had never been a secret that Imperial Duke Wei liked to watch shows. He had originally come for this new Yao Jiaban. Imperial Duke Wei laughed heartily. ¡°I came here on the spur of the moment, so I didn¡¯t book a private table.¡± He was a regular customer of Tianyin Pavilion. Even if he did not book a private table, the waiter would help him find a way to coordinate. However, it was obvious that there was no room for the waiter to provide him with today. Murong Yong hurriedly said, ¡°Old Master Wei, I¡¯ve reserved a private room. As the saying goes, it¡¯s better to meet by chance. Why don¡¯t you join me in my private room?¡± Imperial Duke Wei had never bothered with trifles and readily agreed. Murong Yong was overjoyed, and his eyes lit up. Ever since he returned from Qingzhou with meritorious service, although he had been promoted to a fifth-grade Valiant Cavalry Captain, it was just a title. The Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s position in the Great Jin Dynasty was extraordinary, and his position in the army was even more unshakable. Murong Yong had long wanted to befriend him, but it was not appropriate for him to rashly cling to him. It was fate that they had met today at Tianyin Pavilion, and it was also a rare opportunity. At the very least, Imperial Duke Wei would remember his name from today onwards. Murong Yong extended his hand in invitation and led Imperial Duke Wei towards the private seats on the second floor. The two of them chatted happily, but most of the time, it was Murong Yong who spoke. ¡°Old Master Wei, it¡¯s a pity that you¡¯re too late. The first part is already over.¡± ¡°Yao Jiaban¡¯s reputation is indeed well-deserved. Look at this flower girl¡¯s singing voice and figure¡­ She¡¯s also one of the best in the capital.¡± ¡°And the actress sang well just now¡­¡± Murong Yong spoke with assurance. As for Imperial Duke Wei, he only casually said a few words like ¡°what a pity¡± and ¡°not bad.¡± As the two of them spoke, they entered a private room on the second floor opposite the stage. The waiter knew that ¡°Old Master Wei¡± liked a particular brand of alcohol, so he served them a jar as quickly as possible. Murong Yong personally poured wine for Duke Wei, then raised his glass with both hands and toasted him, ¡°Imperial Duke Wei, this general toasts you.¡± At this moment, there was no one else in the private room, so Murong Yong no longer addressed him as Old Master Wei. Imperial Duke Wei sniffed the fragrance of the wine in the cup and praised with a smile, ¡°Good wine!¡± When he laughed loudly, he had the pride and dominance of a duke. He raised his head and drank the wine in his cup in one gulp. The spicy wine entered his abdomen and he felt his burning stomach burning sweeping away the cold winter air. ¡°I¡¯ve admired countless fine wines for most of my life.¡± Imperial Duke Wei laughed loudly. ¡°I still like this brand of wine the most. Other wines always taste bland¡­¡± He stopped mid-sentence. On his rough black face, his brows were tightly furrowed and he looked in pain. Even the veins on his forehead were bulging and cold sweat seeped out. Murong Yong also saw that Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s expression was not right and cautiously called out, ¡°Imperial Duke¡­¡± Before he could finish his sentence, Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s face twitched violently. He leaned forward and vomited a large mouthful of blood¡­ ¡°Blargh!¡± Half of the pool of dark red blood was vomited into the private room, and the other half sprayed out of the window like a rain of blood. A rain of blood dripped from the second floor and onto the lobby below. Those spectators were watching the show and did not notice the commotion above. They only felt some liquid drip on their heads and could not help but frown. Several people subconsciously raised their hands to touch their heads. When they looked up again, they realized that their palms were stained with blood and some blood had dripped onto the fruits and snacks on the table. ¡°Blood!¡± A sharp female voice instantly sounded from the audience. It was so sharp and high-pitched. Several other spectators, who had been splashed with blood, also noticed. Some looked up at the second floor, some screamed, some quickly got up, and some covered their mouths in shock. The lobby on the first floor was instantly in chaos. The exclamations of men, women, and children rose and fell. ¡°Why is there blood here?¡± ¡°Look, the blood is from the private room on the second floor¡­¡± ¡°Murder! Waiter, hurry up and report it to the authorities!¡± ¡°¡­¡± In the chaos, a young man¡¯s hoarse roar came from the private room on the second floor. ¡°Someone, call a doctor!¡± Chapter 97 - 97 Raging 97 Raging Only then did the shopkeeper of Tianyin Pavilion react. He hurriedly summoned a few waiters and instructed one of them to call for a doctor. He ordered the other to report to the officials and called two more waiters upstairs to check on the situation. The shopkeeper himself stayed in the lobby. One moment, he was comforting the shocked guests, and the next moment, he was ordering people to quickly clean up the tables and chairs that were stained with blood. There was a commotion in the lobby. Some of the busybodies went upstairs to watch the commotion. The others were flustered like ants on a hot pan, and were no longer in the mood to watch the show. Even so, the bamboo music did not stop, and it slowly echoed in the air. The actors on the stage did not change their expressions and danced to the music. The main characters of this scene were the flower girl playing the princess, and the actress playing the heir of the Marquis Mansion. The princess had fallen ill because of the provocation of the singer. At this moment, she had just recovered from her serious illness. A few steps away, the heir of the Marquis Mansion apologized profusely. The music then became sad, cold as frost, making one feel as if they could see trees and white plums suddenly blooming in the cold wind. The beautiful flower girl turned her head sadly, as if she could not look straight at her beloved fianc¨¦. Her deep gaze looked in the direction of the private room on the second floor. There was a faint light in her deep eyes. In the next moment, she covered her face with her sleeve, as if she was suppressing something. On the stage, the sad, oppressive atmosphere spread with every move of the flower girl, a stark contrast to the riot in the lobby. In a moment, the waiter arrived in a hurry with an old doctor with gray hair and a medical kit. It was a cold December day, but the old doctor was sweating from running up the stairs. Gu Yanfei looked at the lobby downstairs and then at the bloodstained window sill next door. She casually played with the small and unique white porcelain wine glass in her hand and tilted her face to praise herself. ¡°I was right, wasn¡¯t I!¡± ¡°You were right.¡± Chu Yi smiled gently. He had no doubt of her abilities. As Gu Yanfei drank, she said affirmatively, ¡°He must have an old illness.¡± Just now, the moment she saw Imperial Duke Wei, she could tell that he would have an outbreak of his old illness. Moreover, it would come menacingly and was quite dangerous. That was why Gu Yanfei said that he was going to be unlucky. Xiao Shi stood guard outside the private room and pricked up his ears. He felt as if a cat was scratching his heart and wanted to ask if Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s life was in danger. However, Chu Yi was not on his side. ¡°Imperial Duke Wei has always been healthy. He¡¯s at the age of knowing destiny, and his skills haven¡¯t decreased¡­¡± Chu Yi said thoughtfully. He had some guesses about the old illness Gu Yanfei had mentioned. The sorrow turned into intenseness. When Gu Yanfei looked at the stage again, she saw the flower girl leave the stage again. Although there were still seven or eight actors on the stage, it had become a boring show for her again. Gu Yanfei thought of something and quickly flipped through the playbook at the side. After flipping through it, she realized that the next time the flower girl appeared, it would be the next show. Boring! Gu Yanfei yawned lazily. She heard another commotion below, as if someone had rudely knocked against the door. A team of tall and mighty guards rushed over and rushed into the hall aggressively. They all had stern expressions and looked like they had ill intentions. The atmosphere in the lobby suddenly turned solemn. The guests were afraid of accidentally provoking the higher-ups, so they were all silent. Only the sound of raging bamboo music and chanting still floated in the air, as if they were complaining. ¡°Young Master, the guards are here.¡± Xiao Shi, who was guarding the entrance of the private room, craned his neck to look around and said excitedly, ¡°I¡¯ll go take a look.¡± Before he could finish her sentence, Xiao Shi had already disappeared. Seeing Gu Yanfei flip through the script, Chu Yi leaned over to take a look. His black hair, which was half tied and half draped, poured down his chest. His well-defined chin outlined a slender and gentle curve. A strand of hair at his temple casually brushed past Gu Yanfei¡¯s fair cheek, gently and softly. It was so itchy! Gu Yanfei subconsciously raised a finger to brush away the strand of hair. The hair was cold and smooth, like a bolt of good silk. ¡°¡­¡± Chu Yi¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple bobbed slightly on his slender neck as he met Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes. Their eyes met, their faces inches apart. ¡°Young Master!¡± When Xiao Shi returned, he saw this intimate scene and could not help but widen his eyes. His Young Master had been teased?! Xiao Shi was stunned. For some reason, he felt as if he had disturbed something, or as if he was unnecessary. As this thought flashed through his mind, Xiao Shi did not stop talking. He talked about the situation next door. ¡°Just now, those guards from the imperial capital almost took down Murong Yong. However, when Murong Yong mentioned his identity, those guards did not dare to arrest him. However, the guards still did not leave.¡± With that, Xiao Shi left like a gust of wind. After a while, he ran back again. ¡°The doctor just checked Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s pulse and inserted a needle into him to stop the bleeding.¡± This time, he received Gu Yanfei¡¯s evaluation. ¡°It¡¯s useless.¡± When Xiao Shi ran back from next door for the third time, his eyes were almost glowing as he said in admiration, ¡°Miss Gu, you¡¯re right. Imperial Duke Wei is still vomiting blood. He¡¯ll vomit every time a needle is inserted.¡± Xiao Shi made some hand-drawn signs. Gu Yanfei closed the play and muttered, ¡°It¡¯s about time.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xiao Shi did not hear what she said and blinked in confusion. Gu Yanfei was about to stand up when she thought of something and quickly downed the last two mouthfuls of wine in her glass. Only then did she stand up again. She stroked her robe with one hand, waved her sleeve with the other, then smiled and called out to Chu Yi, ¡°Let¡¯s go take a look.¡± Chapter 98 - 98 Crisis 98 Crisis Chu Yi stood up elegantly and followed beside her like a shadow. He stuffed the playbook that Gu Yanfei had flipped through several times into Xiao Shi¡¯s hands. The two of them walked out of the booth and headed next door in a leisurely manner. At the end of the corridor ahead, Murong Yong and Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s private room was surrounded by people. There were three layers inside and outside. At a glance, only black heads could be seen. The bystanders pointed and discussed among themselves. They could only watch from the side and could not continue to approach, because four guards were guarding the door of the booth with their scabbards. Inside the booth, everyone was in a state of panic, and the air was thick with the smell of blood. The table, the floor, and the walls were covered in blood. Imperial Duke Wei leaned back in his chair weakly. His attendant carefully supported his upper body, afraid that he would collapse. ¡°¡­¡± Murong Yong¡¯s expression didn¡¯t look too good as he rubbed his face with a headache. The right side of his face had been splattered by the blood Imperial Duke Wei had spat out, making him look exceptionally miserable. Imperial Duke Wei was an important minister in the imperial court. If he suddenly vomited blood when he was with him, even if he didn¡¯t do anything, others might guess that he had done something to Imperial Duke Wei. Then he would not be able to explain himself! Murong Yong frowned tightly, his eyes as dark as a layer of dark clouds. ¡°Urgh!¡± Imperial Duke Wei vomited another mouthful of blood. His beard and chin were stained with a lot of blood, and his face was gray with defeat. His breathing was very weak. After vomiting a few mouthfuls of blood in a row, Imperial Duke Wei was already on the verge of death, as if he had lost half his life. Even his eyes were in a daze and he could not find the focus. ¡°Doctor, why hasn¡¯t the bleeding stopped?¡± Murong Yong hurriedly asked, unable to hide his worry and anxiety. The gray-haired old doctor retracted the silver needle that had been inserted into Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s arm and checked his pulse again. After a while, he retracted his hand and frowned. Layers of wrinkles squeezed out of the corners of his eyes, and he shook his head in a sigh. ¡°Young Master, I¡¯m afraid this person can¡¯t make it.¡± He had already inserted silver needles into many of the patient¡¯s bleeding acupuncture points, but instead of stopping the bleeding, the patient vomited blood even more. ¡°¡­¡± Murong Yong¡¯s expression turned even uglier. Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s attendant wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve at a loss. His face was pale as he looked out of the window anxiously and thought to himself, ¡®Looking at the time, the coachman should have arrived at the Duke¡¯s Manor. Madam should know by now.¡¯ ¡°Pfft!¡± When Imperial Duke Wei heard that the Mongolian doctor was actually cursing him to die, anger rose from his chest as he shouted, ¡°You quack¡­¡± He wanted to say, ¡®You quack, how dare you curse me!¡± However, before he could finish, his chest heaved again. His expression changed and he spat out another mouthful of blood. ¡°Imperial Duke Wei!¡± the attendant shouted worriedly. His face was paler than Duke Wei¡¯s, and his fingers were trembling. Hearing his shout, the old doctor, who was already uneasy, became even more anxious, and his pupils constricted. These words meant that this patient¡¯s identity was that of an Imperial Duke. He was not someone an ordinary doctor like himself could afford to offend. The guards guarding outside also had subtle expressions as they secretly exchanged glances. At this moment, they almost regretted getting involved in this mess. Amidst this impetuous and uneasy atmosphere, Chu Yi and Gu Yanfei walked unhurriedly to the outside of the private room. The two of them walked side by side. One was dressed in white, the other in black. One was gentle, and the other was carefree. Both of them were good-looking and attractive, making the oppressive corridor seem to light up. The onlookers in the corridor couldn¡¯t help but step aside to make way for them. Seeing that someone else had arrived, the guards guarding the entrance could not help but frown and wanted to chase them away. ¡°Go¡­¡± The head guard held the scabbard horizontally, but before he could say a word, he fell silent again once his gaze landed on Chu Yi. The young man in front of him was not any random person. He was dressed in plain white, but the jade belt on his waist that was engraved with deer patterns and white jade was obviously extraordinary. Looking at his handsome face with a graceful smile, his every move exuded an elegant and noble aura. The head guard had seen countless nobles in the huge capital. He felt that compared to the young master in front of him, the Imperial Duke and the general seemed to be like green leaves. Alarm bells rang in the head guard¡¯s heart. The capital was filled with nobles, who knew which prince this person in front of him was? Chapter 99 - 99 Crisis 99 Crisis He silently retreated and gave the other guards a look, letting Chu Yi and Gu Yanfei into the private seats. It was naturally impossible for Imperial Duke Wei and Murong Yong not to notice the two living people entering the private room so openly. Murong Yong was not qualified to attend court and had never seen the Eldest Prince. However, Imperial Duke Wei naturally knew him. Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s blood-stained lips parted slightly. He wanted to say that it was not convenient for him to bow now, but he was too weak. It was not easy for him to hold his breath when he heard Chu Yi say with concern, ¡°Uncle, don¡¯t move.¡± ¡°I came here with a friend to watch a show. I heard the commotion here and came to take a look¡­¡± ¡°My friend is proficient in medicine. Let her take a look at ¡®Uncle¡¯.¡± ¡°Uncle¡± was a general term. When Murong Yong heard this unfamiliar young man in white call him that, he only thought that the other party was a relative of the Wei family or a junior of a family close to Imperial Duke Wei. Imperial Duke Wei weakly turned to look at Gu Yanfei. Seeing that this thin, fair, and refined young man was at most 14 or 15 years old, eight words immediately appeared in his mind: Young people could not be trusted with important tasks. Gu Yanfei stood beside Chu Yi and examined Imperial Duke Wei at close range. She said bluntly, ¡°You were injured when you were young, right?¡± Her words were not a question, but an assertion. There was a crispness in the girl¡¯s clear voice that stunned everyone inside and outside the private room. Imperial Duke Wei was stunned as he sized up Gu Yanfei again. Seeing that she had no Adam¡¯s apple, a gentle face, and a thin figure, he roughly knew that this ¡°friend¡± of the Eldest Prince was actually a girl. It did not matter if it was a man or a woman. In the Great Jin Dynasty, who did not know that he, Wei Seng, had been on the battlefield for decades? There was no general who had not been injured! Imperial Duke Wei pursed his lips disapprovingly and coughed twice with a pale face, his body trembling like a sieve. Gu Yanfei did not seem to see his disdainful expression. She walked towards him with her hands behind her back and continued unhurriedly, ¡°It should be an arrow wound. The arrow entered your lower abdomen and pierced your pelvis, almost killing you.¡± There was neither fear nor pity in Gu Yanfei¡¯s expression, and it was as if she was facing an ordinary person. Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s status and position were unattainable to others, but to her, he was just one of the common people. ¡°¡­¡± Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s turbid pupils constricted slightly with each word, and his eyes widened. Even Murong Yong could tell that this girl was definitely right. Imperial Duke Wei wanted to say something else, but just as the words reached his lips, he felt another wave of intense pain in his body that was like a tsunami. His throat felt salty and fishy, and he almost spat out a mouthful of blood. He shut his mouth quickly and could only nod stiffly. This simple action seemed to have taken half his life again. His breathing stopped for a moment and became weaker. Gu Yanfei continued, ¡°You¡¯re having a relapse.¡± Hearing this, Murong Yong secretly heaved a sigh of relief. If Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s old injuries had relapsed, it would have nothing to do with him. Imperial Duke Wei looked at Gu Yanfei in bewilderment. He had suffered more than 20 years ago from his old injury, which had left an arrow scar on his abdomen. Over the years, his stomach had become a little bigger as he got older, but he did not feel any serious discomfort. Gu Yanfei flicked her sleeve. Everyone only saw her wide sleeve brush past Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s wrist. Two fingers seemed to press against his pulse, but they didn¡¯t touch him at all. With a flash of her black sleeve, she leisurely retracted her hand. Smiling faintly, she threw a few more questions at Imperial Duke Wei. ¡°Do you often have nausea, bloating, and abdominal pain after meals?¡± ¡°Was the abdominal pain dull at first before it became more intense?¡± ¡°Any occasional bloody stool?¡± After a few questions, Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s face turned pale with shock and embarrassment. This girl was right. In the past, he had only thought that it was because he was old and had a weak stomach that he was like this. The imperial physicians and famous doctors in the capital had said the same thing. How could he expect this to have something to do with his old injuries from so many years ago? Gu Yanfei stunned Imperial Duke Wei with just a few words. At this moment, when he looked at Gu Yanfei again, his gaze changed drastically. From contempt to shock, to in between, to surprise, and then to trust. This girl¡¯s family had such ability at such a young age and was definitely not an ordinary person. Could she be a divine doctor specially found by the Eldest Prince to treat the Emperor?! Imperial Duke Wei guessed inwardly. Thinking of this, Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s breathing quickened slightly. He endured the pain and discomfort and looked at Chu Yi with difficulty, his eyes deep. The Emperor was weak and had not stopped drinking medicine all these years. Ever since he ascended the throne at the beginning of the year, he had been busy with government affairs. Yangxin Hall and East Warm Pavilion had also called for imperial physicians from time to time, but the imperial physicians in the palace only knew how to prescribe peace. ¡°Can he be treated?¡± Chu Yi¡¯s gentle and elegant voice came slowly. Gu Yanfei did not answer directly. She said calmly, ¡°I have to read his fortune first.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xiao Shi inexplicably heard the meaning of this simple conversation. He was clearly in cahoots with Young Master and Miss Gu, but Xiao Shi often felt that he had been ostracized. Hearing this, Imperial Duke Wei, Murong Yong, and the others could not help but be stunned. They came to a realization and thought to themselves, ¡®Could she be a Taoist priest?¡¯ Because Emperor Taizu valued Celestial Rectifier Spiritual Master and conferred Taoism as the state religion, the Taoist priests of the Great Jin Dynasty had a high status and Taoist doctors were prevalent. This Taoist priest was different from the Taoist priests who cultivated as monks in the Taoist templ, and could still get married. Gu Yanfei took out the compass she had personally made from her sleeve and placed it in her palm. She gently flicked the magnetic needle at the sun outside the window. The magnetic needle spun and stopped a moment later. She said softly, ¡°The imperial duke¡¯s fortune is five or six lines on the trigram and a Li hexagram. He will shed tears and snot like heavy rain. Xiao Shi pretended to listen attentively, but he did not understand what Gu Yanfei had said at all. Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s attendant was burning with anxiety. He hurriedly asked Gu Yanfei, ¡°Young Master, can he be saved?¡± Chapter 100 - 100 Amazing 100 Amazing Gu Yanfei acted as if she did not hear him and walked to the window facing the street with her compass in her hand. She looked up at the sun outside the window and pointed to the space at the side of the window. ¡°Move him here.¡± The attendant didn¡¯t move, but Xiao Shi did. Xiao Shi was as thin as a bamboo pole, but he was surprisingly strong. He lifted Imperial Duke Wei and his chair and easily carried them to the window. He then moved an inch to the side according to Gu Yanfei¡¯s instructions. Sunlight shone through the window and onto Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s head and clothes. Everyone did not know what she was going to do and subconsciously held their breaths. ¡°The trigram Li is in the third area.¡± Gu Yanfei put the palm-sized compass back into her sleeve. ¡°Three needles will do.¡± As she spoke, she took out a needle from the old doctor¡¯s bag. It was a full three inches long and hummed crisply when it trembled. ¡°It won¡¯t work,¡± the old doctor couldn¡¯t help but remind her. ¡°I¡¯ve tried to stop the bleeding with a needle, but it¡¯s useless.¡± ¡°This divination is a blessing.¡± Gu Yanfei gently twisted the silver needle. ¡°This first needle seals the three souls and seven spirits.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, she had already pierced the long silver needle into the Baihui acupuncture point on Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s head, leaving only an inch above his head. The silver needle shone dazzlingly in the sunlight, as if specks of light were being directed into the end of the needle. The needle made the attendant gasp. Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s body stiffened at first, and his expression changed drastically. Then, he leaned forward and spat out another mouthful of blood. This time, he spat out a pool of thick black blood. Murong Yong, the old doctor, and the others were shocked. How was this stopping the bleeding? It did not look like saving someone. Instead, this ¡°treatment¡± made the patient¡¯s condition even more severe! ¡°My Lord!¡± The attendant shouted in alarm, but Gu Yanfei picked up a second silver needle and stabbed Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s major acupuncture point¡­ Then a third needle stabbed him an inch below his navel. ¡°Ugh¡ª¡± Imperial Duke Wei twitched violently and spat out two more mouthfuls of black blood. In addition to the thick smell of blood, there was an indescribable stench in the air. ¡°Madam, the imperial duke is inside!¡± A servant¡¯s panting voice sounded outside the private room. In the next moment, a beautiful woman who looked 47 or 48 years old rushed in. She had long eyebrows, a straight figure, and a heroic aura, as if she could raise her gun and go to the battlefield at any moment. As soon as Imperial Duchess Wei entered, she saw Imperial Duke Wei vomiting black blood. At this moment, Gu Yanfei let go of the third silver needle. The three silver needles on Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s head, heart, and abdomen trembled slightly, emitting a faint buzzing sound. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Imperial Duchess Wei scolded Gu Yanfei sternly. Her eyes couldn¡¯t help but split open, and a burning anger rushed from her heart to her head. At this moment, she could not see anything else but her husband. She rushed towards Gu Yanfei like a gust of wind, her hand as fast as lightning as she grabbed Gu Yanfei¡¯s right arm. Her gaze was like a knife that cut into Gu Yanfei¡¯s face. Imperial Duchess Wei was very fast, but Gu Yanfei was even faster. Somehow, with a twist and turn, the little girl slid past her opponent like a carp in water, easily dodging the claw. Without thinking, Imperial Duchess Wei pulled the sword out of the maidservant¡¯s hand¡­ A cold light flashed. The inch-and-two-centimeter-wide blade was drawn two inches from its sheath when a slender, bony hand pressed down on it. With a gentle push, the sword was sheathed again. ¡°Auntie, calm down,¡± Chu Yi advised gently, like a spring breeze blowing across a frozen river in March. Imperial Duchess Wei met Chu Yi¡¯s handsome face. Her eyes widened slightly as she also recognized the Eldest Prince, who had just returned to the capital. She was still gripping the hilt of her sword tightly, not letting go, her eyes flickering. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Imperial Duke Wei suddenly twitched and spat out another mouthful of black blood. Clang! There was a small fragment in the pool of black blood on the floor. Imperial Duke Wei lowered his head, not moving at all as if he was exhausted. ¡°Ah Shen!¡± Ignoring her sword and Chu Yi, Imperial Duchess Wei rushed towards Imperial Duke Wei with one hand on his arm and the other gently stroking his back, her eyes red. He never cried out in pain, not even when he scraped his bones to treat the poison. However, even if he didn¡¯t say it, she knew that when he was in pain, the scar on his forehead would bulge and turn blood red. ¡°You must be in a lot of pain?!¡± Imperial Duchess Wei said with a trembling voice, her heart aching. Chapter 101 - 101 Amazing 101 Amazing This was her husband, and they had been husband and wife for decades. To her, he was a part of her. Imperial Duchess Wei¡¯s sharp gaze shot towards Gu Yanfei. Her fierce gaze seemed to be saying that if anything happened to Imperial Duke Wei, she would definitely not bypass the person who had murdered her husband. Gu Yanfei was as still as a mountain as she gently stroked her sleeve. ¡°¡­¡± Imperial Duke Wei let out a low moan, his voice weak. He raised his head with difficulty. His face was pale, his lips and beard were stained with black blood, and his breathing was very weak. Madam Wei looked at Imperial Duke Wei worriedly. She gently wiped the black blood from the corner of his lips with a handkerchief and called out in a choked voice, ¡°Ah Shen¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s fine,¡± Gu Yanfei said calmly. As soon as she finished speaking, a cold wind at the window blew her robe, making it flutter. Fine?! Everyone, including Murong Yong, couldn¡¯t help but look at Imperial Duke Wei, who was sitting on the chair. Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s face was as pale as paper, and he was breathing less and less. He was so weak that he looked like he would die at any moment. But this girl actually said that he was fine?! Imperial Duchess Wei frowned tightly, her face as calm as water. She did not believe Gu Yanfei¡¯s words at all. ¡°If you say he¡¯s fine, he¡¯s fine!?¡± Imperial Duchess Wei¡¯s words were as cold as ice. She gestured for the attendant to support Imperial Duke Wei, planning to go over and talk to Gu Yanfei. Her husband had vomited so much blood that it was as if he had vomited all the internal organs in his body. How could he be fine! So what if the Eldest Prince was this girl¡¯s backer? Even if she caused trouble in front of the imperial court, she would not let go of this liar who harmed her husband¡¯s life! Imperial Duchess Wei had just taken half a step aggressively when she felt her cuff tighten. She looked down and saw Imperial Duke Wei holding a corner of her sleeve. ¡°I¡­¡± Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s eyes widened, and his eyeballs bulged slightly. The whites of his eyes were covered in spider web-like blood vessels, and even the breathing between his nose and mouth had stopped. Imperial Duchess Wei was shocked and afraid, and her heart suddenly shrank into a ball. Murong Yong was also shocked. He almost thought that Imperial Duke Wei was going to say his last words. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt anymore¡­¡± Imperial Duke Wei suddenly took a deep breath before finishing his sentence, but his voice was still weak. Imperial Duchess Wei: ¡°¡­¡± Silence filled the private room. The people outside were all stunned and looked at each other in a daze. Imperial Duke Wei had said that it no longer hurt, but he had been on the verge of death just now. Could it be that he had finally recovered?! Everyone was bewildered as they watched Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s breathing visibly stabilize. Even his originally dazed eyes began to take on some life. Not only were the outsiders in disbelief, but even Imperial Duke Wei himself was stunned. One moment he was touching his abdomen, the next his chest and throat, and the next he was pinching his thigh hard. The pain in his thigh made his face twist slightly. It also made him certain that his abdomen really did not hurt anymore. Just now, he was in so much pain that he looked like he was rolling in a mountain of knives and a sea of fire. Now, it was completely painless. Imperial Duke Wei took two deep breaths and tried to calm himself down, but he realized that even his breathing had become smoother. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he muttered. He grabbed the arm of the chair with one hand and tried to get up. The attendant hurried to help him, but he waved him away. It was only when he stood up straight that Imperial Duke Wei felt a sense of reality. He felt that his body was much lighter, as if all the toxins that had accumulated in his body for many years had been expelled. Although his face was also a little pale, he was in good spirits. He was a completely different person from the old man who had vomited blood and was on the verge of death. Imperial Duchess Wei felt as if she was in a dream and almost pinched her thigh. ¡°Ah Shen, it doesn¡¯t hurt anymore? Have you really recovered?¡± She couldn¡¯t help but ask. She looked Imperial Duke Wei up and down and held his right arm with one hand. Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s feet were still a little unsteady. He raised his hand to touch his stomach again and felt that something was amiss, but he was also certain. ¡°It really doesn¡¯t hurt anymore!¡± Strange? What was wrong? Imperial Duke Wei thought hard. The guards and other idlers outside the private room had seen everything from beginning to end. At this moment, they were all dumbfounded and amazed. This imperial duke had escaped death. Was he really fine now? If so, this Taoist priest girl was simply a living immortal! Amazing, too amazing! Everyone stared at Gu Yanfei with burning eyes. At this moment, when they looked at her again, they felt that her entire body seemed to be surrounded by a transcendent immortal aura. They secretly praised this girl for being really divine and pure! Under the gazes of so many people, Gu Yanfei was still calm and composed. Her smile was faint and she did not feel uncomfortable at all. She took out a handkerchief from her sleeve and bent down to pick up the fragment that Imperial Duke Wei had spat out earlier. She spun it casually and waved at Chu Yi with her other hand. ¡°It¡¯s this.¡± She said these words to Chu Yi. The casualness in her words shocked Imperial Duke Wei. He watched helplessly as Chu Yi was summoned to her side. ¡°It¡¯s a fragment from the tip of an arrow.¡± Chu Yi took the small fragment and recognized it at a glance. Imperial Duke Wei recalled Gu Yanfei saying that he had been injured by an arrow when he was young and blurted out, ¡°It¡¯s that arrow?!¡± The arrow that had hit him 20 years ago! Gu Yanfei nodded with a faint smile. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°20 years ago, you were injured by an arrow on the battlefield. However, when the military doctor pulled out the arrow, he accidentally left a small fragment of the tip in your body.¡± ¡°This fragment has been in your stomach for years, making the intestines in your abdominal cavity stick together. That¡¯s why you¡¯re feeling nauseated and bloated after eating. Gradually, it turns into abdominal pain and blood.¡± ¡°You still don¡¯t know how to control yourself. There¡¯s no end to the hard liquor!¡± She was certain that Imperial Duke Wei would definitely have stomach discomfort every time he drank strong wine. Chapter 102 - 102 You Have Me 102 You Have Me Imperial Duchess Wei was someone who slept beside her, so she naturally knew that her husband had been injured by an arrow 20 years ago. At this moment, hearing Gu Yanfei¡¯s tireless explanation, she also came to a realization and clapped heavily. ¡°In the past, those quack doctors said that your stomach was weak because you were addicted to alcohol. So that¡¯s what happened!¡± Because of his stomach problems, Imperial Duchess Wei had also invited an imperial physician for Imperial Duke Wei a few times. He had also drunk medicine, but there was no improvement, so she could only persuade him to drink less. Gu Yanfei praised Imperial Duke Wei in all seriousness, ¡°You¡¯re really amazing!¡± He could really endure it! Chu Yi tilted his head and put his fist under his lips. He laughed softly, elegantly and restrained. ¡°¡­¡± Imperial Duke Wei opened and closed his mouth, speechless. He had never taken those problems of gastrointestinal nausea, bloat, and abdominal pain seriously, and thought he would simply get used to it. After all, he had many old injuries from the battlefield. Usually, every time he encountered a snowstorm, the cold would flare up and hurt like a knife. Even if he occasionally bled, Imperial Duke Wei didn¡¯t think it was a big deal. The prescriptions given by those imperial physicians were really too bitter and useless anyway. After drinking it a few times, he secretly poured the medicine away. Imperial Duke Wei coughed dryly to cover it up, and his smile was a little forced as he chuckled. ¡°Sure, sure.¡± Knowing her husband well, Imperial Duchess Wei could see the guilty look in her husband¡¯s smile at a glance. Her heart skipped a beat and she narrowed her eyes. ¡°Wei Seng, you!¡± A dangerous glint appeared in her eyes. She raised her hand and grabbed Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s right ear, twisting it forcefully¡­ Imperial Duke Wei sucked in a breath of cold air, his features instantly contorting on his pale face. If not for the fact that they were outside, he would have said, ¡°Have mercy, Madam.¡± Imperial Duchess Wei quickly let go of Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s ear and gave Gu Yanfei a bright smile. She said apologetically, ¡°Young¡­ Young Master, I¡¯m an impatient person. I was rude just now.¡± As she spoke, she took out a horse whip from her waist and forcefully stuffed it into Gu Yanfei¡¯s hands. ¡°I have a Akhal-Teke horse that can travel thousands of miles a day. Take it as my apology!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s forget about our grudges with a smile. Don¡¯t be calculative with me¡­ Sigh, it¡¯s all this old man¡¯s fault for avoiding treatment. That¡¯s why his injuries worsened and caused such a misunderstanding!¡± As she spoke, Imperial Duchess Wei vented her anger on Imperial Duke Wei. She couldn¡¯t help but punch his arm a few times, and the way she addressed him changed from the endearing ¡°Ah Shen¡± to a distasteful ¡°old man¡± now. Poor Imperial Duke Wei had just recovered from a serious illness. After being heavily pounded by Imperial Duchess Wei, he almost lost his balance. Gu Yanfei chuckled. Her laughter was as clear as silver bells, as if a breeze with the fragrance of flowers had swept past. She was thinking of buying a horse! ¡°Sure.¡± Gu Yanfei grabbed the horse whip and swung it casually, accepting the other party¡¯s apology. Madam Wei¡¯s straightforward and fiery personality was a little similar to her Ninth Senior Sister in the Bright Spirit Realm. At the thought of this, Gu Yanfei couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of closeness to Madam Wei. She added, ¡°My Lord, this is an old illness. Although the root of the illness has been removed, you haven¡¯t recovered yet.¡± ¡°When we get back, find an imperial physician to give you a prescription to nourish you. After a year and a half, you¡¯ll be able to recover. In the future, you can¡¯t drink strong wine or eat fat.¡± ¡°Otherwise, your lifespan won¡¯t last long.¡± As she spoke, she looked around the room full of smelly blood and smiled faintly. Her indifferent tone seemed to be casual, but the extraordinary methods she had displayed previously made no one dare to underestimate her. ¡°Little¡­¡± Imperial Duke Wei originally wanted to call her ¡®Little Girl¡¯, but when he thought about how it would be unsightly for him to expose a girl disguised as a man, he forcefully changed his words. ¡°Little Brother, thank you for this.¡± As he spoke, he was more or less afraid. However, Imperial Duke Wei was an old general who had experienced countless life-and-death battles. That fragile emotion only lasted for a moment before he perked up again, and he thought to himself, ¡°I actually met a living immortal by chance when I came to watch a show. This means that I¡¯m not destined to die!¡± Little Brother? Gu Yanfei was amused by this form of address. Didn¡¯t that make her Chu Yi¡¯s little uncle? She couldn¡¯t help but chuckle as she glanced at Chu Yi. Her dark eyes were sparkling, and her smile was shallow. Their eyes met and Chu Yi raised his eyebrows in confusion. ¡°Little Brother,¡± Imperial Duchess Wei had the same tacit understanding as her husband and asked eagerly, ¡°Do you have any nourishing prescriptions?¡± Chapter 103 - 103 Im Here 103 I¡¯m Here In the past hour, it was as if Imperial Duchess Wei had walked back and forth between heaven and hell. At this moment, she was completely convinced by Gu Yanfei and looked at her expectantly. Gu Yanfei shook her head calmly. ¡°I¡¯m better at emergency cases.¡± She was telling the truth and was indeed better at emergencies. In the Bright Spirit Realm, those cultivators only needed medical cultivators to take action when they were seriously injured and were about to die or their cultivation levels were greatly damaged. Usually, they would meditate and get some spiritual herbs and spiritual medicine to consume. Hearing this, Imperial Duchess Wei didn¡¯t insist and thanked her again. ¡°Thank you for your guidance, Little Brother.¡± When Gu Yanfei heard the words ¡°Little Brother¡±, she could not help but squint and smile. Imperial Duke Wei, on the other hand, had a bitter expression. He knew that his life would probably not be so easy from now on. He would have to live the life of a monk with vegetables and tofu. This was simply worse than vomiting blood just now!! Imperial Duke Wei sighed in his heart as he cupped his hands dryly at Chu Yi. ¡°Nephew, I¡¯ve troubled you this time.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll visit your residence with your ¡®auntie¡¯ another day.¡± Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s tone was a little strange when he said ¡°auntie.¡± Why did these polite words sound so stiff? It really did not sound like the legendary Imperial Duke Wei who even dared to diss the previous Emperor. Murong Yong looked back and forth between Imperial Duke Wei and Chu Yi. A hint of thought flashed across his eyes, and he carefully sized up Chu Yi without saying a word. Seeing that things had settled down, the guards outside the private room began to disperse the onlookers and shouted, ¡°Alright, alright, disperse. Go do what you need to do.¡± After a while, the corridor outside became empty. Given Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s current situation, it was impossible for him to stay here and watch the show. After Imperial Duchess Wei personally put a cloak on him, the couple bade farewell. ¡°Let¡¯s talk another day,¡± Imperial Duke Wei said casually. Although the blood he had vomited had removed the root cause of his illness, it had still injured some of his vitality. In just a few words, his face had already revealed fatigue. Murong Yong hurriedly took the initiative to send them out. After everyone left, Gu Yanfei pinched the fingers on her right hand a few times before raising her eyebrows. Chu Yi saw some clues from her small actions and asked, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Gu Yanfei said in a low voice. ¡°It¡¯s the swamp.¡± Chu Yi had read all kinds of miscellaneous books and continued, ¡°Big bad luck?¡± Gu Yanfei nodded, her pink lips pursed into a thoughtful smile. She had clearly saved Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s life, but the black aura on his glabella had not completely dissipated. This meant that his ¡°bad luck¡± did not only come from a ¡°relapse of an old illness.¡± Therefore, Gu Yanfei had divined again and obtained this great ominous omen. Chu Yi did not interrupt her thoughts. Instead, he looked at her quietly, his eyes calm and deep. In the next moment, she turned to look at him. Her large eyes, as bright as the rising sun, met Chu Yi¡¯s pupils. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ve agreed that I¡¯ll help you.¡± Gu Yanfei smiled confidently. Since she had not finished helping him, she would definitely not give up halfway. She couldn¡¯t help but touch the plum blossom jade hairpin in her bun again, her movements gentle and loving. She had read a few fortunes today and her head did not hurt. This hairpin was really good! In a good mood, she stood on her tiptoes and happily patted his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chu Yi¡¯s pupils quivered. Ever since he was young, his luck had not been good, and he had walked a bumpy road to where he was today. And at this moment, it was as if the brilliant light of the rising sun had shone into the darkness. His heart rippled gently¡­ ¡°Yes, I have you.¡± Chu Yi¡¯s eyes lit up for a moment, his gaze gentle and focused. Pleased by his trusting gaze, the smile on Gu Yanfei¡¯s face deepened. ¡°I¡­¡± She wanted to say that she was very powerful. Outside, the sky suddenly darkened, as if night had fallen early. A huge bolt of lightning suddenly struck the air. The silver lightning seemed to be about to strike the two people in the private room through the window. ¡°Sizzle!¡± The lightning came and went suddenly. In the blink of an eye, the sky became as bright and transparent as the blue sea again, as if the lightning just now was an illusion. Everyone was shocked by the lightning in bright daylight. Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes widened and her pupils constricted. Heaven¡¯s Will?! This was a demonstration of Heaven¡¯s Will! Gu Yanfei tilted her head and thought about it. What did she say just now? She would help him? So¡ª She and he, two people abandoned by the heavens, wanted to change their fate and cause the heavens to be unhappy?! When this thought appeared, a familiar dull pain came from Gu Yanfei¡¯s chest, and a metallic taste of blood rose in her throat. Enduring the discomfort, she struggled to read another fortune. Her fingers slowly moved¡­ It has changed! The bad omen just now had changed again. It became full of uncertainty and seemed fiercer, but there seemed to be another glimmer of hope. Gu Yanfei thought of something and her eyes lit up. She suddenly looked at the person beside her. Then, she had to help! The sky seemed to be responding to something. Then, an even brighter bolt of lightning descended and instantly enveloped Tianyin Pavilion. Imperial Duchess Wei, who had just gotten into the carriage, also looked back and was secretly amazed. She lowered the curtain and seemed to be asking Imperial Duke Wei, but also seemed to be muttering to herself, ¡°Why is the Eldest Prince here?¡± ¡°He must be here to watch the show,¡± Imperial Duke Wei said matter-of-factly. He picked up a white towel and wiped his face and beard haphazardly. Imperial Duke Wei was not familiar with Chu Yi either. Apart from seeing him a few times in the morning court on the day he returned to the palace, he had only truly interacted with Chu Yi a few days ago when he talked to those pretentious aristocratic families in the East Warm Pavilion. After Imperial Duke Wei finished wiping his face, he casually threw the bloodstained white handkerchief on the small table and sighed. ¡°I¡¯m afraid the royal court is going to be in chaos.¡± After sighing, he laughed again. ¡°This time, I owe the Eldest Prince a huge favor.¡± After all, he had been seriously ill. His laughter was slightly weaker than usual, and his voice was hoarse. ¡°It¡¯s not a favor, it¡¯s a life,¡± Imperial Duchess Wei rolled her eyes and said seriously. Chapter 104 - 104 Sincerity 104 Sincerity Imperial Duchess Wei couldn¡¯t stand her husband¡¯s perfunctory actions anymore. She took a clean handkerchief again and wiped the remaining blood off his face. As she approached, Imperial Duchess Wei suddenly felt that something was wrong. She stopped what she was doing and looked down, crying out, ¡°Your stomach¡­¡± With her reminder, Imperial Duke Wei was enlightened. He finally understood why he had vaguely felt that something was wrong when he was in Tianyin Pavilion. So his general belly was gone¡­ No, it should be said that his abdomen had flattened. The couple faced each other, eyes to eyes, nose to nose. They didn¡¯t speak for a while. Imperial Duchess Wei couldn¡¯t help but move her hand down and touch Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s stomach. Only then did she confirm that the old man¡¯s big belly was really gone. Thinking of the black and red blood all over the floor in the private room, Imperial Duchess Wei came to a realization. So the things the old man spat out were the filth that had accumulated in his stomach for the past 20 years! ¡°Amazing!¡± she exclaimed sincerely. That Akhal-Teke horse could only be considered an apology and was far from enough as a consultation fee. Imperial Duchess Wei thought for a moment, lifted the small curtain in front of the carriage, and called out the attendant¡¯s name, ¡°Ah Fu.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam?¡± The attendant sitting on the shaft outside hurriedly turned around. ¡°Go and find out the identity of the girl with the Eldest Prince at Tianyin Pavilion just now,¡± instructed Imperial Duchess Wei. She specially warned, ¡°Don¡¯t alarm her.¡± The attendant responded respectfully. It was not difficult for the Wei family to find out about someone. In addition, Gu Yanfei did not deliberately hide her identity. She did not wear men¡¯s clothes to avoid being noticed, but for convenience. When night fell, the attendant, Ah Fu, came to report to Imperial Duke Wei and his wife. ¡°Imperial Duke Wei, Madam, the girl from Tianyin Pavilion is the second daughter of the Dingyuan Marquis Household.¡± Imperial Duke Wei was leaning lazily on the couch, holding a large white bowl with blue flowers. He was frowning at the steaming brown medicine, making it obvious that this medicine was very bitter! ¡°Gu family?¡± Hearing this, the teacup in Imperial Duchess Wei¡¯s hand stopped in midair in shock. She had never seen or heard of such a girl in the Gu family. Among the girls of the Dingyuan Marquis Household¡¯s generation, she only knew Gu Yunrong. Gu Yunrong was the daughter of the Marquis of Dingyuan, Gu Ce. She was extremely lucky and had never fallen behind when competing with others. When drawing lots with others, she had always won the lottery. Countless people had received her favor¡­ There were many anecdotes about her good fortune in the capital. Even her sister-in-law had praised Gu Yunrong in front of her. Not only was she lucky, but Gu Yunrong was also a little talented. She was outstanding in zither, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, song, and so on. Such a girl indeed had the right to be arrogant. Therefore, a few days ago, when Empress Dowager Yuan designated her as Princess Consort Kang, there was only a sigh between the various residences, but no one said anything sour. When Imperial Duchess Wei was a guest in the mansion, she had also seen Gu Yunrong from afar. The attendant nodded and continued to report, ¡°She said that she¡¯s the legitimate daughter of the Gu family¡¯s eldest branch who was lost in the past. She was just found in October. Her name is Yan Fei.¡± ¡°This girl is also the daughter of Gu Ce and Madam Xie?¡± Imperial Duchess Wei said in surprise. Imperial Duchess Wei vaguely remembered that Madam Xie had been dead for more than ten years, and her memory of Madam Xie¡¯s appearance had also become a little blurry. Now that she thought about it carefully, she did indeed look a little similar to that girl. However, if she remembered correctly, the Xie family only had a son and a daughter. ¡°She¡¯s the daughter of the Dingyuan couple,¡± the attendant explained. ¡°It¡¯s said that Miss Gu Yunrong is not from the Gu family¡¯s eldest branch. She has already been adopted under the second branch.¡± Imperial Duchess Wei frowned. What kind of nonsense was this?! She couldn¡¯t understand it. In short, Gu Yanfei was Gu Ce and Madam Xie¡¯s daughter. This was understandable. As she thought, she gave Imperial Duke Wei a faint sideways glance. He shuddered and did not dare to waste any more time. With a bitter expression, he gulped down the medicine and said vaguely, ¡°Gu Ce is extremely talented. He was originally a rare talent, but unfortunately, the enemy defeated¡­¡± The State of Yue in the south had always been ambitious. Eight years ago, the State of Yue sent another 100,000 troops to raid the southern border of the Great Jin Dynasty. The flames of war rose again, causing countless casualties. First, the Marquis of Dingyuan, Gu Ce, guarded Yangzhou with 50,000 troops. He was not strong enough and sent a letter to ask for help. At that time, the late Emperor, the heads of the aristocratic families, Imperial Duke Wei, Gu Ce, and the other nobles wanted to fight, but those lowly ministers could not make up their decision to fight or make peace. Chapter 105 - 105 Sincerity 105 Sincerity The late Emperor wanted to make peace with the State of Yue, but he did not issue a decree to reinforce Yangzhou for a long time. Gu Ce tried his best to hold on for three months, but in the end, he was forced to open the city gate to the State of Yue¡­ However, the Yue people did not believe him and killed Gu Ce. When the late Emperor heard that Gu Ce had lost to the enemy, he was furious and almost took away the title of Marquis of Dingyuan. However, because Gu Ce¡¯s daughter, Gu Yunrong, saved Kang Wang in the chaos in Yangzhou when she was six years old, she made up for Gu Ce¡¯s mistake. The late Emperor thought about it, and in the end, he bypassed Gu Ce¡¯s eldest son, Gu Yuan, and passed the title of Marquis of Dingyuan to Gu Jian. Thinking of these past events, Imperial Duke Wei sighed in his heart. ¡°This shouldn¡¯t have happened¡­¡± If the late Emperor had sent troops to support Yangzhou in time, Gu Ce would not have been forced into a corner and even died at the hands of the enemy! A lifetime of heroic leadership was ruined. Although Imperial Duke Wei did not say anything wrong about the late Emperor, Imperial Duchess Wei could tell what her husband meant. The corners of her lips curled up mockingly as she sneered, ¡°The late Emperor was a fool!¡± Emperor Taizu was a refined and cultured man. Unfortunately, his sons were all mediocre, and none of them had his bearing. The previous Emperor had only ascended to the throne as the eldest son of the first wife. Imperial Duke Wei stroked his beard and sighed. ¡°Gu Ce¡¯s son, Gu Yuan¡­ isn¡¯t easy either.¡± He still remembered that two autumns ago, Gu Yuan had followed the imperial guards to the coast to suppress the pirates. He had made a great contribution and should have been able to be promoted at least two grades. In the end, it was obvious why he did not receive any rewards from the previous Emperor. Imperial Duke Wei had a noble status, and it was quite an honor for Gu Yuan to have Imperial Duke Wei remember his name. Imperial Duchess Wei raised her heroic eyebrows and smiled. ¡°It looks like he¡¯s a good child like that girl.¡± Imperial Duke Wei pondered and said, ¡°Gu Yuan seems to be in the West Mountain Camp now, Ren¡­¡± He did not remember very well and was about to instruct the attendant to ask around when the curtain happened to be lifted at this moment. A housekeeper walked in without looking sideways and bowed to the two masters. She reported, ¡°My Lord, Madam, Kang Wang and Lord Yuan heard that my Lord was sick and specially came to visit. They even brought the Shangqing Spiritual Master of the Wuliang Temple.¡± As she spoke, the housekeeper¡¯s eyes lit up. Shangqing Spiritual Master was known for having immortal skills in the capital and was an expert in medicine. Usually, there was an endless stream of believers who went to Wuliang Temple to pay their respects and seek medical treatment, but they often could not even meet him. If they wanted to invite Shangqing Spiritual Master to visit for treatment, they would have to make an appointment half a month in advance. A living Taoist master like Shangqing Spiritual Master with immortal skills could not be invited just like that. Imperial Duke Wei and his wife looked at each other. The corners of Imperial Duchess Wei¡¯s mouth curled up into a faint smile as she said meaningfully, ¡°Kang Wang probably knows that the Eldest Prince is also at Tianyin Pavilion today.¡± Imperial Duke Wei was the most impatient to deal with those pretentious noble families. He said angrily, ¡°Let them go back. Tell them that I¡¯ve already rested.¡± The housekeeper accepted the order without another word. After a while, Chu You and Yuan Zhe, who were waiting outside the imperial duke¡¯s mansion, received a message from the housekeeper. ¡°Hmph.¡± In the carriage, Kang Wang, Chu You, snorted unhappily. ¡°Didn¡¯t I say that these nobles haven¡¯t even cleaned up their country bumpkin act yet? They¡¯re acting like they¡¯re from a rich family.¡± Three generations were wealthy families, and a hundred years were aristocratic families. The Wei family¡¯s imperial duke position had only been passed down to the second generation and could not even be considered a wealthy family. Yuan Zhe sat opposite Chu You and comforted him. ¡°Calm down.¡± He glanced sideways at the plaque of the Wei family mansion outside the window, and a hint of disapproval flashed across his deep eyes. Yuan Zhe took a sip of tea before saying meaningfully, ¡°The Eldest Prince sure hid well.¡± There was silence in the carriage. Chu You¡¯s long and narrow eagle eyes narrowed and flashed with a cold light. He could not help but think of the matter that had caused him to be demoted. After that day, he received Rong¡¯er¡¯s letter and learned about what had happened in the Marquis Mansion. Thinking about the game in the East Warm Pavilion, he finally believed that he had been schemed against. Today, he had specially brought Shangqing Spiritual Master here to see if Imperial Duke Wei was sick¡­ Chu You¡¯s eyes turned even colder as he asserted, ¡°Chu Yi must be up to something again.¡± Imperial Duke Wei was watching the show in Tianyin Pavilion when he vomited blood for some reason. He was coincidentally seen by Chu Yi, who happened to be there and had a ¡°miracle doctor¡± beside him. What a coincidence! Chu You did not believe that Chu Yi did not secretly play any tricks. For example, harming the imperial duke first before saving him! Yuan Zhe did not comment. He lifted one of the curtains and smiled apologetically at the Taoist priest, who was silent in the other carriage. His eyes were filled with respect as he said, ¡°I¡¯ve troubled you for a wasted trip today. Spiritual Master, are you willing to go to my humble abode to rest?¡± Shangqing Spiritual Master looked up with a far-reaching and aloof gaze. He smiled calmly at Yuan Zhe and said, ¡°There¡¯s no need to take it to heart, everything is fate. I still have to return to the temple to preach, so I won¡¯t disturb you today.¡± Yuan Zhe did not force him either. He instructed the coachman to send Shangqing Spiritual Master back to the Wuliang Temple before leaving with Chu You. Imperial Duke Wei was ranked among the four dukes. Many people in the imperial court watched every move of the imperial duke¡¯s mansion. Soon, everyone in the imperial court knew that Imperial Duke Wei was seriously ill. Hence, in the next few days, many nobles came to visit. Even Madam Gu of the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion specially found some expensive herbs and planned to let Gu Jian and his wife go there personally. However, the Wei family had recently closed their doors and refused guests. Madam Gu did not expect them to enter and only wanted to express her intention to befriend them. If they wanted to befriend such a noble, the Marquis Mansion had to show their sincerity. ¡°Xinwen, the herbs you found are still a little ordinary. Why don¡¯t you bring the 300-year-old ginseng from my storeroom?¡± Madam Gu made up her mind and decided to bear the pain of giving away something precious. Madam Wang could not help but smile. Just as she was about to thank Madam Gu, she was interrupted by the maidservant, Bai Lu, who had just entered. ¡°Madam, Miss Wei Jiu from the Wei family is here to visit.¡± The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law looked at each other in surprise. Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s status was extraordinary. Back then, he even dared to scold the late Emperor, and anyone could see his arrogance. Furthermore, Miss Wei Jiu was the youngest daughter of Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s heir and was doted on by Imperial Duke Wei and his wife. The Gu family and the Wei family had never interacted. They had yet to visit, so why was this girl from the Wei family here personally?! Bai Lu continued, ¡°Miss Wei Jiu¡¯s servant said that they¡¯re here to see the Second Lady today.¡± Bai Lu spoke clearly, but in Madam Gu¡¯s ears, the word ¡°Second Lady¡± naturally referred to Gu Yunrong. Chapter 106 - 106 Promotion 106 Promotion Madam Gu could not help but be happy. Rong¡¯er had been lucky since she was young. She was loved by everyone and got along well with those nobles. It seemed that Miss Wei Jiu was also Rong¡¯er¡¯s friend. Madam Gu smiled until deep wrinkles appeared in the corners of her eyes. She instructed Bai Lu, ¡°Go and tell Rong¡¯er to come over quickly.¡± Then, Madam Gu smiled and said to Madam Wang, ¡°Rong¡¯er is indeed likable and blessed.¡± It was also Madam Wang¡¯s blessing to have Rong¡¯er under her name. Madam Wang was about to join in when Bai Lu explained with a subtle expression, ¡°Madam, Miss Wei Jiu is here to look for the Second Lady of the Yuheng Garden, who has already gone over to meet her.¡± She deliberately emphasized the words ¡°Yuheng Garden¡±, indicating that the girl from the Wei family was here to visit Gu Yanfei. What?! Madam Gu and Madam Wang were shocked again and looked at each other. Madam Gu was filled with doubts. For a moment, she wondered if she had heard wrongly. Gu Yanfei had been to the capital for less than two months and had only been to Prince Jing¡¯s Manor once. Other than her beautiful face, she had no talent or virtue and was ordinary. Why would the legitimate daughter of the Wei family lower herself to deal with a wild girl like Gu Yanfei?! Suppressing the doubts in her heart, Madam Gu anxiously gave a series of instructions. ¡°Quickly take out my jar of good Longjing tea and get the kitchen to quickly prepare some snacks that girls like to entertain Miss Wei Jiu later.¡± ¡°Bai Lu, prepare a new set of clothes for me¡­¡± Granny Li, Bai Lu, and the other maidservants quickly went down to prepare. The Benevolent Harmony Hall immediately became busy. Madam Gu sighed at Madam Wang again. ¡°Xinwen, I was originally worried that you and the Marquis would not be able to enter the imperial duke¡¯s mansion. Now that the daughter of the Wei family is here, this is a great opportunity.¡± ¡°With Miss Wei Jiu pulling the strings, even if you can¡¯t see Imperial Duke Wei, you can at least see the heir¡¯s wife, right?¡± Because of Miss Wei Jiu¡¯s arrival, Madam Gu suddenly felt as if the clouds had parted and she could see the light of day. In a good mood, she went to change into a new set of luxurious clothes and matched them with a set of jewelry and a headband. She was just waiting for Miss Wei Jiu to come to the Benevolent Harmony Hall to greet her. In the end, she waited and waited, but no one came. After waiting for an hour, Madam Gu was a little tired, so she sent Bai Lu to Yuheng Garden to take a look. Unexpectedly, Bai Lu reported, ¡°Miss Wei Jiu went out with the Second Lady.¡± Madam Gu¡¯s expression froze. She still had a trace of hope in her heart and asked dryly, ¡°Where did they go?¡± Madam Gu comforted herself by thinking that perhaps they had gone out for something urgent. Bai Lu braced herself and replied, ¡°I heard from the people in Yuheng Garden that Miss Wei Jiu wants to go to Daqing Street to watch the sideshows in the Western Region. The Second Lady said that the beauties from the Western Region are all blond and blue-eyed and are better-looking than sideshows. They¡­ they went together.¡± These words were like a bucket of cold water poured over Madam Gu¡¯s head. The temperature in the east room suddenly dropped, and it was so cold that it seemed to freeze people. This was impossible! ¡°¡­¡± Madam Gu lost her balance, and the teacup in her hand trembled slightly. The hot tea spilled over the edge of the cup, burning the back of her hand. Gu Yanfei rode the Akhal-Teke horse that Imperial Duchess Wei had given her and rode around the city with Miss Wei Jiu for a day before returning to their respective residences. When Gu Yanfei returned to the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion, other than the horse whip, she also carried a large bow on her back. She was in high spirits and had the heroic bearing of an enraged horse. The tall and mighty crimson horse whinnied and paced briskly, as if it wanted more. ¡°Miss, your bow looks very beautiful.¡± Juan Bi eagerly took the bow Gu Yanfei brought back and sized it up curiously. It was a dark bull-horn bow, five feet long and almost as tall as Juan Bi. It made her especially small, and the silver bowstring shone in the sunlight. ¡°It¡¯s a good bow!¡± Gu Yanfei praised her with a happy smile. She leaped down from the high horse¡¯s back, as light as a swallow. ¡°My dear mother has told me that we¡¯ll go hunting together in a few days. You should prepare too.¡± The conversation between the master and servant also entered Granny Li¡¯s ears from not far away. Granny Li clenched her handkerchief tightly and was secretly shocked that the Second Lady seemed to be very close to Miss Wei Jiu. Chapter 107 - 107 Promotion 107 Promotion ¡°Second Lady.¡± Granny Li composed herself and strode forward with her legs that were a little stiff from standing for a long time. She smiled and bowed. ¡°Madam invites you to the Benevolent Harmony Hall.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Gu Yanfei glanced at Granny Li indifferently, her slender fingers casually flicking the bowstring. The silver bowstring vibrated gently, buzzing. Granny Li felt as if her heart had been flicked. Her attitude towards Gu Yanfei became even more solemn as she said, ¡°Eldest Young Master is also here.¡± Big Brother was back!! Gu Yanfei, who was originally a little lazy, immediately perked up and smiled in surprise. Her exquisite face bloomed with a dazzling light. ¡°Juan Bi, settle Hongyu down.¡± Gu Yanfei casually threw the reins of the red horse to Juan Bi and followed Granny Li to the Benevolent Harmony Hall. It was a beautiful day where the sun was shining and the sky was clear blue. Occasionally, a few sparrows would chirp and fly past. Wishing she could grow wings, Gu Yanfei walked briskly. Along the way, Granny Li said a few words to Gu Yanfei in a friendly manner. For example, the Eldest Young Master had just returned half an hour ago and had not sent a message to the residence in advance. For example, the Eldest Young Master looked much taller and darker. Furthermore, the Marquis was also at the Benevolent Harmony Hall¡­ Everyone in the Benevolent Harmony Hall knew that Madam Gu was waiting for the Second Lady. From the moment Gu Yanfei entered the courtyard, her journey was smooth. When she reached the curtain that led to the east room, she heard Madam Gu¡¯s puzzled voice from inside. ¡°¡­ Yuan¡¯er, why did you suddenly return to the capital?¡± Gu Yanfei raised the curtain and walked in. The sound of the curtain being lifted attracted the attention of Madam Gu, Gu Jian, and Gu Yuan in the east room. ¡°Sister!¡± Gu Yuan suddenly stood up from his round chair. The originally cold young man¡¯s expression instantly softened as he looked at Gu Yanfei with a burning gaze. Today, Gu Yanfei was wearing a pale yellow dress embroidered with broken branches and peony flowers. This was a slim-fitting robe, making her figure look slender and energetic. Gu Yuan stared at Gu Yanfei without blinking. His sister from a month ago was as thin as bamboo. Her face was faintly sallow, and she did not look well. His sister had become prettier in a month. She had grown taller and looked better. Her eyes were like stars, her skin was like jade, and her cheeks were flushed. She was like a delicate flower that was gradually blooming in the sunlight¡­ The corners of Gu Yuan¡¯s lips curled up bit by bit. He could not bear to blink as he watched Gu Yanfei walk towards him. ¡°Sister, sit here.¡± Gu Yuan pulled Gu Yanfei to sit down on the round chair beside him. He sized her up again before feeling relieved. Just as Wu Tong had said, his sister had not suffered in the Marquis Mansion these days. Gu Yanfei was also sizing up Gu Yuan. Just as Granny Li had said, Gu Yuan was taller and darker. When he held her left hand just now, she could clearly feel the rough calluses on his palm and the vitality emanating from him. Her brother was still as dedicated to following in her father¡¯s footsteps as he had been in her previous life. Gu Yanfei smiled gently. Madam Gu, who was sitting on the sofa, looked at the siblings quietly. Her eyes were deep, and she heard Granny Li¡¯s low whisper. When she heard that Gu Yanfei was going hunting with Miss Wei Jiu, Madam Gu¡¯s eyes changed. There was a hint of surprise, confusion, and respect. After settling his sister down, Gu Yuan remembered to answer Madam Gu¡¯s question. ¡°Grandma, I just received a transfer order from the Ministry of War today. I¡¯ve been transferred back to the capital and will be transferred to the Divine Arms Battalion.¡± The Divine Arms Battalion was established by Emperor Taizu and belonged to one of the three major battalions of the imperial guards. It specialized in controlling all kinds of firearms and often guarded the palace and the eastern coast. Like the Embroidered Uniform Guards, the Divine Arms Battalion was directly responsible to the Emperor and could be said to be his personal guard. ¡°This is great news.¡± Madam Gu was surprised and delighted. Gu Jian blurted out in shock, ¡°Really?¡± Unconsciously, he clenched his fists. His pupils constricted, and he looked wary. ¡°The transfer order will take effect today, and I¡¯ll be promoted from company commander to battalion commander,¡± Gu Yuan said slowly and without arrogance. The battalion commander was a sixth-grade military official, and the company commander was a lower-class fifth-grade military official. Gu Yuan¡¯s transfer order exceeded the upper-class fifth-grade, and could be considered a two-step jump. Besides, everyone knew how important the Divine Arms Battalion was. Gu Yuan had been transferred from the West Mountain Camp to the Divine Arms Battalion and had unknowingly advanced another level. His promotion this time could be said to have skyrocketed him. The lower-class fifth-grade company commander of the Divine Arms Battalion was incomparable to the sixth-grade battalion commander. It was equivalent to officially entering the Emperor¡¯s field of vision, and his future was limitless. Gu Jian expressionlessly picked up the blue and white porcelain teacup on the coffee table and brought it to his lips. He put it down and asked, ¡°Yuan¡¯er, why were you suddenly promoted? This is too sudden.¡± As everyone knew, promotion in the military was either through grace or military merit. In the past year since he ascended the throne, he had not seen Gu Yuan make any prominent military contributions. As for the pirates that Gu Yuan had killed when the late Emperor was in power two years ago, it was just a few escaped bandits that he happened to pick up. What right did Gu Yuan have to obtain such an important position?! ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡± Gu Yuan raised his eyebrows, also puzzled. Before today, everything in the military was business as usual. It was not until this morning that the higher-ups suddenly called him over, gave him this transfer order, and congratulated him using words filled with unprecedented intimacy. Gu Yuan was telling the truth, but it was obvious that Gu Jian did not believe him. He continued to ask, ¡°Yuan¡¯er, there¡¯s no free lunch in the world. Didn¡¯t you ask the higher-ups?¡± Gu Yuan raised his eyes and glanced at Gu Jian coldly. Seeing that the other party did not believe him, he could not be bothered to say anything else. Beside him, Gu Yanfei was leisurely sipping her tea. The corners of her lips curled up slightly behind the teacup. She had roughly guessed that this was thanks to Imperial Duke Wei. Madam Gu looked at Gu Yanfei with a complicated expression. Chapter 108 - 108 Persuasion 108 Persuasion ¡°Could it be Imperial Duke Wei?¡± Madam Gu thought of Miss Wei Jiu, who had suddenly come to visit today. Gu Jian looked at her in confusion. He had just returned to the residence half an hour ago and had just sat down at the Benevolent Harmony Hall to drink tea when Gu Yuan returned. The three of them only exchanged a few pleasantries and did not have time to say much, so Gu Jian still knew nothing about what had happened in the Marquis Mansion today. Madam Gu looked at Gu Yanfei with a complicated gaze and asked in a low voice, ¡°Yanfei, why is Miss Wei Jiu from the Wei family visiting today?¡± Her eyes burned as she gripped the prayer beads tightly in her hand. Under the different gazes of the other three, Gu Yanfei said calmly, ¡°I saved Imperial Duke Wei, so Miss Wei Jiu specially came to thank me.¡± As she spoke, there was a faint smile on her lips, as if she were talking about something insignificant. The room fell silent. ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡± Gu Jian was the first to reprimand her. The news that Imperial Duke Wei had vomited blood in Tianyin Pavilion had spread like wildfire in the capital. Everyone, from the noble courtiers to the commoners, knew about it. It was said that the person who had saved him was a Taoist enlightened person with extraordinary medical skills. How could this person be his niece?! Seeing his Second Uncle reprimand his sister, Gu Yuan pursed his thin lips and looked displeased. Madam Gu¡¯s gaze was unclear as she asked patiently, ¡°Yanfei, do you even know medicine?¡± The word ¡°even¡± seemed meaningful. ¡°Yes,¡± Gu Yanfei replied matter-of-factly. The smile on her face widened, revealing a pair of cute smiling eddies. She was telling the truth, but it made people feel like it was unbelievable. Thinking of what had happened a few days ago, the corners of Madam Gu¡¯s eyes twitched. She sized her up with a deep gaze and asked, ¡°Where did you learn it?¡± Gu Yanfei casually stroked her sleeve. This time, she said half-truthfully, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell Madam before that when I was in Huaibei, Spiritual Master Lingxiao took me in as his disciple and taught me all my skills?¡± ¡°Do you believe me, Madam?¡± She tilted her head slightly and smiled, making Madam Gu unable to see through her. ¡°¡­¡± Madam Gu was silent. She pursed her lips tightly, and the wrinkles at the corner of her mouth deepened. Last time, for Gu Yunrong¡¯s marriage, Madam Gu had no choice but to lower her head to Gu Yanfei and deal with Mother Su. Two days later, she finally calmed down and thought about the entire matter again. She felt that something was wrong and became skeptical of Gu Yanfei¡¯s so-called fortune-telling ability. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, forget it,¡± Gu Yanfei said as she pulled Gu Yuan up. ¡°Big Brother, let¡¯s go. Imperial Duchess Wei gave me a Akhal-Teke horse. It¡¯s beautiful and runs fast. Big Brother, let¡¯s go walk the horse together, okay?!¡± ¡°Okay, I got 10 days off from my transfer this time. Whatever you want to do, Big Brother will accompany you.¡± The siblings chatted happily as they walked out of the Benevolent Harmony Hall, leaving Madam Gu hanging there. ¡°¡­¡± Madam Gu wanted to stop the siblings, and her mouth was slightly open. However, she did not say anything in the end and sat there with uncertain eyes. The siblings¡¯ cheerful laughter quickly faded. After a while, she couldn¡¯t hear anything. The east room fell silent, and the atmosphere was cold. Outside, the howling wind slapped and crackled against the panes. Madam Gu suppressed her anger and complained to her son, ¡°Gu Yanfei is too wild.¡± She was so angry that her chest tightened, and she quickly went to serve the teacup. However, Gu Jian was distracted and did not hear what Madam Gu said at all. The person he cared about more was Gu Yuan. ¡°Mother.¡± Gu Jian frowned and could not help but say, ¡°What do you think Yuan¡¯er¡¯s promotion means?¡± After the words left his mouth, he realized that he was acting a little impatient, so he coughed dryly and raised his hand to gesture. Granny Li, who was at the side, had always been good at reading people¡¯s expressions. She softly called out all the maidservants in the room and personally guarded them outside. Only Madam Gu and her son were left in the house. The charcoal fire made the air in the house a little stuffy. Gu Jian pondered for a moment before saying, ¡°Mother¡­ The court has finally begun to forget what happened back then. If we transfer Yuan¡¯er back to the capital now and let him appear in front of others so openly, will it remind them of¡­ Big Brother¡¯s defeat in the past?¡± After a pause, he sighed and added, ¡°It¡¯s been eight years¡­ It¡¯s not easy for everyone to forget.¡± The cold wind in the courtyard blew harder, whistling and blowing, making the window lattice look like it was about to fly away. Chapter 109 - 109 Persuasion 109 Persuasion Thinking of the past eight years ago, Madam Gu was also worried and frowned even more. Back then, their entire family was almost stripped of their title, exiled, or even executed because their eldest son had lost to the enemy. It was all thanks to Rong¡¯er saving Kang Wang in Yangzhou that their entire family was spared and had their current good days. Thinking about it now, Madam Gu still felt lingering fear. Her turbid eyes were clearly flickering as she slowly twisted the prayer beads in her hand. After a while, she hesitantly said, ¡°Ah Jian, now that the new emperor has ascended the throne, things are different from the past¡­¡± Everyone in the royal court knew that in the battle between the Great Jin and the State of Yue eight years ago, the previous Emperor wanted to reconcile, but the current Emperor wanted to fight. The father and son had also had many disputes over this¡­ In the end, the Eldest Prince, Chu Yi, was sent to the State of Yue as a hostage. The late Emperor had passed away, and the current Emperor might not fuss about the past. Gu Jian clenched his right fist tightly where Madam Gu could not see. Veins popped up on the back of his hand. ¡°Mother, I thought it was inappropriate.¡± A trace of gloom lingered in Gu Jian¡¯s eyes, but when he faced Madam Gu, he looked sincere. He deliberated over his words and tried to persuade her. ¡°The position of the battalion commander of the Divine Arms Battalion is too eye-catching, and there are so many eyes in the capital. Even if the Emperor doesn¡¯t care about Yuan¡¯er, what do you think the Emperor will think if everyone follows him?¡± ¡°It might not be a coincidence. Although this position is good, our Gu family really can¡¯t afford it. Yuan¡¯er is even more unworthy as of now.¡± Gu Jian spoke eloquently and pompously. Madam Gu was even more hesitant after hearing his words, but she did not nod. She really could not bear to part with such a good job in the Divine Arms Battalion. This was a position that could not be found even with a lantern. If not for the Wei family, it would not have fallen to the Gu family! It had not been easy for the Gu family to gain momentum again¡­ ¡°Mother.¡± Gu Jian stood up and sat on the bed. He held Madam Gu¡¯s hand and said, ¡°How about¡­ letting Yuan¡¯er give this position to the eldest son-in-law and the two of them exchange?¡± The eldest son-in-law Gu Jian was talking about was Gu Yunzhen¡¯s fianc¨¦, Murong Yong. Murong Yong was now a lower-class fifth-grade captain in the Divine Arms Battalion. Unfortunately, it was only an empty position and was far inferior to Gu Yuan¡¯s. What?! Madam Gu widened her eyes in shock. She did not expect Gu Jian to suggest such an idea and could not help but shake her head. ¡°This is also for Rong¡¯er.¡± Gu Jian stared intently at every change in Madam Gu¡¯s expression and softened his voice. ¡°As you can see, the eldest son-in-law is a young talent with a promising future. It¡¯s just that he doesn¡¯t have a good opportunity. This time, he only has that title for such a great contribution as suppressing the bandits in Qingzhou.¡± ¡°If the eldest son-in-law can get this job, and even the Empress Dowager will think highly of him, Rong¡¯er¡¯s marriage will definitely not make any more mistakes.¡± ¡°Mother, instead of believing that that wild girl, Yanfei, can predict the future, it¡¯s better to use more practical benefits to persuade the Empress Dowager!¡± ¡°If Rong¡¯er is good, our Marquis Mansion will be good. In the future, our family will definitely be able to compensate Yuan¡¯er.¡± ¡°Think about it carefully. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± Gu Jian spoke non-stop, guiding her logically. ¡°¡­¡± Madam Gu felt that her second son¡¯s words made sense and that she was a little moved, but she vaguely felt that she was letting Gu Yuan down. No matter what, Gu Yuan was her biological grandson. His parents were dead, so she, as his grandmother, should take better care of him¡­ Gu Jian stared intently at Madam Gu¡¯s expression, and the haze in his eyes became thicker. He threw out his trump card. ¡°Mother, the Marquis Mansion hasn¡¯t appointed an heir yet¡­¡± Madam Gu¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Gu Jian had been inheriting the title of Marquis of Dingyuan for eight years. All these years, the Gu family has offered to confer the title on his eldest son, Gu Xiao, every year. However, the memorials handed over were all like stones thrown into the sea. It was obvious that the late Emperor was still brooding over the fact that Gu Ce had colluded with the enemy and even hated the Gu family. This year, after the current Emperor ascended the throne, he rewarded many nobles from the imperial family. Even several declining noble families had decided on the candidate for the heir because of this, except for the Dingyuan Marquis Household. The fact that the heir had not been determined meant that there was no heir to the title, and there was no room for error. To Madam Gu, the title of nobility was her life. Once there was no title, the Gu family would become mud on the ground that anyone could step on. Madam Gu definitely could not tolerate this. Finally, Madam Gu nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± One word was all it took. The shadows of the trees swaying crazily in the cold wind outside the window were reflected in Gu Jian¡¯s eyes, making him look sinister. His pupils were surprisingly bright, and a hint of crazy joy flashed across his eyes. He tried his best to suppress and restrain the surging emotions in his heart. When his eldest brother, Gu Ce, was still alive, everyone said that he was extremely talented. When they found out that he was Gu Ce¡¯s younger brother, they sighed regretfully. Ever since he was young, Gu Jian had lived in the shadow of his eldest brother. He originally thought that this would be his life and that his days would be muddled¡­ He never expected that the title of Marquis of Dingyuan would fall on him one day. Since the heavens were determined that this title belonged to him, no one could take it away from him! As long as he was around, Gu Yuan could forget about flying out of his palm for the rest of his life¡­ Madam Gu did not notice Gu Jian¡¯s abnormality. She picked up the teacup and drank her tea listlessly. After the good Longjing tea entered her mouth, there was only bitterness. Madam Gu knew very well that Imperial Duke Wei had most likely really received some favor from Gu Yanfei. If the position of battalion commander in the Divine Arms Battalion was a thank-you gift from Imperial Duke Wei, then it would be the same for the Gu family, whether it was for Gu Yuan or Murong Yong. Moreover, if Murong Yong obtained this position, when Gu Yunzhen really married over to the family next year, she would have more face and would definitely be valued by her in-laws. It could be said to be killing three birds with one stone. This matter was good for everyone. Just as her second son had said, they would compensate Yuan¡¯er well in the future. There was still a long way to go. Chapter 110 - 110 Bloodline 110 Bloodline Madam Gu felt more or less guilty and repeatedly comforted herself. She was prioritizing the overall situation. She took two more sips of tea and composed herself. She called Granny Li in and instructed, ¡°The Eldest Young Master is back today. Get the kitchen to prepare some of his favorite dishes tonight and get the others to come over for dinner for a lively gathering.¡± After receiving the order, Granny Li left. The entire Benevolent Harmony Hall was quickly bustling with activity. Even the bone-chilling wind seemed less cold. The maidservants went to the various rooms and courtyards to pass a message for them to come to the Benevolent Harmony Hall for dinner in the evening. After ten minutes, Bai Lu returned with a smile and said, ¡°Eldest Young Master and Second Lady are running horses in the martial arts arena. I think Second Lady¡¯s riding skills are really not bad.¡± Gu Jian looked thoughtful. He raised his hand and waved Bai Lu away. Just as Bai Lu had said, Gu Yuan and Gu Yanfei each rode two horses, one red and one black, around the martial arts arena. ¡°Sister, your Akhal-Teke horse is indeed extraordinary.¡± Gu Yuan jumped down from the back of the red horse and gently touched its slender neck. He praised, ¡°The name Hongyu is also good.¡± Gu Yanfei also got off the black horse and smiled sweetly. She also gently touched Hongyu¡¯s neck and said, ¡°I like it too.¡± Thinking of his sister¡¯s valiant and high-spirited appearance when she was riding the horse just now, Gu Yuan let out a low chuckle, his eyes gentle. They all had the blood of their father flowing through them, and it was in their nature. ¡°Big Brother.¡± Gu Yanfei reached out and pinched Gu Yuan¡¯s sleeve with two fingers, shaking it coquettishly. ¡°I¡¯ve arranged to go hunting with Miss Wei Jiu in a few days. Big Brother, you¡¯re on leave anyway. Do you want to go for a walk?¡± How could Gu Yuan not agree to his sister¡¯s invitation? He smiled and said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go with you.¡± ¡°Do you have any prey you want? I¡¯ll catch it for you.¡± Gu Yuan wanted to make up for the losses of the past 14 years. He wished he could pluck the moon from the sky to please his sister. Gu Yanfei looked at Gu Yuan, who was less than a foot away from her, in a daze. It had been the same in her previous life. Gu Yuan had always wanted to please her and do something for her. However, at that time, she was solitary, timid, and introverted. She was always uneasy and worried about personal gains and losses. She was afraid of troubling Gu Yuan, afraid that he would not like her, so she rejected his good intentions time and time again. If he took a step forward, she took a step back; if he took another step forward, she took another step back¡­ There was always a barrier between her and Gu Yuan, preventing them from getting close to each other. Until Gu Yuan held her hand tightly before he died and said that he was an unqualified brother, that he should have sheltered her and supported her¡­ He left her just like that. The dead and the living had nothing left but regret. Before he died, his gaze of self-blame and regret had been engraved in the depths of her heart. He had regrets, and so did she. ¡°Brother.¡± Gu Yanfei shook Gu Yuan¡¯s sleeve again, her eyes bright. ¡°Then hunt a small sable for me. I want a snow-white one.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Gu Yuan agreed. ¡°Actually, I have something to ask of you,¡± Gu Yanfei said in a coquettish tone, her voice high-pitched. ¡°What is it?¡± Gu Yuan lowered his head and looked at his sister, who was half a head shorter than him. The corners of his lips curled up, and his angular facial features softened. It was great that his sister had asked him for help so familiarly. Just like all the sisters in the world, when facing their brothers, she naturally made requests. He couldn¡¯t help but raise his hand to tap her nose. ¡°Big Brother, you know Murong Yong, right?¡± Gu Yanfei said slowly. ¡°I heard that Murong Yong is also in the Divine Arms Battalion now. Big Brother, you¡¯re going to take over anyway, so you can take a look at this person.¡± Gu Yanfei knew that Chu Yi would not lie to her about such a thing, but it was up to Gu Yunzhen to decide if Murong Yong was worth it. Coincidentally, Gu Yunzhen had not been in the Marquis Mansion recently. It would be her maternal grandmother¡¯s birthday in a few days. The Yan family had specially brought her and Madam Yan to stay for a while, and Gu Yunzhen would not be back for a while. All she could do was give Gu Yunzhen more opportunities to consider. When Gu Yunzhen made her choice, she would help her clear the obstacles. Gu Yuan was stunned. As smart as he was, he immediately sensed that his sister would not speak without thinking. ¡°Is Murong Yong inappropriate?¡± Gu Yuan¡¯s question hit the nail on the head. His sword-like eyebrows raised slightly and slanted toward his temples. Chapter 111 - 111 Bloodline 111 Bloodline There was no need for him to be tactful in front of his sister. Gu Yanfei answered even more directly, ¡°He¡¯s providing for an actress.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Gu Yuan was stunned. He suddenly felt that he could not look at his sister directly. His face turned visibly red, no longer as cold and arrogant as usual. ¡°A-Actress?¡± Gu Yuan stammered. His gaze shifted as he thought to himself, ¡®My sister is only 14 years old and is still young. She definitely doesn¡¯t know what it means to provide for an actress, so she must have heard it from others.¡¯ Which bastard said such dirty words in front of his sister? The next time he saw him, he would definitely teach that bastard a lesson! Gu Yuan quickly patted his chest and said, ¡°Leave this to me.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave it to you, Big Brother.¡± Gu Yanfei smiled brightly, making Gu Yuan¡¯s heart almost melt. Only when Hongyu rubbed against Gu Yuan¡¯s sleeve did he come back to his senses. He took out a piece of malt candy from his pouch and fed it to Hongyu, then said, ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve also asked around about Murong Yong in the past¡­¡± Gu Yunzhen was his cousin, and his Third Uncle had died young like his father. Gu Yuan felt that as the eldest brother, he should take care of his sister. Therefore, when he found out that his family had arranged this marriage for Gu Yunzhen, he had asked his friends to find out. ¡°Those bastards even said that Murong Yong has a good character and is loyal¡­ Hmph, they must not have asked around properly.¡± ¡°In a few days, I¡¯ll beat them up!¡± The corners of Gu Yuan¡¯s mouth twitched slightly as he flexed the joints of his fists, making cracking sounds. His expression was unruly. In Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes, her brother now had the quickness of a young man, making her feel a little closer to him. ¡°Are they Big Brother¡¯s friends?¡± Gu Yanfei asked. Her smile widened, and her eyes curved into crescents. ¡°I guess they can be counted as¡­ bad friends. If there¡¯s a chance, I¡¯ll bring them to see you.¡± Gu Yuan could not help but raise his hand and rub the top of Gu Yanfei¡¯s soft head. The soft and warm touch from his palm reached his heart. His sister¡¯s closeness made Gu Yuan¡¯s heart as soft as honey. It was sweet and made his suspended heart feel at ease. Gu Jian, who was not far away, saw the siblings¡¯ intimate and smiling expressions. He stood at the entrance of the martial arts arena for a moment, motionless as a statue. The setting sun shone on him, leaving a long shadow on the ground that pointed straight at Gu Yuan and Gu Yanfei. Under the backlight, Gu Jian¡¯s eyes were as dark as a cold swamp. ¡°Ahem.¡± Gu Jian cleared his throat to attract their attention before walking towards them with a gentle smile. All the men in the Gu family were tall, and Gu Jian was no exception. However, he was middle-aged and a little fat, though his figure was still tall. ¡°Yuan¡¯er, Yanfei,¡± Gu Jian called out lovingly. ¡°I heard that the two of you were at the martial arts arena, so I came over to take a look.¡± As he spoke, his deep gaze fixed on Gu Yuan¡¯s face. He patted his shoulder in relief. ¡°Yuan¡¯er, you¡¯ve grown up. In the past, when you first came here to practice martial arts, you weren¡¯t even at my chest. You¡¯re a small person, but you¡¯re stubborn. You haven¡¯t learned a set of fist techniques and refuse to rest for a moment.¡± ¡°In the blink of an eye, so many years have passed.¡± Gu Jian stood with his hands behind his back and sighed. As he spoke, he had the dignity of an elder. ¡°Thank you for your guidance all these years, Second Uncle,¡± Gu Yuan said calmly. His words were concise, and he clearly did not want to say anything else. Gu Yuan had always been a man of few words, so Gu Jian did not mind. He walked closer to a long table beside him with his hands behind his back and picked up Gu Yanfei¡¯s longbow. Gu Jian weighed the bow in his hand and tried to raise his arm to pull the bowstring. However, he was unable to pull it halfway. He pretended to let go and said in a lecturing tone, ¡°You¡¯re about to be transferred to the Divine Arms Battalion. You have to remember your homework at all times in the future!¡± Gu Yuan stood against the wind, his figure as straight as a cold pine in the snow. He said proudly, ¡°The descendants of the Gu family are unyielding.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Gu Jian clapped and laughed loudly. ¡°It¡¯s good that you still remember your father¡¯s teachings.¡± ¡°Today, I¡¯ll test your martial arts on behalf of your father and see if you¡¯ve deteriorated in the military these days.¡± ¡°Catch!¡± Gu Jian casually threw the longbow at Gu Yuan. Gu Yuan caught the bow with his hand. The bowstring was still buzzing. ¡°However, this one-stone bow is still a little light.¡± Gu Jian stroked his beard in dissatisfaction and sat down on a high-backed chair. He instructed a green-robed servant, ¡°Go to the armory and get two more heavy bows.¡± As he spoke, he tapped his hand idly on the arm of his chair. ¡°Yes, Marquis.¡± The green-robed servant hurriedly accepted the order and ran to the weapons warehouse. Gu Yanfei stared at Gu Jian for a while before turning away and lowering her head to feed the red horse sugar. It wolfed down the sugar cube with a crunch. Gu Yuan took an arrow from the quiver and walked a hundred steps away from the target. Gu Yanfei sent Hongyu away to play by itself and looked at Gu Yuan in the middle of the martial arts arena with a burning gaze. She saw the thin, blue-robed young man standing under the setting sun, his figure looking especially tall and straight. Gu Yuan skillfully nocked an arrow, pulled the string, and drew the bow. ¡°Swoosh!¡± He decisively released the bowstring. The arrow streaked across the sky like lightning with a cold sound¡­ In the next moment, an arrow appeared on the target. The arrow easily hit the bullseye! Gu Jian frowned. When he turned to look at Gu Yuan again, the light of the setting sun happened to shine into his eyes, reflecting the daze in them. Suddenly, he seemed to see Gu Yuan overlapping with another familiar tall figure. Big Brother had made a huge mistake. Big Brother owed the Gu family. As his son, he was just paying his father¡¯s debt. At the thought of this, the little hesitation in Gu Jian¡¯s heart was swept away. Chapter 112 - 112 Inheritance 112 Inheritance ¡°Pa, pa!¡± Gu Yanfei clapped for his arrow with a smile. Gu Yuan handed the bow in his hand to Gu Yanfei and explained with a smile, ¡°Sister, this bow of yours is a stone bow, so it¡¯s a little light for a martial artist. However, for most women, this stone bow is still a little difficult.¡± ¡°Have you tried it before?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Gu Yanfei nodded. ¡°It¡¯s quite light.¡± ¡°Sister is indeed a daughter of the Gu family!¡± Gu Yuan smiled happily. ¡°The aunts in the family are also good at riding and archery.¡± At the side, Gu Jian finally knew that this bow actually belonged to Gu Yanfei. His expression froze. He felt that this pair of siblings seemed to be mocking him for not being able to draw a stone bow. Gu Yuan had his back facing Gu Jian and was only focused on talking to Gu Yanfei. ¡°Sister, although my archery skills are not as good as when my father was alive, I¡¯ve already mastered 70 to 80% of his skills. I¡¯m always the best at archery in the military. If you want to learn, I can teach you.¡± He was high-spirited when he said this, his description smug and showing off. Not far away, when Gu Jian heard him mention Gu Ce, the teacup in his hand trembled slightly. Gu Yanfei was amused by Gu Yuan and smiled. Just as she was about to agree, she saw that the hair tie behind Gu Yuan¡¯s head had loosened a little, so she waved at him. ¡°Sit down and lower your head.¡± Gu Yuan sat down on a chair and lowered his head slightly. Gu Yanfei helped him smooth his slightly loose hair and tie the hair tie tightly again. Gu Yuan did not move as Gu Yanfei tied his hair and just stared at the girl in front of him. Deep in his heart, a voice said that this was his biological sister. She was different. Ever since he was young, Gu Yuan had been very good to his only sister, Gu Yunrong. Gu Yunrong was also close to him. However, for some reason, there was always an invisible barrier between him and Gu Yunrong in the depths of his heart that also seemed to be surrounded by an indescribable fog. Sometimes, he felt that there was something wrong with him. Both his and Gu Yunrong¡¯s parents had died, and they were each other¡¯s only family, so he should treat her better. He had also blamed himself for this and felt lost because of it. Only when he found his real sister did the fog lift from his mind. When he was with Gu Yanfei, there was no strange estrangement. Instead, there was an inexplicable tacit understanding and intimacy between them. They had only known each other for a short time, and they had only spent so little time together. It was as if an invisible bond in the depths of his blood connected him to his sister. This was his sister! The person closest to his bloodline in this world. Gu Yuan¡¯s heart settled and felt warm, like a traveler who had been wandering outside for many years had finally found his home. Gu Yanfei slowly tied a knot in her headband. From the corner of her eye, she saw the green-robed servant running over alone with two heavy bows. Gu Yanfei¡¯s gaze fixed on one of the bows for a moment, and a faint sneer appeared on her lips. Without batting an eyelid, she raised her hand and drew a strange, winding curve on his forehead. She drew it all the way down. When she was done, she touched his forehead with her fingertips. A faint white light flashed. Gu Yanfei retracted her hand in satisfaction and said, ¡°Done.¡± Only then did Gu Yuan stand up from his chair. He touched the headband that Gu Yanfei had tied again lovingly and was in high spirits. While the siblings were talking, the green-robed servant was already sweating profusely as he carried the two bows to the long table and carefully lowered them. These two big bows were heavy and were far heavier than Gu Yanfei¡¯s stone bow. Gu Jian put down the teacup and cleared his throat before saying, ¡°Yuan¡¯er, I remember that you were able to draw the two-stone bow a year ago. The stone bow just now is now at ease. Let Second Uncle see how many stones you can draw now.¡± The two bows the servant had just brought were a three-stone bow and a five-stone bow. Without another word, Gu Yuan picked up the bow and held it. The three-stone bow was clearly heavier than the one-stone bow, and the bowstring was thicker. It shone coldly in the sunlight. Gu Yuan nocked an arrow unhurriedly and pulled the bowstring taut in one go. His movements were as smooth as flowing water, as if they were already a reflex action of his body. In the past two years, the bow he had commonly used in the military was a three-stone bow. To him, it had long been nothing. Chapter 113 - 113 Inheritance 113 Inheritance The arrow shot out quickly, faster and colder than the first arrow, falling like a meteor. The second arrow hit the bull¡¯s-eye again. The distant target trembled violently from the impact of the arrow. It rustled as if it was clapping for Gu Yuan. Clap, clap, clap¡­ Gu Yanfei clapped happily again, her eyes bright. ¡°Good!¡± Gu Jian also clapped his hands and praised him in high spirits. ¡°Yuan¡¯er has really improved this year.¡± ¡°This is a five-stone bow. Your father used it when he was young¡ª¡± Gu Jian said it casually, but the corners of his lips curled up with a hint of smugness. This rhinoceros horn bow had extraordinary meaning to the Dingyuan Marquis Household. It represented the former glory and honor of the Marquis Household. When Emperor Taizu conferred the title of Marquis on his grandfather, Gu Qin, he personally bestowed this rhinoceros horn bow on his grandfather, who was a divine archer born with divine strength. No one could compare to him in a hundred years. He said that a good bow was a gift to a hero. His grandfather was grateful for Emperor Taizu¡¯s appreciation and swore that this rhinoceros horn bow would be passed down to the descendants of the Gu family to open up the territory for the Great Jin. Gu Yuan looked at the five-stone bow with a burning gaze. He picked it up eagerly, his eyes shining. He still remembered that it was his grandfather who had personally passed the bow to his father. He had watched his father draw the bow and shoot with great precision. At that time, his father had smiled and said that he would pass the bow to him in the future. He should practice riding and archery well so that when he was older, he would be able to draw the bow. At that time, he was weak and small, but he always secretly went to his father¡¯s study to play with the bowstring. Later, after his father passed, his second uncle took the rhinoceros horn bow. Gu Yuan held the heavy rhinoceros horn bow in his hand, fondling it admiringly. Gradually, a trace of sorrow and reluctance appeared in his eyes. That emotion was quickly replaced by another wave of eager excitement. He held the rhinoceros horn bow tightly and pulled the string step by step with increasing strength. After testing the feel of it, he slowly and firmly pulled the heavy empty bow full on the third time. The muscles in his shoulders and arms tensed as he drew the bow. His firm muscles bulged slightly under his robe, and his posture as he drew the bow was heroic. However, anyone could tell that it was already difficult for him to draw the empty bow. ¡°Not bad, not bad at all.¡± Gu Jian stood up from his chair and clapped his hands again. ¡°You have your father¡¯s bearing!¡± After a while, Gu Yuan put the bowstring back, bit by bit. Gu Jian stroked his beard again with a nostalgic expression. ¡°I still remember that back then, when your grandfather gave this bow to your father, your father was also your age. This bow once followed him to the battlefield¡­¡± As he spoke, his index finger brushed the corner of his eye, and his voice was a little hoarse. Gu Yuan was still holding the rhinoceros horn bow. Beads of sweat appeared on his forehead and temples, but his eyes were very bright, as if he were saying that he could do it! He casually drew another arrow from the quiver. The meaning of this action was clear. He planned to use the five-stone bow to shoot a third arrow. ¡°Yuan¡¯er, forget it,¡± Gu Jian advised with a sigh. ¡°You¡¯ve already worked very hard. It¡¯s already quite good that you can draw this bow at your age. I¡¯m afraid no one else can do it at your age¡­¡± ¡°One has to know their limits. Don¡¯t force yourself.¡± ¡°I can do it,¡± Gu Yuan said confidently. He was in high spirits, and his sweat shone like crystals under the sun, making the young man look even more unrestrained. His archery skills were personally enlightened and taught by his father. Her father said that martial arts could not be practiced with just brute force. One had to be persistent and learn to use their brains. His father had taught him a technique called ¡°meticulous thinking¡±. Every day, in addition to practicing martial arts, he also had to rehearse the process of practicing martial arts during the day in his mind when no one was around at night. He had done this kind of ¡°meticulous thinking¡± training thousands of times and was familiar with it. When he¡¯d tested the bow earlier, he¡¯d rehearsed it several times in his mind. It was so subtle that he¡¯d gone through every step of nocking an arrow, cocking the bow, pre-drawing the bow, drawing the bow, aiming, and releasing the string. Although he had yet to use it, he was certain that he could do it! Gu Jian did not persuade Gu Yuan anymore and picked up the teacup again. Under half-lowered lids, his gaze shifted, and a cold smile appeared on his lips. Eight years ago, the title of Duke of Dingyuan was almost lost because of his brother, Gu Ce. It was he who had worked hard to protect the title. It was also he who had hidden his strength and bided his time all these years, which allowed the Gu family to have its current stable days. He would not let Gu Yuan take advantage of this for nothing! Gu Jian seemed to be drinking tea, but he was actually still paying attention to Gu Yuan¡¯s every move. He saw Gu Yuan calmly place the third arrow on the five-stone rhinoceros horn bow with a solemn expression. His phoenix eyes emitted an abnormally bright light under the sun, as if he had crossed that distant time and space to look at a tall and handsome back. His father¡¯s blood flowed through him. If his father could do it, so could he! Gu Yuan took a deep breath with a focused expression and pulled the string again. This time, the strength of his draw was as he had rehearsed it in his mind. It was stronger and faster, and he used the strength of his back to draw the bow firmly. The drawn bowstring made a faint sizzling sound. The sound was as soft as a mosquito¡¯s buzz, barely audible in the shivering, cold wind of the martial arts arena. The teacup in Gu Jian¡¯s hand stopped in front of his chest. His eyes subconsciously widened as he stared at the five-stone bow in Gu Yuan¡¯s hand. He stared at the bowstring being pulled taut bit by bit. He knew that the bowstring of this bow would break when pulled to the limit. In other words, the moment Gu Yuan released the arrow, the bowstring would break¡­ He was certain that Gu Yuan would not be able to escape unharmed. His arm might break! Gu Jian¡¯s eyes became more and more sinister and dark, like a demon from the endless hell. This injury would not kill Gu Yuan, but once the bone in his hand was broken, it would be fatal to a general, and Gu Yuan could only stop here. Chapter 114 - 114 Backlash 114 Backlash Gu Jian clenched his right fist, cracking his knuckles. Gu Yuan¡¯s appointment was given by the soldiers. Under normal circumstances, they naturally could not change people casually. However, if Gu Yuan was accidentally injured and could no longer dance with his bow and sword, he would naturally not be able to do the job of the Divine Arms Battalion. At that time, as Gu Yuan¡¯s uncle, he would take the initiative to ask for a replacement from the Ministry of War and go to the Divine Arms Battalion to ¡°deal with it¡±. This matter would be 80 to 90% successful. After all, Murong Yong was a lower-class fifth-grade general like Gu Yuan and was also in the Divine Arms Battalion. It was not easy to be promoted in the military. One had to rely on military merit, but transferring was not so difficult. As long as both parties were willing and the higher-ups turned a blind eye, the matter would be settled. Gu Jian¡¯s lips moved slightly as he muttered to himself, ¡°This is for the Gu family.¡± Because of Gu Ce¡¯s mistake, the Gu family had almost been destroyed. This was what the eldest branch owed the Gu family. Gu Jian repeated silently. It was unknown if this sentence was meant for him or for someone who was not here. Gu Yuan, who was in front, was focused on this arrow. When the bowstring was pulled to the limit, Gu Yuan also felt a little strained and tensed up. His body seemed to be one with the bow and arrow. His instincts as a martial artist told him that the bowstring was about to break¡­ But¡ª The arrow was already nocked. If he released the arrow like this, the moment the arrow was fired, the string would break. If the power accumulated in the bow could not be fully used on the arrow, it would definitely reflect back to the person holding the bow. The power accumulated by the five-stone bow was equivalent to 300 pounds. This force was enough to hurt the muscles and bones in his shoulders and arms. Moreover, the broken bowstring was like a sharp sword that would cut his hand¡­ Now, even if he wanted to retract the bowstring, it was also too late. The bowstring had been pulled to the limit, as if a person was walking on a wire high in the sky. As long as he deviated slightly, the original balance would be broken. In other words, the string would also break. Worse, he couldn¡¯t stay in this position forever, not moving¡­ More beads of sweat could be seen on Gu Yuan¡¯s wheat-colored forehead. Even the lines of his neck were stretched to the limit. A line of cold sweat slowly trickled down Gu Yuan¡¯s cheek. The small drop of sweat dripped down his chin and fell towards the bowstring¡­ At this moment, time seemed to slow down infinitely. Suddenly, on Gu Yuan¡¯s forehead, a faint white light emitted from the spot where Gu Yanfei had drawn the talisman. Under the afterglow of the setting sun, the specks of white light were not obvious. The white light quickly flowed from his forehead to his right hand that was pulling the bowstring, and then from his fingertips to the entire bowstring. The bowstring glowed slightly, and light overflowed¡­ Gu Yuan¡¯s eyes widened slightly. He felt as if a subtle electric current was flowing between his fingertips and the bowstring. A spiritual intuition was telling him to shoot. In the next moment, the bowstring was released from his fingers. The arrow left the bow at the same time, making a sharp sound. The tip of the third arrow still firmly hit the bullseye of the target and even split the shaft of the second arrow in half from the end. ¡°Smash!¡± The teacup in Gu Jian¡¯s hand slipped out of his hand and fell to the ground. The teacup shattered into pieces. Hot tea and scattered porcelain shards flew in all directions, splattering his shoes and his robe, and even a fragment of porcelain scratched the back of his hand, leaving an inch-long trail of blood. The floor was a mess, with tea scattered all over. ¡°¡­¡± Gu Jian was dumbfounded and could not believe his eyes. How was this possible?! The effect of the amulet she had drawn for her eldest brother was naturally extraordinary. Gu Yanfei glanced at Gu Jian with a faint smile. She took a candy from Gu Yuan¡¯s pouch and stuffed it into her mouth, the corners of her lips curling up. Oh, how sweet! As for Gu Yuan, he did not notice the commotion on Gu Jian¡¯s side at all. He heaved a sigh of relief and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with one hand. He thought to himself that he was really lucky not to have broken the bow. Otherwise, he would have embarrassed himself in front of his sister just now. In the next moment, Gu Yuan hurriedly looked at Gu Yanfei. His sparkling phoenix eyes were just short of the words, ¡°Big Brother is great, right?¡± ¡°Big Brother, you¡¯re amazing!¡± Gu Yanfei smiled and clapped again. The applause was crisp and warm, congratulating Gu Yuan for hitting the bullseye. Chapter 115 - 115 Backlash 115 Backlash She walked briskly to Gu Yuan¡¯s side and naturally took the rhinoceros horn bow from him. She weighed it in her hand for a moment, then looked at it carefully and rubbed it. ¡°This rhinoceros horn bow is not bad, but it¡¯s too heavy.¡± Being held in the hands of a girl like Gu Yanfei, it looked even heavier and clumsier. ¡°This bow is indeed not suitable for a girl.¡± Looking at his smiling sister, Gu Yuan¡¯s thin lips curled into a doting smile. ¡°This is also my first time trying this five-stone bow.¡± ¡°When my father was alive, he could draw a six-stone bow!¡± His father had yet to reach his prime, but he could already draw a five-stone bow. At his peak, he could even draw a six-stone bow. Since his father could do it, he would do it sooner or later. He would follow in his father¡¯s footsteps and be indomitable. Gu Yuan¡¯s eyes were brighter and more determined, like the brightest morning star in the sky. Gu Yanfei reached out and plucked the bowstring of the rhinoceros horn bow with interest. The silver bowstring hummed. Gu Jian, who was in a daze, finally came back to his senses. His gaze could not help but be attracted. He looked at the intact rhinoceros horn bow in Gu Yanfei¡¯s hand for a while¡­ Then he suddenly turned around and glared sharply at the green-robed servant, who had just gone to get the bow. The green-robed servant shrank back and nodded quickly, still in shock. He was certain that he had smeared the potion the Marquis had given him on the bowstring of the rhinoceros horn bow. There was no mistake. Unless it was a problem with the potion! ¡°Marquis, since this rhinoceros horn bow was once used by my father, can you give me the bow?¡± Gu Yanfei said with a smile. ¡°In a few days, I want to go hunting with Miss Wei Jiu and the others¡­¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± Gu Jian frowned tightly and quickly walked towards Gu Yanfei. He said in a dignified voice, ¡°This was given by Emperor Taizu, it¡¯s not something for a child.¡± This rhinoceros horn bow was a gift from the Emperor. He had revealed this bow today to let Gu Yuan understand that the noble title of Marquis was his and had nothing to do with the eldest branch. How could he give the bow to Gu Yuan!! Gu Yanfei shrugged casually and said, ¡°Since it¡¯s a gift from the Emperor, the Marquis will naturally keep it well.¡± ¡°Here, it¡¯s back to the Zhao family. Marquis, you have to watch carefully. Don¡¯t turn around and say that we siblings broke the bow!¡± As she spoke, she smiled and casually threw the rhinoceros horn bow at Gu Jian, as if she was throwing a hot potato. Wasn¡¯t it hot?! The effect of the talisman on the bowstring was already dangerous. Now, the bow was no different from a fire mine that could explode at any moment. ¡°¡­¡± Gu Jian took half a step forward in shock and quickly raised his hand to catch the bow. The momentum of the heavy bow made his arms go numb. Gu Jian¡¯s expression froze, and a hint of guilt flashed across his eyes. He really could not figure out why the bowstring did not break when Gu Yuan pulled the string and shot the arrow! His nose did not move, and he smelled an extremely faint fragrance. Yes, the bowstring smelled of potion. Gu Jian held the rhinoceros horn bow in one hand and touched the straight silver bowstring with the other. Then, he casually pulled the bowstring. He did not intend to draw the bow fully and just wanted to see if this bowstring would work¡­ However, this action was like the last straw that broke the camel¡¯s back. As he pulled, it was as if an invisible layer of armor on the bowstring shattered in an instant. Clunk! The bowstring suddenly broke. The power accumulated on the bowstring erupted at the same time, overlapping to form a huge and oppressive force that directly acted on Gu Jian. Gu Jian let out a muffled groan as his burly body flew back¡­ Thud! His right shoulder and right arm hit the hard stone floor of the arena first. With a crack, his right arm made a bone-breaking sound that made one¡¯s scalp tingle. Gu Jian leaned on the ground in a strange posture and let out a sharp and terrifying cry that shot into the sky. ¡°Marquis!¡± The green-robed servant shouted with a pale face, ¡°How are you?!¡± The martial arts field was in chaos. The surrounding servants and maids were like ants on a hot pan as they surrounded Gu Jian. Gu Jian fell to the ground and wailed in pain. The servant did not dare to touch him at all. He watched in fear as Gu Jian¡¯s right forearm twisted at a terrifying angle. Even without taking a closer look at the wound on his arm, anyone could tell that his bones were definitely broken. The servant watched in fear. ¡°¡­¡± Gu Yuan raised his eyebrows in confusion. He felt his cuff tighten and turned to see Gu Yanfei pinching it with two fingers and tugging gently. Gu Yanfei quickly winked at Gu Yuan with her right eye. Gu Yuan understood and took a few steps forward with his hands behind his back. He pretended to shout, ¡°Men, hurry up and get a doctor. Can¡¯t you see that the Marquis fell?!¡± With his shout, the green-robed servant finally returned to his senses. In shock, he ordered the other servants around, ¡°Quick, find a doctor!¡± ¡°You and you, hurry up and report to Madam Gu and Madam Hou.¡± ¡°You, find a stretcher.¡± A few servants rushed out of the martial arts arena in a hurry. The martial arts field was in chaos, and people were restless. Compared to the impetuousness of the others, Gu Yuan and Gu Yanfei looked calm and composed, like cranes among chickens. Gu Yuan looked at the rhinoceros horn bow with a broken bowstring beside Gu Jian and muttered to himself in confusion, ¡°Why did this bow suddenly break? It even injured Second Uncle?!¡± ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s been too long since it was used.¡± Gu Yanfei also looked down at the rhinoceros horn bow on the ground and said, ¡°Fortunately, when Big Brother used it just now, the bowstring¡­ didn¡¯t break.¡± On the ground, Gu Jian felt a sharp pain in his right arm. It was so painful that the color completely drained from his face. He was as pale as paper, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead. Chapter 116 - 116 Biased 116 Biased The siblings¡¯ conversation was like a thorn in Gu Jian¡¯s ears. Gu Jian¡¯s expression darkened, and his gaze wandered. Gu Yuan looked down at Gu Jian and took in the subtle changes in his expression. Even if he didn¡¯t understand it at first, he understood it now. A sharp light flashed across Gu Yuan¡¯s dark phoenix eyes, cold and deep. ¡°They¡¯re here, the stretcher is here!¡± someone shouted. Not far away, two guards from the Marquis Mansion hurried over with the empty stretcher. They could not be bothered to bow to their masters anymore. As they carefully lifted Gu Jian, who was on the ground, onto a stretcher, Gu Jian let out a low moan. It was so painful that cold sweat almost soaked his temples, like a fish pulled out of the water. The servants kept talking. ¡°Be careful.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bump the Marquis.¡± ¡°Marquis, endure a little longer. The doctor will be here soon.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Amidst the commotion, Gu Jian was carried away. A group of servants surrounded the stretcher. Even the broken rhinoceros horn bow was picked up from the ground by the servant. Gu Yuan and Gu Yanfei followed slowly at the back. ¡°Has the bowstring been tampered with?¡± Gu Yuan asked Gu Yanfei softly. His voice was so low that only the siblings could hear him. Gu Yanfei gently stroked her sleeve and nodded imperceptibly. The corners of her lips curled up slightly. Gu Yuan pointed at himself, then at Gu Yanfei, and then at Gu Jian. He did not say anything, but it was as if he had asked everything and guessed everything. Gu Yanfei gently pressed an index finger on her cherry lips and made a shushing gesture. A faint smile appeared on her lips. Gu Yuan understood and made the same ¡°shh¡± gesture. A warm feeling flowed through his heart. As if they had a small secret in common, the siblings looked at each other and smiled, their eyes slightly curved. The sun set a little more, and the December wind became colder, fluttering their robes, hair ribbons, and broken bowstrings. Gu Yanfei looked at the rhinoceros horn bow in the green-robed servant¡¯s hand and touched the bowstring of her own horn bow. She flicked it gently, and the bowstring emitted a gentle buzzing sound like the strings of a zither. From the moment the servant brought the rhinoceros horn bow, she could tell that there was a faint black gas lingering on the bow, but in this small world, there was a limit to what she could do. Fortunately, the jade pendant she had obtained last time gave her some spiritual energy. She used her spiritual energy to draw an amulet on Gu Yuan¡¯s forehead to protect him. At the critical moment, the amulet sensed danger and protected the bowstring. However, her spiritual power was limited after all. The bowstring would break eventually¡­ She just had to grasp the opportunity. The result was perfect! Gu Yanfei smiled slightly and walked casually. Gu Jian was carried all the way to the main courtyard of the Marquis Mansion. Madam Wang had already gotten someone to prepare a soft couch, hot water, new clothes, and so on. As soon as Gu Jian and the others arrived, Madam Gu also arrived. The main courtyard was in chaos. When she saw Gu Jian¡¯s pained expression and his twisted and strange right arm, Madam Gu gasped. Her legs went limp, and she staggered. ¡°Madam!¡± Bai Lu and the other maidservants quickly supported Madam Gu and helped her sit down on the chair by the soft couch. ¡°Ah Jian, how do you feel¡­?¡± Madam Gu looked at Gu Jian, her voice trembling. The hurt was in her son¡¯s body, but the pain was in her heart. She could not help but think of how Gu Jian had injured his leg a few days ago. He had just recovered from his injury when he broke his arm again. Why was his second son so unlucky?! ¡°¡­¡± Gu Jian¡¯s lips were pale. The cold sweat from before had long been dried by the cold wind. Now, more sweat continued to seep out. It was so painful that he could not even say a polite word, and his whole body was trembling. Madam Gu¡¯s heart ached when she saw her son like this. Her red eyes were filled with tears. As she wiped her tears with a handkerchief, she comforted him. ¡°Ah Jian, bear with it a little longer. Mother knows you¡¯re in pain.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine. When the doctor comes and fixes your broken bone, you¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re really in pain, grab my hand¡­¡± Gu Yanfei watched coldly, as if it had nothing to do with her. She put another candy in her mouth and stuffed another one into Gu Yuan¡¯s mouth. In her previous life, she knew that, compared to her father, Gu Ce, whom she had never met, Madam Gu obviously treated her second son, Gu Jian, better. Chapter 117 - 117 Biased 117 Biased She treated him so well that she almost bared her soul for him. ¡°Old Physician Li, this way.¡± The female voice from outside perked everyone up. An old granny anxiously led a gray-haired old doctor into the room. After a simple exchange of pleasantries, Old Physician Li sent the other unrelated people out of the room. He said that he wanted to set the Marquis¡¯s bones right, and only Madam Wang could stay inside. Madam Gu, Gu Yuan, and Gu Yanfei were all waiting in the second left room outside the green gauze cabinet. ¡°Crack.¡± The bone-cracking sound and Gu Jian¡¯s sharp scream sounded at the same time. This was only the beginning. After that, screams sounded one after another, as if they wanted to overturn the roof or stab Madam Gu¡¯s heart with thousands of needles. Madam Gu¡¯s heart ached. She craned her neck worriedly to look into the room a few more times and hurriedly sent Granny Li in to see how Gu Jian was doing. She could barely sit still. When her gaze swept past Gu Yuan, who was a few steps away, her worried eyes were filled with anger. ¡°Yuan¡¯er, what exactly is going on?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t your Second Uncle go to the martial arts arena to test your martial arts? How did he get injured?!¡± She was just short of directly questioning if Gu Yuan had accidentally hurt Gu Jian?! ¡°¡­¡± Gu Yuan felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over him. His heart was a little cold and heavy. Images from the past flashed past his eyes like lanterns. He was the eldest grandson, and his grandmother had doted on him since he was young. After his mother passed away, he lived in the capital for several years. It was his grandmother who personally enlightened him. In the next few years, he and Gu Yunrong traveled between the capital and Yangzhou. Every year, they lived in the capital for three to four months, and his grandmother had always treated them intimately. However, everything had changed since her father¡¯s death eight years ago. His grandmother¡¯s attitude toward him softened instantly. She was always polite, as if separated by a layer, or wary of him. Five years ago, he wanted to enter the military camp, but his grandmother was furious and reprimanded him for not taking the imperial examination to become an official. He insisted on learning from his father! He also knew that his grandmother blamed his father for almost causing the Marquis Household to lose its title. In the blink of an eye, eight years had passed. Gu Yuan¡¯s eyes were dark and turbulent, but they became calm, indifferent, cold, and deep. ¡°Madam, you can¡¯t say that.¡± Gu Yanfei raised her hand and snapped her fingers gently, looking relaxed. ¡°I said last time that the Marquis has been facing a calamity.¡± Madam Gu frowned slightly as Gu Yanfei¡¯s words from last month sounded in her ears again. ¡°You¡¯ve killed too many people. Looks like retribution is going to befall your descendants.¡± Thinking of how her son had been injured twice in less than a month, Madam Gu¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Her heart was in turmoil as she said, ¡°But didn¡¯t you resolve it last time?¡± Meeting Madam Gu¡¯s frightened gaze, Gu Yanfei asked with a smile, ¡°Madam, think about it carefully. How many sins have you committed?¡± ¡°As the saying goes, these are two separate matters. This retribution has to be paid slowly.¡± Gu Yanfei¡¯s small face was still smiling playfully, making Madam Gu speechless. Madam Gu pinched the prayer beads uneasily, but she could not be sure if Gu Yanfei was pretending to scare her. This girl was too wild! ¡°Ah!¡± Another heart-wrenching scream sounded in the jade cabinet. Madam Gu¡¯s face turned a little pale. She felt as if her soul had been dealt a heavy blow and was so shocked that she almost jumped up. She was flustered, terrified, and uneasy. It was as if pairs of invisible eyes were staring at her from a dark corner, wanting her to pay with her life. Seeing that Madam Gu¡¯s expression was not good, Bai Lu quickly served her tea, but she waved it away impatiently. Bai Lu¡¯s hand trembled, and hot tea spilled out of the cup and splattered on the back of her hand. Bai Lu¡¯s face turned pale, but Madam Gu was oblivious. ¡°As the saying goes, the emperor loves his eldest son, and the people love their youngest son. These common sayings still make sense, don¡¯t you think so, Madam?¡± Gu Yanfei¡¯s faint voice resounded in the house again. Against the screams in the green silk cabinet, it looked even colder. Madam Gu¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She looked at Gu Yanfei expressionlessly, her eyes filled with embarrassment. What was this girl hinting at?! Was she accusing him of being biased towards his second son and not liking his eldest son?! Meeting the other party¡¯s sharp and turbid old eyes, Gu Yanfei was unmoved. She said slowly, ¡°The Marquis only broke his hand, but Madam was already crying until she was about to faint. Eight years ago, Father died in Yangzhou in battle and his head was hung high by the enemy. Did Madam react in the same way?¡± Madam Gu¡¯s pale face darkened and turned green. Gu Yanfei did not need her to answer at all and continued, ¡°I heard that Madam didn¡¯t even shed a tear, right?¡± Gu Yuan pursed his lips into a straight line and clenched his fists. His entire body was as cold as ice. ¡°¡­¡± Madam Gu seemed to have been slapped by Gu Yanfei. Her anger surged, and her aura was cold. This girl really dared to run her mouth. How dare she, as a junior, condemn the elders for being biased?! Gu Yanfei chuckled, tilted her head, and sighed slowly. ¡°If someone didn¡¯t know better, they would think that Madam only has one son.¡± Gu Yuan¡¯s body trembled slightly. Gu Yanfei¡¯s words repeatedly lingered in his ears. ¡°If someone didn¡¯t know better, they would think that Madam only has one son.¡± This was also the question he had once asked his grandmother when he was dreaming at night, but he had never told anyone. His body was as tense as a drawn bow. Gu Yanfei noticed Gu Yuan¡¯s abnormality and quietly reached out to grab his sleeve and shake it gently. Gu Yanfei knew that this had always been a knot in her brother¡¯s heart. Chapter 118 - 118 Noble Rank 118 Noble Rank In her two lives, Gu Yanfei had never seen Gu Ce. Her brother had personally told her about her father in her previous life. Eight years ago, his father¡¯s head was placed in a box as a spoil of war by the State of Yue. It was sent all the way to the capital to demonstrate to the late Emperor. The tragic death of his father was no different from a heavy blow to the young Gu Yuan. He was extremely sad. What angered him even more was that his father had suffered such humiliation after his death and that his bones were incomplete. After that, an even greater blow came. After Madam Gu heard the news, she immediately personally wrote a memorial to apologize. She righteously reprimanded her eldest son, Gu Ce, for being disloyal to the country, unfilial to his parents, and violating the teachings of the ancestors. She requested the late Emperor to remove the eldest branch from the Gu family. Even after the incident, Madam Gu had once privately explained to the young Gu Yuan that the reason why she went to the memorial was to abandon the carriage to protect the general and prevent the Marquis Mansion from being confiscated. Back then, Gu Yuan was only nine years old. To him, Madam Gu¡¯s actions were like abandoning the eldest branch, and had also engraved an eternal scar in his heart. Perhaps eight years ago, Madam Gu was Gu Yuan¡¯s good grandmother, but with Gu Ce¡¯s death, everything had changed. With Gu Ce gone, the Marquis Mansion was no longer Gu Yuan¡¯s home, and his former relatives had all changed beyond recognition. Gu Yuan lowered his eyes and looked at his sister¡¯s fingers holding his cuff. His heart rippled with the swaying cuff. He smiled at his sister, feeling much calmer. His father was gone, but he now had a sister. They could help each other now. A cold wind suddenly blew open the loosely closed western window, making a creaking sound. The little maidservant was shocked and quickly closed the window, then secretly looked at Madam Gu¡¯s expression. Madam Gu¡¯s face was as black as the bottom of a pot, as if she did not notice. She felt as if her throat was being strangled. She wanted to say that Gu Yanfei was presumptuous, but she could not say a word. She was so angry that she was trembling. In the left room, no one spoke for a while. Gradually, even the screams in the green gauze cabinet became weaker. Finally, there was complete silence. There was dead silence inside and outside the house. It was so quiet that Madam Gu could almost hear her heartbeat. The curtain of the green gauze cabinet was knocked back as Granny Li came out with the decrepit Old Physician Li. He wiped the sweat from his forehead with his cuff and smelled strongly of medicine. Not wanting outsiders to see her as a joke, Madam Gu quickly composed herself. When she faced Old Physician Li, she had the high and mighty air of an old consort. ¡°Doctor, how¡¯s the Marquis¡¯s injured arm?¡± When her voice came out, Madam Gu realized that her voice was so hoarse, rough, and old. Old Physician Li bowed respectfully to Madam Gu and said, ¡°Madam, the Marquis¡¯s right shoulder is fine, but it¡¯s dislocated. I¡¯ve already reattached it.¡± Madam Gu had just heaved a sigh of relief when she heard Old Physician Li say another ¡°but¡± after taking a deep breath. Madam Gu¡¯s heart skipped a beat again. ¡°But,¡± Old Physician Li said with a sigh, ¡°the bone in the Marquis¡¯s right forearm is completely broken. Just now, I also reattached the broken bone for the Marquis. As the saying goes, it takes 100 days to break a bone. If this bone wants to grow back, it will probably take three to four months to recover. Even if it recovers, I¡¯m afraid it won¡¯t be able to hold a knife in the future.¡± In fact, Old Physician Li was still a little tactful. He only said that Gu Jian¡¯s right hand could not dance with knives and swords in the future. In fact, according to his decades of medical experience, Gu Jian¡¯s right hand would probably not be able to exert any strength in the future, and it would even be difficult for him to write. ¡°What did you say?!¡± Madam Gu subconsciously raised her voice, as if she had been struck by lightning. Their Dingyuan Marquis Household was established by martial law. Gu Jian was now the deputy commander-in-chief. Now that his hand was broken and he could not hold a knife, he was equivalent to a cripple. How could he stay in the army?! Once Gu Jian left the army, their Dingyuan Marquis Household would only have an empty title and a pretentious front. Madam Gu¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Her heart ached for her second son, but she also felt as cold as ice. Before Old Physician Li could say anything, Madam Wang¡¯s sharp voice was the first to ring out. ¡°Mother, that quack actually said that the Marquis¡¯s hand is¡­ crippled.¡± Madam Wang walked out of the jade cabinet with red eyes. She could not see anyone else at all and cried sadly at Madam Gu, no longer as graceful and dignified as usual. Chapter 119 - 119 Peerage 119 Peerage Old Physician Li¡¯s face darkened. He was furious at the word ¡°quack.¡± He said unhappily, ¡°If Madam Hou doesn¡¯t believe me, just find another famous doctor. I¡¯ll take my leave first.¡± Old Physician Li was secretly angry. He casually bowed to Madam Gu again and left with a flick of his sleeve. His medicine boy hurriedly followed with the medicine box. Madam Gu wanted to stop him, but she felt embarrassed and did not say anything. She rubbed her temples with a headache. The Li Medical Hall was a century-old medical hall. From the previous dynasty until now, their ancestors had been praised by Emperor Taizu. Not only that, but Emperor Taizu also taught the Li family¡¯s ancestors a way to use plaster to stabilize bone injuries, increasing the medical skills and reputation of the Li Medical Hall. It could be said that Old Physician Li was the best doctor in the capital and was good at treating bone injuries. Everyone said that there was really no hope for external injuries that the Li family could not treat. Madam Gu was flustered, and her head hurt even more. Her temples throbbed, but Madam Wang was still crying loudly. ¡°Mother, there are countless famous doctors in the capital. I don¡¯t believe they can¡¯t treat the Marquis¡¯s hand¡­¡± Madam Wang¡¯s wet nurse comforted her gently and instructed the maidservants to quickly invite all the famous doctors in the capital back. There was a commotion in the house. Madam Gu also knew that she could not count on Madam Wang. She turned to look at Gu Yanfei and asked desperately, ¡°Yanfei, you previously said that you have the true teachings of Spiritual Master Lingxiao and know medical skills. Why don¡¯t you take a look at your Second Uncle¡¯s injuries¡­¡± She was always a little skeptical about Gu Yanfei¡¯s medical skills. If this girl really saved Imperial Duke Wei, she should be able to cure her second uncle. Madam Wang still did not know about this. She looked at the two of them in confusion and wiped her tears with a handkerchief. There were still a few tears hanging from her eyelashes. ¡°Do you trust me, Madam?¡± Gu Yanfei smiled happily. Her face tilted, and she leaned closer to Madam Gu, glancing in the direction of the green gauze cabinet. What she meant was, did Madam Gu trust her enough to hand her son to her for treatment? ¡°¡­¡± Madam Gu¡¯s expression froze slightly, not knowing what this girl was up to. ¡°What Spiritual Master Lingxiao taught me is the blessing technique.¡± Gu Yanfei¡¯s smile widened. Her voice was neither fast nor slow, with a unique rhythm. ¡°Madam, do you know what the blessing technique is?¡± ¡°As the saying goes, ¡®If you believe it, it will come true. If you don¡¯t believe it, it won¡¯t.¡± ¡°It will come true if you trust it.¡± ¡°Otherwise, not only will this blessing be ineffective, but it will also backfire.¡± ¡°Madam, do you and the Marquis¡­ trust me?¡± As she spoke, she casually rolled a red hair band around her shoulder with her index finger, as if it were stained with a drop of blood. The blessing technique had existed for a long time, and Madam Gu also knew about it. She had also heard this saying, ¡°If you believe it, it will come true. If you don¡¯t believe it, it won¡¯t.¡± Madam Gu stared straight at Gu Yanfei. Gu Yanfei kept smiling. As the young girl chatted and laughed, there was always a kind of frivolity that made people feel uncertain. Madam Gu hesitated, her expression changing. Her hand, hidden in her wide sleeve, gripped the prayer beads tightly. Her second son, Gu Jian, was suddenly seriously injured for no reason. Perhaps it was the siblings who did it. If that was the case, why would Gu Yanfei really save him? She might even deliberately do something bad and say that it was a backlash from the blessing technique¡­ ¡°If you don¡¯t want me to save you, I¡¯ll leave first. It won¡¯t stop Madam from crying for her son.¡± How could Gu Yanfei not see the other party¡¯s dilemma? Her lips curled into a mocking smile. As she spoke, Gu Yanfei stroked the pendant on her waist and stood up, not forgetting to call Gu Yuan over. ¡°Big Brother, Madam probably isn¡¯t in the mood to welcome you today. Let¡¯s go out to eat.¡± Gu Yanfei held Gu Yuan¡¯s arm and walked out affectionately, ignoring Madam Gu and Madam Wang¡¯s reactions. ¡°Wait¡­¡± Madam Gu wanted to call the siblings, but just as she spat out a word, Gu Jian¡¯s painful screams sounded from the jade cabinet again. His voice was a little hoarse. Madam Gu subconsciously looked at the jade cabinet again. In just a short moment, the siblings had already left through the curtain. Only a swaying brocade curtain was left. The big red peony embroidered on the curtain was extremely dazzling. After leaving Mingyi Courtyard, the cold wind blew against their faces. The siblings could no longer hear the screams behind them. Only then did Gu Yanfei say in a low voice, ¡°The bowstring has been tampered with. It should be the juice of the purple grass.¡± When Gu Yanfei was previously weighing the rhinoceros horn bow, she could smell the scent of purple grass from the string. The juice of this purple grass was transparent and colorless. After smearing on the bowstring, it would destroy the toughness of the string. When someone pulled the bowstring hard, the bowstring would break the moment it was pulled to the limit. By now, the sun was halfway down. The clouds in the western sky were dyed a dazzling, fiery red by the setting sun. Gu Yuan was silent. He had already thought about many things in the past hour. Not only did she think about the martial arts arena, but she also thought about the past eight years. His thin chin lifted slightly against the stinging wind. ¡°For the title,¡± he said slowly. Gu Yuan was not stupid. He knew what was at stake. Back then, he did not object to his grandmother¡¯s decision to give the title to his second uncle. At that time, he was only nine years old. He knew that once he lost the protection of his family, both Gu Yunrong and himself would die. His title was not a blessing. He couldn¡¯t keep the title, so he gave it up. Since he had given in, he would no longer keep an eye on the title. The cold wind blew his robe, making it dance in the wind. His straight and tall figure revealed a look of arrogance and confidence. However, although he did not care, his second uncle did and was constantly on guard against him. Chapter 120 - 120 Unworthy 120 Unworthy Gu Yuan still remembered that seven years ago, Madam Gu had sent him to the academy, hoping that he would take the imperial examination and obtain a good reputation. Many people had also told him that his grandmother did it for his own good. However, Gu Yuan would never forget that his father had once told him to learn how to ride and shoot well. In the future, they would be father and son. When his father was 13 years old, he abandoned his status as the heir of the Dingyuan Marquis Household and entered the army incognito. Step by step, he rose from a small soldier to the youngest commander of the guards. He had also joined the army early to follow his father¡¯s footsteps and show his family that he could make a name for himself. Gu Yanfei looked at his clear side profile, her eyes dark and deep. In fact, she knew more about her second uncle¡¯s thoughts than Gu Yuan at this moment. In her previous life, Gu Jian had always looked down on the eldest branch, except for Gu Yunrong, who was under the eldest branch¡¯s name at that time. Gu Jian had been wary of Gu Yuan. In her previous life, Gu Yuan had not been transferred to the Divine Arms Battalion. He would make a great contribution at the end of the following year and could have smoothly advanced, but Gu Jian had set him up and broken one of his legs¡­ completely blocking Gu Yuan¡¯s future! In this life, because she had saved Imperial Duke Wei, Gu Yuan¡¯s future had changed. However, even if Gu Yuan was transferred to the Divine Arms Battalion, he was only a fifth-grade battalion commander. He should not be able to stop Gu Jian. Why was Gu Jian so anxious? Just thinking about it made Gu Yanfei¡¯s heart ache for her eldest brother. She raised her hand and brushed away a fallen leaf on his shoulder, then gently stroked it. Gu Yuan turned to look at her. The moment his gaze met hers, it was as gentle as spring water. ¡°Sister, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll protect you!¡± Gu Yuan raised his hand and gently rubbed the top of Gu Yanfei¡¯s head, his heart softening. As the eldest brother, he should shelter his sister and protect her! ¡°Yes.¡± Gu Yanfei smiled brightly at him. ¡°I¡¯ll protect Big Brother too.¡± The surrounding trees and red plums trembled in the slightly tipsy evening wind, but they were eclipsed by the bright young girl. Gu Yuan was pleased by his sister¡¯s words. His smile deepened and he rubbed her hair dotingly. As the siblings spoke, they walked forward and left Mingyi Courtyard. Gu Yuan smiled and said, ¡°Sister, I¡¯ve already been transferred to the capital. When we find an opportunity, let¡¯s split up, okay?¡± Separating from the family was not as simple as it sounded. In fact, ever since Gu Yuan found out about the real and fake daughter, he had been completely disappointed in Madam Gu and had the thought of separating from the family. However, he also knew that Madam Gu and Gu Jian would not agree easily, and the family would not agree either. Since they were going to split up, they had to have a ¡°reason¡± to be divided beautifully. Besides, he had to think of his sister. Now that he had been transferred back to the capital, he did not have to stay in the military all year round and had the strength to take care of his sister. ¡°Okay.¡± Gu Yanfei smiled and nodded. Separation was necessary, but not now. Most of her mental demons in her previous life came from the Gu family and Gu Yunrong. Of course, she could not just leave. Her master had said that the greatest enemy of cultivators was not the world or anyone else, but himself. On the path of cultivation, cultivators had been fighting with themselves their entire lives. If their mental fortitude was weak, their Tao hearts would retreat and they would be dominated by mental demons. Escaping, suppressing, forgetting, or taking radical killing would not help the mental demons. What she had to do was sail against the current in a storm, ride the waves, and stabilize her heart at the helm. As they spoke, the siblings arrived at the outer gate. Juan Bi and Gu Yuan¡¯s servant, Wu Tong, had already prepared the horses. Gu Yuan¡¯s black horse and Hongyu seemed to know that they could go out and were both extremely eager. The siblings went out happily and went to the Wind Cloud Restaurant for dinner. They walked around happily before returning to the residence. However, just as she arrived outside the Marquis Mansion, she saw the servant, Wu Tong, shrinking in the cold wind and waiting anxiously outside the corner door. ¡°Young Master!¡± Seeing that the siblings had finally returned, Wu Tong hurriedly ran over and said anxiously to Gu Yuan, ¡°The Marquis has written a memorial to impeach Young Master¡­¡± Gu Yuan did not say a word. He only held the reins tightly, his dark phoenix eyes darkening bit by bit. The black horse under him breathed white air from its mouth and nose as it neighed and paced. The sun was setting with a last glimmer, and the sky was as dark as the deep sea. Chapter 121 - 121 Unworthy 121 Unworthy Gu Jian had indeed handed a memorial to the palace, which was sent to the emperor that day and also to Chu Yi. Lanterns were lit in the East Warm Pavilion. The candlelight shone softly, making it as bright as day. ¡°What do you think, Chu Yi?¡± The Emperor, who was dressed in a bright yellow robe with a golden plate and dragon patterns, looked up at the white-robed young man sitting on the other side of the coffee table, then turned to look at the small red clay stove beside him. There was a purple sand pot on the stove, which emitted a faint sound of boiling water. When the water boiled, the Emperor skillfully began to heat the cups, wash the tea, brew, seal the pot, divide the cups¡­ The entire set of tea-making actions was smooth and elegant. The multicolored parrot on the brass bird rack chirped. The atmosphere was warm and relaxed. Chu Yi sat upright on a rosewood armchair. He held the memorial in his right hand and skimmed through it. The handwriting on the fold was delicate and neat, but when it reached the signature, the handwriting became distorted. It was obvious that the text and the signature were written by two people. Beside the signature was a big seal representing the Marquis of Dingyuan, as red as blood. This memorial was written by Madam Gu in Gu Jian¡¯s tone. At the beginning, she passionately expressed her loyalty to the Great Jin Dynasty and the Emperor. Then, she got to the point. She revealed that Gu Yuan was the sinner, Gu Ce¡¯s son, that Gu Ce had made things difficult between the enemy and the country back then, and that the late Emperor did not pursue Gu Ce¡¯s crime. However, the Gu family did not dare to forget. Although Gu Ce¡¯s son had some martial arts strength, he was brave but unwise. He was also extremely naughty and difficult to bear a heavy responsibility in the Divine Arms Battalion. There was a long paragraph written on the memorial. Most of it was hypocritical nonsense that could be summarized into a sentence. It meant that the mother and son felt that Gu Yuan was not worthy and wanted to reject the position on his behalf. ¡°Gu Yuan?¡± Chu Yi¡¯s indifferent gaze landed on the word ¡°Gu Yuan¡± on the memorial, as if he was deep in thought. Chu Yi did not recognize Gu Yuan. However, from this memorial, it could be seen that Gu Yuan was the son of the Marquis of Dingyuan, Gu Ce. Gu Yanfei was Gu Ce¡¯s daughter, which meant that they were biological siblings. ¡°Gu Yuan!¡± The parrot learned his words quickly. Its voice was so loud that the air seemed to tremble. Chu Yi looked at the fat parrot flapping its wings on the bird stand and smiled. His narrow eyes shone in the candlelight, and his smile was pleasant, gentle, and meaningful. At this moment, the Emperor had also brewed tea and happened to take in this scene. It was rare to see his son show such an expression. The Emperor raised his frosty eyebrows as he picked up one of the cups of tea and blew at the froth floating on it. He took a shallow sip and raised his eyebrows in satisfaction. Because his son liked tea with a stronger taste, he had added five more tea leaves. It was just right. ¡°Father, what position did Gu Yuan have originally?¡± Gu Yuan casually placed the memorial on the coffee table. His slender index finger gently hooked the parrot¡¯s fluffy chin twice. The parrot was very good at acting coquettishly and rubbed against Gu Yuan¡¯s finger obediently. Gu Yuan was just a small sixth-grade military official and could not enter the Emperor¡¯s eyes at all, so the Emperor was also not too sure. The eunuch serving at the side had always been good at sensing the Emperor¡¯s heart. He immediately took the initiative to say with a smile, ¡°Your Highness, Gu Yuan was originally a sixth-grade company commander in the West Mountain¡¯s Jiuxiao Battalion.¡± After a pause, the eunuch continued to explain, ¡°Gu Yuan¡¯s promotion to the Divine Arms Battalion this time was Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s idea. Two years ago, when Gu Yuan followed the Jiuxiao Battalion to the coast to eliminate the pirates, the bandit leader led 30% of the remaining bandits to escape with the plan of a golden cicada escaping its shell. Gu Yuan saw through it and brought people to wait on the ship. He captured them all in one fell swoop and made the greatest contribution¡­¡± Before the eunuch sent this memorial to the East Warm Pavilion, he had already investigated the ins and outs of the matter in order to deal with any inquiries the Emperor might have. At this point, the eunuch¡¯s gaze shifted. It was not appropriate to continue talking about why Gu Yuan did not receive a reward for his contributions the year before last. After all, this matter involved the previous Emperor. Even the current Emperor could not criticize the previous Emperor. After the eunuch finished speaking, the East Warm Pavilion fell silent. Only a faint crackling sound came from the gauze lamp beside him. A faint smell of candle oil floated out and was instantly suppressed by the elegant incense in the air. The Emperor handed Chu Yi another cup of tea that had just been brewed. The fragrance of the tea entered Chu Yi¡¯s nose, and he quickly recognized it as his favorite green tea. Chu Yi smelled the fragrance of the tea and hit the nail on the head. ¡°The Marquis title.¡± ¡°If the virtue of the current Marquis is not good, there will surely be future trouble.¡± Chu Yi¡¯s tone was casual, and he did not name anyone, but he demoted Gu Jian to dust with a single sentence. Gu Jian kept saying that Gu Yuan was ¡°undeserving of his position¡±, but in fact, the person who was really ¡°undeserving of his position¡± was himself. The eunuch at the side listened and lowered his head silently. He naturally understood. If the person who inherited the Marquis title was morally unfit, he would feel guilty and afraid in that position. He would always be worried that someone would come and snatch his title. From this, suspicion would arise, and even unnecessary attacks would cause chaos inside and outside. As the Emperor stroked his beard, he nodded in agreement at Chu Yi with a loving smile. He was smart and knew the details. He had never seen Gu Jian before, but he had seen through him with this memorial. Gu Jian was indeed inferior to Gu Ce. It should be said that the Gu brothers could not be compared at all. One was in the sky, and the other was underground. In the past, he only felt that Gu Jian was mediocre and incompetent. Now, it seemed that he had to add ¡°no tolerance¡±. ¡°Gu Ce back then¡­ What a pity.¡± Thinking of the past eight years ago, the Emperor felt a little emotional. His gentle eyes revealed complicated emotions. When his gaze landed on Chu Yi, his sorrow was swept away, and he was glowing again. Fortunately, Chu Yi had returned safely! After Chu Yi took a few sips of tea, he put down the teacup and looked at the Emperor steadily. ¡°What do you think of Gu Ce¡¯s surrender back then, Father?¡± ¡°¡­¡± The Emperor was slightly stunned. His lips pursed, and his originally relaxed and lazy figure instantly tensed. Chapter 122 - 122 Good Job 122 Good Job The gauze lamp beside him made a subtle crackling sound. The flames danced rapidly, illuminating the faces of the Emperor and Chu Yi. The eunuch quickly took off the silver gauze lampshade outside and carefully trimmed the wick with scissors. Chu Yi stretched out his finger and teased the parrot twice before continuing, ¡°I remember Gu Ce, I saw him a few times in the palace when I was young. He¡¯s a person who would rather break than bend.¡± Gu Ce often stationed in Yangzhou during his lifetime, only returning to the capital to meet the Emperor when he was congratulating the Emperor and debriefing him. At the age of six, Chu Yi met Gu Ce for the first time. At that time, Gu Ce was only in his early 20s. He had a jade-like face and was cold and otherworldly. A little eunuch whispered in Chu Yi¡¯s ear that the world praised Gu Ce for being as white as snow on the mountain and as bright as the moon among the clouds. At that time, the Seventh Imperial Uncle was shooting an arrow in the palace. That arrow missed and almost hit Chu Yi, but Gu Ce grabbed the tributary arrow just in time. It only cut off a few strands of hair on Chu Yi¡¯s temples. If not for Gu Ce, although the arrow was not fatal, it would have scratched Chu Yi¡¯s face. The Seventh Imperial Uncle did not feel guilty at all and even said that he had heard that Gu Ce¡¯s archery was number one in the world and had the ability to pierce through willow trees at 200 steps. He wanted Gu Ce to shoot an arrow for him to see. The late Emperor had ordered Gu Ce to shoot an arrow. Gu Ce took the initiative to blindfold himself, but he shot an arrow at the Seventh Imperial Uncle, also shooting off a few strands of hair at his temples. The late Emperor was furious, but there was nothing he could do about Gu Ce. This was because the arrow that Gu Ce shot out while blindfolded was almost 300 steps long, causing the entire hall to cheer. Everyone praised him and congratulated the late Emperor on obtaining such a good general. Under the situation of a thousand people working together, even the late Emperor could not punish Gu Ce. Chu Yi remembered this incident, and another one that happened when he was 10 years old. When he was 10 years old, the State of Yue invaded. The late Emperor wanted to make peace with the State of Yue, and someone in the imperial court suggested sending a hostage to the State of Yue to show his sincerity. Even though Chu Yi was young at the time, he knew that the hostage sent to the State of Yue would only be him. Therefore, at that time, he was quite concerned about the war between the two countries. At that time, Imperial Duke Wei, Gu Ce, and the other nobles were all fighting. However, because Gu Ce had fallen to the State of Yue without reinforcements, the State of Yue occupied Yangzhou and had unstoppable momentum. As a result, Imperial Duke Wei and the other pro-war factions were slapped in the face. The noble families led by the Yuan and Wang families became even more arrogant, pulling a group of fence-sitters into the pacifist¡¯s camp. The pacifists prevailed. In the end, Imperial Duke Wei and the others were outnumbered and could only watch helplessly as the late Emperor issued a decree to negotiate peace. After that, the late Emperor officially proposed peace negotiations with the State of Yue. He compensated the State of Yue with a total of 10,000 taels of gold, 20,000 fine horses, and the Yellow Water Ocean east of the State of Great Jin. He even sent Chu Yi to the State of Yue as a hostage. Before that battle, the Great Jin and the State of Yue were equally matched. After this battle, the Great Jin was at a disadvantage. And he had been gone for eight years. Whether it was at that time or in the next eight years, he had also repeatedly thought about the ¡°Battle of Yangzhou¡± in the dead of night¡­ Chu Yi did not move for a long time. He lowered his eyes and stared at the words ¡°Gu Ce¡± on the memorial. The candle flame beside him reflected in his dark pupils and shone with an unknown light. ¡°Chirp?¡± The colorful parrot was unwilling to be left alone. When Chu Yi did not move, it took the initiative to rub its cheek against his hand. Chu Yi¡¯s thick and long eyelashes fluttered. Looking at the lively and noisy little fellow under his finger, he suddenly thought of Gu Yanfei¡¯s cat, Qing Guang, who had rubbed against him like this. His fingers moved again, stroking the small, soft top of the parrot¡¯s head, as gently as he had teased the kitten that day. The Emperor watched this scene with interest. He did not expect his son to like teasing birds. ¡°Father, let¡¯s do as Gu Jian wants,¡± Chu Yi suddenly said meaningfully. ¡°Whatever you say!¡± the Emperor said without thinking, his smile loving and indulgent. After trimming the wick, the eunuch covered the silver gauze lampshade again, unsurprised by the Emperor¡¯s attitude. The Emperor had always been easy to talk to when facing the Eldest Prince. As long as the Eldest Prince said something, the Emperor would agree, as if he wished he could immediately hand the world to the Eldest Prince. If not for the strong opposition of more than half of the ministers in the court, the Emperor would have appointed him as Crown Prince long ago. Occasionally, the Emperor would lament to himself that he only wanted to be an idle Emperor who played with birds and walked dogs. Chu Yi smiled and said, ¡°I want to go to the Ministry of War.¡± This time, before the Emperor could speak, the parrot mimicked him again. ¡°Whatever you say!¡± Chapter 123 - 123 Good Job 123 Good Job The parrot¡¯s cry was as loud and straightforward as ever, making Chu Yi chuckle. Even the Emperor laughed after a moment of shock. Ever since Chu Yi returned to the capital in October, the Emperor had mentioned to him that he could choose the six tribes and go wherever he wanted to train. However, Chu Yi had never agreed and had only decided now. The Emperor was in a good mood and personally fed the multicolored parrot some multicolored millet. The parrot fell silent when it had something to eat and started pecking at the millet. Chu Yi looked at it engrossed in its food and thought to himself, ¡®Since she likes that cat, she should like parrots too¡­¡¯ As he was thinking, he heard the Emperor¡¯s gentle voice. ¡°Do you want a parrot, Chu Yi?¡± Chu Yi stared at the parrot for a moment, then shook his head. It was not suitable. A parrot in a cage was not suitable for her. Thinking of that clear and carefree girl, Chu Yi¡¯s lips curled up, and his black jade eyes lit up. The Emperor was not disappointed to be rejected by his son. He thought to himself, ¡®If Chu Yi doesn¡¯t raise one, I can also raise another parrot and make a pair.¡¯ Thinking of this, the Emperor¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He put his fist to his lips and cleared his throat. ¡°Chu Yi, although Chu You is your imperial uncle, he¡¯s about the same age as you. His marriage is already set¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re 18 and not young anymore. Is there any girl you like?¡± The Emperor leaned his face close and looked at Chu Yi with burning eyes, eager for him to give a name now. The eunuch had no doubt that as long as the Eldest Prince could give him a name, the Emperor would immediately write an imperial decree to betroth him. ¡°¡­¡± Chu Yi¡¯s eyelashes fluttered twice, and a charming smile appeared on his lips. Coupled with his brilliant eyes, he was so beautiful that it made one¡¯s heart palpitate. Without a word, he clenched his right hand into a fist and gently knocked on the desk, indicating that the Emperor could write a note. ¡°Good, good, good.¡± The Emperor naturally understood the meaning of his son¡¯s action and said repeatedly, a hint of joy rising from the corners of his eyes. ¡°Good, good, good!¡± Amidst the repeated and noisy cries of the parrot, the eunuch went out with the note written by the Emperor and personally made a trip to the Ministry of War. Since the Emperor had personally given the order, the Ministry of War naturally did not dare to delay. They immediately issued a new transfer order. Hence, that night, Gu Yuan received this transfer order from the Ministry of War. He was transferred to the Divine Arms Battalion and promoted to a fourth-grade imperial guard. The imperial guard was definitely a good job, and he would be in charge of the Emperor¡¯s ceremonial guard and escort. The weight of his responsibility was obvious. Moreover, Gu Yuan had advanced from the fifth-grade to the fourth-grade this time. This level was extremely important, and was equivalent to crossing the distance from ¡°soldier¡± to ¡°general¡±. This was a joyful occasion for anyone. However, Gu Yuan, who had received the transfer order, could not smile at all. He was even a little disappointed. All these years, he had been determined to follow in his father¡¯s footsteps and be able to fight on the battlefield. Although an imperial guard was glamorous, they had to circle around the Emperor, so it was equivalent to being trapped in the capital. He wanted to go to the battlefield to kill enemies and expand the country¡¯s territory. At this moment, the sky had completely darkened. The night was as black as ink, and the full moon on the 15th of December hung high in the night sky. The silver moonlight added coldness to the already cold night. At some point, snowflakes that looked like catkins floated down from the sky. A few snowflakes landed on Gu Yuan¡¯s cheeks and eyelashes. Gu Yuan did not notice the cold at all. He was a little depressed and listless. He walked back dejectedly with the ¡°hot¡± and ¡°heavy¡± new transfer order. After turning around, he saw Gu Yanfei standing more than a hundred feet ahead with a smile. In the snow, Gu Yanfei was wearing a thick red cloak with rabbit fur, making her face look even smaller. ¡°Sister.¡± Gu Yuan quickly walked towards Gu Yanfei and raised his hand to help her put on the hood of her cloak. ¡°The winter in the capital is much colder than in Huaibei. Be careful not to catch a cold.¡± ¡°Show me.¡± Gu Yanfei reached out to him as if it was only natural. If she wanted it, Gu Yuan would give it to her. Gu Yanfei took the transfer order and read it from beginning to end. Her thick eyelashes fluttered, and her lips curled into a faint smile. If it was Imperial Duke Wei who had transferred Big Brother from the Jiuxiao Battalion to the Divine Arms Battalion, then the only person who could transfer him back to the imperial guard was either the Emperor or¡­ the eldest prince, Chu Yi. Interesting. If this was really done by Chu Yi, then Big Brother would not be staying in the imperial guard for long. Chu Yi would not raise a fierce tiger like a cat in a nest of wealth. However, she did not say anything about this. After returning the transfer order to Gu Yuan, she only said, ¡°Big Brother, let¡¯s go to the martial arts arena.¡± Gu Yuan looked at Gu Yanfei in confusion. Gu Yanfei smiled and pointed in a direction. Her eyes sparkled under the snowflakes as she said loudly, ¡°Let¡¯s go get the bows.¡± ¡°Big Brother, now that you¡¯ve changed your job, you have to have a good bow.¡± Before Gu Yuan could figure out the relationship, Gu Yanfei had already grabbed Gu Yuan¡¯s sleeve skillfully and strode forward with him. Gu Yuan obediently followed Gu Yanfei forward. The siblings went to the martial arts arena again. The martial arts arena at night was quiet, empty, and lonely. At a glance, there was no one else except a sleeping night watchman. There were only a few lanterns lit up dimly in the martial arts arena. The siblings crossed the martial arts arena and walked towards Zhengqi Hall on the west side of the martial arts arena. From afar, they saw that the door of Zhengqi Hall was closed and locked. However, Gu Yanfei did not care at all and kicked forward with her right foot. The front door was simply kicked open. One of the doors, even the lock, fell to the ground with a loud bang, and even the snowflakes on the ground were sent flying. Chapter 124 - 124 Seizing the Bow 124 Seizing the Bow Gu Yuan watched Gu Yanfei¡¯s every move with bright eyes and almost applauded her. His sister¡¯s kick was brilliant. It was light when she raised her leg, as fast as the wind, and powerful. It could be said to be fast, steady, accurate, and ruthless. The hall was also very dark, so Gu Yanfei instructed Juan Bi to light the lamp. After the row of candles was lit one by one, the hall lit up. The candlelight illuminated the surrounding displays and decorations. The hall was spread out in all directions, and in front of them hung a large plaque inlaid with golden nine dragons. On the plaque were two large golden words: ¡°Zhengqi Hall.¡± These words were personally written by Emperor Taizu and given to the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion. Below the plaque was a long rosewood table carved with tiger patterns. The familiar rhinoceros horn bow was hung on the wall in front of the plaque and table. Just like that, it was ¡°consecrated¡± here. Gu Jian could not use a heavy bow like the five-stone bow. Therefore, in the past eight years, this rhinoceros horn bow that had been passed down for four generations had been worshiped here. In the candlelight, the ancient rhinoceros horn bow shone faintly. The broken bowstring had not been replaced and hung in midair. ¡°Eldest Young Master, Second Lady¡­¡± Outside the door at the back, the servant on night watch stammered. He had been woken up by the sound of Gu Yanfei kicking the door, so he had rushed over. At this moment, his face was filled with shock, fear, and confusion. He did not know why these two masters were putting on such a posture as if they were here to raid the house. Of course, Gu Yuan understood what Gu Yanfei meant. He raised his hand and took off the rhinoceros horn bow hanging on the wall. His thin lips curled into a faint smile. Seeing this, how could the servant not understand that these two masters were here for the rhinoceros horn bow? How could the servant not know the importance of this rhinoceros horn bow? The Marquis would personally come here every three days to wipe the bow. If this bow was taken away, he would not be able to answer to the Marquis! ¡°Big Brother, this bow belongs to you,¡± Gu Yanfei said with a smile. She stared at him without blinking and silently added in her heart, ¡°My father¡¯s title should also belong to you, Big Brother.¡± The servant hesitated at the door for a while. Seeing Gu Yuan take down the bow, he boldly stepped over the threshold and tried to stop them. ¡°Young Master, you can¡¯t take this bow¡­¡± ¡°Swoosh!¡± His voice was interrupted by an arrow. Gu Yanfei casually took out a stone bow hanging beside her, skillfully nocked an arrow, and drew the bow¡­ This series of actions was done in one go. In the blink of an eye, the arrow pierced the pageboy¡¯s sleeve and nailed him ruthlessly and accurately to the other door, still hanging from the frame. ¡°Squeak.¡± The door panel made a rough sound as it was hit by the arrow. Gu Yanfei did not say anything and only looked at the servant with a smile. The pageboy felt that he had just walked between life and death. If the Second Lady¡¯s arrow had missed by a few inches, wouldn¡¯t it have hit his waist?! He was so terrified that his feet were trembling. Half of his soul flew away, and he did not dare to stop the siblings anymore. Gu Yanfei took two steps closer to the pageboy with her hands behind her back, scaring the servant so much that he shivered. It was as if he had seen the devil incarnate and subconsciously dodged back. However, there was a door fan behind him, and he could not retreat at all. Gu Yanfei laughed freely, without the demureness that a lady should have. ¡°Later, feel free to complain to Mingyi Courtyard. Remember to pass a message to Madam and the Marquis on my behalf.¡± ¡°The bow¡¯s string is broken, and it even injured the Marquis. It¡¯s really unlucky. I¡¯ll use it to perform a ritual so as not to implicate the Marquis Household.¡± She said it as if it were true, but her expression was teasing. The pageboy did not dare to question her. He nodded repeatedly, his face pale, unable to say a word. The pageboy felt that the Second Lady was really scary, but in Gu Yuan¡¯s eyes, his sister looked cute no matter how he looked at her. Anyway¡ª His sister was right. His sister was right! Sighing happily in his heart, the smile in Gu Yuan¡¯s eyes deepened. The gloominess he felt because of the new change was swept away. The usually cold and silent young man finally had the clarity he should have at his age. ¡°Big Brother, let¡¯s go.¡± Gu Yanfei pulled Gu Yuan away and took away the rhinoceros horn bow. The snow outside had grown a little bigger. The snowflakes were like goose feathers, and in the blink of an eye, they were covered in wind and frost on the top of the siblings¡¯ heads and shoulders. Along the way, Gu Yuan played with the rhinoceros horn bow lovingly without taking his eyes off it. His fingers caressed the broken string a few times, and he recalled the scene of him secretly pulling the string in his father¡¯s study when he was young¡­ Chapter 125 - 125 Seizing the Bow 125 Seizing the Bow ¡°Big Brother, Mother Jiao¡­ I mean, Miss Wei Jiu brought me to a shop during the day. That¡¯s where I bought my bull horn bow. I think the master of that shop is quite skilled, he¡¯ll definitely be able to repair this bowstring,¡± Gu Yanfei suggested with a smile. Gu Yuan had nothing against his sister¡¯s suggestion. He immediately said, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s¡­¡± Before he could say ¡°go¡±, he suddenly remembered that he had 10 days off before he had to report to the Divine Arms Battalion. However, he had to report to the Ministry of War tomorrow, so this leave was most likely gone. Gu Yanfei also thought of this and patted Gu Yuan¡¯s shoulder comfortingly. ¡°Leave the repair of the bowstring to me.¡± As they spoke, the snowfall became heavier and heavier. Snowflakes fluttered in the sky. By the time Gu Yuan sent Gu Yanfei to Yuheng Garden, the surrounding roofs, walls, and treetops were already covered in layers of thin snow. Gu Yuan sat in Yuheng Garden for half an hour before leaving. The snow fell for the entire night and only stopped the next morning. When Gu Yanfei got up early in the morning, it was already a silver world outside the house. Gu Yanfei, who was sitting in front of the dressing table, listened to Juan Bi¡¯s report as she let her comb her makeup. Juan Bi¡¯s family was all born into the family and had in-laws in the Marquis Mansion. She was also a sweet-talker. When she went to the kitchen early this morning to bring up breakfast, she found out a lot. ¡°Miss, I heard that last night, when the Marquis found out that you and the Eldest Young Master had gone to Zhengqi Hall to take away the rhinoceros horn bow, he was so angry that he almost fell off the bed. He instructed someone to find the Eldest Young Master to ask for the rhinoceros horn bow, but he was comforted by Madam.¡± ¡°The Marquis has been criticizing the Eldest Young Master for coveting the title of nobility. He¡¯s clearly dissatisfied with the previous Emperor¡¯s decision back then and disrespected him¡­ He even said that he would personally enter the palace to meet him after he recovers.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Juan Bi spoke eloquently, including the fact that many doctors had come to Mingyi Courtyard to see Gu Jian¡¯s injuries last night. Including the fact that Gu Jian planned to stay in Mingyi Courtyard recently to recuperate. When she mentioned that Gu Jian wanted to enter the palace to meet the Emperor, Juan Bi was more or less worried. However, seeing that Gu Yanfei was calm and composed, she was relieved. ¡°Meow!¡± The calico cat howled happily outside the window, as if to say, ¡®Come out and play.¡¯ The winter sun made the snow flawless and crystal clear. The sleek, long-haired cat seemed to glow as it leaped, circled, ran, climbed, and jumped¡­ It was its first time playing with snow. Stepping on the soft and fluffy snow, it watched as its claws left a cat paw mark in the shape of a plum blossom in the snow. It was so happy that its tail was almost in the air. Juan Bi could not help but glance at the cat outside the window. She looked at it in a daze for a while before coming back to her senses. She cleared her throat and continued, ¡°Miss, when I returned from breakfast early, I met Miss Bai Lu.¡± ¡°Miss Bai Lu was ordered to pass a message to you. Madam said that you can play with that rhinoceros horn bow for a few days, but you have to return it in a few days.¡± Gu Yanfei smiled and looked at the rhinoceros horn bow on the table. She raised her eyebrows. Ha, did Madam think that she had given the siblings a way out? ¡°Miss, it¡¯s done.¡± In less than five minutes, Juan Bi had skillfully combed Gu Yanfei¡¯s hair. She knew that Gu Yanfei did not like heavy hair accessories, so she only used two bright red ribbons as decorations. ¡°Meow!¡± Qing Guang jumped from the courtyard outside the window to the window sill. It meowed non-stop, urging them to play with it. The kitten¡¯s long fur was covered in lumps of snowflakes, as if it had rolled in icing. This cat was simply playing crazily! Gu Yanfei flicked her finger gently on the cat¡¯s forehead and muttered in disdain, ¡°You only know how to play!¡± Gu Yanfei rubbed her chin and thought to herself, ¡®If this continues, this cat will be useless. Well, next time, I can try to draw a voice transmission talisman and let this cat do something.¡¯ However, this voice transmission talisman was probably not strong enough with ordinary cinnabar. As she was thinking, Gu Yanfei¡¯s two fingers slowly moved down the cat¡¯s neck. In the end, she pinched the pink cat¡¯s flesh with ill intentions. Sigh, this place was not like the Bright Spirit Realm. Perhaps she would ask Chu Yi next time? ¡°¡­¡± Qing Guang was a beast after all and had the wild intuition unique to beasts. It immediately sensed her sinister intentions. The fur on its back instantly stood on end, and its fluffy cat tail bristled. Gu Yanfei pinched the soft cat meat pad again and said casually, ¡°Set up the food.¡± Juan Bi responded and immediately set up a sumptuous breakfast. Before Gu Yanfei could finish her breakfast, Gu Yuan strode over. He was wearing a leopard embroidered robe that symbolized a fourth-grade military official, making him look tall and straight. His appearance was radiant, and he exuded a heroic aura. This morning, he had left the house at dawn and gone to the Ministry of War. He had just returned to the Marquis Mansion. ¡°Big Brother, you¡¯re back. Let¡¯s eat together.¡± Gu Yanfei smiled and invited her brother to sit down. The siblings ate differently. Gu Yanfei ate elegantly and slowly, chewing carefully as if she was savoring the taste of every food. Gu Yuan ate extremely quickly and wolfed down the food, but it did not seem vulgar at all. It was clearly a habit he had developed in the military. After eating until he was 70 to 80% full, he drank half a cup of tea to rinse his mouth and wiped it with a handkerchief. Only then did he have time to get down to business. ¡°Sister, I got a new job at the Ministry of War today.¡± Gu Yuan¡¯s disappointment from yesterday was swept away. When he said this, his phoenix eyes shone brightly with a burning heat, like the rising sun outside the window. Chapter 126 - 126 Employed 126 Employed Gu Yanfei raised her eyebrows and looked at Gu Yuan. Gu Yuan continued with a smile, ¡°I saw the Eldest Prince in the Ministry of War. He said that the envoy from the State of Yue will arrive in a few days. It¡¯s the Third Prince of the State of Yue. The Eldest Prince asked me to accompany him to the capital to receive the envoy.¡± This was the first time Gu Yuan had seen the Eldest Prince, Chu Yi, who had been a hostage in the State of Yue for eight years. Previously, he had thought that the Eldest Prince had been a hostage in the State of Yue for many years and would probably be raised to be weak. It was only when they met today that he realized that the Eldest Prince was different from what he had thought. When the Eldest Prince mentioned the Third Prince of the State of Yue, his expression was calm and composed. There was no trace of caution, nor was there any humility. He was definitely not a weak person. Eight years of being a hostage had not crushed his pride or made him bow down to the State of Yue. ¡°Meow!¡± Qing Guang seemed to understand and thought of a human who had pinched the back of its neck. Hmph, an extremely bold and stupid human!! Qing Guang was about to look up at Gu Yuan when Gu Yanfei quickly pressed a hand on the back of its neck. Gu Yanfei patted its back perfunctorily twice, meaning that it should eat well. The cat gave in. Gu Yuan took another sip of tea and continued, ¡°The visit from the State of Yue was only decided at the last minute this month.¡± ¡°All these years, the Great Jin and the State of Yue have been minding their own business, and there were only some ordinary trade transactions. It was only when the Emperor ascended the throne that the Emperor spent more than half a year barely suppressing those noble families in exchange for the Eldest Prince¡¯s return. He also allowed a firearms blueprint from the State of Yue to be released.¡± Gu Yuan originally did not know about the agreement between the two countries regarding the firearms blueprint. The Eldest Prince had personally told him about it when he saw him in the Ministry of War today¡­ Thinking of this, Gu Yuan¡¯s eyes turned slightly cold as he continued, ¡°Because the two countries don¡¯t trust each other, at that time, the Emperor only gave the State of Yue half a blueprint. This time, the Third Prince of the State of Yue personally came for the other half of the blueprint.¡± The people of the State of Yue were simply ambitious! Gu Yuan¡¯s eyes were dark, and his hand that was holding the teacup subconsciously tightened. He had an unforgettable grudge against the State of Yue for killing his father. How could he forget or let go?! ¡°What firearm?¡± Gu Yanfei took a bite of the soft and fluffy pastry and asked curiously. Gu Yuan looked at Gu Yanfei when he heard this. His eyes instantly softened as he explained, ¡°When Emperor Taizu was still alive, he modified the matchlock and named it the ¡®flintlock¡¯.¡± As everyone knew, Emperor Taizu was a genius. Not only were his martial arts the best in the world, but he was also knowledgeable and proficient in all kinds of miscellaneous sciences. He had invented glass, mercury mirrors, soaps, improved springs, looms, and movable printing techniques. Thinking of Emperor Taizu¡¯s various achievements, Gu Yuan¡¯s handsome face seemed to glow. He could not hide his reverence and yearning for Emperor Taizu. ¡°Although the original matchlock was far more powerful than bows, knives, and spears, its flaws were also obvious. It took a lot of time to reload the gunpowder and pellets. It also needed to ignite the matchlock to fire, and the shooting was inaccurate.¡± ¡°After being modified by Emperor Taizu, the new ¡®flintlock¡¯ hit the fire with a flint. Not only did it greatly simplify the shooting process, but it also increased the accuracy of the shot.¡± ¡°Once a good soldier masters the ¡®flintlock¡¯, it¡¯s equivalent to fighting a hundred enemies alone.¡± Gu Yuan¡¯s eyes lit up. He was like a sharp sword that was about to be unsheathed and could rush to the battlefield at any moment. At first, Gu Yanfei was just asking casually. As she listened, she heard some interest and asked excitedly, ¡°Big Brother, do you have a flintlock?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Gu Yuan nodded and smiled dotingly. ¡°I¡¯ll get someone to bring it over for you to play with.¡± He really did have a flintlock. When he went to the Ministry of War just now, Chu Yi gave him a flintlock. Hence, Gu Yuan called Juan Bi in and instructed her to go to Chenghui Garden to get it from Wu Tong. After Juan Bi left, Gu Yuan pursed his lips and was silent for a moment before asking the question that had been circling in his heart for a long time, ¡°Sister, do you know the Eldest Prince?¡± His sister should have nothing to do with the Eldest Prince, but today, the Eldest Prince told him that he could tell his sister about the errand he was going to take on. There was no need to hide anything, so he had no choice but to think of it this way. ¡°Yes,¡± Gu Yanfei nodded honestly. Chapter 127 - 127 Employed 127 Employed It was true! Gu Yuan did not want to ask how they met at all. In his opinion, his sister was so outstanding that it was only right for the Eldest Prince to remember her. Gu Yanfei picked up a piece of plum blossom cake for Gu Yuan with her chopsticks and asked casually, ¡°Big Brother, have you been to the State of Yue?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve read in books that there are many dialects in the State of Yue. In some places, there are dozens of dialects in a state.¡± Gu Yanfei was not familiar with the State of Yue at all. In her previous life, her world was too small, and she only had this small Dingyuan Marquis Household. She didn¡¯t even know much about the capital, let alone the distant State of Yue. Gu Yuan took a bite of the plum blossom cake and shook his head. When his dark phoenix eyes met Gu Yanfei¡¯s curious eyes, they were dyed with warmth and became even gentler. He gathered his thoughts and smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve never been there, but I¡¯ve heard some of it from friends.¡± ¡°The State of Yue is rich in tea leaves and silk. Many cloth shops on Great Yan Street sell the silk of the State of Yue. It¡¯s often said that the silk of the State of Yue is dyed with the color of spring water in Jiangnan and is more graceful than the material of the Great Jin.¡± ¡°When you¡¯re free one day, I¡¯ll bring you to the area around Great Yan Street. That area is also called South Yue Street. Many shops on the street sell South Yue goods, such as snacks, paper kites, embroidered screens, pouches, fans¡­¡± ¡°By the way, there¡¯s also a theater on Great Yan Street. They invited a theater troupe from the State of Yue to sing a song from the State of Yue.¡± Gu Yuan racked his brains and said everything. He had heard everything from his bad friends, so it was a little messy and scattered. ¡°Big Brother.¡± Gu Yanfei leaned forward slightly and leaned closer to him. She pinched Gu Yuan¡¯s sleeve coquettishly. ¡°Then let¡¯s agree to go to the shop on Great Yan Street next time and buy some Jiangnan materials to make clothes?¡± ¡°After that, we¡¯ll go see the theater troupe you mentioned.¡± In her previous life, the siblings had missed a lot. In this life, Gu Yanfei did not want to miss it again. She would tell Gu Yuan what she wanted to do and what she liked. ¡°Whatever you want to do, I¡¯ll accompany you.¡± Gu Yuan agreed to everything. He was even thinking that since his sister liked to watch the show so much, perhaps he could buy a troupe for her in the future. At that time, she could watch it whenever she wanted. However, before that, he had to work hard to save up money for his sister¡¯s dowry! After marrying, his sister could live as she pleased. She could live happily and wantonly without being restrained in the Marquis Mansion. Originally, Gu Yuan was not interested in going to the imperial guard. No matter how glamorous the imperial guard was and how bright its future was, it was not what he yearned for or chased after. But now¡­ Gu Yuan had a new idea. Today, since the Eldest Prince had told him so much, and even told him the secrets about the blueprint of the ¡°flintlock¡±, it meant that the Eldest Prince must have other plans for him¡­ Or rather, the Eldest Prince had the intention to use him! Yes, this was not the time of the late Emperor. He was confident that with his ability, he would definitely be able to create a world that belonged to him in the army like his father! For his sister, he had to work harder! Thinking of this, Gu Yuan¡¯s fighting spirit could not help but be ignited. His black pupils burned brightly as he said in high spirits, ¡°Sister, my 10 days of leave are definitely gone. Next, I have to accompany the Eldest Prince. I¡¯ll be busy again¡­¡± ¡°After I¡¯m done with my work, I¡¯ll definitely bring you to play in the capital!¡± Looking at Gu Yuan like this, an inexplicable urge arose in Gu Yanfei¡¯s heart. She also wanted to pat her brother¡¯s head. However, her brother would not be happy. She smothered a laugh in her heart, and her eyes curved into a smile. ¡°My Lady!¡± Juan Bi finally returned, holding a heavy rectangular wooden box in both hands. Gu Yuan personally opened the long wooden box and saw a new flintlock quietly placed on the red velvet cloth in the box. The black and slender barrel shone with a cold luster, and there were eight or nine pellets beside the gun. Gu Yanfei looked at the strange flintlock and took it out of the box with interest. It was heavy in her hand. The little girl¡¯s arms were clearly as thin as the barrel of a gun, but she easily grabbed the heavy flintlock in both hands, as if she was holding a long sword with ease. Gu Yanfei held the flintlock in her hand and casually played with it. She touched the barrel, hooked the trigger, and touched the butt of the gun¡­ Gu Yuan first introduced the various parts of the flintlock. Then, he began to teach her step by step how to clean the barrel, where to fill it with gunpowder, and where to reload the pellets¡­ ¡°The steps to fire a gun are far more cumbersome than a bow shot. It takes at least a dozen breaths to fire once.¡± ¡°However, pellets are pushed out of the chamber by burning gunpowder. They¡¯re far faster and more lethal than ordinary feather arrows. They can pierce a person¡¯s skull at a hundred paces.¡± Gu Yuan had never used a firearm before. It was only when he was in the Ministry of War that the Eldest Prince personally demonstrated it to him. It was indeed not difficult to master, and practice makes perfect. No wonder Gu Yuan had heard from his superiors that, on the battlefield, training a soldier to use a musket was far easier than training an archer. He spoke quite carefully, and Gu Yanfei listened attentively. She nodded repeatedly and rubbed her chin excitedly. ¡°Big Brother, can I try?¡± This firearm called the flintlock was a little like a low-level spiritual artifact from the Bright Spirit Realm, but its power sounded much weaker than a spiritual artifact. She only had to play with it in her hand for a moment to understand the pros and cons of this thing. For example, the combustion of gunpowder could produce a powerful thrust that would push the pellet out, but it would probably affect the accuracy of the flintlock at the same time. Despite that, a flintlock was probably a killing weapon in this small world. Chapter 128 - 128 Secret 128 Secret Gu Yuan readily agreed and said, ¡°This thing is powerful and noisy. We can¡¯t try it in the house. Let¡¯s go to the garden.¡± The siblings left Yuheng Garden and headed west to the nearest small garden. As Gu Yanfei followed the steps Gu Yuan had mentioned and prepared to fire the flintlock, she muttered to herself, ¡°What should we shoot?¡± ¡°How about that?¡± Gu Yuan pointed forward and pointed at a powerful weeping willow on the other side of the lake. He reminded her, ¡°Be careful of the recoil when the flintlock is fired.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Gu Yanfei smiled and calmly aimed the muzzle of the flintlock at the weeping willow across the lake. She held the gun in her left hand and the stock in her right. Then, her right hand steadily pulled the trigger. The flint clamp was jerked by the spring and struck the side of the fire door hard, sending sparks flying. ¡°Bang!¡± There was a deafening bang as a fire dragon shot rapidly from the flintlock muzzle. The pellet crossed the lake as quickly as lightning and shot into a weeping willow on the other side. The shot went cleanly through the trunk, leaving a hole the size of a dragon¡¯s eye. Rustle¡­ The trunk of the willow tree trembled violently, like a cub trembling in the wind and rain. Willow leaves fell like rain and floated on the sparkling lake, rippling and floating with the ripples of the lake¡­ Wisps of smoke still spewed from the muzzle of the gun, and the air was thick with gunpowder. The loud noise on this side almost echoed through the small garden. The servants in the garden heard the commotion and came in twos and threes, gaping at the scene. ¡°Sister, you shot really accurately!¡± Gu Yuan applauded Gu Yanfei¡¯s shot. Gu Yanfei felt her left arm ache and go numb from the recoil of the flint stone. She shook her left arm. This thing was far inferior to a low-level spirit artifact. Still¡­ Gu Yanfei looked back and forth thoughtfully on the flintlock several times. If she added a sharp array on it¡­ She gently drew with the index finger of her left hand and quickly drew a simple one-time formation with her spiritual power. Yes, it was drawn very well. She smiled in satisfaction, then repeated the previous steps. Moving nearly twice as fast as before, she aimed the gun at another weeping willow across the lake. ¡°Bang!¡± A second shot rang out suddenly, louder than the first. Even the clouds in the sky above seemed to be shaken apart. Another cloud of smoke spewed from the muzzle of the gun. The projectile was faster than before, and it struck the second weeping willow with lightning speed, carrying crimson flames. With a creak, the tree trunk actually snapped in half. There was another loud crash. The willow tree¡¯s canopy crashed down from where it had broken off and landed on the lake, sending up a huge splash. The servants watching at the side were all dumbfounded. They either covered their ears, exclaimed, or whispered to each other. No one even thought of reporting to Madam Gu and the Marquis. More people heard the sound and came. The second gunshot did not just spread through the small garden and even most people in the Marquis Mansion heard it. At this moment, Madam Gu, who was in the Benevolent Harmony Hall, also heard it. She was so frightened by this inexplicable loud bang that her heart skipped a beat. An ominous feeling rose in her heart. She frowned and instructed, ¡°Bai Lu, go and see what¡¯s going on¡­¡± Bai Lu bowed and left in a hurry. As soon as she left, an old servant from the gatehouse ran over, panting. She told the little servant who was guarding under the eaves, ¡°Earl Yan¡¯an has come to congratulate you.¡± The news brought by the old servant allowed her to successfully enter the east room and see Madam Gu. ¡°Why did Earl Yan¡¯an suddenly come to congratulate us?¡± Madam Gu asked in confusion. Recently, their family had been extremely unlucky and simply plagued by bad luck. They really could not figure out what joyous occasion was worthy of the other party¡¯s congratulations. The old woman replied happily, ¡°Madam, they said that they¡¯re here to congratulate Young Master for being transferred to the Divine Arts Battalion and being a fourth-grade imperial guard.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Madam Gu opened her eyes in surprise. Then, she retracted the fingers on her left hand and clenched them into a fist. She didn¡¯t say anything, and the old servant just bowed, not knowing what else to do. The house fell silent. After a moment of silence, the curtain was lifted again. The green-robed maidservant hurried in again and knelt down to report, ¡°Madam, people from the Marquis Mansion, the Count of Changxing¡¯s Manor, and the Longhu General Manor have come to congratulate you on your promotion.¡± Chapter 129 - 129 Secret 129 Secret Madam Gu felt as if her heart had been whipped hard by a whip. It was painful, numb, and stuffy. Madam Gu lowered her eyes and hunched over to cover her left chest. She grabbed it slightly hard and felt her heart throbbing even more. ¡°Madam, are you alright?¡± Granny Li asked with concern. She raised her hand to stroke her back, but Madam Gu did not hear her. One moment, she was thinking about Gu Yuan, the next moment, she was thinking about Gu Ce, who had died young. The next moment, she overlapped these two figures with another elegant figure. First, it was Gu Ce, then Gu Yuan. She originally thought that even if Gu Yuan insisted on abandoning literature and entering the military camp, he would probably only stop at being a soldier. How could the king tolerate a son who represented humiliation? Unexpectedly, first it was the Divine Arms Battalion. Now, Gu Yuan was actually going to be transferred to the imperial guard again. In just a few days, he had advanced three levels from the sixth-grade company commander. Moreover, he was the Emperor¡¯s imperial guard! He had reached the heavens in a single step. ¡°Yuan¡¯er¡¯s success is a joyous occasion,¡± Madam Gu said in a low voice. ¡°My eldest sister will be happy in heaven.¡± As she spoke, Madam Gu clenched her left fist tighter, her manicured nails digging into her soft palm. Her heart felt as if it had been stabbed repeatedly by an invisible thorn. ¡°That person¡± was like a thorn embedded in her heart¡­ A thick haze quickly surged in Madam Gu¡¯s eyes, but it was quickly suppressed. She took two deep breaths and told herself that it was the Old Marquis¡¯s hope that Gu Yuan would recover. If Gu Yuan could rise to the top from now on, it would also be beneficial to the Marquis Mansion. After a while, Madam Gu calmed down a lot. She looked up and instructed indifferently, ¡°Call the Eldest Young Master¡­ and the Second Young Master to the outer courtyard hall.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± The green-robed maidservant bowed and left quickly. At the same time, the old servant who had come to report retreated. The room was silent again, except for a faint sigh. Soon, Madam Gu left the Benevolent Harmony Hall with Granny Li. Today, an esteemed guest had come to visit, and her second son, Gu Jian, was injured. Madam Gu could only decide to treat the guest personally to show her seriousness. The doors of the hall were all open, making it look vast, open, and transparent. Gu Yuan arrived very quickly. Madam Gu had just sat down on the armchair at the head of the table when she saw Gu Yuan walking towards her in a crimson official robe. A strange glint flashed across Madam Gu¡¯s eyes. ¡°Grandma.¡± Gu Yuan bowed to Madam Gu. His etiquette was flawless. ¡°Yuan¡¯er.¡± Madam Gu frowned and sighed. She said helplessly, ¡°It¡¯s a joyous occasion for you to be transferred to the imperial guard. Why didn¡¯t you tell your family about such a big matter?¡± ¡°Are you estranged from your family?¡± As she spoke, Madam Gu pulled Gu Yuan to her side and patted the back of his hand lovingly, as if yesterday¡¯s disagreement had never existed. Gu Yuan neither nodded nor shook his head. Madam Gu was already used to Gu Yuan¡¯s quiet personality. She sighed again and said, ¡°Forget it, time will tell. In the future, you¡¯ll know that Grandma is doing this for your own good.¡± ¡°In the future, when you become a royal guard, you must do your best and continue to work hard. Don¡¯t let Grandma and your father down.¡± ¡°There are many esteemed guests here to congratulate you today. Your second cousin will also be here later. You brothers, treat your guests well.¡± The corners of Madam Gu¡¯s lips curled up, and even the wrinkles at the corner of her mouth were tinged with joy. Gu Yuan¡¯s eyes darted around, and he clenched his fists, still silent. In Madam Gu¡¯s eyes, Gu Yuan¡¯s silence was a silent agreement. Madam Gu was in a better mood. With a smile, she instructed the maidservant to serve a few plates of Gu Yuan¡¯s favorite snacks and fruits. At first glance, the grandfather and grandson were harmonious. When Earl Yan¡¯an, Marquis Pingjin, Count Changxing, and the others arrived at the hall, they saw such a scene. Hence, they all congratulated Madam Gu on her good fortune for having children and grandchildren that surpass their masters. They also praised Gu Yuan for his young talent. Gu Yuan generously entertained these old friends of the Gu family, chatting and catching up. Madam Gu also praised Gu Yuan from time to time and asked these uncles to take good care of Gu Yuan in the future. From time to time, she would glance out of the hall. The hall was very lively. Gu Yuan was smiling, but his smile did not reach his eyes. He looked at the people around him distantly. He was like a traveler trudging alone, out of place in the joyful atmosphere. For a moment, he felt as if he had returned to eight years ago. Before he was nine years old, his grandmother and these uncles had treated him like this. They had been kind, warm, amiable, and tolerant. However, after her father¡¯s accident, those uncles all distanced themselves from the eldest branch¡­ After swallowing the sweet tea, there was only a strong bitterness in his mouth. ¡°Xiao¡¯er, you¡¯re finally here.¡± Madam Gu¡¯s slightly excited voice woke Gu Yuan up from his enlightenment. Gu Yuan looked up and saw a young man about 13 years old in a royal blue robe walking into the hall. He was the legitimate son of Gu Jian and Madam Wang, Gu Xiao. Gu Xiao bowed to Madam Gu first and reluctantly called out to Gu Yuan, ¡°Big Brother.¡± Gu Xiao had also heard about what happened yesterday. He more or less suspected that Gu Yuan had hurt his father, Gu Jian, so he looked at Gu Yuan with hostility. The 13 or 14-year-old was at an age full of thorns. The smile on Madam Gu¡¯s face deepened. She was about to let Gu Xiao greet the guests. Although Gu Xiao was not the heir yet, the Marquis Mansion would be his sooner or later. It was a good opportunity for him to accumulate some connections. Unexpectedly, Gu Yuan suddenly stood up, flicked his sleeve, and turned to leave without a word. Silence filled the hall. Chapter 130 - 130 Guilty 130 Guilty The guests did not know what was going on. Gu Yuan was clearly talking and laughing just now. Why did he suddenly turn hostile? Everyone looked at each other and could tell that something was wrong. Madam Gu¡¯s smile instantly froze on her lips. ¡°¡­¡± Gu Xiao¡¯s expression was even uglier than Madam Gu¡¯s and his lips pursed stubbornly into a straight line. What did Big Brother mean?! ¡°Gu Yuan!¡± Madam Gu raised her voice and called him by his name. However, Gu Yuan did not stop and walked out as if he had not heard anything. The servants guarding outside the hall did not dare to stop Gu Yuan at all. After all, everyone in the residence now knew that the Eldest Young Master was someone who could draw a five-stone bow. Madam Gu gritted her teeth and gave the guests an apologetic smile. ¡°My apologies.¡± Then he stood up resolutely and chased after her personally, shouting, ¡°Yuan¡¯er!¡± Madam Gu jogged forward and caught up to Gu Yuan under a parasol tree in the courtyard outside the hall. She questioned angrily, ¡°What exactly do you want?¡± She tried her best to lower her voice. She felt as if the light was on her back, and even without looking, she could feel the curious eyes in the hall on her. Gu Yuan finally stopped and turned half of his face to look down at Madam Gu, who was half a head shorter than him. The golden sunlight shone through the sparse leaves above, outlining the outline of his handsome side profile. ¡°Grandma wants me to help my Second Brother, right?¡± Gu Yuan said bluntly. After being exposed by Gu Yuan, Madam Gu did not deny it. She smiled casually and said, ¡°Yuan¡¯er, you¡¯re cousins. It¡¯s only right for you to help each other.¡± ¡°Only right?¡± Gu Yuan also smiled. This was how a family should be. Madam Gu raised her chin in a domineering manner, as if it was only natural. ¡°Someone wants to ruin my future and wants me to repay kindness with evil. Grandma, do I look so stupid?¡± Gu Yuan¡¯s tone was colder and sharper. What was Gu Yuan hinting at?! Madam Gu looked at Gu Yuan in surprise. Without waiting for Madam Gu to speak, Gu Yuan changed the topic and said, ¡°I heard that the Eldest Prince likes all kinds of weapons. I plan to take the rhinoceros horn bow for His Highness to play with.¡± Gu Yuan was equivalent to putting a threat on the table. ¡°¡­¡± Madam Gu¡¯s eyes widened, and her face instantly turned green. Madam Gu did not know at first that Gu Jian had tampered with the bowstring of the rhinoceros horn bow. However, later on, Gu Jian accidentally let it slip, and Madam Gu asked about it. Only then did she know about this. Of course, Madam Gu could not admit it. She avoided the topic and said, ¡°Yuan¡¯er, I got someone to send a message to your second sister this morning. You can keep this bow for a few days. When you¡¯re done playing, you can return it.¡± Gu Yuan stared fixedly at Madam Gu. His dark eyes were so sharp that they seemed to be able to see through her heart. When the last of his anticipation was broken, his mind was surprisingly clear and calm, like a traveler who had finally walked out of the fog after a long journey. ¡°Yuan¡¯er, what do you want?!¡± Madam Gu tried to hold Gu Yuan¡¯s hand, but Gu Yuan quickly took half a step back. He only turned sideways and gently avoided her. His sleeve brushed less than half an inch away from her fingertips. The grandfather and granddaughter¡¯s gazes met in midair, as if they were engaged in a bloodless battle. Gu Yuan calmly stated his intentions. ¡°I want that rhinoceros horn bow.¡± This rhinoceros horn bow symbolized the glory of the Dingyuan Marquis Household. Since the bow was in his hands, he would not hand it over again. ¡°¡­¡± Madam Gu¡¯s pupils quivered slightly. Her right hand clenched the prayer beads in her wide sleeve, as if she did not recognize the young man in front of her. Gu Yuan¡¯s heart was as clear as a mirror, and he was as still as a mountain. Just now in the hall, he seemed to have been enlightened and suddenly understood a lot from the attitudes of those uncles. For many people, the fact that he had obtained the job of a royal guard meant that he would rise up the ranks. From the residence to the outside, there would be people who would curry favor with him. He was no longer the dispensable eldest young master of the Gu family. He was the Emperor¡¯s imperial guard. To him, it was like a weapon. He could use this weapon to achieve what he wanted to do. Last night, his sister had taken the first step by giving him the bow. Now he should speak up and face the rest. Chapter 131 - 131 Guilty 131 Guilty He was the older brother and could not rely on his sister to stand up for him in everything. His sister was right, this rhinoceros horn bow should belong to him. Back then, his grandfather had given this rhinoceros horn bow to his father, who had drawn it when he was 16 years old. As a descendant of the Gu family, if he could draw this bow today, it would naturally be his. Gu Yuan slowly said to Madam Gu, ¡°Emperor Taizu said that a good bow is covered in dust, and it¡¯s a pity to not meet someone with talent. A good bow should be given to a hero, and only those who are capable can take it.¡± Back then, when Emperor Taizu gave the bow to his great-grandfather, Gu Qin, he said this. He meant that this bow should be given to someone who could use it, not be covered in dust in the box. ¡°Second Uncle hid a good bow and covered it in dust. He¡¯s not a ¡®capable person¡¯.¡± Gu Yuan¡¯s every word was extremely sharp, as if he had stabbed Madam Gu in the heart. With that, he flicked his sleeve and left without hesitation. ¡°¡­¡± Madam Gu¡¯s face turned red, and she was speechless. This time, she didn¡¯t give chase. She stared blankly at Gu Yuan¡¯s back that was as straight as a bamboo. Her vision blurred for a moment, and there seemed to be a dark surge in her old eyes that was about to burst. Some anger flashed across her eyes, some surprise, some uneasiness, some powerlessness¡­ and more than that, exhaustion. She swayed and took two slow steps, her steps unsteady. ¡°Madam, be careful.¡± Granny Li quickly supported Madam Gu. The sunny day after the snow was even colder, and the wind was bone-chilling. The howling cold wind was like a wild beast roaring in demonstration, lingering. ¡°He¡­¡± Suddenly, Madam Gu asked in a hoarse voice, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me he knows?¡± Did he know that she was not his father¡¯s, Gu Ce¡¯s, birth mother? The leaves of the parasol tree with the yellow leaves above her head swayed with the cold wind. A few rays of sunlight shone through the gaps in the leaves and cast mottled shadows on Madam Gu¡¯s face, making her expression a little gloomy, obscure, and frustrated. The rustling sound of leaves echoed in the courtyard. Granny Li looked around warily. After confirming that there was no one else around, she advised in a low voice, ¡°Madam, don¡¯t think too much.¡± Even the late Marquis, Gu Ce, did not know about this. How could Gu Yuan know?! ¡°¡­¡± Madam Gu looked straight in the direction Gu Yuan had left without blinking. Her turbid and bloodshot eyes seemed to want to engrave his figure. Granny Li gently stroked Madam Gu¡¯s arm and continued to persuade her. ¡°Besides, even in the Gu family¡¯s ancestral hall, there¡¯s no memorial tablet for her. It¡¯s impossible for Eldest Young Master to know.¡± As she spoke, Granny Li lowered her voice even more, so that only the two of them could hear her in the cold wind. Madam Gu seemed to be muttering to herself. ¡°I personally raised Ah Ce and treated him as my own. I raised him carefully and watched him get married and have children¡­ Even the title of Marquis Mansion was inherited by him. I only hope Ah Jian can be a rich and idle person.¡± ¡°I know that I didn¡¯t let Ah Ce down¡­ I didn¡¯t let my eldest sister down either. I have a clear conscience.¡± Madam Gu¡¯s gaze slowly moved up, and she looked up at the blue sky, as if she was saying this for some old friend. ¡°Madam is right.¡± Granny Li nodded in agreement. ¡°Madam, it really hasn¡¯t been easy for you all these years.¡± She said this from the bottom of her heart. After a pause, Granny Li continued, ¡°Besides, so many years have passed. Those old people in the Western State are long gone. No one has mentioned that incident again.¡± ¡°Madam, don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s impossible for the Eldest Young Master to know.¡± Another bone-chilling wind blew, cutting into Granny Li¡¯s collar like a knife. She shivered unconsciously from the cold. ¡°Besides, even if the Eldest Young Master knows, what right does he have to blame you, Madam? Madam, you personally raised the late Marquis. Raising him is better than giving birth to him.¡± Madam Gu still stood motionless under the tree, her chest heaving. There seemed to be two forces fighting and colliding in her eyes. After a moment of silence, she said, ¡°But I keep feeling that Yuan¡¯er doesn¡¯t treat me like before¡­¡± It was as if he was guarding against her, as if he had¡­ resentment towards her. Thinking of this, Madam Gu gripped the prayer beads in her hand tightly, almost crushing them. In the past, Gu Yuan was not like this. Granny Li hesitated for a moment before reminding her, ¡°Madam, Eldest Young Master should know about the memorial yesterday¡­ Could it be that he¡¯s angry because of this?¡± Madam Gu¡¯s expression froze. She stroked her sleeve and said indifferently, ¡°I did it for his own good.¡± ¡°This child has been stubborn since he was young and won¡¯t listen to the advice of his elders. I asked him to learn literature and painstakingly found the best academy in the capital for him. However, he insisted on abandoning literature to join the martial arts and was determined to march forward with the reputation of being the son of a sinner.¡± ¡°As long as he¡¯s in the army, there¡¯ll always be talk of his father surrendering. It¡¯ll never be over.¡± Granny Li quickly comforted her. ¡°Eldest Young Master is still young and inexperienced. He doesn¡¯t understand your painstaking efforts, Madam.¡± Hearing Granny Li¡¯s soft words, Madam Gu also felt pleased, and her expression softened. As if just remembering the guests in the hall, she looked at them and said, ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s not talk about the past.¡± ¡°He¡¯s an imperial guard now, it¡¯s a good job. He doesn¡¯t have to go to the battlefield and can lead the army.¡± Even if an imperial guard of the Emperor was not of a high grade, it would still make people look at him differently. In the future, Gu Yuan¡¯s future will be bright. Madam Gu sighed again and said in a low voice, ¡°Yuan¡¯er¡¯s future is promising. In the future, even if I die in the netherworld, I¡¯ll be letting the Old Marquis down.¡± She looked at the western sky again, her eyes deep. Her heart was as stable as a rock after many ups and downs. That¡¯s right, the Marquis Household did not owe Gu Yuan anything. She did not owe Gu Yuan anything. She hadn¡¯t let down her eldest sister, Gu Ce, nor his son. Chapter 132 - 132 Not Allowed 132 Not Allowed Thinking of some past events, Madam Gu looked a little dazed. Her eyes seemed to be covered by a thin veil, and her thoughts went to a distant place. The tree shadows swayed again, and a few dried leaves fell, along with some residual snow from the branches. Madam Gu felt her forehead turn cold. She raised her hand to wipe away the snowflakes there and said in a low voice, ¡°Since he wants it, just give him the bow.¡± The snow melted quickly into a crystalline drop on her finger. Madam Gu casually flicked away the water droplets on her fingertips, her eyes cold. However, while the bow could be given, the title could not. ¡°Get someone to inform the Marquis,¡± Madam Gu instructed, planning to get Gu Jian to treat the guests. Hence, after 10 minutes, the Marquis of Dingyuan, Gu Jian, appeared ¡°belatedly¡± with a broken right arm. He held his son and apologized repeatedly to the esteemed guests, saying that he was late because he was unwell. As long as the other party asked why Gu Yuan had left, he would chuckle helplessly. ¡°My apologies. Yuan¡¯er has never been able to sit still. He just said that he¡¯s going to practice martial arts.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a young man with a child¡¯s temperament. It¡¯s normal that he can¡¯t talk to us.¡± ¡°Everyone, please forgive me.¡± Gu Jian¡¯s words were really not beautiful enough. He was referring to Gu Yuan¡¯s youthful temperament and eccentric personality. The nobles present had been in the royal court for decades, and all of them were old foxes. At a glance, they could tell that the Gu family¡¯s eldest branch and the second branch were not on good terms. Everyone knew very well how the second branch of the Gu family got its title. At this moment, everyone could not help but think of those old matters. They exchanged meaningful glances in twos and threes. Eight years ago, after the ¡°accident¡± of the Marquis of Dingyuan, Gu Ce, Madam Gu immediately personally abandoned the eldest branch for the late Emperor. Some people praised Madam Gu for being decisive, some felt that Madam Gu was cutting off her tail to survive, but most people felt a little disappointed. After the second branch took over, on the surface, the Gu family had also taken care of the eldest branch¡¯s children in the past eight years. As Gu Ce¡¯s eldest son, Gu Yuan could have enjoyed the blessings of the Marquis Household and directly served as a fifth-grade general in the military. However, Gu Yuan had no choice but to start from a small soldier step by step¡­ After training in the military for so many years and making a lot of military contributions, he has come to this day. Gu Yuan clearly had the temperament of a father and was a natural talent. At such a young age, he had become the Divine Arms Battalion¡¯s imperial guard. After obtaining the favor of the Emperor and Imperial Duke Wei, it was obvious that he was going to make a name for himself. As for Gu Jian¡­ Gu Jian was mediocre and far inferior to his brother. After inheriting the title of Marquis for so many years, he had not done much. Only this title could fool people. In the next generation, it was time to lower his status to ¡°Uncle¡±. Everyone present knew who to befriend. Earl Yan¡¯an was the first to stand up and cup his hands at Gu Jian. ¡°Uncle, I still have an errand to do today. I¡¯ll take my leave first.¡± Marquis Pingjin quickly added, ¡°Brother, you¡¯re injured and still have to recuperate. I won¡¯t disturb you today.¡± Gu Jian quickly tried to persuade them to stay. ¡°My injuries are fine. Brother, it¡¯s rare for you to come. At least have a few drinks with me before leaving.¡± His right arm was still in a cast and bandaged, but it wasn¡¯t very convincing. The other party laughed and said, ¡°Let¡¯s drink another day,¡± and left. Not only the two of them, but the other guests also found a perfunctory excuse to leave without giving Gu Jian any face. In less than half an hour, the hall was empty. Gu Jian¡¯s face alternated between green, white, and red. He looked at Madam Gu awkwardly and was speechless for a long time. Initially, Madam Gu thought that it would be the same if Gu Jian entertained the guests. However¡­ Looking at the guests leaving in front of her, Madam Gu¡¯s heart skipped a beat. From the moment Gu Yuan received the transfer order from the Divine Arms Battalion yesterday, some things seemed to have begun to change. Today, they were no longer in control. Gu Xiao¡¯s young face seemed to be dyed with ink as he took his leave stiffly. Gu Jian was forcing himself to entertain his guests. Coupled with the fire in his heart, he was distracted and tripped on the threshold with his right foot when leaving. This fall added to his injuries. His right arm hit the ground, and his shout of pain echoed through the Marquis Mansion. That day, the main courtyard invited famous doctors from the capital to treat him. The doctors invited one after another and it took them half a night to stop. As a result, the entire Marquis Mansion fell into a state of unrest. Chapter 133 - 133 Not Giving In 133 Not Giving In ¡°Eldest Young Master, I heard that Madam originally wanted to invite Old Physician Li, but he was angry and refused to come again. In the end, he could only settle for the next best thing and hire other doctors in the capital who are good at treating external injuries.¡± ¡°Those doctors all said that the Marquis has yet to recover from his old injuries and has new injuries. If this continues, I¡¯m afraid he won¡¯t be able to hold a brush.¡± Gu Yuan had a good night¡¯s sleep and slept peacefully until dawn. When he heard this news from the servant, Wu Tong, it was already the next morning. In the end, Wu Tong asked hesitantly, ¡°Eldest Young Master, Madam wants you to see the Marquis¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± Gu Yuan left after saying this. Today was the first day he officially took office as the imperial guard. The first thing he did was accompany the Eldest Prince, Chu Yi, out of the capital. This was the first time in eight years that the State of Yue had sent an envoy to visit Great Jin. The envoy was the Third Prince of the State of Yue and was born by the State of Yue¡¯s noble consort. His brother, the Eldest Prince of the State of Yue, had just been appointed as the Crown Prince this year. This time, the Third Prince of the State of Yue had come to visit. Of course, the person in charge of welcoming the envoy could not be too casual, lest the State of Yue feel that Great Jin was being disrespectful. Therefore, half a month ago, the royal court had already decided that Kang Wang, Chu You, would welcome the Third Prince of the State of Yue and the others. However, because Kang Wang had stabbed the British Crown Prince Fang Mingfeng for no reason not long ago, this had caused public anger among the nobles. The Emperor immediately issued a decree appointing the Eldest Prince, Chu Yi, to be in charge of this matter. Kang Wang¡¯s faction had just suffered a huge setback, but with the protection of Imperial Duke Wei and the others, this matter went exceptionally smoothly. This was also the first job the Eldest Prince had done after returning to the country. With so many eyes on him in the capital, Gu Yuan was also very serious. Ever since then, he hasn¡¯t returned to the Marquis Mansion. He only sent someone back to tell Gu Yanfei that he had accompanied the Eldest Prince to temporarily stay in the Ministry of War. Anyway, Gu Yuan had never been at home, so Gu Yanfei was already used to it. In the following days, she almost did not leave the house. She spent all her energy on the flintlock that Gu Yuan had left with her. Gu Yanfei planned to draw an array formation on this flintlock. The last time she had casually drawn it in the garden, it had been a one-time temporary array that doubled the power of the flintlock. At that time, even Gu Yuan was dumbfounded. He took the flintlock and looked at it again and again. It even attracted the attention of half of the Marquis Mansion. After testing it with these two shots and roughly judging its power, Gu Yanfei did not continue. It was not difficult to draw an array formation. What was rare was that there was no spiritual energy to borrow in this small world. The spiritual energy in the phoenix-patterned jade pendant was ultimately too little. It was not even enough for her to draw spiritual energy into her body. Every time the spiritual energy in her body was exhausted, it would take a long time to ¡°recover¡± her blood. A permanent ¡°sharp array¡±, even if it was the lowest level, would take her a lot of time now. After drawing a part, she would have to wait for her spiritual power to recover before continuing¡­ Fortunately, with the plum blossom jade hairpin Chu Yi had given her, she could continuously nourish her sea of consciousness and speed up the recovery of spiritual energy. Gu Yanfei, who had been locked in the study room, meditated every day, drawing array formations, meditating, and continuing to draw array formations. As the days repeated monotonously, seven days passed in the blink of an eye, and the 23rd of December came quickly. It had taken so long, but the results had not been satisfactory. Looking at the crooked and intermittent array formation on the flintlock, Gu Yanfei sighed deeply. It was so ugly that she couldn¡¯t bear to look at it. If her master saw this, not only would she be laughed at, but she would also be punished to draw 300 more of the same array formations. Thinking of the years when she first learned array formations from her master, Gu Yanfei smiled. The kitten rolled around on its belly carefreely, rubbing its back against the ground one moment and grinding its teeth with a plum blossom the next. Caught off guard, Gu Yanfei reached out and grabbed the kitten. She pressed a front paw on the cinnabar and pressed a bright red ¡°Plum Blossom Mark¡± on the gun. Yes, it looks much better now! Gu Yanfei thought calmly. ¡°My Lady, the Eldest Young Master is here.¡± Juan Bi came in beaming, her hair wrapped in a headscarf and a feather duster in her hand. The Marquis Mansion had already begun to prepare for the new year. On New Year¡¯s Day, they had to offer sacrifices to the gods and sweep the dust. The maidservants in the courtyard were all holding brooms, feather dusters, dusting horsetail whisks, sweeping the courtyard, and dredging ditches¡­ All of them were happily sweeping up the dust. It was already New Year¡¯s Eve. Only then did Gu Yanfei slowly realize the passage of time. She pursed her lips and smiled. She casually threw the flintlock aside and picked up the rhinoceros horn bow on the table. It was a good sign to say goodbye to the past and welcome the new. Gu Yanfei carried the newly repaired rhinoceros horn bow and left the small study happily. She was not afraid of the cold, so there was no charcoal brazier burning in the house. The afternoon sun shone through the open window into the secondary room, bright and clear. Gu Yuan was already sitting on the arhat bed and drinking tea. He wore a straight green robe with dark patterns. It was tied around his waist with a silver silk sash, and he had a sword at his waist. His sitting posture was upright, like bamboo or pine, and he had the bearing of a soldier. His expression also exuded the arrogance of a young man. ¡°Sister!¡± When Gu Yuan heard the commotion, he put down the teacup and looked up at Gu Yanfei, his eyes as clear as stars. Gu Yanfei also smiled. It had only been a few days since they last met, but Gu Yuan had changed a lot. He looked more energetic than before, even when he wasn¡¯t smiling. It seemed that he was doing well as an imperial guard. ¡°Big Brother.¡± Gu Yanfei sat down beside Gu Yuan, took an orange from the fruit pot, and casually threw it at him. ¡°Try this orange, it¡¯s very sweet. It was sent from the manor.¡± Gu Yuan caught the orange his sister gave him and smiled happily and contentedly. Then he stopped smiling and said, ¡°Murong Yong was just transferred to the Divine Arms Battalion yesterday.¡± It was to replace his previous transfer order. Chapter 134 - 134 Think It Through 134 Think It Through ¡°Second Uncle went to the Ministry of War personally.¡± Gu Yuan looked up. As he spoke, he looked at the rhinoceros horn bow. The broken string on the bow had been repaired and was intact. However, Gu Yuan knew that once some things were broken, they would never recover. At this point, there was nothing Gu Yuan did not understand, and he knew that Gu Jian¡¯s goal should be for this to happen. He wanted him to be ¡°accidentally¡± injured so that he could vacate the battalion commander position in the Divine Arms Battalion for Murong Yong. Gu Yuan had known for a long time that Gu Jian was wary of him. However, he did not expect Gu Jian to break his arm and ruin his future and all his hopes for Murong Yong. Gu Jian was his biological uncle after all. All of this made Gu Yuan a little sad and disappointed. Gu Yanfei smiled and casually flicked her finger on the new bowstring. The new bowstring was taut, emitting a rapid buzzing sound. Just from the sound of the bowstring, Gu Yuan could tell that the new bowstring was better than the previous one. ¡°A bowstring made of rhinoceros tendon?¡± Gu Yuan said firmly. ¡°Big Brother has good taste. I personally repaired this,¡± Gu Yanfei said with a smile and a nod. Initially, Gu Yanfei wanted to send it out to find someone to repair it, but on second thought, weapons were actually not much different from spirit artifacts. It should be said that weapons were just about mechanics and were much easier to cultivate than spirit artifacts. She had specially quenched this new bowstring with potion, so it was far stronger than ordinary bowstrings. In the future, no one would be able to scheme against her brother in the same way. Gu Yanfei handed the rhinoceros horn bow to Gu Yuan and said coquettishly, ¡°Big Brother, you have to remember your promise to shoot ferrets for me!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I remember everything.¡± The smile in Gu Yuan¡¯s eyes deepened. He took the bow and focused again. Since he had retrieved the bow, he would not let it be covered in dust again. Gu Yanfei looked at the high-spirited Gu Yuan and smiled brightly. The beautiful girl was like a red plum swaying gently in the cold wind. The fragrance of the plum blossoms was striking and tantalizing. She was both bright and elegant, with an indescribable charm. Seeing how his sister was so beautiful, just like his mother, Gu Yuan also smiled. Oh yes! Gu Yuan suddenly stiffened and gave half of the peeled orange to Gu Yanfei. He asked nervously, ¡°Sister, are you going to the Upper Forest Garden with Miss Wei tomorrow?¡± Upper Forest Garden was 20 miles from the capital. It was a royal garden surrounded by mountains and forests. The royal family had also carved out a piece of land nearby as a royal hunting ground. Gu Yanfei took it casually, broke off a piece of orange, and put it into her mouth. She nodded and said, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± That¡¯s right, Wei Jiaoniang was indeed talking about the Upper Forest Garden. Gu Yuan frowned, his eyebrows slightly raised, as he pondered. He finished half of the orange in two or three bites, but he could not focus on the taste. Gu Yanfei felt that something was wrong with Gu Yuan and looked at him strangely. Gu Yuan¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple bobbed. After hesitating for a long time, he said, ¡°The Eldest Prince will also go to the Upper Forest Garden tomorrow.¡± He hesitated and gritted his teeth again. In the end, he made up his mind and said, in one breath, ¡°¡­ If that guy with the last name Baili dares to disturb you, you must tell me. I¡¯ll beat him up.¡± Gu Yuan could not help but roll up his sleeves, as if he would rush up with his fists at any moment. ¡°Baili?¡± Gu Yanfei raised her eyebrows in confusion. ¡°Baili¡± was the national surname of the State of Yue. Hence, she asked directly, ¡°The Third Prince of the State of Yue?¡± Gu Yuan nodded silently and took another orange from the fruit bowl. He had once heard from a scoundrel friend that the Third Prince of the State of Yue, Baili Yin, was the most cynical. He indulged himself in beauties and was a lover of alcohol too. This time, after Gu Yuan saw the real person, he realized that the rumors were true. As soon as Baili Yin arrived in the capital, he told the Eldest Prince, Chu Yi, that he had heard that there were many beauties in the capital who were good at singing and dancing. In the end, they were dismissed by the Eldest Prince with a few words. After that, Baili Yin simply brought his men to the site of the fireworks. They enjoyed themselves every night and lingered without returning to the posthouse at all. Gu Yuan looked at Gu Yanfei hesitantly and deliberated over his words. ¡°Sister, you¡¯re so good-looking. If that Third Prince Baili sees you¡­¡± What if his sister was targeted by that lecherous ghost¡­ Just thinking about it made Gu Yuan very unhappy. He accidentally used too much strength and squeezed the poor orange, causing juice to seep out from under the orange skin. Chapter 135 - 135 Thinking It Through 135 Thinking It Through Gu Yanfei¡¯s clear eyes darted around slightly. She understood what Gu Yuan meant and chuckled. Gu Yanfei took a clean handkerchief and wiped the orange juice off Gu Yuan¡¯s fingers. Then she nodded with a smile and said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll definitely tell Big Brother.¡± She also understood what Gu Yuan meant. Tomorrow, he will also follow Chu Yi to the Upper Forest Garden. Gu Yuan was coaxed by Gu Yanfei¡¯s words. A smile appeared on his handsome face again, and he said seriously, ¡°With Big Brother around, you don¡¯t have to worry about anything.¡± His sister¡¯s dependence pleased him more than any rare treasure. Gu Yanfei took over the orange that had been broken by Gu Yuan. She nimbly peeled the orange and gave half to Gu Yuan while keeping the other half for herself. Gu Yuan stuffed another piece of orange into his mouth and narrowed his eyes. Well, this orange was indeed as his sister had said. It was very sweet and fragrant. Thinking of his sister¡¯s first time out hunting, Gu Yuan carefully and personally supervised Juan Bi¡¯s packing. Apart from the necessary bows, cloaks, and water bags, he also had to bring matchsticks, dry food, ointment for injuries, flares, daggers¡­ and even needlework. Gu Yanfei realized that Gu Yuan was very good at packing. He had packed so many broken things into a small leather bag and asked her to carry them with her. Gu Yanfei could carry this small leather bag on her back or hang it on the saddle. It was very convenient. On the day she left, when Wei Jiaoniang personally came to the Marquis Mansion to pick Gu Yanfei up, Gu Yanfei was still happily touching her small bag. They rode on, heading in the direction of the west gate. It was still early, only half past dawn. The sun had just risen, and there were not many passersby on the streets. The two girls galloped along, chatting and laughing. Poor Juan Bi¡¯s riding skills were mediocre, and it was extremely difficult for her to follow behind. ¡°Yanfei, I¡¯ll meet everyone at the west gate. It¡¯s still early, there¡¯s no hurry.¡± ¡°Later, I¡¯ll introduce some of my cousins and a handkerchief to you.¡± ¡°Their riding and shooting are not bad either, but they¡¯re not as good as me!¡± Wei Jiaoniang said confidently. That clear, bell-like laugh echoed happily in the cold December wind. They met up with seven or eight young men and women at the west gate. Then, against the cold wind, they continued to go west along the official road. On the way to the Upper Forest Garden, they encountered some old friends from time to time, so everyone set off together. When they arrived at their destination, there were already 30 to 40 people on this team. Some people had arrived earlier. There were several bamboo sheds in the open space outside the hunting ground. At a glance, it was crowded and noisy. A girl in pink standing in front of her saw Wei Jiaoniang and waved at her from afar. ¡°Wei Jiaoniang, over here!¡± ¡°Lu Qin, I¡¯m coming!¡± Wei Jiaoniang smiled and pulled Gu Yanfei¡¯s wrist, bringing her over. Five or six young men and women in their prime were sitting around a long table. There was a cup of tea in front of each of them, and the fragrance of the tea curled up in a rather comfortable manner. They naturally noticed Gu Yanfei, who had come with Wei Jiaoniang. Their gazes stopped on the two of them, and they looked surprised. The Wei family had a high status. Wei Jiaoniang had a straightforward temper and was lively and outgoing. She was on good terms with everyone, but it was rare for her to be so intimate with others. To most of them, Gu Yanfei was unfamiliar. The Third Lady of Duke Chang¡¯an¡¯s Manor had gone to Prince Jing¡¯s Manor to play polo last month and quietly whispered to others that Gu Yanfei was the Second Lady of the Dingyuan Marquis Household. Everyone could not help but size up Gu Yanfei. The young girl¡¯s eyebrows were as far as the mountains, and her eyes were as bright as the moon. She did not need any makeup or pearl hairpins to decorate her face. Just a faint smile was bright and moving, unable to hide her national beauty. The young men could not take their eyes off her for a moment. They only felt that the originally barren forest had become gorgeous because of her arrival. It was as if thousands of flowers had suddenly bloomed in the spring breeze, and the branches of the trees swayed. ¡°This is the Second Lady of the Gu family, Yanfei.¡± Wei Jiaoniang¡¯s clear voice woke everyone up. Hence, everyone greeted each other with smiles and was very cordial. ¡°Wei Jiaoniang, have you heard?¡± Lu Qin, who had just waved at Wei Jiaoniang, lowered her voice and said mysteriously, ¡°The Eldest Prince will also come today.¡± Without waiting for Wei Jiaoniang to speak, the young master in green sitting at the other end of the long table snorted angrily. ¡°You¡¯ve been keeping us in suspense just now. Was it because of this?¡± ¡°What secret is this? Everyone knows.¡± The young man in green spread his hands in amusement. Several people beside him were nodding, including Gu Yanfei. Realizing that everyone already knew, Lu Qin wilted like a punctured leather bow. Her appearance amused everyone at the table. Laughter rose and fell. The girl in blue beside Lu Qin nudged her chin southeast and added meaningfully, ¡°Why do you think ¡®some people¡¯ are here today?¡± Gu Yanfei and Wei Jiaoniang subconsciously looked to the southeast. Not far away, there were two gorgeous eight-treasure carriages and a green carriage. The two old women nimbly wiped all the tables in a bamboo shed. Then they cleared the original benches, removed several armchairs from the green-canopied carriage, and placed welcome pillows on them. Then, they moved down the small red clay stove, the clay teapot, teacups, food boxes, and other items. All the preparations were done quickly and nimbly, showing that they were well-trained. After they were done, the two covered eight-treasure carriages moved. Four or five bejeweled and carefully dressed girls alighted from the two covered carriages one after another. Their movements were so elegant, as if every move had been measured by a ruler, and there was a kind of nobility and reserve in their bones. When one of the girls got out of the carriage, she seemed to have noticed the commotion and turned to look over. The 15 or 16-year-old girl had thick black hair tied into a bun with a gilded butterfly hairpin studded with rubies. She had beautiful eyebrows and a small nose mole the size of a sesame seed. Gu Yanfei¡¯s gaze paused on the consort-clothed girl. Her right hand held the horse whip by her waist. It was her! Yu Chaoyun. Gu Yanfei tightened her grip on the horse whip in her right hand, her eyes as deep as an abyss. Her mental demon showed signs of stirring again. Chapter 136 - 136 Discord 136 Discord It was the twelfth lunar month in the bitter winter, and even if the rising sun rose, there was no warmth. These thin sheds could not block the mountain wind at all. The strong cold wind blew Gu Yanfei¡¯s hair slightly, and a few strands of hair blew into her eyes. Gu Yanfei seemed not to notice. Why was Yu Chaoyun in the capital at this time?! Yu Chaoyun was Fang Mingfeng¡¯s cousin and the niece of the British Duchess. In her previous life, Yu Chaoyun arrived in the capital in February of the following year and specially went to the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion to pay her respects to Madam Gu. At that time, Yu Chaoyun took the initiative to show goodwill, saying that she had no sisters and felt like Gu Yanfei was her friend at first sight. Yu Chaoyun¡¯s maidservant secretly told Gu Yanfei that Yu Chaoyun had lost her mother when she was a year old, and her father had married her stepmother. Outsiders only thought that her stepmother was virtuous, but she was actually sarcastic and mean to Yu Chaoyun. Back then, Gu Yanfei felt that she was in the same boat as Yu Chaoyun and treated her as a close friend. Unexpectedly, when she could finally bring her seriously injured brother away from the Gu family¡¯s man-eating hell, Yu Chaoyun actually stabbed her ruthlessly in the back and completely cut off her last escape route¡­ The pain she had experienced in her previous life surged towards her again. Gu Yanfei felt her heart churning like boiling water, and her eyes were stained with blood. ¡°Miss Yu,¡± someone called out to Yu Chaoyun. Yu Chaoyun glanced over, and the pearl earrings the size of lotus seed rice on her ears swayed. The pure gold butterfly collar on her neck shone in the sunlight, and the two pairs of butterfly wings embedded with seven treasures, as thin as cicada wings, trembled slightly, like a real pair of colorful butterflies stopping on her shoulder. Wei Jiaonang, Lu Qin, and the others watched this scene in a daze without moving for a long time. ¡°Wow!¡± The girl in blue let out a low exclamation between her lips. She pointed at Yu Chaoyun¡¯s hairpin and said, ¡°The hairpin she¡¯s wearing is the signature of this season!¡± ¡°And the material of her clothes should be brocade!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Look, the tea bowl she¡¯s using must be a Jian ware black-glazed hare¡¯s fur bowl¡­¡± The girls gathered together and talked non-stop, but none of the young masters could interrupt. Wei Jiaoniang frowned and whispered into Gu Yanfei¡¯s ear disapprovingly, ¡°These so-called noble families love to put on an act!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t look like you¡¯re here to hunt in that outfit.¡± ¡°Why did you come to the hunting ground if you¡¯re not here to hunt?¡± ¡°Wait and watch, in a while, they¡¯ll definitely despise the smell of blood and say that we¡¯re vulgar and cruel.¡± The blood in Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes had already been suppressed and returned to its original clarity. Her gaze swept across the dignified and elegant noble ladies. From the beginning to the end, they were talking amongst themselves and did not even look at the others around them, nor did they seem to care about the gazes the others cast on them. Some people were whispering, some were burning incense, some were sharing tea, and some people complained about the wind and asked the maidservant to quickly move the screen to block the wind¡­ Against the background of the other young men in fresh clothes, these refined girls looked so outstanding, as if they had accidentally walked onto the wrong stage. ¡°If they want to share tea, they might as well go home. Why are they so particular in such a deep mountain and old forest?!¡± Wei Jiaoniang could not help but mutter again. ¡°Jiaoniang, you don¡¯t understand.¡± The girl in blue pulled Wei Jiaoniang over and whispered, ¡°The drinker¡¯s mind is not on the cup, they all have ulterior motives.¡± Several quick-witted people at the side also sensed something from these noble ladies. They exchanged meaningful glances in twos and threes, pursed their lips, and smiled. ¡°By the way!¡± Lu Qin, who had wilted for a moment, quickly perked up again. She held up an index finger and said crisply, ¡°There¡¯s something else you guys don¡¯t know, right?¡± ¡°The Third Prince of the State of Yue, Baili Yin, will also come today.¡± The little girl waited to see everyone¡¯s surprised gazes, but she was disappointed again. The young man in green snorted. He was just short of asking if that was it? Lu Qin wilted again, and Wei Jiaoniang laughed heartily. ¡°Ignore them. We¡¯ll play by ourselves.¡± ¡°How is it? How do you want to compete this year?¡± They would come to the forest park every winter to hunt, and it could be said to be a tradition. It was just that this year, there were suddenly more women from aristocratic families who had not come in the past. ¡°Shall we hunt wolves?¡± The young man in the green beard flicked his horse whip with a grin, eager to try. Chapter 137 - 137 Discord 137 Discord ¡°Wolf meat is too dry,¡± Lu Qin objected. ¡°How about hunting bears? I want to eat bear paws.¡± ¡°Hunting bears is too dangerous. No, no.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hunt a tiger¡­¡± Everyone expressed their opinions one after another, and it was lively. In the end, it was Wei Jiaoniang who decisively slapped the table and said, ¡°Tigers lead, wolves are second.¡± In other words, whoever hunted a tiger would be the leader of this winter hunt. If no one hunted a tiger, the wolf hunter would be the leader. No one had any objections. Then, Lu Qin said excitedly, ¡°Then what¡¯s the prize¡­¡± She stopped mid-sentence. Lu Qin¡¯s gaze fell straight ahead. Her eyes darted around as she clapped with a smile and suggested, ¡°Jiaoniang, why don¡¯t we let the Eldest Prince set the bet?¡± Everyone was stunned when they heard an excited cry from ahead. ¡°The Eldest Prince is here.¡± There was a commotion, then silence. All the voices seemed to be sucked away, and everyone¡¯s eyes turned in unison. From the direction of the rising sun, a team of 17 or 18 people galloped over majestically. The most eye-catching person in the group was the young master riding a white horse. It was Chu Yi. The resplendent sunlight poured down, coating him in a faint golden halo, making his temperament look clear and otherworldly, as clear as a breeze and as bright as the moon. Chu Yi was dressed in a moon-white riding outfit embroidered with silver patterns. As he rode his horse, his shimmering clothes fluttered in the wind, making him look like an immortal who had arrived on a cloud. At Chu Yi¡¯s side was a handsome young man in his early 20s. He had dark skin, broad shoulders, and a narrow waist. He was dressed in a sapphire blue lapel narrow-sleeved beard robe and rode a strong black horse with snow-white hooves. The sound of hooves echoed in the forest, startling a group of birds. Occasionally, a few feathers would fall. Everyone in the clearing stood up to welcome him. Under everyone¡¯s burning gazes, Chu Yi¡¯s group drew closer and closer. Finally, they tightened the reins a hundred feet away. The horses stopped and whinnied. Behind him, Kang Wang Chu You stopped his horse half a body away from Chu Yi. Chu You had been watching Chu Yi. His face was calm, cold, and solemn, but it was obvious from the back of his hand that he was not as calm as he appeared. The black horse under him seemed to sense its master¡¯s emotions and panted heavily. ¡°Greetings, Your Highness.¡± The people in front bowed respectfully to Chu Yi. Their shouts were uniform, startling three to five more birds. One of the sparrows spread its wings and flew quickly over Gu Yanfei¡¯s head. One wing seemed to brush gently against her bun. Chu Yi immediately saw Gu Yanfei in the crowd and smiled. Today, Gu Yanfei was wearing a lilac-colored riding outfit with a narrow sleeve collar and wisteria embroidery on it. She was wearing deerskin boots, and her thick and fluffy black hair was combed into a simple bun. There was only a white jade plum blossom hairpin stuck diagonally into her bun and no other jewelry. The two red plums at the end of the hairpin shone beautifully under the sunlight. When Chu Yi¡¯s gentle gaze landed on the plum blossom hairpin, it lingered, and his eyes became even gentler. Gu Yanfei gave Chu Yi a bright smile as a greeting. Chu Yi raised his right hand as if in response to something. Then he said calmly to everyone, ¡°At ease.¡± Chu You followed Chu Yi¡¯s gaze and saw Gu Yanfei. He narrowed his narrow eagle eyes and fixed his eagle-like gaze on the white jade plum blossom hairpin on Gu Yanfei¡¯s head. This was¡­ Chu You¡¯s pupils constricted slightly, and his eyes darkened. Others might not recognize this plum blossom jade hairpin, but Chu You did. This jade hairpin was called the ¡°Plum Blossom Hairpin¡±. It was personally carved by Emperor Taizu and given to Empress Taizu. Back then, after the late Emperor married Madam Liu, Empress Taizu gave this plum hairpin to her. When Chu You was six years old, he once saw a portrait of Empress Taizu in Cining Palace. In the portrait, Empress Taizu was wearing this plum hairpin. At that time, the lost expression on his mother¡¯s face was deeply engraved in Chu You¡¯s heart, ever since he was still young. Chu You knew that his mother also wanted that plum hairpin. However, the plum hairpin had been given to his eldest brother, Chu Qi, before Madam Liu passed away. Obviously, Chu Qi had passed it on to Chu Yi. And Chu Yi actually gave it to Gu Yanfei?! Chu You¡¯s eyebrows jumped, and he tugged unconsciously at the reins. The horse whinnied lowly as it paced its iron hooves. Chu You couldn¡¯t help but think of the last time he was with Yuan Zhe. He had seen Chu Yi and Gu Yanfei in the private room of Qiongfang Shop on the street. He originally thought that the relationship between Chu Yi and her was at most ¡°a beautiful sight to behold¡±, but Chu Yi actually gave away Empress Taizu¡¯s things. Could it be that things between the two of them were not that simple?! Chu You looked deeply at the girl in front of him, whom he had once disdained. After a while, his gaze shifted from Gu Yanfei to Chu Yi. His gaze was different again, filled with understanding, disdain, and thoughtfulness. At this moment, thinking about what Rong¡¯er had told him, Chu You suddenly felt enlightened, as if some scattered beads had finally been connected¡­ A storm brewed in his eyes. Veins popped on the back of his hand, and his body tensed. ¡°Your Highness, you came at the right time.¡± Wei Jiaoniang took a step forward with a smile and cupped her hands at Chu Yi. As a daughter of a general, she was still generous and unabashed even in front of so many people. Beside Chu Yi, Baili Yin casually glanced at Wei Jiaoniang. When his gaze swept past the beautiful girl beside Wei Jiaoniang and settled on Gu Yanfei, his brown eyes lit up. His originally cold and boring gaze instantly became as hot as fire. Wei Jiaoniang said in high spirits, ¡°I just agreed that whoever catches the tiger will be the champion today. It¡¯s rare that Your Highness is also here, so we want to invite Your Highness to set a bet¡­¡± ¡°I have other thoughts.¡± Chu You suddenly interrupted Wei Jiaoniang and rode his horse to Chu Yi¡¯s side. An ambiguous smile appeared on his handsome face as he suggested, ¡°Nephew, the bet should be decided by our guest, Third Prince Baili.¡± Chapter 138 - 138 Not Killing 138 Not Killing Chu Yi smiled without saying anything. The white horse under him let out a rough breath and whinnied twice. Chu You turned to look at Baili Yin and smiled. ¡°What do you think, Third Prince Baili?¡± Baili Yin looked at Gu Yanfei without blinking, his burning gaze lingering on her beautiful face. Her skin was snow-white, her lips were red, and her eyes were watery. She was beautiful and otherworldly, elegant beyond comparison. What a beauty! Baili Yin sighed in his heart. He took a moment to react and laughed loudly before replying to Chu You. ¡°Kang Wang, then I¡¯ll join in the fun and give this scimitar to the champion of today¡¯s hunt.¡± As he spoke, he looked in Gu Yanfei¡¯s direction. At the same time, he raised a scimitar to his waist. The scabbard of this scimitar was embedded with seven-colored gems that were each the size of a finger and were eye-catching. Casually, he pulled the scimitar from its sheath. It glinted silver in the sunlight. A strand of hair fell lightly toward the blade and was cut in half. Without a doubt, this was a treasured scimitar that could even cut hair. Baili Yin¡¯s move was considered generous, causing the surrounding crowd to cheer. For this priceless treasure, many young masters were already rubbing their palms together and eager to try. Gu Yuan, who was mixed in with the imperial guards behind, also noticed the way Baili Yin looked at his sister. He frowned, and a cold glint appeared in his eyes. His knuckles cracked as he tightened his grip on his scabbard. Hmph, how dare he look at his sister like that? Later, he would call some friends and beat this bastard up! Baili Yin inexplicably felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up, but his smile did not fade. He deliberately looked at Chu Yi and asked, ¡°Young Master Yi, what do you think of my bet?¡± In the State of Yue, everyone called Chu Yi ¡°Young Master Yi¡±. ¡°We¡¯ll do as the Third Prince says.¡± Chu Yi smiled gently. Then, he looked around at everyone again and said gently, ¡°Everyone, don¡¯t hold back today. It¡¯s rare for you to come out, so just hunt to your heart¡¯s content. Let me see the charm of the children of the Great Jin.¡± The young masters of the noble families responded in unison, their spirits rising. Soon, the sound of hooves resounded through the forest. Young men with heroic bearing rode their horses into the hunting ground like the wind, fighting to be first. Some noble ladies from the general¡¯s family also carried their bows and followed in twos and threes into the forest. ¡°Yanfei, let¡¯s go hunt.¡± Wei Jiaoniang carried a bow and a long saber at her waist. After urging Gu Yanfei, she clamped her horse¡¯s abdomen and rode ahead. Gu Yanfei rode on Hongyu and followed closely behind. She rode her horse to her heart¡¯s content and rushed into the depths of the forest. Although the winter forest was not as energetic as spring, summer, and autumn, it was still a lush scene. The forest was quiet, and the whistling wind swayed the surrounding trees. Occasionally, some magpies, sparrows, black-headed birds, and so on flew past, adding a hint of vitality to this place. The deeper they went into the forest, the more rugged and narrow the mountain path became. Wei Jiaoniang was afraid that Gu Yanfei would not be able to catch up, so she cautiously slowed down. She looked back and saw Gu Yanfei perfectly following a horse¡¯s body away from her, with a relaxed posture and a faint smile. She looked like she was at ease. Wei Jiaonang waited for Gu Yanfei to walk side by side with her. She looked at her with a smile, then at the obedient red horse she was riding. ¡°Yanfei, you¡¯re better at training horses. Hongyu has only been in your hands for a few days, but it seems to have been reborn.¡± Hongyu was an Akhal-Teke horse, and such a good steed often had its own pride. In the past, when it was in the Wei Manor, it was not so cooperative when others rode it. Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes sparkled as she stroked Hongyu¡¯s slender horse neck in satisfaction. She praised generously, ¡°Hongyu is very smart.¡± Hongyu neighed twice, as if echoing Gu Yanfei¡¯s words. Its footsteps were light, and it walked on the rugged mountain path as if it was walking on flat ground. ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. Our Hongyu is very smart.¡± A bright smile bloomed on Wei Jiaoniang¡¯s face as she said with some emotion, ¡°Grandpa said that good horses will choose their own masters.¡± ¡°Hongyu is fated with you!¡± Hongyu seemed to understand and neighed a few more times. It swung its tail happily and rushed forward, taking the lead. Wei Jiaoniang smiled and was about to chase when her gaze suddenly turned cold and she looked to her right. At the same time, her hand moved, and she quickly drew her bow to release an arrow at a bush to the southeast. This series of movements was as smooth as flowing water. Chapter 139 - 139 Not Killing 139 Not Killing The arrow whooshed into the bushes and hit a pheasant. From the moment she pulled out the arrow, Wei Jiaoniang¡¯s horse never stopped. When the horse galloped past the bushes, she bent down and casually picked up the pheasant, whose throat had been pierced by the arrow. Her movements were elegant and nimble. She worked perfectly with her horse and gained a hunt in the blink of an eye without even catching her breath. After hunting the pheasant, the two of them did not stop. They continued forward, looking at the scenery along the way, admiring the flowers and trees, talking and laughing. After another hour, Wei Jiaoniang hunted another badger. However, Gu Yanfei had never drawn her bow, so she naturally found nothing. Wei Jiaoniang put the badger in the game basket and casually asked, ¡°Yanfei, have you never hunted hares, pheasants, or anything like that before?¡± ¡°No.¡± Gu Yanfei shook her head honestly. She had indeed never killed hares, pheasants, or badgers. She had only killed black fire wolves, nine-tailed foxes, eagles, and flying snakes¡­ As a medical cultivator, Gu Yanfei had to learn alchemy, talismans, divination, and curse techniques¡­ These often required the bones, blood, and teeth of spirit beasts as materials. Her master always pushed her to learn array formations because these could save her life. He said that medical cultivators were so weak and were not those sword cultivators who liked to fight and kill. Medical cultivators had to learn to protect themselves. Thinking of that period in the Bright Spirit Realm, Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes curved slightly. Her black eyes were like the blue sky above the forest, clean, transparent, and bright. Wei Jiaonang looked at Gu Yanfei¡¯s child-like flawless eyes and smiled knowingly. She thought to herself, ¡®This is how people who have never killed are. No matter how good they are at riding and shooting, no matter how accurate their targets are, they won¡¯t dare to draw their bows at their prey. It was just like the first time I entered the hunting ground when I was young!¡¯ Wei Jiaoniang said excitedly, ¡°Yanfei, I¡¯ll teach you. Don¡¯t be afraid!¡± ¡°The key to the path of hunting is to have eyes and ears in all directions. Your judgment has to be accurate, and you have to be steady and ruthless.¡± As she spoke, she looked around. Her eyes narrowed as she aimed at something 200 feet to the southwest. She stopped talking and patted Gu Yanfei¡¯s shoulder gently with her hand. With her other finger, she pointed at the prey she had her eye on and mouthed, ¡°This will do.¡± Wei Jiaoniang was referring to a doe standing under a tree. Its brown-red fur was glossy, and its back was covered in white spots. The doe faced them with its tail, lowered its head, and quietly grazed, as if it did not notice their gaze. Wei Jiaoniang silently gestured for Gu Yanfei to try shooting this doe. Gu Yanfei did not move. She stared at the doe for a moment without blinking, then shook her head. Wei Jiaonang thought that Gu Yanfei¡¯s heart had softened. Just as she was about to speak, Gu Yanfei raised her hand and pointed at the deer¡¯s abdomen. She whispered to Wei Jiaoniang, ¡°Let¡¯s not hunt a pregnant mother deer.¡± This was one of the rules of her sect: Spirit beasts that were pregnant and had babies should not be killed. This rule was for the sake of continuing the race and maintaining a balance between heaven and earth. ¡°¡­¡± Stunned, Wei Jiaoniang narrowed her eyes and focused on the doe. The doe¡¯s chest and abdomen sagged slightly, but it was half hidden by the lush grass around it and didn¡¯t look obvious¡­ Wei Jiaonang had loved to follow Imperial Duke Wei everywhere since she was young. She had been to the hunting ground many times and had seen countless wild beasts. At this moment, upon closer inspection, she came to a realization. Just as Gu Yanfei had said, this female deer still had its cubs! ¡°Your eyes are really bright, and your heart is meticulous,¡± Wei Jiaoniang praised in a low voice, afraid that she would alarm the female deer. ¡°In the past, when Grandpa took me out hunting, he told me the same thing.¡± Wei Jiaonang¡¯s eyes sparkled like gems. She felt that she and Gu Yanfei really hit it off. No wonder she felt a sense of familiarity with her at first glance. Her grandfather had also said that all things had spirits and had continuous growth. He had repeatedly warned them not to kill young beasts, pregnant beasts, and mother and son beasts when hunting. In fact, many people knew these principles, but once they arrived at the hunting ground, they often had the intention to kill or the desire to win, so they abandoned these most basic principles. However, Gu Yanfei was different from those people! Thinking of this, Wei Jiaoniang felt even closer to Gu Yanfei. Her smile was bright and clear as she said with a smile, ¡°Then let¡¯s find other prey.¡± In any case, there were many prey in the forest. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let you return empty-handed.¡± Wei Jiaoniang patted her chest proudly and was filled with confidence. She was just short of saying ¡°I¡¯m fond of teaching others¡± on her face, making Gu Yanfei laugh. ¡°Let¡¯s¡­¡± Before she could say ¡®go¡¯, Gu Yanfei¡¯s ears twitched. She turned around warily and looked behind her right. Her eyes turned cold, and her aura was different from its relaxed state just now. Between the trees, a gleaming white-feathered arrow was nocked to the bow. The tip was aimed at the doe, who was grazing. The bone-chilling mountain wind sent a man¡¯s cold and heartless whisper over. ¡°This doe seems to have cubs¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s good too. The cub must be nearby. Let¡¯s take it down together and make a set of mother and son pads.¡± As the man muttered to himself, his fingers casually released the bowstring. ¡°Swoosh!¡± The white-feathered arrow tore through the air and shot quickly at the female deer under the tree. This arrow carried a cold killing intent, colder than the winter wind. Without thinking, Gu Yanfei took off the bull-horn bow on her back and drew a black feather arrow with her other hand. She nocked an arrow, drew the bow, and released it without hesitation. The series of actions happened in an instant, impossibly fast, smooth, and coherent. Her black-feathered arrow was as fast as lightning and as sharp as a blade. The arrow was extremely accurate and hit the white-feathered arrow that the man had shot. Chapter 140 - 140 Can Be Saved 140 Can Be Saved Clunk! Sparks flew as the tip of the arrow struck the tip. The white-feathered arrow was knocked an inch askew and shot into the big tree beside the doe. The tree trembled violently, and countless fallen leaves rustled. The female deer was frightened by the sound and bounced up like a spring. It rushed into the forest ahead in a panic and was drowned by the bushes in the blink of an eye¡­ It was unknown where it had gone. ¡°Amazing!¡± Wei Jiaoniang naturally saw this scene. Her eyes lit up, and she was in high spirits. If not for the fact that she was still riding a horse, she would have rushed over and hugged Gu Yanfei to cheer. The arrow Gu Yanfei shot just now was simply amazing! For a moment, Wei Jiaoniang seemed to see a majestic female general shoot down the enemy¡¯s head from hundreds of steps away. She clapped heavily and exclaimed in her heart. Gu Yanfei¡¯s riding and shooting skills are indeed very good! I¡¯ve not analyzed her wrongly. It¡¯s precisely because she has never hunted in the past that she hasn¡¯t taken action yet. As long as I give Gu Yanfei some pointers, she will definitely surpass me. Just the two of us are enough to smile proudly at the hunting ground! Gu Yanfei quietly looked in the direction the female deer had left. The bowstring in her hand was still buzzing slightly. She stroked the bowstring but smiled without saying anything. Medical cultivators were not Buddhist cultivators with a Bodhisattva¡¯s heart. They could kill and save. Medical cultivators killed spirit beasts to obtain beast blood, animal bones, and inner cores for medicine. It was taboo to drain the pond to get at the fish. Therefore, medical cultivators didn¡¯t always kill in order to maintain the balance of the spirit beast race in the world. A mother beast with cubs had to be saved. The sound of hooves came from the direction of the white-feathered arrow. Baili Yin, who was dressed in a sapphire blue robe, was the first to ride his horse out of the forest. Behind him were seven or eight guards of the State of Yue. As these people arrived, the sounds of hooves, horse cries, human voices, and all kinds of rustling intertwined. The originally quiet forest suddenly became much noisier. ¡°Who is it?!¡± A guard from the State of Yue raised his voice unhappily and shouted with an unfriendly gaze, ¡°Hey, the two of you¡­¡± Baili Yin saw Gu Yanfei at a glance and only raised his hand slightly. The guard immediately fell silent, shut up, and retreated. ¡°Who shot my arrow away?¡± There was no anger on Baili Yin¡¯s slightly rough face. Instead, there was a smile on his lips, and his eyes were burning. He was asking Gu Yanfei and Wei Jiaoniang, but his gaze was only on Gu Yanfei, as if Wei Jiaoniang did not exist. Unable to stand these people who wanted to kill the mother beast, Wei Jiaoniang tugged at Gu Yanfei¡¯s sleeve, urging her to go. Baili Yin¡¯s gaze slowly moved down from Gu Yanfei¡¯s beautiful face to the bow in her hand. ¡°Was it you?¡± Baili Yin rode his horse two steps closer to Gu Yanfei. His thin lips curled up even higher with a hint of interest and amazement. ¡°You¡¯re very bold!¡± A beauty with thorns was also beautiful. Gu Yanfei was also not interested in talking to him. She only raised the bow in her hand, and the bowstring hummed again. The intention to show off was obvious. This action meant that if she was annoyed, she would even hit him! Baili Yin let out a low laugh. He was still smiling, even more happily. The guards he brought along from the State of Yue were furious. They had long heard that these noble ladies of the Northern State of Jin were all arrogant by nature, unlike the women of the State of Yue, who were gentle, virtuous, and respectful. Seeing them today, it was indeed the case. These two noble women were very fierce! ¡°Jiaoniang, let¡¯s go.¡± Gu Yanfei carried the bow back. When she faced Wei Jiaoniang, her smile was like a spring breeze blowing through the flowers. She was a completely different person from her cold and impatient attitude towards Baili Yin. Baili Yin widened his eyes slightly and looked at the beauty in front of him in shock. This little beauty was really a rose with thorns. Their horses had just turned when they heard a loud, mournful whine from behind, startling a flurry of birds and rustling the distant leaves. It was¡­ the whine of a deer. Gu Yanfei immediately heard it and turned to look in the direction of the voice. It was in the direction that the female deer had escaped. ¡°It¡¯s that deer!¡± Wei Jiaoniang also heard it and frowned. The sorrow in this deer¡¯s cry was obvious, making one¡¯s imagination run wild. It was probably because the female deer had encountered something unexpected again. ¡°Yanfei, let¡¯s go take a look.¡± Worried about the female deer, Wei Jiaoniang pulled the reins and steered the horse to change direction again. Chapter 141 - 141 Can Be Saved 141 Can Be Saved ¡°I¡¯ll go take a look too,¡± Baili Yin said. He did not care at all what had happened over there, nor did he care about the outcome of that deer. He just wanted to chase the beautiful Gu Yanfei. But they had only taken a few steps when there was a commotion in the forest. The sound of hooves approached, and bushes rustled. After a while, a group of people came out first. Leading them was Kang Wang, Chu You, riding a black horse and holding a bow. Behind Chu You were four or five others, all smelling faintly of blood. The hunting baskets carried by the horses were heavy, and they had obviously gained a lot of game. ¡°Third Prince Baili.¡± Chu You laughed loudly and rode his horse closer to Baili Yin. His posture was relaxed, and his smile was a little warm. ¡°I heard your voice just now. It¡¯s indeed you.¡± Of course, Chu You also saw Gu Yanfei, who was not far away. He casually glanced at her and continued to talk to Baili Yin. ¡°This deer happened to walk into a trap and run towards me, so I took it down.¡± As he spoke, one of his guards came over with a brownish-red doe on his shoulder and rudely dropped it on the grass. Chu You, who was on horseback, looked down at the weak female deer and smiled. ¡°This female deer is still breastfeeding. Its cubs are at most a month old, so they couldn¡¯t have run too far.¡± ¡°When I came over just now, I heard movement in the grass over there. Third Prince Baili, do you want to follow me over to take a look?¡± When facing Baili Yin, Chu You¡¯s friendly attitude was obvious. Baili Yin was also smiling, but when he looked at Chu You, his smile did not reach his eyes. He avoided the question and said, ¡°Kang Wang¡¯s archery skills are really extraordinary. I admire you.¡± Gu Yanfei did not care about the sharpness between the two of them at all. She looked steadily at the female deer in the hunting basket. Its body curled into a ball, and dark red blood stained a large patch of its fur. Blood dripped down, dripping onto the grass below. Those innocent deer eyes were half-closed, having long lost the calmness they had when they were grazing. The life in its eyes had died with the flow of blood, becoming dull and lifeless. Its breathing was extremely weak, and it was already on its last breath. Wei Jiaoniang glared unhappily at Chu You, who was 20 feet away. She raised her stubborn little chin and reprimanded rudely, ¡°Kang Wang, Prince of the Second Rank, don¡¯t you know the logic not to hunt a pregnant mother beast?¡± Wei Jiaoniang was Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s legitimate granddaughter and also the daughter of the heir. She had a noble status and a forthright and generous personality. She often followed her elders into and out of the palace. When facing these descendants of the royal family, she was fearless. Once she was angry, she even dared to scold Kang Wang. Being pointed at and scolded like this, Chu You¡¯s expression darkened. He was stung by the other party calling him ¡®Prince of the Second Rank¡¯. Behind him, Yuan Zhe frowned slightly and said coldly, ¡°You¡¯re too soft-hearted.¡± Instead of being angry, Wei Jiaoniang smiled and did not argue with Yuan Zhe. What was there to say to such a weakling who could not even hold a bow steadily?! She looked Chu You up and down and sneered. ¡°Look who¡¯s talking.¡± These words seemed to have a double meaning. Gu Yanfei dismounted without a word and walked towards the injured female deer. Chu You frowned slightly and reprimanded unhappily, ¡°How dare you.¡± It was unknown if these two words were referring to Wei Jiaoniang or Gu Yanfei. His guard immediately drew his sword and stood in front of Chu You warily, afraid that Gu Yanfei would be rude to his master. ¡°What are you doing?¡± The attendant puffed out his chest and took a step forward, questioning Gu Yanfei in a sharp voice. Wei Jiaoniang was afraid that this eunuch would offend Gu Yanfei, so she hurriedly dismounted and followed, but not before rolling her eyes in an imposing manner. It meant that as long as she was here, they could forget about causing trouble. Gu Yanfei pointed at the female deer on the ground and said matter-of-factly, ¡°Save it.¡± ¡°A dead deer?¡± Chu You smiled mockingly. The horse under him snorted heavily, as if in demonstration. ¡°I can,¡± Gu Yanfei said clearly. ¡°Move aside.¡± The first two words were directed at Chu You, and the second at the eunuch blocking the way. When Yuan Zhe heard this, he looked at Gu Yanfei and Wei Jiaoniang thoughtfully and thought of something. It was said that Gu Yanfei had saved the dying Imperial Duke Wei in Tianyin Pavilion. Yuan Zhe silently nudged Chu You with his elbow and gave him a comforting look, telling him to calm down. Chu You was a smart person and immediately understood what his cousin meant. His gaze changed. He gripped the reins, and his horse snorted again. ¡°Then I¡¯ll give you a chance.¡± Chu You¡¯s lips curled up casually, as if he was looking down at Gu Yanfei from the high clouds. ¡°If you can save this deer, I¡¯ll give it to you as a reward.¡± ¡°If not¡­¡± After a pause, Chu You¡¯s tone was cold. ¡°You ruined my mood today. I won¡¯t let you off easily!¡± He wanted to see what tricks this girl had to coax Chu Yi into giving away Empress Taizu¡¯s plum hairpin. Gu Yanfei did not agree or disagree with Chu You¡¯s request. She only said calmly, ¡°Move aside.¡± The guard subconsciously looked at Chu You and obediently retreated after seeing him raise his hand and wave it back. Gu Yanfei calmly took two more steps forward and squatted down beside the female deer. Seeing this, Chu You raised his hand and snapped his fingers. The corners of his mouth curled up in disdain. A few guards from Prince Kang¡¯s Manor understood and surrounded Gu Yanfei. They held the scabbard in one hand and the hilt of the sword in the other, sealing every escape route for her. As long as the deer died, even if Gu Yanfei had a thousand methods, she would not be able to escape. Chu You¡¯s gaze landed steadily on the white jade plum blossom hairpin in Gu Yanfei¡¯s hair, and his eyes gradually became deep and cold. This was the hairpin his mother had always wanted. Since he couldn¡¯t get it, he might as well destroy it! Chapter 142 - 142 Means 142 Means Gu Yanfei, whose back was facing Chu You, was carefully checking the female deer¡¯s wound. It had been pierced through the neck by a gray-feathered arrow. The arrow was still on it, and blood was quickly spilling from the edge of the wound. The shot was fatal, piercing its carotid artery. The deer was on the verge of death from the loss of blood and could no longer move. Even without taking a closer look, Baili Yin was certain that this deer was hopeless. He shook his head, but he didn¡¯t say anything. In fact, his lips curled. Only when the little beauty could not advance or retreat and was put in a difficult position by Kang Wang could he make a move at the right time and save the damsel in distress in exchange for the beauty¡¯s gratitude. It was not appropriate to be late or slow. Baili Yin stared at Gu Yanfei with a burning gaze. Gu Yanfei stroked the deer¡¯s neck comfortingly. Under the golden light of the rising sun, her thick eyelashes drooped slightly, and her eyes were like clear water. Every frown and smile was like a green lotus in bud, moving one¡¯s heart. Fortunately, it was only a deer. Gu Yanfei sighed softly in her heart. She circulated her spiritual energy to the tip of her right finger, dipped it in the deer¡¯s blood, and casually drew a talisman on the female deer¡¯s neck¡­ Blood circulated at her fingertips, as if it were alive. Her movements were unhurried, and she had a beauty that was difficult to describe with words. This was¡­ Wow! Wei Jiaoniang¡¯s eyes widened, emitting a dazzling light as she watched Gu Yanfei¡¯s every move without blinking. She had heard from her grandfather and grandmother that Gu Yanfei had saved her grandfather with extraordinary methods. She was amazed, and did not expect to have the chance to witness this miracle so quickly. When the last stroke was drawn, Gu Yanfei¡¯s left hand suddenly reached out and quickly pulled out the gray feather arrow from the deer¡¯s neck. The eunuch hurriedly took two steps back. One could imagine that blood would definitely spurt out of the wound after Gu Yanfei pulled out this arrow, causing the person beside her to be in a sorry state with blood all over his face. He looked at Gu Yanfei sympathetically, but he felt the metal arrow tip reflect the sunlight into his eyes. His eyes stung, and a layer of tears uncontrollably appeared in front of his eyes. Through his tears, he seemed to see countless light spots flowing between the tip of the arrow and the bloody hole. He stumbled and fell onto the grass. His butt hurt from the stones below, but he didn¡¯t even grunt like a mute. Blood did not spurt from the deer¡¯s neck! The eunuch sitting on the ground slowly blinked and looked at the female deer¡¯s neck again in disbelief. His eyes almost fell out. The bloody hole in the deer¡¯s neck actually condensed. Even if the arrow wound hadn¡¯t healed as well as it had, it wasn¡¯t bleeding or seeping blood. This meant the bleeding had stopped. Even Chu You¡¯s expression changed, and his eyes widened. This was impossible! Yuan Zhe took this all in and frowned in deep thought. He subconsciously pulled the reins, and the horse neighed as it paced a few steps. The deer had been personally shot by Kang Wang and carried over by his guards. It was impossible for Gu Yanfei to play any tricks! Could it be¡­ ¡°The bleeding has stopped.¡± Only Wei Jiaoniang clapped and cheered, beaming with joy. Under the eunuch¡¯s incredulous gaze, the female deer opened its eyes, and there was life and spirit in them again. It slowly stood up and swung its slender neck twice. Its four slender deer legs were still a little unsteady when it took the first two steps. After taking another three or four steps, its footsteps became steady. Deers were also sentient animals and this deer knew that Gu Yanfei had saved its life. It let out a low and gentle hiss, then leaned its head over and gently rubbed Gu Yanfei¡¯s arm as a thank-you. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Gu Yanfei patted its head gently. ¡°Don¡¯t be discovered again.¡± It was fatally injured. If it were a human, she would definitely suffer a certain level of backlash and her lifespan would be affected once she saved the human. It was the ¡°Tao¡± of this small world. Since she was here, she was constrained by it. Seeing that Gu Yanfei was about to let go of the female deer, a guard from Prince Kang¡¯s Manor reached out to stop her. ¡°This is our prince¡¯s deer¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chu You¡¯s lips pursed into a tight line. His expression was dark, and his entire body emitted a cold aura. At this point, he could not go back on his word. He had already said in public that if Gu Yanfei could save this deer, he would reward her with it. Chapter 143 - 143 Means 143 Means In the next moment, a pair of clear black eyes looked up and met his. The corners of her lips curled up as she said indifferently, ¡°I saved it.¡± Chu You grabbed the reins hard and was about to say, ¡°I¡¯ll reward you,¡± when Gu Yanfei said first, ¡°The deer doesn¡¯t belong to Your Highness.¡± Gu Yanfei stood up leisurely and patted the deer butt again. Only then did the female deer react and run. Its legs were light, and when it leaped, it seemed to want to fly. It easily passed through a patch of bushes and was gone in two or three moves. Only the mountain wind was still howling through the surrounding trees. The pools of blood on the ground and the blood-stained gray feather silently reminded everyone what had just happened. The smell of blood lingered in everyone¡¯s noses. ¡°This is Your Highness¡¯s.¡± Gu Yanfei chuckled and threw the gray arrow in her hand towards Chu You¡­ How dare she! A cold smile appeared on Chu You¡¯s lips. He raised his hand to catch the gray arrow that was shooting at him with ease. The sticky touch of deer blood made him frown in discomfort. When he looked at Gu Yanfei again, his eyes became sharper and deeper, as if he wanted to see through her appearance and see through all her thoughts and secrets. ¡°It¡¯s alive, Yanfei. It¡¯s alive!¡± Wei Jiaoniang looked in the direction the female deer had left and smiled happily. She took out another handkerchief and handed it to Gu Yanfei. Gu Yanfei took the handkerchief from Wei Jiaoniang and casually wiped the deer blood from her hand with a casual expression. Clap, clap, clap. Baili Yin clapped gently, applauding the magical scene just now. There were many beauties in the Jiangnan area. In the State of Yue, he had seen many beautiful women. Gu Yanfei was very beautiful and had an ethereal aura. Therefore, he was attracted to her at first glance. The first time he was stunned, it was purely because of her beauty, but now it was more than that. The charm of this girl was rare, and she was beautiful but thorny. She was the only one he had seen in his life who had such extraordinary abilities. Baili Yin narrowed his wolf-like eyes. His gaze was as hot as if he had seen his prey. After confirming that the female deer had gone far, Gu Yanfei casually patted Wei Jiaoniang¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°Jiaoniang, let¡¯s go.¡± Wei Jiaoniang followed without saying a word. The two of them got back on their horses and rode on without any intention of bidding farewell. ¡°Yanfei.¡± Wei Jiaoniang pointed ahead excitedly and said, ¡°I remember that there should be a mountain spring ahead. There might be prey lingering around the water source. I¡¯m guessing that Lu Qin and the others will most likely go that way.¡± ¡°Maybe we¡¯ll be lucky enough to hunt some prey!¡± Gu Yanfei smiled and said, ¡°Okay.¡± The two of them chatted and laughed as they walked away. The sound of hooves faded into the forest. Baili Yin stared straight at Gu Yanfei¡¯s back, and the corners of his mouth curled up higher and higher. With a hint of casualness, he said, ¡°Kang Wang, what¡¯s there to fuss about with a beauty? A thorny beauty is like strong wine. It burns one¡¯s throat, but it¡¯s strong and lingering.¡± Chu You did not think much of it, but he did not refute the other party. Baili Yin continued, ¡°Was that a talisman she drew with deer blood just now?¡± Baili Yin had long heard that Taoist doctors were prevalent in the State of Jin and were respected. However, before today, he had never cared about these divine things and thought that these Taoists were just swindlers. The people of the State of Jin were stupid enough to be superstitious. It was no wonder that the country had declined over the years. Only now did he know that the methods of a Taoist doctor were even more magical than the rumors! ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Chu You retracted his gaze. When he looked at Baili Yin again, his expression returned to normal. ¡°Taoist doctors are best at talismans, abstaining, signing, incantation, and sacrificial¡­¡± He explained patiently. Chu You did not believe in Taoist doctors. Just as Rong¡¯er had said, there were no ghosts or gods in this world at all. Those Taoist priests and shamans saving people with talisman water and witchcraft were just playing a trick to fool people. It was like throwing their hands into a hot oil pot and shattering rocks with their chests. That¡¯s right. Gu Yanfei must have done something strange just now, but she hid it better than others. For an ignorant, incompetent, vulgar, and rude country girl to be able to openly become the legitimate daughter of the Marquis Household, squeeze into Rong¡¯er¡¯s position, and even coax Chu Yi to take a fancy to her, she naturally had some methods that ordinary people did not have. ¡°Interesting, really interesting.¡± Baili Yin laughed. It was unknown if he was talking about Gu Yanfei or a Taoist doctor. The mountain wind grew stronger, and the whistling sound blew away the laughter¡­ Not only Baili Yin, but Wei Jiaoniang was also very curious about the ¡°Taoist doctor¡±. After confirming that Chu You and Baili Yin could not be seen behind her, she pestered Gu Yanfei and asked, ¡°Yanfei, tell me quickly. How did you do it?¡± Without needing Gu Yanfei to pull the reins, Hongyu stopped himself. Gu Yanfei¡¯s little face tilted, and she said with a smile, ¡°Give me your hand.¡± Wei Jiaoniang quickly stopped her horse and impatiently handed her left hand to Gu Yanfei, looking at her without blinking. Gu Yanfei held her left hand with one hand and gently drew a talisman on the little girl¡¯s soft and delicate palm with the other. She drew the simplest talisman with only three or four strokes. ¡°This is the most basic Disease Removal Talisman.¡± Gu Yanfei slowly drew it again. She looked at her face and asked, ¡°Have you memorized the drawing method?¡± There were also many types of Disease Removal Talismans. The one Gu Yanfei had taught Wei Jiaoniang was most suitable for beginners. ¡°Yes!¡± Wei Jiaoniang suddenly felt that her left hand had become precious. She carefully held her precious left hand with her right hand and nodded. Gu Yanfei reminded her again, ¡°This talisman can¡¯t be drawn wrongly. It has to be completed in a coherent manner and be completely correct before it works.¡± This Disease Removal Talisman was an entry-level talisman of their sect. When drawing talismans, there was no need to rely on spiritual energy. Although the effect of the talisman was minimal, it was better than that of ordinary mortals who could draw and use it. In the past, there was a plague in the mortal town protected by the sect. Countless people fell ill and were on the verge of death. Her master asked her to go down the mountain and spread the Disease Removal Talisman to a few medical centers in town. Chapter 144 - 144 To Win 144 To Win This time, Wei Jiaoniang was no longer interested in hunting. She was distracted and only let the horse move forward while she kept practicing on her left palm with her fingers. However, for some reason, she could not possibly finish it in one stroke. The stroke of the talisman would always accidentally break at a certain point. Wei Jiaoniang was not discouraged. She still practiced repeatedly, over and over again¡­ She did not know how many times she had practiced. She only gradually felt that her strokes were becoming smoother and more skilled. Just a little more¡­ This little bit took her more than two hours. After walking for an unknown distance, the faint sound of spring water could be heard ahead. However, Wei Jiaoniang did not notice it at all. Her index finger moved on her left palm for the 101st time and drew the last stroke at the base of her palm. In an instant, she felt enlightened, as if a voice in her heart was saying that this time it would work. Sure enough! Her palm lit up slightly. In the next moment, a small wound on her fingertip that had just been cut by a branch healed. Wow! That was amazing! Wei Jiaoniang looked at the ring finger of her left hand in disbelief. The skin on the tip of his ring finger was intact, tender, and delicate, as if the 30-centimeter-long cut had never existed. ¡°Yanfei, I did it!¡± ¡°Look, I did it!¡± Wei Jiaoniang cheered excitedly, as if she had obtained some rare treasure. ¡°Jiaoniang, you¡¯re so happy.¡± Lu Qin and the others heard the commotion and came over. From afar, their voices arrived before they arrived. ¡°Did you hunt some ferocious beast?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Wei Jiaoniang froze. She had been busy learning to draw talismans along the way. Other than the pheasant and a badger she had initially hunted, she had not hunted anything else. Hence, from the moment she met Lu Qin and the others until they left the hunting ground together, Wei Jiaoniang received many caring gazes and questions along the way. ¡°Eh? Jiaoniang, did you only hunt these two prey?¡± ¡°Jiaoniang, you¡¯re not so lucky today!¡± ¡°Did you go into the mountains to sleep just now?¡± ¡°¡­¡± On the empty ground outside the hunting grounds, acquaintances ran over to talk to Wei Jiaoniang. After a while, there were seven or eight people surrounding her. Seeing that Wei Jiaoniang had gained so little prey this time, many people felt a little strange. They had known each other for many years and had come here for the winter hunt with Wei Jiaoniang every year. She had some ancestral bearing, and her harvest from every winter hunt was one of the best. ¡°No, no. I think the prey in the mountains are fighting to leave. They¡¯re all afraid of Jiaoniang¡­¡± A petite girl in green said playfully, causing everyone to laugh again. The young boys and girls were familiar with each other and often came out to play, so they did not have any scruples when talking. They teased Wei Jiaoniang one after another, and their bright and cheerful laughter echoed in the air. The afternoon sun was high in the middle of the sky, and there were people coming and going. Many people had come out of the hunting ground before Gu Yanfei and the others. They gathered in twos and threes to talk and laugh, creating a lively atmosphere. Faced with everyone¡¯s teasing, Wei Jiaoniang did not take it to heart. She smiled generously and said, ¡°I¡¯m giving you all a chance.¡± As she spoke, she secretly hooked Gu Yanfei¡¯s pinky with her own, meaning that this was their little secret. The pinky promise was not to change for a hundred years. Other than pinching her cat¡¯s paw, Gu Yanfei had not done such a childish thing in a long time. She found it extremely interesting. She gently hooked Wei Jiaoniang¡¯s pinky finger, meaning, ¡°Alright, it¡¯s our little secret.¡± Wei Jiaoniang looked up and around to see that half of the surrounding shed was empty. The noble ladies were no longer around, leaving only a few servants to clean up something. She did not mind and casually asked her friends, ¡°Did anyone hunt any powerful, ferocious beasts?¡± Lu Qin¡¯s fourth brother, Lu Shi, immediately revealed a mysterious smile and said slowly, ¡°Not for the time being.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Lu Qin grabbed her sleeve and urged, ¡°Don¡¯t keep me in suspense.¡± ¡°I heard someone found a tiger,¡± Lu Shi said with a grin. Tiger?! Gu Yanfei, who was feeding sugar to the horse, was also interested. Wei Jiaoniang and the others¡¯ eyes also lit up. Their eyes were like lit lanterns, sparkling. Chapter 145 - 145 To Win 145 To Win Lu Shi seemed to be quite satisfied with this effect. He took the tea from his sister, Lu Qin, and said slowly, ¡°A few imperial guards who were scouting the hunting grounds found a tiger by a river near the foot of the Five Peaks. Many people went after hearing about it. Some wanted to hunt the tiger, and some wanted to see it.¡± Wei Jiaoniang was deep in thought. She glanced at Yu Chaoyun and the others¡¯ shed again, raised her chin, and asked, ¡°Did they follow to watch the commotion?¡± ¡°Yes, they entered the forest half an hour ago.¡± Lu Shi nodded. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t been waiting for you, I would have followed them to watch the commotion.¡± Towards the end, Lu Shi seemed to be unable to help but complain to them. ¡°Ha.¡± Lu Qin didn¡¯t bother to hide her mockery. ¡°Aren¡¯t they afraid of dirtying their shoes even when they walk? Aren¡¯t they afraid that the fleas on the tiger will jump on them?¡± As she spoke, she couldn¡¯t help but burst out laughing, making the others burst into laughter. After laughing for a while, Wei Jiaoniang exclaimed, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect there to be a tiger in the hunting grounds.¡± Although they had agreed before the winter hunt that anyone who hunted a tiger or a wolf would win, in fact, this area belonged to the hunting grounds of the Upper Forest Garden, and the Emperor would come occasionally. For the safety of the Emperor, those ferocious beasts had long been driven into the depths of the forest. Moreover, the imperial guards came to clean up this hunting ground every few days. Hence, there were basically no ferocious beasts, and no one really expected a ferocious tiger to appear. ¡°Let¡¯s go take a look too,¡± Wei Jiaoniang suggested excitedly. ¡°I should know about the river you mentioned.¡± She had hunted eagles, wolves, and wild boars, but she had never hunted ferocious beasts like tigers and bears! ¡°Of course,¡± Lu Qin said. Before she could finish, she was already on her horse. The group had just left the forest when they turned around and set off in the direction of the hunting ground again. Their horses galloped out like the wind, their hooves kicking up dust and grass. Along the way, the group¡¯s topic of discussion revolved around the tiger. ¡°Fourth Brother Lu, do you know how big that tiger is? What does it look like?¡± ¡°Where did it come from? I heard there hasn¡¯t been a tiger in these parts for years.¡± ¡°I wonder if we¡¯ll be able to pick up anything if we go over now¡­¡± Lu Shi seemed to be enjoying the feeling of being the center of attention as he chose to answer everyone¡¯s questions. As for the answers he did not know, he passed them by directly, answering only those he knew. He said that the tiger had somehow come to a nearby village. Not only had it stolen chicken to eat, but it had also bitten a child to death and injured a few adults. The villagers worked together to chase with their hoes, and the evil tiger fled into the forest. This forest was the royal hunting ground, so the villagers naturally did not dare to chase after it again and could only give up. Lu Shi continued, ¡°¡­ After the Eldest Prince heard the news that a tiger had hurt the villagers, he personally brought people into the forest.¡± When Gu Yanfei and the others entered the forest again, they felt that the atmosphere inside had changed. Every once in a while, they would see some tall, strong, and dignified-looking imperial guards patrolling the forest. Others had also heard that there were ferocious tigers and were rushing in the direction of the Five Peaks Mountain. Gu Yanfei also learned more from these people. They said that even Kang Wang, Chu You, and Baili Yin from the State of Yue had gone to the foot of the Five Peaks Mountain. They also said that Baili Yin was determined to get that ferocious tiger. Wei Jiaoniang was anxious. Afraid that they would not be able to see the commotion if they were late, she increased the speed of the horse. With her leading the way, everyone arrived at their destination in half an hour. ¡°Go further down ahead and you¡¯ll reach the foot of the Five Peaks Mountain. There¡¯s a river there,¡± Wei Jiaoniang said affirmatively as she pointed to the southeast. ¡°Roar!¡± As if in response, a ferocious roar came from ahead, so murderous that even the air around them seemed to vibrate. This was the deterrence from the king of beasts. Lu Qin¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°We made it! We still have time to watch the show¡­¡± ¡°Young Master Yi.¡± Baili Yin¡¯s sharp and arrogant voice came from ahead. He was in high spirits. ¡°This tiger¡¯s eyes are fierce and energetic. It must have just eaten someone.¡± Immediately after, Chu Yi¡¯s gentle voice sounded. ¡°Third Prince Baili really has sharp eyes.¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± Baili Yin let out a smug laugh. ¡°I¡¯ve been hunting with the Sage since I was six years old. I¡¯ve heard and seen too much.¡± Gu Yanfei, Wei Jiaoniang, and the others immediately looked for the voice. After circling around a lush bush, they saw a crowd not far ahead. Standing in front of the crowd were Chu Yi and Baili Yin, riding two horses with different auras. One was gentle and elegant, and the other was arrogant. Kang Wang, Chu You, stood behind Chu Yi on a black horse. He seemed to be watching and thinking. As for the noble young masters, they all looked down at the foot of the mountain in front of them with extraordinary eyes and rubbed their palms together. They had been in the hunting ground for an hour, searching for traces in the forest. It was not easy for them to find this ferocious tiger. ¡°Roar!¡± 600 feet away, a tall and mighty tiger lingered by a small river at the foot of the mountain, emitting a shocking howl. Everyone stood on the mountainside and happened to have the geographical advantage. They could see the ferocious tiger below clearly. It was a snow-white white tiger. It was huge, and when it opened its mouth to roar, its bloody mouth revealed ghastly white teeth. There was still some flesh between its sharp teeth, making one shudder. Around the white tiger, an encirclement with a diameter of 1,000 feet formed. The imperial guards and soldiers from the Divine Arms Battalion were either holding swords or drawing bows. They were all focused on guarding, but they did not dare to get too close. They were on guard and could not let this evil tiger escape. ¡°Young Master Yi.¡± Baili Yin¡¯s cynical voice sounded in front of him again. It was a little confident, joking, and provocative. ¡°Not only do I have good taste, but I also have good hands. Do you dare to compete with me?¡± ¡°Whoever hunts the tiger first wins.¡± Chapter 146 - 146 Attack 146 Attack Baili Yin raised his eyebrows slightly and looked at Chu Yi beside him with a smile. He clenched his right fist casually. He kept smiling, as if he was just in the mood and had casually mentioned it. Or as if he was challenging Chu Yi so as to show off to the State of Jin. Lu Shi and the other noble descendants instantly looked at Chu Yi, their hearts in their throats. There was only one prince in the Great Jin Dynasty now. If he did not dare to accept the challenge, wouldn¡¯t that mean that the Great Jin was afraid of the State of Yue? ¡°Ding, ding, ding¡­¡± A crisp bell suddenly sounded from behind, disturbing everyone¡¯s tense nerves. ¡°Did you hear¡­¡± Lu Qin tugged at Wei Jiaoniang¡¯s sleeve, wanting to ask if she had heard any bells. She stopped mid-sentence. Her surprised gaze was fixed on a few hundred feet behind her when she saw four or five graceful noble ladies riding slowly over, looking dignified. The horses they rode were all robust and strong. Every horse was equipped with a horse cage head with red tassels and bells. There was a circle of jade embedded in the edge of the saddle, making it look exceptionally luxurious. The reins of these horses were all in the hands of the servants, who led the horses forward. As the horses moved, a few horse bells tinkled. Wei Jiaoniang, Lu Qin, and the others had never seen anyone enter the hunting grounds like this. All of them were dumbfounded. ¡°I see.¡± After a while, Lu Qin found her voice and said with a strange expression, ¡°No wonder they entered the forest so early and only arrived now.¡± ¡°Fortunately, they didn¡¯t encounter any other ferocious beasts. Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have been able to escape.¡± Wei Jiaoniang shook her head speechlessly. The two sides faced each other. Of course, the noble ladies also saw Gu Yanfei and the others. When they walked past, a delicate-looking girl in yellow hurriedly covered her mouth and nose with a handkerchief and glanced at Gu Yanfei and the others in disdain. Gu Yanfei¡¯s riding clothes were stained with a lot of blood from the female deer. Lu Qin¡¯s body was also stained with blood from her prey. As for the others, when they rode their horses to hunt in the forest, their faces and bodies were more or less stained with leaves and mud. Compared to these well-dressed and beautiful women, Gu Yanfei and the others looked disheveled, as if they had escaped from something. ¡°Roar!¡± The white tiger, surrounded by everyone, roared again, calling everyone¡¯s attention. The tiger circled where it was, its fierce, beastly eyes watching the people and horses around it covetously. The horses closest to it were so intimidated by its tiger might that they paced in shock, breathing heavily through their noses. Everyone held their breaths in anticipation, but Gu Yanfei stared at the white tiger excitedly and thought of Qing Guang. In the past, Qing Guang was also majestic in the Bright Spirit Realm. It was a beast that could hold off all beasts, but now¡­ It had gained too much weight. Sigh! Gu Yanfei sighed faintly in her heart and could only comfort herself. At least Qing Guang was obedient and did not eat people. Amidst the impetuous and noisy commotion, Chu Yi remained calm. He chuckled with a handsome smile and said unhurriedly, ¡°Since the Third Prince is so interested, I¡¯ll naturally accompany you.¡± As he spoke, Chu Yi raised his hand and gestured. At the side, Gu Yuan immediately understood and whistled twice in the direction of the foot of the mountain. The rhythm was straightforward, signaling the imperial guards and soldiers surrounding the white tiger to quickly retreat. Behind him, Chu You watched from the sidelines without saying a word. He neither dissuaded nor encouraged him. Seeing that the Eldest Prince had accepted the challenge from the State of Yue, the generals were all in high spirits, but then they became nervous. The Eldest Prince was weak. Everyone knew that if he was accidentally injured by the white tiger¡­ They did not dare to think further. The atmosphere around them became even more tense. ¡°Good spirit.¡± Baili Yin laughed again. Without saying a word, he took the lead and slapped the horse¡¯s rump, swooping down the hill toward the white tiger riding ahead. The white tiger naturally saw Baili Yin rushing towards it. It raised its head and howled again, ¡°Roar!¡± The voice was louder than before, and it even sounded bloodthirsty. The might of the king of beasts was unquestionable. The white tiger was completely enraged and ran in Baili Yin¡¯s direction. Its body was so huge, but it also had the agility unique to felines. When it ran, it was like a violent tornado that wanted to tear apart and shatter everything around it. The tiger was clearly more than 500 feet away from them, but a few girls were already frightened and took a few steps back. Chapter 147 - 147 Attack 147 Attack Facing the roaring tiger, Baili Yin was fearless. He lowered his body and rode his horse towards the white tiger. Soon, Baili Yin realized that there was no movement behind him. He turned around and saw Chu Yi standing motionless on the mountainside. The corners of Baili Yin¡¯s mouth curled into a confident arc as he muttered to himself, ¡°It¡¯s still that sick young master.¡± Chu Yi had been a hostage in the State of Yue for eight years. Not only did Baili Yin recognize Chu Yi, but he also knew him 70 to 80%. He was a person who was weak and sickly, and would be sick for 28 days every 30 days a month. In the past eight years, Chu Yi had rarely left his house. He would only come out of his manor when summoned by the Sage or attending some festival. It had been half a day since Chu Yi rode out of the capital this morning. With his body, he probably wouldn¡¯t be able to hold on much longer. Baili Yin only glanced at Chu Yi before turning back. He clamped down on the horse¡¯s abdomen and stared at the ferocious tiger in front of him with a burning gaze. At the same time, he began to draw his arrow. Seeing that the Eldest Prince was motionless, the surrounding crowd was burning with anxiety, thinking that he was afraid. ¡°Eldest Prince¡­¡± Someone shouted, but before he could finish, Chu Yi took a musket from his attendant, Si Hai. No one noticed his gaze drift gently over a beautiful figure behind him, like a dragonfly skimming the water. It was a flintlock! Several descendants of noble families recognized the flintlock in Chu Yi¡¯s hand, and hope lit up in their eyes again. No wonder the Eldest Prince did not move. It seemed that he wanted to use this flintlock to stop the tiger. No way. Chu You thought to himself and smirked disapprovingly. The power of a flintlock was indeed far superior to a matchlock, but its flaws were also very obvious. With the accuracy of the flintlock, it was harder to hit the tiger than to pierce a willow leaf with an arrow from a distance of a hundred paces. Moreover, even if Chu Yi was lucky enough to shoot the tiger, this injury was nothing to a strong tiger. However, Chu Yi would not have time to fire a second shot. In other words, his shot was just a gift to ¡°someone else¡±. Chu You¡¯s gaze turned from Chu Yi to Baili Yin and he sighed silently, as if he had already seen in advance what would happen next. In the blink of an eye, the white tiger had already rushed to a distance of less than 200 feet from Baili Yin. Its aura was like a rainbow. Wherever the thick and powerful tiger claws passed, the thorns, mud, and grass on the mountain ground flew everywhere. ¡°Roar!¡± The white tiger¡¯s fierce tiger eyes were suffused with a murderous red light. The surrounding branches rustled under the deafening tiger roar. The smile on Baili Yin¡¯s lips deepened, and his eyes were firm. Three arrows, at most three arrows, and he would be able to take down this white tiger! Baili Yin pulled out an arrow and skillfully nocked it into his bow. He narrowed his eyes and smiled. Almost at the same time, Chu Yi aimed his gun at the white tiger from behind. Smiling faintly, he gently stroked the gun with one hand and firmly pulled the trigger with the other. Of the two young men, one was riding his horse and drawing his bow, and the other was leisurely holding a flintlock behind. One moved noisily, while the other was quiet. The surrounding crowd held their breath again, and their hearts raced. Even Gu Yanfei looked at the two of them and the tiger with a burning gaze. ¡°Swoosh!¡± A white-feathered arrow left the bow and shot towards the white tiger¡¯s left eye like lightning. The white tiger swung a thick front paw in midair and slapped the arrow away. The arrow clanged against the tree trunk behind it. ¡°This tiger is too fierce,¡± someone commented in the crowd. ¡°I¡¯m afraid it won¡¯t be easy to deal with.¡± Everyone became even more nervous and on tenterhooks. Baili Yin took out two more arrows without fear and nocked them to the bowstring as quickly as possible. ¡°Swoosh!¡± Two consecutive arrows were shot at the white tiger at the same time with great force. The white tiger was even angrier. It slapped the two arrows away with its claws again and ran even faster. A strong stench came with the wind from its furious, bloody mouth. ¡°Roar!¡± The white tiger pounced violently at Baili Yinfei, its eyes growing even redder. Its heavy roar seemed to be saying that it wanted to tear this human apart. The leisurely smile on Baili Yin¡¯s lips had already disappeared, and his expression became more solemn. He clamped his legs on the horse¡¯s belly, and the black horse immediately leaped in the other direction. At the same time, he lowered his body to avoid the tiger¡¯s attack. His breathing was slightly hurried as he drew his arrow again. The surroundings were in a mess from the trampling of tigers and horses. Fallen leaves were scattered everywhere. ¡°Bang!¡± A deafening bang suddenly sounded on the mountainside. Baili Yin was shocked, and his hand that was holding the bow paused for a moment. Was that a gunshot?! He felt a hot breath brush his left ear, as if something had flown past him like a shooting star, too fast for the naked eye to catch¡­ Before he could figure out what was going on, he saw the charging white tiger in front of him suddenly stop as if it had been struck by lightning. It let out a near-death wail, so shrill and terrifying. In the next moment, its huge body crashed to the ground. Its heavy tiger body shook the ground below, sending a few broken leaves flying. The fallen white tiger¡¯s limbs twitched violently before it fell silent. Its bell-like tiger eyes widened, and a large pool of bright red blood flowed from its fanged mouth, quickly staining the grass below. It also meant that its life force had passed¡­ This ferocious tiger that was still alive and kicking a few breaths ago was killed by a single shot! Gu Yuan looked at the fallen tiger corpse in shock, then subconsciously turned around and stared at the flintlock pistol in Chu Yi¡¯s hand. This power, this accuracy¡­ There was an inexplicable sense of familiarity. He studied the flintlock, his gaze lingering several times on the ¡°plum mark¡± at the barrel. It seemed to be a cat¡¯s paw print. His sister¡¯s cat had also left paw prints on him, so he was sure. Strange, the size of the claw mark also felt strangely familiar¡­ Chapter 148 - 148 Jealousy 148 Jealousy ¡°Phew¡ªPhew¡ª¡± The cold wind howled, and the air was filled with the thick smell of blood. The smell of blood drilled into everyone¡¯s noses, making them want to vomit. Apart from the smell of blood, there was also a pungent smell of gunpowder that lingered. Gu Yanfei rubbed her nose and silently praised him in her heart. His marksmanship was not bad. How could this be?! Baili Yin¡¯s eyes widened in shock. His right hand tightened on the reins, and the smile on his usually playful and handsome face disappeared. The black horse beneath him raised its legs in shock and whinnied. Baili Yin clearly felt a burning pain in his left ear, reminding him of what had just happened. He turned slowly and looked up. More than 200 feet away, Chu Yi, who was on the mountainside, seemed to be at the top of the clouds. He held the reins elegantly in one hand and a black flintlock in the other. Wisps of white smoke rose from the dark muzzle. Everyone¡¯s gaze turned from the tiger corpse to Chu Yi and the flintlock gun in his hand. There was a bright red cat paw mark on the gun that looked like blood but was not. Bang! Bang! Bang! Everyone¡¯s hearts were still pounding from the gunshot. Some were shocked, while others were pleasantly surprised. For a moment, there was silence except for the sound of the wind. Baili Yin looked up at Chu Yi on the mountainside and was momentarily distracted. The young man in a moon-white robe faced the cold wind, his face calm, and his clothes fluttering in the wind. He lowered his eyes and looked down, as if he was looking at the tiger or Baili Yin. His dark phoenix eyes were clear and calm, like a lake in winter, or a deep and bottomless valley. Chu You also looked at Chu Yi in a daze. His narrow eagle eyes were filled with bewilderment, and his thin lips were pursed tightly. He did not even know when the horse whip in his hand had left his hand. ¡°Ahem.¡± Another gust of cold wind blew fiercely. Chu Yi lowered his head, put his fist to his lips, and coughed heavily. His shoulders trembled slightly, unable to hide his weakness. He handed the flintlock to Si Hai again. A wisp of white smoke still floated from the muzzle. Baili Yin¡¯s burning gaze shifted from Chu Yi to the flintlock. His eyes were red, and he could not bear to blink. His thick chest heaved rapidly, and the emotions in his heart surged several times, from shock to ecstasy to greed¡­ to determination. He had crossed the river to the State of Jin on the orders of the Sage for the blueprint of the flintlock. Their State of Yue had mastered matchlocks as early as 60 years ago, and the country was thriving. Meanwhile, the Qi Kingdom in the north had declined due to corruption, and there were continuous uprisings everywhere. It was not until more than 50 years ago that Chu Jin led the army and rebelled, overturning the Qi Kingdom with irresistible force and establishing the current State of Jin. At that time, the new state had just been established, and the soldiers of the State of Jin were exhausted. The Sage of the State of Yue at that time had wanted to take the opportunity to send his army north and unify the north and south in one fell swoop. Unexpectedly, Chu Jin had personally improved his musket. From then on, a new flintlock was born. It was far more convenient and powerful than a matchlock, and could be said to be a divine weapon. Chu Jin established the Divine Arms Battalion and equipped tens of thousands of soldiers with flintlocks, causing a huge setback in the State of Yue. Since then, the State of Yue and State of Jin had been governed by two separate rivers. It had been a confrontation for decades. It was not until Chu Jin passed away 20 years ago and the second Emperor of the State of Jin, Chu Luo, ascended the throne that the State of Yue once again thought of annexing the State of Jin. 14 years ago, 8 years ago, they launched two surprise attacks on the State of Jin. No one expected another talented Marquis of Dingyuan, Gu Ce, to appear. Gu Ce was like a divine general who had descended from the sky and helped the State of Jin win with his own strength. The State of Yue¡¯s army had been blocked by Gu Ce in Yangzhou twice. It had been like this 14 years ago and eight years ago¡­ Now that Gu Ce was dead and the huge problem had been resolved, there was still something in the State of Jin that made the State of Yue wary¡ª The flintlock. It was not difficult to obtain a flintlock. The State of Yue had also used various methods to obtain a few flintlocks and tried to disassemble them. However, after trying countless times, they still could not replicate them. It was also for this reason that they were determined to obtain the blueprint for the flintlock. Only by completely mastering the flintlock would the State of Yue be 100% confident of taking down the State of Jin in one go. As thoughts flashed through his mind, Baili Yin¡¯s eyes became hotter and more urgent. His heart beat faster like a drum. From what he had seen today, the flintlock in Chu Yi¡¯s hand was more than twice as powerful as the one he knew. Just one shot had killed a fierce tiger. Chapter 149 - 149 Jealousy 149 Jealousy In other words, after Emperor Taizu and Chu Jin, someone in the State of Jin modified the flintlock! His trip to the State of Jin had not been in vain! ¡°Your Highness.¡± At this moment, a few imperial guards quickly came up. The leader cupped his fists at Chu Yi and reported, ¡°The tiger has died.¡± The two imperial guards at the back worked together to drag the white tiger¡¯s corpse up the mountainside. The white tiger was clearly dead and was motionless from head to toe. Its limbs and tail hung limply, occasionally brushing against the trunks and rocks beside them. Everyone around, including Wei Jiaoniang and Lu Shi, all turned to look at the white tiger¡¯s corpse in unison. Baili Yin also slowly rode his horse over. Only Yu Chaoyun and the other daughters of aristocratic families in the distance were covering their faces, tilting their heads, or frowning, as if they could not bear to look at it. The bullet that Chu Yi had fired entered the white tiger¡¯s mouth and exited the back of its neck. The bullet completely pierced its spine and killed it. Its bell-like tiger eyes widened, as if it had died with remaining grievances. The smell of blood in the air was stronger, and the stench from the tiger¡¯s mouth was overwhelming. This was¡­ Chu You stared unblinkingly at the small bullet hole in the back of the white tiger¡¯s neck. His eyes were as deep as the sea, filled with shock and confusion. He was certain that ordinary flintlocks would never be able to do this. This speed, this power¡­ Chu You¡¯s right hand gripped the reins so tightly that he almost tore them off. Beside him, Yuan Zhe was also shocked. He had many questions, but he could only suppress them now. ¡°Young Master Yi is really good at shooting!¡± Baili Yin said as he urged his horse closer to Chu Yi. There was a playful smile on his lips again, and his eyes were fixed on him without blinking¡­ ¡°You flatter me.¡± Chu Yi met his eyes from afar and smiled. ¡°I heard that the Third Prince is looking for the tiger bone, so I¡¯ll give this white tiger to him.¡± His laughter was warm. With this smile, his eyes seemed to be dyed with a few rays of sunlight, and he looked like a sparkling jade statue. ¡°Hahaha.¡± Baili Yin laughed loudly. The corners of his flying eyes made him look handsome, as if he did not care about the outcome of the hunt. ¡°Then I¡¯ll thank Young Master Yi for your kindness.¡± He clapped gently and gestured to his subordinates behind him. The accompanying guards immediately accepted the tiger corpse. He kept smiling, his smile frivolous and casual, his gaze fixed on the flintlock. His eyes were sharp and ambitious. 14 years ago, and eight years ago, the Sage failed to do something when he was young. This time, he and the Crown Prince would definitely do it. He would become a treasured sword in the Crown Prince¡¯s hands. The surrounding atmosphere was lively and filled with an abnormally excited aura, scattering the coldness of the forest. Everyone was talking about Chu Yi¡¯s shot just now. Words like ¡°flintlock¡±, ¡°power¡±, and ¡°one shot kill¡± floated over from time to time. Wei Jiaoniangr, Lu Qin, and the others also joined in the heated discussion. They were all talking at once and in high spirits. When they saw Chu Yi and Baili Yin riding away on their horses, Wei Jiaoniang called for Gu Yanfei and the others to quickly follow. As they walked, they talked nonstop. ¡°My grandfather also had a flintlock. I wanted to play with it, but he refused to lend it to me. He said that if it went off accidentally, the consequences would be unimaginable,¡± Wei Jiaoniang muttered. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen the power of this flintlock.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my first time seeing a flintlock, too,¡± Lu Qin said, her eyes shining. ¡°It¡¯s far more shocking than the rumors.¡± ¡°Yes, yes¡­¡± The more they spoke, the more excited they became. Wei Jiaoniang was not paying attention and accidentally bumped into a yellow-robed girl wearing a pure gold phoenix dangling ornament. The girl in yellow frowned unhappily as she saw some mud on her left sleeve. ¡°My Lady, your clothes!!¡± Her personal maidservant shouted at Wei Jiaoniang in alarm, ¡°Hey, you¡¯ve dirtied our Lady¡¯s clothes!¡± ¡°Forget it.¡± The girl in yellow gently brushed the dirt from her sleeve with a handkerchief. The few tassels hanging from the dangling ornament swayed slightly with her movements. ¡°It¡¯s already dirty.¡± Her voice was gentle, but she could not hide her disgust. ¡°Sigh!¡± Another girl in pink sighed faintly and covered her mouth and nose with a handkerchief, as if she could not look directly at Wei Jiaoniang and the others. ¡°Miss Wei, Miss Lu, how did you¡­ end up like this?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s bloody and muddy and strangely unpleasant. We girls aren¡¯t supposed to be like this.¡± The two girls comforted her with ¡°good intentions¡±. Their voices were soft, but their gazes were extremely disdainful. There were also a few well-dressed women from aristocratic families who were laughing softly, just short of being straightforward in saying that they were dirty and smelly. The meaning between the lines was that they did not have the gentleness and beauty that women should have. Wei Jiaoniang was not a pushover, and would not tolerate such ridicule. ¡°It¡¯s better than some people¡­¡± She casually flicked her horse whip and looked around at the daughters of noble families with a faint smile. ¡°Some people are just so out of place, even their horses too!¡± No one came to the hunting ground in fancy clothes like them, as if they were attending a banquet. Why did they give the horse a horse bell? Did they think the prey could not hear them?! ¡°Pfft!¡± Lu Qin laughed rudely. She looked back and forth at the girls from the aristocratic families and imitated them by covering her nose. She waved her other hand in disdain and sneered. ¡°You smell so good. Are you trying to kill your prey?!¡± The expressions of the women from the aristocratic families instantly changed, and their chests heaved. They thought that they were noble ladies from aristocratic families and had always paid attention to manners. Even if they wanted to hurt someone, they had to beat around the bush and not use dirty words. They had never interacted with such straightforward people as Wei Jiaoniang and Lu Qin. How vulgar! They were too embarrassed to scold her directly, so they could only hold it in and tense up. Seeing that they were suppressed by Wei Jiaoniang and the others, a strange glint flashed across Yu Chaoyun¡¯s eyes. She kept smiling and did not even move her eyes. She silently gestured, and the servant led her horse forward a few steps, blocking the way of Gu Yanfei, Wei Jiaoniang, and the others. Yu Chaoyun gently gathered her big red cloak with a circle of pure white rabbit fur. Suddenly, the golden butterfly collar on her neck broke, and the golden collar slipped off her body¡­ ¡°Oh my,¡± Yu Chaoyun exclaimed softly, her right hand poised to grab it. But she was too slow. The golden collar brushed past her hand and fell straight to the grass below. ¡°Miss Gu, I dropped my collar. Help me pick it up.¡± Yu Chaoyun smiled demurely at Gu Yanfei, who was a few steps away, and said gently, as if she was just asking Gu Yanfei for a favor. Chapter 150 - 150 Counterattack 150 Counterattack Gu Yanfei neither moved nor said anything, and only slightly raised her eyebrows. Memories from her previous life instantly rolled over again, and ripples appeared in her eyes again¡­ All the women around looked at Yu Chaoyun and Gu Yanfei. Everyone present was not stupid and immediately heard the hidden hostility in Yu Chaoyun¡¯s words. The servant from the Yu family was here, but Yu Chaoyun asked Gu Yanfei, a stranger, to bend down and pick up the golden collar for her. Wasn¡¯t she treating her like a maidservant? She had to pick the softest persimmon. Among Wei Jiaoniang and Lu Qin, there were the Wei family, the General¡¯s Manor that guarded the border, and the Earl¡¯s Manor that controlled the military power of a province. They were all popular families. Only Gu Yanfei came from the declining Dingyuan Marquis Household. The reason why Yu Chaoyun chose Gu Yanfei to put her in her place was obvious. This girl from the Yu family was not ordinary. The other women from the aristocratic families exchanged glances with different expressions. They were either looking forward to it, frowning, smiling ambiguously, or stroking their sleeves indifferently. These noble women dared to be rude to the aristocratic families and provoke their authority. If Yu Chaoyun could teach Gu Yanfei a lesson and make her bend down, she could also avenge them. Feeling everyone¡¯s gazes on her, Yu Chaoyun¡¯s lips curled up a little more. She smiled and said, ¡°Pick it up.¡± The first sentence was polite, but when it came to this sentence, it was already arrogant and sharp. Yu Chaoyun smiled and stared at Gu Yanfei, silently pressuring her. Yu Chaoyun had just arrived and had yet to gain a foothold in the capital. Today was the best opportunity to establish her might. After making up her mind, Yu Chaoyun slowly stroked her sleeve and said with a smile, ¡°I heard that Miss Gu¡¯s brother is currently working as an imperial guard. What a coincidence. My aunt-in-law, the British Duke, is currently in charge of the imperial guard.¡± Her tone was gentle and slow, as if she was chatting with Gu Yanfei. A determined glint flashed across her eyes. The girl in yellow and the girl in pink looked at each other meaningfully and covered their mouths to laugh. Interesting. Miss Yu should have just arrived in the capital a few days ago. They did not expect her to figure out the situation in the capital and the twists and turns between the various prefectures in just a few days and know how to take advantage of the situation. The Gu family¡¯s eldest branch had an awkward position. Gu Yanfei¡¯s brother was her only relative, and it was only human nature for her to consider his future. Next, it depended on whether Gu Yanfei dared to risk her brother¡¯s future. This was no longer a quarrel between a few girls, but a competition between the aristocratic families and nobles. Meeting Yu Chaoyun¡¯s arrogant face, Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes were a little dazed, and she forgot where she was. In her previous life, she had a hard time living in the Marquis Mansion and was deep in the mud. Only Yu Chaoyun took the initiative to show her kindness, be gentle, and be considerate, making her treat Yu Chaoyun as her only friend. After Yu Chaoyun betrayed her, she asked why Yu Chaoyun wanted to destroy her and her brother¡¯s only way out. At that moment, Yu Chaoyun also had the same expression. She asked the maidservant to push her to the ground and step on her right palm¡­ Humans¡¯ fingers were connected to their hearts, and the piercing pain was still engraved in Gu Yanfei¡¯s hearts. In the blink of an eye, Gu Yanfei was already filled with thoughts. Soon, the ripples in her eyes disappeared, and she looked at Yu Chaoyun calmly. It was as if she was looking at a complete stranger. There was silence, and time seemed to have stopped in that instant. Even the wind had stopped. Although the two sides did not fight or shout at each other, the tension in the air could not be hidden, and anyone with eyes could tell. Not far away, Baili Yin also inadvertently noticed the commotion here. Eh? He immediately saw Gu Yanfei in the crowd and stopped his horse. His interested gaze darted between the girls before landing on Gu Yanfei¡¯s slender figure. The bright-eyed and beautiful girl stood out just by standing there, making the surrounding girls look like commoners. Sigh. Baili Yin sighed silently in his heart. No wonder the little beauty was targeted and troubled. Baili Yin had been used to seeing concubines fighting since he was young in the palace. The fights between women were the most interesting. They fought for men, status, jewelry, new clothes¡­ and jealousy. Chapter 151 - 151 Counterattack 151 Counterattack At best, they would provoke each other with words. At worst, they would kill the enemy without spilling blood. Baili Yin looked at Gu Yanfei from afar and revealed his snow-white teeth. His eyes flashed with interest. Chu Yi stopped his horse and looked in the same direction at the same person. Gu Yanfei continued walking as if no one was around. Her footsteps were neither fast nor slow, and even the rhythm did not change. Yu Chaoyun watched as Gu Yanfei flew towards her. The corners of her lips curled up slightly, and the smile on her face deepened. At first glance, she looked gentle, graceful, elegant, and generous, but her eyes flickered with arrogance. She was just waiting for Gu Yanfei to lean over and pick up the golden collar on the ground for her. In the next moment, her smile froze on her lips. Gu Yanfei¡¯s right deerskin boot landed heavily on the golden collar on the ground. Crack. The faint sound of footsteps was infinitely magnified in Yu Chaoyun¡¯s ears. There was a pair of pure gold green butterflies on the golden collar. The butterfly¡¯s wings were thin and delicate like flowers. With Gu Yanfei¡¯s step, the butterfly¡¯s wings were instantly stepped off and crushed to dust. ¡°¡­¡± Yu Chaoyun¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. Her face was pale as she looked at the golden collar that Gu Yanfei had stepped on. This golden collar was the signature item of this season. It was a meeting gift from her aunt, the British Duchess, after she came to the capital this time. At this moment, her face was like this unique golden collar that was stepped on by Gu Yanfei, and something in her heart seemed to have shattered. Yu Chaoyun could no longer maintain her usual elegant and gentle bearing. The surroundings were even quieter. Anyone could tell that this was Gu Yanfei¡¯s simple and crude counterattack. Everyone was silent. Whether it was the noble ladies opposite her or Lu Qin, they did not expect Gu Yanfei to dare to defy Yu Chaoyun so openly and fearlessly. Gu Yanfei stopped for a moment and tilted her face slightly. Her beautiful right eyebrow rose as she sighed. ¡°What a roadblock.¡± As she spoke, the tip of her right foot twitched, and she crushed the gold collar even more with the toe of her boot. ¡°You¡­¡± Yu Chaoyun¡¯s face turned slightly green, and her slender body trembled slightly. Without needing her master to instruct her, a burly servant quickly took two steps forward and reprimanded Gu Yanfei angrily, ¡°Miss Gu, what are you doing?!¡± ¡°Get lost,¡± Gu Yanfei spat out coldly. In an instant, she released a stern aura, like an unsheathed sword. Cold air filled the air. It was as if she was saying that a good dog would not block the way. The servant couldn¡¯t help but shiver. Overwhelmed by her intimidating aura, she cowered away. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± When facing Wei Jiaoniang, a faint smile appeared on Gu Yanfei¡¯s exquisite face. She was happy and relaxed, like a carefree breeze. Gu Yanfei held Wei Jiaoniang¡¯s hand and continued walking. Her footsteps were valiant and elegant, and she did not even look at Yu Chaoyun, as if she did not exist. A ruby fell from the trampled golden collar on the grass. The gem rolled a few times, as if mocking something. The other girls from the aristocratic families were all stunned, and a thought lingered in their minds. Where did this wild girl come from! How dare she!! Yanfei had done too well! Behind her, Lu Qin and the others gathered together happily to whisper and laugh. They also followed Gu Yanfei, and Wei Jiaoniang even linked arms with her affectionately. As for the girls from the aristocratic families, no one could be bothered to give them another look. Not far away, Baili Yin, who was riding his horse under a gloomy tree, still did not leave. Occasionally, a few broken leaves would be blown off by the wind and fall on his face, shoulders, and hair. Baili Yin seemed to be oblivious as he stared at Gu Yanfei with a burning gaze, his eyes filled with amazement. He had never seen a woman like her. She was as fierce as fire, as thorny as a rose, and as dazzling as the sun. She was completely different from the gentle and beautiful Jiangnan women he had seen in the State of Yue. He couldn¡¯t help but want to get closer and wonder how such a carefree beauty was born. Baili Yin¡¯s heart burned. He casually patted the horse¡¯s butt and called out to the black horse, ¡°Whirlwind¡±, wanting to go to Gu Yanfei. The black horse snorted, but before it could move, the white horse beside him galloped out, its snow-white tail swinging ostentatiously, brushing the back of his hand. Baili Yin was slightly stunned. He forgot to move forward for a moment and watched as Chu Yi rode his horse to Gu Yanfei¡¯s side and dismounted. ¡°Be careful.¡± Chu Yi chuckled and extended his right hand to Gu Yanfei. His slender fingers made an inviting gesture. His casual movements were elegant and noble, pleasing to the eye. The mountain breeze blew, causing his clothes to flutter and his hair to flutter. A winter sun hung in the sky, scattering warm sunlight and broken gold. It gently enveloped him, like green bamboo in the wind. Gu Yanfei, who was talking to Wei Jiaoniang, paused. The corner of her eye swept across a dead branch blocking the way half a foot ahead. She had been careless. She looked up and met Chu Yi¡¯s eyes, her lips curling into a faint smile. Chu Yi looked at her with a warm smile that couldn¡¯t stop flowing from his eyes. He moved his hand half an inch closer to her. Gu Yanfei subconsciously placed her hand on his and gently jumped over the three- to four-foot-long withered branch that was as thick as a bowl. Gu Yanfei smiled brightly at Chu Yi. ¡°¡­¡± Of course, Baili Yin saw this scene. His eyelids twitched, and the smile on his face became strange. Countless gazes around them landed on Gu Yanfei and Chu Yi. They were either surprised, stunned, envious, or bitter. Time seemed to slow down and become frozen once more. Chapter 152 - 152 Hostility 152 Hostility Gu Yanfei did not sense the emotions of the others. There was no such thing as gender defense in the Bright Spirit Realm, and strength was always respected. This was just a matter of helping her. It was no different from Qing Guang stepping on her shoulder and jumping onto the bookshelf. ¡°Thank you.¡± She thanked him casually and stroked Chu Yi¡¯s white horse. How obedient. She withdrew her hand, and Chu Yi lowered his. The mountain wind blew Gu Yanfei¡¯s black hair, which fluttered just enough to send a few strands into Chu Yi¡¯s hand and run through his fingers like running water. An unspoken, tacit understanding flowed between them, and everything seemed to come naturally. The others were still silent. Many people were stunned and could not even think about the meaning of Chu Yi¡¯s actions. The wind picked up again, rustling the leaves. The women from the aristocratic families patted the fallen leaves and dust off their bodies in frustration, neither of them looking too good. Although they were born into an aristocratic family, they were not from the eldest branch, let alone the eldest daughter of the first wife. Most of them had come to the capital in the past month or two under the guise of following their father to celebrate the new year. However, they had only one purpose for coming to the capital. That was to become the Eldest Princess Consort. Because the Eldest Prince would be coming to the hunting ground today, girls like them, who were usually pampered, lowered themselves to such a dirty and dangerous place. However¡­ The women from the aristocratic families looked at each other, their eyes revealing some grievances and unwillingness. Aristocratic families paid attention to matching families, and usually, they would only marry into aristocratic families with few exceptions. Even if Chu Yi was the only son of the current Emperor, his future was still uncertain. After all, it was unknown who would win between him and Kang Wang. These ladies were like ¡°offerings¡± sent out by their families, gambling on the Eldest Prince¡¯s future. However, if the position of Princess Consort was already occupied, they could not let the daughters of noble families be secondary consorts, right?! As they thought about it, the gazes of the women from the aristocratic families changed again with a hint of hostility. Yu Chaoyun bit her lower lip. The anger from the golden collar being stepped on had been completely suppressed, and her feelings turned into an even more complicated emotion that surged in her dark eyes. The bone-chilling wind blew coldly on their faces, scraping their delicate skin like knives. Not only did they feel pain, but they also felt cold in their bodies and minds. Not far behind, Gu Yuan was also dumbfounded. He stared blankly at the two familiar figures in front of him, unable to hide the surprise on his usually cold face. This, this, this¡­ A possibility appeared in Gu Yuan¡¯s heart. He suddenly turned to look at the flintlock in Si Hai¡¯s hand. Si Hai held the gun so tightly that even the cat paw mark on the gun could not be seen. Gu Yuan glared at Si Hai angrily, the feeling in his heart indescribable. His heart was sour and stuffy, as if something was blocking his heart or as if his beloved treasure was about to be snatched away. Si Hai looked at Gu Yuan in confusion. Gu Yuan ignored Si Hai and turned back. Chu Yi, who was in front, got on his horse again. His bearing was beautiful, showing the elegant bearing of a noble young master. The lively white horse happily swung its tail a few more times, as if it was playing with Gu Yanfei, making her smile sweetly. When the slender girl stood with the tall and strong white horse, she looked so slender and weak, as if a mountain breeze would blow her away. ¡°¡­¡± Gu Yuan sighed silently, and his heart softened. Other than his sister, he could not see anyone else. Not only Gu Yuan, but Baili Yin was also staring at Gu Yanfei without blinking. She was really beautiful. She was so beautiful that he couldn¡¯t look away. The sound of hooves could be heard as another horse strolled over from behind and stopped beside Baili Yin. Then, a familiar low male voice entered her ears. ¡°The famous flower hasn¡¯t been taken.¡± Baili Yin turned his head and raised his eyebrows to meet Chu You¡¯s meaningful eagle eyes. ¡°There¡¯s no hurry.¡± A frivolous smile hung on Baili Yin¡¯s face. He shrugged and glanced at Chu You before looking at Gu Yanfei¡¯s departing back. The girls chatted and laughed. ¡°Yanfei.¡± Lu Qin rode her horse next to Gu Yanfei and was almost close to her. ¡°I hunted a hare today. I¡¯ll roast it for you later, okay? My roasting skills are good, and the hare will be delicious.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t listen to her bragging. Only half of the rabbit she roasts can be eaten. The other half is always charred¡­¡± Chapter 153 - 153 Hostility 153 Hostility ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right.¡± The other girls also surrounded Gu Yanfei happily. In just half a day, their attitude towards Gu Yanfei had changed subtly. In the beginning, they were close to Gu Yanfei because of Wei Jiaoniang. They looked friendly on the surface, but it was just to show face, and they were more or less distant and polite. It was different now. They were looking at Gu Yanfei affectionately. Gu Yanfei rubbed her nose and said with a smile, ¡°As long as I have something to eat.¡± She had not cooked in 200 years. If she were to roast it, the entire rabbit would probably be charred. Finally, she added, ¡°I¡¯m not picky.¡± Thinking of the delicious roasted rabbit, Gu Yanfei¡¯s mouth quickly secreted saliva, and she was a little greedy. ¡°Yanfei, you¡¯re still the best!¡± Lu Qin pounced over and hugged her. The girls laughed and played again, enjoying themselves. Lu Qin chuckled and sighed. ¡°Yanfei, you¡¯re really different from your third cousin!¡± Just now, Lu Qin almost thought that Gu Yanfei would lower her head to Yu Chaoyun. She did not expect her to treat people so well! This was the style that a daughter of a general should have! At the mention of Gu Yunrong, the other girls were also worried. One of them sighed and said, ¡°Yanfei, it¡¯s not that I want to say this, but your cousin¡­ likes to put on airs!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. She¡¯s as annoying as those aristocratic girls,¡± another girl deliberately said at the top of her voice. Her words were obviously meant for the girls behind her. ¡°At least you¡¯re not at odds with us.¡± ¡°¡­¡± They spoke quickly, and there were many people. Gu Yanfei did not even have a chance to answer. At first, Gu Yanfei was shocked by Lu Qin and the others¡¯ sudden enthusiasm. On second thought, she smiled again. In her previous life, she was introverted and felt inferior. Because Yu Chaoyun had expressed goodwill to her first, she had treated Yu Chaoyun as her only friend and poured her heart out. At the end of the day, she was just too weak back then. She was trapped by the belittling words of Madam Gu and Granny Xu and thought that she was useless. She had trapped herself in a corner and never tried to really step out of the Marquis Mansion. It was equivalent to looking at the sky from the bottom of a well! She had dug her own grave. In an instant, Gu Yanfei felt her heart open up a little. It was as if a thread in the huge net that bound her body and mind had snapped, or a ray of sunlight had pushed away the layers of dark clouds and shone a ray of light¡­ The journey back was much more leisurely than when they had come. There was no need to hurry, and they played as they walked. They were talking, picking flowers and fruits, and hunting wild beasts. In just half an hour, Wei Jiaoniang had harvested two prey, a rabbit and a wolf. As they chatted, they returned to the empty space outside the hunting ground. It was still early in the afternoon. Many people returned with Chu Yi and Baili Yin, and the surroundings became more and more lively. Piles of mangled prey were piled everywhere on the ground, and the smell of blood gradually became stronger. Some people were busy counting their prey, some sat down to rest and chat, and some people surrounded the white tiger¡¯s corpse excitedly. Everyone was still a little excited and wanted more. The young men boldly ran to the most luxurious shed in the field. This shed had been specially built and decorated by the imperial guards today. At a glance, one could see tables, chairs, cups, tea, fruits, a charcoal fire, and a fragrant atmosphere. It was like a simple hall. At this moment, Chu Yi, Chu You, Baili Yin, and the others were eating tea and drinking inside. The fragrance of tea and alcohol lingered. ¡°Your Highness.¡± Lu Shi seemed to have run forward with four or five brothers, as if they were familiar with each other. He cupped his hands at Chu Yi, who was sitting at the head of the table. The first sentence was a polite praise, and he said, ¡°That shot just now was really powerful.¡± The other young masters agreed and nodded in unison. One killing shot. His accuracy was too good! Even if he had given them the gun back then, they definitely wouldn¡¯t have been able to do it. After all, a tiger was not a target. It would not sit still and wait for you to shoot it. ¡°Your Highness, this gun has been modified, right?¡± Another person asked the question that had been hidden in his heart for a long time. The young man who asked the question had served in the Divine Arms Battalion before and had also used the flintlock pistol of the Divine Arms Battalion. He was certain that the Eldest Prince¡¯s flintlock pistol was far better than the one used by the Divine Arms Battalion. Chu Yi nodded with a smile and picked up the teacup on the table. Everyone¡¯s blood boiled, but they did not dare to ask for the details. They felt that this must be a military opportunity. Lu Shi asked again, ¡°Your Highness, how far can this gun shoot?¡± ¡°500 feet.¡± Chu Yi took a shallow sip of tea and said gently, ¡°Any further, and the aim won¡¯t be good.¡± There was another flurry of nods. This conversation also reached Chu You¡¯s ears. The corners of Chu You¡¯s eyes twitched, and the white porcelain wine glass in his right hand paused in midair. He lowered his eyes and drank his wine. The wine in his glass was reflected in his eyes, flickering. When the late Emperor was alive, he doted on him the most, and he had everything he wanted. There were also several flintlock guns of all sizes in Prince Kang¡¯s Manor, but the flintlock guns in his residence were nothing compared to the one in Chu Yi¡¯s hand. Chu You suddenly raised his head and downed the wine in his glass. He could not help but glance at Baili Yin from the corner of his eye. Coincidentally, she met Baili Yin¡¯s half-smile. Chu You¡¯s expression froze slightly, but he forced himself to look calm and composed. A feeling of frustration and depression rose in his heart. Not long after Baili Yin arrived in the capital, he once asked him to borrow a flintlock gun to test the target. At that time, he had also borrowed it¡­ Originally, he had done this to show his sincerity to the State of Yue, but now, Chu Yi¡¯s new flintlock gun has made his actions a joke. Baili Yin would probably think that he was teasing him. Chu You wanted to explain, but he did not know how to explain it to the other party. For the first time, he understood what it meant to be unable to defend himself. His eyes darkened. Chapter 154 - 154 Occupy 154 Occupy Lu Shi and the other young masters were not familiar with Chu Yi. This was the first time they had spoken to him. At first, they were still a little reserved, but as they spoke, their expressions relaxed a lot. They felt that the Eldest Prince¡¯s temper was indeed good. He was polite, virtuous, and as benevolent as the Emperor. ¡°Your Highness.¡± A square-faced young master strode forward to the front and eagerly made a shooting gesture. ¡°I saw that the power of the new flintlock has also increased, right? One shot can pierce the spine of a tiger.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really lucky today. If I hadn¡¯t been called over by Lu Shi for the winter hunt at the last minute, I¡¯m afraid I would have missed it.¡± ¡°Amazing!¡± ¡°¡­¡± They were talking happily, but Chu You¡¯s eyes were getting darker and darker, as if he was sitting on pins and needles, and his heart sank bit by bit. If he allowed Baili Yin to misunderstand him, then his alliance with the State of Yue would probably¡­ If the State of Yue sided with Chu Yi, the consequences would be unimaginable. Chu You¡¯s eyes narrowed. He put down his wine glass and looked at Chu Yi, who was sitting at the head of the table, and said calmly, ¡°This flintlock is indeed powerful. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen it. ¡°Nephew, I think my brother just got someone to develop this, right?¡± As soon as these words were spoken, everyone else in the shed looked at Chu You. Yuan Zhe, who was sitting beside him, frowned slightly. There was a strange silence. After a short daze, Chu You also reacted. His thin lips pursed into a straight line. He had misspoken. He wanted to clarify some things to Baili Yin, but his words would only make others think that he was not as good as before in the royal court. He actually did not even know that the imperial court had a new weapon, and these descendants of noble families would probably look down on him because of this. ¡°Hahaha.¡± Baili Yin laughed loudly, breaking the silence. He placed the wine glass in his hand on the wine table and said, ¡°Young Master Yi, your country is really filled with talents, and it has really broadened my horizons today. This spear is really precious, can you lend it to me so I can take a look?¡± Chu Yi slowly took another sip of tea. When he put down the teacup, he looked at Chu You meaningfully and called out softly, ¡°Si Hai.¡± Si Hai retreated. Lu Shi and the other nobles frowned and exchanged disapproving looks. They felt that Kang Wang was really nosy and had given the people of the State of Yue a chance to borrow the flintlock. The atmosphere in the shed instantly turned cold, and no one spoke for a long time. After a while, Si Hai brought over a rectangular wooden box and placed the box with the flintlock on the wine table in front of Baili Yin. Baili Yin still had his cynical look, but the moment he saw the flintlock, the light in his eyes could not be hidden at all. He picked up the heavy gun and played with it casually, over and over. The flintlock looked no different from the ones he¡¯d seen before, except for a strange pattern drawn in cinnabar on the handle and a mark like a cat¡¯s paw on the side. Could it be that this ¡°cat paw print¡± was some kind of mechanism? Baili Yin¡¯s fingers gently brushed across the cat¡¯s paw print, deliberately stopping for an extra moment. Then he found it ridiculous. How was that possible? It was child¡¯s play. Holding the barrel in one hand and the handle in the other, he played with the flintlock again but still couldn¡¯t figure it out. The young master who had been to the Divine Arms Battalion patted Lu Shi¡¯s arm and gave him a look. He could tell at a glance from the Third Prince of the State of Yue¡¯s gestures and movements that he was someone who had played with flintlocks. A moment later, Baili Yin finally reluctantly put the flintlock back into the wooden box. He couldn¡¯t dismantle it now, so he could only return the gun. Besides, he knew that even if he dismantled it now, he probably wouldn¡¯t be able to see any secrets. ¡°Smash!¡± Baili Yin slammed the table with a hearty smile that carried a hint of frivolity. He sighed and said, ¡°Today, I obtained this rare white tiger and saw your country¡¯s flintlock. My trip was really not in vain!¡± ¡°Let me toast Young Master Yi!¡± Baili Yin raised his cup with one hand and drank it in one gulp. Then, he poured himself another cup of wine. Amidst the sound of wine being poured, he suddenly sighed and said regretfully, ¡°Unfortunately, the reward I prepared for the bet can¡¯t be sent out today.¡± Lu Shi and the others were stunned. Their gazes turned to the curved saber at Baili Yin¡¯s waist. They recalled that before the hunt began today, Baili Yin had publicly said that he wanted to reward his curved saber to the leader of today¡¯s tiger hunt. Chapter 155 - 155 Possession 155 Possession But now¡­ ¡°Of course I don¡¯t need this reward,¡± Chu You suddenly interrupted, his voice calm. Baili Yin gave everyone a prize as a condescending reward, but Chu Yi had hunted a tiger, and both of them were princes of the same status. If Baili Yin gave Chu Yi a prize, it would become Chu Yi¡¯s self-demoted status. Sigh, it was really going easy on the Third Prince of the State of Yue. Lu Shi sighed inwardly and was staring at the gem-studded scabbard on the side of Baili Yin¡¯s waist with some reluctance, when he heard Chu You¡¯s voice. ¡°Why don¡¯t you¡­ give this treasure sword to Second Miss Gu? What do you think, Third Prince Baili?¡± What?! Lu Shi seemed to come back to his senses and stared at Chu You with disbelief. Under everyone¡¯s puzzled and curious gazes, Chu You slowly added, ¡°For that magical skill¡­¡± A mysterious smile appeared on his lips as his deep gaze swept between Baili Yin and Chu Yi. Of course, he was talking about Gu Yanfei saving the female deer. Chu You did not explain further. Instead, it aroused the curiosity of Lu Shi and the others. All of them felt like their hearts were being scratched by a cat. Chu You¡¯s suggestion was exactly what Baili Yin wanted. ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Baili Yin¡¯s eyes lit up and shone as he clapped heavily in agreement. As he spoke, he seemed to inadvertently glance at Chu Yi from the corner of his eye, and his lips curled up. Chu Yi¡¯s handsome face held a gentle smile, and his eyes were calm and deep. Baili Yin raised his hand and snapped his fingers. His follower immediately understood and walked out of the shed with the scimitar. He raised his head and walked towards the shed, where Gu Yanfei and the others were. This time, even the others outside noticed the commotion. Everyone¡¯s gazes surged over like a tide, all focused on an middle-aged man from the State of Yue holding the scimitar. They watched as he arrived in front of Gu Yanfei. ¡°Second Miss Gu.¡± The middle-aged man held the scimitar towards Gu Yanfei with both hands. His movements looked serious, but there was a hint of disdain in his smile. ¡°This treasured saber was given to you by His Highness as a gift.¡± These words resounded clearly throughout the venue. When the others heard this, their gazes immediately became very strange. They sized up Gu Yanfei and went to check on the prey beside her. Seeing that the hunting basket beside her was empty, everyone knew what was going on. Second Miss Gu probably found nothing in the hunting ground. Then, what right did she have to become the champion today and obtain this treasured saber?! For a moment, Gu Yanfei almost became the target of public criticism. All eyes were on her like knives. Although there were definitely people who were dissatisfied, no one dared to go forward and question Gu Yanfei. After some word of mouth, at least 70 to 80% of the people present knew about the conflict between Gu Yanfei and Yu Chaoyun. Second Miss Gu of the Dingyuan Marquis Household had a fierce personality! There was silence, and the people who had been joking fell silent in unison. Those noble descendants did not care about the saber at all. The noble family had obtained the title of nobility through a battle with Emperor Taizu. Not to mention anything else, they did not lack treasured sabers. Today, Gu Yanfei had taught those daughters of noble families a lesson and earned face for the nobles, so she deserved 10 treasured sabers. Most of the children of the family of generals were carefree, but there were also meticulous people present. The State of Yue person had said ¡°gift¡±, not ¡°reward¡±! ¡°Chaoyun,¡± a girl in pink whispered in Yu Chaoyun¡¯s ear. ¡°The Baili family of the State of Yue royal family is from the Baitong clan. The Baitong clan has a tradition that men giving women a treasured saber is to take possession of her.¡± ¡°Before their Baitong Clan was established in the State of Yue, they were already a Nanman tribe. In the past, they would always carry knives and directly snatch women before leaving¡­ They¡¯re very barbaric.¡± She knew this because her great-grandmother was from the Xu family in Jiangnan. 60 years ago, because of the war, the Xu family moved to Jiangbei. Yu Chaoyun pursed her lower lip thoughtfully and wiped the corner of her mouth with a handkerchief. ¡°Sigh.¡± The girl in pink sighed softly and said with a faint smile, ¡°Who asked her to be so ostentatious!¡± If not for Gu Yanfei¡¯s ostentatiousness, she would not have provoked someone she should not have! Yu Chaoyun played with her handkerchief distractedly, still looking ahead. Under everyone¡¯s gaze, Gu Yanfei leisurely played with the colorful quill in her hand and did not take the scimitar. The middle-aged man looked deeply at Gu Yanfei and handed the scimitar an inch in her direction. He raised his voice with a smile. ¡°This is a token of His Highness¡¯s appreciation.¡± As soon as he said that, even others who did not understand the traditions of the State of Yue understood the different meaning, and there was a subtle tension in the atmosphere. Chu You¡¯s thin lips curled up slightly. He held the wine glass in his right hand, but he was paying attention to Chu Yi¡¯s every move from the corner of his eye. Seeing him raise his right hand, Chu You said, ¡°Nephew, it¡¯s also a good story to give such a rare Persian scimitar to Second Miss Gu.¡± Chu You did not hide the provocation in his eyes. Chu Yi¡¯s expression was still calm as he looked at Gu Yanfei without blinking. His eyes were slightly rippling and as gentle as the spring breeze. He chuckled and said, ¡°There¡¯s no hurry.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no hurry!¡± Chu You was confused for a moment. He did not know who had said those two words. ¡°There are still four hours until sunset. It¡¯s still unknown who will get this ¡®splendid item¡¯.¡± Gu Yanfei¡¯s clear voice was especially clear in this quiet environment, and it was sent into everyone¡¯s ears by the wind. ¡°¡­¡± Baili Yin raised his sharp eyebrows, but his smile deepened and his eyes curved into a frivolous arc. The women he knew, whether they were from the palace or outside, liked to be the center of attention and would definitely not refuse to be the envy of others. This little beauty always did things unexpectedly. Baili Yin smiled again and did not look angry at all at being rejected in public. Instead, his eyes burned even more as he asked with a faint smile, ¡°Does Second Miss Gu look down on it?¡± Chapter 156 - 156 Please 156 Please Baili Yin¡¯s heart was as clear as a mirror. He naturally knew that Kang Wang was deliberately provoking him to fight with Chu Yi. But so what?! Kang Wang and Chu Yi, the uncle and nephew, were not on good terms. They fought endlessly and caused chaos in the royal court of the State of Jin. This was what the State of Yue was happy to see. Otherwise, why would they let Chu Yi back so easily? Baili Yin stared at Gu Yanfei¡¯s exquisite face with a smile. Beauties were just pleasing to the eye. However, a beauty was always just a pastime. Just like this fine wine, it would be over if he tried it and enjoyed it. Gu Yanfei and Baili Yin looked at each other from afar and took in each other¡¯s subtle emotions. She could see the superiority and contempt in his eyes. It was just like when those male cultivators with high cultivation levels looked at the female cultivators who were trying to attach themselves to them in the Bright Spirit Realm. Gu Yanfei did not like it at all. In the Bright Spirit Realm, no one could force her. It was the same here! ¡°Yes.¡± Gu Yanfei raised her chin and said calmly, ¡°I don¡¯t like it.¡± As she said these three words, she exuded an oppressive aura. Her arrogance was like frost, making people feel that she was beyond their reach. ¡°This knife is not as good as my sword.¡± She reached for the sword at her waist. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, you can try!¡± Meeting Gu Yanfei¡¯s cold eyes, Baili Yin¡¯s smile deepened. He laughed again and said frivolously, ¡°Then I do have to ¡®try¡¯.¡± ¡°This feeling¡­¡± There was a double meaning in his words. It was as if he was testing a sword or a person. The teasing intent in Baili Yin¡¯s words was obvious. Almost as soon as he finished speaking, a silver light flashed. Gu Yanfei¡¯s short sword had already been unsheathed and swung out. Her movements were free and easy, as fast as lightning. It was almost difficult to catch with the naked eye. The middle-aged man felt a silver flash in front of him, and his forehead turned cold. Then a few wisps of fine hair fell from his eyes. He still did not know what was going on. He looked confused and afraid, but the others could clearly see that one of his eyebrows was missing. There was an uproar. Gu Yanfei had casually cut off one of this person¡¯s eyebrows. This strike was just right. If it had gone any lower, it would have pierced the man¡¯s eyes. If it was any deeper, it would have cut his skin. Several people who were good at wielding swords were secretly shocked. If not for the fact that Gu Yuan still had a trace of rationality to remember that he was working, he would have clapped and cheered. He secretly thought that when he returned to the capital, he would have to find a few scoundrel friends and beat up Baili Li. ¡°How is it?¡± Gu Yanfei casually twirled her sword and raised it to point at Baili Yin in front of her. She asked with a smile, ¡°Do you still want to try?¡± Baili Yin¡¯s eyes turned cold. The two of them were clearly far apart, but he seemed to be able to feel the coldness of the sword light. Chu Yi looked at Gu Yanfei almost directly, his jade-like face gentle. Under his long lashes, his dark eyes suddenly rippled like spring water, and his gaze darted to the familiar short sword. She was quite handy with his sword. Suddenly, he smiled, as if pleased by something. ¡°Knock, knock.¡± Chu Yi clenched his right hand into a fist and knocked on the table twice, attracting the attention of the others in the shed. Chu Yi nodded seriously. ¡°Indeed, it can¡¯t be compared.¡± His words were light but meaningful. ¡°Oh?¡± Baili Yin narrowed his eyes, still smiling. Chu Yi continued, ¡°Third Prince Baili¡¯s Persian scimitar is flashy but useless.¡± ¡°It can¡¯t compare to this sword. It¡¯s made of cold iron and was forged by the swordsmith, Ouyang Jun, after three years and painstaking efforts.¡± Baili Yin stroked his square chin and teased, ¡°Young Master Yi, you¡¯re so familiar with this sword. Have you seen it before?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Chu Yi said matter-of-factly. His phoenix eyes curled slightly as he smiled. His smile was so warm and elegant, and his dark eyes were calm. ¡°¡­¡± Baili Yin choked. He met Chu Yi¡¯s gaze and felt an inexplicable chill. The hair on his neck stood on end. Two young men of similar age and different appearances looked at each other, as if they were in a smokeless battle. Chu You drank leisurely at the side, as if it had nothing to do with him. Outside the shed, the warm sun hung in the sky, flickering with a resplendent golden light. Even the interior of the shed was illuminated by the sunlight. Chapter 157 - 157 Please 157 Please However, those women felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over their heads and their bodies had turned cold. Anyone could tell that Baili Yin was interested in Gu Yanfei, and the Eldest Prince was openly protecting Gu Yanfei. This was equivalent to putting his thoughts on the table. Yu Chaoyun looked at Chu Yi from afar and subconsciously clenched her handkerchief. Suddenly, she felt her cuff tighten. The girl in pink beside her gently tugged at her cuff, silently indicating for her to look at Gu Yanfei. Obviously, Gu Yanfei would be their greatest competitor to become the Eldest Princess Consort. Yu Chaoyun patted her hand comfortingly and looked down at her beautiful and slender fingers. Chu Yi¡¯s smiling voice sounded in her ear again. ¡°Second Miss Gu is right. Since it¡¯s a prize, it should naturally be given to the leader.¡± The young man¡¯s voice was clear and melodious, like a spring breeze circling everyone¡¯s ears. Gu Yanfei casually sheathed her sword. The crisp sound seemed to be responding to Chu Yi¡¯s words from afar. The corners of Chu Yi¡¯s lips curled higher, and his black eyes sparkled. He said slowly, in an unquestionable tone, ¡°In the next four hours, whoever has the most prey will be the champion!¡± ¡°In addition, I¡¯ll add another prize¡­¡± Before Chu Yi could finish, he was interrupted by Baili Yin. ¡°Young Master Yi, if we use this flintlock as a wager, I¡¯ll also go down and join in the fun.¡± Baili Yin had that unrestrained appearance again. He seemed to be provoking and joking. Unmoved, Chu Yi smiled and refused. ¡°That won¡¯t do.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll use this pocket watch as a prize.¡± Chu Yi took out an enamel-embedded silver pocket watch the size of a baby¡¯s fist and gently placed it on the table. Looking at this small and exquisite pocket watch, an abnormally bright stream of light flashed across Baili Yin¡¯s eyes. The pocket watch was also invented by Emperor Taizu of the State of Jin, Chu Jin, and was far more precise than the existing pot watch. However, the components in the pocket watch were even more complicated and detailed than flintlocks and could not be replicated. Even in the State of Jin, only a handful of people had this item, and it was said that there were less than a hundred pieces. The piece that the State of Yue had painstakingly obtained was given to the Crown Prince, so even Bailin Yin did not have it. Baili Yin¡¯s eyes burned like fire. He wanted to say something, but in the end, he did not say anything. He was the Third Prince of the State of Yue, so he naturally had to maintain his bearing as a prince. He could not fight with people below him like a young boy who had never seen the world, and could not ruin the prestige of the State of Yue. When the young masters present heard that there was another rare and precious pocket watch today, their blood boiled and their eyes lit up. Lu Shi smiled and cupped his fists. ¡°Your Highness¡¯s prize is really extraordinary.¡± ¡°If I could get this pocket watch today, my brothers in the family would definitely be envious,¡± another person said excitedly, staring at the pocket watch with shining eyes. ¡°You just hunted two badgers this morning, and you want to win? Dream on!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go to the hunting ground to compete again¡­¡± The more the young masters spoke, the more excited they became, and their blood boiled again. Afraid that they would fall behind, they rode their horses again and set off towards the forest with great momentum. The high-spirited figures spurred their horses away. The rapid and chaotic sound of hooves rumbled like muffled thunder and faded away, leaving behind billowing yellow smoke. Soon, the sound of their hooves was too far away to be heard, and the surroundings were much emptier. Other than Chu Yi, Baili Yin, Chu You, and the others, the rest were basically all girls. Since they had nothing to do, Wei Jiaoniang called Gu Yanfei, Lu Qin, and the others to barbecue. It was already two hours later when they finished the roasted meat and digested it. The girls didn¡¯t go far and simply played nearby. They kicked shuttlecocks, played the spinning top, and played hide-and-seek¡­ They were having a lot of fun. Gu Yanfei was kicking the shuttlecock. She was agile and kicked the shuttlecock in all kinds of ways. One moment, she was cross-kicking, the next moment, she was kicking with her knees, the next moment, she was kicking with the tips of her feet, and the next moment, she was twisting¡­ The shuttlecock, made of pheasant feathers, flew in and out of the air like a lively bird. Clap, clap, clap! The girls applauded and cheered in high spirits. ¡°Catch!¡± Wei Jiaoniang was also kicking a shuttlecock at Gu Yanfei. The shuttlecock made a high arc in the air. Gu Yanfei smiled sweetly and kicked the shuttlecock back to Wei Jiaoniang with her right foot. Then, she caught the shuttlecock with her left toe. The two of them cooperated and kicked the two shuttlecocks around. They played as they pleased. ¡°Oh my!¡± Wei Jiaoniang let out a low cry. She accidentally kicked one of the shuttlecocks high into the air. As the rhythm became chaotic, she kicked the other shuttlecock askew. This shuttlecock ¡°flew¡± up a tree. At first glance, it looked like a small bird squatting in the treetops. Gu Yanfei could not help but laugh. She walked over to pick up the shuttlecock on the tree. After Wei Jiaoniang picked up another shuttlecock, she walked behind Gu Yanfei and whispered, ¡°Look at them.¡± ¡°Them¡± referred to the women from aristocratic families not far away. Ahead, the shed where the women of the aristocratic families lived had been redecorated. A few gauze curtains embroidered with lotus flowers hung down on three sides, and a three-legged incense burner was lit in the shed with incense curling up. When the wind blew, the gauze curtains fluttered like lotus flowers swaying in the wind and smoke, adding to the poetic atmosphere. Two maidservants set up the zither table. A girl in a red dress walked over with the zither and personally placed it on the table. Following, she sat down gracefully behind the zither table, placed her hands on the strings, and began to transfer the test strings. ¡°They¡¯re burning the incense and playing the zither,¡± Wei Jiaoniang whispered into Gu Yanfei¡¯s ear. ¡°They¡¯re playing it for the Eldest Prince, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Probably.¡± Gu Yanfei nodded and smiled. In the wilderness, they would not play the zither for foxes and rabbits, right? Looking at Gu Yanfei¡¯s carefree appearance, a protective desire rose in Wei Jiaoniang¡¯s heart. Yanfei is so good, I have to protect her. I can¡¯t let those girls from noble families intercept her! Chapter 158 - 158 Competition 158 Competition Wei Jiaoniang casually threw the shuttlecock up and caught it. She smiled and said, ¡°Yanfei, do you know what I hate most about these people?¡± She did not really want Gu Yanfei to answer, and she immediately answered her own question. ¡°They¡¯re so pretentious!¡± ¡°They¡¯re too pretentious!¡± ¡°We¡¯re all humans, but they have to pretend that they¡¯re otherworldly fairies.¡± Wei Jiaoniang snorted disapprovingly and threw the shuttlecock again. ¡°That makes sense!¡± Gu Yanfei felt that Wei Jiaoniang¡¯s words were really interesting. She smiled until her dimples appeared, and her smile was like a flower. Yanfei is so beautiful, like a flower! Wei Jiaoniang exclaimed sincerely in her heart. She patted Gu Yanfei¡¯s shoulder boldly and smiled slyly. She pointed at herself with her thumb and said, ¡°Watch me.¡± She would help Yanfei! Wei Jiaoniang¡¯s eyes were sparkling like the morning stars. Gu Yanfei felt that she understood, but also seemed to not understand a little. However, seeing how happy Wei Jiaoniang was, she should be saying something good! ¡°Okay.¡± Gu Yanfei smiled and nodded. ¡°Take it away!¡± Wei Jiaoniang seemed to have been fed with some miracle medicine, for she became more energetic and happy. She held Gu Yanfei¡¯s arm and returned happily. A desolate and mellow sound of the zither sounded faintly in the forest. It was like a sob, lingering and moving¡­ Wei Jiaoniang¡¯s eyes darted around as she excitedly suggested, ¡°Lu Qin, let¡¯s play drums and pass on flowers!¡± She winked playfully with her right eye. Lu Qin and Wei Jiaoniang had been friends for many years. When Wei Jiaoniang raised her tail, Lu Qin knew what she wanted to do and tacitly said, ¡°There are no drums here. Let¡¯s go get a gong.¡± A bright smile appeared on Lu Qin¡¯s face, and she was eager to try. ¡°A gong sounds good.¡± Wei Jiaoniang snapped her fingers happily. She wanted to see if the sound of the zither or the gong would be louder. The two girls were in high spirits and did as they were told. After a while, they really found a gong. Gu Yanfei and the other girls were a little stunned at first. Gradually, they understood and vaguely guessed that Wei Jiaoniang was competing with those women from the aristocratic families. Interesting! Gu Yanfei was also interested. She felt that it was good to create trouble for everyone. Her smile widened, and she waved the shuttlecock in her hand. ¡°How about we use this shuttlecock as a flower ball?¡± Gu Yanfei¡¯s suggestion was unanimously approved by the others. The girls quickly stood in a large circle. In the first round, Wei Jiaoniang turned around and was in charge of striking the gong. Clang! A deafening gong sounded through the forest, followed by a second, then a third¡­ The sound of the gong easily drowned out the sound of the zither, causing the original poignant and gentle atmosphere to disappear. The girls surrounding the zither table could not help but frown. They glanced at Wei Jiaoniang and the others with displeasure. ¡°Quick, quick, quick¡­¡± ¡°Pass it faster!¡± Lu Qin and the others shouted as they quickly passed the shuttlecock. That shuttlecock became a hot potato. Gu Yanfei passed it to Lu Qin, and Lu Qin passed it to her cousin. One passed it to the next, and the shuttlecock flew faster and faster¡­ At the same time, the sound of the gong did not stop. The more Wei Jiaoniang knocked, the more excited she became, and the rhythm of the gong became faster and faster. Even the person playing the zither was affected. The melody and rhythm were led astray, and she played faster and faster¡­ Clang! Her hands trembled, and one of the strings snapped. The sound of the zither stopped abruptly, leaving only the few remaining strings still humming softly. Broken strings were really ominous! The faces of the women from the aristocratic families darkened. The sound of the gong nearby also stopped at this moment. Someone shouted happily, ¡°The shuttlecock has fallen into Lu Qin¡¯s hands! Come, come, Lu Qin, let¡¯s do a roundhouse spiral kick!¡± There was another round of giggling and jeering. The girl playing the zither was so angry that her hands were trembling slightly. ¡°Sister Zeng, is your hand okay?¡± Yu Chaoyun gently checked the other party¡¯s hand and stroked it a few times. ¡°I brought my zither too¡­¡± She was about to raise her hand to summon the maidservant when she was stunned again. She looked in a certain direction and muttered, ¡°¡­The Eldest Prince is looking at her.¡± Yu Chaoyun¡¯s voice was very low, but all the girls around her heard her clearly. As soon as she said this, the other women from the aristocratic families all looked at the shed where Chu Yi was, including Miss Zeng, who had just played the zither. Sure enough¡ª Chu Yi, who was sitting behind the wine table, was quietly watching Gu Yanfei with a smile on his lips. Chapter 159 - 159 Competition 159 Competition All the women from the aristocratic families followed his gaze and realized he was looking at Gu Yanfei, who happened to throw out the shuttlecock she had just obtained¡­ Miss Zeng¡¯s expression darkened. She bit her lower lip until it turned white. ¡°Crazy,¡± she said softly. ¡°A woman should be quiet and gentle, as graceful as a lotus¡­¡± She meant to say it for the crazy girls to hear, but before she could finish, she heard another deafening gong that drowned out the rest of her sentence. Wei Jiaoniang grabbed the drumstick and began to beat the gong again. She was simply a scoundrel! Miss Zeng was so angry that her chest heaved. She could not help but look at Chu Yi again, still holding a trace of hope in her heart, hoping to see displeasure on his face. However, Chu Yi was smiling. His smile was like a warm sun, unable to stop it from spilling out of his eyes and rippling across his handsome face. Not far away, Chu You, who was on the hunting stage, was also looking at Chu Yi with a malicious gaze. Ever since Chu Yi returned to the country, nothing had gone smoothly for him. These failures reminded him again and again that he had been too careless previously and allowed Chu Yi to return to the capital alive. Clang! Clang! Clang! The loud gong was fast-paced and hit Chu You¡¯s heart like a hammer. Chu You became even more frustrated. His brows were furrowed as he looked down at the group of laughing girls. ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s cold in the mountains. You¡¯re dressed so thin, be careful not to catch a cold.¡± Yuan Zhe¡¯s concerned voice came from behind. Yuan Zhe slowly walked up the high hunting platform. The wind was strong, and the strong mountain wind blew his cloak around him. He wanted to put a cloak on Chu You, but Chu You raised his hand to refuse. ¡°I¡¯m not cold,¡± Chu You said calmly. He was not only not cold, but he also felt hot. There seemed to be an impatient fire flowing crazily in his body, and he had nowhere to vent it. Yuan Zhe did not force him. He walked to Chu You¡¯s side and asked in a low voice, ¡°Your Highness, do you really not know that the flintlock has been improved?¡± As he spoke, his complicated gaze accurately landed on Chu Yi below. His eyes flickered with a faint light as his thoughts raced. If the late Emperor had improved the flintlock when he was in power, it was impossible for him not to tell Kang Wang. Then, the only remaining possibility pointed to the current Emperor. He must have managed to improve the flintlock. What puzzled Yuan Zhe was that he had only been on the throne for less than a year. Before he ascended the throne, he had never taken on any jobs related to firearms. The late Emperor had always been on guard against the current Emperor, so it was impossible for him to hand over such an important task to him. ¡°¡­¡± Chu You was silent. He was equally puzzled, and a thick, dark cloud surged onto his forehead. To be honest, even he thought it was nonsense to say that he had no idea. However, he really knew nothing! Chu You¡¯s expression darkened further. Yuan Zhe got the answer from his gloomy, ugly expression and sighed inwardly. They were alone on the wide hunting platform. There was an empty silence, and the stiffness spread silently. Without the cover of the trees, the mountain wind became stronger, like a dragon¡¯s roar blowing their robes. Yuan Zhe pursed his lips and thought quickly. He did not challenge Chu You¡¯s temper anymore and said bluntly, ¡°If even Your Highness doesn¡¯t know, could it be that the Emperor obtained Emperor Taizu¡¯s personal letter?¡± ¡°I once heard from the Empress Dowager that a portion of Emperor Taizu¡¯s handwritten letter was lost¡­¡± Chu You had been distracted. Hearing this, his slender body jerked, and he turned to look at Yuan Zhe, who was three steps away. The cousins faced each other with solemn expressions. ¡°A portion of my Imperial Grandfather¡¯s handwritten letter has indeed been lost¡­¡± Chu You said softly, frowning in deep thought. Emperor Taizu was talented and omnipotent. He was a god who had descended from the sky. Not only did he establish the Great Jin Dynasty, but he also developed and improved many things that benefited the country and the people. In the hearts of the people of Great Jin, Emperor Taizu was a figure comparable to Confucius. He was enough to be remembered for generations to come. Emperor Taizu was Chu You¡¯s grandfather. When he passed away, Chu You was not yet born, so he had naturally never seen Emperor Taizu. His understanding of Emperor Taizu either came from Emperor Taizu¡¯s Living Notes or from the previous Emperor, Empress Dowager Yuan, the Grand Tutor, and the courtiers. Chu You paced back and forth on the hunting platform thoughtfully. His originally fluctuating mind gradually calmed down, and he looked into the east, in the direction of the capital. ¡°I¡¯ve heard my father talk about my Imperial Grandfather.¡± Chu You searched his memories and organized his thoughts. ¡°The things my Imperial Grandfather developed were far more than these mercury mirrors, windmills, and pocket watches on the surface. In his later years, he had some shocking works, including new firearms, but they were hidden.¡± Yuan Zhe stared intently at Chu You, waiting for him to continue. ¡°Father said that a few years before my Imperial Grandfather passed away, he became very anxious. From time to time, he would lock himself in the imperial study and write a lot of notes. However, when he was angry, he would tear those notes apart and mutter that the technology tree would be crooked if it was pointed wrong.¡± ¡°No one understood those strange words either. At that time, Father almost thought that he was¡­¡± Mad. Chu You pursed his lips and swallowed the last two words. His eyes darkened as his memory returned to years ago. What he knew was that a few years ago, when the late Emperor was drunk, he had accidentally heard some drunken words from him. That day was the anniversary of Emperor Taizu¡¯s death. The late Emperor was in a bad mood and drank a lot of wine. He cried drunkenly and complained that Emperor Taizu always despised his sons for being useless. He said that before Emperor Taizu died, he even muttered that it was a waste to leave good things like steam engines and textile machines to them. He complained that even his grandchildren were only average, and he had to wait for his great-grandchildren¡­ Chapter 160 - 160 Best Plan 160 Best Plan At that time, the drunken late Emperor had uttered many strange words. Chu You also did not understand and only treated it as drunken words. After a pause, Chu You calmed himself down and continued, ¡°It wasn¡¯t until after my Imperial Grandfather passed away that my father realized that there were a few missing handwritten notes. He couldn¡¯t announce it, so he silently sent someone to search Yangxin Hall, but he still couldn¡¯t find it. He thought that my Imperial Grandfather had destroyed a portion of the handwritten notes before he passed away.¡± ¡°If those notes were not destroyed but discovered by my brother¡­¡± Chu You opened his eyes and turned to walk down the hunting platform, unable to stand it anymore. ¡°Your Highness, calm down.¡± Yuan Zhe pressed down on Chu You¡¯s wrist and tried his best to persuade him to stop. Chu You raised his sharp eyebrows, and his eyes were sharp. Yuan Zhe casually tidied the creases in his sleeves and calmly pointed at the most luxurious shed below. He said indifferently, ¡°There must be someone more anxious than you.¡± His tone was meaningful, but he was not referring to Chu Yi. Instead, he was talking about Baili Yin, who was drinking beside Chu Yi. Chu You narrowed his eagle eyes and also looked at Baili Yin thoughtfully. The power of the new flintlock would definitely make Baili Yin wary. The State of Yue was ambitious, so how could they sit back and watch the Great Jin own such a divine weapon? Baili Yin would make a move sooner or later! ¡°Therefore, there¡¯s no hurry, Your Highness.¡± Yuan Zhe patted Chu You¡¯s shoulder. A confident smile appeared on his refined face, and his eyes suddenly flashed with a cold light. ¡°The Eldest Prince has been in the State of Yue for eight years. This is his merit and his greatest weakness.¡± ¡°If the Eldest Prince makes any mistakes, whether intentionally or unintentionally, it will be a serious crime.¡± Chu Yi had served the country in the State of Yue for eight years. Therefore, both the courtiers and the commoners had to remember his sacrifices over the past eight years. However, this was also a stain that Chu Yi, the Eldest Prince, could never erase! Yuan Zhe casually waved his sleeve and stood with his hands behind his back. His every move was confident and calm. With Yuan Zhe¡¯s pointers, Chu You returned to his senses, and his heart immediately lit up. When he looked down at Chu Yi again, his eyes were filled with mockery. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ve miscalculated this time¡­¡± Chu You said as he gently rubbed the nine dragon patterns on the jade pendant by his waist with the pad of his index finger. The corners of his lips curled up. The Emperor had asked Chu Yi to replace him to entertain Baili Yin. He naturally had his own plans and wanted to pave the way for Chu Yi. However, if this plan was not handled well, it might backfire. Chu Yi had been in the State of Yue for so long. If anything went wrong with his errand this time, they could impeach Chu Yi for sacrificing the benefits of the Great Jin and flattering the State of Yue. Neither the courtiers nor the commoners understood Chu Yi. The gap created by the missing eight years in the past was not easy to bridge! Seeing that Kang Wang had calmed down, Yuan Zhe was relieved. He stroked his sleeve and smiled again, then said seriously, ¡°This situation is beneficial to you, Your Highness.¡± ¡°The Eldest Prince is in the limelight today because he wants to gain a foothold as soon as possible.¡± In Yuan Zhe¡¯s opinion, the Eldest Prince was really too young and rash. He should have hidden a weapon like the new flintlock and secretly mass-produced it as soon as possible to become their trump card. In that case, it was the best solution. However, the Eldest Prince was clearly anxious and wanted to establish himself in the royal court as soon as possible. That was why he made such a stupid move. He even took out this new flintlock to show it off. He was really trying to impress the crowd! In the end, it only aroused the vigilance and covetous eyes of the people from the State of Yue! How stupid and short-sighted. Sigh, the Eldest Prince had indeed been raised to be useless by the people of the State of Yue. Yuan Zhe sighed faintly in his heart. As Yuan Zhe spoke unhurriedly, Chu You completely calmed down. He let out a long breath of relief and nodded. ¡°Cousin is right.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to my cousin¡¯s advice.¡± Chu You cupped his hands at Yuan Zhe. Yuan Zhe smiled faintly. After receiving Chu You¡¯s bow, he was neither arrogant nor anxious. He naturally had the extraordinary bearing of a descendant of an aristocratic family. The mountain wind was still howling beside him, and the chill was bone-chilling. Occasionally, a few broken leaves would be blown over by the mountain wind and fly around the hunting platform. Yuan Zhe gently brushed away a remnant leaf that had fallen on his shoulder and reminded him, ¡°Your Highness, Emperor Taizu¡¯s handwritten letter is secondary.¡± He was also worried that Chu You would be confused by the immediate benefits and forget their longer-term goals. Chapter 161 - 161 Best Plan 161 Best Plan Emperor Taizu¡¯s handwritten letter was important. It would be best if they could get it, but it was not pertinent. To them, the throne was of utmost importance. ¡°Cousin, I understand.¡± Chu You stood against the wind with a long sword at his waist. His long green eyelashes were covered, and there was a faint shadow in his pupils that spread bit by bit. ¡°T-t-t-t¡­¡± There was a rush of hooves in the forest on the other side. At least eight or nine people were galloping this way. The hunting stage was located high above, and Chu You could see it clearly at a glance. The people who had gone hunting in the forest had returned! The sun was already setting, showering the forest with golden light. The evening light filled the sky. The young masters who had gone out to hunt returned from the hunting ground one after another and gathered in this empty space. Their return made the surroundings even livelier. The others gathered around to see their catch. More game was piled on the ground, and a few of the imperial guards began to count and record it. The champion of the day was finally won by Fifth Young Master Yu of the Jianwei General¡¯s Manor, attracting countless envious gazes and a wave of enthusiastic applause. Under the burning gazes of the young masters, Chu Yi bestowed the pocket watch and encouraged him. Immediately after, Baili Yin instructed the middle-aged State of Yue man with a missing eyebrow to hand the Persian scimitar to Fifth Young Master Yu and said a few polite words. ¡°Thank you, Third Prince Baili, for the scimitar.¡± After the Fifth Young Master Yu took the curved scimitar with both hands, and cupped his hands at Baili Yin. His etiquette was appropriate. He did not lose his poise, nor did he show any signs of being flattered. Originally, this Persian scimitar was considered a rare item. The blade could blow fur and cut hair. There were many precious gems embedded in the scabbard, but it was inferior to the pocket watch given by Chu Yi. After all, although scimitars were rare, they were not hard to obtain. It was just a matter of spending some money. Fifth Young Master Yu casually played with the scimitar twice before putting it on his waist and retreating. His right hand held the enamel silver pocket watch solemnly, and his eyes sparkled. This pocket watch was different. There were only so many people who owned one in the entire Great Jin, not even his father! As soon as Fifth Young Master Yu walked out of the shed, the young masters waiting outside surged towards him like a tide and surrounded him. ¡°Fifth Brother Yu, show me your pocket watch.¡± ¡°Show me first, Fifth Brother Yu. The last time I got a century-old good wine, you were the first person I thought of.¡± ¡°Go away. I¡¯m still his biological cousin.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The young masters all squeezed over and fought to talk non-stop, wanting to broaden their horizons. Looking at these noisy youths, the smile on Baili Yin¡¯s lips froze for a moment. Then, he returned to normal and revealed a curious smile. He said to Chu Yi with emotion, ¡°Young Master Yi, I heard that you¡¯re a god from the heavens and have made many good things. It¡¯s rare for me to come to your country. I wonder if I will be lucky enough to see the pocket watch?¡± As soon as he finished speaking, a State of Yue person in his 20s quickly entered the shed and bent down to whisper to Baili Yin. The middle-aged man beside him pricked up his ears and vaguely heard the words ¡°Xia Houqing¡± floating over. Xia Houqing?! The middle-aged man looked terrified and could not help but look at Baili Yin. ¡°¡­¡± Baili Yin pursed his thin lips tightly, and his expression gradually became solemn. Even when he had lost to Chu Yi in public during the tiger hunt, he had never lost his composure like this. The young masters were still playing and pushing each other. Lu Shi seemed to be smiling as he went to talk to Chu Yi. ¡°Your Highness, let¡¯s come for the spring hunt next year, okay? I¡¯ll definitely be the champion next time.¡± Lu Shi looked at Chu Yi eagerly. He was just short of asking if the Eldest Prince could take out another pocket watch as a prize next time. Hearing this, the other young masters also looked expectant. Chu Yi did not agree or object. He said meaningfully, ¡°Emperor Taizu said that opportunities are reserved for the prepared.¡± He smiled gently and elegantly without looking at Baili Yin. Baili Yin clenched his fists and quickly suppressed the emotions in his heart. He looked at Chu Yi with a smile and said in a clear voice as if nothing had happened, ¡°Young Master Yi, it¡¯s getting late today¡­¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Only then did Chu Yi look at Baili Yin and follow his words. ¡°It¡¯s getting late. We should return to the capital.¡± Hence, Chu Yi waved, and everyone stood up to send him off. Once they left, the descendants of the aristocratic families could not stay any longer. They could not wait to get into the carriages, and the huge convoy set off majestically. Wei Jiaoniang and Lu Qin did not want to go with the women of the aristocratic families, so they shouted for Gu Yanfei to stay behind and play with the shuttlecock for a while. At dusk, the sky suddenly became gloomy. Dark clouds filled the sky, and the sky was as dark as if night had arrived early. ¡°God, the weather changed so quickly.¡± Afraid that it would snow, Wei Jiaoniang called for the girls to set off quickly. They were all worried about being drenched by the rain, so they rode as fast as they could. Even so, they did not manage to dodge it. On the way, it did not rain but it snowed. In an instant, the goose feather-like snowflakes floated down densely, covering the sky and earth. The sky turned silver¡­ The wind was strong, and the snow was heavy. They had only traveled a few miles when a thin layer of snow accumulated on the way. Worst of all, the snow was still getting heavier. Gu Yanfei stroked Hongyu¡¯s neck comfortingly. Hongyu raised its neck confidently and called out twice, as if to say, ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Good horse! Gu Yanfei stroked it again. She frowned slightly and looked around. The snow was too heavy¡­ It was too dark, and the snow would block their vision. Furthermore, they were all riding horses. If they were not careful and their hooves skidded on the snow, the consequences would be unimaginable! They could not continue on their way. Chapter 162 - 162 Old Friend 162 Old Friend Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyebrows twitched. She remembered that the eldest branch had a farm nearby, so she suggested, ¡°Jiaoniang, I think the snow will fall for at least a few more hours. My family has a farm two miles away. Let¡¯s go there to hide from the snow first.¡± The girls perked up and agreed. Although they were all wearing cloaks and hoods to block the snow, the wind and snow were too strong now. Everyone¡¯s faces, bodies, and hands were more or less stained with snow. Their bangs were also messed up by the wind, and they looked slightly disheveled. Everyone immediately changed course and took a path to the left. The hooves left clear hoof prints in the soft snow. Suddenly, Gu Yanfei, who was leading the way, stopped her horse without any warning. She looked at the wild grass by the roadside and raised her hand to make a ¡°stop¡± gesture. Hence, Wei Jiaoniang, Lu Qin, and the others also stopped their horses. A few feet ahead, lying motionless on the side of the road, was a rust-colored figure. This person was slightly bloated, and her body was covered in snow. ¡°There¡¯s someone there!¡± Lu Qin was the first to point over and shout. The girls were in an uproar. They quickly urged their horses forward and surrounded the person on the ground. The accompanying maidservants dismounted to investigate. Two of them worked together to flip the prone figure over and gently pat the snow off her face, body, and head. It was an old woman in her 50s. She was wearing a rust-colored dark-striped cotton jacket. Her pale face was slightly green from the cold, her face was wrinkled, and her eyes were closed. There was a pool of blinding blood on her white hair. ¡°It¡¯s an old woman,¡± a maidservant reported in bewilderment. Her face was pale, and her palm was stained with the old woman¡¯s blood. ¡°She¡¯s unconscious and has an injury to her head.¡± Gu Yanfei got off the horse and carefully checked the wound on the old woman¡¯s head. When she touched it, she felt a sticky sensation unique to blood. The back of the old woman¡¯s head was slightly swollen, and there was a wound the size of a baby¡¯s fist where blood was oozing out. The other girls were talking at once. ¡°Why would this old lady fall here alone? Did she encounter robbers on the way?¡± ¡°Definitely not. Look at the silver hairpin on her head. If this was a robbery, they would have looted her.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The few of them were discussing heatedly. Wei Jiaoniang and Lu Qin quietly looked at each other with thoughtful eyes. The old woman¡¯s clothes were neither new nor old. They were clean and without patches. She did not look like a poor commoner, but she was definitely not from a rich family. Looking at the silver hairpin in her bun, the silver ring on her finger, and the clean handkerchief peeking out of one cuff, she did not look like an old lady from a small family. Instead, she looked more like a servant from a large family. The two of them exchanged a look. Lu Qin leaned over and glanced at the old woman¡¯s wound. ¡°She¡¯s quite seriously injured¡­¡± she asserted. Whoever it was had been clearly trying to kill her! Now that the weather was cold and it was snowing, if they left her alone, it could be imagined that if this old woman lay here for a night, she would definitely be dead. ¡°Let¡¯s bring her to the manor first.¡± Gu Yanfei stood up and wiped the blood from her hand with a handkerchief. ¡°Then let her ride with me.¡± Wei Jiaoniang couldn¡¯t wait to volunteer herself. She patted her chest confidently and said, ¡°My riding skills are good, so it won¡¯t be a problem to bring another person.¡± Receiving Wei Jiaoniang¡¯s gaze, Gu Yanfei smiled and instructed Juan Bi to carry the old woman onto Wei Jiaoniang¡¯s horse. Juan Bi had always been nimble. She easily carried the old woman off the ground and onto Wei Jiaoniang¡¯s horse. Everyone quickly got back on their horses and continued on their way against the cold wind and snow. Along the way, they finally arrived at their destination before the sky turned completely dark. ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± Gu Yanfei pointed at the manor path in front of her from afar. Her small face hidden in the hood was filled with nostalgia. In her previous life, she had been to this farmstead in the suburbs of the capital. She had originally thought that after they split up, she could bring her brother to stay here. For this, she had even personally come to decorate the place. At that time, because of her brother¡¯s leg injury, it was not convenient for him to walk, so she removed all the thresholds in this farmstead. There were also slopes added to the stone steps to make it easier for the wheelchair to pass. She had set up a study and workshop for her eldest brother and herself. Her eldest brother was very skilled and even knew how to make a wheelchair. She also got someone to draw the hot spring water over and made a hot spring pool. She also dug a pond beside the field behind the manor and planned to plant lotuses. Not only could she admire the lotuses, but she could also eat lotus seeds and dig lotus roots¡­ Chapter 163 - 163 Old Friend 163 Old Friend The farmstead was large and open. There were fields, rivers, and mountains that made it self-sufficient. After 200 years, when she was in this familiar and unfamiliar environment, memories rushed back. She had planned it well, but in the end¡­ Things didn¡¯t go as planned. The girls reined in their horses in front of the farmstead. The horses neighed with a cold breath of air. Juan Bi was the first to dismount and knock on the door. When the steward of the manor heard that it was his lady, he was overjoyed. He quickly brought people to welcome her, and the manor door opened. This area was remote, and not many people usually came. Today, so many delicate guests came at once, shocking the entire manor. Gu Yanfei instructed the steward of the manor to send people to the various prefectures in the capital to inform them so that Wei Jiaoniang and the others¡¯ families would not worry. Then, she got someone to move the old woman to the east wing. Lu Qin and the other girls were summoned to the hall to sit down. The maidservants accompanying them also went to help boil water. Only Wei Jiaoniang followed Gu Yanfei to the inner room of the east wing. The unconscious old woman was moved to a couch by a few servants. When she first discovered the old woman on the way, Gu Yanfei had only roughly checked her injuries. Now that there was a place to settle down, she carefully checked her pulse and asked Juan Bi to check her limbs and torso. The other parts of the old woman¡¯s body were uninjured. Only the back of her head had been struck by something hard enough to cause this fatal wound. By now, the scalp wound had stopped bleeding and was even showing signs of healing. ¡°Not bad.¡± Gu Yanfei smiled and looked at Wei Jiaoniang. Wei Jiaoniang raised her chin proudly and winked at Gu Yanfei. After Gu Yanfei taught her the Disease Removal Talisman, Wei Jiaoniang had long wanted to find an opportunity to give it a try, but she could not cut herself before treating it¡­ This was too stupid. Just now, when she was on the road with the old woman, she had been drawing Disease Removal Talismans repeatedly. Even if it only succeeded once out of 10, the effect was not bad, and the bleeding had stopped. Gu Yanfei looked at her and smiled. The two of them exchanged a tacit secret. Yes, I¡¯m amazing! Wei Jiaoniang was so happy that her tail was about to curl up. As long as the bleeding stopped, the wound would not be a problem. Gu Yanfei instructed, ¡°Juan Bi, get someone to get some cold water to clean the wound, and get some clean white cloth.¡± Juan Bi left, and a moment later, she led a delicate-looking servant in her 30s. Juan Bi carried a rough cloth and scissors, while the other servant carried a basin of water. The servant approached the bed with a basin of water. When she saw the person on the bed, she was suddenly stunned and blurted out, ¡°It¡¯s Granny Pang!¡± ¡°You know her?¡± Gu Yanfei raised her eyebrows. ¡°Yes.¡± As the servant placed the basin on the bedside table, her gaze kept drifting to Granny Pang. After a while, she came back to her senses and nodded. ¡°Miss, Granny Pang is the late Madam¡¯s wet nurse.¡± This farmstead was Madam Xie¡¯s dowry. The people inside were all attendants brought over by Madam Xie, so they naturally recognized her wet nurse. The servant hesitated for a moment before continuing, ¡°Granny Pang made a mistake a few years ago and was chased out of the Marquis Mansion. It was said that¡­ she treated the Third Lady poorly.¡± Thinking of Gu Yunrong¡¯s identity, she looked a little hesitant. ¡°¡­¡± Gu Yanfei blinked and was slightly stunned. Mother¡¯s wet nurse? Now that she said it, she had a vague impression. In her previous life, around the Spring Festival, a person who claimed to be her mother¡¯s wet nurse came to the Marquis Mansion to pay her respects. However, by the time she found out, it was already too late, and she had long been sent away. By the way, at that time, the servants called her Granny Pang. But later, she never heard from Granny Pang again. Counting the days in her previous life, Granny Pang seemed to have only come to the Marquis Mansion in these few days. Gu Yanfei¡¯s black eyes were so deep that they could not be seen. She stared fixedly at the unconscious Granny Pang and felt a complicated feeling in her heart. She could not tell if she was disappointed or sad. After sitting quietly for two breaths, she asked the servant to cook some ginger soup for Lu Qin and the others. The servant responded repeatedly. After bowing a little restrainedly, she hurriedly retreated. Juan Bi followed Gu Yanfei¡¯s instructions and cleaned the area around Granny Pang¡¯s wound with cold water. She applied some ointment and finally bandaged it with a white cloth. ¡°Juan Bi, find someone to take good care of her first. She¡­¡± Gu Yanfei glanced at the pot. ¡°She¡¯ll wake up at about a quarter past eight.¡± After saying this, she affectionately took Wei Jiaoniang¡¯s arm and went to the hall in the front courtyard. At this moment, Gu Yanfei¡¯s emotions had already returned to normal. She smiled as if nothing had happened. Outside, the snow fluttered. All she could see was whiteness and thickening snow. Lu Qin and the other girls had already drunk the ginger soup. They looked satisfied and smiled. With a place to shelter them from the wind and snow, they were all at ease. They drank tea and ate snacks. The worst case scenario was that they would spend the night on this farmstead. Seeing Gu Yanfei and Wei Jiaoniang come hand in hand, the girls put down their cups and asked with concern, ¡°How are the old lady¡¯s injuries?¡± ¡°Did you hire a doctor?¡± Wei Jiaoniang tugged at Gu Yanfei¡¯s sleeve and replied evasively, ¡°She¡¯s fine. This time, saving a life is more meritorious than building a seven-floor pagoda.¡± She hurriedly changed the subject in the next sentence. ¡°I¡¯m hungry. What¡¯s good?¡± When the girls heard that the injured person was fine, they were relieved. Lu Qin was the first to say, ¡°This plum blossom cake is not bad. It¡¯s soft and delicious!¡± ¡°And this pine nut is also very sweet.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The girls chatted and laughed, filling the hall with bustling activity. Even the howling snow outside the hall was suppressed. The snow finally showed signs of easing. The carriages of the various manors arrived at the manor one after another. Only the Dingyuan Marquis Household had not arrived. Chapter 164 - 164 Retribution 164 Retribution Juan Bi frowned and sent someone to the entrance of the manor to check on the situation. She muttered angrily, ¡°I clearly sent someone to pass a message to the Marquis Mansion.¡± She said it very softly, but Wei Jiaoniang still heard her. Wei Jiaoniang frowned and suggested, ¡°Yanfei, come with me.¡± This time, they had to use a special carriage on a snowy day. Otherwise, they would easily slip on the road. Wei Jiaoniang was worried about Gu Yanfei taking an ordinary carriage back to the capital. ¡°No.¡± Gu Yanfei refused. She looked in the direction of the east wing and said faintly, ¡°My mother¡¯s wet nurse was injured for some reason. I¡¯m a little worried¡­¡± She stopped there. Although Wei Jiaoniang was carefree, she still understood at a glance that Granny Pang¡¯s injury was most likely related to some shameful private matters. Thinking that this was the Gu family¡¯s manor, Wei Jiaoniang did not force her. She stood up and said, ¡°Yanfei, I¡¯ll leave first then.¡± Not long after Wei Jiaoniang left, the snow began to fall again. Snowflakes fell in large patches with the cold wind, like willow catkins. The red plum trees in the courtyard were not afraid of the wind and snow and bloomed proudly. After washing up, Gu Yanfei rested her chin on one hand and sat by the window to look at the snow. Her black hair was casually tied up with a ribbon, and she looked relaxed. ¡°Second Lady, this is the longan and red date soup that has just been brewed in the kitchen.¡± The servant smiled and brought over a bowl of steaming soup. ¡°There are also honey dates in it. Madam used to like it too.¡± As Madam Xie¡¯s companion, the people in the manor were naturally close to Gu Yanfei. After spending nearly two hours together and seeing that the girl had a good personality, this servant also completely relaxed. Gu Yanfei slowly drank the sugar water. She had only drank half a bowl when the servant, who had just gone out, returned and respectfully reported, ¡°Miss, Granny Pang is awake.¡± Juan Bi looked at the pot beside her and smiled brightly. Previously, her lady had said that Granny Pang would wake up at a quarter to eight. She had indeed woken up at this time. Her lady was really amazing! Gu Yanfei wiped her mouth with a handkerchief and stood up. Juan Bi was afraid that she would catch a cold, so she quickly draped a cloak over her. The snow was still falling outside. Gu Yanfei went to the east wing from the corridor. A yellow oil lamp was lit in the east wing. The light was dim, and the servant reminded her cautiously, ¡°Miss, watch your step.¡± Granny Pang was sitting on the couch with a large welcome pillow stuffed into her lower back. Her head was still wrapped in several circles of white cloth, making her look haggard and weak. She had just woken up and was still in a daze as she looked in Gu Yanfei¡¯s direction. Her eyes suddenly widened, as if she had been struck by lightning. She was stunned and stared fixedly at Gu Yanfei, as if she was missing someone through her. She muttered, ¡°Yes, they really look alike¡­¡± There was nostalgia in her turbid, old eyes. There was sadness, grief, and sorrow. Tears quickly flowed from Granny Pang¡¯s eyes as she asked carefully, ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re the girl Madam gave birth to?¡± Her voice was weak and trembling. Actually, she knew without asking. She could tell at a glance that the girl in front of her looked too much like the late Madam. She subconsciously raised her right hand and wanted to touch Gu Yanfei¡¯s face, but she was afraid that it was too rash, so she quickly lowered her hand. Gu Yanfei sat down on a chair by the couch and nodded with a smile. ¡°Miss¡­¡± Granny Pang tried to get up and kowtow, but Gu Yanfei pressed her back to the bed. ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± Gu Yanfei¡¯s voice was neither loud or soft, but it was unquestionable. Granny Pang was still staring at Gu Yanfei with a burning gaze. Her eyes were red as she grabbed the thin blanket tightly and cursed angrily, ¡°How dare Mother Su?!¡± ¡°Madam has never treated Mother Su badly¡­ Mother Su actually dared to violate her master as a slave and do such a heartless thing! What a heartless woman!¡± When she was angry, the back of her head ached. She frowned and took several deep breaths before she recovered. After scolding Mother Su, Granny Pang began to blame herself again. Her voice became even hoarser and weaker. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault for being careless!¡± ¡°Back then, Yangzhou was in chaos. When Mother Su brought the child back to the capital, Second¡­ Gu Yunrong was only a few months old and looked sallow and thin. At that time, the Marquis Mansion had held two funerals in just a few months. The residence was filled with sorrow. Everyone was overjoyed that she could return to the capital alive. No one suspected anything and even thought that Mother Su had worked hard.¡± Chapter 165 - 165 Retribution 165 Retribution ¡°Moreover, Gu Yunrong has been close to Mother Su since she was a baby. As long as she leaves her, she will cry non-stop. Therefore, Madam has always kept Mother Su to continue serving Gu Yunrong.¡± ¡°Who would have thought!!¡± Getting more agitated, Granny Pang grabbed Gu Yanfei¡¯s small hand and said hatefully, ¡°When I see Mother Su, I¡¯ll definitely tear off her face¡­ No, it won¡¯t be an exaggeration to cut her into pieces.¡± She was trembling with anger, her face was flushed, and the back of her head hurt even more, but she heard a light voice enter her ears. ¡°Mother Su has been sent to the authorities.¡± Ah?! Granny Pang was stunned. Tears stopped in her eyes, and she did not react for a moment. Gu Yanfei patted the back of Granny Pang¡¯s old and thick hand comfortingly. ¡°As far as I know, she has already been sent to the border.¡± A cold glint flashed across Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes. She did not want Mother Su to die on the path of exile, so Gu Yuan entrusted his scoundrel friends to send her to the place of exile alive. Only by living could the wrong person know what it meant to live a life worse than death! ¡°Serves her right!¡± Granny Pang reprimanded indignantly. ¡°Mother Su deserves this retribution long ago!¡± Her chest rose and fell rapidly, and her face was as pale as paper from blood loss. Tears finally fell from her eyes. ¡°Granny¡¯s injuries haven¡¯t healed yet. Don¡¯t be angry,¡± Gu Yanfei advised as she quietly took Granny Pang¡¯s pulse. Her pulse was fast and hollow, as if she was pressing on a green onion tube. Her liver was stagnant, and her blood and qi circulated in reverse. It was not a big problem. She had lost too much blood and was too agitated. Gu Yanfei quickly drew a Calming Talisman on the back of Granny Pang¡¯s hand. Her fingertips moved quickly, and before the other party realized what was going on, she had already retracted her hand. Granny Pang felt a cooling sensation flowing rapidly through her body from the back of her right hand. The heat in her body seemed to have been extinguished in an instant. Gu Yanfei instructed Juan Bi to pour a cup of warm tea for Granny Pang and handed it to her. At the same time, she asked, ¡°Granny, do you still remember why you fell on the road?¡± Granny Pang slowly took two sips of warm tea. After calming down, memories surged. She sorted out her thoughts and started from the beginning. Her voice was still a little weak. ¡°At the beginning of the month, I received a letter from the Eldest Young Master in my hometown in Qingzhou. In the letter, the Eldest Young Master said that you were swapped by Mother Su 14 years ago. He also said that it was your first time in the capital, and he was afraid that you wouldn¡¯t be used to it, so he wanted me to come over and help.¡± When Granny Pang received the letter, she was almost dumbfounded and furious. At the thought that her lady had suffered since she was young and was now alone and helpless in the Marquis Mansion, she was afraid that she would be bullied by Gu Yunrong. Burning with anxiety, Granny Pang had rushed to the road. She finally saw her lady! Granny Pang stared fixedly at Gu Yanfei, who was less than two feet away from her, and her heart ached. Their girl was the biological daughter of Madam and the late Marquis. She was precious and should have grown up in a noble place, but she had been humiliated by others for more than ten years. The heavens were really unfair! ¡°Creak!¡± A window beside them had been blown open by the wind. Outside, the wind and snow were blowing harder. A few scattered snowflakes drifted in through the window. Granny Pang came back to her senses and wiped the tears from her eyes with a handkerchief. Her voice was hoarse as she continued. ¡°I just arrived in the capital today. I went to the Marquis Mansion early in the morning, but I was sent away by Tong Erlang.¡± ¡°She told me that the Second Lady personally said that she didn¡¯t need me.¡± When Granny Pang heard this, she was very sad. It was as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over her head. Even so, Granny Pang did not leave the capital. Even if her lady did not need her, she still wanted to stay by her side. ¡°I thought that I had to see you no matter what and pay my respects to you, so I planned to rent a residence in the capital first. As long as I wait at the Marquis Mansion every day, I might have a chance to wait to meet you when you head out.¡± ¡°In the afternoon, when I went to look for a residence, an unfamiliar woman approached me and said that there was an empty residence that could be rented to me. I saw that she looked kind, so I went to take a look. I didn¡¯t expect¡­¡± Granny Pang touched the back of her head, which was wrapped in a thick white cloth, and said slowly, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to be knocked unconscious.¡± When she touched her wound, the back of her head began to hurt again, and she gasped in pain. She shuddered and only reacted now. She looked around in a daze and asked, ¡°Miss, why am I here?¡± ¡°I picked you up from the roadside.¡± Gu Yanfei first answered the other party¡¯s doubts before explaining, ¡°I went to the hunting ground at Upper Forest Park early this morning. I set off early in the morning and haven¡¯t returned to the Marquis Mansion today.¡± ¡°Tong Erlang is serving at the Benevolent Harmony Hall now.¡± Gu Yanfei¡¯s last sentence made Granny Pang tremble violently, her eyes filled with surprise. Tong Erlang was also the late Madam¡¯s dowry, which was why Granny Pang believed her that the lady did not need her anymore. She did not expect Tong Erlang to go to the Benevolent Harmony Hall in just a few years. Granny Pang could not help but feel that things had changed. Gu Yanfei¡¯s gaze fixed on Granny Pang¡¯s haggard face, and she said seriously, ¡°I didn¡¯t know that Granny Pang was here.¡± Whether it was in her previous life or now. In her previous life, when she found out, Granny Pang had already left. No, Granny Pang might have been dead! In her previous life, Granny Pang had probably fallen by the roadside like today and died silently¡­ Gu Yanfei¡¯s big black eyes were as deep as the night sky, but there was no starlight. At this moment, Granny Pang also reacted. She grabbed the thin blanket on her body again and blurted out in shock, ¡°Madam!¡± ¡°But why?!¡± Granny Pang kept the last three words low and murmured them out of her mouth, both in question and in confusion. ¡°Yes, why?¡± Gu Yanfei¡¯s voice was clear and cold, like a cold wind sweeping across the water. The room was lit by oil lamps. The dim yellow light was occasionally swayed by the wisps of wind from the window. Chapter 166 - 166 The Truth 166 The Truth v Granny Pang really could not understand and muttered inaudibly, ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be the case¡­ I¡¯m just a servant.¡± She frowned deeply. When she frowned, it affected the wound in the back of her head again. It hurt, and her mind was in a mess. There was nothing she could do about it. Gu Yanfei reached out and gently pressed the acupuncture points on Granny Pang¡¯s palm twice. She changed the topic. ¡°Granny, why did you leave the Marquis Mansion back then?¡± Her voice was clear and melodious, with a soothing rhythm. It was like a spring breeze blowing across one¡¯s face, or a clear spring flowing through one¡¯s heart. Granny Pang calmed down a little and sighed. ¡°This was 11 years ago.¡± Gu Yanfei looked at her quietly, her long eyelashes trembling slightly. In her previous life, Gu Yanfei had also asked around in the Marquis Mansion. Those servants only vaguely said that Granny Pang seemed to have been chased out of the Marquis Mansion because of some mistake. And today, the people in the manor said that this matter seemed to be related to Gu Yunrong. Speaking of this, Granny Pang was a little hesitant. ¡°That year, Gu Yunrong was only three years old. One day, she was playing in the garden with Mother Su and happened to meet me. Mother Su said that she wanted to relieve herself, so she asked me to take care of Gu Yunrong.¡± ¡°I played with Gu Yunrong for a while. Unexpectedly, the railing by the lake had decayed, and Gu Yunrong accidentally fell into the water. Although I saved her in time, she still choked on a few mouthfuls of water.¡± ¡°When Madam found out about this, she flew into a rage. She blamed me for not taking good care of Gu Yunrong and even sold me¡­¡± ¡°Eldest Young Master was still young at that time, so Madam didn¡¯t listen to him at all. However, later on, Eldest Young Master asked a family friend to buy me back and let me return to Qingzhou.¡± Granny Pang¡¯s frown deepened, and a few deep wrinkles appeared between her eyebrows. She was both afraid and puzzled. She muttered to herself, ¡°Could it be that Madam knows that I¡¯m back and is still angry about what happened back then?¡± ¡°Madam has always liked Gu Yunrong the most¡­¡± Thinking of this, Granny Pang¡¯s expression changed again. She grabbed Gu Yanfei¡¯s hand and hurriedly asked, ¡°Madam didn¡¯t mistreat you, right?¡± ¡°Has Madam ever helped Gu Yunrong bully you?¡± Granny Pang¡¯s pale and haggard face was filled with worry and concern as she stared at Gu Yanfei without blinking. It was as if as long as Gu Yanfei said ¡°yes¡±, she would immediately jump through fire for her. Gu Yanfei smiled gently. Initially, she only had a rough impression of Granny Pang. She had heard that she was loyal to her mother and that she had taken care of her brother for several years¡­ At this moment, Gu Yanfei truly felt the other party¡¯s sincerity. Granny Pang had clearly just escaped death today, but she was still thinking about the siblings. Granny Pang was sincerely thinking for herself, for her eldest brother, and caring about them. It was no wonder that after so many years, Big Brother still thought of writing to Granny Pang to ask her to come back. It could be seen that Big Brother trusted her. A warm current flowed through Gu Yanfei¡¯s heart. She smiled and said meaningfully, ¡°Madam¡­ wouldn¡¯t dare.¡± There was a hint of casualness, cunning, confidence, and unruliness between her eyebrows. The light of the oil lamp gently outlined the girl¡¯s beautiful outline. Snowflakes fell sporadically on her black hair, flickering like fireflies in the light, making the girl look elegant and otherworldly. Granny Pang¡¯s eyes stung slightly as the immortal couple in her memory appeared in front of her. Their little master looked like Madam and had a temperament similar to the previous Marquis. It could be seen that dragons gave birth to dragons and phoenixes gave birth to phoenixes. They were like father and son, like mother and daughter. Now that the truth about the real and fake daughters¡¯ backgrounds had been revealed, Gu Yunrong was still shamelessly staying in the Marquis Mansion. It could be seen that they were all black-hearted! Granny Pang let out a long sigh, feeling worried. She felt that since Gu Yanfei had just arrived, she probably did not know how much Gu Yunrong was spoiled in the Marquis Mansion. She said worriedly, ¡°Miss, you don¡¯t know, but Madam treats Gu Yunrong as a lucky star!¡± ¡°Gu Yunrong has been very lucky since she was young. She can even pick up banknotes on the road. If she accidentally falls, she can meet a nobleman to help her. She can casually order a maidservant to buy a teapot on the street, but it turns out to be an antique that¡¯s hundreds of years old¡­¡± ¡°Ever since Gu Yunrong came, even Madam¡¯s luck has improved.¡± ¡°I remember that when Gu Yunrong was one year old, Madam brought her back to her family. When she returned, the Third Uncle personally escorted her back to the residence.¡± Chapter 167 - 167 The Truth 167 The Truth ¡°After that, Madam treated Gu Yunrong even better. She treated her like her darling and kept saying that she would bring good luck to the Gu family.¡± ¡°Madam even scolded the Eldest Young Master for Gu Yunrong!¡± In the past, Granny Pang only felt sorry for the Eldest Young Master and did not blame Gu Yunrong. She only blamed Madam Gu for being too ruthless. But it was different now. Gu Yunrong was no longer Madam¡¯s daughter and was now just the child of a servant. The more Granny Pang thought about it, the angrier she became. The more she spoke, the more her heart ached. ¡°The Eldest Young Master was only six years old, but he was punished by the family law. He was beaten until his back was lacerated. Later, he was ordered by Madam to kneel in the ancestral hall for a few days. His body couldn¡¯t take it, and he had to lay in bed for half a month.¡± ¡°Eldest Young Master is the only son of the late Marquis and Madam, but in Madam¡¯s heart, I¡¯m afraid even Eldest Young Master can¡¯t compare to Gu Yunrong!¡± At the thought that Madam Gu had actually mistreated the Eldest Young Master for a mere child of a servant, Granny Pang was furious. At this moment, she had almost forgotten that she had just escaped death. All she cared about was her little master. She gritted her teeth and said angrily, ¡°¡­ I wonder if the late Marquis is Madam¡¯s biological son.¡± After she said this, even she was stunned and had goosebumps on her arm. The house was silent for a moment, making the howling wind outside sound even more violent. The wind and snow blew wildly. The courtyard outside was completely covered in silver, endless snow. There was a rough and harsh creak as branches snapped under the weight of snow in the courtyard. A silent sigh escaped Gu Yanfei¡¯s lips. There was a faint smile on her lips as she thought to herself self-deprecatingly, ¡®So I¡¯m not the only one who thought so!¡¯ Since her previous life, she had never understood. Even if Madam Gu liked Gu Yunrong, whom she had personally raised, and did not like her, what about her eldest brother, Gu Yuan?! Gu Yuan had grown up under Madam Gu¡¯s care. He was her biological grandson and was related by blood. Why was she so heartless to Gu Yuan?! Why would Madam abandon Gu Yuan for Gu Yunrong?! In this life, just to help Gu Yunrong marry into Prince Kang¡¯s Manor, she had to ¡°force¡± her eldest brother to give up the position of battalion commander of the Divine Arms Battalion to Murong Yong. She did not hesitate to ruin her eldest brother¡¯s future. ¡°Granny, you don¡¯t think my father was born ny Madam Gu?¡± Gu Yanfei looked at Granny Pang steadily with a deep gaze. Granny Pang had only blurted it out in a moment of righteous anger. At this moment, her expression became embarrassed, and she blushed. ¡°Miss, I shouldn¡¯t have sprouted nonsense.¡± ¡°Madam has always been quite good to the late Marquis and Madam.¡± ¡°Back then, when the late Marquis wanted to marry Madam, it was still Madam who persuaded the old Marquis to agree.¡± Hearing Granny Pang¡¯s words, Gu Yanfei also remembered that, in her previous life, she seemed to have heard her brother mention it. She said that her parents had not married blind and mute. They had fallen in love with each other. It was said that his father had entered the military camp incognito since he was 13 years old. At the age of 16, he was the Deputy Commander of the Yuzhou Guards. It was also that year that he met her mother. It was said that at that time, the Xie family¡¯s boat had encountered water bandits on the river. Most of the servants and guards had died. Her mother, who was only 15 years old, had jumped into the water and escaped. Her father had fished her out of the water. The Xie family was a merchant family. The Xie and Gu families were not comparable in the first place. Later, it was her father who used his battle achievements to persuade the previous Emperor to allow him to marry her mother in a grand manner, making all the women in the world envious. Thinking of her eldest brother¡¯s longing expression when he mentioned her parents, Gu Yanfei¡¯s lips curled up. Granny Pang was still talking. ¡°¡­ After the late Madam married into the family, Madam Gu treated her quite well. She never let her set rules.¡± ¡°15 years ago, the late Marquis went to Yangzhou to be the head of the military on behalf of the old Marquis who had an attack. Madam Gu also asked Madam to go with him. She said that the young couple had a good relationship and couldn¡¯t be separated for several years.¡± ¡°The late Marquis and Madam were very close. They¡¯ve always had a good relationship and have never been red-eyed.¡± ¡°If not for the accident eight years ago, the late Marquis and Madam would have been an immortal couple¡­¡± Granny Pang¡¯s eyes began to redden again and were already swollen from crying. Gu Yanfei gestured for Juan Bi to hand Granny Pang a clean handkerchief. Granny Pang wiped her tears again and took a while to calm herself down. As if she was convincing herself, she said incoherently, ¡°Miss, it¡¯s clearly written in the Gu family¡¯s genealogy that the late Marquis was the eldest son of the Old Marquis and Madam. Madam was the Old Marquis¡¯s first wife.¡± ¡°Even when the Eldest Young Master got smallpox back then, Madam took care of him personally.¡± ¡°How can it not be!¡± Yes, smallpox could be passed on to others. If she wasn¡¯t his biological grandmother, Madam wouldn¡¯t have taken such a risk to take care of the Eldest Young Master! ¡°I must have been possessed for me to say that¡­¡± Smallpox?! When she heard this word, Gu Yanfei¡¯s pupils constricted. She suddenly interrupted Granny Pang, ¡°Big Brother had smallpox? When did this happen?¡± Granny Pang¡¯s complicated gaze landed on Gu Yanfei¡¯s small face, which was 40 to 50% similar to Madam Xie¡¯s. She hesitated for a moment before saying, ¡°14 years ago.¡± ¡°14 years ago, the Old Marquis suddenly fell ill. Coincidentally, the State of Yue army gathered at the other end of the river. The war was urgent, so the late Emperor issued a decree to seize his love and told the late Marquis to stay in Yangzhou and not return to the capital.¡± ¡°At that time, the Eldest Young Master had smallpox and was about to die. He wanted to see his parents, so Madam sent a pigeon to Yangzhou.¡± ¡°I waited and waited in the capital, but Madam did not come. Three months later, Mother Su carried the swaddled Gu Yunrong to the capital. She even brought bad news that Madam had a difficult labor.¡± As she spoke, Granny Pang¡¯s voice became even more hoarse. Madam was only 20 years old when she left. She was so young and in her prime. Who would have thought¡­ For a moment, the atmosphere was a little heavy and oppressive. This was impossible! These words clearly appeared in Gu Yanfei¡¯s heart, and her eyes gradually turned cold. Chapter 168 - 168 Unveiling 168 Unveiling Gu Yanfei suddenly grabbed the armrest of the armchair. Her fingertips were slightly white from the force, and a chill rose in her heart. Her eyes gradually turned cold. Her eldest brother¡¯s skin had turned a wheat color from being exposed to the sun for a long time, and his face was smooth. At least, there were no scars visible to the naked eye. Only his palm had calluses from practicing martial arts, and there were a few thin scars on his wrist and the back of his hand. She had also taken Gu Yuan¡¯s pulse. From his pulse, Gu Yuan was healthy and didn¡¯t show any signs of loss. Most importantly¡­ In her previous life, Gu Yuan would die of smallpox two years later. At that time, Big Brother had broken his legs and lost his job. The eldest branch no longer had any status in the Marquis Mansion. However, even so, Madam still refused to split up and let the eldest branch be tramped on. Big Brother did his best to protect her until he was infected by smallpox. Even until his death, he was worried about her. Smallpox was scary, but as long as one had it once, they would not get it again! The wind roared, bringing waves of cold air from the window. It almost blew out the oil lamp, which shrank into a dot. The room darkened, making Gu Yanfei¡¯s expression dark. After a while, Gu Yanfei asked calmly, ¡°Granny, back then, you took care of Big Brother. Did Big Brother really get smallpox?¡± As she asked, she already had an answer. Madam Gu had spent so much effort to chase Granny Pang away from her brother. Now, she was even willing to kill someone. There was only one possibility¡ª To silence her. Granny Pang was stunned by Gu Yanfei¡¯s question. She looked at her in a daze and said slowly, ¡°Yes, he got smallpox. How can it not be?!¡± ¡°At that time, there were many doctors in the residence and Qingjing Spiritual Master of the Wuliang Temple. They all said that it was smallpox.¡± ¡°The Eldest Young Master was dying of illness¡­¡± The events of 14 years ago vividly appeared in Granny Pang¡¯s mind. She still remembered that she had been worried and terrified during that period. She could not sleep well and prayed to the gods every day, hoping that the gods would bless the Eldest Young Master to survive this calamity safely. When no one spoke, the house was exceptionally quiet, making the wind outside seem especially sharp. The trees in the courtyard creaked from the strong wind. ¡°Did Granny see Big Brother at that time?¡± Gu Yanfei asked again. In her previous life, she could not understand that even if there was war in Qiushui County at that time, they were far from losing the war. Her father had gone to defend the city. As long as her mother stayed in Huling City at the back, it would be safer than her, a pregnant woman, running out to ¡°take refuge¡±! So she was doing this for Big Brother¡­ Gu Yanfei felt her heart ache, and her fingertips were so pale that they were almost transparent. Granny Pang¡¯s throat was dry and bitter, and she shook her head weakly. ¡°No. Because smallpox is contagious, Madam sent me and the servants of the Benevolent Harmony Hall out of the house.¡± ¡°During that period, only Madam personally guarded the Eldest Young Master.¡± Smallpox was a plague, even more terrifying than the Black Death. Those who had smallpox had a slim chance of survival. Once the infection spread, it was common to destroy a village. Back then, Granny Pang was more or less touched when she saw Madam taking care of the sick Eldest Young Master. But now, after talking to Gu Yanfei, Granny Pang thought back and felt that something had changed, as if she had neglected something. Another gust of cold wind suddenly blew in through the window, completely extinguishing the light of the oil lamp. The house instantly fell into darkness. Juan Bi saw the oil lamp go out and fumbled in the darkness to light it again. The fire lit up bit by bit, illuminating Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes. In the dim yellow light, her beautiful almond-shaped eyes were unusually bright, shining like swords. In a daze, Granny Pang felt as if she had seen the late Marquis, Gu Ce, again. Gu Yanfei¡¯s cold voice cut through the silence. ¡°Back then, when Granny was chased away, it was before my father returned to the capital, right?¡± As far as she knew, after her mother died, her father guarded Yangzhou for three years and did not leave for a moment. It was only in the sixth year that he was summoned back to the capital by the late Emperor. ¡°Yes.¡± Granny Pang nodded with difficulty. She still remembered that at that time, everyone in the Marquis Mansion was overjoyed. They were all saying that the Marquis was about to return triumphantly. She also told the Eldest Young Master this. ¡°I understand,¡± Gu Yanfei said meaningfully. Smallpox. The word pierced her heart like a sharp blade, twisting it repeatedly. A miserable red color flashed across Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes. Chapter 169 - 169 Unveiling 169 Unveiling There seemed to be violent waves surging in her heart, each wave higher than the previous. She could not help but think that if her eldest brother had not been ¡°in critical condition¡± 14 years ago, her mother would not have rushed back to the capital from Qiushui County and died prematurely on the way. Everything would not have turned out like this¡­ If Mother¡¯s death was not an accident but a conspiracy by someone else¡­ Then how aggrieved was her short life in her previous life¡­ Gu Yanfei got up with her heart surging. She only said, ¡°Granny, rest well and recuperate first. Your health is the most important.¡± Granny Pang looked at Gu Yanfei¡¯s slender back and wanted to call out to her. In the end, she did not say anything, and her mind became even more confused. Gu Yanfei strode out of the east wing and only stopped when she reached the porch. She looked up at the snowy night sky in front of her, in the direction of the capital, at someone she could not see now¡­ Dense snowflakes blew towards her with the wind, but Gu Yanfei did not care at all, as if she did not feel the cold at all. The memories of her previous life surfaced in front of her again, along with the pain, regret, bitterness, and grief¡­ All of these emotions surged toward her, almost engulfing her. Her mental demons grew crazy again. The blood in her eyes thickened, baring its fangs and brandishing its claws in her dark pupils. A voice in her heart roared at the top of its lungs. Why?! What was her life for?! She felt as if a raging beast wanted to be released from her body. The blood in her pupils surged, almost completely encroaching on her eyes¡­ Her eyes were red. Suddenly, a cool feeling seeped into her brain from the pores on her scalp. The coolness washed over her brain. Instantly, as if someone had poured cold water on her head, her thoughts cleared. Gu Yanfei raised her hand and stroked the white jade plum blossom hairpin that tied her hair. The touch under her finger was cool and delicate. Her uncontrollable emotions slowly calmed down¡­ She was still standing against the wind, her clothes flying as she danced, as if she were going to blow away with the wind. ¡°My Lady, be careful not to catch a cold.¡± Juan Bi hurried after her and draped a thick cloak over her worriedly. Thinking of what Granny Pang had said about the late Marquis and Madam, Juan Bi guessed that she was sad about this. The dead could not be revived. Juan Bi did not know how to comfort her lady and could only accompany her silently. Gu Yanfei stood there motionless. The coldness of the hairpin kept attacking her manic mood, and the blood in her eyes gradually faded¡­ Her master had said that her cultivation of the heart wasn¡¯t enough, so she was always disturbed by her mental demons. Heaven¡¯s Will had its own arrangements for everyone¡¯s fate. The heavens of this small world doted on Gu Yunrong. This was something she had known in her previous life. In her previous life, it had only been more than ten years. In the end, she was just a stepping stone arranged by the heavens for Gu Yunrong. Her misfortune had made Gu Yunrong lucky. Gu Yanfei¡¯s lips curled into a mocking smile. Her fingers rubbed the plum blossom hairpin repeatedly, feeling the shape and patterns of the hairpin under her hand, and a figure in white appeared in her mind. She couldn¡¯t help but think of Chu Yi. After all, she was the stepping stone of the daughter of destiny, but Chu Yi was in a much worse state¡­ ¡°Pfft.¡± Gu Yanfei smiled happily, her laughter like the soft cry of a yellow oriole. Fortunately, Chu Yi was still in this world. Both of them had been abandoned by the heavens, so she was not alone. Gu Yanfei¡¯s emotions had completely calmed down, and her eyes had returned to normal. Seeing that she was finally smiling, Juan Bi heaved a sigh of relief. She pointed ahead and said, ¡°My Lady, look at how well the red plums bloom here. They¡¯re not inferior to the ones in the residence at all.¡± The two red plum trees in the courtyard were covered in a layer of snow. Red plum blossoms bloomed in the wind, energetic in the cold wind, and the fragrance of plum blossoms filled the air with the wind¡­ ¡°How fragrant.¡± The tip of Juan Bi¡¯s petite nose twitched as she narrowed her eyes in ecstasy. ¡°Why don¡¯t I put some in a vase for you?¡± Juan Bi was about to walk out of the corridor when she felt her sleeve tighten as Gu Yanfei grabbed it. ¡°Wait!¡± Hearing Gu Yanfei¡¯s words, Juan Bi stopped and turned around to look at her. Almost as soon as she finished speaking, a strong wind suddenly blew in the courtyard, producing a mournful sound. The strong wind cut through the two red plum trees in the courtyard with destructive force, instantly turning the courtyard into a mess. Broken branches and leaves were swept up by the wind. Thousands of red petals flew up and caught in the snow in a mess, like snowflakes in the air stained with blood. The terrifying wind came and went as quickly as it had come. The howling of the wind in the courtyard subsided in an instant. ¡°Caw, caw, caw¡­¡± A dozen black crows seemed to have been blown over by the wind. One by one, they flapped their wings and circled in the snow, flying and howling. The rough crow¡¯s cry was terrifying. Juan Bi was dumbfounded as she stared at the scene in front of her. If her lady had not stopped her just now, would the plum tree that had been broken at the waist have fallen on her? ¡°My Lady, the demonic wind just now was too terrifying!¡± Juan Bi patted her chest in fear. Something big must have happened. Gu Yanfei thought to herself and habitually counted with her fingers¡­ As soon as her thumb touched the knuckle of her ring finger, she felt a dull pain in her chest. Her fingers stopped calculating, and her lips twitched. This feeling was a little familiar, which meant that the ¡°big event¡± that was about to happen would most likely involve her. ¡°My Lady, you saved me again.¡± Juan Bi was a big-hearted person, so she quickly smiled happily. Gu Yanfei pretended not to hear her and looked at Juan Bi¡¯s face in a daze. It was clearly the same face, but in an instant, Juan Bi¡¯s face actually looked dead. Chapter 170 - 170 Demonic 170 Demonic Gu Yanfei was certain that this was not the death scene of a serious illness. ¡°Second Lady.¡± The servant hurried over and greeted her carefully. ¡°The wind was a little strong just now. Are you frightened?¡± Behind her was a little girl in her teens, a big smile on her delicate, round face. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Gu Yanfei said calmly. Her pupils constricted as she glanced at the two of them. Both mother and daughter looked like they were about to die. The wind swept up the snow and landed on Gu Yanfei¡¯s black hair, which was half tied and half draped. It was like crystals decorated her hair. The servant took a few steps forward and came to Juan Bi¡¯s side. She squeezed out an unnatural smile and reported, ¡°Miss, there¡¯s a family who wants to stay overnight because of the heavy snow on the road. My husband agreed and arranged for them to stay in the guest courtyard in the west.¡± Her husband was Steward Huang of the manor. Coming to stay at this time?! Juan Bi could not help but frown. She thought to herself, ¡®My lady is still here. How can Steward Huang let outsiders stay at this time?!¡¯ Gu Yanfei looked at the servant steadily, her gaze circling between her eyebrows a few times. Juan Bi would die, as would this mother and daughter. Even though Gu Yanfei had never seen the others in the manor, at this moment, she had a faint intuition that most of the others in the manor looked like they were about to die. Many people would die here soon! Even¡ª And possibly herself! Gu Yanfei¡¯s gaze was calm and deep. She swept her gaze across everyone¡¯s faces and looked at the snowy night sky outside the window. Dark, dark clouds continued to rise like mountains, covering the stars and moon. She had never thought that after experiencing 200 years in the Bright Spirit Realm, she would be above all living beings. After all, in this small world, she was just cannon fodder that Heaven¡¯s Will did not like. Of course, she would be in mortal danger. She also knew that life and death crises would not be easily overcome. The servant sensed that something was wrong from the subtle change in the atmosphere, and her round face was a little embarrassed. She hurriedly explained, ¡°It¡¯s snowing heavily tonight. The snow is too heavy and thick. It¡¯s almost impossible to move. My husband saw that this family was frozen and looked really pitiful.¡± In the past, when the late Madam Xie was still alive, she often did good deeds. She also instructed the farmstead to often give porridge and medicine to the poor. Even when the late Madam went, the farmstead still did good deeds according to the old rules and wanted to accumulate merit for its masters. It was common for them to take in passersby for the night on a rainy and snowy day. Just now, when Steward Huang saw that the family was pitiful, he agreed immediately. For a moment, he forgot that the lady was also at the manor. He should have come to report first. The servant rubbed her rough hands uneasily, worried that her husband had done something wrong. She was also afraid that Gu Yanfei would blame him for taking in outsiders. Gu Yanfei gently twisted her index finger and thumb and looked down thoughtfully. In the snow, two plum trees that had been cut in half lay quietly. Bright red plum petals fell to the ground, like specks of blood on the snow. Gu Yanfei narrowed her almond-shaped eyes, as if an invisible string had been touched in her heart. She clearly realized that this catastrophe that was about to bring countless deaths was probably brought about by the family who had come to stay. ¡°How many people came?¡± Gu Yanfei stroked her sleeve and asked. The servant was still a little nervous and said hesitantly, ¡°My husband said that a large family came from Yuzhou to visit. They look travel-worn and have old and young women. Even young people can¡¯t withstand this cold, let alone old people in their 70s and 80s.¡± Steward Huang also saw that there was an old man in the other party¡¯s family and thought that this family should be kind, so he agreed to let them stay over. As they spoke, the snow fell harder outside. The goose-feather-like snowflakes were dense, like a sandstorm. A bone-chilling northwest wind blew. From the direction of the guest courtyard to the west came the faint sounds of voices and footsteps. ¡°Caw, caw, caw¡­¡± There were even more crows above the manor. Dozens of them lingered, either perched on the walls, landing on the treetops, or flying in midair. In the howling snow, the figures were blurry, and they only heard voices approaching. About seven or eight people were walking towards the courtyard. ¡°Second Lady.¡± An old servant in a rough cloth jacket ran quickly from the entrance of the courtyard and panted. ¡°The family who came to stay heard that you¡¯re here and want to thank you.¡± Chapter 171 - 171 Demonic 171 Demonic ¡°Steward Huang didn¡¯t agree to let them in. They said that they¡¯ll stand at the entrance of the courtyard and bow to you.¡± As the old woman spoke, she pointed out of the corridor. Separated by the messy courtyard and the snow, they could see Steward Huang, who was 70 to 80 feet away, wearing a raincoat and a bamboo hat. He and a young man were talking as they walked to the entrance of the courtyard through the snow. The slender young man had his back to Gu Yanfei and was holding a tung oil umbrella to block the snow. At this moment, the sky was dark and the snow was too heavy. She could only vaguely see that he was wearing a red robe with a long body and a graceful figure. The moment the young man walked to the entrance of the courtyard, the surrounding crows seemed to have become mute and fell silent. There was a dead silence in the courtyard and outside, as if time had frozen at this moment. Gu Yanfei stared at the young man holding the umbrella in a daze. What attracted her attention was the scarlet luck that lingered around the young man. In this dark night with no stars or moon, in the vast snow, the ¡°scarlet¡± was still so bright and demonic. It was as if a large ball of demonic fire was burning fiercely. It was so enchanting and ostentatious, as if it wanted to devour the endless darkness around it. It was as if he was the only one left in the world. Steward Huang said something to the young man, who turned around and looked in Gu Yanfei¡¯s direction. As he turned around, the crows that had been parked around suddenly took off and fled in all directions. The treetops on the wall instantly became empty. Rustle¡­ A few black crow feathers fluttered down. One landed on the umbrella. The young man under the umbrella was slightly pale. His facial features were beautiful, as flawless as jade. Those charming phoenix eyes slanted, and his dark pupils shone in the shadow of the tung oil umbrella. The vast snowstorm could not suppress his beauty. His beauty was so bright and dazzling. It was indeed him! Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes darted around, but she remained calm. The flower girl from Tianyin Pavilion that day. Among the people she had seen, this person was the only one surrounded by this strange scarlet luck. In the Tianyin Pavilion, the young man was wearing gorgeous female clothes as a flower girl. The jewelry and exquisite makeup made him look like a graceful red peony, enchanting and dazzling. And now, he was wearing men¡¯s clothes. His red clothes were like fire¡ªstrong but not burning. He was less enchanting and more elegant. His temperament was slightly feminine, but he still had the charm to captivate all living beings. The beautiful young man smiled and cupped his fists with the hand holding the umbrella. His red sleeve fell, making his wrist look as fair as porcelain. He cupped his hands and looked at Gu Yanfei, who was under the corridor, and said politely, ¡°My surname is Xia. Thank you for taking us in, Miss.¡± His voice was also too different from that day on the stage. It was clear and unique. ¡°It was nothing. Young Master Xia, you¡¯re welcome,¡± Gu Yanfei said as she walked along the corridor towards the entrance of the courtyard with a faint smile on her lips. The corridor above cast a faint shadow on Gu Yanfei¡¯s beautiful face, making it blurry. She had no intention of sitting back and waiting for someone else to take her life. Since both sides were bound to fight, she might as well strike first and catch the other party off guard. Gu Yanfei walked at a leisurely pace. Her large cloak completely covered the short sword at her waist, not revealing it at all. ¡°Miss.¡± Steward Huang bowed to Gu Yanfei uneasily. The bamboo hat slid down as he lowered his head, and he hurriedly straightened it again. They were getting closer and closer. Suddenly, Gu Yanfei felt alarm bells ringing in her heart, and the hair on her neck stood on end. Her instincts told her that there was already an ambush ahead and more than one person. The darkness and snow had become the best cover for the ambushers. Pairs of murderous eyes were hiding in the darkness and looking at her. Even from afar, Gu Yanfei could smell the blood on these people. These people were really killing machines that had been stained with blood from killing people. The further she went, the more obvious this killing intent became. Steward Huang did not notice anything, but Gu Yanfei had experienced countless life and death tempering in the Bright Spirit Realm and could sense the killing intent hidden in the snow. Even though she had never met or fought him, she could deeply feel¡ª Once the other party attacked, she would definitely not be able to dodge. When this realization clearly appeared in her mind, Gu Yanfei stopped as if nothing had happened. She stopped less than ten feet away from the two people in front of her. Steward Huang and the young man who called himself Xia stood outside the courtyard, while she stood inside the courtyard. Snow fell like a half-transparent curtain between them. As she closed the distance, the young man¡¯s face became clearly visible. His skin was fine and flawless. His thick black hair was tied up with a red jade hairpin, and his red clothes flowed with a golden luster under the swaying light. One could vaguely see exquisite patterns embroidered on the clothes with threads of the same color. On his waist was a small bloodstone seal and a dark red pouch. Overall, he was dressed very extravagantly. Gu Yanfei looked at him leisurely and smiled. She said appropriately, ¡°Young Master Xia, don¡¯t be restrained. Rest well tonight.¡± Then she instructed Steward Huang, ¡°Steward Huang, bring Young Master Xia to the guest courtyard to settle down.¡± Steward Huang responded repeatedly. Young Master Xia seemed to have only come to thank her. He cupped his hands and bade farewell. ¡°Then I won¡¯t disturb you anymore.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, he turned around unhurriedly and glanced at her again. His eyes were filled with a terrifying beauty. The moment he stepped out of the courtyard, the thick, high-pitched crowing sounded again from the top of the wall. A few crows flew back and circled the roof above the wall, annoying and disturbing. The wind and snow howled incessantly. It sounded like a cry and a whine, rustling the branches. Chapter 172 - 172 Life-Saving 172 Life-Saving The corridor at the back was silent, and no one spoke for a long time. Only the little girl muttered innocently to her mother, ¡°Mother, that young master just now was really good-looking. He was even better-looking than the deity in the painting!¡± Gu Yanfei stood rooted to the ground and quietly watched Young Master Xia¡¯s retreating back. She seemed to be watching him leave, but she was actually observing her surroundings without revealing anything. The flowers and plants nearby had been trampled. Two or three people were hiding in the canopy of the sycamore trees to the northeast, and there were also people in the shadows on the eaves and walls over there¡­ Gu Yanfei sighed silently. Just as she exhaled a wisp of white air, it was mercilessly blown away by the cold wind. If she was alone today, she had an 80% chance of saving her life. However, with Juan Bi, Granny Pang, and more than a hundred people in this manor, she was not even 10% confident. Gu Yanfei gently stroked her cloak, turned around, and walked back towards the corridor. She instructed the servant, ¡°Go and tell your husband to call all the servants in the manor here.¡± Finally, she added, ¡°Be careful not to alarm the ¡®Xia¡¯ family.¡± The servant was slightly stunned. She could hear the seriousness in Gu Yanfei¡¯s voice and also tell that she seemed to be deeply afraid of this family that was here to stay. At this point, there was no point in blaming the other party for making decisions on his own. Gu Yanfei did not say anything else. She waved her hand and gestured for the servant to go while she headed towards the central room. The servant hurriedly bowed and ran out of the courtyard along the corridor. The atmosphere in the corridor was a little oppressive and heavy. The wind and snow around them wailed, and the air faintly emitted an ominous aura. About 10 minutes later, Steward Huang arrived, sweating profusely. It was winter in December, but he was so anxious that he broke out in a sweat. He was in fear and trepidation. The servants in the manor had come with him and gathered under the porch in front of the hall. They did not know what had happened. They whispered to each other, all a little uneasy. Steward Huang ordered someone to close the door of the courtyard and instructed the guards to guard the front and back doors. Then they entered the central room. ¡°Miss.¡± Steward Huang bowed stiffly. His expression was grave, and he could not hide the anxiety in his eyes. ¡°Everyone is here.¡± The servants outside all pricked up their ears to listen. Gu Yanfei sat on an armchair in the central room and comforted him indifferently, ¡°The snow is heavy and the wind is strong today. Just now, the trees were even blown down. If the house is not stable, I¡¯m afraid it will be dangerous. It¡¯s better to gather everyone together to prevent anything from happening.¡± Her voice was neither loud nor soft. Most of the servants outside heard her and looked toward the two plum trees in the courtyard that had been cut at the waist. They whispered to each other, their voices coming from time to time. ¡°Miss is still the most attentive,¡± Steward Huang said dryly. Then, he went out and instructed the servants in the manor to tidy up the east and west rooms, preparing for everyone to sleep on the ground here tonight. As long as they were busy, it wasn¡¯t easy for them to think too much, and they had something to focus on. The atmosphere eased a little. Juan Bi could tell that something was wrong with her lady¡¯s appearance. She bit her lower lip slightly, feeling uneasy as if she had been scratched by a cat. Gu Yanfei waved at Juan Bi. Juan Bi obediently took a few steps forward and bowed, waiting for her instructions. Gu Yanfei stared at Juan Bi¡¯s face repeatedly without saying a word. She still looked dead. A thick aura of death almost drowned Juan Bi¡¯s small face, as if it had been blackened by smoke. Gu Yanfei pinched Juan Bi¡¯s small chin with her slender fingers and sighed. ¡°There¡¯s danger now. Are you afraid?¡± Hearing Gu Yanfei¡¯s question, Juan Bi¡¯s anxious heart relaxed. She felt as if the dust had settled and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid.¡± She was not afraid with her lady around. Juan Bi smiled foolishly, her eyes bright and determined. Gu Yanfei smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯ll be fine, as long as you¡¯re obedient.¡± ¡°I¡¯m very obedient,¡± Juan Bi said with a confident nod. She wasn¡¯t confident in anything else, but she was very confident in this. Juan Bi leaned her round face closer and stared at Gu Yanfei without blinking. She asked, ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no hurry,¡± Gu Yanfei said casually with a faint smile. She turned to look out of the window. She placed one hand on the window sill and gently stroked the short sword she had placed on the table with the other. She seemed to be playing with it, but also seemed to be deep in thought. Chapter 173 - 173 Life-Saving 173 Life-Saving The snow didn¡¯t stop. Snowflakes with ice grains cracked against the roof tiles. She was looking at a wall outside the house, but Juan Bi could roughly guess that she should be looking in the direction of the guest courtyard. No, or rather¡ª That Young Master Xia. Young Master Xia, whom they had been thinking about, was standing motionless in front of a window in the guest courtyard, quietly looking in the direction of the main courtyard. His charming phoenix eyes were as dark as ink and as deep as a pool. A few snowflakes landed on his long green eyelashes, and there seemed to be a few tears on them. His red lips curled slightly in an enchanting smile, but there was no warmth in his eyes. They were colder than the wind and snow, making the smile on his beautiful face seem more like a mask. Dressed in red and with a red jade hairpin in his bun, he was as coquettish as the Red Spider Lily on the other side of the Yellow Spring. A demonic and dangerously contradictory aura surrounded him. The house was dark and unlit. A strong wind blew, and white snowflakes floated from the window like silver moonlight. 10 feet behind him, a young manservant stood in the ink-black shadows. He was silent, as if he were a ghost without a presence. He lowered his head respectfully, not daring to look up at the young man in front of him. An old figure entered silently from the back door, his passage not affected by the darkness of the house at all. The silver-haired old man walked past the young man with vigorous steps and stopped three steps away from Young Master Xia. The snowflakes on his body quickly turned into water droplets. The old man bowed and cupped his fists as he reported in a low voice, ¡°Young Master, everything has been arranged.¡± ¡°I walked around this farmstead just now and checked carefully. These are all ordinary country bumpkins. There are old, young, and strong servants, but none of them is trained. At most, a dozen strong men have a strong aura.¡± ¡°I discovered that some carriages came here more than an hour ago, but they¡¯ve all left. From the looks of it, they¡¯re returning to the capital. It¡¯s snowing heavily tonight, and those ruts are almost covered.¡± ¡°I also heard from a few villagers that the wind is strong tonight. The main family asked us to close the doors and windows, lock the horse pens, extinguish the lights, and burn the fire. They said to rest early.¡± ¡°Now that the lights are out, the people in this manor should have rested.¡± In the last sentence, the old man raised his eyes slightly and looked at the young man¡¯s handsome face in front of him. His sharp old eyes flashed with cold killing intent. Water droplets of snow slowly fell from the old man¡¯s sleeve, soaking the ground below. The faint ticking was almost inaudible under the sound of the snow outside. ¡°She¡¯s smart,¡± Young Master Xia said in a low voice. It sounded like praise, but it was also thoughtful. A chuckle that was like a snowfall of ice floated out of his coquettish lips, making anyone who heard it shiver. ¡°¡­¡± The old man looked up at him again in confusion. His heart was in his throat, and he was nervous. ¡°She can tell,¡± Young Master Xia said firmly. His lips curled into a smile as he casually broke off a red plum by the window. There was a blood-red ring on his slender and flawless fingers. The ring resembled red jade or metal, and there were detailed and complicated patterns engraved on it. Its bright red color made his hand look cold and white. He stared in the direction of the main courtyard. At this moment, there were still some lights flashing in this huge manor. It was like a pearl in the endless night, tempting people to fly into the fire. The old man and the others behind him also followed his gaze in the direction of the main courtyard. The old man¡¯s pupils dilated, and a solemn expression appeared on his face. At this moment, he finally realized what Young Master meant. The owner of this manor had actually discovered their intentions. Had she seen through their identities, or¡­ Forget it, it didn¡¯t matter what it was! In the blink of an eye, the old man¡¯s expression changed several times, from surprise and solemnity to killing intent. Only Young Master Xia¡¯s expression did not change as he stood in front of the window. His fingers gently twirled the delicate red plum. The red petals trembled slightly, and a few snowflakes floated gently between his fingers. He smiled again, sly and feminine. His voice was like a song as he said, ¡°Interesting.¡± He was smiling, but the smile never reached his eyes. Whether the other party had discovered any clues or not, it was meaningless to him. There was only one word left. ¡°Death.¡± His eyes had been very calm from the beginning, like ice that had been frozen for a thousand years, or like he was looking down at all living beings from the clouds. All living beings were ants, and no one could enter his eyes. The smile on his lips deepened, like the bewitching hell flower that bloomed instantly in the night, red and lustful, more dazzling than the red plum between his fingers. The cold wind blew twice, roughly sweeping up the broken branches on the ground and slamming them into the stone steps nearby. The leaves scattered and shattered. Young Master Xia slowly turned around and changed the topic. ¡°Has our Third Prince left the capital?¡± There was an extremely subtle change in his tone as he said it¡ªintimate and soft, like an ice sword wrapped in frosting. The old man composed himself and suppressed the matters of the manor beforehand. His mind returned to the serious matter of this trip, and he replied respectfully, ¡°Young Master, he has already arrived at the Seven Mile Pavilion.¡± ¡°He¡¯ll be here in half an hour.¡± The old man¡¯s pupils shone in the darkness. After finishing his business, he stood quietly with his head lowered. His movements and expressions were all respectful. In the thick, ink-like darkness, the old and the young stood still like two blood-stained long knives with a murderous aura. There was silence. The sound of falling snow outside the house became clearer and clearer, and a murderous aura spread. Young Master Xia¡¯s hand that was holding the red plum fell leisurely and he said indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s time.¡± His tone was casual. He casually threw the delicate red plum down, scattering it in an arc like a drop of blood. The other two men beside him immediately understood his order. Kill! Even though he did not say who to attack, the old and young men present all understood what he meant. This sentence determined that none of the hundreds of lives in this manor would be spared. Chapter 174 - 174 So Beautiful 174 So Beautiful In unison, they dropped to one knee and cupped their hands. The long sabers that had long tasted countless mouthfuls of blood were unsheathed at this moment, flashing with a murderous aura. The old and young men were overflowing with cold air, but Young Master Xia was still smiling. To Young Master Xia, these hundreds of lives seemed insignificant. It was just a lift of his finger, like the red plum that he had casually broken. Since they were weak, they were destined to be ravaged. Since they were lowly, they were destined to be trampled on. This was life. ¡°Caw¡­¡± In the distance, the sound of crows seemed to return. The old man who was kneeling on one knee was about to get up when he heard a high female voice outside the window. ¡°Young Master Xia, my lady asked me to deliver a message!¡± In the snow, even if the girl tried her best to shout, her voice was still blown away by the cold wind. Juan Bi stood at the entrance of the guest courtyard, wearing a large and thick cloak. She held a small glass lantern in one hand and looked at the beautiful young man standing by the window. Her right hand gripped the handle of the lantern tightly inside her cloak. A chill ran down her neck, and she felt as if pairs of eyes were staring at her from the darkness. Young Master Xia¡¯s face was half turned away, his gaze lowered. He did not even look up, and was like a carved jade statue. A snowflake landed gently on the tip of his nose, but he remained motionless. Outside the window, there was a white snowstorm. The sky was silver, and the young man was hidden behind the dark window, only half of his chin exposed in the snow. This window was like a clear line that divided the inside of the window into two worlds. Just looking at the person behind the window made Juan Bi feel a little afraid. Her heart was pounding so hard that it was about to jump out of her chest, but her expression was very determined. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Her lady¡¯s soft words echoed in her ears again with soothing power. Juan Bi silently counted in her head. One, two, three. Seeing that there was no movement behind the window, she trembled and took a few more steps in Young Master Xia¡¯s direction with the lantern. At the same time, she reached out her left hand, hidden in her cloak, and unfolded her fist, palm up. In the center of her palm, which was red from the cold, lay a small snow-white paper crane. The whistling wind blew past, and the paper crane was gently blown upward. The moment it left her palm, the paper crane spread its wings as if it were alive and flew in the direction of the window with the wind. In the dim yellow flickering light, the white paper crane seemed to flash with a sparkling, dreamlike shimmer. The cold wind was strong, almost tearing apart the dense plum blossoms on the branches and pulling them off. However, the small and fragile paper crane was exceptionally gentle. It gently flew all the way to the dark window. ¡°¡­¡± Juan Bi¡¯s eyes widened as she silently exclaimed in disbelief. Not only Juan Bi, but even Young Master Xia found it novel. For the first time, a crack appeared in his smile. It was no longer a seductive and feminine smile, but an exclamation. Young Master Xia, who had been as still as a mountain, finally moved. His left hand, which was wearing a blood ring, rose again, palm flat. The paper crane without the painted eyes landed shakily in his palm. Its thin paper wings fluttered with the wind. It was unknown if they were flapping on their own or if the wind was moving them. The old and the young in the room also saw the paper crane fly over. A trace of surprise flashed across their eyes before they calmed down. They were not newbies anymore. They had traveled the world and stepped through mountains of corpses and seas of blood. They had seen many strange people and had heard and witnessed the methods of those Taoist priests and monks. The paper crane stopped in Young Master Xia¡¯s palm. He gently pinched one of the paper crane¡¯s wings with his other hand, and a hint of amusement appeared on his blood-stained red lips. Interesting. That was all. The young man¡¯s eyes were still cold, calm, and indifferent. His heart did not waver because of this magical paper crane. Since he had already made his decision, he did not like to change it. They were just some ants. So what if they died? He shook a corner of the paper crane, but it seemed to have lost its ¡°life¡± and was lifeless. It had become the most ordinary origami. The corners of Young Master Xia¡¯s lips drooped slightly, his interest waning, but he still slowly unfolded the paper crane. Chapter 175 - 175 So Beautiful 175 So Beautiful Eh? He raised his eyebrows slightly, his deep eyes fixed on the white paper covered in creases. Since that girl had specially ordered her maidservant to deliver a letter to him, it meant that she was afraid of death and did not dare to come herself. He originally thought that the other party was using this little trick to attract his attention and beg for mercy. However, there were only two simple words written on this paper: Diverting misfortune. The handwriting was neat and strong. There was both the beauty and gracefulness unique to women, as well as a confident and unhurried aura. That subtle contradiction was evident in those words. Young Master Xia¡¯s indifferent gaze lingered on these few words on the paper, and the smile on his lips became more thoughtful. Those words seemed to mean something, as if the other party had seen through his intentions for this trip. Due to his pause, even the old man and the servant were shocked. They could not help but look at the paper in Young Master Xia¡¯s hand. ¡°Young Master Xia.¡± Juan Bi¡¯s almost broken voice came from outside the window again. ¡°Our lady said that she has met you once at Tianyin Pavilion, and that it¡¯s fate to meet again.¡± Young Master Xia finally reacted and raised his eyebrows slightly. He never cared too much about people who were destined to die. He had only casually glanced at her just now and only remembered that her face was hidden in the hood of her cloak. Thinking of Tianyin Pavilion, a bloody scene flashed across his mind one day. It was she¡ªthe girl who had saved Imperial Duke Wei with her profound medical skills. She actually recognized him? A glint flashed across Young Master Xia¡¯s eyes as he casually crumpled the white paper into a ball. When he threw it out, the white paper had already turned into countless pieces of paper that rolled together with the snow. He strolled in the direction of the gate. The old man and the servant were stunned. They originally thought that the young master would not care about this little maidservant at all, but they did not expect him to actually take action. It seemed that he planned to meet the owner of this manor. The old man hesitated for a moment. Just as Young Master Xia was about to step out of the door, he asked cautiously, ¡°Young Master, should we¡­¡± Follow the plan? Before he could finish, the young man interrupted him. ¡°Go on.¡± The two words were light, but colder than the wind and snow outside. He meant to continue the plan. A cold killing intent flashed across the old man¡¯s eyes. His sharp gaze shot accurately through the open window to Juan Bi in the snow outside. Young Master Xia opened the tung oil umbrella again and walked towards Juan Bi in the snow. The wind and snow were so strong that they seemed capable of blowing people up, but his footsteps were extremely safe and leisurely, as if he was walking in the wind and drizzle of Jiangnan. The slender hand holding the handle of the tung oil umbrella was so stable that the umbrella did not sway at all. Seeing that Young Master Xia had come out, Juan Bi¡¯s originally suspended heart relaxed. Her hands, which were hidden in her cloak, were already sweating. Her lady had said that the first step would depend on whether Young Master Xia was willing to see the words on the paper crane. As long as he read it, she would say the second sentence on the silent count of three. The second step was to see if Young Master Xia was willing to come out. As long as he was willing to come out, there was room for negotiation. Juan Bi watched without blinking as the other party approached in her direction. He was clearly smiling, but she felt an invisible sense of oppression. When the other party was 10 feet away, Juan Bi swallowed and reached out to gesture. She pointed out of the courtyard and said, ¡°Young master, our lady is waiting for you in the pavilion.¡± Her voice was trembling, and even her raised hand was trembling slightly. For some reason, it was as if a cold wind had blown through her body. There was an instinctive fear deep in her heart that made her want to run. After walking out of the courtyard, they walked straight southeast along a stone path. It was a small pavilion built beside a few green bamboos. Juan Bi tried to follow, but a ghostly figure blocked her way. The gray-robed elder with silver hair had a thin face that was shaped like withered bamboo. He placed one arm in front of Juan Bi. His old eyelids drooped weakly, and a cold light shot towards Juan Bi like lightning. Juan Bi took half a step back in fear. Her legs felt weak under her cloak, and the uneasy feeling of being targeted by a wild beast came back. Her hand shook, and the candle flame in the lantern flickered even more violently. Light and shadow danced rapidly, illuminating the old man¡¯s lean face with some ferocity. Young Master Xia walked over slowly, his steps carrying a strange rhythm. His blood-red cuffs were blown by the wind, dancing in the night like raging flames. Gu Yanfei stood behind the stone table in the pavilion and looked at him intently. Or rather, she wasn¡¯t looking at him. She was looking at his luck. It had only been a short while, but the scarlet air lingering around his body had actually become even redder and richer, as if the flowing blood was about to drip out. Legend had it that the Red Spider Lily on the other side of the Netherworld used blood as nutrients to be so beautiful and achieve beauty that did not belong to the mortal world. ¡°How beautiful.¡± Gu Yanfei stared at the scarlet luck around him and sighed sincerely. Her voice was not loud, but Young Master Xia, who had just reached the pavilion, still heard her. He paused in the act of putting away the umbrella before continuing to put it away. His handsome face was slightly to the side, and the soft light from the pavilion shone on his face, outlining his beautiful side profile. His long and slightly raised eyebrows curled into a charming arc. No one had ever dared to say such a thing in front of him. He gently shook the umbrella, and the snowflakes on it scattered like countless crystal beads. The transparent ice crystals reflected a bloody light under his red clothes. Chapter 176 - 176 Profit 176 Profit ¡°Young Master Xia.¡± Gu Yanfei reached out and gestured with a faint smile. She didn¡¯t seem to notice the old man with a long saber outside the pavilion, and was very at ease. Young Master Xia sat down on a stone bench beside the stone table and looked at her face with interest, as if he was examining her, but also as if his mind had drifted away. His frozen eyes were filled with indifference toward everything. Without a word, he took out a plain handkerchief from his sleeve and carefully wiped his long fingers in slow movements. Gu Yanfei took a step closer to him and did not care about his disregard. ¡°Xia Houqing, Young Master Xia Hou.¡± When the girl smiled, her eyebrows flew up, and her bearing was clear. She had the brightness of a young girl, but there was also a hint of cunning and unrestrainedness. Xia Houqing¡¯s originally calm pupils finally rippled slightly. He stopped wiping his fingers and glanced at Gu Yanfei with raised eyebrows. It was not until this moment that Gu Yanfei¡¯s face was reflected in his pupils. The girl in front of him was not even 28 years old, and her face still had a hint of childishness. However, the calmness, ease, and carefreeness she exuded with every move was definitely not that of a young and ordinary girl. The cold wind was still raging, the green bamboos by the pavilion were still emerald green, and their leaves were covered in a layer of snow, like jade leaves and branches. Occasionally, they swayed and rustled. Gu Yanfei smiled slightly and met Xia Houqing¡¯s deep eyes steadily. She knew that she was now walking on a thin, suspended wire, and below her was a bottomless abyss. One wrong step, and she could fall into the abyss and be beyond redemption. However, the more she faced such a situation, the calmer she became. She was a medical cultivator, and no one in the Bright Spirit Realm would be an enemy of medical cultivators. However, spirit beasts and demonic beasts were ferocious. If she wanted good medicinal herbs, she would definitely have to take risks. She had encountered countless dangers of all sizes and was already used to facing the danger of being targeted by demonic beasts. ¡°Young Master Xia Hou.¡± Gu Yanfei walked towards him and asked casually with a smile, ¡°How long until Baili Yin arrives? How long do we have to talk?¡± It was as if the two of them were old friends and were just catching up today. Xia Houqing began to slowly wipe his fingers again, wiping each finger clean. Then, he casually threw away the still white handkerchief. A male voice that sounded like a mountain stream and a bell floated from his lips. ¡°It seems that you know a lot.¡± He placed one hand on the stone table. The blood-red ring swirled with a strange, cold sheen in the light. The young man¡¯s smile was bright. In an instant, the scarlet air around him surged crazily. There was an indescribable madness and strangeness, which also added to his aura and made people not dare to look at him directly. ¡°Not much,¡± Gu Yanfei said frankly. She sat down leisurely on the stone bench opposite him and chatted leisurely, ignoring the oppressive pressure around him. ¡°This is the capital.¡± Gu Yanfei pointed at the oil lamp in the northeast corner of the stone table with an index finger and gently tapped the table in front of her. ¡°This is the manor.¡± ¡°After leaving the capital, no matter which direction he¡¯s headed, he won¡¯t ¡®pass by¡¯ this manor.¡± ¡°Baili Yin must have come here to kill you, Young Master Xia Hou.¡± ¡°Young Master, you used yourself as bait. As long as you replace everyone in this village with your death warriors, you can silently take Baili Yin¡¯s life.¡± ¡°In that case, no one will know that you did it. What others will see is that Baili Yin died in an ordinary farmstead in the suburbs of the capital.¡± As she finished the last word, she slowly turned her gaze to Xia Houqing. The corners of her eyes were raised slightly, as if she was asking him¡ª Right? Silence filled the pavilion. In the distance, the ominous cawing of crows could be heard again, slightly altered by the sound of the snow. ¡°Pa! Pa!¡± After a moment, a gentle and slow clap sounded. Xia Houqing looked at Gu Yanfei, who was less than three feet away from him. He raised his hand and clapped lightly, confirming her guess. He smiled, as if he couldn¡¯t stop it for a long time. The light cast a faint gold light on his long, curved eyelashes. His smile was beautiful, but there was an unexplained dangerous chill in the snowy night. Gu Yanfei was also smiling comfortably. She casually stroked her hair that was messed up by the wind and said bluntly, ¡°Young Master Xia Hou, are you trying to use Baili Yin¡¯s death to ¡®divert misfortune¡¯ and cause another dispute between the Great Jin and the State of Yue so that you can benefit from it?¡± Chapter 177 - 177 Profit 177 Profit She used a questioning tone, her voice rising at the end. However, she did not expect the other party to answer, and simply continued, ¡°Young Master, since you¡¯re from the State of Yue, it¡¯s obvious the State of Yue will profit.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, the State of Yue and the Great Jin will not go to war.¡± Her tone was firm, and the smile on her lips deepened. Xia Houqing did not comment, and just gently twirled the blood ring between his fingers. Under the light, his thick eyelashes cast faint shadows, and behind the shadows were bottomless pupils. Meeting his dark eyes, Gu Yanfei said indifferently, ¡°The Sage of the State of Yue wouldn¡¯t dare!¡± ¡°¡­¡± The old man outside the pavilion¡¯s eyes twitched. This girl really dared to say it! Gu Yanfei casually picked up a withered leaf from the oil lamp on the table and twirled it twice before continuing casually, ¡°The Sage of the State of Yue is already old. He¡¯s no longer the fierce tiger from before.¡± ¡°Even if Baili Yin dies in the Great Jin, as long as the Great Jin has a new flintlock, the State of Yue will not dare to start a war.¡± She let go of the two fingers holding the dead leaf. In the blink of an eye, it was swept away by the powerful wind and snow and disappeared into the darkness. Gu Yanfei met Xia Houqing¡¯s eyes from the side and said seriously, ¡°Actually, there¡¯s no need to go through so much trouble if you want ¡®profit¡¯.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Xia Houqing was still slowly spinning the blood ring, his charming eyes narrowing. Gu Yanfei snapped her fingers crisply and suggested, with a relaxed expression, ¡°Why don¡¯t we consider occupying the State of Yue first?¡± ¡°I can help you.¡± She smiled like a flower, as if she had no sense of life or death. These words sounded like shameless boasting at first glance, causing the old man outside the pavilion to laugh mockingly. Xia Houqing smiled again. His eyes were beautiful and seductive, like the crescent moon in the night sky. His hand that was spinning the ring stopped, as if he was bored. He turned his face slightly in Gu Yanfei¡¯s direction and said softly, ¡°There¡¯s still half an hour.¡± He only gave her half an hour. Xia Houqing¡¯s pupils were bone-chilling, not hiding his intention to slaughter the village at all. In stark contrast, there was a calm smile on his face. The snow did not abate at all. Particles fell onto the roof of the pavilion, and the air was suffocatingly heavy. The howling snow surrounded the pavilion like a ferocious beast. ¡°Have you heard of a saying, Young Master Xia Hou?¡± The smile on Gu Yanfei¡¯s face did not fade, and her expression seemed to be extremely relaxed. Her eyes seemed to be smiling, teasing, and threatening. ¡°A cloud-piercing arrow, a thousand troops come to meet each other.¡± She looked straight into Xia Houqing¡¯s eyes and spoke slowly. Everyone knew this sentence. It came from Emperor Taizu of the Great Jin. Gu Yanfei raised her hand and pointed at the night sky above. ¡°Look.¡± In the next moment, with a whoosh, a bright red stream of light rose from the southeast. Like a huge bolt of lightning, it tore through the air and flew unstoppably into the snowy night sky above. ¡°Whoosh!¡± A huge red firework exploded in the night sky, casting half the night sky in a fiery red light and even illuminating the farmstead below. Xia Houqing¡¯s expression changed slightly as he looked up at the huge red fireworks in the night sky. His enchanting smile froze on his lips, and his dark pupils seemed to be dyed with bright blood. ¡°¡­¡± The old man guarding outside the pavilion was shocked, and his pupils suddenly constricted, as if he had been struck by lightning. He remained motionless, letting the snow drift over his frosty eyebrows. His wrinkled face was gray and gloomy, and his heart sank as if it had been dipped in water. By now, Baili Yin and the others should already be four miles away. They would definitely see the gorgeous red fireworks in the sky. Unless he was blind or stupid, it was impossible for him to walk into the trap. The plan had failed! This thought clearly appeared in the old man¡¯s mind. He did not dare to look at Xia Houqing at all. He knelt on one knee in the snow, sweating profusely. His mind was in chaos, and he had no idea what had gone wrong. He had clearly sent people to keep an eye on everyone in the manor. Anyone who made any moves would be killed. Who shot this ¡°cloud-piercing arrow¡± just now?! What on earth had he missed out on?! ¡°Caw, caw¡­¡± There was another noisy crow¡¯s cry in the distance. It was hard to tell if it was mourning or cheering. In the blink of an eye, the big red firework disappeared into the night sky without leaving even a trace. Gu Yanfei gently knocked on the stone table with one hand, her eyes seemingly filled with a dazzling galaxy. ¡°Look, we can¡¯t kill Baili Yin anyway.¡± She smiled slightly and asked ¡°considerately¡± again, ¡°Why don¡¯t you consider my suggestion? Let¡¯s take over the State of Yue first?¡± She finished her sentence in one breath, and her posture was relaxed. From the beginning to the end, she had been smiling faintly. She knew that Xia Houqing did not want to kill them for the sake of a simple massacre. He was just doing whatever it took to achieve his goal. To Xia Houqing, the hundreds of lives in this manor were just ants. How could he care about stepping on a few ants when he was working toward his goal? She had ruined his plan to assassinate Baili Yin, but that did not mean that he could let these people in the manor live. Benefits and value were most important. She had to provide the other party with enough benefits and value to pique his interest. Xia Houqing stared at Gu Yanfei. His smile was still demonic and a little lazy. For the first time, he fell into deep thought and rubbed his thumb slowly on the blood ring. ¡°I can help you.¡± Chapter 178 - 178 Showdown 178 Showdown Help him? Xia Houqing¡¯s eyes narrowed into fox eyes that shone with a dangerous cold light, as if he had heard an interesting joke. ¡°We Taoist doctors don¡¯t only know some small tricks. I know all about talismans, divination, curses, and even physiognomy.¡± Gu Yanfei smiled and praised herself. She leaned slightly closer to Xia Houqing, who was on the other side of the stone table. Placing one hand on the stone table and hiding the other under it, she said confidently, ¡°From your physiognomy, you came from a noble family, but your fate is full of misfortune. Not only did your family fall apart and you were left alone at a young age, but you also encountered calamities.¡± She wasn¡¯t just reading his physiognomy. The hand hidden under the table was calculating rapidly¡­ The more she read, the more shocked she became, but she didn¡¯t hesitate to tell him the result of her divination. With a casual attitude, she mercilessly reopened the other party¡¯s scar. These words caused a clear crack to appear in Xia Houqing¡¯s frozen eyes. Gu Yanfei continued without stopping, ¡°When you were 14 years old, you escaped from the wolf¡¯s den and entered the tiger¡¯s den, pushing you into the 18 levels of hell.¡± ¡°Your most cherished relative died that day. Your beliefs were crushed, and you rose from the ashes that day¡­¡± The smile on Xia Houqing¡¯s face cracked. There was extreme madness in his eyes and smile. Even the scarlet luck on his body extended its demonic claws like a ghost. Suddenly, he raised his right hand, and his slender fingers attacked Gu Yanfei¡¯s neck like lightning. He was beautiful and flirtatious, like a fatal red poplar. Gu Yanfei, who was originally sitting leisurely, suddenly stood up and retreated. Behind her was a pavilion pillar, blocking her steps. The other party¡¯s hand mercilessly pinched her soft neck. That hand seemed to have never suffered. It was slender, beautiful, fair, noble, and delicate. A smile appeared on Gu Yanfei¡¯s lips, and a trace of starlight flashed in her black jade pupils. The short sword hidden in her cloak had already been unsheathed by the time she retreated. With a silver flash, the blade drew a crescent-shaped arc, brushed past his sleeve, and held firmly against his neck. A palm-sized red silk cloth fell from Xia Houqing¡¯s left sleeve and fluttered to the ground. At first glance, it was as if there was an additional pool of bright red blood on the ground. It was a ghastly sight. ¡°My Lady!¡± Juan Bi, who was outside the pavilion, naturally saw this and screamed. She subconsciously wanted to step forward, but she was stopped again by the withered old man. The old man¡¯s eyes were as cold as ice. Without Young Master¡¯s instructions, no one could go forward. Time seemed to have stopped in the pavilion, and only the cold wind continued to howl. The two of them remained in confrontational positions for a long time. Xia Houqing did not seem to care about the short sword at his neck. His right hand tightened his grip on her neck slightly, and he looked straight at the girl, who was less than a foot away from him. They were so close that they could see the little snowflakes on each other¡¯s hair and eyelashes, and they were so close that they could see the slightest change in expression on each other¡¯s faces. Even though her neck was strangled, Gu Yanfei did not panic or feel fear at all. A casual smile even appeared on her face as she looked straight into his eyes. His pupils were pitch-black and ink-like, without any impurities, like an abyss that wanted to swallow everything. Furthermore, there was no emotion in his eyes. ¡°Cough.¡± Gu Yanfei coughed lightly because of the pressure in her throat. She was still smiling, high-spirited and arrogant. ¡°I can help you take down the State of Yue.¡± ¡°How is it? Is this deal worth the lives of the people in the manor?¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Gu Yanfei took the lead and put down the short sword on Xia Houqing¡¯s neck to show her sincerity. She stared deeply at Xia Houqing without blinking, her smile firm. They stared at each other in silence. It was as if a silent battle was taking place. After a while, Gu Yanfei felt the pressure on her neck lighten. The hand strangling her slowly relaxed and finally retracted. The other party¡¯s deep and charming phoenix eyes looked at her deeply, from madness to measurement to calmness. Under the light, his black eyes flashed with interest, and his gaze darted to Gu Yanfei¡¯s face. The tense atmosphere in the pavilion was swept away. Juan Bi finally heaved a sigh of relief. She patted her chest, and her shocked eyes lit up as she thought to herself, ¡®Sure enough, everything is within my lady¡¯s calculations! How could she be wrong when she said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry!¡±¡® Chapter 179 - 179 Battle 179 Battle Gu Yanfei touched her neck and reached out again. ¡°Young Master Xia Hou, do you want to sit down? Let¡¯s talk slowly.¡± Without waiting for Xia Houqing to answer, she sat down on the original stone table and placed her short sword on the stone table. Her every move was calm, carefree, and magnanimous, as if the dispute just now did not exist at all or as if they had just been joking. However, the red finger marks on her fair neck were so glaring. Xia Houqing slowly turned around. His wide sleeves and clothes danced with his movements, fluttering and wanting to fly. He had a gorgeous and ostentatious temperament. Xia Houqing also returned to the stone bench and sat down. The two of them sat opposite each other again on both sides of the stone table. They were both smiling, each with their own thoughts. Xia Houqing took out a plain white handkerchief from his sleeve and slowly wiped his right hand that had strangled Gu Yanfei¡¯s neck. ¡°You said you were going to help me?¡± he asked bluntly. His clear voice was faintly lazy and low with mockery. When his gaze swept across his left sleeve, where a corner had been cut off, his eyes were dark, and even his upturned lips froze for a moment. His eyebrows twitched, and his disdain and frustration were obvious. This was the first time Gu Yanfei had seen so many expressions on his face. She pretended not to see it and asked seriously, ¡°What¡¯s the situation in the State of Yue now?¡± Her clear eyes looked at Xia Houqing without blinking and with a humble expression. There was silence in the pavilion for a moment. The atmosphere between the two of them changed subtly again in an instant. The temperature suddenly dropped and became as cold as an icehouse. A moment ago, Xia Houqing was still smiling lazily. At this moment, his smile was restrained, and his eyes were as cold as ice. ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± he asked, almost enunciating each word. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Gu Yanfei smiled without any guilt, as if they were just talking about the weather today. For the first time, the young man¡¯s beautiful and perfect face was about to lose control. She didn¡¯t know anything and still dared to come and negotiate with him! Xia Houqing¡¯s phoenix eyes narrowed dangerously, and his killing intent rose again. The scarlet aura around him surged like boiling water again. Facing the other party¡¯s threatening gaze, Gu Yanfei¡¯s smile did not change, and she still looked carefree. How could she know?! In this life, she had been reborn less than three months ago. In her previous life, she had only stayed in Huaibei, Danyang City, and the capital. She had never left the capital until her death. How could she know about the State of Yue? She didn¡¯t even know the name Xia Houqing until today. Seeing the fingers on Xia Houqing¡¯s right hand bend eagerly, as if he wanted to strangle her, Gu Yanfei thought for a moment and suggested sincerely, ¡°Why don¡¯t I try calculating it?¡± She fumbled around and took out a palm-sized compass from her sleeve. Xia Houqing¡¯s smile almost cracked again. His eyes curved into an arc that could not be said to be evil or twisted. The killing intent intensified. The wind outside the pavilion suddenly intensified, as if it wanted to uproot the green bamboo. To the northwest, a few black crows circled in midair, neither close nor far, cawing. Occasionally, a few black feathers would be blown over by the wind and land in the pavilion. Gu Yanfei did not seem to notice the crisis in front of her. She took the compass and calculated¡­ The needle of the compass trembled as it turned. A few snowflakes floated gently onto the compass. The light from the short sword beside him refracted into Xia Houqing¡¯s pupils, making his eyes even colder and emitting a faint coldness. After the needle stopped, Gu Yanfei stared at the hexagram and calculated for a while before saying with a smile, ¡°The Emperor Star is dim. The Sage of your country will fall seriously ill in a month. The battle for the throne will turn the royal court upside down.¡± When she said this, her expression and tone were too casual, as if she was talking nonsense. When she said this, not only did it not make people feel solemn and enthusiastic, but it also made people feel that she was like a swindler. After wiping the last fingertip, Xia Houqing rubbed the handkerchief in his palm and said indifferently, ¡°Should I just kill you?¡± His voice was like the night wind, cold and fleeting, with a half-smile on his lips. Although he kept saying ¡°kill¡±, Gu Yanfei knew very well that his killing intent was less than 30%. Gu Yanfei was not afraid at all. She pointed at the compass and explained the divination on it in all seriousness, ¡°Mountain and ground are moving, the mountain up and the ground down. The Tuan day says, ¡°The mountain moves up and weakens, and the ground stops.¡± Speak human language! Xia Houqing¡¯s impatience was written all over his face as he casually threw away the square handkerchief in his hand. The white handkerchief landed lightly on the red sleeve. A man in black leaped lightly from the wall not far away and appeared beside the withered old man. A whisper floated over. ¡°Elder Qi¡­¡± The old man¡¯s eyes narrowed as he quickly walked towards Xia Houqing in the pavilion and whispered in his ear. Xia Houqing smiled in amusement and remained calm. In the next moment, there was a commotion in the direction of the manor¡¯s door. Dozens of armed guards surrounded a young man in white and walked over. The guards each had their own duties. Some were in charge of opening the way, some guarded the sides, and some were in charge of bringing up the rear. Every guard¡¯s gaze was sharp and murderous. They held torches in their hands. The burning light lit the courtyard as bright as day, dispelling the surrounding darkness. At the same time, ghostly figures silently emerged from the surrounding walls, roofs, and treetops. They were either holding bows and arrows or long knives with murderous intent. The two sides faced each other. As soon as their master gave the order, or even a gesture, the two sides would immediately start a war and blood would be spilled. In this tense atmosphere, Chu Yi, surrounded by a faint layer of fire, walked over slowly with a smile on his face. Dressed in flawless white clothes, he was even whiter than the surrounding snow, making his eyes clear and deep. His bearing was noble, as if he had come from the nine heavens on a cloud. Chapter 180 - 180 Demonstration 180 Demonstration ¡°It¡¯s so lively at night,¡± Chu Yi said with a smile as he slowly walked in the direction of the pavilion. His handsome face reflected a warm orange firelight and a smile like the spring breeze¡ªwarm and bright. It was as if the blizzard had softened with his arrival. The wind became soothing, and the snow lightened. Juan Bi was relieved. In the pavilion, Gu Yanfei turned to look in Chu Yi¡¯s direction. The moment their eyes met, Chu Yi smiled. The smile could not help but overflow from his eyes, making his face even gentler. Si Hai followed beside him like a shadow, holding a tung oil umbrella. Gu Yuan also rushed to the manor with Chu Yi. Gu Yuan walked behind Chu Yi. He quietly carried the long saber at his waist with one hand and walked with his head held high, looking sharp. He looked warily around at the dark figures lurking in the darkness and heaved a sigh of relief. Fortunately, his sister was safe and sound. Fortunately¡­ Gu Yuan was on duty now and could not say anything casually. He could only blink at her quickly, meaning, ¡°Are you alright?¡± Gu Yanfei nodded calmly. The snow suddenly lessened, and a breeze blew. It had only been a while, but there were only a few scattered snowflakes in the night sky. Soon, Chu Yi was less than ten feet away from the pavilion. His gaze slowly moved from Gu Yanfei¡¯s face to the beautiful young man in red across the table. He smiled and relaxed his brows. His gaze was fixed on the young man¡¯s devastatingly beautiful face as he pointed out the other party¡¯s identity. ¡°Lord Xia Hou, long time no see.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me that you were in the capital? I can entertain you and catch up.¡± His gentle tone was neither fast nor slow. Of course, Gu Yuan heard it too. He was stunned at first, but then he realized who this name represented. The young man in red sitting with his sister was actually Xia Houqing of the State of Yue. The rumored exalt of the Heavenly Hall who controlled half of the state affairs of the State of Yue and held half of the military power, was a figure that even the Crown Prince of the State of Yue had to be humbled by. He was enough to turn the tables in the State of Yue! It was rumored that Xia Houqing was ruthless and decisive. He had once helped the State of Yue take down the southwestern Qiang Clan in one fell swoop, allowing the State of Yue to expand by 30%. He had also imitated the previous dynasty in killing 10 clans, shocking the entire country. The literati and scholars raised their brushes and reprimanded him, but Xia Houqing still did as he pleased. Xia Houqing was a lunatic. It was said that an imperial censor in the State of Yue dynasty had only impeached him for being ¡°evil¡± and was killed on the spot. Blood splattered in the Heavenly Hall, and no one in the dynasty dared to speak. The list of such incidents was endless. Gu Yuan¡¯s expression instantly changed uncontrollably. His heart tightened slightly, and he could not help but feel a lingering fear. He thought to himself thankfully again, ¡®Fortunately, I didn¡¯t come too late.¡¯ No one could survive Xia Houqing¡¯s hands if he wanted to kill anyone. The number of lives he had taken probably exceeded the total population of the capital. Gu Yuan stared intently at Xia Houqing in the pavilion. ¡°So it¡¯s Young Master Yi.¡± Xia Houqing smiled familiarly. His red lips curled up as if he had just recognized Chu Yi, and he said lazily, ¡°There¡¯s no need to entertain me. I¡¯ve never liked such formalities.¡± A dangerous glint flickered in his dark eyes. He was judging the situation, speculating, thinking, and a little wary. Many guesses flashed through his mind. Chu Yi smiled slightly and strolled past the withered old man. His footsteps were elegant and stable without any change. The silver-haired old man tensed, and a sharp killing intent flashed across his eyes. However, seeing that his master did not speak, he did not move and took root there like a withered tree. Chu Yi walked into the pavilion alone. Without being invited, he sat down casually between Gu Yanfei and Xia Houqing. Almost at the same time, Xia Houqing instructed the old man, ¡°Old Qi, tell them to leave.¡± What?! The old man¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as he instinctively looked at Xia Houqing. Xia Houqing casually stroked his sleeve. The grand Eldest Prince of the State of Jin even dared to come to the pavilion alone. What did he have to fear?! Besides, if Chu Yi wanted to attack him, he would not have brought just these shrimp soldiers and crab generals to this farm. The old man did not dare to question Xia Houqing¡¯s decision. He placed his fingers on his lips and immediately whistled sharply. Chapter 181 - 181 Demonstration 181 Demonstration Then, the dark shadows on the roof, walls, and treetops quietly hid in the darkness. Si Hai glanced at Chu Yi¡¯s gaze and raised his hand to gesture for him to retreat. In the next moment, the surrounding royal guards retreated like a tide, without hesitation. The torches retreated with them, and the surroundings darkened again. On a night without the wind and snow, the stars and moon in the sky appeared hazily between the dark clouds. It was quiet and peaceful. The courtyard instantly became empty again, leaving only muddy footprints on the snow. Chu Yi smiled warmly at Gu Yanfei and raised his eyebrows slightly. There was a smile at the corners of his eyes and a gentle expression. Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes darted around. She held her snow-white cheek with her right hand and exchanged a look with him. ¡°Better late than never. I¡¯m thinking of helping Young Master Xia Hou seize the State of Yue¡¯s power.¡± When she spoke, she still spoke in that casual tone, as if she was playing a game. The old man outside the pavilion winced again. Chu Yi¡¯s gaze gently swept across the red and purple marks on Gu Yanfei¡¯s neck. His voice was tinged with coldness as he continued indifferently, ¡°This matter is simple. Young Master Xia Hou, do you want to hear me out?¡± He imitated Gu Yanfei¡¯s tone and called him Young Master Xia Hou. With one sentence, he drew an invisible line between the three of them. He and Gu Yanfei were here, and Xia Houqing was on the other side. ¡°Simple?¡± Xia Houqing¡¯s voice rose at the end, and his eyes curved into a treacherous arc. No one could tell if he was happy or angry, let alone his true emotions. ¡°Yes.¡± Chu Yi nodded decisively. His smile was as clean as spring water after snow. ¡°Do you want to talk?¡± As the gentle evening wind blew, the snow on the bamboo leaves fell like icing sugar. The low, unbroken bamboo straightened its back proudly, still green. A faint, cold bamboo fragrance floated in the air, mixed with traces of cold water vapor. It was quiet and elegant. Xia Houqing¡¯s fingers began to rub the blood ring again. He looked at Chu Yi and then at Gu Yanfei. Back at Tianyin Pavilion, the two of them were also together. ¡°Tell me,¡± Xia Houqing finally said. His lips pursed into an evil smile. As he spoke, Chu Yi¡¯s gaze swept across the short sword on the table and the red sleeve cloth on the ground. He knew that Gu Yanfei had definitely not suffered a loss. Chu Yi casually picked up the short sword and said slowly, ¡°The current Sage of the State of Yue, Baili Hong, has been on the throne for more than 20 years. He established the flourishing era of Qianming and was once at the peak of the country¡¯s power.¡± ¡°However, in the past five to six years, Baili Hong has been old and weak. He¡¯s been living an extravagant life and has indulged in pleasure. He no longer has the ambition to expand his territory or the determination to work hard in the past.¡± ¡°The State of Yue seems to be flourishing, but it¡¯s actually already showing signs of decline.¡± His warm voice flowed in the cold air. He was smiling slightly, and there was a confidence in his bones that carried an imposing aura and was difficult to ignore. After a pause, he glanced at Gu Yanfei¡¯s focused little face from the corner of his eye. The corners of his eyes curved into a warm smile. The flowers and trees in the courtyard danced in the evening breeze, rustling like a low moan. ¡°According to the hexagram, the monarch is seriously ill.¡± Gu Yanfei pointed at the compass with her index finger and said seriously, ¡°The Crown Prince is supervising the country, the brothers are fighting, and the nine sons are fighting for the peak¡­ Your country is really chaotic!¡± She concluded with emotion. ¡°I remember that the 15th son of the Emperor is one year old,¡± Chu Yi added at the right time. The two of them were singing the same tune. They were just short of saying that they might as well threaten the Emperor to order the princes?! The corners of Xia Houqing¡¯s eyes twitched imperceptibly. He began to examine the two of them again, his charming pupils as deep as an unfathomable valley. He was at least certain that Chu Yi and Baili Yin were definitely not in cahoots. ¡°It¡¯s much more interesting to really stand in that supreme position than watching the war between the Yue and Jin countries from afar.¡± Chu Yi took out a handkerchief and slowly wiped the sword. The silver blade had a chill colder than snow in the light. The corners of Xia Houqing¡¯s mouth narrowed slightly. He stroked his damaged left sleeve and hid it under the stone table. Out of sight, out of mind. At the same time, he tilted his head slightly to look at Chu Yi. His beautiful side profile was smiling and mocking in the dim yellow light. The young man in white was fair and thin, giving off a weak aura. ¡°Young Master Yi.¡± Xia Houqing smiled, his flawless eyebrows appearing even more beautiful and dazzling. ¡°You¡¯ve been in the State of Yue for eight years without revealing a single trace. It¡¯s been hard on you.¡± What a sick young master! Chu Yi¡¯s words were clear and convincing. Naturally, he did not have good intentions. He wanted the State of Yue to be in chaos so that the State of Jin could have breathing space. It was similar to his ¡°diverting misfortune¡± plan. Xia Houqing clapped his hands in admiration and mocked, ¡°I¡¯m ashamed of my inferiority!¡± The narrow, thin, shiny, and smooth blade clearly reflected Chu Yi¡¯s eyes that were deeper than the night sky. Chu Yi smiled without saying anything. Suddenly, he twisted his wrist and moved the beautiful sword flower toward Xia Houqing, shining with silver light. However, Xia Houqing did not dodge at all. Instead, the old man¡¯s expression changed and he exclaimed, ¡°My Lord!¡± The sword flashed and disappeared. In the next moment, the short sword had been sheathed with a crisp clang. The action of returning to the sheath was as smooth and natural as flowing water. There was no hesitation at all. There was a bloody mark on the back of Xia Houqing¡¯s right hand. The contrast between red blood and white skin was stark. This was equivalent to Chu Yi¡¯s response. It was also a demonstration, right? Xia Houqing¡¯s gaze thoughtfully swept across the few strangulation marks on Gu Yanfei¡¯s neck. He licked the blood off the back of his hand with the tip of his tongue, and his lower lip was stained with a little blood, making him look even more charming. Chapter 182 - 182 Covering the Sky 182 Covering the Sky Xia Houqing licked the blood from his lower lip in boredom. He suddenly stood up and lazily said, ¡°It¡¯s getting late. I¡¯m tired.¡± Xia Houqing left just like that, walking away with the tung oil umbrella. Other than the sleeves that had been cut off, his red robe was not stained by the mud and snow on the ground. The silver-haired old man followed closely behind. They did not leave the manor and continued to stay here, as if they were just ordinary passersby. It was cold, and Chu Yi and Gu Yanfei did not sit in the pavilion for long. They walked towards the main courtyard together. Gu Yuan and Si Hai followed behind them. Towards the end, she felt a faint smell of gunpowder lingering at the tip of her nose. Her steps were unsteady, and she was still a little shocked by the calamity. The wind had begun to pick up again, blowing the lantern slightly from Juan Bi¡¯s hand. The dim yellow light swayed, and light and shadow intertwined. Layers of dark clouds covered most of the moon and stars, as if the next snowstorm would return at any moment. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Gu Yanfei blinked and asked Chu Yi with a smile. She put the short sword on her waist and walked valiantly but elegantly, chatting and laughing. It was as if the life-and-death crisis just now had left no trace in her heart. Meeting her eyes that were as bright as stars, Chu Yi chuckled and explained, ¡°I saw that the snowstorm was heavy tonight and you didn¡¯t return to the residence at this time. I thought that something had happened on the way, so I brought people over immediately.¡± Seeing the two people in front of him chatting happily, Gu Yuan, who was two steps behind, paused. He could hear a hint of praise in Chu Yi¡¯s casual words. Gu Yuan glanced sideways at Chu Yi, who was smiling like the spring breeze. He could not help but feel the sour feeling of jealousy. Gu Yuan was on duty today. After returning to the capital from the hunting ground, he stayed in the palace. Before nightfall, his servant, Wu Tong, rushed over to tell him that Juan Bi had sent someone back to the residence to report, but Madam had not arranged for a carriage to pick up the Second Lady. Gu Yuan was immediately anxious and immediately went to look for Chu Yi to ask for leave. He planned to pick his sister up personally and told Chu Yi about his sister being trapped in the manor by the heavy snow. Chu Yi¡¯s expression instantly changed. He threw away the half-carved seal in his hand and immediately ordered someone to leave the capital with him. At that time, Gu Yuan was still in a daze. He felt that his sister was at least in the Gu family¡¯s own manor, so it was not that urgent. Also, why was the Eldest Prince following him when he was going to pick up his sister?! Unexpectedly, as soon as he arrived at the manor, Gu Yuan felt that there were experts lying in ambush. He was so frightened that his heart skipped a beat. Only then did he understand why Chu Yi was so anxious?! Fortunately! Gu Yuan let out a long breath. It was only now that he was completely relieved. Warmth returned to his cold heart, and he thought to himself, ¡®As long as my sister is fine.¡¯ ¡°Chu Yi.¡± In front, Gu Yanfei¡¯s brisk voice sounded again with a hint of curiosity. ¡°Did you meet Baili Yin on the way?¡± Hearing Baili Yin¡¯s name, Gu Yuan pursed his thin lips, and his expression became strange again. Originally, he had planned to get his scoundrel friends to put a sack on Baili Yin tonight. Now, he would have to find another time. Chu Yi looked sideways at Gu Yanfei with a gentle and quiet smile. ¡°We did meet, but we didn¡¯t alarm him.¡± Baili Yin was in the capital, but he thought that he could hide his whereabouts like he did in the State of Yue, and felt that he could hide it from the world. In fact, Chu Yi knew the moment he left the capital at dusk and ordered someone to follow him secretly. The subordinates Baili Yin had brought out of the capital on this trip were all elites. They were filled with killing intent and were obviously going to ambush someone. Originally, Chu Yi only needed to wait and see. Who would have thought¡­ Chu Yi stared at Gu Yanfei without blinking. Thinking about how she had been implicated for no reason today, he almost¡­ His pale fingers, hidden in his sleeve, curled slightly. Chu Yi quickly controlled his emotions and continued as if nothing had happened, ¡°He¡¯s already returned to the capital.¡± At that time, when he saw a red light suddenly rise from the direction of the manor, Baili Yin¡¯s expression changed drastically. He had immediately turned around and returned to the capital. Chu Yi knew that something was wrong and rushed over. A cold evening breeze blew in his face. Chu Yi¡¯s eyelashes fluttered twice, and his eyes darkened. Gu Yanfei smiled faintly and said, ¡°It seems that Baili Yin is very afraid of Young Master Xia Hou.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Chu Yi said gently. ¡°Baili Yin and his eldest brother, Baili Zhao, have been afraid of Xia Houqing for a long time.¡± Chapter 183 - 183 Covering the Sky 183 Covering the Sky ¡°Now, in the State of Yue, Xia Houqing can cover the sky with one hand. Although Baili Zhao is the Crown Prince, he is also suppressed by him. Even the Sage of the State of Yue has to fear him.¡± ¡°Only by getting rid of Xia Houqing can Baili Zhao completely sit firmly on his throne.¡± ¡°Xia Houqing clearly knows this very well. That¡¯s why he used himself as bait to lure Baili Yin into giving it his all.¡± Chu Yi did not lower his voice. Even Gu Yuan, who was behind him, heard him clearly. The image of the young man who was as demonic as blood appeared in Gu Yuan¡¯s mind. His eyes gradually darkened as he thought to himself, ¡®Xia Houqing is too ruthless and vicious. Even if he doesn¡¯t slaughter the village, he can still achieve his goal. However, in order to save time, he didn¡¯t hesitate to sacrifice hundreds of lives in the village¡­¡¯ This person really lived up to his reputation and could not be underestimated! ¡°Rustle¡­¡± The shadows of the trees swayed with the wind. The snow that had stopped for a moment began to fall sporadically again, fluttering. A snowflake happened to land, making Gu Yuan¡¯s nose itch slightly. Afraid that his sister would catch a cold from the snow, Gu Yuan took off his cloak and planned to put it on her. However, just as he untied the tether of the cloak, he saw that Chu Yi had already taken a bamboo-moon-colored tung oil umbrella from Si Hai and held it above him and Gu Yanfei. The huge umbrella tilted slightly in Gu Yanfei¡¯s direction, and a few snowflakes landed on Chu Yi¡¯s shoulder. Gu Yanfei was tightly enveloped under the umbrella. The slender girl looked especially petite against the young man beside her. I¡¯ve been beaten to it again!! This thought clearly appeared in Gu Yuan¡¯s heart. He felt that something was wrong. Gu Yanfei stroked her chin thoughtfully and muttered, ¡°Young Master Xia Hou shouldn¡¯t have come just for Baili Yin, right?¡± A figure who could do whatever he wanted in the State of Yue had ¡°sung¡± for so long in the capital¡¯s opera house. It was really a waste of talent for a mere Baili Yin. Gu Yuan looked back and forth between the two of them and felt that he was a little redundant. He opened his mouth to show his presence and asked, ¡°Sister, how did you know that person was Xia Houqing?¡± ¡°I calculated it,¡± Gu Yanfei said with a smile. It seemed real but also fake. There was a hint of cunning, teasing, and pride in her expression. ¡°I just counted with my fingers¡­¡± She casually raised her right hand. She originally only wanted to make an orchid gesture, but her chest tightened. The blood that she had painstakingly suppressed could no longer be suppressed, and churned like a sea inside her body. Her legs gave way and she stumbled a little. She lost her balance and fell forward, her thick black hair cascading down like a waterfall¡­ She was telling the truth. She had indeed calculated Xia Houqing¡¯s identity. The other party had come menacingly tonight with a group of death warriors. Since she knew nothing about him, she could not negotiate. Unfortunately, this matter also involved her own life and death. Being in a situation, it was even more difficult to deduce a way to break out of it. She tried repeatedly and risked losing a few years of her lifespan to finally calculate a hint. A beauty was born from fire; a blood-robed Asura was bathed in blood. This was certainly not enough. Fortunately, she knew that the other party was from the State of Yue. To avoid fire, she began another divination¡­ She used all kinds of clues to divine. It took her 49 divinations to figure out the name ¡°Xia Houqing¡±. If not for the fact that Xia Houqing was only a mortal, she would not have been able to do it now. Gu Yanfei felt a faint metallic taste in her throat. Because she was exhausted, her vision was a little blurry, as if it was covered by a thin veil. ¡°Be careful!¡± ¡°Sister!¡± Two concerned male voices sounded at the same time. Gu Yanfei only fell a little when she felt something tighten around her waist. Chu Yi¡¯s left arm was firmly across her waist, supporting her. Gu Yuan looked at his hand that had missed because he was a step slower. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Chu Yi looked down at Gu Yanfei and asked gently. His dark eyes were as deep as the night sky and as clear as the lake, clearly reflecting her shadow. The dark red mole at the end of his eye made his gentle and beautiful eyebrows look more charming. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Gu Yanfei grabbed a parasol tree beside her with one hand and stabilized herself. Her cherry lips were slightly pale, but her eyes were still bright and spirited. Gu Yuan was still worried. He frowned and raised his hand to test Gu Yanfei¡¯s forehead temperature when he heard Chu Yi instruct, ¡°Go get a sedan chair.¡± ¡°There should be a sedan chair inside,¡± Juan Bi added, immediately running in the direction of the main courtyard. The ground was covered in snow and muddy and slippery. She was distracted and almost slipped. Gu Yuan looked at Juan Bi in disdain. He felt that she was unreliable no matter how he looked at her, so he decided to go himself. He quickly said, ¡°Sister, wait for me here!¡± Gu Yuan walked quickly and caught up to Juan Bi in two to three steps. Looking at her eldest brother¡¯s energetic back, Gu Yanfei chuckled brightly. The haze that lingered in her heart after seeing Granny Pang completely dissipated with this smile. Her Big Brother was still very good. He was not delinquent, not depressed, and not infected with smallpox¡­ Facing the night wind, Gu Yanfei¡¯s smile deepened. She had always been nonchalant and did whatever was comfortable. At first, she rested her hand on the tree trunk. Later, she simply leaned lazily against the tree trunk beside her and looked up at the night sky with her chin slightly raised. In the vast night sky, snowflakes slowly fell sporadically, dancing like white pear petals. It was quiet and peaceful, ethereal and eternal. This calamity was over! The corners of Gu Yanfei¡¯s lips curled up slightly, and a handsome curve appeared on her chin. Gu Yanfei was looking at the night sky while Chu Yi was looking at her. Chapter 184 - 184 Success 184 Success The night sky was cold and gloomy, and sparkling snowflakes flickered in the light. When the girl leaned against the tree and smiled, a layer of gentle light seemed to linger around her, lighting up the surroundings. Chu Yi¡¯s gaze landed on the white jade plum blossom hairpin on Gu Yanfei¡¯s bun. The two red plum blossoms at the end of the hairpin were bright red. A faint smile appeared on his face. ¡°Do you like it very much?¡± he asked in a low voice. He kept it on. The question came out of nowhere. ¡°Yes!¡± Gu Yanfei understood what he was asking. She laughed loudly and nodded calmly. Her beautiful and flawless face was always filled with vitality. Her eyes were as bright as the brightest stars in the night sky, brightening his heart. ¡®I¡¯m glad she likes it!¡¯ Chu Yi looked at her and his smile deepened, like a spring wind blowing through the snow and warming the air. Gu Yanfei raised her hand and touched the hairpin in her bun. Her movements were gentle as she thought to herself, ¡®Of course I like it. It¡¯s all thanks to this hairpin. Otherwise, I would be in big trouble today!¡¯ ¡®I would have to think of a way to find more antiques,¡¯ Gu Yanfei thought to herself. She leaned against the tree trunk and rested for a while before enjoying the cold wind. Gu Yanfei felt more comfortable, but the cold wind burrowed into her collar. Her confrontation with Xia Houqing tonight had almost exhausted all her spiritual energy and energy. She needed to ¡°recover¡±. ¡°I¡¯m better. Let¡¯s go.¡± Gu Yanfei held the tree trunk with one hand and tried to straighten up. ¡°Let¡¯s not wait anymore.¡± Seeing that she was struggling to stand, Chu Yi subconsciously reached out his left hand to help her, but Gu Yanfei had already turned around, causing his hand to miss. Even though her feet were unstable, Gu Yanfei still slowly walked forward, one step after another. The evening wind fluttered her cloak, making her gait look even more unsteady, as if she were floating forward. Chu Yi pursed his lips. Seeing that she had no intention of asking him to help, he withdrew his hand. He walked beside her, silently holding an umbrella for her. He looked at her soft, exquisite side profile and the corners of her lips, which had always been slightly curved like a crescent moon, and thought to himself, ¡®She seems very used to relying on herself.¡¯ The two of them walked leisurely side by side. Chu Yi¡¯s attention was almost completely focused on the girl beside him. They were very close. Occasionally their arms brushed against each other as they walked, their shoulders touching. He could smell the quiet bamboo scent of her, picked up by the snow around her. It was clear and refreshing. When they walked past the guest courtyard, Gu Yanfei suddenly stopped. She reached out and grabbed Chu Yi¡¯s sleeve, shaking it gently. Her other hand pointed ahead. She stood on tiptoe and whispered to him, ¡°Look over there.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Chu Yi was stunned. He looked down at the two fingers holding his sleeve and smiled. Under the light, his eyes and lips were filled with a warm smile. Gu Yanfei smiled slyly at him. Her bright smile was as gentle as the winter sun. She held up a finger with her left hand and counted. ¡°One, two, three.¡± When she counted to three, she heard a crash on the flats ahead as a house in the guest wing collapsed. The roof, together with the thick snow above, instantly collapsed. The ground below shook slightly, and several screams came from inside the house. Countless snowflakes and dust floated in the air, forming a gray fog that covered the sky! There was a large patch of gray snow and broken tiles on the ground inside the courtyard wall. It was a mess. ¡°¡­¡± Chu Yi raised his eyebrows without changing his expression. He naturally remembered that Xia Houqing had walked towards this courtyard just now. ¡°A cloud-piercing arrow, a thousand troops come to meet each other!¡± Gu Yanfei smiled happily and patted Chu Yi¡¯s shoulder in high spirits. The girl¡¯s carefree laughter echoed in the night wind. It was naturally impossible for her to carry any cloud-piercing arrow with her. That red light was the effect of a talisman. It was drawn on the paper crane she had asked Juan Bi to give to Xia Houqing. The talisman was not very useful. It was just a red firework. However, the paper crane was indoors. Apart from the red light that soared into the sky, the roof would definitely be impacted and damaged. It had just snowed, and the damaged roof was covered in thick snow. It was obvious that it would not last long¡­ Back then, her master always said that she liked to study some messy talismans. If she had the chance to go back, she would definitely talk to her master. Gu Yanfei raised her hand and touched it. The pinch marks on her neck still hurt a little, and she raised her chin proudly. Chapter 185 - 185 Success 185 Success Hmph! She should let Xia Houqing suffer! Anyway, this manor had been in disrepair for a long time. It was normal for a roof to collapse¡­ right? Seeing her silly joy, Chu Yi smiled, his eyes gentle. As long as she was happy! The two of them continued slowly. From time to time, the sound of gravel and debris fell from the guest courtyard behind them. In the distance, the crows gloated again¡­ When Gu Yanfei returned to the main courtyard, she saw Steward Huang peering around the entrance. Of course, he had also heard the sound of the guest courtyard collapsing. However, Gu Yanfei had long instructed him not to step out of the courtyard casually. ¡°Go and tidy up two more guest rooms. If there¡¯s nothing else, rest early,¡± Gu Yanfei instructed Steward Huang as she continued walking in. Her calm appearance made Steward Huang feel at ease. ¡°Yes, yes, yes. I¡¯ll do it now,¡± Steward Huang rubbed his hands and replied. As they spoke, they arrived under the corridor in front of the central room. Gu Yanfei picked a chair nearby and sat down, while Si Hai and the other guards guarded outside the main courtyard. Gu Yuan was only two steps behind them. He quickly strode into the house with a frown on his handsome face. ¡°There are no sedan chairs in this manor,¡± he instructed Steward Wang coldly. ¡°It¡¯s impossible not to have a sedan chair in the manor. We have to prepare one in the future.¡± Steward Huang agreed again and thought to himself, ¡®The masters haven¡¯t been to the manor for more than ten years. The sedan chair in the past has long been broken.¡¯ Gu Yuan did not care about Steward Huang. He quickly walked to Gu Yanfei¡¯s side and asked gently, ¡°Sister, are you feeling better? Do you want me to get a doctor to take a look at you?¡± Gu Yanfei waved her hand, wanting to say that she was the best doctor. However, before she could say anything, she heard an old female voice outside the house. ¡°Miss¡­ Young Master¡­¡± Outside the central room, a short, fat, black figure came trudging toward them. It was Granny Pang. Granny Pang was wearing a black cloak that was neither new nor old. Her forehead was still tied with the white cloth from before, and her gray hair was a little messy in the wind. Steward Huang¡¯s daughter carefully held Granny Pang¡¯s arm. The little girl explained slowly, ¡°When Granny Pang heard that the Eldest Young Master was here, she insisted on coming over to pay her respects.¡± ¡°Eldest Young Master!¡± Even though they had not seen each other for so many years, Granny Pang still recognized Gu Yuan, who was beside Gu Yanfei, at a glance. Her red and swollen eyes were filled with tears again. When she left, Gu Yuan was still a six-year-old child. Now, he has grown into an outstanding handsome man. Granny Pang still did not look good, but she was clearly in a good mood. When her turbid old eyes looked at Gu Yuan and Gu Yanfei, they lit up. Gu Yuan¡¯s eyes widened slightly as he also recognized Granny Pang, whom he had not seen for many years. 10 years had allowed an ignorant child to grow into a heroic young man. At the same time, it had cruelly carved countless wrinkles and silver threads on Granny Pang¡¯s round face and hair. ¡°Granny.¡± Gu Yuan was first shocked that Granny Pang was also in this manor. Then, he realized that she was injured and his voice was hoarse. ¡°How did you¡­¡± ¡°I picked up Granny Pang on the way here with Jiaoniang and the others to hide from the snow,¡± Gu Yanfei explained on behalf of Granny Pang, leaning lazily against the high-backed chair. ¡°At that time, Granny Pang¡¯s head was injured and she had fallen by the roadside.¡± ¡°Granny said she went to the residence today, but she was beaten up.¡± Gu Yanfei¡¯s words were concise and did not say much. She could not hide the fatigue between her eyebrows. Gu Yuan¡¯s pupils dilated and his thin lips pursed tightly. His right hand subconsciously grabbed the arm of the chair. ¡°Granny¡­¡± His gaze moved again to Granny Pang¡¯s forehead, which was wrapped in white cloth. There was an indiscernible tremble in his usually cold and steady voice. He was not stupid. From Gu Yanfei¡¯s few words, he immediately understood something. Granny Pang had been attacked to silence her. But why?! Gu Yuan¡¯s eyes were cold and dark, as if they contained tens of thousand years of ice. The figures of those blood relatives crossed each other in their hearts. Gu Yuan pursed his thin lips tightly and vaguely felt a sense of oppression¡­ Juan Bi nimbly served tea to everyone. Only Gu Yanfei¡¯s cup was personally handed to her by Juan Bi. There was no good tea in the manor, so Juan Bi used the flower tea she had brought with her. A faint fragrance of plum blossom tea wafted into the air with the steam of the tea. After drinking a few mouthfuls of hot tea, Gu Yanfei¡¯s face turned a little red from the heat, but her body was still weak, and her lips were a little pale. Gu Yanfei examined Gu Yuan¡¯s complicated expression. Her eyes were deep as she slowly asked, ¡°Big Brother, have you ever had smallpox?¡± Because of her exhaustion, her voice was not as clear as usual. Against the snow outside the house, it had a hint of vicissitudes. Granny Pang could not help but tighten her grip on her handkerchief when she heard this. Her dry and pale lips trembled. When he heard the word ¡°smallpox¡±, even Chu Yi, who was quietly drinking tea, reacted and glanced at Gu Yuan. ¡°¡­¡± Gu Yuan raised his eyebrows in confusion, not knowing why his sister would ask this. After thinking about it, he said honestly, ¡°I remember one time when I was three or four years old, I was very sick and kept having a fever. I was groggy¡­ Grandma said it was smallpox.¡± ¡°Was it really smallpox?¡± Gu Yanfei stared intently into Gu Yuan¡¯s eyes and tried her best to pull herself together. She asked again, ¡°Didn¡¯t Big Brother suspect anything?¡± Her face was slightly pale, and the gaze she looked at Gu Yuan with became deeper and more complicated. Gu Yuan was speechless. Gu Yuan narrowed his eyes, and his expression gradually became serious. Of course, his sister would not speak without thinking¡­ Chapter 186 - 186 Extravagant 186 Extravagant The siblings¡¯ eyes met in silence. There was a suffocating silence in the room, except for Granny Pang¡¯s tense and heavy breathing, which echoed in the air. The silence was like an invisible net slowly tightening. Looking at the silent Gu Yuan, Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyelashes lowered slightly, casting a shadow on her porcelain face. She sighed inwardly, but she was not disappointed. It was normal for Gu Yuan not to suspect anything about what happened back then. At that time, Gu Yuan was only three years old. What did a three-year-old child know? Whatever illness he had, he would naturally do as Madam said. Moreover, most people probably could not remember many things when they were three or four years old. Just like her, after 200 years, she had also forgotten many people and many things¡­ It was only recently that she slowly recalled some perhaps insignificant details. Gu Yanfei raised her hand and rubbed the space between her eyebrows. A wave of fatigue surged up uncontrollably. Gu Yuan suddenly said, ¡°By the way, Father seemed to have asked me about it back then¡­¡± Granny Pang¡¯s eyes widened and her body trembled violently. She did not even notice the handkerchief in her hand leave her hand. Even Gu Yanfei was stunned for a moment. Her eyes were slightly open, and her heart trembled violently. She asked in a low voice, ¡°What happened next?¡± Gu Yuan took a deep breath and tried his best to calm the dark tide in his heart. There seemed to be a ball of air in his chest, muffled and deep. He continued, ¡°After that, Father brought Gu Yunrong and me to Yangzhou until¡­¡± His voice grew slower and lower, until it stopped abruptly. He didn¡¯t continue, but everyone present understood his unfinished words¡ª Until Yangzhou fell! Gu Yuan¡¯s eyes became abnormally deep and he pursed his lips. Eight years had passed, but what had happened back then was still deeply engraved in his heart, leaving a scar that would never be erased. He had lost his father in that battle. Everyone said that his father had betrayed his country and submitted to the enemy. Even his grandmother felt humiliated for his father¡­ His world suddenly collapsed! Gu Yuan¡¯s expression was still, and there was a faint sadness on his face. Gu Yanfei looked at Gu Yuan¡¯s cold side profile in a daze. Her gaze was a little dazed and cold, as if she was staring at the man she had only seen in her two lives. Her father¡­ ¡°Bang!¡± The main door of the central room suddenly creaked as it was rudely kicked open from the outside. One of the doors flew to the ground and cracked in half. Outside the central room, three people could be seen standing under the eaves outside the door. Walking in the middle was Xia Houqing in red. Standing beside him were the old man and the young man. Xia Houqing¡¯s clothes were as red as fire, still as spotless as before. The other two were dusty and battered, as if they had rolled in dust and gravel. Xia Houqing glanced at the young man in disdain. He moved two fingers on his right hand slightly, and the silver-haired old man tactfully took a step back, then half a step. ¡°¡­¡± Steward Huang¡¯s wife was left behind by Xia Houqing and the other two. She looked embarrassed and felt that this guest who was staying overnight was too rude. She had just said that the lady and the Eldest Young Master were busy, but the other party insisted on barging in! Gu Yanfei¡¯s gaze darted around Xia Houqing¡¯s brand new red clothes, but she did not find any dust. She thought to herself, ¡®What a pity.¡¯ Xia Houqing did not say a word. He was as comfortable as if he was not here uninvited but the master of the place. He expressionlessly crossed the threshold into the central room and walked straight ahead. Then, he casually lifted his robe and sat down arrogantly on the armchair at the head of the table. ¡°I¡¯ll stay here today.¡± Xia Houqing shamelessly announced that he planned to take over the main courtyard. The silver-haired elder did not enter the house immediately. Instead, he stood under the porch and clapped his hands gently. Clap! Clap! In the next moment, a group of men in black quickly walked into the main courtyard. Everyone was not empty-handed. Screens, incense burners, horsetail whisks, chair cushions, red clay stoves, tea sets, and other items were all moved in and arranged. Dark red draperies were drawn from the rafters. On the east side were dazzlingly colorful three rosewood side seats with jade-flowered throne screens. A dark red Persian wool carpet was laid on the ground. A rosewood armchair was brought over again and a large red embroidered golden-threaded kirin pillow was placed. Chapter 187 - 187 Extravagant 187 Extravagant Someone also placed a three-legged incense burner in the corner behind the screen¡­ Their movements were very skilled and well-trained, as if they had done them countless times. In just a moment, Xia Houqing¡¯s surroundings were decorated. These ornaments were all exquisite and gorgeous. Every one of them was priceless, turning such an ordinary central room into a magnificent palace. A thin plume of green smoke curled up from the incense burner and filled the air. The fragrance was unique, crisp, and mellow, with a hint of sweetness. Gu Yanfei was dumbfounded and thought to herself, ¡®Does Xia Houqing have to bring everything in the house with him when he goes out?¡¯ ¡°My Lord, have some tea.¡± A man in black nimbly brewed a pot of tea for Xia Houqing on the spot. The fragrance of elegant and pure tea wafted over. Gu Yanfei¡¯s nose twitched, and her eyes lit up. The fragrance of this tea was high and clear, pure and sharp. It was thick and pure, signs of a high-grade tea. In an instant, Gu Yanfei felt that the cup of plum blossom tea in her hand had become dull. The silver-haired old man called Old Qi walked silently towards Gu Yanfei and the others. He stood upright and said coldly, ¡°Our Lord likes peace and quiet and doesn¡¯t like noise. Please.¡± He naturally gave the order to leave. ¡°¡­¡± Gu Yanfei regretted it. She felt that she should have drawn an additional Lightning Fire Talisman on the paper crane just now and caused the entire house to collapse. Chu Yi elegantly drank the plum blossom tea in his cup. His movements and posture were as pleasing to the eye as usual. He ignored the actions of Xia Houqing and the others. After carefully tasting the tea, Chu Yi said indifferently, ¡°Young Master Xia Hou, are you here for Emperor Taizu¡¯s handwritten letter?¡± His gentle voice sounded slowly, and a faint smile appeared on his face. His eyes were so bright that he seemed to be able to see through everything in the world, illuminating the room. After he finished speaking, the room was silent. Other than the sound of boiling water on the small red clay stove, there was no other sound. The men in black brought by Xia Houqing seemed to be silent. Xia Houqing did not comment. He glanced at the dust on the table in disgust and took out a new handkerchief. Then he slowly wiped his hands and stroked his sleeves. What was Emperor Taizu¡¯s handwritten letter? This was the first time Gu Yanfei had heard of Emperor Taizu¡¯s handwritten letter. She propped her chin on her hand and looked at Chu Yi on her right. Her clear eyes seemed to speak, and Chu Yi immediately understood what she meant. ¡°These are the notes my great-grandfather left behind when he was alive.¡± Chu Yi smiled at her. His handsome face softened with this smile, and he was as gentle as a spring breeze. ¡°My great-grandfather recorded many ideas that he couldn¡¯t realize when he was alive.¡± ¡°My great-grandfather wanted to improve looms, ships, gunpowder, steelmaking¡­ He also said that the wine here is too weak to be called wine at all. He has a way to make real wine.¡± Gu Yanfei listened attentively and had an idea. She felt that some of the things Chu Yi had described were familiar. She seemed to have seen them somewhere before. Where exactly was it? Gu Yanfei tried her best to search through her memories. She had not been reborn for long, so she was sure that it was not in this life. Then it must have been in her previous life¡­ When was it in her previous life? Chu Yi smiled and said, ¡°My great-grandfather was an interesting madman. He had many wild ideas. He said that people could fly one day, and that cars could reach a thousand miles in two days if they were on track. He even said that there would be a ¡®cannon¡¯ that could blow up a city at once¡­¡± As he spoke, he glanced at Xia Houqing, his eyes flickering in the candlelight. The screen blocked Xia Houqing¡¯s figure, leaving only a well-defined profile. Behind the screen, Xia Houqing was pretending to drink tea. His demonic red lips curled into a cold smile behind the teacup. He did not take Chu Yi¡¯s words seriously. Young Master Yi was clearly testing him! Gu Yanfei thought seriously and tried her best to focus. However, the harder she tried, the harder it was to focus¡­ Her vision suddenly darkened as a few double images flashed past. Her upper body swayed, and she almost fell. She quickly held her forehead and heard Xia Houqing¡¯s mocking laughter from the direction of the head of the table. She regretted it again. If not for the fact that she really did not have any spiritual energy, she would have drawn a few hundred more Fire Thunder Talismans and blown him up. Gu Yanfei¡¯s consciousness drifted, and she was in a daze for a moment. Then, she suddenly shivered. That night, she drew talismans, read fortunes, and fought tit-for-tat. She was at her limit in spirit and stamina, especially since there was a lack of spiritual energy here. She was practically using her life to do divination and was almost hollowed out. ¡°You should rest.¡± Chu Yi¡¯s gentle voice was like a spring breeze turning to rain. Indeed, Gu Yanfei would never force herself. She stood up obediently. But she was too tired. As soon as she stood up, she felt a strong wave of fatigue sweep over her. Her eyelids were heavy, and her feet began to float again. Chu Yi quickly caught her. His eyes were filled with a gentle smile, and his eyebrows were beautiful. His gaze seemed to say that he was there. Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes glazed over again. She smiled tiredly at him. Her heavy eyelids finally lowered, and endless darkness surged over¡­ The last thought in her mind before the darkness overwhelmed her completely was¡ª Where had she seen this letter before? Chapter 188 - 188 Rushing Joy 188 Rushing Joy As soon as she fell asleep, she fell into a deep sleep. She wished she could sleep until the end of time¡­ When she opened her eyes again and saw the familiar sky-blue bed canopy above, she realized that she had returned to Yuheng Garden. Feeling a heavy weight on her chest, she looked down and saw the calico cat lying on the brocade blanket with its green cat eyes fixated on her. ¡°Meow¡ª¡± The calico cat yawned lazily, its white beard trembling slightly. In the next moment, a petite figure rushed in from the outside. ¡°My Lady!¡± A brocade curtain embroidered with a cat playing with a peony was roughly beaten up and brushed down, swaying in midair. Juan Bi heard the commotion and rushed to Gu Yanfei¡¯s bed in one breath. Her face was filled with anxiety as she said anxiously, ¡°You¡¯re finally awake. I was really worried. You¡¯ve been sleeping for three days and three nights!¡± ¡°Grumble¡­¡± As if to verify Juan Bi¡¯s words, the sound of hungry stomachs came from below, where the calico cat was squatting. Gu Yanfei and the calico cat on top of her stared at each other. The cat meowed softly and licked its right front paw. Its mocking tone seemed to be saying, ¡®It¡¯s not me!¡¯ ¡°¡­ No wonder I¡¯m hungry.¡± Gu Yanfei grabbed the back of the cat¡¯s neck with one hand and lifted it up. At the same time, she sat up. As soon as the kitten, which was about four months old, was pinched in the vitals, it revealed its dumbfounded look again, its claws spreading into pink plum blossoms in midair. Hearing Gu Yanfei say that she was hungry, Juan Bi hurriedly shouted outside and asked someone to quickly get food. There was a small kitchen in Yuheng Garden with a stove and stove. Over the past few days, the porridge and chicken soup had been kept warm on the stove, thinking that they would be ready to eat when the girl woke up. Soon, the maidservant handed in a bowl of shredded chicken porridge and handed it to Gu Yanfei. Gu Yanfei was not in a hurry to wash up and change her clothes, so she sat at the table by the window and ate first. After eating a bowl of porridge, she was still not satisfied. She asked for another bowl of steaming chicken soup noodles and finished all the noodles and soup before feeling more comfortable. While she was eating, the cat¡¯s mouth never stopped either. It basked in the light and ate some boiled chicken shreds. Juan Bi served at the side. As she tore chicken shreds for the cat, she rambled on about the past three days. ¡°Miss, after you fell asleep in the manor that day, we thought that you were just tired and were momentarily exhausted, so I carried you to the couch to rest. Unexpectedly, the next morning, you still didn¡¯t wake up. This worried the Eldest Young Master so much that Granny Pang almost pinched you.¡± ¡°Afraid that you¡¯re sick, the Eldest Young Master quickly sent a car to send you back to the capital. In the past two days, not only has he invited several doctors from the capital, but he has also specially invited the imperial physician to the Marquis Mansion to take your pulse¡­¡± Gu Yanfei finished the last mouthful of chicken soup. When she put down the spoon, she asked casually, ¡°What did the imperial physician say?¡± Juan Bi tried her best to recall the imperial physician¡¯s genteel words and answered truthfully, ¡°The imperial physician said that you¡¯re mentally and physically exhausted and have lost your vital energy. You¡¯re also devoid of yin and yang, causing your exhaustion¡­ You have to recuperate well these few days and can¡¯t work too hard.¡± Gu Yanfei wiped her mouth with a handkerchief and picked up the teacup before the cat could reach its claws into it. Amidst the cat¡¯s dissatisfied meow, she took two leisurely sips of tea. Seeing this harmonious scene, Juan Bi¡¯s face lit up with a silly smile again. The anxiety of the past few days had been swept away, and only then did she feel that everything was normal. Gu Yanfei took two more sips of tea before giving the teacup to the cat. At the same time, she asked, ¡°Big Brother¡­¡± Before she could finish her sentence, the maidservant¡¯s clear voice sounded outside the curtain. ¡°Miss, the Eldest Lady is here to visit you!¡± ¡°Big Sister is back?¡± Gu Yanfei raised her eyebrows and her eyes lit up. A few days ago, Gu Yunzhen¡¯s maternal grandmother held a birthday banquet and brought Third Madam Yan and Gu Yunzhen to the Yan family to stay for a while. ¡°The Eldest Lady returned yesterday. As soon as she returned to the residence, she came to Yuheng Garden to see you.¡± As Juan Bi spoke, her hands did not stop. She tidied Gu Yanfei¡¯s hair slightly and skillfully tied her black hair behind her head with a headband before putting a cloak on her. After a while, Gu Yunzhen arrived leisurely. She was wearing an aqua-green embroidered green collared jacket with green plum branches, matched with a green plum bamboo skirt. The well-tailored jacket made her figure look exquisite. Chapter 189 - 189 Breaking the Happiness 189 Breaking the Happiness As the girl slowly walked over, her skirt swayed gently. She was elegant and dignified, as quiet as water. ¡°Big Sister.¡± Gu Yanfei smiled when she saw Gu Yunzhen, but Gu Yunzhen frowned and raised her hand to cover her forehead. At the same time, she asked, ¡°Juan Bi, when did your lady wake up? Has she eaten?¡± When she faced Gu Yunzhen, Juan Bi straightened her back and felt a sense of respect. She answered truthfully. Gu Yunzhen was relieved to hear that Gu Yanfei had already eaten the porridge and noodles. If she had a good appetite, it meant that she was fine. Gu Yunzhen turned to face Gu Yanfei and reached out an index finger to gently tap the tip of her nose. She scolded softly, ¡°Did you not rest well tonight because you wanted to look at the painting book?¡± ¡°Even Qing Guang knows to sleep more when tired. You¡¯re already an adult, why can¡¯t you be as obedient as a cat!¡± When Gu Yunzhen heard yesterday that Gu Yanfei had tired herself out, her heart ached, and she felt a little helpless. Qing Guang, who was eating chicken shreds, heard its name and subconsciously meowed. It wanted to look up, but Gu Yanfei pressed it back into the cat bowl. Gu Yanfei giggled and hugged Gu Yunzhen¡¯s slender waist. She giggled and rubbed against her shoulder like a cat. Blood had returned to her pale skin and her laughter was crisp again. Being hugged by Gu Yanfei like this, Gu Yunzhen could not continue scolding her. She raised her hand and hugged her slender shoulder intimately. Qing Guang glanced at the annoying sisters in disdain and leaped out of the window to play outside. The snow had stopped a long time ago. Outside, the roof and treetops were piled high with snow. The white snow reflected the morning sun, making it a dazzling crystal, and even the house was much brighter. Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes darted around, and she said coquettishly, ¡°Big Sister, why are you back so early?¡± She had originally heard that Gu Yunzhen and Madam Yan would only return before the new year. ¡°It¡¯s getting late.¡± Gu Yunzhen¡¯s expression was a little indescribable. She reached out and tapped the tip of Gu Yanfei¡¯s nose again. ¡°It¡¯s already the 27th of December today.¡± She sighed faintly, as if to say, ¡®You¡¯ve really slept for the past three days.¡¯ Gu Yanfei could only pretend to be obedient. She smiled and continued to change the topic. ¡°Big Sister, why are you dressed so plainly?¡± She sized Gu Yunzhen up. Not only was Gu Yunzhen dressed plainly today, but her accessories were also plain. Her bun was the simplest, and there was only a jade hairpin in her hair. There was no color on her body. Gu Yunzhen pursed her lips with a fleeting gaze and hesitated for a moment. Thinking that there were no outsiders here, she said, ¡°I¡¯m going to the Murong family with Madam later. The Old Madam of the Murong family is seriously ill.¡± Gu Yanfei obediently handed her tea. Gu Yunzhen did not stand on ceremony with Gu Yanfei. She took the teacup and took a sip before saying in a low voice, ¡°¡­My marriage might be brought forward.¡± Marriage brought forward?! Gu Yanfei was stunned. The pink teacup in her hand stopped in midair, and her fingers subconsciously turned the cup slightly. Faced with her sister, Gu Yunzhen did not beat around the bush. She pursed her lips and said bluntly, ¡°The Old Madam is seriously ill. The Murong family said that they want to bring forward the marriage to bring joy to the Old Madam.¡± Her voice dropped to a whisper. She lowered her eyelashes, and her small chin was slightly lowered in a delicate manner. Gu Yanfei frowned and asked, ¡°Big Sister, what did Third Aunt say?¡± Gu Yunzhen¡¯s half-lowered eyelashes fluttered slightly. The watery light of the tea was reflected in her autumn eyes as she said slowly, ¡°Grandma said that it¡¯s good that the marriage is brought forward. Otherwise, the Murong family might have to observe three years of filial piety, and I¡¯ll be too old by that time.¡± ¡°Mother thought so too.¡± Gu Yanfei put down the teacup in her hand and tried her best to recall what had happened in her previous life. Her eyes narrowed. Was there such a thing in her previous life?! In her previous life, Gu Yanfei knew too little about the Murong family. She only knew that because her eldest sister had injured her face, her marriage with Murong Yong had been delayed for half a year and was set to take place in August of the following year. After that, the marriage was held as scheduled without any delay because of ¡°filial piety¡±. In other words, the Old Madam of the Murong family had not died of illness in her previous life? Why had she changed so much in this life? Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes darted around slightly. After thinking for a moment, she asked tactfully, ¡°Did Big Brother tell you about Murong Yong?¡± Ever since he returned from Tianyin Pavilion that day, Gu Yuan had asked his friends to investigate Murong Yong. Murong Yong indeed had two mistresses. One was an actress, and the other was a courtesan. He had set up two residences outside and did not bring her back to the residence. ¡°Big Brother told me.¡± Gu Yunzhen nodded slightly. There was an almost invisible hoarseness in her neutral voice. Her face was half-lowered, revealing a fair and delicate neck with beautiful lines. Yesterday, as soon as Gu Yunzhen returned to the Marquis Mansion, Gu Yuan told her that Murong Yong was raising a mistress outside. It was not just these two mistresses. Murong Yong still had a concubine with an open face. That concubine was his personal maidservant and had served him for seven to eight years. Last year, she was pregnant. After being drugged by Madam Murong, she lost a lot of blood and was eventually carried out dead on a straw mat¡­ Gu Yunzhen turned her face to the window and stared blankly at the cat outside. Her long eyelashes cast faint shadows on her fair cheeks. The calico cat was frolicking in the sunny courtyard, carefree and meowing non-stop. The atmosphere in the room was unusually quiet and lonely. Gu Yunzhen sighed slightly, and her eyes dimmed for a moment, as if something was slowly sinking into a deep pool of water. Chapter 190 - 190 Unwilling 190 Unwilling Gu Yanfei stared at Gu Yunzhen for a long time and noticed the subtle change in her expression. Gu Yunzhen retracted her gaze from the cat and met Gu Yanfei¡¯s clear pupils. There was a gentle smile on her beautiful face. She picked up her teacup and took another sip before saying calmly, ¡°My father is a concubine¡¯s son in the Marquis Mansion. Apart from my mother, he has a concubine and two concubines by his side.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it.¡± Her red lips curled up slightly as she smiled at Gu Yanfei with a serious expression on her pearl-like face. ¡°Everyone says that my father has peace and quiet around him. They all praise my mother for her good fortune.¡± ¡°Also, do you know how many concubines Second Uncle has?¡± The Second Uncle Gu Yunzhen was talking about was naturally the Marquis of Dingyuan, Gu Jian. ¡°¡­¡± Gu Yanfei shook her head silently. How could she know? She only knew two aunts with children from the second branch. Gu Yunzhen raised four fingers at her. He also had concubines. Gu Yanfei had yet to reach marriageable age. Gu Yunzhen actually did not want to dirty her sister¡¯s ears by saying these things, but Gu Yanfei was already at the age to talk about marriage. However, her mother was no longer around, and her grandmother would definitely not tell her these things from the bottom of her heart. She was the eldest sister, and the eldest sister was like a mother who should take care of her sister. Just as her mother had said, a girl had to get married eventually. Before she got married, she was a precious daughter at home. When she got married in the future, she would have to face the scheming of her husband¡¯s family. She would have to be filial to her in-laws and take care of the house¡­ Gu Yunzhen clenched the handkerchief in her hand tightly. Her slender fingers straightened as she continued rationally, ¡°In this huge capital, almost every family has concubines.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the way of the world.¡± She wasn¡¯t complaining about anything. She was just rationally stating the current situation as a fact, without any criticism. The golden morning light shone from the window on the side of Gu Yunzhen¡¯s face. The sunlight and tree shadows gently brushed her slightly furrowed eyebrows. ¡°Big Sister, are you willing?¡± Gu Yanfei reached out and hooked Gu Yunzhen¡¯s ring finger. Gu Yunzhen did not answer. Her eyes lowered again, and she slowly raised her hand to take the teacup. Ever since her father passed away, the third branch no longer had a man who could support the family. They were also marginalized at the Marquis Mansion. Moreover, the third branch was a concubine¡¯s branch. It was Madam¡¯s intention to let her bring joy by getting married. If she did not marry, Mother¡¯s life in the Marquis Mansion would probably not be easy in the future¡­ ¡°Meow, meow, meow¡ª¡± Outside the window, the kitten meowed happily again. The cat was enjoying itself, free and easy. Suddenly, it flew onto a plum tree, but its claws did not tighten. Its body slid down again, its sharp claws leaving long scratches on the trunk. Gu Yunzhen could not help but smile. Her beautiful eyes curved, and her eyebrows relaxed. Scenes of her father carrying her to build a snowman and break plum blossoms appeared in her mind. Gu Yanfei held Gu Yunzhen¡¯s hand and said gently, ¡°As long as Big Sister is unwilling, don¡¯t marry him.¡± She smiled with a moon-white indifference. There was a faint freedom between her eyebrows, an arrogance that ignored rules and etiquette. Gu Yunzhen looked at Gu Yanfei¡¯s exquisite and beautiful face and was in a daze for a moment. Then, she smiled. She raised her hand and gently stroked the top of Gu Yanfei¡¯s head. Her smile was gentle as she said solemnly, ¡°In the future, let Big Brother choose your marriage for you. Don¡¯t let Grandma interfere¡­¡± Gu Yunzhen was as clear as a mirror. She had long understood and thought it through. Their grandmother only cared about the future of the Marquis Mansion and only wanted to pave the way for the Marquis Mansion and Gu Yunrong. The marriage of their grandchildren would only become a bargaining chip in their grandmother¡¯s hands. Gu Yunzhen¡¯s expression was calm as she said in a low voice, ¡°Even if the other party¡¯s family background isn¡¯t that high, it¡¯s fine as long as they¡¯re good.¡± Get married. Gu Yanfei sighed silently in her heart. Her expression was neither expectant nor disgusted. In her previous life, she was just cannon fodder. For no reason, she was involved in the jealousy between Gu Yunrong, Fang Mingfeng, and Chu You. For some reason, she became known as someone who had broken off the engagement. Later, she passed away early and never discussed marriage again before she died. It had only been more than two months since she returned to this small world. She had never realized that she needed to ¡°get married¡± too. Thank you for reading on https://www.novelhall.com Chapter 191 - 191 Unwilling 191 Unwilling For the first time, Gu Yanfei began to consider marriage. She tilted her face and muttered, ¡°It¡¯s not enough.¡± It wasn¡¯t enough to be a good person. ¡°Meow?¡± Qing Guang heard the sound and jumped onto the window sill like a gust of wind. It squatted there and looked up at Gu Yanfei with wide, green eyes. Gu Yanfei raised her hand and touched the cat. In the Bright Spirit Realm, Tao companions were two like-minded cultivators who cultivated together, lived, and died together. This was a matter of life and death. It had to be reported to the world, and a contract had to be formed. Once the two sides formed a contract, they would be each other¡¯s only, and would have to be loyal to each other. Otherwise, they would suffer divine punishment and be struck to death. With a Tao companion, there could be no more concubines or husbands. That would not do. ¡°¡­ It¡¯s not a contractual spiritual beast,¡± Gu Yanfei muttered inaudibly. She reached out her index finger and gently scratched the cat¡¯s chin a few times. Cultivators in the Bright Spirit Realm could only have one Tao companion who had formed a contract, but they could have several contractual spiritual beasts. ¡°Meow?¡± Qing Guang did not hear what Gu Yanfei said clearly, but it vaguely heard the word ¡°spiritual beast¡±. It blinked its beautiful cat eyes. A wild instinct told the cat that it seemed to have been taunted. Gu Yunzhen did not notice what Gu Yanfei said. She looked at the silver world outside the window and sighed. ¡°Ancestor is right about some things. The best feeling in life is mutual love.¡± Gu Yanfei looked at Gu Yunzhen deeply. From her tensed fingertips to the smile on her lips to her slightly lowered eyes, her gaze was fixed. Gu Yunzhen¡¯s eyes were not as calm as her expression. There seemed to be an unknown flame hidden in the depths of her deep eyes. After she finished speaking, the room was silent until Gu Yunzhen¡¯s maidservant, Fei Cui, broke the silence. ¡°My Lady, it¡¯s about time.¡± Madam Gu said that they would set off for the Murong family at the beginning of the day. Gu Yunzhen seemed to have woken up from a dream. She let go of Gu Yanfei¡¯s hand and smiled. ¡°Second Sister, rest well. I¡¯ll leave first and visit you later.¡± Gu Yunzhen hurried away with Fei Cui. Gu Yanfei quietly looked at the brocade curtain embroidered with the picture of a cat playing with a peony and did not speak for a while. Juan Bi¡¯s hand that was pouring tea paused along with the sound of the tea falling. She asked hesitantly, ¡°My Lady, is the eldest son-in-law really inappropriate?¡± Gu Yanfei shook her head and said affirmatively, ¡°From what we¡¯ve seen so far, he¡¯s not appropriate.¡± ¡°Then, My Lady¡­¡± Juan Bi hesitated and rubbed the teapot before continuing to pour tea. Gu Yanfei picked up the cup of tea and looked at the tea leaves floating in it. She pursed her lips. Everyone¡¯s life was a single bridge that belonged to them. They had to move forward on their own and not be pushed by others. She couldn¡¯t make the decision on her behalf. It would implicate cause and effect. It was not good for her or anyone else. Gu Yanfei put down the teacup and suddenly stood up. She instructed Juan Bi, ¡°Help me change.¡± Juan Bi was stunned for a moment. She quickly changed Gu Yanfei¡¯s clothes and combed her hair into a double bun. When Gu Yanfei arrived at the entrance, the timing was just right. Madam Gu and Gu Yunzhen were preparing to get into the carriage. ¡°Second Sister.¡± Gu Yunzhen was the first to see Gu Yanfei and exclaimed in surprise. Everyone else looked in Gu Yanfei¡¯s direction. Even Madam Gu, who was about to get into the carriage with Bai Lu¡¯s hand, stopped and turned around. Gu Yanfei was also wearing an aqua green dress, which was very similar to the color of Gu Yunzhen¡¯s dress. When she walked to Gu Yunzhen¡¯s side and the two of them stood together, one was gentle and beautiful, elegant and dignified, and the other was beautiful, free, and easy. Their auras were very different. Gu Yanfei smiled at Gu Yunzhen first, then said to Madam Gu as if nothing had happened, ¡°Madam, I¡¯ll follow you.¡± ¡°Perhaps I can cure the Old Madam of the Murong family. This way, when Eldest Sister marries over, the other party will think highly of her. It¡¯ll be good for the Marquis Household too.¡± As she spoke, a half-smile played on her lips. Gu Yanfei had always had such a casual attitude that no one could tell if she was telling the truth, and Madam Gu could not be bothered to think about it. She narrowed her eyes and looked back and forth between Gu Yanfei and Gu Yunzhen. Gu Yanfei was right. If she could really cure the Old Madam, the Murong family would not have to mourn, and the eldest son-in-law¡¯s future would not be affected. It was obvious that the Murong family would definitely thank the Dingyuan Marquis Household. Anyway, in name, she was going to visit a patient. There was no harm in bringing along another granddaughter. Madam Gu stroked the bright blue fur on her sleeve and revealed a graceful smile. She said calmly, ¡°If you want to go, let¡¯s go together.¡± Without waiting for Gu Yanfei to speak, Madam Gu held Bai Lu¡¯s hand and got into the black carriage at the front. Gu Yanfei followed Gu Yunzhen into the carriage at the back. Meeting Gu Yunzhen¡¯s quiet and complicated gaze, Gu Yanfei smiled and whispered, ¡°I¡¯m very good at judging people.¡± After being reborn, Gu Yanfei was lucky to have a second chance. She really did not want her sister to sacrifice herself. Her eldest sister was so good that she deserved the best man! Gu Yunzhen watched as she casually leaned against the wall of the carriage, her eyes as bright as stars in the dim carriage. Gu Yunzhen¡¯s heart softened, as if she was bathing in warm sunlight and hot springs. The carriage arrived at the Murong family residence after the time it took for an incense stick to burn. The Murong family¡¯s mansion in the capital was located in Anping Alley in the north of the city. The residence had been bought by Murong Yong¡¯s father 20 years ago. It was a three-in-one residence. The walls of the alley were mottled with time. The canopy of thick pagoda trees, as thick as umbrellas, covered the top. Half-yellow leaves were clipped to the crown. From the moment the carriage drove into the alley where the Murong family was, Gu Yanfei felt her vision darken. The long and narrow alley was like a narrow wooden bridge. The towering walls made the light in the alley dim, giving off an inexplicable sense of oppression. There was no sun today, and the weather was a little gloomy. Patches of mottled tree shadows cast gloomy shadows on the walls, doors, and ground, as if thick dark clouds were looming over the mansion. Gu Yanfei¡¯s heart sank, and a rather uncomfortable feeling rose in her heart. Chapter 192 - 192 Death Energy 192 Death Energy The Gu family¡¯s carriage quickly stopped outside the gate. After they got out of the carriage, they saw a young man in his 20s waiting there. The young man was tall and strong. His square face was well-defined, and his facial features were handsome. Just by standing there quietly, he had the sharpness of a young man. ¡°Greetings, Madam.¡± Murong Yong took a few steps forward and cupped his fists. He cupped his hands politely at Madam Gu with a heroic smile. Madam Gu sized up the handsome young man in front of her with a satisfied expression and said lovingly, ¡°Good child, there¡¯s no need to be so polite.¡± Her expression and tone were affectionate. Gu Yunzhen and Gu Yanfei alighted from the second carriage behind. Murong Yong¡¯s gaze naturally turned to the sisters. He first looked at his fianc¨¦e, Gu Yunzhen, and smiled at her. His teeth were neat and white, and one side of his canine tooth was sharp. Murong Yong¡¯s gaze then swept past Gu Yanfei, who was a step behind Gu Yunzhen. His smile froze on his lips, and he was clearly stunned. His pupils quivered, and one of his straight eyebrows rose thoughtfully. The ¡°young man¡± he had seen in the private room of Tianyin Pavilion that day overlapped with the beautiful and refined girl in front of him. It was her! Murong Yong looked steadily at Gu Yanfei, who was walking beside Gu Yunzhen, and recognized that this girl was clearly the girl who had disguised herself as a man and saved Imperial Duke Wei that day. That day, Murong Yong suspected that the young man with her was not simple. Later, he found out from Kang Wang that it was the Eldest Prince. ¡°Madam, forgive me for being late!¡± Not far away, a well-rounded woman in her 40s walked over quickly. She had straight eyebrows, slanted eyes, and a bright smile. Her voice was slightly high-pitched and had a hint of preemptiveness. As she spoke, her smiling gaze quietly swept across Gu Yanfei¡¯s beautiful face. ¡°This lady is also your granddaughter, right? Look at her fair skin and jade bones. She¡¯s like a flower. You really know how to raise your granddaughters!¡± Her last sentence was equivalent to praising Gu Yunzhen as well. Madam Gu enjoyed it and smiled amiably. ¡°In-law, you flatter me. This is my second granddaughter.¡± So she was from the Gu family, Murong Yong thought. He stared at Gu Yanfei for a long time and greeted her as if nothing had happened. ¡°Eldest Lady Gu, Second Lady Gu.¡± Madam Murong sized Gu Yunzhen up. The more she looked at her, the more he liked her. She took her hand and praised her with a gentle and loving expression. One moment, she praised her for being gentle and beautiful, the next moment, she praised her for being obedient and sensible, and the next moment, she praised her for being filial and virtuous. The atmosphere was harmonious. After Madam Murong spoke for a while, Murong Yong interrupted at the right time, ¡°Mother, it¡¯s cold today and the wind is strong. Let¡¯s talk inside.¡± His words and actions were appropriate and elegant. Madam Murong smiled apologetically and quickly sighed. ¡°Oh, my bad.¡± ¡°It¡¯s rare for Madam to come to the residence, so I should entertain her well. Sigh, Mother-in-law has been seriously ill recently. I¡¯m really¡­¡± ¡°In-law, there¡¯s no need to be so polite.¡± Madam Gu hurriedly interrupted her and said sincerely, ¡°The Old Madam of your family is seriously ill. I¡¯m also extremely worried. I also want to visit her on this trip.¡± ¡°Speaking of which, we haven¡¯t seen each other for a few years. At our age, it¡¯s really rare to see each other.¡± As she spoke, Madam Gu sighed with a sad expression. ¡°You¡¯re really considerate.¡± Madam Murong pinched a handkerchief and wiped the corners of her eyes. She sighed and said, ¡°Ever since winter began, Mother-in-law¡¯s health hasn¡¯t been good. She lies on the couch more than half the time¡­ These days, the weather is cold, and it¡¯s even worse for her.¡± Everyone surrounded Madam Gu and Madam Murong as they walked towards the inner courtyard. Along the way, Madam Gu asked about Old Madam Murong¡¯s condition. From the beginning to the end, she did not say that Gu Yanfei knew medicine. She was more or less worried, afraid that this girl only knew a little. If she made an empty promise and made the other party anticipate something big, it might not end up well. As Gu Yanfei walked, she casually sized up the mansion. The main hall at the front of the inner courtyard seemed to have been renovated. There was no moss on the green tiles under the snow, and the red paint on the beams was as bright as flames. Although it was a cold winter, this courtyard was not inferior at all. There were all kinds of plum blossoms, camellias, southern sky bamboo, and nobleman¡¯s orchids everywhere. Chapter 193 - 193 Death Energy 193 Death Energy The servants who came and went were all submissive. When they met their master, they stood silently at the side with their hands by their sides. They were quiet and orderly while abiding by the strict rules. The group passed through half of the residence and arrived at a courtyard to the northwest of the residence. The Old Madam¡¯s courtyard was unusually quiet and lifeless. As soon as they entered the courtyard, they smelled the scent of medicine everywhere. Gu Yanfei immediately felt the uncomfortable feeling in her heart become stronger. An old granny with a wrinkled face welcomed them. After bowing, she respectfully led the group into the house. Her brows were furrowed and she looked worried. As Gu Yanfei walked forward, she casually observed her surroundings. On the west side of the courtyard, an old pine tree had withered. The water in the small pond by the old pine tree had dried up. In the east room, there was no fish in the blue and white porcelain fish tank at the table¡­ Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes were dark and she pursed her lips without revealing anything. The fingers of her right hand pressed against her compass in her sleeve. She was curious, interested, and eager to try. Soon, the women passed through two or three curtains and arrived at a dimly lit inner room. Murong Yong stayed outside to wait. They could see at a glance that an old woman was lying motionless on the bed against the north wall. Several women and girls were sitting around the bed, attending to her illness. Madam Gu sighed and praised Madam Murong. ¡°The Murong family is really upright and filial.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only right.¡± Madam Murong smiled and acted modestly. Gu Yanfei, who was at the back, quietly looked around the room. This room was clearly very spacious, but the moment Gu Yanfei walked in, it was as if she had walked into a small and cold environment. It was as if the roof and walls were pressing down on her and were within reach. There were two charcoal pots burning in the house. The window on the east side was only slightly open. There were a few talismans stuck to the window, but the house was dim and far away, so she couldn¡¯t see what was drawn. The dull air was mixed with the smell of medicine, sandalwood, mildew, and other unidentifiable smells. Gu Yanfei sniffed a sachet. From the moment she stepped into the room, she felt suffocated. It was like the dull, oppressive feeling she had felt before the summer storm. Seeing that an important guest was visiting, the few servants in the room stood up and greeted Madam Gu. After exchanging a few pleasantries, the women of the Murong family moved aside. The Old Madam lying on the bed also clearly entered the vision of Gu Yanfei and the others. The haggard old woman in her 60s had mostly gray hair and was unconscious at this moment. Only her old face, which was as pale as paper, was revealed outside the brocade blanket. Her eyes were closed, her lips were dry and flat, and her brown-spotted cheeks were slightly sunken. The dull grayish-green bed canopy above made the old woman¡¯s face look especially dark. Even those who did not know medicine could tell that the Old Madam of the Murong family was seriously ill. Gu Yanfei could not help but frown. She stared at the Old Madam for a long time. There was a grayish-black aura of death around her. Gu Yanfei narrowed her eyes slightly. She could see that the grayish-green bed canopy was filled with this grayish-black death energy, like layers of dark clouds before a storm. The thick death energy enveloped the old woman on the bed like a cocoon, so thick that it almost covered her face. Gu Yanfei was a medical cultivator and was most sensitive to death energy. She watched helplessly as wisps of black gas floated out of the shelf bed, baring their fangs and brandishing their claws like the tentacles of an octopus. A wisp of black air floated to her skin, and her hair stood on end. She had goosebumps instantly. Gu Yanfei gently touched her wrist, and her black eyes turned cold. She was certain that this death energy was not the death energy of a sick person, but of a dead person! But the problem was¡­ Gu Yanfei¡¯s gaze was fixed between Old Madam Murong¡¯s nose and mouth. Although the other party¡¯s breathing was very weak, she was certain that the other party was still breathing and still alive! This was unusual. Gu Yanfei twirled her fingers thoughtfully in her wide sleeves. Her eyes darkened bit by bit, like a calm pool. Madam Gu and Madam Murong walked to the sickbed together. Looking at the unconscious Old Madam Murong on the couch, Madam Gu said sadly, ¡°I¡¯ve known my sister for more than 20 years. The last time we met was three years ago, right? At that time, my sister looked even more energetic than me. It¡¯s only been three years¡­¡± The last sentence ended with a faint sigh. Madam Murong wiped the corners of her red eyes with a handkerchief and sighed. ¡°We¡¯ve already invited all the famous doctors in the capital. The imperial physicians have also seen her. They all say that Old Madam¡¯s condition isn¡¯t looking good.¡± ¡°Later, I even invited Shangqing Spiritual Master over.¡± Hearing Madam Murong mention ¡°Shangqing Spiritual Master¡±, even Madam Gu was slightly moved. Her expression was solemn as she sighed. ¡°Shangqing Spiritual Master¡¯s Tao techniques are profound.¡± Madam Murong wiped the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief again before turning around. She grabbed Gu Yunzhen¡¯s right hand and looked at her sincerely with misty eyes. ¡°Zhen¡¯er, I¡¯ve watched you grow up and have always liked you.¡± ¡°Not only have you been knowledgeable since you were young, you¡¯re filial, sensible, and you also have a good personality¡­ I can only dream of having such a daughter.¡± Madam Gu¡¯s fingers gently rubbed the prayer beads without commenting. Madam Murong lowered her voice and said, ¡°Madam, can we talk in private?¡± Madam Gu stroked her sleeve, knowing very well that the other party wanted to talk about the wedding to rush joy. She quietly gave Gu Yanfei a look and asked her to take a look at Old Madam Murong before following Madam Murong to the jade cabinet. Gu Yanfei did not notice Madam Gu¡¯s gaze at all. Her attention was all on Old Madam Murong, who was on the bed, her eyes burning. The other party¡¯s closed eyelids trembled slightly. Old Madam Murong was awake?! The death energy in the bed curtains was even thicker, so thick that ink was about to drip out. Gu Yanfei took another step closer to the other party. When she took a closer look, she saw the old woman¡¯s dry and dark lips move a few times¡­ The other party did not make a sound, but Gu Yanfei could read lips and immediately read it. What the other party said was¡ª Kill¡­ me. In an instant, death energy surged from Old Madam Murong¡¯s body. Chapter 194 - 194 Somethings Wrong 194 Something¡¯s Wrong Looking at the ferocious and surging black aura, Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes twitched. Gu Yanfei took another step forward. The tip of her nose twitched, and she vaguely smelled an indistinct, rancid smell. The air was thick with the scent of incense and charcoal, forcing down the rancid smell and mixing it into another nauseating smell. Gu Yanfei frowned. The Second Madam of the Murong family quickly stepped forward and blocked the bed. The handkerchief in her hand trembled, and a rich cinnamon fragrance wafted over. Second Madam Murong suggested with a warm smile, ¡°Eldest Lady Gu, Second Lady Gu, why don¡¯t you two young ladies go out for a walk? The smell here isn¡¯t good. It¡¯s too stuffy and hot.¡± ¡°Hui¡¯er, bring the two ladies to the garden to play. You¡¯ll be family in the future, so you should get closer.¡± Madam Murong hurriedly waved her hand and called Murong Yong¡¯s sister, Murong Hui, over. Murong Hui was a 15 years old girl with an oval face and cherry lips. She was dressed in a simple lotus-colored robe and had her hair combed into a double bun. She was only wearing a lotus-colored silk flower headband and was dressed plainly. She bowed elegantly to the sisters and smiled faintly. Gu Yunzhen subconsciously looked at Gu Yanfei. Seeing her gently touch her sleeve, she immediately understood and smiled appropriately. Hence, the sisters followed Murong Hui out of the inner room. Murong Yong was waiting outside. Seeing them come out, he stood up from his chair and said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± One of Madam Murong¡¯s housekeepers followed with a few maidservants and old women. The few of them strolled out of the lifeless courtyard. It was very cold outside, and the wind blowing in their faces carried a bone-chilling chill. However, the air was fresh, making the oppressive dullness dissipate a lot. They walked down another winding path and were silent for a long while. ¡°After passing through this bamboo forest, we¡¯ll reach the small garden.¡± Murong Yong was the first to break the silence. He raised his hand and pointed at the bamboo forest ahead. The green bamboo leaves and yellow-green bamboo poles swayed in the cold wind, making rustling sounds. It was quiet and elegant. Murong Yong stopped for a moment and glanced at Murong Hui with his deep gaze. Murong Hui bit her lower lip and rubbed her handkerchief with both hands before saying unwillingly, ¡°My father specially transplanted this piece of golden jade bamboo from Jiangnan 10 years ago. Back then, Second Brother and I also helped plant a few.¡± ¡°My mother loves those flowers and plants. The peonies, hibiscus, and chrysanthemums in the garden¡­ My father looked for them everywhere for her. Unfortunately, hundreds of flowers are withering at this time.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a tricolor plum blossom on the west side of the garden. I¡¯ll show you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Murong Hui spoke as she walked. Her manners were generous and proper, and her words were gentle and tactful, but there was a hint of alienation. After entering the garden, they walked for a while more before the three-colored plum blossom that Murong Hui had mentioned appeared in front of them. A small patch of plum trees was planted along the lake. Red, white, and winter plums interlaced perfectly in the forest. The plums were reflected on the lake, and the water was colorful. The plum blossoms, the rockery, the water pavilion, and the small lake formed a picturesque scene. A stone bridge, barely big enough for two people to walk side by side, was built on the lake, leading straight to the plum blossoms on the other side. Gu Yanfei and Murong Hui walked in front while Murong Yong and Gu Yunzhen followed behind. Before they got onto the bridge, Murong Yong cautiously reminded her, ¡°Be careful.¡± He held Gu Yunzhen¡¯s forearm lightly and did not touch her, displaying a gentlemanly aura. Gu Yunzhen smiled gratefully. Seeing that he was being polite and that his words were appropriate, Gu Yunzhen¡¯s uneasy heart calmed down a little, and her eyes were calm. Since yesterday, she had been thinking about this marriage, Murong Yong, and her future life. In the dead of night, she tossed and turned, unable to sleep. She told herself time and again that a woman had to get married eventually. As long as the other party¡¯s character was okay, she would do her duty as a wife. It was fine as long as the other party could give her the respect that a legitimate wife deserved. She would definitely be able to lead a good life! Murong Hui, who was walking in front, also heard the voices behind her. She turned around and glanced at the two of them, twisting the handkerchief in her hand. On the lake, the cold wind blew. By the lake, the plum branches swayed and rustled. Ripples appeared on the surface of the lake with the wind. The faint fragrance of plum blossoms entered their mouths and noses, making them feel refreshed. Chapter 195 - 195 No 195 No After crossing the bridge, the four of them sat down in a warm pavilion in the forest. A heater was buried under the pavilion, and screens blocked the wind all around, making the pavilion as warm as spring. The maidservants of the Murong family immediately served tea and snacks to their master and guests. Murong Yong reminded Gu Yunzhen with a smile to take off her cloak. Otherwise, she would catch a cold if she went out of the warm pavilion later. Gu Yunzhen thanked him briefly and took off her cloak. Murong Hui pursed her lips into a straight line as she watched this harmonious scene. She was just short of saying ¡°unpleasant¡± on her face. Murong Hui took a sip of tea and said sourly, ¡°Eldest Lady Gu, my Second Brother is really considerate to you. He¡¯s not like this with me and my other sisters¡­¡± Ever since they were young, Big Brother had been cold to them and ignored them. However, he was so good to this woman today! ¡°Miss Murong.¡± Gu Yanfei looked at Murong Hui and suddenly said, ¡°I think your grandmother is quite sick. I¡¯m afraid she won¡¯t be able to survive the next winter¡¯s snow. I wonder how long she¡¯s been sick?¡± Murong Hui¡¯s expression darkened as she thought to herself, ¡®Who talks like that?! Such inauspicious words!¡± Murong Hui snorted angrily and mocked sarcastically, ¡°From Second Miss Gu¡¯s straightforward tone, it seems like you know medicine.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Gu Yanfei nodded seriously and smiled at Murong Yong, who was sitting beside Murong Hui. ¡°Second Young Master Murong should know.¡± She smiled calmly, her clear pupils like clear springs. She did not shy away from talking about how she saved Imperial Duke Wei at the Tianyin Pavilion the other day. She would not treat others as fools and think that Murong Yong would not recognize her even if he was so close. What did she mean? Murong Hui looked at Murong Yong in shock. Meeting Gu Yanfei¡¯s clear pupils, the teacup in Murong Yong¡¯s hand paused for a moment before he replied in a low voice, ¡°Grandma has been sick for almost three months.¡± ¡°When autumn entered winter, Grandma caught a cold and collapsed. Our family searched for famous doctors, but her condition only worsened¡­¡± Beside him, Murong Hui lowered her eyes and gripped the teacup tightly with her fingers. She pursed her lips and did not say anything. Outside the pavilion, the wind was biting. It blew against the screen and the plum trees with a crackling sound. Occasionally, a few remnants of flowers and leaves were blown into the pavilion by the wind through the gap in the screen. The atmosphere was a little heavy. ¡°That¡¯s not right,¡± Gu Yanfei interrupted Murong Yong. She held her chin with her right hand and smiled lazily. ¡°She¡¯s been sick for at least three years.¡± When Gu Yanfei approached Old Madam Murong just now, she could smell the rancid smell from her body. It was the smell of the dead. Even if the room was lit with incense, charcoal was burned, and medicine pots and bowls were filled with medicinal dregs, it could not hide the strong rancid smell. The pavilion instantly fell into a strange silence, as if even the wind outside had stopped. Murong Hui frowned and felt that Second Miss Gu was really aggressive. She interrupted coldly, ¡°Second Miss Gu, what do you mean? How can we not know how long Grandma has been sick?¡± ¡°Not only did we hire an imperial physician, but even Shangqing Spiritual Master came to see Grandma. If Second Lady Gu doesn¡¯t believe me, you can¡­¡± Seeing that Murong Hui¡¯s emotions were getting higher and higher, Murong Yong reprimanded her softly, ¡°Hui¡¯er.¡± His tone was sharp. Murong Hui shut her mouth in embarrassment. Murong Yong smiled apologetically and sighed. ¡°All these years, Grandma has been old and weak. Her health is indeed not good, and she drinks medicine every day like she¡¯s drinking tea. I¡¯ve been working outside for the past two years. When my family sends letters, they always report good news but not bad news¡­¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Grandma¡¯s condition to deteriorate so quickly¡­¡± Gu Yanfei folded her hands under her chin and asked with a smile, ¡°Did the talismans on the window come from Shangqing Spiritual Master?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Murong Hui raised her chin proudly, her eyes shining brightly. ¡°His Taoist skills are profound. Fortunately, he took action¡­¡± As Murong Hui spoke, she saw a willow-yellow slender figure walk out from behind a rockery outside the forest and walk leisurely towards the warm pavilion. Murong Hui¡¯s eyes lit up, and the corners of her lips curled up. She glanced sideways at Gu Yunzhen, who was sitting opposite her. The warm pavilion, where the four of them were, was specially designed. It had a good view and was most suitable for admiring the scenery. It could take in the surrounding scenery completely. Therefore, Gu Yanfei and Gu Yunzhen also noticed the person. It was a young woman of 16 or 17 years old. She was beautiful, with thick black hair tied into a slanted crescent bun. Her skin was fair, and there was a faint blush on her cheeks and lips. ¡°Yong Lang.¡± The girl quickly walked to a white plum tree fifty to sixty feet away. Her cherry lips moved slightly as she called Murong Yong in a slightly choked voice. Her voice was as pleasant as the cry of a lark. Her limpid eyes were filled with hazy tears. She wanted to say something but did not. She was so gentle that one could not help but pity her. Under the cold wind, a strand of hair by the girl¡¯s cheek hung down her neck and trembled slightly, like a delicate flower mercilessly ravaged by the cold wind. In the pavilion, Murong Yong frowned slightly. There was no fluctuation in his dark brown pupils. The atmosphere froze, and the pavilion fell silent. Three to five plum blossoms as white as snow were blown into the pavilion by the wind. ¡°Your voice is really good!¡± Gu Yanfei smiled brightly and broke the silence. ¡°Does your residence have an opera troupe?¡± Gu Yanfei¡¯s crisp voice was especially loud in the pavilion. When the girl beside the white plum tree heard this, she looked as if she had been slapped on the spot. Her face turned slightly pale, and tears threatened to fall. Murong Hui frowned tightly and scolded angrily, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s my cousin!¡± Chapter 196 - 196 Noble Concubine 196 Noble Concubine The housekeeper accompanying her hurriedly smiled apologetically and explained vaguely, ¡°This is the Eldest Madam¡¯s cousin. She has come to the residence to stay temporarily. She¡¯s been talking nonsense with a fever these few days¡­¡± ¡°Cousin?¡± Gu Yanfei raised her eyebrows. ¡°Could she be from the Zhao family in Bingzhou?¡± Madam Murong was from the Zhao family of Bingzhou. ¡°My cousin¡¯s surname is Liu,¡± Murong Hui retorted without thinking. ¡°You have the same surname.¡± Gu Yanfei smiled. The other party¡¯s surname was Liu, and she was related to the Murong family by blood. These conditions were enough for her to read her fortune. Gu Yanfei hid her fingers in her sleeve and casually calculated with her right hand. She pursed her lips thoughtfully. The slender eyebrows are reminiscent of the imperial music office. It¡¯s already time for the pipa to break. Eh? This cousin surnamed Liu was from the imperial music office?! Most of the musicians, dancers, and singers in the imperial music office were the wives and daughters of officials who had committed crimes. If they were implicated, not only would they be included in the lowly status, but they would also sit together for generations. It was equivalent to falling into the dust. The imperial music office was under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Rites. The names of every prostitute were recorded in the Ministry of Rites. If one wanted to be removed from the imperial music office, they had to obtain the approval of the Ministry of Rites and not allow anyone to redeem themselves. A gust of southeastern wind blew, causing a few white plum trees to sway gently in the cold wind. Bits of snow-white petals fell like fairies scattering flowers as Miss Liu rushed out of the plum trees with her hands holding her skirt. Miss Liu rushed out of the pavilion in one breath. Her gaze swept between Gu Yunzhen and Gu Yanfei before landing on Gu Yunzhen¡¯s face. She solemnly bowed and said gently, ¡°Eldest Miss Gu, please keep me by your side to serve you. I definitely won¡¯t be disloyal to you!¡± She spoke confidently, her expression firm and sincere, and a little pitiful. Those watery eyes were clear and graceful, as if they could speak. A thousand words were gathered in them, as if the fate of her life was entrusted to Gu Yunzhen. Gu Yanfei¡¯s gaze froze on the gentle and beautiful Miss Liu. She stroked her chin with her index finger. Something felt strange. Why did this lady look familiar, as if she had seen her somewhere before? As Gu Yanfei pondered, she turned to look at Gu Yunzhen beside her. Gu Yunzhen looked at Miss Liu thoughtfully, her eyes darkening. Her slender fingers gripped a handkerchief tightly. The housekeeper looked embarrassed and quickly walked towards Miss Liu. She lowered her voice and advised, ¡°Miss, don¡¯t make things difficult for me.¡± Murong Yong¡¯s face had already turned cold. Coldness gradually surfaced in his sharp eyes as he looked at Miss Liu. ¡°Take her away,¡± Murong Yong ordered indifferently. ¡°Stop fooling around.¡± When he said the last two words, his voice was as cold as ice, and his thin lips pressed into a tight line. Murong Yong¡¯s words were like a bolt of lightning that flashed across Gu Yanfei¡¯s heart. It was her! Gu Yanfei still stared at Miss Liu without blinking. Her eyes widened slightly as she finally remembered. She had indeed seen Miss Liu before. In her previous life. She remembered that it was a month after Gu Yunzhen got married. She had visited the Murong family in September of the following year. At that time, she was outside the house and heard a little commotion inside. Then, she heard Murong Yong say indifferently, ¡°Take her away. Stop fooling around!¡± Then, Gu Yanfei saw a beautiful woman being brought out by two old women. The woman was dressed plainly. In her memory, the young woman¡¯s dressing and aura were different from the other maidservants and daughters-in-law. That¡¯s right, that young woman was the cousin of the Liu family in front of her! At that time, Gu Yanfei did not know who the other party was. In that life, she was too solitary and weak. Although she had some guesses, she did not dare to ask Gu Yunzhen. ¡°Cousin?¡± Gu Yanfei said with a faint smile. ¡°¡­ Or a noble concubine?¡± In her previous life, what Gu Yanfei could not understand was obvious at this moment. Hearing this, Gu Yunzhen¡¯s expression changed slightly. She knew very well that it was rare for a family like the Murong family to have a concubine. However, the nature of a noble concubine was different. A noble concubine was disrespectful to a legitimate wife, not to mention that the Murong family had already decided on a candidate for a noble concubine before marriage¡­ At the thought of this, the last faint fire in Gu Yunzhen¡¯s eyes dimmed and finally disappeared. Her gaze became as calm as water, and her heart was like a calm lake. Gu Yunzhen held the forbidden step by her waist with one hand and stood up elegantly. She walked towards Miss Liu, who was pushing the housekeeper outside the pavilion. Chapter 197 - 197 Noble Concubine 197 Noble Concubine ¡°Let her go.¡± This sentence was directed at the housekeeper. ¡°Her¡± referred to Miss Liu. The housekeeper looked hesitant and subconsciously looked at Murong Yong from the corner of her eye. Gu Yunzhen did not care about the nanny¡¯s expression at all. She looked straight at Miss Liu, who was an inch shorter than her, and asked calmly, ¡°Who did you say you are?¡± Miss Liu knelt on the cold and hard ground below with a plop. A line of crystal clear tears fell from the corners of her eyes, and her eyelashes fluttered like butterfly wings. Her pupils, washed by tears, were misty. She sobbed and said, ¡°I¡¯m willing to be a slave and serve you for the rest of my life. I won¡¯t be disloyal!¡± ¡°Be a slave?¡± Gu Yunzhen¡¯s voice was as calm as a calm lake. ¡°No need.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a guest. There¡¯s no reason for me to bring someone else¡¯s cousin back to be a servant.¡± ¡°If you have the heart to sell yourself, you can go to the broker.¡± Her tone was as gentle as ever, with a graceful and refined bearing, but also a hint of high and mighty alienation. ¡°That¡¯s not my intention.¡± Miss Liu seemed to have been slapped in the face again, and her face turned even paler. Two more lines of tears slid from her eyes, and they turned even redder. She was as beautiful and delicate as white plums dancing in the air, and she could only let the cold wind blow against her. Murong Yong did not say a word. His face was expressionless as he quietly looked at Gu Yunzhen and Miss Liu. Gu Yanfei did not give the Murong family any face at all and directly chuckled. Murong Hui walked over and helped Miss Liu up. When she looked at her, her eyes were filled with pity. When her gaze met Gu Yunzhen¡¯s, she was furious. She raised her voice in dissatisfaction and reprimanded, ¡°Eldest Lady Gu, what nonsense are you talking about? When did my cousin say that she wanted to sell herself?¡± ¡°My cousin begged you hard. It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t agree, but why do you have to humiliate my cousin so aggressively?!¡± Miss Liu grabbed Murong Hui¡¯s sleeve. Her cherry lips were bitten white, and her slender body was trembling. Gu Yunzhen picked up a white plum that had fallen on the stone table and spun it casually. She suggested indifferently, ¡°Since Miss Murong is so kind, just agree to your cousin¡¯s request.¡± Her smile was still gentle, and her eyes became more distant, as if the two of them could not be seen at all. As a servant, she would serve her for life without any ulterior motives. ¡°Second Brother¡­¡± Murong Hui¡¯s face turned red as she looked at Murong Yong for help. She¡­ She¡­ Gu Yunzhen actually wanted her cousin to be her servant! Ridiculous, this was ridiculous!! Murong Hui¡¯s mouth opened and closed. No matter how shrewish she was, she was still unmarried. There were some things that she really could not say. Miss Liu also looked at Murong Yong with a delicate gaze, her eyes filled with hope and tenderness. ¡°Enough,¡± Murong Yong finally said. It was unknown who he was talking to. He waved at the housekeeper to take her away. The housekeeper immediately understood and summoned two burly old women. The two old women whispered, ¡°Excuse me,¡± and nimbly restrained Miss Liu. ¡°Yong Lang¡­¡± Miss Liu called out to Murong Yong with teary eyes, filled with pain. Her expressive eyes seemed to be saying, ¡°Yong Lang, why are you so heartless?¡± However, she did not have a chance to finish her sentence. The old woman quickly covered her mouth and pulled her away almost rudely. The entire process happened in the blink of an eye. The outside of the pavilion became empty. Only Murong Hui stomped her feet unwillingly and unhappily. There was silence in the pavilion for a moment, until the man¡¯s laughter cut through the air. ¡°Eldest Lady Gu.¡± Murong Yong smiled. His gaze landed on Gu Yunzhen¡¯s face and he said seriously, ¡°She¡¯s just a cousin, not a noble concubine.¡± His tone was solemn, as if he was promising something. ¡°Young Master, you don¡¯t have to tell me that.¡± Gu Yunzhen revealed a gentle smile that did not reach her eyes. She said calmly, ¡°I can¡¯t make the decision regarding marriage.¡± ¡°However, as long as I¡¯m not married, I¡¯m still a delicate guest in your residence.¡± ¡°To let your cousin talk nonsense in front of guests, your family¡¯s style is obvious.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to part company with you.¡± Gu Yunzhen did not give Murong Yong a chance to speak at all. She turned around and called Gu Yanfei over. ¡°Yanfei, let¡¯s go.¡± She waved her hand and flicked her sleeve, leaving the white plum behind. She left without looking back. Gu Yanfei followed silently with a smile. The white plum that Gu Yunzhen casually threw down fluttered down like a feather and happened to be blown to the spot where Miss Liu had knelt. Murong Yong did not force the two of them to stay. He only gestured again, and two maidservants left with Gu Yunzhen and Gu Yanfei. He watched the sisters¡¯ retreating backs and said nothing for a long time. His eyes were dark and unreadable, as if he was weighing and thinking about something. The biting wind blew past, strong and powerful, sending ripples across the cold lake again and disturbing it. ¡°Second Brother, look at her¡­¡± Murong Hui suddenly stood up from her chair. She was so angry that her breath stuck in her chest. She could not help but stomp her feet a few times. Murong Yong only gave Murong Hui a sideways glance, and Murong Hui fell silent like a mute. Murong Yong¡¯s eyes turned as cold as a cold swamp and he asked coldly, ¡°Who released her?¡± The housekeeper replied slowly, ¡°I don¡¯t know either¡­ Second Young Master, I¡¯ll order someone to investigate now¡­¡± She also knew that the Gu family¡¯s delicate guest was here today, so she had not dared to let her cousin out. She did not know what had gone wrong. ¡°Give punishment where it¡¯s due,¡± Murong Yong spat out four more words lightly. The housekeeper obeyed and acutely understood what her master meant. If they couldn¡¯t find out the truth, they would be the ones to be punished! The housekeeper left. A maidservant who had just left behind Gu Yanfei and the others hurried over. ¡°Second Young Master,¡± the maidservant reported breathlessly, not daring to meet Murong Yong¡¯s sharp eyes. ¡°Eldest Miss Gu and Second Miss Gu went to the gate¡­¡± Her shaky voice faded into the cold wind. Before Murong Yong could speak, Murong Hui¡¯s sharp voice had already blurted out. She was about to overturn the roof of the pavilion. ¡°What?! These two ladies are really unruly.¡± Murong Hui¡¯s expression turned even uglier. Gu Yunzhen¡¯s actions were equivalent to slapping the Murong family mercilessly! Chapter 198 - 198 Decision 198 Decision Gu Yanfei and Gu Yunzhen had already boarded their carriage. The carriage was still parked outside the gate, waiting for Madam Gu to leave with them. In the carriage, the light was dim and the air was cold. ¡°Yanfei, warm your hands.¡± Gu Yunzhen handed Gu Yanfei a small and exquisite pumpkin-shaped hand stove. The warm hand warmer was placed in Gu Yanfei¡¯s hand and pressed against her heart through her skin. In the Gu family, only Big Sister would be so meticulous toward her. As for Big Brother¡­ Big Brother wasn¡¯t afraid of the cold and didn¡¯t expect a girl to need a hand stove. Gu Yanfei couldn¡¯t help but smile. She casually placed the stove on her knees and personally poured tea for Gu Yunzhen, then handed the cup of tea to her. ¡°Big Sister, the Murong family is not a good place,¡± she said without hiding her intentions. ¡°This marriage is not a good idea.¡± As this crisp voice sounded, a faint fragrance of tea lingered in Gu Yunzhen¡¯s nose. It was clear and mellow, nourishing Gu Yunzhen¡¯s heart like spring rain. Gu Yunzhen was already used to Gu Yanfei¡¯s straightforward style. She was not surprised, and even felt that it was as she had expected. Even the haze buried in the depths of her heart was dispelled a little. She gently held Gu Yanfei¡¯s hand, her palm against hers, and her eyes were gentle. Of course, she knew that Gu Yanfei had specially come to the Murong family today purely for her. She wanted to help her see Murong Yong¡¯s character in the name of visiting Old Madam Murong. She also knew that Gu Yanfei was right. However¡­ The scene in the warm pavilion flashed through her mind. Gu Yunzhen could not help but purse her lips, and her chest heaved slightly, as if this was the only way she could suppress the surging emotions in her heart. However, she had to consider her mother and her second sister. If her grandmother knew that her second sister had instigated her to break off the engagement, she would definitely be even angrier. All these years, the third branch had been in an awkward situation in the Marquis Household. The eldest branch was also in the same position. The eldest branch¡¯s eldest uncle and aunt were no longer around. This meant that Eldest Brother¡¯s future and Second Sister¡¯s marriage were in the hands of their grandmother and second uncle. Eldest Brother did not rely on the grace of his father and had trained in the army for many years. It was not easy for him to be promoted to battalion commander in the Divine Arms Battalion. He was the only one who knew how hard he had worked. In the future, if Eldest Brother wanted to gain a foothold, he would also need his family¡¯s help. At the thought of this, a hint of helplessness and struggle slowly appeared in her dark eyes¡­ Soon, she suppressed the negative emotions in her heart and smiled gently. She gently stroked the top of Gu Yanfei¡¯s head. ¡°Yanfei, I¡¯ll consider it carefully.¡± She looked deeply into Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes and did not avoid them at all. She let her clear gaze strike her heart and said sincerely, ¡°All I asked for is to respect each other.¡± ¡°But in this world, how many women have lived like this? I¡¯m no different from them.¡± Her voice was very rational and calm. From the day her father died, she was no longer a delicate flower in the greenhouse. She wanted to protect herself and her mother. ¡°It¡¯s different.¡± Gu Yanfei shook her head. She casually lifted a corner of the curtain. A knife-like cold wind blew in through the gap, messing up the hair on Gu Yanfei¡¯s cheek. Gu Yanfei¡¯s gaze was even sharper than the cold wind outside. She accurately looked to the northwest, at the courtyard where Old Madam Murong was. This residence was different. Old Madam Murong¡¯s body was surrounded by a thick aura of death and a rotten smell. Gu Yanfei was almost certain that she was dead. And¡­ Gu Yanfei looked around again. The high walls around the mansion, the stone beasts squatting on the eaves, the dead pine trees, the dry small pond, and the talismans stuck to the windows¡­ The entire mansion was filled with a suffocating aura. Among Taoist doctors, there was indeed a saying of ¡°rushing good fortune¡±. In her previous life, the Murong family did not mourn. In other words, Old Madam Murong had survived. The reason why Old Madam Murong was sick had nothing to do with external causes. In her previous life, she should have been sick at this moment. Then why did she survive in her previous life? The reason was obvious. In her previous life, someone else must have rushed good fortune for Madam Murong. Gu Yanfei raised her hand and tucked a few strands of messy hair behind her ear. She leaned lazily against the wall of the carriage, not hiding her displeasure. She snorted and said, ¡°This mansion is really uncomfortable.¡± She was about to put down the curtains when she saw Madam Gu walking over slowly. Their eyes met in midair for a moment. Chapter 199 - 199 Decision 199 Decision A hint of hesitation flashed across Madam Gu¡¯s face. She stroked the fur on her sleeves and continued walking towards the carriage without stopping. After she finished talking to Madam Murong in the green gauze cabinet, she heard from the Murong family¡¯s housekeeper that Gu Yunzhen and Gu Yanfei had gone to the gate together. Therefore, Madam Gu did not stay any longer and directly bade farewell. Madam Murong did not force her to stay. She only instructed the housekeeper to send Madam Gu off. The housekeeper wanted to redeem herself and was extremely polite. She sent Madam Gu straight to the black carriages in front and did not leave. The Gu family¡¯s two carriages drove out of the alley where the Murong family was and embarked on their return journey. At noon, Gu Yanfei and Gu Yunzhen alighted from the carriage at the Gu family¡¯s gate. Madam Wang heard the news and rushed over at this moment. She said with a smile, ¡°Mother, thank you for making the trip.¡± She walked over briskly and affectionately supported Madam Gu¡¯s arm. ¡°How¡¯s Old Madam Murong¡¯s condition?¡± Gu Jian¡¯s reminder sounded in Madam Wang¡¯s ear. This marriage was beneficial to the Marquis Household, so nothing must go wrong. Madam Wang was asking Madam Gu, but Madam Gu looked at Gu Yanfei and gently called out, ¡°Yanfei, what do you think?¡± Madam Gu¡¯s gaze was like a torch on Gu Yanfei¡¯s face. ¡°The dead can¡¯t be revived. Everything is predestined,¡± Gu Yanfei said casually as she rubbed the pumpkin-shaped hand stove between her fingers. It was just a few words, but it seemed unfathomable. There was silence for a moment. Madam Gu¡¯s graceful face darkened visibly, and the corners of her eyes twitched. This girl was deliberately being mysterious again! Madam Gu had something on her mind and could not be bothered to say anything to Gu Yanfei. She casually said, ¡°Go back.¡± She turned to Gu Yunzhen and said, ¡°Zhen¡¯er, follow me to the Benevolent Harmony Hall.¡± Gu Yanfei turned around and saw a yellow, white, and black figure flash past. The calico cat, which had run out of nowhere, jumped down from the top of the carriage and stopped steadily on her shoulder. It meowed and began to question where she had carried the cat to play again. Madam Gu also heard the meowing of the cat. Her heart thumped uncomfortably, and her brows furrowed. Even when she sat down in the Benevolent Harmony Hall, she was still frowning. The irrelevant people in the east room had all been dismissed. The rest of them sat side by side on the kang bed. Madam Wang sat at the bottom, leaving Granny Li alone in the room to serve them. Madam Gu took two sips of tea. After she recovered, she pulled herself together and started talking. ¡°Zhen¡¯er, I¡¯ve heard about the garden.¡± She patted Gu Yunzhen¡¯s hand comfortingly and said in a gentle and loving tone, ¡°Madam Murong has already told me that she¡¯s a cousin. After the new year, she¡¯ll give her a secondary dowry and marry her off.¡± Gu Yunzhen lowered her eyes and looked at Madam Gu¡¯s well-maintained hands. Although she was old, her hands were still fair and delicate. There was a string of rosewood prayer beads wrapped around her hand. When she patted the back of Gu Yunzhen¡¯s hand, the beads were actually a little jarring, leaving a small red mark on the girl¡¯s tender skin. Madam Gu patted Gu Yunzhen with her hand that was wrapped around the prayer beads and advised her earnestly, ¡°You, don¡¯t always go crazy with Gu Yanfei. She has no parents, and her future is unpredictable. She doesn¡¯t have any worries, but you¡¯re different. You have a bright future. Just focus on living a good life, why do you have to be stubborn and hurt yourself?!¡± ¡°Madam Murong thinks very highly of you. She also said a lot of good things about you to me today¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Madam Gu talked non-stop. Every time she thought of the chaos in the residence after Gu Yanfei returned, she felt extremely vexed. Gu Yunzhen leaned against Madam Gu¡¯s arm and sat upright on the bed. Her figure was as elegant as an orchid, and she looked dignified and virtuous. Although Madam Wang did not know what had happened in the Murong Manor, she could roughly guess from Madam¡¯s words. To put it bluntly, it was not uncommon in the various manors for cousins to be couples. Madam Wang also advised Gu Yunzhen, ¡°Zhen¡¯er, such a good marriage is hard to come by. Your grandmother won¡¯t harm you.¡± Gu Yunzhen did not react at all. She sat motionless, her eyes half lowered, her lips pursed, and she did not say a word. Looking at Gu Yunzhen¡¯s sullen appearance, Madam Gu felt a little angry. The corners of her eyes twitched slightly as she thought to herself, ¡®This girl¡¯s personality is just not as likable as Rong¡¯er¡¯s.¡¯ She stroked the red sandalwood prayer beads in her hand and said in the high and mighty tone of an elder, ¡°I¡¯ve already agreed to Madam Murong¡¯s request just now. The marriage is set to be before the new year.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Gu Yunzhen finally reacted. She looked up at Madam Gu. It was already the 27th of December, and there were less than four days until the new year. Even Madam Wang was shocked. This was too rushed. She was afraid that she would not even have time to prepare the dowry. However, Gu Yunzhen would marry sooner or later, just a few days in advance. ¡°Zhen¡¯er, I¡¯m doing this for your own good.¡± There was a hint of impatience in Madam Gu¡¯s eyes, but her face was still kind. The silver inlay on her earlobes shone. ¡°This time, you married into the Murong family to save Ah Yong¡¯s grandmother. The Murong family will be indebted to you. Regardless of whether the Old Madam can recover this time, the Murong family will definitely not mistreat you in the future. They will remember your kindness!¡± She seemed to be persuading her, but in fact, her words were already domineering and unquestionable. Madam Wang nodded repeatedly and chimed in, ¡°The slight grievances you¡¯ve suffered will also be your blessing in the future.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no other young and promising bachelor like the Second Young Master of the Murong family in the capital!¡± Madam Wang bragged about Murong Yong, but Gu Yunzhen was very calm. Even when she heard about the wedding date, she only moved her eyelids without any ripples in her eyes. She had thought it through and made her decision. Chapter 200 - 200 Not Marrying 200 Not Marrying The house was as warm as spring and filled with incense, but Gu Yunzhen felt that her limbs were cold. Her fingertips were slightly numb from the cold, and the dull, oppressive, and unpleasant smell she had smelled in Old Madam Murong¡¯s house today lingered in her nose. It lingered in the spacious, brightly lit house. ¡°Grandma,¡± Gu Yunzhen met Madam Gu¡¯s dignified eyes and said calmly, ¡°I¡¯ll listen to your arrangements.¡± It was just a marriage. Every woman had to experience it to lead a good life. It was just that they would not be in love with each other. It was just a part of life. Since Mother and Grandma could do it, of course she could too. Although she had made up her mind, she could not help but feel a little disappointed. The strange smell on her nose intensified, and she sighed. However, she was going to make her sister worry about her again. Hearing Gu Yunzhen¡¯s agreement, Madam Gu¡¯s face instantly turned from gloomy to bright. A kind smile appeared on her graceful face again. The atmosphere in the room instantly brightened. Madam Gu instructed Granny Li in satisfaction, ¡°Quick, get someone to invite the Third Madam over.¡± Granny Li hurriedly nodded and quickly went out to pass on the message. Madam Gu called in the maidservant, Bai Lu. In front of Gu Yunzhen, she asked Bai Lu to open the storeroom and get a box of jewelry from her private vault. She also instructed another nanny to bring over the list of dowries from when the eldest aunt got married. If the marriage was set before the new year, it meant that the dowry would be delivered tomorrow. The Benevolent Harmony Hall became busy at once. The grannies and old women came and went in a hurry. After Gu Yunzhen finished speaking, she began to fall silent again, as if her soul had been pulled out of her body. Madam Gu was in a good mood and kept talking. ¡°Zhen¡¯er, the family won¡¯t let you suffer. Second Aunt will also help your mother manage your dowry. We¡¯ll handle it well.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll add more dowry for you. In addition to this box of jewelry, I¡¯ll give you 10,000 taels of silver and a farm.¡± ¡°I still have a lot of good materials here. It¡¯s a good opportunity for you to get the needlework room to work day and night.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Gu Yunzhen pursed her lips and was silent for a long time. Madam Gu¡¯s voice was clearly beside her ear, but it seemed so far away, as if it came from a thousand miles away. However, in Madam Gu¡¯s eyes, Gu Yunzhen¡¯s silence became obedient. Madam Gu smiled brightly. She was in high spirits as she discussed some details of the wedding with Madam Wang. Without batting an eyelid, Madam Wang signaled her housekeeper to find someone to inform the Marquis of the good news. Madam Wang smiled and said, ¡°Mother, the eldest son-in-law is not even 20 years old, but he¡¯s already a fifth-grade battalion commander of the Divine Arms Battalion. His future is just right. If he doesn¡¯t have to mourn, he¡¯ll be able to rise in a few years and wear a fourth-grade scarlet robe uniform.¡± In the imperial court, those below the fifth-grade wore green robes, and those above the fourth-grade wore scarlet robes. The scarlet robe meant he was in full swing. It was a symbol of status and a bright future. Madam Gu agreed and nodded happily. The words ¡°Fifth-Grade Battalion Commander of the Divine Arms Battalion¡± pierced Gu Yunzhen¡¯s ears like needles. For the first time, her originally stagnant expression fluctuated slightly, and her long green eyelashes fluttered twice. She slowly turned to Madam Gu, her eyes like a cold black pool. She asked word by word, ¡°A fifth-grade battalion commander of the Divine Arms Battalion?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Madam Gu said with a smile. ¡°There¡¯s a hurdle between the fifth and fourth ranks. After passing this hurdle, Eldest Young Master will have a bright future¡­¡± Madam Gu wanted to talk to Gu Yunzhen nicely, but she was interrupted by her. ¡°Grandma, isn¡¯t the Divine Arms Battalion¡¯s battalion commander position meant to be for Big Brother?¡± The entire residence knew that Gu Yuan had been transferred to the Divine Arms Battalion and promoted to battalion commander after receiving the order from the Ministry of War. Of course, Gu Yunzhen also knew. But this was Big Brother¡¯s job. Why did it become Murong Yong¡¯s?! What about Big Brother? In order to follow in his uncle¡¯s footsteps, Big Brother had worked hard for many years. He had gradually gained a foothold in the army at the cost of blood and sweat. It was not easy for him to reach this point¡­ The relaxed and cheerful atmosphere just now instantly froze and became a little awkward. Madam Gu and Madam Wang looked at each other. Their expressions froze as they realized the problem. Chapter 201 - 201 Not Marrying 201 Not Marrying During this period of time, Gu Yunzhen had followed Madam Yan to her maternal ancestor¡¯s house. She had only returned yesterday and probably did not know that Murong Yong had finally obtained the job of battalion commander in the Divine Arms Battalion. Gu Yunzhen¡¯s dark eyes were bottomless. She stared at Madam Gu¡¯s old and graceful face without blinking, as if she wanted to penetrate that hypocritical shell and capture the subtle change in her face for a moment. As if a bucket of cold water had been poured over her head, Gu Yunzhen felt a bone-chilling coldness from head to toe that seeped into her bones. Gu Yunzhen¡¯s usually gentle eyes flashed with an almost sharp light at this moment. Cold and clear, she said slowly, ¡°He¡­ stole Big Brother¡¯s job?¡± She was asking, but her expression was firm, as if she already had a clear answer in her heart. She thought that since their surnames were all Gu, the family had to support each other. Thus, her grandmother and Second Uncle would definitely help her eldest brother, Gu Yuan. It turned out that she was too naive. Her hope was no more than a self-righteous hope. It was like a seemingly gorgeous soap bubble in the sun that broke when the wind blew. In the east room, the scene froze and the atmosphere turned even colder. Madam Gu frowned unhappily and said lightly, ¡°How can this be called ¡®stealing¡¯?¡± The eldest girl had indeed learned bad things from Gu Yanfei. She could even say such things! Madam Gu said righteously, ¡°Yuan¡¯er was transferred to be an imperial guard. He was the one who took the initiative to give up the position of battalion commander of the Divine Arms Battalion.¡± How could this be called stealing! In the end, without Gu Yuan, no matter how much money the Marquis Mansion spent, it was impossible to create a job for Murong Yong in the Divine Arms Battalion. The more Madam Gu thought about it, the more righteous she became. She said, ¡°Zhen¡¯er, the Murong Family won¡¯t treat you badly. Your brother gave up the job, and you helped his Old Madam rush good fortune. The Murong Family will owe you from now on and will think highly of you in the future. In this life, your status is stable. No one can surpass you.¡± ¡°Grandma and your Second Uncle did all this for you.¡± Madam Wang nodded repeatedly at the side. The person who benefited the most from this matter was Gu Yunzhen. ¡°It¡¯s for Gu Yunrong!¡± Gu Yunzhen hit the nail on the head and broke Madam Gu¡¯s thoughts. A suffocating feeling filled her heart. ¡°Big Brother wants to fight on the battlefield, just like Big Uncle, and not live a stable life in the capital.¡± ¡°But for Gu Yunrong, you helped Murong Yong snatch Big Brother¡¯s job and did not hesitate to ruin his future!¡± Gu Yunzhen could not hide the disappointment and sorrow in her voice. Her cherry lips were pale, and her eyes were as deep as the night. There seemed to be a string in her heart that tightened bit by bit. She could accept her grandmother arranging her marriage for the sake of the family¡¯s interests and give up on pursuing the mutual love that Emperor Taizu had promoted. She could rush good fortune and joy for her future husband¡¯s family. She could be like all women and mothers. She could be filial to her in-laws, serve her husband, take care of housework, discipline his concubines, and raise her children. However, she had a bottom line. Clunk! Gu Yunzhen vaguely heard the sound of the string snapping, and her heart skipped a beat. She stood up without warning. This sudden action attracted the frowns of Madam Gu and Madam Wang. Facing the shocked or dissatisfied gazes in the room, Gu Yunzhen¡¯s voice was no longer as gentle as usual. She said firmly, ¡°I¡¯m not getting married!¡± These words were neither light nor heavy, but they were like thunder. Everyone was dumbfounded and could not believe their ears. The room was silent. ¡­ ¡°My Lady, I just heard that the Eldest Lady isn¡¯t getting married.¡± At dusk, the news of Gu Yunzhen¡¯s rejection reached Gu Yanfei¡¯s ears. Gu Yanfei gently plucked the needle on the compass. The needle spun¡­ The needle moved quickly, then slowly, and gradually stopped. The westering sun shone through the window and onto the small compass. The needle and the surface of the compass glowed like a pearl. Juan Bi knew that the girl was reading fortunes. She stared at the compass with bated breath¡­ When the needle stopped, she took a deep breath and asked curiously, ¡°My Lady, have you read it?¡± ¡°The hexagram has changed.¡± Gu Yanfei looked at the hexagram displayed on the compass and raised the corners of her eyes happily. And then? Juan Bi stared at Gu Yanfei with burning eyes, waiting for her to continue. Gu Yanfei rested her chin on one hand and looked down at the compass. The knuckles of her right hand tapped gently on the table in deep thought. Before today, she had read several fortunes for Gu Yunzhen¡¯s marriage. The results of the hexagram had always shown that fate was irreversible. Therefore, Gu Yanfei did not dare to interfere roughly. She was someone abandoned by the heavens. If she forcefully interfered in the karma of ¡°fate¡±, she would harm Gu Yunzhen. But now, the hexagram showed a turning point¡ª ¡°Breaking out of the cocoon to become a butterfly,¡± Gu Yanfei muttered to herself. Juan Bi did not know what Gu Yanfei meant, but she could roughly guess from the words ¡°breaking out of the cocoon to become a butterfly¡± that the result of the divination should not be bad. ¡°My Lady.¡± Juan Bi was first happy, then worried. ¡°Will Madam make things difficult for you? And will the Murong family¡­¡± Everyone in the residence knew Madam¡¯s personality. She had always been high and mighty and did not tolerate anyone in the residence questioning her decision. Probably only the Marquis and Gu Yunrong had a say in front of Madam. The Murong family was Gu Yunzhen¡¯s future husband¡¯s family. If Gu Yunzhen refused to rush good fortune and joy, it would be equivalent to offending the Murong family. Then would the Murong family let it go?! Compared to Juan Bi¡¯s worry, Gu Yanfei looked casual. To break out of the cocoon and become a butterfly, this ¡°cocoon¡± was binding the butterfly. If an external force broke it out of the cocoon, the result would only be destruction. Gu Yunzhen had to tear apart the thing binding her to break out of the cocoon and have the beauty of a butterfly. From this hexagram¡ª A crack appeared in the ¡°cocoon¡± on Gu Yunzhen¡¯s body. Her fate was no longer ¡°irreversible.¡± Chapter 202 - 202 Substitute 202 Substitute Gu Yanfei looked up at the colorful sky outside the window and asked, ¡°Do you know why Big Sister suddenly changed her mind?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡± Juan Bi shook her head in confusion. ¡°I only heard that Third Madam also went to the Benevolent Harmony Hall and advised Eldest Lady not to be rash. ¡®Rushing good fortune¡¯ is good for both families. However, the Eldest Lady was determined and didn¡¯t say a word.¡± ¡°Madam is furious. She even reprimanded the Third Madam for not teaching her daughter well.¡± Juan Bi sighed. Gu Yanfei casually played with the compass and did not comment. ¡°Second Lady.¡± At this moment, the little maidservant¡¯s report came from outside the curtain. ¡°Granny Li is here. She said she¡¯s here to ¡®bring a message¡¯ from Madam Gu.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t see her,¡± Gu Yanfei said calmly. She leaned lazily on the back of the chair, too lazy to move. Juan Bi immediately understood and obediently went out to pass on her lady¡¯s words. In less than half a cup of tea¡¯s time, Juan Bi returned. She looked a little angry and troubled as she reported hesitantly, ¡°My Lady, Granny Li is here to reprimand you on behalf of Madam Gu.¡± Under Gu Yanfei¡¯s gaze, Juan Bi continued, ¡°Madam Gu said that it was improper for My Lady to go out for the entire night a few days ago and not return.¡± ¡°She said that My Lady encouraged the Eldest Lady to disobey her elders and deliberately wanted to stir up trouble at home.¡± ¡°She even said¡­ she said that this small temple in the Marquis Mansion can¡¯t afford a big Buddha like you. She asked you to stay in the Benevolent Silence Nunnery after the new year and learn the rules from the nuns.¡± Juan Bi looked at Gu Yanfei carefully, unable to hide her righteous anger. Madam was clearly venting her anger! There was also something else that Juan Bi had not dared to report. Three days ago, when Gu Yanfei was brought back from the manor in a coma, Madam was very unhappy. She had once asked Granny Li to come to Yuheng Garden. Not only had she reprimanded Gu Yanfei for staying out all night, but she had also criticized the Eldest Young Master. At that time, Juan Bi was very unconvinced. She had clearly asked someone from the manor to return to the capital to pass a message. It was obvious that the residence had not sent a carriage to pick her up! ¡°That¡¯s all?¡± Gu Yanfei raised her eyebrows calmly as a hint of mockery flashed across her eyes. In her previous life, she did not understand and only felt inferior and self-pitying. She always felt that something was wrong with her, causing her biological grandmother to like Gu Yunrong more. This became a knot in her heart that finally turned into a mental demon that she could not let go of for a long time. Even though she had long been used to Madam Gu being biased against her, even after her rebirth, the mental demons engraved in the depths of her soul were still difficult to dispel. But now, when she realized that there were other possibilities, she felt relieved. It was as if she had suddenly seen a glimmer of light after an endless night. If her father, Gu Ce, was really not born to Madam Gu, then she would not be her biological granddaughter. To Madam Gu, she and Gu Yunrong were not related to her by blood, so it seemed natural that she would prefer Gu Yunrong, who had been raised by her since she was young. Gu Yanfei subconsciously covered her chest, and the mental demon that had been entangled in her heart loosened a little. ¡°There¡¯s more¡­¡± Juan Bi swallowed. Her gaze shifted, and she finished her sentence in one breath. ¡°Granny Li also said that Madam Gu wants you to kneel in the ancestral hall until tomorrow. Granny Li is still waiting outside¡­¡± Juan Bi¡¯s voice grew softer and softer. ¡°I won¡¯t go,¡± Gu Yanfei said without thinking, then casually brushed it off. ¡°Tell Granny Li that I¡¯m going to perform a ritual overnight to pray for the Marquis Household. I won¡¯t go¡­¡± Wait! As Gu Yanfei spoke, she closed her mouth and suddenly thought of the ancestral hall. If Madam Gu was not her father¡¯s biological mother, then her grandmother should be someone else¡­ It was impossible that there were no traces left in the Gu family¡¯s ancestral hall. Juan Bi had already turned around and was about to go out to answer Granny Li when she heard Gu Yanfei change her words. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go.¡± What?! Juan Bi was dumbfounded, and her jaw almost dropped. Before she could react, Gu Yanfei had already strolled past her and left the small study. Not only was Juan Bi stunned, but even Granny Li, who was waiting under the eaves, was also stunned. She looked at Gu Yanfei in a daze. She thought that the Second Lady would casually dismiss her as usual. She did not expect the Second Lady to really kneel in the ancestral hall?! Granny Li almost pinched herself to see that this was not a dream, but she barely maintained the smile on her face. She smiled and extended her hand in invitation. ¡°Second Lady, please.¡± Chapter 203 - 203 Substitute 203 Substitute Gu Yanfei did not stop and walked straight ahead. Along the way, Granny Li felt that it was a little unreal. She silently arrived at the Gu family¡¯s ancestral hall on the west side of the Marquis Mansion. Compared to other seasons, the ancestral hall in winter was solemn and cold. From afar, he could see rows of icicles, long and short, hanging from the eaves. The icicles glittered in the evening sunlight, like ice swords hanging upside down from the eaves, loyally guarding the Gu family¡¯s ancestors. The old woman guarding the ancestral hall immediately opened the door for Gu Yanfei. The inside of the door was dark. Only the sunlight that shone in the moment the door opened gave a hint of light. The old woman thought that Gu Yanfei was here to be punished and said in a threatening tone, ¡°Second Lady, go and kneel inside and reflect on yourself in front of the ancestors. Madam is kind-hearted. As long as you sincerely repent, she will definitely forgive you.¡± ¡°The Eldest Lady is already kneeling inside.¡± Big Sister was also there?! Gu Yanfei was slightly stunned and walked into the ancestral hall. The door to the ancestral hall was closed from behind again. The room was dark and silent. The darkness did not affect Gu Yanfei¡¯s passage at all. Gu Yanfei walked unhurriedly through the front hall and arrived at the sacrificial hall at the back. There was only one candle lit in the empty and silent sacrificial hall. The small flame could only illuminate a radius of six to seven feet, and the light was very dim. The layers of dark red memorial tablets directly ahead were clearly sinister in the flickering candlelight. A familiar figure was kneeling motionless on the futon in front of the memorial tablet. That slender back was so dignified and upright, exuding an elegant aura. Gu Yunzhen heard the commotion behind her and turned around, only to meet Gu Yanfei¡¯s smiling almond-shaped eyes. ¡°Yanfei!¡± Gu Yunzhen was shocked to see Gu Yanfei. Then she frowned again, thick self-reproach between her brows. She had implicated her second sister. Even though she did not mention her second sister at all, Grandma was still certain that her second sister had instigated her. ¡°Big Sister, you didn¡¯t do anything wrong. Stop kneeling.¡± Gu Yanfei pulled Gu Yunzhen up and gestured for her to sit down on the futon. Gu Yanfei also did not intend to kneel. She took a few steps forward and looked up at the dense, dark red memorial tablets in front of her. Soon, she found her grandfather Gu Xuan¡¯s memorial tablet in the second row from the bottom to the top. There was an empty seat beside Gu Xuan¡¯s memorial tablet. In the future, this seat would have Madam Gu¡¯s memorial tablet. Below, the two memorial tablets of Gu Ce and Madam Xie were placed side by side. The dim candlelight gently caressed the two memorial tablets, as gentle as Gu Yanfei¡¯s gaze. Gu Yanfei stared at her parents¡¯ memorial tablets for a while, then at her grandfather¡¯s memorial tablet for a while. Unfortunately, she could not see any tricks. It was quiet except for the occasional crackle of burning candle oil. Gu Yunzhen watched as Gu Yanfei looked around. She did not ask further and only looked at her gently. Gu Yanfei casually looked around at the other memorial tablets around her but did not gain much. After 10 minutes, she took another futon and dragged it to Gu Yunzhen¡¯s side. Gu Yunzhen sat with her arms around her knees in a delicate posture. Gu Yanfei sat cross-legged, looking very relaxed. Gu Yanfei was about to ask Gu Yunzhen how she had thought it through when she heard a low meow from the front hall. ¡°Meow~¡± The muffled meowing of the cat sounded happy. ¡°Qing Guang!¡± Gu Yunzhen blurted out in surprise. In the next moment, a long-haired calico cat walked in valiantly with a snow-white pigeon in its mouth. Its long tail was straight, and it was almost in the sky. Its green eyes seemed to glow in the darkness. Gu Yunzhen was instantly bewitched by the cat¡¯s charming eyes and looked at the cat in a daze¡­ When she came back to her senses, Gu Yanfei had already untied a small bamboo tube tied to the messenger pigeon¡¯s foot and taken out two pieces of silk paper that were folded into long strips. An elegant and distinctive handwriting entered her eyes. The handwriting was so beautiful that it made her feel energetic. Gu Yanfei raised her eyebrows and fixed her gaze on the first line, at the word ¡°Liu¡±. She muttered to herself in surprise, ¡°That was quick.¡± After she returned from the Murong family at noon, she wrote to Chu Yi. It had only been less than four hours. According to the letter, Miss Liu¡¯s name was Muyu, and her father was Liu Wencheng. During the previous Emperor¡¯s reign, Liu Wencheng was beheaded for failing to provide disaster relief. The men in his family were exiled for 3,000 miles, and all the women were integrated into the imperial music office. The letter also included Liu Muyu¡¯s birth characters at Gu Yanfei¡¯s request. The women of the Liu family were all in the imperial music office. Their names were recorded in the Ministry of Rites, and there were dossiers to check their birth characters. Gu Yanfei stared at Liu Muyu¡¯s birth characters for a long time and whispered, ¡°As expected!¡± Gu Yunzhen, who had come back to her senses, happened to hear it and asked casually, ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°12th year J8, 52nd year B4, 1st year D4, and 6th year F6 of the 60 year cycle .¡± Gu Yanfei looked at the piece of silk and read each word clearly, her clear eyes flashing with interest. Gu Yunzhen blinked and blurted out in surprise, ¡°My birth characters?¡± Gu Yanfei smiled mysteriously and said, ¡°It¡¯s also Miss Liu¡¯s birth character.¡± ¡°Miss Liu¡¯s birth characters are exactly the same as yours.¡± What?! Gu Yunzhen¡¯s eyes widened slightly, and her face filled with surprise. Two people with the same birth characters could be said to be one in a million. She did not believe that it was a coincidence. Since it was not a coincidence, it must be inevitable to a certain extent! Chapter 204 - 204 Price 204 Price The windows and doors around her were clearly closed, but at this moment, Gu Yunzhen felt the cold wind outside blow at her face like a knife. She felt a faint chill rise under her feet. The faces of Madam Murong, Murong Yong, Old Madam Murong, Murong Hui, Liu Muyu, and the others flashed past her eyes. Suspicion rose in her heart as she speculated on the various possibilities behind this. For a moment, she could not help but think of the plays and scripts she had seen in the past. Keywords like ¡°first love¡±, ¡°cinnabar mole¡±, ¡°family encounters change¡±, ¡°deep love¡±, ¡°involuntary love¡± and ¡°substitute¡± filled her thoughts. ¡°A substitute,¡± Gu Yunzhen muttered. She seemed to be talking to herself, but also seemed to be asking Gu Yanfei, ¡°Am I a substitute?¡± After saying it, she felt that her guess was a little ridiculous. She had only heard of people looking for substitutes who looked similar, but she had never seen anyone looking for a substitute with the same birth characters. ¡°Indeed. However,¡± Gu Yanfei smirked cynically, ¡°Miss Liu should be your substitute.¡± There was a hint of mystery at the end of her sentence. Coupled with the clues from her previous life, Gu Yanfei was 90% sure that Liu Muyu was Gu Yunzhen¡¯s substitute. ¡°¡­¡± Gu Yunzhen was confused and could not guess what Gu Yanfei meant. Gu Yanfei then looked at the second piece of silk paper in the pigeon letter. It was about Shangqing Spiritual Master. Taoist Shangqing Spiritual Master had joined the Wuliang Temple since he was young and had been the disciple of Celestial Rectifier Spiritual Master for more than 30 years. It was said that he was like the legendary Celestial Rectifier Spiritual Master. He was born with a Taoist bone and extraordinary intelligence. He was especially good at talismans, alchemy, and feng shui. After entering the temple, his Tao techniques quickly improved, and in the past seven to eight years, he had revealed many divine powers. For example, he had once seen through the mishandling of General Feng¡¯s ancestral grave at a glance. He had once done something to revive the Second Lady of Changning Manor, who had been demented for five years. He had used just a talisman to pull the Seventh Young Master of Wangan¡¯s Manor back from the gates of hell¡­ There were countless such miracles. As a result, Taoist Shangqing Spiritual Master¡¯s reputation rose, and he became known as a ¡°living immortal¡±. After Gu Yanfei finished reading, she handed the two pieces of silk paper to Gu Yunzhen. Gu Yunzhen also read it seriously. When she saw that the second piece of paper was about Shangqing Spiritual Master, she raised her eyebrows in surprise. Gu Yanfei rubbed the hollow spot under her lips thoughtfully with her index finger. The Old Madam of the Murong family lying on the bed appeared in her mind again. The death energy around her was as thick as a cocoon, binding her tightly. ¡°I once heard a story¡­¡± As soon as Gu Yanfei raised her head, Gu Yunzhen looked up at her in confusion. This was actually something that Gu Yanfei had personally witnessed in a mortal town when she was in the Bright Spirit Realm. In a small town, a scholar happened to save a girl from a squire¡¯s family. Because of her life-saving grace, the girl married the scholar. However, the girl was weak and died of illness less than two years after their marriage. The scholar accidentally found an evil book. In order to revive his wife, he used sorcery to lock her soul in her skull. Then he buried the skull in the ground and watered it with blood every day. From rats to chickens to cows¡­ The amount of blood required increased day by day until it needed human blood to water it. For this reason, the scholar did not hesitate to kill one person after another. Flesh and blood grew bit by bit on his wife¡¯s bones. Her skin was like seeds taking root and germinating in the ground, but her body no longer had any warmth. Her limbs were stiff and she still could not see the light. His wife did not want to be resurrected, let alone become this half-human half-ghost. However, the scholar still forced it, unable to let his wife die. This was because the scholar¡¯s family had fallen. If not for his wife¡¯s wealth, he would have lost everything long ago. He relied on his in-laws to make a comeback. Once his wife died, without the help of his in-laws, the scholar would return to being poor. Gu Yanfei suddenly stopped here, her eyes deep. Gu Yunzhen¡¯s heart rose and fell with the story. At first, she was touched by the scholar¡¯s ¡°deep love¡±. Later, she was conflicted that the scholar had killed several people to save one person. When she heard this, she hated the scholar¡¯s selfishness and ruthlessness. ¡°What happened after that?¡± Gu Yunzhen asked. She felt that the wife in this story was too pitiful. Later¡­ Gu Yanfei blinked, as if she had returned to those memories from a hundred years ago. Chapter 205 - 205 Price 205 Price Later, that wife was completely ¡°resurrected¡± and had flesh and blood, except that her blood was black. She became an evil creature without rationality and killed everyone in the city. At that time, Gu Yanfei had gone down the mountain under her master¡¯s orders to eliminate the evil creature. She had witnessed a living hell. The wife was covered in human blood in her mouth and in her hands. She was still clutching bits of flesh between her fingers, but she was crying. Two black lines of tears gurgled down her face as she begged her, ¡°Kill me!¡± Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyelashes fluttered slightly, but she did not say this part in the end. She only said casually, ¡°Later, that scholar was personally killed by his wife, and his wife died.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a price for any sorcery.¡± As Gu Yanfei spoke, she took out a handkerchief from her sleeve and handed it to Gu Yunzhen. ¡°¡­¡± Gu Yunzhen¡¯s eyes widened slightly and turned red. She was still immersed in Gu Yanfei¡¯s story and felt empty in her heart. The candle flame danced slightly twice, and a drop of transparent candle oil flowed down like a line of clear tears. Under the candlelight, it was crystal clear. ¡°Coo, coo.¡± The pigeon called softly. As one, the sisters looked for the sound and saw the calico cat eyeing the carrier pigeon menacingly. The carrier pigeon flapped its wings innocently. Gu Yanfei grabbed the calico cat and tapped its pink nose. ¡°Don¡¯t bully Gu Gu all day. Gu Gu is much more sensible and capable than you.¡± Gu Gu was the name Juan Bi had given the carrier pigeon. ¡°Meow, meow!¡± When the cat heard that, as a dignified spiritual beast, it was actually compared to a mere pigeon, it almost stomped its feet. It raised its butt and ground its claws twice in a show of force. Gu Yanfei continued to lecture the cat in all seriousness. ¡°You always eat and sleep. Don¡¯t you know that you¡¯ll become stupid?¡± ¡°Look at you. You¡¯re as fat as a ball. You might not be able to jump far next time!¡± Gu Yunzhen looked at them and was amused. She covered her mouth and laughed, and the little worry in her heart dissipated. Seeing that she was finally smiling, Gu Yanfei smiled as well. ¡°Meow~¡± The cat leaned over and rubbed against Gu Yanfei¡¯s skirt affectionately. It circled around her and whined cutely, meaning that it was the cutest, most capable, and most sensible. ¡°Alright, stop acting cute and go to work obediently!¡± Gu Yanfei lowered her head and whispered into the cat¡¯s ear. Then, she gently patted the cat¡¯s butt, indicating for it to hurry up. It was the most powerful! The cat raised its tail high, glanced at the white pigeon not far away, and walked elegantly out of the ancestral hall. The sky darkened especially quickly in winter. Night had already fallen, and the Marquis Mansion at night was empty and silent. Tonight, the moon was bright and the stars were sparse. The bright moonlight shone gently on the courtyard. The cat swaggered through the residence, jumped briskly up the tree, jumped over the wall, stepped on the tiles on the roofs of other houses, and took a shortcut north of the city. It was going to the Murong Manor. The night belonged to cats. Qing Guang did not recognize the Murong family, but other cats did. Some cats even led the way eagerly. The calico cat only took the time for an incense stick to burn to reach Anping Alley, where the Murong Manor was located. It was really amazing. It ran faster than a horse! Qing Guang thought smugly as it licked its nose and then its claws. Squatting on the top of the high wall and looking down at the gloomy mansion below, it tilted its cat face and thought for a long time before it finally remembered. Oh right, Master said that the old lady¡¯s courtyard was in that direction! Meowing happily again, it leaped northwest toward the Murong Manor¡­ It displayed its ability to climb walls and trees. In a few moves, it found the courtyard that Gu Yanfei had mentioned, with old pine trees and ponds that had dried up. It found the tree closest to the window and nimbly climbed up. This time, it made a little too much noise. A section of branch rustled from the impact. Dead leaves fell from the branches. The calico cat took advantage of being high up and glanced through the window. It saw an old woman lying on the bed against the wall in the house, and a man and woman in their 40s sitting at the coffee table talking. There was only one goat horn palace lamp lit in the room. The light was slightly dim, making the atmosphere a little oppressive. It simply laid on the branch and stopped moving. The couple naturally heard the sound outside the window, but they only thought that it was because the wind was strong at night. Madam Murong glanced in the direction of the window and immediately looked away. ¡°Master, the Gu family has already agreed to rush good fortune. According to Shangqing Spiritual Master¡¯s advice, I¡¯ve set the wedding date for New Year¡¯s Eve,¡± Madam Murong said happily. ¡°Good, good!¡± The Old Master, Murong Hao stroked his goatee and said in satisfaction. Then, he asked unhappily, ¡°Did Yu¡¯er run out today?¡± Madam Murong nodded awkwardly. Liu Muyu was her niece. She could not absolve herself of the blame for causing such a problem at such a critical moment today. Madam Murong coughed dryly and cleared her throat. ¡°I was originally afraid that they would be angry. Fortunately, Madam Gu is a sensible person and did not pursue the matter.¡± Her full lips curled smugly as she spoke. After all, the two families had already exchanged invitations, and the marriage was set. With her second son¡¯s character, the Gu family would not be able to find such a good son-in-law! Murong Hao heaved a sigh of relief and did not dwell on it. He only reminded her, ¡°Madam, since nothing will happen to this marriage, let¡¯s marry her off.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Master,¡± Madam Murong agreed seriously and quickly changed the topic. ¡°Shangqing Spiritual Master will come tomorrow and will go to the Marquis Mansion with me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m relieved to have Shangqing Spiritual Master.¡± Murong Hao stroked his beard again. Outside the window, there was another rustling sound. The swaying leaves left sinister and strange shadows on the window paper, as if something was hiding in the darkness and spying on them. Chapter 206 - 206 Seductive 206 Seductive Murong Hao could not help but look at the shelf bed. The old lady, who was sleeping under the bed canopy, still had her eyes closed. Her skin was pale and dry, and her body was so shriveled that she was almost skin and bones. Her eyebrows were protruding, and her eyes and cheeks were deeply sunken. Breathing between her mouth and nose was barely visible. She was lifeless, like a living dead. ¡°Bang!¡± The sound of a clapper pierced through the night and came from afar, as if a hammer had hammered into the couple¡¯s hearts. Murong Hao punched his fist lightly on his knee twice and looked at the old lady with flickering eyes. The emotions in them were abnormally complicated. There was sadness, helplessness, sighs¡­ There was also a hint of pity. ¡°Master, this is all for the Murong family.¡± Madam Murong naturally saw that her husband was wavering and advised him softly. Yes, for the Murong family. Murong Hao¡¯s gaze only shifted for a moment before turning as deep as an abyss. ¡°Mother,¡± Murong Hao said in a low voice to the unconscious old lady on the bed. His voice was a little hoarse. ¡°Hang in there for a few more years. Our Ah Yong is about to get married¡­¡± He dragged out the end and finally let out a long sigh. At some point, a flying insect had appeared in the lampshade. The flying insect flapped its wings inside and rampaged mindlessly. The magnified shadow of the insect cast on the walls of the house made the originally heavy atmosphere even more strange and sinister. The old lady on the bed extended a finger from under the embroidered blanket. The finger moved slightly, and her shriveled, purple mouth opened slightly in a silent sigh¡­ Rustle¡­ The flying insect in the lantern flapped its wings even more violently, making a subtle scraping sound as it hit the lampshade. The cat outside the window was attracted by the rapidly fluttering light and shadow and the flapping wings of the flying insects. Its mind went blank, and it flew towards the window¡­ Its hind legs kicked off the branch, and it swayed again, causing the cat¡¯s calculations to deviate a little. The cat¡¯s front paws clung to the window threshold, but its hind legs missed, and it could only cling to the window in a slightly sorry state. At this moment, Gu Yanfei¡¯s sigh sounded in the cat¡¯s ear again. ¡°Look at you, you¡¯re already as fat as a ball. You might not be able to jump far next time!¡± The cat¡¯s face almost collapsed. Its front paws reached out and hooked the window sill with its sharp nails. Its hind legs hung in midair as it tried to pedal the air¡­ ¡°Meow!¡± With a roar, the cat finally pushed himself up with a burst of strength and struggled up the window sill. Then it eagerly raised a paw to tug at a talisman stuck to the window. ¡°Where did this wildcat come from!¡± a slightly sharp female voice shouted. The commotion caused by the cat was naturally noticed by the couple in the house. Madam Murong and Murong Hao frowned at the long-haired calico cat in the window and were shocked. ¡°Guards!¡± Murong Hao was about to order someone to hit the cat when he saw it turn to look at them. Its emerald eyes glittered in the candlelight. ¡°Meow~¡± The cat¡¯s eyes were clear and spotless. They were so shiny and dazzling. Its charming eyes were like silk, captivating them. Murong Hao and Madam Murong looked at the calico cat in a daze. They were mesmerized, and their eyes were filled with infatuation and piety. ¡°Kitty, do you want that?¡± Murong Hao said gently as he pointed at the talisman stuck to the window. The middle-aged man deliberately softened his rough voice, making it seem a little flattering and comical. ¡°Meow!¡± The calico cat meowed bossily, cockily leering at the two stupid humans. ¡°It¡¯s too high for you to reach, right?¡± Madam Murong understood and approached the window eagerly. She smiled like a flower, and her eyes were filled with flattery. ¡°I¡¯ll get it for you.¡± The calico cat meowed again, chin high, elegantly crouched, tail wagging happily behind it like a feather duster. Murong Hao rushed to the window, but Madam Murong tore a talisman off the window before he could. Then, she held the talisman in both hands and respectfully handed it to the cat. She even asked considerately, ¡°Kitty, are you hungry? Do you want to eat some dried fish before leaving?¡± The cat¡¯s eyes lit up and it salivated, but Gu Yanfei¡¯s words rang in its ears again. ¡°You¡¯re as fat as a ball.¡± The cat trembled and quickly calmed down. It meowed and bit the talisman handed to it. Then it turned around and leaped towards the tree outside the window¡­ Chapter 207 - 207 Seductive 207 Seductive The Murong couple looked at the cat¡¯s elegant back in a daze. Madam Murong sighed softly. ¡°It¡¯s really beautiful!¡± The swaying branches outside the window seemed to respond to her. As the night deepened, the capital became quieter. The lights were extinguished one by one, and only the stars and moon in the sky were still shining. The cat ignored the night and carried the talisman through the ink-black night, unaffected. ¡°Swish, swish, swish¡­¡± In a few light leaps, it returned to the Marquis Mansion and quietly jumped into the sacrificial hall of the ancestral hall. It saw Gu Yunzhen and Gu Yanfei standing side by side in front of the memorial tablets. Gu Yunzhen looked at Gu Ce and Madam Xie¡¯s memorial tablets and said in a low voice, ¡°¡­ My mother told me that Uncle and Aunt are a real immortal couple. They¡¯re each other¡¯s only one.¡± ¡°In the years after Aunt passed away, countless matchmakers persuaded Uncle to remarry. They said that Eldest Brother and Third Sister needed the care of a mother, but Uncle never thought of remarrying.¡± ¡°Mother said that men like Uncle are too rare. Most men are like Father and Grandfather¡­¡± Gu Yunzhen lowered her eyes and sighed. Gu Yanfei stared deeply at her parents¡¯ memorial tablets. Her eyes were gentle, and her expression was quiet. The candle beside her had burned down to two inches. The yellow flame flickered. ¡°Meow!¡± Realizing that neither of them had noticed her arrival, the cat meowed unhappily. Gu Yunzhen¡¯s attention was immediately attracted by the cat. She smiled happily and said, ¡°Qing Guang, you¡¯re back!¡± The cat raised its tail proudly again and walked up to Gu Yanfei with its head held high. It handed the talisman in its mouth to her. Then, it squatted proudly on another futon beside it, raising its small chin and waiting for praise. The talisman had been in the cat¡¯s mouth for a while, and a third of it was soaked with saliva. Gu Yanfei swung the wet talisman and flicked it between its eyebrows in disdain. She teased, ¡°It¡¯s all your saliva!¡± ¡°Meow, meow, meow!¡± The cat was furious and barked several times in dissatisfaction. Gu Yanfei chuckled. She lowered her head and gently bent down to hook the cat¡¯s chin with her finger. The cat instinctively rubbed back against her palm, meowing at her like a spoiled child. However, Gu Yanfei only said calmly, ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± The cat¡¯s eyes widened, and its long tail exploded again! Gu Yanfei couldn¡¯t help but smile. She casually took out a piece of chicken jerky from her pouch and threw it to the cat. The cat swallowed the chicken jerky in a few bites and licked its claws. It still felt unsatisfactory, but it would gain weight if it ate too much supper. As the cat thought about it, Gu Yanfei pinched the talisman and studied it carefully, concentrating. The runes on the talisman paper were black. Gu Yanfei brought the talisman close to her nose and sniffed it. She raised her eyebrows. This rune should have been drawn by cinnabar mixed with blood and dark gray stone powder. It was a talisman drawn by mortals in this small world. It was very different from what Gu Yanfei had learned in the Bright Spirit Realm. However, nothing changed. As long as it was a talisman, there must be a pattern to it¡­ ¡°Meow!¡± The cat leaned over again and meowed pitifully. It had worked hard to cross half of the capitol at night, but it was actually sent away by a mere piece of chicken jerky. It was really too perfunctory for the cat. Hence, Gu Yanfei took out a bell ball from her sleeve and casually threw it out. Qing Guang meowed and happily chased after the bell ball. Gu Yunzhen finally came back to her senses and continued, ¡°Grandpa and Grandma used to be an immortal couple. Unfortunately, it was only for less than two years.¡± Gu Yunzhen noticed a little candle oil on her grandfather¡¯s memorial tablet. She took out a square of handkerchief and gently wiped the memorial tablet. The memorial tablet accidentally bumped into the incense table with a thud. Gu Yunzhen carefully adjusted her grandfather¡¯s memorial tablet and said faintly, ¡°When my grandfather passed away, I was only two years old. I don¡¯t have a deep impression of him. Many things about my grandfather were told to me by my ancestral concubine mother and birth mother.¡± The ¡°ancestral concubine mother¡± Gu Yunzhen was referring to was Third Master¡¯s biological mother, Old Aunt Sun. Gu Yanfei silently moved the candle to the side. Gu Yunzhen looked at Gu Yanfei beside her and thought that her second sister had just returned to the Marquis Mansion and probably did not know much about the residence. Especially since her eldest cousin was a man and was not so meticulous, he probably would not tell her too much. Gu Yunzhen sorted out her thoughts and said tirelessly, ¡°Our Dingyuan Marquis Household is only the fourth generation in this generation. My great-grandfather only got his only son at the age of 40. He naturally raised him carefully.¡± Although there were so many ancestral tablets in the Gu family¡¯s ancestral hall, the Gu family was actually not an ordinary farmer in the previous dynasty. It was only because their great-grandfather, Gu Yao, rebelled with Emperor Taizu and established illustrious military merits that the Dingyuan Marquis Household came to be. The memorial tablets above were all unknown people. Even their names were not presentable. Even the memorial tablets of many relatives were offered in this ancestral hall. ¡°Grandpa didn¡¯t disappoint my great-grandfather. He made a lot of contributions to the imperial court.¡± ¡°My great-grandfather was even more concerned about my grandfather¡¯s marriage. He chose the daughter of the Qi family of Yingchuan, Yuzhou¡­ which is my grandmother. Back then, my great-grandfather even asked Emperor Taizu to issue a decree to betroth her to me. This marriage was considered glorious and praiseworthy.¡± At that time, the nobles who had followed Emperor Taizu to establish unparalleled merits were basically low-born generals. After the new dynasty was established, they would either divorce their wives and marry other women, or marry the daughters of aristocratic families for their children and grandchildren. They hoped that the next generation would have the nobility of the ¡°high-class families¡±. Yingchuan¡¯s Qi family was not considered a noble family and could only be considered a scholarly family. It was also because his great-grandfather felt that it was not a coincidence that he chose the Qi family¡¯s daughter-in-law. Chapter 208 - 208 Out of Line 208 Out of Line ¡°Ring, ring, ring¡­¡± Qing Guang brought the bell ball back with its mouth and meowed. It walked in front of Gu Yanfei and swayed in front of her eyes. ¡°Good boy!¡± Gu Yanfei praised it perfunctorily. She stroked the cat¡¯s head and let it play. Gu Yunzhen simply took the bell ball and gently threw it away. The cat jumped up again and chased after the ball happily. Gu Yunzhen squatted on the ground and played ball with the cat. She quickly continued, ¡°After the marriage, Grandpa and Grandma were happily married. Unexpectedly, not long after Uncle was born, Grandpa fell seriously ill and almost frightened Great-Grandpa.¡± ¡°At that time, my great-grandfather was already old and covered in old injuries. If my grandfather had passed away at that time, with my great-grandfather¡¯s health, he probably wouldn¡¯t have been able to last until my uncle grew up. Then, the Marquis Mansion would have completely declined.¡± ¡°My great-grandfather looked for doctors and medicine everywhere for my grandfather. He invited a lot of doctors, imperial physicians, witches, and Taoist priests. During that period of time, the residence was filled with the fragrance of medicine every day.¡± ¡°It took a month for Grandfather to recover.¡± Gu Yanfei spared half of her attention to look at the rune. Her right index finger drew in the air as she asked absent-mindedly, ¡°What happened after that?¡± ¡°After that,¡± Gu Yunzhen caught the bell ball that Qing Guang slapped over and shook it before continuing, ¡°Grandpa has always been very healthy¡­ However, his relationship with Grandma is not as good as before.¡± ¡°After Grandfather recovered from his illness, he took in his concubine not long after¡­¡± As she spoke, Gu Yunzhen¡¯s expression was a little subtle. Her eyelashes trembled slightly as her mother¡¯s meaningful voice sounded in her ears. ¡°Zhen¡¯er, remember Mother¡¯s words. Friendship is the most useless. Look at your grandmother. Even if her relationship with your grandfather is ordinary, she¡¯s still the Madam of the Marquis Mansion. No one can surpass her.¡± Their third branch was a concubine¡¯s family. Ever since the Old Marquis passed away, their status in the Marquis Mansion has been very awkward. It could be said that they lived in the cracks. Old Aunt Sun had specially given Third Madam Yan some pointers. Now that Madam Yan thought that her daughter was about to get married, she also told her about these old matters in the Marquis Mansion to remind her. ¡°Sizzle¡­¡± Another teardrop slowly trickled down, and the candle flame swayed gently. Gu Yunzhen¡¯s black hair fell softly behind her. The jade hairpin at her temples reflected a bleak luster in the candlelight. Her eyelashes were lowered, and half her face was lost in the flickering shadows of the candlelight. She exuded a quiet aura. Gu Yunzhen raised her wrist and threw the bell ball in her hand again. This simple action carried a desperate feeling, as if she was venting something. Gu Yunzhen stood up again and exhaled silently. ¡°14 years ago, Grandpa suddenly fell seriously ill. He was on his last breath in a few days¡­¡± ¡°From what my ancestral concubine¡¯s mother said, Grandpa seems to know that he doesn¡¯t have long to live. He even told them not to hire a doctor anymore.¡± Her last sentence attracted some reaction from Gu Yanfei. Gu Yanfei looked up at her. At the same time, the fingers of her right hand drew the last stroke in the air. In an instant, something seemed to vibrate in the air, swinging out invisible loops of air, like fleeting ripples on water. Then, Gu Yanfei slowly put down the talisman in her hand, her heart shining. Sure enough, she¡¯d been right. Gu Yanfei¡¯s pupils were dark, clear, and bright in the candlelight, like a deep ancient well that rippled slightly. ¡°How pitiful.¡± Gu Yanfei sighed softly. Her voice was so soft that Gu Yunzhen could not hear her clearly. Hence, Gu Yunzhen asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Gu Yanfei did not answer and asked, ¡°Big Sister, are we giving away the dowry tomorrow?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not getting married,¡± Gu Yunzhen said calmly. There was neither hysteria nor righteous indignation. Just a smile on her lips, as dignified and virtuous as ever. Gu Yanfei smiled and said meaningfully, ¡°¡­ You¡¯re not getting married.¡± Gu Yunzhen was infected by her smile and smiled too, even if she actually did not understand what Gu Yanfei meant. Gu Yanfei raised her hand and moved the talisman closer to the candlelight. The candlelight instantly ignited the talisman paper, and greedily devoured it. There was a faint black aura hidden in the bright yellow flames. Gu Yanfei casually threw the talisman into the treasure basin used to burn paper money. The burning talisman floated down. The flames flickered, sometimes high and sometimes low. The flickering flames left crisscrossing shadows on her fair face. Chapter 209 - 209 Out of Line 209 Out of Line ¡°Ring, ring, ring¡­¡± The bell ball rolled around and around as the cat slapped it. The bell rose and fell with increasing urgency. The commotion inside was heard by the old woman guarding the door. The old woman opened the door, crossed the front hall, and jogged over in a hurry. However, not only were the sisters not kneeling, but Gu Yanfei was also burning things in the cornucopia. It was unknown if she was burning paper money or keeping warm. The old woman was shocked and raised her voice to reprimand, ¡°Eldest Lady, Second Lady, I asked you to kneel as punishment, not to play in the ancestral hall!¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t kneel well, I¡¯ll tell Madam.¡± The old woman took a few more steps toward the two of them and puffed out her chest. The talisman paper in the treasure basin had been completely burned to ashes by the flames, leaving only some sparks. It was much darker around them again. The candle, which had burned down to an inch, was still burning. Gu Yanfei yawned lazily and could not be bothered to argue with the old woman. She called out again, ¡°Qing Guang.¡± Qing Guang, who was playing ball, immediately heard the commotion and meowed softly. It was having the time of its life. Its green cat eyes shone brightly in the candlelight, shining charmingly. In an instant, it had stolen the old woman¡¯s heart. ¡°Kitty.¡± The old woman bowed and looked at the calico cat obsequiously. She rubbed her hands and asked ingratiatingly, ¡°Do you want to warm yourself by the fire? I¡¯ll get you a charcoal fire.¡± Gu Yanfei threw a pouch at the cat, so the cat brought it to the old woman and wagged its tail in the direction of the candle. The old woman poured out a dried fish from her pouch and immediately understood. She said self-consciously, ¡°I¡¯ll help you roast the dried fish.¡± ¡°Roasting dried fish one by one with candlelight tastes the best.¡± Taking advantage of this moment, Gu Yanfei directly held Gu Yunzhen¡¯s hand and swaggered towards the front hall of the ancestral hall. Gu Yunzhen was still a little reluctant. As she walked, she turned around and sighed enviously. ¡°I want to help Qing Guang roast dried fish too!¡± ¡°There will be a chance,¡± Gu Yanfei said perfunctorily. Then, she changed the topic. ¡°Big Sister, follow me to Yuheng Garden to rest tonight.¡± Gu Yunzhen: ¡°¡­¡± Gu Yunzhen had been taught to be gentle, dignified, and obedient since she was young. She was already not used to being punished for kneeling today, but she did not. Now that she still had to sneak away, she felt even more uncomfortable. Seeing through Gu Yunzhen¡¯s thoughts, Gu Yanfei smiled and held her hand as they walked forward. ¡°It¡¯s fine. We¡¯ll come early tomorrow and rush over before everyone does.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not good,¡± Gu Yunzhen said, but her body honestly followed Gu Yanfei away. When she stepped out of the ancestral hall and stood under the eaves, Gu Yunzhen still felt like she was in a dream. She really came out?! This was the first time in Gu Yunzhen¡¯s life that she had done such an outrageous thing. Gu Yunzhen shivered in the face of the night wind, but she smiled. Instead, she felt very comfortable and carefree. It was as if the breath that had been held in her chest for a long time had suddenly been released. Her vision cleared and she felt refreshed. The sisters held hands as they walked east. Gu Yunzhen looked at the stars and moon in the night sky and said, ¡°Yanfei, when I told Madam that I wouldn¡¯t marry, I was actually a little afraid.¡± But she knew she wasn¡¯t alone. She knew that even if her mother didn¡¯t stand by her, her second sister would. The silver moonlight poured gently down from the night sky, giving them a faint glow and casting two long shadows on the ground. The two slim figures snuggled against each other. It felt so good to know that someone would stand on her side! ¡°I like my second sister the most.¡± Gu Yunzhen leaned her face affectionately on Gu Yanfei¡¯s shoulder, her smile like stars rippling in her eyes. The girl under the moonlight had a pair of soft, watery eyebrows that cut through the blue water like a wave. When she smiled, her eyes were gentle and beautiful. Gu Yanfei also smiled, and her eyes bloomed with the same dazzling light. In an instant, they were overflowing with light, and an indescribable joy surged into her heart. Her big sister should have been like this, beautiful and elegant, blooming against the cold wind like the bright camellia, not withering early like in her previous life. Gu Yanfei¡¯s heart rippled. She held Gu Yunzhen¡¯s arm and said in high spirits, ¡°Big Sister, I¡¯m not sleeping anymore. Let¡¯s go drink!¡± Ah?! Gu Yunzhen was still in a daze as she looked at Gu Yanfei in confusion. When did they talk about drinking? ¡°I obtained a jar of good plum blossom wine a few days ago. It¡¯s from Qiongfang Shop.¡± Gu Yanfei had a hint of playfulness, smugness, and bragging. ¡°It¡¯s also a limited edition wine. There are only 20 jars in total.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Gu Yunzhen really did not like wine, but she was actually moved by Gu Yanfei¡¯s unrestrained appearance, which made her look like a little fox. Since she had already gone overboard today, she might as well go out of line. ¡°Alright!¡± Gu Yunzhen smiled and nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go drink!¡± The sisters chatted happily all the way back to Yuheng Garden. When the maidservants saw Gu Yanfei return, they hurriedly went to inform Juan Bi. After a while, Juan Bi ran over to welcome her with a smile. There was a warm pavilion in the backyard of Yuheng Garden. According to Gu Yuan, it was built by his father for his mother when she was still alive. With Gu Yanfei¡¯s instructions, Juan Bi and the other maidservants moved. They started the heater in the heater pavilion and brought over a screen to block the wind and two high-backed chairs. They also brought over a small red clay stove and a basket of charcoal fire to heat the wine. The plum blossom wine was not a strong wine, and the taste of the wine was very faint. Gu Yanfei would not be drunk even if she drank a jar of such wine, but Gu Yunzhen¡¯s alcohol tolerance was clearly a little poor. After three glasses of wine, Gu Yunzhen¡¯s fair cheeks were stained with a peach blossom-like blush, as if she had applied rouge. Her eyes rippled and were still filled with water, making her look charming. As soon as she was drunk, she began to recite poems related to wine, from ¡°a pot of wine in the flower room¡± to ¡°drinking in high spirits¡±¡­ to ¡°asking the sky for wine¡± by Emperor Taizu. She read until Juan Bi was sleepy, but the last person to fall asleep was the drunk Gu Yunzhen. Gu Yunzhen collapsed and fell asleep on the table in a daze. Gu Yanfei was not asleep. Her clear eyes seemed to be sparkling after drinking. She smiled at Gu Yunzhen for a moment and said softly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the marriage tomorrow won¡¯t happen.¡± Chapter 210 - 210 Breaking the Engagement 210 Breaking the Engagement Because she was drunk, Gu Yunzhen was sleeping very soundly. It was not until she heard the crisp chirping of birds that she suddenly opened her eyes. The sky was brightening, and a few birds were flying happily outside the pavilion, playing and singing. Gu Yunzhen blinked, then slowly blinked again as memories of last night surged through her. Oh no!! Gu Yunzhen hurriedly straightened her sore upper body. Still not fully awake, she rubbed her temples sleepily and said, ¡°We have to return to the ancestral hall!¡± After the words left her mouth, she realized that her voice was a little hoarse. It was the rasp of a hangover. ¡°There¡¯s no hurry,¡± Gu Yanfei, who was sitting beside Gu Yunzhen, said with a smile. Gu Yanfei had woken up long ago. She held her chin with one hand and spun the needle of a small compass with the other. She had also slept on the table last night, so her clothes were a little wrinkled, but she was in good spirits. Her big eyes were sparkling in the morning sunlight, and she did not look hungover or tired at all. At the side, Juan Bi took out two bowls of porridge from the food box and echoed, ¡°Eldest Lady, there¡¯s no hurry. Eat some porridge to fill your stomach before going to the ancestral hall. It¡¯s still early!¡± Looking at the pale sky, Gu Yunzhen finally heaved a sigh of relief and smiled gently and shyly. Still a little groggy and hungover, she asked, ¡°Yanfei, what are you doing?¡± Gu Yanfei raised her hand and pointed in the direction of the Murong family. She looked at the compass in her hand and said thoughtfully, ¡°The Sheng hexagram represents wind, and the sky above it is Gou.¡± In the blue sky above, a sparrow spread its wings and flew past them, casting a twisted and strange shadow on the compass that disappeared in a flash. Gu Yunzhen was confused. Just as she was about to ask Gu Yanfei what this divination meant, she heard a maidservant¡¯s uneasy and panicked voice from the southeast. ¡°Third Lady, please allow me to inform My Lady.¡± ¡°Why go through so much trouble?¡± Gu Yunrong¡¯s clear and mellow voice sounded. ¡°I saw her.¡± To the southeast, Gu Yunrong, who was wearing a purple cloak with mink fur, walked over, ignoring the little maidservant¡¯s obstruction. The cloak embroidered with gold thread shone faintly, making her look as beautiful as peach blossoms in spring. Behind her was her maidservant, Xia Lian, holding a red lacquered golden food box. The maidservant glanced uneasily into the warming pavilion, her round face red with anxiety. Juan Bi, who was in the warm pavilion, frowned. She felt that their little maidservant from Yuheng Garden was still too timid to let the Third Lady barge into the backyard. Gu Yanfei raised her hand and gestured to the maidservant to leave. The people on both sides had already arrived. ¡°Big Sister, I guess you¡¯re here.¡± Gu Yunrong did not stop walking. She walked unhurriedly to the outside of the warm pavilion. An expectant expression appeared on her bright face. As they got closer, Gu Yunrong could clearly smell the alcohol on Gu Yunzhen. She could not help but frown when she saw her still dazed eyes and wrinkled dress. Gu Yunrong¡¯s gaze swept past the two people in the pavilion. She did not greet Gu Yanfei and spoke to Gu Yunzhen, ¡°Big Sister, I just went to the ancestral hall to look for you¡­¡± ¡°I heard that you kneeled in the ancestral hall all night. I thought you must be hungry, so I brought some food over. I didn¡¯t expect you to be away.¡± When Gu Yunrong arrived at the ancestral hall, she saw the old maid guarding the ancestral hall sleeping soundly on the futon. After waking her up, the old maid was submissive and did not say a word for a long time. After Gu Yunrong asked repeatedly, she realized that Gu Yanfei had taken Gu Yunzhen away last night. Gu Yunrong did not go to Gu Yunzhen¡¯s courtyard and guessed that she was most likely in Yuheng Garden. As expected! However, she did not expect Gu Yunzhen to be so drunk. If it were in the past, Gu Yunzhen would not have escaped secretly since she had received her punishment. Gu Yunrong looked straight at Gu Yunzhen and felt that the girl in front of her had suddenly become blurry. She was not at all like the dignified and virtuous big sister she knew. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything wrong. ¡°There¡¯s no need to kneel,¡± Gu Yunzhen said calmly, her voice still hoarse from alcohol. Three or four sparrows bickered at the top of the branch, chattering nonstop. They pecked at each other and scratched at each other. A few stray feathers fluttered down with the wind. Gu Yunrong¡¯s frown deepened, and her eyes darkened. Chapter 211 - 211 Breaking the Engagement 211 Breaking the Engagement If it was the Gu Yunzhen of the past, it was impossible for her not to feel ashamed when she was caught sneaking away. But now¡­ Gu Yunrong was speechless. Gu Yunrong originally had a lot to say, but now those words were stuck in her throat, as if something was stuffed into her chest, making it difficult to describe her feelings. It was as if something was off track, or something had been taken away. ¡°Grandma is very angry.¡± Gu Yunrong half-closed her eyes and quickly adjusted her emotions. She said gently, ¡°I originally wanted to plead for mercy for Big Sister yesterday, but¡­ Grandma is very angry.¡± Her tone was perfectly controlled, revealing just the right amount of helplessness when she deliberately emphasized Madam¡¯s anger. The winter morning was silent. A hint of light appeared on the eastern horizon, soaking into the gloomy sky. In the warm pavilion, Gu Yanfei and Gu Yunzhen were in the shadows of the pavilion, as if they were still drunk. Outside the warm pavilion, Gu Yunrong was draped in the halo of the morning sun, shining brightly. Silence spread. Seeing that Gu Yunzhen was silent, Gu Yunrong asked seriously, ¡°Big Sister, do you have a lover?¡± She stared at Gu Yunzhen without blinking. Gu Yanfei, who was drinking tea, frowned slightly. Juan Bi immediately understood and raised her hand to clap twice. The round-faced maidservant and an old woman who was originally in the backyard retreated. As if a cold wind had entered her collar, Gu Yunzhen¡¯s eyes widened in shock. She immediately woke up from her hangover. She quickly shook her head and looked straight into Gu Yunrong¡¯s eyes. Her expression was slightly stiff as she said, ¡°No.¡± Gu Yunrong said sincerely, ¡°Big Sister, if you have a lover, I¡¯ll support you in pursuing your own happiness.¡± ¡°But if not¡­¡± ¡°Why are you breaking off the engagement at this point?!¡± As she spoke, Gu Yunrong looked at the other person in the pavilion with a distant gaze. She didn¡¯t criticize Gu Yanfei directly. There was still a friendly smile on her lips, and her eyes flashed with understanding. She quietly looked into Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes with certainty, as if to say that Gu Yanfei had instigated Gu Yunzhen to break off the engagement behind her back. Gu Yunrong composed herself and continued, ¡°Big Sister, I know that the Murong family was too hasty in ¡®rushing joy¡¯, and that the wedding date is a little rushed, but I¡¯ve asked around. Murong Yong is young and talented. He¡¯s still at his peak and has already made many military contributions. Although he¡¯s not the eldest son of the first wife, he¡¯s far better than his brother. No matter what, he¡¯s a good match for you.¡± ¡°Big Sister shouldn¡¯t have said no to the marriage.¡± Gu Yunrong¡¯s tone remained gentle without any reprimand. ¡°¡­¡± Gu Yunzhen remained silent, her cherry lips pursed even tighter. Gu Yunrong sighed softly and helplessly. ¡°I know Big Sister and I have been estranged recently, but I still have to say what needs to be said.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want you to regret it for the rest of your life.¡± Gu Yunrong¡¯s heart was filled with all kinds of emotions. A brown sparrow spread its wings and flew past Gu Yunrong. It stopped briskly beside Gu Yunzhen and pecked at the remaining pastry on the stone table. Seeing this scene, Gu Yunrong¡¯s eyes glazed over. Her eldest cousin, Gu Yunzhen, had been a gentle and virtuous person since she was young. Both the elders and her cousins liked her and even those small animals were willing to get close to her. In Gu Yunrong¡¯s heart, Gu Yunzhen was like the daughter of a wealthy family described in books. She was the ¡°perfect¡± elder sister in the world. However, ever since Gu Yanfei returned, Gu Yunzhen had quietly changed. She was no longer the person Gu Yunrong had known in the past. Gu Yunrong took a step up the stone steps of the pavilion and took another step closer to Gu Yunzhen, as if she wanted to see the girl with a smudged face in the pavilion more clearly. The sparrow on the stone table flapped away in shock, two broken feathers falling from its wings. Looking at the two damaged feathers that were leaning against each other, Gu Yunrong felt a wave of emotions. After more than ten years of sisterhood, she couldn¡¯t just watch Gu Yunzhen take a wrong turn. She advised gently, ¡°Big Sister, don¡¯t be rash. You¡¯re not such a person.¡± Gu Yunrong was looking at Gu Yunzhen, but Gu Yanfei was looking at Gu Yunrong. Or rather, she was looking at Gu Yunrong¡¯s luck. The luck around her was still as vigorous as ever. The golden energy had a hint of gray in it. It bared its fangs and brandished its claws, spreading tentacles that slowly wrapped around Gu Yunzhen. Gu Yanfei put down the teacup in her hand and her eyes narrowed. ¡°Not such a person?¡± Gu Yanfei smiled faintly, as if she was mocking her or finding it funny. She asked calmly, ¡°Gu Yunrong, in your heart, what kind of person should Big Sister be?¡± To Gu Yunrong, Gu Yanfei¡¯s question sounded like a provocation or she was looking for trouble. She originally wanted to ignore it, but on second thought, she changed her mind. ¡°Big Sister.¡± Gu Yunrong was still staring at Gu Yunzhen. She wasn¡¯t answering Gu Yanfei, but talking to Gu Yunzhen. ¡°Big Sister is filial, quiet, knowledgeable, and understanding.¡± With every word she said, the vigorous golden aura around her extended an additional thin tentacle and greedily intertwined with the white light on Gu Yunzhen¡¯s body, as if it was absorbing nutrients. However, only Gu Yanfei could see this scene. This was¡­ Gu Yanfei held her cheek with one hand and looked at the two of them leisurely, but an abnormally bright glint flashed across her eyes. In an instant, it was as if a bolt of lightning had struck her heart. She suddenly felt enlightened and understood many things that she hadn¡¯t understood in the past. This understanding gave her mixed feelings. She had never realized that Gu Yunzhen was the most suitable elder sister the heavens had arranged for Gu Yunrong. Gu Yanfei sighed in her heart, as if a fishbone was stuck in her throat. Heaven¡¯s Will really favored Gu Yunrong to the point of giving her everything: her family, her elders, her eldest brother and sister¡­ and her future husband. Gu Yunzhen seemed to exist for Gu Yunrong. In her previous life, Gu Yunzhen was disfigured because of Gu Yunrong, causing her to wither prematurely and be depressed for the rest of her life. Gu Yunzhen had never been lucky since she was young. If she didn¡¯t want to protect Gu Yunrong, she would have her luck sucked away by Gu Yunrong. In fact¡­ If Gu Yunzhen deviated from Gu Yunrong¡¯s thoughts at all, Heaven¡¯s Will would correct it. The chain binding Gu Yunzhen not only came from the family, but also from Heaven¡¯s Will! Chapter 212 - 212 Giving Up 212 Giving Up Gu Yanfei looked at the compass beside her and suddenly understood why the Murong family had chosen Gu Yunzhen to ¡°rush joy¡±. Not only was Gu Yunzhen¡¯s birth characters light, her body and soul were also weak. It was easy for her to encounter evil spirits. Therefore, her luck was the easiest to plunder, and she was the most suitable candidate. ¡°Enough.¡± Gu Yunzhen interrupted Gu Yunrong. Her expression was still as gentle as ever. ¡°Third Sister, I¡¯m already of age.¡± According to the customs of the Great Jin Dynasty, coming of age meant that a woman had reached adulthood. ¡°I¡¯ve already decided.¡± The last words were soft but firm. There was silence. Gu Yunrong¡¯s eyes widened slightly, and her smile froze on her face. She looked at Gu Yunzhen with disappointment, shock, and a faint sigh. ¡°Big Sister, you disappoint me!¡± As soon as she finished speaking, the golden luck around Gu Yunrong surged even more violently, entangling Gu Yunzhen like spewing magma. Even the light of the rising sun paled in comparison to her luck. Gu Yunzhen¡¯s pupils dilated, and there was a hint of confusion in her eyes. Her fair hand gripped the handkerchief tightly. ¡°Don¡¯t always say that you¡¯re disappointed. Who do you think you are!¡± Gu Yanfei¡¯s cold voice sounded again. Her lips pursed into a mocking smile, and her tone was both direct and sharp. ¡°Do you want to control her, or do you want to step on her?¡± ¡°Take care of yourself!¡± What was wrong with Gu Yunrong? Why did she have to knead others like clay?! ¡°¡­¡± Gu Yunrong frowned slightly. She felt that Gu Yanfei was simply ridiculous. Or perhaps she could not bear to see others doing well. Gu Yanfei had thought that if Gu Yunzhen couldn¡¯t marry Murong Yong, it would be very difficult for her to find another similar marriage. Gu Yunzhen would only regret it for the rest of her life if she really rushed joy. In this world, rules were much stricter on women than on men. Other than getting married, Gu Yunzhen had no other way out. Unlike Gu Yunrong! Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes were calm, and her dark eyes were like a vast galaxy. She captured Gu Yunrong¡¯s transcendence and superiority again. The other party¡¯s gaze seemed to be saying that she was different from the others, as if she knew that she was the favored child of the heavens and the daughter of luck! Gu Yanfei was deep in thought as she continued clearly, ¡°Gu Yunzhen isn¡¯t your big sister.¡± ¡°Her surname is Gu.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your last name? Do you need me to remind you?¡± ¡°If you want your ideal eldest sister, go to Huaibei. Your biological cousin is there.¡± ¡°Your biological father and brother are also there.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t look for your family in our Gu family.¡± As Gu Yanfei spoke, her tone was flat. She looked around and seemed casual but carefree, natural and beautiful. ¡°¡­¡± Gu Yunrong¡¯s face turned pale from Gu Yanfei¡¯s scolding. A rare sullen expression appeared on her face. She was embarrassed, angry, and anxious. To her, her dishonorable background was her weakness. Every time this was mentioned, it was like a wound that had finally formed a scar had been torn open bloodily. Gu Yanfei hid her right hand under the stone table and quickly drew a talisman in the air. Then, she pretended to pat Gu Yunzhen¡¯s back and patted the talisman on her body. A weak stream of light flashed and entered Gu Yunzhen¡¯s body without anyone noticing. Sensing Gu Yanfei¡¯s hand gently caressing her back, Gu Yunzhen¡¯s slightly dazed eyes instantly became firm again, and her gaze was as clear as water. ¡°Third Sister, this is my life,¡± Gu Yunzhen said seriously as she looked at Gu Yunrong, who was a few steps away. This was her life. She should be the one to decide, not the one to be kidnapped by someone else¡¯s words. Gu Yanfei also smiled. She saw that the white luck around Gu Yunzhen, which had long dimmed, became richer at this moment. The golden aura around her quickly retreated as if it had been electrocuted. It was as if something had completely severed the connection between Gu Yunrong and Gu Yunzhen. ¡°¡­¡± Gu Yunrong looked at Gu Yunzhen in a daze. Her heart was extremely cold and disappointed. Gu Yunzhen was no longer the big sister she knew. Since that was the case, she wouldn¡¯t persuade her anymore. ¡°Suit yourself,¡± Gu Yunrong spat out. Without hesitation, she turned around and left. She was a little distracted and forgot that there were stone steps beside the pavilion. Suddenly, her feet missed a step and she fell forward. Chapter 213 - 213 Giving Up 213 Giving Up Her wide cloak fluttered in the morning breeze, like a butterfly falling from a flower. ¡°My Lady, be careful?!¡± Xia Lian exclaimed with a pale face. She hurriedly tried to help Gu Yunrong up. The food box in her hand fell to the ground. It fell open, spilling pastries onto the floor. Her sharp voice shot into the sky, shattering the morning silence. Several birds flew in fear. However, Xia Lian was still a step too late. Gu Yunrong had already knelt on the ground. Her forehead happened to hit the stone block beside her, making a loud thud sound. ¡°My Lady, your forehead¡­¡± As Xia Lian helped Gu Yunrong up from the ground, she looked at her forehead with heartache. The left corner of Gu Yunrong¡¯s forehead was swollen red from the impact of the stone block. Gu Yunrong¡¯s hair had also become slightly messy from the fall. A few strands of hair fell to her temples. Gu Yunzhen couldn¡¯t help but stand up and look in Gu Yunrong¡¯s direction. She was relieved to see that she was fine. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Gu Yunrong left with Xia Lian¡¯s help. She didn¡¯t look back at Gu Yunzhen. As she watched her leave, Gu Yanfei tilted her face slightly as if she had understood something. Gu Yunrong was the daughter of the heavens and was favored by Heaven¡¯s Will. Anyone who harmed Gu Yunrong would be counterattacked by the heavens. Even if she had only pushed Gu Yunrong¡¯s golden aura away from Gu Yunzhen last time, her hand had been scalded red. Therefore, Gu Yanfei knew that she couldn¡¯t fight Gu Yunrong head-on. The talisman she had drawn on Gu Yunzhen¡¯s back wasn¡¯t an offensive talisman. It was just a calming talisman. The purpose of this calming talisman was to make Gu Yunzhen¡¯s faith stronger and protect her heart from external forces. In other words, Gu Yunzhen was no longer the ¡°most ideal¡± elder sister in Gu Yunrong¡¯s heart. Gu Yanfei raised her eyebrows and muttered almost silently, ¡°When Big Sister was four years old, she was playing with Gu Yunrong when the two of them fell down the steps. Big Sister served as a sacrificial victim and injured her forehead in place of Gu Yunrong¡­¡± Gu Yunrong had ¡°given up¡± on Gu Yunzhen. Gu Yunzhen would no longer block disasters for her. In fact, the disasters that Gu Yunzhen had blocked for her in the past should be returned one by one. Even if Gu Yunrong was favored by the heavens, she would probably be unlucky for a while. How interesting! Gu Yanfei smiled and looked to the east with a raised chin. In the sky, the red sun had just risen slowly from the horizon. The first rays of the morning sun shone gently on the ground, almost illuminating the entire capital. Including the Murong family in the north of the city. The first rays of sunlight shone through the hazy window paper into the old lady¡¯s room. The green-robed maidservant, who was keeping watch, opened her eyes in a daze and realized that it was dawn. The maidservant yawned sleepily and subconsciously looked at the window. She sighed at another maidservant in blue. ¡°Sister Hai Tang, the sun is so bright today.¡± The maidservant in blue was also dozing off just now. She rubbed her eyes with a handkerchief and said vaguely, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a sunny day¡­ Eh? There¡¯s actually sunlight in this house today?¡± She looked belatedly toward the sunlit window. Then they looked at each other. It was unknown if it was because the house was facing down badly or if the trees outside were blocking the sunlight, but this room never got sunlight and was unusually dim. ¡°Aiya, it¡¯s already half past five.¡± The maidservant looked at the pot and quickly got up from the bed. ¡°We have to wash Old Madam¡¯s face and turn her over.¡± Old Madam Murong was bedridden all year round. The doctors had instructed that in order to prevent the patient from developing bedsores, they had to help the patient turn over every hour. The maidservant in blue also hurriedly stood up. The two of them were extremely skilled in taking care of Old Madam Murong. They first washed her face with warm water, then worked together to turn her over and pat her back. The maidservant gently patted the old lady¡¯s neck twice. When her gaze swept across the other party¡¯s neck, her expression changed drastically. She pointed at the back of the other party¡¯s neck with trembling fingers and said, ¡°Sister Hai Tang, take a look¡­ What¡¯s this?¡± Dark purple spots had appeared from the back of Old Madam Murong¡¯s neck to her back. The small ones were about the size of copper coins, and the big ones were almost the size of a fist. On the old woman¡¯s almost dead skin, it was a shocking sight. ¡°This¡­ this can¡¯t be a bedsore, right?¡± the maidservant in blue asked in a trembling voice, but a voice in her heart said, ¡®No, this isn¡¯t a bedsore. It¡¯s more like¡­ livor mortis.¡¯ The little maidservant was scared out of her wits. If anything happened to Old Madam Murong, the two of them wouldn¡¯t be able to answer. ¡°I¡¯ll go ahead and report to Master and Madam now.¡± The little maidservant ran out of the inner room like a gust of wind. She roughly lifted the thick curtain and threw it down, causing it to rustle in midair. Thus, the day in the Murong residence began with noisy chaos. Today was originally the day the Gu family sent the dowry over. The Murong family had been preparing for it long ago. Everywhere in the residence was decorated with lanterns and decorations. Even Shangqing Spiritual Master had been invited over early in the morning. Eldest Master Murong Hao and his wife were entertaining Shangqing Spiritual Master in the hall of the outer courtyard. After hearing the maidservant¡¯s report, they welcomed him to Old Madam Murong¡¯s courtyard. As soon as she entered the inner room, Shangqing Spiritual Master frowned and felt that something was wrong. It was too bright here! He didn¡¯t look at Old Madam Murong on the couch. Instead, he looked straight at a window and moved the silver-white horsetail whisk in his hand. Shangqing Spiritual Master walked towards the window with light steps. His yellow sleeved robe fluttered with his footsteps, making him look like an immortal. He pointed his horsetail whisk at a talisman on the window and asked indifferently, ¡°Why is one missing from this window?¡± Chapter 214 - 214 Borrowing Life 214 Borrowing Life Murong Hao and his wife looked at each other silently with embarrassed expressions. Last night, Murong Hao had personally torn off a talisman from the window to play with the cat. Now that he thought about it, Murong Hao was still a little confused. On the one hand, he didn¡¯t understand why his brain stopped working, but on the other hand, he felt that he hadn¡¯t done anything wrong. What was wrong with such a good-looking kitten wanting to play with a talisman? Which kitten wasn¡¯t playful! However, facing the spiritual master¡¯s question, the couple didn¡¯t dare to tell the truth. Madam Murong could only say hesitantly, ¡°Maybe it was blown away by the night wind.¡± There was silence in the room for a moment, and the atmosphere was awkward. ¡°Spiritual master, please take a look at my mother first?¡± Murong Hao quickly changed the topic and asked worriedly, ¡°Can she be saved?¡± Old Madam Murong, who was on the bed, was placed back in her lying position. She was barely breathing. Her face was even paler, and her lips were faintly a dull purple color. Even her wrists and the backs of her hands were beginning to show dark purple scars. Shangqing Spiritual Master flicked his silver horsetail whisk again. With a hint of pity and transcendence, he walked to the bed and glanced at Old Madam Murong from head to toe. He sighed and said, ¡°The Old Madam of your family is already on the verge of death.¡± He meant that she was dying. The two maidservants who served the old lady trembled and lowered their heads with pale faces. If anything happened to Old Madam Murong¡­ Madam Murong¡¯s expression changed drastically and she hurriedly asked, ¡°Spiritual master, do you have any other way to save my mother-in-law?¡± Murong Hao also stared at Shangqing Spiritual Master without blinking. His entire body was tense, and his pupils were filled with abnormally complicated emotions. There was nervousness, unease, sorrow, and a hint of fear. ¡°Forget it, just prepare to send her off,¡± Shangqing Spiritual Master said as he strolled towards the big table in front of the window. His servant immediately took out talismans, brushes, and special talisman ink and placed them on the big table. At the same time, Madam Murong dismissed all the servants in the house. The house was silent except for the sound of the remaining talismans by the window rustling in the wind. Shangqing Spiritual Master dipped his brush in ink and drew an extremely complicated new talisman like flowing water. Then, he instructed his servant to slap the talisman on Old Madam Murong¡¯s chest. The talisman seemed to have come to life. Ripples appeared on the talisman paper, making the winding runes on it exude a strange and mysterious aura. Murong Hao and his wife stared at the old lady on the bed with bated breaths. In the next moment, Old Madam Murong¡¯s breathing visibly became clearer, and her nose twitched slightly. Her eyes were still closed, and her eyeballs trembled under her eyelids. The corners of her wrinkled mouth were pursed in a stiff arc, as if she were in inhuman pain. ¡°This talisman can protect her heart meridians and temporarily protect her lifespan for six hours,¡± Shangqing Spiritual Master said slowly, his expression emotionless. Murong Hao and his wife heaved a sigh of relief when they heard the first half of the sentence. However, when they heard the second half, their hearts skipped a beat. Thinking that Shangqing Spiritual Master should have a backup plan, Murong Hao bowed respectfully to him and asked, ¡°Please guide us.¡± Shangqing Spiritual Master didn¡¯t look at the couple and didn¡¯t speak. He looked out of the window at the rising sun and calculated with his fingers. The faint morning light outside the window illuminated half of his face. The other half was hidden in the shadows in the corner, making his temperament deep and unfathomable. A few leaves were blown in by the morning breeze, but they automatically bypassed Shangqing Spiritual Master. After a while, he lowered his eyes, put down his right hand, and said calmly, ¡°My believers, the only solution now is to get the Second Young Master of your residence to get married immediately today and consummate to rush joy. Then, use the blood of the bride¡¯s first night to borrow her lifespan.¡± ¡°In that case, Old Madam Murong can hold on for another three years.¡± His tone was neutral and unhurried. As he spoke, he exuded the detachment of an otherworldly expert, and his wise eyes were calm. Marriage today?! Murong Hao and his wife looked at each other in shock. Then, they looked troubled. Yesterday, they had just agreed with the Gu family that Murong Yong and Gu Yunzhen would be married on New Year¡¯s Eve. Today was the day the Gu family would send their dowry. The Gu family was easy to talk to, and they had already agreed to ¡°rush joy¡±. If they brought the wedding date forward at the last minute¡­ ¡°That¡¯s too rushed¡­¡± Murong Hao said with difficulty. He was really not sure if the Gu family would agree. Shangqing Spiritual Master casually flicked his sleeves. His sleeves fluttered, and he looked sage-like. He faced the couple, his eyes shining with an abnormally bright light. He continued, ¡°I¡¯ve just read the fortune. In three years, the Second Young Master of your residence will definitely make a name for himself!¡± ¡°Whether it happens or not is up to the two of you to decide. I¡¯m an outsider, I¡¯m just doing my best.¡± Murong Hao and his wife could no longer listen to the last sentence of Shangqing Spiritual Master. They looked at each other again with burning eyes. As long as they thought of the words ¡°make a name for himself¡±, their blood would boil with desire. All their efforts at this moment would be worth it! Three years was all it took. As long as Old Madam Murong held on for three more years, their Murong family could rise! Murong Hao extended his hand respectfully and piously to Shangqing Spiritual Master. ¡°Please sit in the central room first and allow me to discuss it with my family.¡± Then, the couple sent Shangqing Spiritual Master out of the inner room to the central room outside, leaving Madam Murong and a housekeeper to entertain him for the time being. Murong Hao went to the outer courtyard to discuss this matter with his two younger brothers. In fact, the three brothers hadn¡¯t discussed it for long. They had been holding on for months and had finally held on until now. There was no way they would give up just like that. Hence, after half an hour, Madam Murong personally prepared a cart of heavy gifts and rushed to the Dingyuan Marquis Household. It was still early in the morning. As she was going to worship her ancestors today, Madam Gu woke up earlier than usual. Unexpectedly, the Murong family would suddenly visit at this time, so she asked Granny Li to invite them to the Benevolent Harmony Hall. ¡°Madam, forgive me for visiting without informing you. It¡¯s really urgent.¡± ¡°This morning, my Old Madam was in a bad state again. My family specially invited Shangqing Spiritual Master to take a look at her again. He said that if we want to save Old Madam Murong¡¯s life, we have to hurry up and rush joy.¡± ¡°I also know it¡¯s presumptuous of me to ask Madam to bring forward the wedding of the two children to today.¡± Madam Murong lowered her posture, afraid that the Gu family would be unwilling. ¡°¡­¡± Madam Gu¡¯s expression didn¡¯t look good. The Murong family had repeatedly brought forward the wedding date. They were really pushing their luck and didn¡¯t take the Gu family seriously. However, when she thought of Gu Yunzhen¡¯s disobedience yesterday, Madam Gu¡¯s eyes flickered and her expression darkened. Her fingers slowly twisted the prayer beads, weighing the pros and cons. Chapter 215 - 215 Different 215 Different After a short moment of silence, Madam Gu agreed. Her words were righteous and considerate, expressing her gratitude to the juniors of the Murong family for their filial piety. She also said that the Gu family also ruled the family with filial piety. Madam Murong didn¡¯t expect things to go so smoothly and was overjoyed. She thanked Madam Gu again and again, saying that she would immediately arrange the marriage when she returned to the residence. She promised to ask Shangqing Spiritual Master to calculate the auspicious time to welcome the bride before noon. After they left, only Madam Gu was left sitting at the head of the table in the hall. Granny Li glanced at the pot and wanted to ask if Madam Gu was going to set up the meal. However, before she could say anything, she saw a figure in a purple cloak walking over from the courtyard outside. Madam Gu also saw Gu Yunrong outside the house and couldn¡¯t help but reveal a gentle and loving smile. After Gu Yunrong bowed, she intimately pulled Gu Yunrong to her side and said with a smile, ¡°Rong¡¯er, didn¡¯t I tell you not to come this morning?¡± ¡°Grandma, are you annoyed with me?¡± Gu Yunrong pouted. Her tone was intimate and playful, with a hint of coquettishness. ¡°Of course not! Grandma can¡¯t wait for you to come often.¡± Madam Gu felt very pleased. She patted the back of Gu Yunrong¡¯s hand and sighed affectionately. ¡°You¡¯re still the most filial child. You always think of me.¡± ¡°Grandma treats me well, so of course I miss you.¡± Gu Yunrong leaned her head intimately on Madam Gu¡¯s shoulder. After returning from Yuheng Garden, Gu Yunrong felt very uneasy. In just over two months, she had already lost her big brother and big sister. She had lost everything she had. Gu Yunrong had never felt so uneasy, not even the moment her background was revealed¡­ Her heart was in a mess, so she came to the Benevolent Harmony Hall. Feeling the warmth from Madam Gu, Gu Yunrong felt relieved, as if her floating heart had found a home. That¡¯s right, Madam was different from them. She wouldn¡¯t alienate herself because of blood ties. In the Gu family, she was the only one who doted on her as a granddaughter. Gu Yunrong rubbed against Madam Gu¡¯s shoulder coquettishly. The bangs on her forehead parted with this action, revealing the bump on her forehead that was as red as a walnut. It was a shocking sight on her fair skin. ¡°My darling, why is your forehead injured?¡± Madam Gu¡¯s heart ached. She said with concern, ¡°Come, let Grandma take a look.¡± She studied Gu Yunrong¡¯s face carefully and realized that she looked unhappy, as if she was hiding something. Gu Yunrong raised her hand to cover the wound on her forehead with her bangs and smiled as if nothing had happened. ¡°Grandma, it¡¯s fine. I accidentally bumped into something this morning.¡± Madam Gu frowned slightly and felt that Gu Yunrong was hiding something. ¡°Was it Gu Yanfei?¡± Madam Gu asked bluntly. She knew that Gu Yanfei was the only one in the residence who would make things difficult for Gu Yunrong. Gu Yunrong didn¡¯t say anything. She just leaned against Madam Gu quietly with her eyes half-lowered, looking a little delicate. Madam Gu¡¯s heart ached even more when she saw this. She gently stroked Gu Yunrong¡¯s back with one hand and regretted it again. She shouldn¡¯t have brought her back. Now, there was no peace in the family just because she had tried to rectify her mistake. Gu Yunrong leaned against Madam Gu affectionately. After a moment, she said gently, ¡°Grandma, if Big Sister is unwilling to rush joy, why don¡¯t we forget about it?¡± The maidservant serving in the room looked at Madam Gu nervously, thinking that she would be angry. Madam Gu was stunned and instantly understood. So that was how it was. It was because of Gu Yunzhen that Rong¡¯er was injured. She sighed slightly. ¡°You¡¯ve always loved your sisters. Good child.¡± ¡°However, this matter is for your Big Sister¡¯s sake. Although your Big Sister¡¯s marriage will be rushed, once she gets married, the Murong family will definitely remember her kindness. No one will surpass her in this life, and she¡¯ll have a good life in the future. Why lose all of that over a moment of stubbornness?¡± Madam Gu patted Gu Yunrong¡¯s hand again. Meeting her loving eyes, Gu Yunrong nodded gently. The pearl earrings on her earlobe fluttered slightly, making her eyes flicker. She sighed faintly in her heart. Yes, why didn¡¯t Big Sister understand such a simple logic? Big Sister was different. Seeing Gu Yunrong¡¯s obedient appearance, Madam Gu¡¯s expression softened a little. Her eyes lit up as she said, ¡°Second Young Master Murong has already entered the Divine Arms Battalion. With him around, he can help Kang Wang in the future.¡± ¡°Rong¡¯er, don¡¯t worry. Your marriage with Kang Wang will definitely go smoothly.¡± Gu Yunrong hummed in response. Her eyelashes were lowered, revealing a hint of shyness. She told herself that she didn¡¯t need Big Sister to sacrifice herself for her. With Chu You around, the Murong family would definitely not mistreat Big Sister in the future. This was good for Big Sister. She felt that she had a clear conscience towards her Big Sister. After accompanying Madam Gu for breakfast in the Benevolent Harmony Hall, Gu Yunrong helped her to the ancestral hall. The two of them chatted and laughed along the way, and she coaxed Madam Gu until she couldn¡¯t stop laughing. They arrived a little late. Most of the others in the various rooms of the Marquis Mansion were already waiting in the ancestral hall, dressed in sparkling jewelries. Some were chatting, some were talking about their children, and some were whispering amongst themselves¡­ Seeing Madam Gu arrive, everyone fell silent and went forward to welcome her. Everyone surrounded Madam Gu like stars surrounding the moon as she walked into the front hall of the ancestral hall. At first glance, they were happy and harmonious. Before entering the house, Xia Lian took off Gu Yunrong¡¯s cloak, revealing the primrose-colored skirt embroidered with a hundred butterflies. The bright colors were eye-catching. ¡°Third Sister, your clothes are really beautiful!¡± The Fourth Lady, Gu Yunlan, intimately held Gu Yunrong¡¯s arm and said affectionately, ¡°You¡¯re finally willing to leave Cai Ling Courtyard.¡± Ever since Mother Su was sent to the government, Gu Yunrong had been silent and almost never left the house. Gu Yunlan had asked her out a few times to play, but she had rejected her politely. Gu Yunlan was disappointed for a long time, but there was nothing she could do. ¡°I¡¯ve been copying Buddhist scriptures for my grandfather these past few days. I thought I could burn them for him on the day of the ancestral worship.¡± Gu Yunrong snuggled intimately with Gu Yunlan. Her smile was sweet and amiable, like the refreshing wind in March. ¡°I¡¯ll be free tomorrow. We can go shopping and buy some New Year¡¯s things together.¡± She made Gu Yunlan laugh with just a few words. The other girls from the Gu family also chimed in, saying that they wanted to go shopping with Gu Yunrong and the others. The girls laughed and the atmosphere was very harmonious. Madam Gu looked at her smiling cousins and couldn¡¯t help but smile. Her smiling gaze swept across Gu Yunrong and landed on Gu Yunzhen, who was sitting not far ahead. Gu Yunzhen looked back with a smile. Her smile was gentle, and she was still as dignified and virtuous as usual. The girl in front of her was clearly still the eldest granddaughter she had watched grow up. She had an ordinary appearance, an ordinary smile, and an ordinary temperament. However, for some reason, Madam Gu felt that something was different. It was as if Gu Yunzhen had become a different person overnight. ¡°Madam.¡± Gu Yuan, who was sitting beside Gu Yanfei, interrupted Madam Gu¡¯s train of thoughts. Everyone around them felt a subtle spark when Gu Yuan called her. In the past, Gu Yuan had always called Madam Gu ¡°Grandma¡±, but now, like Gu Yanfei, he had changed his address to ¡°Madam¡±. Gu Yuan said coldly, ¡°What did my sister do wrong? Madam wants to punish her by making her kneel in the ancestral hall?¡± ¡°If the residence can¡¯t accommodate the eldest branch, let¡¯s split up and live separately.¡± ¡°In case Madam sends my sister to the Benevolent Silence Nunnery when I¡¯m not around.¡± Gu Yuan¡¯s eyes were cold, emitting a proud confidence like a tall mountain. He was in high spirits and had a hint of danger. Chapter 216 - 216 As You Wish 216 As You Wish Gu Yuan had been working in the palace last night and had just rushed back from the palace this morning. As soon as he returned to the residence, he learned from the servant, Wu Tong, that Gu Yanfei had been punished by Madam Gu to kneel in the ancestral hall. Although his sister was smart and didn¡¯t suffer any losses, in the past two months, Madam had targeted his sister time and time again. She had simply gone too far. Gu Yuan looked at Madam Gu with a gaze as cold as ice and as determined as a sword. The entire front hall was silent. The others all looked at the grandfather and granddaughter in silence. Gu Jian frowned and said in the tone of an elder, ¡°Yuan¡¯er, today is a big day to worship our ancestors. Don¡¯t throw a tantrum and cause trouble!¡± ¡°The elders do everything for your own good!¡± He looked sincere and earnest. Gu Yuan raised his eyebrows slightly, his eyes distant. He said coldly, ¡°Is it good for you to tamper with the bowstring?¡± What did he mean?! Most of the other Gu family members present didn¡¯t know about this and couldn¡¯t help but look at each other. ¡°¡­¡± Gu Jian¡¯s face turned green and he was speechless. He wanted to say that Gu Yuan had misunderstood and wanted to brush this matter off, but Gu Yuan greeted him with a faint smile, ¡°Marquis, has your arm recovered?¡± As he spoke, Gu Yuan looked meaningfully at Gu Jian¡¯s injured arm, attracting the attention of the others. Someone immediately remembered that the reason why Gu Jian¡¯s right arm seemed to be injured was because the rhinoceros horn bow had broken its string. However, from the meaning in Gu Yuan¡¯s words, could it be that this was not an ¡°accident¡±? Thinking of this, everyone looked at Gu Jian meaningfully with their own guesses. ¡°¡­¡± Gu Jian felt as if their gazes were piercing. His expression darkened even more, and he felt a dull pain from his right shoulder to his right arm. Of course it had yet to recover! Now that his injured arm was in a cast and his right forearm was hanging from his chest in a bandage, his appearance was tantamount to writing the words ¡°I¡¯m an injured person¡± on him. Anyone could tell that he hadn¡¯t recovered. Gu Yuan was asking the obvious! The more Gu Jian thought about it, the more displeased he became. He couldn¡¯t help but think more and more. He repeatedly thought about Gu Yuan¡¯s words and felt that there was a needle hidden in the cotton wool. Gu Yuan was clearly mocking him for deserving it. In the past, Gu Yuan wouldn¡¯t have dared to be so rude to his uncle. This kid was just smug because he was now on guard duty! Gu Jian gritted his teeth and assumed the posture of the Dingyuan Marquis. He raised his voice and reprimanded, ¡°Yuan¡¯er, you¡¯re so unruly and disobeyed your elders. Do you believe that I¡¯ll teach you a lesson¡­¡± As he spoke, Gu Jian flew into a rage out of humiliation. He really felt embarrassed to be ridiculed by his nephew in front of his two brothers and a group of juniors. However, before he could finish, Madam Gu interrupted him coldly. ¡°Enough.¡± Madam Gu¡¯s voice was neither loud nor soft, but it was powerful. At the same time, she gave Gu Jian a look, indicating for him to stop talking nonsense. Gu Jian could only shut his mouth in embarrassment, though he was still unconvinced. Gu Yuan didn¡¯t care about the argument between the mother and son. He casually brushed the non-existent dust off his shoulder and smiled mockingly. ¡°Madam, Marquis, you¡¯re really arrogant. One wants to send her granddaughter to the nunnery, and the other wants to harm his nephew¡­¡± ¡°Sister, are you scared?¡± Gu Yuan turned to look at Gu Yanfei seriously and even took out a new handkerchief for her. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯m here.¡± Gu Yanfei cooperated and took the handkerchief from Gu Yuan. She pretended to wipe the corners of her eyes and nodded with sparkling eyes. ¡°With Brother around, I¡¯m not afraid.¡± Her voice was clear, and she looked as obedient as possible. Gu Yuan enjoyed this very much and rubbed the top of her soft head. The corners of Madam Gu¡¯s mouth twitched as she glanced back and forth between Gu Yanfei and Gu Yunzhen. She was so far away, but she could already smell the alcohol on these two girls. They must have drunk a lot that night. Gu Yanfei was almost lawless, and she still had the cheek to say that she was ¡°not afraid¡±! This pair of siblings was clearly making use of the situation! Gu Yanfei had no intention of bothering to hide the smell of alcohol. She continued to wipe the unnecessary tears from the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief, as if she was just wearing a perfume bag with a special smell. The front room fell into a dead silence, the undercurrents surging. Looking at the siblings, Gu Yuan and Gu Yanfei, Madam Gu¡¯s eyes darkened bit by bit. She gripped the prayer beads tightly with one hand. Chapter 217 - 217 As You Wish 217 As You Wish Before the emperor sealed the brush, the Ministry of War had sent a transfer order to the Marquis Mansion. They said that Gu Jian¡¯s hand was injured and it was difficult for him to take on his original position, so they transferred him from the deputy commander of the Left Guard Army to the Left Guard Division. Although the rank hadn¡¯t changed, the Left Guard Army was under one of the five military camps, while the Left Guard Division only protected the imperial mausoleum and didn¡¯t have any real power. It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that they were sidelined. Madam Gu had been distraught for several days because of this transfer order. If this continued, the Marquis Mansion would probably continue to decline and become a declining Marquis Mansion with no real power. Now, only Gu Yuan¡¯s job as a guard was considered decent. He had saved the Marquis Mansion¡¯s last layer of face. At this moment, they definitely could not split up, let alone make the situation irreparable. The silence lasted so long that the others subconsciously held their breaths, vaguely sensing a pre-storm oppression. The eldest branch had been suppressed for eight years. Now that Gu Yuan had risen, the situation in the Marquis Mansion seemed to be changing. In the end, Madam Gu was the first to break the silence. ¡°Yuan¡¯er, what do you want?¡± She enunciated each word clearly. Her voice was calm and her words were clear but full of pressure. ¡°I want our branch to split from the family,¡± Gu Yuan said coldly. ¡°Impossible,¡± Madam Gu objected without hesitation. Her firm tone didn¡¯t allow anyone to question her. This was her bottom line! Gu Yuan looked straight at Madam Gu without avoiding her. His pupils were as quiet and cold as a frozen lake. His stubborn attitude made Madam Gu feel a little uncertain. Gu Yuan had always been stubborn. Hence, Madam Gu lowered herself and advised kindly, ¡°Yuan¡¯er, your parents are no longer around, but I¡¯m still here.¡± ¡°As long as your family is around, we won¡¯t split up. This is an unchanging principle. Which family in the capital isn¡¯t like this?¡± ¡°You and your second sister aren¡¯t even of age yet. How can you start your own family?¡± Gu Yuan¡¯s eyes were cold, but his gaze remained unmoved. He recalled his father¡¯s teachings when he was still alive. At that time, his father asked him, ¡°Yuan¡¯er, if you wanted to find someone who doesn¡¯t like you and ask for a sword, what would you do?¡± He pumped his fist and replied, ¡°Beat him up.¡± His father had chuckled and said, ¡°What if you can¡¯t beat him?¡± When he frowned and thought hard, his father taught him with a smile, ¡°Just ask for all the other party¡¯s weapons and bargain step by step. Do you understand?¡± At that time, Gu Yuan was only four or five years old and still didn¡¯t understand. Now, he understood. With his chin raised slightly in a cold arc, as if he was pondering, Gu Yuan said slowly, ¡°It¡¯s fine if we don¡¯t split up.¡± ¡°Then don¡¯t interfere in the matters of the eldest branch in the future.¡± ¡°My sister¡¯s marriage will be decided by me, her biological brother, so that Madam won¡¯t casually arrange for my sister to be ¡®blessed¡¯ by some random person.¡± Gu Yanfei was slightly stunned. She didn¡¯t expect Big Brother to cause such a scene today just for her. Marriage was based on the orders of her parents. But since her parents had passed on, logically speaking, Madam was indeed qualified to decide her marriage. Although to Gu Yanfei, if she was unwilling, no one in this world could force her. However, Big Brother¡¯s thoughtfulness still warmed her heart. It was sweet, as if she had drunk sweet honey. Madam Gu slowly looked away and suppressed the displeasure in her heart. The hall fell silent again. Even a pin drop could be heard. After thinking about it, Madam Gu forced out a word. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°I promise you.¡± She finally managed to nod. She felt uncomfortable, as if something had escaped her palm. She didn¡¯t like it. Gu Jian¡¯s eyes widened. He instinctively wanted to object, but he was afraid of Madam Gu and shut his mouth in the end. His expression was as calm as water. Gu Yuan snapped his fingers loudly. ¡°Words are useless. Madam, please write a letter and sign it.¡± The word ¡°rubbish¡± was already on Madam Gu¡¯s lips, but she still bit the tip of her tongue and swallowed it. Gu Yuan didn¡¯t care about Madam Gu¡¯s reaction at all. He called his servant, Wu Tong, to fetch a piece of silk paper, brush, and ink and place them on the rosewood table. ¡°Madam, please.¡± Gu Yuan extended his hand to Madam Gu for her to write the contract. Madam Gu didn¡¯t like the feeling of being forced. She wished she could leave with a flick of her sleeve, but since things had already come to this, and she had already given in, she couldn¡¯t let everything go to waste now. She was now like an arrow on a string that had to be fired. The parasol tree at the side quickly ground the ink. A faint ink fragrance mixed with the surrounding sandalwood and candle incense. Madam Gu swallowed and slowly walked to the table. She slowly picked up the brush and wrote. The others were already dumbfounded by her stiff back. No one expected things to develop in this direction. After a while, Madam Gu finished writing the contract. Then, she signed it and printed her thumbprint on it. Gu Yuan leaned over and looked at the contents of the book contract. He was quite satisfied. He personally blew dry the ink on the silk paper and handed this book to Gu Yanfei. ¡°Sister, keep it carefully.¡± Gu Yanfei nodded obediently and carefully folded the silk paper with a smile. This was Big Brother¡¯s gift for her. She would keep it well¡­ When she returned, she would frame it up! Gu Yuan¡¯s smiling gaze shifted from Gu Yanfei to Gu Yunzhen and he said, ¡°There¡¯s also Zhen¡¯er¡¯s marriage¡­¡± A strong dissatisfaction accumulated in Madam Gu¡¯s heart. At this moment, her surging anger finally erupted uncontrollably. ¡°Gu Yuan, don¡¯t push your luck!¡± Madam Gu interrupted Gu Yuan angrily with a burning gaze. She had already promised the Murong family that she would let Gu Yunzhen marry into the family today. There was no possibility of changing this matter. Gu Yunzhen didn¡¯t want Gu Yuan to offend Madam Gu for her. She hurriedly tugged at his sleeve and shook her head silently. ¡°Big Brother,¡± Gu Yanfei said with a smile, ¡°Grandpa will decide Big Sister¡¯s marriage.¡± ¡°Very soon.¡± Her words sounded meaningful. Chapter 218 - 218 Making the Call 218 Making the Call There was an instant silence. Everyone knew that the Old Marquis, Gu Xuan, had died 14 years ago. In the Gu family¡¯s ancestral hall, the Old Marquis¡¯ memorial tablet was worshiped. How could the dead decide for Gu Yunzhen?! Gu Jian frowned, feeling that this pair of siblings was simply ridiculous. Gu Yuan actually didn¡¯t understand what his sister meant, but this didn¡¯t stop him from listening to her. When facing outsiders, Gu Yuan was a proud wolf with a sharpness that could tear apart one¡¯s heart. However, when he faced Gu Yanfei, he would retract his sharp claws and become her gentlest and most reliable brother. He lowered his eyes and smiled gently at Gu Yanfei, his expression doting and tolerant. His sister never spoke without thinking. She must have her reasons for saying so. There was silence in the house for another moment. The air was oppressive and heavy, so heavy that it seemed to be dripping. An old servant swallowed and carefully took a step closer to Madam Gu. She reported, ¡°Madam, Marquis, the auspicious time has arrived.¡± The old servant didn¡¯t dare to look at Madam Gu and Gu Jian¡¯s faces. Madam Gu retracted her gaze from Gu Yuan and Gu Yanfei with a dark expression. Abnormally intense emotions surged in her eyes. There was anger, depression, embarrassment, and turbulence, but in the end, she suppressed them. She cleared her throat and put on a serious expression. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Marquis,¡± she said indifferently, as if nothing had happened. She took the lead and walked unhurriedly in the direction of the sacrificial hall. At first glance, her expression was dignified and inviolable. Everyone suppressed their complicated emotions and followed closely. However, after the episode just now, a few of them were a little frustrated and couldn¡¯t calm down. They glanced at Gu Yuan and Gu Yanfei from time to time. Soon, everyone surrounded Madam and Gu Jian as they passed through the front hall and entered the sacrificial hall at the back. The procession of worshippers was vast. Chapter 219 - Chapter 219: Making the Call Chapter 219: Making the Call Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios She endured it again and again because she thought that after her daughter married into the Murong family in the future, the Murong family would definitely not mistreat her on account of her kindness. But now, could this be called getting married?! Even if someone else married a concubine, it would be more dignified than this! Madam Yan¡¯s heart ached as she turned to look at Gu Yunzhen beside her with difficulty. The girl¡¯s face was illuminated by the candlelight. Her skin was as porcelain as jade, and her face was unbelievably calm. Even she couldn¡¯t let go of the Murong family¡¯s almost humiliating actions, let alone her daughter, who was involved. She was only 16 years old, but she was forced to have a calm heart that only existed at 60 years old¡­ Her heart was like dead ashes. Her daughter shouldn¡¯t be like this! Her daughter, who had been raised like a treasure, shouldn¡¯t be trampled on like this! This thought was like a dagger stabbing into Madam Yan¡¯s heart, making it hurt even more. Her eyes turned sour and she blurted out, ¡°Zhen¡¯er, if you really don¡¯t want to, you don¡¯t have to get married.¡± After the words left her mouth, she realized that her voice was choked and hoarse. ¡®Mother?¡± Gu Yunzhen looked at Madam Yan in shock. Ripples seemed to appear in her gentle willow eyes. Beyond the shock, she was touched and happy. Yesterday, her mother had clearly helped her grandmother persuade her¡­ But now, her mother had chosen to stand on her side. The reason why she didn¡¯t hesitate to go against her grandmother was naturally to protect her! Mother and daughter looked at each other, their eyes glistening with tears. The others around subconsciously held their breaths. The soft-hearted girls didn¡¯t dare to look at Madam Guis expression at all. Madam Gu¡¯s expression instantly turned ugly. The anger in her heart surged again, and even her graceful face twisted slightly. ¡®Enough!¡± Madam Gu said sternly, her voice low and deep. ¡°If she doesn¡¯t marry, she¡¯ll be a nun.¡± She looked straight at Madam Yan with a cold gaze. Every word and sentence was so cold that ice was about to fall out. Madam Yan¡¯s lifeline was her daughter. Her face immediately turned pale and she wilted like a frosted eggplant, unable to say anything. With Madam Yan¡¯s understanding of Madam Gu, she would dare to say and do it. How could Madam Yan dare to risk her daughter¡¯s future? How could she bear to see her daughter become a nun at such a young age? Madam Yan¡¯s body was trembling slightly, but Gu Yunzhen, who was beside her, was as straight as a bamboo in the cold wind. She didn¡¯t care about Madam Guis threat and her expression was still calm. She had the support of her mother, eldest brother, and second sister. Her family was all by her side, what did she have to fear?! ¡®Mother, I¡­¡± Gu Yunzhen opened her mouth slightly. She wanted to say that she wouldn¡¯t marry even if she had to be a nun, but she felt her sleeve tighten. She looked down and saw Gu Yanfei quietly pulling her sleeve and shaking it. Gu Yunlan, who was in front of her, happened to block Gu Yanfei¡¯s small actions. ¡®Madam, didn¡¯t I just say?¡± Gu Yanfei walked to Gu Yunzhen¡¯s side with a smile. ¡®Grandpa will decide on Big Sister¡¯s marriage. The others beside her subconsciously took a step to the sides to make way for her. ¡®It just so happens that Grandpa is here. Let¡¯s ask him what he thinks.¡± Gu Yanfei¡¯s voice was cold and low, but it resounded through the entire sacrificial hall and clearly entered everyone¡¯s ears. Gu Yanfei looked up at the memorial tablet in front of her with the name of the Old Marquis, Gu Xuan, and said seriously, ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m your granddaughter, Yanfei. I greeted you last night.¡± ¡®Madam and the Marquis want Big Sister to rush joy and get married. Grandpa, do you agree?¡± Gu Yanfei asked seriously. ¡®Nonsense,¡± Gu Jian couldn¡¯t help but reprimand. ¡°Tuk, tuk..¡± As soon as he finished speaking, a strange sound came from ahead, as if refuting Gu Jian¡¯s words. ¡°Tuk, tuk..¡± The sound continued and grew louder. Everyone fell silent. Their gazes surged over like a tide, looking for the memorial tablet of the old Marquis of Dingyuan, Gu Xuan, in the second row of the incense tablet. Under the heavy candlelight, the dark red memorial tablet swayed like a sieve on the incense table. It repeatedly made ¡°tuk, tuk¡± sounds that became heavier. In the sacrificial hall filled with memorial tablets, this sound was abnormally strange. Gu Yanfei sighed faintly. She spread her hands and sighed. ¡°Do you see that? Grandpa is here to stand up for Big Sister.¡± When she said that, everyone felt their hair stand on end and subconsciously looked around. The young girls looked around, the hair on their necks standing on end, as if the Old Marquis was secretly watching all of them in another way. Gu Yuan tacitly echoed Gu Yanfei, ¡°I think Grandpa is angry!¡± ¡®That¡¯s true. The residence snatched my job to give it to Murong Yong. Not only that, but they also want to give Zhen¡¯er to their family to rush joy!¡¯ ¡®No wonder Grandpa is angry.¡± As Gu Yuan spoke, the knocking sounds were endless. The Old Marquis Gu Xuan¡¯s memorial tablet continued to ring and sway back and forth. The rhythm became more and more urgent, forming a sharp contrast with the other memorial tablets around him. There was clearly no wind in the house, but the clusters of candles on the candlesticks on both sides swayed slightly, crisscrossing with light and shadow. This scene was too ghostly. Gu Jian¡¯s face was pale, and his facial features flickered in the candlelight, making him look uneasy. He couldn¡¯t help but think, ¡®Could it be that my father is really up in the sky and wants to say something to them? ¡®The memorial tablet moves without wind.¡± Gu Yanfei sighed. Her clear voice was as cold as the autumn wind. ¡®Grandfather doesn¡¯t agree.]¡¯ Chapter 220 - Chapter 220: Substitute Chapter 220: Substitute Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The rest of the Gu family were a little frightened. A few girls leaned against each other and looked around carefully. Two other four or five-year-old children couldn¡¯t help but scream and cry. The child was still young, so as a mother, her heart naturally ached. She hurriedly hugged the child and coaxed and caressed him. Most of them wanted to leave. After all, this was the matter of the third branch and had nothing to do with the fourth and fifth branches. However, they were still worried that Madam was still around. After hesitating for a while, they didn¡¯t dare to leave. Fourth Master Gu and Fifth Master Gu exchanged glances. They didn¡¯t dare to say anything to Madam Gu, so they turned towards Gu Jian. ¡°Second Brother, is Father really angry?¡± Fourth Master Gu asked hesitantly. Gu Jian was already panicking. At this moment, being questioned by his two concubine brothers in public, his face instantly felt hot and embarrassed. ¡®Shut up!¡± Gu Jian¡¯s face was ashen as he reprimanded them like an elder brother. ¡°It¡¯s just a trick to scare you. You¡¯re all useless.¡¯ With Gu Jian¡¯s shout, the two children, who had finally stopped crying, started crying again. They were about to overturn the roof. Fourth Master Gu and Fifth Master Guis expressions didn¡¯t look too good either. They knew very well that Gu Jian was venting his anger. Fifth Master Gu said awkwardly, ¡°Second Brother, you¡¯re so loud. Be careful not to scare the child.¡± The surroundings were even more chaotic. A few girls were muttering to themselves, imitating Gu Yanfei¡¯s previous actions and introducing themselves to the ancestral tablet, as if this would give them a sense of security. Madam Gu didn¡¯t seem to notice the commotion around her at all. She stared at the Old Marquis¡¯s memorial tablet in a daze. Her fingers unconsciously exerted strength, almost crushing the prayer beads in her hand. She squeezed until her knuckles turned white. ¡°It¡¯s you, isn¡¯t it?¡± Gu Jian¡¯s sharp voice sounded again. Gu Jian raised his intact left hand and pointed at Gu Yanfei, who was a few steps away. He said confidently, ¡°Yesterday, you and Zhen¡¯er knelt in the ancestral hall for the entire night. You must have taken the opportunity to do something to your grandfather¡¯s memorial tablet, righ?!¡± The more Gu Jian spoke, the more he felt that this was the case. His voice became higher and higher. He really wanted to punish this wild girl in front of his ancestors. Gu Yanfei calmly curled a strand of hair on her chest with her fingers, but she smiled without saying anything. In Gu Jian¡¯s opinion, this was tantamount to an admission and a silent provocation. He wanted to teach Gu Yanfei a lesson and walked towards her in three steps. But he¡¯d only taken two steps when his left foot tripped over his right. He stumbled, lost his balance, and fell forward. ¡®Marquis!¡± ¡°Father!¡± Madam Wang and the young masters and ladies of the second branch shouted in unison, but they didn¡¯t have time to help Gu Jian. They just watched as Gu Jian fell on the ground. Gu Jian¡¯s right shoulder landed on the ground, adding to his injuries. He let out a miserable scream. Gu Yanfei shook her head with a sigh. She rubbed her chin and sighed. ¡®Ah, Grandpa is angry. ¡°Tuk, tuk, tuk¡­¡± The memorial tablet in front of them was still vibrating. The monotonous sound made one feel vexed. The veins on Gu Jian¡¯s forehead twitched, and the pain from his right shoulder distorted his face. Madam Wang shouted with heartache, ¡°Quick, help the Marquis up.¡± However, no one moved, and a single thought lingered in their hearts. Gu Xuan was probably really angry. Madam Wang could only walk over and order her son to help Gu Jian up from the ground. Gu Jian was embarrassed and angry. He had fallen in public and was seen as a joke by his two brothers and the others. This was like a slap to his face. The pain in his right shoulder was getting stronger and stronger. It was so painful that he couldn¡¯t stand steadily, and could barely stand upright. Cold sweat dripped from his forehead. He was the Marquis of Dingyuan and the head of the Gu family. Of course, he couldn¡¯t show weakness in front of everyone, let alone bear the title of ¡®Offending his late father¡±. Of course, he wasn¡¯t the one in the wrong. It was his nephew and niece! ¡®You guys have really disappointed me!¡± Gu Jian used all his strength to barely finish his sentence. His voice grew louder, as if that would make more sense. ¡®Zhen¡¯er, you weren¡¯t like this in the past. Why are you so selfish now? Your grandfather doted on you so much when he was still alive, but you actually tampered with his memorial tablet. How can your grandfather rest in peace in heaven?!¡± ¡®And you, Gu Yanfei, you¡¯re just a troublemaker.. Isn¡¯t it enough that you almost ruined your third sister¡¯s marriage? Now, you¡¯re even going to ruin your eldest sister¡¯s marriage?!¡± Chapter 221 - Chapter 221: Substitute Chapter 221: Substitute Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡®Do you think you can fool everyone with just a little trick?!¡± Gu Jian let everyone in the family see this girl¡¯s true colors. Madam Wang supported him, feeling uneasy. She couldn¡¯t help but look at the Old Marquis¡¯s memorial tablet. She wanted to advise him to stop, in case he fell again. The children were so frightened by this cursing that they cried non-stop. The sharp cries made the others feel even more flustered. Fourth Master Gu and Fifth Master Gu gave their wives and children a look and slowly took a step back, then another. Madam Gu seemed indifferent to all of this. She stared at the Old Marquis¡¯s memorial tablet without moving, as if she was missing something or looking at someone who wasn¡¯t here. Her old and turbid eyes darkened in the heavy candlelight and her body stiffened. After the initial panic, Madam Gu gradually calmed down. When the Old Marquis was alive, she wasn¡¯t afraid of him. Now that he was dead, there was even less need to be afraid of him. In the blink of an eye, 14 years had passed! She was the only one left alive¡­ Madam Gu sighed deeply. Her gaze gently swept across Gu Yanfei and she didn¡¯t say anything. To her, it didn¡¯t matter if the abnormality caused by the memorial tablet was Gu Yanfei¡¯s doing. The important thing was¡ª ¡®Zhen¡¯er, stop fooling around.¡± Madam Gu slowly turned to look at Gu Yunzhen, who was two steps away. She stared into her eyes and said in an unquestionable tone, ¡®You have to marry today!¡± She slowly twisted the prayer beads in her hand with her usual kind smile. But at this moment, this smile was chilling. It felt as if she was wearing a mask. ¡°Tuk, tuk.¡± As soon as Madam Gu finished speaking, the Old Marquis¡¯s memorial tablet trembled even more, as if it had been provoked. In the next moment, the memorial tablet lost its balance and fell forward, falling off the high incense table and toward the ground.. ¡®Ah!¡± Everyone from the Gu family gasped in unison. Several women exclaimed with pale faces. The memorial tablet was only made of wood. If it fell from this height, it would most likely break. ¡°Father-in-law has appeared¡­¡± Fourth Madam Gu¡¯s legs went weak and she almost fell weakly. Fortunately, her two daughters caught her in time. Madam Gu naturally saw this scene and her eyes almost popped out. She leaped toward the fallen memorial tablet and thrust her hands forward with all her might. Even her chin came up unconsciously and she caught it in an extremely strange and twisted manner. She couldn¡¯t care less about her bearing. She no longer had her usual elegance and poise. Madam Wang¡¯s jaw almost dropped. Gu Yunrong originally wanted to watch coldly and see what Gu Yanfei and the others were up to. At this moment, seeing that Madam Gu had almost fallen to catch her grandfather¡¯s memorial tablet, Gu Yunrong quickly stepped forward and asked with concern, ¡®Grandma, are you alright?¡± ¡®Grandfather¡¯s memorial tablet.. Gu Yunrong held Madam Gu¡¯s arm with one hand and wanted to help her. Her other hand reached out to the memorial tablet in her hand, wanting to take it. And yet¡ª Before Gu Yunrong¡¯s fingers could touch the memorial tablet, she felt a strong push on her shoulder. Gu Yunrong was caught off guard and staggered back. She grabbed the incense table with her left hand and tried to steady herself. When she bumped into the incense table, the memorial tablets on it swayed a few times, making even more chaotic thuds. Madam Gu was like a frightened rabbit. She carefully held the memorial tablet with both hands and looked around in fear. She felt that the ancestral hall was eerie this time. Madam Gu¡¯s heart was beating wildly, and her face was pale. She vented her anger on Gu Yunrong and reprimanded, ¡°How can a girl be so rash!!¡± ¡®Grandma?¡± Gu Yunrong had just stabilized herself when Madam Gu scolded her. She was a little stunned and in disbelief. This was the first time she had been scolded like this by her grandmother and the first time she had been pushed away by her. Gu Yunrong felt hurt, but at the same time, she acutely sensed that Madam Guts loss of composure came from the fear in her heart. Was Grandma afraid? Looking at Madam Guis uncertain eyes and trembling fingertips, Gu Yunrong couldn¡¯t help but have a question. What was Grandma afraid of¡­ Gu Yanfei stood three to four steps away from Madam Gu and watched this scene calmly. Even the corners of her eyes didn¡¯t move.. Chapter 222 - Chapter 222: Substitute Chapter 222: Substitute Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Last night, when Gu Yunzhen was wiping the Old Marquis¡¯s memorial tablet, Gu Yanfei had noticed that this memorial tablet was heavier than the other memorial tablets around it, as if it was hiding something. She had also tried to avoid Gu Yunzhen and open this memorial tablet, but unless she cut open the memorial tablet, she wouldn¡¯t be able to open it at all. So, taking advantage of the fact that they had just asked about the memorial tablet, she quietly tampered with it to make it move at the right time. As it turned out, there was indeed something hidden in the memorial tablet. Moreover¡­ Gu Yanfei¡¯s gaze darted to Madam Gu¡¯s still-afraid face and the corners of her lips curled up. Moreover, there was something unspeakable hidden in the memorial tablet! Gu Yanfei¡¯s dark pupils were extremely clear and faint. She shook her head and sighed. ¡°I knew it. Grandpa is unhappy.¡¯ Madam Gu held the memorial tablet solemnly in her hands with both hands, as if she hadn¡¯t heard anything. She quietly placed the memorial tablet back on the incense table. But after she put it down, she was still worried. Her hands were still gripping the memorial tablet, and her body was trembling almost imperceptibly. This was the first time Gu Jian had seen Madam like this. He felt that she looked a little strange. Suppressing the doubts in his heart, Gu Jian endured the pain on his right shoulder and walked to Madam Guts side to look at the memorial tablet. He heaved a sigh of relief when he confirmed that the memorial tablet was intact. Then his anger began to reignite. ¡®Gu Yanfei, this is your grandfather¡¯s memorial tablet. If it¡¯s broken, can you bear the responsibility?!¡± Gu Jian scolded sharply. ¡°Have you had enough!¡¯ However, this time, Gu Jian didn¡¯t dare to approach Gu Yanfei at all. He only dared to point at her nose and curse. Gu Yanfei ignored Gu Jian and continued to look at Madam Gu¡¯s face, from her forehead to her eyebrows to her eyes, her nose, her lips, and finally her chin. Her gaze was so clear that it was almost fixed, as if she wanted to engrave Madam Guts face in her heart, or see her fate through her face. Gu Yanfei suddenly chuckled and said, ¡°Madam, have you heard of the art of borrowing luck?¡± Madam Gu¡¯s eyes widened slightly, and her hands trembled as she held the memorial tablet. She didn¡¯t speak, and Gu Yanfei didn¡¯t expect her to answer. She had already gotten the answer she wanted from the other party¡¯s subtle expression. ¡®There are two kinds of luck borrowing techniques among Taoist doctors. One is to flush out good fortune, and the other is¡­¡± Gu Yanfei said unhurriedly,¡±¡­ a substitute. When Gu Yanfei mentioned ¡°substitute¡±, Madam Gu suddenly shivered. Her hand trembled and she almost pushed down the memorial tablet. Gu Yanfei saw her loss of composure and accurately captured the change in her expression. Her pupils reflected a gorgeous light in the candlelight as she sighed inwardly. It was a substitute. Gu Yanfei remained calm and continued as if nothing had happened, ¡°If the Murong family wants to rush joy, they want to borrow Big Sister¡¯s luck and even her lifespan.¡± ¡®Madam, you¡¯re pushing Big Sister into a fire pit.¡¯ ¡®Even my grandfather couldn¡¯t stand it!¡± Her words ended with a sigh. The others gasped with shocked expressions, but Third Madam Yan seemed to have been struck by lightning. The color instantly drained from her face, and she was as pale as a dead person. Didn¡¯t they say that this joyous occasion was just to expel the evil aura that was causing trouble so that the old madam could be saved? How could that be¡­ If what Gu Yanfei said was true, then once Old Madam Murong recovered from her illness, wouldn¡¯t her daughter¡¯s lifespan be shortened?! Madam Yan looked at Gu Yanfei with red eyes and muttered, ¡°Is it true? Gu Yanfei nodded affirmatively. ¡°Of course.¡¯ once met a family who used rushing joy to extend the groomis life. The groom indeed turned from danger to safety. The couple also had fun for a few years. However, the groom¡¯s calamity was a dead calamity. The lifespan needed to resolve the dead calamity was multiplied. In just two years, the bride died of a difficult delivery.¡± ¡®Another year passed and even the groom died.¡± ¡®Borrowed lifespans are never long-lasting.¡¯ Gu Yanfei said faintly. From the corner of her eye, she glanced at the shocked Madam Gu. Madam Yan¡¯s entire body trembled violently, and she was so frightened that her soul almost left her body. She only took it as an excuse to bring forward the marriage. She didn¡¯t dare to take the slightest risk with her daughter¡¯s lifespan. Her daughter was her life. ¡®Zhen¡¯er.¡± Madam Yan hurriedly looked for Gu Yunzhen and hugged her daughter tightly. Madam Yan really couldn¡¯t stay any longer. She wished she could bring her daughter to the White Cloud Temple to find a master to resolve the murderous aura. ¡®IAS for the so-called ¡®substitute¡¯ Gu Yanfei looked at Madam Gu as if she was just saying it casually.¡± It¡¯s just that this poor person found someone who matches her eight characters¡­ With every word she said, Madam Gu¡¯s expression darkened, her eyes became more terrified, and her heart raced.. Chapter 223 - Chapter 223: Eldest Sister Chapter 223: Eldest Sister Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡®The so-called ¡®substitute¡¯ is for this ill-fated person to find someone who matches her eight characters. It¡¯s best if they¡¯re born on the same day, month, and year. Then, they can exchange their fates¡­¡± Gu Yanfei¡¯s ethereal voice echoed in the sinister air. ¡®Shut up!¡± Finally, Madam Gu couldn¡¯t control her emotions and blurted out. The words were almost hysterical, almost a roar. Anyone could tell that Madam Gu had lost her composure. There was another subtle change in the atmosphere, the tension and oppression thickening. Those who were sharp could vaguely sense something. Gu Yanfei seemed to be talking about more than just Gu Yunzhen rushing joy. She seemed to be hiding something. Madam Gu was furious, but Gu Yanfei smiled sarcastically. The truth was already taking shape in the heavy fog, looming. She was probably going in the right direction¡­ There was still an unknown person hidden in the Gu family, Madam Gu¡¯s ¡®Substitute¡± , her and Big Brother¡¯s biological grandmother! Gu Yanfei turned slightly, her skirt fluttering like a butterfly spreading its wings and gently gliding across the water. Her posture was relaxed and elegant. Her gaze landed steadily on the memorial tablet in Madam Guts hand and she said vaguely, ¡°You just need to use the blood essence of the substitute to draw a ¡®Substitute Talisman¡¯ and let this poor person wear it day and night.¡± ¡°From then on, the substitute will block all diseases and disasters for you and you can hide from the ghosts and deities of the world. The substitute will become a nameless ¡®living dead¡¯ that doesn¡¯t exist in the world. Living is equivalent to death. After death, its soul will dissipate and it won¡¯t enter reincarnation. ¡®Madam, don¡¯t you think this is very interesting?¡± Gu Yanfei¡¯s voice was abnormally cold. Madam Gu¡¯s pupils constricted uncontrollably. She felt that the memorial tablet in her hand was as heavy as a mountain and as hot as charcoal. The burning pain spread from her palm to her heart, making her feel as if her entire body was burning. Cold sweat seeped out of her forehead and slowly trickled down her forehead. Her back was already drenched in sweat, making her deeply feel the difference between ice and fire. Time seemed to have slowed down infinitely. To Madam Gu, it became extremely tortuous. Gu Yanfei looked at Madam Gu with a smile. Her eyes were clear, like the cold stars in the night sky emitting a dazzling light. Madam Gu¡¯s mind was already completely attracted to Gu Yanfei, as if she was guarding against an old enemy, or looking at someone else through Gu Yanfei. She silently called out in her heart, ¡°Eldest Sister¡­¡± Madam Gu didn¡¯t like Gu Yanfei because this girl¡¯s eyes were like her eldest sister¡¯s. Whenever she saw Gu Yanfei, she would remind her of her eldest sister. She had been weak and sickly since she was young. Her parents said that her eldest sister was her ¡°substitute¡±. She had been wearing talismans drawn by her eldest sister¡¯s blood essence since she was young. Her parents said that her eldest sister would bear all the illnesses and disasters for her. Because of her, she could be healthy and safe. She didn¡¯t believe it at first, thinking it was too ridiculous. It wasn¡¯t until she was seven years old when she fell into the lake and drowned. At the time, she thought she was going to die. However, after she was rescued, she had a high fever for three days and three nights and was still in high spirits. The person who was almost dead was her eldest sister. At that time, her mother had held her in her arms and told her that she would grow up safely because all disasters and illnesses would be endured by her substitute in her place. Later, when she came of age, she became healthier and healthier. She was good at zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting. She was the eldest daughter of the Qi family, praised by everyone. And her eldest sister was always sick. Other than her family, no one knew of her existence. However, it was this sickly eldest sister who had forcefully snatched her marriage. She was clearly the one who met Gu Xuan first! Gu Xuan was clearly here to propose marriage to her! In the end, it was her eldest sister who married into the Dingyuan Marquis Household¡­ Madam Gu seemed to have quickly experienced the past few decades of her life again. Her mood was surging and her eyes were in a daze. ¡®Madam, Marquis!¡¯ Granny Li¡¯s slightly hesitant voice broke the silence. According to the rules, Granny Li couldn¡¯t come in casually during the ancestral worship. However, things were urgent, so she could only brace herself and come in. Everyone subconsciously looked at Granny Li and heard her mutter, ¡°The Murong family is here to welcome the bride. They¡¯re already at Yuan¡¯an Street.¡± So soon?! Although the others had just learned from Madam Gu that the Murong family would come to welcome the bride today, they didn¡¯t expect them to be so anxious. They weren¡¯t even that anxious to buy a servant back.. Chapter 224 - Chapter 224: Eldest Sister Chapter 224: Eldest Sister Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios There must be something wrong! At this moment, most of the people present believed Gu Yanfei¡¯s words. Madam Yan¡¯s face turned a little paler. She held Gu Yunzhen¡¯s fair hand tightly and pulled her behind her before she mustered the courage to face Madam Gu. Madam Gu only came back to her senses at this moment. She pursed her lips tightly and didn¡¯t speak for a long time. Granny Li didn¡¯t dare to make a sound. She waited quietly at the side, scanning everyone from the corner of her eye. Although she hadn¡¯t heard anything outside just now, the moment she walked in, she felt that the atmosphere here was too strange. Why was Madam holding the Old Marquis¡¯s memorial tablet in her hand, why was the Marquis¡¯s face ferocious, and why were the Fourth Master and Fifth Master so frightened¡­ Granny Li held her breath and pretended not to notice anything. ¡®Sigh.¡± Gu Yanfei deliberately let out a long sigh. ¡°Grandpa must have suffered because of a ¡®substitute¡¯ back then. How could he let his granddaughter rush joy again!¡± ¡®Madam, what do you think?¡± Madam Gu stared at Gu Yanfei in bewilderment. Her sharp gaze seemed to want to pierce through the other party¡¯s appearance and strike her heart. She didn¡¯t know if Gu Yanfei was just saying it casually or if she really knew something. Madam Gu hugged the memorial tablet even tighter. All kinds of possibilities appeared in her mind, and every one of them pointed in the direction of her hatred, causing her to almost collapse. When her panic reached its peak, Madam Gu calmed down again and told herself that it was fine. So what if Gu Yanfei knew7! Back then, the Gu family had hired her, Qi Chao¡¯an. Her eldest sister was just a substitute who didn¡¯t even have a name. Even if this matter was publicized, Gu Xuan would only be taking in a concubine named ¡°Qi¡±. She, Qi Chao¡¯an, was still the madam of the Marquis Mansion. She had the imperial court¡¯s orders. This was her confidence! In the blink of an eye, Madam Gu¡¯s emotions had stabilized. She looked at Granny Li with deep eyes and instructed, ¡°The marriage with the Murong family¡­¡± The last words ¡°will go on¡± were already on her lips when she heard a cold and playful chuckle enter her ears. As soon as Madam Gu turned around, she met Gu Yanfei¡¯s confident eyes. The girl¡¯s calm and composed appearance made Madam Gu feel flustered, and her heart pounded uncontrollably. Most people only knew how to rush joy, but they didn¡¯t know about the ¡®Substitute Technique¡± However, Gu Yanfei knew, and she knew in detail, as if she had seen it with her own eyes¡­ ¡°1f you can¡¯t make up your mind, ask Grandpa.¡± Gu Yanfei took two steps closer to Madam Gu. That slender shadow happened to land on Madam Guts face, making her feel gloomy and pressured. Madam Gu subconsciously hugged the memorial tablet and avoided Gu Yanfei. However, Gu Yanfei reacted faster. She glanced at Gu Yuan from the corner of her eye. Gu Yuan understood and quietly stood behind Madam Gu. Madam Gu turned around and met Gu Yuan¡¯s deep eyes. The young man was now seven feet tall and was almost as tall as Gu Ce. At this moment, Madam Gu couldn¡¯t help but feel a fear of being attacked from both sides. A crack appeared in her fragile heart. Cracks spread rapidly like spiderwebs. Madam Gu quickly panicked. As expected, Gu Yanfei knew! She knew that the ¡°Substitute Talisman¡± was in this memorial tablet, which was why she and Gu Yuan wanted to snatch it. These two people were both from the eldest sister¡¯s bloodline. They must be trying to kill her! Thinking of this, Madam Gu gritted her teeth. At this moment, she really hated Gu Xuan to death. She was devoted to him and he was her whole world. However, Gu Xuan¡¯s heart was filled with his eldest sister. He knew that his eldest sister¡¯s soul would dissipate after she died, so he cheated her of the Substitute Talisman and hid it in the Gu family¡¯s ancestral hall. This talisman contained his eldest sister¡¯s blood essence. As long as it was worshiped by his descendants and nourished by incense every day, it could protect his eldest sister¡¯s soul. Even after he died, he had to secretly get someone to hide the talisman in his memorial tablet. When Madam Gu found out, she wished she could tear this talisman apart and destroy it, but she couldn¡¯t. She knew that without this talisman, her eldest sister would no longer be able to reincarnate, and the lifespan she had borrowed would also dissipate. This meant that she would die! Madam Gu gripped the memorial tablet even harder. The veins on the back of her hand bulged. She felt as if she was standing at the edge of a cliff with the bottomless abyss in front of her. Her pupils constricted almost to a point, and her heart palpitated. No. Absolutely not. She didn¡¯t want to die, and she couldn¡¯t. She had yet to see her son and grandson rise to the top! The Marquis Mansion would definitely regain its former glory in her hands¡­ No, it would rise to a higher level! There was nothing more important than this! Madam Gu took a deep breath and squeezed out her words with difficulty. ¡®There¡¯s no need to ask.¡± Her voice was very soft, but everyone present heard her. To Madam Gu, once she started, it was easier to say the rest. ¡°Yanfei, you¡¯re right.¡± Under everyone¡¯s shocked and complicated gazes, Madam Gu said firmly, ¡°Your grandfather is angry.¡± ¡®The Murong family is really pushing their luck. They clearly don¡¯t take our Marquis Mansion seriously.¡± ¡®This marriage is over.¡± It was extremely difficult for her to say these words. After she finished, her old lips were as tense as iron, and her eyes were sinister. The room was filled with a strange, awkward silence. Gu Yanfei looked straight at Madam Gu. Madam Gu also looked at her. The grandmother and granddaughter were no more than two feet apart and could see each other¡¯s every subtle expression. The girl pursed her lips silently, as if disinterested. Madam Gu could clearly read the disappointment on Gu Yanfei¡¯ s face. As expected! Madam Gu was certain. She thought in fear that the siblings indeed had ill intentions and wanted to kill her. She was their grandmother. They didn¡¯t dare to come out in the open and just wanted to find an opportunity to attack her!! They must have wanted to destroy the talisman in the memorial tablet just now. It must be!! ¡®This matter ends here!¡± Madam Gu said firmly, her slightly hoarse voice rising again.. Chapter 225 - Chapter 225: Still Alive Chapter 225: Still Alive Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios At this moment, Madam Gu wanted to end this matter quickly. She definitely couldn¡¯t give the siblings a chance to cause trouble. Madam Gu hugged the memorial tablet tightly, as if she was hugging her lifeblood and refused to let go for a moment. Gu Yanfei¡¯s clear gaze lingered on the two words ¡°Gu Xuan¡± on the memorial tablet for a moment before she retracted her gaze. Her right hand hidden in her sleeve curled slightly. From the moment Madam Gu lost her composure and took the memorial tablet, Gu Yanfei had guessed that the ¡°Substitute Talisman¡± was inside the memorial tablet. Gu Yanfei had the thought of snatching the memorial tablet away, but for a moment, she felt a weak soul aura from it. The aura was very weak. Because it had been worshiped by incense for many years, it already had a chance of survival. At that moment, Gu Yanfei understood who the soul in the memorial tablet That was her and her eldest brother¡¯s biological grandmother. That ¡°substitute¡± without a name. The corners of Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes turned sour as she pursed her pink lips. As long as it involved the ¡®Substitute Technique¡±, it was never a good story. She didn¡¯t know why the ¡°substitute¡± whose soul should have been destroyed still had a breath of soul left. However, this talisman mustn¡¯t be destroyed! After being reborn twice and cultivating in the Bright Spirit Realm for 200 years, Gu Yanfei knew better than anyone else in this world that dissipating meant completely disappearing from the world without reincarnation. Once her soul disappeared, her biological grandmother would really be extinguished! Not only could the talisman in the memorial tablet not be destroyed, but it also had to continue staying ancestral hall and be nourished by the incense of its descendants. Only then could the ¡°substitute¡± obtain a trace of opportunity to reincarnate. A dazzling cold glint flashed across Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes. When she turned to look at Granny Li, who was a few steps away, her emotions had already calmed down. She said indifferently, ¡®Did you hear that? Go and pass on the message that the Gu family won¡¯t marry off their daughter today.¡± The golden candlelight splashed on her dark hair and skin, giving her a warm halo, but it made her eyes look clearer and colder. Granny Li couldn¡¯t help but shiver. She almost didn¡¯t dare to look Gu Yanfei in the eye and subconsciously responded. Gu Yanfei didn¡¯t say anything else. She grabbed Gu Yunzhen¡¯s hand and pulled her out. ¡®Big Sister, let¡¯s go.¡¯ Faced with this sudden development, Gu Yunzhen still felt as if she was in a dream. For a moment, she couldn¡¯t think straight. Has grandfather really appeared? When she was ancestral hall yesterday, she had told her grandfather about her marriage to the Murong family and said that she didn¡¯t want to marry. So, her grandfather had appeared to help her? Before Gu Yunzhen could figure it out, Gu Yanfei pulled her towards the front hall with steady footsteps. Still in a daze, Gu Yunzhen obediently followed her, feeling like she was floating. Gu Yuan was like Gu Yanfei¡¯s sidekick and immediately followed. When he turned around, his cold gaze gently swept across the memorial tablet in Madam Guts arms again. Actually, there were still many things he didn¡¯t understand that he planned to ask his sister later. Madam Yan didn¡¯t stay either and quickly left. After Gu Yanfei and the other three left, the sacrificial hall was silent. The others stood rooted to the ground, their emotions and expressions indescribably complicated. They didn¡¯t know if they should leave or stay. Fourth Master Gu, Fifth Master Gu, and his wife exchanged glances. Gu Yunzhen was involved whole ordeal and couldn¡¯t see things clearly. However, it was the bystanders who saw things clearly. No one was stupid. Apart from the younger children, almost everyone else could tell that there was something strange about the Old Marquis¡¯s memorial tablet. But no one knew exactly what was strange¡­ Gu Yunrong stood there in a daze and looked at the dejected Madam Gu. Her heart ached for Madam, but she had just been scolded by Madam in public and couldn¡¯t bring herself to go over. Moreover, anyone could tell that Madam was still angry. If she was angered again¡­ then it would be difficult for her to take a step in the Marquis Mansion. At the thought of this, Gu Yunrong was stunned. A bitter smile appeared on her bright face, and her eyelashes lowered slightly to hide the ripples in her eyes. Since when did she have to rely on Madam¡¯s love to survive in the residence? Gu Yunrong was immersed in her thoughts and fell into a daze. ¡®Mother,¡± Gu Jian called out carefully, taking a step closer to Madam Gu.. Chapter 226 - Chapter 226: Still Alive Chapter 226: Still Alive Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios His movement affected the wound in his right shoulder and he grimaced. Madam Gu, who had her eyes lowered, suddenly looked up. An intense shadow flashed across her turbid old eyes, as if there was a ferocious beast hiding inside that only needed to open its mouth to eat people. It was fierce and gloomy. That gaze shocked Gu Jian. Gu Jian couldn¡¯t continue. He closed his mouth in embarrassment and felt his shoulder hurt even more. Madam Gu glanced at him from the corner of her eye and said calmly, ¡°Go.¡¯ These words were addressed to Granny Li. ¡®Yes, Madam,¡± Granny Li mumbled. She bowed and hurried out. Outside the ancestral hall, the old maid who had come to pass the message was waiting expectantly. When she saw Granny Li, she welcomed her with a smile and said, ¡°Granny Li, the eldest son-in-law is already at the outer gate.¡± What?! Granny Li¡¯s expression changed slightly. She had been counting on stopping the Murong family¡¯s bridal escort before they entered the Marquis Mansion. Now that they were all inside, it would be troublesome. Granny Li suppressed the uneasiness in her heart and only said, ¡°1¡¯11 go take a look.¡± Then, she walked straight in the direction of the outer gate against the cold wind. The cold wind was bone-chilling. Granny Li¡¯s fingertips were numb from the cold, but Murong Yong wasn¡¯t afraid of the cold at all. At this moment, Murong Yong was at the outer ceremonial gate. He was wearing a bright red groom¡¯s robe with a bright red embroidered ball tied to his chest. The white horse under him was also tied with a big red hydrangea ball. A big red bridal sedan chair was parked beside him. Beside him were two Murong family disciples who had come to welcome the bride and a few servants who were in charge of blowing and carrying the sedan chair. This bridal escort team of less than ten people looked a little shabby. The groom should have invited his relatives and friends to help him welcome the bride. Along the way, they played and beat the drums. They couldn¡¯t wait for the entire capital to know that the two families were getting married. When a daughter married in the Marquis Mansion, her brother-in-law should first block the door and the groom would have to undergo a ¡°test¡± before he could enter. However, because it was a blessing and time was tight, the Murong family and Madam Gu had already agreed that the wedding ceremony would be simple. Murong Yong tugged at his slightly tight collar and waited patiently. His sword-like eyebrows were slightly furrowed, and his handsome face was flushed without any joy. He had been told at the last minute by his parents an hour ago that his grandmother was in a bad state. The wedding had to be brought forward, and then he had put on the groom¡¯s wedding suit and gone out with the bridal escort team to welcome the bride. Even now, he was still a little stunned as he stood in the Marquis Mansion. The air was filled with the smell of gunpowder after the firecrackers exploded, along with a few strands of hazy smoke. The cold wind blew, and the fine red paper of firecrackers scattered on the ground, mixed with the fallen leaves of the branches. Murong Yong, who was on the white horse, pulled the reins and made the horse turn half a circle in place. He raised his well-defined chin slightly and looked at the blue sky with a slightly fierce gaze. He actually didn¡¯t believe in the so-called rushing of joy. The point was, he didn¡¯t want his grandmother to die at this time either. Therefore, even if there was only a 30% chance, he didn¡¯t want to give up. Murong Yong slowly lowered his gaze and landed on the vermilion door of the Marquis Mansion. There were a total of 30 golden nails nailed to the door. This was the symbol of the Marquis Mansion. In the Great Jin Dynasty, there were less than 50 to 25 nails on the door of ordinary officials¡¯ residences. The Murong family was one of them. Compared to the Dingyuan Marquis Household, the Murong family¡¯s foundation was much weaker. From his grandfather to his father, Murong Hao¡¯s generation, they had fought back the Xirong people with Imperial Duke Wei in the northwest more than ten years ago and made countless contributions. Only then did they get conferred the title of fourth-grade official by the late Emperor and enter the capital. The Murong family took this one step further, but it stopped there. Ever since he became sensible, he had been thinking about improving the Murong family, and had also been working hard for this. If her grandmother went at this time, the Murong family would have to observe mourning for three years. After three years, who would still recognize the Murong family? There were many hot- blooded men in the army who were desperate for fame and fortune. He admitted that he wasn¡¯t inferior to others and was willing to shed blood and sweat for the Imperial Court. However, he needed opportunities and time. The next three years were too precious! Murong Yong¡¯s eyes burned with heat. The sharpness in his eyes made people afraid to look straight at him. After driving the white horse in another direction, he looked in the direction of the inner courtyard again. A gentle and dignified figure appeared in his mind. She was as beautiful as a lotus in the wind. Initially, he thought that he was just marrying a ¡°rich lady¡±, but Gu Yunzhen yesterday surprised him. Murong Yong¡¯s gaze burned even more. It was so bright and burning, with a hint of interest. The gatekeeper of the Marquis Mansion greeted Murong Yong and said politely, ¡°Eldest Young Master, the Marquis Mansion is paying respects to their ancestors this morning. I¡¯m afraid it will take a while.¡± Murong Yong was clearly the main character today, but the guard couldn¡¯t help but glance at Shangqing Spiritual Master, who was wearing a yellow robe not far away. Shangqing Spiritual Master held a silver horsetail whisk in his hand and stood against the wind. His eyes were like the morning stars, and he stood like a pine tree facing the wind with an extraordinary bearing. The gatekeeper looked reverent. Shangqing Spiritual Master suddenly moved and looked up at the sun in the sky. He calculated with his fingers and said indifferently, ¡®Second Young Master Murong, it¡¯s getting late.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not good to miss the auspicious hour.¡± His voice was neither hurried nor slow, detached from the mortal world. Murong Yong frowned and glanced at the doorkeeper with a dignified gaze. ¡®Eldest Young Master¡­¡± The gatekeeper smiled apologetically. He was about to say that he would send someone to the ancestral hall to take a look when he saw a familiar voice coming from the northwest. ¡°It¡¯s Granny Li.¡± The gatekeeper was delighted and hurriedly introduced her to Murong Yong. ¡°That¡¯s Granny Li, Madam Gu ts personal servant.¡± On the other side of the external door, Granny Li walked over with a few old women. She didn¡¯t walk fast. Her usually smiling face was now a little solemn, startling the gatekeeper. Granny Li stopped about seven or eight steps away from Murong Yong. She bowed politely and said, ¡®Second Young Master Murong, our Madam said that this marriage is over..¡± Chapter 227 - Chapter 227: Annulment Chapter 227: Annulment Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios As soon as she said this, there was a sudden silence. Even the cold wind in the courtyard seemed to have become colder. Murong Yong and the two young masters of the Murong family who accompanied him to welcome the bride were stunned. If the Marquis Household was unwilling to remedy the situation, they could have rejected Madam Murong in the morning. Now that they had reached the stage of welcoming her personally, and the bridal sedan chair had already arrived, the Marquis Mansion said the marriage was over?! Were they trying to become enemies! Shangqing Spiritual Master frowned and a hint of displeasure flashed in his untainted eyes. The white horse under Murong Yong quickly paced a few times, breathing heavily through its nose and mouth. Granny Li took a step back in shock. Murong Yong¡¯s expression was a little solemn. He tightened his right hand on the reins and asked politely, ¡°Why?¡± ¡®But what did the Murong family do to make Madam unhappy? How could Granny Li know? Since the Marquis Household didn¡¯t allow servants to be present in the ancestral hall, she had only entered to spread the news of the Murong family¡¯s arrival. She only heard Madam say that the Murong family was pushing their luck and didn¡¯t take the Marquis Household seriously. She didn¡¯t know what else was going on, nor did she dare to guess. Granny Li forced a polite smile and braced herself. ¡°This is Madam¡¯s intention.¡± ¡®Second Young Master Murong, please leave.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Granny Li turned around and left. She felt like she was fleeing and couldn¡¯t wait to return to the Benevolent Harmony Hall to report. The gatekeeper also had a headache and politely extended his hand to Murong Yong. The atmosphere around them was colder and stiffer. Initially, the Murong family had a favor to ask of them to rush joy. It was their family who was in the weaker position. However, at this point, the Marquis Mansion broke off the engagement on the spot without giving any reason. It was simply a slap to the man¡¯s face! As the saying went, killing was no more than nodding one¡¯s head. There was no greater humiliation than this. Since the Marquis Household was so ruthless, there was no need for him to be polite. He had to get an explanation. Murong Yong¡¯s expression darkened. His expression was cold as he leaped off his horse and strode into the door. He said, ¡°I want to see Madam Gu!¡± How could the gatekeeper sit back and watch him barge into the Marquis Mansion? He hurriedly shouted, Second Young Master Murong, please wait!¡± The guards of the Marquis Mansion hurriedly went forward to stop Murong Yong. However , Murong Yong wasn¡¯t alone. The people from the Murong family who came to welcome the bride naturally couldn¡¯t take this lying down and followed him in. One side wanted to stop them, and the other wanted to barge in. The two sides faced each other, ready to fight. There was a commotion at the outer gate and it was getting more and more noisy. Only Shangqing Spiritual Master stood calmly near the gate, his clothes fluttering. He looked like he was uninvolved. The servants of the Marquis Mansion didn¡¯t know what to do, so they went to report to Butler Zhou and asked if they should ask the Marquis to come out. Butler Zhou was also confused. He could only send more guards and servants to the outer gate. Although the servants of the Marquis Mansion had taken their weapons and clubs, they were still restrained and didn¡¯t dare to be heavy-handed with the Murong family. After all, without their master¡¯s instructions, they couldn¡¯t afford to hurt anyone. There was chaos at the gate. Regarding this, Madam Gu pretended to be deaf and mute. Even Gu Jian and Madam Wang didn¡¯t appear. After all, Third Madam was a widow and it wasn¡¯t convenient for her to show her face. In the end, it was still Butler Zhou¡¯s wife who personally made a trip to the main courtyard to ask the Marquis and Madam for instructions. However, she couldn¡¯t even enter the main courtyard and was stopped by a maidservant. ¡®Since the Eldest Lady doesn¡¯t want to marry, deal with it yourself,¡± Madam Wang said with a cold smile. ¡°Marquis, don¡¯t interfere in this matter.¡¯ Madam Wang had already made up her mind not to appear. As for how to discuss the annulment with the Murong family, she would let the third and eldest branches handle it themselves. This matter has really embarrassed the whole family! As she thought about it, all kinds of emotions flashed across Madam Wang¡¯s face. Gu Jian replied absent-mindedly. The maid who had come to report retreated obediently, her footsteps silent. Madam Wang picked up the teacup and took a sip of tea. She still felt uneasy, so she waved away the other servants in the house. ¡®Marquis.¡± Madam Wang grabbed Gu Jian¡¯s sleeve and stared into his eyes. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Mother today?¡± ¡®How would I know?¡± Gu Jian said impatiently. His right shoulder was still throbbing, making him unable to calm down. He had never seen his mother like this since he was young.. Chapter 228 - Chapter 228: Annulment Chapter 228: Annulment Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Gu Jian rubbed one of his temples with his left hand. His temples were throbbing, and he had a bad feeling. ¡®Then what¡¯s a substitute?¡± Madam Wang asked again in a low voice. There was something wrong with the word ¡°substitute¡±. Moreover, from Gu Yanfei¡¯s words, this matter seemed to involve the art of ¡°borrowing luck¡¯ ¡°1f you ask me, who should I ask?¡± Gu Jian became even more impatient and frowned. The couple looked at each other face to face. At this moment, when they recalled the scenes in the ancestral hall, they felt a little terrified. ¡®Creak!¡± A cold wind suddenly blew open the window, startling Madam Wang so much that she almost jumped up. The wind was especially strong today, making the trees in the courtyard look like they were about to break in half. It also made Butler Zhou¡¯s wife¡¯s face turn red from the cold. Despite not receiving an answer, she didn¡¯t dare to ask anyone to rush Madam Gu again. She was so anxious that she paced around outside. ¡®Aunt Zhou.¡± An old woman ran over, panting. She was out of breath as she ran and reported intermittently, ¡°Second Young Master Murong has already¡­ broken into the mansion¡­¡± Before the old woman could finish speaking, the maidservant in the main courtyard arrived and relayed Madam Wang¡¯s words truthfully. These words were like adding fuel to the fire. The anger in Zhou Li¡¯s heart surged to the top of her head. She said to the old woman with some anger, ¡°You heard it too. If there¡¯s anything, report it to the Eldest Lady at Jiahui Courtyard.¡± The old woman had a headache and was at a loss. She could only turn around and run to Jiahui Courtyard again. Not only was this old woman at a loss, but the other servants were also at a loss. Murong Yong had already broken through the outer door and entered the inner door. His expression was solemn and his gaze was sharp. After taking off his groom¡¯s hat and the big red hydrangeas on his red groom¡¯s robe, he felt much lighter. It was also much more convenient to beat people up. He suddenly kicked a guard with his right leg and punched a servant in the abdomen with lightning speed. The servant staggered back a few steps, and even the other servant behind him fell to the ground. The two of them fell into a heap. Then, without looking, he dislocated the other guard¡¯s right arm. His scream shot into the sky like a pig being slaughtered. Murong Yong¡¯s every move was very rough. There was no hesitation, and there was a hint of catharsis and irresistible force. Murong Yong had never been treated so coldly in his life. In his opinion, if the Gu family was unwilling to rush joy, they could have just said it. There was no need to embarrass the Murong family like this. He had to get the Gu family to give the Murong family an explanation today. Murong Yong led his men and charged forward aggressively. Like an unsheathed sword, he stabbed forward with a murderous aura. He was a martial artist who had killed countless enemies and exterminated bandits. Be it his skills or his aura, he was far from what the guards of the Gu family could compare to. It was impossible for them to stop him. The guards wailed, fell to the ground, and crashed against each other. Some of the surrounding flowers and trees were damaged like a typhoon had gone past them. Wherever Murong Yong passed, it was a mess. Shangqing Spiritual Master silently followed behind Murong Yong, maintaining a distance of five or six steps. After circling around a tall stone wall, Murong Yong saw a blue figure standing in the cold winter in front of the main hall. The winter sun cast a golden halo over the slender young man. The young man stood with his hands behind his back. His expression was cold, and there was a hint of arrogance between his eyebrows. He called Murong Yong by his name angrily, ¡°Murong Yong, we¡¯ve already said that our family doesn¡¯t agree to this marriage. Don¡¯t pester us.¡± ¡®Now, get out!¡± Gu Yuan said the last five words firmly. His entire body was like a red tassel spear that was overflowing with cold air and flashed with killing intent. The cold wind blew Gu Yuan¡¯s robe, making it flutter. Gu Yuan¡¯s appearance made the guards of the Marquis Mansion feel as if they had been pardoned. They looked at him as if they were looking up to their savior. Their hearts, which had been shattered by Murong Yong, finally regained their backbone. Everyone in the Marquis Mansion was overjoyed, but Murong Yong was completely angered by Gu Yuan¡¯s disrespectful attitude. ¡®IIS the Gu family trying to become enemies?¡± Murong Yong¡¯s eyes burned with flames as he questioned coldly. His voice was even colder than the biting cold wind. ¡®Our families have long had a marriage contract, and your Gu family has also accepted the betrothal gifts. Are you trying to cheat us out of our marriage?!¡± His every word was powerful and not blown away by the cold wind at all. It was clearly transmitted to Gu Yuan¡¯s ears. Murong Yong felt that his attitude was already very good. The Gu family had really gone too far. They were playing with their Murong family like monkeys! Gu Yuan calmly welcomed Murong Yong with a disdainful sneer on his lips. Clap! Clap! Gu Yuan casually raised his hand and clapped twice. Wu Tong immediately understood and ordered a few rough servants to carry over heavy red-painted wooden boxes and throw them on the empty space between Gu Yuan and Murong Yong. The betrothal gift boxes hit the limestone floor with a bang. Each bang was louder than the last. Some of the boxes even fell sideways. Even the lids were thrown open, and the jewelry and decorative utensils inside fell out. This collision was no different from slapping Murong Yong¡¯s face several times in a row. Murong Yong¡¯s expression darkened slightly. His eyes were cold as he flew into a rage out of humiliation. The cold wind was like a knife, piercing through the bones. Everyone¡¯s sleeves and robes fluttered with the cold wind. Even their breaths were frozen. Murong Yong kept a straight face, but Gu Yuan was still sneering casually. He moved his knuckles casually, making cracking sounds. ¡®Why? Do you want to fight? Come on.¡± Gu Yuan hooked his index finger at Murong Yong provocatively. ¡°Who¡¯s afraid of who!¡± ¡°1f you want to fight, fight early. Otherwise, your family will have to observe mourning and won¡¯t be able to fight for the next three years.¡± Gu Yuan¡¯s words were cold and he didn¡¯t hide the provocation in his words.. Chapter 229 - Chapter 229: See Through Chapter 229: See Through Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The anger in Murong Yong¡¯s heart rose steadily. Veins popped up on his forehead, and his breathing was heavy. He gritted his teeth so hard that the muscles on both sides of his face tightened, as if he was a volcano that was about to erupt at any moment. Murong Yong clenched his fists tightly. His anger calmed down. He had been in the military for many years and was no longer the brat who had rushed forward with his fists in a fit of anger after being provoked by a few veterans when he first entered the military camp at the age of 14 or 15. The blood and killing on the battlefield had taught him a lot. Murong Yong tried his best to calm down. At this moment, a yellow shadow flashed in the corner of his eye. Shangqing Spiritual Master slowly walked to his side. ¡®The heavenly lord¡¯s blessing is immeasurable.¡± Shang Qing continued to approach Gu Yuan. He bowed and asked slowly, ¡®IIS the Dingyuan Marquis Household really going to break off the engagement?¡± When the silver horsetail whisk in his hand swung, it gently brushed past Gu Yuan¡¯s left chest. The horsetail whisk swayed and danced with the cold wind, shimmering in the sunlight like clouds and smoke beside him. ¡®Your family broke off the engagement at the last minute and went back on your word, but it will cause Old Madam Murong to die. Not only will the Murong family lose their loved one, but your family will also be implicated by this karma and it will affect your future generations.¡± Shangqing Spiritual Master¡¯s expression and voice were still as calm as ever, making it impossible to tell if he was happy or angry. His indifferent and ethereal gaze seemed to ignore all living beings. All the servants in the Marquis Mansion knew of Shangqing Spiritual Master¡¯s reputation. Hearing his words, they couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy, and a few of them even gasped. ¡®Are you sure you want to break off the engagement?!¡± Shangqing Spiritual Master¡¯s voice echoed in the air. As soon as he finished speaking, continuous dark clouds covered the warm sun in the sky, as if a cold wind was blowing in their faces. The courtyard darkened significantly, casting a faint shadow on everyone¡¯s hearts. It was like an ominous omen. The servants of the Marquis Mansion looked at Shangqing Spiritual Master with even more reverence. They thought to themselves, ¡®Shangqing Spiritual Master is indeed a divine person!¡¯ According to Shangqing Spiritual Master, if Old Madam Murong died, someone in the Gu family would pay the price. Then, would they be seriously ill or would they pay with their lives?! This was no longer just a marriage, nor was it about whether the two families were enemies. Instead, it involved the lives of the Gu and Murong families. An uneasy atmosphere filled the bleak cold wind and spread rapidly. There was a muddy smell in the air that lingered in everyone¡¯s noses. ¡®That¡¯s right.¡± A clear female voice cut through the dead air, like a clear ice spring flowing through. ¡°1f we don¡¯t rush joy, we¡¯ll be tainted by this karma.¡± ¡®However¡­¡± The female voice paused meaningfully, causing everyone to look at her. Gu Yanfei, who was wearing a green dress, walked out of the main hall. Her footsteps were strong and agile. Her eyes were brighter than the pure gold cat eyes and ears in her ears. Even the dark clouds that filled the sky couldn¡¯t suppress her brilliance, making her eyes light up. The turbid, fishy air around her seemed to freshen with her appearance. Gu Yanfei continued with a faint smile, ¡®However, the one affected by karma is not the Gu family, but you, Shangqing Spiritual Master.¡± When others mentioned Shangqing Spiritual Master, their expressions and tone were always filled with respect. They were either respectful or reverent, but from Gu Yanfei¡¯s mouth, there was only contempt. Gu Yunzhen was a step behind Gu Yanfei and walked out of the house. Her temperament and expression were still gentle. Although she had experienced a thrilling experience that she hadn¡¯t experienced in many years in just two days, and although she hadn¡¯t had a good rest last night, she was still in high spirits, like a plum blossom after frost. The moment he saw Gu Yunzhen, Murong Yong¡¯s narrow eyes lit up and he stared at her with a burning gaze. However, when he noticed that she was still wearing the dress from yesterday, his gaze changed again. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder what had happened in the Marquis Mansion yesterday. Gu Yanfei walked to Gu Yuan¡¯s side and stared at the middle-aged Taoist priest in front of her without blinking. Her tone was gentle but sharp as she said, ¡°Shangqing Spiritual Master, you forced a dead person to stay in the world of the living.¡± ¡®This karma naturally belongs to you.¡± As these two sentences were spoken, the dark clouds in the sky became thicker, as if they were about to fall. Shangqing Spiritual Master¡¯s eyes widened and he was stunned for a moment. His eyes darkened, a stark contrast to his usual indifferent face. He didn¡¯t expect Gu Yanfei to know this.. How did Second Miss Gu know?! Chapter 230 - Chapter 230: See Through Chapter 230: See Through Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios His eyes flickered as all kinds of speculations flashed through his heart. Did someone from the Murong family leak the secret, or¡­ Murong Yong raised his eyebrows slightly and retracted his gaze from Gu Yunzhen. He turned to look at Gu Yanfei and Shangqing Spiritual Master. He glanced back and forth between the two of them, his eyes as dark as the night. Although he didn¡¯t understand Gu Yanfei¡¯s words, he could tell that Shangqing Spiritual Master was shocked. Shangqing Spiritual Master flicked his horsetail whisk, and the long silver threads of the whisk floated up and down. He regained his composure and a faint smile appeared on his lips. ¡°1 don¡¯t understand what you mean. I¡¯m just trying to save the seriously ill Old Madam Murong at the request of the Murong family.¡± ¡®There¡¯s a saying that the immortal Tao is noble and unlimited.¡± He had a benevolent appearance. His face was as kind as the Three Pure Ones in the portrait, and his hair and beard fluttered. Gu Yanfei sneered as if she had heard a joke. She stroked her sleeve and said leisurely, ¡®You also know that the living is immeasurable. But this only applies to a living person, not a dead person.¡± ¡®There¡¯s no need to rush joy. The Old Madam passed away three years ago. If she has passed away, she¡¯s dead. She can¡¯t be brought back to life.¡± ¡®Resurrection from the dead against destiny is against the will of the heavens.¡± ¡°It¡¯s for the evil path.¡¯ When she said the last words, the laziness in her voice was gone. She was as cold as if she had been soaked in cold water. ¡± The faint smile on Shangqing Spiritual Master¡¯s lips completely froze as he stared deeply at the daughter of the Marquis Mansion. Second Lady Gu actually said that his grandmother was dead! Murong Yong frowned, and a storm of hostility appeared in his eyes. His gaze landed on Gu Yanfei¡¯s face. ¡®Ridiculous!¡± Murong Yong reprimanded unhappily and sneered. His low voice couldn¡¯t hide his anger. ¡°Second Lady Gu, your family first broke off the engagement for no reason, and now you¡¯re cursing my grandmother to die. You¡¯re going too far.¡± ¡®My grandmother is seriously ill, but she¡¯s alive and well.¡± Murong Yong punched a towering cypress tree beside him. The thick tree swayed and fell to the ground. Murong Yong didn¡¯t believe Gu Yanfei, but Gu Yunzhen did. Her heart skipped a few beats, and she couldn¡¯t help but recall what Gu Yanfei had told her yesterday at the Murong family. ¡®The Murong family isn¡¯t a good place to go. This marriage isn¡¯t good.¡± ¡®Well?¡± Gu Yanfei clapped and smiled, but there was mockery in her smile. ¡®How often do you visit your grandmother?¡± ¡®IAS long as I¡¯m in the capital, I¡¯ll go every three to five days,¡± Murong Yong replied. Now that his grandmother was bed-ridden, his parents, uncles, and aunties would naturally serve her. As her grandson, he had already done his etiquette by going back every three to five days. Immediately after, Gu Yanfei threw out a second and third question. ¡°Did you smell her?¡± ¡®Did you look at her face carefully?¡± Without waiting for the other party to answer, Gu Yanfei continued, ¡°Second Young Master Murong, you¡¯ve also been on the battlefield. You must have seen the dead, smelled their scent, and touched their corpses, right?¡± Gu Yanfei was quite direct and spoke the truth, unlike most people in the world who were often secretive about the dead. Murong Yong stared fixedly at Gu Yanfei, his eyes filled with bewilderment. His entire body emitted a dangerous and fierce aura. ¡®Don¡¯t lie to yourself!¡± Gu Yanfei met his eyes without changing her expression. Her tone became sharper as she exposed the lie that he was trying to hide and deceive himself. ¡®She¡¯s long dead!¡± Murong Yong¡¯s expression changed drastically. Under the shadow of the cypress tree, his angular eyebrows looked even sharper. On the other hand, Shangqing Spiritual Master was expressionless and motionless. Only the horsetail whisk fluttered in the wind. ¡°Impossible!¡± Murong Yong squeezed out this word from between his sore teeth. His tone was low, and another crease appeared between his furrowed brows. Although he said that it was impossible, his thoughts were involuntarily affected by Gu Yanfei¡¯s few words. Some details that he had seen, smelled, and touched every time he went to his grandmother¡¯s place in the past two months flashed through Murong Yong¡¯s mind¡­ It was as if the layer of gauze covering his eyes had been forcefully lifted. His brow twitched violently, and his breathing grew heavier. With Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyesight, she could naturally see that Murong Yong¡¯s heart was wavering. She pursed her lower lip in understanding, her thoughts racing as she pressed on. ¡®You went to see your grandmother before you went out today, right? Did she already have livor mortis on her face and neck?¡± ¡®Did she smell more like a corpse? Gu Yanfei was asking, but from her expression and tone, she clearly had an answer. Those clear black eyes had long seen through everything and grasped the truth in her hands. ¡® Murong Yong¡¯s eyebrows trembled again, and his pupils constricted. He got married to celebrate his grandmother¡¯s marriage. Before he went out to welcome the bride, he naturally went to his grandmother¡¯s residence. However, his father blocked him and didn¡¯t let him come close. At that time, his parents had urged him to come quickly to welcome the bride. He only thought that they were anxious. But now¡­ Murong Yong thought about it from another angle and remembered some clues that he had overlooked just now. When he entered his grandmother¡¯s inner room, the bed curtains were hanging down. He seemed to see his grandmother¡¯s face and neck through the gauze curtains¡­ Murong Yong almost didn¡¯t dare to think further. His tall and muscular body was tense, and his heart was in turmoil. Gu Yanfei raised her hand to cover her nose and sighed mockingly. ¡°You¡¯re covered in the stench of a corpse, but you don¡¯t even know it.¡± Murong Yong¡¯s hooked nose twitched involuntarily. His eyes were dark, and the veins on his fists were bulging. He didn¡¯t lower his head to smell his clothes, but there was a faint stench of corpses lingering at the tip of his nose¡­ Or perhaps this was the smell he had just smelled from his grandmother. ¡®There really is!¡¯ Third Young Master Murong, who had come with him to welcome the bride, couldn¡¯t help but lean over and smell it. His face turned pale as he blurted out.. Chapter 231 - Chapter 231: Serves You Right Chapter 231: Serves You Right Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The atmosphere became even colder. It had begun to snow. Thin snowflakes fluttered down, sparkling like jade. Murong Yong looked at Gu Yanfei without blinking. A storm seemed to be brewing in his dark eyes, and the stench of corpses seemed to have thickened. Even the servants of the Murong family behind him subconsciously leaned closer to Murong Yong and sniffed with complicated expressions. They all thought in the same direction in fear. In other words, Second Lady Gu was telling the truth. Old Madam Murong was really dead!! There were even timid servants who were so frightened that their legs trembled and their hair stood on end. They recalled that their families had recently served Old Madam Murong. In less than ten minutes, Shangqing Spiritual Master¡¯s expression had changed a few times because of Gu Yanfei¡¯s words. His eyes were indescribably complicated. He could no longer maintain his sage-like appearance, and his face darkened. He took two steps closer to Gu Yanfei and questioned word by word, ¡°Who are you)¡± At this moment, Shangqing Spiritual Master¡¯s voice was no longer the usual emotionless voice. Instead, there was a hint of sharpness and a hint of unhappiness that someone had ruined things. A straightforward person didn¡¯t resort to insinuations. Since Shangqing Spiritual Master had said so much, it meant that he didn¡¯t intend to hide anything stubbornly. After thinking for a while, Shangqing Spiritual Master understood more and asked bluntly, ¡®Did you tear the talisman on the window?¡± Murong Hao and his wife insisted that the talisman had been blown away by the wind. At that time, Shangqing Spiritual Master didn¡¯t believe them. He just couldn¡¯t be bothered to dwell on this problem. Not everyone could remove the talisman he had pasted on the window. Only those who were related to Old Madam Murong or cultivators like him could remove it. At that time, Shangqing Zhenren guessed that perhaps Murong Hao or others had wavered and wanted to give up. However, in the end, they were still reluctant to part with their future, so they only used one talisman. The human heart was ever-changing. Shangqing Spiritual Master was already used to such things, so he didn¡¯t pay much attention to it. He didn¡¯t expect such a person to be hidden in the Dingyuan Marquis Household. Shangqing Spiritual Master sized up Gu Yanfei with some scrutiny, probing, and speculation. Seeing that Shangqing Spiritual Master didn¡¯t directly deny Gu Yanfei¡¯s words, Murong Yong felt as if a big hole was missing in his heart. Cold wind roared and poured in. To him, ¡°rushing joy¡± was to resolve the fiendishness with joyous events. It was more for the sake of festivity. There was no harm in failure, but success was beneficial to the Murong family. Wasn¡¯t that what happened? Could it be that Grandma had really¡­ Murong Yong felt a chill run down his spine. His heart sank as if it had been soaked in water. At this moment, he suddenly felt a suffocating darkness. Even the scene of his family guarding his grandmother¡¯s bed and not letting others see her taking the medicine became extremely ironic. His parents had also changed beyond recognition¡­ Murong Yong wasn¡¯t a young boy after all. His years of experience on the battlefield had made him far calmer than his peers. His heart was like a storm, but he still adjusted his emotions in the shortest time possible and barely maintained his composure. He interrogated Shangqing Spiritual Master in a gloomy tone, ¡°Is what she said He stared intently at Shangqing Spiritual Master. His expression was solemn, and his words were clear. His eyes gradually became deep and ruthless, like a blade scraping across his face inch by inch. Facing Murong Yong¡¯s aggressive questioning, Shangqing Spiritual Master smiled casually. He casually flicked his horsetail whisk and returned to his sage-like appearance. He didn¡¯t directly answer yes or no. Instead, he said calmly, ¡°The descendants of your family are filial. Your father couldn¡¯t bear to see your mother die. I was grateful for their filial piety, so I helped.¡¯ ¡®Everyone knows that rushing joy can resolve the evil of calamity and heal the seriously ill. Shangqing Spiritual Master spoke righteously, but Murong Yong¡¯s brows were tightly furrowed. He could tell that the other party was patronizing him. ¡°Hehe¡­¡± Gu Yanfei smiled brightly, but there was undisguised mockery in her smile as she interrupted Shangqing Spiritual Master. ¡®Borrowing luck for the sake of rushing joy. Should I lend this luck to Old Madam Murong, or to you?¡± Gu Yanfei¡¯s voice was also tainted with the coldness of snow. A hint of coldness seeped into one¡¯s heart. Shangqing Spiritual Master¡¯s expression changed slightly again, and he was shocked. When did such a person appear in the capital?! ¡®You still want to enter the Tao after being tainted by the karma of life and death?¡± Gu Yanfei¡¯s words were sharp as she bluntly stabbed into the other party¡¯s heart. ¡°You¡¯re really thinking too much..¡± Chapter 232 - Chapter 232: Serves You Right Chapter 232: Serves You Right Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The last word was deliberately drawn out, cynical and clever. Last time, when Shangqing Spiritual Master came to the Marquis Mansion to treat Madam Gu, Gu Yanfei could tell that he wasn¡¯t a fake Taoist priest. He was talented, had spiritual roots, and had some true ability. If not for the fact that the spiritual energy in this small world was too weak, he could have drawn spiritual energy into his body. Unfortunately, he was anxious to succeed and had evil intentions! ¡°1n this life, you¡¯re no longer fated to cultivate the Tao.¡± Gu Yanfei shook her head. Her eyes were as clear and indifferent as water, and there was a transcendence in her expression. She was an inch shorter than Shangqing Spiritual Master, but at this moment, Shangqing Spiritual Master inexplicably felt as if she was above the clouds, looking down at him. They were so close, but they seemed so far apart, as if they were separated by a door called the Tao. She had entered the Tao, and he was still outside that door. Shangqing Spiritual Master was in a daze for a moment. It was as if he had been seen through by those bright eyes. His experiences, his realm, and his secrets¡­ The other party was the sea, and he was just a clear stream that could be seen by everyone. All these years, he had always looked down on others and others had always worshiped him. And now, such a teenage girl actually made him feel pressured and unable to hide. He had devoted himself to cultivating for decades before he finally achieved small success. He was proficient in five scriptures and six armors and was proficient in talismans and alchemy. However, in front of her, these weren¡¯t worth mentioning at all! Shangqing Spiritual Master¡¯s heart tightened. The trace of coldness in his body spread rapidly, binding him tightly like a huge ice net. His expression went from shock and confusion to at a loss, fear, and uneasiness¡­ In the end, he held on, maintaining a precarious shell. ¡®Nonsense,¡± Shangqing Spiritual Master forced himself to meet Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes and said coldly. Even though he felt a little uneasy, he still didn¡¯t believe it. He didn¡¯t want to believe it, nor did he dare to believe it. Bits of snowflakes floated on his black, silver-haired hair, as if they had added a few silver strands to him, adding to his old appearance. As for Gu Yanfei¡¯s head, Gu Yuan had already eagerly held up a tung oil umbrella for her to block the wind and snow outside. Gu Yanfei stroked her chin and tilted her face to look at Shangqing Spiritual Master. She said slowly and firmly, ¡®You haven¡¯t made any progress in the past few years, right?¡± Cracks appeared on the mask of the Shangqing Spiritual Master again. Shock was written on his face, and then it turned to fear. She had hit the nail on the head! For a moment, Shangqing Spiritual Master felt as if he had returned to the time when he was young and looked up at his master from outside the Wuliang Temple. She wasn¡¯t on the same level as him at all. Gu Yanfei chuckled. Her laughter was like silver bells and a spring breeze. Her smile was sly, lively, and lazy. She said indifferently, ¡°You deserve it!¡± A gust of cold wind blew past, blowing away the fine snow in the air. It splashed onto the face of Shangqing Spiritual Master, as if a bucket of ice water had been poured on him. ¡®How dare you!¡± Shangqing Spiritual Master¡¯s face turned red. Veins popped up on his forehead, making his face look a little ferocious. He was a completely different person from his usual aloof appearance. The rising anger in his body erupted at this moment. He flew into a rage out of humiliation and raised the horsetail whisk in his hand to swing it at Gu Yanfei¡¯s face. The long silver thread drew an arc like a shooting star. ¡®Swoosh!¡± The silver short sword was drawn from its sheath. A cold silver light flashed, as fast as lightning. In the next moment, the countless silver threads on the horsetail whisk were cut by a sharp blade. The silver threads were instantly blown away by the cold wind and danced in the sky with the white and crystalline snow in the air. Some were blown to the branches of the cypress trees, some floated to the top of the wall, some floated to the ground, and some were blown further and further away¡­ The scene was as beautiful as a dream. The horsetail whisk in Shangqing Spiritual Master¡¯s hand was only left with a slender handle made of black iron and was now completely bare. He stood frozen in place in a daze, his eyes almost bulging. His face alternated between green, white, and purple. There was silence for a moment, making the sound of the wind seem louder. ¡°It¡¯s too late!¡± Gu Yanfei gently flicked the short sword in her hand. The blade buzzed, and a silver thread hanging from the sword floated down. She drawled leisurely, making Shangqing Spiritual Master¡¯s heart tremble. Thud! Thud! Shangqing Spiritual Master¡¯s heart suddenly raced, and he had a bad feeling. Too late? What on earth was too late? ¡°What¡­ what do you mean?¡± Shangqing Spiritual Master¡¯s eyes widened as he glared at Gu Yanfei. His tone was sharp and urgent. Gu Yanfei said indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s against the heavens to force a dead person to stay in the mortal world.¡± Although this small world¡¯s Heaven¡¯s Will wasn¡¯t very likable! With a cool flick of her hand, she casually drew a beautiful sword and nimbly sheathed the short sword. The cloak fell, covering the scabbard tightly. It returned to its usual casual appearance, and its sharp light disappeared. Meeting Shangqing Spiritual Master¡¯s uncertain eyes, Gu Yanfei added, ¡°The dead should go to the place of the dead.¡¯ Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Her voice was neutral and carried to everyone. Murong Yong¡¯s heart beat violently twice, and his eyes darkened, unable to hide the malicious aura within. Grandma couldn¡¯t die. His dark eyes looked at Gu Yunzhen, who was standing beside Gu Yanfei, and he subconsciously took two steps towards her.. Chapter 233 - Chapter 233: Backlash Chapter 233: Backlash Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The greed in Murong Yong¡¯s eyes for a moment was like a greedy ferocious beast blooming with a fierce glint. ¡®You overestimate yourself.¡± Gu Yanfei sneered and subconsciously reached for her sword again, only to see Gu Yunzhen slowly walking forward with an umbrella. The huge umbrella made Gu Yunzhen¡¯s fair face look especially small. Her skin was as delicate as jade, like a gentle, dignified, and quiet Guanyin jade statue. However, the girl said something shocking. ¡°Second Young Master Murong, I¡¯m not marrying you.¡± ¡°The Murong family forced me to rush joy by marrying you, so now I¡¯m only rejecting the offer.¡¯ ¡®We don¡¯t owe each other anything.¡± Gu Yunzhen¡¯s tone was calm and composed. She was neither ashamed nor resentful, nor did she have any intention of venting her anger. She was just telling the other party her decision. After a long silence, he asked slowly, ¡°Are you¡­ really going to break off the engagement?¡± There was an imperceptible hoarseness in his deep voice. His figure was tall and slender in the howling wind. ¡®Yes.¡± Gu Yunzhen nodded without hesitation. Her expression and voice were still calm as she calmly looked up into the other party¡¯s eyes. It was a decision she had made on her own. Murong Yong took a deep breath. The cold and damp air entered his lungs, bringing with it a hint of coldness, making him feel a chill from his fingertips to the surface of his body. The darkness of his moment just now was laid bare in front of her , making him ashamed and guilty. Murong Yong stood a few steps away from Gu Yunzhen in a daze. The shadow of the cypress tree above covered his face, making his face dark He looked at Gu Yunzhen with a gaze that couldn¡¯t be said to be shock or scrutiny. She was different from the women he had seen in the past. She looked soft and submissive, but in fact, she was assertive. She looked gentle and demure, but she actually had her own style. He narrowed his eyes at Gu Yunzhen, making his eyes look especially long. His deep eyes were like chains wrapped tightly around her. Bits of snow floated on his head, the tip of his nose, the corners of his lips, and he didn¡¯t move, like a cold stone statue. ¡°There¡¯s still time!¡± Shangqing Spiritual Master said in an exasperated tone. ¡°There¡¯s still time to rush joy now.¡± As long as Murong Yong and Gu Yunzhen immediately bowed to the heavens and the earth here, the wedding ceremony would be completed. The rushing of joy would have succeeded! He wouldn¡¯t be implicated in this karma¡­ Shangqing Spiritual Master¡¯s heart raced. He rushed towards Gu Yunzhen in three steps, but Murong Yong blocked him with his arm. The young man¡¯s strong arm was like a spear. Murong Yong couldn¡¯t help but look at Gu Yunzhen and ask, ¡°What if it¡¯s not to rush joy?¡± If his grandmother wasn¡¯t seriously ill and they would get married in April the following year, would she still break off the engagement? Murong Yong¡¯s deep gaze was still fixed on her face. There was a hint of heat, hope, and an almost invisible longing. ¡± Gu Yunzhen¡¯s long eyelashes were stained with a few snowflakes. When she blinked slightly, they flickered. There was a blank look in her dark eyes. But wasn¡¯t it the Murong family who suggested rushing the joy? Seeing that Murong Yong was still dilly-dallying, Shangqing Spiritual Master frowned deeply. Just as he was about to push Murong Yong away, he looked up and saw Gu Yanfei¡¯s half-smile. His heart tightened as fear rose in his heart. After quickly weighing the pros and cons in his heart, he decisively changed his words. ¡°Without her, there¡¯s still Liu Muyu!¡± ¡®Second Young Master Murong, since she doesn¡¯t agree to rush joy, let¡¯s not pester her anymore and hurry back to the Murong family. If they returned to the Murong family now, they would still be able to make it in time. As long as Murong Yong accepted Liu Muyu, Old Madam Murong would be able to ¡°live¡±! Shangqing Spiritual Master¡¯s eyes were as sinister as an owl. ¡°It¡¯s too late.¡¯ Gu Yanfei said these words meaningfully again. Gu Yanfei raised her hand to catch a few snowflakes. Her smile was as cold as snow, and her expression was firm. As soon as she said this, Shangqing Spiritual Master¡¯s heart seemed to be clenched in the palm of an invisible hand, or his soul was pinched. He was so cold from head to toe that there was no warmth. ¡®Blargh!¡± A strong, sweet smell came from his throat. Shangqing Spiritual Master¡¯s upper body leaned forward slightly and he suddenly vomited a mouthful of blood. Dark red blood sprayed onto the ground like red plums. It was a shocking sight. ¡®Spiritual Master!¡± His servant called out nervously and hurriedly went to help Shangqing Spiritual Master. Shangqing Spiritual Master¡¯s pupils dilated. He waved his hand and pushed the servant away. His face was as pale as paper, and there was still a trace of blood at the corner of his lips. He was so weak that he looked as if he had been seriously ill, and even his fingers were trembling.. Chapter 234 - 234 Backlash 234 Backlash Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The handle of the horsetail whisk in his hand fell to the ground with a clang. The servant cried out ¡°Spiritual Master¡± again, trembling in fear. Backlash! He had suffered a backlash!! Shangqing Spiritual Master seemed to not have heard anything and suddenly turned to look in the direction of the Murong family. Gu Yanfei¡¯s words from the garden yesterday rang in Murong Yong¡¯s ears. ¡°Your grandmother is quite sick. I¡¯m afraid she won¡¯t be able to survive the next winter snow¡­¡± The snow was falling harder now, swirling like willow catkins. The snowstorm roared and roared, from the south to the north of the city. ¡°Hiss!¡± A talisman with black runes was torn from the window by a large, rough hand. The clear glass window was empty. Murong Hao carefully held the talisman paper and turned to a rosewood armchair beside him with a smile. ¡°Meow, meow, meow!¡± A five-month-old long-haired calico squatted on the armchair and meowed nonstop in a swaggering manner. In the inner room, the four or five talismans that had been stuck to the window, the roof, and Old Madam Murong¡¯s body were all torn off. ¡°Kitty, this is for you to play with.¡± Murong Hao personally handed over the last talisman in his hand respectfully and placed it in front of the cat along with the others. Thin snowflakes drifted in through the window. Occasionally, a few landed on the cat. The cat didn¡¯t care at all. It casually stretched out the tip of its claws and scratched the talisman. ¡°Crack, crack¡­¡± ¡°Crack, crack, crack¡­¡± The cat liked the sound and meowed happily. It scratched even harder in excitement, the tips of its hooked claws leaving scratches on the charm. Murong Hao and his wife, as well as the other two families, were in the inner room. They were looking at the calico cat on the armchair with burning eyes. They were pious, respectful, and fascinated. It was as if they were looking at their most precious thing or their faith. When the cat was done playing, it began to tear at the talismans with its claws, one after another. The sound of tearing paper made the cat happier. Its green cat eyes were sparkling, and its long tail swung briskly. Every time the cat tore a talisman, the Murong family felt their hearts tremble and instinctively wanted to stop the cat. ¡°Little¡­¡± However, when Murong Hao saw those beautiful cat eyes, his heart skipped a beat. In his eyes and heart, there was only the cat in front of him. The kitten was so cute that tearing a few talismans was nothing!! ¡°Hiss¡ª¡± As everyone watched in fascination, the cat casually tore off the last talisman. When the last talisman was completely half-torn, it was as if an invisible barrier had been slashed open from the window. The dim inner room lit up bit by bit. Light gradually spread into the room from the window until it reached the dim bed canopy. The cat leaped down from the armchair and jumped onto the edge of the bed in two or three leaps. It squatted elegantly and looked at Old Madam Murong on the bed. ¡°Meow!¡± The cat meowed in its childish voice. The five-month-old kitten meow was soft and cute, making the Murong family¡¯s hearts melt. As its voice fell, the light spread into the bed canopy. Old Madam Murong¡¯s closed eyes trembled as she lay on the bed. Then, she slowly opened them. Her drooping and swollen eyelids were half-open. The eyes embedded in the sockets were cloudy, lifeless, and without a hint of vitality. ¡°Meow!¡± the cat purred again, washing its face with its paws. The moment Old Madam Murong opened her eyes, she saw the kitten squatting at the head of the bed. From the other party¡¯s clear cat eyes, she seemed to see a beautiful girl. ¡°Thank you¡­¡± Madam Murong¡¯s shriveled and unhappy lips moved. Her voice was very soft, almost a sigh. Her lifeless eyes swayed with the escape of these two words. Her voice came with a slight ripple, sounding soft and sentimental. She thanked it and its owner for giving her relief. For the past three years, it had been like being in the 18th level of hell for her. Every moment had been suffering and torture. A faint mist stained the corners of her wrinkled eyes. Ever since she was over 60 years old, her body had been deteriorating. It wasn¡¯t until a cold three years ago that her body completely collapsed. She had a fever for three days and three nights. The doctor said that she had tuberculosis. Although she was barely saved, she had been bedridden after that. The more sick she was, the more groggy she felt. Gradually, she slept more and woke up less. In her half-conscious state, her three sons begged her to hold on for the sake of the Murong family. Of course, she also thought that her grandson was in his prime and had a good future. He was about to bring glory to the Murong family. She didn¡¯t want to delay her grandson because of her. She tried her best to hold on. Even if the world was weak for a day, even if she was almost exhausted, she still held on. One day, she was on the verge of death again and felt that she wouldn¡¯t be able to survive¡­ It was also that day that a transcendent voice sounded in her ear. That voice seemed to have some unbelievable power that directly pierced her soul. Her soul was bound by an invisible chain, making her feel suffocated. She felt cold all over and felt that her limbs and body were no longer under her control. Days passed and she lay on the bed, unable to move. Gradually, she could smell the slow rot of her body and feel her organs dying bit by bit. Even as someone wiped her down, she could feel that her flesh had long decayed. She couldn¡¯t move or sleep. She could hear and feel everything that was happening around her, but there was nothing she could do. One day, she suddenly understood¡ª She was long dead, but trapped in this ruined shell that was her body. She had become a living dead.. Chapter 235 - Chapter 235: Relief Chapter 235: Relief Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios At that time, Old Madam Murong didn¡¯t know that there was something even more terrifying waiting for her. Her body first began to decay. Then, her soul was also eroded. Her soul was stained with black bit by bit, rotting like a corpse¡­ This pain that made her wish she was dead seemed to come from the depths of her soul. She had seen the ¡®blackness¡± in her soul spread with her own eyes. A madness had invaded the depths of her soul. She felt that she wanted to kill someone and drink his blood, and she couldn¡¯t suppress her killing intent bit by bit. Even more frightening was the fact that her mouth, her fingers, began to move occasionally, especially when she smelled blood. The sense of loss was even stronger. She was afraid that one day she would completely lose her mind. She was afraid that when she woke up one day, she would slaughter all the living beings in the world. She didn¡¯t want to hurt anyone. Even if her soul dissipated, even if she would completely die in this world, even if she would never have the chance to see the Old Master in the netherworld. She thought again of the girl from yesterday, the girl who seemed to have torn open the darkness and stood in front of her. A new light came into her rheumy eyes. Now, she could finally be free!! Old Madam Murong¡¯s pupils quickly became dazed again. With the last of her strength, she said to the cat again, ¡°Thank you.¡± Good kitty! It crouched beside her, patted its paw on her head, and meowed. The cat tilted its head and looked at her with its messy white beard twitching. Its expression was elegant, arrogant, and compassionate. It looked like it was saymg, ¡®Poor and weak human!¡¯ In just a few breaths, Old Madam Murong¡¯s eyes became even more turbid. They were no longer focused and lifeless. There was only a pool of cold, stagnant water. She passed away with her eyes open. Her lips were curled in a smile of pleasure. The house was silent. A cold wind blew, as if it had taken away something invisible. After she died, Old Madam Murong¡¯s corpse began to decay at an extremely fast speed. The dark purple livor mortis on the surface of her body spread rapidly, connecting into one before turning green. Her body also expanded¡­ An extremely unpleasant stench of corpses quickly filled the air, becoming stronger and stronger, making one want to vomit. ¡®It stinks!¡¯ The calico cat looked disgusted. ¡®It¡¯s smellier than dogsh*t!¡¯ It had always loved cleanliness and couldn¡¯t wait to run away. After jumping off the bed, the cat specially rubbed its claws on Old Madam Murong¡¯s clothes and wiped the stench off its claws. Only then did it jump out of the window and run. As soon as the calico cat left, the room became even quieter, leaving only the sound of everyone¡¯s breathing. After another three breaths, the Murong family woke up in a daze. Second Madam Murong covered her nose with a handkerchief and frowned. ¡°Why does it smell worse? The others also frowned and covered their noses. When they looked around, they immediately noticed the torn talismans on the ground. Everyone looked at each other. They couldn¡¯t help but think of the scene where they had torn the talisman from the window and the wall and presented it to the cat. Their expressions were quite subtle. On the one hand, they felt that they didn¡¯t do such a stupid thing just now. However, on the other hand, she felt that there was nothing wrong with them playing with the kitten. Her emotions swayed back and forth. The stench of corpses in the air grew stronger. Murong Hao frowned and was the first to react. He rushed to the bed. What he saw made him gasp. The others quickly gathered around the shelf bed. Old Madam Murong was still rotting. Her abdomen, which was hidden under the brocade blanket, was bulging high. Her skin had turned black, her nails had fallen off, and her facial features were unrecognizable. Her skin was rotten and pus flowed, and one could vaguely see her white bones. Her eyeballs were about to fall¡­ The strong smell of decay assaulted their faces! Madam Murong let out a hysterical scream that was so sharp that it almost overturned the roof. She staggered backa step, then another, her face pale with fear. Second Madam Murong also cried out in shock with a pale face. She hurriedly turned around and covered her mouth with a handkerchief, vomiting repeatedly. The three sisters-in-law hurriedly hid in another corner of the inner room, all of them shocked. ¡®Mother,¡± Second Master Murong called out to the corpse on the bed, his voice trembling.. Chapter 236 - Chapter 236: Relief Chapter 236: Relief Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Old Madam Murong would never answer or respond again. She had been corrupted to such an extent that it was obvious that she was gone. She was dead! This thought clearly echoed in the minds of everyone present. This was the truth, and it was like sharp blades stabbing into their chests. The blades pulled and twisted repeatedly. After the initial fear, Murong Hao and the others were all stunned. Their expressions were complicated and filled with confusion. They didn¡¯t know what to do. Murong Hao muttered, ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be the case. The Spiritual Master clearly said that Mother won¡¯t die.¡± ¡®Yes, the auspicious hour isn¡¯t over yet,¡± Second Master Murong added, looking at the pot beside him. There was still an hour before the auspicious hour! The three Murong brothers panicked. They stood in front of the shelf bed and looked at each other. They felt as if a mountain was pressing down on their hearts, and the strong stench of corpses suffocated them. Fear, frustration, panic, and confusion mixed together. The three brothers faced the old woman¡¯s body, not knowing what to do for a moment. How did his mother die?! Mother shouldn¡¯t have died! ¡°It¡¯s over, it¡¯s all over.¡± Second Madam Murong sat down on the armchair by the window with one hand on the coffee table. Her pale lips trembled as she muttered, ¡®All my efforts over the years have been wasted¡­¡± ¡®Big Brother, did you hear wrongly?¡± Third Master Murong couldn¡¯t help but question Murong Hao. His expression was filled with anger and accusation. Second Master Murong frowned and looked at Murong Hao with the same emotions in his eyes. Murong Hao was in a mess. For a moment, he wondered if he had remembered wrongly, but then he thought of Shangqing Spiritual Master personally accompanying his second son to the Marquis Mansion to welcome the bride. ¡®Of course I didn¡¯t hear wrongly!¡± Murong Hao flicked his sleeve and said angrily, ¡°Are you blaming me? Third Master Murong felt guilty at first, but then he said confidently, ¡°Mother was fine yesterday. Last night, it was Big Brother and Sister-in-law who attended to Mother¡¯s illness. Mother wasn¡¯t well early in the morning¡­¡± His voice became louder and louder, almost saying that it was Murong Hao who caused today¡¯s situation. Sparks flew between the three brothers. At that moment, the curtain leading to the outer room was rudely lifted from the outside. ¡®Second Young Master! ¡± As the grannies outside exclaimed, Murong Yong, who was wearing a red groom¡¯s robe, strode into the inner room like a gust of wind. The grannies and old servants couldn¡¯t stop Murong Yong at all. What greeted her was a nauseating stench, so strong and pungent. Even the granny, who was outside the curtain, caught the terrible smell through the gap and almost fainted. Murong Yong¡¯s heart was as cold as ice. He was very sure that this was the stench of corpses. He saw the elders standing in front of the shelf bed at a glance. Suppressing the churning emotions in his heart, he walked over slowly, holding on to his last hope. ¡®Ah Yong.¡± Murong Hao and the others all saw Murong Yong. The three brothers subconsciously formed a human wall in front of the bed, trying to block his vision. However, Murong Yong had a clear goal. Without hesitation, he pushed away Second Master Murong, who was closest to him, and walked to the shelf bed. What came into view was a rotting female corpse. Her hair had fallen off along with her scalp. Half of her gray eyeballs had fallen from her eye sockets, and most of her lips had rotted. White bones and yellow teeth could be seen between the flesh that was flowing with pus¡­ There was no intact skin left on her corpse. How was this a bed? It should be a coffin! Murong Yong had been in the army for many years and was used to seeing corpses. He had once collected corpses for his comrades, personally decapitated the head of the enemy, and offered it to the higher-ups as a war trophy. He had also been to a village that had been massacred by bandits¡­ He had thought that nothing would startle him, but now he lost his composure and his expression changed. There was another hole in his heart, and the cold wind poured in and out of those holes. He didn¡¯t close his eyes. Instead, he stared straight at this scene without blinking, as if he wanted to engrave it in his heart. His eyes turned red bit by bit. It was a tragic and furious red. ¡°What¡¯s going 0117!¡± Murong Yong shouted. His well-defined facial features looked even sharper in the shadow of the bed canopy, and his eyes were filled with anger. Murong Yong had just rushed back from the Gu family to see if his grandmother was dead or alive. Even though he had already guessed from Shangqing Spiritual Master¡¯s reaction that his grandmother was probably not in a good state, there was still a trace of hope in his heart. He hoped that his grandmother was still alive and that his family hadn¡¯t committed such a mortal sin! However, reality shredded the last hope in his heart. The ugly, brutal truth lay bare before him. A corpse that had just died couldn¡¯t have decayed to this extent in a short period of time. How long had Grandma been dead? One year, two years¡­ or three years?! Murong Yong¡¯s shout just now snapped the shocked Madam Murong back to her senses. Only then did she slowly realize that her second son had returned. The moment Madam Murong saw Murong Yong, her originally dim eyes lit up again. She asked excitedly, ¡°Where¡¯s the girl from the Gu family?¡± ¡®Quick, it¡¯s definitely not too late to rush joy now!¡± Murong Hao immediately added. His eyes were burning with an obsession that was almost crazy. Shangqing Spiritual Master had extraordinary magical power. He would definitely be able to revive the Old Madam! The others from the Murong family also had hope reignited as they all looked at Murong Yong. This scene was no different from pouring a bucket of ice water on Murong Yong¡¯s head, extinguishing the last flame in his heart. The bone -chilling cold quickly spread to his limbs and bones. A bitter smile appeared on Murong Yong¡¯s handsome face. It was extremely bitter, sorrowful, and slightly sinister.. Chapter 237 - Chapter 237: Retribution Chapter 237: Retribution Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Madam Murong¡¯s heart skipped a beat and she immediately saw something. She quickly took a few steps forward, pulled Murong Yong¡¯s sleeve, and asked, ¡®Ah Yong, did the Gu family break off the engagement?¡± Before Murong Yong could answer, she was already cursing angrily. ¡®The Gu family actually didn¡¯t keep their promise. How dare they? When I went to see Madam Gu this morning, she clearly promised me well.¡± She wanted to reason with the Gu family, but thinking that time wasn¡¯t on her side, she changed the topic. ¡°Wait, there¡¯s also Yu¡¯er. Quick, get Yu¡¯er to change into her wedding clothes. Get married to her quickly.¡± ¡®Your grandmother will ¡®get better¡¯!¡± When Murong Hao heard this, his eyes lit up, as if he had grabbed onto his last straw. At this moment, the Murong family seemed to ignore the corpse on the bed and the stench in the air. Madness! Murong Yong looked around at his crazy-looking relatives. His eyes were unfathomably dark, and for the first time, a sense of powerlessness rose in his heart. Second Master Murong and Third Master Murong also surrounded Murong Yong and grabbed his arms from both sides. ¡°It¡¯s fine for Ah Yong to try!¡± ¡®What if it works?¡± ¡®The auspicious hour is almost here¡­¡± Everyone pulled at Murong Yong like crazy, their descriptions becoming more and more crazy. Murong Yong¡¯s face was filled with anger. Just as he was about to flare up, he saw strands of frost-like silver visible in Murong Hao¡¯s hair. More and more white hair appeared, and lines appeared on the skin of his forehead and the corners of his eyes. Murong Yong¡¯s pupils constricted. Murong Hao didn¡¯t notice it at all. He held Murong Yong¡¯s hand and begged, ¡®Ah Yong, can you take it that I¡¯m begging you¡­¡± His originally strong voice became old and hoarse. Even one of his front teeth fell out, and his voice began to leak. The bloody front tooth rolled away. ¡® Murong Yong¡¯s eyes darkened, and he turned to look at the others. His two uncles had actually aged in just a few breaths. The three of them seemed to have aged by 20 years. They had advanced from their prime to old age, and their bodies exuded an old aura. A backlash. This was a backlash! Murong Yong deeply realized this. The others finally noticed it. Second Madam Murong gasped and pointed at Second Master Murong in horror. She screamed, ¡®Old¡­ Old Master, why are you¡­¡± Before she could continue, her eyes rolled back and she fainted. The three Murong brothers looked at each other and then at themselves. They were dumbfounded and terrified. They muttered, ¡°How could this be? How could this be?¡± Panic-stricken screams rose and fell. Looking at the chaotic scene in front of him, Murong Yong was expressionless. The corners of his eyes twitched. Yes. There would be a backlash if his family did such a thing. Gu Yanfei¡¯s words in the Marquis Mansion echoed in his ears again. ¡®Resurrection from the dead is against Heaven¡¯s Will.¡± Death was death. There was no way to survive. Murong Yong silently digested these words and looked at his grandmother on the bed again. His gaze fell on the unrecognizable face. Her lips were rotten and shapeless, but the corners of her lips were visibly curled up. From her decaying features, he could see a smile on her face. She had died smiling. It was a relieved smile. Murong Yong closed his eyes and exhaled a breath of white air between his thin lips. His heart had finally settled. Ignoring his anxious family around him, he raised his voice decisively. ¡®Someone!¡± ¡®Prepare for the funeral!¡± Murong Yong ignored the chaos behind him and went out alone. His usually steady footsteps seemed to be a little unsteady at this moment, and his body swayed slightly. He knew very well that there was probably more waiting for their family! After a while, the servants in the residence all knew that the old lady had passed away. The red lanterns and ribbons everywhere in the Murong residence had been removed and white mourning flags hung up. The servants had also wrapped white cloth around their arms and waists, indicating that there was a funeral in the residence. Therefore, when Shangqing Spiritual Master caught up with them all the way to the Murong residence, he saw mourning banners and white silk hanging up. Countless white paper money floated up from the door like white butterflies flappmg their wings and intertwining with the falling snow.. Chapter 238 - Chapter 238: Retribution Chapter 238: Retribution Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡®Sigh!¡± Shangqing Spiritual Master¡¯s servant held the reins of the horse tightly. The carriage stopped at the entrance of the Murong residence. Shangqing Spiritual Master quickly jumped out of the carriage and rushed into the residence. Shangqing Spiritual Master¡¯s face was covered in blood. Not only was blood seeping from his mouth and nose, but even the corners of his eyes were bleeding. It was like two rows of dark red blood tears, and he looked very terrifying. When the servants of the Murong family saw him enter with a face full of blood, they were first shocked and thought that they had seen a ghost. Then, from the yellow robe on his body and the servant behind him, they recognized that it was Shangqing Spiritual Master and were all stunned. How did Shangqing Spiritual Master become like this?! The servants didn¡¯t dare to stop him and hurriedly ran to report his arrival. Shangqing Spiritual Master rushed towards Old Madam Murong¡¯s courtyard with familiarity, walking faster and faster. Along the way, white silk and white lanterns could be seen everywhere, making the mansion look cold and sinister. Shangqing Spiritual Master¡¯s heart instantly sank to the bottom, but he still felt indignant and unwilling to accept the truth. ¡®No, no¡­¡± he muttered a little wildly. ¡°I have to flush good fortune and rush It was unknown if he was saying this for himself or for others. His head and body were stained with snowflakes. There was also a piece of white paper money stuck to his hair and shoulders. It was pasted with the blood on his face and he looked miserable. Murong Yong, who had come out from the other side of the door, met the hurried Shangqing Spiritual Master. Through the snow, he looked at the dazed old priest in front of him from afar. Murong Yong had already changed out of his red groom¡¯s robe and put on a plain white straight robe. There was a white silk sash around his waist that echoed the white streamers and white silk around him. He still didn¡¯t hold an umbrella, and stopped about 100 feet away from Shangqing. His gaze was cold but firm as he spat out three words coldly. Murong Yong wasn¡¯t stupid and had a lot of experience. After leaving his grandmother¡¯s house, he stood in the courtyard for a while, letting the cold wind water him and wash away the frost and snow. He had thought about a lot of things. By now, he had calmed down completely. Looking at Shangqing Spiritual Master¡¯s bleeding face, Murong Yong¡¯s heart was as clear as a mirror. Just as the Second Lady of the Gu family had said, this so-called ¡°borrowing luck¡± was probably more for the sake of Shangqing Spiritual Master himself. It was useless to say anything else. It was also his own greed. Murong Yong¡¯s lips curled into an almost undetectable sneer as he thought to himself self-deprecatingly. At the same time, he raised his hand and instructed the guard, ¡°Throw him out!¡± What?! The guards and servants of the Murong family looked at each other in disbelief. They all recognized the Shangqing Spiritual Master as a guest of honor in the residence. The old masters were all respectful to him¡­ Murong Yong raised his eyebrows, his expression filled with impatience and gloom. He ordered again, ¡®Throw him out.¡± His voice rose another three degrees, and that cold and ruthless murderous aura spewed out in an instant. The guards no longer hesitated. They surged forward aggressively and rudely used their scabbards to beat people and chase them away. ¡®Spiritual Master, be careful!¡± His servant hurriedly went to protect Shangqing Spiritual Master and took a few hits for him. Painful cries, punches, kicks, and collisions¡­ echoed in the snow. Shangqing Spiritual Master and the servant were only two people. How could they defeat so many guards of the Murong family? Two fists were no match for four hands. The two of them were surrounded and chased towards the door like stray dogs¡­ As they pushed each other, the wooden hairpin on Shangqing Spiritual Master¡¯s bun was knocked askew. Half of his hair was messy, and there were several bruises on his forehead and the corner of his mouth. Even his sleeve had been accidentally torn off. Murong Yong didn¡¯t care about what happened to Shangqing Spiritual Master at all. He walked past him and left the door in a hurry. He first went to the Ministry of War and presented a memorial representing the death of his grandmother. He said that his grandmother had passed away today and his family was going to observe mourning for his grandmother for three years. Then, he made a trip to the Divine Arms Battalion and explained the situation to the higher-ups. The higher-ups more or less felt that it was a pity. To the generals, Murong Yong was just the right age and was at the peak of youth¡¯s energy. He dared to kill and risk his life. In the next three years, he would have had a chance to rise and make some achievements. After running to several places in a row, he finally went to the Dingyuan Marquis Household to personally report the funeral. On the Marquis Household¡¯s side, Gu Yuan came forward to receive Murong Yong. It wasn¡¯t even three o¡¯clock in the morning. It was less than four hours since Murong Yong left this place at noon. In just half a day, Murong Yong had the illusion that he had experienced decades. It was like a dream. The young man in his 20s was no longer as arrogant and sharp as before. He looked a little tired. ¡®Next, our family will have to observe mourning for three years. I¡¯ve discussed it with my parents. We can¡¯t delay Eldest Miss Gu, and I hope she can get married soon.¡± He tried to keep his voice steady. His words were dignified and polite, giving both families face. After returning the marriage contract, Murong Yong cupped his hands and turned to leave. Gu Yuan returned the marriage contract that the Murong family had returned to Gu Yunzhen and went to Yuheng Garden to tell Gu Yanfei about it. ¡®Murong Yong is a little smarter this time.¡± Gu Yuan sat down on a round chair by the window. Unlike Gu Yanfei¡¯s lazy and relaxed sitting posture, he was always upright, whether standing or sitting. Murong Yong took the initiative to return the marriage contract and even took all the responsibility for the Murong family. He expressed that the Murong family wanted to observe mourning and didn¡¯t want to delay Gu Yunzhen, so they broke off the engagement. In this way, Gu Yunzhen¡¯s reputation wouldn¡¯t be damaged. She could find another marriage. Gu Yanfei was sitting in front of the desk in the small study, flipping through an idle book she had found from an unknown bookstore. She rubbed her chin with one hand and blinked thoughtfully. In her previous life, as a noble concubine, Liu Muyu had replaced Gu Yunzhen to help Old Madam Murong rush joy. Shangqing Spiritual Master¡¯s spell of ¡®borrowing luck to rush joy¡± should have succeeded. As for Old Madam Murong, her ending wouldn¡¯t be so good. At most, two years¡­ W I see¡­¡± Gu Yanfei muttered to herself. She remembered that two years later, there was a sudden plague in the capital, and many people bled to death. Later, it was Gu Yunrongwho turned the tide¡­ Chapter 239 - Chapter 239: Blood Kin Chapter 239: Blood Kin Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios During that period of time in her previous life, Gu Yanfei almost never left the house. She actually didn¡¯t know much about the capital. She only knew that first, the eldest grandson of the Marquis Mansion suddenly died with blood flowing from his mouth and nose. Then, it was the young master of the right assistant minister of the Ministry of Rites, followed by the two girls from the Taichang Temple¡­ First the children, then even the adults were infected. More and more people died, from noble courtiers to commoners. In the beginning, only three or four people died a day. Later, almost a hundred people died every day. The officials reported that it was a plague and told everyone to try not to go out to avoid contagion. During that period, the entire capital was shrouded in the fear of death, afraid that it would be their turn next. At that time, the government chased the infected people out of the city and circled a village to be guarded by soldiers, leaving them to fend for themselves. It was Kang Wang¡¯s consort, Gu Yunrong, who disregarded her safety and went to the plague village to eat and live with those patients. She also turned the tide and extinguished the plague that might kill tens of thousands of people. Countless citizens in the capital were grateful for her kindness and spontaneously ran to the entrance of Prince Kang¡¯s Manor to kowtow to her. There was a sea of people, and many families even offered her longevity tablets. These things were pieced together by Gu Yanfei in her previous life from the idle chat of the maidservants and old women in the Marquis Mansion. Turning the tide? Gu Yanfei¡¯s lips curled into a faint smile as her gaze landed on the dense snow outside the window. There was almost no spiritual energy in this small world. It was impossible for Old Madam Murong to be refined. It was fine if mortals died. When a corpse rotted, it would produce corpse poison. The longer it lasted, the more poisonous the corpse poison in the corpse would be. Unlike ordinary dead people, Old Madam Murong¡¯s corpse poison was even stronger. It was summer and there were many flies and mosquitoes. Children were weak and were the easiest to be infected by corpse poison. The poison also acted up the fastest. Therefore, it was the children who died in the beginning. After being infected by the corpse poison, the adults¡¯ reaction would be slower than the children by a day or two. The fastest would be a day, and the slowest would be three to four days. Those who were infected by the corpse poison would die one after another¡­ ¡®Eh?¡± Gu Yanfei stopped stroking her chin and blinked. Countless spots of light instantly appeared between the dense snowflakes outside, like a dazzling galaxy pouring down from the night sky, or like a treasure sprinkled by a god in the clouds¡­ Thousands of light spots surged toward her from all directions, illuminating the courtyard with brilliance. It was a merit. Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes lit up like stars, like a cat that had stolen a fish. She was smug and satisfied. She had avoided a disaster that was about to lead to the deaths of thousands. This was the merit the heavens had given her. Hmm. Although Heaven¡¯s Will of this small world wasn¡¯t very likable, it was still quite generous. The thousands of firefly-like light spots quickly gathered beside Gu Yanfei and entered her body, nourishing her internal organs and clearing her meridians, making her feel brand new. Gu Yanfei blinked and immediately felt the gains this time. Her eyes saw better. She could even clearly see every petal of a certain red plum in the snow. Merit was indeed more useful than any divine pill or miracle medicine! ¡®Why?¡± Gu Yuan looked out of the window in confusion, thinking that something was happening in the courtyard. ¡®What are you looking at?¡± Gu Yanfei was still savoring the changes in her body when she came back to her senses. She smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m looking at the cat.¡¯ Gu Yuan didn¡¯t see any cats in the courtyard at all. ¡®Meow!¡± In the next moment, she heard a familiar meow from the other side of the green brick wall. A ball of fur jumped onto the wall with a whoosh. It was light and stable. The calico cat that had been out for a long time was finally willing to return. It looked even more energetic than before it went out. Its long fur was fluffier and more glossy, as if it had suddenly grown bigger. She¡¯d earned merit this time, as had the cat. However, the cat didn¡¯t seem to be in a good mood. It lowered its head and sniffed its long fur. Its round cat face wrinkled in disgust. It subconsciously stuck out its tongue to lick its fur, but it stopped as if it had thought of something, leaving its pink tongue half-exposed. It¡­ it was already dirty and smelly! A layer of snow had accumulated on the wall and the ground. The cat leaped into the snow and rolled, covered in snow. Gu Yanfei looked at the ¡°frosted cat¡± and couldn¡¯t help but smile happily.. Chapter 240 - Chapter 240: Blood Kin Chapter 240: Blood Kin Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Seeing that Gu Yanfei was very happy to see the cat, Gu Yuan smiled too, his eyes gentle. It was good that raising such a kitten could make his sister smile! Gu Yuan joked, ¡®Sister, your cat is really naughty. Although Gu Yanfei also thought that her cat was very naughty, she felt that Qing Guang was a little innocent today. The Murong family was indeed quite smelly! Thinking of this, Gu Yanfei couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°How pitiful!¡± ¡®The dead are forced to stay in the world. What¡¯s consumed is the soul¡­ and the merit of the world.¡± Old Madam Murong¡¯s soul was already damaged. In her next life, she would definitely reincarnate into the path of animals. At the very least, she would need a few reincarnations to repair her soul bit by bit and be reborn as a human. There was a price for everything in this world. It was the same for the Murong family and Shangqing Spiritual Master. Gu Yuan could vaguely hear that Gu Yanfei was saying that Old Madam Murong was pitiful, but he didn¡¯t comment. ¡®Qing Guang, you¡¯re back. I¡¯ve been looking for you for half a day!¡± Juan Bi jogged over from a certain direction and happily picked up the cat in the snow. ¡°Why do you smell?¡± she exclaimed. ¡®Qing Guang, let me wash you. I¡¯ll use a smoke cage to dry your fur too. You¡¯ll smell good again!¡± Juan Bi hugged the cat gently and spoke ingratiatingly, but she couldn¡¯t get any response from the cat. The word ¡°smelly¡± had already shut the cat up. The calico cat closed its eyes and lay like a corpse in Juan Bi¡¯s arms. The man and the cat left quickly, leaving only the large and small footprints left in the snow by the man and the cat. The courtyard was empty agam, except for the snow. Gu Yanfei looked in the direction of the Murong residence for a while. Then, she turned to look in the direction of the ancestral hall and said, ¡°Once the soul is damaged, it has to be nourished for a long time.¡± After a pause, Gu Yanfei¡¯s calm tone was tainted with a hint of sadness. ¡®So is our biological grandmother. ¡± ¡®IAS a substitute, her soul should have dissipated, but now, she¡¯s lucky to have preserved a trace of her soul.¡¯ ¡®But only a little.¡± Substitute¡­ Even though Gu Yuan had some guesses, he still found it unbelievable when he heard Gu Yanfei¡¯s words. Their biological grandmother was actually Madam Guts substitute! All these years since his father passed away instantly flashed through his mind. Gu Yuan¡¯s eyes were like raging waves. He took a deep breath and gripped the arm of the round chair tightly with one hand. He composed himself and asked clearly, ¡°Sister, what¡¯s a ¡®substitute¡¯?¡± Gu Yanfei¡¯s words in the ancestral hall were mostly for Madam Gu, the person involved. The person involved knew very well, but outsiders were confused. Gu Yuan could barely guess. ¡®Substitutes and rushing joy are both ways of borrowing luck from the Taoist community.¡± Gu Yanfei¡¯s indifferent voice was emotionless. ¡°If there are people who are in trouble, you can find a blood relative who is compatible with you and be their substitute. A life for a life.¡± ¡®Our biological grandmother is Madam¡¯s substitute and her blood relative.¡¯ Hearing this, Gu Yuan¡¯s eyes darkened and he gradually calmed down. He guessed, ¡°Sister, our grandmother¡¯s surname is also Qi?¡± Gu Yanfei nodded affirmatively and gently fiddled with the compass she had placed on the table. There was silence in the house for a moment. Large flakes of snow were blown in through the window by the bleak wind. Gu Yanfei lowered her eyes and watched the snowflakes on the table turn into sparkling water droplets. She recalled the past Gu Yunzhen had told her about her grandfather in the ancestral hall last night. After her father was born, her grandfather fell seriously ill. After that, his relationship with Madam Gu became bad. Presumably, that was when her and her brother¡¯s biological grandmother passed away. What exactly happened 30 years ago?! Gu Yanfei¡¯s heart tightened slightly, and her heart skipped a beat. She couldn¡¯t help but smile bitterly to herself. She had clearly been in the Bright Spirit Realm for 200 years and had seen enough hatred, sorrow, joy, and separation. She had experienced all kinds of tragic, bizarre, and terrifying stories, but she still couldn¡¯t calm down in the face of things related to her. After a moment of silence, Gu Yanfei calmed down and continued, ¡°The ¡®Substitute Talisman¡¯ is drawn with the blood essence of a substitute. Logically speaking, it shouldn¡¯t be able to leave its owner. Now, it¡¯s placed in Grandpa¡¯s memorial tablet and worshiped by the descendants of the Gu family.¡± ¡®Grandpa probably did this.¡± More than 30 years had passed, and everything had changed. Some were dead, some were gone, and many details were probably only known by Madam. However, it wasn¡¯t impossible to find clues about what had happened back then. ¡®You¡¯ll find out eventually.¡± Gu Yuan raised his hand and rubbed the top of Gu Yanfei¡¯s soft head. His lips curled into a smile, and his gentle smile melted the frost between his eyebrows. ¡°I¡¯m here!¡± You¡¯re my sister, what are you worried about! Gu Yanfei also smiled with pride. She nodded seriously. ¡®Yes, I have a brother!¡± With my brother around, I¡¯m not alone. The siblings looked at each other and smiled, their smiles just as warm. Gu Yuan wasn¡¯t casually comforting Gu Yanfei. He did have some ideas. After all, he knew far more about the Gu family¡¯s past than Gu Yanfei. His great- grandfather and grandfather should have been in the West Region 37 to 38 years ago. His grandfather was also married in the West Region, so if he wanted more clues, he had to send someone to the West Region. As for the Qi family, if their biological grandmother was really Madam¡¯s blood relative, then did no one in the Qi family know of her existence? Not necessarily. Since a person had existed before, how could he be easily erased7! Gu Yanfei tilted her head with a smile and said, ¡°It¡¯s good for Grandma¡¯s soul to be nourished in the ancestral hall first. When there¡¯s a chance¡­¡± Halfway through her sentence, she stopped abruptly. Gu Yanfei¡¯s pupils constricted and widened slightly. Her deep gaze landed on Gu Yuan¡¯s heart. Gu Yuan raised his eyebrows. ¡®Big Brother, are you injured?¡± Gu Yanfei pointed at Gu Yuan¡¯s left chest. Gu Yuan thought about it and said casually, ¡°I was swept by Shangqing¡¯s horsetail whisk just now. It was like a cat scratching me. I¡¯m fine.¡± Gu Yanfei narrowed her eyes bit by bit. This should be¡­ a mark.. Chapter 241 - Chapter 241: Phenomenon Chapter 241: Phenomenon Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡®Whoosh¡ª¡± Outside, the snowstorm was getting heavier. A strong wind blew, and white snow fell. Snowflakes covered the sky and fell, as dense as fog. Everything was hazy as far as the eye could see. The sky darkened, as if night had arrived early. Madam Gu fell ill again. Gu Yanfei didn¡¯t know how sick she was. In any case, several doctors had come. Even the matter of entering the palace to congratulate her on the first day of the Lunar New Year had been taken away. Because Madam Gu was seriously ill, the Marquis Mansion¡¯s New Year was a little cold. There were no fireworks, no laughter, and no festive atmosphere. Gu Yuan was on duty and had been in the palace since New Year¡¯s Eve. He had been missing for a few days. Hence, Gu Yanfei stayed leisurely in Yuheng Garden every day. It was only on the eighth day of the new year that Wei Jiaoniang suddenly visited. Her arrival brought vitality to the quiet courtyard. ¡®Yanfei, I brought you the date pastry from Jinshi Store. It¡¯s freshly baked and still hot!¡± Before Wei Jiaoniang¡¯s arrived, her laughter had already arrived, and she was still as energetic as ever. She gestured for the maidservant to bring up the box of date pastries. She was in no hurry to sit down and looked around at the furnishings with interest. The small study wasn¡¯t big. Against the west wall was a row of multi-treasure pavilions and bookshelves. The tall bookshelves almost reached the roof, and all kinds of books were filled up. To the north was a six-panel rosewood-carved porcelain screen. Behind it was a beauty couch and a rattan cat bed. On the wall hung a bow and a sword. To the east were two bright windows. There was a huge desk, a chessboard, and a few round chairs. In addition to brush, ink, paper, and an inkstone, there was also a large blue and white porcelain vase the size of a washbasin. There were three or four goldfish, decorated with a few strands of water grass and five or six pebbles. Wei Jiaoniang chose a round chair that leaned against the fish tank and sat down. The few red and white-striped goldfish in the fish tank immediately swayed their tails and swam towards her, stirring up layers of water. ¡®Yanfei, your place is really good!¡± Wei Jiaoniang said with a smile. Obviously, the layout of this small study was very different from that of an ordinary young lady¡¯s bedroom. There was no zither, lute, incense, beaded curtains, coral jade bonsai, Guanyin jade statue, or Three Pure Paintings. The books and paperweights on the desk were placed casually. It could be seen that the owner was carefree, making people feel extremely at ease. Juan Bi opened the box of snacks that Wei Jiaoniang had just sent over and plated it again. At the same time, Gu Yanfei took out a box of fish food from the drawer. Wei Jiaoniang took out some fish food from the box and fed it to the fish excitedly. The fish chased after the fish food and swarmed over. Wei Jiaoniang was overjoyed and laughed happily. ¡°Yanfei, your fish really has good taste. All of them like me, unlike my fish and the dog who runs away when they see me!¡± ¡®Of course!¡± Gu Yanfei agreed shamelessly. The two of them looked at each other and smiled. The girl¡¯s tinkling laughter echoed through the house. Juan Bi, who was at the side, naturally heard this conversation. The corners of her eyes twitched. Juan Bi knew best that Qing Guang liked to drink ¡°fish soup¡± and always came to the fish tank to drink water. It didn¡¯t eat live fish, but the gold fishes were afraid of it, so they liked to hide in the direction of humans. Goldfish didn¡¯t like people as much as they hated cats. Wei Jiaoniang couldn¡¯t sit still. After feeding the fish for a while, she ran to the bookshelf to see what books Gu Yanfei had here. What she saw stunned her. ¡®Yanfei, why do you have so many military arts books here? ¡®Six Secret Teachings¡¯, ¡®Classic of the Bright White Yin¡¯, ¡®The Internalization of the Tiger Talismans¡¯, ¡®Strategies of the Warring States¡¯ ¡­ ¡®t Wei Jiaoniang recited a series of military titles, and her eyes lit up. Even their Wei Manor didn¡¯t have so many military books. Some of them had already been lost. ¡®My Big Brother gave them to me,¡± Gu Yanfei said with a smile. When she first returned to the Marquis Mansion in the capital, Gu Yuan wished he could move all his things over for her to use. These books were also one of them. The books here were very varied. There were military books, The Four Books and The Five Classics, calculation scriptures, horse scriptures, astronomical books, and so on. Gu Yuan said that most of these books were left behind by their father. Gu Yanfei also flipped through some books and saw annotations left behind by her father, Gu Ce. Some of the handwriting was frivolous, some was strong, and some was calm and open¡­ Clearly, there were some years between them.. Chapter 242 - Chapter 242: Phenomenon Chapter 242: Phenomenon Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios In her previous life, Gu Yuan had also wanted to give these books to her, but she didn¡¯t dare to accept them¡­ Gu Yanfei¡¯s thoughts accidentally returned to her previous life until Wei Jiaoniang¡¯s happy voice woke her up. ¡°Yanfei, this¡­ can¡¯t be from your Big Brother too, right?¡± Wei Jiaoniang held a playbook with the words ¡°Ten Miles Pavilion¡± and shook it gently. Indeed. Gu Yanfei nodded honestly. One day, after she told her big brother that she had gone to the Tianyin Pavilion to listen to dramas, the next day, her big brother specially bought a few drama scripts for her. ¡®Your Big Brother has good taste. This ¡®Ten Miles Pavilion¡¯ is very popular.¡± Wei Jiaoniang¡¯s eyes were sparkling as she said excitedly, ¡®The new scenes arranged by the Tianyin Pavilion have been full recently.¡± ¡®Yanfei, let¡¯s go watch a show. I haven¡¯t watched a show in a long time.¡¯ The more Wei Jiaoniang spoke, the brighter her eyes became. With her personality, if she said it was wind, it would be rain. Before her butt could warm up, she got up and pulled Gu Yanfei out of the door. Because the weather was cold, the two of them went out in Wei Jiaoniang¡¯s carriage. The carriage was filled with laughter along the way. ¡®Yanfei, two days ago, a new Jiangnan snack shop opened opposite the Tianyin Pavilion. Let¡¯s buy some later and eat while watching the show.¡± ¡®Let¡¯s go to the next street to watch the sideshow after the show. That sideshow team only appears every New Year. After the Lantern Festival, they¡¯ll be leaving. The next time will be next year!¡± ¡®By the way, Tianle Restaurant has released new wine and dishes. Let¡¯s go there for lunch.¡¯ Wei Jiaoniang was a lively person and talked about everything. She even told Gu Yanfei where the best weapons and horse equipment shops were. She was like a ¡°Beijing know-it-all¡±. As they chatted, the carriage arrived at the Tianyin Pavilion in the south of the city. ¡®Miss Wei, you haven¡¯t been here for a while.¡± The waiter at the Tianyin Pavilion welcomed her warmly. ¡®The private rooms in your residence have been reserved.¡± Imperial Duke Wei liked to watch the show, so he simply reserved a private room in the Tianyin Pavilion. ¡°It¡¯s better to be early than late. In half a cup of tea¡¯s time, the show will begin.¡± The waiter smiled and extended his hand. ¡®Quick, quick! The show is about to begin.¡± Wei Jiaoniang held Gu Yanfei¡¯s hand and happily walked towards the private room on the second floor. They ordered a table of tea and snacks and ordered the maidservant to buy a few boxes of snacks from the snack shop opposite, filling the table. Gu Yanfei picked up the teapot beside her and poured tea for Wei Jiaoniang. Halfway through, a high-pitched and excited commotion came from downstairs. The last time Gu Yanfei heard such a lively commotion here was because of a certain ¡°flower¡±. For a moment, she thought that Xia Houqing had arrived and glanced at the stage. The high stage was empty, and the curtain hung low. The show had yet to begin. In the lobby on the first floor, the tea guests and audience gathered in twos and threes to discuss something excitedly. As they spoke, they danced and gestured like dancing immortals. There were even many people gathered outside the Tianyin Pavilion. They were also shouting and dancing. Wei Jiaoniang had always liked crowds. She instructed her maidservant, ¡®Xi Que, go and see what¡¯s going on.¡± Xi Que quickly went downstairs. Juan Bi was also very curious. She glanced at Gu Yanfei¡¯s expression and followed happily. After a while, the two maidservants ran back, panting. Their eyes were shining, and they were in high spirits. ¡®Miss, there¡¯s a phenomenon in the sky!¡± Xi Que said excitedly to Wei Jiaoniang. ¡®IA few guests just arrived on the first floor. They said that they saw a phenomenon in the sly just now. Later, many people on the street said that they all saw it.¡± ¡®Everyone downstairs and outside is talking about this now!¡± A phenomenon in the sky? Wei Jiaoniang blinked and subconsciously looked at the window on the other side of the private room. She looked out at the blue sky that was cloudless and calm. Xi Que took a deep breath. Juan Bi, who was beside her, immediately said, ¡®IA true dragon has appeared in the sky above Prince Kang¡¯s Manor. It¡¯s a true dragon!¡± Like the others below, she gestured with her hands and feet, trying to show the size of the dragon. True dragon? Gu Yanfei took a sip of flower tea and casually twirled the teacup in her hand. The chrysanthemum floating in the tea fluttered, making her eyes sparkle. Heh, this small world only had so little spiritual energy. The dragons wouldn¡¯t come! ¡®Meow!¡± A meow came from outside the window, as if in response to Gu Yanfei¡¯s thoughts. Gu Yanfei turned to look out of the window, but there was nothing outside. It was as if the meow just now was just her imagination. Wei Jiaoniang was excited to hear this. Her face was red, as if it had been dyed with rouge. She asked curiously, ¡°When did this happen? Is the dragon still here?¡± She looked as if she wanted to run to Prince Kang¡¯s Manor to watch the commotion. Xi Que could roughly tell what her lady was thinking, so she answered the main point first, ¡°The true dragon has already left.¡¯ Wei Jiaoniang sat back in disappointment and continued to eat her snacks and dried fruits. She took a bite of the pastry and stuffed a handful of creamed pine nuts into her mouth. She gestured with her eyes for Xi Que to continue. Xi Que and Juan Bi took turns to recount what they had just heard. ¡®Just now, at most half a cup of tea¡¯s time ago, it appeared directly above Prince Kang¡¯s Manor. At that time, everyone on the street saw it.¡¯ ¡®All of a sudden, the entire street was covered by dark clouds, but the sun was still shining everywhere else. Then, three consecutive thunderclaps sounded. A true dragon appeared between the dark clouds, and a dragon¡¯s roar resounded through the clouds. The true dragon nodded three times in a row at Kang Wang¡¯s Manor, as if it was kowtowing..¡± Chapter 243 - Chapter 243: Good Omen Chapter 243: Good Omen Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡®After that, the true dragon circled three times above Prince Kang¡¯s Manor and disappeared!¡± Xi Que rushed to finish what she felt was the most important ending. Juan Bi nodded repeatedly. She raised her arm and waved her sleeve, pretending to leave with a flick of her sleeve. Then, she added in all seriousness, ¡°The dark clouds in the sky dissipated automatically, and the entire street regained its light!¡± ¡°The sun shone brightly on the earth!¡± ¡°Pfft.¡± Gu Yanfei imagined the scene of a true dragon descending and couldn¡¯t help but laugh. The dragons would be angry. Dragons had the ability to travel through void and could travel between different small worlds. They liked places with abundant spiritual energy and even looked down on the Bright Spirit Realm. In the 200 years that Gu Yanfei had been in the Bright Spirit Realm, she had only encountered one dragon from the Dragon Race once. It had overslept and forgotten to migrate with its clansmen. At that time, she had accidentally woken up the dragon. The other party¡¯s arrogant look left a deep impression on her. Even now, Gu Yanfei still remembers it clearly. The power of a true dragon was enough to overturn mountains and seas, tear the sky apart, and far exceed the imagination of mortals! A dragon would kowtow to humans? This¡­ Wasn¡¯t this asking Qing Guang to kowtow to the goldfish in the fish tank?! Impossible! Gu Yanfei carefully imagined this scene and compared it to the cat and the goldfish. She smiled even more happily, her smile blooming on her beautiful face like a flower. Seeing Gu Yanfei smile, Wei Jiaoniang was also infected by her smile. She chuckled and asked Xi Que, ¡°What happened after that?¡± ¡®Later¡­ Later,¡± Xi Que hesitated for a moment before continuing dryly, ¡°this matter spread. Many shops on the street are setting off firecrackers to celebrate this auspicious omen.¡± As they spoke, the crowd became even more noisy. From time to time, words like ¡°True Dragon¡±, ¡°Kowtow¡±, ¡®Worship¡±, and ¡°Kang Wang¡± floated up. The more everyone spoke, the more lively it became. Wei Jiaoniang pricked up her ears and felt an itch in her heart. She muttered regretfully, ¡°1f I had known earlier, I would have asked the coachman to leave from Xinhui Street. Perhaps we would have seen it too!¡± Before he could finish his sentence, the deafening sound of the gong rang in the lobby on the first floor and spread throughout the entire Tianyin Pavilion, indicating that the show was about to begin. The musicians by the stage were already on standby for instruments such as flutes, sea flutes, drum boards, and trebles. Gu Yanfei stuffed a candied fruit into Wei Jiaoniang¡¯s mouth and comforted her with a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there¡¯ll be another chance.¡± Gu Yanfei held her chin with one hand and winked at her with her right eye, looking smart and cunning. Wei Jiaoniang leaned her face close to Gu Yanfei¡¯s, almost touching her cheek. She lowered her voice and asked curiously, ¡°Yanfei, how do you know?¡± She pronounced the two words ¡®Yanfei¡± in a touching manner. Her bright eyes and expectant smile revealed her desire to see the world in chaos. ¡°1 calculated it,¡± Gu Yanfei said matter-of-factly. ¡®Alright, let¡¯s see it next time!¡± Wei Jiaoniang didn¡¯t care if it was true or not. It was fine as long as she had something to watch. ¡®Bang!¡± Another gong sounded in the hall below, but the Tianyin Pavilion was still noisy. Everyone was still immersed in the excitement of the phenomenon descending from the sky and whispered to each other. Hence, the gong rang several more times until the surroundings fell completely silent. Only then did the show officially begin. The curtain was pulled up, and an older student and a veteran took the lead in a storm of string music. The rapid music meant that they were on the run from This drama was about a couple surnamed Li with a son and a daughter. They originally had a son and daughter and lived a happy life, but they encountered On the way to escape, Miss Li was separated from her parents and brother. She was accidentally saved by a martial artist surnamed Zhou. The two of them later became husband and wife. Later, Miss Li reunited with her parents and family in the capital. However, her parents despised the poor and loved the rich, so they forcefully broke up this pair of lovers. Miss Li¡¯s hair turned white overnight because of this. The actors in the pavilion gradually recovered from the commotion caused by the strange phenomenon. Their attention returned to the ¡°Ten Miles Pavilion¡¯ on the stage. Their emotions fluctuated with the climax. Occasionally, they would be nervous, sigh, clap, or shout angrily¡­ Wei Jiaoniang was also immersed in it. From time to time, she would comment, ¡°This martial arts student is quite skilled. He¡¯s not just putting on airs. I think he has at least 20 years of foundation.¡¯ ¡°This mother changed too quickly. Before she found her daughter, she said that as long as her daughter is safe, she¡¯s willing to shorten her lifespan.]¡¯ Chapter 244 - Chapter 244: Good Omen Chapter 244: Good Omen Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡®How did her hair turn white overnight? This is too suicidal.¡± Wei Jiaoniang shook her head disapprovingly and stuffed another rose preserve into her mouth. The sweet, sour, and fragrant smell made her squint in satisfaction. She sent the plate of rose preserves in Gu Yanfei¡¯s direction. The music from below became incomparably mournful, making one¡¯s heart tighten. On the stage, the actor playing Miss Li sat in front of the mirror with a head full of white hair and tears. The snow-like silver threads shone with a crystalline luster in the lights of the stage and were shocking. If one didn¡¯t look at the front and only looked at her back, she looked like a 70-year-old woman. Wei Jiaoniang¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she said excitedly, ¡°Yanfei, have you heard of a strange thing in the capital these few days?¡± Her eyes lit up. ¡°A while ago, the Murong family reported that their Old Madam had passed away. The Murong family is my grandfather¡¯s old subordinate. My grandfather asked my eldest brother to go over.¡± ¡°1n the end, my brother came back and said that everyone in the Murong family had suddenly aged!¡± Wei Jiaoniang deliberately lowered her voice and dragged out the last word, trying to create a terrifying effect. Unexpectedly, Gu Yanfei¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, and she didn¡¯t even flinch. She only picked up a rose preserve and put it in her mouth. Her lips pursed in satisfaction, and her big eyes curled into a pair of crescent moons. Wei Jiaoniang thought that Gu Yanfei probably didn¡¯t understand, so she continued, ¡°The people of the Murong family have really aged. It¡¯s not the kind that happened because they¡¯re overly sad about the passing of their Old Madam. They¡¯ve aged by more than 30 years!¡± ¡®Murong Hao is in his 40s, but now, his hair is all white, and the wrinkles on his face are enough to kill mosquitoes¡­ Also, he lost a few teeth.¡± ¡®He¡¯s so old that he can barely walk, and he was carried out by the servants!¡± ¡®My Big Brother almost thought that their deceased Old Master had come back to life!¡± Wei Jiaoniang exaggerated a few words. As she spoke, even she felt a little shocked and thirsty. She picked up a cup of warm flower tea and gulped it down. Tasting the sweet and mellow taste in her mouth, she smiled again. Not only were the Tianyin Pavilion actors good at acting, but the tea was also not bad. Gu Yanfei only treated it as a story and listened with relish. She clapped her hands in cooperation. Clap! Clap! Coincidentally, the second scene on the stage ended. Applause sounded like thunder and waves, completely drowning Gu Yanfei¡¯s applause. Wei Jiaoniang stuffed another candied fruit into her mouth and muttered to herself, ¡°How did this person become so old in just a few days? It¡¯s as if his essence energy has been sucked away by a vixen.¡± ¡®Yanfei, don¡¯t you think this is strange?!¡± Gu Yanfei nodded enthusiastically, but she knew what was going on. The Murong family knew that it was an evil technique, but they still insisted on defying the heavens. It was unfilial and unrighteous, so they would naturally experience a backlash. All of this was just karma. Moreover, ¡°backlash¡± wasn¡¯t as simple as cutting off a piece of flesh and returning it. It would only be 10 times or even 100 times more. This was just the beginning. Next, the Murong family would begin to decline. The lintel would collapse, and they would lose their power. Unless¡­ A stream of light flashed across Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes. Wei Jiaoniang pursed her lips and sighed with slight mockery. ¡°First, the Murong family¡¯s hair turned white overnight, and today, there¡¯s a phenomenon in the sky. ¡®Do you think our capital has bad feng shui?¡± Hearing her raise her voice on the words ¡°bad feng shui¡±, Gu Yanfei was amused. She laughed, her laughter crisp and joyful. She was too interesting! When Gu Yanfei laughed, Wei Jiaoniang was immediately excited. Her eyes lit up as she instructed Xi Que to go out and guard the outside. She pulled Gu Yanfeo¡¯s wrist and whispered into her ear, ¡°Yanfei, you can tell too, right?¡± She smiled and sounded very certain. ¡®How can there be so many ¡®true dragons¡¯ in this world?¡± Gu Yanfei¡¯s lazy eyes flashed with a cold light that was as clear as a mirror. ¡®Kang Wang?¡± Wei Jiaoniang asked with a questioning tone and a determined expression. ¡®Most likely.¡± Gu Yanfei smiled and nodded. Wei Jiaoniang tilted her face, as if asking Gu Yanfei or muttering to herself, ¡®How did he do it?¡± For once, she really didn¡¯t have a clue. It wasn¡¯t quite like the tricks on the street. ¡¯11t should be a smokescreen.¡± Gu Yanfei played with the teacup in her hand extremely casually. The tip of her index finger gently rubbed the patterns on the teacup twice. If she were in the Bright Spirit Realm, she would know at least a dozen ways to achieve a similar effect. The most powerful true dragon Illusion not only looked no different from a true dragon at first glance, but it also had dragon might and dragon breath. It could be used as an offensive talisman called the ¡°Dragon Elephant Talisman¡±. In this small world with almost no spiritual energy, it was definitely impossible to draw the ¡°Dragon Elephant Talisman¡±. Even in the Bright Spirit Realm, one had to at least have her Eldest Senior Sister¡¯s cultivation to draw it. As for the true dragon illusion formed by the other ¡°Dragon Shadow Talisman¡±, it was just an illusion, like a soap bubble! However, this soap bubble broke with a poke. It couldn¡¯t deceive anyone. When she had just been picked up by her master, he had used this ¡°Dragon Shadow Talisman¡± to coax her. However, dragons were dragons after all. This ¡°Dragon Shadow Talisman¡± couldn¡¯t be drawn casually. At the very least, it had to be mixed with some substances containing spiritual energy in the cinnabar as a medium for drawing talismans. Even if she wanted to draw it for fun, she couldn¡¯t possibly let her wear off this hairpin, right? Gu Yanfei sighed regretfully and subconsciously raised her hand to touch the plum blossom hairpin in her bun. That wouldn¡¯t do! She quite liked this hairpin. The plum blossom hairpin released wisps of spiritual energy that lingered on her fingertips. Her lips curled happily as she gently stroked the lustrous hairpin again, as if to reassure it. ¡®Don¡¯t worry.¡¯ Wei Jiaoniang thought about the illusion for a while and suddenly leaned towards Gu Yanfei. She lowered her voice even more. ¡®Yanfei, where¡¯s Emperor Taizu?¡± Before Emperor Taizu¡¯s uprising, there was an auspicious sign of a black dragon descending. Everyone knew that back then, Emperor Taizu had sighed. Since the black dragon had come to choose a wise master, he should naturally accept the heavens and become a benevolent teacher to save the world.. Chapter 245 - Chapter 245: Instigation Chapter 245: Instigation Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Wei Jiaoniang was a smart person. Although she didn¡¯t say it explicitly, she had long understood that Kang Wang probably had the intention to imitate Emperor Taizu, which was why he had created such a big show. ¡± Gu Yanfei smiled but didn¡¯t say anything. She only raised the teacup in her hand slightly and made a toast to her. With her smile and toast, Wei Jiaoniang instantly understood. With her lips pursed in a smile, she also raised the teacup in her hand and toasted Gu Yanfei. The two of them exchanged knowing glances. After taking a sip of tea, they burst out laughing almost at the same time. The two girls¡¯ smiles were so bright, cheerful, and vivid. A wordless, tacit understanding flowed where their eyes met. Everything was said without words. Wei Jiaoniang couldn¡¯t help but sigh with emotion. Her eyes darted around as she suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s go to my house after the show. Let me tell you secretly, my grandfather has a jar of top-quality ¡®Pear Blossom Spring¡¯. It¡¯s really good ¡°1f you go, he¡¯ll definitely be willing to take it out¡­¡± ¡®Smash!¡± Wei Jiaoniang immediately forgot what she was saying and looked over. She saw a young man in blue with a mustache sitting at a table in the middle of the hall, saying excitedly, ¡°I saw the true dragon appear with my own eyes!¡± ¡®This dragon¡¯s body is at least as long as a street. When it coils, it can cover the entire Prince Kang¡¯s Manor!¡± ¡°1 saw it too,¡± the middle-aged man at the same table echoed in a clear voice, his eyes shining. ¡®That¡¯s a black dragon, a pure black dragon! The appearance of a true dragon is a great omen!¡± The people at the nearby tables also heard this conversation and sighed. ¡®Yes, yes. It¡¯s really a good sign for the New Year!¡± ¡°1 only hate that I¡¯m not fated to see it. Otherwise, I would definitely kowtow to the true dragon and let it protect my family.¡± ¡°1 heard that before Emperor Taizu¡¯s uprising, there was also an auspicious sign of a black dragon descending to the world!¡± The young man in blue at the central table slammed the table again and said in high spirits, ¡°It¡¯s been 50 years. If such a phenomenon happens in our Great Jin Dynasty again, doesn¡¯t that mean that the True Dragon Son of Heaven has appeared7!¡± ¡®The descent of a true dragon is to choose a wise ruler.¡± The middle-aged man emphasized the word ¡°wise ruler¡±. As if he had thought of something, he cupped his hands at the sly outside the door and sighed faintly. Why was he so weak and sickly?¡± He didn¡¯t say who it was, but from his actions, anyone could tell that he was talking about the present Emperor. At the other table, an old man with white hair and a beard added with a sigh, ¡°When I was young, I was lucky enough to see Emperor Taizu from afar. He was really wise and mighty¡­¡± Many of the audience¡¯s attention was diverted from the stage and drawn over. People began to talk about the true dragon and reminisce about Emperor Taizu. There were even people comparing Kang Wang to him. Wei Jiaoniang stopped watching the show and watched the commotion with interest. Xi Que pushed open the door and entered. She said anxiously, ¡°Miss, someone from the residence just asked you to go back now. He said that you have to enter the palace later.¡± ¡®Enter the palace?¡± Wei Jiaoniang raised her eyebrows in surprise. ¡°So suddenly?¡± Xi Que nodded and replied meticulously, ¡°I heard that the Empress Dowager has just ordered someone to go to the Duke¡¯s Mansion to pass on an oral order. Duchess Xuan and you will enter the palace together.¡± Wei Jiaoniang stood up reluctantly and looked regretfully at the noisy hall outside, then at the wailing stage. The atmosphere in the lobby and on stage was a stark contrast. Both sides happened to be at the exciting part! Wei Jiaoniang couldn¡¯t help but glance back and forth. Understanding her emotions, Gu Yanfei waved at her. Wei Jiaoniang obediently leaned forward and was stuffed with another candied fruit. Gu Yanfei¡¯s smiling voice sounded in her ear. ¡°We¡¯ll come back tomorrow. ¡®That¡¯s a deal.¡± Wei Jiaoniang was delighted. She clapped her hands with a smile and said, ¡°After we watch the show tomorrow, we¡¯ll go to my house to drink pear blossom spring.¡± The two of them high-fived. Wei Jiaoniang left valiantly, leaving behind half the table of unfinished pastries and snacks. Gu Yanfei didn¡¯t leave. Since she had nothing to do when she returned home, she continued to lean lazily against the window sill and watch the show. Her cold gaze darted between the young man and the middle-aged man at the middle table. The two of them had already given up and were quietly toasting each other. The commotion in the lobby on the first floor intensified. The noise was like the buzzing of countless flies, completely drowning out the chanting on the stage.. Chapter 246 - 246 Instigation 246 Instigation Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios How noisy! Gu Yanfei frowned slightly, thinking that it was too noisy. How could she watch the show if they were so noisy? ¡°Qing Guang,¡± Gu Yanfei called out calmly. ¡°Meow?¡± A familiar, soft meow immediately came from outside the window in the backyard. In the next moment, a ball of fur flew in through the window. The cat used the tall flowers and the tea table as a springboard and did three beautiful jumps in a row. Along the way, its feet didn¡¯t touch the ground, and it landed briskly on the table beside Gu Yanfei. However, after the high-heeled flower and the tea table were kicked by it, they all swayed. Vases, teapots, and so on fell one after another. Two consecutive bangs sounded as the porcelain smashed into pieces on the floor. Juan Bi was already stunned. The calico cat casually licked its claws and was as arrogant as an empress. It didn¡¯t have the slightest intention of reflecting and even questioned Gu Yanfei in a domineering manner, ¡®She abandoned me again and went out to play!¡¯ Gu Yanfei fed the cat a dried fish perfunctorily and pointed down, meaning, ¡°Go to work!¡± The cat raised its chin proudly. It couldn¡¯t be bribed by a mere dried fish. Since one dried fish wasn¡¯t enough, two would do. Gu Yanfei took out another dried fish and casually threw it into the lobby on the first floor. Qing Guang was accidentally controlled by its cat instincts and flew after the dried fish towards the lobby on the first floor. He caught the dried fish in midair and spun nimbly in the air before landing steadily on a certain table. Its series of actions were smooth and perfect. When everyone in the lobby saw a ball of fur fall from the sky, they subconsciously looked over and saw a long-haired calico cat biting a dried fish that was descending from the sky and squatting elegantly on a table. The calico cat¡¯s green cat eyes glittered like gems. It was so beautiful and clear that its fluffy fur was glossy. ¡°Meow!¡± The cat happily enjoyed its second dried fish. ¡°What a beautiful kitten!¡± a 15 or 16-year-old girl shouted first. Everyone stared blankly at the cat eating and was almost mesmerized. ¡°It looks really cute when it eats dried anchovies. Look, its teeth are so sharp and white. Its nose and tongue are like petals!¡± ¡°Waiter, give me a plate of dried fish!¡± ¡°How can one plate be enough? Waiter, add another plate of chicken shreds.¡± ¡°Cats like goat¡¯s milk. Is there goat¡¯s milk here?¡± ¡°¡­¡± The tributes for the cat were presented one by one, filling a table. The surrounding guests watched in fascination as the kitten licked and bit¡­ The lobby was silent, except for the slow string music echoing in the air. On the second floor, Gu Yanfei watched this scene with satisfaction, and the corners of her lips curled up. If there was a phenomenon in the sky and a true dragon had descended, everyone could just watch the commotion. It wasn¡¯t good to be too addicted! They were better off watching the kitten. Gu Yanfei was satisfied. She happily threw a candied fruit into her mouth and leisurely changed her posture, intending to continue watching the show. However, she heard a clear and faint sneer behind her. Gu Yanfei turned around and saw a red dress that looked like fire and blood at the entrance of the private room. The young man who could cause the downfall of a city slowly stepped into the private room. His beautiful brows were like demonic flowers that had bloomed, and his entire body was enveloped in a fiery red mist. It was as if he had walked out of a ragmg fire. He was both real and illusory, yet also demonic. His bearing was peerless, and he was indescribably handsome. Gu Yanfei subconsciously raised her hand, wanting to touch his scarlet luck. She sighed in her heart. It¡¯s still as good-looking as ever! Xia Houqing glanced around in disdain. His attendant immediately and carefully wiped the chair where Wei Jiaoniang had been sitting with a square handkerchief and laid out a red cushion. The attendant poured Xia Houqing a glass of wine with the utensils and wine they had brought before guarding outside the private seat. Xia Houqing lifted his robe and sat down elegantly, a stark contrast to Gu Yanfei¡¯s laziness and casualness. Seeing that Gu Yanfei had been so focused on looking down, Xia Houqing also looked down. He placed his hand on the window sill, and his red sleeve slipped off. He looked down from the second floor, where he could see everything below. The group surrounded a calico cat in three layers. The cat squatted in the middle and licked its front paws. From time to time, the people gasped, as if they were watching a priceless treasure. Xia Houqing raised his eyebrows in confusion and asked, ¡°Interesting?¡± It was indeed very interesting. Gu Yanfei smiled and swept her gaze between the people and the cat below. Wasn¡¯t it good to be so harmonious and peaceful? Gu Yanfei took a comfortable sip of tea and glanced at Xia Houqing¡¯s overly dazzling red clothes. She said bluntly, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of being recognized?¡± He, Xia Houqing, was a person who could shake the State of Yue court with a stomp of his foot. He had made countless enemies. If he was recognized in the Great Jin, wouldn¡¯t he die here? Meeting Xia Houqing¡¯s dark and charming eyes, Gu Yanfei added with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m curious.¡± Xia Houqing clenched his left hand into a fist and gently knocked on the window sill. ¡°Take care of yourself first.¡± It was a simple sentence, and his tone was incomparably gentle, but coupled with his demonic smile, it made people feel that he was up to no good. Juan Bi couldn¡¯t help but swallow. The low swallow was unusually loud in the small private room. Gu Yanfei¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. She focused half of her attention on the stage and asked casually, ¡°Why are you looking for me? She felt that Xia Houqing had come at the wrong time. The show had just reached its exciting part.. Chapter 247 - 247 Falling Out 247 Falling Out Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The corners of Xia Houqing¡¯s eyes twitched imperceptibly, and his charming phoenix eyes were bottomless. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who came to look for me?¡± Didn¡¯t she specially come to the Tianyin Pavilion to see him? Gu Yanfei was an honest child and replied honestly, ¡°I¡¯m here to watch the show.¡± Xia Houqing looked at her with a devilish smile. Gu Yanfei also looked at Xia Houqing with a faint smile. Their eyes met quietly. Xia Houqing narrowed his dark eyes and examined Gu Yanfei steadily. Her expression was extremely relaxed, and her attitude was casual. Unlike the others, who couldn¡¯t hide the fear, disgust, apprehension, and nervousness in their eyes when they saw him. It seemed to have been like this since the last time they met. She wasn¡¯t afraid of him. In her eyes, he seemed no different from thousands of other living beings. There was a moment of silence in the private room. All they could hear was the opera singer¡¯s babbling chant and the slow sound of drums coming from the lobby on the first floor. Xia Houqing casually turned the blood ring on his finger and said slowly, ¡°The Sage is sick.¡± That was all he said before he stopped talking. A few strange lights flowed in his eyes. She had said last time that the Emperor Star had dimmed, and the Sage would fall seriously ill in a month¡­ And now, less than a month later, the Sage was sick. The atmosphere in the booth plummeted, and the air seemed to freeze. Xia Houqing¡¯s left hand, which was wearing a blood ring, curled into a fist and knocked twice on the window sill. He seemed impatient and threatening, but his movements weren¡¯t big. In the next moment, the music outside stopped abruptly. The actors on the stage fell silent, as if their voices had been sucked away by some immortal spell. There was something eerie about the sudden silence. The audience in the lobby below didn¡¯t know what was going on. They looked at each other and then clamored in twos and threes. Gu Yanfei was still leaning lazily against the window sill, her right fist supporting her cheek. She didn¡¯t even flinch as she said indifferently, ¡°I said a month, so it¡¯s a month.¡± ¡°If your Sage is sick now, he must be faking it.¡± ¡®Oh?¡± Xia Houqing¡¯s eyes flashed with a dangerously cold light. He didn¡¯t say that he didn¡¯t believe her. ¡®Come, let me calculate for you again.¡± Gu Yanfei nimbly took out the compass from her sleeve with her fingers and pinched his fingers with her other hand. Her smiling eyes were half-closed, and there was a hint of playfulness on her face. Xia Houqing¡¯s aura was freezing cold, and he knocked on the window sill again without saying a word. After two knocks, not only was there the sound of opera, but even the guests¡¯ voices couldn¡¯t be heard. The huge Tianyin Pavilion was as silent as stagnant water. It was a stark contrast to the lively commotion from before. The surroundings were so quiet that one could hear a pin drop. It was as if an invisible barrier had isolated the private seat from the surroundings, or as if the others had disappeared in the blink of an eye. Only Gu Yanfei and Xia Houqing seemed to be left here. The silence continued, as if to silently tell Gu Yanfei that this was his territory. Since she had chosen to step in, her life and death weren¡¯t up to her to decide. ¡®Calculate it.¡± Xia Houqing stared at her. His thin, blood-colored lips curled into a half-smile, like a blood moon, giving off an ominous aura. Gu Yanfei sighed slowly. She felt that she should tell Wei Jiaoniang next time that they should change places to watch shows in the future. Unfortunately, the opera here was indeed not bad. She fiddled with the compass casually. The needle on the compass spun quickly. Xia Houqing lowered his eyes and looked at his left hand that had just knocked on the window sill. He frowned and took out a white handkerchief from his sleeve to carefully wipe his slender fingers. The surroundings became even quieter. The needle spun fast, making a faint sound like wings flapping. The needle¡¯s speed changed from fast to slow¡­ Then the thin needle broke off in the middle, and the needle fell gently to the compass. The remaining half was still spinning.. Eh? Gu Yanfei raised her eyebrows in surprise. She looked at him and sighed, revealing a one-sided smile. She said slowly, ¡®Um¡­ If I say that this is fate, do you believe me? ¡°What do you think?¡± Xia Houqing asked. He casually grabbed the handkerchief and rubbed it. His knuckles cracked, but there was a smile on his beautiful and enchanting face. His slightly raised phoenix eyes were sinister and demonic. Gu Yanfei shook her head obediently and rubbed her chin with her index finger in thought.. Chapter 248 - 248 Falling Out 248 Falling Out Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Not to mention Xia Houqing, even she didn¡¯t believe it. Why did the needle break at this moment?! What did she use this compass for last time? She lowered her eyes in thought, and her gaze darted around. Suddenly, she felt her vision darken, as if a layer of dark clouds had enveloped her. When she looked up again, she saw that Xia Houqing had stood up at some point and was leaning forward towards her with his upper body. The red ribbon that tied his hair fell smoothly and happened to hang by his cheek, as if there was a bloodstain on his cheek. His entire aura was demonic and dangerous. In the blink of an eye, they were no more than two inches apart. So close that she could see the fine hairs on his porcelain skin¡­ So close that she could feel his cold aura¡­ So close that if she moved her hand forward half an inch, she would be able to touch his scarlet luck¡­ Gu Yanfei¡¯s fingers curled restlessly, tempted. ¡°Is it fun to play me?¡± Xia Houqing spoke slowly, enunciating each word. A demonic and dazzling smile bloomed on his face. When he spoke, his cold aura caressed her face like a ghost. ¡°Second Lady Gu.¡± His words revealed Gu Yanfei¡¯s identity, clearly telling her that he had already thoroughly investigated her background. She could run away, but she couldn¡¯t hide. ¡°Or do you have any more tricks to convince me today?¡± As he spoke, Xia Houqing approached Gu Yanfei another inch. His dark eyes seemed to contain endless darkness as he stared at her with killing intent. His left hand, still wearing the blood ring, was once again on the window sill, as if in the next moment he would give instructions to his subordinates hidden in the darkness. And this time, he would take her life! ¡°Your temper is still so bad!¡± Gu Yanfei raised her eyebrows and muttered with a sigh as she complained fearlessly. ¡°What?¡± Xia Houqing narrowed his charming eyes. ¡°Calculate¡­¡± Gu Yanfei wanted to say that she should calculate again, but she suddenly noticed that the corners of his eyes were bloodshot and the whites of his eyes had turned slightly green. She raised her hand and checked the pulse on his right wrist, feeling it cold to the touch. She asked without thinking, ¡°Are you ill?¡± Was she trying to please him?! Xia Houqing stared intently at every change in Gu Yanfei¡¯s expression. His gaze was cold as he smiled seductively and mockingly. Gu Yanfei didn¡¯t expect him to answer. Feeling the pulse under her finger, she still muttered to herself, ¡°There¡¯s insufficient Yang qi, a blocked meridian, and even an imbalance between Yin and Yang. If there¡¯s a deficiency in Yang, the Yin will flourish¡­¡± Gu Yanfei muttered. She had never taken Xia Houqing¡¯s pulse before. The main blood of the ren meridian was the sea of Yin Meridian, and the main Qi of the du meridian was the sea of Yang Meridian. A young man in his 20s was in his prime and should be full of Yang energy. Why was his pulse like this? Halfway through her sentence, Xia Houqing¡¯s expression completely changed. His smile was frozen on his lips, and his eyes were like a mountain of ice that wouldn¡¯t melt for ten thousand years. His killing intent was overflowing. How dare she¡­ The scarlet luck around him spewed out like a sea of fire in the night. It was so crazy and demonic, with a world-destroying determination. This person really turned hostile just like that. His temper was too bad. Gu Yanfei muttered in her heart and reached for her sword. Sigh! This private seat was really too small. It was just like the pavilion on the manor, making her feel restrained. Next time, she had to find a bigger place! ¡®Meow!¡± An energetic meow sounded. In the next moment, the calico cat, which had eaten its fill, flew up from the lobby downstairs. It still looked like a fairy that didn¡¯t touch the ground and landed lightly on the table. The cat didn¡¯t notice Xia Houqing at all. With its back facing him, it meowed at Gu Yanfei and announced in satisfaction, ¡®Tm full!¡± Xia Houqing didn¡¯t care about the kitten at all. His hand with the blood ring crossed the table and attacked Gu Yanfei. The cat heard the commotion behind it and suddenly turned its head. With a puzzled ¡®meow,¡¯ its green cat eyes shone brightly and met Xia Houqing¡¯s phoenix eyes, which seemed to be dyed red. When the human and cat looked at each other, Xia Houqing¡¯s left hand froze in midair. His almost crazy eyes were fixed on those charming cat eyes. At this moment, time seemed to have stopped. Xia Houqing, who was standing, was much taller than the calico cat squatting on the table. His leaning body cast a shadow on the cat and brought an invisible sense of oppression. The cat didn¡¯t like the feeling of being looked down on by humans at all. ¡®Meow!¡± The calico cat straightened up and slapped his face, pressing him back down. The soft pad actually didn¡¯t hurt at all when it slapped his face. A strong resistance flashed across Xia Houqing¡¯s eyes. His gaze struggled for a moment, but when he met the kitten¡¯s beautiful and clear eyes, he couldn¡¯t help but sit back down. When he sat like this without smiling or saying anything, the demonic aura around him disappeared. Seeing that the two people on both sides of the table were as tall as it, Qing Guang let out a smug cry. It had just eaten downstairs and was a little thirsty. Seeing that there was water in the cup in front of Xia Houqing, its voice softened, and it meowed again, half begging and half acting cute. Xia Houqing lowered his eyes to look at the kitten in front of him. His pale face was actually stained with a blush as he asked gently, ¡°Do you want to drink it?¡± Just by looking at his face, he looked like an innocent young man. His voice was very unique, clear, and ethereal. At this moment, when his voice softened, it was like a river of spring water flowing into one¡¯s heart. The cat nodded and meowed happily again. Of course it wanted the water. Xia Houqing handed his white porcelain cup to the cat¡¯s mouth. Qing Guang stuck its head into the cup and licked it happily¡­ In the next moment, the round cat¡¯s face froze in naked disgust. This wasn¡¯t water, but wine! Pui pui pui! The cat spat the wine back into Xia Houqing¡¯s cup. With its head lowered, it didn¡¯t notice that there seemed to be two ferocious beasts fighting fiercely in Xia Houqing¡¯s pupils.. Chapter 249 - 249 Summon 249 Summon Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios After spitting out the wine in its mouth, Qing Guang looked up and stuck out its pink tongue to complain to Xia Houqing, ¡°Meow, meow, meow!¡± How could he let a cat drink wine?! The man and cat looked at each other again. Xia Houqing sat upright again, his thin lips pursed. The blush on his cheeks deepened, as if he had been dyed in rouge. ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡± Xia Houqing asked gently. He looked obedient but also a little uneasy. Cats had always been the type to push their luck. Once Xia Houqing took a step back, Qing Guang took another step forward. Its arrogance increased as it waved its claws at Xia Houqing. ¡°Meow, meow, meow, meow!¡± After meowing unhappily, it felt that its mouth was choked and bitter. It was still unhappy, so it scratched his sleeve, rubbed its face on him, and wiped its mouth. Its pink flesh stepped on his sleeve until it was covered in wet plum blossom marks. As the tip of its claw brushed against the sleeve cloth, the cat was surprised to find that the claw of the material embedded with gold thread felt quite good. Its eyes lit up instantly, and it excitedly scratched his cuff with the tip of its claw. In a few moves, it scratched his exquisite and gorgeous sleeve into a jagged ¡°tassel.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Gu Yanfei loosened her grip on the hilt of her sword and was speechless. Was this cat raised astray? She shook her head, her gaze darting back and forth between the cat and the man. Xia Houqing looked down at his left sleeve that had been scratched by the cat, and his red thin lips twitched. Her pupils constricted rapidly, and the shadows in her eyes deepened, revealing pain and conflict. Veins popped up on his forehead as he bit the tip of his tongue. The taste of blood in his mouth made a hint of clarity flash in his chaotic eyes. With almost all his strength, he forced his gaze slowly away from those jewel-beautiful cat eyes. Not good! Alarm bells rang in Gu Yanfei¡¯s heart. She quickly picked up the cat that was sharpening its claws on Xia Houqing¡¯s sleeve and turned to leave without hesitation. When the attendant guarding outside the private room saw that Xia Houqing didn¡¯t move, he only thought that he had agreed and didn¡¯t dare to stop Gu Yanfei and her servant. Gu Yanfei was extremely fast. In the blink of an eye, she ran to the stairs before she heard a male voice from the private seat behind her. ¡°Get back here!¡± Only a fool would go back! Gu Yanfei didn¡¯t even turn around. She carried the cat and went downstairs briskly, with Juan Bi following closely behind. Tianyin Pavilion was quiet and empty. From the second floor to the first floor, there was no one. The actors and musicians were no longer on the stage, and the guests who had come to watch the show had disappeared. Only the half-eaten bowls, chopsticks, cups, and plates were still on the table. No wonder it was suddenly quiet just now. A haggard old man with white hair blocked her path with his arm. It was Old Qi. Gu Yanfei was calm and composed as she smiled. ¡°Are you sure you want to stop me?¡± Old Qi returned his gaze expressionlessly and remained motionless. Gu Yanfei looked up with the calico cat in her arms and accurately saw Xia Houqing, who was sitting in a private seat on the second floor. His eyes shot out a demonic gaze that seemed to want to devour her. A red sleeve hung from the window. The original new sleeve was scratched by the cat until it looked like it was decorated with a string of tassels. It was incompatible with his neat clothes and accessories, like a big red peony flower that had been forcefully scratched off by a cat. Gu Yanfei looked up at him with a hint of laziness, mischief, and cunning. Her dark eyes were as bright as a night sky filled with stars. Xia Houqing also looked down at Gu Yanfei. Under his half-lowered eyelashes, his eyes were darker and deeper. There was no trace of a smile, and his emotions were unknown. They stared at each other for a moment, as if in a silent contest. Xia Houqing waved his left sleeve, and the ¡°tassel¡± sleeve hid behind the window sill. Old Qi immediately retreated and disappeared into the shadows. ¡°See you next time.¡± Gu Yanfei waved goodbye without hesitation and continued walking forward. In a good mood, she grabbed the cat and saw that there was still a strand of gold wire hooked in its paw. Her eyes curved, and she praised the cat with a smile. ¡®Well done. ¡® ¡°Meow?¡± The calico cat blinked in confusion. It actually didn¡¯t know what she was praising it for, but it agreed righteously. It felt like it had always been capable! Without it, it¡¯s useless master wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything! The cat raised its head in both pride and contempt. Gu Yanfei casually placed the cat on her shoulder and let it lie on her shoulder. As she walked along the street, she pondered over the pulse she had just felt.. Chapter 250 - 250 Summon 250 Summon Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios There was insufficient Yang energy, and his meridians were blocked¡­ It was obvious that Xia Houqing had suddenly turned hostile because she had mentioned his pulse. Hmm. Gu Yanfei stroked her chin and looked up at the sky, thinking. Last time she¡¯d hit the nail on the head about his parentage, he¡¯d immediately turned on her. Now that she¡¯d guessed his pulse, he¡¯d turn hostile again. Hehe, what a temperamental person! It was as if the heavens had flipped through a book. When she and Wei Jiaoniang went out early in the morning, the sky was still bright and cloudless, but now, a thin layer of dark clouds filled the air. It would probably snow in more than an hour. There was still time to shop! Gu Yanfei brought the cat along and shopped without losing interest. On the way, she went to the restaurants, shops, embroidery shops, and so on that Wei Jiaoniang had mentioned. After playing around, she had already bought a cart of things. It was only in the afternoon that she returned to the Marquis Mansion with a full load. As soon as she entered the corner door, before she could get out of the carriage, Madam Wang¡¯s housekeeper hurried towards the carriage. ¡°Second Lady, I¡¯ve been waiting for you here for a while. Hurry back and change your clothes to prepare to enter the palace,¡± Granny Shi said anxiously. Her wrinkled face was red from the cold wind. ¡°Enter the palace?¡± Gu Yanfei casually raised her eyebrows. ¡°Why are you suddenly asking me to enter the palace?¡± She nimbly got out of the carriage with a bamboo basket in one hand, in which the calico cat was sleeping inside like a three-colored furball. ¡°Second Lady, Madam Hou and the Third Lady have long been prepared. They¡¯re just waiting for you.¡± Granny Shi didn¡¯t answer directly and only urged, ¡°Don¡¯t let the nobles in the palace wait.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going,¡± Gu Yanfei said bluntly, too lazy to say anything else. It was impossible to make her enter the palace without telling her why. Gu Yanfei walked leisurely past Granny Shi and headed towards the inner door. ¡°¡­¡± Granny Shi was stunned and widened her eyes in disbelief. It had to be known that many people in the capital wanted to enter the palace to broaden their horizons, but they didn¡¯t have the fortune to do so. The Second Lady actually didn¡¯t want to go?! ¡°Second Lady, wait!¡± Granny Shi was a moment too slow to react. She quickened her pace and chased after her. She didn¡¯t dare to stop Gu Yanfei and only chased after her. Panting, she said, ¡°It¡¯s the Empress Dowager¡¯s decree. It has just been passed to the residence. Madam Hou was afraid that you wouldn¡¯t be able to wash up in time, so she asked me to wait for you here.¡± Granny Shi¡¯s tone softened a few degrees, afraid that Gu Yanfei would insist on not going. The Empress Dowager¡¯s decree? Gu Yanfei naturally thought that the reason why Wei Jiaoniang left in a hurry was because the Empress Dowager had ordered her to enter the palace. She also thought of the true dragon phenomenon in Prince Kang¡¯s Manor today¡­ Gu Yanfei stopped and thoughtfully touched the calico cat in the basket. The sleeping cat covered its eyes with one paw and didn¡¯t even move. Granny Shi looked at Gu Yanfei carefully. Just as she was wondering if she should persuade her a little more, she heard her say calmly, ¡°Then I¡¯ll go.¡± When Granny Shi heard this, she instantly heaved a sigh of relief and smiled apologetically. ¡°I¡¯ll get someone to inform the Duchess now.¡± When the Duchess heard that the Second Lady and Wei Jiaoniang had gone out, she had already sent someone out to look for them. She even asked her to bring people to guard the door. Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t too late. After the small episode just now, Granny Shi no longer urged her, afraid that she would anger Gu Yanfei. Gu Yanfei returned to Yuheng Garden and changed into a snow-green dress before coming out again without the cat. Madam Wang was already waiting in the carriage at the gate. She was a little anxious and would lift the curtains from time to time to look out. Madam Wang had already learned from Granny Shi that Gu Yanfei was unwilling to go first, so no matter how impatient she was, she could only suppress her impatience and instruct the coachman to set off. The two-horse carriage that Madam Wang was riding left the Marquis Mansion first. Gu Yanfei got into the second carriage behind and sat in the same carriage as Gu Yunrong. Today, Gu Yunrong was wearing a dress with hundreds of butterflies embroidered in begonia red. Hundreds of colorful butterflies danced and frolicked in the skirt, looking exquisite and gorgeous. She had her hair combed into a double bun, and she wore a few butterfly beads in her hair. As she looked around, her thin butterfly wings trembled slightly, making her look even more beautiful. ¡°Second Sister,¡± Gu Yunrong greeted Gu Yanfei as if nothing had happened, a pair of shallow dimples appearing on her lips. Her smile was pleasant, and her tone was kind and gentle. She had long lost her previous unhappiness, but she was also not as ¡°passionate¡± as before. She showed just the right amount of politeness. Gu Yanfei sat down on the box stool opposite Gu Yunrong. The two of them faced each other, only four or five feet apart. The coachman shouted and waved his whip. The carriage moved slowly and gradually sped up after leaving the Marquis Mansion. There was a long silence in the carriage. In the end, Gu Yunrong was the first to break the silence. ¡°Second Sister, do you know why we have to go to the palace today?¡± Gu Yanfei stared fixedly at Gu Yunrong, her pupils unusually clear and bright in the dim carriage. Gu Yunrong met her gaze calmly, without the slightest discomfort. Just as Gu Yunrong thought that Gu Yanfei would ignore her, she heard her say, ¡°I went out today and happened to hear something very interesting¡­¡± ¡± ¡± Gu Yunrong looked at her in confusion, waiting for her to continue. ¡°I heard that a true dragon phenomenon appeared in the sky above Prince Kang¡¯s Manor.¡± A faint smile appeared on Gu Yanfei¡¯s lips. Her expression and tone were clearly casual, but they seemed to mean something. ¡°How is it? Isn¡¯t it interesting?¡± Gu Yunrong¡¯s gaze was still on Gu Yanfei¡¯s face as she examined her deeply.. Chapter 251 - 251 Wrong 251 Wrong Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The carriage swayed gently as they continued moving forward. ¡°How interesting!¡± Gu Yanfei sighed faintly. The smile on her face deepened, and her eyes seemed to be teasing, sighing, and knowing. ¡°It¡¯s really a waste that you didn¡¯t go out today.¡± With that, she leaned lazily against the carriage and ignored Gu Yunrong. The carriage fell silent again, except for the sound of the wheels outside and the commotion on the street. Neither of them spoke again. Gu Yunrong¡¯s slender fingers gripped the handkerchief in her hand as she quietly sized up Gu Yanfei, who was leaning against the carriage with her eyes closed. Gu Yanfei¡¯s black hair was only tied up in the simplest way. She was wearing a snow-green dark-patterned hat with an elegant five-colored moon dress. There was only a plum blossom jade hairpin and a camellia silk flower in her bun, and a pair of plum blossoms on her ears. Apart from that, there was no other jewelry around her, but she was as elegant as the moon. She had clearly grown up in the countryside of Huaibei, but to Gu Yunrong, she didn¡¯t look like it at all. Her bearing was clear, carefree, and not vulgar at all. She had a straightforward personality and was neither servile nor overbearing. Her words and actions were unrestrained, and she had a noble character. Even when interacting with a noble lady like Wei Jiaoniang, she was magnanimous. Gu Yanfei wasn¡¯t like an ordinary country girl at all. She had hidden her true self too well! Gu Yunrong stared at Gu Yanfei, her fingers slowly curling around the handkerchief between her fingers, circle after circle. Her thoughts spun, and her eyes darted around. Ever since her background was revealed, Gu Yunrong had always felt that she owed Gu Yanfei. Even though Madam Gu had told her time and again that all of this wasn¡¯t her fault, when she thought about how she had lived a luxurious life in the Marquis Mansion for the past 10 years while Gu Yanfei had suffered in Huaibei, Gu Yunrong always felt guilty. Therefore, she tried her best to make it up to Gu YanfeI. But now Gu Yunrong realized that she was wrong. Gu Yanfei had lived well for the past 14 years, which is why she had developed her current willful personality. However, she always pretended that Gu Yunrong owed her. Her schemes couldn¡¯t be underestimated. Gu Yunrong¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, and a thoughtful glint flashed in them. It quickly faded, and she regained her composure. Gu Yanfei¡¯s long eyelashes fluttered, and she suddenly opened her eyes to meet Gu Yunrong¡¯s scrutinizing gaze. Her eyes were half-closed as she smiled. This smile was lazy, unruly, casual, and elegant. Gu Yunrong also pursed her lips and smiled. The dimples on her cheeks deepened, and her heart was as clear as water. She knew she was wrong. She shouldn¡¯t have been prejudiced, and she certainly shouldn¡¯t have been unguarded. One had to be wary of others. In the quiet carriage, it was calm and peaceful, as if there was an undercurrent surging. The carriage of the Marquis Mansion traveled smoothly. After turning several corners on the streets of the capital and driving for nearly half an hour, a maidservant respectfully announced that they had arrived at the palace. With this shout, the carriage gradually slowed down and finally stopped beside the stele in front of the palace gate. Madam Wang, Gu Yanfei, and Gu Yunrong alighted from the carriage. Outside, the sky darkened a little more. Dark clouds covered the top of the palace door in layers. The doors of the three palaces ahead were wide open. The tall, majestic city platform was like a mountain range, with heavy eaves, yellow tiles, and red walls. The women entered the palace through the Xihua Gate. The entrance was dignified and solemn. On both sides stood a row of imperial guards in bronze helmets and iron armor. All of them had dignified expressions and emitted an aura that prevented strangers from entering. A young eunuch in his teens was already waiting outside the Xihua Gate with two palace maids. He welcomed them with a smile and greeted the Wang family. ¡®Marquis Madam, Third Lady Gu, I¡¯ve been ordered by the Empress Dowager to wait for you here. This way, please.¡± The little eunuch brushed past Gu Yanfei and politely extended his hand to lead the way. With the pedestal of the Dingyuan Marquis Household, it was naturally impossible for them to take a palanquin. They had to walk all the way from the palace gate to the Shou¡¯an Palace. They couldn¡¯t take the main entrance in the middle and had to enter the palace through the side door. They had only taken a few steps when sporadic snowflakes fell from the sky. The little eunuch was quick-witted. He immediately took a tung oil umbrella from the palace maid and said to Gu Yunrong with a smile, ¡°Third Lady Gu, it¡¯s snowing. Be careful not to catch a cold.¡± He solicitously held an umbrella for Gu Yunrong himself. ¡®Third Lady Gu, I have a hand stove here.¡± Another palace maid handed Gu Yunrong a small hand stove with a smile.. Chapter 252 - 252 Wrong 252 Wrong Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Madam Wang was the matriarch of the Dingyuan Marquis Household. Even if the Dingyuan Marquis Household wasn¡¯t as good as before, they still had three to five chances to enter the palace a year. Usually, these palace servants were arrogant and indifferent, and their attitude was a world of difference from today. ¡°Thank you for your trouble,¡± Madam Wang said to the palace servants with a smile. She turned around and reminded Gu Yunrong meaningfully, ¡°Rong¡¯er, you have to remember the grace of the Empress Dowager.¡± Madam Wang didn¡¯t mention Kang Wang at all, but everyone knew that the reason why the people in the Shou¡¯an Palace treated Gu Yunrong differently was because of him. Everyone in the palace knew that Gu Yunrong was the apple of Kang Wang¡¯s eye and would definitely be the future Princess Consort Kang. Therefore, these palace servants, who usually trampled on the weak, naturally didn¡¯t mind lowering themselves to express goodwill to Gu Yunrong. ¡°I understand.¡± Gu Yunrong nodded with a smile. Her eyes were sparkling like a little girl¡¯s. She put the small flower basket-shaped hand stove in her sleeve and glanced at Gu Yanfei from the corner of her eye, wanting to see if there was envy and discomfort in Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes. However, what she met was a pair of clear almond-shaped eyes. Gu Yanfei was still as casual and comfortable as ever. She calmly scanned the people and things around her. Her eyes were casual, relaxed, poised. There was no deliberate calmness, no reluctance not to look in her direction, and no envy. It was as if the jade building in front of her was as ordinary to her as a leaf on the road. There was a different kind of indifference to the world in her eyes. After passing through the side door of the Xihua Gate, they saw a few palace servants carrying a palanquin towards them. The little eunuch holding the umbrella for Gu Yunrong¡¯s eyes lit up and he smiled until his eyes narrowed. He raised his voice excitedly and said, ¡°Third Lady Gu, His Highness must have arranged a palanquin for you. His Highness really knows how to dote on you.¡± Empress Dowager Yuan hadn¡¯t arranged a palanquin for Gu Yunrong, so this palanquin was clearly arranged by Kang Wang. The little eunuch and the two palace maids exchanged glances. They looked at Gu Yunrong with even more respect and eagerness. Gu Yunrong thought so too. Her cheeks were flushed, and her red lips curled up slightly. Her heart felt like it had been filled with honey. ¡°Your Highness has thought it through. He¡¯s really considerate,¡± Madam Wang said happily, looking proud and elated. Everyone surrounded Gu Yunrong like stars surrounding the moon, ignoring Gu Yanfei. However, when the palanquin was lifted in front of Gu Yunrong, it didn¡¯t stop. Instead, it passed her like a gust of wind. Madam Wang frowned slightly and was about to speak when she saw the palanquin being carried to Gu Yanfei. A pale and beardless middle-aged eunuch bowed to Gu Yanfei with a smile and said respectfully in a sharp voice, ¡°Second Lady Gu, please get in the palanquin. It¡¯s snowing and slippery today, so it¡¯s not easy to walk.¡± After the palace servants carrying the palanquin lowered it, they also bowed to Gu Yanfei in unison. Gu Yanfei blinked in confusion. Everyone else present watched this scene in dumbfounded silence. A strong, bone-chilling wind blew past. The umbrella rustled in the snow and almost flew out of the little eunuch¡¯s hand. The young eunuch hurriedly grabbed the handle of the umbrella and sized up the middle -aged eunuch with a strange gaze. Madam Wang almost thought that these palace servants were referring to Second Miss Gu as Third Miss Gu and wanted to say something but hesitated. Even Gu Yunrong¡¯s expression changed slightly at this moment. Her cheeks flushed red, and embarrassment, shock, and discomfort flashed across her face, but she immediately returned to normal. In the space of a few words, the snowfall grew heavier. Snowflakes pelted the roof of the palanquin and made rustling sounds. Although Gu Yanfei didn¡¯t feel tired from walking, she didn¡¯t like her shoes being wet from the snow. ¡®Thank you, eunuch.¡± Gu Yanfei thanked him generously. She didn¡¯t ask further or push him away. Under everyone¡¯s complicated gazes, she sat in the palanquin. It was a single- seater palanquin. Obviously, no one else had a share. Madam Wang had also recovered from her initial shock. Her expression was much calmer as she politely invited the little eunuch with the umbrella to lead the way so that the Empress Dowager wouldn¡¯t have to wait for too long. She was shocked and couldn¡¯t help but guess who had arranged a palanquin for Gu Yanfei. This was the palace, after all. The group walked in the direction of the Shou¡¯an Palace. Madam Wang and Gu Yunrong walked in front. Gu Yanfei¡¯s palanquin was 10 feet behind and followed behind them. Madam Wang had to use almost all her strength to not turn around. Maintaining her elegance as the matriarch, she faced the snow and wind as she passed through palace gates and walked along palace roads before finally arriving at Shou¡¯an Palace. Gu Yanfei¡¯s sedan stopped at the entrance of the Shou¡¯an Palace with them. The palace servants at the entrance of the Shou¡¯an Palace simultaneously cast their gazes on the palanquin. All of them couldn¡¯t hide their shock as the same question appeared in their minds. Who was this girl? As soon as Madam Wang and the others arrived, the palace maid in charge of the Shou¡¯an Palace personally brought people to welcome them. The palace maid in charge had been in the palace for many years, so she naturally recognized the noble ladies and Gu Yunrong. She smiled and bowed to the two of them. ¡®Marquis Madam, Third Lady Gu, please come in.¡± ¡®And this lady, please.¡± The palace maid looked past Madam Wang to the girl who had just alighted from the palanquin at the back. The smile on her face was just right as she pondered her identity. Since this girl was brought here by the Dingyuan Maquis Household¡¯s matriarch, she was most likely from the Gu family.. But why had she come over in a palanquin? Chapter 253 - 253 Joyous Event 253 Joyous Event Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios In the palace, without the blessings of the Empress Dowager and the Emperor, even nobles like princess consorts and princesses had to walk obediently. The group walked up the white marble steps and entered the main hall through the main door, then headed in the direction of the east side hall. The palace maid in charge had a smile on her face the entire time. Her footsteps were neither fast nor slow as she said tentatively to Gu Yanfei, ¡°You look unfamiliar. This is your first time entering the palace, right?¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Gu Yanfei nodded with a smile and didn¡¯t say another word. She pretended not to understand the other party¡¯s probing. When Madam Wang heard this, she clenched the handkerchief in her hand tightly. She had thousands of questions in her heart and felt as uncomfortable as if she was being scratched by a cat. However, this wasn¡¯t the place to question Gu Yanfei. After passing through two more curtains, Madam Wang and Gu Yanfei followed the palace maid to a warm pavilion. The room was filled with a thick sandalwood scent that curled away. The golden brick floor under their feet was mirror-like, and an ornate carpet stretched all the way to a pair of black embroidered shoes embroidered with a golden phoenix. Empress Dowager Yuan, who was wearing a red sandalwood ball with longevity patterns, sat upright on the kang bed. She had a graceful bearing and was charming. In the warm pavilion, there were also many young ladies sitting on both sides. They were dressed in fragrant clothes and looked gorgeous. Wei Jiaoniang was among them. She had already changed into a new set of clothes. She was wearing a peach-colored silk dress with begonia branches and a water-red threaded dress. Her black hair was tied into a lily bun, and she wore a golden phoenix with a ruby in it. Wei Jiaoniang was so bored that she could not sit still anymore. She secretly tilted her head and yawned, causing the three strings of tassels on the rocking stick to sway slightly. When she turned around, she saw Gu Yanfei, who had followed Madam Wang in. She was instantly energized, and her sleepiness disappeared. Her eyes even sparkled. Yanfei, you¡¯re here too! Wei Jiaoniang quickly winked at Gu Yanfei with her left eye. Gu Yanfei and Wei Jiaoniang exchanged tacit glances. Madam Wang brought Gu Yanfei and Gu Yunrong to the front to greet Empress Dowager Yuan. Empress Dowager Guan drank her tea elegantly with a calm expression. She couldn¡¯t be said to be warm or cold. She only said simply, ¡°No need to stand on ceremony.¡± When her gaze landed on Gu Yanfei, there was a hint of scrutiny. An old granny leaned over and whispered something into Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s ear. The Empress Dowager nodded slightly, her eyes darkening as she glanced at Gu Yanfei. Empress Dowager Yuan didn¡¯t give her a seat, so Madam Wang could only stand there, not daring to move or glance around. She looked respectful and dignified. Soon, Empress Dowager Yuan put down the pink enamel tea cup in her hand and stroked the edge of her sleeve. She said indifferently to Madam Wang, ¡°Marquis Madam Dingyuan, Kang Wang and your daughter¡¯s marriage has been delayed for a long time.¡± Of course, she was referring to Gu Yunrong. Madam Wang¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Afraid that something would happen, she quickly put on a serious expression and listened to the Empress Dowager¡¯s instructions. ¡°Your daughter is almost of age. The marriage has been arranged for after the new year,¡± Empress Dowager Yuan said unhurriedly. Her expression was calm, and there was a hint of noble superiority in her words. Madam Wang was overjoyed. She quickly bent her knees and bowed to Empress Dowager Yuan. ¡°As you command.¡± Madam Wang wasn¡¯t stupid, and she could tell that Empress Dowager Yuan didn¡¯t look happy when she said this. However, no matter what, it was fine as long as this marriage could succeed. Over the past few months, nothing had gone well for the family, and they had been plagued by bad luck. Now, there was finally a happy occasion that could sweep away the bad luck brought by Gu Yanfei¡¯s return. Gu Yunrong, who was standing beside Madam Wang, also knelt down and thanked her in a neither servile nor overbearing manner. ¡°Thank you for your grace, Empress Dowager.¡± There was a faint smile between her lips. Her movements were elegant and generous, and her bearing was excellent. She was like a lotus, natural and without the slightest bit of the pettyness of a woman from a noble family. Seeing this, even Empress Dowager Yuan, who didn¡¯t like her, nodded secretly. Empress Dowager Yuan instructed the old granny, ¡°Lead the Duchess of Dingyuan to the west hall and sit down.¡± She didn¡¯t mention Gu Yanfei and Gu Yunrong. It was obvious that she planned to keep these two girls in the warm pavilion. When Madam Wang first entered the warm pavilion, she noticed that the other noble ladies weren¡¯t around and that only those girls were left here. The Empress Dowager must have other motives. Madam Wang was very tactful and immediately excused herself, following the old granny to the west hall. Gu Yanfei and Gu Yunrong were given seats by Empress Dowager Yuan. As soon as Madam Wang left, two more families came. As usual, the elders were casually sent away by Empress Dowager Yuan, leaving only Lu Qin and Yu Chaoyun. The palace maids of Shou¡¯an Palace trained all the girls and quickly served tea to them. The fragrance of green tea spread with the heat. The girls summoned by the Empress Dowager today were either noble ladies or from noble families. They often met at banquets in various prefectures and knew each other. They didn¡¯t dare to be impudent in front of the Empress Dowager and greeted each other with a smile. ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Yu Chaoyun said, neither servile nor overbearing, ¡°I heard that this high-grade green tea is a tribute. After tasting it today, it¡¯s indeed fragrant and refreshing. I¡¯m really lucky to be able to try it.¡± Seeing Yu Chaoyun again, Gu Yanfei was very calm. She only glanced at her indifferently and lowered her head to drink tea. Empress Dowager Yuan smiled kindly and instructed the palace maid in charge to give her a jar of green tea. She smiled and said, ¡°You young ladies are so energetic. You¡¯re full of vitality, and each of you is like a flower. I¡¯m happy to see you, my dears.¡± ¡°Come, tell me what you like and are good at.¡± Yu Chaoyun was the first to answer. ¡°Your Majesty, I usually like to play the zither. She didn¡¯t say much else. She was generous and appropriately maintained the aura of a noblewoman. Immediately after, the other girls beside her answered. Some said that they liked to play chess, some said that they loved to copy scriptures, and some said that they were good at playing the flute and the zither¡­ When it was Wei Jiaoniang¡¯s turn, she said with a smile, ¡®Tm good at fighting.¡± The surroundings fell silent. The girls from the aristocratic families didn¡¯t think much of it and felt that Wei Jiaoniang was really vulgar and rude. Lu Qin, who was sitting beside her, almost laughed out loud. She tried her best to cover her mouth and suppress her laughter. ¡°Pfft!¡¯ A crisp laugh suddenly sounded between the girls, especially loud in the quiet, warm pavilion. Everyone¡¯s gazes surged towards Gu Yanfei. They saw that her black eyes were bright. When she smiled, it was like spring flowers blooming¡ªbeautiful and unrestrained. Empress Dowager Yuan, who was drinking tea, almost choked. Her lips pursed, and a look of displeasure flashed across her eyes. Wei Jiaoniang¡¯s answer sounded like she was patronizing her. Empress Dowager Yuan glanced at Wei Jiaoniang and suppressed her displeasure. She didn¡¯t flare up and said indifferently, in a lecturing tone, ¡®Jiaoniang, a girl has to be virtuous, dignified, gentle, and quiet. You¡¯re already of age. Don¡¯t talk about fighting and killing all day.¡± Faced with Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s reprimand, Wei Jiaoniang wasn¡¯t afraid, nor was she uncomfortable at all. She smiled and said, ¡°Emperor Taizu said that women might not be inferior to men. The Eldest Princess Feng Yang also led an army and galloped on the battlefield, making illustrious contributions to our cause.¡± The Eldest Princess Feng Yang was the eldest sister of the previous Emperor. She had once led a 100,000-strong army to pacify the three northeastern prefectures and made unparalleled contributions to the Great Jin. Most of the noble ladies from noble military families admired her. They couldn¡¯t help but look fascinated and smile. The Wei family had transcendent status in the Great Jin Dynasty. Not only did the current Duke, Wei Rong, have an important army, but he was also Kang Wang¡¯s cousin. As the legitimate daughter of the Wei family, Wei Jiaoniang naturally had an extraordinary status. She was probably the only one who dared speak to the Empress Dowager in such a dismissive manner. Empress Dowager Yuan choked for a moment. Her lips pursed even tighter, and a shadow flashed across her eyes. The Eldest Princess Feng Yang was the eldest sister of the previous Emperor. She had a fiery personality and was valiant and heroic. Although she was a woman, she was even more decisive than a man. She stood tall in the royal court with her outstanding military achievements. Back then, when the late Emperor decided to make her the Empress, the Eldest Princess Feng Yang objected greatly. In a fit of anger, she even whipped her and the late Emperor. Now that she thought about it, Empress Dowager Yuan couldn¡¯t help but be afraid. Her slightly dark gaze swept past Wei Jiaoniang and landed on Gu Yanfei. She stared at her for a while before asking, ¡°1 remember that you¡¯re the Second Lady of the Gu family, right? What are you good at?¡± ¡°Fortune -telling,¡± Gu Yanfei replied seriously, with a sincere expression. ¡°Pfft!¡± Wei Jiaoniang laughed happily. Her laughter was as clear as a bell as she looked at Gu Yanfei and smiled. She was good at fighting, and Gu Yanfei was good at fortune-telling. The two of them were really compatible! ¡®Smash!¡± Empress Dowager Yuan slammed her palm on the coffee table and frowned slightly. The anger she had suppressed until now was released at this moment. Empress Dowager Yuan would still tolerate Wei Jiaoniang for fear of Imperial Duke Wei, but not Gu Yanfei. ¡®How dare you!¡± Empress Dowager Yuan said coldly. Her voice wasn¡¯t loud, but it was dignified. ¡°You dare to be so disrespectful in front of me.¡¯ The surrounding palace maids and eunuchs all lowered their heads in silence. Gu Yanfei looked at Empress Dowager Yuan and smiled without saying anything. Her lips curled into a faint smile. She had always been honest. Why did no one believe her?! ¡± Gu Yunrong frowned slightly, feeling that she couldn¡¯t see through Gu Yanfei. Gu Yanfei wasn¡¯t stupid. No, she was a smart person. Every time she played some tricks at home, she had a motive. So why was she doing this today? Most of the others could tell that the Empress Dowager was venting her anger on the Second Lady of the Gu family. Or perhaps¡­ The Empress Dowager was using this as an excuse. Yu Chaoyun recalled that the Eldest Prince had treated Gu Yanfei differently that day and looked at her meaningfully. There was a moment of silence in the warm pavilion. The white jade incense burner in the corner quietly exhaled a trace of sandalwood, quiet and cold. ¡®Since you say you¡¯re good at fortune -telling,¡± Empress Dowager Yuan sneered and casually stroked her sleeve, her voice turning colder. ¡°Then read my fortune.¡± Chapter 254 - 254 Concubine 254 Concubine Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Gu Yanfei subconsciously touched the compass hidden in her sleeve, but she immediately remembered that her compass was broken. She regretfully stopped and could only stroke her sleeve. ¡°Empress Dowager, may I ask what you want me to calculate?¡± Gu Yanfei stared into Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s eyes and smiled. Empress Dowager Yuan met Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes steadily. A graceful and noble smile appeared on her face, but her eyes were cold. Her right hand gently rubbed against a small gilded stove. Her fair and tender fingers were well-maintained, as delicate and flawless as an 18-year-old girl¡¯s. After a long silence, Empress Dowager Yuan said, ¡°Then¡­ how about you calculate how the Emperor¡¯s dragon body is?¡± Her voice was neutral, neither angry nor angry. It was impossible to tell if she was happy or angry. After this sentence, everyone fell silent. The atmosphere suddenly tensed, and even the sound of breathing seemed to quieten. Wei Jiaoniang and Lu Qin frowned and exchanged glances. This was undoubtedly a trap. Everyone in the capital knew that the Emperor was weak and sickly. He would fall sick every three to five days. From time to time, the imperial physician would take his pulse, and the smell of medicine in the bedroom was so strong that it wouldn¡¯t go away. It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that it smelled like a medicine jar. However, if Gu Yanfei really answered like this, what did it have to do with whether she knew how to read fortunes?! It was obvious that the Empress Dowager would definitely not be satisfied. She could even take the opportunity to accuse Gu Yanfei of playing with her. ¡°Let me calculate¡­¡± Gu Yanfei raised her right hand calmly and pinched her knuckles twice. This simple action carried a hint of mystery. When her thumb touched her middle finger, the casual smile on her lips froze¡­ Everyone¡¯s gaze fell on her beautiful and slender fingers, and no one noticed her momentary loss of composure. Gu Yanfei retracted her hand, and her wide sleeve fell like butterfly wings. A stream of light flashed across her eyes, and she smiled. She turned her head to the side and smiled at Empress Dowager Yuan, who was on the kang bed. She said in relief, ¡°The heavens have blessed the dynasty. The sun, moon, mountains, and rivers will always exist.¡± ¡°His Majesty is healthy.¡± Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s smile froze. Not only Empress Dowager Yuan, but the others around her also didn¡¯t expect Gu Yanfei to answer like this and were stunned again. The surroundings were even quieter, and even the rustling of the snow hitting the glass window outside could be heard. After a moment of shock, Empress Dowager Yuan smiled again, but the smile didn¡¯t reach her eyes. Her back remained straight. She raised her chin slightly and reprimanded her arrogantly, ¡°Second Lady Gu, do you know that talking nonsense in front of me is a crime of deception? Empress Dowager Yuan talked slowly, and every word was laced with the invisible pressure of a superior. These few words were like a knife placed high on Gu Yanfei¡¯s neck. Even if she didn¡¯t want Gu Yanfei¡¯s life, she could still cut off a piece of her flesh. Yu Chaoyun elegantly stroked her sleeve. A faint fragrance wafted out of the fragrant ball hidden in her sleeve. When she received the Empress Dowager¡¯s oral order, Aunt had carefully analyzed the Empress Dowager¡¯s intentions with her and reminded her. Aunt said that the Empress Dowager must have summoned them to the palace to choose a consort for the Eldest Prince. Aunt also said that she had asked her to come to the capital from Yuzhou for the position of the Eldest Princess Consort. She instructed her to be neither servile nor overbearing in front of the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager wouldn¡¯t casually choose the Eldest Princess Consort.. Thinking of this, Yu Chaoyun turned to look at Gu Yanfei, who was sitting diagonally opposite her. Her eyes were like a deep spring that was very cold. There was no doubt that the Eldest Prince treated Gu Yanfei differently. And she could never be the prince¡¯s secondary consort! Yu Chaoyun¡¯s fingers gently rubbed the fragrant ball hidden in her sleeve. The burning spices in the fragrant ball warmed her cold fingertips bit by bit. Gu Yanfei seemed to be straightforward, but she was actually scheming. The Empress Dowager represented Kang Wang. It was impossible for her to coexist peacefully with the Emperor and his son. Gu Yanfei was clearly deliberately causing trouble to please the Emperor! Yu Chaoyun pursed her lips, her expression calm as she sat there without saying a word. In just a few breaths, the warm atmosphere became even more tense. The temperature, which was originally as warm as spring, suddenly dropped, as if a knife-like cold wind blew through the window. Meeting Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s threatening gaze, Gu Yanfei smiled. Her eyes were as clear as water as she asked gently, ¡°Don¡¯t you believe me, Empress Dowager? Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s expression darkened.. When had she ever said that she didn¡¯t believe her?! Chapter 255 - 255 Concubine 255 Concubine Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°It¡¯s simple.¡± Gu Yanfei nimbly snapped her fingers and suggested ¡°kindly¡±, ¡°Empress Dowager, if you don¡¯t believe me, you can call an imperial physician to ask.¡± Gu Yanfei smiled. Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s graceful face instantly darkened. This girl had put her in a tough spot with just a few words. If she really called an imperial physician to ask about the Emperor¡¯s dragon body now, it would mean she ¡°didn¡¯t believe¡± that the Emperor¡¯s dragon body was healthy. ¡°¡­¡± Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s eyes were uncertain, and the veins on her forehead throbbed. She still sat upright, and an extremely fierce aura emitted from her body, causing the palace maids serving her to lower their heads timidly. Lu Qin secretly gave Gu Yanfei a thumbs up. Wei Jiaoniang eagerly handed Gu Yanfei the second pot of tea that the palace maid had just served. Gu Yanfei calmly took the teacup and drank the tea. She even had the time to size up the scenery outside the window. Her sharp eyes saw a black cat chasing a white cat over the wall in the snow. Its movements were agile and fast as it flashed past. Ever since she received the second merit from the heavens before the new year, her eyes had become sharper and more sensitive than those of ordinary people. Otherwise, she would probably not have been able to see the two cats clearly. Gu Yanfei¡¯s lips curved into a smile. She was in a good mood. All sound in the warm pavilion disappeared and spread silently. Empress Dowager Yuan picked up the teacup in silence and sipped the hot tea. Her appearance was still calm, but her fingers tightened slightly on the lid, and her fingertips were white. Since she had already said this, if she insisted on pursuing Gu Yanfei¡¯s matter, it would make her look like a petty Empress Dowager who insisted on arguing with a subject. Moreover, once word got out, outsiders wouldn¡¯t care if Gu Yanfei¡¯s calculations were accurate. They would only speculate and attack that, as the Empress Dowager, she couldn¡¯t wait for the Emperor to be ill! This girl was simply despicable!! Recalling the last time she was at Prince Jing¡¯s Manor and how Gu Yanfei had used her to break free from her engagement with Fang Mingfeng, Empress Dowager Yuan hated Gu Yanfei even more. When the cat outside the window was gone, Gu Yanfei retracted her gaze and pretended that she wasn¡¯t distracted just now. She asked nonchalantly, ¡°I wonder if Empress Dowager Yuan thinks I¡¯m accurate?¡± No one expected Gu Yanfei to say this. When Empress Dowager Yuan placed the teacup on the coffee table, the sound of the teacup hitting the coffee table wasn¡¯t loud, but it made everyone tremble in fear and fixate their gazes on her. Empress Dowager Yuan smiled again. Only this time, her smile had a hint of a fake smile. ¡°Good prediction.¡± Empress Dowager Yuan slowly squeezed out these words from between her teeth. The palace maid in charge at the side swallowed silently. She could clearly feel the Empress Dowager¡¯s suppressed anger. The last time the Empress Dowager was so angry was on the day the Eldest Prince returned to the capital. The Shou¡¯an Palace had been covered in dark clouds for a few days. The palace maid in charge composed herself. When she looked at Gu Yanfei again, her gaze became even more complicated. Was Second Lady Gu just fighting for a moment, or was she trying to force the Empress Dowager to admit that she had calculated it accurately so that the Empress Dowager wouldn¡¯t settle scores with her in the future? There was another moment of silence in the warm pavilion. There was an indescribable awkwardness, causing several of the girls to become ill at ease. Empress Dowager Yuan looked unhappy. Even if she was smiling, she was no longer in a good mood. She asked Lu Qin perfunctorily, ¡°Ah Qin, I remember your grandmother saying that you¡¯re good at chess and often play chess with your grandfather.¡± Lu Qin wiped the corners of her mouth with a handkerchief, straightened her face, and answered obediently, ¡°Your Majesty, Grandma is overpraising me. I¡¯m just accompanying Grandpa to relieve his boredom.¡± ¡®You¡¯re quite humble, child,¡± Empress Dowager Yuan said indifferently. After that, there was no more commotion. Empress Dowager Yuan asked about the preferences of the girls and casually dismissed them. ¡®Tm tired. Liu Xia, bring them to the imperial garden.¡± Liu Xia was the palace maid-in-charge. She hurriedly bowed and accepted the order. In a few moments, the girls rose and excused themselves. In twos and threes, they walked around a six-panel screen and headed out, talking and laughing. Without these young ladies, this warm pavilion immediately seemed much wider and more spacious. Empress Dowager Yuan stared at Gu Yanfei¡¯s back After a while, she lowered her voice and said, ¡®Did the Eldest Prince arrange the carriage? ¡®Yes,¡± the old granny whispered back. Empress Dowager Yuan was just asking casually. It was so obvious that there was no need to even guess. Empress Dowager Yuan couldn¡¯t help but recall what her son had said to her half a month ago¡­ Back then, she was also skeptical. She felt that how could the Eldest Prince take a fancy to such a wild girl? Having wandered outside for more than ten years, this girl didn¡¯t have any shocking talent, nor did she know how to deal with people. The Gu family wasn¡¯t like the Wei family who had a father and ancestor who could support the family. After all, the Dingyuan Marquis Household was no longer like the time when the Marquis of Dingyuan, Gu Ce, was still around¡­ However, from the way Chu Yi had put in so much effort for this girl today, she could tell he was sincere. Empress Dowager Yuan smiled and said sarcastically, ¡°Is this all our Eldest Prince has his eyes on? As she spoke, she narrowed her eyes, and a cold glint flashed across them. Both princes had been seduced by the Gu family¡¯s ladies! The old granny had been by Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s side for decades, so she could naturally tell that there was a hidden meaning in her words. She pretended not to know and smiled apologetically. ¡°I¡¯m thinking that she can be just a concubine, so it¡¯s fine as long as she¡¯s good-looking.¡± There was a moment of silence. The chatter and laughter of the girls in front of them gradually faded away, leaving only the faint smell of sandalwood lingering in the house. ¡®You¡¯re right.¡± Empress Dowager Yuan chuckled. Her fingertips softened as she stroked her cuffs, and her pinly curled slightly. Indeed, Gu Yanfei¡¯s appearance was outstanding, and her face was also top-notch in the capital. Unfortunately, she only had such a beautiful face. Having her as a concubine? Chapter 256 - 256 Taken a Fancy 256 Taken a Fancy Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s deep gaze passed through the translucent screen in front of her, and she looked at the curtain on the other side. The brocade curtain that led to the outside had already fallen and swayed gently. All the young ladies had gone out, resulting in an empty and especially quiet warm pavilion. Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s red and full lips curled up even more. A cold glint flashed across her eyes as she nodded slightly. ¡°With the Gu family¡¯s family background and the fact that she has no parents, she¡¯s suitable to be the Eldest Prince¡¯s concubine.¡± ¡°The Eldest Princess Consort should still be someone from an aristocratic family, lest outsiders think that I¡¯ve mistreated the Eldest Prince.¡± ¡°How could that be!¡± The old granny praised with a smile. ¡°You¡¯ve always doted on the Eldest Prince and even specially went to the trouble of choosing a noble lady from an aristocratic family to be his main consort.¡± ¡°The Eldest Prince will definitely understand your efforts.¡± As she spoke, she took a pot of new tea from the palace maid and respectfully handed it to Empress Dowager Yuan. Empress Dowager Yuan slowly brushed away a few floating leaves that were floating in the tea soup with the lid of the tea. The corners of her lips curled up into a faint smile as she sighed. ¡°Who asked the Emperor to never have an heir? I can only work harder.¡± ¡°In the blink of an eye, the Eldest Prince is already 18 years old. He¡¯s an adult now. It¡¯s time for him to start a family.¡± These words were dignified, and the old granny responded repeatedly. Empress Dowager Yuan took a sip of tea and put down the steaming teacup. She said, ¡°Granny He, what do you think of those girls just now? Please give me a detailed explanation.¡± Madam Yuan smiled behind her. Her tone was easy-going, and there was a hint of casualness between her eyebrows. When the Empress Dowager said this, Granny He didn¡¯t dare to really look into it. She replied humbly, ¡°I think all these girls are top-notch. They look good and have a good bearing. My eyes have been blessed.¡± ¡°I¡¯m old and blind, so I¡¯m not as discerning as you, Empress Dowager Yuan. The ones you choose must be dragons and phoenixes among others!¡± Granny He took the opportunity to flatter Empress Dowager Yuan again. Empress Dowager Yuan didn¡¯t really count on Granny He to begin with. She continued, ¡°I think the daughter of the Yu family isn¡¯t bad. She¡¯s dignified and quiet, and her words are appropriate. Be it her talent, family background, bearing, or looks, she¡¯s extraordinary.¡± ¡®The daughter of the Zhang family isn¡¯t bad either. She¡¯s gentle, elegant, and knows everything. ¡± ¡®Also, the girl from the Fan family is a well-educated and kind girl. Empress Dowager Yuan praised three to four girls from aristocratic families. Granny He, who was at the side, nodded repeatedly and praised all these girls. The master and servant echoed each other and spoke frankly. At the side, a thin green-robed eunuch silently walked towards the incense burner in the corner with a wooden box. He paused for a moment before walking to the incense burner as if nothing had happened. The green-robed eunuch had his back to Empress Dowager Yuan and frowned tightly. The Yu family in Yuzhou was indeed an aristocratic family that had been passed down for more than 200 years. It also had some reputation locally, but it was no longer as glamorous as the previous dynasty. Now, the entire family relies on the British government to barely maintain some dignity. Moreover, Yu Chaoyun wasn¡¯t even the legitimate daughter of the eldest branch. Moreover, the Zhang family of Qingzhou has been declining all these years. The descendants of the family were self-confident in their aristocratic families, and all of them weren¡¯t good at literature or martial arts. Only Zhang Dun was placed in an important position by the previous Emperor and was appointed as an official in Yan Province. Now that Zhang Dun was old, he had already submitted a letter to the Emperor last year to retire. The Zhang family had no successor¡­ There was no need to mention the Fan family. The next generation probably didn¡¯t even have the right to stand in the throne room. The Empress Dowager had really chosen some ¡°good¡± families for the Eldest Prince! Thinking of this, a dark emotion flashed across the eyes of the green-robed eunuch. His hand trembled, and a portion of the sandalwood incense in his hand was cut off and fell to the ground. Behind him, Empress Dowager Yuan was still commenting, ¡°¡­The Third Lady of the Liu family is also smart and likes painting and calligraphy. She can get along with the Eldest Prince.¡± ¡°And¡­¡± Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s subsequent words could no longer be heard by the green-robed eunuch. His thoughts couldn¡¯t help but turn back to the Gu family¡¯s daughter that the Empress Dowager had mentioned at the beginning, and he chewed carefully. Although the Empress Dowager and Granny He didn¡¯t say it directly, but their words clearly meant that the Eldest Prince had taken a fancy to the Gu family¡¯s daughter. There were two Miss Gu present today, but it was naturally not the Third Lady Gu that Kang Wang had taken a fancy to. Then, it must be the other Second Lady Gu. Thinking of this, the green-robed eunuch¡¯s heart couldn¡¯t help but thump twice. Chapter 257 - 257 Taken a Fancy 257 Taken a Fancy Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Thinking back to the exchange between Gu Yanfei and Empress Dowager Yuan just now, he immediately felt something else. The green-robed eunuch¡¯s eyes lit up. He thought to himself that he had to quickly report to the Emperor. The Emperor had been looking forward to it for so many years, and he would definitely be happy. The green-robed eunuch smiled until his eyes narrowed. He nimbly took out another plate of sandalwood and replaced the lingering incense in the incense burner. Another wisp of smoke curled up and interlaced with the original sandalwood. The fragrance in the air was stronger. After the green-robed eunuch closed the lid of the incense burner, he quietly retreated from the warm pavilion. After walking out of the Shou¡¯an Palace, the green-robed eunuch happened to see the girls walking out of the palace gate. He couldn¡¯t help but search for Gu Yanfei. He thought to himself, ¡®Second Lady Gu is too thinly dressed. I have to get someone to place two more charcoal pots in the Tinglan Water Pavilion.¡¯ The girls shivered in the vast snowstorm. Although the wind was bone-chilling, several of them felt relieved. Not everyone was as fearless of the Empress Dowager as Wei Jiaoniang and the others. A few girls had been so nervous that they didn¡¯t even know how to relax their limbs. ¡°Ladies, this way, please.¡± The palace maid, Liu Shuang, led the way for the girls. They walked along the limestone road towards the imperial garden in the northeast. These people were still clearly separated. Noble families were nobles, but aristocratic families were aristocratic families. The snow seemed to be gradually thinning. Snowflakes floated in the air like catkins, making the surroundings hazy, as if a thick fog was filling the air. Looking up, she could see that the bright yellow glazed tiles of the roof were already covered in a thin layer of snow. Several girls who were afraid of the cold cowered under their thick cloaks, eager to hide their entire bodies. Wei Jiaoniang was in high spirits and wasn¡¯t afraid of the snow at all. Her cheeks were flushed red. ¡°Yanfei.¡± Wei Jiaoniang held Gu Yanfei¡¯s left arm intimately and whispered into her ear, ¡°Do you know why the Empress Dowager called us here?¡± Wei Jiaoniang was just trying to start a conversation and didn¡¯t really want Gu Yanfei to answer anything. She continued, ¡°Fortunately, you¡¯re here. Otherwise, I would have had to think of a way to call you into the palace.¡± She lowered her voice extremely low, and her warm breath almost blew into Gu Yanfei¡¯s ear. ¡°¡­¡± Gu Yanfei tilted her face and blinked in confusion. Why did she call her into the palace? Was it to watch the show?! As she thought about it, Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes were bright. Lu Qin watched as they leaned their heads against each other and whispered to each other. She held Gu Yanfei¡¯s right arm with one hand and leaned over to listen. She also had a stomach full of doubts. The Empress Dowager was really too strange today. First, she urgently summoned them to the palace, and now, she was sending them to tour the imperial garden on a snowy day. It was simply ridiculous! Wei Jiaoniang looked around, afraid that someone would eavesdrop. The howling snow around them became the most natural barrier instead. There was no one within ten feet of them. As if she was a thief, Wei Jiaoniang whispered, ¡°My mother told me that the Empress Dowager is choosing a princess consort for the Eldest Prince.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Lu Qin gently clapped her hands. Thinking back to Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s questions in the warm pavilion, Lu Qin came to a realization. Imperial Duchess Wei knew that her daughter was a straightforward person, so she specially analyzed the current situation and Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s thoughts with her in the carriage. She was afraid that her daughter would be accidentally plotted against by the Empress Dowager. ¡®My mother said that the Eldest Prince and Kang Wang are about the same age, only two or three years apart. They¡¯re both at the age of marriage.¡± ¡°If the Empress Dowager casually says that she wants to arrange a marriage for the Eldest Prince, it¡¯ll inevitably cause gossip. Now that Kang Wang¡¯s marriage is set, the Empress Dowager can use the excuse that she can¡¯t care about one thing and lose another to get the Emperor to set up the Eldest Prince¡¯s marriage.¡± Empress Dowager Yuan was determined to let Kang Wang take over, so she naturally wouldn¡¯t find a powerful Yue family for the Eldest Prince. She would definitely dig a hole for him, just like how she had made things difficult for Gu Yanfei in the warm pavilion just now! Thinking of what had just happened, Wei Jiaoniang looked at Gu Yanfei with pity, as if she was looking at a beautiful flower that had almost been destroyed. ¡°Heh, the Emperor isn¡¯t anxious, but the eunuch is.¡± The Emperor would naturally worry about the Eldest Prince¡¯s marriage. There was no need for the Empress Dowager to interfere! Wei Jiaoniang held the umbrella in one hand and Gu Yanfei¡¯s hand in the other. She promised seriously, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Yanfei. I¡¯ll help you.¡± The Eldest Prince and her Yanfei were the most compatible. She would definitely not let others intercept them. She had said that she would help Yanfei! ¡°I¡¯ll help you too.¡± Lu Qin held Gu Yanfei¡¯s right arm and patted her chest happily. Lu Qin and Wei Jiaoniang had been friends for more than ten years, so she immediately understood. She exchanged a smart look with her, meaning that she understood everything! Gu Yanfei, who was sandwiched between the two of them, only understood half of it. Empress Dowager Yuan wanted to choose a princess consort for Chu Yi, and she would definitely not choose well. But why were they all helping her? The snow around them fluctuated, and a few snowflakes drifted under the umbrella. Before Gu Yanfei could figure it out, Wei Jiaoniang exhaled a white breath from her lips and blew the snow away. She sneered mockingly and said, ¡°My mother also said that the Empress Dowager probably likes me and wants me to be Kang Wang¡¯s secondary consort.¡¯ Really?! Lu Qin¡¯s eyes widened as if she had been struck by lightning, and her jaw almost dropped. Her next thought was: Was the Empress Dowager crazy?! ¡°Hmph.¡± Wei Jiaoniang curled her lips and snorted softly. She said proudly to the two of them, ¡°Dream on!¡¯ She enunciated each word, her cheeks puffing. It was also because she knew Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s thoughts that she had rebuked the Empress Dowager so mercilessly in the warm pavilion just now.. She didn¡¯t want to be someone¡¯s concubine! Chapter 258 - 258 Playing the Zither 258 Playing the Zither Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios This time, Gu Yanfei was certain that she understood. ¡°I¡¯ll help you!¡± Gu Yanfei said with a smile, her lips curling into a confident smile. A few strands of messy hair were blown against her jade-like face by the cold wind, making her look elegant and imposing. Wei Jiaoniang and Lu Qin looked at each other again. The two of them almost burst out laughing at the same time. The two of them leaned intimately on Gu Yanfei¡¯s shoulder, making Gu Yanfei deeply feel what it meant to have two women on each side. Several eyes around them looked at the three of them. As they chatted and laughed, the group arrived at the imperial garden. The palace maid, Liu Shuang, brought the girls to a three-room water pavilion by the lake. The Tinglan Water Pavilion had been decorated in advance. The room was filled with incense, and there was a wool carpet on the ground. There was a zither table, tables, chairs, desks, chessboard, and so on. There were a few snow-white charcoal pots burning inside, and the temperature was suitable. As soon as the frozen girls entered, they felt as if they had come back to life and took off their cloaks. ¡°Jiaoniang!¡± Wei Jiaoniang, Gu Yanfei, and the others had just walked to the entrance of the water pavilion when a girl in green waved happily at Wei Jiaoniang. Wei Jiaoniang put away the umbrella and handed it to a palace maid beside her. She turned around and whispered to Gu Yanfei, ¡°The Eldest Prince will definitely come later.¡± She even imitated Gu Yanfei and made a divination gesture, as if to say that she had just calculated it., Gu Yanfei and Lu Qin were amused by her. Their laughter was loud as they crossed the threshold together. In the water pavilion, most of the girls had already taken their seats. There was still a clear distinction between the nobles and the aristocratic families. The noble ladies sat in the east, and the women from the aristocratic families sat in the west. Behind a rosewood-inlaid shell piano table against the west wall, a dignified and beautiful girl from an aristocratic family sat elegantly. She placed her hands on the strings and first tested the music. Then, her slender fingers plucked the strings and played ¡°High Mountains and Flowing Water¡±. High mountains and flowing water meet bosom friends. Playing ¡°High Mountains and Flowing Water¡± was naturally to wait for a soulmate. Wei Jiaoniang signaled Gu Yanfei and Lu Qin to look at the girl playing the piano with her eyes and whispered, ¡°They must have received the news. Otherwise, why would they be playing the piano in the middle of winter?¡± As they spoke, they arrived in front of the lady in green. Wei Jiaoniang asked with a smile, ¡°What are we playing? ¡®Let¡¯s play hide-and- seek,¡± a lady in green suggested. Lu Qin immediately rejected it without thinking. ¡°How can we play in such a small place? It¡¯s snowing outside.¡¯ As she spoke, she pushed open a window and looked out at the lake outside the water pavilion. The clear water sparkled in the snow. ¡®Let¡¯s feed the fish.¡± Lu Qin¡¯s eyes darted around as she suggested with a smile, ¡°1 heard that there are many gold and silver-scaled koi in this lake. Their entire bodies are covered in golden or silver scales. They¡¯re extremely beautiful.¡± Lu Qin excitedly called the palace maid to get the fish food. Wei Jiaonang pointed at Lu Qin¡¯s forehead and told Gu Yanfei with a smile, ¡®Yanfei, Ah Qin is just too lazy to move because of the cold weather.¡± Lu Qin stuck out her tongue playfully and winked at Gu Yanfei, not embarrassed at all. The two boxes of fish food were quickly served. The girls fed the fish, admired them, ate snacks, and chatted and laughed. At the door, a middle-aged eunuch with a pale face and a beard instructed a few palace maids to pour tea and water. From time to time, he would add fruits and snacks to the plate while he looked out from time to time. After a while, a little eunuch finally arrived late with a tray. The middle-aged eunuch took the tray and personally carried over the white porcelain jug and several wine glasses. The tip of Wei Jiaoniang¡¯s nose twitched as she smelled the hint of alcohol in the air. She blurted out, ¡°Jade Flower Dew.¡± As she spoke, Wei Jiaoniang stroked her chin with a thoughtful expression. Other than attending the palace banquet, foreign ministers and women like them were not allowed to drink casually. They were afraid that they would be disrespectful in front of the emperor. This was the rule, so the palace servants wouldn¡¯t casually serve wine. Wei Jiaoniang narrowed her eyes and sized up the palace servant who was serving wine. Her imagination ran wild. Could this be some kind of scheme? In an instant, all the scenes about palace battles that Wei Jiaoniang had seen appeared in her mind. However, in the next moment, Gu Yanfei raised her eyebrows and said to the middle-aged eunuch, ¡°It¡¯s you..¡± Chapter 259 - 259 Playing the Zither 259 Playing the Zither Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± The middle-aged eunuch was a little flattered and hurriedly said, ¡°My surname is He.¡± Eunuch He was the eunuch who had brought the palanquin to Xihua Gate to pick up Gu Yanfei. Eunuch He said respectfully, ¡°The Eldest Prince gave this Jade Flower Dew to Second Lady Gu.¡± He obediently brought the pot of wine to the table and nimbly poured Gu Yanfei a glass of wine. ¡°It¡¯s really the Jade Flower Dew. Jiaoniang, your nose is still so sharp,¡± Lu Qin praised in surprise. She tacitly exchanged a look with Wei Jiaoniang, meaning that the Eldest Prince was really considerate. ¡°Of course.¡± Wei Jiaoniang touched her nose smugly and blinked her right eye. Wei Jiaoniang¡¯s grandfather, Imperial Duke Wei, liked good wine. Although her mother¡¯s alcohol tolerance was average, she had a sharp nose. As long as it was a drink she had drunk before, she would know it with a sniff. The wine in the white porcelain cup was a faint amber color, crystal clear, and fragrant. Gu Yanfei narrowed her eyes and tasted the clear wine fragrance. She recalled that she had casually mentioned to Chu Yi once that she wanted to try the Jade Flower Dew. She had forgotten about it, but she didn¡¯t expect him to still remember it. ¡°Eunuch He, thank the Eldest Prince for me,¡± Gu Yanfei said to Eunuch He generously with a smile. Eunuch He smiled and left with the empty tray. He thought to himself, ¡®Second Miss Gu seems to like to eat candied plums, especially since she ate a few more carved plum balls than the others. I have to get someone to get more.¡¯ ¡°Want a glass?¡± Gu Yanfei smiled and poured a glass of wine for Wei Jiaoniang, Lu Qin, and the other three girls at the same table. As the wine poured down from the mouth of the pot, the fragrance of the wine filled the air. The pleasant fragrance of the wine dispersed the sweet incense around it. Wei Jiaoniang and Lu Qin were the first to raise their glasses. The other two girls were also nonchalant and held their glasses one after another. Only one girl in pink was a little hesitant, thinking that it was inappropriate to drink in the palace. Wei Jiaoniang took a sip of wine and savored it carefully. ¡°Lingzhi, honey, wolfberries, and¡­¡± She tilted her face and focused on the taste in her mouth. She couldn¡¯t help but think that there was an indescribable taste in the wine. ¡°Shaoyao.¡± A smiling voice sounded in Wei Jiaoniang¡¯s ear. Wei Jiaoniang¡¯s eyes lit up, and she hurriedly nodded. ¡°It¡¯s Shaoyao.¡± ¡°Yanfei, your tongue is better than mine!¡± Lu Qin continued, ¡°With this Shaoyao, this Jade Flower Dew will be fragrant but not surfeiting. It will be mellow, elegant, long-lasting, and sweet.¡± ¡°Good wine, really good wine!¡± The girls praised with exultation. Crisp and lively laughter floated clearly in the water pavilion, adding some vitality to the cold winter. ¡°How noisy!¡± On the west side of the water pavilion, a yellow-robed girl sitting by the zither table spoke coldly, not hiding the displeasure on her face. ¡°I can¡¯t even admire the zither properly.¡± The other girl in blue also frowned and looked at Gu Yanfei, Wei Jiaoniang, and the others. Her red lips pursed tightly as she snorted coldly. ¡°Don¡¯t make a ruckus in the palace!¡± The melodious sound of the zither continued. The girl in purple who was playing the zither stroked the zither with her fingers and focused on the strings with a frown. The other girls from the aristocratic families also nodded in agreement and thought to themselves, ¡®These noble ladies are really rude and can¡¯t be elegant.¡¯ The noisy commotion swept away their good mood of listening to the zither and admiring the snow. Only Yu Chaoyun¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. She rubbed the fragrant ball in her sleeve with the gesture of stroking her sleeve and reminded her indifferently, ¡®They might be planning to do what they did last time in Upper Forest Garden¡­¡± As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions of the others present instantly changed. They couldn¡¯t help but recall that day outside the hunting ground, Wei Jiaoniang and the others had deliberately used gongs and drums to disturb the zither music. At that time, she had even accidentally caused the string to break when she was playing the zither. It was really despicable! Miss Zeng, who was dressed in yellow, stroked her fingers gently. Her fingertips recalled the pain of the broken string that day. Miss Zeng repeatedly stroked her trembling fingertips. She bit her lower lip and squeezed out four words. ¡°You¡¯re going too far.¡± In the end, didn¡¯t Wei Jiaoniang only dare to be so arrogant because of Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s support? ¡®Miss Yu is right. They must have done it on purpose!¡± The girl in blue lowered her voice and barely maintained the demeanor of a daughter of an aristocratic family. The girl in purple who was playing the zither naturally heard their conversation. Her fingers trembled, and the zither music became chaotic. She frowned tightly and simply pressed down on the strings. The music stopped abruptly. There was a moment¡¯s silence. The laughter from the right seemed to have become more piercing. ¡°I think¡­¡± Yu Chaoyun said again. The two words attracted the gazes of the women from aristocratic families. Yu Chaoyun continued unhurriedly, ¡°Why don¡¯t we play the zither and compete with them?¡± Playing the zither and competing? The women from the aristocratic families were stunned and looked at each other. This was a tradition of the Great Jin Dynasty. It was rumored that during Emperor Taizu¡¯s reign, he often visited the people incognito and observed the situation. One year, when Emperor Taizu went down to Yangzhou, he happened to encounter a pleasure boat on the Qinhuai River. The two sides quarreled over making way for each other. Two large ships blocked the river, making it difficult for other ships to sail. Seeing that there was a peerless beauty on the pleasure boat and hearing that the beauty was the number one talent in Yangzhou, Hua Qingrong, and that her zither skills were outstanding, Emperor Taizu suggested playing the zither with her. Whoever lost would have to give in. Hua Qingrong accepted the challenge. After the song, Emperor Taizu sighed and said, ¡°This song should only exist in the heavens. How many times can we hear it in the mortal world?¡± He sighed and admitted defeat without even playing it. Emperor Taizu had the heart to cherish talent and beauty. Unfortunately, King Xiang is willing, but the Goddess has no desire. Hua Qingrong tactfully rejected Emperor Taizu¡¯s kindness and spent her life studying the zither. Later on, she became famous around the world. Since then, the women of the Great Jin Dynasty had the tradition of playing the zither. The zither competition wasn¡¯t about ¡°inspiration¡±, but ¡°talent¡¯ . Miss Zeng raised her eyebrows and glanced sideways at Wei Jiaoniang and the others. She said with a hint of mockery, ¡°They know how to play the zither?¡± ¡®How can the light of a firefly compete with the brilliance of the sun and moon!¡± The purple-robed girl replied with a faint smile. She casually plucked a zither string in an elegant posture, her slender fingers like orchids and jade. The girls from the other aristocratic families also revealed the same mocking and disdain on their faces. It was said that these noble ladies could pull a bow on a horse and carry a saber after dismounting. With their thick hands and feet, even if they learned the zither for a few days, they would only be half a bucket of water! They should beat gongs and drums instead! Chapter 260 - 260 Accepting the Challenge 260 Accepting the Challenge Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Sister Zhao, you¡¯re right. How can the light of a firefly compete with the light of the sun and moon!¡± Yu Chaoyun covered her mouth and chuckled. She looked at everyone meaningfully. ¡°However, this flower needs green leaves to complement it.¡± Her last sentence made the hearts of the girls from the aristocratic families stir. They had originally wanted to show their faces in front of the Eldest Prince today. Only by having someone to contrast them could their zither skills be extraordinary. Yu Chaoyun took in the changes in everyone¡¯s expressions and said with some emotion, ¡°The Great Jin Dynasty has just been established for 51 years. It¡¯s like flowers blooming and thriving day by day.¡± ¡°Since ancient times, the founding of the country has relied on military generals and civil officials to govern the country.¡± ¡°Therefore, martial arts were respected before literature was emphasized. It has always been like this in all dynasties.¡± The previous emperors of various dynasties wanted the country to continue to prosper, but in the end, they still had to rely on civil officials to govern the country. This was something that every emperor knew very well. That was why the previous emperor had resisted the objections and supported the aristocratic families again. Ever since the current Emperor ascended the throne, he has been trying to rope in those humble civil officials. The direction of the Emperor¡¯s heart would definitely affect the atmosphere of the entire Great Jin Dynasty. These nobles still respected martial arts now, but they would soon become close to their aristocratic families and learn the Six Arts of the Gentleman, advocating the path of elegance. Looking back on history, no dynasty has ever broken this rule. Hearing Yu Chaoyun¡¯s words, Miss Zeng, Miss Zhao, and the other daughters of the aristocratic families were very pleased. The depression in their hearts was swept away, and their eyes lit up as they straightened their backs. There was a sense of superiority and pride in their eyes. A hundred-year-old aristocratic family. Even if the country changed dynasties, only their aristocratic family would stand tall! Their aristocratic families were flowers, and these so-called nobles¡¯ ancestors either farmed, herded sheep, killed pigs, or sold meat. There was no lack of merchants and blacksmiths. They weren¡¯t presentable at all and were just green leaves to their aristocratic families. ¡°Well said, Sister Yu.¡± Miss Zeng clapped her hands in high spirits. The corners of Yu Chaoyun¡¯s lips curled up slightly, and she held a dignified and gentle smile. It was as if even the curve of her lips had been carefully calculated and practiced countless times. She continued meaningfully, ¡°Now that the Eldest Princess Feng Yang is still around, when she¡­¡± She didn¡¯t continue, but her unfinished words were obvious. No matter how glorious the Eldest Princess Feng Yang was, she was no match for time. She was already past her 60s and was old and weak. She probably only had a few years left¡­ Miss Zeng pursed her lips slightly and said in a slightly arrogant manner, ¡®These noble ladies usually dance with swords and sabers. All of them talk about the Eldest Princess Feng Yang and say that they use her as a role model. Ha, they¡¯re simply using chicken feathers as arrows.¡¯ As she spoke, Miss Zeng deliberately glanced at Wei Jiaoniang, almost naming her by name. The girls from the aristocratic families exchanged glances again. They carefully pondered over Yu Chaoyun¡¯s words just now and felt that what she said made more and more sense. The Great Jin Dynasty ruled the country with literature. Their aristocratic families were the mainstays of the royal court. In the near future, the role models of the women in the Great Jin Dynasty would only be the daughters of their aristocratic families. A green leaf was a green leaf. She should let these vulgar noble ladies reveal their true colors in front of the Eldest Prince. She should let the Eldest Prince understand that people like Wei Jiaoniang and Gu Yanfei weren¡¯t qualified to be the Eldest Princess Consort! Miss Zeng raised her orchid fingers and stroked her sleeves. She stood up calmly and said with a smile, ¡°Let me throw bricks to attract jade today.¡± A faint smile appeared on her lips, full of confidence and deep meaning. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Miss Zhao hurriedly stood up. Under everyone¡¯s gaze, the two of them leisurely walked towards the east side of the water pavilion until they arrived in front of Wei Jiaoniang. Wei Jiaoniang, who was sitting by the window, was leisurely drinking wine and feeding fish. Occasionally, she would talk to Gu Yanfei and pretend not to see anything. Miss Zeng looked at everyone and said in a clear voice, ¡°Miss Wei, Miss Lu, Miss Gu¡­ It¡¯s rare for everyone to sit together. Miss Yu also brought a famous zither, ¡®Spring Thunder¡¯. Why don¡¯t we play the zither to liven things up? ¡± Wei Jiaoniang raised her head and downed the wine in her cup in one gulp, completely ignoring her. Who would want to play the zither with them? Miss Zeng seemed to have guessed Wei Jiaoniang¡¯s reaction long ago. She continued in a jovial tone, ¡°1 heard Miss Wei mention the Eldest Princess Feng Yang in Shou¡¯an Palace just now. The Eldest Princess¡¯s elegance is truly admirable to us juniors.¡± ¡°I heard that not only is the Eldest Princess skilled in martial arts, but her zither skills are also extraordinary. When she was young, she once took the head of a general in Beishen City among tens of thousands of soldiers. It was as if she was taking something out of her bag. Then, she played a song that shook the mountains and rivers and defeated the enemy without fighting..¡± Chapter 261 - 261 Accepting the Challenge 261 Accepting the Challenge Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°That song ¡®Mountains, Rivers, Suns, and Moons¡¯ shook the world.¡± Upon hearing the story of the Eldest Princess Feng Yang, Wei Jiaoniang¡¯s eyes couldn¡¯t help but sparkle. She raised her head and praised, ¡°Eldest Princess is brave and courageous. She¡¯s fearless in the face of millions of enemy soldiers. She pointed to the Heaven Alliance and swore to fight to the death with her soldiers. Before the battle, she wrote: Life and death are meaningless. Victory and defeat are nothing to be afraid of!¡± ¡°What a great victory and defeat! What¡¯s there to be afraid of!¡± Miss Zeng¡¯s eyes shifted as she clapped her hands and sighed softly. ¡°Miss Wei, you admire the Eldest Princess Feng Yang so much. I think you¡¯re not afraid of victory or defeat. You dare to compete with us on the zither, right? Miss Ceng stared unblinkingly at Wei Jiaoniang. As she stood, she was taller than the seated Wei Jiaoniang. Every move she made exuded a sense of condescension. He was just short of saying that if Wei Jiaoniang didn¡¯t dare to compete with them in the zither, she would be afraid of defeat! ¡°Fine, let¡¯s fight.¡± Wei Jiaoniang slammed her palm heavily on the table. Her mind was filled with blood as she raised her chin and agreed. Her eyes burned with two blazing flames. The zither competition wasn¡¯t only about zither skills. They might not lose! Lu Qin wasn¡¯t surprised by this development at all. Wei Jiaoniang had been like this since she was young. Whenever the Eldest Princess Feng Yang was mentioned, she would flare up. She didn¡¯t feel bored even after talking for 10 minutes. Even when she was young, she learned the zither to imitate the Eldest Princess Feng Yang. ¡°It¡¯s a deal.¡± Miss Zeng¡¯s eyes were sparkling as she said courteously, ¡°Then please set the question, Miss Wei.¡± There were rules in the zither competition. Anyone could issue a challenge, but the right to set the questions would be given to the opponent. This was a rule and a form of fairness. Miss Zeng got what she wanted. She and Miss Zhao returned the way they came and walked towards Yu Chaoyun and the others. The surroundings were quiet. The carp outside the window jumped up from the water from time to time. Lu Qin threw a handful of fish food out the window and whispered into Gu Yanfei¡¯s ear, ¡°Yanfei, do you know how to play the zither?¡± Playing the zither¡­ Gu Yanfei had a sweet and sour preserved fruit in her mouth and held her cheek with one hand. Her thoughts drifted away accidentally and drifted to the Bright Spirit Realm. A familiar zither sound rang in her ears. It was refreshing and soothing, as ethereal and fresh as the cool breeze in the valley, as crystal clear as the morning dew, and as slow as a trickling spring. It lingered leisurely in her ears, seemingly close yet far. Her master was good at the zither. No, it should be said that her master was omnipotent. There was nothing her master wasn¡¯t good at. She had been working for her master for 200 years, and she often felt that she had only seen the tip of the iceberg. The lake in Gu Yanfei¡¯s heart rippled with the distant music. Her heart ached slightly. She missed her master. Counting the days, her master should have come out of seclusion. Gu Yanfei was only in a daze for a moment, but when Wei Jiaoniang saw that she didn¡¯t answer, she thought that she didn¡¯t know how to do it. She quickly gave Lu Qin a meaningful look to stop her from asking. Lu Qin was troubled. She rubbed her temples and mumbled, ¡°Jiaoniang, you know my skills¡­¡± Her mother had forced her to learn the zither back then. Later on, her grandmother¡¯s heart ached for the blood blisters on her hands caused by the zither strings. She said that the girls of the Lu family should imitate the Eldest Princess Feng Yang. They only needed to know how to ride and shoot swords. As for zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting, if they didn¡¯t want to learn, they shouldn¡¯t. But fortunately¡­ ¡°Jiaoniang, you know how to do it!¡± Lu Qin smiled and narrowed her eyes. She looked at Wei Jiaoniang with a cheeky smile and patted her shoulder. Her eyes said, ¡°I¡¯m counting on you.¡± ¡± Wei Jiaoniang pursed her cherry lips and coughed dryly. Anyone could tell that she wasn¡¯t that confident about winning this time. She had always been confident and had never felt that she was inferior to others. It was just that every ruler had its shortcomings and every inch had its strengths. She still knew how capable she was when it came to music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Wei Jiaoniang poured herself another cup of wine. As she pondered how to deal with the enemy, she drank the wine and muttered, ¡°Since we can¡¯t fight them head-on, we¡¯ll use our wits!¡± ¡®We¡¯ll use our wits to work on the questions.¡± Lu Qin gave a light high-five. ¡°If you come up with a question, you should take our strengths and the other party¡¯s weaknesses!¡± The other girls were also deep in thought as their eyes lit up. The few gusts of cold wind outside the window messed up their bangs and hair, but the girls didn¡¯t feel the cold at all. They looked at each other and vaguely felt that they had grasped something. ¡®Jiaoniang!¡± Several people excitedly tugged at Wei Jiaoniang¡¯s sleeve and leaned over to whisper in her ear. They conveniently pulled Gu Yanfei over. The girls hugged each other intimately, their scent mixing with the fragrance, giggling non-stop. The laughter attracted the attention of Yu Chaoyun and the others not far away. Gu Yanfei smiled and summoned Eunuch He. ¡°Bring us brush and ink.¡± Eunuch He immediately ordered someone to prepare the Four Treasures of the Study. Wei Jiaoniang wrote down the topic they had discussed on a piece of silk paper. After a while, the piece of paper was sent to Yu Chaoyun and the others. There was only one word written on the silk paper: War. A palace maid lit an incense stick in the open space in the middle of the water pavilion. Yu Chaoyun and the others had time to prepare for the zither competition. Lu Qin knew nothing about repertoires, so she casually said, ¡°Who do you think will go first? Miss Zeng? Miss Zhao, or¡­ Gu Yanfei smiled faintly and said, ¡®Yu Chaoyun.¡± Yu Chaoyun had specially brought a famous zither today. She must have a motive. The incense stick in the middle of the water pavilion was burning. When it was halfway done, the women from the aristocratic families opposite finally moved. Yu Chaoyun sat behind the zither table. A melancholic zither sound broke the silence. It was like a cry, and the melody was mellow but deep. The sound of the zither flowed out from Yu Chaoyun¡¯s fingers. Her 10 fingers danced skillfully, and the tune was mournful. It was as if one could hear a woman crying. She turned her face slightly to the side and focused on playing the piano. She poured all her skills and emotions into this song. She knew that the Eldest Prince loved playing the zither, and she also knew that he would definitely come. She also knew that although the Empress Dowager had mobilized so many people to come to the palace today, she was the best candidate. Because her surname was Yu.. Chapter 262 - 262 Preferred 262 Preferred Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Although the Yu family had gone downhill since the original dynasty, they were also a top-notch family in the previous dynasty, only slightly inferior to the Wang and Xie families. The Yu family and the Yuan family had been natural allies for the past hundred years. Aunt had told her that the Empress Dowager would give her a chance, but she wouldn¡¯t help her openly. Therefore, she had to fight for the position of the Eldest Princess Consort herself. To her, it was enough to have such a ¡°chance.¡± Yu Zhaoyun¡¯s song was called ¡°Injured Parting¡±. It talked about a man and a woman who had grown up together since childhood. Their parents had arranged an engagement for them. However, the wedding date was imminent, and the enemy country just happened to invade at this time. The young man was recruited into the army and went to guard the border a thousand miles away. The young lady missed her lover and didn¡¯t eat or drink. She traveled thousands of miles alone to the border to find her fianc¨¦. The journey was full of twists and turns. After much hardship, the girl finally met her fianc¨¦ at the border. They confessed their feelings to each other, and the pair finally got married. The opening scene was the heartbreak of a young girl missing her fianc¨¦. The heart-wrenching sorrow made the eyes of all the girls turn red. Some secretly wiped the corners of their eyes with a handkerchief. Yu Chaoyun¡¯s red and plump lips curled up slightly. The light outside the window left a faint shadow on one side of her nose, making her eyes look especially calm and determined. She wasn¡¯t the eldest daughter of the first wife. With her status, although she could marry into an aristocratic family, she couldn¡¯t be a matriarch. It was better to take a gamble, and she might have a bright future. Because of this, she had already given up on her cousin, the person she had loved since she was young. It was as if she had been stabbed in the heart. Even now, she still feels bloody and in pain. I can¡¯t lose! Yu Chaoyun told herself this over and over again in her heart. Her posture was slender and upright. Her slender fingers quickly plucked on the strings, faster and faster, almost turning into a phantom. The sound of the zither became more and more passionate, reaching the climax¡­ The girl had encountered countless difficulties and dangers on the way to the border. This was the darkest and most difficult part of the song. Yu Chaoyun lowered her head even more. Over the years, the Yu family had been declining day and night. Because of this, she had suffered a lot of cold eyes outside and was despised by those nobles. She quickly played the strings with her index finger, using the strings to play the magnificent effect of tens of thousands of horses galloping. When the tune reached its climax, it suddenly became soothing¡­ Her fingers also became lighter as she played a smooth melody. Suddenly, her vision darkened. From the corner of her eye, she saw a few figures walking to the entrance of the water pavilion, blocking the light. Thud! Thud! Yu Chaoyun¡¯s heart beat faster. She quickly retracted her gaze and looked down at the zither. She thought to herself, ¡®It must be the Eldest Prince.¡¯ She became more focused and careful, striving for this song to be perfect. The music gradually came to an end. The zither music became slower and softer. The sobbing was mellow and carried a trace of lingering joy, making one¡¯s heart ache¡­ The song ended. Yu Chaoyun pressed the zither strings, and the music stopped. The water pavilion instantly fell into silence. The desolate atmosphere lingered, making the listeners feel unsatisfied. This song was perfect. Yu Chaoyun let out a long sigh of relief, but her expression didn¡¯t change. Her expression was elegant, and she had an elegant bearing. She slowly raised her head. Her fingers curled up slightly in anticipation, but what greeted her eyes wasn¡¯t the person she had expected. Instead, it was a thin man in his 50s wearing a bright yellow dragon robe. His gentle and elegant face was engraved with wrinkles. Only one person in the palace would dare to wear this dragon robe. The Emperor didn¡¯t come alone. Beside him stood an old woman in her 60s. The old woman was tall and straight, only half a head shorter than the Emperor. Her hair and eyebrows were already half white, and her eyebrows were sharp. Even though she was past her 60s, one could still see the peerless elegance of her youth in her beautiful outline. She was elegant and heroic, noble and proud. Her every move was filled with confidence and charm. She looked valiant and heroic. Everyone around fell silent as they looked at the Emperor and the old woman, secretly guessing the old woman¡¯s identity. Wei Jiaoniang¡¯s eyes lit up as she stared at the old woman without blinking. She simply couldn¡¯t bear to blink. ¡® Yu Chaoyun¡¯s hand, which was placed on the zither, paused for a moment. She couldn¡¯t help but be stunned. Didn¡¯t they say that the Eldest Prince would come at this time? The howling cold wind made one of the windows of the water pavilion creak twice.. Chapter 263 - 263 Interested 263 Interested Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Smash!¡± The Emperor clapped his hands lightly and praised with a smile, ¡°Not bad.¡± Only then did the girls in the water pavilion come back to their senses. They stood up one after another and bowed to the Emperor. ¡°Greetings, Your Majesty.¡± Yu Chaoyun also bent her knees and bowed. She couldn¡¯t help but look behind the Emperor. However, it was empty behind him. Outside the water pavilion, there was only the endless howling of the snow, and she couldn¡¯t see the Eldest Prince Chu Yi at all. Yu Chaoyun¡¯s heart sank slightly. She was a little disappointed, but she still maintained her dignified appearance. As soon as the Emperor arrived, a few eunuchs immediately set up a coffee table and two armchairs in the middle of the water pavilion. They also placed a big red pillow on the chairs as a cushion. The Emperor and the old woman sat down on either side of the coffee table. Seeing that the old woman was actually qualified to sit side by side with the Emperor, everyone was even more shocked. They secretly exchanged glances, feeling that her identity was already obvious¡ª She was the eldest daughter of Emperor Taizu, the Eldest Princess of Fengyang. The water pavilion was silent. The palace servants immediately served tea to the Emperor and Fengyang. The eunuch beside the Emperor, Zhao Rang, took the tea from the palace servants and personally served tea to the Emperor. ¡°Your Majesty, be careful of the hot tea.¡± As Zhao Rang spoke, he placed the five-colored teacup on the coffee table. At the same time, he calmly pointed his index finger at the west side of the water pavilion. The Emperor picked up the teacup and looked in the direction Zhao Rang pointed. His gaze accurately landed on a beautiful girl in a snow-blue dress. The young girl¡¯s eyes were as clear as water, her lips were like vermilion, and her skin was as fair as snow. Her exquisite face was like a masterpiece by a famous artist, and her eyes could be said to be as beautiful as a painting. The Emperor¡¯s first impression of Gu Yanfei was that she was beautiful. Not only was she beautiful, but she also had a beautiful bearing. She was bright, elegant, graceful, and smart. It must be her! Although there were a few young ladies around the young girl who were about the same age as her, the Emperor was still certain at a glance that this beautiful young lady must be his son¡¯s sweetheart. The Emperor¡¯s lips curled up slightly. His eyes were gentle and he was in a good mood. He had guessed that his son had a sweetheart, but after asking a few times, his son refused to tell him. He was so anxious that he scratched his ears and cheeks. Even in his dreams at night, he would dream that his son was leading a girl with a blurry face to see him. When he heard that his son¡¯s lover was in the palace, he couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore. He found an excuse to dismiss his son first and rushed here to see the girl. At this moment, the girl with a blurry face in his dream and the beautiful girl in front of him overlapped! The more he looked at her, the more satisfied he became. His son¡¯s taste was indeed not bad. This part of his son was like him! Gu Yanfei naturally noticed the Emperor¡¯s scrutinizing gaze. He looked up in the Emperor¡¯s direction and smiled sweetly. Their gazes met quietly in midair. The Emperor looked at Gu Yanfei for the third time and he noticed her gaze. The young lady, who had yet to reach adulthood, had a pair of wise eyes that were so bright that they seemed to be able to see through one¡¯s soul. Her eyes were like the vast sea and the night sky filled with dazzling stars. The Emperor was slightly stunned. He still remembered that Emperor Taizu had once said to him, ¡®How can a person who has seen the sea of stars be willing to be only a little fluorescent?¡± This little girl gave him the feeling of a person who had seen the sea of stars. Interesting. The Emperor elegantly stroked his beard and suddenly looked into Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes and asked, ¡°Little girl, what do you think of the song just now? The smile in the Emperor¡¯s eyes deepened, and there was a hint of love hidden in his joy. This little girl looked at him with respect, but she was fearless, as if he was no different from ordinary people. ¡®Jiaoniang¡¯s topic was war.¡± Gu Yanfei curled her lips, and dimples appeared on her cheeks. She said seriously, ¡°War shouldn¡¯t be a romantic parting.¡¯ She wasn¡¯t commenting on Yu Chaoyun¡¯s zither skills, but that the other party¡¯s song wasn¡¯t relevant enough. As she spoke, her gaze moved between the Emperor¡¯s eyebrows. Her eyes were exceptionally deep and filled with spiritual energy. What shameless boasting! Yu Chaoyun and the few ladies beside her frowned unhappily. The way they looked at Gu Yanfei seemed to be filled with thorns. Eunuch Zhao Rang whispered into the Emperor¡¯s ear. The Emperor raised his eyebrows and asked Gu Yanfei, ¡°Dear, are you having a zither playing competition? In the second sentence, the Emperor changed the way he addressed Gu Yanfei from ¡®little girl¡± to ¡°dear¡±. There was an inexplicable intimacy. Feng Yang, who had graying sideburns, keenly heard this change. He put down the teacup and looked at Gu Yanfei. His eyes were bright, and his figure was as straight as a pine tree. He didn¡¯t look old at all, and his phoenix aura was still there. ¡®Your Majesty, we¡¯re indeed having a competition,¡± Gu Yanfei stood up gracefully and replied. Yu Chaoyun also stood up from behind the zither table and bowed to the Emperor. She clenched her sleeves with her slender fingers and said respectfully, ¡°Your Majesty, I would like to ask Miss Gu what you think should happen in a war.¡± After a pause, Yu Chaoyun asked meaningfully, ¡°Could it be the Records of Xidu?¡± ¡®Record of Xidu¡± was a play about the past of the previous dynasty. A hundred years ago, when the army of Xirong went east, the previous dynasty¡¯s army was defeated. At that time, the reigning Emperor of Huizong surrendered to the Xirong people and begged for mercy, but he was captured by the Xirong people. In the end, he was exiled to the Four Kingdoms City of Xirong. In just a few years, he died of humiliation. Yu Chaoyun purposely mentioned the ¡°Records of Xidu¡± to Gu Yanfei, naturally hinting at Gu Ce¡¯s betrayal. Sparks flashed in the air. Preposterous! Wei Jiaoniang suddenly stood up and wanted to say something, but Gu Yanfei stopped her. Gu Yanfei¡¯s gaze on Yu Chaoyun was clear and cold. She turned slightly and said to the Emperor and Feng Yang, ¡°War naturally isn¡¯t about ¡®Injured Parting¡¯ ¡®War should be about ¡®Treading the Green Sky¡¯!¡± Gu Yanfei bowed to the Emperor and walked to the zither table. Her eyes met Yu Chaoyun¡¯s on the other side of the zither table. She smiled faintly and said, ¡®Miss Yu, let me tell you what war is.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, she casually plucked the strings. The sound of the zither rang out. It was clear and cold, as if it came from the distant and unknown void.. Chapter 264 - 264 Killing 264 Killing Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios This zither wasn¡¯t bad! Gu Yanfei took the zither on the zither table and held it in her hand. It was a black lacquered wooden zither with a golden emblem and a jade pendant. Its entire body was covered in broken patterns on the abdomen of small snakes. The seven threads flickered with a cold light like frost. Clunk! Gu Yanfei casually stroked the zither strings again and casually sat on the ground, placing the zither on her crossed legs. Originally, Wei Jiaoniang was the one playing the zither on their side, so Gu Yanfei was unprepared. As she tested the sound, an ethereal and clear sound of the zither flowed out from under her finger. It was as if she was flying on a sword into the void and was above the clouds. That familiar feeling instantly returned. In her previous life, she didn¡¯t know how to play the piano at all. She didn¡¯t know anything about music, chess, calligraphy, poetry, or the Six Arts of the Gentleman. Even after she was brought back to the capital and tried her best to learn, her progress wasn¡¯t satisfactory. She had already missed the best age for enlightenment. Moreover, it was impossible for her to learn something that others had learned for more than ten years in a few months. Instead, she swallowed it whole. Her zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting were all taught to her by her master after she reincarnated into the Bright Spirit Realm. Thinking of the past, Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes were filled with nostalgia. Cultivators fought with the heavens. Cultivation was the most important thing in everything, and cultivators wouldn¡¯t spend a lot of time learning useless things like mortals. Although her master had taught her all kinds of things, she had really put in the effort to study those life-saving methods. She had spent the same amount of effort on playing the zither. She was a medical cultivator and didn¡¯t specialize in killing. That was why her master had specially taught her this song. Her master said that this song was for her to save her life and told her to learn it well. She learned very quickly, but she still couldn¡¯t comprehend the second verse of the essence. She had practiced this song countless times, and even her fingers had completely memorized the tune. Her master said that it was because she lacked experience. The first melody of the guqin was soothing and refreshing. The sound of the zither gently plucked at everyone¡¯s heartstrings, making them feel as if a lotus-like fragrance had assaulted their faces. At this moment, Gu Yanfei¡¯s expression was as peaceful and warm as this clear and beautiful zither music. He was like a beautiful and gentle jade statue. The Emperor listened attentively to the music with a look of admiration. He had never heard this song before. It made people feel calm, as if they were in paradise. Hmm, this little girl¡¯s zither skills aren¡¯t bad. The Emperor thought to himself, though his judgment was clouded. His fingers gently tapped on his knees along with the rhythm of the zither. Feng Yang, who was separated from the Emperor by the coffee table, was nonchalant. She drank tea by herself, the music going in her left ear and out her right ear¡­ Gu Yanfei¡¯s words rang in her ears. ¡°War shouldn¡¯t be a romantic parting. ¡°War should be about ¡®Treading the Green Sky*. ¡± Feng Yang sneered indifferently. The wrinkles at the corners of her lips deepened, revealing a hint of arrogance. This was war? This tune was like soaring in the sky with a hint of laughter as she looked down at the world. Sure enough, she was just a child playing house. She thought that war was a one-man battle. Feng Yang slowly took another sip of tea. The sound of the zither suddenly trembled, as if a small stone had been casually thrown into the lake or as if an arrow had suddenly cut through the cold night air. The mellow sound of the zither gradually became high-pitched and passionate. ¡® Feng Yang raised her eyebrows slightly and put down her teacup. Her eyes became sharp, like a sword that had been drawn an inch from its sheath, revealing a cold light. Gu Yanfei¡¯s expression remained unchanged. She still had that faint smile on her face, but she now gave off a valiant feeling. She was completely immersed in the music. Just as her master had said, this song had saved her life at the critical moment. She remembered that year when she brought a group of junior brothers and sisters from her sect to a secret realm. One of the junior sisters had good luck and obtained a rare Golden Leaf Spirit-Connecting Grass. It was coveted by others, and they wanted to kill her to snatch her treasure. Their Tianwen Sect was a medical cultivation sect, and their combat strength was weak. Their junior brothers and sisters had just entered the sect and were only at the stage of refining their qi. Although she was at the Golden Core Stage, the other party had two Golden Cores. It was very difficult for her to protect her junior brothers and sisters alone. Later on, she borrowed her junior sister¡¯s zither and played this song, ¡®Treading the Green Sky¡±. It wasn¡¯t until she personally went to the battlefield and faced a life and death crisis that she truly comprehended the second paragraph of this song, the sound of killing. The first paragraph was about ¡°courtesy,¡± and the second paragraph was about ¡°army..¡± Chapter 265 - 265 Murder 265 Murder Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Use civility before resorting to force. Since the enemy was unwilling to take a step back, she would beat him until the enemy submitted. That time, she used her zither music as a sword to pierce through the Golden Core of the two Golden Core Stage cultivators, completely destroying their cultivation. Clunk! The sound of the zither grew louder and louder. It was as if thousands of soldiers and horses were galloping on the battlefield, or as if the rumbling Yellow River was crashing down like a storm¡­ This majestic and murderous aura shook even the surrounding air. The whistling wind and snow outside the water pavilion became the background music of the zither. Feng Yang sat up straight like a spear. Her lips were tightly pursed, and her expression was complicated. Her old but not cloudy eyes looked straight at Gu Yanfei, who was playing the zither. Her heartstrings were touched by the distant strings, and her eyes gradually became dazed. She was looking at Gu Yanfei, but she didn¡¯t seem to be looking at him at all. Her nostalgic gaze passed through the young girl playing the zither in front of her and looked into the past¡­ For a moment, she seemed to have returned to those glorious days from a long time ago. She had overcome all obstacles and charged into battle. Beside her was a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood. She didn¡¯t know which corpses belonged to the enemy and which belonged to her comrades¡­ Feng Yang¡¯s deep eyes were filled with sorrow again, and her eyes were filled with tears. She thought of what her father had always said when she went to the battlefield with him: ¡°The Green Mountain is filled with loyal bones. Why do we need to return the corpse wrapped in horse leather?¡± The voices, smiles, and gestures of those old friends quickly flashed through her mind. Faint nostalgia and faint sorrow intertwined in her eyes and spread in her heart. Therefore, everyone left one by one, leaving only her old bones alive. The sound of the zither was piercingly cold and shook the heavens and the earth. Yu Chaoyun¡¯s frown deepened as she listened. She shook her head and sighed. This song wasn¡¯t good. The killing intent was too heavy! It was said in the Book of Rites that scholars didn¡¯t learn the zither for no reason. They learned the zither to nurture their temperament and elegance, not to play such a murderous song. This song was filled with killing intent, and it looked like it wouldn¡¯t stop until one of them died. It went against the original intention of the zither path! No, it was really no good! Looking disdainful, Miss Zeng exchanged glances with Miss Zhao and began to think of her critique. At this moment, the song reached the third verse. The tune changed from grand to sad and sorrowful, but there was a hint of life in the sorrow. Like a phoenix undergoing nirvana, the phoenix was reborn from the ashes! Feng Yang¡¯s eyes widened in shock, her chest rising and falling rapidly as her emotions gradually withdrew from her grief. Her old friends were gone, and a new dynasty had been established. Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, so many years had passed. She was still alive and had personally witnessed the rise of the Great Jin Dynasty! The Emperor beside her was also listening attentively. His hands that were placed on his knees had long since stopped tapping. He sat in a daze and didn¡¯t move, as if his mind had been pulled away. After the song ended, the zither music stopped. However, it was as if the music hadn¡¯t ended yet, and their hearts were still trembling. There was an indescribable atmosphere in the air, as if an invisible net was wrapped around everyone. Wei Jiaoniang, Lu Qin, and the others were at a loss, not knowing how much time had passed. Their hearts were empty, as if they were in an extremely realistic dream. They looked at Gu Yanfei in amazement and were speechless for a moment. On the other side, Miss Zeng and the others finally got the song. Miss Zeng grabbed her handkerchief and was about to comment when she heard another female voice sigh before her. ¡®Good!¡± This majestic female voice sounded valiant and powerful as it resounded through the room. Everyone subconsciously looked over, only to see Feng Yang, who was sitting beside the Emperor, clap her hands twice. Her old and frail face was no longer sad and melancholic. She was in high spirits, and there was a hint of joy between her brows. She seemed to have become younger by several years. Seeing this, Miss Zeng and Miss Zhao could only shut their mouths resentfully and swallow the words that were about to come out of their mouths. Gu Yanfei stood up with the zither in her arms and bowed to Feng Yang with a smile. ¡°Thank you for your praise, Your Highness.¡± Wei Jiaoniang¡¯s eyes were even brighter, shining like gems. ¡°It¡¯s magnificent and energetic. Well played!¡± Feng Yang laughed loudly. Her eyes were bright and spirited as she sized up Gu Yanfei with admiration and interest in her eyes. ¡®There¡¯s an old saying: If you don¡¯t see mountains, the earth won¡¯t appear flat. If you don¡¯t see the sea, you won¡¯t know the stream.¡± ¡®Dear, have you been to the battlefield and personally experienced a hopeless situation?¡± Only those who had seen the tragic battlefield with their own eyes knew how difficult it was to live in peace and prosperity. Only then did they know what it meant to moan without illness! ¡®Yes.¡± Gu Yanfei smiled and nodded. She placed the zither back on the zither table, her every move comfortable and neat. She had indeed been to the battlefield herself. When she was in the Bright Spirit Realm, she had followed her master and the other human cultivators and demons to the lake. At that time, her cultivation was shallow, but her master still brought her along. She was a medical cultivator and not the main force in the war between humans and demons. However, she didn¡¯t hide in the back easily. She had personally killed demons and witnessed many human cultivators¡¯ souls being destroyed. In this battle, blood flowed like rivers and corpses piled up like mountains. However, the human race won and sent the demon army back to the west of the lake. Feng Yang didn¡¯t ask further. She stared deeply at Gu Yanfei and praised her straightforwardly, ¡°Very good.¡± Seeing this, Miss Zeng and Miss Zhao could only shut their mouths resentfully and swallow the words that were about to come out of their mouths. Gu Yunrong, who was sitting in the southwest corner, kept looking at Gu Yanfei thoughtfully. Today, the Empress Dowager¡¯s summons came suddenly. Gu Yunrong didn¡¯t know about it beforehand, but she gradually came to her senses. It turned out that it was to choose the Eldest Prince¡¯s consort. Gu Yanfei and Yu Chaoyun weren¡¯t fighting over who played the zither better , but over who caught the Emperor¡¯s eye. It was no wonder that Gu Yanfei had repeatedly provoked the Empress Dowager in Shou¡¯an Palace. It turned out to be like this. Because she was about to marry Prince Kang, Gu Yanfei had her eyes on the position of the Eldest Princess Consort and wanted to compete with her.. Chapter 266 - 266 Fight 266 Fight Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Gu Yunrong¡¯s eyes were filled with brilliance, revealing a sense of transcendence that couldn¡¯t be seen through. The imperial family was the most heartless. How many women had a miserable ending in the harem? Beautiful women age easily, so if Gu Yanfei wanted to rely on the love of a man to stand tall in the harem, she would probably regret it¡­ Gu Yanfei, whose back was facing Gu Yunrong, vaguely felt the strange gaze behind her. She stood up with the zither in her arms and bowed to Feng Yang with a smile. ¡°Thank you for your praise, Your Highness.¡± The Emperor laughed again, leisurely stroking his beard. He looked as if his own daughter was being praised, with a hint of smugness. The Emperor and Feng Yang¡¯s attention was all on Gu Yanfei, as if everyone present didn¡¯t exist. The girls from the aristocratic families couldn¡¯t help but feel a little indignant. Yu Chaoyun¡¯s ¡°Injured Parting¡± was clearly more outstanding, with more delicate emotions and a more elegant artistic conception. It far exceeded Gu Yanfei¡¯s ¡°Treading the Green Sky¡±, which was like the reflection of a sword. However, the Emperor and the Eldest Princess were so biased. It was really unfair. Yu Chaoyun¡¯s heart was shrouded in a layer of dark clouds that couldn¡¯t be removed. The corners of his lips, which had been slightly curled up, tightened for a moment. Today, she was here for the Eldest Princess Consort. Although the Eldest Prince didn¡¯t come to the water pavilion, the Emperor was here. In front of the Emperor, she couldn¡¯t be weaker than others. As a daughter of an aristocratic family, she should be dignified and elegant. She should hide her strength and bide her time, like the moon and the white wind. But¡ª The person in front of her was Gu Yanfei! Yu Chaoyun¡¯s lips tightened, but her red lips were still curled up. Her eyes were as dark as an ancient well as she looked at Gu Yanfei and said, ¡°I heard from Third Miss Gu that Second Miss Gu grew up in Huaibei. I¡¯ve long heard of the beautiful scenery in the north of Huaibei. The scenery is like a painting, and the people are simple and honest. Is that right?¡± Yu Chaoyun asked calmly, as if she was just asking out of curiosity. Her fingers gently rubbed the sachet ball in her sleeve. When Miss Zeng heard this, she quickly understood what was wrong. Huaibei wasn¡¯t Yangzhou, and the past 10 years had been peaceful. Therefore, when Gu Yanfei said that she had seen the battlefield, she was clearly lying. It was a crime to lie to the Emperor! Gu Yanfei was really bold! Everyone knew that the Eldest Princess of Fengyang had a fiery temperament and couldn¡¯t tolerate sand in her eyes. Gu Yanfei wanted to please Feng Yang, so she spoke nonsense. This time, she was probably going to suffer the consequences of her own actions! The corners of Miss Zeng¡¯s lips curled into a cold arc. She tugged at Miss Zhao¡¯s sleeve, indicating that she was watching a good show. Feng Yang raised her brows and asked Gu Yanfei, ¡°Dear, did you grow up in Huaibei?¡± ¡®Yes.¡± Gu Yanfei nodded calmly. ¡°I was born in Yangzhou in the sixth year of reign.¡± Sixth year of reign in Yangzhou. For the teenage girls present, this time and place were forgotten as soon as they heard it, and it didn¡¯t cause any ripples. However, to an old general like Feng Yang, it sounded like a knife. She immediately thought of the battle 14 years ago when the State of Yue attacked Yangzhou. She thought of the Marquis of Dingyuan, Gu Ce, who guarded Yangzhou at that time. At that moment, complicated emotions surged in her eyes. There was admiration, pity, reminiscence, and a sigh. Feng Yang¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She remembered that this girl¡¯s surname was also Gu, so she couldn¡¯t help but ask again, ¡®IIS your father Gu Ce?¡± In the past eight years, the name ¡°Gu Ce¡± seemed to have been sealed. In many people¡¯s eyes, it meant the humiliation of the scene, and most of them avoided saying this name. The young ladies present didn¡¯t know much and looked at each other. Gu Yunrong frowned slightly, and her heart sank. Gu Ce was a traitor and a sinner of the Great Jin Dynasty. In the past eight years, the Gu family has finally walked out of the shadow of Gu Ce surrendering to the enemy. It wasn¡¯t easy for them to make others forget this dishonorable past. Now that the past has been brought up again, wouldn¡¯t that be smearing the Gu family¡¯s reputation for no reason and attracting criticism?! ¡®Yes, my father is Gu Ce.¡± Gu Yanfei nodded again. Her eyes were as bright as the rising sun. She didn¡¯t shy away from the Emperor and Feng Yang¡¯s scrutinizing gazes. ¡°At that time, Yangzhou was in chaos. My mother was pregnant in the seventh month and went north to the capital. I was born in chaos.¡¯ 14 years ago, during the war in Yangzhou, the Emperor, who was still the Crown Prince at that time, naturally wouldn¡¯t forget. Memories flooded his mind. Eunuch Zhao Rang lowered his head and whispered a reminder into the Emperor¡¯s ear. The Emperor¡¯s gaze on Gu Yanfei became even more benevolent. This girl had lost her mother 14 years ago, her father eight years ago, and her parents were both dead. Eight years ago, Gu Ce shouldn¡¯t have died.. Chapter 267 - 267 Competition 267 Competition Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios It was no wonder that this girl would have such a reaction when she heard someone mention ¡®Records of Xidu¡¯! Of course, she couldn¡¯t tolerate others insulting her deceased father. That was why she played the song ¡°Treading the Green Sky¡± as a counterattack. Now that he thought about ¡°Treading the Green Sky¡±, the Emperor sighed even more. It turned out that this girl could play such a magnificent song because she thought of her deceased father. The battle eight years ago was also a pain in the Emperor¡¯s heart. His only son, Chu Yi, was sent to the State of Yue as a hostage by the late Emperor for eight years. Back then, the Emperor thought that he would never see his son again in his lifetime. The Emperor closed his eyes and suppressed the surging emotions in his heart. The wrinkles on his forehead deepened. Fortunately, his son was back, and he had a sweetheart. In a few years, he might be able to hold a grandson¡­ Thinking back to the day when his son mentioned Gu Ce and Gu Yuan to him in the East Warm Pavilion, the Emperor suddenly felt enlightened. So this was what happened! When the Emperor turned to face Feng Yang, his thin face had already revealed a friendly and happy smile. He praised Feng Yang, ¡°Imperial Aunt, this girl isn¡¯t bad.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Feng Yang revealed a rare stunned expression. For a moment, she couldn¡¯t follow the Emperor¡¯s train of thought. However, she did have an extremely good impression of this little girl in front of her. ¡°She¡¯s a good child indeed,¡± she said, nodding. ¡°She¡¯s also good at playing the zither.¡± Gu Yanfei¡¯s song, ¡°Treading on the Green Sky¡±, was really not bad. Even at her age, Feng Yang couldn¡¯t play such an artistic composition. This child had a difficult life and had a good temperament. Yu Chaoyun stood with her eyes lowered. There were a few times when she wanted to say something but hesitated. She wanted to expose Gu Yanfei¡¯s lie and say that Gu Yanfei was simply trying to sway them, but in the end, she didn¡¯t say it. She knew that the best opportunity had passed. If she continued to hold onto Huaibei, it would inevitably leave an unforgiving impression on the Emperor. It was easy for people to sympathize with the weak. This Gu Yanfei was really scheming and flawless. Regarding Feng Yang¡¯s praise, Wei Jiaoniang smiled with pride. She felt that the Eldest Princess truly had good taste. She boldly took two steps forward with a smile and pretended to be cute to ask for a reward. ¡°Your Highness, my Yanfei is so good. Does she have a reward?¡± Feng Yang recognized Wei Jiaoniang and treated this little girl as if she was her junior. She laughed loudly and clapped her hands. ¡°She shall be rewarded.¡± ¡°Dear, what do you want?¡± Feng Yang turned to ask Gu Yanfei. Wrinkles appeared at the corners of her eyes, and she was in high spirits. That proud demeanor that belonged to the strong made people not feel that she was old. Instead, they looked up to her. Most of the girls in the water pavilion were shocked by her light. Wei Jiaoniang rushed to Gu Yanfei¡¯s side and tugged at her sleeve openly. She then winked at her, meaning, ¡°Don¡¯t stand on ceremony.¡± What do I want? Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes darted around. When her contemplative gaze met Wei Jiaoniang¡¯s sparkling eyes, she had an idea. Just now, after they had sat down in the water pavilion, Wei Jiaoniang had told her a lot about Feng Yang. She had talked about how Feng Yang was a master of both civil and military skills, how she was all-powerful on the battlefield, how she could shoot an arrow with the ability to pierce through the bullseye at a hundred steps away, how her whip danced like the autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves¡­ Wei Jiaoniang had said all kinds of things. Lu Qin also told her that Wei Jiaoniang¡¯s habit of making whips was learned from the Eldest Princess of Fengyang. However, Wei Jiaoniang¡¯s whip technique was just a show, not even 30% as good as Feng Yang¡¯s. Gu Yanfei shifted her gaze to the right and looked at the long whip beside Feng Yang. She smiled and said, ¡°1 heard that not only is Your Highness¡¯ zither skills extraordinary, but you also have a good whip technique.¡± Gu Yanfei stared at Feng Yang with a burning gaze, her expression carrying a hint of intimacy. The Eldest Senior Sister of their Tianwen Sect was very good at whipping. When she was in the Bright Spirit Realm, she was picked up by her master when she was five years old and taken in as a personal disciple. Her master didn¡¯t know how to raise children. When she was hungry, she realized several times that children needed to eat, sleep, and wash up, so she used the excuse of seclusion and threw her to her Eldest Senior Sister. The Eldest Senior Sister had taken care of her for three years. Not only did she take care of her daily life like an elder sister, but she also taught her whip techniques and introduced her to the senior brothers and sisters in the sect. It also made her gradually understand that she was different from her previous life. She was actually quite likable¡­ Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes were filled with smiles. A gust of cold wind blew in from the main entrance of the water pavilion, gently lifting her skirt. The skirt fluttered, reflecting her smile and making it brighter. Feng Yang, who was looking at Gu Yanfei, also smiled. She only thought that Gu Yanfei knew that she had once whipped the late Emperor and the Empress Dowager. The smile on her face widened bit by bit, and finally, a bright smile appeared on her lips. After so many years, the others were either afraid of the deceased Emperor or the Yuan Family. Very few people dared mention this in public. This girl was really bold. She had the spirit of the song she played just now! ¡®Girl, do you know how to whip?¡± Feng Yang asked with a smile. ¡®Yes.¡± Gu Yanfei immediately nodded. Even Wei Jiaoniang, who was beside her, nodded repeatedly. She felt that Yanfei was so smart that even if she didn¡¯t know how to do it, she would definitely be able to draw inferences after being taught for two days. ¡®Come here.¡± Feng Yang waved at Gu Yanfei. She took off the whip on her waist and handed it to Gu Yanfei. ¡°1¡¯11 give you this Mystic Flame Whip. Keep it well.¡± The leather whip in her hand was very handy. The long whip¡¯s body shone with a black luster. It was black with a hint of purple, and the long handle was engraved with fire patterns. Gu Yanfei grabbed the handle of the whip and casually shook it. The sharp sound of the whip shaking the air could be heard. ¡°Thank you, Your Highness.¡± Gu Yanfei was in a good mood. She imitated Feng Yang and attached the long whip to her waist. When she looked up, she looked between the Emperor¡¯s eyebrows and quickly calculated with her fingers. She thought to herself, ¡°As expected¡­¡± She took out two amulets from the pouch at her waist and said with a smile, ¡°This is a return gift.¡± ¡®These are amulets..¡¯ Chapter 268 - 268 Temperament 268 Temperament Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The Emperor and Feng Yang were equally stunned. This was the first time anyone had given Feng Yang a gift in return. She rubbed the amulet in her hand. It was so new and rare. Yu Chaoyun looked at Gu Yanfei with a deeper and darker gaze. There was a hint of resentment in her eyes. After this incident, Gu Yanfei stepped on her and left her name in the Emperor¡¯s heart. She was indignant! Yu Chaoyun¡¯s body tensed up as she stood rooted to the ground in a daze. She didn¡¯t even notice when the Emperor and Feng Yang left. She just mechanically followed the others to send the two of them off. At the back, Gu Yunrong looked at Yu Chaoyun silently, her eyes filled with sympathy. Yu Chaoyun¡¯s song just now was indeed superb. She was one of the best among the young ladies in the capital, but it wasn¡¯t to the liking of the Eldest Princess Feng Yang. Feng Yang was all alone and had no children. Naturally, she wouldn¡¯t like such romantic songs. Gu Yunrong sighed in her heart and curtsied in unison with the crowd. The girls¡¯ uniform voices rang in her ears. ¡°Farewell, Your Majesty, Your Highness.¡± Outside the water pavilion, the cold wind was still howling and snowflakes were dancing. Eunuch Zhao Rang personally held an umbrella for the Emperor and Feng Yang to block the wind and snow. From the corner of his eye, he quietly glanced at the Emperor¡¯s hand. The Emperor couldn¡¯t help but touch the amulet in his sleeve pocket. The corners of his lips had never been lowered. Even his usually steady footsteps were a little light, making him seem full of energy. It was simply more useful than taking some miracle medicine. Although the little girl had only played a song just now, the melody came from her heart. The song was played straight to the heart. It was magnificent, refreshing, and carried a soul-stirring force that couldn¡¯t be faked. ¡°Imperial Aunt, this girl isn¡¯t bad, right?¡± The Emperor asked, but Zhao Rang could clearly hear the flaunting tone in the Emperor¡¯s tone. Feng Yang looked at the heavy snow in front of him and recalled the song just now. He said, ¡°Father once said that after experiencing wind and rain, after experiencing thousands of sails, one still has a pure heart. This child has a pure heart.¡± Feng Yang had just met Gu Yanfei for the first time today and had only chatted with her for a while. It was already rare for her to give such an evaluation. ¡®Of course.¡± The Emperor¡¯s smile became even gentler. The loving aura he emitted from head to toe attracted Feng Yang¡¯s attention. Intrigued, Feng Yang raised her eyebrows and asked, ¡°Why?¡± The corners of the Emperor¡¯s lips curled up even higher. He paused in suspense before saying, ¡°She¡¯s Chu Yi¡¯s sweetheart.¡± ¡® Feng Yang smiled gently and nodded. No wonder the Emperor suddenly dragged her to the water pavilion to see those girls. Feng Yang casually flicked her sleeves and waved away the snowflakes floating on them. She said indifferently, ¡°The Empress Dowager chose a daughter from an aristocratic family.¡± As she spoke, her lips curled into a sneer. She had only glanced around the water pavilion just now. Even if she didn¡¯t know who was from which family, the ¡°pretentious¡± behavior of a daughter of an aristocratic family was too obvious. Even if she didn¡¯t ask or say anything, she wouldn¡¯t be mistaken. Each and every one of them was adorned with jewels and luxurious clothes. From head to toe, they were dressed so impeccably that they could participate in a celebration now. Even the incense on their bodies had to be expensive and top-grade. The price of the best spices was comparable to that of gold, but the lingering incense on their bodies only lasted for half a day. Even though these aristocratic families had fallen and their lives were difficult, their nature hadn¡¯t changed. They were poor but particular. Not only did they like to put on an act, but they were also as extravagant as ever. Just like the Empress Dowager! Thinking of Empress Dowager Yuan, Feng Yang¡¯s expression turned colder. In the previous dynasty and the previous dynasties, these aristocratic families had thought themselves superior to others. Not only did they occupy most of the power and resources in the imperial court, but they even preached that ¡°the aristocratic families and the king will rule the world together.¡± Back then, the late Emperor ignored her objections and married the daughter of the Yuan family as his successor. In his later years, he became more and more extravagant and content with his life. He forcefully lost all the treasure that Emperor Taizu had saved up for half his life. Fortunately, she had joined forces with the ministers to prevent the late Emperor from changing the Crown Prince. Otherwise, their Great Jin Dynasty would have been defeated by this mother and son sooner or later. Madam Yuan really didn¡¯t give up. She openly wanted to choose the daughter of an aristocratic family for the Eldest Prince to be his wife. Was she trying to harm the Eldest Prince?! The more Feng Yang thought about it, the more he felt that Empress Dowager Yuan had ill intentions. The more he thought about it, the more he felt that the women in the water pavilion were all scourges. In contrast, Gu Yanfei¡¯s open and straightforward attitude made Feng Yang feel much more comfortable.. Chapter 269 - 269 Shame 269 Shame Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Feng Yang took out the amulet that Gu Yanfei had given her and played with it with interest. She smiled and said, ¡°The girl surnamed Gu is quite interesting.¡± ¡°When has Chu Yi¡¯s taste been bad?¡± The Emperor walked slowly with his hands behind his back, unable to hide his smugness. Feng Yang¡¯s eyes curved with joy and emotion. Her heart also ached for Chu Yi. If not for the fact that she wasn¡¯t in the capital back then, she would definitely not have allowed the late Emperor to send Chu Yi to the State of Yue as a hostage¡­ But there was no point in talking about these old matters now. One had to look forward! Feng Yang raised her chin and looked ahead. A few strands of gray hair caressed her thin cheeks and firm chin. ¡°Sigh.¡± The Emperor suddenly stopped and anxiously summoned the eldest eunuch, Zhao Rang. He instructed, ¡°Go and pass on my oral order. Just say¡­¡± The Emperor reminded Zhao Rang and frowned in frustration. He should have said it just now. How could he have forgotten? Zhao Rang could only agree. Actually, there was no need for him to personally take action for such a small matter. He could just send a small eunuch to the water pavilion to pass a message. However, he knew that the Emperor valued this future Eldest Princess Consort, so he personally made a trip and hurriedly turned around to return to the Tinglan Water Pavilion. In the water pavilion, the girls on the east and west sides were still clearly separated. They were sitting, drinking tea, or whispering amongst themselves. However, the atmosphere was a little awkward. Eunuch He, who was guarding the door, quickly smiled and cupped his hands. ¡°Eunuch Zhao.¡± The others immediately looked at Zhao Rang when they heard this. Standing at the entrance, Zhao Rang gently flicked his horsetail whisk and said in a long voice, ¡°According to the Emperor¡¯s decree, Second Lady Gu won the zither competition. The Emperor has specially allowed Second Lady Gu to be given a whip in the palace in the future.¡± This decree attracted the cheers of Wei Jiaoniang and the others, but Yu Chaoyun and the others couldn¡¯t take it anymore. If the emperor hadn¡¯t said anything, Yu Chaoyun could still barely tell her that the zither competition today was a draw. It was just Gu Yanfei taking advantage of the situation to please the Eldest Princess Feng Yang. However, with the Emperor¡¯s words, there was no doubt about the outcome of the zither competition¡ª She had lost! She had been under Master He¡¯s tutelage since she was young. Even Master had personally praised her zither skills as unparalleled among her peers. She had actually lost to Gu Yanfei! The haze in Yu Zhaoyun¡¯s eyes deepened. To Wei Jiaoniang, if Gu Yanfei won, it was equivalent to her winning. Wei Jiaoniang smiled until her eyes curved into two crescent moons. She held Gu Yanfei¡¯s arm intimately and leaned her little face against her shoulder, then said coquettishly, ¡°Yanfei, you said that you don¡¯t know how to play the zither.¡± She felt that Gu Yanfei was really too humble. If she had this ability, she would definitely talk about it every day. ¡°I didn¡¯t say that,¡± Gu Yanfei corrected her seriously. Her black pupils met Wei Jiaoniang¡¯s eyes without any guilt. Cough, cough. She had just accidentally lost her mind. Lu Qin leaned over and leaned on Gu Yanfei¡¯s shoulder. After thinking about it, she said firmly, ¡°Indeed, she didn¡¯t say that.¡± The two of them silently condemned Gu Yanfei with their gazes. She must have been distracted at that time! They only glared at Gu Yanfei for three breaths before they couldn¡¯t hold back their expressions. They couldn¡¯t help but laugh and happily hugged each other, filling the air with their wanton and hearty laughters. It was good that they won! The others were all minor details, so there was nothing to fuss about. After being happy for a while, Wei Jiaoniang pulled Gu Yanfei back to the window on the east side and sat down. She excitedly borrowed Gu Yanfei¡¯s new Mystic Flame Whip to play with. ¡®Yanfei, let me tell you. This Mystic Flame Whip is extraordinary. I heard it was made by the weapon grandmaster, Master Situ.¡± ¡®Master Situ only loved to forge knives in his life. He made this whip for his wife.¡± ¡®Look at this whip. The end of the whip can extend and shrink. There¡¯s a small knife hidden in the handle.¡± Speaking of topics she was interested in, Wei Jiaoniang talked non-stop, as if she knew everything. Seeing that she was dry-mouthed, Gu Yanfei handed her a cup of tea at the right time. Then, she felt darkness beside her. A begonia-red figure appeared at the table. It was Yu Chaoyun. As Yu Chaoyun arrived, there were also the gazes of the girls on the east side of the water pavilion. It was so quiet that there was no sound. ¡®Second Lady Gu.¡± Yu Chaoyun bowed to Gu Yanfei generously. ¡°I lost the zither competition today.¡¯ She looked very magnanimous. This generous and open bearing attracted several admiring gazes. Victory and defeat were commonplace in war. Yu Chaoyun¡¯s calm admission of defeat meant that she had excellent manners and self-restraint. This was the integrity of their family. As expected of a daughter of the Yu family. Although the others not far away were still a little unconvinced about today¡¯s outcome, they also thought more highly of Yu Chaoyun. Yu Chaoyun smiled gently and continued, ¡°In the past, the teacher who taught me the zither also gave me pointers. He said that my skills are enough, but I¡¯m lacking in terms of artistic conception. In the end, I¡¯m still young and have too little experience.¡± Her words surprised Wei Jiaoniang and Lu Qin. Wei Jiaoniang almost choked on her tea and looked out the window. Gu Yanfei felt that it was very ¡°interesting¡±. She stared straight at Yu Chaoyun¡¯s face, and her gaze lingered on the smile on Yu Chaoyun¡¯s lips. For some reason, she and Yu Chaoyun had actually taken a different path from her previous life. From the first time they met in this life, Yu Chaoyun¡¯s attitude towards her had been very distant. She was arrogant and dignified, with a high and mighty nobility. She was a completely different person than in her previous life. In her previous life, Yu Chaoyun had known her from the beginning with the attitude of being on good terms with her. Just like now, Yu Chaoyun had shown her best side at that time. She was generous, proper, kind, elegant, and gentle, like one of those flawless heiresses in operas. At that time, Gu Yanfei was both inferior, lonely, and timid. She easily fell into a vortex called ¡®friendship¡± and poured her heart out to Yu Chaoyun. Then, she was betrayed, and it ended with her being covered in injuries. Huh! Yu Chaoyun¡¯s smile was really familiar! Chapter 270 - 270 Nostalgic 270 Nostalgic Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios At this moment, in Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes, the Yu Chaoyun in front of her completely overlapped with the Yu Chaoyun in her previous life. She looked gentle and elegant on the surface. She was generous, honest, considerate, and polite, as if she was putting herself in her shoes as a good friend. But in fact, Yu Chaoyun was like a poisonous snake, waiting for an opportunity in a dark corner. As long as there was a chance, she would bite her hard. Facing Gu Yanfei¡¯s cold eyes, Yu Chaoyun kept smiling. She maintained her elegant demeanor and continued, ¡°Your music is magnificent and vigorous. It has a different artistic conception. It opened my heart and amazed me.¡± ¡°Today, you and I were playing the zither in a competition, but we also became friends. For some reason, I feel like I¡¯ve been friends with you for a long time.¡± Yu Chaoyun said it sincerely, attracting more admiring gazes. Gu Yanfei looked at her with a faint smile. At this moment, she felt that the other party¡¯s words and actions were right. This was the Yu Chaoyun she had known in her previous life. The nature of a person would never change. Yu Chaoyun praised Gu Yanfei¡¯s zither music a few more times and spoke to her as if she was acting in a one-man show, but Gu Yanfei ignored her. Wei Jiaoniang and the others also ignored her. They gathered together and whispered, ¡°Let¡¯s go out and play, Lu Qin. It¡¯s too boring here.¡± ¡°The snow is too heavy. It¡¯s good to feed the fish here and admire the snow. Jiaoniang, let me pour you another glass of wine. This is imperial wine. When you go back, your grandfather will definitely envy you¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± They sat while Yu Chaoyun stood alone. It was as if an invisible barrier separated the two sides, making Yu Chaoyun look out of place. Yu Chaoyun couldn¡¯t continue. She pursed her lips and stood silently for a moment, holding her handkerchief. The long silence made the atmosphere a little strange and awkward. More and more people noticed that something was wrong and fell silent. They stared at Gu Yanfei and Yu Chaoyun. In the silence, Yu Chaoyun sighed softly, her eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings. She asked softly, ¡°Second Lady Gu, do you not like me?¡± Her soft voice sounded like a sigh and a whine. The end of the sentence was soft. Her dark eyes rippled. At first glance, she looked pitiful and compromising. When she looked over again, the pupils under her crow eyelashes were bottomless. The cold wind outside the window blew bits of snow onto the table, bringing with it a chill that filled the room. Wei Jiaoniang had goosebumps. On the other side, Miss Zeng, Miss Zhao, and the others frowned, their eyes revealing their disgruntlement. As expected! The corners of Gu Yanfei¡¯s lips curled up a little as her eyes darted around. She still remembered the first time she met Yu Chaoyun in her previous life. That should have been next month. Gu Yunrong held a banquet at the Marquis Mansion and invited many young ladies from the capital to the Marquis Mansion. Yu Chaoyun also came. At that time, Gu Yanfei didn¡¯t know how to interact with the young ladies in the capital, so she hid in the pavilion alone to feed the fish. It was Yu Chaoyun who took the initiative to approach her. ¡°Second Lady Gu, I accidentally wet my shoes just now. Can I sit here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not bothering you, am I?¡± It had been 200 years, and she had thought for a moment that she didn¡¯t remember anything. It was only now that she realized that many things were just a corner of her memory that she had sealed away. So she had never really forgotten. In her previous life, Yu Chaoyun was like this. She was good at putting herself in a weak position and trapping the other party in a dilemma. As long as others took a step back, she would take another step forward and naturally take the lead. When Gu Yanfei was in the Bright Spirit Realm, she also encountered people like Yu Chaoyun. At that time, a senior sister of the sect told her that if she didn¡¯t like someone, there was no need to like them. The people of the Tianwen Sect had never suffered any grievances. ¡°How nostalgic,¡± Gu Yanfei muttered softly. She and Yu Chaoyun had finally reached the same destination as in her previous life. Gu Yanfei smiled mockingly. She was originally worried that it would be too different from her previous life and that she wouldn¡¯t be able to break through her mental demons. Nostalgic?Yu Chaoyun was confused. Her slender fingers unconsciously pinched her cuffs. ¡®Smash!¡± Wei Jiaoniang slammed the wine glass in her hand on the table unhappily and thought to herself, ¡®These girls from aristocratic families are indeed ¡°pretentious¡±! Their words are always sarcastic. ¡® Hmph, isn¡¯t itjust being sarcastic? I know how to do it too! Wei Jiaoniang was about to say something disgusting to Yu Chaoyun when she saw Gu Yanfei nod at her seriously. ¡®That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°1 don¡¯t like you.¡¯ Gu Yanfei¡¯s voice was neither light nor heavy. It was as clear as water, echoing clearly in the quiet water pavilion. The entire hall was silent, and the atmosphere instantly froze. ¡® Yu Chaoyun¡¯s eyes widened slightly, and the perfect smile on her lips froze on her face. She didn¡¯t expect Gu Yanfei to say this and didn¡¯t react for a moment. Shouldn¡¯t Gu Yanfei say to herself, ¡®I don¡¯t dislike you? Shouldn¡¯t Gu Yanfei take the opportunity to invite her to sit down and praise her zither skills? Yu Chaoyun came to a realization. Soon, she pinched her fingers and tried to calm herself down. She looked into Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes and asked, ¡°Why?¡± Her voice was low, and her body was tense. Gu Yanfei looked steadily at Yu Chaoyun. Her gaze was too clear, too calm, and too bright. It was like the brightest star in the night sky, making Yu Chaoyun uncomfortable. Gu Yanfei¡¯s gaze was as if she could see everything about Yu Chaoyun, inside and out. It was as if Yu Chaoyun¡¯s thoughts couldn¡¯t be hidden from Gu Yanfei or as if Gu Yanfei was looking at a clown. This feeling was really terrible. Yu Chaoyun couldn¡¯t help but ask again, ¡®Why?¡± Gu Yanfei casually propped her chin on her fist and tilted her face to look lazily at Yu Chaoyun. She smiled leisurely and said, ¡°Guess?¡± The corners of her mouth twitched slightly, as if to say, ¡®Ifyou ask, do I have to answer? There was silence in the water pavilion again. Gu Yanfei didn¡¯t play by the rules at all. Yu Chaoyun was speechless. At this moment, Yu Chaoyun could no longer hide her loss of composure. Her lips were as tense as iron. None of the girls she knew in the past were like Gu Yanfei! Not far away, Miss Zeng and the others frowned as they watched this scene. Gu Yanfei wasn¡¯t targeting Yu Chaoyun alone. Her words of ¡°1 don¡¯t like you¡± were clearly meant for all the daughters of the aristocratic families to hear. Could it be that Gu Yanfei treated them all as strong competitors and was announcing to them that she was determined to get the position of the Eldest Princess Consort?! The women from the aristocratic families couldn¡¯t help but let their imaginations run wild as they looked at each other. ¡°Pfft!¡± Wei Jiaoniang¡¯s crisp and lively laughter broke the awkward silence. Miss Zeng¡¯s expression darkened as she thought to herself, ¡®These country bumpkins are simply unreasonable.¡¯ Although Yu Chaoyun had lost, she was magnanimous and even took the initiative to express goodwill to Gu Yanfei. Her words were appropriate, but not only did Gu Yanfei not appreciate it, but her attitude was also so disrespectful. Preposterous! Chapter 271 - 271 Admiration 271 Admiration Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Wei Jiaoniang laughed so hard that tears welled up in her eyes. She leaned against Gu Yanfei and chimed in excitedly, ¡°Guess!¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t guess, you can find someone to calculate it.¡± Wei Jiaoniang didn¡¯t hide her dislike for Yu Chaoyun. ¡°Why? Do we need a reason to hate someone?¡± Lu Qin continued with a smile. ¡°I don¡¯t like barking dogs. Do I need to answer to someone?¡± Yu Chaoyun gripped her handkerchief tightly. Her face was pale, and her eyes were uncertain. At this point, this was no longer as simple as her being slapped in the face in public. She was representing an aristocratic family by playing the zither today. If she lost, it would hurt the aristocratic family¡¯s face, but as long as she could maintain the integrity of the aristocratic family, she could still obtain the approval of others. But now, Gu Yanfei, Wei Jiaoniang, and Lu Qin had simply stepped her into the mud. If she returned dejectedly, what would the other women of the aristocratic families think of her?! In the future, who would think highly of her?! ¡°The snow has stopped!¡± Wei Jiaoniang shouted happily out the window. She suddenly stood up from her chair and pulled Gu Yanfei and Lu Qin up. ¡°We can play hide-and-seek now.¡± ¡°Alright, alright, alright. I¡¯m almost stiff from sitting.¡± A girl in green jumped up excitedly. The others were also eager to try. Lu Qin shrank back. She had yet to leave the water pavilion, but she could already feel the bone-chilling cold. She didn¡¯t want to go out into the cold wind at all, but she couldn¡¯t beat the enthusiasm of the others. Just like that, she half-reluctantly followed the other ladies out of the water pavilion. No one paid any more attention to Yu Chaoyun, leaving her standing alone at the table. The girls¡¯ brisk chatter and laughter faded. On the west side of the water pavilion, Miss Zeng and the others were still sitting in the distance. They looked at Yu Chaoyun with complicated expressions. No one stepped forward for a long time. There was dead silence. Yu Chaoyun¡¯s hand, hidden in her sleeve, tightened on the fragrant ball inside, almost crushing it. After an unknown period of time, she heard a gentle female voice. ¡°Chaoyun.¡± The voice came from a few steps behind her. A slender and graceful shadow fell beside her, the silhouette of a butterfly orb swaying slightly on the ground. Even without turning around, Yu Chaoyun knew that it was Gu Yunrong. Her fingers tightened in her sleeve, and the haze in her eyes was so thick that it was about to overflow. She had known since she was young that her cousin, Fang Mingfeng, was betrothed to Gu Yunrong of the Dingyuan Marquis Household. She could only hide her thoughts well. After coming to the capital this time, she learned from her aunt, the Duchess, that Gu Yunrong had an affair with Kang Wang. For this reason, she pushed her cousin to the second daughter of the Gu family, Gu Yanfei, who had been wandering outside for more than ten years. And Gu Yanfei actually told the Empress Dowager in public that she didn¡¯t acknowledge her marriage to the Fang family. This news was like a lightning strike for Yu Chaoyun. Her cousin, whom she loved with all her heart, was actually pushed around by the Gu sisters like a hot potato. What did they treat her cousin as?! ¡°Chaoyun?¡± Gu Yunrong called out again from behind, and the shadow on the ground took a step forward. Yu Chaoyun closed her eyes. When she opened them again, her eyes were calm. She slowly turned around. When her face met Gu Yunrong¡¯s, who was a few steps away, her expression was filled with grievance. Her eyes were watery, and her slightly pale cherry lips were pursed in forbearance and embarrassment. It looked as if the bright and dignified peony had been rudely broken from its branch, and a few petals fell from the crown. Gu Yunrong couldn¡¯t bear to see Yu Chaoyun like this. Yu Chaoyun was just a young lady who had just reached adulthood. How could she know that winning or losing in this world was often just a word from the people in power? There was no fairness to speak of. ¡®Chaoyun, you didn¡¯t lose, and you don¡¯t have to admit defeat. Don¡¯t take it to heart.¡± Gu Yunrong gave Yun Chaoyun a comforting smile. The dimples on her lips were like honey, making her look amiable. ¡°Rong Rong, thank you.¡± Yu Chaoyun nodded at Gu Yunrong and took a step closer to her. She forced a smile that was a little bitter. She reached out and took one of Gu Yunrong¡¯s hands. She moved like an unworldly white rabbit, fragile and innocent, with a childlike dependence. Gu Yunrong felt the coldness in Yu Chaoyun¡¯s palm and felt even more pity for her. She sighed in her heart. She shook Yu Chaoyun¡¯s hand reassuringly, trying to give her strength and warmth. Yu Chaoyun turned her gaze to the sparkling lake outside the window and said softly, ¡°Rong Rong, I was actually sent to the capital by my family.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t hide it from you. They¡¯re doing this for the selection of the Eldest Princess Consort. Her voice was fleeting and weak. When she spoke, her long eyelashes fluttered and her chest heaved violently. She seemed to have been suppressed for a long time, and no one could tell her, so she could only confide in Gu Yunrong. ¡®Plop!¡± A tail of gold and silver carp in the lake outside the window flew up from the water and fell again. Water splashed everywhere, and a few drops of water splashed through the window onto their dresses. Yu Chaoyun¡¯s cuffs were wet, as if they were stained with tears. ¡®Chaoyun¡­¡± The pity in Gu Yunrong¡¯s words deepened. She wanted to persuade her. In this era, whether it was commoners or girls from noble families, they all had no choice. Their marriage was in the hands of their families, so they could only go with the flow and find a marriage of equal social status. From then on, they would be husband and wife, and would respect each other for the rest of their lives. It was really pitiful to go from a brilliant pearl to a boring dead fish eye. However, before Gu Yunrong could finish her sentence, she heard Yu Chaoyun say gently, ¡°Rong Rong, I¡¯m actually very happy.¡± Gu Yunrong¡¯s cherry lips parted slightly as she looked at Yu Chaoyun in shock. Yu Chaoyun looked at Gu Yunrong again and smiled faintly. Her smile was half gentle and half sweet. She continued, ¡®Tm very happy. I¡¯ve admired the Eldest Prince since I was young.¡± ¡°When I was young, I came to the capital a few times¡­¡± ¡°When I was seven years old, I followed my aunt into the palace once and met the Eldest Prince in the imperial garden. At that time, I was admiring lotus flowers by the lake with a few girls. Two girls got into an argument and accidentally bumped into me when they were pushing each other. I was just short of falling into the lake. Fortunately, the Eldest Prince saved me.¡± ¡®To me at the time, he was like a hero¡­ He¡¯s really a very gentle person.¡¯ Yu Chaoyun was half telling the truth, but her emotions were real. When she was seven years old, she did follow her aunt into the palace once. However, she hid someone from the story, which is her cousin, Fang Mingfeng. Back then, the person who stopped her in the palace was her cousin, and the person she fell in love with was also her cousin. There was no one else but her cousin.. Chapter 272 - 272 Snatching Love 272 Snatching Love Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios After saying that, Yu Chaoyun didn¡¯t speak for a long time. The corners of her eyes slowly turned red. Under those half-lowered eyes, there was an indescribable wave of emotion. It was so restrained, affectionate, suppressed, and unattainable. Gu Yunrong looked straight at Yu Chaoyun, touched by the emotions that burst out of her at this moment. So that was how it was. The person Yu Chaoyun liked was the Eldest Prince. No wonder Yu Chaoyun had played ¡°Injured Parting¡± just now. To her, war was indeed ¡°Injured Parting¡±. The young girl in this song represented Yu Chaoyun herself, and the fianc¨¦ who had been recruited to the army represented the Eldest Prince who had been sent to the State of Yue as a hostage. In the past eight years, Yu Chaoyun has probably been thinking about going to the State of Yue to find the Eldest Prince. In the past eight years, Yu Chaoyun had probably been worried that the Eldest Prince would never return¡­ This song represents Yu Chaoyun¡¯s thoughts. In that case, this wasn¡¯t an arranged marriage arranged by the family. Thinking of this, Gu Yunrong looked at Yu Chaoyun with more admiration and intimacy. ¡°Rong Rong,¡± Yu Chaoyun whispered with a shy smile, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have told you this¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be ashamed of.¡± Gu Yunrong interrupted Yu Chaoyun and held her hand with both hands. ¡°It¡¯s not shameful to like someone.¡± It turned out that Yu Chaoyun had been fated with the Eldest Prince eight years ago. She had fallen in love with the Eldest Prince first. Thinking back to what Yu Chaoyun had just said to Gu Yanfei, Gu Yunrong suddenly felt that she was hiding something. Just now, did Yu Chaoyun want to give up on the Eldest Prince, so she told Gu Yanfei that she had lost? However, Gu Yanfei was aggressive and insisted on suppressing Yu Chaoyun until she couldn¡¯t make a comeback. She insisted on interfering between the Eldest Prince and Yu Chaoyun and snatching their love! Gu Yanfei is going too far! As she was thinking, Gu Yunrong¡¯s gaze passed through the door of the water pavilion and looked at the empty space outside. Seven or eight girls were playing hide-and-seek in the open space. At this moment, the blindfolded person was Gu Yanfei. ¡°Yanfei, come and catch me. Come and catch me.¡± Lu Qin¡¯s smiling voice came with the wind. The other girls were either behind Lu Qin or behind nearby tree trunks. Almost as soon as Lu Qin finished speaking, Gu Yanfei followed the sound and took two steps forward, grabbing Lu Qin¡¯s wrist. ¡°Gotcha!¡± Gu Yanfei said confidently. Gu Yunrong looked at Gu Yanfei¡¯s back, and her eyes darkened bit by bit. Her heart was complicated as she sighed and said, ¡°Chaoyun, my Second Cousin has always been competitive¡­¡± Yes, Gu Yanfei¡¯s personality is too sharp. She covets the Eldest Prince just to compete with Yu Chaoyun. She doesn¡¯t really like the Eldest Prince at all. For her own selfish reasons, she wants to snatch the Eldest Prince away. In the end, they¡¯ll only become a resentful couple. She, the Eldest Prince, and Yu Chaoyun would become a pile of chicken feathers for the rest of their lives. She shouldn¡¯t have done this! ¡®Chaoyun, I¡¯ll try to persuade her.¡± Gu Yunrong handed a handkerchief to Yu Chaoyun with a gentle and amiable smile. She was bright-looking and had an easy-going personality. She was good at socializing and always had a relaxed feeling when interacting with her, so she had a wide range of friends in the capital. ¡°Rong Rong, you¡¯re so kind.¡± Yu Chaoyun took the handkerchief and lowered her head slightly. She gently wiped the corners of her eyes with the handkerchief, and the corners of her mouth, hidden behind the handkerchief, curled imperceptibly. She didn¡¯t ask Gu Yunrong how she planned to persuade her. She only smiled faintly at Gu Yunrong and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°I¡¯ve kept this in my heart for a long time¡­ I feel much better after saying everything today.¡± Her eyes were still a little red, but they were bright. ¡®Tm the daughter of the Yu family. Ever since I was young, I knew that I would follow the wishes of my family to get married. Therefore, even if I like the Eldest Prince, I¡¯ve never had any expectations.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that my family would actually send me to the capital to fight for this position.¡± ¡®This is a chance the heavens have given me. No matter what, I still don¡¯t want to accept my fate.¡± Yu Chaoyun¡¯s tone was gentle, and her expression was firm. The cold wind blew coldly on her cheeks. A few strands of her bangs were messed up by the wind, revealing her fair forehead. She exuded a deep sadness, weak and strong. Gu Yunrong raised her hand and smoothed Yu Chaoyun¡¯s bangs. She felt that the two of them had bonded today, so she felt a little closer to her and saw her in a new light. It turned out that among the women of the Great Jin Dynasty, there would also be girls like Yu Chaoyun who were brave enough to pursue true love. Yu Chaoyun trusted her so much that she confided in her. Gu Yunrong was also a little touched by this. She smiled and said, ¡®Chaoyun, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll help you keep the secret. ¡°It¡¯s better to say some things. Otherwise, if you keep them bottled up for too long, it will become a mental illness.¡± Yu Chaoyun pinched her handkerchief and wiped the corners of her eyes. She smiled when her eyes met Gu Yunrong¡¯s. Outside the water pavilion, the crisp and hearty laughter of Gu Yanfei, Wei Jiao¡¯s mother, and the others could be heard from afar. Yu Chaoyun subconsciously looked for the source of the sound and saw an eunuch in his 30s walking in. The eunuch stood at the door and bowed to Gu Yunrong, Yu Chaoyun, and the girls from the aristocratic families on the west side of the water pavilion before saying, ¡®The Empress Dowager is holding a banquet on the Nine Phoenix Boat. Please head over.¡¯ Therefore, Miss Zeng and the others, who were sitting on the west side of the water pavilion, stood up and followed the eunuch out with Gu Yunrong and Yu Chaoyun. ¡®This way, please, girls.¡± The eunuch led the way for Gu Yunrong and the others. In front, Gu Yanfei, Wei Jiaoniang, and the others were also led east by Eunuch He along the lake. After the time it took to brew a cup of tea, they arrived at a two-story pleasure boat. It was decorated with carved railings and lanterns, making it look beautiful against the surrounding ice and snow. A clear pipa sound came from the pleasure boat and echoed faintly in the air. One by one, the girls stepped onto the boat on a wooden plank that extended from the pleasure boat. Lanterns were lit in the pleasure boat. Under the sparkling lights, there were fragrant clothes and hairpins swaying. Madam Wang, Imperial Duchess Wei, Madam Lu, and Eldest Madam Yu had already taken their seats on the first floor of the pleasure boat. Apart from them, there were also some 16 or 17-year-old young masters standing or sitting on the second floor of the pleasure boat, chatting and drinking. It was very lively. In the corner on the first floor, a musician with heavy makeup and a jade hairpin was hugging a pipa. A song called ¡°The Male Phoenix¡¯s Pursuit¡± jumped from her fingertips and lingered. The palace maid in charge, Liu Shuang, walked over with a smile and bowed to everyone present. ¡®Her Majesty wishes for everyone to make yourselves at home.¡± There was a palace banquet on the eighth day of the Lunar New Year. This was a custom since the time of Emperor Taizu. Every year, on the eighth day of the new year, the Empress would invite some young masters and girls of the right age to a banquet. They would always be able to achieve a few pairs of marriages. Gradually, it became a legend and was called the Love Banquet.. Chapter 273 - 273 Turtle 273 Turtle Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios There was no Empress today. Chu Yi¡¯s biological mother was the Emperor¡¯s first wife, but she had died of illness 10 years ago. After that, the Emperor never remarried. Now, the position of Empress was empty. Ever since he ascended the throne, the ministers had written several times to invite him to crown a new Empress. However, they were all rejected. Therefore, everyone originally thought that this year¡¯s banquet would be canceled. Unexpectedly, Empress Dowager Yuan suddenly summoned the girls into the palace in the afternoon. Immediately after, the Emperor also ordered people to send an oral decree to various residences to summon some young masters of the right age to the palace to attend the banquet. Gu Yanfei, Wei Jiaoniang, and Lu Qin chose the seats closest to the musician and sat down. After the musician finished playing the song, the storyteller beside her knocked on the wood and began to shake his head as he started to read. Gu Yanfei split her heart into two. Half of her listened to the book, while the other half listened to Wei Jiaoniang. ¡°This banquet has been held for more than 40 years. It¡¯s held every year. I thought this year would be an exception.¡± ¡°Actually, this banquet was originally held by Emperor Taizu to show the princesses their potential husbands.¡± ¡°Emperor Taizu said that his princess isn¡¯t afraid that she won¡¯t be able to get married. Whoever is willing to come can come. He said that this is called a blind date. Both men and women have to like each other first before they know if this marriage will succeed.¡± ¡°It¡¯s said that back then, the Eldest Princess Chang Ning thought that the banquet wasn¡¯t lively enough, so she called a group of her peers over. Emperor Taizu also felt that it was quite lively for everyone to go on blind dates like this, so this custom was maintained year after year.¡± Lu Qin peeled the pine nuts and sighed. ¡°Emperor Taizu has always had all kinds of strange ideas. He¡¯s really an interesting person!¡± At the side, the storyteller was talking about an anecdote of Emperor Taizu. He started from when Emperor Taizu was young. He said that Emperor Taizu was mischievous when he was young. When he was 16 years old, he fell down the col and hit his head. After being unconscious for three days and three nights, he woke up and became a new person. Speaking of which, Emperor Taizu started as a small constable. In just three years, he became the leader and established some prestige in the town. Speaking of the chaos in the world at that time, the auspicious sign of a black dragon descending appeared above Emperor Taizu¡¯s residence. After that, his status rose up¡­ Originally, these stories were familiar. However, today, many people had more or less heard that another ¡°True Dragon phenomenon¡± had appeared in the capital. Now that they heard this anecdote, some people couldn¡¯t help but reveal meaningful expressions. There were also people like Lu Qin who had entered the palace early and had never heard of it. When they saw Wei Jiaoniang winking at them, they leaned over excitedly and whispered to them, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Wei Jiaoniang put her arm around Lu Qin¡¯s shoulder and pulled her closer again. She whispered into her ear. Lu Qin¡¯s eyes widened, and her pupils bloomed with an unusually bright light. Shock and curiosity were blatantly written on her face. ¡°Is it really a dragon?¡± Lu Qin asked in a low voice. ¡°¡­¡± The corners of Wei Jiaoniang¡¯s eyes twitched. She couldn¡¯t be bothered to answer such a silly question. The storyteller at the side had already spoken eloquently about the black dragon lingering above Emperor Taizu¡¯s head. It¡¯ kowtowed three times in a row and roared three times before floating away. At that time, everyone in the town saw the black dragon appear and kneel down. The scene was very spectacular. Speaking of Emperor Taizu¡¯s heroic aspirations¡­ Lu Qin naturally understood Wei Jiaoniang¡¯s disdain and couldn¡¯t be bothered with her. She ran excitedly to find the other girls she was familiar with to chat with them and ask if they had heard that a true dragon had appeared in the capital today. With her help, it wasn¡¯t long before there was a rustling commotion around them. This matter was really unbelievable. Some believed it, some half believed it, and some looked at each other noncommittally. The pleasure boat gradually became noisy, and the discussion grew until there was a flurry of light footsteps outside, punctuated by the sound of silver bell-like laughter. ¡°This year¡¯s banquet is held on this pleasure boat.¡± ¡°It¡¯s much more fun than in the palace.¡± ¡®You¡¯re right.¡± More than ten noble ladies surrounded Princess Changqing of Prince Jing¡¯s Manor and walked over leisurely. All of them were beaming with joy and chatting happily. Some girls went forward to greet Changqing and the others. Some girls sat where they were and nodded with a smile. Others were only concerned with talking to others and pretended not to see them. As these noble ladies arrived, the scene became even more lively. At a glance, the upper and lower floors were filled with young men and women in their prime. Chang Qing glanced around, and her gaze landed on Gu Yunrong, who was smiling not far away. She smiled sweetly. ¡°Yunrong.¡± Chang Qing quickly went up and pulled Gu Yunrong away from Yu Chaoyun and the others. ¡°I was just looking for you.¡± Chang Qing intimately took Gu Yunrong¡¯s arm and walked towards the seat in front of her. She whispered into her ear with a smile, ¡°Am I going to call you Imperior Aunt soon? Chang Qing was the legitimate daughter of Prince Jing and had been a frequent guest in the palace since she was young, so she was also well-informed. As soon as she entered the palace, she heard that the Empress Dowager planned to set a wedding date for Kang Wang and Gu Yunrong after this year. Kang Wang and Prince Jing were of the same generation. When Gu Yunrong becomes Princess Consort Kang, Chang Qing would become her junior. Speaking of her wedding date with Kang Wang, the corners of Gu Yunrong¡¯s lips curled up. A sparkling light happened to sprinkle on her beautiful face, outlining her gentle and exquisite outline. Specks of golden light flowed in her pupils, making her look charming. Gu Yunrong¡¯s expression was a little gentle and charming, but she was not embarrassed. She said generously, ¡°Chang Qing, I¡¯m still me. You can call me whatever you used to call me.¡± Even if she married Kang Wang, she wouldn¡¯t blindly rely on him. She was Gu Yunrong first, and his wife second. Chang Qing liked Gu Yunrong¡¯s straightforward personality. She chuckled and whispered in her ear, ¡°1 wouldn¡¯t dare.¡¯ ¡®Uncle Kang Wang¡­ I can¡¯t afford to provoke him.¡± Anyone could see Kang Wang¡¯s feelings for Gu Yunrong. Gu Yunrong pursed her lips with a smile. The dimples on her lips deepened, and her smile was sweet. As soon as they sat down, they heard a eunuch standing guard outside report in a sharp voice, ¡®The Emperor has arrived!¡± ¡®The Empress Dowager has arrived!¡± ¡®The Eldest Prince has arrived!¡± The Emperor and Empress Dowager Yuan walked side by side in a bright yellow dragon robe. Behind them were Kang Wang, Chu You, the Eldest Prince, Chu Yi, and a few other princes and princesses. The team was majestic, and there was a little girl in pink who was about ten years old. She was sitting in a wheelchair and was pushed in by the palace servants. She was wearing a pink dress with a hundred butterflies, revealing her thin and small frame. She had an oval face, fair skin, and a cherry mouth. Her hair was combed into cute double buns. The current Emperor only had a son and a daughter. This was the only princess in the palace now, and her name was An Le. Everyone stood up and bowed. As they bowed, they secretly looked at the Eldest Prince, Chu Yi. Chu Yi had just returned to the capital for a few months and lived in seclusion. At least half of the people present had never seen him. Their gazes were inevitably curious and scrutinizing. Some people sized up the Eldest Prince and Kang Wang, weighing them in their hearts. Thinking about the ¡°True Dragon Phenomenon¡± today, this banquet clearly revealed something unusual.. Chapter 274 - 274 Simple 274 Simple Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Chu Yi was wearing a purple cloud-patterned robe. The yellow light gently shone on him, adding a hint of gentleness to his handsome face. He followed behind the Emperor at a leisurely pace. His footsteps were elegant, and as he raised his hand, he exuded an extraordinary noble aura, like a banished immortal from the nine heavens. He exuded a feeling that he could be seen from afar but couldn¡¯t be touched. When he walked past Gu Yanfei, he smiled at her with a warm smile, like the bright spring sun. The Emperor and the others went up the stairs and sat down on the second floor of the pleasure boat. The Emperor said with a smile, ¡°Everyone, have fun. Don¡¯t hold back on this rare banquet.¡± At the mention of the banquet, the Emperor was thinking of his son. His mood improved, and his whole face glowed. ¡°Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty!¡± Everyone thanked him in unison. Most of the people attending the banquet were from noble families and had many opportunities to enter the palace to meet the Emperor. Therefore, most of them weren¡¯t restrained. All of them were chatting and laughing. They were either sitting down to drink tea, eating snacks, whispering to each other, or going to the deck outside to admire the lake. The pleasure boat seemed to be lively and festive. Everyone was chatting happily, but in fact, they each had their own thoughts. Empress Dowager Yuan sat on the emperor¡¯s left and said casually, ¡°I like these young ladies very much. They¡¯re so lively and happy.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Your Majesty?¡± Empress Dowager Yuan turned around and specially said this last sentence to the Emperor. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± The Emperor smiled and stroked his beard, deep smile lines appearing at the corners of his eyes. ¡°They are indeed lively.¡± As he spoke, the Emperor couldn¡¯t help but glance at Chu Yi, who was sitting to his right. He saw Chu Yi¡¯s eyes half-lowered and full of smiles as he looked straight through the window and down at the deck below. His long eyelashes fluttered happily like butterfly wings. Following Chu Yi¡¯s gaze, the Emperor indeed saw Gu Yanfei. The little girl was leaning against the railing of the pleasure boat with Wei Jiaoniang with a smile. The two of them were whispering to each other and laughing happily. The Emperor¡¯s gaze quickly returned to his son. He was overjoyed and wished that these two children would call him Father in pairs now. He couldn¡¯t let the Empress Dowager ruin his son¡¯s good marriage. The Emperor thought to himself as he picked up the blue and white porcelain teacup and sipped the tea. The fast-paced sound sounded again. The storyteller downstairs began to continue his story. After saying that Emperor Taizu had encountered an auspicious sign of a true dragon, he began to talk about how Emperor Taizu had visited the cottage three times to invite the Heavenly Dipper Immortal out of the mountain. Then, he talked about how Emperor Taizu had been seriously injured on the battlefield and was on the verge of death when the true dragon appeared again¡­ ¡°Emperor Taizu was really a god.¡± Empress Dowager Yuan sighed slightly. ¡°Not only did he have the help of a strange person like the Heavenly Dipper Spiritual Master, but he was also blessed by the heavens. The true dragon appeared twice for him. Not only did it recognize him when he was young, but it also saved him from danger.¡± ¡°With the protection of the true dragon, every time he was in danger, he could avert danger and win all the way. That¡¯s why the current world is so peaceful.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Your Majesty?¡± Empress Dowager Yuan smiled dignifiedly. The Emperor smiled and didn¡¯t answer her. He took an orange from the fruit plate on the table, peeled it, and distributed half of it. An Le took half an orange without a word. An obedient smile appeared on her small face as she peeled the orange threads bit by bit, as if there was nothing more important. There was no anger on Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s face at the Emperor¡¯s feigned ignorance. Her gaze shifted to Chu Yi again, and her smile deepened as she asked, ¡°Eldest Prince, what do you think?¡± Hearing this, Chu Yi, who was drinking tea, put down the teacup in his hand. With a faint smile, he nodded slightly and said, ¡°My great-grandfather was destined by the heavens, which is why a true dragon descended from the sky to help.¡± Chu Yi spoke casually, but Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s expression changed slightly. Originally, the main point of her words was that the auspicious omen of a true dragon helped Emperor Taizu build the Great Jin Dynasty. Chu Yi¡¯s words completely reversed the cause and effect of her words. He emphasized that Emperor Taizu had the ability to found a country, which was why he had the help of the true dragon. The focus between the two was completely different. The few princes and princesses at the side seemed to be drinking tea, but they were actually paying attention to the conversation between Empress Dowager Yuan and Chu Yi. They acutely heard the sharpness in their words. Prince Jing couldn¡¯t help but look at Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s expression. She was still smiling, but her eyes were like knives as she glared fiercely at Chu Yi¡¯s face. Empress Dowager Yuan was indeed unhappy. Her gaze was dark, but she couldn¡¯t say that Chu Yi was wrong. Her lips gradually tightened, and for a moment she couldn¡¯t continue. Chu Yi turned to the Emperor and said gently, ¡°Father, your cold hasn¡¯t fully recovered. Where¡¯s the hand stove? The Emperor caught a cold on the second day of the Lunar New Year and took a few days to recover. The imperial physician had instructed the Emperor to keep warm. ¡± The Emperor¡¯s face stiffened, and his gaze wandered. He had been in a hurry to see his son¡¯s sweetheart and had long put the hand stove away. An Le had just finished the half orange that the Emperor had given her when she conveniently took out her hand stove from her sleeve. It was a very cute gilded hand stove in the shape of a gourd with exquisite vine leaf patterns carved on it. An Le silently handed the furnace to the Emperor. Chu Yi and An Le didn¡¯t look alike, but they had a pair of similar phoenix eyes. Their pupils were as black as ink and jade as they looked at the Emperor together. Faced with these two similar eyes, the Emperor couldn¡¯t say a word. He obediently took the gourd-shaped hand stove. The fast-paced music below gradually became faster. The storyteller said that a divine doctor had heard that Emperor Taizu was seriously injured and had sent spiritual herbs over from afar. Yuan Zhe, who was sitting beside Kang Wang, frowned slightly and stared at the Emperor and Chu Yi without blinking. His right hand clenched and unclenched in time with the fast-paced rhythm. After repeating this a few times, Yuan Zhe suddenly said, ¡°It¡¯s said that a true dragon chooses its master. Emperor Taizu obtained the dragon heart first before gaining the hearts of the people. It attracted heroes from all over the world to join him. The Black Dragon Army under him became very powerful in just a year¡­¡± These words sounded reasonable at first glance, as if he was saying that Emperor Taizu had obtained the submission of the people because of the phenomenon of the black dragon¡¯s descent. ¡®Smash!¡± The sound of a cup hitting the table suddenly sounded, interrupting Yuan The roughly. Not only did the princes and princesses sitting around hear it, but even the young masters and ladies sitting slightly further away heard the commotion. Their gazes surged towards the owner of the cup like waves, the Eldest Princess Feng Yang. ¡®Who do you think you are!¡± Feng Yang looked at Yuan Zhe coldly. Her powerful aura swept over like a raging fire and lightmng, extremely fierce. ¡°It¡¯s not your place to nag about Father¡¯s matters..¡± Chapter 275 - 275 Marriage 275 Marriage Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yuan Zhe¡¯s expression froze, and he was speechless. Everyone around him fell silent. Others couldn¡¯t say this, but even if they did, it wouldn¡¯t have the weight of thunder. Feng Yang was older, had a high status, and was the eldest daughter of Emperor Taizu. She had always been doted on by him. When Emperor Taizu was still alive, be it on the battlefield or on private visits, he often brought his eldest daughter along. Even if Feng Yang refused to marry for the rest of her life, Emperor Taizu would still let her be and spoil her. Emperor Taizu often said, ¡°My daughter has the right to do whatever she wants.¡± This ¡°qualification¡± not only meant that Emperor Taizu was willing to support his daughter, but also that Feng Yang was far more capable than a man. Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s expression tightened, and the corners of her lips trembled violently. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to lose face. Even if Yuan Zhe didn¡¯t hold a position in the imperial court now, he was still her biological nephew and the future heir of the Yuan family. Feng Yang stepping on Yuan Zhe in public was simply provoking and humiliating the Yuan family! Empress Dowager Yuan composed herself. Her beautifully trimmed fingers rubbed the side of her sleeve as she said indifferently, ¡°Imperial Sister, that¡¯s not what he meant¡­¡± However, when Feng Yang¡¯s sharp gaze shot straight at her, Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s lips trembled and her aura weakened. Even her shoulder hurt slightly as she recalled the whip Feng Yang had whipped her with 20 years ago. At this moment, Empress Dowager Yuan couldn¡¯t help but recall the previous Emperor¡¯s helpless comforting voice. ¡°Ah Yan, my sister has such a bad temper. When she¡¯s furious, even my father has to coax her. I¡¯ve also been¡­ Cough, my sister is like a wandering crane. She can¡¯t enter the palace twice a year. Just avoid her in the future.¡± A thick haze appeared in Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s eyes. Even her hands in her sleeves were trembling imperceptibly, and her surging anger was about to be released. Feng Yang casually waved her sleeve, and her calm voice resounded through the pleasure boat. ¡°This book isn¡¯t good. Change it.¡± There was a moment of silence, and the air froze. The storyteller on the first floor had heard it, of course. He quickly shut his mouth. His face was slightly pale, and he gripped the clipper in his hand nervously. In the dead silence, Feng Yang continued, ¡°Father once said that the public will form their own opinion on right and wrong. After the deed is done, people will judge.¡± This sentence was also a famous saying of Emperor Taizu. Everyone present knew it like the back of their hands. For thousands of years, emperors had been proud of being able to erect a monument after death, and they all wanted to leave their names in history. However, only Emperor Taizu left this last sentence on his sickbed before he died. It was even quieter now. Even a pin drop could be heard. Everyone quietly looked up at the phoenix sun on the second floor, thinking about Emperor Taizu¡¯s charm. Feng Yang smiled coldly and said meaningfully, ¡°My father doesn¡¯t need a ¡®storyteller¡¯ to comment on him.¡± Of course, Feng Yang wasn¡¯t really reprimanding the storyteller, but the storyteller was so frightened that his body was trembling. He knelt on the ground in fear and trepidation, and the speed board in his hand fell to the ground. His lips were trembling, and he didn¡¯t dare to say a word. The storyteller didn¡¯t understand, but the others present weren¡¯t stupid. It was obvious that Feng Yang¡¯s words were implying that Yuan Zhe only knew how to gossip all day long and was no different from a storyteller. ¡°Pfft.¡± Someone sneered. It was so piercing and abrupt. Some of the royal families and nobles present didn¡¯t lack people who were on bad terms with the aristocratic families. They didn¡¯t hide the ridicule in their laughter. ¡°¡­¡± Yuan Zhe¡¯s elegant face turned green, white, and red. He wanted to say something, but in front of Feng Yang¡¯s dignity, any words seemed to be quibbling and weak. Empress Dowager Yuan pursed her lips and forcefully swallowed the blood that was stuck in her throat. She looked at Chu You and saw that his burning gaze had been drifting to the deck. His distracted look made it obvious that he was looking for Gu Yunrong. What foxy method did Gu Yunrong use on him to seduce his soul?! Thinking of this, Empress Dowager Yuan felt a metallic taste in her throat again. She grabbed the armrest of the armchair tightly with one hand, and the veins on the back of her hand bulged. She held her breath, her breathing becoming rapid and heavy. A moment later, Empress Dowager Yuan said slowly and firmly, ¡®Since my Imperial Sister doesn¡¯t like to read, you can leave.¡± This sentence was naturally directed at the kneeling storyteller. It could be considered as saving some face for Yuan Zhe in front of everyone. The storyteller stood up on trembling feet, bowed, and quickly retreated. The atmosphere became heavy and oppressive, as if a storm was brewing. But the Emperor seemed unaffected. Smiling, he asked for half of the orange An Le had peeled and ate it happily, as if what had just happened had nothing to do with him. Behind Empress Dowager Yuan, the old granny saw her calm expression and quietly gave a gesture to someone. After a while, the palace maid, Liu Shuang, stepped on the stairs to the second floor of the pleasure boat. She bowed respectfully to Empress Dowager Yuan and said, ¡®Your Majesty, the young masters and ladies of the various families are all playing on the deck outside. It¡¯s very lively. Didn¡¯t Your Majesty say for the past two days that Shou¡¯an Palace is too quiet and wants to have a good time? ¡®Alright.¡± Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s grip on the armrest loosened a little. She nodded slightly and asked the Emperor and Fengyang, ¡°Your Majesty, Imperial Sister, why don¡¯t we go out for some fresh air?¡± As she spoke, Empress Dowager Yuan noticed from the corner of her eye that Chu You¡¯s eyes had lit up and his soul seemed to have drifted away again. Her eyes darkened and she restrained her emotions. The Emperor was also distracted. His gaze drifted from the window to Gu Yanfei on the deck. Suddenly, he had an idea and readily agreed, ¡°It¡¯s good to go and relax.¡± It wasn¡¯t midnight yet, but since it had just snowed, the sky was a little gloomy. The lake was sparkling. The weeping willows and plum trees on the shore were dyed with a pure white layer of snow. Their branches and flower leaves sparkled like jade branches hanging down and swaying gently in the cold wind. The wind was bone-chilling, but these young boys and girls were hot-tempered and mostly fearless of the cold. They gathered in twos and threes on the wide deck, bustling with activity. Some people were gathered together to admire the scenery, some were playing flutes, and some were playing pitchers on the deck. There were three two-eared iron kettles on the deck, and the air was filled with the sound of arrows falling, mixed with laughter and applause. This lively atmosphere attracted many people inside and outside the pleasure boat to look at them and watch with interest. Gu Yanfei grabbed a bamboo arrow and casually threw it. Not only did the bamboo arrow enter the pot, but it also bounced back and landed steadily in Gu Yanfei¡¯s hand. ¡®Yanfei, your Xiao Arrow¡¯ is really amazing,¡± Wei Jiaoniang and Lu Qin said with a smile. The so-called ¡®Xiao Arrow¡± was a bamboo arrow thrown into the pot that jumped back into the pitcher¡¯s hand. Chu Yi clapped gently, and the corners of his mouth couldn¡¯t help but curl up. The corners of his slightly tilted eyes were warm and charming. An Le mimicked her brother and clapped her little hands a few times. The palace men on the pleasure boat set up tables and chairs on the aft deck and set up a screen to block the wind. The Emperor smiled and sat down against the railing. Empress Dowager Yuan held Granny¡¯s hand and sat down. She followed the father and son¡¯s gaze and looked at Gu Yanfei. The young girl stood gracefully, her face as beautiful as a spring flower. When she smiled, she was like the most dazzling and beautiful flower. Her appearance far surpassed the other girls around her, and she was quite stunning. No wonder Chu Yi was so concerned about her. All of these men were greedy for beauty, even his son. Thinking of this, Empress Dowager Yuan glanced at Chu You on the right. A cold glint flashed across her eyes, but a kind smile appeared on her face. ¡®Your Majesty, this annual banquet naturally has to be held in pairs like the banquet, so it won¡¯t be as beautiful as the Ancestor¡¯s.¡± Empress Dowager Yuan smiled at the Emperor and said, ¡®The Eldest Prince isn¡¯t young anymore. After the new year, he will be 20 years old. It¡¯s the time to start a family.¡± ¡®The Eldest Prince¡¯s marriage should have been handled by the Empress, but his mother passed away early, and the Emperor is busy with government affairs now and can¡¯t be distracted. Therefore, I thought of sharing the Emperor¡¯s burden and specially chose a few girls. All of them are young ladies from prestigious families and are knowledgeable¡­¡± ¡®Liu Shuang, go and call Miss Yu over..¡± Chapter 276 - 276 Refusal 276 Refusal Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios However, just as Empress Dowager Yuan finished speaking, the Emperor rejected it indifferently. ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary.¡± These words were neutral and lukewarm. There was a sharpness in his tone that left no room for doubt. Liu Shuang was stunned. She lowered her head and stood rooted to the ground. The originally peaceful atmosphere suddenly became tense again because of the Emperor¡¯s words. Meeting Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s sharp and gloomy gaze, the Emperor casually flicked his sleeve and rubbed the gourd-shaped hand stove in his hand. He continued, ¡°The Empress Dowager also said that as a father, I have to give my son some consideration.¡± ¡°The Yu family¡¯s daughter won¡¯t do.¡± The Emperor¡¯s tone grew colder and sharper. When he reached the last few words, he was firm. Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s expression changed instantly. She looked at the Emperor, who was only a foot away from her, as if he was a stranger. The Emperor had always been a soft person and rarely got angry. To put it nicely, he was gentle, but to put it bluntly, he was weak and easy to control. Empress Dowager Yuan had been married to the previous Emperor for more than 20 years. Only eight years ago, when the Eldest Prince was sent to the State of Yue as a hostage, she saw the Emperor angry once. After eight years, Empress Dowager Yuan had already forgotten. She didn¡¯t expect the Emperor to suddenly become unyielding today and refute her words in public. Even Chu You glanced sideways and retracted his gaze from Gu Yunrong to look at the Emperor in surprise. Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s body stiffened, and her face turned green and red. Her wrists trembled uncontrollably, and her words were cold. ¡°Does the Emperor have something against the aristocratic families?¡± She cut to the chase. Her voice echoed across the deck and clearly entered the ears of the others around her. The expressions of the descendants of the aristocratic families turned cold. They all looked in the direction of the Emperor and the Empress Dowager and pricked up their ears. A corner of the Emperor¡¯s dragon robe was blown up by the cold wind. The cloak draped over him bulged slightly, making him look even thinner. The Emperor looked straight into Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s dark eyes without evasion and announced slowly but firmly, ¡°My Eldest Prince will not marry a daughter of an aristocratic family.¡± With that, the Emperor turned to look at Chu Yi beside him. When he faced his son, he had that gentle smile again. His loving expression seemed to say, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Chu Yi. I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chu Yi smiled. His beautifully shaped eyes narrowed, and light shimmered in them. Her father was still the same. He was exactly the same as when he was young. Empress Dowager Yuan didn¡¯t expect the Emperor to not only reject her flatly, but also not even find an excuse. Her face instantly turned ashen. She had lived a smooth life. When she was in her mother¡¯s family, she was valued by her parents and brothers. When she married the previous Emperor, she was also doted on by him. Even if the previous Emperor passed away, she was still the high and mighty Empress Dowager, the most respected woman in the Great Jin Dynasty. Her fingertips dug into her tender palms, and her eyes were sinister. More and more people looked over. Even a young master, who had been playing the flute, put down the jade flute in his hand. When the flute stopped, there was silence except for the cold wind whistling on the plywood. Yuan Zhe, who was standing beside Chu You, stared straight at the emperor. His eyes were as deep as an abyss, and his hands were behind his back thoughtfully. First Feng Yang, then the Emperor¡­ Were they planning to attack the aristocratic families?! How ridiculous. Yuan The¡¯s eyes turned cold bit by bit, as if a snowstorm were raging in his eyes. He sneered in his heart. His grandfather and father were right. The current Emperor is indeed useless and still doesn¡¯t know his limits. If he were the Emperor, he would endure his temper and lie low. He would plan slowly, like the previous Emperor, and slowly take control of the royal court before plotting something else. It had only been a short year since he ascended the throne. He had yet to even sit firmly on the dragon throne, and he wanted to make an example of their aristocratic family. He thought that he was Emperor Taizu! Empress Dowager Yuan was still staring at the Emperor. Her lips curled into a smile, but the smile didn¡¯t reach her eyes. She asked, ¡°Then I¡¯ll ask Your Majesty if there¡¯s any girl you like. I can help take a look.¡¯ The Emperor smiled leisurely and said calmly, ¡°Emperor Taizu once said that marriage can¡¯t only be based on parents¡¯ orders. It has to be mutual.¡¯ This sentence seemed to be saying that he knew how to choose Chu Yi¡¯s marriage himself, so there was no need for the Empress Dowager to worry. Hearing the Emperor mention Emperor Taizu, Yuan The¡¯s eyes darkened. Back then, Emperor Taizu rebelled and defeated the previous dynasty. When the situation in Jiangbei was settled, their Yuan family and the other aristocratic families also took the initiative to submit to him. However, Emperor Taizu hated the aristocratic families because they didn¡¯t help him take down the previous dynasty. He was determined to support those poor ministers to replace the aristocratic families. Most of their noble families had been passed down for a hundred years or even hundreds of years. In the states and counties they belonged to, they were all large families. They had also suppressed scholars from the poor families locally. However, Emperor Taizu was decisive and immediately made an example of them. As a result, the Wang family of Qingzhou was destroyed. Only then did the other families not dare to act rashly. Emperor Taizu had always been a man of his word. However, there was only one talented Emperor Taizu in the Great Jin Dynasty. It was said that a tiger father wouldn¡¯t have a dog son. Everyone knew that the late Emperor was inferior to Emperor Taizu¡­ Now, the current Emperor was even inferior to the late Emperor! The three emperors of the Great Jin Dynasty were getting worse with each generation¡­ Yuan Zhe looked at the Emperor¡¯s old and sick side profile with almost contempt. He had long been nurtured and crippled by the previous Emperor. What was there to fear? Just as his father had said, since this one was disobedient, he might as well change to an obedient one. Yuan Zhe slowly shifted his gaze from the Emperor to Kang Wang Chuyou. Chu You was standing under the eaves of the pleasure boat. The shadows from the eaves cast faint shadows on his well-defined side profile, making his narrow and sharp eyes colder than the cold wind. He was like a leopard about to hunt. Kang Wang had the blood of an aristocratic family in his body and was naturally on their side. Moreover, Kang Wang was still young and needed the support of their aristocratic family. ¡®Seventh Brother.¡± The Emperor also looked at Chu You like Yuan The. His gaze was meaningful as he asked slowly with a smile, ¡®Do you think this sentence is right?¡± ¡® Chu You¡¯s expression darkened and he pursed his thin lips. This sentence originally came from his mouth. It was what he had said to the Emperor last year when he asked the Emperor to fulfill his wish with Gu Yunrong. The Emperor was just returning the favor. Meeting the Emperor¡¯s slightly provocative gaze, a cold smile gradually appeared on Chu You¡¯s thin lips, and his eyes were dark. He and Rong¡¯er truly loved each other. It had nothing to do with those external family backgrounds. He liked Rong¡¯er and it didn¡¯t matter if her surname was Gu or if she was Gu Ce¡¯s daughter. Rong¡¯er admired him only because he was him, not because he had the glory of Kang Wang. Their feelings were different. But the Emperor.. The Emperor kept talking about Emperor Taizu and having mutual feelings, but he was just using it as an order. To put it bluntly, he was just trying to suppress the aristocratic families.. Chapter 277 - Chapter 277: Pursuit Chapter 277: Pursuit Chu You didn¡¯t speak, but the Emperor wasn¡¯t angry. He stroked his half-white beard and sighed. ¡°That¡¯s true. Seventh Brother¡¯s marriage was too hasty.¡± The Emperor had been smiling slightly as he said this, but his eyes were exceptionally cold. He didn¡¯t hide the threat in his words or expression. If Kang Wang dared to say that Emperor Taizu was wrong, the Emperor would dare to directly refute Kang Wang and Gu Yunrong¡¯s marriage. ¡® Chu You¡¯s eyes burned with two raging flames. His blood surged, and the anger in his heart surged like waves. He was about to explode, but he held back. The atmosphere suddenly turned cold. Thinking of his cousin¡¯s instructions, Chu You took a deep breath and gritted his teeth to endure it. His face was tense and ashen. He nodded stiffly and said seriously, ¡°You¡¯re right, Imperial Brother. Marriage is about having mutual feelings.¡± Chu You¡¯s face darkened. Instead, the Emperor¡¯s smile deepened, and he returned to his usual cultured self. The Emperor nodded with a gratified expression and sighed faintly in the tone of an elder brother who was like a father. ¡°In the blink of an eye, Seventh Brother is about to start a family. His personality is also calmer and more sensible than before.¡± ¡®The Empress Dowager can rest assured.¡± Every word was like a needle stabbing into Chu You¡¯s heart. Chu You¡¯s breath was thick and heavy, and his teeth were clenched so tightly that his cheeks were clenched. They didn¡¯t deliberately lower their voices in this conversation. Everyone around them who was listening attentively heard it clearly with complicated expressions. As everyone knew, the Emperor had a good personality, and the Great Jin Dynasty valued filial piety. Be it when the previous Emperor was around or after the Emperor ascended the throne, he had always been filial to the Empress Dowager and tolerated her. However, today, the Emperor refuted the Empress Dowager¡¯s intentions in public. The Eldest Prince wouldn¡¯t marry a daughter of an aristocratic family. The Emperor¡¯s words were no longer only targeted at the Empress Dowager, but also the aristocratic family. Yu Chaoyun muttered to herself in a daze, ¡°The Eldest Prince won¡¯t marry a daughter of an aristocratic family. ¡®So, I won¡¯t do?¡± As she spoke, she turned to look at Gu Yunrong beside her. The corners of her eyes were red as she said in a trembling voice, ¡°Rong Rong, I can give up my identity as a daughter of an aristocratic family¡­¡± ¡®Chaoyun.¡± Gu Yunrong saw that Yu Chaoyun¡¯s face was pale and her body was trembling slightly. She felt some sympathy for her. She couldn¡¯t help but sigh. Yu Chaoyun was really affectionate to the Eldest Prince. A person could choose the person with whom they would spend their life, but they couldn¡¯t choose their parents. No one¡¯s background was ever beyond their control, just like hers. She wasn¡¯t inferior to anyone, but because of her background, it was as if she had a hidden illness that wasn¡¯t worthy of being told to outsiders. She would never be able to raise her head in front of Gu Yanfei. Gu Yunrong pursed her lips and looked up at Chu You. Chu You stood tall and straight beside Empress Dowager Yuan, like an unsheathed sword or a high mountain. There was an invincible aura in his bones. He had braved forward for her. He had stood up for her. She believed in him, and she believed in happiness. Love was between two people. Background should never be an obstacle. If she was like this, Yu Chaoyun could do it too! Gu Yunrong leaned close to Yu Chaoyun¡¯s ear and whispered comfortingly, ¡®Chaoyun, I¡¯ll help you.¡¯ Yu Chaoyun looked up with a handkerchief in her hand. Her eyes were glistening with tears, and there were a few drops on her eyelashes. They were as bright as the moon and moving. She hummed softly and pressed the corner of her eye with a handkerchief. She looked past Gu Yunrong and sighed enviously. ¡°Rong Rong, Kang Wang is looking at you.¡¯ Gu Yunrong turned to look at Chu You again, her eyes shining. Yu Chaoyun slowly pretended to wipe her tears. A faint smile appeared on her lips, hidden behind her handkerchief. It was a little cynical and cold. Gu Yunrong and Chu You looked at each other lovingly. Chu You¡¯s heart softened. Rong¡¯er¡¯s heart was filled with him. If it was all for her, what was a little grievance at this moment? Suppressing the thousand thoughts in his heart, Chu You gave Gu Yunrong an affectionate smile, telling her not to worry. They would be able to get married soon. His mother had already promised him herself. Empress Dowager Yuan glanced at her son, and her eyes darkened. She said to the Emperor indifferently, ¡°Then I have to thank the Emperor for worrying about Kang Wang.¡± Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s face was calm as she held her breath. Her son should have married a princess consort who would be of help to him. Now, not only was Gu Yunrong unable to help her son, but she had also become his weakness, causing him to be restricted time and time again. She had to choose a secondary consort for her son as soon as possible. ¡®Not at all. Seventh Brother is also my brother.¡± The Emperor smiled faintly and made sarcastic remarks. At the same time, he secretly winked at Chu Yi beside him. What he meant was, ¡°Son, if you like her, hurry up and tell her. Strike while the iron is hot. I can give you the marriage today. With your Grandaunt Feng Yang here, the Empress Dowager won¡¯t dare to cry.¡± The Emperor didn¡¯t say a word, but just that look revealed a thousand things. It was as if he was babbling to his son, and a fatherly heart was almost written on his face. Chu Yi smiled in spite of himself, his eyes rippling with amusement. The palace servants at the side fell silent. The atmosphere was slightly dull. ¡®Chu Yi.¡± The Emperor waved at Chu Yi in a good mood and whispered into his ear, ¡°Don¡¯t stay here with me. Go, play with them.¡± Although the Emperor said ¡°they¡±, his gaze was clear. He patted Chu Yi¡¯s arm lovingly. Chu Yi smiled and agreed. ¡°Father, I¡¯ll go now.¡± The Emperor smiled until his eyes narrowed. That was more like it! It was useless to just stand here and watch if he liked the little girl! Chu Yi turned around and strolled in Gu Yanfei¡¯s direction. He only stopped when he was seven or eight steps away from her. Gu Yanfei turned her back to him and threw another arrow at the iron pot. The arrow landed accurately in the iron kettle¡¯s ear, just as cleanly. ¡®Good!¡± Lu Qin applauded as she said, ¡°You¡¯ve thrown three arrows and you¡¯ve played three tricks. What do you plan to play with the next arrow? ¡®Lean on the pole¡¯?¡± ¡®Guess?¡± Gu Yanfei smiled and said this to Lu Qin. When she turned around, she saw Chu Yi not far away from the corner of her eye. The two of them looked at each other. Gu Yanfei wasn¡¯t the only one who saw him. The others also saw him. Wei Jiaoniang¡¯s eyes darted around. She covered her mouth and smiled, then waved her hand and said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m not playing anymore. Boss Yanfei won. We¡¯re not playing with her anymore.¡± ¡®Yanfei, go play with ¡®someone else!¡± Wei Jiaoniang was bold. She pushed Gu Yanfei¡¯s shoulder with both hands and pushed her away. She even deliberately emphasized the word ¡°someone else¡± and winked at her, smiling like a sunflower.. Chapter 278 - Chapter 278: Admiration Chapter 278: Admiration Gu Yanfei looked at Wei Jiaoniang in confusion. Wei Jiaoniang nudged her chin in a certain direction and tried her best to signal her. Gu Yanfei looked in the direction Wei Jiaoniang was pointing and happened to see a few girls dressed in embroidered clothes walking towards Chu Yi. ¡®Your Highness.¡± They stopped a few feet away and curtsied to Chu Yi, neither close nor far. Their postures were elegant and dignified, as if they had practiced every move countless times. Chu Yi turned around slightly and looked at them. His left hand was behind his back, and this posture made his figure look even straighter. His robe fluttered in the cold wind, and a few strands of hair at his temples were ruffled. They caressed his beautifully defined jaw, making him thin and noble. Chu Yi didn¡¯t say anything. He just raised his right hand, indicating that they should dispense with the formalities. ¡®Thank you, Your Highness.¡± The girls straightened gracefully again. One of the girls took half a step forward and was about to speak when she heard a woman¡¯s low cry from the direction of the second floor of the pleasure boat. A large red silk flower fell from the second-floor window and landed on the top of Chu Yi¡¯s head. However, when the north wind blew, the light silk flowers were blown away¡­ ¡®My silk flower!¡± The woman¡¯s voice sounded on the second floor again, but this time it was filled with frustration and indignation. ¡°Pfft.¡± Gu Yanfei and Wei Jiaoniang laughed together, their smiles like flowers. When she looked at Chu Yi again, Gu Yanfei felt that he was really pitiful. ¡®I should help him,¡¯ Gu Yanfei thought sympathetically. After all, they weren¡¯t liked by Heaven¡¯s Will, so they should support each other! After laughing for a while, Gu Yanfei waved her hand and said to Wei Jiaoniang, ¡®Then I¡¯ll find someone else to play with.¡± Wei Jiaoniang waved back happily. Behind them, Lu Qin and the others laughed and called Wei Jiaoniang back to continue playing pitch-pot. Gu Yanfei walked lightly towards Chu Yi. She stood on tiptoe and casually patted his shoulder. In a low voice that only the two of them could hear, she said, ¡°How pitiful. Do you want me to help you? She leaned close, and when she spoke, her breath was almost in his ear. Chu Yi¡¯s half-lowered eyelashes fluttered twice, and a rouge-like red appeared on his jade-white earlobe. He nodded and said, ¡°Yes.¡± He tilted his head slightly as he nodded. His crow-feather-like black hair fluttered, a few strands covering his ears and a few strands brushing past Gu Yanfei¡¯s cheek. ¡®Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m here!¡± Gu Yanfei patted Chu Yi¡¯s shoulder again. From the corner of her eye, she glanced at the girls from the aristocratic families who were standing stiffly on the spot. Their gazes were like knives shooting at her. Poor Chu Yi. Gu Yanfei couldn¡¯t help but want to laugh again, but she also felt that she seemed to be gloating. She tried her best to hold back her laughter, but her eyes couldn¡¯t help but curve into a happy arc. ¡®Let¡¯s go?¡± Chu Yi raised his hand in invitation. His eyebrows raised. When his gaze met Gu Yanfei¡¯s, there was a hint of liveliness between his handsome brows, as if a painting had suddenly come to life. Gu Yanfei flicked her sleeves and nodded. They walked shoulder to shoulder along the guardrail at the edge of the pleasure boat. A few burning eyes were cast on their backs from behind. The cold wind blew in her face, carrying a few remnant leaves that blew from the shore. It almost blew into Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes, but Chu Yi raised his hand and grabbed them before she could. His slender fingers were a stark contrast to the damaged and dull willow leaf. The wind was stronger. Not only did it make the weeping willows on the shore dance, but even the pleasure boat, which was parked on the shore, swayed slightly. Ripples spread across the lake, and the pleasure boat swayed even more violently. For a moment, it was impossible to tell if the boat had stirred the water or if the water had shaken the boat. Chu Yi seemed to be emotional as he said faintly, ¡°Emperor Taizu often said that water can carry a boat, but it can also overturn it.¡¯ ¡®Aristocratic families are just a pool of stagnant water.¡± ¡°When Emperor Taizu was still alive, he had the intention to suppress the aristocratic families and support the descendants of the humble class. However, the Emperor¡¯s grandfather didn¡¯t agree with Emperor Taizu¡¯s political views. During his reign, he supported the aristocratic families with all his might. As a result, the aristocratic families, nobles, and the humble class are now the three most powerful. Among them, the humble class is the weakest. In the past 20 years, the late Emperor had ruined half of Emperor Taizu¡¯s hard work Chu Yi casually stuck his left hand out of the guardrail with the broken leaf, then let go of his fingers. The broken leaf blew away with the wind, disappearing in the blink of an eye. Gu Yanfei listened hard without saying a word. To cultivators, these things in the royal court were too troublesome. Although Gu Yanfei understood, she couldn¡¯t be bothered to think about it. Chu Yi suddenly stopped. They were alone, and the others were at least 70 to 80 feet away from them. Everyone¡¯s voices were blown away by the cold wind, as if they were in another world. It was lively on the other side, but quiet and peaceful on the other. Chu Yi turned around and looked in the direction of Empress Dowager Yuan and Chu You. He said calmly, ¡®Now, even my marriage has become a bargaining chip.¡± Gu Yanfei had also heard the conversation between the Emperor and Empress Dowager Yuan. Putting everything else aside, just Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s style of wanting to buy and sell by force made Gu Yanfei dislike aristocratic families. ¡®So¡­¡± Gu Yanfei looked up into Chu Yi¡¯s eyes and asked, ¡°What do you think?¡± This was his own marriage. In the end, it depended on his own thoughts. Her eyes were clear and black, as clear as a mountain stream. There was no coyness or embarrassment. She was forthright and calm. Chu Yi stared deeply at her palm-sized face and sighed in his heart. An indescribable feeling arose¡­ He thought of her sorry but comfortable appearance outside Danyang City, the confident and ostentatious smile outside the Danyang Manor, the probing attacks in Prince Jing¡¯s Manor¡­ Also, he had given her a jade hairpin at the Tianyin Pavilion. She had been wearing it since then. His gaze fixed on the white jade plum blossom hairpin in her hair. The ¡°Plum Blossom Hairpin¡± he had given her. They had clearly not known each other for long, but he often had the feeling that they had known each other for a long, long time. He could trust her, and she trusted him! As he thought about it, Chu Yi¡¯s eyes softened, as if they were filled with honey. His eyes curved into a charming arc as he thought to himself, ¡®There¡¯s no hurry.¡¯ He had always been the most patient person. Seeing that he had been silent for a long time, Gu Yanfei blinked again. Her long eyelashes curled and curled, fanning across his heart like butterfly wings. Chu Yi had just opened his mouth when Gu Yanfei suddenly raised her hand and snapped her fingers. ¡°Do you have someone you like?¡± Was that why he looked like he wanted to say something but hesitated? ¡®Yes, I have a sweetheart.¡± Chu Yi smiled happily. His smile came from the bottom of his heart. It was as warm as a breeze and as bright as the morning sun, making his eyes bright and beautiful. A few plum trees and willow trees on the shore danced. The petals of countless plum blossoms were blown away by the wind, as if a rain of flowers had fallen. Occasionally, a few would land on the ends of their hair and shoulders.. Chapter 279 - Chapter 279: Miracle Chapter 279: Miracle The Emperor, who was sitting on the aft deck, saw this scene. The Emperor had been watching Chu Yi and Gu Yanfei from afar. He was smiling, and his expression was unbelievably gentle. He didn¡¯t get anyone to investigate Gu Yanfei. He trusted his son¡¯s judgment. His son had been extremely smart since he was young. Not only did he have a heart of gold, but he also had a pair of sharp eyes. In the past 18 years, his son had never been wrong. Eight years ago, when his son left the capital, he told him that he would definitely return. Eight years later, his son returned. His son had always been a man of his word. If his son felt that this girl from the Gu family was worthy of being his lifelong companion, the Emperor was willing to believe him. At some point, the sun had poked half its head out from behind the clouds, gently scattering a large amount of golden light and giving Gu Yanfei and Chu Yi¡¯s profiles a dreamy halo. They were as beautiful as a painting. They were a perfect match. The more the Emperor looked at her, the more beautiful she became. He wished he could immediately send an artist over to draw this scene. He wondered how old this girl was¡­ By the way, when she was in the water pavilion, she seemed to have said that she was born in the sixth year of the Reign of Ren and Xuan. Her mother had given birth to her during the war. In that case, this girl should be of age by the middle of the year. There were still five months left! Good! The Emperor¡¯s lips curled up in a good mood, and he was in high spirits. He wondered if he should go back and find Zhao Rang to find the betrothal gift list when he married Empress Yuan back then. At the side, the palace servants served tea and water. From time to time, they would change snacks for their masters or watch the fire burning tea. The Emperor had just picked up a pot of new tea and had yet to take a sip when an orange clove was stuffed into his mouth. The Emperor obediently swallowed it. Immediately after, his daughter stuffed another orange clove into his mouth. An Le carefully picked out the orange petals and flesh from the orange peel, and the Emperor ate them one by one¡­ After finally emptying the orange petals in the orange peel, An Le took the needle and thread from the palace maid and excitedly threaded the needle into the bowl-shaped orange peel to make a small and exquisite orange lamp. ¡°Father, this is for you.¡± An Le picked up the little orange lamp and waved it. She handed it to the Emperor and smiled until her eyes narrowed. She was as obedient as she could be. The Emperor¡¯s heart melted at the little girl¡¯s cute appearance. The Emperor smiled and took the small orange lamp. He imitated his daughter and picked up the trinket and shook it twice. The candlelight in the orange lamp swayed with it, and a faint orange fragrance wafted over. His daughter was so filial! A happy smile appeared on the Emperor¡¯s face. Seeing Chu Yi and Gu Yanfei walking over together, he smiled and said to An Le, ¡°Little darling, are you only giving it to me? ¡°1¡¯11 make one for my eldest brother too.¡± An Le smiled and took out the largest orange from the fruit plate before continuing to make small orange lamps. The Emperor, who was sitting against the railing, held the lamp in one hand and stroked his beard with the other. He leaned leisurely toward the guard pole behind him. Crack. The crisp sound of something breaking suddenly entered his ears. Before the Emperor realized what was going on, he felt a sudden emptiness behind him. He instantly lost his balance and fell back with the broken guardrail. Empress Dowager Yuan and Chu You looked over. One smiled faintly, while the other was expressionless, but their eyes were a little sinister. Chu You narrowed his sharp eagle eyes, his gaze burning, and his thin lips curled up slightly. Finally¡­ ¡°Father!¡± An Le shouted in panic, her face pale. Instinctively, she reached out with her right arm in the Emperor¡¯s direction and tried to take his hand¡­ But she was young and in a wheelchair, so she couldn¡¯t react in time. Her fingers grabbed at nothing. The father and daughter¡¯s fingers were only half an inch apart as they passed each other. A wave of earth-shattering screams broke out on the deck: ¡®Ah! Your Majesty!¡¯ ¡®Someone come!¡± ¡®The Emperor fell into the water¡­¡± The Emperor fell out of the pleasure boat. From the corner of his eye, he saw Chu Yi rushing towards him with a drastic change in expression¡­ The Emperor fell headfirst into the lake below. The weightlessness made him dizzy. The blue sky and white clouds above him came into view, and the cold wind whistled past his ears, cutting his cheeks like ice knives. The hand stove fell from his sleeve. ¡®Plop!¡± High splashes rose from the lake, and the cold water spattered his robe. The lake below was sparkling and cold. He was probably going to be sick again this time. He was going to make Chu Yi and his little darling worry about him again¡­ A bitter smile appeared on the Emperor¡¯s lips. He let his body fall and closed his eyes helplessly¡­ However, in the next moment, he felt a sudden force supporting him from behind. It was as if he had fallen into a pile of cotton, or as if he suddenly had the ability to soar through the clouds. When he opened his eyes again, the Emperor felt unreal, as if he was in a dream. His body stopped about three feet from the lake below. There was nothing below, and he floated in the air. This scene was too unbelievable. It was as if time had suddenly stopped at this moment. No, time hadn¡¯t stopped. A strong wind blew, causing his robe to flutter. The expression on the Emperor¡¯s slightly pale face was indescribably complicated. His hands and feet moved subconsciously, and he felt like an old hen flapping its wings. He could neither stand nor fly. He couldn¡¯t go up or down. It was as if his hands and feet no longer belonged to him. What¡­ was going on? The Emperor¡¯s eyes widened, and he looked a little confused. He was very different from his usual gentle and refined appearance. Suddenly, he felt a burning sensation in his sleeve pocket, so hot that his skin hurt slightly. The burning sensation in his sleeve disappeared in a flash. In the next moment, the Emperor felt nothing beneath him or under his feet. The weightlessness attacked him again, and his body was about to fall again¡­ ¡®Swoosh!¡± Coincidentally, at this moment, a black and shiny whip flew out of the pleasure boat and quickly swept towards him like a spirit snake. When the whip swung, it shook the air and made a sharp sound. The whip wrapped nimbly around the Emperor¡¯s wrist and sleeve. The Emperor subconsciously looked up and saw Gu Yanfei¡¯s beautiful face above him. The other end of the whip was firmly in Gu Yanfei¡¯s hand. The little girl smiled at him. The smile on her lips was faint, like a lotus flower in the morning dew. ¡°Father, hold on tight.¡± As Chu Yi shouted, the Emperor hurriedly grabbed the long whip wrapped around his wrist. He felt his right arm tighten, and his body rose into the air as if he had wings. He was pulled up by Chu Yi and Gu Yanfei¡­ In the blink of an eye, the Emperor¡¯s feet were on the deck again, but his feet were still a little weak. Chu Yi quickly held the Emperor¡¯s arm and called out again, ¡°Father. His clear voice was slightly tense.. Chapter 280 - Chapter 280: Holy Word Chapter 280: Holy Word ¡®Phew¡ªPhew¡ª¡± The Emperor was breathing heavily. His hair, which had been neatly combed, was a little messy. A few strands of gray hair floated down his cheek. His robe was disheveled, and he was in a sorry state. ¡®Tm fine,¡± the Emperor quickly comforted, holding his son¡¯s hand. His voice was a little weak, and the feeling of solid ground under his feet made him heave a sigh of relief. This change was extremely dangerous and happened as quickly as lightning. From the break in the guardrail of the pleasure boat, the Emperor falling into the water, and now the Emperor being rescued onto the pleasure boat, the entire process took three or four breaths. It was over before many people nearby even realized what was going on. Apart from Chu Yi and Gu Yanfei, no one else noticed that the Emperor had once floated on the water in that strange posture. Everyone thought that Gu Yanfei and Chu Yi had joined forces and used their whips to stop the Emperor from falling into the water. Looking at the safe and sound Emperor, Gu Yanfei heaved a sigh of relief and reattached the Mystic Flame Whip. Fortunately. Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes were bright, and a sly smile appeared on her lips. Previously, when Empress Dowager Yuan asked her to calculate the Emperor¡¯s dragon body, Gu Yanfei had actually really divined that the Emperor would face a calamity today. Although this calamity wasn¡¯t a death calamity, it would still make the Emperor suffer. There was almost no spiritual energy in this small world. She could predict that the Emperor would face a calamity today, but she couldn¡¯t predict when. Hence, at the Tinglan Water Pavilion, she specially gave the Emperor that amulet. Ever since the Emperor appeared on the pleasure boat, Gu Yanfei had been paying attention to him. She had just saved him in time. ¡°1 told you, I¡¯m here.¡± Gu Yanfei smiled brightly at Chu Yi. Her eyes were as beautiful as a painting, with a hint of flying on the clouds. She was willing to help the Emperor partly for Chu Yi¡¯s sake and partly because of the Emperor¡¯s kindness to her. In addition¡­ Gu Yanfei glanced at Chu You, who was standing not far away with a gloomy expression. She just didn¡¯t want to see Kang Wang happy! Chu Yi looked at her without blinking. There was a soft smile between his gentle brows. It was as if a warm ray of sunlight had blown away the haze in his heart and he was suddenly enlightened. ¡®Your Majesty!¡¯ Eunuch Zhao Rang shouted in a trembling voice. He was so frightened that his soul almost left his body, and his face was as pale as paper. At this moment, a few eunuchs and guards surged towards the Emperor. Some asked about his well-being, some hurried to get their cloaks, and some went to help the Emperor. The others finally recovered from the soul-stirring accident. Just now, the Emperor had almost fallen into the lake. In this winter weather, the lake water was bone-chilling, and the Emperor¡¯s dragon body had never been good. If he really fell into the water, even if the palace servants could save him in time, even a strong young man might not be able to withstand it, let alone the Emperor, who had always been weak and sickly. It was obvious that the Emperor would most likely fall seriously ill, or even not be able to get out of bed for half a month. ¡®Alright, alright. I¡¯m fine.¡± The Emperor waved away Zhao Rang¡¯s hand and patted Chu Yi¡¯s arm comfortingly. After the initial shock, the Emperor had recovered. Although there was still lingering fear in his eyes on his pale face, there was a smile on his lips. ¡®My darling.¡± The Emperor smiled apologetically at An Le, who was a few steps away. ¡°Your hand warmer fell into the lake. Father will compensate you later.¡± ¡°Father¡­¡± Tears filled An Le¡¯s eyes, which were as red as rabbits. Her voice was trembling, and tears finally fell uncontrollably from the corners of her eyes. Two lines of clear tears slid down her cheeks. When she heard the sound of falling into the water just now, she really thought that her father had fallen into the lake. She was really afraid that something would happen to him. Empress Dowager Yuan and Chu You had originally thought so too and were looking forward to it. They didn¡¯t expect that it was just the sound of a hand furnace falling into the water, not the Emperor. Empress Dowager Yuan frowned tightly, her knuckles turning pale as she gripped the armrest of the chair. ¡®Don¡¯t cry.¡± The Emperor was frightened by her sobbing, and his heart ached. ¡®Am I not fine?!¡± It took the Emperor a while to coax his precious daughter into smiling. An Le wiped his tears with a handkerchief and said, ¡°Father, let me give you another hand stove. You have to wear it every day in the future.¡¯ The little girl felt that it was the hand stove that had helped her father block the disaster. Her eyes, which had been washed by tears, were sparkling. ¡®Okay, okay, okay,¡± the Emperor replied repeatedly. He swore to his daughter that he would hide her hand stove in his sleeve. When his fingers reached for the sleeve pocket again, it was no longer hot. The Emperor¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He quickly went to take out the red silk pouch in his sleeve pocket. When he held the silk pouch in his palm, he felt that it was still warm. He quickly opened the brocade pouch. Previously, after he had obtained this silk pouch, he had taken out the amulet inside and touched it several times. But now, the amulet was gone, leaving only black and gray ashes. Chu Yi was right beside the Emperor, so close that he could see everything clearly. He naturally thought of the amulet she had given him in Danyang City. Chu Yi¡¯s lips curved. Without batting an eyelid, he touched his sleeve pocket too. There was also a silk pouch hidden there. The Emperor held the brocade bag and looked at Gu Yanfei, who was a few steps away. He said with a smile, ¡°Girl, thank you for saving me just now.¡± The Emperor¡¯s slender fingers rubbed the big red silk pouch several times, his gaze and movements meaningful. In the ears of others, they only thought that the Emperor said this because Gu Yanfei had pulled him back in time with her whip. With the Emperor¡¯s words, it meant that Gu Yanfei had become his savior. For a moment, everyone¡¯s burning gazes landed on Gu Yanfei. They were either envious, jealous, amazed, or proud. The expressions of the women from the aristocratic families didn¡¯t look too good. Ever since the Upper Forest Park Hunting Ground, they had treated Gu Yanfei as their greatest competitor. However, their family had analyzed that although the Eldest Prince treated Gu Yanfei differently, Gu Yanfei¡¯s family background was too awkward. Even if the Eldest Prince wanted to, the Emperor might not agree. Now that Gu Yanfei had saved him, even the Emperor would think highly of her. If the position of the Eldest Princess Consort was gone, were they going to let the legitimate daughter of the aristocratic family be the Eldest Prince¡¯s secondary consort?! As daughters of aristocratic families, they couldn¡¯t afford to lose face! Yu Chaoyun¡¯s face turned even uglier, even paler than before. Her hands trembled even more violently as she gripped her handkerchief. Several girls beside her were whispering to each other, but those voices could no longer reach her ears. She was anxious. Chu Yi instructed Zhao Rang to stay by the emperor¡¯s side and wait on him while he walked towards the broken guardrail at the edge of the pleasure boat. Gu Yanfei was also checking the guardrail. The broken section of the wooden railing was uneven. It had lost some of its paint because of the wind and rain. The wood was rotten, and some broken wood had fallen off the edge of the deck. It looked like the guardrail had been in disrepair for a long time, which was why it had suddenly broken when the Emperor leaned against it.. Chapter 281 - Chapter 281: Heart to Heart Chapter 281: Heart to Heart Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Chu Yi carefully examined the broken guardrail. A stream of light flashed across his eyes as he instructed indifferently, ¡°He Lie, capture all the relevant people in the Imperial Household.¡± The inner court was in charge of the construction of the palace. Even if there was a window in the palace that needed repair, it had to go through the inner court. The pleasure boat had been in disrepair for a long time, and the people in the imperial court couldn¡¯t escape responsibility. ¡®Yes, Your Highness.¡± The commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guards, He Lie, hurriedly bowed to Chu Yi and accepted the order. Then, he raised his hand and made a gesture. The dozen or so Embroidered Uniform Guards with spring sabers at their waists moved silently. Beside them, a few inner servants in three-mountain hats and blue robes immediately turned pale and trembled in fear. The other palace maids around also fell silent. Their eyelids twitched, and their hearts instantly rose to their throats. The Emperor¡¯s safety in the royal court concerned the country. Just now, the Emperor had such a huge accident on the pleasure boat in the palace in front of everyone. Someone had to be responsible. The people attending the banquet no longer had the relaxed mood from before. They looked at each other and felt a sense of oppression that a storm was brewing. Chu You looked at the Emperor with a deep and ruthless gaze. The Emperor had clearly fallen off the pleasure boat, but he hadn¡¯t even touched a drop of water. Yuan Zhe quietly walked to Chu You¡¯s side and remained silent. Like him, his body was tense. Chu You gritted his teeth and said hatefully, ¡°Could it be that the heavens really bless the king?¡± His voice was low. Yuan Zhe secretly tugged at Chu You¡¯s sleeve and shook his head gently. Chu You pursed his lips and stopped talking. He tried his best to suppress his emotions, but the veins on his forehead showed that he was far from as calm as he appeared. The Embroidered Uniform Guards spread out in an orderly manner and approached the black-caped and blue-robed eunuchs on the deck. They were cold and dignified, and each of them was as cold as an unsheathed saber. The blue-robed eunuchs trembled uncontrollably, their legs trembling. With the help of the chief eunuch, Zhao Rang, the Emperor walked to the cabin of the pleasure boat and sat down on a rosewood armchair. The Emperor ignored the chaos around him and waved at Gu Yanfei as if nothing had happened. Gu Yanfei strolled over with a faint smile on her lips. She walked gracefully to the Emperor¡¯s side. Her calm expression made it seem as if she wasn¡¯t facing the Emperor but an ordinary elder. ¡®Dear.¡± The Emperor looked at Gu Yanfei and smiled even more kindly, as if he was looking at his own child. He whispered, ¡°Where did you get this talisman? ¡°I drew it.¡± Gu Yanfei¡¯s face tilted, and her eyes darted around. Under the sunlight, her face was as smooth as jade. Was his future daughter-in-law so powerful? The Emperor couldn¡¯t help but widen his eyes, unable to hide the shock on his elegant face. ¡°Then¡­ draw another one for me?¡± The Emperor looked at Gu Yanfei with a smile and asked curiously. The Emperor thought of how he had just floated in the air and found it novel. The talisman his daughter-in-law had given him was too mysterious! Gu Yanfei smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t have any cinnabar left.¡¯ The Emperor wasn¡¯t disappointed to hear this. He smiled until his eyes narrowed and said gently, ¡°Next time. Next time, I¡¯ll prepare cinnabar for you. He also gave Chu Yi, who wasn¡¯t far away, a look, as if to tell him to remember to bring his future daughter-in-law back for him to see next time. The Emperor and Gu Yanfei¡¯s voices were very low, and only the nearby An Le heard them. The little girl¡¯s nose and the corners of her eyes were still a little red from crying. Although she didn¡¯t understand, she still covered her mouth and chuckled. Her face lit up again. There was silence. The other young masters and ladies weren¡¯t standing too far away. They all saw the Emperor and Gu Yanfei chatting intimately. They were either envious, jealous, or watching on the side. Many people secretly exchanged glances. They all knew very well that this Second Lady of the Gu family had saved the Emperor today and had received his favor. She was probably going to rise to the top in a single step. Many thoughtful gazes swept back and forth between the Emperor, Gu Yanfei, and Chu Yi. Several more Embroidered Uniform Guards entered the cabin. Many of the people outside pricked up their ears to hear what was going on inside, but it was silent. There wasn¡¯t even a plea for mercy. Those inner servants who usually did whatever they wanted in the palace were actually silent now. This made the people outside even more confused. Many people craned their necks to look into the cabin building and couldn¡¯t help but speculate. They didn¡¯t know what those Embroidered Uniform Guards had done to those people in the Imperial Household. There was a rustling commotion around them, and the air became heavier. At some point, the sun above was covered by dark clouds agam, and the sky darkened. Empress Dowager Yuan scanned her surroundings with a gloomy gaze. She was frustrated and scolded Chu Yi unhappily, ¡°It¡¯s the new year, but you¡¯ve mobilized so many people. The Eldest Prince is really impressive. Aren¡¯t you afraid of ruining your fortune?¡± Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t loud. Every word and sentence was filled with suppressed anger, making the atmosphere even more solemn. The Imperial Household Supervisor was an Imperial Attendant. Not only was he in charge of the internal affairs of the palace, but he was also in charge of internal and external literary transfers. His status in the palace was important. More than ten years ago, the late Emperor had already handed the seal of the Imperial Household Overseer to the eldest eunuch, Li Han. Everyone in the palace and the ministers in the royal court knew that Li Han used to be Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s eldest eunuch and was her trusted aide. All these years, with Empress Dowager Yuan backing her, Li Han¡¯s status as a seal eunuch was as stable as Mount Tai. At the same time, Li Han was also Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s right-hand man. Empress Dowager Yuan gripped the rosewood prayer beads tightly in her hand. Her well-maintained fingertips were slightly pale and tense. She looked at Chu Yi with a sharp glint in her eyes. Instead of getting angry, Chu Yi smiled. A gentle, humble, and amiable smile appeared on his lips, making him look like a spring breeze. ¡®IIS the Empress Dowager in shock?¡± Chu Yi asked with concern. Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s eyes twitched imperceptibly as she said coldly, ¡®No.. She had originally wanted to teach Chu Yi a lesson as an elder. The dignified Eldest Prince had actually made a fuss over such a small matter. How improper. In the end, she had only said the word ¡°no¡± when Chu Yi cleverly cut off the rest of her sentence. ¡®Since the Empress Dowager isn¡¯t shocked, why don¡¯t you accompany Grandma Feng Yang to watch the show.¡± Chu Yi placed his hands behind his back and slowly took a step closer to Empress Dowager Yuan, who was sitting in a chair. His tall and slender shadow fell on her, giving her an invisible sense of oppression. Against the backlight, Chu Yi¡¯s handsome and flawless face was a little blurry. His thin lips were still smiling, and his dark phoenix eyes looked especially deep and fierce.. Chapter 282 - Chapter 282: Take Him Down Chapter 282: Take Him Down Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°What¡­¡± Empress Dowager Yuan clenched her fair fingers even tighter, almost crushing the prayer beads in her hand. She wanted to say that Chu Yi was presumptuous, but she was interrupted by an old and sharp female voice. ¡®Might as well.¡± Feng Yang strode over. The people on the deck couldn¡¯t help but step aside to make way for her. Feng Yang had already learned from the eunuch that the emperor had almost fallen into the water. Her sharp gaze, filled with suspicion, quickly swept across Empress Dowager Yuan and Chu You, but she remained calm. ¡®Sister-in-law, come and watch the show.¡± As Feng Yang hooked her finger at Empress Dowager Yuan, she sat down on an armchair beside the Emperor in an elegant and valiant posture. A stage had been set up in the cabin of the pleasure boat. At this moment, three or four greasy-haired actors appeared and sang an incomparably festive ¡°Five Maidens¡¯ Birthday¡±. It was a sharp contrast to the tense and oppressive atmosphere on the deck outside. Empress Dowager Yuan looked at Feng Yang stiffly, her eyes wandering. She instantly forgot what she wanted to say. She wasn¡¯t afraid of anything but Feng Yang. She had just hesitated when she heard a faint sneer on Feng Yang¡¯s lips. This sneer was extremely soft, but it frightened Empress Dowager Yuan so much that her body subconsciously trembled. Her palms were also sweating, and the spot where she had been whipped back then began to ache again. Empress Dowager Yuan sat stiffly for a few more breaths before slowly getting up. She dawdled over and sat down on the other side of Feng Yang. Her deep and complicated gaze couldn¡¯t help but drift toward Chu Yi. Chu Yi still stood motionless near the broken guardrail, his robe fluttering in the wind. He looked elegant, and his dark eyes were deep and filled with intense shadows. The Embroidered Uniform Guards were divided into three groups. Some entered the cabin, some went around to the other end of the deck, and some got off the pleasure boat and carefully searched the inside and outside. On the stage, the slowly chanting voices of men, women, and children sounded. The deck outside the pleasure boat became even quieter, and everyone was silent. At this moment, even the wind seemed to have stopped. It seemed to have a turbulent undercurrent, but it also seemed very calm. The Emperor, who was sitting in a chair, took a shallow sip of the freshly brewed, hot tea. Looking like he was in charge, he sighed casually. ¡°That¡¯s a good performance.¡¯ Gu Yanfei took the orange petal from a certain small hand and smiled at the little girl in the wheelchair. An Le shyly looked away and stuffed a piece of orange into her mouth as well. She continued to dig out the orange and make small orange lights. The little girl was really obedient! Gu Yanfei suppressed the urge to rub her head and suddenly thought of something. She clapped her hands briskly and rummaged in her left sleeve pocket with one hand. Then, she took out a pale yellow talisman paper written in big red cinnabar and shook it. ¡°This is all I have.¡± ¡°What is this?!¡± The Emperor put down the teacup and stared curiously at the talisman. An Le also leaned over curiously and blinked her auspicious phoenix eyes, which were like Chu Yi¡¯s. Gu Yanfei held the talisman between two fingers and pointed at her peaceful left hand with a smile. ¡®Stretch out your hand.¡¯ An Le obediently extended her left hand, which was holding the orange bowl. Gu Yanfei patted the talisman gently on the orange-skinned bowl in her palm. In the next moment, a bright yellow flame ignited in the corner of the talisman. The entire talisman quickly burned, turning into a colorful butterfly that gently stopped in the orange-skinned bowl in An Le¡¯s palm. The butterfly¡¯s wings flapped gently, and a clear fragrance assaulted her nose. ¡¯11t smells so good!¡± The tip of An Lets nose twitched, and she narrowed her eyes in ecstasy. A bright smile appeared on her small oval face, and her pupils were sparkling. As soon as the little girl was happy, her mouth became sweet. She called out intimately to Gu Yanfei, ¡®Sister, this is really interesting!¡± As she spoke, the butterfly flew from the orange bowl in her palm to her fingertips. As the butterfly¡¯s wings flapped, the fragrance became stronger. The little girl tilted her head, and the silk flowers on her double buns trembled. She smiled, her eyes crinkling, looking obedient, sweet, and glutinous. She deliberately showed the butterfly to the Emperor with a slightly show-off expression. The Emperor was happy as long as his daughter was. He stroked his beard and smiled. Standing 70 to 80 feet away, Chu Yi quietly looked at the Emperor, Gu Yanfei, and An Le. The violent beast in his heart gradually calmed down, and his eyes softened, as if he had been infected by their smiles. A soft smile decorated the young man¡¯s eyes. The commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guards, He Lie, strode over and cupped his fists at Chu Yi. ¡®Your Highness, we¡¯ve captured everyone.¡± The words were spoken with such force that they echoed across the deck. What?! Chu You widened his eyes with a complicated expression. How long had it been since Chu Yi ordered the capture? It probably hadn¡¯t even taken two minutes! He understood that when He Lie said ¡°everyone¡±, he meant it. The Embroidered Uniform Guards must be fast, accurate, and ruthless to be able to capture everyone so quickly. It had only been three months since Chu Yi returned to the capital from the State of Yue. Thinking of this, Chu You gripped the arm of the chair tightly with one hand and pursed his lips into a straight line. The Embroidered Uniform Guard was established by Emperor Taizu himself. It had always been in the hands of the Great Jin Emperor. Even when the previous Emperor was still in power, he didn¡¯t give the Embroidered Uniform Guard to his son, Chu You. Chu Yi glanced at He Lie and said simply, ¡°Interrogate them.¡± His voice was calm. There was silence. The sound of silk bamboo and chanting coming from the cabin building became even clearer in this silent environment. The rhythm of the silk bamboo gradually increased and clanged. However, most of the people present weren¡¯t in the mood to watch the show. They couldn¡¯t help but look at Chu Yi. Empress Dowager Yuan drank her tea slowly, her red lips curling into a cynical sneer behind the teacup. Fine, let her watch the show. She would ¡°watch the show¡±. She wanted to see who Chu Yi planned to hand over these eunuchs to interrogate?! Empress Dowager Yuan gently rubbed the plum blossom patterns on the teacup with her fingertips and took another sip of tea. The Internal Affairs Directorate was in charge of internal palace affairs. According to the rules of the Great Jin Dynasty, the internal court wasn¡¯t allowed to interfere in matters outside the palace. Similarly, the royal court wasn¡¯t allowed to interfere with the internal court. This was a dead end. Chu Yi could only hand these relevant people over to the Internal Affairs Directorate for interrogation. In the end, the initiative in this case still fell into her hands. She could interrogate them however she wanted. She could close the case however she wanted. Chu Yi had made such a big fuss in front of these noble families, but he had made a fuss. In the end, he had only made a joke of himself and made the entire court look down on him. Chu Yi was just a young boy after all. He had been locked in a cage in the State of Yue like a canary for the past eight years. He knew nothing about the politics of the royal court, but he actually wanted to use this to establish his might?! It was ridiculous! Chapter 283 - Chapter 283: Offended Chapter 283: Offended Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Chu Yi clapped lightly and called out, ¡®Qin He.¡± A young eunuch in his 25s and 26s, dressed in a green robe, took two steps forward. He was medium-sized and had an ordinary face. His slender eyes seemed to be unable to open, and there was a lingering hostility between his eyebrows that made one¡¯s heart turn cold. The young eunuch walked to He Lie¡¯s side and bowed. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± His voice was sharp and sinister, as if a poisonous snake was coiling around him, giving off a cold and wet feeling. Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s white porcelain teacup suddenly stopped in front of her chest. Her eyes widened in surprise as she looked at Qin He. Qin He, the eunuch in charge of internal affairs, was the second-in-command of internal affairs. His status was second only to the seal eunuch, Li Han. Qin He was originally just a small eunuch of Feng Luan Palace. More than ten years ago, he served Empress Dowager Yuan and helped Kang Wang block a stray arrow 10 years ago. From this, he obtained Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s appreciation. Empress Dowager Yuan supported Qin He with all her might and recommended him to the late Emperor. Qin He was also a smart person and could always figure out what he wanted. Not only was he thorough in his work, but he was also ruthless. He was even more valued by the Empress Dowager. In a full 10 years, he climbed from an ordinary eunuch to the position of eunuch in charge of internal affairs. Everyone in the inner court knew about him. But why was Qin He here?! Chu You and Yuan The¡¯s expressions suddenly changed. Chu You¡¯s eyes were cold, and the joints in his right hand were cracking. ¡®Qin He, I¡¯ll leave this matter to you to interrogate,¡± Chu Yi instructed calmly with a calm bearing. He was as bright as the stars and as graceful as a breeze. The corners of Qin He¡¯s eyes raised slightly as he revealed a sinister smile. He slowly bowed and replied calmly, ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Just a few words were enough to send a chill down one¡¯s spine. The palace maids beside her couldn¡¯t help but swallow. They silently lowered their heads and stared at the tips of their shoes. Even the hair on the back of their necks stood up. Chu Yi looked at Empress Dowager Yuan, who was sitting at the entrance of the cabin, and the corners of his mouth curled up into a faint smile. However, his words were directed at Qin He. ¡°Qin He, if you interrogate them well, I¡¯ll leave the Internal Affairs Directorate to you from now on.¡¯ The words were clearly meaningful, and against the smile on his lips, it was more of a challenge to Empress Dowager Yuan and a show of force. The teacup in Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s hand trembled violently. The boiling tea spilled out of the cup and left an eye-catching red mark on the back of her fair and delicate hand. A burning pain came from the back of her hand. Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s expression instantly darkened, and her eyes flickered. She squeezed out a sentence through gritted teeth. ¡®Very good. You planted a spy on me.¡± Empress Dowager Yuan was certain that Chu Yi definitely didn¡¯t know that the Emperor would fall into the water today. However, in just a moment, he had already planned and decided to attack the Internal Affairs Directorate. Chu Yi, oh Chu Yi. He was really ambitious! ¡®Smash!¡± Empress Dowager Yuan flew into a rage and slammed the teacup in her hand onto the coffee table. Some tea and tea leaves splashed out, and the tea flowed to the ground. This sound frightened the two palace maids serving beside her. Empress Dowager Yuan reprimanded Chu Yi coldly, ¡°Kneel!¡± Chu Yi had a gentle smile on his face as he said indifferently, ¡°The Empress Dowager is old and unwell. If you don¡¯t want to watch the show, go back to the cabin and rest.¡± The breeze brushed his hair gently. His calmness was a stark contrast to Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s anger. There was silence, and the atmosphere on the deck had become tense in a few words. Empress Dowager Yuan met Chu Yi¡¯s eyes coldly from afar. Their eyes met, and time seemed to stop for a moment. Qin He turned his back to Empress Dowager Yuan and bowed to Chu Yi again. He said in a sharp and feminine voice, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Your Highness.¡± He didn¡¯t hide the fierceness in his words. The four words seemed to be meant for the Empress Dowager. Without needing Qin He to instruct him, the four haggard middle-aged eunuchs behind him casually ordered three eunuchs who had been taken down by the Embroidered Uniform Guards. The three of them didn¡¯t even dare to breathe loudly as they were dragged into a small house beside them. ¡®Bang!¡± The door of the small house was slammed shut, blocking the gazes outside. It was also like a slap to Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s face. It was undoubtedly a great humiliation for her trusted aide to betray her in public. Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s face was red, and her chest heaved violently. She questioned word by word, ¡°Eldest Prince, are you trying to put me under house arrest?¡± Empress Dowager Yuan wasn¡¯t a powerless and helpless woman from the inner palace. Behind her were the aristocratic families of the entire Great Jin Dynasty. Although these aristocratic families weren¡¯t as powerful as the previous dynasty, when they joined forces, they could shake the Great Jin Dynasty. Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s sharp gaze shot to the Emperor again. Instead, a slow smile appeared on her lips as she asked, ¡°Could this be the Emperor¡¯s intention?¡± After being furious, Empress Dowager Yuan became very calm. As she chatted and laughed, she naturally had a high and mighty aura. Even when facing the dignified Emperor, her aura wasn¡¯t inferior at all. Even if Feng Yang was sitting beside her, Empress Dowager Yuan still felt a little guilty, and tried hard not to show any fear. As the daughter of the Yuan family, this was her glory and her foundation. She couldn¡¯t embarrass the daughter of an aristocratic family. The Emperor acted as if he didn¡¯t hear her. He drank tea and teased An Le. There was a faint spark in the air. Empress Dowager Yuan laughed in anger. ¡®Emperor¡­¡± A sharp roar suddenly sounded from the small room with the closed door. It was like a heavy hammer that struck everyone¡¯s hearts, making them inexplicably panic. The eunuch, Qin He, had long been known for being ruthless and especially good at extorting confessions through torture. There were 108 methods to pry open a person¡¯s mouth and make them wish they were dead. The rumors were probably true. A few timid girls leaned together with pale faces. Some people whispered all kinds of terrifying rumors about Qin He. Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s eyes darkened. Her knuckles, which were holding the prayer beads, were so pale that there was no color in them. Behind her, an old eunuch with gray hair was so nervous that his palms were sweating. The silver horsetail whisk in his hand trembled. ¡®That¡¯s too cruel.¡± Gu Yunrong looked in the direction of the small house and frowned slightly. Her voice was low, and only Yu Chaoyun beside her could hear her. Gu Yunrong was really puzzled. The Emperor had clearly only fallen into the water by accident and was unharmed. This was just a false alarm. Although these eunuchs had failed in their duty, it was fine if they were fined some money.. Why did they have to use such torture?! Chapter 284 - Chapter 284: Dare Not Chapter 284: Dare Not Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios There was another scream of pain from the small house, accompanied by the sound of something hard hitting the ground. It was so painful and oppressive. The scream stopped in mid-scream. Then there was silence, like a dead cemetery. However, this made everyone¡¯ heart tingle even more. They couldn¡¯t help but wonder what had happened in that small room. The girls on deck were even more uneasy. They swallowed and wished they could cover their ears. Yun Zhaoyun leaned timidly against Gu Yunrong¡¯s side, her eyes rippling. Gu Yunrong smiled comfortingly at her and turned to look at Gu Yanfei. Gu Yanfei and An Le were leaning against each other. The two of them were sniffing a small orange lamp in An Leis hand. Their eyes were curved and their smiles were like flowers. Gu Yunrong pursed her lips, her emotions indescribably complicated. Gu Yanfei was the same. She had thought that Gu Yanfei was unruly and unrestrained, but at this moment, she would only take the opportunity to make the Emperor happy. It was just to climb up the social ladder so that she could suppress her. In the end, Gu Yanfei couldn¡¯t shake off her thoughts of ?comparing¡±. But how could the Eldest Prince be a good match?! Although she had only met the Eldest Prince for the first time, she could already see a thing or two. The Eldest Prince¡¯s methods were cruel and he didn¡¯t tolerate anyone. If he took over, he would definitely be a despotic tyrant. Unlike her Chu You. Thinking of this, Gu Yunrong looked at Kang Wang Chu You, who wasn¡¯t far away. Coincidentally, Chu You also looked at her. Their eyes met and held each other in silence. Gu Yunrong smiled and comforted him with a loving gaze. As if he had honey in his mouth, the mania in Chu You¡¯s heart gradually calmed down. He nodded at Gu Yunrong, indicating that she didn¡¯t have to worry. Their gazes intertwined tenderly when they heard Chu Yi¡¯s faint voice from the other direction. ¡®He Lie, the Empress Dowager is tired.¡± ¡°Take the Empress Dowager down to rest.¡¯ Chu You¡¯s expression changed when he heard this. He quickly looked up and shot a lightning-like gaze over. A few feet away, He Lie, who was wearing a third-grade tiger silk robe, was walking towards Empress Dowager Yuan with his head held high. His lips curled into a cold smile that was overflowing with cold air. The few people serving Empress Dowager Yuan were already blocked by four or five burly eunuchs. Silently, a murderous atmosphere filled the air. At this moment, there was only one thought in Chu You¡¯s mind: Was Chu Yi crazy?! Chu You stood up without hesitation and was about to rush towards Empress Dowager Yuan when he felt his sleeve tighten and was suddenly pulled back by Yuan The. ¡®No.¡¯ Yuan Zhe shook his head at him, then pointed in the direction of the shore, his expression grim. Chu You looked in the direction Yuan Zhe was pointing in. On the shore of the lake, on the side of the pleasure boat, dozens of Embroidered Uniform Guards in red flying fish suits with spring sabers embroidered on their waists appeared. They surrounded the pleasure boat layer by layer, blocking their way out of the boat. The howling cold wind was like knives scratching Chu You¡¯s face. Chu You¡¯s face instantly darkened. He almost thought that Chu Yi was really crazy! No, it won¡¯t. Chu Yi was definitely just putting on an act and saying it casually. If he really dared to risk the world¡¯s condemnation and forcefully put his mother under house arrest, when the new year came, those noble monster trainers would probably not only be impeached, but they would also collide with the pillars. He had been away from the country for eight years and was still unfamiliar with the imperial family and the nobles. He could only rely on these clear streams in the imperial court who paid attention to the so-called ¡°orthodox¡±. If even these clear streams hated the Eldest Prince, what hope did he have?! Besides, even if Chu Yi was crazy, the Emperor wouldn¡¯t be. The Emperor wouldn¡¯t sit back and watch his only son become a topic of gossip for no reason! He questioned the Emperor coldly, ¡°Brother! Are you going to let your son commit murder?!¡± ¡®Huh?¡± The Emperor was taking the small orange lamp that An Le had just made. He was stunned for a moment before he realized what Chu You was saying. ¡®Cough¡­ The Emperor suddenly covered his mouth with a handkerchief and bent his head to cough violently. His thin shoulders trembled slightly. ¡®Cough, cough, cough¡­ At this moment, Gu Yanfei seemed to see a certain young master in white covering his handkerchief and coughing in the carriage. The father and son¡¯s figures overlapped perfectly. She couldn¡¯t help but smile. The Emperor coughed for a while before looking up. His expression was as usual as he sighed faintly. ¡°I just fell into the lake. I think I¡¯ve caught a cold.¡¯ ¡®Sigh. I¡¯m old and can¡¯t stand the cold at all¡­ Cough, cough.¡¯ The Emperor covered his mouth with his handkerchief again and coughed lightly, as if he meant it. ¡°Father, have some tea.¡± An Le obediently poured a cup of warm tea for the Emperor herself. She tested the temperature of the cup with her palm before handing it to the Emperor. After the Emperor drank the tea, An Le stuffed another lozenge into his mouth. The Emperor sucked on the candy his daughter had given him and felt that it was sweet and cool in his mouth. He turned a deaf ear to Chu You¡¯s question. Chu You held his breath and looked around with a sinister gaze. A team of Embroidered Uniform Guards boarded the pleasure boat from the shore. The rest of them were still surrounding the shore, setting up an inescapable net. ¡®Your Majesty, please.¡± He Lie took a step closer to Empress Dowager Yuan. His tone was even colder and carried the power of thunder. He held the embroidered spring knife at his waist in his hand. His gesture seemed to say that as long as the Empress Dowager dared to refuse, he would dare to draw the knife. The intimidation was obvious. The scene froze as if an invisible bowstring had been pulled taut. The arrow was already on the bow, as if it would leave at any moment. The Embroidered Uniform Guards¡¯ cold footsteps sounded on the deck. They surrounded the entire pleasure boat at an extremely fast speed along the guardrail. ¡®Your subject respectfully invites the Empress Dowager to move over!¡± He Lie said again. His square face was filled with a fake smile, and he spoke respectfully, but his expression and tone didn¡¯t show any respect for Empress Dowager Yuan. Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s face was pale. She looked around again and felt that all the Embroidered Uniform Guards around her were staring at her coldly. A sharp killing intent surged over. Chu Yi was probably here for her and Kang Wang. Once she resisted, blood would probably splatter on the spot! Without Kang Wang, no one in the royal family would compete with him. No matter how dissatisfied people were with his tyranny, what could they do?! No matter how ugly the history book was, no matter how many people questioned his character, he would still win and obtain the world. Empress Dowager Yuan wanted to calm herself down, but her body had already stood up uncontrollably. In her panic, her body hit the chair behind her with a thud. It was especially jarring on the silent deck and felt like another slap in the face. This was no different from admitting defeat to Chu Yi.. Chapter 285 - Chapter 285: Confession Chapter 285: Confession Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s face burned. Her face alternated between red and green, and she felt that she had lost the dignity of an aristocratic family. She wished she could dig a hole and hide in it. She wanted to leave immediately, but He Lie didn¡¯t move. He stood where he was like a pine tree. Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s expression turned even uglier. She stood there stiffly, thrown into a dilemma, not knowing whether to leave or sit. ¡°Thud.¡± The door of the small room that had been closed for a long time was finally opened from the inside. Qin He strolled out with a smile on his inconspicuous face that had blended into the crowd. His smile was both happy and cold, and the two red moles on one cheek were bright and dazzling. No, this was blood. Several of the girls quickly realized this. Their faces turned pale and they quickly looked away. Qin He clearly walked towards Chu Yi. Wherever he passed, everyone quickly avoided him. However, most of them avoided him like the plague. Many people deliberately looked away, but they couldn¡¯t help but sneak glances at him from the corner of their eyes. Someone accidentally met Qin He¡¯s eyes and gasped in shock. Qin He¡¯s slender eyes were as deep as an abyss and as cold as ice. Before Qin He entered the small house, he was still a human. Now, he was like a demon from the 18th level of hell. Humans and evil spirits weren¡¯t creatures of the same world. Under many intimidating and shocked gazes, Qin He walked unhurriedly to Chu Yi and bowed respectfully. ¡°Your Highness, the interrogation is over.¡¯ Even if he deliberately softened his sharp voice, it was still filled with an uncomfortable gloom. When Qin He bowed, many people noticed that his fingers were also stained with blood. His face was ordinary, but his hands were very good-looking. They were slender like jade, like a masterpiece carved by a master sculptor. The dark red blood on his fingers was so dazzling. ¡®He has already confessed.¡± A malicious smile appeared on Qin He¡¯s face. Coupled with the blood on his cheek, it looked even stranger. ¡°It¡¯s Li Han, Eunuch Li.¡± Everyone turned to look at an old eunuch with white hair and a horsetail whisk beside Empress Dowager Yuan. It was the imperial eunuch, Li Han. Li Han¡¯s face was pale, and deep wrinkles squeezed out of his forehead and the corners of his eyes. The horsetail whisk in his hand trembled violently a few times. Qin He continued, ¡°Your Highness, Li Han specially chose this pleasure boat and asked the Internal Affairs Directorate to arrange carefully selected screens and seats by the dilapidated guardrail.¡± Everyone followed his narrative and looked at the screen placed by the guardrail. They saw that nine lifelike golden dragons were embroidered on the five screens, shining in the sunlight. Anyone could tell at a glance that the seat beside the screen was the throne. Other than the Emperor, no one dared to sit down. Immediately after, Qin He¡¯s cold gaze turned to the broken guardrail. His eyes were cold and vicious, like a poisonous snake with its fangs bared. ¡®This pleasure boat is a tribute from the Yuan family,¡± Qin He said slowly. His sharp voice was as if it was poisoned. This pleasure boat was a birthday gift presented by the Yuan family of Yangzhou last year at the Longevity Festival. Chu Yi turned around slightly. His sleeves that flew up seemed to bring about a myriad of changes. He also looked at the broken guardrail and sighed. ¡°In that case, capture Yuan The.¡± His tone was slow, neutral, but authoritative. The others were shocked. That was Yuan The. Although he was just a commoner and had no official status, he was the next head of the Yuan family and the pillar of the future royal court. The Empress Dowager was from the Yuan family. Kang Wang had the blood of the Yuan family. With the support of the previous Emperor for the past 20 years, the Yuan family rose step by step. Now, they had vaguely become the head of the aristocratic families. If Yuan Zhe was really arrested and punished, it would be equivalent to the Emperor provoking the Yuan family and other aristocratic families in public. It would definitely cause a huge commotion. Chu You could still barely maintain his composure, but Empress Dowager Yuan was already on the verge of collapse. She staggered slightly and her pupils constricted. The atmosphere froze in an instant. The gorgeous pleasure boat suddenly seemed to have turned into a glacier that stretched for thousands of miles, extremely cold. At Chu Yi¡¯s order, the surrounding Embroidered Uniform Guards drew their sabers. The tips of their blades flickered with cold light, and they moved out brazenly like ferocious tigers aiming at their prey. A salty smell floated in the air and lingered in everyone¡¯s noses. ¡®Stop¡­¡± Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s eyes were filled with panic and her face turned pale. She wanted to shout at the guards to stop. Clap! Clap! Two medium high-fives interrupted Empress Dowager Yuan and attracted everyone¡¯s attention. The person clapping was Feng Yang. When Empress Dowager Yuan met Feng Yang¡¯s gaze, she felt a tightness in her throat and pain. She couldn¡¯t say the rest of her words no matter what. Her usual high and mighty spirit was almost defeated. Empress Dowager Yuan seemed to be frozen and couldn¡¯t move. ¡®This scene isn¡¯t bad,¡± Feng Yang said casually with a calm expression. These four simple words were meaningful and brought everyone¡¯s souls back. The atmosphere changed again. Feng Yang shot a fierce gaze at Yuan Zhe and said in a sharp voice, ¡°The Yuan family is bold to dare to offer tribute with such defective goods.¡± Yuan Zhe barely met Feng Yang¡¯s gaze and used all his strength to not be completely crushed by the other party¡¯s aura. His heart suddenly sank to the bottom. He was a smart person and naturally realized the danger. The Eldest Prince, Chu Yi, didn¡¯t intend to kill Kang Wang and the Empress Dowager. From the beginning, his target had been Yuan The. It was the Yuan family. Their Yuan family was Kang Wang¡¯s greatest backer and had long been a thorn in the Eldest Prince¡¯s side. The Eldest Prince had long wanted to bring down the Yuan family. Today, he was just taking the opportunity to cause trouble. Yuan Zhe quickly weighed the pros and cons in an extremely short period of time and made a decision. As a member of the Yuan family, he naturally had to prioritize the interests of the family. Yuan Zhe was flexible. He immediately stood up from the round chair, flicked his robe with his right hand, and knelt down firmly. This kneel exuded a noble spirit and the aura of an aristocratic family. ¡®Your Majesty, the Yuan family was careless to actually offer such low-quality goods. The Yuan family has misjudged. As the maternal family of the Empress Dowager, the Yuan family is extremely powerful and should be even more cautious.¡¯ Without another word, Yuan Zhe admitted his mistake to the Yuan family. He raised his head and looked at the Emperor and Chu Yi in front of him. There was an obvious meaning behind his words. Someone was probably framing the Yuan family. He pointed his sword at the Emperor. Even though he was kneeling on the deck, Yuan The¡¯s backbone was still straight, exuding a neither servile nor overbearing aura. This kneeling gave the aristocratic families feel like they now had a backbone. Yuan The¡¯s acknowledgement of his mistake was too fast for even Kang Wang and Chu You to react.. Chapter 286 - Chapter 286: Imperial Power Chapter 286: Imperial Power Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Chu You¡¯s eyes narrowed into a line with a hint of ruthlessness. He felt that Yuan Zhe had recognized his mistake too quickly. At the end of the day, today¡¯s matter was ¡®Only¡± an accident. Even if it reached the previous dynasty and the three divisions came to investigate, there was still room for negotiation. After all, this was an unintentional mistake. At most, they would abandon Li Han or push the blame to the person selling the pleasure boat. There was no need for Yuan Zhe to make himself apologize and kneel in public. However, just as Chu You opened his mouth, he saw Yuan Zhe signaling him not to say anything. Chu You pursed his thin lips and forced himself to suppress his anger. His gaze met Chu Yi¡¯s deep eyes. They looked at each other. Chu Yi immediately looked away and gave Yuan Zhe a gentle smile, but the smile didn¡¯t reach his eyes. He said calmly, ¡°Whether it was careless or not, it¡¯s not up to you.¡¯ This sentence wasn¡¯t only for Yuan The to hear, but also for Empress Dowager Yuan, Kang Wang, and the other descendants of the aristocratic families. It was filled with provocation. Was the Eldest Prince officially declaring war on the aristocratic families?! The descendants of the aristocratic families were shocked. Their hearts sank like cotton wool soaked in water. Chu Yi smiled faintly and raised his hand to gesture. He Lie immediately understood and instructed, ¡®Take him away.¡± Whoever falls into the hands of the Embroidered Uniform Guards would naturally not go to the Heavenly Prison, but to the imperial prison of the Northern Town¡¯s Magistrate. Once he entered the imperial prison, there was a high chance of death. The Ministry of Justice and the other two divisions weren¡¯t able to help. The two Embroidered Uniform Guards approached Yuan Zhe from the left and right. They looked down at Yuan The, who was kneeling on the ground. Every move they made released an invisible pressure. Yuan Zhe didn¡¯t cry or beg for mercy. He stood up from the deck and said coldly, ¡°I can walk myself.¡¯ Yuan Zhe flicked his sleeve and walked off the pleasure boat with his head held high, leaving behind a determined back. His back remained straight in the cold wind. Seeing this scene, the young descendants of the aristocratic families calmed down and returned to their senses. At the same time, the imperial eunuch, Li Han, was also escorted away by the Embroidered Uniform Guards. Li Han¡¯s white hair was a little messy, and he looked uneasy. Although he was the Empress Dowager¡¯s subordinate, now that even Yuan Zhe had been taken away, Li Han knew that no one would care about him anymore. She glanced at Qin He nervously. When he met those cold eyes, his hand trembled, and his horsetail whisk fell to the ground. In the past, Li Han had admired Qin He¡¯s ruthless methods and thought that he was a useful, vicious dog. But now, when she thought of how this mad dog¡¯s methods would be used on her, she couldn¡¯t help but tremble. The other Embroidered Uniform Guards on the pleasure boat withdrew like a receding tide. The heavy, oppressive air relaxed. The sun peeked out from behind the clouds again. Specks of golden sunlight danced between the lake and the treetops. Gu Yunrong stood quietly by the guardrail and watched Yuan The¡¯s retreating back from the shore. The Yuan family was now at the head of the aristocratic families. All the aristocratic families in the Great Jin Dynasty respected them. She didn¡¯t expect that in less than two incense sticks¡¯ time, the heir of the Yuan family would be taken down. The situation suddenly changed. Gu Yunrong¡¯s eyes suddenly darkened. This was also the first time she had encountered such a soul-stirring event. It made her deeply realize This was imperial power! It could give someone life, make people die, make people bend their backs and bend their knees¡­ It was a power that could control everything. Gu Yunrong¡¯s fingers subconsciously began to roll up the handkerchief again and again.. In the past, she felt that heroes didn¡¯t ask where they came from. She thought that what was important wasn¡¯t her background, but herself. However, it wasn¡¯t until Gu Yanfei appeared that she knew she was wrong. Even if she did nothing, her background would have become an unspeakable secret. However, there was an old saying: Nobles and generals have the guts! If she could reach the peak of imperial power, her background would be insignificant. Gu Yanfei would no longer be able to criticize herself from high above and would kneel in front of her humbly. Similarly, if Gu Yanfei really became the Eldest Princess Consort and went up another level, she would have to beg her forever¡­ Gu Yunrong¡¯s eyes darkened as she stared unblinkingly at Gu Yanfei, who was chatting and laughing with An Le. She was completely immersed in her thoughts. Beside her, Yu Chaoyun bit her lower lip and was also looking at Gu Yanfei. There was a faint hint of ruthlessness on her lips. ¡®Please return to the palace, Empress Dowager.¡± Chu Yi¡¯s calm voice sounded again, as if they were chatting casually, or as if the confrontation had never happened. Empress Dowager Yuan stared at him coldly. At this moment, when she looked at Chu Yi¡¯s unfamiliar and familiar gentle face, she felt that she had never known him. Chu Yi had left the country for eight years. Before he returned, she could barely remember his appearance. She only remembered that Chu Yi was a good-natured young man before he was 10 years old, and was similar to the soft-hearted emperor. However, the past eight years of being a hostage in the State of Yue was probably enough to change a young man¡¯s temperament, making him deep and sinister¡­ A tall and mighty figure suddenly stood between Empress Dowager Yuan and Chu Yi. It was He Lie. He Lie extended his hand to Empress Dowager Yuan again. Empress Dowager Yuan flicked her sleeve heavily and left without looking back. She only said, ¡°Let¡¯s go back to Shou¡¯an Palace.¡¯ She used this sentence to barely maintain her dignity as the Empress Dowager. The group of eunuchs and palace maids from the Shou¡¯an Palace hurriedly followed and left the pleasure boat uneasily under the ?escort¡± of the Embroidered Uniform Guards. The noisy footsteps faded. After a while, everything returned to calm on the pleasure boat and outside, as if nothing had happened. ¡°Father, you fell into the lake today and were shocked. You still have to let the imperial physician take a look.¡± Chu Yi slowly walked to the Emperor¡¯s side, his voice clearly gentler. ¡®Okay.¡± The Emperor rarely said no to his son and agreed with a smile. It was as if the farce just now hadn¡¯t left a trace in the Emperor¡¯s heart. The Emperor brushed his sleeves and was about to get up when he thought of something. He asked Gu Yanfei kindly, ¡°Dear, do you want to go with us?¡± He stroked his beard gently and smiled lovingly, with the affection of an elder to a junior. Gu Yanfei shook her head and smiled seriously. ¡°I hate drinking medicine the most.¡± She knew very well that the Emperor had lost his footing and fallen off the pleasure boat just now, but he wasn¡¯t even touched by a drop of water and didn¡¯t need an imperial physician at all. The Emperor was a little disappointed. His eyes darted around, and he glanced sideways in Chu Yi¡¯s direction. He lowered his voice again. ¡°Dear, what do you think of my son? His voice was so low that only he and Gu Yanfei could hear him. An Le blinked and leaned over curiously. She stared at Gu Yanfei with a burning gaze, as if to say, ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Gu Yanfei: For the first time, Gu Yanfei tasted silence. She couldn¡¯t help but recall the scene on the bow deck. Another cold wind blew, and a few scattered plum petals were blown over. One of the pink petals happened to land on Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyelashes. Gu Yanfei¡¯s long eyelashes trembled slightly, and the petal floated down¡­ When she asked him if he had a sweetheart, it just slipped out in a flash of inspiration. And he smiled at her. ¡®Yes, I have a sweetheart.¡¯ When he said this, she was the one those eyes were looking at. The person reflected in those dark pupils was also her.. Chapter 287 - Chapter 287: Deep Love Chapter 287: Deep Love Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Gu Yanfei casually caught the nail-sized pink petal, her long eyelashes flickering in the sunlight. In the Bright Spirit Realm, becoming Dao companions was a very solemn matter. It concerned the next few hundred or even a thousand years. Once they formed a contract, their souls would be imprinted with each other and they would have to live and die together. It was different from this world. Gu Yanfei couldn¡¯t help but look at Chu Yi. Chu Yi, who was a few steps away, stared at her without blinking. Under the backlight, the dark red mole at the corner of his eye was dazzling. His phoenix eyes were black and bright, and his pupils were like black jade or a dazzling starry sky. They were overflowing with light and beautiful enough to make one¡¯s heart palpitate. Thud! Thud! Gu Yanfei¡¯s heart raced slightly as her Senior Sister¡¯s evaluation of her when she was in the Bright Spirit Realm suddenly appeared in her mind. ¡°You always like beautiful things, be it objects or people.¡± Thump thump thump! When the wind blew, the petal in the girl¡¯s palm was blown away again. It flew over the guardrail and landed on the lake, drifting away with the water¡­ Gu Yanfei only pursed her lips and didn¡¯t say anything. However, the Emperor was already over 50 years old, so there was nothing he couldn¡¯t understand. He revealed a look of realization. It turned out that the girl hadn¡¯t taken a fancy to his son. The Emperor stood up as he stroked his beard. He couldn¡¯t help but smile. Sigh. He had to talk to his son about how to coax the little girl. Back then, he had fallen in love with the Empress at first sight and had put in a lot of effort to please her. Peony, parrot, carp, snacks, silk flowers, jade flute, and so on. He had asked around and given away everything that young girls liked. Wouldn¡¯t he know his sweetheart¡¯s preferences after going back and forth?! When he returned to the East Warm Pavilion later, he had to have a good chat with his son. The father and son would talk through the night. He couldn¡¯t wait silently if he liked her. He had to take the initiative to chase her! The Emperor tidied his sleeves in a good mood and greeted Feng Yang. Feng Yang patted her dress and laughed loudly. She said meaningfully, ¡°The ¡®act¡¯ today was really good. I¡¯m tired too, it¡¯s time to return to the residence.¡¯ Feng Yang headed north, while the Emperor headed south. An Le naturally followed her father. The little girl specially turned around and waved the little orange lamp in her hand at Gu Yanfei, making her smile. ¡®Goodbye, Your Majesty. Goodbye, Your Highness.¡± The others on the pleasure boat either bowed with their hands in front of them or bowed respectfully. Their voices were uniform. As the Emperor, Feng Yang, and the others left, the people accompanying them also left. The pleasure boat suddenly became much emptier, and the atmosphere could no longer return to its previous joyous state. Although they didn¡¯t explicitly say that the banquet was over, now that such a big thing had happened, it was impossible for the palace to keep them for the night. Hence, the others bade farewell and gradually dispersed. In the blink of an eye, only seven or eight people were left on the pleasure boat. It was cold and deserted. On the stage in the cabin, at some point, the performers had begun to sing again, but everyone didn¡¯t notice. They couldn¡¯t even remember what the performers had sung. ¡®Your Highness.¡± Gu Yunrong walked to Chu You, who was standing by the guardrail, and comforted him gently. ¡°Don¡¯t be anxious. Things haven¡¯t reached the irreversible stage.¡± Gently, she took his large, calloused hand in hers. They interlaced their fingers in their sleeves, their palms close to each other¡¯s, feeling each other¡¯s warmth. His palm was hot, while hers was icy. Chu You looked sinisterly in the direction the Emperor had left. The bright yellow figure was already far away, only a blur. The cold wind blew against the willow and plum trees on the shore, making them creak, just like Chu You¡¯s current mood. He held Gu Yunrong¡¯s soft and delicate hand tightly and tried to warm it for her. His iron- blooded heart softened because of her closeness. He inclined his head slightly and said in a low voice, ¡®Of course.¡± ¡®Mother was supported to this position by an aristocratic family. An aristocratic family can¡¯t live without Mother.¡¯ After Emperor Taizu established the country, he deliberately suppressed the aristocratic families. In order to protect themselves, the aristocratic families everywhere could only form an alliance. Later on, after a discussion between the few aristocratic families, they chose the Yuan family¡¯s daughter as the candidate for the late Emperor¡¯s successor. They also created an opportunity for the Yuan family and the late Emperor to meet by chance in the capital. After that, the aristocratic families paved the way for her to stabilize her position as the empress consort. Empress Dowager Yuan also returned the favor to the Zhu family and became a bridge between the late Emperor and the aristocratic families. After 20 years, the aristocratic families finally had a foothold in the royal court. Be it the cabinet, the six ministries, the three divisions, or the Hanlin Academy, there were people from aristocratic families holding high positions. The Emperor had only been on the throne for a short year and had yet to even sit firmly on the dragon throne. He was really overestimating himself by being in a hurry to seize power and suppress the aristocratic families. Chu You¡¯s eyes were dark and gloomy. ¡°Rong¡¯er.¡¯ A gentle female voice sounded not far behind. Gu Yunrong turned around and saw Madam Wang walking slowly out of the cabin building. She was looking at her from 50 to 60 feet away with a frown. ¡°1¡¯11 leave first.¡± Gu Yunrong rubbed the back of his hand with her index finger twice before letting go of their intertwined palms and revealing her bright dimples to him. Then, she left leisurely. Chu You watched Gu Yunrong leave and naturally noticed Madam Wang¡¯s gloomy and unnatural expression. A mocking sneer appeared on his thin lips. He shook the hand he had just held with Gu Yunrong, as if he was still reluctant to part with the warmth and lingering fragrance she had left behind. Most people in the world trample on the weak. Only Rong¡¯er was different from them. ¡®Yanfei, Rong¡¯er, it¡¯s getting late. We should leave the palace,¡± Madam Wang called out to Gu Yanfei and Gu Yunrong stiffly. She quickly glanced at Chu You by the guardrail. The three of them hurried away. On the lakeshore, Eunuch He was already waiting there. He had also prepared a palanquin and was smiling solicitously. Gu Yanfei was carried back to Xihua Gate. Madam Wang had been uneasy the entire journey. When she got into the carriage, her hands and voice were trembling. ¡°Quick. Go back quickly.¡± Gu Yanfei and Gu Yunrong were still in the carriage. Just like when they came, the two of them sat facing each other in silence for a long time. Gu Yunrong looked at Gu Yanfei calmly. Gu Yanfei leaned lazily against the wall of the carriage and amused herself by playing with the small orange lamp that had been given to her. The candlelight in the orange lamp swayed, and the firelight reflected in Gu Yanfei¡¯s dark pupils, making them sparkle. Gu Yunrong stared at Gu Yanfei for a long time. When the carriage turned, she couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°What you¡¯re doing is wrong. ¡± Gu Yanfei looked up at her inexplicably and raised her eyebrows. Gu Yunrong said matter-of-factly, ¡°Miss Yu has long had deep feelings for the Eldest Prince. You shouldn¡¯t forcefully interfere in other people¡¯s relationships..¡± Chapter 288 - Chapter 288: A Good Match Chapter 288: A Good Match Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios There was silence in the car. ¡± After the little orange lamp in Gu Yanfei¡¯s hand swayed a few times, it stopped in midair. The candlelight caressed her exquisite outline gently. Gu Yanfei thought that her hearing was normal, and she heard every word Gu Yunrong said, but she didn¡¯t understand it at all. She blinked, her face a little dazed. Wasn¡¯t the person Yu Chaoyun liked Fang Mingfeng? In her previous life, Yu Chaoyun had deliberately approached her for Fang Mingfeng¡¯s sake. On the surface, she pretended to be like a sister, but she had stabbed her in the back and even given Fang Mingfeng the ¡®Thing¡± she had stolen from her, earning him a bright future. At that time, she was badly injured. She had been sad, resentful, and at a loss. She didn¡¯t understand why her former friend had such malicious intentions towards her or why the human heart could be so vicious! The past stabbed Gu Yanfei¡¯s heart a few times before she calmed down. Even if she was reborn, Yu Chaoyun should like Fang Mingfeng. Then why would Gu Yunrong say that? She couldn¡¯t have guessed it herself, right? She wouldn¡¯t go that far. Gu Yanfei blinked again and rubbed her chin with her free left hand. For a moment, she ignored Gu Yunrong. Gu Yunrong stared intently into Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes and continued, ¡°The Eldest Prince is violent and ruthless. He¡¯s not a good match.¡¯ ¡®Men can have three wives and four concubines. Even if they fail in their marriage, there will still be a wider sky outside. However, it¡¯s different for women. A woman is trapped in the inner residence. Marriage is the rest of a woman¡¯s life. There¡¯s no turning back.¡± ¡®Second Sister, don¡¯t do such a thing just to compete with me.¡¯ Gu Yunrong looked like she was giving advice from the bottom of her heart, hoping that Gu Yanfei would listen. Gu Yunrong looked at Gu Yanfei, and Gu Yanfei also looked at Gu Yunrong. Her eyes were clear, like a clear spring or an ice sword. This gaze seemed to be able to see through everything, as if it could penetrate one¡¯s appearance and strike the depths of one¡¯s soul. ¡± Gu Yunrong felt that her thoughts seemed to be exposed in front of Gu Yanfei. This feeling made her a little uncomfortable. However, she still calmly met Gu Yanfei¡¯s gaze. She admitted that she had done nothing wrong and her words were from the bottom of her heart. In this Great Jin Dynasty, once a woman was entrusted to the wrong person, her life would be ruined. Although Emperor Taizu had changed the law of divorce to protect the rights of women, the concept of divorce hadn¡¯t changed for thousands of years. Even if a divorced woman returned to her maiden home, she would still be looked down upon. Gu Yunrong continued, ¡®The Eldest Prince isn¡¯t a good match.¡± ¡®Second Sister, you should return him to Miss Yu.¡± Yu Chaoyun really liked the Eldest Prince. In her heart, the Eldest Prince was still that gentle and refined young man. The first love since young is the most sincere. Perhaps Yu Chaoyun could resolve the hostility in the Eldest Prince¡¯s heart and they could save each other¡­ This was also a good story. ¡°I understand!¡± Gu Yanfei raised her hand and snapped her fingers. Gu Yunrong was confused by her sudden action. She didn¡¯t know what she understood and only thought that she was beating around the bush. Gu Yanfei could roughly guess what Yu Chaoyun had said to Gu Yunrong. It was probably just some weakness, some difficulties, some ¡°true feelings¡±, and some memories¡­ The nature of humans really didn¡¯t change. Yu Chaoyun loved to play those kinds of sisterly games. In her previous life, her goal was Gu Yanfei. In this life, was she extending a friendly hand to Gu Yunrong? ¡°Pfft.¡± Gu Yanfei laughed out loud. She turned her face to the side and snickered for a while before turning back. Her eyes curved slightly as she asked, ¡°Do you think the Eldest Prince isn¡¯t a good match?¡± The little orange lamp in her hand also swayed twice, and a faint orange fragrance wafted out. Gu Yunrong nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± The corners of Gu Yanfei¡¯s lips curled up even higher as she asked, ¡°Is Kang Wang a good match?¡± Gu Yunrong nodded again. ¡®Of course.¡± Kang Wang was sincere with her. He didn¡¯t look at her background or status. He was purely sincere and didn¡¯t mix any benefits into their relationship. Gu Yanfei¡¯s smile deepened, revealing a pair of faint smiling dimples on her lips. Her smile puzzled Gu Yunrong. Gu Yunrong frowned slightly and was about to say something when Gu Yanfei suddenly stopped laughing and looked at her with a faint, clear, and cold gaze. ¡®You,¡± Gu Yanfei said indifferently. ¡®You¡¯re blind, and so is your heart.¡± Gu Yunrong¡¯s body stiffened, and the corners of her eyes trembled uncontrollably, as if she was suppressing something. But in the end, she managed to suppress her unhappiness and maintain her poise. She took a deep breath and said patiently, ¡°Second Sister, you don¡¯t think Kang Wang will be implicated in the crime today, do you? Before Gu Yanfei could react, Gu Yunrong sighed. ¡®Don¡¯t be so naive.¡± ¡®IAS the ancient saying goes, a hundred-year-old dynasty and a thousand-year-old aristocratic family. The aristocratic families have a deep foundation. They¡¯ve been connected by marriage for several generations, and their power is intertwined. Now, they even occupy half of the royal court. They¡¯re not easy to shake¡­¡± As Gu Yunrong spoke, she sighed in her heart. Gu Yanfei had just arrived in the capital and was in the inner residence. She probably knew nothing about the politics of the royal court and didn¡¯t know the influence of those aristocratic families in the royal court. However, Gu Yunrong wanted to say something, but Gu Yanfei didn¡¯t want to hear it. She raised her hand and knocked on the wall of the carriage, interrupting her. ¡°Stop the car.¡± The coachman outside heard her and responded. The carriage quickly slowed and stopped by the side of the road. Gu Yanfei leaned against the wall and yawned lazily. She said to Gu Yunrong, ¡®Get out.¡± Gu Yunrong frowned and felt that Gu Yanfei was simply ridiculous. ¡®You¡¯re so noisy,¡± Gu Yanfei said seriously. These three words finally made Gu Yunrong¡¯s expression change. For a moment, a cold expression appeared on her face. She laughed in anger. There was a sigh in her eyes that said, ¡°How long are you going to be unreasonable?!¡± This was the Marquis Mansion¡¯s carriage. She was the legitimate daughter of the second branch. What right did Gu Yanfei have to chase her out of the carriage?! Gu Yunrong looked up at Gu Yanfei with a determined gaze. She didn¡¯t owe Gu Yanfei anything, nor did she let her down. There was naturally no need for her to tolerate everything. She would never get out of the car. Gu Yanfei placed the little orange lamp on the small table without saying a word. She took off the Mystic Flame Whip at her waist and casually curled it in her hand. Her movements were lazy and casual, like a leopard¡¯s. Elegant, lazy, mysterious¡­ and unruly. It made Gu Yunrong feel like prey that had been targeted. ¡®Swoosh!¡± Gu Yanfei raised her whip and whipped it over. When the long whip flew up in the small space, the sound of the air being torn apart became even sharper, and the air seemed to tremble.. Chapter 289 - Chapter 289 : Indulgence Chapter 289 : Indulgence Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Gu Yunrong¡¯s expression changed slightly. She moved towards the exit with a pale face and heard the sound clearly echoing in her ears. The whip struck the box stool beside her, bringing with it a strong wind that scraped the back of her delicate hand and stung her skin. Gu Yunrong¡¯s fingers shrank reflexively. Gu Yanfei smiled at Gu Yunrong, her eyes filled with a sly smile. She didn¡¯t intend to really hit Gu Yunrong. After all, Gu Yunrong was the daughter of the heavens. If she really injured Gu Yunrong, she would definitely be unlucky for a few days. She didn¡¯t want to hurt herself by killing a thousand enemies. Gu Yanfei held the handle of the whip and flicked her wrist. The whip crackled crisply. The whip was so agile that it seemed to be a part of her body. The end of the whip actually curled up the teapot on the small table¡­ What nonsense! Gu Yunrong¡¯s eyes widened slightly. She bowed, pushed open the door of the carriage, and jumped out. Gu Yanfei was the only one left in the carriage. Finally, it was quiet. Gu Yanfei casually rolled up the whip and placed it on the table. She smiled and knocked on the wall of the carriage again, then instructed the coachman, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± She didn¡¯t care how Gu Yunrong was going to return to the residence at all. The coachman outside responded and cracked his whip again. The carriage began to move again. This time, it returned to the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion without stopping. The two carriages stopped near the inner door. After Gu Yanfei alighted, she saw Madam Wang and Gu Yunrong alighting from the carriage in front of her. As Gu Yunrong held the maidservant¡¯s hand and stood still, she inadvertently looked at Gu Yanfei and looked away. Madam Wang didn¡¯t notice and instructed the two girls absent-mindedly, ¡®The two of you, go back to your courtyard. Don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡± There was a hint of warning in the last sentence. Madam Wang didn¡¯t care about Gu Yanfei and Gu Yunrong¡¯s reactions and hurriedly returned to the main courtyard. She even asked the servants to call the Marquis of Dingyuan, Gu Jian. The couple closed the door and talked for a long time. After an incense stick of time, the Marquis Mansion closed its doors and refused guests. Not only the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion, but there were also many families in the capital who closed their doors tightly, looking like they were on tenterhooks. Although most families weren¡¯t like the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion, they had also stopped hosting banquets. In the last two days of the new year, the festive atmosphere had weakened a lot. Even the weather had been overcast for two days with continuous dark clouds. It wasn¡¯t until the 10th day of the first month that the Emperor started writing. The first morning court session of the new year was quite lively. As soon as the morning assembly began, a square-faced censor with a goatee jumped out with a book. ¡®Your Majesty, I have a memorial.¡¯ His words attracted the attention of the ministers. ¡®The Eldest Prince is arbitrary, disobedient, and unfilial. He dares to put the Empress Dowager under house arrest. Does he think that as a prince, he can cover the sky with one hand?!¡± The censor impeached the Eldest Prince, Chu Yi, impeachingly. ¡®Your Majesty, this wind must not last. Please punish the Eldest Prince severely. You must not let the world think that the Emperor has raised a disobedient son!¡± ¡®Your Majesty, being too indulgent on your son is equivalent to killing him!¡± As he spoke, the censor lifted his robe and knelt on the ground. He kowtowed heavily to the Emperor on the throne. However, before his memorial could be presented, the British Crown Prince, Fang Huairui, immediately stood up from the line of generals and scolded the censor indignantly, ¡°Nothing good comes out of a dog¡¯s mouth!¡± ¡®IAS a censor, instead of catching those corrupt officials, you¡¯ve learned to hear rumors like those shrews in the market!¡± ¡°Hmph, you jumped up and down in the throne room without any evidence. How should you be punished for slandering the Eldest Prince!¡± The British Duke actually called him a dog! The censor was so angry that his face turned ashen. He blew his beard and glared, his thin body trembling like a sieve. He said angrily, ¡°I can answer to the sun and moon. My heart is shining with loyalty¡­ The world can see it!¡¯ The more the monster trainer spoke, the angrier he became. He suddenly jumped up from the ground and smashed his head against the pillar beside However, Fang Huairui was already on guard against him. He winked at a middle-aged military official beside him. The middle-aged military official rushed over quickly and blocked the pillar. The censor slammed his head into the man¡¯s thick, strong chest. The man was as steady as a mountain, but the impact bounced him back. He staggered and fell to the ground, sprawling. ¡®Ouch,¡± he groaned in pain. Even his official hat fell off his head, and he was in a sorry state. There was dead silence in the throne room. Most of the courtiers were used to these clear-cut censors hitting the pillar for no reason, and the corners of their mouths twitched. Most of the courtiers were watching the development of the situation coldly. The old foxes secretly exchanged glances and thought to themselves, ¡®Where did this idiot come from? He¡¯s really courting death and doesn¡¯t even know that he¡¯s become a knife in someone else¡¯s hand!¡¯ ¡®Sigh, Minister Li, you¡¯re too careless.¡± The Emperor looked down at the censor and sighed faintly. ¡°Men, send Minister Li back to rest.¡¯ The Emperor casually brushed off Censor Li¡¯s collision with the pillar as if he was a peacemaker. Then, he instructed the eunuch, Zhao Rang, in public, ¡°Zhao Rang, get a few imperial physicians to take a look at Minister Li¡¯s residence. Don¡¯t break it.¡¯ When he said this, the Emperor¡¯s expression and tone were filled with concern and sympathy. The ministers weren¡¯t surprised either. He had always been a benevolent person, but he was weak and sickly. ¡®Sigh¡ª¡¯t The Emperor sighed again. ¡®Minister Li is old and is always so sick. I¡¯m really worried.¡± The Emperor patted the golden lacquer armrest of the dragon throne casually twice. ¡°In this life, health is most important. Why don¡¯t you retire and live a leisurely life?¡± ¡® Censor Li, who had fallen to the ground, widened his eyes in disbelief, and his goatee trembled. In the ranks on both sides, several officials exchanged glances, their eyes twitching. Imperial Censor Li was only in his 30s. How could he be considered old? Wasn¡¯t the Emperor lying through his teeth?! ¡®The Emperor is right!¡± Fang Huairui clapped his hands and echoed without another word. His voice was like a bell that echoed through the entire throne room. This sentence spoke in an imposing manner. Imperial Duke Wei revealed a strange expression as he sized up Fang Huairui. For a moment, he almost suspected that he had been switched. Strange, when had his little brother become so obsequious? Fang Huairui could naturally feel the speculative and shocked gazes around him, but he could only pretend not to see them. His heart was as bitter as if he had eaten a yellow lotus. He couldn¡¯t say anything and could only stand in the throne room as if nothing had happened. Since he had already boarded the Eldest Prince¡¯s pirate ship, he could only walk down without knowing anything. Fang Huairui cursed Madam Yu in his heart again. Just as he was about to continue, he saw a middle -aged eunuch in front of him walking quickly to Zhao Rang¡¯s side and whispering a few words. Then, Zhao Rang went over and whispered into the Emperor¡¯s ear. The Eldest Princess is¡­ dying.¡¯ Zhao Rang¡¯s voice was so low that only the Emperor could hear him. The smile froze on the Emperor¡¯s lips, and his brow furrowed and his face changed drastically.. Chapter 290 - Chapter 290: Urgent Illness Chapter 290: Urgent Illness Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios An Le is sick! The Emperor felt a roaring in his ears and his vision darkened. He could no longer sit still. Ignoring the courtiers below, he stood up and left without hesitation, leaving behind a hurried back. Zhao Rang cleared his throat and said loudly to the ministers, ¡®The court is adjourned!¡± With that, Zhao Rang quickly chased after the Emperor and left the throne room. The civil and military officials below looked at each other in shock. What exactly happened to cause the Emperor¡¯s dragon face to change so drastically?! ¡°Hmph!¡± An unhappy snort cut through the silence in the throne room. Five or six scholarly-looking civil servants flicked their sleeves and left. Their beards fluttered, and their backs were as straight as pines. They carried the aura of a noble family. As he walked past the British Duke, Fang Huairui, the Minister of Revenue, Wang Kangyin, gave Fang Huairui a cold glare. The censor¡¯s impeachment of the Eldest Prince originally had nothing to do with the British government. To put it bluntly, the British official only hated Kang Wang for stabbing his son, Fang Mingfeng, so he vented his anger on the Empress Dowager and the aristocratic family. He was deliberately trying to stir up trouble! Fang Huairui wasn¡¯t afraid of him, Wang Kangyin, and glared back without showing any weakness. His expression and eyes seemed to be saying, bite me if you dare! What a boor! Wang Kangyin flicked his sleeve heavily and strode away. He more or less sighed in his heart that women had harmed the country. Why did Kang Wang offend the British Monarchy for the sake of a mere Third Lady of the Gu family?! Behind them, more than 20 civil servants followed closely behind. They escorted Wang Kangyin and the others away with an extraordinary aura. Today¡¯s morning court assembly had just begun, but it had ended early. Most of the courtiers present were in no hurry to leave. They discussed in groups of two or three. No one paid any attention to Censor Li, who had fallen to the ground in a daze, as if he didn¡¯t exist at all. Imperial Duke Wei stretched out his arm and pulled Fang Huairui. He quietly leaned over and asked him, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why are you so proactive?¡± He pointed in the direction of Yangxin Hall with an index finger. Ever since the Eldest Prince returned to the palace last year, the Emperor had moved to the Qianqing Palace and given the Yangxin Hall to the Eldest Prince. The corners of Fang Huairui¡¯s eyes twitched, and a difficult expression flashed across his eyes. He greeted Wei Shen in a rough voice, ¡°Brother, let¡¯s go for a drink?¡± In other words, they would talk about it in private. Wei Shen patted Fang Huairui¡¯s broad shoulder and laughed loudly. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll treat you to a drink at the Tianyin Pavilion.¡± As they spoke, they walked out of the throne room, their voices fading. The sound of conversation could be vaguely heard through the cold wind. ¡®Brother, do you know what happened? Why did the Emperor suddenly¡­¡± ¡®Tm afraid Princess An Le¡­¡± Wei Shen sighed. Wei Shen often entered and left the palace. He recognized the eunuch who had come to report to him as someone from Jingren Palace. There weren¡¯t many concubines in the Emperor¡¯s harem. They were all old acquaintances from the East Palace. They had few children and only had one son and one daughter. The Emperor had always treated them as treasures. When the eldest princess was born peacefully, she was healthy. However, five years ago, she suddenly fell seriously ill and lay on the bed for three months. After she recovered, she couldn¡¯t stand up again. After that, the eldest princess became weak and sickly. In the past five years, she had been sick to the point of death several times. The imperial physician had no choice but to vaguely remind the Emperor to be mentally prepared. Just now, the Emperor didn¡¯t hesitate to leave the civil and military officials behind and left in a hurry. It was most likely that the Eldest Princess was sick again. As Wei Shen had expected, the Emperor did go to Jingren Palace to visit Princess An Le. Inside Jingren Palace, there was a gloomy atmosphere. Along the way, everyone in the palace bowed to the emperor in fear. The Emperor ignored them and rushed into the peaceful sleeping hall like a gust of wind. An Le, who was dressed in a white inner robe, lay quietly on the couch against the wall. Such a small person looked even smaller and weaker under the huge bed, as if a light touch would hurt her. In front of the bed, six or seven sweating imperial physicians were all kneeling on the ground. As soon as they saw the Emperor, the imperial physicians kowtowed in unison. ¡®Your Majesty, please forgive me.¡¯ The imperial physician kneeling in the middle bowed in panic and reported, ¡®Your Majesty, Her Highness¡¯s condition¡­ isn¡¯t good.¡± The Emperor¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. His daughter had been fine yesterday and had even come to the Qianqing Palace to play with his parrot. They had even agreed that at the Lantern Festival, he would sneak her out of the palace to look at the lanterns. Why would her condition suddenly worsen? ¡®An Le!¡± The Emperor rushed to the bed in three steps. He looked at the little girl on the bed with heartache and red eyes. The little girl¡¯s long black hair was loose, and her eyes were closed. Her skin was pale, and her cheeks were flushed. It was very difficult for her to breathe between her nose and mouth, as if she would lose her breath at any moment. Her pale, dry lips and the lapels of her white inner coat were stained with spots of bright red blood. It was a ghastly sight. ¡¯11t hurts¡­¡± The little girl let out a painful moan and raised her hand with difficulty to grab something. Her thin fingers trembled slightly. The Emperor felt as if his heart had been wrenched violently. He quickly grabbed his daughter¡¯s trembling little hand and held it tightly, comforting her. ¡°An Le, I¡¯m here.¡± The palace servants of Jingren Palace also kneeled on the ground, not daring to look up at the Emperor. The Emperor looked at his dying daughter with heartache. His eyes almost popped out as he asked the palace servants, ¡°What happened? Wasn¡¯t the princess fine last night?¡± The palace maid in charge said uneasily, ¡°Your Majesty, His Highness was fine when he woke up early in the morning. He even ate a bowl of millet porridge, a few soup dumplings, and date mud walnut cake. He asked me to push her to the imperial garden for a walk.¡¯ ¡°I also accompanied His Highness to break a few plum blossoms in the imperial garden. His Highness said that when Your Majesty comes to court, we¡¯ll go to the Qianqing Palace and insert the plum blossoms into the imperial study.¡± ¡®But she only broke two plums when she suddenly vomited blood and even had a high fever. She has been unconscious since then¡­ The palace maid¡¯s eyes were also red. Her voice trembled, and her eyes were filled with sparkling tears. The cold sweat on the foreheads of the imperial physicians kneeling on the ground became even denser. Several of them wiped their sweat with their sleeves. The main body of the eldest princess was weak and sickly. The imperial physicians were all regulars at Jingren Palace, so they naturally knew how much the Emperor valued his precious daughter. ¡®Cough, cough, cough.. An Le, who was on the couch, suddenly coughed. Immediately after, even her limbs twitched rapidly. Veins popped out on her forehead, and cold sweat seeped from her forehead to his neck. She seemed to be enduring a tearing pain. An extremely weak voice escaped from her trembling lips. ¡°Father¡­ Emperor¡­ The Emperor was at a loss and was so anxious that he was about to cry. He could only ask the palace maid to hold his daughter¡¯s limbs down so that she wouldn¡¯t hurt herself from the convulsions. What should he do? The Emperor¡¯s mind was in a mess.. He asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Shangqing Spiritual Master?¡± Chapter 291 - Chapter 291: Medicine Arrives Chapter 291: Medicine Arrives Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡®Hurry up and announce it!¡± the Emperor ordered sternly. His usually gentle voice couldn¡¯t hide his anxiety and worry. ¡®Your Majesty, I¡¯ve already sent someone to announce Shangqing Spiritual Master,¡± the palace maid in charge said nervously. ¡®But Shangqing Spiritual Master¡¯s hand is broken.¡¯ Broken hand?! The Emperor frowned and narrowed his eyes. This was too sudden. Eunuch Zhao Rang carefully added, ¡°Shangqing Spiritual Master is an expert recommended by the Yu family.¡± The sleeping hall fell silent. There was only the low, pained moan of An Le and the crackle of the coals burning in the charcoal brazier. ¡± The Emperor frowned, his expression grave. His thoughts went back to five years ago. That summer, An Le suddenly fell seriously ill. At that time, the Emperor, who was still the Crown Prince, had found all the imperial physicians, famous doctors, Daoist priests, and medical women in the capital and even the surrounding areas to treat An Le. However, it was all in vain. An Le¡¯s condition deteriorated, and she became more and more ill. In the end, she was left hanging on by her last breath. In less than ten days, her life was in danger. He¡¯d spent those days guarding his daughter day and night, almost thinking he was going to see his daughter off. Until the Yu family recommended the Shangqing Spiritual Master of the Wuliang Temple. The Shangqing Spiritual Master was indeed a little talented. He was skilled in both Daoist medicine and medicine. He used his divine power to pull An Le back from the gates of hell. After that, An Le¡¯s body weakened, and she had always been sickly. From time to time, she would catch a cold or have a headache, but these were only considered minor illnesses. Sometimes, when she was seriously ill, she would be bedridden for a month or two. The imperial physicians couldn¡¯t even distinguish her illness and were helpless about it. Every time, it was Shangqing Spiritual Master who came to the East Palace to extend her life. He knew that he had to sit on this dragon throne for his children. If he was crippled, his son would probably stay in the State of Yue for the rest of his life and never be able to return to the country. His daughter would also be treated badly¡­ There was silence. The quieter it was, the more obvious the moans of comfort and weakness became. It was as if an invisible net was tightening the Emperor¡¯s heart. ¡®The Yu family¡­¡± The Emperor snorted softly. His eyelids, which were slightly lowered because of his age, curled into a cold and thoughtful expression. It was obvious that the Yu family, or rather, those aristocratic families, wanted to use the eldest princess to control him, the Emperor. The Emperor clenched his right hand into a fist and knocked it repeatedly on his knee, as if he was venting something. At this moment, An Lets chest heaved rapidly on the couch, and her breathing became heavier. Her cheeks on both sides were so red that they looked like they were about to bleed. The palace maid in charge tested the temperature of her forehead and said in panic, ¡°Your Majesty, Her Highness¡¯s fever has worsened.¡¯ ¡°Anle!¡± The Emperor was so anxious that his face turned pale. He raised his voice and shouted, ¡°Imperial physician, quickly take a look at An Le.¡± There was a period of chaos in the sleeping hall. A few kneeling imperial physicians hurriedly stood up and surrounded the bed. The Emperor got up from the side of the couch and tried to get out of the way, but he was in too much of a hurry. His vision darkened again, and his feet were a little unsteady. He almost fell, but fortunately, Zhao Rang caught him in time. The Emperor¡¯s face turned even paler. In his panic, his forehead throbbed, and he hurriedly said, ¡°Call. He paused, then changed his words decisively. ¡®Call the British Duke.¡± The Emperor¡¯s old eyes shone with determination. His thin body was straight, but there was also a faint hint of exhaustion and weakness. He would never lower his head to the aristocratic families. Once he did, it would ruin the situation that his son had painstakingly set up. ¡®Yes, Your Majesty,¡± the eunuch, Zhao Rang, quickly replied. He looked at the Emperor worriedly. The Emperor¡¯s dragon body was weak to begin with. If anything really happened to the eldest princess, it would definitely be a fatal blow to the Emperor. Zhao Rang didn¡¯t dare to delay and hurriedly left to pass on a message. A moment later, the British Duke Fang Huairui, who had been summoned back by the eunuch before he left the palace, hurried over in a daze and left in a hurry, sweating profusely. A thick layer of dark clouds slowly condensed above the imperial city, emitting an uncomfortable aura. More than an hour later, Shangqing Spiritual Master entered the palace in the carriage of the British Duke. ¡®Greetings, Your Majesty.¡± Shangqing Spiritual Master bowed to the Emperor in a neither servile nor overbearing manner. His wide green Daoist robe made him look as thin as a matchstick, and he held a new white horsetail whisk. This was Shangqing?! The Emperor was shocked. His eyes widened, and he stared at the Daoist in front of him in shock. Although Shangqing Spiritual Master¡¯s hands weren¡¯t broken, he looked as if his essence had been sucked out of him. He looked haggard; half of his once-black hair was silver, and his eyes and cheeks were deeply sunken. He was so thin that he was only skin and bones. No, it should be said that he looked like a living, dried-up corpse and was no longer as sage-like as before. The Emperor sized up the Shangqing Spiritual Master in bewilderment. For a moment, he almost suspected that the other party had climbed out of the coffin. The Emperor glanced at Fang Huairui, who was beside him. Fang Huairui nodded imperceptibly, meaning that this was indeed Shangqing Spiritual Master. Fang Huairui knew that there was nothing else for him to do, so he tactfully left. ¡®Shangqing, go over and see the Eldest Princess.¡± The Emperor rubbed his eyebrows. His temples were still throbbing. Shangqing Spiritual Master bowed again and walked around a screen towards the comfortable bed. As he walked, his clothes fluttered. From behind, he had the same detached bearing as before. The two palace maids carefully pressed down on An Le¡¯s limbs, afraid that she would hurt herself. The imperial physicians had just given An Le acupuncture and a cold compress to her forehead, but she still didn¡¯t improve at all. Even her nose and mouth began to bleed, and her eyeballs under her eyelids trembled. The Emperor¡¯s heart had been in midair. It was more like a million needles were stabbing him, and he wished he could suffer for his daughter. At the side, Zhao Rang comforted the Emperor. ¡°Your Majesty, Shangqing Spiritual Master¡¯s skill is profound and he has the ability to ¡®revive the dead¡¯. The Eldest Princess is blessed by the heavens and will definitely be saved.¡± Shangqing Spiritual Master¡¯s back was facing the Emperor as he looked at An Le on the couch. His silver whisk flicked a few times as he calculated and muttered to himself¡­ The palace servants present held their breaths and didn¡¯t dare disturb him. A moment later, Shangqing Spiritual Master took out a small porcelain bottle from his sleeve pocket and handed it to the palace maid in charge beside him. ¡°Feed this pill to the Eldest Princess first.¡¯ The palace maid took the small porcelain bottle and opened the lid to take a look. Inside the bottle was a red pill the size of a pinky. It was no different from the one An Le had taken before. After reporting to the Emperor, the palace maid in charge worked together with another palace maid. One helped An Le up, and the other stuffed the pill into An Le ts mouth. They were all people who took care of An Le daily and were very nimble. There was a gurgle. The pill slid down her throat and into her body. The palace maid in charge held her breath and stared unblinkingly at the unconscious An Le¡­ After a while, the palace maid in charge shouted excitedly, ¡°Her Highness is no longer twitching¡­ Her fever has also begun to subside!¡± Chapter 292 - Chapter 292: Borrowing Life Chapter 292: Borrowing Life Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The Emperor hurriedly went over to check on An Le¡¯s situation and personally tested his daughter¡¯s forehead temperature with his palm. He felt that it was warm to the touch, and indeed, the heat had decreased a lot. The palace maid in charge took a handkerchief dipped in clear water and wiped An Le¡¯s face, neck, and hands. An Le was only 10 years old and was just a child. Her wrists were thin and fragile. She closed her eyes from beginning to end, her pale little mouth pursed and motionless, but her breathing had clearly stabilized and she had stopped murmuring. Great! The Emperor heaved a sigh of relief, and his frown finally relaxed. He told himself that his daughter would definitely be able to survive this calamity, just like so many times in the past. The Emperor turned to look at Shangqing Spiritual Master and asked anxiously, ¡°Shangqing, when will the Eldest Princess wake up?¡± Shangqing Spiritual Master had already moved to the window on the east side when the palace maid was giving An Le the medicine. The weather was a little gloomy today. The dense shadows of the trees outside the window cast on the skeletal side of Shangqing Spiritual Master made his sunken eye sockets look deeper. When he was motionless, his temperament was a little gloomy. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Shangqing Spiritual Master bowed to the Emperor again, still with the air of a carefree crane, as if the person he was facing wasn¡¯t the son of heaven but an ordinary person. ¡®This pill will cure the symptoms but not the root cause.¡± The Emperor¡¯s expression changed again, and his heart tightened slightly. He took a deep breath and looked at her sleeping face. ¡°Then how can we cure her?¡± Shangqing Spiritual Master gently flicked his horsetail whisk. There was no joy or sorrow in his voice, as if he stood above the seven emotions and six desires of the mortal world. He said calmly, ¡°I¡¯ve read the Eldest Princess¡¯s fortune just now. Her Highness is fated with the tomb fiend. Her fate is to die prematurely, and she has a short lifespan. If you encounter the help of a noble benefactor, you can turn misfortune into good luck. ¡± ¡°If you want to extend her life, the only way is to change her fate.¡± As he spoke, Shangqing Spiritual Master¡¯s gaze swept past the girl in the green gauze tent. There was a faint sense of danger that flashed past his eyes. The atmosphere around them gradually became solemn. Even those who didn¡¯t know Dao techniques could guess that any technique that involved changing one¡¯s fate was definitely not something that could be done with just a few words. Otherwise, wouldn ¡®t everyone be able to live a long life?! Eunuch Zhao Rang nimbly sent the few imperial physicians and palace maids present to the outer room. In the blink of an eye, only four people were left in the sleeping chamber that smelled of medicine, incense, and blood. Shangqing Spiritual Master turned back to the Emperor. His skinny neck was lined, and his veins were bulging, as if there was a hideous foreign object hidden under his skin. ¡°If you want to save the Eldest Princess¡¯s life, you have to find 200 boys and girls of the same age as the Eldest Princess and take their heart blood to refine a Heart Pill. Then, you have to feed it to the Eldest Princess¡­¡± His dark gaze was fixed on the Emperor. His voice was low and slow, with an inexplicable chill. The surrounding windows were clearly tightly closed, but there was an inexplicable cold wind blowing in the bedroom. ¡°How dare you! ¡± The Emperor¡¯s pupils constricted, and his expression changed. He interrupted Shangqing Spiritual Master sternly, ¡°Do you know what you¡¯re saying?!¡± Wouldn¡¯t that mean exchanging 200 lives for one?! Monks were benevolent. For Daoist Shangqing Spiritual Master to suggest such a sinister method, it was obvious that he had no mercy. He was simply a demon! The Emperor revealed a rare anger and released the might of an Emperor. Zhao Rang, who was at the side, gasped softly. This method was simply unheard of. Facing the furious Emperor, Shangqing Spiritual Master was fearless. He stood like a hundred-year-old pine tree, his expression still calm with a hint of indifference. ¡°Your Majesty, I only dared to say this to save the Eldest Princess¡¯s life.¡± Shangqing Spiritual Master shook his head and sighed. He said slowly with pity, ¡®This method of defying the heavens and changing fate violates Heaven¡¯s Will. It will also consume many years of my cultivation for this.¡± He gently flicked his horsetail whisk. The silver whisk was like the strands of silver mixed into his temples. Shangqing Spiritual Master turned around slightly and took two steps closer to the couch. ¡°1 think the Emperor already knows that the Eldest Princess doesn¡¯t have much time left, and the Nine Mystic Pill I just gave her can only extend her life for three more days.¡¯ As he turned his back on the Emperor, extreme greed flashed in his eyes. His grip on the handle of the horsetail whisk tightened. ¡®What did you say?!¡± The Emperor felt as if he had been struck by lightning. Anger froze on his face, and his anxiety plummeted, sending him instantly falling into a bottomless abyss. An Le could only live for another three days?! The Emperor¡¯s legs gave way, and he almost fell onto the edge of the couch. His breathing was heavy, and he looked as if he had collapsed. Shangqing Spiritual Master sighed and said, ¡°All these years, the Eldest Princess¡¯s phoenix body has been severely deficient, like a tree trunk that has gradually been hollowed out by termites. This time, her illness has come like a landslide, and her body has already collapsed. Even if she takes a second Nine Mystic Pill, it will be useless for her condition.¡± ¡°Only the Heart Pill can save the Eldest Princess.¡± ¡°There¡¯s not much time left. Your Majesty, please make plans early!¡¯ Shangqing Spiritual Master bowed to the Emperor again. Almost as soon as he finished speaking, they heard a soft and weak voice from the direction of the bed. ¡°Father.. The girl¡¯s words ended lightly, so weak and ethereal, as if they would dissipate if the wind blew. An Le, who was on the couch, had opened her eyes at some point. Her long eyelashes fluttered, and her eyes were still a little dazed and unfocused. The Emperor grabbed his daughter¡¯s hand and said anxiously, ¡°An Le, Father is here.¡¯ He had completely forgotten about Shangqing Spiritual Master. Only his daughter was left in his red and dry eyes. ¡± . No.¡± The little girl shook her head slowly. Cold sweat broke out on her forehead, making her face even paler and her chin sharper. The weak little girl was like a bud on a branch. She was so delicate and fragile that she was already on the verge of collapse before she bloomed, as if the bud would fall from the branch as soon as a gust of wind blew. She was still very weak and found it quite difficult to even speak. She said with difficulty, ¡°Father is a wise ruler. You can¡¯t. ¡® ¡°I¡¯ll be good¡­ don¡¯t feel uncomfortable¡­¡± The little girl¡¯s eyes lit up. Her soft voice and every word were imprinted in the Emperor¡¯s heart. The Emperor choked on his words. An Le stared into his loving, sad eyes and smiled weakly. Her eyebrows curved slightly. Her gaze strayed to a small rabbit light on the headboard of the bed. The rabbit lamp was no bigger than a sleeve stove and was made of white paper. Its two ruby eyes were facing her. Her brother had accompanied her to make this. Her brother had said that when they left the palace to look at the lights on the Lantern Festival, they would secretly ditch her father and go play with Sister Yanfei. She wanted to give the rabbit lamp to Sister Yanfei. But she might not be able to do it anymore. ¡°An I.e.¡± The Emperor gripped his daughter¡¯s hand harder, holding back a sob, his expression sad. A line of clear tears fell from the corners of his wrinkled eyes.. Chapter 293 - Chapter 293: Preference Chapter 293: Preference Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios An Le was too tired and weak. After just a few words, she closed her eyes in exhaustion. As soon as her eyelids closed, she fell into a deep sleep. The Emperor carefully tucked his daughter in and stared at her sleeping face for a moment before getting up and going out. The Emperor went to the east side hall, while Shangqing Spiritual Master was invited to sit in the west side hall. Eunuch Zhao Rang had been accompanying the Emperor like a shadow. The Emperor sat quietly alone in the east side hall for a long time¡­ There was a long silence in the hall. Time passed quietly. The sky outside gradually darkened, and even the hall became much darker, casting a faint shadow on the Emperor¡¯s bright yellow dragon robe. The Emperor sat frozen in a daze, his old and thin side profile difficult to hide. He thought of how tiny An Le was as a baby. He recalled the appearance of An Le hobbling.. He recalled how An Le had cried miserably when Chu Yi had left the capital eight years ago¡­ He recalled how An Le suddenly fell seriously ill five years ago¡­ He thought of¡­ After an unknown period of time, a faint sigh sounded. It was exceptionally lonely in the silent hall. The Emperor said with difficulty, ¡°My An Le is a blessed child.¡± For the past five years, An Le had been bedridden and didn¡¯t have many peaceful days. However, even so, the Emperor was satisfied. To him, An Le was lucky to be alive. He had once told Feng Yang that their royal family had the ability to raise a sick child. Even if they couldn¡¯t find a suitable husband in the future, the royal family could still raise the princess for the rest of her life and not let her suffer any grievances. As long as he and his son were around, he could protect his daughter for the rest of his life. The Emperor lowered his eyes and held his forehead wearily. ¡°We can¡¯t hurt this blessing,¡± he said again in a low voice. His voice was even hoarser now, as he suppressed the turbulent emotions in his heart. ¡± ¡± Eunuch Zhao Rang wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes with his sleeve and was about to cry. The Emperor clenched his fists and said, ¡°Call Shangqing over.¡¯ Zhao Rang hurriedly accepted the order and left. Not long after, Shangqing Spiritual Master entered. He casually flicked his silver-white horsetail whisk and smiled. The swaying trees outside the window reflected in his pupils, making his eyes look erratic and cold as an abyss. Another gust of cold wind blew, and even the temperature in the hall seemed to have plummeted. The dark clouds in the sky outside piled up even thicker and layered up, as if they would fall at any moment. The wind blew for most of the day and didn¡¯t stop even at dusk. Gu Yanfei had been holed up in the house for the entire day and hadn¡¯t left the house. She was busy repairing her compass. The original needle of the compass had broken in the Tianyin Pavilion a few days ago. Gu Yanfei spent two days visiting many shops in the capital and found another type of magnet. All she had to do today was grind the new lodestone bit by bit into the shape of a needle. The work was tedious. The cat squatted at the side and stared unblinkingly for a while before becoming bored. ¡°Meow, meow¡­¡± ¡°Meow, meow, meow¡­¡± ¡°Meow, meow, meow¡­¡± The bored cat kept circling her. One moment, it wanted to order her to play with it, and the next moment, it wanted to go out for a walk. However, Gu Yanfei turned a deaf ear and was unmoved. Finally, tired, the cat curled up in the cat bed beside her and fell asleep. Unknowingly, time passed. At dusk, the sky turned an endless dark gray. Juan Bi walked in with a food box and rambled, ¡°Miss, you should rest for a while.¡± ¡°Wu Tong bought some of their family¡¯s best dishes from the Heavenly Water Restaurant. He said that the Eldest Young Master instructed him to buy them for you before he left the capital today.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be the Lantern Festival in a few days. Will the Eldest Young Master be able to rush back?¡± After the food box was opened, an alluring fragrance of food wafted out. Gu Yanfei was really hungry and couldn¡¯t help but swallow. She finally sharpened the needle and studied it carefully. She smiled in satisfaction and said, ¡°About three or five days.¡± Gu Yuan accompanied Chu Yi to the imperial mausoleum. Before he left, he specially made an appointment with Gu Yanfei to rush back before the Lantern Festival to accompany her to see the lanterns. ¡°Great!¡± Juan Bi said with a grin as she lit the candle beside her. ¡°Psst.¡± When the candlelight was lit, Gu Yanfei suddenly felt as if she was being suppressed by something. Her heart felt heavy. Gu Yanfei put down what she was doing and looked up at the sky outside the window. She narrowed her eyes and stared at the dark clouds that were like mountains in the sky. Her gaze seemed to cross mountains and rivers, or the Milky Way. Gu Yanfei knew very well what this pressure was. It was Heaven¡¯s Will. Heaven¡¯s Will favored Gu Yunrong, the daughter of providence, and thought for her in everything. Whatever she lacked, Heaven¡¯s Will would give her. Her grandmother, father, brother, eldest sister, and even her admirers¡­ Heaven¡¯s Will wished it could arrange a smooth path for Gu Yunrong. Kang Wang was Gu Yunrong¡¯s heaven-sent fate, and the aristocratic families were the greatest weapons to protect this pair of lovers. With the help of the aristocratic families, Kang Wang and Gu Yunrong could rule the world. Heaven¡¯s Will treated the daughter of providence well and specially cleared all kinds of obstacles for this pair of lovers. In her previous life, Imperial Duke Wei should have died without her interference. Without Imperial Duke Wei, these nobles in the imperial court were leaderless and fell into a dilemma of internal strife. Even the British Monarchy had sided with Kang Wang because of Fang Mingfeng. Chu Yi had also been burned in Danyang City and had yet to appear. The Emperor was isolated and helpless. He didn¡¯t have the support of the nobles, nor could he gather those poor families that were like scattered sand. As a result, he was suppressed by the aristocratic families step by step and couldn¡¯t take a single step. But in this life, many things were different¡­ How could Heaven¡¯s Will watch the person it loved suffer! Gu Yanfei supported her chin lazily with one hand and muttered to herself, ¡°Master said that if the heavens are unfair, we¡¯ll pierce through the heavens!¡± Her voice was so soft that Juan Bi, who was beside her, didn¡¯t even hear what she said. She looked at her subconsciously. Bathed in the candlelight, the girl¡¯s dark pupils were unusually bright, unusually determined, unusually confident¡­ and unusually domineering, as if nothing in this world could stop her. There was an unyielding confidence in her bones that was difficult to look at. Gu Yanfei casually plucked the compass needle that had just been repaired with one finger. The needle spun wildly on the compass, leaving a quivering shadow that didn¡¯t stop for a long time. Gu Yanfei raised her eyebrows and casually tapped her fingers on the table twice. She looked at the compass and sighed. ¡°You¡¯re not letting me calculate?¡¯ Sigh, the Heaven¡¯s Will of this small world was really petty. If it didn¡¯t let her calculate, then it didn¡¯t count. Gu Yanfei put away the compass. When she looked out of the window again, she felt that the sky outside was even darker. The dark clouds were like a landscape painting drawn with thick ink, or like thick ink poured into the air. ¡®Qing Guang!¡¯ Gu Yanfei pinched the back of the cat¡¯s neck and dragged the sleepy cat out of the cat bed. She stroked its head and instructed, ¡°Go take a look.¡± ¡°Meow¡ª¡± The calico cat yawned lazily, its mouth hanging open. Then it leaped sleepily out of the window.. Chapter 294 - Chapter 294: Demonstration Chapter 294: Demonstration Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Bang!¡¯ In the distance, there was the sound of the night watch. The cat leaped out of the Dingyuan Marquis Household with a few light leaps. When it landed on a big tree by the roadside, the cat yawned again, and the treetops were shaken until they rustled. The cat was most energetic at night. After scratching on the branch a few more times and sharpening its claws, it became a hundred times more energetic. Its green eyes gleamed in the ink-black night. At this time, there was already a curfew in the capital, so the streets were very quiet. There were no passersby, and only the occasional night watch could be heard in the distance. The cat flew over eaves and walls, crossed several streets, and crossed several mansions¡­ A cold wind blew in his face. The cat clung to the wall with its front paws and climbed up with all its might. After squatting on the wall, the calico cat looked around warily. Fortunately, no one saw it. ¡°Thud¡­¡± A faint noise came from a small alley to the southeast, making the cat jump and almost slip. Although the sound of movement from the alley was faint, the cat¡¯s ears were sharp enough to hear it clearly. The cat flicked its ears and walked briskly along the high wall, running in the direction of the sound. Its green eyes sparkled with the eagerness to see the world in chaos. Let¡¯s go watch the show! The top of the high wall was no wider than a person¡¯s palm, but the cat ran as if it were on flat ground. It reached the middle of the alley in two or three moves. At best, the alley, which was only wide enough for two people to walk side by side, was empty. There was no light around and it was extremely dark. For a cat, this bit of darkness was no obstacle at all. It was no different from daylight. It immediately saw a tattered shoe on the ground. The cat kicked off its hind legs and leaped gently down, walking around the dirty, broken shoe. The shoe wasn¡¯t big and wasn¡¯t even as long as the cat¡¯s limbs. It was so dirty that its original color couldn¡¯t be seen, and there were two or three small holes in the surface. What dirty shoes! The calico cat wrinkled its cat face in disgust, but it resisted. It leaned over and sniffed at the broken shoe¡­ The cat seemed to spring up and take a few steps back. A complicated expression appeared on its round face. How can humans be so dirty! The cat licked its paws and washed its face. It sniffed east, sniffed west, and ran deeper into the alley, following the smell on its smelly shoes. After running for a few hundred feet, it saw a gray carriage parked between the high walls and the shadows of the big trees. The carriage wasn¡¯t old, but it was very clean. The black horse pulling the carriage was tall and strong. The cat had always been curious and was a bold one. It jogged towards the carriage from the back, as silent as a ghost.. Suddenly, a slender hand suddenly reached out from another alley and accurately grabbed the back of the cat¡¯s neck, easily lifting it up. ¡°Meow! The cat let out an unhappy cry, its limbs swishing in midair, as if to say, ¡®Let me go!¡¯ ¡®Who is it?¡± A cold male voice came from the carriage in the shadows ahead. The curtain of the carriage moved, and then the coachman in front of him glanced back and said with a smile, ¡°Isn¡¯t it just a cat? Look at how shocked you After that, the carriage fell silent again. The night wind carried the faint cries of children. When they heard it again, there seemed to be nothing. The gray carriage only stopped for a moment before the sound of the whip sounded again. It slowly headed in the other direction of the alley. ¡°Meow! The cat meowed boldly as the carriage left, all four paws scrabbling in midair. The tips of its claws stuck out between its fluffy fingers, sharp as hooks and full of demonstration. ¡°It¡¯s you! ¡® From behind the cat came the man¡¯s cool voice, colder than the night wind and with a hint of gritted teeth. Xia Houqing, who was dressed in red, raised his hand and held the long-haired calico cat in his hand. His demonic phoenix eyes narrowed dangerously, and a dangerous aura was released. He would never forget this audacious cat. Like its owner, it was infuriating and hateful. No, this cat was even more hateful than its owner! The last time the cat had drunk his wine, it had sharpened its claws with his clothes. How dare a cat step on his head?! Xia Houqing¡¯s eyes were filled with cold and ruthless emotions. He grabbed the cat¡¯s neck and raised it higher. The cat struggled a few more times in discomfort and turned its head with difficulty. ¡°Meow? ¡® The green cat¡¯s eyes met the dark human¡¯s. They were less than a foot apart. The cat¡¯s eye in the night was as beautiful as a gem. Both humans and cats paused. ¡± ¡± Xia Houqing looked at the kitten in his hand in a daze. The cold aura in his eyes instantly disappeared, revealing a hint of confusion. Then he blinked, a hint of shyness in his eyes. He crouched down and carefully placed the calico cat on the ground. His gaze was almost level with the cat¡¯s. He raised his hand and gently stroked the top of the cat¡¯s head, then twice. Then he traced the feather duster-like tail from the top of its head down its back. ¡°Let¡¯s go home, okay?¡± he asked in a low voice. His voice was as gentle as water, and his cheeks were slightly flushed. ¡°Meow?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t say anything, does that mean you¡¯ve agreed?¡± ¡°Meow! ¡°How nice.¡± Xia Houqing lowered his eyes and stared at the calico cat. He stroked the cat¡¯s back eagerly and smoothed its fur. His other hand reached toward the soft cat¡¯s abdomen, planning to pick it up. ¡°Meow, meow, meow!¡± Who wants you to carry me! Who wants to go home with you! The cat was completely enraged. It quickly extended its front paws and punched him in the face, leaving a few dirty plum blossom marks on his jade-white cheek. ¡± ¡± Xia Houqing¡¯s pupils dilated. His eyes struggled intensely, and his red lips tightened. The cold and soft cat paws pressed against his face, and he could vaguely smell dried fish. So dirty! Xia Houqing¡¯s eyes widened slightly, and his gaze became even more intense. The cat had no sense when it went berserk. It launched a series of indiscriminate attacks that left cat paw prints on his lapels and sleeves. The tip of his claw accidentally hooked onto the red coral bracelet on Xia Houqing¡¯s wrist. Each round coral bead was about the size of a pinky and was as bright as a cinnabar. ¡°Crack!¡± The sharp cat claws broke the string on the bracelet, and the red coral beads instantly scattered and rolled to the ground. ¡°Meow! The cat¡¯s eyes lit up with joy at the sight of the bead falling. So many beads! The cat¡¯s anger died as quickly as it had come. It kicked its hind legs and jumped up, happily chasing after the beads¡­ The thuds and rolling sounds of the coral beads landing on the ground repeatedly struck Xia Houqing¡¯s heart, and his eyes began to fight fiercely agam. He gritted his teeth fiercely and moved his fingers. A fingertip- sized knife appeared between them and cut deeply into his palm. Blood quickly overflowed from the wound and dripped to the ground from his fingers¡­ Chapter 295 - Chapter 295: Lost Chapter 295: Lost Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Xia Houqing¡¯s eyes instantly became clear. He looked at the calico cat playing crazily and his lips curled into a sinister smile. Good! Xia Houqing decisively attacked again. His movements were as fast as lightning as he extended his demonic claws at the cat. He might as well strangle it to death. He thought coldly, and a strong killing intent appeared in his eyes. His bright red sleeve turned his pupils red, as if blood were flowing in them. The cat, on the other hand, had no sense of danger and was having a lot of fun. ¡°Meow¨C¡± The cat played with the beads for a while before running over to Xia Houqing. It leaned over and lovingly rubbed its face against the left side of Xia Houqing¡¯s flawless face. The cat¡¯s face was fluffy, soft, and warm. In the winter weather, it was as warm as a sleeve furnace. The hand that had been about to strangle the cat stopped in midair and did not move for a long time. The aura around him was still cold and heartless. Finally, a demonic sneer appeared on his lips. He grabbed the back of the cat¡¯s neck again and carried it back. ¡°Meow, meow, meow!¡± The cat protested agitatedly, hooting. At the entrance of the alley, an ordinary-looking young man in black stood motionless like a statue. He immediately saw the calico cat in Xia Houqing¡¯s hand. There were two or three ¡°plum blossom marks¡± on Xia Houqing¡¯s face. He couldn¡¯t help but widen his eyes, and his jaw almost dropped. Did this cat eat a bear¡¯s heart and a leopard¡¯s gall? Did it want to die?! ¡°Meow! The cat shouted arrogantly at the young man, baring its fangs and brandishing its claws, as if to say, ¡®What are you looking at?!¡¯ The young man in black accidentally met the calico cat¡¯s green eyes and instantly revealed an infatuated expression. ¡°My Lord, such a cute kitten, don¡¯t hurt it.¡± The young man immediately changed sides. He couldn¡¯t bear to leave the cat in front of him at all. He felt that its eyes were like gems and its fur was glossy. It was only right for such a cute kitten to throw a tantrum. Why was he so calculative?! The corners of Xia Houqing¡¯s eyes twitched, and his devilishly handsome face twisted for a moment. He felt that if this continued, he would probably be deserted by everyone. He looked at the fluffy little thing in his hand with some distaste. The back of his hand tightened. He took a deep breath and put on a forgiving expression. Gritting his teeth, he stuffed the damn cat into his wide sleeve. Now no one could see the cat. ¡°Meow, meow, meow.. ¡® The cat meowed several times in its sleeve with all its might. In the end, it howled and bit Xia Houqing¡¯s wrist. The corners of Xia Houqing¡¯s mouth twitched slightly as he said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He strode forward with the cat in his arms, the big red cloak rising and falling like waves in the night wind¡­ The figures of the two people and the cat were quickly engulfed in the thick night. The night deepened. That night, the wind didn¡¯t stop, blowing leaves all over the ground. Early in the morning, the maidservants and old women in charge of sweeping were busy sweeping the floor. After Juan Bi served Gu Yanfei as usual, she began to look for the cat. ¡°My Lady, where¡¯s Qing Guang?¡¯ Juan Bi looked around the house and even at the small warehouse in the backyard. She said in disappointment, ¡°Did Qing Guang go out to play? I even asked the kitchen to make its favorite shredded egg yolk duck.¡± Gu Yanfei didn¡¯t say anything and looked out of the window at the empty courtyard. Others might not know, but she knew very well that Qing Guang hadn¡¯t returned all night. Although Qing Guang was a cat, it wasn¡¯t an ordinary cat. When it was in danger, it had the ability to protect itself. Moreover, its charm hadn¡¯t been lost. Mortals wouldn¡¯t be able to hurt it in time. Where would it go? In the past, in the Bright Spirit Realm, Gu Yanfei could sense Qing Guang¡¯s exact location through the contract between them. But not now. She could barely sense where Qing Guang had gone last night to make sure that it wasn¡¯t injured or in any danger. Seeing that Gu Yanfei was looking at the courtyard outside, Juan Bi couldn¡¯t help but crane her neck to look out again, wanting to see if Qing Guang was hiding in a corner playing hide-and-seek with her. However, she still found nothing. Unable to find her precious Qing Guang, Juan Bi felt empty. She rambled, ¡°My Lady, did Qing Guang go out to play?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been quite unsafe outside recently. When I went to the kitchen to get food, I heard that the youngest grandson of Old Madam Wu, who¡¯s guarding the corner door, was lost last night. Their family has been searching for him all night, but they haven¡¯t found him. Old Madam Wu was anxious and came to the residence to ask someone to help find the child.¡± ¡°Later, Old Madam Sun, who had just gone out to buy something, also came. She said that dozens of beggars were missing from the capital last night, and they were all young beggars. ¡® The cup in Gu Yanfei¡¯s hand stopped in midair, and she raised her eyebrows. ¡°How did Old Madam Sun know?¡± There weren¡¯t many beggars in the capital, but there were definitely not few. Usually, there were many beggars. How could Old Madam Sun, a purchasing old woman from the Marquis Mansion, know so much?! Juan Bi scratched her cheek and shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± She had only picked up the food in the kitchen and listened in passing. She really didn¡¯t know the details. ¡°I¡¯ll ask around.¡± Juan Bi had just put down the food box when she hurried out to ask again. Juan Bi was fast and well-informed. Gu Yanfei had just finished her breakfast when she returned, panting. ¡°My Lady, this morning, the Yu family built a shed for porridge delivery at the south city gate. When Old Madam Sun passed by, she heard the old women from the Yu family discussing that there wasn¡¯t even a child here to collect the porridge today.¡± ¡°There was an unshaven beggar who didn¡¯t even collect his porridge. He went around crazily looking for his son. He said that his son was only ten years old. He went to beg at the temple yesterday and hasn¡¯t returned since.¡± ¡°I heard that a beggar ran to the imperial capital to report to the officials. He wanted to ask the guards to help find his daughter, but he was beaten up.¡± Gu Yanfei spun the teacup in her hand and frowned deeply. Juan Bi swallowed. ¡®My Lady, that¡¯s all I heard.¡± She could vaguely sense that her lady seemed to be very concerned about this matter. Just as she was about to say that she would go out and ask again, Gu Yanfei stood up nimbly and stroked her sleeve. ¡°I¡¯ll go out and find Qing Guang.¡± Juan Bi hurriedly picked up a basket of cat toys from the side and chased after her. ¡°My Lady, I¡¯ll go with you. As soon as Gu Yanfei went out, she followed the direction she had sensed and headed west. After crossing three or four streets, they came to a narrow alley. The canopy of the locust trees above was dense, forming huge natural umbrellas. Gu Yanfei walked in front while Juan Bi followed behind. She held a bell ball in her hand and waved it back and forth repeatedly, shouting, ¡®Qing Guang! Qing Guang!¡± However, she still found nothing. The entire alley was empty, and there was neither a cat nor any other living creature. Only the yellow and green locust leaves above swayed. A few fallen leaves on the ground occasionally fluttered and swirled with the cold wind. ¡°Boohoo¡­¡± ¡°My little darling¡­¡± A man¡¯s hoarse sob came from the mouth of the alley ahead, sounding extremely sorrowful.. Chapter 296 - Chapter 296: Found Chapter 296: Found Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Gu Yanfei looked for the voice and walked over. She saw a medium-sized man in his 30s at the entrance of the alley holding a piece of paper in his hand, calling for his little darling in a daze. The man was dressed in a straight green robe. His robe was washed white and covered in patches of all sizes, making him look very shabby. His forehead was swollen and bruised, and his hair was a little messy. He was in a sorry state. ¡°Grandpa, have you seen my little darling? She¡¯s wearing a blue flower jacket¡­¡± He handed the piece of paper in his hand to an old man passing by. ¡°This is her appearance¡­¡± The old man shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen her.¡¯ The green-robed man stumbled forward, grabbing passersby and asking questions as he walked. ¡°Big Sister, have you seen a 10-year-old girl?¡± ¡°Brother, have you seen such a tall, oval-faced little girl in a blue flower jacket?¡± The passersby either shook their heads, avoided him, or whispered to each other by the roadside. ¡°It¡¯s pitiful to lose his daughter,¡± a plump middle-aged woman said sympathetically from the side of the road. ¡°I heard that he¡¯s a scholar and has a scholar¡¯s reputation. He used to teach in his hometown in Yuzhou. Because of the disaster in Yuzhou last year, he became a refugee and fled to the capital with his daughter , ¡± another middle-aged man added. He raised his hand and pointed in a direction. ¡°He usually writes for someone not far ahead and earns a living¡­ I remember his surname is Zhang.¡± ¡°He even went to the government office to report it early in the morning, but he kowtowed at the entrance of the government office, and they still ignored him¡­ He was even beaten out by the guards and injured his leg¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s outrageous. It¡¯s one thing for the authorities to ignore him, but they even hit him,¡± someone in the crowd muttered, and the others stirred. ¡°Madam, have you seen my daughter?¡± Scholar Zhang stopped another old woman with silver hair. The old woman also shook her head. Scholar Zhang¡¯s face turned even paler. His expression was panicked, as if his soul had been taken away, and even his eyes were empty. Seeing that he was really pitiful, the old woman comforted him kindly, ¡°Scholar, don¡¯t be discouraged. Look for her again.¡± ¡°She was most likely abducted by a beggar.¡± ¡°Go ask the procuress and see if there¡¯s any news. Those procuresses are very well informed. ¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so?¡± another young man in gray said eloquently. ¡°In one night, many children went missing, and all of them were older. Shouldn¡¯t beggars be abducting those younger children?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± The other passersby agreed and nodded repeatedly. The young man in gray waved his fist and said indignantly, ¡°Speaking of which, those officials are really hateful. They don¡¯t stand up for the commoners!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. Who wouldn¡¯t be anxious when their child is lost? Isn¡¯t it only right for the authorities to help find the child?¡¯ ¡°Sigh, it¡¯s better to rely on yourself than on others. I have to think of a way to take good care of my child myself.¡± The passersby were getting more and more agitated as they spoke. Gu Yanfei slowly continued along the street outside the alley. Along the way, she heard the surrounding commoners talking about the disappearance of children. Every family had a child, and every family was worried that their child would be the next victim. For a moment, everyone was panicking and speculating. An uneasy, oppressive atmosphere filled the air, spreading at an incredible speed. The sky was covered in dark clouds, and the sky looked even gloomier than yesterday. Gu Yanfei stopped and took out the compass that had just been repaired yesterday from her sleeve pocket. She casually plucked the needle on the compass. The needle spun rapidly, not stopping for a long time, emitting a faint buzzing sound. It was still the same as last night. Nothing could be calculated. Gu Yanfei silently put the compass back into her sleeve pocket. She looked up at the dark sky and muttered, ¡°How shameless!¡± The Heaven¡¯s Will of this small world was really shameless! ¡°My Lady,¡± Juan Bi asked uneasily, holding Qing Guang¡¯s favorite bell ball, ¡°is Qing Guang¡­¡± Before she could finish, there was a commotion behind her. She turned and saw the scholar sprinting forward as if he had gone crazy, clutching the paper in his hand. His eyes were red as he rushed forward without caring about anything else. He accidentally bumped into several people. Some people only staggered two steps. Some were lucky enough to be supported by their friends, while others fell to the ground. ¡°Poor scholar, do you not have eyes?!¡± A square-faced young man, who had fallen to the ground, was so angry that his face turned green. He cursed at Scholar Zhang¡¯s back and shouted, ¡°You bumped into me. Don¡¯t you know how to apologize?!¡± However, Scholar Zhang acted as if he hadn¡¯t heard anything and continued to charge forward with his head lowered. ¡°Forget it, forget it.¡± The silver-haired old woman kindly walked over to be the peacemaker and comforted the square-faced young man. ¡°Little Brother, don¡¯t be calculative with him.¡± ¡°He lost his daughter last night. He was so anxious when he heard that Kang Wang had asked someone to help search for the child in the capital.¡± There was an uproar. It was as if a drop of cold water had fallen into a hot pot of oil and exploded. The passersby on both sides of the street rushed over like a tide to listen to the commotion. All of them perked up, and their eyes lit up. ¡°Kang Wang is really benevolent and loves the citizens like his own.¡± ¡°If he can find those missing children, I¡¯ll definitely set up a memorial tablet for Kang Wang!¡± The more the commoners spoke, the more excited they became. They were all grateful. These ordinary people didn¡¯t ask for much. They only wanted a place to settle down, have a full meal, and for their families to be safe and sound. A young man in gray sighed with emotion. ¡°Kang Wang has a noble character. No wonder a true dragon bowed down to him!¡± His friend beside him tugged at his sleeve and reprimanded, ¡°Don¡¯t spout nonsense! ¡± The gray-clothed young man didn ¡®t say anything else, but the passersby beside him heard his words. Those passersby all started talking about the rumors of a true dragon descending on Kang Wang¡¯s manor at the beginning of the new year. The commoners on the street became noisier bit by bit. They spoke vividly, as if they had all seen the dragon wagging its tail with their own eyes. Gu Yanfei, who had stopped by the roadside, decided not to leave. She glanced around, and her gaze landed on a restaurant on the right. She said to Juan Bi, ¡°Let¡¯s go there and sit.¡± The master and servant entered the restaurant and sat down at a private table on the second floor, facing the street. The waiter quickly served tea, pastries, nuts, and so on. As Gu Yanfei drank her tea, she calmly looked down at the street from the window. Scholar Zhang had long since run away, but the passersby still didn¡¯t disperse. Words like ¡°true dragon¡±, ¡°missing¡±, and ¡°children¡± floated up from below from time to time. After Gu Yanfei slowly finished a pot of tea, rumbling footsteps suddenly came from the end of the street. Coupled with the messy sound of hooves, it was Imposing. A team of people dressed as guards ran over, either spurring their horses or running. They were all in a hurry, going door to door to ask about the missing children. When the passersby saw this scene, they were all in high spirits and became even more noisy. Some people heard the commotion and came over, but some gradually dispersed.. ¡°Found it!¡± In an alley in the distance, a high, loud voice shouted. The shout was extremely penetrating, echoing almost from one end of the street to the other.. Chapter 297 - Chapter 297: Benevolent Lord Chapter 297: Benevolent Lord Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios In the direction of the voice, two or three people ran over happily and shouted, ¡°The people from Prince Kang¡¯s Manor just found a child.¡± ¡°The child escaped!¡± The street was as noisy as a pot of boiling water. Passersby spontaneously passed on the good news. Although he didn¡¯t know how the other children were doing, at least now it was a good sign. At the end of the street, a thin man in green rushed out of an alley with a girl in a blue floral jacket. The man stumbled and staggered. Not far behind him were two tall and strong guards with long sabers at their waists, in a guard posture. ¡°My Lady, isn¡¯t this Scholar Zhang just now?¡± Juan Bi looked out of the window and squinted at the scholar in green, who was at least 80 to 90 feet away from them. The person who rushed out with the child was indeed Scholar Zhang. At this moment, Scholar Zhang no longer held the portrait that he treasured. He hugged the girl tightly with both arms, his expression excited and agitated. His face was covered in tears, as if he was afraid that someone would snatch the child from his arms. Juan Bi was a little far away. She could only vaguely see that the girl¡¯s face was dirty and her body was covered in injuries. Her jacket was even stained with dazzling blood. The girl¡¯s thin body was curled up uneasily in Scholar Zhang¡¯s arms. The two guards settled them at the tea stall and left, saying that they were going back to report to Kang Wang. The enthusiastic commoners around them hurriedly surrounded Scholar Zhang and his daughter. Some asked them to go to the tea stall on the street and sit down, some brought tea, some volunteered to run to the nearby medical center to get a doctor, and some rushed forward and asked the girl, ¡®Young lady, have you seen my child? He has a big mole on his right eyebrow. ¡® ¡°And my grandson. He has a round head and is easy to recognize!¡± ¡°My daughter has a birthmark on the back of her right hand¡­¡± Those who had lost their children were all burning with anxiety. They wished they could pry open the girl¡¯s mouth and make her tell them everything she knew. A group of people surrounded Scholar Zhang and his daughter, forming an invisible pressure. The girl shivered like a frightened rabbit and buried her face in her father¡¯s chest, unable to speak. Scholar Zhang frowned, his face filled with anger. His eyes were burning with anger as he gritted his teeth and said, ¡®My daughter just escaped from the palace!¡± ¡°The eldest princess in the palace is seriously ill and needs a child¡¯s heart blood to treat her illness.¡¯ ¡°They kidnapped many children and brought them into the palace. My daughter had to go through all kinds of hardships to escape. Fortunately, the guards of Prince Kang¡¯s Manor found her in time.¡± The more Scholar Zhang spoke, the more afraid he became. His arms that were hugging his daughter kept trembling, and his face was still pale. If not for the fact that Kang Wang¡¯s guards had found his daughter in time, how far could a weak child like her escape? She would have long been captured by those evil people in the palace. Scholar Zhang¡¯s words were like a thunderclap that exploded in the sky, shaking everyone until their bodies trembled and their eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°Shangqing Spiritual Master¡­¡± The girl in Scholar Zhang¡¯s arms raised her head, trembling. Her voice was trembling. ¡°It¡¯s Shangqing Spiritual Master.¡± The girl¡¯s face was as pale as paper as she wailed. Everyone was even more shocked and couldn¡¯t help but gasp. Their expressions changed. The person who treated the Eldest Princess and refined the Heart Pill for her was actually Shangqing Spiritual Master! In other words, was the matter of taking the child¡¯s heart blood true?! Juan Bi was also shocked when she heard this. She pointed at her heart and said to Gu Yanfei, ¡°Miss, could this heart blood be¡­¡± ¡°Opening a hole in her heart and getting a bowl of hot blood,¡± Gu Yanfei said calmly. She even pretended to cut Juan Bi¡¯s heart. Juan Bi¡¯s eyes widened, and the color drained from her face. ¡®Then wouldn¡¯t taking the blood of the heart kill those children?¡± Gu Yanfei didn¡¯t say anything else and slowly drank her tea. Juan Bi felt a chill in her heart. In the tea shed below, an old man muttered, ¡®The Emperor is a benevolent ruler and has always been benevolent to his subordinates.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± There were also a few people around who frowned or stroked their beards with hesitation. To Scholar Zhang, who was filled with righteous indignation, this doubt was like someone pointing at his nose and saying that he was spouting nonsense. Scholar Zhang felt that he had been greatly insulted. His slightly sallow face was flushed red as he said angrily, ¡°Everything I said is true! If I¡¯m lying, I¡¯ll be struck by lightning! ¡® When Scholar Zhang said this, most people believed him, even if they had a trace of doubt before. Those who had lost their children knelt on the ground in shock. Some wailed as if they had lost their parents, some pounded the ground repeatedly with sorrowful expressions, and some shouted their children¡¯s names in a daze. If their child was really captured to refine pills for the Eldest Princess, what else could they do? They couldn¡¯t rush to the palace to ask for their children back. The commoners present were all infected by this sadness. Just think about it, if their children were captured by the nobles in the palace and had their heart blood dug out, they would also feel heartache, resentment, and unwillingness. The street was getting noisier and noisier. A middle-aged woman who was crying on the ground suddenly wiped her tears and got up from the ground. She said angrily, ¡°No, I¡¯m going to find my Shuan Zi. That¡¯s the only child I¡¯ve finally given birth to after being pregnant for ten months.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll beg the Emperor. Even if I have to pay with my life for my Shuan Zi¡¯s life!¡± When she said that, everyone couldn¡¯t help but look touched. She really had the heart of a parent. Scholar Zhang felt the same. In order to find his daughter, he was willing to sacrifice his life. There was actually such lawlessness under the Emperor¡¯s feet! Scholar Zhang gritted his teeth and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go to the right gate of Chang¡¯an to lodge a complaint. I want to ask the Emperor if all the other children deserve to die to save the Eldest Princess. Do we, the children of commoners, deserve to be medicine catalysts for nobles?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to beat the drums!¡± ¡°Nan Nan, I¡¯ll bring you along to beat the drum and seek justice for you!¡± Emperor Taizu had set up a drum at the right gate of Chang¡¯an. Anyone who had been wronged could strike and hear the drum. However, those who struck the drum had to be punished with 30 sticks before this case could be accepted and heard. Scholar Zhang looked at his daughter with red eyes, his chest surging with anger. The girl grabbed Scholar Zhang¡¯s lapel tightly and sobbed non-stop. Her tears drenched her father¡¯s lapel. The middle-aged woman wiped her tears with her sleeve again and said firmly, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you!¡± Scholar Zhang stood up with his petite and disheveled daughter in his arms and strode in the direction of the palace with an indomitable determination. The commoners looked at each other in confusion. Some people hesitated, some were angry, some were at a loss, and more chased after Scholar Zhang¡­ Chapter 298 - Chapter 298: Bold Chapter 298: Bold Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The commotion on the street gradually faded as Scholar Zhang and the others left. Gu Yanfei tapped the table gently and pursed her lips thoughtfully. From the series of events just now, she understood a few things. The Eldest Princess was ill. This illness required the blood of children to refine the so-called ¡°Heart Pill¡± as medicine. Gu Yanfei looked in the direction of the palace from the window. She continued to tap the tabletop again and again with a regular rhythm. ¡°Tuk, tuk, tuk¡­¡± After thinking for a while, she suddenly stood up and said, ¡°Juan Bi, let¡¯s go to the Tianyin Pavilion. ¡± Gu Yanfei casually patted the residue off her hand and stepped out of the private seat. Juan Bi followed closely behind. As soon as she heard about the Tianyin Pavilion, she thought of a certain demonic figure and shivered in fear. When the master and servant walked out of the restaurant, the street outside became a little deserted. There were nearly half fewer passersby on the street. Scholar Zhang and the others had already walked away. There were still some passersby standing by the street discussing what had just happened. There was an indescribable oppressive atmosphere in the air. As soon as Gu Yanfei reached the end of the street, she heard at least seven or eight people reminding their children not to leave the house for the next few days. The Tianyin Pavilion wasn¡¯t far from here. It was at Mingfu Street, two streets away. At this moment, the door of the Tianyin Pavilion was still tightly closed and had yet to open for business. Gu Yanfei felt as if her heartstrings had been gently tugged by something. Qing Guang? ¡°Knock, knock.¡± Juan Bi knocked on the door of the Tianyin Pavilion for Gu Yanfei. After a while, the closed door opened a crack, revealing half of the shopkeeper¡¯s chubby face. He said with a smile, ¡°Miss, our shop will only open in the afternoon.¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking for someone,¡± Gu Yanfei said bluntly. The shopkeeper¡¯s face was full of smiles. ¡®May I ask who you¡¯re looking for?¡± Gu Yanfei only said one word when the shopkeeper¡¯s expression changed drastically and he interrupted her. ¡°Miss, please come in.¡± The shopkeeper seemed to be afraid that Gu Yanfei would say an indescribable name, so he quickly opened the door and politely extended his hand. ¡°This way, please.¡± He brought Gu Yanfei to a private room on the second floor with a solemn expression. Gu Yanfei quietly scanned her surroundings and seemed to hear a faint meow. When she listened again, there was silence. Gu Yanfei sat down in the private room while Juan Bi guarded outside. Her heart was in turmoil. She lowered her head and looked at the tips of her shoes, counting the spikes. A moment later, a pair of bright red shoes embroidered with flames entered Juan Hi¡¯s field of vision. The air around her suddenly turned cold. For a moment, Juan Bi felt as if she was on the path to the underworld. Xia Houqing floated down the corridor like a burning cloud and into the private room. The interior of this private room was gorgeous and elegant. Thin straw mats were laid on the ground. In the middle was an exquisite tea table with futons on both sides. Teapots and teacups were placed on the tea table. A colorful painting of peonies hung on one wall. Xia Houqing lifted his robe, and his new clothes flew up like red butterflies. He casually propped his elbows on the table, his posture lazy and somewhat rebellious. The red wide-sleeved shirt and the hem of the shirt were evenly spread on the frilly straw mat. It was both gorgeous and demonic, as beautiful as a live painting. Gu Yanfei sat opposite the tea table with her legs crossed. She held her cheek with one hand and was as comfortable as if she was at home. ¡®What are you doing here?¡± Xia Houqing¡¯s cold gaze swept across Gu Yanfei¡¯s face. He sneered and asked impatiently. The words ¡°You still dare to come¡± were written on his beautiful and coquettish face. Gu Yanfei went straight to the point. ¡°The Eldest Princess is sick.¡± Xia Houqing picked up the teapot with one hand and poured himself a cup of tea. The tea was bright and fragrant like orchids. Xia Houqing slowly took a sip, appreciating the rich and fresh taste. He didn¡¯t say anything, but the meaning in his every move was clear. What does it have to do with me?! ¡°Young Master Xia, we¡¯re already so familiar with each other. Do me a favor,¡¯ Gu Yanfei ignored the other party¡¯s cold expression and said nonchalantly. Then she leaned her face a little closer to Xia Houqing¡¯s, just two inches from his cheek, and whispered again. ¡± ¡± Xia Houqing put down the teacup and glanced at Gu Yanfei from the corner of his eye. His narrow and charming phoenix eyes were filled with a strange light. Gu Yanfei looked straight into Xia Houqing¡¯s eyes and said with a smile, ¡°You have a way, right?¡± She had no intention of being polite to Xia Houqing at all, as if they were old friends. Xia Houqing narrowed his eyes and stared at Gu Yanfei for a long time without blinking. ¡°Hehehehe¡­¡± He rested a hand on his forehead and lowered his face to smile sinisterly. His shoulders trembled as he laughed, and his red clothes rippled like water. Old Qi was guarding outside the private room. He couldn¡¯t help but look inside. The corners of his eyes twitched twice, and he wondered if Miss Gu was crazy. This was the State of Jin, and Xia Houqing was from an enemy country. She actually wanted his help? Was this girl crazy?! Xia Houqing brushed a strand of shiny black hair from his cheek, its color making his slender fingers look fairer than snow. He said indifferently, ¡°You can go to Imperial Duke Wei.¡± Chu Yi wasn¡¯t in the capital and couldn¡¯t help her, but Imperial Duke Wei was here. Xia Houqing glanced at Gu Yanfei from the corner of his right eye. His left eye was blocked by the hand holding his forehead, and half of his face was demonic and cold. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about this.¡± Gu Yanfei looked at Xia Houqing calmly and casually waved her hand, looking like she was saying, ¡®Listen to me, stop nagging.¡¯ Xia Houqing¡¯s pupils quivered slightly, and his demonic beast-like sharp gaze shot straight over. It had been so many years. Other than her, no one had ever dared speak to him with such a disrespectful attitude! She was still so bold and reckless! Gu Yanfei smiled faintly without even changing the curve of her lips. She only said in a low voice, ¡®The Yu family.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Xia Houqing, who was originally chatting and laughing, froze. One breath, two breaths, three breaths. Xia Houqing moved and slowly raised his head. He looked at Gu Yanfei and rolled his eyes slightly. His expression and eyes became extremely dangerous, like a ferocious beast waiting to attack. It was a pain that had been exposed. It was a monstrous hatred. The scarlet providence around him began to surge crazily like boiling water again, like a poisonous snake eyeing its prey. Gu Yanfei looked at Xia Houqing without moving. Her right hand under the tea table silently clenched the Mystic Flame Whip, ready to strike. This lunatic was always moody! Chapter 299 - Chapter 299: Hatred Chapter 299: Hatred Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°My divination is very accurate.¡± Gu Yanfei smiled from the side like a sly fox. Last time at the manor, in order to calculate Xia Houqing¡¯s background, Gu Yanfei had read 49 hexagrams for him and divined some karma and hatred. The hexagram pointed to one word: ¡°Yu.¡± Xia Houqing¡¯s motive for risking his life to come to the Great Jin Dynasty was actually not simple. Without giving the other party a chance to react, Gu Yanfei threw out another sentence. ¡°Who does Shangqing belong to?¡± The question hit the nail on the head. There was silence in the booth. Clap! Clap! Xia Houqing moved his upper body back and clapped gently. He seemed to be praising her, but there was still a ruthless expression on his face. The scarlet providence around him was still as crazy as a group of demons dancing. ¡°Then do you know that Shangqing¡¯s surname is Yu?¡± Xia Houqing asked unexpectedly. This time, Gu Yanfei¡¯s face revealed a rare stunned expression as she widened her eyes. Shangqing was actually a member of the Yu family?! Gu Yanfei had guessed that Shangqing was most likely raised by the Yu family , but she didn¡¯t expect him to be from the Yu family. Seeing this, Xia Houqing smiled happily. The scarlet providence on his body suddenly turned calm. Ever since he¡¯d first met this girl, he¡¯d been led by the nose. The feeling of being seen through by her was terrible. Now it seemed that she wasn¡¯t so resourceful. There were still many things in this world that she didn¡¯t know. Xia Houqing felt happy that he had finally taken the upper hand. Without waiting for Gu Yanfei to ask, he continued happily, ¡°Shangqing is a legitimate son of the Yu family. Because of his natural Dao bone and talent, he became a disciple of the Wuliang Temple. Xia Houqing was in a good mood. He changed his posture and leaned against a big red welcome pillow, which made his wide red sleeves slide down. listened as she drank tea. This small world could be said to be a land of extinction. For Shangqing to be able to cultivate to this point, he was indeed a talented person. However, talent was clearly not on par with him being able to survive in fame and fortune like a fish in water. ¡°It was the Yu Family that elevated him to such a high position,¡± Gu Yanfei said with certainty. In the past few years, Shangqing had become famous and displayed many ¡°mystical abilities¡±. He was talked about by the people and was quite prestigious among the nobles, the royal family, and the people. He had a momentum comparable to the Celestial Rectifier Spiritual Master. Everyone respected him and looked up to him. It was precisely because his surname was Yu that the Yu family did their best to help him at all costs and push him to his current position step by step. So that was it! The Yu Family had been in dire straits for a long time since their dynasty, and they were far inferior to the Yuan Family, which was rising. And the Yu Family would obviously not be willing to decline from now on¡­ fingers casually caressed the colorful phoenix that was flapping its wings and dancing on the teacup. She thought of her phoenix-patterned jade pendant with a phoenix head and no eyes. It was the jade pendant that the Yu family, the British Duchess, had been longing for for two lifetimes. Interesting. Gu Yanfei took a sip of tea and thought hard. She continued to get close to Xia Houqing and asked, ¡°What enmity do you have with the Yu family?¡± Her tone was very natural, as if she was on the same side as him. Xia Houqing laughed without saying a word. His demonic eyes were like an ancient well, filled with gloominess, coldness, and ruthlessness. A storm was brewing bit by bit, as if it wanted to tear and crush everything. A bloodthirsty smile slowly appeared on his red lips. ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t want to tell me.¡± Gu Yanfei didn¡¯t insist. She waved the teacup in her hand casually, and the tea leaves in the cup floated up and down. ¡°If you help me with this, I¡¯ll give you a big gift. ¡°Okay?¡± looked at him with a smile. Although she used a questioning tone, she was very sure that he would accept it. There was a long silence after that. Xia Houqing narrowed his eyes and stared at her without blinking. His eyes seemed to be soaked in ice and tempered with poison. He wished he could cut open her head and take a closer look. How many more secrets did she know! To him, such a person staying in this world was like a thorn in the side! Gu Yanfei¡¯s sitting posture became even more casual and lazy, but in fact, she wasn¡¯t relaxed at all. Her arms were clenched tightly, and the whip slowly curled in her hand. The atmosphere in the private room became more and more tense as the silence spread. There seemed to be an invisible string in the air that was pulled taut, ready to snap at any moment. The silence lasted for too long, but Gu Yanfei remained unmoved. After an unknown period of time, Xia Houqing raised his hand and gave a light clap. ¡°Clap!¡¯ Old Qi, who was guarding outside the private seat, immediately walked in. He bowed and waited for orders. ¡°My Lord.¡± ¡°Send her to the right gate of Chang¡¯an, Xia Houqing said as he pointed at Gu Yanfei. He was wearing a new string of red coral bracelets on his jade-white wrist. Gu Yanfei finished the last mouthful of tea in her cup and leisurely got up from the futon. She took a step and suddenly stopped, then smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ll leave my cat in your care.¡± ¡± ¡± Xia Houqing¡¯s eyes slanted as a look of shock uncontrollably appeared on his bewitching face. There was also a hint of embarrassment and anger mixed within. Thinking back to last night, even he didn¡¯t know why he brought that stupid cat back and even allowed it to strut around in his territory. Reality proved it! That cat was really more troublesome than its master. In just one night, almost all of his subordinates had defected. All of them treated the cat like their ancestor and even fought over it. They gave his screen, incense burner, straw mat, desk, and vase¡­ to that stupid cat. Just thinking about it made Xia Houqing¡¯s head hurt. He just wanted Gu Yanfei to quickly take the cat away. However, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to say it. It was as if once he said this, it was equivalent to lowering his head to Gu Yanfei and that stupid cat. He hesitated for a moment, but Gu Yanfei had already followed Old Qi out of the elegant seat. Her light and casual footsteps went away along the corridor. The moment Gu Yanfei left, Xia Houqing high-fived twice again. Right on the heels of that, a secret door on the west wall of the private room was pushed open from the other side. A gap about two feet wide appeared. The black-robed youth stuck his head out and looked around before heaving a sigh of relief. Then, he looked at Xia Houqing and cupped his hands. ¡± ¡± The corners of Xia Houqing¡¯s eyes twitched again as he felt an indescribable lump of anger in his chest. Behind the black-clothed youth, the long-haired calico cat was lying on a big red cushion embroidered with golden threads and flame patterns on the desk. Strings of big red tassels hung from the four corners of the cushion. The long cat¡¯s tail flicked, occasionally brushing against the big red tassel. This cushion is his! The veins on Xia Houqing¡¯s forehead twitched. Four men in black surrounded the cat and asked about its well-being. Some poured water, some combed the cat¡¯s fur, and some roasted dried fish and chicken slices for the cat¡­ On the ground were his Night-Luminescent Pearls. They were the size of a thumb and rolled all over the ground. Xia Houqing¡¯s temples hurt even more. He must be crazy to bring this cat back.. Chapter 300 - Chapter 300: Demonic Priest Chapter 300: Demonic Priest Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Meow! The cat, which had been lying down, suddenly sat up. Its messy white beard trembled slightly with its movements. Its nose twitched and it seemed to be sniffing something or sensing something. It looked in the direction where Gu Yanfei had left. Gu Yanfei had already arrived at the entrance of the Tianyin Pavilion. She could vaguely hear the meowing of a cat. Qing Guang seemed to be having a good time. Gu Yanfei turned around and glanced at the second floor of the Tianyin Pavilion. She smiled and got into a carriage. After Gu Yanfei sat down, the carriage went on its way. The carriage shuttled through the intersecting streets and headed towards the palace. There was a commotion outside the carriage, and the streets along the way were very noisy. Gu Yanfei lifted the curtains with one hand and saw the commoners gathered in twos and threes, discussing the disappearance of the children last night. ¡°Have you heard? The missing children were taken to¡­ that place.¡± ¡°I heard. A lord is sick, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. It took the little girl a lot of effort to escape. Now, her father has run to the right door of Chang¡¯an and knocked on the drum! ¡± ¡°This¡­ Isn¡¯t he courting death?¡± ¡°Sigh. You¡¯re right. I just saw a team of officials heading towards the right gate of Chang¡¯an.¡± Gu Yanfei glanced at the people who were discussing animatedly and retracted her gaze calmly. When the carriage arrived at Chang¡¯an Street, there were even more people on the street. It was bustling with activity, and they were all walking towards the right gate of Chang¡¯an. The streets were congested with passers-by rubbing shoulders and walking forward slowly. However, when Gu Yanfei¡¯s carriage passed by, someone automatically made a path for the carriage to pass through smoothly. The carriage drove smoothly all the way to the right gate of Chang¡¯an. The closer it was to the palace gate, the more people there were. At this moment, hundreds of commoners had gathered in the square outside Chang¡¯an¡¯s right gate. There were the families of missing children, enthusiastic people who had followed them to express their support, and idle people who were watching the show. Standing at the front were Scholar Zhang and his daughter, as well as the middle-aged woman who had lost her son. Confronting these indignant citizens was a group of imperial guards guarding the right gate of Chang¡¯an. These imperial guards wore bronze helmets and iron armor. They held spears in their hands and gave off a dignified aura that prevented strangers from approaching. The leader of the imperial guards carried a long saber and warned indifferently, ¡°Scholar, you have to consider carefully. Once you beat the drum, you must not have any regrets. Even if you go back on your word, you will still have to receive these 30 beatings.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the law of the Great Jin Dynasty! ¡® His last sentence was powerful and intimidating. The surrounding commoners were more or less suppressed by the imperial guard¡¯s imposing manner, and they became much quieter, their gazes all fixed on Scholar Zhang. Scholar Zhang was fearless. He held the girl¡¯s hand and looked at the imperial guards with his head held high. He gritted his teeth and said resolutely, ¡°I want to sue!¡± He wanted to seek justice for his daughter and make things clear. The middle-aged woman beside him also choked and echoed, ¡°l want to sue too!¡± As soon as she said the last word, she heard a rough male voice scold her angrily, ¡°What are you suing for?!¡¯ ¡°Get out of the way, get out of the way!¡± More than 20 tall bailiffs ran over with long sabers in their hands. All of them had stern expressions on their faces and exuded an ill-intentioned aura. The captain first cupped his hands at the imperial guard flag and smiled politely. ¡°Leader Li, leave these unruly people to me.¡± Leader Li looked hesitant. It wasn¡¯t a small matter to make a complaint. It would naturally be best if he could turn a big matter into a small one. The surrounding commoners were in an uproar. Words like ¡°imperial capital¡± , ¡°military officer¡±, ¡°beating Scholar Zhang¡± and so on drifted over with the wind. When the chairman turned to face the ordinary people, he changed his expression and looked at everyone arrogantly. ¡°This is an important place in the capital. Are you trying to cause trouble?¡± A hunchbacked old man bowed and cupped his fists at the head of the class. He explained humbly, ¡°Sir, we¡¯re not trying to cause trouble. Some children are missing¡­ Aiyo!¡± Before he could finish speaking, the old man was rudely kicked down by a burly and fat bailiff. He fell flat on his back and screamed repeatedly. ¡°Isn¡¯t it just losing some beggars and refugees?¡± The class president shouted angrily, ¡®Their lives combined can¡¯t even compare to a finger of the noble!¡± Scholar Zhang, the middle-aged woman, and the other commoners were deeply hurt by the class president¡¯s words. Their simple faces flushed red, and their eyes burned with anger. ¡°Outrageous! ¡± A male voice filled with righteous indignation sounded from the crowd. ¡®What right do you have to hit people?!¡± A young man in gray raised his chin and roared angrily at the officials, ¡°Aren¡¯t the lives of our people lives?!¡± The other commoners were also agitated by the unreasonableness of the bailiffs. They echoed, ¡®That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right!¡± ¡°So many children were lost overnight, and the authorities didn¡¯t care.¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t treat us as humans at all!¡± The commoners were getting more and more agitated. They were furious and indignant. They were all holding their breaths. The class leader snorted disdainfully and raised his hand to point at the clamoring commoners. ¡°All of you unruly people, retreat. Otherwise, I¡¯ll kill you without mercy!¡± As soon as he said the last word, the bailiffs he brought with him pulled out their long sabers. More than ten long sabers shone with a cold light. When the tip of the saber was pointed at someone, it made one¡¯s heart turn cold. There was a strong smell of gunpowder in the air. The two sides were confronting each other, and it seemed like a fight would break out at any moment. It seemed that someone¡¯s blood would splatter on the spot at any moment. The commoners present had never seen such a murderous scene before. They were more or less frightened, and most of them didn¡¯t dare to move. Seeing that both sides were at daggers drawn, Boss Li was afraid that there would be a bloodbath that wouldn¡¯t end well. Just as he was about to step forward, the captain had already walked towards him and whispered into his ear, ¡°Boss Li, they¡¯re just commoners. They won¡¯t cause any big trouble. Our Lord will remember your kindness.¡± President Li frowned as he looked at the people on both sides, weighing the pros and cons. The two sides were in a deadlock. An ordinary-looking young man in a rough green robe walked out, revealing a corner of his black inner robe at the collar. He tried his best to mediate the situation and persuaded Scholar Zhang, ¡°Brother Scholar, I think we should forget about this matter.¡± ¡°Shangqing Spiritual Master said that everything in the world is predestined. Your daughter is fine now, so why are you looking for trouble?¡± ¡°You still know how to speak human language.¡± The fat bailiff smiled disdainfully. He waved his long saber and pointed it at everyone. ¡°The eldest princess¡¯s life is in danger. Saving the princess is a blessing. You unruly people don¡¯t know what¡¯s good for you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right.¡± The green-robed youth nodded repeatedly. ¡°Shangqing Spiritual Master is a living immortal in the world. He took the children¡¯s heart blood to refine pills for the princess. That¡¯s also a blessing for the children. Everyone has their own fate!¡± These few words were like adding fuel to the fire. The commoners present were even more enraged, and their faces were burning with anger. The people didn¡¯t fight with the officials, not to mention that this case involved the nobles of the Tian Family. However, this scholar and woman only wanted to sound the drum and voice their grievances. They originally thought that Shangqing Spiritual Master was a living immortal, but now, it seems that he was just a demon who had colluded with the powerful.. Chapter 301 - Chapter 301: Drumbeat Chapter 301: Drumbeat Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios In an instant, the anger in the hearts of these commoners erupted like a volcano. ¡°It¡¯s a rule set by Emperor Taizu. Why not?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right! Why are you stopping us?!¡± ¡°Why can the Shangqing Spiritual Master decide the fate of those children?!¡± The commoners waved their fists in anger and pushed each other forward, wanting to break through the guards blocking the way. The supervisor and the bailiffs looked at these ignorant commoners and sneered in disdain. ¡®You don¡¯t know what¡¯s good for you!¡± The class president pulled out the long saber from its sheath and pointed the sharp blade at Scholar Zhang. He sneered disdainfully. ¡°1 think you¡¯re the troublemaker. Take him down!¡± ¡°If anyone else dares to cause trouble, they will all be imprisoned!¡± As he spoke, the bailiffs raised their long sabers and approached Scholar Zhang and the others aggressively. The bailiffs were strong. They kicked and pulled a few commoners to the ground. A bailiff with triangular eyes quickly snatched the girl from Scholar Zhang¡¯s hand. ¡°Nan Nan!¡± Scholar Zhang¡¯s eyes were bloodshot as he looked at the bailiff, who had snatched his daughter away. Like a trapped beast that had been forced into a dead end, he rushed towards the other party without a care. The triangular-eyed bailiff sneered and raised his long saber high to stab at the girl¡¯s heart¡­ ¡°Stop!¡¯ President Li¡¯s expression changed instantly. He wanted to stop him, but he was pulled back by the class president. The atmosphere was tense to the extreme, and killing intent filled the air. The surrounding commoners all gasped. Those soft-hearted women almost didn¡¯t dare to continue watching. All of a sudden, a gust of wind that came out of nowhere suddenly blew. It was like a swimming dragon wagging its tail, or an invisible giant beast roaring. The strong wind blew the trees on both sides of the street wildly, and the flags on the city gate tower danced wildly. Everyone screamed and panicked. They felt as if their bodies were about to be blown up by this sudden demonic wind. Some went to support the trees beside them, some held each other¡¯s hands, some staggered and fell to the ground, and some were blown back by the wind¡­ The bailiffs felt the sky above them darken. A huge flag blew down from the city tower in front of them and floated above them, covering the sky. The heavy flagpole pressed the captain and the officials to the ground. Curses, exclamations, collisions, screams¡­ rose and fell. ¡°Ah!¡± A sharp and mournful wail shot into the sky. The triangular-eyed officer covered his right thigh with a twisted expression. A long saber was stabbed into the center of his thigh. Blinding blood flowed out and quickly dyed his pants, robe, and the ground below red¡­ This scene shocked the other government officials around. Amidst the chaos, Gu Yanfei strolled leisurely through the bustling crowd. His clothes fluttered like clouds, as if he was taking a stroll in his own backyard. It was a stark contrast to the crowd around her. It was as if the violent wind had deliberately bypassed her. A few ashes fell from Gu Yanfei¡¯s sleeve after the talisman burned, but no one noticed it. This gust of wind came quickly and left inexplicably. It only blew for three breaths before stopping. When the wind stopped, everyone in the square finally stabilized themselves. They looked like they were still in shock. There were many handkerchiefs, pouches, copper coins, and other small things on the ground. It was a mess. Compared to the sorry-looking crowd, Gu Yanfei, who was walking leisurely, was really eye-catching and transcendent. The strong wind blew away the dark clouds in the sky, and the sunlight poured down, coating her with a layer of soft and dazzling golden powder and making everyone¡¯s eyes light up at the sight of her. Everyone looked at Gu Yanfei like a tidal wave, unable to hide their amazement. The beautiful girl was dressed in a thin, snow- green dress. She was dressed plainly, and the purple ribbon that tied her hair was flying high. Even in this cold winter weather, she wasn¡¯t afraid of the cold at all. Her footsteps were valiant and light. It was as if he was in a completely different season from the people in thick jackets around him. There seemed to be a warm spring breeze blowing past where the girl passed. Under everyone¡¯s stunned gazes, Gu Yanfei walked straight to the girl, who was squatting on the ground anxiously. He handed her a hand and said with a smile, ¡®Give me your hand. ¡® The girl raised her head and looked at her fairy-like sister with teary¡¯ eyes. She seemed to be attracted by an inexplicable force and timidly stretched out her small hand. The triangular-eyed officer hugged his thigh, which had been stabbed with a knife, and rolled on the ground. He groaned and cried out in pain. He couldn¡¯t care less about the girl. The blood from his wound flowed all over the ground. The fat bailiff jumped up from the ground, but he had only taken a step when he was blown away by another gust of wind. Even his huge body floated up. ¡°Ouch!¡± The fat bailiff fell from midair and prostrated himself on the ground. A bloody tooth spat out from his mouth. Everyone was dumbfounded when they saw the two bailiffs in such a sorry state. ¡°Let¡­¡± The captain wanted to stop him, but just as he took a step forward, the bloody tooth rolled to the side of his shoe, scaring him so much that he immediately retracted his leg, not daring to act rashly. Gu Yanfei pulled the girl who was squatting on the ground up. He held her hand and walked to Scholar Zhang¡¯s side. He personally handed his daughter to him and said, ¡°Scholar, follow me.¡± The girl¡¯s eyes were clear and bright, like the boundless Milky Way reflected in them. She smiled slightly. Her body was enveloped in a gauze-like halo that seemed real and illusory. She was fleeting like a fairy, as if she wasn¡¯t from the mortal world. Scholar Zhang held his daughter¡¯s hand and followed behind Gu Yanfei in a daze until they reached the drum. The supervisor gave a look to the bailiffs beside him, telling them to quickly stop this scholar. However, most of the bailiffs were afraid and hesitated, not daring to go forward. A burly bailiff mustered his courage and wanted to rush over, but he was struck in the calf by a stone that came out of nowhere. He screamed and fell to the ground. Gu Yanfei didn¡¯t even look at those government officials. He raised his hand and pointed at the drum in front of him. He said to Scholar Zhang, ¡°Knock.¡± Scholar Zhang had already returned to his senses. He looked at his daughter and gritted his teeth. He raised his hand and grabbed the drumstick beside the drums. This time, the imperial guard¡¯s President Li didn¡¯t stop or persuade him. He only gestured to his subordinates to enter the palace as soon as possible to report the matter of the drum. The two imperial guards immediately received the order and quietly headed in the direction of the Chengtian Sect. This was an important place at the palace gate. If the situation went out of control, they would have to mobilize more imperial guards to maintain order here. President Li¡¯s heart was heavy. When this scholar came to Chang¡¯an¡¯s right gate to knock on the drum, he sent someone to report to the palace, but he was stopped by the Internal Affairs Directorate. Now that the matter had blown up, he was afraid that he couldn¡¯t absolve himself of the blame. Scholar Zhang raised his drumstick and pounded it heavily on the drum.. Chapter 302 - Chapter 302: Personal Arrival Chapter 302: Personal Arrival Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios THUMP! The thunderous sound of the drum resounded throughout the entire square and heavily struck the hearts of everyone present. Everyone¡¯s hearts trembled. Scholar Zhang raised his drumstick and shouted, ¡®This commoner has been wronged! ¡® Right on the heels of that, the people behind him who had lost their children also shouted in unison, ¡®This commoner has been wronged!¡¯ The uniform shouts were like thunder, causing the surrounding air to tremble. THUMP! Scholar Zhang rang the drum again and continued, ¡®This commoner wants to report the eldest princess. In order to survive, she didn¡¯t hesitate to order people to abduct innocent children and take their heart blood to refine pills! ¡± Thump! Thump! Thump! Scholar Zhang repeatedly struck the drum, as if he wanted to vent all the grievances and unwillingness in his heart. Today, he had to seek justice for his daughter and the other children! Let¡¯s see if these nobles can ignore the law and cover the sky with one hand! The thunderous drum beats came again and again, sounding like thunder. Every time Scholar Zhang struck the drum a few times, he would shout for himself and his daughter. The surrounding crowd was boiling like a pot of boiling water. More and more commoners flocked over when they heard the drumbeat. The square and even the three streets outside the palace became more and more crowded and noisy. At a glance, the surroundings were crowded with people. At this moment, the sound of horse hooves came from the end of the street. The hurried sound of horse hooves gradually approached. He saw a team of 20 to 30 people riding their horses over. President Li saw the person from afar and widened his eyes in surprise. He immediately mobilized the imperial guards under him. The soldiers were well-trained and moved. They drove away the gathered commoners every 10 steps and opened up a path for the people at the fastest speed. The leader was a handsome and flawless young master in white. Dressed in a frosty white cloak, he was elegant and noble, like an immortal from heaven who had descended from the mortal world. Behind him was a group of majestic-looking imperial guards. This group of people rode horses and passed through the Zhengyang Gate and the Great Ming Gate. They rushed in the direction of the Chengtian Gate, looking travel -worn. The imperial guards on both sides bowed in unison to welcome the Eldest Prince¡¯s return. Chu Yi heard the endless drumbeats from afar, heard Scholar Zhang¡¯s angry shouts, and saw the commoners gathered in the square. Their handsome faces were expressionless, but their eyes were dark like ink. He had received the news that he was seriously ill last night and had rushed back from the imperial mausoleum overnight. He had only arrived in the capital now. He had only been gone for a day, but the capital seemed to have been turned upside down¡­ ¡°Huff¡ªI¡¯ Chu Yi pulled the reins tightly and stopped the horse in front of the Great Ming Gate. He looked in the direction of the drumbeat and immediately saw the young girl in a snow-green dress standing beside Scholar Zhang. The slender and exquisite girl stood leisurely with her back facing him. From Chu Yi¡¯s angle, he couldn¡¯t see her face at all. However, Chu Yi recognized her with just one look. His lips curled up, and his eyes sparkled. It was her. The young girl¡¯s existence was like a ray of light that pushed away the layers of haze, making Chu Yi suddenly feel enlightened. It was also like a dark landscape painting that had a hint of brightness, making him feel that his lifeless life had another variable worth looking forward to. Chu Yi¡¯s heart, which had been hanging in the air for half a night, settled down instantly. His eyes curved up gently. Gu Yuan, who was following behind Chu Yi, also saw his sister and raised his eyebrows at a loss. Why was his sister here?! The black horse that Gu Yuan was riding on was spewing out white gas. Many commoners in the square also noticed Chu Yi¡¯s arrival. They sized up this handsome young master in white and couldn¡¯t help but take a few more glances. Chu Yi only stopped for two breaths and silently gestured to Gu Yuan. Gu Yuan cupped his fists and accepted the order. Chu Yi squeezed the horse¡¯s belly and continued to ride it towards the palace. Thump! Thump! Thump! The deep and deafening drums rose and fell, louder and louder, resounding throughout the entire palace. Chu Yi rode his horse all the way to the inner court¡¯s Jingren Palace. As he walked forward, the palace servants along the way bowed to him. ¡°Your Highness. ¡± Another eunuch quickly led him to the peaceful bedroom. The hall was filled with a sad, oppressive, and painful atmosphere. Every palace servant had a long face. An Le was still lying on the bed with his eyes closed, unconscious. The Emperor had just finished court today and had been by An Le¡¯s side since last night. It had only been a night, but he looked much more haggard. There was a dark green shadow in his eye sockets. He was still wearing the dragon robe from yesterday , which was already covered in wrinkles. ¡°Father.¡± Chu Yi quickly walked in front of the Emperor and immediately saw the eunuch Zhao Rang, who looked a little uneasy beside the Emperor, and An Le, who was pale and unconscious on the bed. The Emperor frowned slightly and raised his hand to rub his temples. He looked at Chu Yi and said in a low voice, ¡°On the first day of the new year, there was some chaos in the capital this morning. The people were indignant and gathered at the right gate of Chang¡¯an¡­¡± Chu Yi immediately understood the main point of the Emperor¡¯s words. His father probably didn¡¯t know that many commoners had gathered at the right gate of Chang¡¯an until the drum was sounded. Only then did he know about the commotion in the capital today. Chu Yi¡¯s heart sank slightly. The Internal Affairs Directorate was in charge of internal and external communication. It was supposed to be the Emperor¡¯s eyes and ears, ensuring that internal and external communication was smooth. However, the Internal Affairs Directorate was no longer under his father¡¯s control. He deceived everyone, causing his father to be very passive in the palace. Chu Yi immediately instructed Zhao Rang, ¡°Zhao Rang, prepare the dragon carnage.¡± ¡°Father, let¡¯s go to the Chengtian Gate.¡± The Emperor had no objections to his son¡¯s decision. Hence, Chu Yi personally went to the bedroom to carry the unconscious An Le out and sat in the dragon carriage with the Emperor. After the time it took to brew a cup of tea, the Emperor¡¯s guard of honor arrived at the Chengtian Gate in a grandiose manner. ¡°The Emperor has arrived! ¡± When the eunuch¡¯s sharp voice reached the right gate of Chang¡¯an, the surrounding noise suddenly stopped. Be it the bailiffs or the commoners, they were all stunned and couldn¡¯t believe their ears. The drumstick in Scholar Zhang¡¯s hand stopped in midair. His hand slipped, and the drumstick fell to the ground with a clang. No one expected that the Emperor, who was usually only seen in operas, would personally leave the palace. It was unknown who was the first to kneel down, but the others followed suit and knelt on the ground. Their bodies were all shorter. The people kneeling on the ground couldn¡¯t help but raise their heads and look up. Their burning gazes shot towards the city tower above Chengtian Gate. At this moment, most of the commoners had already forgotten the indignation they felt when they heard the drum being beaten. They were more in awe of the Emperor. The Emperor lifted his robe and sat on a large golden chair on the city tower. His expression was serious and dignified. On the way to Chengtian Gate, he had already heard Gu Yuan report the whole matter, including the disappearance of a child in the capital, a girl who said that she had escaped from the palace, and the girl¡¯s father who came to beat the drum but was stopped by the bailiff¡­ The Emperor¡¯s eyebrows were deeply furrowed. As the eldest princess didn¡¯t have much time left, the Emperor had been accompanying her since yesterday and had never left Jingren Palace. He never expected that such a thing would happen in such a short day. His only daughter, his eldest princess, was a blessed child. How could he let Shangqing¡¯s sorcery ruin his precious daughter¡¯s good fortune? Chapter 303 - Chapter 303: Unwilling Chapter 303: Unwilling Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The Emperor looked down at everyone from the tall city tower. At first glance, he instinctively looked in the direction of the drum. With one look, he saw Gu Yanfei standing beside it. Chu Yi was standing beside the Emperor, his frosty white cloak billowing in the wind and flapping loudly. He was also looking at Gu Yanfei. Gu Yanfei didn¡¯t expect Chu Yi to come back at this time. She looked up and smiled at him. In an instant, she was as beautiful as a flower bud on a branch, smiling and spitting out its stamen. The Emperor slowly looked at everyone below and said, ¡°All of you may rise.¡± His voice carried an inconspicuous trace of fatigue in the cold winter wind. Eunuch Zhao Rang repeated the emperor¡¯s words at the top of his lungs. His sharp voice resounded throughout the silent square. The commoners were a little surprised that the Emperor was so approachable and stood up one after another. The Emperor¡¯s second sentence was: ¡®Who beat the drum?¡¯ Zhao Rang repeated this sentence. Scholar Zhang straightened his robes and walked stiffly towards the center, arriving in front of Chengtian Gate. The girl timidly pinched a corner of her father¡¯s robe and followed him like a shadow. Scholar Zhang barely maintained his composure. He bowed to the Emperor on the city wall and replied loudly, ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s me.¡± The square in front of Chengtian Gate was empty. There were two rows of bronze-armored imperial guards on both sides. The imperial guards didn¡¯t clear the area and only blocked the other commoners on both sides. The onlookers stood far away and couldn¡¯t see the Emperor¡¯s face clearly. They only felt that the Emperor had a thin appearance and a noble bearing. When he didn¡¯t smile, he had the natural might of an Emperor. The commoners couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy and wait and see. The Emperor on the city gate tower asked right on the heels of that, ¡°Who was the one who stopped us from knocking on the drum?¡¯ The group of government officials, led by the head of the class, trembled. None of them dared to agree. However, if they didn¡¯t say anything, President Li would say on their behalf, ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s the government officials of the imperial capital.¡± President Li¡¯s heart sank slightly. He knew that he wouldn¡¯t be able to escape the crime of inaction if he watched a bailiff attack ordinary people today. He hated the magistrate in his heart. The cold wind blew, messing up the beard on the Emperor¡¯s chin. The Emperor stroked his beard and said coldly, ¡®Xuanjing Zhao Magistrate.¡± When the bailiffs heard this, their legs went weak, and they instantly knelt down again. They lowered their heads to the ground in fear and didn¡¯t dare to move. The Emperor then asked Scholar Zhang, ¡°Who is the one who voiced the injustice? Why did you beat the drum?¡± Up until now, Scholar Zhang¡¯s heart was still in a mess. Panic and nervousness were all present. Now that the arrow was on the bowstring, he had no choice but to shoot. He gritted his teeth and no longer cared about being afraid. He continued, ¡°This commoner, Zhang Min, is suing the eldest princess for ordering people to kidnap innocent children to obtain their heart blood to refine pills and treat her illness¡­¡± The more Zhang Min spoke, the more indignant and agitated he became. His eyes were red, and his chest heaved violently. Zhang Min only reported on the eldest princess and didn¡¯t mention the Emperor at all. In fact, he and the others present suspected that the Emperor probably knew about it and even indulged his beloved daughter, but he didn¡¯t dare talk nonsense about the Emperor. ¡± ¡± The Emperor in the gate tower closed his eyes. His heart was surging with abnormally complicated and strong emotions. Even though the emperor had already heard Gu Yuan¡¯s report, now that he was there and heard the person in question say it again, he felt his heart turn cold. If there was really a way to save his daughter, the Emperor could pay any price, but it was definitely not to exchange someone else¡¯s life for his daughter¡¯s. And now, his daughter¡¯s life was in danger. She only had two days to live, but some people were stirring up trouble outside in her name. Just thinking about it made the Emperor¡¯s heart ache. He was so angry that his hands and feet turned cold, and his thin body trembled slightly. Chu Yi walked down unhurriedly from the city tower. As he walked, he asked Zhang Min, ¡®What proof do you have? ¡® Chu Yi¡¯s clear and bright voice was like a gentle spring breeze in March, blowing across the entire square. Although Zhang Min didn ¡®t know who this young man in white was, seeing that he could speak on behalf of the Emperor, it was obvious that he was a noble. He calmed himself down and replied obediently, ¡°My daughter is the witness. My daughter was lucky enough to escape from the palace. She said that in order to save the eldest princess, she wanted to take their heart blood and let Shangqing Spiritual Master refine the Heart Pill¡­ ¡± The surroundings fell silent again. ¡°Shangqing?¡± Chu Yi repeated softly, his calm tone devoid of any emotion. However, in Zhang Min¡¯s ears, it sounded like the other party was questioning this matter. ¡°It¡¯s really Shangqing Spiritual Master,¡± Zhang Min hurriedly said. ¡°My daughter will definitely not lie.. ¡® Chapter 304 - Chapter 304: Unwilling Chapter 304: Unwilling Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The girl snuggled up to her father and nodded nervously. A young man¡¯s high-pitched shout suddenly came from the surrounding commoners. ¡°We¡¯ll know if the Shangqing Spiritual Master entered the palace to investigate yesterday!¡± As soon as these words were spoken, the other commoners felt that they made sense. They nodded one after another, and someone even said, ¡°1 went to the Wuliang Temple early in the morning. The Daoist priest in the temple said that Shangqing Spiritual Master was summoned to the palace yesterday and didn¡¯t return the entire night. ¡® A commotion instantly rose in the crowd, like ripples on the surface of a lake. Chu Yi continued to walk forward and said unhurriedly, ¡°The eldest princess is indeed sick. ¡± ¡°Shangqing said that we need to use 100 virgin boys and girls each. We need to take their heart blood and refine the Heart Pill formula to extend the eldest princess¡¯s life. Otherwise, the eldest princess won¡¯t live for more than three days.¡± Every word he said was clearly transmitted to the ears of everyone present. These words were beyond everyone¡¯s expectations. They originally thought that the royal family would categorically deny this matter, but they didn¡¯t expect this young master to bluntly admit that there was indeed a Heart Pill. Everyone didn¡¯t feel happy. Instead, their hearts sank. The Emperor had personally come to Chengtian Gate only to temporarily appease the anger of the people. The eldest princess had done such an outrageous thing. Was the royal family going to push the responsibility to the servant and say that the servant had acted on his own?! Kill a few people and leave it at that? The commoners were instantly in an uproar. For a moment, they forgot their reverence for the royal family and became more and more noisy. If the eldest princess wanted their child¡¯s life, what should they do?! The citizens who had lost their children were on the verge of breaking down. They were angry, sad, and powerless. They didn¡¯t know what they could do in the face of the Emperor¡¯s power! ¡°I¡¯m willing to take blood for my child.¡± The middle-aged woman who came with Zhang Min suddenly rushed to Zhang Min and his daughter¡¯s side like a wild beast. She directly knelt on the ground and kowtowed repeatedly to the emperor on the city wall with all her might. ¡°Your Majesty, I beg you! I¡¯m willing to exchange my life for yours.¡± Her sincere expression and voice were very infectious. Soon, the families of other children also kowtowed to the Emperor one after another, indicating that they were also willing to offer their heart blood on behalf of their children. This scene touched the other onlookers deeply. Their eyes turned sour and they choked slightly. The surrounding commoners started clamoring again. Wave after wave of people came crashing over. ¡®What Shangqing said is against the rules. The eldest princess is unwilling.¡± Chu Yi¡¯s calm voice sounded again. ¡°The Emperor is also unwilling.¡± His beautiful voice seemed to have a unique penetrating power that pierced through people¡¯s eardrums and gently knocked on everyone¡¯s hearts. It was also like a clear mountain stream gurgling over, washing away the frustration in everyone¡¯s hearts. Chu Yi continued unhurriedly, ¡°Buddha said, ¡®Ifyou do your homework in this life, you will be rewarded in the next life.¡¯ The Emperor¡¯s love for his daughter won¡¯t cause the eldest princess to commit more sins and cause trouble in the next life.¡± Chu Yi¡¯s words were concise and straightforward, without any pretense. However, most of the people present weren¡¯t convinced by Chu Yi. They only felt that these words were just dignified and obedient, but there was actually no evidence to support them. There were many people in this world who didn¡¯t hesitate to make a huge mistake in order to survive! Besides, it was a fact that so many children had gone missing in the capital, right? Who had kidnapped those children? If it wasn¡¯t the royal family, who else could have kidnapped so many children silently overnight?! The commoners were filled with doubts. However, even if some people didn¡¯t believe it and thought that it was a perfunctory excuse from the royal family, they didn¡¯t dare to speak nonsense. After all, if they wanted to frame someone, they had to find a reason. If those nobles wanted to kill them, it would be as easy as crushing an ant. Everyone was talking. Even though their voices weren¡¯t loud, it was inevitable that they would be noisy. The commotion in the square didn¡¯t subside for a long time. Chu Yi¡¯s gaze passed through the noisy and impetuous crowd to look at a snow- green slender figure. ¡°Besides,¡± Chu Yi continued steadily, ¡°the eldest princess doesn¡¯t need a Heart Pill for her illness.¡¯ What did he mean?! These words shocked the impetuous commoners again, and they looked up at him in shock. The noise around them disappeared in an instant. There was silence, only the sound of the flag fluttering in the cold wind. In the crowd, someone asked at the top of his voice, ¡°Who said that?¡± ¡°Shangqing Spiritual Master¡¯s Dao techniques are profound and can revive the dead. Everyone in the capital knows this!¡± ¡°Since Shangqing Spiritual Master has already said so, is there an exception?!¡± The coarse voice spoke eloquently, causing the nearby commoners to feel sorrowful. ¡°I said so.¡± It wasn¡¯t Chu Yi who answered him, but another clear and loud female voice. ¡°The eldest princess doesn¡¯t need the Heart Pill.¡± As Gu Yanfei spoke, she walked out from the crowd and strolled to Zhang Min and his daughter¡¯s side. There was a confident smile on her lips. There was a hint of pride and arrogance, but because of her outstanding appearance and free temperament, it didn¡¯t make people feel disgusted. Everyone¡¯s gaze once again focused on Gu Yanfei. ¡°Isn¡¯t this the lady from just now?¡± Someone in the crowd pointed at Gu Yanfei and said, ¡°Even that demonic wind can¡¯t knock her down.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right.¡± Someone immediately echoed excitedly, his voice high-pitched. ¡®The wind dissipated when it met her. She must be a god!¡± ¡°And the guard wanted to be rude to her, so he fell flat on his face.¡± ¡°The demonic wind just now¡­ No, did the violent wind start because of her?¡± The wind was too chaotic just now. Most of the people were blown around by the strong wind. Actually, they didn¡¯t see what was going on at all. However, at this moment, when they heard the others swear, they felt that they had seen it too. This person said that when the girl walked just now, her feet didn¡¯t touch the ground, and she was sent over by the wind.. That person said that when the guard was rude to her, he saw a wind blade slashing out¡­ Chapter 305 - Chapter 305: Treatment Chapter 305: Treatment Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios A young man in green clapped excitedly. ¡°l just saw a golden light falling from the sky on this girl. This must be a blessing from the sky!¡¯ ¡°I saw it too! The golden light formed a halo behind her, just like the Guanyin Bodhisattva in the painting.¡± ¡°She must be a goddess who has descended to the mortal world and is protected by golden light. Therefore, those demons and monsters can¡¯t approach her!¡¯ ¡°A goddess descending to the mortal world? Is it not to save all living beings?¡± In this warm atmosphere, many people spoke without thinking. The more they spoke, the more exaggerated they became. As they spoke, they even believed themselves. Gu Yanfei¡¯s fingers, which were hidden in her sleeves, curled up for a moment. She felt her scalp tingle. She thought to herself, What is Xia Houqing doing!¡¯ Even in the Bright Spirit Realm, when she was ordered to work in mortal towns by her master, she would at most be respectfully addressed as ¡°fairy¡±. Xia Houqing must be deliberately trying to disgust her! Chu Yi placed his fist by his lips and smiled silently, his eyes gentle. Even if he didn¡¯t say anything, Gu Yanfei was sure that he had heard those exaggerated words just now. Gu Yanfei pursed her red lips and looked away arrogantly. She was a little angry from embarrassment. Xia Houqing was probably hiding somewhere and watching her make a fool of herself. Thinking of this, Gu Yanfei secretly gritted her teeth and raised her head as if nothing had happened. The lines of her chin and neck were even more beautiful and slender, looking like a clear breeze and moon. She looked up at Chu Yi and asked calmly, ¡°Where¡¯s the eldest princess?¡± Chu Yi had seen all kinds of her. She was disheveled, cunning, confident, decisive, and smiling freely¡­ but this was the first time he saw her like this. His gaze became gentler. He didn¡¯t want to make her angry, and his peaceful condition.. Chu Yi¡¯s heart sank, and his eyes narrowed slightly. He raised his hand and silently made a gesture. A middle-aged eunuch behind him immediately understood. He bowed and accepted the order before hurriedly retreating. The commoners were all looking forward to it, while the 20 or so bailiffs were sweating profusely. Their bodies were as wet as if they had been fished out of water, and their hearts were as cold as ice. Before the eldest princess arrived, the magistrate rushed over. Looking back and forth at the Emperor on the city tower, Chu Yi, Zhang Min, and the others below, the magistrate frowned and waited at the side with a solemn expression. He quickly exchanged a look with a figure in the crowd and stood obediently with his hands by his side. An eunuch immediately noticed the arrival of the capital magistrate and whispered into the Emperor¡¯s ear. The Emperor nodded. From the corner of his eye, he saw a wheelchair being slowly pushed over. When the wooden wheels of the wheelchair rolled, they made clicking sounds. The onlookers looked in the direction of the voice, wanting to see what kind of person this legendary eldest princess was. 70 to 80 feet away, a little girl in a purple cloak was sitting in a wheelchair. She was slowly pushed over by a white-faced and beardless eunuch. The little girl, who wasn¡¯t even 10 years old, was thin and weak. Her face was pale, and her pupils were black and white. Her cheeks were so thin that they were slightly sunken, as if a gust of wind would blow them away. The palace maid at the side carefully held An Le¡¯s shoulder, afraid that she would bump into something. The citizens widened their eyes in shock and stared blankly at An Le in the wheelchair. Originally, they had imagined that the eldest princess would be an arrogant and domineering girl who was lawless. In order to survive, she didn¡¯t hesitate to exchange her life for the lives of her servants to abduct children in the capital. Unexpectedly, the eldest princess was so weak and pitiful. She was completely incompatible with the proud and arrogant lady in ¡°Taming of the Princess¡±! ¡°Eldest Brother,¡± she called out to Chu Yi softly. She was still very weak, and her voice was weak. ¡°Let Father help them find the children.¡± ¡°They¡¯ve lost their children and must be anxious. They must be worried and terrified.¡± ¡°Eldest Imperial Brother, tell Father¡­ not to be angry. If get lost, Father will also¡­ be anxious.¡± An Le¡¯s voice was soft and gentle. It was intermittent because she was weak. Such an innocent little girl was like a white and flawless piece of paper, or like a clear spring water that could be seen to the bottom. No one could believe that she was a vicious and evil person. Just by looking at her, they couldn¡¯t help but feel sympathy and pity. The commoners who were closer heard An Le¡¯s words and couldn¡¯t help but tell the others at the back.. Chapter 306 - Chapter 306: Treatment Chapter 306: Treatment Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Was there really a misunderstanding?! Many commoners couldn¡¯t help but have this thought, shaking their originally firm beliefs. Even the scholar, Zhang Min, was a little uncertain. The eldest princess looked even younger than his daughter and was even weaker. She was like a fragile porcelain doll, as if she would break with a touch. Chu Yi gently touched the top of her soft head and comforted her gently, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Father knows what he¡¯s doing.¡± He was also aware of this. An extremely cold glint flashed across Chu Yi¡¯s eyes. In front of An Le, he was always her gentle and reliable elder brother. An Le looked at Gu Yanfei and smiled happily. ¡°Sister.¡± This smile added a faint blush to her pale cheeks, making her look more lively. That was great. She still had time to hand over the white rabbit lantern that she and her eldest brother had made to her sister. From the moment An Le appeared, Gu Yanfei¡¯s gaze landed on An Le¡¯s small face like everyone else. However, she was observing her complexion. Her face was pale. Her aura was weak. Her glabella had turned black. The day before yesterday, when she first saw An Le on the pleasure boat in the palace, although An Le was a little weak, she wasn¡¯t so weak that her life was hanging by a thread. However, from An Le¡¯s current appearance, it seemed like she was on her last breath. She would lose her life after this last breath was gone. Gu Yanfei could conclude that if she were to let An Le be, she wouldn¡¯t be able to live for more than 20 hours. She narrowed her eyes thoughtfully as her thoughts raced. As the saying went, illness came like a landslide. However, in reality, there was a process to the deterioration of any disease. After all, diseases weren¡¯t like knives that could kill with a single stab. Hence, when Gu Yanfei heard that the eldest princess was critically ill this morning, she clearly realized one thing¡ª This wasn¡¯t an illness. If it wasn¡¯t an illness, what could it be? Was she poisoned? Or perhaps.. Gu Yanfei¡¯s pupils dilated slightly. She walked quickly to An Le¡¯s side and grabbed her right wrist. With just a light touch, her expression changed. Gu Yanfei muttered to himself: ¡°Gu!?¡± Her voice was very soft and only Chu Yi, who was closest to her, heard it. Chu Yi¡¯s expression changed and his eyes darkened. He looked down at An Le¡¯s face, which was as pale as paper. Gu Yanfei took out her needle bag and took out a silver needle from it. She stared at An Le¡¯s peaceful black eyes and comforted her gently. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± An Le smiled obediently. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid.¡± She was weak and sickly. Over the years, she had drunk more medicine than water. From time to time, the imperial physicians would perform acupuncture on her and bleed her. She was already used to these. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt.¡± Gu Yanfei quickly used a silver needle to prick the tip of her finger. Her actions were very fast. Before An Le could react, Gu Yanfei had already retracted the silver needle. A drop of dark red blood flowed out from her fingertip. In the eyes of ordinary people, there was nothing wrong with this. But to Gu Yanfei, the drop of blood on the silver needle was very wrong. Her blood was filled with a thin wisp of gray gas that couldn¡¯t be seen by the naked eye. It was a Gu. Gu was the king of all insects. If tens of thousands of poisonous insects were placed in an urn, they would devour each other. A year later, the last poisonous insect left was ¡®Gun. There were many types of Gu. Different methods could nurture different Gu. Golden Silkworm Gu, Qilin Gu, Snake Gu, Stone Gu, Swelling Gu, Poison God.. There were hundreds of types of Gu that she knew of, and there were countless Gu that she didn¡¯t know of. Gu was much more troublesome than poison! Gu Yanfei looked at the drop of blood on the tip of the needle and her expression turned serious. The air instantly turned heavy. The dark clouds in the sky had unknowingly piled up in the sky again, as if a storm was coming. The entrance of the palace became more and more crowded. There were even more people who rushed over when they heard that the Sage had arrived at Chengtian Gate, wanting to catch a glimpse of the Sage¡¯s face. There were also people who left quietly without alerting anyone. A young man in gray spurred his horse and galloped through the streets and alleys of the capital, heading towards the Yu Residence in the south of the city. Before him, there was another person who left from the right gate of Chang¡¯an an hour ago and also went to the Yu family. At this moment, that person had already arrived at the Yu Residence¡¯s outer courtyard hall and was reporting what had happened at the palace gate to the head of the Yu Residence. Outsiders thought that Eldest Madam Yu had brought her niece to the capital this time, but no one knew that the Yu Family Head had also secretly come. The British Duchess, Madam Yu, was also sitting in the hall. The hall was filled with an oppressive and solemn atmosphere. ..The magistrate of the imperial capital couldn¡¯t stop him. The scholar called Zhang Min had already sounded the drum an hour ago.¡± The middle-aged man standing in the middle of the hall maintained his cupped fist posture and lowered his face respectfully. After reporting, the middle-aged man stood there like an ancient pine tree, motionless and silent. The room fell into a dead silence. The Yu siblings¡¯ expressions didn¡¯t look too good. Thick dark clouds surged onto their foreheads, and their hearts sank to the bottom. The whole thing had gone out of control in another direction, completely beyond their expectations. Madam Yu gripped the handkerchief in her hand tightly. Her face was as dark as water as she said angrily, ¡°What is Shangqing doing?!¡± ¡°How did he let this happen?!¡± She frowned deeply, and her voice was high-pitched. She could no longer maintain her aristocratic bearing. This matter was originally a scheme using the eldest princess¡¯s life and death as a bargaining chip. Ever since the eldest princess was in danger, Shangqing had suggested to the Emperor that he wanted to refine the Heart Pill with the blood of a child. Whether the Emperor was willing or not, it was no longer important. With this excuse, they could help to encourage a fire. As long as someone spilled blood on the right gate of Chang¡¯an, the anger of the people would definitely be aroused. All the people would think that the Emperor was a cruel and tyrannical tyrant. In this way, they could logically push the people to the opposite side of the emperor, causing the Emperor to be unpopular with the people. At that time, Kang Wang only needed to raise his arm and shout. Not only the aristocratic families, but even those poor people would stand with Kang Wang to suppress the Emperor. Those who lost the hearts of the people would lose the world! Naturally, the Emperor¡¯s throne wouldn¡¯t be stable anymore.. Chapter 307 - Chapter 307: Drawing Gu Chapter 307: Drawing Gu Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Madam Yu tightened her grip on the handkerchief in her hand, her eyes growing dark. The Yu Family Head waved the middle-aged man away. He stood up in frustration and paced back and forth in the hall. He said in a deep voice, ¡°How would I know!¡± He wished he could call Shangqing here to confront him right now, but there had been no news of Shangqing since they entered the palace yesterday. Madam Yu frowned and thought about the whole thing carefully again. She said, ¡°Why did those people push Shangqing out as a target?¡± Shouldn¡¯t this matter be directed at the Emperor for being heartless? In the end, Shangqing was the one who was infamous for being the demonic priest! Madam Yu looked at her eldest brother, thinking that this was his idea. ¡°It wasn¡¯t me!¡± The Yu Family Head denied it unhappily. ¡°Second Sister, don¡¯t think too much.¡± Shangqing was a direct descendant of the eldest branch of the family. He had spent more than ten years and a lot of the Yu family¡¯s resources to achieve such a high status. How could they abandon Shangqing unless they had no other choice? The Yu family would never spend another 10 to 20 years nurturing another Shangqing. They couldn¡¯t afford to wait. Over the years, the Yu family had been in danger. The Yu Family Head sat down on the armchair at the head of the table. He pounded his fists on his knees several times, feeling frustrated, unwilling, anxious, and so on. They had clearly planned everything well, but now, the situation had completely gone out of control. The development of the matter was completely different from what they had deduced previously. Shangqing was used as a target. There were no casualties at the right gate of Chang¡¯an, and even the drum was sounded¡­ One could imagine that the Emperor would definitely not ignore someone knocking on the drum. Then, next¡­ Madam Yu¡¯s heart was in a mess, she quickly asked again, ¡°Big brother, what should we do now?¡± The Yu Family Head rubbed his sore brows and said with a dark gaze, ¡°Kang Wang should have received the news too. ¡± If the situation was completely out of control, they could only push Kang Wang out to stand out. Even if there was no evidence, the Emperor would definitely believe that the mastermind behind all of this was Kang Wang. Or rather, the Emperor would be ¡°willing¡± to let it be Kang Wang. When the time came, he would let the two brothers fight for it. At this moment, the old butler guarding outside the hall came in and reported, ¡°Master, Ah Li is back.¡± ¡°Let him in,¡± the Yu Family Head hurriedly said. The young man in gray named Ah Li hurried into the hall. He rushed all the way from the right gate of Chang¡¯an, and his breath was a little unstable. ¡°Family Head.¡± Ah Li cupped his fists and reported, ¡®The Emperor left the palace and arrived at Chengtian Gate five minutes ago.¡± The first thing he said was shocking. Before the Yu Family Head and Madam Yu could regain their senses, Ah Li continued right on the heels of saying, ¡°Second Lady Gu of Dingyuan Marquis Household said that she can save the eldest princess.¡± When Madam Yu heard the other party mention Gu Yanfei, her hand trembled violently and she almost smashed the teacup in her hand. The tea spilled out of the teacup and scalded her fingers. Second Lady Gu? Gu Yanfei! How could it be her! How did Gu Yanfei get involved in this matter for no reason?! Madam Yu couldn¡¯t help but think of the phoenix-patterned jade pendant. The phoenix-patterned jade pendant was shattered into pieces and could no longer be pieced together. Her gaze became even more sinister. Madam Yu pursed her lips mockingly. ¡°She knows medicine?¡± So what if she knew medicine?! What the eldest princess had wasn¡¯t an illness at all. Instead¡­ Ah Li immediately replied, ¡°Second Lady Gu said that it¡¯s a Gu. ¡± ¡± Lady Yu almost lost her composure and stood up. The handkerchief in her hand slipped from her fingers, and she asked in a trembling voice, ¡°How did she know it was a Gu?¡¯ Ah Li shook his head and remained silent. He didn¡¯t know about this. Madam Yu asked again in a suppressed tone, ¡°What else did Second Lady Gu Ah Li instinctively wanted to shake his head, but he suddenly thought of something. His eyes widened, and he said, ¡°Oh right, it was Second Lady Gu who brought that scholar to sound the drum!¡± Madam Yu¡¯s expression changed again, and her heart went numb. In other words, Gu Yanfei had something to do with today¡¯s situation getting out of control! Gu Yanfei¡¯s beautiful face appeared in Madam Yu¡¯s mind. This girl was beautiful, but Madam Yu had never thought highly of her. The eldest branch of the Gu family had long been crippled, and this girl had been missing for 14 years. Having mixed with those lowly commoners since she was young, Madam Yu thought she was vulgar and dirty. So what if she was beautiful? What was the difference between her and those prostitutes?! If not for that phoenix-patterned jade pendant, Madam Yu wouldn¡¯t have wronged her son. Madam Yu had already thought it through. As long as she got that jade pendant, she would break off the engagement on the pretext that she was indecent and had an affair with someone.. Chapter 308 - Chapter 308: Drawing Gu Chapter 308: Drawing Gu Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios At that time, Gu Yanfei would be the one with a flawed reputation. It wouldn¡¯t hinder his son, nor would it affect his son¡¯s future marriage proposal. But such a simple matter was full of twists and turns¡­ Every time Madam Yu thought of the words she had blurted out in front of her son that day, she was extremely vexed. If she hadn¡¯t said those words back then, her son wouldn¡¯t have been so agitated that he would have impulsively gone to the Gu family and been injured like that. After that, Madam Yu thought about it repeatedly. She felt that her hot-headed state that day wasn¡¯t right. Now that she thought about what happened today, her heart began to beat uncontrollably, and her heart was in a mess. Surnamed Gu, from the Dingyuan Marquis Household? The Yu Family Head frowned and said thoughtfully, ¡°I remember Shangqing saying that there was an expert in the Dingyuan Marquis Household who interfered and caused the Murong clan¡¯s matter to fall through, causing him to suffer a backlash.¡± When Madam Yu heard this, she was stunned. She had seen Shangqing suffer from a backlash. His appearance was neither human nor ghostly, and she could barely look at him directly. Shangqing was born with a Dao bone and was proud and arrogant. In the past 40 years, everything has been smooth-sailing. After entering Wuliang Temple, he had made a name for himself. In the temple, he was only below the Temple Master and had never suffered any setbacks. Shangqing only briefly mentioned the matter of the backlash. They wanted to ask clearly, so he flew into a rage and left. Could it be that the ¡°expert¡± that Shangqing mentioned was Gu Yanfei?! Was it Gu Yanfei who caused Shangqing to become like that?! When she thought of this possibility, Madam Yu felt as if there were countless ants gnawing at her heart, and her fingers dug deeply into her palm. She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down so she could think clearly. Once could be said to be a coincidence, but twice or three times wasn¡¯t something that ¡°accidentally¡± could explain. That¡¯s right, the expert that Shangqing was talking about must be Gu Yanfei! Madam Yu immediately said, ¡°Brother, you can¡¯t stay in the capital anymore. To be safe, you should leave quickly and return to Yuzhou first.¡± The Yu Family Head was shocked by the Yu Family Head and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Second Sister, why are you panicking?¡± Although the current situation isn¡¯t good, it shouldn¡¯t be this bad. Shangqing knew the pros and cons and wouldn¡¯t easily implicate the Yu family. Second Sister is a woman after all.. The Yu Family Head lamented in his heart. ¡°Brother, it¡¯s better to be cautious,¡± Madam Yu said seriously. When she thought of what would happen to the Murong family and Shangqing, the uneasiness in her heart intensified. ¡°Brother, with the British Monarchy around, I¡¯ll be fine. However, if our Yu family loses you, there¡¯s no hope for us to prosper in the future.¡± Emperor Taizu suppressed the aristocratic families, and the Yu family was the maternal family of the last Empress of the previous dynasty. Their situation was more or less awkward. In the past 50 years, the Yu Family has been cautious. It was only when she married into the British Monarchy that she was considered to have caught the eye of the other aristocratic families. After so many years of operation, the Yu Family had barely improved. If they took a wrong step at this time, all their previous efforts would be in vain. Not to mention restoring the family¡¯s former glory, the Yu Family would probably be completely destroyed. The Yu Family couldn¡¯t afford to lose! ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll return to Yuzhou first.¡± The Yu Family Head decided to listen to the Yu Family. He immediately stood up and instructed the head butler to quickly prepare the carriage. After the Yu Family Head left, only some people from the Yu Family were left sitting in the hall in a daze, restless and waiting for the next group to report. Madam Yu looked sharply through the open window in the direction of the palace. She wished she could open her Heavenly Eye and see what Gu Yanfei was doing. Not only Madam Yu, but the commoners from Chengtian Gate to Chang¡¯an¡¯s right gate were also staring at Gu Yanfei. Gu. They had only heard of it but had never seen it before. There was no lack of stories about Miao people, sorcerers, and voodoo among the strange rumors circulating among the people. There were stories of Miao women poisoning their lovers and their lovers losing their lives because of the voodoo poison. There were also legends of those sorcerers poisoning their enemies to take revenge, harming their entire family. Every single one of them was related to human lives, and it was as if they wouldn¡¯t rest until one of them died. The commoners discussed the Gu worms and felt their blood run cold. At this moment, no one wanted to leave. They wanted to see if the eldest princess was really poisoned and how this matter would end. The square from Chengtian Gate to Chang¡¯an¡¯s right gate was like the rising and falling of a tidal wave. After a while, Eunuch He hurried over with a wooden box. ¡°Second Lady Gu, this is the incense you wanted.¡± Eunuch He respectfully handed the box to Gu Yanfei. Gu Yanfei took out an incense stick from the box and sniffed it. Resting Fragrance, Appetite Fragrance, Seduction Fragrance, Mugwort Grass¡­ They were all here. ¡°Very good.¡± Gu Yanfei raised her eyebrows in satisfaction. She sighed in her heart that the spices and medicinal herbs in the palace were really complete. In such a short period of time, she had gathered more than ten types of things that she wanted and even made them into incense. Gu Yanfei casually picked up the incense stick and leaned over to the wheelchair. She said gently, ¡°It might hurt a little later. Bear with it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of pain,¡± An Le said obediently, her voice soft. She wanted to pat her chest to show her determination, but she was too weak, and her arms didn¡¯t listen to her at all. Gu Yanfei¡¯s heart softened. She reminded Chu Yi again, ¡°Hold her in a while. Don¡¯t let her move.¡± Chu Yi nodded slightly. Gu Yanfei casually flicked the incense stick. One end of the incense stick ignited without a fire, and a thin wisp of green smoke floated out. This scene made the surrounding commoners exclaim in surprise. Words like ¡°Goddess Descends to the World¡±, ¡®Mystical Power¡±, and ¡°High Mana¡± floated over again. The corners of Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes twitched imperceptibly. She shook the goosebumps all over her body and cursed Xia Houqing again. Wisps of green smoke floated in the air. The fragrance of the incense was very unique. It was mixed with the fragrance of pines and cypresses. It was simple and distant, like silk, dispelling the gloomy and cold air.. Chapter 309 - Chapter 309: Alright Chapter 309: Alright Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios If they were in the Bright Spirit Realm, Gu Yanfei would know at least a dozen ways to get rid of Gu worms. However, in this small world, she could only adopt the gentlest and safest method. After all, An Le was only a fragile mortal, not a strong cultivator. Gu Yanfei placed the incense stick at the tip of her nose. The wisp of green smoke produced by the burning incense stick drifted into her nose bit by bit. An Le gently sniffed the incense. Her expression revealed a hint of nervousness and uneasiness. Gu Yanfei and Chu Yi stood on both sides of the wheelchair and stared unblinkingly at An Le, observing every change in her. Suddenly, a slender protrusion appeared on the back of An Le¡¯s left hand, spreading the skin on the back of her hand. It was a strange blood-red color, as if the back of her hand had been cut by a blade. An Le frowned. Her pale and thin face revealed an unbearable expression of pain. ¡°They¡¯re here,¡± Gu Yanfei said in a low voice. These two words were directed at Chu Yi. Chu Yi immediately understood and pressed down on An Le¡¯s shoulder. The ¡°blood line¡± on the back of her hand twisted, faintly discernible, as if something was wantonly swimming under her skin. ¡± ¡± An Le let out a low gasp. Her hands gripped the armrests of the wheelchair tightly. Her fingertips were white, and blue veins bulged on her forehead and neck. Her petite body trembled uncontrollably. Beads of sweat appeared on her pale face, and her teeth sank into her lower lip. It was obvious that she was enduring extreme pain. But even so, An Le didn¡¯t cry or scream. Instead, she comforted Gu Yanfei and Chu Yi, ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­ It doesn¡¯t hurt.¡± Her soft voice was intermittent. The Emperor on the gate tower couldn¡¯t sit still anymore. He hurried down from the gate tower and happened to hear his daughter¡¯s words. Looking at his daughter in pain in the wheelchair, the Emperor¡¯s heart ached. He stopped three to four steps away, almost unable to bear to look. The ¡°blood line¡± under the peaceful skin quickly swam up her wrist and into her wide sleeve. Soon, it swam to her snow-white neck and continued to move up¡­ Soon, a bright-colored ¡°blood line¡± appeared on the little girl¡¯s small and exquisite face. It twisted into a strange arc, making her look so demonic, as if she would pierce through her skin at any moment and break out of her body. Just looking at her made one¡¯s hair stand on end. Zhang Min, his daughter, and the middle-aged woman were standing 40 feet away. When they saw this scene, they revealed panicked expressions. The girl was so frightened that she buried her face in her father¡¯s chest. Under everyone¡¯s shocked gazes, a long red beard slowly poked out of one of her nostrils, trembling slightly. Gu Yanfei made a prompt decision and moved the burning incense stickin her hand back a little. The red long beard seemed to be drawn out and continued to extend out at a faster and faster speed. A red centipede that was an inch and a half long crawled out of her nose. It looked strange, like a centipede but not a centipede. The parasite crawled at an extremely fast speed. In the blink of an eye, it climbed up the back of Gu Yanfei¡¯s hand along the incense stick. Its mouth made a cold sizzling sound, as if it wanted to enter her body. This horrifying scene caused a wave of exclamations. However, Gu Yanfei didn¡¯t panic. She quickly reached out and grabbed one of the red Gu worm¡¯s tentacles. She threw it heavily on the table, making it dizzy. Then, she pinched its tentacles and lifted it up. She shook it a few times with interest and clicked her tongue. ¡°This is it.¡± Everyone¡¯s eyes were filled with shock and they couldn¡¯t help but shiver. Most of them seemed to be strangled and couldn¡¯t make a sound. The scarlet Gu worm was still alive. It twisted its slender body in midair and waved its hundred feet as it struggled. Some of the timid women had already turned their heads away. They had goosebumps all over their bodies, and their hair stood on end. There were also some who retreated silently, afraid that the Gu worm¡¯s tentacles would suddenly break and escape from Gu Yanfei¡¯s hands before entering their bodies. The Emperor, who was a few steps away, seemed to be nailed to the ground. He looked straight at the worm in Gu Yanfei¡¯s hand. ¡°This is a Gu worm?¡± The Emperor¡¯s lips parted slightly, and his old and hoarse voice was almost trembling. It was only at this moment that he realized what was wrong with his daughter. It wasn¡¯t an illness, but a Gu! No wonder he couldn¡¯t find the cause of the illness at that time.. Chapter 310 - Chapter 310: Alright Chapter 310: Alright Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios No wonder no one could cure her daughter¡¯s illness. It was no wonder that her daughter would fall seriously ill overnight and become unable to walk. Her health was deteriorating day by day. The Emperor¡¯s chest heaved violently, and the anger in his heart surged. His daughter was still so young, but she had already endured unbearable pain and suffering. ¡°It¡¯s a Gu.¡± Gu Yanfei looked at the red Gu in her hand and nodded. ¡®This is a Blood Gu.¡± The Blood Gu was parasitic in a person¡¯s body and would continuously suck their blood essence. Once the host¡¯s blood essence couldn¡¯t satisfy it, it would even eat the host¡¯s flesh, blood, and bone marrow. The reason why it could live peacefully until now was all because she was a member of the royal family. Good things to nourish the body were sent to her mouth for free, satisfying the Blood Gu¡¯s needs. To be able to raise such a ferocious Gu in this small world, this person was quite capable. When Gu Yanfei was in the Bright Spirit Realm, she had interacted with Gu entities before. However, the Gu entities in the Bright Spirit Realm were naturally far different from the Gu entities in the mortal world. This was like the difference between a normal cat and a spirit beast. They couldn¡¯t be compared. An Le, who was in the wheelchair, naturally saw the scarlet Blood Gu in Gu Yanfei¡¯s hand, and her face showed some fear. She had been afraid of those snakes, insects, rats, and ants since she was young. Now that she saw Gu Yanfei holding that terrifying Gu worm fearlessly in his hand, she was filled with admiration and panic. She wanted to see it, but she didn¡¯t dare to look at it too much. Just the thought of this worm crawling out of her body made the little girl¡¯s heart skip a beat, and her fingertips went numb. ¡°Your Highness, have some tea.¡± The palace maid hurriedly brought over a cup of warm tea and carefully handled the teacup to an Le. The palace maid took out a handkerchief and gently wiped the sweat off her forehead. She heaved a sigh of relief. She was close and could clearly see that after the Gu worm was drawn out of her body, her peaceful complexion was visibly improving. Five minutes ago, when An Le was pushed here, he was on the verge of death. It was difficult for him to even speak or smile, as if he would die at any moment. Now, there was a little color in her face, and her breathing was much calmer. The surrounding commoners also looked in the direction of peace and harmony. Their emotions had yet to calm down. Just now, hundreds of people present had witnessed with their own eyes that the Gu worm had been drawn out of the eldest princess¡¯s body. With so many pairs of eyes watching from all directions, it was impossible to fake. The more they thought about it, the more shocked they became. They felt a strong sense of sympathy for this delicate eldest princess. ¡°Investigate!¡± The Emperor¡¯s dignified and angry voice suddenly sounded. ¡°We can¡¯t condone such a sinister person!¡± As he spoke, his thin body trembled uncontrollably. An Le had been seriously ill five years ago and hadn¡¯t been able to walk since. In other words, this Gu worm had been in her body for at least five years. In the past five years, the Gu worm has greedily absorbed her flesh and blood as nutrients, making her weak and sickly. She had almost lost her life¡­ The Emperor¡¯s old and turbid eyes turned red. His chest heaved violently, and his emotions surged. Among them were his heartache for his daughter and hatred for the mastermind. Actually, there was no need to investigate. The Emperor knew who the person who poisoned An Le was. Shangqing. Other than Shangqing, who else could it be! Even if it wasn¡¯t him, he was definitely involved! The Emperor was about to issue a decree when he saw Chu Yi shake his head gently at him, his dark eyes unfathomable. Chu Yi led the Emperor¡¯s gaze towards Gu Yanfei, who was a few steps away. Gu Yanfei held the Blood Gu in one hand and a talisman in her free hand. After exchanging glances with Chu Yi, she smiled and said to the commoners, ¡°The Gu knows its master.¡± Chu Yi¡¯s lips curled up imperceptibly. ¡°Buzz buzz¡­¡± The Gu worm seemed to have sensed something. A pair of transparent wings suddenly appeared on both sides of its slender body and flapped rapidly, emitting a buzzing sound. It tried to flap its wings and break free from Gu Yanfei¡¯s hand. However, Gu Yanfei¡¯s hand, which was used to pinching silver needles, was extremely stable. She didn¡¯t relax her grip on the Gu worm¡¯s tentacles at all. Gu Yanfei stuck the talisman on the Gu worm steadily and accurately. In an instant, the Blood Gu froze and stopped moving. Only the talisman swayed in the wind and rustled. Gu Yanfei calculated with her fingers. After her slender fingers pinched the talisman twice, a corner of it started burning on its own. The flame transformed into two words in midair¡ª Shangqing. These two words floated clearly in the air, and everyone around saw them. ¡°Shangqing, it¡¯s Shangqing Spiritual Master! ¡± Many literate commoners recognized the two words floating in the air and read them out in unison. This time, even those illiterate people knew the result of Gu Yanfei¡¯s divination. A single stone caused a thousand ripples, and the commoners were in an uproar. ¡°It can¡¯t be?!¡± A woman couldn¡¯t help but say. Many commoners hesitated and defended Shangqing Spiritual Master. ¡°Shangqing Spiritual Master has always been benevolent all these years. He gave clothes and medicine and miraculously saved many people and helped many people. Everyone knows.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Shangqing Spiritual Master is clearly a living immortal who helps the world. How can such a sinister thing as casting a Gu worm be related to him? Is there a mistake?¡± The Shangqing Spiritual Master had been famous for a long time. Over the years, he had used his unpredictable methods to solve many difficult illnesses. His illustrious reputation had long been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. ¡®What living immortal? He¡¯s just a fraud,¡± a skinny, middle-aged man sneered and said loudly. ¡°How could he be a kind-hearted person if he could come up with such a heartless idea of killing people and taking their blood to refine pills?!¡¯ ¡°That¡¯s right. Shangqing Spiritual Master is so deranged and vicious. He must be the Gu worm¡¯s master.¡± The reprimands became louder and louder. The discussions among the commoners became more and more intense. Most people believed Gu Yanfei¡¯s divination and felt that the person who planted the spell must be Shangqing. Other than Shangqing, who else could it be? Chapter 311 - Chapter 311: Devouring the Master Chapter 311: Devouring the Master Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Ever since Shangqing mentioned the evil technique to refine the Heart Pill, the Emperor felt that he had evil intentions and temporarily locked him in the palace. Shangqing was a monk and had left the realm of the secular world. Moreover, he hadn¡¯t violated the secular laws. The Emperor originally planned to send him to Wuliang Temple in a few days and let the Temple Master decide. But now, the situation is different. The Emperor already wanted to kill Shangqing. ¡°Zhao Rang.¡± The Emperor cleared his throat and ordered in a dignified manner, ¡°Bring Shangqing here.¡± Zhao Rang received the Emperor¡¯s oral order and left. As they waited, Gu Yanfei casually threw the motionless Gu worm into the box that had previously been filled with incense. She sealed the box and said to An Le, ¡°Princess An Le, I¡¯ll release your blood to remove the poison.¡± After a pause, she added, ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt this time. ¡® ¡®Yes.¡± An Le nodded vigorously, a faint blush appearing on her fair cheeks. Gu Yanfei forced the spiritual power in her body to the tip of a needle and stabbed the five fingers of An Le¡¯s left hand. Her actions were so fast that An Le¡¯s eyes couldn¡¯t even see clearly. The little girl widened her eyes in surprise. In a flash, she saw a drop of thick black blood seeping out of the five fingertips of her left hand. Each of them was the size of a fish¡¯s eye, forming a sharp contrast with her snow-white skin. The Emperor¡¯s heart ached when he saw his daughter. The corners of his eyes became even redder. If not for the inappropriate occasion, he really wanted to hug his daughter, pat her back, and call her Darling. An Le, however, didn¡¯t feel horrified at all. Instead, she looked at Gu Yanfei with even more admiration. Sister Yanfei is really amazing. She knows how to pitch a pot, how to use a whip, how to make a butterfly, and how to catch bugs¡­ Sh?s even more powerful than my brother! The little girl¡¯s black and white eyes were as clean and pure as black and white chess pieces, shining brightly. Chu Yi stood silently at the side, his deep gaze fixed on the magistrate, who had been standing quietly for a long time. The cold wind blew a few strands of black hair and scattered them on his handsome face, half covering the terrain and forming a faint shadow. Ever since he came here, the magistrate had been standing there quietly. There was no fear on his face. He was very calm, as if he was waiting for something. The magistrate was born into the Feng family of Qingzhou and was the son of an aristocratic family. It wasn¡¯t just the magistrate. Currently, most of the officials in important positions in the imperial court are sons of aristocratic families. It was precisely because of this that they dared to be so fearless. For their own selfish reasons, they easily used the eldest princess¡¯s life as a bargaining chip. The darkness in Chu Yi¡¯s eyes deepened. The dark ink was like a boundless dark night without the stars and moon, and the red mole at the corner of his eyes was like blood. It was as if the demon beast sealed in his body had suddenly been awakened, and a dangerous aura silently spread out from his body. ¡°Chu Yi.¡± A white shadow flashed before his eyes, and a soft white handkerchief appeared in his hand. A curled-up calico cat was embroidered on the corner of the handkerchief. ¡°Clean up and bandage it.¡± Gu Yanfei pointed at the black blood on An Le¡¯s fingertip and gestured for Chu Yi to hurry up and get to work. Chu Yi pinched his handkerchief and stared blankly at the young girl in front of him. Suddenly, as if his soul had returned to his body, the gloominess in his eyes quickly dissipated, and his expression gradually softened. ¡°Mm,¡± Chu Yi replied softly, the corners of his eyes curving into a small arc. He bowed slightly and carefully wiped away the drops of black blood on his fingertips with a handkerchief. His movements were unbelievably gentle. Needless to say, everyone could see how much the Eldest Prince doted on his sister. No matter how noble the siblings¡¯ statuses were, the sibling relationship between them couldn¡¯t be faked. And the Emperor.. Many commoners also looked at the Emperor standing beside the wheelchair. It was only when the Emperor walked down from the tall city tower that they felt a sense of reality. It was said that the Emperor¡¯s family was the most heartless, but it wasn¡¯t absolute. Not only was the Emperor high up in the air, but he was also a father. If his daughter was sick, the Emperor would be worried; if his daughter was murdered, the Emperor would also be sad. The Emperor was also a mortal, with flesh and blood like them. Amidst these complicated emotions, a white-haired old Daoist priest in a green Daoist robe was escorted over by seven to eight tall and mighty imperial guards. The old Daoist priest¡¯s Daoist robe was wrinkled, and a few messy strands of hair were let out from his bun. He was so thin that he looked like a dried corpse that was only skin and bones. His deep-set eyes reminded one of a white skeleton.. Chapter 312 - Chapter 312: Devouring the Master Chapter 312: Devouring the Master Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios When the wind blew, the wide Daoist robe was empty, as if it was directly draped over the skeleton. If not for the fact that it was broad daylight, many people would have thought that they had seen a ghost. Everyone present was shocked. Before they could react, they heard the pale-faced and beardless eunuch report to the Emperor. ¡°Your Majesty, Shangqing is here.¡± This sentence was like a bolt from the blue, stunning everyone present. ¡°This is Shangqing?!¡¯ Someone in the crowd shouted in shock. Everyone looked at the azure-robed Daoist in shock. Wuliang Temple was the largest and most famous Daoist temple in the capital. Shangqing Spiritual Master had an immortal name in the capital and was admired by many believers. Many people present had seen Shangqing Spiritual Master before. Some went to the Wuliang Temple to offer incense and listen to scriptures, and some took a look at Shangqing from afar. There were also people who had seen Shangqing from afar when they went to other sects to do rituals. Even if they had not seen him before, they had heard people describe him. Those who had seen him all said that Shangqing was a sage-like figure who was like a god. However, this withered and gloomy Daoist priest in front of them wasn¡¯t a god. It was more like an evil ghost wearing human skin! Under the escort of the imperial guards, Shangqing strolled forward nonchalantly. After being taken down by the Emperor yesterday, Shangqing was neither afraid nor terrified. Last night, he meditated in the palace for the entire night and only treated the power of house arrest as cultivation. He was very sure that the Emperor wouldn¡¯t do anything to him! Back then, the Celestial Rectifier Spiritual Master had repeatedly saved Emperor Taizu¡¯s life and even helped him build this great empire. After Emperor Taizu ascended the throne, he took the Celestial Rectifier Spiritual Master as his Imperial Preceptor. Because of this, Wuliang Temple¡¯s status in the Great Jin Dynasty was extraordinary. This was his backing. Moreover, it was the Emperor who wanted to save the eldest princess. He was just following the Emperor¡¯s request. This technique was like a double-edged sword. There was no distinction between good and evil. It was up to the Emperor to decide if it was good or bad. What crime did he commit? At most, he would be escorted back to Wuliang Temple in a few days and be punished. Shangqing walked in the direction of the Emperor and An Le, her clothes fluttering in the wind. As he approached, an old woman in the crowd stared at his face for a while and pointed excitedly at Shangqing. ¡°This Daoist priest is indeed Shangqing. I remember that Shangqing Spiritual Master has a mole on his forehead.¡± Right on the heels of that, the others chimed in and pointed out some of the characteristics of Shangqing¡¯s body, such as his height, his hump nose, his pinky like a hook, and so on. As more and more people voiced out their identification, the commoners were all convinced that the terrifying Daoist priest in front of them was really Shangqing. ¡°But how did the Shangqing Spiritual Master become like this?¡¯ someone asked loudly. The crowd was silent. The commoners looked at each other, but no one could answer this question. Gu Yanfei also heard the voices in the crowd. She clicked her tongue in her heart and casually tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear. The ends of her hair fluttered, and her sleeves flew up like clouds. As Shangqing walked forward, he casually scanned his surroundings. When his gaze swept past Gu Yanfei, his originally expressionless face instantly darkened. His gaze was as dark and ruthless as an owl¡¯s as it cut across Gu Yanfei¡¯s face like a knife. ¡°It¡¯s you! ¡® Shangqing enunciated each word clearly. He couldn¡¯t see the Emperor, Chu Yi, or anyone else at all. He only had eyes for Gu Yanfei. It was as if only Gu Yanfei was worthy of his attention. The others were just insignificant ants. ¡°Shangqing, do you recognize this?¡± Gu Yanfei picked up the wooden box and pulled open the lid, revealing the ferocious-looking Blood Gu in the box. ¡± ¡± Shangqing¡¯s eyes widened in shock, and his skinny face twisted like a demon¡¯s. This was a Blood Gu! But why was the Blood Gu taken out?! Shangqing¡¯s original calmness disappeared in an instant, as if he had fallen into an icehouse. After the Murong family¡¯s incident, Shangqing repeatedly reviewed the entire matter and carefully thought about it. Gu Yanfei was able to tear off the Murong clan¡¯s talisman paper, see through the technique of borrowing luck by rushing joy. She could see that his cultivation had been hindered in recent years¡­ When she spoke that day, her logic was rigorous and methodical. It didn¡¯t seem like someone had given her pointers beforehand. All kinds of clues pointed out that Gu Yanfei was a person with extremely high cultivation. This knowledge didn¡¯t make Shangqing feel relieved. Instead, it made him even more confused. A person who has attained Dao should avoid the world and cultivate the right path.. Why should she care about the matters of the mortal world?! Chapter 313 - Chapter 313: Devouring the Master Chapter 313: Devouring the Master Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Do you recognize this?¡± Gu Yanfei asked again with a cold smile on her lips. Her eyes were clear and as deep as the vast starry sky. Everything was obvious in her heart. Shangqing once again felt the feeling of being suppressed by Gu Yanfei in the Dingyuan Marquis Household last year. That feeling of being looked down upon, that feeling of distance that was beyond reach. He couldn¡¯t help but look away, only to see that the gazes and expressions of the surrounding commoners had changed. In the past, they looked at him with respect, but now, they looked at him with hatred, disdain, disdain, and contempt¡­ Their gazes seemed to be filled with thorns. Shangqing¡¯s heart tightened. He could imagine that the development of the matter had already exceeded his expectations. Just now, Zhao Rang had brought people to escort him out of the palace. Shangqing only thought that he was going to be sent back to Wuliang Temple. Now, he finally understood that this matter probably wouldn¡¯t blow over quickly. Even so, he showed no signs of fear. He stood with his head held high and composed himself. He looked straight into Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes and denied loudly, ¡°1 don¡¯t recognize it.¡± Zhao Rang looked at the Emperor¡¯s ugly expression and scolded, ¡°Shangqing, you poisoned the Eldest Princess. Now that the evidence is conclusive, you still dare to deny it!!¡± ¡°I¡¯m innocent!¡± Shangqing didn¡¯t bow to the Emperor. He just stood there with his hands by his side and defended himself calmly. ¡°I¡¯ve never poisoned the eldest princess.¡± ¡°Everyone in the imperial hospital and the palace knows that I¡¯ve saved the Eldest Princess several times in the past five years, but I¡¯ve never asked the Emperor for glory and wealth.¡± ¡°The Eldest Princess is seriously ill this time. I suggested that I could use the Heart Pill to save her because I was afraid that the Emperor would blame me for being incompetent. In the end, whether I do it or not depends on the Emperor.¡± ¡°I have a clear conscience.¡± Shangqing¡¯s words were dignified. He rid himself of all responsibilities and stood upright. Since he wanted to be a benevolent ruler today, it was inevitable that he would be restrained. If it was the previous Emperor Taizu who killed decisively, he wouldn¡¯t have the chance to stand here and defend himself. ¡°There¡¯s no need to talk nonsense.¡± Gu Yanfei took a step closer to Shangqing and said indifferently, ¡°This Gu worm will recognize its master. It doesn¡¯t matter if you acknowledge it or not.¡± The fingers of her right hand gently knocked on the wooden box. Inside the box, the Blood Gu, which had been pretending to be dead, suddenly flapped its wings and flew out of the box. It flew in the direction of Shangqing so fast that it turned into a red shadow. However, Gu Yanfei moved faster than the Gu worm. She was as fast as lightning and as fast as the wind. With a casual pinch, she accurately pinched the blood worm¡¯s tentacles between her fingers. The blood worm was only two inches away from the tip of Shangqing¡¯s nose. Its wings were still buzzing and vibrating, but Shangqing didn¡¯t move at all. He was neither afraid nor uneasy. Shangqing looked at Gu Yanfei and said calmly, ¡°I¡¯m from Wuliang Temple, the orthodox Daoist sect. How can I know witchcraft and evil arts! Second Lady Gu, these are just empty words. It¡¯s better not to wrongly accuse innocent people. When Shangqing said this, he was quite confident. His eyes and expression didn¡¯t waver at all. This Gu worm was indeed not planted by him. Even if the Gu worm recognizes its master, it wouldn¡¯t backfire on him. Gu Yanfei stared at Shangqing for a while more before retracting his right hand that was holding the Gu worm. She said with regret and helplessness, ¡°It¡¯s not yours¡­¡± As soon as she finished speaking, a talisman appeared between the fingers of her left hand. She said in a clear voice, ¡®This is the Flaming Sun Talisman. It burns all the evil in the world and won¡¯t stop until they¡¯re all dead.¡± She slapped the Flaming Sun Talisman on the Blood Gu. In the next moment, the talisman ignited on its own, and a bright yellow flame ignited the tail of the Blood Gu. ¡°The Gu¡­ is burning!¡± Someone in the crowd screamed. The flames burned rapidly along the worm¡¯s body. The Blood Gu struggled and twisted in the flames in pain, but it was in vain. The flames burned brighter and brighter, turning into a ball of flames the size of a baby¡¯s fist. Gu Yanfei laughed slyly and shook the tentacles of the Gu worm. The burning Gu worm swayed like a fireball. The flickering flames reflected on Shangqing¡¯s withered face, forming a strange shadow on his face. The scene of the Gu worm spontaneously combusting shocked the onlookers. They couldn¡¯t take their eyes off it and were amazed that such a piece of paper talisman could burn this strange and terrifying Gu worm to death. Everyone¡¯s gaze was attracted by the burning Gu worm. No one noticed that there was another talisman in the palm of Gu Yanfei¡¯s left hand, which was cleverly concealed by her sleeve. The talisman flew out with the wind and rolled up with a fallen leaf¡­ ¡°Ah!¡¯ As soon as the talisman appeared, Shangqing suddenly let out a heart-wrenching scream. He lost his composure and kicked his feet repeatedly, looking flustered and exasperated. Two bright flames appeared out of thin air on his shoes. The scorching flames quickly spread along the Daoist robe and pants. In the blink of an eye, the area below Shangqing¡¯s knees was burning fiercely. The golden-red flames danced wildly and greedily climbed up his thighs¡­ Shangqing, who had turned into a ¡°fiery man¡±, struggled in pain in the raging flames and roared. The scarlet Gu worm in Gu Yanfei¡¯s hand also twisted its body and struggled desperately in the fireball. At first glance, the man and the insect that twisted and struggled in the flames were exactly the same, exuding an indescribable strangeness, as if there was an invisible connection between them. Everyone saw Shangqing spontaneously combust. This scene was so terrifying that everyone was shocked and couldn¡¯t make a sound. Zhang Min, his daughter, and the middle-aged woman could almost feel the burning heat on Shangqing¡¯s body. They all took a few steps back in fear. ¡°The Gu worm knows its master.¡± Gu Yanfei touched her small chin and sighed faintly. ¡°When the Gu worm dies, it¡¯ll also devour its master.¡¯ The last words were dragged out slowly. She seemed to be mocking and laughing at Shangqing, but at the same time, she seemed to be showing off her ability. The Gu worm¡¯s ¡®master¡¯ referred to Shangqing. ¡®When the Gu worm dies, it¡¯ll also devour its master.¡± These words repeatedly echoed in everyone¡¯s ears. The crowd was silent, and only Shangqing¡¯s screams echoed in the shivering, cold wind. After a short silence, another indignant shout erupted from the crowd. ¡°Backlash!¡± The young man in green, who had a corner of his black inner robe exposed at his collar, pointed at Shangqing and said with certainty, ¡°The Gu worm was burned, so it gave its master backlash.¡± The ironclad evidence was right in front of them. With so many people witnessing it with their own eyes, everyone believed it.. Chapter 314 - Chapter 314: Karmic Fire Chapter 314: Karmic Fire Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The commoners all agreed. ¡°As expected, the demonic Daoist Shangqing placed a Blood Gu on the Eldest Princess.¡± ¡°Not only is this person vicious, but he¡¯s also extremely shameless. He even lied through his teeth just now and refused to admit it!¡± ¡°So he¡¯s actually such a sanctimonious person!¡± The people who had previously defended Shangqing were extremely ashamed at this moment. They used to be very devout, but now, they hated Shangqing as much as they respected him before. They felt that they had been blinded by some small favors and felt that they were really stupid. The citizens were furious. If not for the imperial guards maintaining order here, they would have rushed over and beat Shangqing up. Shangqing fell to the ground and rolled around in pain, trying to extinguish the fire this way. However, the flames on the lower half of his body were still burning fiercely. Not only did they not show any signs of weakening, but they also burned even more fiercely. In an instant, they had already burned to his waist. His hair was disheveled, and his hair was stained with the dust on the ground. He looked like a beggar begging on the streets. Gu Yan walked towards Shangqing on the ground, step by step. Her steps were light, as if she was stepping on air. The fire on Shangqing¡¯s body automatically avoided her when it encountered her and didn¡¯t burn her at all. The surrounding commoners couldn¡¯t help but recall the scene where the violent wind avoided her. They increasingly felt that this fairy-like girl in front of them must be a fairy from the Nine Heavens who had descended to the mortal world. They looked at her with a solemn expression and respect like she was a God. Gu Yanfei walked to a place that was less than a step away from Shangqing and looked down at him on the ground. There was no joy or sadness in her lowered eyes, and it couldn¡¯t even be considered hatred. It was as if Shangqing wasn¡¯t worthy of her attention. ¡°I¡¯ll return it to you.¡± Gu Yanfei let go of the Gu worm¡¯s tentacles. The burning Blood Gu landed beside Shangqing. Almost at the moment it landed, the fireball burned the Blood Gu to ashes. A little ash landed on his fingertips, burning his nails red. Shangqing struggled to raise his head from the ground. His eyes locked onto Gu Yanfei tightly as he squeezed out one word with difficulty. ¡®Why?¡± The pain of being burned by the flames tortured him so much that he wished he was dead. He couldn¡¯t exert any strength in his body. At this moment, even speaking became extremely strenuous for him. His voice was very low and hoarse. Looking at the calm young girl in front of him, Shangqing¡¯s heart was filled with mixed feelings. He was clearly careful with every step he took and would never touch anything he shouldn¡¯t. How did he end up in this desperate situation? Shangqing couldn¡¯t help but ask Gu Yanfei again, ¡®Why?¡± Why would he suffer a ¡°backlash¡± when he was clearly not the owner of the Blood Gu? Why would an accomplished expert like Gu Yanfei care about these mortal matters? Compared to cultivators like them, these mortals who didn¡¯t know Dao techniques were just ants. Why would humans care about the lives and deaths of ants! He was really unwilling to lose! Gu Yanfei naturally understood his thoughts. Her eyes were like stars falling from the night sky. They were so bright and cold. She smiled slyly and slowly said, ¡°Because I want to.¡± She could do whatever she wanted. Why should she care if he could figure it out? As long as she was happy. ¡°You¡­¡± Shangqing seemed to have been stabbed in the heart by her. He let out another beastly roar. Gu Yanfei squatted down casually and looked at Shangqing with her chin in her hand. She said, ¡®The talisman I used on you isn¡¯t the Flaming Sun Talisman, but the Hellfire Talisman.¡¯ Her voice drifted into Shangqing¡¯s ears like a cold winter wind. He was the only one who could hear it. The reason Shangqing was burning at this moment wasn¡¯t because of the ¡°backlash¡± of the Blood Gu. It was just that she had used a ¡°Hellfire Talisman¡± on him. She smiled faintly and said, ¡°The more sinful you are, the stronger the hellfire will burn.¡¯ The Hellfire Talisman wasn¡¯t a killing talisman, but a karma talisman. If it was used on a pure and kind person like An Le, it would be equivalent to a useless piece of white paper. In this land of extinction, casually using those talismans that harmed lives would greatly damage her merit. She had already jumped on the bottom line of Heaven¡¯s Will, so she didn¡¯t want Heaven¡¯s Will to personally suppress her. And this Hellfire Talisman could be drawn with the power of virtue. It was most suitable for those who had committed grave sins. ¡± ¡± Shangqing¡¯s eyebrows twitched and his eyes almost popped out of their sockets. So she was the one who had schemed against him! Chapter 315 - Chapter 315: Hellfire Chapter 315: Hellfire Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡®What do you want?¡± Shangqing¡¯s face was even more twisted. Her face was pale, and her breath was getting heavier. The fire in her lower body was still spreading upward, like maggots in her bones. Gu Yanfei smiled leisurely and didn¡¯t answer the question. ¡°The Karmic Fire will burn your cultivation.¡± ¡°And the soul.¡± ¡°Until your soul is destroyed and you turn into ashes, there will be no reincarnation.¡± Her voice became colder and colder. It was as if she was soaked in ice water in the middle of winter. It slowly flowed into the depths of Shangqing¡¯s heart and pierced it like ice needles. Everyone believed in reincarnation. Shangqing was a cultivator and believed in reincarnation even more. Moreover, Shangqing could also feel that the cultivation in her body was slipping away bit by bit. The fire around him wasn¡¯t only burning his body, but also his soul¡­ The Karmic Fire produced by this ¡°Hellfire Talisman¡± weren¡¯t ordinary flames, but Karmic flames that could burn the soul! He was conceited that he was born with a Dao bone and far surpassed others. He had strived his entire life just to enter the Dao. Even if he couldn¡¯t do it in this life, he had to lay down his fortune to enter the Dao in his next life. All these years, he had always been confident that he could do it. Even his master¡¯s cultivation was inferior to his at his age. But now, for the first time, Shangqing felt the fear that came from the depths of his soul. The fear quickly spread throughout his body and turned into a bone-chilling chill. Gu Yanfei straightened her body and asked coldly, ¡°Shangqing, where are those children?¡¯ When she said this, her voice suddenly became louder, and her clear and calm voice spread throughout the entire area of Chengtian Gate. The surrounding commoners could also hear her clearly. The noisy commoners instantly quieted down, and the surroundings were silent. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Shangqing gritted his teeth. Beads of sweat the size of soybeans rolled down his forehead and neck, dripping onto his dirty Daoist robe. In an instant, they were evaporated by the flames. He gritted his teeth so hard that he almost crushed them, but he endured the torturous pain. His body trembled violently because of the burning pain and also because he was afraid. This was the reverence mortals had for cultivators. This was a fear of his soul dissipating and turning into ashes. He could feel his soul being burned to ashes bit by bit by the Karmic Fire. He could feel that a corner of his soul was missing, and it was becoming bigger¡­ He knew that Gu Yanfei wasn¡¯t scaring him, she was simply threatening him. He was already in a desperate situation, and if the Karmic Fire continued to burn, his soul might really be destroyed. That would mean that he would be completely destroyed. There was no next life. Gu Yanfei casually played with the snow-green headband that hung down to his chest and said nonchalantly, ¡°The Eldest Princess has been poisoned by a Gu worm. It¡¯s impossible for the person who cast the Gu worm not to know that the Gu worm has its own way of curing the illness. The so-called ¡®Heart Pill¡¯ is useless. ¡® This sentence still echoed clearly throughout the square for the commoners to hear. Long before Gu Yanfei expelled the Gu worm for An Le, she had said that the Heart Pill was useless, but at that time, most of the commoners were skeptical and felt that words were useless. And now, they had witnessed the development of the entire matter with their own eyes. They had witnessed that terrifying Gu worm being lured out of the Eldest Princess¡¯s body, and Shangqing had even suffered the backlash of the fire on the spot. Then, there was no doubt that Shangqing was the user of the Blood Gu. Then, why did Shangqing and his accomplices kidnap so many children?! The families who had lost their children were so nervous and worried that their bodies were trembling. The middle-aged woman beside Zhang Min gritted her teeth tightly, her eyes filled with tears. She was worried that her children would be harmed by sorcery. ¡°Demonic priest, hurry up and tell us the whereabouts of those children!¡± In the crowd, someone tried his best to fan the flames. With his shout, the other commoners also roared. They were all certain that Shangqing had abducted those children. It was somewhat like how everyone kicks a man who is down. Gu Yanfei narrowed her eyes. Seeing the fear in Shangqing¡¯s eyes and how his gaze was starting to lose focus, she knew that he was about to break down. She chuckled and said slowly and clearly, ¡°Shangqing, you used the Eldest Princess¡¯s illness to encourage the Emperor to collect the blood from the children¡¯s hearts.¡± ¡°The Emperor is benevolent and doesn¡¯t want to hurt innocent people. You did it on your own and even wanted to shift the blame to the Eldest Princess.¡± Gu Yanfei tilted her exquisite and flawless little face and looked at Shangqing. A faint smile appeared on her lips. Her smile was like a flower, but it made Shangqing¡¯s heart turn cold for no reason.. ¡°Tell me, where are those children!¡± Chapter 316 - Chapter 316: Karmic Fire Chapter 316: Karmic Fire Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios This time, her tone wasn¡¯t questioning, but oppressive. Her threat was obvious. ¡± ¡± Shangqing, who was prostrating on the ground, gritted his teeth and sweat poured down like rain. He endured the pain of being burned by the Karmic Fire, and his body trembled even more. He still didn¡¯t say anything. His withered hands were clenched into fists, and veins were almost popping out from under his skin. If he confessed, he wouldn¡¯t be the only one who would lose. How stubborn. Gu Yanfei thought to herself. Without any hint of mercy on her face, she raised her hand and snapped her fingers. The next moment, the golden-red Karma Fire on Shangqing¡¯s body suddenly rose and swallowed his entire body, leaving only his head exposed. His soul seemed to have been submerged in boiling lava as it rapidly began to melt¡­ The gap in his soul was getting bigger and bigger. He knew that if a person¡¯s soul had a gap, it meant that they would become a fool in their next life or even reincarnate as an animal. However, as long as the incomplete soul was still there, there was a chance to encounter opportunities again and again in reincarnation to replenish the soul. Once the soul dissipated, there would be no chance at all. Sizzle¡ª Something in Shangqing¡¯s pupils seemed to have completely shattered and disintegrated. Shangqing¡¯s lips trembled as he spat out four words with difficulty, ¡°It¡¯s the Yu Family.¡± His voice wasn¡¯t loud and was as soft as a mosquito¡¯s buzz. Gu Yanfei was close enough to hear it clearly, but she still smiled and said, ¡°1 didn¡¯t hear it.¡± These four words were neither light nor heavy. They were neither warm nor cold. To Shangqing, they were like a death warrant. Shangqing¡¯s lips were already devoid of any color. The scorching flames from her shoulder fiercely wrapped around his throat. The flames made his face, which was as pale as a skeleton, turn red, revealing a demonic aura that was on the verge of death. Shangqing repeated, ¡°It¡¯s the Yu Family.¡± His raspy voice rose another three pitches. The Karmic Fire wrapped around his neck like a poisonous snake, wrapping around his soul like a cocoon. It burned, twisted, and crushed him. In the face of the cruel and merciless Karmic Fire, Shangqing was like a weak baby, unable to fight back. He could only passively endure the pain from the depths of his soul. Shangqing screamed in pain again, his voice hoarse. ¡®Those children are all in the secret room of the Yu Residence in Wutong Lane.¡± ¡°The Yu Family?¡± The commoners in the crowd were still a little confused. Many of them didn¡¯t react. ¡®Which Yu Family?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s the Yu Residence in Wutong Lane, that must be the Yu Family of Yuzhou!¡± Soon, a loud male voice spoke with certainty. ¡°Yes, there¡¯s a family in Wutong Lane with the surname Yu.¡± The commoners all revealed shocked expressions. The new dynasty had only been established for 50 years. To most people, those aristocratic families that had been prestigious for hundreds of years were deeply rooted in their hearts. Especially the Yu Family. ¡°Is it that Yu Family? The Yu Family that had more than ten prime ministers in the previous dynasty?¡± ¡°I remember that the elders in my family also said that the Yu Family produced an empress in the previous dynasty.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. The descendants of the Yu Family occupy half of the imperial court of the previous dynasty and have power over the court. ¡® ¡°I also heard that many memorial tablets of the Yu Family are enshrined in the ancestral hall¡­¡± The older generation also knew how glorious the Yu Family was in the previous dynasty, far surpassing the current Yuan Family. One by one, they spoke about what they knew about the Yu Family as if they were familiar with it. Their excited tone carried a hint of reverence and admiration. To commoners like them, these high and mighty aristocratic families were like the legendary princes and princesses. They were all nobles that they could only dream of. The commoners who had lost their children were all burning with anxiety. The middle-aged woman with tears all over her face grabbed Scholar Zhang Min¡¯s sleeve and asked anxiously, ¡°Did Shangqing Spiritual Master just say that the children are all in the Yu Family¡¯s secret room?¡± Zhang Min nodded and looked at his daughter, who was leaning against him. He frowned and said, ¡°So, the Yu Family kidnapped my daughter and other children?¡± But why?! Why did the Yu Family kidnap so many children?! This question appeared in everyone¡¯s minds. Some of them had some guesses in their hearts and looked thoughtfully at the Emperor in front of them. Could it be to frame the Emperor? ¡®Why?¡± Gu Yanfei stared fixedly at Shangqing on the ground and asked their doubts on behalf of everyone around him. ¡± ¡± Shangqing looked like he was struggling and hesitating. His entire body was trembling violently in the flames. He no longer looked like a living person, and instead looked more like a ghost that was suffering the torture of hellfire. Even after enduring such inhumane torture, he still retained his last bit of rationality. If the sons of the Yu Family were leaves, the Yu Family was their root. From a young age, he had been taught that only when the Yu Family was good would the Yu Family descendants be good. The family was the backbone of all of them. For the prosperity of their family, all the sons of the Yu Family were willing to give up everything. If the leaves were gone, the roots could regenerate the leaves. However, once the roots were destroyed, the leaves would eventually wither and rot! Gu Yanfei smiled slightly. She couldn¡¯t be bothered to waste her breath on Shangqing anymore. She raised her hand and made a gesture of snapping her fingers, letting her thumb touch her middle finger. Shangqing seemed to have received an invisible blow and shouted, ¡°Borrowing luck!¡± ¡°It was to borrow luck!¡± At this moment, the last bit of rationality and perseverance in his heart was completely burned away.. Chapter 317 - Chapter 317: Condemnation Chapter 317: Condemnation Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Shangqing¡¯s entire body was like a shell that had lost its beliefs. All his spirit was gone, and he was only struggling at death¡¯s door. His heart was filled with powerless despair. In terms of Dao techniques, strength was everything. In the face of Gu Yanfei, who was far more powerful than him, his tricks and spells were all insignificant. The other party was a cat, and he was a mouse. If the cat casually swiped its claws, the mouse could only run away. ¡°Borrowing luck,¡± Gu Yanfei muttered to herself. Her right hand, which was about to snap its fingers, stopped in mid-air and casually twisted it twice. Even Chu Yi was slightly surprised, but Gu Yanfei¡¯s expression was as calm as water. He even had a feeling that he had expected this outcome. In the Yu Family there is Shangqing. Borrowing luck had happened in his previous life. In her previous life, her elder brother, Gu Yuan, had his luck borrowed by someone. Before he turned 18, Gu Yuan was a proud son of heaven. He was well-versed in both literature and martial arts and was smart and quick-witted. However, one day, he suddenly fell into dire straits. He became crippled, and his career was ruined. Even if he was in the business world, he would be suppressed by others, and everything wouldn¡¯t go smoothly. Even his close friends and family would be tainted by bad luck and gradually alienate him. In her previous life, Gu Yanfei only thought that her elder brother was unlucky and ended up like this. It wasn¡¯t until she reincarnated into the Bright Spirit Realm and entered the Dao that she gradually understood that her elder brother¡¯s luck had actually been borrowed by someone. Now that she thought about it, although more than a hundred children weren¡¯t lost at that time, there was a group of once high-spirited youths who suddenly fell into dire straits. They were either repeatedly injured or failed at each trial. Their wives had miscarriages repeatedly , or their marriages were repeatedly canceled¡­ Nothing went smoothly for them. They had all become targets of pity, alienation, and even avoidance. They were mocked and discussed over meals! Like her brother, their luck had been borrowed. Gu Yanfei¡¯s dark eyes were as cold as autumn water. Shangqing stared at Gu Yanfei¡¯s finger with a panicked expression. His willpower had been completely crushed. He continued intermittently, ¡°Borrowing luck requires a hundred virgin boys and a hundred virgin girls each to take the blood from their hearts. Now, those children are all¡­ locked in a secret room in the Yu Residence.¡¯ ¡°After mastering this technique, the Yu Family will be able to scheme for a hundred years of luck. In a hundred years, it will soar and prosper.¡± He panted with difficulty. His clothes and body were burned black by the Karmic Fire, but he was still struggling and holding on. He felt that his soul was already riddled with holes from the Karmic Fire and could shatter at any moment. He looked at Gu Yanfei pleadingly and said strenuously, ¡°What else do you want to know? I¡¯ll tell you everything¡­ Let me go.¡± In his extreme fear, he couldn¡¯t hold back anymore. Scholar Zhang Min and the middle-aged woman trembled as their anger surged. If not for the fact that Shangqing had already suffered retribution and was burned by the flames, they would have rushed over and punched him a few times. Zhang Min hugged his daughter tightly and patted her back repeatedly. He choked up again in fear. The other citizens who had lost their children couldn¡¯t stand still anymore. All of them had panicked expressions and were on the verge of collapse. Even if they didn¡¯t understand why it was a technique to borrow luck, just by listening to it, they knew that the technique to kill 200 children must be an extremely vicious evil technique. Would their child still be alive after falling into the clutches of such a heartless person?! The more they thought about it, the more afraid they became. They simply didn¡¯t dare to think further. Gu Yanfei shook her head gently. She seemed to be sighing, and her dark pupils carried a hint of coldness like a winter night. At this moment, Shangqing was like a frightened bird. When he saw Gu Yanfei shake her head, he shouted in shock, ¡°I¡¯m not the mastermind. I didn¡¯t kidnap the children or kill anyone. ¡® ¡°The person who ordered the kidnapping is the head of the family. He¡¯s in the capital. You¡¯ll know when you ask him.¡± That¡¯s right. His hands were clean because he wanted to have good fortune in his next life. He would never let his hands be stained with human lives and blood. Gu Yanfei looked at Shangqing indifferently, as if he was looking at a dirty bug. People like Shangqing would never feel that they were in the wrong, and would always blame others for their greed. They felt that they had just handed a knife to others in passing. It didn¡¯t matter to them whether others killed people with the knife or not. In his previous life, he had cast a spell and borrowed his brother¡¯s luck. He probably wouldn¡¯t feel guilty at all and would have a clear conscience. A cold aura spread out from Gu Yanfei¡¯s body. ¡°Emperor!¡± The middle-aged woman beside the scholar, Zhang Min, knelt on the ground with a thud and kowtowed repeatedly to the Emperor.. In a few moments, her forehead was bruised as she shouted heart-wrenchingly, ¡°Emperor, please uphold justice for me and save my poor child!¡± Chapter 318 - Chapter 318: Condemnation Chapter 318: Condemnation Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios When she said this, the other commoners who had lost their children also knelt down. Some cried like rain, some echoed in unison, and some kowtowed repeatedly like the woman. ¡°Emperor, please punish this group of heartless villains severely!¡± ¡°Please help us find the child, Emperor! ¡® These people who had lost their children were all on the verge of breaking down, afraid that they would find cold corpses. Their sorrowful emotions also infected the other commoners. The commoners¡¯ eyes turned red as they knelt down one after another, all begging the Emperor to make a decision. At a glance, everyone was kneeling, and sorrow and righteous indignation were written all over their faces. A sorrowful atmosphere pervaded the area around Chengtian Gate. ¡°Father,¡± An Le, who was sitting in the wheelchair, suddenly said in a soft voice. She was still very weak. She adjusted her cloak, and her left hand was still wrapped in the white handkerchief that Chu Yi had bandaged for her. The calico cat at the corner of the handkerchief was curled up on the back of her hand. Her other hand grabbed one of the Emperor¡¯s sleeves and shook it as she obediently begged, ¡°Please help them find their children.¡± The ten-year-old girl looked as obedient, pure, and innocent as she could be. Under her pure eyes, the surrounding commoners were ashamed. They didn¡¯t dare look at her directly. They felt guilty and ashamed for wronging her previously. They felt that the Eldest Princess was magnanimous, kind, and benevolent. Even though she had suffered inhumane hardships, she didn¡¯t become resentful and still harbored great kindness. The Eldest Princess was high and mighty, but she didn¡¯t feel that she was superior to others because of this. She could put herself in their shoes and empathize with commoners like them to benefit them. It was the blessing of the commoners to have such a princess! Many commoners were moved to tears. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll listen to you.¡± The Emperor smiled. Even if An Le didn¡¯t say anything, the Emperor would still do so. However, he was more willing to credit this merit to his daughter and accumulate good karma for her. The Emperor cleared his throat and instructed the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guards in front of everyone, ¡°He Lie, bring people to seal the Yu Residence and capture the Yu Family Head. ¡® ¡°Hand him over to the Ministry of Justice. This case will be handled by the three divisions!¡± The commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guards, He Lie, immediately went forward to listen to the order. He cupped his fists and was about to accept the order when he saw Chu Yi turn around slightly and say slowly and clearly to the Emperor, ¡°Father, this matter involves more than a hundred children. With Zhang Min knocking on the drum first, why don¡¯t we let the Emperor interrogate them? What do you think, Father?¡± When the commoners thought about it, their eyes lit up. Right. If the Yu Family was sent to the Ministry of Justice, what would happen if the officials protected them?! The Yu Family was an aristocratic family. These aristocratic families were mostly members of the court officials and had in-laws in the court. If this matter was reduced to a small matter, or if they found someone to take the blame, what could the commoners do?! Before the Emperor could speak, the kneeling commoners shouted, ¡°Please judge it yourself, Emperor. ¡± Everyone shouted in unison, soaring into the sky. The Emperor stroked his beard and nodded. ¡°Alright, bring the Yu Family here. I will personally investigate this case.¡± As soon as these words were spoken, the citizens were energized. They kowtowed one after another and repeatedly shouted, ¡°Long live, long live, long live.¡± Their shouts were even louder than before, and they spread far away like thunder. In the distant crowd on Chang¡¯an West Street, a certain figure watched this scene from afar, and his body almost froze. Not daring to stay any longer, he immediately mounted his horse and took a shortcut to the Yu Residence in Wutong Lane in the south of the city. ¡°Second Aunt, the Emperor sent the Embroidered Uniform Guards here to capture the family head! ¡± The person¡¯s words shocked the British Duchess, Madam Yu, so much that she clutched her chest. Her beautiful face turned pale, and her fingertips that were holding the handkerchief turned slightly pale. Although she already had a bad feeling, she didn¡¯t expect things to really take a bad turn. Shangqing actually gave up the Yu Family! What a waste of the family¡¯s resources to raise such a heartless ingrate! Madam Yu quickly adjusted her emotions and decisively instructed the maidservant, ¡°Prepare the carriage. I want to return to the British Mansion.¡± ¡°Also, call Eldest Sister-in-law and Yun¡¯er over too. Let them return with me.¡¯ She was glad that she had the foresight to let her brother leave first. Madam Yu didn¡¯t dare to delay for a moment. She immediately brought her nanny and maidservant and hurried towards the gate.. Chapter 319 - Chapter 319: Condemnation Chapter 319: Condemnation Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Eldest Madam Yu and Yu Chaoyun arrived at the ceremonial hall a step later than her. They were all in a panic, especially Eldest Madam Yu. Her expression was extremely ugly as she said to Madam Yu, ¡°Second Sister¡­¡± ¡°Get in the car first.¡± Madam Yu urged anxiously. As soon as she finished speaking, the old woman at the door ran over in shock. She panted and shouted, ¡°Second Aunt, bad news. The Embroidered Uniform Guards are here. They¡¯ve surrounded the residence!¡± The old woman was frightened, and her legs trembled. Madam Yu held the maid servant¡¯s hand. One of her feet had just stepped on the pedal when she froze like a stone statue. A clamor soon came from the direction of the door, and the originally quiet Yu Residence instantly became in a tizzy. Heavy and messy footsteps came one after another, like a heavy hammer striking the hearts of Madam Yu and the others. A team of Embroidered Uniform Guards wearing red flying fish suits and embroidered sabers on their waists strode over. The person in the lead was the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guards, He Lie. He Lie immediately saw the British Duchess Yu and the Eldest Madam Yu beside the carriage. He casually cupped his hands at them and said coldly, ¡°I¡¯m under orders to capture Yu Si, the head of the Yu Family. No one else is allowed to leave this place.¡± As they spoke, a few Embroidered Uniform Guards surrounded Madam Yu, Eldest Madam Yu, and Yu Chaoyun. Their eyes were shining like bloodthirsty wolves. Madam Yu gave Eldest Madam Yu a look to calm her down. Then, she looked at He Lie with her head held high. There was a hint of arrogance in her gracefulness as she said matter-of-factly, ¡°I¡¯m the British Duchess. I want to return to the British Manor.¡± Yu Chaoyun¡¯s beautiful face revealed a hint of uneasiness. She clenched the handkerchief in her hand tightly and could only vaguely guess that something big had happened. He Lie casually dusted off the non-existent dust on his sleeves and said with a fake smile, ¡°British Duchess, I¡¯m also acting under the orders of the Sage!¡± ¡°Excuse me.¡± ¡°Take them to the lobby.¡± He Lie didn¡¯t waste any time and made a gesture. The Embroidered Uniform Guards narrowed the encirclement. One of them extended his hand towards Madam Yu and said, ¡°Go ahead, British Duchess.¡¯ They didn¡¯t hide the threat in their words at all. ¡± ¡± Madam Yu¡¯s body stiffened, and her eyes flickered. The strength of the Embroidered Uniform Guards had exceeded her expectations. As a woman, if she were to be offended by them, she would only be at a disadvantage. Eldest Madam Yu said stiffly, ¡°Second Sister, let¡¯s not delay Commander He¡¯s mission.¡¯ Madam Yu snorted coldly and left with a flick of her sleeve. Under the escort of the Embroidered Uniform Guards, the three women arrived at the hall of the outer courtyard. The door of the hall was guarded by a few Embroidered Uniform Guards. In the hall, the grannies and maid servants were a little nervous. One moment, they looked at the ferocious Embroidered Uniform Guards outside, and the next moment, they looked at the masters in the hall. Even so, the servants were still orderly. As usual, tea was served and cushions were placed on the masters¡¯ chairs. Someone went to the corner to light Incense. Yu Chaoyun¡¯s mind was filled with thoughts. She carefully observed the expressions of Madam Yu and Eldest Madam Yu. She wanted to ask what was going on, but in the end, she didn¡¯t dare to. She only gently invited the two elders to sit down and comforted them gently. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡± ¡± Madam Yu pursed her lips and held back the churning emotions in her chest. Eldest Madam Yu was also uneasy and didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Commander! ¡± A loud shout outside the hall made Madam Yu¡¯s heart skip a beat again. In the courtyard outside the hall, an Embroidered Uniform Guards rushed to He Lie¡¯s side and reported excitedly, ¡°l just found Yu Si, the head of the Yu Family.¡± ¡°Second Lady Gu is really amazing. She could even calculate that the Yu Family Head was hiding in the compartment of the carriage and escaping.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve taken him down!¡¯ Hearing this, Eldest Madam Yu stood up, her face pale. Madam Yu¡¯s ears were ringing, and she was exhausted. She almost collapsed on the chair, and there was only one thought left in her muddled mind. It¡¯s indeed Gu Yanfei! In other words, after the Murong Family incident, Shangqing lost to Gu Yanfei agam! Thst time, Shangqing became neither human nor ghost. What price did he pay this time? Was it giving up the Yu family?! ¡± ¡± Madam Yu¡¯s hand that was holding the handkerchief trembled uncontrollably, and a trace of despair appeared on her face. Yu Chaoyun could also notice the subtle change in Madam Yu¡¯s expression, and her heart rose bit by bit. Eldest Uncle had been taken down by the Embroidered Uniform Guards, and they were now in this state. The matter was clearly not small¡­ Could Eldest Uncle have committed a serious crime that could harm the entire family?! Yu Chaoyun¡¯s pupils suddenly constricted to a point. She lowered her eyes and looked at Eldest Madam Yu and Madam Yu, who were in a daze. She bit her full lower lip. To her, her family was the sky. And now, the sky seemed to be falling. As for her aunt and uncle, they were probably unreliable.. Chapter 320 - Chapter 320: Secret Room Chapter 320: Secret Room Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Chaoyun¡¯s eyes were dark, but her face was still as gentle and respectful as usual. She advised, ¡°Let¡¯s not be anxious. Our Yu Family isn¡¯t the only one involved in this matter.¡± As she spoke, she carefully paid attention to the reactions of Eldest Madam Yu and Madam Yu. She saw Eldest Madam Yu stagger back to her seat. That¡¯s right. Madam Yu¡¯s eyes widened as if she had just woken up from a dream, and she told herself not to panic. This matter hasn¡¯t reached a dead end. Our Yu Family isn¡¯t alone and helpless. The reactions of the two elders confirmed some of Yu Chaoyun¡¯s guesses. Her heart sank again. Yu Chaoyun bit her lip again and said gently, ¡°Besides, there¡¯s still my Uncle. With him around, my Eldest Uncle will definitely be fine.¡± Madam Yu took a deep breath and gradually calmed down. Yes, she couldn¡¯t lose her composure because of Gu Yanfei. She was the British Duchess, and she still had the British Monarchy. The British Monarchy had a large number of troops under its command, so the Emperor would definitely give them face! Yu Chaoyun picked up the tea that had just been served by a servant and tried the temperature of the tea. She thoughtfully handed it to Madam Yu and said, ¡°Aunt, drink some tea to moisten your throat. ¡® ¡°Are these Embroidered Uniform Guards looking for something?¡± She carefully probed and looked out of the hall through the window. Seven or eight Embroidered Uniform Guards were busily using their scabbards to strike and probe everywhere. They carefully searched every place they passed, including pavilions, flowers, wood, and artificial mountains¡­ Looking at the Embroidered Uniform Guards¡¯ posture, it seemed like they wanted to dig three feet into the ground. This residence was only their Yu Family¡¯s temporary residence in the capital. Other than her and her uncle, there was only her aunt. Then what else could the Embroidered Uniform Guards find? Madam Yu also followed Yu Chaoyun¡¯s gaze and looked out of the hall. Her pupils constricted slightly. She also realized that the Embroidered Uniform Guards seemed to be looking for something. Madam Yu and Eldest Madam Yu didn¡¯t speak. Occasionally, they would look at each other uneasily. Yu Chaoyun asked carefully, ¡®Will my Eldest Uncle be alright?¡± Madam Yu raised her eyelids, and her cold eyes met Yu Chaoyun¡¯s probing gaze. Of course, she understood what her niece was thinking. She sneered and said, ¡°Yun¡¯er, don¡¯t forget that your surname is Yu. ¡°If the Yu Family is in trouble, you will be punished together!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve taught you since you were young. You have to remember at all times that no eggs are perfect when the nest is overturned.¡± ¡®You¡¯re not married yet!¡± Madam Yu¡¯s words were like knives stabbing at Yu Chaoyun. Yu Chaoyun¡¯s expression instantly turned ugly, and her lips turned pale from her biting. Yu Chaoyun wanted to defend herself, but under Madam Yu¡¯s clear gaze, any defense seemed so weak. Another series of hurried footsteps came from outside the hall. A square-faced Embroidered Uniform Guards quickly ran towards He Lie, who was standing in the courtyard with his hands behind his back. He shouted excitedly, ¡°Commander, it¡¯s done!¡¯ ¡°Second Lady Gu has already calculated it!¡± Upon hearing the Embroidered Uniform Guards mention Gu Yanfei again, Madam Yu almost jumped up from her chair, but she could only sit still and try to calm down. The square-faced Embroidered Uniform Guards who came to report whispered into He Lie¡¯s ear. He Lie nodded slightly and suddenly turned to look at Eldest Madam Yu and Madam Yu. He happened to look at Madam Yu from afar. Beads of sweat appeared on the back of Madam Yu¡¯s neck and soaked through her inner clothes. A thought that made her tremble came to her mind. Could it be¡­ Eldest Madam Yu also thought of the same place as her. She called out in a trembling voice, ¡°Second Sister!¡± The two felt a chill run down their spines, and their limbs went numb. After He Lie instructed the square-faced Embroidered Uniform Guards, the square-faced Embroidered Uniform Guards shouted, ¡°Leave four people to guard here. The rest of you, follow me!¡± The Embroidered Uniform Guards, who were originally searching the courtyard, heard the commotion and came over. They all followed He Lie towards the northwest of the residence. Madam Yu, who was in the back hall, lost her composure and stood up from her chair. Her body hit the coffee table beside her, but she didn¡¯t notice it. He Lie and the others didn¡¯t care about what the Yu Family thought. They went all the way to a rockery in a small garden on the northwest side of the Yu Residence. The square-faced Embroidered Uniform Guards shouted, ¡°Search carefully. Don¡¯t miss a single corner. Second Lady Gu said that the secret room is in the rockery.¡± The Embroidered Uniform Guards were all experts in searching. They immediately spread out and landed in a corner to search the fake mountain. ¡°Found it! Found the mechanism!¡¯ ¡°There¡¯s a secret door here..¡± Chapter 321 - Chapter 321: Secret Room Chapter 321: Secret Room Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios A moment later, a high-pitched male voice sounded excitedly. He Lie followed the sound and was led into a dark fake cave by his subordinates. He walked around and arrived at a cramped corner. The Embroidered Uniform Guards who led the way pointed at a secret door that was five to six feet tall in front of them and said, ¡°Commander, when I knocked on this wall just now, I realized that the backwas hollow, so I tried to open it. ¡® It was pitch-black behind the secret door, and a cold, musty smell assaulted his nose. No one had entered the secret room yet. They were only waiting for He Lie. The square-faced Embroidered Uniform Guards quickly brought over an oil lamp. He glanced at He Lie and walked in first with the oil lamp. The Embroidered Uniform Guards walked down a narrow stone staircase. Amidst the flickering yellow flames, one could see that the stone walls on both sides of the passageway were covered in spiderwebs and dust. The deeper they went, the damper and colder the air became. There was also a faint fishy smell. ¡°Commander, there seems to be the smell of blood.¡± The square-faced Embroidered Uniform Guards¡¯ nose twitched as they quickened their pace and rushed down the stone steps. After walking down more than twenty stone steps, they came to a dark secret room. The roof of the secret room wasn¡¯t high, and it was so oppressive that it seemed to touch the tops of their heads. The surrounding walls were mottled, and the smell of blood in the air became stronger. The square-faced Embroidered Uniform Guard held the oil lamp and looked around. The floor of the secret chamber was covered with tattered straw mats. On the straw mats were children in their teens. There were boys and girls, some were beggars in tattered clothes, and some were civilian children in rough clothes. There were at least a hundred of them, and most of them had their eyes closed and were unconscious. A few of the children were even injured. There were bloodstains on their wrists and legs. ¡°Found them!¡± The square-faced Embroidered Uniform Guard raised his voice and shouted, ¡°The missing children are all here.¡± Even though the Embroidered Uniform Guards had seen many big scenes and had killed many people, they were still touched at this moment. So many children had almost died in this dark place without knowing why. Behind them, the other Embroidered Uniform Guards also entered the dark secret chamber through the stone steps. Thinking that he also had a younger sister-in-law of about the same age at home, the square-faced Embroidered Uniform Guard felt a little angry, as if he had experienced it himself. He strode forward¡­ THUMP! A dull collision sounded. The people behind watched helplessly as the square-faced Embroidered Uniform Guard was sent flying out of thin air. He staggered back and fell to the ground. It was as if someone invisible had whipped him and sent him flying. The scene in front of them was too bizarre. The others were stunned. The square-faced Embroidered Uniform Guard covered his forehead in pain and said in surprise, ¡°l, I think I hit something.. There was clearly nothing in front! The other Embroidered Uniform Guards were shocked and looked at each other, dumbfounded. Soon, someone boldly stepped forward and waved his scabbard in the air. ¡°Dong, dong¡± sounds rose and fell. ¡°I think there¡¯s a wall up ahead,¡± a voice said with uncertainty, unable to hide its shock ¡°An invisible wall.¡± ¡°Commander, is this a ghost wall?!¡± Another person immediately retorted, ¡°That¡¯s not how it works!¡± The Embroidered Uniform Guards didn¡¯t idle either. They raised their hands and kicked the air around them. They were certain that they couldn¡¯t move forward anymore. They were only 10 feet away from the children in front of them, but they seemed to be blocking an invisible wall. Such a situation was simply unprecedented. He had only heard of it in rural ghost stories. ¡°Gao Yuan, report the situation here to the Emperor immediately,¡± He Lie ordered decisively, his brows deeply furrowed. After the Embroidered Uniform Guard called Gao Yuan responded, he hurriedly stepped on the stone steps and returned the way he came. Right on the heels of that, another tall and thin Embroidered Uniform Guard shouted from the east wall, ¡°Commander, look here.¡± He Lie quickly walked over and looked in the direction his subordinate pointed. On the mottled walls, dark brown patterns were drawn. These patterns were extremely strange, exuding an indescribable sense of evil. The tall and thin Embroidered Uniform Guard frowned and said, ¡°Commander, I think these patterns are drawn in blood.¡± Everyone knew that the Embroidered Uniform Guards were good at torture. There were decades of bloodstains on the cells and criminal detention in the Imperial Edict Prison, and the smell of blood and rot couldn¡¯t be eliminated.. Chapter 322 - Chapter 322: Secret Room Chapter 322: Secret Room Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Therefore, he could tell at a glance. He Lie could also tell. He couldn¡¯t help but feel a chill in his heart, and his face seemed to be covered in a layer of frost. He Lie held the scabbard in one hand and slowly walked half a circle around the wall. All the walls were painted with strange patterns. He didn¡¯t dare to touch the wall, afraid that there was some evil technique here. It wouldn¡¯t be good if it backfired. He Lie walked around the secret room twice before leaving. The secret room was dark and damp, and the garden outside was brightly lit. It was as if they were in two different worlds. He Lie sat down in a pavilion next to the rockery. Some servants served him tea, and some subordinates came to report from time to time. For example, they caught a few servants of the Yu family who wanted to escape. All the servants of the Yu family had been detained in the west wing. For example, the entire residence had been searched, and no other secret room was found. He Lie drank a few cups of tea and finally heard movement at the entrance of the garden. From afar, he heard Gao Yuan¡¯s respectful and almost flattering voice. ¡°Second Lady Gu, this way please. Be careful not to slip.¡± Shocked, He Lie quickly got up and headed in the direction of the voice. Not far away, Gu Yanfei walked over leisurely under the guidance of the plateau. ¡°Second Lady Gu.¡± He Lie politely cupped his fists at Gu Yanfei. He was filled with respect. He had asked Gao Yuan to report to the Emperor because he wanted to ask Gu Yanfei for instructions. However, he didn¡¯t expect her to come personally. ¡°I¡¯ll have to trouble Lord He to bring me to take a look.¡± Gu Yanfei also cupped her hands at He Lie. Her smile was faint and her actions were casual. The head of the Yu Family, Yu Si, had already been taken down and sent to Chengtian Gate to be personally interrogated by the Emperor. There was nothing for Gu Yanfei to do there. She had originally wanted to come to the Yu Family to take a look, but it just so happened that Gao Yuan had reported the ¡°ghost wall¡± incident, so she came with him. He Lie smiled even more eagerly. Not only did he not feel that there was anything wrong with Gu Yanfei¡¯s etiquette, but he also thought that an expert should naturally be this kind of person who didn¡¯t care about trifles. ¡°Second Lady Gu, this way.¡± As He Lie led Gu Yan to the rockery, he said, ¡°Those children are all in the secret room. I¡¯ve already ordered my subordinates not to act rashly.¡± The two of them passed through the secret door and stepped on the stone steps into the secret chamber below. The Embroidered Uniform Guards had already placed several torches in the secret chamber, illuminating the originally dark secret chamber. The dark brown patterns on the wall became clearer. At first glance, these lines seemed to have been drawn randomly. When one looked again, the lines seemed to contain some strange power, as if snakes were swimming around. It was a terrifying feeling of a group of demons dancing. Gu Yanfei stroked her chin and looked at these patterns. She frowned. When He Lie saw her frown, he knew what was going on. As expected, this wasn¡¯t a good thing! ¡°Second Lady Gu, what is this?¡± He Lie asked cautiously. The other Embroidered Uniform Guards at the back also pricked up their ears. Just staying here made their hair stand on end. ¡°This is an array to gather spiritual energy and borrow luck,¡± Gu Yanfei said in a low voice. She took out a handkerchief from her sleeve and wiped it on the patterns on the wall. Then, she sniffed it. ¡®This array has been activated at least three times.¡± These words shocked He Lie and the Embroidered Uniform Guards. Their imaginations ran wild, and they felt as if countless vengeful souls had died with grievances buried here. The surrounding air became even colder. He Lie calmed himself down and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Does every activation of the array cost the lives of two hundred children?¡¯ Gu Yanfei casually paced around the secret room with her hands behind her back. She turned her head and looked around. From the patterns on the wall, she looked straight at the children on the straw mat and walked in their direction. Gao Yuan wanted to remind her that there was a ?wall¡± in front of her, but he saw that Gu Yanfei had already stopped. It was as if she could see the transparent wall in front of her. She slowly squatted down and looked at the children lying motionless on the straw mat in front of her. She said, ¡°Children have pure minds and are often not tainted by too much karma. The first step to activating the array is to gather spirit¡¯ with the child¡¯s heart blood.¡± ¡°The next step is to borrow luck from those who are lucky.¡± ¡°Spirit gathering first, then borrowing luck?¡± He Lie muttered thoughtfully. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± As he spoke, Gu Yanfei stood up and looked at He Lie. Her eyes emitted a dazzling light under the illumination of the surrounding flames. ¡°There are always some people in this world who are born with exuberant luck.¡± Gu Yanfei casually pointed at He Lie. ¡°Just like you, Lord He.¡± ¡®Him?!¡¯ He Lie¡¯s body stiffened. In an instant, he felt uncomfortable, as if his soul and even his fate had been seen through by the other party. The gazes of the other Embroidered Uniform Guards were also attracted by her. They looked at He Lie with a strange gaze, making his heart inexplicably turn cold.. Chapter 323 - Chapter 323: Hatred Chapter 323: Hatred Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Gu Yanfei stared at He Lie¡¯s face and counted her fingers as she said, ¡®Young and strong, with a good family background, a smooth career, a son and a daughter, four generations in the same family¡­ Other than failing the examination twice, your life has been smooth-sailing.¡± The more she spoke, the wider the mouths of the Embroidered Uniform Guards became. Their jaws were about to drop. Was Second Lady Gu reading the commander¡¯s fortune?! How accurate! There were also a few Embroidered Uniform Guards who only found out today that the commander had taken the imperial examination in the past. They looked at him with a strange gaze. ¡± ¡± He Lie was speechless. He seemed to have been praised, but in this situation, he felt like a piece of fat meat that was coveted and could be bitten by the Yu Family and Shangqing at any time. The corners of He Lie¡¯s eyes twitched. He coughed dryly and said, ¡°I haven¡¯t heard of any young talents missing in the capital recently.¡± The other Embroidered Uniform Guards also looked at each other and nodded. The disappearance of some beggars and refugees in the capital wouldn¡¯t cause too much of a commotion. However, if a young talent from an aristocratic family went missing, it was impossible for him to disappear silently, let alone hide from the eyes and ears of the Embroidered Uniform Guards. ¡°Of course. They want to borrow your ¡®luck¡¯, not your ¡®life¡¯.¡± As she spoke, Gu Yanfei suddenly took a step closer to He Lie. ¡°They just need to leave a ¡®mark¡¯ on your body.¡± She raised her hand and snapped her fingers at He Lie¡¯s ear. The surrounding air seemed to vibrate, causing He Lie to shiver in fear. ¡°The person whose luck is borrowed won¡¯t die, but sometimes, it¡¯s worse than death.¡± Thinking of Gu Yuan¡¯s fate in her previous life, a cold smile appeared on Gu Yanfei¡¯s lips. She then looked at the array patterns on the wall and said indifferently, ¡°Commander, you can check more ahead. I estimate that something should have happened in the past 10 years.¡± The Yu Family¡¯s actions couldn¡¯t be said to be flawless. It was just that no one had thought of them in the past. After being reminded by Gu Yanfei, He Lie suddenly thought of something and almost dropped the scabbard in his hand. He had a clan brother who was seven or eight years older than him. He had been smart since he was young. He could read at the age of three, recite literature at the age of five, compose poems at the age of seven, and was already familiar with the four books and five scriptures at the age of fifteen. He had been admitted to the Zhangyuan examination at the age of sixteen. At that time, everyone thought that his future was bright, but a series of bad luck suddenly descended. His father was robbed by robbers when he was traveling. His life was in danger. The shopkeeper of the family¡¯s shop fled with the money, and his family fell from grace. After that, the clan brother tried again and again but failed his exams. His wife and son broke up, and everyone said that he was an unfortunate boy. What if this matter wasn¡¯t as simple as ¡°unfortunate¡±?! Wait! He Lie suddenly thought of something and his eyes widened. Back then, his clan brother seemed to have gone to Wuliang Temple to ask for a safety talisman before his father left for business. Could it be that his clan brother had been ¡°marked¡± by that demonic Daoist?! He Lie gripped the scabbard in his hand tightly, his eyes cold. He could be considered to have been on the battlefield and killed people. He had killed countless people, but these were all out in the open. Even if he died, he would die clearly. This technique of borrowing luck was comparable to killing someone¡¯s heart. It completely defeated a person, and letting him live was equivalent to death. Gu Yanfei had already turned around and faced the transparent wall in front of him. At the same time, she forced the pitiful spiritual power in her body to her fingertips. Her heart ached as she looked at the faint white light on her fingertip. She thought to herself, If the old doesn¡¯t go, the new won¡¯t come. She drew a winding rune with her bare hands towards the eye of the array. Her movements were skillful and smooth, as if she was dancing gracefully without any pause. When she retracted her hand, a ray of white light that was sparkling like pearls flashed and spread out rapidly like ripples on the surface of a lake¡­ Then, a few wisps of charred black smoke emerged from the patterns on the walls on both sides of the chamber. Some gravel fell from the walls, as if something had cracked. He Lie and the Embroidered Uniform Guards watched this scene in surprise. They were still sizing up their surroundings when Gu Yanfei walked towards the children without hesitation. There were no more obstacles ahead. The Embroidered Uniform Guards were stunned for a moment before rushing forward. Everyone looked at the children one after another. Some tested their pulses, some checked their injuries, and some shook their bodies or tried to pinch them. ¡°Commander, these children should be fine, but for some reason, they¡¯re unconscious,¡± Gao Yuan reported after inspecting more than ten children.. Chapter 324 - Chapter 324: Hatred Chapter 324: Hatred Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios His words were directed at He Lie, and he couldn¡¯t help but glance in Gu Yanfei¡¯s direction. ¡°Are they under some kind of evil spell?¡¯ He Lie also looked at Gu Yanfei. ¡°It¡¯s fine. They¡¯re just trapped in the array.¡± Gu Yanfei said as she touched her sleeve and pouch. Finally, she took out a crumpled talisman paper from the bottom of the pouch and held it in her hand as she chanted. ¡®Wake up.¡± She lightly said these two words. After the talisman burned, it transformed into countless silver light spots that filled the air like fireflies, or like stars falling from the sky. The surrounding Embroidered Uniform Guards were all stunned and subconsciously held their breaths. The silver light spots entered the children¡¯s bodies in the blink of an eye. A low moan sounded in the dark room. In the corner, a delicate and petite girl slowly opened her eyes and looked up blankly. Soon, the second, third, fourth¡­ More and more children slowly opened their eyes. The children were all confused. They looked at each other and had yet to understand what was going on. After being stunned for a moment, some children slowly came back to their senses. A round-faced boy stammered, ¡®Where is this¡­¡± Before he could finish speaking, he and the few children beside him saw the Embroidered Uniform Guards in the red Qilin suits around them and were all shocked. Most of the children looked panicked and terrified. They leaned against each other and took a few steps back. The round-faced boy mustered his courage and asked, ¡°Who¡­ who are you?¡± At the back, words like ¡°Child abduction¡±, ¡°Trafficked¡±, and ¡°Can¡¯t go home¡± floated over from the children. ¡°Let us go,¡± another short and thin boy said timidly. ¡°1 promise that as long as you let me go, I¡¯ll get my parents to give you silver.¡¯ Several children poked their heads out from behind their companions and begged them one after another. The timid children hid at the back and cried silently. Obviously, these children treated He Lie and the Embroidered Uniform Guards as the child traffickers. The Embroidered Uniform Guards¡¯ expressions didn¡¯t look too good. They wanted to reprimand these ignorant children, but when they remembered that Second Lady Gu was still here, they shut their mouths in embarrassment. The corners of He Lie¡¯s eyes twitched, and he glanced at Gu Yanfei. Seeing that she was silent, he cleared his throat and said righteously, ¡°Don¡¯t panic. We¡¯re the Embroidered Uniform Guards.¡¯ ¡°Many children went missing in the capital overnight. After His Majesty heard about it, he ordered us to save you.¡± The children immediately caught the keyword. ¡°Are you here to save us?!¡± ¡°Did the Emperor ask you to save us?¡± ¡°Did I hear wrongly? It¡¯s the Emperor?¡± The children began to mumble. Some people looked happy, some were in disbelief, and some were still in a daze¡­ and some suddenly cried tears of joy. ¡°Wow, we¡¯re saved!¡¯ ¡°Great. We¡¯re saved. We can go home.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to tell Mother when I get back that we were saved by someone sent by the Emperor.¡± The children hugged each other in twos and threes, smiling with tears in their eyes. All of them were in high spirits. They thought that they would never be able to return home and would never see their parents and relatives again. The children¡¯s laughter drifted in this small, secret room. Even the usually unsmiling Embroidered Uniform Guards were infected with smiles. He Lie felt a headache coming on when he saw these blabbering brats. The corners of his eyes twitched again. When he turned to face Gu Yanfei, he was respectful again. He asked Gu Yanfei politely, ¡°Second Lady Gu, do you have any other instructions?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine now.¡± Gu Yanfei looked around slowly. ¡°As for this secret room¡­ we¡¯ll burn it after we collect evidence.¡± As soon as she spoke, the children beside her also noticed that other than the Embroidered Uniform Guards, there was also an extremely beautiful young lady here. Curious gazes looked at her with stunned expressions. ¡®Yes, we¡¯ll burn it!¡± He Lie nodded repeatedly without saying anything, as if he was following her lead. Gu Yanfei liked to talk to straightforward people, so she nudged the other party again. ¡°Evil beings are most afraid of fire.¡± Not only this evil array, but the other evil beings were the same. He Lie thought about the burning Blood Gu and Shangqing and understood. ¡°Miss, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll definitely burn it clean.¡± The smile on He Lie¡¯s face deepened. He then waved his hand at his subordinates. ¡®Take everyone out..¡± Chapter 325 - Chapter 325: Hatred Chapter 325: Hatred Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Hence, the Embroidered Uniform Guards chased nearly a hundred children out of the secret room like they were chasing ducks. The children muttered and walked forward, chattering like sparrows. When the children were out of earshot, the chamber fell silent again. It was empty, and the dull brown lines on the four walls were even more glaring. Gu Yanfei was still looking at the secret room. The spirit gathering and luck borrowing array on the wall was already quite rare for this small world. Shangqing was indeed a talented cultivator, but unfortunately, she had gone down the wrong path. ¡°Second Lady Gu, please.¡± He Lie respectfully extended his hand and gestured for Gu Yanfei to leave. The two of them left the underground secret room one after another and walked all the way out of the dark rockery. Outside the rockery, it was bright and spacious, and the blue sky was like the sea. The surroundings were in a mess. Flowers and trees were swaying left and right, the bonsai was shattered, and half of the flower corridor had been knocked down¡­ It was as if a violent wind had passed through. However, nobody cared about this. They felt as if a heavy burden had been lifted from their shoulders. They felt that even the cold wind and bleak air seemed to have become much more refreshing. Several Embroidered Uniform Guards secretly wiped the cold sweat off their foreheads. They felt that they definitely wouldn¡¯t come to such a godforsaken place again. The children were quickly brought out of the garden by the Embroidered Uniform Guards. He Lie wanted to get someone to send Gu Yanfei back, but he heard Gu Yanfei say first, ¡°Lord He, I want to see the British Duchess. Is that okay?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± He Lie answered without hesitation. ¡°She¡¯s in the main hall. This way, please.¡± He Lie could even arrange for Gu Yanfei to meet all the members of the Yu family, let alone Madam Yu. He could even meet Yu Si secretly. He Lie personally brought Gu Yanfei to the main hall of the Yu Residence. Four Embroidered Uniform Guards stood guard under the eaves outside the main hall like spears. The surroundings were silent. This residence seemed to have become a dead house, and no one else could be seen. ¡°Squeak.¡± The door to the main hall was opened from the outside by the Embroidered Uniform Guards. Inside, Eldest Madam Yu, Madam Yu, and Yu Chaoyun were sitting in a daze. They were all uneasy. When they saw the door open, they raised their eyes and looked in the direction of the door. Madam Yu¡¯s eyes lit up. Her first reaction was that the British Duke was here. She looked up agitatedly and saw a slender and exquisite figure appear outside the hall. A corner of her clothes fluttered in the wind. Gu Yanfei! Madam Yu¡¯s eyes widened and her pupils constricted. Her gaze was like an ice blade that scraped Gu Yanfei¡¯s face. Their gazes met in silence. Gu Yanfei stopped under the roof. The shadow of the roof fell on her jade-white face, and her eyes were as deep as a pool. Madam Yu suddenly stood up from her chair with a tense expression on her graceful face. She instinctively wanted to ask Gu Yanfei why she was here, but she swallowed her words. Her voice slowly squeezed out from between her teeth. ¡°It¡¯s really you!¡¯ Even though she already knew that Gu Yanfei was an expert in Dao techniques, she still looked down on such a vulgar girl. Even if she had to do it again, she still didn¡¯t want such a scheming and petty daughter-in-law. Madam Yu raised her chin slightly and stood elegantly, still high up in the air. ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± Gu Yanfei nodded bluntly with a cheerful smile. The muscles on Madam Yu¡¯s cheeks twitched rapidly, and she almost couldn¡¯t maintain her graceful appearance. She gritted her teeth and asked coldly, ¡®Why?¡± ¡®Why must you go against our Yu Family?!¡± Gu Yanfei stared fixedly at Madam Yu. After staring at her for a moment, Gu Yanfei smiled and asked, ¡°Did you tell them why you took the lives of those children to obtain the providence of your Yu Family for a hundred years?¡± ¡± ¡± At the back, Yu Chaoyun¡¯s heart suddenly trembled a few times. She immediately understood. So this was what she wanted to inquire about previously but didn ¡®t manage to find out. It turned out that Eldest Uncle had secretly committed such a huge crime! Yu Chaoyun¡¯s eyes flickered, and she bit her lower lip so hard that it almost bled. Then what should she do? Madam Yu¡¯s face turned redder and redder. Her delicate body trembled, and the nails on her hand almost broke her soft palm. She said hatefully, ¡°Gu Yanfei, did we have a grudge in our previous life?¡± The two families had already broken off their engagement and broken up. However, Gu Yanfei was clearly harboring a grudge against her and had been targeting her! ¡°Yes.¡± Gu Yanfei nodded calmly again. She did have a grudge against the Yu Family for two lifetimes. The painful memories of that time were like maggots attached to her bones. They haunted her for a long, long time and finally became a part of her inner demon, engraved in the depths of her heart. In this life, the Yu Family still refused to give up. Thinking of the ¡°mark¡± that Shangqing had left on her brother in her previous lifetime, Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes were filled with a terrifying coldness.. Chapter 326 - Chapter 326: Exposure Chapter 326: Exposure Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°If you can¡¯t borrow luck successfully, there will definitely be a backlash.¡± A thought-provoking smile appeared on Gu Yanfei¡¯s face. ¡°Madam should understand this logic, right?¡¯ ¡°This is just the beginning.¡± Staring straight into Madam Yu¡¯s eyes, Gu Yanfei spoke slowly with an extremely slow voice. Her threatening tone was obvious. ¡± ¡± Madam Yu¡¯s eyes widened. She couldn¡¯t hide the panic in her eyes. She thought that the current situation was already the worst moment of her life, but Gu Yanfei actually said that it had just started? Madam Yu wanted to speak, but her throat felt dry and tight. Gu Yanfei sighed and said, ¡°Next, you will¡­¡± Madam Yu¡¯s heart was in her throat. She waited for Gu Yanfei to continue, but what came was a long silence that was almost suffocating. The other party¡¯s cold eyes made Madam Yu¡¯s hair stand on end. Gu Yanfei chuckled and casually brushed a leaf off her shoulder. She used this action to gently press her chest. Facing Madam Yu, she no longer felt the shackles and oppression that she used to feel. ¡°I¡¯m just here to see Madam. I don¡¯t have anything else to do.¡± Gu Yanfei turned around without hesitation and walked away. ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave first. ¡® Gu Yanfei only said half of what she wanted to say, but she passed it off so easily. This made Madam Yu even more uneasy. She wanted to stop Gu Yanfei and let her finish her sentence, but she couldn¡¯t swallow her pride. It was harder for Madam Yu to lower her head in front of such a wild girl than to make her kneel. He Lie and the Embroidered Uniform Guards looked at Gu Yanfei in shock. They didn ¡®t expect Second Lady Gu to really just come to see the British Duchess. Yu Chaoyun, who was in the rear hall, stared at Gu Yanfei¡¯s receding figure. She couldn¡¯t help but think of the first time she saw Gu Yanfei at the hunting ground in Upper Forest Garden. Yu Chaoyun herself was high up in the air and surrounded by all the girls from the aristocratic families. But now, she was locked up here like a bird in a cage. Meanwhile, Gu Yanfei didn¡¯t even bother to look at her. Yu Chaoyun tried her best to suppress her surging emotions. She hid the unwillingness and resentment in her eyes and sat still. No, she still had a chance. Yu Chaoyun tried to calm herself down again and again. Yes, I still have my cousin. My cousin will never leave me alone. At the thought of Fang Mingfeng, a hint of repression and tenderness appeared in Yu Chaoyun¡¯s dark eyes. Her cousin was the person she yearned for the most but couldn¡¯t get. Yu Chaoyun stood up and went over to support Madam Yu. She said in a low voice, ¡°Aunt, don¡¯t panic. Uncle will come sooner or later¡­¡± Hearing her niece mention the British Duke, Madam Yu was so angry that she blurted out without thinking, ¡°1 want to see the British Duke!¡± Madam Yu was angry and hateful. Her chest heaved up and down violently, and her eyes were bloodshot. She felt uneasy, as if countless ants were biting her. She couldn¡¯t wait any longer. ¡°He Lie, I¡¯m a married woman. The law doesn¡¯t punish married women. You Embroidered Uniform Guards have no right to force me to stay here.¡± ¡°I want to return to the British Mansion!¡± ¡°He Lie, the Emperor still respects our British Monarchy. You¡¯re just a commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guards, you ¡®re nothing but a third- grade martial artist. You¡¯re offending your superior!¡¯ Madam Yu shouted and approached He Lie outside the hall. She was arrogant and tried to suppress him with her aura. The British Monarchy had a large army that even the current Emperor had to be wary of. 10 years ago, the Duke killed the commander of the Five Cities Military Department, Yang Shineng, on the streets without saying a word. The previous Emperor only appeased him and fined him a few months¡¯ salary before gently letting the matter go. However, He Lie wasn¡¯t moved at all. He sneered disdainfully, ¡°You don¡¯t know what¡¯s good for you.¡± The commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guards was indeed only a third- grade martial artist, but he was the Emperor¡¯s trusted aide. He Lie was naturally not a fool to be able to sit in this position. He knew very well that the Yu Family was finished. Even he knew how arrogant and unreasonable those so-called noble families in the royal court were. The aristocratic families led by the Yuan Family formed a group. Although the nobles had military power, most of them stood by and watched how the battle between the Emperor and Kang Wang would end. After all, the Emperor wasn¡¯t young and was weak and sickly, while Kang Wang was young and strong. It was hard to say in the future. Even a boor like He Lie could see how difficult it was to be an Emperor. The Emperor had long wanted to deal with the aristocratic families, but he had no name. He had to pry open a crack first before he could make a fuss. Unexpectedly, the Yu Family would give him something to use against them and even make the entire capital know about this. Now that the public was angry, no one could protect the Yu Family. He Lie raised his hand and made a gesture, and the door to the hall closed agam.. Chapter 327 - Chapter 327: Exposure Chapter 327: Exposure Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Clap!¡± The door fan almost hit Madam Yu¡¯s face. ¡°He Lie!¡¯ Madam Yu called He Lie¡¯s name repeatedly from behind the door, but He Lie turned a deaf ear to her. He only instructed the Embroidered Uniform Guards coldly, ¡°Search this residence properly.¡± ¡°Investigate properly!¡¯ His words were also directed at the Yu Family members in the residence. ¡°Yes, Commander! The Embroidered Uniform Guards received the order in unison. He Lie didn¡¯t care about the Yu Family¡¯s reaction and quickly chased after Gu Yanfei. When he faced Gu Yanfei, He Lie put on his smiling mask again and led her towards the door personally. When he reached the gate, Gao Yuan hurried over from the direction of the gate. He cupped his fists at He Lie and reported, ¡°Commander, the British Crown Prince insisted on barging in when he arrived outside.¡± He Lie frowned and said coldly, ¡°Stop him.¡± The Embroidered Uniform Guards only listened to the Emperor and weren¡¯t afraid of the British Monarchy. Gao Yuan obeyed and left, walking like the wind. Gu Yanfei smiled and didn¡¯t say anything. He continued to walk forward leisurely. In front of the gate of the residence, there was a clamor. Amidst it was an unhappy young man¡¯s voice. ¡°Move aside, I want to go in!¡± Fang Mingfeng, who was dressed in sky blue, was confronting a few Embroidered Uniform Guards. The air was filled with gunpowder. There were also many commoners gathered in the alley outside the residence. There were men and women, old and young. All of them looked worried and their eyes were red. When Gu Yanfei and He Lie walked to the entrance, everyone looked over, including Fang Mingfeng. Fang Mingfeng looked at Gu Yanfei with a complicated gaze. He wanted to say something but was interrupted by an agitated female voice. ¡°Second Lady Gu!¡± A middle-aged woman rushed forward and rubbed her hands. She looked at Gu Yanfei carefully and asked, ¡°Have you seen my Shuan m? He has a mole between his eyebrows¡­¡± The middle-aged woman¡¯s voice trembled slightly. She was both worried about her son and respectful of Gu Yanfei. The people who had been waiting for a long time swarmed over and pushed Fang Mingfeng away like seawater. Most of the commoners present were those who had lost their children. Compared to the Emperor¡¯s trial, they wanted to know their child¡¯s safety more, so they ran over one after another. However, there were Embroidered Uniform Guards guarding outside the residence. They were afraid of the dignity of the Embroidered Uniform Guards and didn¡¯t dare to ask, so they could only wait here. Gu Yanfei looked at He Lie beside him. Afraid that she would misunderstand, He Lie hurriedly explained, ¡°Second Lady Gu, those children look a little weak. Some of them are injured, so I got someone to invite a doctor over to take a look at them first.¡± ¡°Furthermore, they are the victims in this case. We have to ask them for their confessions before we can release them,¡± He Lie said patiently. Even if he had never eaten pork before, he had seen pigs run. Gu Yanfei also understood that the Embroidered Uniform Guards should still have some details to interrogate these children. She turned to smile at the middle-aged woman and comforted her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the children are fine. ¡® When she smiled, she was incomparably beautiful, making people feel like they were bathing in the spring breeze. The slender girl formed a sharp contrast with the tall and cold Embroidered Uniform Guards around her. The middle-aged woman and the other commoners also heard He Lie¡¯s words. However, compared to the notorious Embroidered Uniform Guards, they were naturally more willing to believe Gu Yanfei¡¯s words. The middle-aged woman couldn¡¯t help but cry and thank her repeatedly. ¡°Thank you, thank you, Second Lady Gu!¡± She wished that she could go back and set up a longevity memorial tablet for Gu Yanfei and wish her a good life. Gu Yanfei looked at the other commoners behind him and said in a clear voice, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, everyone. Commander He will get someone to take good care of those children.¡¯ He Lie made a promise in public. ¡°After the Embroidered Uniform Guards are done asking questions, everyone can go to the Northern Town to collect your children tomorrow. ¡® Usually, as the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guards, He Lie wouldn¡¯t explain so much to these commoners. However, now that he wanted to support Gu Yanfei, he naturally had to do this beautifully. These words were spoken loudly and spread throughout the entire Wutong Lane. It was equivalent to giving the commoners present a reassurance. They thanked Gu Yanfei and He Lie while sobbing, their words sincere. More and more people came from Wutong Lane to the streets outside. Many passers-by saw the Embroidered Uniform Guards sealing the residence from afar and saw that there were many people outside the residence. They ran over excitedly to watch the commotion and asked what had happened. The commoners who had lost their children were now extremely grateful to the Emperor. They told him everything and talked about the suspect that the Emperor was currently investigating at Chengtian Gate. There were also people who talked about how Second Lady Gu removed the parasites for the Eldest Princess and punished the demonic priest, Shangqing, in admiration. They praised her as if she was a god who had descended to the mortal world. The surrounding crowd was instantly in an uproar, and they felt that this case was truly shocking. Especially since this suspect was the head of the Yu Family, a noble family that had existed for hundreds of years. Everyone knew that the Geng family used to be a top-notch aristocratic family and was famous for a period of time. In the previous dynasty, there was even a joke that the Yu Family and the imperial family ruled the world together. Every generation of Emperors had the bloodline of the Yu Family. The commoners surrounding the Yu Residence gradually dispersed, and more and more people rushed to Chengtian Gate to see what was going on. This spread to ten, ten to a hundred, hundred to a thousand.. In just two to four hours, the entire capital was in an uproar. For a time, almost everyone in the capital was paying attention to the progress of this matter. Kang Wang and Chu You were the same. He was sitting in the Qingjiang Building on Chang¡¯an West Street. From the private seats on the second floor, he could only see the sea of people from Chang¡¯an¡¯s right gate to Chengtian Gate. He frowned deeply and drank two glasses of wine in a row, emitting a gloomy and unhappy aura. As soon as the drum was sounded, Chu You immediately left the residence and came to the Qingjiang Building. From time to time, someone would come to report the entire matter to him. Chu You¡¯s heart sank from the initial anticipation¡­ Chapter 328 - Chapter 328: Popular Support Chapter 328: Popular Support Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Chu You raised his head and downed the glass of wine in one gulp. Then, he slammed the empty glass heavily on the table. This time, the Yu Family suggested using the Eldest Princess¡¯ illness to pressure the Emperor. However, he didn¡¯t expect that the Yu Family, who had always been peaceful all these years, would still hide their selfish motives. They planned to use luck techniques to obtain a hundred years of luck for the Yu Family behind his back! So be it. They were actually stupid enough to be discovered. They had let the Emperor have something on them. Chu You¡¯s face was tense, and there seemed to be a wild beast shouting in frustration in his eyes. Whoosh! Whoosh! A fair and slender hand picked up a white porcelain wine pot and personally poured wine for Chu You. Her pearl-like nails shone brightly under the white porcelain. Chu You looked up and met Gu Yunrong¡¯s warm smile. ¡°Don¡¯t be anxious.¡± Gu Yunrong was wearing a bright red dress embroidered with white butterflies and flowers. The butterfly beads on her temples and the ruby earrings on her earlobes swayed slightly, making her skin look delicate and flawless. The young girl¡¯s face was like jade, and her eyes were as clear as water. When she smiled, she was like a bright pearl that was dizzying. She was as beautiful as a hibiscus, and she was indescribably charming. Her smile, her voice, and her presence¡­ To Chu You, it had the power to soothe his soul. Just by looking at her like this, the anger in Chu You¡¯s heart dissipated by more than half, and gentleness and sweetness appeared in his eyes. ¡°In order to seek luck for our family, the Yu Family didn¡¯t hesitate to sacrifice innocent children. His Highness didn ¡®t know about this, and the Emperor couldn¡¯t blame him for nothing.¡± Gu Yunrong also poured herself a cup of wine and comforted her gently. ¡°The courtiers and the aristocratic families won¡¯t agree. ¡® Chu You held the wine glass in one hand and swirled it casually. He thought to himself, Rongeris too naive. She didn¡¯t know that her brother, who looked gentle and refined on the surface, was actually sinister. He was scheming and unscrupulous in order to protect his throne! It was just that he hadn¡¯t let his brother catch him in the wrong all these years. Still.. Chu You stared at Gu Yunrong¡¯s clear eyes affectionately and attentively. She had a pretty nose and full cherry lips¡­ His gaze became even more passionate. It was her innocence and purity that made him infatuated and happy. ¡°I¡¯ve found my child!¡¯ A woman ¡®s sharp and excited voice suddenly sounded on the street outside the window. Gu Yunrong subconsciously looked down at the street through the open window. She saw a couple in their 30s happily talking to an old woman. ¡°I was so worried that I didn¡¯t sleep well the whole night. I thought that the child would never be found.¡± ¡°Fortunately, the heavens¡­ No, fortunately, the Emperor blesses me!¡± The woman in green pressed her palms together, and tears welled up in her eyes. Of course, Chu You heard it too. He frowned again, and his lips curled into a cold smile. Hell, his royal brother was so sinister. He probably wanted to use this opportunity to build momentum and win the hearts of the people! His horizons were really shallow. He was just a lowly commoner. What could he do! Gu Yunrong looked down at the couple who were crying tears of joy on the street. She muttered, ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯m wondering if the Emperor is acting.. ¡°Um, what I mean is that the Emperor is attracting attention.¡¯ She slowed down on the last four words meaningfully. It meant that the so-called ¡°borrowing luck technique¡± might be a trap set up by the Emperor to frame the Yu Family. ¡± ¡± Chu You¡¯s expression changed slightly. He pursed his thin lips tightly and put down the wine glass in his hand. He had never thought of this possibility. Gu Yunrong continued in an orderly manner, ¡°The Eldest Prince is the Emperor¡¯s only son. He has been impeached by the censor. The Emperor cannot sit back and watch his successor¡¯s reputation be damaged. ¡® ¡°At this point, there are only two things the Emperor can do now. Either distort the truth and shut everyone up, or divert the trouble.¡± ¡°On the eighth day of the first month, the Eldest Prince was the one who was unfilial and disobedient to the Empress Dowager first. In order to protect the Eldest Prince, the Emperor slandered the Yuan Family. There were so many eyes watching that day. Be it the aristocratic families or nobles, they aren¡¯t blind. ¡® ¡°The Emperor can¡¯t be a tyrant to shut people up. Then, the only thing he can do is divert the trouble and use another matter to divert the attention of the court officials and the people to fight for the popular support of the Eldest Prince.¡± Chu You raised his glass again and lowered his eyes to drink, frowning in deep thought. An old woman¡¯s excited voice came from the street outside the window. ¡°The Emperor really loves the people like his son!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. The Emperor is benevolent.. It¡¯s a blessing for the people to have such a wise ruler!¡± Chapter 329 - Chapter 329: Popular Support Chapter 329: Popular Support Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios A few neighbors heard the commotion and came over. They gathered together and praised the Emperor vividly. Someone even mentioned Gu Yanfei. ¡°And that Second Lady Gu, she¡¯s really a god!¡± Chu You¡¯s brows furrowed even more tightly. There seemed to be a thick layer of dark clouds on his forehead, and his gaze was cold. Upon hearing the commoners mention Gu Yanfei, Gu Yunrong pursed her lips. After taking a sip of wine, she said, ¡°Your Highness, Gu Yanfei once said that she had received guidance from an old Daoist priest in Huaibei and learned some spells¡­¡± At that time, Gu Yanfei spoke nonchalantly and didn¡¯t seem to be telling the truth. She only thought that Gu Yanfei was spewing nonsense again and was playing tricks on her. But now, everything made Gu Yunrong certain that Gu Yanfei had indeed obtained some ¡°opportunities¡± in Huaibei. Gu Yunrong took another sip of wine and tightened her grip on the glass. The rippling wine reflected in her eyes, adding a tinge of coldness. From the start, Gu Yanfei had been pretending to be a pig to eat a tiger. From the start, Gu Yanfei had traveled all the way from Huaibei to the capital for revenge. In order to take revenge on herself and Mother Su¡­ She even planned to vent her anger on those who treated her well, like Madam Gu, Fang Mingfeng, and Kang Wang! At the end of the day, the reason why things had developed to this stage was because she felt that she owed Gu Yanfei. She had endured every step and retreated step by step. She had been too careless. It was too late for regrets. Gu Yunrong quickly adjusted her emotions. When she looked at Chu You again, her expression was calm, and her voice remained calm. ¡°Your Highness, why don¡¯t you send someone to Huaibei to investigate? I don¡¯t know what kind of sorcery she learned there. Chu You looked in the direction of the Chengtian Gate from afar and quickly retracted his gaze. He asked in a low voice, ¡°Rong¡¯er, do you think those are all illusions?¡¯ After all, Shangqing was burned in front of everyone. The Blood Gu was also drawn out of An Le¡¯s body under the eyes of so many people.. Gu Yunrong curled her lips, revealing a pair of shallow dimples. Her smile was intoxicating, causing Chu You¡¯s gaze to be glued to her face. Gu Yunrong dipped her fingertip in some wine and slowly wrote the word ¡°Dragon¡± on the table. Her handwriting was gentle and elegant. The tip of her index finger paused at the end of the pen for a moment, and her water-like eyes were exceptionally bright. Chu You stared at the word ¡°Dragon¡± and narrowed his sharp eyes. ¡°The common people are too easily incited.¡± Gu Yunrong sighed slightly. She had a feeling that everyone was drunk and she was the only one awake. She took out a handkerchief from her sleeve. Her thick and long eyelashes fluttered as she said calmly, ¡®Gu Yanfei has put in a lot of effort to obtain the Eldest Prince¡¯s favor. She was about to wipe her hands when Chu You took the handkerchief. ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± Chu You carefully wiped Gu Yunrong¡¯s slender fingers, which were stained with wine. His actions were extremely gentle, as if he was wiping a supreme treasure. In the end, he gently kissed Gu Yunrong¡¯s fingertips and retreated like a butterfly playing with a flower. He looked up at her and said, ¡°I¡¯ll get someone to make a trip to Huaibei later.¡± Even if Gu Yunrong hadn¡¯t mentioned it, he would have investigated Gu Yanfei. Ever since Gu Yanfei returned to the capital, both Rong¡¯er and him have been having a hard time. Gu Yunrong could feel how much Chu You cherished her. Her heart trembled, and her eyes sparkled. A faint blush appeared on her cheeks. Thud thud thud¡­ The sound of hurried footsteps came from outside the private seat, approaching. Gu Yunrong quickly retracted her hand. Her fingertips were still slightly hot. A middle-aged man with a pale face and a beard quickly walked into the elegant seat. He walked to Chu You without looking sideways and bowed. ¡°Your Highness, the head of the Yu Family has already confessed.¡± As soon as he said this, the temperature in the private room plummeted, and the air froze. Chu You¡¯s expression changed again, and the affection between his brows disappeared. ¡°Useless thing!¡± He crumpled the handkerchief in his hand into a ball, his eyes shooting out a cold and sinister light. ¡°A family head is so spineless!¡¯ Gu Yunrong nodded slightly in agreement. She couldn¡¯t help but think of Yuan Zhe¡¯s unyielding behavior on the eighth day of the Lunar New Year. Compared to the Yuan Family, the Yu Family was really far inferior. It was no wonder that the Yu Family had gradually declined over the years and was no longer as prosperous as before. The pale and beardless middle-aged man lowered his head, not daring to look into Chu You¡¯s eyes. He then reported, ¡°Qin He was the one who interrogated him.¡¯ Upon hearing the name ¡°Qin He¡±, Chu You¡¯s eyes turned cold again. Qin He had been promoted by the Empress Dowager to his current status, but he had bitten back at her. How hateful. The white-faced, beardless middle-aged man braced himself and continued, ¡°Shangqing and the Yu Family Head are bickering with each other¡­¡± His words were quite reserved. To put it bluntly, these two people were dogfighting. Chu You¡¯s eyes were dark and gloomy, his anger rising to the extreme with the other party¡¯s statement. The Yu Family was finished. Although the Yu Family wasn¡¯t as prosperous as the previous dynasty, the aristocratic families were united and had countless connections with each other. Once the Yu Family fell, it was equivalent to prying open a gap among the aristocratic families. The Emperor could take advantage of the victory and pursue. Moreover, the Emperor was secretly interrogating them in public. Now, he had the hearts of the people. With this move, the aristocratic families were already at a disadvantage. Gu Yunrong¡¯s heart ached when she saw Chu You¡¯s frown. She reached across the table and gently placed her hand on the back of Chu You¡¯s. In order to weaken Kang Wang¡¯s help, he really put in a lot of effort! Gu Yunrong frowned and sighed. ¡°If only we could enter the snowstorm now¡­¡± Chu You was stunned at first. He looked at the blue sky outside the window and couldn¡¯t help but think, Yes, it would be great if there was a blizzard The Emperor was weak and sickly. He couldn¡¯t withstand the cold wind and snow. Whether it was stopping the trial or holding on due to his lack of stamina, it was beneficial to him. Chu You sighed faintly and was about to reply when the sky outside suddenly darkened.. Chapter 330 - Chapter 330: Good Luck Chapter 330: Good Luck Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios In the blink of an eye, the originally clear sky was covered in dark clouds. Layers of dark clouds covered the sky, as if night had arrived early. ¡°Rumble! ¡® The sky exploded with deafening thunder. The howling wind swept up the dust and fallen leaves on the ground, and banners fluttered in the wind. The commoners on the streets below were stunned by this scene. They shouted in panic, ¡°There¡¯s thunder.¡± ¡®Why is there thunder in the middle of winter?¡± ¡°How can the wind still be so strong!¡± Noisy shouts rose and fell. In the private room, the middle-aged man with a pale face and a beard was dumbfounded. He couldn¡¯t help but think of a saying: ¡°Thunder in winter brings snow.¡± The meaning of this sentence was that thunder in winter was a precursor to a snowstorm. As if to verify his thoughts, goose feather-like snowflakes quickly fell from the sky. They fluttered one after another, and it was a vast expanse of white. The wind was getting stronger and stronger. Snowflakes drifted into the window and splashed on the table. A few fell into the wine glass. ¡°This¡­¡± Chu You looked at Gu Yunrong in surprise. His eyes widened slightly. If he hadn¡¯t seen it with his own eyes, he wouldn¡¯t have believed that the sky had changed just because of Rong¡¯er¡¯s words. Even Gu Yunrong herself was a little surprised, but she immediately returned to normal and smiled sweetly. It was as if thousands of pear blossoms were blooming in competition, and spring was overflowing. ¡°My luck has always been very good,¡± Gu Yunrong said confidently, her eyes shining. Ever since she was young, her luck has been very good. It could be said that all her wishes would come true. ¡°Rong¡¯er!¡± Chu You turned his hand and grabbed Gu Yunrong¡¯s slender wrist. He suddenly pulled her over and made her sit on his lap. Gu Yunrong was shocked by his sudden action and exclaimed softly. She wanted to say that there was someone else, but when she looked up, she realized that the pale-faced, beardless middle-aged man had already tactfully retreated and even thoughtfully closed the door of the private seat for them. Chu You wrapped his arms around Gu Yunrong¡¯s slender waist and held her tightly, so that her back was pressed against his thick chest. Their body temperatures were pressed against each other through the material of their clothes. ¡®You¡¯re really my lucky star.¡± Chu You lowered his head and whispered into Gu Yunrong¡¯s ear. His hot breath blew on her earlobe. Chu You really thought so. Eight years ago, when he was in danger in Yangzhou, she was the one who saved him. She was his lucky star! He was the only person she saw in her eyes. It was the same eight years ago, and it was still the same now. ¡°Phew¡ªphew¡ª¡± In a moment, the snow outside the window became heavier, and the wind became stronger. It was as if it was going to uproot the trees on the street. The vendors on the street quickly closed their stalls. As for the commoners, they either hid in the surrounding shops or hurriedly embarked on their return journey. In a short while, the passers-by scattered like birds, and a large area of West Chang¡¯an Street was empty. Only the wind and snow continued to howl. The entire capital was covered in snow, not just Chang¡¯an West Street. The snowflakes were as dense as a snow curtain. ¡°It¡¯s snowing,¡± the coachman of Gu Yanfei¡¯s carriage shouted. Gu Yanfei stretched out a hand from the window and allowed the cold snowflakes to land on her palm. ¡°Tsk.¡± Gu Yanfei watched as the snowflakes turned into transparent ice water in her palm. With a flick of his finger, the water droplets were brushed away. She wasn¡¯t surprised by this sudden snowstorm at all. Heaven¡¯s Will in this small world was so biased. They always treated Gu Yunrong like their precious baby and didn¡¯t allow her to suffer any grievances. This blizzard came neither too early nor too late, and choosing this time was naturally not purely a ¡°coincidence¡±. Gu Yanfei glanced in the direction of the Chengtian Gate and hesitated for a moment before instructing the coachman, ¡°Return to the Marquis Mansion.¡¯ The coachman responded and raised his whip high. He turned the carriage around and headed towards Yuan¡¯an Street, where the Marquis Mansion was located. Gu Yanfei leaned lazily in the carriage and yawned. Her almond-shaped eyes narrowed sleepily. I¡¯d better not go. What was left was to determine what punishments the imperial court would give and how the criminals should be dealt with. There were also those complicated relationships in the court and the unpredictable human hearts and interests. Just thinking about it gave her a headache. Gu Yanfei yawned lazily again. Countless snowflakes kept falling from the gloomy sky , and they were getting bigger and bigger. In just a short while, a layer of snow had accumulated on the ground, the city tower, and the treetops. Even the commoners¡¯ heads and bodies were covered in a layer of snow, causing them to shiver from head to toe.. Chapter 331 - Chapter 331: Good Luck Chapter 331: Good Luck Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The blizzard covered the sky and earth, as if it wanted to dye this filthy mortal world a flawless frosty white. The commoners were originally waiting for a verdict with their blood boiling, but the snow was too heavy now. The whistling wind almost drowned out the voices of the people. Many people became nervous again, afraid that this case wouldn¡¯t end. Especially Scholar Zhang Min, who hugged his daughter tightly. For a moment, he looked hatefully at the kneeling Yu Family Head, Yu Xuan, and Shangqing. Then, he looked expectantly at the Emperor sitting on a high-backed chair in front of him. Naturally, the eunuchs present wouldn¡¯t allow the Emperor and the Eldest Prince to suffer the cold. Someone had already held up the umbrella to shield the father and son from the snowstorm. ¡°Cough, cough, cough¡­¡± The Emperor¡¯s body was weak. Even though he was wearing a cloak with thick fox fur, he couldn¡¯t help but cough in the cold wind. His face was slightly flushed. Zhao Rang gently stroked the Emperor¡¯s back and wiped the temperature of his forehead. He felt that his hands were slightly hot, and he felt uneasy. The Emperor had just caught a cold a few days ago and had finally recovered. If the interrogation continued, with the Emperor¡¯s dragon body, he would definitely catch a cold. The result would be a serious illness, even life-threatening. Looking at the pairs of burning eyes around him, Chu Yi, who had been standing quietly at the side for a long time, suddenly moved. He bowed elegantly to the Emperor and said, ¡°Father, why don¡¯t I interrogate him on behalf of you?¡± When he bowed, his wide snow-white sleeves hung down and fluttered like white butterflies in the cold wind, making him look like an immortal. ¡°Cough, cough¡­¡± The Emperor lowered his head and coughed twice again. When he looked up at Chu Yi, a smile appeared in his muddy eyes. He agreed without hesitation. ¡°Alright, help me interrogate him.¡± He couldn¡¯t wait for his son to help him. If possible, he couldn¡¯t wait to abdicate and become the retired Emperor. After he recovered a little, the Emperor turned to the commoners who were waiting in the snow. He raised his hand and pointed at Chu Yi, saying seriously, ¡°This is my Eldest Prince. Let him handle this case on my behalf, as if I¡¯m personally handling it.¡± The Emperor¡¯s hoarse and deep voice was blown away by the cold wind. It was only after the eunuch repeated it loudly that it reached the ears of the commoners. The commoners agreed and shouted in unison, ¡°Your Highness, please make a decision!¡± They had all seen with their own eyes that this handsome Eldest Prince was extremely considerate to the Eldest Princess, his younger sister. Just now, when the Emperor was personally interrogating people, it was also the Eldest Prince who sorted out the clues and made suggestions. His thoughts were clear, fair, and just, making people believe him. The Emperor loved the people as if they were his children. He was clearly ill, but he still cared about ordinary people like them. He was really a rare, benevolent ruler! The commoners looked at the Emperor and Chu Yi with reverence. When the Emperor saw this scene, he felt rather gratified. After giving Chu Yi a few more instructions, he left Chengtian Gate under the escort of the eunuchs and the imperial guards. The burning gazes of the commoners all turned to Chu Yi, rubbing their hands eagerly as they waited. Unexpectedly, Chu Yi wasn¡¯t in a hurry to continue the case. Instead, he got someone to send over cups of hot ginger tea and some umbrellas. After drinking the hot ginger tea and using the umbrellas to block the snow, the commoners present became exceptionally obedient. They felt as if their entire bodies were warming up. They sighed in their hearts that the first prince really loved the people like an emperor. Amidst the fragrance of ginger tea, Chu Yi only asked Yu Xuan and Shangqing, ¡°Do the two of you have anything else to say?¡¯ The two of them really had things to say. They argued and argued, repeatedly shirking their responsibilities. In fact, this case had already been mostly investigated. No matter how they tried to evade it and shirk responsibility, it was just the difference between the main culprit and the accomplice. The evidence of the crimes committed by the two of them was conclusive, and no one forced them. Chu Yi didn¡¯t listen for long before he interrupted them and convicted them. ¡°The two of you tried to murder the Eldest Princess and kidnapped innocent children. You didn¡¯t hesitate to use 200 lives to borrow luck for your Yu Family and even tried to frame the Emperor. The evidence is conclusive, and accomplices are guilty of the same crime. Both are punishable by death.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be executed on the 15th day of the month!¡± ¡°The rest of Madam Yu¡¯s clansmen will be tried and convicted by the three divisions.¡± ¡°The Embroidered Uniform Guards will go to Yuzhou to capture them and escort them to the capital for interrogation.¡± Just the first rule was enough to make the people present happy. Their eyes lit up, and they were overjoyed. ¡®Your Highness is wise! ¡± It was unknown who was the first to shout at the top of their lungs. Right on the heels of that, the others also shouted, ¡°Your Highness, long live, long live, long live!¡± The countless shouts overlapped into one voice in an orderly manner. The aura was astonishing, and it seemed that even the densely packed snow storm around them was shaken a little by this unified shout. The magistrate had been standing at the side for more than two hours. When he heard these shouts, he frowned. Under the devastation of the snowstorm, his face was pale from the cold, and his entire body was cold. However, he still maintained the dignity of an aristocratic family. He straightened his back and stood like a pine tree. After the Emperor summoned him, he ignored him all the way until he left. He didn¡¯t even look at him, as if he had completely forgotten him. It seemed that the Emperor and the First Prince didn¡¯t dare touch him anymore. It was just for the sake of the people¡¯s hearts that he was summoned here. The magistrate secretly heaved a sigh of relief. His heart, which had been suspended in midair, finally settled down. That¡¯s right, the Emperor had already provoked the Yu Family. It was equivalent to provoking the aristocratic families. He would definitely not dare stir up trouble and spread the flames of war to other aristocratic families. Thinking of the Emperor¡¯s soft personality, the magistrate sneered in his heart. He revealed a proud expression and casually tidied his sleeve, brushing away the snow on it. A few strands of cold wind entered his collar, making him shiver and feel unhappy. Today¡¯s matter was really ridiculous. He was summoned here for no reason, for the sake of a few lowly commoners. When he returned, he would definitely impeach the Eldest Prince. With the dignity of their aristocratic family, he wouldn¡¯t let the Emperor and his son take advantage of him.. Chapter 332 - Chapter 332: Soul Breaking Chapter 332: Soul Breaking Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Seeing the calm expression on the magistrate¡¯s face, the captains and officials who were kneeling at the side slowly calmed down. Whether it was chasing that scholar surnamed Zhang out of the magistrate¡¯s office or coming here to kill a few troublemakers to see blood, it was all under the orders of the magistrate. As long as the magistrate was fine, they would definitely be fine. Even the old Emperor didn¡¯t dare touch the aristocratic families casually. This Yu Family had bumped into the muzzle of a gun! A few bailiffs secretly exchanged glances. At this moment, Chu Yi¡¯s cold voice came from the front. ¡°Where is the magistrate of the capital?¡± The magistrate frowned and walked towards Chu Yi under everyone¡¯s burning gazes. He bowed to Chu Yi. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± His head and eyebrows were dyed with snow, as if he had suddenly aged a few years. Chu Yi¡¯s gaze swept across the magistrate¡¯s body calmly. He didn¡¯t interrogate him or reprimand him; he made a direct decision. ¡°The magistrate, Feng He, has neglected his duty and deceived the people. He has been sacked and is awaiting trial by the three divisions.¡± What? The magistrate raised his head in shock and looked straight into Chu Yi¡¯s eyes. How could the Eldest Prince dare to do so? Was he trying to offend all the aristocratic families?! He had yet to become the crown prince! The magistrate¡¯s eyes bulged slightly. A few imperial guards immediately received the order and surrounded the magistrate. One of them said coldly, ¡°Lord Feng, please excuse me.¡± As he spoke, the two imperial guards grabbed at the magistrate with force, intending to remove the official hat and official uniform on him. ¡°On what basis?!¡± The magistrate was furious. He tried to break free from the two imperial guards and strode towards Chu Yi. ¡°Without any evidence, what right do you have to snatch my official position?! ¡± To the magistrate, taking off his uniform in public was even more humiliating than a slap. Their aristocratic families would rather break than bend. If he allowed the Eldest Prince to humiliate him like this today, how could he stand in the aristocratic families in the future?! Chu Yi stood up and walked towards the magistrate. He patted him on the shoulder and said in an upright and warm voice, ¡°The magistrate is a government official in the capital and should take care of the commoners.¡± ¡°The commoners have been wronged and have sounded the drum of injustice in the capital. As the governor of the capital, Lord Feng, you chose to ignore it. Were you deceived, or were you neglecting your duty? I have to give the commoners a clear explanation to reassure them.¡± ¡°After the three divisions¡¯ trial, if you¡¯re deemed innocent, I will definitely apologize to you in public and clear your name.¡± Chu Yi¡¯s words were filled with righteousness. The surrounding commoners heard it very well and lamented that the Eldest Prince was really gentle and refined, fair and just. The commoners were moved. They whispered to each other and praised the Eldest Prince. ¡°If you want to frame someone, you can always do it!¡± The sharp sound of the magistrate came from ahead. The commoners couldn¡¯t help but frown, and their gazes surged in the direction of Chu Yi and the magistrate. The magistrate was flustered and exasperated; the Eldest Prince was refined. From afar, the commoners saw the Eldest Prince¡¯s lips move slightly, as if he was saying something again. However, the surrounding snow was too heavy, and they couldn¡¯t hear him clearly. Well, it didn¡¯t matter. Most of the commoners didn¡¯t care at all. They felt that the Eldest Prince¡¯s temper was really too good. He had a noble status and was still so humble to his subjects. He was really a god-like figure! Just as the commoners were sighing with emotion, they saw the magistrate suddenly push the Eldest Prince with a ferocious expression. The Eldest Prince¡¯s expression changed. He held his left shoulder and took a few steps back. Blinding blood flowed out from his five fingers, especially dazzling on his frosty white clothes¡­ With a thud, a bloodstained dagger fell to the ground. The surroundings instantly fell silent. The commoners present were shocked and dumbfounded. They forgot to speak and were a little stunned. The cold wind suddenly became even more ferocious, roaring in everyone¡¯s ears like a tiger¡¯s roar. ¡°Protect the Eldest Prince!¡± A crimson shadow flashed past, and a young man in crimson clothes with a cold expression appeared in front of the magistrate. He shouted loudly, and unsheathed a long sword in his hand at the same time. A cold sword light split the snowflakes in the sky. The cold longsword in his hand swung down at the magistrate¡¯s neck without hesitation. His killing intent was awe-inspiring¡­ ¡°No, I¡­¡± The magistrate opened his mouth to defend himself, his face pale. I didn¡¯t. However, he couldn¡¯t finish his sentence. The cold sword was aimed at the magistrate¡¯s neck and swung down heavily¡­ It only needed one blow. The magistrate¡¯s head had already fallen to the ground. Dark red blood suddenly gushed out from the cut on his neck and splattered on the young man¡¯s crimson official robe.. Chapter 333 - Chapter 333: Soul Breaking Chapter 333: Soul Breaking Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Blood dripped from the blade, staining the white snow below. The magistrate¡¯s head rolled on the ground¡­ Chu Yi lowered his eyes and coughed lightly, as if he couldn¡¯t bear it. After a while, he raised his head and said to the people around him in a clear voice, ¡°Magistrate Feng He assassinated me in public. He is suspected of treason.¡± ¡°I hereby order the Embroidered Uniform Guards to investigate the Feng Family in the capital. We have to investigate clearly.¡± The commoners witnessed the assassination in public and saw the capital magistrate beheaded with their own eyes. This scene was too bloody. Many people were frightened out of their wits, and cries of surprise rose and fell. Although they were shocked, no one present sympathized with the magistrate. He really deserved to die a thousand times. He didn¡¯t make a decision for the commoners, but actually wanted to assassinate the Eldest Prince, who was dedicated to the commoners. He deserved to die. Compared to the magistrate, the commoners were more worried about the safety of the Eldest Prince. The scholar in front, Zhang Min, stammered and asked, ¡°Your Highness, what do you think? Do you want to quickly summon the imperial physician?¡¯ Everyone¡¯s worried gazes landed on Chu Yi, and they were still in shock. Chu Yi covered the wound on his left shoulder and pursed his thin lips tightly. He took a deep breath and said slowly, ¡°I¡¯m fine. Then, he instructed the scarlet-robed young man holding the sword, ¡°Gu Yuan, it¡¯s snowing heavily today. Let the commoners disperse first.¡± ¡°The snow storm came suddenly today, and I¡¯m afraid someone will suffer from frostbite. I¡¯m ordering the Imperial Physician Hospital to provide medicine and medical help in the capital.¡± When the commoners heard this, they were all extremely touched and kneeled down in unison to thank the Eldest Prince for his kindness. Amidst the enthusiastic thunderous sounds, the injured Chu Yi left with the help of a few imperial guards. Gu Yuan wasn¡¯t in a hurry to leave. He bent down and personally picked up the blood-stained dagger on the ground, looking at Chu Yi¡¯s back with a complicated gaze. The young man¡¯s white clothes were as white as snow and were spotless. Gu Yuan retracted his gaze and looked at the dagger in his hand. His thin lips pursed into a straight line. He hadn¡¯t been by Chu Yi¡¯s side for long, but it was enough for him to understand that Chu Yi wasn¡¯t a pure white piece of paper. Their Eldest Prince was scheming and scheming. His heart was black, and his thoughts were complicated. As a subject, he felt that the Eldest Prince was doing quite well. Those aristocratic families were all arrogant and domineering, and they thought highly of themselves. For example, the capital¡¯s magistrate, Feng He, relied on his aristocratic family background to control the capital and deceive the Emperor. The capital was under the Emperor¡¯s rule. If it couldn¡¯t be held in the Emperor¡¯s hands, it would be a huge disaster. What happened today was the best warning. If not for his sister¡¯s intervention today and the Eldest Prince¡¯s swift cut , the consequences would have been unimaginable. However, as¡­ Gu Yuan¡¯s thick eyelashes fluttered, and a few snowflakes landed on his eyelashes. His heart was complicated, and there was a hint of jealousy. No, my sister is still young. Gu Yuan thought as he chased after Chu Yi. This soul-stirring case was finally over. The civilians around Chengtian Gate gradually dispersed, leaving with their worries for the Eldest Prince and their gratitude for him and the Emperor. The tung oil umbrellas spread out one after another. After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the palace gate gradually returned to its usual peace. It was snowing heavily, and the cold wind was howling like tens of thousands of horses galloping. The entire capital turned white with snow. In just an hour, there were already several stalls set up in the capital. They were all imperial physicians from the Imperial Physician Court and doctors hired with money by the Eldest Prince. There were also more than ten stalls set up by people from the palace on the streets and alleys. The commoners and beggars heard the sound and came over. They lined up in a long, winding line. The hot porridge and ginger tea made the sudden snowstorm less cold. The roaring snow storm lasted the entire night and only stopped the next morning. When Gu Yanfei woke up early in the morning, the snow in the courtyard had already accumulated very thickly. At a glance, it was white and covered with snow. The room was filled with the fragrance of piping hot food. Gu Yanfei ate her breakfast leisurely. As Juan Bi served her daughter, she said happily, ¡°My Lady, we¡¯ve found Old Madam Wu¡¯s grandson.¡± ¡°Today, she was beaming with joy and said that she wanted to set up a longevity memorial tablet for the Emperor. She also wanted to go to the temple to pray for the Emperor and ask the Bodhisattva to bless the Emperor with longevity and health.¡± ¡°She also said that she would never go to Wuliang Temple again. She said that Wuliang Temple had a rat sh*t like Shangqing, so she¡¯s afraid that the rest of them at Wuliang Temple are all the same.¡± Juan Bi was the kind of person who spoke without thinking. After talking for a while, her gaze couldn¡¯t help but drift to the courtyard through the window again. She thought about the calico cat that had disappeared for two nights. Gu Yanfei just treated it as gossip. She had a good appetite and ate a bowl of preserved egg and lean meat porridge with relish, a bowl of swallow skin wontons, and a basket of dumplings. Finally, she picked up a piece of osmanthus millet cake and ate it. Juan Bi hurriedly poured a cup of hot digestive tea for Gu Yanfei and said, ¡°Miss, after you fell asleep yesterday, Madam called three groups of people to call you. I sent them all away.¡± Yesterday, in order to break the Yu Family¡¯s array, Gu Yanfei had almost used up all the spiritual power she had accumulated in her body. As soon as she went home and closed her eyes, she fell asleep. She slept for 12 to 14 hours and only woke up at nine in the morning. After breakfast, Gu Yanfei was sleepy again. She lazily laid down on the beauty¡¯s couch. Her eyelids were heavy, and her mind was groggy. She felt that she had forgotten something, but she was in a daze and couldn¡¯t remember anything. Since she couldn¡¯t remember, this matter wasn¡¯t important. Without any hesitation, she closed her eyes and fell asleep again. At noon, she woke up again and found a strange novel. She flipped through the book, ate snacks, and drank wine. As she flipped through the book, she felt that it was tiring to read, so she ordered Juan Bi to read for her. As she listened, she felt sleepy again. At some point, she fell asleep again, unconscious. When it was close to noon, Gu Yanfei hugged the thin blanket and got up from the beauty¡¯s couch. She let out a low cry with a strange expression. Ah! She hadn¡¯t gotten her cat back yet! Oh. Gu Yanfei yawned lazily again and thought to herself, Anyway, Qing Guang has always been good at finding fun. Now, it must be enjoying itself even more than the Emperor. Tlljust let it play for a few more days. The curtain was lifted from the outside. Juan Bi walked in excitedly and reported happily, ¡°Miss, the Eldest Young Master is here to see you. By the way, the Eldest Young Master has also come with the Eldest Young Master..¡± Chapter 334 - Chapter 334: Mind Chapter 334: Mind Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Gu Yanfei was only halfway through her yawn when she looked at Juan Bi in surprise. Juan Bi¡¯s round little face showed pride, and her tail was almost sticking up to the sky. The Eldest Prince¡¯s personal visit to the Dingyuan Marquis Household was indeed worth the shock of the entire Marquis Mansion. The Dingyuan Marquis Household also consisted of old ministers who had followed Emperor Taizu to establish the kingdom. However, ever since the previous Marquis, Gu Ce, defected to the enemy, the Dingyuan Marquis Household was disliked by the previous Emperor and gradually drifted away from the circle of influential people in the capital. Over the years, only Kang Wang and Chu You had visited the Marquis Mansion a few times for Gu Yunrong. When Gu Jian received news that the Eldest Prince had come to the Marquis Mansion, he immediately dressed up and went out to welcome him. However, when he ran to the gate, he received nothing. The concierge reported, ¡®Marquis, the Eldest Young Master has already led His Highness in.¡± ¡± ¡± Gu Jian¡¯s expression changed instantly. ¡°Ingrate¡± was on the tip of his tongue, but he managed to bite it between his teeth. Gu Yuan was really going overboard. He completely disregarded the interests of the family. When the Eldest Prince came to the residence, Gu Yuan actually didn¡¯t wait for his uncle to greet him and directly took him away. Gu Jian wanted to chase after him, but he was afraid that Gu Yuan would mess around and spout nonsense in front of the Eldest Prince. Now that the capital was in chaos, the Marquis Mansion couldn¡¯t afford to offend the Eldest Prince. Gu Jian stood in a dilemma and paced back and forth in frustration. Gu Yuan didn¡¯t care how conflicted his second uncle was. He directly brought Chu Yi to the garden on the east side of the Marquis Mansion and sat in a water pavilion. Not long after, Gu Yanfei brought Juan Bi to the garden. Gu Yanfei wore a lilac-colored cloak inlaid with mink fur. When she walked, it was like colorful clouds flowing in the sky, adding a touch of brightness to the garden that was to be covered with something. Chu Yi and Gu Yuan weren¡¯t the only ones who came. Even the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guards, He Lie, was here. When he saw Gu Yanfei, an overly friendly smile appeared on his face, causing Juan Bi, who was at the back, to have goosebumps. After Gu Yanfei casually greeted Chu Yi, she pulled her eldest brother over. Gu Yuan was on duty and hadn¡¯t returned to the Marquis Mansion for a long time. Gu Yanfei grabbed his wrist and sized him up from head to toe. She even circled around him. That fixed gaze made Gu Yuan confused. After a moment, Gu Yanfei smiled brightly, revealing a pair of shallow smile eddies on her cheeks. She said in relief, ¡°You¡¯re fine now.¡± ¡®What is it?¡± Gu Yuan looked at his sister at a loss, then at himself. He sized himself up from his feet to his chest. Chu Yi¡¯s right hand was placed on the armrest of the chair. His two slender fingers bent up and gently tapped twice as he looked at Gu Yuan thoughtfully and guessed, ¡°Could it be that Shangqing left a ¡®mark¡¯ on Gu Yuan¡¯s body?¡± This sentence was directed at Gu Yanfei. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Gu Yanfei nodded. Her eyes were filled with coldness. ¡®When?¡± Gu Yuan¡¯s eyes widened in shock. His usually cold face revealed a rare youthfulness that matched his age. Looking at her big brother, Gu Yanfei felt a tinge of sadness in her heart. Her Big Brother wasn¡¯t even 18 years old, but from the moment his father passed away, he was forced to grow up early. He had to support the eldest branch, protect his youngest sister, and.. In her previous life, her brother had suffered too much.. Gu Yanfei knew that Gu Yuan didn¡¯t need pity, so she didn¡¯t show it on her face. She raised her hand and pointed at Gu Yuan¡¯s chest, then answered obediently, ¡°It should be when Shangqing accompanied Murong Yong¡¯s family to welcome the bride last time.¡± Gu Yanfei had also gained some merit because of Old Madam Murong¡¯s matter. Her eyes had become sharper than before, so she could see that there was an additional ¡°mark¡± on Gu Yuan¡¯s soul that shouldn¡¯t have been there. This was a mark that had been branded by luck. Once this mark hit the soul, it couldn¡¯t be forcefully removed. It was like a thorn stuck in the flesh. If it was forcefully removed, it would injure the soul. Therefore, she had been waiting patiently. She had been waiting for Shangqing to activate the array. Only then could she remove this ¡°mark¡± for her brother without causing him any injuries. It had to be said that the Yu Family had exceeded Gu Yanfei¡¯s imagination. She had thought that the Yu Family had found something with spiritual power to activate the array, but she didn¡¯t expect them to use children¡¯s heart blood so viciously. Gu Yuan looked down at his left chest and said, ¡°I don¡¯t feel anything at all.¡± The other servants were dismissed. Only Juan Bi was left to serve in the water pavilion. Juan Bi, who was serving tea to everyone, felt her hair stand on end. Her hand trembled, and the teacup in her hand almost slipped.. Chapter 335 - Chapter 335: Mind Chapter 335: Mind Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Gu Yanfei quickly picked up the teacup and said calmly, ¡°Of course you won¡¯t feel anything.¡± This was the evilness of this array. The person whose luck was borrowed was branded in his ignorance and senselessness. His luck would be taken away, and in the end, he would die a miserable death in endless despair. Gu Yanfei passed the cup of tea to Gu Yuan and said in a comforting tone, ¡°It¡¯s fine now.¡± Since the spirit gathering and luck borrowing array was broken, the ¡°mark¡± branded on Gu Yuan¡¯s heart would naturally be removed. Gu Yuan heaved a sigh of relief and took the teacup from his sister. If his luck was really snatched away, he would probably become a burden to his sister. Juan Bi quickly served tea to all the guests. In the water pavilion, the fragrance of tea wafted. Gu Yanfei had always been unrestrained. She sat down at the side gracefully and naturally looked at Chu Yi, who was across the coffee table from her. ¡°Has everything been settled?¡± Chu Yi smiled and nodded. His eyes were gentle as he chatted with her about the follow-up. For example, the Emperor had already collected dozens of memorials from yesterday to now and placed them on the imperial court. There was no lack of memorials to impeach Chu Yi. For example, there were seven or eight censors kneeling in front of the imperial study. Some were begging for the Yuan Family to be severely punished, while others were questioning the Emperor¡¯s sloppy conviction for not being in charge of the three divisions. For example, some of the aristocratic families were divided into two factions. In order to protect the Yu or the Feng Family, they argued and refused to give in to each other. ¡°Wait!¡± Gu Yanfei interrupted Chu Yi curiously. ¡°Feng Family?¡± The culprit wasn¡¯t the Yu Family. Why was the Feng Family involved? Did something happen after she left the Chengtian Gate yesterday? Gu Yanfei looked at Chu Yi with a burning gaze. Her intention to watch the show was written all over her face. Chu Yi gave a low laugh. ¡°The magistrate, Feng He, tried to assassinate me in front of everyone. He was plotting a rebellion.¡± ¡°Assassinate?¡± Gu Yanfei was sure that she had indeed missed a big show. ¡°Assassinate who?¡¯ ¡°Me,¡± Chu Yi said. ¡°You?¡± Gu Yanfei moved closer to him and held his chin with one hand. Judging from his complexion, he really didn¡¯t look like he was injured. Gu Yanfei suddenly thought of Chu Yi pretending to be sick in the carriage outside Danyang City. The more he laughed, the happier he became. Chu Yi tested the temperature of the teacup before passing it to her. Gu Yanfei took it smoothly and took a sip of the tea that happened to be in her mouth. She asked again, ¡°What happened after that?¡± ¡°The aristocratic families have finally pricked open this iron bucket.¡± Chu Yi curled his lips and revealed a meaningful smile. Ever since Emperor Taizu founded the country, these aristocratic families have always banded together to resist Emperor Taizu ¡®s suppression. But today, a crack finally appeared in these aristocratic families. Gu Yanfei was too lazy to use her brain. She just treated it as a story and thought to herself, ¡®These aristocratic families and their checks and balances are so troublesome.¡± It was better to be in the Bright Spirit Realm, where the strong were respected. She casually plucked two red plums from the plum tree by the window and played with them between her fingers. ¡°Are you trying to separate them?¡¯ she asked casually. Chu Yi smiled but didn¡¯t say anything. He slowly took a sip of tea, and the corners of his lips curled up slightly. This time, they were able to pry open such a gap between the aristocratic families. It was also the right time, place, and people. The aristocratic families were led by the Yuan Family, but Yuan Zhe was still imprisoned by the Northern Town¡¯s magistrate. Without such a leader, the aristocratic families would be divided on whether to protect the Yu or the Feng Family. With the current situation, it was impossible for the aristocratic families to protect the Yu and Feng families. The aristocratic families were arrogant, but they weren¡¯t stupid. They knew that they had to make a choice this time. Normally, those aristocratic families would have already reached an agreement with the Yuan Family. At the end of the day, the Yuan Family¡¯s foundation was still too shallow. It could only be considered a bond between the aristocratic families, the Empress Dowager, and Kang Wang. The Yuan Family hadn¡¯t reached the point where they could completely subdue the other aristocratic families. Gu Yanfei looked at Chu Yi and couldn¡¯t help but laugh lightly. She commented teasingly, ¡°You¡¯re so scheming.¡± Of course, she was talking about Chu Yi. He Lie: ¡°¡­¡± Gu Yuan : He Lie¡¯s expression was a little strange. He looked back and forth between the two of them and thought to himself, ¡°Second Lady Gu is indeed an expert. Other than the Emperor, she¡¯s probably the only one who dares speak to the Eldest Prince like this.¡¯ Gu Yuan looked down and said nothing. However, Chu Yi¡¯s expression was calm, and he took Gu Yanfei¡¯s words as praise. The smile in his eyes spread like ripples, and he sighed softly. ¡°What a pity.¡± Gu Yanfei knew that Chu Yi was talking about the sudden snow storm yesterday afternoon and smiled. The girl¡¯s laughter was like jade pendants colliding with each other and clear spring water flowing. She tilted her face and moved closer to Chu Yi. She said seriously, ¡°It¡¯s not good to be too smooth!¡¯ For people like them who were abandoned by the heavens, if everything went smoothly, Heaven¡¯s Will wouldn¡¯t be able to stand it and would suppress them. ¡°It¡¯s just right now.¡± Gu Yanfei stared into Chu Yi¡¯s eyes, her eyes sparkling with a clear light. Chu Yi was slightly stunned and looked at Gu Yanfei quietly. She clearly had the ability to surpass anyone, but she was still calm and composed. She wasn¡¯t arrogant because of this and didn¡¯t act as if no one was around. Chu Yi said in a low voice, ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s good.¡± It was perfect that she was like this now. Chu Yi kept looking at her. The smile in his eyes deepened, and there was a glimmer of light. His eyes were very beautiful, and the shape of his eyes was beautiful. The eyelashes at the ends of his eyes were especially long, making his eyes look even longer. The red mole at the end of his eyes was even more charming than the red plum between her fingers. Gu Yanfei suddenly felt a little uncomfortable being stared at by such a pair of beautiful eyes. She used the gesture of resting her chin on her hand to look away.. She played with the red plum in her hand and asked, ¡°Why are you looking for me?¡¯ Chapter 336 - Chapter 336: Resolution Chapter 336: Resolution Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Chu Yi chuckled and pointed at He Lie. ¡°He¡¯s the one who¡¯s looking for you.¡± He Lie took a step forward and cupped his fists respectfully at Gu Yanfei. He cleared his throat and said, ¡°Second Lady Gu, when you mentioned borrowing luck yesterday, I thought of a brother in my clan.¡± ¡°His name is He Zhao. This is his birth date.. He Lie briefly recounted what happened to his clan brother. From the time he was young, he was talented and smart. At the age of 16, he became the top scorer in the national examinations. He Lie talked about the series of bad luck that happened to him after he turned 16 with an extremely complicated expression. The cold wind blew some snow in through the open window, adding to the chill. Gu Yanfei touched her chin and looked at the birth characters written on the paper. She pondered for a moment and asserted, ¡°His luck was indeed borrowed by someone.¡± He Zhao¡¯s eight characters were extremely good. He should have been a proud son of heaven and could have been an extremely powerful official. His life shouldn¡¯t have been so bumpy. Although He Lie had already guessed it and was 70-80% confident, when he heard Gu Yanfei confirm it herself, his heart still felt a little heavy. With He Zhao¡¯s talent, he should have been admitted to the imperial examination long ago and even had a chance to become the first person in the Great Jin Dynasty to consecutively become the top scorer three times in a row. However, he was plotted against by a despicable person¡­ He Lie composed himself and continued, ¡°Brother He Zhao has been impoverished all these years. No matter what he does, he will inevitably encounter natural and man-made disasters.¡± ¡°However, although he was unlucky, he didn¡¯t expose himself and abandon himself. Now, he is teaching children in the clan and has the help of the clan. He can barely survive.¡± ¡°Brother He Zhao is an extremely talented person. Not only is he familiar with the Four Books and Five Classics, but he also has a photographic memory. He¡¯s proficient in computational studies and geography¡­ Wherever he goes, he can memorize it and draw precise maps.¡± As he spoke, He Lie sighed faintly. When this usually cold Embroidered Uniform Guards mentioned his family, his expression also had the aura of the mortal world. The water pavilion was silent for a moment. Outside the window, the faint sound of the wind and the rustling of snow falling from the branches could be heard. Chu Yi drank his tea slowly. From the corner of his eye, he glanced at the two red plums that Gu Yanfei was gently fiddling with between his fingers. His gaze was as gentle as the moon. ¡°Second Lady Gu.¡± He Lie composed himself and cupped his hands at Gu Yanfei again. He asked solemnly, ¡°May I ask if there¡¯s any way to resolve my clan brother¡¯s condition?¡± He Lie looked at Gu Yanfei with a burning gaze. ¡°Juan Bi, go and get the cinnabar and talisman paper,¡± Gu Yanfei instructed Juan Bi. He Lie perked up when he heard this, and a glimmer of hope appeared in his eyes. Juan Bi accepted the order and ran away in a hurry. Not only was Juan Bi strong, but she also ran very quickly. It only took her half a cup of tea to make a trip to the Yuheng Garden. Her face wasn¡¯t red, and she wasn¡¯t even out of breath. She didn¡¯t rest for a moment and started to serve Gu Yanfei with brush and ink. Gu Yanfei had a plan in mind. She dipped the tip of her brush into the cinnabar and became one with her mind. Her brush skillfully drew a winding rune on the pale yellow talisman paper. This was the first time Chu Yi had seen her draw a talisman with his own eyes. His gaze was fixed on her. She was so focused and peaceful. Gu Yanfei casually shook the talisman she had just drawn and handed it to He Lie. He instructed, ¡®Get your clan brother to bring this Luck Gathering Talisman with him.¡± ¡°Since the fate borrowing array has been broken, your brother¡¯s luck won¡¯t be lost again. ¡°This Luck Gathering Talisman can gather his luck on the spirit platform and make him at least like an ordinary person.¡± He Lie took the talisman with both hands and was very cautious. He thanked her again and again. ¡°Thank you, Second Lady Gu. I thank you on behalf of my brother.¡¯ He Lie carefully kept the talisman in the pocket on his chest and then looked at Chu Yi by the window. He Lie had specially come to the Marquis Mansion today to ask Gu Yanfei for a solution. It wasn¡¯t appropriate for him to visit rashly, so he ran to Gu Yuan to introduce him. Unexpectedly, the Eldest Prince happened to hear it and wanted to follow him. Now that he had obtained the talisman, shouldn¡¯t he leave? He Lie looked at Chu Yi questioningly. Chu Yi dusted his robe and stood up elegantly. He smiled and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the palace.¡± He Lie was stunned and thought to himself, ¡®So the First Prince is really here to accompany me to ask for talismans!¡¯ Gu Yanfei naturally stood up to send him off. Gu Yuan and He Lie dutifully followed Chu Yi like shadows. Speechless, the four of them walked all the way to the outer gate, where a black horse carriage with a crew cut and two tall horses were parked. The driver waved the horsewhip in his hand and smiled at Gu Yanfei. It was considered a good question. Chu Yi turned his body and a corner of his frosty white cloak flew up, coincidentally blocking Xiao Shi behind him.. He suddenly tilted his head and said to Gu Yanfei, ¡°On the night of the Lantern Festival, shall we go and look at the lanterns together?¡¯ Chapter 337 - Chapter 337: Resolution Chapter 337: Resolution Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios This sentence almost made Gu Yuan and He Lie stagger. Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes instantly lit up when she heard the word ¡°flower lantern¡±. Her pupils sparkled. In her two lifetimes, she had never seen a lantern. She only remembered hearing from her cousins in the Marquis Mansion in her previous life that the annual Lantern Festival in the capital was very lively. Only the Qixi Lantern could barely be compared to it. Chu Yi understood her gaze. Her gaze wasn¡¯t difficult to read, just like the yearning look in An Le¡¯s eyes when she talked about the lantern show. A gentle smile appeared in Chu Yi¡¯s eyes, and it was as if the winter sun shone on his eyes. He softened his tone and said seductively, ¡°The Lantern Festival is on the south street near Dazhao Temple. There will be a temple fair that night with all kinds of fun and delicious food, many sideshows and lanterns, as well as a huge dragon lantern placed at the entrance of Dazhao Temple by the people who are best at setting up lanterns in the capital.¡¯ ¡°More than half of the people in the capital will go to the Lantern Festival. The festival will last until midnight.¡± ¡°We can play lantern riddles, release some sky lanterns, watch fireworks, watch lion dances, and go to temple fairs¡­¡± Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes grew brighter and brighter. She nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± He Lie, who was at the back, looked at Chu Yi with an indescribable expression. He was certain in his heart that the Eldest Prince definitely wasn¡¯t here to accompany him specially. The wind was still a little strong today, and Gu Yanfei was standing against it. A gust of wind blew her hair and headband on her back to her temples and eyes. Just as Gu Yanfei was about to smooth her hair, Chu Yi had already raised his hand before her and smoothly tucked a few strands of messy hair and a long headband behind her ear. He acted quickly and retracted his hand quickly, so fast that Gu Yuan didn¡¯t even have time to say anything. ¡°I¡¯ll pick you up on the evening of the 15th.¡± After saying this, Chu Yi got into the carriage. Right on the heels of that, Gu Yuan and He Lie got on their respective horses. Their expressions became even stranger, especially Gu Yuan¡¯s. Gu Yuan actually had a lot of things to say to his sister. Although there was nothing wrong with the Eldest Prince other than being a little heavy-hearted, marriage was a big matter for a girl. She still had to think about it carefully and couldn¡¯t be coaxed so easily. Sigh. Gu Yuan was extremely worried. He kept looking back at his sister as he rode on his horse. He still had to work today, so he could only leave the Marquis Mansion with Chu Yi. Gu Yanfei stood on the spot and watched as their carriage drove out of the Marquis Mansion¡¯s corner gate. He was in a rather good mood. She turned around and asked as she walked towards the inner courtyard, ¡°Juan Bi, do you know how to set up lanterns?¡± There were still five days before the Lantern Festival. She would definitely have time to set up a beautiful lantern. Juan Bi nodded, then shook her head. ¡°l only know how to make the simplest round lanterns. I don¡¯t know how to make those rabbit or cat lanterns.¡± ¡°So be it.¡± Gu Yanfei¡¯s interest didn¡¯t diminish at all. She walked briskly and continued, ¡°Let me think about what talismans I can use to enhance the color of my lantern.¡¯ Juan Bi was also excited and happily gave her lady an idea. ¡°Miss, your Butterfly Pursuing Fragrance Talisman is very interesting.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡± Gu Yanfei snapped her fingers happily. She couldn¡¯t wait to return to Yuheng Garden to set up the lanterns. The master and servant crossed the threshold of the inner ceremonial door with a smile. They saw Madam Wang standing by the tall wall with a group of servants 30 to 40 feet away. Madam Wang had received Gu Jian¡¯s instructions and had specially waited for Gu Yanfei here. In the cold wind, her face was a little red from the wind. Her body was stiff, and there was a layer of anxiety around her. ¡°Yanfei.¡± Madam Wang was a little anxious as she took two steps closer to Gu Yanfei. She went straight to the point and asked two consecutive questions. ¡°Has the Eldest Prince gone back? What is he doing here today?¡± Gu Yanfei gestured to Juan Bi and instructed, ¡°The Eldest Prince shouldn¡¯t have gone far now. Go over quickly and stop him. Tell him that Madam Marquis asked him why he was here.¡± ¡°Yes, My Lady.¡± Juan Bi had always been obedient. She turned around and ran, scaring Madam Wang. ¡®You¡¯re not allowed to go!¡± Madam Wang lost her composure and called out to Juan Bi. Her expression was extremely ugly and stiff. Gu Yanfei looked at Madam Wang with a puzzled expression. ¡°Didn¡¯t Madam say that she wanted to know?¡¯ She almost wrote the words ¡°You¡¯re so fickle¡± on her face. ¡± ¡± Madam Wang was so frightened that she almost lost her soul. She glared hatefully at Gu Yanfei, who was a few steps away, and gritted her teeth. Gu Yanfei was simply a thorn. She couldn ¡®t even speak without offending someone. She probably viewed the entire Marquis Mansion as her enemy! She had never thought that even if she was lucky enough to become the Eldest Prince¡¯s concubine, this woman would still need the help of her family! Madam Wang tightened her grip on the handkerchief in her hand. She thought about Gu Jian¡¯s instructions and was about to say something when she saw an old woman in green rushing over from the direction of the gate. The old woman in green ran all the way to Madam Wang¡¯s side and quickly whispered a few words to her. Gu Yanfei didn¡¯t wait for Madam Wang. She called Juan Bi and left. Madam Wang was so shocked by what the old woman in green said that her heart tightened and her expression changed drastically. Without thinking, she ordered the old woman, ¡°Chase them away!¡± In the end, she added worriedly, ¡°Hurry up and chase them away!¡± At this time, who would want to get involved with the Yu Family? Wasn¡¯t this asking for trouble?! The woman in green carefully glanced at Gu Yanfei¡¯s departing figure and lowered her voice. ¡®Madam, that person asked me to convey one word to you: substitute..¡± Chapter 338 - Chapter 338: Date Chapter 338: Date Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios As soon as she heard the word ¡°substitute¡±, Madam Wang¡¯s heart trembled like someone was beating a drum. If it was before the new year, she wouldn¡¯t have known what this word meant¡­ No, she didn¡¯t know now either. However, she was certain that this matter was extremely important. Otherwise, Madam Gu wouldn¡¯t have behaved like that in the ancestral hall that day and wouldn ¡®t have been controlled by Gu Yanfei! Bang! Bang! Bang! Her heart was beating faster and faster, almost jumping into her throat. After that day , Madam Wang repeatedly thought about this matter. Based on her understanding of Madam Gu, the most important thing in her heart was the Marquis Mansion¡¯s title and future. Therefore, if this ¡°substitute¡± matter could make Madam Gu lose her composure to such an extent, would it endanger the Marquis Mansion¡¯s nobility? Bang! Bang! Bang! Madam Wang¡¯s heart beat even faster. The Marquis Mansion¡¯s title wasn¡¯t only Madam Gu¡¯s Achilles¡¯ heel, but also the Wang Family¡¯s Achilles¡¯ heel. Madam Wang was afraid and hesitant. After a long silence and hesitation, Madam Wang suddenly stomped her feet and instructed the old woman in green in a low voice, ¡°Tell that person to wait first.¡¯ Madam Wang herself turned around and walked towards Benevolent Harmony Hall. She took three steps at a time, and her footsteps were like the wind. Since it involved a ¡°substitute¡±, it was most likely very important. She had to tell Madam Gu to prevent anything from happening in the future. Madam Wang couldn¡¯t be bothered to find out why the Eldest Prince had come to the Marquis Mansion. She left in a hurry, feeling overwrought. On this day, Madam Wang stayed in Benevolent Harmony Hall for more than an hour. Then, she reluctantly instructed the old woman to bring the person outside in. In the following days, the Dingyuan Marquis Household continued to close its doors and refuse guests. By the time Gu Yanfei finished her lanterns, it was already the 15th, the day of the Lantern Festival. At dusk, the sun set. The sky was dark, leaving only the last trace of golden-red in the western sky. The Dingyuan Marquis Household welcomed the Eldest Prince¡¯s arrival once again. A black horse carriage with a crew cut was waiting outside the gates of the Marquis Mansion. Without waiting for the news to reach Gu Jian, Gu Yanfei got into the carriage happily. She looked at the two pairs of very similar auspicious phoenix eyes in the carriage and smiled happily. The siblings were wearing purple clothes today. Chu Yi¡¯s robe was embroidered with a bunch of green bamboo, and his comfortable dress was embroidered with broken branches and green calyx plums. One was elegant and noble, while the other was shy and cute. ¡°Sister!¡± An Le smiled shyly at Gu Yanfei and invited her to sit beside her. She then took a small white rabbit lantern from the side and handed it to Gu Yanfei. ¡°This is a gift. Brother and I made this lantern ourselves.¡± The little girl blinked, her black and white eyes filled with anticipation, as if asking, ¡®Do you like it? ¡°How cute!¡± Gu Yanfei took the rabbit lantern and praised it sincerely. ¡°It¡¯s much better than mine.¡± She meant what she said. The rabbit lantern was much more exquisite than the round lantern in her hand and was even more lifelike. An Le pursed her lips and smiled even more shyly. ¡°Brother taught me.¡± An Le looked at Chu Yi opposite her. Her shy smile couldn¡¯t hide her admiration for him. Gu Yanfei also glanced at Chu Yi from the corner of her eye. Her eyes curved and she handed the lantern in her hand to An Le. ¡®This is for you. We¡¯ll each have one.¡± She even checked An Le¡¯s pulse and smiled in satisfaction. That day at Chengtian Gate, Gu Yanfei had mentioned it to the Emperor and asked the imperial physicians to give him some peace to recuperate. In the past five years, the Blood Gu had damaged the foundation of peace and harmony. She would only gradually regain feeling in her legs after the vitality she had depleted over the years was replenished. From the looks of it, the imperial physician¡¯s prescription for safety was quite good. In just five to six days, the little girl¡¯s complexion had improved a lot. Her fair cheeks had also become plumper, like a flower bud that was half blooming and half blooming. It made Gu Yanfei have the urge to pinch her cheeks. Xiao Shi¡¯s shout came from outside the carriage. The carriage swayed as it slowly moved forward, heading south. An Le shook the lantern that Gu Yanfei gave her excitedly. Her eyes lit up as she said, ¡°Sister, have you been to the Lantern Festival?¡± ¡°Eldest Brother and I have never been to the Lantern Festival!¡± An Le¡¯s second sentence surprised Gu Yanfei. She subconsciously looked at Chu Yi, who was sitting opposite her. That day, Chu Yi spoke so vividly in the Marquis Mansion that she thought he often went there. Chu Yi was pouring tea.. Chapter 339 - Chapter 339: Date Chapter 339: Date Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Even when the carriage was moving, it was swaying slightly. His hands were still so steady and elegant. His movements were like flowing water, and the tea didn¡¯t spill at all. In the next moment, a full cup of flower tea was handed to her. The fingers holding the enamel teacup were well-defined. Gu Yanfei looked straight into Chu Yi¡¯s warm, deep, and peaceful eyes and suddenly understood. Yes. In the past eight years, Chu Yi had been a hostage in the State of Yue and was no different from a bird in a cage. Eight years ago, the previous Emperor was still alive. At that time, as the Crown Prince, every step was difficult. This also meant that Chu Yi¡¯s life wouldn¡¯t be easy. Gu Yanfei took the cup of flower tea from Chu Yi. She lowered her eyes and sniffed the fragrance of the tea. ¡®This is also my first time going to the Lantern Festival. We have to have a good time.¡± An Le nodded repeatedly, looking radiant. After a few streets, the carriage began to slow down. Even though they were sitting in the carriage, the three of them could clearly hear that the streets outside were getting more and more lively. An Le couldn ¡®t help but open a corner of the curtain and look outside. Red lanterns hung on both sides of the street, emitting a sparkling light. They flowed in the air like a resplendent river of lanterns, beautiful beyond words. There was no curfew today, and the streets were filled with people. Many young people were holding lanterns and strolling on the streets with smiles on their faces. From the direction they were walking in, it was obvious that they were going to the Dazhao Temple to watch the Lantern Festival. The closer they got to Dazhao Temple, the more people there were on the streets, and the slower the carriage was. In the end, it was even slower than a passerby walking. Gu Yanfei simply suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s walk over from here. We can look at the lights and stroll around the temple fair.¡± Without needing Chu Yi to give any instructions, the coachman cleverly stopped the carriage by the roadside. Gu Yanfei got off the carriage first. A wheelchair had already been placed beside the carriage. Xiao Shi smiled at Gu Yanfei obediently. Chu Yi personally carried An Le out of the carriage and gently placed her on the wheelchair. Gu Yanfei helped the little girl adjust her cloak. Then she snapped her fingers and lit the lantern in An Le¡¯s hand. There were no candles in the lantern, only a talisman made of paper. When the talisman lit up, the lantern lit up. Through the translucent lampshade, a few butterflies could be seen dancing around the two peony flowers in the lantern. It was like an exciting shadow show. An Le covered her mouth and exclaimed in surprise. A colorful butterfly flapped its wings and flew out of the lantern, transforming into light spots and wisps of fragrance in midair. Some passersby looked at them curiously. Their gaze inevitably landed on An Le, who was in the wheelchair. They were attracted by the lantern in her hand. The surrounding praise floated over one after another. One could vaguely hear words like ¡°beautiful¡±, ¡°revolving lantern,¡± , ¡°butterfly¡±, and so on. Pleasantly, An Le straightened her body and gently shook the lantern in her hand. Her pitch-black pupils sparkled under the light of the lamp outside the window, like the brightest stars in the night sky. Her lantern was personally made by Sister Yanfei. It was the only one in the capital! Chu Yi pushed the wheelchair forward slowly. There were countless lanterns hanging on both sides of the street. The bigger the restaurant, the more lanterns there were. Lotus lanterns, revolving lanterns, horse-riding lanterns¡­ All kinds of lanterns lit up the surroundings with joy. Gu Yanfei and An Le couldn¡¯t take their eyes off it. They were amazed, and their eyes were wide open. Not only was this An Le¡¯s first time at the Lantern Festival, but it was also her first time out of the palace. She was amazed by everything she saw and lingered at every stall on the street. She had only walked a few hundred feet, but she had already bought a basket of trinkets. ¡°Sister, the purse in that shop is really beautiful!¡± ¡°Sister, this candied plum¡­ It¡¯s sour and sweet and delicious.¡± ¡°Sister, does this bracelet look good?¡± ¡°Sister, let¡¯s go over there and guess the riddle!¡± Strings of red lanterns hung outside the restaurant like a red curtain, illuminating the entire restaurant in a bright red color. It was a joyous scene. Outside the entrance of the restaurant, there were many people who came to guess the riddles. They were surrounded by three layers inside and three layers outside. A waiter was shouting at the top of his lungs, ¡°10 copper coins for a riddle. If you¡¯re right, this lantern is yours.¡± ¡°If you guess 10 riddles correctly, our restaurant will also give you a jar of excellent wine, ¡®Sword Orchid Spring¡¯. ¡°Don¡¯t miss it. ¡® There were many onlookers, but not many people were guessing riddles. After all, it cost 10 copper coins per try. Most people just wanted to join in on the fun and look on as bystanders. ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± An Le happily raised her hand to the waiter and casually picked a lantern. The waiter tore open the white paper on the lantern, revealing the riddle on it: the fragrance of flowers at the end of spring and the beginning of autumn. This question wasn¡¯t difficult. An Le tilted her little face and thought for a while before saying, ¡°The end of spring is the sun, and the beginning of autumn is the river. Placed together, it¡¯s the word ¡®scent¡¯, and the flower fragrance is also the word ¡®scent¡¯! ¡± ¡°Miss, you¡¯re really smart. You guessed right.¡± The waiter clapped his hands heavily and said, ¡°Miss, do you still want to continue guessing?¡± ¡®Yes!¡± An Le said proudly. An Le was in high spirits. She had guessed 10 riddles in a row, but of course, she didn¡¯t guess all of them. Gu Yanfei would guess the ones that she couldn¡¯t; Chu Yi would guess the ones that Gu Yanfei also couldn¡¯t. After surmounting many obstacles along the way and guessing 10 riddles in a row, An Le felt bored. She pulled Gu Yanfei¡¯s sleeve and wanted to leave. The waiter could tell that these three people didn¡¯t lack money. He happily tempted her and said, ¡°Miss, if you can guess the most riddles correctly today, you can win the Lantern King.¡± ¡°Look, that¡¯s the Lantern King!¡± The waiter turned around and pointed at the restaurant at the back. In the middle of the hall hung an exquisite palace revolving lantern. It shone with golden light and was gorgeous and dazzling. An Le glanced at it, but her interest was waning. That palace revolving lantern was indeed not bad, but in her opinion, it couldn¡¯t compare to the butterfly lantern that Gu Yanfei had given her. The waiter wanted to say a few more words of advice, but he heard a crisp slap coming from the hall of the restaurant.. Chapter 340 - Chapter 340: Divorce Chapter 340: Divorce Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Clap!¡¯ The passersby on the street were shocked. Many of them stopped and looked over. At a table by the window, a blue-robed man of medium height raised his hand and slapped a round-faced woman in her early thirties. ¡°Madam Sun,¡± the blue-robed man reprimanded the round-faced woman with disgust, ¡°are you deliberately trying to burn Wu Niang¡¯s hand?!¡¯ On the table, a white porcelain teacup toppled over, spilling the tea. ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­¡± A red palm print appeared on Madam Sun¡¯s left cheek. The wooden hairpin on her bun was askew, and a few strands of hair were scattered messily on her cheek. Her eyes were filled with tears. Beside the blue-robed man, a charming young woman with an oval face covered her stomach with one hand. Her beautiful face turned pale as she cried out, ¡°Aiya, husband, I feel a little pain in my stomach.¡± ¡®Wu Niang, are you alright?¡± The blue-robed man held the young woman in his arms, his heart aching, ¡°How¡¯s your stomach?¡± The young woman bit her lower lip and said coquettishly, ¡°Perhaps our child was frightened and was kicking me just now¡­ He¡¯s fine now.¡± As she spoke, the young woman glanced at Madam Sun indifferently, her description carrying the complacency of a victor. The blue-robed man heaved a sigh of relief when he heard this. When he turned to look at Madam Sun again, his expression was filled with disgust and anger. He scolded, ¡°Madam Sun, you¡¯re a hen who doesn¡¯t know how to lay eggs. What if you scare the child in Wu Niang¡¯s stomach? Can you afford it?!¡± ¡°I should divorce a woman like you who has no tolerance!¡± His voice rose to a crescendo that carried almost halfway down the street. More and more people turned to look in their direction. Madam Sun covered her swollen left cheek. The tears in her eyes fell uncontrollably from the corners of her eyes. Her body trembled non-stop, and her head lowered lower and lower¡­ ¡°Eh? Isn¡¯t this Boss Li of the Eight Qian House?¡± The waiter remembered and clapped his hands. ¡°It¡¯s Li Baqian!¡± Beside him, an old woman spat on the ground in disdain. ¡®This Li Baqian is heartless. Back then, he was poor. He relied on his wife¡¯s skills to save money and open the Eight Qian House.¡± ¡°Now that business is booming and his days are good, he¡¯s despising his wife for not being able to have children and even has a concubine. ¡°Hmph, for a concubine, he actually hit his wife. This Li fellow has no conscience. He¡¯s really heartless!¡± Another middle-aged woman sighed. ¡°Women still have to be able to have children.¡± Her words attracted the approval of many people around her. They looked at Madam Sun with sympathy and disdain for her husband. An Le grew up in the palace and was well-protected. No one would tell her about these conflicts between wives and concubines. ¡°Do I have to be beaten if I don¡¯t have a child?¡± The little girl in the wheelchair muttered softly, ¡®Then I¡¯d better not find a husband!¡± Her voice was very soft. Only Gu Yanfei and Chu Yi, who were beside the wheelchair, heard it. ¡°Of course not.¡± Gu Yanfei leaned over to An Le¡¯s ear and said mockingly, ¡°Even a beast wouldn¡¯t do this.¡± ¡°An Le, in the future, you have to choose a husband who only cares about you.¡± An Le nodded obediently. She covered her mouth with her hand and whispered to Gu Yanfei, ¡°Father said that he would choose an obedient son-in-law for Gu Yanfei burst out laughing and nodded seriously. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s good to be obedient.¡± ¡®When the time comes, I¡¯ll help you check if he¡¯s really obedient.¡± She teased the little girl. ¡®Yes!¡± An Le was even happier. She pursed her lips and nodded. Chu Yi looked at the two of them whispering to each other, and his lips curled up slightly. His pensive gaze landed on Gu Yanfei¡¯s face. More and more people flocked over to watch the commotion. They pointed at the three people in the hall, but no one was guessing the riddle. Seeing this, Boss Li, who was in the lobby of the restaurant, felt a little awkward. He casually threw a piece of silver on the table and said, ¡°This is the money for the wine.¡± He carefully helped the oval-faced young woman up and hugged her slender waist as he said gently, ¡°Wu Niang, let¡¯s go. We¡¯ll go shopping and wait for the lights. There are fireworks at Dazhao Temple tonight.¡¯ He ignored his wife, Madam Sun, and only walked out of the restaurant with her beautiful concubine in his arms. Madam Sun covered her face and followed behind stiffly with her head lowered, in a daze. The three of them walked past the wheelchair. Gu Yanfei held onto the wheelchair. As she straightened her body, she said, ¡°An Le, leave it to me. Don¡¯t worry, my judgment is very accurate. For example, this Madam will have a son and a daughter in her life..¡± Chapter 341 - Chapter 341: Divorce Chapter 341: Divorce Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°For example, this Old Master Li¡­ is destined to have no children.¡± Her voice wasn¡¯t loud, so the others around them couldn¡¯t hear her. It just so happened that Old Master Li and the other two could hear her clearly. Old Master Li, who was hugging his concubine, had a drastic change in expression. He turned around and glared at Gu Yanfei. His eyes were spitting fire as he said angrily, ¡°Hey, what did you just say?! ¡® Was she cursing his concubine for not being able to give birth to a son, or was she saying that he had been cuckolded?! Old Master Li¡¯s face was ashen, and dark clouds covered it. He was furious. He took a big step forward and raised his hand to swing it at Gu Yanfei¡¯s face¡­ However, Gu Yanfei¡¯s whip was faster than his. The long whip flew out like a spirit snake and wrapped tightly around Old Master Li¡¯s wrist as if it had a consciousness. ¡°Let go of me¡­¡± Master Li tried to break free from the whip on his wrist in exasperation. ¡°Alright!¡± Gu Yanfei retracted her whip smoothly. She casually pulled the whip, and with clever force, she spun the man on the spot. He staggered and fell to the ground. All of this happened in the blink of an eye, and Madam Sun and her concubine, Wu Niang, were completely unable to react. The other people on the street also watched this scene in a daze, dumbfounded. Only An Le was overjoyed and happily clapped her hands. Gu Yanfei put away her whip and looked at Madam Sun with a smile. She said seriously, ¡°Divorce him.¡± ¡°After you divorce him, I guarantee that your next marriage will be even better. You¡¯ll have a son and a daughter and a smooth marriage.¡± Madam Sun raised her head and looked at Gu Yanfei in a daze. She was a little dumbfounded and even forgot to hide the shocking palm print on her face. Old Master Li, who was on the ground, was covered in dust. He got up from the ground in a sorry state and pointed at Gu Yanfei angrily. ¡°How dare you hit me?!¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard that it¡¯s better to destroy a temple than a marriage?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to sue you¡­¡± ¡°Ah!¡± An excited female voice interrupted the furious Old Master Li. ¡°Goddess, it¡¯s the Goddess!¡± The old woman at the side rushed in front of Gu Yanfei like a gust of wind. She looked at her piously, and her eyes seemed to be glowing. Old Master Li was at a loss. He frowned deeply, and the veins on his forehead twitched. The old woman pointed at Gu Yanfei and tugged at Madam Sun¡¯s sleeve excitedly. ¡°Sister, she is a Goddess. She¡¯s the Goddess who displayed her divine power at the entrance of the palace a few days ago!¡¯ ¡°This Goddess has remarkable abilities. She¡¯s the Nine Heavenly Maiden, who has descended to the mortal world and has the ability to summon the wind and rain. Whatever she says must be right!¡± The old woman¡¯s voice became more and more excited, almost breaking her voice. ¡± ¡± Madam Sun blinked, then blinked again as she slowly recalled. On the ninth day of the Lunar New Year, because she had heard that the drum had been beaten, she had also gone to Chengtian Gate to watch the commotion. However, she had been standing far away and couldn¡¯t see the face of the ¡°Goddess¡± clearly. After hearing this old woman¡¯s words, Madam Sun finally connected this young girl to the ¡°Goddess¡± at Chengtian Gate. ¡®Yes, it¡¯s indeed her,¡± Madam Sun muttered foolishly, her eyes burning. The Goddess just said that she wanted her to divorce? She said that she would have a son and a daughter in the future and be in a happy marriage?! Old Master Li, whose face was covered in dust, widened his eyes. He was so terrified that his face turned pale. The words of the Goddess echoed in his mind. She said that he would have no children? ¡°Madam Sun, what are you waiting for? Let¡¯s go home!¡± Old Master Li shouted arrogantly. The concubine called Wu Niang beside him had a bewildered expression. ¡°Divorce!¡± Madam Sun looked into Old Master Li¡¯s eyes and said firmly, ¡°l want to divorce you!¡± The Goddess was right! She had had enough of this useless life! ¡°I see the Goddess!¡± There were already some people gathered around the restaurant. When they heard the clamor of people shouting ¡°Divorce¡± and ¡°Goddess¡±, even more people gathered around and shot burning gazes at Gu Yan. Seeing that the situation wasn¡¯t good, Gu Yanfei hurriedly tugged at Chu Yi¡¯s sleeve and said to him, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡¯ Chu Yi nodded with a stifled laugh. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Before the people around them could react, the two of them pushed the wheelchair and left. Chu Yi made a gesture in a certain direction without batting an eyelid. Xiao Shi, Si Hai, and the others behind him entered the messy crowd and stopped some passers-by who were chasing them. When they passed by a dark and narrow alley, a middle-aged man in green with a pale face and a beard poked his head out of the alley and waved at Gu Yanfei and Chu Yi. Gu Yanfei and the other two quickly walked into the alley. An Le, who was in the wheelchair, covered his mouth and patiently waited for the surrounding noise to gradually fade away. ¡°Pfft.¡± The three of them looked at each other and smiled. Gu Yanfei and An Le were both laughing uncontrollably. An Le¡¯s sparkling eyes looked up to see another person in the alley. ¡°Father, why are you here?¡± The Emperor, who was wearing a black cloak embroidered with colorful clouds and silver rat skin, walked over from the depths of the alley. There was a gentle smile on his thin face. The Emperor slowly walked towards An Le and smiled, ¡°Can¡¯t I come and see the lanterns?¡± Zhao Rang, who was dressed in an ordinary green robe, pursed his lips and held back his laughter. Only he knew that the Emperor had no intention of leaving the palace incognito. However, after the Eldest Prince and the Eldest Princess set off, the more the Emperor thought about it, the more he felt that something was wrong. Hence, he came to the Lantern Festival at the last minute. ¡°Of course!¡± An Le happily handed a jar ofwine to the Emperor. ¡°Father, this is the ¡®Sword Orchid Spring¡¯ that we won by guessing lantern riddles. ¡® After receiving the wine from his daughter, the Emperor smiled until his eyes narrowed. He repeatedly praised his precious daughter for being filial. The Emperor passed the wine jar to Zhao Rang and suggested nonchalantly, ¡°The fireworks should be starting soon at the Dazhao Temple. Let¡¯s go over quickly.¡± ¡°There are too many of us, and we¡¯re too eye-catching. An Le, can you follow Father?¡± An Le was a good child. When the Emperor asked her, her first reaction was to nod obediently. As for Chu Yi and Gu Yanfei, they didn¡¯t even have the chance to speak. The Emperor and Zhao Rang had already pushed the wheelchair away and said, ¡°The two of you hide for a while more..¡± Chapter 342 - Chapter 342: Undressing Chapter 342: Undressing Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios After another 10 minutes, Gu Yanfei and Chu Yi walked out of the alley and continued walking in the direction of Dazhao Temple along the south street. The streets were even livelier than before, and people were rushing in the same direction. Gu Yanfei subconsciously quickened her pace when she passed by the restaurant that was riddled with lanterns. However, she heard the excited voice of the waiter from the direction of the restaurant. Just now, the Goddess even came to our place to play riddles!¡± The word ¡°Goddess¡± made Gu Yanfei¡¯s heart tremble, and the corners of her lips froze. In the next moment, she felt someone grab her wrist. ¡°Follow me.¡± Chu Yi held her hand and walked towards a stall by the street. When the stall owner saw the two of them, he greeted them excitedly, ¡®Young Master, Miss, I have everything here. Combs, silk flowers, pouches, lanterns¡­¡± Chu Yi took down a small cat mask from the stall and put it on Gu Yanfei¡¯s face, tying the string behind her head. It was a cute and charming white half-faced cat mask with golden eyeliner. Half of the mask covered half of Gu Yanfei ¡®s face, revealing only her full cherry lips and fair, small chin. The two of them were very close to each other. His body was filled with the fragrance of snow and green bamboo that lingered in Gu Yanfei¡¯s nose. Even though Gu Yanfei didn ¡®t look at his face, she knew that he was laughing. The laughter vibrated in his chest and even in his neck. ¡°Done!¡± His voice was full of smiles as it came from above her head. Chu Yi tidied up the tether of the mask and retracted his hand. He even tidied the soft bangs on her forehead. The woman he knew had always been uninhibited and unrestrained, like a free breeze or an unrestrained drifting cloud. This was the first time he had seen her like this. It was as if a cat¡¯s tail had been stepped on. He was the only one who saw her like this. Hence, she probably didn¡¯t guard herself against him. Chu Yi¡¯s heart softened as he recalled what she said to An Le in front of the restaurant. Just as he opened his mouth, he heard a young lady in red who was passing by say, ¡°l heard that the Goddess came to the Lantern Festival just now.¡± ¡°If only we had come earlier.¡± The other girl sighed faintly. Just two sentences made Gu Yanfei¡¯s slender body stiffen even more. Goosebumps crawled all over her body. She secretly cursed Xia Houqing again. Chu Yi naturally noticed the slight changes on her body and laughed even more happily. His chest heaved and vibrated. ¡± ¡± Gu Yanfei picked up a white fox mask from the stall and put it on his face, using it to hide the smile on his lips. After putting on the mask, his smiling eyes became even more eye-catching. Her beautiful black eyes shone brilliantly under the brilliant light. They were as bright as the stars and as gentle as the moonlight. Her long eyelashes were dyed golden-red by the light. The stall owner knew that this deal was successful, so he flattered them sweetly, ¡®This Young Master is handsome, and this Miss is beautiful. This mask is extraordinary on the two of you.¡± ¡°The combs and silk flowers I have here are all from the State of Yue. They¡¯re different from other places. Miss, do you want to choose?¡± When the stall owner saw that the two of them were from wealthy families, he smiled very eagerly. He felt that as long as he coaxed this beautiful girl, this immortal young master would definitely not be a problem. Chu Yi glanced at the stall owner indifferently. Naturally, he understood these business tricks. He smiled and asked Gu Yanfei, ¡°Is there anything you like?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Gu Yanfei casually picked up a lilac-colored lotus flower from the box of silk flowers. The corners of her lips curled into a sly smile. Gu Yanfei twirled the lotus flower and suddenly stood on her tiptoes to place the flower behind Chu Yi¡¯s ear. She tied his hair up with a purple ribbon and placed the lilac-colored silk flower by his ear, making the petals tremble slightly. It complemented his silky black hair. Not only did it not look feminine, but it also had an indistinguishable beauty. ¡°This one isn¡¯t bad.¡± She looked at him with satisfaction and smiled happily. Then she took out another piece of silver from her purse and threw it to the stall owner. The stall owner didn¡¯t expect that the silk flower would end up on that young master¡¯s body. He was stunned for a moment, but he still subconsciously caught the piece of silver. ¡°Let¡¯s go, the fireworks are about to start.¡± Gu Yanfei tugged at Chu Yi¡¯s sleeve and urged him with a smile.. Chapter 343 - Chapter 343: Undressing Chapter 343: Undressing Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios A few young masters walked past the two of them. One of them asked the stall owner excitedly, ¡°Boss, do you still have the silk flowers that the young master is wearing?¡± Gu Yanfei heard it clearly and laughed happily. Her smile rippled in her watery eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Chu Yi smiled and took her hand. His palm was dry and warm as it wrapped tightly around her slender fingers. Gu Yanfei could even feel a few calluses on his palm. Just like that, Gu Yanfei held his hand and walked forward. She lowered her eyes and let her thoughts wander as she looked at their intertwined hands. Isn¡¯t he pushing his luck? But I must say, his hands are really beautiful. His fingers are so slender and elegant, and his joints are well-defined. His nails are trimmed cleanly, and they¡¯re sparkling like jade. Whether it¡¯s holding a flower, holding a brush, pouring tea, pouring wine, playing chess, or holding a scroll.. Theres always an indescribable beauty to them. Ifhe were to dance with a sword, hed probably look verygood too, right? accidentally became engrossed, and her thoughts wandered astray. ¡°Swoosh!¡± A few ear-piercing sounds rang out in front of them. Red lights flew up from the ground, cutting through the dark night air and rising into the clouds. Clusters of fireworks exploded in the pitch -black night sky, like huge flowers suddenly blooming. It was a colorful scene, decorating the night sky like a dazzling brocade. What beautiful fireworks! Gu Yanfei looked up at the night sky, and her eyes lit up. After a while, many people rushed over like a tide and shouted, ¡°Look, the fireworks are starting!¡¯ ¡°I heard that there will be a total of 81 fireworks today!¡± ¡°Dazhao Temple is really generous this year!¡± The swarming crowd squeezed Gu Yanfei and Chu Yi so tightly that their shoulders were pressed against each other. There were too many people around them, and there were people pushing them from time to time. At a glance, a black mass of people moved, blocking their vision. ¡°Follow me!¡± Chu Yi looked around and pulled Gu Yanfei out of the dense crowd. They went to the restaurant he had booked in advance. This was the tallest restaurant in the vicinity. The private seat on the south side of the third floor faced the direction of the Dazhao Temple. It had the best view and was perfect for watching fireworks. Gu Yanfei took off the cat mask on her face and leaned against the railing. Three consecutive soaring sounds rang out, and three consecutive fireworks suddenly bloomed one after another, exploding into red, yellow, and purple fireworks. Gu Yanfei looked up happily at the fireworks outside. She couldn¡¯t take her eyes off them and the corners of her lips curled up like a crescent moon. She wore a pair of pearl earrings on her round earlobes, strung with pearls the size of lotus seed rice. When she looked up, her small plum blossom-shaped earrings swayed slightly. In comparison, Chu Yi¡¯s sitting posture was still so elegant and upright. Chu Yi raised his hand and took off the fox mask on his face, revealing his handsome face. There was still a lotus flower behind his left ear, making his long and narrow eyes look beautiful and gentle. stopped watching the fireworks and turned to look at him. She covered her mouth and sniggered. Her eyes were curved, and her smile was light. She looked down from the restaurant. A third of the young masters on the street already had silk flowers on their temples. ¡°Does it look good?¡± Chu Yi took off the silk flower from behind his ear and played with it between his fingers, his meaning unclear. ¡®Yes.¡± Gu Yanfei nodded frankly. It¡¯s the person who makes the flowers beautiful. Her smile widened. These two words were like a stone falling into a lake, creating invisible ripples in the air. Chu Yi was obviously pleased. His smile was like the spring glow of March, warming the corners of his eyes and brows bit by bit. Chu Yi suddenly leaned towards her and placed the lotus silk hairpin behind her ear. He said in a low voice, ¡°It¡¯s very beautiful.¡± He said those three words while staring into her eyes. Crackle! Another huge firework bloomed in the night sky. The sparks from the fireworks scattered down like broken gold and also landed on Gu Yanfei and Chu Yi¡¯s bodies, coating them with a resplendent and gentle halo. Gu Yanfei adjusted the silk flowers on her temples. The corners of her eyes curved into a small arc. She picked up a candied plum from the plate on the table and put it in her mouth. The preserves were sour and sweet. They tasted good, and she was in a good mood. Seeing that she was eating with relish, Chu Yi also picked up a rose preserve and put it in his mouth. The rose preserves were as red as blood on his fingertips. Gu Yanfei¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she snapped her fingers. ¡°I almost forgot! ¡® She wiped her hands with a handkerchief, then took out a talisman from her pocket. Chu Yi raised his eyebrows. ¡°Aren¡¯t you injured?¡± Gu Yanfei pointed at his left shoulder and smiled slyly. ¡°Have you ever heard of the saying that you have to put on a full show?¡± Chu Yi looked at deeply, his dark and clear eyes rippling slightly. Sure enough, she knew. She often made him feel that there were no secrets to speak of in front of her. But because it was her, he felt happy instead. In front of her, he didn¡¯t need to hide himself. He chuckled. ¡°So what should I do?¡± ¡°Take off your clothes,¡± Gu Yanfei pointed at his left shoulder and said matter-of-factly. Chu Yi stared at her for a while and sighed faintly. He still had to work harder. Chu Yi untied the silk sash around his waist and opened his outer robe. He loosened his white inner robe, revealing one side of his fair and flawless shoulder and a beautiful collarbone. There was no wound on his left shoulder at all. Gu Yanfei was a medical cultivator who had treated countless human and demon cultivators. At first, she was very calm. However, when she met this beauty in front of her, her heart suddenly beat faster, and her face was a little hot. Her gaze shifted for a moment, and for some reason, she couldn¡¯t look at him directly. The fragrance of the snow-white bamboo on his body drifted over and wrapped around the tip of her nose. It was cold and unforgettable.. Chapter 344 - Chapter 344: Coercion Chapter 344: Coercion Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Time seemed to have stopped. Thud! Thud! Gu Yanfei could clearly hear her own heartbeat echoing in her ears. Chu Yi looked at the young girl, who was less than a foot away from him. He stared at the slight blush on her face and the curve of her lips. How sweet. He felt a sweetness in his heart, as if the softest part of it had been gently touched by a feather. There was silence in the private room, and a fragrance wafted in the air. It was only when the loud sound of fireworks exploded in the sky that Gu Yanfei came back to her senses. The charming atmosphere around her dissipated. Gu Yanfei lowered her eyes as if nothing had happened. She held the talisman between two fingers and muttered something. With a wave of her hand, the talisman ignited and floated onto Chu Yi¡¯s left shoulder. After the talisman burned, it turned into countless white spots of light that lingered on his shoulder. Countless light spots condensed into a ball of light that flashed before disappearing. A ¡°wound¡± the size of a copper coin appeared on his originally smooth and flawless left shoulder. The surface of the ¡°wound¡± was covered in a layer of dark red scabs. Chu Yi reached out and touched it. He could even feel the scab under his finger. He smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s so vivid.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Gu Yanfei raised her chin proudly and boasted, ¡®This ¡®wound¡¯ can heal gradually.¡± ¡°No one will be able to tell. Isn¡¯t it amazing?!¡± She helped him pull up the collar of his inner shirt. Her fingertips brushed past his collarbone inadvertently, and her fingers were warm and delicate. ¡°Indeed,¡± Chu Yi said in a low voice, a smile brewing in his eyes. A faint pink color slowly appeared on his snow-white earlobe, as if it had been dyed with rouge. At this moment, another dazzling firework bloomed in the night sky. The two people sitting against the railing looked in the direction of the sound. Both pairs of eyes were illuminated by the fireworks. After that, the night sky quieted down and returned to its usual calm. The night sky was quiet and deep. Gu Yanfei quietly looked up at the night sky. Her smile was calm and peaceful. Compared to the two hundred years in the Bright Spirit Realm, her previous life was as short as these fireworks. However, she still existed in the end and must have left behind traces that belonged to her. It was great to be able to return here again! In the private room, the atmosphere was quiet. However, the streets below were in an uproar. Many commoners still felt that they hadn¡¯t had enough. They stood on the spot and reminisced and talked. Some talked about the fireworks, some discussed the lion dance, and some mentioned the sideshows. ¡°Sideshow?!¡± Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes lit up. She pulled Chu Yi up from the chair and said excitedly, ¡°Let¡¯s go watch the sideshows!¡± She pulled Chu Yi downstairs and rushed out of the restaurant. After watching the sideshows, they went to watch the lion dance and the dragon lantern dance. When Gu Yanfei returned to the Marquis Mansion, it was already midnight. Chu Yi had personally sent her back. They were still in the same carriage that they had come in, but without An Le. An Le had returned to the palace with the Emperor more than an hour ago. Gu Yanfei alighted from the carriage and entered the Marquis Mansion from the eastern corner door. She slowly passed through the outer and inner doors and walked towards the inner courtyard. As she walked, she kept yawning. The night was dark and cold. ¡°Gu Yanfei!¡± ¡°Stop right there!¡± A few steps away, a tall and thin figure suddenly jumped out from the shadows and blocked Gu Yanfei¡¯s path. The surroundings were empty. There was no one else but the shadows of trees swaying in the cold wind. Tonight, the moon was full and the stars were sparse. The silver moonlight shone through the gaps in the leaves and onto the person¡¯s face, forming a cold and mottled light and shadow, making the other party look ferocious. Gu Yanfei raised her eyebrows. ¡°It¡¯s you.¡± She casually played with the cat mask in her hand and glanced sideways at Fang Mingfeng, who was dressed in blue. Fang Mingfeng watched as Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes shot out two rays of cold light. He was filled with anger. After the Yu Family¡¯s incident, he found out that his mother was still at the Yu Family¡¯s residence in the capital and immediately rushed over. He wanted to take his mother away, but he was stopped by the Embroidered Uniform Guards. Even if the Yu Family was convicted, his mother was still trapped in the house. He had begged his father to beg the Emperor. The Yu Family was guilty, but Emperor Taizu had previously made a law that a family¡¯s crimes wouldn¡¯t affect their married daughters. However, not only did his father disagree, he even scolded him and grounded him for five days. Fang Mingfeng escaped with much difficulty and climbed over the wall into the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion. This was the first time he had come to the Marquis Mansion, not to find Rong Rong, but to find a woman whom he loathed to the extreme.. Chapter 345 - Chapter 345: Coercion Chapter 345: Coercion Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Fang Mingfeng clenched his fists tightly. His expression was as arrogant as ever as he said coldly, ¡°Pretentious!¡¯ ¡°A wild girl who came out of nowhere and pretended to be some kind of expert. ¡® ¡°Even the Eldest Prince was appeased.¡± Fang Mingfeng couldn¡¯t hide the mockery in his words, and the anger in his heart rose steadily. Even the bone-chilling wind on a winter night couldn¡¯t extinguish the anger in his heart. Gu Yanfei yawned lazily again. She untied the Mystic Flame Whip at her waist and rolled it up in her hand. ¡°Fang Mingfeng, did you climb over the wall in the middle of the night just to tell me this?¡± An extremely cold smile appeared at the corner of Gu Yanfei¡¯s mouth. Her intimidation was obvious. How shameless and unreasonable! Fang Mingfeng was so angry that his entire body was trembling. After being enraged, he calmed down and sneered. ¡°The Eldest Prince probably doesn¡¯t know about your past!¡± ¡°You pretended to be mysterious and did all these things. To put it bluntly, you just want to be the Eldest Prince¡¯s wife.¡± Fang Mingfeng¡¯s gaze was as sharp as a knife. He looked at Gu Yanfei with a gaze that seemed to pierce through her. At the end of the day, Gu Yanfei was just blinded by greed and wanted to compete with Gu Yunrong. Fang Mingfeng took a step closer to Gu Yanfei. He smiled coldly and said in a superior tone, ¡°You don¡¯t know that I sent someone to Huaibei, do you?¡± He was more than half a head taller than she was. The moonlight cast his shadow on her, creating an invisible pressure. The silver moonlight shone on the ground like frost. The surrounding courtyard was deathly silent. Other than the sound of the wind, there was no sound at all. ¡± ¡± Gu Yanfei¡¯s face revealed a rare look of surprise. She only knew that Fang Mingfeng had gone to Danyang City to kill her for Gu Yunrong¡¯s sake. However, she didn¡¯t know that he had actually sent people to Huaibei! At the thought of Huaibei, Gu Yanfei¡¯s pupils slowly turned cold and deep. It was as cold as frost and bottomless. Huaibei was also her inner demon. After two lifetimes, her memories of Huaibei were very distant and blurry. It was as if the thorn in her flesh had always been there. Even if the wound has scabbed over, the thorn was still there. Gu Yanfei smiled self-deprecatingly and sighed in her heart. She had so many inner demons. No wonder she couldn¡¯t reach the Nascent Soul realm even after cultivating for 200 years. Fang Mingfeng kept staring at Gu Yanfei¡¯s face. When he saw her expression change slightly, he thought that he had caught her sore spot and smiled deeply. ¡°Does the Eldest Prince know that you used to be a child beggar in Huaibei?¡± ¡°Did he know you used to roll in the mud and fight for food?¡¯ ¡°Did he know that when you were in Huaibei, you were almost sold by your adoptive father to an old man as his concubine?¡± With Fang Mingfeng¡¯s every word and sentence, Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes became even deeper and colder. There was a faint blood-red color in her eyes. Fang Mingfeng smiled proudly and confidently. Anyone would want to bury these unbearable memories forever and not let anyone know. ¡°How is it? Do you want to make a deal?¡¯ Fang Mingfeng raised his chin slightly and stood sideways with his hands behind his back. He stood upright and looked high and mighty. To Fang Mingfeng, he would never come here to look for Gu Yanfei unless he had no other choice. To him, this was already bending his waist and bending his knee. However¡­ He understood that finding Gu Yanfei was the most effective and direct way. The Yu Family¡¯s matter had not only ruined the Yu Family, but also Shangqing. It only made Gu Yanfei famous. Now, the people outside thought that Gu Yanfei was a living immortal who had the supernatural power to overturn the clouds and rain. Only she could stand up for the Yu family, turn the situation around, and suppress the anger of the people. Otherwise, the Yu Family¡¯s reputation wouldn¡¯t be cleared, and this matter wouldn¡¯t be resolved. Fang Mingfeng took another step closer to Gu Yanfei and said in a confident tone, ¡°1 can help you hide your scandals in Huaibei.¡± ¡°In exchange, you have to admit that what you said the other day was a ¡®misunderstanding.¡± Fang Mingfeng¡¯s words were firm and forceful, and he looked at Gu Yanfei with an Imposing manner. ¡°Are you done?¡± Gu Yanfei laughed softly. She had already pulled herself out of the intense emotions just now and regained her composure. ¡°You¡¯ve been stabbed, and even your brain has turned silly?¡± Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes curved into crescents. She seemed to be mocking and laughing at the same time as she clicked her tongue. ¡°No wonder Gu Yunrong looks down on you.¡± Gu Yunrong was an eternal pain in Fang Mingfeng¡¯s heart. After all, a relationship of more than ten years wasn¡¯t something that could be easily given up in a few days! To him, Gu Yanfei¡¯s last sentence had the effect of killing his heart. It was as if a knife had stabbed his most painful wound, causing him to recall the knife Kang Wang had stabbed him that day. Gu Yanfei seized the moment when the other party was in a daze. With a flick of her wrist, she flung the whip in her hand over, bringing with it a cold, air-piercing sound. Fang Mingfeng¡¯s expression changed. He couldn¡¯t dodge in time and instinctively blocked with his wrist. ¡°Clap!¡¯ The whip struck his left arm hard. The Mystic Flame Whip bestowed by Feng Yang was specially made. The hook thorns at the end of the whip could be retracted and released freely. This whip directly tore through Fang Mingfeng¡¯s sleeve, leaving a dazzling blood mark. ¡°Pa! Pa!¡± Gu Yanfei didn¡¯t stand on ceremony at all. She shook her wrist a few times and whipped Fang Mingfeng three times in a row. Every whip of hers didn¡¯t miss and left a bright red wound on Fang Mingfeng¡¯s body. ¡°Mingfeng!¡¯ Suddenly, a slender figure rushed out from the direction of the inner courtyard. She shouted with a pale face, ¡°Gu Yanfei, what are you doing!?¡± Gu Yunrong was shocked and angry. She ran over quickly and blocked Fang Mingfeng in a flash. Gu Yanfei smiled lightly and swung her whip down again.. Chapter 346 - Chapter 346: Nourishment Chapter 346: Nourishment Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Clap!¡¯ The long whip that was curled up freely swung high like a lightning bolt or a flood dragon, making crisp sounds like firecrackers in the air. ¡°Rong Rong!¡± Fang Mingfeng¡¯s expression changed drastically. He stretched out his long arm and quickly shielded Gu Yunrong with his arms. The whip landed solidly on his back. A burning pain came from his back. Fang Mingfeng¡¯s handsome face contorted slightly, and he pursed his thin lips tightly. ¡°Mingfeng!¡¯ Gu Yunrong pushed Fang Mingfeng away and went to check on his injuries worriedly. His back was stained with dark red blood. Fang Mingfeng stared deeply at Gu Yunrong¡¯s small face. His dark eyes were filled with abnormally complicated emotions. There was longing, confusion, sadness, and longing¡­ Between him and Kang Wang, she chose Kang Wang. That day, he had also made up his mind to give up on her. Why did she still come to provoke him? Her actions would only make him unable to let go¡­ Fang Mingfeng stared fixedly at Gu Yunrong. His thin lips were tightly pursed, and his eyes were filled with love and deep fatigue and sorrow. ¡°Gu Yanfei.¡± A rare look of anger appeared on Gu Yunrong¡¯s usually amiable face. She frowned and reprimanded righteously, ¡°You¡¯ve already broken off the engagement with Mingfeng. Why won¡¯t you let him off?! ¡± Gu Yunrong looked at Gu Yanfei in disbelief. ¡°Are you blind?¡± Gu Yanfei raised her eyebrows and casually shook her right wrist that was holding the whip. ¡°My surname is Gu. His surname is Fang.¡± ¡°This is the Gu Family, not the Fang Family.¡± ¡°He climbed over the wall in the middle of the night. So what if I beat him to death?!¡± ¡± ¡± Gu Yunrong was speechless. It was indeed Fang Mingfeng¡¯s fault for climbing over the wall and entering the Marquis Mansion in the middle of the night. Gu Yunrong held Fang Mingfeng¡¯s arm with one hand and turned to look at him again. When she met his burning eyes, her heart tightened. She hadn¡¯t seen Fang Mingfeng since that day¡­ until tonight. She had grown up with him and treated him like a brother. However, he had ruined her and Kang Wang¡¯s small engagement. At that moment, she did resent him. As time passed, her anger gradually dissipated. Sigh¡­ Gu Yunrong sighed inwardly. At this moment, she was more worried about Fang Mingfeng¡¯s injuries. Fang Mingfeng probably hadn¡¯t fully recovered from his injuries last time. Now, he was whipped by Gu Yanfei and his injuries worsened! Gu Yanfei was too much of a bully. She had clearly gotten carried away! ¡°It¡¯s my fault for barging into the Marquis Mansion at night.¡± Fang Mingfeng suppressed the thousands of emotions in his heart and took a step forward proudly. He shielded Gu Yunrong behind him. ¡°I will explain to the Marquis. ¡® Fang Mingfeng looked at the whip in Gu Yanfei¡¯s hand warily, as if he was afraid that she would attack at any time. Gu Yanfei¡¯s interest waned as she looked back and forth at this loving couple. Her eyes suddenly lit up, and she widened her eyes slightly. She saw strands of golden threads emerging from Gu Yunrong¡¯s golden providence and entangling Fang Mingfeng¡¯s body like hunting spider silk¡­ Interesting. This was a situation that had never happened before. Gu Yanfei said thoughtfully, ¡°He¡¯s the only son of the British Duke and was born as a prince. At the age of 16, he became the top scholar in the martial arts examination. He repeatedly achieved military merits and became famous at a young age. He can be said to be a young talent who knows both martial arts and martial arts.¡¯ ¡°Oh, right, the blood of the Yu Family¡¯s direct descendants flows in your body.¡± ¡°It seems that the luck that the Yu Family borrowed over the years has also given you a lot of benefits¡­¡± The girl¡¯s voice was as cold as the bright moonlight, like the cold wind on a winter night. It was extremely mocking. Fang Mingfeng didn¡¯t believe it at all. He frowned and sneered. Gu Yanfei acted as if he didn¡¯t hear him. She stared at his brows and said, ¡°Crown Prince Fang, I see that your glabella is turning black. There will be a bloody calamity next.¡± Fang Mingfeng¡¯s fate had clearly changed because of the backlash from borrowing luck. This was unavoidable. People with such a fate were the easiest to attract covetous eyes. Fang Mingfeng¡¯s hair stood on end when he heard Gu Yanfei¡¯s words. He felt even more unhappy and scoffed coldly. ¡°Are you trying to play tricks again?!¡± The aura around him became even colder. ¡®Whether you say it or not is up to me. Believe it or not.¡± Gu Yanfei chuckled again and pointed the cat mask in her left hand at Gu Yunrong. ¡®The closer you get to her, the more unlucky you will be.. ¡± ¡°First, you¡¯ll be injured and bankrupted. Then, your family will be destroyed until you have nothing left. ¡± ¡°At that time, you will be stuck in a quagmire and won¡¯t have a good ending!¡± Gu Yunrong was blessed by Heaven¡¯s Will and everything went smoothly for her, but that might not be the case for the people around her.. Chapter 347 - Chapter 347: Nourishing Chapter 347: Nourishing Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Now, as long as Fang Mingfeng got close to Gu Yunrong, he would become her nutrients and continuously nourish her luck In the distant night, a wild cat¡¯s heart-wrenching scream came from afar, making the surrounding atmosphere even more treacherous. Fang Mingfeng¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and his body tensed up even more. However, his pride made him look straight into Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes. ¡°Crown Prince Fang.¡± The corners of Gu Yanfei¡¯s lips curled up, and she smiled happily. ¡®When the time comes, will you still be willing to endure it?¡± In just a few sentences, Gu Yunrong¡¯s golden luck became even richer. Golden threads wrapped tightly around Fang Mingfeng, and the white light around him dimmed a lot. He was about to be in deep trouble. Gu Yanfei saw it clearly and was in a good mood. Her eyes sparkled. ¡°Gu Yanfei, are you done?!¡± Gu Yunrong walked out from behind Fang Mingfeng and looked straight at Gu Yanfei. Her eyes were as deep as the night. Her eyes were filled with disdain and disgust, and her voice gradually turned cold. ¡°Don¡¯t you want me to be deserted by everyone?!¡¯ Gu Yanfei turned around and waved her hand. She left behind a careless wish. ¡°Crown Prince Fang, good luck¨C¡± She dragged out the last syllable happily and left. Her dress fluttered like the flowing clouds, and she looked like an otherworldly immortal. She had only taken a few steps when she heard Fang Mingfeng¡¯s cold and threatening voice not far behind her. ¡°Gu Yanfei, are you really not afraid that I¡¯ll tell others about your scandals?!¡± Gu Yanfei¡¯s footsteps didn¡¯t stop at all. Her slender body didn¡¯t waver at all, and the corners of his lips curled into a mocking smile. In her previous life, she was afraid. In her previous life, when she faced Gu Yunrong, she felt indignant and ashamed of her inferiority. The more inferior she felt, the more she wanted to hide those 14 years in Huaibei. She didn¡¯t want anyone to know about those 14 years. She just wanted to bury them completely¡­ Gu Yanfei leisurely twirled the cat mask between her fingers. She didn¡¯t even bother about it and just floated away. Fang Mingfeng stood rooted to the ground, staring at Gu Yanfei¡¯s back that was gradually swallowed by the night. He gritted his teeth. Another night breeze blew over. The mottled moonlight and tree shadows swayed on his face, making his eyes flicker. What happened in Huaibei was something that he could use against her. Initially, he kept it on purpose. If Gu Yanfei pestered him, he could take it out on her and make her lose her footing in the capital. However, Gu Yanfei was even more anxious than him to get rid of this marriage¡­ This weakness had been left alone until now. Before coming, Fang Mingfeng had predicted Gu Yanfei¡¯s various reactions, but he didn¡¯t expect this outcome. Fang Mingfeng didn¡¯t move for a long time. His face alternated between green and white. Gu Yunrong glanced at Gu Yanfei and then looked at Fang Mingfeng worriedly. She asked with concern, ¡°Mingfeng, are you alright?¡± ¡®Your injury¡­¡± Gu Yanfei¡¯s whip had hooks and thorns. Every whip grazed Fang Mingfeng¡¯s robe and left a bloody mark on his skin. Even now, the wound was still oozing blood. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Fang Mingfeng laughed self-deprecatingly. He thought to himself, ¡°Once again, I¡¯ve let her see him lose face¡­¡± Fang Mingfeng felt defeated, but more than that, he was resentful and indignant. The more this was the case, the more he didn¡¯t want to show weakness in front of her. He hoped that he was the best thing in her heart. He didn¡¯t want her to think that he was inferior to Kang Wang in everything. Fang Mingfeng¡¯s thin lips moved slightly. He clearly had a lot of things he wanted to say, but he felt that any words were useless. Gu Yunrong grabbed Fang Mingfeng¡¯s wrist and said, ¡°I have some Dragon Bone Powder. I¡¯ll bandage it for you¡­¡± Fang Mingfeng¡¯s expression changed again when he heard ¡°Dragon Bone Powder¡±. The Dragon Bone Powder was an external injury medicine used by the palace, and its effects were far superior to ordinary medicine. It was obvious where Gu Yunrong had obtained the Dragon Bone Powder. Fang Mingfeng shook off Gu Yunrong¡¯s hand and emphasized again, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± The tone of these three words was slightly cold and hard, causing the atmosphere to freeze. Fang Mingfeng looked forward, unable to look directly into Gu Yunrong¡¯s eyes. ¡°I should go. ¡® He immediately turned around and revealed a shocking sight. Gu Yunrong saw the long, bloody wound on his back. Gu Yunrong wanted to say something but hesitated. In the end, she let out a silent sigh that was blown away by the cold night wind. Fang Mingfeng strode away and returned to the east wall of the Marquis Mansion. He climbed up a parasol tree by the wall in a few steps and then climbed over the wall. He was agile and accurately landed on the black horse in the alley from the top of the wall. The black horse let out a low cry. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Fang Mingfeng whipped the horse¡¯s butt heavily, as if he was venting his anger. ¡°Clap!¡¯ The horses neighed as they rushed out of the alley. When they approached the entrance of the alley, another green carriage happened to fly past the street outside the alley. Fang Mingfeng¡¯s black horse was shocked and stopped abruptly. Its front hooves and even its body stood up as it let out a terrified neigh and breathed heavily. The black horse twisted its body violently and threw Fang Mingfeng off its back. Under the powerful momentum, Fang Mingfeng almost flew off the horse¡¯s back and crashed heavily into the wall beside him with a dull thud. After the frightened black horse shook off its master, it rushed out of the alley. The sound of horse hooves faded into the distance, and in the blink of an eye, it was gone. Fang Mingfeng slid down the wall in a sorry state. His forehead was red and swollen, and blood was seeping out. His left arm was twisted at a strange angle. The pain in his body made Fang Mingfeng suckin a breath of cold air. His face was pale. He wanted to get up, but his limbs wouldn¡¯t listen to him. It was as if his limbs were being ruthlessly crushed by something heavy. He couldn¡¯t help but recall Gu Yanfei¡¯s words. ¡®The closer you are to her, the more unlucky you will be¡­¡± The girl¡¯s cold voice was like an ice blade stabbing into his heart.. Chapter 348 - Chapter 348: Submission Chapter 348: Submission If you any error ( broken links,etc¡­.). Please keep reading on our NEWNOVEL.ORG Thank you readers! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Could it be that he fell off the horse because of Rong Rong? No, it can¡¯t be. Fang Mingfeng immediately denied it and rubbed his forehead. He was really crazy. How could he believe Gu Yanfei¡¯s nonsense! Moreover¡­ A bitter smile appeared on Fang Mingfeng¡¯s lips, but his eyes were burning with passion. He recalled how Gu Yunrong had risked her life to shield him just now. For her, so what if he was unlucky? He would gladly endure it! Fang Mingfeng lay on the ground and looked up at the silver moon in the night sky. Gu Yanfei¡¯s words echoed in her ears like the ravings of a ghost. ¡°The closer you are to her, the more unlucky you will be¡­¡± No! Fang Mingfeng tried his best to shake off the words in his mind and repeatedly told himself that it was nothing. Over the past few days, he had already figured it out. Even if the person Rong Rong liked wasn¡¯t him, he could protect her silently for the rest of her life! The surroundings were empty, and the night was quiet. There was no one on the road. Only Fang Mingfeng was lying there alone. The cold wind was bone-piercing, but his heart was burning and beating vigorously. Suddenly, he heard hurried footsteps approaching. Rong Rong! Gu Yunrong¡¯s beautiful face appeared in Fang Mingfeng¡¯s mind. His eyes lit up, and he was overjoyed. He struggled to raise his head and lookin the direction of the footsteps, only to see a pair of old and dirty straw sandals enter his eyes. Right on the heels of that, another pair of cloth shoes with patches of various sizes walked over. Fang Mingfeng¡¯s heart sank. The owners of the two pairs of shoes squatted down. One of them said in a rough voice, ¡°This person fell on his horse. It looks like he¡¯s seriously injured.¡± ¡®Quick, take away all his valuables,¡± the other person urged impatiently. ¡°How dare you!¡± Fang Mingfeng gritted his teeth and reprimanded. Two beggar refugees actually dared to be rude to him! Seeing that he couldn¡¯t move at all, the two beggars didn¡¯t care if he was presumptuous or not. They worked together to rummage through Fang Mingfeng¡¯s body, inside and out. They emptied his wallet, sleeves, belt, and even his short boots. They took away all the valuables, including the jade hairpin in Fang Mingfeng¡¯s hair. Fang Mingfeng¡¯s face was as black as the bottom of a pot. The veins on his forehead were bulging. He wished he could kill these two lowly commoners with one slash. His life had been smooth sailing. Other than suffering a setback in Gu Yunrong¡¯s matter, he had never felt so powerless¡­ even when he was stabbed by Kang Wang that day. ¡°The closer you get to her, the more unlucky you will be¡­¡± ¡°First, you¡¯ll be injured and bankrupted. Then, your family will be destroyed until you have nothing left.¡± ¡°At that time, you will be stuck in a quagmire and won¡¯t have a good ending!¡± Gu Yanfei¡¯s words echoed in his ears over and over again. This time, he couldn¡¯t get rid of it no matter what and couldn¡¯t forget it. From afar, the wild cat¡¯s loud cries could be heard again, as if it was mocking someone. The night was getting darker and colder. Icicles hung down from the eaves, and the dew on the ground condensed into frost. The sky gradually brightened as the sun rose. The British Crown Prince was found unconscious in an alley by the patrolling Five Cities Military Department. His hair and clothes were soaked in dew, and he had clearly been frozen for the entire night. When the British Duke Fang Huairui was notified by the Military Department of the Five Cities to come and pick him up, his face was extremely dark. He didn¡¯t even ask what had happened to the prince. He only fiercely ordered the servants to throw him back into the residence and take good care of him. Then, Fang Huairui hurried into the palace. Since the ninth day of the Lunar New Year, the Emperor hasn¡¯t attended the morning court assembly. Whenever the officials asked, the chief eunuch, Zhao Rang, would say worriedly that the Emperor had caught a cold on the ninth day of the Lunar New Year when he was personally interrogated at Chengtian Gate and wasn¡¯t feeling well. The Emperor didn¡¯t attend court, and the memorials handed over by the court officials were all suppressed. No matter how much those noble families quarreled and made a fuss, if they couldn¡¯t see the Emperor, it would be like punching cotton without causing injury. There was a long line outside the Qianqing Gate, and many officials were waiting there in the cold wind. They all knew Fang Huairui and nodded at each other. They thought that Fang Huairui had also come to see the Emperor. However, Fang Huairui didn¡¯t go to Qianqing Palace. Instead, he went to Yangxin Hall from Yuehua Gate and politely asked Eunuch He to help pass the message. ¡°Eunuch He, I want to see the Eldest Prince.¡± Eunuch He went in to report, and not long after, he came out and led Fang Huairui in. They passed through the curtains and arrived at the East Warm Pavilion. In the past, the East Warm Pavilion was always filled with a strong medicinal smell. Ever since the Emperor gave this place to Chu Yi, it had become another place of clear and refreshing incense fragrance. There was no parrot¡¯s cry, and the surroundings were abnormally quiet.. Chapter 349 - Chapter 349: Submission Chapter 349: Submission If you any error ( broken links,etc¡­.). Please keep reading on our NEWNOVEL.ORG Thank you readers! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios At this moment, Chu Yi, who was dressed in white, was sitting in front of the Oliva wooden chessboard by the window. He was playing chess with himself, and the black and white chess pieces had already occupied half of the chessboard. The sound of his chess pieces being placed was crisp and clean. Every step he took was very slow, and he looked calm and composed. The young man¡¯s movements were elegant and casual, and the corners of his lips curled up slightly. ¡®Your Highness.¡± Fang Huairui stopped three steps away and cupped his fists respectfully. After the Yu Family incident, Fang Huairui had been to the Qianqing Palace and Yangxin Palace a few times in the past few days. However, he didn¡¯t see the Emperor or Chu Yi. Now that Chu Yi was willing to see him, he had a glimmer of hope in his heart. Fang Huairui quickly glanced at Chu Yi and felt that the Eldest Prince seemed to be in an extremely good mood. Hence, he braced himself and said, ¡°I wonder if you can let me take my wife back?¡± As he spoke, Fang Huairui cursed Madam Yu a hundred times in his heart. However, Madam Yu was the legitimate British Duchess. No matter how much Fang Huairui disliked what his wife did, he still had to care about the reputation of the British Monarchy. Madam Yu had been locked up all this time, so it was inevitable that it would arouse many speculations from outsiders. It wouldn¡¯t be good for her either. Chu Yi picked up a white chess piece from the chess box. The white chess piece shone in the sunlight. A small eunuch brought a round chair over for Fang Huairui to sit down beside Chu Yi, while another eunuch served him tea. The fragrance of tea spread faintly. Fang Huairui took a sip of tea and felt a little more confident. He continued, ¡°Emperor Taizu once said that a married woman shouldn¡¯t be punished.¡± As he spoke, he carefully observed Chu Yi¡¯s expression. ¡°Emperor Taizu did say that, but¡­¡± Chu Yi didn¡¯t look at Fang Huairui. His slender fingers moved around in the black chess box, making a soft sound. Finally, he picked up a black piece and said in his usual gentle voice, ¡°Except for rebellion.¡± The sound of the chess piece suddenly became sharper, emitting a hint of killing intent. Fang Huairui¡¯s heart constricted, and his hands trembled violently. He forced himself to keep a straight face. The Yu Family was extremely audacious. They placed the Blood Gu on the Eldest Princess, tried to murder her, kidnapped hundreds of children, and tried to frame the Emperor. All of this was sensational. This was no different from plotting a rebellion! Furthermore, the Eldest Prince still had something on the ¡°Empress of the previous dynasty¡±. Fang Huairui¡¯s heart felt heavy, as if there was a mountain pressing down on it. Fang Huairui was a martial arts practitioner, but that didn¡¯t mean that he was stupid. As a commander, he didn¡¯t rely on his physical strength but his brain. Fang Huairui composed himself and pretended not to understand. He avoided the main point and said, ¡®Your Highness, the Yu Family is heartless, disloyal, and unfilial. They are also ambitious and have committed a mortal sin for their own selfish gains. However, they definitely don¡¯t dare to have the intention to rebel. ¡± ¡°If the Empress of the previous dynasty still had a surviving child, she would be 50 years old now. In the past 50 years, the Yu Family has been relatively peaceful. Moreover, that child might have already passed away.¡± ¡°Children die easily.¡± A hint of a smile appeared on his rough face. Chu Yi picked up the tea cup beside him and drank his tea slowly without commenting. Fang Huairui looked at Chu Yi¡¯s handsome side profile, and his heart started to beat faster. Cold sweat broke out on his forehead. After taking two sips of tea, Chu Yi put down the teacup and turned to look at Fang Huairui with a smile. ¡°Is that what you think?¡± His smile was as gentle as ever. Under the sunlight from the window, it made one¡¯s eyes light up. In Fang Huairui¡¯s eyes, it made his heart turn cold. Fang Huairui was on the brink of tears. What the Eldest Prince said¡­ He cursed Madam Yu in his heart for the 100th time. ¡°Marrying a wife will bring disaster to three generations. The ancients are right!¡± At this moment, he was walking on a tightrope. Below him was a bottomless abyss. If he made a mistake, even the British Monarchy would fall into the abyss and be completely destroyed. Chu Yi didn¡¯t wait for Fang Huairui¡¯s reply and said calmly, ¡°The son left behind by Emperor Hongwu from the previous dynasty is indeed dead.¡± ¡°He died more than 20 years ago.¡± Fang Huairui¡¯s eyes lit up as if he had been pardoned. He heaved a sigh of relief. That¡¯s great! He forced himself not to laugh. With a strange expression, he picked up the teacup and took a sip to calm himself down. Chu Yi retracted his gaze from Fang Huairui and turned to look at the green bamboo in the courtyard outside the window. He continued, ¡°However, this prince of the previous dynasty left behind a son.¡± ¡°Over the years, the Yu Family has been secretly recruiting the remnants of the previous dynasty in his name, recruiting soldiers and forging weapons in Yuzhou, and secretly connecting with the State of Yue to smuggle firearms and iron ore to the State of Yue. ¡® ¡®Where did you get this iron ore? ¡® ¡± ¡± The corners of Fang Huairui¡¯s eyes twitched, and he was speechless. The Eldest Prince already knew that the Yu Family was using the name of the British Monarchy to occupy the iron mine. He still asked! He still asked! Chu Yi continued slowly, ¡®This time, the Yu Family used the heart blood of 200 children to seek 100 years of luck.¡± ¡°British Duke, tell me, what is this ¡®100 years of luck¡¯ for?¡± Chu Yi was still looking at the green bamboo outside the window. The knuckles of his right hand tapped lightly on the side of the chessboard. Fang Huairui¡¯s heart fluctuated violently in response to Chu Yi¡¯s few words. He felt that he was about to have a heart attack. He hurriedly swallowed the tea, but he accidentally choked on it. He lowered his head and coughed violently. ¡°Cough, cough, cough.. After a while, Fang Huairui calmed down a little. When he looked up again, he met Chu Yi¡¯s calm and deep eyes. ¡°Do you want to see the evidence?¡± Chu Yi asked with a smile. He picked up another black chess piece from the chess box and played with it nimbly. He flipped his straight pinky from his index finger and back from his pinky finger. His slender fingers were agile and nimble, as if this small black piece was a part of him and couldn¡¯t escape his palm. In the East Warm Pavilion, it was as warm as spring, but Fang Huairui felt a bone-chilling cold. ¡± ¡± Fang Huairui felt a burning sensation in his throat. A bitter taste filled his mouth, and cold sweat broke out on the back of his neck. He felt like he was the chess piece that Chu Yi was holding in his palm. Things had already come to this point. If he continued to struggle, the Eldest Prince would only be displeased. Fang Huairui suddenly stood up from his chair and took the tiger talisman from his sleeve. He lifted his robe and knelt down, then presented the tiger talisman with both hands and lowered his head.. Chapter 350 - Chapter 350: Recognition Chapter 350: Recognition If you any error ( broken links,etc¡­.). Please keep reading on our NEWNOVEL.ORG Thank you readers! Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The British Monarchy was only the third generation in Fang Huairui¡¯s generation. The first British Duke was Fang Huairui¡¯s grandfather. Back then, his grandfather rebelled with Emperor Taizu and was conferred the title of Duke with unparalleled military merits. Emperor Taizu was magnanimous. He wasn¡¯t like those tyrants in history who shared the world with the founders of the country. There were a total of four tiger talismans in the Great Jin Dynasty, each in the hands of the four dukes. This was the biggest bargaining chip he could offer, as well as the greatest sincerity. Fang Huairui kneeled on the golden brick floor and remained motionless, his hands still in the shape of a talisman. There was silence in the East Warm Pavilion. Time passed very slowly at this moment. Fang Huairui could hear his heartbeat reverberating in his ears like a drum, and he could hear the ticking sound of the kettle leaking next to him. A moment later, he felt the weight in his hand lessen, and his heart relaxed. Chu Yi picked up the tiger talisman that was only two inches long from Fang Huairui¡¯s hand and toyed with it casually. He said calmly, ¡°Emperor Taizu once said, ¡®l don¡¯t doubt people when I use them.¡¯¡± ¡°Emperor Taizu is righteous and trusts the soldiers who follow him to conquer the world to be his brothers and comrades.¡± In Emperor Taizu¡¯s life, he used this magnificent scene to prove his loyalty. ¡± ¡± Fang Huairui looked up at a loss, not understanding what the Eldest Prince meant. Could it be that the Eldest Prince was very satisfied with his surrender and that his tiger talisman was saved? Chu Yi looked down at Fang Huairui, who was kneeling on the ground, and changed the topic. ¡°But he also said that you shouldn¡¯t suspect someone.¡± He said the last four words very slowly, word by word. Chu Yi stared into Fang Huairui¡¯s eyes and asked slowly, ¡°Do you understand what I mean?¡± At this point, the smile on his face had already disappeared. It was no longer his usual gentleness, but a cold aura. Fang Huairui¡¯s lips moved slightly, and the beard on his face trembled. Once again, he felt a faint pressure from this seemingly gentle and harmless young man in front of him. Thud! Thud! Fang Huairui¡¯s heart beat faster and faster. The Eldest Prince¡¯s meaning couldn¡¯t be clearer. Fang Huairui swallowed his saliva as cold sweat trickled down his forehead. His half-closed gaze landed on the three-legged eagle, nine dragons, green jade incense burner in the corner. This was the incense burner used in the past. A wisp of green smoke rose from the incense burner. Fang Huairui felt as if he had been blinded by smoke. The corners of his eyes were dry, and his emotions fluctuated. Ever since they ascended the throne, in the face of the Empress Dowager and Kang Wang¡¯s pressure, most of the nobles stood by and watched. No one was willing to take sides easily. After all, Kang Wang was also of Emperor Taizu¡¯s bloodline. If not for the fact that he was afraid of the aristocratic families becoming stronger and replacing them, it wouldn¡¯t have made a difference to those who were sitting in that position. They were loyal to the Great Jin Dynasty, but not only to the current Emperor. To put it bluntly, fence sitters, including himself, would waver at any time for their own benefits. Since they weren¡¯t loyal to the current Emperor, how could the Emperor and the Eldest Prince ¡°trust¡± them? Those they suspected were of no use to them. Fang Huairui repeatedly mulled over Chu Yi¡¯s words. His heart sank completely, as if he was soaking in a pool of cold water. Instead of looking at Fang Huairui, Chu Yi¡¯s gaze fell on the bronze tiger talisman between his fingers. He clenched it and kept it completely in his palm. This was military power! The East Warm Pavilion was extremely quiet. Fang Huairui knelt on the ground and didn¡¯t move for a long time. His knees were slightly numb from kneeling, and the clothes on his back were already drenched in sweat. After a while, Chu Yi¡¯s low and slow voice sounded from the front again. ¡®Yu Si and Shangqing will be executed this afternoon. Fang Huairui, are you willing to be the supervisor?¡± Fang Huairui looked up at Chu Yi again in shock. When his gaze swept across the chessboard, he saw a slender right hand gently knocking on the table, holding the tiger talisman that he was all too familiar with. ¡°Knock, knock.¡± The knuckle-knocking sound was very soft. However, in Fang Huairui¡¯s ears, it sounded like a death warrant. It also sounded like The Soul Shackles of Black and White Impermanence. Supervising Yu Si¡­ After the ninth day of the Lunar New Year, those aristocratic families had already written countless memorials to the Emperor for the Yu Family¡¯s matters. The Emperor had always ignored them and avoided all requests to see him. Now that the Emperor wanted to bypass the aristocratic families and directly execute Yu Si, it was obvious that the aristocratic families would definitely cause trouble. Behind the aristocratic families was Kang Wang. The Eldest Prince¡¯s intentions were clear. He was asking him¡­ no, forcing him to make a choice.. Chapter 351 - Chapter 351: Recognition Chapter 351: Recognition Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Just thinking about it made Fang Huairui feel suffocated. This was a huge gamble! In the past, even if he surrendered to the Eldest Prince, he had offended Kang Wang a few times. However, in the end, they didn¡¯t fall out. With the status of the British Monarchy, even if Chu Yi lost this battle for the throne, Kang Wang didn¡¯t dare to touch the British Monarchy. He even had to comfort him nicely. However, once he accepted this task today, it would be equivalent to standing completely opposite Kang Wang in public. This was clearly pushing him out to be a target and a knife. After today, the first person Kang Wang would deal with would probably be him, Fang Huairui. Chu Yi had always been patient. Even if he didn¡¯t look at Fang Huairui, he could guess his current struggle. He leisurely picked up another white piece from the chess box and casually placed it down. The sound of the pieces being placed was crisp and clear, one after another. Bang! Bang! Bang! Unknowingly, Fang Huairui¡¯s heartbeat synchronized with the rhythm of the chess piece. Fang Huairui¡¯s eyebrows twitched with every step. He clenched his fists tightly and tried to calm himself down. Now that the Eldest Prince was willing to let him be the executioner, it meant that as long as he was loyal to the Emperor and the Eldest Prince, the British Monarchy would be saved and would no longer be investigated for the Yu Family¡¯s rebellion. If the Eldest Prince ascended to that position in the future, the British Monarchy would become his trusted aide. He had a chance to advance to the next level. It was obvious what he should choose. Fang Huairui heaved a long sigh of relief when he made up his mind. At this moment, he suddenly experienced the tragic and heroic feelings of his grandfather¡¯s rebelling with Emperor Taizu. In this chaotic world, who could really stay out of it? It was the same now. How could the tiger allow them to sit this one out and reap the spoils later! Fang Huairui finally moved. He lowered his upper body and kowtowed heavily to Chu Yi. ¡°Understood. ¡± These three words were powerful and resonating. His forehead was pressed against the cold ground almost reverently, and he knelt on the ground. He was relieved that the dust had settled, but he also had a solemn expression on his face. A burst of light laughter rang in the air and entered Fang Huairui¡¯s ears. Fang Huairui finally relaxed a little. Chu Yi casually threw the chess piece that he had just picked up into the chess box and said calmly, ¡°50 years ago, Fang Ye took the tiger talisman from Emperor Taizu.¡± ¡®Whether this tiger talisman can return to the British Monarchy depends on you.¡± Hearing this, Fang Huairui¡¯s beard trembled violently again. He recalled what Chu Yi said just now about not using a suspect. This time, he completely understood. He immediately expressed his loyalty. ¡°I won¡¯t let the Eldest Prince down.¡± ¡°You may leave,¡± Chu Yi said as he took the tiger talisman in his hand and casually placed it on the table. When Fang Huairui stood up, his complicated gaze couldn¡¯t help but linger on the tiger talisman in Chu Yi¡¯s hand for a moment, as if he was heartbroken, reluctant, and blaming himself. Then, he bowed and left silently. After leaving the East Warm Pavilion, Fang Huairui was already drenched in cold sweat. His forehead, neck, and back were all wet. When the cold wind blew, he shivered from the cold. He subconsciously touched his empty sleeve pocket. One moment, he was thinking about the tiger talisman that he had just handed over, and the next moment, he focused his eyes and replayed everything that had just happened. Actually, from the moment he handed over the tiger talisman, he had already made his choice. The British Monarchy, which had lost its military power, was destined to go downhill. From then on, it would become an ordinary noble with fame but no power. If Fang Huairui didn¡¯t have any courage, he could enjoy the wealth left behind by his ancestors. However, if he still wanted to protect the foundation of his ancestors and had the ambition to show off, he had no other choice. Riches and honor came from danger. This was a principle that had never changed throughout the ages. Fang Huairui couldn¡¯t help but turn around and look in the direction of the East Warm Pavilion. He wiped his cold sweat with his sleeve and sighed in defeat. In the future, he could no longer be half-hearted, let alone watch from the sidelines. What followed was a tough battle. Since he had accepted this task, he couldn¡¯t just do it casually. He had to do it beautifully. It could also be considered his allegiance to the Eldest Prince. After leaving the palace, Fang Huairui brought more than ten personal guards of the Heavenly Garrison Army and personally went to the North Town Bureau to seek an audience with the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guards, He Lie, to express that he had been appointed by the Eldest Prince as the execution officer for today¡¯s execution. He Lie had already received a message from the palace and ordered someone to pass Yu Si and Shangqing, who were imprisoned in the imperial prison, to Fang Huairui. Thanks to his brother-in-law, Fang Huairui visited the legendary ¡°hell on earth¡± for the first time in his life. The ¡°imperial prison¡± of the Embroidered Uniform Guards wasn¡¯t a place that just any Tom, Dick, or Harry could be locked up in. Those who could be locked up here were either highly dangerous or had committed serious crimes. Fang Huairui thought to himself mockingly as he stood in the gloomy cell. An Embroidered Uniform Guard opened the lock of one of the cells and said expressionlessly, ¡°My Lord, Yu Si is inside.¡± The man in the cell had been standing with his hands behind his back. When he heard the commotion, he quickly turned around. ¡°Brother-in-law!¡¯ When Yu Si, the Yu Family Head, saw the British Duke, he couldn¡¯t help but be overjoyed and shout excitedly. He had been locked in the cell for a full seven days. His hair was still meticulously and neatly combed, but the robe on his body had become wrinkled, emitting a strange smell like pickled vegetables. Even so, Yu Si¡¯s back was still straight. He was arrogant and disheveled, and there was an extreme contradiction around him. ¡± ¡± Fang Huairui felt a headache coming on. His forehead was throbbing. At this point, he no longer had any hope of getting Madam Yu back, let alone the acknowledgement of the Yu Family Head. The Yu Family was like a greedy blood leech that had been sucking the blood of the Fang Family all these years. Yu Si took two steps forward excitedly and looked at Fang Huairui with a burning gaze.. ¡°Are you here to pick me up?¡± Chapter 352 - Chapter 352: Couldn ‘t Hold On Chapter 352: Couldn ¡®t Hold On Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios When Yu Si saw the Heavenly Garrison Army¡¯s personal guards outside the cell, he perked up. The Heavenly Garrison Army was the personal army of the British Monarchy. They were the cream of the crop and had been personally trained by the British Dukes. They had always been loyal to the British Monarchy. His brother-in-law had brought the Heavenly Garrison Army¡¯s personal guards to pick him up. Even the Embroidered Uniform Guards couldn¡¯t stop him! His younger sister indeed had a way to coax his brother-in-law. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Fang Huairui said ambiguously to Yu Si and turned around. To Yu Si, these two words were equivalent to an affirmative answer. My brother-in -law is indeed here to pick me up! Yu Si straightened his back even more and glanced cynically at He Lie outside the cell. He sighed and said, ¡°Brother-in-law, the Yu Family was wronged. The Emperor was deceived by a traitor and forced me to confess. ¡® ¡°The Yu and Fang families are one family. We can¡¯t let this matter go just like that!¡± His words were impassioned. What he meant was that the Emperor dared to treat the Yu Family like this because he didn¡¯t take the British Monarchy seriously. What he wanted was for the British Duke to stand up for the Yu Family. The word ¡°idiot¡± was already on Fang Huairui¡¯s lips, but he swallowed it in the end. The thick beard on Fang Huairui¡¯s face covered the disdain on his lips. His eyes were cold and filled with disgust. He thought to himself, ¡®This uncle-in-lavvof mine really doesn¡¯t know the immensity ofheaven and earth. Even at this point, hes still daydreaming and wants to turn the tables on the Emperor!¡¯ Such an idiot actually wants to rebel?! Could he have been instigated by someone¡­ The corners of Fang Huairui¡¯s mouth twitched, and he waved his hand to gesture to the Heavenly Garrison Army soldiers behind him. He raised his voice and said coldly, ¡®Take him away!¡± Yu Si was at a loss, vaguely feeling that something was wrong. Two personal guards of the Heavenly Garrison Army walked into the cell with their heads held high and forcefully escorted Yu Si out. At the same time, the other two personal guards escorted Shangqing out of another cell. Fang Huairui politely cupped his hands at He Lie. ¡®Goodbye.¡± ¡± ¡± He Lie watched Fang Huairui and the others leave with a complicated expression. People like the British Duke and the Duke of Cheng, who had followed Emperor Taizu to establish the country, had always been arrogant, but today, the British Duke was actually so polite to him. It was obvious who he was doing this for. The Eldest Prince had some tricks up his sleeve. He Lie pondered as he came out of Zhao Prison. The warm winter sun hung high in the blue sky. The sunlight shone directly at him, and it was a little dazzling. He Lie couldn¡¯t help but narrow his eyes. ¡°Commander.¡± An Embroidered Uniform Guards rushed over and reported, ¡°Xiao Shoufu is here.¡± Xiao Shoufu was the current Cabinet Grand Secretary and was also the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Officials. In the last few years of the previous Emperor¡¯s reign, his dragon body was getting worse and worse. However, he didn¡¯t let the Crown Prince rule the country. Instead, he let the Grand Secretary handle court affairs. Xiao Shoufu controlled the cabinet and had monstrous authority. He wasn¡¯t a prime minister, but he had shockingly become a ¡°true prime minister.¡± ¡°Oh, what a rare guest.¡± He Lie raised his thick black eyebrows, not surprised. Fang Zheng raised his chin slightly and looked in the direction of the door. There was a commotion at the entrance of the Northern Town Bureau. Seven or eight carriages surrounded the street, and the air was filled with gunpowder. ¡°British Duke, this case is still inconclusive. How can we execute him now?!¡¯ A majestic voice came from a two-horse black carriage with a carved flat roof. The curtains on one side of the carriage were lifted halfway, revealing an old face. It was an old man in his sixties. He had a goatee on his chin and a few deep ravines between his brows. He looked at Fang Huairui outside the carriage with a solemn expression. The Grand Secretary came from the Xiao Family of Qingzhou. He hadn¡¯t taken the imperial examination, but had been recommended by the Yuan Family and personally invited by the late Emperor to become an official. From then on, he rose to the top. In just five years, he entered the cabinet. Outside the carriage, a few officials from aristocratic families blocked Fang Huairui¡¯s way and echoed righteously, ¡°Lord Xiao is right. There are many suspicious points in this case. How can we execute him just like that?¡¯ ¡°British Duke, you¡¯re too impatient. ¡® ¡°For ¡®someone¡¯ to be in such a hurry to carry out the execution, I believe ¡®someone¡¯ is trying to hide something.¡± As soon as these officials heard the news that the Eldest Prince had ordered the execution of the British officials, they immediately rushed over. They were afraid that if they arrived any later, Yu Si¡¯s head would fall to the ground. Then, they wouldn¡¯t have to fight over whether to protect the Yu Family or the Feng Family. ¡®What did you say?¡¯ Yu Si, who was beside the prison wagon, asked in a high-pitched voice with a pale face. My brother-in-law isn¡¯t here to save me at all. He¡¯s here to take my life! Chapter 353 - Chapter 353: In Danger Chapter 353: In Danger Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Fang Huairui, you want to kill me?!¡± Yu Si pointed at Fang Huairui and shouted angrily. His eyes were filled with fear and unease, and his heart was cold. ¡°I¡¯m Mingfeng¡¯s uncle!¡± ¡®You¡¯re so heartless to your own in-laws. Aren¡¯t you afraid¡­ Oh.¡± Before Yu Si could finish his sentence, Fang Huairui made a gesture. Yu Si¡¯s mouth was then rudely covered with a sweat towel. Yu Si was a scholar and had no strength to even truss a chicken. In front of the strong personal guards of the Heavenly Garrison Army, he couldn¡¯t fight back at all. Soon, he was forcefully escorted into the prison cart. Shangqing was escorted into another prison carriage. His hair was disheveled like a beggar¡¯s, and his Daoist robe was tattered. One could vaguely see the burns on his skin. He looked like a demon that had been scooped up from a pot of oil. ¡°A death hexagram, it¡¯s a death hexagram.¡± Shangqing muttered something. His description was muddle-headed and crazy. Fang Huairui didn¡¯t even look at Yu Si and Shangqing, nor did he care what they were whispering about. To him, Yu Si and Shangqing were already dead. His real opponent was a living person, and it was the aristocratic family led by Xiao Shoufu. This was also why the Eldest Prince wanted him to supervise the execution. ¡°Xiao Shoufu, are you going to teach me how to do things?¡± Fang Huairui¡¯s sharp gaze swept past the shrimp soldiers and crab generals around him and shot straight at Xiao Shoufu, who was in the carriage. He said in a rough voice, ¡°Civil officials and generals have nothing to do with each other. Xiao Shoufu is really meddling too much!¡¯ He wasn ¡®t afraid of offending anyone at all, so every word he said was thorny. Since he was going to be the executioner, he was bound to offend these aristocratic families. He might as well offend them to the end so that these aristocratic families would hate him and prevent them from making a scene at the Emperor. Fang Huairui snorted coldly and deliberately dug his ears. He said coldly, ¡®What¡¯s the saying?¡± The two bodyguards beside him laughed and said, ¡®The dog catches the rat!¡± ¡°Mind your own business!¡± Fang Huairui had brought his trusted aides with him, and they were in sync with him. Xiao Shoufu had been in the royal court for decades, and he usually faced those genteel civil officials. He had always been disdainful of and couldn¡¯t be bothered to deal with nobles like the British Duke, whose ancestors were still bumpkins and butchers. Hearing the laughter of these rough people, Xiao Shoufu¡¯s expression didn¡¯t look too good. He stared at Fang Huairui unhappily and said, ¡°What if I insist on stopping you?¡± ¡°Xiao Shoufu, you can give it a try.¡± Fang Huairui nimbly got on the horse and looked down at Xiao Shoufu from the high horse¡¯s back. ¡°I¡¯ve always been a man of my word. I¡¯ll definitely execute them at noon.¡± ¡°Even if the Emperor agrees to probation, I won¡¯t. Today, I¡¯ll put righteousness before family.¡± Yu Si, who was in the prisoner carriage, was scared out of his wits when he heard that he was going to be executed at noon. His face was so pale that there was no color in it at all, and he made muffled sounds from his gagged mouth. His body leaned against the bars of the prison cart, trembling like a leaf. He had long since lost the calmness he had in the prison cell. At this moment, Yu Si was really afraid. He felt that the cold guillotine seemed to be hanging above his neck. ¡°You¡­¡± In the carriage, Xiao Shoufu was so angry that his voice trembled. His goatee trembled as he gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Fang Huairui, do you have to be so stubborn?¡± ¡°It¡¯s still early. Are you confident that the world won¡¯t change?!¡± Xiao Shoufu pointed at the rising sun outside the window with a double meaning. In his heart, he felt that the British Duke was simply stupid. He had to go against Kang Wang at this time and stand on the Emperor¡¯s side. Was his brain damaged?! ¡°It¡¯s getting late.¡± Fang Huairui also had a meaningful look on his face. He said arrogantly and coldly, ¡°If it¡¯s any later, we¡¯ll miss the auspicious time.¡± ¡°A good dog doesn¡¯t block the way. Xiao Shoufu, do you believe that even if I kill you on the spot, I¡¯ll be fine?¡± ¡°Back then, the Duke of Cheng killed Yang Shineng. Even the previous Emperor didn¡¯t punish him.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve had more blood on my hands than you¡¯ve eaten salt!¡± Fang Huairui pulled the reins, and the brown horse beneath him stomped its front hooves at Xiao Shoufu in a show of force, as if it wanted to stomp its iron hooves on his face. The coarse breath that the horse spewed out almost brushed Xiao Shoufu ¡®s face, startling him so much that he instinctively retreated, looking a little flustered as he fled. Fang Huairui, who was on horseback, naturally noticed this. He raised his head and laughed wantonly. He said, ¡°Let¡¯s go! ¡® The personal guards he brought behind him immediately followed with two prison carts. The group of carriages galloped away, and the sound of hooves faded into the distance. After a while, only Xiao Shoufu and the others were left at the entrance of the Northern Town Bureau. In the carriage, Xiao Shoufu looked at Fang Huairui¡¯s departing back with a dark expression. The corners of his mouth and even his chin were tightly clenched. The British Duke was a burly martial artist. If such a person went crazy without a care, he might really use a knife.. ¡®What a boor!¡± Xiao Shoufu gritted his teeth. His beard trembled again, and his eyes flickered. As far as he knew, the British Duke had made a trip to Yangxin Hall before coming to the Northern Town. He didn¡¯t know what method the Eldest Prince had used to subdue the British Duke. The nobles represented military power. In addition to the Heavenly Garrison Army, the British Duke could mobilize 400,000 soldiers with the tiger talisman in his hand. If he was determined to join the Emperor and the Eldest Prince¡­ It wasn¡¯t good. Xiao Shoufu¡¯s heart sank as he muttered, ¡°Forget it.¡± The Yu Family would definitely not be able to survive. Xiao Shoufu let out a long breath and looked at Fang Huairui¡¯s back from afar until he disappeared at the end of the street. Fang Huairui took the prison carriage to the market. It was extremely lively at the entrance of the market, and there was a sea of people. Having seen the notice that the Eldest Prince had ordered people to put up and knowing that Yu Si and Shangqing were going to be executed today, the commoners had rushed over to watch the commotion. When the two heads fell to the ground, cheers erupted from the surrounding commoners. Golden sunlight poured down and sprinkled on the two heads that died with grievances. The ground was quickly dyed red by blood, and a strong smell of blood filled the air, spreading with the wind. In the distance, there was an ordinary green-roofed carriage parked by the street. The carriage¡¯s green curtains were pulled open a few inches wide, and one could vaguely see a layer of dark red curtains embroidered with dark patterns of flames inside. The palm that lifted the curtains was half-covered in the red-rimmed cuffs, making one¡¯s imagination run wild.. Chapter 354 - Chapter 354: Hobbies Chapter 354: Hobbies Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios A strand of silk-like black hair gently landed on the jade-like hand. When the wind blew, the hair caressed the back of the hand. ¡°Meow! ¡°Meow¨C¡± From time to time, the happy and soft meowing of a cat could be heard in the carriage. It was sometimes long and sometimes short, sometimes high and sometimes low, adding a sense of leisure and joy. ¡°Long live, long live!¡± After the cheers, a young man in green quickly walked to the side of the carriage. A corner of his black inner robe was revealed at his collar. He leaned against the carriage and reported softly, ¡°Master, he has been beheaded.¡± There was a long silence in response to the young man in green. His silence was so long that the young man in green thought that he wouldn ¡®t receive any response. Suddenly, an indifferent male voice came from the carnage. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± His voice was ethereal and clear, as if it came from the clouds and green mist at the peak of Mount Tai. The curtains fell, blocking the red sleeve embroidered with clouds. The young man in green responded in a low voice. His expression and tone were very respectful. Just as he was about to board the carriage, he heard the driver say in a deep voice, ¡°It¡¯s Second Lady Gu! ¡® ¡°Meow!¡± An excited cat meowed in the carriage. ¡°Second Lady Gu?¡± The young man in green patted the coachman¡¯s shoulder. ¡®Where is she?¡± ¡°In the Rongxiang Teahouse ahead.¡± The coachman pointed to a teahouse on the right with his right hand holding the horsewhip. The young man in green looked up and saw a familiar side profile behind a window on the second floor of the teahouse from 10 feet away. She was smiling faintly and was incomparably beautiful. At the same time as the coachman finished his last word, the curtain of the carriage was suddenly lifted from the inside. Xia Houqing, who was dressed in a bright red shirt, alighted from the carriage with a look of disdain. His bright red shirt shone dazzlingly under the sunlight, as if his appearance had added some beautiful colors to the surroundings. ¡°Meow¨C¡± He was holding a five to six-month-old long-haired calico cat in his right hand. He pinched the back of the cat¡¯s neck with two fingers. The cat¡¯s four claws waved in the air, and its green cat eyes were wide open. When the young man in green saw this scene, his eyes widened slightly as he silently looked at Xia Houqing in condemnation. It was as if he was saying, ¡®Master, yoWre so rough!!!¡¯ Xia Houqing gritted his teeth as his red and demonic lips curled into a cold and stiff smile. He coldly glanced at the young man, who was looking at the soft and cute kitten in a daze. He wanted to say that if he was tired, he could help carry the cat instead. Xia Houqing pursed his thin lips even tighter and quickened his pace towards the Rongxiang Teahouse by the street. His tall figure exuded a sense of frustration. The young man in green jumped off the carriage and chased after him. Carrying the cat, Xia Houqing strode into the Rongxiang Teahouse and went up the stairs to the second floor. The waiter at the back shouted, ¡°Sir, the private seats on the second floor are ¡°Sir, are you looking for a friend?¡± Xia Houqing ignored the waiter and quickly floated to the end of the corridor on the second floor like a red cloud. ¡°Bang!¡¯ Without knocking, he rudely kicked open the door of the private room. The waiter exclaimed in shock. There were two people sitting in the private room. One was dressed in white, while the other was dressed in purple. They sat facing each other across the table. The young master in white was pouring wine for the girl in purple. Even though the door was kicked open, the young master¡¯s hand was still very steady, and the wine didn¡¯t spill at all. Gu Yanfei leaned against the window casually. When she heard the sound, she looked in the direction of the door. Her eyes lit up, and she beamed. ¡®Qing Guang!¡¯ Almost at the same time she shouted, the calico cat was thrown out by that beautiful right hand. ¡®Your cat,¡± Xia Houqing said impatiently. ¡°Meow!¡± The cat stretched its limbs in mid-air and ¡°flew¡± towards Gu Yanfei¡¯s embrace like a swallow returning to its nest. Its posture was so graceful and agile that it landed in her hands. It was soft to the touch. Gu Yanfei touched the cat¡¯s soft abdomen and knew that the cat had gained weight after being kidnapped for seven days. Seeing that they seemed to know each other, the waiter at the back silently retreated. ¡°Meow, meow!¡± The cat was in a good mood and happily rubbed its cheek against her palm. Its clear eyes narrowed into two small crescent moons. Its long fur was glossy and smooth, looking even finer and softer than the best mink fur. It shone beautifully under the sunlight from the window. Around the cat¡¯s neck was a small red bib embroidered with cloud patterns. On its back was a small backpack the size of a fist. It was the same color and embroidered with cloud patterns.. Chapter 355 - Chapter 355: Hobbies Chapter 355: Hobbies Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Gu Yanfei stroked the cat¡¯s back and casually pulled open the drawstring of the small backpack. In an instant, round beads rolled out of the small backpack. There were red coral beads, black and white pearls, night pearls, suede white jade beads, and agate beads¡­ All kinds of finger-sized beads rolled on the table. ¡°Meow¨C¡± The cat¡¯s eyes lit up. It jumped onto the table excitedly and busied itself with picking up the beads. Gu Yanfei looked at the cat and then at Xia Houqing at the door. She asked with a strange expression, ¡°You have such a hobby?¡± She could clearly see that the cat¡¯s bib and small backpack were made of the same material as Xia Houqing¡¯s robe! There was silence in the private room. The air suddenly turned cold. The cat didn¡¯t seem to notice. It continued to scrabble at the beads, engrossed in its game. ¡®What hobby do I have?¡± Xia Houqing asked softly. He spoke softly, as if he was talking about family matters. However, the young man in green who had chased him to the outside of the private seat felt a chill run down his spine. He seemed to smell blood. Xia Houqing took a step closer to Gu Yanfei. The corners of his eyes, which were as beautiful as a phoenix¡¯s tail, were slightly raised, and his bewitching eyes were filled with treacherous clouds. This girl is really unscrupulous. Does she not know how to speak?! Since she can¡¯t speak, I might as well sewher mouth up! His thin lips curled up, and his right hand pulled the blood ring on his left middle finger, suddenly pulling out a thin, blood-red line. It was unknown what material the thin thread was made of, but it shone with a blood-like luster. A murderous aura was silently released from his simple actions. His temper was still so bad! Gu Yanfei pursed his lips and stroked the cat. ¡°Qing Guang, he didn¡¯t bully you, right?¡¯ ¡°Meow, meow, meow!¡± The cat that was squatting on the table stopped playing with the beads and obediently squatted down in front of Gu Yanfei. It pointed at Xia Houqing and complained. He kidnapped me and locked me up, not allowing me to go home. The cat couldn¡¯t wait to tell Gu Yanfei about the grievances he had suffered these past few days. The corners of Xia Houqing¡¯s eyes twitched as he looked at the cat. His eyes were as deep as the abyss. ¡°Slam.¡± Chu Yi gently put down the wine pot in his hand. The sound of the wine pot hitting the table wasn¡¯t loud, but it interrupted the tense atmosphere in the air. Chu Yi raised his hand and pointed in the direction of the market entrance outside the window. He said calmly, ¡°What do you think, Lord Xia?¡± Xia Houqing turned to look at Chu Yi and stared at him for a moment, as if he was weighing something. A moment later, the gloominess in his eyes gradually subsided. With a wave of his wide sleeve, the blood line had already been put back into the ring. ¡°I¡¯m just here to watch the show.¡± Xia Houqing casually smoothed out the creases on his sleeves. After a pause, the corners of his red lips curled up, and he said, ¡°Besides, it¡¯s not a bad thing for me if there¡¯s chaos here.¡± His voice was casual, yet it emitted a faintly discernible bloody aura, and it undoubtedly revealed his mentality of wanting the world to be in chaos. Chu Yi smiled and took out an agarwood token engraved with grass patterns from his sleeve. He placed the palm-sized token on the table. The word ¡°Yu¡± was engraved on the front. Xia Houqing, who was standing 10 feet away, saw it clearly. His pupils deepened as he stared at the token. This was the Yu Family¡¯s Patriarch Token that had been passed down for generations. Chu Yi held the cup in one hand and took a sip of the wine leisurely. There was a faint smile on his lips the entire time. He stretched out two fingers and pushed the token an inch in Xia Houqing¡¯s direction. ¡°Here.¡± Xia Houqing¡¯s pupils constricted as he stared at the token. He understood that Chu Yi hadn¡¯t only given him this token, but also the Yu Family. Chu Yi gave him the entire Yu Family. To him, this was a huge gift. The corners of Xia Houqing¡¯s lips slowly curled up as his eyes and smile revealed extreme madness and hatred. The air in the private room became heavy, and the atmosphere became tense and strange. Only the sound of irritable cat meows could be heard. The talkative cat kept complaining to its owner. ¡°Meow, meow, meow, meow¡­¡± Gu Yanfei made small talk as he listened to the cat complain. He patted its head perfunctorily and said lazily, ¡°l don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°Meow, meow, meow!¡± The cat was completely enraged. It blew its beard and glared at him. Even its furry tail was standing on end. The man and cat seemed oblivious to the tense atmosphere around them. Chu Yi placed his fist by his lips and chuckled. Then, he elegantly raised his hand and gestured to Xia Houqing. ¡°Lord Xia Houqing, please take a seat.¡± Xia Houqing shifted his gaze from the token to Chu Yi, his eyes flashing with a faint blood-red light. After standing there silently for a while, Xia Houqing finally moved and walked over slowly. His long robe was almost dragging on the ground, but when he walked, his clothes flew up like flowing water without a speck of dust. He lifted his robe and sat down on the chair facing the window. He lifted his eyelids, and the whites of his eyes rolled slightly. He looked at Chu Yi steadily and said, ¡°Condition.¡± ¡°How refreshing.¡± Chu Yi clapped his hands gently, and the smile on his lips deepened. His voice was gentle and calm: ¡°l want the State of Yue.¡± The gentle and charming sunlight dyed his handsome face. His expression was gentle and elegant, and he had an aura that made people not dare to be disrespectful. There was silence in the booth. Xia Houqing held his forehead with his hand and suddenly laughed. ¡°Hehe¡­ Haha, hahaha¡­¡± His laughter grew louder and louder. His thin shoulders trembled violently, and even the clothes on his body trembled. The smile on his face was like a demonic flower that suddenly bloomed, flamboyant and charming. A moment later, Xia Houqing stopped laughing. His eyes were dyed with a tinge of blood as he snorted. ¡°How ambitious!¡± Chu Yi dared to ask for the State of Yue from him. This wasn¡¯t only because he was arrogant, but also because he was more ambitious. ¡°It¡¯s only been a few days, Young Master Yi.¡± Xia Houqing¡¯s lips curled into a mocking sneer. ¡°It¡¯s not good to be too greedy..¡± Chapter 356 - Chapter 356: Background Chapter 356: Background Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡®What was true then might not be true now.¡± Chu Yi¡¯s expression and tone were as gentle as usual, like the wind and the moon. ¡°Lord Xia, what do you think?¡¯ Xia Houqing¡¯s bewitching phoenix eyes narrowed slightly as a demonic glint shot out from them. Clap! Clap! Xia Houqing suddenly started clapping lightly as an enchanting smile appeared on his face. That¡¯s right. What was true then might not be true now. Chu Yi could be that sickly Young Master Yi who has been lying low in the State of Yue for eight years. Chu Yi could also casually encourage him to support the 15th son of the Emperor to ascend the throne and threaten the Emperor to order the vassals. Of course, Chu Yi could also be ambitious and try to take over the State of Yue. ¡°Lord Xia.¡± Chu Yi calmly played with the wine glass in his hand and said calmly, ¡°You don¡¯t want to have the world, but I do. ¡® Chu Yi looked straight at Xia Houqing without hiding anything. His jade-like pupils clearly displayed his ambition. Their gazes met silently in midair, as if they were carrying out a silent battle. In the silence, the green-clothed youth walked in silently with a tray. On the tray were two celadon pots, one big and one small, and two dark green cups. The green-clothed youth first poured a cup of wine, then used another smaller celadon pot to pour a cup of goat¡¯s milk into another luminous cup. Two similar luminous glasses were sent out. The wine was given to Xia Houqing, while the goat milk was given to the cat. After doing all this, the green-clothed youth silently carried the tray and left. Xia Houqing picked up the luminous wine glass and gently swirled it. The fragrance of the wine gradually spread through the air. He didn¡¯t answer Chu Yi¡¯s question directly. His voice was slow and gentle, sinister and alluring. ¡®You want to exchange a mere Yu Family to change a country?¡± ¡°The Yu Family is just a little bit of my sincerity.¡± The smile on Chu Yi¡¯s face was still like the spring breeze turning into rain. His tone was neither fast nor slow. ¡°With Lord Xia¡¯s ability, if you want Yu Si to die, it can¡¯t be any easier.¡± ¡°However¡­¡± At this point, Chu Yi stopped abruptly and elegantly took a sip of wine. The Yu Family was an aristocratic family that had lasted for three to four hundred years. In the history of the previous dynasty, they had a pivotal position. Such a colossus had always had prestige among the people. It wasn¡¯t difficult to exterminate the Yu Family with Xia Houqing¡¯s ability to summon clouds and rain with a flip of his hand. He only needed to send dozens of sacrificial soldiers. However, it wouldn¡¯t be so easy to destroy the Yu Family¡¯s hundred-year-old reputation, cause their reputation to collapse, make them despised by the world, and leave a thousand years of infamy in the annals of history. As far as he knew, Xia Houqing had planned for this day for a long time. This time, he even used the excuse of plotting against the Emperor Taizu¡¯s handwritten letter to come to the Great Jin dynasty from the State of Yue without any hesitation just to personally witness the destruction of the Yu Family. However, even so, if Yanfei hadn¡¯t interfered, Xia Houqing would at most have caused the Yu Family to perish. He wouldn¡¯t be as happy as he was now. Chu Yi chuckled. ¡°If it¡¯s just killing people and exterminating a clan, of course you don¡¯t need to cooperate with me. But if you want something bigger, I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be able to do it alone.¡± ¡°Besides, the Yu Family is just an appetizer.¡± ¡®With all due respect, Lord Xia still has many enemies¡­¡± He smiled and pointed to the sky. From the beginning to the end, his tone was light and calm, as if the two of them weren¡¯t talking about the fate of a country, but just catching up. Xia Houqing snorted coldly and gently touched the blood ring on his finger. A dangerous smile flowed in his eyes. Chu Yi didn¡¯t seem to notice it and continued unhurriedly, ¡°Lord Xia, even if you were to rise to the pinnacle of power, you¡¯ll only be a ¡®traitor¡¯. Instead, you would have helped Baili Hong¡¯s golden age.¡± The green-robed youth who was guarding outside the private room was terrified when he heard this. He was about to kneel down. The meaning between the lines was that their Lord¡¯s reputation was in tatters. Even if he obtained the State of Yue, his reputation would be tarnished for tens of thousands of years. The commoners would only say that Xia Houqing had ruined the prosperous era of Qianming. ¡°Young Master Yi, are you saying that I¡¯ll be called a scoundrel who stole the country?¡± Xia Houqing clapped gently again and raised his long eyebrows. His tone was sinister, and there was no joy or anger on his fiery face. As soon as he said that, even Gu Yanfei and the cat looked up with the same expression. Chu Yi calmly sipped his wine and said with a smile, ¡°My honey is your poison. What do you think, My Lord?¡± To him, the State of Yue was like honey. It was what he wanted. However, to Xia Houqing, the State of Yue was like poison, enough to drag him into another boundless abyss.. Chapter 357 - Chapter 357: Past Chapter 357: Past Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Xia Houqing¡¯s hand that was shaking the wine paused for a moment. He brought the luminous glass to his lips and slowly tasted the wine in the glass. ¡°Young Master Yi, my enemy also includes your Chu family.¡± Xia Houqing¡¯s words seemed to be both true and false. The corners of his lips were half-smiling, making it impossible to tell what he was really thinking. Dark red wine dyed the corners of his lips red, as if they were stained with blood. ¡°My Chu Family might have a feud with your father.¡± Chu Yi met the other party¡¯s probing eyes and curled his lips again. Without beating around the bush, he said bluntly, ¡°But with you, that might not be the case.¡± His words were deliberately slowed down, making it seem meaningful. Xia Houqing slammed the empty wine glass in his hand on the table with a loud smack, causing the cat that was drinking goat¡¯s milk to accidentally choke. ¡°Meow! The cat was enraged. It jumped up instantly and kicked the wine jug on the table with its hind legs. The wine spilled on the token with the word ¡°Yu¡¯ engraved on it. All kinds of beads on the table fell and rolled onto the ground. Xia Houqing seemed to be oblivious as he stared deeply at Chu Yi. His unfathomable phoenix eyes were like shadows flowing on the surface of the sea. At this point, Xia Houqing was convinced that Chu Yi knew everything. Xia Houqing stared at Chu Yi without moving. His eyes darkened and became more and more evil. Chu Yi picked up the white porcelain wine pot that was filled with pear blossoms from the messy table and elegantly refilled a glass of wine. He handed the fragrant pear blossom white wine to Xia Houqing. ¡°Please.¡± Their eyes met again. Even Baili Hong had misjudged this Young Master Yi. ¡®You should have thought it through when you were at the manor.¡± Xia Houqing used a questioning tone, but his expression was rather firm. ¡°First, you want me to hold the Emperor hostage and order the vassals. When the time is right, you will declare war on the world in the name of an evil person stealing the country. You will raise the flag of righteousness to conquer the State of Yue and crusade against me.¡± From the beginning to the end, Chu Yi¡¯s goal was the world. But now, he has directly revealed his ambition without hiding it. Chu Yi smiled and didn¡¯t deny it. At this moment, not denying it was equivalent to admitting it. It was silent in the private room. Time seemed to have frozen. Suddenly , Xia Houqing moved. He didn¡¯t take Chu Yi¡¯s glass ofwine. Instead, he suddenly stood up. His red sleeve brushed across the table, and the Yu Family Head Token on the table disappeared. He turned and walked away without a word. His wide clothes flew up like a gorgeous phoenix tail, and there seemed to be a red flame burning under his feet. ¡°Bang!¡¯ The door of the booth slammed shut again, hard enough to send beads tumbling across the floor. ¡°Tumble, tumble.. Qing Guang¡¯s green eyes lit up. It meowed and pounced on the rolling beads, its fluffy claws flicking them around. Gu Yanfei placed one hand on the window sill and supported her chin with her fingers. She shook her head and said, ¡°What an ill temper!¡¯ This guy is temperamental all day long. To think that someone can tolerate it. He¡¯s just like this cat! Gu Yanfei shook her head and sighed as she scanned the mess on the table. ¡°Meow!¡± The cat heard it and jumped in front of Gu Yanfei with a whoosh, echoing loudly. That¡¯s right, this guyNs temper is too bad! The cat was extremely aggrieved. It rubbed its fluffy cheeks against Gu Yanfei¡¯s skirt again and again, as if it was saying that it had suffered a lot after being kidnapped these few days. Unfortunately, its fur was shiny and smooth, and it wasn¡¯t convincing at all. Gu Yanfei couldn¡¯t be bothered with this greedy cat. She couldn¡¯t help but lean in front of Chu Yi and ask curiously, ¡°What grudge does that Xia guy have with the Yu Family?¡± Chu Yi looked at her small, pink face. The two of them were less than a foot apart, so close that he could almost see the fine hairs on her face, which were almost transparent under the sunlight. Her skin was so smooth and flawless. His big black and white eyes were clear and transparent, as if there had never been a speck of dust. Thousands of words were gathered in them. He couldn¡¯t help but reach out and touch the corner of her eye. The skin under his finger was delicate and soft. Gu Yanfei thought that there was something in the corner of her eyes. She blinked and her long eyelashes happened to brush past the pad of his thumb. Chu Yi¡¯s heart trembled slightly. He retracted his hand and rubbed his thumb with the index finger of his right hand. ¡°After the destruction of the previous dynasty, Empress Yu faked her death and escaped from the palace. She was quietly brought back to the Yu Family and gave birth to a child for Emperor Hongwu. She was named Wei Heng.¡± ¡®Wei Heng had half of the Yu Family¡¯s bloodline. At that time, the Yu Family Head secretly hid him and raised him in secret. In his name, he recruited the remnants of the previous dynasty everywhere and gathered their hearts and wealth. He could be considered to have made some progress.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, Wei Heng was already homeless when he was in his mother¡¯s womb. He was born prematurely with a congenital deficiency. He was weak since he was young and had been bedridden. The Yu Family spent a lot of effort to let Wei Heng live.¡± ¡°The Yu Family was afraid that he would die, so they arranged a concubine for him long ago.¡± ¡°Their efforts weren¡¯t in vain. Wei Heng left behind a son before he died.¡± Chu Yi¡¯s tone was calm as he spoke tirelessly, his eyes filled with coldness. Gu Yanfei treated it as a story and listened with relish. She said affirmatively, ¡°Therefore, Xia Houqing is Wei Heng¡¯s son.¡± She was a qualified listener. When she listened, not only did she not interrupt, she even obediently poured a glass of wine for Chu Yi and handed it to him with a smile. Chu Yi took the wine glass from Gu Yanfei and played with it casually. The wine in the glass rippled and reflected in his dark eyes. Gu Yanfei couldn¡¯t help but recall the divination she did for Xia Houqing that night. A beauty was born from fire; a blood-robed Asura was bathed in blood.. Chapter 358 - Chapter 358: For Benefits Chapter 358: For Benefits Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios This ¡°Qing¡± wasn¡¯t only Xia Houqing¡¯s name, but also a form of respect, hinting at his noble birth. Gu Yanfei stroked her chin thoughtfully and muttered to herself, ¡°Then¡­¡± How could Xia Houqing have gone from the Great Jin dynasty to the State of Yue south of the river? Furthermore, he even sat in the position of the Heavenly Palace¡¯s Lord and dominated the court in the Great Yue. It was really too strange. ¡°Knock, knock.¡± There was a regular knock on the door of the private room. When the cat heard the commotion, it jumped behind the door and squatted down obediently and curiously. ¡°Come in,¡± Chu Yi said lightly. The door was pushed open, and Xiao Shi appeared in the corridor at the entrance of the private room. He walked in without looking sideways, ignoring the mess on the table and the ground. Gu Yanfei didn¡¯t even look at Xiao Shi and continued to stare straight at Chu Yi. He had yet to say what kind of feud and hatred Xia Houqing had with the Yu Family. Logically speaking, be it Xia Houqing¡¯s father, Wei Heng, or Xia Houqing himself, their identities couldn¡¯t be revealed. Fortunately, the Yu Family helped them survive and grow up. For aristocratic families like the Yu Family, the most important thing in nurturing their descendants was loyalty. Subtly, they taught them to be loyal to the family and prioritize the family¡¯s interests. Since the Yu Family wanted to conquer the world, they should at least make Xia Houqing loyal to the Yu Family and make him feel grateful to the Yu Family. However, Xia Houqing hated the Yu Family to the core. He wished he could exterminate the Yu Family¡¯s 10 families so that the entire Yu Family would be annihilated and have a bad reputation for thousands of years. So, what had the Yu Family done to him? Gu Yanfei stared at Chu Yi, and Chu Yi stared back at her. Their faces were clearly reflected in each other¡¯s eyes. Chu Yi¡¯s earlobe turned a light pink color again. Hidden behind a few strands of hair, he heard Xiao Shi¡¯s hoarse voice. ¡°Young Master, Censor Lian just committed suicide by crashing into a pillar in the Qianqing Palace. ¡± Xiao Shi also knew that he had come at the wrong time, but he could only brace himself and continue, ¡°The Emperor has already summoned the imperial physician. The imperial physician said that Censor Lian¡¯s injuries are too serious and he¡¯s about to die.¡¯ Ever since the notice of Yu Si¡¯s execution was posted in the morning, many people have entered the palace one after another to seek an audience with the Emperor. The Emperor refused to see them as usual. Unexpectedly, even the imperial censor suddenly committed suicide. After a few seconds of silence, Chu Yi finally turned around and gave Xiao Shi a look. At the same time, he put down the wine glass in his hand. His handsome face was very calm. Even the corners of his eyes and brows didn¡¯t move. ¡°You¡­¡¯ The two of them spoke almost at the same time and shut their mouths at the same time. After a short pause, Chu Yi continued, ¡°Do you want to go back to the palace with me?¡± Chu Yi looked at Gu Yanfei with a smile, his gentle gaze lingering like silk. Xiao Shi keenly noticed that his master said ¡°return¡± and couldn¡¯t help but secretly glance at him. ¡°To save him?¡± Gu Yanfei finished the remaining pear blossom white in her cup and licked her lips in satisfaction. Chu Yi shook his head, and the corners of his beautiful eyes curled up. ¡°An Le misses you and wants you to play.¡± Under the sunlight, the white-robed young man¡¯s hair was as black as ink, and his straight eyebrows were as meandering as the distant mountains. ¡°Okay.¡± Gu Yanfei agreed happily. She still remembered to call the cat that had gone crazy. ¡°Qing Guang, let¡¯s go.¡± They left the Rongxiang Teahouse. When they arrived at the entrance of the palace in a carriage, they didn¡¯t stand out. Eunuch He had already prepared two palanquins and was waiting there. Gu Yanfei got off the carriage and sat on the palanquin. She was comfortably carried all the way to the Qianqing Gate. Chu Yi wanted to go to the Qianqing Palace, so he got off the palanquin near the Qianqing Gate and instructed Eunuch He, ¡°Take Second Lady Gu to Jingren Palace.¡± Before he could finish speaking, he saw Gu Yanfei jump down from another palanquin lightly. Her skirt flew up like a butterfly. The lazy calico cat was like a fluffy cat scarf wrapped around her shoulders and back. It was dozing off with its eyes narrowed. ¡°I¡¯ll accompany you to see Censor Lian.¡± Gu Yanfei stroked the hem of her skirt and her lips curled into a faint smile. She seemed to be in high spirits, but there was also a hint of mockery. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anyone hit a pillar before.¡± The corners of Chu Yi¡¯s lips curled up, and there was a hint of indulgence in his smile. He nodded with a faint smile and said, ¡°Alright, accompany me.¡± Eunuch He heard him say these words affectionately. He smiled until his eyes narrowed into slits, thinking that he must repeat this to the Emperor later. The two of them walked side by side in the direction of the Qianqing Palace. The palace in front of them was resplendent and majestic, exuding a noble and dignified aura.. Chapter 359 - Chapter 359: For Benefits Chapter 359: For Benefits Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Greetings, Your Highness. ¡® Along the way, the eunuchs and palace maids on both sides kneeled down and bowed to Chu Yi. The two of them seemed to have entered an uninhabited place. They didn¡¯t even need anyone to inform the Emperor. Everyone in the Qianqing Palace knew that the Emperor had always doted on his only son and trusted him completely. There was no place in the entire Qianqing Palace that the Eldest Prince couldn¡¯t go. Eunuch He led the two of them up the white marble steps to the main entrance of the main hall. At a glance, he could see a middle-aged man in a green robe with embroidered unicorns lying in a pool of blood beside a pillar in the hall. Beside him was an old imperial physician. His official hat fell to the side haphazardly, and his silvery hair was a little messy. His wooden hairpin was askew, and his robe was also a little messy, revealing his half-new knee pants and shoes. Gu Yanfei lifted her skirt and walked over the high threshold. The tip of her nose twitched, and she could vaguely smell the smell of blood drifting over with the wind. Gu Yanfei had always looked down on people who committed suicide at the drop of a hat. Or rather, she despised them. In her previous life, even though she had suffered so much injustice, even though she had suffered inhumane setbacks and hardships time and time again, even though her life was difficult, she had never thought of dying. After arriving at the Bright Spirit Realm, in the past 200 years, she had been to various places, including Si Hai. She had also experienced sect battles, mystic realm trials, and battles between good and evil¡­ She had experienced countless life and death tribulations and had personally witnessed countless people changing their fates and obtaining a new life. It wasn¡¯t difficult to die, but it was difficult to live. Gu Yanfei casually glanced at the person on the ground and continued to walk forward with Chu Yi. In the spacious main hall, there were more than ten people standing. Most of them were officials of the fourth-grade and above in scarlet robes. There were also a few censors wearing green robes embroidered with unicorns. The commotion outside caused the officials to look over in unison. They first saw Chu Yi in white, then the purple-clothed girl behind him. This was¡­ All the officials were shocked. They looked at the girl with complicated gazes. Even though Emperor Taizu had been actively promoting the education of women since the founding of the country, and there was no lack of women¡¯s academies in the country, the only woman who appeared in the court for so many years was Eldest Princess Fengyang. Who was this lady that the Eldest Prince had brought?! Some were secretly puzzled, some didn¡¯t think much of it, and some seemed to have thought of something. The officials bowed to Chu Yi in unison. ¡°Your Highness, the Eldest Prince.¡± The Emperor, who was sitting on the dragon throne in front of them, also saw Chu Yi and Gu Yanfei. His tired eyes lit up, and he put down the hand that was rubbing his temples. This time, his head didn¡¯t hurt, and his ears didn¡¯t buzz. My son has finally thought it through! The Minister of Revenue, Wang Kangyin, quickly retracted his gaze from Chu Yi and said passionately to the Emperor in front of him, ¡°Emperor, the capital magistrate, Feng He, clearly didn¡¯t assassinate the Eldest Prince, but he was directly killed by the imperial guard battalion commander, Gu Yuan, causing the capital magistrate¡¯s blood to splatter on the spot.¡± ¡°Not only is Gu Yuan ruthless, but he also disregards the law. He should be severely punished.¡± ¡°Lord Wang is right.¡± Another thin official echoed angrily. ¡°Even if Battalion Commander Gu suspected him to be up to no good, we should have taken him down first and had him interrogated by the three divisions. However, Battalion Commander Gu killed him on the spot. It¡¯s clearly a trap.¡± ¡°My cousin died an unjust death!¡± Several officials spoke one after another to defend Feng He. Their voices became louder and louder. Although they didn¡¯t directly criticize the Eldest Prince, the meaning between the lines was that they were accusing the Eldest Prince of allowing his guards to kill people as he wished. Wang Kangyin gently stroked his beard, glanced at Chu Yi, and gave another short and fat official a look. The short and fat official took a few steps towards the main door with his chest puffed out. He pointed at the middle-aged man lying in a pool of blood on the ground with a look of grief and indignation and said, ¡°Even the censor didn¡¯t hesitate to die to admonish him and died on the spot. Isn¡¯t the Emperor willing to investigate this matter thoroughly?!¡¯ ¡°This will disappoint the court officials and the people of the world!¡± The other officials of the aristocratic families nodded repeatedly, showing a posture of being on the same side. On the side, the censors were furious when they thought about the censor who had bumped into the pillar. They respectfully asked the Emperor to investigate this case. ¡°He¡¯s not dead yet.¡± Gu Yanfei slowly walked forward with her hands behind her back. ¡°Isn¡¯t it too early to say that?¡¯ The girl¡¯s voice was crisp and melodious. It was exceptionally out of place in this majestic hall filled with masculinity, and was a little red in the midst of all the greenery.. Chapter 360 - Chapter 360: For Benefits (3) Chapter 360: For Benefits (3) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The corners of the short and fat official¡¯s eyes twitched, and his goatee fluttered. He felt that it was simply inappropriate for the Eldest Prince to bring a girl to the Qianqing Palace, even though he knew that they were discussing matters with the Emperor. It was indeed difficult for the Eldest Prince to take on such a big responsibility! Gu Yanfei couldn¡¯t be bothered to look at those officials. She turned her body sideways and peeked at Censor Lian, who was lying on the ground. Her eyesight was excellent. Although she was nearly ten feet away, she could clearly see that the censor¡¯s head was badly injured. His forehead was swollen, leaving a wound the size of a cup. Blood flowed profusely, and his face was as pale as paper. She could deduce how resolute the censor was when he bumped into the pillar just now. He was determined to die. However, he was still alive. When she walked past him just now, she noticed that he was still breathing weakly. Xiao Shoufu frowned and looked at the old imperial physician guarding at the side. The old imperial physician hurriedly checked the pulse of the imperial censor again. His frown became tighter and tighter as he shook his head helplessly. After a while, the old imperial physician stood up and reported to the Emperor in front of him, ¡°Lord Lian still has breath left, but he has lost too much blood, and his skull is broken. I¡¯m afraid.. ¡°At most, he won¡¯t be able to last for more than an incense stick of time¡­¡± The few censors beside him looked indignant when they heard this. It was as if they had lost their lips and teeth. Gu Yanfei acted as if she didn¡¯t hear him. She reached into one of her purses and took out a crumpled talisman. This was a talisman to treat external injuries. The problem was that not only did the censor¡¯s skull crack, but he was also bleeding internally. Gu Yanfei touched her sleeve pocket again and quickly took out another talisman. She handed these two talismans to Eunuch He, who was guiding her. ¡°Eunuch He, paste these two talismans on the wound on Censor Lian¡¯s forehead.¡¯ You¡¯re asking me to paste it on him?! Eunuch He widened his eyes in disbelief and couldn¡¯t help but glance at Chu Yi. He still took the two talismans with both hands and replied respectfully, ¡°Yes, Second Lady Gu.¡± Although Eunuch He didn¡¯t know what kind of talisman Gu Yanfei had given him, he had personally witnessed Second Lady Gu¡¯s ability on the ninth day of the Lunar New Year and was full of admiration for her. These two talismans were definitely not ordinary. Eunuch He carried the two talismans to the unconscious Censor Lian as if they were rare treasures. Then, he kneeled down and carefully stuck the two talismans to the other party¡¯s badly mangled forehead. When the talisman was pasted on, Eunuch He couldn¡¯t help but hold his breath. He didn¡¯t know if he should press the talisman or stop. He looked up at Gu Yanfei helplessly¡­ Before he could say anything, he felt a heat under his finger and hurriedly lowered his head. The two talismans under his finger burned at the same time, and the golden flames quickly devoured the talismans bit by bit.. Eunuch He was shocked and quickly retracted his hand. In the next moment, the two talismans were burned to ashes. Countless white spots of light gathered together like fireflies and dissipated in an instant. The old imperial physician at the side was dumbfounded. He stared at Censor Lian on the ground and blurted out, ¡°He¡¯s not bleeding anymore¡­ Lord Lian¡¯s injuries aren¡¯t bleeding anymore.¡± The censor was still lying on the ground with his eyes closed. However, the wound on his forehead had finally stopped bleeding. There was also a trace of vitality on his pale face, and he was no longer as pale as before. The old imperial physician quickly checked the censor¡¯s pulse again and said in surprise, ¡°The intracranial bleeding has also stopped.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great, that¡¯s great¡­ He¡¯s alive!¡± The old imperial physician was a little incoherent. His wrinkled and brown face revealed a look of relief. Among the officials at the side, many of them turned to look at Gu Yanfei in shock. Some were surprised, but most of them were flabbergasted. This young lady actually used two mere talismans to easily pull a person who was about to die back from the gates of hell! Wang Kangyin recalled how Eunuch He had addressed her just now and muttered to himself, ¡°Second Lady Gu?¡± This form of address sounded familiar. Gu Yanfei slowly walked in front of Censor Lian. She rubbed her chin with her fingers and said in a low voice thoughtfully, ¡°There are only a few situations where one can die resolutely for others. ¡® ¡°Loyalty or profit.¡± She seemed to be talking to herself but also to Censor Lian. Ifit was for loyalty¡­ Gu Yanfei glanced indifferently at Censor Lian on the ground and sighed softly. Those clean censors have always been clear with the aristocratic families and nobles, so they can¡¯t be loyal to the aristocratic families. In other words¡­ ¡°Lord Lian is doing this for benefits.¡± Gu Yanfei answered her own question. ¡®Why don¡¯t I do a divination?¡± As she spoke, her right hand had already taken out her compass from her sleeve pocket and casually pushed the needle of the compass. The small needle quickly spun¡­ Chapter 361 - Chapter 361: Changing Sides (1) Chapter 361: Changing Sides (1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios In front, Xiao Shoufu, who had been silent the entire time, exchanged glances with the Minister of Revenue, Wang Kangyin. Wang Kangyin nodded slightly. Just now, Eunuch He¡¯s ¡°Second Lady Gu¡± confirmed his guess. Xiao Shoufu frowned slightly, his face as dark as water. His sharp eyes looked at Gu Yanfei again. On the ninth day of the new year, he and Wang Kangyin weren¡¯t at Chengtian Gate, but they asked about the situation after that. The person who broke up the situation was Second Lady Gu. Using the Blood Gu in the Eldest Princess as a fuse, she dragged the Qing and Yu families into the water step by step, turning the good situation upside down. She even made the Eldest Prince take the opportunity to kill the capital¡¯s magistrate, Feng He. In just a day, this little girl had destroyed the Yu and Feng families in one go. It was fine if it was unintentional, but if it was intentional.. Xiao Shoufu¡¯s heart sank, and a thick haze appeared in his eyes. The corners of his lips were as tense as iron. The needle on the compass spun non-stop. The hall became even quieter. Several thoughtful eyes glanced at Chu Yi, who was beside Gu Yanfei. After a while, the needle on the compass stopped. ¡°Oh! ¡® Gu Yanfei looked at Censor Lian on the ground and then at the compass in his palm. She smiled with interest and muttered, ¡®The adulterer¡¯s door is green, and the main wife¡¯s illness¡­ This hexagram is a Gu. The cause of the illness is from within. The lower hexagram is Dui, and the inner hexagram is Xun. However, mutual hurdles have appeared. The hurdles are water, and mutual vibrations are the practice¡­¡± What did he mean?! Xiao Shoufu and the other officials looked at each other in surprise. However, Chu Yi¡¯s eyes curled up happily. Gu Yanfei skillfully kept the compass in her sleeve and slowly took two steps closer to Censor Lian, who was lying on the ground. She raised her foot and kicked the other party¡¯s calf. At the same time, two words came out of her full, pink lips. ¡°Lung consumption.¡± Her voice wasn¡¯t particularly loud, but it was enough for the people on the ground to hear her clearly. Even the censor¡¯s eyes, which had been motionless, trembled slightly. Even his fingers, which were exposed outside his sleeves, trembled. At this moment, looking at Censor Lian, Gu Yanfei felt less disdainful. Death was survival. Although this person was a little unlawful and had been used by others, he could barely be considered pitiful. Gu Yanfei looked down at him and kicked the other party¡¯s knee lightly. She said calmly, ¡°I can treat it.¡± In just a few words, the confidence and arrogance that came from the heart were undoubtedly revealed. Even the censor¡¯s closed eyelids trembled again as if they were spasming. Then, he slowly and strenuously opened his eyes. Those dazed and turbid eyes were filled with blood vessels like a spider web. The dim pupils gradually condensed into a brilliance called vitality, as if a half-dead person had been forcefully dragged back to the mortal world. Eunuch He was overjoyed and quickly reported to the Emperor, ¡°Emperor, Lord Lian is awake!¡± There was an uproar. Even the censor didn¡¯t hear the commotion. He stared at Gu Yanfei in a daze. A trace of hope appeared in his gray eyes, as if a drowning person had grabbed a piece of driftwood. ¡°Can you really¡­ cure my old wife¡¯s consumption?¡± The censor¡¯s lips, which had turned pale from excessive blood loss, trembled as he asked. The incident at Chengtian Gate made the name ¡°Second Lady Gu¡± resound throughout the court. Almost everyone in the court knew that it was Second Lady Gu from the Dingyuan Marquis Household who cured the Eldest Princess. Even the censor knew about this. Second Lady Gu had just told him that she could cure him. *Bang! Bang! * Even the censor¡¯s originally weak heartbeat became stronger bit by bit, as if a divine pill called hope had been injected into his body. His old wife had suffered with him for most of her life. It wasn¡¯t easy for her to get better now, but she had a terminal illness like tuberculosis. tuberculosis was a wealthy illness that kept her alive with medicine. The older his wife was, the more ill she became. However, the medicinal herbs were expensive. His family was already struggling to make ends meet, but this expensive medicinal herb was priceless in the market and couldn¡¯t be obtained evewwhere¡­ ¡°I don¡¯t need ginseng.¡± Gu Yanfei tilted her head and smiled at the person on the ground. It was as if a breeze had brushed past the green mountains and rivers. There was also a faint and refreshing wine fragrance floating on his body. ¡°How is it? Do you want to believe me¡­¡± ¡°Or should I continue to lie here and wait for death?¡± A doctor was benevolent. If she could save him, she would. However, if he refused to repent, she wouldn¡¯t insist on saving him. She wasn¡¯t a Buddhist cultivator who could save all living beings. ¡± ¡± The censor clenched his fists and immediately sat up with difficulty from the pool of blood. He staggered a little.. Chapter 362 - Chapter 362: Changing Sides (2) Chapter 362: Changing Sides (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The wound on his forehead had stopped bleeding, but it was still red and swollen. With his pale face and blood- stained official robe, he looked like a wandering ghost at first glance. Eunuch He hated those officials who threatened the Emperor by hitting the pillar for no reason. He despised him very much, but he still got a small eunuch to help him up. Even the censor glanced at the smiling Gu Yanfei with a complicated expression. With the help of the servant, he staggered forward. Although his footsteps were unsteady, he took one step at a time, leaving bloody shoe prints on the unstained ground. It was a shocking sight. This scene exuded an inexplicable sense of tragedy. The officials standing in front subconsciously made way for him. Everyone¡¯s gazes were focused on the censor. The expressions of Xiao Shoufu, Wang Kangyin, and the others became uglier and uglier. The few clear censors were deep in thought as they thought about the conversation between the censor and Gu Yanfei. The words were ambiguous, but there was too much information revealed, making one¡¯s imagination run wild. These censors weren¡¯t stupid. A possibility couldn¡¯t help but appear in their hearts. They were already about to say, Could it be¡­ The censor knelt down with a plop and placed his forehead respectfully on the smooth ground. ¡°I¡¯m guilty.¡± ¡°I was instructed by Feng She to hit the pillar.¡± He was a little weak, and his voice was a little hoarse, but his words were still powerful. These two short sentences caused the atmosphere in the hall to undergo a world -shaking change. It was as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over their heads. The expressions of the few clear stream censors who had helped Feng She defend Feng He froze instantly, and they felt their faces burn. They all looked at the thin official on the right, who was the eldest brother of the capital¡¯s magistrate, Feng He, Feng She. So that was the case. Feng She was clearly using them as cannon fodder. Feng She wanted to avenge his brother and force the Emperor to punish Gu Yuan and even the Eldest Prince. He secretly used shameful methods to force the censor to crash into a pillar in the Qianqing Palace and die. Using this method, he aroused the dissatisfaction of the poor in the court and made them stand on the side of the aristocratic families. What a sinister heart! An old censor who was past his sixties raised his hand and pointed at Feng She¡¯s nose. He questioned angrily, ¡°Feng She, is what Lord Lian said true?¡± ¡± ¡± Feng She became the target of public criticism for a moment, his face as dark as the bottom of a pot. He wanted to say that Censor Lian was maligning him, but in front of Censor Lian, who had risked everything to die just now, those words were too weak. Feng She glanced in a certain direction and immediately retracted his gaze. The Emperor¡¯s cold and dignified voice came from above. ¡°Feng She, do you have anything else to say?¡± Feng She was sweating profusely. The old censor immediately bowed to the Emperor and said righteously, ¡°Emperor, Feng She is vicious and intends to provoke a dispute in the royal court. His intentions are punishable! ¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. If everyone in the court is like him, wreaking havoc in the court for their own personal grudges, won¡¯t it cause chaos in the world¡­¡± Another clear-flowing official hurriedly echoed. Most of these censors were straightforward and became more and more agitated. Towards the end, they already had the intention of asking the Emperor to drag Feng She to the Meridian Gate to be beheaded. In less than ten minutes, the situation in the hall had completely reversed. No one mentioned that Gu Yuan had killed the capital magistrate, nor did anyone impeach Chu Yi. ¡°Ridiculous!¡± An old and dignified voice suddenly sounded, interrupting the chaos in the hall. Xiao Shoufu looked at Gu Yanfei, who was standing under the eaves of the main hall, with displeasure. He reprimanded her high up in the air, ¡®Young lady, what did you do to the censor?! This is an important place in the palace. It¡¯s not a place for you to play tricks!¡± Xiao Shoufu suppressed the anger in his heart. The anger he had suffered at the hands of the British Duke today was still pressing heavily on his chest. At this moment, his anger was also directed at Gu Yanfei. ¡°Pretending to be mysterious?¡± Gu Yanfei burst out laughing. When the Emperor saw this smile, his mood immediately improved. He couldn¡¯t help but turn to look at his son, only to see him looking at the girl with a burning gaze and a smile. The Emperor waved at the eunuch beside him, Zhao Rang, indicating that he should hurry up and look at this couple. Gu Yanfei patted the cat¡¯s neck on his shoulder and smiled uncontrollably. ¡°Since you¡¯re sincerely asking, I¡¯ll let you see what it means to be pretentious.¡± ¡°Meow?¡± The scarfed cat, who was originally half asleep, suddenly opened its eyes. It changed from lying on the ground to squatting elegantly on Gu Yanfei¡¯s left shoulder. It raised its head and stuck out its chest. On the round cat¡¯s face, a pair of green cat eyes shone. It had been kidnapped for a full seven days this time, but its master hadn¡¯t come to save it. This wasn¡¯t good. It had to let its master know that it was very useful. The cat thought ambitiously. Before it could ask Gu Yanfei what he wanted it for, it felt its body being grabbed from his shoulder and then it was thrown out again¡­ ¡°Meow! The cat enjoyed the feeling of being thrown. It meowed happily and quickly adjusted its posture in midair. ¡± ¡± Xiao Shoufu saw a black shadow flying towards him and thought that it was a hidden weapon. He was shocked and quickly took a few steps back. The calico cat landed steadily in front of him. When it landed, it was silent and elegant. Cat?! Xiao Shoufu, Wang Kangyin, Feng She, and the others were all stunned. How could there be a cat?! ¡°Meow¨C¡± Qing Guang was much shorter than them, but her aura wasn¡¯t inferior to theirs. She scanned her surroundings like a king. A strange light flashed in the charming cat¡¯s eyes.. Chapter 363 - Chapter 363: Losing Favor Chapter 363: Losing Favor Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios After being glanced at by the cat, everyone fell silent like mutes. The noisy hall immediately fell silent. Everyone, including Xiao Shoufu, looked at the kitten squatting on the ground with a burning gaze, as if there was nothing more important than cats in this world. One by one, they showed their loyalty to the cat. ¡°Little Fox Slave, my house has a big courtyard. You can run and jump anywhere you want. ¡® ¡°My yard is bigger than his. Not only is it bigger, but I also raise countless birds.¡± ¡°Birds are nothing. There are hundreds of carps in my lake. Every one of them is fat and tempting.¡± The officials became more and more enthusiastic as they spoke. They wished they could pour their hearts out to the cat so that it would like them. As they spoke, they became more and more agitated. Some bowed, some squatted, some knelt, and some pushed each other. They surrounded the cat in a circle, wishing they could worship it. This scene stunned the Emperor, Eunuch He, and the other palace servants. Even the censor, kneeling on the ground, raised his head in shock. Gu Yanfei touched her chin in satisfaction. She smiled and sighed. ¡°It¡¯s really beautiful.¡± ¡°They¡¯d better play with the kitten. Don¡¯t keep fighting. It¡¯s too noisy.¡± She turned to look at Chu Yi, who was standing beside her. She tilted her head and asked slyly, ¡°Right?¡± She smiled like a triumphant cat. Chu Yi lowered his eyes and stared at her. A smile gently appeared on his lips, and a warm smile spread from the corners of his mouth to his eyes. His gaze on her was even gentler than the spring breeze blowing between the flowers. ¡°Yes.¡± He nodded, his tone filled with joy and indulgence. Gu Yanfei smiled even more happily. She pointed at Censor Lian, who was kneeling on the ground, and said, ¡°His life is saved. After this matter is over, ask him to look for me.¡± Since she had promised to treat his wife, she would naturally keep her promise. Chu Yi nodded again. There was nothing else for her to do here. Gu Yanfei waved her hand casually. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go to Jingren Palace to take a look.¡± She went forward and bowed to the Emperor to say goodbye. Then, she called out to the cat, ¡®Qing Guang, let¡¯s go.¡± The cat that was surrounded by the crowd responded with a meow and jumped out of someone¡¯s head. In the blink of an eye, it jumped back onto Gu Yanfei¡¯s shoulder. Its beautiful figure and agile movements attracted cheers from its fans. Some even applauded enthusiastically. ¡°Little Fox Slave is really good at fighting!¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s simply as graceful as a swan and as majestic as a dragon.¡¯ ¡°Little Fox Slave, not only do I have a lake of fish, but I also have birds and flowers¡­ You can come and play anytime!¡¯ The officials threw out ¡°bait¡± one after another, trying to seduce the cat. However, no matter how tempting it was, it couldn¡¯t make the cat turn around to look at them. Gu Yanfei held the cat on her shoulder and walked away. Everyone in the hall followed the cat with burning eyes. They watched the cat leave in a daze. When the cat walked away, Xiao Shoufu, Wang Kangyin, and the others in the hall couldn¡¯t help but shiver. The infatuation in their eyes dissipated, and they returned to normal. There was a strange silence in the hall. ¡°Meow, meow¡­¡± A soft meow came from outside again. Everyone¡¯s hearts skipped a beat, and they couldn¡¯t help but crane their necks to look. In the sky, a group of sparrows spread their wings and flew past, dropping one or two bird feathers. ¡°Miwu!¡± The cat that was squatting on Gu Yanfei¡¯s shoulder was instantly excited. It changed from squatting to standing, and its back drew an arch, eager to give it a try. ¡°Stop fooling around.¡± Gu Yanfei patted the cat¡¯s head perfunctorily and pushed it into the hood of the cloak. The cat crawled in comfortably and curled up into a ball, rolling restlessly in the hat. On the way to Jingren Palace, Eunuch He couldn¡¯t help but turn to look at Gu Yanfei as he walked. From time to time, he would look at his right hand. Until now, he seemed to be able to feel the heat of the talisman paper burning. Aiyo, Second Lady Gu was really amazing! ¡°Second Lady Gu, this way.¡± Eunuch He smiled even more eagerly and respectfully. He led Gu Yanfei east briskly, passed through the Jinghe Gate, and walked in the direction of Jingren Palace. From afar, Gu Yanfei saw a wheelchair parked at the entrance of Jingren Palace. A ten-year-old girl in a red cloak was sitting in the wheelchair and waiting in the cold wind. An Le had long since received a report from the palace staff. He knew that Gu Yanfei was coming to Jingren Palace and especially came out to pick her up. As soon as Gu Yanfei approached, An Le held Gu Yanfei¡¯s hand affectionately. His clear eyes were filled with an innocent smile as he called out sweetly, ¡°Sister.¡¯ The little girl smiled like a flower, her eyes turning into two crescent moons. Gu Yanfei rubbed the top of her soft head. The calico cat in her hood yawned lazily and stuck its head out. Its green cat eyes glanced sideways at her, not interested in the child at all. ¡°Kitty!¡± An Le¡¯s eyes lit up. Gu Yanfei handed the cat to An Le. ¡°It¡¯s called Qing Guang!¡± As if she had obtained a treasure, she held the cat with both hands and rubbed her face happily. She said happily, ¡°Qing Guang, I like you!¡± The quiet and introverted little girl suddenly became passionate and unrestrained, rubbing against the cat repeatedly. At first, the cat was a little disdainful. Gradually, it narrowed its eyes and let out a meow. It even licked the little girl, making her chuckle. The palace maid in charge pushed the wheelchair forward and led the way for Gu Yanfei at the same time. Amidst the laughter of humans and cats, they arrived at the warm pavilion in the east side hall of Jingren Palace. Gu Yanfei let the cat play with An Le. She sat on a circular chair by the window and looked around leisurely. The lighting in the warm pavilion was excellent. The windows were embedded with transparent glass, and one could see a few green bamboos, plum trees, and a small pond planted in the courtyard outside the window. The lotus leaves in the winter pond were dry, and only the carp wagged its tail as it swam in the pond. The warm pavilion was very spacious, and the decorations were extremely simple. There were only some necessary tables and chairs, multi-treasure pavilions, coffee tables, beauty couches, and so on. Comfortable cushions and pillows were placed everywhere. It was obvious that all the arrangements here were for comfort. ¡°Meow! The cat suddenly jumped excitedly and pointed in a certain direction with its claw. An Le stroked the cat and said with a smile, ¡°Qing Guang, do you like this lantern too?¡± It was an ordinary white round lantern with no pattern. A string of red tassels hung under the lantern. Gu Yanfei recognized it at a glance. She had given it to him last night. Because the ¡°Butterfly Pursuing Fragrance Talisman¡± in the lantern had already lost its effect, it had become an ordinary lantern. ¡°Meow, meow, meow!¡± The cat was still meowing excitedly, not because it recognized the lantern, but because it recognized the drooping red tassel. This¡­ this¡­ this is clearly mine! I only left home for a few days, but I¡¯ve already fallen out of favor?! Chapter 364 - Chapter 364: God (1) Chapter 364: God (1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The cat suddenly felt a sense of danger and exploded from its back to its tail. Thinking that the cat wanted to play, An Le quickly instructed the palace servants to bring over some gadgets like bell balls, peacock feathers, sandbags, glass beads, and so on. Cats always liked the new and hated the old. After getting a bunch of new toys, Qing Guang forgot all about the red tassel. The little girl played with all the toys with the cat, and bell-like laughter rose and fell in Jingren Palace. After playing for an hour and eating dried fish, the cat was so tired that it fell asleep. It curled up into a ball on a soft cushion. Gu Yanfei accompanied An Le to sit by the window and play chess. They weren¡¯t playing Go and were just guessing chess pieces. ¡°Five.¡± ¡°Oh right!¡± ¡°16.¡± ¡°Sister, you¡¯re right again.¡± Amidst the happy exclamations, Chu Yi arrived. He didn¡¯t let anyone report it. He came quietly and watched them from afar. Gu Yanfei was the first to notice him. She smiled brightly. ¡°Do you want to guess?¡± Chu Yi was dazzled by her beautiful smile. His heart skipped a beat, and he nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± Gu Yanfei casually grabbed a chess piece from the chess box and held it upside down with a cup. She smiled and said, ¡°Guess. ¡® An Le tugged at her brother¡¯s sleeve, her eyes sparkling. ¡°Brother, Sister is very powerful. She hasn¡¯t lost once.¡± The implication was that she would lose every time. Looking at his sister¡¯s flushed face, Chu Yi chuckled and patted her head. ¡°Yes, your Sister Yanfei is very powerful.¡± He sat down beside An Le and grabbed a chess piece. He placed the cup upside down and smiled at Gu Yanfei. The two of them compared the numbers with their hands at the same time and lifted their glasses. ¡°You guessed it right!¡¯ An Le was even more excited than the two of them. She clapped enthusiastically and looked at the two of them in admiration. Her excited voice woke up the cat, who was sleeping soundly. The cat opened its eyes and let out an unhappy meow. Being swept away by its green cat eyes, An Le felt her heart melt. She lowered her head and leaned over, rubbing her face on the cat skillfully. ¡°Qing Guang, you¡¯re so beautiful!¡± She said it with a lively smile. This was the first time Chu Yi had seen his sister¡¯s sunny appearance. He couldn¡¯t help but raise his eyebrows and reveal a hint of shock. She was like a banished immortal in the clouds who suddenly had the aura of the mortal world. Clearly, the soul-stirring scene in the Qianqing Palace just now hadn¡¯t moved him at all. Gu Yanfei rested her chin on her hand and looked at him. She smiled like the bright moon in the night sky and asked, ¡°It¡¯s settled?¡± ¡°There¡¯s another wave of people.¡± Chu Yi¡¯s eyes were filled with smiles. ¡°They¡¯re arguing.¡± This was because even the censor had switched sides and exposed Feng She. Even if Xiao Shoufu wanted to help Feng She escape, he couldn¡¯t suppress those angry people. After Gu Yan flew away, more officials rushed over when they heard the news of the censor crashing into the pillar. These people were all suppressing their anger. They were originally here for Chu Yi, but they realized that this was actually Feng She¡¯s scheme. Now, the aristocratic families were already confronting each other head-on. They were all quoting from the classics and arguing about the past and present. The Emperor hid away to rest with a headache. Chu Yi let these people argue, and he came to Jingren Palace first. Even if Chu Yi didn¡¯t say much, Gu Yanfei could imagine the scene in a tizzy and laughed. Those aristocratic families wanted to blow up the matter of the censor crashing into the pillar, but now they were trying to steal a chicken and getting shorn. It was obvious that Chu Yi must have fanned the flames a lot. ¡°They can argue for a few days.¡± Chu Yi casually played with a white piece and flipped it nimbly between his fingers. The crystal clear white piece flashed with a faint luster under the sun. It reflected in his eyes, as if there was a faint light dancing gently. For him, these few days were enough. Gu Yanfei found it interesting and picked up a black piece from the chess box. She copied him and flipped the black piece nimbly between her fingers, her slender fingers flying like butterflies. After playing for a while, she casually threw the black piece back into the chess box. Chu Yi¡¯s clear voice sounded in her ear. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll bring you to the Lian family¡¯s house.¡± Leaving the cat to play with An Le, Chu Yi and Gu Yanfei left Jingren Palace on the palanquin. Censor Lian, who had yet to recover from his serious injuries, was lying in a carriage at the entrance of the palace. He was quite weak from excessive blood loss. Although he had changed sides at the last minute in the Qianqing Palace and had been forced to commit suicide, he had ultimately disrespected the Emperor and almost made a huge mistake. Now, he was considered a sinner and had been removed from his official uniform. He was only waiting for the Emperor to make a final decision.. Chapter 365 - Chapter 365: God (2) Chapter 365: God (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Facing Chu Yi again, even the censor looked extremely ashamed. Chu Yi exempted him from getting out of the car to bow and let him lead the way. The Lian family¡¯s carriage led the way, and the other carriage that Gu Yanfei and Chu Yi were in followed behind. About an hour later, they arrived at the Lian family¡¯s house in the west of the city. The censor was a scholar from a poor family. The Lian family was just a small place that had entered the courtyard. Half of the paint on the door had fallen, and the walls were mottled. After the carriage stopped, two servants worked together to carry Censor Lian off the carriage. He was wearing a black cloak that was neither new nor old. The corners were slightly worn, and it was obvious that it was an old item. The old coachman knocked on the door of the house. Soon, a round-faced woman in her fifties came to answer the door. When the round-faced woman saw the terrifying wound on the censor¡¯s forehead, she was shocked and almost cried out, but she was stopped by the old coachman. The old coachman whispered into her ear and told her that an important guest had come. Under the old woman¡¯s bewildered gaze, Chu Yi and Gu Yanfei were welcomed into the door, ¡±Cough, cough, cough¡­¡¯1 As soon as she entered, she heard a series of coughs coming from inside the house. There was a strong smelJ of medicine in rhe courtyard, mixed with the obvious smell of ginseng. Gu Yanfei¡¯s nose twitched, and she could tell at once that this was good ginseng. It was at least a hundred-year-old ginseng. Censor Lian was carried into the courtyard behind them and placed on a chair in the courtyard. ¡®Second Lady Gu.¡¯ The censor adjusted his cloak and said to Gu Yanfei in a weak and bitter voice, ¡°I won¡¯t go in¡­¡¯1 He then reminded the old woman seriously, ¡°Bring Second Lady Gu in to treat Madam¡­ Don¡¯t tell Madam that I¡¯m injured.¡± The old woman vaguely felt uneasy and agreed repeatedly. She led Gu Yanfei in from the central room. Only Chu Yi and Censor Lian were left. Censor Lian, who was sitting on the chair, was a little uncomfortable at first, but soon he couldn¡¯t care less about Chu Yi. He stared in the direction of the east wing with a burning gaze without blinking. Hrs entire body was tense, like a fully drawn bow¡­ ¡°Cough¡­¡¯1 ¡°Cough, cough, cough¡­¡± The woman¡¯s cough sounded intermittently, sometimes light, sometimes heavy, sometimes long, and sometimes short. Time seemed to have slowed down. Even the censor was sweating profusely. After about an incense stick of time, the coughing in the room suddenly stopped. The surroundings fell into a dead silence, The commotion in the alley outside the wall made the small courtyard even quieter. The censor¡¯s eyes suddenly widened, and a drop of cold sweat slid down his forehead and face in panic. His heart beat even faster, and he couldn¡¯t help but think of the worst possibility. Nothing would happen to Madam, right? Could Madam be dead? Thinking of his old wife¡¯s haggard and weak appearance, the censor became more and more uneasy. He was afraid that his old wife would leave without him seeing her. He was afraid that he wouldn¡¯t even see her for the last time before she died. ¡°Old Qian.¡± The censor called the old coachman over and gestured for him to help him up. He stood up with difficulty with the help of the old coachman. The next moment, he saw a purple figure walk out of the central room. Gu Yanfei walked out of the central room leisurely. The old woman followed behind her, her eyes red. Censor Lian¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He asked in a trembling voice, ¡°Ma*.. Madam¡­¡± ¡°Masterj you¡¯re amazing!¡¯1 The old woman said energetically, her eyes practically shining. ¡±Second Lady Gu is simply amazing.¡± ¡°Madam is already asleep. She¡¯s not coughing at all. She¡¯s sleeping very soundly.¡± Tears welled up in the old woman¡¯s eyes again as she spoke. She cried tears of joy. Even the censor couldn¡¯t believe his ears. Second Lady Gu had only been in there for a short while, but his old wife had already recovered? ¡°Madam has really recovered?1¡® He couldn¡¯t help but double-check with the old woman. ¡°She¡¯s asleep? She¡¯s not coughing anymore?¡± Ever since his wife had contracted the terminal illness of tuberculosis, she hadn¡¯t had a good night¡¯s sleep. She would always be woken up by a cough when she fell asleep. It had only been half a year, but such a well-rounded person had become slender, and her life was on the line. The old woman wiped her tears with her sleeve and choked. ¡°Lt¡¯s really healed. Second Lady Gu only used one talisman to treat Madam¡­ It¡¯s simply better than Wuliang Temple.¡¯ The old woman wanted to say S ha tagging Spiritual. Master of Wuliang Temple, but just as she was about to say it, she suddenly thought of the matter that had been spreading like wildfire in the capital recently. Everyone said that Shangqing was a demon. Even the censor didn¡¯t notice the old woman¡¯s slip of the tongue. Tears welled up in his eyes. Previously, he had heard about the Cheng tian Gate, but he only thought that it was an exaggeration and that Second Lady Gu had become a god. Even though she had only used two talismans to stop his bleeding just now, because he had been dizzy after hitting the pillar, he didn¡¯t feel much. He only thought that his injuries weren¡¯t that serious. At this moment, even the censor really believed it. In the past half a year since his wife fell ill, he had invited countless doctors for her. He had even tried to get an imperial physician to take a look at her. However, everyone said that consumption was an incurable illness and a disease of wealth. He could only hang on with medicine¡­ To put it bluntly, he was waiting for death. Over the past few days, seeing his old wife suffer, even the censor felt the same way. Gu Yanfei stroked her sleeve and said calmly, ¡°¡®1¡¯11 give her another prescription and let her eat it every day. She¡¯ll take one dose a day and take it three times a day. After eating it for 10 days, she¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already done what 1 promised.1¡¯ Even the censor¡¯s mouth opened slightly as tears streamed down his face. He wanted to say something but didn¡¯t say it in the end. He gritted his teeth and knelt down. He kowtowed solemnly to Gu Yanfei.. Chapter 366 - Chapter 366: Separation (1) Chapter 366: Separation (1) Translator: Atlas Studios | Editor: Atlas Studios Gu Yanfei took half a step forward and quickly grabbed Censor Lian¡¯s sleeve. She pulled him away and snorted. ¡°You just knocked your head, and you¡¯re still kowtowing. Do you want to die?¡± ¡°You still have to change rhe dressing on your head every day, but it¡¯s nothing serious. Rest well for 10 days to half a month.¡± Although Gu Yanfei had saved him, it didn¡¯t stop her from not liking this person. He was loyal to his old wife, but he had indeed done something wrong. When the old woman heard that Gu Yanfei was going to prescribe a prescription, she quickly prepared a pen and ink. Gu Yanfei quicldy prescribed the prescription. Just as she put down the pen, the shopkeeper outside the door carried a wooden box into the courtyard and handed it to Censor Lian. He said with a smile, ¡°Lord Lian, this is ginseng, ganodernia, and other good tonics. His Highness gave it to your Madam.¡± Censor Lian widened his eyes in shock again. His red eyes were filled with tears again. He was touched and ashamed. The Eldest Prince was kind and magnanimous. He didn¡¯t care about the past and would definitely be a benevolent ruler in the future! Censor Lian almost knelt down again, but he saw Chu Yi sigh slightly and persuade him gently and politely, ¡¯¡¯Lord Lian, it¡¯s better not to use the Feng family¡¯s things again.¡¯ After being reminded by Chu Yi, Censor Lian subconsciously twitched his nose. The smell of ginseng in the air seemed to have grown stronger, lingering in his nose. He immediately thought of the ginseng that the Feng family had given him. Censor Lian knew what was good for him. He understood that the Eldest Prince was doing this for his own good. The Feng family had evil intentions and had given him stolen goods. Since he had already turned against the Feng family, he shouldn¡¯t continue to use the medicinal herbs given to him by the Feng family with a clear conscience. ¡°It¡¯s from the Qian family.¡± The censor hurriedly instructed the old woman, ¡°Go and throw away the ginseng and herbs given by the Feng family.¡± The old woman hurried back into the house. Soon, she took our the remaining half of the ginseng from the room and said to Censor Lian, ¡°Master, there¡¯s still half of it left¡­¡± The old woman couldn¡¯t hide her heartache. She thought to herself, This is a rop -no tch h undred ¨C year -old ginseng! Censor Lian waved his hand, indicating for her to hurry up and throw it away. The old woman only agreed, but a male voice sounded. ¡°Wait!1, The old woman stopped in her tracks and looked nervously at the immortal young master in white. On the other party¡¯s handsome face, his beautiful brows furrowed slightly. Censor Lian looked at Chu Yi uneasily. ¡°Let me take a look.¡¯¨C Chu Yi waved at the old woman with a gentle smile. When the old woman saw that her master had always been respectful to this immortal young master, she knew that he must be a benefactor. Without a word, she presented the half of the ginseng with both hands. Her movements were careful, afraid that she would accidentally offend a benefactor. Chu Yi picked up half of the ginseng and looked at it carefully with half-closed eyes. His brows furrowed even more tightly, making the censor¡¯s heart skip a beat. Censor Lian stammered, ¡°Your Highness, is there anything wrong with this ginseng?¡± Could it be poisonous? The old woman beside her couldn¡¯t help but swallow her saliva. It was obvious that anyone who could be called ¡¯¡¯Your Highness¡± was a noble among nobles. ¡°This is the ginseng from the inner library.¡± Chu Yl¡¯s tone was still unhurried, and his eyes were as deep as the night, What?l Censor Lian felt as if he had been struck by lightning. His face turned even paler, and he almost fainted from fear. In other words, this ginseng was stolen from the Emperor¡¯s treasury? The palace was heavily guarded and meticulously maintained. Nor even a fly could fly out. It could be imagined that stealing the inner treasury wasn¡¯t something a mere Feng family could do, Only Kang Wang, who was behind the Feng family, could do this! Kang Wang actually dared to privately use the Emperor¡¯s treasury, and she even helped the wicked and almost caused the Emperor and the Eldest Prince to be unrighteous! The more Censor Lian thought about it, the more shocked and regretful he became. Gu Yanfei, who was standing under a magnolia tree, had her hands behind her back. She looked up at the tree crown above her. In the early spring, the magnolia tree had already developed buds. The tree was beautiful and soul-stir ring. How scheming. Gu Yanfei sighed silently in her heart. Chu Yi¡¯s gentle voice sounded in his ear. ¡®¡¯Lord Lian, 1 want to take this ginseng away.11 ¡®As you wish, Your Highness.¡¯¡¯ Censor Lian hurriedly nodded in agreement. Cold sweat covered his forehead, and his heart was in a mess. He composed himself and explained anxiously, ¡°Your Highness, 1 really didn¡¯t know that this ginseng was a tribute ginseng.. Otherwise, 1 wouldn¡¯t dare¡­¡± Chapter 367 - Chapter 367: Separation (2) Chapter 367: Separation (2) Translator: Atlas Studios | Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Lord Lian, you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± Chu Yi gently interrupted Censor Lian, who was about to swear to the heavens, and comforted him. ¡°I know that the theft of the treasury has nothing to do with you.¡± ¡°The theft of the inner treasury is of great importance. This case must be investigated thoroughly. Over the next few days, the Embroidered Uniform Guards will temporarily seal your residence. I will instruct them not to disturb Lord Lian and Madam Lian¡¯s daily lives.¡± Chu Yi¡¯s kindness and authority made Censor Lian feel grateful. He felt that not only was the Eldest Prince impartial, but he was also benevolent. When he ascended the throne in the future, he would definitely be a benevolent ruler who cared about the world. ¡°Your Highness is wise.¡± Censor Lian bowed to Chu Yi gratefully. He wished he could kneel down and thank him for his kindness. With the help of the old man, Censor Lian walked shakily to the entrance and sent the two of them to the carriage. As soon as Gu Yanfei got into the carriage, she leaned lazily against the wall and muttered, ¡°Ginseng?¡± No matter how bad the Feng family was, they couldn¡¯t possibly take out a hundred-year-old ginseng and still have to steal it from the inner treasury. Only Censor Lian, who was stupid from studying, would believe Chu Yi so easily. She raised her eyebrows at Chu Yi and smiled like a blooming spring flower. Her shoulders trembled slightly, and her eyes were abnormally bright. Facing Gu Yanfei, Chu Yi never planned to hide it. He smiled gently, as if a warm spring breeze had blown into this dark and heavy carriage. This smile was a tacit agreement. Chu Yi raised his hand and lifted the curtain at the side. He threw the half of the ginseng to Xiao Shi outside and instructed, ¡°Tell Qin He to investigate the theft of the inner treasury by the Internal Affairs Directorate.¡± Xiao Shi agreed respectfully and flew onto the horse. Chu Yi lowered the curtains again and took out a red-painted wooden box from the hidden compartment of the carriage. The box was divided into nine compartments, each containing different candied plums, preserved fruits, nuts, crispy sugar, and so on. As he pushed the wooden box in her direction, he said to her casually, ¡°Not only does the Internal Affairs Directorate always take care of the affairs of the Imperial Court, but it also takes care of internal and external affairs. For the past 20 years, the Internal Affairs Directorate has always been in the hands of the Empress Dowager.¡± The most important thing in the inner court was the appointment and transfer of personnel, as well as the delivery of internal and external information. Both were controlled by the Internal Affairs Directorate. This also meant that the Emperor wasn¡¯t only blind in the palace, but also that he could be planted with the Empress Dowager and Kang Wang at any time. It was impossible to guard against them. Gu Yanfei was used to Chu Yi telling her about the court and the palace from time to time. The information entered through one ear and left through the other. She casually picked up a candied plum from the box and stuffed it between her lips. So sour! Her eyes narrowed into a smile. Chu Yi took two walnuts from the box and held them in his palm, squeezing them gently. Crack. The outer shell of the two walnuts broke into pieces. Gu Yanfei swallowed the candied plum in her mouth and silently shed tears of sympathy for the people from the Internal Affairs Directorate. Chu Yi lowered his eyelashes. His cold, white fingers slowly opened the shell of the walnut and took out the intact walnut kernels. He ate one himself and fed the other to Gu Yanfei. The walnuts were crispy and suited Gu Yanfei¡¯s taste. The carriage moved slowly out of the alley. Outside the carriage, Xiao Shi galloped towards the palace before them. After an incense stick of time, the Internal Affairs Directorate¡¯s Inspector Eunuch Qin He received the ¡°evidence¡± handed over by Xiao Shi and the Eldest Prince¡¯s oral instructions. He immediately led a team of people out and arrested all the eunuchs in the inner treasury for interrogation at lightning speed. The palace servants were all on tenterhooks, afraid that they would be implicated. There was a commotion in the palace as rumors spread: ¡°I heard that the inner treasury has been stolen. Stealing and selling the items in the inner treasury is a serious crime. These people are too bold.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a busy period recently. The last time the Emperor fell into the water on a pleasure boat, even Eunuch Li was convicted. I wonder how many people will die this time.¡± ¡°Eunuch Li is the Empress Dowager¡¯s trusted aide. Even the dignified seal eunuch of the Internal Affairs Directorate was taken down by Eunuch Qin. In my opinion, the person who fell into Eunuch Qin¡¯s hands is probably doomed¡­¡± Everyone looked at the Internal Affairs Directorate with surprise and nervousness. In less than two hours, these captured eunuchs confessed all their crimes. The palace servants watched helplessly as Qin He, who was dressed in blood, walked out of the Internal Affairs Directorate and went to Yangxin Hall to seek an audience with the Eldest Prince. After another hour, Eldest Prince Chu Yi used the excuse that ¡°the Internal Affairs Directorate is unfavorable, which is why there are repeated problems¡± to swiftly and resolutely order the reorganization of the Internal Affairs Directorate. The entire inner court was shocked. There were also Li Han¡¯s trusted aides who questioned this, but they were immediately ¡°interrogated¡± by Qin He for corruption or collusion with the foreign court. The tragic state of these people made everyone in the palace feel insecure and anxious. In just three days, under Chu Yi¡¯s leadership, the Internal Affairs Directorate was split into the 12 directorates of the inner court. Although the name of the Internal Affairs Directorate was retained, its responsibilities were greatly reduced. From then on, it was only responsible for building palaces, mausoleums, equipment, ice, and manholes. It was only equivalent to the work department of the inner court. The Internal Affairs Directorate, a behemoth that could cover the sky in the inner court, instantly collapsed and was powerless to reverse the situation. The changes in the inner court were sensational, and to the outside world, no one knew what had happened in the inner court. It wasn¡¯t until the 19th of the first month that Kang Wang and Chu You noticed that something was wrong with the inner court. ¡°My Lord, there¡¯s still no news from the palace today,¡± Chu You¡¯s personal eunuch said carefully, unable to hide his nervousness. Someone in the palace usually sent news every three or four days, but ever since the 16th of the first month, the news had suddenly stopped. A dark cloud surged up Chu You¡¯s forehead. He paced back and forth in frustration, his tall figure tense. Unable to get news from the palace, Chu You felt like a headless fly. It was as if something had escaped his control.. Chapter 368 - Chapter 368: Giving Up (1) Chapter 368: Giving Up (1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Chu You hadn¡¯t felt this defeated in a long time. ¡°Where are the people from the Internal Affairs Directorate? Can¡¯t you contact any of them?¡± Chu You suddenly turned to the eunuch and asked in a low voice. ¡°I¡¯ve tried all kinds of methods. Even the person in charge of purchasing hasn¡¯t left the palace for a few days.¡± The eunuch swallowed his saliva and stammered, ¡°Your Highness, will there be another change in the palace?¡± Chu You¡¯s face flashed with uncertainty as he asked in a low voice, ¡°What did the people watching outside the palace say?¡± The eunuch lowered his head again and didn¡¯t dare look into Chu You¡¯s sharp eyes. He lowered his head and replied obediently, ¡°Your Highness, other than the Feng family¡¯s matter, there has been a storm recently. There seems to be nothing else in the palace.¡± The matter of Feng She instigating the Censor Lian to hit the pillar had been in an uproar recently. Everyone in the court had their own arguments, but there was still no result. ¡°¡­¡± Chu You¡¯s expression darkened even more. He pursed his thin lips tightly, and his face seemed to be covered in a layer of ice. Previously, even though Empress Dowager Yuan was temporarily under house arrest in Shouning Palace, the Internal Affairs Directorate and the entire inner court were in the hands of Empress Dowager Yuan. From time to time, Chu You would have news from the palace. It wasn¡¯t difficult for him to know anything. But now, he didn¡¯t even know if Empress Dowager Yuan was fine. This was the first time in her life! What if the Emperor deliberately made things difficult for the Empress Dowager¡­ Chu You was really not confident. His heart was in a mess as he walked back and forth quickly. In the corner was a three-legged incense burner with a green embossed lotus flower. A wisp of green smoke curled up and slowly dissipated in the air. The rich fragrance entered Chu You¡¯s nose. Chu You took a deep breath. The fragrance filled his chest and made him feel stuffy. Chu You suddenly stopped in his tracks and muttered to himself, ¡°I have to go to the palace. I have to at least see my mother.¡± His eyes narrowed slightly and darkened. He immediately instructed the eunuch, ¡°Prepare a horse for me.¡± He had to hurry into the palace to confirm what had gone wrong. The eunuch agreed obediently and quickly went out. However, as soon as he left, he returned. The Wang family¡¯s official came in with him. ¡°Your Highness, the Ceremony Directorate of the Imperial Court has come and requests an audience with you.¡± The Wang family¡¯s official bowed to Chu You. Ceremony Directorate? Chu You frowned even more and looked at the official with a gloomy gaze. When did the inner court have an additional Ceremony Directorate? ¡°No.¡± Chu You flicked his sleeves heavily. ¡°I want to enter the palace.¡± The official maintained his bowing posture and hesitated for a moment before continuing, ¡°Your Highness, someone said that the Empress Dowager has already arranged a marriage for you, but their Ceremony Directorate checked the imperial family register and realized that it hasn¡¯t been officially decided. Now, they¡¯ve asked the Imperial Astronomer to choose an auspicious day and specially came over to ask you if you want to make an announcement of the marriage.¡± Marriage?! Chu You¡¯s eyes widened slightly. He took a step back and slowly sat on the rosewood armchair at the back. Last time, because of Fang Mingfeng¡¯s interference, the engagement between him and Rong¡¯er was ruined. That was why the marriage had been delayed until now. Chu You lowered his eyes, and a strange light flashed across his eyes. He knew that his mother had never liked Rong¡¯er. Otherwise, this marriage wouldn¡¯t have been delayed. Although his mother had personally promised him that she would set a wedding date for him and Rong¡¯er as soon as possible, his mother actually had other plans in her heart. She wanted to choose one or two secondary consorts for him before he married Rong¡¯er. To him, concubines were just decorations. It was fine if he accepted them. However, he knew that Rong¡¯er had a strong personality and couldn¡¯t tolerate a single grain of sand in his eyes. If he took in a secondary consort, Rong¡¯er would definitely break off the engagement and leave him. Just thinking about this possibility made Chu You feel a dull pain in his heart. ¡°Drip, drip.¡± In a corner of the house, there was the sound of water dripping from the pot leak. Drops of water fell gently into the kettle below, making the house even quieter. The eunuch at the side couldn¡¯t help but hold his breath. A moment later, he heard Chu You, who was sitting in the armchair, ask the official in a deep voice, ¡°When is the auspicious day?¡± ¡°In three days,¡± the official replied respectfully. Bang! Bang! Bang! Chu You¡¯s heart couldn¡¯t help but beat faster. His long and narrow eyes shot out an abnormally bright light. Three days, just three days. Only after the small engagement ceremony would he and Rong¡¯er be officially engaged. This marriage was a sure bet, a shoo-in. But the Empress Dowager¡­ An intense struggle flashed across Chu You¡¯s eyes. The faces of the Empress Dowager and Gu Yunrong flashed across his mind. His heart was in a stalemate as he gripped the armrest of the armchair tightly with his right hand.. Chapter 369 - Chapter 369: Giving Up (2) Chapter 369: Giving Up (2) Translator: Atlas Studios | Editor: Atlas Studios Suddenly, he heard Gu Yunrong¡¯s confident voice. ¡°I¡¯ve always been very lucky.¡± Yes, Rong¡¯er¡¯s fortune is indeed very good. The current situation might be the same¡­ It¡¯s the heavens that gave Rong¡¯er a chance to be with me for the rest of our lives! Chu You closed his eyes. When he opened them again, his eyes, which were as deep as the sea, were filled with determination. He enunciated his decision clearly. ¡°Let the people from the Ceremonial Director in.¡± As he spoke, his eyes gradually burned like fire. ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± The official hurriedly accepted the order and left. The eunuch at the side looked at Chu You hesitantly. In the end, he didn¡¯t ask him if he still wanted to prepare a horse. Looking at the official¡¯s back as he left, Chu You comforted himself in his heart. His brother had always prided himself on being a benevolent king. He was overcautious and always wanted to please her. He guessed that he wouldn¡¯t dare treat his mother badly. There was no hurry to enter the palace. He had to settle his marriage with Rong¡¯er first. There was still time. ¡°Rustle¡­¡± A breeze blew in, and a gust of wind with the fragrance of spring flowers floated in from outside the hall. Chu You looked up at the door and felt that everything suddenly became clear. After a while, the president of the Wang family brought the eunuchs sent by the Ceremonial Director and a few eunuchs to the main hall. In just a short time, they had decided to go to the Dingyuan Marquis Household in three days. The people quickly bade farewell. The entire Kang Wang¡¯s Mansion became busy and happy. There were only three days left until the small wedding ceremony. Everyone in the mansion wished they could grow three heads and six arms. The busiest person was the official from Kang Wang¡¯s Mansion. On Chu You¡¯s orders, he personally went to the Dingyuan Marquis House to deliver a message. When he returned from the Marquis Mansion, he reported energetically, ¡°Your Highness, the Ceremonial Directors paid a visit to the Marquis Mansion before me and even brought the crown and gown of the Princess Consort.¡± ¡°The Marquis asked me to pass a message to Your Highness. On the 22nd of the first lunar month, he is waiting for His Highness¡¯s arrival in the Marquis Mansion.¡± The Ceremony Directorate was quite thorough, so Chu You couldn¡¯t say anything wrong. After another day, the Ceremony Directorate came again and sent a list of small gifts for Chu You to take a look. This list was arranged according to the Prince of the Second Rank¡¯s schedule, so Chu You couldn¡¯t find any fault with it. On the morning of the 22nd day of the first lunar month, under the accompaniment of the Ceremony Directorate, Kang Wang officially made a small appointment with the Dingyuan Marquis Household. He played along the way and carried a total of 12 small gifts to the Marquis Mansion. It had been many years since the royal family held a joyous occasion. Such a festive scene attracted the attention of many commoners on the road. It was extremely lively. On that day, this joyous occasion spread throughout the capital. After successfully settling the matter, Chu You wanted to enter the palace the next day to see Empress Dowager Yuan and tell her this good news. However, before he could leave, someone came from the Ceremony Directorate again. He said that the Imperial Astronomer had already calculated the auspicious day to welcome the bride. The Imperial Astronomer had given them two auspicious days. The first auspicious day was in a month. If they missed the 23rd of February, the next auspicious day would be half a year later. Chu You¡¯s heart was burning. He immediately chose the wedding date and hurriedly instructed everyone in the manor to prepare for the wedding. On this day, Chu You didn¡¯t enter the palace in the end. He comforted himself again, knowing that the Emperor would definitely not dare neglect his mother. Everything would be fine after Rong¡¯er passed the door. Rong¡¯er was so understanding. With him around, people¡¯s hearts would grow after a long time. His mother would definitely like Rong¡¯er. No matter what, when she was pregnant with their child for a while, her mother¡¯s dissatisfaction would dissipate for the sake of the child. After the people from the Ceremony Directorate left the mansion, they went to the Dingyuan Marquis Household to spread the good news. This good news made the people in the Marquis Mansion feel refreshed. Madam Gu, who had been ill for more than 20 days, recovered without medicine. She was glowing and was even ordered to tip the manor for two months. There was laughter in the Benevolent Harmony Hall. ¡°My Rong¡¯er is indeed blessed!¡± Madam Gu, who was sitting on the bed, said with joy. She turned to Madam Wang and instructed, ¡°Xinwen, prepare Rong¡¯er¡¯s dowry well.¡± ¡°There¡¯s still a month. Time is a little tight, but we can¡¯t treat Sister Rong badly. Show me the dowry list later.¡± Madam Wang, who was at the bottom, nodded dryly. Madam Wang was already impatient. She clenched the handkerchief in her hand absent-mindedly and thought to herself, ¡°This dowry list was all written by Great Madam herself. I¡¯ve already seen it a few times. What¡¯s there to see?¡± Madam Gu gently held Gu Yunrong¡¯s hand and patted it. She smiled lovingly. Gu Yunrong¡¯s marriage could be said to be full of twists and turns. Yesterday, when Kang Wang and the Ceremony Directorate came over to make a small appointment, Madam Gu was still a little nervous, afraid that something would happen to this joyous occasion again. However, this time, the gift went quite smoothly. Today, the wedding date was successfully set. Her Rong¡¯er was about to become Princess Consort Kang Wang! ¡°Rong¡¯er, your coming-of-age ceremony has to be held at the King¡¯s Mansion.¡± Madam Gu sighed with a smile. She looked both happy and a little emotional. ¡°I wanted to personally host your coming-of-age ceremony.¡± lean finally marry him! Gu Yunrong¡¯s cherry lips curled up slightly, and her eyes were filled with light. She was like a blooming hibiscus, bright and moving. She leaned affectionately on Madam Gu¡¯s shoulder, her tone filled with attachment. ¡°I can¡¯t bear to part with Grandma¡­¡± ¡°Grandma knows that you¡¯re filial.¡± Madam Gu raised her hand and caressed Gu Yunrong¡¯s face affectionately. At the side, Granny Li added, ¡°Madam, this is a joyous occasion. In the future, the Empress Dowager will personally insert an adulthood for the Third Lady. That¡¯s a blessing that ordinary people can¡¯t have. Others will definitely envy our Third Lady.¡± These few words touched Madam Gu¡¯s heart. Madam Gu couldn¡¯t stop smiling. In the east room, the atmosphere was joyous. The grandfather, grandson, and daughter were chatting and laughing. The Wang family at the side was incompatible with this lively scene. Other than responding to her, she didn¡¯t say anything else. She only held the teacup and drank it silently. The smile behind the teacup was a little stiff. If someone didn¡¯t know better, they would probably think that her family wasn¡¯t holding a wedding, but a funeral.. Chapter 370 - Chapter 370: Image Chapter 370: Image Translator: Atlas Studios | Editor: Atlas Studios Gu Yunrong had long noticed the abnormalities of the Wang family. The smile on his face gradually disappeared. Ever since she returned from the palace on the day of the banquet, Madam Wang¡¯s attitude towards her had changed. She was cold and indifferent. She had gone to the main courtyard to pay her respects a few times, but she was stopped by the servants in the main courtyard. When the Ceremony Directorate came to make the decision, it was Madam Wang who accompanied Gu Jian to receive him. At that time, Madam Wang didn¡¯t say much at all. The smile on her face was simply squeezed out. As soon as the people from the Ceremony Directorate left, Madam Wang began to sigh at her sadly. One moment, she said that she couldn¡¯t bear to let her get married so early, the next moment, she said that flowers don¡¯t bloom for a hundred days, and the next moment, she said something about it not being a coincidence¡­ Those words sounded like she was hiding something. Gu Yunrong wasn¡¯t stupid. Of course, she could tell what the Wang family meant. It was just that that day was her big day, and she couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue with the Wang family. At this moment, seeing how unwilling Madam Wang was, Gu Yunrong felt even more unhappy. She had been registered under Madam Wang¡¯s name because she sincerely recognized her as her mother, but Madam Wang was different. In the past, the Wang family recognized her as their daughter because of Kang Wang. Now, the Wang family was avoiding her like the plague because of Kang Wang. Gu Yunrong¡¯s eyes turned cold. He asked unexpectedly, ¡°Mother, you¡¯re so uneasy¡­ Do you look down on Kang Wang?¡± Madam Wang was drinking tea when Gu Yunrong asked her this question. She almost choked on the tea in her mouth and looked a little disheveled. Gu Yunrong didn¡¯t give the Wang family a chance to speak. He said indifferently, ¡°No matter what, Kang Wang is still the dignified Prince of the Second Rank.¡± ¡°Kang Wang isn¡¯t down yet. Madam, you don¡¯t have to worry about being implicated.¡± When she said the first sentence, she still called Madam Wang her mother. When she said the last sentence, she had already changed to calling her Madam. Her distance was obvious. When she thought of how the Wang family had always treated her like their own daughter, Gu Yunrong felt mocking. The Wang family was really hypocritical and realistic. Madam Wang¡¯s expression froze again, but she knew that she couldn¡¯t admit it. Madam Wang wiped her mouth with a handkerchief and hurriedly said, ¡°Rong¡¯er, you¡¯ve misunderstood me. How could I look down on Kang Wang?¡± Madam Gu frowned and looked at Madam Wang unhappily, making Madam Wang¡¯s heart skip a beat. The air suddenly turned cold. Gu Yunrong lowered her eyelashes slightly. Her long and thick eyelashes cast a faint shadow in her fair eye sockets. Her cherry lips were slightly pursed, revealing a hint of stubbornness and arrogance. Madam Wang met Madam Gu¡¯s sharp gaze and braced herself. ¡°Mother, I¡¯m thinking that the Eldest Prince might have his eyes on Yanfei.¡± ¡°Our Marquis Mansion¡­¡± Madam Wang frowned tightly and sighed hesitantly. She sorted out her thoughts again before continuing, ¡°Kang Wang and the Eldest Prince will definitely be unable to tolerate fire and water. No matter which side wins, will our Marquis Mansion have a good life?¡± ¡°Moreover, at the last banquet, even the Empress Dowager was ordered by the Emperor to be placed under house arrest. Yuan Zhe is still locked up in the imperial prison. Even the Yu family has fallen¡­¡± ¡°The capital¡¯s magistrate, Feng He, has been killed. His brother, Feng She, is also detained in the palace¡­¡± When the Wang family spoke of these things one by one, they felt frightened, and their mouths and lips were dry. At first, Gu Yunrong hated the Wang family¡¯s short-sightedness. When he heard them talk about the Eldest Prince and Gu Yanfei excitedly, his lips slowly curled into a cold smile. From the moment Gu Yanfei returned, he had become a maggot that couldn¡¯t be removed from his body. Gu Yanfei refused to let her off, just like how she refused to let Mother Su off¡­ Gu Yunrong¡¯s fair fingers gripped the handkerchief tightly. Her heart was filled with an indescribable grievance and sourness. A dull suffocating feeling lingered in her heart. Looking at Gu Yunrong¡¯s aggrieved and forbearing expression, Madam Gu¡¯s heart ached as she put her arm around her slender shoulders. As she patted her gently, she comforted her gently, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Grandma is here.¡± ¡°Grandma won¡¯t let you suffer. My Rong¡¯er just has to wait for her marriage in peace.¡± Madam Gu comforted Gu Yunrong gently and kindly. However, when she turned to look at the Wang family, her expression instantly turned cold. She said coldly, ¡°Madam Wang, just prepare a dowry for Rong¡¯er.¡± ¡°Rong¡¯er will be the Princess Consort after she marries over. In the future¡­¡± Madam Gu paused meaningfully, her eyes as cold as a blade. ¡°If you dare to neglect Sister Rong, then don¡¯t stay in the Gu family! Our Gu family can¡¯t afford a big shot like you!¡± This was the first time Madam Gu had addressed her second daughter-in-law as Madam Wang without giving her face. These merciless words were tantamount to slapping Madam Wang in the face. The servants in the room silently lowered their heads and pretended not to hear anything. A calico cat was curled up in a ball on the table by the window. Occasionally, it would look up lazily and yawn before burying its head again. Madam Wang gritted her teeth and felt her face burn. Her face turned red, green, purple, purple, and white. The colors changed brilliantly. She almost flicked her sleeves and left, but she restrained herself in the end. She took a deep breath and nodded at Madam Gu with difficulty. ¡°Yes, Mother.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll remember it.¡± Although Madam Wang said that, she looked even more obedient on the outside, but she was even more indignant in her heart. However, she knew that in the Marquis Mansion, even if Madam Gu was an old feudal lord, even the Duke of Dingyuan, Gu Jian, didn¡¯t dare to disobey her, let alone the Wang family¡¯s daughter-in-law. Madam Wang was angry but didn¡¯t dare to say anything. She could only listen to Madam Gu¡¯s scolding obediently. After an incense stick of time, she came out of the Benevolent Harmony Hall and complained to the nanny angrily. ¡°I¡¯m also thinking about the future of the Marquis Mansion. Kang Wang¡¯s future is unknown. This marriage should be considered at length!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not asking Rong¡¯er to annul the engagement. I just want to advise Mother-in-law not to be anxious lest the Marquis Mansion falls into it.¡± ¡°I was thinking about the Marquis Mansion, but my mother-in-law embarrassed me in front of the juniors and servants¡­¡± It II Madam Wang wasn¡¯t stupid. Her words avoided people complaining to the nanny in private. From the corner of her eye, she saw a calico cat walking out of the Benevolent Harmony Hall with its tail raised. That elegant back view was extremely arrogant. Not only did Madam Wang see the cat, but the servants of Benevolent Harmony Hall also saw the cat. They all watched it leave reluctantly. The cat left Benevolent Harmony Hall so brazenly and ran all the way to the northeast, flying back to Yuheng Garden. ¡°Meow!¡± The cat didn¡¯t go through the front door. It nimbly climbed up a tree and leisurely circled between tree crowns before entering Gu Yanfei¡¯s small study through a window in the backyard. Gu Yanfei sat in front of the desk by the window. She was holding a white scarf in her hand and wiping an old copper coin carefully. There were four old copper coins on the desk in front of her. They were wiped clean and spotless. After wiping the copper coin in her hand clean, Gu Yanfei placed it together with the other four on the table and rearranged it. She smiled in satisfaction. The five Heavenly Emperors of the East, South, West, North, and Central were all here. Gu Yanfei had searched the antique shops in the capital for a few days before she could gather all the money. Gu Yanfei strung the five copper coins together with a red line and braided a big red tassel before hanging it below. ¡°Meow!¡± When Qing Guang saw the big red tassel, it was happy and determined that it was a tassel made by her master. It jumped lightly from the window sill to the table and stretched out its claws to scratch the string of five emperors¡¯ coins. This is mine now! The cat was very fast, but Gu Yanfei was even faster. She raised her hand and grabbed the string of five emperors¡¯ coins in his palm, preventing the cat from scratching it. ¡°It¡¯s not for you.¡± Gu Yanfei reached out and adjusted the string of five emperors¡¯ money and the big red tassel. ¡°This is for peace.¡± The five emperors¡¯ coins could ward off evil spirits and villains. They could even bring prosperity. It was suitable for girls to carry around like this. It could be worn on the side of the waist or hidden in a purse or sleeve bag. The cat felt wronged and meowed a few times. It rubbed against Gu Yanfei¡¯s sleeve and whined. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll make one for you next time.¡± Gu Yanfei patted the cat¡¯s head comfortingly. The cat was finally satisfied. It rubbed its fluffy cheeks against her again, its white beard trembling. Gu Yanfei scratched the cat¡¯s chin twice and took out a talisman from the bib to put around the cat¡¯s neck. There were several twisted and complicated runes drawn on the pale yellow talisman paper with red cinnabar. Gu Yanfei¡¯s lips moved slightly as she threw the talisman into the air. A corner of the talisman burned. At the same time, three familiar figures appeared on the talisman. They were Madam Gu, Gu Yunrong, and Madam Wang¡­ Unfortunately, the image on the talisman wasn¡¯t very clear and was intermittent. ¡°Meow, meow, meow¡­¡± The cat saw it too. It waved its claws at the three people who appeared on the talisman paper and meowed non-stop. Gu Yanfei still didn¡¯t understand what the cat was saying, but she could guess what had happened in the Benevolent Harmony Hall from the silent scene on the talisman. This was a photographic talisman she had drawn. Unfortunately, it was only a semi-finished product. After a while, the talisman paper was completely burned to ashes. The blurry image disappeared. When the wind blew, the ashes in the air were instantly blown away by the wind, leaving not even a speck of dust behind.. Chapter 371 - Chapter 371: Promise (1) Chapter 371: Promise (1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Gu Yanfei touched her chin and muttered to herself, ¡°It seems like this method is feasible.¡± Talismans like photographic talismans required spiritual power. Just the little bit of spiritual power nourished by the white jade plum blossom hairpin on her head was not enough. It was like she needed one ingot of silver, but she only had five copper coins in hand. The difference was really too great. This time, she had also been inspired by the spirit gathering and luck borrowing array. She tried to draw an array on the talisman paper, which was why she could draw this semi-finished product with a slightly inferior effect. Yes, it could barely be used. Gu Yanfei snapped her fingers in satisfaction. She was in a very good mood. She took two more photo-recording talismans from under the paperweight beside her and stuffed them into the bib around the cat¡¯s neck. She muttered to herself, ¡°These are the only two. I have to use them sparingly.¡± It wasn¡¯t easy to draw a complicated array formation on this small talisman paper. It had to be done in one stroke. It couldn¡¯t be broken in the middle, nor could it be drawn wrongly. Otherwise, all their previous efforts would be in vain. ¡­.. The cat stuck out its flexible pink tongue and licked the tip of Gu Yanfei¡¯s finger. It made Gu Yanfei chuckle. ¡°Meow, meow, meow!¡± Qing Guang meowed happily again. One moment, she pointed out of the window with her front paws, and the next, she danced around, trying to show off that everyone liked it. Its complacency and smugness were almost written all over its round cat face. Gu Yanfei laughed and shook her head, pretending not to understand. ¡°Meow, meow, meow!¡± The cat was anxious. It grabbed her sleeve and wanted to pull her out. At this moment, Juan Bi happened to enter through the curtain. She exclaimed and asked casually, ¡°Miss, does Qing Guang want you to go out?¡± With that, Juan Bi thought of something and complained angrily, ¡°Grand Madam is too much. You didn¡¯t do anything wrong. She grounded you for no reason!¡± ¡°She has already locked you up for five days.¡± The more Juan Bi spoke, the more indignant she became. Ever since the night of the 19th of the first month, after receiving the news that Kang Wang¡¯s Mansion was coming to make a small engagement request, Gu Yanfei had been ¡°restricted¡± in Yuheng Garden. Even Juan Bi was forbidden to leave the courtyard. Every day, an old woman would bring them food from the kitchen. Gu Yanfei didn¡¯t care about this so-called ¡°grounding¡± at all. She knew that Gu Yunrong and Kang Wang were each other¡¯s destiny. Even if there were any twists and turns in their marriage, it would definitely succeed. Moreover, she had no reason to stop it. She wasn¡¯t Fang Mingfeng! In the past five days, Gu Yanfei had been holed up in Yuheng Garden in ¡°closed-door cultivation¡±. She ate and slept every day, sleeping and eating. She slept day and night before barely replenishing the vitality she had lost a while ago. Since she had nothing to do, she drew a few more commonly used talismans and placed them in her purse. She had even successfully drawn this photographic talisman in the past few days. Speaking of which, this ¡°closed-door cultivation¡± could be considered a fruitful harvest. ¡°Meow!¡± The cat continued to bite her sleeve. Its sharp teeth pierced the material of the sleeve and left saliva marks on it. It looked like it was going to fight to the death. Cats had always been self-willed and willful. Sometimes, they didn¡¯t want to talk to people and liked to hide quietly. Sometimes, they liked to go to crowded places to join in the fun and accept the admiration and worship of all living beings. Anyway, as long as they liked it, they liked to force others to listen to them. Gu Yanfei counted with her fingers and said to Juan Bi with a smile, ¡°Let¡¯s go out and take a look.¡± Whether she wanted to go out or not had nothing to do with this ¡°grounding order¡±. Gu Yanfei left immediately and brought Juan Bi out of Yuheng Garden. The cat habitually laid on Gu Yanfei¡¯s shoulder and acted as a scarf for her. There were two old maids sent by Madam Gu guarding the entrance of Yuheng Garden. However, the cat only took a glance at them, and the two old maids forgot everything. They only cared about looking at the cat in a daze. The calico cat meowed proudly at Gu Yanfei a few times, full of energy and high spirits. The cat wanted to bring Gu Yanfei to the garden, but Gu Yanfei ignored its objections and went straight to the martial arts arena. The Marquis Mansion in early spring was full of vitality. Fresh green buds grew between the treetops and bushes. Flower buds were budding under the sun, and the air was fresh. There was no one in the martial arts arena, not even a servant. When the cat saw two sparrows flying past, it chased after them and ran around the martial arts arena, meowing one after another. After Gu Yanfei casually stretched her muscles, she bent her bow and nocked an arrow. She hadn¡¯t practiced archery in days. Her first arrow was a little jerky, but it still hit the bull¡¯s eye. By the second arrow, her movements were a little smoother. Like moving clouds and flowing water, she hit the bull¡¯s eye again.. Chapter 372 - Chapter 372: Promise (2) Chapter 372: Promise (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The two consecutive arrows hit the bull¡¯s eye, causing Juan Bi to applaud warmly. Clap, clap, clap! Juan Bi clapped excitedly and cheered. ¡°My Lady, you won again!¡± ¡°You hit three arrows in a row. Your archery skills aren¡¯t inferior to the Eldest Young Master¡¯s.¡± The arrow that hit the bull¡¯s eye shook the target and attracted the cat. It excitedly scratched the white feather on the tail of the arrow, making a clicking sound. Not far behind, a young man in a royal blue lapel jacket strolled into the martial arts arena from the entrance with a long bow. He pursed his lips tightly and his handsome face was tense as he looked at Gu Yanfei with a deep gaze. Juan Bi saw him first and curtsied. ¡°Second Young Master.¡± ¡­.. The person who came was Gu Jian and the eldest son of the Wang family, Gu Xiao, the second son of the Marquis Mansion. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Gu Xiao had his hands behind his back and was holding a long bow. He walked arrogantly in Gu Yanfei¡¯s direction and said coldly, ¡°Go away. Who said you can use this martial arts arena?!¡± Gu Xiao¡¯s eyes were bright and sharp. When he looked at Gu Yanfei, he didn¡¯t hide the disgust in his expression. Ever since his second cousin returned to the residence, she had caused chaos in the residence. In the past three months, she hadn¡¯t stopped. Gu Yanfei held the bull-horn bow in one hand and said with a faint smile, ¡°If I remember correctly, this martial arts arena was built by my late father back then. Why can¡¯t I use it?¡± She casually pulled the bowstring. The bowstring buzzed, as if demonstrating and provoking. ¡°Eldest Uncle didn¡¯t repair this martial arts arena with the money from the Marquis Mansion!¡± Gu Xiao raised his neck self-righteously and took another step closer to Gu Yanfei. Gu Xiao was a year younger than Gu Yanfei. The two of them were the same height. When their eyes met, there seemed to be sparks flying and swords were drawn. ¡°Eldest Uncle is a traitor. He¡¯s not worthy of being a member of the Gu family at all. If not for my father, this Marquis Mansion would have been lost long ago. Now, this Marquis Mansion belongs to my father.¡± When he mentioned Gu Ce, Gu Xiao curled his lips in disdain and glared at Gu Yanfei arrogantly. ¡°It¡¯s my father¡¯s kindness. Otherwise, he would have chased Big Brother and you out long ago.¡± The young man¡¯s eyes ignited with burning flames. His voice became sharper and more indignant. Last time, his eldest cousin, Gu Yuan, hurt his father. After that, not only did he not feel guilty at all, but he even left in front of the guests, embarrassing him! If the Dingyuan Marquis Household didn¡¯t have the eldest brother and sister, the residence would be much more peaceful! ¡°It¡¯s hard to say who will chase who out!¡± Gu Yanfei tilted her head and looked at Gu Xiao. There was a smile on her lips, and her eyes were deep. A moment ago, she was still smiling. A moment later, her face stiffened, and she spat out a word coldly. ¡°Scram.¡± She drew an arrow from the quiver, nocked it, and drew the bow skillfully. In a breath, the arrow left the bow. ¡°Swoosh!¡± The arrow brushed past Gu Xiao¡¯s check like lightning, and the strong wind blew a strand of his hair¡­ Gu Xiao stood rooted to the ground in a daze. Before he could react, the arrow had already accurately hit the target behind him. The third arrow hit the bull¡¯s eye again. It was steady, accurate, and ruthless. ¡°Are¡­ are you crazy?!¡± Gu Xiao was shocked by this sudden arrow. His chest heaved violently. He raised his hand to touch his cheek and felt that the place where the arrow had brushed past was burning. The young man was shocked and furious. A wave of anger rushed to his head, burning him until he lost all rationality. He suddenly took two steps forward, raised his right arm, and slapped Gu Yanfei, planning to teach this wild girl a lesson. However, his palm stopped a foot away from Gu Yanfei. His right wrist was grabbed tightly. The girl¡¯s fingers were slender, but they were as strong as iron pincers. It was so painful that his face twisted. Gu Xiao kicked Gu Yanfei¡¯s calf again, but Gu Yanfei¡¯s reaction was even faster. He grabbed Gu Xiao¡¯s right wrist and pulled his arm behind him. At the same time, he kicked Gu Xiao¡¯s calf. This kick really hurt. Gu Xiao let out a scream like a pig being slaughtered and knelt on one knee in a sorry state. A few strands of her originally neatly combed hair had also scattered. ¡°Gu, Yan, Fei!¡± His forehead was already covered in cold sweat. He looked up at Gu Yanfei with a trace of resentment in his eyes. However, he saw Gu Yanfei draw another arrow from the quiver and slowly nock it to the bow again. The arrow was aimed at Gu Xiao. The girl looked down at Gu Xiao, who was kneeling on one knee. Her tone was extremely cold and arrogant. ¡°I¡¯ll say this today. This Marquis Mansion belongs to our eldest branch. It belongs to my brother.¡± ¡°So is this title!¡± She pulled the bowstring to the full and drew it like a full moon¡­ The sharp tip of the arrow flashed with a chilling light in the sunlight. Gu Xiao¡¯s pupils constricted as he took two steps back. He flicked his sleeves heavily and said, ¡°Only women and villains are difficult to raise.¡± He walked out of the martial arts arena quickly in a huff, looking like he was fleeing. ¡°Meow! Meow!¡± The cat cheered for Gu Yanfei by the target and felt that its master had some of its elegance. Gu Yanfei maintained the posture of drawing the bow and slightly changed the direction of the bow in her hand. A sharp glint flashed across her eyes as she decisively released the bowstring. A series of movements were carried out with ease. The arrow left the bow again and shot accurately into another target not far away. This time, Juan Bi couldn¡¯t smile anymore. She said slowly, ¡°My Lady, Second Young Master will complain, right?¡± Gu Yanfei rubbed the bow in her hand and a meaningful smile appeared on her face. She casually glanced at the exit of the martial arts arena. Of course he had to tell his father! Gu Xiao, who had been hiding outside the martial arts arena, thought mockingly. He touched the long bow in his hand with a gloomy expression. Wasn¡¯t it too cowardly to leave just like that? He had to teach her a lesson. Gu Xiao drew an arrow, nocked an arrow, and drew a bow. The tip of the arrow was aimed at Gu Yanfei¡¯s bun from behind a bush¡­ He began to imagine how she would be so frightened that her face would turn pale and tears would flow. In the next moment, Gu Yanfei¡¯s cold voice sounded again in the martial arts arena. ¡°Big Brother has contributed to Feng He¡¯s death. The Eldest Prince promised that he would definitely let Big Brother have his wish.¡± What did she mean?! Gu Xiao¡¯s heart beat faster, and the bowstring slowly relaxed, her eyes filled with surprise.. Chapter 373 - Chapter 373: Decision (1) Chapter 373: Decision (1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Gu Xiao gripped his bow tightly and pricked up his ears for a while. He only heard the sound of arrows shooting from time to time in the martial arts arena, and there was no more sound. Recalling what Gu Yanfei had said just now, Gu Xiao suppressed the anger in his heart and quietly bowed as he left. He walked faster and faster. He first rushed to the outer study to look for Gu Jian, but he ran away empty-handed. When he found out that Gu Jian had gone to the main courtyard, he rushed back to the main courtyard again. ¡°Second Young Master!¡± Amidst the exclamations of the servants, Gu Xiao rushed into the east room like a gust of wind. Gu Jian and Madam Wang looked at him when they heard the commotion. Gu Jian frowned slightly. He felt that his eldest son was already so old, but he was still so rash. Gu Xiao¡¯s face was ashen, and his entire body exuded a cold aura. ¡­.. He didn¡¯t even bow to his parents. As soon as he opened his mouth, he mentioned that he had just met Gu Yanfei in the martial arts arena and repeated what Gu Yanfei had said just now. ¡°¡­She said that the Marquis Mansion and the title belong to Big Brother.¡± ¡°She also said that Big Brother had contributed to Feng He¡¯s death. The Eldest Prince promised that he would definitely let Big Brother have his wish.¡± Veins appeared on Gu Xiao¡¯s forehead as he panted slightly. Gu Jian and the Wang couple¡¯s expressions became uglier and uglier. When he heard the last sentence, Gu Jian frowned tightly in thought. Seeing that her father didn¡¯t speak for a long time, Gu Xiao¡¯s grievances, anger, and heartache mixed together. He asked firmly, ¡°Father, you still haven¡¯t appointed me as the heir. Do you want to pass the title to Big Brother?¡± ¡°Could it be that you picked me up?¡± ¡°In other residences, the eldest son of the first wife has long been appointed as the heir, but I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°Father, Mother, do you know that I can¡¯t raise my head outside for the past two years? Everyone is pointing fingers at me behind my back¡­¡± Gu Xiao was so excited that his voice almost broke. His eyes were red as he vented all the grievances in his heart over the years and his unwillingness to suffer at Gu Yanfei¡¯s hands. He was a little angry and frustrated. Anger surged in Gu Jian¡¯s heart. He slammed his palm on the coffee table and scolded unhappily, ¡°Unfilial son, what nonsense are you talking about?!¡± ¡°How can you say such things so casually?!¡± Gu Jian¡¯s eyebrows twitched. He was so angry that his beard and hair were spewing out. His face alternated between green and black. ¡°¡­¡± Gu Xiao pursed her lips into a stubborn smile and turned her face away. The atmosphere between father and son suddenly froze. Madam Wang noticed that her son looked a little disheveled. Her heart ached as she patted the dust off her son¡¯s robe and tidied his hair. ¡°Brother Xiao, how did you end up like this? Are you injured?¡± The scene of being beaten up by Gu Yanfei in the martial arts arena until he couldn¡¯t fight back appeared in front of Gu Xiao¡¯s eyes again. The young man¡¯s precarious self-esteem made him really unable to say it. He said stiffly, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Madam Wang knew that her son was stubborn. She pulled his hand and advised him gently, ¡°Xiao¡¯er, don¡¯t you know that you¡¯ll hurt your father and I by saying such angry words just now?¡± ¡°Do you think your father and I don¡¯t want to make you the heir as soon as possible? Your father is even more anxious about this than you!¡± Madam Wang sighed faintly as tears welled up in her eyes. She gestured with her eyes for Gu Xiao to apologize to his father, but Gu Xiao was at the most stubborn age of 13 or 14 years old. She pursed her lips and didn¡¯t say anything. Madam Wang tugged at Gu Xiao¡¯s sleeve again. Gu Xiao went forward with a stiff expression. He bowed to Gu Jian reluctantly and admitted his mistake. ¡°I was impulsive.¡± Gu Jian wasn¡¯t really angry to begin with. His expression softened a little as he picked up the teacup and took two sips. Madam Wang pulled the arrogant Gu Xiao to sit down on the bed and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief. She composed herself and said, with some worry and uneasiness, ¡°Marquis, that girl Gu Yanfei said that Brother Yuan has contributed to Feng He¡¯s death. The Eldest Prince promised that he would definitely let him have his wish.¡± ¡°I got my wish¡­ Do you think Brother Yuan really wants to snatch the title?¡± ¡°If the Eldest Prince is determined to help Brother Yuan fight for this title, what should we do?¡± It was as if countless ants were crawling in Madam Wang¡¯s heart. Her eyes began to turn red again as she sat uneasily. It had been eight years since Gu Jian¡¯s appointment, but he had never been able to name a successor. It wasn¡¯t that he was unwilling to appoint someone, but all the memorials handed over had been rejected. This was also a sore point for the Wang family. As long as her son wasn¡¯t appointed as the heir, Madam Wang would feel that the title of Marquis was meaningless. It was like a beautiful dream and they didn¡¯t know when they would wake up.. Chapter 374 - Chapter 374: Decision (2) Chapter 374: Decision (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Gu Xiao also looked at Gu Jian with a burning gaze and anxiety. ¡°¡­¡± Gu Jian put down the teacup in his hand in frustration and made a sound. He had just given the Emperor a memorial to propose a prince before the new year, but this time, it was still like a stone sinking into the sea. What choice did he have?! Initially, Gu Jian wasn¡¯t too worried. After all, with Gu Ce¡¯s treason, the Emperor wouldn¡¯t give the title to Gu Yuan no matter what. The appointment of the heir could be considered at length. But now, Gu Jian was uncertain. There was a hint of hesitation in his eyes, and his heart sank slightly. If the Eldest Prince interfered, it would be hard to say. Even though he wasn¡¯t confident, Gu Jian still said, ¡°No way.¡± ¡­.. ¡°Why not!¡± Madam Wang couldn¡¯t help but raise her voice. The anger he had held back at Benevolent Harmony Hall exploded again. ¡°Rong¡¯er is about to marry Kang Wang. Our second branch will have an unclear relationship with Kang Wang in the future.¡± ¡°Kang Wang and the Eldest Prince are now opposing each other. Who do you think the Eldest Prince will help?¡± To the Eldest Prince, supporting Gu Yuan was tantamount to suppressing Kang Wang¡¯s party. It was obvious. Even without Feng He¡¯s death now, the Eldest Prince would definitely stand on Gu Yuan¡¯s side, just like how Kang Wang would stand on the second branch¡¯s side because of Gu Yunrong. Madam Wang panicked. Her fingers clenched the handkerchief with a pale face as she stammered, ¡°Besides, it¡¯s not certain who will be the last one¡­¡± At this point, Madam Wang shut her mouth and pointed at the sky with a dark gaze. It meant that, between Kang Wang and the Eldest Prince, only one could ascend to that supreme position. If the Eldest Prince really took over, the second branch would definitely not be able to keep their title. Gu Jian naturally understood what the Wang family hadn¡¯t finished. His expression was dark. Gu Xiao, who was beside him, was silent for a moment. He interrupted with a straight face, ¡°Father, you didn¡¯t see it just now. Gu Yanfei even shot an arrow at my face in the martial arts arena just now. Fortunately, 1 dodged quickly¡­¡± With that, he pointed to his right cheek. When Madam Wang heard this, her expression changed drastically. She leaned over nervously to take a look. ¡°Xiao;er, your face¡­¡± At this moment, Madam Wang realized that a small piece of skin on her son¡¯s cheek was a little red. Her eyes widened in heartache, and she was so angry that her body was trembling. She had pampered her precious son since he was young and had never beaten or scolded him. However, he had almost been disfigured by a little b*tch. Gu Jian suddenly stood up and paced back and forth in the room with his hands behind his back, his mind in a mess. Madam Wang continued complaining, ¡°Marquis, Gu Yanfei is too ruthless. Other than Yuan¡¯er, she has no feelings for the Marquis Mansion at all. She clearly knows that Rong¡¯er is going to marry Kang Wang, but she still insisted on getting close to the Eldest Prince and forced the Marquis Mansion into a dilemma.¡± ¡°Now, she¡¯s even more overboard!¡± ¡°She clearly wants to disfigure Xiao¡¯er this time and make him look bad so that he won¡¯t be able to be a prince.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Gu Jian suddenly stopped and stood in the shadow of the multi-treasure pavilion. His face hidden in the shadow was slightly gloomy. Unlike Madam Wang, Madam Gu had already secretly told him about the ¡°substitute.¡± Only then did Gu Jian know that Gu Ce wasn¡¯t his biological brother. Obviously, Gu Yuan and Gu Yanfei also knew. Behind him, Madam Wang was still nagging, but it could no longer reach Gu Jian¡¯s ears. Gu Jian secretly clenched his fists with a gloomy expression. All these years, he had been very good to the eldest branch. He had sent Gu Yuan to study. If Gu Yuan wanted to give up literature to pursue martial arts, he would let him. Before Gu Yunrong¡¯s identity was exposed, he had also treated this niece of the eldest branch as his own. However, Gu Yuan was an ingrate. For so many years, he had been coveting the title, completely ignoring the fact that his father, Gu Ce, had committed a mortal sin. Like father, like son! If he didn¡¯t completely cut off Gu Yuan¡¯s thoughts, if he didn¡¯t completely step Gu Yuan into the mud, he would only raise a tiger and cause trouble. If he was indecisive, he would be harmed. Gu Jian¡¯s eyes suddenly turned ruthless. He finally made up his mind and walked out of the house resolutely. Behind him, Madam Wang¡¯s slightly sharp voice came. ¡°Marquis! Marquis, where are you going?¡± Gu Jian went out as if he hadn¡¯t heard anything. After he left the main courtyard, he headed west. Madam Wang was the matriarch of the Marquis Mansion, so the Marquis Mansion¡¯s matters naturally couldn¡¯t be hidden from her ears. After a while, she received the news that Gu Jian had gone to Benevolent Harmony Hall. Madam Wang was looking forward to it and asked Gu Xiao to stay in the main courtyard for lunch. After lunch, Madam Wang was getting impatient. Gu Jian finally returned and said in a deep voice, ¡°Mother went to the palace.¡± Madam Gu had indeed entered the palace. She knelt outside the door with big makeup and even handed a note to apologize on behalf of her grandson, Gu Yuan. The memorial said that his grandson, Gu Yuan, had always been stubborn and irritable. He was as unruly as his father. That was why he had killed the capital¡¯s magistrate, Feng He, on impulse. It also emphasized that Gu Yuan had killed on impulse and not under the instructions of the Eldest Prince. This memo was sent directly to Yangxin Hall. Chu Yi immediately got someone to call Gu Yuan over and then threw the memorial to him. He only said calmly, ¡°Take a day off today and go home. Come back tomorrow to be on duty.¡± After reading the memorials quickly, Gu Yuan thanked her and left. He knew that Madam Gu was kneeling at the door and specially walked through it. From afar, he saw a graceful Madam Gu kneeling on the ground. Madam Gu was wearing gorgeous and heavy makeup. The heavy crown seemed to crush her neck, but her back was still straight. Madam Gu also saw Gu Yuan walking towards her. The grandfather and granddaughter looked at each other from afar.. Chapter 375 - Chapter 375: Separation (1) Chapter 375: Separation (1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The Meridian Gate was a must-pass for officials to enter the palace. Be it entering the palace to meet the Emperor, going to the Cabinet Hall, or going to the Wenyuan Pavilion, the Literary Hall, or other places, they had to pass through the Meridian Gate. Madam Gu¡¯s upright kneeling on the ground naturally attracted the gazes of some passing officials, and they couldn¡¯t help but speculate. At this moment, Madam Gu couldn¡¯t care less about the others around her. She stared at Gu Yuan, who was getting closer and closer, without blinking. Her eyes darkened. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Gu Yuan stopped three steps away. His tall and handsome figure cast a shadow on Madam Gu. His words sounded like concern, but both sides knew that he wasn¡¯t sincere at all. Against the light, Gu Yuan¡¯s handsome face was blurry. He was still saying calmly, ¡°It¡¯s cold here. It won¡¯t be good if Madam is sick.¡± ¡­.. ¡°Although Sister is at home, Grand Madam feels that she¡¯s not Sister¡¯s biological grandmother. Sister won¡¯t try her best to save her.¡± Gu Yuan¡¯s words ended with a faint sigh. Madam Gu¡¯s eyes moved, and she panicked for a moment, as if her hidden illness had been exposed in public. She subconsciously looked around and saw a few officials pointing at her and Gu Yuan from 30 to 40 feet away. A hint of embarrassment appeared on Madam Gu¡¯s dignified face, but it quickly disappeared and she regained her composure. She told herself: This was a situation she¡¯d expected before she came here. She dug her nails into her palms and quickly adjusted her emotions. She quickly calmed down and looked up at Gu Yuan calmly. ¡°Yuan¡¯er, although your father, Gu Ce, was born by a concubine, he has been under my name since he was young. I treat him as my own and have never treated him badly. I even let him inherit the Marquis Mansion¡¯s title.¡± ¡°All these years, I¡¯ve forgotten that 1 didn¡¯t give birth to your father.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always done my best for the eldest branch. I have a clear conscience.¡± ¡°But from your father to you, you were all disloyal and unrighteous. You made a huge mistake.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a violent person. You killed the capital magistrate, Feng He, at Chengtian Gate. It¡¯s my fault for not raising you well. Today, I¡¯m willing to take the blame. I only hope that the Emperor can spare your life.¡± Madam Gu¡¯s voice was full of energy and power. She looked righteous and hoped that the officials nearby could hear her clearly. Her words seemed to have already sentenced Gu Yuan to death. She positioned herself as the grandmother who put righteousness before family, who came today to beg the Emperor to exempt Gu Yuan from the death penalty. The officials, who were about 10 feet away, indeed heard it clearly. They were all shocked and looked at each other. The Marquis of Dingyuan, Gu Ce, was actually only the son of a concubine?! Even if he was registered under Madam Gu¡¯s name, he was still a concubine¡¯s son. Gu Yuan was still staring at Madam Gu, who was kneeling on the ground and much shorter than him. His thin lips were pursed into a straight line. Although he had long known that the Great Madam wasn¡¯t his biological grandmother and had long abandoned his previous feelings for her, at this moment, he still couldn¡¯t help but feel a little cold, as if he had been ruthlessly stabbed by an invisible ice blade. The two of them looked at each other, as if they were in a showdown without blades and shadows. Sparks appeared in the air. Madam Gu knelt on the ground, but her chin was raised high. She was clearly looking up at Gu Yuan from below, but she seemed to be high in the air. Her deep and fierce gaze seemed to pass through Gu Yuan and look at another person who wasn¡¯t here. Her eyes and expression seemed to proudly declare that she was the winner. Everything in the Dingyuan Marquis Household was hers! Gu Yuan narrowed his long and cold eyes and stared at Madam Gu for another three breaths before walking past her. He walked with his head held high, and his footsteps were strong. There was no longing or fear. After passing through the gate and leaving the palace through the Chengtian Gate, Gu Yuan rode his horse straight back to the Dingyuan Marquis Household and went to the Yuheng Garden to tell Gu Yanfei that Madam Gu was kneeling at the entrance. He even told him about Madam Gu¡¯s ¡°good intentions¡± declaration. ¡°Sister, let¡¯s split up. We ll move today.¡± Gu Yuan said with a calm and resolute expression. There was no joy, no sadness, no resentment, and no regret. The Marquis Mansion was no longer their home. Gu Yanfei personally poured a glass of water for Gu Yuan and handed it to him. She corrected him calmly. ¡°It¡¯s time to separate.¡± ¡°But moving¡­¡± She paused and said slowly, ¡°Not necessarily.¡± Gu Yuan felt that his sister was hiding something. He raised his eyebrows, took the wine from his sister, and finished it in one gulp.. Chapter 376 - Chapter 376: Separation (2) Chapter 376: Separation (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Gu Yanfei shook the empty wine jar. She was still a little unsatisfied, but she didn¡¯t let Juan Bi refill her wine and slowly got up instead. ¡°Big Brother, let¡¯s find Second Uncle to split up the family.¡± Be it Gu Jian or Gu Xiao, didn¡¯t they all say that she was a troublemaker? This time, she would let them see what a real troublemaker was. The siblings left Yuheng Garden together. The sleeping cat looked lazily at the siblings. In the end, its curiosity to watch the show was defeated by sleepiness, and it closed its eyes to sleep again. Outside the window, the trees and bushes danced in the breeze. The atmosphere was quiet and leisurely. It was a good time to take an afternoon nap. However, the same sound sounded dull to the uneasy Gu Jian. ¡­.. ¡°Marquis, Eldest Young Master and Second Lady are here.¡± The servant girl¡¯s report seemed to reach Gu Jian¡¯s ears from afar. Gu Jian took a moment to realize that Gu Yuan had returned from the palace. Madam Wang was also uneasy. She twisted the handkerchief in her hand repeatedly and frowned. ¡°Marquis, why is Brother Yuan back? Could it be that he knows that Mother ¡®entered the palace¡¯?¡± Ever since Madam Gu entered the palace, Madam Wang has been both expectant and uneasy. Her heart was beating wildly like a drum. ¡°What do you think?¡± Gu Jian asked instead of answering. He glanced at Wang indifferently. There was no doubt that Gu Yuan knew. After Gu Yuan was transferred to the Divine Arms Battalion, he nominally belonged to the throne guard, but he followed the Eldest Prince all day long. He was clearly the Eldest Prince¡¯s personal guard. Usually, Gu Yuan was basically in the palace. He would only return to the residence once every ten days or half a month. It had only been five days since Gu Yuan¡¯s last break. He must have returned now because of Great Madam. Gu Jian picked up the blue and white porcelain teacup beside him and slowly used the tea lid to brush away the floating leaves on the teapot. His heart, which had been in a mess just now, suddenly calmed down. He thought to himself, ¡°Although Mother¡¯s memorial seems to absolve the Eldest Prince of Feng He¡¯s death on the surface, it¡¯s actually roasting the Eldest Prince over the fire and using Gu Yuan to point his sword at the Eldest Prince.¡± Now, the Eldest Prince probably felt that Gu Yuan was a burden, right? Madam Wang thought for a moment and understood. She exchanged glances with Gu Jian and suppressed the joy in her hearts. ¡°Marquis, Yuan¡¯er is here to beg for mercy, right?¡± After taking two sips of tea, Gu Jian felt refreshed. He said calmly, ¡°No.¡± He wanted to make the eldest branch siblings anxious and let them know what it meant to be high and mighty. The servant girl who came to report stammered, ¡°Marquis, Eldest Young Master said that he¡¯s here to discuss the separation of the family with you.¡± Gu Jian¡¯s expression changed instantly. His hand trembled, and hot tea overflowed from the cup and flowed between his fingers. He thought that Gu Yuan was here to ask for mercy and wanted to beg him to persuade Madam to settle the matter peacefully. He didn¡¯t expect this kid to not only not lower his head, but also use the separation of the family to go against him. Did he want the world to doubt his uncle¡¯s kindness? Gu Jian was furious, but Madam Wang was overjoyed and felt that splitting up was a good idea. During this period of time, Madam Wang was also afraid. They were afraid that if the Eldest Prince and Kang Wang fought, the Dingyuan Marquis Household wouldn¡¯t be in favor of them. Therefore, they wanted to delay Gu Yunrong¡¯s marriage with Kang Wang. After Madam Gu entered the palace just now, Gu Jian carefully analyzed the current situation for her, making her realize that the Marquis Mansion could only rely on Kang Wang. Now, it was best to kick out the eldest branch. In the future, no matter what happened to the eldest branch, it wouldn¡¯t implicate their second branch. Madam Wang didn¡¯t notice that Gu Jian¡¯s hand was scalded by the tea. She quickly pulled Gu Jian¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Marquis.¡± Meeting Madam Wang¡¯s happy eyes, Gu Jian could guess what she was thinking. He couldn¡¯t help but think about how short-sighted she was. Gu Jian put down the teacup heavily and said coldly with a dark expression, ¡°Let them in.¡± The servant girl could naturally feel the stagnant atmosphere in the room. She didn¡¯t dare to say a word and only responded obediently before quickly leaving. The curtain fell, and soon, someone beat her up again. Gu Yuan and Gu Yanfei walked into the east room one after another and walked towards Gu Jian and his wife, who were sitting on the bed. Gu Yuan stopped three or four steps away. Without any pleasantries, he went straight to the point. ¡°Marquis, let¡¯s split up.¡± Gu Yuan only addressed Gu Jian as Marquis¡¯ and not Second Uncle¡¯. It was equivalent to drawing a deep ravine between the two of them and cutting off their relationship. When Gu Jian heard this, his face was as cold as ice. His gaze swept sharply across Gu Yuan¡¯s face. His nephew was really unruly! The atmosphere in the room became even colder and more solemn. There was a faint chill in the air. Gu Yuan looked straight at Gu Jian¡¯s angry eyes with a cold expression and said loudly, ¡°The Marquis and the Great Madam have always been on guard against our eldest branch. They¡¯re also afraid that the eldest branch will cause trouble for the Marquis. In that case, why forcefully tie them together?¡± ¡°After the separation of the family, the eldest branch will belong to the eldest branch, and the marquis will belong to the marquis.¡± ¡°The eldest branch won¡¯t come to bask in your glory, but if you provoke any major crimes in the future, don¡¯t implicate the eldest branch.¡± The 17-year-old had long grown into a seven-foot-tall man. His figure was tall and straight, he stood there like a mountain, emitting an indestructible aura. It was as if no one and nothing in this world could shake him at all. Gu Yanfei was standing beside Gu Yuan. He looked calm, and his eyes were cold. To her, this scene wasn¡¯t unfamiliar. It made her feel like she had suddenly returned to her previous life. In her previous life, her brother¡¯s leg was crippled, but even so, he still had his pride. Later on, he stood in front of his uncle like this and asked to be separated from the rest of the family. Her brother had never changed.. Chapter 377 - Chapter 377: Showing Weakness (1) Chapter 377: Showing Weakness (1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Do you know what you¡¯re talking about?!¡± Gu Jian didn¡¯t expect Gu Yuan to say such words. He was so angry that he gritted his teeth. Gu Yuan smiled proudly and sneered. ¡°It¡¯s also to prevent Great Madam from reporting me for no reason.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a man. It¡¯s fine if I¡¯m criticized by others, but if Madam suddenly goes to report my sister another day, 1 won¡¯t let it slide. Girls are like porcelain and are easily broken. You can¡¯t bump into them.¡± ¡°Ridiculous!¡± Gu Jian slammed the coffee table, causing the teacup to tremble slightly. Gu Yuan was clearly saying that porcelain shouldn¡¯t be touched by rotten tiles. If Gu Yanfei was porcelain, then who was rotten tile?! ¡°Gu Yuan, you killed the magistrate and caused trouble for the family. Your grandmother apologized in place of you with a loving heart, but you¡¯re holding a grudge against your elders!¡± Gu Jian called out his name sternly. His face was so dark that ink was about to drip out. Gu Yuan was about to say something else when he felt his right sleeve tighten. In the next moment, he saw Gu Yanfei say with a faint smile, ¡°Brother, I met Brother Xiao at the martial arts arena today. You haven¡¯t seen him for a while, right? It¡¯s only been a few months, but Brother Xiao has already grown to be as tall as me.¡± ¡­.. The girl spoke unhurriedly. Her voice was crisp and bright, like a gentle spring breeze brushing across an ice-covered lake, or like a pool of spring water that was about to break through the ice. Anyone else would probably think that Gu Yanfei and Gu Xiao had grown up together and had a deep sibling relationship. ¡°¡­¡± Madam Wang¡¯s plump body tensed up as she recalled how Gu Xiao¡¯s face had been cut by Gu Yanfei¡¯s arrow today. She only had Brother Xiao as her legitimate son. Madam Wang panicked. Using the coffee table as a cover, she secretly pulled Gu Jian¡¯s sleeve. Hearing Gu Yanfei mention the martial arts arena, Gu Jian¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He looked back and forth at the siblings and felt his right shoulder and forearm start to ache. Ever since he was injured in the martial arts arena, he couldn¡¯t use his right arm at all. He was afraid that he would never be able to draw the bow and shoot an arrow again. His niece was the most scheming and arrogant. Now that she had the Eldest Prince as her backing, she was even more lawless. If this pair of siblings were ruthless and hurt their son¡¯s right arm, could their son still be the heir?! Just thinking about it made Gu Jian¡¯s hair stand on end, and he panicked. This pair of siblings could no longer stay in the Marquis Mansion. It was better to chase out more scourges like this. Even if the separation of the family would attract some gossip, it was better than losing everything for a small gain. The couple quickly exchanged glances and came to a decision. Gu Jian coughed dryly and said firmly, ¡°Alright, since you siblings insist on doing things your own way, let¡¯s split up.¡± The muscles on Gu Jian¡¯s cheeks were tense, but he was actually relieved. In the past eight years, he had exhausted himself playing the piano for the Marquis Mansion. He had fought steadily and put in a lot of effort before the Marquis Mansion gradually walked out of the valley and showed signs of making a comeback. However, there was a corner in the depths of his heart that was always worried. He was worried that the Marquis Mansion that he had painstakingly supported would be reaped by Gu Yuan. When he dreamt of it at night, he had dreamed of this scene a few times¡­ A mother knew her son best. Madam Gu actually knew the knot in her son¡¯s heart. Today, before Madam Gu entered the palace, she specially comforted him. ¡°Ah Jian, this Marquis Mansion is already yours. No one can take it away!¡± ¡°As long as the news that Gu Ce is the son of a concubine spreads, the eldest branch will be a concubine¡¯s branch. There will be no inheritance rights at all.¡± Gu Jian also knew that Madam Gu was right, but Gu Ce was a shadow that had loomed over him for more than 30 years. Gu Ce¡¯s son was in the Marquis Mansion, reminding him over and over again that there was still a eldest branch in the Marquis Mansion. Back then, he wasn¡¯t as good as Gu Ce. Now, his son was inferior to Gu Ce¡¯s son. As long as Gu Yuan was in the Marquis Mansion, he would be a hidden danger that couldn¡¯t be eliminated! Splitting up was the best way. Once the Marquis Mansion split up and the eldest branch was separated, then no matter how much the Emperor protected and indulged the Eldest Prince, he wouldn¡¯t agree to pass the title of Marquis of Dingyuan to the nephews of the split up family. Only by splitting up the family could the Marquis Mansion completely cut ties with the eldest branch and cut ties with them. Madam Wang and Gu Jian were husband and wife, so she could vaguely guess what her husband was thinking. ¡°Marquis,¡± Madam Wang was afraid that something would happen if she delayed any longer, so she suggested with a serious expression, ¡°Since we¡¯ve decided to split up, it¡¯s better to do it sooner rather than later.¡± She tried her best to signal Gu Jian with her eyes. She was already a little impatient. Gu Jian had the same thought. He nodded and said, ¡°1¡¯11 send someone to invite the patriarch and elders over now..¡± Chapter 378 - Chapter 378: Showing Weakness (2) Chapter 378: Showing Weakness (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Gu Jian was swift and decisive. He immediately sent a few trusted aides to the various prefectures to invite the patriarchs and elders. By the time the elders gathered at the Marquis Mansion, it was already early in the morning. The main hall of the Marquis Mansion¡¯s outer courtyard was filled with people. They were either white-haired elders or middle-aged men in their forties or fifties. All of them held their heads high and puffed out their chests. Their smiles were bold and dignified. Gu Yanfei and Gu Yuan were also there. The siblings were younger and naturally sat at the back. The hall was very noisy, and there was laughter. The elders were familiar with each other. Some whispered about the past, while others deliberately looked for Gu Yuan to probe why the Marquis Mansion suddenly wanted to split up. ¡°Old Master, Marquis.¡± The servant¡¯s salutation caused the hall to fall silent. ¡­.. The elders all looked at the entrance and saw Gu Jian and the Wang family personally welcoming the patriarch. The three of them had already walked under the eaves. After everyone greeted each other, the patriarch and Gu Jian sat at the head of the table. Gu Jian pretended to cough dryly and said to the patriarch and the others in a hoarse voice, ¡°For the sake of the Marquis Mansion¡¯s family matters, I¡¯ll have to trouble Uncle and the elders to make this trip. I¡¯ve embarrassed myself in front of everyone. I¡¯ll apologize to everyone first.¡± Gu Jian bowed to everyone and looked smooth. The patriarch stroked his goatee and smiled generously. ¡°Marquis, we¡¯re all family. There¡¯s no need to say such empty greetings.¡± ¡°Sigh!¡± Gu Jian¡¯s deep gaze shot to Gu Yuan, who was sitting in the second seat from the front. He sighed helplessly and said, ¡°Brother Yuan wanted to split up the family. Madam and 1 persuaded him again and again, but Brother Yuan and his sister refused to listen and insisted on fighting for their future.¡± Gu Jian¡¯s expression was extremely complicated. There was love and helplessness in his expression as he expected better from someone. Madam Wang didn¡¯t speak. She only held her handkerchief and sighed silently. She shook her head gently in Gu Yuan¡¯s direction and pretended to want to say something but hesitated. The couple started to show weakness. Before the patriarch arrived at the Marquis Mansion, the couple had already discussed it in private. They felt that since the Marquis Mansion wanted to split up, the second branch had to be in the right. They couldn¡¯t let outsiders say that he couldn¡¯t tolerate his dead brother¡¯s son. The patriarch and elders frowned and looked at Gu Yuan disapprovingly. People nowadays pay attention to the saying, ¡°As long as your parents are around, you can¡¯t split up the family.¡± As long as Madam Gu was still alive, as her grandson, Gu Yuan should be filial to his grandmother and not ask to split up the family so easily. ¡°Brother Yuan.¡± Gu Jian turned to look at Gu Yuan, who was sitting on a rosewood round chair near the entrance. He said earnestly, ¡°The separation of the family is of great importance. You have to think carefully¡­¡± ¡°Since the Marquis has said so, we won¡¯t split up.¡± Gu Yanfei, who was sitting in the last seat, suddenly interrupted Gu Jian. Her smile was light and gentle, and her eyes were slightly curved. This smile made Gu Jian¡¯s hair stand on end. Gu Jian¡¯s eyes widened in shock. His first reaction was: What is she up to now? The corners of Madam Wang¡¯s eyes twitched. She dug her nails into her palms and looked at Gu Yuan, who was beside Gu Yanfei. However, Gu Yuan was sitting upright expressionlessly and drinking tea. It was impossible to tell if he was happy or angry. Meeting Gu Jian and Wang¡¯s surprised eyes, Gu Yanfei continued righteously, ¡°As a junior, Big Brother and 1 should stay in the Marquis Mansion and suffer with our elders. We should share the honor and disgrace of the Marquis Mansion. Only then can we be united as a family.¡± She stood up from the chair calmly. Her slender and graceful figure was as elegant as a bamboo, and her words and actions were very measured. When the patriarch and elders heard this, they nodded repeatedly with approval. ¡°Well said.¡± An elder in his seventies with a head of silver hair slapped the armrest and echoed, ¡°It¡¯s inevitable that his tongue and teeth will bump. It¡¯s better to split up if possible.¡± The patriarch looked like he agreed. Gu Yanfei let out a long sigh and looked at Gu Jian awkwardly. ¡°But the Marquis still has to split up the family¡­¡± ¡°Fortunately, the Marquis has changed his mind.¡± ¡°Then we siblings will naturally listen to you.¡± She smiled slightly. She was as obedient and open-minded as she could be. When the patriarch and the elders heard her words, they were enlightened and looked at Gu Jian in agreement. So it was Gu Jian who wanted the separation. Yes, no wonder he anxiously sent someone to invite all of them. He was afraid that Gu Yuan would go back on his word. Gu Jian was speechless. Gu Jian¡¯s expression froze for a moment. There seemed to be a layer of dark clouds above his head, and he cursed in his heart. This niece really spoke nonsense when she saw someone. She changed her attitude faster than flipping a book! How could they not be separated! Madam Wang¡¯s heart seemed to have been poured with a bucket of oil, and her anger soared. She stared at Gu Jian with a burning gaze and tugged at his sleeve again, urging him to express his stance. Gu Jian gripped the armrest of the armchair tightly and looked at the siblings solemnly. At this moment, even Gu Yuan was no longer as decisive as when he asked to split up the family. It was as if he was really in charge. However, Gu Jian couldn¡¯t say the word ¡°don¡¯t separate¡±. Putting aside the fact that the second branch and the eldest branch had completely fallen out, just based on the relationship between the eldest branch and the Eldest Prince, even if Kang Wang married Gu Yunrong, he couldn¡¯t wholeheartedly believe in the Marquis Mansion. He might even wonder if the Marquis Mansion wanted to please both sides. After all, Gu Yunrong didn¡¯t have the blood of the Gu family in him. It would be the same for her children in the future. Since he had already decided to side with Kang Wang, he had to show Kang Wang his sincerity. At the thought of this, Gu Jian¡¯s eyes gradually settled, and his heart no longer wavered. He said firmly, ¡°Brother Yuan has grown up and has a bright future ahead of him. As his uncle, I can be considered to have let down my eldest brother¡¯s spirit in heaven.¡± ¡°As the saying goes, big trees split into branches, and big families split up.¡± This family had to be divided.. Chapter 379 - Chapter 379: Assets (1) Chapter 379: Assets (1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The elders of the Gu family looked at each other with emotion. They had also noticed the scene of Madam Wang pulling Gu Jian¡¯s sleeve just now. They thought to themselves, ¡°As expected, it¡¯s Gu Jian who split up the family, but he still has to push the blame onto his nephew and niece.¡± They sighed and shook their heads, somewhat in disagreement. As an uncle, Gu Jian shouldn¡¯t have treated his eldest brother¡¯s children so harshly! Gu Yanfei stroked her sleeve and raised her eyebrows at Gu Jian. A small smile appeared on her face. ¡°Marquis, do we have to make things clear? Who wants to split up the family?¡± Gu Jian said without hesitation, ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± ¡°You should have said that earlier.¡± Gu Yanfei sighed faintly, causing Gu Jian to vomit blood. Gu Yanfei casually played with a purple ribbon hanging by her ear. She looked around at everyone and said slowly, ¡°It¡¯s the Marquis who wants to split up the family. All the elders can testify.¡± ¡­.. Gu Yuan looked at Gu Yanfei quietly. His eyes were unbelievably gentle, like the bright sun in spring. His sister was originally a casual and willful person. She liked to go straight to the point. It was because of him that she went around in such a big circle¡­ The separation of the Marquis Mansion had to be mentioned by his uncle. Only then would he not be talked about in the future. Gu Yuan was smiling, and Gu Jian was about to cry. He held his breath, and his mouth was filled with a strong, salty smell. It was clearly Gu Yuan who suggested splitting up the family, but in just a few words, it became clear that he was the one who insisted on splitting up the family. He was the one who bullied Gu Yuan as an uncle. However, he couldn¡¯t explain himself. Gu Jian only stared coldly at Gu Yuan and Gu Yanfei. After a long time, he gritted his teeth and said to everyone, ¡°Patriarch, elders, please bear witness to the separation of the family.¡± This sentence took almost all his strength. After saying it, a sense of exhaustion swept through his body. For a moment, the hall was silent. The patriarch stroked his beard again and sighed. He confirmed with Gu Jian again, ¡°Marquis, have you thought it through?¡± ¡°The separation of the family is like water overturned. There¡¯s no turning back.¡± ¡°You and Brother Yuan share the same roots.¡± Several elders at the side also persuaded him. Most of them hoped that Gu Jian could consider it carefully. The separation of the family was very important. If word spread, it would inevitably make people doubt the Marquis Mansion¡¯s family¡¯s discord and be disadvantageous to the Gu family¡¯s reputation. Gu Jian¡¯s ears were buzzing from their words. Apart from feeling stifled, he also felt a little impatient. However, he still smiled apologetically and said a few words, ¡°I¡¯ve made up my mind.¡± Seeing that one of the elders still wanted to persuade him, Gu Jian beat him to it and said, ¡°Speaking of which, there¡¯s a joyous occasion in the family that I haven¡¯t had time to tell everyone yet. The palace has already booked a wedding for Rong¡¯er and Kang Wang in a month¡¯s time.¡± ¡°At that time, we have to invite all the relatives of the family to the residence for a wedding banquet.¡± All the elders present knew that the engagement had been made. When they heard that the wedding date had been set, they couldn¡¯t help but look happy. Their Gu family was about to have a princess consort. To the entire family, this was a huge joy! After the patriarch and a few close elders interacted for a while, he stroked his beard and pondered for a long time. He looked at Gu Yuan and his sister, then at Gu Jian and his wife. He slapped the table and said, ¡°Then let¡¯s split up.¡± Gu Jian and the Wang couple heaved a sigh of relief. The patriarch composed himself and said, ¡°Marquis, there are a total of five branches in the Marquis Mansion. Should we split up the eldest branch this time, or should the other branches also split up? Do you have any opinions?¡± Gu Jian had already made plans, so he replied sarcastically, ¡°Brother Yuan has his own opinions. He wants to separate from the family, so I¡¯m thinking of cutting the eldest branch out.¡± ¡°The third branch is a widow. Fourth Brother has always been in charge of the Marquis Mansion¡¯s general affairs and can¡¯t leave the Marquis Mansion. Meanwhile, Fifth Brother is still studying.¡± As he spoke, Gu Jian secretly glanced at Madam Wang. He had long discussed with her that if they split up, no one would say that they couldn¡¯t tolerate their brothers¡¯ children. Madam Wang pinched her cuffs elegantly. Her nails, stained with phoenix flower juice, shone faintly against the gold ring embedded with tricolored gems, and her pinkies curled up slightly. Gu Yuan nodded and said, ¡°Sure.¡± The patriarch glanced at Gu Jian and Gu Yuan, who were described as uncle and nephew with very different temperaments. He continued, ¡°According to the ancestral system, the family that inherits the title of nobility will get 70% of the assets. The remaining 30% will be divided among the other families. The legitimate children will get twice as much as the children of the concubines.¡± ¡°Do you have any objections?¡± Chapter 380 - Chapter 380: Assets (2) Chapter 380: Assets (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The patriarch was talking about them, but he was only asking about Gu Yuan. After all, according to the ancestral system, the second branch would definitely take the lion¡¯s share and be the beneficiary. Meanwhile, Gu Yuan would only receive 15% of the family business. It was really not worth mentioning. Now, it depended on whether Gu Yuan had any objections. Gu Yuan nodded decisively again and said, ¡°Sure.¡± To Gu Yuan, he didn¡¯t split up the family to fight for the Marquis Mansion¡¯s assets. Instead, he wanted to bring his sister to the Marquis Mansion and stay away from these annoying people and matters. He was confident that he could build his own future and become the support of his sister. Gu Yuan¡¯s expression was abnormally calm. His face was filled with pride, like the wind and frost. ¡°I have no objections either.¡± Gu Jian nodded and couldn¡¯t help but look at Gu Yanfei. ¡­.. This girl was a troublemaker from beginning to end. Gu Jian was 99% sure that Gu Yanfei was instigating Gu Yuan to split up. From the fact that this girl had hooked up with the Eldest Prince, it could be seen that she was too ambitious. Would she be willing to let the eldest branch only receive so little assets?! In the next moment, Gu Jian met Gu Yanfei¡¯s abnormally clear eyes. The girl¡¯s eyebrows were like a painting, and there seemed to be dazzling starlight circulating in her eyes. Her cherry lips parted slightly. ¡°The first branch that inherits the title can inherit 70%?¡± Gu Yanfei asked generously. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The patriarch stroked his beard and nodded. ¡°This rule was set by your great-grandfather. He said that if the descendants of this noble family aren¡¯t good, the family business will become thinner and thinner. Then, the heir will support the family business.¡± Gu Yanfei¡¯s great-grandfather was the first generation Marquis of Dingyuan, Gu Yao, who had followed Emperor Taizu to establish the country. It wasn¡¯t uncommon for families to split up their assets like this. It was also because most noble families were unwilling to split up their assets and wanted to follow closely behind heavy-laden wagons. Another round-faced elder in his fifties added kindly, ¡°Your grandfather also got 70% when he split up the family.¡± ¡°I had to split 10% with your third and fourth uncles.¡± Among the elders present, there were also the three concubine brothers of the Old Marquis, Gu Xuan. They were all Gu Yuan and Gu Yanfei¡¯s uncles. They were also afraid that the eldest branch would feel that the division of the assets was unfair, so they explained. Gu Jian stared at Gu Yanfei intently. He felt that this girl wouldn¡¯t stop. He heard her ask again, ¡°Patriarch, what if my Gu family loses the title?¡± The patriarch was stunned. He sighed and replied, ¡°If your descendants are useless and lose their title, the family that inherits the family business will inherit the ancestral business and take 70% of the family business.¡± The title of Marquis Mansion could be inherited for five generations. After that, he would be demoted to an earl. This title couldn¡¯t be passed down for generations. Gu Yao also understood this, so he set this rule. ¡°I understand.¡± Gu Yanfei nodded and didn¡¯t raise any objections. It seemed that she was just curious and asked casually. Seeing that the process of splitting up the family was so smooth, the patriarch and elders were relieved and exchanged glances. After splitting up the family, no matter what, they were still from the same family. Even if there were some conflicts, the Gu family would break their bones and tendons to defend themselves. It was best if they could split up the family in harmony. Gu Jian was overjoyed. The corners of his eyes and eyebrows were filled with smiles. He quickly instructed the servants to move the accounts and list of assets in the residence. After two cups of tea, a few servants carried several heavy boxes to the main hall and opened the lids one by one, emitting a musty smell that hadn¡¯t seen the sun for a long time. The boxes were filled with ledgers of various sizes. Two of them were very old. The covers were faded, the pages were yellow, and there was a lot of dust rising. The patriarch and elders covered their noses with their sleeves and looked at each other with a headache. The Gu family was originally from the countryside. It was only because the Marquis of Dingyuan¡¯s family followed Emperor Taizu¡¯s uprising that they became the illustrious Gu family. Most of the elders present had studied for a few years, but they were only at the level of literacy. So many boxes of account books couldn¡¯t be sorted out in a few hours. At the very least, they had to ask the accountant to help them tidy up for a few days. The patriarch took out a handkerchief and wiped his itchy nose. He wanted to get someone to carry these ledgers to the side hall first, but before he could say anything, he suddenly thought of something and asked Gu Jian, ¡°Marquis, where¡¯s your mother?¡± It was such a big matter for the Marquis Mansion to split up, but Madam Gu didn¡¯t appear. The patriarch recalled that Madam Gu had been sick for a few days during the new year and asked with concern, ¡°Could it be that she¡¯s still sick?¡± The smile on Gu Jian¡¯s lips froze. It was only at this moment that he remembered that the Great Madam was still kneeling at the entrance. Madam Wang¡¯s expression was also a little unnatural. Just now, the couple was in a hurry to split up the family and had actually forgotten about Madam Gu. Seeing that Gu Jian¡¯s expression was a little strange, the patriarch asked, ¡°Could your mother¡¯s condition have worsened again?¡± Gu Jian¡¯s hand, which was hidden in his sleeve, twitched unnaturally. His mind raced as he looked at Gu Yuan and sighed. ¡°Thank you for your concern, Uncle. My mother¡¯s body has already recovered, but¡­¡± After a pause, he continued, ¡°Because Brother Yuan¡¯s killing of Feng He has caused an uproar in the court, my mother was nervous and felt that she hadn¡¯t taught Brother Yuan well. She went to the palace to apologize.¡± What?! The patriarch and elders widened their eyes. A few of them subconsciously looked at Gu Yuan, who was still calm not far away. This was a huge matter regarding the Gu family¡¯s reputation! Why didn¡¯t Madam Gu discuss it with the family before entering the palace?! Seeing that the patriarch¡¯s face was filled with disapproval, Gu Jian hurriedly explained, ¡°Uncle, eight years ago, Big Brother committed a crime and almost implicated the entire family. The Marquis Mansion was almost seized by the previous Emperor. Now, this matter isn¡¯t small. The Marquis Mansion has been walking on thin ice all these years. My mother had no choice¡­¡± Speaking of Gu Ce¡¯s past, the patriarch¡¯s expression became even more complicated. He had watched Gu Ce grow up and was once the pride of the Marquis Mansion. In the end, he died young, and his reputation was ruined. Gu Yuan was Gu Ce¡¯s son. This was karma that he couldn¡¯t escape in his life. Even if he wanted to forget it, no one could. The patriarch looked at Gu Yuan with some pity. Gu Yuan was still sitting on the round chair. 1 lis body was as straight as a mountain ridge, and his entire body was covered in an aura as cold as ice. ¡°Since the Eldest Madam is still there, go and bring her back,¡± Gu Yanfei said with a smile. His slender fingers casually curled up the silk ribbon that tied his hair. The purple silk ribbon made her slender fingers look as fair as jade. ¡°How can the Eldest Madam not be around for such a big matter like splitting up the family?!¡± Chapter 381 - Chapter 381: Nonsense (1) Chapter 381: Nonsense (1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°She¡¯s right.¡± The patriarch nodded repeatedly and felt that what Gu Yanfei said made sense. After the separation just now, the patriarch¡¯s impression of Gu Yanfei improved a lot. In the past, he had only heard from Madam Gu and Gu Jian that this child was unruly and unbridled. However, today, he saw that this child spoke and acted generously. He knew right from wrong and knew the righteousness of the world. He was like a father. On the other hand, Madam Gu and Gu Jian¡­ The patriarch glanced at Gu Jian in displeasure. No matter what, he couldn¡¯t let Madam Gu kneel at the entrance. This would hurt the Gu family¡¯s face too much. It would also make the Emperor think that the Gu family was insensible and that they had to quickly bring her back. However, the palace gate was an important place, and it wasn¡¯t good for so many people to surround it. The patriarch discussed with Gu Jian and got someone to prepare the car. He brought Gu Yuan along and hurriedly left the residence to pick her up. ¡­.. The group of horses galloped all the way and arrived at the entrance after an incense stick of time. However, the center of the Wumen Gate was empty. There was no sign of Madam Gu. Only the guards on both sides guarded the Meridian Gate with spears. Gu Jian¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He wasn¡¯t sure if the Great Madam had returned to the residence by herself, or¡­ As he was thinking, he saw a short and fat middle-aged eunuch walking over leisurely on the other side of the noon gate. He casually bowed to Gu Jian and Gu Yuan and said in a sharp voice, ¡°Madam Gu has been summoned by the Emperor.¡± ¡°The Emperor has instructed me to wait here for the Marquis.¡± ¡°Marquis, Battalion Commander Gu, please come with us.¡± With that, the middle-aged eunuch smiled and extended his hand in invitation. His gaze gently swept across the patriarch standing between Gu Jian and Gu Yuan. Gu Jian was even more uncertain. From the eunuch¡¯s words, the Emperor knew that he would come sooner or later? He felt his mouth go dry as he introduced the patriarch to the eunuch. ¡°Eunuch, this is the patriarch of the Gu family.¡± The patriarch bowed and introduced himself obediently. ¡°My surname is Gu and my name is An. Greetings, Father-in-law.¡± In the important place of the palace gate, the patriarch felt uncomfortable everywhere. He had never entered the palace in his life. The grand and majestic high walls and palace gates around him invisibly gave him a sense of oppression, making him feel restrained. ¡°Old Master Gu, come with me too.¡± The middle-aged attendant smiled warmly and led the way for the three members of the Gu family. Hence, the three of them followed the middle-aged eunuch straight ahead and passed through tall and dignified palace doors unimpeded. The patriarch was in fear and trepidation. He didn¡¯t look sideways the entire way and didn¡¯t dare to look around at all. He only felt that the sunlight today was so dazzling that he couldn¡¯t open his eyes. He had only walked for less than a hundred feet, but his back was already drenched in sweat, and his figure and footsteps became even more stiff and uneasy. The patriarch didn¡¯t remember the way at all. After passing through countless palace doors, he entered a lush garden. There were no tall palace walls around him, making him feel enlightened. The sky was clear, and the flowers in the Imperial Garden were overflowing with fragrance. The spring flowers had buds on the branches. The weather in early spring was warm and cold. The afternoon wind still felt cold on her body. After traveling through the garden for a while, they arrived at a water pavilion by the lake. There were more than ten people gathered in the water pavilion. The patriarch saw a familiar figure kneeling stiffly on the ground at a glance. It was a woman in her fifties. She was wearing big makeup, and the luxurious and extraordinary crown on her head shone with a dazzling light. The woman kneeling on the ground was Madam Gu. When the three members of the Gu family walked past Madam Gu under the guidance of the eunuch, Madam Gu noticed them. She didn¡¯t expect them to come, and her eyes widened slightly in surprise. Madam Gu pursed her lips tightly. Her dark lips were dry, and a trace of uneasiness flashed across her eyes. After Gu Yuan left, Madam Gu kneeled at the noon gate for almost an hour. More and more courtiers came and went. Although those courtiers didn¡¯t ask Madam Gu why, they couldn¡¯t help but look at her strangely. Later on, she was brought in by an unfamiliar eunuch. He brought her straight to the Tinglan Water Pavilion in the Imperial Garden and brought her to the Emperor and his son. Madam Gu knelt down and was about to apologize on behalf of Gu Yuan when Xiao Shoufu, Wang Kangyin, Feng She, and the others rushed over to see the Emperor. Most of these people were powerful and important ministers in the court. As soon as they arrived, Madam Gu, who was a woman, had no room to speak. She could only wait here. After waiting for a full hour, Gu Jian, Gu Yuan, and the others arrived.. Chapter 382 - Chapter 382: Nonsense (2) Chapter 382: Nonsense (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Madam Gu was nervous and secretly gave Gu Jian a look. What she meant was, why did he enter the palace? Gu Jian received his mother¡¯s signal, but the palace was an important place and couldn¡¯t be noisy. He could only look at Madam Gu in a dilemma. He hid his thoughts and didn¡¯t dare to answer or ask. He looked to the left. The Emperor was sitting by the window with Eldest Prince Chu Yi, who was dressed in an apricot-colored python robe. They were facing each other across the coffee table. There was a Torreya chessboard between the father and son and only a few pieces on the chessboard. There was a colorful parrot on the gilded bird stand by the window. The lively parrot flapped its wings on the bird stand. The atmosphere in the water pavilion was abnormally heavy. Gu Jian lowered his head and bowed to the Emperor and Chu Yi with Gu Yuan and the patriarch. ¡°Greetings, Emperor, Eldest Prince.¡± Gu Jian¡¯s palms were already covered in cold sweat. ¡­.. He didn¡¯t expect the Eldest Madam to be brought to the Imperial Palace. Initially, the Eldest Madam would only kneel at the entrance for a while to put on an act. Then, he would go to the entrance in an hour to pick her up. It wouldn¡¯t be good if this matter really blew up in front of the Imperial Palace. No matter what, the Emperor and the Eldest Prince were biological father and son. The Emperor would definitely not punish the Eldest Prince for a dead person. He would definitely protect the Eldest Prince. If the Gu family was too ostentatious, they would stand out. Xiao Shoufu and the other officials in the water pavilion fell silent and looked at the three Gu family members with different expressions. After two seconds of silence, the Emperor¡¯s calm voice sounded. ¡°Zhao Rang, show Battalion Commander Gu the Eldest Madam Gu¡¯s memorial.¡± Zhao Rang agreed and handed a fold to Gu Yuan from the side of the wooden chessboard. Gu Yuan had already seen this memorial from Chu Yi, but at this moment, his face didn¡¯t show any surprise. He pretended to look at the memorial and recalled what his sister had said to him. Right on the heels of that, Gu Yuan lifted his robe and knelt down without saying a word. Even when he knelt down, his back was still straight, like a pine tree standing proudly at the edge of a cliff. Xiao Shoufu bowed to the Emperor and said righteously, ¡°Emperor, please punish Gu Yuan.¡± Beside him, Feng She and the others quickly exchanged glances, their eyes shining. As long as Gu Yuan was convicted, it would mean that the Eldest Prince had done it before. Their Feng family would be saved! Xiao Shoufu wanted more. Not only did he want to protect the Feng family, but he also wanted to use this to save the Yu family. The Emperor glanced at Xiao Shoufu, Feng She, and the others indifferently. He took a handful of fish food from the box and casually scattered it into the lake outside the window. He asked, ¡°Do you think that it¡¯s the fault of Battalion Commander Gu?¡± In the lake, hundreds of golden-red carps smelled the fragrance and came over, forming a beautiful scene like a hundred birds returning to their nest. The lake water was sparkling. Chu Yi looked at the ripples on the lake outside the window. His beautiful lips curled up slightly, as if he didn¡¯t hear it, as if it had nothing to do with him. Xiao Shoufu looked up and met the Emperor¡¯s eyes. He still held his hands in front of him and said calmly, ¡°Emperor, Madam Gu is the grandmother of Battalion Commander Gu. There¡¯s naturally a reason why she reported him.¡± With that, Xiao Shoufu raised his voice and turned to interrogate Madam Gu, who was kneeling on the ground. ¡°Madam Gu, is that right?¡± Xiao Shoufu¡¯s words were usually neither light nor heavy, neither slow nor anxious, but at this moment, there was a sharp pressure in his voice. Madam Gu was already sweating profusely. The heavy makeup on her body pressed down on her like a mountain, making her feel suffocated. At this point, since she had already handed over this confession letter, it meant that she had invited herself to become a knife in Xiao Shoufu¡¯s hand. She had no other choice. Madam Gu gritted her teeth and said with difficulty, ¡°Emperor, Xiao Shoufu, my eldest grandson is violent. He has liked to fight since he was young and often causes trouble. He has injured many people.¡± ¡°And¡­¡± She paused and glanced at Gu Yuan, who was kneeling not far away. She pretended to want to say something but hesitated. She seemed to hesitate for a moment before continuing, ¡°On the ninth day of the lunar new year, after my eldest grandson returned to the residence, he personally told me that he accidentally killed someone¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about it for the past few days and can¡¯t sleep. I can¡¯t let him make a huge mistake and cause a storm in the court before coming to apologize.¡± With that, Madam Gu lowered her head heavily again. Her well-maintained hand, which was like a young girl¡¯s, was hidden tightly in her sleeve. Hearing this, the patriarch at the side widened his eyes in disbelief. There was shock, disappointment, anger, and enlightenment. He had watched Gu Yuan grow up, so he naturally knew that Gu Yuan wasn¡¯t the kind of person Madam Gu was talking about. As he thought about the separation of the family today, the patriarch looked thoughtfully at Gu Yuan beside him, his eyes filled with pity. He thought to himself, ¡°The Eldest Madam is biased towards the second branch. She even dares to say such nonsense in front of the Emperor. I¡¯m afraid she¡¯s always been like this all these years. It¡¯s really hard on Brother Yuan.¡± Gu Yuan knelt on the ground with his back straight. He still didn¡¯t say a word, and his expression was cold. With a straight face, the Emperor slowly looked around at the crowd again, taking in their reactions of perturbation, anticipation, dissatisfaction, and gloating. There was silence in the water pavilion for a moment. A smile appeared on the Emperor¡¯s old and refined face. He seemed to be sneering and sneering. He slowly said, ¡°In that case, Madam Gu and the adults think that Feng He didn¡¯t assassinate the Eldest Prince and that the Eldest Prince wronged him?¡± The Emperor¡¯s voice was still calm, but the resentment in his words could be heard by anyone. His tone was three times colder. There was dead silence in response to the Emperor. Only the occasional splashing of carp outside the window could be heard. How could Madam Gu dare to answer? She knelt down with her head lowered. That was indeed what Xiao Shoufu, Feng She, and the others thought.. They didn¡¯t answer either, but their answers were clearly written on their faces: Of course, Feng He didn¡¯t try to assassinate the Eldest Prince! Chapter 383 - Chapter 383: Justice Chapter 383: Justice Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The few censors beside him couldn¡¯t help but snort. If Feng He was really so innocent and didn¡¯t assassinate the Eldest Prince, then why did his brother, Feng She, bribe Censor Lian to force him to hit the wall? Wasn¡¯t the Feng family snatching him away because they felt guilty?! The stiff atmosphere continued. The parrot on the bird stand suddenly screamed, ¡°I¡¯m innocent! I¡¯m innocent!¡± Madam Gu was shocked. She knelt for a long time. Her knees were numb, and her neck was heavy. She couldn¡¯t help but shake her body. ¡°Does everyone think that the Eldest Prince framed Feng lie?¡± The Emperor spoke even slower. His face was as dark as water and he looked dignified. The Emperor had always had a good temper, but as the saying went, even rabbits would bite when forced into a corner. At this moment, the Emperor¡¯s thunderous and furious dragon might was released without any concealment. The might of an emperor made people not dare to look at him directly. ¡­.. The important ministers who attended court every day were still calm, but Feng She, Madam Gu, the patriarch, and the others were already intimidated by the Emperor¡¯s aura and broke out in cold sweat. Xiao Shoufu quickly gave Feng She a look. Feng She felt guilty, but he still gritted his teeth and looked at the Emperor with red eyes. He choked, ¡°Emperor, my brother¡¯s death was really unjust.¡± ¡°My brother was just a weak scholar. Even if there was anything wrong with his abrupt actions, the Eldest Prince only had to capture him.¡± ¡°I dare to guarantee with my life that my brother never plotted to assassinate the Eldest Prince.¡± With that, Feng She took out a white cloth with grass embroidery from his sleeve pocket and wiped his tears. He straightened his back and looked at Chu Yi, who wasn¡¯t far away, with righteous anger. He questioned sternly, ¡°Eldest Prince, where¡¯s the evidence for saying that my brother tried to assassinate you?!¡± His last sentence was unusually high-pitched and sharp, as if he was pointing the finger at Chu Yi. Xiao Shoufu and the Minister of Revenue, Wang Kangyin, exchanged glances without saying anything. Victory was in their grasp. Thanks to Madam Gu, Gu Yuan was convicted of murdering the capital¡¯s magistrate, Feng He, for no reason. Then, the Eldest Prince only had two choices. Either he pushed all the blame to Gu Yuan and let Gu Yuan take the blame, or he admitted that he had handled it inappropriately and that Gu Yuan was only following orders. Either way, the Eldest Prince lost. After this, who would be willing to serve the Eldest Prince in the future?! Xiao Shoufu sneered to himself and watched coldly from the side. Third Master Feng also stood up and spoke up for Feng She excitedly. ¡°Eldest Prince, you¡¯re saying that Second Brother plotted to assassinate someone without any evidence. It s ridiculous!¡± ¡°Second Brother died under Gu Yuan¡¯s knife. The Feng family has the reputation of assassinating the prince. We have to seek justice for the Feng family!¡± The Feng brothers pressed forward step by step, almost pinning the name of being violent and tyrannical on Chu Yi. Gu Jian gradually calmed down. When he looked at Gu Yuan again, it was as if he was looking at an abandoned pawn. How pitiful. One could imagine what the Eldest Prince would choose. Gu Yuan was destined to be abandoned by the Eldest Prince. What awaited Gu Yuan next wasn¡¯t only his dismissal, but also imprisonment. Gu flan¡¯s eyes were filled with pity and contempt. Instead of being the young master of the Marquis Mansion, he had to give up literature and pursue martial arts! Since he had entered the West Mountain Camp, he should have calmed down and slowly accumulated his experience. Why did he have to mix with the Divine Arms Battalion and the Eldest Prince! To put it bluntly, Gu Yuan wanted to stand out and insist on suppressing him like his father, Gu Jian looked down at Madam Gu, who was kneeling on the ground, and smiled. Both mother and son began to relax and wait. Since this path had been paved, the rest was up to the Feng family and Xiao Shoufu. Hearing the Feng family¡¯s words directed at Chu Yi, the Emperor¡¯s eyes burned with anger. He had already raised his right palm and was about to slam the table when he saw his son push the box containing fish food towards him. This small action was like a bucket of cold water quenching the Emperor¡¯s anger. He recalled that when his son had just returned to the capital, he had joked with his son, ¡°Since you¡¯re back, I can enjoy my life. I can feed the fish and play with the birds for no reason.¡± The next day, there were hundreds of carps in the lake in the Imperial Garden- Well, it was fine as long as he fed the fish. The Emperor¡¯s palm, which had almost slapped down, changed. He grabbed another fish food from the box and generously scattered it. In the lake, more fish swam over from all directions. The Feng brothers stomped their feet, but Chu Yi remained calm and composed. He didn¡¯t show his emotions on his face and said calmly, ¡°Feng He has ulterior motives. He dared to try to assassinate me. Gu Yuan has contributed greatly to protecting me.¡± The smile on Xiao Shoufu¡¯s lips froze. He gritted his teeth so tightly that even his goatee froze. He didn¡¯t expect the Eldest Prince to be so stubborn at this point. Xiao Shoufu frowned. When he met Chu Yi¡¯s gaze, the handsome young man slowly said, ¡°I¡¯m still injured. This is evidence.¡± The Eldest Prince had been injured by an assassination attempt. Naturally, he had invited an imperial physician to take a look a few times after that. Among them was Imperial Physician Yan. Kang Wang had looked for Imperial Physician Yan to confirm again and again that the Eldest Prince¡¯s shoulder was indeed injured. However, it was hard to say where the Eldest Prince¡¯s injuries came from. There were some things that Xiao Shoufu couldn¡¯t say. If he did, he would be slandering the royal family. As the elder brother of the deceased, Feng She had the right to defend his dead brother. ¡°Eldest Prince, was your injury really caused by your brother?¡± Third Master Feng sighed faintly and continued, ¡°Second Brother is already dead, but he can¡¯t defend himself. Was he framed by someone, or is there something else¡­ There¡¯s no evidence now.¡± What he meant was that the Eldest Prince had deliberately injured himself to frame Feng He. Xiao Shoufu thought to himself that these brothers had said it well. He didn¡¯t show it on his face as he stroked his beard and said, ¡°This¡­ isn¡¯t impossible.¡± Chu Yi smiled slightly and didn¡¯t even look at the Feng family. He only stared into Xiao Shoufu¡¯s eyes and said slowly, ¡°In my opinion, if someone tries to assassinate me, what 1 say can¡¯t be taken seriously, and my injuries can¡¯t be taken seriously either? 1 have to first understand the motive of the assassin before handing it over to the three divisions for interrogation before it counts?¡± As he spoke, he picked up a black piece from the chess box and rubbed it between his fingertips. The afternoon sun shone diagonally on his face from the window. His eyebrows were enshrouded, outlining a kind of blurry handsomeness. The young man in front of him had a gentle and harmless smile on his lips, but Xiao Shoufu¡¯s hair stood on end. Suppressing the inexplicable emotions in his heart, Xiao Shoufu stood upright and nodded righteously. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡¯ The black chess piece in Chu Yi¡¯s hand fell into the chess box. Those chess pieces collided gently and made a crisp sound, as if echoing with the sound of the fish jumping outside the window. Xiao Shoufu was about to say something else when his vision suddenly blurred. A dazzling silver light pierced the corner of his eye from the right. He narrowed his eyes in discomfort and subconsciously looked in the direction of the light source. A green-robed servant in front of him jumped out from behind a large vase that was as tall as a person and quickly rushed in his direction. Silver light flashed in the other party¡¯s wide sleeve, and a cold dagger was aimed at him. Xiao Shoufu¡¯s eyes suddenly widened, and his pupils constricted. He was so shocked that he froze on the spot. At this critical moment, he felt that his limbs didn¡¯t belong to him. He wanted to hide, bur his body couldn¡¯t move. He wanted to shout, but he couldn¡¯t make a sound. He only felt his vision darken as a powerful force attacked him. His thin body staggered back from the little eunuch who rushed over like a crazy cow, and a cold light aimed at his neck¡­ No! Xiao Shoufu¡¯s eyes were almost wide open to the extreme, and fear filled his heart. He didn¡¯t want to die! Xiao Shoufu, who staggered and fell, struggled desperately, but he still felt a chill on his neck. As he struggled, Xiao Shoufu¡¯s left arm hit the flower table beside him The tall flower swayed twice, and a potted plant fell from the flower table. ¡°Bang!¡± The potted plant fell heavily to the ground with an especially ear-piercing sound. The blue and white porcelain pot shattered into pieces, and mud and broken porcelain pieces splattered everywhere. The ground was in a mess. At the same time, Xiao Shoufu and the little eunuch fell to the ground with a heavy groan. This scene happened too quickly. It was so fast that no one in the water pavilion could react. They watched helplessly as the little eunuch barged forward and pushed Xiao Shoufu to the ground. Everyone was dumbfounded. The broken porcelain pieces splattered on a few people. The most tragic person was Madam Gu. She was kneeling on the ground when a piece of broken porcelain happened to hit her forehead. Her forehead was red and swollen as she screamed repeatedly. Gu Yuan, who was kneeling beside her, didn¡¯t move at all. ¡°Help!¡± Xiao Shoufu, who had fallen to the ground, screamed in fear. lie felt a pain in his neck, which had just been cut by the dagger, and his entire body turned cold. A terrifying thought surged in his heart: Am 1 going to die? The parrot on the bird stand was also shocked. It flapped its wings and wanted to escape, but its claws were locked to the bird stand by a golden chain. It couldn¡¯t fly away at all and could only let out a hysterical cry, ¡°Help! Help!¡± The sharp bird cry destroyed the originally tense atmosphere, adding a him of hilarity to what should have been a thrilling scene. Amidst the parrot¡¯s repeated screams, the green-robed attendant who was pressing down on Xiao Shoufu got up from the ground and took two steps back. He lowered his head and brushed the dust off his sleeve. The surrounding officials hurriedly went to help Xiao Shoufu, who was lying on the ground, but they saw an inch-and- a -half-long blood mark on his neck. It was dark red and dazzling, and blood dyed his collar red.. Chapter 384 - Chapter 384: Disgraceful (1) Chapter 384: Disgraceful (1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Seeing this, Wang Kangyin shouted nervously, ¡°The Grand Secretary is injured!¡± A few officials also went to look at the wound on Xiao Shoufu¡¯s neck and said at once, ¡°Fortunately, the wound isn¡¯t deep. It should be just a superficial wound.¡± ¡°Xiao Shoufu, how do you feel?¡± ¡°Did you hit your head¡­¡± II II The chaotic voices around him seemed to enter Xiao Shoufu¡¯s ears from afar. In the chaos, Xiao Shoufu caught the keyword. So, he wasn¡¯t seriously injured? ¡­.. Xiao Shoufu raised his hand to cover his wound in shock. It was warm and sticky blood, but he could feel that there was indeed not much blood from the wound. So, his life was saved?! Soon, Xiao Shoufu got up from the ground with the help of two officials. His official hat fell off, revealing his white hair and slightly messy bun. A few strands of hair scattered from the bun. Xiao Shoufu, who had always been well-dressed and meticulous, had stood in the court for nearly 20 years. This was the first time he was in such a sorry state. Not only did the wound on his neck hurt, but all the bones in his body also hurt. He had fallen quite badly just now. At this moment, Xiao Shoufu couldn¡¯t care less about the pain in his body. He barely stood up and pointed at the green-robed servant, who had just pounced on him, with a trembling hand. He said in a trembling voice, ¡°You¡­ you¡­¡± He glared at the other party fiercely, with the lingering fear of escaping death in his eyes. ¡°Lord Xiao, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Chu Yi¡¯s gentle voice sounded again. His voice was like the spring breeze, causing Xiao Shoufu to have goosebumps all over his body. Xiao Shoufu¡¯s eyes wandered uncertainly. He looked at Chu Yi and then at the little eunuch. He still pointed at the little eunuch and complained, ¡°He wants to kill me¡­¡± In his shock, Xiao Shoufu even forgot to address the Eldest Prince. He only wanted to accuse the Emperor that the Eldest Prince clearly wanted to silence him. The Emperor didn¡¯t say a word. He casually grabbed a handful of millet and fed it to the frightened parrot, who buried its head and ate. ¡°No, no, no. Why would 1 kill the Grand Secretary?¡± The servant waved his hand and hurriedly explained, ¡°1 saw that the potted plant was swaying from the flower table and was about to fall. 1 was afraid that it would hurt you, so I rushed over to protect you¡­¡± ¡°I was too abrupt, that¡¯s why I frightened you.¡± The little eunuch explained with trepidation, sounding reasonable. Everyone couldn¡¯t help but look at the potted plant that had fallen four and a half miles to the ground. A cluster of green bamboo had been broken at the waist, and some mud and flower pot fragments were stained on Xiao Shoufu¡¯s robe. There was still a hint of shock on Xiao Shoufu¡¯s pale face. Some blood seeped out of the wound on his neck. It was a shocking sight, as if it had been cut by the flower pot fragments that had just splattered. Everyone frowned and thought about it carefully. Actually, most people couldn¡¯t remember if the potted plant was shaking or not. However, from the looks of it, the eunuch shouldn¡¯t be lying. He was telling the truth. Who would assassinate the Grand Secretary in front of the Emperor? Wasn¡¯t this crazy?! If he really wanted to assassinate Xiao Shoufu, this eunuch could have waited for Xiao Shoufu to be alone before assassinating him. Only then would it make sense. Everyone whispered to each other. Soon, a young censor took two steps forward and said tactfully to Xiao Shoufu, ¡°Lord Xiao, were you frightened and saw wrongly?¡± His words were still considered polite, but the disapproving expression on his face seemed to be saying that this was just a trivial matter. Xiao Shoufu was really making a fuss over nothing and even pointing fingers. The dignified Grand Secretary had lost his composure. Fortunately, the Emperor had a good temper. A few censors around him also nodded and exchanged glances. Sigh, these people from the aristocratic families were like this. They were too noble. It was just a fall and there was some dust on them, but it was as if they wanted to kill them. Xiao Shoufu¡¯s face turned green, and the beard on his chin flew wildly. He had a mouthful of blood in his throat, and he couldn¡¯t help but raise his voice to defend himself. ¡°It was clearly this eunuch who stabbed me with a dagger.¡± ¡°Who saw it?¡± the young censor asked lightly. The others looked at each other. Just now, they had only seen the little eunuch suddenly pounce on Xiao Shoufu and the potted plant fall to the ground. That was all. Many people looked at the anxious little eunuch again and saw that his hands were empty. He didn¡¯t have the dagger that Xiao Shoufu had mentioned at all. His robe was also stained with mud, making him look a little disheveled.. Chapter 385 - Chapter 385: Disgraceful (2) Chapter 385: Disgraceful (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Chu Yi said faintly, ¡°Lord Xiao, it¡¯s really not appropriate to say that someone is trying to assassinate someone without evidence!¡± ¡°It¡¯s better not to wrong innocent people.¡± A few people revealed strange expressions and felt that the Eldest Prince¡¯s words sounded a little familiar. Where had they heard it before? ¡°Eldest Prince,¡± Xiao Shoufu said sternly. He was so angry that his entire body was trembling. He raised his hand and pointed at the bloody wound on his neck. ¡°My wound was caused by a dagger. This is the evidence.¡± ¡°Could it be that I, the dignified Grand Secretary, will deliberately cut myself to frame a mere eunuch?¡± The anger in Xiao Shoufu¡¯s heart rose steadily, and he couldn¡¯t hide the arrogance on his indignant face. Chu Yi didn¡¯t answer Xiao Shoufu. His calm eyes turned to Feng She and Third Master Feng and asked, ¡°What do you think, Lord Feng?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Feng She and his brother felt that something was wrong. They looked at each other, not knowing how to answer this question. ¡­.. Just 10 minutes ago, they were still questioning if the Eldest Prince¡¯s injuries were caused by him deliberately harming himself and framing Feng He. Xiao Shoufu was originally a smart person and quickly understood. His expression changed, and his heart sank. His eyes were sinister. He had been shocked and agitated just now, so he had forgotten himself. Only now did he gradually come back to his senses. So the Eldest Prince was waiting for them here. Chu Yi sighed slightly and asked the servant in green gently, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°My name is Jiang Lun,¡± the green-robed servant hurriedly replied. He lowered his head again and apologized respectfully. ¡°Your Highness, please forgive me for being disrespectful.¡± Chu Yi smiled and waved his sleeves gently, his movements indescribably beautiful. ¡°Everyone is the pillar of the Imperial Court. Their safety is naturally the priority.¡± ¡°In the future, you have to look around and listen to everything like today. When it¡¯s time to attack, don¡¯t hesitate.¡± These words sounded pleasant to the ears of the censors present. They felt that the Eldest Prince had the style of today, was gentle and tolerant, and would definitely be a benevolent king in the future. A few of them looked at Chu Yi with admiration. However, in Xiao Shoufu¡¯s ears, every word was threatening. Especially the last sentence, ¡°When it¡¯s time to attack, don¡¯t hesitate.¡± It made Xiao Shoufu feel that there was a sharp edge in his words. Did the Eldest Prince think that Jiang Lun¡¯s cut just now wasn¡¯t ruthless enough?! ¡°Lord Xiao.¡± Chu Yi looked at Xiao Shoufu with a faint smile and greeted him with concern. ¡°Is the wound on your neck alright? Do you want to summon the imperial physician?¡± He looked like he cared about his subordinates. ¡°I only have some superficial injuries. It¡¯s fine,¡± Xiao Shoufu hurriedly said. How could he dare use the imperial physician that Chu Yi had summoned? What if the imperial physician poisoned the medicine? To put it bluntly, when he returned home and died from the poison, there was no evidence that he had been poisoned by the Eldest Prince. Xiao Shoufu instantly felt a chill as if a guillotine had been placed on his head. His limbs went cold and numb. ¡°Help! Help!¡± The parrot finished pecking at the millet and screamed again on the gilded bird stand, its voice shrill. Xiao Shoufu¡¯s heart beat faster, his face was pale, and he was uneasy. Chu Yi raised his hand and gently hooked the parrot¡¯s chin twice. The parrot was easy to coax and rubbed against his fingers affectionately. Chu Yi said calmly with a sympathetic expression, ¡°Lord Xiao is too tired, that¡¯s why he had a surprise attack.¡± ¡°Speaking of which, Lord Xiao has been retired for so many years and hasn¡¯t had a good rest.¡± With that, Chu Yi looked at the Emperor opposite the chessboard and pleaded, ¡°Father, why don¡¯t you give Lord Xiao a long vacation and rest for a few days to recuperate?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± the Emperor agreed without another word, his eyes filled with laughter. The parrot happily imitated him. ¡°Surprise attack! You¡¯re right!¡± These words were extremely ironic. Madam Gu and Gu Jian were already stunned when they saw this scene. Ever since Xiao Shoufu was thrown to the ground, the mother and son hadn¡¯t reacted and could only watch in a daze. Seeing that Xiao Shoufu was about to be forced to leave the court by the Emperor and his son in just a few words, the mother and son found it unbelievable. They almost suspected that they were hallucinating as they looked at Xiao Shoufu with complicated gazes. Xiao Shoufu¡¯s expression darkened again. He hurriedly explained to the Emperor, ¡°Emperor, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m not sick¡­¡± ¡°Lord Xiao, don¡¯t force yourself.¡± A clear male voice suddenly interrupted Xiao Shoufu. Everyone couldn¡¯t help but look over. It was a middle-aged man in his 45s and 46s who was wearing a crimson embroidered brocade chicken. He was medium-sized, neither fat nor thin. His appearance was ordinary, and there were smile lines at the corners of his mouth. It was the Cabinet Deputy Assistant and Minister of Works, Mu Sheng. Mu Sheng took a few steps forward and walked calmly to Xiao Shoufu¡¯s side, forming a sharp contrast to his disheveled clothes. Mu Sheng said sincerely, ¡°In the past 10 years, Lord Xiao has been conscientious for the sake of the Imperial Court. It¡¯s been hard on you. Listen to my advice. Only by being healthy can one have a future.¡± He appeared very sincere, but the others around him had strange expressions. Mu Sheng was the top scholar chosen by the previous Emperor. With his background as a civil servant, he was completely different from those aristocratic families who entered the court as a ninth-grade middle-class official. He had fought steadily step by step to obtain his current status. Everyone knew that Mu Sheng was ambitious. He had long wanted to replace Xiao Shoufu, but he had no chance. It could be imagined that if Xiao Shoufu was on leave, then as the second assistant, Mu Sheng could naturally temporarily take over the position of the first assistant. Xiao Shoufu glared at Mu Cheng fiercely. The corners of his eyes twitched as he cursed at this Mu Cheng who had hit him when he was down. Alarm bells rang in his heart, and a strong sense of danger rose in his heart. He said with a fake smile, ¡°Thank you for your concern, Master Mu. My body is safe and sound.¡± ¡°I just didn¡¯t sleep well last night, so 1 accidentally saw wrongly.¡± He said the last sentence through gritted teeth. Without waiting for Mu Sheng to say anything else, Xiao Shoufu thanked Chu Yi again. ¡°Thank you for your care, Your Highness.¡± Chu Yi watched for a moment and smiled gently at Xiao Shoufu. His words suddenly turned to Feng He.. ¡°Then what do you think about Feng He¡¯s assassination?¡± Chapter 386 - Chapter 386: Biological Child Chapter 386: Biological Child Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios In Xiao Shoufu¡¯s opinion, this sentence was a blatant threat. Xiao Shoufu clenched his fists tightly in his sleeves. He felt that there was a wolf in front and a tiger behind. He forced himself to look calm and composed, but he had mixed feelings. He thought that this matter was almost certain. He would definitely be able to save the Feng family. 1 le might even be able to use the situation to protect the Yu family. She didn¡¯t expect the Eldest Prince to be so unconventional and actually use such a move. It was equivalent to asking her to personally overturn all the doubts they had about Feng He¡¯s assassination. If the Eldest Prince was on their side today, he would also cheer for him, but he was on the opposite side of their family. The Eldest Prince¡¯s scheming was really terrifying. Xiao Shoufu¡¯s eyes flickered, ¡­.. ¡°Lord Xiao?¡± Chu Yi urged again. He picked up another black piece from the chess box and played with it between his fingers. Xiao Shoufu felt his eyes blur again, and a silver light pierced into his right eye. He subconsciously turned to look at Jiang Lun, who was stroking his sleeve with a smile. Xiao Shoufu had no doubt that as long as Chu Yi gave the order, the eunuch called hang Lun would pounce on him like a mad dog again, But this time, could he still be lucky enough to survive?! Was it worth it for the Feng family and the Yu family? The black piece that was like black jade spun between Chu Yi¡¯s slender fingers. Suddenly, his fingers slipped and the black piece was about to fall¡­ Xiao Shoufu¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and the pain in his neck intensified. I le blurted out, ¡°Your l lighness is right.¡± When the words left his mouth, the rest of the sentence became much simpler. Xiao Shoufu took a deep breath and continued in a stiff tone, ¡°Battalion Commander Gu is loyal. 1 le must have realized that Feng He had done something inappropriate, so he protected the Emperor.¡± Feng She and Third Master Feng¡¯s expressions changed drastically. Chu Yi smiled slightly. It was neither good nor bad. The black piece was still between his fingers. The hair on the back of Xiao Shoufu¡¯s neck stood on end. He could only say again in an affirmative tone, ¡°Feng He assassinated His Highness because he was disloyal. Gu Yuan has done a great service in rescuing him. ¡¯ What a pity! Mu Cheng sighed in his heart in disappointment. 1 lowever, it was just a sigh. 1 le looked thoughtfully at Chu Yi by the window and vaguely saw a glimmer of hope. During the reign of the previous Emperor, he placed great importance on the aristocratic families. Every first minister appointed by the previous Emperor was a descendant of an aristocratic family. He had the intention to promote the poor, but he was weak and too benevolent. He was powerless. On the other hand, this young Eldest Prince was clearly not such an incompetent person from what he said and did today. Perhaps he could earn this meritorious service. Only by letting the aristocratic families empty the seats they occupied could he rise to the next level. Mu Cheng¡¯s eyes flashed, and he quickly composed himself. lie continued as if nothing had happened, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± This matter couldn¡¯t be simpler. At that time, there were so many commoners around Chengtian Gate who witnessed it.¡± When he said this, the censors nodded repeatedly and felt that it was true. With so many people watching, how could the Eldest Prince slander Feng He? It was also these aristocratic families who banded together and insisted on slandering Gu Yuan for the sake of the Feng family¡¯s reputation. Madam Gu and Gu Jian were stunned on the spot, their minds blank. Since even Xiao Shoufu admitted that Feng He was the one who assassinated the Eldest Prince, Madam Gu¡¯s confession became a huge joke. Actually, Gu Yuan was also a little stunned. His sister had told him not to speak and not to argue. He listened to her, but why had things come to this? He had been kneeling with his head half lowered, his expression well concealed. In the eyes of the surrounding censors, they only felt that Gu Yuan was extremely calm and decisive at such a young age. This time, he could be considered to have endured humiliation. The Emperor patted the parrot, and the parrot cried out heartlessly, ¡°Contribution! Contribution for rescuing the Emperor!¡± The parrot¡¯s loud voice spread throughout the entire water pavilion, stabbing Xiao Shoufu¡¯s heart like needles. The Emperor silently decided to add more food to the parrot later. He laughed loudly and praised, ¡°Gu Yuan, you¡¯ve done a good job in protecting me. Get up.¡± This was the first time the Emperor had called Gu Yuan by his name in public and not addressed him as Battalion Commander Gu. This meant that the name Gu Yuan had caught the Emperor¡¯s eye. Even if he didn¡¯t get promoted, it would be different from now on. Gu Jian and Madam Gu naturally understood this. The mother and son¡¯s faces darkened. The patriarch looked happy and proud. The people in the water pavilion were divided into two halves. 11 alf of them were happy, and the other half were gloomy. ¡°Thankyou, Emperor.¡± Gu Yuan, who was kneeling on the ground, looked up and cupped his fists at the Emperor neither servile nor overbearing. 1 lis eyes were as firm as iron. Recalling what his sister had said before leaving, he wasn¡¯t in a hurry to get up. Instead, he turned to look at Madam Gu, who was kneeling beside him. The young man¡¯s determined eyes suddenly changed. This glance was filled with admiration and sadness. To Gu Yuan, there was no need to pretend. He could naturally show it. Before knowing the truth about the ¡°substitute¡±, Gu Yuan¡¯s feelings for Madam Gu were indeed such a contradiction. He had only shown his past feelings at this moment. The others around naturally saw it too. They didn¡¯t feel any sympathy for Gu Yuan, especially Patriarch Gu. Gu Yuan had done a good job. As his grandmother, Madam Gu should have stood on his side, supported him, and even refuted those doubts with him. However, Madam Gu chose to stab her grandson in the back and almost caused Gu Yuan to be called a traitor. She almost ruined Gu Yuan. How could she be called his grandmother? She was simply an enemy! Madam Gu¡¯s heart sank, and her graceful face couldn¡¯t hide her old age. She had been kneeling for too long, and her knees were so numb that they didn¡¯t seem to belong to her. Cold sweat dripped from her forehead, and she naturally understood that she had completely lost this game. She opened her mouth slightly and couldn¡¯t help but turn to look at Feng She and Third Master Feng. With her last trace of hope, she saw that the Feng brothers had already knelt down. The Feng family was finished. The hope in her heart was completely extinguished. She pursed her lips and didn¡¯t say a word. Gu Jian also felt the condemning gazes around him on Madam Gu and himself. He was in a panic and looked at her expectantly, hoping that she could do something else. 1 lowever, Madam Gu didn¡¯t move. She was like a shell whose soul had been taken away, dumbfounded. Gu Yuan slowly stood up from the ground. His every move was strong and agile, like a young leopard. It was a stark contrast to the dispirited Madam Gu and her son. The Emperor¡¯s gaze gently swept past Gu Yuan and finally landed on Madam Gu. He said to the chief eunuch, ¡°Zhao Rang, what did the memorial Madam Gu just handed over say?¡± As he spoke, the Emperor casually picked up a white piece from the chess box and slowly placed it on the chessboard. He had finally thought of how to play this move. Yes, this move wasn¡¯t bad. The Emperor stroked his beard in satisfaction and looked at Chu Yi across the chessboard with a smile. Chu Yi was holding a blue and white porcelain teacup and taking a small sip. Just by sitting there and drinking tea, he had the elegance of a clear breeze and moon. Zhao Rang agreed respectfully and quickly took out Madam Gu¡¯s confession letter. Gu Jian¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and his body instantly stiffened like ice. He wished he could fly over and take the memorial back from Zhao Rang. However, he couldn¡¯t do anything. He could only listen to Zhao Rang slowly read the memorial in fear. Actually, Gu Jian had helped Madam Gu draft this memorial, it was just written by Madam Gu, and he knew every word in the memorial. However, at this moment, this memorial that he had personally drawn up was like a knife stabbing into his heart. Moreover, the knife was repeatedly stabbing and pulling out his heart, making him tremble. Time seemed to have slowed down infinitely. Gu Jian felt even more tormented. The Emperor and Chu Yi played chess by themselves. After another three or four pieces, the Emperor was stumped again. He frowned and pondered. Madam Gu¡¯s memorial wasn¡¯t long. Even though Zhao Rang habitually dragged out the melody, he finished reading it very quickly. The water pavilion was silent for a while. After a long time, the Emperor looked up from the chessboard and looked back and forth between Gu Yuan and Madam Gu. I le said in confusion and displeasure, ¡¯¡¯Gu Yuan helped to save the Emperor. Why is Madam Gu distorting the truth like this?¡¯¡¯ Zhao Rang gently closed the memorial and coughed dryly. He seemed to be in a difficult position and hesitated. He still reported, ¡°Emperor, 1 heard from Madam Gu just now chat the late Marquis, Gu Ce, wasn¡¯t born by her. His biological mother is the old Marquis¡¯ concubine.¡± Zhao Rang¡¯s voice happened to be heard clearly by everyone present. ¡­.. Everyone was shocked and looked at Madam Gu in surprise. This was a matter that concerned the Marquis Mansion¡¯s nobility. The Emperor¡¯s expression changed as well. He casually threw a chess piece back into the chess box and raised his voice slightly. ¡°There¡¯s actually such a thing?!¡± These four words couldn¡¯t hide his unhappiness. Madam Gu and Gu Jian were suddenly shocked, especially Madam Gu. The crease between her eyebrows was so deep that it could almost squeeze a mosquito to death. They realized that this matter didn¡¯t seem good. The Emperor stroked his beard and looked at Gu Yuan, who was standing quietly at the side, again. He sized him up as if he was deep in thought. After a while, the Emperor shook his head and sighed meaningfully.. ¡®No wonder¡­¡± Chapter 387 - Chapter 387: Concubine (1) Chapter 387: Concubine (1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The bored parrot began to jump around on the bird stand again. It learned how to speak and repeatedly shouted, ¡°No wonder.¡± Most of the people present only knew about this secret of the Dingyuan Marquis Household now, but there were two or three people who had heard the conversation between Madam Gu and Gu Yuan at noon. Now that they thought about the Emperor¡¯s ¡°no wonder¡±, these people couldn¡¯t help but think deeply. No wonder Madam Gu wanted to impeach Gu Yuan! No wonder when the news of Gu Ce opening the city gate and surrendering eight years ago came, even before the previous Beijing made a decision, Madam Gu had first begged Gu Ce and the Marquis Mansion to split up, causing all the prefectures in the capital to know¡­ At that time, everyone thought that Madam Gu had made such a difficult decision for the benefit of the entire Gu family and to survive. However, if Gu Ce wasn¡¯t her biological son, then her choice back then would have to be pondered. In particular, her confession today already made her thoughts very obvious. ¡­.. Madam Gu was really a cold and heartless person! Madam Gu was already drenched in sweat, as if she had been scooped out of the water. She was a sharp person and could already feel the Emperor¡¯s displeasure towards her from his ¡°no wonder¡±. Her pupils constricted in fear. What had happened today had completely exceeded her expectations. It gave her a rather bad feeling, and her heart beat like a drum. Madam Gu¡¯s nails dug into her palms so deeply that they almost broke her skin, but she suddenly didn¡¯t feel any pain. In her panic, Zhao Rang¡¯s sharp questioning voice sounded in her ears again. ¡°Madam Gu, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°The previous Marquis of Dingyuan, Gu Ce, wasn¡¯t born by Madam Gu, but he inherited the title. Could it be that the Gu family used a concubine to become the first wife?!¡± Even if he was questioning, Zhao Rang¡¯s voice was still slow and unhurried. However, these few words contained a thunderous power, making the air in the water pavilion seem to tremble. As soon as he said this, the entire room was in an uproar. Everyone looked at the Gu family members present with subtle expressions. It was unknown if they were shocked, disdainful, or sympathetic. No one expected that in just one day, after the Feng family and the Yu family, another family would face the crisis of collapse. Gu Jian¡¯s expression changed drastically, and he felt that something was wrong. Patriarch Gu, who was standing at the side with his hands by his side, trembled violently. He was anxious and sweating profusely. Those who used a concubine to become the first wife would have arbitrary wives and concubines. Those who used a concubine to succeed the throne weren¡¯t upright, and had committed a huge crime. This rule was personally set by Emperor Taizu. Emperor Taizu had been a playboy his entire life and had many children under him. He originally treated all the legitimate and concubines equally, and the same went for the prince he gave birth to. He often said that the capable should live. However, after the founding of the Great Jin Dynasty, some noble families followed suit, making the legitimate concubines unclear. Later on, after a descendant of the Yong Cheng Mansion killed someone, the fourth son of the concubine schemed for the title. First, he poisoned two legitimate brothers and one concubine brother. Then, he assassinated the grandchildren under his brother one by one. Only the men of the fourth branch were left in the residence. In the end, because the legitimate mother gave birth to the youngest brother, he simply ruthlessly poisoned his biological father to death. Emperor Taizu and Uncle Yong Cheng were sworn friends. When he heard the news of Uncle Yong Cheng¡¯s death, he was extremely sad. He felt that Uncle Yong Cheng was healthy and had died too suddenly. Hence, he ordered the imperial physician and the coroner to perform an autopsy. Only then did the truth come out and cause an uproar across the country. After that time, Emperor Taizu reflected for a long time and finally accepted the opinions of a few great scholars. They used the law as a warning to others. The legitimate son of the royal family should inherit the title. If there was no legitimate son, the concubine son would attack the title and degrade it. If there was a duke, he would be demoted to a marquis, and a marquis would be demoted to an earl. If a concubine¡¯s son was promoted to seize the title¡­ Emperor Taizu had always been swift and decisive in dealing with people. Once he made this law, there was no room for negotiation. Even he himself set an example. Emperor Taizu had a concubine son, the loth son of the Emperor. He was also the later Prince of the First Rank, Chu Chi. Although he wasn¡¯t as talented as Emperor Taizu and was considered very talented compared to his other brothers, Emperor Taizu gritted his teeth and gave the throne to his only legitimate son, the late Emperor, Chu Luo. Another example was the Marquis Mansion. Because the Old Marquis didn¡¯t have a legitimate son and only had two concubine sons, he had no choice but to adopt his second brother¡¯s eldest son at the age of 60 and ask for the title of heir for his nephew. If this was the case in the other manors, the Dingyuan Marquis Household was naturally no exception. If the Marquis of Dingyuan, Gu Ce, was born to a concubine, then the Dingyuan Marquis Household would be using a concubine as the legitimate wife.. Chapter 388 - Chapter 388: Concubine (2) Chapter 388: Concubine (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The patriarch¡¯s entire body was trembling as he looked at Madam Gu with hatred. There was surging anger in the corners of his eyes. Was this woman crazy?! How could she say such things so casually?! Madam Gu also thought of this and panicked. Her half-closed eyes moved with uncertainty. She didn¡¯t dare to look up, let alone look at the Emperor. When she said those words to Gu Yuan previously, she didn¡¯t expect to confront him in front of the imperial court. She only wanted to humiliate Gu Yuan and let him be pointed at by others. But now that they were in the imperial mansion, these words couldn¡¯t be said casually. Madam Gu didn¡¯t know how to reply. ¡­.. Zhao Rang had a smile on his face the entire time. His tone was friendly as he reminded her, ¡°Madam Gu, the Emperor is asking you a question.¡± Madam Gu:¡±¡­¡± Madam Gu¡¯s face was pale. She hesitated again and again and said tremblingly, ¡°Emperor, Gu Ce was born by me. 1 was just saying angry words to Brother Yuan.¡± She didn¡¯t dare to look up at the Emperor at all, and only heard the parrot cawing as if it was mocking her. The gazes of the others around her made her feel uneasy. The Emperor didn¡¯t speak and instead looked indifferent. He picked up the teacup and slowly brushed the foam off the teacup with the lid. ¡°Are you saying angry words in front of the Emperor?¡± Zhao Rang¡¯s tone suddenly turned cold. Madam Gu was speechless again, feeling uneasy. She knelt in front of the palace gate to apologize to the Emperor on behalf of Gu Yuan, so what she said in front of the palace gate was actually equivalent to being in front of the Emperor. This was disrespectful to the Emperor. Zhao Rang casually flicked the long silver-white horsetail whisk in his hand and reminded coldly, ¡°Madam Gu, it¡¯s better if you think about it before answering.¡± Thump, thump! Madam Gu¡¯s heart was beating wildly in her chest, each beat more violent than the last. Her pupils were moving wildly, and her forehead was covered in cold sweat. The expression on her face changed wonderfully, clearly reflecting her conflicted emotions. Almost everyone present could see it and knew what was going on. If even the question of whether Gu Ce was her biological son was so complicated, then there was only one answer¡ª As expected, Gu Ce wasn¡¯t born by Madam Gu. The Gu family had used the son of a concubine to inherit the title! Everyone had different expressions. No one expected that a memorial to inform one¡¯s ancestors would actually lead to such a secret of the Marquis Household. In front of the imperial palace, even the Dingyuan Marquis Household couldn¡¯t easily be let go. The patriarch at the side quickly lifted his robe and knelt between Gu Yuan and Madam Gu. ¡°Emperor.¡± The patriarch looked nervous and his breathing was chaotic. He explained anxiously, ¡°Gu Ce wasn¡¯t born by a concubine. He was born to the old marquis¡¯s first wife.¡± ¡°Madam Gu is his¡­¡± He frowned and thought for a long time before slowly squeezing out two words. ¡°Second wife.¡± No, I¡¯m not! Madam Gu shouted in her heart and retorted. Her dry and pale lips moved slightly. These words were on her lips and she almost shouted them out. Madam Gu¡¯s eldest sister¡¯s familiar and yet strange voice appeared in front of her eyes again, and her heart ached. When she was 15 years old, she met Gu Xuan. When she first saw him, she liked him, but in Gu Xuan¡¯s eyes and heart, there was only his eldest sister. She really didn¡¯t understand what was so good about her eldest sister. She couldn¡¯t understand what Gu Xuan liked about her. Because of this, she was conflicted every day. Even after her eldest sister died, it was still a thorn in her heart. It was the barrier of her life! Madam Gu¡¯s turbid pupils were in chaos, and her emotions were almost driving her crazy. A terrifying storm quickly brewed, and her body trembled like a sieve. Even the head of pearls on her crown trembled non-stop, making a faint rustling sound. This big show suddenly took another turn. The others in the water pavilion were all silent as they watched coldly. The Feng brothers were too busy to care about the Gu family¡¯s matters. ¡°Second wife?¡± The Emperor raised his eyebrows slightly. His expression was calm, and no one could tell if he was happy or angry. He only turned to ask the chief eunuch, Zhao Rang, ¡°Did Gu Xuan remarry?¡± Zhao Rang frowned slightly and pretended to recall. Then he shook his head. ¡°No.¡± Gu Xuan didn¡¯t need to report to the imperial court to renew his marriage, but if he wanted to ask for an order for his concubine, he had to be punished. The Emperor sneered and looked down at the patriarch kneeling on the ground. He said in a low voice, ¡°Do you know that lying in front of the Emperor is a crime of deception?¡± The others were also suspicious and looked at each other. After all, no one had heard that the Old Marquis, Gu Xuan, had an ¡°original wife.¡± Clearly, in order to avoid the crime of being a concubine, Gu An was afraid that the Marquis title would be confiscated, so he forcefully said that the concubine was the original wife. Only Chu Yi, who was opposite the Emperor, was calm. He had always maintained a faint smile on his lips, like the wind and the moon, warm and genial. His eyelashes were slightly lowered, as if he was looking at the chess game on the chessboard, making it impossible to see his eyes. ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡± The patriarch wanted to explain something, but the Emperor didn¡¯t want to hear it. The Emperor frowned. When he glanced at Madam Gu, Gu Jian, and Patriarch Gu, his indifferent and heartless gaze was as if he was looking at ants. His face wasn¡¯t moved at all. The Emperor said coldly, ¡°Not only is the Gu family using a concubine as the legitimate wife, but they are also guilty of deceiving the Emperor. Their crimes are irrefutable.¡± Zhao Rang shook his head with a sigh, as if to say that the Dingyuan Marquis Household was simply too daring. Madam Gu and Gu Jian seemed to be strangled. They wanted to defend themselves, but they couldn¡¯t say a word. The mother and son¡¯s faces were filled with the same despair. ¡°Father, since you¡¯ve added more sins to your crimes, other than being punished according to the law, you should also punish his descendants by not allowing them to enter the court for three generations. How about that?¡± Chu Yi¡¯s voice was warm and mellow as he casually placed a piece. The black chess pieces on the chessboard were aggressive, completely unlike his refined and gentle appearance.. Chapter 389 - Chapter 389: Severe Punishment (1) Chapter 389: Severe Punishment (1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°¡­¡± The patriarch was about to go crazy. Cold sweat dripped from his forehead like rain, and his white hair was already drenched. His second grandson had been talented since he was young. At the age of 12, he was studying at the famous Wan Song Academy. Several teachers in the academy said that his second grandson could try in two years. Their family relied on him, their second grandson, to pass the Imperial Examination. In the future, he would be able to shine. However, the Emperor blocked his grandson¡¯s path by saying that he wouldn¡¯t be able to take the Imperial Examination for three generations. He was already so old, could he still wait for his great-grandson to come up with something?! The more the patriarch thought about it, the more anxious he became. He couldn¡¯t care less about others and solemnly kowtowed to the Emperor, making a thud. He told her everything he knew. ¡°¡±Your Majesty, it is true that Gu Ce is a legitimate son. The old Marquis had a legitimate wife, Lady Daqi, who passed away due to illness over thirty years ago. Gu Xuan then married Lady Daqi¡¯s younger sister, Lady Xiaoqi, who is now the current Grand Madam.¡± ¡°The old Marquis remarried to Lady Xiaoqi when he was stationed in the western province at that time. As Gu Ce was still young then and Lady Xiaoqi was his biological aunt, it would have been difficult for her to be his stepmother. The old Marquis also feared that there would be conflicts between the mother and son, so he kept it a secret.¡± ¡­.. ¡°Gu Ce is the legitimate son. When he was three years old, the Old Marquis invited him to be conferred the title of Marquis. The imperial decree that Emperor Taizu issued to confer the title of Marquis is now enshrined in the Gu family¡¯s ancestral hall.¡± ¡°The Emperor knows that the Gu family didn¡¯t replace the son of the first wife with a concubine¡¯s son.¡± The patriarch spoke as if he was walking on thin ice. Then, he bent down and kowtowed heavily again until his forehead was red and swollen. He was in a sorry state and in a panic. He only hoped that the Emperor would punish the Gu family gently. The Old Marquis, Gu Xuan, married Lady Daqi 38 years ago. At that time, the patriarch had also traveled far to the west region to attend a wedding. He had also seen Lady Daqi once, just this once. Five years later, when Gu Xuan returned to the capital from the western province with his wife and children, the patriarch realized that his wife had become a different person. Gu Xuan explained that she was his second wife and was the sister of Lady Daqi. He begged the patriarch not to tell anyone. Although the patriarch felt that it was inappropriate, Gu Xuan had already brought his wife to meet the Emperor at that time. It had already been done, so he could only agree. Thinking of these past events, the patriarch¡¯s heart was in a mess. He composed himself and said firmly, ¡°Now that this has happened in the Gu family, when I go back, I¡¯ll immediately reopen the ancestral hall and recognize both legitimate and illegitimate children.¡± His voice was tense as he humbly pressed his forehead to the ground. He maintained his prostrate posture and didn¡¯t dare to move as he waited anxiously for the Emperor¡¯s verdict. Madam Gu¡¯s body trembled even more violently. Her old face was pale, and her chest hurt so much that she couldn¡¯t breathe. The patriarch¡¯s words seemed to have given her a fatal blow in front of everyone. Her eldest sister had become Gu Xuan¡¯s first wife, while she had been reduced to a second wife. She was an illegitimate second wife who didn¡¯t even have an official title. She would always have to be known as a concubine. Her elder sister was clearly her substitute, but now, she was going to be suppressed by her elder sister forever. She was unwilling! Madam Gu, who was kneeling on the ground, was furious and helpless. She was in a daze and was on the verge of collapse. The bejeweled crown swayed and attracted the parrot¡¯s attention. The parrot flapped its wings and chirped twice. A glimmer of hope appeared in Gu Jian¡¯s dark eyes as he stared at the Emperor without blinking. Using a concubine as a legitimate wife was a huge crime. The Marquis Household definitely couldn¡¯t bear this crime. As for whether his mother was a stepmother or not, it was a small matter. Be it the first wife or a stepmother, it was just an empty title. There were priorities. At this moment, he could only make his mother endure her status as the second wife and get through this obstacle first. The Emperor didn¡¯t speak. He neither agreed nor disagreed. He held the chess piece in the chess box with one hand, as if he was thinking. Chu Yi took two sips of tea and slowly put down the teacup in his hand. He smiled slightly and suddenly asked, ¡°Gu Yuan, why did you enter the palace this time?¡± As soon as he spoke, it was like a spring breeze that melted the ice and snow. Gu Yuan was about to answer when Gu Jian rushed to say, ¡°Your Highness, 1 think my mother¡¯s actions are inappropriate. Brother Yuan is my nephew. The Emperor will decide Feng He¡¯s matter. I¡¯ll bring Brother Yuan along to persuade my mother to go back.¡± Gu Jian tried his best to smile and push all the responsibility of this memorial to Madam Gu. He only hoped that the Emperor would be lenient and gently let it go. ¡°Your Highness, we¡¯re splitting up the family.¡± Gu Yuan cupped his fists and replied Chu Yi calmly.. Chapter 390 - Chapter 390: Severe Punishment (2) Chapter 390: Severe Punishment (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°¡­¡± Gu Jian¡¯s face darkened, but Madam Gu suddenly came back to her senses. Gu Yuan didn¡¯t care about Gu Jian¡¯s reaction at all. He continued, ¡°Second Uncle wants to split up the family.¡± After saying that, Gu Yuan turned to the patriarch who was lying on the ground and whispered, ¡°Uncle, 1 don¡¯t dare to lie in front of His Majesty.¡± When the patriarch heard this, he was drenched in sweat and sighed in his heart. The Marquis Household had already angered the Emperor. If he hid anything now, it would only make the Emperor dislike the Gu family even more. Gu Jian almost jumped up. He blew his beard and glared as he retorted, ¡°Emperor, it¡¯s clearly Gu Yuan and his sister who want to split up!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not me¡­¡± Gu Jian felt that he was extremely wronged. Just as he was about to explain, he was hurriedly interrupted by the patriarch beside him. ¡°Your Majesty, I can testify that it was Hou¡­ it was Gu Jian who split up the family!¡± ¡­.. The patriarch said this firmly. At this moment, he looked at Gu Jian again, unable to hide the disgust in his eyes. At this point, Gu Jian was still spouting nonsense. He was simply too bold. Did he want to drag him down to be accused of deceiving the Emperor?! Zhao Rang quickly glanced at the Emperor¡¯s expression before interrogating the patriarch on behalf of the Emperor. ¡°Gu An, why does the Dingyuan Marquis Household suddenly want to split up?¡± The patriarch honestly told him that he had been called to the Marquis Mansion to preside over the separation of the family. This was the first time he had seen the Emperor, so he was flustered and afraid. His words were incoherent and bumpy, but he had roughly explained three points: Today, Gu Jian had sent someone to invite him and the elders to the Marquis Mansion to preside over the separation. Gu Jian and his wife planned to separate the eldest branch. This time, Gu Jian¡¯s family took up 70% of the shares. The eldest branch¡¯s Gu Yuan and his sister only took 15% of the entire family business. The remaining 15% was divided equally between the fourth and fifth branches. In the water pavilion, only the patriarch¡¯s dry voice echoed in the air. Beside him, Gu Jian wanted to interrupt the patriarch a few times, but he remembered that this wasn¡¯t the Marquis Mansion, but the imperial mansion. He couldn¡¯t be impudent. Madam Gu only found out about the separation at this moment. Her entire body trembled as she turned to glare at Gu Jian in disbelief, panting slightly. How could her son split up the family from the eldest branch at this juncture? Wouldn¡¯t that be disadvantageous and arouse suspicion?! Why didn¡¯t he discuss it with her! Why did he make his own decision! She had only left for more than two hours, but she already felt like the world had turned upside down. The patriarch kowtowed a third time and apologized solemnly, ¡°Emperor, the separation of the family was too sloppy. It¡¯s all my fault for not investigating.¡± Madam Gu was already in a daze. She wanted to argue and scold her son, but she didn¡¯t know where to start. Even if she said that Gu Jian had acted on his own accord, no one would believe her and it would be meaningless. ¡°Clap!¡± The Emperor raised his hand and slammed the table again. He sneered and said, ¡°Heh, 1 now know the meaning of this memorial.¡± As he spoke, the Emperor threw the memorial at Gu Jian and Madam Gu. The memorial happened to land on Gu Jian¡¯s calf, scaring Gu Jian so much that his legs softened and he knelt down with a plop. A few censors glanced at Gu Jian in disdain. The young censor stood up with his head held high and chest puffed out. He bowed to the Emperor righteously and said, ¡°Emperor, in order to seize the family assets, Gu Jian, the Marquis of Dingyuan, cannot tolerate his biological nephew. He even said nonsense in front of Your Majesty and wants to kill his biological nephew. He¡¯s really disloyal and heartless.¡± ¡°Such an evil act should be severely punished. Your Majesty, please punish him by stripping him of the title of Marquis of Dingyuan as a warning to others.¡± The young censor spoke impassionedly and reasonably. The other censors all felt that he was right and nodded repeatedly. Strip him of his title?! Gu Jian felt as if his heart had been stabbed ruthlessly again, and a thick salty smell rose in his throat. At this moment, he really wanted to kill this censor. What right did he have to strip him of his title?! Gu Jian was indignant. Gu Yuan was the one who suggested splitting up the family. Why did the censor invert the truth and pin all the blame on him in the end? He even asked the Emperor to strip him of his title?! The blood drained from Gu Jian¡¯s face. He was as pale as snow. He wanted to say something, but he didn¡¯t know what to say. His mouth opened and closed, and his throat felt like it was burning. He looked at Xiao Shoufu pleadingly. Xiao Shoufu, who was at the side, frowned. The wound on his neck had already stopped. His white hair was slightly messy, and his eyes were uncertain. The Yu family and the Feng family had gotten into trouble one after another, and today, the aristocratic families had been defeated. After this incident, the power of the aristocratic families in the court would probably be greatly reduced¡­ The person Xiao Shoufu felt the most regretful about was Feng He. It wasn¡¯t easy for him to place Feng He in the position of the capital magistrate. The capital magistrate was a parent official in the capital, but he was only a fourth-grade official. His rank wasn¡¯t high, and he didn¡¯t have much power. If any noble family really had a murder case, it wasn¡¯t up to the capital magistrate to deal with it. However, everything in the capital couldn¡¯t escape the eyes of the capital magistrate. He could cut off the Emperor¡¯s ears, and even¡­ Xiao Shoufu¡¯s eyes were dark. The more he thought about it, the more his head hurt. He rubbed his eyebrows. This time, their aristocratic family¡¯s losses were too heavy. Xiao Shoufu didn¡¯t speak. The officials of the other aristocratic families were all led by him. They also judged the situation and watched silently from the side. The few imperial censors beside him all pointed their fingers at Gu Jian and followed. ¡°Censor Han is right. This trend can¡¯t last!¡± ¡°Otherwise, wouldn¡¯t the others have to learn from him and expel the orphans and widows from the family in the name of splitting up?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Our Great Jin Dynasty rules the world with loyalty and filial piety. Such despicable behavior must be punished with death.¡± ¡°¡­¡± These imperial censors were best at talking. Most of them were hot-blooded, upright, and had extremely strong combat power. They reprimanded Gu Jian one after another, asking the Emperor to punish Gu Jian severely.. Chapter 391 - Chapter 391: Stripping His Title Chapter 391: Stripping His Title Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Everyone present heard Madam Gu¡¯s confession clearly just now. Every word on the confession was aggressive, as if it wanted to kill Gu Yuan. It could be imagined that if Gu Yuan¡¯s crime was determined, the Eldest Prince¡¯s reputation would inevitably be tarnished from now on. Be it the people or the court officials, they would all question if Gu Yuan was acting under the Eldest Prince¡¯s orders. The Eldest Prince was the Emperor¡¯s only son. Everyone knew that the Emperor would make him the Crown Prince sooner or later. Once the Eldest Prince had this stain, those noble families could use it as an excuse to oppose the Emperor. Their hearts were simply sinister. The more the censors thought about it, the more indignant they became. Their sharp gazes shot at Gu Jian like countless sharp arrows, and they couldn¡¯t hide their disdain. The Dingyuan Marquis Household was clearly a noble, but they were biased towards those aristocratic families. They had no position and no principles. ¡­.. Every time they thought about how the aristocratic families had secretly instigated Censor Lian to hit the wall, their hatred for the aristocratic families doubled. They were very disdainful of Gu Jian¡¯s actions. Seeing that the situation was one-sided, Xiao Shoufu was even more unwilling to stand up. He raised his hand in frustration and brushed the dust off his robe, making a decision. It was useless to control the Dingyuan Marquis Household, so why should he get himself into trouble? Gu Jian waited and waited, but he couldn¡¯t wait for help from the aristocratic families. It was as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over his head, and his entire body was bone-chilling. He had convinced his mother to impeach Gu Yuan because of Kang Wang. But now that something had happened to the Gu family, these families seemed to be throwing their burdens away and couldn¡¯t wait to cut ties with the Gu family! It was really chilling! Gu Jian¡¯s entire body was in a mess. He turned to look at the Emperor in panic, his neck so stiff that his bones creaked. The Emperor, sitting by the window, was still silent. Against the light, the Emperor¡¯s facial features seemed a little blurry, and his eyes were deep and dark. Slowly, he picked up a white piece from the chess box, seemingly thinking and hesitating. The more the Emperor didn¡¯t speak, the more afraid Gu Jian became. His entire body went numb. No one from the Gu family or the aristocratic families spoke. They only heard the imperial censors talking non-stop. They wished they could take off Gu Jian¡¯s crimson robe that was embroidered with kirin. Those voices could no longer reach Gu Jian¡¯s ears, and his ears were buzzing. He only stared at the Emperor in a daze, until his eyes began to dry and sore. After an unknown period of time, the Emperor took a few sips of tea and said slowly, ¡°Gu Jian¡¯s false accusation and deception are irrefutable crimes. Considering that Gu Yao and Gu Xuan have made unprecedented military achievements for the Great Jin Dynasty, I¡¯ll show mercy towards the Gu family and spare their lives.¡± Hearing this, Gu Jian¡¯s almost desperate eyes lit up slightly. His eyes widened, thinking that there was still room for negotiation. Thud! Thud! Gu Jian¡¯s heart suddenly beat faster, and his heart almost jumped out of his chest. In the next moment, the Emperor¡¯s high and mighty gaze met his, and he finished his sentence calmly. ¡°I¡¯ll punish him lightly. I¡¯ll only dismiss Gu Jian and strip him of his title.¡± These words were like a thunderclap in Gu Jian¡¯s ears. Gu Jian¡¯s vision darkened and he almost fainted. It was as if he had swallowed bitter gallbladder, and a bitter taste spread from his mouth to his heart. The title was his. He had worked hard for eight years before the Marquis Household improved. How could his title be snatched away so easily?! It shouldn¡¯t have happened! It shouldn¡¯t be like this! This thought echoed repeatedly in Gu Jian¡¯s mind. His eyes turned completely red and he was filled with regret. We shouldn¡¯t have submitted this petition of guilt today. And Mother¡­ They had clearly agreed to let her kneel at the palace gate for a while before leaving. Why did she have to say such nonsense to Gu Yuan?! Otherwise, how could things have developed to this irreversible state! At the thought of this, Gu Jian looked at Madam Gu with a trace of resentment, and his eyes became gloomy and ruthless. ¡°Your Majesty is fair!¡± Censor Han was the first to speak loudly. The other censors echoed after him. They praised the Emperor for being fair and benevolent. In the hearts of these censors, Gu Jian¡¯s presumptuous words in front of the Emperor were a crime of deceiving and disrespecting the Emperor. He should be sentenced to exile as a punishment. However, the Emperor had ultimately taken into account the hard work that the Gu family¡¯s ancestors had made for the imperial court. He had only fired Gu Jian and seized his title. This was also the Emperor¡¯s kindness to his subordinates. The Emperor glanced at everyone and smiled slightly. As he placed another white piece on the chessboard and ate four black pieces, he felt that his moves were really wonderful. He raised his eyebrows and gave Chu Yi, who was sitting opposite him, a look. Chu Yi smiled slightly. The warm sunlight coated his fair face and apricot-yellow robe with a faint layer of gold leaf, making him look oppressive. He calmly played another game of chess and smiled. ¡°Father, Gu Yuan has contributed to protecting me¡­¡± The Emperor¡¯s heart skipped a beat. His bright eyes rolled slightly as he continued, ¡°This title¡­¡± The Emperor wanted to say that it was better to give this title to Gu Yuan, but he had only said a few words when he was interrupted by Chu Yi. ¡°This title is a gift from Emperor Taizu to the Gu family. Although the Gu family can¡¯t afford it now.¡± At this point, Chu Yi¡¯s gaze gently swept across Gu Jian, who was sweating profusely. Of course, he was saying that Gu Jian couldn¡¯t afford the title. His gaze finally landed on Gu Yuan¡¯s tall figure and was filled with smiles. ¡°But if the younger generation of talents has the style of an ancestor and has made outstanding contributions to the country and the people, this title of the Marquis of Dingyuan can still be returned to the Gu family.¡± The nobles and high-ranking officials of the Great Jin Dynasty were rare and most of them were meritorious officials who had followed Emperor Taizu and made outstanding contributions. Emperor Taizu once said, ¡°Only those who have made military achievements for the state can be ennobled.¡± Therefore, after the founding of the dynasty, even if a military general had made great contributions, the highest title he could receive was that of an earl. In the 50 years since the founding of the Great Jin Dynasty, three marquises and two earls had already had their title stripped. ¡°What do you think, Father?¡± Chu Yi asked the Emperor with a smile. The Emperor understood his son¡¯s intentions and laughed loudly. He clapped his hands heartily and said, ¡°Good, that¡¯s good!¡± ¡°Thank you, Emperor. Thank you, Eldest Prince.¡± Gu Yuan cupped his fists solemnly. His eyes were as bright as the warm sun outside the window because of Chu Yi¡¯s words just now. He still remembered that one day when he was more than four years old, his father had asked him with a smile, ¡°Yuan¡¯er, when you grow up, do you want Daddy¡¯s Dragon Origin Sword?¡± At that time, he nodded vigorously and said, ¡°Yes!¡± His father asked again, ¡°What if this sword is snatched away or even destroyed before Father can pass it to you?¡± To him, who was still young at that time, his father¡¯s sword was the best sword in the world. He was extremely sad and cried. His father told him the story of the Dragon Origin Sword. The Dragon Origin Sword was a famous sword that his father had seized when they went to the northwest to suppress bandits that year. It was forged by the famous swordsmith of the previous dynasty, Qing Hezi. It could cut hair and cut iron like mud. ¡°Yuan¡¯er, the Dragon Origin Sword isn¡¯t the only treasure in this world. Are you willing to find a better sword to be filial to me?¡± In the end, his father asked him teasingly. At that time, he wiped his tears with his sleeve and said energetically, ¡°Yes!¡± If he wanted to, so could he. Even if the Dragon Origin Sword was gone, even if the Marquis title was gone, it wouldn¡¯t matter. He still had this pair of hands and feet. He could also rely on himself to earn back this glory! ¡°¡­¡± The patriarch¡¯s face was originally ashen, but at this moment, a little hope vaguely ignited in his gray eyes. Given how much the Eldest Prince valued Gu Yuan, he would definitely put him in an important position. This also meant that the Gu family still had hope of regaining their former glory. The censors present were a little surprised. They looked at Chu Yi with admiration and respect. They originally thought that the Eldest Prince had the heart to support Gu Yuan and would take the opportunity of Gu Jian making a mistake to suggest giving the title to Gu Yuan. For example, Earl Yongxin¡¯s Mansion had also made a huge mistake because of Earl Yongxin. Emperor Taizu made the decision and instead gave the title to the second branch, which was Earl Yongxin¡¯s second brother. On account of the achievements of the ancestors of the noble families, this kind of behavior was also common. However, regarding the Dingyuan Marquis Household, Gu Yuan¡¯s bad thing was that he had a father like Gu Ce. Although Gu Yuan had contributed to the rescue, his small contribution wasn¡¯t enough to make up for Gu Ce¡¯s crime of subduing the enemy back then. It was only right and proper for the father to bear the sins. Now, Gu Yuan had no contributions and was not worthy of his position. Even if the Emperor and the Eldest Prince wanted to give him the title, it wouldn¡¯t be legitimate. As censors, they would definitely not sit back and do nothing. They had to impeach him on the spot! What they didn¡¯t expect was that the Eldest Prince was so clear about rewards and punishments. He didn¡¯t forcefully pass the title of Marquis to Gu Yuan just because Gu Yuan was his person who could support him. He also wasn¡¯t like the previous Emperor who stripped titles away just like that. Instead, he took into account the relationship between the Gu family¡¯s ancestors and left the Gu family with a last breath. The Eldest Prince really had the demeanor of a wise ruler! The censors sang praises to the Emperor and the Eldest Prince. Even Mu Sheng chimed in tactfully, creating a warm atmosphere. Xiao Shoufu, Feng She, and the others had dark expressions, and Madam Gu, Gu Jian, and her son seemed to have lost half of their souls. Especially Madam Gu. The consecutive blows were like adding insult to injury, making her spirit close to collapse. Her heart continued to ache, her limbs were cold, and she couldn¡¯t catch her breath. Her entire body trembled violently, and there were only two thoughts in her mind: If I become the second wife, the Marquis¡¯ title would be gone. The things I¡¯ve been pursuing for most of my life would be gone all of a sudden! Then what have 1 done with my life?! My eldest sister is dead, and Gu Xuan is dead. I¡¯m the only one who¡¯s still alive. I¡¯m the victor, right? But why did 1 end up with nothing?! The heavens are unfair! ¡­.. The heavens are so unfair! Madam Gu¡¯s face suddenly turned pale. She raised her hand to touch her throbbing left chest and bent down as her vision darkened.. Chapter 392 - Chapter 392: Splitting Up (1) Chapter 392: Splitting Up (1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Mother!¡± Gu Jian noticed that something was wrong with Madam Gu and shouted nervously. Madam Gu rolled her eyes and fell forward weakly. She heard Gu Jian¡¯s worried voice enter her ears from afar. ¡°Mother¡­¡± Madam Gu¡¯s consciousness was quickly swallowed by the darkness and she fainted. After that, she didn¡¯t know know what happened. There was only a boundless darkness around her, cold and heartless¡­ When she opened her eyes again, she found herself in a carriage. The carriage swayed slightly, and the monotonous sound of horses¡¯ hooves and wheels outside the carriage reached her ears. Madam Gu felt like she was in a dream, as if everything just now was just a nightmare. ¡­.. ¡°Mother, you¡¯re awake!¡± Seeing that Madam Gu was awake, Gu Jian shouted excitedly, ¡°How are you?¡± Madam Gu turned a deaf ear to him. Her muddle-headed eyes were still a little blurry as she thought to herself, Yes, this was just a nightmare. When we return to the Marquis Mansion, this nightmare will naturally end¡­ At this moment, the carriage stopped steadily. The carriage shook slightly, and a familiar female voice came from outside the carriage, sharp and unhappy. ¡°How dare you!¡± ¡°What are you doing?! This is the Dingyuan Marquis Household. You can¡¯t mess around¡­¡± Then, a young man¡¯s angry voice sounded. ¡°I¡¯m also following orders. Don¡¯t make things difficult for me, lest I accidentally bump into you.¡± Another unfamiliar and cold male voice couldn¡¯t hide the threat in it. The coachman outside shouted in surprise, ¡°Marquis!¡± Gu Jian quickly lifted the curtain and looked out of the window. Yuan¡¯an Street, where the Marquis Mansion was located, came into view. They had arrived at the Marquis Mansion. However¡­ Gu Jian couldn¡¯t help but widen his eyes to the extreme. He had suffered another heavy blow. The entrance of the Marquis Mansion was so familiar, but at this moment, it was so unfamiliar. It had changed beyond recognition, and the ground was a mess. The plaque above the door with the words ¡°Dingyuan Marquis Mansion¡± had already been removed. The vermilion door, with a total of 35 nails, had also been removed. At the side, a few imperial guards in bronze helmets and iron armor carried the two Suanni Stone Beasts to a carriage. The Duchess, Madam Wang, and Gu Xiao were confronting the two imperial guards. The mother and son were exasperated, and the imperial guards had cold expressions. On Yuan¡¯an Street outside the Marquis Mansion, some passersby were gathered. These passersby gathered in groups of twos and threes and pointed curiously in the direction of the Marquis Mansion. Those gazes that were watching a good show made the Wang family feel like their Marquis Mansion had been mocked. ¡°Marquis!¡± Madam Wang¡¯s eyes lit up when she saw the Marquis Mansion¡¯s carriage and Gu Jian, who had hurriedly alighted from it. It was as if she had seen her savior. Madam Wang hurriedly walked towards Gu Jian. She pinched her handkerchief with one hand and pointed at the imperial guards with the other. ¡°Marquis, look at them. They actually dared to tear down the plaque and door of our Marquis Mansion!¡± 10 minutes ago, the servants came to report in fear that the imperial guards had arrived and wanted to forcefully dismantle the Marquis Mansion¡¯s plaque. The Wang family rushed over with Gu Xiao to see what was going on. However, these imperial guards completely ignored their obstruction. They were simply like bandits, making a mess of the Marquis Mansion. The more Madam Wang spoke, the angrier she became. She said angrily, ¡°Marquis, you can¡¯t¡­¡± Can¡¯t let this go. She stopped mid-sentence. Madam Wang, who was a step slower, realized that something was wrong with Gu Jian. He looked dejected, as if he had suffered a blow. Thinking that Gu Jian had entered the palace to pick up Madam Gu, Madam Wang looked up at the carriage behind him and asked, ¡°Marquis, where¡¯s Mother?¡± These two words were like a knife to Gu Jian at this moment. If her mother hadn¡¯t vented her anger on Gu Yuan in a moment of anger, this wouldn¡¯t have happened! Gu Jian¡¯s face darkened. He felt as if a large piece of his heart had been gouged out. He was in so much pain that he wanted to die. The empty door of the Marquis Mansion was a silent mockery. There seemed to be an angry rhinoceros barging around in Gu Jian¡¯s heart. That anger and madness were about to explode from his body. Gu Jian pushed Madam Wang away angrily, causing her to stagger back two steps. Fortunately, Gu Xiao held her in time. Gu Jian turned a blind eye and rushed towards the empty door without looking back. His slightly hunched back looked down and pathetic.. Chapter 393 - Chapter 393: Splitting Up (2) Chapter 393: Splitting Up (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Marquis!¡± ¡°Father!¡± Madam Wang and Gu Xiao shouted at Gu Jian almost at the same time. The mother and son were at a loss. They still didn¡¯t know what was going on. At the back, the patriarch got out of another carriage with the help of a servant. He sighed sadly. No one paid attention to Madam Gu in the previous carriage, as if they had completely forgotten about her. ¡°Uncle.¡± Gu Yuan jumped down from a tall black horse and walked to the patriarch¡¯s side. He cupped his fists and said, ¡°Please preside over the separation of the family.¡± ¡­.. The patriarch was speechless. The patriarch wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with his sleeve. The corners of his wrinkled mouth were pursed into a straight line. His helpless eyes seemed to be asking if they still wanted to split it. Gu Yuan didn¡¯t speak and only looked up at the empty lintel in front of him. After the plaque of the ¡°Dingyuan Marquis Mansion¡± was taken off, the shape of a plaque was left on the lintel. The young man raised his well-defined chin slightly, a faint smile on his firm lips. He was clearly smiling, but it made people feel heavy, as if there was something heavy on his shoulders. His figure was still tall and straight, like a pine tree and a longsword. The patriarch looked at Gu Yuan¡¯s handsome side profile in a daze. From his bright eyes and firm lips, he vaguely felt a sense of mission. The future of the Gu family depended on Gu Yuan. This thought suddenly appeared in the patriarch¡¯s mind. Then, he understood as if he had been enlightened. Yes, it could be seen that Madam Gu and Gu Jian were narrow-minded and couldn¡¯t tolerate Gu Yuan standing up for them. If they didn¡¯t split up, this mother and son might cause trouble in the future and hinder Gu Yuan¡¯s future. At this point, the eldest branch and the second branch would definitely not tolerate it. It was better to split up. The patriarch nodded solemnly and said with his hands behind his back, ¡°Brother Yuan, let¡¯s go to the hall first.¡± Madam Wang looked at Gu Jian¡¯s back and then at the patriarch¡¯s solemn face. She felt even more uncertain and had an ominous feeling. She clenched the handkerchief in her hand tightly and watched helplessly as the Suanni Stone Beast was moved away by the imperial guards. Gu Xiao frowned and tightened his jaw. He said to Gu Yuan sarcastically, ¡°Brother, someone is causing trouble at home. Are you just going to watch helplessly?¡± Wasn¡¯t Gu Yuan always very arrogant? Now that he was bullied at the door of his house, he didn¡¯t dare to make a sound! It turned out that he was just a bully. Gu Yuan only glanced at Gu Xiao indifferently, as if Gu Xiao didn¡¯t enter his eyes at all. He ignored him completely and reached out to the patriarch in an inviting manner. ¡°Uncle, please.¡± Gu Yuan and the patriarch walked side by side and crossed the high threshold. Gu Xiao clenched his fists until the bones in his fists creaked. He could only pull Madam Wang into the residence and say to himself, ¡®Anyway, Big Brother can only be arrogant for this moment. When the Marquis Household is completely separated, their eldest branch will move away from the Marquis Mansion: With that thought in mind, Gu Xiao straightened his back and strode towards the main hall of the outer courtyard. The sun was shining brightly outside. In the main hall, everyone was in a panic. The hall was in a mess. Half of the boxes containing the ledgers had been opened. Most of the ledgers had been taken out. Some were piled up high, and some were spread out on the long table and coffee table. None of the elders were in the mood to look at the account book. Some were sitting and drinking tea, some were pacing back and forth in the hall, and some were looking uneasily in the direction of the door. ¡°The patriarch is back!¡± someone shouted. The elders immediately perked up and looked at the patriarch and Gu Yuan outside the hall with joy. The elders surrounded the patriarch and said at once, ¡°Brother, you¡¯re back.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s Madam? Have you brought her back?¡± ¡°Eh, why isn¡¯t the Marquis with you? Could it be that he¡¯s dealing with the imperial guards at the door?¡± ¡°You should have seen the imperial guards at the door, right? Why are they here?¡± II II Ever since the patriarch and the others left, these elders had been looking at the accounts here and keeping an eye on the accounts to check the businesses. Later on, Madam Wang called Gu Xiao over to accompany them. Originally, everything was fine. Unexpectedly, the imperial guards suddenly came aggressively. The elders felt uneasy and weren¡¯t in the mood to deal with the accounts. Facing the questioning gazes, the patriarch waved his hand weakly and said tiredly, ¡°He has been stripped of his title.¡± He had been stripped of his title?! The elders were shocked. Madam Wang and Gu Xiao couldn¡¯t believe their ears. A few people sat weakly on the chairs at the back. Some stood rooted to the ground in a daze, while others blurted out in disbelief, ¡°What? How did that happen?¡± Although the title of Marquis of Dingyuan belonged to Gu Yao and Gu Xuan, to the entire Gu family, the title was a guarantee, a help, and an honor. The Dingyuan Marquis Household was the confidence of the Gu family. How could the title be seized?! The more the elders thought about it, the more agitated they became. Their hearts ached as they surrounded the patriarch and questioned, ¡°Patriarch, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. How did the Marquis¡¯ title get confiscated for no reason?¡± It was as if a spoonful of cold water had been poured into a hot pot of oil. The main hall exploded. Amidst the commotion, only Gu Yanfei sat calmly at the side. She didn¡¯t even move the corners of her eyes and eyebrows. She had a hint of calmness that wouldn¡¯t change even if Mount Tai collapsed in front of her. Gu Yuan walked straight to Gu Yanfei¡¯s side and sat down. He took the tea from his sister and smiled. Madam Wang¡¯s mind went blank from the grievous news of the conquest. When she came back to her senses, her first reaction was that this was definitely caused by Gu Yuan. Her angry gaze was like a knife as she looked at Gu Yuan¡¯s face and raised her hand to point at him.. Chapter 394 - Chapter 394: Prodigal Chapter 394: Prodigal Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°It¡¯s you, right?¡± Madam Wang shouted at the top of her lungs. She was furious and almost went crazy. ¡°You killed the capital magistrate in a moment of anger and angered Long Yan, but you caused a huge disaster for my Marquis Mansion!¡± ¡°How could a prodigal son like you appear in the Marquis Mansion? You even ruined the title left behind by our ancestors!¡± ¡°Gu Yuan, you¡¯re about to split up from the Marquis Household, and you still want to implicate us. You¡¯re just like your father¡­¡± The more Madam Wang spoke, the angrier she became and the more she hated him. She really wanted to rush up and scratch Gu Yuan like a shrew in the market. Gu Yuan had just taken two sips of tea to moisten his throat. When he heard this, he looked up from the teacup and sneered at Madam Wang. Without needing Gu Yuan to say anything, the patriarch pointed at Madam Wang and scolded her sternly, ¡°Madam Wang, are you done!¡± ¡°What does this have to do with Yuan¡¯er!¡± ¡­.. ¡°You shrew, you¡¯re slandering your nephew without asking for the reason.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask your mother-in-law what¡¯s going on with Gu Jian!!¡± ¡°The mother and son have caused a huge disaster for the Gu family. Now, they¡¯re hiding and don¡¯t dare to come and see anyone!¡± The patriarch had always had a good temper. It was rare for him to use such intense words, and it was rare for him to be so angry that he stunned the elders beside him. The patriarch was still angry after scolding her. He called an old woman in the hall over and asked her to quickly call Gu Jian over. The old woman obeyed and ran out in a hurry. In the main hall, the atmosphere was a little stiff for a moment. The maidservants were all silent. The elders were a little stunned and vaguely understood that it was Gu Jian and Madam Gu who had ruined the Marquis¡¯ title. The elders looked at each other in shock. Madam Wang was speechless. Her face alternated between green and white as she felt a little embarrassed. She really wanted to order someone to chase the patriarch out. She didn¡¯t believe what the patriarch had said. How could the Gu family¡¯s title be stripped because of the Marquis?! The elders at the side had already pulled Gu Yuan to ask about the process. The patriarch was annoyed when he looked at Madam Wang. As an elder, he reprimanded, ¡°We¡¯re splitting up the family. What are you doing here?! Hurry up and get out!¡± Madam Wang¡¯s expression turned even uglier. Her chest heaved violently as she raised her neck and said, ¡°Why? I¡¯m the dignified Madam¡­¡± She was the Madam of the Marquis Mansion. What right did the patriarch have to chase her out?! ¡°Even the Marquis is gone,¡± the patriarch interrupted her coldly. The patriarch stared at Madam Wang¡¯s face without blinking for a moment and warned slowly, ¡°I¡¯m in charge today. I can divorce you if I want to.¡± His expression was very serious, and his words were clear. Madam Wang:¡±¡­¡± Madam Wang¡¯s pupils constricted. She was really frightened now. The Gu family no longer had a title, and Gu Jian was no longer the Marquis of Dingyuan, which meant that he had lost his transcendent status in the family. Now, as the patriarch of the Gu family, he had the highest status in the family and could even be the master of these branches. Madam Wang clenched the handkerchief in her hand tightly and crumpled it. She gave Gu Xiao a look and asked her son to stay here while she slowly walked out. Gu Xiao didn¡¯t receive Madam Wang¡¯s gaze at all. He was still immersed in the shock of the Marquis¡¯ title being confiscated, and didn¡¯t want to believe this cruel truth. They were clearly about to split up, and his father would soon be able to hand the title down to him. How could they be stripped of the Marquis title! Madam Wang slowly walked down the stone steps and turned around to look into the hall. The more she thought about it, the more flustered she became. Her heart was still in a mess. She waved at the maidservant beside her and instructed in a low voice, ¡°Tell Third Miss¡­¡± As soon as the maidservant left, Gu Jian walked over with a dark expression. His entire body emitted a sinister aura, and not far behind him was the old woman who had been ordered by the patriarch to call for help. ¡°Marquis¡­¡± Madam Wang hurriedly went up to her, wanting to ask what was going on. However, Gu Jian looked at her and didn¡¯t stop. He walked past her and entered the main hall without looking back. Madam Wang had just been reprimanded by the patriarch and was already in a fit of anger. At this moment, she was ignored by Gu Jian. She was so angry that she lost all rationality and couldn¡¯t care less about her manners. She couldn¡¯t help but stomp her feet. Gu Jian lifted his robe and stepped over the threshold. He happened to hear the patriarch say disdainfully,¡±¡­ The censor impeached Gu Jian on the spot to seize the family assets and not allow his nephew to marry into the family. He even said nonsense in front of His Majesty and wanted to kill his nephew¡­¡± Gu Jian¡¯s face darkened even more and he clenched his fists tightly. As he stood at the entrance, the patriarch and the elders naturally saw him. The patriarch only asked him coldly, ¡°Am I wrong?¡± Gu Jian didn¡¯t say a word. His expression was tense, and his thin lips were pursed like iron. He sat down in his seat with a straight face. At this moment, silence meant admission. Everyone felt as if they had been soaked in a cold lake. Their limbs and hearts turned cold. They were anxious and flustered, but they couldn¡¯t help but feel a little glad. God knew that the Emperor had almost made their Gu family unable to take the imperial examination for three generations. In comparison, just snatching the title was already a light punishment. They were just trying to look on the bright side. The elders were all on the brink of tears. Grief, panic, frustration, confusion, anxiety, and so on filled their hearts. Originally, their family had a noble title and wasn¡¯t on the same level as the wealthy gentry in the capital. Follow closely behind heavy-laden wagons, as aristocrats, not only could they be exempted from taxes and conscription, but they also had all kinds of preferential treatment in their future. It was extremely convenient for them to enter the military camp or the few academies in the capital. To be more realistic, even if the clansmen provoked the officials, the imperial capital would be more polite to the Gu clan on account of the Marquis Household. But now, it was all gone. The Gu family had become an ordinary family. This was all because of Gu Jian and Madam Gu! Gu Yao, Gu Xuan, and their sons¡¯ achievements on the battlefield back then were squandered by this mother and son! Just now, Madam Wang had said that Gu Yuan was a prodigal. The prodigal was clearly Gu Jian! Even Gu Xiao looked at Gu Jian with a reproachful gaze. He gripped the armrest of the chair so tightly that he almost crushed it. Gu Jian felt as if he had been publicly executed, and his expression was extremely stiff. He still didn¡¯t answer the patriarch¡¯s question, and only said unhappily, ¡°Let¡¯s split up quickly.¡± He straightened his neck and raised his chin. His voice was as cold as ice. His commanding and arrogant attitude made the elders in the hall even more unhappy. They felt that Gu Jian had caused the Gu family to be in such a state, but he still didn¡¯t reflect. The atmosphere in the hall became even more tense and cold as winter. The patriarch looked around at everyone present and finally met Gu Jian¡¯s dark eyes. He said firmly, ¡°Then we ll split.¡± They had to be split. If they didn¡¯t split now, Gu Yuan would be implicated. ¡°How do we split?¡± Gu Yanfei, who was drinking tea by herself, suddenly interrupted and asked in a clear and pleasant voice. Gu Jian was annoyed when he heard Gu Yanfei¡¯s voice. He frowned and thought to himself, Didn¡¯t we already agree on the division just now?! He turned to look at Gu Yanfei and scolded angrily, ¡°You have no right to speak here!¡± Gu Yanfei wasn¡¯t angry. Instead, she smiled and didn¡¯t even look at Gu Jian. Instead, she turned to look at Gu Yuan on the other side and revealed a faint smile that was as bright as spring and as bright as the sun. She said obediently, ¡°Big Brother, you still have to work later. Don¡¯t delay your work.¡± He didn¡¯t mention that Chu Yi had given him a day off. Instead, he followed his sister¡¯s words as if nothing had happened and said, ¡°I still have work to do. It¡¯s time to leave.¡± ¡°¡­¡± When the patriarch heard this, he couldn¡¯t help but look at Gu Yuan. The handsome young man in front and the exasperated middle-aged man on the other side could be said to be a world of difference. One was the rising sun, and the other was the dark dusk. The patriarch stared deeply at Gu Yuan, his thoughts floating. From what the Emperor and the Eldest Prince had said just now, Gu Yuan had contributed to the rescue at Chengtian Gate that day. He had a bright future and would definitely be put in an important position by the Eldest Prince. If the Gu family wanted to regain this title, they still had to rely on Gu Yuan. The title. Thinking of the title, the patriarch¡¯s heart heated up. It was as if he had been injected with vitality and his spirit had risen again. After thinking for a long time, he finally made a decision in his heart, and his eyes became firm and steady. The fallen family was like a serious illness that still needed to be treated with heavy medicine. If the family wanted to rise again, they had to cut the Gordian knot. The patriarch put down his hand and said solemnly, ¡°When Uncle Yao was alive, he had set the family rules. If the descendants are unfilial and lose the title, they can no longer be the head of the family.¡± ¡°Today, the second branch lost the title. In the future, your family business should be inherited by the eldest branch.¡± ¡­.. ¡°Other than the widow¡¯s third branch, the other branches will all be separated.¡± The patriarch already had a plan in his heart. His tone was firm, and he looked like he wanted to cut the Gordian knot. He instructed the old woman to call Fourth Master Gu and Fifth Master Gu over. The patriarch¡¯s words were like a bolt of lightning that struck Gu Jian ruthlessly, but also like a dagger that stabbed straight into his heart. A surge of anger suddenly rushed to his head. He asked the patriarch angrily, ¡°On what basis?!¡± Gu Jian was about to go crazy. If the eldest branch inherited the family business, didn¡¯t that mean that their branch would be expelled from here and gradually become a side branch?! No, absolutely not! Chapter 395 - Chapter 395: 70% Chapter 395: 70% Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The elders beside him were first stunned, then they seemed to be in deep thought. They turned around and whispered to each other. ¡°Gu Jian, didn¡¯t we lose the title because of you?¡± the patriarch asked coldly. Every word was heartbreaking. ¡°You lost your ancestor¡¯s title, and now you want to defy the family rules?!¡± The patriarch stared coldly at Gu Jian, the anger in his eyes surging. Gu Jian felt like he had been slapped in the face again and again in public. His face was burning. When he was in the imperial mansion, he had been holding his breath, but he was afraid that he would be disrespectful in front of the Imperial Mansion, so he could only suppress it. But now that they had already returned to the Marquis Mansion, the person he was facing wasn¡¯t a high up in the air Emperor with power over life and death, but an old man who didn¡¯t even have an official position. The humiliation that Gu Jian had buried in his heart for a long time suddenly erupted like a volcano. He scolded angrily, ¡°You people trample on the weak. I¡¯m only down and out now, and you want to bully me?!¡± ¡°Uncle, don¡¯t you think about how you¡­ and you guys got to where you are now? It¡¯s all because of me, my late father, and my late grandfather!¡± ¡­.. The more Gu Jian spoke, the more agitated he became. He pointed at the patriarch and elders and felt that they really had their noses in the air. They clearly relied on the Marquis Household to have their current good days. He was only down and out for a while now, but there might be a time for him to make a comeback in the future. As long as Kang Wang ascended to the throne in the future, he, Gu Jian, would definitely be able to restore the Marquis Household to its former glory. That¡¯s right, I can definitely do it. Gu Jian told himself repeatedly in his heart. After saying so much, even he himself believed it. His eyes burned. ¡°Clap!¡± The patriarch slapped the coffee table heavily and was furious. The atmosphere instantly became tense. He raised his hand and pointed at Gu Jian, who was a few steps away. His right hand was trembling non-stop as he gritted his teeth and said angrily, ¡°Gu Jian, you don¡¯t obey the family rules and look down on an old man like me. Then 1 really can¡¯t help you. In that case, your family will be expelled.¡± The word ¡°expelled¡± caused an uproar in the hall. Gu Jian¡¯s face turned pale as he swallowed hard. The elders also gasped. Since ancient times, a person¡¯s surname has represented the clan they belonged to. It was the ¡°root¡± of a person. Expelling a sect meant expelling a person from the family and removing him from the family tree. It meant that this person had no roots. Under normal circumstances, only a person who had committed a heinous crime would be expelled. ¡°Father.¡± Gu Xiao looked at Gu Jian nervously. He was only 14 years old. In just the time for an incense stick to burn, he had to face the two major matters of his father being stripped of his title and now being expelled from the family. It made him completely lose his mind. Gu Jian was equally anxious, but he forced himself to look strong. He said firmly, ¡°Uncle, you can¡¯t decide alone.¡± When Gu Xiao heard his father¡¯s words, he raised his neck again. ¡°Wait!¡± Madam Gu¡¯s voice suddenly came from the entrance. With the help of Granny Li, Madam Gu staggered to the entrance of the main hall. She had just rested in the carriage for a while before coming back to her senses. When she found out from Granny Li that they were splitting up, she rushed over. Unexpectedly, she heard the patriarch angrily say that he wanted to expel the second branch. Madam Gu¡¯s face was as pale as paper. She thought more and deeper than Gu Jian. Just as Gu Jian had said, what the patriarch said didn¡¯t count. However, if more than 80% of the elders in the family agreed, they could forcefully expel the second branch. Now that the second branch had lost their title, these people in the family were hating them. Not only the patriarch, but 99% of the other elders would probably agree to take revenge on their second branch. Everyone kicks a man who is down. Now that the second branch was in trouble, probably everyone wanted to step on it. How many people would send charcoal in the snow? Madam Gu stepped into the main hall and hurriedly explained to the patriarch, ¡°Patriarch, Hou¡­ All Jian didn¡¯t mean that.¡± Madam Gu walked to the center of the hall before stopping. She slowly looked around at the familiar faces in the hall and calmed herself down. Her tone was still calm as she said, ¡°Although Ah Jian did it before, the eldest branch¡¯s Gu Ce committed the crime of punishing the enemy back then.¡± With that, she glanced at Gu Yuan indifferently. What she meant was that although the second branch had messed up this time, the eldest branch wasn¡¯t any better. They were also not qualified to inherit the family business. Madam Gu said eloquently, ¡°The third, fourth, and fifth branches are all concubines. How could they inherit the family business?¡± ¡°This title was lost by the second branch. The second branch will naturally be responsible for earning it back.¡± Her words were actually reasonable. Gu Xiao nodded repeatedly at the side and felt that he wasn¡¯t inferior to his eldest cousin. They were all ancestors. If his great-grandfather could do it, so could his descendants. ¡°Pfft.¡± As soon as Madam Gu finished speaking, a soft, clear laughter sounded, breaking the originally heavy atmosphere. Gu Yanfei¡¯s laughter was very ear-piercing to Madam Gu, as if her eardrums had been repeatedly pierced by needles. Madam Gu gripped the prayer beads in her hand tightly and couldn¡¯t help but look at Gu Yanfei. She asked, ¡°What are you laughing at?¡± Gu Yanfei rested her chin on one hand and smiled sweetly. She was as beautiful and moving as the dew on the tip of a flower. She said slowly, ¡°My great-grandfather gathered troops and conquered the provinces in the early years. Later on, he submitted to Emperor Taizu and followed him to the north. He broke through the capital and guarded the two northeastern states. His contributions were outstanding. Only then did Emperor Taizu give the Gu family the title of Marquis of Dingyuan.¡± These words made the patriarch and elders¡¯ blood boil. They nodded repeatedly, especially those above 50 years old who had experienced the hard times of the previous dynasty when they were young. They looked like they were reminiscing. In the next moment, Gu Yanfei¡¯s tone suddenly turned cold. She chuckled and asked, ¡°How do you plan to earn it?¡± Her gaze lightly swept across Gu Jian. ¡°Are you a writer who can bring peace to the world, or a martial artist who can stabilize the world?¡± ¡°In terms of riding and archery, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re even inferior to me!¡± Gu Yanfei sighed and shook her head. When she said this, everyone followed her gaze and looked at Gu Jian. At this moment, Gu Jian¡¯s expression was extremely ugly. Veins popped out on both sides of his forehead, and anger overwhelmed him, causing his body to tremble slightly. Not only the patriarch, but the elders present had also watched Gu Jian grow up. They all knew that Gu Jian wasn¡¯t good at martial arts. He had never taken the imperial examination, nor had he ever been on the battlefield. It was only eight years ago, when Gu Ce met with an accident, that Gu Jian picked up this title for nothing. If Gu Jian was really capable, he wouldn¡¯t have lost his title, nor would he not have had any outstanding military merits for eight years. Unlike Gu Yuan, who entered the military camp to sharpen himself at a young age. Two years ago, he had followed the royal guards to the coast to eliminate the Wokou pirates and had made a great contribution. It was only because the previous Emperor didn¡¯t like him that he couldn¡¯t be promoted at that time. Now, he had only been on the throne for a year, but Gu Yuan had already shown off his ability and risen to the rank of a fourth-grade battalion commander. Now, he had even made a contribution to save the Emperor. He was very similar to Gu Yao and Gu Ce back then. Seeing that the situation had changed again because of Gu Yanfei¡¯s words, Madam Gu¡¯s face was as dark as water. She glared at Gu Jian, indicating for him to say something. Gu Jian really opened his mouth and said angrily, ¡°Gu Yanfei, you¡¯re a troublemaker. The family can¡¯t have peace because of you!¡± Even now, Gu Jian still didn¡¯t know how to reflect on himself. The patriarch was extremely disappointed and decided resolutely. ¡°The eldest branch, Gu Ce, is the legitimate son of the, and Gu Yuan is Gu Ce¡¯s only legitimate son. This family business will be inherited by the eldest branch. It¡¯s fair and square.¡± The elders had already heard the patriarch¡¯s explanation and knew that Madam Gu was the second wife and Gu Ce was the son of the Qi family. At this moment, when they thought of this pair of brothers who were very different, they couldn¡¯t help but sigh. No! There was a voice shouting in Madam Gu¡¯s heart. She screamed hysterically, ¡°Gu Ce surrendered!¡± The usually graceful and dignified woman couldn¡¯t hide her mean expression at this moment. The patriarch asked indifferently, ¡°Then, has the imperial court made a decision?¡± ¡°Back then, Sister-in-law used Gu Ce to surrender to the enemy. Did the late Emperor convict her?¡± The patriarch looked at Madam Gu mockingly. Madam Gu seemed to have something stuck in her throat and couldn¡¯t say a word. Everyone knew that Gu Ce was guilty, but the late Emperor had indeed not been officially convicted. The patriarch stared at Madam Gu¡¯s dark eyes and said, ¡°Gu Jian falsely accused and deceived His Majesty. He was punished for both crimes before he was stripped of his title and expelled. This was personally decided by His Majesty today.¡± ¡°If Gu Ce is guilty and cannot inherit the family business, then Gu Jian is even less worthy!¡± Gu Jian was extremely embarrassed by the patriarch¡¯s words. He wished he could dig a hole and hide in it. Without even looking at him, the patriarch looked around at the other elders and asked, ¡°What did everyone say?¡± Every time the elders thought of Gu Jian losing his title, they felt their hearts ache. They were heartbroken, angry, and a little resentful. At this moment, even the elders who were usually close to Gu Jian were no longer on Gu Jian¡¯s side. They all expressed their stance. ¡°Patriarch is right.¡± ¡°Gu Jian has committed a huge crime, and his character is flawed. He really can¡¯t afford to handle the family business.¡± ¡°If the family business falls into his hands, it will probably be completely ruined.¡± Even the concubine brothers of the Old Marquis, Gu Xuan, stood up and expressed their stance. They all chose to support Gu Yuan. For a moment, Gu Yuan became the center of everyone¡¯s attention. ¡­.. The patriarch was satisfied. His eyes were bright as he struck while the iron was hot. ¡°Then 1¡¯11 make the decision on behalf of Cousin. In the future, Cousin¡¯s lineage will be inherited by the eldest branch, Gu Yuan.¡± ¡°According to the ancestral system, the family that inherits the family business will inherit 70% of the assets.¡± ¡°The eldest branch accounts for 70%..¡± Chapter 396 - Chapter 396: First Chapter 396: First Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°I don¡¯t agree!¡± Gu Jian stood up from his chair in exasperation. He got up so hard that he hit the chair behind him with a thump. Gu Jian still wanted to say something, but he heard the patriarch say coldly, ¡°Gu Jian, if you¡¯re dissatisfied with us old bones, then just expel yourself from the sect.¡± Madam Gu pursed her lips fiercely and almost crushed the prayer beads in her hand. She glared at the patriarch resentfully. They would either split up the family or expel them. The patriarch was too heartless! ¡­.. The words in the main hall had also spread outside. Madam Wang was standing under the eaves and eavesdropping. It was as if shocking thunder had sounded in her ears. 70%! Madam Wang felt as if a large piece of flesh had been gouged out of her heart. Her heart ached. She had been in charge for so many years and knew very well how big the Gu family¡¯s business was. Emperor Taizu was a forthright person who was very generous to the officials who had followed him in the early days of his reign. In the third year of the Tianli reign, when he distributed rewards according to merit, Emperor Taizu bestowed upon the first generation of the Marquis of Dingyuan, Gu Yao, a total of 20,000 hectares of noble farmland, 800 tenant households, as well as other gold, silver, and wealth. At that time, Gu Yao also invested heavily in various industries. Later on, the Old Marquis, Gu Xuan, inherited his father¡¯s business. He was good at business. Over the decades, he added a lot of farmland, shops, residences, and so on to the Marquis Mansion. This allowed the industry to thrive. Even in the past eight years, although the Dingyuan Marquis Household¡¯s status in the court was mediocre and gradually marginalized, the Marquis Household¡¯s family business wasn¡¯t poor among the nobles. Even if it wasn¡¯t one of the best, it was still one of the best. If 70% was given to the eldest branch for nothing, Madam Wang couldn¡¯t help but hold her heart with one hand. Her heart was bleeding, and her vision darkened. Seeing that Madam Wang couldn¡¯t breathe, her maidservant quickly stroked her back and comforted her softly. However, Madam Wang couldn¡¯t listen. Her breathing quickened, and her face turned even paler. At this moment, a low shout came from the back. ¡°Third Miss!¡± When Madam Wang heard this, her eyes lit up. She turned around anxiously and looked over. Not far behind her, Gu Yunrong, who was wearing a concubine-colored embroidered lotus flower, walked over elegantly. He smiled faintly, but the smile didn¡¯t reach his eyes. ¡°Mother.¡± Gu Yunrong bowed to Madam Wang appropriately, neither warm nor cold. Gu Yunrong and Madam Wang had been quite unhappy about the wedding date previously. At this moment, her beautiful and flawless face was filled with undisguised alienation. However, her words and actions were still very thoughtful, and no one could find fault with her. ¡°Rong¡¯er.¡± Seeing that Gu Yunrong had arrived, Madam Wang seemed to have a backbone. She quickly walked towards her and excitedly held her right hand. The first thing she said was, ¡°Do you know that the family is about to split up?¡± At this moment, Madam Wang¡¯s heart was filled with thoughts of splitting up the family. She was so distraught that she forgot about the conflict between the two of them. ¡°Is that so?¡± Gu Yunrong¡¯s eyes flickered as she glanced at the bustling and noisy main hall ahead. She knew that the Marquis Mansion was splitting up the family. Gu Jian had mobilized a large number of people to invite the patriarchs and elders to the residence. Such a huge commotion couldn¡¯t be hidden from so many eyes in the residence. Not only did she know, but the third, fourth, and fifth branches also knew. When Gu Yunrong first heard this news, he was also a little surprised. But after thinking about it carefully, he felt that it might be better for her and Gu Yanfei to split up. In the Marquis Mansion, she and Gu Yanfei met frequently. After splitting up, they would no longer live under the same roof. Gu Yanfei wouldn¡¯t always treat her as a control group and compare everything to her. She even treated the marriage as a child¡¯s play just to suppress her. Just as well. In the future, the two of them wouldn¡¯t see each other every day. As time passed, Gu Yanfei should be able to walk out of the past and not want to compare herself to her from time to time. Gu Yunrong gently stroked the restriction on her dress and said calmly, ¡°It¡¯s good to split up the family.¡± There weren¡¯t many people in the eldest branch. After splitting up, the pair of siblings could do some business and also live a rich life. More importantly¡­ Gu Yunrong looked up at Gu Yanfei, who was drinking tea in the hall. There was a cold glint in her eyes. Since Gu Yanfei couldn¡¯t bear to see her doing well, when she marries Kang Wang in the future, she also didn¡¯t want Gu Yanfei to be blessed. Gu Yunrong was calm, but Madam Wang almost jumped up. She hurriedly said, ¡°You don¡¯t know, but the eldest branch is demanding an exorbitant price. They want to take 70% of the family business.¡± That was a full 70%! Madam Wang¡¯s eyes were bloodshot, and her pale face was turning blue as she panted heavily.. Chapter 397 - Chapter 397: First Wife (2) Chapter 397: First Wife (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°70%?!¡± Gu Yunrong raised her eyebrows in surprise. It was only at this moment that she realized that something was wrong. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Madam Wang was burning with anxiety. She exaggerated the cause and effect of Gu Jian¡¯s conquest by the Emperor and the separation of the family. She complained angrily, ¡°Gu Yuan and Gu Yanfei are really too greedy. They¡¯re unfilial and disrespectful. Anyone can tell that they were raised without a mother!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Gu Yunrong widened her eyes in shock. Under her dense eyelashes, her ink-stained pupils were exceptionally deep. In order to snatch the Gu family¡¯s assets, Gu Yanfei actually didn¡¯t hesitate to make the Gu family lose the title of Marquis of Dingyuan? If she couldn¡¯t get it herself, she would rather destroy it! This move was too ruthless and heartless! How could she do this?! Madam Wang tightened her grip on Gu Yunrong¡¯s hand and said anxiously, ¡°Rong¡¯er, hurry up and look for Kang Wang. You can¡¯t let the eldest branch split all the assets.¡± ¡­.. Previously, because the eldest branch only split 15% of the assets, Madam Wang didn¡¯t hide it. She took out all the account books at home openly. She wanted to split them openly so that the eldest branch wouldn¡¯t cause trouble because they had too few assets. But the situation now was completely different! Madam Wang¡¯s heart was filled with regret and anxiety. The poisonous teeth of regret seemed to be biting her heart. I was wrong. I shouldn¡¯t have been so honest. I should have hidden the account books. When Eldest Uncle left, Gu Yuan wasn¡¯t even 10 years old. He definitely had no clue about the Marquis Household¡¯s family business. Even if she hid a portion of the accounts, Gu Yuan would never discover it. But now, it was too late for regrets. Gu Yunrong already had a knot in her heart about Madam Wang, so she couldn¡¯t comfort her against his will. She only said calmly, ¡°1¡¯11 go in and take a look.¡± Madam Wang was already in a mess and didn¡¯t notice Gu Yunrong¡¯s coldness at all. She hurriedly let go of her hand and wanted to hurry her in. Before she could finish speaking, she heard the patriarch¡¯s old and calm voice coming from the hall. ¡°There¡¯s one more thing. Gu Xuan¡¯s bloodline has to be a legitimate concubine!¡± ¡°The first wife is the first wife, and the second wife is the second wife. How can they be mixed together like now? It¡¯s a mess.¡± ¡°Sigh, how improper!¡± Finally, there was a faint sigh. ¡°First wife? Second wife?¡± Gu Yunrong frowned slightly in confusion and was at a loss. What does all of this mean?! With this hesitation, Gu Yunrong stopped in her tracks and stopped under the corridor. She looked in the direction of the patriarch in the hall. The patriarch was completely unaware that there was another person outside the hall and was still speaking eloquently. ¡°The family tree has to be changed too!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no reason in this world to record the only son of the first wife under the stepmother¡¯s name.¡± The patriarch secretly felt that Gu Xuan¡¯s actions were a little inexplicable. The other elders had the same thoughts, but Gu Xuan was long gone. It was useless to argue about this. All they could do now was make up for it. Madam Gu¡¯s hair trembled violently again as she retorted excitedly, ¡°I¡¯m not a concubine!¡± ¡°Qi Zhaoning is the¡­¡± The word ¡°substitute¡± was about to come out of her mouth, but she didn¡¯t say it in the end. In the end, she forcefully changed it to another word. ¡°Concubine!¡± ¡°She¡¯s my concubine sister. She¡¯s just a concubine.¡± Madam Gu gritted her teeth as she said these words. Thin veins bulged on her neck. It had been a long time since she mentioned her eldest sister¡¯s name. When she said it now, it felt so jerky, as if the last time she called out this name was in her previous life. Qi Zhaoning. Gu Yanfei silently repeated this name in her heart and silently exchanged glances with Gu Yuan. It turned out that their biological grandmother¡¯s name was Qi Zhaoning. Madam Gu raised her neck arrogantly, her voice as cold as ice and filled with disdain. She looked at the patriarch and elders and said, ¡°Qi Zhaoning was born by a lowly concubine. Does your Gu family really want to acknowledge a concubine¡¯s daughter as a legitimate wife?¡± Madam Gu stood up straight. Her old and turbid eyes shone with an abnormally bright light, and her expression was clearly high up in the air. This was her pride as the daughter of an aristocratic family! In the Qi family, she was the master. Her eldest sister was just a servant! The patriarch calmly stroked his beard and only raised his eyebrows slightly. He asked, ¡°Why not?¡± His matter-of-fact attitude stunned Madam Gu. Madam Gu¡¯s expression froze again. The corners of her lips were as tense as iron, and she was rendered speechless by the patriarch again. Madam Gu was from the Qi family of Yingchuan and paid the most attention to the status of the legitimate wife and concubine. In her heart, a concubine¡¯s daughter wasn¡¯t qualified to be the first wife. However, the patriarch didn¡¯t care about this at all. The Gu family came from a humble background, and the patriarch grew up in the countryside when he was young. When his family was poor, he even ate tree bark. Later on, during the war, he had also seen people exchanging their children for food. What was the big deal about having a concubine¡¯s daughter as the first wife? The patriarch couldn¡¯t be bothered to say anything else to Madam Gu. He said to the elders, ¡°There¡¯s no time like the present. Let¡¯s open the ancestral hall today and end this matter.¡± The elders had no objections. They nodded and stood up. No one cared if Madam Gu liked or objected. Madam Gu had married into the Marquis Household for more than 30 years, and these clansmen had always respected her. Suddenly, it was as if the world had collapsed, and she instantly fell from the clouds to the abyss. She no longer had a place in the eyes of these Gu family members. It was as if she was alive but had no presence¡­ To Madam Gu, this was worse than killing her! ¡°No¡­¡± Madam Gu suddenly stood up from her chair. Anger, unwillingness, humiliation, and other emotions intertwined into a burning heart fire that rushed to her head again. She got up too quickly and her vision darkened again. Dizziness swept through her body.. Her feet softened and her body swayed as she staggered forward¡­ Chapter 398 - Chapter 398: Real Name (1) Chapter 398: Real Name (1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Grandmother!¡± Gu Yunrong, who was at the door, rushed in like a gust of wind with her skirt fluttering behind her. She hurriedly supported the swaying Madam Gu and looked at the haggard old woman with a worried expression. ¡°Are you alright? The doctor said that you can¡¯t be angry.¡± Gu Yunrong stroked Madam Gu¡¯s back as she looked at Gu Yanfei, who was sitting motionlessly on the chair. It was only now that Gu Yunrong understood why Gu Yanfei doesn¡¯t care about Madam Gu at all, and even hated her. So that was how it was. Gu Yanfei already knew that Madam Gu wasn¡¯t her biological grandmother. She even felt that Madam Gu had taken away everything that should have belonged to her biological grandmother. ¡­.. That was why she wanted to disrupt the peace in the Marquis Mansion! Gu Yanfei was also looking at Gu Yunrong. His almond-shaped eyes were like a pool of still water. They were so bright, clear, and calm. They looked at each other quietly. Gu Yanfei stared into Gu Yunrong¡¯s eyes and said calmly, ¡°This is returning it to its rightful owner.¡± This sentence was meaningful. With that, she greeted Gu Yuan with a smile. ¡°Brother, let¡¯s go.¡± Everyone left the main hall in an orderly manner, leaving the people from the second branch looking at each other. Everyone was in a daze. Everyone escorted the patriarch to the Gu family¡¯s ancestral hall on the west road of the Marquis Mansion. Then, they opened the ancestral hall and changed the family tree. The patriarch personally presided over it. He burned incense and bowed to the ancestral tablet. He then said righteously, ¡°Only those of the legitimate wife and concubine can uphold the family style.¡± It could be considered as telling the Gu family¡¯s ancestors the cause and effect of changing the family tree. Then, the patriarch solemnly invited the Gu family tree out and laid it on the long table. The patriarch should have personally edited it. Seeing that Gu Yuan¡¯s gaze was fixed on the family tree, he turned to hand the wolf hair brush in his hand to Gu Yuan. ¡°Yuan¡¯er, you do it.¡± To others, this was a small matter. No one raised any objections. Gu Yuan didn¡¯t decline politely. He thanked the patriarch and took the pen calmly. Then he personally added a name to the family tree¡ª Qi Zhaoning. This was the name of their grandmother. Gu Yuan added this name to his grandfather Gu Xuan¡¯s name. Then, he moved his father Gu Ce¡¯s name to his grandfather and grandmother¡¯s names. Then, it was his mother and his siblings¡¯ names. Gu Yuan wrote these few names very slowly. With each stroke, his mood surged. For some reason, he felt a power as heavy as a thousand pounds from these words. Gu Yanfei took out the tablet that she had prepared long ago and asked Gu Yuan to write their grandmother¡¯s name. He placed the tablet beside the Old Marquis¡¯ tablet. At this point, it would be considered clearing the name of their grandmother. Gu Yanfei smiled as she looked at her grandfather and grandmother¡¯s tablets in front of her. Her gaze finally landed on her grandfather¡¯s tablet. The Substitute Talisman was still in this tablet. Ordinary people had mortal bodies and couldn¡¯t see anything abnormal. However, Gu Yanfei was different, and her eyes were nourished by spiritual power. She could clearly see a faint white light escaping from her grandfather¡¯s memorial tablet and slowly lingering around this new memorial tablet. Gu Yan smiled faintly. Her clear eyes exuded a dazzling light in the slightly dim sacrificial hall. She knew that this white light was a soul. The last time, she hadn¡¯t seen anything. She had only felt a faint soul aura from her grandfather¡¯s tablet. Now, her grandmother¡¯s soul was clearly a little more solid than last time. How nice. The smile on Gu Yanfei¡¯s lips deepened, and the corners of her eyes curled into a happy arc. As a substitute, her grandmother, Qi Chaoning, had clearly lived before, but she was a person who ¡°didn¡¯t exist in the world.¡± Her life, opportunities, and luck were all for the sake of Madam Gu, Qi Chao¡¯an. After death, the substitute¡¯s soul would dissipate into the world, unable to reincarnate. The fate of every substitute was destined to be a tragedy that would destroy their souls. ¡°Sister,¡± Gu Yuan called out softly, holding a few incense sticks in his hand. The incense pillar had already been lit. Wisps of white smoke slowly floated up, making Gu Yuan¡¯s cold eyebrows look a little hazy, adding a gentle feeling. Gu Yuan handed three incense sticks to Gu Yanfei. The siblings walked to the two futons together and knelt down in unison. They solemnly shouted at the two tablets of their grandparents in front, ¡°Grandpa, Grandma, your Grandson and Granddaughter are here to greet the two of you..¡± Chapter 399 - Chapter 399: Real Name (2) Chapter 399: Real Name (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The siblings knelt and kowtowed to the memorial tablet. Finally, they inserted the incense pillars in their hands into the three-legged bronze cauldron in front of them. The atmosphere was solemn. ¡°Okay!¡± The patriarch stroked his beard at the side and smiled as if the dust had settled. ¡°Your grandmother is in heaven. Seeing the harmonious relationship between you siblings and Yuan¡¯er¡¯s bright future, she can probably rest in peace.¡± The elders echoed one after another and surrounded Gu Yuan to remind him not to let down his ancestors¡¯ expectations. The atmosphere was harmonious. Gu Yanfei stood in front of the incense table and raised her hand to gently brush past the tablet with the name ¡°Qi Zhaoning¡± written on it. Her fingers brushed past the white light lingering on the tablet, and she carefully felt the weak soul. She could imagine that her grandfather must have put in unimaginable effort to keep this soul and find this chance of survival for their biological grandmother. Originally, her grandfather should have wanted his descendants¡¯ incense to nourish her grandmother¡¯s soul bit by bit. This was a good method, but it would take at least a hundred years for her soul to condense. ¡­.. And a better way would be to use the ¡°real name¡±. The only way was to let the substitute obtain her name and identity. Her name had to appear in the world openly and be recorded in the family tree and tablet so that future generations would remember her name. Only in this way could the substitute break free from the shackles of the ¡°Substitute Technique¡± and obtain a true new life. Like now. She only needed to nurture her for a few more days, and her grandmother would be able to return to the cycle of reincarnation. When Gu Yanfei retracted her right hand and turned around, she met Gu Yuan¡¯s smiling eyes not far away. The young man with sharp eyebrows and starry eyes waved at her from a few steps away. ¡°Sister, let¡¯s go.¡± Gu Yanfei smiled sweetly and quickly followed Gu Yuan and the others. Her clothes fluttered as she walked leisurely. After everyone left the ancestral hall, the sun was already halfway down. The sky was filled with colorful clouds, as if they were woven into brocade. ¡°It¡¯s really been hard on Uncle and the elders today.¡± Gu Yuan cupped his hands at the patriarch and the elders. His actions were appropriate and neither servile nor overbearing. ¡°Please stay in the residence and help manage the separation.¡± ¡°Now, only my sister and I depend on each other in the eldest branch. We still have to rely on the family for many things.¡± Gu Yuan was usually a man of few words, but he wasn¡¯t wooden. He had been in the army for so many years and had seen all kinds of people and experienced all kinds of scenes. How could he not understand the ways of the world? He was just too lazy to do so in the past. In the eyes of the patriarch and the elders, they only felt that Gu Yuan used to be young and unruly. Now that he had experienced this storm, Gu Yuan had grown up and matured. The patriarch agreed readily. He sighed a little in his heart, but he admired Gu Yuan more. Gu Yanfei, who was two steps behind, walked to Gu Yuan¡¯s side and said generously, ¡°Uncle, such a big thing has happened to the Gu family. In the future, the family should be united. Big Brother told me that I¡¯ve been taken care of by the elders in the family since 1 was young. I¡¯ll remember it at all times.¡± She first said some dignified and beautiful words before changing the topic. ¡°Big Brother has been nagging me to buy a family plot and build a family school for the family.¡± The patriarch and elders were all shocked and overjoyed. They all looked at Gu Yuan eagerly, surprised that he was so considerate. Gu Yanfei continued, ¡°Although my Gu family started with martial arts, we are generals in troubled times and civil officials in prosperous times. In the future, if His Majesty wants to choose talents, he will definitely promote civil officials.¡± ¡°Only if all the branches in the family are good will our Gu family be good.¡± Her words made the patriarch¡¯s heart surge and his blood boil. The other elders seemed to have seen the day their children and grandchildren were ranked on the roll of honor. All of them looked forward to it. Gu Yuan raised his eyebrows and looked at his sister even more gently. He continued tacitly, ¡°Uncle, 1 want to take out 10% of my assets to buy these for the family¡­¡± ¡°Good child, you and your brother are both thoughtful children.¡± The patriarch was overjoyed and interrupted Gu Yuan anxiously. He was full of praise for Gu Yanfei and Gu Yuan and wished he could worship the siblings. Their Gu family did have a title, but it belonged to Gu Yao and Gu Xuan. The other clansmen were well-fed and worry-free, but not all of them were rich. There was no shortage of children who couldn¡¯t afford to study and orphans who had no one to rely on. In the future, with the addition of Gu Yuan¡¯s sacrificial fields and family schools, it would be very different. The sacrificial fields could compensate the lonely old and raise orphans, and the family school could nurture the family disciples. It would also prevent those talented and smart Gu family disciples from being buried because their families were too poor to afford books. The elders also whispered to each other about this matter. Everyone¡¯s eyes were shining brightly, and they were in high spirits. In fact, most of the gloominess of the Gu family being robbed today has been swept away. Gu Yuan continued, ¡°Uncle, you¡¯re too kind.¡± ¡°We¡¯re all from the same family. We¡¯re all bound for prosperity. The prosperity of the family is the long-term way for the family to thrive.¡± These words were spoken with righteousness. Every word was for the sake of the family, making the patriarch and elders feel even more pleased. The patriarch patted Gu Yuan¡¯s shoulder with a gratified expression and promised with a bright smile, ¡°Yuan¡¯er, don¡¯t worry. Do your job well. We will keep an eye on everything else.¡± Originally, the patriarch would stay in the residence to keep an eye on the separation of the family so that nothing would go wrong. Now, he was even more concerned and was just short of swearing to the heavens. The other elders were unwilling to fall behind and agreed. To them, this indeed involved their own interests. Today, Gu Yuan personally promised to give 10% of the assets to the family, so the assets Gu Yuan received would definitely affect how much ¡°that io%¡± was.. Chapter 400 - Chapter 400: Breaking Up (1) Chapter 400: Breaking Up (1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios All the elders perked up and simply stayed in the residence. Every day, they took turns to stare at the accounting office and the account book without sleep or rest. They pulled out all the tricks the second branch had done in the account book. Other than the wrong accounts and missing accounts, there was even an elder who remembered that the old marquis, Gu Xuan, had set up a bank in the early years, but he had never mentioned it in the industry list and account book. In the end, the elders stared at Gu Jian as he handed over the bank deed he had hidden. Only then did Madam Wang know that Gu Jian had hidden a property. She didn¡¯t know if she should be angry or heartbroken. It took a full four days to count all the accounts and assets in the residence. The patriarch personally checked and divided these businesses one by one. Even the mother and daughter of the third branch, Madam Yan, had a share. Logically speaking, the third branch¡¯s Madam Yan was a widow and didn¡¯t have a man under her. She wouldn¡¯t be separated from the family. Of course, she wouldn¡¯t be able to obtain the family assets. It was just that Gu Yunzhen could get a dowry from the public when he got married. However, Gu Yuan took the initiative to suggest that the third branch should also have an industry. Although the third branch didn¡¯t have a male son, they also had a daughter. They should be like the fourth and fifth branches. ¡­.. After explaining the details of the separation of the family and showing the list to everyone, the patriarch looked around at everyone in the hall and asked loudly, ¡°Do you have any objections?¡± The atmosphere in the hall was a little stagnant and impetuous. ¡°¡­¡± Third Madam Yan pinched her handkerchief uneasily. She looked at the patriarch and then at Gu Yuan. She wanted to say something but hesitated. Was he trying to split up the concubine¡¯s houses? The three of them were widows. Even if they obtained the family assets, it was still a question if they could protect it. Since ancient times, if there was no male in the family, they would be easily bullied. Moreover, ever since her daughter broke off the engagement with the Murong family, her marriage hadn¡¯t been settled¡­ In Madam Yan¡¯s heart, the most important thing was her daughter¡¯s future. She was also worried that once the mother and daughter moved out, it would be inconvenient for her as a widow. How could she arrange a good marriage for her daughter? Separating the family assets wasn¡¯t as simple as dividing the assets. Gu Yunzhen could tell that Madam Yan was uneasy. She held her mother¡¯s hand comfortingly and smiled gently. Her eyes were gentle and firm. ¡°Third Aunt.¡± Gu Yanfei, who was sitting on the other side of Gu Yunzhen, said, ¡°Eldest Sister¡¯s surname is also Gu. Although the third branch doesn¡¯t have a man, Eldest Sister is also of the Gu family¡¯s bloodline. She can also inherit the third branch¡¯s business.¡± ¡°If those shopkeepers and heads dare to bully their masters, don¡¯t we still have Big Brother at home? Whoever is dishonest will naturally be obedient after being beaten up.¡± Gu Yanfei raised her eyebrows and said in a teasing tone. After his sister said those harsh words, Gu Yuan naturally took on the responsibility of being a thug. He nodded and said, ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± Madam Yan understood what the siblings meant and felt relieved. In other words, their third branch didn¡¯t have to move out and could still live in the residence. That s good, thats good! Madam Yan held her daughter¡¯s hand back, her eyes shining. This property was also a pleasant surprise for the third branch. In the future, when her daughter got married, not only could she add makeup for her daughter, but she could also keep a portion by her side as a way out for her daughter. Fourth Master Gu and Fifth Master Gu looked at each other hesitantly. This was because the third branch had been given an extra portion. Strictly speaking, the proportion of industries they had been given had decreased. However, because the bank that the second branch had secretly hidden had been dug out, they had been given more actual industries than they had expected. Seeing that they didn¡¯t answer for a long time, the patriarch asked again, ¡°Does anyone have any objections?¡± Fourth Master Gu and Fifth Master Gu had already made up their minds and nodded at each other. They knew that their talents were average and that they were born to a concubine. They had never coveted the title and only wanted to live a stable life like a few uncles born to a concubine. The brothers spoke to the patriarch one after another. ¡°Uncle, I have no objections.¡± ¡°Uncle, you¡¯re fair.¡± Originally, with the title of Marquis of Dingyuan, as long as they didn¡¯t split up, their son would be the young master of the Marquis Mansion, and their daughter would still be the young lady of the Marquis Mansion. Their children would be able to discuss marriage better in the future. But now, the Marquis Mansion didn¡¯t even have a title anymore. There was only this huge residence left. In the future, the Marquis Mansion would only be the ¡°Gu Mansion¡±. In that case, it was better to split up and live more comfortably. It wasn¡¯t like they didn¡¯t have a man to support the third branch of the family. They could only live under someone else¡¯s roof. They might as well split up this family peacefully so that they could earn some goodwill from Gu Yuan.. Chapter 401 - Chapter 401: Breaking Up (2) Chapter 401: Breaking Up (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Fourth Master Gu smiled and added, ¡°It¡¯s been hard on Uncle and the elders. When I move to the new house another day, I¡¯ll treat all the elders to a drink at home.¡± From the beginning to the end, no one asked for the second branch¡¯s opinion. Gu Jian¡¯s face was as dark as the bottom of a pot. He was so angry that he couldn¡¯t control himself. The second branch should have split 15%, but because the third branch had split it, it was reduced to 12%. There was only 12% left. He felt that these two concubine brothers were simply too cowardly. He let the third branch take another layer of flesh from them just like that. However, he didn¡¯t dare to say a word, afraid that if he said another word, the patriarch would suggest expelling the second branch. After sending off the patriarch and the elders, Gu Yuan returned to the main hall again. He said bluntly, ¡°Second Uncle, Second Aunt, I¡¯ll give you 10 days. The second branch must move out within 10 days.¡± ¡­.. Gu Yuan¡¯s expression was cold as he spoke. His tone was calm and firm, giving off a murderous aura. Gu Yuan had always been a person who dared to say and do things. Gu Jian didn¡¯t doubt that if he dared to leave a day later, he, the unruly nephew, would dare to pack their second branch¡¯s luggage and throw them out of the residence. With that, Gu Yuan ignored the reactions of Gu Jian, Madam Wang, and the others. He simply led Gu Yanfei out of the main hall. The siblings had just walked down the few stone steps in front of the hall when Gu Yunrong¡¯s slightly tense voice came from behind. ¡°Brother!¡± Gu Yunrong picked up her skirt and hurried over the threshold as she called out to Gu Yuan. ¡°Can you wait another month?¡± Gu Yunrong looked at Gu Yuan a few steps away and asked softly. ¡°No,¡± Gu Yuan said without thinking. Gu Yunrong¡¯s face stiffened. Under the heavy eaves, the warm sunlight shone down, making Gu Yunrong¡¯s figure half under the sun and half in the shadow. Her right eye, hidden in the shadow, was abnormally deep. Her eyebrows twitched, and she questioned calmly, ¡°Brother, are you really so heartless?¡± Gu Yunrong looked at Gu Yuan with a sorrowful warmth in her eyes. Her tensed fingers turned slightly pale. Gu Yuan also looked at Gu Yunrong on the stone steps and asked, ¡°Should I be affectionate to someone who wants me to die and make room for him?¡± Gu Jian and Madam Gu¡¯s confession was because they wanted him to die. He wasn¡¯t that magnanimous. Gu Yunrong was speechless. She also felt that Madam Gu and Gu Jian¡¯s confession was inappropriate. If she had known earlier, she would definitely have persuaded them. Gu Yunrong took a deep breath and asked with difficulty, ¡°What about me?¡± ¡°Big Brother, I¡¯m about to get married.¡± They had been siblings for 14 years. Was he not willing to consider her? Her slender figure stood upright like a white birch tree in the wind and rain, and there was a faint sadness in her expression. They had clearly relied on each other since they were young and grew up together. Was everything that had happened in the past 15 years fake? Gu Yuan stared deeply at Gu Yunrong with eyes as dark as the calm sea. They were calm, but they had shocking power. Gu Yuan said slowly, ¡°What relationship do we have?¡± ¡°I was good to you in the past because you were my sister.¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re not my sister, why should I tolerate you?¡± His few words were spoken extremely naturally. His calm voice was emotionless, and an unfamiliar, indifferent expression appeared on his face. Gu Yunrong couldn¡¯t believe her ears. She felt that the Gu Yuan in front of her was so unfamiliar. Even though, in the few months after Gu Yanfei¡¯s return, her big brother was no longer the big brother he used to be, she always felt that Gu Yuan still had a trace of brotherhood with her. In the past, she could still deceive herself and tell herself that the heartless words that Big Brother said were all because Gu Yanfei was around. Big Brother was like this because he cared about Gu Yanfei. But now¡­ Gu Yunrong stared at Gu Yuan without blinking. Gu Yuan¡¯s eyes were as deep as the sea and as firm as a mountain. She recalled how Gu Yuan had protected Gu Yanfei time and time again previously. Now, Gu Yuan didn¡¯t care that she was about to get married at all. Gu Yunrong¡¯s heart ached. That sourness spread to her eyes, which were faintly covered in a layer of mist. The bitterness gradually increased, making the corners of her eyes dry and tight. Even though the Gu family had been confiscated, this manor hadn¡¯t been taken back. Marrying from this manor was completely different from getting married from the second branch. Her wedding with Kang Wang was the most important day of her life. She hoped that her wedding would be grand and perfect. This was also her last saving grace. This was also her last request for Gu Yuan. She really didn¡¯t understand why Gu Yuan would treat her so heartlessly. It was as if several ice thorns had pierced her heart at the same time. It was so painful that her lips turned pale. In addition to her heartache, her face showed some embarrassment. ¡°Yanfei, let¡¯s go.¡± Gu Yuan called Gu Yanfei and the siblings left side by side. Gu Yunrong¡¯s cherry lips were tightly pursed into a straight line as she stared at Gu Yuan¡¯s departing figure. After a while, she seemed to have finally made up her mind, but she also seemed to have gritted her teeth and abandoned something. She said word by word, ¡°You guys have let me down.¡± Its all because of you. Gu Yuan is no longer my big brother. Gu Yunrong raised her chin. Her expression was 30% arrogant, 30% determined, and 40% mocking. There was no longer any trace of her usual friendly smile on her lips. It was as if she had suddenly become a different person. Gu Yanfei, who was in front, vaguely felt an inexplicable chill on her back. It was as if a cold wind was blowing over, and the hair on her neck instantly stood on end. She looked behind her back. What greeted her eyes was the boiling golden luck around Gu Yunrong. Gu Yunrong was still standing under the roof in front of the main hall, motionless, but the luck around her was stirring crazily. The black aura mixed in with the golden luck suddenly became even thicker. Previously, it was only a few threads, like expensive silk being hooked by a few threads. Now, almost a third of the luck was covered by the black aura. The black aura spread out menacingly. Gu Yunrong¡¯s fair face looked like a female ghost that had returned from hell against the black fog. It was cold and gloomy, but there was a hint of madness.. Chapter 402 - Chapter 402: Bewitched (1) Chapter 402: Bewitched (1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Oh.¡± The surprise on Gu Yanfei¡¯s face disappeared in an instant. She raised her eyebrows and muttered softly, ¡°Interesting.¡± She was just talking to herself and her voice wasn¡¯t loud. However, Gu Yuan had sharp ears and heard it clearly. He asked, ¡°What¡¯s interesting?¡± Gu Yanfei smiled and didn¡¯t answer, revealing a pair of shallow dimples. She casually picked a spring flower from the branch and twirled it casually between her fingers. Gu Yuan was just asking casually and didn¡¯t dwell on it. He immediately said to himself, ¡°Sister, after the second branch moves away, this house will be empty. I plan to lock half of the courtyard¡­¡± The residence they were living in now was given to them by Emperor Taizu when they were conferred the title of nobility. It was done according to the rules of the Marquis. The Emperor didn¡¯t take back the residence because of the conquest. It was a gift for them to continue living here, but they had to show some attitude. ¡­.. Gu Yanfei knew that his brother was just chatting with her casually and also responded casually. They made small talk and talked about how they planned to transfer Wu Tong¡¯s father back to the residence. They talked about how Granny Zhuang¡¯s injuries were almost healed and how he planned to get her to come to the residence to help Gu Yanfei. They also talked about their plans to renovate Chenghui Garden. The two of them walked and talked all the way to the ceremonial door. Gu Yuan had been busy with work recently and had taken half a day off to split up the family. Now that he had done what he needed to, he planned to go back quickly. Unexpectedly, in addition to his beloved foal, there was also a black-painted flat-top carriage parked at the entrance. Gu Yuan recognized his sister¡¯s carriage at a glance. Seeing that she was going out, he smiled and said, ¡°Sister, I¡¯ll send you off.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Gu Yanfei didn¡¯t stand on ceremony with her brother at all. ¡°I¡¯ve arranged to go to the Water Mirror Building to watch the show. It¡¯s on the way.¡± Gu Yanfei and Wei Jiaoniang had agreed that they would never go to the Tianyin Pavilion again. Wei Jiaoniang found a new theater and the two of them arranged to watch a show today. Gu Yuan also knew about the Water Mirror Tower. He smiled and said, ¡°The actors at Water Mirror Tower aren¡¯t bad.¡± Gu Yuan felt that a girl of his sister¡¯s age should go out more and not stay in Yuheng Garden every day. She was even more of a homebody than her cat was. Unexpectedly, as soon as the siblings¡¯ carriage left, they bumped into Wei Jiaoniang¡¯s personal maidservant. ¡°Xi Que?¡± Gu Yanfei opened a corner of the curtain of the carriage. Xi Que bowed to Gu Yan in the carriage and said in embarrassment, ¡°Second Lady Gu, my Ninth Miss caught a cold last night and was detained in the house by the Duchess. She¡¯s not allowed to go out.¡± ¡°Miss asked me to tell Second Lady Gu that she¡¯ll ask you out another day.¡± Since Gu Yanfei had nothing to do, she said, ¡°Then 1¡¯11 go and see her.¡± Gu Yuan sent his sister off, and Xi Que followed behind in the British Mansion¡¯s carriage. Although Gu Yanfei visited without informing her, everyone in the British Mansion knew that she was on good terms with their Ninth Miss. The gatekeeper respectfully welcomed her in. The green-clothed maidservant first led Gu Yan to the main courtyard to greet Imperial Duchess Wei, leading her all the way to the quiet and elegant left room. ¡°Yanfei, you¡¯re really considerate.¡± A hearty smile appeared on Imperial Duchess Wei¡¯s handsome face. When she smiled, a few wrinkles appeared at the corners of her eyes, softening her slightly tough contours. She had already heard from the servant girl that Gu Yanfei had specially come to visit Wei Jiaoniang. Gu Yanfei smiled generously and said calmly, ¡°I¡¯m here to see Jiaoniang and pay my respects to you.¡± Imperial Duchess Wei wasn¡¯t the only one in the room. There were others around as well. Sitting at the bottom was a beautiful woman in her thirties. She had an oval face, crescent eyebrows, willowy eyes, and a refined appearance. The beautiful woman was wearing 10 types of begonias and red brocade flowers. Inside was a frosty white silk collared middle shirt with a white threaded dress. A pair of dragonfly-patterned lotus shoesweres revealed under the skirt, making her look elegant and noble. Other than the beautiful woman, there were also two children, a boy and a girl. They were both six or seven years old. The two children had fair skin and were very beautiful. However, their personalities were very different. The boy was arrogant, and the girl was quiet. ¡°Yanfei, this is Jiaoniang¡¯s 12th aunt. You haven¡¯t seen her before, right¡­¡± Imperial Duchess Wei introduced her to both parties with a smile. Only then did Gu Yanfei know that this elegant and beautiful woman was Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s youngest sister, the Madam of Ji¡¯an, Wei Wan. These children were a pair of twins under the Duchess¡¯s knees. Their names were Xu Luo and Xu Yao. After Gu Yanfei bowed to Wei Wan, the pair of twins also went forward and bowed to Gu Yan.. Chapter 403 - Chapter 403: Bewitched (2) Chapter 403: Bewitched (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The beautiful twins were about 40-50% similar. They were wearing one-colored aqua blue clothes. When they stood up, they were as beautiful as children under the Guanyin. Gu Yanfei smiled and gave the boy and girl a pouch filled with golden melon seeds as a greeting gift. The girl said, ¡°Thank you, sister,¡± and obediently accepted it. The boy pursed his lips and silently reached out to take the pouch. From his wide sleeves, Gu Yanfei could see the blood-red scar on his fair wrist. It was like a whip mark, but also like the mark of a chain. It disappeared into the depths of his sleeves. Gu Yanfei took a few more glances at Xu Luo. She frowned slightly and quickly looked away as if nothing had happened. Imperial Duchess Wei liked Gu Yanfei very much. She pulled her hand with a smile and said, ¡°Yanfei, don¡¯t worry. Jiaoniang is fine. She just caught a cold from the wind last night.¡± ¡°Talk about her later. It¡¯s only the first month of the lunar calendar. She doesn¡¯t close the windows when she sleeps at night.¡± Imperial Duchess Wei teased her granddaughter and asked Gu Yanfei to stay for a while before instructing the maidservant to personally lead Gu Yanfei to Wei Jiaoniang. ¡­.. After Gu Yan flew away, Wei Wan asked Imperial Duchess Wei excitedly, ¡°Sister-in-law, 1 heard that the last time Big Brother vomited blood in the Tianyin Pavilion, it was also this Second Lady Gu who saved him, right?¡± Her eyes were abnormally bright. She had also heard that Gu Yanfei had saved the Eldest Princess at Chengtian Gate. However, she didn¡¯t expect Second Lady Gu to be so young and not even of marriageable age. She couldn¡¯t believe it for a moment. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Imperial Duchess Wei nodded and said with admiration, ¡°Yanfei is a good person. Moreover, she¡¯s magnanimous. As expected of a daughter from a general family.¡± Wei Wan¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She looked at the boy sitting beside her and asked softly, ¡°Sister-in-law, do you think 1 should ask Second Lady Gu to take a look at Luo¡¯er?¡± Xu Luo lowered his head and played with puzzle rings, while Xu Yao leaned close to him and watched him play. She asked him fawningly, ¡°Brother, do you want some candied plums?¡± Xu Luo acted as if he didn¡¯t hear her and continued playing with his puzzle rings. Imperial Duchess Wei frowned and stared at Xu Luo for a while. She also lowered her voice and whispered into Wei Wan¡¯s ear, ¡°Is Luo¡¯er still ill?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Wei Wan nodded her head with a frown. The corners of her eyes were slightly red. ¡°And it¡¯s even worse. I think he has been possessed¡­ I¡¯m so worried that I can¡¯t sleep.¡± The more Wei Wan spoke, the more she frowned. Her hands unconsciously messed up her handkerchief. ¡°You should have said so earlier. I can ask Yanfei to take a look.¡± Imperial Duchess Wei also revealed a worried expression. Her sister-in-law had married into the family for many years and only had these two children. Naturally, she treated this only legitimate son as a treasure. ¡°¡­¡± Wei Wan looked outside hesitantly, feeling a little regretful. Imperial Duchess Wei patted her hand and comforted her gently. ¡°Later, let¡¯s go to Jiaoniang¡¯s place together.¡± ¡°However, Yanfei is a guest. If Yanfei is unhappy, don¡¯t force him. Next time, Jiaoniang and 1 will accompany you to the Gu family personally.¡± Imperial Duchess Wei had watched Wei Wan grow up. Although she was said to be her sister-in-law, she actually had some kinship with her. She had always been convinced by her sister-in-law¡¯s words and replied repeatedly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Sister-in-law. 1 know.¡± Imperial Duchess Wei instructed the nanny to quickly prepare some of the girls¡¯ favorite refreshments. When the refreshments arrived, the nanny brought the food box and the pair of twins to Wei Jiaoniang¡¯s courtyard with a group of servants. The servant girl quickly ran to report. In the inner room, there was laughter. When the two girls gathered, they had endless things to say. As Imperial Duchess Wei had said, Wei Jiaoniang had just caught a cold at night and was in good spirits. She kept talking like a sparrow. ¡°¡­This book is too interesting. I wanted to sleep after reading it for two more hours, but I accidentally saw the time when the chicken crowed.¡± ¡°Yanfei, do you want to see it? You can take it back and read it slowly.¡± ¡°I still have a bookshelf full of books. Pick whatever you want,¡± Wei Jiaoniang said generously. She wished that Gu Yanfei would move all these books away. She thought that they could talk about the books she liked next time. At this moment, the servant girl lifted the curtain and came in to report that Imperial Duchess Wei and the others had arrived. Wei Jiaoniang was slightly stunned. She was a little surprised that her grandmother and 12th aunt would come. Imperial Duchess Wei asked the servant girl to serve the refreshments she had prepared. The kitchen knew that an esteemed guest had arrived and chose a petal-shaped plate. Every ¡°petal¡± had an exquisite dessert placed on top. Poria cakes, date mud cakes, cornsweet, dragon whisker crisps, iced rice cakes, flower cakes, osmanthus cakes, and so on filled the table. Wei Jiaoniang called Gu Yanfei to eat some snacks and told her which were crispy, which were sweet, which were soft, and which were salty¡­ After Gu Yanfei ate some snacks, Imperial Duchess Wei got someone to carry Xu Yao to the room next door to play. Only then did she reveal her intentions. ¡°Yan Fei, this sister-in-law of mine only has these two legitimate children and treats them like treasures. Recently, for some reason, Luo¡¯er seems to have been possessed. He wants you to help take a look¡­¡± Imperial Duchess Wei only said this much. Then, with her eyes, she gestured for Wei Wan to continue. Wei Wan frowned and said in a low voice, ¡°1 don¡¯t know where he got such ¡°dirty stuff¡¯. On his back¡­ Sigh!¡± ¡°Luo¡¯er, come here.¡± She simply called Xu Luo over and instructed the wet nurse to help him undress. The wet nurse carefully loosened his outer robe a little and pulled down the robe and chinos, revealing his thin back. The boy¡¯s fair back had a shockingly large blood-red scar. It was shaped like a ferocious and twisted ghost face and occupied most of his back. The scar was as red as blood, as if large patches of skin had fallen off, revealing the flesh under it.. When the boy breathed, his back rose and fell, and the blue blood vessels under his skin could be vaguely seen bulging slightly¡­ Chapter 404 - Chapter 404: No Chapter 404: No Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Luo¡¯er.¡± Wei Wan held her son¡¯s hand with heartache. Xu Luo¡¯s expression changed slightly. The blood-red ¡°ghost face¡± on her back became even redder, as if it was about to bleed. It also seemed to be alive. He pushed Wei Wan away impatiently. When he got agitated, his originally perfect facial features became a little ferocious. The expression on his face instantly became like the evil spirit on his back. Wei Jiaoniang thought that she was bold. She couldn¡¯t help but gasp, and her hair stood on end. ¡°Second Lady Gu, what¡¯s wrong with my son? Is he possessed?¡± Wei Wan looked at Gu Yanfei nervously. Gu Yanfei¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. She lowered her eyes and stared quietly at the blood-red scar on the boy¡¯s back without speaking for a long time. Wei Wan¡¯s heart skipped a beat and she almost held her breath. She wanted to ask, but she didn¡¯t dare to disturb Gu Yanfei. ¡­.. After scrutinizing her for a moment, Gu Yanfei retracted her gaze and gestured for the wet nurse to help Xu Lu put on his clothes. Gu Yanfei stared at Xu Luo¡¯s face for a while more and said, ¡°I have to take a look at his birth characters.¡± This involved his birth characters. It was indeed strange. Imperial Duchess Wei and Wei Wan looked at each other. Since there were no outsiders around, Wei Wan told her Xu Luo¡¯s birth characters. Gu Yanfei casually pinched her fingers and calculated. She looked back and forth between Xu Luo and Wei Wan and asked inexplicably, ¡°Madam, your daughter¡¯s birthday is two hours earlier?¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Although Wei Wan didn¡¯t know why Gu Yanfei asked about her daughter, she still nodded and answered. Gu Yanfei continued, ¡°Three months ago, a red mark suddenly appeared on this child¡¯s skin. At first, it was on his chest, but it gradually spread to his back. The color deepened and turned into this blood-colored scar until it formed a ¡®ghost face¡¯ half a month ago.¡± ¡°He¡¯s getting more and more impatient recently, right?¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Wei Wan nodded repeatedly and looked at Gu Yanfei hopefully. She was even more convinced of her. Everything was right. Second Lady Gu was right. Her son¡¯s illness was too strange. In the past two months, the Ji¡¯an Mansion had already used all kinds of methods. Be it the imperial physicians, Daoists, monks, medical women, or sorcerers, the Ji¡¯an Mansion had already looked for them. She had even invited the Shangqing Spiritual Master from Wuliang Temple. She had taken a pile of random medicine, talismans, and tried to give her son internal medicine and external applications, but it was completely useless. The blood-colored ¡°ghost face¡± on Xu Luo¡¯s body grew bigger and bigger, as if it was being pestered by an evil spirit. It almost occupied a third of his skin. A child who used to have a good temper had recently had a drastic change in personality because of this. He often lost his temper at his mother and sister, making the entire residence worried. Wei Wan asked solemnly, ¡°Second Lady Gu, do you have a way to resolve this evil spirit for my son?¡± Gu Yanfei stared at the blood-red ¡°ghost face¡± on Xu Luo¡¯s back for a moment as if she didn¡¯t hear her. After a while, she retracted her gaze and said faintly, ¡°We have to send this child away today.¡± ¡°Otherwise, Madam and your child will definitely die!¡± The room fell silent for a moment. What?! Wei Wan¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°I don¡¯t want to!¡± Xu Luo¡¯s expression instantly changed. He stomped his feet in exasperation and shouted, ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave!¡± ¡°Mom, you¡¯re not allowed to send me away!¡± Wei Wan came back to her senses and was about to comfort her son when she heard Gu Yanfei continue, ¡°The deathly aura on you and your child is because of him. According to the divination, they aren¡¯t a pair of twins¡­¡± ¡°Clap!¡± Wei Wan slammed her palm on the table, interrupting Gu Yanfei. Wei Wan¡¯s face was filled with anger. She was no longer as eager and polite as before. She pointed angrily at Gu Yanfei¡¯s nose and said, ¡°Shut up!¡± She was about to go crazy from anger. Her beautiful face was filled with monstrous anger. Although her son wasn¡¯t in good health, he was probably possessed. He was usually unwell and was fine when he played and studied. He had seen so many imperial physicians and Daoists, but no one said that his life was in danger. Her daughter was fine and had no problems. This pair of children were her precious children. Now, Second Lady Gu was cursing them to die. How could she tolerate this as a mother! The more Wei Wan thought about it, the angrier she became. Her voluptuous chest heaved rapidly. She had heard from her sister-in-law that Gu Yanfei had saved her brother¡¯s life and that she had even saved the Eldest Princess. She really thought that she was capable. It turned out that she was just boasting. ¡°Sister-in-law, you heard what she said just now.¡± Wei Wan frowned and complained to Imperial Duchess Wei, ¡°Why are you still keeping such a liar?! It¡¯s better to chase her out quickly so that she won¡¯t lead Jiaoniang astray.¡± Imperial Duchess Wei¡¯s temples throbbed. As her sister-in-law was the daughter of her in-laws, her family had given in to her since she was young. They doted on her and raised her to have a bad temper. Fortunately, Madam Ji¡¯an had a good temper and had never quarreled with her before. ¡°Twelfth Sister¡­¡± Imperial Duchess Wei wanted to persuade her sister-in-law to apologize to Gu Yanfei, but she was interrupted by Wei Jiaoniang excitedly. ¡°Grandaunt, you really don¡¯t know how to appreciate kindness!¡± Wei Jiaoniang was even more agitated than Gu Yanfei and was so angry that her face was red. She glared at Wei Wan, who was sitting opposite her, and said, ¡°Yanfei kindly reminded you because you begged her. Why are you still scolding her!¡± ¡°Our Yanfei doesn¡¯t just calculate for anyone. If it weren¡¯t for me and Grandma, Yanfei wouldn¡¯t even bother to look at you!¡± Wei Jiaoniang raised her neck and looked into Wei Wan¡¯s eyes. Her aura wasn¡¯t inferior to hers at all. What she said just now was also what she really meant. Gu Yanfei came and went as she pleased. If not for her grandmother leading someone to beg her, Gu Yanfei might not have interfered in this matter. ¡°You¡­ Jiaoniang, is this how you talk to your elders?!¡± Wei Wan stomped her feet in embarrassment. She felt that she and her sister-in-law were clearly bewitched by Gu Yanfei. Wei Wan stood up and flicked her sleeves before leaving. She said disdainfully, ¡°Just treat that charlatan as a VIP!¡± She took her son and called her daughter, Xu Yao, who was next door, before leaving angrily. Furious, she rudely lifted the curtain embroidered with dragons and phoenixes playing with pearls and slammed it down again. The curtain rustled in midair. Charlatan? Gu Yanfei couldn¡¯t help but laugh. No one had ever called her a ¡°charlatan.¡± Imperial Duchess Wei wouldn¡¯t doubt Gu Yanfei¡¯s ability. She quickly comforted her. ¡°Yanfei, don¡¯t argue with my sister-in-law. She has been anxious since she was young and it was difficult for her to have children after marriage. It wasn¡¯t easy for her to give birth to her children.¡± ¡°The doctor said that she suffered from dystocia and injured her body. I¡¯m afraid it¡¯ll be difficult for her to have children in the future.¡± Because of this, Wei Wan valued her children more than anything else. Gu Yanfei smiled without any ill feelings. Her eyes were still clear. Imperial Duchess Wei carefully examined Gu Yanfei¡¯s expression. Seeing that she didn¡¯t seem to take it to heart, she secretly heaved a sigh of relief. She composed herself and asked carefully, ¡°Yanfei, what did you mean just now?¡± Gu Yanfei supported her chin with one hand and stared at the dragon and phoenix embroidered on the brocade curtain in front of her. She completed her unfinished words and continued, ¡°They aren¡¯t brother and sister, but a pair of twins.¡± ¡°There was a baby girl who should have died not long after she was born.¡± What did she mean?! Gu Yanfei¡¯s words made Imperial Duchess Wei¡¯s hair stand on end and her scalp tingle. ¡°Really?!¡± Imperial Duchess Wei couldn¡¯t help but ask. Gu Yanfei nodded. Imperial Duchess Wei also looked at the curtain embroidered with dragons and phoenixes playing with pearls and muttered to herself, ¡°How could this be¡­¡± How did a dead baby girl become a living son?! Imperial Duchess Wei¡¯s mind was a little chaotic. For a moment, she thought of the terrifying blood scar on Xu Luo¡¯s back. Her first thought was: Could it be some evil technique? ¡°I understand!¡± Wei Jiaoniang clapped excitedly and said seriously, ¡°Xu Luo isn¡¯t my grandaunt¡¯s biological daughter!¡± ¡°Yanfei is definitely right!¡± Wei Jiaoniang said with certainty, her eyes bright and firm. *Bang! Bang!* Wei Jiaoniang¡¯s words were like a heavy hammer hitting Imperial Duchess Wei¡¯s heart. She took a deep breath and her heart trembled. Even her voice was a little tense. ¡°Du Juan, call Ah Wan back.¡± Imperial Duchess Wei, who usually had a strong personality, revealed a rare trace of vulnerability at this moment. The maidservant, Du Juan, quickly complied and ran out to chase after Wei Wan. Her heart was also beating wildly, and she didn¡¯t dare to think too deeply. ¡°Yanfei.¡± Imperial Duchess Wei stared intently at Gu Yanfei and said in a deep voice, ¡°Could the dead baby girl¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t help but think: Could the strange ¡°ghost face¡± behind Xu Lu be the baby spirit of that baby girl? Chapter 405 - Chapter 405: Scar (1) Chapter 405: Scar (1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Du Juan didn¡¯t hear what Imperial Duchess Wei said after that. She rushed out of the house and ran towards the inner door with a clear goal. However, she was still a step too late. The area around the door was empty. An old woman at the door roughly guessed that Du Juan was here to chase after Madam Ji¡¯an. She stammered, ¡°Miss Du Juan, the carriage has just left¡­¡± Wei Wan had already left with her children. The Ji¡¯an Mansion wasn¡¯t far from Duke Wei¡¯s Mansion and was only a journey of five minutes. When she returned to the mansion, Wei Wan¡¯s anger hadn¡¯t subsided. Her plump lips were still tightly pursed. ¡­.. As soon as she got out of the carriage, she saw a man in sky blue standing outside. The 28 or 29-year-old man was tall and his facial features were handsome. Under the sun, his eyes looked even gentler than usual. ¡°Ah Yan, why are you here?¡± Wei Wan looked at her husband, Xu Yan, in surprise. Before Xu Yan could speak, the twins had already gotten out of the carriage one by one. The boy, Xu Luo, threw himself into his father¡¯s arms and shouted affectionately, ¡°Dad.¡± The little girl, Xu Yao, stood three steps away. She pursed her lips and smiled faintly as she bowed to her father obediently. ¡°Father.¡± Xu Yan touched the top of his son¡¯s head and then his daughter¡¯s. He smiled and said, ¡°Wan¡¯er, 1¡¯11 start my break tomorrow. The two of us and our two children will go to the manor to stay for two days.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you taking a break in three days?¡± Wei Wan¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, her pupils shining. ¡°1 haven¡¯t packed my luggage yet. 1 can¡¯t just go empty-handed.¡± She had already agreed with her husband a few days ago that when he was free, they would bring their children to the manor in the suburbs of Beijing to stay for a while. At the same time, they would go to Wuliang Temple near the manor to ask for a peace charm for their son. Wuliang Temple was well-known in the capital and although it was slightly affected by Shangqing¡¯s incident some days ago, the people in the capital quickly associated the incident with the Yu family once they learned that the surname of the Shangqing leader was Yu. However, within half a month, the incense burning in Wuliang Temple had returned to its usual levels. ¡°I just wanted to give you and the children a surprise.¡± Xu Yan smiled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve asked¡­ Granny Wang to pack up everything that needs to be prepared.¡± Xu Luo was amused when he heard this. He held Xu Yan¡¯s big hand with a smile and urged anxiously, ¡°Dad, let¡¯s go quickly.¡± Over the past few days, Xu Luo had been tortured by this scar that could be an evil spirit or a ¡°strange illness.¡± He was either throwing a tantrum or feeling depressed. Today, he smiled for the first time in ages. Wei Wan was overjoyed and felt that she should have brought the children out to relax long ago. Hence, Wei Wan and the twins returned to the carriage. Xu Yan boarded the carriage last. The carriage was rather spacious and was more than enough for their family of four. Xu Yan sat on the left side of the carriage with Xu Luo in his arms, while Wei Wan and her daughter, Xu Yao, sat on the other side. The carriage quickly drove out of the mansion again. This time, it drove in another direction away from Duke Wei¡¯s Mansion. Xu Luo took out his puzzle rings again and started playing. Wei Wan looked at her son with a hint of love on her face. Then, she recalled what had happened in Duke Wei¡¯s Mansion and frowned. She had always said whatever she wanted to say. She complained to Xu Yan unhappily, ¡°Ah Yan, when 1 went to Duke Wei¡¯s Mansion today, 1 met a charlatan.¡± ¡°I originally wanted her to see Luo¡¯er¡­¡± As she spoke, her pitiful gaze swept across Xu Luo¡¯s small face. ¡°1 didn¡¯t expect her to curse me after saying a few words¡­¡± ¡°Curse you?¡± Xu Yan interrupted her and frowned slightly. ¡°She cursed me and our child to die! Bad luck, really bad luck!¡± Wei Wan became more and more indignant as she spoke. She pulled her daughter, Xu Yao, who was sitting beside her, into her arms and gently stroked her daughter¡¯s slender shoulders. Xu Yao leaned against her mother obediently with a look of admiration. Wei Wan touched the top of her daughter¡¯s head again and snorted angrily. ¡°Hmph, 1 heard that she saved the Eldest Princess previously. In my opinion, she doesn¡¯t deserve her reputation. Maybe she¡¯s just lucky.¡± ¡°If 1 hadn¡¯t left just now, she would probably have asked me to change my fate with a lot of money.¡± ¡°The person who saved the Eldest Princess¡­¡± Xu Yan frowned and looked at Wei Wan thoughtfully. His eyes were dark and filled with obvious unhappiness. ¡°Are you talking about that Second Lady Gu?¡± Ever since the incident at the Chengtian Gate, Second Lady Gu from the former Dingyuan Marquis Household had been famous in the court. Not to mention, because of her, the Yu and Feng families were implicated.. Chapter 406 - Chapter 406: Scar (2) Chapter 406: Scar (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Wei Wan nodded. She was still angry and didn¡¯t want to mention the other party¡¯s name. ¡°Thud.¡± The puzzle rings fell out of Xu Luo¡¯s hand. He had already fallen asleep on his father¡¯s lap. Xu Yan quickly adjusted his son¡¯s sleeping posture. Through his collar, one could see the blood-red scar on the boy¡¯s skin, as if it was burning. Just looking at it made Wei Wan¡¯s heart ache. She wished she could bear this on behalf of her son. Xu Yan carefully loosened his son¡¯s collar and comforted his wife gently, ¡°It¡¯s fine. Our son is a good person.¡± ¡­.. ¡°I¡¯ve asked around. The master of Wuliang Temple, Daoist Xuan Cheng, has returned. This time, we¡¯ll ask him to take a good look at Luo¡¯er.¡± Seeing how much her husband cared about their only son, Wei Wan¡¯s heart was filled with tenderness. She only had a few children, but her husband had never taken in a concubine. He was even more concerned about their son. He personally enlightened Xu Luo, taught him martial arts, and took care of his daily life. He was no less concerned than she was as a mother. With his son like this, his heart probably ached even more than hers. Wei Wan sighed deeply and stroked her daughter¡¯s shoulder rhythmically with her right hand. She said helplessly, ¡°1 don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong with Luo¡¯er. I only hope that Daoist Xuan Cheng has some real ability and doesn¡¯t just have an undeserved reputation!¡± ¡°If Luo¡¯er can recover, I¡¯m willing to fast for three years¡­ No, ten years.¡± Amidst the couple¡¯s nagging, the carriage drove out of the capital. The road was smooth and the carriage swayed rhythmically. Gradually, Wei Wan, who was in the carriage, felt a little sleepy. Under her husband¡¯s persuasion, she closed her eyes and took a nap. The twins slept peacefully, while Wei Wan was half asleep and half awake. From time to time, she would open her eyes to look at her children. When she opened her eyes for the umpteenth time, she noticed that it was a little dark in the carriage. She lifted the curtain and looked out of the carriage. It was already dusk outside. Most of the sun had set, and the sky was half-bright. Wei Wan rubbed the space between her eyebrows. Her voice was a little hoarse as she said to Xu Yan, who was sitting opposite her, ¡°We haven¡¯t arrived at Wu Villa yet?¡± Ji¡¯an Mansion was in the western suburbs and was very close to Wuliang Temple. It was also because of this that they planned to stay in this farmstead that they rarely went to. ¡°Not yet.¡± Xu Yan also lifted the curtains and looked out. He explained helplessly, ¡°There¡¯s a path that was still blocked because of the rock slide the day before yesterday. The coachman changed his route and left. We have to take a detour.¡± ¡°Close your eyes and sleep for a while more. We¡¯ll be there in a while.¡± That was what Xu Yan said. However, even after the sun had completely set and the sky had turned dark, they had yet to arrive. A dim glass candle was lit in the carriage, and the candle flame swayed slightly as the carriage drove. Wei Wan wasn¡¯t sleepy either. From time to time, she would raise the curtains and look out of the carriage. She felt that the carriage¡¯s path was getting more and more deviated. Both sides of the road were dark, and she could only see the shadows in the distance. Wei Wan was a little anxious. She wondered if the coachman had taken the wrong path. Just as she was about to ask, the carriage suddenly shook violently. The coachman let out a whoosh outside, sandwiched between the anxious neighs of the horses. The coachman shouted nervously outside, ¡°Marquis, Madam, someone is robbing at the road.¡± The candle flame was still flickering crazily in the glass lampshade. The dim yellow light cast a dark shadow on Wei Wan¡¯s face. Xu Yao, who was sleeping in Wei Wan¡¯s arms, was also woken up. She rubbed her eyes sleepily. Wei Wan subconsciously hugged her daughter as Gu Yanfei¡¯s cold voice sounded in her mind. ¡°Otherwise, Madam and your child will definitely die!¡± As soon as this thought appeared in her mind, she rejected it. No, it can¡¯t be. She couldn¡¯t help but shake her head and tell herself that she didn¡¯t believe it. However, there was a hint of panic in her expression. A bone-chilling coldness quickly spread in her heart, like a spider web wrapping around her tightly. ¡°Everyone, be careful. It¡¯s a thief!¡± ¡°Brothers, let¡¯s go!¡± Waves of loud and clear shouts came from outside the carriage, tearing apart the silence of the night and the peace in the carriage. Right on the heels of that, the clanging of swords and sabers sounded one after another, mixed with shrill screams, despairing groans, and chaotic running sounds¡­ These soul-stirring sounds mixed together and disrupted Wei Wan¡¯s mind. A thick smell of blood wafted in through the window, thickening the air. Xu Luo, who was originally sleeping in Xu Yan¡¯s arms, also woke up and yawned lazily. He seemed to be still asleep and was in a daze. ¡°Luo¡¯er, come to Mother quickly.¡± Wei Wan anxiously waved at her son, who had just woken up. Her entire body was tense. However, Xu Luo hugged Xu Yan and buried her face in her father¡¯s chest. She said stubbornly, ¡°I want to be with Daddy.¡± Xu Yan hugged his son with his arms crossed. His eyes were deep, and there was an imperceptible coldness in his voice. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll take care of Luo¡¯er.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ worry.¡± As they spoke, the shouts outside became louder. A few swords and sabers hit the carriage heavily, making a few heavy muffled sounds. Xu Yao was frightened. She cowered in her mother¡¯s arms and shouted in a trembling voice, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m afraid.¡± Wei Wan was equally afraid. She hugged her daughter tightly, her face pale. She comforted the little girl in a low voice and didn¡¯t notice that half of the boy¡¯s face was exposed in Xu Yan¡¯s arms. She glanced at her sideways, her sinister eyes filled with disdain and impatience. The blood-colored scar on his collar became even redder and more dazzling. It seemed like blood was faintly seeping out, but also like a long, blood-red worm squirming.. Chapter 407 - Chapter 407: Fake (1) Chapter 407: Fake (1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Madam¡­ All!¡± Another woman¡¯s scream sounded. This voice was so familiar and shrill that it pierced the heart like a knife. ¡°Granny Wang,¡± Wei Wan shouted with a pale face. Before she could finish speaking, an old hand grabbed the window sill. Her palm was covered in blood, and the curtain floated up to show drops of blood splattered on the curtain. Then the bloody hand slowly slid down. The four people in the carriage could clearly hear something heavy land outside the carriage. Xu Yao cried out in fear. Her face was pale as she grabbed her mother¡¯s clothes tightly. In the next moment, the curtain of the carriage was suddenly lifted from the outside. ¡­.. What she saw were corpses strewn on the ground. Blood gurgled out of their bodies and dyed the ground red, like hell on earth. Outside the carriage, there were more than ten tall and mighty men holding weapons in their hands. They were wearing green and gray short combat clothes. All of them were holding torches and blood-stained long knives. Wei Wan¡¯s maidservant gritted her teeth and stood up. She bravely stood in front of her master, her body trembling. ¡°All Yan, carry Yao¡¯er.¡± Wei Wan picked up her daughter and wanted to hand her to Xu Yan. Then, she said to Xu Luo, who was hugging Xu Yan¡¯s waist tightly, ¡°Luo¡¯er, you¡¯re a boy. You have to take care of your sister¡­¡± However, Xu Yan didn¡¯t take Xu Yao. Instead, he hugged Xu Luo even tighter. ¡°All Yan¡­¡± Wei Wan wanted to say that the girl was delicate, but she stopped abruptly and was shocked by Xu Yan. In the dim yellow candlelight, the handsome man¡¯s face was as dark as water, and a terrifying sharpness flashed in his dark and gloomy eyes. The candlelight flickered and the light and shadow intertwined, making the man¡¯s face look strange and sinister, as if he was a stranger. ¡°Ah Yan¡­¡± Wei Wan called Xu Yan¡¯s name uneasily, wanting to ask him what was wrong. Before she could finish, Xu Yan, who was two steps away, suddenly raised his arm and pushed her. All of this happened too quickly in a flash. Wei Wan couldn¡¯t react at all. She only felt a heavy palm on her shoulder. A powerful force hit her. Wei Wan¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as she staggered and lost her balance with her daughter in her arms. She fell down the carriage¡­ ¡°Madam!¡± The maidservant¡¯s sharp voice rang in Wei Wan¡¯s ears, almost piercing her eardrums. Wei Wan hugged her daughter tightly and tried her best to protect her in her arms. She fell to the ground with her back facing the ground. The stones on the ground hurt her back and shoulders. She rolled on the ground with her daughter in her arms before stopping. When she looked up again, she felt a chill on her neck¡­ One of the bearded bandits pointed the long knife in his hand at her neck. The sharp blade pressed against her skin, and a cold pain came. ¡°Yao¡¯er.¡± Wei Wan hugged her sobbing daughter even harder and protected her with her thin arm. Xu Yao sobbed and repeatedly called her mother. Her small body trembled like a flower in the wind and rain. Wei Wan looked in the direction of the carriage, and her eyes widened even more. They were filled with cobweb-like blood vessels and surged with abnormally complicated emotions. There was shock, heartache, anger, despair, and sadness. Xu Yan carried Xu Luo down from the carriage with steady footsteps. She lay on the ground in a sorry state. Her originally neatly combed hair was already in a mess, and her dress was stained with dust. As for him, he stood upright and looked down at her from above. There was no longer the gentleness in his eyes, only coldness and disgust. His eyes were ruthless and gloomy in the flickering light of the torch, like a demon from hell. The killing intent and malice he exuded were obvious. When the eight or nine bandits around him saw Xu Yan get out of the carriage, they automatically split into two rows and stood beside him protectively. Her maidservant was also rudely dragged down from the carriage by the bandit and kicked to the ground. She collided with the bloody bodies of the surrounding guards, old women, and maidservant in a sorry state. At this moment, Wei Wan came to a realization. Her pupils almost constricted into a point, and the corners of her mouth twitched. This wasn¡¯t a robbery. It was her husband and the person who always slept beside her who wanted her to die. This cruel reality hit her like a bolt of lightning, and a sharp pain that struck her soul swept through her entire body. Her pale lips trembled as she muttered, ¡°Why?¡± Chapter 408 - Chapter 408: Fake (2) Chapter 408: Fake (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Why did her husband, whom she had loved for 10 years, want her to die?! ¡°Why?¡± She couldn¡¯t help but ask Xu Yan again. Her voice was hoarse as she looked steadily at Xu Yan, who was a few steps away. Her expression was sorrowful, and her heart felt like it was being twisted by a knife. She really couldn¡¯t understand. He had been married to the man in front of her for more than ten years. He was always so considerate and gentle, and he had never taken in a concubine. Could it be that the loving days of the past were all fake? Even if he didn¡¯t care about their relationship as husband and wife, they still had a pair of children together! Gu Yanfei¡¯s clear voice sounded in Wei Wan¡¯s ears again. ¡°Otherwise, Madam and your child will definitely die!¡± At this moment, Wei Wan knew that what Gu Yanfei said was true. She wasn¡¯t spouting nonsense or threatening her. She had seen her and her child¡¯s future. ¡­.. An indescribable feeling filled Wei Wan¡¯s heart, but it was too late for regrets. He had probably already planned for such a big scene. He wouldn¡¯t let her off because of a moment of pity, but¡­ ¡°Xu Yan, I¡¯m begging you. Don¡¯t hurt Yao¡¯er and Luo¡¯er,¡± Wei Wan said with a trembling voice. Her red eyes were mixed with unquenchable fear, sadness, and resentment. Xu Yan stood where he was and raised Xu Luo higher in his arms. His expression and actions couldn¡¯t hide his love. He said matter-of-factly, ¡°Of course, 1 won¡¯t hurt Luo¡¯er.¡± However, when he looked down at Xu Yao, who was in Wei Wan¡¯s arms, his eyes turned cold. It was as if they were covered in a layer of ice, indifferent and heartless. Looking at the unfamiliar man in front of her, Wei Wan suddenly understood something. It turned out that the ¡°child¡± Gu Yanfei was talking about was her daughter. The people who would die today were her and her daughter. Wei Wan pressed her daughter¡¯s head against her and let her bury her face in her arms. She didn¡¯t want her daughter to see her cold and heartless father. ¡°Why?¡± Wei Wan asked the same thing for the third time. Her voice was even more strained, as if she couldn¡¯t say anything else. Just like Luo¡¯er, Yao¡¯er was also his child. Why was he so cruel to his daughter! As if sensing what Wei Wan was asking, Xu Yan¡¯s expression became even colder. A cold smile appeared on his thin lips, but he didn¡¯t say a word. Wei Wan¡¯s heart turned even colder, and her hands and feet went numb. ¡°Daddy, I¡¯m tired. When can we go back and rest?¡± Xu Luo, who was in Xu Yan¡¯s arms, rubbed his eyes and revealed a sleepy smile. It was lazy and a little coquettish. Wei Wan¡¯s shocked gaze turned to her son¡¯s smiling face. She couldn¡¯t believe what she had seen and heard. Her son could still smile at this time?! Without even looking at Wei Wan, Xu Luo said happily, ¡°It¡¯s rare for me to come out and play. Daddy, can you bring me to the night hunt tonight?¡± ¡°I want to eat the rabbit that Daddy roasted himself.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Xu Yan said to Xu Luo dotingly with a gentle gaze. ¡°I¡¯ll pick your mother up to hunt later. Your mother knows how to roast rabbits better than me.¡± ¡°Daddy, it¡¯s a deal.¡± Xu Luo was even happier and clapped his hands happily. ¡°Luo¡¯er!¡± Wei Wan couldn¡¯t help but call her son¡¯s name. She didn¡¯t understand why her son was like this. His father wanted to kill his biological mother and sister. How could he still smile and turn a blind eye?! Wei Wan suddenly felt as if her world had been reversed. It was as if her husband and son had become someone else. ¡°Don¡¯t call me, you bad woman who bullied my mother,¡± Xu Luo reprimanded impatiently. He finally turned to look at Wei Wan and Xu Yao on the ground. ¡°You¡¯re not my mother!¡± The child was clear about his likes and dislikes. His clear eyes were filled with naked hatred. Bang! Bang! Bang! Wei Wan¡¯s heart was beating wildly. Her already chaotic mood became even more chaotic at this moment, as if something was about to come out, but she couldn¡¯t figure it out for a moment. Under this extremely tense mood, cold sweat broke out on her forehead. When the cold night wind blew, she couldn¡¯t help but shiver and question loudly, ¡°Xu Luo, what do you mean by that?!¡± Xu Luo was her only son, whom she had protected since he was young. It could be said that she was afraid that he would fall and be even the slightest bit injured. This was the first time she had spoken to Xu Luo in such a tone. Xu Luo turned his head and hugged his father¡¯s neck. ¡°I told you, you¡¯re not allowed to call me by my name.¡± Xu Yan patted Xu Luo¡¯s back comfortingly and replied coldly, ¡°You didn¡¯t give birth to Luo¡¯er.¡± His words seemed to be comforting his son, but they also seemed to be making things clear to Wei Wan so that she would understand. When he looked at Wei Wan again, his eyes were filled with maliciousness. He said coldly, ¡°As long as you¡¯re around, Qing¡¯er won¡¯t be able to enter the residence legitimately, and Luo¡¯er won¡¯t reunite with his mother.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve occupied Qing¡¯er¡¯s seat for so long. It¡¯s time to return it to her.¡± His words were cold and filled with disgust. Wei Wan took a deep breath and said with difficulty, ¡°I¡¯ve never forbidden you from taking concubines¡­¡± ¡°My mother isn¡¯t going to be a concubine!¡± Xu Luo interrupted Wei Wan with a sharp voice. The scar on his slightly loose collar seemed to be stained with blood. He wasn¡¯t an illegitimate son! Xu Yan touched his son comfortingly and became even more unhappy. ¡°Qing¡¯er has a noble character and has her own style. How can she be a concubine!¡± ¡°So, you want me to die?¡± Wei Wan said word by word. Even though she already had some doubts in her heart, she was still hurt by the other party¡¯s words. At this moment, she truly understood that the few words Gu Yanfei had said to her were gems. Every word had a deep meaning. However, she was extremely stupid and interrupted the other party¡¯s reminder, ignoring her warning. In the end, she implicated her daughter. Her daughter was still so young.. Chapter 409 - Chapter 409: Catching Up Chapter 409: Catching Up Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Wei Wan still wanted to say something, but her throat felt like it was burning. She couldn¡¯t make a sound and could only hug her daughter tightly. She looked at Xu Yan with hatred. Yao¡¯er was also his flesh and blood, but this man was actually so heartless. In order to kill her, he wouldn¡¯t even let their daughter off. Xu Yan looked deeply at Wei Wan and Xu Yao again. He took a step back with his son and ordered calmly, ¡°They should be on their way.¡± These words sounded like a death sentence. Xu Yan couldn¡¯t help but turn around and look in the direction of the carriage. His dark eyes were deep. The torches around them only illuminated a radius of dozens of feet. In the distance, it was as dark as ink, and the uninhabited wilderness was silent. Other than them, there was no one else. ¡­.. On the way out of the city, Wei Wan said that Second Lady Gu had predicted that she and Xu Yao would die today. At that time, he almost lost his composure, afraid that Wei Wan would be suspicious. Fortunately, Wei Wan was stupid and didn¡¯t believe Second Lady Gu at all. As he thought about it, Xu Yan¡¯s thin lips pursed in a straight line. He had to admit that Second Lady Gu was really capable. ¡°Yes, Your Excellency,¡± the big-bearded man replied loudly with a fierce glint in his eyes. A ferocious smile appeared on his lips, and his face was stained with a few spots of dark red human blood. It was dazzling against his skin. He raised the butcher¡¯s knife in his hand high. The sharp blade shone with a dazzling light in the fire¡­ Taking advantage of the moment when the big-bearded man raised his knife, Wei Wan decisively carried her daughter and rolled twice on the ground to avoid this unstoppable knife. Clunk! The big-bearded man¡¯s knife missed and hit the ground beside him hard, sending gravel flying. Wei Wan whispered into her daughter¡¯s ear, ¡°Run, go find your aunt and uncle.¡± She grabbed a sword from the guard¡¯s corpse and quickly pushed her daughter towards the forest by the road with her other hand. She shouted again in a hoarse voice, ¡°Leave quickly!¡± She grabbed the bloodstained sword and faced the bearded man with the determination to fight to the death. For her daughter, it would be good if she could delay them for a while. Clunk! Their blades clashed fiercely, sending sparks flying. Although Wei Wan was the daughter of a general, she had been spoiled since she was young. She hadn¡¯t learned martial arts well, and her strength wasn¡¯t as good as a man¡¯s. She only felt a numbness in her hand, but she still held the sword tightly, like a drowning person holding the last piece of driftwood. Xu Yao, who had been pushed out, staggered. Her face was covered in tears, and she was sobbing. The young girl also didn¡¯t understand why her father and brother wanted to kill her and her mother. She called out ¡°Mommy¡± again, gritted her teeth, and turned to run in the other direction. She would have to look for her uncle! She would look for her uncle to save her mother! Not far away, Xu Yan frowned. He felt that these subordinates were really useless. He tore off the jade pendant at his waist and threw it at Xu Yao, who was fleeing in a sorry state. The jade pendant flew out quickly and hit the girl¡¯s right shin steadily and accurately. ¡°Ah!¡± Xu Yao screamed in pain and fell to the ground. She was just a young child. After falling, she couldn¡¯t get up for a while. ¡°T-t-t-t¡­¡± Suddenly, the faint sound of horses¡¯ hooves came from the southeast. It became clearer and clearer in the silent night. The sound of horses¡¯ hooves was coming this way. Xu Yan¡¯s expression changed. His first reaction was that the people from Duke Wei¡¯s Mansion had realized that something was wrong, so they sent people to chase after him. On second thought, he rejected this guess. Judging from the sound of the horses¡¯ hooves, there was only one horse. It was definitely not someone from the British Mansion. The people from Duke Wei¡¯s Mansion couldn¡¯t have come alone. That should be a passerby who happened to pass by¡­ This person happened to pass by here, so he could only be considered unlucky. Killing intent rose in Xu Yan¡¯s heart. He frowned tightly and ordered sternly, ¡°Hurry up!¡± The other bandit with a triangular face agreed loudly and quickly chased after Xu Yao. ¡°Yao¡¯er!¡± Wei Wan looked back in her daughter¡¯s direction in a panic and shouted at the top of her lungs. The longsword in her hand collided with the bearded man¡¯s knife again, making a clang. This time, the longsword left her hand. Wei Wan couldn¡¯t care less. She watched helplessly as the triangular-faced robber approached the crawling girl in front of her. Her heart felt like it was being cut by a knife. In an instant, all the blood in her body went cold, almost freezing. She regretted it. She shouldn¡¯t be so conceited. She should have listened to Gu Yanfei. Gu Yanfei had already warned her. Her daughter could have escaped death, but because of her¡­ She should have been the only one bearing all the karma. ¡°Yao¡¯er!¡± Wei Wan shouted again. Her eyes widened to the extreme, and the blood vessels in her eyes became even denser. Behind her, the big-bearded man sneered and stabbed a long knife into her back. This knife was clean and ruthless as it pierced into her thin back¡­ Wei Wan didn¡¯t blink and only revealed a relieved expression upon seeing Xu Yan¡¯s face. Her gaze didn¡¯t shift at all as she looked straight at her and Xu Yao. She saw her favorite son looking at her impatiently. He patted Xu Yan¡¯s shoulder and urged him. No matter what, Wei Wan was a dead person. Xu Yan retracted his gaze and touched the top of Xu Luo¡¯s head with one hand. He comforted him softly, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± The sound of horse hooves behind him was getting closer and closer. Xu Yan carried his son and turned to return to the carriage. He said indifferently, ¡°Don¡¯t leave anyone alive.¡± ¡°Swoosh!¡± An arrow cut through the night air. The sound of horse hooves came from the direction of the arrow, like lightning with a sharp aura. Wei Wan clearly saw the arrow come from the southeast. Without blinking, she watched as the arrow quickly brushed past her arm and ruthlessly pierced through the bearded man¡¯s right hand. ¡°All!¡± The bearded man let out an extremely miserable scream and couldn¡¯t help but let go of the knife in his hand. The palm that had been pierced by the sharp arrow trembled, and blood gurgled from the wound. Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Another few arrows shot out from the darkness. A second arrow pierced through the forehead of the triangular face and went straight through the head. A third arrow pierced the chest of a bandit. A fourth arrow cut through the throat¡­ These consecutive arrows were all accurate. As these bandits fell to the ground and couldn¡¯t get up, the torches in their hands fell to the ground one by one, and the surroundings darkened a lot. ¡°Yao¡¯er.¡± Wei Wan struggled to rush over and hug her disheveled daughter. The long knife on her back fell to the ground with her action. Blood quickly overflowed from the wound, dyeing the clothes on her back red. Blood dripped to the ground. How tragic was this scene? The girl, who had been holding back her tears just now, burst into tears the moment her mother hugged her. ¡°Mommy, Mommy, Mommy¡­¡± She called her mother repeatedly, as if she could get unlimited power and comfort from this word. Not far away, Xu Yan, who was about to get into the carriage, was stunned. His expression changed drastically. He quickly looked in the direction where the arrow had come from and saw a young girl in a snow-green dress riding a red horse towards them not far ahead, holding a longbow. In the wilderness, the beautiful and refined girl looked especially out of place. The night breeze lifted the girl¡¯s skirt and sleeves, making them flutter and making her temperament look valiant. Who was this?! Xu Yan quickly placed Xu Luo in the carriage and pulled out his sword. He looked at Gu Yanfei warily. He didn¡¯t recognize Gu Yanfei, but Wei Wan did. Her eyes lit up when she saw Gu Yanfei, and her face revealed an unbelievable surprise. It was her, it was actually her! Wei Wan¡¯s eyes were filled with tears. It was the tears of someone who had just survived a disaster. At this moment, she couldn¡¯t even feel the pain in her body. ¡­.. Xu Yao¡¯s hands were covered in blood when she touched her mother¡¯s back. She was still in shock and said in a trembling voice, ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re bleeding¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Wei Wan comforted her daughter gently. She could feel her body getting colder and colder because of the blood loss, but she tried her best to hold on. Gu Yanfei rode her horse to Wei Wan and Xu Yao¡¯s side. She looked calm, but she heaved a sigh of relief in her heart. Thank goodness, I¡¯ve caught up with them. In order to find this mother and daughter, the afternoon was filled with twists and turns. First, Wei Wan left in a hurry in a fit of anger. Imperial Duchess Wei couldn¡¯t stop her at the ceremonial gate. Then, she immediately got someone to go to the Ji¡¯an Mansion. Who knew that she was still a step too late? The gatekeeper of the Ji¡¯an Mansion said that Wei Wan and her husband had just left with the twins. He said that they were going to Wu Villa to stay for two days. Hence, the guards of Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s Mansion rushed to Wu Villa again. However, they didn¡¯t see anyone along the way, and there was no one in Wu Villa. The guards could only return to the Duke¡¯s Mansion to report. This time, Imperial Duchess Wei was really anxious. She and Imperial Duke Wei went to the Gu Mansion together to ask Gu Yanfei for help. ¡°Sister, are you here to save us?¡± Xu Yao also remembered Gu Yanfei and shouted with shining eyes. ¡°You guys are too hard to find.¡± Gu Yanfei sighed casually. It was impossible for her to know in advance where they would go. She could only keep calculating along the way until she finally found this wilderness that no one usually came to. The Akhal-Teke horse beneath her crowed triumphantly, as if to say, It¡¯s all thanks to me. It was indeed all thanks to it. Gu Yanfei touched its slender neck. Although¡­ Gu Yanfei quickly glanced at Wei Wan, who was covered in blood. Although the death aura on Wei Wan hadn¡¯t dissipated¡­ At least she had made it.. Chapter 410 - Chapter 410: Completed Chapter 410: Completed Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Who are you?!¡± Xu Yan questioned Gu Yanfei sternly. He grabbed the three-foot-long sword in his hand tightly and glanced at the remaining bandits around him. ¡°Don¡¯t be a busybody.¡± The killing intent in his heart intensified. Not to mention that this passerby had killed several of his people, no matter what, she couldn¡¯t be left alive. Wei Wan was Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s younger sister. If that wasn¡¯t the case, he wouldn¡¯t have had to endure it for so long. Therefore, no one could be left alive today. A few men dressed as robbers received their master¡¯s signal and immediately approached Gu Yanfei, who was on her horse, in an encirclement posture. The bearded man gritted his teeth and pulled out the arrow in his palm. His face twisted in pain, and the blood on his palm flowed even more fiercely. He tore off a piece of cloth and bit it with his teeth. He bandaged his injured right hand haphazardly and picked up a long knife from the ground with his left hand. Then he looked at Gu Yanfei with a wolf-like bloodthirsty gaze, filled with killing intent. ¡­.. Wei Wan¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She hugged her daughter and looked up at Gu Yanfei on the horse. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. 1 only ask you to bring my daughter along. Hurry up and escape!¡± It was difficult for two fists to fight four hands. Just now, Gu Yanfei had taken advantage of the unexpected. Under the premise that Xu Yan and his subordinates were already on guard, it was very difficult for a weak woman like Gu Yanfei to fight against them. Wei Wan¡¯s lips were pale. The ground under her feet was soaked in blood, but her back was still straight. ¡°Second Lady Gu, leave quickly!¡± Wei Wan glared at Gu Yanfei and said firmly. Her red eyes seemed to be saying, ¡°Don¡¯t waste your life here!¡± Gu Yanfei raised her eyebrows slightly. When she looked at Wei Wan again, she had a better impression of her. She had only met Wei Wan once. She had warned her, but Wei Wan didn¡¯t believe her. In that case, whether she lived or died, it was Wei Wan¡¯s choice. She could see the lives of others, but that didn¡¯t mean that she should be responsible for everyone¡¯s fate. There were thousands of people, so how could she care? She had only left the capital this time because of her relationship with Imperial Duke Wei and his family. She had helped out along the way. But now, Wei Wan made her see her in a new light. In the Bright Spirit Realm, Gu Yanfei had seen many people who insisted on dragging others down with them when they were on the verge of death, regardless of whether this ¡°someone else¡± was an enemy or a passerby. In comparison, Wei Wan¡¯s temperament wasn¡¯t bad. ¡°Don¡¯t be anxious.¡± Gu Yanfei took out a talisman. With a shake of her hand, the talisman burned. A dazzling red light flew out from her fingers and shot into the sky, blooming into a huge firework in the night sky. The blood-red light illuminated a large area of the night sky and the wilderness below, as if the lighthouse in the darkness had pointed the way for lost travelers. Xu Yan was really flustered now and his eyes were filled with surprise. Wei Wan had called her Second Lady Gu just now! This woman was the Second Lady Gu who had predicted that he would make a move today?! Could it be that the people from Duke Wei¡¯s Mansion were also nearby? If the people from Duke Wei¡¯s Mansion arrived at this moment and saw this scene¡­ The more Xu Yan thought about it, the more flustered he became. He broke out in cold sweat and didn¡¯t dare to think further. ¡°Do it.¡± Xu Yan ordered ruthlessly again. Against the red light of the night sky above, his handsome face was like a demon stained with countless blood. At this point, it was impossible for him to turn back. He had to silence her before more people arrived! ¡°Yes, my Lord,¡± the bearded man and the others replied sharply, deciding to end the battle quickly. Facing these fierce men, Gu Yanfei didn¡¯t even move the corners of her eyes or eyebrows. She smiled and looked down at Xu Yan from the back of the tall horse. ¡°Do you know the verbal spirit?¡± Xu Yan was confused. Gu Yanfei shook her left hand, and a small compass appeared in her palm. She casually flicked it and smiled teasingly at Xu Yan. ¡°Oh, bloody calamity.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xu Yan frowned even more and waited solemnly. Was she trying to be mysterious, or¡­ Crack¡­ As soon as Gu Yanfei finished speaking, a big tree by the roadside suddenly snapped in half. The thick tree trunk fell to the center of the road, as if a building had collapsed. A huge shadow pressed down on Xu Yan¡¯s head. How could this be?! Xu Yan¡¯s pupils moved and his eyes instantly widened. THUMP! The heavy tree trunk pressed against Xu Yan and the carriage beside him. The cabin-like carriage was pushed to the other side by the tree trunk with a loud bang. Xu Luo, who was in the carriage, let out an uneasy scream. Dust flew around them, and a hazy gray fog spread. Xu Luo, who was pressed under the tree trunk, had a swollen forehead and closed eyes. She seemed to have fainted. This scene stunned the bearded man and the others not far away. Their limbs stiffened, and they couldn¡¯t move for a long time. This¡­ this was too mysterious! Second Lady Gu had only said one sentence, and such a strange thing had happened. If they hadn¡¯t seen it with their own eyes, they wouldn¡¯t have believed it. The big-bearded man pointed the long knife in his left hand at Gu Yanfei. The tip of the knife trembled slightly, and he shouted, ¡°You¡­ What did you do?!¡± Gu Yanfei held her compass in one hand and swept her cold gaze slowly across everyone. Anyone who was caught by her gaze couldn¡¯t help but feel their scalps tingle. Gu Yanfei sighed and shook her head. She sighed in a sympathetic tone. ¡°A bloody calamity.¡± The bearded man and the others subconsciously looked at Xu Yan, who was pressed down by the tree, and their faces turned slightly pale. No way? It couldn¡¯t be that effective! Everyone¡¯s hearts couldn¡¯t help but beat faster. They quickly looked at the roadside, afraid that another big tree would break¡­ The big-bearded man only hesitated for a moment before decisively shouting, ¡°It¡¯s this girl who¡¯s playing tricks. Get rid of her first!¡± The others also felt that it made sense. They held their long sabers and continued to approach Gu Yanfei with cold and solemn expressions. Wei Wan looked at the calm Gu Yanfei on the horse and then at the murderous men. She gritted her teeth and, ignoring the wound on her back, struggled to pick up another sword from the ground¡­ ¡°T-t-t-t¡­¡± From the southeast came the more chaotic sound of horses¡¯ hooves. At least dozens of horses were galloping this way, getting closer and louder, rumbling like thunder. ¡°Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!¡± Three arrows pierced through the air side by side, carrying an aura that could swallow mountains and rivers. They were abnormally sharp. Dozens of people spurred their horses over. The person in the lead was Imperial Duke Wei. Imperial Duke Wei was old but strong. Three arrows shot out at the same time, and three sounds of landing could be heard at the same time. Three people fell down after being hit by the arrows. Every arrow was fatal. In just an instant, three more corpses appeared on the ground. All of them widened their eyes and died with grievances. Blood flowed on the ground, forming a river of blood. When the night wind blew, the strong smell of blood lingered. The expressions of the big-bearded man and the other four changed drastically. They looked at Imperial Duke Wei, who was galloping over, and the guards behind him. They panicked and were afraid. One of them looked hesitantly at Xu Yan, who was pressed under the tree, and hurriedly said, ¡°Brother Li, why don¡¯t we take the Lord and¡­¡± Escape. The big-bearded man gritted his teeth and nodded. The few of them ran in Xu Yan¡¯s direction with their knives. Together, they dragged the unconscious Xu Yan out of the tree bit by bit. ¡°T-t-t-t¡­¡± Imperial Duke Wei took the lead and rushed over on his horse. At a glance, he saw the heavily injured Wei Wan. The clothes on her body had almost turned into a bloody robe. It was a shocking sight, and Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s eyes almost popped out. ¡°All Wan!¡± ¡°12th sister!¡± Imperial Duke Wei and his wife shouted at the same time. More than a hundred feet behind, Imperial Duchess Wei also urged her horse over anxiously and arrived with a group of guards. Looking at Wei Wan, who was covered in blood, and Xu Yao, who was in tears, Imperial Duchess Wei felt as if a knife was being twisted in her heart. Her mother-in-law had only given birth to Wei Wan at the age of 40. After giving birth, she was weak, so Wei Wan had been raised by Imperial Duchess Wei single-handedly. She had enlightened her, taught her needlework, taught her the ways of the world, and wasn¡¯t much different from a butler¡­ or Wei Wan was like her adopted daughter. ¡­.. Wei Wan had always been proud and noble. The biggest sin she had suffered in her life was that she had to suffer for three days and three nights before giving birth to twins. Their All Wan had never suffered like this in the past 27 years! ¡°Big brother, sister-in-law¡­¡± When Wei Wan saw that her brother and sister-in-law were here, she felt relieved. Her voice trembled slightly,slightly and she was weak. Her eyes were also filled with tears of joy. Her daughter¡¯s life was saved. That was good, that was good! Wei Wan was relieved. It was only at this moment that she felt a piercing pain from the knife wound on her back. Her limbs were already cold from excessive blood loss. Clang. Her last breath finally dissipated, and the sword in her hand fell to the ground. Her vision darkened and she fainted. ¡°Mommy! Mommy¡­¡± The little girl screamed in panic. Tears streamed down her face as she threw herself at her mother. Her petite and thin body trembled uncontrollably. ¡°¡­¡± Imperial Duchess Wei flew down from her horse and ran towards Wei Wan. Her eyes were red and filled with tears. ¡°Eldest Aunt, save my mother!¡± Xu Yao cried in fear and unease. She pounced over and pulled Imperial Duchess Wei¡¯s hand. Her right shin was still in pain. As soon as her foot landed, her right calf subconsciously shrank and she looked pained. Gu Yanfei jumped down from the horse lightly and skillfully, then came to Wei Wan¡¯s side. She frowned and looked at Xu Yao¡¯s scraped palm. Then, she looked at the jade pendant not far from the ground and pondered. ¡°Yanfei¡­¡± Imperial Duchess Wei stared at Gu Yanfei nervously and expectantly. She wanted to ask her if Wei Wan could still be saved.. Chapter 411 - Chapter 411: Twins (1) Chapter 411: Twins (1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Gu Yanfei checked Wei Wan¡¯s pulse and took out a talisman from her sleeve. She stuck the talisman to the bleeding wound on Wei Wan¡¯s back and explained, ¡°This is a hemostatic talisman.¡± As the name implies, the hemostatic talisman was naturally used to stop the bleeding. So, Wei Wan could still be saved, right? A trace of hope appeared in Imperial Duchess Wei¡¯s eyes. Looking at his younger sister, who was breathing weakly and on the verge of death, Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s face was ashen. Veins popped out on his forehead. He was both angry and heartbroken. He raised his voice and said angrily, ¡°Kill!¡± The towering anger in his heart was vented with this shout. His voice resounded through the clouds like a dragon¡¯s roar, and his aura was oppressive. ¡°Leave him alive,¡± Imperial Duchess Wei, who was kneeling beside Wei Wan, said with difficulty. Her voice was hoarse, and tears couldn¡¯t help but fall from the corners of her eyes. Seeing that Imperial Duke Wei didn¡¯t retort, the guards understood what their master meant and divided the work. The guards who came with Imperial Duke Wei today were all elites of Duke Wei¡¯s Mansion. They had even accompanied Imperial Duke Wei to the battlefield and had all seen blood on their hands. They were all extremely skilled. The few of them raised their knives and killed three bandits in gray rough cloth, leaving only the last bearded man. In order to prevent the bearded man from committing suicide, one of the guards dislocated his chin like lightning, causing his face to contort in pain. All of this happened in ten breaths, and the dust had already settled. ¡°Imperial Duke Wei, the others have already been executed on the spot.¡± A few guards of Duke Wei¡¯s Mansion escorted the big-bearded man to report to Imperial Duke Wei. Xu Yan, who was lying on the ground, only woke up at this moment. He raised his hand and touched his swollen forehead, only to see that it was covered in blood. His mind was still buzzing, and he was in a daze. Xu Yan groaned almost silently. When he opened his eyes, he saw Imperial Duke Wei and his wife ten feet away. His memories before he fainted quickly returned. Seeing that Imperial Duke Wei and his wife¡¯s attention was on Wei Wan, Xu Yan clenched his fists tightly, his eyes dark. He gritted his teeth without making a sound and crawled out of the gap between the tree trunk and the carriage with difficulty. Then he climbed into the toppled carriage. After a while, he carried Xu Luo out of the carriage and covered his son¡¯s mouth with one hand. He bent down and quietly walked to the back of the carriage, tiptoeing¡­ Xu Yan only cared about carrying his son and running. He thought that no one from Duke Wei¡¯s Mansion had noticed him, but he didn¡¯t know that a pair of clear and bright almond-shaped eyes was watching his every move from behind. Gu Yanfei turned to the side and picked up the jade pendant on the ground. She rubbed her fingers on the jade pendant twice and saw a roaring tiger engraved on it. It clearly belonged to a man. She looked at the little girl¡¯s curled right calf without batting an eyelid and understood everything. Gu Yan injected a little spirit energy into the jade pendant and casually threw it, causing her sleeves to flutter¡­ The jade pendant flashed with white light and drew a long curve in the air. It accurately hit the back of Xu Yan¡¯s head. THUMP! Xu Yan didn¡¯t even have time to scream in pain before his tall body fell straight to the ground with a dull sound. Even Xu Luo, who was in his arms, fell to the ground in a sorry state. The boy cried out. The guards of Duke Wei¡¯s Mansion were checking the corpses on the ground. At this moment, they noticed this scene and quickly rushed forward to take down the unconscious Xu Yan. ¡°Uncle!¡± Xu Luo got up from the ground. His palm had been scratched by the stones on the ground, and it was so painful that his face was scrunched up. He wanted to rush over to look for Imperial Duke Wei, but he was stopped by two guards working together and not letting him approach Imperial Duke Wei and his wife. He was still young. Facing two tall guards, he was as fragile as a baby. The guard captain hurriedly went over to ask Imperial Duke Wei, ¡°Imperial Duke Wei, how should we deal with Lord Ji¡¯an¡¯s son, Xu Luo?¡± Before Imperial Duke Wei could answer, Xu Luo, who was stopped by the guards, had already shouted at the top of his lungs, ¡°Uncle, they¡¯re so bold. How dare they stop me? Kill them!¡± Xu Luo¡¯s eyes were filled with an unruly, ferocious glint as he raised his chin. ¡°Capture him,¡± Imperial Duke Wei instructed the guard captain decisively as he looked at the boy coldly. Not to mention Xu Luo¡¯s suspicious background, even if he was really Wei Wan¡¯s son, he was so eccentric and unruly. As an elder, he had to interfere. The guard captain understood what Imperial Duke Wei meant and did as he was told. ¡°Yanfei, the bleeding has stopped¡­ Has Ah Wan¡¯s wound stopped bleeding?!¡± Imperial Duchess Wei, who had been staring at Wei Wan¡¯s wound, shouted excitedly.. Chapter 412 - Chapter 412: Twins (2) Chapter 412: Twins (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Gu Yanfei nodded. ¡°The bleeding has stopped for the time being.¡± She fed her a pill before asking, ¡°Is there a village nearby?¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Imperial Duchess Wei hurriedly replied. ¡°It¡¯s at most two miles away from here.¡± With Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s order, the guards first worked together to straighten the cart before replacing it with two horses. In the end, Imperial Duke Wei carried the unconscious Wei Wan into the carriage. Everyone hurried on their way in a hurry, led by a guard who was familiar with the terrain. After ten minutes, the group of carriages arrived at the manor that Imperial Duchess Wei had mentioned. The people in the manor didn¡¯t expect Imperial Duke Wei and his wife to suddenly come here. The entire manor immediately boiled over. The lights were brightly lit, as if it was daytime. In less than an incense¡¯s time, everyone settled down in the manor. Everything was in order. Wei Wan was placed in a room. An old woman wiped her body and carefully bandaged the wound on her waist before changing her clothes. In order to avoid pressing on the wound, the old woman carefully adjusted Wei Wan¡¯s sleeping position. Xu Yao held Wei Wan¡¯s hand and stayed by her side. She stared fixedly at her peaceful sleeping face and refused to leave for a moment. After Gu Yanfei drank half a cup of tea, she heard Xu Yao shout from the side of the bed, ¡°Mommy¡­ Mommy, how are you?¡± On the bed, Wei Wan¡¯s eyelashes trembled slightly as she slowly opened her eyes. Her eyes were still a little dazed as she subconsciously held her daughter¡¯s small hand. Gu Yanfei, Imperial Duke Wei, and Imperial Duchess Wei all went over when they heard the voice. Gu Yanfei glanced at Wei Wan¡¯s face and raised her eyebrows calmly. Wei Wan¡¯s glabella on the bed was still covered in a layer of death aura. Wei Wan blinked. Her eyes were much clearer, and her lips were as pale as snow from loss of blood, but she was still very weak. She looked straight at Gu Yanfei and said sincerely, ¡°Second Lady Gu¡­ thank you.¡± If Gu Yanfei hadn¡¯t arrived in time, she and her daughter would have died there today. Recalling everything that had happened before she fainted, Wei Wan¡¯s heart was filled with an indescribable sadness and powerlessness. Wei Wan slowly looked at Imperial Duke Wei and his wife and asked in a hoarse voice, ¡°Brother, Sister-in-law, how did you find them?¡± Imperial Duchess Wei sat down on the edge of the bed and stretched out an index finger to gently tap Wei Wan¡¯s forehead. She sighed. ¡°You, you¡¯re just impatient!¡± ¡°You¡¯re so fast that we can¡¯t catch up¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Wei Wan pursed her lips and looked embarrassed. She was speechless for a moment. She had always treasured her two children the most. When she was at Duke Wei¡¯s Mansion, she was furious when she heard Gu Yanfei curse her and the child to die. She didn¡¯t want to hear Gu Yanfei finish his sentence, especially when she saw that her sister-in-law and mother were on Gu Yanfei¡¯s side. She was even more furious and left in a fit of anger. Just because she was impulsive, she almost harmed herself and her daughter. Wei Wan closed her eyes and asked with difficulty, ¡°Where¡¯s Xu Yan?¡± She took a deep breath and said slowly and firmly, ¡°I want to see him.¡± Actually, Imperial Duke Wei didn¡¯t want his sister to see Xu Yan again, but he also knew that with his sister¡¯s personality, he had to let her see Xu Yan. Otherwise, she would probably not be able to let it go for the rest of her life. ¡°Bring Xu Yan¡­ and Xu Luo here,¡± Imperial Duke Wei instructed the old woman serving beside him. After the old woman received the order, she hurried out. Right on the heels of that, Imperial Duchess Wei got another old woman to take Xu Yao away. Xu Yao turned around and left. Only the four of them were left in the room. The room fell silent for a moment. Wei Wan took a deep breath and said bitterly, ¡°Xu Yan said, he said¡­¡± Her tense heart finally snapped because she was facing her family. Tears fell crazily from her eyes as she said in a hoarse voice, ¡°He said that I¡­ I didn¡¯t give birth to Xu Luo.¡± ¡°Xu Luo¡¯s birth mother is another woman¡­¡± Thinking of Xu Yan¡¯s deep love when he mentioned Qing¡¯er, Wei Wan¡¯s heart ached again. Her eyes stung even more as tears rolled down. Her husband had betrayed her. The child was already six years old, which meant that he had been secretly in a relationship with that woman for at least seven years¡­ or even longer, and she hadn¡¯t noticed it. Wei Wan closed her eyes again. Her teeth sank deep into her lower lip, and she bit so hard that it almost bled. Imperial Duchess Wei bent over and carefully wiped the tears from the corners of Wei Wan¡¯s eyes with a handkerchief. Wei Wan forced a comforting smile at Imperial Duchess Wei, but her smile was extremely bitter. She composed herself and said, ¡°Back then, I invited many doctors and imperial physicians to take a look. They all said that I was pregnant with twins.¡± ¡°How could I not have given birth to Xu Luo?!¡± Even now, Wei Wan was still unwilling to believe this fact. Her breathing was chaotic and rapid. ¡°¡­¡± Imperial Duchess Wei¡¯s heart was as heavy as a mountain. She pursed her lips hesitantly and couldn¡¯t help but turn to look at Gu Yanfei. Gu Yanfei immediately continued, ¡°From the divination, your daughter has a twin sister.¡± ¡°You should have given birth to a pair of twin baby girls.¡± Baby girl?! Wei Wan¡¯s eyes widened. For a moment, her mind went blank. She swallowed hard and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s the child? Where¡¯s Yao¡¯er¡¯s sister?¡± She didn¡¯t dare to think or guess at all, and her heart constricted violently. Gu Yanfei looked into Wei Wan¡¯s eyes and said slowly, ¡°The hexagram shows that the child is already dead.¡± The moment she heard this, Wei Wan suddenly grabbed the mattress below with one hand and clenched it tightly. She clenched it so tightly that her fingertips turned white, and the veins on the back of her hand bulged. Wei Wan¡¯s mind was buzzing. After the extreme shock, a strong sense of sorrow swept through her body, and something in her heart seemed to break into pieces. This time, she didn¡¯t say that she didn¡¯t believe her. No matter how unwilling she was to believe it, that was the truth.. Chapter 413 - Chapter 413: Mother and Son (1) Chapter 413: Mother and Son (1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Why?¡± Wei Wan mumbled. She seemed to be talking to herself, but also seemed to be asking Gu Yanfei, ¡°What exactly is going on?¡± Wei Wan had many questions in her mind. ¡°You¡¯ll know when you ask him in person later,¡± Gu Yanfei said calmly. Her eyes seemed to have been soaked in water, emitting a cold light. She could predict that one of the twins would die a violent death not long after she was born. She could predict that Wei Wan and her child would die today, but she couldn¡¯t predict the hidden reasons. Wei Wan tried her best to suppress her emotions, but even so, her fingers were still trembling slightly as she gripped the blanket. An intense shadow flashed in her chaotic eyes. After a while, two guards escorted Xu Yan and Xu Luo into the room, making the already small room look much more crowded. The wound on Xu Yan¡¯s forehead had stopped bleeding, but it was still swollen. His hair was in a mess, and he was still wearing his original sky-blue clothes. His messy robe was covered in dust and grass, making him look like a completely different person from the glamorous Lord Ji¡¯an. Xu Yan held Xu Luo¡¯s hand with one hand and walked stiffly towards Wei Wan, who was lying on the couch, tier eyes were uncertain. For a moment, Wei Wan almost didn¡¯t recognize Xu Yan. She tried her best to suppress the surging hatred in her heart. Hatred bit her heart like a worm, and her eyes were red as if they had been dyed with blood. For so many years, she had always admired this man wholeheartedly and was willing to give up everything for him. But now she realized that her love for him had already disappeared. It had been completely obliterated in a short period of time. She looked at him, and he looked back at her. At this moment, it was as if the others around them didn¡¯t exist. Xu Luo looked up at the adults present with some anxiety and uneasiness. Wei Wan stared at Xu Yan for a long time. When she saw him, the first thing she said was, ¡°Where¡¯s my daughter?¡± Xu Yan thought that she was talking about Xu Yao and ignored her. Instead, he sneered and shook his head. He looked at Imperial Duke Wei, who was a few steps away, and said coldly, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, Brother-in-law?¡± ¡°I¡¯m also a dignified noble of the imperial court. Although I can¡¯t compare to you, I¡¯m still the Marquis Ji¡¯an. Brother-in-law, what¡¯s the reason for you to shout and kill me?!¡± Xu Yan stood proudly, looking calm. Their Ji¡¯an Mansion was also conferred the title of Marquis by Emperor Taizu. It was only one level lower than the four Duke¡¯s Mansions. Imperial Duke Wei didn¡¯t have the right to punish him on behalf of the imperial court. Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s eyes were gloomy, as if a storm was raging inside. He strode forward and took two steps closer to Xu Yan, who was half a head shorter than him. Although he was old, his physique was still tall and straight, and he stood in front of Xu Yan like a tall mountain. He said word by word, ¡°Xu Yan, you killed your wife and daughter. It¡¯s inhumane!¡± The corners of Xu Yan¡¯s lips tightened, and the corners of his sharp eyes pressed down. A sinister glint flashed across his eyes as he looked at Imperial Duke Wei. ¡°Brother-in-law, why do you say that!¡± He casually brushed his sleeves and said unhappily, ¡°Kill my wife and daughter? Did Wan¡¯er say that?¡± With that, Xu Yan let out a long sigh. ¡°Sigh, I¡¯ve been wanting to tell my brother-in-law for a long time. Wan¡¯er, she¡­ 1 don¡¯t know if she¡¯s possessed or if she¡¯s suffering from hysteria. Recently, she¡¯s sometimes awake and sometimes confused¡­¡± ¡°Nonsense! Xu Yan, when did 1 have hysteria!¡± Wei Wan, who was lying on the couch, interrupted him angrily, her chest heaving. She felt as if she had never known the person in front of her. It was as if he had always been covered in a layer of skin. It was only today that this bloody skin was finally peeled off. ¡°Brother-in-law, about Wan¡¯er¡­ my mother knows too.¡± Xu Yan sighed at Imperial Duke Wei again. Then, he said helplessly to Wei Wan, ¡°Wan¡¯er, you¡¯re tired. When you return to the residence, rest well.¡± His tone and expression were as gentle as ever. He was quite patient, as if he was coaxing an insensible child. If Wei Wan wasn¡¯t involved, she would probably believe Xu Yan. After all, Xu Yan had always been a gentle, elegant, and charming man to the public. In an instant, Wei Wan felt aggrieved. She was clearly the victim, but she had been bitten by the other party. A mouthful of blood was stuck in her throat. ¡°Xu Yan, at this point, are you still going to turn the tables on me?!¡± Wei Wan was so angry that she wanted to get up, but she accidentally affected the wound on her back. She revealed a painful expression and panted slightly.. Chapter 414 - Chapter 414: Mother and Son (2) Chapter 414: Mother and Son (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Don¡¯t be fierce with Daddy!¡± Xu Luo screamed angrily. He grabbed Xu Yan¡¯s hand tightly and looked at Wei Wan on the couch with hostility. Gu Yanfei raised her hand and pressed the agitated Wei Wan back onto the couch. She warned lazily, ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± When the girl¡¯s eyes were as bright as the vast stars, Wei Wan, who had been like an angry cat, instantly became obedient. The anger in her heart gradually subsided, but she still had mixed feelings. It turned out that her husband and son weren¡¯t hers. Gu Yanfei glanced at Xu Yan and Xu Luo and asked calmly, ¡°Lord Ji¡¯an, have you seen the scar on your son¡¯s body?¡± As she spoke, she slowly walked towards the father and son with an ambiguous smile on her lips. Xu Yan looked at Gu Yanfei calmly. He was expressionless and didn¡¯t say a word. His cold eyes were filled with vigilance. Gu Yanfei stared intently into the other party¡¯s eyes and continued, ¡°Six years ago, a baby girl died not long after she was born. Do you remember that baby girl?¡± Her tone was very slow, with a unique and soothing rhythm. Her pupils were as dark as a deep pool, suffused with a faint, clear light, and mysterious. Xu Yan¡¯s eyes widened slightly, and he was in a daze. His memory was drawn back to six years ago by her words. The baby girl¡¯s cry was still fresh in his mind, and he seemed to hear it at this moment. Gu Yanfei took another step closer to Xu Yan and said faintly, ¡°She hasn¡¯t left yet.¡± The girl¡¯s voice was clear and cold. Xu Yan:¡±¡­¡± ¡°Have you taken a closer look at your son¡¯s back?¡± Gu Yanfei raised her hand and pointed at Xu Luo, who was hugging Xu Yan tightly. Xu Yan¡¯s gaze couldn¡¯t help but be directed by her. From his height, he could see a few fiery red scars on his loose collar. Xu Yan snorted and asked, ¡°So what?¡± Nine years ago, Qing¡¯er¡¯s back had also been covered in red spots. Later on, Qing¡¯er left him. He searched for her for a full two years before finding her in Yangzhou. At that time, the red spots on Qing¡¯er¡¯s back had already healed, and there were only two or three fingernail-sized red spots left. Xu Yan had indeed seen Xu Luo¡¯s back, but that was when red spots had just appeared on Xu Luo¡¯s back two months ago. At that time, Xu Yan saw that the red spots on his son¡¯s body were identical to the ones on Qing¡¯er¡¯s back in the past, so he didn¡¯t pay much attention to them. He thought that Xu Luo would recover in a few days. It wasn¡¯t a big deal for a boy to have a few red spots on his body. As long as they didn¡¯t grow on his face, it was fine. ¡°There¡¯s no harm in looking at it again.¡± Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes, which were as clear as a mirror, seemed to be able to see through people¡¯s hearts. She smiled gently and turned her small face to Imperial Duke Wei. Imperial Duke Wei understood tacitly and gave the guard beside him a look. The smart guard stepped forward unexpectedly and rudely pulled off Xu Luo¡¯s aqua blue jacket. ¡°Hiss!¡± The guard¡¯s movements were rough. He tore a large hole in the jacket and tore off the inner shirt, revealing the boy¡¯s back. On his thin back, the contours of his backbone and shoulder blades were clear. The blood-red scar was even redder than at noon, like a ghost mask with clear facial features. His pair of demonic fox eyes were vicious and cold, as if they wanted to captivate people. This¡­ After Xu Yan took a glance, he immediately looked away. His eyes flickered, and even his face was slightly pale, as if he was frightened. Gu Yanfei chuckled without hiding anything. Then, she looked in the other direction and raised her voice. ¡°Do you see?¡± This sentence wasn¡¯t directed at Xu Yan, but at a young woman who had just been brought in by the guard behind the curtain. The woman appeared to be around 25 or 26 years old, with black hair that resembled crow feathers and was tied into a simple bun. Her face was oval-shaped and adorned with a pair of clear-cut and bright eyes, giving her a gentle and graceful appearance. She had delicate skin and a well-proportioned figure, but a few stray hairs were falling out of her bun, and her hairpin was slightly crooked, making her look a little disheveled. She was wearing a simple green dress that couldn¡¯t hide her graceful figure. ¡°Qing¡¯er,¡± Xu Yan shouted. His eyes suddenly turned cold as they swept across Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s face sharply. A cold smile appeared on Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s lips as he met Xu Yan¡¯s gaze. After knowing that Xu Luo¡¯s background was suspicious, Imperial Duke Wei first sent people to Wu Villa to chase after Wei Wan and the others. Similarly, he sent another group of people to investigate Xu Yan. In the past, only Imperial Duke Wei had never suspected this brother-in-law. If he really wanted to investigate, it wasn¡¯t difficult. The people from Duke Wei¡¯s Mansion quickly found out that Xu Yan had placed his mistress in a house in the west of the city for almost seven years. The guards took down the outer room and had just escorted her to this manor. The green-robed woman called Qing¡¯er suddenly didn¡¯t notice the hidden waves around her. She looked at the blood-red scar on her son¡¯s back in a daze, and her delicate oval face was as pale as paper. ¡°Mommy!¡± The boy also saw the woman in green and let go of Xu Yan¡¯s hand. The ¡°ghost face¡± on his back moved. Its lips curled into a sinister smile, as if it was smiling at someone. Qing¡¯er couldn¡¯t help but feel flustered. Her heart was beating wildly in her ears. Her expression changed several times in an extremely short time, from heartache to panic to disbelief. Her eyes were filled with sparkling tears. ¡°Luo¡¯er!¡± Qing¡¯er shouted hoarsely and staggered to Xu Luo. She quickly squatted down and hugged the boy with heartache. Her hands and body trembled uncontrollably as she muttered repeatedly, ¡°How did this happen? How did¡­¡± Her expression and tone were extremely sorrowful, and the remaining blood on her face gradually faded.. Chapter 415 - Chapter 415: Connection (1) Chapter 415: Connection (1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Qing¡¯er, are you alright?¡± Xu Yan looked at her affectionately, his tone subconsciously softening. Qing¡¯er shook her head in a daze, meaning that she was fine. ¡°Mommy.¡± Xu Luo leaned into Qing¡¯er¡¯s arms longingly, like a swallow returning to its nest. ¡°You¡¯re finally here!¡± This scene of mother and son¡¯s deep love was naturally captured by Wei Wan, who was lying on the couch. It made her feel like she was just an unrelated outsider who had interfered between them. She looked at the family of three with a complicated expression. Xu Luo and Xu Yao both looked like Xu Yan, and looked alike. It was only when the woman called Qing¡¯er appeared in front of her that Wei Wan realized that Xu Luo looked like Xu Yan and his biological mother. In particular, his ears and lips looked like his biological mother. Xu Luo raised his hand and pointed at the surrounding people. He pouted and complained to the woman angrily, ¡°Mommy, they¡¯re all bullying me!¡± His fair and handsome face was puffed up with anger, and his eyes were sinister. Ever since he was born, he has been the only legitimate son of the Ji¡¯an Mansion. Everyone flattered and coaxed him. During the period when red spots grew on his back, Wei Wan pampered him because her heart ached for him. He was used to everything going smoothly. When has he ever been bullied like today? Xu Luo¡¯s fingers pointed at the people around him, Imperial Duke Wei and his wife, the guards, Wei Wan on the couch¡­ and Gu Yanfei. Qing¡¯er looked up, and her teary eyes happened to meet Gu Yanfei¡¯s. ¡°Did you hear the baby¡¯s cry?¡± Gu Yanfei sighed softly. ¡°She¡¯s dead, but her soul is unwilling to leave and wanders in the world. She¡¯s still following you closely and staring at you¡­¡± Every word was clear and cold, as if every word struck the depths of one¡¯s soul. ¡°¡­¡± Qing¡¯er trembled and couldn¡¯t help but shiver. She wanted to look away, but her body didn¡¯t listen to her, and she couldn¡¯t move. It was as if the girl in front of her had seen through her body, soul, and long-buried memories. The sparkling lights shone on Gu Yanfei¡¯s small face. Her hair and skin seemed to be shining. It was like a dream and didn¡¯t belong to this world. Gu Yanfei¡¯s gaze led everyone to look at the ¡°ghost face¡± on Xu Luo¡¯s back. She said slowly, ¡°Look, she¡¯s looking at you.¡± ¡°She¡¯s waving at you. What a good child¡­¡± Gu Yanfei suddenly chuckled. Her laughter was ethereal. As soon as she finished speaking, a cold wind suddenly rose from the ground without any wind in the room with tightly shut doors and windows. It fluttered her sleeves and skirt, making her look ethereal and inexplicably strange. Xu Yan and Qing¡¯er¡¯s foreheads were drenched in sweat. They felt a chill on the back of their necks, and their hair stood on end. It was as if the ¡°ghost face¡¯¡±s blood-red eyes were staring at them with a burning gaze. Wei Wan¡¯s eyes suddenly widened as she looked at the ¡°ghost face¡± on Xu Luo¡¯s back. There was sadness, eagerness, and regret in her dark eyes, but there was no fear, as if she was looking forward to something. The night was dark, and it was already past midnight. An oil lamp was lit on the table by the window. The lights swayed with the sudden cold wind, and the atmosphere in the house was gloomy. The blood-red scar on the boy¡¯s back flickered in the flickering lights. It was clearly just a scar on the skin, but the more one looked at it, the more it looked like a ferocious and twisted ghost face. It was like a baby struggling under thin skin, clamoring and revealing a terrifying smile, as if it would break out of the skin at any moment. ¡°All!¡± Qing¡¯er screamed in shock. In the dim light, her face became even paler. It was so pale that it was almost transparent. She looked at the demonic red mark on Xu Luo¡¯s back in panic. Her slender body was trembling, and her eyes were chaotic and unfocused. She muttered, ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡± Her fair fingers grabbed Xu Yan¡¯s robe and leaned against him. She looked at the blood-red scar on Xu Luo¡¯s back in fear, as if she was looking at someone else. Her voice trembled. ¡°It was all because your body was too weak.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t hurt Luo¡¯er. This was all your mother¡¯s fault. She stole my son¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Wei Wan¡¯s face also became paler. Her eyes were bright and dark, and she vaguely understood. Her other daughter didn¡¯t die young at birth, which meant that¡­ Gu Yanfei¡¯s emotionless voice echoed in the silent house. ¡°The baby girl¡¯s soul has nowhere to go. She can only find a place to parasitize..¡± Chapter 416 - Chapter 416: Connection (2) Chapter 416: Connection (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°The person who is related to her by blood and the person who is related to her enemy by blood is the best candidate. This is karma.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just the beginning.¡± ¡°The scar on his body will become more and more serious, and then the pain will be unbearable. The baby spirit attached to his body will gradually corrode his soul and finally tear it apart¡­ so that he can never reincarnate.¡± ¡°Soon!¡± As Gu Yanfei recounted, Xu Luo, who was at the side, suddenly frowned. He scratched his arm in frustration and muttered, ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m itchy. My back is itchy¡­¡± He scratched the red marks on his arm hard, his little face scrunched up. ¡°It hurts¡­ Mommy, 1 feel a pain and an itch on my back.¡± The boy twisted his body and scratched the red spots on his arms and back. He was restless and his eyes turned red. The dim and strange room seemed to fit the ¡°ghost face¡± on his back. Xu Yan was afraid that Xu Luo would injure himself if he scratched randomly. He hurriedly hugged his son and looked at Gu Yanfei in surprise, as if he was wondering if she was telling the truth. Qing¡¯er looked at her son and then at Gu Yanfei. Her heart felt like it was being pricked by a needle. Her eyes were filled with fear as tears filled her eyes. She begged pitifully, ¡°Miss, can you save him?¡± ¡°Children are innocent.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t take it out on him.¡± Qing¡¯er¡¯s eyelashes trembled slightly, and two streams of tears rolled down her snow-white face, like night dew rolling on the petals of an epiphyllum. This scene seemed to have agitated Xu Luo. Xu Luo scratched his skin and shouted, ¡°Mommy, why are you begging her!¡± Wei Wan pretended not to hear her and looked at the woman in green beside Xu Luo in a daze. Finally, this face overlapped with the face in her memory. She finally recognized her and blurted out, ¡°You¡¯re Yu Qing!¡± Qing¡¯er squatted on the ground and pursed her cherry lips without saying a word. Her jade-like and fair face was delicate and moving. At this moment, silence was an admission. Imperial Duchess Wei, who had been watching for a long time, frowned and asked Wei Wan, ¡°All Wan, do you know her?¡± ¡°She used to be Xu Yan¡¯s concubine maid,¡± Wei Wan said with difficulty. Nine years ago, not long after Wei Wan married into the Ji¡¯an Mansion, she had asked Xu Yan if she wanted to give Yu Qing a status. For noble families like theirs, it was normal for men to have one or two concubines before their wedding, so Wei Wan didn¡¯t care. However, at that time, Xu Yan had personally told her that he had let Yu Qing out of the residence. In the past, Wei Wan had always thought that it was Xu Yan¡¯s respect for her. Even if she wasn¡¯t pregnant with a child two years after her marriage, Xu Yan had never taken a concubine. How could she have thought that everything Xu Yan did wasn¡¯t for her at all, but for another woman! Imperial Duchess Wei¡¯s expression turned even colder. With a dark face, she questioned coldly, ¡°Xu Yan, since you already have a sweetheart, why did you come to Duke Wei¡¯s Mansion to propose?!¡± It wasn¡¯t like Wei Wan couldn¡¯t get married. There were many people who wanted to marry her. As long as Xu Yan showed the slightest unwillingness, the Wei family would definitely not force him. ¡°¡­¡± Xu Yan hugged Yu Qing with his other hand and remained silent. His thin lips were pursed into a straight line. He had always liked Yu Qing, but he also knew that Yu Qing¡¯s status was too low to be his first wife. At that time, he was still the heir of the Marquis of Ji¡¯an. For the sake of his title, he needed a legitimate son. Therefore, he could only follow his parents¡¯ arrangements and be engaged to Wei Wan. He thought that after they got married, he could take Yu Qing as his concubine. Unexpectedly, on the day he returned home with Wei Wan for three days, Yu Qing left by herself, and her whereabouts were unknown¡­ Every time he thought of that bitter past, Xu Yan felt as if a piece of his heart had been gouged out. ¡°Daddy, 1 feel so uncomfortable! Mommy, I¡¯m itchy!¡± Xu Luo, who was in Xu Yan¡¯s arms, was about to cry. He twisted his body like a snake. The crimson scar on his bare back seemed to be oozing blood, as if this ¡°ghost face¡± was crying¡­ Another gust of cold wind rose and almost blew out the light of the oil lamp. There was only a small flame left in the wick. The room suddenly darkened a lot, and even the facial features of the surrounding people became sinister and strange. Yu Qing was completely flustered. She knelt on the ground in a daze and kowtowed heavily to Gu Yanfei. ¡°Miss, please save my son. He¡¯s just a child.¡± As long as her son was safe, she was willing to give anything. She had the heart of a loving mother, with a touch of earth-shattering sadness. The corners of Gu Yanfei¡¯s lips curled up slightly, making it impossible to see through her emotions. ¡°She was also just a baby,¡± Gu Yanfei said meaningfully. Her eyes locked on the other party¡¯s gaze. ¡°How can she be reborn if her bones aren¡¯t complete?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Yu Qing¡¯s pupils moved, and her forehead turned slightly red. Her eyes became dazed again, as if she could hear the unwilling cry of the baby girl again. If the bones were incomplete, how could one be reborn?! If the baby girl couldn¡¯t be reincarnated, she would pester them for days until they died¡­ Yu Qing¡¯s heart was bitter, and her pale lips moved. After a while, she said softly, ¡°She¡¯s¡­ at the mass grave.¡± Even though her voice was as low as a mosquito¡¯s buzz, the others around her could hear her quite clearly. Wei Wan gritted her teeth. Yu Qing lowered her eyes and grabbed Xu Yan¡¯s robe with one hand again. Her eyes were filled with tears again as she said slowly, ¡°That child¡¯s body was too weak, so we couldn¡¯t keep her alive.¡± The light that had shrunk to a point slowly lit up again. It swayed and burned on the oil lamp, and light and shadow intertwined. ¡°Is that so?¡± Gu Yanfei sighed meaningfully. ¡°Mommy!¡± Xu Luo screamed. Her body twitched violently, and the whites of her eyes rolled up slightly. Her back was straight, and she looked extremely strange, as if she had been possessed. ¡°Luo¡¯er, don¡¯t scare Mommy.¡± Yu Qing was so frightened that she almost lost her mind. Her heart ached so much that she couldn¡¯t control herself. Her son was her life. She couldn¡¯t think at all and said excitedly, ¡°She froze to death!¡± Chapter 417 - Chapter 417: Baby Girl Chapter 417: Baby Girl Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Yu Qing¡¯s thoughts couldn¡¯t help but go back to that night six years ago. That night that she would never forget. The son she gave birth to in nine months was taken away by Xu Yan. After that, Xu Yan brought over another baby girl for her to raise. He said that he would let their Luo¡¯er become the future heir of the Ji¡¯an Mansion. She also knew that this was best for her son. However, this was her son, her flesh and blood. How could she bear to let go?! There was hatred and resentment in her heart. She hated that woman called Wei Wan for snatching her Xu Yan and her only son. However, the baby girl in the swaddling clothes was crying non-stop. Her cries became sharper and sharper, making her extremely annoyed. She ignored the baby girl and fell asleep with the blanket over her head. When she woke up, she realized that the baby girl had stopped crying. Her small body was blue. The baby girl was dead, frozen to death in that thin swaddling cloth. At the thought of this painful memory, Yu Qing¡¯s face turned even paler. Her face was as pale as a dead person¡¯s, and her slender body trembled. ¡°Frozen to death?¡± Wei Wan¡¯s plump and pale lips trembled violently. Her eyes were as red as blood, but there were no tears. She said sternly, ¡°You killed her, right?!¡± Wei Wan screamed emotionally. She was in a daze, and her breath was stuck in her chest. Her lips were frighteningly pale. Gu Yanfei was quick-witted and slapped Wei Wan¡¯s back gently. Wei Wan¡¯s red eyes gradually regained some clarity, and she regained her senses in one breath. ¡°Wah!¡± Wei Wan burst into tears. Tears welled up in her eyes like a broken dam. ¡°My child!¡± She seemed to want to release all the grievances, anger, lamentation, unwillingness, and other emotions of the night. Only her extremely tragic cries were left in the room. Gu Yanfei handed a plain white handkerchief to Wei Wan. Without batting an eyelid, she glanced at her face again. Then she glanced at Imperial Duke Wei and his wife, indicating for them to rest assured as soon as possible. The deathly aura on Wei Wan¡¯s face finally dissipated. Her death tribulation was completely over at this moment! When Imperial Duke Wei and his wife received Gu Yanfei¡¯s gaze, they heaved a sigh of relief, but their hearts were still heavy. The truth that had been buried for six years had been revealed, but it didn¡¯t mean that everything was over. It should be said that it has just begun¡­ Imperial Duchess Wei sat by the bed and gently stroked Wei Wan¡¯s back, comforting her gently. Wei Wan grabbed Imperial Duchess Wei¡¯s hand tightly and sobbed. ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t me.¡± Yu Qing shook her head and muttered non-stop, ¡°It was just that her body was too weak and she couldn¡¯t survive.¡± ¡°Marquis, believe me!¡± She gripped Xu Yan¡¯s robe tightly with one hand. Her delicate body trembled slightly, and her breathing was rapid, as if she was about to faint at any moment. Xu Yan gently held Yu Qing¡¯s slender waist. ¡°Of course I believe you!¡± Gu Yanfei glanced indifferently at the lovers, who were deeply in love, and took the initiative to leave. Wei Wan¡¯s death tribulation was over. Now, it was family matters at Duke Wei¡¯s Mansion. It had nothing to do with her. ¡°Second Lady Gu, I¡¯ve really troubled you today. I¡¯m really grateful¡­¡± Imperial Duke Wei cupped his hands at Gu Yanfei and said in a deep voice, ¡°The city gate is already closed. Why don¡¯t you rest in this manor tonight? We¡¯ll send you back tomorrow morning.¡± Gu Yanfei agreed readily. Imperial Duke Wei instructed an old woman to bring Gu Yanfei down to rest. Imperial Duchess Wei was still comforting the sobbing Wei Wan gently, who looked at Gu Yanfei apologetically. ¡°Second Lady Gu, please wait!¡± Seeing that Gu Yanfei was about to leave, Xu Yan hurriedly shouted. He still tightly hugged Xu Luo, who was scratching his skin repeatedly and was almost going crazy. Yu Qing also reacted. She took a few steps forward and wanted to chase after Gu Yanfei. She shouted in a trembling voice, ¡°Second Lady Gu, please save my son¡­¡± Without Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s instructions, a guard stopped Yu Qing. Gu Yanfei walked out of the room through the two curtains without looking back. Wei Wan¡¯s sobbing came from behind, followed by Yu Qing¡¯s sad pleading voice. ¡°Madam¡­ You raised Luo¡¯er yourself. He called you Mother for six years. You can¡¯t ignore him.¡± When Gu Yanfei walked out of the room, she couldn¡¯t hear anything. There was a crescent moon hanging high in the night sky outside, and the stars were dazzling. The night in the suburbs of Beijing was very peaceful. A few lanterns under the eaves illuminated the dark courtyard. ¡°Second Lady Gu, this way please.¡± An old woman in green who led the way for Gu Yanfei looked at her in awe. She held a lantern and led her to the guest room to rest. The two of them walked along the corridor. Along the way, the old woman said to Gu Yanfei respectfully and warmly, ¡°Miss, watch your step.¡± ¡°Miss, do you want to eat something before you rest? Although our place is simple, it¡¯s better because mountain goods are fresh.¡± ¡°By the way, when you rest at night, remember to close the doors and windows tightly. Our manor is quiet at night. If there¡¯s any sound, the entire manor can hear it clearly.¡± The old woman in green walked all the way and rambled all the way until she led Gu Yanfei to a guest room on the northwest side. Although the guest room was simple, it was still considered small, even if something was small it could still contain the essentials. It had everything it needed. There were also two old women specially waiting for Gu Yanfei to order them around. Just as the old woman had said, the soundproofing of this manor was really not good. Gu Yanfei had just finished washing up when she heard the sound of horse hooves outside the house. She looked out of a window and saw two guards galloping out of the manor on horses. The sound of horses¡¯ hooves gradually faded¡­ For the people from Duke Wei¡¯s Mansion, this was destined to be a long night. Gu Yanfei had always slept soundly. She fell asleep to the sound of horses¡¯ hooves and woke up again. When she opened her eyes, she realized that the sky was already bright outside. In the silent morning, the air was exceptionally fresh, and even the slightest sound was amplified. She could clearly hear the rapid galloping of horses approaching, hear the birds playing in the courtyard, and hear the deliberately low voices of the two old women outside the house. Gu Yanfei got up and put on his clothes. The old woman outside heard the commotion in the house and came over. However, she stopped outside the door and didn¡¯t dare to enter casually. The old woman reported respectfully, ¡°Second Lady Gu, the Duke and Madam invite you over.¡± After Gu Yanfei washed up briefly, she followed the old woman who came to pass the message to the room yesterday. The sky today was a little gloomy. The clouds in the sky were layered and continuous. When Gu Yan flew over, Wei Wan and Imperial Duke Wei were both there. Their eyes were bloodshot, and it was obvious that they hadn¡¯t slept well the entire night. Wei Wan was lying on her side on the couch, like last night. A few strands of hair were stuck to her cheeks in a mess. She looked like she had aged a few years and was extremely haggard. She stared in a daze at a small gray cloth bag on the table. It was only the size of a porcelain pillow. Gu Yanfei only took a glance and guessed what was in the cloth bag. She sighed slightly. After the few of them greeted each other, Imperial Duchess Wei looked at Wei Wan hesitantly. She originally wanted Wei Wan to leave, but Wei Wan had been competitive since she was young and stubborn, so she insisted on being present. After Imperial Duchess Wei invited Gu Yanfei to sit down, she straightened her expression and said tiredly, ¡°Yanfei, this¡­ Imperial Duke Wei got someone to go to the place Yu Qing said last night¡­¡± She let out a long sigh. ¡°We don¡¯t know what to do either. Is there any need to pay attention to the burial? Also, should we perform a ritual for this child and recite the Ksitigarbha Sutra to her?¡± As she spoke, her voice became hoarse and tight, and there was a hint of bitterness in her words. Gu Yanfei slowly walked to the table and examined the cloth bag covered in mud again. Then, she counted with her fingers under the burning gazes of the three people from the Wei family. Soon, she put away her hand and said calmly, ¡°Rebury the child, set up a tombstone, and perform a ritual so that she can enter the cycle of reincarnation as soon as possible.¡± This child died young and was hastily buried. Her soul had no one to rely on. She would have to be reburied again so that her soul had someone to rely on. When Wei Wan heard this, tears welled up in her red and swollen eyes again. She still stared fixedly at the cloth bag on the table. ¡°Then Xu Luo¡­¡± Imperial Duchess Wei frowned and said. She didn¡¯t sympathize with Xu Luo. She was just worried that the baby girl would become an evil ghost for revenge and would never be reincarnated. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about him,¡± Gu Yanfei said bluntly. ¡°The scar on his back is just a disease.¡± Finally, she added, ¡°It has nothing to do with ghosts.¡± The room fell silent for a moment. What?! Imperial Duke Wei and his wife looked at each other in disbelief. Even Wei Wan widened her red and swollen eyes in surprise. ¡°A disease?¡± Recalling what he had seen last night, even Imperial Duke Wei, who had walked out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood, felt a chill on his feet. He couldn¡¯t help but swallow his saliva. ¡°This is called a ¡®ghost mask sore¡¯. It¡¯s called this because it¡¯s shaped like a ghost mask.¡± Gu Yanfei explained unhurriedly, ¡°When the first illness acts up, there are sporadic red spots on the back. The condition will gradually worsen in two months. Most of them are lighter and can heal themselves. However, in serious cases, a blood-red scar that looks like a ghost mask will form on the back. The skin is prone to itchiness and pain, causing the patient¡¯s temper to become increasingly irritable.¡± ¡°One of his or her parents must have suffered from this illness too.¡± When Gu Yanfei first saw the blood-red scar on Xu Luo¡¯s back, she knew that it was a disease.. Chapter 418 - Chapter 418: Guilty (1) Chapter 418: Guilty (1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°This illness is passed down through the generations, and the twins are related by blood in the womb. If there was this illness, the two children should have acted up at the same time, but Xu Yao is fine.¡± ¡°I just calculated it¡­¡± Hence, Gu Yanfei deduced that they weren¡¯t twins. She also figured out that Xu Yao should have a twin sister who had died an unnatural death. The three members of the Wei family didn¡¯t speak for a long time and only listened quietly with complicated expressions. ¡°I see.¡± Imperial Duchess Wei sighed. Wei Wan bit her lower lip so hard that it almost bled. Her breathing gradually became hurried, her vision was blurry, and her expression was sorrowful. That night, it was difficult for her to sleep at all. She opened her eyes until dawn and cried countless times. It was as if she had cried all the tears of the past 20 years. ¡°Thank you for your guidance, Miss.¡± Wei Wan thanked her sincerely. Her voice was so hoarse that it was as if it had been rubbed by gravel. ¡°I¡¯ll bury her well¡­¡± She looked so sad, so helpless, and so self-reproachful. When this child was alive, as a mother, she couldn¡¯t protect her well. After this child died, she had to at least let this child enter the cycle of reincarnation. She couldn¡¯t let her become a wandering ghost. With this thought in mind, hot tears flowed out of her eyes again and dripped down her face¡­ Wei Wan cried her heart out. Imperial Duchess Wei also secretly chanted ¡°Amitabha¡±. This child¡¯s death would be an eternal pain in the hearts of the Wei family and Wei Wan. They only hoped that this child could be reincarnated soon. Imperial Duchess Wei held back her anger. After composing herself, she continued, ¡°I¡¯ve discussed it with your brother. We¡¯ll bury this child in the ancestral grave of the Wei family and set up a memorial tablet for her in the ancestral hall to receive the worship of the Wei family¡¯s incense.¡± Generally speaking, children who died young couldn¡¯t be buried in their ancestral graves, even among the nobles of the Tian family. Imperial Duke Wei and his wife made an exception for their youngest sister¡¯s death because they loved her. Wei Wan¡¯s eyes turned even redder. Tears almost welled up again, and a warm feeling flowed through her heart. She had met a bad person, but she still had her family. No matter what happened to her, her eldest brother and sister-in-law would stand on her side. Even if she was in deep trouble, they would help her escape. She was already luckier than many people. Wei Wan took a few deep breaths and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief. She tried her best to stabilize her emotions and said with difficulty, ¡°Xu Yan said that he threw Yao¡¯er¡¯s sister out to freeze to death.¡± ¡°He also said that a father killing his daughter isn¡¯t guilty according to the law.¡± ¡°It¡¯s said that he just brought a concubine back and had her raised by the legal wife. Such things aren¡¯t uncommon among the nobility. Xu Luo didn¡¯t ask to be appointed as the heir, so it¡¯s not considered replacing a legitimate child with an illegitimate one. He was just brought back because I had no son and he was afraid that his mother would make trouble for me.¡± ¡°As for what happened last night, it was just a robbery¡­¡± Wei Wan¡¯s hoarse voice was filled with mockery. It wasn¡¯t until last night that she saw the person beside her clearly and realized that she had been sleeping with a wolf for the past nine years. Wei Wan gripped the mattress under her tightly and said the decision she had thought about all night. ¡°Brother, I want to be with Xu Yan.¡± ¡°Divorce, you must divorce him!¡± Imperial Duke Wei said in a rough voice. He slammed the table heavily, and a thick, murderous aura surged between his brows. Imperial Duke Wei and his wife were already mentally prepared for Wei Wan¡¯s decision. Or rather, even if Wei Wan didn¡¯t mention it, they would still persuade her. This marriage had to end! Wei Wan took a deep breath and tried to remain calm. She looked at Gu Yanfei again and said seriously, ¡°After this matter is over, my daughter and I will come another day to thank Miss for saving our lives.¡± If not for Gu Yanfei, the mother and daughter would have died in the underworld long ago. She would remember this favor. Xu Yan was the dignified Marquis of Ji¡¯an, a transcendent-grade noble. His ancestor¡¯s achievements were still vivid in his mind. If he insisted on those words, unless Imperial Duke Wei gave up his title, he probably wouldn¡¯t be able to shout for death casually. Gu Yanfei was actually quite curious about how Imperial Duke Wei would deal with it. With the temperament of Imperial Duke Wei she had heard of, there was a high chance that he wouldn¡¯t swallow this anger. Gu Yanfei thought about it and reminded them about setting up the tablet and the memorial tablet. She instructed them to give the baby girl a name before burying her. Only then did she set off for the capital. Thinking that she hadn¡¯t returned for the entire night because of her family¡¯s matters, Imperial Duchess Wei felt very apologetic and insisted on sending her back personally. It was a small matter, so Gu Yanfei didn¡¯t insist. The two of them hurriedly rode on their horses and set off at a quarter past seven.. Chapter 419 - Chapter 419: Guilty (2) Chapter 419: Guilty (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios This manor was about 20 miles away from the capital. It wasn¡¯t far, but the road was rugged. It took nearly two hours to return to the capital. Late in the morning, the clouds in the sky were dispersed by the morning light. Gu Yanfei could see the official road outside the west gate from afar. Those pedestrians and carriages had all been driven to the sides of the official road by the city gate guards, leaving a path in the middle. The passersby on the official road whispered to each other in twos and threes and discussed animatedly. The commoners craned their necks and looked up. Gu Yanfei slowed down her horse and looked up at the western city gate. When she focused, she saw Gu Yuan in a crimson official robe among a group of people hundreds of feet away. Gu Yuan was riding on a strong black horse with a straight back. He looked cold and had a long sword on his waist. He looked around vigilantly and commanded a team of imperial guards to clear the road near the city gate. Inside the city gate, another group of people surrounded the other two youths like stars surrounding the moon and rushed out of the city. Two young men rode side by side at the front. One was dressed in an apricot-yellow python robe and was as handsome as a painting. The other was wearing a blue lapel jacket. He was rough and valiant. They were Chu Yi and the Third Prince of the State of Yue, Baili Yin. The group of 30 to 40 people attracted everyone¡¯s attention. The pedestrians by the roadside looked at Chu Yi and the others excitedly. All of them had burning eyes and extraordinary expressions, as if they were boiling water. ¡°That¡¯s the Eldest Prince. He¡¯s so handsome, like a god that has descended to the mortal world.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. Compared to the Third Prince of the State of Yue, our Eldest Prince is like a god in the sky.¡± ¡°The Third Prince of the State of Yue has been here for a long time, right? Why is he still in the capital?!¡± All kinds of voices in the crowd rose and fell. Gu Yuan was in charge of protecting Chu Yi¡¯s safety, so he naturally looked around and heard everything. He immediately noticed Gu Yanfei, who was riding a red horse outside the city. Gu Yuan frowned slightly and subconsciously looked up at the sky. It wasn¡¯t even nine o¡¯clock yet. Why did his sister come back from outside the city so early in the morning? Did she go out early in the morning, or¡­ did she not return all night?! Gu Yuan pursed his thin lips slightly and clenched the reins in his right hand tightly. The corners of his eyes pressed down as he thought to himself, ¡°I have to go back to the residence today.¡± ¡°Yanfei, isn¡¯t this your big brother?¡± Imperial Duchess Wei stopped her horse and stopped beside Gu Yanfei. She raised her eyebrows and looked at Gu Yuan at the city gate. ¡°It¡¯s my brother,¡± Gu Yanfei replied guiltily. A rare look of embarrassment appeared on her face as her gaze shifted. Ever since Gu Yuan was on duty as a guard in the throne room, he basically had to stay in the palace for eight out of 10 days and rarely returned to the residence. When Gu Yanfei left with the people from Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s Mansion yesterday, she left Juan Bi in the residence and instructed her: If Big Brother returns to the residence at night, tell him that I¡¯ve gone out. If Big Brother doesn¡¯t come back, don¡¯t tell anyone about it. However, the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry! Gu Yanfei sighed in her heart. Looking at Big Brother¡¯s appearance, it was obvious that he hadn¡¯t returned to the residence last night. However, her luck was too bad. She finally returned home at night, but she was actually caught by Big Brother on the spot. Gu Yanfei pretended to be obedient and gave Gu Yuan, who was not far away, an overly bright smile. She waved at him ingratiatingly as a greeting. Imperial Duchess Wei noticed the subtle changes in Gu Yanfei¡¯s expression. When she thought about how this girl was valiant and confident when facing Xu Yan, she couldn¡¯t help but find it interesting. It turned out that the little girl was like this in front of her brother! Imperial Duchess Wei silently covered her mouth and chuckled. Her eyes softened. Seeing that the Divine Arms Battalion and the guards at the city gate were coming over to clear the path, Gu Yanfei and Imperial Duchess Wei spurred their horses to the side of the official road. Imperial Duchess Wei moved closer to Gu Yanfei and whispered into her ear, ¡°The Eldest Prince just took on the task of negotiating with the State of Yue two days ago¡­ The Third Prince of a hundred miles wants the blueprint for the new flintlock.¡± Thinking of how Imperial Duke Wei had told her that the Emperor had taken a fancy to Gu Yanfei as the Eldest Prince¡¯s concubine, the corners of Imperial Duchess Wei¡¯s lips curled up. She might as well take this opportunity to talk to Gu Yanfei about court affairs. ¡°Back then, in exchange for the Eldest Prince¡¯s return to the capital, the Emperor promised the Sage of the State of Yue to give the State of Yue the blueprint for the flintlock. The Third Prince of a hundred miles came for this¡­¡± Baili Yin, the Third Prince of the State of Yue, had been in the capital for two months. In fact, long before the new year, he had fulfilled his agreement with the Sage of the State of Yue and given the blueprint of the flintlock to Baili Yin. However, Baili Yin didn¡¯t accept the blueprint. Instead, he suggested that he wanted the blueprint for the latest flintlock. For this, the State of Yue was willing to pay an additional 10,000 taels of gold. However, the Emperor rejected this suggestion. On the other hand, Baili Yin was clearly unwilling to give up easily. After going back and forth, it has dragged on until now. It was almost February in a few days, but Baili Yin still refused to leave the capital. He even suggested, on behalf of the Sage of the State of Yue, that they could return the Yellow Water Ocean to the State of Yue as a condition. The Yellow Water Ocean had been ceded to the State of Yue by the late Emperor. Two days ago, the Emperor handed the negotiation with the State of Yue to Chu Yi in the morning court. If this was in the past, the officials of the aristocratic families who supported Kang Wang would definitely not sit back and watch such an errand that concerned the two countries be handed over to Chu Yi. They would definitely jump out to object, and there would probably be another confrontation in court because of this. But today was different from the past. Recently, Kang Wang has been busy preparing for their wedding. The officials on Kang Wang¡¯s side had been in a mess. Not only had they damaged the Yu and Feng families, but Yuan Zhe, the son of the Yuan family, was still in jail. Later on, because of the matter with Censor Lian, he angered a group of imperial censors. The imperial censors had been aggressive, causing Xiao Shoufu and the other officials of the aristocratic families to be overwrought. They couldn¡¯t be bothered to object for a moment. Hence, Chu Yi successfully accepted this task. After Imperial Duchess Wei finished speaking about these matters, she continued in disdain, ¡°I heard from the Duke that this Third Prince is very annoying.. I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s up to this early in the morning!¡± Chapter 420 - Chapter 420: Marriage (1) Chapter 420: Marriage (1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Gu Yanfei looked in Chu Yi¡¯s direction from afar, but she smiled silently. Her eyes curved into a beautiful crescent shape, lively and clever. When Imperial Duchess Wei saw Gu Yanfei looking at Chu Yi, she felt that these two children were really compatible, and there was a smile on her lips again. She continued happily, ¡°The Duke said that the Eldest Prince has his own rules and regulations. He even asked me to wait and see.¡± Imperial Duchess Wei thought about how much she had to tell Gu Yanfei about the Eldest Prince. She leaned closer to her and continued to whisper to her. This scene also fell into Gu Yuan¡¯s eyes near the city gate. Imperial Duchess Wei had obviously returned with her sister. Where had they gone? He found it even stranger. He had an errand to run, so it was really inconvenient for him to go over. He quickly looked away. Seeing that his subordinates had almost cleared the path, Gu Yuan turned his horse around and came to Chu Yi¡¯s side. He wanted to invite Chu Yi to go first, but he heard Baili Yin¡¯s frivolous voice. ¡°¡­ In terms of beauty, my eighth sister can be said to be the number one beauty in the State of Yue. She¡¯s 15 years old and has a beautiful face. She¡¯s peerless. Young Master Yi, you should have seen her before, right?¡± ¡°You¡¯re about the same age as me, but you¡¯re only two years younger than me. I already have a concubine¡¯s son and daughter, but you don¡¯t even have a red-sleeved girl. It¡¯s a little lonely tonight.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t I write a letter to the Sage and marry my sister to you? You¡¯ll be my brother-in-law from now on.¡± Gu Yuan narrowed his long and narrow eyes. His vigilant gaze paused on Baili Yin for a moment. His first thought was: Could Baili Yin be trying to poach my sister? The morning light poured down, coating the city gate, the streets, and the surrounding passers-by with a brilliant gold outfit. Under the enthusiastic gazes of the surrounding people, Chu Yi and Baili Yin urged their horses forward. Baili Yin looked around nonchalantly, his mouth never stopping. ¡°My eighth sister¡¯s looks can be said to be stunning. If she was in the State of Jin, I¡¯m afraid all the beauties on the streets would be ashamed because of their inferiority.¡± ¡°Speaking of which, I¡¯ve only seen one beauty in all the time I¡¯ve been in your country¡­¡± Halfway through his sentence, Baili Yin stopped abruptly. His gaze landed on Gu Yanfei, who was outside the city. His thin lips curled up, and he changed the topic. ¡°Eh, isn¡¯t this Second Lady Gu?¡± Chu Yi had already seen Gu Yanfei outside the city. He nodded at her from afar and smiled slightly. Gu Yanfei smiled slightly, her face bright. Beautiful, she¡¯s really beautiful! Baili Yin¡¯s gaze lingered on Gu Yanfei¡¯s beautiful face. His Eighth Sister was as bright as a fire, as beautiful as a red rose, and devastatingly beautiful. Perhaps only Second Lady Gu¡¯s looks could be compared to his Eighth Sister. After not seeing her for more than a month, this little beauty seemed to have become even more beautiful. She was really captivating. After seeing her once, she was unforgettable. Baili Yin clapped and praised as he glanced at Chu Yi from the corner of his eye. A sharp glint flashed across his brown eyes. In the beginning, when the Emperor of the State of Jin suggested that Chu Yi would be in charge of the negotiations, Baili Yin couldn¡¯t ask for more. He originally thought that after replacing Chu Yi, this matter would be easier to negotiate. Unexpectedly, Chu Yi was unmoved by force or persuasion. He didn¡¯t show his emotions and was even more difficult to deal with than the kind-hearted Emperor of the State of Yue. In the past two days, Baili Yin has mentioned the blueprint to Chu Yi a few times. Other than the Yellow Water Ocean, he had also suggested that the surrounding small islands could also be allocated to the State of Jin. The conditions were raised again and again. Chu Yi looked gentle and easygoing, but he was actually very opinionated¡­ Or rather, he was domineering! He was just as tough as she was. If he softened up, he would also smile and talk. In just two days, it made Baili Yin feel defeated and frustrated. He regretted making a mistake when he was in the State of Yue back then. Why did he feel that Chu Yi was weak and easy to bully! Today, it wasn¡¯t easy for Baili Yin to persuade Chu Yi to bring him to test the gun. It seemed that he was quite lucky to have met this little beauty. It was really a good omen! Seeing that Chu Yi hadn¡¯t said a word, Baili Yin didn¡¯t look embarrassed at all. Instead, his smile deepened. He raised his eyebrows and casually swung the whip in his hand. He said, ¡°Young Master Yi, it¡¯s better to meet by chance. Since we¡¯re so fated with Second Lady Gu, why don¡¯t we call her along to test the gun?¡± There was a cynical smile on Baili Yin¡¯s lips. His deep gaze quickly swept across the flintlock beside Xiao Shi¡¯s waist, and the scene of Chu Yi killing a white tiger with one shot appeared in his mind.. Chapter 421 - Chapter 421: Marriage (2) Chapter 421: Marriage (2) Translator: Attas Studios Editor: Attas Studios His heart burned, and a determined glint flashed across his eyes. Who¡¯s fated with you! Gu Yuan¡¯s gaze was cold. If he wasn¡¯t on duty, he would have kicked him off the horse on the spot. Gu Yuan pulled the reins of the horse and pretended to inadvertently drive the horse two steps forward, blocking Baili Yin¡¯s gaze towards his sister. ¡°Third Prince Baili.¡± Chu Yi called out calmly. His smile gave off a gentle and handsome feeling as usual. From the beginning to the end, he was smiling slightly. However, Baili Yin inexplicably felt a chill in his heart. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end, as if he was targeted by a ferocious beast. Baili Yin still had a nonchalant smile on his face, and his smile deepened. Chu Yi only said one word, ¡°Please.¡± Without waiting for Baili Yin¡¯s reaction, he squeezed the horse¡¯s abdomen, and the white horse under him suddenly sped up. It galloped forward smoothly and took the lead to pass through the city gate. Baili Yin, who was left behind, froze. If this was in the State of Yue in the past, a mere Young Master Yi wouldn¡¯t dare treat him like this! Baili Yin¡¯s eyes were cold, and the smile on his lips froze. However, he still remembered the purpose of this trip and didn¡¯t turn around to leave. The whip landed heavily on the horse¡¯s rump, and the horse neighed as it chased after Chu Yi. Gu Yuan and the other guards followed behind. The mighty team quickly left the city. After Chu Yi and the others walked away, the west gate resumed its passage. The passersby and carriages that were originally waiting on both sides of the official road lined up into two straight lines under the shouts of the city gate guards. Everyone began to queue up to enter the city in an orderly manner. Imperial Duchess Wei specially sent Gu Yanfei to the Gu residence and watched her enter before returning the way she came. Gu Yanfei woke up early today. After returning to the residence, she was feeling sleepy. She washed up briefly and fell asleep. When she woke up, it was already noon. The room was illuminated by the noon sun. She sat up on the thin blanket and yawned lazily, feeling very sleepy. She might as well go back to sleep. As soon as this thought appeared in her mind, she saw Juan Bi walk briskly and report with a smile, ¡°Miss, Nanny He is here. She says that she wants to see you.¡± Granny He was the nanny in charge of the sewing room. Gu Yanfei rubbed her forehead and said slowly, ¡°Call all the housekeepers to the main hall.¡± Juan Bi nodded and called a servant girl to pass the message. After Gu Yanfei casually ate some lunch, she ran to the Jiahui Courtyard to look for Gu Yunzhen. Gu Yunzhcn¡¯s maidservant, Fei Cui, personally led Gu Yanfei in. She smiled and said, ¡°Second Lady, it¡¯s better to rush at the right time.¡± Fei Cui brought Gu Yanfei to the east room. The room was lit with a faint moon qilin fragrance that assaulted their faces. The swaying tree shadows in the courtyard outside the window added a hint of green to the room, making it quiet and peaceful. Gu Yunzhen was sitting on the Luohan bed by the window. She was wearing a ginger embroidered skirt with begonia flowers. Her black hair was tied up, and there was only a lustrous crimson gold bead hairpin inserted. She was hanging her head down and doing a needle and thread. Gu Yanfei lightened her footsteps and sat beside her. After embroidering the last stitch, Gu Yunzhen bit off the thread. Satisfied, she sized up the headband she had just embroidered in her hand. Then, she turned to Gu Yanfei and smiled gently. ¡°Second Sister.¡± Gu Yunzhen handed the newly embroidered green lotus hairband to Gu Yanfei. ¡°Take a look. Do you like it?¡± The finger-wide green lotus hair band was embroidered with small and exquisite wisteria flowers on both ends with lilac-colored thread. The stamens were embroidered with gold thread. Gu Yanfei wrapped the headband around her slender fingers. The golden stamens shone under the sun. ¡°It looks good.¡± Gu Yanfei¡¯s fingers gently rubbed the embroidery at the end of the headband twice and examined it carefully. Seeing that she liked it, Gu Yunzhen¡¯s eyes lit up. She smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ll put it on for you.¡± ¡°She enthusiastically braided the hairband together with a strand of hair into a long braid. Her fingers were slender and agile, braiding the braid neatly and evenly, as if every strand of hair was obediently in place.¡± My braids aren¡¯t as beautiful as Big Sister¡¯s. My hair always feels so disobedient in my own hands. Gu Yanfei thought to herself silently. Then she casually said to Gu Yunzhen, ¡°Big Sister, the house has been in a mess recently. No one cares about the residence¡¯s feed. I came to ask you for help today¡­¡± As early as a few days ago, when they were comparing the accounts, they realized that Madam Wang had already thrown in the towel without handing over the responsibilities or giving instructions to the other party. She directly ruined the residence¡¯s system. More than half of the housekeepers in the Marquis Mansion were Madam Wang¡¯s trusted subordinates, so they didn¡¯t care about anything else either. In this huge mansion, all the trivial matters were piled up in Gu Yanfei¡¯s hands. ¡°Help?¡± Gu Yunzhen pointed at herself in shock. Sister wants me to preside over the residence?! Although she had learned how to be a housekeeper from her mother, Madam Yan, she only managed her small courtyard. Gu Yanfei nodded vigorously and stared at Gu Yunzhen with sparkling eyes. In her previous life, she wasn¡¯t qualified to come into contact with the residence¡¯s management. Later on, she reincarnated into the Bright Spirit Realm. Her omnipotent Eldest Senior Sister was in the sect. Not only was she talented in cultivation, but she was also very understanding iofthe ways of the world. She took care of all the internal affairs of the sect. Unlike now, most of the housekeepers in the residence were no longer in charge. The remaining housekeepers who didn¡¯t take sides were restrained in their work, so that whenever anything happened in the residence, the people below would rush to Yuheng Garden to look for her. Gu Yanfei had a headache when she saw the pile of trivial matters like ¡°What do you want to buy today? What do you want to eat tomorrow? Do you want to repair the flower stand in the garden? The price of rice is expensive again. The carbon is almost used up.¡± The cat even had to flip its stomach and grind its claws at the side, happily finishing a bowl of dried fish.. Chapter 422 - Chapter 422: Residence Feed Chapter 422: Residence Feed Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Big Sister, there are so many things happening in the residence. It makes me dizzy and dazzled,¡± Gu Yanfei said frankly. She imitated a cat and shook Gu Yunzhen¡¯s arm coqucttishly. ¡°Big Sister, please help me.¡± Facing her, Gu Yanfei wasn¡¯t embarrassed at all. Her big eyes were clear, bright, and sincere. Gu Yunzhen: Usually, Gu Yanfei was always calm and confident. Gu Yunzhen had always admired this sister for her daring actions. Now that she was behaving coqucttishly, her heart couldn¡¯t help but soften. Her Eldest Sister was like a mother. As the Eldest Sister, she naturally had to help her sister support the internal affairs of the residence so that her Big Brother could work outside without any distractions. In an instant, Gu Yunzhen felt a sense of mission. ¡°Alright, leave the matters to me.¡± Gu Yunzhen agreed with a smile. Her smile was gentle and moving. She rubbed the soft top of Gu Yanfei¡¯s head and thought to herself: Everything has its regulations. I¡¯ll help Second Sister sort out the personnel and rules first and hand them over to her bit by bit in the future. The only things she could do for her Eldest Brother and Second Sister were these trivial matters. ¡°Big Sister, you¡¯re so good.¡± Gu Yanfei smiled sweetly. Her fair face was as beautiful as a summer flower. She thought happily in her heart: As expected, the oldest in the family is the most reliable! Be it Eldest Senior Sister or Big Sister, they¡¯re all reliable. They¡¯re much more reliable than that stupid cat! Gu Yanfei instructed Juan Bi to open the wooden box in her hand. She took out a booklet and handed it to Gu Yunzhen impatiently. ¡°Big Sister, this is the residence¡¯s roster.¡± The names recorded in this roster were all servants of the Gu family, excluding the accompanying rooms of the Madams. The deeds of the accompanying rooms were in the hands of the respective rooms. Gu Yunzhen looked down at the roster, while Gu Yanfei leisurely picked up the teacup. She had just taken a sip of tea when the door curtain was opened from the outside. A delicate-looking maid in blue came in with a red-painted wooden food box. She smiled and said, ¡°Eldest Miss, Second Lady, Third Madam asked me to send over the golden-threaded date soup she made herself.¡± Gu Yunzhen turned a deaf ear and buried her head in the roster. The maid in blue slowly put down the food box and slowly took out two bowls of golden date soup. One was for Gu Yunzhen, and the other was for Gu Yanfei. Gu Yunzhen had grown up in the Marquis Mansion and was very familiar with most of the names in the account book. As soon as she saw the names, she could recognize them and knew most of the twists and turns in the relationship between these servants. Gu Yunzhen focused on the roster, her fingers occasionally tapping on it. The maid in blue took out three or four plates of pastries and candied plums from the food box and placed them on the coffee table beside her. A moment later, Gu Yunzhen waved at Gu Yanfei and gestured at the names on the roster. ¡°Second Sister, what do you plan to do with these people?¡± Gu Yanfei leaned over to look at the roster and rested her chin naturally on Gu Yunzhen¡¯s slender shoulder. The few names Gu Yunzhen had written on the roster were either people who had worked in Benevolent Harmony Hall and the second branch¡¯s courtyard in the past, or people who had come from Madam Wang¡¯s family to accompany the second branch. There were also people who had relatives working in the second branch who were distributed to the second branch when they split up¡­ ¡°What do you say?¡± Gu Yanfei smiled and let Gu Yunzhen make the decision. Gu Yunzhen said gently, ¡°There are few people in the residence now. Let the people from the various branches take them away.¡± The servants of the Gu family were all sons of the family, and their indentures belonged to the public. Yesterday, the patriarch presided over the separation of the family, and roughly distributed the servants who were in charge of the various rooms to the various rooms. Their indentures were also handed over to the various rooms in front of the patriarch and elders. The roster in Gu Yunzhen¡¯s hand was the one that had been updated yesterday. Just now, Gu Yunzhen had sorted out the relatives of these servants on the register again and pointed out all the inappropriate names. After all, there were few people in the residence now and there was no shortage of servants. It was better to distribute these servants who were inextricably linked to each house. Only then would the residence be quiet in the future. Yes.¡± Gu Yanfei nodded with a smile. She thought so too. When the blue-robed servant girl beside her heard this, she silently left with the empty food box. Her footsteps were silent. Gu Yun was really focused on the roster and didn¡¯t notice when Madam Yan¡¯s maidservant left. Gu Yanfei noticed, but she didn¡¯t care at all. Because Third Aunt, Madam Yan, was a widow, she had been careful with her words and actions in the residence all these years. She had always given in and never dared to compete with the other families. Now that such an accident has happened in the residence, she must be feeling uneasy. Letting Gu Yunzhen preside over the media would put Madam Yan at ease. This was killing two birds with one stone. Seeing that Gu Yanfei had agreed, Gu Yun became even more interested. He instructed Fei Cui to prepare a pen and ink, and he excitedly wrote a list of names on the roster. The sisters were business-minded. It took them an hour to sort out the personnel first. Gu Yunzhen compared it to a piece of silk paper that was filled with words and had been repeatedly edited. She picked up her pen and copied the final list again. The calligraphy was beautiful and neat. Second Sister, take a look again.¡± Gu Yunzhen blew dry the ink on the paper and personally handed it to Gu Yanfei. Her gentle eyes were energetic. The two sisters gathered together, chatting and laughing. Seeing this scene, Gu Yunzhen¡¯s maid, Fei Cui, smiled and silently made new tea for the sisters. She was also happy for her lady. Ever since her lady broke off the engagement with the Murong family before the new year, although she had never said anything, Fei Cui had served her day and night. It was obvious that her lady was a little listless and depressed. This kind of ¡°dejectedness¡± wasn¡¯t because her lady felt sad, nor was it because she was reluctant to part with the marriage¡­ It should be said that she was confused, just like how she didn¡¯t know why she should work hard in her life. But now, her lady was energetic again. That¡¯s great! Fei Cui was extremely happy. One moment, she was serving Gu Yunzhen with a brush and ink. The next moment, she was pouring tea and water. The next moment, she followed the sisters to the Hall for Cultivating Virtues at the front of the inner courtyard. In the Hall for Cultivating Virtues, seven or eight housekeepers and wives had been waiting inside for a long time. All of them were looking forward to it. Occasionally, they would whisper to each other and look out from time to time. When these housekeepers saw that Gu Yunzhen had also come with Gu Yanfei, they were all shocked. A few of them secretly exchanged glances. The mammy¡¯s mood was a little solemn. Everyone knew that the situation in the residence had changed. In the future, this Second Lady, who had only been found back in the residence last year, would have the final say. It was really a change that is the only constant, the wheel of fortune turns! If this was a few months ago, no one would believe that there would be such a scene today. All the voices in the main hall suddenly disappeared. It was silent, and the atmosphere became solemn. In contrast, Gu Yanfei¡¯s mood was very relaxed and happy. Her footsteps were so light that he was about to fly. Her idea was too good! Before her sister got married, she could easily live a life without caring about anything. When Big Sister got married¡­ Gu Yanfei wasn¡¯t worried at all. She thought happily, ¡°When the time comes, I might even have a sister-in-law.¡± Fortunately, she was a younger sister. It was better to be a younger sister! As she thought about it, the smile on her lips deepened. She held Gu Yunzhen¡¯s arm and entered the main hall. At the same time, she glanced at the housekeepers in the hall. There were only about half of the housekeepers present. It had been almost two hours since she instructed Juan Bi. The housekeepers who hadn¡¯t arrived yet had clearly done it on purpose. Gu Yanfei and Gu Yunzhen sat down on the two rosewood armchairs at the head of the table. The solemn and imposing armchairs were more suitable for men like Gu Jian and Gu Yuan to sit on, making the two girls¡¯ figures look even more slender and thin. These housekeepers greeted the two girls in unison. ¡°Granny He,¡± Gu Yanfei called out calmly. A woman in her 50s wearing a brown ganoderma pattern robe took a step forward from the crowd and stood on standby. ¡°I wonder what instructions Second Lady has?¡± Gu Yanfei went straight to the point and asked, ¡°How many people haven¡¯t arrived?¡± Granny He could answer them one by one without looking. ¡°Zhou Li¡¯s, Granny Qian, Granny Lai, Granny Xu¡­¡± The Zhou Li family was the daughter-in-law of the head butler of the outer courtyard, Zhou Li. She was in charge of the entrance and exit of the inner courtyard. Granny Qian was in charge of the storeroom of the inner courtyard, and Granny Lai was in charge of the purchase of the inner courtyard¡­ Every one of them was a famous housekeeper in charge of the inner residence of the Marquis Mansion. Granny He called out six or seven names in a row before stopping. In the end, she added, ¡°Only these few didn¡¯t come.¡± Gu Yanfei turned around and instructed Juan Bi, ¡°Find the deeds of these people and hand them to Second Madam.¡± Gu Jian¡¯s title had been taken away, which meant that Madam Wang had lost her title as Duchess. The current Madam Wang could only be called the Second Madam, just like eight years ago. Granny He was sighing in her heart when she heard Gu Yanfei continue casually, ¡°Tell Second Madam that if she wants to take these people away, she can take them all away, but only by buying them with silver.¡± ¡°If the second branch doesn¡¯t want them, then find a broker and sell them all. Gu Yanfei didn¡¯t lower her voice. Everyone present heard her clearly. Even the two little maidservants guarding under the eaves outside and the old woman sweeping the courtyard pricked up their ears and listened attentively to the commotion inside.. Chapter 423 - Chapter 423: Clear Robbery Chapter 423: Clear Robbery Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Yes, Second Lady,¡± Juan Bi replied loudly. She deliberately raised her voice, hoping that everyone inside and outside could hear her clearly. Gu Yunzhen had a gentle personality, but she wasn¡¯t stupid. Her heart was as clear as a mirror. To put it bluntly, it was because Second Uncle¡¯s parents refused to give up. They were unwilling to hand over the property and this residence to others, so they wanted to use this method to embarrass the Second Sister and make things difficult for her. Her Second Sister had never been a sitting duck. She retaliated against the second branch. It was also because the Second Aunt had given the Second Sister an excuse to flare up. The housekeepers, including Nanny He, couldn¡¯t help but swallow their saliva. Their hearts were even more complicated. Although they were slaves and the main family had their deeds, anyone who could be at the level of the nanny in charge was no longer just a slave. They were all trusted aides entrusted by the main family with heavy responsibilities. Under normal circumstances, the main family would no longer use the deed to control them, nor would they sell them casually, unless the pixelated girl had made a huge mistake. A few of the housekeepers sighed in their hearts. The Second Lady¡¯s move was really ruthless! Second Madam had been roasted on the fire. This time, if Second Madam didn¡¯t buy the Zhou Li family, Granny Qian, and the others, she would lose face. Gu Yanfei took in the changes in Granny He and the others¡¯ expressions. She slowly glanced at everyone and said calmly, ¡°Although our Gu family is no longer the Marquis Household, it¡¯s not up to you to give me attitude.¡± ¡°It¡¯s best if everyone knows who¡¯s the master and who¡¯s the servant.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to be a servant of the Gu family, I won¡¯t force you. I¡¯ll send you to find a new future.¡± When she said this, there was a faint smile on her lips. On that exquisite and flawless face, her black pupils flashed with a cold light, making it difficult to look at her directly. A few of the housekeepers dared to look up at Gu Yanfei. When they met her cold eyes, they couldn¡¯t help but be stunned. For a moment, they thought of the late Marquis, Gu Ce. Then, they lowered their heads again, feeling a little fearful. Outside the hall at the back, a flurry of footsteps approached. Nanny He couldn¡¯t help but glance back quickly. She saw a short and fat woman in her 40s or 50s running over in a hurry. She was out of breath. Granny He naturally recognized this person. This was the chief steward in charge of the kitchen, Granny Zhen. The kitchen was a lucrative job. Although they couldn¡¯t take money directly from it, they could use their positions to get some charcoal, firewood, rice, meat, vegetables, and so on. Everyone in the residence wanted to be a wife in the kitchen. Everyone in the residence respected Granny Zhen. At this moment, Granny Zhen, who was usually rich and comfortable, was so anxious that she was sweating profusely. She walked up the stone steps in front of the main hall like the wind. As she walked, she panted heavily and explained to Gu Yanfei, who was in the room, ¡°Second Lady, forgive me. The kitchen was in a mess, and we were very busy. The rice was damp, so I ran to the grain depot to check. That¡¯s why I¡¯m a step late.¡± Granny Zhen kept saying that she had gone to the grain depot, but she was actually not far away. Previously, when she heard that Gu Yanfei had summoned the nanny to the main hall, she had asked her daughter-in-law to call an old woman in charge of cleaning nearby in advance and instructed her to inform her if there was any movement. Just now, when Granny Zhen heard that Gu Yanfei wanted to give her deed to the second branch, she was anxious. She had never wanted to leave the residence. She just planned to come a step later and put on airs. Everyone in the residence knew that the second branch had only split 12% of the assets. Next, they would move to a second-in-command residence in the west of the city. If she followed the second branch, how could there be such a big kitchen in the residence for her to manage? There was so much oil to be scooped! A fawning smile appeared on Granny Zhen¡¯s face. She picked up her skirt and was about to cross the threshold of the main hall when she heard the purple-clothed girl in front of her order indifferently, ¡°Stop her.¡± ¡°This Hall for Cultivating Virtues isn¡¯t a place that a servant like you can enter as you wish.¡± As soon as Gu Yanfei said this, the two maidservants under the eaves immediately took two steps forward and quickly stopped Granny Zhen from entering the main hall. One of the maidservants mouthed silently, ¡°Granny Zhen, don¡¯t make things difficult for us.¡± Granny Zhen instantly froze and said, ¡°Second Lady, I know my mistake. There¡¯s really a reason for this. I won¡¯t dare to do it again.¡± In the hall, Granny He and the others tensed up even more. At the same time that they were glad that they didn¡¯t take advantage of her, they felt that Granny Zhen was really muddle-headed. She wasn¡¯t like Butler Zhou, who had to advance and retreat with First Butler Zhou. First Butler Zhou was the Second Master¡¯s trusted aide. There was no way the Eldest Young Master could allow First Butler Zhou to continue sitting in the position of First Butler. Gu Yanfei ignored Granny Zhen, who was outside the hall, and turned to ask Juan Bi, ¡°Have they settled their contracts?¡± Juan Bi flipped through the thick stack of indentures in the box and took out many of them. She casually shook them. There were at least 20 of them, making Nanny He and the others standing in the hall stare blankly. These contracts were the lifeblood of servants like them. Clearly, the contracts in Juan Bi¡¯s hands not only included Granny Zhen and the other housekeepers, but also their families. ¡°Miss, this is it.¡± Juan Bi handed the stack of deeds to Gu Yanfei with a smile. Granny Zhen, who was stopped by two maidservants outside the main hall, broke out in a cold sweat when she saw this scene. She looked panicked and regretted it so much that her intestines turned green. As the kitchen manager, she really had no intention of following Second Master and Second Madam! Granny He looked at Gu Yanfei and then at Granny Zhen outside the main hall. She gritted her teeth and took the initiative to say, ¡°Second Lady, let me handle such a small matter.¡± As soon as these words came out, the other housekeepers were all shocked. Then, they regretted not thinking of it. Yes, this was a good opportunity to show their faces in front of the Second Lady! Gu Yanfei didn¡¯t accept the deeds. She met Granny He¡¯s eager gaze and nodded. ¡°Go ahead.¡± Granny He was overjoyed and replied loudly. Then, she listened to the instructions in front of everyone and took a wooden box from Juan Bi. Seeing Granny He walk past her in high spirits, Granny Zhen still wanted to struggle on the verge of death and beg. She heard Gu Yanfei say calmly, ¡°If you¡¯re disloyal once, you won¡¯t be allowed a hundred times.¡± ¡°Everyone, remember this!¡± Those two simple sentences were like a large basin of ice water being splashed on her head. Granny Zhen¡¯s entire body turned cold, and her legs softened as if she had lost all her strength. She knelt on the ground in a sorry state. Granny He, who had just stepped out of the main hall, also felt her heart skip a beat and her expression freeze. She was a sensible person. Today, Granny Zhen wanted to open a gambit with the Second Lady, take someone a notch down, and establish an imposing air or advantageous position for oneself. She thought that the Second Lady was young and easy to manipulate, but the Second Lady was unmoved by force or persuasion and was decisive in killing. This time, Granny Zhen would go for wool and come home shorn! Granny He held the box of deeds and brought four or five maidservants to strengthen her reputation. Under everyone¡¯s complicated gazes, she left with her head held high. She hurried to Ming Yi Courtyard to see the Second Madam, Madam Wang. She smiled and conveyed Gu Yanfei¡¯s intentions. ¡°Second Madam, these are the deeds of Aunt Zhou, Granny Qian, and Granny Lai- ¡°My lady said that if Second Madam doesn¡¯t want these people, she can find a broker in the residence and sell them all.¡± ¡°All of them can be bought for a total of 4,000 taels of silver. I wonder what Second Madam plans to do?¡± Facing Madam Wang, Granny He seemed neither servile nor overbearing. She straightened her back and warned herself that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. She had to do this beautifully. 4,000 taels of silver?! Madam Wang almost jumped up, her face ashen. Buying a servant girl from the broker would only cost 10 to 20 taels of silver. There were only about 20 deeds here, but Gu Yanfei dared to ask for 10 times the price. Why didn¡¯t she snatch her money openly?! Madam Wang couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue with a servant. She glanced arrogantly at Granny Shi. Granny Shi immediately understood and snorted coldly. She raised her chin and said, ¡°Granny He, these 4,000 taels of silver arc probably enough to buy 200 servants outside!¡± Granny He looked at Granny Shi with a smile and didn¡¯t show any fear. She retorted eloquently, ¡°Granny Shi, can those servants be the same as our old servants? There are servants worth 10 taels of silver and servants worth 100 taels of silver. Each has their own price. It depends on whether it¡¯s worth it.¡± ¡°If Second Madam doesn¡¯t like these old people, you can buy some new people outside. I won¡¯t dare to force Second Madam.¡± Granny He¡¯s words were like a needle hidden in cotton. They were meaningful, and she always smiled at Madam Wang. These 4,000 taels of silver weren¡¯t for these servants, but for Second Madam¡¯s face. If Second Madam felt that her face wasn¡¯t worth 4,000 taels of silver, Nanny He knew that even if she had a glib tongue, she wouldn¡¯t be able to foot the bill. Madam Wang:¡±¡­¡± Madam Wang¡¯s expression darkened again. Her eyes were dark and unhappy as her fingertips dug into her tender palm. Granny He had always been respectful toward her in the past. Now, she actually dared to speak to her in such a tone! Madam Wang wanted to instruct the old woman to chase Granny He out, but she couldn¡¯t say it. If she allowed Gu Yanfei to sell these people, she would become the joke of the entire family.. How could she stand in the family in the future! Chapter 424 - Chapter 424: Conqueror (1) Chapter 424: Conqueror (1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Madam Wang¡¯s chest heaved violently. After a long while, she instructed Granny Shi aggrievcdly, ¡°Go and get 4,000 taels of silver.¡± Granny Shi received the order and went into the inner room to retrieve the banknotes. Granny He¡¯s lips curled up, and her eyes couldn¡¯t hide the smugness. In just ten minutes, Nanny He left Ming Yi Courtyard with a wooden box in her hand and four banknotes and a thousand taels in her arms. When Granny He walked out of the courtyard, she happened to pass by a maidservant in green who was in a hurry. After a while, the green-robed maidservant arrived in front of Madam Wang through layers of communication and reported, ¡°Second Madam, the Second Lady just got someone to send some deeds to the Fourth and Fifth Madams.¡± Madam Wang held a pink enamel teacup and took a slow sip. She mocked coldly, ¡°This girl from the countryside is really greedy for money.¡± ¡°How much did she receive from the fourth and fifth branches?¡± Madam Wang sneered and asked sarcastically. ¡°¡­¡± The green-robed maid was stunned. She had just returned and had yet to hear that Madam Wang had spent 4,000 taels of silver to buy those deeds. She shook her head honestly and said, ¡°The Fourth and Fifth Madams didn¡¯t give me money.¡± ¡°The people that the Second Lady sent said to send some people to the fourth and fifth branches so that they wouldn¡¯t have to buy others after moving out of the residence. After all, these elders in the residence know their roots and know the rules. It¡¯s all because the elders are used to it.¡± ¡°The Fourth and Fifth Madams are overjoyed.¡± Madam Wang¡¯s face instantly darkened. She gritted her teeth and trembled with anger, unable to speak for a moment. When she thought of the 4,000 taels of silver she had just paid, her heart felt like it was being cut by a knife. She almost had a heart attack. She placed the teacup in her hand heavily on the coffee table, shaking the fruit plate beside her. Seeing that Madam Wang was furious, Granny Shi quickly calmed her down and advised her nicely, ¡°Third Madam, I¡¯ll watch. There¡¯s a good show to watch.¡± ¡°The Second Lady chased Aunt Zhou, Granny Qian, and Granny Zhen away. Does she think she can control this huge residence by herself?!¡± Granny Shi¡¯s expression was filled with disdain. It wasn¡¯t a simple matter to manage the middle feed of such a large residence. These housekeepers had been in the residence for decades before they could organize these daily trivial matters clearly and smooth things out. Gu Yanfei had only returned to the residence for a short time. She knew nothing about internal affairs. Without so many helpers, what could Gu Yanfei do?! After being enlightened by Granny Shi, Madam Wang¡¯s mood instantly improved. She slowly picked up the teacup and said with a faint smile, ¡°Then I¡¯ll wait.¡± She was waiting to see Gu Yanfei make a fool of himself. However¡­ Today, Gu Yanfei reappointed the vacancies in the residence and chose a candidate to replace Granny Zhen, Granny Qian, and the others. The next day, Gu Yanfei distributed the new cards again and issued new regulations and rules for rewards and punishment. The day after tomorrow, the old and new stewards in the residence had already carried out their respective duties in an orderly manner. Everything was smooth, and the residence had a new atmosphere. When the second branch finished packing their luggage and prepared to move, the scene that Madam Wang was thinking about didn¡¯t appear. The second branch didn¡¯t delay until the 10-day deadline that Gu Yuan had given them. Gu Jian couldn¡¯t afford to lose face. It took about five to six days. Early on the first day of February, the second branch moved out of the Gu Mansion. They lifted the heavy box and were carried out. Surrounded by a group of maidservants and nannies, Madam Wang walked out of the inner ceremony door and instructed the servants expressionlessly. One moment, she instructed the old women to be careful not to break the porcelain in the box. The next moment, she urged the servants to move faster. The next moment, she instructed Granny Shi to count the boxes again¡­ She had a dark expression on her face until a familiar figure came into view outside the door. Only then did her anger suddenly turn to joy. It was a tall and handsome young man. He was wearing a sapphire blue python robe embroidered with five claws and nine pythons, representing his noble status. His aura was extraordinary, setting off the surrounding servants and passersby as a dark background. The young man was talking to a girl in a bright red dress with a gentle expression and a burning gaze. ¡°Isn¡¯t this His Highness!¡± Granny Shi, who was beside Madam Wang, saw the young man shout in surprise. She congratulated Madam Wang with a smile, ¡°Second Madam, His Highness knows that you, Second Master, and Third Miss are having a housewarming today, so he specially rushed over..¡± Chapter 425 - Chapter 425: Conqueror (2) Chapter 425: Conqueror (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Your Highness is really considerate.¡± Madam Wang changed her overly amiable face as if she was flipping through a book, her eyes shining. Kang Wang had personally come to pick up their second branch family members from the Gu Mansion and bring them to their new house! In this way, the second branch more or less regained some face. At the thought of this, Madam Wang seemed to have taken some magical pill and perked up. Granny Shi pointed at Chu You and Gu Yunrong outside the manor and added, ¡°Second Madam, look, the three of us are really a match made in heaven with His Highness.¡± Madam Wang¡¯s gaze swept between Gu Yunrong and Chu You, and her mood improved again. As long as Rong¡¯er could win Kang Wang over, her master still had a long future. Hmph, there¡¯s still a long way to go. Let¡¯s see who¡¯ll have the last laugh! Madam Wang was about to continue bowing to Chu You when she saw a box carried by two old women out of the corner of her eye. Her expression changed as she questioned why they hadn¡¯t locked the box properly. The two old women put down the box in fear. Chu You, who was outside the residence, didn¡¯t notice Madam Wang and the others in the residence at all. He focused on Gu Yunrong, his eyes burning and bright. He comforted him gently, ¡°Rong¡¯er, that residence is a little small. You¡¯ll have to suffer for a few days.¡± ¡°20 days left¡­¡± Their wedding was in 20 days! Gu Yunrong was a little embarrassed by his affectionate and focused gaze. However, she didn¡¯t avoid his gaze and looked back at him with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s just a place to stay,¡± Gu Yunrong said generously. Her slender fingers curled around a handkerchief in her hand. ¡°You know that I¡¯ve never been particular about these things.¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯ve always been like this.¡± The corners of Chu You¡¯s lips curled up. He couldn¡¯t help but think of the first time he met her in Yangzhou eight years ago. His Rong¡¯er was smart and courageous. Ordinary women couldn¡¯t compare to her. Even if the city was broken, she was still fearless in the face of danger. Even if she slept in the wilderness, she could still be calm. She was clearly so young at that time and was just a young girl raised in the depths of her room, but she was righteous, smart, and calm. When he was chased by the soldiers of the State of Yue, she saved his life. His Rong¡¯er was completely different from those pampered noble ladies in the capital. She was unique! However, even if Rong¡¯er didn¡¯t care about this, he couldn¡¯t ignore it. How could he wrong his sweetheart! Chu You grabbed Gu Yunrong¡¯s hand. His palm was warm as he said, ¡°Rong¡¯er, when you live in Prince Kang¡¯s Mansion, you¡¯ll definitely like it there. Prince Kang¡¯s Mansion was bestowed to me by my father when he was alive. The courtyards, gardens, theaters¡­ Every part of the residence is unique and creative. It can be said to be the top among all the princes¡¯ mansions in the capital. You¡¯ll definitely live comfortably there.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pity that the wedding date was set a little too quickly. Otherwise, I would have wanted to renovate the prince¡¯s residence. But it¡¯s fine. Rong¡¯er, you¡¯ll be the mistress of the prince¡¯s residence in the future. You can renovate it to your liking.¡± ¡°I remember you saying that you like the roses in Prince Jing¡¯s Manor. We can plant a garden of roses that are colorful¡­¡± Hearing Chu You¡¯s considerate words, Gu Yunrong¡¯s frustrations of the past few days dissipated. Her bright eyes lit up again. ¡°You still remember.¡± The dimples on Gu Yunrong¡¯s lips were filled with sweetness, and her heart soared. Kang Wang was sincere with her. Even though Gu Jian had lost his title as the Marquis of Dingyuan, he didn¡¯t care at all. He had always treated her the same and had never changed. ¡°I¡¯ll remember everything you said,¡± Chu You said seriously as he stared into her eyes. He was also infected by her smile. It spread from his lips to the bottom of his eyes. He was about to say something when he saw a double-horse canopy carriage driving over not far ahead. He had only glanced at it casually, but when his gaze swept across the canopy of the carriage, he couldn¡¯t help but be stunned. An eagle-shaped mark was engraved on the carriage¡¯s canopy. Chu You recognized it at a glance. ¡°This is¡­ Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s Mansion?¡± He narrowed his eyes and stared at the emblem on the carriage. He watched as the carriage stopped outside the east corner door. A rough old woman jumped down from the shaft and knocked on the corner door. Not long after, the covered carriage was led to the east corner by the gatekeeper of the Gu family. Chu You raised his eyebrows slightly and guessed in his heart: Could it be that Imperial Duchess Wei is here? Gu Yunrong immediately noticed Chu You¡¯s thoughtful gaze and guessed what he was thinking. She said casually, ¡°It might be Miss Wei Jiu. Miss Wei Jiu is on good terms with my second sister and often comes to the residence to play.¡± Chu You raised his hand and pointed at the eagle-shaped mark behind the hood of the car. ¡°That¡¯s the emblem of Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s Mansion.¡± He patiently explained to Gu Yunrong that the Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s Mansion had strict family rules. They were afraid that the younger generation would use the mansion¡¯s name to bully others outside, so the carriages the younger generation used when they went out were usually ordinary carriages. Under normal circumstances, only Imperial Duchess Wei and the Duchess would take such a family emblem carriage when they went out. Gu Yunrong frowned slightly. Even if Kang Wang didn¡¯t say it directly, she knew very well that he suspected that Imperial Duke Wei had also sided with Eldest Prince Chu Yi. Gu Yunrong clenched the handkerchief in his hand tightly, his eyes deep and dark. Firstly, it was the British Duke, and then it was Imperial Duke Wei. Half of the four dukes had sided with the Eldest Prince. These founding nobles were all heartless. All of them had taken sides early on just to contribute to the dragon and continue the wealth of the Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s Mansion?! They didn¡¯t care who the wise master was at all. They didn¡¯t care who could lead the world to prosperity! Gu Yunrong hid the handkerchief in her hand back into her sleeve pocket and said seriously, ¡°Your Highness, wait for me here. I¡¯ll go in and ask around.¡± Let¡¯s see who it is.. Chapter 426 - Chapter 426: Utilities (1) Chapter 426: Utilities (1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios When Chu You heard this, his sharp and cold eyes softened a little. He was extremely touched, as if he had honey in his mouth. He knew that Rong¡¯er was noble and clean. She didn¡¯t like infighting and scheming against each other. She didn¡¯t like to pretend to be a snake, but she was willing to lower herself to do those things that she disdained just for him. Chu You looked at Gu Yunrong¡¯s back affectionately and watched her cross the high threshold and enter through the corner door. There were seven or eight carriages parked at the entrance of the Gu Mansion. People came and went. Those boxes were still being carried out of the manor one by one. Under the command of the nanny in charge, they were carried into the corresponding carriages. Chu You turned a blind eye to this. He casually touched the horse beside him, still thinking about Gu Yunrong and their wedding date. He also thought about how the Ceremony Director had sent him the wedding clothes two days ago to try them on. At that time, the Ceremony Director had even mentioned that the phoenix crown was almost done. Soon, he could see his Rong¡¯er wearing a red wedding dress and a veil as she came to his side¡­ Chu You¡¯s heart was burning as he looked in the direction of the door. Gu Yunrong returned after a while. She walked quickly to Chu You and said in a low voice, ¡°It¡¯s Imperial Duchess Wei and Madam Ji¡¯an.¡± Chu You couldn¡¯t help but be a little surprised. He raised his sharp eyebrows and looked in the direction of the east corner door again. At this moment, the carriage of the Duke¡¯s Mansion was long gone. He gently turned the emerald jade ring on his thumb and said in a low voice, ¡°Imperial Duke Wei impeached the Marquis of Ji¡¯an, Xu Yan, the day before yesterday.¡± ¡°They said that Marquis Ji¡¯an colluded with bandits to occupy Wushan and burned, killed, and plundered nearby villages and towns. He occupied land and was guilty of a heinous crime. They asked His Majesty to lead troops to surround him.¡± ¡°They also requested His Majesty to make a final decision to allow the severance of ties with Marquis Ji¡¯an.¡± As he spoke, Chu You¡¯s dark eyes darkened, and a sharp glint flashed across them. This matter was like a stone that caused a thousand waves, causing an uproar in the entire court. In the past two days, there have been many speculations about this matter in court. There was no lack of people who went to test Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s words, but Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s mouth was like a clam, unwilling to say a word. Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s Mansion even closed its doors and refused guests. Just like how aristocratic families formed their own factions in the court, these nobles who relied on military achievements had always banded together. Now, Imperial Duke Wei had inexplicably impeached his biological brother-in-law. On the surface, Imperial Duke Wei spoke righteously, as if he wanted to put righteousness before family. However, Chu You was suspicious of this. Gu Jian¡¯s title had been snatched, and he had been dismissed. The news of the second branch had been cut off a lot. Naturally, Gu Yunrong had no way of knowing about these court matters. At this moment, she only knew about this matter. She said in surprise and confusion, ¡°Marquis Ji¡¯an is colluding with bandits?¡± ¡°Why would they collude with bandits?¡± ¡°This doesn¡¯t make sense¡­ Wait!¡± Gu Yunrong muttered to herself for a while. Suddenly, her eyes widened slightly. She grabbed Chu You¡¯s wrist and emphasized, ¡°The person who came with Imperial Duchess Wei just now is Madam Ji¡¯an!¡± Chu You lowered his eyes and looked at Gu Yunrong¡¯s jade-like hand that was holding his wrist. Her fingers were so slender and jade-like. Her lustrous nails were like petals and shone with a pearl-like luster. Gu Yunrong looked thoughtfully out the door and in the direction of the Yuheng Garden. Even if she stood here, she couldn¡¯t see it at all, let alone the people in it. ¡°Your Highness, do you think my second sister is involved in this again?¡± When she said this, the answer appeared in Gu Yunrong¡¯s heart. There was a high chance that this was the case. Gu Yanfei was really going overboard! With Gu Yunrong¡¯s reminder, Chu You began to consider this possibility. His fingers rubbed the patterns on the jade ring. Gu Yunrong frowned slightly and looked up at Chu You¡¯s handsome face. She said worriedly, ¡°Your Highness, my second sister has a deep relationship with the Eldest Prince¡­¡± ¡°Maybe the Eldest Prince is behind this and wants to implicate Your Highness again!¡± When Chu You saw that Gu Yunrong was so concerned about him, he felt even more pleased. He comforted her quickly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Rong¡¯er. I have never interacted with Marquis Ji¡¯an.¡± ¡°And¡­¡± His thin lips curled into a smile as he said slowly, ¡°Chu Yi will soon be too busy to take care of himself.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Gu Yunrong blinked, and her long eyelashes fluttered. Chu You sneered and said, ¡°Baili Yin proposed a marriage between the two countries and promised the Eighth Princess of the State of Yue, Princess Ximing, to Chu Yi.¡± Docs Gu Yanfei know about this?Gu Yunrong couldn¡¯t help but think. An indescribably complicated feeling gradually surfaced in her heart.. She asked, ¡°Did His Majesty agree?¡± Chapter 427 - Chapter 427: Utilities (2) Chapter 427: Utilities (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios From Chu You¡¯s standpoint, if this marriage was successful, it meant that Chu Yi would receive support from the State of Yue. Fortunately, Chu Yi rejected her. It seemed like Chu Yi liked Gu Yanfei more than expected. Alright! It was a good opportunity for the civil and military officials of the court and the commoners of the world to see how Chu Yi was unwilling to marry into the State of Yue for his own selfish reasons. Chu You explained the pros and cons to Gu Yunrong in detail. Finally, he said, ¡°Once the matter blows up, if His Majesty wants to appease the dissatisfaction of the court, he has no choice but to give in.¡± Chu You would never let Chu Yi marry the Princess of the State of Yue. Therefore¡­ ¡°The best outcome would be for His Majesty to choose a noble lady from the aristocratic families to be his official consort.¡± ¡°Unless Chu Yi doesn¡¯t want the country for a beauty.¡± Chu You smiled mockingly. Gu Yunrong sighed and said softly, ¡°Then can my second sister only be a concubine?¡± Gu Yunrong couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of joy that surged from the bottom of her heart. She had already advised Gu Yanfei¡­ Her eyes were very complicated. They were filled with sympathy and deep disapproval. Chu You looked up at the plaque with only the words ¡°Gu Mansion¡± in front of him and sneered disdainfully. ¡°Is she worthy of being the prince¡¯s wife?¡± ¡°She¡¯s not like you.¡± Gu Yunrong followed his gaze and said softly, ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Things were different now. The Gu family no longer had a noble title and was only a fourth-grade general¡¯s residence. There were countless such residences in the capital. With Gu Yanfei¡¯s current status, how could she be worthy of the position of the Eldest Prince¡¯s consort?! It was ironic. In order to take revenge, Gu Yanfei deliberately caused the Gu family to lose their title. She wondered if she had ever thought that she would end up like this? One couldn¡¯t be too utilitarian. Marriage should be about mutual feelings and shouldn¡¯t be used as a bargaining chip. It would be fine if Gu Yanfei provoked someone else. If she didn¡¯t want to be a concubine, it was just a matter of words, and no one could force a girl from an official family to be a concubine. However, in order to compete with her, Gu Yanfei insisted on getting close to the Eldest Prince and provoked the royal family. It wasn¡¯t up to her to decide if she was willing to be a concubine. After all, the Eldest Prince wasn¡¯t someone she could casually abandon. Originally, Gu Yanfei could have married into a good family of equal status and become the first wife. ¡°Rong¡¯er, you¡¯re just too soft-hearted.¡± Chu You lowered his head and looked at her fair face. His heart was burning. At this moment, the last box was carried out by two servant boys with poles. The box was so heavy that even the poles were bent. Worried, Madam Wang instructed the servant to take it and put it gently. After confirming that the box had been safely placed in the last carriage, she heaved a sigh of relief. Gu Jian, Madam Wang, and his wife walked over, surrounded by a few nannies and servant girls. Gu Jian smiled and said to Chu You eagerly, ¡°I¡¯m really ashamed to have specially troubled Your Highness to pick us up today.¡± ¡°We¡¯re done here. We can leave now.¡± Gu Jian was born and grew up in this residence. He got married and had children. He had lived here for more than 30 years. Now that he had to move out, he was naturally reluctant and even more unwilling. However, at this moment, when he faced Chu You, he couldn¡¯t show it at all. He was afraid that Chu You would hate him. No matter what, Chu You was already giving the second branch a lot of face by coming here on account of Gu Yunrong. Chu You replied politely, ¡°We¡¯re all family.¡± Then, he personally helped Gu Yunrong into the second carriage. As for Gu Jian and Madam Wang, they got into the first carriage at the front. Chu You personally escorted them to the residence in the reed alley in the west of the city. He knew that they were busy tidying up the new residence and packing the boxes and cages, so he didn¡¯t stay long. He came and went in a hurry. Next, Chu You instructed his subordinates to find out why Imperial Duchess Wei and the others had gone to the Gu Mansion. The secret guards sent by Chu You watched in front of the Gu Mansion for a few days. In the end, they didn¡¯t find anything. They only watched as the Eldest Prince Chu Yi personally came to the Gu Mansion to pick Gu Yanfei up and send her out. Chu Yi picked Gu Yanfei up and sent her to a royal villa in the suburbs of Beijing. The two of them rode westward on horseback, and the picturesque scenery of the early spring countryside was beautiful. Wildflowers and grasses were blooming wildly, giving off a sense of serenity akin to the lines ¡®The disorderly flowers gradually tempt the eye, while the shallow grass can barely hide the horse¡¯s hooves.¡¯ The Imperial Villa was located at the foot of the Westridge Mountains, about 20 miles away from the capital. It was surrounded by mountains and rivers. Not only did the Imperial Villa contain dozens of acres of fertile land, but there was also a river around the field at the foot of the mountain. Water rippled, and one could see the continuous mountains behind the manor at a glance. It was lush, beautiful, and refreshing. The manager of the Imperial Villa was a middle-aged eunuch in his 4.0s. He had long received instructions in advance and knew that the Eldest Prince was coming today. Hence, he had brought a group of servants and girls to wait at the entrance of the villa early in the morning. As soon as Chu Yi and Gu Yanfei arrived, the middle-aged eunuch welcomed them attentively. He bowed to the two people on the horse with a smile. ¡°Eldest Prince, Miss Gu, please come in.¡± The middle-aged eunuch instructed someone to settle the horses and personally led the two of them into the manor. Compared to the vastness and magnificence outside, the manor was another grotto-heaven. The layout and design were unique and creative. The layout was magnificent, with green walls, black tiles, and clear flowers. As Gu Yanfei walked, she casually looked around. She was extremely relaxed and happy from head to toe. Her bright eyes were full of kindness, and she looked radiant and lively. Chu Yi¡¯s clear voice suddenly sounded in her ear. ¡°It¡¯s still early. Shall we go to the sparrow forest at the back first?¡± Gu Yanfei turned to look at him. The long purple headband flew up and happened to brush past his raised right hand. He grabbed the headband between his fingers. The headband was a bright purple, which contrasted with his fair and slender fingers. It had a soul-stirring beauty. He clearly didn¡¯t touch her, but Gu Yanfei had an inexplicable feeling. It was as if this headband had become a part of her, and his ears were slightly hot.. Chapter 428 - Chapter 428: Tempted (1) Chapter 428: Tempted (1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Chu Yi stopped in his tracks and picked up the headband with his two slender fingers. Only then did Gu Yanfei realize that the end of the headband had been tied into a knot. ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± Chu Yi¡¯s fingers deftly untied the knot on his headband. Even if his slender fingers did such a simple action, it was still quite pleasing to the eye, giving off a gentle and powerful feeling. Soon, Chu Yi untied the knot on the headband and casually tucked it behind Gu Yanfei¡¯s fair ear. He smiled slightly. ¡°Done.¡± In the morning light, the handsome and tall young man¡¯s black hair was like ink, his eyes were like bright stars, and his posture was elegant. Against his gentle temperament, like the spring breeze, even the brilliance of the rising sun was overshadowed. Bang! Bang! Bang! Gu Yanfei¡¯s heart was beating a little fast. Her right index finger casually curled around the headband. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± She walked forward briskly, and the smile on her face became brighter. Chu Yi walked side by side with her. He lowered his eyes and stared at her well-defined side profile and the shallow dimple beside her lips. He said, ¡°My Imperial Father likes to raise birds and parrots. Recently, he has also encouraged An Le to raise a parrot. He said that two parrots are good companions.¡± ¡°A few days ago, a small country in the Western Region just paid tribute with a few peacocks. Father was worried that the peacocks wouldn¡¯t adapt to the environment, so he temporarily raised them in the sparrow forest. He will send them to the palace in a month.¡± Peacock? Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes immediately lit up. She said energetically, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a peacock before.¡± The middle-aged eunuch smiled and pointed in a direction. ¡°Your Highness, Miss Gu, the sparrow forest is in the northwest.¡± ¡°Not only do they have peacocks in the forest, but they also have other birds. Myna, rooster, parrot, sparrow, magpie, mountain sparrow, swallow, pigeon¡­ All of them.¡± This manor was neither big nor small. After walking for about half a cup of tea¡¯s time, the few of them entered a garden through a small door. Hundreds of flowers were blooming in the early spring garden, and the fragrance was overflowing. The fragrance of peaches, spring flowers, magnolias, and other fragrances mixed together. The middle-aged eunuch led the two of them to an octagonal pavilion. A few plates of fruits and tea had already been placed on the stone table in the pavilion. He was about to say something when he heard a high-pitched and strange cry suddenly come from behind a few half-sized bushes. ¡°Whoa¡ªWhoa!¡± ¡°Little ancestor, don¡¯t run¡­¡± Another servant shouted helplessly, his voice sharp. In the next moment, a colorful blue peacock with an emerald feather crown on its head jumped out of the flowers. Its strong and powerful claws ran up. Occasionally, it would spread its wings and fly low over the flowers. It barged towards Gu Yanfei and Chu Yi, its gorgeous feathers dazzling. The sharp beak let out a cry like an old crow that wasn¡¯t pleasant to the ears. ¡°Little ancestor.¡± Behind him, a green-robed servant bowed and quickly chased after the blue peacock. He staggered slightly, and his body was stained with a few remnant leaves and flowers. He looked a little disheveled. The little eunuch was about to fly over and catch the blue peacock when he saw Chu Yi and Gu Yanfei by the pavilion. His entire body froze, afraid that he would offend someone important. This was a peacock! Gu Yanfei sized up the blue peacock in front of her without blinking. She couldn¡¯t help but think of the favorite mount of her Eldest Senior Sister in the Bright Spirit Realm. It was a divine bird called the Imperial Bird. It was even better-looking and stronger than this blue peacock, especially with its long tail. ¡°Meow-¡± The calico cat poked its head out curiously from the hood of the cloak behind Gu Yanfei. Its eyes were wide open, and its green eyes were shining under the sun. Imperial Bird! It looks like an Imperial Bird! The cat recognized it too and was thrilled. While in the Bright Spirit Realm, Qing Guang liked the tail feathers of the Imperial Bird and kept chasing after it. However, the Imperial Bird was arrogant and disdained Qing Guang. It even pecked it a few times. ¡°Meow!¡± Qing Guang nimbly jumped onto Gu Yanfei¡¯s shoulder. Then, it kicked its hind legs and pounced excitedly at the blue peacock. Its series of movements were as smooth as flowing water. It jumped through the air and landed lightly on the back of the peacock. Gu Yanfei was caught off guard by the crazy cat and staggered back half a step. ¡°Be careful.¡± Chu Yi held her slender waist horizontally, his voice as gentle and elegant as usual. He looked thin and weak, but his arms, hidden in his wide sleeves, were very firm. Even through the sleeves, one could feel the smooth lines of his arms. The faint fragrance of snow and green bamboo floated in the air. It was very familiar and smelled good.. Chapter 429 - Chapter 429: Tempted (2) Chapter 429: Tempted (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios When did she become familiar with this fragrance? This thought suddenly appeared in Gu Yanfei¡¯s mind as she heard Chu Yi say, ¡°Have a seat.¡± She subconsciously listened to Chu Yi and sat down on the stone stool by the stone table, then casually grabbed a green date from the fruit plate and ate it. Crack. The green date had a crisp texture and a sweet taste that filled her mouth and seeped into her heart. ¡°Wa!¡± Outside the pavilion, the frightened blue peacock cried out in excitement non-stop. It spread its wings and flew up, passing low in the air. From time to time, its wings brushed past the treetops and flowers, causing the branches to shake non-stop. Leaves and fallen flowers fell with a rustle, fluttering in the wind¡­ The peacock flew and flew, and flew again and again, while the cat remained sitting steadily on the peacock¡¯s back, as steady as a mountain. This scene stunned the little servant. At first, the servant wondered if he should get rid of the cat. However, when his eyes met the cat¡¯s green charming eyes, he was stunned. He looked at the calico cat on the peacock¡¯s back in a daze. It was so beautiful! How adorable! Gu Yanfei chuckled and called out, ¡°Qing Guang!¡± Qing Guang jumped off the peacock¡¯s back in boredom and gently landed on a peach tree not far away. She squatted on the treetop and slowly licked her claws. The blue peacock was relieved and flew briskly to another small green peacock not far away. It stopped only seven or eight steps away from the other party and instantly unfolded its colorful tail feathers. It was shaped like a huge folding fan and was as gorgeous as the most gorgeous and exquisite silk. Under the sunlight, it shone brightly and was as beautiful as a dream. The green peacock looked at it with disdain and walked to the other side. The blue peacock immediately chased after it and rushed in front of the green peacock in two or three seconds. Then, its body trembled, and its tail feathers opened again. The green peacock ran, and the blue peacock chased. This scene was repeated multiple times. Gu Yanfei couldn¡¯t help but laugh uncontrollably. ¡°Is it showing off?¡± Tears welled up in the corners of Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes. She took out another green date from the fruit plate. A few strands of black hair poured down as she leaned forward, hanging in front of her chest. Her black hair was as thick as ink, like the best silk. Chu Yi¡¯s slender fingers moved. He raised his fingers slightly, but in the end, he suppressed them and said softly, ¡°No.¡± As he spoke, he gestured, and the surrounding eunuchs retreated silently. Gu Yanfei raised her eyebrows and looked at Chu Yi. Chu Yi was sitting beside a few peach trees. His eyes were relaxed, and his smile was clear. A few peach blossom petals happened to land on his shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s courting a mate,¡± he said slowly, staring into her eyes without blinking. The young man had a voice that was even gentler than the spring breeze. It was gentle and slow, flowing straight into one¡¯s heart. Gu Yanfei widened her eyes slightly as the words he had said to her on the day of the banquet sounded in her ears again. ¡°1 have a sweetheart.¡± These few simple words, when she recalled them now, every word seemed to land in her heart. It wasn¡¯t until now that Gu Yanfei noticed that he was dressed very formally today, wearing a dark blue straight robe with bamboo leaf patterns, with a frost-white small vertical collar inner garment embroidered with silver cloud patterns exposed at the neckline. He had a white jade belt around his waist, and hanging from it was a square seal with a green cicada resting on a bamboo branch, as well as a snow-blue purse. It was the same snow-blue color as her clothes. So, he was also¡­ courting a mate? Chu Yi kept staring at her, watching her every reaction. The last time they were on the pleasure boat, she wasn¡¯t shy when she looked at him. She was frank and calm. This time, it seemed a little different. His heart skipped a beat as he weighed whether he should stop here and continue to plan slowly, or if he should decisively pursue the victory. He made a decision in an instant, took out a sheep fat white jade hairpin from his sleeve, and handed it to her, saying calmly, ¡°I carved this jade hairpin, do you like it?¡± The Plum Blossom Hairpin was personally carved by Emperor Taizu and given to the Empress. From then on, it was passed down from generation to generation. And this jade hairpin was carved for her. It only belonged to him and her. Chu Yi¡¯s eyes darkened as he moved the jade hairpin in his hand half a foot in Gu Yanfei¡¯s direction. The hairpin of the white jade hairpin was carved with a pair of double lotuses. The layers of petals were carved vividly, and even the fine patterns on the petals were clear. Bang! Bang! Bang! Gu Yanfei¡¯s heart beat faster again and showed signs of losing control. Under his warm gaze, her ears heated up slightly. She couldn¡¯t help but touch her chest. Is this what it means to have your heart flutter? Gu Yanfei recalled what her Ninth Senior Sister of the sect had said to her. Having your heart flutter feels like the stars in the sky had lit up¡­ She still didn¡¯t seem to be able to understand this feeling. She was immersed in her own world and didn¡¯t notice that Xiao Shi had rushed over from outside the garden. ¡°Your Highness, the guest is here.¡± Xiao Shi cupped his fists at Chu Yi in the pavilion and reported. When he said the word ¡°guest¡±, his tone was a little strange. ¡°Bring him over,¡± Chu Yi instructed calmly, subconsciously clenching the jade hairpin in his hand. After Xiao Shi replied, he ran away like a gust of wind again and curled his lips in disdain. He really didn¡¯t have a good impression of this guest! Seeing that Gu Yanfei didn¡¯t speak for a long time, Chu Yi sighed faintly in his heart. He lowered his eyes and turned the lotus jade hairpin in his hand slightly while thinking to himself: Why was I so anxious? I still have to try harder! He was about to put away the jade hairpin when he heard the girl¡¯s clear voice. ¡°I like it.¡± Stunned, Chu Yi widened his eyes and looked at the girl beside him. The girl¡¯s eyes were as bright as cold stars. She raised her hand and took the lotus jade hairpin from Chu Yi¡¯s hand. There was a bright smile on her lips, and her eyes were like autumn water. She still didn¡¯t know the feeling of the stars in the sky becoming brighter, but she felt that he was even brighter than the rising sun. This was definitely a heart-fluttering moment. For the first time in more than 200 years, her heart fluttered.. Chapter 430 - Chapter 430: Beauty (1) Chapter 430: Beauty (1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Chu Yi smiled. It was like a clear and warm spring breeze, but it was also as beautiful as the sun, with a hint of love. Gu Yanfei was dazzled by his smile for a moment and only reacted after a few seconds. Thud! Thud! Her heart started to beat wildly again. Sigh, my Eldest Senior Sister is right. 1 like beautiful things, be it things or people. Gu Yanfei¡¯s heart seemed to have grown wings. So this was what it felt like to have your heart flutter! She played with the exquisite white jade hairpin in her hand lovingly and handed him the green date in her other hand. ¡°Try it. This green date is very sweet.¡± She couldn¡¯t help but want to share what she felt was good with him. Chu Yi took the green date, and his fingers inadvertently brushed past her warm fingers. The green date still had the warmth of her skin. He silently lowered his head and took a bite of the green date. His eyes curled up happily, and the arc of his jaw was beautiful. ¡°It¡¯s very sweet,¡± he said with a smile. The smile on his lips deepened. It was sweet, but not greasy. Squatting on the treetops, the cat looked down lazily at the humans in the pavilion and felt extremely bored. It opened its mouth lazily and yawned. ¡°Chirp chirp¡­¡± ¡°Chirp, chirp, chirp¡­¡± Suddenly, birdsong sounded from all corners of the garden. Hundreds of birds flapped their wings and flew up from the crown of the tree, as if they were shocked, or as if they had foreseen some disaster that was about to descend. They flew into the distance with a whoosh, and the branches and leaves swayed endlessly¡­ After a while, a figure as red as blood appeared at the entrance of the garden. Her footsteps were leisurely, and her red sleeves and clothes fluttered gently, as if she was stepping on flames. When the wind blew, the red robe fluttered like ripples. ¡°The two of you are really in a good mood. This is really a good place to admire flowers and play with birds!¡± Xia Houqing¡¯s laughter could be heard from afar. There was a bewitching and ostentatious smile on his blood-like lips. His phoenix eyes were as dark as the night, indifferent, empty, and heartless. As he spoke, he strolled to the pavilion. ¡°Meow!¡± The calico cat, who had been washing its face on the tree branch, was originally lazy. When it heard the familiar voice, it immediately perked up again. The cat jumped down from the peach tree that was seven to eight feet above the ground and pounced excitedly in Xia Houqing¡¯s direction. It looked like a swallow returning to its nest, bringing with it peach petals that fell like rain. Xia Houqing moved as fast as lightning. He grabbed the back of the cat¡¯s neck steadily, accurately, and ruthlessly, and shook the cat in disdain. This cat was covered in dirt. Xia Houqing pursed his lips and didn¡¯t look into the cat¡¯s eyes. He casually threw the cat towards Gu Yanfei. ¡°Your cat!¡± He gritted his teeth. Gu Yanfei, who was nibbling on a green date, turned her body nimbly. She also despised the dirt on the cat¡¯s claws. The calico cat that was thrown away easily adjusted its posture in midair and landed lightly on the ground. It turned its face in disdain. One moment, it licked its furry front claws, the next, it licked and bit the gaps between its claws, and the next, it licked the fur on its body¡­ Xia Houqing looked at the cat and endured it again and again. The veins at the corners of his eyes twitched. Finally, he couldn¡¯t help but squeeze out a word coldly. ¡°Dirty.¡± As soon as he said this, an ordinary-looking young man in black immediately walked over quickly and squatted in front of the calico cat happily. He took out two handkerchiefs from his sleeve. One was red and spread on the ground, and the other was plain white. There were no patterns on the plain white handkerchief, but it shone with a pearl-like luster under the sun. It was a foot-long golden silk satin. The young man in black first placed the calico cat on a red handkerchief. Then, he wiped the cat¡¯s claws and meat pads with a white handkerchief made of light satin without any heartache. He also took out a small porcelain bottle from his sleeve pocket on the other side and poured some milky white cream from it. He carefully wiped the cat¡¯s paw pad and rubbed it evenly, dyeing the cat¡¯s pink paw pad with a pearl-like luster. This wasn¡¯t the end. He then took out a small knife and carefully sharpened the tips of the cat¡¯s claws until every tip was shiny and sharp as a hook. The black-clothed youth¡¯s entire set of movements was too familiar and smooth, as if he had done it hundreds or thousands of times. The cat seemed to be used to being served and didn¡¯t struggle or resist. It even seemed to be enjoying itself. Occasionally, it would yawn lazily and occasionally stick out its tongue to lick its pink nose.. Chapter 431 - Chapter 431: Beauty (2) Chapter 431: Beauty (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°¡­¡± Gu Yanfei was stunned. She finally understood. No wonder this cat became even more ¡°pampered¡± after leaving home for a few days last time. It only ate fish belly meat and fish eyeballs, slept with wool or silk blankets, and played with toys that were all night pearls. Even its claws had to be sharpened with white rattan mats. This cat had been spoiled by Xia Houqing! Gu Yanfei glanced at the cat lying on the red handkerchief and asked Xia Houqing sincerely, ¡°Are you short of cats?¡± Who would want such a stupid cat! Xia Houqing raised his brow and scoffed. ¡°What do I need a cat for? To provide for it?!¡± It wasn¡¯t a bad offering either! The young man in black nodded repeatedly and stared at the cat in a daze. ¡°Meow, meow, meow!¡± The cat cried out indignantly and jumped nimbly from the ground to the table. It exhaled fiercely at Xia Houqing and bared its teeth. How obedient! The young man in black was about to kneel down to the cat. He took out a bag of fragrant dried fish from his sleeve to show respect to the cat. The other three people in the pavilion ignored the cat. ¡°Lord Xia, please take a seat.¡± Chu Yi raised his hand and invited Xia Houqing to sit down. His slightly raised eyebrows showed his good mood at this moment. Xia Houqing didn¡¯t move and instead looked down at Chu Yi arrogantly. Chu Yi didn¡¯t mind. He picked up the wine pot and personally poured two glasses of wine. He pushed one glass toward Gu Yanfei and handed the other to Xia Houqing. His actions were elegant, flowing like water, and as relaxed as the clouds. The white wine fragrance escaped from the cup and lingered in the air. The last time, in an elegant seat at Rongxiang Teahouse, Chu Yi had also handed Xia Houqing a cup of pear blossom white wine. At that time, Xia Houqing didn¡¯t take it. This time, Xia Houqing raised his hand and took the cup of pear blossom white wine. He raised his chin and finished the wine in his glass. The line of his chin became clearer and more beautiful as he raised his head. His overly fair skin glowed slightly in the sunlight, making his red clothes look like blood against his snow-white skin. After drinking it, Xia Houqing casually threw the wine glass away in disdain before sitting down. His crimson clothes meandered to the ground like water. Although he received the wine and drank it, which meant that he agreed to cooperate with Chu Yi, Xia Houqing still looked at Chu Yi with a dangerous glint in his eyes. His gaze wasn¡¯t that of looking at a friend, but more like looking at an opponent worthy of his full effort. Chu Yi was a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing. It was satisfying to work with a wolf, but he had to be wary of being bitten by a wolf at any time. Fortunately, he was also not a good person. Xia Houqing¡¯s cold and devilish phoenix eyes lowered slightly, and a cold arc appeared at the end of his eyes. ¡°How straightforward.¡± Chu Yi didn¡¯t care about the other party¡¯s attitude. In fact, the corners of his lips curled up a little more. He clapped his hands gently and said, ¡°Other than the Yu family, I can give you another gift.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Xia Houqing raised his thick black eyebrows. ¡°I don¡¯t accept just any gift.¡± ¡°Baili Yin,¡± Chu Yi said gently. He was an elegant young master, gentle and refined. Even if it was a human life he was referring to, he still looked calm, as if he was reciting a poem. Xia Houqing¡¯s slender and beautiful fingers casually rubbed the white porcelain wine glass twice. The dark red blood ring on his finger flowed with a blood-like luster as he looked down disdainfully. ¡°Hch.¡± Xia Houqing chuckled softly. The corners of his lips curled up strangely, as if he was wearing a demon fox mask. He said slowly, ¡°The Eighth Princess of the State of Yue, Princess Ximing, is indeed a rare beauty. Young Master Yi, are you really willing?¡± If Baili Yin died in the State of Jin, Chu Yi would have no fate with this beauty. Xia Houqing slowed down his speech, his eyes filled with undisguised schadenfreude. His voice became gentler and more charming. ¡°I heard that Princess Ximing is only 28 years old, but she¡¯s still unwilling to choose a husband because she has someone she likes.¡± ¡°Beauty?¡± Gu Yanfei rested her chin on her hand. Her sleeves fell down and slowly unfolded like blooming petals, revealing a wrist cup as delicate as jade. She said with interest, ¡°Princess Ximing of the State of Yue?¡± Chu Yi¡¯s crow-feather-likc eyelashes trembled rapidly twice. His hand subconsciously tightened around the wine glass in his hand. In an instant, a rare tense expression appeared on his face. The next moment, Gu Yanfei asked Xia Houqing curiously, ¡°Is there a portrait?¡± Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes lit up. She cherished looking at beauties the most! Chu Yi chuckled softly. His tone was light and slow as he asked nonchalantly, ¡°A portrait?¡± He poured more wine for Gu Yanfei. The corners of Xia Houqing¡¯s eyes twitched slightly. He couldn¡¯t be bothered with them and gestured to the youth in black. The youth in black immediately understood. He took out a jade pot and a matching jade cup from the wooden box he carried with him and poured the clear and transparent Lanling wine into the jade cup. When Gu Yanfei saw that Xia Houqing was silent, she guessed that there was no portrait of Princess Ximing. She didn¡¯t care and drank the fragrant wine in her cup. The calico cat finished the dried fish fed by the young man in black and was finally satisfied. It jumped up and happily went to find fun by itself. ¡°Meow-¡± It happily chased after the blue peacock. The blue peacock was shocked and yelled again. It flapped its wings and fled. It flew and ran at the same time. A few blue feathers floated in the air in a tizzy. Gu Yanfei was also attracted by this scene and laughed uncontrollably. After a while, she heard Xia Houqing¡¯s jade-like voice again. ¡°This ¡¯gift¡¯ is probably what you want, Young Master Yi.¡± Xia Houqing looked at Chu Yi with a firm expression, his entire body surrounded by a blood-like hostility.. Chapter 432 - Chapter 432: Dowry Chapter 432: Dowry Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Chu Yi said calmly, smiling casually. He picked up the wine pot again and filled his and Gu Yanfei¡¯s wine glasses. He changed the topic. ¡°The Yu family has a villa in Peng County, Yuzhou. In the back mountain of this manor, a woman is buried.¡± ¡°This woman was sent to this villa 16 years ago and later gave birth to a daughter.¡± Chu Yi enunciated every word clearly, his tone carrying a gentle and silent elegance. Xia Houqing narrowed his eyes slightly and the jade cup in his hand suddenly stopped spinning. The wine in the cup swayed and almost spilled the edge of the cup. Chu Yi drank his wine slowly. The pavilion became silent. Only the sounds of cats and peacocks outside the pavilion could be heard. After a moment of silence, Chu Yi continued, ¡°This villa is a retreat route left for our family by the Yu family. It¡¯s recorded under the name of a loyal servant. Very few people know about it. The manor has hidden gold, silver, jewelry, land contracts, house deeds, ancient books, and a few of our bloodlines¡­ It¡¯s also the last of the Yu family¡¯s assets.¡± Xia Houqing still didn¡¯t speak. He slowly turned the jade cup in his hand that was half filled with wine. Wisps of sunlight pierced through the jade cup that was as thin as a cicada¡¯s wing. From the side, one could see the rippling wine in the cup. It was as crystalline as amber and beautiful. ¡°Jing Shan.¡± Xia Houqing suddenly called out. His voice seemed a little hoarse as he raised his hand and made a gesture. The youth in black named Jing Shan understood what he meant. He took out a palm-sized box and placed it in front of Xia Houqing. Xia Houqing stretched out a finger and pushed the box towards Chu Yi. ¡°This is a return gift.¡± Chu Yi put down the empty wine glass and opened the box to take a look. There was a neatly folded piece of silk paper inside. ¡°I¡¯ve never taken advantage of anyone.¡± Xia Houqing said this very slowly. His voice was extremely pleasant to the ears. When he said these words, his voice rose at the end. It was indescribably seductive and demonic, like a fox in the forest walking into the mortal world. As he spoke, a faint smile slowly appeared on his lips. His smile was always charming and strange, making one¡¯s heart turn cold, making one feel that he had ill intentions. Chu Yi slowly unfolded the piece of silk paper and looked at it with half-closed eyes. ¡°My lord, you¡¯re really considerate.¡± Chu Yi chuckled. Under the light of the wine in the cup, his black eyes seemed to be covered in a layer of bright moonlight. The two of them sat opposite each other. One was like a demon, and the other was like an immortal. It was a strange scene. ¡°Meow, meow, meow!¡± The cat¡¯s excited voice became even more excited. It successfully sat on the peacock¡¯s back again with a diversion. Gu Yanfei looked at the arrogant and sly cat. She listened to the two of them and muttered, ¡°How scheming.¡± These two were really scheming! The two scheming people went back and forth. By the time the two sides raised their glasses and drank, it was already a quarter of an hour. Xia Houqing left an hour later. It wasn¡¯t until dusk that Chu Yi sent Gu Yanfei and the cat back to the Gu Mansion in the capital. The sun was halfway down, and the evening sky was getting darker and darker. The red glow occupied half the sky. At the entrance of the Gu Mansion, Gu Yuan was already waiting in the courtyard behind the door. He looked gloomily through the open corner door and watched Gu Yanfei bid farewell to Chu Yi with a smile outside the manor before slowly riding his horse into the manor. ¡°Big Brother.¡± Gu Yanfei rode her horse to Gu Yuan and got off. As she touched Hongyu¡¯s slender and beautiful neck, she smiled and said, ¡°You came back so early today.¡± It was only five in the evening. Before Gu Yanfei came back, Gu Yuan had many things to say in his heart. Now that he was facing his sister, those thousands of words turned into a dry sentence. ¡°I¡¯m on a break today¡­¡± This morning, the Eldest Prince unexpectedly gave him a day off. At first, he was very happy and was thinking about taking his sister out of the city for a spring outing on the way back home from the palace this morning. However, when he returned home, he found out that his sister had already been taken out to play. The Eldest Prince was clearly not bringing him along on purpose! The corners of Gu Yuan¡¯s eyes twitched as he recalled how his sister and the Eldest Prince had chatted happily just now. His feelings became even more complicated, and he felt a little sad that his sister was about to be snatched away. Gu Yuan couldn¡¯t help but take two steps forward and gently touch the top of Gu Yanfei¡¯s soft head. When he got closer, he saw that the cat was sleeping like a ball of fur in the hood of Gu Yanfei¡¯s cloak. His heart softened, and he suddenly had a thought. This cat is so clingy to my sister. Its as if its going to be her dowry. Dowry? When this word appeared in his mind, Gu Yuan¡¯s expression changed slightly again. He pursed his thin lips. His stern expression was a little fierce and cold. The servant beside him, Wu Tong, felt his heart skip a beat. He was worried that the Eldest Young Master was angry. Gu Yuan didn¡¯t pay attention to Wu Tong at all. He was worried about his sister¡¯s dowry. He still remembered hearing a certain scoundrel friend mention it by chance. He said that his sister¡¯s dowry had been prepared for a full ten years, but his mother still felt that it wasn¡¯t good enough. Recently, she had ordered someone to travel thousands of miles to the State of Yue and the Western Region to buy it. He was already 10 years behind others. Should he hurry up and save up for his sister¡¯s dowry? Although the capital was prosperous, there were still many good things to buy overseas. The tea leaves were good in Yangzhou, the silk was good in the State of Yue, and the porcelain was good in Yuzhou¡­ It took time to go back and forth from these places! The more Gu Yuan thought about it, the more anxious he became. He hurriedly said, ¡°Sister, I¡¯m going out for a while. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Gu Yanfei suddenly walked over and patted Gu Yuan¡¯s shoulder gently. ¡°There¡¯s bad luck.¡± Gu Yanfei looked at Gu Yuan again and smiled in satisfaction. ¡°Done!¡± ¡°Then I¡¯m leaving.¡± Gu Yuan didn¡¯t ask further and hurriedly walked towards the east corner door. However, after taking a step, he thought of something and changed direction, heading towards the stable. Gu Yanfei blinked her big eyes and gave Wu Tong a look. What was wrong with Big Brother? Wu Tong was speechless. He also couldn¡¯t tell what his Young Master was thinking, and could only vaguely guess that his Young Master wasn¡¯t angry. Instead, he seemed to have something urgent to attend to. ¡°Second Lady, I¡¯ll go take a look.¡± Wu Tong chased after Gu Yuan to the stable. Only Gu Yanfei and Hongyu were left looking at each other. The red horse let out a heartless cry. Gu Yuan was a decisive person. He immediately went to the Fan Mansion a few streets away and said a few words to his scoundrel friends before leaving. Two hours later, the other party arrived at Lanshan Pavilion, one of the four most famous restaurants in the capital, and met up with Gu Yuan. ¡°Gu Yuan, this is my Fifth Sister¡¯s dowry list.¡± A young man in his twenties wearing an apricot-red shirt took out a few pieces of silk paper that were folded haphazardly and placed them on the table. The crimson gold flower crown on Fan Beiran¡¯s head shone brightly. He was as ostentatious as a lantern in the dark. ¡°Am I loyal enough?¡± As soon as he sat down, he asked Gu Yuan for a reward proudly. ¡°I secretly copied this behind my mother¡¯s back. For this, I even bribed my Seventh Brother to pester my mother.¡± Gu Yuan picked up the dowry list. A smile appeared on his cold face as he faced his good friend. ¡°I¡¯ll treat you to this wine today.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not enough!¡± Fan Beiran raised his head and finished the wine in his cup in one gulp. He placed the empty wine glass heavily on the table and said with a smile, ¡°Recently, a few people from the Lanshan Pavilion have come to play the pipa and sing a song. Their voices are like orioles, and they¡¯re not inferior to the singers at Tianyin Pavilion.¡± Without waiting for Gu Yuan to agree, Fan Beiran called his servant in and instructed with a cheeky smile, ¡°Go and call Mo Liu, Yue San, Duan Wu, and the others over. Tell them that Gu Yuan invited them to drink and listen to a song.¡± His servant ran off happily. ¡°You¡¯re such a busy person now, busy with your official duties all day long, not even having time to accompany us for a horse ride,¡± Fan Beiran pouted sourly and shrugged. ¡°Today, you have to drink with us all night long!¡± Gu Yuan¡¯s response was to drink all the wine in his cup. Then, he called the waiter over and ordered 10 jars of good wine. Fan Beiran was amused. He slammed the table and said, ¡°Gu Dayuan, if you can¡¯t finish this wine today, no one is allowed to leave!¡± 10 barrels of fine wine were carried into the private room, one after another, making the room feel a bit crowded. The waiter was grinning from ear to ear and finally set down the last barrel of wine. ¡°Young Masters, please wait a moment. The singing girls will be here soon.¡± The waiter walked over to pour wine for the two of them and smiled apologetically. Then, he heard a commotion on the street outside the window. Gu Yuan and Fan Beiran casually looked down and saw that there were many people squeezed into the cloth shop opposite Lanshan Pavilion. The cloth shop assistants carried rolls of cloth out of the shop and loaded them into a green-roofed carriage. There were also people on the street who were attracted by the commotion here. They stopped in their tracks curiously and asked other passersby. The entrance of the cloth shop became more and more lively. The waiter craned his neck and glanced at the street from the window. He smiled and started to gossip. ¡°I heard that someone from Prince Kang¡¯s Mansion came to buy cloth.¡± ¡°Speaking of which, Kang Wang is about to get married. When the time comes, I¡¯ll definitely have to go and join in the fun to see how particular the weddings of these nobles are.¡± ¡°I heard that Prince Kang¡¯s Mansion will give out silver rewards when the time comes. Last time, when the Prince of the First Rank got married, he sprinkled a few baskets of copper coins and silver berries. A few children in my uncle¡¯s family managed to snatch the silver berries.¡± The waiter became more and more excited as he spoke, his eyes shining. Fan Beiran and Gu Yuan had grown up together. Even if Gu Yuan didn¡¯t say it directly today, Fan Beiran could guess that Gu Yuan had asked him for this dowry list because of Gu Yanfei. He patted Gu Yuan¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°If there¡¯s anything I can help with, just tell me.. Your sister is also my sister!¡± Chapter 433 - Chapter 433: Seeking Marriage (1) Chapter 433: Seeking Marriage (1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°My sister is my sister!¡± Gu Yuan turned hostile and glanced at Fan Beiran as if he was flipping through a book. Then, he turned to look at the Li family¡¯s cloth shop below. He knew that Old Madam Gu had prepared Gu Yunrong¡¯s dowry for more than 10 years, just like how Madam Fan had prepared it for Fifth Miss Fan. Although it might be a little too late, his sister¡¯s dowry couldn¡¯t be worse than Gu Yunrong¡¯s! Gu Yuan¡¯s eyes flashed with a solemn light. He picked up the wine glass beside him and downed it in one gulp. The streets below were extremely lively. After the butler of Prince Kang¡¯s Mansion came out of the Li Corporation¡¯s cloth shop, he went to the other shops in front. He went to all of them, including the lacquer shop, the porcelain shop, the gold and silver shop, the wine shop, and so on. He almost emptied the entire street. Even the passersby following behind were infected by this enthusiastic atmosphere. They were all discussing how Kang Wang¡¯s Mansion had bought this and that¡­ For the next few days, Kang Wang Mansion¡¯s purchases for the wedding caused some waves in the capital. Many commoners were talking about this happily, praising Kang Wang for his thoughtfulness and saying that the future Princess Consort Kang was blessed. Kang Wang and Chu You did their best for Gu Yunrong and their wedding. They hoped that the wedding would be perfect and that they would do everything themselves. Other than the Prince of the Second Rank that the Ceremony Director had provided, he had also gotten someone to buy additional betrothal gifts. Other than that, he had to repair his new house, rebuild furniture, decorate the hall, prepare invitations, and so on. He was busy every day. The wedding was too rushed, and he only had a month to prepare. It wasn¡¯t until Xiao Shoufu personally came to the prince¡¯s residence that Chu You remembered that he had forgotten about his cousin, Yuan Zhe. Xiao Shoufu looked at Chu You and felt a little powerless to expect better from someone. This powerlessness had been suppressed for a long time, and today, he finally couldn¡¯t help but scold him. ¡°Your Highness, after this matter, the aristocratic family has suffered heavy casualties. All the direct descendants and collateral descendants of the Feng family in the court have been removed from their positions and will never be recruited.¡± ¡°The Yu family is in an even worse state. The Embroidered Uniform Guards have already gone to Yuzhou to take her away.¡± ¡°And Yuan Zhe¡­ Sigh!¡± ¡°Your Highness, at this juncture, you¡¯re not thinking about how to retaliate against the Eldest Prince, but you actually¡­¡± He actually had time to prepare for the wedding?! Usually, Xiao Shoufu has always respected Chu You. This was the first time he had spoken to Chu You in such a stern tone. He was really angry at him for not fighting. Thinking of Yuan Zhe, who was under house arrest, Chu You felt more or less guilty. Hence, in the morning court the day after, Kang Wang Chu You invited him to the palace to visit Empress Dowager Yuan in front of all the court officials. ¡°Brother, my brother¡¯s wedding is coming, but I didn¡¯t report it to the Empress Dowager personally. I¡¯m really uneasy.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s inconvenient for you to enter the palace, why don¡¯t you let your future Princess Consort enter the palace to visit the Empress Dowager? What do you think, Brother?¡± Under Chu You¡¯s cold gaze, the Emperor agreed with a smile. ¡°I agree with Seventh Brother¡¯s filial piety.¡± ¡°Thank you, brother.¡± Chu You stood upright in the center of the throne room and casually bowed to the Emperor on the throne. A kind of casualness was revealed in his every move. He knew that his brother was a hypocrite. If he wanted to be a benevolent king in history, as long as he used filial piety as an excuse, his brother would definitely not dare fall out with him in public. Having achieved his goal, Chu You quietly returned to his seat, thinking of bringing Gu Yunrong to Shouning Palace to visit the Empress Dowager. Chu You had just left when he saw a middle-aged eunuch beside him suddenly walk hurriedly to the Emperor¡¯s dragon chair. He leaned over and whispered into the Emperor¡¯s ear. The Emperor¡¯s expression changed slightly. He said calmly, ¡°Yes.¡± Everyone in the court heard this word clearly and knew that someone should be asking to see the Emperor. Who could it be?! The ministers looked at each other. Even the censors who were about to submit the report temporarily stopped. A moment later, Baili Yin, who was wearing a purple waist-length beard suit and a rhinoceros horn belt, strode into the throne room under the gazes of the civil and military officials. The officials couldn¡¯t hide their surprise. As the envoy of the State of Yue, Bai Liyin represented the attitude of the entire State of Yue when he arrived at the State of Jin¡¯s throne room. This was the second time Baili Yin went to the throne room. The first time was the first day he came to the capital. The second time was today. A carefree smile appeared on Baili Yin¡¯s rough and handsome face. He walked calmly to a spot less than 10 steps away from the emperor. He raised his head and stuck out his chest, forming a sharp contrast with the respectful ministers around him.. Chapter 434 - Chapter 434: Seeking Marriage (2) Chapter 434: Seeking Marriage (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Greetings, Emperor Jing.¡± When he bowed to the Emperor, he didn¡¯t even lower his head. He raised his chin and looked into the Emperor¡¯s eyes. He said loudly, ¡°I¡¯m representing the Sage of my country today to officially propose a marriage alliance with your country. My country is willing to marry the Eighth Princess, Princess Ximing, to your Eldest Prince.¡± The officials present were in an uproar. The Emperor looked down at Baili Yin with a dark gaze and suddenly grabbed the armrest of the throne with his right hand. Baili Yin didn¡¯t care about the reactions of the other courtiers around him at all. His gaze was fixed on the Emperor in front of him, and there was a confident and ostentatious smile on his lips. He continued, ¡°In that case, the Jin and Yue countries can also benefit from having a good relationship!¡± He spoke in a righteous manner. From the corner of his eye, he glanced at Chu Yi, who was standing on the Emperor¡¯s right. The corners of his lips curled up a little more. To put it bluntly, the reason why Chu Yi rejected the marriage alliance with his eighth sister was because he couldn¡¯t bear to part with the Second Lady of the Gu family. That was true. The Second Lady of the Gu family was indeed a beauty that even he himself had never seen in his life. This beautiful and interesting beauty was much rarer than an empty shell with beauty. If it were him, he would also be unwilling to give her up. Baili Yin¡¯s words tempted many of the officials present. Indeed, if the two countries could form a marriage alliance, they could become in-laws instead of enemies. At least, in the next few decades, they could maintain the peace between the two countries and avoid the flames of war and the suffering of the people. Most of the officials turned to look at Eldest Prince Chu Yi, who was standing on the Emperor¡¯s right. The Emperor slowly glanced at the people below and took in the changes in their expressions. He rejected indifferently, ¡°Third Prince Baili, I¡¯ve already decided on the Eldest Prince¡¯s marriage.¡± ¡°I appreciate the Third Prince¡¯s suggestion.¡± The Emperor¡¯s firm gaze met Baili Yin¡¯s. His tone was neither light nor heavy, but it was a rare domineering tone that left no room for doubt. Baili Yin¡¯s usually cynical face still had a smile as he looked at the Emperor sharply. The affairs of the State of Jin¡¯s royal family weren¡¯t secrets. The Emperor and Chu Yi were in a difficult situation, and Kang Wang was ambitious. The aristocratic families were abundant, and they had poured all their efforts into supporting Kang Wang. The Emperor and his son could be said to be facing numerous crises. The Emperor had been on the throne for a year and had yet to stabilize his position. The marriage between the two countries was very beneficial to Emperor Jing. It could help Emperor Jing stabilize the throne. In public, he could logically ask the State of Jin to use the blueprint of the new flintlock as a betrothal gift to the Princess. This should move the Emperor of the State of Jin more than the original condition. On a personal note, if Second Lady Gu¡¯s unrequited love left her heartbroken, he also had a chance of having this beautiful woman in his arms. Unexpectedly, the Emperor of the State of Jin was so short-sighted and rejected it immediately! ¡°Have you considered it carefully, Your Majesty?¡± Baili Yin asked slowly. Even if he didn¡¯t blow his beard, glare, or speak angrily, anyone could hear his unhappiness from his deliberately slow speech. ¡°My words are precious.¡± The Emperor gently brushed his sleeves. His first sentence was powerful, but his subsequent words became perfunctory and indifferent. ¡°My State of Jin is beautiful, and the mountains and rivers are magnificent. It¡¯s different from the State of Yue. It¡¯s rare for the Third Prince of a hundred miles to come to my country. You should have fun everywhere so that it¡¯ll live up to this thousand-mile journey.¡± A layer of frost gradually covered Baili Yin¡¯s brown pupils, and he gradually retracted the smile on his lips. Eight years ago, it was Emperor Chu Luo of the sixth year of his reign who begged the State of Yue to negotiate and took the initiative to send Chu Yi to the State of Yue as a hostage. Now, the State of Yue was willing to send the Princess to marry into the State of Jin to improve their relationships, but the State of Jin was unwilling?! No matter what kind of dark waves rose in Baili Yin¡¯s heart, he still didn¡¯t lose his composure. However, his entire body gradually changed into a different temperament. He was no longer smiling and teasing. Instead, he was cold and arrogant, emitting an aura as sinister as an owl. It was so quiet in the throne room that one could hear a pin drop. Everyone¡¯s eyes were focused on the Third Prince of the State of Yue. Baili Yin suppressed the huge waves in his heart. After being furious, he calmed down instead. A confident smile appeared on his handsome and rough face as he shouted, ¡°Your country has a flintlock, and the State of Yue has hundreds of thousands of warhorses.¡± ¡°The Yue and Jin countries are neighbors across the river. If we can unite the two countries, our country can help your country subdue the northwestern barbarians.¡± His voice was loud and full of energy. As soon as this condition was mentioned, the hearts of all the civil and military officials in the court trembled, and they gasped in unison.. Chapter 435 - Chapter 435: Seeking Marriage (3) Chapter 435: Seeking Marriage (3) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Many officials were a little fired up by his words. Emperor Taizu was wise and mighty, and he had opened up his territory. Meanwhile, the previous emperor could only barely defend his business. If the future could expand his territory and achieve a prosperous era, then officials like them would also be honored. Baili Yin¡¯s smile widened, and his eyes were like torches as he continued, ¡°The State of Yue is very sincere!¡± His words were gentle, but in the next moment, he changed the topic and said with a sharp tone, ¡°But the State of Yue will not be afraid of anyone.¡± The last sentence was almost enunciated word by word. It was resolute and decisive, and the threat was obvious. The air in the throne room suddenly turned cold, as if spring had turned to winter in an instant. The eight-year prospects, the war between the two countries, and the State of Jin¡¯s crushing defeat were still vivid in his mind. The State of Yue was unstoppable in Yangzhou. Back then, if the late emperor hadn¡¯t taken the initiative to seek peace and not hesitated to compensate, and had even given up the Yellow Water Ocean, and even sent Chu Yi to the State of Yue as a hostage, who knew how that battle would have ended? The army of the State of Yue would probably have gone all the way north! Thinking of these past events, some officials were already afraid of war. They exchanged glances in groups of twos and threes. There was a hint of uneasiness in the air. A clear male voice suddenly broke the quiet air. ¡°I heard that the Sage of the State of Yue is seriously ill. Lord Xia of the Heaven¡¯s Palace is under orders to supervise the country.¡± The young man¡¯s voice was neither fast nor slow, and his tone was light and delicate, as if a warm spring breeze had blown into the frozen throne room. Baili Yin suddenly turned to look at Chu Yi, who was standing on the Emperor¡¯s right. His eyes widened uncontrollably. There was a faint smile on Chu Yi¡¯s lips. He was calm and composed as he sighed faintly. ¡°The Crown Prince of your country isn¡¯t in a good situation now!¡± He was sighing at Baili Zhao of the State of Yue. As the Crown Prince, he had no right to supervise the country. In fact, he was mocking Baili Yin: The Sage of the State of Yue is seriously ill. Now that the troubles in the State of Yue haven¡¯t subsided, you can¡¯t even protect yourself Do you still want to send troops to the State of Jin like eight years ago?! ¡°¡­¡± Baili Yin used almost all his strength to barely stabilize his emotions. He didn¡¯t lose his composure, but his heart sank. How did Chu Yi know that the Sage was sick?! In the 12th month of last year, the Sage pretended to be ill to test the princes. However, who would have thought that in just a month, the fake illness would actually become a real illness? The Sage¡¯s dragon body was getting worse. He had only learned about it the day before after receiving a secret letter from the Crown Prince¡¯s brother. The letter said that after the Sage¡¯s edict ordered Xia Houqing to supervise the country, he had collapsed and had yet to wake up. Now that the Crown Prince¡¯s brother was in a difficult situation, Baili Yin had to get the new flintlock no matter what, so that the Crown Prince¡¯s brother would be like a tiger with wings. The problem was¡ª Chu Yi had been in the State of Jin for the past few months. How did he know about the State of Yue that was thousands of miles away? It was such a confidential matter! Chu Yi looked back at Baili Yin with a smile. His expression was as gentle and calm as usual. Their gazes met quietly in midair. Baili Yin¡¯s heart turned heavy with a hint of panic. It was an uneasiness that the situation was out of his control. The atmosphere in the court froze for a moment. Even if the courtiers weren¡¯t sure if Chu Yi was telling the truth, they could confirm from Baili Yin¡¯s reaction that the Sage of the State of Yue, Baili Hong, was really sick. Chu Yi said calmly, ¡°There¡¯s no need for a marriage alliance.¡± Xiao Shoufu frowned when he heard this. Chu Yi continued to say to Baili Yin, ¡°According to the agreement, the blueprint for the flintlock will be handed over to the Third Prince later. The Third Prince can also return to the country in peace and serve the Sage of the State of Yue.¡± ¡°We visited the State of Jin on behalf of the Sage and deliberately wanted to be on good terms with you. Is this how your country uses those old blueprints to patronize our country?!¡± Baili Yin raised his chin and stared at Chu Yi in front of him without blinking. His long and narrow eyes narrowed slightly, and his tall figure stood in the hall like a spear. With a new flintlock, who would want an old flintlock! Chu Yi¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he said, ¡°If the Third Prince doesn¡¯t want it, it¡¯s because of your country. It¡¯s not that the State of Jin didn¡¯t fulfill its promise.¡± ¡°It¡¯s already February. The Jingyang Canal should have thawed.¡± What he meant was that the canal had thawed and they could start the boat, so Baili Yin could also leave. Regardless of whether Baili Yin wanted the flintlock blueprint or not, the State of Jin wouldn¡¯t keep him anymore. This was equivalent to asking Baili Yin to leave openly. The two of them continued to look at each other. Baili Yin narrowed his eyes a little more, and sparks seemed to flash in his sharp gaze.. Chapter 436 - Chapter 436: Seeking Marriage (4) Chapter 436: Seeking Marriage (4) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The air in the throne room gradually tightened, as if an invisible bowstring had been pulled taut and an arrow was nocked. Chu Yi smiled gently the entire time. Baili Yin was also smiling coldly. After a while, Baili Yin finally moved. He slowly turned to look at the Emperor on the throne, and his tone turned cold. ¡°Your Majesty, is this your country¡¯s sincerity?¡± ¡°The State of Yue is full of sincerity. Do you think our country is easy to bully?!¡± Without waiting for the Emperor to answer, Baili Yin casually cupped his hands and said, ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± After cupping his hands and bowing, Baili Yin flicked his sleeves and left. He strode out of the throne room, leaving behind a determined back view. The entire court looked at Baili Yin¡¯s departing figure and didn¡¯t speak for a long time. After Baili Yin walked away, the throne room quickly became noisy. Xiao Shoufu finally couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore. He took a step forward from the line and looked at Chu Yi disapprovingly. After bowing, he said in a condemning tone, ¡°Your Highness, you shouldn¡¯t be so impulsive. This concerns the future of the two countries. Your Highness, you really shouldn¡¯t do things because of your personal likes and dislikes. Your Highness only wants to vent your old anger, but you¡¯re disregarding the safety of the country and the people!¡± The meaning between the lines was that Chu Yi had suffered grievances when he was a hostage in the State of Yue and had a heart of grievance. That was why he didn¡¯t care about the country¡¯s overall situation and did as he pleased! As he spoke, Kang Wang and the other officials around him nodded repeatedly. The Eldest Prince was still too young and impulsive. ¡°Then how do you think the Grand Secretary should deal with it?¡± Chu Yi smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ll listen to the Grand Secretary.¡± He looked at Xiao Shoufu with a modest smile, looking like he was all ears. His words and actions were exceptionally appropriate, and no one could find fault with him. Xiao Shoufu was speechless. Xiao Shoufu couldn¡¯t believe his ears for a moment. The Eldest Prince looks gentle, but he¡¯s actually very opinionated. Will he even listen to me?! Just as he was hesitating, Xiao Shoufu noticed that the Emperor beside him had curled his lips slightly. He calmly picked up the teacup and seemed to be in a good mood. Wait! Could it be a trick?! When this thought appeared in his mind, Xiao Shoufu¡¯s frown deepened. Logically speaking, the benefits of this marriage outweighed the disadvantages for the Eldest Prince. It was impossible for the Emperor not to understand this. Xiao Shoufu looked at Chu Yi for a moment and then at the Emperor on the throne. The corners of his eyes twitched. Could it be¡­ His Majesty is afraid that they¡¯ll jump out and object, so he¡¯s deliberately retreating in order to advance later? The more Xiao Shoufu thought about it, the more shocked he became. Cold sweat gradually seeped out from his neck to his back, and his heart turned cold. Since he didn¡¯t speak, Kang Wang and his followers didn¡¯t speak either. After a moment of silence in the throne room, Chu Yi¡¯s sighing voice sounded from ahead again. ¡°It seems that even the Grand Secretary doesn¡¯t know what to do.¡± His voice was clear, low, and slow, without any aggressiveness, but Xiao Shoufu¡¯s expression darkened, and his heart was in a mess. Chu Yi retracted the smile on his lips, and his voice turned cold. ¡°As the dignified Grand Secretary, you¡¯re in a high position, and everyone follows you, but you don¡¯t even have an idea. It¡¯s really disappointing.¡± ¡°Sigh, the Grand Secretary is indeed old. The Grand Secretary should really listen to my advice and recuperate well.¡± Chu Yi sighed meaningfully. Although Chu Yi didn¡¯t say it directly, it was equivalent to asking Xiao Shoufu to retire. Afraid that the Emperor would follow Chu Yi¡¯s orders, Xiao Shoufu gritted his teeth and didn¡¯t have time to consider his words carefully. He hurriedly said, ¡°I¡¯m thinking that since the Eldest Prince is the Emperor¡¯s only son, he naturally can¡¯t marry the Princess of the State of Yue. Otherwise, the bloodline of the imperial family will be impure.¡± He immediately changed the topic. ¡°However, I think that even if there¡¯s something wrong with the marriage, Your Highness shouldn¡¯t reject the Third Prince Baili like this and make the situation tense.¡± ¡°The State of Yue didn¡¯t hesitate to let the legitimate princess marry into our State of Jin. It can be seen how sincere they are. The marriage between the two countries is still debatable.¡± ¡°Such as?¡± Chu Yi raised his eyebrows with a faint smile. When he asked this, the other courtiers also began to consider the candidates for a marriage alliance with the State of Yue. The Emperor only had Chu Yi as his only son. The State of Yue used the legitimate princess as the candidate for a marriage alliance. It was impossible for the State of Jin to use the distant imperial family to patronize them. That would only make the State of Yue feel that the State of Jin was too casual with the State of Yue. In that case, there weren¡¯t many candidates left in the royal family. The closest descendants were only the sons of the previous Emperor. The late Emperor had seven sons. Excluding those who died prematurely, among the surviving sons of the current Emperor, there were five princes. And there was only one prince who was unmarried. ¡°Kang Wang!¡± Xiao Shoufu blurted it out. Yes, Kang Wang wasn¡¯t married yet.. Chapter 437 - Chapter 437: Elopement (1) Chapter 437: Elopement (1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios A glint flashed across Xiao Shoufu¡¯s eyes. He had only said it casually to deal with the Eldest Prince, but when he said the words ¡°Kang Wang¡±, his heart lit up. The more he thought about it, the more he felt that this was a brilliant idea. Kang Wang and the others also had strange looks in their eyes. They also felt that the Grand Secretary¡¯s suggestion was quite wonderful. It was simply a stroke of genius. If Kang Wang could marry the princess of the State of Yue, wouldn¡¯t it be like adding wings to a tiger? The expression of Chu You, who had been watching the show for a long time, instantly darkened. He didn¡¯t expect this fire to inexplicably burn him. ¡°Grand Secretary, you¡¯re wrong.¡± Chu You immediately jumped out of the line and retorted in a deep voice, ¡°The Empress Dowager has already given me a marriage. There are only a few days left until my wedding.¡± ¡°Kang Wang¡­¡± Xiao Shoufu turned his head and met Chu You¡¯s gloomy eyes. His gaze was sharp. He wanted to persuade Chu You and analyze the pros and cons with him, but this was the morning court assembly, so it was clearly not the time. Chu You said coldly in a domineering tone, ¡°Don¡¯t mention this again.¡± Veins popped up in the corners of his eyes. For the first time, he was dissatisfied with Xiao Shoufu. He also had a lot to say, but he could only suppress it first. As the dark tide surged, the Emperor¡¯s calm and indifferent voice suddenly sounded in front. ¡°Grand Secretary, Seventh Brother, if there¡¯s nothing else, you can leave the court today.¡± There was no emotion in the Emperor¡¯s tone. The teacup in his hand closed with a crisp sound, making the hearts of the ministers below skip a beat. They were even more uncertain about the Emperor¡¯s intentions. Eunuch Zhao Rang slowly looked around at everyone and shouted, ¡°Court is dismissed!¡± His slightly high-pitched voice resounded through the throne room. The civil and military officials returned to their places and bowed respectfully to send the Emperor off. Chu Yi also left the throne room with the Emperor. The ministers behind him sent him off in unison, their voices as loud as thunder. It was only nine o¡¯clock in the morning. The sun was high in the blue sky, and the temperature was neither hot nor cold. It was a good day for a walk. The father and son didn¡¯t take the shoulder palanquin or the carriage. They walked casually to the south study in the southwest corner of Qianqing Palace. As soon as he sat down, a young eunuch came to report, ¡°Your Majesty, Marquis Ji¡¯an requests an audience.¡± The Emperor raised his eyebrows slightly and said calmly, ¡°No.¡± Previously, when Imperial Duke Wei impeached Marquis Ji¡¯an for colluding with bandits and invited them to suppress the bandits, the Emperor agreed. He also ordered Marquis Ji¡¯an, Xu Yan, not to leave the capital until the case was clear. Xu Yan naturally refused to admit it. On the same day, he entered the palace to defend himself. He even bit back at Imperial Duke Wei, saying that Imperial Duke Wei had taken revenge because of his family matters with Madam. He even apologized to the Emperor to show that he wasn¡¯t strict with the family. The meaning between the lines was that Madam Wei Wan couldn¡¯t tolerate anyone. After the Emperor heard this, he sent Xu Yan back. In just a few days, Xu Yan, who had been calm at the beginning, became more and more anxious. He had to enter the palace almost every day, but the Emperor never summoned him again. ¡°No! No!¡± Seeing that the Emperor and his son had returned, the colorful parrot learned to talk in a good mood, causing the Emperor to play with his little darling. The little eunuch left silently. ¡°My cousin is really a sly old fox.¡± The Emperor sighed casually. He was referring to Imperial Duke Wei, Wei Seng. After a pause, the Emperor frowned slightly and stroked his beard. He said in disgust, ¡°Xu Yan is really something!¡± ¡°We have to find a good husband for An Le in the future.¡± The Emperor was also a person with a daughter, so he could empathize with Imperial Duke Wei¡¯s anger. He thought to himself: As An Le¡¯s father, I have to pay attention to her marriage and find her a good husband. ¡°Really something!¡± The parrot called out again, making the Emperor laugh. He grabbed a handful of bird food and fed it to his parrot. As soon as the little eunuch left, Jin An, the eunuch from the Ceremony Director, also arrived at the south study. Seeing that the Emperor was teasing the parrot with interest, Jin An knew in his heart that the Eldest Prince had probably summoned him. He lowered his head and maintained a bowing posture, waiting for instructions. Chu Yi gently blew the foam on the teacup and said calmly, ¡°Xiao Shoufu suggested that Kang Wang marry the princess of the State of Yue¡­ Go and tell the Empress Dowager about this.¡± Jin An replied respectfully, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Your Highness. I¡¯ll definitely do this well.¡± After Li Han, the seal eunuch of the Internal Affairs Directorate, was removed, Chu Yi ordered the division of the Internal Affairs Directorate into the 12 directorates of the Internal Affairs Directorate. In less than a month, the entire Internal Affairs Directorate was reorganized and renovated. The current Internal Affairs Directorate was as invincible as an iron bucket.. Chapter 438 - Chapter 438: Elopement (2) Chapter 438: Elopement (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios What did Chu Yi want Empress Dowager Yuan to know that only she could know? The internal court had already changed before Empress Dowager Yuan knew. After Jin An left the south study, he immediately summoned two little eunuchs and gave them instructions. The two eunuchs from the Ceremony Director listened to his instructions and returned to Shou¡¯an Palace. Because Empress Dowager Yuan was under house arrest, even the people from the Shou¡¯an Palace were forbidden to enter and leave. They were trapped in the Shou¡¯an Palace. These two servants were usually in charge of guarding the entrance of the Shou¡¯an Palace and were quite familiar with the people from the Shou¡¯an Palace. These two people were also smart. Taking advantage of the next time the palace maids from Shou¡¯an Palace came to bribe them, they secretly added fuel to the fire and leaked this matter. That afternoon, Kang Wang, Chu You, brought Gu Yunrong to Shou¡¯an Palace. The mother and son hadn¡¯t seen each other for more than 20 days since the banquet. Chu You wanted to have a good chat with Empress Dowager Yuan, but unexpectedly, the first thing she said was: ¡°Ah You, you¡¯re too impulsive. A marriage to the State of Yue is beneficial to you!¡± Empress Dowager Yuan controlled her temper and advised her son kindly, ¡°Ah You, listen to my advice. The previous dynasty¡¯s Emperor Guanglie was only able to turn the tide because he married the princess of Xirong and had the help of Xirong. Otherwise, the previous dynasty would have been exhausted a hundred years ago. In order to achieve great things, you must make some sacrifices!¡± ¡°Besides, if you don¡¯t marry the State of Yue¡¯s Princess, Chu Yi will marry her. Are you going to watch helplessly as Chu Yi takes the throne in the future?¡± Empress Dowager Yuan didn¡¯t give Chu You a chance to speak at all. After speaking confidently, her sharp and domineering gaze turned to Gu Yunrong, whose expression was stiff. She only said calmly, ¡°Rong¡¯er, you¡¯re a good girl. You only have Ah You in your heart. You¡¯re willing to make a little sacrifice for him, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Gu Yunrong pursed her cherry lips and looked deeply at Empress Dowager Yuan. How could she not understand what Empress Dowager Yuan meant? In the previous dynasty, Emperor Guanglie originally had the original wife, the Shi family. However, in order to help Emperor Guanglie obtain the support of the Xirong people, she didn¡¯t hesitate to abdicate and be demoted to a concubine. Gu Yunrong left without saying a word. Her unhappiness was obvious. Early this morning, Kang Wang personally came to the reed alley to look for her and said that he wanted to bring her to the palace, so she followed him. Although the Empress Dowager was a little snobbish, she was Kang Wang¡¯s biological mother after all. If their relationship wasn¡¯t good, the most difficult person was Kang Wang. For the sake of Kang Wang¡¯s feelings for her, she had specially prepared a small double-sided embroidered screen and personally made desserts to make the Empress Dowager happy when she entered the palace this time. She was sincere, but she didn¡¯t expect the Empress Dowager to splash a bucket of ice water on her the moment they met. Gu Yunrong didn¡¯t want to say anything hurtful, and she also felt that she and Empress Dowager Yuan didn¡¯t get along well. Hence, she left Shou¡¯an Palace without looking back. ¡°Rong¡¯er!¡± Chu You could no longer care about Empress Dowager Yuan and hurriedly chased after her. He heard Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s exasperated voice coming from behind, repeatedly calling out, ¡°Ah You.¡± However, Chu You didn¡¯t seem to hear her. He was only focused on chasing after Gu Yunrong. Gu Yunrong walked faster and faster. When she walked out of the Shou¡¯an Palace, she grabbed her skirt and jogged. She just wanted to leave the deep palace. Behind him, Chu You¡¯s footsteps were getting closer and closer. Accompanied by his anxious shouts, Gu Yunrong didn¡¯t stop, not even when beads of sweat had long appeared on her forehead. Her beautiful face looked a little disheveled. She jogged from the inner court to the outer court. After passing through the Zhaode Gate, the tall Wumen City Building appeared in front. 70 to 80 feet away, a familiar tall figure entered her vision. The young man was tall and slender, and his crimson official robe made him look high-spirited. He was talking to a young man in his twenties in a blue python robe. The two of them were chatting and laughing, and they were abnormally familiar with each other. It was Gu Yuan and Fan Beiran! Gu Yunrong slowed down and looked at the two people in front of her in a daze. Gu Yuan had his back to Gu Yunrong and didn¡¯t notice her at all. He casually threw an oil paper bag to Fan Beiran. ¡°Peanuts with salt and pepper to fill your stomach first.¡± Fan Beiran happily took out a salt and pepper peanut from the oil paper bag and threw it into his mouth. He bit into it. ¡°Lanshan Pavilion?¡± Fan Beiran could tell immediately. Fan Beiran¡¯s tongue had always been sharp, so Gu Yuan wasn¡¯t surprised.. He nodded with a smile and asked, ¡°Ah Ran, who did you hire to make the furniture for your Fifth Sister¡¯s Duobao Pavilion, Luohan bed, and rack bed? Are you going to Yangzhou to buy the wood?¡± Chapter 439 - Chapter 439: Elopement (3) Chapter 439: Elopement (3) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°You brat, I knew you would never visit unless you needed something. No wonder you came here to stop me.¡± With their relationship, Fan Beiran spoke very casually and threw a salt and pepper peanut into his mouth. ¡°On the account that you still know how to be filial to me, I¡¯ll help you ask my mother when I get back.¡± Gu Yuan climbed up the ladder and said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you help me ask Auntie again? The jewelry on the list was bought from that bank.¡± Fan Beiran readily made a ¡°no problem¡± gesture. When Gu Yunrong, who wasn¡¯t far away, saw the two of them, she bit her lower lip. She was about to speed up when she felt her right arm tighten. Chu You, who was behind her, finally caught up to her and grabbed her slender arm. ¡°Rong¡¯cr!¡± Chu You looked at her affectionately, passionately, and attentively. ¡°Let me explain. This is my mother¡¯s opinion alone. I won¡¯t marry anyone else.¡± ¡°You know that you¡¯re the only one in my heart.¡± His explanation was anxious and sincere. He grabbed Gu Yunrong¡¯s right arm tightly with one hand and restrained her like an iron clamp. ¡°Let go of me!¡± Gu Yunrong said in a low voice, trying to break free from Chu You. He couldn¡¯t help but glance in the direction of Gu Yuan and Fan Beiran, and happened to meet Gu Yuan¡¯s deep phoenix eyes. Gu Yuan only glanced at Gu Yunrong and Chu You indifferently before retracting his gaze. He pointed in a direction at Fan Beiran and gestured for them to talk somewhere else. Gu Yunrong¡¯s face was burning. She thought to herself: Gu Yuan knows I¡¯m here, right¡­ Gu Yuan was in charge of the imperial guard and walked beside the Eldest Prince all day long. Of course, he couldn¡¯t hide what happened in the morning court from him. He must also know that Kang Wang was going to marry the princess of the State of Yue. Gu Yuan must be watching her make a fool of herself. For a moment, Gu Yunrong was so embarrassed that she wished she could dig a hole and hide in it. Her face and ears were burning. Gu Yunrong flew into a rage out of humiliation and bit her lower lip so hard that it almost bled. She hardened her heart and gritted her teeth with red eyes. ¡°Your Highness, let go.¡± ¡°We¡¯re¡­ over.¡± This sentence was extremely difficult for her to say. Even at this moment, Gu Yunrong still believed in Kang Wang¡¯s feelings for her. However, he was too different from her after all. He had his ambitions. In the eyes of the Empress Dowager and others, she was just an existence that hindered Kang Wang¡¯s future. Even if Kang Wang could reject the princess once, could he reject her twice, thrice¡­ could he foresee countless times in the future? ¡°¡­¡± Chu You looked as if he had been stabbed. He looked at Gu Yunrong in disbelief. Instead of letting go, he grabbed her right arm even more tightly. His eyes turned bloodshot as he declared domineeringly, ¡°I won¡¯t let go of you!¡± His next sentence became gentle again. ¡°Rong¡¯er, didn¡¯t you say that you¡¯ll take my hand and grow old together with me?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been through so much together¡­ We¡¯ve only gotten to where we are today. How can you give up on me so easily?¡± Chu You¡¯s words also stung Gu Yunrong. His eyes were filled with tears, and his eyelashes trembled. She was also reluctant. To her, making such a decision was like cutting off a piece of flesh from her heart. ¡°Rong¡¯er¡­¡± Chu You looked at her moving appearance, and his heart ached. He wanted to pull her into his arms and express his feelings for her, but Gu Yunrong ruthlessly pushed him away. ¡°The Empress Dowager is doing this for your own good,¡± Gu Yunrong said in a hoarse voice. She forced herself not to cry. Gu Yunrong took off the nine-dragon emerald jade bracelet on her left wrist and decisively stuffed it into Chu You¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯ll return this to you¡­¡± This was their token of love. Gu Yunrong¡¯s actions of wanting to cut ties with him immediately angered Chu You. Chu You¡¯s eyes were bloodshot like a spider web, and his heart hurt as if thousands of arrows had pierced it. He threw the jade bracelet in his hand heavily without looking at it, with a hint of venting emotions. The bracelet flew across the sky like a meteor and flew in Gu Yuan¡¯s direction. Fan Beiran and Gu Yuan were walking forward when they suddenly heard an air-piercing sound behind them. They subconsciously turned around and saw that a jade bracelet was about to hit Gu Yuan¡¯s head, but it was half a foot away¡­ ¡°Gu¡­¡± Fan Beiran¡¯s expression changed. He wanted to push Gu Yuan, but just as his hand touched Gu Yuan¡¯s shoulder, he saw the rapidly flying jade bracelet stop in midair, shining brightly under the sun.. Chapter 440 - Chapter 440: Elopement (4) Chapter 440: Elopement (4) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Eh?! Fan Bciran was dumbfounded. He almost thought that he was hallucinating and blinked. The green emerald jade bracelet paused in midair for two seconds before landing vertically on the ground. ¡°Bang!¡± The jade bracelet shattered into three pieces. Fan Bciran placed his hand on Gu Yuan¡¯s left shoulder and was dumbfounded. He looked at the broken bracelet on the ground and then at Gu Yuan¡¯s side profile. ¡°Did you see it just now?¡± he asked in disbelief. Was he seeing things? Or was he daydreaming? Gu Yuan was stunned for a moment before he quickly came back to his senses. The corners of his lips curled up happily as he nodded and said, ¡°I saw it.¡± ¡°No wonder Sister said that I was plagued with bad luck.¡± It was true. Fan Bciran suddenly touched the back of Gu Yuan¡¯s head with his right hand. Only then did he confirm that there was nothing on his head except the silver hairpin. ¡°Ha.¡± Gu Yuan suddenly chuckled and turned to look in the direction of Zhaodc Gate. He said in a strange tone, ¡°As expected.¡± Fan Bciran followed his gaze and looked at Gu Yunrong and Chu You. The two of them were still pushing each other excitedly. One was grabbing, and the other was dodging. Fan Bciran shook his head and repeated, ¡°As expected!¡± No wonder Gu Yuan was so unlucky. How could he not be unlucky in front of these two people?! ¡°Ah Yuan, let¡¯s go. I don¡¯t want my head to be smashed.¡± Fan Bciran pulled Gu Yuan away, and the two of them walked towards the Meridian Gate. After walking out of the palace from the cast door of the Meridian Gate, Fan Bciran suddenly stopped in his tracks. He pursed his thin lips, and his expression seemed a little distracted. ¡°Ah Ran?¡± Gu Yuan called out when he saw him standing there in a daze. Fan Bciran walked quickly to Gu Yuan¡¯s side. He turned around and pointed in the direction of the palace door. He lowered his voice and said, ¡°Was this¡­ your sister¡¯s method just now?¡± Fan Bciran had long heard of the Second Lady of the Gu family. It was simply like thunder resounding in his ears. Today, he had finally seen it with his own eyes. ¡°Of course!¡± Gu Yuan raised his chin proudly and said proudly, ¡°You haven¡¯t seen my sister, right? She¡¯s obedient and cute.¡± Fan Bciran took the reins from the servant and got on the horse. He hesitated for a moment before saying to Gu Yuan, who had also gotten on the horse, ¡°Ah Yuan, I want to ask your sister for a favor.¡± ¡°Favor?¡± Gu Yuan rode his horse to Fan Beiran¡¯s side and raised his eyebrows. Fan Bciran looked around and gestured for Gu Yuan to walk forward with him. When there was no one around, Fan Bciran said, ¡°It¡¯s my fifth sister. As you know, my fifth sister was already engaged half a year ago.¡± Gu Yuan nodded. He remembered that the Fifth Lady of the Fan family was engaged to the Fourth Young Master of Earl Zhongqin¡¯s Mansion. Fan Bciran considered his words and continued, ¡°Fifth Sister has a good temper. She¡¯s gentle and cute, but¡­¡± At this point, Fan Bciran pursed his thin lips and looked a little embarrassed. After hesitating for a moment, he continued in one breath, ¡°Recently, for some reason, my fifth sister has suddenly taken a fancy to a poor scholar from somewhere. She¡¯s infatuated with that scholar and is devoted to him.¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t sleep all day and night and insists on meeting that poor scholar. She says her heart hurts if she doesn¡¯t let me see her. Our family really had no choice, so we fed her some calming medicine. She finally fell asleep, but she suddenly woke up in the middle of the night. She drew her eyebrows and eyes in front of the dressing table, scaring the maidservant on night duty.¡± ¡°She also said that she no longer wanted to marry into Earl Zhongqin¡¯s Mansion. She wanted to break off the engagement and cried and made a fuss at home.¡± ¡°Our family really couldn¡¯t do anything to her. We could only lock her up and plan to persuade her slowly¡­ But this girl actually started to go on a hunger strike.¡± With that, Fan Beiran sighed deeply and rubbed his eyebrows. If not for the fact that he had a relationship with Gu Yuan since they were young, he wouldn¡¯t dare to casually mention this to others. Initially, the family thought that the young lady was feeling uneasy before her marriage, so she threw a tantrum. They thought that after letting her calm down for a few days, the family would be able to persuade her. In the end, it had been a few days, but the young lady still wouldn¡¯t listen to their advice no matter what. She didn¡¯t eat, drink, or sleep. Last night, she suddenly woke up in the middle of the night to embroider some wedding dress. She said that Mr. Xue would marry her soon. ¡°My mother said that my fifth sister must have been possessed. She even specially invited someone to the residence to perform a ritual, but it was useless.¡± ¡°I also think that Fifth Sister is possessed!¡± Fan Beiran tightened his grip on the reins worriedly. He drove the horse side by side with Gu Yuan and said seriously, ¡°Ah Yuan, you¡¯ve seen how obedient my Fifth Sister is.¡± Gu Yuan had indeed seen her before. When the Fifth Young Lady was young, she used to run behind Fan Beiran and go out with them. When they went to race, she would go too. When they went to fight chickens, she also wanted to watch. When they went to the casino, she would secretly follow them¡­ It was only when she was seven or eight years old that she was restrained by Madam Fan, who stopped letting her leave the manor to play with boys like them. Fan Bciran grabbed Gu Yuan¡¯s wrist and said anxiously, ¡°Ah Yuan, if she continues to be so hungry and doesn¡¯t eat, I¡¯m really afraid that she¡¯ll starve¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s something really wrong with her.¡± ¡°Can you ask your sister to take a look at my fifth sister?¡± Fan Beiran¡¯s helplessness when he said this last sentence was still ringing in his ears. When Gu Yuan returned to the residence and relayed his good friend¡¯s words to Gu Yanfei, his expression was filled with empathy. After talking about the Fifth Young Lady, Gu Yuan said, ¡°Sister, if you¡¯re unwilling, I¡¯ll let Fan Bciran know.¡± When she heard the name ¡°Fan Bciran¡± again, Gu Yanfei was a little stunned. She knew Fan Beiran. In her previous life, her brother¡¯s legs were seriously injured, and he was abandoned by the second branch. It was Fan Bciran and the others who did their best to help her brother. They invited all the doctors in the capital and even specially invited military doctors who were good at treating external injuries, but her brother¡¯s legs were still crippled. When her brother died, Fan Bciran and the other men cried uncontrollably. They were the ones who helped her bury her brother. Gu Yanfei lowered her eyes to hide her emotions and said nonchalantly, ¡°Sure, Big Brother. When are we going to the Fan Mansion?¡± Seeing that his sister agreed, Gu Yuan said, ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to make a special trip. Fan Beiran said that he would think of a way to get her over.¡± He took the tea from Gu Yanfei and sat down at the side. ¡°I¡¯ll get Wu Tong to send him a message.¡± Gu Yuan instructed Juan Bi to look for Wu Tong in the outer courtyard. He stayed in Yuhcng Garden and ate some sweets with Gu Yanfei. The Fan Mansion wasn¡¯t far from the Gu Mansion and was only three or four streets away. After an incense stick of time, the Fan siblings arrived. One of the siblings was wearing apricot red, and the other was wearing peach red. They were both dressed brightly, making the room seem much brighter. When she saw Fan Bciran, Gu Yanfei was actually not unfamiliar with him. In her previous life, she had seen Fan Bciran before. Now that they were old friends, she smiled at him kindly, and her gaze landed on the Fifth Young Lady of the Fan family. Fan Mushuang was wearing a peach-colored dress embroidered with broken branches and peony flowers. A pair of ruby-embedded red and gold hairpins were inserted into her buns. She had a small, round face, almond-shaped eyes, peach cheeks, and an exquisite little mouth. Her facial features were exquisite and delicate. She looked obedient and harmless. However, her face was a little haggard. Her fair cheeks were slightly sunken, and her eyes were blurry. There were also dark shadows in her eye sockets. It was obvious that she hadn¡¯t slept well in the past few days. Gu Yanfei sized up Fan Mushuang, and the Fan siblings were also sizing her up. Fan Mushuang¡¯s clear, almond-shaped eyes stared at Gu Yanfei in a daze. The first thing she said was shocking. ¡°My second brother said that you can help me elope with Xue¡¯er?¡± Her lips curled into a smile. The corners of her lips were raised high, like the moon and hooks, with a strange yearning.. Chapter 441 - Chapter 441: Love Gu (1) Chapter 441: Love Gu (1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Gu Yanfei was still calm. She only raised her right eyebrow. Gu Yuan, who was drinking tea, didn¡¯t look so normal. He almost spat out the tea in his mouth and frowned at Fan Beiran. ¡°Ahem!¡± Fan Beiran coughed dryly and winked at Gu Yuan. Wasn¡¯t his Fifth Sister possessed?! He had no choice now and could only use this last resort to trick this girl out first. Anyway, they were family, so there was no need to treat her like an outsider. Gu Yuan slowly swallowed the tea in his mouth and watched quietly from the side. Gu Yanfei rested one elbow on the coffee table and looked at Fan Mushuang with her chin in her hand. She asked as if nothing had happened, ¡°Miss Fan, is Young Master Xue your sweetheart?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Fan Mushuang¡¯s eyes lit up. Her pupils shone like gems as she nodded vigorously. ¡°Can you tell me what kind of person he is?¡± Gu Yanfei threw out a second question right on the heels of that. She pushed the plate of candied plums in Fan Mushuang¡¯s direction and gestured for her to try it. However, Fan Mushuang turned a blind eye to it. A peach blossom-like blush appeared on her face as she gripped the armrest of the chair tightly with one hand and said tenderly, ¡°Xue¡¯cr is a scholar. He¡¯s now living in Wuliang Temple to study.¡± ¡°Xue¡¯er is exceptionally talented, but unfortunately, he hasn¡¯t been recognized for his abilities. He studied diligently for 10 years at the Bailu Academy, with the hope that his mentors would recommend him for an official position. However, his opportunity was taken away by the son of a high-ranking official. Despite facing such injustice, he didn¡¯t give up on himself. He said that since he couldn¡¯t rely on recommendations to enter the court, he would participate in this year¡¯s autumn examination. He¡¯s determined to achieve a high ranking next year and eventually become a minister in the government, leaving a mark in history.¡± ¡°The moment I saw him, I knew that he was my destined person!¡± ¡°The Buddha said that it took 500 glances back in past lives to have a chance encounter in this life. The bond between Xuc¡¯er and me has spanned three lifetimes. In the previous and previous previous lifetimes, we were separated by our families. But in this lifetime, I¡¯m determined to grow old with my beloved Xue¡¯er.¡± ¡°No one can break us up!¡± Fan Beiran had actually heard Fan Mushuang¡¯s words many times. As he listened, he couldn¡¯t help but frown deeply and sigh in his heart. If his Fifth Sister has her eyes on a talented young man, and considering that she hasn¡¯t married the Fourth Young Master of the Zhongqin¡¯s Mansion yet, at most their family would compensate for the Zhongqin¡¯s Mansion. Canceling the marriage agreement would be sufficient. Their Fan family was a military family, and they weren¡¯t the kind of pedantic family that would strangle a girl to death if she accidentally touched a man¡¯s hand. However, his Fifth Sister had taken a fancy to this Young Master Xue. What was this? He wasn¡¯t good at literature, nor was he good at martial arts. Fortunately, he was ambitious and shallow. Let alone being his brother-in-law, he usually encounters such a person. It was a waste of saliva to talk to him. Gu Yanfei stared at Fan Mushuang¡¯s shining eyes and asked, ¡°Is Young Master Xue very good?¡± ¡°He¡¯s really good.¡± Fan Mushuang nodded repeatedly. ¡°Xue¡¯er¡¯s literary talent is outstanding. He¡¯s proficient in all kinds of poems, songs, strategies, and philosophies. His knowledge runs through the past and present. No matter what he says, he can touch my heart.¡± The corners of Gu Yanfei¡¯s mouth curled up like a crescent moon, as if she was listening with relish. Her expression when she looked at her didn¡¯t seem fake. For a moment, Fan Beiran, who was at the side, couldn¡¯t help but wonder if he was just prejudiced against that Young Master Xue. No, no way. There¡¯s no problem with me! Fan Beiran shook his head, but he didn¡¯t instruct Juan Bi to serve him a cup of strong tea. Gu Yanfei didn¡¯t even look in Fan Beiran¡¯s direction. She focused on Fan Mushuang and urged, ¡°Tell me more.¡± Over the past few days, when Fan Mushuang was at home, her relatives all said that Xue¡¯er wasn¡¯t good. Now that she saw that Gu Yanfei had no intention of looking down on Xue¡¯er at all, she felt that the other party really wanted to help her elope. She instantly became energetic. Fan Mushuang put her palms together and smiled sweetly. Her smile was so sweet that it seemed to seep into her heart. She continued to talk about her sweetheart. ¡°He has a noble temperament. He doesn¡¯t value money or external things, nor does he blindly pursue fame and fortune. He¡¯s determined to become a parent official in the future and can do something for the country and the people.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my fortune to be able to reunite with him in this life. We¡¯re fated to live and die together for three lifetimes!¡± Gu Yanfei listened attentively, and her eyes lit up. After Fan Mushuang finished speaking, Gu Yanfei suddenly moved. She raised her hand and gently tapped her forehead.. Chapter 442 - Chapter 442: Love Gu (2) Chapter 442: Love Gu (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios A white light that couldn¡¯t be seen by the mortal eye flashed between the girl¡¯s eyebrows and disappeared. Fan Mushuang covered her forehead in confusion. Fan Beiran was instantly in no mood to drink tea. He put down the cup of strong tea he had just picked up and stared at Gu Yanfei with a burning gaze, as if asking, How is it? Gu Yanfei turned to Fan Beiran and said affirmatively, ¡°It¡¯s a Love Gu.¡± She didn¡¯t avoid Miss Fan when she said this. Gu?! Fan Beiran and Gu Yuan were shocked when they heard this. The two of them thought of the Gu in the Eldest Princess, An Le. Fan Beiran hurriedly asked Gu Yanfei, ¡°Sister, I heard that the Eldest Princess was poisoned previously¡­¡± Could it be the same thing?! Gu Yuan glanced at Fan Beiran coldly. His unhappy eyes seemed to be saying: This is my sister we¡¯re talking about! Hearing this, Fan Mushuang couldn¡¯t help but frown. Although she didn¡¯t know what a Gu was, she understood one thing: Second Lady Gu was probably not here to help her elope. Gu Yanfei explained, ¡°Young Master Fan, the Eldest Princess was infected with the Blood Gu. The Blood Gu is ferocious and uses a person¡¯s blood essence as nourishment. It can take a person¡¯s life.¡± ¡°And your sister was poisoned by a Love Gu.¡± ¡°As the name implies, once you¡¯re poisoned by a Love Gu, you¡¯ll be trapped by love and go crazy over it.¡± Fan Beiran¡¯s expression instantly changed. On the one hand, he felt that there was a reason for his sister¡¯s sudden change in temperament. On the other hand, he was shocked. This Love Gu wasn¡¯t inferior to the Blood Gu that could kill people. Think about it. If a girl caused trouble for her lover and offended all her relatives and friends, what good outcome could she have? This was simply killing her without a trace! ¡°No!¡± Fan Mushuang stood up from her chair excitedly and retorted excitedly, ¡°Xue¡¯er didn¡¯t poison me with love. I really admire Xue¡¯er.¡± ¡°I want to be with Xue¡¯er forever. I want to be with him for the rest of my life.¡± Her little face was flushed with emotion, and her small hands were clenched into fists. Gu Yanfei glanced at Fan Mushuang again. Without a word, she picked up the teacup and gently brushed the floating leaves on the teapot. In her previous life, she had never seen Fan Mushuang. She only knew that Fan Beiran had a sister who eloped with someone. Because of this, the Fan family¡¯s women lost all their faces. The few girls from the Fan family had no choice but to marry far away and lowly because it wasn¡¯t easy to discuss marriage anymore. This was glory for all, and humiliation for all. Later on, Gu Yanfei also heard that Miss Fan had met a bad person. After eloping, her lover sold her to a brothel. The Fan family didn¡¯t give up on their lady easily. They went through painstaking efforts to find her. However, even so, Miss Fan kept saying to her family that her lover had no choice but to sell her to the brothel. She was so infatuated with him that she even secretly ran out of the house to look for her lover. When she was captured by her family again, she shouted and caused a scene on the streets. Everyone knew about it, and the Fan family couldn¡¯t raise their heads in the capital. When Gu Yanfei heard of these things in her previous life, she found them unbelievable. She felt that Miss Fan was simply bewitched by a vixen. At this moment, she realized that it was a Love Gu. Gu Yanfei took a sip of tea and narrowed her eyes. How strange. First, it was the Eldest Princess, then it was Fan Mushuang. But why were there so many Gus in the country? After the arrogant princess, Gu Yanfei specially collected some books related to witchcraft from the major bookstores in the capital. She bought nearly two bookshelves before she basically confirmed that ¡°Gus¡± weren¡¯t so common in this small world. Those places where Gus were stored were usually in remote areas in the Lingnan area. Few people in the central plains, especially in the State of Jin north of the river, knew Gu techniques. Chu Yi had ordered someone to interrogate Shangqing, but even he himself didn¡¯t know who the person who nurtured the Blood Gu was. Seeing that Gu Yanfei was silent, Fan Mushuang was even angrier. She stomped her feet and called Fan Beiran by his name. ¡°Fan Beiran, how dare you lie to me! You said you would help me!¡± Fan Beiran knew that his sister was poisoned, so he naturally wouldn¡¯t argue with her. He anxiously asked Gu Yanfei, ¡°Is there a way to resolve the poison in her body?¡± He thought of something and added anxiously, ¡°Should I kill that scholar?¡± A cold light shot out of Fan Beiran¡¯s eyes. He waved his hand and made a hand blade, looking like he was sharpening a knife. Gu Yuan patted Fan Beiran¡¯s shoulder and continued, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you. Put a sack over him first and throw him out of the city wall at night.¡± ¡°How dare you!¡± Fan Mushuang¡¯s eyes turned red as she cried. ¡°Second Brother, if you dare to hurt him, I¡¯ll die¡­¡± Die for love! ¡°Qing Guang.¡± Gu Yanfei quickly interrupted Fan Mushuang. She called out calmly, with a calm expression. ¡°Meow!¡± As soon as she finished speaking, a furry ball came over like a gust of wind. With a meow, it quickly jumped up the window sill and squatted on it. It looked at Gu Yanfei and Fan Mushuang in the house, as obedient as it could be. It tilted its round cat face, and a few messy white beards trembled in the wind. It was biting a green grass in its mouth, looking a little mischievous. Gu Yanfei turned her body slightly to cover the cat¡¯s face so that Gu Yuan and Fan Beiran couldn¡¯t see its eyes. ¡°Poor little guy, why are you eating grass!¡± Fan Mushuang looked at the kitten¡¯s green eyes in a daze. Her voice suddenly softened and became glutinous. She asked with heartache, ¡°Qing Guang, are you hungry? Do you want to eat pastries?¡± She hurriedly handed a plate of hibiscus cakes to the cat. The cat moved its pink nose, sniffed, and turned its head away in disdain. The cat gently jumped onto the coffee table. After patrolling around, it drank the warm water in a certain teacup and licked the water with its pink tongue¡­ This scene seemed to have an indescribable magic. Fan Mushuang looked at the cat drinking water in a daze and couldn¡¯t bear to blink. The way it drank the water was so beautiful and elegant. Gu Yanfei gently touched the cat¡¯s back and asked, ¡°Miss Fan, is your husband more important or is Qing Guang more important?¡± Chapter 443 - Chapter 443: Sober (1) Chapter 443: Sober (1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Qing Guang!¡± Fan Mushuang stared at the cat without blinking and said without hesitation. Qing Guang was her god! ¡°Who do you want to be with forever?¡± Gu Yanfei asked again. ¡°Qing Guang!¡± Fan Mushuang repeated. Qing Guang was her faith! Gu Yanfei rubbed her small and exquisite chin with her index finger and sighed slowly. ¡°It seems that this Love Gu is only so-so.¡± Fan Beiran:¡±¡­¡± Gu Yuan:¡±¡­¡± The two men were stunned and couldn¡¯t believe their eyes. They felt that this situation had changed too quickly. Gu Yanfei raised her hand and gestured to Juan Bi, who was beside her. Juan Bi opened a needle bag and lit a candle. Gu Yanfei took out a silver needle from the needle bag. After burning it with a candle flame, she pricked the acupuncture point on the back of Fan Mushuang¡¯s neck. The silver needle, which was nearly two inches long, slowly pierced into her skin. In the end, only half an inch of the needle was exposed. Fan Beiran¡¯s pupils constricted slightly, and he shrank his neck in sympathy. His heart ached, and he held his breath. He wanted to ask Gu Yanfei, but he didn¡¯t dare for fear of disturbing her. There was nowhere to put his nervousness, and he could only turn to look at Gu Yuan. He felt that his good brother would definitely be able to understand his feelings as an elder brother, right? Gu Yuan¡¯s reaction was to pass him a plate of candied plums. Fan Beiran didn¡¯t care and stuffed two carved plum balls into his mouth. The pickled green plum fruit was so sour that his facial features were wrinkled, and his heart was tense. However, Fan Mushuang didn¡¯t seem to notice it at all. All her attention was on the cat in front of her, and she couldn¡¯t wait to offer her body and heart. ¡°Done.¡± Gu Yanfei¡¯s calm voice sounded very quickly. Done?! Fan Beiran quickly focused his gaze and saw that the silver needle was still on the back of Fan Mushuang¡¯s neck. He watched helplessly as Gu Yanfei pulled out the silver needle bit by bit. His heart rose bit by bit¡­ Fan Beiran swallowed his saliva and subconsciously grabbed another carved plum ball and stuffed it into his mouth. The thin silver needle was still being pulled out. One inch, two inches, three inches¡­ The end of the needle was stained with some dark red blood. At this moment, Fan Beiran also realized that something was wrong. That silver needle was clearly only two inches long. He stood up with the candied plums and took a step closer to Gu Yanfei and Fan Mushuang. As he got closer, Fan Beiran saw it clearly. The silver needle was still only two inches long. There was a thin, long worm attached to the end of the silver needle. The white long worm was almost transparent in the sunlight. The long worm¡¯s body was still stained with some blood. No, it wasn¡¯t blood. It was like red threads. When the two-inch-long worm was pulled out of the girl¡¯s skin, there was only a red dot left where the big vertebrae acupuncture point was. Gu Yanfei held the silver needle in her hand and shook it. The long worm at the end of the needle also shook twice, as if it was dead. ¡°Meow-¡± Cats loved insects, especially moving insects. Qing Guang didn¡¯t care about drinking water and stared at the Gu in Gu Yanfei¡¯s hand with sparkling eyes. The cat rubbed against Gu Yanfei¡¯s elbow cutely, its voice soft. Gu Yanfei shook the silver needle again. The long Gu worm suddenly twisted its body and escaped from the end of the needle¡­ Juan Bi let out a low cry as her face turned pale. The cat jumped down from the coffee table and slapped the Gu worm with its claws. It was ruthless, fast, and accurate. Its movements were strong, agile, and beautiful. ¡°Meow-¡± The cat let go of its claws again. The Gu worm wriggled and wanted to escape, but it was slapped by the cat again. Its claws casually grabbed the Gu worm, causing Juan Bi to gasp again. ¡°Go to the side and play.¡± Gu Yanfei waved her hand casually and sent the cat away. ¡°Meow, meow, meow!¡± The cat was furious. Master really kicked me to the curb once I¡¯ve outlived my usefulness. She has abandoned me! After using me, she¡¯s patronizing me! Amidst the cat¡¯s excited and indignant cry, Fan Mushuang raised her hand and touched her forehead. She frowned slightly and looked confused. ¡°Fifth Sister.¡± Fan Beiran called out softly, as if he was afraid of scaring Fan Mushuang. He didn¡¯t dare blink as he looked at her carefully. When Fan Mushuang heard this, she slowly looked at him. Her blurry eyes gradually became focused¡­ Right on the heels of that, Fan Beiran called out again, ¡°Sister Shuang.¡± Fan Mushuang looked at his brother in a daze, and his eyes slowly became clear again. It was as if a thin veil had been removed from her eyes, or as if her pupils had just been soaked in water. They were clear and bright, black and white.. Chapter 444 - Chapter 444: Sober (2) Chapter 444: Sober (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios It was completely different from before. ¡°Second Brother¡­¡± Fan Mushuang¡¯s plump little mouth opened slightly. She wanted to say something, but she suddenly shut her mouth. The expression on her face was one moment dull, one moment resentful, one moment shocked, one moment embarrassed, and one moment on the brink of tears. Her expression changed wonderfully, and her eyes flickered and wandered. She couldn¡¯t look at the others present at all. ¡°No!¡± Fan Mushuang¡¯s voice trembled slightly. She held her cheeks with both hands and said repeatedly, ¡°No, no, no!¡± The last three ¡°no¡±s became louder and louder. ¡°It¡¯s not me, that¡¯s not me!¡± Fan Mushuang stomped her feet in excitement and had the urge to shake her head crazily. Her face was flushed red, and even she didn¡¯t know if she was more embarrassed or angry at this moment. Was her brain cramping, or was she daydreaming? The more she wanted to deny it, the more things that had happened in the past few days kept appearing in her mind. One moment, she told her parents that she had met her lover for three lifetimes. The next moment, she said that she wanted to break off the engagement. The next moment, she asked her second brother to help her elope¡­ Those scenes that could be called shameful flashed like a dream last night. No, no, no¡­ Why would she say those things to her family and strangers? Thinking back to what had happened these past few days, she instantly had goosebumps. The cute little girl¡¯s flushed face was like a blooming pomegranate flower. Anyone could tell that the little girl had woken up. The atmosphere in the hall suddenly relaxed. Fan Beiran strode to Fan Mushuang¡¯s side and rubbed his sister¡¯s head vigorously. He only stopped when the little girl¡¯s hair was messed up. The warm and soft touch under his palm relieved him. That¡¯s great, my sister is fine! After relaxing, Fan Beiran suddenly burst out laughing. ¡°Hahahaha¡­¡± He was laughing so hard that even the gold hair crown on his head seemed to be trembling. He felt that his sister¡¯s angry expression was really cute and lively. She should really be drawn as a memento. Fan Mushuang stomped her feet again, feeling furious. Afraid that he would bully his sister too much, Fan Beiran quickly handed the candied plum plate to Fan Mushuang and said with a smile, ¡°Try this carved plum ball. It tastes good.¡± The carved plum balls on the plate were carved into the shape of plum blossoms. They were bright in color, exquisite, and cute. Fan Mushuang swallowed his saliva, picked up a carved plum ball, and stuffed it into his mouth. He savored the taste of the candied plum. It was sour and sweet, crisp and delicious. A just right fragrance filled his mouth. How delicious! Fan Mushuang narrowed her eyes in satisfaction. Her chaotic and excited emotions eased a little, and her mood was still a little unstable, as if a fly was buzzing in her heart. Looking at this pair of siblings, Gu Yanfei pursed her lips and chuckled. She asked, ¡°Miss Fan, what do you think of that Young Master Xue now?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Fan Mushuang almost choked on her saliva. She still had candied plums in her mouth, and her mouth was pursed tightly. Her expression was a little strange, as if she was puzzled. She couldn¡¯t remember what Xue¡¯er looked like. She racked her brains, but her mind was still in a mess. The man surnamed Xue¡¯s face was blurry. She really couldn¡¯t remember. Then why had she been thinking about marrying him for the past few days and wanting to elope with him wholeheartedly?! Fan Mushuang rubbed her eyebrows, feeling that something was wrong. Was she crazy?! ¡°You¡¯re not crazy. You were drugged with a Love Gu.¡± Fan Beiran saw through his sister¡¯s thoughts and immediately said. At the same time, he patted her back gently. The smile on his face disappeared and he asked seriously, ¡°Sister Shuang, do you know where that Xue guy is?¡± The Fan family had also tried to go to Wuliang Temple to look for that Xue person, but they couldn¡¯t find him. Wuliang Temple often took in some scholars to stay temporarily, and that Xue person was only one of them. Madam Fan had also asked Fan Mushuang, but Fan Mushuang had only said that Xue¡¯er would immediately marry her, and didn¡¯t say anything else. She couldn¡¯t even tell what that person looked like. In her mouth, it was as if they had just brushed past each other and were fated to be together for three lifetimes. As Fan Beiran spoke, he eagerly raised his hand to press the sword by his waist. His usually sloppy handsome face shot out a cold killing intent. With Fan Beiran¡¯s reminder, Fan Mushuang¡¯s chaotic memories sorted out a little. She recalled Gu Yanfei saying that she had been drugged with Love Gu and recalled¡­ Oh yes! Fan Mushuang quickly took out a red gourd-shaped pouch embroidered with peony flowers and took out a piece of silk paper from the pouch. She held the silk paper with only two fingers. ¡°Here.¡± As if she was holding something disgusting, she threw the piece of silk paper to Fan Beiran in disgust. She looked at the gourd-shaped purse again and really couldn¡¯t put it back into her arms. She felt that this once favorite purse was also dirty. She didn¡¯t want it anymore! She threw the pouch on the coffee table in disdain and snatched the candied plum plate from Fan Beiran¡¯s hand. Then she stuffed two carved plum balls into her mouth and let the sweet and sour taste fill her mouth. Fan Beiran quickly opened the neatly folded piece of silk paper. He frowned deeply when he took a look, but he suppressed his emotions and read it quickly. It was a letter. It was a letter that Young Master Xue had written to Fan Mushuang. In the letter, he first confessed his feelings mushily. Then, he asked Fan Mushuang to elope with him and even asked her to meet him at a house in the west of the city. Fan Beiran was so angry that the corners of his eyes twitched. Just as he was about to crush the letter, he felt that it was inappropriate and placed the silk paper by the candle. The flames swallowed the paper in the blink of an eye and turned it to ashes. Fan Beiran waved his arm at Gu Yuan and said, ¡°Ah Yuan, let¡¯s go and catch him!¡± He flexed his joints, cracking them.. Chapter 445 - Chapter 445: For Love (1) Chapter 445: For Love (1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Gu Yuan stood up without another word and tacitly exchanged glances with Fan Beiran. This familiarity and tacit understanding seemed to be similar to putting a gunny sack on someone. They had already worked together countless times. Unexpectedly, Gu Yanfei stopped them. ¡°Wait, we¡¯ll go tonight. I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Fan Beiran had witnessed two miracles with his own eyes in just two hours. At this moment, he was completely convinced by Gu Yanfei and wished he could worship her as his ancestor. Fan Beiran asked with a smile, ¡°Sister, what do you mean?¡± His smile was as fawning as it could be. ¡°This Love Gu is divided into child and mother Gu.¡± Gu Yanfei leisurely sat back on the chair by the window and said slowly, ¡°The person who has been infected with the child Gu will unconditionally fall in love with the person who has the mother Gu. From then on, she will be infatuated until she dies.¡± ¡°Now, I¡¯ve only taken out the child Gu from your sister¡¯s body.¡± As she spoke, Fan Beiran subconsciously looked at the calico cat on the ground. The beautiful calico cat didn¡¯t even look at him. It was playing with the Gu with its claws repeatedly in high spirits. The poor Gu worm was already on the verge of death from the cat¡¯s play. Only the tip of its thin tail still trembled occasionally. Gu Yanfei was afraid that the Gu worm would be played to death by the cat, so she picked it up with a silver needle and placed it in a small porcelain bottle. After sealing the bottle, she threw it into a wooden box. She took the handkerchief from Juan Bi and wiped her fingers slowly, with an indescribable willfulness in her entire body. She smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s getting late anyway. Let¡¯s wait a little longer.¡± They waited until it was dark. The night fell completely. When the night watch came from afar, an ordinary green-roofed carriage drove out of the west corner of the Gu Mansion and headed all the way to the west of the city. They arrived at an old house on the back street of the city. The house was only two rooms wide. The walls were mottled, the tiles were broken, and the windows were broken. There was no light inside, and it was dark. The curtains of the carriage were lifted by a fair hand, revealing a pair of large black and white eyes. The owner of the eyes glanced at the old house, then lowered the curtains and silently mouthed to Fan Mushuang, ¡°Go. I¡¯ll follow you.¡± Fan Mushuang nodded and lifted the curtain of the carriage. Without needing anyone to help her, she jumped off the carriage nimbly and walked towards the old dark house. Gu Yanfei was only three or four steps behind her. When she was almost at the main door, the tightly shut door creaked open from the inside. A faint smell of mold and damp greeted her. Behind the door was a man of medium height. He was in his early twenties and had an ordinary appearance. He had a square face, a big nose, thick lips, and his cheeks were covered in dense pimples. ¡°Shuang Shuang.¡± The scholar looked eagerly at Fan Mushuang, who was outside the door. He grinned, revealing his yellow teeth. His smile was both surprised and smug. He was obviously anxious from waiting. He hurried across the threshold to welcome her, holding a faint yellow glass oil lamp. The light from the oil lamp illuminated four or five feet in front and behind, making the surrounding atmosphere a little sinister and strange. ¡°Mu¡­¡± He immediately noticed that there was someone behind Fan Mushuang. At first, he was shocked, but then he realized that it was a beautiful girl about the same age as Fan Mushuang. He heaved a sigh of relief. The scholar¡¯s stunned gaze swept back and forth between Gu Yanfei¡¯s face and body, secretly guessing her identity. This girl was beautiful, but she was dressed plainly. Other than the jade hairpin, she didn¡¯t even have any decent jewelry. Clearly, she came from an ordinary background. It was said that those big families would raise a beautiful maidservant by the girl¡¯s side and be her roommate in the future¡­ Thinking of this, the scholar¡¯s heart burned and his eyes lit up. Fan Mushuang narrowed her eyes and stared fixedly at the scholar¡¯s face for a long time. Then, she racked her brains to recall him. Gradually, the blurry face in her chaotic memory finally became clear and overlapped with the face in front of her. ¡°Xue¡¯er?¡± To avoid accidentally misidentifying him, Fan Mushuang called out tentatively. ¡°Shuang Shuang, you¡¯re finally here.¡± Scholar Xue took a step closer to Fan Mushuang with a smile. Under the dim yellow oil lamp, his medium-sized triangular eyes looked abnormally bright, as if there was a heavy shadow hidden in them. Regarding this, Fan Mushuang¡¯s reaction was¡ª Chapter 446 - Chapter 446: For Love (2) Chapter 446: For Love (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios She kicked the other party¡¯s lower abdomen ruthlessly. ¡°Ah!¡± Scholar Xue screamed and staggered back two steps. The oil lamp in his hand fell to the ground in the room, and the glass lamp cover shattered. Not far behind, Gu Yuan and Fan Beiran walked out of the shadows with complicated expressions. They had originally planned to wait for an opportunity to make a move, but Fan Mushuang had unexpectedly attacked Scholar Xue first. Gu Yuan switched the sheath in his hand from his left hand to his right. The corners of his mouth twitched slightly as he teased Fan Beiran, who was dressed like a lantern. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that your Fifth Sister is obedient and cute?¡± He thought that the wild girl when she was young had been taught by Madam Fan to be a lady from a wealthy family. Fan Beiran:¡±¡­¡± Before Fan Beiran could speak, he saw movement ahead again. Gu Yanfei grabbed Scholar Xue¡¯s upper arm as fast as lightning and kicked him ruthlessly on the shin. She pulled and kicked him again and again. However, in two or three simple and light movements, Scholar Xue was sent flying backward and fell flat on his back. Gu Yanfei stepped on his right shoulder. With just a little force, Scholar Xue, who had fallen to the ground, let out a scream like a pig being slaughtered. It was especially terrifying in this dark and silent alley. Fan Beiran raised his eyebrows and smiled like a fox. He patted Gu Yuan¡¯s shoulder and said with a faint smile, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that your sister is obedient and cute?¡± The two of them looked at each other quietly. One sneered, and the other snorted. Sparks flew wherever their gazes met. The two of them looked away almost at the same time and looked at the two girls in front of them. The same emotions were written in their eyes. My sister is still the cutest! Gu Yuan held his sword with both arms and stood at the side, waiting. ¡°Who¡­ who are you?¡± Scholar Xue¡¯s voice was a little hoarse from the pain. He questioned Gu Yanfei, who was stepping on his calf, ¡°Why did you hit me for no reason!!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t your surname Xue?¡± Gu Yanfei smiled brightly. ¡°Then I didn¡¯t hit the wrong person. It¡¯s fate.¡± Scholar Xue¡¯s face twisted for a moment. ¡°Shuang Shuang, how can you sit back and do nothing when this woman treats me like this?¡± His affectionate gaze landed on Fan Mushuang¡¯s exquisite little face, and there seemed to be a shadow flashing in his dark eyes. ¡°You and I are sincere to each other. It¡¯s a marriage of three lifetimes. We¡¯re destined to be together.¡± His voice was so sincere and lingering. Fan Mushuang looked down at Scholar Xue, who had fallen to the ground and couldn¡¯t get up. The two of them were only three or four feet apart. She could see that this person¡¯s square face was pitted, and there was a finger-sized mole on his chin. He was faintly emitting a sour smell. Fan Mushuang recalled how she had been courting death these past few days. How she had thought of Xue¡¯er embroidering the wedding dress in a daze and how she had solemnly confessed her infatuation. A wave of disgust surged up, and goosebumps rose all over her body. It was too disgusting! Fan Mushuang grabbed Gu Yanfei¡¯s arm. She wanted to cover her eyes and forget all that she had seen. She silently asked with her eyes: Can I kill him to silence him?! There¡¯s no hurry! Gu Yanfei increased the strength of her feet slightly. The beautiful girl was as thin as a piece of paper. When she stepped down, Scholar Xue felt as if a mountain was pressing down on him. ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Scholar Xue let out another heart-wrenching scream that almost broke through the roof. Cold sweat broke out on his forehead, and he was exhausted from the pain. There was a click. His right shoulder was dislocated by this girl. The girl¡¯s cold and lazy voice slowly sounded. ¡°The mother Gu is here.¡± Gu Yanfei pointed at Scholar Xue¡¯s forehead with a firm expression. When he heard the word ¡°mother Gu¡±, Scholar Xue felt as if he had been struck by lightning. Sweat dripped down his body like rain. He was wet like a fish that had been fished out of the water with its tail. He could only open his mouth and pant weakly. They know?! They actually know?! This thought reverberated in his mind repeatedly, flipping through abnormally strong emotions. There was shock, despair, pain, and more fear¡ªfear of the future. Scholar Xue¡¯s mouth opened and closed, but he couldn¡¯t make a sound for a long time. Gu Yanfei took out a small porcelain bottle from her sleeve pocket with her other hand and uncorked it. In the next moment, a long worm as thin as silver thread poked its head out of the bottle. It swayed and trembled, spitting out thin red silk that wrapped around its body.. Chapter 447 - Chapter 447: For Love (3) Chapter 447: For Love (3) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios With the appearance of this Gu worm, a dot suddenly bulged on Scholar Xue¡¯s forehead. The dot quickly turned into a thread and twisted and wriggled under his skin¡­ propping up his skin. The Love Gu in the small porcelain bottle probed half an inch further, as if there was an invisible attraction between it and the ¡°line¡± under Scholar Xue¡¯s skin. The ¡°line¡± moved even more violently under his skin, as if it was about to break out. The moment he saw the child Gu, Scholar Xue¡¯s expression turned even uglier, as pale as paper. He naturally understood what it meant for the child Gu to be taken out. No wonder Fan Mushuang¡¯s attitude towards him had completely changed¡­ Gu Yanfei asked lightly, ¡°Who gave you this pair of Love Gu?¡± Few people in the capital knew about witchcraft. This scholar¡¯s accent sounded like he was from the capital, and he didn¡¯t have the characteristics of a witchcraft practitioner. He didn¡¯t have any other Gu, nor did he have the smell of poisonous grass or herbs. His hands were fair and harmless, and he was as delicate as a woman. ¡°¡­¡± Scholar Xue¡¯s eyes widened even more. His bloodshot eyes moved around indeterminately. In the end, he bit his yellow teeth and said stubbornly, ¡°What Love Gu? I don¡¯t know!¡± He told himself in his heart that he couldn¡¯t confess. If he confessed, the Fan family wouldn¡¯t let him off. He refused to admit it! ¡°Who is it?¡± Gu Yanfei stepped down again and continued to exert strength. From the change in the scholar¡¯s expression, Gu Yanfei could tell that he didn¡¯t raise this pair of Love Gu. Scholar Xue felt that his right shoulder blade was about to be crushed. He screamed again, his lips trembling like a sieve. It was so painful that he almost fainted. Gu Yanfei suddenly let go of his foot and pulled Fan Mushuang back two steps. ¡°¡­¡± Scholar Xue quickly covered his right shoulder and rolled around in pain. His body curled up like a shrimp, looking disheveled. He thought that he had escaped a calamity, but in the next moment, his vision darkened, and a tall figure appeared at the door. A handsome face with a terrifying smile appeared in his eyes. ¡°You think you can be my brother-in-law?¡± Fan Beiran looked down at Scholar Xue with a friendly smile. He kicked between the other party¡¯s legs with his leg. His kick was as fast as the wind and he didn¡¯t show any mercy. ¡°Ouch¡ª¡± A scream that came from the depths of his soul resounded in the house, making the coachman of the Fan family, who was guarding outside, tremble. The corners of Gu Yuan¡¯s eyes twitched. He quickly walked over and blocked his sister¡¯s line of sight while glaring at Fan Beiran. Our sisters are here! However, Fan Beiran was in the midst of raising his head and didn¡¯t notice Gu Yuan at all. He kicked him again and again, each kick heavier than the last. He was filled with hostility and looked like he wanted to cripple and kill him. Gu Yanfei watched coldly from the side. Be it her face or her heart, she wasn¡¯t moved at all. If the Love Gu hadn¡¯t been removed, Fan Mushuang¡¯s fate would definitely have been the same as in her previous life. She would have ended up in a brothel, and her youth would have withered early. Her life would have been ruined! Scholar Xue¡¯s screams rose and fell endlessly. After a while, he was beaten up by Fan Beiran until his body was black and blue. He looked like a blood-stained pig¡¯s head. His face was bruised and red, and his facial features were unrecognizable. The protruding ¡°thread¡± on his forehead was still squirming. It crawled around his pitted face, as if it was avoiding something or chasing something, making Scholar Xue¡¯s face become even more ferocious and strange. Fan Mushuang was still angry. She rubbed the goosebumps on her wrist as he turned to Fan Beiran and shouted, ¡°Second Brother, continue hitting him!¡± ¡°If he¡¯s dead, it¡¯s on me. It¡¯s a waste of rice for such a person to live!¡± If not for her disgust, Fan Mushuang would have done it herself. Gu Yuan silently looked at the indignant Fan Mushuang and recalled her affectionate look at the Gu Mansion previously. She was like a completely different person now. Gu Yuan took two more steps in Gu Yanfei¡¯s direction and said in a low voice, ¡°Can a Love Gu really make people fall in love with the person who planted it for the rest of their lives? Can it make a person completely lose their rationality and go against their true thoughts?¡± This wasn¡¯t a moment of confusion, but a lifetime of confusion. Its ability to make people betray their friends and relatives was too terrifying. Killing someone was no more than a nod. This was simply more ruthless than killing this person! Gu Yanfei nodded. ¡°If it¡¯s a peerless Love Gu, once it¡¯s infected, it can¡¯t be resolved anymore. Once the Gu leaves the person, it won¡¯t stop until one of them dies. The moment it¡¯s infected with the child Gu, the person who¡¯s infected is equivalent to a puppet without a soul..¡± Chapter 448 - Chapter 448: For Love (4) Chapter 448: For Love (4) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Living is equivalent to dying.¡± ¡°As for the Love Gu in Fifth Miss Fan¡¯s body, it¡¯s only ordinary.¡± ¡°Even a cat can change her heart.¡± When Fan Mushuang was charmed by Qing Guang, Gu Yanfei was sure that the other party¡¯s Love Gu could be cured. Gu Yanfei spoke casually, but Gu Yuan still had some lingering fear. If not for his sister, the Fan family wouldn¡¯t even know what had happened to Fan Mushuang. They could only watch as their good girl was destroyed¡­ It was just like when he found out that his sister had been replaced¡­ Gu Yuan¡¯s eyes were as dark as the night. He gripped the sheath in his hand tightly, his knuckles protruding slightly from the force. After a moment of silence, he suddenly said mockingly, ¡°Kang Wang and Fang Mingfeng might also be affected by a Love Gu.¡± ¡°All of them are willing to die for love. They¡¯re simply obsessed.¡± Gu Yanfei couldn¡¯t help but be stunned. In her daze, she didn¡¯t notice the small porcelain bottle in her hand. The worm crawled out of the bottle and jumped to the ground¡­ Gu Yanfei¡¯s eyes were half-closed. Her eyelashes fluttered as she silently chanted in her heart: Love Gu. It was indeed quite similar. They were just as infatuated. They were like moths to a flame. They were also willing to abandon their family and themselves. To put it nicely, they were deeply in love and would never leave Gu Yunrong¡¯s side. However, from another perspective, it didn¡¯t look like they had been poisoned by a Love Gu. ¡°Sister.¡± Gu Yuan called her softly when he saw that she was in a daze. Only then did Gu Yanfei realize that the small porcelain bottle in her hand was empty. The child Gu that escaped from prison had fallen to the ground. It wriggled its slender body and crawled slowly. Its body twisted into a wavy line. After kicking Scholar Xue heavily again, Fan Beiran walked towards the siblings and curled his lips in disdain. ¡°He confessed.¡± ¡°He said that he stole this Love Gu from an old Daoist from Wuliang Temple. That old Daoist¡¯s Daoist name is ¡®Yun Qiu¡¯. He¡¯s a short and fat old Daoist in his sixties.¡± Fan Beiran stood with his arms crossed and glanced disdainfully at the dying Scholar Xue on the ground. This scholar was really a ruffian. He said that Fan Mushuang praised his handwriting and appreciated his talent. Because of this, he fell in love with Fan Mushuang at first sight and went to the main hall to ask for fate. An old Daoist saw that he was infatuated and said that he could fulfill his wish. That was why he gave him a pair of Love Gu and let him get what he wanted. Bah! Did he really think that Master Fan was a fool?! Fan Beiran beat him up again before the scholar told the truth. ¡°Ah.¡± Fan Mushuang seemed to have thought of something. His eyes widened slightly as he clapped his hands. ¡°Last November, I accompanied my mother to Wuliang Temple and donated some incense money. The Daoist priest of Wuliang Temple even gave my mother a handwritten copy of the Tao Te Ching.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve only been there once¡­ Ah!¡± Halfway through, Fan Mushuang screamed with a pale face. Her voice broke, and she was about to stomp her feet. ¡°It, it, it¡­ why is it crawling towards me?¡± Fan Mushuang pointed at the squirming child Gu on the ground. The child Gu slowly crawled towards Fan Mushuang, getting closer and closer. The little girl¡¯s right hand was trembling, and so was her voice. Coupled with her harmless little round face, she looked like a pitiful little white rabbit. She wasn¡¯t afraid of the heavens or the earth. She had never been afraid of those snakes, insects, rats, and ants since she was young. Except for the worm in front of her, she wasn¡¯t afraid of anything else! Fan Beiran wanted his sister to hide beside him. However, before he could say anything, he saw that Fan Mushuang was already hiding behind Gu Yanfei impatiently. She looked like a cute and moving little bird. Fan Beiran:¡±¡­¡± Gu Yuan silently turned his face and sneered. Gu Yanfei took out a talisman from her sleeve and held it between her index and middle fingers. She shook it gently, and a corner of the talisman ignited without fire. A bright fire lit up Gu Yanfei¡¯s small face. Her fair skin was like a shining pearl in the dim old house, making her look dignified and otherworldly. The child Gu on the ground seemed to have been burned by fire. Its slender body bounced back in shock. Almost at the same time, the ¡°line¡± under Scholar Xue¡¯s forehead also bounced up, causing Scholar Xue to let out another painful scream. ¡°Back off,¡± Gu Yanfei said calmly. Gu Yuan and Fan Beiran took a few steps back as instructed, while Fan Mushuang still leaned against Gu Yanfei, holding onto her arm, almost like a pendant hanging by her side. The child Gu fled and changed directions, crawling towards Scholar Xue. It stretched out, shrank, twisted, and moved. The closer the child Gu got, the more painful Scholar Xue felt his forehead was. His head was splitting, and he felt as if something was rolling around in his mind, scaring him so much that his soul almost left his body. He wanted to escape, but his right shoulder had been dislocated, and several bones in his body were broken. His body didn¡¯t listen to him at all. Unable to get up, he could only keep rubbing his back against the ground and move back with difficulty. He was sweating profusely as he shouted, ¡°Spare me! I know my mistake!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Fifth Miss Fan fine?!¡± ¡°Help¡­¡± Amidst Scholar Xue¡¯s miserable scream, the parasite finally crawled slowly onto his body and crawled into his nostrils bit by bit. Its slender body gradually sank¡­ In the end, its entire body was gone. This scene gave Fan Mushuang goosebumps again. The hairs on her neck and arms stood on end.. She leaned closer to Gu Yanfei and asked in a low voice, ¡°What¡­ what will happen to him?¡± Chapter 449 - Chapter 449: Bandit Chapter 449: Bandit Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Gu Yanfei asked instead of answering, ¡°How are you going to deal with this Xue guy?¡± It was a question of what to do with this person. Fan Beiran frowned and said decisively, ¡°We can¡¯t hand him over to the authorities.¡± Once in court, regardless of whether this Xue fellow was spouting nonsense or telling the truth, this matter involved his fifth sister¡¯s reputation. The girl was beautiful jade and porcelain. She couldn¡¯t be tainted by such rotten tiles, let alone let this Xue fellow speak nonsense outside. Outsiders wouldn¡¯t care if Fan Mushuang was really innocent and pitiful. They would only think that there was no smoke without fire and would only find fault with her. They might even say, why did the Xue fellow target her? Fan Beiran had already made up his mind. It was better to kill him directly. At this moment, Fan Beiran was still smiling, but his eyes seemed to be covered in a layer of frost. Naturally, Gu Yanfei could tell. She reminded him leisurely, ¡°This is the capital.¡± This was the capital, not a battlefield. Emperor Taizu personally participated in the elaboration of the Law of Jin, which was far more detailed than the previous dynasty. Emperor Taizu often said that the emperor would be punished for breaking the law. For example, the previous dynasty¡¯s master only killed a slave for compensation. However, according to the laws of this dynasty, not only did the master who killed the slave pay compensation, but he also had to serve for three months. However, ever since Emperor Taizu passed away, the people have basically not reported it to the officials over the years. Be it the children of the family or the ordinary people selling their children as slaves, they didn¡¯t dare sue the master for killing slaves. Moreover, this scholar surnamed Xue had a scholarly status, a household registration, and a prestigious family. He had also studied in the Bailu Academy. He had a teacher and classmates¡­ He was different from those servants who had sold themselves. Killing is a serious crime. Even Chu Yi, the Eldest Prince, had used a dignified reason to kill the capital¡¯s mayor, Feng He. After the death of the original capital eunuch, Chu Yi took advantage of the internal strife in the family to transfer the former left temple deputy of Dali Temple, Zhong Zhen, and appoint him as the new capital eunuch. When Zhong Zhen was an official at the Dali Temple, he had always been famous for being impartial, fair, and strict. After he took office, he vigorously regulated the law and order in the capital. For this, he served as a warning to others and punished several children of officials according to the law. With Gu Yanfei¡¯s reminder, Fan Beiran also thought of it. He rubbed the patterns on the sheath with his thumb and thought to himself: Should I secretly bring this Xue guy out of the city and find a mountain to throw him down? Or should I let him encounter bandits on the way and be stabbed to death¡­ ¡°Let him go,¡± Gu Yanfei said calmly. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± She said the last words very slowly and meaningfully. Fan Beiran and Fan Mushuang looked at Gu Yanfei in confusion. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about him,¡± Gu Yanfei emphasized again. She didn¡¯t deliberately lower her voice when she said these words, so both Gu Yuan and the Fan siblings heard her clearly. Gu Yuan patted Fan Beiran¡¯s shoulder rhythmically and gave him a look. Lying on the ground, Scholar Xue panted heavily. His ears were buzzing from the beating, and he couldn¡¯t hear what they were saying. At this moment, he had already recovered from the fear of the Gu entering his nostrils. He realized that, other than external injuries, he didn¡¯t feel any discomfort. Even the mother Gu that was stirring in his head had stopped, and his head didn¡¯t hurt at all. Yes, this is only a Love Gu, not a killer Gu. Scholar Xue secretly heaved a sigh of relief. Just as he was wondering if it was better to beg for mercy or pretend to faint, he saw Fan Beiran and the others walking out of the house. So, they¡¯ve let me off?! When this thought appeared in his mind, Scholar Xue felt relieved. He was both glad and a little proud. Yes, I¡¯m no ordinary person. I¡¯m a scholar with a meritorious status. If I die here tonight, my old friends will naturally report it to the officials. Even the Fan family won¡¯t be able to escape from a murder charge. No matter how angry the Fan family is, they 11 only beat me up to vent their anger. Scholar Xue watched them walk away without blinking, feeling completely relieved. The corners of his lips curled up, and a pair of turbid triangular eyes flashed with a smug light. As expected, the daughter of such a wealthy family values her reputation and doesn¡¯t dare to go to the authorities. Otherwise, she¡¯ll probably never be able to get married in her life. She can only twist her hair and become a nun. Hmph, they actually dared to hit me?! Not seeking revenge for such an enmity would be unbecoming of a gentleman. Tomorrow, fllgo and exaggerate the story of my affection for the Fifth Young Lady of the Fan family, and tell the sad story of how I intended to propose but was beaten up by her parents and brothers. I want to see how the Fan family would deal with these three people! The more Scholar Xue thought about it, the more smug he became. The more he thought about it, the more impatient he became. He wanted to get up, but when he moved his body slightly, the place where he had just been beaten up was so painful that he broke out in cold sweat. Especially his dislocated right shoulder, it hurt even more. Scholar Xue simply laid on the ground without moving and closed his eyes to rest. At some point, the broken oil lamp beside him had been extinguished. After an unknown period of time, the sky outside gradually lit up. It went from gray to white. Scholar Xue opened his eyes again. He held his dislocated right shoulder and sat up from the ground with difficulty. The pain in his body twisted his face. He stood up with difficulty against a table, thinking that he had to go out and find a doctor to reattach his dislocated joint. He held his right shoulder and slowly walked out the door. After walking in the narrow alley for a while, the door of another house in the alley suddenly opened. A middle-aged woman walked out. She wanted to turn around and close the door, but she happened to see Scholar Xue a few steps away and couldn¡¯t help but be shocked. ¡°Scholar¡­ Scholar Xue, how did you become like this?¡± The middle-aged woman looked at Scholar Xue in shock. ¡°You¡­ were you beaten up?¡± She was no longer in a hurry to go grocery shopping. ¡°Sister-in-law Li.¡± Scholar Xue greeted her weakly. He knew that this woman was famous for being fast-talking in this area. She usually liked to gossip with those aunts and grandmas. Whatever she knew meant that everyone in the nearby streets knew. ¡°Sigh!¡± Scholar Xue was excited, but he pretended to lament. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I was just punched twice by my future brother-in-law.¡± Sister-in-law Li¡¯s eyes lit up and she quickly asked, ¡°Scholar Xue, are you engaged?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Scholar Xue nodded, then shook his head and sighed. When Sister-in-law Li saw that he wanted to say something but hesitated, she felt that there must be something hidden. She quickly asked, ¡°Could it be that that girl¡¯s family doesn¡¯t agree to this marriage?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Scholar Xue nodded in embarrassment. He wanted to tell the other party that the Fifth Young Lady of the Fan family had fallen in love with him and wouldn¡¯t marry anyone other than him. In the end, the Fan family had to have their nose in the air and insisted on breaking them up. However, the moment the words left his mouth, they became ¡ª ¡°I fell in love with myself¡­¡± What?! Scholar Xue was stunned. Sister-in-law Li was also stunned, thinking that she was hallucinating. Sister-in-law Li swallowed her saliva and asked, ¡°Scholar Xue, what did you just say?¡± Could it be that he said something wrong? Scholar Xue tried again. ¡°I fell in love with myself¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m talented and knowledgeable. I¡¯m a top scholar. Not only the Bailu Academy, but no one in the huge capital can compare to me! I¡¯m so outstanding. Only I¡¯m worthy of myself.¡± ¡°I¡¯m already deeply in love with myself. I swear that I¡¯ll marry no one but myself!¡± Sister-in-law Li was dumbfounded by Scholar Xue¡¯s shocking words. She had never heard of such an explosive matter in her life. In the past, those stories of who had an affair with whom, which daughter-in-law had given birth to her father-in-law¡¯s child, or which family had a shared wife with a brother-in-law were all pale in comparison to Scholar Xue¡¯s story. She suddenly felt a strong desire to confide in others and wanted to tell them this secret. Sister-in-law Li comforted Scholar Xue perfunctorily. ¡°Scholar Xue, this is nothing. Everyone has their own hobbies.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t tell anyone.¡± ¡°I still have to go grocery shopping, so I¡¯ll leave first.¡± With that, she ran away before Scholar Xue could react. Scholar Xue was left alone in this narrow and cold alley. He blinked and blinked again. Something was wrong. How can I have deep feelings for myself¡­ However, as soon as this thought appeared in his mind, he felt sweet. It was as if honey was dripping from his heart. Yes, I¡¯m so good and can be said to be talented. In the future, I¡¯ll be someone who can enter the pavilion to pay respects to the Emperor. Of course, who else can I love other than myself? Looking at Sister-in-law Li¡¯s departing figure in a hurry, Scholar Xue still wanted to confide in her. He wanted to call out to her, but she ran too fast and disappeared in the blink of an eye. Sigh! Scholar Xue sighed faintly. He didn¡¯t know who else he could confide in. He wanted to tell everyone that he was deeply in love with himself. He wanted everyone in the world to witness this unprecedented love.. Chapter 450 - Chapter 450: Thoughts (1) chapter 450: thoughts (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios scholar xue was anxious and went to the medical center first. after reconnecting his dislocated right shoulder, he rushed to the academy. the next day, he went to a poetry session. on the third day, he went to a teahouse¡­ in the past three days, he had gone around telling everyone he met how devoted he was to himself. he had also told others how outstanding he was¡­ however, he had received countless disdainful gazes and disdainful scoldings. scholar xue was furious and anxious. he felt that no one understood him. no one knows inc better than myself! scholar xue held back his anger and came to the river in a huff. he stroked his face and pitied himself. his own figure was reflected in the clear river. his eyes were so bright, like stars. his nose was so straight that it looked like it had been carved by a knife. his lips were so full, like peaches. the more he looked at his reflection, the more beautiful it became. he was as handsome as a fairy in a painting and, like the moon in the clouds, unreachable. his reflection in the water smiled slightly, making people dazzled and unable to extricate themselves. there was a look of infatuation in his eyes. he was gentle as he muttered, ¡°you¡¯re so beautiful. no one in the world can compare to you. 1 hope you and i can look after each other forever.¡± a breeze blew past, causing ripples in the water¡­ seeing that his other self was about to disappear without a trace, like a flower in the mirror or a moon in the water, he was shocked. ¡°no, don¡¯t go¡­¡± he leaned forward eagerly, trying to catch himself in the water¡­ a woman¡¯s sharp and excited voice came from behind. ¡°be careful¡­¡± scholar xue only heard these two words. he lost his balance and fell down the riverbank. however, he didn¡¯t panic. he still looked at himself in the water in a daze. we can finally be together forever¡­ ¡°plop!¡± the man¡¯s body fell straight into the river, like a stone stirring up a thousand waves. tall splashes rose from the river and splashed towards the riverbank. the passersby by the river also noticed it and all looked in the direction of the water. the woman shouted anxiously, ¡°someone has fallen into the water!¡± ¡°someone fell into the water¡­¡± by the time scholar xue was picked up from the river, he was already dead. it was a few of his classmates from the academy who collected his corpse. this matter was too unbelievable and unheard of. it was treated as a strange conversation that spread at an unbelievable speed in the capital. in less than half a day, almost the entire capital was talking about scholar xue jumping into the river after losing his mind. all of them spoke vividly. some people said that scholar xue had gone crazy because he couldn¡¯t be recommended to the court. some said that scholar xue had been running around the capital crazily these past few days, telling everyone that he loved himself. others said that scholar xue had taken off his clothes before he fell into the water and said that he wanted to let the world see his graceful figure¡­ the various discussions in the lobby below could be heard clearly in the private room on the second floor. fan beiran, who was dressed in orange, felt relieved. he let out a long breath, and a happy smile appeared on his lips. that night, when gu yanfei asked them to leave the old house, he was actually a little flustered. however, because gu yuan asked him to listen to gu yanfei, he listened. in the end, it was really as gu yanfei had said. ¡°it¡¯s too easy on him!¡± fan beiran pursed his lips. otherwise, he would let this xue fellow have a taste of living a life worse than death. gu yanfei played with the wine glass in her hand and took a sip of the sweet osmanthus glutinous rice wine. she said lazily, ¡°this love gu is called ¡®love¡¯, but it¡¯s actually ¡®infatuation¡¯. the child gu is infatuated with the mother gu. at the same time, the child gu entered that xue guy, so he became infatuated with himself.¡± her eyes were bright and clear, revealing a confident spirit, but also a kind of beauty that was as oppressive as the sun. gu yanfei took another sip of sweet glutinous rice wine and said with a smile, ¡°there¡¯s no need to dirty your hands.¡± ¡°you¡¯re right!¡± fan mushuang nodded repeatedly and smiled obediently. he followed gu yanfei¡¯s lead. one moment, he eagerly added glutinous rice wine to gu yanfei¡¯s cup, and the next, he asked her to try this family¡¯s candied crabapple. on the white porcelain plate, the golden candied crabapple was the size of a finger. it was bright and extremely tempting. fan beiran closed the window of the elegant seat, blocking out all the sounds outside. ¡°however¡­¡± he thought of another culprit and frowned, then said resentfully, ¡°it¡¯s a pity that we didn¡¯t find that old daoist called ¡®yun qiu¡¯.¡± because fan mushuang¡¯s matter involved a gu worm, gu yuan was also afraid that this love gu was related to the blood gu that the eldest princess had been poisoned with previously. that night, after they left that old house, they first sent the two girls back to the residence. then, gu yuan and fan beiran entered the palace and privately reported the entire situation to chu yi. that night, chu yi personally brought people to wuliang temple.. Chapter 451 - Chapter 451: Thoughts (2) chapter 451: thoughts (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios in the end, the wuliang temple said that daoist master yun qiu had left three days ago, but the temple had recorded his ultimatum. according to the law, any traveling daoist priest had to rely on an ultimatum. this ultimatum was equivalent to a monk¡¯s residence permit. the ultimatum detailed the monk¡¯s hometown, common name, age, affiliated temple, and so on. with the ultimatum, the officials could investigate the origins of the monks. the wuliang temple was quite cooperative. they even got the daoist priest in the temple to draw the old daoist¡¯s appearance. the portrait was also presented to the emperor and chu yi. ¡°the eldest prince has already gotten the embroidered uniform guards to look for it.¡± gu yuan¡¯s lips curled up slightly, and a cold light flashed in his eyes. as long as yun qiu was a proper daoist, there would always be clues if the warning was true. fan mushuang didn¡¯t hear what fan bciran said to gu yuan. she looked at gu yanfei in admiration. after she returned to the residence that night, she tossed and turned the entire night and couldn¡¯t sleep at all. at first, she was still thinking about the stupid things she had done when she was poisoned by the love gu. the more she thought about it, the more ashamed she felt. however, in the latter half of the night, all she could think about was gu yanfei. gu yanfei took the gu from his body. gu yanfei easily overthrew the person surnamed xue. gu yanfei used a burning talisman to scare the child gu away¡­ she was really amazing! two days ago, her parents refused to let her out. even when she went to the gu mansion to thank them, it was her second brother who led her parents there. it wasn¡¯t until today, when the xue guy died, that her parents finally relaxed and let second brother bring her out. fan mushuang¡¯s eyes were shining like gems. she spoke to gu yanfei softly. ¡°yanfei, what talisman did you use that night?¡± ¡°why did it burn itself?¡± ¡°are those gu worms afraid of fire? or do they need talisman fire?¡± the little girl was playful and cute. when she spoke, the gorgeous ruby-studded golden swallow hairpin on her bun swayed gently, making her eyes shine. fan beiran looked at his sister¡¯s listlessness a few days ago, and his heart ached. at this moment, seeing that his sister had returned to her usual obedient and cute self, he secretly heaved a sigh of relief. the corners of his lips curled up as he nimbly threw a peanut into his mouth. ¡°it¡¯s a bright fire talisman.¡± gu yanfei looked at fan mushuang, who was as adorable as a ferret. she raised her eyebrows slightly and rested her chin on her fingers. ¡°do you want to learn it?¡± she asked with a smile. ¡°yes, yes.¡± fan mushuang nodded repeatedly, her small round face filled with anticipation. ¡°then can i learn the bright fire talisman too?¡± with the bright fire talisman, no gu would ever dare approach me again! the more she thought about it, the more excited she became. her eyes lit up. ¡°you can try other simple talismans first. as for the complicated talismans¡­¡± gu yanfei wanted to say that spiritual roots were necessary, but she changed her words in time. ¡°you need to have talent.¡± ¡°yes, i¡¯ll learn the simplest,¡± fan mushuang said obediently. her fair cheeks were round, and her facial features were pure and cute. her smile was sweet, like the wine in the cup, making people have a good impression of her at a glance. fan beiran¡¯s heart almost melted. my fifth sister is the most obedient! ¡°then i¡¯ll teach you to draw a disease removal talisman. look carefully.¡± gu yanfei also taught fan mushuang the same disease removal talisman that she had taught wei jiaoniang previously. it was the simplest disease removal talisman. gu yanfei drew the disease removal talisman on the girl¡¯s palm and deliberately slowed it down. she patiently demonstrated it three times and said, ¡°try it.¡± fan mushuang nodded obediently. she eagerly dipped her index finger into the wine and practiced drawing the disease removal talisman on the table. however, halfway through, the rune that was winding like an earthworm inexplicably broke. her mind went blank for a moment. there was a subtle feeling in her heart, as if she knew exactly how to draw the runes, but she couldn¡¯t draw any more. she failed the first time. fan mushuang wasn¡¯t discouraged. she happily dipped her fingers in some wine and drew again on the table. the second time, she finally drew the last stroke. ¡°there¡¯s a mistake here.¡± gu yanfei pointed at a certain turning point in the second half of the rune with her fingertip. ¡°i¡¯ll draw it again. look carefully.¡± she dipped her index finger into the wine and demonstrated where fan mushuang had drawn the wrong place again. fan mushuang¡¯s almond-shaped eyes were wide open as she stared intently. her cute little face was slightly lowered as she focused on the strokes. gu yuan and fan bciran exchanged glances tacitly. they smiled and toasted each other. in the elegant seat, the faint fragrance of wine filled the air. fan mushuang slowly drew a third time, but her strokes were still jerky. ¡°it¡¯s too top-heavy here.¡± gu yanfei pointed out fan mushuang¡¯s mistakes again and patiently demonstrated it again. fan mushuang continued to practice the disease removal talisman in high spirits. four times, five times, six times¡­ her drawing became smoother and smoother. beside her, fan bciran silently added some osmanthus glutinous rice wine to his sister and pushed the wine glass to her, indicating for her to rest for a while before continuing to practice. fan mushuang took two sips of glutinous rice wine to moisten her throat. she blinked her big round eyes and asked expectantly and curiously, ¡°yanfei, what kind of illness can this disease removal talisman treat? can it treat external injuries?¡± as she spoke, she pointed at the sesame seed-sized red dot on the back of her neck. this was the wound left by gu yanfei when she hooked the child gu out with a silver needle that day. seeing fan mushuang¡¯s cute facial features frowning, gu yanfei couldn¡¯t help but laugh. she thought to herself: looks like this love gu has become her sore spot. gu yanfei nodded slightly and said with a smile, ¡°of course such a small wound can be treated. when you¡¯re familiar with the disease removal talisman, you can witness its effect yourself.¡± ¡°however, a serious injury like opening the intestine and splitting the stomach isn¡¯t possible. if it¡¯s serious, you need to use a hemostatic talisman and use other talismans as appropriate. none of the talismans can cure all illnesses.¡± gu yanfei explained patiently. fan mushuang tilted her small, round face and looked like she was all ears. she asked thoughtfully, ¡°for example, seriously injured people often have a fever. once they have a fever, they have to use other talismans?¡± gu yanfei said, ¡°after being seriously injured, the meridians will rupture, and the blood from the meridians will stagnate in the body. if it stays in the body for a long time, it will definitely heat up. if external evil enters the body, the blood clots and evil poison will gather and heat up. yin doesn¡¯t control yang, and it¡¯s easy to cause high heat. in serious cases, you will die.¡± for cultivators, even if their intestines were cut open, their limbs would only suffer external injuries. external injuries were easy to treat, but for mortals, such serious injuries were often fatal. ¡°i see.¡± fan mushuang sighed seriously. actually, she didn¡¯t understand half of what gu yanfei said. no, i¡¯ll have to buy some medical books later. otherwise, if i can¡¯t understand what yanfei says in the future, how can we be friends?! fan mushuang thought about it in her heart, but still smiled happily.. Chapter 452 - Chapter 452: Divine Medicine (1) chapter 452: divine medicine (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios fan beiran seemed to have thought of something, and his eyes darkened slightly. after taking a sip of wine, he continued with emotion, ¡°on the battlefield, many injured people actually die like this.¡± in the past two years, fan beiran spent most of his time in beijing. he was a flag bearer and it was considered quite a decent idle job. but he had also been to the battlefield several times before, accompanying the army on expeditions thousands of miles away. in war, he had witnessed comrades lose their lives on the battlefield. he had also seen comrades with severe wounds, deep festering wounds that wouldn¡¯t heal, high fevers, and unconsciousness. some managed to survive and regain consciousness, even if they were left disabled, but many others simply passed away in a state of high fever and unconsciousness¡­ fan beiran swirled the wine glass in his hand and looked up at gu yuan. his clear voice was a little hoarse. ¡°i remember¡­ that after xu daqian was injured by the arrow, his fever didn¡¯t subside?¡± at the mention of an old friend, gu yuan pursed his thin lips into a straight line and nodded. a trace of sadness slowly surfaced in his eyes. that was two years ago. at that time, he was only 15 years old. he and fan beiran had followed the 10,000 imperial guards of the west mountain camp to the northwest to suppress the horse bandits. xu daqian was six years older than gu yuan. at that time, he was 21 years old. seeing that gu yuan and fan beiran were young, he took good care of them in the camp. that time, xu daqian¡¯s shoulder blade was pierced by an arrow from a horse bandit. that arrow had a barb on it. in order to pull out the arrow, they had no choice but to cut his flesh and pull it out. initially, they thought that the arrow wasn¡¯t poisonous and that xu daqian was fine. unexpectedly, he had a high fever that night and was in a coma. in just three days, a young man in his prime died. thinking of their old friend, the two of them were a little depressed. they silently drank two cups of wine. fan mushuang wanted to comfort her second brother, so she picked up the pot of wine and refilled fan beiran¡¯s cup. my sister is so obedient and treats me so well! fan beiran liked it very much and asked, ¡°why are you asking this? are you planning to study medicine again?¡± he curled his lips teasingly, as if to say: don¡¯t just be obsessed with it for three days only. fan mushuang almost glared at her second brother. she forced a straight face and said obediently, ¡°i just thought of marquis ji¡¯an.¡± ¡°marquis ji¡¯an?¡± fan beiran raised his eyebrows inexplicably. what did this have to do with marquis ji¡¯an? fan mushuang said, ¡°when i was taking a nap in mom¡¯s cabinet yesterday, i vaguely heard dad and mom say that marquis ji¡¯an stabbed himself and was almost burned to death.¡± she dipped her index finger into the wine again and was about to continue practicing the disease removal talisman when she heard gu yanfei suddenly ask, ¡°why did marquis ji¡¯an stab himself?¡± fan mushuang perked up and stopped drawing talismans. she said vividly, ¡°it was just a few days ago.¡± ¡°marquis ji¡¯an went to duke wei¡¯s mansion to apologize and bring madam ji¡¯an and her daughter back. he said that he would definitely deal with his mistress. he only hoped that madam ji¡¯an would be willing to forgive him and let bygones be bygones.¡± ¡°however, the door of duke wei¡¯s mansion has been tightly shut, and madam ji¡¯an completely ignored him.¡± gu yanfei poured herself a cup of wine and raised it to her lips. the unique wine fragrance with the fragrance of bamboo leaves entered her nose, and the corners of her lips curled up imperceptibly. wei wan¡¯s matter involved the private matters of duke wei¡¯s mansion. gu yanfei didn¡¯t even elaborate on it with gu yuan. outside, they only thought that marquis ji¡¯an had colluded with bandits and even taken in a beautiful woman given to him by the bandits as his mistress. madam ji¡¯an was so furious at his disloyalty and injustice that she vehemently demanded a divorce from her husband, severing their marital ties. later on, chu yi told her that ever since imperial duke wei left the capital to suppress bandits, marquis ji¡¯an had been fearless from the beginning, but gradually became anxious. the few times he entered the palace to meet the emperor, he was rejected. in just a few days, marquis ji¡¯an¡¯s attitude had changed drastically. he was like a different person. the older the ginger, the wiser. imperial duke wei was really an old ginger! gu yanfei sighed faintly in her heart. fan mushuang continued, ¡°marquis ji¡¯an knelt at the entrance of duke wei¡¯s mansion for a long time. later, he stabbed himself in the abdomen with a dagger and said that he wanted to perform a laparotomy to prove his sincerity. it shocked the onlookers beside him. they also helped him knock on the door of the duke wei¡¯s mansion, but the duke wei¡¯s mansion still didn¡¯t open.¡± ¡°my mother said that marquis ji¡¯an is just trying to trick me and has ill intentions.¡± fan mushuang frowned again. her cheeks were puffed up like a glutinous rice ball. speaking of marquis ji¡¯an, she thought of the person surnamed xue. marquis ji¡¯an had colluded with bandits and raised a mistress. such a man was the same kind of person as the person surnamed xue. if she hadn¡¯t resolved the love gu, her outcome would probably have been extremely miserable.. Chapter 453 - Chapter 453: Divine Medicine (2) chapter 453: divine medicine (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios thinking of this, fan mushuang also poured herself a cup of wine. after drinking half a cup to calm herself down, she continued, ¡°anyway, after he was carried back to marquis ji¡¯an¡¯s mansion by his servant and coachman that day, he had a fever not long after, and it has been getting worse.¡± ¡°marquis ji¡¯an¡¯s mansion invited many doctors over. the doctors all said that the evil poison entered marquis ji¡¯an¡¯s body because of his injuries. they said that they could only do their best and leave it to fate. they were so anxious that marquis ji¡¯an¡¯s mother even personally invited imperial physician liang to marquis ji¡¯an¡¯s mansion, but he was helpless.¡± ¡°originally, the residence was about to prepare for his funeral. unexpectedly, his fever subsided after he used the medicine from their medicine.¡± ¡°father said that marquis ji¡¯an¡¯s mansion can¡¯t hold a funeral, so mother doesn¡¯t have to prepare for it.¡± with that, fan mushuang looked at gu yanfei with a smile. her eyes seemed to be saying, what else do you want to know?hurry up and ask me. is this medicine so magical? gu yanfei rubbed the wine glass in her hand and asked with interest, ¡°which clinic?¡± fan mushuang quickly refilled gu yanfei¡¯s wine again. after putting down the wine pot, she pushed open a window facing the street and pointed to the right side of the street. ¡°that¡¯s the clinic.¡± ¡°myriad herb hall,¡± fan beiran added, indicating for his sister to refill his wine. fan mushuang ignored her second brother¡¯s request and echoed with a smile, ¡°yes, it¡¯s the myriad herb hall.¡± ¡°this myriad herb hall seems to be new. i remember that the last time i went there, it was a rouge shop. mother and i even went to buy rouge powder.¡± at this point, fan mushuang¡¯s smile stiffened slightly. later on, she was poisoned by the unlucky love gu. she didn¡¯t even know when the rouge shop had become a clinic. fan beiran immediately said, ¡°it opened after the lantern festival. it¡¯s only been open for half a month. it¡¯s said to be good at external injuries.¡± because of fan mushuang¡¯s ¡°possessed¡± experience previously, madam fan had asked almost all the medical centers in the capital, including this newly opened myriad herb hall. how could gu yuan not see that gu yanfei was very interested in the myriad herb hall? clap! clap! gu yuan clapped his hands decisively. the servant, wu tong, who was guarding the entrance of the elegant seat, quickly walked in. he heard gu yuan instruct indifferently, ¡°go to myriad herb hall in front and buy that medicine to treat external injuries and fever.¡± wu tong received the order and left in a hurry. as soon as the door of the elegant seat opened, the voices in the lobby downstairs came up again. those drinkers were still talking about a certain scholar who was in love with himself. one moment, they were saying that the scholar was holding a mirror wherever he went. the next moment, they were saying that he had to be praised for being beautiful wherever he went. otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t let him leave. they were all just hearsay. the more they spoke, the stranger it became. even fan mushuang was excited to hear it. just as someone was talking about scholar xue sacrificing himself for his love, wu tong returned with a fist-sized porcelain jar. ¡°eldest young master, second lady, i bought the medicine.¡± wu tong carefully held the porcelain jar and sighed in disbelief. ¡°such a small jar costs 10 taels of silver. it¡¯s a full 10 taels of silver!¡± two taels of silver could allow an ordinary family of three to live for a year. fan mushuang wasn¡¯t very interested in this medicine. her soul was attracted by the scene depicted by a certain eloquent old man. she heard him sigh and say, ¡°i heard that when that scholar struggled in the water, he was still shouting that he wants to be with himself forever. he begged others not to save him¡­¡± wu tong turned a deaf ear to the noise below. he only felt that the small porcelain jar in his hand was heavy. afraid that it would accidentally break, he carefully presented it to gu yanfei. wu tong sighed and said, ¡°this medicine was sold half a month ago. originally, no one wanted to buy it at this price. however, after marquis ji¡¯an used it two days ago, the people who were about to die were forcefully pulled back from the gates of hell. after the matter spread, the people from the dragon gate escort agency bought it with the thought of giving it a try. escort leader sun, who was seriously injured and unconscious, was also saved by this medicine.¡± ¡°now, there are rumors everywhere in the capital that this is divine medicine. there are a few more people buying it, but ordinary families can¡¯t afford it at all.¡± ¡°when i went to the myriad herb hall just now, manager he from the ministry of war happened to come over to buy 10 cans.¡± as soon as manager he arrived, there were even more onlookers around the myriad herb hall. after today, the reputation of the myriad herb hall will probably become even greater. gu yuan and fan beiran looked at each other and thought of the same thing. the ministry of war naturally had to use this medicine in the military.. Chapter 454 - Chapter 454: Divine Medicine (3) chapter 454: divine medicine (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°do you know the name of the doctor from the myriad herb hall? where is he from?¡± gu yuan asked in a low voice. wu tong had specially asked the people from the myriad herb hall, so she replied without hesitation, ¡°his surname is wan, and his name is wan pengcheng. he¡¯s from the capital.¡± gu yuan had never heard of this name before. he looked up at fan beiran, who was sitting opposite him. fan beiran also shook his head. for generals like them, their children had practiced martial arts since they were young. practicing martial arts meant that they would be injured. they had heard of most of the doctors in the great jin dynasty who were good at external injuries, but they had never heard of anyone with the surname wan. wu tong was a smart person and immediately said, ¡°eldest young master, i¡¯ve asked around. doctor wan is only a doctor hired by the boss of the myriad herb hall. this external injury medicine was made by their boss himself. it¡¯s a unique secret recipe.¡± ¡°the staff of the myriad herb hall kept saying that even if others bought it, they could forget about replicating it.¡± at that time, wu tong could also tell that some people in the periphery of the myriad herb hall should be from other medical halls. they probably wanted to take the secret medicine of the myriad herb hall back and study the composition of the herbs. as they were talking, gu yanfei had already opened the small porcelain jar. there was a snow-white powder in the porcelain jar. at first glance, it looked like flour. before gu yanfei could ask, wu tong took the initiative to say, ¡°the myriad herb hall said that this powder needs to be applied externally. it¡¯s useless to take it internally.¡± gu yanfei leaned over and sniffed the small porcelain jar. her nose was very sharp. although the wine fragrance in the private room was strong, she could still confirm that this medicinal powder had no smell and didn¡¯t look like a herb. she dipped her pinky into the powder and tasted it¡­ her movements were really too fast, so fast that gu yuan couldn¡¯t stop her in time. he shouted nervously, ¡°sister!¡± gu yuan was so frightened that his soul almost left his body. his elbow even accidentally hit the wine pot beside him, and the wine pot almost fell over. fortunately, fan beiran was quick-witted and quickly held the wine pot. i almost ruined such a pot of good wine! van beiran thought to himself and gave gu yuan a look that said, ¡°don¡¯t be nervous.¡± gu yuan was just worried. since such a powerful person as our sister dared to taste the medicine herself, she naturally knew what to do. fan mushuang didn¡¯t care about the gossipy people below. she stared at gu yanfei without blinking. her little face was so tense that it was round. she almost wanted to imitate gu yanfei and try the medicine. gu yanfei savored the taste on the tip of her tongue carefully. other than a salty and bitter taste, she really couldn¡¯t taste anything else. it was no wonder that the people from the myriad herb hall dared to confidently say that no one could replicate this medicine. interesting. gu yanfei casually put the small porcelain jar into her sleeve pocket and looked in the direction of fan mushuang¡¯s two fingers outside the window. wu tong hurriedly said, ¡°second lady, the shop surrounded by many people at the end of the street is the myriad herb hall.¡± ¡°go buy another can,¡± gu yanfei instructed. then, she turned to gu yuan and said, ¡°brother, take this can to the eldest prince.¡± gu yuan naturally listened to gu yanfei and nodded. hence, at noon that day, chu yi, who was in yangxin hall, had an identical green porcelain jar in his hand. the emperor was also in yangxin hall. at this moment, he was admiring a painting he had just finished in front of a desk by the window. the peach blossoms in the painting were in full swing, and the clouds were steaming. chu yi¡¯s eyes curved imperceptibly. the corners of his eyes were slightly raised, and his pupils were sparkling like spring. he stretched out his fingers and gently rubbed the porcelain jar twice, feeling a trace of honey in his heart. the emperor looked up from the painting, stroked his beard, and glanced at chu yi with a smile. it was obvious at a glance that his son was in an extremely good mood. the emperor¡¯s knowing gaze couldn¡¯t help but drift to a certain wooden box on the desk, and a smile flashed across his eyes. gu yuan, who had just arrived, didn¡¯t know, but the emperor knew that there was an identical green porcelain jar hidden in this wooden box. it was the one chu yi had gotten someone to buy from the myriad herb hall. the young lady from the gu family should have her son in her heart. it was a good sign! the emperor was in a good mood. the more he looked at his peach blossom painting, the more pleasing it was to the eye. he thought about it and framed it properly. soon, gu yuan reported about how the myriad herb hall¡¯s secret medicine had treated marquis ji¡¯an and the head of an escort agency. in the end, he said, ¡°my sister said that she doesn¡¯t know which herb this powder is made of.¡± chu yi casually opened the small green porcelain jar and looked at the white powder inside.. ¡°do you know what this powder is called?¡± Chapter 455 - Chapter 455: Divine Medicine (4) chapter 455: divine medicine (4) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios xiao shi, who was at the side, suppressed the urge to reply. he could only purse his lips and silently glance at gu yuan. he felt that this guy had come at the wrong time. the moment he arrived, gu yuan arrived. he didn¡¯t have time to report his gains from this trip to the myriad herb hall. ¡°the name of the medicine is especially strange. it¡¯s called green mold powder.¡± since gu yuan wanted to hand this medicine to chu yi, he naturally wouldn¡¯t be ignorant. he had already instructed wu tong to ask the myriad herb hall in advance. ¡°penicillin.¡± the next moment, a gentle and deep male voice followed the words of gu yuan. gu yuan subconsciously looked at the emperor. his first reaction was to think that the emperor had heard wrongly, but when he saw the emperor¡¯s expression clearly, he couldn¡¯t help but be stunned. the emperor sitting at the window had his back to the light. his refined facial features were slightly blurry, and his eyes were exceptionally deep. his right hand gripped the armrest of the chair tightly, and the lines on the back of his hand were as tight as iron. gu yuan was a smart person and instantly understood one thing: the emperor didn¡¯t hear wrongly. there was silence in the east warm pavilion. chu yi lowered his long eyelashes and stared at the powder in the porcelain jar, his eyes deep. after a moment of silence, chu yi looked up at the emperor by the window and said with certainty, ¡°emperor taizu¡¯s note.¡± when emperor taizu died, chu yi wasn¡¯t even born. he had never seen his wise and mighty great-grandfather. regarding the emperor taizu, chu yi knew some of it from ¡®emperor taizu¡¯s living note¡¯. some of it was mentioned by the previous emperor, imperial duke wei, and the others. most of it was from his father telling him about this as gossip when he was young. ¡°it¡¯s ¡®emperor taizu¡¯s living note¡¯.¡± the emperor nodded in realization. time passed quickly. unknowingly, emperor taizu had passed away for 20 years. emperor taizu was the current emperor¡¯s grandfather. the previous emperor didn¡¯t like the current emperor. when the emperor was young, he followed emperor taizu more than the previous emperor, so his feelings for his grandfather were naturally extraordinary. in the three years before emperor taizu¡¯s death, his dragon body had been deteriorating. the emperor often attended to emperor taizu¡¯s illness. occasionally, he would hear emperor taizu mutter some inexplicable words, saying that he still had many things to do and had even written a few notebooks. ¡°thump.¡± the emperor suddenly stood up from his chair and turned around. he looked at the flowers and trees swaying in the spring breeze outside the house and said, ¡°a year before emperor taizu passed away, there was once when i was attending to emperor taizu¡¯s illness and accidentally knocked over some soup on a notebook. when i wiped it, i only flipped a few pages¡­¡± ¡°the handbook mentioned penicillin. it can treat high fever, tuberculosis, abscesses, and so on caused by traumatic inflammation.¡± ¡°what a pity. i only took a cursory glance at it at that time¡­¡± the letter was taken back by emperor taizu. at this point, the emperor¡¯s voice stopped. the golden sunlight filtered through the layers of branches and leaves, casting mottled light and shadow on the emperor¡¯s face. the light and shadow swayed gently, making his expression even more complicated. there was nostalgia, sadness, helplessness, and the heartless sighs of time. the year before emperor taizu passed away, he was already old and weak, and his condition was getting worse. during that period of time, the relationship between emperor taizu and the late emperor was very tense. the late emperor begged emperor taizu bitterly for those letters and wanted him to leave the generator and steam engine to him. however, emperor taizu said that these things in the letters couldn¡¯t be taken out yet. the father and son argued several times over this. once, after the father and son argued again, emperor taizu sent the late emperor away impatiently. then, he sighed tiredly at the emperor. ¡°your father is a fool. if 1 leave all this to him, i¡¯m afraid he won¡¯t be able to defend it.¡± ¡°if this technology tree is wrong, we can¡¯t start all over again¡­¡± ¡°i don¡¯t have enough time. i really don¡¯t have enough time.. if you can give me more time, i can even make you my aunt¡­¡± Chapter 456 - Chapter 456: Too Late (1) chapter 456: too late (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios 20 years have passed. when he thought of emperor taizu¡¯s voice and appearance, the emperor¡¯s heart still surged, and the corners of his eyes turned slightly red. ¡°father.¡± after a while, chu yi¡¯s clear voice sounded in the silent east warm pavilion. ¡°everyone says that emperor taizu burned the letter before he died.¡± the emperor took a few deep breaths and composed himself. his surging emotions calmed down a little before he said in a hoarse voice, ¡°before emperor taizu passed away, he wrote a few notebooks. most of them were torn apart and burned, leaving only the last one. not long after he finished writing that book, emperor taizu passed away¡­¡± ¡°and the handwritten letter is gone.¡± ¡°before emperor taizu¡¯s coffin was placed in the imperial mausoleum, the late emperor thoroughly searched the entire imperial palace several times, digging deep into the ground, but found nothing.¡± ¡°sigh, the late emperor has always suspected that aunt fengyang took the letter.¡± at this point, the emperor rubbed the space between his eyebrows and felt a deep sense of exhaustion surge up. seeing the emperor¡¯s fatigue, chu yi got up and walked to the emperor¡¯s side. he said in a low voice, ¡°father, you should take an afternoon nap.¡± the emperor was already at the age of knowing his fate. all these years, his dragon body hadn¡¯t been good. he had a small illness every three to five days. in the past few months, it was because chu yi had returned to the country that he was in high spirits and looked a little better. meeting his son¡¯s concerned gaze, the emperor couldn¡¯t help but smile. without another word, he patted his son¡¯s hand and smiled in relief. ¡°alright, alright. i¡¯ll go rest.¡± the emperor looked like he didn¡¯t care about anything and asked zhao rang to hold the peach blossom painting for him before leaving. as soon as the emperor left, chu yi instructed xiao shi, ¡°call he lie over.¡± half a cup of tea later, the embroidered uniform guards¡¯ commander, he lie, complied and cupped his fists in greeting. ¡°what¡¯s going on with marquis ji¡¯an?¡± chu yi asked calmly. there was a faint smile on his handsome face, making it impossible to tell his emotions. he lie maintained his cupped fist posture with a solemn expression. ever since chu yi took over the embroidered uniform guards, they had truly become the eyes and ears of the emperor. they knew very well about the recent major events in the capital. he lie replied concisely, ¡°marquis ji¡¯an regrets it. three days ago, he went to duke wei¡¯s mansion to ask for forgiveness and even gave himself a dagger¡­¡± ¡°marquis ji¡¯an¡¯s stab wasn¡¯t deep, but the first doctor didn¡¯t treat his wound well, causing external evil to enter his body. the wound was red and swollen, causing his high fever to not subside. he almost died.¡± ¡°that day, it was doctor wan from the myriad herb hall who took the initiative to look for marquis ji¡¯an¡¯s mansion. their matriarch tried it as a last resort.¡± ¡°after applying the medicine, marquis ji¡¯an¡¯s fever subsided in the middle of the night, and he woke up at dawn.¡± ¡°although his wound hasn¡¯t healed yet, it¡¯s better. he can almost sleep now.¡± the knuckles of chu yi¡¯s right hand tapped casually on the desk. the fingers of his other hand occasionally gently brushed across the small green porcelain jar. his eyelashes were half-closed, and it was unknown what he was thinking. he seemed to be listening, but also seemed to not care much about he lie¡¯s report. after he lie finished reporting, the room fell silent. he lie looked at chu yi quietly, waiting for his instructions. seeing that he was silent for a long time, he lie racked his brains to think of something. he thought of something else that seemed somewhat related, so he reported, ¡°your highness, manager he from the ministry of war also bought a few jars of penicillin.¡± ¡°oh?¡± with just a simple word, chu yi conveyed his intention, and he lie understood it. he continued speaking tactfully, ¡°a few days ago, a team from the divine pivot camp returned from yanzhou after suppressing bandits. one of the captains and several soldiers in the camp developed high fevers after being injured. despite various attempts with different medicinal concoctions, the military doctors couldn¡¯t bring down their fevers. the ministry of war procured penicillin for them.¡± chu yi looked at the white powder in the small porcelain jar and his thin lips curled into an ambiguous smile. his eyes were deep. penicillin? penicillin powder? he never believed that there could be such a coincidence in this world. as he lie had said, the ministry of war had indeed ordered someone to buy medicine for this. this medicine was used on the few injured people that day. in just two or three days, all the injuries had subsided. their injuries weren¡¯t serious to begin with. these soldiers were young and had good foundations. after their fever subsided, they recovered in a few days. the minister of war, wu zhongde, attached great importance to this matter. he immediately reported the whole story to the emperor and several military doctors from the imperial hospital jointly submitted the injuries and drug records of these injuries.. Chapter 457 - Chapter 457: Too Late (2) chapter 457: too late (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios for this matter, even the eldest princess fengyang was alarmed. when she heard that the penicillin written in emperor taizu¡¯s handwritten letter had actually appeared, feng yang couldn¡¯t help but go to the legendary myriad herb hall. in just 10 days, everyone in the capital knew about the myriad herb hall. even passersby would take a few curious glances. feng yang looked up at the signboard with the words ¡°myriad herb hall¡± written in gold and walked in. the front hall was very empty. on one wall was a row of medicine cabinets that stretched straight to the roof. the air was filled with a thick medicinal fragrance, mixed with the smell of wormwood. this medical hall was quite bright. at a glance, it was spotless. ¡°old madam, are you here to seek medical treatment?¡± the shop assistant with a mask on his face greeted her with a smile. he sized up the old woman in front of him and said, ¡°if you want to see external injuries, look at doctor wan. if you have a cold and a headache, you can look at the internal medicine department. we also have a medical woman here who is good at gynecology and pediatrics.¡± feng yang was wearing an ordinary green dress today. her white hair was tied into a simple bun, and she only had a jade hairpin as jewelry. at first glance, she was an ordinary old woman. feng yang shook her head and looked at the white mask on the waiter¡¯s face. the proposal to have healthcare workers wear masks was also put forward by emperor taizu. he suggested that wearing masks covering the mouth and nose could help prevent the spread of contagious diseases such as colds and coughs. he also ordered the imperial pharmacy bureau to oversee all medical clinics and pharmacies throughout the empire. unfortunately, after emperor taizu passed away, the imperial pharmacy bureau no longer pursued these rules. gradually, there were no more medical centers or pharmacies that adhered to them. the shopkeeper sized up feng yang again. from her bearing and the emerald jade hairpin on her head, she could tell that she should be an old lady from a wealthy family. her smile widened, and she wondered if an old lady from a wealthy businessman¡¯s family had heard of the reputation of the myriad herb hall and came to join in the fun. ¡°old madam, have you heard of our myriad herb hall¡¯s penicillin?¡± the waiter greeted feng yang warmly. ¡°that¡¯s divine medicine for treating external injuries. it¡¯s better to buy a portion and be prepared.¡± ¡°i heard about your unique secret recipe, so i came to take a look.¡± feng yang continued to walk in and sized up the middle-aged doctor sitting inside. she asked casually, ¡°who¡¯s your boss?¡± during this period of time, there was no shortage of people who came to ask about their boss. the waiter was already used to dealing with such questions. he replied with a smile, ¡°to be honest, i don¡¯t know either.¡± ¡°i heard from our doctor wan that he was originally from yuzhou. he fled to the capital and was accidentally saved by our boss. doctor wan was grateful and stayed in the capital to serve the boss.¡± ¡°old madam, to be honest, even the ministry of war has come to our place to buy penicillin. think about it. if even the imperial court dares to use medicine, is that miracle medicine?¡± the waiter spoke excitedly, but feng yang was a little distracted. what the other party said was similar to what the embroidered uniform guards had investigated. however, feng yang kept feeling inexplicably out of place. she looked around again. this bright and clean medical hall was actually nothing special. ¡°give me a can,¡± feng yang said calmly. when the waiter heard this, her eyes lit up, and she replied enthusiastically, ¡°alright!¡± he knew that she was an old lady from a rich family. could an ordinary family casually take out 10 taels of silver?! feng yang was sent out of the myriad herb hall by a passionate waiter. the princess¡¯s manor¡¯s carriage was waiting outside. she was about to get into the carriage when she suddenly stopped. she saw two familiar figures in a tea shop diagonally across the street. two slender figures, one blue and one purple, were intimately whispering into each other¡¯s ears. one was lively, valiant, and the other was lazy, bright, and energetic. the colors around her seemed to brighten. wasn¡¯t this jiaoniang of the wei family and¡­ the little girl from the gu family who was a little strange?! feng yang raised her eyebrows and stopped in place. the female guard beside her was about to help her into the carriage. when she saw this, she called out softly, ¡°master?¡± she thought that something was wrong. feng yang raised her hand and gestured for them to leave first. she walked alone towards the tea shop diagonally opposite. a few 10 feet away, she heard wei jiaoniang¡¯s clear laughter. the girl¡¯s good mood couldn¡¯t be hidden. it was extremely infectious, causing the corners of feng yang¡¯s lips to curl up.. Chapter 458 - Chapter 458: Too Late (3) chapter 458: too late (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°jiaoniang,¡± she called out, and the two little girls in the tea shop with their backs to her turned to look at her. ¡°¡­¡± wei jiaoniang smiled brightly. ¡°what a coincidence.¡± wei jiaoniang hesitated for a moment before warmly inviting feng yang to sit down. she didn¡¯t notice where feng yang came from, but gu yanfei did. from the corner of her eye, she glanced at the myriad herb hall not far away and retracted her gaze calmly. wei jiaoniang called the waiter from the tea shop to serve tea to feng yang and said with a smile, ¡°are you here to watch the show too?¡± ¡°what show?¡± feng yang asked casually. ¡°hehe, grandpa is coming back today,¡± wei jiaoniang said energetically. ¡°i brought yanfei along to watch the commotion.¡± with that, wei jiaoniang pointed in the direction of the west gate. feng yang looked in the direction the little girl was pointing and saw another very familiar figure at the city gate. ¡°marquis ji¡¯an?¡± feng yang¡¯s tone was calm and lukewarm. wei jiaoniang leaned over and whispered, ¡°he¡¯s also here to wait for grandpa.¡± although the matter between wei wan, xu yan, and xu luo was temporarily held back for various reasons, feng yang was well-informed and still knew a thing or two. after imperial duke wei impeached marquis ji¡¯an, he privately requested to see the emperor. with snot and tears, he explained the entire situation. feng yang was quite disdainful of marquis ji¡¯an, xu yan. at this moment, the waiter shouted as he served tea. such tea shops on the streets, such as those proper teahouses, only served rough tea to quench the thirst of ordinary people. however, feng yang didn¡¯t care. she picked up her teacup and blew on it before taking a few sips. she didn¡¯t seem restrained at all, and didn¡¯t look like a noble princess. gu yanfei looked at feng yang and then at the cup of tea in front of wei jiaoniang. even though wei jiaoniang didn¡¯t say a word of disdain, gu yanfei could tell that wei jiaoniang wasn¡¯t used to such a street tea shop and wasn¡¯t very comfortable. the reason she chose such a place to sit down was to watch the show. as she was in a good mood to watch the show, wei jiaoniang didn¡¯t care about these trivial matters. but feng yang was different. gu yanfei looked at feng yang steadily and looked at his old but not turbid wise eyes. seeing that gu yanfei was looking at him, feng yang also looked at gu yanfei. gu yanfei was wearing a purple riding suit that was neither new nor old. there was a mystic flame whip on her waist as he sat in this simple tea shop. her posture was casual, as if she could naturally integrate into all the environments. no matter where she was, she carried herself with such ease and tranquility, as if she were a gentle breeze or flowing clouds. she seemed to be in a state of absolute freedom and relaxation. it was really not simple for a young lady who hadn¡¯t reached the age of 15 to have such a bearing¡­ no wonder chu yi was attracted to her. as she thought about it, feng yang looked at gu yanfei with the love and joy of an elder. her expression softened as she thought to herself, ¡°chu yi has good taste.¡± feng yang took another sip of warm and fragrant barley tea and said with a smile, ¡°i haven¡¯t drunk this barley tea in a long time.¡± ¡°i remember the first time i drank this barley tea when 1 was young. 1 followed my father¡­ my family through a quagmire. i was exhausted. my father carried me out for the second half of the journey.¡± ¡°when i woke up, my father secretly gave me barley tea behind my back. at that time, i felt that this tea was so fragrant. it was the best tea in the world¡­¡± at that time, she was only five or six years old. now, she was almost 70. this person was really unconvinced of her old age. she had been thinking about the past more and more recently¡­ feng yang¡¯s heart ached a little and she sighed¡­ the sadness of someone¡¯s death lingered in her heart. of course, wei jiaoniang knew that the father feng yang was talking about was emperor taizu. her eyes burned as she looked at feng yang in admiration. she had heard many things from her grandfather and grandmother about eldest princess feng yang. she had heard a lot about how feng yang had galloped on the battlefield and how feng yang had helped tai zuan stabilize the country. however, this was the first time she had heard of the story feng yang had told her when she was young. wei jiaoniang looked down at the cup of dark brown barley tea in front of her. the fragrance of burnt wheat entered her nose, and the tea soup was rough. wei jiaoniang picked up the teacup and downed the cup of barley tea in one gulp. the tea in her mouth was slightly bitter and burnt. it tasted a little refreshing and had a strong barley tea fragrance in her mouth.. Chapter 459 - Chapter 459: Too Late (4) chapter 459: too late (4) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios weil, although the barley tasted rough, it had a different taste. wei jiaoniang savored the taste in her mouth and placed the cup on the table. she shouted boldly, ¡°another cup.¡± the waiter quickly refilled wei jiaoniang¡¯s cup of tea. feng yang placed the small green porcelain jar she had just bought on the table and asked in a low voice, ¡°what did you find out?¡± feng yang heard from the emperor and chu yi that gu yanfei was the one who asked gu yuan to submit this green mold powder. gu yanfei shook her head. ever since she brought this so-called green mold powder back to the residence that day, she had studied it for a few days, but she couldn¡¯t tell what it was. two days ago, chu yi had even gotten someone to bring her the medical records of the few injured soldiers in the army. gu yanfei had also taken a closer look, but she still found nothing. gu yanfei didn¡¯t feel thwarted. in this world, there were many things and methods she didn¡¯t know. instead, she found it interesting and exciting. she said, ¡°from the pulses of those injured, this medicine is indeed magical.¡± ¡°after the medicine is taken, it will take effect in about an hour and the fever will begin to decrease¡­ within three days, the condition can basically stabilize. if it¡¯s more serious, it¡¯ll take another two days.¡± feng yang looked at the small porcelain jar, her eyes slightly wandering. after a moment of silence, she asked, ¡°girl, what if it¡¯s you?¡± ¡°it can be treated.¡± gu yanfei nodded slightly. ¡°hemostasis muscle growth talisman, clear fire pill, and supplemented with golden needles. however, i have to treat the illness. i can only save one person at a time. unlike this green mold powder, even an ordinary doctor can use it to save many people.¡± ¡°however, so far, too few people have used this medicine. there are only a dozen cases. i wonder¡­¡± ¡°i wonder if it works on everyone. will there be any aftereffects?¡± feng yang continued. in ancient times, there was shen nong, who extensively studied herbs and their medicinal properties. determining the properties of a certain herb sometimes involved an element of chance, but more often it relied on systematic observation and accumulated knowledge from thousands of years of medical practice. especially for toxic herbs like centipedes and aconitum (also known as monkshood or wolfsbane), caution was necessary when using them in medicine. careful consideration of dosage and compatibility with other herbs was essential. a single mistake could lead to a thousand miles of error. if things went wrong, it wouldn¡¯t be saving people, but harming them. gu yanfei nodded again and asked casually, ¡°you know medicine?¡± feng yang pretended not to hear her. she seemed to be recalling something and was immersed in her own thoughts. her eyes became even more wandering as she continued, ¡°it won¡¯t work on some people. it¡¯ll be fatal to some people, and it¡¯s incurable.¡± after saying this, feng yang looked up from the teacup and met gu yanfei¡¯s slightly surprised gaze. she seemed to know what she was thinking and said with a smile, ¡°my late father told me all this.¡± ¡°my late father said that although penicillin isn¡¯t perfect, the benefits are still far greater than the disadvantages.¡± wei jiaoniang had no idea what the two of them were talking about and was confused. when she heard feng yang mention emperor taizu, she couldn¡¯t help but perk up. she also liked to hear her grandfather and grandmother mention the legendary stories when emperor taizu was alive. she wished that she hadn¡¯t been born more than 20 years earlier and could have seen emperor taizu with her own eyes. even though she couldn¡¯t understand a word, wei jiaoniang was still focused. her eyes were brighter than the sun outside the tea shed. feng yang noticed the wei family¡¯s little girl¡¯s gaze and felt inexplicably relieved. she thought playfully: i¡¯ve really grown old. when i was young, i was the most impatient to gossip with young ladies. if 1 had the time, i might as well pull a few more bows and swing my sword a few more times. 1 could even save a few more people on the battlefield. but now, just looking at these two lively and cheerful little girls makes me feel happy. just as father said when he was alive, our generation has bathed in blood for the sake of our descendants. the smile on feng yang¡¯s lips softened a little. ¡°my late father said that, as the name implies, penicillin is taken from the green mold produced by the decay of fruits, steamed buns, vegetables, and so on. after cultivation, filtering, and other steps, penicillin can finally be extracted.¡± ¡°he also said that it¡¯s not appropriate to take penicillin directly orally. after taking it orally, it will be destroyed by gastric acid, so it won¡¯t work. the best way is to inject it. external application is the next best thing.¡± ¡°my late father only mentioned this to me roughly. i don¡¯t know the details.¡± when emperor taizu was alive, he mentioned too many novel things to feng yang. these few sentences were only remembered by feng yang after thinking for a long time on the way out of the palace. ¡°mold?¡± gu yanfei¡¯s face revealed some interest. she rubbed her chin with her fingers. ¡°mold can treat external evil and enter the body?¡± interesting. gu yanfei silently thought about what feng yang had just said and was in high spirits. ¡°ninth miss.¡± a green-robed servant ran over from the direction of the city gate. when he ran into the tea shop, his breathing was already rapid. ¡°he¡¯s here, the duke is here!¡± wei jiaoniang quickly put down the teacup in her hand and craned her neck to look at the city gate. but from her position, she couldn¡¯t see anyone yet. unlike marquis ji¡¯an, xu yan, who was at the city gate, and could see the end of the official road at a glance, more than a hundred feet ahead, imperial duke wei was leading more than ten guards of the duke¡¯s estate over on horses. the sound of galloping hooves resonated in the air.. Chapter 460 - Chapter 460: Seduction (1) chapter 460: seduction (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios imperial duke wei had left the capital this time to suppress the bandits. he didn¡¯t mobilize much when he returned to the capital and only brought people from the duke¡¯s estate and traveled light. the sound of whips being waved rose and fell. the horses¡¯ hooves flew, stepping on a gray dust cloud. a middle-aged man rode his horse to imperial duke wei, who was at the front, and asked for instructions, ¡°imperial duke wei, after returning to the capital, do you want to return to the duke¡¯s estate first, or enter the palace first?¡± ¡°enter the palace,¡± imperial duke wei said without hesitation. he had always been an impatient person. now, he only wanted to resolve this matter as soon as possible so that there would be no future trouble. when the group arrived less than 300 feet away from the city gate, a figure in a sapphire blue robe suddenly rushed out from the side and stood in the middle of the official road. ¡°brother!¡± xu yan shouted loudly. he stood in front of imperial duke wei and tried to stop him. the white breath from the horse¡¯s mouth and nose almost sprayed on xu yan¡¯s face. the stinky smell on the horse assaulted his face, making him want to vomit. xu yan subconsciously frowned. even so, he still smiled apologetically and said ingratiatingly, ¡°brother, you¡¯ve succeeded and returned triumphantly. 1 specially came to celebrate for you.¡± the group of people led by imperial duke wei pulled the reins tightly. horses neighed and straightened their backs, their front hooves raised high. the horse stopped only two to three feet away from xu yan. imperial duke wei rode on a tall and strong black horse. he was travel-worn, but he was still hale and hearty. he looked down at xu yan, who was close at hand. xu yan looked a little awful at this moment. he had lost a lot of weight, and his face was haggard. there was a deep shadow in his eyes, and he looked withered. it was difficult to hide the nervousness in his eyes. it had only been half a month since they last met, but xu yan looked like a completely different person from the last time they met. that day, when xu yan left the wei family¡¯s manor with his delicate concubine and beloved son, he still had a smug and ostentatious expression on his face. he carried an arrogance that duke wei¡¯s mansion couldn¡¯t do anything to him. indeed. it wasn¡¯t wrong for a father to kill his daughter. at most, others would condemn xu yan morally. indeed. when a man raised his mistress outside, it was just a romantic matter. in this society, there seemed to be more leniency towards men, while women were often subjected to scrutiny. if news about an extramarital affair were to spread, it was likely that many people wouldn¡¯t sympathize with wei wan. instead, they might perceive her as a jealous woman, leading xu yan to keep someone outside the marriage. instead of letting those people laugh at wei wan in private for not being able to control a man and not being able to tolerate anyone, they might as well cut the gordian knot and be ruthless. a cold light flashed across imperial duke wei¡¯s sharp eyes. he said coldly, ¡°there¡¯s no need. i still have to enter the palace to report.¡± ¡°move!¡± imperial duke wei was unwilling to waste his breath and refused to exchange pleasantries with xu yan. not only did xu yanfei not give in, but he even took another step closer to imperial duke wei. the corners of his eyes pressed down stiffly, but the smile on his face became even more ardent. ¡°brother, 1 heard last night that yao¡¯er caught a cold two days ago. i was extremely worried and didn¡¯t sleep last night.¡± ¡°yao¡¯er has been weak since she was young. every year, it¡¯s easy for her to catch a cold. last year, she had a high fever for three days and three nights. wan¡¯er and i were worried sick.¡± ¡°as parents, we¡¯ve lost a piece of flesh to our children.¡± xu yan looked at imperial duke wei affectionately and tried to move him. after all, he was related to wei wan and xu yao by blood. xu yan comforted himself in his heart and said kindly, ¡°brother, i really know my mistake.¡± ¡°yu qing, i¡¯ll handle it well. i¡¯ll definitely give you an explanation.¡± ¡°brother, let wan¡¯er and her daughter go back with me.¡± xu yan lowered his posture greatly. he was simply about to kneel down before imperial duke wei. ¡°you know your mistake?¡± imperial duke wei¡¯s lukewarm voice came from the back of the horse. against the light, his face seemed to be covered in a layer of shadow. the black horse under him paced impatiently again and exhaled several mouthfuls of rough air. to be honest, xu yan couldn¡¯t figure out imperial duke wei¡¯s attitude. it was obvious that he wasn¡¯t as amiable as before, but he didn¡¯t look like he wanted to kill him with a knife with his eyes when he impeached him a few days ago. suppressing the thousands of thoughts in his heart, xu yan looked up at imperial duke wei and said sincerely, ¡°i was wrong!¡± ¡°wan¡¯er is devoted to me. i shouldn¡¯t have raised a mistress and made her sad.¡± ¡°brother, let me see wan¡¯er. i¡¯ll apologize to her personally..¡± Chapter 461 - Chapter 461: Seduction (2) chapter 461: seduction (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios in xu yan¡¯s opinion, imperial duke wei and his wife must have deliberately stopped him from seeing wei wan. even wei wan might not know that he had been there. imperial duke wei was speechless. imperial duke wei looked at xu yan steadily, his eyes devoid of any ripples, resembling a cold and bottomless abyss. deep within, he sighed: even at this stage, xu yan still thinks that its merely a matter of having an extramarital affair? xu yan clenched his fists tightly, and his expression revealed sadness. his eyes were also slightly red. ¡°i¡¯ve hidden yao¡¯er¡¯s sister¡¯s matter in my heart for seven years and haven¡¯t told anyone.¡± ¡°the child was actually born unwell, with a bluish complexion and no signs of life. the midwife and the doctor both said that she had been deprived of oxygen in the womb for too long and wouldn¡¯t survive.¡± ¡°i was afraid that she would be sad, so 1 kept it a secret.¡± ¡°that¡¯s my flesh and blood. how can 1 hurt that child? i was also in a fit of anger that day, that¡¯s why i said things without thinking¡­ what people say in a fit of anger can¡¯t be taken seriously.¡± xu yan tried his best to look sincere, but his heart was still in a mess. when he was in the manor, he was certain that imperial duke wei couldn¡¯t do anything to him. the worst-case scenario would be his separation or estrangement from wei wan. however, he didn¡¯t expect imperial duke wei to not mention a word about his mistress and xu luo the next day. instead, he impeached him for colluding with bandits. impeachment was nothing much. after all, he hadn¡¯t colluded with the bandits at all, and had just gotten someone to pretend to be a bandit. it could be said that he had a grudge against the guard, who had been expelled by the marquis mansion in the past. anyway, he could just deny that this matter was related to him no matter what. however, the emperor had really asked imperial duke wei to eliminate the bandits. only then did xu yan panic. he was just a small bandit. there was no need for the dignified imperial duke wei to personally lead troops to exterminate him. if imperial duke wei had lowered himself so much, he must have had a motive, and there was a high chance that it was to trap him. without evidence, he would create evidence! that must be it! xu yan tried his best to control the surging emotions in his heart and hide the fear and resentment in the depths of his eyes. a mistress was a small matter. there were many nobles and courtiers in the capital who raised a mistress. it was just a romantic affair. if he was forced to collude with bandits, it would probably be difficult to protect the title of marquis mansion! he used to think that yu qing was the most important to him, more important than anything else. but now¡­ when he looked at yu qing, he still had the pity and joy of the past in his heart. when he pulled her into his arms, the fear buried in the bottom of his heart would quickly suppress his love for her. he was afraid. he was afraid of losing his title. he was afraid of losing everything and being despised¡­ he asked himself honestly: can 1 bear to become such a lowly commoner for yu qing?! no. xu yan¡¯s heart trembled. he adjusted his expression and tone, and admitted his mistake even more sincerely. ¡°uncle, i was young and muddle-headed. after wan¡¯er left, 1 realized what was most important.¡± after a pause, he said slowly, ¡°yao¡¯er can¡¯t live without a mother.¡± he said the last sentence almost word by word, hinting to imperial duke wei that even if wei wan divorced him, she couldn¡¯t take xu yao away. this was the law. even if he allowed it, the xu family wouldn¡¯t agree. one moment, he was pleading, the next, he was apologizing, and the next, he was threatening. it could be said that he was using both soft and hard methods. imperial duke wei wasn¡¯t a fool. he naturally heard the threat in xu yan¡¯s tone, and an extremely cold smile appeared on his lips. he was as still as a mountain. he said slowly, ¡°that¡¯s right, but if her husband¡¯s family is suspected of rebellion, the emperor will also show mercy if she puts righteousness before family and exposes her family.¡± ¡°right?¡± as soon as he finished speaking, imperial duke wei¡¯s body released an indestructible aura that was like mount tai pressing down. this was a murderous aura that came from fighting through mountains of corpses and seas of blood. xu yan couldn¡¯t help but shiver. he restrained his pleading, sorrowful, and affectionate expression, and his sinister eyes locked tightly onto imperial duke wei¡¯s gaze. he was expressionless and seemed to have become a different person again. he said in an extremely calm and rational tone, ¡°brother, i¡¯m willing to hand the ji¡¯an mansion to yao¡¯er to inherit.¡± ¡°brother, what do you think?¡± he spoke more slowly, with the determination of a warrior to cut his wrist. there was a sharp pain in his heart that he hid deep in his heart. this was a choice he made after weighing the pros and cons. he couldn¡¯t let the ji¡¯an marquis mansion lose its title like the dingyuan marquis household.. Chapter 462 - Chapter 462: Seduction (3) chapter 462: seduction (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios when xu yan said this, even imperial duke wei was stunned. the surrounding guards of imperial duke wei¡¯s mansion also looked at each other. at this moment, the noisy voices on the official road seemed to have disappeared. imperial duke wei looked at xu yan deeply. emperor taizu had always been the most respected person today, and would most likely agree. when emperor taizu first established the country, he suggested that men and women were equal and that women also had the right to inherit titles. however, over the years, those nobles in the imperial family would rather adopt their nephews than pass the titles to their daughters. xu yan could naturally tell that imperial duke wei was moved. he said, ¡°brother, does imperial duke wei¡¯s mansion have a title for yao¡¯er?¡± this was the greatest bargaining chip marquis ji¡¯an could offer. even if wei wan returned with her daughter, xu yao, who had lost the protection of her father¡¯s family and was living with her uncle, would probably be worse off than others in the future. ¡°what do you think, brother?¡± xu yan struck while the iron was hot and continued to increase his leverage. ¡°i can also guarantee that i won¡¯t let yu qing and xu luo get in wan¡¯er¡¯s way.¡± when he said the word ¡°deal with¡±, his tone was cold and heartless. he didn¡¯t shout for a fight, but anyone could understand what he meant. yu qing and xu luo would not survive. ¡°as long as you agree, i¡¯ll enter the palace immediately. i beg the emperor to confer the title of prince on yao¡¯er.¡± after saying that, xu yan stopped talking. he continued to look up at imperial duke wei, waiting for him to make a choice. their eyes met in midair, as if they were in a silent showdown. time seemed to have stopped at this moment. imperial duke wei looked at xu yan with increasingly deep and profound eyes, seemingly contemplating, with a hint of doubt and weighing the pros and cons of the situation. after a long silence, imperial duke wei narrowed his eyes, which were slightly droopy because of his old age, as if he had finally made a decision. he said, ¡°xu yan, enter the palace with me.¡± when xu yan heard this, his eyes widened slightly, and his back, which was originally as tense as a bowstring, relaxed. he heaved a sigh of relief. he gestured, and his manservant came over with his mount. xu yan quickly got on his horse and smiled at imperial duke wei as if nothing had happened. ¡°brother, let¡¯s go.¡± a warm smile appeared on his face, as if there had never been any conflict between them. the two of them entered the west gate side by side. the personal guards of imperial duke wei¡¯s mansion followed closely behind. at first glance, the atmosphere was quite harmonious. wei jiaoniang, who was in the tea shop, was simply dumbfounded. if not for feng yang beside her, she would probably have rushed forward. wei jiaoniang frowned and was so anxious that she was scratching her ears and cheeks. she muttered, ¡°what did xu yan say to grandpa?¡± she had long disowned xu yan as her granduncle, so she called him by his name impolitely. wei jiaoniang craned her neck and watched as imperial duke wei, xu yan, and the others walked past the tea shop. her eyes were almost on fire. the servant she had brought with her was a smart person. he ran to find imperial duke wei¡¯s personal guards to inquire about the news. not long after, he returned to the tea shop and roughly repeated the conversation between imperial duke wei and xu yan. wei jiaoniang¡¯s small mouth opened slightly, as if she had been struck by lightning. her mouth opened and closed, but she didn¡¯t say a word for a long time. her expression seemed to be saying: grandpa won¡¯t agree, right?! gu yanfei only glanced at the top of xu yan¡¯s head gently before looking away. her eyes were calm as she drank her tea. ¡°heh.¡± feng yang let out a mocking chuckle. wei jiaoniang¡¯s eyes lit up. she keenly saw something wrong with feng yang¡¯s smile and quickly asked, ¡°did you see something?¡± before feng yang could answer, she said, ¡°grandpa shouldn¡¯t be moved by this mere marquis, right?¡± the little girl stared at feng yang with bright eyes. ¡°a mere marquis?¡± feng yang laughed. at this moment, the seemingly kind old woman had a hint of sharpness in her eyes and eyebrows. even the waiter in the tea shop couldn¡¯t help but look in feng yang¡¯s direction. feng yang put down the teacup in her hand and said in a teaching tone, ¡°let me ask you, how many marquises are there in the great jin dynasty now?¡± wei jiaoniang replied without thinking, ¡°during the founding of the empire by emperor taizu, he enfeoffed 28 marquises, but later, three¡­ no, four marquises had their titles revoked.¡± as she spoke, wei jiaoniang turned to look at gu yanfei with a complicated gaze. the fourth marquis whose title was confiscated was from the gu family.. Chapter 463 - Chapter 463: Seduction (4) chapter 463: seduction (4) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios feng yang asked again, ¡°how did these titles come about?¡± wei jiaoniang was like a student who had been asked a question by her master. she obediently replied, ¡°they are all heroes who followed emperor taizu in establishing the country.¡± ¡°the first generation marquis of lining, lan huayun, originally served under my great-great-grandfather, wei ding. my great-great-grandfather recognized his talents and recommended him to emperor taizu. lan huayun achieved numerous military successes and rose through the ranks. later, he marched north and conquered qi, pacifying the northwest and earning the title of marquis of jining.¡± ¡°the first marquis ji¡¯an, xu bing, was originally one of the leaders of the white turban army, but there was endless internal strife in the white turban army camp. xu bing angrily left the white turban army and led a ioo,ooo-strong army to turn to emperor taizu to resolutely hand over these 100,000 troops to show his loyalty. with his submission, emperor taizu could defeat the king of nanyang and take down yuzhou.¡± speaking of this exciting history, wei jiaoniang was also extremely excited. feng yang raised her hand to indicate to wei jiaoniang that there was no need to continue. she said indifferently, ¡°emperor taizu set a rule back then. no one can be conferred a title unless they have military merits. no one can be given a title unless it¡¯s specially ordered.¡± ¡°a mere marquis?¡± feng yang repeated these words and raised her eyebrows at wei jiaoniang. her tone was neither light nor heavy. it was quite calm, but it naturally exuded a dignified aura that made people respect her. wei jiaoniang looked a little ashamed. she lowered her eyes slightly and was too embarrassed to look at feng yang. she was the legitimate daughter of imperial duke wei¡¯s mansion and enjoyed the glory brought about by the marquis title. others could say this, but she couldn¡¯t. feng yang said meaningfully, ¡°a noble title is the foundation of a noble.¡± especially the elevation of women to noble titles was an aspiration that emperor taizu held throughout his life but was unable to achieve. there were some ripples in feng yang¡¯s eyes as she recalled some words that emperor taizu had said to her many years ago. wei jiaoniang bit her cherry lips slightly, feeling anxious. the title is so important. will grandpa really compromise? she craned her neck and looked in the direction imperial duke wei and the others had left until the figure in front disappeared among the passersby. she was a little uneasy and didn¡¯t even notice that feng yang had personally poured her tea. she absent-mindedly downed the barley tea in her cup. feng yang smiled in amusement and clapped twice. clap! clap! soon, a 25-year-old secret guard in an ordinary green robe walked out of the alley beside him and walked straight to feng yang to standby. feng yang instructed simply, ¡°follow her and enter the palace to take a look.¡± the secret guard received the order and rode a brown horse to chase after imperial duke wei and the others. feng yang had also watched wei jiaoniang grow up. imperial duke wei¡¯s mansion had always been close to the royal family. to her, wei jiaoniang was like chu yi, a junior in her family. feng yang smiled brightly and said, ¡°what¡¯s the hurry, jiaoniang? your anxious temper is the same as your grandmother¡¯s when she was young.¡± ¡°that¡¯s not right either. your grandmother only learned to put on an act after beating your father, uncle, and the others. sometimes, you¡¯re still like this when you¡¯re anxious.¡± feng yang couldn¡¯t help but laugh. gu yanfei also snickered. she recalled how energetic imperial duchess wei of the tianyin pavilion was previously. at this moment, wei jiaoniang had already composed herself and said coquettishly, ¡°no, my father and mother said that my temper is much better than my grandmother¡¯s.¡± ¡°i heard from my grandfather that my grandmother put a knife to my grandfather¡¯s neck and asked him to marry her.¡± wei jiaoniang laughed uncontrollably. these words amused feng yang even more, and a few deep wrinkles appeared in the corners of her eyes. ¡°don¡¯t listen to your grandfather¡¯s bragging. when your grandfather was young, he was also a scoundrel. he was neither a scholar nor a martial artist. he even lost to your grandmother in a fight. look, he got someone to put a knife to his neck.¡± speaking of these past events, feng yang couldn¡¯t help but smile. so her grandfather was such a person! wei jiaoniang listened with relish, hoping that feng yang would say more. she asked, ¡°then?¡± ¡°ask your grandfather and grandmother.¡± feng yang stopped talking about this topic and drank some tea to moisten her throat. from the corner of her eye, she had been paying attention to gu yanfei¡¯s expression. seeing that the little girl was still calm, she praised in her heart, although this girl¡¯s fate is a little bumpy, she¡¯s more nimble than a delicate mother. a friendly smile appeared on feng yang¡¯s face as he asked, ¡°girl from the gu family, i heard that you learned some from a daoist in the past?¡± gu yanfei nodded in agreement and didn¡¯t say much. ¡°do you believe that people have souls?¡± feng yang stared at gu yanfei¡¯s cold eyes and asked softly. she placed one hand on the table and casually held the teacup with the other under the table. gu yanfei nodded again. ¡°after a person dies, they will enter the cycle of reincarnation.¡± ¡°then will there be people who can¡¯t enter the cycle of reincarnation?¡± feng yang continued to ask, his voice a little hoarse. ¡°yes.¡± gu yanfei said softly and thought of her biological grandmother. after a pause, gu yanfei continued, ¡°if your soul is imprisoned and can¡¯t enter the cycle of reincarnation, your soul will dissipate after a long time.¡± her voice was clear and cold, as cold as autumn water. wei jiaoniang looked at gu yanfei one moment and then at feng yang the next. she didn¡¯t understand why they were talking about this topic. feng yang kept asking, ¡°then what kind of soul will be imprisoned?¡± ¡°someone like you¡­¡± as gu yanfei spoke, she raised her hand and pointed at her eyes, indicating that she could see. she looked at feng yang with clear and bright eyes, as if she wanted to see through him to the depths of her soul, but also as if she had seen through her fate. feng yang was speechless. gu yanfei stopped talking. she knew in her heart that feng yang¡¯s lifespan was about to end.. Chapter 464 - Chapter 464: Female Marquis (1) chapter 464: female marquis (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios after a moment, gu yanfei retracted her gaze and lowered her eyes. she reminded her, ¡°remember to keep that amulet well.¡± ¡°¡­¡± feng yang subconsciously rubbed the amulet hidden in her sleeve pocket. this was given to her by gu yanfei on the day of the banquet. wei jiaoniang looked back and forth between feng yang and gu yanfei. she felt that their words were too mysterious and she couldn¡¯t understand it. feng yang was about to call the waiter to bring them another pot of tea when a woman¡¯s impatient voice suddenly came from not far away. ¡°go, go, go! we don¡¯t want to listen to any songs.¡± ¡°sorry to disturb you.¡± the little girl with her back to feng yang and the others bowed repeatedly to apologize. she was timid and weak, as if a gust of wind could blow her away. it was a pretty girl, 12 or 13 years old. she was wearing a washed-out green dress and holding an old erhu in her hand. feng yang changed her words at the last minute. ¡°waiter, call this little girl over to sing a song for me.¡± the waiter naturally obeyed and quickly called the little girl holding the erhu over. feng yang asked the young lady to sing a few cheerful songs for them. before long, a melodious erhu sound accompanied by the sweet voice of a young girl, reminiscent of the melodious song of an oriole, resounded. the song ¡°locking the southern branch¡± was performed with enchanting beauty, attracting the attention of passersby. some people stopped in their tracks, while others decided to enter a teahouse to have a cup of tea and enjoy the music. feng yang looked at the singing girl, and a hint of nostalgia appeared in her eyes. she seemed to be looking at her, but also at an old friend through her. this sentimental feeling only lasted for half a song and quickly dissipated. after the little girl sang four or five songs in a row, the secret guard from the princess¡¯s manor rode his horse back. feng yang threw a piece of silver to the little girl, and the little girl left gratefully. her song was indeed good. the phoenix sent her away, and the guests at the other table called her over again. after the young secret guard got off the horse, he quickly walked to feng yang¡¯s side. feng yang gestured for him to sit down and talk. after all, he was too eye-catching standing here like a pillar. the secret guard sat down opposite feng yang in a slightly restrained manner. his posture was straight, and his voice couldn¡¯t hide the stiffness. the first sentence was: ¡°xu yan has been detained in the prison of the ministry of justice and will be interrogated by the three divisions.¡± ¡°wow!¡± wei jiaoniang¡¯s mouth opened slightly in surprise as she looked at feng yang with a burning gaze. ¡°did you know long ago?¡± feng yang smiled and sighed. ¡°your grandfather isn¡¯t a person without ideas.¡± he wasn¡¯t someone who could be persuaded by a mere xu yan. wei jiaoniang was finally relieved. she asked the secret guard, ¡°what else?¡± the secret guard replied obediently, ¡°the position of marquis ji¡¯an will be inherited by his eldest daughter, xu yao.¡± huh?! wei jiaoniang was dumbfounded. she was so shocked that her jaw almost dropped. ¡°this, this, this¡­¡± wei jiaoniang¡¯s mouth opened and closed. she once again experienced the feeling of being dumbfounded and didn¡¯t know how to comment. how did things develop in this direction?! feng yang smiled gently, her eyes flashing with wisdom. she had watched imperial duke wei and wei seng grow up, so she naturally knew him far better than xu yan and wei jiaoniang. xu yan was still too inexperienced. he thought that using the title as bait would tempt wei seng and make him let him off. little did he know, his attempt to be clever had inadvertently provided wei shen with a new perspective. ¡°if this prince can be established, he can also be crippled,¡± feng yang said with a smile, hinting at wei jiaoniang. ¡°instead of worrying all the time in the next few decades, it¡¯s better to¡­¡± feng yang paused meaningfully. wei jiaoniang was completely curious and asked anxiously, ¡°to do what?¡± ¡°leave the father and keep the daughter.¡± feng yang slowly said these words with a playful smile in her eyes. this was indeed something that wei seng could do! when he was young, he was good at catching people off guard. he was old, but his brain clearly wasn¡¯t. a few gusts of wind blew over from outside the tea shed, causing feng yang¡¯s clothes to rippie like water. her entire body added to her unrestrained aura. ¡°pfft!¡± gu yanfei couldn¡¯t help but burst into laughter, unable to contain herself. a faint pair of smile lines formed at the corners of her lips. wei jiaoniang was dumbfounded. however, she felt that what feng yang said made sense. she felt that the door to a new world had opened, and her eyes were sparkling.. Chapter 465 - Chapter 465: Female Marquis (2) chapter 465: female marquis (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios wei jiaoniang felt as if a feather was tickling her heart. she quickly said, ¡°hurry, tell me what happened.¡± she regretted it. if she had known earlier, she should have dragged gu yanfei into the palace to watch the commotion. why did she miss such a big commotion! sigh, its all my fault. 1 was too unconfident in grandpa! grandpa has actually done such a shocking thing! the secret guard looked at feng yang¡¯s expression and reported everything. when imperial duke wei and xu yan entered the palace, the emperor had already left the morning court assembly and decided to meet the two of them in qianqing palace. as soon as imperial duke wei saw the emperor, he accused xu yan of colluding with bandits, robbing passersby, and seizing the property of the people. he even submitted witnesses and physical evidence, asking the emperor to issue a decree to punish him severely. xu yan originally thought that imperial duke wei had been convinced by him and was stunned. after coming back to his senses, xu yan naturally tried to retort imperial duke wei. he said that the evidence was all fake and that the witnesses had also been bribed by imperial duke wei. however, he was casually refuted by imperial duke wei. ¡°your majesty, as you can see, this person has all the evidence. xu yan still refuses to repent. he¡¯s really despicable!¡± even the secret guards couldn¡¯t help but praise imperial duke wei for being a wily old fox. the scenes from earlier in qianqing palace clearly appeared in their minds, and imperial duke wei¡¯s impassioned voice was still ringing in their ears. ¡°your majesty, please keep the marquis title on account of marquis ji¡¯an¡¯s ancestor, xu bing.¡± ¡°don¡¯t ruin xu bing¡¯s life of wisdom because his descendants are unfilial. speaking of which, xu bing died to save the previous emperor¡­¡± at the mention of this, imperial duke wei even knelt down. as he spoke, he wiped his tears with his sleeve. his affectionate actions were equivalent to letting him say all the good and bad things. when the young secret guard recounted this vividly, wei jiaoniang couldn¡¯t help but clap hard and praise happily, ¡°good, grandpa is really good!¡± wei jiaoniang felt that she had to drink three glasses with her grandfather when she returned. ¡°then what did xu yan say?¡± wei jiaoniang asked again. what else could xu yan say?! the secret guard¡¯s expression became even more complicated. ¡°marquis ji¡¯an didn¡¯t react at that time¡­¡± at that time, xu yan was also stunned by imperial duke wei¡¯s unexpected actions. ¡°his majesty was also grateful for xu bing¡¯s contribution to the previous emperor¡¯s rescue. he said that he¡¯ll be extra benevolent and let them keep the title of marquis. however, if marquis ji¡¯an doesn¡¯t punish the bandits, the commoners will be outraged.¡± ¡°the duke asked his majesty to punish marquis ji¡¯an impartially. he said that since marquis ji¡¯an doesn¡¯t have a legitimate son, why don¡¯t they let the legitimate daughter, xu yao, inherit the title?¡± ¡°after some deliberation, the emperor agreed. he will officially issue an imperial edict today.¡± the secret guard said the last sentence with a sigh. he could also imagine what kind of storm this matter would cause in the royal court, the capital, and even the entire scene. xu yao was only six years old and was about to become the first female marquis of the great jin dynasty. wei jiaoniang smiled so widely that her face was blooming. she really wanted to go back to the residence now and hug her little aunt, xu yao, and spin around. yes, grandpa has done it beautifully! feng yang suddenly raised her hand and rubbed wei jiaoniang¡¯s head. with the love of an elder for a junior, she smiled and said, ¡°everyone says that your grandfather is a rough man, but this is just his appearance.¡± ¡°do you think your grandfather was so useless that your grandmother had to put a knife to his neck?¡± feng yang said teasingly. she stretched out her finger and gently flicked wei jiaoniang¡¯s forehead. ¡°you should learn from your grandfather. don¡¯t be so silly all day long.¡± what? wei jiaoniang was stunned when she heard this. she sighed in disbelief again. grandpa is actually such a person! to think that he¡¯s so forward-looking! wei jiaoniang still wanted to ask about her grandparents when she saw feng yang put down her teacup and get up. ¡°are you leaving?¡± wei jiaoniang quickly got up. feng yang smiled faintly. ¡°some of those old-fashioned people are against a woman attacking a noble. while i¡¯m still alive and can suppress those people, we have to let this matter be implemented.¡± ¡°it¡¯s not easy to have such an opportunity. i can¡¯t miss it.¡± ¡°as long as there¡¯s a precedent, it¡¯ll be much easier in the future.¡± on this point, feng yang and imperial duke wei thought of the same thing. since they were going to do it, they would do it big and ruthlessly. if they didn¡¯t succeed this time, they would probably not have such a good opportunity in 50 years. when feng yang said this, she released a cold, domineering aura, making wei jiaoniang tremble.. she recalled the female general her grandfather and grandmother had told her about on the battlefield¡ª Chapter 466 - Chapter 466: Female Marquis (3) chapter 466: female marquis (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios the peerless feng yang when she was young. feng yang got up from the bench and suddenly swayed slightly. she immediately steadied herself by putting her hand on the table. almost at the same time, gu yanfei stood up and helped feng yang up. she pressed the other party¡¯s pulse without a trace and smiled faintly. ¡°1 did a divination. it¡¯s a good omen.¡± feng yang smiled and patted the little girl¡¯s shoulder. ¡°thank you for your blessings.¡± feng yang¡¯s carriage was still parked across the street. gu yanfei and wei jiaoniang sent her to the carriage and watched it leave. when feng yang arrived at the palace, it was very lively. before the emperor¡¯s imperial decree to confer xu yao the title of a female marquis could be sent out of the qianqing palace, those well-informed nobles and courtiers rushed to the qianqing palace one after another to seek an audience with the emperor. they were all stopped in the main hall. these people objected at once. ¡°this woman has never attacked a noble before. it¡¯s not appropriate.¡± ¡°men stand tall, capable of going to battle and entering the court, securing the nation, and establishing order. how can women compare to that? if they cannot wholeheartedly serve the country, then isn¡¯t their noble status just an empty title?!¡± ¡°men take charge of external affairs, while women manage the household. husbands are the backbone of their wives, and it is crucial not to overturn the proper order of things. doing so would lead to chaos within the family.¡± h ii these people quoted scriptures one by one and spoke extremely lively, making the huge qianqing palace as noisy as a market. ¡°why can¡¯t a female take the marquis title?¡± until a female voice that was dignified without anger sounded from outside the main hall of the qianqing palace. the female voice was old, but it was still powerful and resounding. it carried a power that was like lightning and thunder, and it was especially clear among the noisy male voices. the main hall was instantly silent. the ministers couldn¡¯t help but look for the voice. at the entrance of the qianqing palace, a green figure appeared at some point in time. although the old woman with white hair was old, her figure was still tall and straight, and her temperament was still noble and extraordinary. she held a longsword in a golden scabbard and crossed the high threshold into the main hall. the golden sheath was carved with golden dragon patterns and embedded with seven dazzling gems. everyone knew that this was the royal sword that emperor taizu had given to feng yang¡ªthe seven stars sword. feng yang strolled leisurely amidst the complex gazes of the crowd and calmly said, ¡°back then, emperor taizu even considered naming me as the heir. so why can¡¯t a woman be appointed as a marquis?¡± feng yang¡¯s old and valiant face was very calm. there was even a faint smile on her lips. her voice was neither light nor heavy, but it carried a high and mighty aura. her entire body faintly released a sharp aura, like a blade. at that moment, all the nobles and ministers in the hall were suppressed by her superior aura. the surroundings became even quieter, as if all the sound had been sucked away. only the faint chirping of birds could be heard outside the hall. ¡°eldest princess feng yang.¡± xiao shoufu bowed to feng yang with a calm expression. in his heart, he believed that feng yang must have been summoned by the emperor as a savior. he was the dignified grand secretary and the leader of the ministers. he wouldn¡¯t be afraid of feng yang! xiao shoufu raised his eyes and looked straight at feng yang. he said righteously, ¡°but back then, the officials also opposed emperor taizu¡­¡± however, before he could finish speaking, he saw feng yang stop less than three steps away from him. her left hand that was holding the sheath gently flicked, and the sword was slightly unsheathed, making a faint sound. the silver blade flashed with a chilling light. feng yang¡¯s originally cold eyes became extremely cold at this moment, with a trace of bloodthirsty sharpness, as if she was a soldier on the battlefield who would draw her sword at any moment and splatter her enemy¡¯s blood on the spot. the two of them were too close. as long as feng yang pulled out a sword, he would¡­ xiao shoufu shuddered and couldn¡¯t help but take half a step back. he knew that feng yang did dare. 14 years ago, when the late emperor was in power, feng yang once used this seven star sword to kill wang xin, the former minister of war, in the throne room. when xiao shoufu retreated, he accidentally stepped on another minister behind him. the other party let out a muffled groan in pain and staggered, bumping into another person. feng yang put away the exposed sword and sneered at xiao shoufu. ¡°¡­¡± the corners of xiao shoufu¡¯s mouth drooped, and his facial features were tense. back then, feng yang was only one step away from becoming the female heir. unfortunately¡­ feng yang ignored xiao shoufu and walked straight to the south study.. Chapter 467 - Chapter 467: Female Marquis (4) chapter 467: female marquis (4) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios the gazes in the hall were still on her. even xiao shoufu didn¡¯t dare go against the eldest princess feng yang, let alone the others. all of them were like wilted cabbages. the atmosphere in the hall became heavier and heavier. from the moment feng yang appeared just now, xiao shoufu and the others had a faint premonition that they might not be able to stop her. it was already a foregone conclusion that xu yao would be the new marquis ji¡¯an. this was the first title inherited by a woman in the great jin dynasty. xu yao was also the first female marquis in history. when the imperial decree to confer xu yao¡¯s title was sent to imperial duke wei¡¯s mansion, wei wan, who was kneeling on the ground with her daughter to receive the decree, was simply dumbfounded. imperial duchess wei, who was beside her, secretly pinched her. only then did wei wan react and say dryly, ¡°i accept the decree on behalf of my daughter. we thank his majesty for his grace.¡± wei wan brought her daughter, xu yao, to kowtow to thank his majesty. she raised her hands high and took the imperial eunuch zhao rang¡¯s imperial edict in disbelief. after that, she stood up with the imperial edict in her hand and read it several times before confirming that all of this wasn¡¯t a dream but a reality. xu yao, who was only six years old, was also confused. since she was young, everyone around her said that her brother, xu luo, was the future heir of the marquis mansion, but now, she had actually inherited the title of marquis. wei wan looked at her daughter¡¯s innocent face. at this moment, her thoughts were extremely chaotic and complicated. she even forgot to thank the eunuch, zhao rang. ¡°thank you, eunuch zhao.¡± imperial duchess wei thanked eunuch zhao personally with a smile. she secretly praised wei seng for doing this beautifully. at the same time, she hinted to the housekeeper to give zhao rang a big red seal. this was a joyous occasion. eunuch zhao accepted the red seal without hesitation and kindly conveyed the emperor¡¯s intentions. ¡°madam duchess, madam wei, his majesty said that the duchess is still young and can¡¯t leave her mother. with additional grace, her biological mother will raise the duchess. after the duchess becomes an adult, she¡¯ll move back to the marquis mansion.¡± madam wei? wei wan¡¯s eyes widened in shock. her daughter had been conferred the title of marquis ji¡¯an. logically speaking, shouldn¡¯t she be marquis ji¡¯an¡¯s madam? the emperor allowed his daughter to return to the marquis mansion after she became an adult. did that mean that her daughter could live with her in the duke¡¯s mansion? as if he could tell what wei wan was thinking, zhao rang said happily, ¡°his majesty has already approved of madam and xu yan¡¯s relationship. he even said that if madam meets a suitable candidate, she can marry again. our great jin dynasty doesn¡¯t have any rules against remarrying.¡± everyone knew that this was an extra favor from the emperor. ¡°¡­¡± wei wan¡¯s heart surged as she slowly blinked. her eyes were sore and wet, and a few tears stained her eyelashes. at one point, she thought that the best outcome she could wait for was for her and xu yan to be together and for her daughter to follow her back to the wei family. perhaps, she could avenge her poor other daughter whom she had never met before and let xu yan and yu qing be severely punished¡­ she had never expected this outcome! ¡°please thank his majesty for me and my daughter.¡± wei wan¡¯s voice was a little hoarse, and she couldn¡¯t hide her sobs. she still hated xu yan for being heartless and ignorant. however, at this moment, the joy in her heart was greater than her hatred. it was as if the wound had been cut open again, squeezing out the pus and cutting off the rotten flesh. although it hurt, she knew that after this, the wound in her heart would heal sooner or later. one day, she would let it go! that day, after imperial duke wei returned to the residence, he hurriedly ate some food and rushed to the palace with his youngest sister and niece, xu yao. after the wei family came out of the palace, they didn¡¯t return to the duke¡¯s estate directly. instead, they went to the gu family first. previously, wei wan and imperial duchess wei had gone to thank gu yanfei once. now that this matter was settled, they had prepared heavy gifts to visit again. gu yuan was on duty in the palace today, so gu yanfei entertained them herself. wei wan couldn¡¯t help but hold gu yanfei¡¯s hand and thank her again. as she spoke, her eyes started to turn red. gu yanfei had saved their lives. she would remember this kindness for the rest of her life. wei wan wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief. after calming herself down, she talked about another serious matter on this trip. ¡°yanfei, i¡¯ve decided to do something for my youngest daughter, who died young. if you¡¯re free, 1 want to invite you over.¡± wei wan was afraid that if she did something inappropriate, it would affect her youngest daughter¡¯s reincarnation. ¡°it¡¯s a small matter,¡± gu yanfei agreed readily. xu yao sat obediently at the side and looked at wei wan and gu yanfei quietly. under her thick black bangs, her black eyes were as pure as ink. children¡¯s eyes were like this. they were clear and uncontaminated. compared to the first time gu yanfei saw her at imperial duke wei¡¯s mansion, there was something different about the little girl. the innocence on her face faded a little, and she became more calm. the family had undergone a series of drastic changes. the six-year-old girl was already at the age of being a little more sensible. the scene of her father wanting to kill her and her mother would forever be engraved in her heart. she would have to heal this wound for the rest of her life. gu yanfei stared at xu yao¡¯s face carefully for a while and suddenly said, ¡°let your daughter learn martial arts..¡± Chapter 468 - Chapter 468: Extinction (1) chapter 468: extinction (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios learn martial arts? wei wan was stunned. emperor taizu advocated equality between men and women and encouraged women to study and practice martial arts. after the previous emperor ascended the throne, he highly respected the aristocratic families. he also advocated for women to be gentle, quiet, knowledgeable, and sensible. therefore, she also educated her daughter the same way and let her learn zither, chess, calligraphy, painting, as well as teachings on proper behavior and moral conduct for women. however, after a short daze, wei wan made a prompt decision and nodded at gu yanfei. ¡°okay.¡± ¡°it¡¯s good to practice martial arts!¡± she didn¡¯t listen to gu yanfei last time and almost made the big mistake of dying with her daughter for no reason. now that she thought about it, she still had lingering fears. if she wanted her daughter to learn to be cultured, she might bring her daughter some trouble again. besides, although a girl would suffer a little if she learned martial arts, once she learned martial arts, it would be her skill and no one could snatch it away. at least her daughter wouldn¡¯t be bullied! wei wan turned to look at xu yao and gently put her arm around her daughter¡¯s slender shoulders. her eyes were loving and gentle. xu yao was a considerate and obedient girl. she immediately said, ¡°okay, mother. i want to practice martial arts.¡± if i learn martial arts, 1 can protect mother! xu yao¡¯s eyes lit up slightly. ¡°big brother!¡± wei wan was an impatient person. she quickly looked at imperial duke wei, who was sitting diagonally opposite her, and said, ¡°find a better master for yao¡¯er later.¡± imperial duke wei and imperial duchess wei exchanged tacit glances. to duke wei¡¯s mansion, this matter couldn¡¯t be any simpler. imperial duchess wei was also from a military family, and she had quite a few skilled female guards by her side. imperial duchess wei smiled and said, ¡°wan¡¯er, what do you think of qiu zhuo?¡± qiu zhuo had followed imperial duchess wei for more than 20 years. in the past, when imperial duchess wei followed imperial duke wei to guard the border, qiu zhuo had also been on the battlefield, and was definitely more than qualified to be a child¡¯s master. wei wan also knew qiu zhuo and was overjoyed. ¡°that¡¯s if you can bear to part with qiu zhuo.¡± in just a few words, the two impatient women settled this matter, so gu yanfei couldn¡¯t find a chance to interrupt at all. gu yanfei:¡±¡­¡± gu yanfei silently picked up the teacup. actually, she was only halfway through her sentence. she took a sip of tea and waited for the pair of aunts-in-law to finish discussing before continuing, ¡°yao¡¯er is too quiet and obedient¡­¡± her meaningful gaze gently swept across xu yao, who was sitting upright and smiling. to a girl, being quiet and obedient was originally a compliment. however, in gu yanfei¡¯s current situation, she couldn¡¯t help but make people think deeply. wei wan and imperial duchess wei were deep in thought. imperial duchess wei guessed that it was because xu yao was here and that it was inconvenient to say some things, so she found an excuse as if nothing had happened. ¡°yanfei, didn¡¯t you say you wanted to give me a few fire carps last time?¡± ¡°yao¡¯er, can you help aunt choose?¡± with imperial duchess wei¡¯s question, xu yao, who had never known how to refuse, obediently got up and followed juan bi out of the main hall. looking at xu yao¡¯s small figure that was getting further and further away, gu yanfei¡¯s eyes became clearer and brighter. she said slowly, ¡°your daughter is too soft. at this rate, nine years from now, she will definitely suffer a huge setback in her marriage. she will meet an improper person and be played by the other party.¡± her tone was very certain, as if her eyes had already seen xu yao¡¯s future. gu yanfei had only given her a little push, but wei wan couldn¡¯t help but start to let her thoughts wander. calculating the time, xu yao would be turning 15 in nine years. at the age of 15, she would officially take over the marquis mansion. it was obvious that her marriage would attract many people. to put it cruelly, xu yao was a piece of fragrant fat meat. it was inevitable that she would attract those bloodthirsty tigers and wolves. it was fine if they wanted money, but she was afraid that they would eat her flesh. how could a delicate little girl who was raised in the depths of her room win against those tigers and wolves with ulterior motives? xu yan was an example. this time, the mother and daughter only managed to survive when they met gu yanfei. could their daughter still have such good luck nine years later?! wei wan was so frightened that her back was drenched in cold sweat. wei wan quickly said, ¡°1¡¯11 let yao¡¯er start learning martial arts tomorrow.¡± ¡°it¡¯s all my fault. i should have taught her when she was young.¡± in the past, her daughter had the protection of her parents, eldest brother, and the backing of the duke¡¯s estate. she only needed to find a gentle and loyal husband in this life and live a peaceful life. to put it bluntly, it was her fault as a mother.. Chapter 469 - Chapter 469: Extinction (2) chapter 469: extinction (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios looking at wei wan, imperial duchess wei thought that she might as well let the younger ones at home practice with her. it would be more lively with the young ladies practicing together. after getting down to business, imperial duchess wei said teasingly, ¡°when we go back, if jiaoniang finds out that we¡¯re here, she¡¯ll definitely blame us for not bringing her along to play.¡± imperial duke wei and wei wan were also amused. wei wan smiled and said, ¡°yanfei, i heard from my sister-in-law that you like to listen to opera as much as jiaoniang. i¡¯ll invite a troupe back to the residence to perform another day. 1 heard that a yangzhou troupe has recently come to the capital. not only do they sing yang opera well, but they also know how to act in puppet shows. it¡¯s extremely interesting.¡± hearing the puppet show, gu yanfei¡¯s eyes lit up, and she agreed happily. as they spoke, xu yao returned. her originally calm eyes became brighter. the maidservant behind her carried a blue and white porcelain fish tank the size of a washbasin. ¡°aunt, i¡¯ve chosen the fire carp. take a look,¡± xu yao said to imperial duchess wei with a faint smile on her palm-sized face. imperial duchess wei praised xu yao¡¯s good taste with a smile. after chatting for a while more, imperial duke wei and the others bade farewell. gu yanfei personally sent her to the entrance of the gu mansion. the carriage of duke wei¡¯s mansion was parked there. when they arrived, imperial duke wei¡¯s head casually welcomed them. after taking a quick glance at gu yanfei, he reported in a low voice, ¡°the xu family went to the duke¡¯s estate. they¡¯re staying in the duke¡¯s estate and refusing to leave.¡± ¡°even the former patriarch, old master xu, is here. you also know that old master xu is in his eighties. the duchess was afraid that something would happen to old master xu, so she let them in.¡± to put it bluntly, imperial duke wei¡¯s madam was afraid that old master xu would be too agitated. if he died at the entrance of the duke¡¯s estate, it would be easy for others to use him as a topic to affect xu yao¡¯s attack. imperial duke wei only nodded slightly. he wasn¡¯t surprised that the people from the xu family had come to visit without informing him, and he already knew what to do. in the world, only men could inherit the family business. the xu family would definitely be unwilling to confer the marquis title of the marquis mansion on a girl. there was a high chance that they even had the intention of giving the descendants of the family to the main branch. imperial duke wei and imperial duchess wei looked at each other in tacit understanding. they were both calm and composed. after the wei family bade farewell to gu yanfei, the group of people left the gu mansion. just as imperial duke wei had expected, even if no one in the court objected, the people from the xu family still caused a huge commotion. one moment, they suggested that xu yan¡¯s second brother, xu yu, could inherit the title. the next moment, they suggested that one of xu yu¡¯s sons be adopted under wei wan¡¯s name. these suggestions were dismissed by imperial duke wei casually. the xu family thought that they had backtracked again and again. in the end, they proposed that the candidate for xu yao¡¯s husband be decided by the family. after xu yao gave birth to a boy, they would immediately give the title to xu yao¡¯s eldest son. because of this, the xu family members brought old master xu back and forth to duke wei¡¯s mansion several times. the various prefectures in the capital also saw this. most of them were watching this matter, wanting to see how it would develop in the end. for a moment, the wei and xu families became the focus of the capital. the first marquess since the founding of the great jin dynasty had also caused quite a stir among the people. it was like a stone stirring up a thousand waves. there were some sour scholars and old pedants who kept saying in the academy and teahouses that it was ridiculous for a woman to inherit a noble title. it was a sign that the country was about to fall. however, some wealthy businesses that didn¡¯t have a son and were called extinct were overjoyed. in the next few days, the capital became more and more lively. from the nobles and courtiers to the commoners, everyone was discussing this matter. juan bi heard some news from outside and returned to the residence in high spirits to report to gu yanfei. ¡°miss, do you know about the zhen corporation¡¯s silver mine?¡± gu yanfei, who was sitting in front of the desk, slowly looked up from the account book, looking a little listless. for the past few days, she had been detained at home by gu yunzhen and asked to look at the accounts for the past month after the separation. she looked at the strings of numbers in the ledger and felt a headache coming on. it took her two full days, but she hadn¡¯t even finished half of it. ¡°the zhen corporation¡¯s silver mine?¡± gu yanfei found it familiar. she raised her eyebrows and felt that she had heard this name somewhere before. she flipped through more than ten pages in front of the account book and pointed at a certain spot in the account book. ¡°is it this zhen corporation?¡± juan bi brought gu yan a new cup of tea and leaned over to take a look. she couldn¡¯t help but be excited and clapped her hands. ¡°this is the one.¡± ever since the gu mansion split up last month, there were a lot of things to do in the residence. there were no more people, but there were many things added. for example, they ordered some exquisite silver ingots from this zhen corporation¡¯s silver shop to reward the servants and give them as greeting gifts. ¡°not only is it silver, but your gold-encrusted jade azure bird-pattern bracelet is also the jewelry of the zhen corporation¡¯s silver house.¡± juan bi said with a smile, ¡°this zhen corporation¡¯s silver house is one of the best silver houses in the capital. in recent years, it has opened many branches in various states, and business is thriving.¡± ¡°that boss zhen is already at the age of knowing his fate. he only has one daughter. miss zhen has the style of a father and is good at doing business. she has helped boss zhen do business all these years and has taken care of things in an orderly manner.¡± ¡°but because women can¡¯t inherit the family business, the zhen family has been forcing boss zhen to adopt a distant nephew. how could boss zhen be willing to give up such a huge family business and refuse to agree? he has been stubborn with the family for so many years.¡± ¡°i¡¯ve asked around in private. boss zhen lost his father at a young age and was raised by a widow. back then, someone in the family bullied them and almost snatched the 2,000 taels of silver left behind by old master zhen. it was only when his uncle helped him stand up that the family stopped.¡± as he spoke, juan bi curled her lips in disdain and commented, ¡°the zhen family is really shameless. in the past, they bullied an orphan and a widow. now, they still have the cheek to covet her family business. if i were boss zhen, i wouldn¡¯t agree to adopt any nephew.. why would the family business 1 worked so hard to build benefit others!¡± Chapter 470 - Chapter 470: Difference chapter 470: difference translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios gu yanfei opened a drawer on the right and took out a handful of silver ingots. she casually placed them on the table. these silver ingots were of different shapes. there were silver melon seeds, silver plum blossoms, silver cats, silver rabbits, and silver carps¡­ other silver shops would also make such exquisite silverware to please the women. the reason why gu yunzhen had chosen this zhen family silverware was that not only was it heavy, but it was also very exquisite and cute. the workmanship was also good. ¡°meow!¡± the calico cat that was lazily lying on gu yanfei¡¯s lap suddenly perked up. it stretched out its claws and picked up the silver ingots on the table. juan bi looked at the cat¡¯s fluffy and soft claws, and her eyes widened. she continued, ¡°however, boss zhen has been in a much better mood these past few days. he has been cooking porridge in the city for three days. i¡¯ve asked around. miss zhen personally prepared the porridge this time. now, everyone in the capital is praising miss zhen for being kind.¡± gu yanfei casually played with a vivid silver carp. entrepreneurs like boss zhen were often astute and perceptive. from the recent emergence of a female marquis in the ji¡¯an mansion, he had discerned a hint of change and glimpsed a ray of hope. he could give her a push. ¡°go and get a message pigeon!¡± gu yanfei had an idea. she sent the cat to play with the silver ingot and personally laid out paper and ink to write a letter. after a cup of tea, the pigeon flew out of the gu mansion and flew straight to the cloudless blue sky, in the direction of the imperial palace. at dusk that day, the eldest princess¡¯s ceremonial guard suddenly came to the gu mansion under the protection of a group of imperial guards, causing the residence to shake and the door to the gu mansion to open. chu yi came with the eldest princess. today, he was wearing an amber gold roll with grass patterns. there was a green gourd-shaped pouch on his dark-colored inlaid jade belt and a qilin suet white jade pendant. gu yanfei sized him up and couldn¡¯t help but praise him in her heart. such a golden honey-colored amber material was very difficult to wear. people with yellow skin would look sallow and listless. however, when he wore it, it shone on his fair skin. the afternoon sun poured down, and the gold patterns on his robe shone brightly in the sunlight, making his eyes, which were filled with a faint smile, even brighter, as if they carried bright spring light. how good-looking! just looking at him made one¡¯s mood brighten. gu yanfei couldn¡¯t help but think to herself: how can anyone not like him?! as she thought about it, joy appeared in her eyes, and her face lit up. ¡°you guys came at the right time. the manor just sent over a few baskets of strawberries today. they¡¯re very sweet.¡± gu yanfei said with a smile, ¡°let¡¯s go to the reception hall to sit.¡± this month, they didn¡¯t see each other much, but the letters never stopped. from time to time, chu yi would order someone to send her some fruits, snacks, and candied plums. as meticulous as chu yi was, he could naturally see the amazement in his little girl¡¯s eyes when she saw him. he smiled, and his eyes softened. juan bi¡¯s mind was dizzy, and she couldn¡¯t understand it. didn¡¯t they say that we¡¯re welcoming the eldest princess¡¯ phoenix carriage? why is the eldest prince here?! the flower hall had been modestly decorated, with all the windows open, creating a spacious and bright atmosphere. in a ru kiln¡¯s blue plum vase, three or four freshly picked peach blossoms had been inserted. as the wind blew, the pink petals of the peach blossoms quivered on the branches, exuding a charming and vibrant allure. chu yi personally pushed an le, who was sitting in a wheelchair, to the table in front of the window. an le smiled shyly at gu yanfei and happily handed a wooden box to gu yanfei. ¡°sister, this is for you.¡± her gift to gu yanfei was a box full of colorful silk flowers. there were peony silk flowers, wisteria silk flowers, begonia silk flowers, lotus flower silk flowers, and pink peach silk flowers¡­ all of them were beautifully made. gu yanfei picked up a string of exquisite wisteria flowers and praised with a smile, ¡°it¡¯s very beautiful!¡± the small and exquisite wisteria flower was like a cluster of small wind chimes strung together. the petals and stamens were vivid and lifelike. when the wind blew, the small flower bud trembled slightly, and the golden stamens shone like gems. ¡°i think it¡¯s beautiful too,¡± an le said with bright eyes and a smile. ¡°i just bought this at the zhen corporation¡¯s silver shop.¡± her head palace maid lowered her eyes silently. this silk flower was originally a gift for guests from the silver shop, but since the eldest princess wanted to buy it, who dared to say no? they couldn¡¯t wait to give it all to her. stunned, gu yanfei smiled and said, ¡°you went to the zhen corporation¡¯s silver mine?¡± ¡°that¡¯s right.¡± an le nodded. her eyes were sparkling as she said in high spirits, ¡°my eldest brother told me that the jewelry from the zhen corporation¡¯s silver shop is done well. the boss¡¯s daughter, miss zhen, is very good at making jewelry. she asked me if i wanted to go shopping, so i went.¡± ¡°miss zhen is indeed skilled. i saw some jewelry she made, and they¡¯re all beautiful and exquisite. i even bought a few pieces.¡± ¡°on the way back, we passed by the nearby jinshi store and bought some desserts and candied plums. i remembered that sister¡¯s house seemed to be nearby and told my eldest brother that we might as well come to sister¡¯s house to play.¡± the more an le spoke, the happier she became. ¡°the desserts from jinshi store are indeed delicious.¡± gu yanfei quickly glanced at chu yi from the corner of her eye. his movements were still so fast, and¡­ he was especially good at coaxing young ladies! there was no need to go past the jinshi store at all! chu yi had a smile on his face as he placed the red-painted food box with the mark of jinshi on the table and opened the lid. inside were 18 kinds of desserts, such as amber cake, snowflake pastry, sesame cake, golden-threaded honey dates, sugar green plums, and so on. he placed a plate of amber cake in front of gu yanfei and coaxed his little girl in a gentle voice, ¡°this amber cake goes well with the nine-curve red tea. do you want to give it a try?¡± juan bi immediately instructed the young maidservant to take down the can of nine-curve red tea that chu yi had just brought. she was also amazed at the eldest prince¡¯s fast movements. it would take at most four hours for miss¡¯ letter to be sent, right? juan bi¡¯s eyes darted around. feeling that there was definitely a show to watch, she instructed another servant to quickly go to the zhen corporation¡¯s silver shop to gather information. an le plucked a crimson gold dragonfly beaded flower from her head and showed it to gu yanfei. ¡°sister, look, this is the beaded flower that miss zhen designed and made herself.¡± this dragonfly bead flower was about two inches long and embedded with seven-colored gems the size of pearl rice. two pairs of dragonfly wings as thin as cicada wings were woven into delicate patterns with golden thread. ¡°miss zhen is only 16 years old, but she has traveled all over the country with her father. she went as far as the western region. she said that the gold jewelry in the western region is more gorgeous and dazzling than the jewelry style in the great jin dynasty. in comparison, our jewelry is more graceful and gentle.¡± an le also told her the story of miss zhen meeting the water bandits and climbing mount tai when she went out with her father. she said enviously, ¡°father often said that it¡¯s better to travel a thousand miles than to study ten thousand books. when my legs recover in the future, i want to climb mount tai too.¡± ¡°how about we go to the zhen corporation¡¯s silver shop to pick jewelry another day?¡± gu yanfei suggested. ¡°okay, okay!¡± an le nodded repeatedly, the corners of her mouth raised high. as they spoke, the freshly brewed tea was served. everyone sipped their tea. the nine-curve red tea had a rich and mellow flavor, which perfectly complemented the sweet and tangy amber cake, without being overly sweet or bitter. gu yanfei pursed her lips gently and savored the fragrant tea taste lingering on the tip of her tongue. her eyes curved in satisfaction. she leaned towards chu yi and said with a smile, ¡°this amber cake is indeed good with this nine-curve red tea. when gu yanfei came over, chu yi smelled a faint fragrance. it seemed to be the sweet and elegant peach blossom fragrance, but also the fragrance of the nine-curve red tea fragrance. it intertwined with the incense fragrance on his body. chu yi¡¯s heart suddenly stopped for a moment. in the next moment, his heart beat faster again and again. his blood vessels bulged and pounded like a drum. his gaze landed on gu yanfei¡¯s lips. the skin on her fair face was fair and tender, and she didn¡¯t put on any makeup. her full lips looked moist and red because she had just drunk tea. for some reason, she gave off an indescribable beauty. suddenly, chu yi felt a little hot. from his eyes, to his ears, to his breathing, to his heart, he felt a little hot. it was clearly still early spring, but he felt as if it was midsummer. gu yanfei¡¯s voice seemed to come from afar, teasing his ears like a feather. ¡°do you want to come with us?¡± before chu yi could answer, an le said considerately, ¡°brother, if you¡¯re not free, you don¡¯t have to accompany me next time. sister and i can go to the zhen corporation¡¯s silver mine.¡± an le felt that her eldest brother didn¡¯t like to shop in jewelry shops at all. today, he had said that he would accompany her, but he was really just ¡°accompanying¡± her. he sat in the carriage from beginning to end and had never gotten out of the carriage or entered the silver shop. ¡°¡­¡± the corners of chu yi¡¯s mouth froze for a moment. he tried his best to collect his emotions and tried to say calmly, ¡°i¡¯m free.¡± ¡°then accompany us.¡± gu yanfei smiled happily. even her eyebrows were raised. when she said the last word, her tone rose slightly, with a hint of coquettishness that even she didn¡¯t feel. chu yi, who had a delicate heart, felt it. his heart rippled because of her intimate and familiar tone. his heart, which had been floating for the past few days, suddenly settled down. his little girl was smart, carefree, straightforward, and open-minded. she had a kind of unrestrainedness that came from her bones and was as arrogant as the wind. she treated him differently from others. he was different.. Chapter 471 - Chapter 471: Destiny (1) chapter 471: destiny (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°okay, i¡¯ll go with you. i¡¯ll pick you up then.¡± he was in a good mood all of a sudden, and a faint smile appeared on his lips. the joy that came from the bottom of his heart made his eyes sparkle, like a starry sky filled with stars. an le, who was sitting opposite the two of them, looked back and forth at gu yanfei and chu yi. she smiled until her eyes narrowed. in a good mood, she stretched out her pinky to chu yi. ¡°big brother, then we have a deal.¡± chu yi also stretched out his right pinky. the two of them hooked their pinkies and made an agreement. ¡°pinky promise. you¡¯re not allowed to change for a hundred years.¡± gu yanfei laughed uncontrollably amidst an le¡¯s child-like voice. the next moment, chu yi¡¯s pinky turned in a direction and hooked towards gu yanfei. ¡°have we agreed?¡± these three words were meaningful. he looked at her deeply, his gaze burning and bright. he seemed to be talking not only about this, but also about something else. gu yanfei smiled and hooked her pinky with his pinky. she curled her pinky around his and shook it gently. then she swayed it. bang! bang! bang! after sending chu yi and an le off and returning to the small study in yuheng gardens, her heart was still a little unstable. from time to time, it would jump uncontrollably. she looked at the pinky of her right hand in a daze, as if she could still feel his body temperature. juan bi¡¯s voice entered her ears from the left and came out from the right. ¡°miss, the entrance of the zhen corporation¡¯s silver shop is extremely lively now. the entire street is filled with people.¡± ¡°not long after the eldest princess returned to the palace, the people in the palace sent the zhen corporation¡¯s silverware and jewelry that the eldest princess had bestowed. they said that the eldest princess felt that miss zhen was smart and that this was a reward for miss zhen.¡± ¡°boss zhen was extremely grateful. at that time, he knelt down and kowtowed three times in the direction of the palace. he also announced in public that his daughter would inherit his family in the future and would definitely not be able to continue.¡± at this point, juan bi laughed out loud. it was as if he was watching a show. ¡°the people gathered there praised boss zhen¡¯s good fortune. with such a daughter who can support the family, she¡¯s worth 10 sons. she¡¯ll bring blessings to the family.¡± ¡°boss zhen was overjoyed. he sprinkled two baskets of copper coins on the commoners on the street. even the children around him ran to pick up the copper coins. it was even more lively than the new year¡­¡± ¡°miss zhen can finally hold her head high this time!!¡± the zhen family was just an ordinary merchant. in the great jin dynasty, although the status of merchants was slightly higher than that of the previous dynasty and they could participate in the imperial examination, they were still at the bottom of the agricultural industry. the commoners naturally held a sense of awe towards the royal family, and for them, being summoned by the eldest princess was akin to meeting a celestial being. the fact that the grand princess had summoned miss zhen indicated that she possessed exceptional character. this also brought honor to the zhen family and elevated the status of the zhen family¡¯s daughters. on that day, the entire clan gathered, filled with joy and curiosity about the eldest princess¡¯s visit to the silver shop. except for a few elderly clan members who grumbled and made sour remarks, no one else dared to oppose miss zhen inheriting the family business. with boss zhen and some people spreading the news, the zhen family¡¯s matter seemed to have grown wings in the capital. when everyone mentioned the marquis of ji¡¯an marquis mansion, it was inevitable that they would mention miss zhen again. the courtiers in the court had naturally heard about it, including xiao shoufu. ¡°ridiculous!¡± in the main hall of the prince kang¡¯s mansion, xiao shoufu slammed his palm on the coffee table. his face was ashen, and his beard was blowing wildly. he could no longer maintain his usual calm demeanor and said angrily, ¡°your highness, how can you let a woman inherit the family business? if this continues, the great jin dynasty will be finished!¡± kang wang, chu you, sat at the head of the table with a dark expression. xiao shoufu suddenly retracted his right hand and said, ¡°your highness, you can¡¯t sit back and do nothing anymore. if you let the emperor mess around, won¡¯t the yin and yang be reversed?¡± chu you grabbed the armrest of the chair tightly with one hand. he was distraught, and a sinister light flashed across his eyes. in the past few days, xiao shoufu has been coming to the prince¡¯s residence almost every day. he tried to persuade chu you and said it every day. at this moment, chu you could already guess what the other party was going to say next. as expected, xiao shoufu¡¯s next sentence was¡ª ¡°your highness, for the sake of the world, you have to calm the chaos. those who want to achieve great things have to prioritize the overall situation¡­¡± before xiao shoufu could finish his sentence, he was interrupted impatiently by chu you. ¡°lord xiao, i won¡¯t marry the state of yue¡¯s princess.¡± chu you¡¯s eyes were filled with a cold light. it was so cold that it was a little terrifying. the frustration in his heart rose bit by bit and was about to explode. xiao shoufu, wang kangyin, and the others kept saying these words every day to persuade him to marry into the state of yue.. Chapter 472 - Chapter 472: Destiny (2) chapter 472: destiny (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios for the sake of the marriage between the two countries, rong¡¯er had ignored him for a few days, even though their wedding date was approaching. in a few days, it will be the day of his wedding with rong¡¯er¡­ he was simply overwrought, afraid that something would happen in the last few days. sometimes, chu you couldn¡¯t help but think about the reason why xiao shoufu and the others had been persuading him to marry into the state of yue. did they think that without the state of yue, he, chu you, wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything! xiao shoufu didn¡¯t show it on his face, but his eyes turned cold bit by bit. he was quite unhappy. during this period of time, he had also seen through kang wang. kang wang was headstrong and self-opinionated. he was also indulging in romantic relationships and was inferior to the indecisive former emperor. if not for the fact that their family really had no other choice, if not for the fact that the late emperor only had the emperor and kang wang, they really wanted to change to someone else. suppressing his mixed feelings, xiao shoufu took a deep breath and stabilized his emotions. he slowly stroked his goatee and suddenly changed the topic. ¡°emperor taizu was wise all his life, but in his later years, he did a muddle-headed thing.¡± ¡°does your highness know?¡± xiao shoufu looked at chu you steadily, his eyes as deep as the sea. indeed, in the next moment, the impatience on chu you¡¯s face faded a little. chu you raised his eyebrows. he was more or less curious by xiao shoufu¡¯s shocking words. everyone said that emperor taizu was wise and mighty, and no one had ever dared to label him as muddle-headed. if xiao shoufu¡¯s words were to be spread outside, it would be disgraceful! ¡°please guide me, grand secretary,¡± chu you said patiently. xiao shoufu didn¡¯t want to leave someone hanging. he continued to stare into chu you¡¯s eyes and said, ¡°emperor taizu mentioned crippling the crown prince in his later years.¡± the one who crippled the crown prince was naturally the deceased emperor. ¡°¡­¡± chu you couldn¡¯t help but be shocked. his eyebrows twitched,twitched and he couldn¡¯t help but think: who did emperor taizu want to give the throne to when he crippled the crown prince back then? emperor taizu had ten sons, and the late emperor was the eldest legitimate son. the youngest son was prince chu chi. as his parents had a special fondness for their youngest son, could it be that prince chu chi was the one he was referring to? chu you¡¯s eyes narrowed as he pondered. he heard xiao shoufu, who was sitting at the bottom, say a name calmly. ¡°eldest princess feng yang.¡± xiao shoufu¡¯s voice was as light as the wind, but to chu you, it was like a clap of thunder on the ground. what?! chu you was really shocked, and his eyes widened slightly. seeing his reaction, xiao shoufu became calm instead. he picked up the teacup and took a sip before slowly talking about the past 30 years ago. ¡°emperor taizu used to prioritize capability over birth order, without paying much attention to the distinction between legitimate and non-legitimate sons. however, due to the yong cheng mansion incident, emperor taizu made up his mind to establish the principle of legitimacy. as a result, he appointed his eldest son as the crown prince.¡± ¡°but in his later years, emperor taizu became muddle-headed. in the 29th year of the heaven calendar, he proposed to abolish the crown prince and give the position to feng yang, despite the objections of the court officials. emperor taizu even kept saying that feng yang was also a legitimate child.¡± ¡°¡­¡± chu you looked at xiao shoufu in surprise. back then, emperor taizu¡¯s prestige in the court was extremely high. it was almost to the point of an area where one person¡¯s words went. the people even regarded him as a god and a believer. if he insisted on establishing feng yang, then why¡­ as if he could tell what chu you was thinking, the corners of xiao shoufu¡¯s lips curled into a cold smile. he sighed and said, ¡°fortunately, emperor taizu is a human. no matter how unparalleled his achievements, how wise and divine he is, he can never win against fate.¡± ¡°that year, the red deity of the north invaded our great jin dynasty on a large scale. the state of yue of the south was also restless, and both sides attacked us from the front and back. if it was replaced at this time, it would only cause the court to be unstable and the hearts of the people to be in turmoil.¡± ¡°a year later, it wasn¡¯t easy for him to calm down the red deity and defeat the state of yue. not long after, emperor taizu fell sick again and never recovered¡­¡± after that, 30 years later, emperor taizu passed away. before emperor taizu died, he didn¡¯t change the crown prince. speaking of this history, xiao shoufu¡¯s expression was solemn. chu you was also infected by this solemn mood and vaguely felt a sense of fate. it was the will of the previous emperor to ascend the throne! it turned out that even the wise and mighty emperor taizu couldn¡¯t avoid a ten-thousand-year-old muddle-headed fate. in the end, he couldn¡¯t withstand the heavens! ¡°sigh!¡± after a moment of silence, xiao shoufu sighed faintly. ¡°however, emperor taizu is still too biased towards eldest princess feng yang. although he didn¡¯t manage to replace her, he still gave emperor taizu¡¯s handwritten letter to the eldest princess.¡± as soon as he said this, chu you¡¯s expression changed again. he asked involuntarily, ¡°¡­is it really with aunt feng yang?¡± before the late emperor died, he was still thinking about emperor taizu¡¯s handwritten letter. he suspected that feng yang had taken the handwritten letter. chu you knew this, but in the past, chu you felt that it was useless for feng yang to take the handwritten letter. xiao shoufu nodded and said, ¡°after emperor taizu passed away, ¡®emperor taizu¡¯s handwritten letter¡¯ disappeared. the previous emperor had asked the eldest princess about the handwritten letter a few times, but the eldest princess had always been domineering. she refused to admit it and even scolded the previous emperor¡­¡± at this point, xiao shoufu looked like he wanted to say something but hesitated. he raised his hand and made a gesture. his servant was very good at reading him from his body language, and immediately left the main hall. chu you could tell that xiao shoufu had something important to discuss, so he got the attendant to leave the hall and guard the corridor outside. only the two of them were left in the room. the shadows of the trees outside the window shone through the window into the hall, and a solemn atmosphere naturally filled the room. xiao shoufu locked his eyes on chu you¡¯s and said seriously, ¡°there was something else that happened back then that many people didn¡¯t know about.. your highness probably doesn¡¯t know either, right?¡± Chapter 473 - Chapter 473: Secret chapter 473: secret translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°at that time, because the eldest princess denied that she had taken emperor taizu¡¯s handwritten letter, the previous emperor decided to be ruthless. he took advantage of the day the emperor taizu¡¯s coffin entered the imperial mausoleum and caught the eldest princess off guard. he got the embroidered uniform guards to surround the imperial mausoleum and the palace. he planned to temporarily place the eldest princess under house arrest and search the princess¡¯s residence to find the handbook.¡± ¡°unexpectedly, the mystic eagle army appeared!¡± hearing the name of the mystic eagle army, chu you¡¯s pupils moved, and his thin lips couldn¡¯t help but purse in a straight line. legend has it that the mystic eagle army was an extraordinary army in the hands of emperor taizu. they were also secret guards. not only were they all elites among elites, but they also had secret weapons that could fight a hundred people alone. emperor taizu didn¡¯t give the mystic eagle army to the previous emperor, but he actually gave it to feng yang, a woman?! even before xiao shoufu said anything, chu you could already guess the outcome of the previous emperor¡¯s move. xiao shoufu sighed helplessly again. ¡°the appearance of the mystic eagle army reversed the situation. the embroidered uniform guards and the accompanying royal guards retreated step by step. the eldest princess led the mystic eagle army all the way to the late emperor.¡± ¡°however, the royal family and the four dukes were all there. they became peacemakers and made the late emperor swear a heavy oath in front of emperor taizu¡¯s tomb that he would never be rude to the eldest princess again in this life. he had to be respectful. otherwise, he would be struck by lightning and be willing¡­ to abdicate.¡± the last two words were almost enunciated, and even his voice was a little hoarse. so that was the case! after hearing this, chu you finally understood. no wonder the late emperor had always been afraid and resentful of feng yang. xiao shoufu picked up the teacup and slowly took two sips of tea, his eyes flickering. this was originally a power struggle within the royal family, but it gave their family a chance to rise again. emperor taizu didn¡¯t like noble families and promoted the poor. hence, when emperor taizu was in power, most of the noble families were suppressed. only a few people got promoted in order to please emperor taizu. after the late emperor officially ascended the throne, in order to suppress feng yang and stabilize the country, he began to support the aristocratic families. he even married the yuan family to show his sincerity to the aristocratic families. 20 years. it had taken their family a full 20 years to gain a foothold in the new dynasty and regain their former glory. they would never let the hard work of the past 20 years be ruined! chu you lowered his eyes and pondered. he recalled what xiao shoufu had told him about the past, and his face flashed with an uncertain expression. it was only at this moment that he realized how difficult it had been for his father all these years. the previous emperor also wanted to change his position as crown prince. there was a fifty-fifty chance of support and opposition in the court. in the past, he felt that the previous emperor wasn¡¯t as powerful as emperor taizu. now, he realized that the real reason was because of feng yang¡¯s objection. after all, many of the old people who had witnessed the incident in the imperial mausoleum 20 years ago were still alive¡­ as he thought, xiao shoufu¡¯s cold voice entered his ears. ¡°her highness is about to die.¡± chu you looked in xiao shoufu¡¯s direction again and almost stood up from his chair. feng yang was the emperor¡¯s greatest supporter. she helped him ascend to the throne, and after his coronation, she continued to assist him in consolidating his power and maintaining his position as the emperor. once feng yang died, the emperor would lose a huge help. this would be chu you¡¯s best chance. xiao shoufu looked at chu you with a deep gaze and said in an extremely calm voice, ¡°your highness, this opportunity won¡¯t come again. you have to consider it carefully.¡± ¡°the emperor is the legitimate son. it¡¯s only right for him to succeed the throne. when he completely stabilizes his power, what chance do you think you have, your highness?¡± ¡°your highness, you and the emperor have long been irreconcilable. will the emperor let you off in the future?¡± xiao shoufu suddenly stood up from his chair and frowned even more. he seemed to hesitate for a moment before saying, ¡°your highness, aren¡¯t you deeply in love with the third miss of the gu family? do you want her to suffer with you?¡± these two sentences were extremely difficult for xiao shoufu to say. he really didn¡¯t understand why kang wang was so obsessed with a woman. however, at this point, he could only try all feasible methods to persuade kang wang. ¡°¡­¡± chu you felt as if he had been stabbed. his heart ached uncontrollably. xiao shoufu stopped persuading him. after cupping his hands at chu you, he turned around and left. chu you looked at xiao shoufu¡¯s departing figure in a daze. he was as motionless as a stone statue. when the eunuch guarding under the eaves saw xiao shoufu leave and enter the hall again, he looked worriedly at the dejected chu you and called out in a low voice, ¡°your highness?¡± chu you acted as if he didn¡¯t hear him and remained motionless. his heart hurt very much, but he knew very well that he had to choose between the throne and gu yunrong. he couldn¡¯t bear to part with the throne. ever since he was four or five years old, the late emperor had held him on his knees and told him lovingly, ¡°you¡¯er, you¡¯ll inherit everything from me.¡± over the years, his faith had been rock-solid. he¡¯d never doubted it. if he chose the throne, he would have to give up rong¡¯er. he would have to be separated from her forever¡­ as soon as this thought surfaced in his mind, he felt empty and uncomfortable. thud! thud! chu you¡¯s heart sped up and contracted violently. he couldn¡¯t help but look pained. he raised his hand and grabbed the lapel of his left chest. thump thump thump! his heart beat faster and faster, and his heart hurt even more. it was as if an invisible hand was squeezing his heart in the palm¡­ veins popped out on his forehead, and his face was almost ferocious. cold sweat broke out on his forehead. ¡°your highness, what¡¯s wrong?¡± the eunuch looked at chu you worriedly and asked. he was at a loss. ¡°i¡¯ll summon the imperial physician now¡­¡± before he could finish speaking, he saw that chu you had already collapsed from the chair while clutching his chest in pain¡­ ¡°your highness!¡± the eunuch¡¯s sharp shout almost overturned the roof. kang wang, chu you, suddenly fell ill. for a few days in a row, not only did kang wang¡¯s mansion invite a few imperial physicians, but they also came and went to invite a few doctors from the capital. this matter wasn¡¯t a secret. gu yanfei had also heard about it and didn¡¯t care. gu yanfei had been very free these few days. she stayed in the gu residence all day long. not only did she copy the ksitigarbha sutra, but she also personally made some paper money and folded some paper ingots. in a few days, it will be the death anniversary of her father, gu ce. after a person died, if nothing unexpected happened, they would enter the cycle of reincarnation. their father should have already entered the cycle of reincarnation and started a new life. in order to accumulate merit for his next life, gu yanfei specially wrote charms on paper money and paper ingots. she also got someone to go to wuliang temple in advance to make an appointment, planning to do a ritual for gu ce. it had been almost nine years since her father, gu ce¡¯s death. back then, gu ce was charged with the crime of ¡°surrendering to the enemy and betraying the country¡±. the common people, unaware of the truth, berated him, making him a target of public criticism. although the late emperor spared their title thanks to gu yunrong saving kang wang, the gu mansion was still penalized with the confiscation of their hereditary farmland, and the manor was shunned by various offices in the capital. at this time in her previous life, gu yanfei also thought that her father had defected to the enemy and betrayed the country. she felt humiliated to have such a father. however, after her eldest brother, gu yuan, was injured, he lost his job. when he stayed in the residence all day, he told her a lot about his father when he was alive. he also told her a lot about what his father had taught him since he was young. in big brother¡¯s words, their father, gu ce, was an indomitable person. big brother had never believed that his father would defect to the enemy. at that time, gu yanfei¡¯s original thoughts had also wavered. she believed in her brother, so she was willing to believe in the noble father that her brother mentioned. however, after her brother died, her world collapsed. at that time, it didn¡¯t matter what kind of person her father was¡­ a gust of wind suddenly blew in from outside the window, blowing up the paper money that gu yanfei had just written the charm. ¡°be careful!¡± gu yunzhen, who had just entered the house, strode forward and grabbed the piece of paper money that had almost been blown away by the wind. gu yunzhen carefully placed the paper money into the box. she didn¡¯t know how to write charms, so she could only help gu yanfei fold paper ingots. ¡°second sister, i¡¯ll go with you tomorrow,¡± gu yunzhen said. gu yanfei hummed softly and continued folding the paper ingots. gu yunzhen slowly folded the gold foil. every step was so careful and prudent, as if this was nothing more important. the house was silent for a while. occasionally, a cat meowed in the distance. after a while, gu yunzhen¡¯s gentle voice slowly sounded, breaking the silence in the room. ¡°uncle is a very gentle person. he¡¯s very amiable to us juniors.¡± ¡°when i was two years old, uncle returned to the capital to report his work. he even brought me and big brother to play everywhere in the capital.¡± on the day of the qixi festival, he personally helped us hang lanterns and took us to the lantern festival¡­¡± although gu yunzhen was only two years old at the time, this scene was forever engraved in her heart. she gradually grew up and had always envied her brother for having a father like uncle. her father wouldn¡¯t carry his child like uncle, her father wouldn¡¯t often bring his child out to play like uncle, and her father wouldn¡¯t personally enlighten his child like uncle¡­ however¡­ gu yunzhen stopped folding the paper and turned to look at gu yanfei¡¯s beautiful side profile. the young girl¡¯s fair skin was like fragile petals in the warm light that would be blown away by the wind. however, her second sister had never met uncle and had never interacted with him. gu yunzhen really felt a little upset. it was sour and astringent. even if she punished mother su, the regret in her second sister¡¯s heart could never be made up for.. Chapter 474 - Chapter 474: Guest (1) chapter 474: guest (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios after folding the last gold ingot, gu yunzhen¡¯s ten fingers were stained with a lot of gold foil. juan bi quickly brought over a basin of warm water, wet the towel, and wiped the two girls¡¯ hands. gu yunzhen wiped her hands and told gu yanfei why she had come to look for gu yanfei. ¡°second sister, i¡¯ve been checking the accounts recently. i feel that the consumption of food and rice in the residence isn¡¯t quite right.¡± ¡°not just rice, but also milk.¡± ¡°there are no children in the residence. most of the goat milk is used as snacks. only me, you, and qing guang occasionally drink a little.¡± the goat¡¯s milk had a smell that third madam yan didn¡¯t like. gu yanfei and gu yunzhen didn¡¯t use it often either. gu yuan wasn¡¯t at home all day and didn¡¯t drink milk. ¡°in the past, there was a bucket a day. in the past ten days, the kitchen said that there wasn¡¯t enough to make supper at night, so they added another bucket. no matter how i think about it, 1 feel that something is wrong. how did we drink so much?¡± ¡°the woman in charge of the kitchen is wu tong¡¯s sister-in-law. she should be reliable. goat milk isn¡¯t worth much, so she shouldn¡¯t be greedy.¡± gu yanfei wanted to say that this matter was simple and that he would know after a divination. however, it could be seen that gu yunzhen¡¯s analysis was orderly. there was a faint eagerness in her eyes, so gu yanfei silently retracted her hand that was about to take the compass. hence, gu yanfei changed the topic. ¡°then i¡¯ll have to trouble you to investigate carefully.¡± yes, this isn¡¯t bad! gu yanfei thought to herself. she put on a look of ¡°entrusting everything to big sister¡±, her eyes full of dependence. ¡°okay!¡± gu yunzhen agreed happily, her eyes brighter. she became even more lively and energetic. after getting down to business, gu yunzhen looked around and asked, ¡°where¡¯s qing guang?¡± gu yanfei silently pointed in a direction. gu yunzhen raised her chin and looked up. she saw a feather duster lying on the top of the bookshelf¡­ all, no, it was a cat feather duster. ¡°qing guang¡­¡± ¡°qing guang, qing guang¡­¡± after a day of searching for the cat, a new day began. when gu yunzhen came to pick gu yanfei up early the next morning, she saw that the courtyard was in a tizzy. juan bi and a few maidservants were looking for the cat early in the morning. until gu yanfei and gu yunzhen left yuheng garden, the maids didn¡¯t find the cat. the auspicious time for today¡¯s ritual had long been calculated. it was expected to start at seven this morning, so no one dared delay for a moment. the carriage set off at dawn and left the gu mansion. the sky wasn¡¯t completely bright yet, and there weren¡¯t many pedestrians on the road. the gu family¡¯s carriage passed through smoothly all the way and arrived at wuliang temple on wuliang mountain 15 minutes earlier. wuliang mountain wasn¡¯t originally called wuliang mountain because 50 years ago, the celestial rectifier spiritual master built the wuliang temple here. the reputation of wuliang temple spread throughout the entire scene. over time, this mountain was called wuliang mountain. at this moment, the sun was rising and shining brightly. at a glance, the entire mountain was filled with verdant trees and azaleas in full bloom. the air in the mountains was fresh, pleasant, and refreshing. as the spring breeze blew, countless birds fluttered in the swaying branches and leaves. they chirped, danced, and frolicked. it was a beautiful scene. the gu siblings left the carriage at the foot of the mountain and slowly walked along the winding mountain path towards the daoist temple on the mountainside. ¡°i heard from mom that the location of wuliang temple is also very particular. it¡¯s a blessed land calculated by the celestial rectifier spiritual master after 49 days.¡± ¡°the daoists in the daoist temple are all long-lived and have white hair and a youthful face. many people say that they must have absorbed the spiritual energy of the world.¡± ¡°i don¡¯t know how to read feng shui. i just think the scenery here is especially good. it¡¯s especially comfortable to look at.¡± as they walked, gu yunzhen told gu yanfei some things about wuliang temple. from afar, they saw a delicate-looking green-robed daoist boy waiting at the entrance of the daoist temple. ¡°are the three of you from the gu mansion?¡± the little daoist boy greeted the three siblings with a smile and bowed. he had fair skin, and his daoist hair was combed neatly. he looked clean and tidy, giving people a good impression of him. ¡°that¡¯s right.¡± gu yuan returned the gesture and replied politely, ¡°apologies for the long wait.¡± ¡°right this way, please.¡± the young disciple wore a friendly smile and had an air of maturity beyond his years. ¡°follow me, the ceremony will be held in the sanqing hall today..¡± Chapter 475 - Chapter 475: Guest (2) chapter 475: guest (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios there was a strong smell of cigarettes in the daoist temple. most of the visitors were chatting and laughing with the daoist child. gu yanfei casually struck up a conversation with the young disciple. ¡°apart from our temple, are there any other temples holding religious ceremonies today? it seems there are quite a few early-morning worshippers around.¡± the little daoist said with a smile, ¡°recently, the temple master has often held an altar to preach the dao, so the believers come to listen to the temple master¡¯s preaching.¡± the temple master of wuliang temple, daoist xuan cheng, had been a disciple of the celestial rectifier spiritual master since he was young and had received his true teachings. later on, he became second temple master of wuliang temple. everyone in the capital knew him, but daoist xuan cheng was a carefree person. every year, he spent most of his time traveling or cultivating in seclusion. many people had only heard of him and had never seen him. gu yunzhen said solemnly, ¡°1 heard that daoist xuan cheng¡¯s dao techniques are profound. unfortunately, i haven¡¯t seen his true appearance yet.¡± the little daoist boy puffed out his chest proudly. his proud expression seemed to say, that¡¯s right! ¡°we¡¯ve arrived at the sanqing hall.¡± the little daoist pointed at the front hall in front. there were lush trees planted on both sides of the sanqing hall that covered the sky. the crown of the tree, which was even taller than the single-brimmed red tile roof, covered the sun, causing the surrounding light to dim significantly. the sanqing hall with carved railings and tall eaves stood in the dense greenery. the surrounding atmosphere suddenly became solemn. a few daoists who were in charge of today¡¯s ritual came forward and bowed to the gu family. after a while, seven or eight daoists in the sanqing hall were dressed in dharma clothes embroidered with gold and silver threads. they held various dharma artifacts and sang a solemn tune as they danced leisurely in the altar field, creating a solemn atmosphere. they recited scriptures and incantations, read the sacrificial words, burned incense, and turned them into paper. after a series of ceremonies, it was already six hours later. the gu siblings walked out of the sanqing hall hungry. gu yuan¡¯s heart ached when he saw how hungry his two sisters were. he was about to ask if they wanted to eat some vegetarian food before leaving when he heard the little daoist boy beside him shout in surprise, ¡°temple master.¡± the three of them followed the gaze of the little daoist child and looked ahead. under a bodhi tree not far away stood an old daoist who was of medium height and wore an ordinary blue coat. he looked over 70 years old. his head was covered in frosty white silver threads, but his face was lean and energetic. he had a sage-like aura and matched what gu yunzhen had said previously. the sunlight passed through the tall trees and shone on the courtyard, as well as on the old daoist. his frosty white hair reflected a golden halo, as if it was the halo behind the heavenly venerate ancestors in myths. he just stood there quietly, giving off a transcendent feeling. the little daoist boy introduced with a smile, ¡°gentlemen, this is our temple master, daoist xuan cheng.¡± ¡°young master gu, the two ladies are kind and respectful.¡± immortal xuan cheng smiled kindly at the siblings and brushed the silver horsetail whisk in his hand. ¡°temple master.¡± gu yuan returned the greeting calmly. his attitude was neither warm nor cold, but he wasn¡¯t rude. daoist xuan cheng¡¯s smiling gaze landed on gu yanfei, who was standing in the middle. he sized her up gently. ¡°this is second lady gu, right?¡± as soon as he said this, a few passing daoists stopped in their tracks. when they heard this, they looked at gu yanfei with some curiosity and scrutiny. some even hid a trace of unhappiness and hostility. because of shangqing, the name ¡°second lady gu¡± was now known by everyone in the dao sect. although shangqing had reaped what she sowed, there were more or less people in the temple who vented their anger on second lady gu because this matter had ruined the reputation of wuliang temple. even the little daoist boy covered his mouth in shock. he only knew that today, the members of the gu family were here to perform the ancestral rites in the temple, but now he realized that the ¡°gu¡± in the gu family referred to miss gu, the second lady. gu yanfei cupped her hands at daoist xuan cheng generously. ¡°yes.¡± daoist xuan cheng stroked his beard and sized gu yanfei up. his eyes lit up and the smile on his face deepened. he sighed in admiration. ¡°miss, you¡¯re the most talented person i¡¯ve ever seen in my life. if you can abandon the secular world and enter the dao, you¡¯ll definitely have some achievements. you might even be able to comprehend the great dao. who knows?¡± the surrounding daoists were all shocked. when they looked at gu yanfei again, their expressions were filled with respect. the boy was even more surprised, and his eyes widened. this was the first time he had heard the temple master speak so highly of someone. ¡°¡­¡± gu yuan¡¯s face instantly darkened. he thought to himself, what is this old daoist doing? sister has only been back for a few months, and he wants to persuade her to become a monk? not good, not good at all!! he didn¡¯t hide his unhappiness at all, and his body exuded a cold aura. gu yanfei was also sizing up daoist xuan cheng. her eyes were deep as she praised generously, ¡°the temple master¡¯s talent isn¡¯t bad either.¡± she wasn¡¯t being polite. when she first saw daoist xuan cheng, she could tell that he had a spiritual root. when she got closer and observed him carefully, she was certain that his spiritual root was still a rare heavenly spiritual root. daoist xuan cheng¡¯s talent was even better than shangqing¡¯s. what a pity. however, daoist xuan cheng was born in this land of extinction. after so many years, his heavenly spiritual root had been tainted by too much of the filth of the mortal world. if he was in the bright spirit realm, with his aptitude and talent, he would definitely be taken in as a true disciple by a venerable. as he sighed, gu yanfei couldn¡¯t help but sigh as well. ¡°what a pity.¡± ¡°what¡¯s a pity?¡± daoist xuan cheng flicked the horsetail whisk in his hand. his snow-white beard danced with the horsetail whisk as he looked at gu yanfei with a kind smile. gu yanfei didn¡¯t answer the other party¡¯s question directly. instead, she said, ¡°it¡¯s feasible to enter the dao through medicine.¡± entering the dao through medicine could accumulate merit. this was a land of extinction. no one could really ¡°enter the dao¡± in this world. the only way was to cultivate an afterlife. as long as he accumulated enough merit in this life, it was very likely that he would enter the great dao in his next life. ¡°i wish the temple master all the best.¡± gu yanfei stopped talking about this. this sentence was also the end of the topic. daoist xuan cheng was deep in thought. he flicked the silver-white horsetail whisk again. when the horsetail whisk fell, his wise eyes calmed down. he turned to look at gu yunzhen and took out a safety talisman from his sleeve. then he handed it to gu yunzhen and said with a smile, ¡°you¡¯re a kind woman. your fate is light. this talisman was personally drawn by me. it can protect you from evil forces if you bring it with you.¡± ¡°thank you, temple master.¡± gu yunzhen respectfully accepted the peace talisman. daoist xuan cheng was an otherworldly expert, and his protective amulets were highly sought after. it was rare and valuable. gu yunzhen was aware of this, so she carefully kept the peace talisman in her sleeve. ¡°temple¡­ temple master.¡± another chubby daoist boy ran over, panting.. he looked very agitated and shouted intermittently, ¡°an important guest¡­ an important guest is here!¡± Chapter 476 - Chapter 476: Reparation chapter 476: reparation translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios the little daoist was young, but wuliang temple usually received many nobles from the royal palace in the capital. if he was an esteemed guest, he was really an esteemed guest. ¡°where is he?¡± daoist xuan cheng adjusted his wide sleeves. ¡°i¡¯ll go and welcome him now.¡± the little daoist boy caught his breath and hurriedly said, ¡°temple master, he has been brought in.¡± there was no need for him to continue. daoist xuan cheng and the three siblings of the gu family had all seen the so-called vip. more than 100 feet away, flags embroidered with dragon patterns and red curtains swayed in the wind. more than 20 imperial guards escorted the two of them over in a majestic manner. at the front was a girl sitting in a wheelchair. the young man beside her walked quite slowly with the speed of the wheelchair. he was wearing an apricot-yellow python robe and had a noble aura. just walking over slowly made the daoist temple look like a paradise surrounded by clouds. this was the honor guard of the prince. even though daoist xuan cheng had never seen the eldest prince before, he could guess the identity of the person who came. he brought a few daoists forward to greet him. ¡°greetings, eldest prince and eldest princess.¡± ¡°there¡¯s no need to be so polite.¡± chu yi placed one hand behind his waist and raised his other hand, indicating for them to dispense with the formalities. ¡°i¡¯m here to offer incense to marquis gu today.¡± the ¡°marquis gu¡± he was referring to was, of course, gu yuan and gu yanfei¡¯s father, gu ce. gu yuan:¡±¡­¡± gu yuan looked at chu yi quietly, and his eyes became rather complicated. after a moment of silence, he cupped his fists and bowed respectfully to chu yi. ¡°thank you, your highness.¡± there was a rare hint of emotion in his usually cold and restrained voice, and his eyes were also moved. chu yi was the eldest prince. his actions represented the emperor¡¯s attitude. today, he had come with the eldest princess under the guard of the imperial guard, which meant that this trip wasn¡¯t only his private behavior, but he had openly released a signal to the court. it was a signal to defend gu ce. ¡°¡­¡± gu yuan¡¯s pupils moved, and his eyes were a little sour. he quickly suppressed the surging emotions. daoist xuan cheng was also a little surprised. he said as if nothing had happened, ¡°your highness, follow me.¡± everyone escorted chu yi and an le back to the back hall of sanqing hall. the guards stayed outside sanqing hall, and the other unrelated people were also dismissed. the back hall was quiet and filled with incense smoke. chu yi and an le offered incense to gu ce¡¯s tablet with solemn expressions. when an le stepped forward to offer incense, chu yi suddenly said in a low voice, ¡°when i was in the state of yue, i also checked what happened back then. there¡¯s something wrong.¡± his voice was low and slow, and his tone was quite certain. ¡°what did your highness find out?¡± gu yuan¡¯s eyes widened, and his expression changed. the death of his father in battle was a sore spot that had been suppressed in his heart for nine years. even in his dreams, he wanted to clear his father¡¯s name and avenge his father. chu yi looked at the tablet in front of him and the two words ¡°gu ce¡± on it. he said slowly, ¡°nine years ago, the state of yue sent a 100,000-strong army to raid yangzhou¡¯s sishui county. marquis gu barely held on with 50,000 troops and barely defended for three months before finally opening the city gate of tailing city. in that battle, from the soldiers to the commoners, we suffered heavy casualties. the state of yue army won a complete victory, but only lost 20,000 troops.¡± ¡°but when 1 was in the state of yue, 1 realized that the state of yue army had lost at least 30,000 people in that battle¡­¡± gu yuan:¡±¡­¡± gu yuan¡¯s pupils moved, and his thoughts couldn¡¯t help but spin. then where did the remaining 10,000 state of yue soldiers die? did the sage of the state of yue deliberately not report it to boost morale, or¡­ chu yi held three incense sticks in his hand and bowed to the memorial tablet in front of him. after an le, he inserted the incense stick in his hand into the incense burner. after returning, he said, ¡°it¡¯s not difficult to investigate.¡± the candlelight enshrouded his jade-like bright face, outlining clear lines and emitting a graceful and elegant luster. his gaze was like a deep pool of water, making people unable to see through him. gu yanfei thought of xia houqing from his words. nine years ago, xia houqing wasn¡¯t the heavenly palace¡¯s lord. however, with his current status in the state of yue, he probably knew many secrets about the state of yue. he didn¡¯t know what happened back then, so it was easier to investigate. still¡­ gu yanfei raised her eyebrows and leaned over to whisper to chu yi, ¡°he hasn¡¯t gone back yet?¡± ¡°no.¡± chu yi shook his head. his originally unfathomable and calm eyes instantly softened and moved, as if a masterpiece hanging high on the wall had suddenly come to life. gu yanfei clearly didn¡¯t name him, but chu yi clearly knew who she was talking about. the tacit understanding between the two of them made gu yuan¡¯s heart ache inexplicably. gu yanfei thought that xia houqing had already returned to the country. she muttered softly, ¡°didn¡¯t the sage of the state of yue ask him to supervise the country?!¡± ¡°if he doesn¡¯t hurry back to supervise the country, why is he staying in the state of jin?! isn¡¯t he afraid that someone will take over his position once he leaves?¡± if xia houqing lost his status after leaving for a few months, he wouldn¡¯t be xia houqing anymore. chu yi couldn¡¯t help but laugh as he thought to himself. his eyes were gentle, and he liked how she treated him like an insider. he leaned toward her as well and whispered in her ear, ¡°he¡¯s waiting¡­¡± chu yi didn¡¯t say what xia houqing was waiting for, and gu yanfei didn¡¯t ask further. he had a faint guess in his heart. seeing the two of them whispering to each other as if no one was around, gu yuan¡¯s expression was extremely complicated. still¡­ gu yuan looked at his father¡¯s tablet again, and his eyes softened. he thought to himself: father should be happy for sister while in heaven. wisps of white smoke floated out of the incense sticks inserted in the incense burner and dissipated in the hall. the cigarette smell became stronger. after offering incense, everyone left sanqing hall. daoist xuan cheng personally led the daoists in the temple to send the eldest prince¡¯s honor guard out of the wuliang temple. then, he stood at the entrance and watched them leave. the foot of wuliang mountain was much livelier than when gu yanfei and the others came. the ceremonial guard was still waiting there, with a royal aura that was inviolable. as soon as chu yi got off the mountain, he instructed the accompanying imperial guard to handle the matter. ¡°you guys go back to the palace first.¡± the commander hesitated for a moment and saw xiao shi stop not far away in a black lacquered flat-top carriage. the carriage left wuliang mountain in a grandiose manner and escorted the eldest prince and the eldest princess back to the capital. however, outsiders didn¡¯t know that the two main figures had secretly stayed behind. an le had been an obedient child since she was young. it was rare for her to be out like today, so she found it extremely interesting. ¡°sister, shall we go to the zhen corporation¡¯s silver shop to pick jewelry?¡± an le suggested excitedly as she pinched gu yanfei¡¯s sleeve. they agreed that day! ¡°okay.¡± gu yanfei nodded readily. she wanted to call gu yunzhen along, but gu yunzhen beat her to it. ¡°second sister, i¡¯m a little tired, so i won¡¯t go with you.¡± ¡°brother, send me back first.¡± gu yunzhen wasn¡¯t blind. she could tell from the lawsuit between chu yi and gu yanfei that something was wrong and deliberately found an excuse. before gu yuan could react, gu yunzhen got into her own carriage. gu yuan sighed secretly and quickly stuffed a bulging wallet into gu yanfei¡¯s hands. he reminded his sister, ¡°buy whatever you want.¡± ¡°thank you, big brother.¡± gu yanfei was stunned and couldn¡¯t help but laugh. she calmly accepted her brother¡¯s good intentions. gu yuan only got on the horse when gu yanfei boarded the black-painted flat-top carriage that xiao shi was driving. the group of cars quickly set off, heading towards the capital with a clear goal. after entering the west gate, they parted ways. gu yuan and gu yunzhen returned to the gu mansion, while xiao shi drove to the zhen corporation¡¯s silver shop in the south of the city. the last time an le came here, it was under the protection of a group of imperial guards. this time, they only had one carriage, with xiao shi driving a group of four people. the carriage stopped at the entrance of the zhen corporation¡¯s silver shop. chu yi personally carried the wheelchair out of the carriage. he had already changed into a bamboo moonlight casual outfit, looking extremely elegant. ¡°big brother, then you¡¯re¡­¡± an le originally thought that chu yi would stay in the carriage to wait for them like last time, but she didn¡¯t expect her eldest brother to personally push her wheelchair into the shop. an le blinked in confusion and turned to ask him, ¡°are you going in with us today?¡± the little girl had betrayed her brother again. gu yanfei understood what an le meant again. it turned out that the last time chu yi accompanied an le here, he didn¡¯t even enter. so this is how he coaxes his sister! gu yanfei glanced at chu yi with a faint smile. her gaze flowed and reflected in chu yi¡¯s heart.. Chapter 477 - Chapter 477: Married Son-in-law (1) chapter 477: married son-in-law (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios chu yi¡¯s thin lips parted slightly. just as he was about to speak, a shop assistant from the zhen corporation welcomed him warmly and greeted, ¡°young master, young ladies¡­¡± when the assistant saw an le sitting on the wheelchair, he immediately stammered and recognized that it was the eldest princess. seeing that the eldest princess didn¡¯t bring any palace maids, eunuchs, or royal guards with her today, the assistant suddenly realized something. could this be the ¡®secret visit in disguise¡¯ mentioned in plays?¡± he instantly felt deep veneration and said respectfully, ¡°esteemed guests, please come in.¡± the assistant instructed the servant to inform miss zhen that an important guest had arrived. at the same time, he called a female assistant in green to entertain the important guest with him. ¡°please follow me to the private room in the back hall.¡± facing the eldest princess, the female shop assistant¡¯s smile was a little reserved. she took the initiative to push the wheelchair and led the three of them to the private room at the back of the shop. at the same time, she sized up chu yi and gu yanfei quietly and guessed their identities. the silver shop was orderly. ordinary guests were looking at jewelry in the front hall outside, and regular guests could enter the private room in the back hall. there was also a special place on the second floor to entertain female guests. as the female assistant led the way for them, she introduced their silver store. soon, she led the three of them to the private room at the back. there were windows on three walls of the private room, and the light was bright. there was a whole set of rosewood tables and chairs, coffee tables, and tall flowers. it was spotless, elegant, and noble. there were also four paintings of flowers and birds that represented spring, summer, autumn, and winter hanging on the wall. the flowers and birds were vividly drawn on the paper. seeing that an le and gu yanfei took a few more glances, the female shop assistant said proudly, ¡°our lady drew this.¡± ¡°this parrot is really well-drawn!¡± an le pointed at the colorful parrot on one of the paintings and told gu yanfei, ¡°sister, my father¡­ raised such a parrot too.¡± ¡°please excuse me.¡± a clear and pleasant female voice interjected with a laugh. ¡°as jewelry makers, learning to paint flowers and birds is a basic skill for us.¡± a girl wearing a blue bottle with eight-treasure patterns and a gold-inlaid jade face walked hurriedly towards an le and gu yanfei. she was about 16 or 17 years old. she looked delicate and thin, and her clean footsteps had a shrewd and capable aura. as she spoke, an old woman nimbly served tea and snacks, and a few female waiters respectfully served several trays. those trays were all covered in red velvet cloth, and there were pieces of jewelry made of pure gold. the first tray was a ruby head, the second tray was a green gold stone head, and the rest were pearl heads, gold-inlaid jade heads, red coral heads, and so on. there were hairpins, earrings, rings, collars, and all kinds of jewelry. at a glance, it was dazzling. an le took a jade hairpin from the tray and looked at it. she asked casually, ¡°miss zhen, how¡¯s the peony jewelry 1 mentioned last time?¡± ¡°it¡¯s almost done. there¡¯s still a little more to wrap up. i wanted to wait until it was completely done before showing it to your highness,¡± miss zhen replied generously, and she instructed the female attendant to divert her attention to get the peony jewelry. soon, the female attendant brought over a new tray. on the tray was a gold silk peony and phoenix pattern inlaid with southern pearls. the southern pearls shone with a lustrous luster. ¡°sister, does it look good?¡± an le grabbed gu yanfei¡¯s wrist and smiled brightly. ¡°1 thought of this design and let miss zhen draw a blueprint for me on the spot. the real thing is even better than the blueprint.¡± ¡°it looks good.¡± gu yanfei praised with a smile. ¡°miss zhen¡¯s skills are really good.¡± miss zhen was magnanimous and capable. furthermore, she knew how to use new jewelry to lure the princess over. she could advance and retreat, and she was good at reading someone¡¯s body language. what did her senior sister say back then? if one wasn¡¯t scheming, one wouldn¡¯t care so much! ¡°thank you for your praise, miss.¡± miss zhen¡¯s smile widened. she pointed at the gold silk peony and phoenix pattern with southern pearls and said distractedly, ¡°your highness is ingenious. 1 drew this phoenix pattern according to the pattern on your dress that day.¡± ¡°all that¡¯s left is the bead in the phoenix¡¯s mouth and the stamen of the peony flower.¡± ¡°i¡¯ve also drawn a matching bracelet and a gold collar, but it¡¯s not done yet. in three days, the entire set will be ready. your highness, feel free to send someone to get it..¡± Chapter 478 - Chapter 478: Married Son-in-law (2) chapter 478: married son-in-law (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios the more miss zhen spoke, the happier she became. she played with the pure gold crown in her hand lovingly. ¡°your highness, do you want to try it on?¡± miss zhen suggested it after reading her body language. ¡°you can also see if there¡¯s anything that needs to be changed.¡± an le nodded and smiled at gu yanfei coquettishly. ¡°sister, put it on for me.¡± gu yanfei naturally agreed. the intimacy and familiarity between the two of them were naturally revealed. miss zhen watched from the side with a smile, wondering if this unknown girl was a princess from the imperial family. after all, everyone knew that the emperor only had the eldest princess as his only daughter. gu yanfei carefully put the pure gold crown on an le¡¯s head. she picked up a mercury mirror on the table and let her look into it. the 10-year-old girl loved to be beautiful. she adjusted the gold crown and turned to look at chu yi, wanting to ask him if she looked good. chu yi was also looking at the jewelry and picked up a golden hairpin from a certain tray. it was crafted in the shape of a lotus, with petals as thin as paper, trembling and swaying. the stamen was made of yellow agate, exquisitely crafted and unparalleled in beauty. he moved his hand slightly, and the layers of golden petals rustled, shining brightly. the pure gold light shone in his eyes. ¡°big¡­¡± an le had just spat out a word when she heard a strong male voice in the front hall outside. ¡°where¡¯s ru zhu? has her invitation been prepared?¡± an le blinked and looked at miss zhen. she remembered that her name was ru zhu, so she asked curiously, ¡°you¡¯re getting married?¡± ¡°no.¡± zhen ruzhu¡¯s smile disappeared, and she shook her head stiffly. the assistant in the front hall said in an uneasy voice, ¡°master, our lady has to entertain vips¡­¡± ¡°forget it, i¡¯ll look for her myself,¡± master zhen said in an unquestionable tone. as he spoke, a man and a woman forcefully pushed the assistant into the back hall. the curtain was rudely shoved aside by the person who came. it fell back down, trembling non-stop. the middle-aged man who barged into the back hall was about 40 years old. he was wearing a green shirt and was short and fat with a military belly. the woman was about the same age and had a bean-sized mole on her face. she looked a little mean. the woman¡¯s gaze landed on zhen ruzhu, and she sized her up in disdain. ¡°you¡¯re zhen ruzhu?¡± as she spoke, her gaze swept across the gold and jade jewelry on the trays. her eyes instantly lit up again, and a greedy light flashed in them. the woman raised her chin arrogantly. without waiting for zhen ruzhu to reply, she swung her handkerchief and said in a sharp voice, ¡°she¡¯s not too bad for gui¡¯er.¡± master zhen walked to the center of the room with his head held high. he pointed at the woman and introduced, ¡°ru zhu, this is the matchmaker invited by the groom¡¯s side. she¡¯s also his aunt. she¡¯s here to set a date.¡± ¡°hurry up and set a date.¡± master zhen naturally instructed zhen ruzhu and ordered her around in a thunderous voice. an le frowned unhappily. she hated it when people made noise. zhen ruzhu lowered her voice and explained, ¡°that¡¯s my uncle. he said that my life is too tough. i¡¯ll jinx my parents and my brothers and sisters¡­¡± her words ended with a faint sigh, and she said nothing more. gu yanfei put down the mercury mirror in her hand and glanced at zhen ruzhu lightly. this glance was clear and calm, making zhen ruzhu¡¯s heart tremble. she felt that she couldn¡¯t hide anything from her. zhen ruzhu¡¯s eyes moved, and she bit her lower lip slightly. she couldn¡¯t help but lower her head and avoid gu yanfei¡¯s gaze. she hadn¡¯t expected the eldest princess to come to the shop today, but she had long known that her uncle would come. yesterday, her uncle had come and said that he had found a live-in son-in-law for her and asked her to set a date. today, he would come with the groom¡¯s matchmaker. therefore, when she saw the eldest princess coming incognito, she thought that her uncle had never seen the eldest princess before, so she had the thought of borrowing her power. she reminded the assistant in advance and deliberately allowed her uncle and the matchmaker to rush into the back hall. zhen ruzhu took a deep breath and straightened her back. she took a few steps forward and looked at master zhen. ¡°uncle, 1 said yesterday that i¡¯m not marrying.¡± master zhen frowned and stood with his hands behind his back. he scolded, ¡°your father is already so ill. you¡¯re jinxing your father and mother. it wasn¡¯t easy for me to find you a live-in son-in-law with matching eight characters to resolve your fate, but you¡¯re still throwing a tantrum!¡± the woman was also unhappy and continued, ¡°my nephew is a talented man and has studied for a few years. if not for your uncle, he wouldn¡¯t have been willing to marry into the family.¡± ¡°the master said that when you get married soon, your father¡¯s illness will naturally recover¡­¡± ¡°it¡¯s not up to an uncle who has separated from the family to decide my marriage.¡± zhen ruzhu interrupted the woman coldly. ¡°a woman¡¯s heart is the most poisonous!¡± master zhen sighed and shook his head. ¡°your father is just too soft-hearted and spoils you. he should have adopted a son long ago.¡± ¡°a daughter will be an outsider sooner or later. only when the girl is extroverted will the heir be reliable.¡± after a pause, master zhen¡¯s tone became even stronger. he said firmly, ¡°this marriage is decided by the family. if you dare to have any objections, you can leave the family. this way, you won¡¯t implicate the family.¡± leave?! zhen ruzhu¡¯s pupils constricted slightly. her face turned pale, and her nails dug into her soft palms. the clan was the root of a person. all along, anyone who was expelled from the clan had definitely committed a huge crime, which was why they were expelled by the patriarch of the clan. once they were expelled, it meant that this person¡¯s character was flawed. in the future, she and the zhen family would probably not be able to have a foothold in the capital! for so many years, father had been stubbornly refusing to adopt any children from within the family, yet he hadn¡¯t severed ties with the clan over this matter. it was also for this reason.. Chapter 479 - Chapter 479: Extinction chapter 479: extinction translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°what kind of an uncle are you?!¡± the shopkeeper roared indignantly. he picked up the broom in the corner and wanted to chase master zhen away. ¡°that hong changgui isn¡¯t a good person at all!¡± ¡°he¡¯s a gambler. isn¡¯t he just a nephew from your wife¡¯s family?!¡± ¡°they¡¯re not here to talk about marriage at all. they¡¯re here to snatch our master and lady¡¯s family business!¡± the more the shopkeeper spoke, the angrier he became. his old face turned red. master zhen, who had almost been hit by the broom, took two steps back in a sorry state. a vein popped out on his forehead as he said arrogantly in a matter-of-fact tone, ¡°who¡¯s snatching the family business?¡± ¡°i¡¯m the eldest son in the family. if the old man hadn¡¯t been biased and given the family business to xu xian and his youngest son¡­ these would have been mine.¡± looking around at the gold, silver, and jewelry, a greedy light flashed in master zhen¡¯s eyes. zhen ruzhu frowned and took another step closer to master zhen. she retorted angrily, ¡°before grandpa died, uncle, you were already causing trouble, talking about splitting up the family. you took 2,000 acres of fertile land for yourself, while my father only received 2,000 taels of silver. as soon as our grandpa was gone, you drove away my grandma and father, and now you want to snatch away those 2,000 taels of silver.¡± ¡°father worked hard for half his life to save up this family business, but what about you? you were addicted to gambling and gambled all the 2,000 acres of fertile land my grandpa left you.¡± an acre of ordinary fertile land cost 10 taels of silver, and the family business worth 20,000 taels of silver had been ruined by her uncle. now, he even wanted to covet his family¡¯s business. ¡°what does a little girl like you know? nonsense?!¡± master zhen¡¯s face turned green and white, but he still held his head high and reprimanded, ¡°when we split up, you weren¡¯t even born yet!¡± ¡°your father spoiled you since you were young, that¡¯s why he let you have such an obedient temper. you actually dared to talk back to your elders. now that your father is sick, as your uncle, i¡¯ll teach you a lesson on your father¡¯s behalf!¡± master zhen¡¯s expression was a little angry. ¡°miss zhen, is your father ill?¡± an le frowned slightly. ¡°i remember that your father was still in high spirits the last time i saw him.¡± it had only been a few days. a hint of bitterness appeared on zhen ruzhu¡¯s face, and her voice was a little hoarse. ¡°my father fell ill three days ago, and he can¡¯t get out of bed now¡­¡± it was precisely because her father was sick that she had no choice but to fight here alone. zhen ruzhu had always been smart and capable, but she was only 16 years old after all. at this moment, a crack finally appeared on her strong outer shell, revealing dense fatigue and worry. gu yanfei asked, ¡°what symptoms does your father have?¡± zhen ruzhu took a deep breath and tried to stabilize her emotions. she said with difficulty, ¡°my father has a heart disease. three days ago, he suddenly started to feel palpitations and chest pains¡­¡± she was halfway through her sentence when master zhen interrupted her coldly. ¡°stop talking nonsense!¡± with that, master zhen took a few steps in the direction of gu yanfei and an le. he glanced at the two of them disdainfully. ¡°this is the zhen family¡¯s family matter. outsiders like you can¡¯t interfere. the zhen family¡¯s silver house isn¡¯t doing business today!¡± his tone was as if he was the boss of this silver house. ¡°well, i can still have a say, can¡¯t i?¡± a weak and hoarse male voice interjected, perfectly following master zhen¡¯s words. the curtain was knocked up. the shopkeeper looked in the direction of the curtain and shouted, ¡°boss.¡± boss zhen, who was wearing a black cloak, slowly walked in with the help of a servant. he looked very weak and staggered. his face was pale, and his lips were slightly purple. ¡°get lost!¡± boss zhen looked deeply at master zhen and said weakly, with difficulty, but with determination, ¡°if you want to leave the family, leave. i¡¯m not serving you anymore!¡± with that, he vomited a mouthful of blood. the dark red blood left a pool of shocking red blood on the bluestone floor. ¡°dad!¡± zhen ruzhu was frightened. she rushed towards boss zhen with a pale face and held her father¡¯s other arm. boss zhen grabbed his daughter¡¯s hand and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°don¡¯t marry¡­¡± how could his daughter marry such a scumbag with ill intentions! boss zhen¡¯s body went limp, and he fainted. he vomited a few more mouthfuls of blood. there were pools of blood on the ground, and even zhen ruzhu¡¯s dress was stained with blood. ¡°dad, don¡¯t scare me? how are you?¡± zhen ruzhu¡¯s eyes were filled with tears. she was so anxious that she was about to cry. ¡°hurry, hurry up and call the doctor!¡± a waiter hurriedly ran out to get a doctor, while zhen ruzhu and the servant helped the unconscious boss zhen sit down on a chair. master zhen stood with his hands behind his back. he shook his head and sighed. ¡°look, you¡¯re the one who jinxed your father.¡± ¡°ruzhu, be obedient. a woman has to get married and have children.¡± ¡°i won¡¯t marry!¡± zhen ruzhu gritted her teeth. tears flowed from the corners of her eyes, but her expression was still stubborn. she picked up a pair of scissors beside her. ¡°today, i¡¯ll cut off my long hair!¡± with that, she was about to cut her hair. her eyes were red, with a hint of tragedy and determination. she would rather cut her hair and never marry in her life than let a wolf into her house and let others manipulate her fate! ¡°it¡¯s not an illness.¡± gu yanfei¡¯s clear and mellow voice sounded again, instantly attracting everyone¡¯s attention. she looked at the haggard and pale face of the unconscious boss zhen on the chair and said with certainty, ¡°it¡¯s poison.¡± poison?! the room fell silent. everyone¡¯s expressions changed, especially zhen ruzhu¡¯s. her slender body trembled violently, as if she had been struck by lightning. the scissors in her hand left her hand and fell to the ground with a bang. a strand of hair that had been cut by the scissors fell gently from midair¡­ zhen ruzhu almost asked, ¡°are you sure?¡± however, she bit the tip of her tongue forcefully and quickly looked at an le¡¯s expression. seeing her matter-of-fact expression, she knew that what this girl said was most likely true. filled with grief and indignation, she bit her lips deeply and heard gu yanfei say, ¡°miss zhen, not only does your father have palpitations and chest pain, but he¡¯s also dizzy and weak. he vomits and has diarrhea, right?¡± zhen ruzhu quickly nodded. ¡°yes.¡± gu yanfei said, ¡°see if your father¡¯s tongue is swollen?¡± zhen ruzhu quickly pried open boss zhen¡¯s mouth, took a look, and nodded again. ¡°yes!¡± gu yanfei continued, ¡°are your father¡¯s nails turning white and purple?¡± zhen ruzhu looked at boss zhen¡¯s nails and nodded again. ¡°yes!¡± zhen ruzhu¡¯s eyes widened. from the surprise just now to now, she was completely convinced by gu yanfei. this girl is right about everything! it turns out that father isn¡¯t sick, but poisoned! the strand of hair that had been cut slowly floated to the ground and landed in a pool of blood. zhen ruzhu¡¯s face turned paler and paler. she asked in a trembling voice, ¡°miss, may 1 ask what poison my father is suffering from?¡± she wasn¡¯t stupid. after the extreme shock, a certain guess was about to be made in the chaotic fog in her brain: previously, when father was ill, 1 didn¡¯t think too much about it. but if father was poisoned, then the timing of his poisoning is too coincidental¡­ zhen ruzhu¡¯s heart ached. father is the only family member i have in this world! if 1 hadn¡¯t met the eldest princess and the others today, what would have happened to father? zhen ruzhu almost didn¡¯t dare to think about it anymore. ¡°oleander,¡± gu yanfei said slowly. ¡°just a little bit of this poison will give the above symptoms, but it¡¯s not life-threatening.¡± ¡°when you¡¯re ¡®married¡¯, your father¡¯s ¡®illness¡¯ will naturally improve. at that time, they¡¯ll say that the son-in-law saved your father¡¯s life, and it¡¯ll be equivalent to confirming your tough life.¡± ¡°the oleander juice will also paralyze the skin and even cause paralysis.¡± once boss zhen was paralyzed, he naturally could no longer control his family¡¯s business. it was a life worse than death. at such a young age, zhen ruzhu would only be hated by others if she took on the name of jinxing her father and mother. it was equivalent to losing her foothold from then on. not only would the son-in-law get a reputation for benevolence, but he would also easily control the zhen family¡¯s assets. what a good plan! ¡°you¡¯ll be extinct,¡± gu yanfei concluded. zhen ruzhu¡¯s face turned paler and paler. she also understood the pros and cons. hatred surged in her heart, and she looked at master zhen with a gaze that wished she could cut him into pieces. master zhen¡¯s expression was as ugly as zhen ruzhu¡¯s. his eyes were filled with panic, shock, and uneasiness. gu yanfei took out a talisman from her sleeve pocket. with a shake of her hand, a corner of the talisman ignited without fire. in the blink of an eye, it burned to ashes. she casually shook the talisman ash into the cup of tea she had never drunk before. ¡°let your father drink it.¡± ¡°thank you, miss!¡± zhen ruzhu suppressed her emotions and thanked gu yanfei with a choked voice. she wanted to go forward and take the cup of talisman tea on the table, but she was rudely pulled away by master zhen. ¡°ruzhu, this girl is a scammer. your father is clearly sick, but she only took a look. she didn¡¯t even take his pulse and just spouted nonsense.¡± ¡°don¡¯t call for desperate measures in desperation!¡± master zhen put on the airs of an elder and reprimanded zhen ruzhu a few more times. then, he pointed at gu yanfei¡¯s nose and scolded, ¡°tell me, where did you come from? you actually want to use this talisman water poison to harm my second cousin!¡± ¡°i should arrest a liar like you and bring you to court!¡± old master zhen strode towards gu yanfei and grabbed her with his big palm¡­ gu yanfei sat leisurely on the chair without moving or dodging. her eyes even curled up happily as she pressed one hand on the mystic flame whip at her waist. whoosh! a cup of hot tea was splashed at master zhen¡­ Chapter 480 - Chapter 480: Cure (1) chapter 480: cure (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°all!¡± master zhen was splashed by the cup of hot tea. he let out a miserable scream that almost overturned the roof. tea rolled down his face, and the tea leaves stuck wetly to his flushed face. zhen ruzhu held an empty teacup in one hand. her eyes were like torches, and her back was straight. ¡°wow!¡± an le exclaimed when she saw this scene. her small mouth was wide open. ¡°zhen ruzhu, are you crazy?!¡± master zhen roared at zhen ruzhu hysterically, his facial features twisted. ¡°you¡¯re the one who¡¯s crazy!¡± zhen ruzhu was furious. she carefully picked up the cup of talisman tea and brought it to boss zhen as if it was a fragile rare treasure. the shopkeeper pinched and pressed on the unconscious boss zhen¡¯s acupuncture points. boss zhen finally woke up slowly, with blood on the corner of his lips. ¡°dad, you¡¯re poisoned.¡± zhen ruzhu hurriedly said, ¡°drink this cup of talisman water, and you¡¯ll recover!¡± she carefully blew on the teacup and touched the cup to test the temperature. after waking up, boss zhen looked even weaker. his lips moved for a long time before he forced out a word. ¡°okay.¡± his voice was huskier and weaker. he took the cup of tea from his daughter and gritted his teeth. he gulped down all the tea in the cup, including the talisman ash and tea leaves. zhen ruzhu¡¯s heart was in her throat as she stared at boss zhen without blinking. she was afraid that he would vomit and have diarrhea after taking the medicine like before. as soon as the talisman tea entered his stomach, boss zhen felt a warm sensation in his stomach, but right on the heels of that, he felt a sharp pain. his expression changed, and he covered his abdomen with his hand. his face revealed a pained expression as a salty smell welled up in his throat. ¡°blargh¡ª¡± he leaned over and vomited again. this time, it was a large pool of black blood that covered the red blood on the ground. ¡°someone¡¯s treating someone to death! someone, someone¡¯s treating someone to death!¡± seeing this scene, master zhen shouted gloatingly. one moment, he was pointing at gu yanfei, and the next, he was pointing at boss zhen. his eyes were filled with hatred. ¡°report to the officials, hurry up and report to the officials!¡± as he shouted, he was still wiping the wet tea leaves on his forehead with his sleeve. his face was burned into a red pig¡¯s head. miss zhen gently stroked boss zhen¡¯s back and asked nervously, ¡°dad, how do you feel?¡± boss zhen spat on the ground, his hand still covering his abdomen. to his shock, he realized that his abdomen no longer hurt. he held his breath and felt it. he felt really different! ¡°report to the officials?¡± gu yanfei rolled her eyes and clapped her hands with a smile. ¡°that¡¯s a good idea.¡± gu yanfei turned to look at chu yi, who was silent beside him. her eyes were sparkling, and her eyes seemed to be asking him silently: this way, we can let the new magistrate of the capital establish his authority, right? chu yi¡¯s slender fingers twirled the flower in his hand, and he smiled gently. an uncontrollable smile rippled on his face, and he used his smile as an affirmation of her. ¡°yes, i want to report it to the officials.¡± boss zhen suddenly raised his head and said resolutely, his voice filled with confidence. huh?! master zhen subconsciously looked at boss zhen. when he focused his gaze, he saw that boss zhen, who was so weak and casual just now, had become much more energetic. his pale face had also become rosy, and his eyes were bright. he was like a different person than before. ¡°you¡­¡± master zhen¡¯s eyes widened as if he had seen a ghost. he staggered back two steps and accidentally twisted his left foot into his right foot before falling to the ground. ¡°dad, we¡¯ll report it to the officials now!!¡± zhen ruzhu hurriedly nodded in agreement. a determined and ruthless light bloomed in her eyes. she looked at master zhen with a gaze that wished she could kill him with her own hands. in order to scheme against their family¡¯s business, they actually used such a vicious method to harm her father. it was really intolerable! even if it meant disowning her own family and risking the closure of this silver business, she would still go to the authorities and fight for justice for her father! old master zhen stood up with his daughter¡¯s help. his eyes couldn¡¯t help but turn red. at this moment, new and old hatred surged in his heart. back then, when his father died, he and his mother were chased out. the 2,000 taels of silver that they had split up were left behind by his father for the mother and son. it was what he deserved, and he had relied on his own hands to buy this family business. be it his elder brother or the other clansmen, none of them had helped him.. Chapter 481 - Chapter 481: Cure (2) chapter 481: cure (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios later on, as he became successful, his elder brother and those relatives became envious and would frequently come to his house, suggesting things like taking concubines and adopting heirs, causing endless disturbances. if not for this, his frail wife would not have risked getting pregnant again, and as a result, they both lost their lives. now was a good opportunity. with the eldest princess as a witness on the spot, even if they blew this matter up, they would be in the right. moreover, if he didn¡¯t deal with the culprit ruthlessly this time, there would be a next time¡­ boss zhen gritted his teeth and looked at zhen ruzhu. the father and daughter had the same determination in their eyes. an le saw everything from the beginning to the end. her little face was filled with righteous indignation as she said considerately, ¡°miss zhen, quickly go to the capital with your father to report to the officials. just get your shopkeeper to help us.¡± the father and daughter bowed solemnly to gu yanfei and chu yi and left. ¡°second brother¡­¡± master zhen hurriedly got up from the ground and chased after him in a panic. he shouted, ¡°second brother, are you really going to report it to the officials¡­¡± the woman who came with him was a little embarrassed. she squeezed out a fake smile and left resentfully. half of the people in the back hall were gone, and it was much more spacious. the shopkeeper and the two shop assistants were still a little shocked as they thought about what had just happened. the shop assistant secretly pinched his thigh, and the pain told him that everything just now wasn¡¯t a dream. then this girl was really an expert. she could tell at a glance that their boss wasn¡¯t ill but poisoned. a talisman could cure their boss¡¯s illness¡­ no, treat the poison. the living dead, flesh, and bones were nothing much. the shop assistant looked at gu yanfei with admiration, as if he was looking up at a guanyin statue piously. ¡°sister.¡± an le was also looking at gu yanfei. she twisted her fair fingers and asked with a frown, ¡°why did they do this? is it because miss zhen is a girl?¡± ¡°because of the silver,¡± gu yanfei replied naturally. she lowered her head and picked up the jewelry on the tray. her gaze landed on a gold-plated jade phoenix-shaped hook. in the end, there was only the word ¡°greed¡± playing tricks. they were coveting something that didn¡¯t belong to them. an le nodded thoughtfully and was enlightened. ¡°i see. the source of everything is silver.¡± therefore, some people had been targeting her father and eldest brother. previously, they didn¡¯t want her eldest brother to return to the capital because they had more money! her eldest brother was so pitiful! an le looked at chu yi with a sympathetic gaze. chu yi raised his eyebrows and looked at his sister. he felt that this girl¡¯s gaze was a little strange. ¡°what¡¯s wrong?¡± chu yi asked gently. her peaceful eyes moved as she adjusted the crown in her hair. she said to chu yi sweetly, ¡°big brother, does this look good?¡± the shopkeeper and the waiters were shocked by the way she addressed him. their jaws were about to drop. then wouldn¡¯t this handsome young master be the eldest prince?! chu yi smiled slightly and nodded at his precious sister. ¡°yes.¡± how can it not look good when she¡¯s the one who designed it? as he spoke, chu yi looked at gu yanfei, who was beside an le. gu yanfei was playing with the gold-plated jade phoenix-shaped hook. her phoenix eyes were a shiny blue tourmaline, small and exquisite. gu yanfei slowly lowered her eyelashes and rubbed her fingers on the phoenix-shaped hook. then she looked in chu yi¡¯s direction, and her eyes moved slightly. their gazes met quietly in midair. ¡°sister, this one looks good.¡± an le looked at the phoenix-shaped hook in gu yanfei¡¯s hand with sparkling eyes and clapped her hands happily. ¡°it suits big brother very well.¡± ¡°it does look good, but¡­¡± gu yanfei smiled, and her eyes curled into a light arc. she said seriously, ¡°we¡¯ll only know if it¡¯s suitable after we try it.¡± she dragged out the last syllable. ¡°sister is right.¡± an le smiled even more happily and waved at chu yi. ¡°brother, come, try this hook.¡± not long after, the gold phoenix-shaped hook that gu yanfei had just picked was matched to the leather belt around chu yi¡¯s waist. chu yi was tall and had a straight back. when his waist was tightly tied with a leather belt, he looked especially wide-shouldered and slender. his figure was tall and good-looking, giving off an elegant and powerful sense of beauty. gu yanfei¡¯s gaze moved down from his handsome face and slowly slid across his slender neck, broad shoulders, and thin waist. finally, it slid down from his well-defined fingers.. Chapter 482 - Chapter 482: Cure (3) chapter 482: cure (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios he had always been good-looking. for some reason, he seemed to become even more pleasing to the eye at this moment. gu yanfei¡¯s gaze lingered on the phoenix-shaped hook on his waist. she thoughtfully touched the lotus jade hairpin she was wearing in her hair and thought to herself: no wonder he wanted to give me a jade hairpin. so this is where the fun was. now, she felt that she should be able to develop the habit of collecting all kinds of hooks. she tilted her small face and said with a smile, ¡°yes, it looks good, but it seems to be missing something. an le, don¡¯t you think?¡± she deliberately asked an le. ¡°that¡¯s right.¡± an le nodded sadly. then, she tapped her right fist gently on her left palm. ¡°oh, it¡¯s missing a jade pendant.¡± ¡°shopkeeper, do you have a jade pendant?¡± ¡°yes, yes, yes.¡± the shopkeeper nodded hurriedly. he was so excited that his voice trembled. it was an honor that the eldest prince and the eldest princess took a liking to the jewelry in their shop! the shop assistant hurriedly brought over a few trays. not only were there all kinds of jade pendants, but there were also gold and jade thumb rings, hairpins, crowns, and so on that were suitable for men. the two girls were extremely excited and asked chu yi to try the jade pendants, hairpins, and so on one by one. in less than ten minutes, the two of them had already helped chu yi pick out a box of jewelry. even when they got into the carriage to go back to the palace, an le was still a little unsatisfied. she sighed regretfully. ¡°it¡¯s a pity that big brother hasn¡¯t married yet.¡± an le looked at chu yi, who was sitting opposite her, and was still thinking about a gold-gilded golden flower qilin hair crown. gu yanfei was amused by the sighing an le and chuckled brightly. ¡°soon,¡± she said briskly. she thought to herself: a year is enough for me to find a jade with spiritual energy and personally make the most beautiful hair crown for him. he should be very happy. just thinking about it made gu yanfei¡¯s heart feel sweet. it was as if her heart was soaked in honey water. they exchanged deep glances. he was 70% handsome and 30% gentle. there was a hint of heat in his eyes that was like the summer sun. a few rays of the sunset shone into the car through the half-covered window. gu yanfei¡¯s porcelain white ears were also dyed a warm and tipsy color by the sunlight. she felt her ears heat up, but she didn¡¯t look away and met his gaze. he liked to look at her, and of course she liked to look at him. she wouldn¡¯t suffer a loss if she stole a few more glances at such a beautiful person. chu yi was also smiling. the red mole at the end of his eye was exposed under the sunlight. it was even redder and more beautiful, adding an indescribable charm that made people unable to look away. she would miss him and be shy. therefore, they should be in a good state now. he had always been a very patient person. be it to family, enemies, or collaborators¡­ after sending an le back to the palace, the two of them went to the tianyin pavilion. after not coming to the tianyin pavilion for more than a month, the tianyin pavilion became even more popular. the show hadn¡¯t started yet, but the hall was already filled with people. the guests in the hall were passionately discussing the recent new play ¡°the path of qingxiao¡±. it tells the story of a man named liu qingxiao and how he navigated through a tumultuous era where various forces rose and clashed. starting as a humble pavilion caretaker, liu qingxiao led a rebellion, gathered brave warriors, and formed alliances with renowned heroes from all directions. in just a decade, he conquered the northern region, winning the hearts of the people. ultimately, liu qingxiao ascended to the throne, establishing the tang dynasty. ¡°the path of qingxiao¡± had only been sung for three days, but it was already famous in the capital. people who had watched it and those who hadn¡¯t watched it were discussing this show. guests came in an endless stream. ¡°dear customer, you¡¯re late. there are no empty seats today. why don¡¯t you come another day?¡± ¡°tomorrow, i¡¯ll definitely reserve a seat for you.¡± the waiter had just dissuaded a cursing guest when he faced chu yi and gu yanfei, who had just entered. however, he changed his expression and said with a smile, ¡°please come in.¡± chu yi walked in familiarly and led gu yanfei up the stairs to the second floor. they arrived at the second last private room with an orchid wooden sign and pushed the door open. there was no one in the booth. there was a pot of wine and a few white, flawless porcelain cups on the table. beside the table was a small red clay stove with a purple clay pot. the pot emitted a subtle sound of boiling water. gu yanfei habitually found a seat by the window and sat by the railing. chu yi sat down right on her heels and asked her with a smile, ¡°tea or wine?¡± Chapter 483 - Chapter 483: Cure (4) chapter 483: cure (4) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios gu yanfei wanted to drink, but when she looked at the purple clay pot and red clay stove beside her, her heart couldn¡¯t help but skip a beat. she wanted to see him make tea. it was so pleasing to watch a handsome guy make tea. hence, she naturally changed her words. ¡°tea.¡± as she spoke, she adjusted her sitting posture into a comfortable posture. she looked delicate and lazy as she waited to see him make tea. chu yi nodded and opened the teapot on the table. after a while, the sound of boiling water in the purple clay pot on the red clay stove became louder, like a spring. chu yi unhurriedly washed his hands first, then began to heat the cup, wash the tea, brew, seal the pot, and divide the cup¡­ the entire set of actions of brewing tea was even and steady, as smooth as flowing water. the wide sleeves embroidered with bamboo leaves floated up and down, and the sleeves rippled open layer by layer. as he moved, gentle patterns like water appeared. gu yanfei¡¯s eyes followed his every move. when she felt the noisy voices downstairs leave her, her heart slowly calmed down. until a cup of brewed tea was brought to her eyes, accompanied by a clear voice like the spring breeze. ¡°try it.¡± he turned slightly to face her, and a strand of silk-like black hair fell with it. his hair was dark, smooth, and flowing, and he looked very easy to touch. gu yanfei followed her heart and touched it. she hooked the cold hair between her fingers and took the teacup with her other hand. her dark hair reflected her snow-white fingers, and her smooth and lustrous hair slowly slid down from her fingertips. their gazes fell on her fingertips¡­ the room was silent until the door was suddenly pushed open from the outside. a gorgeous red shadow floated into the room like a ghost. it was ostentatious and charming. the colorful clothes reflected the snow-white walls of the room. the accompanying black-clothed youth, jing shan, silently guarded the entrance of the private seat and silently looked inside. unable to find the cat, he looked away in disappointment. the strand of hair on his fingertips completely fell off. gu yanfei drank tea silently. ¡°what a coincidence-¡± without needing anyone to invite him, xia houqing sat down himself and looked at gu yanfei with a faint smile. he was like a vixen or siren who specialized in seducing people in the deep mountains and forests with his beauty and charming voice. ¡°unfortunately, we came specially to look for you.¡± gu yanfei drank the tea that chu yi had just made and smiled brightly at xia houqing. she asked generously, ¡°young master xia, when are you going back to the state of yue?¡± ¡°there¡¯s no hurry,¡± xia houqing said perfunctorily. he wasn¡¯t in a hurry to ask what was going on. since they were the ones who came to look for him, they were the ones who were anxious. why should he be anxious? xia houqing raised his eyebrows and looked at gu yanfei. his fingers slowly rubbed a folded fan. the fan bone was painted a bright red, forming a contrast with his beautifully trimmed fingertips, which were so pale that they were almost bloodless. when he was silent, he didn¡¯t look like a person of flesh and blood. he looked more like a white porcelain figure without a soul, both coquettish and lifeless. gu yanfei¡¯s smile didn¡¯t decrease at all, and she was still as casual as ever. she said in a familiar tone, ¡°help me.¡± doi look like such a kind personpxia houqing reflected in his heart. he neither agreed nor disagreed and only said lightly, ¡°i have to reexamine your abilities. is it worth cooperating with you?¡± ¡°don¡¯t be so petty.¡± gu yanfei held her chin and looked at him. she suggested casually, ¡°why don¡¯t 1 lend you qing guang to play for two days?¡± good, good, good! ]ing shan, who was guarding the door, nodded repeatedly. he wished he could agree on behalf of his lord. the corners of xia houqing¡¯s red lips twitched as he spat out impatiently, ¡°scram.¡± gu yanfei didn¡¯t care about his impatience at all. the corners of her eyes and eyebrows didn¡¯t change, and she went straight to the point. ¡°how much do you know about gu ce surrendering nine years ago?¡± nine years ago, xia houqing was insignificant, and no one knew his name. his position had only risen in the state of yue six years ago. in just a few years, he had taken control of the heavenly palace and dominated the court. xia houqing stared at gu yanfei¡¯s face for a while, his eyes as dark as ink.. Chapter 484 - Chapter 484: Must Obtain (1) chapter 484: must obtain (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios xia houqing had already figured out gu yanfei¡¯s background after they first met in the manor in the suburbs of beijing last december. he had even sent someone to huaibei and had investigated everything about her in huaibei, except how she had learned this superb dao technique. gu ce, the duke of ding yuan, was gu yanfei¡¯s biological father. he was once a famous general in the great jin dynasty and was brave and good at fighting. xia houqing had heard of this person before, but that was all. gu ce was just a piece of history. a person¡¯s death was like a lamp going out. it wasn¡¯t important. xia houqing casually opened his folding fan, revealing a pale wrist that looked like it hadn¡¯t seen the sun for many years. as he fanned his folding fan, he turned his gaze to chu yi. ¡°what do you know now?¡± his cold voice was filled with interest, and his tone was very firm. chu yi met the other party¡¯s piercing gaze without avoiding it. he didn¡¯t plan to hide it and said calmly, ¡°nine years ago, the state of yue sent out a hundred thousand troops, but only seventy thousand returned.¡± since they wanted to cooperate, he naturally had to show his sincerity. since he wanted to get information from the other party, he had to show his chips. chu yi only said this briefly. ¡°interesting!¡± xia houqing was stunned before he smiled. the corners of his red lips curled up, and the smile on his beautiful and flawless face widened bit by bit, turning into a demonic and evil smile. young master yi was indeed interesting. during the eight years he was a hostage in the state of yue, he was like a bird in a cage. unless it was a favor from the sage, he couldn¡¯t leave the manor. to put it bluntly, he was just a spoil of war from the sage. he would be taken out to be exposed to the sun when necessary. but even so, chu yi could still seize the opportunity to discover these clues. according to the dossier, there should be 80,000 troops returning to the state of yue in triumph. in other words, there were actually 10,000 fewer people. the fan in xia houqing¡¯s hand flapped twice again, and a few strands of hair at his temples fluttered before falling again. the fluttering hair caressed his face, adding to his bewitchment, and his eyes lit up. he recalled the dossier he had read and said, ¡°according to the dossier of the ministry of war, not long after the peace talks between the two countries, the sage issued a decree to pardon the world. even the army received a pardon. the 80,000-strong army was completely stripped of their armor and returned to the fields¡­¡± back then, everyone in the state of yue was grateful to the sage for his kindness. now that they thought about it, the sage¡¯s motive was probably to hide the 10,000 missing people. ¡°knock, knock.¡± someone suddenly knocked on the door of the private room, interrupting xia houqing¡¯s unfinished words. old master qi, who was dressed in black and had silver hair, walked in expressionlessly. he didn¡¯t look sideways and only reported to xia houqing, ¡°master, baili yin is here.¡± ¡°alone?¡± xia houqing asked casually. ¡°there¡¯s also kang wang, chu you, jianwei general wang nan, and kang wang¡¯s cousin, yuan zhe.¡± elder qi¡¯s old eyelids drooped, and his dry voice was flat. these three people had important positions in the court. xia houqing looked out of the window. a window in the private seat they were in faced the entrance of the lobby below. from his position, he could see chu you, baili yin, and the others standing at the entrance of the tianyin pavilion. xia houqing only took a glance before slowly retracting his gaze. he looked at chu yi firmly. ¡°i¡¯m here to look for you.¡± the sunlight coming from the window stretched his shadow thin and long. half of his face was sunken in the shadow. the light and shadow formed an extreme contrast, outlining his contours even more clearly, making him appear both beautiful and demonic. he supported his face with his elbow and casually tapped the end of his eyebrows with his slender index finger. he asked casually, ¡°where did the two of you go today?¡± there was a hint of disdain in his tone. chu yi and xia houqing looked at each other. one of them smiled gently, while the other smiled coldly. ¡°lord xia, do you want to stay?¡± chu yi asked instead of answering. his words implied that he was admitting that baili yin, chu you, and the others were here to look for him. stay? xia houqing seemed to have heard an interesting suggestion. he raised his eyebrows and chuckled. ¡°you¡¯re not treating me like an outsider at all.¡± xia houqing narrowed his charming phoenix eyes and stared intently at chu yi, wanting to see if he was being polite. chu yi¡¯s eyes were like two deep wells, calm and unmoving. since xia houqing couldn¡¯t tell what was going on, he simply stopped moving. he glanced out of the corner of his eye and saw that chu you and the others had already entered the hall with the waiter¡¯s welcome.. Chapter 485 - Chapter 485: Must Obtain (2) chapter 485: must obtain (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios he liked to watch the show and watch people lose their composure. then he could stay here. anyway, he had been invited to stay. xia houqing leisurely picked up the wine pot and poured himself a cup of white wine. even his actions were very ostentatious and gorgeous. elder qi retreated silently, like a ghost. xia houqing casually took two sips of wine before his expression suddenly changed. he turned his head and covered his face as he coughed lightly. his already snow-white face turned even paler. he was no longer as demonic as usual, but more weak and sickly. gu yanfei glanced at the wine in xia houqing¡¯s cup and muttered in her heart: i¡¯ve already told him that his yang energy is insufficient, but he still drinks cold white wine. he really has a death wish! xia houqing took out a white handkerchief and wiped his mouth. he casually threw it away, and right on the heels of that, he took out a red handkerchief and slowly wiped his fingers. ¡°¡­¡± the corners of gu yanfei¡¯s mouth twitched imperceptibly. she originally wanted to get a cup of talisman water for xia houqing to drink, but seeing how he looked like he wanted to wipe his fingers carefully three times, she knew that this person¡¯s cleanliness was even worse than her third brother. thus, he definitely wouldn¡¯t drink it. if it was an injection, he would probably ask for a new needle and throw it away after using it. forget it. gu yanfei¡¯s thoughts raced. in the end, she stretched out an index finger and pointed at the table. ¡°hand.¡± xia houqing, who was wiping his palms with a handkerchief, pursed his lips and thought to himself: why do 1 have to listen to her? despite thinking this, he still reached out his hand. ¡°keep it close to you.¡± gu yanfei slapped a talisman on his hand, slightly reluctant to part with it. this talisman wasn¡¯t easy to draw, and she had to draw dozens of them before she could make this one. the talisman paper was stuck to the palm of his left hand. when the wind blew, a corner of the talisman paper flew up. xia houqing lowered his eyelashes, and the corners of his eyes tightened, as if he was forcing himself to endure something. mysophobia is indeed an illness. gu yanfei couldn¡¯t help but think of how her ninth sister had once evaluated her third brother teasingly. while he was thinking, there was already the sound of footsteps going upstairs outside the private room. a few people were walking over. the footsteps were approaching, and there were some voices. chu yi slowly made another cup of tea. from beginning to end, he was calm and composed, as if he didn¡¯t care about the approaching footsteps in the corridor outside at all. the three of them each had a cup of green tea. the messy footsteps stopped outside the private room. a waiter outside the door shouted in a panic, ¡°dear guests, there are guests in this private room.¡± ¡°isn¡¯t there no one here?¡± the familiar male voice sounded arrogant. the door of the private room creaked open from the outside. outside the door, chu you, who was dressed in a sapphire blue brocade robe, appeared in the corridor outside the private room. his eyes met chu yi¡¯s, and a cold light flashed across chu you¡¯s eyes. ¡°eh, isn¡¯t this ah yi?¡± chu you smiled at chu yi, who was inside the door. at first glance, the uncle and nephew were harmonious. after not seeing him for more than ten days, chu you looked much more haggard. his cheeks were slightly sunken, and he looked a little sickly, but his eyes were very bright. his ambition seemed to seep into his bones, and he had a sense of determination that was as hard as rock and iron. there was also a hint of arrogance in his sharpness. behind him were baili yin, yuan zhe, and another tall and mighty middle-aged man with a curly beard. as for jing shan, who was originally guarding outside the private seat, he had long since left. ¡°what a coincidence.¡± chu you, who was walking in front, laughed loudly and said to the waiter behind him, ¡°we all know each other. it¡¯s fine to fight here.¡± ¡°bring us a few jars of your signature good wine.¡± ¡°¡­¡± the waiter looked at the three people in the private room, not knowing what to do. chu you didn¡¯t care about the waiter¡¯s reaction at all and walked straight into the elegant seat. yuan zhe and the middle-aged man followed closely behind. they cupped their hands and bowed to chu yi. ¡°young master.¡± yuan zhe had just been released from the imperial prison. like chu you, he looked a little thin. he was dressed in a green shirt and a black scarf, looking elegant and refined. even when facing chu yi, who had ordered him to be imprisoned, his smile was still appropriate and polite. there was no trace of resentment. seeing that they really knew each other, the waiter said happily, ¡°take your time. 1¡¯11 go get the wine now.¡± yuan zhe seemed to be chatting casually, but he also seemed to be explaining, ¡°i heard that the tianyin pavilion¡¯s ¡®the path of qingxiao¡¯ is peerlessly exciting. the few of us came to join in the fun, but we didn¡¯t expect to meet the young master here..¡± Chapter 486 - Chapter 486: Must Obtain (3) chapter 486: must obtain (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios with that, yuan zhe looked meaningfully at gu yanfei, who was sitting beside chu yi. ¡°1 didn¡¯t expect second lady gu to be here either.¡± when he said this, everyone¡¯s gaze turned to gu yanfei, including the unfamiliar middle-aged man. the middle-aged man glanced at gu yanfei casually. originally, he only took a look because yuan zhe clearly knew this second lady gu. however, when he met those eyes, which were like vast stars, he suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity. he had never seen this girl before¡­ wait! gu?! her surname was gu?! the middle-aged man¡¯s eyelashes twitched as he vaguely guessed something. he looked at gu yanfei and blurted out, ¡°you¡¯re gu ce¡¯s daughter?¡± as he spoke, he took two steps forward. only then did he realize that second lady gu, who had been famous because of the yu family¡¯s case, was actually gu ce¡¯s daughter. ¡°yes.¡± gu yanfei nodded slightly at him. when she raised her chin slightly, the lines under her chin were even clearer and a little colder. the middle-aged man looked at her, and gu ce¡¯s face appeared in his mind. his gaze was as sharp as a knife. ¡°if i remember correctly, today should be gu ce¡¯s death anniversary, right?¡± he glanced at gu yanfei coldly, and there was some displeasure in his expression. so she was gu ce¡¯s daughter. the second lady gu who caused trouble in the capital. like father, like daughter. this girl was really like her father, gu ce. she was impetuous, arrogant, and liked to be in the limelight. she came to listen to a play on her father¡¯s death anniversary. how unfilial and ill-bred! ¡°so today is the late marquis of dingyuan¡¯s death anniversary.¡± yuan zhe pretended to be enlightened and sighed. ¡°it¡¯s been nine years in the blink of an eye.¡± baili yin was in the back. he leaned against the door frame leisurely and looked at the surging private seats. he wasn¡¯t in a hurry to join in and watched the tigers fight from the side. gu yanfei put down the teacup in her hand and looked at yuan zhe calmly. ¡°thank you, young master yuan, for still thinking about my father.¡± ¡°my elder brother and i conducted a memorial ceremony for our late father at wuliang temple today. we offered incense to his memorial tablet. if young master yuan wishes to pay respects to our father, you can go directly to wuliang temple now.¡± gu yanfei wasn¡¯t interested in beating around the bush with yuan zhe. she directly made it clear that chu yi had gone to wuliang temple with full respect. how could kang wang not know? he must have found them at tianyin pavilion for this. chu yi liked her straightforward appearance. he chuckled and refilled her tea. ¡°pay respects?¡± the middle-aged man sneered and frowned. he said unhappily, ¡°is gu ce worthy?!¡± ¡°general wang, why is my father not worthy?!¡± gu yanfei restrained her expression and asked slowly. her father had protected the commoners and fought on the battlefield for more than ten years, killing hundreds of thousands of enemies. why was he not worthy! gu yanfei pursed her lips slightly. her beautiful and exquisite eyes were filled with coldness, and her entire person became more cold. ¡°how is an irresponsible coward worthy?¡± wang nan snorted disapprovingly. his eyes were gloomy as he said disdainfully, ¡°all the soldiers of my generation throw their heads and shed their blood to protect every inch of land in our country. however, your father is afraid of death and surrendered at the last minute, harming tens of thousands of soldiers and commoners.¡± ¡°your father is a sinner!¡± nine years ago, the mighty army of the state of yue approached with great momentum. outnumbered and in a difficult situation, the city of yangzhou faced a tough predicament. however, tailing city was easily defensible, and gu ce had other options available to him. despite that, he stubbornly chose to open the city gates and surrender to the enemy. to put it bluntly, gu ce was still afraid of death. wang nan thought of something, and a deep shadow flashed in his eyes. he said firmly, ¡°a person like him should be reduced to ashes to pay respects to tens of thousands of souls. what¡¯s there to pay respects to?!¡± ¡°rather than setting up a memorial ceremony, you might as well copy a few more scriptures for those dead souls who died with regrets and atone for your father¡¯s sins!¡± although wang nan didn¡¯t like the behavior of those noble families, he hated arrogant people like gu yanfei even more. a little girl had caused trouble and bullied the yu and feng families one after another. even the royal court wasn¡¯t peaceful. ¡°general wang.¡± gu yanfei stared at wang nan. her eyes were as clear as a mountain spring and as deep as the abyss. they were endless, lazy, and arrogant. ¡°when you were young, your parents died, and you lived on the streets. when you were eight years old, you were taken in by your adoptive father. however, a year later, your adoptive father¡¯s family was destroyed.¡± ¡°you followed a good teacher and joined the army. with his help, you rose step by step in the army, but later on, your good teacher died¡­ eh, he seemed to have died in battle. he can be considered heroic..¡± Chapter 487 - Chapter 487: Must Obtain (4) chapter 487: must obtain (4) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°tsk. general wang, as the commander of the army, your life is destined to have many setbacks. the army star represents ¡®destruction¡¯ and ¡®consumption,¡¯ so it is advisable to frequently dissipate any negative energy and ensure the well-being of your family and superiors.¡± she quickly calculated with one hand hidden in her sleeve. her voice was cold and light. every word was clear, with the coldness of the autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves. there was a sudden chill in the elegant seat. ¡°you¡­ how dare you!¡± wang nan¡¯s face was filled with dark clouds, turning green and white. veins popped out on his forehead, and he felt ashamed and angry that his hidden illness and scars had been exposed in public. he had been on the battlefield for decades and had fought his way out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood. when he was angry, his bloodthirsty hostility spewed out. everyone present knew that wang nan was a general who had a magnanimous career in the military. they only knew that he came from a poor background, but they didn¡¯t know that he was young and arduous. at this moment, seeing wang nan¡¯s excited expression, how could chu you, yuan zhe, and the others not understand? gu yanfei was right. the complicated gazes of the others made wang nan even angrier, and his face burned. wang nan grabbed the handle of his saber and was about to draw it in anger¡­ chu you watched coldly from the side and didn¡¯t persuade wang nan. from the corner of his eye, he observed chu yi¡¯s every move, and the corners of his lips curled up imperceptibly. he wanted to see if chu yi would offend the dignified general of jianwei for a beauty. swoosh! the long saber was half unsheathed, and its light was cold. gu yanfei raised her right hand, hidden in her sleeve. there was a talisman between her fingers as she casually pushed forward¡­ it was as if a gust of wind had risen out of thin air, and her wide sleeves were puffed up by the wind. wang nan felt his chest tighten, as if someone had pushed it hard, but there was clearly no one in front of him. he staggered back from the invisible force and fell into a chair at the back. with a bang, his saber fell to the ground. his long saber was half unsheathed, overlapping with the loud and urgent sound of the gong in the hall below. wang nan looked at gu yanfei in surprise and confusion. he still didn¡¯t understand what was going on. ¡°the show has begun.¡± gu yanfei said with a double meaning. there was a faint smile on her lips, and her usual laziness had completely dissipated. the aura around her was clear and cold, as if a snow leopard had bared her sharp claws. when the gong stopped, the noisy and chaotic conversation in the hall disappeared. the musicians downstairs started to play the drums, and a long string of music sounded. the show finally began. the performers in the lobby downstairs started to sing. they were happy and lively, but the atmosphere in the private room was stiff. ¡°hahahaha¡­¡± baili yin, who had watched a good show, applauded repeatedly and laughed. ¡°second lady gu, not only are your sword techniques brilliant, but your dao techniques are also mysterious!¡± baili yin was the third prince of the state of yue. he didn¡¯t care if his words would offend wang nan. as soon as he said this, wang nan¡¯s breathing slowed down and his expression darkened. baili yin stared at gu yanfei with a burning gaze. his handsome face didn¡¯t hide his admiration and amazement for her. however, when his gaze swept past chu yi beside her, a trace of unhappiness appeared in his heart. ever since he mentioned the marriage alliance between the two countries in the throne room that day, in the past half a month, chu yi had already indicated several times that he could return to the state of yue. but he refused to go back. baili yin smiled provocatively at chu yi and walked to chu you¡¯s side. he stood side by side with him, as if they were in a position to advance and retreat together. the princess of the state of yue could marry anyone. it could be chu yi or chu you. however¡­ baili yin¡¯s gaze on gu yanfei burned even more. it lingered on her fair and flawless face. this little beauty was really interesting. he had never seen such a woman in the state of yue. he was determined to get her! Chapter 488 - Chapter 488: Innocence (1) chapter 488: innocence (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°since you¡¯re here, sit down.¡± chu yi¡¯s voice was as calm as usual. he was neither shocked nor impatient. he pressed one hand on the back of gu yanfei¡¯s hand. his calloused palm was warm and dry, affecting her skin and blood to her heart. this simple action was worth more than a thousand words. gu yanfei was like a cat whose fur had been stroked. the anger in her heart was extinguished, and she pressed the back of her hand with his. chu you had no intention of being polite to chu yi at all. he invited baili yin, yuan zhe, and the others to sit down. yes, the show had just started. he was in a better mood than before. his eyebrows flew up as he took the lead to sit down. he inevitably looked at the other person in the elegant seat¡ªxia houqing, who was dressed in a red shirt. ¡°this is¡­¡± chu you sized xia houqing up and felt that he was very unfamiliar. he was neither a noble nor a courtier. previously, baili yin was only focused on the little beauty. only now did he notice the young man in red sitting in the private room. his heart skipped a beat. xia houqing didn¡¯t look at chu you nor baili yin. he was expressionless and wasn¡¯t moved by the identities of the others. his long and thick eyelashes drooped when he lowered his eyes, casting a shallow shadow in his eye sockets, and making the skin at the ends of his eyes look as fair as white porcelain. he held the teacup in one hand and drank tea by himself. his other hand was hidden in his wide sleeve. he felt a warm current quickly spread from his palm and spread throughout his body, making him feel warm all over, as if he was soaking in a hot spring. this feeling was very strange. when he didn¡¯t speak, it made people feel that he was arrogant and cold. chu you only took a few glances at xia houqing and quickly retracted his gaze. ¡°my friend,¡± chu yi simply said. then, the elegant seat fell silent again. the performers downstairs sang even more excitedly. they had already reached the point where the protagonist, liu qingxiao, had been rejected by his fiancee and humiliated by her family. in the atmosphere, they resolutely shouted, ¡°don¡¯t bully the poor.¡± a small climax caused the audience to let out a round of enthusiastic applause. yuan zhe and wang nan didn¡¯t pay much attention to xia houqing. only baili yin¡¯s expression became stranger and stranger, and his brown eyes were filled with uncertainty. baili yin took a deep breath and suddenly smiled. he asked casually, ¡°young master yi, may i ask your friend¡¯s name?¡± at this moment, he could no longer care about gu yanfei. his gaze couldn¡¯t help but drift to the man in red in front of him, sizing him up. this person¡¯s physique was really similar to another person¡¯s, and so were his beautifully shaped phoenix eyes. they were too similar! chu yi turned his face and also looked at xia houqing. his eyes flashed with a clear light as he said faintly, ¡°xia¡­¡± the moment he heard this word, baili yin panicked. his heart seemed to have been hit by something as a figure wearing a pitch-black ghost mask appeared in his mind¡ªheavenly palace¡¯s lord, xia houqing. but chu yi only said one word. xia houqing glanced at chu yi indifferently with a faint smile. is he really xia houqing?! baili yin¡¯s heart was in a mess. he told himself that he must be thinking too much. that¡¯s right, this person isn¡¯t xia houqing. how can xia houqing still be in the state of jin?! if xia houqing is in the state of jin, won¡¯t he have given the opportunity to the crown prince and his brother for nothing?! xia houqing is an ambitious person with the desire to become an emperor who commands his vassals. its impossible for him to miss such a good opportunity¡­ ¡°a few esteemed guests, the drinks have arrived.¡± at that moment, a waiter entered the elegant room with nimble steps, exclaiming energetically, ¡°we have our signature fine wines here, such as ¡®autumn dew white,¡¯ ¡®green bamboo leaves,¡¯ ¡®luofu spring,¡¯ and ¡®flower carved.¡¯ i¡¯ve brought a cask of each for you to try, dear guests, and see how they suit your tastes¡­¡± in the private room, the fragrance of the wine was stronger. the waiter enthusiastically served drinks to chu you, baili yin, wang nan, and the others, chattering non-stop. however, these voices didn¡¯t reach baili yin¡¯s ears at all. baili yin drank the flower sculpture in his cup absent-mindedly and calmed himself down. from the corner of his eye, he glanced at the beautiful young man in red. that thought floated uncontrollably in his mind: is this person xia houqing? baili yin cared too much about this person and didn¡¯t realize that his hand holding the cup was trembling slightly. gu yanfei noticed this with her sharp eyes and smiled.. Chapter 489 - Chapter 489: Innocence (2) chapter 489: innocence (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios she took the cup of bamboo green leaves that chu yi had poured for her and glanced at xia houqing calmly. why was this person treated like a ferocious beast? although this person had a bad temper, was as unpredictable as the heavens, and would fall out with him at the drop of a hat, it was indeed quite difficult to get along with, but it wasn¡¯t that scary, right? ¡°good!¡± another round of thunderous cheers erupted below, like the clamor of waves. chu you looked at the stage below distractedly. although he wasn¡¯t watching the show seriously, he could roughly tell that the script for ¡®the path of qingxiao¡¯ was based on emperor taizu. when he thought of emperor taizu and emperor taizu¡¯s handbook, a trace of anxiety appeared in chu you¡¯s heart. if emperor taizu had been willing to give the emperor taizu¡¯s handbook to his father back then, the situation wouldn¡¯t have been like this! it was even possible that their great jin dynasty would mobilize troops to the south and unify the north and south! chu you¡¯s heart was burning with ambition, and his long and narrow eyes shone brightly. he finished the glass of wine in one gulp and placed the empty glass on the table. he looked at chu yi coldly and asked directly, ¡°ah yi, where did you go just now?¡± ¡°i received news that your honor guard returned to the palace after going to wuliang temple today.¡± chu you didn¡¯t hide his attention on chu yi¡¯s whereabouts. his shockingly bright eyes locked onto chu yi¡¯s face tightly. his tone was extremely domineering, not giving chu yi a chance to be vague and provocative. under chu you¡¯s threatening gaze, chu yi smiled like a spring breeze. ¡°i went to wuliang temple on my honor guard. of course, 1 went to wuliang temple too.¡± his tone was extremely relaxed. there was a hint of mockery in chu you¡¯s eyes. he actually dared to acknowledge her as his nephew! wang nan, who was drinking alone, frowned even more when he heard this. it was obvious that he had thought of something. his gaze swept back and forth between chu yi and gu yanfei. could it be¡­ ¡°don¡¯t tell me you went to pay respects to gu ce?¡± chu you directly voiced wang nan¡¯s guess and asked chu yi aggressively. the uncle and nephew looked at each other as if they were fighting silently. chu yi¡¯s jade-like bright, and handsome face was serious. he said clearly and frankly, ¡°i naturally went to wuliang temple to pay respects to marquis gu.¡± when chu you mentioned gu ce, his words were filled with contempt. when chu yi mentioned marquis gu, his face was filled with respect. the uncle and nephew were clearly separated. they were clearly only a few feet apart, but it was as if they were thousands of mountains and rivers apart. their positions were opposite each other, and they were destined to fight to the death. hearing this, wang nan gripped the wine glass in his hand tightly and almost crushed it. his face was as dark as the bottom of a pot. the atmosphere instantly tensed up again, and sparks flew in the air. this show could be watched. xia houqing drank tea happily as he casually played with the folding fan in his hand. only then did he begin to size up these people with interest. the calculation in everyone¡¯s eyes, the pursuit in everyone¡¯s heart, the surprise and joy in everyone¡¯s eyes¡­ all of this couldn¡¯t be hidden from his sharp eyes. he liked to watch the show. he liked to watch others scheme against each other, fight openly and secretly. it was best to fight to the death, but he only needed to be high up in the air and manipulate the world. ¡°thud¡­¡± half of the pine nut shell rolled to xia houqing¡¯s teacup. xia houqing narrowed his eyes and subconsciously looked in the direction where the pine nut shell had rolled over. he looked at gu yanfei, who was holding a pine nut in her hand. only her¡­ it made him feel like he couldn¡¯t see clearly and couldn¡¯t understand her. gu yanfei met xia houqing¡¯s dark eyes. she looked puzzled at first, then blinked in realization. so he wants to eat pine nuts! gu yanfei thoughtfully pushed the plate of pine nuts to him and thought to herself: although this guy isn¡¯t that scary, he¡¯s really troublesome! if he wants to eat pine nuts, he can just say it. why must he make me guess? xia houqing looked down at the plate of pine nuts and curled his lips in disdain. however, after a while, he slowly reached out and took a pine nut. there was only one, and it was pinched with his fingertips. with another gentle squeeze, the pine nut shell broke, revealing one of the white pine nuts. baili yin, who had looked at xia houqing for the umpteenth time, also saw him eating the pine nuts. the white porcelain wine glass in his hand paused in midair, and his hand suddenly stopped trembling. young master xia is definitely not xia houqing! baili yin thought in relief and poured himself another glass of wine. there was silence in the private room for a long time. in the end, chu you¡¯s long sigh broke the silence.. Chapter 490 - Chapter 490: Innocence (3) chapter 490: innocence (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°all yi.¡± chu you pulled a long face and said to chu yi in the tone of an elder reprimanding a junior, ¡°this is your fault.¡± ¡°as a prince, you represent the royal family and the imperial court. how can you pay respect to a rebel general!¡± ¡°once this matter spreads, it will affect the prestige of the imperial court!¡± chu you said righteously, with the high air of a victor. beside him, yuan zhe¡¯s eyes flashed, and the corners of his lips curled up behind the wine glass. ever since the eldest prince returned to the capital last year, his actions have been watertight. today, when he heard that he had gone to wuliang temple to pay respects to gu ce, yuan zhe couldn¡¯t believe it. the few of them were originally drinking at the dragon restaurant. yuan zhe immediately discussed this with chu you and decided to seize this rare opportunity. he temporarily brought wang nan and baili yin here to block the eldest prince, hoping to catch him off guard¡­ chu yi also stared into chu you¡¯s eyes and asked indifferently, ¡°imperial uncle, did the previous emperor say that marquis gu was a rebel back then?¡± ¡°¡­¡± chu you¡¯s lips stiffened, and his long and narrow eyes darkened. he wasn¡¯t the only one who knew. everyone present knew that the previous emperor had never said it. yuan zhe and wang nan actually didn¡¯t understand why the previous emperor would gently overlook such a huge sin. ¡°did the late emperor say anything?¡± chu yi asked again. his tone was clearly gentle, but there was a hint of pressure. ¡°¡­¡± chu you was speechless and forcefully pulled a long face. ¡°imperial uncle¡¯s memory isn¡¯t very good.¡± chu yi smiled faintly. he raised his glass and drank. his every move exuded a gentle and clear temperament. he was like a spring breeze turning to rain or a green bamboo. he was so clean that it was difficult to look at him angrily. listening to the uncle and nephew¡¯s back and forth, the anger in wang nan¡¯s heart rose steadily, but he suppressed it. every time he glanced at the saber on the ground from the corner of his eye, his expression turned even uglier. but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to pick up the knife on the ground. wang nan raised his head and finished the strong wine in his cup in one gulp. he roughly wiped the corners of his mouth with his sleeve. chu you¡¯s gaze was fixed on chu yi the entire time. his eyes were sinister as he asked again, ¡°do you mean to say that you believe there was injustice in gu ce¡¯s surrender to the enemy nine years ago, and you want to clear his name?¡± his tone was extremely slow, and every word was powerful. it was obvious that he was talking to the others present, which was equivalent to pushing chu yi forward. with wang nan here, chu yi dared to say that gu ce had been wronged. tomorrow, wang nan will naturally make this matter known to the entire court. chu you¡¯s eyes flashed with anticipation. wang nan¡¯s dissatisfied gaze was like a knife as he glanced at chu yi. facing such a situation, chu yi¡¯s expression was still calm. he said clearly, ¡°injustice.¡± chu you was stunned and a little disappointed. he sneered in his heart: this nephew of mine is only so-so. in the end, he doesn¡¯t dare risk the world¡¯s condemnation fora woman. the next moment, chu yi¡¯s clear and warm voice sounded again. ¡°it¡¯s restoring his honor.¡± ¡°in the name of gu ce¡¯s innocence.¡± even though it was noisy outside, his voice clearly resounded throughout the private room. everyone could hear him clearly. ¡°clap!¡± chu yi¡¯s last sentence completely angered wang nan. he suddenly exploded and slapped the table heavily, causing the wine glass beside him to tremble and the wine to splash out. the wine splattered on the table and the back of his hand. one of the drops happened to land on xia houqing¡¯s red sleeve. a dark water stain appeared on his new, flawless sleeve. it was dirty! it was over! when gu yanfei saw the tragedy happen, her expression instantly became very strange. xia houqing¡¯s aura changed in an instant as he slowly looked at wang nan. those bewitching phoenix eyes were filled with a sense of aggression. at this moment, his beautiful eyebrows lowered slightly, revealing a killing intent from the inside out. these eyes didn¡¯t look like human eyes. instead, they were like the eyes of a poisonous snake. there was no emotion that belonged to a human at all. there was only a world-destroying emotion, as if he would kill everyone present with a thought. baili yin, who was finally at ease, felt his heart skip a beat. he panicked again and placed the wine glass on the table unsteadily, making an ear-piercing thump. this gaze is too similar to xia houqings! baili yin was flustered and didn¡¯t even have the mood to drink. he kept glancing at the young man in red. the more he looked at him, the more familiar he felt. their gazes were alike, their postures were alike, and their high and mighty contempt was even more similar to the cruelty of treating human lives like grass! Chapter 491 - Chapter 491: Innocence (4) chapter 491: innocence (4) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios thump thump thump! baili yin¡¯s heart couldn¡¯t help but beat faster. it was as if there were countless ants crawling in his heart. he no longer had the time to care what chu you, chu yi, and the others were talking about. at the same time, there was a storm of string music coming from the lobby downstairs. the fast-paced music made the guests who were listening to the show excited. furious, wang nan slammed his palm on the table again. without caring that his hand was stained with the spilled wine, he raised his hand and pointed at chu yi. he raised his voice and questioned, ¡°gu ce has harmed countless people. how is he innocent?!¡± ¡°dirt can¡¯t be washed away!¡± ¡°i won¡¯t sit back and do nothing!¡± wang nan¡¯s last sentence was equivalent to declaring war on the eldest prince. chu you and yuan zhe looked at each other silently and carefully kept the smugness in their eyes. in the next moment, wang nan stood up with a livid expression and cupped his hands at chu you, yuan zhe, and baili yin as a farewell. ¡°farewell!¡± then, he strode out without looking back, leaving behind an angry back. chu you watched wang nan leave quietly. he didn¡¯t persuade him or keep him. he picked up his wine glass and seemed to be drinking leisurely, but he was actually secretly checking chu yi¡¯s expression. seeing that the corners of chu yi¡¯s eyes and eyebrows didn¡¯t even move, and he was still calm and composed, chu you tightened his grip on his wine glass slightly and thought of first secretary xiao¡¯s evaluation of chu yi. ¡°my lord, you¡¯re too anxious. you can¡¯t compare to the eldest prince who doesn¡¯t show his emotions.¡± upon hearing this, chu you was furious. but now, looking at the calm chu yi, chu you finally realized something. the grand secretary was right. chu yi put down the blue and white porcelain teacup in his hand and said indifferently to wang nan, who had just walked to the door of the private seat, ¡°in the sixth year of reign, the state of yue¡¯s army raided yangzhou. gu ce guarded yangzhou with 40,000 troops for two years and retreated the state of yue¡¯s army to defend the entrance of the state of jin.¡± ¡°in the ninth year of reign, the bandits in liaodong mountains became a menace, causing widespread desolation in villages where nine out of ten households were left empty. various mountain strongholds formed alliances, displaying a tendency to become independent states. gu ce was ordered to suppress the bandits, and within a short year, peace was restored in liaodong. the grateful populace erected longevity tablets for gu ce in every household.¡± ¡°in the 11th year of reign, xirong attacked yizhou. the general of yizhou, you bi, died in battle. our army suffered heavy casualties. it was gu ce who rushed to yizhou from yangzhou and heavily defeated the xirong army.¡± most of the people present knew everything that chu yi had said. gu yanfei had also heard about these things from gu yuan. including the battle in yangzhou in the 12th year of reign nine years ago. that year, the state of yue¡¯s army besieged tailing city in yangzhou and cut off the supplies at the rear. an urgent request for reinforcements sent a fief to the royal court. at first, the late emperor wanted to mobilize the troops of yi province to help, but yi province rebelled, and the political affairs envoy and general were killed. the late emperor temporarily sent imperial duke wei to yi province with 10,000 imperial guards to help and preside over the overall situation. at that time, the previous emperor should have issued a decree for the three major battalions of the imperial guard to help yangzhou. however, because of the rebellion in yizhou, the previous emperor was afraid that the capital would be empty and give others an opportunity to take advantage of it. he was unwilling to help yangzhou for a long time and only wanted to make peace with the state of yue. for the entire three months, tailing city fought alone and suffered countless casualties. the city was short of soldiers, weapons, and rations. the soldiers and commoners had reached the point of eating tree bark and eating their fill¡­ later on, gu ce¡¯s head was sent to the capital in a box. gu yanfei picked up a pine nut and pinched it gently. she accidentally lost control of her strength and even crushed the pine nut. the corners of yuan zhe¡¯s lips twitched slightly. he picked up his wine glass and watched and listened coldly from the side. he thought to himself, ¡°indeed, gu ce was also dazzling and impressive. unfortunately, no amount of military achievements can compare to a single disloyalty.¡± ¡°may i ask general wang how old general zhao judged gu ce back then?¡± chu yi asked in a calm tone.. Chapter 492 - Chapter 492: Good-Looking (1) chapter 492: good-looking (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios as early as chu yi mentioned the bandits of liaodong, wang nan, who had walked to the entrance of the elegant seat, had already stopped in his tracks. at this moment, when he heard old general zhao, his tall body shook violently, and his hands suddenly clenched into fists. to him, old general zhao was a teacher, a father, and a friend. he was indebted to him. when old general zhao was still alive, he once evaluated gu ce as unparalleled in the civil and military worlds. he was extremely impressed. at that time, wang nan believed it. just like everything the old general had said to him in the past. however, general zhao died in battle nine years ago in yangzhou. he was killed by gu ce! it was because gu ce had opened the city gate to surrender that the great jin dynasty was defeated. that was why old general zhao had died without a complete corpse. even his head was hung on the city wall to demonstrate it to everyone. wang nan, who was at the entrance of the private room, released a sharp aura. he slowly and stiffly turned around and looked at chu yi with a dark gaze. a murderous aura surged between his eyebrows. he sneered, looked at gu yanfei angrily, and said hatefully, ¡°that¡¯s right. old general zhao trusted gu ce and paid with his life, but he was killed by gu ce.¡± ¡°the only person the old general trusted wrongly in his life was gu ce!¡± the last sentence was slowly squeezed out of his teeth. his expression was extremely indignant, with a hint of sorrow and regret. he was panting heavily, and the veins on his neck were bulging. his eyes were as hot as fire and as sharp as knives. no one doubted that if gu ce was in front of him now, he would kill him without hesitation. chu yi met wang nan¡¯s sharp and sinister gaze without dodging. he wasn¡¯t suppressed by the other party¡¯s aura at all, and his expression was still calm as he said, ¡°general wang, you weren¡¯t around back then to see what really happened. it¡¯s not up to you to say.¡± ¡°you don¡¯t know right from wrong!¡± wang nan scolded sternly. ¡°eldest young master, for the sake of a woman, you actually don¡¯t know right from wrong and don¡¯t care about righteousness. how can a person like you be a ruler!¡± ¡°young master, you¡¯re too disappointing!¡± wang nan became more and more agitated as he spoke. his eyes were bloodshot, and his veins were bulging. there seemed to be a furious rhinoceros roaring in his heart. other than anger, there was also a deep disappointment that was difficult to calm down. someone like chu yi, who couldn¡¯t differentiate between public and private matters, was actually the only son of the emperor. he was the future emperor of the great jin dynasty! the future of the great jin dynasty was in danger! wang nan flicked his sleeves and left heavily. he felt that he really couldn¡¯t stay here for another moment. when he stepped out of the room, chu you¡¯s questioning voice sounded from behind. ¡°then ah yi, who do you think has the final say in what happened back then?¡± ¡°wasn¡¯t imperial uncle also in yangzhou back then?¡± chu yi asked calmly. wang nan, who was in the corridor, paused slightly. ¡°what do you mean?¡± chu you instantly retracted his expression. the smile on his lips disappeared, and his tone was cold. chu yi smiled without saying anything and picked up the teacup again. there was silence in the private room. chu you stared at chu yi without blinking, as if he wanted to pierce through his appearance and see his heart. however, chu yi only drank tea elegantly, and his expression didn¡¯t change at all. even his hand holding the teacup was very stable and didn¡¯t tremble at all. there was no clue from chu yi¡¯s expression. on the one hand, chu you was furious. on the other hand, his fear of chu yi deepened. yuan zhe quietly pulled chu you¡¯s sleeve from under the table and coughed dryly, hinting to him that since he had achieved his goal, he shouldn¡¯t fall into the eldest prince¡¯s trap and act impulsively again. although jianwei general wang nan didn¡¯t have a title, he was a first class general. he had a lot of prestige among the generals in the court and had a wide range of friends. even among those nobles, he was praised. the greatest achievement today was letting wang nan see that the eldest prince disregarded right and wrong for the sake of his sweetheart, and how he helped gu ce reverse the situation. chu you naturally understood what yuan zhe¡¯s gaze meant. although some details exceeded their expectations, the general development was still as they wished. he had come in a hurry today, but he had gained a lot¡­ chu you gritted his teeth and suppressed the restless beast in his heart. chu you sighed faintly and quickly organized his words in his heart. ¡°ah yi, it¡¯s not that i don¡¯t want to help you as an uncle. back then, gu ce did surrender to the enemy. the evidence is conclusive.¡± ¡°don¡¯t make a mistake because of your woman¡­¡± his words were tantamount to pinning the label of ¡°beauty ruining the country¡± on chu yi, implying that gu yanfei had urged chu yi to do this.. Chapter 493 - Chapter 493: Good-Looking (2) chapter 493: good-looking (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°pfft.¡± gu yanfei¡¯s clear laughter interrupted the dark and turbulent atmosphere, making chu you slightly stunned. gu yanfei smiled like a flower and didn¡¯t even look at chu you. she tilted her little face and looked at chu yi¡¯s perfect side profile. why did she feel that her beauty was inferior to his? it was his honor. chu yi also smiled, his eyes gentle. the way the two of them acted as if no one was around made chu you almost flip the table. however, he forcefully restrained himself and glanced at baili yin, thinking that he would have a reaction. but- baili yin was in a daze, and his eyes were wandering. no one knew what he was thinking. he didn¡¯t look at gu yanfei at all, and he drank alone. he drank cup after cup and was a little anxious. chu you¡¯s face froze again. yuan zhe was also looking at baili yin and frowned slightly. ¡°ahem.¡± he placed his fist by his lips, cleared his throat, and said to baili yin, ¡°third prince baili has been in the capital for a while. what do you think of the capital?¡± baili yin, who was drinking, came back to his senses. at the same time, he awkwardly realized that the wine glass was already empty. he forced himself to act as if nothing had happened. he laughed and put down his empty wine glass. ¡°your country is beautiful and outstanding, but this beauty can¡¯t compare to our country¡¯s.¡± ¡°our country¡¯s beautiful women are gentle and demure. they¡¯re delicate and moving, as light as a chrysanthemum, as elegant as orchids, and as gentle as water.¡± ¡°but¡­¡± with that, baili yin paused for a moment. an abnormally bright and sharp light flashed across his eyes. ¡°when it comes to beauties, no one can compare to lord xia.¡± these words were just a test. as he spoke, baili yin¡¯s heart secretly beat wildly, but he didn¡¯t show it on his face. from the corner of his eye, he looked at the young man in red, who was only a few feet away, and paid attention to the change in his expression. when he heard the other party mention xia houqing, yuan zhe¡¯s expression turned solemn. he said in a cautious tone, ¡°i heard that lord xia wears a mask all year round. no one has ever seen his true appearance.¡± it was no secret that the heavenly palace had only been given orders by the sages of the state of yue. the lords had always covered their faces with masks. baili yin listened attentively to yuan zhe¡¯s words and focused more of his energy on young master xia. seeing that he wasn¡¯t moving, his heart was in his throat. baili yin gritted his teeth and made up his mind. he pretended to be frivolous and smiled as he poured wine from the wine jar. ¡°other than the sage, no one has ever seen lord xia¡¯s appearance. however, with his figure, he¡¯s definitely a beauty.¡± as soon as he said this, the hair on his neck instantly stood on end, as if he felt a killing intent that seeped into his bones. his hand that was holding the wine pot subconsciously trembled. the wine poured from the spout trembled and spilled outside the wine glass. the wine flowed down the table and splashed on the floor. baili yin still forced himself to be calm as he filled his wine cup. only then did he look at young master xia. xia houqing¡¯s thick black eyelashes were half-lowered, and his expression was calm. there was no change in his expression. he was still drinking tea, and his flowing black hair hung by one side of his face. he didn¡¯t look up, as if nothing was more important than the tea in his hand. could it be my illusion just now? baili yin couldn¡¯t help but think. he comforted himself in his heart: that¡¯s right, it must have been an illusion. four years ago, when xia houqing was first appointed as the lord of the heavenly palace, there were three or four young masters who teased him on the spot with frivolous words. in the end, one of the three young masters died, and two were crippled. blood splattered all over the palace. for this matter, several censors from the censorate jointly impeached xia houqing. however, the sage protected them, and those censors were expelled in just a few days. from then on, no one dared guess xia houqing¡¯s appearance or figure. they were as afraid as tigers. with xia houqing¡¯s personality, he would probably kill anyone who dared talk about him in such a teasing and frivolous tone. young master xia was definitely not xia houqing! baili yin¡¯s loss of composure was obvious. chu you and yuan zhe naturally noticed it too. they slowly looked at each other and felt that baili yin cared too much about young master xia. chu you found it strange and looked at xia houqing with suspicion. young master xia was indeed outstanding and could be said to be peerless. however, as the third prince of the state of yue, baili yin had seen countless beauties. did he have to lose his composure because of young master xia? yuan zhe waved his long sleeves and said with a smile, ¡°this beauty has her own unique characteristics. the women from jiangnan are graceful, and the women from the northwest are forthright and generous. the noble ladies in the capital also have their own merits.. the talented women from scholarly families are knowledgeable, and the noble ladies from noble families are the most unrestrained¡­¡± Chapter 494 - Chapter 494: Good-Looking (3) chapter 494: good-looking (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios he tried to guide baili yin to look at the only woman from the capital here and shift the topic to gu yanfei. unfortunately, baili yin was in a daze and seemed to have lost half of his soul. he didn¡¯t notice what yuan zhe said at all. baili yin kept thinking about young master xia and xia houqing. one moment, he felt that it was him, and the next, he felt that it wasn¡¯t him. this unresolved feeling was too terrible. baili yin really wanted to take a mask and put it on the other party¡¯s face. yuan zhe: yuan zhe¡¯s expression froze for a moment. baili yin¡¯s unexpected attitude made him unable to continue what he was prepared to say. the drama in the lower hall became more and more lively. the martial arts student who played liu qingxiao first won the heart of a beauty, and then the snake-slaying uprising. his impassioned singing made people¡¯s blood boil, and a hundred voices echoed. just as the emperor was about to rise, his former fiancee¡¯s family declined. their family was almost wiped out by bandits. the comparison made liu qingxiao¡¯s audience feel happy. to liu qingxiao, this day meant a lot. yuan zhe glanced at liu qingxiao, who was carrying a beauty on the stage below. with a thought, he said, ¡°our country¡¯s emperor taizu once said: ¡®flowers that are meant to be plucked should be plucked, and each flower has its own unique fragrance.¡¯¡± ¡°emperor taizu also said that not only are young girls beautiful, but young men and women are also beautiful.¡± yuan zhe smiled slightly and leisurely fanned the folding fan in his hand. ¡°every year, the ¡®hundred flower banquet¡¯ on the day of the national day is emperor taizu¡¯s idea. he invites unmarried men and women from all the prefectures in the capital to attend the banquet.¡± his words finally regained some of baili yin¡¯s attention. baili yin¡¯s interest was piqued. he repeated the sentence, ¡®flowers that are meant to be plucked should be plucked, and each flower has its own unique fragrance.¡¯ he clapped his hands and praised, ¡°the emperor of your country is really a wonderful person.¡± ¡°i remember that your country¡¯s national day is in a few days, right?¡± the national day of the great jin dynasty was a festival set up by emperor taizu. it was set on the day of the founding of the state of jin and was a unique festival. for example, in the state of yue and the previous dynasty, it was a celebration of the entire country. ¡°indeed.¡± yuan zhe¡¯s lips curled up. ¡°this is a celebration that has lasted for 50 years since emperor taizu.¡± ¡°back then, emperor taizu personally said that if any handsome young man won the heart of a girl at the hundred flowers banquet, he could immediately arrange a marriage for him. over the years, the hundred flowers banquet has also resulted in many golden fates.¡± baili yin raised his eyebrows and said, ¡°oh, this custom is interesting. it¡¯s a little similar to the walking marriage custom of the wa race in the southwest of great yue. if we agree, we¡¯ll come. if we don¡¯t, we¡¯ll disperse.¡± ¡°this is how life should be.¡± yuan zhe smiled but didn¡¯t say anything. he didn¡¯t think much of baili yin¡¯s words and even looked down on him. however, he naturally wouldn¡¯t show it. ¡°third prince baili, are you going to tianhe garden with us?¡± chu you invited him at the right time with meaningful eyes. baili yin could naturally feel that yuan zhe and chu you had ulterior motives. he laughed loudly and raised his glass in response. ¡°alright, i¡¯ll definitely join in the fun.¡± there was a hint of anxiety in his eyes, but he tried his best to calm himself down and looked at gu yanfei as if nothing had happened. his smile was unrestrained as he asked, ¡°second lady gu, you should be going too, right?¡± he stared deeply at gu yanfei with a gaze that seemed to have locked onto his prey. he was confident and proud, and at the same time, he was provoking another man present. baili yin smiled generously, but his free hand twitched unnaturally under the table. chu you and yuan zhe exchanged glances again and communicated silently. they decided to stop here today. ¡°why should i tell you?¡± gu yanfei propped her chin on her hand and looked at baili yin. there was a hint of arrogance and anger on her face. ¡°you guys are really noisy. do you want to listen to the show or not? if you don¡¯t, you can leave!¡± ¡°one moment it¡¯s like this, the next it¡¯s like that. how annoying.¡± she pulled a long face, as if she didn¡¯t care about anyone present. her words were almost arrogant, but even so, her voice was still as clear and melodious as an oriole¡¯s cry. yuan zhe¡¯s expression darkened slightly. he was the next head of the yuan family. all the ladies appeared gentle, chaste, and generous in front of him. this was the first time he had been treated like this. only women and villains are difficult to raise! yuan zhe thought to himself. he was from an aristocratic family, so he naturally wouldn¡¯t argue with a woman. he looked at chu yi with a deep gaze, wanting to see how he would react.. Chapter 495 - Chapter 495: Good-Looking (4) chapter 495: good-looking (4) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios chu yi smiled gently and directly ordered them to leave. ¡°if you don¡¯t want to watch the show, please leave.¡± after a moment of silence, chu you smiled instead of being angry. however, the smile didn¡¯t reach his eyes. his pupils were dark and cold. ¡°third prince baili.¡± chu you raised his eyebrows and smiled at baili yin regretfully. ¡°your country is sincere in the marriage alliance. unfortunately, my nephew already has someone he likes. i¡¯m afraid he won¡¯t be able to marry your country¡¯s princess.¡± ¡°but the eldest princess should be coming of age soon. she¡¯s very compatible with the third prince.¡± chu yi had already rejected the princess. in that case, could he still refuse to marry the princess and bring her to the state of jin? the eldest princess was still young now, but people would grow up eventually, right? it would be about time in three or four years. chu you¡¯s lips curled up slightly. he looked provocative, and his gaze was threatening. however, chu yi¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, and he said casually, ¡°emperor taizu said that women in the great jin would never have a political marriage.¡± more than 50 years ago, the dynasty had just been established. the situation was unstable, and there were many things to do. however, the people of the northern barbarians were restless, causing wars at the border from time to time. back in those days, there was a civil official who proposed during the morning court that they could follow the previous dynasty¡¯s practice of sending a princess to the northern barbarians for a political marriage. with a solemn air, he declared that many brave men had fought and died on the battlefield for the country and its people, with their bodies wrapped in horsehide. he argued that this woman should also sacrifice herself for the rise and fall of the nation, as one political marriage could protect thousands upon thousands of people in the great jin from the ravages of war. it was a case of sacrificing the small for the greater good. at that moment, emperor taizu pointed at the man and angrily berated him. he criticized those men who claimed to follow the teachings of confucius and mencius, emphasizing filial piety, brotherhood, loyalty, trustworthiness, propriety, righteousness, and integrity. he questioned their demand for women to stay confined within their chambers, not venturing beyond the inner or outer doors, solely to fulfill the roles of wives and mothers. now, they were asking these women to sacrifice themselves for the country. he questioned the purpose of men if women were already fulfilling the duties of wife and mother. if women were already educating their husbands and children, then shouldn¡¯t their husbands and sons also sacrifice themselves for the country? were they just living off their wives¡¯ efforts without contributing anything themselves? emperor taizu¡¯s words were just short of directly calling out the civil official who suggested the marriage that he was a useless person who only knew how to eat and not do anything. he was so embarrassed that he almost crashed into the pillar. this matter was also recorded in the ¡®emperor taizu¡¯s living note¡¯. chu you naturally knew what emperor taizu said, but¡­ ¡°how can the rules in this world be unchanged?¡± chu you said with a faint smile. emperor taizu also hoped that the late emperor wouldn¡¯t marry a daughter from an aristocratic family, but he still married her. emperor taizu once said that being a hostage was a great shame, yet chu yi served as a hostage for eight years regardless. this court wasn¡¯t just the emperor¡¯s court. clap! clap! chu yi clapped twice. soon, the waiter came over and asked with a smile, ¡°sir, what can 1 do for you?¡± ¡°invite these three distinguished guests out,¡± chu yi instructed the waiter. ¡°¡­¡± chu you¡¯s eyelashes twitched and he looked angry. he couldn¡¯t afford to lose face like this. he had already achieved his goal today. there was no point in staying any longer. chu you stood up with a cold expression. when he faced baili yin, his tone was still polite. ¡°third prince baili, let¡¯s go.¡± baili yin stood up slowly and cupped his hands at chu yi and gu yanfei. ¡°see you again.¡± his movements and voice seemed calm, but his wandering gaze drifted to another person present. baili yin followed closely behind chu you and left. when he walked out of the door, he couldn¡¯t help but take one last look at the young man in red. his eyes were filled with doubt. after yuan zhe left, the door was closed. only chu yi, gu yanfei, and xia houqing were left in the elegant seat. however, there was a saber left behind by wang nan on the ground. gu yanfei held her chin and stared at xia houqing. there was no longer any impatience on her face. the tense atmosphere in the air disappeared as the uninvited guests left. the string music below slowed from anxious to relaxed and happy. the sound rose like countless birds singing in unison. gu yanfei seemed to have thought of something and smiled. there seemed to be dazzling stars circulating in her eyes. she gloated and leaned over to whisper into chu yi¡¯s ear, ¡°baili yin is dead for sure.¡± he dared to tease xia houqing in front of him. he was really courting death! chu yi nodded seriously and put his ear to her ear. he smiled and agreed. ¡°indeed.¡± ¡°i don¡¯t think he¡¯ll live past three days,¡± he said gently. the two of them seemed to be whispering to each other, but they didn¡¯t deliberately lower their voices at all. it was obvious that they were talking to each other on purpose. just like how the two of them chased kang wang and the others away. ¡°¡­¡± xia houqing¡¯s face turned green. he clenched the cup in his hand so tightly that it was about to shatter. his bewitching phoenix eyes were as cold as a blade, ruthlessly scraping gu yanfei and chu yi¡¯s faces. gu yanfei looked at the surging blood-red luck around him in amazement. it was so ostentatious that it almost turned the entire private room red. ¡°how good-looking!¡± gu yanfei sighed from the bottom of her heart, her eyes sparkling. in xia houqing¡¯s eyes, her current gaze was no different from the stupid cat she usually looked at. the corners of his eyes twitched slightly. he couldn¡¯t take it anymore and said, ¡°scram.¡± gu yanfei wasn¡¯t afraid either and chuckled happily. a bright smile appeared on her exquisite face. xia houqing was speechless. he was stunned. he could feel the malice of others, even if it was just a trace. no one had ever treated him like gu yanfei. she wasn¡¯t afraid of him, she didn¡¯t hate him, and she didn¡¯t respect him¡­ she treated him casually and without any motives a demonic shadow flashed across xia houqing¡¯s eyes, as if he had recalled something. in his life, people had always used each other. however, he couldn¡¯t see that ugly emotion in gu yanfei. the girl in front of him was worthy of the words ¡°glorious wind and clear moon¡±. she was completely different from him. however, she had clearly fallen into a dirty quagmire since she was born. just like him, she had been used and schemed against since she was born. xia houqing was at a loss for a moment¡­ this made his aura look different from usual, but it was only for a short moment. soon, he was the invulnerable xia houqing again. chu yi:¡±¡­¡± chu yi slowly turned gu yanfei¡¯s slender shoulders around so that her face was facing him. ¡°i¡¯m very good-looking too,¡± chu yi said seriously. his gaze held hers. they were no more than three inches apart, so close they could feel each other¡¯s breath. ¡°¡­¡± xia houqing¡¯s lips twitched. sure enough, gu yanfei stared at chu yi without blinking. the young man¡¯s face was like jade and was difficult to draw. good-looking, he was really good-looking! gu yanfei suddenly remembered that eldest senior sister had once told her that it was useless no matter how good-looking a man was. finding a dao companion still depended on character and personality. however, she felt that eldest senior sister was wrong. it was important to be good-looking. chu yi was satisfied and smiled. the atmosphere in the private room was a little soft and charming.. Chapter 496 - Chapter 496: Taking Credit (1) chapter 496: taking credit (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios what the hell?! xia houqing almost threw the cup at the two of them. at this moment, the stage below fell silent. the chanting and bamboo sounds stopped, and the first scene ended. the applause was like thunder. the guests became as noisy as boiling water. with a creak, the window of the booth was closed, blocking the view from below. the distraught baili yin was standing at the entrance of the tianyin pavilion. he looked up and watched as the window closed. after standing there for a moment, he left in a daze. after this window was closed, it never opened again. even when the second scene began, the window was still tightly closed. it wasn¡¯t until two hours later that chu yi sent gu yanfei back to the gu mansion. it was already sunset. the fiery red clouds spread across the sky like a fire, dyeing the roof and trees red. ¡°meow, meow, meow!¡± as soon as she returned to yuheng garden, the calico cat pounced on her like a swallow returning to the forest. it shouted and reprimanded her righteously, questioning gu yanfei for abandoning it and running off to play alone for so long. the cat pranced around gu yan three times and called out three times. gu yanfei picked it up from the ground and said with a smile, ¡°can you go to the tianyin pavilion to play for two days?¡± gu yanfei smiled until her eyes curved into crescents. her intelligence was obvious. this cat has been spoiled rotten lately, being so particular and demanding. it¡¯s all because of xia houqing¡­ ahem, no, that¡¯s not right. i actually said i¡¯d lend the cat to xia houqing to play with. i¡¯m a person of integrity who keeps her word. ¡°meow!¡± the cat¡¯s clear green eyes instantly lit up, shining like a green gem. it was so happy that the few white beards on its cheeks trembled. to it, the tianyin pavilion meant delicious food! qing guang was overjoyed and rubbed against gu yanfei¡¯s arms coquettishly. this was great. it could freeload now. ¡°meow, meow, meow¡­¡± gu yanfei reached out and tapped the cat¡¯s forehead gently. she reminded the cat, ¡°keep an eye on him¡­ tell that guy surnamed xia not to drink alcohol and to keep the talisman with him.¡± ¡°meow, meow!¡± the cat agreed happily and jumped down from gu yanfei¡¯s arms impatiently. it landed lightly and left quickly with its tail raised without turning back. the calico cat left just like that. along the way, it jumped over walls, climbed trees, and climbed the roof¡­ it only took an incense stick of time to arrive at the tianyin pavilion. the cat darted from the window to a private room on the second floor. only xia houqing was drinking alone in the private seat. a talisman drawn with cinnabar was surprisingly pressed under the red fan beside the wine pot. the cat landed lightly on the flower table, tilted its head, and meowed. the man and cat looked at each other. under the setting sun, the cat¡¯s pupils almost shrank into a thin line in its green and transparent eyes, with the coldness of a wild beast. ¡°¡­¡± of course, xia houqing also saw the cat. the wine glass in his hand stopped in midair. there was a hint of infatuation in his eyes. in the next moment, his eyes struggled for a moment, and his dark phoenix eyes returned to normal. cats never treated themselves as outsiders. qing guang jumped again and briskly flew to the table beside xia houqing. then, it leaned its fluffy cat face over and sniffed with its pink nose. the cat¡¯s white beard trembled with its movement. it stuck out its pink tongue and licked the wine in the glass again. its round cat face instantly wrinkled. it kicked the wine glass in xia houqing¡¯s hand away. ¡°bang!¡± the wine glass fell to the ground and shattered into pieces. liquor and countless broken porcelain pieces were splattered everywhere. xia houqing was speechless. his pupils moved slightly. since gu yanfei doesn¡¯t know how to train cats, 1 might as well do it for her. since its fur is so good at falling off, i might as well shave it all!! xia houqing looked at the cat and smiled with undisguised malice. a cold aura was suddenly released. of course, the cat felt the dangerous aura and instantly exploded. the fur from its back to its tail exploded like a hedgehog, and it ran. the furry cat bounced up like a fluffy ball, and its eyes widened. ¡°¡­¡± xia houqing chuckled softly. that ¡°heh¡± echoed softly in the private room. the cat suddenly stopped a few steps away and turned around. it looked at xia houqing cautiously and warily, its tail trembling. seeing that the other party didn¡¯t react, it took two more steps closer and shook its tail again. then, it gradually curled up until it was about to reach the sky.. Chapter 497 - Chapter 497: Taking Credit (2) chapter 497: taking credit (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios yes, i¡¯m indeed charming and peerless! yes, how could anyone in this world not like me! the cat jumped lightly and returned to the table again. it slowly licked its front paws and washed its face. occasionally, it would glance at xia houqing from the corner of its eye. xia houqing slowly tidied his sleeves. after confirming that it was safe and sound, the cat began to push its luck again. it circled half a circle on the table, scrabbled with its claws, and pulled away the red fan. then, it lowered its head and picked up the talisman in its mouth, shaking its long tail that was like a feather duster. it brought the talisman to xia houqing and meowed. its voice was soft and sweet, as if it was asking for credit. one end of the talisman was wet and stained with the cat¡¯s saliva. this cat is too picky! xia houqing looked at the cat and pursed his lips in disdain. however, he still reached out and pinched the half-wet talisman. he shook it and shook it again. ¡°meow-¡± qing guang meowed happily and rubbed its fluffy head against xia houqing¡¯s cold hand. the long-haired cat was fluffy and warm, like a warm hand stove. the talisman between his fingers was also warm. no matter if it was spring, summer, autumn, or winter, his fingertips were always cold. now, his body was gradually warming up, as if it was starting to warm up from his limbs to his heart¡­ ¡°how warm.¡± xia houqing said almost silently. it was unknown if he was talking about the cat or the talisman. his eyes were unbelievably gentle for a moment, but it was only for a moment. then, his phoenix eyes became as deep as the night. the cat felt that he was talking about it, of course. it meowed a few times in a row, proud and confident. soon, hurried footsteps came. people came in and out of the private room. dried fish, goat milk, chicken jerky, stove, cat nest, and so on were carried in. outside the window, the sun was setting bit by bit. the sky was getting darker, and night had fallen. when gu yanfei woke up, it was already the next day. the sky was bright, and she slept very well. without the sound of the cat running in the morning and meowing at dawn, she slept soundly until late in the morning. gu yanfei was full of energy after sleeping, but juan bi looked anxious. she had actually been waiting for a long time. seeing that gu yanfei had finally woken up, she hurriedly reported, ¡°miss, someone is causing trouble outside.¡± juan bi quickly soaked the white scarf and dried it before handing it to gu yanfei to wipe her face. ¡°trouble?¡± gu yanfei asked casually as she washed her face. ¡°that¡¯s right,¡± juan bi said. ¡°an hour ago, someone came to the entrance of the manor and made a fuss. he threw away fruits and vegetables and kept saying that the late marquis had betrayed the country and asked the gu family to get out of the capital.¡± ¡°the doorkeeper said that the door to the residence has been closed for the time being, but there are still people surrounding the door and making a fuss.¡± ¡°master isn¡¯t here, so the doorkeeper reported it to miss.¡± ever since the marquis mansion split up, the servants in the manor began to address gu yuan as ¡°master¡±. gu yanfei casually threw the white scarf into the copper basin. she tidied her hair and stroked her dress. it had been nine years since her father¡¯s death. now, someone was still making a fuss. it was obvious that someone was fanning the flames. ¡°miss, what should we do?¡± juan bi asked helplessly. ¡°don¡¯t worry about it.¡± gu yanfei sat down by the window and planned to start eating breakfast. she only had one mouth. it was the most unwise thing to try to talk back to tens of millions of people. ¡°yes,¡± juan bi replied hesitantly. just as she was about to serve gu yanfei breakfast, she saw gu yanfei, who had just sat down, suddenly get up and walk out without saying a word. gu yanfei strode out of the house. her footsteps were valiant but light, and her pupils were like a pool of still water. although it was irrational, nothing could be judged rationally. she felt uncomfortable and didn¡¯t want to hold it in. juan bi was a beat slower. looking at gu yanfei¡¯s tall figure, she vaguely guessed something and quickly followed her. the master and servant walked all the way to the door. from afar, they could hear the noisy scolding outside the residence. ¡°gu ce betrayed the country and defected to the enemy. he¡¯s simply despicable and shameless!¡± ¡°shameless traitors should be cut into pieces, burned to ashes, and never reincarnated!¡± ¡°gu ce is an eternal sinner. he has let down the great jin, his parents, and the people of yangzhou!¡± the curses outside rose and fell like waves. from the sounds, there were at least dozens of people surrounding outside.. Chapter 498 - Chapter 498: Taking Credit (3) chapter 498: taking credit (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios the gatekeeper and a few old women were near the door. when they saw gu yanfei, they bowed. ¡°second lady.¡± before he could finish speaking, a rotten egg suddenly flew in from outside the residence, over the tall wall. it hit the bluestone brick ground with a bang, and the broken, rotten egg emitted an indescribable smell. everyone frowned and covered their noses. gu yanfei instructed calmly, ¡°open the door.¡± the gatekeeper looked at the egg yolks and eggshells on the ground. he was worried that the group of troublemakers outside would bump into gu yanfei, so he couldn¡¯t help but hesitate for a moment, but he still agreed respectfully. ¡°yes, second lady.¡± hence, with a creak, the new vermilion door of the gu residence opened. at a glance, gu yanfei saw dozens of men, women, and children gathered at the main entrance, each with a different appearance. they were all huffing and puffing, their faces flushed with anger, pounding their chests and stomping their feet, crowding the area around the gate, layer upon layer. there were many vegetables, leaves, and melon skins on the ground at the door. it was a mess. seeing the door of the gu mansion open, the commoners surrounding the door were all shocked. despite their scolding, they never expected that someone from the gu mansion would come out. they all stood there in astonishment, gazing at the young girl dressed in a pale blue garment as she gracefully crossed the high threshold and walked out from within the residence. the beautiful girl¡¯s facial features were exquisite, like a pearl or a beautiful jade. she was elegant and incomparable. her clothes were very simple and clean. her snow-green dress flowed like water and glowed like the moonlight. the spring breeze blew past the girl¡¯s black mane horns, causing her dress to flutter. at first glance, the girl had the aura of a banished immortal. this girl was really beautiful. she was like a fairy who had descended into the mortal world! the people outside the manor looked at gu yanfei in a daze. most of them looked stunned, and some of them looked a little afraid. some of them even subconsciously took a few steps back. it was in the nature of the people to fear those in authority. in the crowd, someone asked at the top of his voice, ¡°is this gu ce¡¯s daughter?¡± ¡°yes!¡± the other person replied affirmatively. ¡°it must be her!¡± right on the heels of that, the others started cursing again. ¡°her father is a traitor. this is the daughter of a traitor. like father, like daughter!¡± ¡°that¡¯s right. because of her father, so many people died in yangzhou. the father¡¯s sins are paid for by the children. she¡¯s also a sinner!¡± ¡°that¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. her father has committed a huge crime. she should atone for her father¡¯s sins. why should she still live a good life here?!¡± ¡°scram!¡± ¡°the gu family, get out of the capital!¡± these people became more and more agitated as they scolded. all of them held their heads high and felt that they were righteous, and the people from the gu family were all sinners who had let the great jin down. when juan bi heard this, his face couldn¡¯t help but turn red. she felt aggrieved and indignant for her lady. her small mouth opened slightly, and she wanted to say something, but gu yanfei beat her to it. ¡°shut up!¡± she shouted at the crowd. gu yanfei was a little annoyed. if she had known earlier, she wouldn¡¯t have given the cat to xia houqing. it could still be useful now. her tone was very light, and her voice was cold and otherworldly. every word hit everyone¡¯s ears, as if it could strike their souls directly, with a strange power that could cleanse the soul. this was the merit she had obtained from saving those children last time. it was returned to her by the heaven¡¯s will of this small world. the noisy voices outside the manor disappeared in an instant. the people outside the manor seemed to be mute as the surroundings fell silent. juan bi, the concierge, and the others looked at this scene in shock. they had a surreal feeling as they looked at gu yanfei. ¡°my father didn¡¯t commit treason,¡± gu yanfei said clearly, her eyes cold. these words seemed to have an enlightening effect. the group of people outside the residence became even quieter. the streets were so quiet that it was as if time had stopped. after a long silence, a hunched, gray-haired old man walked out of the crowd with a walking stick, his footsteps trembling slightly. the gray-robed elder pointed at gu yanfei and cursed. ¡°my two sons were both under gu ce back then. they were buried alive by the state of yue.¡± ¡°i only have two sons. one was 30 years old when he died, and the other was only 18 years old. my youngest son wasn¡¯t even married yet¡­ they were still so young. i can¡¯t even collect their corpses. they¡¯ve probably become lonely ghosts now!¡± ¡°this is all gu ce¡¯s fault!¡± the gray-robed elder¡¯s voice was hoarse. every word seemed to have erupted from his chest. the grief and desolation in his tone deeply shocked the others around him.. Chapter 499 - Chapter 499: Taking Credit (4) chapter 499: taking credit (4) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios he slammed the walking stick in his hand on the ground with a thump. this sound was like a heavy hammer hitting everyone¡¯s hearts, making them tremble. they felt the same way and looked at the old man with sympathy. the most heartbreaking thing in this world is for the elderly to send their young loved ones off. a thin old woman walked over and advised kindly, ¡°big brother, my condolences.¡± ¡°how can 1 find solace and accept this change!¡± the elderly man in gray clothes had bloodshot eyes, and his chest heaved with intense emotion. through gritted teeth, he exclaimed, ¡°gu ce is guilty of grave and heinous crimes. he should be condemned to the depths of hell, subjected to the scorn of countless people. but the gu family wants to clear gu ce¡¯s name. i will never agree to it!¡± speaking of gu ce, the old man became angrier and angrier. the more he thought about his son, the more his heart ached. the old woman looked at him sympathetically and sighed. ¡°big brother, justice is in the hearts of people. everyone knows that gu ce has surrendered to the enemy¡­¡± ¡°justice? if gu ce¡¯s name can be cleared, how can there be justice in this world!¡± the gray-robed elder¡¯s voice was hoarse as he shouted sternly. his expression changed from extreme anger to despair, and his eyes seemed to be dyed with blood. these dignitaries had led a pampered life, so they didn¡¯t care about the lives of the commoners! tears streamed down the old man¡¯s sallow face as he panted. ¡°it¡¯s not clearing his name, but restoring his honor.¡± gu yanfei repeated what chu yi had said word by word. ¡°restoring my father¡¯s innocence.¡± ¡°whether it¡¯s right or wrong, it¡¯s not in the hearts of the people. it¡¯s in the facts.¡± ¡°my father is innocent.¡± when gu yanfei said this, she was very calm and stared fixedly at the old man at the bottom of the stairs. she knew very well that this old man had been used, so she didn¡¯t intend to argue with the poor old man. she sighed secretly and straightened her expression. she reminded the other party, ¡°old man, you¡¯d better go back quickly. your great-grandson is in bloody trouble today. don¡¯t let him go near the water.¡± gu yanfei¡¯s gaze moved around the elder¡¯s children¡¯s palace, and she retracted her fingers from her sleeve. this old man should have been lonely in his later years and had no one to rely on. not only had his eldest son and second son died on the battlefield, but the eldest grandson left behind by his eldest son had also died of illness. he only had one great-grandson left. however, there was a calamity in his great-grandson¡¯s life, and it was a life and death calamity. it was supposed to be his fate to die early. after the death of his great-grandson, the old man¡¯s body and mind would be severely injured¡­ gu yanfei¡¯s words were like a thunderclap that exploded in the sky. ¡°you¡­ you¡­¡± the gray-robed elder was so angry at gu yanfei¡¯s words that his entire body trembled. he raised his hand and pointed at gu yanfei, like fallen leaves trembling in the autumn wind. this girl was clearly cursing him, his great-grandson, and their family¡¯s descendants! the people around the old man instantly went into an uproar. it was as if a stone had fallen into the lake, and the lake water rippled endlessly. many people also felt that gu yanfei was cursing him and looked at him with anger, contempt, and disgust. this girl from the gu family was really vicious! the old man gritted his teeth and endured it. he really couldn¡¯t help but rush towards gu yanfei with his walking stick. he hit her ruthlessly with his walking stick, and his eyes almost spewed fire. ¡°miss, be careful!¡± juan bi exclaimed nervously from behind. she hurriedly went forward to stop the old man, but it was already too late. gu yanfei didn¡¯t dodge or retreat. she stood elegantly and only flicked her sleeve gently. the menacing walking stick stopped half a foot away from gu yanfei¡¯s right arm. ¡°¡­¡± the old man in gray widened his eyes. he felt as if his walking stick had hit something invisible, but also as if it had been supported by an invisible hand. in his daze, the walking stick in his hand deviated and missed. in the end, he stood on the steps beside him, causing him to stagger. he relied on the walking stick to barely stabilize himself. the others watching only thought that the old man wanted to scare the little girl and didn¡¯t dare to really hit her. only the old man himself knew what had happened and felt a chill run down his spine.. Chapter 500 - Chapter 500: Honor (1) chapter 500: honor (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°little immortal!¡± suddenly, a sharp and excited female voice sounded from the back of the crowd. a middle-aged woman pushed the people around her out of the crowd and walked straight to the old man¡¯s side. her eyes lit up as she looked at gu yanfei, who was standing on the steps, and recognized that the girl in front of her was the little immortal from chengtian gate. ¡°sir, this is the little immortal.¡± the middle-aged woman pointed at gu yanfei excitedly. she was extremely excited and said to the gray-robed elder, ¡°second lady gu saved the eldest princess and even saved my shuan zi and many other children!¡± ¡°hurry up and go home. this little immortal has boundless magic power. she¡¯s definitely right. something might really happen to your great-grandson!¡± the middle-aged woman kindly advised the old man. she had gone to chengtian gate with scholar zhang to complain that day. she had seen second lady gu use her divine power with her own eyes and knew how powerful she was. the woman¡¯s words caused the onlookers to clamor again. everyone found it unbelievable. right on the heels of that, they whispered to each other and looked at gu yanfei with burning eyes. everyone¡¯s discussions, guesses, and doubts rose and fell. ¡°is¡­ is this really the little immortal?¡± ¡°i also went to chengtian gate that day. looking at her now, this girl seems, seems, seems a little familiar.¡± ¡°she does look familiar.¡± ¡°so second lady gu of the gu mansion is actually the little immortal!¡± h 11 some of the people in the crowd were already talking incoherently. some of them even thought about how they had just thrown vegetables into the gu mansion and couldn¡¯t help but feel a little nervous. in less than five minutes after gu yanfei appeared, the atmosphere at the entrance changed from the original tense atmosphere to another direction. several people wished they could kneel down. the gray-robed elder¡¯s mind was in a mess as he looked at gu yanfei in shock. his white eyebrows were tightly knitted into a knot, and the wrinkles on his face deepened. he was skeptical. he had already scolded gu ce like this just now. this second lady gu was gu ce¡¯s biological daughter. would she be so kind as to help him?! the old man stared at gu yanfei so hard that his turbid old eyes felt a little sour. he still suspected that she was cursing his great-grandson. gu yanfei seemed to have seen through his doubts and said, ¡°according to the hexagram, there¡¯s a river south of your house.¡± ¡°your great-grandson will go into the river to catch fish, but his feet will be entangled in the river grass¡­¡± with that, gu yanfei sighed slightly. ¡°¡­¡± the gray-robed elder¡¯s eyes suddenly widened. the turbid white of his eyes was filled with red threads like a spider web, and his face instantly turned pale. that¡¯s right, there was indeed a river not far south of his house. but how did second lady gu know all this?! she didn¡¯t know him, nor did she know where his home was, let alone that his great-grandson had said this morning that he wanted to eat fish¡­ at the thought of this, the gray-robed elder almost lost his mind. in the blink of an eye, a thin layer of cold sweat broke out on his forehead. the others didn¡¯t need to ask to guess. one of them said in shock, ¡°is the little immortal right? is there really a river near this old man¡¯s house?¡± the middle-aged woman wanted to persuade the old man again, but she saw that the old man was about to leave in a panic with his walking stick. he left in a hurry, his legs trembling. ¡°sir, please wait. i¡¯ll get the carriage in the residence to send you there.¡± gu yanfei called out to the old man. ¡°you have to hurry before the sun rises.¡± the smart juan bi quickly went to get the gatekeeper to prepare the carriage. everyone, including the old man, subconsciously looked up at the dazzling sun in the blue sky above. they felt that the scorching sun couldn¡¯t be looked at directly, and it was dazzling. the old man was still a little hesitant. there were already a few people beside him who quickly pulled him back and advised, ¡°old man, how can your two legs compare to a carriage? it¡¯s better to take the gu family¡¯s carriage.¡± after a while, a green-roofed carriage drove out of the corner door of the gu mansion, and a servant helped the soulless old man into the carriage. as the coachman waved his whip again and again, the carriage hurried away along yuan¡¯an street¡­ the middle-aged woman and the others looked at each other. after the interlude just now, the tense atmosphere of knife lights and sword shadows in the beginning no longer existed. at this moment, everyone looked at gu yanfei with extremely complicated eyes. they didn¡¯t know if they respected her, were ashamed, regretful, or conflicted. the person who broke the silence was still gu yanfei.. the girl¡¯s voice was cold and steady Chapter 501 - Chapter 501: Honor (2) chapter 501: honor (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°my father is innocent!¡± ¡°whether you believe it or not, just wait and see.¡± ¡°everyone, don¡¯t be so easily provoked!¡± as she spoke, she slowly looked around at everyone. her clear eyes were dark and suffused with a faint light. everyone was silent. gu yanfei continued, ¡°as gu ce¡¯s daughter, 1 will definitely give the great jin an explanation.¡± she said this last sentence firmly and unhurriedly. her tone didn¡¯t fluctuate at all, as if she had suppressed all her emotions. she looked calm, but only she knew that she wasn¡¯t so calm. there was a slight lump in her throat. gu ce¡¯s daughter. in two lifetimes, this was the first time she had said this in front of so many people. yes, i¡¯m gu ce¡¯s daughter. i¡¯m proud of this. tears flashed in gu yanfei¡¯s eyes. she turned around and crossed the high threshold again. there was a squeak. the vermilion door of the gu mansion closed heavily in front of everyone. ever since the gu family¡¯s position as a marquis was taken away, there were no longer any brass nails on the door that represented the marquis¡¯s residence. there was still a mess outside the door. the commoners surrounding the door all looked at the plaque and door in front of them in a daze. in the crowd, someone said slowly, ¡°why don¡¯t we go back? wait a while.¡± ¡°that¡¯s right. even if the imperial court wants to vindicate gu¡­ the marquis, there should be real evidence,¡± the middle-aged woman said seriously with burning eyes. she was completely convinced by gu yanfei. ¡°second lady gu is the little immortal who saved us from our suffering. she should be able to see the karma.¡± many people nodded. suddenly, a young man in the crowd snorted angrily. ¡°second lady gu is a god, but gu ce is her father. of course, she has to help her father. otherwise, why would there be a saying that goes, ¡®help your family and not reason¡¯?¡± some people immediately wavered and felt that this sentence made sense. no matter how powerful second lady gu was, everyone had their own selfish motives. ¡°second lady gu asked us not to be provoked¡­ young man, are you provoking us?¡± the thin old woman with white hair looked at the young man who had just spoken warily. the others also turned to look at the young man in the green shirt and became vigilant. the young man¡¯s eyes darted around. he raised his neck and said, ¡°what provocation?! i¡¯m just telling the truth.¡± ¡°wait!¡± the middle-aged woman strode towards the young man and narrowed her eyes at him. she pointed at his nose and said affirmatively, ¡°you were the one who said that second lady gu is the daughter of a traitor. you even said that like father, like daughter!¡± when she said that, the others also recalled. a few of them remembered and said, ¡°yes, it was him just now!¡± ¡°he smashed that rotten egg just now too, right?¡± h h the voices outside the residence became more and more agitated and high-pitched. they also intermittently entered the gu mansion. gu yanfei, who was on the other side of the door, only paused for a moment before continuing to walk forward. she planned to return to yuheng garden and forget about the people outside. at this moment, she had completely regained her calm. her eyes were like spring lakes, calm and unruffled. ¡°second sister!¡± from afar, a girl in a light yellow dress rushed over. gu yunzhen jogged towards gu yanfei. she looked anxious and asked with concern, ¡°are you alright?¡± gu yunzhen grabbed gu yanfei¡¯s right arm and walked until she was panting. as soon as she heard the news, she rushed over. ¡°i¡¯m fine.¡± gu yanfei gave gu yunzhen a comforting smile. ¡°everyone has dispersed.¡± gu yunzhen sized gu yanfei up. after confirming that she didn¡¯t bump into anything and wasn¡¯t stained with any vegetables, she was relieved. ¡°i¡¯ll go to your place to sit.¡± gu yunzhen smiled and held gu yanfei¡¯s arm as they walked towards the garden. the spring breeze blew against their faces, accompanied by the fragrance of spring. it gently brushed against the fair cheeks of the two girls. as they walked, they chatted and laughed. ¡°second sister.¡± gu yunzhen smiled and said, ¡°i originally planned to look for you at yuheng garden. i wanted to ask you if you were going to tianhe garden on the day of national day?¡± ¡°i think so,¡± gu yanfei said uncertainly. ¡°all!¡± gu yunzhen stopped in her tracks and exclaimed. ¡°¡­¡± gu yanfei blinked and was at a loss.. Chapter 502 - Chapter 502: Honor (3) chapter 502: honor (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°then 1 have to quickly prepare the clothes and jewelry for you that day.¡± as gu yunzhen spoke, she raised her hand and adjusted the purple jade orchid on gu yanfei¡¯s sideburns. the girl¡¯s face was as delicate as petals and cream. it was as if water could be pinched out of it. she was more delicate than a flower. ¡°there¡¯s no need.¡± gu yanfei shook her head and said, ¡°i have quite a lot of clothes. this season¡¯s spring clothes have just been prepared. 1¡¯11 just pick a set of clothes that i haven¡¯t worn before and wear them that day.¡± ¡°how can a girl complain about having too many clothes!¡± gu yunzhen reprimanded her matter-of-factly. her tone was a little teasing as she reached out and gently tapped her sister¡¯s forehead. then, she explained seriously, ¡°the newly tailored spring garments are meant for you to wear as everyday attire at home. they¡¯re comfortable and aesthetically pleasing. how can you dress so simply when attending events outside?¡± with that, gu yunzhen even tugged at gu yanfei¡¯s snow-green sleeve, telling her what ¡°simple¡± was. gu yunzhen felt that her sister was really too indecent. which girl didn¡¯t like beautiful jewelry? she was the only one who didn¡¯t wear any gold or silver jewelry other than the white jade plum blossom hairpin on her head. gu yanfei lowered her eyes and looked at the sleeves embroidered with silver curly grass patterns. she thought to herself: how is it simple? these new garments were made after the separation of the family, and she didn¡¯t bother with them at all. however, it was gu yunzhen who took personal responsibility for them. this outfit, from the jacket, inner garment, waistband, and even the embroidered shoes, was all perfectly coordinated. even the embroidered patterns were personally chosen by gu yunzhen. gu yanfei didn¡¯t dare to say anything. if she did, she would probably be reprimanded again. she stuck out her tongue with a smile and pretended to be obedient. ¡°no,¡± gu yunzhen said firmly. ¡°listen to me.¡± she made a gesture, and her maid, fei cui, came over to listen. ¡°go and call the shopkeeper¡¯s wife from cheng ji¡¯s silk shop, ruyi house, and yu yan ji,¡± gu yunzhen instructed. it had only been four or five days. it would definitely be too late for the sewing room in the residence to make new clothes. it was faster to find a shop outside and custom-make them. in gu yunzhen¡¯s opinion, since she wanted to buy new clothes, she naturally had to buy new jewelry. the gu mansion was particularly bustling today, with people coming and going. the merchants who subsequently visited the gu mansion came with large and small packages, accompanied by their employees and various goods. by this time, the crowd outside had already dispersed, and the vegetables, melon rinds, rotten eggs, and the like outside the residence had all been cleaned up. there was a happy atmosphere in the residence, sweeping away the bad luck of the morning. rolls of materials filled the eastern room of yuheng garden. there were fabrics such as hangzhou silk, brocade, songjiang fine cloth, fine ge, satin, woven brocade, and more. the colors were vibrant and dazzling, overwhelming the eyes of anyone who looked at them. the maidservants were even more excited than the masters. they all helped pick up the materials. ¡°second sister, look at this roil of material. i think this primrose color isn¡¯t bad. it¡¯s fresh, tender, elegant, and bright, making your skin look white.¡± gu yunzhen pulled up a corner of the purple primrose color and compared it to gu yanfei¡¯s neck and cheek. beside her, a lean woman in her early 30s wearing a purple dress stood at the side and smiled as she praised this roll of material. ¡°then let¡¯s have this one.¡± gu yanfei nodded without hesitation. she looked at the surrounding materials and pointed at another roll of red-colored materials. she said to gu yunzhen, ¡°big sister, this red color suits you. it¡¯s like a beauty getting slightly tipsy with flushed cheeks.¡± fei cui hurriedly went to carry the roll of red-colored material over and said happily, ¡°second lady has good taste. this material is really beautiful. it¡¯s even brighter than ordinary red-colored materials.¡± ¡°¡­¡± gu yunzhen was a little hesitant and couldn¡¯t bear to part with it. this silk was fragrant cloud silk from the state of yue. it was expensive and rare. a roll of fabric was enough for her to make five sets of clothes. gu yunzhen was hesitating when she heard gu yanfei say to the capable woman, ¡°shopkeeper cheng¡¯s wife, we want this roll of materials too.¡± ¡°big sister,¡± gu yanfei suggested happily. ¡°you should make an outfit too. didn¡¯t you say that we would go on a spring trip to the suburbs next month? we should dress beautifully during the first quarter. at that time, the two of us will wear one outfit each. when others see us, they will know that we are sisters.¡± as soon as these words were spoken, gu yunzhen¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she carefully sized up the red material. this material is indeed beautiful. yanfei clearly has good taste, but she¡¯s too lazy to dress up. ¡°okay.¡± gu yunzhen smiled sweetly and said excitedly, ¡°the extra material can also be made into a few bibs for qing guang..¡± Chapter 503 - Chapter 503: Honor (4) chapter 503: honor (4) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios this way, others would know that qing guang was their cat! gu yanfei: ¡°¡­¡± gu yanfei thought to herself: forgetit, as long as big sister is happy! in the blink of an eye, gu yunzhen had designed several bibs for qing guang in her head. she became even more excited and turned to shopkeeper cheng¡¯s wife. ¡°do you have any seasonal designs recently?¡± when shopkeeper cheng¡¯s wife knew that the business was done, she smiled like a blooming flower and quickly asked the embroiderer to bring over a book of embroidery. the few of them gathered together and discussed for a full two hours. they chose embroidery, trimmed materials, belts, silk ribbons, and so on. as soon as they left, they went to ruyi house and yu yan ji one after another. all of them were holding trays filled with all kinds of exquisite and beautiful gold, jade, and jewelry. before the sisters could start choosing, an old woman rushed over and reported, ¡°second lady, miss wei and miss lu have just arrived.¡± gu yanfei smiled and said, ¡°bring them here.¡± juan bi quickly went out to welcome the guests, but the old woman didn¡¯t retreat. instead, she looked like she wanted to say something but hesitated. she hesitated and reported, ¡°also, the elder who came this morning with a walking stick, mr. zhang, is also here.¡± ¡°he¡¯s here to cause trouble again?¡± gu yunzhen¡¯s smile instantly disappeared. she frowned and said in a low voice, ¡°yanfei, i¡¯ll go take a look. take care of jiaoniang and all qin first.¡± with that, gu yunzhen was about to get up from the bed when gu yanfei quickly grabbed her hand and pulled her back. ¡°no, no, no.¡± the old woman explained anxiously, ¡°mr. zhang said that he brought his great-grandson to kowtow to thank the second lady for saving his life.¡± gu yunzhen was stunned for a moment. her expression softened slightly as she thought to herself, ¡°this mr. zhang can be considered a person who can distinguish between gratitude and grudges.¡± ¡°yanfei, do you want to meet him?¡± gu yunzhen turned to ask gu yanfei. ¡°no need.¡± gu yanfei shook her head with clear eyes. mr. zhang had the pain of losing his sons. the pain and hatred of sending his son off were engraved in his heart, and it wasn¡¯t something that could be resolved with a few words. she had done him a favor by saving his great-grandson today, but this didn¡¯t mean that the old hatred between the gu family and him had disappeared. instead of forcing the old man to accept this favor, it was better to let him kowtow and forget about this matter. facing gu yunzhen, gu yanfei said calmly, ¡°i didn¡¯t save his great-grandson to ask for repayment.¡± gu yunzhen was stunned for a moment before nodding gently and smiling. ¡°you¡¯re right.¡± she couldn¡¯t help but raise her arm and pull gu yanfei into her arms. her smile was bright and gentle as she sighed in her heart. my second sister really has an exquisite heart. when wei jiaoniang and lu qin entered the east room, they saw the sisters leaning against each other intimately. wei jiaoniang flew over happily. ¡°i want a hug too!¡± ¡°me too!¡± wei jiaoniang, lu qin, and the gu sisters smiled and hugged each other. the girls played intimately for a while. when the maidservants served tea, lu qin straightened up and tidied her hair. she smiled and said, ¡°1 told jiaoniang just now that 1 saw ruyi house¡¯s carriage outside, but jiaoniang didn¡¯t believe me.¡± ¡°see, i didn¡¯t say anything wrong, did i?¡± lu qin raised her hand and pointed at the jewelry in the room. she raised her chest proudly and naturally, in high spirits. ¡°yanfei, i¡¯ll help you choose jewelry. i have good taste!¡± ¡°i have good taste too!¡± the two girls volunteered to help gu yanfei and gu yunzhen pick up the jewelry. they chatted and laughed. ¡°yanfei, i¡¯ll help you choose¡­¡± wei jiaoniang sat beside gu yanfei. seeing that she had picked up a white jade bracelet from a tray, she shook her head and said, ¡°this bracelet doesn¡¯t look good. it¡¯s too simple.¡± the jade bracelet in gu yanfei¡¯s hand was just an ordinary white jade bracelet. there was nothing special about the design, and the jade quality was average. it was the kind of jade bracelet that could be seen everywhere in the capital. ¡°i think it¡¯s not bad.¡± gu yanfei slowly played with this ordinary bracelet, her eyes clear and bright. she wasn¡¯t looking at the jade material of the bracelet, nor was she looking at the shape of the bracelet. instead, she was looking at the spiritual energy contained in it. after being reborn for a few months, this was the third jade stone she had seen that contained spiritual energy. of course, she was unwilling to let go of such a rare treasure. she put on the jade bracelet and continued to admire it happily. wei jiaoniang and lu qin looked at each other tacitly. they felt that gu yanfei was good at everything, but she was too lazy to dress up. she just wanted to keep things simple and couldn¡¯t wait to tie her hair with a ribbon. forgetit, just leave the jewelry to us! wei jiaoniang and lu qin¡¯s eyes lit up, and their enthusiasm soared. ¡°yanfei, how about this jade necklace? look at how bright these red coral beads are!¡± ¡°yanfei, this crimson gold dot with rubies and butterfly beads is also very beautiful. it¡¯s small and exquisite.¡± h ii the four girls chatted non-stop. in just an hour, they had spent a lot of money to buy several boxes of jewelry. after that, gu yunzhen instructed granny pang to bring the people from ruyi house out. lu qin excitedly said that she wanted to comb gu yanfei¡¯s hair again to match the new jewelry. her hands were very nimble. she combed gu yanfei¡¯s hair into a lily bun and even braided two strands of the chink in one¡¯s armor into the bun. wei jiaoniang propped her chin on her hand and watched lu qin comb gu yanfei¡¯s hair. from time to time, she would take some pearls from the jewelry box and mutter to herself, ¡°i think something¡¯s missing¡­ oh, it¡¯s rouge!¡± wei jiaoniang leaned over and pinched gu yanfei¡¯s cheek. her fingers were smooth and flawless. clearly, she didn¡¯t put on any rouge or makeup. ¡°yunzhen, did you buy rouge?¡± wei jiaoniang turned to ask gu yunzhen, ¡°yanfei is usually too plain. it¡¯s best to put some rouge and makeup on these new pieces of jewelry and dress up beautifully.¡± ¡°i also think that second sister is dressed too plainly.¡± gu yunzhen nodded in agreement. ¡°i even called someone from yu yan ji today, but she¡¯s not here yet.¡± ¡°the rouge from yu yan ji isn¡¯t bad!¡± wei jiaoniang said with a smile. her teasing gaze glanced at lu qin, who was still combing gu yanfei¡¯s hair. ¡°a few days ago, ah qin went to the shop to pick out some rouge and picked out a few colors¡­¡± lu qin¡¯s hand, which was braiding her chink in one¡¯s armor, paused for a moment. she looked a little shy and said slowly, ¡°it¡¯s a camellia red color. this color won¡¯t be too bright, nor will it be too pink.¡± ¡°one is a fiery pomegranate red, and the other is orange.¡± every one of them was a rather gorgeous color. it was so gorgeous that it was festive. a thoughtful glint flashed across gu yunzhen¡¯s eyes. she asked with a smile, ¡°has ah qin arranged a marriage?¡± gu yunzhen was good at reading someone¡¯s body language and was a sharp person. she could tell something was wrong from lu qin¡¯s shy expression when she spoke. lu qin¡¯s face was dyed with a rouge-like blush. she composed herself and replied generously, ¡°yes.¡± wei jiaoniang looked at lu qin, who was blushing, and smiled uncontrollably. lu qin rolled her eyes at her, as if to say: wei jiaoniang, you¡¯ll get married sooner or later. wei jiaoniang raised her chin proudly and retorted silently. lu qin was a little speechless. she focused on weaving the last chink in one¡¯s armor and patted gu yanfei¡¯s shoulder. ¡°done!¡± ¡°yanfei, take a look and see if you like it!¡± juan bi hurriedly brought over a mercury mirror. gu yanfei wasn¡¯t in a hurry to look at the mirror. instead, she turned around to look at lu qin. she frowned a little and pursed her cherry lips. wei jiaoniang saw it clearly, and her heart skipped a beat. she couldn¡¯t help but think of her grandaunt, wei wan. since there were no outsiders here, wei jiaoniang asked bluntly, ¡°yanfei, is there anything wrong with all qin¡¯s marriage?¡± Chapter 504 - Chapter 504: Not Right (1) chapter 504: not right (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios lu qin blinked slowly. she didn¡¯t notice that gu yanfei¡¯s expression was wrong at first, but she was a little nervous now. ¡°is there really something wrong?¡± lu qin looked at gu yanfei¡¯s dark eyes and couldn¡¯t help but swallow her saliva. her heart was beating wildly. gu yanfei stared at lu qin¡¯s beautiful face and got straight to the point. ¡°all qin, who is your fiance?¡± without needing her instructions, juan bi consciously dismissed all the servants in the room. only four of them were left in the east room. lu qin rubbed a handkerchief and twisted it again and again. ¡°he¡¯s my aunt¡¯s nephew, the eldest son of the hua family, hua xi.¡± ¡°what else?¡± gu yanfei asked again. lu qin seemed to be recalling something. she bit her lower lip slightly and quickly continued, ¡°he¡¯s 18 years old this year and is a scholar. he¡¯s gentle, quiet, and attentive.¡± ¡°the family arranged for us to meet at baiyun temple. that day, a child accidentally fell into the water at the back temple. he went into the water and saved the child. i think he¡¯s quite a good person.¡± ¡°two days ago, the two families exchanged invitations.¡± speaking of her fiance, lu qin¡¯s eyes moved. on the one hand, she was happy. on the other hand, gu yanfei¡¯s serious expression made her nervous. could this marriage really be inappropriate? wei jiaoniang couldn¡¯t help but ask lu qin, ¡°didn¡¯t you always say that you wanted to find a general?¡± lu qin originally thought so, but the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry. when her parents asked her to go to baiyun temple to offer incense, she didn¡¯t expect it to be a blind date, nor did she expect her to have a good conversation with the other party and be very compatible with him. lu qin cleared her throat and pretended to be serious. ¡°mom said that it¡¯s fine as long as he¡¯s a good person.¡± ¡°aunt said that our families know each other well. in the future, we¡¯ll be even closer.¡± gu yanfei asked the third question right on the heels of that. ¡°when are you going to set a date?¡± ¡°three days later,¡± lu qin answered slowly. ¡°it¡¯s an auspicious day for the hua family to invite someone to calculate it.¡± the lu family originally felt that this time was too rushed, but the hua family said that the expert should forget it. this was a good day that was hard to come by in half a year and was beneficial to the heirs. there were only three days left until the little wedding. originally, the family had detained her and not allowed her to go out. fortunately, wei jiaoniang went to pick her up, so her mother had no choice but to let her go. gu yanfei was still looking into lu qin¡¯s eyes. after looking at her for a long time, she slowly said, ¡°you will die.¡± her cold voice was like a bucket of ice water in the dead of winter splashed on lu qin¡¯s head, making her feel a chill from head to toe, seeping into her heart. even the light in the room seemed to have dimmed a lot, giving off a sinister feeling. ¡°all qin, hurry back to the manor and reject this marriage.¡± gu yanfei continued, ¡°immediately.¡± i¡¯ll die?! lu qin¡¯s mouth opened slightly, and she was dumbfounded. ¡°lu qin, let¡¯s go!¡± without waiting for lu qin to speak, wei jiaoniang reacted the fastest and stood up. she grabbed lu qin¡¯s hand and ran. she then said to gu yanfei, ¡°yanfei, i¡¯ll look for you later.¡± ¡°lu qin, hurry up.¡± wei jiaoniang dragged lu qin and walked quickly. there was wind under her feet as she urged lu qin repeatedly. lu qin was still in a daze as she was stupidly pulled forward by wei jiaoniang. the two girls ran away in a hurry. the curtain was lifted and lowered by wei jiaoniang. gu yun really wanted to send them off, but it was too late. looking at the trembling curtain, gu yunzhen said uneasily, ¡°second sister, is this marriage really so bad? is ah qin really¡­¡± will she die?! ¡°all qin¡¯s yin energy is very strong,¡± gu yanfei said. yin energy?gu yunzhen swallowed and felt a chili down her spine. a breeze with the fragrance of flowers suddenly blew in from the window. the shadows of the trees swayed gently, making the sisters¡¯ faces look a little solemn. ¡°i can¡¯t tell either.¡± gu yanfei touched her chin thoughtfully and frowned slightly. ¡°this is the yin energy that belongs to the dead.¡± gu yanfei changed her posture again and rested her chin on her hand. she thought about it again and again. suddenly, she had a flash of inspiration and sat up straight. ¡°1 understand. the person who is engaged to ah qin should be dying soon.¡± ¡°¡­¡± when gu yunzhen heard this, her eyes widened uncontrollably. she was so frightened that even the hair on her neck stood on end. she almost blurted out, ¡°really?¡± but bit her lip. since second sister has said so, it must be true. juan bi¡¯s heart skipped a beat. the marriage between the two families has just been decided, but third miss lu¡¯s future husband will be dead soon? then, third miss lu will probably be treated as her husband¡¯s jinx.. if she marries over and her husband is gone, wouldn¡¯t third miss lu be a widow at such a young age?! Chapter 505 - Chapter 505: Not Right (2) chapter 505: not right (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°then ah qin¡­¡± gu yunzhen twisted her slender fingers and became even more uneasy. ¡°the two families are only exchanging invitations. it¡¯s not too late.¡± gu yanfei couldn¡¯t help but look at the curtain in front of her. she looked at the mandarin ducks playing with the water lilies embroidered on the curtain. ¡°as long as it¡¯s not a betrothal gift.¡± ¡°juan bi, get someone to tell the concierge that when jiaoniang comes later, just let her in,¡± gu yanfei instructed. juan bi obediently agreed and lifted the curtain to leave. the house was exceptionally quiet. outside the window, the sound of the wind rustling the trees could be heard. gu yunzhen was still a little uneasy and was still thinking about lu qin when she heard gu yanfei ask her casually, ¡°big sister, didn¡¯t you say that you used too much goat milk in the kitchen last time? have you found out the problem?¡± speaking of this, gu yunzhen perked up and nodded. ¡°1 found it.¡± ¡°an old woman in the kitchen with the surname peng admitted that she stole it. she said that she had just had a grandson at home. her eldest daughter-in-law didn¡¯t have milk, so she got greedy and stole goat¡¯s milk.¡± ¡°i¡¯ve verified it. her daughter-in-law indeed just gave birth last month. i fined her half a year¡¯s worth of wages and asked her to change to the garden for cleaning. i also got someone to send a jar of goat milk to the peng family every day in the future.¡± the kitchen job was a lucrative one for everyone. old madam peng¡¯s transfer from the kitchen to the garden was equivalent to a demotion, causing her to lose more than half a year¡¯s worth of wages. gu yunzhen had punished her like this to serve as a warning to others. after saying this, gu yunzhen thought of something and hesitated. ¡°but¡­¡± but what?! gu yanfei was intrigued by her. at this moment, another gust of wind blew in from the window, carrying a few remnant leaves, and happened to land by the sisters¡¯ skirts. gu yunzhen pursed her lips and looked out of the window at the dancing flowers and trees. then, she hesitated and said, ¡°recently, i¡¯ve heard the cries of babies at night in the residence¡­¡± gu yanfei raised her delicate eyebrows. there were only two families living in the residence, so there was naturally no baby. gu yunzhen rubbed her handkerchief, her gentle face revealing a hint of surprise. she swallowed her saliva and said slowly, ¡°three nights ago, i tossed and turned, unable to sleep. i simply got up and went for a walk in the small garden alone. suddenly, i heard the sound of a baby crying.¡± ¡°i remember it was not long before the clapper sounded.¡± the reason she couldn¡¯t sleep that night was actually because she had read a script before sleeping. after sleeping, she was still thinking about the plot of the script and couldn¡¯t sleep. gu yunzhen cleared her throat as if nothing had happened before continuing, ¡°later, 1 also told mother about this, but she didn¡¯t believe me. she said that it was a cat meowing. she even said that female cats howl like this at night in the spring. it sounds like a baby¡¯s cry.¡± therefore, even gu yunzhen didn¡¯t know if she had heard wrongly. ¡°do you know where that sound came from?¡± gu yanfei touched her chin and asked thoughtfully. gu yunzhen raised her hand and pointed through the window. ¡°it¡¯s not far from the west gate of the small garden.¡± the small garden was located in the north-west corner of the marquis mansion. compared to the large garden, it was too remote and had a small layout. not many people went there usually. the jiahui courtyard was backed by a small garden and was only separated by a small bamboo forest. ¡°later, 1 also looked in that direction during the day. there was only a pavilion and a rockery there. thinking about it again, it¡¯s quite cold at this time of the night. if there¡¯s really a baby, he¡¯ll probably freeze to death.¡± ¡°maybe 1 really mistook the sound of a cat for a baby¡­¡± gu yunzhen smiled and looked around. ¡°yanfei, qing guang is a female cat, right? i heard that gem-faced civets and tortises are usually female. has qing guang been meowing at night recently?¡± the gem-faced civet was the elegant name of a calico cat, and torties was another name for a tortoiseshell cat. ¡°¡­¡± gu yanfei had an indescribable expression on her face. she advised kindly, ¡°big sister, don¡¯t let qing guang hear this.¡± she raised her right hand in a claw-scratching gesture. ¡°it¡¯ll scratch you!¡± ¡°qing guang won¡¯t.¡± gu yunzhen immediately forgot about the baby¡¯s night cry and praised qing guang eloquently. she said that it never bit or scratched anyone, and was even obedient when she cut its nails¡­ ¡°by the way!¡± gu yunzhen thought of something and clapped excitedly. ¡°i happened to get a small screen. it¡¯s very cute. it¡¯s suitable to be placed beside the sunny cathouse..¡± Chapter 506 - Chapter 506: Not Right (3) chapter 506: not right (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°the long-haired gem-faced civet embroidered on the small screen looks like it¡¯s sunny and lively,¡± her eldest maidservant, fei cui, added. ¡°fei cui, quickly go to the jiahui courtyard and get that small screen,¡± gu yunzhen hurriedly instructed. ¡°i¡¯ll go with sister fei cui.¡± juan bi¡¯s eyes lit up as she volunteered to follow fei cui out. there was no room for gu yanfei to speak the entire time. gu yunzhen was still talking non-stop. ¡°yanfei, that embroiderer who embroidered the screen, embroidered a wonderful double-sided embroidery. she¡¯s especially good at embroidering cats and birds. i¡¯ve seen a few of her embroideries and she¡¯s indeed good at embroidering cats.¡± ¡°i¡¯ll let her embroider a few more gem-faced civets. you can give them to others¡­ everyone likes the clear light. they¡¯ll definitely like that ball of fans.¡± ¡°¡­¡± gu yanfei felt that it was a good thing that the cat wasn¡¯t around. otherwise, it would have been so proud of itself. in the east room, only gu yunzhen¡¯s cheerful voice was left. occasionally, birds chirped outside the window, as if they were playing or objecting. in the afternoon, yuheng garden returned to its usual peace. until dusk, after the sunset, the gu mansion welcomed guests again¡ª wei jiaoniang was back again, but this time, she came alone. ¡°yanfei, all qin has been locked up by her mother.¡± as soon as they met, wei jiaoniang pouted and complained angrily. ¡°second madam lu scolded her ruthlessly, saying that she¡¯s insensible. the two families have already exchanged invitations, so how can she cancel the engagement just like that? if word gets out, won¡¯t her reputation be ruined?¡± ¡°sigh, we tried our best to persuade her and told her everything you said, but she wouldn¡¯t listen no matter what.¡± wei jiaoniang said angrily. she was so angry that smoke was about to rise from her head. she had already said everything she could. she was just short of talking about her grandaunt and xu yan¡¯s family. however, no matter what they said, second madam lu scoffed and looked at them as if they were children fooling around. wei jiaoniang took the warm tea from juan bi and drank three cups in one go. she still felt aggrieved and muttered, ¡°i used to think that ah qin¡¯s mother¡¯s personality was quite good. she was much gentler than my mother and grandmother. i only realized today that her personality is so¡­¡± after a pause, she considered a word. ¡°stubborn.¡± this was actually a euphemism. wei jiaoniang sighed weakly and glanced at gu yanfei with a complicated expression. actually, she still had some things to hide. when second madam lu heard that gu yanfei had warned them not to get married, she said something unpleasant and eccentric. ¡°so it¡¯s second lady gu from the gu family. 1 wonder what she¡¯s up to, insisting on ruining sister qin¡¯s marriage.¡± ¡°it¡¯s a pity that the gu family has lost their title, but there must be something hateful about this pitiful person. as the saying goes, it¡¯s better to tear down 10 temples than destroy a marriage. in pursuit of the future of the gu family, she ingratiated herself with others, stirred up trouble without reason, and even jeopardized the marriages of innocent people, showing no fear of consequences.¡± ¡°jiaoniang, 1 advise you to interact less with second lady gu in the future, lest you¡¯re led astray by her.¡± second madam lu¡¯s words were still ringing in her ears. at that moment, wei jiaoniang was so angry that she almost overturned the table. for lu qin¡¯s sake, she left in the end. at the thought of this, the anger in wei jiaoniang¡¯s heart rose again. she gulped down the fourth glass of water. although wei jiaoniang didn¡¯t say it, gu yanfei could tell from her face that second madam lu¡¯s words weren¡¯t very pleasant. ¡°yanfei, what should we do?¡± wei jiaoniang stretched out two fingers and gently tugged at gu yanfei¡¯s sleeve. she was extremely worried. ¡°second madam lu insisted that her fiance is very good.¡± ¡°she said that hua xi, at the age of 16, achieved the top score in the imperial examination and became the top scholar. he possessed remarkable literary talent and even studied under the renowned scholar wang yi in qingzhou. wang yi praised him, saying that in the next examination, hua xi would surely succeed and had a great chance of becoming a top scholar with three top honors. she claimed that a young scholar of such talent, with a noble family background and impeccable character, would be difficult to find even with a lantern.¡± ¡°from her tone, she can¡¯t wait to get all qin to marry hua xi as soon as possible. she¡¯s afraid that she¡¯ll miss this good son-in-law surnamed hua.¡± wei jiaoniang frowned. the lines on her eyebrows could kill mosquitoes, making them stand out on her beautiful face. she stared at gu yanfei¡¯s face worriedly and said, ¡°hua xi sounds good, but i keep feeling that something is wrong.. this marriage is set too quickly¡­¡± Chapter 507 - Chapter 507: Not Right (4) chapter 507: not right (4) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°yanfei, will this marriage really kill qin? could hua xi be a jinx?¡± wei jiaoniang and lu qin grew up together. their relationship could be said to be as close as sisters. this afternoon, wei jiaoniang¡¯s heart was in a mess. ¡°it¡¯s not that he¡¯s jinxing his wife,¡± gu yanfei said faintly. ¡°it¡¯s just that hua xi is about to die.¡± what?! wei jiaoniang was shocked. she almost jumped up from the bed and walked back and forth. ¡°i¡¯ll go back and tell my mother to persuade second madam lu.¡± wei jiaoniang had only been here for 10 minutes before she ran away like a gust of wind. after returning to the residence, she quickly went to look for imperial duke wei¡¯s madam and told her everything about lu qin. she thought that if her mother appeared, the duke¡¯s mansion would have to take into account the face of the duke¡¯s mansion. hence, imperial duke wei¡¯s madam personally made a trip to earl chang¡¯an¡¯s mansion early the next morning. second madam lu treated her politely and promised that she would get someone to investigate the hua family again. after a polite and appropriate response, second madam lu sent her trusted aide, granny yang, to send the wife of imperial duke wei¡¯s heir away. she said many nice things, but she never agreed to annul the engagement. a moment later, granny yang returned alone to report. second madam lu, who had endured it for so long, finally couldn¡¯t help but complain, ¡°hmph, a little girl can make the wife of the duke¡¯s heir come personally after saying two or three words.¡± granny yang poured tea for second madam lu at the side and echoed with a smile, ¡°of course. the future third young master is aunt¡¯s family. he¡¯s already a high scholar at a young age. how can he not be good?¡± ¡°how could i harm my own daughter!¡± second madam lu slowly brushed the leaves off the teacup. ¡°that¡¯s my biological daughter!¡± ¡°a woman¡¯s marriage is equivalent to a second reincarnation. 1 only have one daughter. of course i want her to have a smooth life for the rest of her life.¡± granny yang smiled and echoed, ¡°third miss has always been on good terms with fourth young master. if she knew that the fourth young master had received such a good job, she would definitely be happy.¡± at the thought of her son, the corners of second madam lu¡¯s lips curled up, and her eyes softened. they were from the second branch, unlike the eldest branch, which had a bright future. all the good jobs for the earl were left to their son. their second branch couldn¡¯t even get any leftovers. her son, lu shi, had only been living in the military department of the five cities for the past few years. this time, the sister-in-law of her family had personally agreed to her. after the marriage was over, their hua family would find a job for their son in the five military camps. ¡°there¡¯s nothing bad about this marriage.¡± the more second madam lu thought about this marriage, the more satisfied she was. ¡°it¡¯s best if sister qin can marry into her biological aunt¡¯s family.¡± granny yang smiled and flattered her again. she said what second madam lu liked to hear. in the end, she said, ¡°second madam, don¡¯t worry. third miss is young. she must be panicking because she¡¯s getting married. that¡¯s why she was deceived by second lady gu and lost her mind.¡± second madam lu spat and sighed. ¡°it¡¯s my fault for being soft-hearted. i shouldn¡¯t have agreed to let her go out with wei jiaoniang yesterday. otherwise, there wouldn¡¯t have been such trouble!¡± ¡°granny yang, help me keep an eye on sister qin for the next two days. let her at least sew a pair of socks. in two days, the hua family will come to the small wedding.¡± initially, as a return gift, the woman should have made a set of clothes for the man. however, time was too tight, so second madam lu could only settle for asking her daughter to sew a pair of socks. granny yang could only agree. ¡°madam, don¡¯t worry. leave this to me.¡± just as granny yang was about to leave, a green-robed servant girl rushed in and reported anxiously, ¡°second madam, madam hua and the matchmaker are here. they said they¡¯re here to set a date..¡± Chapter 508 - Chapter 508: No (1) chapter 508: no (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios what?! so fast?! second madam lu put down the teacup in her hand heavily. there was a hint of displeasure on her dignified and gentle face as she muttered, ¡°didn¡¯t we agree to set a date in two days?!¡± the panting servant girl took a deep breath and added anxiously, ¡°also, third miss¡¯ aunt is here too.¡± ¡°second madam¡­¡± granny yang looked at second madam lu in a difficult position. hua xi¡¯s mother, madam hua, and the matchmaker had already come to visit. with her aunt accompanying her, if the lu family chased them away today, it would inevitably cause a cloud of dust. however, if the matchmaker entered easily, it would seem that their family was too easy to fool. second madam lu thought for a moment and said firmly, ¡°invite them in.¡± hence, granny yang personally went out to welcome the esteemed guests. after a while, granny yang led three women to the central room. the two women walking in front were in their thirties. one was elegant and noble, and the other was simple and dignified. they were none other than auntie-in-law, madam hua, and sister-in-law. the woman behind the two of them was in her fifties. she was wearing a dark red embroidered crane with ganoderma patterns. the colors were very festive, and there was an exaggerated smile on her lips. anyone who saw her would know that she was a matchmaker invited by the hua family. behind him was a group of old women holding four boxes of small gifts and a pair of wooden geese as gifts. the matchmaker was good at reading people¡¯s expressions. he could naturally tell that second madam lu was unhappy and said good things about the celebration. ¡°first aunt, we were indeed presumptuous today.¡± second madam lu¡¯s eldest sister-in-law, madam hua, apologized first and left madam hua and the matchmaker to drink tea in the central room. she held second madam lu¡¯s hand and went to the second room to whisper. facing second madam lu, who was clearly unhappy, madam hua apologized again. ¡°sorry, but it¡¯s really a hurry. that¡¯s why i made the decision to act first and report later. the two families aren¡¯t outsiders, after all.¡± ¡°yesterday, xi¡¯er¡¯s mother went to taihe temple to offer incense. she wanted to ask for a lot this time.¡± ¡°the divination master has cast a divination and determined that today is the most auspicious day for the engagement ceremony. it¡¯s said to bring prosperity to the groom¡¯s family, especially to young xi¡¯er.¡± madam hua smiled and put her arm around second madam lu¡¯s shoulder. she congratulated her. ¡°aunt, you¡¯ll have a top scorer son-in-law soon.¡± second madam lu still had a straight face and said in a low voice, ¡°sister-in-law, but this is too rushed. if word gets out, it will be a joke. others might think that the daughter of the lu family can¡¯t get married.¡± under normal circumstances, only those who were in a hurry to get married during the period of filial piety, or rush joy, would rush the wedding date so tightly. although her face was stern, second madam lu heaved a sigh of relief. she thought that the hua family must have wanted to seek an auspicious omen, so they were in a hurry to arrange the marriage. the corners of madam hua¡¯s lips stiffened for a moment, then she smiled again and said nicely, ¡°since it¡¯s a good thing, what¡¯s wrong with bringing it forward?¡± ¡°my brother said that there¡¯s also a vacancy in the divine arms battalion that can be taken over in three days. i think it¡¯s better to be faster than later, right?¡± divine arms battalion?! second madam lu¡¯s eyes lit up, and the displeasure on her face gradually disappeared. everyone knew how important the divine arms battalion was. the divine arms battalion was directly responsible for the emperor and was much better than the five military camps. they were both sixth-grade officers, but the officers of the divine arms battalion were clearly superior in their skills. second madam lu held madam hua¡¯s hand and smiled. ¡°sister-in-law, you¡¯re too kind. i thank you on behalf of my son.¡± the smile on madam hua¡¯s face widened again, and she said, ¡°where¡¯s qin¡¯er? today is her big day.¡± a strange glint flashed across second madam lu¡¯s eyes. she instructed granny yang as if nothing had happened, ¡°granny yang, bring third miss over and let her dress up properly. tell her not to be rude.¡± second madam lu¡¯s last sentence was a warning. granny yang understood tacitly and agreed with a smile. she quickly ran to get lu qin. the two sisters-in-law returned to the central room and chatted and laughed with madam hua and the matchmaker. it was a happy atmosphere. even the magpies in the courtyard were chattering non-stop. granny yang left quickly and returned quickly. with an embarrassed expression, she walked to second madam lu¡¯s side and whispered in her ear, ¡°second madam, third miss refused to come. she said she doesn¡¯t want to marry.¡± after a pause, she continued, ¡°the servant girl on third miss¡¯s side said that she didn¡¯t sleep last night¡­¡± the smile on second madam lu¡¯s lips disappeared immediately, and she frowned deeply. she felt that she had really spoiled this daughter in the past. on such an important occasion today, her daughter actually embarrassed her in public.. Chapter 509 - Chapter 509: No (2) chapter 509: no (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios although madam hua didn¡¯t hear granny yang¡¯s words, she could tell from second madam lu¡¯s expression. she smiled and said, ¡°aunt, it¡¯s normal for girls to be shy.¡± madam hua and eldest madam hua exchanged glances. eldest madam hua said kindly, ¡°that¡¯s right. it¡¯s the same if we go over and see her later.¡± second madam lu¡¯s fair and delicate red hands gripped a handkerchief tightly, her eyes uncertain. she knew that her daughter wasn¡¯t shy. she was just deceived by those with ulterior motives. in the past, she could just take it that her daughter was young and let her be willful. however, her daughter was about to marry into the hua family as a daughter-in-law. could she still be so willful after marrying?! her husband¡¯s family wouldn¡¯t spoil a daughter-in-law like this! her daughter has to come! second madam lu instructed granny yang, ¡°go and get her again.¡± she used her eyes to signal to granny yang that she had to ¡°get¡± lu qin over no matter what! after a while, lu qin, who was dressed in a pink dress, arrived accompanied by granny yang. her small face was tense, and her body was very stiff. she exuded an aura of rejection. ¡°this must be third miss lu.¡± the matchmaker smiled until her eyes narrowed into slits. ¡°she¡¯s really good-looking. she looks so blessed.¡± ¡°i think you¡¯ve lost weight,¡± madam hua said with some heartache. she pulled lu qin to her side affectionately and looked very kind. ¡°young lady, you have to eat more.¡± lu qin looked at madam hua with a complicated gaze. when she first met madam hua at baiyun temple, she had a good impression of her. she recalled that her grandmother had once told her that when a girl is looking for a husband, it¡¯s more important for her mother-in-law to like her than for her husband to like her. in addition, she had a good impression of hua xi, so she agreed to this marriage. however, no matter how good this marriage seemed, she didn¡¯t plan to gamble with her life. after lu qin greeted madam hua, madam hua took out a purse from her sleeve pocket and stuffed it into her hand with a hint of dominance. she said enthusiastically, ¡°third miss lu, we hit it off at first sight. this seems to be fate from our previous lives.¡± ¡°ah¡­¡± lu qin felt a sharp pain in her palm, which was stuffed with a purse. she frowned and exclaimed. ¡°aiya.¡± madam hua also exclaimed. ¡°your hand is bleeding.¡± she took the purse back from lu qin and frowned at it. she said apologetically, ¡°it¡¯s all my embroiderer¡¯s fault for not being careful. she actually left the needle in the purse. when 1 go back, 1¡¯11 definitely punish her well!¡± madam hua casually handed the pouch to the accompanying nanny, then pulled out a jade bracelet from her wrist and personally put it on lu qin¡¯s wrist. lu qin could only thank madam hua, and her maid quickly cleaned the wound on her palm. madam hua gave the matchmaker a look, and the matchmaker happily mentioned the auspicious omen of taihe divination marriage- after a simple ceremony, the engagement ceremony was completed. madam hua and the others didn¡¯t stay long. they left without lunch, leaving only second madam lu and lu qin in the room. lu qin held her anger in her heart for a long time. seeing that there were no outsiders, she said bluntly and unhappily, ¡°mom, 1 said yesterday that i don¡¯t agree to this marriage.¡± ¡°if you insist, i¡¯ll tell grandma!¡± ever since madam lu lived as a widow, she lived in jingxin nunnery all year round and rarely butlered. second madam lu thought that her son¡¯s job was settled and her daughter¡¯s marriage was settled. she felt that today was a double blessing. she was originally in a good mood, but when she heard that her daughter had actually disobeyed her, she was instantly furious. ¡°slam!¡± second madam lu slapped the coffee table hard, causing the teacup and fruit plate on the coffee table to tremble a few times. a few cherries on the fruit plate rolled to the ground like pearls on a broken string¡­ ¡°enough, lu qin, is this how you talk to your mother?!¡± second madam lu was so angry that her face was ashen. she shouted at her daughter, feeling that she was too insensible. ¡°you clearly agreed to this marriage yourself. back then, no one put a knife to your neck. now, you¡¯ve changed your mind. one moment, you want to get married, and the next moment, you don¡¯t want to. which other girl is like you?!¡± ¡°how dare you use your grandmother to pressure me?!¡± ¡°even if your grandmother finds out, she¡¯ll stand on my side! marriage is good for two families. the two families have long exchanged invitations.. when you cancel the engagement, are you trying to make them our enemies?!¡± Chapter 510 - Chapter 510: No (3) chapter 510: no (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°you¡¯ve been led astray by second lady gu. you¡¯ve become so disobedient!¡± second madam lu became more and more agitated as she scolded. granny yang looked at second madam lu worriedly and then at lu qin. she wanted to persuade her, but she didn¡¯t know how to. this mother and daughter were both stubborn. when lu qin heard her mother say that she was the one who agreed to the marriage, she was a little ashamed. however, when her mother scolded gu yanfei, lu qin frowned deeply and retorted, ¡°mom, don¡¯t misinterpret yanfei¡¯s good intentions!¡± ¡°i made a promise regarding the marriage, but when i picked a fruit and took a bite, 1 discovered it was rotten and infested with worms. shouldn¡¯t i be allowed to spit it out? must i swallow the rotten fruit?¡± as she spoke, she suddenly felt a little dizzy. her cheeks were slightly flushed, but she forced herself not to show her discomfort. when second madam lu heard her daughter compare the hua family to rotten fruits, she became even angrier and said sternly, ¡°look at you, what are you saying! you¡¯re clearly blinded by lard!¡± ¡°men, drag the third miss away¡­¡± a few old women guarding outside heard the commotion and approached lu qin. lu qin only regretted that she didn¡¯t bring a handy weapon. she raised her neck and straightened her body. ¡°who dares to touch me? don¡¯t blame me for being rude!¡± she felt even more dizzy, and her throat was burning. when she spoke, it was as if there was a fire burning again. it was extremely uncomfortable. forget it, i can¡¯t talk to mother anymore. i should go to jingxin nunnery to look for grandma. the few old women didn¡¯t dare disobey second madam lu¡¯s instructions and continued to approach lu qin. one of the old women reached out to grab lu qin and said, ¡°third miss, don¡¯t make things difficult for me¡­¡± on the other hand, lu qin quickly grabbed the old woman¡¯s wrist and pushed her, causing the two old women to collide. lu qin took advantage of their daze and rushed out of the house¡­ this scene completely angered second madam lu, and her voice became even sharper. ¡°stop her!¡± lu qin, who had already rushed to the door, felt her vision blur and the world spin. it was as if all the strength in her body had been sucked away, and she staggered. an old woman hurriedly grabbed lu qin¡¯s hand and wanted to persuade her. ¡°third miss¡­¡± she wanted to persuade her, but before she could finish, lu qin¡¯s eyes rolled back and she fell straight down. ¡°third miss!¡± the other maidservants and old women beside her also saw it and cried out involuntarily. two old women supported the collapsed lu qin. even second madam lu ran towards her daughter worriedly, calling her name repeatedly, her voice trembling. ¡°second madam, third miss has fainted. she has a fever!¡± ¡°quick, get a doctor!¡± ¡°hurry up and carry the third miss into the inner room¡­¡± as lu qin fainted, the room was in a tizzy. lu qin had a high fever. she had called a doctor and drunk medicine, but her fever still didn¡¯t subside. the next day, not only did her fever not subside, but it also became worse and worse. she was also unconscious. because wei jiaoniang didn¡¯t receive news from lu qin, she was burning with anxiety. calculating that the day was about to arrive at the hua family¡¯s house, she decided to make a trip to duke chang¡¯an¡¯s mansion. only then did she know that lu qin was sick, and very serious. the lu family had already invited many doctors. worried about lu qin, wei jiaoniang personally went to the gu mansion and invited gu yanfei to duke chang¡¯an¡¯s mansion. wei jiaoniang would come to play with lu qin every few days and often came and went. the gatekeeper of the duke¡¯s mansion was also familiar with her, so he directly asked the old woman to lead her and gu yanfei to lu qin¡¯s courtyard. second madam lu was also there. compared to two days ago, she looked a little haggard. there were faint dark shadows in her eye sockets. clearly, she hadn¡¯t rested well last night. when she saw wei jiaoniang, second madam lu greeted her politely, ¡°jiaoniang, you¡¯re so considerate to specially come to visit qin¡¯er.¡± ¡°auntie, how¡¯s ah qin?¡± wei jiaoniang asked with concern. ¡°i heard from the doorkeeper that she has a high fever.¡± ¡°she caught a chill from the evening breeze two nights ago, which led to a fever. the physician from rejuvenation hall has already prescribed medication, and she has taken three doses,¡± second madam lu forced a smile. ¡°however, the fever hasn¡¯t subsided yet, and she¡¯s currently resting inside.¡± ¡°it¡¯s fine.¡± she looked a little tired, but she wasn¡¯t too worried about her daughter. after all, everyone had headaches and fevers. of course, she also saw gu yanfei, who was with wei jiaoniang. seeing that the other party was beautiful and was a rare beauty, she took a few more glances and felt that this girl seemed familiar.. she casually asked, ¡°this lady is¡­¡± Chapter 511 - Chapter 511: No (4) chapter 511: no (4) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios wei jiaoniang generously introduced gu yanfei. ¡°this is the second lady of the gu family¡­¡± when second madam lu, who was still smiling just now, heard the words ¡°second lady of the gu family¡±, her face instantly darkened, as if it had been dyed with ink. her tone was also cold and indifferent as she said, ¡°so it¡¯s second lady gu.¡± it was a simple sentence, but she said it sarcastically. no wonder she felt that this girl was familiar. she looked like madam xie. after that, second madam lu didn¡¯t say anything else. she only led the two girls to the inner room in silence. there was a strong smell of medicine in the inner room. the windows in the room were closed, and the light was slightly dim. lu qin was lying on a rosewood bed with a curtain hanging on it. the huge bed made the girl under the brocade quilt look petite and exquisite. her face was pale, and her fan-like eyelashes covered her fair face. when gu yanfei saw lu qin, who was unconscious on the bed, her pupils moved slightly, and she was stunned. after a while, she suddenly said, ¡°did the hua family come for the engagement ceremony?¡± she used a questioning tone, but her expression was quite firm. having an engagement ceremony meant that they were engaged. it also meant that the marriage between the man and the woman was basically confirmed and that there was an alliance. what?! wei jiaoniang was stunned when she heard this. she subconsciously looked at second madam lu. ¡°aunt?¡± her shocked expression was interrogative. second madam lu¡¯s eyes moved, and she found it difficult to look directly at wei jiaoniang. early yesterday morning, when imperial duke wei¡¯s madam came to look for her, she had personally promised the other party that she would investigate the hua family and hua xi again. however, on that day, the hua family had brought a matchmaker over, and she had agreed. however, second madam lu only felt guilty for a moment before she immediately puffed out her chest matter-of-factly. lu qin is my biological daughter, so her marriage is naturally decided by her and her father. now that we as parents have agreed to the marriage, why should we ask outsiders for their opinion?! although she thought so, second madam lu didn¡¯t intend to offend duke wei¡¯s mansion. she was still very polite to wei jiaoniang and said, ¡°jiaoniang, i know you¡¯re concerned about qin¡¯er. don¡¯t worry, i¡¯ve asked around. the second young master of the hua family has a good character, good knowledge, and is good at everything.¡± these words sounded like perfunctory pleasantries. when wei jiaoniang accompanied lu qin back to the residence the day before yesterday, she heard second madam lu¡¯s words and didn¡¯t want to beat around the bush with her anymore. she turned around and asked gu yanfei, ¡°yanfei, what do you think?¡± gu yanfei looked down at lu qin on the bed. her eyes were tightly shut, and she didn¡¯t move. the skin on her face was like white porcelain dyed with rouge. she was so peaceful that it was as if she had just fallen asleep. ¡°it shouldn¡¯t be just an engagement ceremony, and¡­¡± gu yanfei narrowed her eyes slightly and forced her spiritual power into her eyes. she stared at lu qin deeply for a moment. ¡°she also lost her blood essence and primordial spirit, so she¡¯s unconscious.¡± ¡°all qin isn¡¯t sick.¡± gu yanfei¡¯s last sentence was almost a sigh. ¡°¡­¡± wei jiaoniang¡¯s face turned pale. her blood drained, and her heart hurt as if it was being grabbed by something. she looked at gu yanfei helplessly. ¡°second lady gu, my daughter is clearly ill.¡± second madam lu frowned unhappily, but her tone was still restrained. she ordered her to leave. ¡°qin¡¯er needs to rest well. you¡¯ve seen her. don¡¯t disturb her rest.¡± second madam lu felt that gu yanfei had really been led astray. a good girl had been raised like a village witch. gu yanfei stood by the bed as if she didn¡¯t hear anything. she lowered her eyes and looked at lu qin for a moment before sighing. she suddenly moved, took off the white jade bracelet that she had bought the day before, and grabbed lu qin¡¯s hot right hand from under the blanket¡­ Chapter 512 - Chapter 512: Yin Marriage (1) chapter 512: yin marriage (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°second lady gu, what are you trying to do?!¡± second madam lu hurriedly took two steps forward, wanting to stop her. she had a very bad impression of gu yanfei and blamed gu yanfei for her daughter¡¯s separation from her. qin¡¯er was originally very satisfied with this marriage. if gu yanfei hadn¡¯t popped out for no reason and said some alarmist words, we wouldn¡¯t have been in a tizzy, and qin¡¯er wouldn¡¯t have fallen sick! second madam lu¡¯s anger rose steadily. she was certain that gu yanfei had ulterior motives. in her anger, second madam lu grabbed gu yanfei¡¯s hand that was holding the bracelet¡­ gu yanfei flicked her sleeve gently, and a breeze suddenly blew. her movements were light and nimble, but when the sleeve wind brushed against second madam lu, she felt as if a gust of wind was blowing towards her. second madam lu let out a low cry and staggered back two steps. she looked at gu yanfei in shock. beside her, granny yang quickly supported her. wei jiaoniang also reacted and hurriedly stood in front of gu yanfei in a protective posture. she straightened her expression and said to second madam lu solemnly, ¡°auntie, just believe in yanfei. she won¡¯t harm ah qin. she wants to save her!¡± second madam lu finally stabilized her body and mind. she couldn¡¯t hide the anger in her eyes. she pinched her handkerchief tightly with one hand, and her voice turned colder. ¡°jiaoniang, i watched you grow up. of course i believe you, but she¡­ 1 don¡¯t trust her.¡± they had argued and tried to persuade her. gu yanfei felt that second madam lu was really unreasonable, so she decided to ignore her and let wei jiaoniang deal with her. gu yanfei quickly helped lu qin put on the white jade bracelet that contained spiritual energy and drew a simple spirit attraction array on her pale palm. this spirit attraction array couldn¡¯t wake lu qin up, but it could draw the spirit energy in the bracelet to her body and protect her heart and soul. after retracting his hand, gu yanfei pressed lu qin¡¯s pulse again. only then did she put her slender wrist back under the blanket in relief and ask, ¡°which hua family is it?¡± second madam lu didn¡¯t want to care about this rude girl at all. she thought to herself: no wonder 1 heard that she grew up in the countryside. gu yanfei walked to wei jiaoniang¡¯s side and emphasized again, ¡°which family is it!¡± ¡°if this goes on, she¡¯ll die!¡± she said the last two words extremely slowly and cautiously. a simple sentence seemed to have the power of thunder. second madam lu¡¯s heart trembled under gu yanfei¡¯s cold gaze, but she didn¡¯t show it on her face. she stood elegantly and said coldly, ¡°second lady gu, are you cursing my daughter?!¡± second madam lu glared at gu yanfei with a fiery gaze. she was so angry that her fingers trembled slightly. qin¡¯er is just having a fever. what does it have to do with her future son-in-law¡¯s family? who would curse others to die?! if not for duke wei¡¯s mansion, she would have chased gu yanfei out long ago! ¡°the person who ¡®cursed¡¯ her is from the hua family,¡± gu yanfei said slowly. her deep eyes looked at lu qin, who was unconscious on the bed again. ¡°the yin energy in her body is too strong, and she has lost her blood essence and primordial spirit, causing her to lack yang energy, which is why her soul is unstable.¡± as she spoke, gu yanfei¡¯s eyes darkened. they were as dark as the starless night sky, as if they wanted to suck everything away. second madam lu was stunned. gu yanfei continued, ¡°the groom who is engaged to ah qin is about to die.¡± ¡°once the two of them are engaged, it¡¯s equivalent to establishing an alliance recognized by the world. they¡¯re bound by blood essence. now that the ceremony is complete, their lives are interconnected. when the groom dies, all qin will die too.¡± ¡°even till death, this marriage can¡¯t be broken off.¡± every word and sentence she said in the room seemed to be filled with a cold wind that was bone-chilling. wei jiaoniang was dumbfounded and blurted out, ¡°isn¡¯t this a yin marriage?¡± granny yang, who was supporting second madam lu, swallowed her saliva and nodded. she looked at lu qin in surprise and doubt, then at gu yanfei, not knowing if she should believe her. ¡°yin marriage?¡± gu yanfei raised her eyebrows. in the bright spirit realm, there had never been such a thing as ¡°yin marriage¡±. this was the first time gu yanfei had heard this word. seeing gu yanfei¡¯s confusion, wei jiaoniang hurriedly explained, ¡°one year, when grandpa and i went back to our hometown to pay respects to our ancestors, i heard someone mention a yin marriage in the countryside..¡± Chapter 513 - Chapter 513: Yin Marriage (2) chapter 513: yin marriage (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°i heard that a young man from a certain family was about to die of illness. his family wanted to find an unmarried girl who had died young to marry him. in the end, they really found her. after the young man died, the two families held a yin marriage.¡± ¡°i wanted to go and watch the show to broaden my horizons, but my grandmother wouldn¡¯t let me.¡± gu yanfei:¡±¡­¡± if it was a dead person marrying a dead person, it would be fine. but now, the hua family clearly wanted to turn lu qin into a dead person and let a living person be buried with a dead person! second madam lu scoffed at this in her heart. she stroked her sleeve and said seriously, ¡°i¡¯ve seen the future son-in-law before. he¡¯s full of energy and very healthy. he doesn¡¯t look like he¡¯s about to die.¡± ¡°besides, even if the hua family really wants to get married, with the family background of the son-in-law, they can completely find a girl who died young at the age of 15 or 16. why marry a living person at the risk of offending our duke chang¡¯an mansion?¡± there was no need for the hua family to harm her daughter at all. wouldn¡¯t that ruin the relationship between the two families?! impossible. after second madam lu composed herself, she said, ¡°jiaoniang, don¡¯t think too much.¡± she felt that her daughter and wei jiaoniang were almost led astray by gu yanfei. hence, she looked at gu yanfei with an unfriendly gaze. ¡°¡­¡± wei jiaoniang could naturally feel second madam lu¡¯s hostility towards gu yanfei. she felt that it would be a waste of time to continue talking to her. ¡°yanfei, let¡¯s go.¡± wei jiaoniang immediately pulled gu yanfei away. second madam lu¡¯s indifferent voice came from behind. ¡°granny yang, send the two girls off for me.¡± it wasn¡¯t until the two of them left duke chang¡¯an¡¯s mansion that wei jiaoniang looked at the closed corner door behind her. then, she turned around and whispered into gu yanfei¡¯s ear, ¡°let¡¯s go. i know where the hua family is.¡± ¡°i have a wide range of skills.¡± wei jiaoniang patted her chest and said confidently, ¡°second madam lu¡¯s maiden family name is wu. eldest madam wu should be from the hua family in anci county.¡± with that, a hint of hesitation appeared on her face as she looked at the setting sun in the western sky. anci county was about 50 to 60 miles away from the capital. if they went out at this time, they wouldn¡¯t be able to return to the capital tonight. it was obvious that their family wouldn¡¯t let them go out. ¡°yanfei¡­¡± wei jiaoniang asked gu yanfei with her eyes. without further words, gu yanfei understood what wei jiaoniang meant and said decisively, ¡°let¡¯s go.¡± gu yanfei didn¡¯t like to meddle in other people¡¯s business. usually, if she had already warned the other party and the other party still didn¡¯t listen, ignore, or believe her, she wouldn¡¯t care anymore. however, lu qin was her friend. moreover, lu qin was willing to believe her, so she would do what she could for lu qin. ¡°alright!¡± wei jiaoniang gritted her teeth and decided to act first before reporting. the two of them sent their respective maidservants back to the residence to inform their family before riding towards the west gate. however, they were still a step too late. by the time they arrived at the city gate, the west gate had already closed. the sun had completely set. the sky was dark, and a faint silver moon could be vaguely seen in the grayish-blue night sky. the streets were empty and lonely, with only three or four passersby left. wei jiaoniang looked at the tall city wall and frowned. she was anxious. the capital was under the emperor¡¯s rule. there were strict rules regarding when to open and close the city gate every day. since the city gate was closed, even her grandfather, imperial duke wei, couldn¡¯t casually get someone to reopen the city gate. wei jiaoniang had just opened her mouth when she heard a light male voice coming from behind them. ¡°jiaoniang, why are you here?¡± amidst the sounds of horses galloping, they gradually approached. ¡°fourth brother lu!¡± wei jiaoniang immediately recognized the person¡¯s voice. she pulled the reins and made the black horse turn its head. hundreds of feet away, a person in a sapphire blue brocade robe seemed to be riding a horse towards them. he was waving a horsewhip leisurely with a smile on his face. behind him were seven or eight people from the five city¡¯s military department. lu shi was working in the five city¡¯s military department. when he was patrolling nearby, he saw wei jiaoniang and gu yanfei from afar and came over to greet them. ¡°don¡¯t tell me the two of you want to leave the city at this time?¡± lu shi sized them up. when wei jiaoniang saw the person surnamed lu, she was angry. anger surged in her heart as she said angrily, ¡°to save ah qin.¡± ¡°lu shi, are you still ah qin¡¯s brother? ah qin is about to die, but you¡¯re still in the mood to patrol the streets!¡± Chapter 514 - Chapter 514: Yin Marriage (3) chapter 514: yin marriage (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios wei jiaoniang wished she could point her fingers at the tip of the other party¡¯s nose. ¡°she¡¯s dying?¡± lu shi¡¯s expression instantly changed, and he frowned. ¡°isn¡¯t qin¡¯er having a fever?¡± he knew that his sister lu qin was sick yesterday, but his mother said that his sister only caught a cold. the doctor said that she would recover after two days of medicine. his sister had grown up. as a man, he couldn¡¯t go to her boudoir casually. in addition, he had to be on duty for the next two days, so he didn¡¯t go to his sister¡¯s courtyard. he didn¡¯t expect his sister to be so sick! wei jiaoniang stared at his face for a while. from the looks of it, he didn¡¯t seem to know anything about lu qin. ¡°you¡­ come here!¡± wei jiaoniang pointed at his nose and said arrogantly. lu shi greeted a few colleagues who were patrolling with him and got off the horse. he followed wei jiaoniang to a remote place with no one around. wei jiaoniang quickly explained the cause and effect of the matter. in the end, she emphasized, ¡°yanfei said that the hua family is making use of lu qin for a yin marriage!¡± lu shi was dumbfounded, as if he was listening to a heavenly book. he only understood one main point. the hua family wanted a yin marriage to harm his sister. lu shi also had some friendship with gu yuan and knew that there was no need for gu yuan¡¯s sister to lie to them. furthermore, everyone in the capital knew second lady gu¡¯s ability. lu rui¡¯s face instantly darkened. his thin lips pursed into a straight line as he said hatefully, ¡°i¡¯ll go find that kid surnamed hua!¡± his sister had reached adulthood last year, and his mother had been nagging about choosing a good marriage for her. he had specially instructed his parents to let him see her. on the day of the blind date at baiyun temple, he also went to see his aunt¡¯s nephew. at that time, her aunt had praised hua xi to the skies, but lu shi felt that her eyes sometimes wandered, giving off an unrighteous feeling. however, his mother and sister were very satisfied with hua xi. they praised him for being knowledgeable and kind-hearted. furthermore, the hua family was an aristocratic family. they also had their eldest aunt as a matchmaker. his mother said that hua xi was the best candidate for his sister. he kept silent, thinking that perhaps he had a biased opinion of his brother-in-law, which was why he found fault with everything about hua xi. lu shi gritted his teeth tightly. he was angry and regretful. lu shi held the sheath on his waist with one hand, and veins popped out on the back of his hand. he was about to kill someone. ¡°then do you know where the hua family is?¡± wei jiaoniang¡¯s tone was still not good. she felt that lu shi was really unreliable. lu shi was speechless. then, he forced a fawning smile. ¡°1 don¡¯t know. don¡¯t you know?¡± 1 knew it! wei jiaoniang raised her chin and pointed at the city gate. ¡°the city gate has already been closed. we can¡¯t go tonight.¡± looking at the towering city gate in front of him, lu shi calmed down a little. he held his saber and said seriously, ¡°jiaoniang, wait for me at the restaurant beside you and sister yanfei. 1¡¯11 go home first.¡± with that, he swung back into the saddle. his mount seemed to sense the uneasiness in its master¡¯s heart. it neighed twice in slight anxiety, its nostrils blowing thick air. before he left, he looked down at gu yanfei and asked nervously and uneasily, ¡°is it too late now?¡± his voice was tense, and his face was dark and blurry under the dark night sky. gu yanfei met his obscure and unconcealable eyes with clear eyes and nodded gently. ¡°after the engagement ceremony, both parties will form an alliance. when the man officially lays down the betrothal and signs the marriage contract, the marriage will be considered successful. ah qin will really be difficult to save.¡± lu shi said, ¡°i understand.¡± then, he squeezed the horse¡¯s stomach and galloped away. the streets of the capital were almost empty in the evening. he rode his horse to his heart¡¯s content, and his back was soon swallowed by the night. wei jiaoniang and gu yanfei looked at each other. the two girls led the horses and temporarily went to a restaurant by the roadside to sit down. by the time most of the pot of tea was drunk, the sky was completely dark. the sound of horses¡¯ hooves could be heard on the streets again. on this quiet night, the sound of horses¡¯ hooves on the stone road was exceptionally clear. the sound of horse hooves approached. after a while, they saw lu shi dismount at the entrance of the restaurant and enter the lobby with a dark expression. not only did lu shi fail to convince his mother, but he also brought very bad news. ¡°the hua family will be coming tomorrow to make the betrothal!¡± lu shi rubbed the space between his eyebrows in frustration and complained, ¡°in the past, my grandmother told me in private that my mother looked gentle and capable, but she was actually a fool. 1 didn¡¯t believe it. sigh, my grandmother has sharp eyes!¡± ¡°the betrothal ceremony is tomorrow?¡± wei jiaoniang looked at gu yanfei and said anxiously, ¡°yanfei, what should we do?¡± calculating the days, tomorrow should have been the day of the hua family¡¯s lu family¡¯s small engagement, but now, it has become the day of the betrothal. from the blind date between the two families and the exchange of invitations to the betrothal, it hadn¡¯t exceeded io days, right? the hua family was in such a hurry. no matter how one looked at it, something was wrong. this wasn¡¯t a celebration. lu shi poured himself a cup of tea and downed it in one gulp. he said resolutely, ¡°tomorrow morning, when the city gate opens, i¡¯ll personally make a trip to the hua family.¡± he planned to sleep here tonight. when the city gate opened tomorrow morning, he would go to anci county. ¡°it¡¯s getting late. you two girls should go back quickly. i¡¯m here.¡± lu shi put on the act of a big brother and waved his hand, indicating for gu yanfei and wei jiaoniang to leave quickly. he was quite touched. it was also a blessing in life for his sister to have friends like this. especially gu yanfei. he was really like her brother gu yuan, cold on the outside but warm on the inside. wei jiaoniang almost had goosebumps from lu shi¡¯s almost loving gaze. just as she was about to speak, she heard gu yanfei say, ¡°no.¡± these three words attracted wei jiaoniang¡¯s gaze. ¡°didn¡¯t you say that the betrothal is coming tomorrow?¡± gu yanfei casually played with the white porcelain teacup in her hand. ¡°then let¡¯s wait for tomorrow.¡± ¡°fourth brother lu, go buy some cinnabar and talismans..¡± Chapter 515 - Chapter 515: Marriage Letter (1) chapter 515: marriage letter (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios by the time lu shi bought the cinnabar and talismans, the three of them had already left the restaurant for half an hour. lu shi was worried and personally escorted wei jiaoniang and gu yan back to their respective residences. ¡°miss, you¡¯re finally back!¡± juan bi, who had been sent back to the residence by gu yanfei to report, stood outside the corner door and looked around for a long time. when she saw that gu yanfei had returned, she guessed that she and wei jiaoniang couldn¡¯t leave the city before the city gate closed. juan bi secretly heaved a sigh of relief and quickly welcomed her. she smiled and reported, ¡°miss, eunuch he from the palace is here.¡± ¡°he¡¯s still in the hall of the outer courtyard. the eldest miss is greeting him. miss, do you want to go over and take a look?¡± ¡°alright, let¡¯s go take a look.¡± gu yanfei casually handed the reins of the horse to an old woman at the door and brought juan bi to the hall of the outer courtyard. as juan bi walked with the lantern, she said, ¡°1 heard from the accompanying palace maid that eunuch he seems to be here about the hundred flowers banquet in the tianhe garden.¡± juan bi was right. when eunuch he saw gu yanfei, he personally handed over two red and gold invitations and cupped his hands. ¡°second lady gu, i¡¯m here on the emperor¡¯s orders to invite you to the tianhe garden for a banquet on the day of the national day.¡± eunuch he spoke politely. as early as the first time gu yanfei entered the palace, the emperor specially ordered eunuch he to entertain her. eunuch he knew that second lady gu would probably be the future eldest prince¡¯s concubine. some things that happened later also confirmed his guess. therefore, even when gu yunzhen tactfully said that she didn¡¯t know when gu yanfei would return tonight, he still waited patiently for two hours. his hard work paid off. he hadn¡¯t waited in vain. the smile on eunuch he¡¯s face deepened. he said, ¡°the emperor heard that there¡¯s another eldest miss in miss¡¯s residence. he invited her to go too.¡± he looked at gu yunzhen with a smile and had a good impression of eldest miss gu. he thought to himself: ¡°eldest atiss gu treats people very well. as the elder sister of the future eldest prince¡¯s concubine, now that she has left her name in his majesty¡¯s heart, her future won¡¯t be too bad.¡± gu yunzhen was a little surprised. she quickly got up from the armchair at the head of the table and bowed. ¡°thank you.¡± ¡°eunuch he, thank his majesty on behalf of us sisters.¡± as she spoke, gu yunzhen gestured to the nanny in charge to secretly give eunuch he a red seal. after the job was done, eunuch he simply left. gu yunzhen instructed the nanny to send him out. looking at eunuch he and the others in the light ahead, gu yunzhen let out a long breath and sighed in relief. ¡°second sister, you¡¯re finally back!¡± she seemed calm just now, but in fact, she was so flustered that she couldn¡¯t find her bearings. she didn¡¯t expect someone to suddenly rise from the palace, but she felt that she couldn¡¯t embarrass her second sister, so she forced herself to hold on. gu yunzhen held gu yanfei¡¯s arm and walked towards the inner courtyard. she had a lot to say. ¡°fortunately, 1 got someone to make new clothes in advance. otherwise, it would be too late.¡± second sister had been back for a few months. this was the first time she had gone to such a grand occasion. in comparison, the last banquet in the palace was only a small banquet attended by 30 to 40 people. on national day, at least a few hundred people would go to the hundred flower banquet in the garden. even the nobles and courtiers would go. she had to think about how to help her second sister dress up. she couldn¡¯t lose her composure in front of the noble ladies! gu yunzhen secretly made up her mind and asked about lu qin again. ¡°second sister, ah qin¡­¡± how was she? gu yanfei briefly explained the situation, including what had happened near the west gate. ¡°¡­¡± gu yunzhen¡¯s expression was a little complicated, and she sighed slightly. ¡°why doesn¡¯t second madam lu believe it? even if she would rather not believe it, she can investigate.¡± as long as the man was sincere about this marriage, he could wait, even if it was a few days later. ¡°¡­¡± gu yanfei pursed her lips and remained silent. everyone had their own selfish motives, and so did second madam lu. the night breeze had a hint of coolness, blowing their hair. their clothes fluttered, and the surroundings were abnormally quiet. after walking in the night wind for a while, gu yunzhen asked again, ¡°then are you going to duke chang¡¯an mansion tomorrow?¡± ¡°no.¡± gu yanfei shook her head. if lu shi settled the matter, it didn¡¯t matter if she went or not. if lu shi couldn¡¯t do it well, they would talk about it later. could it be that lu shi couldn¡¯t even handle such a small matter? then it was better not to be a brother! Chapter 516 - Chapter 516: Marriage Letter (2) chapter 516: marriage letter (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios the mansion appeared somewhat deserted in the night, with fewer people around, and the lanterns hanging throughout were sparsely lit, casting a dim glow over the estate. in the night breeze, the trees swayed with the wind in the dark, making people feel that there was something hidden in the darkness. gu yunzhen subconsciously held gu yanfei¡¯s arm. ever since she heard the cry of a baby in the small garden that night, she had been feeling uneasy and didn¡¯t dare to walk around casually at night. ¡°wa¡­ wa¡­¡± a baby¡¯s shrill cry came faintly with the night wind, sandwiched between the rustling leaves. gu yunzhen¡¯s body seemed to be frozen. she froze and stopped in her tracks. the wind ruffled her bangs and hair at her temples, tickling her cheek playfully. ¡°second sister, you¡­ you¡­¡± gu yunzhen gulped and asked gu yanfei in fear, ¡°did you hear just now¡­¡± she listened again. there was silence in the darkness, and she heard nothing. it seemed to be her imagination just now. gu yunzhen couldn¡¯t help but swallow. it was especially clear in the silent night. ¡°i¡¯ll go over and take a look.¡± gu yanfei pointed in the direction of the small garden and smiled casually. ¡°wait!¡± gu yunzhen grabbed gu yanfei¡¯s hand and said anxiously, ¡°i¡¯ll go with you.¡± she was afraid that gu yanfei would leave her behind. the lantern in the servant girl¡¯s hand swayed back and forth in the night wind. the candle flame in the lantern swayed with the wind. the orange light flickered, giving off a sinister and strange feeling. gu yanfei went back and held gu yunzhen¡¯s cold little hand. she met her shocked eyes and smiled. ¡°okay, let¡¯s go together!¡± the two girls walked along a bluestone path towards the small garden. gu yunzhen was a step behind. as she walked, she looked around nervously, her gentle face a little pale. ¡°meow!¡± a black cat suddenly jumped out of the bamboo forest and looked back at them fiercely. it was so intimidating that its back and tail stood on end. a pair of amber cat eyes shone in the night. ¡°it¡¯s a wild cat!¡± the servant girl with the lantern heaved a sigh of relief and patted her chest. after the black cat finished breathing, it jumped lightly onto the garden wall and disappeared in the blink of an eye. gu yunzhen looked blankly in the direction the cat had left. after a long time, she slowly blinked. ¡°it¡¯s a cat.¡± she turned to gu yanfei and smiled. ¡°was that a cat¡¯s cry just now?¡± iler mother was right. it was indeed a cat. she had thought too much and mistaken the cat¡¯s cry for a baby¡¯s cry. ¡°¡­¡± gu yanfei¡¯s hand that was hidden in her sleeve moved, but she didn¡¯t say anything. she held gu yunzhen¡¯s arm and continued walking. the bamboo forest behind them danced in the night breeze. rustling sounds rose and fell, as if someone was whispering. the night gradually deepened. the sound of a clapper came from afar. it was extremely penetrating in the silent night. this night was very long for many people. the lu family and the hua family were the same. ¡°old doctor wang, how¡¯s my son?¡± madam hua asked an old doctor with white hair with a worried expression. doctor wang stroked his beard and shook his head. he sighed deeply. this low sigh echoed in madam hua¡¯s ears like thunder. tears welled up in madam hua¡¯s eyes. she trembled and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief. her voice was a little hoarse. ¡°didn¡¯t you say that we can still last for more than a month? how can it be so fast¡­¡± her eyes were red, and she choked. ¡°i don¡¯t know either.¡± doctor wang frowned and said, ¡°eldest young master¡¯s condition has been deteriorating in the past few years. his condition has been quite stable recently¡­¡± ¡°sigh, i can only say that the eldest young master has been ill for many years. his body is already riddled with holes, like a tree trunk that has been hollowed out by termites¡­ i¡¯m afraid he¡¯s already helpless.¡± ¡°i¡¯ve already done my best. he might not survive tonight¡­¡± madam hua¡¯s body trembled, and she took two steps back. she staggered and sat on a chair at the back, her face pale. the nanny beside her looked at madam hua worriedly and stroked her back comfortingly. after a while, madam hua calmed herself down and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°old doctor wang, can you delay it for another day¡­ just one day?¡± in just a few words, she looked like she had aged a few years. old doctor wang actually didn¡¯t quite understand why she wanted young master hua to hold on for another day. however, when he thought about how loving madam hua was and how he had watched the child of the hua family grow up, he was ultimately reluctant to part with young master hua.. Chapter 517 - Chapter 517: Marriage Letter (3) chapter 517: marriage letter (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios he stroked his goatee again and said in a low voice, ¡°prepare a ginseng that¡¯s more than 200 years old and boil it thickly. if you give it to him, he should be able to last another day.¡± as they spoke, a middle-aged man in a blue shirt and a young man in a royal blue shirt came in one after another. old physician wang cupped his hands and bowed. just as he was about to leave, he was hurriedly interrupted by madam hua. ¡°old physician wang, please stay in the residence for another day¡­ i¡¯m really worried about my son.¡± doctor wang thought that it was just a matter of staying for another day, so he agreed. ¡°granny cai, bring doctor wang down to rest,¡± madam hua instructed. she ordered a servant girl to quickly get the ginseng to boil soup. after doctor wang left, only the three hua family members were left in the room. the surroundings were silent for a moment. after making sure that the footsteps outside had gone far, madam hua said to the father and son, ¡°there¡¯s time. the betrothal will be sent to the lu family tomorrow.¡± ¡°okay.¡± master hua heaved a sigh of relief and nodded repeatedly. ¡°that¡¯s great.¡± old madam hua¡¯s eyes were filled with tears. she wiped the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief. ¡°when they¡¯re married, xi¡¯er won¡¯t be alone in the netherworld.¡± ¡°don¡¯t worry. the third miss of the lu family is compatible with xi¡¯er¡¯s birth characters. she should become his wife. xi¡¯er has borrowed her blessings. his health will definitely be smooth in his next life, and he will be safe for the rest of his life.¡± old master hua comforted his wife gently. ¡°that¡¯s right, mother.¡± the second young master, hua zhao, gently stroked his mother¡¯s back, a hint of ruthlessness on his handsome face. ¡°we still have to go to the lu family to make betrothal gifts tomorrow. don¡¯t cry and ruin your health.¡± hua zhao silently exchanged glances with old master hua, and the father and son¡¯s eyes flashed with an abnormally bright light. once this yin marriage was established, not only would it bring prosperity to the hua family, but it would also bring luck to the hua family for three generations. nothing must go wrong with this marriage! madam hua forced a smile and reminded him tiredly, ¡°zhao¡¯er, when you go to make the betrothal tomorrow, be careful¡­ nothing must go wrong.¡± ¡°when the time was set yesterday, the lu family was already a little unhappy. fortunately, aunt helped to mediate the situation and finally settle the marriage.¡± ¡°everything will be fine after the betrothal ceremony tomorrow.¡± old master hua stroked his beard and said, ¡°our family hasn¡¯t treated the lu family badly.¡± ¡°yes.¡± madam hua nodded, her eyes turning even redder. their family was also very kind. even if lu qin died, they would still marry her into the family and let her be the first wife. she would enter their lu family¡¯s ancestral grave, ancestral hall, and enjoy the incense of their descendants. they didn¡¯t treat lu qin badly at all. moreover, the lu family had also received good news. the vacancy in the divine arms battalion had cost their family a lot of effort. ¡°oh no! oh no!¡± an anxious female voice suddenly came from outside the curtain. right on the heels of that, the curtain was knocked up by someone. a servant girl hurriedly ran in and reported with a pale face, ¡°eldest master, eldest madam, eldest young master, he¡­ his fever has worsened. not only are his limbs twitching, but his eyes are also¡­ bleeding!¡± hearing this, master hua and his wife could no longer sit still. they got up abruptly and hurried through the curtain into the inner room. that night, the lights of the hua family were bright all night. even when the crow of the rooster at dawn sounded, the lights were still lit. the weak light gently enveloped the young master on the bed. the young man¡¯s face was sallow, and he was so thin that he was only skin and bones. his eyes were closed, and he was already breathing heavily. the servant girl poured a bowl of ginseng soup into the unconscious hua xi with difficulty. the sickly young man was weak, and his skin was dark. his entire body exuded a dying aura. anyone could tell that he was on his last breath. madam hua held her eldest son¡¯s thin hand and said gently, ¡°xi¡¯er, hold on a little longer. i won¡¯t let you be alone¡­¡± ¡°everything is ready. your aunt is here too. your brother and 1 will go and make the betrothal for you today.¡± her voice was hoarse and weak. tears appeared in her red and swollen eyes again, and her eyes were abnormally bright. madam hua tucked her eldest son in and went to freshen up. when the auspicious time came, she set off from hua mansion. a total of 64 heavy betrothal gifts attracted many curious gazes along the way. it was lively. when the hua family¡¯s betrothal gift convoy arrived at duke chang¡¯an¡¯s mansion in the capital, it wasn¡¯t even noon. this was a joyous occasion for the duke¡¯s mansion, so he naturally opened the main door to welcome them.. Chapter 518 - Chapter 518: Marriage Letter (4) chapter 518: marriage letter (4) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios large red lanterns were hung everywhere in the residence, and it was a joyous occasion. second master lu, second madam lu, and lu shi were entertaining the hua family in the main hall of the outer courtyard. second madam lu¡¯s expression didn¡¯t look too good. the shadow in her eye sockets deepened as she said apologetically to the hua family, ¡°i¡¯m sorry. qin¡¯er is still ill and can¡¯t come out to entertain guests.¡± at night, her daughter¡¯s condition suddenly worsened, and her fever became even worse. her limbs twitched, and her eyes even bled, scaring second madam lu. in the middle of the night, she specially invited a doctor from the rejuvenation hall to visit her. however, the doctor said that lu qin only had a cold and that the other symptoms should be caused by a high fever. he asked them to wipe lu qin¡¯s body with strong wine to cool her down. however, after a long night, her daughter¡¯s fever didn¡¯t subside at all. second madam lu didn¡¯t sleep all night and stayed by her daughter¡¯s bed. ¡°it¡¯s fine.¡± madam hua smiled understandingly and said gently, ¡°i heard that qin¡¯er is sick. i specially brought a 300-year-old ginseng this time.¡± she raised her hand and gestured. the attendant brought over a red-painted wooden box and presented it to madam lu. madam hua comforted her. ¡°in-law, don¡¯t be anxious. it¡¯s easy to catch a cold in this weather. your daughter is young and has a good foundation. she¡¯ll naturally recover after resting for three to five days.¡± the other party¡¯s words made second madam lu feel extremely comfortable. especially since the 300-year-old ginseng was rare and highly sought after, the hua family was actually willing to give it away. they were really considerate. initially, second madam lu vaguely felt that her daughter¡¯s illness was too coincidental. because of what gu yanfei had said, she felt more or less uneasy. now that she saw madam hua behaving sincerely, her doubts and uneasiness naturally faded. second young master hua zhao said considerately, ¡°second madam lu, if you need any medicinal herbs, just let me know. our families aren¡¯t strangers.¡± second madam lu couldn¡¯t help but look at the young man in red sitting beside madam hua. the young man was wearing a festive red shirt today. he looked handsome and refined, with a faint smile on his lips. there was no dissatisfaction or unhappiness in his description. second madam lu, as the mother-in-law, observed her son-in-law more and more and grew increasingly satisfied. she thought he was excellent in every aspect, and her smile deepened by three degrees. ¡°yes, yes, from now on, our two families are no longer strangers.¡± after exchanging a few more pleasantries, madam hua asked the nanny in charge to hand over the marriage contract and gift. there was a thick stack of gifts in her hand. second madam lu skimmed through it and was even more satisfied with the hua family. the generous betrothal gifts represented how much the man valued the woman. their lu family wasn¡¯t a family that coveted the man¡¯s betrothal gifts. the betrothal gifts would all be placed in the woman¡¯s dowry before returning to the hua family. second madam lu accepted the gift and was about to open the marriage contract when she heard lu zi, who had been sitting beside her for a long time, suddenly stood up, startling everyone in the room. lu shi walked straight to hua zhao and said, ¡°this is my future brother-in-law, right?¡± he stood while hua zhao sat. lu shi looked down at hua zhao, who was sitting on the lap chair. second madam lu couldn¡¯t help but clench the big red marriage contract in her hand. her son¡¯s words clearly sounded like he was looking for trouble. if this wasn¡¯t his brother-in-law, who else could it be?! thinking of how her son had come to question her yesterday because of gu yanfei¡¯s instigation, second madam lu¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°that¡¯s right.¡± hua zhao smiled and nodded at lu shi generously. he cupped his hands and greeted him. ¡°brother.¡± ¡°really?¡± lu shi raised his eyebrows. there was a hint of mockery in his playful tone. his sharp gaze shot straight at hua zhao, as if wanting to penetrate his hypocritical appearance. ¡°how can 1 be fake?!¡± hua zhao frowned slightly and raised his voice slightly in displeasure. he panicked for a moment, but he still maintained his composure and told himself: ¡°i look exactly like my eldest brother. no one can tell.¡± there was a sinister look in the depths of hua zhao¡¯s eyes. this lu family is really despicable. they clearly agreed to the marriage themselves. now that its going well, they want to go back on their word. can it be that they want more benefits?! second madam lu¡¯s eyelashes twitched. afraid that her son would say something he shouldn¡¯t say, she smiled and eased the atmosphere. ¡°shi¡¯er, have you forgotten? you saw hua xi at baiyun temple last time.¡± as she spoke, she gave her son a look to tell him to stop fooling around. later on, he still had to rely on the hua family to find him a job in the divine arms battalion. moreover, the hua family were his future in-laws. his sister was about to marry into the hua family. if he offended the hua family, wouldn¡¯t it make things difficult for his sister in the future?! lu shi pursed his lips and didn¡¯t chase after hua zhao anymore. he took out a pouch from his sleeve and handed it to hua zhao. ¡°brother-in-law, this is for you. my sister made it herself.¡± it was a gourd-shaped purple pouch with mandarin ducks playing lotus embroidered on it. everyone present was stunned, especially second madam lu. she was secretly glad that her son had finally thought it through and stopped fooling around with gu yanfei, wei jiaoniang, and the others. lu shi handed the wallet a little more in the direction of hua zhao with a smile. hua zhao stared at lu shi for a moment and raised his hand to take the pouch. he smiled and said, ¡°please help me thank ah qin.¡± he was a little suspicious and uneasy, but seeing lu shi¡¯s friendly smile, he temporarily suppressed the thousands of thoughts in his heart. he toyed with the pouch and praised, ¡°ah qin¡¯s embroidery is really exquisite.¡± ¡°you¡¯re too kind.¡± seeing that hua zhao had accepted the pouch, second madam lu felt relieved. she said humbly, ¡°her needlework is just for show. if she can learn a few pointers from her aunt, i¡¯ll be thankful.¡± madam hua was amused and smiled as she said some celebratory words. madam hua and old madam hua exchanged glances. madam hua said to second madam lu with a smile, ¡°aunt, the auspicious time is here. hurry up and sign the marriage contract. i¡¯m still waiting for you to thank me.¡± in a few words, she hyped up the atmosphere. soon, an old woman brought over a big case. a big red marriage contract in two copies was spread out on the table. now, all that was left was for the woman¡¯s elder to sign her name, and the marriage contract would officially take effect. second master lu walked to the front of the table. after carefully reading the marriage contract, he picked up the brush and dipped it in ink. suddenly, a head appeared above the marriage contract. lu shi bent over and stared at the marriage contract. ¡°brother-in-law, is your name hua xi?¡± as soon as he finished speaking, lu shi looked at hua zhao with a faint smile.. Chapter 519 - Chapter 519: Making the Call (1) chapter 519: making the call (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios hua zhao¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and he became suspicious again. however, he thought that he was only one step away. as long as second master lu signed the marriage contract, everything would be over and couldn¡¯t be changed. hua zhao calmed down again and nodded again. he smiled like the spring breeze and said, ¡°it¡¯s hua xi.¡± his father had given his eldest brother this name because he hoped that he could live up to his name as a radiant sun. what a pity. ¡°i see.¡± lu shi sighed casually. he straightened up and took two steps back, as if he was just curious about how to write his brother-in-law¡¯s name, so he asked casually. a father knew his son best. second master lu always felt that his son was a little strange, but now was clearly not a good time to question his son. he composed himself and signed the marriage contract solemnly. seeing that the marriage contract had been signed, the hua family and madam hua were overjoyed. madam hua smiled and said some celebratory words. ¡°in the future, when the hua and lu families are closer, the couple will definitely be able to live happily ever after!¡± ¡°xi¡¯er, you have to treat qin¡¯er well in the future. otherwise, my aunt won¡¯t forgive you.¡± ¡°aunt, don¡¯t worry.¡± hua zhao echoed repeatedly, indicating that he would treat lu qin well. as everyone chatted happily, the atmosphere in the hall became even more lively. originally, after the betrothal, the lu family should have set up a banquet to entertain the hua family, but because lu qin was sick today, the hua family thoughtfully suggested that they dispense with this unnecessary red tape. second master lu personally sent the hua family out. lu shi narrowed his eyes slightly and stared at hua zhao¡¯s back without blinking. only then did he heave a sigh of relief. second madam lu stood beside him and sized up this son suspiciously. she kept feeling that he was strange and inexplicable just now. however, thinking that the betrothal had finally been successfully arranged today, second madam lu warned, ¡°shi¡¯er, at the banquet later, you mustn¡¯t find trouble with your sister¡¯s husband again.¡± ¡°your sister¡¯s husband is too lazy to argue with you because of your sister. he¡¯s being polite and reasonable. you can¡¯t go too far, right?!¡± second madam lu kept lecturing her son, while lu shi ignored his mother¡¯s words. he was worried about his sister. ¡°madam.¡± granny yang ran over happily, her eyes bright. ¡°miss is awake. third miss is awake!¡± ¡°really!¡± second madam lu clapped her hands happily and said, ¡°amitabha, please bless ah qin. this joyous occasion must have washed away my bad luck.¡± ¡°that¡¯s great. shi¡¯er, 1 think your brother-in-law¡¯s fate will definitely make your sister happy.¡± lu shi smiled. his heart, which had been suspended all night, was finally relieved at this moment. he hurriedly ran towards lu qin¡¯s courtyard and only said, ¡°i¡¯m going to see qin¡¯er!¡± second madam lu shook her head and sighed. her son was already 17 or 18 years old, but he was still unpredictable. second madam lu also quickly chased after him and followed her son to see her daughter. there were joyous events in the duke¡¯s mansion today. the magpies were chattering non-stop. the hua family outside the duke¡¯s mansion was also overjoyed. the group of carriages set off on their return journey. as for madam hua, she got into another carriage and parted ways with her family. in the carriage, master hua and his wife heaved a sigh of relief, especially madam hua, who repeatedly looked at the marriage contract in her hand with tears in her eyes. ¡°poor xi¡¯er.¡± two lines of bright tears fell from the corners of madam hua¡¯s eyes. ¡°i should have chosen a good wife of equal social status and knowledge for him. now, i can only wrong him¡­¡± although her eldest son was weak, he was talented and came from a noble background. the men of the hua family had always only married women from aristocratic families. the hua family¡¯s genealogy showed that all their wives were illustrious. which one of them didn¡¯t come from a noble family with a long history? furthermore, this lu family wasn¡¯t a merchant in the previous dynasty. if they hadn¡¯t sponsored emperor taizu and obtained merit, they would probably still be city merchants and a lowly ninth-tier family. xi¡¯er actually wanted to marry such a woman! ¡°don¡¯t be sad.¡± old master hua put his arm around his wife¡¯s shoulder and comforted her. ¡°in a few days, we¡¯ll adopt a child under xi¡¯er¡¯s name and inherit his incense. our xi¡¯er won¡¯t be wronged.¡± madam hua nodded and choked. she knew that this was a good thing, but she still didn¡¯t feel good. when she thought of her bitter eldest son, her heart felt like it was being pinched and she was extremely uncomfortable.. Chapter 520 - Chapter 520: Making the Call (2) chapter 520: making the call (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios seeing this, master hua lifted the curtains of the carriage and urged the coachman outside, ¡°old li, hurry up!¡± tears welled up in madam hua¡¯s eyes as she stammered, ¡°no matter what, 1 have to go back and see xi¡¯er for the last time!¡± the coachman, old li, responded and waved his whip high. the hua family¡¯s convoy hurried towards the west gate. madam hua was eager to go home. from time to time, she would open the curtains and look out of the carriage. when they were about to reach the west gate, madam hua lifted the curtains again, but she realized that her second son, hua zhao, was nowhere to be seen. madam hua looked back and forth and saw hua zhao riding a white horse at the back of the convoy. her expression wasn¡¯t good. ¡°zhao¡­¡± madam hua almost shouted the name of her second son, but she stopped herself in the end. ¡°butler lin, go and see eldest young master¡­¡± she changed her words and instructed the accompanying butler lin to see her second son. however, before she could finish speaking, she saw hua zhao¡¯s body sway and suddenly fall off the horse¡­ ¡°zhao¡¯er!¡± madam hua lost her rationality for a moment and blurted out her second son¡¯s name in panic. she shouted anxiously, ¡°stop the car, stop the car quickly!¡± hua zhao, who had fallen off the horse, had one foot in the stirrup. he was dragged forward by the horse just like that, and his bun scattered messily¡­ the others on the street also saw the scene of hua zhao falling off her horse. several passersby exclaimed one after another, ¡°look, someone fell off his horse!¡± ¡°someone fell off a horse!¡± everyone from the hua family to the surrounding passersby was shocked. immediately, enthusiastic passersby went forward to hold hua zhao¡¯s black horse. someone helped untie his right foot from the stirrup and place him flat on the ground. hua zhao¡¯s eyes were tightly shut as he lay there motionless. his half-dispersed hair was stained with a lot of dust, and there was a red and blue bump on one side of his forehead. his clothes were in a mess. ¡°zhao¡­ xi¡¯er!¡± madam hua got out of the carriage and rushed towards hua zhao. her face was filled with worry and anxiety. ¡°he¡¯s still breathing.¡± a passerby tested hua zhao¡¯s breathing and shouted, ¡°the myriad herb hall is ahead. hurry up and send him to the myriad herb hall.¡± madam hua cried and pounced on her son on the ground. more and more passersby gathered there. master hua hurriedly instructed the servants to carry hua zhao, who was lying on the ground, to the myriad herb hall not far away. some passersby dispersed, and some busybodies chased after them to the myriad herb hall, surrounding them tightly. doctor wan from the myriad herb hall hurriedly treated the unconscious hua zhao. he checked his pulse, performed acupuncture, and fed him medicine, but hua zhao remained unconscious and even began to have a fever. he was very ill. in just an hour, his fever became more and more intense. not only did his limbs convulse violently, but two lines of shocking blood and tears even flowed from his eyes. even the staff of the myriad herb hall was shocked. ¡°master hua, madam hua.¡± doctor wan said helplessly to the hua family, ¡°your son¡¯s illness is coming in a hurry. his high fever won¡¯t subside, his yin and yang have separated, and he has lost vital energy. it seems his life isn¡¯t long for this world. even immortals would find it difficult to save him¡­¡± madam hua looked as if she had been struck by lightning. her face was paler than a corpse, and her body was on the verge of collapse. she muttered, ¡°yin and yang are separated and he has lost vital energy¡­¡± she grabbed her husband¡¯s sleeve, still in shock. ¡°isn¡¯t this the same as¡­ xi¡¯er?¡± doctor wang also said that hua xi¡¯s pulse showed that his yin and yang were separate. moreover, like his brother, hua xi, hua zhao¡¯s eyes were bleeding. madam hua felt as if a knife was being twisted in her heart. her body trembled uncontrollably, like a flower in the wind and rain. she looked at her second son, hua zhao, on the couch with tears in her eyes. hua zhao was still unconscious. his cheeks were flushed, and his limbs were twitching. at this moment, in madam hua¡¯s teary eyes, hua zhao¡¯s face overlapped with her eldest son¡¯s face¡­ were her two sons going to die?! a chill rose from the bottom of her feet and quickly spread throughout her body. her eyes were filled with despair and heartache. looking at her appearance, doctor wan couldn¡¯t hide his sigh. an 18-year-old young man was in his prime. which parent wouldn¡¯t feel heartache? he was about to say something like ¡°i¡¯m sorry for your loss¡± when he heard the sound of a curtain behind him, followed by the waiter¡¯s respectful and enthusiastic voice. ¡°boss.¡± doctor wan and the hua family all looked in the direction of the voice. gu yunrong, who was dressed in peach-colored hibiscus, walked in from the back hall. her naturally curved lips seemed to have a smile.. Chapter 521 - Chapter 521: Making the Call (3) chapter 521: making the call (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios madam hua looked shocked. she didn¡¯t expect the doctor of this medical center to be such a young lady. gu yunrong walked straight to madam hua and asked, ¡°what did you just say was the same?¡± madam hua thought that since this girl was the owner of this medical center, she must also know medicine. or perhaps it was because of her family¡¯s family background, and there were elders in the family who knew medicine, so she said truthfully, ¡°zhao¡­ his illness is exactly the same as his brother¡¯s.¡± at the thought of her eldest son, madam hua¡¯s body trembled violently, and her breathing quickened. ¡°his brother has the same symptoms. his high fever doesn¡¯t subside, his limbs twitch, and his eyes bleed¡­ the doctor said that his brother won¡¯t live long.¡± ¡°his brother has been weak and sickly since he was young, but he has been healthy since he was young. he doesn¡¯t have any illnesses or pain. he was clearly fine early in the morning, but he suddenly had an attack just now¡­¡± ¡°how could this be? why did it have to be the two brothers¡­¡± tears streamed down the corners of madam hua¡¯s eyes again. she was sobbing uncontrollably and inconsolably. the waiter beside her also heard it and looked at madam hua sympathetically. the two brothers in the family had a terminal illness. this couple was too miserable! ¡°their symptoms are the same?¡± gu yunrong frowned thoughtfully and asked. she thought to herself: could it be an infectious disease? however, if it was an infectious disease, the two brothers wouldn¡¯t be the only ones who were sick. madam hua nodded. ¡°may i ask if anyone else in the family is sick?¡± gu yunrong asked again. ¡°just the two of them¡­ are sick.¡± madam hua¡¯s voice was trembling. her voice was even hoarser, as if it had been sharpened by rough sand and stones. gu yunrong took the mask from the servant girl and put it on. she was about to check on the young man on the couch when she suddenly stepped on something. she looked down and saw a purple gourd-shaped pouch on the ground. the drawstring of the purse wasn¡¯t tightened, and a corner of pale yellow paper was revealed from the purse¡­ this purse looked quite ordinary, but this pale yellow paper looked a little familiar. gu yunrong stopped in her tracks and picked up the pouch. she took out the pale yellow paper. vermilion runes came into view, and the cinnabar was as bright as blood. it was obvious that this was a talisman. in the past, gu yunrong wouldn¡¯t have cared about such a talisman at all. however, in the past few months, after experiencing so many things, she has learned to respect it. since there was a transmigrator like emperor taizu in this world, there could naturally be mysterious academic methods. ¡°are these your son¡¯s?¡± gu yunrong asked seriously. her eyes were as clear as water. ¡°where did you get them?¡± talisman? madam hua and master hua were stunned. master hua¡¯s expression was extremely ugly. he said vaguely, ¡°this is from my son¡¯s fiancee, third aaiss lu¡­ it¡¯s third miss lu from duke chang¡¯an¡¯s mansion.¡± ¡°we were heading home from the lu family.¡± old master hua was deliberately vague about who he was betrothed to. ¡°how did such a joyous occasion become like this!¡± tears streamed down madam hua¡¯s face as she choked and covered her face. she was so weak that she looked like she would faint at any moment. wasn¡¯t third miss lu lu qin? gu yunrong subconsciously clenched the talisman in her hand. she knew that lu qin was on good terms with wei jiaoniang. could it be¡­ gu yunrong was actually 70-80% confident. her eyelashes fluttered as she double-checked. ¡°in other words, your son fell ill not long after he came out of the lu family?¡± madam hua endured the pain in her heart and recalled. her face was as white as snow as she stammered, ¡°when my son came out of the lu family, he was still fine and could ride a horse¡­ just now, he suddenly fainted outside and fell off the horse.¡± gu yunrong¡¯s eyes were a little complicated, and she sighed slightly. ¡°1 roughly know why your son is so ill¡­¡± ¡°does third miss lu not agree to the marriage?¡± she asked bluntly. ¡°¡­¡± madam hua¡¯s red and swollen eyes widened. her tragic face turned ugly for a moment, as dark as ink. although lu qin had a good impression of hua zhao when they met at baiyun temple that day, she could tell that lu qin was unwilling when she set the date. second madam lu had forced lu qin to come that day. to madam hua, it didn¡¯t matter if lu qin was willing or not. as long as the marriage was successful, it didn¡¯t matter if this girl was willing. moreover, it wasn¡¯t up to a young lady to make the call about marriage. eldest madam hua¡¯s pale lips moved slightly, but she couldn¡¯t say it. if she nodded, wouldn¡¯t she admit that her eldest son, hua xi, was despised by miss lu?! Chapter 522 - Chapter 522: Making the Call (4) chapter 522: making the call (4) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios just thinking about it made madam hua¡¯s heart ache. it was already aggrieved enough for her eldest son to marry a girl from such a vulgar and rude family¡­ master hua knew what madam hua was thinking. he nodded stiffly and said, ¡°the young lady¡¯s temperament is uncertain. she was happy for a moment but later went back on her word.¡± ¡°but the elders of the lu family are willing. the two families just signed a marriage contract today,¡± master hua added. gu yunrong¡¯s heart was as clear as a mirror. she had more or less confirmed the cause and effect of the entire matter: the cause of this matter is that lu qin is fickle. she agreed to the marriage and wanted to cancel it halfway. she and wei jiaoniang were on good terms with gu yanfei. this talisman was most likely gu yanfei¡¯s doing. gu yanfei had always been a person who helped her family. just because lu qin didn¡¯t like this marriage, gu yanfei used this method to ruin the marriage. gu yunrong gripped the talisman in her hand tightly, her eyes flickering. after a moment of silence, gu yunrong said calmly, ¡°since your son is ill, the lu family must be unwilling to accept this marriage, so they resorted to witchcraft.¡± in the past, gu yunrong didn¡¯t believe in performing spells and drawing talismans. however, gu yanfei¡¯s actions over the past few days have refreshed her worldview again and again. she couldn¡¯t help but guess how gu yanfei had done those unbelievable things¡­ there was a famous saying that, excluding all impossible factors, the rest, no matter how unbelievable, must be the truth. therefore, gu yanfei was indeed a philosopher with an academic method and indeed had that extraordinary ability. ¡°witchcraft?¡± madam hua¡¯s eyes widened, and her pupils moved. ¡°miss, do you mean that my son only fell sick because the lu family hired someone to perform witchcraft on him?¡± tears streamed down her flushed face, and she was panting slightly. veins appeared on her neck, and she was shocked and angry. so this was what happened. zhao¡¯er was clearly healthy, but his life is suddenly in danger. it turns out that an evil person has done something to him! master hua¡¯s expression also changed. his face was filled with surprise and doubt, and his brows were furrowed deeply. ¡°most likely.¡± gu yunrong nodded slightly and looked out of the window leisurely. she looked in the direction of the gu mansion and suddenly said, ¡°as far as i know, third miss lu is on good terms with the second lady of the gu family.¡± she stopped and didn¡¯t say anything else. she didn¡¯t say anything bad about gu yanfei. but to the hua family, this sentence was enough. ¡°second lady gu?!¡± old master hua and madam hua had heard of second lady gu, the second lady who had even killed shangqing spiritual master. the couple looked at each other. there was shock, fear, doubt, uneasiness, and even heartache for their second son, hua zhao. was second lady gu the one who harmed their second son? ¡°why?!¡± madam hua¡¯s eyes widened again. she whimpered and said angrily, ¡°is it because third miss lu is unwilling that second lady gu wants to harm my son?!¡± ¡°this is too much!¡± the more madam hua spoke, the more agitated she became, and her breathing became faster and faster. she held hua zhao¡¯s hand hard. her usually warm and strong hand was now cold and sweaty, and her fingers were weak. the hurt was in her son¡¯s body, but the pain was in her heart. madam hua wished she could suffer on behalf of her second son. although master hua also felt sorry for his son, he was more rational than madam. he sized gu yunrong up with a strange gaze and felt that this girl knew too much. gu yunrong calmly met the other party¡¯s sharp gaze. what she said was the truth. she had a clear conscience. besides, as long as they investigated some things, they would definitely be able to find clues. it was just that they didn¡¯t expect their in-laws to harm their son! madam hua was extremely sad. she bit her lower lip so hard that it was almost bleeding. she muttered, ¡°then¡­ what should i do with my son?¡± what should she do with her zhao¡¯er? her eldest son, xi¡¯er, could no longer be saved. he had been sentenced to death by several doctors. if even her remaining second son was in trouble, what would she and her husband do? what should she do about the hua family¡¯s incense? madam hua¡¯s heart sank. her limbs were cold, bone-chilling, and it hurt. ¡°¡­¡± gu yunrong was silent. her cherry lips pursed slightly. after sighing, she instructed doctor wan, ¡°doctor wan, try your best to save him first and lower his fever¡­ if this continues, i¡¯m afraid¡­¡± ¡°sigh.¡± doctor wan also sighed and frowned deeply. in the eyes of madam hua, her helpless look was exactly the same as that of doctor wang, who had sentenced her eldest son to death. this sigh was more like someone stabbing madam hua again and again with a knife. ¡°¡­¡± madam hua¡¯s heart constricted violently. it was so painful that her soul seemed to have been pierced by a knife. madam hua¡¯s vision darkened. she held her heart and collapsed, letting the darkness completely swallow her¡­ ¡°madam!¡± ¡°madam, how are you?¡± waves of sharp shouts surrounded madam hua. the servants of the hua family surrounded her worriedly, and the surroundings were in chaos. ¡°let me take a look.¡± doctor wan hurriedly went forward to take madam hua¡¯s pulse. gu yunrong looked pitiful and sighed secretly. just because lu qin doesn¡¯t like this marriage, they didn¡¯t hesitate to sacrifice a life?! this was too unscrupulous. the front hall of the myriad herb hall was in a mess, like a cat on a hot tin roof. this scene also fell into the eyes of gu yanfei and wei jiaoniang, who were in a tea shop not far away. wei jiaoniang has been restless since last night. although she trusted gu yanfei, she couldn¡¯t help but panic and be afraid when she thought of the seriously ill lu qin. at dawn, wei jiaoniang ran to the gu residence to look for gu yanfei. gu yanfei brought her here. the two of them had already drunk two pots of tea here. when the hua family¡¯s convoy came over just now, wei jiaoniang almost rushed over to teach him a lesson. however, in the next moment, she saw hua zhao fall from his horse. gu yanfei took a sip of the fragrant barley tea and touched her chin. she smiled and said, ¡°ah qin should be able to wake up.¡± ¡°that¡¯s great!¡± wei jiaoniang was overjoyed. she finished the barley tea in her cup in one sitting and placed the empty cup on the table. wei jiaoniang lowered her voice and whispered into gu yanfei¡¯s ear.. she pointed in the direction of the myriad herb hall and asked, ¡°what about him?¡± Chapter 523 - Chapter 523: Waves (1) chapter 523: waves (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°what originally should have happened to ah qin will happen to him.¡± gu yanfei¡¯s voice was calm, as if she was cutting ice and jade, and there was an almost cold calmness in it. the talisman in the pouch was drawn by gu yanfei yesterday. she instructed lu shi to hand it to the young master of the hua family personally and make him personally admit that he was hua xi. as the saying goes, ¡°the law follows the word.¡± wei jiaoniang¡¯s eyes were sparkling. she personally poured tea for gu yanfei and silently toasted her. the two of them smiled tacitly. people entered the tea shop one after another on the streets. they talked about what had just happened. ¡°the person who just fell off the horse seems to have been sent to the medical center ahead.¡± ¡°that young master seems to be having a high fever. his body was twitching like an epileptic¡­ he said he¡¯s about to die. how pitiful. he¡¯s so young, and 1 heard that he just got engaged today.¡± the tea guests sighed, and the more they talked, the more lively it became. ¡°that¡¯s right, that¡¯s right.¡± another well-rounded middle-aged woman came in from behind and spoke excitedly to the tea guests in front. ¡°doctor wan said that that young master isn¡¯t sick, but has been under an evil spell.¡± ¡°and he said¡­¡± at this point, the middle-aged woman revealed a strange and complicated expression. she wanted to say something but hesitated, as if she didn¡¯t know if she should say it. immediately, another young woman tugged at her sleeve curiously and asked, ¡°sister, what else did doctor wan say?¡± the middle-aged woman was still a little hesitant. another old man who had just entered the tea shop said to her, ¡°the people from the myriad herb hall said that second lady gu did it.¡± there was silence in the tea shop. when the surrounding tea guests heard this, they were all dumbfounded and couldn¡¯t believe their ears. ¡°how is that possible?¡± the young woman subconsciously raised her voice. ¡°second lady gu is a benevolent little immortal. she saved many children.¡± ¡°i¡¯m telling the truth!¡± the old man was furious and said angrily, ¡°i heard it with my own ears just now. they were talking about second lady gu. if you don¡¯t believe me, go to the myriad herb hall and ask.¡± these words naturally reached gu yanfei and wei jiaoniang¡¯s ears. the two of them looked at each other in shock. the teacups in their hands stopped in midair. ¡°¡­¡± gu yanfei¡¯s small face revealed a rare look of shock. she raised her willowy eyebrows. this was interesting. nonsense! wei jiaoniang was so angry that her face turned green. she almost slammed the table, but gu yanfei quickly stopped her. wei jiaoniang couldn¡¯t help but turn to look at gu yanfei. her clear eyes seemed to be able to speak as she said indignantly, ¡°who¡¯s talking nonsense!¡± gu yanfei shook her head and smiled, revealing a pair of shallow smile eddies by her lips. her eyes were as calm as water, indicating for wei jiaoniang to calm down. the tea patrons in the tea shop became more and more animated as they spoke. ¡°that doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± the young woman still didn¡¯t believe it. ¡°how could the people from the myriad herb hall know that second lady gu cast an evil spell on that young master?¡± a few tea guests beside her also felt that it made sense and said one after another, ¡°that¡¯s right. they¡¯re talking nonsense without evidence.¡± ¡°we can¡¯t just say that it¡¯s second lady gu¡¯s fault that he¡¯s ill, right?¡± ¡°who doesn¡¯t know that second lady gu is benevolent and has saved countless people?! she¡¯s just like the reincarnation of guanyin!¡± the middle-aged woman¡¯s eyes lit up with reverence as she praised gu yanfei again and again. ¡°she definitely won¡¯t harm anyone!¡± ¡°i wonder what the owner of the myriad herb hall is up to. she insisted that second lady gu used sorcery to harm people!¡± ¡°hmph!¡± the old man sneered and said, ¡°if you want to talk about saving countless people, the owner of the myriad herb hall has also saved countless people. the myriad herb hall¡¯s divine medicine, penicillin, was personally developed by the owner.¡± ¡°my grandson¡¯s arm was broken from the fall previously, and his high fever didn¡¯t subside. he went to several medical centers, and they all failed to take care of him. later, he was treated by the myriad herb hall.¡± ¡°the owner of the myriad herb hall must have some skills to have such ability. she¡¯s definitely not talking nonsense!¡± speaking of the owner of the myriad herb hall, the old man¡¯s wrinkled face was filled with gratitude. ¡°owner?¡± wei jiaoniang caught the keyword. as she picked up the teapot, she lowered her voice and asked gu yanfei, ¡°yanfei, do you know who the boss of the myriad herb hall is? why is she talking nonsense!¡± ¡°gu yunrong,¡± gu yanfei said firmly. what?! wei jiaoniang was stunned again. she slowly blinked and her hand slipped, almost dropping the teapot.. Chapter 524 - Chapter 524: Waves (2) chapter 524: waves (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios gu yanfei took the teapot from wei jiaoniang¡¯s hand and poured barley tea for the two of them. the unique burnt fragrance of barley tea spread with the steam. gu yanfei drank tea leisurely and looked in the direction of the myriad herb hall. the so-called ¡°penicillin powder¡± sold in this medical center was clearly penicillin, which was only recorded in the emperor taizu¡¯s handbook. the emperor had long asked the embroidered uniform guards to turn over the foundation of this medical center and investigate the mastermind clearly. gu yanfei naturally found out about this from chu yi. wei jiaoniang was still immersed in the shock of this news. she muttered, ¡°it¡¯s actually gu yunrong.¡± as the two of them whispered, the tea guests in the tea shop were still arguing non-stop. some felt that the owner of the myriad herb hall was telling the truth, and more people felt that second lady gu was kind and wouldn¡¯t harm anyone. neither side could convince the other. ¡°whether this matter has anything to do with second lady gu or not, just wait and see.¡± another old woman walked in from outside the tea shop and interrupted excitedly. ¡°i just came from the myriad herb hall. the young master who fell off the horse¡¯s life is in danger. his parents said that they want to go to the gu mansion to seek justice from second lady gu.¡± ¡°that¡¯s great!¡± a plainly dressed scholar in blue echoed. ¡°we¡¯ll have to confront the truth!¡± ¡°they still have the cheek to confront you?¡± wei jiaoniang lowered her voice and said to gu yanfei. she looked at the entrance of the myriad herb hall with cold eyes and almost scoffed. she finally knew how shameless this person was. their son¡¯s life was important, but qin¡¯er¡¯s life wasn¡¯t?! ah qin had been pampered since she was young and had grown up under the pampering of her parents and brothers. the past 15 years had been smooth-sailing and she had never suffered so much! there seemed to be a fire burning in wei jiaoniang¡¯s heart. every time she thought of lu qin lying on the bed in a weak and unconscious state, she wished she could endure it. she hated the hua family for being despicable, but she also hated second madam lu for being stupid. the tea shop became even more noisy. a few tea guests around him also felt that what the scholar said made sense. they nodded one after another, thinking that they should confront him. the scholar in blue wanted to say something else, but he happened to see a young scholar behind the old woman. he quickly changed his words and shouted, ¡°brother han, you¡¯re finally here! we¡¯ve been waiting for you for a long time.¡± scholar han quickly walked to the table with the blue-robed scholar and the others. he cupped his hands and revealed a forced smile. ¡°i¡¯m late.¡± the scholar in blue sized him up and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°brother han, why do you look so lost?¡± after scholar han sat down, he took a sip of tea and said with a complicated expression, ¡°1 went to the myriad herb hall just now¡­¡± the few scholars at the same table looked at each other and felt strange. their classmate had always ignored everything outside and only focused on reading the sages¡¯ books. today, he actually went to the myriad herb hall to watch the commotion. scholar han took another sip of tea and continued in a difficult tone, ¡°i happened to hear from the owner of the myriad herb hall that this second lady gu is the daughter of the marquis of dingyuan, gu ce.¡± like a stone stirring up a thousand waves, the tea shop was instantly in an uproar. not only were the few scholars at the same table shocked, but even the other tea guests around them were also stunned. for a moment, words like ¡°gu ce¡±, ¡°yangzhou¡±, ¡°state of yue¡±, and ¡°subduing the enemy¡± sounded in the tea shop. scholar han drank a few cups of tea in a row. his eyes darkened, and a strong shadow flashed across them. after the emperor ascended to the throne last year, he issued a decree to establish the enke examination. for example, the autumn examinations and the spring examinations. the imperial examination takes place once every three years, and the enke examination was something that could be encountered but not sought after. due to their family¡¯s poverty, they came to the capital before the lunar new year to prepare for the enke examination and temporarily resided in a temple. he had heard various rumors about miss gu in the past, and he had actually admired her charitable actions. only today did he know that the second lady gu, whom everyone praised, was actually gu ce¡¯s daughter! ¡°brother han, did you hear anything else in the myriad herb hall?¡± the scholar in blue calmed himself down and asked. only then did scholar han, who was in a daze, come back to his senses. he roughly explained the ins and outs of young master hua¡¯s engagement to the third miss of the lu family, but the third miss of the lu family was unwilling to marry. second lady gu had cursed young master hua in order to help her good friend. ¡°outrageous!¡± the scholar in blue slapped the table heavily and said indignantly, ¡°this second lady gu actually publicly harmed someone just because her good friend is unwilling to marry. this is under the feet of the emperor.. isn¡¯t she too lawless?¡± Chapter 525 - Chapter 525: Waves (3) chapter 525: waves (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°lawless, she¡¯s really lawless!¡± the scholar in blue was so angry that his face turned red, and a few veins popped out on his forehead. the other two scholars at the same table were also filled with righteous indignation. they were all scholars, and they hated those things that bullied men and women the most. scholar han sneered and mocked, ¡°like father, like daughter. gu ce¡¯s daughter is indeed his daughter. she¡¯s ruthless!¡± the young woman who was full of praise for second lady gu just now was in disbelief. she directly asked scholar han, ¡°are you serious? is second lady gu really gu ce¡¯s daughter¡­¡± ¡°it¡¯s true!¡± scholar han¡¯s voice seemed to be squeezed out of his teeth. his expression was solemn, and his eyes were bloodshot. he sat upright on the bench, one hand clenched into a fist on the table, his thin body tense as a fully drawn bowstring. ¡°by the way, second lady gu must be gu ce¡¯s daughter.¡± the old man beside him said angrily, ¡°not long ago, i heard that the gu family¡¯s daughter was going to overturn gu ce¡¯s case. i thought it was just a rumor. now it seems that there¡¯s no smoke without fire!¡± ¡°what?!¡± scholar han exclaimed in disbelief. ¡°she wants to clear gu ce¡¯s name?!¡± ¡°because of gu ce¡¯s fault alone, tens of thousands of innocent people died in yangzhou. for this, not only did our great jin compensate, but we also cut off the yellow water ocean to give to the state of yue in exchange for a peace treaty between the two countries.¡± ¡°gu ce is the biggest sinner of the great jin!¡± ¡°even if i burn his bones and scatter his ashes, it will be difficult to absolve him of his sins!¡± scholar han gritted his teeth and couldn¡¯t help but slam the table angrily. the few classmates exchanged glances. the scholar in blue comforted him, ¡°brother han, my condolences.¡± a middle-aged tea drinker beside him seemed to have understood something and asked casually, ¡°judging from brother han¡¯s accent, he seems to be from yangzhou?¡± ¡°i¡¯m from tailing city in yangzhou.¡± scholar han¡¯s voice became even more hoarse, and his eyes were bloodshot. a few of his classmates at the same table looked sympathetic. they all knew that scholar han¡¯s home was in tailing city. nine years ago, when the state of yue¡¯s army raided yangzhou, scholar han was studying in the bailu academy and escaped a calamity. however, his family all died in tailing city. scholar han¡¯s eyes turned even redder. he raised his head and finished the tea in his cup in one gulp, revealing some indescribable grief and indignation. nine years ago, before he left home for the academy in the first month, his parents, brother, sister, sister-in-law, and brother-in-law were still chatting happily. in just three months, tailing city and the surrounding villages were empty. his parents, brother, sister, sister-in-law, and brother-in-law had all died, and he had become a rootless duckweed. from then on, he was alone¡­ his younger sibling hadn¡¯t even been five years old when she died! that year, after the state of yue retreated, he also returned to tailing city once, only to find that the entire village was empty. everyone was dead! everyone he knew was dead! a wave of emotions suddenly covered him and drowned him¡­ he was filled with anger and sorrow. he gritted his teeth. if gu ce was still alive, he really wanted to eat his flesh and drink his blood. however, gu ce was dead. he had died nine years ago and his bones were incomplete¡­ when they heard that scholar han¡¯s home was in tailing city, everyone was enlightened. they immediately guessed that most of this scholar¡¯s relatives had died in the war nine years ago. everyone looked at scholar han with sympathy. the scholar in blue patted scholar han¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°this second lady gu is just a little girl. how can she overturn the case just because she wants to? most importantly, it depends on the court.¡± the others echoed. until a strange voice suddenly sounded. ¡°as the saying goes, it¡¯s easy to do things if there¡¯s someone in the court. second lady gu has someone in the court.¡± everyone couldn¡¯t help but look at the owner of the voice, a square-faced middle-aged tea drinker. ¡°who?¡± someone blurted out. ¡°could it be imperial duke wei? i heard that second lady gu saved imperial duke wei¡¯s life!¡± ¡°wrong, wrong!¡± the middle-aged tea drinker sneered and shook his head. seeing that everyone¡¯s gaze was on him, he said, ¡°it¡¯s the eldest prince.¡± ¡°the eldest prince?! how is that possible!¡± the scholar in blue felt that it was impossible. ¡°back then, the eldest prince went to the state of yue as a hostage because of gu ce¡¯s mistake. he stayed there for an entire eight years!¡± the person who hated gu ce the most should be the eldest prince. ¡°then you don¡¯t know.¡± the middle-aged tea drinker took a sip of tea and said slowly, ¡°this woman from the gu family is impressive.. she charmed the eldest prince and is his darling!¡± Chapter 526 - Chapter 526: Waves (4) chapter 526: waves (4) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°in order to please her, the eldest prince even went to wuliang temple to pay respects to gu ce¡¯s memorial tablet!¡± everyone was shocked again. the tea shop fell silent for a moment, and an oppressive atmosphere filled the air. ¡°¡­¡± gu yanfei looked at the few scholars at the table quietly, and her pupils deepened bit by bit. when the wind blew, a few strands of black hair on her cheek were blown up by the wind. a few strands brushed against her snow-white and flawless face, causing her to be covered in a faint layer of sadness. gu ce¡¯s notoriety had already lasted for two lifetimes. everyone called him a sinner of the great jin dynasty and wished that he could never be reincarnated. in her previous life, she couldn¡¯t even protect herself and was helpless. she could only listen to others scold, criticize, and belittle him¡­ ¡°slam!¡± wei jiaoniang slammed the table and pointed at the few scholars. ¡°bookworm, what nonsense are you talking about!¡± ¡°to think that after reading so many books, you only know how to follow the crowd. 1 think the more you read, the more confused you become!¡± ¡°people like you are people who have passed the imperial examination. in the future, when you go to a place to be an official, you will only create some false and wrong cases to harm others and yourself!¡± wei jiaoniang had heard her grandfather, imperial duke wei, mention the battle nine years ago. her grandfather said that the matter of gu ce surrendering to the enemy back then was actually very suspicious. the late emperor was afraid of the nobles and could have used gu ce¡¯s matter to show off to the other nobles. however, the late emperor didn¡¯t do so. instead, he gently let it go and didn¡¯t even pin a clear crime on gu ce. something was amiss. there must be something wrong. in his opinion, the late emperor was most likely guilty. all the scholars at the table looked at wei jiaoniang. the scholar in blue frowned tightly. he was first angry, then disdainful. he snorted coldly and said, ¡°how ignorant, there¡¯s actually someone who wants to protect a sinner who surrendered to the enemy!¡± ¡°we¡¯re men. don¡¯t argue with a woman who doesn¡¯t know right from wrong,¡± another scholar added. a few of his classmates wanted to comfort scholar han, but he suddenly stood up. his eyes narrowed slightly, and his determined expression seemed to have made up his mind. ¡°brother han!¡± the scholar in blue looked at scholar han worriedly, afraid that he had been agitated. ¡°i¡¯ll file a petition with the court!¡± scholar han took a deep breath and said with determination, ¡°for my deceased family!¡± since gu ce was dead, he could neither question him nor watch him suffer with his own eyes. but there was one thing he could do now! he couldn¡¯t watch as a sinner like gu ce, who deserved to go to hell, was rehabilitated! otherwise, what was the use of reading so many books?! ¡°wait!¡± the scholar in blue hurriedly stood up and looked into scholar han¡¯s determined eyes. ¡°i¡¯ll go with you!¡± ¡°let¡¯s go together!¡± ¡°how can we sit back and do nothing when the eldest prince is going to stand up for gu ce!¡± the other scholars at the same table also stood up indignantly and echoed. even the few scholars at the table beside them said that they wanted to go together. some even said that they wanted to bring their classmates along. these scholars acted as if they didn¡¯t see wei jiaoniang. they surrounded scholar han and left. their blood boiled, and their eyes lit up. the other tea patrons in the shop were dumbfounded. they never expected things to develop in this direction. right on the heels of that, the tea shop was in an uproar again, and the air was filled with an abnormal excitement. what did they mean?! wei jiaoniang frowned, and her eyes darkened. she suddenly stood up and said anxiously, ¡°yanfei, i¡¯ll go back and look for grandpa!¡± wei jiaoniang also knew the severity of the matter. the book business was popular. if these scholars gathered together, the matter would blow up. it would probably cause a storm in the court. this matter had nothing to do with gu yanfei. she was the one who dragged her into the water to help lu qin. she had to take responsibility. moreover, it was clearly the hua family that wanted to harm lu qin. now, the guilty party was complaining first! she had to look for her grandfather quickly. she couldn¡¯t sit back and wait for death. she and gu yanfei would fall into a passive situation! the more wei jiaoniang thought about it, the more anxious she became. she got off the horse nimbly. gu yanfei looked at her and thought for a moment. in the end, she didn¡¯t stop her. ¡°yanfei, see you later.¡± wei jiaoniang hurriedly rode away. gu yanfei slowly finished the barley tea in her cup. after paying for the tea, she led her akhal-teke horse towards the myriad herb hall. outside the myriad herb hall, the onlookers dispersed a little. there were still more than a dozen people poking their heads out. on the streets, passersby saw the commotion and gathered around curiously, asking what had happened. these noises didn¡¯t reach gu yanfei¡¯s ears. gu yanfei stopped outside the door and turned to look into the myriad herb hall. she immediately caught sight of the outstanding gu yunrong in the front hall, who was comforting madam hua and master hua with a serious expression. ¡°¡­¡± gu yunrong¡¯s brows twitched as if she had sensed something. she turned her head and looked accurately in gu yanfei¡¯s direction. their eyes met quietly in midair. their eyes were very calm, like a pool of still water. they looked at each other quietly, as if they were weighing each other, and stuck together silently. gu yanfei smiled at gu yunrong. the sunlight filtered through the layers of leaves above and landed on her face. when the wind blew, the light and shadow swayed and jumped on her small face, making her smile look even more vivid. this smile was too bright and vivid, but gu yunrong felt uncomfortable. it was that look again! it was as if she was looking at her, but also as if she wasn¡¯t looking at her at all. the smile on gu yanfei¡¯s lips deepened. she didn¡¯t care about gu yunrong¡¯s reaction at all. what she was looking at was the luck around gu yunrong. it had only been 20 days since they last met, but the black aura mixed in the golden golden aura had become even more numerous. they intertwined with each other, and wisps of black aura wrapped around the golden aura like a spider web.. Chapter 527 - Chapter 527: Unwilling (1) chapter 527: unwilling (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios gu yunrong quickly stabilized her emotions and raised her eyebrows with a faint smile. she didn¡¯t expect gu yanfei to be nearby. however, since she appeared at the entrance of the myriad herb hall, she should know that the hua couple had gone to the gu residence to look for her. ha. gu yunrong smiled as well and waited quietly for gu yanfei to enter. she wanted to see how flustered gu yanfei was. or perhaps, if she came in and questioned her arrogantly in public, this matter would become even more interesting. what will gu yanfei do? will she choose to beg or scold me? however, gu yanfei only retracted her gaze indifferently. she got on the horse and left without looking back. it was as if she had come here just to pass by and take a look. the myriad herb hall was still lively, but gu yunrong wasn¡¯t as high-spirited as before. she was even a little suffocated, as if there was a ball of air held in her chest. she and gu yanfei seemed to be natural enemies from the moment they were born. the two of them couldn¡¯t coexist. gu yunrong clenched her fists in her sleeves and dug her perfectly manicured nails into her tender palms to maintain her composure. she watched gu yanfei ride away without moving. gu yanfei rode back to the gu mansion as if nothing had happened. she drank tea and read books at leisure. an hour later, juan bi reported in a hurry, ¡°miss, the hua family is here. they¡¯re clamoring outside the residence!¡± gu yanfei was already waiting for the hua family to come. she was calm and composed as she slowly finished the tea in her cup and slowly walked towards the door. from afar, she saw a short and fat woman in green shouting at the gu family¡¯s gatekeeper, ¡°where¡¯s second lady gu?¡± ¡°is she deliberately avoiding our madam?!¡± ¡°if she still doesn¡¯t come out and give us an explanation, we¡¯ll sue the imperial capital!¡± the voice of the old woman in green became louder and louder, deliberately so that the people in the residence could hear it. as gu yanfei walked out of the corner door, she said calmly, ¡°if you want to report it to the officials, go ahead. do you need me to send someone to bring you to the capital?!¡± the girl¡¯s voice was like a clear spring flowing in a mountain stream, clear and cold. when the two old women at the door saw gu yanfei, they hurriedly bent their knees and bowed. ¡°second lady!¡± madam hua, who was beside the carriage, immediately looked over. her dignified face was slightly distorted, and her cold and sharp gaze was like a knife that wanted to cut gu yanfei into a thousand pieces. ¡°you¡¯re second lady gu?!¡± madam hua asked word by word. ¡°you¡¯re the one who harmed my son with sorcery!!¡± every word was filled with anger that seemed to burn people. as soon as she finished speaking, madam hua rushed towards gu yanfei without any warning. she was like a furious tigress, and her anger made her lose her mind. she raised her right arm high and wanted to slap gu yanfei¡¯s face ruthlessly. her eyes seemed to be filled with bloodthirsty rage¡­ the old woman was busy trying to stop the green-robed maid from the hua family and was completely caught off guard when the seemingly elegant and dignified lady suddenly went mad. she reacted a beat too late and exclaimed in panic, ¡°second miss!¡± the old woman quickly ran towards gu yanfei and wanted to stop madam hua. in the next moment, she saw gu yanfei flick her sleeve gently. her light and wide sleeve flew up elegantly and didn¡¯t even touch madam hua. however, madam hua seemed to have been sent flying with a whip. she retreated in a sorry state and staggered. ¡°madam, be careful.¡± master hua rushed forward and quickly supported his madam. madam hua glared at gu yanfei fiercely. the anger in her eyes seemed to be irreconcilable hatred between the two of them. madam hua was angry and hateful, but gu yanfei was calm. the two of them were only three feet apart. ¡°didn¡¯t you say that you were going to report it to the officials?¡± gu yanfei said calmly as she glanced at the couple. in madam hua¡¯s eyes, she was fearless. because she had the eldest prince¡¯s support, she was fearless. madam hua raised her hand and pointed at gu yanfei¡¯s face. her arms were trembling with anger, and she gritted her teeth so hard that they almost shattered. her chest heaved up and down. ¡°you¡­ you cast an evil spell on my son and want to kill him, right?!¡± ¡°a life for a life. our hua family won¡¯t let this go!¡± madam hua said firmly. master hua looked at gu yanfei with a sinister gaze. his face was as dark as water as he guessed how much gu yanfei knew.. Chapter 528 - Chapter 528: Unwilling (2) chapter 528: unwilling (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°that¡¯s right!¡± gu yanfei clapped her hands gently and said very slowly, ¡°¡­a life for a life.¡± gu yanfei smiled meaningfully. her dark eyes were as bright as cold stars. this smile, this gaze, it was as if she knew everything, as if she had seen through the secrets buried in their hearts! madam hua¡¯s heart skipped a beat. she was so guilty that she could barely look gu yanfei in the eye. ¡°exchanging lives for lives. heaven¡¯s will has always been fair.¡± gu yanfei stared at madam hua. her words were like ice, piercing her heart like ice needles. fair my ass! if not for her usual upbringing, madam hua would have spat out. she said hatefully, ¡°heaven¡¯s will is unfair!¡± she said these words almost hysterically, and tears poured down her face. ¡°if heaven¡¯s will was fair, it wouldn¡¯t have let my son die at such a young age!¡± her voice was choked with sobs. her eldest son was only 18 years old. he wasn¡¯t even married yet! although he was weak, he had been smart since he was young. he studied hard and was far more talented than his second son. he was the top scholar and her pride! however, the heavens were jealous of geniuses. the heavens insisted on snatching him away! as a mother, she couldn¡¯t save her eldest son. she only wanted her eldest son to have a smooth life in his next life. what was wrong with that?! not only was her eldest son dying, but even her second son¡¯s life was in danger. it was gu yanfei who had harmed her second son. the anger in madam hua¡¯s eyes intensified, as if she was a mother protecting her cub. ¡°why, why did you harm my son!!¡± in her excitement, madam hua rushed towards gu yanfei again without care. however, she had just taken a step when master hua grabbed her arm. master hua gestured for his wife to calm down with his eyes. then, he cupped his hands at gu yanfei and said in a negotiating tone, ¡°second lady gu, as long as you resolve the sorcery cast on my son, we can let bygones be bygones.¡± master hua¡¯s deep eyes were filled with doubt. the hua family had always had the custom of marrying off children who had died young. there was a secret technique in the family that had been passed down from generation to generation. as long as a woman with matching eight characters married a man in the family who had died young, the family could prosper. this kind of secret technique was only known to the main branch and was never passed on to outsiders. their hua family had relied on it to prosper generation after generation. their family had already been prominent for 300 years. he thought that this time would be as smooth as the previous generations, but he didn¡¯t expect second lady gu to appear halfway. ¡°you¡¯re wrong.¡± gu yanfei seemed to have heard a joke. she casually shook her index finger. ¡°you¡¯re the ones who cast the sorcery, not me!¡± as expected! at this point, master hua was sure of one thing. second lady gu indeed knew that they were getting married to the lu family to match up with an underworld marriage. second lady gu had first caused shangqing spiritual master to fall into her hands. now, she could easily crack this secret relationship and make their hua family suffer a huge loss. she was definitely not an ordinary person. master hua didn¡¯t want to offend an expert like gu yanfei. this would only cause trouble for the hua family. master hua said solemnly, ¡°second lady gu, it¡¯s better to resolve enmity than to keep it alive. what do you want?¡± madam hua glared at gu yanfei with fire in her eyes. she was so agitated that she seemed to want to rush towards gu yanfei again at any moment. ¡°wrong again.¡± gu yanfei shook her index finger again. ¡°what do you want?!¡± gu yanfei forced her spiritual power into her eyes. an abnormally bright stream of light flashed across her eyes as she stared deeply at master hua. her eyes were as deep as the vast and boundless starry sky, as if she was looking at him or seeing something else. this unfathomable gaze made master hua¡¯s hair stand on end. it was as if someone had seen through his weakness, as if she had seen through him inside and out. gu yanfei raised her eyebrows and smiled. this smile was light and shallow, as if it was sighing and pitying. ¡°¡­¡± master hua tried his best to stand calmly. he couldn¡¯t help but suspect that gu yanfei might know more than he thought. did she even see through the hua family¡¯s secrets¡­ gu yanfei ignored master hua and turned to look at madam hua. ¡°your two sons are sick. i can save them.¡± after a pause, she added, ¡°i can save both of them.¡± she smiled slightly, calm and leisurely. the confidence in her bones naturally exuded with every gesture. ¡°¡­¡± madam hua was stunned. her body froze, and her mind was empty.. Chapter 529 - Chapter 529: Unwilling (3) chapter 529: unwilling (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios it took her a while to find the ability to speak. ¡°second lady gu, you can save my two sons?¡­ can you really save xi¡¯er?¡± eldest madam hua asked carefully. her expression was filled with disbelief, and her eyes bloomed with anticipation. the eldest son¡¯s weak and sickly body was brought out of his mother¡¯s womb. he had been sick for a full 18 years. for this, she and the old master looked for medicine everywhere, from the imperial physician to the miracle doctors from all over the country. after using all kinds of precious and rare herbs, although the eldest son was weak, he survived. unexpectedly, a month ago, the eldest son suddenly fell ill. this time, his condition took a turn for the worse. in just half a month, his illness became more and more serious. she could only watch helplessly as her eldest son died bit by bit. every doctor shook their heads and sighed at her¡­ master hua widened his eyes. there was a heavy shadow in his pupils, as if he was suppressing an indescribable emotion. he was here to save hua zhao, not hua xi. hua xi couldn¡¯t be saved. master hua gritted his teeth. at this moment, he dispelled his original thoughts. gu yanfei didn¡¯t say much. she took out a talisman from her sleeve and held it between her fingers. ¡°as long as you burn this talisman to ashes and let your son eat it.¡± madam hua¡¯s fingers moved slightly, and she couldn¡¯t help but raise her hand an inch. however, she heard master hua say coldly, ¡°madam, don¡¯t believe her.¡± ¡°she harmed¡­ zhao¡¯er.¡± master hua tightened his grip on his wife¡¯s arm, his expression dark. ¡°does madam believe me?¡± gu yanfei¡¯s gaze was still fixed on madam hua. she didn¡¯t even look at master hua. ¡°¡­¡± madam hua¡¯s fingers curled up. she hesitated, and her lips moved slightly, but she couldn¡¯t say a word for a long time. logic told her that she couldn¡¯t trust second lady gu, but madam hua still slowly raised her hand and took the talisman with trembling hands. ¡°burn the talisman to ashes and put it in water for your son to eat,¡± gu yanfei said concisely. madam hua hurriedly handed the talisman to the nanny beside her and instructed, ¡°hurry back to the myriad herb hall. according to second lady gu¡¯s instructions, give it to second young master.¡± master hua¡¯s lips were pursed into a straight line, and his expression was uncertain. he hesitated for a moment, but in the end, he didn¡¯t stop her. the nanny carefully put away the talisman and quickly got into a carriage of the hua family. the carriage hurried in the direction of the west gate, and the sound of the wheels faded away. gu yanfei instructed juan bi behind him. soon, an old servant brought over a rosewood round chair and a coffee table. gu yanfei sat comfortably on the round chair. juan bi nimbly served her a cup of tea. gu yanfei had no intention of inviting the hua couple to sit down. she drank tea by herself. master hua and madam hua stood beside their carriage. the couple didn¡¯t get into the carriage and just stood there waiting. they looked in the direction of the myriad herb hall and then at gu yanfei. master hua became more and more anxious. in the end, he simply walked back and forth. after walking back and forth countless times, he suddenly stopped and looked at madam hua gloomily. he said in a low voice, ¡°madam, if anything happens to zhao¡¯er¡­¡± he was clearly reprimanding madam hua for trusting gu yanfei so easily. when madam hua heard this, her expression turned even uglier. from time to time, hua zhao and hua xi¡¯s unconscious and weak appearances flashed across her mind. she was also afraid that she had trusted the wrong person and gambled wrongly. she was even more afraid that she wouldn¡¯t have time to see her two sons for the last time. a thin layer of cold sweat broke out on her forehead. her face was as pale as that of a patient who had one foot in the gates of death. she was anxious and wished she could grow wings and fly to the myriad herb hall. she was about to say something when she saw that her carriage had returned. the noon sun was so bright that it hurt her eyes, but even though her eyes were sore, she didn¡¯t blink as she watched the carriage approach. ¡°madam, young master¡¯s fever has subsided, and he¡¯s awake.¡± the nanny who had gone to deliver the talismans got out of the carriage in high spirits and walked briskly. ¡°really?¡± madam hua cried again. this time, she was crying tears of joy. she still couldn¡¯t believe her ears and repeatedly confirmed it with the nanny. the nanny told her impatiently, ¡°second young master has really recovered. as soon as he drank the talisman water, his fever subsided. he even drank a bowl of porridge just now.¡± even doctor wan found it unbelievable and repeatedly checked hua zhao¡¯s pulse.. Chapter 530 - Chapter 530: Unwilling (4) chapter 530: unwilling (4) translator: atlas studios editor: attas studios gu yanfei slowly put down the teacup in her hand and said with a smile, ¡°does madam believe me now?¡± ¡°i believe you!¡± madam hua agreed repeatedly and took two steps closer to gu yanfei. her originally dim eyes regained their light as she begged, ¡°second lady gu, please save my son.¡± five minutes ago, she looked at gu yanfei as if she was looking at a snake, scorpion, tiger, or leopard. but now, when she looked at gu yanfei, it was as if she was looking up at the guanyin bodhisattva who was rescuing the suffering. she was so pious that she almost kneeled down to her. ¡°that talisman can extend your son¡¯s lifespan by a day,¡± gu yanfei said calmly. her voice was clear and cold, like the cold autumn wind, penetrating the heart. ¡°one day?!¡± madam hua cried out. her originally elated heart suddenly fell to the bottom of the valley, and the spark of hope that had just been ignited was extinguished. she only felt that her limbs were cold, and her fingertips were numb. her heart hurt even more, and she muttered in a daze, ¡°only one day?! can my zhao¡¯er only live for one more day?¡± are my two sons still going to die?! master hua¡¯s face was ashen. he suppressed the anger in his heart and questioned sternly, ¡°second lady gu, are you playing with us!! living another day isn¡¯t saving him!¡± gu yanfei still didn¡¯t look at master hua. she only looked at madam hua and said, ¡°i can save them.¡± ¡°not only the one lying in the myriad herb hall, but also the one in the residence. i can save both brothers.¡± her dark eyes were like a bottomless abyss, as if they wanted to suck in madam hua¡¯s mind. her tone was neither fast nor slow, and her voice was ethereal. her rhythm and tone had a bewitching power that struck the soul, making one¡¯s heart tremble. madam hua looked at gu yanfei in a daze. her eyes were filled with sorrow as she asked weakly, ¡°second lady gu, what do you want?¡± a deep sense of grief and powerlessness enveloped her, almost drowning her. she was no longer as aggressive as before. ¡°what do you want? just tell me. as long as it¡¯s within our ability, i¡¯m willing to give you gold, silver, wealth, and rare treasures!¡± madam hua took a step forward and knelt down resolutely to gu yanfei. she cried until her tears flowed. ¡°i¡¯m begging you!¡± her son was her life. for her son, let alone wealth, she could even give up half of the family business and make her kneel and kowtow to gu yanfei! she only hoped that her son could live! however, her grief didn¡¯t affect gu yanfei at all. gu yanfei, who was sitting on the round chair, looked down at madam hua, who was kneeling on the ground. she didn¡¯t even move the corners of her eyes or her eyebrows. she said calmly, ¡°beg me?¡± with that, she looked coldly at master hua, who wasn¡¯t far behind. ¡°are you sure?¡± these three words were directed at master hua. ¡°we¡¯ll talk about it when you¡¯ve discussed it.¡± gu yanfei smiled gently. ¡°so do you want to save them?¡± what does she mean? madam hua, who was kneeling on the ground, was at a loss. she subconsciously turned to look at old master hua and happened to see a moment of panic on his elegant face, as if he had had his undergarments stolen. could it be that master is hiding something from me?! this thought appeared in madam hua¡¯s mind in an instant. juan bi served gu yanfei a new cup of tea. gu yanfei elegantly picked up the pink and enamel three gentlemen teacup and gently threw the choice to them. ¡°you can discuss it slowly.¡± when the teacup was about to reach her lips, gu yanfei seemed to have thought of something. she put down the teacup again and said inexplicably, ¡°the sins in the soul can¡¯t be washed away, especially those accumulated over generations.¡± this sentence came out of nowhere, leaving madam hua at a loss. ¡°master, what does she mean?¡± madam hua muttered and turned to look at master hua. she was in a panic. what is gu yanfei hinting at?! when it came to ¡°sin¡±, it was obviously not a good thing! ¡°¡­¡± master hua looked at gu yanfei with uncertainty. his face was as dark as ink, as if the secret that had been hidden for a long time had been completely dug out. master hua¡¯s eyes changed a few times. then, he forcefully helped madam hua up and said firmly, ¡°madam, she¡¯s lying. don¡¯t believe her!¡± ¡°but zhao¡¯er has really recovered.¡± tears welled up in madam hua¡¯s eyes again, and they flowed uncontrollably. her heart was so sour that it was almost painful. ¡°if she can save zhao¡¯er, she can definitely save xi¡¯er!¡± at this moment, there was only one belief in her stubborn eyes: please, let my two sons survive! the second half of his wife¡¯s sentence made master hua¡¯s breathing stagnate slightly, and a layer of cold sweat seeped out of his neck. ¡°madam, this is just a trick of a martial arts practitioner. you can¡¯t believe it.¡± master hua grabbed madam hua¡¯s arm tightly and pulled her towards the carriage. he said in an unquestionable tone, ¡°let¡¯s leave quickly and think of another way.¡± ¡°i¡¯m not leaving!¡± madam hua shouted almost hysterically. the more master hua wanted to pull her away, the more she felt that he was hiding a secret from her. madam hua stared deeply at master hua and questioned him, ¡°master, why?¡± ¡°second lady gu can save xi¡¯er and zhao¡¯er.. master, why are you unwilling?¡± Chapter 531 - Chapter 531: Breakthrough (1) chapter 531: breakthrough (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios madam hua thought of something, and her expression changed. she leaned an inch closer to master hua. ¡°master, do you have a mistress?¡± ¡°that must be it. that¡¯s why you don¡¯t care about your son, right?¡± ¡°we only have two sons. if we lose both sons, the lineage will be cut off!¡± the more madam hua spoke, the more agitated she became. there was a hint of madness and stubbornness in her expression. master hua¡¯s face was filled with anger. his face was ashen as he said sternly, ¡°madam, stop fooling around. 1 don¡¯t have a mistress!!¡± he looked straight into madam hua¡¯s eyes with a calm expression. he really didn¡¯t have a mistress. even if he really had a mistress, how could such a dirty bloodline inherit the hua family¡¯s business?! he only had two sons. if he wanted to prosper the family, he had to sacrifice one. the eldest son, hua xi, was sick and weak. in the past 18 years, he had been lying on the bed for most of his life. the doctor had said that he probably wouldn¡¯t live long. he had placed all of the hua family¡¯s expectations on his second son, hua zhao. if their family had no descendants, even if they adopted sons from other families, they wouldn¡¯t be his blood. however¡­ master hua¡¯s eyes were extremely complicated. there was heartache, hesitation, sadness, and determination. his right hand was still tightly gripping madam hua¡¯s arm like an iron clamp, unwilling to let go at all. they had been married for 20 years, so madam hua could naturally see the hesitation in his eyes. when she said that master hua had a mistress just now, it was only on impulse that she blurted it out. when she calmed down a little, she understood: master won¡¯t have a mistress. even the concubine sons of those cousins in the hua family are looked down on by master hua. he despises the maternal bloodline for being too lowly. in the eyes of the hua family, the direct descendants were the orthodox. master hua might have raised a mistress, but he would never allow the existence of a mistress to humiliate the hua family. ¡°master!¡± madam hua looked at master hua with red eyes, and her eyes were filled with tears. she really didn¡¯t understand what he was hesitating about. why did he refuse to save their son? what secret is more important than our son?! as she thought about it, her heart suddenly sank a little and she had a very bad feeling¡­ the surroundings suddenly darkened. the thick clouds above covered the sun, and even the air became stuffy, making madam hua feel suffocated. ¡°madam, second lady gu is cunning. one moment, she said that she could save zhao¡¯er, and the next, she said that the talisman would only work for a day. she¡¯s clearly playing with us. you can¡¯t believe her!¡± master hua turned his cold gaze to gu yanfei, who wasn¡¯t far away, with a dark gaze. he forcefully pulled madam hua into the carriage again. ¡°let¡¯s bring zhao¡¯er to wuliang temple. i heard that the temple master, daoist xuan cheng, has been in the temple recently. daoist xuan cheng¡¯s dao skills are profound. it will definitely be more reliable to look for him.¡± ¡°madam, just listen to me!¡± ¡°no, i¡¯m not leaving!¡± madam hua gritted her teeth and refused to leave. she looked at master hua stubbornly, and gu yanfei¡¯s words echoed in her ears. ¡°madam hua, your two sons are sick. 1 can save them.¡± in recent days, she had been tossing and turning because of her eldest son¡¯s illness. second lady gu was the only person who gave her hope. only second lady gu told her clearly that her eldest son could be saved! to madam hua, gu yanfei was her last straw to clutch at. she wanted to save her son. she couldn¡¯t watch her eldest son and second son die at such a young age. second lady gu could definitely save them¡­ however, master was unwilling. why? since it isn¡¯t because of a mistress, what other reason can it be?! sin¡­ she looked straight at master hua, her eyes flickering. a month ago, the eldest son suddenly fell seriously ill. every doctor they invited said that the eldest son was hopeless and asked them to prepare for the funeral as soon as possible. one day, master hua told her that he wanted to marry off his eldest son. he said that it was so that his eldest son could have someone to take care of him in the underworld and continue the family line. he said that he had chosen the third daughter of the lu family. her birth characters were compatible with the eldest son. once the two of them were married, the eldest son would be able to borrow some of his wife¡¯s luck. in the next life, he would be healthy and safe. she felt that master¡¯s words were for the sake of her eldest son, so she agreed without thinking.. Chapter 532 - Chapter 532: Breakthrough (2) chapter 532: breakthrough (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios the scene at that time flashed quickly in madam hua¡¯s mind. she narrowed her eyes slightly and stood there in a daze. wait a minute! did master smile after 1 agreed to marry off our eldest son? did he smile?! master hua¡¯s smile appeared in her mind again. his smile was filled with relief, anticipation, ruthlessness, and ambition¡­ that smile was too strange. ¡°master!¡± madam hua¡¯s red and swollen eyes widened. she grabbed master hua¡¯s arm tightly and asked sternly, ¡°are you related to xi¡¯er and zhao¡¯er¡¯s illnesses?¡± ¡°tell me!¡± her voice was sharp and hoarse. ¡°are you done fooling around?¡± master hua was angry. his face was red as he shook off his wife¡¯s hand. master hua ignored his wife and got into the carriage first. ¡°let¡¯s go!¡± his voice was sharp as he threw down this word. then the coachman waved the horsewhip and drove the carriage away without hesitation. master hua¡¯s reaction confirmed madam hua¡¯s guess. madam hua felt cold all over, and her heart seemed to have a few more holes that allowed the cold wind to blow through. it was cold and painful to the bone marrow. madam hua looked at gu yanfei, who wasn¡¯t far away, in a daze. her mouth moved, and she wanted to ask something, but she couldn¡¯t make a sound. her throat felt like it was being choked, and it burned like fire. gu yanfei seemed to have seen through madam hua¡¯s intentions and said indifferently, ¡°the sin in this soul comes from the family. for generations, as long as it¡¯s worshiped, it¡¯ll never stop.¡± ¡°the surname is the original sin. it¡¯ll naturally be retribution on the children.¡± ¡°that¡¯s why your eldest son fell ill.¡± her words hit madam hua¡¯s heart gently, like snow falling into an ice river. ¡°¡­¡± madam hua was even more confused. she felt that she could understand every word gu yanfei said, but she didn¡¯t understand why they were connected. gu yanfei leisurely took another sip of hot tea before saying, ¡°have you seen the hua family tree?¡± of course! madam hua nodded hurriedly. gu yanfei continued, ¡°do you remember the birthdays and death sacrifices of those clansmen in the family tree?¡± she spoke extremely slowly and meaningfully. madam hua couldn¡¯t help but touch the beads on her wrist. her fingers rubbed the agarwood beads as she recalled what gu yanfei had said. as the wife of the main family, she had read the family tree more than once, but she hadn¡¯t read it so carefully. in the past, she had only glanced at it briefly when she was updating the family tree. not long ago, she had read it carefully again because she wanted to choose an heir for her eldest son. she tried her best to remember the contents of the family tree and frowned bit by bit. it was as if there would be men dying young every generation in the main branch. it wasn¡¯t unusual for children to die young, since it was difficult to raise children. even in the royal family, children often died young. however, the men who died young in the hua family tree were often between 15 and 16 years old. furthermore, they all died of illness. the family would find a marriage for the young man who had died young, form a nether relationship, and then adopt a son from the side family¡­ when she looked at the family tree, madam hua hadn¡¯t thought too much about it. it wasn¡¯t rare to have a yin marriage. but now, her state of mind was different. the more she thought about it, the more shocked she became. the blood gradually drained from her face, and she was as pale as paper. her body trembled, and she almost didn¡¯t dare to think about it anymore. ¡°do you understand?¡± gu yanfei suddenly got up from the round chair and casually stroked her dress. then, she slowly walked towards madam hua. the sky became even darker again, and the thick clouds were so heavy that they looked like they were about to fall at any moment. under the dense shadows of the trees above, gu yanfei¡¯s face became even more blurry. however, her eyes were very clear, bright, and soul-stirring. she said softly, as if she was chanting, ¡°the person who harmed your son isn¡¯t anyone else.¡± ¡°there¡¯s no one else who can save your son.¡± ¡°only you.¡± her voice was so gentle and clear, with an indescribable charm that made people involuntarily sink into it. ¡°only you.¡± she stared intently into madam hua¡¯s eyes. these words seemed to be engraved in the other party¡¯s eyes. ¡°¡­¡± madam hua nodded in a daze and knelt down again.. ¡°second lady gu, please teach me how to save my son!¡± Chapter 533 - Chapter 533: Breakthrough (3) chapter 533: breakthrough (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios she kowtowed heavily to gu yanfei, then raised her head and looked at her almost reverently. gu yanfei took out a compass from her sleeve and casually turned the needle. she counted with her fingers and said, ¡°wuliang temple. take the hua family tree to wuliang temple.¡± with that, she turned around and walked toward the door. the old women in the gu family hurriedly moved the chairs and coffee table away. madam hua didn¡¯t stop gu yanfei or move. she just watched her cross the high threshold in a daze, as if she had lost half of her soul. ¡°squeak¡ª¡± the vermilion doors on both sides were gradually closed. halfway through the door, gu yanfei stopped on the other side of the threshold and said casually, ¡°by the way, there¡¯s not much time left for your son.¡± ¡°now, their lives are connected. if he dies, he dies too.¡± ¡°if he lives, so does he.¡± ¡°there are 24 hours left.¡± after the last word, the red-painted door of the gu mansion closed heavily. the sound of the door closing echoed in madam hua¡¯s ears like a thunderstorm. outside the door, madam hua was left alone. she stood there in a daze and didn¡¯t move for a long time. only gu yanfei¡¯s words echoed in her mind. i¡¯m the only one who can save my sons?! yes, i¡¯m the only one! as their mother, i¡¯m the only one who can save them! at this moment, this thought was already engraved in her heart, as if it was deeply engraved. madam hua also turned around and got into another carriage. she instructed the nanny resolutely, ¡°let¡¯s go back to anci county!¡± the nanny in charge didn¡¯t expect madam to return to the residence first instead of going to the myriad herb hall, but she didn¡¯t dare say anything. their carriage immediately set off on its way back to anci county. along the way, under the repeated urging of madam hua, they galloped without stopping. when the servants in the hua mansion saw that only madam had returned alone and didn¡¯t see master hua and the second young master, they were all very surprised. an old nanny rushed over to welcome her. madam hua asked anxiously, ¡°nanny zhao, how¡¯s eldest young master?¡± granny zhao replied respectfully, ¡°eldest young master just woke up and ate a bowl of porridge. just now, he was supported by a servant and walked around the house. i think he looks much better.¡± granny zhao also found it strange. yesterday, old doctor wang had clearly said that the eldest young master wouldn¡¯t be able to survive today, but now, the eldest young master looked better. could it be¡­ his last breath? ¡°really?¡± madam hua asked again. granny zhao nodded. she thought that the first thing madam would do when she returned was to see the eldest young master. unexpectedly, madam hua walked quickly in the other direction. granny zhao chased after her in shock. madam hua walked faster and faster, her chest heaving violently. from her eyes to her heart, she felt the same sourness. what second lady gu said is true. everything has been proven. second lady gu said that my two sons¡¯ lifespans are connected now. it must be true that there are only 24 hours left. no, there¡¯s less than 24 hours. thud! thud! at the thought of this, madam hua¡¯s heart suddenly beat faster, and her heart tightened. the time limit hung high above madam hua¡¯s neck like a guillotine. with every quarter of an hour that passed, the guillotine seemed to press down an inch¡­ madam hua didn¡¯t dare stay for a moment. she jogged to the hua family ancestral hall to get the family tree. the old woman guarding the ancestral hall naturally didn¡¯t dare to stop madam hua. madam hua arrived at the back hall of the ancestral hail unimpeded. she took out the family tree enshrined in front of the ancestral tablet and quickly flipped through it. she found the pages in their room and looked at them carefully. her expression became uglier and uglier, and her fingers even trembled uncontrollably. as expected. if she remembered correctly, in every generation of the clan, there would be 17 or 18-year-old males who died young. looking up, master hua¡¯s second uncle had passed away at the age of 18. his third uncle had passed away at the age of 16. his great-granduncle had died at the age of 19¡­ every male married someone after his death. except for the previous generation, master hua was the only son. this couldn¡¯t be a coincidence! when these things were put together and combined with master hua¡¯s strange behavior just now, the cruel truth was obvious! if it wasn¡¯t a coincidence, then it was naturally done by someone. madam hua was in a daze, and her mind was in a mess.. Chapter 534 - Chapter 534: Breakthrough (4) chapter 534: breakthrough (4) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios when she came back to her senses, she found herself in her eldest son¡¯s room. the room was still filled with the lingering smell of medicine. a window opened on the east side. hua xi, who had a sickly expression, was sitting by the window with a black cloak. when he heard this, he looked in madam hua¡¯s direction and called out, ¡°mother.¡± his eye sockets and cheeks were slightly sunken because he was thin, making him look very weak. his voice was hoarse, and he was short of breath, but he was no longer as weak as he was this morning. this face was originally identical to hua zhao¡¯s, but because he was sick and thin, the brothers only looked 50 to 60% alike. ¡°xi¡¯er!¡± madam hua shouted in a trembling voice. her vision was blurry, and a few strands of messy hair were stuck to her cheeks with cold sweat. the usually dignified woman now revealed a rare, sorry state. ¡°mother, don¡¯t worry.¡± hua xi forced a smile and comforted her. ¡°i¡¯ve eaten the ginseng soup prescribed by doctor wang. i¡¯m much better. i¡¯ll be fine soon.¡± these words were like a knife stabbing deeply into madam hua¡¯s heart. the knife stirred repeatedly in her heart, making her wish she was dead. she held hua xi¡¯s bony hand tightly as tears rolled down her face again. in just half a day, she had shed countless tears. her eyes were already dry and burning. ¡°mother, what¡¯s wrong?¡± hua xi asked with concern. he noticed that his mother was holding the family tree. ¡°mother, why are you holding the family tree?¡± madam hua¡¯s tears flowed even more turbulently. her heart and soul were shattered. as she cried, she told him everything. from the yin marriage with the lu family to what second lady gu had said, to his and his second brother¡¯s illness, she told him everything. in the end, she said in a heart-wrenching voice, ¡°your father is too heartless!¡± hua xi was weak, but he was smart. he sorted out the situation in a flash, and his expression instantly changed. it turned out that he was on the verge of death at a young age, not because he was weak, but because he had been harmed by his father. in every generation of the hua family, there were men who died young for an unspeakable purpose. ¡°mother!¡± hua xi grabbed madam hua¡¯s hand. his eyes, which were slightly yellow from his long illness, were bloodshot. ¡°save me. i don¡¯t want to die!¡± ¡°please!¡± i¡¯m only 18 years old. 1 don¡¯t want to die. i should have had a bright life. with my talent, it 11 be easy for me to get on the honor roll in the future. why do 1 have to die for my father¡¯s selfishness?! second brother and 1 are clearly twins, and just because i¡¯m the eldest brother, father wants to sacrifice me and not second brother?! on what grounds?! just because second brother is healthier than me, father chose to sacrifice the sickly me?! i¡¯m a 16-year-old top scorer. i¡¯m clearly more outstanding than second brother! hua xi¡¯s heart was filled with despair. his hand that was holding madam hua¡¯s trembled violently. he was agitated and didn¡¯t look like his usual refined self at all. ¡°xi¡¯er.¡± madam hua¡¯s trembling hand gently touched her eldest son¡¯s face, and her heart ached even more. at this moment, her head was buzzing. an ethereal female voice sounded close and far away, with a soul-stirring bewitching power. ¡°there¡¯s no one else who can save your son. only you.¡± ¡°wuliang temple. take the hua family tree to wuliang temple.¡± ¡°second lady gu said that only 1 can save you.¡± madam hua muttered to herself. ¡°she asked me to take the hua family tree to wuliang temple.¡± ¡°she also said that the sin in the soul came from the family. for generations, as long as it¡¯s worshiped, it¡¯ll never stop.¡± ¡°worshiped?¡± hua xi thought for a moment, his eyes flashing as he asked thoughtfully, ¡°mother, are those elders of the family who died young a form of worship to the wuliang temple?¡± ¡°that¡¯s right.¡± madam hua nodded. wuliang temple was famous in the capital. no other temple or daoist temple could compare to it. like most prominent families in the capital, the hua family also worshiped the tablets of their ancestors and clansmen in wuliang temple. madam hua frowned tightly and speculated, ¡°could it be that second lady gu wants me to go to wuliang temple to destroy the offering so that i can interrupt this evil technique that harms people?!¡± this was indeed something she could do, but second lady gu couldn¡¯t do it. hua xi thought so too and agreed eagerly. ¡°that must be it.¡± he held madam hua¡¯s hand tightly and looked at her with admiration. ¡°mother, since father is so heartless¡­ i can only rely on you!¡± ¡°mother, you won¡¯t disappoint me, right?¡± at this moment, hua xi¡¯s eyes were abnormally bright, as if a dying person had seen a miracle pill. ¡°leave everything to me.¡± madam hua nodded, her voice hoarse. ¡°mother will definitely save you!¡± madam hua seemed to have absorbed strength from her son¡¯s gaze, and her fighting spirit became high again. not long after returning to the residence, she left in a hurry. this time, her carriage went to wuliang mountain. when the carriage arrived at wuliang mountain, it was almost five o¡¯clock. madam hua rushed up the mountain. the weather was clearly not hot, but she was already sweating profusely. there was only one thought in her mind: i have to save xi¡¯er. ¡°lead me to the rebirth hall!¡± she grabbed a little daoist child and said. the daoist child said with a smile, ¡°kind lady, the rebirth hail is being repaired. the temple master has ordered us to close the hall and not entertain visitors recently¡­¡± he wanted to ask her to come back another day, but the anxious madam hua had no patience to listen to him finish. she said anxiously, ¡°temple master¡­ where¡¯s daoist xuan cheng? 1 want to see him!¡± as she spoke, she searched for daoist xuan cheng. madam hua rushed into the temple without a care. she pulled a daoist priest and asked, ¡°where¡¯s daoist xuan cheng?¡± after asking a few people in a row and getting no answer, madam hua became even more anxious. the back of her neck seemed to feel the coldness of a guillotine against her skin. the daoist child behind her shouted breathlessly, ¡°kind lady¡± as he chased after her. he felt that this madam seemed to have gone crazy. suddenly, madam hua¡¯s eyes lit up. she saw an old daoist in a blue coat walking out of a hall. the old daoist had a sage-like appearance, with white hair and a youthful face. at a glance, he was completely different from the other daoists around him. the old daoist was surrounded by more than ten men who looked like scholars. there was also a young master in white who was talking to him. madam hua¡¯s gaze was fixed on the old daoist. she could only see him and no one else. that must be daoist xuan cheng! there isn¡¯t much time left¡­ when the time comes, both my sons will die.. Chapter 535 - Chapter 535: False (1) chapter 535: false (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°daoist!¡± madam hua, with a hoarse voice, shouted desperately, as if a weary traveler who had been walking all night had finally caught sight of a glimmer of light ahead and desperately wanted to grasp that ray of hope. daoist xuan cheng and the others also looked at madam hua. among them, an ordinary-looking scholar in green looked at her thoughtfully. madam hua was so flustered that she almost lost her mind. her mind was in a daze. ¡°only you.¡± the girl¡¯s ethereal and cold voice resounded in madam hua¡¯s mind again, like a bell ringing in her soul. madam hua rushed forward in a daze and shouted, ¡°spiritual master, open the rebirth hall quickly. someone has cast an evil spell on the memorial tablets!¡± a middle-aged daoist priest¡¯s expression instantly changed as he reprimanded sternly, ¡°kind lady, don¡¯t spout nonsense!¡± their wuliang temple already had a bad reputation with a demonic shangqing. today, a female lunatic actually came to taint the wuliang temple¡¯s statement! ¡°i didn¡¯t!¡± the other party¡¯s words instantly agitated madam hua. madam hua¡¯s eyes were bloodshot as she said to daoist xuan cheng, ¡°spiritual master, i¡¯m telling the truth! someone is really using the offering tablet to cast evil spells!¡± ¡°my son is about to die because of this sorcery. he was cursed and even given a yin marriage¡­¡± madam hua rambled incoherently about the hua family marrying into the lu family. she also talked about how her eldest son, hua xi, was about to die because of some secret technique and wouldn¡¯t live past noon tomorrow. ¡°i¡¯m telling the truth!¡± she emphasized this and handed the family tree in her hand to daoist xuan cheng. ¡°spiritual master, take a look. in every generation of the hua family, there are about 18-year-old men who died like this¡­ more than a dozen people have already died!¡± madam hua, who was in an extremely agitated mood, was completely absorbed in her own world. she couldn¡¯t see the astonished expressions of the onlookers and continued to speak incessantly, self-assured and almost bordering on frenzy. ¡°madam, what nonsense are you talking about!¡± the man¡¯s stern voice suddenly sounded, interrupting madam hua. the few scholars surrounding daoist xuan cheng were forcefully pushed aside. a refined figure walked into madam hua¡¯s vision in exasperation. master hua looked at madam hua in shock. his face was so dark that ink was about to drip out as he forcefully grabbed the family tree. ¡°master.¡± madam hua didn¡¯t expect master hua to appear here at all. she was first shocked, then anger and hatred surged. if there was still a trace of uncertainty in her heart before, she could now confirm completely that the master must be here for those consecrated tablets. this meant that she was right. under master hua¡¯s furious gaze, madam hua took a step closer to him and asked, ¡°was it you?¡± ¡°you deliberately wanted to kill him for the yin marriage, right?¡± ¡°you were lying to me when you said that it could protect him in his next life, right?¡± although master hua didn¡¯t say a word, they had been married for 20 years. madam hua actually knew her husband very well. in the past, she just didn¡¯t suspect anything. now, as long as she observed carefully, she could see something wrong with master hua¡¯s subtle expression. her heart was filled with sorrow, anger, despair, and heartache. her heart was hot, and a ball of turbid air was stuck in her throat. she couldn¡¯t spit it out, and her teeth creaked. she had once believed that they were a loving and respectful couple, blessed with two legitimate sons, and her husband had always treated her with reverence, being a caring father. but within a day, her world turned upside down. ¡°crazy, you¡¯re really crazy!¡± master hua gritted his teeth, his expression uncertain. ¡°as expected!¡± madam hua smiled bitterly and looked at master hua angrily. she called him by his name, ¡°hua lan, for the sake of the family¡¯s prosperity, you didn¡¯t hesitate to sacrifice our eldest son!!¡± ¡°even a monster won¡¯t hurt its own children. you¡¯re so ruthless!¡± her heart was filled with sadness and anger. it was as if she had never known this person. ¡°slam!¡± there was a loud slap. hua lan slapped madam hua¡¯s face heavily, leaving a bright red five-finger mark on her left cheek. madam hua bit her lip with her teeth, and a trace of blood dripped from the corner of her mouth. she was in a sorry state.. Chapter 536 - Chapter 536: False (2) chapter 536: false (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios at this moment, the surrounding students were so shocked that they doubted their ears. madam hua¡¯s words overturned their imaginations time and time again. they couldn¡¯t imagine how someone could be so ruthless! he was simply not worthy of being a human! hua lan was about to go crazy from anger. he almost rushed over to cover madam hua¡¯s mouth and warned angrily, ¡°the eldest prince is here. don¡¯t be rude!¡± eldest prince? madam hua was slightly stunned and looked at the young master in white beside daoist xuan cheng. although she didn¡¯t recognize the eldest prince, in terms of bearing, only this young master in white stood out among so many young people. therefore, he could only be the eldest prince chu yi. the eldest prince was actually here! madam hua was a little confused at first, but she quickly came back to her senses and stood there with a straight back. her expression was more self-righteous and more confident. with the eldest prince here, master would also be afraid¡­ her son could be saved! chu yi raised his eyebrows and looked at her. he asked, ¡°who are you? what did you mean just now?!¡± his voice was as gentle and pleasant as jade colliding, neither fast nor slow. the surrounding students also wanted to know the truth and couldn¡¯t help but look at the hua couple. ¡°you¡­¡± scholar han, who was dressed in green, exclaimed in a low voice. his eyes widened as he hurriedly pursed his lips and looked at madam hua hesitantly. chu yi turned to look at scholar han and asked, ¡°you know this madam?¡± ¡°your highness, 1 can¡¯t say that 1 know her. i just met her once.¡± scholar han bowed to chu yi and replied, ¡°she¡¯s madam hua from the myriad herb hall!¡± he quickly glanced at madam hua and added, ¡°it was madam hua¡¯s son who was sent to the myriad herb hall after he fell off the horse.¡± the students were stunned at first, then there was an uproar. they looked at each other in shock. at noon, they went to wumen square with scholar han to complain. in the end, the eldest prince came to wumen square to see them. as the representative of a group of scholars, scholar han complained to the eldest prince about second lady gu¡¯s various crimes. he accused gu ce¡¯s daughter of bewitching the eldest prince in order to avenge gu ce and using sorcery to harm others with malicious intentions. the eldest prince immediately asked them, ¡°do you know what sorcery is?¡± of course, these students didn¡¯t know. since they didn¡¯t understand, how could they accuse others of abusing sorcery? at that moment, scholar han and the others thought that the eldest prince wanted to protect second lady gu. unexpectedly, right on the heels of that, the eldest prince suggested that they come to wuliang temple together. he said that he would invite the temple master to the myriad herb hall to take a look at young master hua and see if he was sick or if he had been under some evil spell. everyone felt that the eldest prince had a point. hence, they followed the eldest prince to wuliang temple. they were with the eldest prince the entire time. every move of the eldest prince was in front of them. they had watched with their own eyes as the eldest prince asked daoist xuan cheng about sorcery and saving people. from the beginning to the end, the eldest prince had been very sincere. he was open and aboveboard, and no one could find fault with his words or actions. these students gradually wavered. they felt that the eldest prince looked glorious and did things reasonably. he didn¡¯t look like someone who had been bewitched by beauty. just as they were about to set off for the capital, madam hua suddenly rushed over and said those shocking words. many students were a little stunned. only at this moment did they match the unbelievable story told by madam hua with the matter of the myriad herb hall. the one with the most complicated expression was probably scholar han. shock made his mind a little chaotic, and he couldn¡¯t think calmly. he blurted out and questioned madam tang, ¡°madam hua, wasn¡¯t your son under an evil spell by second lady gu?¡± after saying this, scholar han felt that he had misspoken again. he hurriedly looked at chu yi and was slightly relieved to see that he didn¡¯t show any unhappiness. the other students around him had the same doubts as scholar han. they all looked back and forth between hua lan and madam hua. chu yi gently stroked his sleeves, his every move as elegant as the clouds. he seemed to be muttering to himself, ¡°so it¡¯s the hua family.¡± hua lan held his breath for a moment and quickly restrained his violent emotions. fie looked refined again. ¡°your highness.¡± hua lan bowed solemnly to chu yi and said, ¡°my son has been weak and sickly since he was young. now, his life is on the verge of death. it¡¯s just fate. however, madam loves her son so much that she has hysteria. what she said can¡¯t be trusted..¡± Chapter 537 - Chapter 537: False (3) chapter 537: false (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°it¡¯s my fault for losing my composure in front of your highness. i¡¯m really ashamed. please punish me, your highness.¡± hua lan bowed and bowed. he looked dignified and sincere¡ªa completely different person from the person who had slapped his wife just now. ¡°i¡¯m not crazy!¡± madam hua snapped. half of her face was swollen, and a few strands of hair were scattered messily by her cheeks. she looked like a crazy woman. chu yi looked at her calmly. he didn¡¯t say that he believed her, nor did he say that he didn¡¯t believe her. he only asked hua lan, ¡°hua lan, are both your sons like this?¡± ¡°yes.¡± hua lan nodded with difficulty. this simple word was so difficult for him. it was equivalent to giving up his second son. but he had no choice. at the end of the day, the eldest prince only meddled in the hua family¡¯s family matters for the sake of his sweetheart. now that he has removed second lady gu, this matter could be over. chu yi smiled without saying anything. scholar han frowned deeply and looked back and forth between hua lan and his wife. he could vaguely see hua lan¡¯s intentions. he hurriedly bowed and said, ¡°eldest prince, can 1 say something?¡± chu yi smiled faintly. ¡°speak.¡± scholar han sorted out his thoughts and said seriously, ¡°your highness, i was also outside the myriad herb hall at noon. at that time, madam hua clearly said that second lady gu used sorcery to harm people!¡± ¡°other than the students, many people also heard it with their own ears. the rumors have already spread. if second lady gu is wronged, won¡¯t it tarnish her reputation?¡± ¡°your highness, please find out the truth. you can¡¯t wrong a good person, nor can you let the evildoer get away with it!¡± scholar han¡¯s words were powerful and resonated clearly in the air. another student walked to scholar han¡¯s side and bowed. ¡°three people make a tiger, and the repeated rumor becomes a fact. please investigate clearly, your highness!¡± the other students around also agreed deeply. they bowed to chu yi in unison and shouted, ¡°your highness, please investigate clearly.¡± hua lan really had the urge to kill this impulsive young man. he could slap madam hua as a husband, but he couldn¡¯t lay a hand on a successful scholar like scholar han. furthermore, the eldest prince was here! ¡°han zhanghe, you want the truth?¡± chu yi asked gently. he smiled slightly, making people feel refreshed. han zhanghe didn¡¯t understand why the eldest prince asked this, but he still nodded affirmatively. ¡°the truth should have been revealed.¡± ¡°in that case, let¡¯s investigate.¡± chu yi smiled again, looking like he was going along with the public¡¯s wishes. seeing this, han zhanghe and the other students all had a good impression of him. all of them felt that if the eldest prince could listen to their advice, he would definitely be a benevolent king in the future. everyone¡¯s compliments rose and fell. anticipation appeared on madam hua¡¯s red and swollen face. she knelt down with tears in her eyes and shouted in a hoarse voice, ¡°your highness, please find out the truth!¡± she thought that as long as the truth was out, the eldest prince could save her two sons. ¡°hua lan, submit the hua family tree,¡± chu yi said. ¡°¡­¡± hua lan¡¯s expression changed slightly. he subconsciously clenched the family tree in his hand tightly, his eyes wandering, but he still forced himself to hold on. a tall and mighty young man with a small beard walked out of the royal guard. he strode towards hua lan and extended a hand. ¡°master hua?¡± he looked at hua lan with a cold expression and cold eyes. hua lan didn¡¯t move, still clutching the family tree tightly. at this moment, his actions were no different from guilt. the young man with the mustache wouldn¡¯t stand on ceremony with hua lan. he used force first and pinched the acupuncture points on the other party¡¯s wrist like lightning. a heart-piercing pain immediately attacked hua lan. he let out a low cry of pain and subconsciously let go of the family tree. the young man with the mustache gently took the family tree and handed it to chu yi with both hands. at the same time, a few daoists from wuliang temple quickly brought over tables, chairs, and coffee tables and served tea to chu yi. chu yi sat down under a lush bodhi tree. the shadow of the tree above fell on him, making him look elegant, like the pine tree, wind, and moon. he leisurely flipped through the thick family tree, flipping through one page after another. every page was flipped quickly¡­ everyone around stared at chu yi¡¯s every move with a burning gaze. madam hua, who was kneeling on the ground, hurriedly said, ¡°the first ten pages of the family tree are all about the main branch¡­¡± ¡°from master¡¯s father¡¯s generation, every generation¡­¡± Chapter 538 - Chapter 538: False (4) chapter 538: false (4) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios chu yi finished reading the mere 10 pages in less than ten minutes. he looked deeply at hua lan, who was 10 feet in front of him, and slowly said, ¡°hua xiang was born in the 12th year of the heavenly calendar. he died on the 16th day of the 2nd month in the 30th year of the heavenly calendar.¡± ¡°hua rong was born in the 10th year of the heavenly calendar. he died on the third day of july in the 11th year of the heavenly calendar.¡± ¡°hua was born in the second year of the heavenly calendar. he died on may 20, the 21st year of the heavenly calendar.¡± chu yi reported six or seven names in a row. he had clearly only skimmed through them just now, but he had already remembered these people¡¯s birthdays and death sacrifice dates clearly and without any pause. han zhanghe and the other students were a little surprised and impressed. they thought to themselves: ¡°could it be that the eldest prince has a photographic memory!¡± they calculated in their hearts and realized that, just as madam hua had said, there had been men in the hua family who had died young, at the age of 18. this was inevitably strange. hua lan¡¯s heart sank again, but he forced himself to remain calm and said, ¡°your highness, most of the clansmen are weak and don¡¯t have many children. it¡¯s really a family regret.¡± he sighed faintly, looking sad and helpless. ¡°the hua family is a noble family that has lasted for 300 years. there were many famous people in the family for generations, and they were the best at that time.¡± chu yi said tirelessly, ¡°hua sheng has power and influence in the court, and is a world-renowned calligrapher¡­¡± as hua lan listened, he couldn¡¯t help but reveal a proud expression and puff out his chest. ¡°people everywhere envy the talent and achievements of the hua family, but who would have thought that there would be such difficulties within the clan? it¡¯s as if heaven itself is jealous of extraordinary talent.¡± chu yi seemed to casually express his sigh, but it gave off a profound sense of meaning. at first glance, he wasn¡¯t questioning anything, but it made people think about it. this was because these top figures in the hua family had all died of old age. han zhanghe frowned even more and said, ¡°your highness, can i borrow the hua family tree to take a look?¡± hua lan wanted to say no, but there was no room for him to comment here. chu yi handed the family tree to han zhanghe. after han zhanghe took the family tree with both hands respectfully, he slowly flipped through a few pages¡­ if there was no doubt in his heart, this was just an ordinary family tree. however, when han zhanghe had already expected it, many words shocked him. this genealogy was stained with blood! when the wind blew, the shadows of the trees above swayed, making han zhanghe¡¯s expression as dark as an abyss. hua lan¡¯s expression darkened even more. his lips were as tense as iron, and he seemed to be sinking into a cold quagmire. even if he didn¡¯t move, his body was sinking bit by bit, and his mud feet were sinking. hatred surged in his heart. at this moment, he had nowhere to vent his hatred. he could only direct it at madam hua, and his eyes were filled with killing intent. she can have another son, but what she¡¯s doing now will destroy the entire hua family! zhao¡¯er is also my son. will i watch helplessly as our only son dies?! i¡¯ve already told her that i¡¯ll save zhao¡¯er, but she just doesn¡¯t believe me! hua lan swallowed with difficulty. his body stiffened as if it was frozen. he bowed to chu yi again and said, ¡°your highness, please understand. no one from any family has died of illness. madam is really hysterical.¡± chu yi elegantly took a sip of tea before asking, ¡°madam hua, do you think you¡¯re hysterical?¡± when hua lan heard this, he couldn¡¯t help but feel that it was ridiculous. which lunatic would admit that he was crazy?! he quickly said, ¡°your highness, people with hysteria¡­¡± halfway through his sentence, he felt a sudden, sharp pain in his right shin. he cried out in pain and staggered to his knees, kneeling shoulder to shoulder with madam hua. behind him, the bearded royal guard smiled and retracted his foot. he said high up in the air, ¡°hua lan, his highness isn¡¯t asking you.¡± its all this wicked woman¡¯s fault! hua lan was in so much pain that a cold sweat broke out on his forehead. he took his anger out on madam hua and glared at her, but madam hua looked back at him forcefully without any fear. she felt more confident now. with the eldest prince around, old master won¡¯t be able to do anything to me! i¡¯m his lawful wife and the main consort. he can¡¯t divorce me. our two sons are the only bloodline in that branch. at most, after this incident, he¡¯ll neglect me. he can take concubines, or even a noble concubine, if he wants. at my age, with grandchildren on the way, what¡¯s there to fear? my two sons are everything to me. death is like a lamp going out. i just want my sons to live! ¡°your highness, i¡¯m not suffering from hysteria!¡± madam tang no longer cared, and she ruthlessly told him everything she knew. just now, when she rushed over to beg daoist xuan cheng, she was agitated and only wanted to destroy the tablets enshrined in the temple as soon as possible. therefore, she spoke incoherently. now, she was much calmer and spoke much more methodically. starting from the marriage between the eldest son and the lu family, she said that she thought that hua lan only wanted to bring joy to the eldest son. unexpectedly, hua lan¡¯s goal was to get married in secret. she said that the hua family had a tradition of giving their children a yin marriage for generations. the women who got married were all living people. later on, they all died early because of the yin marriage. the women¡¯s death sacrifices were all recorded in the family tree and could be checked. she even said that hua lan, his father, and his ancestors did all of this to prosper the family and even consecrated those tablets at wuliang temple. han zhanghe and the other students also heard it clearly. they only felt that it was sensational. their expressions revealed shock and disgust. some people couldn¡¯t help but gasp, their expressions mixed with deep resentment. the truth was already very clear. the reason why hua lan and madam hua¡¯s son fell ill was because of hua lan. it had nothing to do with second lady gu. not only were the hua family vicious and cold-blooded, but they were also lawless! everyone looked at each other. at this moment, when they thought about how they had repeatedly said that second lady gu had used sorcery to harm people¡¯s lives, they couldn¡¯t help but feel ashamed. at that time, what the eldest prince said was mere hearsay. yes, hearsay. they had studied hard for more than ten years and all of them thought that they were knowledgeable, but they didn¡¯t even understand the most basic logic. they were confused by the surface appearance! studying was for the sake of understanding, and they were really not worthy of being scholars. the students all lowered their heads slightly. their faces and hearts were burning uncomfortably. they felt that they had no face to stand here anymore.. Chapter 539 - Chapter 539: Resolution (1) chapter 539: resolution (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios madam hua, who was kneeling on the ground, looked up at chu yi without blinking. the weather in the capital was clearly gloomy, but here, the sun was shining brightly, as if it was another world. the resplendent sunlight gently shone on chu yi, giving him a golden halo. his elegance seemed to be engraved in his bones, as if a god had descended to the mortal world. his presence made the surrounding air seem to have a refreshing bamboo fragrance. just by looking at him, madam hua felt that she had seen the light. madam hua kowtowed to chu yi three times in a row. her forehead was bruised as she said seriously, ¡°your highness, please uphold justice!¡± ¡°please save my son, your highness!¡± madam hua placed her forehead on the ground and prostrated herself on the ground without moving. chu yi didn¡¯t comment. his clear and gentle gaze turned to the old daoist on the other side. ¡°daoist xuan cheng, have you heard of this evil technique madam hua mentioned?¡± the old daoist holding the silver horsetail whisk stood there motionless with his eyes half closed. only the wisps of the horsetail whisk and the wide sleeves of his clothes flew up with the mountain wind. daoist xuan cheng opened his eyes and gently flicked the horsetail whisk. he had a sage-like aura that transcended the mortal world. ¡°your highness, if i¡¯m not wrong¡­¡± before daoist xuan cheng could finish speaking, hua lan had already jumped up from the ground excitedly. like a crazy beast, he flew towards daoist xuan cheng, wanting to shut him up. however, he had no chance to rush in front of daoist xuan cheng at all. a royal blue figure flashed past, and a certain royal guard kicked hua lan¡¯s lower abdomen steadily and accurately. his movements were as fast as lightning. those students didn¡¯t even catch his movements. they only saw hua lan fall to the ground with a muffled groan. immediately after, two imperial guards grabbed hua lan¡¯s arms from both sides. one of them kicked him hard in the knees, making him fall to his knees again. when the students looked at hua lan again, they saw that he was drenched in cold sweat. his hair was almost wet, as if he had been scooped out of the water. he no longer looked guilty, but frightened. han zhanghe was still holding the hua family tree in his hand. he muttered softly, ¡°madam hua is indeed telling the truth¡­¡± the other students nodded silently and looked at hua lan with disdain. there was no need for hua lan to confess. it was obvious from his guilty and frightened expression. daoist xuan cheng glanced at hua lan, who was pinned to the ground, and flicked his horsetail whisk again. he muttered softly, ¡°supreme taiyi, the transcendent of resolving calamities.¡± then, he bowed to chu yi and sighed. ¡°your highness, if i¡¯m not wrong, the hua family should be doing the soul nurturing and fate changing technique.¡± ¡°please enlighten me, spiritual master.¡± chu yi cupped his hands elegantly. daoist xuan cheng slowly stroked his beard and organized his words. he explained unhurriedly, ¡°it¡¯s said that this ¡®soul nurturing and fate changing technique¡¯ is extremely evil. it requires a young man and woman with matching eight characters. the man can¡¯t be older than 20 years old. at this moment, the man¡¯s yang qi is the most vigorous, and his luck is also the most vigorous. he uses the woman¡¯s yin qi to restrict the man¡¯s yang qi and achieve the balance of yin and yang. he uses their living souls to nourish the luck of the clan.¡± with that, daoist xuan cheng shook his head. ¡°this is an evil technique. every time it¡¯s used, it can protect the family¡¯s prosperity for 30 years, but it has to sacrifice two living lives.¡± ¡°spiritual master, is there a way to resolve this technique?¡± chu yi asked again. madam hua, who was kneeling on the ground, looked up again. if it was daoist xuan cheng, he would definitely know how to resolve it! her swollen cheek was already swollen and deformed, and there was still dried blood at the corner of her mouth, but she didn¡¯t care at all. she only looked at daoist xuan cheng with a burning gaze. daoist xuan cheng frowned slightly, and his expression gradually became serious. he said helplessly, ¡°the most important step of this technique is to use an underworld marriage as a medium to activate the spell. if the two families sign the marriage contract and the woman accepts the betrothal gift, it will be equivalent to forming an underworld marriage. the ceremony will be more than half done.¡± ¡°that girl will become the ghost of the hua family from now on. she will definitely die. there¡¯s no way to resolve it.¡± from the moment she signed the marriage contract, the woman would be part of the hua family and would die! daoist xuan cheng sighed faintly, his eyes filled with pity. madam hua didn¡¯t care if lu qin could be saved. what she cared about were her sons.. she quickly asked, ¡°spiritual master, what about my sons?¡± Chapter 540 - Chapter 540: Resolution (2) chapter 540: resolution (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°can my son be saved?!¡± madam hua was indeed a loving mother, but anyone could tell how cold she was to miss lu. she cared only for her own son, which truly exemplified the saying, ¡°pity the person who arouses hatred.¡± the students looked at her with disdain, thinking how selfish she was. daoist xuan cheng glanced at madam hua indifferently and said, ¡°your highness, second lady gu is talented and has her own unique skills. perhaps she has a way to crack this technique.¡± speaking of gu yanfei, daoist xuan cheng looked impressed. when han zhanghe heard daoist xuan cheng sing praises of second lady gu, he couldn¡¯t help but think of all the things he had heard in the myriad herb hall. when he was in the myriad herb hall, he heard that third miss lu didn¡¯t want to get married, so second lady gu used a talisman to cast a spell on young master hua and ruin this marriage. at that time, he was filled with righteous indignation and felt that second lady gu was an evil person. but now, from the truth he had heard and witnessed, third miss lu was clearly forced to marry into the hua family unknowingly. it was the hua family that was sinister and vicious. they schemed against third miss lu and wanted to use her life to help the hua family prosper. of course, such a marriage couldn¡¯t be arranged! in other words, second lady gu¡¯s talisman wasn¡¯t harming people, but saving them! so, gu ce¡¯s daughter was saving someone?! she was saving an innocent girl. han zhanghe stood rooted to the ground in a daze. the feeling in his heart was indescribable. even he didn¡¯t know how shocked and ashamed he was. father was father, daughter was daughter. he shouldn¡¯t have been prejudiced against second lady gu because of gu ce. han zhanghe¡¯s eyes flickered. he closed his eyes and pursed his lips tightly, breathing deeply and quickly. 1 was wrong! when he opened his eyes again, he turned to look at chu yi. the sun shone on chu yi¡¯s snow-white straight face, spotless. the young master in white was as gentle as jade and asked calmly, ¡°may i ask how the spiritual master can be sure that the hua family used this ¡®soul nurturing and fate changing technique¡¯?¡± hua lan¡¯s expression changed slightly again. despair was written all over his cold, sweat-drenched face. he felt as if his entire body had fallen into a bottomless quagmire and was about to welcome a terrifying calamity. ¡°it¡¯s not difficult.¡± daoist xuan cheng didn¡¯t even look at hua lan. he said calmly, ¡°the ancestral tablets of those who were cast contain their blood essence.¡± ¡°then i¡¯ll have to trouble the spiritual master to verify it.¡± chu yi smiled slightly and said leisurely. ¡°the hall of rebirth has been renovated recently. those memorial tablets have been temporarily placed in the gathering mountain room.¡± daoist xuan cheng bowed with a smile. ¡°i¡¯ll order someone to get the memorial tablets now.¡± the two daoists hurried away. when madam hua heard this, her red and swollen eyes burned with hope. on the contrary, hua lan collapsed to the ground like mud, his face pale. after a while, a few daoists worked together to push all the memorial tablets of the hua family over with a cart. then, everyone compared them to the family tree and chose all the memorial tablets of hua xiang, hua rong, hua yan, and the others, as well as their wives¡¯ rooms. a few imperial guards directly split those memorial tablets open. as expected, there was blood essence hidden in the tablet. the evidence was conclusive and irrefutable. madam hua looked at the destroyed tablets and smiled crazily. she muttered to herself, ¡°if the tablets are destroyed, so be it. then my son can be saved, right?¡± ¡°spiritual master, my son can be saved, right?¡± madam hua looked at daoist xuan cheng expectantly, but he didn¡¯t say anything. hua lan closed his eyes tiredly. when he opened them again, even his dark eyes were slightly gray and lifeless. ¡°yes, i did cause hua xi¡¯s illness.¡± he gritted his teeth. the line of his chin was tense, and his temperament looked sinister and cold. he raised his head and shouted at chu yi, ¡°but so what?¡± ¡°it¡¯s no mistake for a father to kill his son!¡± as he spoke, hua lan¡¯s eyes lit up again, as if he had obtained a death exemption gold medal. his entire body exuded coldness and madness. since ancient times, if the emperor wanted his subjects to die, they had no choice but to die. if the father wanted his son to die, his son had no choice but to die. every male who died early was the son of the hua family¡¯s main branch. hua xi was also his biological son. a father wasn¡¯t guilty of killing his own son. it was the same for all the laws of the past dynasties. this was a family matter for the hua family. perhaps someone would condemn him morally, but he was innocent. even the emperor couldn¡¯t punish him. there was dead silence. at this moment, even the wind seemed to have stopped.. Chapter 541 - Chapter 541: Resolution (3) chapter 541: resolution (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°it¡¯s really you!¡± madam hua said sternly. ¡°you harmed our son!¡± her eyes instantly turned even redder, shooting out a hateful light. she pounced on hua lan like an angry mother beast, pounding, scratching, scratching, and biting. ¡°you crazy woman!¡± hua lan also hated madam hua. if it wasn¡¯t for her, this matter wouldn¡¯t have come to this! the hua family¡¯s 300-year-old reputation had been buried in the hands of this shallow-minded woman. the couple had long forgotten their former relationship as husband and wife. they had almost lost their rationality and pushed and scuffled with each other. hua lan was a man, after all, so he was naturally stronger than madam hua. after a while, he roughly pushed madam hua to the ground. at this moment, hua lan¡¯s hair had long been messed up by madam hua. half of his hair was disheveled, and there were a few blood-red nail marks on his face. his clothes were also in a mess. looking at this couple with terrible morals, han zhanghe and the other students didn¡¯t have the slightest sympathy. all of them revealed looks of disdain. for a noble family like the hua family, who looked glamorous on the outside, they were actually corrupted deep down. even their roots were rotten. ¡°what a good ¡®father killing his son¡¯!¡± chu yi clapped his hands gently. his voice was still like the spring breeze and rain, but every word was filled with coldness. he slowly questioned, ¡°then, where¡¯s the third miss of the lu family?¡± ¡°what about the innocent women who died because they were related to the hua family?¡± his tone was neither light nor heavy, but it carried a thunderous deterrence. he hit the nail on the head. hua lan¡¯s pupils constricted slightly, and his original fearlessness instantly disappeared. fear quickly filled his eyes and spread to his limbs and bones. the wind of martyrdom has been around since ancient times. those women had never been in hua lan¡¯s considerations. at this moment, they were caught off guard by chu yi. he was at a loss for words. not to mention those women in the past, third miss lu had yet to marry into the hua family. the lu family could completely sue the hua family for murder. ¡°take him down and hand him over to the capital for interrogation.¡± with chu yi¡¯s order, a few imperial guards approached hua lan. hua lan shouted at a vicious cycle, ¡°my madam knows about the marriage. if i¡¯m guilty, she¡¯s an accomplice!¡± ¡°she knew that this shady marriage would kill third miss lu, but she still went to the lu family to propose marriage!¡± hua lan¡¯s voice became sharper and sharper. his once refined face was no longer as refined as before, only ferocity and distortion remained. since he was going to fall into hell, madam hua could forget about living well! he was a sinner, and she wasn¡¯t any better! ¡°don¡¯t talk about me. i don¡¯t know anything!¡± madam hua refused to admit it. ¡°your highness, he even killed his biological son. it¡¯s obvious what kind of character he has¡­¡± after beating each other up, the hua couple started arguing with each other like a dogfight. chu yi didn¡¯t say that he believed them, nor did he say that he didn¡¯t believe them. he only waved his hand and didn¡¯t want to say anything more to them. the few imperial guards dragged hua lan and his wife away. chu yi didn¡¯t need to decide who was right and who was wrong. he could just hand them over to the capital city for interrogation. when she was dragged away, madam hua was still shouting hysterically, ¡°your highness, my sons are innocent. they don¡¯t know anything¡­¡± after the couple was dragged away, the surroundings became much quieter. the branches and leaves of the bodhi tree above swayed with the wind, making a rustling sound, making the surrounding ten feet feel even quieter. han zhanghe and the other students¡¯ faces turned green, white, and red. they were so ashamed that they couldn¡¯t look chu yi in the eye. in this strange silence, han zhanghe took half a step forward and was about to say something when he heard chu yi say, ¡°spiritual master, the carriage is ready. please follow me to the myriad herb hall.¡± daoist xuan cheng agreed with a warm expression. they had already agreed to go to the myriad herb hall together, but because of madam hua¡¯s appearance, they were delayed a little. they had roughly sorted out the cause and effect of the entire matter, but he still had to make this trip. daoist xuan cheng pondered in his heart. this matter involves the mystic sect¡¯s spell technique. itii be more appropriate for me to clarify for second lady gu in public than the eldest prince and the officials. moreover, these tablets were consecrated by the hua family to wuliang temple. our wuliang temple has only been tainted by this karma and it has to be ended. hence, all the students followed, surrounding chu yi and daoist xuan cheng as they went down the mountain. the group of carriages set off majestically for the return journey to the capital. however, the mentality of the students was already different from when they went to cheng jing. along the way, they all passed in silence.. all of them were reflecting and blaming themselves in their hearts¡­ Chapter 542 - Chapter 542: Resolution (4) chapter 542: resolution (4) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios when the convoy returned to the capital through the west gate, the sun had already set and the gloomy sky was filled with dark clouds. under the escort of the imperial guards, everyone arrived at the myriad herb hall smoothly. their journey was smooth. at this time, there weren¡¯t many commoners on the road, but the lineup of the imperial guards was too large. it was obvious that someone important was going out. the pedestrians passing by on the street and the guests of the nearby restaurants and shops were all attracted. when they heard that the eldest prince and daoist xuan cheng had personally come to the myriad herb hall, everyone was stunned. now, even the customers in the restaurants and teahouses couldn¡¯t sit still. they all surrounded the myriad herb hall. after everyone left, more and more people came. it was bustling with activity. these passersby, who were watching the show, were stopped outside by the royal guards. they could only look inside. doctor wan received chu yi and daoist xuan cheng with fear and trepidation. he said helplessly, ¡°eldest prince, spiritual master, young master hua is lying inside¡­¡± chu yi was welcomed to a rose chair by the window and sat down. second young master hua was awake, but he was very weak. he was sitting on the couch with a big pillow. daoist xuan cheng checked hua zhao¡¯s pulse. doctor wan handed over two things. one was the teacup for hua zhaosheng, and the other was the purple pouch with the talismans. everyone¡¯s eyes fell on daoist xuan cheng, including gu yunrong, who was standing behind the counter not far away. daoist xuan cheng casually glanced at the teacup that had a few specks of talisman ash left. then, he looked away and picked up the talisman in his pouch to examine it repeatedly. ¡°second lady gu is indeed talented.¡± a smile appeared on daoist xuan cheng¡¯s kind face, and a few wrinkles appeared at the corners of his eyes. he praised, ¡°this talisman is amazing! very amazing!¡± he stared at the talisman with a burning gaze, unable to look away. there was a commotion in the crowd that was stopped by the imperial guard. everyone pricked up their ears and listened. their eyes lit up as they looked at the sage-like, white-haired, and youthful-looking daoist xuan cheng. most of them had heard that at noon, an unconscious young master hua was sent to the myriad herb hall. later on, someone kept saying that this young master hua had been harmed by second lady gu¡¯s talisman. but now, listening to daoist xuan cheng¡¯s praiseful tone, why didn¡¯t it seem like that! ¡°spiritual master, what¡¯s so amazing about this talisman?¡± chu yi asked casually. daoist xuan cheng studied the winding runes on the talisman paper again before putting it down. he said concisely, ¡°this talisman can stop the hua family¡¯s evil technique.¡± even han zhanghe had guessed this when he was at wuliang temple. now that he heard daoist xuan cheng confirm it himself, he still felt ashamed. the commoners gathered outside immediately and became noisy. a young woman in the crowd shouted, ¡°second lady gu didn¡¯t harm anyone, right?¡± ¡°no, second lady gu didn¡¯t harm anyone!¡± daoist xuan cheng smiled slightly. his voice wasn¡¯t loud, but it clearly reached everyone¡¯s ears outside. at this moment, the sky was already dark. candles were lit in the front hall, and the faint candlelight enshrouded this old daoist with silver hair and a beard, making him look even more dignified. he was even more dignified than the statues of the dao masters of the three pure ones enshrined in the daoist temple. he flicked his horsetail whisk gently, and a 10-year-old daoist child who was accompanying him understood. the little daoist boy quickly walked to the entrance of the myriad herb hall and vividly told him the truth of the entire matter. he even said that master hua and his wife, who had harmed someone, had already been sent to the capital by the eldest prince. hua zhao, who was lying on the couch, originally thought that daoist xuan cheng had been invited by the eldest prince to save his life. at this moment, he realized that his parents had actually been sent to the government office. his face instantly darkened, and even his lips were pale. he was in a panic and didn¡¯t know what to do. the onlookers outside the myriad herb hall were like a pot of boiling water, discussing animatedly. an old woman said excitedly and angrily, ¡°this is too vicious. i¡¯m afraid this isn¡¯t only to use evil arts to strengthen their family, but also to kill for money!¡± ¡°if this person dies, the dowry will belong to the hua family!¡± ¡°it¡¯s just killing for money!¡± another young man in gray slapped his thigh. ¡°he¡¯s short of money, that¡¯s why he wants to marry a daughter-in-law and take away their dowry! isn¡¯t he a beast?!¡± to these ordinary people, it was obviously much easier to understand the dowry of a greedy daughter-in-law. everyone became even more indignant after thinking about it. after scolding her, someone exclaimed happily, ¡°as expected, i knew that second lady gu was a kind little immortal. how could a little immortal harm people!!¡± when the others heard this, they also cheered for second lady gu. most of them praised her. amidst the praises for second lady gu, chu yi¡¯s lips curled up, and a dazzling light flowed in his eyes. ¡°han zhanghe.¡± chu yi looked at han zhanghe with a gentle expression. his voice was steady and had a kind of pressure. ¡°what other doubts do you have?¡± ¡°now, do you still want to continue complaining?¡± chu yi¡¯s last sentence was directed at the other students present. han zhanghe and the other students were so ashamed that they wished they could dig a hole and hide in it. not only were they too ashamed to face chu yi, but they were also too ashamed to face the commoners outside. han zhanghe and his classmates couldn¡¯t help but think of a girl who had reprimanded them indignantly in a nearby tea shop at noon. ¡°to think that after reading so many books, you only know how to follow the crowd. i think the more you read, the more confused you become!¡± ¡°people like you are people who have passed the imperial examination. in the future, when you go to a place to be an official, you will only create some false and wrong cases to harm others and yourself!¡± the girl¡¯s words were still ringing in their ears. at that time, they felt that she didn¡¯t know what was going on. now that they thought about it, they felt that what she said was pertinent. they were really boolworms. they felt that their talents were superior to others, but in fact, they only knew how to study. they were so stupid that they were led by the nose by others with just a few words. they had let down the years of guidance of the academy. han zhanghe raised his head with difficulty. with a hot face, he said in shame, ¡°your highness, we¡¯re not suing.¡± chu yi smiled slightly and said, ¡°emperor taizu once said that without investigation, you have no right to speak.¡± ordinary people might not know this, but all the students present knew. emperor taizu said that without investigation, one had no right to speak. without proper investigation, one also had no right to speak. the students were all deep in thought. they felt that the eldest prince was trying to enlighten them. that¡¯s right. if they had personally gone to the lu family and the hua family to investigate the entire matter before complaining, they wouldn¡¯t have placed themselves in such a predicament. the students said in unison, ¡°your highness is right! thank you for your guidance!¡± they looked at chu yi with admiration in their eyes. although their eldest prince was young, he was capable. he had the courage of emperor taizu and was kind-hearted. it was a blessing to have such an heir to the throne! chu yi slowly looked around at everyone and said, ¡°yes.¡± after a pause, he said even more slowly, ¡°it¡¯s the same for gu ce!¡± these words were like a thunderclap that suddenly exploded in the sky. the surroundings were silent for a moment.. Chapter 543 - Chapter 543: Reversal (1) chapter 543: reversal (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios han zhanghe¡¯s eyes widened, and he suddenly raised his head, his mind buzzing. hot flames ignited in his eyes again, containing monstrous hatred. he raised his thin chin and gritted his teeth. ¡°gu ce surrendered to the enemy and opened the city gate, causing tens of thousands of commoners and soldiers to die in vain. how can he be compared!¡± he admitted that he had misunderstood second lady gu. however, everyone knew about gu ce¡¯s crime. how could the eldest prince erase it with just a few words! father was father, daughter was daughter! the other students behind him also felt the same way. they nodded one after another, with the same indignation written on their faces. the students looked indignant, but chu yi still smiled casually and asked, ¡°who saw it?¡± nine years ago, after the state of yue army took down tailing city in yangzhou, they slaughtered for three days. all the soldiers who participated in the battle died in battle or were buried alive. the commoners in the area of tailing city were also empty. it could be said that corpses were everywhere. the students present and the onlookers outside had heard that the smell of blood in the sky above tailing city didn¡¯t dissipate for a long time, and crows flew in groups. but now, the eldest prince was asking, who had seen it? this question was a little heartbreaking. han zhanghe and the others were speechless for a moment. chu yi repeated again, ¡°without investigation, you have no right to speak.¡± everyone still remembered what chu yi said just now. if he had said that before today, it would have certainly provoked a lot of backlash, especially from the scholars present. they would have written extensively, condemning and criticizing him. at this moment, they couldn¡¯t say anything. today, they followed the eldest prince for half a day and observed his behavior. he wasn¡¯t the muddle-headed person they had thought was bewitched by beauty, nor had he become mediocre and weak because he had been a hostage in the state of yue for many years. not only did their eldest prince have a photographic memory, he was also a person with a gully in his chest. moreover, the lesson of the hua family¡¯s case was right in front of them. the students looked at each other, and their guard, which had been as hard as a city wall, loosened a little. the current emperor had a benevolent personality. after ascending to the throne for a year, he abolished several miscellaneous taxes and harsh labor practices. he had even supported the academy and opened up the imperial examination to give commoner students like them a chance to showcase their ambitions. he was unlike the late emperor, who valued those noble families more. although he hadn¡¯t abolished the imperial examination in the past 20 years, he had never placed any importance on any poor family scholars. as soon as the current emperor ascended the throne, he established the imperial examination system, clearly proclaiming his political stance in support of scholars from humble backgrounds throughout the realm. such an emperor was not only magnanimous but also a monarch who cared about the world and tried to revive it. since the current emperor and the eldest prince both felt that there was something hidden about gu ce surrendering to the enemy back then, could there really be something hidden¡­ han zhanghe took a deep breath and maintained his bow. he looked at chu yi without blinking and said seriously, ¡°your highness, do you have any evidence?¡± ¡°if there was enough evidence, it would be clear now.¡± chu yi¡¯s expression was extremely calm, and his tone was quite calm, as if this was a matter of course, and he didn¡¯t doubt it at all. han zhanghe heard the hidden meaning in chu yi¡¯s words and asked anxiously, ¡°may 1 ask if your highness has already discovered some clues?¡± after saying this, han zhanghe was afraid that this was a secret of the imperial court. he wanted to say something, but chu yi spoke first. ¡°when i was in the state of yue, i happened to discover that in the battle in yangzhou back then, the state of yue army claimed to have lost 20,000 soldiers, but in fact, 30,000 people died in battle. 10,000 people disappeared into thin air. after the remaining state of yue army returned to the state of yue, they were ordered by the sage to return to the fields.¡± just a few words caused the atmosphere in the myriad herb hall to suddenly become heavy. as the saying goes, a high scholar is a gold scholar. only one high scholar can appear in a few counties. every high scholar was a smart person who had killed his way out of thousands of elementary scholars. to be able to study all the way to the high scholar level, the students here weren¡¯t stupid. furthermore, the purpose of their imperial examination was to be an official. usually, in the academy, their teachers would often tell them about the current affairs of the imperial court and let them analyze and write strategies. this suspicious point raised by the eldest prince was indeed strange. they all frowned deeply and revealed thoughtful expressions. the same thought appeared in their hearts: could it be that the sage of the state of yue ordered the state of yue¡¯s northern expedition army to retire and return to the fields in order to hide the ¡°disappearing¡± 10,000 state of yue troops? gu ce¡¯s case had a lot of implications. it involved tens of thousands of lives and concerned the face of the great jin dynasty. if not for that defeat, the great jin dynasty wouldn¡¯t have needed to negotiate with the state of yue. it wouldn¡¯t have needed to bow and scrape to the state of yue, cut off the sea as compensation, and give the eldest prince as a hostage.. Chapter 544 - Chapter 544: Reversal (2) chapter 544: reversal (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios for the great jin dynasty, this was a humiliating history! but what if there was an unknown secret behind this public case? chu yi continued, ¡°last year, on the way back to the capital from the state of yue, i went to tailing city personally and found a burning battlefield 15 miles away from tailing city. however, according to the dossier left by the ministry of war, there was no war there back then, nor did any soldiers or commoners die there.¡± all the students¡¯ expressions became even more solemn. it turned out that the eldest prince had personally gone to tailing city to investigate last year. it was obvious that he had been preparing for gu ce¡¯s case for a long time, and it wasn¡¯t a whim. according to the eldest prince¡¯s suspicious points, they couldn¡¯t help but wonder if the 10,000 people who had disappeared from the state of yue army had died in the upper mountains. if that was the case, even if it wasn¡¯t a huge victory, it would at least be a bloody battle between two armies. since gu ce had the determination to fight the army to the death, why would he surrender? after all, he had killed so many people in the army. it could be imagined that even if he surrendered, he wouldn¡¯t have a good ending. among the group of students, a young gray-clothed scholar muttered, ¡°could it be that back then, in order to disturb the morale of our army and the hearts of the people, the sage of the state of yue falsely accused gu ce of subduing the enemy?¡± gu ce¡¯s case was full of doubts. if gu ce really didn¡¯t surrender to the enemy, then he would die for the country and be despised by the world for his injustice. his descendants would also be pointed at by the world. where was the justice?! the other students didn¡¯t speak, and their faces were dyed with a hint of oppression. ¡°it¡¯s been nine years,¡± chu yi said faintly. ¡°the imperial court should still care about fairness and truth.¡± the air around him was filled with sadness and desolation. gu yunrong, who was behind the counter, also heard this conversation. her fingers subconsciously fiddled with the beads on the abacus on the counter, and her eyes flickered. she didn¡¯t expect that, in order to marry gu yanfei, the eldest prince actually planned to stand up for gu ce and even told these students so openly. gu yunrong bit her lower lip slightly and looked at chu yi in a daze. her mind was uncontrollably thinking about yangzhou and gu ce. back then, she was also in yangzhou. she was only six years old when she met kang wang there. at that time, kang wang was 14 years old and was already an extraordinary young man with youthful spirit¡­ gu yunrong retracted her fingers from the abacus and walked absent-mindedly towards the back hall. with every step she took, her heart would twitch. her mind was in a mess. she only felt that the sound of the night breeze, the thumping of her heart, the sound of her feet stepping on fallen leaves¡­ all became exceptionally clear. the commotion and excitement in the front hall were forgotten by her. she didn¡¯t even notice that the handkerchief in her hand had fallen. gu yunrong got into her carriage from the back door of the herbal hall. other than the staff at the medical center, no one else noticed her departure. the sky was dark, and the pedestrians on the streets were sparse. the carriage carried gu yunrong all the way to kang wang¡¯s mansion. the entire mansion was shocked by the arrival of the future princess consort. ¡°rong¡¯er!¡± chu you was overjoyed by gu yunrong¡¯s arrival and personally came to welcome her. ever since gu yunrong entered the palace to see empress dowager yuan, she had said that she wanted to break off the engagement. she insisted that the two of them had nothing to do with each other from then on. after that, chu you went to the gu residence to beg a few times, but gu yunrong was unwilling to see him. now that gu yunrong had taken the initiative to come to the prince¡¯s mansion, did that mean that she was no longer angry? he looked at gu yunrong tenderly and personally helped her out of the carriage. a happy smile bloomed in his long and narrow eagle eyes, and even his usually wild face softened a lot. gu yunrong saw his pure joy and sighed slightly. she had always known that kang wang was sincere toward her, but he was kang wang. there were still obvious and hidden conflicts between them¡­ after gu yunrong stabilized herself, chu you eagerly held her slender hand and placed their palms against each other. ¡°rong¡¯er, it¡¯s my fault. 1 really didn¡¯t expect mother to be like this¡­¡± chu you apologized to gu yunrong again. he lowered his posture and looked at her beautiful face greedily. she had lost weight! chu you¡¯s heart ached, and he tentatively put his arm around her slender and graceful waist. gu yunrong¡¯s body stiffened. she wanted to break free, but chu you said sincerely, ¡°rong¡¯er, if the empress dowager continues to say such inexplicable things, don¡¯t enter the palace unless it¡¯s a festival in the future..¡± Chapter 545 - Chapter 545: Reversal (3) chapter 545: reversal (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°the two of us will live our own lives outside the palace, okay?¡± ¡°i won¡¯t let you suffer!¡± empress dowager yuan must live in the palace, not with them. in the future, if he could ascend to that position, his rong¡¯er would be the empress. the empress was the mother of the country, not an ordinary daughter-in-law. the empress dowager would no longer be able to humiliate her like she had done that day. as he spoke, his scorching breath landed on gu yunrong¡¯s right cheek and ear, making gu yunrong tremble. she looked up at his handsome face, her eyes filled with tenderness. the anger she had held back for many days finally dissipated. the empress dowager was his biological mother after all. it was already difficult for him to do this for her. seeing that gu yunrong didn¡¯t break free from him, chu you felt relieved. only then did he pull her into his arms and put her face against his chest. ¡°we¡¯ll be fine, rong¡¯er,¡± chu you said sincerely. gu yunrong listened to his strong heartbeat and hummed softly. her body gradually softened. after a while, gu yunrong said, ¡°your highness, the eldest prince wants to investigate gu ce¡¯s case again.¡± in the next moment, his chest that was pressed against hers rose and fell, and a contemptuous laugh came from the man¡¯s broad chest. ¡°no one in the world will allow him to do this!¡± chu you¡¯s tone was cold as he said firmly, ¡°he¡¯s risking the world¡¯s condemnation.¡± that day, after they parted ways at tianyin pavilion, jianwei general wang nan impeached the eldest prince to pay respects to gu ce at wuliang temple. this matter shocked the royal court. after that, the impeachment memorials were even piled up in front of the emperor. if not for the emperor¡¯s strong protection, chu yi, the prince, would probably have already left the morning court dejected! stupid. chu yi was really stupid. his good brother had finally won a chance for chu yi to go to court. it had only been a few months, but chu yi insisted on courting death! now that he was in the midst of enrollment, the students arrived in the capital one after another. if chu yi dared to say that he wanted to seek justice for gu ce again, those students would condemn him. then, chu yi would no longer have any prestige in the scholars¡¯ forest. if chu yi lost the hearts of the people because of gu ce¡¯s case, lost the morale of the army, and lost the heart of an official, even if he was the emperor¡¯s only son, there would be no possibility of him being appointed as the crown prince. chu you told her about some of the controversies in court recently. in the end, he smiled and said, ¡°don¡¯t worry, rong¡¯er. chu yi can¡¯t cause much trouble.¡± ¡°but the students seem to have wavered¡­¡± gu yunrong nervously grabbed the front of chu you¡¯s shirt and quickly told him what had happened to the hua family, including the 10,000 people who had disappeared from the state of yue army and the matter of going up the mountain. chu you¡¯s expression gradually became serious, and he frowned slightly. it turned out that when chu yi returned from the state of yue, he had gone to tailing city and shanling¡­ this good nephew of his really knew how to hide! chu you¡¯s eyes were gloomy, and he felt as frustrated as a cat. however, he still comforted gu yunrong gently. ¡°don¡¯t worry, it¡¯ll be fine.¡± he let go of gu yunrong and took a step back. then, he clapped twice. a servant immediately came over when he heard the sound. he heard chu you instruct indifferently, ¡°go to the myriad herb hall and take a look at the situation.¡± ¡°yes, your highness.¡± the servant cupped his fists and left in a hurry. the evening sky was dark. lanterns had already been lit everywhere in the prince¡¯s mansion, like a large area of fireflies shining brightly, illuminating the entire prince¡¯s mansion. ¡°rong¡¯er.¡± chu you held gu yunrong¡¯s hand and said gently, ¡°i¡¯ve recently renovated the prince¡¯s residence. since you¡¯re here, come with me to take a look around. is there anywhere else to change?¡± he stared intently at gu yunrong¡¯s small face and asked carefully. it was getting late. gu yunrong wanted to leave after talking about gu ce, but her heart softened now. she pursed her lips and smiled with shallow dimples. in the end, she nodded and agreed. ¡°where are you taking me?¡± ¡°you¡¯ll know when we get there.¡± chu you held her hand and walked forward. the two of them went to the garden of the prince¡¯s residence. the garden at dusk had a cool night scene. gu yunrong had been to the prince¡¯s residence several times in the past. she could tell where the garden had been repaired even without chu you¡¯s introduction. there was a winding wisteria corridor beside the greenhouse, a swing under an old tree, and half a lotus leaf planted on the small lake on the northwest side of the garden.. there was even a water pavilion¡­ Chapter 546 - Chapter 546: Reversal (4) chapter 546: reversal (4) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios gu yunrong could tell at a glance that the modifications and repairs in the garden were all for her, including this new water pavilion. she had once said that the scenery here was very good. looking at the distracted chu you, gu yunrong¡¯s heart softened. she held his hand tightly and smiled brightly. ¡°i like it very much!¡± in chu you¡¯s eyes, his sweetheart¡¯s bright smile was soul-stirring. the depression in his heart was swept away. he really wanted to pour out his heart and soul, but the servant who had gone out to ask for information came back in a hurry. the servant braced himself and approached the two of them. he bowed and reported, ¡°your highness, the scholars in the myriad herb hall have been convinced by the eldest prince. now, the crowd is furious. they say that they want to join forces with their classmates to submit a letter to the emperor. they ask the eldest prince to investigate this case again. they say that no matter if gu ce has done anything wrong or not, he should be investigated clearly.¡± no one would care if a high scholar wanted to investigate the case. however, if more than a hundred high scholars or even more scholars joined forces, the meaning would be different. this was a city of unity. the servant¡¯s words were like a bucket of cold water poured over their heads. the charming atmosphere between chu you and gu yunrong disappeared completely. chu you¡¯s face instantly looked like a storm was coming, and his entire body exuded a deep hostility. if this case was reopened¡­ thump! he raised his hand and pounded heavily on a willow tree by the lake. the willow tree that was as thick as a bowl trembled from the pounding, and the willow leaves fell like rain¡­ ¡°your highness!¡± gu yunrong looked at his hand with heartache. she saw that his right hand had been scratched by the bark of the willow tree, and blood was faintly seeping out. gu yunrong took out a white handkerchief from her sleeve and carefully wiped away the dust and sawdust on his skin. chu you looked at the lake with a sinister expression. the surface of the lake sparkled under the light of the lanterns, reflecting into his dark eyes, making him look cold and aloof. gu yunrong looked at his well-defined side profile and felt a sharp pain in her heart. it had been a full nine years since the incident back then. even tailing city had been rebuilt long ago. it wasn¡¯t easy for the states of jin and yue to have peace for nine years. why was the eldest prince still harping on it? after a long silence, chu you said mockingly, ¡°chu yi, good for you!¡± ¡°he remembers emperor taizu¡¯s teachings at all times. since he can¡¯t start from the royal court, he might as well go against his cultivation and ¡®go from the bottom up¡¯.¡± emperor taizu once said that the revolution was from the bottom up. one had to believe in the common people and rely on them. this was one of the slogans of emperor taizu¡¯s uprising. gu yunrong took a new handkerchief and bandaged chu you¡¯s hand. ¡°even if the eldest prince wants to overturn gu ce¡¯s case ¡®from the bottom up¡¯, this case will eventually be placed in the court. as long as the civil and military officials object, the emperor won¡¯t be able to do anything.¡± gu yunrong¡¯s lips curled up meaningfully. the light from the lantern shone on her eyes, which were as bright as the stars. the case back then involved too many things. this case involved more than just the previous emperor¡¯s clean reputation. the eldest prince was too young after all and had never experienced the game in the court. that was why he thought things were so simple. it was easier said than done to overturn the case for gu ce! chu you understood what she meant and nodded slightly. he calmed down a lot, but his eyes were still sinister. ¡°your highness, go ahead. don¡¯t worry about me,¡± gu yunrong said considerately. ¡°¡­¡± chu you held her hand and looked hesitant. he couldn¡¯t bear to look away from her. it wasn¡¯t easy for her to forgive him. he really didn¡¯t want to leave her alone¡­ as if reading his mind, gu yunrong said, ¡°i¡¯ll walk around the prince¡¯s mansion first and wait for you to come back.¡± as soon as she said this, chu you¡¯s eyes instantly lit up. he said happily, ¡°rong¡¯er, i¡¯ll be back soon.¡± ¡°help yourself here. this is your home.¡± ¡°i¡¯ll send someone to inform them about the reed alley.¡± after giving some instructions, chu you instructed a servant to entertain gu yunrong well and left in a hurry. the eldest prince¡¯s every move caught everyone¡¯s attention. on this day, first, it was the people, then the officials. the entire capital was shocked by the eldest prince¡¯s words. that night, xiao shoufu and general wang nan entered the palace to see the emperor. wang nan lifted his robe and knelt resolutely outside the south study. he shouted angrily, ¡°emperor, restarting gu ce¡¯s case is indeed an act of rebellion. you can¡¯t do it!¡± ¡°gu ce surrendered to the enemy to commit treason and brought disaster to the country and the people. the heavens are angry, and the people are resentful. there¡¯s concrete evidence of all kinds of crimes. it¡¯s irrefutable!¡± ¡°if gu ce¡¯s case can be overturned, how can he face the 100,000 soldiers and commoners who died in yangzhou? how can they rest in peace in the netherworld?! how can their families feel relieved?!¡± the more wang nan spoke, the more agitated and indignant he became. in the end, his voice seemed to roar from his chest, and even the surrounding air shook. when he thought of general zhao, who had sacrificed himself in yangzhou, wang nan¡¯s heart felt like it was being stabbed by a knife. his eyes were red and almost popped out. every soldier prepares themselves mentally for the possibility of dying on the battlefield. however, they should be prepared to die valiantly in the midst of swordplay and combat, but not to die due to surrendering to the enemy. such a death would be considered humiliating.. Chapter 547 - Chapter 547: Innocence (1) chapter 547: innocence (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios in his excitement, wang nan angrily tore off his military armor, and the little eunuch guarding under the eaves was shocked. the servant said helplessly, ¡°general, what are you doing?!¡± the little eunuch was sweating profusely and didn¡¯t understand why wang nan had suddenly started to take off his clothes. this was considered disrespectful. wang nan unbuttoned his battle robe, revealing his dark and strong upper body. the young eunuch couldn¡¯t help but gasp. he saw that wang nan¡¯s chest, shoulders, waist, back, and even arms were covered in bulging scars. some were old injuries, and some were new scars. there were at least dozens of them, big and small. it was a shocking sight. it was obvious that the scars on wang nan¡¯s body were a meritorious contribution he had made from killing mountains of corpses and seas of blood on the battlefield for decades. the little eunuch shut his mouth and swallowed what he was about to say. ¡°emperor, please listen to me!¡± wang nan kowtowed heavily to the white jade ground. he kowtowed again and again, making his forehead thump. in the end, his head was on the ground, and his strong body lay on the ground like a mountain without moving. no one could see that his eyes were already wet. he roared again, ¡°your majesty, you can¡¯t let the eldest prince do whatever he wants and make the world bitterly disappointed in the imperial court!¡± the man¡¯s rough voice was so sad and decisive. this scene had shocking power. many officials who had heard the news saw it from afar. in the past, in the evening, the palace had already fallen silent, but tonight, the palace was abnormally lively. some people kneeled beside wang nan, silently expressing their position. the british duke, fang huairui, had also arrived. fang huairui walked to wang nan¡¯s side with his head held high and slapped him hard on the back. he said in a rough voice, ¡°brother wang, are you kneeling here to force a remonstrance?!¡± he deliberately slapped wang nan¡¯s back as if they were brothers chatting and joking. fang huairui was smiling, but there was no smile in his eyes. it was as if he was telling wang nan: who are you trying to scare by looking like this? who hasn¡¯t been on the battlefield before? 1 have as many scars as you! several officials beside him couldn¡¯t help but twitch their lips, especially a few generals kneeling beside wang nan. they thought to themselves that the british duke¡¯s mouth was really wicked. although they were indeed forcing a remonstrance, they were all officials in the same court. there were some things that they didn¡¯t expose. after ail, at the stage of ¡°forcing a remonstrance¡±, it was equivalent to saying that the court officials were extremely dissatisfied with the emperor. wang nan and the others, who were kneeling on the ground, turned pale. their expressions were very ugly. ¡°cough cough!¡± another middle-aged military officer next to him cleared his throat and took on the role of peacemaker, addressing general wang nan with a gentle tone. ¡°general wang, the crown prince has already stated that all the evidence regarding the gu ce case will be presented in the court session. don¡¯t get too agitated for now, lest you become a pawn in someone else¡¯s game and end up being used as a scapegoat.¡± although he didn¡¯t name them, everyone knew that he was referring to kang wang¡¯s party. xiao shoufu naturally heard it too. he snorted and flicked his sleeves, glancing coldly at fang huairui. isn¡¯t the british duke stirring up trouble every time because of his son¡¯s old grudge with kang wang? ¡°heh.¡± wang nan sneered and slowly straightened up from the ground. his forehead was swollen. he met the middle-aged general¡¯s eyes and sneered. ¡°the eldest prince is clearly bewitched by gu ce¡¯s daughter.¡± recalling the scenes at tianyin pavilion that day, wang nan still felt indignant. gu ce¡¯s daughter is really arrogant just because she knows how to play tricks! wang nan suddenly clenched his fists. from the corner of his eye, he saw chu yi walking over unhurriedly, not far away. with a thought, he narrowed his sharp eyes and said firmly, ¡°if the eldest prince is really fair¡­¡± as he spoke, his provocative gaze shot steadily toward chu yi. he stared steadily into the young man¡¯s deep phoenix eyes. ¡°then swear that you will never marry the gu family¡¯s daughter.¡± ¡°in that case, i believe that the eldest prince has no selfish motives!¡± his last words were energetic and powerful. wang nan¡¯s eyes and expression were abnormally firm, as unshakeable as a rock. gu ce was a traitor. since the gu family¡¯s daughter instigated the eldest prince to seek justice for her father, she was clearly manipulating him. once such a woman married into the royal family, she would only cause chaos in the court. chu yi naturally heard wang nan¡¯s words, but his expression didn¡¯t change. he didn¡¯t even move the corners of his eyes or eyebrows as he walked to wang nan¡¯s side as usual.. Chapter 548 - Chapter 548: Innocence (2) chapter 548: innocence (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios he was standing and wang nan was kneeling, so he was naturally much taller than wang nan. chu yi looked down at wang nan from above. wang nan had no intention of backing down, and his eyes burned. the two of them looked at each other. wang nan said word for word, ¡°with the world as evidence, is the eldest prince willing to swear an oath?¡± his gaze locked onto chu yi¡¯s firmly, not giving him any chance to avoid it. he believed that he was loyal and could only hope that the eldest prince would repent in time and not be bewitched by beauty. ¡°of course not,¡± chu yi replied gently. the moonlight poured down like water, coating his white clothes with a silver halo. his skin was as bright as jade, and he was handsome. ¡°¡­¡± wang nan looked incredulous. chu yi turned around and bowed solemnly in the direction of the south study. he said loudly, ¡°father emperor, 1 admire second lady gu wholeheartedly and hope to marry her as my first wife. i implore father emperor to fulfill my wish!¡± as soon as these words were spoken, it was like a stone stirring up a thousand waves. everyone was stunned. a few of them were so shocked that their jaws almost dropped. on the other hand, chu yi was calm and had a faint smile on his face. it was as if he had said something extremely ordinary and didn¡¯t realize that his words were shocking. a strange silence fell over a radius of more than 100 feet. only the sound of parrots cheering could be heard from the south study. fang huairui stroked his beard and thought to himself: this young man is really hot-blooded! the others thought that even if the eldest prince was unwilling to make an oath at this juncture, he should at least keep a low profile and wait for gu ce¡¯s case to come to a conclusion before discussing anything else. unexpectedly, their eldest prince¡¯s actions were completely unexpected and unpredictable. the minister of revenue, wang kangyin, took half a step forward and sneered in his heart. however, on the surface, he said to chu yi seriously, ¡°your highness, second lady gu is gu ce¡¯s daughter. gu ce has betrayed the country. second lady gu isn¡¯t worthy of being the eldest prince¡¯s concubine.¡± ¡°if one day, your highness takes the throne, won¡¯t you appoint the daughter of a sinner as the empress? how will the daughter of a sinner be a mother to the world!¡± ¡°your highness, please think twice before you act. put the country and the people first. don¡¯t humiliate your ancestors and shake the hearts of the people!¡± wang kangyin spoke generously. every word was righteous. wang nan usually didn¡¯t get along with these aristocratic families. at this moment, he felt that old master wang¡¯s words had hit the nail on the head. chu yi looked at wang kangyin calmly and asked calmly, ¡°so, minister wang thinks that father won¡¯t be able to sit on the throne and my great jin dynasty will be in turmoil?¡± ¡°¡­¡± wang kangyin was simply stunned. he even had the urge to flip the table. his words just now were clearly aimed at the eldest prince, but the eldest prince shamelessly misinterpreted his words and went straight to the present. even if he really felt that he was incompetent today and couldn¡¯t sit firmly on the throne at all, and that only kang wang could inherit the throne, who would dare to say such rebellious words?! if he dared to say it, the emperor could punish him on the spot for committing a crime against his superior. wang kangyin quickly assessed the situation. he flicked his robe and knelt on the ground resolutely. he shouted in the direction of the south study, ¡°long live the emperor! the great jin dynasty will prosper for generations!¡± chu yi said casually at the side, ¡°since that¡¯s the case, i think it doesn¡¯t matter who my princess consort is.¡± ¡°¡­¡± wang kangyin was speechless. his expression instantly darkened, and wang nan and the others seemed to have their throats grabbed. ¡°good!¡± in the south study, the parrot¡¯s exaggerated and loud voice sounded especially ear-piercing in the silent night. ¡°hahaha¡­¡± feng yang clapped her hands and laughed in the south study. she smiled until her eyes narrowed into slits. ¡°well said!¡± ¡°in the past, 1 thought chu yi was too gentle and a modest gentleman. it turns out that i was wrong.¡± ¡°i¡¯m afraid father would never have thought that his great-grandson would be the most similar to him¡­ what a pity. if father had lived two more years, he would have been able to see little chu yi¡¯s birth.¡± at the thought of emperor taizu, feng yang¡¯s face revealed a nostalgic expression. the wrinkles from her eyes to the corners of her eyes were filled with smiles. the emperor sat beside feng yang and smiled. ¡°they¡¯re different!¡± ¡°emperor taizu is a playboy. chu yi is just like me. we¡¯re loyal!¡± the emperor was in the same good mood as feng yang.. he happily fed the multicolored parrot on the gilded bird rack some millet and felt that his parrot was really too smart! Chapter 549 - Chapter 549: Innocence (3) chapter 549: innocence (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios feng yang let out another hearty laugh. after laughing for a while, feng yang drank tea and looked at the crowd gathered outside through the window. her expression turned serious, and she said, ¡°wang nan is getting more and more muddle-headed as he lives. he¡¯s blinded.¡± ¡°gu ce¡¯s case was indeed too sloppy back then. there were many suspicious points. i don¡¯t know what the late emperor was hiding.¡± speaking of the late emperor, feng yang¡¯s expression revealed a hint of mockery. ¡°it¡¯s a good thing to be able to investigate again now. while i¡¯m still here, i can still support chu yi.¡± as feng yang spoke, she stood up, planning to go out and support chu yi. at the same time, she thought to herself: if chu yican successfully overturn gu ce¡¯s case this time, it 11 be enough for him to establish enough prestige in the court. then, the emperor can appoint him as the crown prince. she could rest assured! feng yang stood up, and her thin body suddenly swayed. her face was a little pale, and her breathing became hurried. she quickly held onto the coffee table, her fingers turning pale from the force. ¡°aunt!¡± the emperor rushed over and held feng yang¡¯s arm and shoulder. he carefully helped her sit down again, unable to hide his worry. feng yang rubbed her eyebrows and waved her hand. ¡°it¡¯s fine. it¡¯s an old problem.¡± however, the emperor was still worried. he stared intently at feng yang and said, ¡°why don¡¯t 1 summon the imperial physician to take a look at my aunt?¡± as soon as he finished speaking, he heard a loud and powerful male voice outside. ¡°since you don¡¯t know anything about what happened back then, don¡¯t fart here!¡± the emperor subconsciously looked up. through the window, he saw imperial duke wei appear beside chu yi from afar. however, feng yang didn¡¯t look up. her face twisted slightly as she lowered her head and covered her mouth with a handkerchief to cough softly a few times. when she moved the handkerchief away, she saw that there was a pool of black blood in the middle of the white handkerchief. feng yang quickly wiped her mouth with the corner of the handkerchief and put the handkerchief stained with black blood into her sleeve. when the emperor retracted his gaze and looked at feng yang again, he saw her sitting as if nothing had happened. ¡°there¡¯s no need.¡± feng yang smiled and said, ¡°i know my body.¡± seeing that she was fine, the emperor didn¡¯t force her and said, ¡°imperial aunt, don¡¯t go out. leave it to chu yi and ah shen.¡± as the emperor spoke, he handed her tea. feng yang took the teacup with a calm expression. she couldn¡¯t help but think of how she had asked gu yanfei last time, ¡°what kind of soul will be imprisoned?¡± what did the little girl say at that time? she said, ¡°someone like you¡­¡± there was silence in the south study, except for the faint crackling of the candle flames. when it was quiet, the voices outside the house became clearer. ¡°so what if i¡¯m vulgar?¡± imperial duke wei¡¯s voice became louder and more domineering. ¡°i¡¯m not a civil official who can¡¯t scold people with dirty words.¡± ¡°i¡¯ll cut to the chase today. there¡¯s indeed something wrong with gu ce¡¯s surrender. i support the eldest prince in investigating this case again!¡± as soon as he said this, there was silence outside the south study. there were even more officials outside. not only imperial duke wei, but there were also five or six civil servants and generals. at least a dozen people had gathered outside the south study. there were many people, and the two sides were in a confrontation. one side was led by xiao shoufu and wang nan, while the other side was led by chu yi and imperial duke wei. their gazes collided fiercely, and neither of them was willing to back down. xiao shoufu and wang nan¡¯s faces were dark, and they couldn¡¯t smile at all. on the other hand, imperial duke wei was heartless. he cupped his fists and bowed to chu yi with a smile. ¡°your highness, the eldest prince.¡± at noon, his granddaughter, wei jiaoniang, went back to the residence to ask him for help. she told him about the hua family and lu qin, and she also mentioned that a group of students ran to complain indignantly. at that time, imperial duke wei had guessed that this matter was definitely not just a lu family matter. with the eldest prince¡¯s scheming, he would definitely use this matter to seize on and make an issue of something. therefore, imperial duke wei wasn¡¯t in a hurry to move. instead, he got someone to pay attention to the movements of the eldest prince and the myriad herb hall. when he heard that the eldest prince was going to overturn the case for gu ce, he immediately understood the eldest prince¡¯s intentions and rushed over. imperial duke wei praised in his heart: the eldest prince is really a little fox! ;;¡±¡±wei seng!¡± wang nan stood up from the ground with his upper body bare. he said angrily, ¡°i really misjudged you! in order to protect the eldest prince, you actually disregarded gu ce and insisted on overturning the case.. you¡­ you really disappoint me!¡± Chapter 550 - Chapter 550: Innocence (4) chapter 550: innocence (4) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios looking at imperial duke wei, wang nan¡¯s heart ached. the once righteous wei seng, who once held noble ideals, had turned into someone who couldn¡¯t distinguish right from wrong all for the sake of personal gain. ¡°no, my lord isn¡¯t talking nonsense.¡± a hoarse male voice sounded from behind the duke. a hunched,hunched middle-aged man walked out of the crowd at the back. the man limped towards wang nan with a walking stick, and the trouser cuff of his right leg was empty. the man looked to be in his 40s. he was unshaven, his cheeks were sunken, and his eyes were turbid. the others present didn¡¯t notice when this man arrived at all. they all sized him up curiously and felt that this person was very unfamiliar. they could only vaguely tell from the fact that this person was standing with imperial duke wei¡¯s personal attendant that he should have been brought into the palace by imperial duke wei. wang nan frowned and was about to reprimand this cripple when his gaze suddenly froze on the other party¡¯s face. his body trembled violently and he blurted out, ¡°you¡­ you¡­¡± ¡°yu cunzheng?! you¡¯re yu cunzheng!¡± wang nan¡¯s voice was trembling. his eyes were wide open, as if he had seen a ghost. the others around him were at a loss. a square-faced general interrupted and asked, ¡°general wang, do you know this person?¡± ¡°he¡¯s yu cunzheng, a fifth-grade valiant cavalry captain.¡± wang nan nodded, his gaze still locked on yu cunzheng. of course,course he recognized yu cunzheng. yu cunzheng was a general under old general zhao back then and was once his comrade. the two of them had been to the battlefield and killed enemies together. they could even entrust their backs to each other. later on, he and yu cunzheng had a dispute over political opinions and couldn¡¯t settle it. slowly, the two of them drifted apart. ¡°old yu, aren¡¯t you dead?¡± wang nan strode forward and sized yu cunzheng up at a close distance. the more he looked, the more shocked he became. nine years ago, yu cunzheng was only 32 years old, and was only 41 years old now. however, he looked at least 10 years older than his actual age now. his hair waswhite, white and he was thin. because his right leg was disabled, he used a walking stick all year round. his spine was clearly tilted to the side, and he was no longer as tall and muscular as before. there were actually a few nails missing from his scarred hands. the yu cun in front of him was so unfamiliar that it was as if he was a different person. no one could tell that he was actually younger than wang nan. facing an old friend he had not seen for nine years, painful memories came back like a tide, almost drowning yu cunzheng. yu cunzheng¡¯s chest heaved up and down, as if a wild beast was clamoring to break out of his chest. he smiled bitterly and said with difficulty, ¡°i¡¯m a deserter!¡± these words were extremely strenuous for yu cun. he panted heavily, and his eyes were bloodshot. ¡°nine years ago, 1 escaped.¡± therefore, he had never dared to show his face all these years. until two years ago, when he happened to meet imperial duke wei in yi zhou. he didn¡¯t expect imperial duke wei to recognize him at a glance. after that, he finally began to have at least one decent meal a day. yu cunzheng took two deep breaths and tried his best to stabilize his emotional throat before continuing, ¡°back then, the entire city of soldiers in tailing city was buried alive after the city was broken through.¡± ¡°i was lucky not to die and crawled out of the pit¡­¡± ¡°because i was buried alive, i was lucky. 1 forcefully dug through the soil with my fingers to escape, causing my nails to break.¡± at that time, his injured leg had already begun to rot. in the end, he could only ruthlessly cut off his leg. however, the others weren¡¯t as lucky as him. all his comrades had died in tailing city in yangzhou! wang nan looked at yu cunzheng deeply. he wanted to say something but hesitated. he had many questions in his heart, including what the truth was back then. he wanted to ask him why he didn¡¯t come to the capital since he had crawled out of the pit¡­ yu cunzheng took another deep breath with difficulty. he gripped his walking stick tightly with one hand, and the veins on the back of his hand bulged. he shouted, ¡°i can confirm that gu ce isn¡¯t guilty!¡± ¡°he has never surrendered to the enemy. until the last moment, he was still defending yangzhou and sishui county.. he is innocent!¡± wanna gift the story? try one. Chapter 551 - Chapter 551: Guilty (1) chapter 551: guilty (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios yu cunzheng said this with almost all his strength, his voice almost roaring. he seemed to want to vent all the sorrow he had suppressed for nine years with these few words. it was so intense and sorrowful, with the determination to fight to the death. these words had been buried in his heart for nine years. he had said them countless times in his dreams during the afternoon, but every time he woke up, it was all for nothing. he was afraid that if he missed this opportunity, he would never have the chance to say it again. for these nine years, he had lived in an endless nightmare. every time he closed his eyes, he went back to that time. he dreamt of him and his comrades defending the city of tailing, of the city being breached, of being buried alive together, and of his desperate struggles underground¡­ in the past, he thought that he would never be able to wait for this day, but in the end, he did! the man¡¯s tragic voice spread far away with the night wind, echoing in the empty palace. not far away, chu you walked over from the direction of qianqing gate and heard yu cunzheng¡¯s words clearly. his tall body shook violently, and his footsteps paused for a moment. yu cunzheng¡¯s shoulders trembled as he said excitedly, ¡°back then, even if we couldn¡¯t wait for help, even if there was no food and no one, marquis gu was still holding on. even the soldiers and commoners had reached the point of eating cowhide and peeling tree bark.¡± ¡°we even successfully intercepted the state of yue army¡¯s rations. for this, we lasted for more than half a month¡­¡± ¡°back then, when we were about to starve to death in the city, it was the marquis of dingyuan, gu ce, who led the soldiers to snatch the provisions of the state of yue army. otherwise, tailing city wouldn¡¯t have lasted until february. before the so-called ¡°surrendering to the enemy¡±, the soldiers and commoners in the city would probably have died in the first month! ¡°if they weren¡¯t involved, they wouldn¡¯t know how tragic it was back then. there were commoners in the city who committed suicide out of hunger. there were even people who had reached the point of cutting off their flesh to feed their children. at that time, everyone was wondering if they had been abandoned by the imperial court¡­¡± ¡°as the dignified general of yangzhou, gu ce had the chance to abandon the city, but he didn¡¯t. he fought with all the soldiers and commoners in the city until the last moment¡­¡± yu cunzheng still had a lot to say, but he was interrupted sternly. ¡°ridiculous!¡± chu you couldn¡¯t listen anymore. his eagle eyes flickered with a cold light. everyone¡¯s eyes surged in his direction. chu yi looked steadily at chu you, who was gradually approaching. his beautiful lips curled up slightly with a gentle smile, but the smile didn¡¯t reach his eyes. chu you walked quickly in the direction of the south study room. he glanced at everyone sharply and said loudly, ¡°can you believe the words of a deserter?¡± ¡°he¡¯s just fabricating lies to escape punishment. desertion is a capital offense!¡± chu you stopped a few steps away from imperial duke wei and questioned him high in the air. ¡°imperial duke wei, you brought this person here, right? therefore, i believe you know his identity very well. as a dignified duke, it¡¯s impossible for you not to know the crime of harboring deserters!!¡± chu you¡¯s voice was colder and sharper than io,ooo-year-old ice. his aura was oppressive, like an unsheathed, long knife that released a murderous aura. facing the overbearing chu you, imperial duke wei, who had experienced three dynasties and seen many storms, was still calm and fearless as he looked at him. imperial duke wei casually brushed his sleeves and asked proudly, ¡°could it be that kang wang wants to punish me?¡± chu you was speechless. imperial duke wei stared at chu you. his gaze didn¡¯t waver at all, and he was even smiling. he sneered and called out his name arrogantly. ¡°chu you, who do you think you are! you¡¯re just a prince of the second rank. do you still want to punish me?¡± in the great jin dynasty, other than the emperor and feng yang, probably only imperial duke wei dared to call kang wang by his given name. fang huairui laughed without any scruples. he crossed his arms and casually helped imperial duke wei. ¡°it¡¯s not your turn, kang wang.¡± chu you gritted his teeth and glared at the two of them, his eyes sharp and cold. imperial duke wei puffed out his chest and took a step closer to chu you. ¡°chu you, let¡¯s talk about the facts. we¡¯re talking about gu ce¡¯s case, but you¡¯re holding on to the matter of the deserter. do you not want the truth of what happened back then to be revealed?¡± the two of them were only two feet apart. sparks flew wherever their gazes met. ¡°ha.¡± imperial duke wei suddenly laughed. ¡°i almost forgot.. back then, you were also in yangzhou¡¯s sishui county, right? was it in tailing city?¡± Chapter 552 - Chapter 552: Guilty (2) chapter 552: guilty (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios he asked even though he already knew the answer. without waiting for chu you to answer, he continued, ¡°from gu ce to the commoners, almost everyone in tailing city is dead.¡± ¡°this doesn¡¯t look like a city massacre, but like it¡¯s hiding something?¡± as he spoke, the smile on imperial duke wei¡¯s lips deepened a little, and his voice was sharp. ¡°what do you think?¡± his gaze pierced chu you like a sharp sword, as if he was reprimanding, questioning, and probing. at this moment, imperial duke wei didn¡¯t suppress his aura at all. it was as invincible as mount tai pressing down. everyone was silent as they watched the confrontation between kang wang and imperial duke wei. to put it bluntly, this wasn¡¯t just a win or loss between the two of them. it also involved the aristocratic family behind kang wang, as well as the emperor and the eldest prince behind imperial duke wei. ¡°how dare you!¡± chu you¡¯s face darkened, and his veins popped. the candlelight from the lantern reflected on chu you¡¯s well-defined face. his tall nose cast a shadow on one cheek, making him look sinister. his eyes were even colder than the night. his well-defined chin raised slightly, and his voice became even colder. ¡°wei seng, in order to exonerate gu ce, you¡¯re spouting nonsense. do you still want to wrong me?!¡± imperial duke wei continued to look at chu you and didn¡¯t retreat at all. he said firmly, ¡°since you feel wronged, why don¡¯t you allow me to bring up this case again?¡± ¡°whether what yu cunzheng said is true or not, you haven¡¯t verified it yet. why deny it?!¡± ¡°¡­¡± chu you was speechless for a moment and narrowed his eyes dangerously. ¡°hmph!¡± xiao shoufu, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly walked to chu you¡¯s side, clearly on the same side as him. ¡°imperial duke wei, treason is treason. the two countries have long come to a conclusion. facts speak louder than words! why do you disregard right and wrong and distort the truth?!¡± ¡°have you ¡®concluded¡¯ it long ago, or do you want to make amends?!¡± imperial duke wei was more than half a head taller than xiao shoufu. when he approached xiao shoufu, his tall shadow cast an oppressive pressure on him. ¡°if he overturned the case just like that, wouldn¡¯t that mean that every criminal would come to clamor that they were wronged and request to overturn the case?!¡± xiao shoufu still refused to relent and said confidently, ¡°imperial duke wei, thieves won¡¯t admit that they¡¯re thieves!¡± ¡°well said. a thief won¡¯t admit that he¡¯s a thief, and kang wang won¡¯t admit that he¡¯s guilty!¡± imperial duke wei sneered. ¡°if he¡¯s not guilty, why doesn¡¯t he allow this case to be investigated again?¡± ¡°in my opinion, kang wang must be hiding something!¡± these two people were both influential figures in the royal court. at this moment, both sides stood on their sides and didn¡¯t give in to each other. no one could convince the other party, and no one was willing to show weakness. ¡°¡­¡± wang nan looked at yu cunzheng in a daze and couldn¡¯t say a word for a long time. over the years, he had always firmly believed that gu ce was guilty. however, ever since yu cunzheng appeared, a crack had appeared in his originally rock-hard determination. yu cunzheng was a deserter. according to the law, deserters should be executed. just as kang wang had said, yu cunzheng also needed to make a contribution in order to escape punishment. however, wang nan knew yu cunzheng. on the battlefield, they had also used their lives to cover for each other. because of their old relationship, he didn¡¯t believe that yu cunzheng was the kind of person kang wang was talking about. what was the truth nine years ago?! with a creak, the originally tightly shut door of the south study opened, interrupting the sparking atmosphere. everyone turned to look in the direction of the south study and saw the emperor walk out. everyone shut their mouths and fell silent. suppressing the thousands of thoughts in their hearts, including wang nan and yu cun, everyone bowed in unison. ¡°greetings, your majesty.¡± the door to the south study was open. when everyone lowered their heads, they could vaguely see the corner of a green shirt. even if they only saw a corner, a few people guessed that eldest princess feng yang was also inside. the emperor stood with his hands behind his back. the five-clawed golden dragon embroidered with gold thread on his bright yellow dragon robe shone in the moonlight and light. ¡°i¡¯ve heard everything you said just now.¡± the emperor slowly stroked his beard and said, ¡°since both sides have their own opinions and it¡¯s difficult to decide on a move, let¡¯s treat it as investigating the yangzhou case nine years ago.¡± ¡°whether gu ce betrayed the country or the seventh brother is hiding something, we should investigate clearly. i won¡¯t wrong any innocent person.¡± ¡°grand secretary, don¡¯t you think so?¡± the emperor looked at xiao shoufu with a smile. his expression was as gentle as ever. he smiled slightly, but he had the aura and strength of an emperor that couldn¡¯t be refuted.. Chapter 553 - Chapter 553: Guilty (3) chapter 553: guilty (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios these words were also dignified, and no one could find fault with them. xiao shoufu pursed his lips tightly, and his heart sank slightly. imperial duke wei had been pestering kang wang endlessly just now because of this step. they had already been trapped by the emperor and imperial duke wei working together. at this point, if they insisted on objecting to the emperor¡¯s re-investigation of gu ce¡¯s case, it would be equivalent to indirectly verifying that kang wang was guilty. kang wang was going to ascend the throne in the future. he couldn¡¯t fall into a situation where the sound of an ax could be heard. at this point, there was no other choice. xiao shoufu quickly weighed the pros and cons and said with difficulty, ¡°your majesty is wise¡­¡± the corners of chu you¡¯s mouth curled up into a ruthless smile, and his eyes became even colder. he glanced coldly at xiao shoufu, and his entire person seemed to be enveloped in a thick haze. in the past, he didn¡¯t know that his brother was so eloquent. it was clearly the emperor who insisted on overturning the case for gu ce, but he spoke as if he was wholeheartedly for his brother. the emperor slowly glanced at everyone and took their silence as tacit agreement. he said calmly, ¡°since none of you have any objections, let¡¯s do this.¡± at this point, the decision was made. ¡°father is wise.¡± chu yi was the first to bow to the emperor. his posture was still elegant, and his eyes were as bright as the silver moon in the night sky. imperial duke wei cupped his fists right on the heels of that and said loudly, ¡°your majesty is wise. long live your majesty!¡± the other nobles and generals also shouted, ¡°long live your majesty.¡± their shouts were uniform and loud, as if they carried the power of lightning. in just the time it took for an incense stick to burn, their mentalities had already changed drastically. their hearts were filled with excitement. some people¡¯s eyes turned red, some people¡¯s eyes flashed with tears, and some people grind their teeth. they replayed what yu cunzheng had said in their minds. no one could understand the despair and tragedy of being alone and helpless better than they, who had walked out of the battlefield. it was like knives that stabbed deeply into their hearts, making them feel bloody and painful. it was natural for generals to fight for their country, and sacrificing their lives for their country was also an honor, but they couldn¡¯t bear the stigma of treason! a solemn and tragic atmosphere enveloped the entire palace. this night was destined to not be peaceful. in the early morning, official documents were posted at all the city gates, indicating that the emperor had issued a decree to investigate gu ce¡¯s case from nine years ago. this was also the emperor¡¯s stance. this case would be investigated openly and in front of the world. there would be no deception. as a result, the people entering and exiting the city gates early in the morning saw this official document. the area around the bulletin board was crowded with layers of people, bustling and lively. among the onlookers, some were literate, and some were illiterate. those who weren¡¯t illiterate grabbed others to help read the official document. the battle between the great jin dynasty and the state of yue nine years ago was the pain of all people. in that year, a total of 80,000 soldiers and civilians died in the battle, and behind them, many families were torn apart, losing their husbands and sons, struggling to make a living. even if the late emperor didn¡¯t explicitly state that gu ce betrayed the country, the entire nation, from the elderly to the children, knew that it was gu ce¡¯s act of surrendering and opening the city gates that led to the brutal massacre by the invading army and ultimately resulted in the defeat of the great jin dynasty in that battle. everyone cursed gu ce as a traitor, despicable and shameless, lacking any sense of honor. they blamed him for bringing calamity to the country and causing untold suffering to the people. they believed his crimes were so heinous that they transcended mortal bounds and that even a thousand deaths wouldn¡¯t suffice to atone for them. this heavy sin was all borne by gu ce alone. but what if¡­ what if gu ce was innocent? the commoners were very agitated. some were aggrieved for gu ce, some said they would wait and see, and some firmly believed that gu ce was guilty. everyone started to discuss intensely, and it was noisy like a pot of boiling water. outside the crowd, an eight or nine-year-old boy grabbed the corner of a middle-aged man in a gray robe and screamed, ¡°dad, i want to eat that rice cake. buy me that rice cake!¡± the middle-aged man frowned and scolded angrily, ¡°li hao, didn¡¯t you say you were coming down to watch the commotion?¡± ¡°i want to eat rice cake anyway!¡± li hao looked up and said stubbornly. an old female voice came from a green-roofed carriage beside her. ¡°zhaodi, take your brother to buy rice cakes.¡± another young female voice quickly responded. soon, a delicate-looking young woman in green in her twenties got out of the carriage. li zhaodi grabbed li hao¡¯s hand and said ingratiatingly, ¡°hao¡¯er, sister will take you to buy it..¡± Chapter 554 - Chapter 554: Guilty (4) chapter 554: guilty (4) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios when li hao returned to father li¡¯s side with the hot rice cake, father li was still looking at the official document in front of him. li zhaodi asked, ¡°dad, what are you looking at? what does this official document say?¡± li zhaodi couldn¡¯t read, so she could only ask her father. she only heard the surrounding crowd saying things like ¡°gu ce¡± and ¡°reversal of the case¡±, leavingmaking her at a loss. ¡°he said that he wanted to restore gu ce¡¯s honor¡­¡± father li¡¯s eyes were fixed on the document in front of him. his gaze was almost burning two holes in the document. ¡°restore his honor? what!¡± ¡°that wretched girl came to the capital and didn¡¯t do anything else. she only knows how to do such nonsense!¡± father li gritted his teeth and said. his rough face was a little distorted, and his eyes were filled with disgust. li zhaodi pursed her full but slightly dismal lips with a complicated expression. of course she knew who the ¡°wretched girl¡± her father was talking about was. it was the second sister who had lived in their family for 14 years. she only found out last year that her second sister wasn¡¯t her biological sister. the daughter of the marquis mansion, gu yunrong, was her biological sister. the crowd in front was still discussing the official documents enthusiastically. there were even more people crowding around. a silver-haired old woman said in a high voice, ¡°this must be the eldest prince trying to avenge the marquis of dingyuan, gu ce. 1 saw the eldest prince with my own eyes at the myriad herb hall yesterday!¡± the old woman¡¯s face was filled with pride, and her eyes were shining. she felt that this matter was enough for her to brag about for the rest of her life. a plump middle-aged woman pulled the silver-haired old woman curiously and asked, ¡°sister, what does the eldest prince look like?¡± the old woman raised her chin. ¡°he¡¯s as handsome as an immortal. he¡¯s so good-looking!¡± she kept emphasizing that the eldest prince was especially good-looking. father li snorted coldly. ¡°what immortal? she must be a bad judge of character. a dignified prince actually likes that wretched girl.¡± a square-faced young man in green got out of the shaft and urged impatiently, ¡°hurry up. my young master is still waiting for you.¡± the young man in green pointed in a direction and saw a young and handsome man in a blue robe walk out of a restaurant not far ahead. father li immediately put on a warm smile. he narrowed his turbid eyes and asked eagerly, ¡°is that young master fang?¡± the young master fang who had ordered someone to bring them to the capital?! ¡°let¡¯s go.¡± the young man in green nodded perfunctorily and quickly led father li and the others in the direction of fang mingfeng. the green-roofed carriage followed closely beside them. at the entrance of the restaurant, fang mingfeng sized up father li and the others, who were gradually approaching from afar. father li was of average height. he was wearing a sky blue shirt that was neither new nor old. there was a black silk belt around his waist, and his sideburns were already dyed with a few strands of frosty hair. he was quite clean. fang mingfeng¡¯s gaze then landed on father li¡¯s fingers, which he kept rubbing on his robe, and his wandering eyes. a trace of disdain flashed across his eyes. this person¡¯s actions were crude and vulgar, and his connotations were empty. it was no wonder that such an unpresentable person could raise a superficial and cold-hearted person like gu feiyan. ¡°young master fang.¡± father li bowed respectfully to fang mingfeng, not daring to look at him directly. he had once worked for the gu family for many years. later on, he went to yuzhou to manage the manor for various reasons, so he knew all kinds of rules and etiquette. fang mingfeng quickly retracted his sized up gaze and didn¡¯t look at li zhaodi and li hao behind father li at all. he gently stroked his sleeve and said indifferently, ¡°i got someone to prepare a residence in the west of the city. you guys stay there first. when 1 need you, 1¡¯11 get someone to call you.¡± after a pause, he slowed down and warned, ¡°other than that, you¡¯d better behave yourselves.¡± his expression and tone were calm from the beginning to the end, as if he was looking at them, or as if they couldn¡¯t be seen by him at all. he exuded the aura of an arrogant young master, high up in the air, making people feel that they could only be hoped for, but not reach. ¡°yes, young master fang.¡± father li only agreed and nodded profusely. ¡°don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll definitely listen to your arrangements.¡± li zhaodi was in a daze as she looked at fang mingfeng. she suddenly remembered that the old woman had praised the eldest prince for looking like an immortal. it turned out that there was such a handsome and noble young master in the capital. the immortal in the sky should be like this young master fang in front of him. li zhaodi blushed slightly and subconsciously tightened her grip on her brother¡¯s hand. she felt a little upset, sour, bitter, and depressed. when she thought of her vulgar deceased husband, she bit her lower lip and couldn¡¯t help but think: if only i was the one who was replaced back then¡­ Chapter 555 - Chapter 555: Consecutive (1) chapter 555: consecutive (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°li¡­¡± fang mingfeng stood elegantly with his hands behind his back. just as he was about to remind the li family a few more times, he heard a clear and clean female voice coming from afar. ¡°everyone, don¡¯t be anxious. line up one by one¡­ everyone has a share.¡± this voice was so familiar to fang mingfeng, as if it was engraved in his soul. fang mingfeng¡¯s body shook violently as he looked in the direction of the voice. hundreds of feet away, on the side of the street, more than 20 commoners were lined up in a long line and gathered in front of a stall. the person who had just spoken was a girl in a bright red dress. she was beautiful and had a friendly smile, making the surrounding people look like a dim background. two passersby hurriedly walked past fang mingfeng. one of them was afraid of falling behind and urged his companions, ¡°hurry up, hurry up. the myriad herb hall is applying medicine in front.¡± ¡°someone in my family happens to have a cold. if i go and ask for medicine to treat it, it will save me the money to see a doctor.¡± ¡°the myriad herb hall is really benevolent,¡± another person said with emotion. the two of them walked faster and jogged towards the stall where the medicine was administered. fang mingfeng looked at gu yunrong in a daze as he personally handed the medicine packets to passersby. deep love flowed in his eyes. he only had eyes for her. rong rong is so good and unique. since i¡¯ve already fallen in love with her, how can other women catch my eye?! rong rong deserves the best treatment in the world, but despite my protection, she¡¯s still repeatedly despised and humiliated by gu yanfei. it¡¯s time for gu yanfei to pay the price for her wantonness, lawlessness, and arrogance! if everyone in the world knows how terrible gu yanfei¡¯s past was, can a woman with flaws like her still become the eldest prince¡¯s concubine?! gu yanfei is unworthy! a ruthless look flashed across fang mingfeng¡¯s eyes, but he still looked noble and proud. ¡°this is¡­¡± father li followed fang mingfeng¡¯s gaze and looked in gu yunrong¡¯s direction. at first glance, he felt that this noble girl was familiar. where have i seen her before?! father li suddenly thought of something, and his eyes lit up. yes, this girl looks like my dead mother-in-law! his dead mother-in-law was a rare beauty. his father-in-law was lucky to bump into her by the road during the war. he had ¡°picked up¡± his mother-in-law back then. his wife, mother su, had actually only inherited 30 to 40% of his mother-in-law¡¯s looks. ¡°she¡¯s rong¡¯er, right?!¡± father li raised his voice excitedly and praised happily, ¡°this is my daughter. the future princess consort is indeed extraordinary and noble!¡± father li¡¯s heart burned. he felt that his daughter was no different from the nobles he had seen in the marquis mansion in the past. no, she was even more outstanding than them! their li family was indeed blessed. with such a princess consort daughter, they would definitely be able to help her father and brother in the future. their good days were still in the future! so she¡¯s my younger sister. li zhaodi also gazed at gu yunrong, her intense gaze almost fixated on her, filled with jealousy and envy. the clothes on second sister¡¯s body were wrapped in gold thread that shone brightly under the sun. the pearls, sideburns, earrings, and other jewelry on her hair were all gold with gems embedded in them. it was abnormally luxurious. what about li zhaodi? the dress she was wearing was already the best she had. because she had washed it several times, the material was slightly white. the orchids at the corner of the dress were also embroidered by her. my outfit is probably not enough to buy a handkerchief from second sister¡­ li zhaodi bit her lower lip again, and the sourness in her heart intensified. fang mingfeng quickly retracted his gaze and turned to look at father li. his expression turned cold. he said slowly, ¡°the few of you aren¡¯t allowed to disturb her.¡± ¡°do you understand?¡± the last words stabbed at father li mercilessly like an ice knife. they were cold and heartless, as if, in fang mingfeng¡¯s eyes, the li family was just lowly ants. father li could clearly feel the other party¡¯s killing intent and couldn¡¯t help but shiver. he immediately nodded repeatedly. ¡°i understand, i understand!¡± ¡°young master fang, don¡¯t worry. i understand.¡± fang mingfeng flicked his sleeves and instructed, ¡°jiang he, take them away. settle down well.¡± ¡°yes, young master.¡± jiang he cupped his fists and accepted the order. he urged father li, li zhaodi, and the others to get into the green-roofed carriage as if he was chasing sheep. li zhaodi followed behind her brother, li hao, and was the last to get into the car. before getting into the car, she couldn¡¯t help but look in fang mingfeng¡¯s direction in a daze. her nails dug into her palms.. Chapter 556 - Chapter 556: Consecutive (2) chapter 556: consecutive (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios fang mingfeng didn¡¯t notice li zhaodi at all. jiang he walked to his ear and whispered a few words before jumping onto the shaft of the carriage. the coachman drove the carriage east, while fang mingfeng looked west. there were 30% more people gathered in front of the noticeboard at the city gate than before. everyone¡¯s attention was on the announcement issued by the emperor as they discussed it. ¡°restore his honor?¡± fang mingfeng¡¯s lips curled into a mocking smile, as if he had heard a joke. his voice was indifferent. ¡°you¡¯re joking!¡± fang mingfeng¡¯s eyes were as dark as an abyss. he thought disdainfully: gu yanfei is the daughter of a sinner. she only has a superficial appearance, but she¡¯s vicious, vulgar, arrogant, and ruthless. unlike rong rong, who¡¯s kind-hearted and open-minded. she remains humble even in a position of power, and she doesn¡¯t lose her composure in times of hardship. she always maintains her grace and poise, unfazed by honor or disgrace. someone like gu yanfei will never be able to compare to rong rong! when he thought of gu yunrong, fang mingfeng¡¯s heart burned with heartache. it was the kind of heartache due to the pain of longing for something but not being able to obtain it. he couldn¡¯t help but look in the direction of the medicine stall again. coincidentally, gu yunrong suddenly looked in fang mingfeng¡¯s direction. she was clearly stunned for a moment. the two of them looked at each other quietly. at this moment, the surrounding noise seemed to have left fang mingfeng, and he couldn¡¯t hear anything. fang mingfeng stared at gu yunrong without blinking. he was so focused, so passionate, and so affectionate. it was as if two balls of flame were burning in his eyes. fang mingfeng subconsciously took a step forward and wanted to get closer to gu yunrong. suddenly, gu yanfei¡¯s words to him on the night of the lantern festival rang in his mind uncontrollably. ¡°the closer you get to her, the more unlucky you will be¡­¡± thud! thud! fang mingfeng¡¯s heart skipped a beat. bang! pa! there was the sound of something being smashed from the private seat on the second floor of the restaurant, as well as the shouts and collisions of the two of them arguing. however, fang mingfeng only cared about looking at gu yunrong and turned a deaf ear. he didn¡¯t notice that a wine pot had been thrown out of the window on the second floor¡­ ¡°ah!¡± fang mingfeng didn¡¯t see it, but the other pedestrians on the street did. they pointed at the falling wine pot and exclaimed. all of this happened too quickly. before anyone could remind fang mingfeng, they watched helplessly as the porcelain wine pot hit his head and shattered. with a bang, countless fragments fell to the ground. fang mingfeng grunted in pain. his facial features were slightly distorted, and an inch-long wound was cut on his forehead by the fragment of the wine pot. dark red blood flowed down his distinct edges and corners. even his hair was stained with some residual alcohol and was slightly moist. the noble young master, who was dressed glamorously and in high spirits a moment ago, instantly became down and out. ¡°who is it?¡± fang mingfeng raised his hand to cover the wound on his forehead. he widened his scarlet eyes and looked up at the private seat on the second floor. blood seeped out between his fingers¡­ ¡°young¡­ young master! your head is bleeding!¡± the personal servant looked at fang mingfeng nervously with a complicated expression. he was worried and uneasy. others might not know, but he had served the young master closely. he knew best. ever since the young master fell off his horse during the lantern festival, he has been very unlucky in the past month. one moment, he stepped on dog poop, the next, bird poop fell on his robe, and the next, the stairs under his feet suddenly decayed and broke¡­ there were countless such unlucky things. he had also suggested that the young master go to wuliang temple to get rid of his bad luck, but the young master said that he didn¡¯t believe in these things. the servant grabbed the waiter of the restaurant and questioned angrily, ¡°your restaurant¡¯s people injured our young master. we won¡¯t let this matter rest!¡± ¡°someone upstairs is drunk¡­¡± the waiter quickly explained. as she spoke, a concerned and flustered female voice came from not far away. ¡°mingfeng, are you alright?¡± when gu yunrong saw that fang mingfeng was injured, she couldn¡¯t suppress the worry in her heart and quickly ran over. fang mingfeng didn¡¯t care about the blood flowing from the wound on his forehead at all. he only cared about looking at gu yunrong, who was running towards him, and his heart burned. this was the first time he had seen her since the lantern festival. to him, this period of time was so long. it seemed like he hadn¡¯t seen her for a long time. ¡°splash!¡± another jar of wine was splashed on the elegant seat on the second floor, accompanied by the angry roar of the man upstairs. ¡°i can splash it if i want!¡± a large pool of wine splashed onto fang mingfeng¡¯s head and drenched him.. Chapter 557 - Chapter 557: Consecutive (3) chapter 557: consecutive (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios before fang mingfeng could even wipe the wine off his face with his sleeve, the empty wine jar fell right on the heels of it and landed heavily on his head. ¡°dong! dong!¡± there were two consecutive collisions. the wine jar fell to the ground before shattering, and the fragments mixed with the wine on the ground. this was really too ruthless. fang mingfeng cried out in pain. he felt as if his head was about to split open. he gritted his teeth, and the color quickly drained from his face. not only did he have a headache, but even the scar on his left arm and abdomen from the last time he fell off the horse was also aching. at this moment, his killing intent soared. be it the two beggars who robbed me that night, or the ones who threw down wine jars today, they all deserve to die! fang mingfeng held his head with one hand. half of his face was a little ferocious. he staggered two steps and a deep darkness surged like waves in front of him¡­ he swayed and collapsed, landing softly on the ground. his mind was buzzing, and he felt as if the world was shaking violently. ¡°mingfeng!¡± gu yunrong finally rushed in front of fang mingfeng. he ignored the wine and fragments on the ground and knelt on the ground. she held fang mingfeng¡¯s hand with one hand and couldn¡¯t hide the anxiety in her voice. ¡°mingfeng, what do you think? can you hear me?¡± fang mingfeng tried his best to keep his eyes open. he felt gu yunrong¡¯s warm palm against him. gu yanfei¡¯s unfathomable and distant voice sounded in his ears again.¡±¡­ you won¡¯t have a good ending!¡± can it be that what gu yanfei said is true? as soon as this thought surfaced, his heart beat faster and faster, as if it was about to jump out of his chest, or as if it was being ruthlessly strangled. fang mingfeng used the last of his strength to try to open his eyes. he looked at the girl, who was only inches away from him, in a daze, as if he wanted to engrave her face in his heart. he had long given up hope that they could be together, but why was god so cruel that he wasn¡¯t even allowed to get close to her¡­ fang mingfeng¡¯s thin lips moved slightly. he wanted to say something, but he couldn¡¯t make a sound. as endless darkness pressed down like a mountain, his consciousness gradually faded, and he fainted. ¡°mingfeng! mingfeng!¡± gu yunrong called out fang mingfeng¡¯s name repeatedly, her face turning pale. her voice became more agitated and high-pitched as it traveled down the street, causing many passersby to stop. gu yuan, who was shopping at the other end of the street, also heard gu yunrong¡¯s voice. his hand that was taking out his wallet paused. ¡°and two boxes of lotus seed crisps.¡± gu yuan didn¡¯t turn around and simply threw the silver to the waiter. the waiter quickly packed the plum blossom cake, bean paste cake, golden-threaded honey dates, candied plums, and lotus seed crisps he had ordered. it was rare for him to return so early today. gu yuan specially came to this street to buy snacks for his two sisters. after buying the snacks, gu yuan rode his horse back and passed by that restaurant. he heard gu yunrong hurriedly instruct fang mingfeng¡¯s servant. ¡°the myriad herb hall is in front. hurry, go there and invite doctor wan over¡­¡± the shopkeeper of the restaurant finally ran out late. even the drunk guests on the second floor came and said richly, ¡°isn¡¯t it just someone who was injured? he¡¯s not dead. why are you shouting?!¡± ¡°my father is xu guangsong!¡± ¡°you¡¯re trying to extort money, right? speak. is 1,000 taels enough?¡± the drunken young master was arrogant and threw out a series of words in a disdainful and arrogant tone, causing more and more passersby on the street to surround the restaurant. the front of the restaurant was in a tizzy. gu yuan didn¡¯t even look at him. he rode away without looking back. with his horse galloping and his vibrant attire, the 18-year-old youth paid no attention to the encounter between gu yunyan and fang mingfeng. it left no trace in his heart as he moved on without a hint of hesitation. after returning to the residence, gu yuan first went to the jiahui courtyard to give one of the candied desserts to gu yunzhen. then, he went to yuheng garden to see gu yanfei. gu yuan rushed back quickly. the desserts he had just bought were still piping hot. gu yanfei slept in and had just gotten up when she was tempted by this alluring fragrance. ¡°the desserts from six blessings! big brother, you¡¯re the best!¡± gu yanfei smiled happily. after eating a few pieces of plum blossom cake, she felt 50-60% full. she took a sip of water and asked casually, ¡°big brother, you just came back?¡± seeing that his sister was eating happily, gu yuan smiled gently and nodded.. Chapter 558 - Chapter 558: Consecutive (4) chapter 558: consecutive (4) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios his slender fingers slowly rubbed the patterns on the teacup as he said, ¡°his majesty has already issued an edict to investigate father¡¯s case again. the official document is already pasted at the city gate.¡± six blessings was near the west gate. gu yanfei suddenly understood why gu yuan would go so far early in the morning to buy snacks. be it in her previous life or in this life, her father¡¯s injustice was a sore point for her brother. she had never let it go until her brother died in her previous life¡­ gu yanfei obediently handed gu yuan a plate of salty fresh meat mooncakes and said casually, ¡°big brother, have you dreamed of daddy?¡± ¡°i haven¡¯t dreamed of it in a long time.¡± gu yuan ate the fresh meat mooncake and slowly drank tea. the tea in his mouth was sweet, but he felt a little astringent. his eyes were in a daze. he was silent for a moment before saying, ¡°when father first passed away, 1 dreamed of him almost every night. sometimes, 1 dreamed that he was covered in blood. sometimes, 1 dreamed that his head was hung on the city wall. sometimes, 1 dreamed that someone went to dig his grave¡­¡± ¡°during that period, no matter where i went, i could hear others scolding my father. it was the same for everyone 1 knew and didn¡¯t know¡­¡± ¡°they say that my father betrayed his loyalty and turned against his lord. they claim that he carries the burden of a hundred thousand lost souls, that he betrayed his country, and that he sided with the enemy. they say his name will be infamous for eternity, and he will never find peace even in the afterlife. they say i¡¯m destined to follow in his footsteps.¡± gu yuan¡¯s thoughts sank into the most torturous memories from nine years ago. his cold voice was slightly hoarse. he tried to calm down, but he couldn¡¯t calm down at all. his sadness, his anger, his heartache, and his unwillingness were exposed in his few words. he looked up at the cloudless blue sky outside the window. tears appeared in his eyes, and his heart ached. his father was clearly noble and good, but he had to be insulted like this. to gu yuan, it was worse than taking his life. in the past, gu yuan didn¡¯t dare tell gu yanfei this for fear of making his sister sad. until now, he had seen the light of hope. there was the sound of tea being poured. gu yuan looked over and saw gu yanfei refilling his tea. the little girl¡¯s face was glistening like a pearl in the sunlight coming in from the window. just by staring at his sister like this, gu yuan felt much more at ease. in the past, he had felt very lonely because, other than him, no one else believed that his father had been wronged, not even the gu family or his only sister, gu yunrong. now, he had found his real sister. his sister trusted their father as much as he did. how nice! the corners of gu yuan¡¯s lips slowly curled up. he took another sip of tea and savored the refreshing fragrance. he drank very slowly and spoke very slowly. ¡°during that period of time, i was often woken up by nightmares. when i couldn¡¯t sleep, 1 would go to my father¡¯s grave. 1 once swore there that 1 would definitely find the truth of the battle in yangzhou nine years ago.¡± ¡°i can¡¯t let daddy bear the stigma of ten thousand years. i can¡¯t let his bones be incomplete like this¡­¡± he lay on the ground. ¡°incomplete bones?¡± gu yanfei suddenly interrupted gu yuan. her clear eyes met gu yuan¡¯s. gu yuan:¡±¡­¡± gu yuan was at a loss for words and immediately realized that he had misspoken. he didn¡¯t want to tell his sister about his father¡¯s incomplete corpse. ¡°big brother?¡± gu yanfei raised her eyebrows and stared intently at gu yuan. her beautiful face was filled with determination and stubbornness. gu yuan¡¯s heart was heavy. every time he thought of these past events, it was as if a sharp blade was repeatedly twisting in his heart. he gripped the teacup in his hand tightly and hesitated for a moment before saying honestly, ¡°nine years ago, father¡¯s head was sent to the capital as a spoil of war by the people of the state of yue¡­¡± ¡°there¡¯s only his head and his cloak in father¡¯s grave.¡± gu yuan¡¯s voice was filled with bitterness. the young man¡¯s sitting posture was still straight, but there seemed to be an invisible weight on his shoulders. he couldn¡¯t hide the sadness in his expression.. Chapter 559 - Chapter 559: Incomplete (1) chapter 559: incomplete (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios gu yanfei looked at gu yuan in a daze, her eyes turning red. from her previous life to this life, she didn¡¯t know that her father¡¯s bones were incomplete. it had always been her eldest brother, gu yuan, who carried this burden alone. perhaps it was because in her previous life, they had never had the chance to avenge her father, so her eldest brother had never mentioned this to her, afraid that she would be sad. in front of her eyes, the sorrows of her past life flashed like a revolving lantern. in that moment, a mighty and intense surge rushed into her heart, causing her chest to rise and fall uncontrollably. a tinge of red flickered in her teary eyes, filled with a sense of bitterness. suddenly, she grabbed gu yuan¡¯s sleeve and pinched the material of his sleeve tightly. fortunately, she had returned to this small world. gu yuan picked up the teapot and poured tea for his sister. he toasted her with tea instead of wine. his handsome and cold face showed off one¡¯s ability as he said firmly, ¡°as long as father¡¯s case can be overturned.¡± back then, his father had been buried hastily. he hadn¡¯t even held a proper funeral or been buried in the gu family¡¯s ancestral grave. the clansmen were afraid of angering the late emperor. it had been nine years. gu yuan had waited for a full nine years before he finally had the chance to avenge his father. gu yuan¡¯s long and narrow eyes were filled with blood vessels. he said bitterly, ¡°when we overturn father¡¯s case, i want to bury father¡¯s corpse again with mother.¡± he planned to personally go to yangzhou and tailing city. even if there was a glimmer of hope, he wanted to find his father¡¯s corpse. in the past, he didn¡¯t dare have any hope for this. but now, he suddenly felt that this wasn¡¯t impossible. ¡°okay!¡± gu yanfei toasted gu yuan with another cup of tea, as if he had seen through his thoughts. ¡°when the time comes, can you bring me to tailing city?¡± ¡°i want to see where father and big brother live in tailing city¡­¡± gu yuan was stunned for a moment and nodded firmly. ¡°okay!¡± because of gu yunrong¡¯s existence, gu yuan has always tried not to mention the past in tailing city. he felt that even if he told his sister, it would only increase his sadness and unwillingness. his eyelashes fluttered, and the sadness and sorrow were all hidden in his eyes. he smiled and promised solemnly, ¡°let¡¯s go to tailing city together.¡± he stretched out his pinky to gu yanfei and almost wanted to pinky swear with his sister. at this moment, there was a hurried sound of footsteps outside. juan bi rushed in through the curtain and reported, ¡°eldest young master, second lady, someone from duke chang¡¯an¡¯s mansion is here.¡± ¡°it¡¯s uncle chang¡¯an, second master lu, and second madam lu.¡± the smile on gu yuan¡¯s lips instantly disappeared. he frowned and said angrily, ¡°what are the lu family doing here?¡± the lu family didn¡¯t believe in my sister and despised her for being a busybody why are they here now?! juan bi coughed dryly and explained awkwardly, ¡°imperial duchess wei accompanied them here.¡± ¡°please bring the person to chaohui hall.¡± as gu yanfei looked up at juan bi, her emotions had mostly returned to calmness, although her voice still carried a subtle hint of hoarseness. gu yuan didn¡¯t say anything else. whether he saw the lu family depended on his sister, and he wouldn¡¯t interfere. then, the siblings moved to the outer courtyard¡¯s chaohui hall. the sky was bright outside. it was obvious that today would be a sunny day. the sun shone warmly on people, making them feel bright and happy. all kinds of sadness were swept away. imperial duke wei¡¯s madam and the lu family arrived very quickly. the former was full of smiles, while the latter was rather reserved. ¡°yanfei, all qin¡¯s mother is apologizing to you today.¡± imperial duke wei¡¯s madam was a straightforward person. the first thing she said was to get straight to the point. ¡°it¡¯s my fault.¡± second madam lu was ashamed. her face was red as she apologized repeatedly. ¡°it¡¯s all my fault!¡± ¡°miss, you¡¯re a magnanimous person. don¡¯t argue with an ignorant person like me!¡± yesterday afternoon, after the hua family went to the lu family to make the betrothal, the unconscious lu qin woke up. at that time, second madam lu only thought that her daughter had recovered and was overjoyed. she thought that she could prepare for the marriage as soon as possible until this morning, when the second master¡¯s eldest sister, madam lu, rushed back to the duke¡¯s mansion and scolded her. only then did second madam lu know that the hua family planned to let the eldest son marry his daughter. not only did they want to murder his daughter, but they also planned to use his daughter¡¯s life to bless the hua family. this was confirmed by the daoist xuan cheng himself. only then did she know that what gu yanfei had said previously was true. it turned out that the hua family really had ill intentions. this time, she almost made a huge mistake and killed her biological daughter.. Chapter 560 - Chapter 560: Incomplete (2) chapter 560: incomplete (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios this cruel truth scared second madam lu out of her wits. although she did prioritize her son, her daughter was also the flesh and blood that she had carried in her womb for nine months. she had never planned to use her daughter¡¯s life in exchange for her son¡¯s job. she had only agreed to the marriage because she felt that ¡°hua xi¡± was talented and had a good character. she couldn¡¯t miss this future top scorer son-in-law. no matter how second madam lu explained, madam lu didn¡¯t listen. she scolded her and second master lu firmly. in one moment, she scolded the couple for being too careless about lu qin¡¯s marriage. the next moment, she scolded second madam lu for not knowing the severity of the matter and actually offending gu yanfei. the next moment, she said that the eldest prince had already asked to marry gu yanfei as the prince¡¯s consort in public. only then did second madam lu know how powerful she was. if gu yanfei became the princess consort in the future, it meant that this second lady gu might even be the future empress. at the thought that she had offended the future empress and caused trouble for her family, second madam lu was shocked and almost fainted. madam lu was a decisive person. she immediately gave her maternal family an idea and asked second madam lu to personally make a trip to the duke¡¯s mansion to ask imperial duke wei¡¯s madam to help negotiate. she also invited uncle chang and his wife to the gu mansion to apologize. at this moment, second madam lu couldn¡¯t sit still and looked at gu yanfei nervously. imperial duke wei smiled and said, ¡°all qin¡¯s mother is someone i have known since childhood. she has always been like this, shedding tears at the drop of a hat. i¡¯ve warned her before that she would eventually suffer a major setback!¡± ¡°she still doesn¡¯t believe it. sigh, it¡¯s a pity that our ah qin suffered because of this muddle-headed woman.¡± her words not only insulted second madam lu, but also used lu qin to move her emotionally. she also hoped that gu yanfei wouldn¡¯t argue with second madam lu on lu qin¡¯s account. ¡°it¡¯s all thanks to you for saving my daughter¡¯s life this time!¡± second madam lu lowered her posture and bowed. ¡°qin¡¯er woke up at noon yesterday. she¡¯s still a little weak.¡± as she spoke, uncle chang and second master lu kept glancing at gu yuan, who was sitting at the head of the table. they hesitated about whether they should lower their faces and ask this nephew to help put in a few good words. second master lu originally wanted to pull his son, lu shi, along, but that kid said that he was on duty and ran away. he even said that they had reaped what they sowed. gu yanfei finally spoke. ¡°let ah qin rest well for three days.¡± although she didn¡¯t say if she would accept the lu family¡¯s apology, second madam lu¡¯s heart, which was in her throat, finally relaxed a little. she was secretly glad that her daughter¡¯s face was useful. second madam lu tried to speak in a light tone. ¡°i¡¯ll tell qin¡¯er when 1 get back. she hates to lie down all day long and said that she was going for a walk this morning, or her bones are going to rust.¡± imperial duchess wei smiled and continued, ¡°jiaoniang went to accompany her just now. she said that she would keep an eye on her.¡± speaking of wei jiaoniang and lu qin, the atmosphere in the room finally became a little more natural. ¡°jiaoniang has been a good child since she was young. she¡¯s open-minded, magnanimous, and straightforward. she¡¯s also pure-hearted toward others. no wonder she and second lady gu got along.¡± second madam lu used the excuse of praising wei jiaoniang to praise gu yanfei as well. on the other hand, it amused imperial duchess wei. she smiled so widely that her teeth couldn¡¯t be seen. second madam lu continued, ¡°the bracelet you gave my daughter the day before yesterday shattered, so i picked another one. miss wang, please accept it.¡± second madam lu solicitously asked the nanny in charge to send a generous gift- yesterday afternoon, after lu qin woke up, the white jade bracelet that gu yanfei had given her suddenly shattered into powder. at that time, second madam lu didn¡¯t care. when she thought about it again after knowing the truth, she felt that this bracelet must have protected her daughter¡¯s soul or become her substitute. in short, that bracelet must have shattered for her daughter. second madam lu also knew that she couldn¡¯t afford to return such a precious thing. after thinking about it, she could only choose the best jade bracelet from the storeroom to express her sincerity. the nanny approached gu yanfei, holding a sandalwood box intricately carved with flowers. inside the box, there was a glassy green jade bracelet. gu yanfei casually glanced at the box. her gaze suddenly paused as she saw the jade bracelet being picked up. the emerald green jade bracelet was translucent and sparkling, its vivid and intense green color clear and bright like ice. it was evidently a top-grade piece of jade.. Chapter 561 - Chapter 561: Incomplete (3) chapter 561: incomplete (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios however, gu yanfei wasn¡¯t looking at the jade but at its spiritual energy. when she held the jade bracelet in her hand, a thin stream of spiritual energy flowed into her body from her fingers and flowed along her veins. it was as warm as hot spring water¡­ the jade in this bracelet was full of spiritual energy. it was even better than the white jade bracelet she gave lu qin. what a good thing! gu yanfei asked juan bi to accept this gift and said calmly, ¡°madam, you¡¯re too kind.¡± seeing this, everyone in the lu family heaved a sigh of relief. this meant that second lady gu had let this matter go. madam chang¡¯an smiled and said, ¡°miss, you¡¯re really magnanimous. please don¡¯t mind my sister-in-law. when all qin recovers another day, 1¡¯11 get her to personally visit you and thank you.¡± madam chang¡¯an was secretly glad that her niece, lu qin, wasn¡¯t as muddle-headed as her mother and knew how to be on good terms with gu yanfei and wei jiaoniang. this was also a blessing for the family. ¡°there¡¯s no hurry. let ah qin recuperate well.¡± gu yanfei smiled slightly. in terms of the outcome, this matter finally brought clarity to the case of gu ce. it was a good thing, so there was no need for her to be concerned about trivial matters. madam chang¡¯an and uncle chang exchanged glances and were completely relieved. second madam lu composed herself and only dared to ask about the worry that had been hidden in her heart for a long time. ¡°second lady gu, may 1 ask if qin¡¯er will be fine in the future?¡± second master lu was also a little nervous as he stared at gu yanfei with a burning gaze. ¡°refund all the betrothal gifts we received,¡± gu yanfei said. ¡°retreat, retreat, retreat!¡± everyone from the lu family nodded vigorously. gu yanfei continued, ¡°retrieve the marriage documents, the birthdate records, and ah qin¡¯s blood samples. then, go to wuliang temple and ask the temple master to perform a ritual for ah qin to dispel any ill fortune.¡± ¡°remember to tell the temple master everything. the temple master knows what to do. it¡¯s taboo to hide anything when seeking help from the temple master.¡± no matter what gu yanfei said, the lu family agreed. everyone¡¯s attitude was extremely respectful, and they almost worshipped gu yanfei as a bodhisattva. imperial duchess wei couldn¡¯t help but smile as she slowly drank her tea. she felt that this matter was also a warning to the lu family. there was no free lunch in the sky. they didn¡¯t even know how to be cautious when it came to their children¡¯s marriage. who knew they would cause a huge disaster one day! after all, the lu family wasn¡¯t familiar with gu yanfei and gu yuan, so they didn¡¯t stay long. they thanked her and gave her gifts. after chatting for a while, the lu family consciously bid farewell. gu yanfei instructed nanny pang to send the lu family and imperial duchess wei off. only the siblings were left in the hall. after the lu family¡¯s interruption, the extremely sorrowful atmosphere from before faded. gu yanfei played with the jade bracelet that was filled with spiritual energy with one hand and picked up a candied fruit with the other. he casually asked, ¡°big brother, don¡¯t you have to be on duty today?¡± today didn¡¯t seem to be big brother¡¯s day off. gu yuan answered honestly, ¡°the eldest prince asked me to rest at home for a few days.¡± thinking of chu yi, gu yuan recalled the scene last night when chu yi suggested overturning the case for his father in public. chu yi¡¯s actions were really swift and decisive. from the day of his father¡¯s death to today, it had only been a few days, but things could actually progress to this extent. now that he thought about it, gu yuan still felt like he was in a dream! gu yuan¡¯s lips curled up slightly at first, but then he thought of something. the corners of his lips stiffened, and his expression became extremely subtle. last night, not only did chu yi mention the reversal of the case, but he also asked the emperor to bestow a marriage on him and his sister in public. as he thought about it, gu yuan¡¯s heart ached. he raised his hand and rubbed gu yanfei¡¯s soft head, messing up her hair. gu yanfei looked at her brother in confusion, not knowing what was wrong with him. gu yuan had no intention of speaking up for chu yi. he cleared his throat and said, ¡°the eldest prince just sent someone to yangzhou this morning¡­ i wanted to go too, but the eldest prince said that i can¡¯t interfere in this matter.¡± of course, gu yuan knew how to avoid arousing suspicion. it was also because he was in a mess that he forgot his limits for a moment. ¡°then how many days do you plan to rest?¡± gu yanfei smiled and said, ¡°brother, don¡¯t just work all day. you have to rest when it¡¯s time.¡± ¡°you have to learn from qing guang and relax.¡± gu yuan found it a little funny. his eyes softened a little, and he rubbed his sister¡¯s head again. ¡°the eldest prince just transferred me out of the divine arms battalion. he said that i should serve him as the commandant of the capital.¡± gu yanfei understood immediately.. ¡°big brother, are you going to transfer to a commandant of the capital?¡± Chapter 562 - Chapter 562: Incomplete (4) chapter 562: incomplete (4) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios not only was the commandant of the capital in charge of the capital¡¯s patrolling police, but they were also in charge of guarding the city gates inside and outside the capital. their status was naturally very important, which was why there was an ancient saying that one should take on a high-ranking position and fulfill important responsibilities, like being a commandant of the capital. in comparison, his previous duties as an imperial guard mostly involved staying in the palace, which could be considered relatively idle. on the other hand, the responsibilities of the commandant of the capital were much more demanding, and the burden was greater. however, gu yuan seemed spirited and energetic. ¡®til take office the day after tomorrow.¡± gu yuan nodded, his eyes burning like an arrogant sun. gu yanfei actually knew that her brother couldn¡¯t stay idle, and was just saying it to make him laugh. seeing gu yuan¡¯s energetic appearance, gu yanfei was happier than anything else and smiled brightly. ¡°where¡¯s qing guang?¡± gu yuan asked as he subconsciously searched his surroundings. his eyes became even brighter. ¡°1 don¡¯t think i saw it today.¡± strange, doesn¡¯t qing guang usually follow my sister around? it feels like something is missing when qing guang isn¡¯t here¡­ gu yuan looked at the peach trees outside the window again. ¡°¡­¡± this time, gu yanfei froze. her eyes moved guiltily. ah, i¡¯ve completely forgotten about this cat after asking it to play with xia houqing that day ¡°where did it go?¡± gu yanfei was vague and changed the topic as if nothing had happened. ¡°big brother, it¡¯s rare for you to rest. why don¡¯t you invite your friends to the residence for a gathering tomorrow?¡± ¡°we haven¡¯t invited anyone to a banquet since we split up.¡± after splitting up, it meant that gu yuan represented the eldest branch alone. logically speaking, he should hold a banquet and spread it among his relatives and friends. however, for various reasons and because gu yuan was busy with work, he spent most of his time in the palace, so he didn¡¯t hold a banquet. gu yanfei had sour and sweet candied plums in her mouth. her eyes curled up happily. ¡°big sister couldn¡¯t find you and has mentioned it to me a few times. since you¡¯re taking a break this time, hurry up and settle this matter.¡± ¡°in my opinion, there¡¯s no need to treat many people. just treat it as a small banquet. let¡¯s eat and drink casually.¡± gu yuan never had any objections to his sister¡¯s suggestion. without hesitation, he decided. ¡°tomorrow then.¡± ¡°since we¡¯re all on the same side, there¡¯s no need to post anything. i¡¯ll send wu tong to tell them.¡± gu yuan had always been very casual with his friends. he had never paid attention to that red tape. anyway, it was fine as long as the person came. ¡°just cook a few dishes in the kitchen. they¡¯re not picky eaters, so there¡¯s no need to go overboard.¡± both gu yuan and gu yanfei said the same thing. however, gu yunzhen acted as if she was facing a great enemy. she pulled gu yanfei along and carefully selected a table of dishes. this was the first time she had officially treated a guest after splitting up. although it was only a small banquet for a dozen people, gu yunzhen hoped that everything would be perfect and not embarrass her brother. in the end, this small banquet was arranged in the small garden. time was too tight, and there was no time to invite the opera troupe, so she simply invited a musician who could play the pipa to warm up the venue. the sound of the pipa was like large beads falling onto a jade plate. it was lively and pleasant to the ears, full of charm. before gu yanfei reached the small garden, she heard the rhythmic sound of the pipa. however, soon, there was the sound of people playing the pitch-pot. it instantly destroyed the originally quiet mood. ¡°pfft!¡± gu yanfei couldn¡¯t help but laugh. she felt a sense of familiarity. the closer she got, the livelier it became. more than ten young masters in their prime were gathered inside and outside the water pavilion in the small garden. some were pitching pots in the open space outside the water pavilion, some were drinking, some were boxing, some were playing archery, and some were performing swordsmanship by the lake¡­ the young masters were all energetic. they laughed heartily, persuaded people to drink, and played around. as the saying goes, three women make a drama. however, juan bi felt that these nine young masters had nine scenes together. ¡°sister!¡± fan beiran waved at gu yanfei enthusiastically. he was wearing an orange shirt today. he was still as dazzling as a lantern, allowing people to see him in the crowd at a glance. the other young masters also looked at gu yanfei in unison. gu yanfei remembered every face. these people were all mischievous friends that gu yuan had played with since he was young. in her previous life, even if her brother had broken his leg and ruined his future, the few of them would come to visit him from time to time to comfort him so that the siblings wouldn¡¯t fall into an isolated and helpless situation. as the saying went, it was easy to add icing to the cake but difficult to provide charcoal in the snow. gu yanfei had always remembered their friendship.. Chapter 563 - Chapter 563: Hiding (1) chapter 563: hiding (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios gu yanfei looked at these familiar faces and felt nostalgic. she also felt close to them. a sweet smile appeared on her lips. ¡°let me toast everyone!¡± she generously toasted gu yuan¡¯s friends one by one. only she knew that this glass of wine was for the friendship in her previous life. ¡°sister is really good at drinking!¡± fan beiran gave gu yanfei a thumbs up. ¡°that¡¯s right! don¡¯t you know whose sister sister yanfei is!¡± another young man in blue patted gu yuan¡¯s shoulder forcefully. his words praised the siblings. he smiled obsequiously. ¡°sister yanfei, can you help me write a natural birth talisman? my wife is about to give birth. it¡¯s her first child.¡± ¡°fei liu!¡± gu yuan slapped the blue-clothed young master¡¯s arm, his voice clear and loud. ¡°you¡¯re already going to be a father, but you¡¯re still so unreliable. my sister isn¡¯t married yet!¡± when gu yuan said this, he deliberately put a little coldness in the corners of his eyes. he felt that fei liu was asking for a beating. ¡°ah yuan, beat him up. don¡¯t stand on ceremony!¡± lu shi instigated from the side. young master fei liu turned a blind eye and turned a deaf ear. he winked at gu yanfei fawningly. ¡°sister yanfei, on account of my virtuous and fatherly heart, help me.¡± ¡°you don¡¯t know, but i¡¯ve seen your sister-in-law¡¯s stomach getting bigger and bigger these past few days. i really can¡¯t eat or sleep well!¡± in the end, he even deliberately glanced at lu shi, fan beiran, and the others. he added annoyingly, ¡°these¡­ people like you who haven¡¯t been fathers before won¡¯t know!¡± as expected, young master fei liu was taught a lesson by fan beiran and the others. looking at the few of them playing around, gu yanfei couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°no need for talismans.¡± as she spoke, she took out a coin-sized jade safety buckle from her sleeve. she strung it with a red string and tied a pipa knot. ¡°take it.¡± gu yanfei placed this safety deduction in young a^aster fei liu¡¯s palm and reminded him, ¡°after the baby is born, just hang this safety deduction on the swaddling clothes. there will be a small calamity three days after he¡¯s born, but it¡¯ll be a close call. after that, his life will be smooth-sailing.¡± ¡°sister yanfei, thank you for your blessings.¡± young master fei liu¡¯s eyes lit up as he eagerly took the safety buckle. he first put it in his sleeve pocket, but he felt worried and quickly put it back into his arms. after carefully putting away the safety buckle, he recalled gu yanfei¡¯s words just now and said anxiously, ¡°three days after birth? wouldn¡¯t that be the third day of the shower?¡± ¡°sister yanfei, why don¡¯t you get your big brother to bring you to my house to take a look at your little nephew on the day of the third shower?¡­ aiyo!¡± young master fei liu stared at gu yanfei eagerly and ended his sentence with a cry of pain. lu shi flicked the back of sixth young master fei¡¯s head impolitely and said angrily, ¡°how do you know it¡¯s your little nephew, not your little niece!¡± ¡°you¡¯re right!¡± young master fei liu¡¯s expression turned serious. he quickly recognized his mistake. ¡°sister yanfei, my wife is good-looking. she has an oval face and a cherry mouth. my daughter must be a beauty too. you¡¯ll definitely like this little niece of yours.¡± young master fei liu spoke eloquently, as if he was bragging. ¡°okay, 1¡¯11 definitely go on the third day.¡± gu yanfei agreed readily. her laughter was as clear as a bell, and she was so happy that young master fei liu quickly toasted her. fan beiran, lu shi, and the others were flaunted by young master fei liu¡¯s words just now and exchanged glances. fan beiran picked up the wine pot and refilled young master fei liu¡¯s cup. he said with a smile, ¡°fei liu, among the few of us, you¡¯re the only one who¡¯s married and about to become a father. just based on these two points, you have to punish yourself with three glasses today.¡± ¡°why should i be punished with three glasses?¡± young master fei liu was unwilling. he raised his hand and pointed at the few of them. ¡°i¡¯m already 19 years old. i¡¯m older than the few of you. isn¡¯t it natural for me to get married first?¡± lu shi said sourly, ¡°aiya, who asked you to have a beautiful young lady soon!!¡± the other young masters laughed so hard that they almost drowned out the melodious sound of the pipa. young master fei liu held it in for a while and finally couldn¡¯t help but laugh. he slammed the table and said, ¡°you¡¯re right. i have to drink it for my daughter.¡± everyone laughed and played around. they ate and drank, but they were actually just looking for a reason to play.. Chapter 564 - Chapter 564: Hiding (2) chapter 564: hiding (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios after gu yanfei left, these young masters drank even more violently. because fan beiran came last today, he was punished with three glasses. lu shi was also punished with three glasses because he missed the pitch-pot. after a while, a few people¡¯s faces were stained with alcohol. their faces were slightly red, and their eyes were bright. they were a little tipsy. the intoxication grew stronger, and the sound of the pipa became increasingly urgent, resembling a waterfall cascading rapidly downward, or the thundering gallop of a thousand horses¡­ ¡°wa! wa¡­¡± from an unknown direction, a thoughtful cry suddenly came into the water pavilion through the open window. it wasn¡¯t clear in the melodious pipa sound. the cry only rang twice before it stopped abruptly. ¡°huh?¡± lu shi¡¯s ears twitched as he looked at fan beiran, young master fei liu, and the others. was this the cry of a baby? fan beiran looked at gu yuan, narrowed his eyes and stared at him for a long time¡­ after a while, he suggested excitedly, ¡°ah yuan, i heard from jiaoniang that your sister has a cat. it¡¯s extremely beautiful. why don¡¯t 1 bring my lion cat over to mate with it?¡± ¡°the kittens they give birth to must be as beautiful as fairies!¡± ¡°get lost!¡± gu yuan spat out a word and casually kicked fan beiran. ¡°my qing guang is still young!¡± however, he wasn¡¯t kicking fan beiran, but the chair under fan beiran¡¯s butt. the rosewood chair made a clicking sound and jumped from gu yuan¡¯s kick. fan beiran was afraid that he would fall, so he quickly jumped up and said with a smile, ¡°i¡¯ll go pitch-pot!¡± this scene made everyone present laugh. thump, thump. the pitch-pot sounds rose and fell. the baby-like sound didn¡¯t sound again. these young masters just treated it as the sound of a cat or the wind. no one cared. after playing a few rounds of pitch-pot, lu shi was the first to admit defeat. ¡°i¡¯m not playing anymore. i¡¯m the only one drinking as a punishment!¡± ¡°if you have the guts, let¡¯s play¡­ play¡­¡± lu shi racked his brains for a long time. ¡°play with pills!¡± as soon as he finished speaking, he saw wu tong trot into the water pavilion and quickly walk to gu yuan¡¯s side. he reported, ¡°eldest young master, fifth young master yue is here¡­¡± ¡°didn¡¯t yue jun say that he couldn¡¯t come today?¡± fan beiran interrupted wu tong. ¡°haha, then he, yue jun, will be the last to arrive today. he has to punish himself with three glasses¡­ no, six glasses!¡± lu shi and the others cheered, as they wanted to see the world in chaos. wu tong revealed a strange expression and hurriedly added, ¡°eldest young master, second young master is also here. he said that he happened to meet fifth young master yue outside and came over to congratulate you.¡± the second young master that wu tong was talking about was naturally gu jian¡¯s legitimate son¡ªgu xiao. if yue jun wasn¡¯t around today, wu tong would have stopped gu xiao, this uninvited guest. the originally lively atmosphere in the water pavilion instantly froze. only the hurried sound of the pipa could be heard. all the young masters present knew that gu yuan¡¯s relationship with his second uncle was very tense. the separation of the family had even alarmed the emperor. gu xiao probably also knew that it was difficult to enter, so he grabbed yue jun and simply entered. gu yuan said calmly, ¡°if he wants to come, let him come.¡± wu tong heaved a sigh of relief and left to welcome the guests. lu shi cleared his throat and tried to smooth things over with a smile. ¡°ah yuan, speaking of which, 1 haven¡¯t seen your second brother in a long time. is that brat still crying?¡± ¡°he¡¯s not crying anymore, but he¡¯s still a little timid.¡± fan beiran interrupted as he drank. ¡°i saw him a few days ago. he slapped him in the face, but he actually endured that anger.¡± ¡°instead of enduring it, you might as well cry and make a scene!¡± someone commented. gu yuan didn¡¯t comment. everyone continued to play and drink, laughing and having fun. after a while, yue jun and gu xiao strode over under wu tong¡¯s lead. yue jun was wearing a black five-bat mourning dress. he was tall and straight, with a relaxed expression and wide eyes. in comparison, gu xiao, who was two steps behind him, was only as tall as yue jun¡¯s shoulder. he looked refined and thin in a shirt with a blue cloud pattern. at first glance, he was also a graceful young man. ¡°i¡¯m late,¡± yue jun said loudly. he was quite self-aware and began to punish himself without another word. gu xiao, who was two steps behind, also walked up to gu yuan and cupped his hands appropriately. ¡°big brother.¡± ¡°i heard that big brother is about to be transferred to the jinwu guard. i specially came to congratulate you,¡± gu xiao said and even sent a congratulatory gift.. Chapter 565 - Chapter 565: Hiding (3) chapter 565: hiding (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios after splitting up from the family for almost a month, gu xiao looked a little more stable. his etiquette and words were flawless, but there was still a trace of discordant awkwardness in his expression. ¡°thank you.¡± gu yuan¡¯s voice was very indifferent. he didn¡¯t even look at the congratulatory gift gu xiao had given him and directly handed it to wu tong. afraid that gu yuan¡¯s next sentence would be an order to leave, gu xiao quickly sat down beside him. at the same time, he bowed to fan beiran and the others and was polite to everyone. ¡°second brother fan, 1 saw you at the tianyin pavilion the day before yesterday. unfortunately, you left too quickly, and i didn¡¯t have time to stop you.¡± gu xiao chatted with fan beiran with a smile. ¡°is that so?¡± fan beiran raised his eyebrows and felt that it was extremely rare. gu xiao had always been a little disrespectful in the past. when he felt that he was the future heir of the marquis of dingyuan, he wanted others to praise and respect him. he never disdained lowering himself. gu xiao smiled and said, ¡°if second brother fan likes to watch the show, we can go to the tianyin pavilion together next time. i¡¯ll invite second brother fan to watch the show¡­¡± he spoke warmly, but fan beiran, who had known him for more than ten years, inexplicably felt his hair stand on end. he couldn¡¯t help but think: did gu xiao take the wrong medicine, or was he too traumatized by his father being stripped of his title? fan beiran was in a daze. gu xiao¡¯s subsequent words entered his left ear and left his right ear. it was only when gu xiao repeatedly called him ¡°second brother fan¡± that he came back to his senses and raised his eyebrows. gu xiao¡¯s expression froze for a moment, but he quickly squeezed out a smile and pointed out of the window. ¡°i think 1 heard a baby crying. did you hear that?¡± baby? everyone fell silent again. this time, wu tong gestured for the musician to stop playing the pipa. when the interior and exterior of the water pavilion fell silent, everyone listened attentively. vaguely, there seemed to be some crying in the wind, intermittently. fan beiran, lu shi, and the others looked at each other. ¡°i understand!¡± gu xiao clapped and smiled. ¡°could it be that big brother has a bastard son?¡± ¡°why didn¡¯t big brother tell me about such a joyous occasion earlier?¡± for a family like theirs, it wasn¡¯t something to brag about if a man had a concubine¡¯s son before getting married. instead, it was a scandal. once word spread, a family with big rules wouldn¡¯t marry their daughter to such an unruly family at all. gu xiao slowly took a sip of wine, and the corners of his lips curled up. he waited for his eldest cousin to change his expression and for gu yuan to look embarrassed. he had never liked his eldest cousin. when his uncle was alive, gu yuan was a proud son of heaven. he was out of his reach, and everyone wanted him to learn from his eldest cousin. later on, his father inherited the title of nobility, and he became the future heir of the marquis of dingyuan. he should have been the center of attention. however, young masters like lu shi, fan beiran, and yue jun, who had famous families in the capital, still only interacted with gu yuan, the son of a sinner. they never took him seriously! he didn¡¯t understand what was so good about gu yuan. since he was the descendant of a criminal, he should behave himself and hide. however, gu yuan kept stealing the limelight. and now, the marquis mansion has even lost its title because of gu yuan. he could no longer be the heir! at the thought of this, gu xiao¡¯s gaze darkened bit by bit. he looked like he was smiling, but his right hand that was holding the wine glass was tense. he had tolerated gu yuan for a long time. gu yuan smiled when he met gu xiao¡¯s provocative gaze. his laughter was as clear as the wind. his slender fingers casually played with the small white porcelain wine glass as he called her name. ¡°gu xiao, did you forget to take your medicine before you left today?¡± gu xiao was stunned. before he could react, fan beiran, lu shi, and the others were already laughing out loud. lu shi laughed until tears overflowed from the corners of his eyes. gu xiao was a step slower before he understood that gu yuan was saying that he was sick. the young man¡¯s face turned red bit by bit. lu shi even added fuel to the fire and teased, ¡°gu xiao, since you¡¯re sick, you can¡¯t stop taking this medicine.¡± ¡°that¡¯s right, that¡¯s right.¡± young master fei liu nodded repeatedly. ¡°otherwise, all our previous efforts will be in vain. we might even become even more ill.¡± they said it as if gu xiao was really sick and they were just giving advice out of kindness. fan beiran sighed and said, ¡°gu xiao, you¡¯re only 14, not 40, right? your memory is so bad that you don¡¯t even remember what happened last year. you should take some medicine to treat it.¡± gu xiao:¡±¡­¡± lu shi continued enviously, ¡°all yuan was in the southwest for more than half a year last year. he was so free and distant.. he¡¯s not like me!¡± Chapter 566 - Chapter 566: Hiding (4) chapter 566: hiding (4) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios the few of them knew that gu yuan had followed the army to the southwest in the first half of last year and wasn¡¯t in the capital at all. the military rules were strict. how could he have the time to give birth to a bastard son! fan beiran was also envious of gu yuan. ¡°i heard that the beauties in the southwest are especially amorous and have ersatz exoticism. they¡¯re different from the beauties in the capital¡­¡± ¡°i went to the southwest once, three years ago¡­¡± young master fei liu said with some nostalgia. then, he burst out laughing and teased, ¡°the southwest is such a damn place. you can survive for a month. half a year is simply hell on earth!¡± ¡°ah yuan, it¡¯s been hard on you!¡± the other young master also felt sad and patted gu yuan¡¯s shoulder sympathetically. everyone laughed. the corners of gu xiao¡¯s eyes twitched, and he almost crushed the wine glass in his hand. after a moment of silence, he took two deep breaths and tried his best to bring the topic back. ¡°1 was just joking just now. however, second brother fan, sixth brother fei, fourth brother lu, did you really not hear the cries of the baby?¡± ¡°from the sound of it, it doesn¡¯t seem to be far away¡­¡± he put down the wine glass in his hand and suggested to gu yuan seriously, ¡°brother, in my opinion, it¡¯s better to investigate this matter, lest some thieves sneak into the residence. eldest sister and second sister are still in the residence and haven¡¯t gotten married yet¡­¡± he didn¡¯t finish his sentence, but none of the young masters present were fools. they understood gu xiao¡¯s unfinished words. this kid wasn¡¯t ¡°sick¡±. he was ¡°crazy¡±. he was looking for trouble for no reason and couldn¡¯t implicate gu yuan, so he wanted to slander his cousins. was it because he hadn¡¯t been beaten up for too long?! fan beiran and the others looked at gu xiao indescribably. ¡°enough!¡± gu yuan¡¯s face instantly turned stern, as if it was covered in a layer of frost. he scolded gu xiao coldly, ¡°gu xiao, if you don¡¯t know how to speak, you don¡¯t have to!¡± as he spoke, a cold and sharp killing aura pressed down on gu xiao. gu xiao couldn¡¯t help but shiver. gu yuan instructed wu tong, ¡°send him out.¡± ¡°¡­¡± gu xiao¡¯s face darkened. he didn¡¯t expect gu yuan to be so ruthless as to embarrass him in front of these noble young masters from the capital. ¡°who dares!¡± gu xiao was so angry that the veins on his forehead bulged. he slapped the wine table and shouted almost hysterically. he puffed out his chest proudly. he didn¡¯t believe that anyone would dare to chase him away! gu xiao had completely forgotten that things were different now. this was no longer the dingyuan marquis household from a month ago. in the past, although gu xiao wasn¡¯t appointed as the heir, he was the only legitimate son of the marquis, gu jian. everyone in the residence felt that it was only a matter of time before he became the heir. the servants¡¯ respect for him far surpassed their respect for gu yuan. and now, this manor was still surnamed gu, but it was no longer the second branch¡¯s world. this residence was back in the hands of the eldest branch. now, the owner of this residence was gu yuan. at gu yuan¡¯s order, a few guards of the gu mansion immediately came over when they heard the commotion. they looked down at gu xiao and reached out to invite him. ¡°second young master tang, please,¡± the guard captain said politely, using words to remind gu xiao that he was no longer the second young master of this residence. the residence had already split up. ¡°¡­¡± gu xiao almost said that he was impudent. in the end, he bit the tip of his tongue. gu xiao¡¯s expression turned even worse. his face was as dark as the bottom of a pot as he stared at gu yuan unhappily. the guard captain urged again, ¡°please.¡± ¡°ha!¡± gu xiao smiled, his thin lips crooked. there was undisguised malice in his smile. ¡°fine, i¡¯ll leave!¡± gu xiao stood up and left with a flick of his sleeve. he gave gu yuan a sinister look and left with his head held high. until gu xiao walked out of the small garden, he could still hear laughter coming from the water pavilion behind. it was obvious that they weren¡¯t affected by gu xiao¡¯s arrival or departure at all. they ate, drank, played, and cheered¡­ gu xiao gritted his teeth and only stopped for a moment before continuing to walk forward. under the escort of a few guards of the gu mansion, he left through the west corner door of the residence. thump! the corner door closed heavily, making gu xiao¡¯s heart tremble slightly. this was clearly his home, but it had been snatched away by his eldest brother, gu yuan. meanwhile, he had been chased out and rejected. the muscles on gu xiao¡¯s face tensed up, and there was a hint of grievance in his resentful expression. he gritted his teeth, his eyes fierce. he got into his carriage and instructed the coachman, ¡°go to the north town bureau.¡± the coachman was stunned. his expression changed slightly, but he agreed. the horse whip lashed out, and the carriage sped away, going all the way to one of the most feared places in the capital. the plaque of the ¡°north town bureau¡± was hung high on the door. just looking at it made one feel a bone-chilling cold. this place was like the gates of hell. outside the door was the mortal world, and behind the door were the 18 levels of hell. as soon as the two embroidered uniform guards guarding the door saw gu xiao, they stopped her. ¡°the north town bureau is an important place. not just anyone can barge in!¡± one of the square-faced embroidered uniform guards looked down at gu xiao from the steps high in the air. he was expressionless, and his eyes were cold, as if he would pull his knife out of its sheath at the slightest disagreement, causing gu xiao¡¯s blood to splatter on the spot. gu xiao took a deep breath and puffed out his chest. he mustered his courage and said loudly, ¡°i¡¯m here to report something!¡± ¡°the son of the marquis of dingyuan, gu yuan, is harboring a criminal from the imperial court!¡± his voice was quite loud, and he hoped that the people inside and on the streets could hear him. the embroidered uniform guards naturally knew who gu yuan was. they also knew that gu yuan had just been ordered by the eldest prince to be transferred from the imperial guard to the commandant of the capital. he will take up his post tomorrow morning. it was obvious that the eldest prince wanted to entrust gu yuan with an important task. the square-faced embroidered uniform guards¡¯ eyes flashed. they still had a straight face and questioned indifferently, ¡°who is he hiding?¡± ¡°a remnant of the yu family.¡± gu xiao said these words firmly.. Chapter 567 - Chapter 567: Information (1) chapter 567: information (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios the remaining members of the yu family?! the expressions of the two embroidered uniform guards guarding the door changed slightly, and their expressions turned solemn. after the downfall of the yu family, their entire household was raided. the masterminds behind the plot, such as yu si and shangqing, were sentenced to be executed without reprieve. all members of the yu family in the capital city were apprehended, and the emperor even ordered the imperial guards to search for other yu clan members in yuzhou. it can be foreseen that the entire yu clan will likely be exiled to the borderlands. if there were still remnants of the yu family wandering outside, it would be due to the embroidered uniform guards¡¯ negligence. the square-faced embroidered uniform guard was about to go in and report when he saw a tall figure walk out from the other side of the door. however, his eyes were half-closed, and he had a powerful aura. ¡°what remaining member of the yu family?¡± the person said it coldly. his words were concise, but every word seemed to carry the power of thunder. the two embroidered uniform guards guarding the door hurriedly bowed to the person and said, ¡°commander he.¡± thump, thump! gu xiao¡¯s heart couldn¡¯t help but beat faster as he looked at he lie, the commander of the embroidered uniform guards, in front of him. he swallowed and tried his best to stabilize his emotions. he cupped his fists and bowed. ¡°greetings, commander he.¡± another embroidered uniform guard walked out from behind he lie and whispered into his ear. he lie raised his thick eyebrows. when he looked at gu xiao again, his eyes darkened, as if he had only really seen gu xiao at this moment. ¡°gu xiao.¡± he lie said gu xiao¡¯s name and asked directly, ¡°you said that gu yuan is hiding a remnant of the yu family? do you know what kind of crime it is to falsely accuse an official of the imperial court?¡± gu xiao¡¯s heart raced uncontrollably again. he told himself that the embroidered uniform guards were the emperor¡¯s spies and were well-informed. it wasn¡¯t rare for them to know that he was gu xiao. gu xiao said seriously, ¡°commander he, everything i said is true. as far as i know, yu si still has a mistress escaping outside.¡± as he spoke, his burning gaze was fixed on he lie. his heart was in his throat, and he almost forgot to breathe. the coachman beside him was also in an uncomfortable situation. he was in a panic and felt that all the pedestrians on the street were looking at them. their gazes seemed to be thorny. ¡°oh?¡± he lie said calmly and looked at gu xiao without batting an eyelid. even the corners of his eyes and eyebrows didn¡¯t move, and he didn¡¯t show his emotions. indeed, yu si had a favored mistress in the capital and was pregnant. however, the embroidered uniform guards had almost dug three feet into the capital and still couldn¡¯t find her. gu xiao thought that he lie didn¡¯t believe him and quickly said, ¡°i also know that yu si¡¯s mistress gave birth to a son.¡± ¡°commander he, the mother and son are hiding in the originally planned marquis mansion on yuan¡¯an street. please hurry up and search so that others won¡¯t take the opportunity to escape.¡± he lie narrowed his eyes and stared at gu xiao at the bottom of the stairs. he held the saber by his waist tightly with one hand and didn¡¯t immediately express his stance. he was already taller and more powerful than gu xiao. at this moment, he stood on the stone steps as if a towering mountain was standing in front of him. just his existence gave gu xiao an invisible pressure. cold sweat broke out on gu xiao¡¯s forehead. if the embroidered uniform guards were afraid of the eldest prince and were unwilling to act rashly, they could completely pretend that this had never happened. gu xiao took a deep breath and raised his voice, repeating the excuse he had prepared long ago. ¡°emperor taizu said that anyone who reports with their real name will definitely be caught. if they are caught, they will be investigated. if they are investigated, they will definitely be punished.¡± his loud voice resounded almost halfway down the street, and most of the passersby heard it. he came to the embroidered uniform guards today to report with his real name. if the embroidered uniform guards didn¡¯t accept it, it would go against emperor taizu¡¯s original intention of establishing the embroidered uniform guards. ¡°or do the embroidered uniform guards not dare to investigate?!¡± gu xiao said word by word. his last sentence was equivalent to pushing he lie forward. he was just short of saying that the other party, the commander of the embroidered uniform guards, was afraid of gu yuan or playing favorites. he lie looked down at gu xiao and narrowed his sharp eyes. a dangerous aura was released invisibly. the square-faced embroidered uniform guard at the side was good at reading someone¡¯s body language. they took half a step forward and issued a warning on behalf of their commander. every word was like a knife. ¡°gu xiao, emperor taizu stated that if you falsely accuse someone, you will be flogged 50 times and be conscripted into the army for three years!¡± not just any tom, dick, or harry could come to the north town bureau to shout without evidence! gu xiao felt a little guilty, but he didn¡¯t avoid his gaze. he raised his head and said, ¡°i¡¯m not falsely accusing anyone.¡± ¡°that person is in the gu mansion now. commander he just has to bring people to the gu mansion to search!¡± he lie stared at gu xiao for a long time. his gaze was so cold that gu xiao¡¯s neck broke out in cold sweat.. Chapter 568 - Chapter 568: Information (2) chapter 568: information (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios for a moment, gu xiao almost wanted to retreat, but he lie said calmly, ¡°okay!¡± his word was the final word. gu xiao felt relieved. the corners of his lips curled up uncontrollably, and his eyes burned. with he lie¡¯s order, the embroidered uniform guards under his command immediately took action. in less than ten minutes, a team of more than 20 people set off from the north town. gu xiao naturally followed. wherever the embroidered uniform guards passed, they were famous. the passersby and carriages all avoided them, and there was an atmosphere of fear. after five minutes, the group arrived at the gu mansion on yuan¡¯an street under the bewildered gazes of passersby. the red-painted door of the gu mansion was knocked heavily by the embroidered uniform guards. ¡°dong dong dong!¡± as the guard shouted, ¡°coming¡±, he hurriedly came over to open the door. when he saw that it was the embroidered uniform guards, he was stunned. one of the embroidered uniform guards said majestically, ¡°commander he has something to see battalion commander gu for!¡± even though this embroidered uniform guard¡¯s attitude wasn¡¯t bad, the gatekeeper who came to answer the door was still a little uneasy. after all, everyone in the capital knew the reputation of the embroidered uniform guards. everyone knew that it was most likely not a good thing for the embroidered uniform guards to visit. the gatekeeper stammered, ¡°sir, our master is having a banquet in the small garden.¡± an old woman¡¯s legs were a little weak, but she immediately ran to the northwest, planning to report to gu yuan. he lie left a few embroidered uniform guards outside the residence and led more than a dozen people through the high threshold. he didn¡¯t care about the commoners who had come to watch the commotion outside the residence. ¡°commander he, let me lead you there,¡± gu xiao volunteered eagerly and squeezed up from behind the crowd. it was only at this moment that the gu family¡¯s gatekeeper realized that gu xiao was also there. under gu xiao¡¯s lead, the group of embroidered uniform guards strode towards the small garden. as they walked, there was a murderous aura. wherever he passed, it was as if a cold wind was whistling past. the servants of the gu mansion were all on tenterhooks, not knowing what had happened to make the embroidered uniform guards come knocking. gu xiao naturally noticed the uneasiness of these servants. when he thought of how he had been expelled by the guards previously, he felt relieved. he walked forward with his head held high, already waiting impatiently to see gu yuan¡¯s expression change. in the water pavilion in the small garden, it was still lively. fan beiran, lu shi, yue jun, and the others hadn¡¯t left. they were still drinking, playing, and joking. even when they saw the arrival of the embroidered uniform guards, these people were quite calm. they knew he lie, and he lie recognized many of them. although these young masters weren¡¯t the eldest son or heir of the family, they weren¡¯t unknown people. some of them worked in the army, the military department of the five cities, and the twelve guards. a few of them were famously profligate sons. gu yuan stood up generously and cupped his hands at he lie. ¡°commander he.¡± his expression and posture were quite relaxed. even when facing the terrifying commander of the embroidered uniform guards, he was still chatting and laughing, as if the person standing in front of him was just an ordinary person. he lie went straight to the point. ¡°battalion commander gu, someone reported that your residence is hiding the remaining members of the yu family.¡± with that, he lie looked at gu xiao, who was a few steps away. ¡°the person who reported it is your cousin.¡± there was silence in the water pavilion. the young masters looked at each other and were stunned. before gu yuan could speak, lu shi beat him to it and questioned gu xiao, ¡°gu xiao, why are you talking about the remaining members of the yu family for no reason? are you trying to take revenge on all yuan for chasing you out just now?!¡± lu shi snorted and put down the wine glass in his hand heavily. everyone¡¯s disdainful gazes shot at gu xiao like knives, but gu xiao didn¡¯t care at all. instead, he raised his chin even higher. ¡°revenge?¡± he lie raised his eyebrows in confusion. the person who explained was fan beiran. ¡°just now, we were drinking well when gu xiao suddenly came to cause trouble without informing us. he was chased out by ah yuan. you came so quickly. he must have gone to the north town bureau after leaving here. hmph, isn¡¯t this revenge?!¡± ¡°i¡¯m not taking revenge!¡± gu xiao raised his chin and said loudly, ¡°i¡¯m telling the truth. there¡¯s clearly the cry of a baby in this residence, but my brother denied it and insisted that it was a cat. i think he¡¯s just feeling guilty.¡± ¡°besides, i¡¯ve asked the old servants in the residence. in the past half a month, many people have heard the night cry of a baby..¡± Chapter 569 - Chapter 569: Information (3) chapter 569: information (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°commander he, quickly order someone to search. don¡¯t let anyone escape!¡± gu xiao said anxiously. the maidservants beside him couldn¡¯t help but look nervous. many of them had also heard of the cry of a baby at night. they couldn¡¯t help but swallow their saliva. could it be that what second young master said was true? the air in the water pavilion became a little stagnant. ¡°battalion commander gu.¡± he lie cupped his hands and said indifferently, ¡°your cousin reported it using his real name. the embroidered uniform guards are also doing our duty.¡± it meant that the embroidered uniform guards had no intention of targeting the gu family. gu yuan glanced at gu xiao indifferently. his handsome face was calm as he said to he lie readily, ¡°then investigate.¡± ¡°however, there are two sisters and a widowed aunt in the residence. please don¡¯t alarm the women.¡± he lie naturally knew who gu yuan¡¯s biological sister was. a smile appeared on his square face as he promised, ¡°don¡¯t worry, battalion commander gu. i won¡¯t disturb the second¡­ the two ladies, and your aunt.¡± he lie originally wanted to say ¡°second lady¡±, but he changed his words halfway. ¡°as you wish,¡± gu yuan said calmly. he then instructed wu tong to find a few stewards to lead the way for the embroidered uniform guards. he lie only waved his hand casually, and the dozen or so embroidered uniform guards accompanying him scattered. they were well-trained and divided into several groups to start searching the residence. this matter instantly spread throughout the he mansion. the servants, maidservants, and old women in the residence were all trembling in fear, their hearts in turmoil. if the embroidered uniform guards really found the remaining members of the yu family, they would be harboring criminals ordered by the imperial court. the gu family would probably not be able to avoid a miserable outcome of raiding their homes and being exiled. as servants, they wouldn¡¯t have a good ending either. the entire residence was shrouded in a faint shadow. the young masters in the water pavilion were still smiling. lu shi didn¡¯t stand on ceremony at all. he overtook the host and invited he lie to sit down. he smiled and instructed someone to serve tea. at the same time, he teased gu yuan, ¡°ah yuan, you¡¯re not hiding a woman, right?¡± gu yuan:¡±¡­¡± ¡°sigh, with ah yuan¡¯s insensitive personality?¡± fan beiran sighed and shook his head, echoing lu shi. ¡°have you forgotten? the last time we went to listen to a song, the courtesan lady poured wine for him out of goodwill. he almost broke her arm!¡± ¡°he really doesn¡¯t know how to have tender, protective feelings for the fairer sex!¡± the few young masters who were watching the show didn¡¯t mind the matter blowing up. they teased gu yuan one after another. no one invited gu xiao to sit down, so he could only stand there in a daze and watch them drink, chat, and continue pitch-pot¡­ the anger in his heart surged bit by bit. there¡¯s no hurry. in the future, gu yuan will cry! gu xiao composed himself and thought to himself. the corners of his mouth curled up again. fan beiran drank another glass of wine. he looked like he was smiling, but he had been paying attention to gu xiao and felt a little uneasy. gu xiao had gone to the embroidered uniform guards to report it. if it was confirmed that it was a false accusation, he would be flogged 50 times and be conscripted into the army. since gu xiao dared to do this, he probably set up some traps and had a backup plan. fan beiran exchanged glances with lu shi and the others. the embroidered uniform guards searched for more than an hour before returning to the water pavilion in twos and threes to report. ¡°commander.¡± ni zongqi, who was leading the team, cupped his fists at he lie and reported, ¡°we¡¯ve already searched the entire residence and didn¡¯t find anyone suspicious.¡± it was impossible to dig three feet underground in an hour. the embroidered uniform guards had only roughly searched and checked the members of the gu family, but they didn¡¯t find anything wrong. the maidservants were relieved. he lie looked at gu xiao with a sharp and dangerous gaze. gu xiao¡¯s heart skipped a beat under his gaze, and he quickly said, ¡°wait!¡± ¡°commander he, i heard it again!¡± gu xiao quickly took a few steps towards the window on the west side of the water pavilion. his eyes were abnormally bright as he looked out of the window. ¡°i heard a baby crying again.¡± all the embroidered uniform guards held their breaths. those young masters also subconsciously fell silent. the water pavilion was silent. ¡°wa! wa¡­¡± amidst the rustling wind outside the window, there were a few baby cries. they only rang two or three times intermittently. after that, the crying stopped, leaving only the colorful flowers and trees in the garden swaying gently in the wind. the surroundings were silent. the atmosphere was solemn and silent, and the air seemed heavy. ¡°it¡¯s there.¡± gu xiao raised his hand through the open window and pointed at a rockery opposite the pond. ¡°the cry just now should have come from there..¡± Chapter 570 - Chapter 570: Information (4) chapter 570: information (4) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios he lie looked at ni zongqi and asked with his eyes. ni zongqi shook his head, meaning that they hadn¡¯t found anything when they searched the small garden just now. he lie turned to ask gu yuan, ¡°is there a secret room in your residence?¡± ¡°no.¡± ¡°yes! ¡®two different answers sounded at the same time. the person shaking his head was gu yuan, and the person nodding was gu xiao. everyone¡¯s gaze surged towards gu xiao. ¡°big brother, don¡¯t hide it anymore.¡± the corners of gu xiao¡¯s lips curled up slightly as he sighed. ¡°it¡¯s not a secret that there¡¯s a secret room in the residence. even if you know, 1 know too. sigh, big brother, you must have hidden the remaining members of the yu family in the secret room.¡± gu xiao raised his arm and pointed in the direction of the rockery again. he said firmly, ¡°the secret room is in the rockery.¡± he lie gestured to ni zongqi, who immediately understood and led seven or eight embroidered uniform guards towards the rockery with an imposing aura. the maidservants and old women in the water pavilion all raised their heads and craned their necks to look in the direction of the rockery. their hearts were beating wildly and they were uneasy. this time, the embroidered uniform guards moved very quickly. after a while, ni zongqi hurried back and reported solemnly, ¡°commander, a secret room has been discovered at the rockery.¡± ¡°also, there¡¯s a cry coming from inside.¡± with that, ni zongqi glanced at gu yuan with a complicated gaze. there was silence again. the corners of gu xiao¡¯s lips curled up even more. he straightened his back and looked at gu yuan provocatively. he lie got up, brushed his robe, and said to gu yuan, ¡°then¡­ shall we go over and take a look?¡± ¡°please.¡± gu yuan got up smoothly, without any surprise or anger on his face. the other young masters also stood up with solemn expressions. they knew gu yuan well. from the looks of it, he really didn¡¯t know that there was a secret room in the residence. this alone was unnerving. no one was a fool. this was clearly a trap set up by gu xiao! a group of people surrounded gu yuan and he lie as they left the water pavilion. they walked around the pond and towards the rockery. the air was filled with a murderous atmosphere, like the autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves. ¡°commander, battalion commander gu, this way.¡± ni zongqi led everyone to the fake cave and came to a small black door. ¡°the door to this secret room is hidden very well. it took us some effort to discover it.¡± this door wasn¡¯t even seven feet tall. it was dark inside and it was unknown where it extended to¡­ ¡°wah¡ªwall¡ª¡± in the depths of the secret room, cries came intermittently. they were sometimes strong and sometimes weak. they were hoarse, and their voices changed slightly through the narrow secret room passage. it sounded a little terrifying. there was clearly something hidden in this secret room. he lie¡¯s eyes gradually darkened. ¡°i found the oil lamps!¡± another diamond-faced embroidered uniform guard hurried over with two oil lamps. he lie instructed, ¡°go down and take a look.¡± there was naturally no need for he lie to personally take action on such a small matter. ni zongqi led three or four embroidered uniform guards down the stairs with oil lamps. the others stood outside and waited. fan beiran, lu shi, yue jun, and the others surrounded gu yuan, silently expressing their attitude. they all glanced at gu xiao, their eyes as cold as swords. the wind with the fragrance of flowers blew against their faces, but at this moment, it made them feel suffocated. gu yuan stared fixedly at the secret room in front of him that was vaguely flashing with light. he stood with his hands behind his back. at this point, there was nothing he couldn¡¯t understand. ever since the family split up last month, outsiders definitely had no chance to hide in the residence. in other words, this person had already hidden here before the separation. was he from the yu family? there was a high chance. then, was the second uncle or grand madam hiding them? also, why did that person hide the yu family? the yu family¡¯s case had already been settled. it was a foregone conclusion. there was no way it could be reversed. with the second uncle and the old lady¡¯s character, they shouldn¡¯t have taken such a huge risk. unless¡­ gu yuan¡¯s thoughts raced, and his eyes darkened. his face was cold and calm, making it impossible to tell if he was happy or angry. ¡°all yuan, this secret room of yours is really a little rough.¡± fan beiran opened the fan in his hand in a carefree manner and said casually, ¡°1 heard from my grandfather that the best secret room in the capital is in prince ning¡¯s mansion.¡± ¡°that prince ning¡¯s mansion was built by the corrupt official li yue of the previous dynasty. in order to hide his financial reports, li yue built the secret room to be extremely hidden, and the mechanisms were even more complicated. when li yue was ordered to raid the house by the previous dynasty¡¯s emperor, it was said that the imperial guards raided for a full ten days before they found seven secret rooms.¡± ¡°i¡¯ve heard of it too,¡± lu shi continued. ¡°it¡¯s said that not only is the secret room in prince ning¡¯s mansion hidden, but it¡¯s also sealed extremely well. if you hide inside, no one outside can hear you even if you shout your lungs out.¡± ¡°at that time, the corpses of two thieves were also discovered in one of the secret rooms. the commander of the royal guards in charge of investigating guessed that the thieves had accidentally locked themselves inside. in the end, the heavens weren¡¯t on their side!¡± young master fei liu sighed. yue jun patted gu yuan¡¯s shoulder and suggested seriously, ¡°ah yuan, it¡¯s best if you investigate everything in this residence another day. what if there¡¯s another secret room and some unknown corpse hidden there? how unlucky!¡± the few of them joked and seemed to be chatting, but they were actually using another method to tell gu yuan that they were all on his side. at the same time, they reminded the embroidered uniform guards that the person hiding in the secret room might have sneaked in. ¡°slam!¡± the sound of something shattering suddenly came from the secret room, as well as ni zongqi¡¯s scolding. ¡°take him down!¡± these words made everyone¡¯s expressions change.. Chapter 571 - Chapter 571: Intentional (1) chapter 571: intentional (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios lu shi and the others¡¯ hearts sank. if there were really remnants of the yu family in the secret room, the embroidered uniform guards would definitely seal the residence, but they couldn¡¯t stop the few of them from leaving. at least they could go and get reinforcements. everyone was tense. the small garden was as quiet as the calm before a storm. success! gu xiao was secretly delighted, but she frowned and reprimanded righteously, ¡°big brother, how can you take in the yu family? you¡¯re causing trouble for the family!¡± ¡°hey, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve been caught with something shameful?¡± with that, gu xiao shook his head disapprovingly, his eyes flashing with a dark light. once gu yuan committed a crime, he would naturally be deposed from his official position. then, the family would have to reconsider splitting up the family. after all, they couldn¡¯t possibly give all the assets of the eldest branch to a girl like gu yanfei. the clan would never agree. as long as they separated from the family again, his father, as the legitimate son, could get most of the family business and this residence. their family could move back here. the house they were living in now was small and old, without even a racecourse. the garden wasn¡¯t even half the size of this small garden. he even had to live in the same courtyard as his concubine brother. in less than a month, gu xiao experienced what it felt like to live a day like a year. he really missed this place too much. he was born and raised here. in the past, he had only gone out to play for four or five days at most. he had never ¡°left home¡± for so long like this! after today, this mansion will return to their second branch. just thinking about it made gu xiao¡¯s blood boil and his heart beat faster. he lie¡¯s rough fingers rubbed the sheath a few times, as if he was weighing and thinking about something. he said to gu yuan indifferently, ¡°battalion commander gu, i¡¯m afraid you can¡¯t leave this place for the time being¡­ and your family too.¡± ¡°don¡¯t worry, my people won¡¯t be rude to second lady gu.¡± as he spoke, a cold glint flashed in he lie¡¯s eyes. these words were polite and also a warning. he was warning gu yuan that if he did anything he shouldn¡¯t, the embroidered uniform guards wouldn¡¯t show mercy. several embroidered uniform guards around him pulled out the long saber in their hands an inch in a show of force. the cold embroidered saber shone with a dazzling cold light under the sun. gu yuan said calmly, ¡°commander he, are you treating me as a human?¡± ¡°he lie, who are you scaring!¡± lu shi said angrily and stood beside gu yuan protectively. fan beiran and the others also had burning eyes. they stood with their heads raised, forming a confrontation with the embroidered uniform guards. sparks flashed where the eyes of the two sides met, and an invisible bowstring seemed to be suddenly pulled taut in the air. a series of hurried footsteps came from the direction of the secret room, getting closer. ni zongqi walked up quickly with the oil lamp. the first thing he said was, ¡°commander, there¡¯s no one below¡­¡± ¡°how is that possible?¡± gu xiao interrupted the other party. before he could finish speaking, another embroidered uniform guard came out of the dark secret room with a black cat. the cat waved its limbs in the air and bared its fangs. ni zongqi glanced at gu xiao expressionlessly before continuing, ¡°there¡¯s only one cat below.¡± as he spoke, he saw the black cat that had been grabbed by the back of its neck baring its teeth and shouting non-stop, trying to intimidate the surrounding humans. everyone looked at the cat with strange expressions. the angry black cat scratched and roared. finally, it broke free from the human¡¯s demonic claws and let out a cry. it ran away as if it was flying and disappeared into the flowers and trees in the blink of an eye. it was obvious that the sound of something falling in the secret room just now was caused by this cat. ni zongqi said that it was also this cat?! there was a strange silence around the rockery. ¡°pfft!¡± fan beiran was the first to laugh. he said coldly, ¡°what a fierce kitten!¡± ¡°it¡¯s indeed fierce! look at how frightened it is.¡± young master fei liu sighed. the two of them echoed each other and even deliberately glanced sideways at the embroidered uniform guards. gu xiao¡¯s eyes widened, and his mind buzzed. there was only one thought left: howls this possible?! he instinctively looked at gu yuan and saw that gu yuan raised his eyebrows in surprise. ¡°heh.¡± gu yuan sneered softly and looked into gu xiao¡¯s eyes. he keenly captured the other party¡¯s panic and helplessness for a moment. he thought that gu xiao and the others had already arranged everything. it seemed like that wasn¡¯t the case.. Chapter 572 - Chapter 572: Intentional (2) chapter 572: intentional (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios this development was really unexpected. even he lie¡¯s expressionless face couldn¡¯t hide his shock as he narrowed his eyes. ¡°impossible, absolutely impossible,¡± gu xiao muttered excitedly, as if a ball of fire was burning in his heart. ¡°i clearly heard the cry. many servants also heard the cry of a baby at night.¡± ¡°commander he, we have to look for them again. the yu family must be hiding.¡± ¡°maybe¡­ maybe there¡¯s a secret room in the secret room!¡± the more gu xiao spoke, the more anxious he became, afraid that he lie wouldn¡¯t believe him. he snatched an oil lamp from an embroidered uniform guard, bowed, and entered the secret room. he quickly stepped down the stone steps. he lie didn¡¯t stop gu xiao. he returned to his expressionless appearance and asked gu yuan without revealing his emotions, ¡°do you want to go down and take a look, battalion commander gu?¡± gu yuan had never heard his grandfather and father mention this secret room before. he nodded and agreed. ¡°okay.¡± he lie raised his hand and gestured. the embroidered uniform guards, who had drawn their sabers, awkwardly put them back into their sheaths. the killing intent in the air completely disappeared, and even the spring breeze became warm. gu yuan and he lie entered the narrow door one after another. they were both tall and bent their backs when they went down the stone steps. after walking more than 20 steps, they landed on a stone floor. this secret room was only two rooms wide. the air was filled with the cold, moldy smell of the secret room, making people feel uncomfortable. there were only two oil lamps lit here. the lights swayed, and the light was dim. there were some cabinets, bookshelves, and camphor boxes on the four walls. they were all opened, revealing everything inside. there was indeed no one hiding here. gu yuan slowly looked around, and his gaze landed on a long saber with a qilin-patterned bronze sheath hanging on the wall. his father was good with a sword, and his grandfather was good with a knife. gu yuan remembered that his father had said that his grandfather had a treasure saber called ¡°qilin¡±. therefore, this secret room used to belong to his grandfather. a middle-aged man with a blurry voice appeared in gu yuan¡¯s mind. his grandfather, gu xuan, was only in his early 40s when he died, but his hair was already half white. at that time, he was still very young and didn¡¯t remember much about his grandfather. he only vaguely remembered that his grandfather was very loving to him and even personally taught him how to hold a pen and write. gu yuan slowly walked to the bookshelf and casually picked a book from one of the bookshelves. on the blue cover was the yin talisman scripture. he casually picked up another book. this was the daoist canon. these books were clearly very old and hadn¡¯t been exposed for a long time. the pages were more or less moth-eaten and moldy. gu yuan quickly flipped through a few pages, and his grandfather¡¯s familiar handwriting came into view. he had seen some calligraphy, handwritten notes, and so on left behind by his grandfather in the residence, so he recognized his grandfather¡¯s handwriting. in other words, the daoist books on the three rows of bookshelves were all collected by his grandfather. thud! thud! gu yuan¡¯s heart beat faster as he thought of his grandfather¡¯s memorial tablet in the ancestral hall. his sister had said that there was a trace of their biological grandmother¡¯s soul in the memorial tablet. when his grandfather was alive, he played until he was exhausted so that his grandmother could have this chance of survival. gu yuan¡¯s eyes were slightly dry. it was as if a breeze had brushed past his heart, causing circles of ripples. ¡°where is he¡­¡± gu xiao pushed open a cupboard roughly and muttered to himself in disbelief, ¡°where is he hiding!¡± a cold wind suddenly blew from the entrance of the secret room, causing the lights in the oil lamp to sway crazily. the lights were almost extinguished. at that time, the bright and dim lights cast a strange shadow on gu xiao¡¯s face, making his face look abnormally ferocious and strange. he couldn¡¯t help but walk around the secret room again. one moment, he was hitting the wall, and the next, he was looking at the cabinets and boxes to see if there were any compartments. however, he still found nothing. gu xiao was about to go crazy. he broke out in a cold sweat and panted heavily. ¡°have you seen enough?¡± he lie didn¡¯t have the patience to wait for gu xiao. he questioned coldly, ¡°gu xiao, where are the mistress and baby you mentioned?¡± gu xiao:¡±¡­¡± ni zongqi slowly stroked his beard and sneered coldly. ¡°gu xiao, are you daydreaming?¡± gu xiao¡¯s mouth opened and closed. he wanted to say that he wasn¡¯t lying and wasn¡¯t daydreaming, but saying this now wasn¡¯t convincing at all. he didn¡¯t give up. he searched the wall of the secret room for the umpteenth time and repeatedly knocked on the wall.. Chapter 573 - Chapter 573: Intentional (3) chapter 573: intentional (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios he wanted to find a room, but after searching for nearly 10 minutes, he still found nothing. gu xiao¡¯s back was unknowingly covered in cold sweat. even the hair on his temples was drenched, and his face was as pale as a dead person. ¡°no, that¡¯s impossible.¡± gu xiao became more and more anxious and muttered to himself almost crazily, ¡°the secret room must be somewhere!¡± he lie wasn¡¯t interested in ¡°playing¡± with gu xiao anymore. he turned around without hesitation and ordered, ¡°retreat.¡± seeing that he lie was about to leave, gu xiao panicked and was afraid. he tried to catch he lie and shouted, ¡°let me look again, let me look again¡­¡± the embroidered uniform guards beside him weren¡¯t blind. how could they let gu xiao bump into their commander? they kicked gu xiao¡¯s abdomen ruthlessly. ¡°ah!¡± gu xiao screamed like a pig being slaughtered. he staggered and hit the wall behind him. his abdomen hurt so much that he bowed. neither he lie nor gu yuan turned around, letting the screams behind them echo in the small secret room¡­ the group of them filed out of the secret room and returned to the bright and wide garden outside the dark and small place. a refreshing breeze with the fragrance of flowers blew over. ¡°battalion commander gu, sorry to disturb you today.¡± he lie simply cupped his hands at gu yuan. ¡°goodbye.¡± gu yuan returned the greeting simply. ¡°take care.¡± as he spoke, the sweating gu xiao held his abdomen and staggered out of the secret room. or rather, he had been chased out by two embroidered uniform guards. ¡°gu xiao.¡± when he lie looked at gu xiao, his gaze was as cold as ten-thousand-year-old ice. his voice was also sinister. ¡°emperor taizu stated that if you deliberately falsely accuse someone, you will be flogged 50 times and be conscripted into the army for three years!¡± deliberately framing someone was a double crime. ¡°commander he, something must have gone wrong.¡± gu xiao was so frightened that his lips turned pale. cold sweat trickled down his cheeks. he was about to lose his soul. 50 strokes of the rod will take half my life. after three years in the army, i¡¯ll probably lose the remaining half of my life in the wilderness of liaodong! no, i don¡¯t want to be conscripted into the army! the two embroidered uniform guards immediately approached gu xiao and restrained him from the left and right. their movements were rough. ¡°big brother¡­¡± gu xiao was really afraid. he looked at gu yuan with pleading eyes, hoping that he could plead for him. gu yuan had never been a person who repay evil with kindness. he pretended not to understand gu xiao¡¯s pleading gaze and instructed wu tong, ¡°send commander he out for me.¡± the embroidered uniform guards came aggressively and left aggressively. the area around the rockery suddenly became much more spacious. fan beiran frowned and looked at gu xiao¡¯s back, which was almost propped up by someone. ¡°ah yuan, what exactly is your cousin doing?¡± ¡°gu xiao has always been a timid person.¡± lu shi stroked his chin thoughtfully and said to gu yuan, ¡°he actually dared to go to the north town bureau alone and report that you were hiding the remaining members of the yu family. there must be something fishy going on.¡± the others also frowned. yue jun recalled how gu xiao had tried to get close to him outside the residence this morning. his expression turned serious as he said in a low voice, ¡°gu xiao was clearly very sure that someone was hiding inside before i entered the secret room¡­¡± everyone looked at the secret room in the fake cave in unison, puzzled. young master fei liu continued, ¡°ah yuan, you¡¯d better be careful. there¡¯s a high chance that your second uncle instigated gu xiao to do this. i wonder what the father and son are up to. they probably have a backup plan.¡± a few birds brushed past the leaves above, and the dense leaves swayed gently above. gu yuan¡¯s eyes flashed, and he didn¡¯t say a word. after a while, he patted lu shi¡¯s shoulder and said concisely, ¡°i know what to do.¡± he suddenly thought: it should be my sister, right? she must have resolved this situation without revealing anything. gu yuan looked up at the black swallow spreading its wings in the blue sky and smiled gently. ¡°what are you thinking? why are you smiling so coquettishly?¡± lu shi nudged gu yuan¡¯s shoulder with a smile. the corners of gu yuan¡¯s lips curled up even more. he turned around and walked towards the water pavilion. he only said, ¡°let¡¯s go and continue drinking!¡± the tall young man left a high-spirited back view. behind him, lu shi, fan beiran, and the others looked at his back and exchanged glances tacitly. when they returned today, they had to ask the elders, brothers, and in-laws in the family. they couldn¡¯t let gu yuan be bullied for no reason again.. Chapter 574 - Chapter 574: Intentional (4) chapter 574: intentional (4) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios gu yuan had waited for nine years before he had a chance to seek justice for his father. they had all grown up together. even if gu yuan had never spoken, they all knew what gu yuan had been working hard for all these years. he had joined the army and charged into the battlefield to fight for military merit with his life. all of this was for a goal. now, he finally saw hope. even if they couldn¡¯t help much, they hoped to help gu yuan sweep away those thorns that were an eyesore. ¡°we won¡¯t go back unless we¡¯re drunk today!¡± lu shi strode in gu yuan¡¯s direction. ¡°don¡¯t ruin everyone¡¯s mood for those sinister villains.¡± as they chatted and laughed, the young masters surrounded gu yuan and walked towards the water pavilion. the atmosphere returned to its previous lively state. fan beiran smiled and put his arm around gu yuan¡¯s shoulder. ¡°ah yuan, this pear blossom white and bamboo leaf isn¡¯t satisfying to drink. do you have vodka here?¡± ¡°if not, i¡¯ll get someone to go out and buy it!¡± as soon as fan beiran spoke, it immediately attracted a wave of enthusiastic agreement. no one cared about gu yuan¡¯s opinion. after a cup of tea, 10 jars of vodka were sent to the water pavilion. by the time these wine jars were all emptied, four hours had passed, and those young masters were all drunk. of course, gu yuan didn¡¯t let them ride away. some of them rested in the guest rooms of the gu mansion, while others were sent back by the gu family¡¯s carriage¡­ after settling everyone down, gu yuan brought the smell of alcohol to yuheng garden. the courtyard was quiet and peaceful, filled with a rich bamboo and flower fragrance. the colorful flowers swayed gently among the emerald branches and leaves, quiet and elegant. gu yuan walked through yuheng garden with familiarity and arrived at gu yanfei¡¯s small study. after he lifted the curtain, the scene in front of him stunned him. he saw that there were talismans stuck to the bookshelves, desks, and cabinets in the house. the window on the east side was wide open, and a breeze curled up. the hundreds of talismans trembled. the girl in front of him was leaning against the table with her back facing him. at first glance, this scene was really strange. it really didn¡¯t look like a house of a well-bred lady. however, gu yuan smiled slightly and felt warm. to him, it was fine as long as his sister was happy. he looked at the girl in front of him quietly for a long time before walking forward. he lightened his footsteps and quietly walked to gu yanfei¡¯s side to sit down. gu yanfei was focused on drawing talismans. ¡°have they all left?¡± gu yanfei asked casually as she put away her pen. gu yuan leaned lazily against the window sill and said with a smile, ¡°the others have all left. only fan beiran and yue jun are staying in the residence today.¡± ¡°fan beiran praised our vodka for being stronger than elsewhere. he even asked me to ask you where you bought it.¡± his eyes were very clear and bright, and his consciousness was very clear. everyone in the gu family had a good tolerance for alcohol. gu yuan and gu yanfei were the same. ¡°those wines are all from qiongfang shop.¡± gu yanfei smiled and said heroically, ¡°since he likes them, let him bring a few jars with him when he leaves. i¡¯ve saved a whole cellar of wine at home. let him choose whatever he wants.¡± gu yuan smiled and raised his hand to rub his sister¡¯s soft head. ¡°my sister is so generous.¡± ¡°it¡¯s my duty.¡± gu yanfei smiled generously and brightly. throw me a wooden peach, and i¡¯ll repay you with a jade treasure. there was always reciprocation between people. as the siblings spoke, juan bi brought over a cup of hot hangover tea. gu yuan finished this cup of hangover tea in one gulp. it tasted even worse than medicine. with the thought of sharing blessings, he specially instructed juan bi, ¡°get the pantry to boil hangover tea. when fan beiran and yue jun wake up, send it to them too.¡± juan bi misunderstood and nodded repeatedly. he replied seriously, ¡°don¡¯t worry, master. i¡¯ll remind them. i won¡¯t neglect the two young masters.¡± she walked away quickly. gu yuan pursed his lips, and a sharp glint flashed across his eyes. ¡°gu xiao brought the embroidered uniform guards over in the morning and found a secret room in the small garden¡­¡± the taste in his mouth was bitter. gu yuan subconsciously frowned. gu yanfei raised her eyebrows and casually pulled out a talisman from the side. she slapped gu yuan¡¯s forehead. if anyone else had dared to attack gu yuan like this, they would have been sent flying by him. however, in front of gu yanfei, he was extremely obedient and didn¡¯t move. after a while, gu yuan pursed his lips, and a faint smile appeared on his face. the bitterness in his mouth actually turned into a sweet taste. gu yanfei raised her chin proudly. ¡°it¡¯s not bitter anymore, right?¡± ¡°it¡¯s not bitter anymore.¡± gu yuan nodded and smiled. ¡±1 drew a lot of talismans today.¡± gu yanfei tugged at his sleeve and boasted proudly, ¡°look, this immobilization talisman can make people not move at all. it¡¯s like the acupuncture points in drawing books. this wine talisman can turn water into wine. it¡¯s most suitable for socializing.¡± seeing that his sister was in high spirits, gu yuan cooperatively pointed at the talisman she had just drawn and asked, ¡°then this?¡± ¡°this is a failed product.¡± gu yanfei crumpled the talisman into a ball and looked at the jade bracelet on her wrist. it had only been a few months, but this was already the fourth jade artifact she had found that contained spiritual energy. she had been thinking for the past two days that she might be able to design a spirit gathering talisman for her compass. perhaps she could find an ancient artifact with spiritual energy on the compass. in the end, she didn¡¯t draw this spirit gathering talisman. instead, she unintentionally drew a pile of other talismans. the siblings chatted and laughed. when the sun was setting in the west, juan bi suddenly ran in energetically and reported happily, ¡°eldest young master, fourth young master lu has just sent his servant over. he said that commander he has just brought people to the second master¡¯s house in reed alley.¡± ¡°they said that the old lady is hiding a criminal from the imperial court and wants to search the second master¡¯s residence.¡± thinking of the embroidered uniform guards searching the residence in the morning, juan bi still felt a little afraid.. Chapter 575 - Chapter 575: Found (1) chapter 575: found (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios a willow leaf landed on gu yuan¡¯s shoulder with the wind. gu yuan casually brushed off this willow leaf and asked calmly, ¡°what did gu xiao do again?¡± his voice was calm, like an autumn drizzle. raindrops fell drop by drop on the smooth stone floor. ¡°master, how did you know?¡± juan bi¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°after second young master was taken to the north town¡¯s bureau, he said that he had received a snitch letter not long ago. the letter writer told him that the gu family had hidden a family member of the yu family, and even advised him to put righteousness before family. that¡¯s why he came to the residence early in the morning to investigate. when he heard the cry of a baby in the garden, he went to the north town¡¯s bureau to report it.¡± ¡°commander he said that second young master¡¯s surname is also gu. since he¡¯s not with master, he might be with second master. he brought the embroidered uniform guards to reed alley to search.¡± gu yanfei drank the flower tea slowly. her eyes and eyebrows didn¡¯t even move, as if this matter had nothing to do with her. she only asked casually, ¡°did they find him?¡± ¡°they did!¡± juan bi nodded solemnly again. her eyes lit up, more or less gloating. second master and second young master deserves it! juan bi didn¡¯t sympathize with second master and second young master at all. she couldn¡¯t wait for them to be taught a lesson this time. gu yuan looked at the comfortable gu yanfei, and the corners of his lips curled up. he didn¡¯t ask further and only instructed, ¡°let wu tong go to reed alley to take a look.¡± ¡°alright.¡± juan bi left excitedly again. her round face was as bright as the good weather today. today, the blue sky was clear, and the sun was shining brightly. however, the gu family¡¯s second branch was enveloped in a thick layer of dark clouds, as if a storm would descend at any moment. all the masters were chased to the hall of the outer courtyard by the embroidered uniform guards. there was a commotion in the hall, and everyone was in a panic. no one expected the embroidered uniform guards to find a stranger in their house. everyone looked at old madam gu, who was sitting at the head of the table. she was the backbone of the family. ever since gu jian¡¯s title was taken away, madam gu was no longer the madam of the marquis mansion. after losing her title, she was only old madam gu. at this moment, old madam gu¡¯s expression was extremely bad. she was motionless, like a stone statue. there was silence in the hall. ¡°you¡¯re yu si¡¯s mistress, madam lei?¡± the man¡¯s dignified voice broke the silence, attracting everyone¡¯s attention to the beautiful woman in the middle of the hall. the beautiful woman was only about 20 years old. she was gentle and beautiful, but she looked a little haggard. there were dark eye circles under her eyes, and her hair was a little messy. a few strands were scattered on her cheeks, making her look disheveled and weak. she was holding a green swaddling cloth in her arms. there were tears in her eyes, and her long eyelashes cast a faint shadow on her eyelids. she had a delicate and moving charm, making people pity her. madam lei didn¡¯t say anything. she only hugged the swaddling clothes tightly. at this moment, silence was equivalent to tacit agreement. ¡°since the culprit is here.¡± he lie, who was standing by a window, slowly looked around at the people from the gu family¡¯s second branch. he waved a letter casually in his hand and said mockingly, ¡°it seems that this snitch letter isn¡¯t wrong.¡± his gaze finally landed on gu xiao. gu xiao¡¯s face was extremely pale, as if he had suffered a heavy blow. half of his soul had dissipated. as soon as he saw the letter, gu xiao¡¯s body trembled. his eyes were filled with regret, frustration, and nervousness. he lie¡¯s heart was as clear as a mirror, and a trace of contempt flashed across his eyes. he thought to himself, ¡®he¡¯s just trying to be smart. he¡¯s extremely stupid.¡¯ the embroidered uniform guards had seen all kinds of people. he lie wasn¡¯t surprised by gu xiao¡¯s behavior of preparing evidence in advance to exonerate himself. he hadn¡¯t planned to come in the first place, but ni zongqi reminded him that since the gu family¡¯s eldest branch had investigated, the second branch should also investigate. he lie thought about it and agreed. although it was official business for him to bring people to the gu mansion to search today, he had still caused trouble for second lady gu. he had to express his gratitude. he had brought people here this time to show his goodwill to second lady gu. he purely wanted to disgust the second branch of the gu family. however, he lie didn¡¯t expect them to really find yu si¡¯s outer room. ¡°commander he, we were framed!¡± gu jian defended himself, sweating profusely. ¡°framed?¡± he lie seemed to have heard a joke. he sneered and said calmly.. Chapter 576 - Chapter 576: Found (2) chapter 576: found (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios even if old madam gu, gu jian, and gu xiao had yet to confess, he lie could tell that they had clearly failed to frame gu yuan and had fallen instead. until now, they probably still didn¡¯t know how they had fallen! it was lamentable. he lie had seen gu yanfei¡¯s methods with his own eyes. an abnormally bright and sharp light flashed across his eyes in the blink of an eye. ¡°commander he, we¡¯re really innocent!¡± gu jian grabbed the armrest of the chair tightly with one hand and raised his voice excitedly. ¡°we don¡¯t know why this woman appeared in my house!¡± in just a few words, gu jian¡¯s face changed several colors. he had many questions to ask gu xiao, but gu xiao seemed to have lost his soul. he lie glanced at gu jian coldly and couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue with him. he gestured at ni zongqi. ni zongqi immediately understood and took a step forward with his saber by his waist. he looked straight at the beautiful woman standing in the hall and asked sternly, ¡°madam lei, are you framing them?¡± madam lei bit her pale lower lip and hugged the swaddling clothes tightly with one hand. she shook her head desperately and said in a trembling voice, ¡°i¡­ i don¡¯t dare!¡± ¡°it was the gu family who took me in. how would i dare to barge into a private house¡­¡± madam lei¡¯s delicate body trembled uncontrollably, as if she was about to faint at any moment. ¡°nonsense!¡± old madam gu retorted sternly and tightened her grip on the prayer beads in her hand. she really couldn¡¯t understand why madam lei was here. after saying that, she realized that she was too agitated. she suppressed the frustration and panic in her heart and looked at he lie by the window. she tried her best to calm down and said, ¡°commander he, i have never interacted with the yu family. i don¡¯t know why this woman wants to slander our family, let alone why she¡¯s hiding in our house!¡± ¡°commander he, someone really wants to frame us.¡± gu jian stood up and bowed respectfully to he lie. he had neither a noble title nor an official position now. he would only suffer if he went against the embroidered uniform guards. fortunately, as soon as he heard that the embroidered uniform guards were here, he quickly sent someone out the back door to look for gu yunrong. gu jian was extremely anxious. he could only hope that gu yunrong would return quickly. gu yunrong was now the only person their family could rely on. ni zongqi looked at gu jian and then at old madam gu. he grinned, but there was no smile in his cold eyes. he said slowly, ¡°does old madam really have no contact with the yu family?¡± ¡°old madam, your maiden family¡¯s surname is qi. your hometown should be the same as the yu family in yingchuan, yuzhou, right?¡± ¡°you¡¯re still close friends with the empress of the former dynasty, right?¡± ni zongqi¡¯s gaze was firmly locked on old madam gu, as if he was an eagle that had caught its prey. old madam gu¡¯s delicate hand trembled violently, and the buddhist prayer bead bracelet almost fell out of her hand. no, i was never close friends with empress yu! back then, when empress yu got married, she was only three or four years old. she had only gone to the yu family with her parents to congratulate them. she had only been to the yu family¡¯s house once in her life. the yu family was the maternal family of the former empress. if it weren¡¯t for their daughter marrying into the british duke¡¯s residence and becoming the duchess, the yu family would have long been completely lost. the qi family also managed to survive because their daughter married gu xuan. back then, emperor taizu had deliberately suppressed the rise of the aristocratic families. during his reign, most of the aristocratic families gradually declined and relied on marriage alliances with new nobles to barely survive. naturally, old madam gu didn¡¯t want to interact with the yu family anymore. in the past decades, the relationship between the two families has always been weak. since the british duchess¡¯ surname was yu, if only gu yanfci and fang mingfeng hadn¡¯t been engaged since they were young, the gu family would have completely alienated the yu family and not interacted with them anymore. gu yanfei has been a jinx since she was born! as old madam gu thought about it angrily, her mind became even more chaotic, as if it was stuffed with a mess. seeing that she was silent, ni zongqi sneered and took a step closer to old madam gu. his words were sharp. ¡°madam qi, do you think that after decades, everything will disappear without a trace? what don¡¯t our embroidered uniform guards know?!¡± ¡°the yu family was in a difficult position this time, so they asked madam lei to bring their children to beg you to take them in. you couldn¡¯t refuse, so you hid them until now.¡± ni zongqi¡¯s expression was extremely firm and calm, as if he had seen all of this with his own eyes.. wanna gift the story? try one. Chapter 577 - Chapter 577: Found (3) chapter 577: found (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°no!¡± old madam gu denied it with difficulty. her expression became uglier and uglier, and the wrinkles on her face seemed to have doubled in the time it took to brew a cup of tea. she looked abnormally old. her body trembled uncontrollably, and her eyes were filled with panic. ni zongqi was only 70 to 80% right. on the night of the lantern festival, madam lei suddenly came looking for her with a baby and threatened her. ¡°madam gu, don¡¯t tell me you want everyone outside to know about the ¡®substitute¡¯?¡± the faint voice of madam lei that night echoed in old madam gu¡¯s ears again. beads of sweat the size of soybeans rolled down her forehead. the ¡°substitute¡± was old madam gu¡¯s sore spot. every time she thought about it, it made her feel like a knife was being twisted in her heart. she had been threatened by madam lei and could only hide her in the small garden of the gu residence¡­ but why was madam lei here?! madam wang wanted to say something but hesitated. her eyes wandered uncertainly, and her thoughts also returned to the night of the lantern festival. she regretted it. at that time, she had advised the old madam that madam lei couldn¡¯t be kept hidden in their house. however, the old madam refused to listen and insisted on doing things her own way, causing a huge disaster for the family¡­ old madam gu¡¯s nails almost dug into the skin of her palms. her eyes were red, but she still tried not to lose her composure. she took a deep breath and straightened her neck. she said firmly, ¡°it¡¯s not like that. at that time, my gu family was still the marquis household. i was the madam of the marquis household, and the yu family had long been convicted. what reason do i have to hide the remaining members of the yu family?!¡± ¡°madam lei is deliberately slandering me! this snitch letter was also designed to frame me!¡± ¡°i think this madam lei is definitely in cahoots with the person who wrote the snitch letter!¡± old madam gu insisted that she was hiding madam lei. with the embroidered uniform guards here, she knew that she couldn¡¯t admit it no matter what. if she did, she and her son would be consigned to eternal damnation. what awaited them would probably be a family exile! ¡°i didn¡¯t¡­¡± madam lei¡¯s pretty face was flushed red, and her eyes were filled with sparkling tears. her expression was sad, moving, innocent, and pitiful. perhaps because she hugged the swaddling clothes too hard, the baby in her arms woke up and cried miserably. the shrill cries were loud and noisy, lingering. the gu family members in the hall frowned deeply, adding to their frustration. ¡°baby, be good.¡± madam lei¡¯s heart ached as she went to coax the baby. as she patted the baby gently, a few strands of messy hair fell from her temples and trembled. it was unknown if the child was hungry or shocked, but he kept crying¡­ this orphan and widow were weak and pitiful. they had no one to rely on. ¡°enough!¡± he lie, who was standing by the window, shouted. madam lei was shocked and quickly covered the baby¡¯s mouth. he lie sneered and waved the snitch letter in his hand. ¡°you¡¯ve already said all the good and bad things. your grandson came to the north town bureau to report gu yuan with this snitch letter.¡± ¡°frame? slander?¡­ if you insist on it, you¡¯re the ones who framed gu yuan!¡± madam gu and gu jian were speechless. gu yun lan and the other girls became even more uneasy. even though they were young and didn¡¯t know what had happened, they could at least understand that their current situation was quite bad. he lie didn¡¯t want to listen to old madam gu¡¯s stubborn nonsense anymore. he immediately ordered, ¡°bring madam lei and her son back to the north town bureau!¡± his words exploded like thunder. the gu family seemed to have been struck by lightning. they were silent, and the surroundings were so quiet that one could hear a pin drop. gu xiao¡¯s body swayed violently. his face was so pale that there was no color at all. he leaned weakly against the pillar beside him. ¡°wait!¡± a graceful female voice sounded from outside the hall, panting slightly. everyone in the hall looked in the direction of the voice and saw gu yunrong in a bright red dress walking hurriedly to the outside of the hall. her snow-white cheeks were flushed from her run. gu yunrong had gone to the myriad herb hall early in the morning. when she heard that the embroidered uniform guards had come to the gu residence to search, she hurriedly rushed back. ¡°rong¡¯er!¡± gu jian¡¯s dark eyes lit up when he saw gu yunrong. old madam gu, madam wang, gu xiao, gu yunlan, and the others also looked at gu yunrong as if they had seen their savior. their eyes were shining. the gu family was in dire straits now, and they couldn¡¯t rely on their in-laws and old friends. no one dared to offend the embroidered uniform guards. the only person in the world who still had a trace of hope was gu yunrong.. Chapter 578 - Chapter 578: Found (4) chapter 578: found (4) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios gu yunrong was about to marry kang wang. with her around, the embroidered uniform guards wouldn¡¯t dare be too impudent. they had to be careful! gu yunrong nodded slightly at gu jian and the others. she picked up her skirt and crossed the threshold. the ruby beaded flowers on her temples made her eyes shine brightly. she walked towards he lie with a clear goal and said righteously, ¡°commander he, there¡¯s no evidence. the embroidered uniform guards first searched the residence and then sealed it. they¡¯re so lawless. isn¡¯t this too arrogant?!¡± compared to the tall and mighty he lie, gu yunrong, who was only as tall as his shoulder, looked so petite and slender. but even so, she was still fearless and calm in the face of the ferocious commander of the embroidered uniform guards. her expression was neither servile nor overbearing, and her eyes were clear. a pair of small dimples were faintly discernible at the corners of her red lips, and her face was likable. everyone in the gu family subconsciously held their breaths. he lie¡¯s cold expression didn¡¯t soften at all, nor was he moved at all. his voice was as cold as ice. ¡°who do you think you are? how dare you question the embroidered uniform guards?¡± gu yunrong was speechless. ni zongqi coughed dryly and explained, ¡°commander, third miss gu is the future princess consort kang.¡± ¡°oh?¡± he lie said in a strange tone, as if he was implying something. ¡°so it¡¯s third miss gu.¡± he stared at gu yunrong with deep eyes for a long time, making her feel a little uncomfortable. he said coldly, ¡°third miss gu, even if you¡¯re princess consort kang today, it¡¯s not up to you to interrupt the embroidered uniform guards!¡± ¡°much less when you¡¯re not yet princess consort kang!¡± the last sentence was powerful. it was as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over their heads. the flames of hope that had just ignited in the gu family¡¯s hearts were instantly extinguished. a few women fell limply to the back of the chair. ¡°¡­¡± gu yunrong pursed her cherry lips tightly, and the dimples on her lips deepened. she was clearly just stating the facts and had no intention of using kang wang to suppress others. however, the embroidered uniform guards deliberately distorted her. as expected, they were as arrogant and impudent as the rumors said. he lie strode past gu yunrong and didn¡¯t look at her again. it was as if she wasn¡¯t worth looking at. ¡°no one is allowed to leave until his majesty decides! otherwise, don¡¯t blame us embroidered uniform guards for being impolite!¡± ni zongqi warned the gu family in a commanding tone. he didn¡¯t give them any chance to speak and left with he lie. their disdainful gazes were as if the gu family members present were just ants that couldn¡¯t cause any waves. as for madam lei and her son, they were escorted away by the embroidered uniform guards. the door to the hall was slammed shut, and a few armed embroidered uniform guards were left outside to guard the door. after a while, the footsteps outside faded away, and the hall fell silent. a suffocating atmosphere filled the surroundings, and everyone¡¯s hearts were heavy. ¡°¡­¡± gu yunrong gritted her teeth and slowly turned around. her gaze was as deep as water as she looked at the closed door. she felt like she was in jail. the embroidered uniform guards had gone too far. the emperor had allowed the embroidered uniform guards to barge into their mansion and do whatever they wanted without caring about the law. the emperor was definitely not a wise ruler. gu yunrong comforted herself to calm down. ¡°gu xiao.¡± gu jian strode towards gu xiao and asked with a frown, ¡°what exactly is going on?¡± gu xiao hugged his head with both hands and didn¡¯t hear him. when gu jian called his name again, he suddenly exploded and shouted hysterically, ¡°it¡¯s you. it¡¯s all your fault!¡± gu xiao rushed towards old madam gu and glared at her with bloodshot eyes. he clenched his fists tightly. ¡°grandma, you don¡¯t want to live in this small house. you want to kill us all and then live in gu yuan¡¯s mansion, right?!¡± gu xiao said crazily, looking at old madam gu as if she was his enemy. as soon as these words were spoken, the hall fell silent. ¡°xiao¡¯er¡­¡± old madam gu¡¯s body trembled violently, as if she had been hit hard. she didn¡¯t expect her grandson, whom she had doted on since she was young, to say such a thing to her. her pale lips trembled, her chest rose and fell rapidly, and her face turned paler and paler. she was already over 50 years old. to put it bluntly, she didn¡¯t have many years to live. if it weren¡¯t for her blood and bones, for the sake of the children in the family, she wouldn¡¯t have fallen into this state! all these years, everything she had done was for them! but now, her grandson was criticizing her like this. ¡°you¡­ what¡­ did you say?¡± old madam gu said intermittently. tears appeared in her turbid eyes as she looked at gu xiao in heartache and shock. ¡°second brother.¡± gu yunrong¡¯s expression darkened, and her eyes were fierce. ¡°how can you speak to grandma like that! you¡¯re hurting grandma¡¯s heart too much.¡± gu jian also felt that gu xiao¡¯s words were inappropriate, but he was frustrated and had a lot on his mind. he really didn¡¯t have the heart to teach his son a lesson. ¡°¡­¡± gu xiao wanted to say something but hesitated. his face was tense. in the end, he turned his face away awkwardly, feeling indignant. gu yunrong quickly walked to old madam gu¡¯s side and gently stroked her back. she revealed a gentle and bright smile and comforted her. ¡°grandma, don¡¯t be angry. with such a thing happening in the family, i think second brother only said something wrong in a moment of anxiety.¡± ¡°he¡¯s young and inexperienced¡­¡± with that, she turned to gu xiao and said, ¡°xiao¡¯er, come over and apologize to grandma!¡± however, gu xiao, who had turned her face away, didn¡¯t move. he didn¡¯t even look at old madam gu, and his brows were deeply furrowed. gu yunrong sighed in her heart. she couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue with gu xiao anymore and felt the need to resolve the current problem first. ¡°grandma, what exactly is going on?¡± ¡°why is madam lei hiding in our house?¡± old madam gu¡¯s eyes flickered. she rubbed her fingers on the prayer beads for a while before saying helplessly, ¡°i did take her in!¡± gu yunrong was shocked, and her eyes widened slightly.. Chapter 579 - Chapter 579: Bottom Line (1) chapter 579: bottom line (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios old madam gu took a deep breath and frowned. she continued, ¡°on the night of the lantern festival, madam lei secretly came to the residence to look for me and threatened to take her in. she even said that if she couldn¡¯t escape, she might as well fight to the death. she would tell the embroidered uniform guards that i had secretly colluded with the lu family.¡± ¡°although i have a clear conscience, my maternal family, the qi family, and the yu family are both in yingchuan. this matter will never end.¡± ¡°rong¡¯er, you¡¯re about to marry into prince kang¡¯s mansion. at this time, if something happens to the family and so many eyes are on you in court, i¡¯m afraid someone will jump out and object to your marriage with kang wang. grandma¡¯s heart aches for you. i¡¯m afraid i¡¯ll delay your marriage, so¡­ sigh!¡± ¡°later on, when we split up, we moved out of the residence, but madam lei and her son were unwilling to leave. from the looks of it, madam lei should have joined yuan¡¯er¡­¡± old madam gu rubbed the space between her eyebrows weakly, her face filled with fatigue and anxiety. she was half-truthful, but her words were actually full of mistakes. gu jian and madam wang quickly exchanged glances. madam wang hurriedly said, ¡°rong¡¯er, you also know that your grandmother has always doted on you the most. she thinks about you in everything. she¡¯s just afraid that there will be some twists and turns in your marriage.¡± ¡°sigh, we¡¯re all family. we shouldn¡¯t have spoken so politely.¡± gu jian also let out a long sigh, looking reasonable. ¡°grandma¡­¡± gu yunrong was touched and supported old madam gu¡¯s back again. it was wrong for her grandmother to take in madam lei, but gu yuan was too ruthless. he didn¡¯t care about his family at all. although the second branch had once inherited the title that originally belonged to the eldest branch, they had already lost it. both the eldest and second branches had already suffered. but gu yuan still refused to give up¡­ in the past, she had always felt that gu yuan was a cold-faced but warm-hearted person. she had misjudged gu yuan. ever since gu yanfei returned, gu yuan has changed. he was no longer the big brother she remembered. ¡°rong¡¯er.¡± old madam gu held gu yunrong¡¯s hand tightly. her old eyes were filled with tears as she said regretfully, ¡°i was wrong. i shouldn¡¯t have let your second sister come back. i caused you so much trouble for no reason. i¡¯ve let you down.¡± ¡°if you have the chance to go out, don¡¯t worry about us. as long as you¡¯re fine, i¡¯ll be satisfied.¡± a warm feeling flowed through gu yunrong¡¯s heart. tears welled up in her eyes as she held the old lady¡¯s cold hand. she knew that gu jian and madam wang had their own selfish motives. only her grandmother, who had raised her since she was young, really doted on her and thought for her. ¡°grandma, calm down.¡± gu yunrong composed herself. her eyes were as bright as the morning stars as she said calmly, ¡°i¡¯m here, aren¡¯t i? my marriage with kang wang is in three days. i have to get married from here, right?¡± ¡°the embroidered uniform guards can¡¯t seal the place for more than a few days. tomorrow, the ceremony director will come to the residence and let me try on the wedding gown.¡± gu yunrong had married the prince of the second rank and didn¡¯t need to make her own wedding dress. her wedding dress was a royal order prepared by the ceremony directorate. now that the wedding date was approaching, the ceremony directorate had long decided to let her try on the wedding dress tomorrow. gu yunrong¡¯s eyes were burning. she believed that with kang wang¡¯s intelligence, he would know about this very soon. kang wang would definitely not let the embroidered uniform guards do whatever they wanted. the rest of the gu family also understood what gu yunrong meant. hope ignited in their hearts again, and even gu xiao, who had been dejected, pulled himself together again. as gu yunrong had expected, kang wang chu you found out about this within five minutes. chu you had always paid attention to the movements of the embroidered uniform guards. when he heard that the embroidered uniform guards had gone to the gu residence in reed alley, he specially ordered his trusted aides to investigate what had happened. only then did he know that old madam gu was hiding the remaining members of the yu family. moreover, the gu residence had already been sealed by the embroidered uniform guards. chu you was worried about gu yunrong¡¯s safety. he was anxious and immediately entered the palace. he originally wanted to complain to the embroidered uniform guards and ask the emperor to quickly release her and end this matter by cutting the gordian knot. unexpectedly, the qianqing palace was unexpectedly lively at this moment. the emperor sat on the golden throne with dragon patterns on it. eldest prince chu yi, who was wearing an apricot-yellow python robe, sat at the bottom. on both sides of the hall below, xiao shoufu, wang kangyin, he lie, imperial duke wei, and other close ministers of the emperor were all there. there was a solemn atmosphere in the east side hall. chu you¡¯s heart couldn¡¯t help but sink. he heard the emperor say gently and dignificdly, ¡°madam lei, this statement of yours is no small matter. this is a grave offense that warrants the punishment of confiscation and extermination of the family!¡± in the middle of the hall knelt a weak and gracefully beautiful woman. against the backdrop of this dazzling hall, her figure looked especially thin, as if she would collapse if the wind blew.. Chapter 580 - Chapter 580: Bottom Line (2) chapter 580: bottom line (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°your majesty, everything i say is true. i don¡¯t dare to lie,¡± the beautiful woman said pitifully. her eyes were red and filled with tears. ¡°the yu family has long harbored rebellious intentions. 50 years ago, they took back the previous dynasty¡¯s crown prince and even gathered the remaining members of the previous dynasty in the name of secretly mining mines in yuzhou, smuggling salt, and even privately forging weapons. they have long had disloyal intentions.¡± ¡°as far as 1 know, the yu family has two accounts. one is madam yu¡¯s business on the surface, and the other is these shameful businesses. all the accounts are hidden in madam yu¡¯s old residence. yu si¡¯s brothers and uncles also know about these things.¡± ¡°also¡­ the boss behind the zhang ji salt company in the capital is the yu family. the yu family used the zhang ji salt company to sell illicit salt for profit!¡± madam lei spoke intermittently in a soft and trembling voice. from the beginning to the end, her small face had been lowered. she stared at the golden brick ground below, not daring to look at the emperor or the others around her. after saying the last sentence, she lowered her head and knelt on the ground humbly. she didn¡¯t move, and her body kept trembling. at this moment, the hall was very quiet. xiao shoufu and the others around her heard her very clearly, and their expressions became solemn. the yu family was an aristocratic family. if the yu family was involved in a rebellion, it could be imagined that the emperor would definitely suppress the other aristocratic families even more. what followed would be an abnormally difficult battle for the aristocratic families. xiao shoufu and the others exchanged glances without revealing anything, thinking about what they should do next. for a moment, they couldn¡¯t care less. behind him, chu you cast his cold gaze on the trembling madam lei. there was a hint of seriousness in his eyes. he had never liked the emperor and felt that he wasn¡¯t worthy of his position. however, he was a prince of the great jin dynasty. of course, he didn¡¯t want madam yu to help the previous dynasty restore the royal family. a malignant tumor like madam yu had to be eliminated as soon as possible. if he allowed her to grow, the consequences would be unimaginable. chu you knew the pros and cons. chu you¡¯s thoughts raced as he walked to he lie¡¯s side without revealing anything. his every move was as heavy as thunder, making it impossible for anyone to ignore his existence. his arrival attracted the attention of everyone present. even chu yi, who was sitting at the bottom, glanced indifferently in chu you¡¯s direction. the corners of his lips curled up slightly, and one hand gently touched the small mark of the blood stone on his waist. xiao shoufu and the minister of revenue, wang kangyin, frowned deeply. madam lei had been found in the gu family¡¯s second branch¡¯s residence by the embroidered uniform guards. it was obvious that kang wang had entered the palace at this time for gu yunrong. he lie calmly cupped his fists at the emperor and said, ¡°your majesty, i¡¯ve already asked the embroidered uniform guards to investigate the salt business. we¡¯ll be able to get the results today.¡± ¡°your majesty, please send the embroidered uniform guards to yuzhou immediately to investigate the gu family¡¯s accomplices!¡± as he spoke, he lie deliberately glanced at chu you with a provocative expression. the embroidered uniform guards were never afraid of trouble. they only needed to explain their actions to the emperor alone. this was the foundation of the embroidered uniform guards¡¯ standing in the royal court. ¡°commander he.¡± chu you¡¯s eyes were as cold as a pool of cold water. he snorted coldly and said, ¡°that¡¯s a separate matter. the yu family¡¯s rebellion is unforgivable. if you want to arrest the yu family, i won¡¯t stop you. however, your embroidered uniform guards sealed the gu family today. could it be that you¡¯re deliberately ruining my marriage?¡± everyone knew that the embroidered uniform guards were the emperor¡¯s men. chu you¡¯s words accused the emperor of deliberately obstructing his marriage. ¡°you flatter me.¡± he lie clasped his hands. ¡°i¡¯m doing business. the gu family hid the remaining members of the yu family. they should be punished as well!¡± a sharp and cold light flashed across chu you¡¯s eyes. he looked down at madam lei and questioned coldly, ¡°madam lei, tell me, who hid you?¡± madam lei, who had been lying on the ground for a long time, finally straightened her upper body. her eyes darkened, and her body couldn¡¯t help but sway, making her look even more delicate and pitiful. madam lei swallowed and said in a trembling voice, ¡°it¡¯s the old lady of the gu family¡­ madam gu.¡± as she spoke, she glanced timidly in chu you¡¯s direction. she looked pitiful. her red eyes were filled with tears, as if she was frightened by chu you¡¯s sharp gaze and oppressive aura. her pale face suddenly turned green. ¡°if you¡¯re not related to her, why did old madam gu take you in?¡± chu you¡¯s eyes were fixed on madam lei as he asked again, not giving her any chance to think.. Chapter 581 - Chapter 581: Bottom Line (3) chapter 581: bottom line (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios madam lei bit her pale lower lip. this time, she didn¡¯t dare to look up at chu you. her tear-stained eyelashes trembled a few times, and her voice trembled even more. ¡°ever since the previous dynasty, the qi family has been attached to the yu family. they¡¯re a vassal of the yu family.¡± ¡°all these years, the qi family has been following the yu family¡¯s lead. the yu family promised that if they could succeed one day, they would give the qi family a conferred land and let the qi family reach the heavens in a single step. yu si said that the qi family should have his father¡¯s letter as evidence.¡± ¡°these things were told to me personally by yu si when he sent me away. i don¡¯t know much¡­¡± madam lei¡¯s body trembled, and her lips trembled. she was like a remnant flower in the wind and rain, weak and innocent. she clenched her skirt tightly with her hand. after a while, she calmed down a little and continued, ¡°at first, i hid in a house arranged by yu si, but after waiting and waiting, no one from yu si came to look for me. later, i heard that the embroidered uniform guards were searching for the yu family in the capital¡­ i was extremely afraid. i really didn¡¯t know what to do, so i could only bring the child to look for old madam gu.¡± ¡°old madam gu has been helping me recently. otherwise, i wouldn¡¯t have been able to survive until now.¡± with that, madam yu¡¯s tear-stained face drooped again, and her eyelashes trembled violently. chu you pursed his lips in a straight line in frustration. his heart sank bit by bit until it reached the abyss. things were more troublesome than he had expected. the yu family was actually suspected of rebellion. the crime of rebellion was a serious crime that was enough to exterminate nine generations. if old madam gu knew that the yu family had the intention to rebel and still hid madam lei and her son, this crime wouldn¡¯t be small. to put it more seriously, it could even be considered a rebellion. this was a huge crime to be exiled to the army! this time, it would probably be as difficult for him to protect gu jian and the others as it was for the yu family back then. chu you quickly thought about what to do. in just a blink of an eye, his mind was filled with thoughts. at this point, if he wanted to protect the gu family¡¯s second branch, he could only cut off their tail and sacrifice the lesser for the greater good. chu you secretly gritted his teeth, and his thick eyebrows twitched. he made a decision in an extremely short period of time and looked up at the emperor, who hadn¡¯t spoken for a long time. ¡°brother!¡± chu you stared deeply into the emperor¡¯s eyes. he raised his chin and said in an imposing manner, ¡°even if the gu family¡¯s crime involves harboring the members of the yu family, it¡¯s old madam gu¡¯s fault alone. it has nothing to do with the rest of the gu family.¡± ¡°one person¡¯s fault?¡± chu yi¡¯s gentle and elegant voice suddenly sounded from ahead. the handsome young man, who had been looking down, raised his eyelids and looked accurately in chu you¡¯s direction. his eyes were as bright as the morning stars. the refined young man said unhurriedly, ¡°at the end of october in the fourth year of reign, general hu dingguo took a risk and killed yongzhou¡¯s political officer, zhu ye. he called himself the grand marshal of the eastern expedition and rose up in yongzhou. he was captured in february in the fifth year of reign and the entire hu family was executed.¡± ¡°in december of the 10th year of reign, zhu xianxi secretly contacted the ministers in the court. he failed to assassinate the late emperor at the banquet of the imperial palace and was instead surrounded by the imperial guards. zhu xianxi risked his life and held the seventh imperial uncle hostage to threaten the late emperor. in the end, zhu xianxi was killed in the imperial garden. the late emperor was furious because of this and ordered the extermination of zhu xianxi¡¯s ten families. later on, because this case had a wide range of implications, the embroidered uniform guards launched a full-scale search, including the cabinet chief, li yong, and the others at that time. they were either raided or exiled.¡± chu yi spoke tirelessly. he wasn¡¯t angry or arrogant, but he had an admirable aura. he was like a mountain, standing there majestically. chu you¡¯s expression became darker and darker. back then, the previous emperor had issued a decree to exterminate zhu xianxi¡¯s ten families in a fit of anger. he had always been criticized by those self-important officials and scholars and felt that the previous emperor was too ruthless. however, chu you knew that the late emperor was like this because his heart ached for him. the late emperor was using this to intimidate the world and make those rebellious ministers no longer dare to attack him. chu yi looked at chu you from afar and smiled gently. he asked, ¡°seventh imperial uncle, do you think the previous emperor¡¯s judgment was right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± chu you was at a loss for words. his gaze was sinister, and he couldn¡¯t say a word. as his son, he naturally couldn¡¯t question the previous emperor¡¯s benevolent fatherly heart. out of the uncle and nephew, one was filled with killing intent, and the other was smiling. after a long silence, chu you said word by word, ¡°gu yunrong is my princess consort..¡± Chapter 582 - Chapter 582: Bottom Line (4) chapter 582: bottom line (4) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios these words seemed to be an oath of sovereignty and a warning to the emperor and chu yi not to go too far. rong¡¯er was his bottom line. chu you¡¯s eyes shot out a fierce light that was as intimidating as a tiger¡¯s. his aura was oppressive, not allowing anyone to enter his territory. chu yi smiled lightly, elegantly adjusted his sleeve, and turned his head to look towards the emperor. with a serious tone, he said, ¡°father, in my opinion, this marriage proposal from the empress dowager isn¡¯t feasible. it would be better for you to issue an edict to annul the engagement.¡± ¡°fortunately, this marriage hasn¡¯t been arranged yet¡­¡± chu yi¡¯s tone was always gentle and soothing, but the meaning in his words was like a sharp sword. in just a few words, he and chu you were like swords clashing, not giving in to each other. sparks flew in the air. chu you¡¯s expression changed instantly, and his face was ashen. he almost wanted to say ¡°how dare you¡±, but he barely held it in. with his current understanding of this nephew, chu yi really dared. the most suitable person to speak about his marriage was actually the empress dowager. however, the empress dowager didn¡¯t like gu yunrong and wanted him to marry the princess of the state of yue. chu you could only look to xiao shoufu, wang kangyin, and the others for help. however, there was silence. it was as silent as death. even the birds outside the hall sounded a little ear-piercing. xiao shoufu and the others didn¡¯t speak. they all bowed and stood with their minds in silent communication. in their opinion, it was good that kang wang and gu yunrong¡¯s marriage didn¡¯t work out. gu yunrong¡¯s father, gu jian, had lost his title and had no place in the court. this marriage wasn¡¯t beneficial to kang wang at all. once the marriage was canceled, kang wang would be able to marry the princess of the state of yue. what needed to be said was that xiao shoufu had actually asked yuan zhe to persuade kang wang. the situation in the royal court suddenly changed. in just a few months, too many things had happened. with the help of the eldest prince, the emperor was almost stabilizing his throne, and kang wang was clearly at a disadvantage¡­ they couldn¡¯t let the situation develop like this anymore. in the long silence, chu you stared fixedly at xiao shoufu. his face was tense and dark. chu you wasn¡¯t a fool and could naturally guess what xiao shoufu and the others were thinking. at this moment, he felt as if he was ostracized by everyone present. everyone was standing opposite him. chu you slowly looked around at everyone. his gaze swept across chu yi, the emperor, xiao shoufu, wang kangyin, he lie, and the others, and his heart turned cold. all of them had their own thoughts and goals, but they had reached an agreement on one thing. they all wanted to separate him and gu yunrong. in an instant, chu you felt a suffocating pressure that made him unable to breathe. he couldn¡¯t stay any longer! chu you didn¡¯t say anything else, and he left with a flick of his sleeves. he had to settle this matter another way. as long as the emperor didn¡¯t issue a decree, there was still room for negotiation! behind him, xiao shoufu and the others looked at chu you¡¯s back with complicated expressions. they were still silent and determined. there was no turning back. the distraught chu you left the palace without looking back. unknowingly, a thick, dark cloud gathered in the sky. it was heavy, as if it was about to fall at any moment. chu you got on his horse at the entrance of the palace and rode away along the vermilion bird institute. ¡°pa! pa!¡± chu you waved the whip high and repeatedly hit the horse¡¯s butt, again and again. he was anxious to see gu yunrong. he rode his horse wantonly on the streets, his hooves flying. ¡°horse¡­ horse¡­¡± when the pedestrians on the road saw that someone was riding a horse, they quickly dodged to the sides. the vendors by the roadside also hurriedly dragged the baskets and goods on the ground. a vegetable basket by the roadside was kicked by the horse¡¯s hooves. at the same time, some vegetables flew out of the basket and scattered on the street¡­ ¡°my vegetables!¡± a peddler in his 40s exclaimed. his heart ached as he watched the person riding the horse leave without looking back. ¡°what kind of person is this! he actually spurred his horse inside the market!¡± the peddler squatted down and picked up a ruined vegetable from the ground, but he didn¡¯t dare chase after the person who spurred his horse. it was obvious that the person who dared to ride a horse in the capital was definitely not an ordinary person. the peddler could only admit his bad luck and curse. right on the heels of that, he saw another brown horse galloping past less than two feet away from him. the young man on the horse shouted in a high-pitched voice, ¡°your highness, your highness¡­¡± ¡°that¡¯s high highness,¡± a woman by the roadside said in disbelief. ¡°he¡¯s too domineering.¡± ¡°that¡¯s right, that¡¯s right.¡± another old woman came over to speak and frowned tightly. ¡°i heard that the eldest prince is gentle and refined. this prince is too different from the eldest prince!¡± ¡°which prince is this?¡± ¡°i think he¡¯s in his 20s. it shouldn¡¯t be common to see such a young prince, right?¡± n 11 the commoners discussed and speculated. however, these voices couldn¡¯t reach chu you¡¯s ears at all. he was so preoccupied that he didn¡¯t notice that he had knocked over someone else¡¯s stall. ¡°slam!¡± chu you swung the whip heavily for the umpteenth time and arrived at the gu mansion in reed alley. at the entrance of the gu mansion, there were four embroidered uniform guards with embroidered spring sabers. chu you nimbly got off the horse and threw the reins away. he rushed in without a care. the few embroidered uniform guards guarding the door rudely held their scabbards horizontally and didn¡¯t let them in. ¡°move aside.¡± chu you slowly spat out two words. every word was as heavy as a thousand pounds and as cold as frost.. Chapter 583 - Chapter 583: Fruitless (1) chapter 583: fruitless (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios facing the oppressive kang wang, the four embroidered uniform guards guarding the door stood there without moving. they wouldn¡¯t give in just because the other party was kang wang. otherwise, where would the dignity of the embroidered uniform guards go? the bearded embroidered uniform guards stared into chu you¡¯s eyes expressionlessly and said in a calm tone, ¡°kang wang, please go back.¡± chu you was filled with anger. he took another step closer to them and said, ¡°what if i insist on going in?¡± ¡°then don¡¯t blame me for offending you.¡± as the bearded embroidered uniform guards spoke, the other three embroidered uniform guards took a few steps forward. the four tall and burly embroidered uniform guards stood in a row like an iron wall at the entrance of the gu residence. they looked down at chu you from the height of the stone steps and didn¡¯t give him any face. a few embroidered uniform guards actually dare to be rude to me! chu you¡¯s expression darkened. when he thought of how isolated and helpless he was in the palace just now, his anger surged. as the two sides confronted each other, the hurried and chaotic sound of horse hooves came from the other end of the alley. from the sound, there were at least a dozen horses approaching. ¡°deputy commander meng.¡± the bearded embroidered uniform guards hurriedly cupped their fists and bowed to the person. the deputy commander of the embroidered uniform guards, meng qing, arrived with more than ten embroidered uniform guards in red flying fish suits. wherever the horses¡¯ hooves passed, they raised gray dust. the atmosphere of this alley became even more tense because of the arrival of this team of embroidered uniform guards, with a hint of fear. ¡°huff¡ª¡± meng qing stopped the horse three feet away from chu you. the heavy breath from the horse¡¯s nose almost sprayed chu you¡¯s face. ¡°kang wang, what a coincidence.¡± meng qing first cupped his hands at chu you and asked knowingly, ¡°why is your highness here?¡± the bearded embroidered uniform guard hurriedly said, ¡°deputy commander, kang wang wants to barge in.¡± ¡°i see.¡± meng qing pretended to be enlightened. he casually flicked the horsewhip with one hand and asked chu you, ¡°i wonder if your highness has the emperor¡¯s imperial edict?¡± ¡°¡­¡± the veins on chu you¡¯s neck bulged, but he had nothing to say. he didn¡¯t have an imperial edict, but he didn¡¯t want to show weakness. ¡°no?¡± meng qing said regretfully, ¡°then please leave, your highness.¡± as he spoke, meng qing jumped down from the horse and looked at chu you with a smile. however, there was no smile in his thin, fox-like eyes. ¡°your highness, you should know that the gu family is suspected of plotting a rebellion. this case is no small matter.¡± ¡°his highness knows this but still insists on going in. could your highness be in cahoots with them?¡± with that, meng qing flicked the whip again. the barbs on the whip flashed with a chilling light. from the beginning to the end, meng qing was smiling, but the meaning in his words was heartbreaking. his threat was obvious. if kang wang dared to barge into the gu residence today, the embroidered uniform guards would treat him as a traitor like the gu family and take him down. ¡°meng qing.¡± chu you said meng qing¡¯s name word by word, his eyes filled with coldness. ¡°i only want to see my princess consort. do you have to go against me?¡± ¡°your highness, you¡¯re being too serious.¡± meng qing¡¯s amiable, fox-like eyes narrowed into slits. his smile was treacherous and cold, and his tone was still gentle. ¡°i¡¯m just following orders.¡± ¡°i hope your highness will think twice.¡± as he spoke, he gestured to the four embroidered uniform guards standing in a row in front of the door. the four of them immediately retreated to the sides and made way. he looked at chu you with a smile. his gaze seemed to be saying, ¡°does your highness still want to go in?¡± of course chu you wanted to go in, but his legs were heavy, as if they were filled with lead, and he couldn¡¯t move. at this moment, he clearly realized something. if he dared to barge in now, his hypocritical brother might really accuse him of unfounded treason and use the embroidered uniform guards to get rid of him. a gentleman wouldn¡¯t stand under a dangerous wall. he couldn¡¯t take this risk. chu you¡¯s chest heaved violently. in the end, he didn¡¯t move forward. he almost used all his strength to suppress the unwillingness and defeat in his heart. ¡°meng qing¡­¡± chu you wanted to warn meng qing not to neglect gu yunrong, but meng qing didn¡¯t want to hear more from chu you. he said coldly, ¡°since your highness has changed your mind, i¡¯ll go in first.¡± with that, meng qing walked quickly towards the door of the gu residence. the embroidered uniform guards guarding the door opened the door for him. after meng qing entered, the bearded embroidered uniform guard waved his hand and shouted, ¡°close the door!¡± Chapter 584 - Chapter 584: Fruitless (2) chapter 584: fruitless (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios the vermilion door of the gu residence only opened for a few seconds before it closed heavily in front of chu you. ¡°bang!¡± the crisp sound of the door closing seemed to be magnified infinitely in chu you¡¯s ears. it was like thunder and a landslide, making his heart tremble. chu you didn¡¯t leave. he stood quietly at the entrance of the gu mansion for a long time, like a stone sculpture. at the thought of gu yunrong suffering inside, chu you felt a dull pain in his heart, as if a sharp blade was stabbing his heart, and his ears buzzed. he thought about gu yunrong¡¯s bright smile, her agility, the confidence and pride in her words and actions, and her deep love for him¡­ chu you couldn¡¯t help but raise his hand to cover his aching left chest. veins appeared on his neck as he stood with a pale face. he had never felt so useless before! he couldn¡¯t even protect his princess consort! ¡°chu you!¡± suddenly, a tall, sapphire blue figure rushed in front of chu you like a gust of wind and pulled him up by the front of his shirt. chu you, who was in a daze, was woken up and met a pair of angry and anxious eyes. it was the british crown prince, fang mingfeng. their eyes met. chu you¡¯s gaze was as cold as a knife¡¯s edge. fang mingfeng didn¡¯t show any weakness and was as irritable as a trapped beast. their gazes were filled with hostility toward each other. chu you didn¡¯t like fang mingfeng, and fang mingfeng didn¡¯t like chu you either. they both wished that the other party would disappear from sight. ¡°where¡¯s rong rong?¡± fang mingfeng asked in a hoarse voice, unable to hide the deep love in his tone and expression. these words ignited a spark in chu you¡¯s heart. with a sizzle, a flame ignited. ¡°fang mingfeng, let go of me. you¡¯d better recognize your status!¡± chu you¡¯s every word seemed to burst out from between his teeth, and his gaze became even colder. ¡°rong¡¯er is my future princess consort.¡± what right does fang mingfeng have to call her that! fang mingfeng was stabbed by chu you¡¯s words. he felt as if a wheel had run over his chest, bringing with it waves of pain. he gripped the front of chu you¡¯s shirt even tighter and gritted his teeth. he said coldly, ¡°yes, rong rong is your future princess consort, but you can¡¯t even save her.¡± even if chu you didn¡¯t say anything, fang mingfeng could roughly guess from the current situation. chu you couldn¡¯t even enter the gu mansion, let alone save gu yunrong. ¡°chu you, you¡¯re really useless!¡± ¡°hch, to think that you¡¯re the dignified prince of the second rank!¡± fang mingfeng¡¯s every word was provocative. he didn¡¯t hide his disdain for chu you at all, and he was even more indignant. rongrongis devoted to chu you, but chu you is overcautious and afraid. he¡¯s not worthy of rong rong at all. chu you¡¯s expression became uglier and uglier, and his anger rose steadily. he was like a boiler that was about to explode, but fang mingfeng was still adding fuel to the fire. ronger is my woman. what right does fang mingfeng have to question me?! fang mingfeng has never given up on my rong er. he¡¯s asking fora beating! chu you suddenly raised his fist and swung it fiercely at fang mingfeng¡¯s face. he used all his strength with a venting emotion¡­ the two of them were really too close. fang mingfeng didn¡¯t have time to dodge at all and was caught off guard by chu you¡¯s punch. blood dripped from the corner of his lips, and there was a bruise. he staggered back a step and let go of chu you¡¯s shirt. ¡°you¡­¡± fang mingfeng¡¯s gaze became as cold as an ice sword. he clenched his five fingers into a fist and punched chu you¡¯s abdomen heavily. since gu yunrong wasn¡¯t here, of course, fang mingfeng wouldn¡¯t tolerate kang wang, let alone have any scruples. chu you grunted in pain and kicked fang mingfeng¡¯s shin again¡­ the two of them punched and kicked each other. neither side showed mercy, and neither side took advantage of the other. they were like two irrational beasts, with only an angry instinct left, wanting to beat the other down. after an unknown period of time, chu you punched fang mingfeng¡¯s eye socket again, leaving a bruised eye ring on the other party¡¯s face. fang mingfeng crashed into the stone lion behind him in a sorry state, his breathing rapid. fang mingfeng gritted his teeth. his mouth was filled with a salty fishy smell and he wanted to pounce on chu you again. at this moment, the door of the gu mansion opened again. both of them heard the commotion and couldn¡¯t care less about each other. they looked in the direction of the door in unison. meng qing walked out of the house with two embroidered uniform guards.. Chapter 585 - Chapter 585: Fruitless (3) chapter 585: fruitless (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios meng qing saw chu you and fang mingfeng at a glance. the two young men in front of him were bruised and swollen. their faces were filled with scars, and their robes were stained with gray footprints. even their usually pampered knuckles were bruised. previously, the well-dressed young master was as pathetic as those local hooligans. meng qing couldn¡¯t help but raise his eyebrows. his fox-like eyes narrowed mockingly, and he said with a faint smile, ¡°kang wang, crown prince fang, the two of you are really in a good mood.¡± chu you and fang mingfeng suppressed the anger in their hearts and didn¡¯t argue with meng qing. they asked almost at the same time, ¡°where¡¯s rong¡¯er?¡± ¡°where¡¯s rong rong?¡± their voices overlapped as they took a few steps closer to meng qing. ¡°kang wang, crown prince fang, this case is confidential. aren¡¯t you making things difficult for me?¡± meng qing smiled and said perfunctorily. he cupped his hands again. ¡°i still have official matters to attend to. i¡¯ll take my leave.¡± without caring about their reactions, he got on his horse and rode away. the embroidered uniform guards accompanying him also roared away. around the alley, only those passersby who looked from afar and didn¡¯t dare to approach remained, guessing what the owner of the gu mansion had done. chu you and fang mingfeng, who stayed at the entrance of the gu residence, looked at each other and didn¡¯t speak for a long time. after being interrupted by meng qing just now, the two¡¯s original anger subsided. their expressions froze on the spot for a moment. fang mingfeng wiped the blood from the corner of his lips with the back of his hand. after calming down, he became the noble and elegant heir of the british monarchy again. he restrained himself and lowered his voice. ¡°what¡¯s going on with the gu family?¡± fang mingfeng has no job now. he was detained by his father, the british duke, all day long, and his information was limited. he didn¡¯t know what was going on with the gu family either. he only heard that the second branch of the gu family was involved in the yu family¡¯s case, so he rushed over. he originally wanted to ask the embroidered uniform guards and see if there was a chance to persuade them to let him in to see gu yunrong. he didn¡¯t expect to meet kang wang chu you as soon as he came here. chu you didn¡¯t say a word. he slowly turned his gaze to the gu mansion, and his brows furrowed. because of the fight just now, his hair was a little askew, and his hair was a little loose. when the wind blew, his hair became even more messy, making his expression even darker. a cold and proud expression flashed across fang mingfeng¡¯s face. he suppressed his dissatisfaction with chu you and said patiently, ¡°we¡¯re in a difficult situation now. let¡¯s shake hands and make peace for the time being. perhaps you and i can work together and find a way.¡± ¡°what do you think?¡± fang mingfeng¡¯s tone was very calm, but only he knew how difficult it was for him to say this. he clenched his fists by his sides and tried hard to control himself from swinging his fists at chu you¡¯s face. chu you smiled coldly. he neither agreed nor disagreed. the dark clouds in the sky were even thicker and heavier. even the breeze that came toward them was damp. after a while, chu you finally spoke. he recounted what he had heard in the palace coldly. fang mingfeng¡¯s sharp gaze was fixed on chu you¡¯s face. as chu you spoke, his pupils gradually constricted, and his face turned ashen. with that, the two of them fell silent. at dusk, the surroundings were already dark yellow. the luxuriant branches and leaves above the alley cast a flickering shadow on their bruised faces, making their expressions a little deeper and more complicated. ¡°a way?¡± chu you tidied his clothes that had been messed up just now and brushed off the dust on his body. he said mockingly, ¡°fang mingfeng, what other way do you have? if the gu family is involved in rebellion, according to the law, rong¡¯er will also be implicated¡­¡± fang mingfeng has nothing except the title of heir of the british duke. without the support of the british duke, what can he do?! moreover, ronger is my woman. other men don¡¯t have to worry about my woman! chu you looked at fang mingfeng with hostility. his description exuded the domineering aura of a proud son of heaven. he said impatiently, ¡°i don¡¯t have time to waste on you. you should mind your own business!¡± he had to get the emperor to release gu yunrong before the gu family was convicted. the problem was what he had to pay to persuade the emperor to make this deal. wait a minute! chu you thought of something, and his eyes lit up. the answer was obvious. there was one thing that could definitely move his brother¡ª li chu. chu you didn¡¯t want to waste any more time. he quickly got on his horse and was about to leave when fang mingfeng grabbed his reins.. Chapter 586 - Chapter 586: Fruitless (4) chapter 586: fruitless (4) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°where are you going?¡± fang mingfeng¡¯s eyes were burning as he restrained his voice. ¡°do you have a way?¡± chu you looked down at fang mingfeng from high in the air and nodded. his voice was as cold as ice. ¡°move aside!¡± fang mingfeng was still holding the reins in chu you¡¯s hand. veins popped up on the back of his hand, making the skin on the back of his hand look abnormally pale. instead of continuing to ask chu you, he stood tall like a bamboo and said slowly, ¡°if you can¡¯t do it well, send someone to tell me. i have a way.¡± for the sake of rong rong, i¡¯m willing to forget about my previous grudges with chu you for the time being. he let go of the reins and took a silent step back, as if making a silent promise. but chu you didn¡¯t take fang mingfeng seriously at all, and he arrogantly pursed his lips. he didn¡¯t think the other party could be of any help. he spurred his horse and rode away without even looking back. after he left reed alley, he returned the way he came and entered the palace again to seek an audience with the emperor. the qianqing palace at dusk was empty. xiao shoufu, wang kangyin, and the others had long left. the surroundings were abnormally quiet. he lie was sent out of the qianqing palace by the emperor and waited under the corridor outside. the door closed after chu you entered. chu you stayed with the emperor in qianqing palace for a long, long time. no one knew what the brothers talked about. when the door of qianqing palace opened again, night had completely fallen. chu you came out with a dark expression and immediately met he lie, who was guarding the door. even though he had waited outside alone for more than two hours, he lie¡¯s figure was still standing like a mountain. his determined eyes didn¡¯t change at all. chu you glanced at he lie deeply and left in big strides. there were no stars in the night sky tonight. it was drizzling and cold as it landed on his face. chu you didn¡¯t hold an umbrella and allowed the fine rain to fall on him. he walked straight towards the palace gate. as he walked, fang mingfeng¡¯s words echoed in his ears. ¡°if you can¡¯t do it well, send someone to tell me. i have a way.¡± no! there was a voice roaring angrily in chu you¡¯s heart. his face was dark as if it had been dyed with ink. ronger is my future princess consort. even if she¡¯s in trouble, i should be the one to help her. my princess consort doesn¡¯t need fang mingfeng to save her. i don¡¯t want ronger to think that i¡¯m useless, let alone give fang mingfeng a chance. chu you walked faster and faster. when he reached the entrance of the palace, his sideburns were already a little damp. as soon as he walked out of the palace door, his servant hurried towards him. ¡°your highness.¡± the servanfs expression didn¡¯t look too good either. he reported, ¡°the embroidered uniform guards have already taken the gu family away from reed alley an hour ago. miss gu was also taken away and entered the¡­ north town bureau¡¯s imperial prison.¡± he said the last two words with difficulty. as soon as chang sui received the news, he ran to the palace gate to report to kang wang. however, he was stopped by the imperial guards and couldn¡¯t enter the palace. he could only circle around anxiously. chu you¡¯s first reaction was to go to the north town bureau, but he stopped after taking half a step. he stood rooted to the ground in a daze. his heart was in a daze, and his emotions were irritable. anxiety, anger, depression, and so on filled his heart, but he had nowhere to vent. he knew that even if he went to the north town bureau, he would only be ridiculed by the embroidered uniform guards for no reason. it was useless. the rain kept falling. his clothes were gradually soaked by the rain, and his body was wet. when the night wind blew, his entire body was cold. there was a terrifying silence at the entrance of the palace.. Chapter 587 - Chapter 587: Auspicious Hour (1) chapter 587: auspicious hour (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios gradually, the rain grew heavier, transitioning from a light drizzle to a steady drip, and then to a gentle downpour. it rained continuously for the entire night. it continued to rain until the next morning. for the next few days, it rained and stopped. the weather was gloomy. for the first time, chu you understood what it meant to have no way to ask for help. the empress dowager was under house arrest. those aristocratic families didn¡¯t help him, and even his cousin, yuan zhe, was unwilling to appear. it was almost impossible for chu you to move forward. in the past, chu you knew that the aristocratic families were a double-edged sword and could be his help. if he couldn¡¯t suppress them, he would be like the previous dynasty, letting the aristocratic families be above the king and have exclusive power over politics. it was also because of this that emperor taizu weakened the suppression of the aristocratic families. chu you had always been confident that he could control the aristocratic families and make them work for him. but now, he deeply realized how terrifying this double-edged sword was. to the aristocratic families, he was just a clay statue with the blood of the aristocratic families flowing through him. they would only worship him high up in the air, not treat him as a true monarch. now, chu you was like an eagle with its wings broken. he was helpless and could only try to get someone to find out about gu yunrong. however, when gu yunrong was in the edict prison of the north town bureau, chu you tried all kinds of methods, but he still found nothing. he didn¡¯t receive any news about gu yunrong at all. with no way out, chu you thought of fang mingfeng¡¯s words for the umpteenth time. ¡°if you can¡¯t do it well, send someone to tell me. i have a way.¡± this time, he hesitated. thump! chu you suddenly slammed his fist heavily on the window sill. his usually dark eyes were a little turbid at this moment. his once firm belief seemed to have been torn into pieces in just a few days. the rain outside drifted in through the window. water droplets dripped onto the table, vaguely reflecting the young girl¡¯s beautiful face. qiao¡¯er! chu you reached out to grab it, but he caught a ball of air. ¡°phew¡­ phew¡­¡± the moist air he inhaled seemed to be stuck there, making him feel suffocated. in the next moment, his personal attendant walked in carefully. he swallowed his saliva and asked for instructions, ¡°your highness, i wonder if you¡¯ll go to tianhe garden tomorrow?¡± tomorrow was national day. the entire country would celebrate. tomorrow morning, all the civil and military officials will go to the imperial palace in the suburbs of the capital to attend a banquet and celebrate the festival with the emperor. chu you, who had been sitting in a daze for a long time, suddenly opened his eyes and shot a sinister gaze at the eunuch. he blurted out, ¡°someone, drag him out and beat him up!¡± the personal attendant was shocked and knelt down with a plop. as soon as he finished speaking, two guards came over when they heard the commotion. they cupped their fists and accepted the order, roughly dragging the eunuch out. the personal attendant trembled and hurriedly begged for mercy. ¡°your highness, please spare me!¡± ¡°your highness, please spare me.¡± the servant¡¯s scream quickly faded away. the entire prince kang¡¯s mansion was immersed in a depressing and heavy atmosphere. there was no festive atmosphere. however, it was different in other places in the capital. as national day approached, the capital was filled with joy. lanterns and ribbons were hung everywhere, and it was as lively as the new year. ever since the founding of the great jin dynasty, emperor taizu has set up a national day. everyone in the country, from the influential to the commoners, could take a day off. if they didn¡¯t take a break that day, they would be paid double their salary. everyone was eagerly looking forward to the festival. there were also two red lanterns hanging at the entrance of the gu mansion. early in the morning, the patriarch and a few elders were welcomed. because gu jian¡¯s family was in prison, the entire family had been trembling in fear for the past few days. the patriarch and a few elders had already come to the gu mansion a few times, but gu yuan wasn¡¯t around every time. it wasn¡¯t easy for gu yuan to finally return to the manor last night. he rushed here early in the morning to block gu yuan, wanting gu yuan to help find out what was going on with gu jian¡¯s suspected rebellion case. they were worried that if gu jian¡¯s family was really suspected of rebellion, it would implicate the nine families. then, even the gu family would be implicated. gu yuan agreed without another word and sent his clansmen away nicely. as for whether to ask or not, no one else knew. after gu yuan sent his clansmen away, he quickly went to work. now that he had been transferred to the commandant of the capital, his work wasn¡¯t easy. he could only return to the residence once every two or three days. the day before national day, the residence was very lively. the clothes and jewelry that gu yunzhen had ordered were sent into the residence continuously. gu yunzhen and gu yanfei made the decision and even gave the servants in the residence an additional half a month¡¯s salary and an additional spring outfit.. Chapter 588 - Chapter 588: Auspicious Hour (2) chapter 588: auspicious hour (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios this was a reward that hadn¡¯t been given in previous years. for this, the servants in the residence were all grateful. the entire residence wasn¡¯t traumatized by the fact that the second branch had been captured and sent to the imperial prison. they were all looking forward to national day. gu yanfei was also looking forward to it. on national day, gu yanfei rose early and was spirited and energetic. with the assistance of juan bi, he dressed in a brand-new green suit with a mandarin collar and styled his hair into double buns. she didn¡¯t like to wear cumbersome gold jewelry and pearl flowers, so she only wore the lotus jade hairpin chu yi had given her. there were two lilac-colored silk flowers at her temples, so vivid that they looked like flowers. gu yanfei admitted that she had woken up very early, but she was still a step slower than gu yunzhen. when she arrived at the door, gu yunzhen had already gotten into the carriage and was waving at her through the window of the carriage with a smile. ¡°big sister.¡± gu yanfei stepped on the stool and was about to get into the carriage when a short and fat old woman ran over breathlessly. she reported in high spirits, ¡°second lady, the eldest prince is here.¡± the old woman smiled until her eyes narrowed into slits. she looked a little proud. gu yanfei didn¡¯t know that chu yi would come. she couldn¡¯t help but be stunned. she looked up and saw a handsome young man in a moon-white lapel jacket appear outside the door on a white horse. he was bathed in the dazzling light of the rising sun. his robe fluttered in the morning breeze, and he was as handsome as a celestial being. the young man dismounted and crossed the high threshold, walking towards her unhurriedly. gu yunzhen pursed her lips and smiled. ¡°second sister, go.¡± gu yanfei didn¡¯t hesitate at all. she jogged towards chu yi in light steps. ¡°what are you doing here?¡± it was a very ordinary question, but it carried a coquettishness that even she didn¡¯t notice. her voice rose slightly. when she walked briskly towards him, her bangs trembled, and her silken black hair glowed gold in the sunlight. chu yi looked at her with a smile. his obsidian-like eyes were overflowing with light, brighter and more moving than the rising sun. he calmly raised his hand and rubbed the top of her head. he said matter-of-factly, ¡°to pick you up, of course.¡± gu yanfei smiled sweetly and her eyes curled into crescent moons in joy. ¡°then¡­¡± she had originally planned to take a carriage to tianhe garden with gu yunzhen, but she changed her mind at the last minute. ¡°shall 1 ride with you?¡± ¡°okay.¡± chu yi smiled slightly. ¡°i¡¯ll bring you out to play later.¡± they rode as they pleased. after a while, gu yanfei set off from the gu mansion on her akhal-teke horse, walking side by side with chu yi. gu yunzhen sat in the carriage at the back. their convoy wasn¡¯t eye-catching. in addition, there were less than 20 people guarding chu yi. they didn¡¯t attract much attention along the way. a group of carriages sped along the streets of beijing. when they arrived near the west gate, the carriages on the streets became more and more dense. the west gate was a must-pass from the capital to tianhe garden, so the carriages and horses of the various manors passed through here. the carriages were gorgeous and elegant, and the horses were tall and strong, attracting the gazes of many passersby. these carriages gathered outside the west city like a river entering the sea. they gathered with the emperor¡¯s honor guard and surrounded the dragon carriage all the way to the west, setting off majestically in the direction of tianhe garden. this huge convoy ran out with the momentum of ten thousand horses galloping. there was no lack of nobles and generals among the young masters and ladies who accompanied him today. many heroic girls also chose to ride horses, like gu yanfei. wei jiaoniang, lu qin, fan mushuang, and the other girls also chose to ride horses like gu yanfei. everyone had nothing to do and rode there to race to see who would arrive at tianhe garden first. however, as they ran, wei jiaoniang realized that gu yanfei had disappeared. not only did gu yanfei disappear, but another person also disappeared. ¡°¡­she was kidnapped,¡± wei jiaoniang muttered softly. lu qin, who was beside her, didn¡¯t hear it clearly and asked curiously, ¡°who was kidnapped?¡± wei jiaoniang smiled mysteriously. she squeezed the horse¡¯s belly and rode past lu qin. lu qin panicked and shouted, ¡°you¡¯re too cunning.¡± then, she hurriedly chased after her. gu yanfei, who had been kidnapped, left the main group on the official road with chu yi and turned onto another empty path.. Chapter 589 - Chapter 589: Auspicious Hour (3) chapter 589: auspicious hour (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios this path was just enough for two horses to ride side by side. the two of them rode leisurely. the weather at the end of february was just right. the spring breeze in the suburbs blew past, and the fragrant grass was like a carpet. from time to time, birds could be seen chirping on the branches by the roadside. it was very comfortable. it was a good day for a trip. ¡°aren¡¯t we going to tianhe garden?¡± as she rode, gu yanfei casually broke a wild flower from a branch by the roadside and played with it. she originally thought that chu yi had said that he wanted to bring her out to play at tianhe garden. unexpectedly, 10 minutes later, he suddenly asked her to follow him along this path. ¡°yes.¡± chu yi walked side by side with her and smiled. his beautiful eyes seemed to have the warmth of spring, making her drunk. ¡°i¡¯ll bring you somewhere first.¡± compared to gu yanfci¡¯s leisurely and unrestrained attitude, his riding posture was so elegant. that graceful and noble aura seemed to be engraved in his bones. gu yanfei liked to look at chu yi. no matter what he did¡­ no, even if he did nothing, he looked good. she also liked to see him smile. she hoped that when he was with her, he could always smile like this and be as happy as he was now. judging others by his own standards, he probably liked to see her smile too. ¡°okay!¡± gu yanfei smiled brightly. his bright smile couldn¡¯t help but spread from the corners of his lips and eyes. the two of them rode west and sped along the winding and uninhabited path. gu yanfei¡¯s akhal-teke horse was like a bird released from a cage. it ran faster and faster¡­ chu yi¡¯s white horse was also a good horse that traveled a thousand miles a day. it didn¡¯t fall behind. two hours later, the two of them arrived in a delicate forest and stopped at the foot of the mountain. chu yi offered his hand to help gu yanfei off the horse. ¡°be careful.¡± his hand was clean and warm. it wrapped around gu yanfei¡¯s small hand, and the warm heat pressed against her palm. the mountain path wasn¡¯t easy to walk on. from time to time, he would remind her to be careful of her feet. gu yanfei followed him obediently. after walking for a while, she heard the faint sound of spring water splashing. after passing through a green bamboo forest, the two of them saw a stream gurgling down the stone gaps of the mountain stream. the stream was crystal clear and gurgled. it sparkled under the dazzling sunlight. occasionally, it would spew and splash water droplets. a few green bamboo leaves floated in the clear stream¡­ ¡°neigh!¡± the akhal-teke horse following behind gu yanfei ran happily to the stream and drank water by itself. ¡°this spring water seems to be good.¡± gu yanfei raised her eyebrows and pulled chu yi¡¯s hand to take a few steps upstream. ¡°hongyu is very picky.¡± gu yanfei pulled chu yi and squatted by the stream. she put her palms together and scooped up a handful of spring water. she brought it to her lips and took two sips. the spring water was sweet and clear. she smiled happily and turned to look at him. ¡°it¡¯s very sweet. try it too.¡± chu yi nodded and held her palm with his left hand. he leaned over and took a sip of water from her palm. when he leaned over, gu yanfei could smell the incense fragrance on his body. it was elegant and light. his lips brushed past her palm inadvertently, and his hot breath blew against her skin. it was itchy and warm. ¡°it¡¯s very sweet.¡± chu yi looked up at her and smiled. his voice was gentle and a little hoarse, as if he was bewitching her. the sun shone through the gaps between the bamboo leaves and sprinkled mottled light on his face. the two of them were very close, and their faces were only half a foot apart. gu yanfei could clearly see that his handsome eyebrows were filled with pure joy. when the wind blew, a few strands of hair on his temple gently caressed her ear, making it a little itchy. gu yanfei subconsciously brushed away those naughty strands of hair, but he saw him bend down and lean closer to her. the two of them were almost touching the tip of their noses. her eyelashes fluttered, and she felt as if she had brushed against his eyelashes. thud! thud! her heart was beating like a drum. her eyelashes fluttered again, and her gaze moved down to his lips, which were stained with a drop of water. his moist lips were especially red under the sun, like a delicate flower that had been watered by rain. it looked like it was easy to ravage¡­ this thought made her heart tremble and she almost went along with it. he leaned over faster, his eyes dark and hot. for a moment, gu yanfei thought that he would kiss her.. Chapter 590 - Chapter 590: Auspicious Hour (4) chapter 590: auspicious hour (4) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios but he didn¡¯t. he only wrapped his arms around her, his strong arms wrapped tightly around her slender waist, tightening bit by bit. he didn¡¯t do anything else but hug her and bury his face deep in her soft and fragrant neck. his hot breath sprayed behind her ear and neck. it made her body tremble and her heart palpitate. gu yanfei¡¯s mind was blank, and her heart was beating wildly. ¡°soon.¡± his voice was low and thick, as if he was restraining something. his adam¡¯s apple bobbed visibly. what was soon?gu yanfei wanted to ask, but she felt something soft and warm touch her right ear¡­ then he let go of her and stepped back. gu yanfei was still a little confused and had completely forgotten about the question. she covered her burning right ear in a daze. a beautiful light pink color appeared on her fair,fair jade-like ears and gradually turned red. the rouge-like redness spread from her ears to her neck and cheeks, making her look as beautiful as a blooming peach blossom. chu yi lowered his head and washed his face with spring water. he then filled a few bags with spring water. by the time gu yanfei calmed down, the water bags were already bulging. gu yanfei¡¯s heart skipped a beat. she felt that he seemed to have been prepared. she grabbed his sleeve and asked, ¡°did you specially bring me here to ¡®play¡¯?¡± chu yi nodded. ¡°i discovered this place by accident when i came to tianhe garden when i was six years old. later on, i would come here every year to get some spring water to make tea.¡± ¡°i haven¡¯t been here in years.¡± it had been nine years. chu yi looked around with some nostalgia. before he came today, he wasn¡¯t sure if this mountain spring was still there. the water on his face was still wet. there were still some water droplets on his skin, eyelashes, temples, and eyebrows. the water droplets reflected a crystal-like light under the sun. at this moment, he looked a little unruly. he was very different from his usual elegant self. gu yanfei looked at his handsome side profile,profile and his heart skipped a beat. she pulled his sleeve tighter and suddenly leaned over to kiss him quickly on the ear. a light kiss tickled his ear like a feather. ¡°we¡¯ll come again next year.¡± gu yanfei shook his sleeve and watched unblinkingly as his white jade earlobes turned redder and redder. as if she had discovered an interesting little secret, she smiled happily. after a while, chu yi turned to look at her, his eyes deep and gentle. ¡°okay.¡± the word was concise, but there was a fatal temptation, as if encouraging her to be more impudent. gu yanfei felt that her face was a little hot. she turned her face away and thought to herself, ¡°if i was a king, i¡¯d probably be a fatuous king whose beauty brings calamity to the country.¡± she scooped up another handful of water from the stream with her palm, lowered her head, and took a few sips. then, she patted her flushed face with the spring water. he took out a silver pocket watch from his sleeve and opened it. after looking at the time, he said, ¡°it¡¯s about time. we should go.¡± the two of them took their horses and continued on their way. the person leading the way was still chu yi. the two of them walked through this lush forest for another five minutes before the path ahead suddenly opened up. they saw a majestic palace standing in the northwest. gu yanfei blinked and blinked again. only then did she confirm that the two of them had arrived at tianhe garden. tianhe garden was located in the yanshan area in the western suburbs of the capital. it was a royal garden built by the previous dynasty. after emperor taizu founded the country, it was repaired and continued to be the royal palace of the current dynasty. tianhe garden occupied an area of more than 1,000 acres. it was glorious, grand, and magnificent. after a while, the sound of horse hooves came from the other direction. as they approached, a dark convoy appeared at the other end of the road. wei jiaoniang, lu qin, lu shi, fan beiran, and dozens of other young masters and ladies were at the front of the convoy, riding their horses over. ¡°i thought i was first.¡± wei jiaoniang took the lead and rushed towards gu yanfei. she wagged her hand and said, ¡°yanfei, why did you and the eldest prince arrive so quickly? did you take the shortcut?¡± ¡°we took a shortcut.¡± gu yanfei nodded calmly. she glanced sideways at chu yi beside him and recalled how he had taken out his pocket watch and said, ¡°it¡¯s about time.¡± chu yi smiled slightly. his smile was like a spring breeze and rain, gentle and harmless. gu yanfei snickered in her heart. she was in a good mood,mood and her eyes curved into crescents again. this guy looks bright and calm on the outside, but deep down, his desire to win is too strong. the emperor in the dragon carriage saw the tacit understanding between the two of them. the emperor looked at chu yi and gu yanfei from afar and smiled from ear to ear. he was extremely satisfied. sure enough, my son is really capable. the emperor took out a silver pocket watch and looked at the time. he happily summoned the eunuch, zhao rang, and instructed him. zhao rang nodded repeatedly. it was only noon, and the sun was at its brightest and warmest. everyone¡¯s convoy stopped outside the main entrance of tianhe garden one after another, forming a long, winding line. the palace servants began to welcome the other convoys into the garden in an orderly manner. the gu family¡¯s carriage only waited for 10 minutes before eunuch he personally led gu yanfei and gu yunzhen into the garden. ¡°eldest miss gu, second lady gu, this way.¡± eunuch he led the way for the two of them with a smile. the scenery in tianhe garden in spring was beautiful. the surrounding pavilions, bridges, mountain rocks, amber, and other patterns were exquisite. they were both grand and elegant. the blooming flowers were colorful and dazzling. eunuch he led them around the garden for a long time. gu yanfei didn¡¯t remember the way at all until a familiar female voice sounded in front of her. ¡°sister!¡± gu yanfei looked in the direction of the voice and saw a magnificent building in front of him. in front of the magnificent palace, a little girl in a pink palace dress was sitting in a wheelchair. she was smiling at gu yanfei and gu yunzhen. an le smiled and waved at gu yanfei. he smiled like a flower. behind her were more than 20 palace maids in green and blue palace clothes. ¡°an le, when did you come?¡± gu yanfei asked in surprise. she didn¡¯t see an le¡¯s phoenix carriage today and thought that she hadn¡¯t come. ¡°i came here early yesterday.¡± an le revealed a bright smile and held gu yanfei¡¯s hand. she said anxiously, ¡°let¡¯s go in quickly. don¡¯t miss the auspicious time.¡± auspicious time? gu yanfei raised her eyebrows and thought, ¡°is there something to celebrate today?¡± Chapter 591 - Chapter 591: Coming of Age (1) chapter 591: coming of age (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°that¡¯s right. it¡¯s getting late,¡± gu yunzhen said seriously as she looked at the sky. gu yanfei was a little stunned. isn¡¯t it just the beginning of the year? why did she say that its getting late? the palace maid pushed an le¡¯s wheelchair towards the palace chambers, while gu yunzhen held onto gu yanfei¡¯s arm, walking briskly, almost half-dragging and half-pushing. every person¡¯s face was filled with overly radiant smiles. gu yanfei looked back and forth at the crowd, feeling a sense that something unknown had happened. subconsciously, she quickly pinched her fingers and performed a simple divination. the divination revealed an auspicious omen. in that case, since it has come, let us embrace it. gu yanfei followed them through a few curtains and arrived at an elegant dormitory. there was a dressing table, a screen, clothes hangers, chairs, and so on. silver-red clothes embroidered with a phoenix were hanging on the rosewood coat rack on the east wall. ¡°sister, sit down quickly,¡± an lc urged happily. she ordered the palace maid to push gu yanfei over to the dressing table. on the dressing table, there were all kinds of exquisite and complicated jewelry. from hairpins, crowns, golden collars, earrings, jade pendants, golden rings, and so on, there was everything. the big rubies embedded in the jewelry shone brightly. gu yanfei looked at an le, who was reflected in the mercury mirror, and asked at a loss, ¡°is the hundred flowers banquet about to begin?¡± ¡°it¡¯s not the hundred flowers banquet.¡± gu yunzhen covered her mouth and chuckled. an le smiled happily and said mysteriously, ¡°today is sister¡¯s coming-of-age banquet. father said that he wants to personally hold sister¡¯s coming-of-age ceremony.¡± ¡°¡­¡± gu yanfei was stunned again, and she looked a little confused. it had been 200 years. gu yanfei was a little confused about her birthday in this life. however, she vaguely remembered that her birthday wasn¡¯t on national day. gu yunzhen saw gu yanfei¡¯s confusion and took the initiative to explain to her, ¡°yanfei, today is your birthday.¡± today?gu yanfei was even more puzzled. isn¡¯t my birthday on the second of march? gu yunzhen quickly explained, ¡°eldest brother asked mother su.¡± the second day of march was actually gu yunrong¡¯s birthday. gu yanfei was a few days older than gu yunrong. ¡°so my birthday is february 27th,¡± gu yanfei said to herself with a curious expression. therefore, she was 15 years old today and of marriageable age. gu yunzhen looked at gu yanfei in the mirror and said, ¡°yanfei, i wanted to hold a coming-of-age ceremony for you in the residence, but big brother told me not to prepare¡­¡± an le said happily, ¡°sister yanfei, the ceremonial director has been preparing for your coming-of-age ceremony for more than a month.¡± ¡°i helped decorate qinghui hall today.¡± an le took out a silver pocket watch from her sleeve. after looking at the time, she hurriedly urged, ¡°it¡¯s about time. hurry, hurry, hurry. sister yanfei, you have to dress up quickly.¡± an le was beaming with joy as she instructed the palace maids to dress gu yanfei up. its about time?hearing this familiar sentence, gu yanfei couldn¡¯t help but be stunned. she looked at the pocket watch in an le¡¯s hand. this silver pocket watch with grass patterns was exactly the same as chu yi¡¯s. so that was what he meant just now? gu yanfei¡¯s eyes rippled gently, and the corners of her lips curled up. the palace maid skillfully styled gu yanfei¡¯s hair into a crescent-shaped bun, creatively weaving small braids into the bun and wrapping a colorful tassel around it. while gu yanfei was combing her hair, gu yunzhen walked to the hanger and carefully sized up the new clothes hanging on the rosewood hanger. the silver-red ceremonial gown hung neatly, with not a single wrinkle on the pristine fabric. the skirt was embroidered with a large patch of gorgeous hibiscus flowers in shades of crimson, pink, peach, and watermelon red. hundreds of hibiscus flowers bloomed vividly on the long skirt, with delicate golden threads interwoven in the fabric, casting a dreamlike, iridescent glow. after sizing it up for a moment, gu yunzhen asked with certainty, ¡°this is a phoenix brocade, right?¡± ¡°sister, you have good taste!¡± an le asked the palace maid to push the wheelchair over and stop beside gu yunzhen. gu yanfei walked over and asked, ¡°what¡¯s a phoenix brocade?¡± gu yunzhen raised the corner of her dress with one hand and placed the material under the sun to take a look. ¡°i heard that the phoenix brocade is a new material from the state of yue. peacock feathers have been woven into the material, so it has such a beautiful luster.¡± an le nodded repeatedly. eldest brother had ordered someone to bring this material back to the capital from the state of yue at full speed. it had come just in time.. Chapter 592 - Chapter 592: Coming of Age (2) chapter 592: coming of age (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios an le pursed her lips and temporarily swallowed this secret. she introduced the gown with a smile. ¡°sister yunzhen, sister yanfei, look. the embroidery on it was embroidered by the best embroiderer in the needle palace bureau. the hibiscus flower on it was personally drawn by my brother. isn¡¯t it very beautiful?¡± ¡°also, look at this roper. it¡¯s double-sided. one side is embroidered with a parrot, and the other is embroidered with a cat.¡± an le and gu yunzhen chatted happily, talking non-stop until the head palace maid coughed dryly at the side to remind them that it was about time. an le hurriedly looked at the time on her pocket watch and urged gu yanfei to change her clothes. today was the first time her father and brother had asked her to do such an important thing. she couldn¡¯t mess it up. the palace maids pushed gu yanfei behind the screen and helped her with the dress. an le ordered the palace maid to go to qing hui hall next door to take a look at the situation. there was only a small stone bridge between qing hui hall and the qing liang pavilion they were in, on the east side of the stone bridge. at this moment, qing hui hall was filled with a bustling crowd, the fragrance of clothes, the shadow of hair, and the shimmer of pearls and jewels. those well-dressed madams and girls had already taken their seats in the hall. most of them were familiar with each other and chatted about their daily lives. they talked about clothes and jewelry, which family had been added, and which family was going to have a marriage alliance with which family. they accidentally mentioned that the lu and the hua families had almost married. hence, many strange gazes drifted to the female relatives of the an family. madam chang¡¯an and second madam lu felt their faces burn and were slightly embarrassed. second madam lu had also thought about not coming today, but the invitation from the palace had been sent to duke chang¡¯an¡¯s mansion. this was a grand event for the country, so the duke¡¯s mansion naturally couldn¡¯t be excluded. second madam lu pretended to take a sip of tea and lowered her voice to say to madam chang¡¯an, ¡°sister-in-law, isn¡¯t today¡¯s banquet a little early?¡± in the past, after they arrived at tianhe garden, they would play in the garden by themselves first. they could run horses, play polo, beat pellets, curry favors, tour the lake, and so on. the palace banquet would begin in the afternoon. however, it was different this year. as soon as they arrived today, the women were brought to qing hui hall. madam chang¡¯an looked at the sun outside and nodded. ¡°yes, it¡¯s only the beginning of the year.¡± it was still early for the banquet. just as madam chang¡¯an was about to retract her gaze, she saw an eunuch leading other women over. it was imperial duchess wei and her daughter-in-law, lady wei. imperial duke wei had a high status in the court, so many women stood up to greet imperial duchess wei and her daughter-in-law, including madam chang¡¯an and her sister-in-law. everyone chatted and laughed, and the atmosphere in the hall became much livelier. after imperial duchess wei and her daughter-in-law sat down, madam chang¡¯an secretly asked imperial duchess wei, ¡°will the eldest princess host the palace banquet later?¡± madam chang¡¯an deliberately lowered her voice, but several women around her also heard it and pricked up their ears curiously. logically speaking, the palace banquet on national day was hosted by the empress, but the empress had passed away early, and empress dowager yuan hadn¡¯t come to tianhe garden today, so the only possible candidate was the eldest princess. many young women in the hall whispered to each other in twos and threes. not only madam chang¡¯an, but most of the other women also thought so. they guessed that it was because the eldest princess was hosting the palace banquet for the first time and didn¡¯t have the empress to guide her, so the arrangements were a little messy. before the time was up, they were asked to wait here in advance. although they thought about it and guessed, the women didn¡¯t say much. after all, it involved the royal family. ¡°no.¡± unexpectedly, imperial duchess wei shook her head and gave a negative answer. she didn¡¯t lower her voice, and the other women also came over when they heard the prestige. there was a stunned expression on their faces. if it wasn¡¯t the eldest princess presiding, who else could it be? imperial duchess wei continued, ¡°it¡¯s not a palace banquet later. it¡¯s second lady gu¡¯s coming-of-age ceremony.¡± her voice was neither high nor low, and it clearly resounded throughout the hall. there was silence. everyone was dumbfounded as if they were mute. some people even dropped the fan in their hands. this news was really unexpected. it was unprecedented for a minister¡¯s daughter to hold her coming-of-age ceremony in tianhe garden. the initial shock quickly passed. after thinking about it carefully, everyone¡¯s expressions became even more complicated. even if imperial duchess wei didn¡¯t say anything just now, everyone knew that it definitely wouldn¡¯t be the gu family who was so bold as to come here for the coming-of-age ceremony. without a doubt, this was his majesty¡¯s idea.. Chapter 593 - Chapter 593: Coming of Age (3) chapter 593: coming of age (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios not far away, a madam in her 40s leaned over and whispered to another madam in her 50s, ¡°matriarch xiao, i heard that the eldest prince once asked his majesty to bestow a marriage in public. is that true?¡± madam xiao was xiao shoufu¡¯s wife. that night, when the eldest prince publicly asked the emperor to bestow a marriage, xiao shoufu was also in the palace, so madam xiao naturally knew. madam xiao nodded, her eyes flickering. that night, the emperor didn¡¯t express his stance, but now, the emperor actually wanted to personally preside over gu yanfei¡¯s coming-of-age ceremony. in other words, he had agreed. ¡°this¡­¡± the middle-aged woman hesitated. she clenched the handkerchief in her hand tightly and pursed her lips disapprovingly. the gu family was worse than an ordinary family with a clean family background. second lady gu¡¯s family had been stripped of the title of marquis of dingyuan. her grandmother and uncle had committed a crime, and her father¡¯s sins had yet to be cleared. a girl like her was actually going to become the eldest prince¡¯s concubine, and it was very likely that she would be the future empress! if not for the fact that his majesty only had the eldest prince as his only son, everyone would have thought that the eldest prince had been abandoned by his majesty, which was why his majesty had chosen such an unbearable marriage for him. many women from aristocratic families felt mixed emotions. a luxurious woman in her 30s thought for a moment and said tactfully, ¡°madam xiao, is his majesty going to personally host second lady gu¡¯s coming-of-age ceremony? is that appropriate?¡± the luxurious woman spoke rather implicitly. on the surface, she was talking about whether today¡¯s coming-of-age ceremony was appropriate, but what she really wanted to say was that gu yanfei¡¯s marriage with the eldest prince was inappropriate. another round-faced woman in her 40s chimed in, ¡°i don¡¯t think it¡¯s appropriate.¡± the madams of several families beside her all looked in madam xiao¡¯s direction. they had elegant expressions on their faces, but their hearts were surging. they had taken advantage of this year¡¯s celebration to bring their daughters to the capital so that their daughters could fight for the position of the eldest prince¡¯s wife. they had thought that today¡¯s hundred flowers banquet would be a good opportunity to show their daughter¡¯s face in front of the emperor and the eldest prince. there would be an open and hidden battle in tianhe garden. but now, they didn¡¯t have time to do or start anything. how could it have already ended? these madams felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over their heads. they looked at each other. some were dumbfounded, some felt indignant for their daughters, and some couldn¡¯t hide the unwillingness on their faces. when men married, it was important to consider matching social backgrounds and choose a virtuous wife. however, second lady gu didn¡¯t have a good reputation or a good family background. what right did she have to be the eldest prince¡¯s concubine? was it just because she can draw talismans?! their daughters, whom they had carefully raised, had good looks, talent, style, and temperament. they had actually lost to a wild girl who had grown up in the countryside! madam xiao slowly picked up the teacup and took a sip of tea. just as she was about to say something, she heard imperial duchess wei, who was sitting opposite her, say calmly, ¡°what¡¯s wrong? back then, empress taizu also helped the eldest daughter of the marquis of jingning, mu xin, host her coming-of-age ceremony.¡± back then, after the marquis of jingning¡¯s madam gave birth to her youngest son, she bled to death, leaving behind the eldest daughter, mu xin, and her youngest brother, mu ying. the marquis of jingning was deeply loyal to his wife and didn¡¯t remarry. the emperor taizu¡¯s empress and the marquis of jingning¡¯s madam used to be as close as sisters. afraid that others would say that mu xin was the eldest daughter of a widow, they brought her into the palace to raise her. when mu xin was 15 years old, empress taizu¡¯s personally presided over her coming-of-age ceremony. later on, mu xin was bestowed a marriage by emperor taizu to the then marquis of anqing. before empress taizu passed away, mu xin entered the palace and personally served empress taizu for three months without leaving the house. this matter also spread like wildfire. everyone lamented that empress taizu and mu xin seemed like real mother and daughter. everyone present naturally knew about these old matters and had different expressions. madam chang¡¯an applauded imperial duchess wei in her heart. she rolled her eyes slightly and said with a smile, ¡°the thing about humans is that we¡¯re particular about fate!¡± ¡°empress taizu and madam mu of the marquis of jingning aren¡¯t related by blood, but they¡¯re like mother and daughter. i think second lady gu and the eldest princess are also fated, like biological sisters.¡± when she said this, everyone recalled that gu yanfei had once saved the eldest princess¡¯s life during the first month of the lunar calendar. with mu xin¡¯s past example, it was passable for the eldest princess to want to praise gu yanfei. ¡°that¡¯s true.¡± madam fan smiled and added, ¡°no wonder his majesty favors her.¡± at first glance, it sounded like his majesty favored the eldest princess, but everyone knew that the emperor also favored the eldest prince and treated gu yanfei so well. madam xiao and the others¡¯ faces darkened. the hall fell into a strange silence. after a while, a sharp report from the eunuch broke the silence. ¡°his majesty has arrived! her highness, the eldest princess feng yang, has arrived!¡± the emperor and feng yang arrived under the welcome of the guests, followed by a group of imperial maids. all the women stood up and bowed. many people couldn¡¯t help but glance at feng yang. they didn¡¯t expect feng yang to come too. a guess appeared in the hearts of many people. it was obvious: could it be¡­ at the same time, the people from the ceremonial director were also in position, on standby in their respective positions. the eunuch from the ceremonial director sang the auspicious time. right on the heels of that, a melodious and soothing bamboo sound sounded.. Chapter 594 - Chapter 594: Soul (1) chapter 594: soul (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios today¡¯s coming-of-age ceremony was hosted by the emperor. after the emperor made a concise speech, he announced that the coming-of-age ceremony had officially begun. the faint sound of bamboo sounded again. gu yanfei walked into the hall unhurriedly. she was calm and composed. hundreds of eyes in the hall were all on her. they were either amazed, envious, jealous, filled with admiration, or simply looking away. sunlight shone through the open windows and the main door around him, coating gu yanfei with a dazzling halo. the silver-red dress she was wearing dragged across the smooth marble floor. the skirt swayed slightly with her footsteps. with her appearance, a faint floral fragrance filled the hall. it was as fresh and elegant as jasmine, but also as distant and mellow as orchids. the delicate fragrance wafted into their nostrils, creating the sensation of stepping into a colorful and vibrant garden, adorned with various flowers in shades of purple and red. it was truly a sight of breathtaking beauty. soon, perceptive and knowledgeable women in the room recognized the scent. it was the fragrance of the highly coveted and precious yuelin incense, known for its exorbitant price and rarity. originating from distant persia, it was a luxury reserved exclusively for the imperial family in the great jin dynasty. it wasn¡¯t just the incense. the rattan mat, decorations, and even the bamboo used to play music in the hall today were extremely particular. second lady gu is really lucky and blessed! many young ladies exclaimed enviously in their hearts. today¡¯s coming-of-age ceremony was quite grand. with the eldest princess feng yang as the main guest, wei jiaoniang as the praiser, the eldest princess an le as the director, and the noblewomen and ladies in the capital as guests to watch the ceremony, this was already the standard of a princess¡¯ coming-of-age ceremony. the last time the palace held a coming-of-age ceremony was for eldest princess ming hui. that was seven years ago. at that time, the main guest was the princess consort. compared to today, it was slightly inferior. and today, the emperor actually invited feng yang as an honored guest! feng yang, who was standing at the main table, was wearing a black auspicious ruyi patterned gown today. her white hair was tied into a neat bun and held in place by a jade hairpin. she looked graceful and clean. the old woman¡¯s face was filled with wrinkles. her posture was still straight, and she was valiant and heroic. she had a confident and noble aura. among the luxuriously dressed noblewomen in the hall, she stood out. in the great jin dynasty, there was only the eldest princess feng yang who possessed the qualities of both wisdom to bring peace to the nation and strength to establish its stability. under everyone¡¯s burning gazes, feng yang held a golden silk nine-winged phoenix with a ruby hairpin in her hand. she smiled and recited the congratulatory words. ¡°according to the annual cycle and monthly decree, all shall abide by your command.¡± she bent down slightly and personally inserted this colorful hairpin into gu yanfei¡¯s bun. everyone¡¯s eyes fell on this golden nine-winged phoenix hairpin embedded with rubies, their eyes filled with surprise. could this hairpin be the one that emperor taizu personally inserted for feng yang when she reached adulthood?! it was said that this hairpin had been carefully made by an old craftsman from the previous dynasty¡¯s palace. after feng yang put it on, it caused a trend in the capital. many young women had asked the jewelry shops in the capital to imitate the style of this hairpin to make a phoenix hairpin, but they all failed to emulate the intricate design. those old madams all stared fixedly at the hairpin in feng yang¡¯s hand. feng yang¡¯s hand that was holding the hairpin was very stable and didn¡¯t move at all. when she leaned over to insert the hairpin for gu yanfei, the two of them were very close. her rough fingers inadvertently brushed past gu yanfei¡¯s smooth forehead. gu yanfei¡¯s eyes flashed, and she raised her head slightly to look at feng yang. in that instant of contact just now, she could feel that feng yang¡¯s soul had faded a little more and become even weaker. it was like a flame that was about to run out of oil, swaying¡­ it was as if the next gust of wind would blow out the flame. gu yanfei¡¯s heart seemed to have been pierced by a needle. there was an indescribable feeling in her heart. she couldn¡¯t help but raise her hand to touch feng yang¡¯s wrist. the moment she touched it, she let go. her pupils were as dark as the night, and feng yang¡¯s face was clearly reflected. feng yang smiled and stood up to resume her scat. right on the heels of that, as the praiser, wei jiaoniang carefully straightened gu yanfei¡¯s hairpin. she spat out a pearl tassel from her small and exquisite phoenix mouth and hung it by gu yanfei¡¯s ear. it swayed and shone, making her eyes sparkle. sister yanfei is really beautiful! an le sat in the wheelchair and looked at gu yanfei with a burning gaze. her big black eyes were wide open, and she couldn¡¯t bear to blink.. Chapter 595 - Chapter 595: Soul (2) chapter 595: soul (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios i had a part to play in this! an le felt as if there was a little sparrow fluttering its wings happily. she felt sorry for her brother. if only her brother could be here too. an le was stunned for a moment. when she came back to her senses, she quickly carried out her duty as a director and reminded gu yanfei to continue the next step. gu yanfei slowly straightened up. her dress flowed down with her movements, and the tassel hanging on her cheek, which was skewered with pearls the size of lotus seeds, swayed gently. under the golden sunlight, her skin was as fair as snow. when she smiled, it was as if a tree full of hibiscuses had instantly bloomed. the clouds were steaming, and she was dazzling. she was undoubtedly the protagonist here. everyone subconsciously held their breaths and looked at the beautiful girl in front of them. gu yanfei bowed elegantly and thanked the emperor in front of her. everyone was in high spirits when it came to happy events. the emperor was happier than anyone else. he smiled and stroked his beard. ¡°no need to stand on ceremony.¡± ¡°you¡¯re a pure and sincere child. very good. your parents¡¯ spirits in heaven will be gratified to see you.¡± the emperor¡¯s face was radiant, and his refined face seemed to have become more than 10 years younger. when madam xiao and the other madams heard this, their expressions stiffened even more. even those who had a trace of luck in their hearts before knew that his majesty had made up his mind when they heard him praise gu yanfei in public. there was no doubt that the eldest prince¡¯s concubine would be gu yanfei. ¡°thank you for your praise, your majesty.¡± gu yanfei thanked him generously. from the corner of her eye, she saw a silver pocket watch in the eunuch¡¯s hand and couldn¡¯t help but smile. she tilted her face playfully at the emperor, showing a sense of intimacy. they had all put in a lot of effort for her coming-of-age ceremony. moreover, she felt that the emperor¡¯s evaluation of her was quite appropriate. he said that she was pure and sincere, not kind and filial. the emperor liked her delicate appearance and laughed out loud. after that, gu yanfei bowed to feng yang and the guests present in an elegant and solemn manner. at this point, the coming-of-age ceremony was complete. if this was an ordinary coming-of-age ceremony, the next step would be for the guests to congratulate her parents for teaching their daughter well and for their good fortune. however, the person presiding over the coming-of-age ceremony was the emperor, so this step was naturally exempted. the women bowed respectfully and sent the emperor, feng yang, and an le off in unison. the departure of the emperor relieved the women, and the air in the hall suddenly relaxed. everyone was no longer reserved. they gathered in groups of twos and threes. some people followed closely behind and left qing hui hall. some people looked in gu yanfei¡¯s direction jealously or enviously, while others went forward with smiles on their faces to talk to gu yanfei. there were even familiar female relatives who surrounded gu yanfei to congratulate her. the atmosphere was lively. after chatting for a while, they let gu yanfei change her clothes. gu yanfei followed gu yunzhen back to the qing liang pavilion on the opposite side of the bridge. she changed out of her silver-red gown and returned to her original green gown. she wanted to take off the phoenix hairpin on her head, but gu yunzhen stopped her. ¡°yanfei, you look good with this hairpin. don¡¯t take it off.¡± gu yunzhen knew that if gu yanfei didn¡¯t wear it today, with her laziness, she would probably not wear this hairpin next. when gu yanfei tidied up her clothes and came out of the qing liang pavilion, the qing hui hall on the other end of the bridge was long empty. after informing gu yunzhen, she asked eunuch he to bring her to feng yang. eunuch he was well-informed. in less than ten minutes, he personally led gu yanfei to a stone pleasure boat by yueming lake. feng yang stood alone on the stone boat, leaning against the railing. she was wearing a green cloak that fluttered in the spring breeze, looking lonely and proud. she looked quietly at the sparkling lake in front of her and said nothing, as if she was immersed in her thoughts. ¡°your highness.¡± gu yanfei called out. feng yang turned to look at her. there was a faint sadness in her turbid eyes, like an indelible fog. her description exuded an unapproachable aura. when her eyes met gu yanfei¡¯s, her expression softened a lot. it was as if she had walked back to reality from the illusory fog. she smiled and said, ¡°yanfei.¡± gu yanfei walked to feng yang¡¯s side and extended her hand to her. she said matter-of-factly, ¡°give me your hand.¡± feng yang handed her hand over. gu yanfei grabbed feng yang¡¯s wrist and began to take her pulse. after staring at her for a moment, she looked at her with a gaze that said, ¡°you¡¯re really disobedient..¡± she said, ¡°did you stay up late last night again?¡± Chapter 596 - Chapter 596: Soul (3) chapter 596: soul (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios feng yang was speechless. the word ¡°again¡± from the little girl made her feel that she really had no secrets from her. gu yanfei took a jade bracelet from her wrist and put it on feng yang¡¯s left wrist. then, she stretched out her finger and drew a winding and complicated pattern on the back of her hand. as she drew, she reminded feng yang to take care of herself and not drink cold water all the time. she told her to calm down and not let her imagination run wild. then she rambled on about sleeping early every day. feng yang listened to the little girl¡¯s nagging quietly, and the corners of her lips curled up slightly. she wasn¡¯t someone who didn¡¯t know what was good for her. naturally, she understood that the young lady was doing this for her own good. she was about to say something when she suddenly felt a little warmth on the back of her left hand. it was very weak. a thin, warm current slowly flowed along her eight extraordinary meridians and spread throughout her limbs and bones. her cold and numb limbs warmed up a little, and the pain that felt as if her soul had been torn apart faded a lot. it was as if a lifeless shell that had long been riddled with holes had been injected with life force. the blood that was so cold that it was about to freeze began to flow again. it had been a long time since she felt this relaxed. it was as if she had been reborn. gu yanfei took a deep look at feng yang and let go of her hand. she explained, ¡°i drew a spirit attraction array for you. coupled with this bracelet, it can nourish the soul.¡± ¡°you¡¯ll feel better.¡± all these years, feng yang had been enduring pain that went straight to her bone marrow and soul, making her wish she was dead. however, feng yang had endured until now. hearing the deeper meaning in gu yanfei¡¯s words, feng yang¡¯s heart trembled, and ripples appeared in her heart. as expected, this girl knows that my lifespan is coining to an end and my soul is about to dissipate. ¡°there¡¯s no need,¡± feng yang said in a low voice. her voice was a little hoarse. ¡°girlie, don¡¯t worry about me.¡± she smiled. her smile was bright and open. she had already lived to this age and could be considered to have experienced four dynasties. she had experienced the chaos of war, witnessed emperor taizu establish a new dynasty, and personally witnessed this dynasty reach its current state step by step. she could even wait for chu yi to return from the state of yue and watch this child help his father stabilize the throne step by step. she had experienced everything in her life and no longer had any regrets. ¡°if i say you need it, you need it!¡± gu yanfei said domineeringly. her dark eyes were sparkling like bright stars. feng yang looked at her in a daze, as if she could see her younger self. a loving and nostalgic smile appeared on her old lips. feng yang¡¯s fingers gently rubbed the jade bracelet twice. the touch under her fingers was delicate and smooth. in just a short while, her entire body was warm. this girl is really considerate. chu yi has good taste. these two lovebirds will surely be very blessed. feng yang raised her hand and gently touched the top of gu yanfei¡¯s soft head. she also adjusted the red-gold nine-winged phoenix hairpin for her. this hairpin suits her very well! ¡°a young lady should dress up beautifully.¡± feng yang smiled gently. ¡°you¡¯re usually too plain.¡± ¡°when i was young, i liked to wear red the most. i liked to dress myself up beautifully¡­ come to the princess¡¯s manor with an le another day. instead of leaving my jewelry inside my jewelry box, why don¡¯t i let you young girls wear it? that¡¯s the best use.¡± gu yanfei agreed generously. then, she asked curiously, ¡°your highness, i heard from an le that you have many cats in your residence?¡± recalling an le¡¯s exultant expression when she mentioned this, gu yanfei smiled. ¡°if you see any you like, pick two kittens to bring back,¡± fong yang said with a smile. ¡°i wouldn¡¯t dare. you don¡¯t know, but my qing guang is very jealous.¡± gu yanfei chuckled. ¡°i¡¯ll just go to your place and pet a few cats.¡± feng yang was amused by her and laughed heartily. the two of them talked as they walked. after getting off the stone boat, they walked along the lake. beside the lake, a faint breeze blew over. countless willow branches swayed in the wind, like dancing water sleeves caressing the lake. the lake water rippled and rippled. on the other side of the lake, 20 to 30 young men and women were playing and laughing. they were cither feeding fish, drinking tea, catching butterflies, pitch-potting, or shooting¡­ they were having a great time. their laughter spread with the wind from time to time.. Chapter 597 - Chapter 597: Soul (4) chapter 597: soul (4) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios many people saw gu yanfei and feng yang¡¯s smiling banquet from afar. some were envious, some were surprised, and some exchanged complicated gazes. miss zeng, dressed in a red gown, tugged at the sleeve of another girl in blue beside her, indicating for her to look at gu yanfei and feng yang. she said softly, ¡°sister tang, eldest princess feng yang seems to like second lady gu very much.¡± miss tang looked very surprised at this moment and sighed softly. ¡°yes.¡± the eldest princess feng yang had transcendent status in the great jin dynasty and had always been arrogant. no matter if they were noble ladies or princesses from other families, none had ever gained her favor. however, it was evident to everyone that she had a very close relationship with gu yanfei. previously, they all thought that feng yang was the main guest of gu yanfei¡¯s coming-of-age ceremony at the request of the emperor and the eldest prince. now, it seemed that it was most likely feng yang¡¯s own intention. ¡°second lady gu has always been good at making people happy,¡± miss zeng said meaningfully. several girls present had attended the banquet in the palace. they couldn¡¯t help but think of the time when gu yanfei and yu chaoyun played the zither in front of the emperor and feng yang. at that time, gu yanfei had won feng yang¡¯s favor with a song that suited her. ¡°this is also her ability, right?¡± another girl said sourly. she looked away reluctantly and looked at the flowers on the other side. ¡°the butterflies over there are really beautiful. let¡¯s go and catch butterflies¡­¡± before she could finish, another high-pitched female voice interrupted her. ¡°ah qin, look, it¡¯s yanfei!¡± the few of them frowned slightly and looked at wei jiaoniang, their eyes flashing with disapproval. how can a lady from a wealthy family be as rowdy as wei jiaoniang! ¡°yanfei!¡± wei jiaoniang smiled and waved at gu yanfei across the lake. lu qin, fan mushuang, and a few other girls beside her also waved happily at gu yanfei. feng yang smiled and patted gu yanfei¡¯s shoulder. ¡°it¡¯s rare for you to come out. go over and play with jiaoniang and the others.¡± gu yanfei smiled and bade farewell. she ran across the lake to look for wei jiaoniang and the others. ¡°yanfei.¡± wei jiaoniang held gu yanfei¡¯s arm warmly and pointed to the right. ¡°let¡¯s go over there and play with wooden stakes.¡± she nudged miss zeng and the others with her chin. ¡°it¡¯s better to stay away from them.¡± not far away, miss zeng and the others were holding a fan to catch butterflies. the deep clothes on her body made her figure look slender and her waist slender. however, her movements were restricted because of this. her footsteps were very small and elegant, as if she was dancing. their action of pouncing on butterflies was indeed very good, but¡­ ¡°the hem of her skirt is so long. isn¡¯t she afraid of falling?¡± wei jiaoniang whispered into gu yanfei¡¯s ear. ¡°let¡¯s hide further away. she might even blame us if she falls.¡± there were many women who liked to wear knitted clothes on important occasions. the problem was that the knitted skirts on miss zeng and the others were very long, to the point of dragging on the ground. although they looked good, it was indeed as wei jiaoniang had said. they might accidentally step on their skirts. fan mushuang didn¡¯t hear the whispers between wei jiaoniang and gu yanfei. hsh only heard wei jiaoniang¡¯s first sentence and echoed with a smile, ¡°yanfei, let¡¯s play with wooden shooting.¡± ¡°sister yanfei, wooden shooting is very simple.¡± fan beiran leaned over with a smile. ¡°you just have to roll the wooden ball out and hit the row of wooden stakes in front. if you knock down a red wooden stake, you get one point. if you knock down a black wooden stake, you get one point deducted.¡± ¡°simple, right? try it.¡± fan beiran roughly explained the rules. beside him, wei jiaoniang¡¯s cousin, sixth young master wei, enthusiastically stuffed the wooden ball in his hand to gu yanfei. gu yanfei weighed the bowl-sized wooden ball in her hand and easily threw it in the direction of the wooden stake. the wooden ball rolled forward and knocked down six red wooden stakes at once with a bang. ¡°yanfei, you¡¯re too awesome!¡± wei jiaoniang, fan mushuang, and the other girls applauded. not far away, miss tang, who was pouncing on butterflies, was shocked by the sudden applause. she stepped on her skirt and almost fell. fortunately, miss zeng, who was beside her, caught her in time. ¡°sister tang, are you alright?¡± miss zeng asked with concern. miss tang frowned and turned to glance in the direction of wei jiaoniang and gu yanfei. she said calmly, ¡°i¡¯m fine. i was just shocked.¡± the girls surrounded the frightened miss tang and comforted her gently. on the other side, gu yanfei, wei jiaoniang, and the others didn¡¯t even look at miss tang and the others. they were playing with their wooden balls. miss tang and the others couldn¡¯t help but look unhappy.. they thought to themselves, ¡°these people are so rude to disturb others without any apology!¡± Chapter 598 - Chapter 598: First Chance (1) chapter 598: first chance (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°yanfei, you¡¯re much better than ah qin.¡± fan mushuang teased lu qin with a smile. ¡°she didn¡¯t score and even got one point deducted.¡± lu qin pouted and said coquettishly, ¡°i just recovered from a serious illness, so i slipped up.¡± wei jiaoniang stuffed lu qin¡¯s right wrist into gu yanfei¡¯s hands. ¡°yanfei, treat her.¡± lu qin stuck out her tongue and was about to beg for mercy, but her wrist was already pressed down by gu yanfei. gu yanfei checked her pulse and quickly let go. she smiled and said, ¡°you can stop eating the doctor¡¯s medicine.¡± ¡°really?!¡± lu qin¡¯s eyes lit up as if she had taken some miracle pill. she was instantly energized. ¡°i¡¯ve told my mother many times that i¡¯ve recovered, but my mother didn¡¯t believe me and insisted that i drink bitter medicine three times a day.¡± ¡°hehe, yanfei, if you say i¡¯m good, my mother will definitely believe you!¡± lu qin smiled from ear to ear as if she had received a treasured sword. hearing lu qin say that she drank medicine every day, wei jiaoniang showed a sympathetic expression. ¡°poor ah qin.¡± ¡°i¡¯m fine now.¡± lu qin touched her nose and lowered her voice. she grabbed gu yanfei¡¯s sleeve with one hand. ¡°previously, the two days i fainted were really¡­¡± she bit her lower lip and had lingering fears. her pupils constricted slightly. ¡°that feeling is too terrifying. it was as if¡­ as if i had been buried alive. i couldn¡¯t breathe. my soul seemed to have been extracted from my body.¡± ¡°at that time, i thought i was really going to die¡­¡± recalling the feeling at that time, lu qin patted her chest with lingering fear. the feeling of her soul being extracted was too terrifying, too lonely, and too despairing. it was as if she was the only one left in the world, as if her soul was imprisoned by chains. lu qin¡¯s body trembled violently. wei jiaoniang held lu qin¡¯s shoulder and sat down on a bench by the lake. she comforted her with heartache. ¡°ah qin, you¡¯ll definitely have good fortune after surviving a calamity.¡± however, lu qin wasn¡¯t comforted at all. she said with a bitter face, ¡°i don¡¯t know if i¡¯ll have blessings in the future. i¡¯ve been too miserable these past few days.¡± ¡°it wasn¡¯t easy for me to wake up. my mother and father were holding me. not only did they feed me medicine every day, but they also insisted that i lie on the couch all day and didn¡¯t allow me to go out. if it wasn¡¯t for national day, i wouldn¡¯t have gone out today.¡± during this period of time, lu qin felt like she was in jail and couldn¡¯t go anywhere. wherever she went, there were people watching her. what was even more terrifying was that her mother seemed to have become a completely different person. she was very careful when talking to her. that kind of attitude that made her afraid of falling and melting made lu qin feel as if every day was a year. gu yanfei¡¯s gaze moved between lu qin¡¯s eyebrows. she took out a red brocade bag from her sleeve and handed it to her. ¡°this is a calming talisman. keep it.¡± ¡°when we get back, i¡¯ll send you some calming incense. light it every night when you sleep.¡± lu qin¡¯s body was fine now, but her soul had left her body once, so it was still a little unstable. she should be fine after using the calming incense for a few days. ¡°yanfei, you¡¯re the best!¡± lu qin held the brocade bag as if she had obtained a treasure. she tilted her face and leaned against gu yanfei¡¯s shoulder. she smiled brightly, like a kitten rubbing against its owner. staring at lu qin¡¯s thin face, wei jiaoniang also felt her heart ache. she gritted her teeth and said, ¡°the hua family is so hateful! do you know what happened to the hua family after that?¡± gu yanfei shook her head. after that, she never paid attention to the hua family again. of course, lu qin knew. she rubbed the brocade bag with one hand and pursed her lips. ¡°hua xi and hua zhao are both dead. the hua couple was sent to the capital¡¯s prison. i heard that madam hua went crazy because of the deaths of her two sons. she kept muttering that this is retribution.¡± ¡°after the hua family¡¯s case spread, a few families complained to the imperial capital. they were all families that had been married to the hua family in secret in the past few decades. they said that if old master hua died, his sons could pay with their lives.¡± ¡°my father said that this case isn¡¯t easy to decide. originally, this case involved more than 10 years ago, or even 40 years ago. it was so long ago that the people involved were all dead. there was no evidence, and there was no precedent to follow. those victims are pitiful, but it¡¯s probably not appropriate for the sins of their ancestors to be borne by their descendants.. i reckon there¡¯s still a fight at the imperial capital and the court of judicial review¡­¡± Chapter 599 - Chapter 599: First Chance (2) chapter 599: first chance (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios just as they were whispering to each other, a delicate shout came from ahead. ¡°sister zeng, the butterfly is flying away!¡± ¡°i¡¯ll do it, i¡¯ll do it.¡± miss zeng, who was dressed in a bright red robe, jogged over with swaying footsteps. the ball fan in her hand slapped the colorful butterflies dancing in the air. her figure was graceful. ¡°miss zeng, be careful not to bump into anyone,¡± another girl in a pink dress reminded her as they chased after her. miss zeng looked at gu yanfei, wei jiaoniang, and the others. she covered her mouth with her hand and smiled gently. ¡°eh? isn¡¯t this second lady gu? it¡¯s been a while.¡± miss zeng pinched the round fan embroidered with butterflies in her hand. the mottled handle of the bamboo fan made her fingers look fair and slender. she was smiling, but there was no humor in her dark brown eyes. they were even hostile. although they had met twice at the hunting ground and at the banquet, they parted on bad terms and didn¡¯t have much of a relationship. beside her, miss tang, who was wearing a blue dress, continued, ¡°second lady gu, miss wei, and miss lu, why are you here? aren¡¯t you going to play with everyone?¡± wei jiaoniang looked up and rolled her eyes angrily. they were talking here for no reason, but they were interrupted for no reason. these girls from aristocratic families really didn¡¯t know how to read the mood. ¡°it¡¯s none of your business!¡± wei jiaoniang wouldn¡¯t treat others nicely if she was unhappy. she disregarded miss zeng and used extremely rude words. ¡°wei jiaoniang!¡± miss zeng said angrily. aristocratic families have always been particular about etiquette, rules, manners, and words. they had never heard such vulgar words. for a moment, they were at a loss for words. their three well-made faces instantly turned red with embarrassment and anger. seeing this, wei jiaoniang felt happy. the corners of her lips curled up happily. ¡°go wherever you need to go. why are you interfering in other people¡¯s business?¡± ¡°if you have time to criticize others, you might as well worry about yourself!¡± ¡°¡­¡± miss zeng tightened her grip on the handle of the bamboo fan, her eyes flickering. after a while, her gaze slowly moved from wei jiaoniang to lu qin. she smiled gently and greeted her considerately, ¡°third miss lu, i heard that you were sick a while ago. are you feeling much better now?¡± one shouldn¡¯t hit a smiling person. lu qin replied politely, ¡°thank you for your concern. i¡¯m fine.¡± miss zeng pursed her lips and smiled slightly. she said, ¡°miss lu, you¡¯ve just recovered from your illness. you still have to rest more. don¡¯t tire yourself out.¡± ¡°i¡¯ll be careful¡­¡± lu qin said dryly. her arms hidden in her sleeves were covered in goosebumps, and she felt that something was wrong. at this moment, fan mushuang, who had played a round of wooden shooting, returned and happened to hear this conversation. he exchanged a look with wei jiaoniang in surprise. these girls from aristocratic families usually spoke sarcastically. why did zeng ya change her temper today and speak human language?! zeng ya¡¯s smile didn¡¯t change. she sized up lu qin and praised her, saying, ¡°your clothes are the work of the jin family¡¯s embroidery workshop, right? her family¡¯s peony embroidery is indeed superb, but these clothes¡­¡± she paused and seemed to be a little hesitant, but in the end, she advised gently, ¡°third miss lu, i heard that you¡¯re engaged to young master hua. you¡¯re considered half a member of the hua family. sigh, now that young master hua has passed away, why are you still wearing red and green?¡± ¡°could it be¡­ sigh, a woman should still be chaste and follow her heart to the end.¡± zeng ya shook her head gently, disapproval written all over her face. although she didn¡¯t say it directly, her meaning was very clear. since lu qin was engaged to young master hua, even if her fiance was dead, she should protect him. as expected, the fox may grow gray, but never good! fan mushuang¡¯s lips curled into a cold smile. just as she was about to speak, lu qin quickly grabbed her wrist. lu qin raised her chin slightly and said with a smile, ¡°zeng ya, do you think this marriage is good?¡± zeng ya couldn¡¯t help but frown. ¡°when did i say¡­¡± lu qin interrupted her directly. ¡°then marry him.¡± ¡°lu qin, what nonsense are you talking about?!¡± zeng ya¡¯s face turned red again and she said angrily, ¡°you¡¯re the one who¡¯s engaged to the hua family, not¡­¡± l! zeng ya couldn¡¯t even say the last word. she felt that once she said it, she wouldn¡¯t be innocent. ¡°heh, you also know that it¡¯s an ¡®engagement¡¯!¡± lu qin crossed her arms and looked calm. her eyes were clear. ¡°the hua family only made a betrothal, and i¡¯ve never married into the family.. even emperor taizu said that if it¡¯s not appropriate, regardless of whether it¡¯s before or after the marriage, it¡¯s better to cut ties than to let irrelevant people like you worry!¡± Chapter 600 - Chapter 600: First Chance (3) chapter 600: first chance (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios tang jinyun couldn¡¯t help but interrupt her. ¡°third miss lu, sister zeng is just advising you with good intentions. why are you¡­¡± ¡°oh, the two of you are so concerned about the hua family!¡± lu qin raised her voice to suppress the other party¡¯s voice. she deliberately looked back and forth at zeng ya and tang jinyun and clapped her hands heavily. ¡°i understand. i think the two of you have been longing for young master hua for a long time. that¡¯s good. two sons of the hua family have died, and someone needs to get married. i can help the two of you matchmake. i won¡¯t accept money from the matchmaker.¡± ¡°since the two of you are so close, you can be sisters-in-law!¡± lu qin spoke non-stop, and every word was quite sharp. anyone can speak freely. it was just a matter of who could shout the loudest, right? if they had the ability, they should learn to curse like the market women; after all, these noble women cared the most about their reputation! vulgar. these noble ladies are really vulgar! zeng ya and tang jinyun¡¯s faces turned from red to green and then from green to white. there was no way to refute them. they had been taught since they were young to be quiet and elegant. even if they wanted to scold someone, they had to do it in a roundabout way and not leave any dirty words. this would make the other party so angry, with nowhere to vent! no one scolded others as lu qin did!! their chests heaved up and down. after a long time, they squeezed out dryly, ¡°you¡­ are simply unreasonable!¡± wei jiaoniang and fan mushuang exchanged another look, their eyes exceptionally bright. ah qin¡¯s mouth is really amazing! wei jiaoniang smiled and helped lu qin. ¡°miss tang, miss zeng, don¡¯t worry. our air qin has always been straightforward and says whatever she thinks. she¡¯s not the kind of person to beat around the bush. you don¡¯t have to stand on ceremony with her. if you want to marry young master hua, feel free to do so!¡± since lu qin was straightforward, it was obvious that she was referring to zeng ya and tang jinyun. the commotion caused by the girls attracted the attention of many people by the lake. many eyes looked over from all directions. zeng ya gritted her teeth so hard that they were about to shatter, but she didn¡¯t leave. she couldn¡¯t help but glance at gu yanfei from the corner of her eye. lu qin, wei jiaoniang¡­ gu yanfei and the others are all birds of a feather. all of them are shameless! zeng ya almost broke the handle of the fan. she held her breath, but her voice was still gentle and appropriate. ¡°in a few days, i¡¯ll be returning to huaibei in xuzhou. perhaps i won¡¯t have the chance to see third miss lu, miss wei jiu, and second lady gu again in the future.¡± ¡°we know each other after all. we¡¯re just concerned about miss lu out of goodwill.¡± she turned her head slightly and looked across the lake from afar. because she was still far away, she could vaguely see seven or eight young masters walking onto the wooden bridge on the lake. wei jiaoniang wouldn¡¯t believe zeng ya¡¯s nonsense. she said bluntly, ¡°who wants you to care!¡± compared to the domineering wei jiaoniang, zeng ya looked a little delicate. she bit her lower lip slightly, and her eyelashes trembled slightly. she said seriously, ¡°i misspoke today. as the saying goes, sit quietly and think about yourself. don¡¯t gossip about others. third miss lu, i really shouldn¡¯t talk about your private matters.¡± ¡°miss lu san, you won¡¯t hold it against me, right?¡± as she spoke, she bent her knees and bowed dignifiedly. she was elegant and generous, and her tone was always gentle. her pitcher¡¯s actions displayed the demeanor of a noblewoman, making it impossible to find fault with her. wei jiaoniang beat lu qin to it and said, ¡°what if we have to argue with you?!¡± zeng ya¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°thud.¡± a longan-sized incense ball in her sleeve fell to the ground. beside her, tang jinyun accidentally stepped on the incense ball and exclaimed apologetically, ¡°sister zeng, i was too careless.¡± ¡°it¡¯s fine,¡± zeng ya said generously. she instructed the servant girl, ¡°just go and get another one.¡± after a while, a young woman in green with a bun walked over obediently and respectfully handed a new incense ball to zeng ya. ¡°miss.¡± the young woman¡¯s voice was filled with flattery. zeng ya raised her hand and took the new straw-patterned incense ball. she casually plucked it between her fingers. a faint fragrance floated out of the incense ball. the young woman bowed and was about to leave when her gaze gently swept across the three girls on the bench in front of her and landed on gu yanfei, who was sitting on the far right. the young woman widened her eyes in shock, and her pupils constricted. her gaze froze on gu yanfei¡¯s face. ¡°erya!¡± the young woman blurted out in surprise. ¡°huh?¡± zeng ya raised her eyebrows slightly. gu yanfei looked straight at the delicate-looking young woman in front of her. because of the other party¡¯s call, memories surged like a tide, and her eyes darkened. so it was her, li zhaodi. li zhaodi stared intently at gu yanfei, her eyes filled with crazy jealousy. in her memory, erya¡¯s skin was dark, rough, and her figure was thin. she was subservient, wooden, and weak. compared to this fair-skinned and beautiful girl in front of her, she was simply worlds apart. li zhaodi could only confirm from the other party¡¯s familiar eyes and outline that this was indeed the li erya she had watched grow up. li erya didn¡¯t have a name. her father had been a money-losing gambler since she was young and called her that wretched girl. outsiders all called her li erya. as they called her, li erya seemed to have become her name. zeng ya played with the fragrant ball in her hand again and smiled faintly. she also looked at gu yanfei. ¡°second lady gu, do you know each other?¡± as she spoke, zeng ya¡¯s understanding gaze returned to li zhaodi¡¯s face. she could clearly see the jealousy in her eyes. zeng ya was smiling, but there was no smile in her eyes. she was from an aristocratic family. their zeng family was a big family name in xuzhou. this time, she had spent a lot of effort defeating a few sisters and cousins in the family before obtaining the opportunity to come to the capital with her father and brother. her goal was to become the eldest prince¡¯s concubine and become empress in the future. from then on, she would leap above everyone else. who would have thought that this shameless wild girl from the countryside would be a step ahead of her! ¡°i¡­ i¡­¡± li zhaodi¡¯s eyes were bloodshot. she was so jealous that she was about to go crazy. first, it was gu yunrong, then li erya. these two people were clearly her sisters, but they lived a completely different life from her. they lived in the sky, but she was the only one who sank into the mud. jealousy, resentment, unwillingness, and other emotions were like an inescapable net that tightly trapped her. why wasn¡¯t i the one who was replaced back then?! how can a timid and weak little girl become so rich! riches raise people. li zhaodi finally understood the meaning of these words, and her mouth was filled with bitterness. in a daze, she heard zeng ya¡¯s gentle voice enter her ears. it sounded close but also distant. ¡°zhaodi, do you know second lady gu?¡± ¡°second lady gu is the second lady of the gu family¡­ just now, the emperor and eldest princess feng yang personally presided over her coming-of-age ceremony.¡± every word stabbed her heart like a poisonous thorn, and her eyes turned even redder. jealousy almost drowned her. li zhaodi said without thinking, ¡°this is my sister.¡± she stared fixedly at gu yanfei. her scorching gaze wished it could burn two holes in her face.. she couldn¡¯t help but take a step closer to her and call out, ¡°erya!¡± Chapter 601 - Chapter 601: Become a Fan (1) chapter 601: become a fan (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios the surrounding people were in an uproar and looked at each other. what¡¯s going on?! a servant of the zeng family actually jumped out and said that the second lady of the gu family is her sister! this is too ridiculous! zeng ya watched this scene with interest. she casually put the incense ball in her hand into her sleeve and raised her chin slightly. she looked down at gu yanfei, who was sitting on the bench, with disdain. she had seen gu yanfei before in huaibei, xuzhou, two years ago. one time, she went to a village to stay and play with her sisters. her third sister was almost bitten by a poisonous snake. it was a thin little girl who suddenly attacked and killed the poisonous snake with a stick. she even took the dead snake away and said that she wanted to make roasted snake meat to eat. it had been two years. zeng ya had already forgotten about this matter completely. moreover, gu yanfei¡¯s appearance was too different from the girl in huaibei two years ago. it was as if she was a different person. therefore, zeng ya didn¡¯t recognize her at first. it was only when she went for a walk with a few close friends not long ago and happened to encounter a snake on the mountain that she remembered. in the beginning, zeng ya wasn¡¯t sure. she kept suspecting that she had recognized the wrong person. for this, she even specially asked around. only then did she know that gu yanfei¡¯s background was unknown. the gu family only said that their second lady had been raised in her hometown in the countryside. it could be seen that gu yanfei¡¯s past must have been shameful. zeng ya had a faint guess in her heart¡ª gu yanfei is that wild girl from the huaibei countryside! a lowly wild girl actually wants to be the eldest prince¡¯s concubine? what a joke! zeng ya mocked in her heart, but she put on an incredulous expression and muttered to herself, ¡°sister? how is this possible!¡± zeng ya frowned and scolded li zhaodi, ¡°what nonsense are you talking about! second lady gu is the sister of the dignified commandant of the capital, battalion commander gu. how can she be your sister!¡± her voice was gentle but stern. li zhaodi was shocked, and her sallow face turned red. she was afraid that zeng ya would be angry, so she quickly pointed at gu yanfei on the bench and explained, ¡°miss, she¡¯s really my sister.¡± her eyes flickered as various thoughts crossed her mind. it was chaotic. in the end, she gritted her teeth fiercely, and the surging malice instantly suppressed everything. she said resolutely, ¡°erya and i grew up in huaibei together. our family even arranged an engagement for her, but she suddenly disappeared last year. before today, i thought that she had been kidnapped by someone¡­ or that something had happened to her.¡± as she spoke, li zhaodi¡¯s eyes were filled with tears. she took a step closer to gu yanfei and said sadly, ¡°erya, you¡¯re fine. why didn¡¯t you get someone to send a message back? dad and grandma were very worried about you. grandma was even seriously ill.¡± li zhaodi put on the act of a good sister. she looked worried, heartbroken, and aggrieved. li zhaodi felt as if something was stuck in her throat. two streams of tears slowly flowed from the corners of her eyes, and the jealousy in her heart burned her. compared to her real sister, gu yunrong, the person she was more jealous of was actually li erya, who had grown up with her. in the past, li erya was so humble at home. she would wake up at the crow of the rooster and rest only in the dead of night. she was as busy as a spinning top, barely getting enough to eat and dress warmly. her father didn¡¯t like her, so whatever she did was considered wrong. she would often get scolded and beaten by her father. if she or her younger brother made a mistake, as long as they blamed it on li erya, her grandmother and father would harshly scold her¡­ erya was someone that anyone in the family could order around and step on. she was the dust on the ground. but now, everything has changed! after li zhaodi came to the capital, she asked around about erya¡¯s current situation and knew that she was now the second lady of the gu family. even if the gu family had lost their title, they were still a wealthy family. she could wear gold and silver and interact with these dignitaries in the capital. she also had a new name¡ªgu yanfei. she flew to the clouds and became an enviable benefactor, while li zhaodi became a pitiful widow. her and erya¡¯s fates had changed drastically. just thinking about it made li zhaodi feel even more uncomfortable. it shouldn¡¯t be like this. we had all grown up in huaibei and were sisters in the same family.. why am i the only one who¡¯s still submerged in mud and ordered around by others? Chapter 602 - Chapter 602: Become a Fan (2) chapter 602: become a fan (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios how can that lowly erya live better than me¡­ no, it shouldn¡¯t be like this! erya should be leading a worse life than me! li zhaodi didn¡¯t deliberately lower her voice when she spoke to zeng ya. everyone nearby heard her clearly. gu yanfei was the focus of everyone¡¯s attention today. for a moment, more and more gazes surged toward her. everyone¡¯s expressions were filled with surprise. second lady gu has already gotten engaged in huaibei?! is this servant her sister? how is this possible! everyone found it unbelievable. their gazes became subtle and complicated, as if they were looking at gu yanfei with spikes. if all of this was true, then the fact that the emperor personally presided over gu yanfei¡¯s coming-of-age ceremony today would become a joke! no matter how happy the emperor was today, he would probably be furious when he found out the truth! everyone was so shocked that they couldn¡¯t speak for a long time. the lake was silent for a moment. even the wind seemed to have stopped, and the surroundings were strangely quiet. gu yanfei raised her eyebrows and looked back and forth between li zhaodi and zeng ya calmly. the corners of her lips even curled up into a faint smile. zeng ya glared at gu yanfei. she thought that she would see shock and embarrassment on the other party¡¯s face. however, gu yanfei was smiling instead. there was even a hint of interest in her smile. ¡°which family¡¯s servant is spouting nonsense here?¡± gu yunzhen¡¯s gentle voice broke the short silence. gu yunzhen picked up her skirt and walked over in a hurry. her breathing was a little hurried because of her jogging, but her eyes were exceptionally bright and determined. her beautiful face was filled with anger. her gaze landed on li zhaodi¡¯s face as she tried to find something similar to gu yunrong¡¯s facial features. although her heart was a mess, gu yunzhen didn¡¯t show it on her face. she scolded li zhaodi righteously, ¡°what is this place and who arc you? you¡¯ve really eaten a bear¡¯s heart and a leopard¡¯s gall. how dare you cry and spout nonsense here? you¡¯re simply unruly and rude!¡± gu yunzhen¡¯s words weren¡¯t only scolding li zhaodi, but also the zeng family. unlike wei jiaoniang and the others, gu yunzhen¡¯s tone was very gentle, refined, and restrained. however, she didn¡¯t show zeng ya any mercy. ¡°which family is so unruly to bring such a rude and tactless servant to the imperial palace? aren¡¯t you afraid of being disrespectful?!¡± gu yunzhen asked, but her gaze landed accurately on zeng ya¡¯s face. zeng ya was so angry that a few veins appeared on her forehead. if she directly said that li zhaodi was a servant of her family, it would be equivalent to admitting that their zeng family was unruly! li zhaodi¡¯s actions today were indeed inappropriate. if the servants of other families had dared to speak so arrogantly in front of so many nobles, they would have long been beaten up by the main family. in their zeng family, such servants would only be dragged down and beaten to death in a straw mat. their corpses would be hastily wrapped and thrown into the mass grave. gu yunzhen had put herself on the line with just a few words. what the servant had done also represented the face of the main family. if she didn¡¯t express anything today, others would question the zeng family¡¯s etiquette in the future. li zhaodi was naturally not as important as the zeng family! ¡°zhaodi, don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡± zeng ya¡¯s voice seemed to be squeezed out from between her teeth. the line of her jaw was tense. ¡°kneel!¡± there was a hint of sternness in her tone and a cold glint in her eyes. li zhaodi shrank back and bit her lower lip so hard that it almost bled. she couldn¡¯t help but look around at everyone timidly. the young masters and ladies in luxurious clothes around her all looked at her with a high up in the air gaze, filled with disdain and contempt. there was no trace of sympathy or pity, and no one would plead for her. li zhaodi¡¯s gaze finally landed on gu yanfei¡¯s face. she placed her last hope on her. however, gu yanfei only looked at her quietly. her eyes were as indifferent as if she was looking at a stranger. li zhaodi felt as if a huge rock was pressing down on her heart. she picked up her skirt and knelt down with extreme difficulty. this wasn¡¯t the first time she had knelt. with her status, she had knelt countless times in the past. kneeling was nothing, but she had never imagined that kneeling today would be so difficult. it made her feel that she wasn¡¯t kneeling to zeng ya, but to gu yanfei.. Chapter 603 - Chapter 603: Become a Fan (3) chapter 603: become a fan (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios at this moment, li zhaodi recalled the scene of erya kneeling on the ground and being beaten by her father when she was young¡­ it was as if it was yesterday. li zhaodi lowered her head as an evil fire burned in her heart. under her half-closed eyelashes, her eyes were red, hiding strong hatred and jealousy. why?! why should erya, who can be trampled on by anyone, accept my kneeling?! ¡°you must be miss zeng.¡± gu yunzhen looked at zeng ya knowingly and sighed. still feeling angry, she smiled and said indifferently, ¡°so this is a servant of your residence.¡± ¡°miss zeng, could this be your personal servant?¡± without waiting for the other party to answer, gu yunzhen continued, ¡°miss zeng, it¡¯s a good thing to be kind, but it¡¯s bad if you¡¯re too soft-hearted and can¡¯t even discipline your servant well. she might bring a huge disaster to your residence one day!¡± gu yunzhen stood upright, like a cluster of orchids in an empty valley. her voice was neither light nor heavy, but the surrounding young masters and ladies could hear her. her gentle voice had a gentleness on the outside but a toughness on the inside. zeng ya¡¯s face was burning, and her chest heaved slightly. at this moment, she felt that everyone around her seemed to be looking at her. their gazes were like knives stabbing her face. they seemed to be speculating, mocking, suspicious, and questioning¡­ to zeng ya, these gazes made her feel even worse than wei jiaoniang¡¯s rough scolding. a sinister light flashed across zeng ya¡¯s eyes. in the past, eldest miss gu didn¡¯t reveal herself and was always gentle. she only knew that there were second lady and third miss in the gu family, but she underestimated the eldest miss gu. after the initial chaos, zeng ya quickly calmed down. she looked vexed and bit her lower lip. she said apologetically, ¡°eldest miss gu, i¡¯ve already asked zhaodi to kneel down and apologize to you. if you still think it¡¯s not enough, i¡¯ll punish her by slapping her again, okay?¡± with a gentle and forbearing attitude, she threw the problem back to gu yunzhen and placed herself at a disadvantage. at this point, if gu yunzhen still refused to give up, it would be gu yunzhen who insisted on punishing li zhaodi. it would be gu yunzhen who was aggressive and unforgiving. especially since this was the royal palace and so many eyes were watching. li zhaodi, who was kneeling on the ground, was frightened. her face was pale, and she was anxious. although she hadn¡¯t been in the zeng mansion for long, she knew that the rules were strict. there was once a servant who broke the rules and was slapped 50 times. he was beaten until his body was full of bruises, and he even lost a tooth. li zhaodi said in fear, ¡°miss, please spare me. i¡¯m not lying¡­¡± ¡°slam!¡± a maid in green strode forward and slapped li zhaodi¡¯s face heavily, knocking away the rest of her words. a bright red palm print quickly appeared on li zhaodi¡¯s face, and her cheek swelled. li zhaodi was stunned. zeng ya was about to go crazy. she blurted out at wei jiaoniang, ¡°wei jiaoniang, why did you hit someone?!¡± the green-clothed servant who had slapped li zhaodi was wei jiaoniang¡¯s servant. ¡°ha!¡± wei jiaoniang sneered and asked, ¡°miss zeng, aren¡¯t you the one who asked us to beat her up?¡± zeng ya was speechless for a moment. her face turned green, and she almost dropped the fan in her hand. people were in different positions, so the things they could do were naturally different. gu yunzhen only had a widow in her family. she couldn¡¯t be aggressive, but wei jiaoniang could. wei jiaoniang raised her chin slightly and looked at zeng ya with a faint smile, looking fearless. she¡¯s just a servant of the zeng family, and yet she dares to speak so shamelessly. so what if she¡¯s beaten up? what can she do about it! amazing! lu qin almost laughed out loud and suppressed the urge to applaud wei jiaoniang. li zhaodi covered her red and swollen face. her hair was in a mess as she stammered, ¡°i really¡­¡± the maid in green raised her hand high. li zhaodi immediately shut her mouth, and her body trembled uncontrollably. wei jiaoniang chuckled. gu yunzhen stared at zeng ya with a faint smile. everyone¡¯s eyes were on zeng ya. zeng ya had mixed feelings. she rolled around and weighed the pros and cons. after a while, she gritted her teeth and said, ¡°zhaodi, leave.¡± li zhaodi didn¡¯t want to leave. she still had a lot to say and couldn¡¯t wait to let everyone here know about li erya¡¯s unbearable past. however¡­ she glanced timidly at the green-clothed maid again, and her body trembled again. she felt that the left side of her face was numb and painful from the slap, and there was a salty, fishy taste in her mouth. if she continued, she would only be slapped again. zeng ya couldn¡¯t protect her at all. li zhaodi covered her face and stood up. she lowered her head and left silently. after walking a few tenths of a mile away, li zhaodi couldn¡¯t help but turn around and look at gu yanfei, who was sitting on the bench. her eyes were filled with hatred. zeng ya was also looking at gu yanfei. her slender index finger rubbed the handle of the fan repeatedly. gu yanfei¡¯s face was still very calm. from the moment li zhaodi appeared, she had never lost her composure. she had always been like this, calm and composed. she exuded a calmness that wouldn¡¯t change even if mount tai collapsed in front of her. no one could see through her. li zhaodi was pushed by the old woman from the zeng family. she didn¡¯t dare to stay any longer and quickly left. the others didn¡¯t care if li zhaodi left or stayed. their attention was on gu yanfei and zeng ya. zeng ya secretly gritted her teeth. her eyes flickered as she said politely to gu yanfei, ¡°second lady gu, it¡¯s all my servants¡¯ fault for being rude.¡± beside her, tang jinyun and the other girls from the aristocratic families all stared at zeng ya with complicated expressions and burning eyes. they all wanted to ask zeng ya what was going on with her servant, zhaodi. from the emperor¡¯s attitude today, there was a high chance that gu yanfei would be the eldest prince¡¯s concubine. presumably, after gu ce¡¯s case was overturned, the emperor would gloriously bestow a marriage on the eldest prince and gu yanfei. just now, the servant of the zeng family said that gu yanfei is her sister and has been engaged for along time. could this be true? everyone rustled and looked at each other. to everyone present, the second lady of the gu family¡¯s background was a mystery. she had only appeared in the capital in the second half of last year. ever since she returned to the capital, her life has been infinitely glorious. even the future consort kang, gu yunrong, had been overshadowed by her. before she arrived in the capital, no one knew anything about her. her past 14 years of life were a mystery, as if she had been born out of thin air. it was inevitable that people would feel that there was something wrong with this. if what the servant from the zeng family said is true¡­ a trace of hope appeared in the hearts of tang jinyun and the other girls as they waited and saw what would happen.. Chapter 604 - Chapter 604: Don’t Believe (1) chapter 604: don¡¯t believe (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios zeng ya quickly adjusted her emotions and continued, ¡°this woman is a new servant i bought after coming to the capital. i originally bought her because i felt sorry for her, a young widow from a poor family, all alone in the world. who would have thought that she would¡­ sigh!¡± zeng ya sighed softly. her eyes narrowed and were as deep as the night. after she recognized gu yanfei, she had originally considered sending her trusted aides back to her hometown in huaibci to investigate. unexpectedly, before she could convince her father and brother, she actually bumped into li zhaodi outside the myriad herb hall. the heavens were probably on her side. she had originally planned to go to the myriad herb hall and meet gu yunrong by chance, but she met li zhaodi instead. at that time, li zhaodi had knocked down an old woman who had tried to scam her. the old woman had asked her to pay for the medicine, and li zhaodi had said that she was gu yunrong¡¯s sister. zeng ya acted as a good person, giving money to the nanny to help li zhaodi and then coaxing information out of li zhaodi. it was just bait, and li zhaodi came seeking opportunities on her own. it was extremely easy for someone like li zhaodi to manipulate and use her. it was god who gave me the opport unity! thinking of this, zeng ya¡¯s heart beat faster. she said gently, ¡°it¡¯s all my fault.¡± although some things exceeded her expectations today, fortunately, there were generally no mistakes. zeng ya¡¯s heart beat faster. she glanced in the direction of the wooden bridge on the lake again. the spring breeze blew, and the lake rippled with the wind. the water was shimmering. occasionally, a few willow leaves would drift down from the willow trees by the lake. they would land on the lush green grass or float on the sparkling water. chu yi, who was dressed in a moon-white robe, walked down from the wooden bridge on the lake. he was elegant and leisurely, with a faint smile. on his right, chu you walked side by side with him. the uncle and nephew ignored each other as if they were strangers. behind them were seven or eight young masters with different appearances. they were chatting and laughing, beaming with joy. the group of young masters had just gotten off the bridge when a high-pitched and excited male voice suddenly came from the other end of the bridge. ¡°ah shen, brother xian¡­ wait for me!¡± a young master in a lake blue beard shouted and chased after them from behind, panting from running. several young masters turned around and looked at the person in surprise. ¡°chu jia, why are you only here now?¡± ¡°i came as fast as i could,¡± chu jia explained roughly. with a smile on his face, he bowed to chu yi and chu you, who were at the front. only then did he greet the other young masters of the imperial family familiarly. ¡°ah shen.¡± chu jia smiled cheekily and pushed a round-faced young master in green. ¡°why did you ignore me just now?¡± chu shen staggered a step away from his cousin¡¯s push. a silly smile appeared on his round face as he touched his nose. ¡°cousin jia.¡± ¡°haha! chu jia, you still don¡¯t know, right?¡± another square-faced young master with a lily-colored face interrupted with a smile. he grinned teasingly. ¡°chu shen is thinking about his future wife.¡± chu jia asked in surprise, ¡°ah shen, are you engaged?¡± ¡°no,¡± the square-faced young master said happily. ¡°this kid has his eyes on the eldest daughter of the du family, but his mother doesn¡¯t agree. just now, this kid boldly begged his majesty¡­¡± ¡°i didn¡¯t expect this kid to be so bold now. in the past, when his mother said one, he didn¡¯t even dare say two. now that he¡¯s older, he¡¯s no longer listening to hsi mother.¡± another young man in black with thick eyebrows and big eyes sighed. ¡°i wonder what kind of girl will like a silly kid like you?¡± ¡°ah shen has always liked beauties. she must be a beauty,¡± chu jia said with a smile. ¡°you¡¯re right.¡± ¡°this kid is very shallow. he doesn¡¯t like talented women and only likes beauties.¡± ¡°ah shen, tell me yourself, is she beautiful?¡± these young masters chatted and laughed as they teased chu shen. they kept talking, making chu shen blush. chu shen blushed and said, ¡°i think she¡¯s quite beautiful.¡± ¡°oh, love is blind, beauty is in the eye of the beholder!¡± chu jia jeered shamelessly. he winked frivolously and tried to get close to chu you with a smile. ¡°uncle kang wang, don¡¯t you think so?¡± chu jia thought that kang wang¡¯s wedding was approaching and thought that he was in high spirits when it came to happy events, so he teased him. however, chu you¡¯s face was as dark as water. he glanced at chu jia with a dark gaze, making chu jia¡¯s heart skip a beat. beside him, chu shen almost choked on his saliva. his expression was conflicted. the gu mansion in reed alley had been sealed off by the embroidered uniform guards. even kang wang and gu yunrong¡¯s marriage had been delayed. kang wang was in a fit of anger, but chu jia was really rubbing his nose in it.. Chapter 605 - Chapter 605: Don’t Believe (2) chapter 605: don¡¯t believe (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios however, chu jia had just returned from his grandfather¡¯s house in qingzhou yesterday, so he probably didn¡¯t know that the capital had been turbulent these past few days. the other young master also felt that something was wrong and quickly changed the topic back to chu shen. ¡°where¡¯s ah shen¡¯s sweetheart?¡± ¡°miss du doesn¡¯t seem to be tall.¡± ¡°is she over there¡­¡± as they spoke, a few young masters looked at the crowd by the lake and craned their necks. ¡°is that purple-clothed girl standing by the willow tree du¡­¡± chu jia pointed at a petite purple-clothed girl under the willow tree by the lake and said uncertainly, ¡°eh? why are so many of them gathered together?¡± ¡°could it be a competition?¡± ¡°i don¡¯t think so.¡± they quickly sensed that the atmosphere among the group of people by the lake wasn¡¯t right. it seemed to be a little stiff, as if two groups of girls were confronting each other. even from their position, although they couldn¡¯t hear the voices by the lake at all, they could feel the unfriendly atmosphere between them on both sides of the confrontation. ¡°don¡¯t tell me those girls are arguing,¡± someone muttered softly. ¡°this must be jiaoniang.¡± chu jia narrowed his eyes and looked at wei jiaoniang, who was sitting on a bench 70 to 80 feet away. he smiled and said, ¡°that¡¯s right. she must have quarreled with those girls from the aristocratic families again.¡± chu shen, chu jia, and the other young masters of the royal family were also quite familiar with wei jiaoniang, lu qin, and the others. they had known each other since they were young and often played polo and hunted together. they also knew that wei jiaoniang and the others had always been on bad terms with the girls from those aristocratic families. whenever they met, they would always argue without saying much. ¡°jiaoniang¡¯s fiery temper is just like her grandmother¡¯s. she¡¯s clear about her likes and dislikes.¡± chu shen chuckled. ¡°why don¡¯t we forget about the pitch-pot? let¡¯s call her along for a horse race. after running two rounds, she won¡¯t be angry anymore.¡± ¡°let¡¯s go over and take a look.¡± chu jia called out to everyone at the top of his voice and walked towards wei jiaoniang by the lake. he looked like he wanted to see the world in chaos. rather than saying that he was going to mediate the fight, it was better to say that he was calling everyone over to watch the commotion. when the group of young masters approached, they realized that the atmosphere here was quite strange. the young masters and ladies around the periphery were whispering to each other and discussing. one could vaguely hear a girl say in disbelief, ¡°second lady gu is really engaged?¡± ¡°i don¡¯t know. i¡¯ve never heard of it,¡± the other girl whispered uncertainly. ¡°could that zhaodi be talking nonsense?¡± ¡°they don¡¯t look like sisters. they don¡¯t look alike at all.¡± ¡°but i think that zhaodi is right. she doesn¡¯t seem to have hysteria.¡± all kinds of speculations and discussions about gu yanfei rose and fell, vaguely entering the ears of chu jia, chu shen, and the others with the wind. they all subconsciously looked at chu yi. chu yi¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change as he continued walking unhurriedly. he looked at gu yanfei, who was in the center of the crowd, from afar. his gaze landed on the gorgeous and exquisite hairpin in her hair. an le¡¯s boastful voice sounded in his ear, making him smile. ¡°big brother, sister yanfei looks very good with that phoenix hairpin¡­ its a perfect match!¡± ¡°i picked that hairpin. i knew it would suit sister yanfei. i really have good taste!¡± an le indeed has good taste. chu yi¡¯s lips curled up, and his gaze gradually moved down from the girl¡¯s full forehead, to her bright eyes, to her small and delicate nose, and then to her full and beautiful cherry lips. how beautiful! chu shen tugged at chu jia¡¯s sleeve and asked him with his eyes, ¡°did the eldest prince hear that just now?¡± how would i know! chu jia shrugged and quickly chased after him. at this moment, everyone by the lake also noticed that chu yi, chu you, and the others had arrived. they turned around and greeted the princes. ¡°greetings, your highnesses.¡± he¡¯s here. when gu yanfei heard the sound, she immediately looked in chu yi¡¯s direction. the long string of pearl tassels on her temples swayed and shone, illuminating her pupils. she was gentle and charming. the two of them looked at each other and couldn¡¯t help but smile brightly. even the surrounding air seemed to have an indescribable sweetness as the two of them looked at each other. even if gu yanfei didn¡¯t ask, she could tell from chu yi¡¯s burning gaze at this moment that he liked her current appearance. she hadn¡¯t walked around in such a big circle with this heavy hairpin in vain.. Chapter 606 - Chapter 606: Don’t Believe (3) chapter 606: don¡¯t believe (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios the beautiful smile on gu yanfei¡¯s lips deepened. zeng ya stared fixedly at the smile on gu yanfei¡¯s lips, her eyes abnormally dark and deep. she bowed elegantly and said seriously, ¡°second lady gu, although i was in the wrong, you shouldn¡¯t¡­¡± she sighed faintly and pursed her lips, as if she wanted to say something but hesitated. after hesitating for a moment, she continued, ¡°i hope you can listen to my advice. the truth is the truth, after all. even if you can hide it for a while, you can¡¯t hide it forever.¡± ¡°water flows to the bottom, and people go higher¡­ it¡¯s human nature for you to want to find a good marriage, but once it involves the royal family, it¡¯s a crime of deceiving the emperor.¡± zeng ya looked like she couldn¡¯t bear it. her words were tactful and reserved. she didn¡¯t go too far, but it was obvious what she meant. here we go again! these pretentious girls from aristocratic families are beating around the bush again!! the corners of wei jiaoniang¡¯s mouth twitched, and she didn¡¯t hide the displeasure on her face. wei jiaoniang could hear the hidden meaning in zeng ya¡¯s words, and so could the others. zeng ya was clearly saying that in order to marry the eldest prince, gu yanfei had hidden the matter of her previous engagement, and she pointed out that gu yanfei had committed the crime of deceiving the emperor! if there was no evidence, zeng ya wouldn¡¯t dare to criticize gu yanfei, right?! for a moment, gasps rose and fell, but no one spoke. everyone¡¯s expressions became very strange. they all glanced at chu yi, who wasn¡¯t far away, and thought to themselves, ¡°i wonder if the eldest prince heard her.¡± if gu yanfei had really been engaged before, how would the eldest prince react? now that everyone knew about this matter, there had to be an explanation for whether it was true or not. it wasn¡¯t something that the eldest prince could easily brush off with a word. otherwise, where would the dignity of the royal family go! in this tense atmosphere, gu yanfei laughed. ¡°heh.¡± gu yanfei smiled as if she had seen a wonderful show. her smile was unsatisfied. her clear and wise gaze looked straight at zeng ya¡¯s glabella, as if she could see through her thoughts, but also as if she could see through the karma of the world. she said calmly, ¡°miss zeng must have gone crazy.¡± gu yanfei had a smile on her lips. she spoke very calmly, but she looked serious. zeng ya¡¯s heart inexplicably trembled. a cold wind suddenly blew from the lake. the sunlight shone through the branches and leaves of the willow tree, casting mottled shadows on zeng ya¡¯s face and body. when the wind blew, the shadows floated, as if some shadow was floating across her face, or something was about to break out from under her skin¡­ the atmosphere suddenly became cold, as if it had returned from spring to winter. even the wind seemed to have a hint of coldness. it was sinister, and even the surrounding sunlight didn¡¯t seem to be as bright. the people who were whispering were all shocked and fell silent. there was dead silence. everyone felt their hair stand on end. everyone knew that second lady gu was a daoist expert with boundless magic power. since she claimed that zeng ya had gone crazy, could it be that she had seen something from zeng ya? could they not see what only second lady gu could see? it was said that the celestial rectifier spiritual master, who assisted emperor taizu, had a pair of ¡°divine eyes¡± that could see through yin and yang and spy on the heavenly secrets. not only did he recognize heroes and submit to emperor taizu, but he also saw through and resolved many sinister spells targeting emperor taizu. could it be that second lady gu also had a pair of ¡°divine eyes¡±? lu qin couldn¡¯t help but tug at gu yanfei¡¯s sleeve and ask, ¡°yanfei, what¡¯s wrong with zeng ya?¡± ever since the hua family¡¯s matter, lu qin had been in awe of these daoists. at this moment, after hearing gu yanfei¡¯s words, the more she looked at zeng ya, the more she felt that something was wrong. the zeng family was an aristocratic family. these noble families had always paid the most attention to rules and etiquette. today, zeng ya¡¯s actions were strange. she had inexplicably brought a servant who hadn¡¯t even been taught the rules well to the royal palace. she had even allowed the servant to spout nonsense and cry here. now that she thought about it, it was really abnormal. either zeng ya was deliberately provoking her, or she had gone crazy? most of the others thought the same as lu qin and swallowed hard. so¡ª ¡°could it be that she¡¯s really crazy?¡± tang jinyun asked the question in everyone¡¯s hearts. her voice was actually very soft, but it was very clear in the silent atmosphere.. Chapter 607 - Chapter 607: Don’t Believe (4) chapter 607: don¡¯t believe (4) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios as soon as she finished speaking, the surroundings became even quieter. many people held their breaths. this time, everyone forgot about li zhaodi and turned their attention to the question of ¡°crazy¡±. all eyes were focused on zeng ya. there was fear, shock, and disgust in their faces. tang jinyun, who had returned to her senses, took a few steps back in fear of being stained with something dirty. zeng ya felt that everyone¡¯s gazes were like countless needles stabbing into her body. she looked at gu yanfei angrily and barely maintained her elegant demeanor. however, her voice had already turned cold. ¡°second lady gu, you¡¯re going too far by slandering me like this!¡± when she said the last sentence, her tone was as cold as ice. she felt that gu yanfei was simply muddle-headed. ridiculous, what a joke! does gu yanfei think that she can hide her past just because she accused me?! ¡°why would a crazy person admit that she¡¯s crazy!¡± wei jiaoniang crossed her arms and looked at the ashen-faced zeng ya leisurely. she sighed and said, ¡°i once heard my mother talk about zeng yue. zeng yue must have made her crazy¡­¡± zeng yue was a character from more than 70 years ago. originally, his qualifications were mediocre. at the age of 20, he hadn¡¯t even read all four books and five scriptures. however, after he was rescued from the water when he was 21 years old, he suddenly seemed to have been enlightened and became a poet. in just a few months, he had produced a few peerless poems, such as ¡°quiet night thoughts¡±, ¡°wielder¡¯s load¡±, ¡°pleasure in the rain on a spring night¡±, and so on. he was praised by those literati. later on, he kept saying that he knew how to make gunpowder and cannons. in the end, he blew up the house. a servant in the family was injured because of this. one of his legs was cut off by the iron piece that was blown away, but he claimed that his broken leg could be reattached. he spoke all kinds of crazy and unbelievable words. zeng yue¡¯s family tried to persuade and punish him, but to no avail. they could only invite a daoist priest to their door. the daoist priest said that zeng yue had been plagued by evil spirits when he fell into the water and was no longer zeng yue. that was why his actions were very different from before. zeng yue refused to admit it. he said that the daoist was a scammer. in the end, he was burned to death by the daoist. his death was quite tragic. he was only 25 years old when he died. many people present had read zeng yue¡¯s poems and had heard their families or masters mention zeng yue¡¯s deeds. at this moment, when they looked at zeng ya again, they felt their hair stand on end. ¡°zeng yue?¡± fan mushuang blinked and said thoughtfully, ¡°i remember. is he the ancestor of the zeng family?¡± ¡°could it be that¡­¡± madness would be passed down to future generations? even if fan mushuang didn¡¯t finish her sentence, most of the people around her had already thought of this. they looked at zeng ya with fear. initially, they only believed 40 to 50% of it, but now, they believe 70 to 80% of it. could it be that the evil spirit that possessed zeng yue back then hadn¡¯t left, and now¡­ zeng ya¡¯s face turned pale. even her fingers that were holding the fan handle began to turn white. a crack appeared inon her gentle and calm appearance. she gritted her teeth and said seriously, word by word, ¡°i¡¯m not crazy!¡± she felt a chill run down her spine as fear quickly spread from the bottom of her heart. it intertwined into a dense net that trapped her. initially, she firmly believed that no one would believe gu yanfei¡¯s nonsense. only now did she realize that she had underestimated gu yanfei. not only was gu yanfei the second lady of the gu family, but she was also the eldest prince¡¯s sweetheart. she was also proficient in magic spells. even shangqing spiritual master wasn¡¯t her match. gu yanfei¡¯s words had their own prestige. at this moment, zeng ya suddenly felt what it meant to kick a man who was down. she was afraid. she was afraid that others wouldn¡¯t believe her. she was afraid that everyone would believe gu yanfei! in that case, she would be ¡°crazy¡±. zeng ya became more and more uneasy. she wanted tang jinyun to speak up for her. when she turned around, she realized that tang jinyun had disappeared. not only tang jinyun, but the other close friends beside her also retreated in unison. the vigilance and disgust in their eyes were overflowing. an empty space suddenly appeared around her, as if an invisible wall separated her from the people around her. with a thought, wei jiaoniang¡¯s eyes darted around, and her pupils lit up. she sighed and said, ¡°sigh, she¡¯s so young. how pitiful. yanfei, is she like her ancestor, zeng yue?¡± ¡°it must be,¡± lu qin said. ¡°it¡¯s not what she wanted.¡± gu yanfei looked at zeng ya with a sigh. ¡°she¡¯s crazy. that¡¯s why she brought the future princess consort kang¡¯s biological sister to me!¡± ¡°no, i didn¡¯t!¡± zeng ya was even more agitated. her high and sharp voice cracked. in her agitation, she looked a little disheveled. she was no longer as gentle and elegant as usual. however, gu yanfei ignored her. instead, she turned her face to the right and glanced at chu you, who was approaching not far away.. she asked with a faint smile, ¡°your highness, am i right?¡± Chapter 608 - Chapter 608: Servant (1) chapter 608: servant (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°¡­¡± chu you, who was about ten feet away, stopped. his eyes instantly turned dark, like ink. he quietly looked straight into gu yanfei¡¯s eyes, and the two of them looked at each other. chu you stood beside a willow tree with his hands behind his back. gu yanfei was still sitting on the long bench by the lake, silent and motionless. the girl had a pair of clear eyes that seemed to be able to see through everything, as if no scheme could escape her eyes. chu you¡¯s face didn¡¯t show any change in expression. he was always expressionless, making it impossible to tell if he was happy or angry. under his seemingly indifferent appearance, his mind raced. this matter was very important, and he had never mentioned it to anyone. as for fang mingfeng, although he was stupid, he wouldn¡¯t talk nonsense at this juncture. it was impossible for gu yanfei to know¡­ after staring at gu yanfei for a moment, chu you calmly brushed off a willow leaf on his shoulder. ¡±1 don¡¯t understand what second lady gu means.¡± chu you said that he didn¡¯t understand, but the surrounding people couldn¡¯t help but let their thoughts wander. the biological sister of the future princess consort kang?! the future princess consort kang was the third daughter of the gu family, gu yunrong. didn¡¯t that mean that the maid named zhaodi was gu yunrong¡¯s sister? was this for real?! this was really a brilliant show! the young masters of the royal family exchanged looks excitedly, curious about the background of the zeng family¡¯s daughter-in-law. ¡°in that case¡­¡± the corners of gu yanfei¡¯s lips curled up even more. ¡°li zhaodi has nothing to do with your highness¡¯s future princess consort?¡± she raised her hand and pointed in the direction li zhaodi left. a meaningful smile appeared on her lips, as if she was provoking him. ¡°your highness, are you sure?¡± ¡°¡­¡± chu you¡¯s eyebrows twitched. the two of them looked at each other quietly, as if they were in a silent battle. as the silence spread, the air had a suffocating solemnity. no one spoke for a long time, as if time had stopped. chu you secretly gritted his teeth, and a conflicted expression flashed in his eyes. during these days, chu you exhausted all efforts and tried every possible way to save gu yunrong. he even went to the north town bureau several times, resorting to threats and enticements. finally, he lie allowed him to visit the prison, and only then did he get to see gu yunrong. at that time, gu yunrong had been locked in the imperial prison for a full five days. she had become much thinner, and there was a green shadow under her eyes. she looked very haggard, making chu you¡¯s heart feel like it was being sliced by a knife. his rong¡¯cr had never suffered like this in her life! but even so, she still comforted him. ¡°your highness, i¡¯m fine. 1 have a clear conscience. your highness, don¡¯t take the risk for me.¡± her considerate words were still ringing in his ears, and chu you¡¯s chest was burning. for the sake of gu yunrong, chu you lowered his head to the emperor again and again, taking many concessions. he even promised to bring gu yunrong to the fiefdom after the big marriage and never return to the capital. for him, this choice was quite difficult. the throne had once been the goal he had fought for for the past 20 years. since he was young, the previous emperor had told him that this throne belonged to him. for this, the previous emperor had bitterly plotted for 20 years. if the previous emperor could live for another three to five years, if chu yi died in the state of yue, it might be a different situation¡­ however, the late emperor left too suddenly. today, as the crown prince, he naturally ascended the throne after the late emperor died. in the past year, chu you had never given up. he believed that he could still fight for it, but now, for the sake of gu yunrong, he was determined to give up. however, the emperor still didn¡¯t agree. of course, chu you didn¡¯t want to have anything to do with a lowly person like li zhaodi, but for his sake¡­ he had no other choice. chu you clenched his fists tightly and said with extreme difficulty, ¡°that¡¯s rong¡¯er¡¯s sister.¡± as soon as these words were spoken, the blood on zeng ya¡¯s face quickly faded, turning pale. her legs felt like they weighed ten thousand pounds. his answer was no different from proving gu yanfei¡¯s words. zeng ya couldn¡¯t help but tremble. ¡°miss zeng.¡± gu yanfei¡¯s cold gaze turned from chu you¡¯s face to zeng ya and sighed regretfully. ¡°you¡¯re indeed ¡®crazy¡¯.¡± ¡°no, i¡¯m not!¡± zeng ya said sternly, her voice even sharper. her panicked expression made her words unconvincing. another breeze blew gently. the long willow branches by the lake swayed, and a few willow leaves fluttered messily in the wind. the surrounding people were already shocked. only chu yi was calm and composed.. Chapter 609 - Chapter 609: Servant (2) chapter 609: servant (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios chu yi gently shook the folding fan in his hand with a smile on his face. when his deep, sea-like eyes looked at gu yanfei, they revealed endless gentleness, and his brows were filled with indelible love. ¡°what exactly is going on?!¡± in the crowd, someone muttered softly. just now, when the servant named zhaodi kept calling second lady gu her sister, li erya, they were more or less a little doubtful. but now, after the tables had turned, kang wang actually personally admitted that li zhaodi was the sister of the third daughter of the gu family, gu yunrong. the noble girls present were very familiar with third miss gu. she was outstanding among the young ladies in the capital in various aspects such as zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting. moreover, she had a wide circle of friends and had a good relationship with noble girls like princess changqing and county lord ya¡¯an. she was an influential figure in the capital. last year, she was even bestowed a marriage by the empress dowager and became the future princess consort kang. however, no one knew why gu yunrong suddenly changed from the eldest daughter to the daughter of the second branch. in a rich family, it wasn¡¯t rare to adopt children. if the gu family didn¡¯t say it themselves, no one would pursue the matter. to put it bluntly, this was someone else¡¯s business. but now, kang wang actually said that gu yunrong¡¯s sister was a servant of the zeng family. this kind of thing was simply unheard of. it was even more strange and shocking than the scenes in those movies! everyone couldn¡¯t help but be in an uproar, but no one dared to question chu you in person. they looked at him in unison, wanting to see if he would say anything else. however, chu you pursed his thin lips with a livid expression and said nothing. his silence was an affirmation, which meant that what he said just now wasn¡¯t a joke, but the truth. everyone was stunned and didn¡¯t recover for a long time. a round-faced girl licked her dry lips and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°just now, that servant of the zeng family said that her sister is li erya. then is the surname of the third daughter of the gu family gu or li?¡± ¡°third miss gu is li erya?¡± a young man said uncertainly. in other words, gu yunrong¡¯s surname was actually not gu, but li? the future princess consort kang had become a servant¡¯s sister. didn¡¯t that mean that the dignified kang wang was going to marry a son of his family as his main concubine? this was too ridiculous! everyone looked at kang wang in a subtle manner. no one paid attention to whether zeng ya was crazy anymore. gu yanfei smiled and asked, ¡°your highness, is it suitable for consort kang¡¯s sister to be a servant in someone else¡¯s house?¡± she raised her voice on the word ¡°sister¡± and ended with a faint sigh. she used a questioning tone, but she shook her head in disagreement. chu you¡¯s body suddenly tensed up as he slowly looked at zeng ya. his expression was dark, and his sword-like eyes were like an eagle staring at its prey. the atmosphere was even colder, and there was a faintly murderous aura in the air. chu you didn¡¯t say anything, but zeng ya shuddered in fright. she almost used all her strength to not lose her composure. zeng ya bent her knee and bowed to chu you with difficulty. her voice was a little hoarse. ¡°your highness, i¡¯ll get someone to send zhaodi to the prince¡¯s residence later.¡± gu yanfei interrupted leisurely, ¡°then the slave contract¡­¡± ¡°of course, the slave contract will also be sent to the prince¡¯s residence with others!!¡± zeng ya couldn¡¯t wait to interrupt gu yanfei. her lips were so pale that they were almost green, and she didn¡¯t dare to look at chu you¡¯s sinister and sharp gaze at all. her heart was in a mess. panic, fear, surprise, uneasiness, resentment, and other emotions rolled in her heart. her inner clothes behind her were drenched in sweat. she really didn¡¯t understand why kang wang would admit this. this was completely harmful to kang wang without any benefits. could it be that kang wang was coerced by gu yanfei? or did gu yanfei use some method to control other people¡¯s minds? various speculations appeared in her heart. zeng ya¡¯s heart was even more confused, and her hands trembled. this matter involved kang wang, which was equivalent to her exposing the kang king¡¯s shortcomings in public. she could confirm that she wouldn¡¯t do well when she returned today. zeng ya¡¯s nails almost bled from digging into her palm. she tried her best to explain calmly, ¡°your highness, i took zhaodi in because i felt that she was pitiful. i really didn¡¯t expect zhaodi to talk nonsense¡­¡± she tried to clear her name. on the one hand, she told herself that she wasn¡¯t wrong, but on the other hand, her hand was still trembling uncontrollably. she had never been so afraid as today. ¡°no.¡± gu yanfei gently interrupted zeng ya and said firmly, ¡°you¡¯re crazy.¡± with that said, she turned to look at chu you, who was 10 feet away, and asked with a smile, ¡°your highness, is that so?¡± Chapter 610 - Chapter 610: Servant (3) chapter 610: servant (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios gu yanfei tilted her snow-white cheeks and smiled slyly. she believed that she wasn¡¯t a magnanimous person, and she was very petty. she had always been vengeful. she didn¡¯t mind showing this in front of everyone. then, the next time others wanted to provoke her, they would naturally consider if they could withstand her counterattack. chu you¡¯s heart was a mess. when he heard that, he was even more furious, and his gaze was uncertain. after trying all kinds of methods but to no avail, he could only lower his head and look for fang mingfeng. only then did he know that fang mingfeng had actually brought the li family to the capital. this time, gu jian and his mother were related to the yu family¡¯s rebellion. they were guilty of conspiracy, which involved the entire family. now that gu yunrong was gu jian¡¯s daughter in name, it was recorded in the gu family register. it naturally couldn¡¯t be hidden. even if chu you could persuade the emperor to agree to pardon gu yunrong and not be guilty, with her identity as the daughter of a sinner, gu yunrong wouldn¡¯t contribute much to the imperial court. it was probably impossible for him to marry gu yunrong as his main concubine again. unless gu yunrong wasn¡¯t gu jian¡¯s daughter. unless gu yunrong had nothing to do with gu jian and was removed from the gu family¡¯s genealogy. however, in this way¡­ ¡°chu you, you have to think carefully. this way, hong rong¡¯s true identity will be completely exposed in front of everyone and can¡¯t be hidden anymore. rong rong will probably become the topic of gossip after dinner.¡± chu you could naturally imagine what fang mingfeng could think. with gu yunrong¡¯s character, she wouldn¡¯t be willing to become a laughing stock. for the past two days, chu you had been hesitating and weighing the pros and cons. he also wanted to consider carefully if there was a more suitable way to let gu yunrong escape from the gu family and settle the li family with a dignified identity. the li family, born into a noble lineage, was even lower in status than common peasants! but before he could arrange everything, he encountered this matter. at this moment, chu you really wanted to kill zeng ya! in the past, zeng ya thought she was smart, but later, gu yanfei pressed on step by step, forcing her to have no other choice. in the blink of an eye, chu you¡¯s mind was already filled with thoughts. he made a decision in his heart. he stared at zeng ya with cold eyes and said word by word, ¡°my future princess consort has a biological sister who went missing a few days ago. these days, i¡¯ve ordered people to look for her everywhere. i didn¡¯t expect her to be abducted by your zeng family.¡± ¡°your zeng family abducted her first, and now you¡¯re even distorting right and wrong here. if you don¡¯t have evil followers around you, could it be that the zeng family deliberately provoked the royal family and made me and the eldest prince not get along?!¡± ¡°you¡¯re already so crazy, but the zeng family still lets you come to the palace. it¡¯s really inappropriate!¡¯1 unlike gu yanfei1 s gentle voice just now, chu you didn¡¯t hide his thunderous anger at all. in just a few words, he had already sealed the coffin and made a conclusion, not giving zeng ya any room to refute or question. if he said that zeng ya had gone crazy, then zeng ya was crazy. otherwise, the zeng family would have a sinister heart. it was just one of two choices. even if zeng ya didn¡¯t choose, the zeng family would choose for her. zeng ya sensed chu you¡¯s anger and looked at his bulging temples in fear, but she still stood straight, unwilling to lose the bearing of an aristocratic family. she wasn¡¯t afraid of kang wang. kang wang couldn¡¯t do anything to her. the problem was that she had acted on her own accord in this matter and caused such consequences. if the news reached home, her father and brother would definitely be furious. in order to calm the impact of this matter, even if she didn¡¯t go crazy, she would probably be crowned with this title by her father, brother, and clansmen. just like her uncle, zeng yue. her uncle, zeng yue, was a very contradictory person. on the one hand, he was talented and left behind a first-generation poem. on the other hand, he was crazy by nature and had many strange ideas. one moment, he built cannons and blew up houses. the next moment, he said that he could open the patient¡¯s stomach and undergo surgery. in the presence of his primary wife, he even suggested promoting a personal maidservant to a similar status, blurring the lines of hierarchy and treating everyone equally¡­ outsiders only knew that zeng yue had been burned to death by the daoist priest¡¯s method, but she happened to hear her father and brother¡¯s secret conversation and knew that the truth wasn¡¯t so. it turned out that the daoist wasn¡¯t invited by the zeng family. he was here on the orders of the previous emperor. the previous emperor was afraid of zeng yue and wanted him to die. if a monarch wanted a subject to die, the subject had no choice but to die, so zeng yue could only die. she would also have the same outcome as zeng yue. ¡°men, take her away!¡¯1 chu you ordered coldly. ¡°i¡­* zeng ya panicked and finally couldn¡¯t help but take a step back, at a loss. she was already in a dilemma. not only did she offend gu yanfei, but she also offended kang wang. if she admitted that she had deliberately lured li zhaodi to slander gu yanfei, she would become a sinister villain. if she didn¡¯t say anything, she wouldn¡¯t be able to wash away her reputation as a crazy demon. no matter what, it would definitely sully her family¡¯s reputation. her family wouldn¡¯t let her off. zeng ya was at a loss and was sweating profusely. at this moment, no matter what she said, it was wrongs Chapter 611 - Chapter 611: Returning (1) chapter 611: returning (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°sister tang.¡± ¡°sister li.¡± zeng ya called out in a hoarse voice. her voice was trembling, and her heart was as cold as ice as she looked around at everyone, wanting them to help her. however, tang jinyun, miss li, and the others avoided his gaze one after another, pretending not to see or hear her. no one spoke up for zeng ya, nor did anyone help her. everyone avoided her as much as possible. zeng ya felt despair. in less than an incense¡¯s time, she seemed to have been abandoned by this world and fell into a bottomless abyss. zeng ya¡¯s legs went weak, and she almost fell to the ground. the two servants grabbed zeng ya¡¯s arms silently and firmly shackled her like iron pincers. chu you said coldly again, ¡°bring her away.¡± the three words were gritted with hatred and forbearance. all kinds of emotions intertwined, as if the hot magma was about to spew out, but it couldn¡¯t be said. the servant responded and pulled zeng ya in the direction of the wooden bridge. zeng ya¡¯s heart turned cold, and her blood turned cold. the blood in her body almost froze, and fear and uneasiness occupied her thoughts. if she was sent home by kang wang¡¯s people just like that, would she ¡°die of illness¡±? in despair, she struggled randomly and grabbed tang jinyun¡¯s sleeve with her right hand. tang jinyun frowned slightly. it wasn¡¯t easy to push zeng ya, so her maid panicked. she stepped forward and grabbed zeng ya¡¯s right hand, forcefully prying her fingers away. the eunuch was already used to seeing palace maids unwilling to accept punishment in the palace. he didn¡¯t care at all and forcefully dragged zeng ya in another direction. zeng ya still didn¡¯t let go. tang jinyun¡¯s sleeve was pulled up and tightened by her¡­ at this moment, tang jinyun¡¯s expression also changed. she wanted zeng ya to let go, but she was worried about her bearing and could only call the maid¡¯s name softly. however, zeng ya¡¯s hand was really clenched too tightly, like a dying person holding onto a straw to clutch at. ¡°hiss¡ª¡± tang jinyun¡¯s sleeve was forcefully torn off by her. the two eunuchs dragged zeng ya away without changing their expressions or looking back. only tang jinyun, who had a piece of her sleeve missing, stood on the spot in a sorry state. tang jinyun¡¯s face turned green and white, and her face burned. she had never been so embarrassed in her life. to her, it was simply as if someone had taken off her clothes. she covered her face and almost fled. a few more girls from aristocratic families who were on good terms with her hurriedly chased after her. what happened in just an incense¡¯s time was simply a climax, with many twists and turns. everyone was immersed in deep shock, and the surroundings fell into dead silence. some slow-thinking people had yet to react. they looked at each other with blank expressions. however, most of the people present were young masters and girls carefully raised by their families. they weren¡¯t stupid. even if they didn¡¯t understand at the start, they understood now that it had developed to this point. ¡°jiaoniang, look, zeng ya is indeed crazy!¡± chu jia leaned leisurely on the armrest on the side of the long chair and smiled as she spoke to wei jiaoniang. most people knew very well that these girls from aristocratic families wanted to become the eldest prince¡¯s concubine. they didn¡¯t expect zeng ya to be so bold as to plot against gu yanfei in public in the royal palace. in the capital, the origin of the two girls from the gu family was very vague. it was a little secretive. zeng ya used this as an article to seize on and make an issue of something. she was originally pointing her sword at gu yanfei. unfortunately, she was too smart for her own good. she wanted to harm others, but she fell into it and stepped on kang wang¡¯s sore spot. ¡°indeed.¡± wei jiaoniang nodded repeatedly. ¡°as the saying goes, heaven¡¯s will is good!¡± the last half of her sentence was deliberately said at the top of her voice for the others present to hear. hmph, since zeng ya dared to scheme against others, she naturally had to be mentally prepared to suffer a setback. emperor taizu said that favors had to be returned. people around said, ¡°what a pity¡± and ¡°how could this be?¡± chu jia deliberately went in front of chu you and advised him nicely, ¡°uncle kang wang, don¡¯t be angry anymore. why are you angry at a crazy person!¡± at first, he seemed to be comforting chu you out of goodwill, but also seemed to be using words to stab chu you. chu you¡¯s expression instantly darkened again. his eyes narrowed into a line, and his gaze was like a nail nailing chu jia¡¯s face. the others whispered to each other. seeing that kang wang was so angry, one thing was very clear. that servant named li zhaodi should be gu yunrong¡¯s biological sister. many people were energetic. they felt that what they had seen today had added a lot of gossip to their boring days.. Chapter 612 - Chapter 612: Returning (2) chapter 612: returning (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios the discussions of men and women vaguely came from the crowd, rising and falling. ¡°since third miss gu is li erya, why did she become the daughter of the gu family?¡± ¡°perhaps the li family adopted their daughter into the gu family?¡± ¡°why would the gu family adopt the daughter of the li family for no reason? it¡¯s not like the gu family doesn¡¯t have a daughter!¡± ii ii ¡°no matter what, it¡¯s really¡­¡± for a moment, all kinds of speculation lingered in the air. no one even sensed when chu you would leave. many people also wanted to ask gu yanfei, but they didn¡¯t dare to. they could only take a detour to find wei jiaoniang, lu qin, and the others to ask. gu yanfei turned a deaf ear to the speculations around her. she leisurely got up from the long bench and looked at chu yi not far away with a faint smile. the handsome young man stood under a willow tree with swaying branches and leaves, as elegant as green bamboo. the golden sunlight reflected on his face, which was as crystalline as jade. his auspicious phoenix eyes were abnormally gentle, with the shattered shadows of the sun. when their eyes met, she seemed to have been pressed into a clear stream, reminding her of the scenes by the stream in the morning. her gaze accidentally lingered on his white jade earlobe. a rather inexplicable thought appeared in her mind. what would happen to him if she bit his ear? she was amused by this thought and smiled until her eyes curved up. she stretched out her hand to chu yi. ¡°lend me your pocket watch to play with.¡± she smiled slyly, and the smile vortex on her lips seemed to have been dipped in honey. as the two of them spoke, they completely ignored the fact that the surrounding people had stopped discussing. more and more eyes looked at gu yanfei and chu yi. private discussions rang around again. this time, the protagonists were chu yi and gu yanfei. but the two people at the center of the topic didn¡¯t care at all. chu yi followed her instructions and took out a silver pocket watch from his sleeve. he placed it in his palm and handed it to her. the young man¡¯s fair fingers were long and beautiful, like jade bamboo. they were clean and beautiful, and they looked a little compatible with the silver pocket watch. that pocket watch was still warm from his body temperature. it was warm to the touch, exactly the same as the pocket watch in the hands of the emperor and an le. the same pocket watch looked so small and exquisite in his palm, but in gu yanfci¡¯s hand, she couldn¡¯t hold it tightly. gu yanfei rubbed the slightly protruding grass patterns on the pocket watch and recalled that an le had said that the embroidered appearance on the dress she was wearing at the coming-of-age ceremony today was personally drawn by him. for her coming-of-age ceremony, he must have put in a lot of effort. just thinking about it made gu yanfei feel sweet in her heart. she looked up at his eyes and said calmly, ¡°i¡¯m very happy.¡± her eyes were filled with joy. she was happy that he had done these things for her, so she naturally wanted him to know her feelings. chu yi took a step closer to her, his long body casting a long shadow that caged her. he leaned over and whispered in her ear, ¡°then how do you plan to repay me?¡± as he spoke, the clear aura on his body assailed her nostrils. gu yanfei was stunned. her gaze landed on his fair and long neck. his slightly protruding adam¡¯s apple rolled as he spoke, and she felt her teeth grit again. was she a cat? this thought flashed across her mind. she tiptoed and imitated him. she whispered in his ear, ¡°another day.¡± this time, it was chu yi who was stunned. then, a gentle smile rippled across his handsome face. his entire face emitted an unbelievable light. it was clear, handsome, and dazzling. as he stood here, it was an endless spring. he smiled, and gu yanfei also smiled. he thought happily in his heart: she really knows how to coax people. ¡°yanfei.¡± wei jiaoniang waved at gu yanfei and shouted, ¡°let¡¯s play pitch-pot.¡± she called gu yanfei, which was equivalent to calling chu yi along. chu jia, chu shen, and the other members of the royal family also joined. they even called chu shen¡¯s sweetheart, the eldest daughter of the du family, and the dozen or so young masters and girls excitedly played pitch-pot. there was no lack of expert pitch-pot experts among the people present. in a battle, no one was willing to fall behind. they used the various skills they were good at, such as piercing ears, hearing, leaning poles, shooting arrows, and so on. applause and cheers kept coming from the surroundings, and there was no winner for a long time. not only was lu qin not good at wood shooting, but she was also not good at pitch-pot. she had long been eliminated, so she cheered for everyone at the side.. Chapter 613 - Chapter 613: Returning (3) chapter 613: returning (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios after playing for nearly an hour, eunuch he suddenly came in a hurry and walked straight to chu yi and gu yanfei. everyone looked at the sky. they originally thought that eunuch he was here to remind everyone to take their seats. unexpectedly, they heard eunuch he report with a smile, ¡°your highness, eldest prince, second lady gu, the emperor just gave an order to clear third lady gu¡¯s name.¡± upon hearing this, the people who were originally pitching the pot put down the bamboo arrow. the people who spoke also fell silent. everyone¡¯s gazes landed on eunuch he. chu yi replied with an ¡°oh¡±. upon receiving the eldest prince¡¯s encouraging gaze, eunuch he said energetically, ¡°the emperor has already investigated. because second lady gu is fated with the dao sect, she was adopted and raised by spiritual master lingxiao since she was young. back then, the old madam of the gu family missed her eldest son and chose a girl from her son to give to the marquis of dingyuan. she named her yunrong. last year, second lady gu left the sect and returned to the residence. gu yunrong was adopted into the second branch.¡± ¡°the emperor said that in the future, third miss gu will be removed from the gu family register and return to the surname li. if li yunrong isn¡¯t gu jian¡¯s daughter, she won¡¯t be implicated in gu jian¡¯s case. since the empress dowager has already arranged a marriage for her and kang wang, then choose a time to marry kang wang as soon as possible.¡± originally, kang wang and li yunrong should have gotten married on the 23rd of february. because li yunrong was locked in the imperial prison, even the marriage date was delayed. in the end, eunuch he added, ¡°the emperor has already ordered the embroidered uniform guards to release her.¡± the lakeside that was silent for a moment was instantly in an uproar. the emperor¡¯s decree was equivalent to confirming everyone¡¯s guess just now. they were all stunned. it wasn¡¯t that they looked down on commoners. back when emperor taizu advocated equality between men and women, there were also a few commoners who opened shops and traded to earn a living. they did their business well and spread their branches to the capital. for example, there were still several branches in the capital now. emperor taizu had also said that birth didn¡¯t determine anything. the princess consort of emperor taizu¡¯s third son, prince yu, was a commoner¡¯s daughter. emperor taizu also personally gave his son a marriage as prince yu requested. if kang wang wanted to marry a commoner girl as a princess consort, it wouldn¡¯t be a shocking rare thing. the problem was the true identity of the future princess consort, li yunrong. from the meaning of eunuch he¡¯s words just now, li yunrong was the daughter of a slave. if the li family sold themselves as slaves, they wouldn¡¯t be commoners, but rather among the lowest class of society. moreover, it was too strange for old madam gu to choose a servant to be her stepson¡¯s daughter. where did she place the status of master and servant? ridiculous, this was too ridiculous! the whispers around him became more and more noisy, and the voices became louder and louder, forming a buzzing sound¡­ thinking about what they had heard about the gu family previously, many people came to a realization, and the discussion became even more noisy. ¡°eunuch he just said that second lady gu is fated with the dao sect and has been a disciple of spiritual master lingxiao since she was young¡­ i think something¡¯s wrong. could it be that old madam gu secretly sent second lady gu to the daoist temple and deliberately carried a son for gu ce to be her daughter?¡± ¡°i think that¡¯s the case. when gu ce was alive, he probably didn¡¯t know that li yunrong was a daughter of a slave.¡± ¡°last year, when second lady gu returned, gu yuan only knew the truth. therefore, gu¡­ no, li yunrong changed from the eldest daughter of the gu family to the second daughter!¡± ¡°this old madam gu is too evil. she let gu ce raise a daughter of a slave like a treasure.¡± ¡°her heart is simply punishable by death!¡± ¡°yes, yes. old madam gu has always kept this li yunrong who occupied the nest. isn¡¯t this giving second lady gu trouble?¡± ii ii the more the young masters and ladies spoke, the more lively they became. they looked at gu yanfei sympathetically. some people even lamented that although gu yanfei had encountered a malicious step-grandmother like old madam gu, she was indeed fated with the dao sect. to be adopted by a strange person like spiritual master lingxiao and learn a transcendent xuan sect skill, this was also a kind of fate. gu yanfei looked at eunuch he steadily, her eyes as dark as the night. li yunrong, old madam gu, li zhaodi, fang mingfeng¡­ these people flashed in her mind in confusion, as if something had exploded in her mind. after experiencing 200 years in the bright spirit realm, she actually didn¡¯t care about the li family anymore. however, she cared in her previous life. the past 10 years in huaibei had been a nightmare that she couldn¡¯t get rid of. at that time, she lived very lowly. she was worried that her unbearable days in huaibei would be exposed one day, but she was also afraid that others would say that she was inferior to gu yunrong in everything, afraid that she would embarrass her biological parents. in her previous life, up to her death, she and gu yunrong were ¡°twins¡±. no one questioned gu yunrong¡¯s identity, but her background was speculated and criticized. many people outside said that her surname wasn¡¯t gu at all. it was because she looked like her biological mother, madam xie, that gu yuan recognized her as his sister. it was old madam gu who tolerated her eldest grandson¡¯s nonsense. she was clearly the biological daughter of gu ce and madam xie, and li yunrong was clearly the one occupying the nest, but no matter how she explained, it was useless. no one believed her. she was plagued by inner demons and couldn¡¯t let go even until her death. when she died, she died with endless regret and unwillingness. after being reborn, what she wanted was for her and gu yunrong to go their separate ways. gu yunrong was the daughter of luck and was protected by heaven¡¯s will. her identity was a blessing from heaven¡¯s will to gu yunrong. she couldn¡¯t fight head-on and could only take advantage of the situation. first, she urged fang mingfeng to bring the li family to the capital and split from the second branch. then, she let kang wang take the initiative to acknowledge this relative for gu yunrong. after avoiding the laws of heaven¡¯s will and scheming step by step, she finally reached the point where her identity was revealed. from today onwards, she had nothing to do with the li family anymore. how nice. the corners of gu yanfei¡¯s lips curled up, and her eyes turned sour. boom! waves of rumbling thunder seemed to enter her ears one after another. it was heavy and muffled, and the thunder seemed to be getting closer and closer, getting heavier and heavier. her heart seemed to have been struck by lightning as it twitched rapidly. she lowered her head slightly, her eyelashes trembling, and her vision was blurry. all kinds of chaotic and noisy voices surrounded her ears. she seemed to be able to hear it, but she also seemed to be unable to hear any sound. her mind buzzed. many images from her previous life flashed back one by one. she was whipped, trampled, mocked, humiliated, assassinated¡­ there were some things she thought she had long forgotten, but it turned out that she had never forgotten them. they were just buried in the depths of her memories¡­ suddenly, she felt a warmth in her palm. someone was holding her hand. the man¡¯s palm had a lively roughness to it. it was hot and scorching. the heat stuck to her soft palm, as if it could warm her heart along the blood, causing ripples in her heart. she felt her heart relax, as if countless chains wrapped around her heart had loosened with a click. she was finally free from the cage that had trapped her for two lifetimes¡­ gu yanfei slowly turned around and looked up at chu yi beside him with a smile. chu yi smiled slightly, as if spring had returned to the ground. the gentleness in his eyes overflowed. gu yanfei looked at him quietly with clear eyes. at this moment, her heart was unbelievably soft. whether she returned to this life not only because of her inner demon, but also because she had encountered him.. Chapter 614 - Chapter 614: Name (1) chapter 614: name (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios a flurry of footsteps suddenly walked over. ¡°your highness, eldest prince.¡± another green-robed inner servant in his forties rushed over and broke the subtle atmosphere. he reminded respectfully, ¡°it¡¯s about time.¡± chu yi smiled and still held gu yanfei¡¯s hand. he smiled and said, ¡°let¡¯s go.¡± gu yanfei adjusted her mood in an extremely short period of time and returned to normal. she also smiled and called wei jiaoniang, lu qin, and the others. ¡°please follow me to hall of flowers.¡± the green-robed inner servant led the way with a smile. not only here, but the others in the palace were also walking in the direction of the canopy hall in the center of the palace, like hundreds of birds looking at a phoenix. gradually, they encountered other familiar faces, and it was inevitable that they would talk about the emperor¡¯s decree. one moment, they talked about zeng ya, the next moment, li zhaodi, the identity of li yunrong, and the next moment, they talked about kang wang. almost everyone knew that gu yunrong was actually called ¡°li yunrong¡±. for those people from aristocratic families, this news was like a thunderclap descending from the sky, shaking their ears. for hundreds of years, these noble families valued bloodlines the most. in the past, the aristocratic families had always been married to the aristocratic families. the aristocratic families had no choice but to marry their daughters to these new nobles in the royal court. now, kang wang actually wanted to marry a servant¡¯s daughter and a son. this was already challenging the bottom line of these families. before the banquet even started, chu you was stopped by xiao shoufu, wang kangyin, and the others in a pavilion outside the hall of flowers. these people took turns to go to the camp and persuade chu you. ¡°your highness, your marriage with li yunrong can¡¯t be arranged!¡± ¡°your highness, with li yunrong¡¯s background, how will she be a mother to the world in the future and convince the public!¡± ¡°your highness, your mother¡¯s family is the yuan family of yangzhou, which has lasted for 300 years. countless officials have appeared in the family and have noble bloodlines, but what about this li yunrong? her bloodline is too low!¡± ¡°the child of a servant will also give birth to a child. li yunrong is the daughter of a slave. in the future, when she and his highness give birth to lin¡¯er, this child will also have the bloodline of a servant. how can she inherit the throne?!¡± ¡°your highness, you can¡¯t ignore the big picture for a mere li yunrong!¡± xiao shoufu and the other officials of the aristocratic families went from persuasion to threat and used both soft and hard methods. it was never their wish for their dignified family to kneel before emperor taizu. could it be that they would have to bow down to the daughter of a slave in the future? just thinking about it made these aristocratic descendants¡¯ hearts turn cold. their tone also became unyielding and almost threatening. but no matter who came to persuade him, chu you didn¡¯t say anything. he turned around and begged the emperor at the hundred flower banquet to let him marry li yunrong as soon as possible. regarding this, xiao shoufu and the others were extremely disappointed. kang wang was stubborn and insisted on marrying a daughter of a slave as the main concubine, messing up the hierarchy and tainting the bloodline of the aristocratic families. but before they could object in public, the emperor had already readily agreed. therefore, when he returned to the capital that day, chu you didn¡¯t return to the prince¡¯s residence. he rushed to the imperial prison of north town bureau to pick her up. the members of the gu family were all locked up in prison. the moment they saw chu you, gu yunrong was surprised. gu jian and the others from the gu family were pleasantly surprised, as if they had seen their savior. ¡°your highness!¡± ¡°your highness, are you here to save us?¡± in the cell, the excited shouts of gu jian, madam wang, gu xiao, and the others rose and fell. everyone from the gu family looked at chu you with hope. however, chu you didn¡¯t even look at the gu family. he walked straight to gu yunrong and said, ¡°rong¡¯er, i¡¯m here to pick you up.¡± these words doused gu jian and the others with cold water, and the flames in their eyes darkened. the embroidered uniform guards immediately unlocked the door and opened the cell door. ¡°your highness¡­¡± gu yunrong shouted passionately. a hazy mist appeared in her eyes, looking beautiful. she looked even thinner than the last time they met. her face was haggard, and she was no longer as energetic as before. her black and green hair was only tied up in the simplest grip. there were no accessories at all. her sideburns were slightly messy, and her bright red dress was a little wrinkled, but it was still clean. ¡°rong¡¯er.¡± chu you¡¯s burning gaze lingered greedily on gu yunrong¡¯s beautiful face, wishing he could carve her in his heart. at this moment of seeing her, the restless heart that had been wandering for days finally found its place, and a sense of tranquility settled within him.. Chapter 615 - Chapter 615: Name (2) chapter 615: name (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios as long as rong¡¯cr was fine, any price he paid was worth it. chu you anxiously pulled gu yunrong¡¯s fair little hand out and held it tightly. ¡°let¡¯s go.¡± gu yunrong also looked at chu you in a daze. he had also lost weight and looked haggard. it must have been hard on him because of her. gu yunrong had many questions in her heart that she wanted to ask chu you, but when she thought that this wasn¡¯t the right place, she finally shut her mouth. ¡°your highness, you have to save us. we¡¯re innocent. madam lei wronged us.¡± gu jian, who was in the next room, quickly pulled himself together from his dispirited state. he told himself in his heart that since kang wang could save gu yunrong, he definitely had a way to save them. ¡°that¡¯s right, we were wronged.¡± gu xiao grabbed the wooden fence of the cell tightly and shouted at chu you with red eyes. his voice was hoarse, as if it had been tempered by sand and rocks. ¡°girl, tell his highness well that he has to save us¡­¡± madam wang shouted excitedly, her tears falling like rain. her hair was messy, and her eyes were in a panic. she was so panicked that she couldn¡¯t control herself. she really couldn¡¯t stay in this damn place anymore. the past 10 days had been like an endless nightmare to her. however, no matter how they shouted, chu you didn¡¯t say a word, as if he didn¡¯t hear them. gu yunrong composed herself and instructed gu jian in the cell next door gently, ¡°father, take good care of grandma¡­¡± ¡°are you leaving or not?¡± the embroidered uniform guards rudely interrupted gu yunrong. even when facing the dignified kang wang, they still had an imposing aura. gu yunrong frowned slightly and subconsciously looked at chu you. the dim light cast a shadow on his face, making his facial features look deep and cold. but his large palm was so hot as he held her hand tightly, and his temperature was terrifyingly high. he only said two words, ¡°let¡¯s go.¡± he held gu yunrong¡¯s thin hand forcefully and gently as they walked out. when the embroidered uniform guards carrying lanterns left with chu you and gu yunrong, the light also disappeared into the distance. the surroundings became darker and darker, and darkness swallowed them bit by bit. the darkness brought uneasiness, fear, and anxiety. looking at chu you¡¯s departing figure, gu jian suddenly felt that the other party would never look back, and his heart skipped a beat. he swallowed his saliva and looked at old madam gu in the cell opposite with sweat all over his face. he said anxiously, ¡°mother, what if¡­¡± if even kang wang couldn¡¯t save the gu family, what should they do? would their entire family be beheaded or exiled 3,000 miles away? old madam gu looked more than ten years older, and her temples were covered in silver hair. she clenched the prayer bead bracelet in her hand hard, as if she was comforting her son, but also herself. she said in a low voice, ¡°the second girl is a child with a conscience. if kang wang can save her, she will also let kang wang save us.¡± when gu jian, madam wang, and the others heard that, hope ignited in their dark and gray eyes. she kept telling herself: thats right, gu yunrong will definitely let kang wang save us. we are her family. if the dignified princess consort kangs entire family is punished, how would she live it down? how would kang wang live it down! this was already the last straw that supported them. as the light faded, the prison became pitch-black again. it was silent, and only low sobs sounded. gu yunrong followed chu you out of the prison in silence and left the north town bureau. when she got into the carriage of the prince¡¯s residence, she still felt that it was unreal. the carriage slowly moved forward, and the sound of the wheels echoed around. there was only chu you and gu yunrong in the carriage. chu you hugged gu yunrong tightly in her arms and let her head snuggle against his chest. the two of them were like travelers who had walked alone for a long time and finally met each other when they were exhausted. they warmed up and snuggled up to each other. after the carriage turned the corner, it swayed slightly. ¡°your highness, is the emperor willing to let me go?¡± gu yunrong looked up from his arms. her eyes were slightly red, and her voice was trembling. her hand subconsciously grabbed his shirt. even if she didn¡¯t ask, she understood in her heart that kang wang must have paid a huge price to let her out of the imperial prison. she was touched, but at the same time, her heart ached for his sacrifice for her. chu you lowered his head slightly and gently kissed the top of her head. his hot breath blew on her ear, and his iron arm shackled her even harder in his arms. that empty heart felt warm and filled again.. Chapter 616 - Chapter 616: Name (3) chapter 616: name (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°rong¡¯er, you don¡¯t have to worry about anything. our marriage date is in three days.¡± ¡°you will be princess kang.¡± ¡°no one will laugh at you.¡± his last words were very, very soft, almost a whisper, almost an oath. gu yunrong was at a loss, not understanding what chu you meant. however, she quickly understood. chu you didn¡¯t send her back to the gu residence in reed alley. instead, he sent her to the door of a small house in copper gong alley in the west of the city. this house had neither a plaque nor lanterns. he didn¡¯t know which family it belonged to. the carriage stopped quietly at the entrance of the house for nearly ten minutes before the door at the back of the carriage was pushed open from the inside. a new red cloak appeared on gu yunrong¡¯s body. she was personally helped down the carriage by chu you. she looked lost and almost sprained her ankle when she landed. fortunately, chu you supported her in time. gu yunrong¡¯s face was even paler than when she came out of the imperial prison. there seemed to be countless bees buzzing in her mind, making it impossible for her to think rationally. her mind was only filled with the words chu you had just said to her, echoing repeatedly. ¡°second girl!¡± after the door was opened, a middle-aged man in a gray robe rushed towards her happily and excitedly. he was energetic, and his footsteps were strong. behind the man was a large family. there was an old woman with white hair, a young woman in green in her twenties, and an eight or nine-year-old boy with a snotty nose. they shouted ¡°granddaughter¡±, ¡°second sister¡±, and ¡°second girl¡± at the same time. they all looked at her with burning gazes, their faces revealing mixed emotions of flattery, greed, flattery, envy, lowliness, and so on, as if they were looking at a shining golden buddha. gu yunrong seemed to have been struck by lightning and was stunned. ¡°your highness!¡± father li took two more steps towards chu you and bowed respectfully and attentively to chu you, his eyes surprisingly bright. his daughter was really too capable. he was about to have a prince as a son-in-law! their li family was about to ascend to heaven. the other li family members were completely intimidated by chu you¡¯s oppressive aura and didn¡¯t dare to look at him directly at all. they only bowed. chu you said coldly, ¡°no need for formalities.¡± he disdained to say another word to them. ¡°second sister.¡± the boy, li hao, sniffled. his oily and dirty hand grabbed gu yunrong¡¯s sleeve, and he asked matter-of-factly, ¡°did you bring delicious snacks and preserves?¡± ¡°second girl, i¡¯ve finally seen you¡­ you¡¯ve grown so big.¡± ¡°granddaughter, why are you only here to see grandma now?¡± ii ii their voices buzzed into her ears, and the smiles on their faces were exaggerated and fawning. they surrounded her. yellow teeth appeared between father li¡¯s mouth and lips, and his body emitted an indescribable scent. li hao¡¯s snot sucked in and almost dripped onto his lips. aunt li¡¯s palm was rough and cracked like old bark, and the space under her nails was pitch-black. there were also two thick gray nails on her right hand. ¡°¡­¡± gu yunrong couldn¡¯t look at them directly at all. it was as if her throat was being strangled. she couldn¡¯t say a word, scaring her into taking a few steps back. she had grown up in the marquis mansion since she was young. be it when gu ce was alive or when she was raised in the benevolent harmony hall later, she had always been pampered and noble. she had never seen such a lowly family. she couldn¡¯t help but bite the tip of her tongue. the tip of her tongue hurt, and the pain told her that all of this was reality. these were her relatives in her bloodline. from then on, she was no longer gu yunrong, but li yunrong. in the past, she felt that it didn¡¯t matter what her name or surname was. she was her, unique, and her name was just an external object¡­ she never felt that she owed gu yanfei anything. the one who switched the two babies was mother su, not her. but just now, when chu you told her in the carriage that she wanted to return to the surname li and that she would get married from the li family, she had a feeling that the world was collapsing. it was as if she was instantly swept into an unlucky bottomless abyss, or as if there were huge waves surging and rolling in her body. from today onwards, she was li yunrong! only at this moment did she deeply realize this. her heart accelerated uncontrollably, and her breathing stopped. even her back was covered in cold sweat. she opened her mouth slightly and turned to look at chu you. her eyes were watery and her expression was helpless. her stiff limbs were filled with rejection.. Chapter 617 - Chapter 617: Name (4) chapter 617: name (4) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios she didn¡¯t want to stay here, let alone have these people together. chu you¡¯s heart ached. he glared at father li and the others coldly and reprimanded, ¡°backdown.¡± the two words had a shocking aura like lightning and were dignified without being angry. the oppressive aura of a superior was displayed completely as he shouted. father li was so scared that he hurriedly picked up his son, called his mother and eldest daughter, and retreated far away. as li zhaodi walked, she couldn¡¯t help but turn around. she saw that chu you, who had a cold expression just now, had become infinitely gentle and considerate when facing li yunrong. was this kang wang?! he looked even more noble than the heir of the british duke, fang mingfeng. he was born to be a nobleman that people respected¡­ her biological sister was about to marry the emperor¡¯s brother, but what about her? the person she married was just a small merchant who opened a store. he was extremely crude and died young. she had only married for two years and became a widow. her in-laws even scolded her for jinxing her husband. li zhaodi¡¯s heart was sour and bitter. she looked at li yunrong in a daze and thought of gu yanfei and the eldest prince again. she had only glanced at the eldest prince from afar. the eldest prince was as handsome as a painting, and kang wang was noble and dignified. the two of them had their own merits and were both dragons and phoenixes among men. jealousy bit her heart like a poisonous worm. chu you raised his hand and gently touched li yunrong¡¯s sideburns. his eyes were filled with gentleness, and his voice was even more affectionate. ¡°rong¡¯er, soon. you just need to stay here for a few days.¡± three days later, they would get married. after the wedding, she would be his princess consort. no one could take her away from him anymore. ¡°i know, it¡¯s been hard on you¡­¡± as chu you spoke, he looked around the narrow and small courtyard. the ground in the courtyard was paved with stone, and a loquat tree was planted in the northwest corner. he could even hear the rough cursing of his neighbors next to the courtyard wall¡­ chu you frowned deeply, his face as stiff as cold iron. because li yunrong was going to get married from the li family, chu you originally wanted them to stay in a house under the name of kang wang¡¯s residence, but fang mingfeng firmly disagreed. he kept saying, ¡°rong rong has already suffered enough being locked in the imperial prison these days. we can¡¯t let her even get married so lowly.¡± ¡°do you want her to marry into kang wang¡¯s residence from kang wang¡¯s manor?! what will others say about her? if they say that the li family is the slave of kang wang¡¯s manor, what will happen to her!!¡± ¡°no, definitely not!¡± ¡°since you¡¯re rong rong¡¯s future husband, why can¡¯t you consider her more from her perspective!¡± under fang mingfeng¡¯s insistence, chu you compromised and let fang mingfeng arrange the current residence for the li family. the house was neither big nor small. it was only two rooms, and it was barely considered clean and tidy. fang mingfeng even arranged for a few servants to serve him. this two-in-one residence wasn¡¯t bad for ordinary families, but in chu you¡¯s eyes, it was really not presentable. even the servants in the prince¡¯s residence lived better than here. at the thought of his rong¡¯er living in such a broken and small house for three days, chu you felt like his heart was being cut by a knife. he felt that his princess consort had suffered too much. he really wanted to bring li yunrong back to the prince¡¯s residence now. li yunrong¡¯s face was still pale, and she had mixed feelings. after the initial embarrassment and shock, she began to calm down. she carefully packed up the little emotions in her heart, and her breathing gradually became stable. she gently let go of chu you¡¯s wrist and said considerately, ¡°your highness, you can leave first. i¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°rong¡¯er¡­¡± chu you hadn¡¯t seen li yunrong for a few days. his heart was filled with yearning and he wanted to accompany her more. li yunrong smiled tiredly and said, ¡°your highness, i just came out of prison. i also want to wash up and rest for a while.¡± she looked at chu you without blinking, her smile as bright and beautiful as ever. only she knew the nervousness in her heart. her heart was a mess, and she had to use almost all her strength to barely not look away. she didn¡¯t want kang wang to stay here and didn¡¯t want him to see this despicable family again. they made her feel like a fig leaf had been pulled off, making her unable to raise her head. how could she have such a relative! li yunrong felt as if a hard object was stuffed in her chest. she couldn¡¯t breathe and really wanted to dig a hole and hide in it. however, she couldn¡¯t let kang wang see the abnormality. she could only smile as if nothing had happened. chu you couldn¡¯t bear to part with her. he caressed her delicate cheek with his right hand and said gently, ¡°then i¡¯ll leave first. rest well. i¡¯ll come and see you tomorrow morning.¡± chu you impatiently reminded li yunrong before leaving reluctantly and getting into the carriage that he came in. only when the carriage disappeared into the alley did li yunrong turn around and return to the residence. the li family was still standing under the loquat tree, not far away. father li looked at li yunrong eagerly. aunt li took out an oil paper bag for her precious grandson, but li hao didn¡¯t care at all. he pushed aunt li away roughly. li zhaodi quickly supported the staggering aunt li and was scolded by aunt li. this family made li yunrong unable to look at them directly. li yunrong endured the disgust in her heart and slowly walked in front of them. she asked calmly, ¡°where¡¯s my room?¡± her gaze and expression seemed to be looking at a stranger.. Chapter 618 - Chapter 618: Heaven’s Abandonment (1) chapter 618: heaven¡¯s abandonment (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios father li looked at his daughter, who was as beautiful as a fairy, and was both smug and a little in awe. he rubbed his hands and said, ¡°second girl, you¡¯re staying with your big sister.¡± he smiled and waved at li zhaodi. ¡°zhaodi, quickly bring your sister to your room to take a look.¡± li zhaodi smiled dryly. ¡°second sister, follow me¡­¡± ¡°this is a house with enough rooms. why should two people share one room?¡± li yunrong interrupted li zhaodi¡¯s words without politeness, her gaze cold and a far cry from her usual graceful demeanor. father li explained perfunctorily, ¡°second girl, we just moved here yesterday. the other rooms haven¡¯t been tidied up yet. your brother originally stayed in your room first.¡± this new house was also prepared by fang mingfeng. fang mingfeng didn¡¯t want to let li yunrong suffer, so he specially ordered someone to tidy up a room for her. the furniture and furnishings inside were all good things that had been redecorated. when li hao saw it yesterday, he directly occupied the largest and best room. for father li, this was a small matter. it was just a room. if li hao wanted to stay, he could. ¡°what do you mean by her room?¡± li hao¡¯s sense of danger immediately rose. he screamed, ¡°that¡¯s my room! my room!!¡± he stomped his feet heavily, his voice sharp and high to the point of piercing one¡¯s eardrums. li yunrong frowned slightly and revealed a displeased expression. this brat actually dared to snatch the house that kang wang had specially prepared for her. he was shameless and had no manners. how could such a despicable person be her younger brother! ¡°no.¡± li yunrong¡¯s face was tense. she was angry, embarrassed, and annoyed. her tone was flat as she said firmly, ¡°i¡¯m not used to living with others. tell him to move out of my room immediately.¡± father li still wanted to persuade li yunrong nicely, but li hao howled first, ¡°i¡¯m not moving!¡± ¡°why should i move?!¡± ¡°this is my house! if you don¡¯t want to stay, move away!¡± li hao sat on the ground and made a fuss at the top of his voice. he wiped the corners of his eyes with one hand and pretended to cry. ¡°aiyo, my baby, stop crying.¡± aunt li¡¯s heart ached for her grandson and she hurriedly comforted him. then, she took two big steps forward and raised her hand to point at li yunrong¡¯s nose. she said sternly, ¡°li erya, you heartless, wretched girl. you even dare to bully your brother. this is your only brother!¡± ¡°what¡¯s wrong with your brother wanting one of your rooms?!¡± ¡°you shameless loser!¡± aunt li glared at li yunrong fiercely. she really wanted to slap her and let this damn girl know how powerful she was. i¡¯m not li erya! li yunrong almost shouted this sentence, but she forcefully bit her lips and swallowed her words. with his grandmother¡¯s support, li hao stopped pretending to cry. he raised his chin and shouted at li yunrong, ¡°i¡¯m your younger brother. what¡¯s yours is mine!¡± ¡°hmph, you wear gold and silver yourself and didn¡¯t even bring me any delicious food!¡± li hao leaped up from the ground agilely and pointed at the jade pendant hanging on li yunrong¡¯s waist. ¡°give me your jade pendant and i¡¯ll forgive you.¡± li hao stretched out his hand to li yunrong domineeringly. he was an only son and a descendant of the li family. since he was young, he was used to everyone pampering him and giving in to him. he naturally thought that li yunrong had to listen to him. ¡°you wretched girl, quickly give the jade pendant to your brother!¡± aunt li shouted. her burning gaze turned to the green jade ring beside li yunrong¡¯s waist. this jade looked good. it must be a good thing. this kind of good thing should be kept for her precious grandson. ¡°no.¡± li yunrong pulled a long face and said in a very strong tone, ¡°this is my jade pendant.¡± facing the unreasonable li family, she couldn¡¯t smile at all. she pursed her lips tightly. ¡°second sister, you shouldn¡¯t talk to your grandmother and brother like this,¡± li zhaodi advised righteously, suppressing the jealousy in her heart. as long as she saw li yunrong, li zhaodi couldn¡¯t help but think of how kang wang protected her. she recalled fang mingfeng¡¯s obsessed and affectionate gaze when he looked at her that day. the two men didn¡¯t even look at her! li zhaodi felt extremely uncomfortable. she took a deep breath and continued, ¡°brother hao is our biological brother, the root of our li family. we¡¯re his sisters, so we should treat our younger brother better and give in to him.¡± ¡°we only have one brother. when he grows up in the future, he will also be our support..¡± Chapter 619 - Chapter 619: Heaven’s Abandonment (2) chapter 619: heaven¡¯s abandonment (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios li zhaodi clenched the handkerchief in her hand. these words came from the bottom of her heart. ¡°that¡¯s right.¡± li hao wiped his mucus randomly with the back of his hand and said to li yunrong arrogantly, ¡°if you don¡¯t treat me better, be careful that i won¡¯t back you up after you get married in the future! you useless thing!¡± ¡°give it to me!¡± he rushed towards li yunrong like a little cow, grabbed her cloak with one hand, and pulled down the jade pendant on her waist with the other. after snatching the jade pendant, he turned and ran, throwing himself into aunt li¡¯s arms. li yunrong originally wanted to take back her jade pendant, but she noticed that a pool of sticky liquid the size of a finger was left on the place where li hao had just pulled her cloak. this was¡­ li yunrong instantly seemed to be frozen, and her entire body froze. it took her a beat to realize that this was li hao¡¯s mucus. goosebumps rose all over her body. this new cloak was just put on by chu you in the carriage, but it was dirty now. li hao didn¡¯t care what he had done at all. he happily held the jade bracelet and bragged to aunt li, ¡°grandma, look, my jade pendant is beautiful, right?¡± ¡°it¡¯s beautiful, it¡¯s beautiful.¡± the more aunt li looked at it, the more she felt that the jade was really good. her heart was burning as she said eagerly to father li, ¡°eldest son, go to the gu family with second girl tomorrow to bring the betrothal gift over.¡± father li¡¯s eyes lit up, and he nodded repeatedly. ¡°yes, yes. we can¡¯t let others take advantage of so many betrothal gifts.¡± aunt li smiled until her eyes couldn¡¯t be seen. ¡°these betrothal gifts are just nice for brother hao to use when he marries in the future.¡± ¡°there¡¯s so much gold and silver, it¡¯s enough for our brother hao to marry the daughter of the county magistrate.¡± father li looked forward to the future with a smile. ¡°second girl married a prince. how can the daughter of the county lord be worthy of brother hao? at least, she has to be the daughter of a prime minister.¡± the more aunt li spoke, the more excited she became. ¡°with brother hao¡¯s looks and character, even the princess of the emperor isn¡¯t worthy.¡± ¡°i want to marry a princess!¡± li hao laughed, his mucus flowing down his nose again. ¡°i want to be the prince consort!¡± the voices of the li family came with a hum. li yunrong felt the buzzing in her head increase. the four people in front of her were from two different worlds from her. they were out of place. boom¡­ li yunrong felt the already shaky faith in her heart collapse. she, who had been calm and composed after being locked in the imperial prison for nearly ten days, suddenly exploded at this moment. she pulled off the big red cloak she was wearing and threw it to the ground in disgust. then, she turned around, picked up her skirt, and ran. she really couldn¡¯t stay with such a family for another moment! these people were so despicable, so vulgar, and so greedy. she felt dirty just looking at them. this should clearly be gu yanfei¡¯s house, not hers. she didn¡¯t have such an unsightly family! ¡°second girl!¡± ¡°second sister!¡± ¡°this wretched girl¡¯s temper is too big. brother, you have to discipline her well in the future¡­¡± the voices of the li family came from behind li yunrong. it was ear-piercing and sharp, making her feel even more disgusted. she ran forward desperately, only wanting to get away from the li family and the people who made her feel unbearable. she ran for a long, long time, passing through streets. she was panting and covered in sweat. when she really couldn¡¯t run anymore, she stopped. ¡°phew¡ªphew¡ª¡± she panted quickly and realized that she had unknowingly run down the street. people came and went on the street, and traffic was heavy. only li yunrong stood still. when she met the smiling gaze of an old woman, li yunrong couldn¡¯t help but tremble. her face burned, and she immediately lowered her head and looked away. she felt that everyone was looking at her. the surrounding soft voices were all discussing her, making her feel like her back was being pricked. she wanted to escape, but she didn¡¯t know where she could go. the gu family was no longer her home. she didn¡¯t know what was left of her. in just a night, everything she had was taken away. in their place were those unbearable and dirty things. she didn¡¯t want such a background. she didn¡¯t want such a family. she didn¡¯t want the world to know all of this. but everyone already knew how she should establish herself among the noble families in the capital from now on?! kang wang said that no one would laugh at her¡­ but now, she had already become a joke.. Chapter 620 - Chapter 620: Heaven’s Abandonment (3) chapter 620: heaven¡¯s abandonment (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°slam!¡± the sound of someone hitting the table suddenly came from the teahouse beside him. li yunrong subconsciously turned her head and saw that in the hall of the teahouse, scholars were arguing with saliva flying everywhere. words like ¡°kang wang¡± and ¡°gu ce¡± floated over. two more scholars looked in her direction¡­ li yunrong¡¯s heart trembled, and a thought appeared in her mind. they¡¯re talking about me, right?! her face burned even more, and her heart was like a drum. she practically fled in embarrassment. she turned around and looked at the hall of the tea house. the scholars were still discussing and arguing¡­ li yunrong¡¯s pupils instantly turned dark and gloomy, and her hands clenched tightly in her sleeves. these scholars were the most knowledgeable and arrogant. they were just bookworms who studied hard. they should abolish the imperial examination! aristocratic families shouldn¡¯t exist either. no one could override the royal family. the people shouldn¡¯t have been enlightened, so that they wouldn¡¯t doubt it. fools only needed to be obedient and submissive! when these thoughts appeared in her mind, a bolt of lightning suddenly flashed down from the sky and exploded heavily in her ear. boom! li yunrong¡¯s heart seemed to have been heavily whipped, and her eyes were as dark as the night. the golden luck around her quickly dimmed, withering like a flower. the black gas that was wrapped in the golden aura like spider silk stirred, spread, and expanded crazily, greedily devouring the dazzling golden aura on her body completely. only the ink-like black aura was left surging intensely on the surface of her body like boiling water. li yunrong stood in a daze and didn¡¯t move for a long, long time. her soul seemed to have been extracted. boom! another thunderclap sounded. li yunrong felt that her soul seemed to have trembled, and her heart twitched again. she subconsciously looked up at the cloudless blue sky above. in the distant sky, a faint sigh of pity seemed to come from the clouds. it reached the depths of li yunrong¡¯s soul. li yunrong, who had been frozen for a long time, moved. she turned her head and looked in the direction of kang wang¡¯s residence. there was a trace of light in her dark eyes again. the black luck ignited wisps of golden aura again, like embers burning again. the passers-by on the street stopped and looked up at the sky. the sun was setting in the west, and the green and transparent sky was like a clear ocean. it was clearly a sunny day, and the sun was shining brightly. it didn¡¯t look like it was going to rain at all. thunder rumbled continuously, exploding in the sky of the capital. ¡°boom, boom¡­¡± juan bi stuck half her head out of the window and looked around. she muttered, ¡°is it going to rain? it hasn¡¯t been sunny for a day or two, why is it going to rain again?¡± ¡°i have to quickly take back the cat nest that was sunbathed outside.¡± juan bi turned around and rushed out of the house, worried that a heavy rain would suddenly drench the cat nest. ¡°no need, it won¡¯t rain.¡± gu yanfei put down the half-carved jade ring in her hand and looked up with a firm smile. the pattern of a cat playing with bamboo leaves was carved on the jade thumb ring. it only outlined the general lines with a carving knife, but it had already accurately captured the essence of the cat. when juan bi heard that, she stopped and returned in a hurry. if her lady said it wouldn¡¯t rain, it definitely wouldn¡¯t rain. however¡­ ¡°why is it always thundering in broad daylight!¡± as juan bi poured tea for gu yanfei, she casually said, ¡°this heaven is really strange. it¡¯s just thunder, not rain. it can¡¯t be to scare people, right?¡± when juan bi put down the teapot, she curiously glanced at the half-completed jade thumb ring. even without asking, she knew that this jade thumb ring was definitely not carved by gu yanfei for her. it was clearly not a girl¡¯s size. ¡°pfft.¡± gu yanfei was amused by juan bi¡¯s words and smiled faintly. she played with the small carving knife with one hand and supported her chin with the other. she looked at the blue sky outside the window and smiled slightly, as if she had seen something interesting. seeing that gu yanfei was watching excitedly, juan bi couldn¡¯t help but stick her head out the window again. outside, the sky was blue with white clouds. the sun was shining brightly, and there was no gloom or phenomenon. even the thunder had stopped. seeing that there was no trick, juan bi simply carried the empty teapot out. gu yanfei, on the other hand, sat motionless behind the desk and didn¡¯t say a word. her clear and sharp gaze seemed to penetrate the clouds, the nine heavens, and all the way to chaos.. Chapter 621 - Chapter 621: Heaven’s Abandonment (4) chapter 621: heaven¡¯s abandonment (4) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios she knew that heaven¡¯s will was re-choosing the daughter of luck. heaven¡¯s will was going to give up on li yunrong. the carving knife in her hand spun agilely between her fingers, and the small blade flashed with a dazzling sharpness under the sun. her master had told her that heaven¡¯s will in every small world was biased, but at the same time, it was also fair. every small world would have a child of luck in every era. heaven¡¯s will would give a lot of preferential treatment, because the child of luck would lead the small world to an even more glorious state. in this small world, emperor taizu chu jin should be the previous child of luck. with him, there would be the current great jin dynasty, the peaceful living and prosperity of the citizens, and 50 years of checks and balances between the two countries. this was the hope of heaven¡¯s will for the child of luck. the deep love of heaven¡¯s will was a blessing and, at the same time, a heavy responsibility. if heaven¡¯s will was disappointed in the child of luck and felt that it had chosen the wrong candidate, it wouldn¡¯t have gone all the way. it would have chosen another candidate. as for the child of luck who had been abandoned by the world, he or she would have to repay how much preferential treatment heaven¡¯s will had once given him or her in the future. gu yanfei retracted her gaze and smiled lazily. she picked up the jade ring and gently erased the powder on it with her finger. she had been choosing this jade material for a long time. it should look very good on his beautiful hand! ¡°meow, meow, meow.¡± ¡°susu, susu, susu¡­¡± the tree crowns of the few big trees outside the window suddenly swayed quickly, shaking off the fluttering leaves with a rustle. a long-haired three-flowered cat with shining fur leaped out of the tree crown and landed gracefully on the window threshold. then, it kicked its hind legs and pounced into gu yanfei¡¯s arms like a swallow returning to its nest. ¡°meow-¡± qing guang rubbed, licked, and called gu yanfei. its voice was childish and extremely intimate. gu yanfei weighed the cat in his hand. the cat¡¯s stomach was very comfortable to touch. it was soft, furry, and smooth. ¡°you¡¯ve gotten fatter!¡± gu yanfei said confidently. she grabbed the soft cat belly with one hand and was certain that the cat had gotten fatter. it also wore an exquisite golden collar on its neck. there were finger-sized cat¡¯s eyes stones embedded, as green as its green eyes. there were also three red gold bells embedded with rubies hanging on the golden collar. the round cat face swung, and its white beard trembled. the three exquisite red-gold bells swayed back and forth, but they didn¡¯t make a sound. it was obvious that the beautiful and cute cat had been raised to be precious. its days were like those of a fairy. ¡°meow, meow, meow!¡± the cat kept meowing coquettishly, declaring that it had grown up! it was still a little cat! gu yanfei smiled and stroked the cat¡¯s soft and smooth fur. she asked, ¡°where¡¯s xia houqing?¡± to be honest, she had almost forgotten that the cat was still with xia houqing. and from the looks of it, qing guang seemed to be living happily with xia houqing. at the mention of xia houqing, the cat was excited. it squatted on her knee and meowed. its eyes lit up. from its excited appearance, it seemed to be complaining or showing off. gu yanfei couldn¡¯t understand at all. so be it. gu yanfei felt that she had never been someone who asked questions. she carried the cat and walked out, planning to comb its hair. its long hair was too messy. just as she walked out of the central room, she heard a surprised shout. ¡°qing guang!¡± juan bi returned with the teapot that had just been filled with water in the tea room. she immediately saw the three-flowered cat in gu yanfei¡¯s arms, and her eyes lit up. juan bi placed the teapot on the coffee table at the side and looked at the long cat that gu yanfei casually carried with his arm. ¡°miss, don¡¯t hug qing guang like this. it¡¯ll feel uncomfortable.¡± she hurriedly took qing guang over and even demonstrated a ¡°gentle¡± hug, as if she was carrying a priceless treasure. qing guang meowed in satisfaction and was quite satisfied with her service. she even gave gu yanfei a look, meaning to learn well. the surrounding maids also saw the cat and surrounded it, looking at it in a daze. ¡°qing guang, you¡¯re finally back!¡± ¡°i missed you so much. i almost thought you got lost.¡± ¡°it¡¯s good that you¡¯re back. poor little qing guang has lost weight.¡± ¡°yes, yes, the hair is all tied up. let me comb your hair.¡± ii ii when the maids saw the cat, they were simply about to go crazy. they all stared at it and asked about its well-being at once. some went to get cat combs and cat mats, some went to get the dried fish that had been roasted recently, and some ran to the kitchen to get goat milk¡­ after a while, gu yanfei was squeezed into the periphery of the crowd. she didn¡¯t have the luck to ¡°serve¡± the cat at all. why don¡¯t she continue to go back and carve her jade thumb ring? just as this thought appeared in her mind, she saw a green-robed old woman running hurriedly outside the hall. ¡°second lady, the patriarch is here.¡± the old woman panted and reported it with a smile.. Chapter 622 - Chapter 622: Eradication (1) chapter 622: eradication (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios gu yanfei straightened her dress a little and ignored the cat. she followed the old woman who came to report to her to the hall of the outer courtyard. from afar, she saw the patriarch in a green robe walking back and forth in the hall. even if he didn¡¯t say a word, he couldn¡¯t hide the uneasiness and discomfort in his heart with every move. seeing gu yanfei walk over, the patriarch¡¯s old face revealed a fawning smile. ¡°yanfei, you asked someone to call me over. is there anything urgent?¡± the patriarch asked kindly. he no longer had the air of an elder and lowered his posture. ever since gu jian and the others were locked in the imperial prison, everyone in the clan could be said to be in a panic. they were afraid that one day, the embroidered uniform guards would also rush to their house to take them away and let them be punished with gu jian. therefore, as soon as gu yanfei sent someone to pass the message, the patriarch couldn¡¯t wait to come. gu yanfei casually stroked her sleeve and said calmly, ¡°gu yunrong has already changed his surname to li. i specially invited my grandfather here to change the genealogy.¡± ¡°¡­¡± the patriarch still didn¡¯t know what had happened in tianhe garden and widened his eyes in surprise. gu yanfei briefly explained the whole story. the patriarch was amazed and had mixed feelings. after learning that it was the emperor who had given the decree, the patriarch naturally had no objections and agreed without a word. ¡°i¡¯ll get someone to call the elders over now. i¡¯ll immediately open the ancestral hall and change the genealogy. i¡¯ll remove gu¡­ li yunrong from the genealogy.¡± at this point, the patriarch was already indifferent to whether there was a princess consort kang in the clan. he was more concerned about¡­ ¡°yanfei, then your second uncle, brother xiao, and the others¡­¡± the patriarch looked at gu yanfei carefully and probed with a deep frown. he had long cursed gu jian, this brainless nephew, countless times in his heart. gu yanfei took a sip of tea and moistened her throat. she sighed slightly and didn¡¯t answer the question. ¡°after kang wang returned from tianhe garden, he had already gone to the north town bureau to fetch li yunrong out of the imperial prison. the emperor allowed them to get married in three days.¡± ¡°¡­¡± the patriarch continued to stare at gu yanfei and didn¡¯t react. after all, li yunrong¡¯s surname was li. whether she married kang wang had nothing to do with the gu family. gu yanfei raised her eyebrows and reminded him earnestly, ¡°don¡¯t you understand, great-uncle?¡± she used a questioning tone, but her expression was very certain. the patriarch frowned and focused on thinking. only then did he slowly understand the meaning behind her words just now. his pupils quickly constricted. gu yunrong changed her surname to li and would marry kang wang in three days¡¯ time. this matter seemed to be the emperor¡¯s kindness, but it was actually clearly causing trouble for kang wang by letting him marry the daughter of a slave to be the princess consort. in other words, it was impossible for gu jian to escape punishment. therefore, kang wang had no choice but to take this step just to let the embroidered uniform guards let li yunrong go. the patriarch¡¯s entire body trembled, and the muscles on his face twitched uncontrollably a few times. his right hand clenched the armrest of the purple sandalwood armchair, and veins popped up on the back of his hand, which was covered in old spots. he profoundly realized something. since even kang wang was helpless, gu jian was hopeless. this case was already a foregone conclusion. this realization made the patriarch afraid. it was spring outside, but his heart felt as cold as if he had fallen into an ice cave. his eyes revealed a nervous expression. gu jian was implicated in a rebellion. what about their clansmen? even if the crime didn¡¯t involve the nine races and exile, if someone in the clan was suspected of plotting a rebellion, it would probably punish a lot of the clan¡¯s assets. moreover, even the reading examinations, entry into the ranks, and marriage of their children would be more or less affected. according to the old example, anyone involved in a conspiracy would be severely punished, such as madam yu¡¯s entire family being confiscated. the lightest punishment would also be to fine 30% of the clan¡¯s assets, and even three generations wouldn¡¯t be allowed to take the imperial examination. gu yanfei slowly used the tea lid to remove the foam, her eyes shining with a cold light. nine years ago, his father, gu ce, was charged with subduing the enemy. his father couldn¡¯t even be buried in the gu family¡¯s ancestral grave. of course, this couldn¡¯t be decided by old madam gu alone. she must have obtained the agreement of the patriarchs and elders in the family. back then, his eldest brother, gu yuan, was only nine years old. his future was uncertain, and gu jian had become a noble. why did the patriarch and the others make this choice at that time? to put it bluntly, it was to weigh the gains and losses. it wasn¡¯t that it couldn¡¯t be understood, but it made one¡¯s teeth turn cold! for their own benefit, they stood on old madam gu and gu jian¡¯s side nine years ago and abandoned the eldest branch. for their own benefit, what would they choose nine years later?! Chapter 623 - Chapter 623: Eradication (2) chapter 623: eradication (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios the more the patriarch thought about it, the more uneasy he became. he hurriedly went to fetch the teacup and took a sip of tea absent-mindedly. the tip of his tongue was numb from the hot tea. he impatiently put down the teacup again, and the teacup gently hit the coffee table. the collision sound was especially loud in the silent hall. after the initial panic and uneasiness, the patriarch tried his best to stabilize his emotions and said in a friendly tone, ¡°yanfei, i have an idea for you.¡± ¡°i also know that your grandmother and your second uncle made a huge mistake, but if they¡¯re convicted, what about your brother¡¯s errand¡­ and your marriage?¡± the patriarch frowned deeply and hinted at her tactfully. gu yanfei chuckled and casually flipped the tea lid, making a crisp sound. every sound was like a needle stabbing into the patriarch¡¯s heart. the patriarch was a little embarrassed. he felt that, in front of gu yanfei, his little fuss couldn¡¯t be hidden at all. ¡°cough, cough.¡± the patriarch coughed dryly a few times. he felt uneasy and said warmly, with an awkward expression, ¡°yanfei, ah jian is your biological second uncle. if he¡¯s charged with conspiracy¡­¡± ¡°great-uncle,¡± gu yanfei interrupted him. she put down the pink enamel teacup in her hand and reminded him with a faint smile. ¡°the emperor knows that big brother and i have a biological grandmother, qi zhaoning.¡± ¡°also, have you forgotten about old madam and second uncle falsely accusing my brother of murder?¡± ¡°¡­¡± the patriarch naturally remembered. the day old madam gu and gu jian lost, the patriarch personally went to the emperor to clarify. the emperor knew the conflict between the eldest and second branches of the gu family very well. gu yanfei shook her head and sighed slightly. ¡°such a grandmother?¡± ¡°this second uncle?¡± she openly expressed her disdain for old madam gu and gu jian. ¡°¡­¡± the patriarch was speechless and frowned even more. the emperor took pity on gu yuan and gu yanfei and wouldn¡¯t vent his anger on the eldest branch because of gu jian, but it was hard to say in the gu clan. gu yanfei sighed faintly. ¡°if only grandfather had never remarried¡­¡± the patriarch¡¯s heart trembled, and his eyes widened slightly. he saw that gu yanfei, who was sitting in the front seat, was smiling, but the smile didn¡¯t reach her eyes. the two of them looked at each other quietly for a moment. the patriarch was enlightened and immediately understood. indeed. if only his cousin, gu xuan, didn¡¯t remarry¡­ in that case, the old lady, madam gu, would have no right to be involved. gu jian wasn¡¯t even a member of the gu family, so he naturally wouldn¡¯t implicate the clan! the patriarch¡¯s initially confused and nervous eyes gradually settled, but he was still a little hesitant. gu yanfei¡¯s originally slightly curled lips curled up a little higher. she seemed to have seen the patriarch¡¯s hesitation and asked with a smile, ¡°great-uncle, don¡¯t you think so?¡± she looked at the patriarch calmly. did the clan choose to draw a clear line with gu jian, or did they just wait for death and be implicated by gu jian?! the patriarch tightened his grip on the arm of the armchair and swallowed. this choice was too easy. the patriarch could hear his heavy heartbeat beating faster and faster. after a moment of silence, the patriarch loosened his right hand that was holding the armrest and suddenly relaxed. he straightened his expression and organized his thoughts. he said seriously, ¡°back then, your grandfather hired the daughter of the qi family to be the main wife. after you and your brother¡¯s biological grandmother passed away, your grandfather didn¡¯t tell the clan that he wanted to remarry.¡± ¡°is that so?¡± gu yanfei took another sip of tea and looked up. ¡°i didn¡¯t know that.¡± her expression was neither shocked nor happy, as calm as water, but the patriarch seemed to have been encouraged. he stroked his white beard and sighed seriously. ¡°perhaps when your grandmother passed away, she entrusted her widowed sister to take care of ah ce because she was young.¡± ¡°i didn¡¯t expect her to take advantage of your grandfather¡¯s death to take over her son¡¯s place.¡± in the beginning, the patriarch even said it a little dryly. the more he spoke, the more natural he became, and the smoother he spoke. his heart gradually turned from rapid to calm, and his last sentence was powerful. he completely denied the marriage between gu xuan and madam gu. these words were casually made up, so there were naturally many loopholes. however, the patriarch knew that no one would pursue these loopholes. it was enough to just listen to it logically. ¡°i see,¡± gu yanfei echoed casually, her eyes as deep as a pool. the patriarch seemed to have eaten a reassuring pill. he was relieved and continued seriously, ¡°your grandfather contracted an emergency illness 15 years ago. he left in a hurry and didn¡¯t have time to leave any words..¡± Chapter 624 - Chapter 624: Eradication (3) chapter 624: eradication (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°for so many years, you and your brother have treated madam gu as your biological grandmother¡­ sigh, i was also deceived by her. in the past, i always thought that she was very loving to ah ce and you siblings.¡± the patriarch looked at gu yanfei almost breathlessly with a reserved expression. gu yanfei smiled and looked at the patriarch with a very ¡°simple¡± and ¡°innocent¡± gaze. ¡°great-uncle, i¡¯m young and don¡¯t know this. as for what to do with this matter, i still have to rely on you to come up with a plan.¡± she gently pushed this matter to the patriarch, to solve a big issue with little effort. ¡°¡­¡± the patriarch¡¯s expression stiffened again, and thin cold sweat seeped out of his forehead. he felt as if his heart was being squeezed in gu yanfei¡¯s palm. he almost couldn¡¯t look into her clear eyes. the girl had a beautiful face and a smile like a flower. she was even more beautiful than the pink peaches that bloomed outside the window. her eyes were extremely clear and bright, shining with a sharp light like the edge of a sword. the patriarch¡¯s heart suddenly constricted. through the girl¡¯s eyes, he couldn¡¯t help but think of gu ce. the patriarch was stunned for a long time before returning to his senses. he composed himself and hurriedly agreed. ¡°yanfei, tell your brother that i¡¯ll definitely do this properly. don¡¯t worry.¡± he comforted himself in his heart. at this point, the clan could only cut off their tails and survive. madam gu and gu jian had brought this upon themselves. gu jian was crippled and hopeless, but gu yuan and gu yanfei had a good future. it was obvious how to choose something beneficial to the clan. ¡°what are you saying, great-uncle? why shouldn¡¯t i worry?¡± gu yanfei tilted her little face and smiled innocently. only then did the patriarch realize that he had said something wrong. he hurriedly said, ¡°i was clumsy with my words, i messed up. it¡¯s been so many years. i should have fixed it long ago!¡± gu yanfei smiled happily. ¡°then i¡¯ll have to trouble you, great-uncle.¡± since it was over, gu yanfei directly served tea and sent the guests away. the patriarch tactfully bade farewell and was sent out of the hall by juan bi. the sun had almost set outside, and only the west sky still had a faint red glow. the sky was dark and yellow, and the crescent moon was a faint white as it looked down at all living beings. after walking straight for hundreds of feet, the patriarch couldn¡¯t help but wipe the sweat on his forehead with his sleeve. his back was long drenched in sweat. he stopped under a locust tree and turned around to look in the direction of the hall with lingering fears. the girl in the hall was drinking tea elegantly. her slender figure looked especially weak under the contrast of the high-back chair, looking relaxed. recalling his conversation with gu yanfei just now, the patriarch was even more shocked. he was in his sixties, but he was completely led by the nose by a little girl who had just become an adult. all his worries were under the other party¡¯s control. from the beginning to the end, she never threatened or said bad words. she clearly wanted madam gu and gu jian to be expelled from the clan, but in the end, she made him take the initiative to take charge of this matter with a few words. he had to be grateful that she had come up with this idea for the clan. sigh! the patriarch sighed in his heart and told himself that he had to make a decision. for the sake of his race, he had to settle this matter. the patriarch turned around, gritted his teeth secretly, and left the gu residence in a hurry. it was already late today. the patriarch returned to the residence first. the next morning, he brought his eldest son, gu chou, to visit a few respected elders in the family one by one. some of them lived in the capital, while others lived in the suburbs. the father and son spent an entire day walking around these families and were extremely tired. at dawn the next day, he and his eldest son brought the elders of the clan to the gu residence again. the patriarch took the initiative to correct the situation and reprimand little qi for occupying the magpie¡¯s nest. gu jian wasn¡¯t a member of the gu family at all. the second branch should be removed from the gu family register and become a proper family. in just an hour, the patriarch presided over the modification of the family tree and removed the names of madam gu, gu jian, and gu yunrong from the family tree. when the modified family tree was sealed in the ancestral hall again, the patriarch was relieved, and most of the huge rock in his heart fell. after the elders surrounded gu yanfei and said a few intimate and friendly words, they bid farewell first. the patriarch and his son stayed until the end. when they were in the carriage outside the door, the patriarch consciously made a promise: ¡°yanfei, i¡¯ll go to the northern town bureau later and see if i can meet madam gu and gu jian and tell them about this.¡± initially, the patriarch didn¡¯t want to go to an unlucky place like the imperial prison, nor was he confident that he could definitely enter. however, he had to end this matter quickly and let gu yuan and his sister see the sincerity of the clan. when gu yuan returned that afternoon, everything was set in stone.. Chapter 625 - Chapter 625: Putting Makeup (1) chapter 625: putting makeup (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°sister, i want to go to the ancestral hall to see grandma.¡± gu yuan¡¯s expression looked very calm, but his slightly hoarse voice revealed that he wasn¡¯t as calm as he appeared. he had been on duty at the commandant of the capital for a few days and hadn¡¯t returned to the residence. he had no idea that gu yanfei had quietly done this in just two days. his sister! gu yuan rubbed gu yanfei¡¯s head. he felt proud of her, and a warm current flowed through his heart. the brother and sister went to the gu family¡¯s ancestral hall on the west road of the gu residence. gu yanfei personally enshrined the modified gu family register in front of her grandmother¡¯s memorial tablet. a wisp of sandalwood filled the dim ancestral hall. the brother and sister each held three incense sticks and kneeled on the futon. they respectfully kowtowed three times. gu yuan was the first to insert the incense sticks into the three-legged incense burner in front of the memorial tablet. gu yanfei looked at her grandmother¡¯s memorial tablet with incense in her hand. her cherry lips moved slightly as she muttered. this was the last step. thin green smoke curled into her eyes from the burning thread fragrance, and tears welled up in her sore eyes. in her slightly blurry vision, the white light on her grandmother¡¯s memorial tablet gradually became brighter. it lingered around the memorial tablet like smoke and mist, as if it had touched gu yuan¡¯s forehead. gu yuan seemed to have sensed something. he raised his head and looked in front, but he only saw with his mortal eyes and couldn¡¯t see anything. gu yanfei felt a lump in her throat, and her eyes burned. she raised her hand and quickly made a hand seal. the air seemed to tremble slightly, producing invisible ripples. in the closed ancestral hall, a cold wind blew for no reason. in an instant, the two rows of candles on the candle racks on both sides were almost blown out. the candles shrank to a point, and the surroundings darkened. that white light floated above gu yanfei¡¯s head and disappeared. the wind stopped, and the candles on both sides burned again. light returned to the ancestral hall. ¡°sister?¡± gu yuan¡¯s slightly excited eyes met gu yanfei, who was a few steps away, and he asked silently. ¡°grandmother¡¯s soul has just returned to reincarnation,¡± gu yanfei said as she walked to the incense burner and inserted the three incense sticks in her hand. the last time, after she rectified her grandmother¡¯s name, her grandmother escaped the fate of her soul dissipating. her soul gradually condensed together. after being nourished by incense in the ancestral hall for more than a month, her soul finally became much stronger and recovered 70 to 80%. however, qi zhaoning was qi chao¡¯an¡¯s substitute. as long as qi chao¡¯an still had a bond with her, she couldn¡¯t escape this cage and obtain a new life. now, gu yanfei had finally severed this last strand of restraint. from then on, there was no longer qi zhao¡¯an and her bloodline on the gu family register. only qi zhaoning was left. from this moment on, qi zhaoning had nothing to do with qi chao¡¯an anymore. qi zhaoning was only qi zhaoning herself, the wife of her grandfather, gu xuan, and the biological mother of her father, gu co. she was no longer anyone¡¯s substitute. and after being trapped for more than 30 years, her soul could finally return to its original position and enter reincarnation. gu yanfei heaved a sigh of relief. the corners of her lips and eyebrows curled up gently, looking radiant. ¡°how nice¡­¡± a low sigh escaped from gu yuan¡¯s thin lips, and his cold lips slowly curled up. he pressed his palms together and bowed three more times respectfully at the memorial tablet. he was finally relieved. the brother and sister quickly came out of the ancestral hall. the air outside was much fresher than in the ancestral hall. it was mixed with the faint fragrance of pine trees, making one feel refreshed. ¡°meow!¡± as soon as they went out, he saw a yellow, white, and black fur ball flash past like a storm not far ahead. the cat meowed as it chased after a colorful butterfly, its feather-duster-like tail raised high. the smooth hair of the calico cat shone under the sun. it was unbelievably beautiful. gu yuan looked at the cat¡¯s back in surprise. ¡°qing guang is back?¡± if it weren¡¯t for his sister emphasizing that qing guang wasn¡¯t lost, gu yuan would have considered calling the soldiers of the five cities to search for the cat in the city. ¡°it came back the day before yesterday.¡± gu yanfei pretended to brush her left sleeve. she was afraid that her big brother would ask where the cat had been these days, so she changed the topic calmly. ¡°big brother, why are you back so early today? are you on a break?¡± gu yanfei looked at gu yuan with some sympathy. her big brother was really busy. he usually had to work and was always busy. occasionally, he would be at home on a day off. he was also busy practicing martial arts and reading military books, unwilling to rest for a moment. he wished he could use all 24. hours.. Chapter 626 - Chapter 626: Putting Makeup (2) chapter 626: putting makeup (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios gu yuan nodded slightly. ¡°i¡¯m on leave today.¡± ¡°yanfei, how about we go for a run in the afternoon? i¡¯ve made an appointment with lu shi, fan bciran, and yue jun. call you, ah qin, and the others. everyone, let¡¯s go for a run.¡± ¡°lu shi just obtained an akhal-teke horse recently. he even instructed me to make sure you ride your hongyu. he wants to compete with you.¡± horse race. gu yanfei was also a little tempted, but she still shook her head. ¡°i have to put on makeup for li yunrong later.¡± put makeup on li yunrong? gu yuan stopped and raised his eyebrows at gu yanfei in shock. it was just putting on makeup. gu yanfei smiled and said calmly, ¡°she¡¯s getting married tomorrow.¡± ¡°¡­¡± gu yuan subconsciously wanted to say that she didn¡¯t have to go, but on second thought, his sister had her own reasons for doing anything. he changed his mind and said, ¡°i¡¯ll wait for you.¡± gu yanfei stretched out two fingers and pinched her big brother¡¯s sleeve, shaking it gently. ¡°big brother, you guys go first. i¡¯ll follow you later on with hongyu.¡± ¡°alright, remember to catch up.¡± gu yuan nodded and agreed. he looked at his sister dotingly, his long and narrow phoenix eyes especially bright and gentle under the noon sun. gu yuan didn¡¯t care when li yunrong and kang wang got married at all. he had long forgotten about this matter. the others in the capital were different. in the past two days, pairs of eyes in the capital had been watching this marriage. li yunrong¡¯s identity had even become a topic of conversation in the capital. this gossip also more or less entered the ears of li yunrong¡¯s maid, xia lian, but she didn¡¯t dare to tell li yunrong. xia lian glanced at li yunrong worriedly and silently made tea. li yunrong, who was sitting by the window, scooped a spoonful of bird¡¯s nest into her mouth and frowned slightly. this bird¡¯s nest was a little lacking. it wasn¡¯t a top-notch blood swallow. she barely swallowed it and wiped the corners of her mouth with a handkerchief. her gaze inadvertently swept across a four-fold purple sandalwood carved flower-embroidered satin screen in front of her right. a corner the size of a dragon¡¯s eye was knocked off the base of the screen. she had only allowed li hao to stay for a day in this room before it became like this. every time she looked at the flaws on this screen, li yunrong would feel stifled. previously, she had run out of this house in anger, but she really had nowhere to go. she couldn¡¯t go to kang wang¡¯s manor or return to reed alley, so she could only come back. at that time, li hao even clamored to chase her out, and aunt li cursed her nonstop. she called him a ¡°good-for-nothing¡± and a ¡°wretched girl¡±, but li yunrong didn¡¯t care anymore. she directly told the li family, ¡°i have to get married from my house!¡± ¡°on the day of the wedding, when kang wang comes to welcome the bride, where do you want him to see me staying?¡± ¡°if you don¡¯t let me marry gloriously, you¡¯ll be causing trouble for kang wang. think about it carefully!¡± li yunrong knew that it was useless to reason with lowly people like the li family. she could only suppress them with power and make them afraid. when she said that, aunt li and father li were immediately afraid and didn¡¯t have much confidence. after all, the person li yunrong was going to marry was the dignified kang wang, a member of the royal family. aunt li was also worried that she would offend the future princess consort kang, li yunrong. she muttered a few words like ¡°pretentious¡± and ¡°difficult to raise¡±, but she still obediently let her grandson move out of this carefully decorated room. at that time, the room had long been thrown into chaos by li hao, this brat. not only did this purple sandalwood screen have obvious flaws, but he also smashed the vase and flower pot. pages of torn pages, paper balls, and broken porcelain could be seen everywhere on the ground. the walls were also randomly drawn with ink. in the face of the messy house that looked like a strong wind had passed through, li yunrong almost collapsed, but she could only temporarily tolerate it and remember this debt. she got the servants to clean up the room again, repair what needed to be repaired, and clean up what needed to be cleaned up. after two days, the current li yunrong had long calmed down. xia lian walked over with the hot tea that she had just made. seeing that li yunrong was looking at the screen, she comforted him. ¡°miss, it¡¯ll be fine after tomorrow.¡± li yunrong picked up the teacup and took a sip of tea to eliminate the sweetness in her mouth. she hummed softly. that¡¯s right. to her, the most important thing now was the marriage ceremony between her and kang wang. when she got married tomorrow, she could naturally move out of here. tomorrow¡­ li yunrong lowered her eyelashes and looked at the tea leaves floating in the tea soup, her pupils flickering.. Chapter 627 - Chapter 627: Putting Makeup (3) chapter 627: putting makeup (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios today was the day before she got married. it was supposed to be a day for her relatives, friends, and family to come and put on makeup for her, but no one came from yesterday to today. those girls who had gotten along with her in the past, those close relatives of the gu family, and those elders who had once been kind and loving to her¡­ none of them came. perhaps something had changed since she changed her surname from gu to li. they looked down on her too. li yunrong pursed her lips, her dark and deep eyes surprisingly calm. she told herself in her heart that it was alright. as time passed, people¡¯s hearts began to see. it was fine if those people who fawned over the powerful didn¡¯t come. it was enough that she had kang wang. kang wang was sincere to her, and the relationship between them was the purest. and fang mingfeng¡­ she could only disappoint him in this lifetime. ¡°bang!¡± the sound of a heavy door slamming came from outside, so loud that even the windows in this room trembled. li yunrong put down the white porcelain teacup in her hand and couldn¡¯t help but frown, revealing a displeased expression. ¡°grandma! grandma, i want to eat malt candy. buttface won¡¯t let me eat malt candy!¡± li hao shouted excitedly outside the house with a high voice. his voice was so sharp that it seemed to be piercing one¡¯s eardrums. ¡°which petty person didn¡¯t give you candy to eat?¡± aunt li said angrily and spat. ¡°bah, what a miser. brother hao, don¡¯t play with him in the future.¡± ¡°grandma will bring you to buy candied hawthorn, alright?¡± ¡°malt candy, i want malt candy!¡± li hao shouted louder and louder, making a scene. ¡°alright, alright, alright. good grandson, your crying makes my heart hurt. we¡¯ll eat malt candy¡­¡± aunt li coaxed her grandson without any principles. ¡°i¡¯ll get someone to buy you malt candy now.¡± ii ii ? ? it was extremely noisy outside. xia lian hurriedly came over and closed the originally half-closed window. the room was much quieter. xia lian looked at li yunrong with heartache. during this period of time, her lady suffered too much. it was all second master gu¡¯s fault. if it weren¡¯t for the fact that he was hiding the yu family, her lady and his highness would have long since gotten married. why would she have to live under the same roof as such a dirty family today! li yunrong was even calmer, as if she didn¡¯t hear the vulgar voices outside. she touched the big red silk flower on her hairpin and instructed in a low voice, ¡°xia lian, go to the gu residence to fetch second lady gu.¡± ¡°if she refuses to come, tell her¡­¡± she paused for a moment, and her eyes darkened. ¡°just say that the betrothal gift kang wang gave me was snatched away by the li family, and ask her to ask big brother to help me on account of our past relationship.¡± her red and plump lips curled into a mocking smile. ¡°yes¡­¡± xia lian knelt down and bowed. just as she was about to leave, a short and fat old woman hurriedly lifted the curtain and entered. she reported at the door of the room nervously, ¡°second lady, second lady gu is here. she¡¯s outside the house.¡± li yunrong heaved a sigh of relief. the originally taut line of her lips gradually relaxed and curled up slowly, revealing a determined expression. gu yanfei was indeed here! she knew that gu yanfei liked to see her make a fool of herself. seeing her down and helpless appearance, how could she not come! li yunrong raised her chin slightly, and the line of her chin looked even thinner. xia lian pinched the handkerchief in her hand and looked at her in a daze. she vaguely felt that her lady seemed to have become a little different and unfamiliar. perhaps too many things had happened recently. it was no wonder that the girl¡¯s personality had changed. li yunrong was immersed in her own thoughts and muttered, ¡°then i¡¯ll let her be happier.¡± as she spoke, she got up and stroked her dress. she personally left the house to welcome gu yanfei. the old woman who came to report followed behind li yunrong like a shadow. as she walked, she pointed at a black flat-topped carriage parked outside the door and said, ¡°second lady gu is in that carriage.¡± as she spoke, the door at the back of the carriage was opened. gu yanfei, who was wearing a purple embroidered vine flower robe, agilely jumped out of the carriage. when they heard that a guest was here, the li family also gathered in the courtyard. aunt li and father li felt that this unfamiliar girl looked a little familiar, while li hao only had eyes for the black flat-topped carriage. his eyes lit up as he said enviously, ¡°what an imposing carriage!¡± ¡°dad, grandma, buy me such a carriage!¡± just as he was about to make a fuss, he heard li zhaodi shout in a complicated tone, ¡°erya!¡± li zhaodi had just seen gu yanfei in tianhe garden, so she naturally remembered her. aunt li and the others first subconsciously looked at li yunrong, but they were a beat slower. only then did they realize why they felt that the guest today looked familiar. they blurted out, ¡°erya, you¡¯re erya.¡± both mother and son were stunned. they looked at gu yanfei outside the door. gu yanfei had put on a black fluffy bun today. she only wore a white jade hairpin and two small fluffy flowers on her temples. the red musk bracelet on her wrist made her skin look crystalline and smooth, like a red plum in the snow, beautiful and dazzling. when aunt li returned to her senses, her first reaction was to scold this damn girl, but when the words were about to come out of her mouth, she immediately shut her mouth and revealed a fawning smile. she called out, ¡°erya.¡± the current erya was completely different from the erya in huai bei. she was dressed in a noble aura, and the hairpins, bead bracelets, jade pendants, and so on that probably cost hundreds of taels of silver. yes, erya had changed her surname to gu and was now a high and mighty noble. how could aunt li dare to scold her? she rubbed her hands ingratiatingly and walked to the door. she nodded and bowed, reaching out her hand in invitation. ¡°come in quickly.¡± father li also smiled warmly at gu yanfei. only li hao still had an arrogant expression as he quickly rushed towards gu yanfei. he stretched out his hand and said arrogantly, ¡°little erya, did you bring me delicious food¡­¡± in li hao¡¯s opinion, no matter how well gu yanfei dressed now, she was still the person he could order around. ¡°brother hao, come here!¡± li zhaodi quickly pulled li hao back and advised in a low voice, ¡°be good.¡± when li zhaodi still remembered tianhe garden, even zeng ya was obedient in front of gu yanfei. things were different now. gu yanfei was now a lady of the gu family. the people who interacted with her were also the daughters of the duke¡¯s estate and the marquis¡¯ estate. she was no longer the target she could casually step on. if gu yanfei wanted to kill her with a sentence, it would probably be as easy as crushing an ant. at this moment, she looked at gu yanfei again. the fear exceeded envy.. Chapter 628 - Chapter 628: Repayment (1) chapter 628: repayment (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios li yunrong, who wasn¡¯t far away, took in the situation just now. after being embarrassed and embarrassed, she quickly calmed down. thousands of emotions converged in her eyes and flashed with understanding. she wasn¡¯t surprised by the performance of the li family, but the words ¡°bullying the good and afraid of the evil¡± could be summarized. li yunrong never stopped. she walked towards gu yanfei unhurriedly and walked three steps away from her. the two of them stood facing each other. gu yanfei stared straight at li yunrong. her naturally curled lips seemed to be smiling and mocking. li yunrong stood elegantly with her hands by her side. the apricot-leaf-shaped golden pendants on her earlobes swayed beside her snow-white cheeks, swaying and shining. she only thought that gu yanfei wanted to see how down and out she was at this moment, but she didn¡¯t know that gu yanfei was actually observing the luck on her body. a thick black aura lingered around li yunrong¡¯s body, rolling and boiling. even the color of her clothes was almost covered, and the surrounding air seemed a little distorted. bits of scattered gold were vaguely mixed in the black gas, like stars flickering in the night sky, as if they could be swallowed by the night at any time. ever since she was reborn, gu yanfei had always been avoiding a head-on conflict with li yunrong because this was no different from directly resisting heaven¡¯s will. she wasn¡¯t stupid. however, she knew that heaven¡¯s will would never unconditionally side with either side forever. as long as heaven¡¯s will was disappointed in the child of luck, it was enough. this was what her master had told him in the past. this time, gu yanfei revealed li yunrong¡¯s identity not only to resolve her inner demons, but also to counterattack li yunrong. be it in her previous life or in this life, li yunrong was very proud. she always said that background didn¡¯t mean everything and that heroes didn¡¯t ask where they came from. however, even though she said this, she had never abandoned the surname ¡°gu¡±. gu yanfei also wanted to see if li yunrong really didn¡¯t mind. the answer was obvious. gu yanfei looked at the black luck around li yunrong steadily and recalled the phenomenon the day before yesterday. the corners of her mouth curled up and she said calmly, ¡°not bad.¡± what was not bad? li yunrong was at a loss from gu yanfei¡¯s words. after being slightly stunned, li yunrong¡¯s cherry lips were tightly pressed together. she still stared at gu yanfei without blinking. was gu yanfei mocking her?! li yunrong sneered in her heart, but she didn¡¯t show it on her face. instead, she smiled elegantly and said, ¡°i didn¡¯t expect you to come.¡± her smile was amiable, as if there was no conflict between them. ¡°didn¡¯t you invite me?¡± gu yanfei wasn¡¯t interested in doing meaningless superficial things with li yunrong. she made things clear. ¡°i¡¯m here to put makeup on you, right?¡± ¡°yeah.¡± li yunrong forced a smile and quietly pinched her palm. she nodded as if nothing had happened and said, ¡°please come in.¡± she stretched out her hand in invitation. however, gu yanfei didn¡¯t move. she raised her hand and made a gesture at juan bi. ¡°there¡¯s no need to trouble yourself. i¡¯m here to put makeup for you. after that, it¡¯s time to leave.¡± at the same time, juan bi handed a red-lacquered wooden box to xia lian. ¡°gu yanfei, aren¡¯t you going in to sit?¡± li yunrong looked at her deeply. ¡°don¡¯t you want to see where i¡¯m staying now?¡± her expression and tone carried a trace of self-mockery. at this moment, li zhaodi¡¯s painful cry interrupted their conversation. li hao bit li zhaodi¡¯s wrist fiercely. li zhaodi could only let go of him and cover the wound on her wrist with a painful expression. li hao raised his neck and complained to aunt li in exasperation, ¡°grandma, big sister bullied me!¡± ¡°you good-for-nothing!!¡± aunt li was furious. without thinking, she raised her hand and slapped li zhaodi¡¯s face fiercely. ¡°slap!¡± the slap was extremely loud. ¡°¡­¡± li zhaodi covered her swollen face and ran away, while li hao hid behind aunt li and made a smug face. the family was simply in a tizzy. in the past two days, li yunrong had seen this kind of scene more than once. from the initial embarrassment and anger to now, her expression could no longer change. in fact, she even thought to herself in self-mockery: doesn¡¯t gu yanfei just want to see me embarrass myself? then i¡¯ll let her see it as she wishes! li yunrong didn¡¯t care about li hao and the others. she just looked at gu yanfei steadily. in the next moment, gu yanfei nodded casually. ¡°alright.¡± as expected, li yunrong sighed in her heart. with li yunrong leading the way, the two of them walked in the direction of her room.. Chapter 629 - Chapter 629: Repayment (2) chapter 629: repayment (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios at the back, aunt li was still cursing non-stop. ¡°i wonder what sin my li family has committed to give birth to two useless people. they¡¯re both worrisome. as an elder sister, they don¡¯t know to give in to their younger brother.¡± ¡°i don¡¯t know what¡¯s the use of raising you heartless, wretched girls. it¡¯s just a waste of food!¡± aunt li seemed to be scolding li zhaodi and li yunrong, but in fact, even gu yanfei was scolded. gu yanfei didn¡¯t even twitch the corners of her eyes. when she was young in the li family, she had heard similar reprimands and worse insults countless times. it was time for li yunrong to suffer. ¡°¡­¡± li yunrong clenched the hand hidden in her sleeve again and slowly walked into the room. she tried her best to restrain her emotions and hide the deepest coldness in her eyes. ¡°sit anywhere.¡± gu yanfei slowly looked around and sat down at the coffee table by the window. xia lian quickly served both of them hot tea, the aroma of longjing tea wafting gently through the air, mingling with the faint scent of incense in the room. the room was elegantly decorated, forming a sharp contrast to the rough and messy courtyard outside, as if it was a completely different world. li yunrong took a sip of tea first. her eyelashes fluttered twice like butterfly wings, and she took the initiative to show goodwill. ¡°there were some misunderstandings between us, but we never had the chance to sit together and talk properly.¡± ¡±1 want to tell you that i¡¯ve never wanted to snatch anything from you. ever since you returned, i¡¯ve retreated again and again¡­¡± ¡°now that i¡¯ve returned everything to you, you should be satisfied, right?¡± she looked very calm and tried her best to make her tone light, but there was a trace of forbearing resentment in her voice. gu yanfei didn¡¯t answer immediately. instead, she held the teacup and took two sips of the top-notch longjing tea before slowly putting it down and correcting her. ¡°you¡¯re wrong. what¡¯s mine is mine in the first place, not something you ¡®returned¡¯ to me.¡± ¡°if we really talk about it, what your mother took and gave you was stolen. stolen goods remain stolen, never truly yours. it¡¯s just a matter of returning what was taken, and we haven¡¯t even taken account of the interest.¡± gu yanfei¡¯s voice was cold and without any warmth. she looked aggressive, completely different from her usual lazy and comfortable appearance. it was like an eagle revealing its sharp claws, its aura oppressive. ¡°¡­¡± thinking of mother su, li yunrong felt as if her heart had been ruthlessly stabbed by a needle. she felt a sharp pain, but she maintained an expressionless face. this was gu yanfei¡¯s true nature. usually, she pretended to be a harmless house cat, but she was ultimately a ferocious wolf. gu yanfei raised her hand and pushed open the window. with a squeak, the wind outside the window blew in, accompanied by li hao¡¯s hoarse cry. ¡°grandma, tell erya that i want this carriage!¡± ¡°grandma, hasn¡¯t erya always listened to you?¡± ¡°tell her, tell her quickly!¡± li hao sat on the stone ground in the courtyard. one moment, his feet were kicking around, the next moment, he lay down, and the next moment, he patted the ground with his hand. he was just short of rolling on the ground. aunt li had no way to deal with her precious grandson at all. she could only coax him gently, ¡°brother hao, this carriage outside isn¡¯t good.¡± ¡°if you want a carriage, i¡¯ll buy you a new one someday¡­¡± ¡°with your second sister around, a carriage is nothing.¡± in aunt li¡¯s heart, everything about li yunrong naturally belonged to her grandson. li yunrong should take care of her brother. these words were said confidently. ¡°look!¡± gu yanfei pointed at the pair outside and chuckled softly. she said in a sharp tone, ¡°this is yours.¡± ¡°but¡­¡± she slowly pointed at half a circle of houses. ¡°everything here doesn¡¯t belong to you. the li family isn¡¯t so rich to be able to afford such a good house.¡± ¡°the li family is just a family of slaves.¡± ¡°i heard that you were the one who freed them from slavery, right?¡± regarding this, li yunrong was speechless. last year, after the truth about the real and fake daughter was exposed, she begged the old lady for her favor and let go of the li family¡¯s slave status. the old lady took pity on her, so she agreed. ¡°look, you owe me this too.¡± gu yanfei sneered and said, ¡°or, you can return the indenture of the li family to me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± how could li yunrong agree? her hand that was holding the teacup trembled, and hot tea overflowed from the cup, rolling between her fingers and the back of her hand. she seemed to not feel anything, only fixing her dark and unclear gaze on gu yanfei.. Chapter 630 - Chapter 630: Repayment (3) chapter 630: repayment (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios after a long time, she gritted her teeth and said, ¡°15 years ago, mother su saved your life!¡± mother su had told her about what happened back then. yangzhou was in war, and smoke rose everywhere. at that time, if mother su had been ruthless and abandoned gu yanfei, gu yanfei would have died long ago. ¡°is that so?¡± gu yanfei asked meaningfully. her bright eyes locked onto li yunrong¡¯s gaze. ¡°of course,¡± li yunrong immediately said. the black luck surrounding her surged even more, as if it had dyed her eyes. her eyes were terrifyingly dark. gu yanfei leaned forward and leaned toward li yunrong, who was opposite the coffee table. the two of them were less than a foot apart. ¡°is that really the case?¡± in an instant, the black aura around li yunrong seemed to be boiling intensely. her body subconsciously retreated a little, and she immediately tensed up. gu yanfei couldn¡¯t help but laugh lightly. she looked at li yunrong with certainty and said slowly, with a deep meaning, ¡°you knew all along, right!¡± ¡°when did you know?¡± she retreated again and rested her chin on her hand leisurely. she smiled faintly and said, ¡°let me guess?¡± ¡°was it when we were in yangzhou?¡± li yunrong¡¯s pupils constricted for a moment, and her white cherry lips were forcefully pursed. even the lines of her chin tensed up. she didn¡¯t say anything, but gu yanfei didn¡¯t care if she admitted it or not. ¡°li yunrong, have you forgotten that i can calculate?¡± gu yanfei raised her left hand and casually calculated twice. her beautiful and long fingers seemed to be holding a cluster of light. li yunrong¡¯s gaze was involuntarily attracted by her movements, and her breathing stopped. her eyes were as dark as a pool of stagnant water. she wanted to say something, but her throat hurt so much that she couldn¡¯t make a sound. ¡°you owe me a lot.¡± gu yanfei got up as she spoke. she gently waved her sleeve and walked out without any reluctance, leaving a cold back view. li yunrong sat on the chair expressionlessly. she didn¡¯t instruct xia lian to send the guest away or follow her. she just watched as gu yanfei left the room and appeared in the courtyard outside. ¡°second¡­ second lady gu!¡± when aunt li, who was guarding the courtyard, saw gu yanfei, she couldn¡¯t care less about li hao, who was lying on the ground and making a fuss. she rubbed her hands and said, ¡°you¡¯re leaving so soon?¡± ¡°why don¡¯t you stay and sit a little longer?¡± when she smiled, she revealed the top row of yellow teeth that were missing an incisor. ¡°yes, yes.¡± father li also bowed and revealed an exaggerated smile. ¡°come and visit us often in the future.¡± the mother and son of the li family respectfully sent gu yanfei and her servant out. they kept flattering them, as if the conflicts in huaibei in the past didn¡¯t exist. li yunrong was still sitting on a chair by the window. she watched in a daze as gu yanfei walked out of the house and disappeared from her vision. she just sat there for a long, long time without moving. like a stone statue, she let the spring wind with the petals blow on her face and body. a moment later, xia lian, who had sent gu yanfei away, returned in a hurry and walked straight to li yunrong. li yunrong¡¯s eyelashes trembled. she still looked out the window and asked calmly, ¡°has the news been sent?¡± ¡°i¡¯ve already handed it over,¡± xia lian reported carefully. li yunrong waved her hand casually, and xia lian silently retreated, her footsteps silent. crack. li yunrong casually broke off a flower from a few branches of crabapples in the plum bottle. the big red crabapple flower was as red as fire. she tore off the petals of the crabapple flower one by one. some landed on the coffee table, some floated into the teacup, and some fell into the hem of her skirt. a few crushed petals dyed her snow-white fingertips red like blood. it was so dazzling. li yunrong muttered, ¡°it was already like this at that time. they all had their own lives¡­ isn¡¯t it good to make do with the mistakes?¡± her voice was as light as a whisper. when the wind blew, the voice disappeared, so low that only she could hear it. ¡°aiyo!¡± aunt li¡¯s sharp voice came from outside the house again, disturbing li yunrong¡¯s thoughts. ¡°my little ancestor, get up. the ground is cold. if you keep lying there, you might catch a cold!¡± ¡°i won¡¯t get up, i won¡¯t get up, i won¡¯t get up!¡± li hao was still pretending to cry and howl. ¡°in any case, i want a carriage!¡± father li was also angry. he shouted, ¡°let him lie down! mother, don¡¯t spoil him. his temper is getting worse and worse.¡± ¡±1 want to see how long this young brat can lie down!¡± ¡°boohoo, grandma, dad bullied me!¡± ii ii ¡ö ? ? the li family in the courtyard started arguing again, making li yunrong¡¯s ears ring. a fierce shadow flashed in li yunrong¡¯s eyes. she bit her lower lip with her pearly teeth and almost bled. she sighed softly and said, ¡°this is clearly gu yanfei¡¯s life..¡± Chapter 631 - Chapter 631: Interception chapter 631: interception translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios after gu yanfei left the li residence in the carriage, she left the capital through the west city gate. she and gu yuan had long made an appointment to go to mount cuiwei to race. after leaving the city, her carriage flew northwest, and hongyu followed beside the carriage like a shadow. after the valley rain, the weather became warmer and warmer every day. the sun was dazzling, and it was the season of peace. in the suburbs, peaches and apricot blossomed, and green grass filled the slope. the entire land was filled with vitality. apart from the pedestrians on the official road, there were also many people who came out to gallop. when she first left the city, there were still many passers-by on the official road. gradually, when she was far from the capital, there were fewer and fewer people on the road. occasionally, they could see farmers and naughty children busying themselves between the fields on both sides. after driving for another seven to eight miles, the surroundings became even more desolate. there was no one on the road anymore. the driver of the carriage held the reins of the horse in one hand and the horse whip in the other. he gently drove on the empty rural road. ¡°giddyup!¡± the driver waved his whip and shouted. he drove the carriage to the right and saw a big tree that had been broken in the middle not far ahead, blocking the path ahead. the carriage would overturn! the coachman was shocked and hurriedly tightened the reins, sighing. the carriage stopped less than ten feet away from the tree blocking the way. the black horse pulling the carriage spewed white gas and neighed continuously. the driver wiped his sweat with his sleeve in lingering fear. just as the carriage stopped, there was suddenly a commotion from the front and back. two groups of people leaped out of the forest by the roadside menacingly, blocking the front and back path of the carriage, forming a pincer attack. the driver frowned and looked at the few people in front of him uneasily. in the lead was a young man in his early twenties with dark skin. he was riding a black horse and was wearing an indigo-blue narrow-sleeved beard with an indigo collar. he looked handsome and rough, and his facial features were far deeper than ordinary people. the few tall men accompanying him seemed to be dressed as guards. all of them were muscular and stared at the carriage with sharp gazes. the driver¡¯s heart was in his throat. they were alone, but the other party had more people. it was obvious that they didn¡¯t come with good intentions. if they fought, they would definitely suffer. the driver tried to intimidate the other party. ¡°who are you? this is under the feet of the emperor. what do you want?¡± right on the heels of that, he lowered his voice and reported to gu yanfei in the carriage, ¡°second lady, someone is blocking the way.¡± the coachman¡¯s voice trembled slightly. he looked at the people blocking the way in front and back warily, his face turning pale from fright. the young man in the lead casually shook the horse whip in his hand and said with a faint smile, ¡°it¡¯s better to meet by chance. i just want to talk to second lady gu.¡± the curtains on the right side of the carriage were lifted by a small white and slender hand. gu yanfei¡¯s beautiful face popped out of the window. gu yanfei¡¯s gaze accurately looked ahead and landed on the young man in the middle. her willow eyebrows raised slightly. she was calm and composed, forming a sharp contrast to the driver¡¯s fear and uneasiness. the moment the young man in embroidered clothes saw gu yanfei, his long and narrow eyes became even hotter. his gaze swept across her small face impudently. this little beauty was still so interesting. her reaction was always beyond his expectations. if it were other women, their faces would probably have turned pale from fright. the young man in embroidered clothes let out a low and happy laugh. he was in a good mood. ¡°third prince baili, what a coincidence to meet you here,¡± gu yanfei said leisurely. she casually stroked her bangs that were messed up by the wind, as if this was an extremely ordinary coincidence. ¡°i heard that third prince baili is going back to the state of yue?¡± after the marriage between the two countries failed, baili yin had already bid farewell to the emperor a few days ago. the emperor had also allowed it, and this matter had already spread throughout the capital. ¡°second lady gu, i¡¯m here to invite you back to the country with me.¡± a strange light shone in baili yin¡¯s dark brown amber eyes as he stared at gu yanfei greedily. after the farewell at the tianyin pavilion, the little beauty had become even more beautiful. her eyebrows were exquisite, she was delicate, and she had no makeup on her face. the warm sunlight coated her smooth skin with a faint layer of golden powder, making her look dazzling. at the start of last year, this little beauty was still a flower bud that was about to bloom. but now, this delicate flower had already unfolded layers of petals, revealing its delicate stamen that was waiting to be plucked. who would pluck this delicate flower? the corners of baili yin¡¯s mouth pursed tightly, and dark light flashed in his eyes. he was like a wolf about to hunt, revealing a greedy wildness and determination to win. he squeezed the horse¡¯s abdomen and rode it a few steps closer to gu yanfei. he smiled cynically and said, ¡°little beauty, as long as you¡¯re willing to return to the state of yue with me, i can also give you what young master yi can give you.¡± ¡°i can give you the position of the main concubine.¡± baili yin promised generously. his expression seemed to be saying that she couldn¡¯t escape even if she had wings. he had come all the way from the state of yue to the state of jin this time and everything had gone wrong. his greatest gain was probably gu yanfei. from the first time he met gu yanfei, he was stunned by her. then, when they met again and again, he looked at this little beauty in a new light. there were many beauties, but gu yanfei was different. gradually, baili yin had the thought of bringing her back to the state of yue. however, chu yi also took a fancy to gu yanfei! that was true. such a devastatingly beautiful woman naturally made people flock to her. with someone competing, it made this beauty even more precious. she was a spoil of war worth bragging about! baili yin could almost imagine how angry and uneasy chu yi would be when he realized that gu yanfei was missing. pleased by this thought, baili yin¡¯s thin lips curled up even higher. gu yanfei smiled with interest. she looked at baili yin¡¯s teasing and high and mighty eyes and said affirmatively, ¡°it¡¯s li yunrong, right?¡± these words came out of nowhere, but baili yin was stunned when he heard that. there was silence. the hissing of the horses and the crisp sound of their hooves mixed together, echoing in the breeze in the suburbs. baili yin raised his head and laughed out loud. his laughter was deep, arrogant, and unrestrained, revealing a wild and unruly aura. soon, he stopped laughing and clapped. he praised loudly, ¡°second lady gu is really smart. you have a delicate heart.¡± ¡°second lady gu, aren¡¯t you surprised at all?¡± he asked as he leisurely rode his horse and continued to approach gu yanfei. his tall body looked down at her from the horse¡¯s back, and he had a threatening aura. the state of yue guards behind blocked the center of the road like a solid wall. ¡°why should 1 be surprised?¡± gu yanfei smiled and looked calm. ¡°li yunrong has always been at odds with me. she¡¯s a high-spirited person and values her dignity the most. if she didn¡¯t have ulterior motives, why would she take the initiative to let me see her down and out side?¡± ¡°right?¡± she used a questioning tone, but her expression was quite certain.. Chapter 632 - Chapter 632: Counterattack (1) chapter 632: counterattack (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios baili yin stared at gu yanfei steadily. his gaze seemed to be scrutinizing her, but also seemed to be thinking about something. he didn¡¯t deny it. when he heard gu yanfei mention li yunrong just now, his first reaction was to marvel at gu yanfei¡¯s agile thinking. she had guessed the cause and effect so quickly and connected him to li yunrong. but now, looking at gu yanfei¡¯s confident expression, he suspected that he was wrong. gu yanfei seemed to have expected it long ago. did she already sense it the moment she saw him just now, or before? baili yin narrowed his eyes slightly. gu yanfei¡¯s smile deepened. she asked with a smile, ¡°do you want to die or live?¡± her tone was light, as if she was kidding, but there was no smile in her eyes. baili yin didn¡¯t say anything and continued to stare at her without blinking. he smiled again, his eyebrows arching frivolously. clap, clap, clap! he clapped again, and the applause was clear and loud. he smiled happily and said, ¡°second lady gu, you¡¯ve really made me look at you in a different light time and time again, making me even more interested in you.¡± under the sun, his eyes seemed to be suffused with golden light, filled with the desire to conquer his prey and arrogant confidence. even if gu yanfei had long sensed that something was wrong, so what? she was too confident. she only brought such a carriage, an akhal-teke horse, a coachman, a servant, and a maidservant. there wasn¡¯t even a guard beside her. even if the servant deliberately rode the akhal-teke horse to ask for help, he definitely wouldn¡¯t be able to escape their encirclement. hehe. baili yin smiled confidently. he liked the difference between the little beauty and the others. she was confident, bold, and charming¡­ she was a thorny rose or a sly red fox! this interesting little beauty was really worth him going through so much trouble for her. baili yin got off the horse and a square-faced servant beside him quickly pulled open the door of the carriage. in the narrow car, gu yanfei was sitting by the window with the cat in her arms. juan bi, who was sitting opposite her, looked at baili yin almost breathlessly, her whole body tense. ¡°aren¡¯t you getting out of the car?¡± baili yin asked with a smile. ¡°do you still want me to invite you personally?¡± seeing that gu yanfei didn¡¯t move, baili yin smiled even more smugly. he agilely got into the carriage, and the narrow carriage became very crowded because of his addition. baili yin elegantly stretched out his hand to gu yanfei. the smile on his well-defined face was frivolous, and his tone was even gentler. ¡°it¡¯s time to go. don¡¯t force me to destroy a flower ruthlessly.¡± he was smiling, but his words were filled with undisguised threat. in his opinion, gu yanfei had no chance to escape from him. she had already stepped into a trap. as long as he brought her back to the state of yue, it was impossible for the state of jin to denounce the state of yue for the daughter of a sinner, let alone make a big fuss about it. even if chu yi wanted to, the civil and military officials of the state of jin wouldn¡¯t agree. moreover, the women in the state of jin valued their clean reputation the most. if she fell into his hands, it was equivalent to losing her reputation, which was equivalent to losing everything. once he took her away from here today, she would definitely not be able to return. she already belonged to him! meeting baili yin¡¯s greedy eyes, gu yanfei¡¯s gaze didn¡¯t deviate at all. she said calmly, ¡°what if i don¡¯t leave?¡± ¡°second lady gu, do you think i¡¯m scaring you?!¡± baili yin¡¯s face instantly turned cold. the smile on his face disappeared, and his face seemed to be covered in a thin layer of ice. if he wanted to tame a wild fox, he had to make it suffer a little. he had to pull out its sharp teeth and claws and let it know what obedience was. baili yin¡¯s eyes, which were usually smiling, turned cold, like snow that hadn¡¯t melted for ten thousand years on the snow mountain peak. he shouted outside the carriage, ¡°take her down!¡± the square-faced servant waiting outside the carriage immediately raised his hand and made a gesture, transmitting his master¡¯s order. those state of yue guards all pulled out the long sabers in their sheaths. the silver blades flickered coldly under the sun. this was a demonstration and a coercion. they looked at the coachman and servant of the gu family as if they were looking at two dead people. the driver of the carriage raised his hand uneasily to support the bamboo hat. baili yin raised his firm chin slightly, carrying the high up in the air of victory. gu yanfei yawned lazily and shouted indifferently, ¡°qing guang!¡± ¡°meow-¡± a soft cat cry sounded. the long-haired cat stuck its head out of gu yanfei¡¯s arms and met baili yin¡¯s eyes with its green, gem-like cat eyes.. Chapter 633 - Chapter 633: Counterattack (2) chapter 633: counterattack (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios baili yin¡¯s mind immediately went blank. he forgot about gu yanfei, chu yi, and everything else. there was only the cat in gu yanfei¡¯s arms left in his eyes. he was completely immersed in the charm of the cat¡¯s eyes. baili yin¡¯s gaze was fixed as he enthusiastically looked at the cat lazily licking its nose and claws. he couldn¡¯t bear to blink at all. every move of the cat carried a noble and elegant charm. it was just right, making people want to kneel down and worship it, wishing they could hold the entire world in front of it. it was too beautiful. if only it was willing to return to the state of yue with him! gu yanfei was used to it. she instructed calmly, ¡°do it.¡± when the square-faced servant outside the carriage saw that baili yin suddenly stopped moving like a stone statue, he frowned in alarm. ¡°your highness?¡± the square-faced servant wanted to get on the horse, but he heard gu yanfei quickly pull out a short sword and place it on baili yin¡¯s neck. the square-faced servant¡¯s body immediately froze. he shouted sharply, ¡°let go of the third prince!¡± the guards of the state of yue outside the carriage also saw this scene, and their expressions changed drastically. they couldn¡¯t understand why the highly skilled third prince was restrained by a weak woman without resistance. ¡°third prince!¡± ¡°quick, save him!¡± the guards who had lost their backbone were burning with anxiety. they surged over like a tide and tightened the encirclement. but at this moment, the coachman who was trembling in fear suddenly moved. he swung the horse whip in his hand and wrapped it around the waist of one of the state of yue¡¯s guards like a poisonous snake, sending him flying from the brown horse¡­ the guard fell off the horse in a sorry state and rolled several times on the dusty and gravel ground. all of this happened too quickly. the expressions of the state of yue guards in front and behind changed drastically. with cold killing intent, they waved their long sabers and approached. the driver casually lifted his bamboo hat, revealing si hai¡¯s ordinary face. the aura around him was extremely cold, and a bloodthirsty light flashed in his eyes. he was like an emotionless sharp blade on the battlefield, killing anyone in its path. he leaped up and rode the guard¡¯s brown horse. at the same time, he scooped up the other party¡¯s saber. in the blink of an eye, he killed another guard of the state of yue with a clean slash, and his corpse fell to the ground from the horse¡¯s back. a strong smell of blood filled the air, and blood dyed the ground red. shouts of war, the sound of swords, the sound of landing, the cry of horses¡­ rose and fell. the smell of blood became stronger and stronger. soon, corpses and their sabers fell to the ground outside the carriage in the sea of blood. pairs of turbid and listless eyes stared at the blue sky and dazzling sun above, dying with grievances. their mounts neighed endlessly, adding a few anxious auras. ¡°second lady gu, it¡¯s all been dealt with.¡± si hai quickly returned to report to gu yanfei. his face and body were covered in bright red human blood, making his ordinary face look a little strange. if it were a normal battle, it wouldn¡¯t be so easy for si hai to kill so many good guards alone. however, because their master had been captured, these state of yue guards inevitably lost their composure, which gave si hai an opportunity. gu yanfei waved her hand to indicate that she understood. she was so calm that the corners of her eyes and eyebrows didn¡¯t even move. the cat naturally smelled the pungent smell of blood. its pink nose twitched and revealed a disgusted expression. as soon as it turned around, the cat buried its face in gu yanfei¡¯s arms and curled into a ball of fur. after the green cat¡¯s eyes moved away, baili yin recovered from his obsessed state and his mind. ¡°let¡¯s go¡­¡± he didn¡¯t notice the short sword at his neck for a moment. he stretched out his hand to gu yanfei again, but halfway through his words, he suddenly noticed that something was wrong and stopped. his eyes widened as he looked at the dead guards and followers outside the carriage in disbelief. for a moment, he almost suspected that this was a nightmare. he couldn¡¯t help but pinch himself. the pain told him that this was a sign. baili yin¡¯s pupils almost constricted into a cold point. anger, shock, lingering fear, hatred¡­ he was so angry that his vision turned black, and his right hand subconsciously clenched into a fist. killing intent surged in his deep eyes. ¡°you¡­¡± baili yin looked at the calm gu yanfei and suddenly recalled how she looked when she treated the injured female deer in the hunting ground last year. at that time, he thought that she looked thorny on the surface, but she was actually kind-hearted.. Chapter 634 - Chapter 634: Counterattack (3) chapter 634: counterattack (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios only at this moment did he know that he was wrong, very wrong. baili yin¡¯s throat tightened, and he felt cold all over. he wanted to ask gu yanfei what exactly he had done just now, but he couldn¡¯t say a word for a long time. it was as if once he asked, he would show weakness. previously, when gu yanfei mentioned li yunrong, although he was shocked, he was still confident and certain that gu yanfei couldn¡¯t escape from his palm. but now¡­ his confidence had already been completely defeated in just an incense¡¯s time. baili yin¡¯s eyes were filled with almost shocked emotions. his hands were clenched into fists, and the smell of blood lingering on the tip of his nose was so strong that he couldn¡¯t breathe. he couldn¡¯t believe that he would actually be unable to resist just now. he would actually watch helplessly as his guards died tragically in the hands of gu yanfei¡¯s guards. how could this be?! baili yin couldn¡¯t understand at all. he had clearly arrived here before gu yanfei for an incense¡¯s time. he had also ordered his guards to investigate the surroundings for two miles. there were no ambushes in this area. he knew this the best. that was why he gave the order to stop gu yanfei¡¯s carriage. although gu yanfei knew some daoist spells, she wasn¡¯t omnipotent. her abilities also had their limitations, just like how a peerless expert with outstanding martial arts couldn¡¯t defeat an army of thousands. in any case, under the cover of his guards, he was confident that he could retreat unscathed. however, all his guards were dead. everything now completely exceeded his expectations. he had fallen, and he was so caught off guard. gu yanfei was clearly prepared today. she brought an extraordinary guard with her, and he actually forgot himself just now because of a cat, as if he was being seduced? he was filled with doubts. he looked at the beautiful three-flowered cat in gu yanfei¡¯s arms and was in a daze. such a beautiful and cute little cat was like a peerless beauty, so it was natural for him to be absent-minded for a moment. just as this thought appeared, baili yin hurriedly bit the tip of his tongue and tried his best to calm himself down. he told himself what he was thinking. ¡°let me ask you a question.¡± gu yanfei tilted her little face and looked at baili yin, whose face was alternately green and white. she went straight to the point and asked, ¡°do you know about gu ce?¡± gu ce? baili yin woke up from his chaotic thoughts. he was first stunned, then he smiled. his smile returned to its previous playfulness, as if the surrounding corpses didn¡¯t exist. he didn¡¯t say anything and just stared at gu yanfei without saying a word. his gaze was so sharp that it seemed to want to penetrate her appearance. after staying in the state of jin for a few months, he naturally knew that chu yi was rehabilitating gu yanfei¡¯s deceased father, gu ce. this matter had long caused an uproar in da jing. ¡°aren¡¯t you going to say it?¡± gu yanfei¡¯s tone was extremely casual, as if baili yin, the dignified third prince of the state of yue, was nothing in her eyes. for a moment, baili yin was angered by gu yanfei¡¯s expression. he raised the corners of his eyes frivolously and said in his usual unrestrained tone, ¡°if miss is willing to return to the state of yue with me, i¡¯ll tell you.¡± ¡°in the state of yue, there¡¯s a dossier on the battle between the two countries nine years ago. don¡¯t you want to see it, second lady gu?¡± he calmly threw out the bait. gu yanfei looked at him. her right index finger casually curled up a strand of black hair, occasionally, as if she was distracted. however, baili yin knew that she was listening and knew that she was very concerned about overturning the case for gu ce. otherwise, why would chu yi do this to please her? otherwise, why would she put herself in danger to ask him? ¡°when we go to the state of yue, i promise you that i can give you those dossiers.¡± baili yin wasn¡¯t in a hurry. he said slowly, ¡°i can help reverse your father¡¯s case.¡± after deliberately pausing for a moment, baili yin looked at gu yanfei¡¯s red lips that were like petals and continued in an extremely bewitching tone, ¡°i can do whatever young master yi can do for you.¡± baili yin¡¯s gaze moved slightly, and a tempting smile appeared on his lips. in a few words, he took back the initiative. his heart was as clear as a mirror. he had his value, so when the others died, he was still standing here safe and sound. just now, gu yanfei ruthlessly instructed her subordinates to kill so many of his guards. to put it bluntly, it was just to intimidate him and break through his guard. unfortunately, it was a pity that she had underestimated him too much. when the wind blew, not only did the smell of blood in the air not disappear, but it also became even stronger. the atmosphere was tense and oppressive like the eve of a storm. lightning flashed, thunder rumbled, and swords flashed. ¡°how is it? have you considered it, second lady gu?¡± baili yin smiled again and approached step by step as he continued to ask, ¡°do you want to return to the state of yue with me?¡± without waiting for gu yanfei to answer, he continued, ¡°second lady gu, even if you control me, what can you do?¡± ¡°are you going to kill me?¡± ¡°i came to the state of jin from the state of yue. if i can¡¯t successfully return to the state of yue, the battle between the two countries will probably be inevitable.¡± ¡°are you going to let the two countries start a war for me alone?¡± ¡°heh, you¡¯re a smart person¡­ aren¡¯t you?¡± the corners of baili yin¡¯s mouth curled up slightly as he asked with an affirmative tone, as if he had completely seen through gu yanfei and didn¡¯t care about the short sword in gu yanfei¡¯s hand at all.. Chapter 635 - Chapter 635: Cooperation (1) chapter 635: cooperation (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°your highness is really confident.¡± gu yanfei sighed as if she had heard an extremely funny joke. baili yin, who was sitting opposite gu yanfei, leaned over slightly. his greedy gaze moved inch by inch on gu yanfei¡¯s face, wishing he could replace his gaze with his hand to touch her delicate and flawless skin. ¡°you¡¯re wrong. little beauty, you¡¯re too confident.¡± ¡°however, i like your confidence. it¡¯s completely different from other women.¡± ¡°that¡¯s why you can¡¯t forget me.¡± baili yin¡¯s words weren¡¯t to curry favor, but completely from his heart. he believed that he had seen hundreds of beauties and all kinds of women. only gu yanfei was rare in his life. she was completely different from the ordinary girls he had seen. the thoughts of the little beauty in front of him were really unfathomable. she was quite calm and composed, making it impossible to understand what she was thinking. she had clearly just become an adult. this fifteen-year-old girl was really talented. he couldn¡¯t let go of her and couldn¡¯t forget her. 15 years old. baili yin couldn¡¯t help but recall when he was 15 years old. at that time, he was extremely young. he was worlds apart from gu yanfei. he was a noble prince with the protection of the eldest brother of the crown prince. when he was young, he lived wantonly and in high spirits. it wasn¡¯t too much to say that he didn¡¯t have any scruples. but now, those carefree days were so far away that it seemed to have happened in his previous life. when he was 16 years old, xia houqing rose and rose to the position of heavenly palace¡¯s lord. the sage was old and pampered xia houqing. he was wary of the crown prince¡¯s brother snatching power. their days in the state of yue became more and more difficult, as if they were walking on pins and needles. xia houqing¡¯s face, which was covered in a black mask all year round, appeared in his mind. baili yin subconsciously shuddered. the hair on the back of his neck instantly stood up, as if he was being stared at by pairs of invisible eyes. in the next moment, he heard gu yanfei¡¯s slightly emotional voice enter his ears. ¡°i need to see the dossier.¡± what did she mean? baili yin was stunned. ¡°third prince baili, you really don¡¯t understand your situation until now. your life is in my hands now,¡± gu yanfei said calmly and sighed. what did she mean? baili yin frowned slightly, his expression even more confused. gu yanfei didn¡¯t plan to explain too much to him. she lifted the curtains and instructed, ¡°bring it to your master.¡± she clearly didn¡¯t say this to baili yin. baili yin was stunned again. this time, his heart trembled inexplicably. for some reason, alarms sounded in his heart and he had an ominous feeling. it was as if something rather bad had happened, and he still didn¡¯t understand. ¡°yes, miss gu,¡± outside the window, a young man replied rather happily. his voice came from the gray-robed manservant sitting on the shaft of the car. baili yin subconsciously looked over. through the square window, he could see that the gray-robed servant who had been lowering his head raised his head, revealing a relatively delicate face. he agilely leaped down from the shaft of the car and arrived outside the car door. an overly bright smile appeared on his face, until his teeth were visible. this face was a little familiar. baili yin¡¯s pupils constricted violently, and the calm expression on his face disappeared as if he had been struck by lightning. no, this person was very familiar. baili yin glanced at the corner of the black inner shirt revealed by the servant¡¯s neckline. his eyes were almost widened to the extreme, and his surprise was completely difficult to hide. he remembered that this person was someone beside xia houqing, a secret guard of the heavenly palace. ¡°jing shan, you¡¯re jing shan.¡± baili yin muttered in shock and disbelief. his chest heaved violently, and his breathing gradually became rough. why were gu yanfei and xia houqing together?! baili yin looked at gu yanfei for a while and then at the young jing shan. in the blink of an eye, the whites of his eyes were covered in spiderweb-like blood vessels. baili yin involuntarily recalled the beautiful young man in red he had seen at the tianyin pavilion that day, young master xia. he was as demonic as a fox and devastatingly beautiful. he was a fatal beauty. he was both enchanting and extremely aggressive. that day, baili yin couldn¡¯t let go of that so-called young master xia. he kept feeling that he was very similar to xia houqing. after that, he specially sent someone to investigate the tianyin pavilion and also found an excuse to get kang wang to investigate the owner of the tianyin pavilion and the yao family class inside. it was said that the yao family class was a troupe invited by the owner from yi zhou in the south. they had been famous in yi zhou for at least 30 years.. Chapter 636 - Chapter 636: Cooperation (2) chapter 636: cooperation (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios be it the tianyin pavilion or the yao family class, they were unrelated to the state of yue and xia houqing. the information he found here and the evidence found by kang wang proved this. but even so, baili yin wasn¡¯t at ease. after hurriedly handing an urgent secret letter to the crown prince of the state of yue, he tossed and turned, unable to sleep. after thinking about it repeatedly, he finally decided to return to the country in advance. during this period of time, he had been wavering between ¡°that person is xia houqing¡± and ¡°that¡¯s not xia houqing¡±. he was still hesitating. and now, jing shan actually appeared here. at this point, the truth was obvious¡­ that young master xia from the tianyin pavilion was xia houqing!! ¡°it¡¯s him, it¡¯s really him!¡± baili yin muttered to himself softly. his heart suddenly constricted, and cold sweat the size of beans seeped out of his forehead. xia houqing was actually not supervising the country in the state of yue, but appeared in the state of jin. he was too bold. wasn¡¯t he afraid that others would find an opportunity to snatch power?! how was this possible? xia houqing was arrogant and eccentric by nature. not only was he unreasonable, but he also thought highly of himself. apart from the sage, no one else could enter his eyes. why would xia houqing cooperate with gu yanfei?! baili yin wanted to say that this was impossible, but reality was in front of him. there was no other possibility. his heart immediately panicked, and he was in a mess, as if countless ants were crawling in his heart. even when he saw the surrounding guards of the state of yue being killed just now, baili yin had never been so panicked. after being so confused, it was as if he had suffered a fatal blow to his heart, and the blood in his body almost froze. gu yanfei didn¡¯t dare to kill him, but xia houqing did. baili yin simply didn¡¯t dare to imagine the outcome if he fell into xia houqing¡¯s hands. outside the carriage, jing shan looked at the long-haired cat in gu yanfei¡¯s arms in a daze. ¡°meow-¡± the cat yawned lazily, revealing its sharp little canine teeth. it was as cute as it could be. qing guangis too obedient! ]mg shan sighed sincerely in his heart. he really wanted to feed the cat some chicken meat and goat milk. he stared at the little cat intently, as if baili yin, the dignified third prince of the state of yue, was inferior to a cat in his eyes. ¡°you can take him away now.¡± gu yanfei smiled slowly and covered the cat¡¯s face with one hand. not only did she cover the cat¡¯s eyes, but she also covered the cat¡¯s mouth. the cat struggled in her palm and let out an unhappy cry, rubbing against her cat hair. ¡°don¡¯t worry, a cooked duck can¡¯t run away,¡± jing shan said with a smile. he glanced coldly at baili yin and looked at him with an indifferent and heartless gaze. it was as if they weren¡¯t discussing a person, but a corpse that was at the mercy of others. after a pause, as if he was deliberately saying it for baili yin to hear, he said again, ¡°the dossier will be sent to you later. it¡¯s guaranteed to be flawless.¡± he deliberately emphasized the words ¡°flawless¡±. jing shan pretended to be obedient and looked at gu yanfei. he wanted to say that when he personally sent her the dossier later, could he play with qing guang? gu yanfei smiled and didn¡¯t say anything. she casually touched the back of the three-flowered cat in her arms. the cat narrowed its eyes in comfort. baili yin¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and his face turned pale. with xia houqing around, it meant that gu yanfei could have any dossier of the state of yue she wanted! she could write whatever she wanted! ¡°wait!¡± baili yin¡¯s face tensed up. his cheeks were sore and painful from clenching his teeth too hard. his unclear gaze met gu yanfei. ¡°second lady gu, don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t want the truth that happened to your father back then, but just ¡®reparation¡¯?¡± he asked quickly. because he said it too quickly, his panic was obvious. he almost didn¡¯t dare to think further. if that was the case, then xia houqing could indeed give gu yanfei the so-called ¡°documentary¡± she wanted. this realization made baili yin feel like he had fallen into an icehouse. xia houqing. however, when he thought of this name, baili yin felt waves of despair in his heart. under exhaustion, his back leaned weakly against the carriage wall at the back. baili yin knew xia houqing¡¯s ability, xia houqing¡¯s scheming, and xia houqing¡¯s ambition the best. gu yanfei and chu yi were actually connected to xia houqing. it was obvious that xia houqing definitely had a big goal. it would probably affect the situation of the entire state of yue. his prince brother was in danger. at this moment, baili yin felt that he was like a lowly ant being played in the palm of someone¡¯s hand. just a gentle flick of the other party¡¯s finger was enough to cause him to encounter destruction.. Chapter 637 - Chapter 637: Cooperation (3) chapter 637: cooperation (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios baili yin¡¯s face was pale, and his eyes flickered darkly. he made a decision in an extremely short period of time. ¡°second gu¡­¡± baili yin wanted to say something, but he had only said one or two words when he felt a spoiler coming from the back of his neck. his vision darkened, and a dark surge that he couldn¡¯t resist at all attacked. his eyes rolled back, and he lost consciousness. his muscular body fell weakly onto the carpet in the car. jing shan grabbed the back of baili yin¡¯s collar and roughly dragged the unconscious baili yin out of the carriage like a dead pig. he then carried him on his left shoulder like a sandbag. ¡°then¡­ i¡¯m leaving.¡± jing shan reluctantly took another look at the little cat in gu yanfei¡¯s arms and carried him away. it had only been a short while, but the ground outside was already clean. the state of yue guards and their mounts on the ground had already disappeared. even the big tree blocking the way in front had disappeared into thin air. only some blood on the ground reminded the people in the carriage of what had just happened. juan bi swallowed her saliva and closed the door of the carriage again. gu yanfei also lowered the curtains, and everything returned to calm. ¡°let¡¯s go.¡± gu yanfei¡¯s voice floated out of the carriage. si hai immediately responded. he had already changed into a new set of green short pants, put on a bamboo hat, and got into the carriage again. with a wave of the whip, the two horses pulling the cart continued to gallop forward. the carriage sped all the way. this time, it didn¡¯t stop and smoothly arrived at the foot of cuiwei mountain. gu yuan and the others arrived more than an hour earlier than gu yanfei and were playing by the lake at the foot of cuiwei mountain. this was the season for the rhododendron flowers to bloom. the big red rhododendron flowers all over the mountain were in full swing, burning like the morning sun and gorgeous like the red clouds. some of them were galloping horses along the lake, some were fishing on the lake, some were shooting willows, and some were picking rhododendron flowers. they were having a lot of fun. ¡°yanfei, you¡¯re finally here!¡± lu qin waved at gu yanfei from afar. beside her, fan mushuang was wearing an extremely bright orange-red dress. it was dazzling. the two of them were wearing a few rhododendron flowers that had just been plucked. the petals trembled in the wind. gu yanfei got out of the carriage. when she didn¡¯t see wei jiaoniang, she asked, ¡°where¡¯s jiaoniang?¡± ¡°she went to run with miss yue, miss fei, and the others.¡± lu qin pointed at the four or five people riding horses opposite the lake and said, ¡°look, my fourth brother, your big brother, and the others rented a small boat and are competing to fish on the lake.¡± ¡°fifth brother yue and the others are competing.¡± ¡°yanfei, their competitiveness is really too strong. mu shuang and i didn¡¯t want to play with them, so we went to pick the rhododendron flowers. isn¡¯t it very beautiful?¡± ¡°yes.¡± gu yanfei nodded slightly. ¡°i¡¯ll give you one too.¡± lu qin took a rhododendron flower from her temple and enthusiastically put a hairpin on gu yanfei. there were thin dewdrops rolling on the delicate petals, making her black hair look even more beautiful. lu qin said in satisfaction, ¡°she¡¯s more delicate than a flower, so beautiful!¡± ¡°however, it seems to be lacking something.¡± fan mushuang came over and touched her small and exquisite chin thoughtfully. ¡°by the way!¡± her eyes lit up and she clapped. ¡°if there¡¯s a flower bud between her eyebrows, she¡¯ll definitely look better!¡± ¡°unfortunately, i didn¡¯t wear a flower bud today.¡± lu qin nodded in agreement and pointed at the rhododendron flower in full swing on the mountainside. ¡°let¡¯s go pick some more rhododendron flowers. the flowers there bloom better than here.¡± ¡°i¡¯ll go too!¡± wei jiaoniang¡¯s clear and loud voice came from behind, accompanied by the rapid galloping of horses. gu yanfei and the others looked in the direction of the voice and saw wei jiaoniang and the other girls riding their horses over. wei jiaoniang rode at the front and stopped her horse less than ten feet away from them. she pouted and complained to gu yanfei, ¡°yanfei, where did you go? why are you only here now?¡± ¡°i went to put on makeup on li yunrong,¡± gu yanfei didn¡¯t plan to hide it and said bluntly. put makeup? wei jiaoniang¡¯s expression instantly became very strange. she flew down from the horse and looked valiant. facing gu yanfei, wei jiaoniang asked straightforwardly, ¡°you don¡¯t hate her anymore?¡± gu yanfei clearly didn¡¯t like li yunrong. ¡°i do,¡± gu yanfei said calmly. she didn¡¯t hide anything, nor was she afraid that others would hear her. wei jiaoniang couldn¡¯t help but laugh. she echoed confidently, ¡°that¡¯s right, i hate her too.¡± wei jiaoniang liked gu yanfei¡¯s straightforward personality. unlike li yunrong, who always imitated those girls from aristocratic families and made people guess. it was so annoying. it was really tiring to talk to these people. wei jiaoniang held gu yanfei¡¯s arm intimately and walked towards cuiwei mountain. the girls from the yue family and the fei family, who were competing with wei jiaoniang, also rode their horses over, planning to pick the rhododendron flower together. there were often people from the capital who came here to walk and play. a small path was opened in the mountain and snaked up. a few pavilions were also built on the mountainside for tourists to rest. the girls left the young masters behind and walked up the mountain path. behind them, gu yuan and lu shi also chased after them and followed closely behind as escorts for their sisters. lu qin couldn¡¯t keep her mouth shut. as she climbed the mountain, she gossiped excitedly to everyone. ¡°tomorrow is li yunrong and kang wang¡¯s big wedding, right?¡± ¡°i heard that those aristocratic families have all returned the marriage invitation to kang wang¡¯s manor. they don¡¯t plan to go to kang wang¡¯s manor to attend the wedding banquet tomorrow..¡± Chapter 638 - Chapter 638: Fate (1) chapter 638: fate (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios this was the first time gu yanfei and fan mushuang had heard of this matter. they blurted out, ¡°why?¡± ¡°really?¡± behind them, miss yue and miss fei also pricked up their ears curiously. during this period of time, kang wang and li yunrong could be said to be the most paid attention to figures in the capital. especially li yunrong. her identity was simply complicated and strange. her story with kang wang could be made into a drama script. ¡°aren¡¯t those aristocratic families wholeheartedly supporting kang wang to advance? they don¡¯t even go to kang wang¡¯s wedding.¡± miss yue qi couldn¡¯t help but interrupt. ¡°isn¡¯t this slapping kang wang¡¯s face?¡± even a blind person could tell that those aristocratic families were fighting with kang wang! the other girls nodded repeatedly, their eyes shining. they were as curious as cats. seeing that they were interested, wei jiaoniang continued lu qin¡¯s words. ¡°i heard from my grandfather that those aristocratic families were very unhappy that kang wang insisted on marrying li yunrong as the princess consort. in the heavenly palace, they all went to persuade kang wang to cancel the wedding. they even said that if kang wang really liked li yunrong, he could marry her as a secondary concubine, but kang wang didn¡¯t listen at all and insisted.¡± gu yuan and lu shi, who were walking at the back, seemed to have heard it too. lu shi tugged at gu yuan¡¯s sleeve and winked at him, meaning, ¡°what do you think?¡± gu yuan was expressionless, and no emotions could be seen at all. in front of him, wei jiaoniang was still talking non-stop. ¡°after xiao shoufu, minister wang, and the others rejected the invitation, kang wang even personally went to the xiao and wang residences, but both families rejected him behind closed doors.¡± ¡°i heard that even madam cui, who originally wanted to preside over li yunrong¡¯s wedding, also resigned¡­¡± ¡°kang wang probably has a headache now.¡± this meant that not only were the xiao and wang families unhappy with kang wang, but even the cui family of hedong was. everyone looked at each other in surprise. lu qin muttered, ¡°do you think these aristocratic families have completely given up on kang wang and plan to lie low obediently, or do they want to teach kang wang a lesson?¡± this question was met with silence. no one could answer. lu qin didn¡¯t dwell on this question. her gaze swept across the surroundings from time to time. when it passed by the red area in front of her right, she patted gu yanfei¡¯s shoulder excitedly and said, ¡°look, the rhododendron flowers over there are so pretty!¡± ¡°yes.¡± gu yanfei nodded. the rhododendron flower was indeed blooming well, but it grew a little far from the mountain path. moreover, the mountain was a little steep, so the flowers were probably not easy to pick. lu shi rolled up his sleeves excitedly and felt that his chance to perform had come. he was sizing up the surrounding terrain when he saw gu yuan casually throw his sword to gu yanfei and say, ¡°help me hold it.¡± gu yuan didn¡¯t even look at his sister to see if she had received the sword. without hesitation, he climbed towards the location of the rhododendron flower. his movements were extremely agile, and he quickly climbed to his target. lu shi also gave his sword to lu qin and crawled towards the rhododendron flower on the mountainside. the girls on the mountain path were amused and said one after another, ¡°pick that branch. that branch bloomed well!¡± ¡°that one leaning against the stone isn¡¯t bad either. there are many flower buds. it¡¯s best to stay half open and half closed. i can use water to nurture it for two more days.¡± ¡°fourth brother, pick more. i promised my sisters at home to bring them flowers.¡± ii ii the girls¡¯ happy laughter echoed in the forest. for a moment, everyone forgot about the matter between kang wang and li yunrong. whether those aristocratic families went to kang wang¡¯s banquet or not would be determined tomorrow. just as wei jiaoniang had said just now, chu you indeed had a headache. the aristocratic families led by yuan, xiao, and wang went against kang wang. because madam cui was unwilling to preside over the wedding, chu you personally went to the yuan family to beg his uncle¡¯s family and asked his aunt, madam yuan, to do so for li yunrong. however, the yuan family rejected it. with the excuse that the daughter of a slave wasn¡¯t worthy, madam yuan wasn¡¯t even willing to attend the banquet. yuan zhe also advised chu you and repeatedly told him that li yunrong¡¯s identity was too low and she wasn¡¯t worthy of being the main concubine of kang wang. in the future, if kang wang inherited the throne, wouldn¡¯t the aristocratic families have to bow down to a person from a lowly background? chu you was furious at that time. to him, looking down on li yunrong was looking down on him. the enraged chu you completely went against those aristocratic families. since the aristocratic families had rejected the invitation, chu you no longer invited them. even on the day of the wedding, both parties were still arguing. on the day of the wedding, no one from the aristocratic families came to prince kang¡¯s residence to drink at the banquet. even yuan zhe didn¡¯t come.. Chapter 639 - Chapter 639: Fate (2) chapter 639: fate (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios but chu you didn¡¯t care. in any case, even without them, there were still many guests at the banquet. chu you wasn¡¯t afraid of the coercion of these aristocratic families. he was very certain that, apart from him, these aristocratic families had no other choice. everyone knew that once chu yi ascended in the future, he would definitely support the humble families and suppress the aristocratic families. these aristocratic families could only stand by his side. they had no other choice! chu you had already thought it through. in the future, when he ascended to that supreme position, he definitely couldn¡¯t let these aristocratic families restrict him. he couldn¡¯t spoil them. these aristocratic families would only push their luck. thinking about how the aristocratic families had been threatening him recently, chu you made up his mind. for him, the most important thing was that he had finally married the person he loved. he attached great importance to the wedding. be it the decoration of the new house and bridal hall, or the various procedures on the day of the bridal escort, he did it himself the whole time. on this day, prince kang¡¯s manor was decorated with lanterns and colors. when the auspicious time came, amidst a series of crackling firecrackers, the bridal escort team set off with a big red flower palanquin. they beat gongs and drums, played suonas, and were overjoyed. kang wang¡¯s marriage was a grand occasion that the capital hadn¡¯t seen in many years. those commoners all came when they heard the news and watched from both sides of the street. the energetic chu you was wearing a bright red wedding suit. his black hair was tied up high with a golden crown. he rode a tall horse with red silk, and his long body was straight. the bright red groom¡¯s wedding suit made the groom look radiant and graceful. his handsome face revealed a natural nobility, making people feel that he was unreachable. the bridal escort team blew and fought as they passed through the streets and alleys. wherever they passed, the two followers in the team scattered copper coins along the way. copper coins fell like rain, causing the surrounding commoners to cheer. the team arrived at the li residence in the west of the city in a mighty manner. they rushed to carry the bride away at the auspicious time and left under the heaven-shaking suona sound, returning to kang wang¡¯s residence. behind the red lacquered door of the prince¡¯s residence, the onlookers outside surrounded the door with their heads and necks raised, enthusiastically talking about today¡¯s wedding. it was inevitable that some commoners would question it. wasn¡¯t the bride¡¯s surname gu? why was kang wang going to the li residence to welcome the bride? therefore, it attracted another wave of enthusiastic discussion that was quickly drowned out by the deafening firecrackers. after the bride and groom arrived at the prince¡¯s residence, they first went to the bridal hall to bow. after bowing three times, they were sent to their new room. it was only when she sat by the bed that li yunrong, who had been nervous for the whole day, finally calmed down. the worries in her mind temporarily left her. she had finally married him! the matchmaker beside her shouted, ¡°it¡¯s time to lift the veil.¡± she saw the scale stick reach under the veil and gently lift it. the big red veil left the phoenix crown. li yunrong¡¯s eyes immediately lit up, and her eyes happened to meet chu you¡¯s, who was standing in front of her. in the candlelight, the moment li yunrong, who was wearing a phoenix crown, saw chu you, her eyes emitted a dazzling light, and her fair jade-like skin seemed to be shining. chu you also looked at li yunrong without blinking. his eyes were passionate and lingering, and his heart was burning. a thin layer of mist gradually appeared in li yunrong¡¯s eyes. she knew that she had chosen the right person. her sweetheart didn¡¯t disappoint her. even if there were thousands of obstacles between them, he wouldn¡¯t back down. he was her fate! his pure love only belonged to her! the dragon and phoenix candles burned all night until dawn. the next day, during the double morning greetings, chu you and the new princess consort kang went to the palace to serve tea to empress dowager yuan. after that, the couple acknowledged their kinship with those royal princes. another day later, the newlywed couple returned home. early in the morning, li yunrong didn¡¯t return to the li family. instead, she came to the gu residence on yuan¡¯an street with chu you. the red carriage of the prince¡¯s residence stopped at the entrance. just as the eunuch grabbed the bronze door knocker on the gu residence¡¯s door, he heard a ¡°creak¡± coming from the cast corner door. gu yuan and gu yanfci rode their respective horses out from behind the door. today, gu yanfei was wearing a lilac-colored dress. her spring clothes were thin, complementing the slender and graceful figure of the young girl. she was thin but exquisite. the hem of her dress rippled with the wind. the curtains at the side of the red car were lifted by a white hand. li yunrong¡¯s gaze landed on gu yanfci through the window at a glance. her gaze was deep, and a scrutinizing expression flashed in her eyes. in the past few days, she had ordered people to pay attention to the commotion in the gu residence. she also knew that the day before yesterday, gu yanfei actually safely returned to the residence from cuiwei mountain with gu yuan. she was naturally surprised, but at that time, she was about to get married and it wasn¡¯t convenient for her to visit. she had waited until today.. Chapter 640 - Chapter 640: Fate (3) chapter 640: fate (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios gu yuan and gu yanfei bowed appropriately to chu you, who was riding a black horse beside the vermillion wheelbarrow. gu yuan cupped his hands and said, ¡°your highness.¡± li yunrong quickly got out of the red car with chu you¡¯s help. the newlywed li yunrong had thin makeup on her face. she was wearing a real red silk peony embroidered on a red background. she had combed all her bangs, revealing her smooth forehead. the hair behind her was also tied into a bun. a stream of red, gold, and green beads was inserted into the bun. as she looked around, there was an indescribable charm and beauty. a warm smile appeared on her lips. she called gu yuan ¡°big brother¡± intimately first before smiling gratefully at gu yanfei. ¡°yanfei, i¡¯m very happy that you specially came to put makeup on me that day.¡± ¡°among so many people, you¡¯re the only one who can help me put on makeup.¡± she bit her lips, and her eyelashes trembled slightly, adding to her delicate and moving appearance. her eyes were clear. gu yanfei immediately met her eyes and said calmly, ¡°just for this?¡± chu you, who was at the side, saw that the brother and sister had no intention of getting off the horse at all. he frowned slightly, his eyes dark. looking at the calm gu yanfei, li yunrong had mixed feelings. all kinds of speculations appeared in her heart, and she was vaguely shocked. she and kang wang had clearly imagined it and reminded baili yin to be more cautious with every move, but gu yanfei actually returned safely. they had yet to contact baili yin. in the past two days, she and kang wang had been newlyweds and should have been soaking in a honey jar, but this matter was like a wooden thorn in her flesh, stabbing her from time to time. she really couldn¡¯t figure out what went wrong. suppressing the uneasiness in her heart, li yunrong smiled again and asked as if nothing had happened, ¡°i heard that you left the capital after leaving the li family that day?¡± ¡°yes.¡± gu yanfei nodded. hongyu, who was under her, was a little impatient. it shook its head gently, as if it was urging her to hurry up and play. ¡°where did you go?¡± li yunrong asked again, her heart beating faster. ¡°i went to cuiwei mountain to take a look,¡± gu yanfei replied matter-of-factly. she touched hongyu¡¯s long and strong neck comfortingly. ¡°with big brother, jiaoniang, and the others.¡± she turned her face slightly, and the corners of her lips curled up, as if she was saying, ¡°is there anything else you want to ask?¡± ¡°didn¡¯t you encounter anything on the way?¡± li yunrong widened her eyes slightly and blurted out. after saying that, she immediately realized her slip of the tongue and hurriedly made up for it. ¡°i heard that the suburbs of the capital have been a little chaotic recently.¡± ¡°no.¡± the smile on gu yanfei¡¯s lips deepened. her black and white eyes stared at li yunrong. ¡°the great jin dynasty is free of disasters and chaos. it¡¯s very peaceful.¡± ¡°i wonder where second lady li heard that the suburbs of the capital aren¡¯t peaceful. it¡¯s better to stay away from such people who spread rumors?¡± li yunrong said perfunctorily, ¡°perhaps i remembered wrongly.¡± her gaze stared intently at gu yanfei, but there was nothing unusual about her expression. she couldn¡¯t help but think: could it be that baili yin changed his mind and didn¡¯t attack? otherwise, regardless of whether it worked or not, gu yanfei¡¯s attitude shouldn¡¯t be like this. with gu yuan¡¯s personality, he shouldn¡¯t be indifferent after his sister suffered a loss. li yunrong¡¯s eyes darkened even more, and her faint gaze shifted to the cold-looking gu yuan behind her. gu yuan met li yunrong¡¯s probing eyes and asked coldly, ¡°why exactly are you here?¡± a simple question made li yunrong feel like her heart had been stabbed. this used to be her home, and she was the owner of this place. she had never expected that she would one day be questioned like this by someone she treated as her biological brother. li yunrong suppressed the rise and fall of her chest and said gently, ¡°today is the day i return to my maiden home. i want to come with his highness to offer incense to grandpa and father. father raised me. even if i¡¯m not his biological daughter, i should come and offer incense to tell him that i¡¯m already married and comfort his spirit in heaven.¡± she lowered her head and bit her lower lip nervously. she added, ¡°i¡­ really have nowhere to go.¡± she suppressed the intense emotions in her heart and showed weakness again, her eyes shining. half of what she said was the truth. she indeed didn¡¯t want to return to the li family. although these people from the li family were related to her by blood, there was no kinship between them at all. they weren¡¯t real family, and the li family would only embarrass her. even if kang wang didn¡¯t care about her family background or her nominal family¡­ she didn¡¯t want to leave those ugly impressions on kang wang. the li family was clearly not her family, but it had become her shortcoming and her ugly state. chu you looked at li yunrong with heartache. he held her weak and boneless little hand and completely wrapped her cold little hand in his clear palm. his palm was hot. ¡°there¡¯s no need.¡± gu yuan rejected li yunrong directly, not giving her any face at all. ¡°we want to go out.¡± ¡°moreover, our grandfather isn¡¯t your grandfather, and our father isn¡¯t your father.¡± ¡°your father¡¯s surname is li. don¡¯t call him by the wrong name in the future.¡± gu yuan¡¯s voice was as cold as ice. every word he said was like an ice needle that stabbed into li yunrong¡¯s heart.. Chapter 641 - Chapter 641: Trapped Beast (1) chapter 641: trapped beast (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios li yunrong tried her best to control herself and didn¡¯t leave. she couldn¡¯t help but think of the scene when they met yesterday¡­ at first, empress dowager yuan was unwilling to accept the tea she served. it was only when kang wang spoke that she reluctantly accepted her cup of tea. during the acknowledgment, those royal relatives were polite on account of kang wang, but they all ignored her. no one even said any soft words to her. she also heard that someone was absent from the banquet behind her back. just because her surname was li, everything about her was erased. li yunrong lowered her eyes, and a dark expression flashed across her eyes. chu you¡¯s heart ached for his princess consort, and his expression became uglier and uglier. his gaze scraped across gu yuan¡¯s face like an icicle, and he berated, ¡°gu yuan, don¡¯t go too far!¡± chu you wanted to say that rong¡¯er and he were siblings after all. he wanted to say that princess consort kang didn¡¯t disgrace their gu family¡­ he wanted to say a lot, but gu yuan didn¡¯t want to hear a word. his voice was even colder. ¡°kang wang, bring the princess consort back. don¡¯t go to the wrong door. it¡¯s ominous.¡± gu yuan didn¡¯t even give chu you face. in front of chu you, he turned around and instructed the concierge, ¡°old sun, don¡¯t open the door and let unrelated people in. uninvited guests aren¡¯t welcome at home.¡± ¡°gu yuan, how dare you!¡± chu you shouted angrily. he was like a furious tiger. he wanted to take a big step forward, but he felt his sleeve tighten. li yunrong shook her head at chu you, her voice a little hoarse. ¡°your highness, don¡¯t¡­¡± the water in her eyes deepened, and her face revealed obvious hurt and helplessness, but she was very calm in her heart. she and kang wang didn¡¯t really come here to return home. they just found a dignified excuse. soon, their goal for this trip had been achieved. chu you understood what li yunrong meant, but he was still furious. how could he tolerate his woman being disrespected under his nose! li yunrong shook her head at him again. chu you said with a restrained and pained voice, ¡°rong¡¯er, let¡¯s go back.¡± he turned around and stopped looking at gu yuan. he looked at li yunrong with deep love in his eyes, and comfort and gentleness were in his every move. li yunrong held chu you¡¯s hand and got into the red carriage. chu you didn¡¯t get on the horse, but got into the carriage with li yunrong. after the car door closed, the car darkened a little, and it was abnormally quiet. in the next moment, li yunrong¡¯s expression changed. she no longer had her previous weak appearance. her expression was calm, and her eyes were deep, as if she was in deep thought. chu you domineeringly pulled li yunrong¡¯s slender body into his arms, wishing he could squeeze her into his body. he lowered his head and whispered softly into her exquisite, jade-like ear, comforting her in all ways. ¡°rong¡¯er, it¡¯s been hard on you because of me.¡± li yunrong smiled. ¡°i¡¯m fine.¡± before she came, she knew that she would be treated coldly and targeted. it was just a superficial exchange of words. it was nothing. li yunrong smiled brightly, but chu you¡¯s heart ached even more. he said gently again, ¡°rong¡¯er, don¡¯t care about gu yuan. he¡¯s so heartless to you. it¡¯s not worth you taking it to heart.¡± ¡°you have me.¡± with him, his rong¡¯er didn¡¯t need anyone else! chu you lowered his head and kissed her full, soft cherry lips warmly and greedily. only when the carriage moved again did he reluctantly let go of her, the tip of his nose touching hers lingeringly. li yunrong¡¯s lips were a little swollen from his kiss. her eyes were shining, charming, and moving. she smiled at him gently, and the unhappiness she felt because of gu yuan completely disappeared. what else didn¡¯t she understand about his feelings for her? li yunrong grabbed his hand with one hand and intertwined her fingers with his. she raised her small chin and kissed the corners of his lips. the two of them looked at each other warmly. the carriage quickly turned, and their bodies swayed slightly. li yunrong¡¯s expression turned serious as she said with a little worry, ¡°your highness, baili yin actually didn¡¯t attack.¡± ¡°i really overestimated him.¡± chu you¡¯s lips curled into a cold smile, and a sinister cold light flickered in his eyes. ever since baili yin arrived in the capital last year, chu you had tested him a few times in the past few months. both parties were wary of each other and went back and forth. finally, they explained clearly what happened in danyang city and made baili yin believe that he definitely didn¡¯t do those things. at this point, the two of them could almost confirm that the incident in danyang city was caused by chu yi. not only did he eliminate the hidden pillars of the state of yue in danyang city, but he also killed two birds with one stone to sow discord between chu you and the state of yue.. Chapter 642 - Chapter 642: Trapped Beast (2) chapter 642: trapped beast (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios initially, they had a relatively harmonious conversation, but it was only when the marriage between the state of yue¡¯s princess and the state of jin that both parties turned cold. baili yin felt estrangement from him because he refused to marry the state of yue¡¯s princess and thought that he wasn¡¯t sincere in cooperating with the state of yue. chu you was similarly unhappy. he felt that both parties should have cooperated equally, but the state of yue deliberately wanted to suppress him. even after baili yin left the capital, the stalemate between the two parties wasn¡¯t broken¡­ thinking about it now, chu you still felt unhappy. he said again, ¡°if they¡¯re not of our race, their hearts will definitely be different.¡± as he spoke, his warm and wet breath landed on li yunrong¡¯s neck. his thin lips gently and lovingly kissed a red mark on her neck, like a butterfly gently brushing past the stamen. his arms around li yunrong¡¯s waist tightened. baili yin had something to ask of him. his mother and those aristocratic families who supported him also had something to ask of him. only his rong¡¯er was devoted to him and had nothing else to ask for. li yunrong leaned against his broad chest docilely and said, ¡°your highness, do you think baili yin is afraid?¡± it had clearly been planned and the details had been reviewed repeatedly. he had even arranged an opportunity for baili yin, but he actually didn¡¯t attack gu yanfei. chu you was silent. he only snorted softly and pursed his thin lips into a disdainful arc. this time, he was the one who took the initiative to contact baili yin. it could be considered to be lowering his head to express goodwill to the state of yue. ever since li yunrong¡¯s identity was exposed, the departure and coercion of those aristocratic families made chu you feel what it meant to be deserted by everyone, giving him a blow to the head. it also made him understand that those aristocratic families were unreliable. the support of those aristocratic families was based on his obedience. chu you deeply realized this. he needed a new and reliable ally. this ally had to be enough to restrain those aristocratic families. he thought of baili yin, who had just left the capital. chu you knew that baili yin had always been unable to forget gu yanfei, so he specially got his trusted aide to bring his secret letter and chase after baili yin. giving gu yanfei to baili yin was partly to express goodwill and break the ice. on the other hand, it was also to let baili yin completely stand on the opposite side of chu yi. if gu yanfei disappeared in the suburbs of the capital, one could imagine that chu yi would definitely get someone to search the capital area wantonly. the commotion wouldn¡¯t be small. chu yi looked gentle and elegant, but he actually had a strong personality. once chu yi knew that gu yanfei was in baili yin¡¯s hands, with chu yi¡¯s personality, he would definitely attack baili yin. the state of jin was the chu clan¡¯s territory. if baili yin wanted to return to the state of yue alive, he could only rely on himself. this way, he could completely tie baili yin to his ship. li yunrong raised her hand and touched chu you¡¯s well-defined face. her heart ached as she said, ¡°if you can¡¯t form an alliance with baili yin, your highness, i¡¯m afraid it will be very difficult for you.¡± her slender and fair fingers slowly traced his knife-like face, carefully feeling the slightly rough beard on his chin. her fair fingers formed a sharp contrast to his tanned skin, one soft and one strong. her movements were extremely slow and gentle, as if she wanted to memorize his outline. her heart really ached for chu you. chu you¡¯s current position could be said to be surrounded on all sides and filled with danger. he had no choice but to cooperate with baili yin in order to restrict the aristocratic families. thinking of the recent actions of the aristocratic families, li yunrong felt even more disappointed. those sons of the aristocratic families looked down on her and were all unwilling to participate in her marriage with kang wang. the most infuriating thing was still the yuan family. the yuan family was the uncle family of kang wang, but they didn¡¯t take kang wang seriously. they embarrassed him in front of the entire capital and made kang wang a joke in the world. her thoughts were right. those aristocratic families who believed that they were above the royal power shouldn¡¯t exist. li yunrong¡¯s gaze moved slightly. she had never been more certain than at this moment. she said again, ¡°the aristocratic families will only ask for more and won¡¯t give your highness sincerity.¡± ¡°your highness, you don¡¯t have military power in your hands¡­ do you really want to return to your fief?¡± li yunrong¡¯s fingers lingered along chu you¡¯s face and neck before gently covering the back of his hand. her dedicated gaze kept looking at chu you. her thin and slender shoulders were like cicada wings that shattered with a touch, making chu you feel extremely pity for her. ¡°rong¡¯er, it¡¯s been hard on you,¡± chu you said in a low voice, moved. he held her small hand and felt that his palm was warm and smooth. he was naturally indignant, especially when he just saw his rong¡¯er being treated badly by gu yanfei and gu yuan. it made him feel even more regretful. if chu yi rose to power one day, gu yanfei would definitely stomp on her under her feet.. Chapter 643 - Chapter 643: Trapped Beast (3) chapter 643: trapped beast (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios his rong¡¯er was the best. he wanted her to live happily and wantonly, not wanting her to suffer any grievances. ¡°i don¡¯t feel aggrieved.¡± li yunrong lowered her head and said sensibly, careful to hide the strange light in her eyes. she could only rely on kang wang¡¯s feelings for her now. the reason why she made this trip today wasn¡¯t only to find out about baili yin, but also to provoke kang wang¡¯s pity for her. gu yanfei had taken everything from her. she didn¡¯t want to lose to gu yanfei, didn¡¯t want gu yanfei to always suppress her, and didn¡¯t want to hide in kang wang¡¯s fief like a stray dog. she wanted to live better than gu yanfei. she wanted those who had underestimated her to regret it. she wanted gu yanfei to bow down to her every time she saw her. she wanted gu yanfei to look up to her and envy her forever. ¡°i know you¡¯re wholeheartedly doing this for me,¡± chu you said gratefully. his hot palm rubbed her thin back. ¡°you¡¯re the only one who¡¯s sincere to me.¡± chu you was already completely disappointed in the aristocratic family. now, the most useful person to him was still baili yin. unfortunately, baili yin left a step earlier, so it wasn¡¯t as convenient for him to contact baili yin as before. chu you composed himself and kissed the top of li yunrong¡¯s head. he comforted her and said, ¡°rong¡¯er, don¡¯t worry. i¡¯ll send he zhong to ask baili yin later and see what he plans to do.¡± as long as baili yin didn¡¯t leave the state of jin, they could still plan. if baili yin wasn¡¯t afraid, there was a high chance that he wanted to bid on the spot and had any other plans. chu you had a faint guess in his heart, but he didn¡¯t want li yunrong to worry about him, so he didn¡¯t say anything and only hugged her tightly in his arms. as long as he was around, he wouldn¡¯t let anyone insult her. chu you secretly made up his mind. when they returned to kang wang¡¯s residence, he sent his trusted aide, he zhong, to disguise himself as an ordinary person and hurriedly leave the capital. that night, just as night fell, he zhong returned to kang wang¡¯s residence. he zhong wasn¡¯t the only one who returned. he also brought back a foreigner with deep facial features wearing a bamboo hat. ¡°kang wang, i¡¯m the personal follower of the third prince, bai xing. i¡¯m especially here on the orders of my master to send a letter to kang wang.¡± the young man in his twenties handed over a letter politely and slightly arrogantly. chu you immediately tore it open. after reading the letter quickly, he didn¡¯t immediately say anything. he only instructed he zhong to bring bai xing down to rest. bai xing casually cupped his hands. when he turned around and retreated, his gaze seemed to inadvertently sweep across a four-screen screen embroidered with the diagram of four gentlemen playing chess. under the screen, an embroidered pair of black shoes embroidered with a big red peony flower appeared in his eyes. obviously, a woman was hiding behind this screen. bai xing followed he zhong out as if nothing had happened. in the next moment, li yunrong, who was wearing a red dress, walked out from behind the screen and looked at the door curtain swaying in midair in front of her. her hair was no longer neatly combed into a horse bun during the day, but had been tied into a loose bun again. a few stray hairs fell from her cheek. li yunrong walked to chu you¡¯s side and sat down. she took the letter from baili yin from chu you and lowered her head to read it. the room was silent. it had only been three days since they got married, but the maids were already very tactful. as long as the prince and princess consort were together, they would tactfully retreat quietly. the crystalline light emitted by the palace lantern illuminated her face, but it couldn¡¯t illuminate her deep eyes. she was as calm as an ancient well. ¡°what do you think, your highness?¡± after putting down the letter, li yunrong asked in a low voice. she raised her tea cup and took a sip of warm tea. chu you stretched out his long arm and gathered li yunrong tightly in his arms, letting his aura mixed with sandalwood on his body envelop her. a moment later, a low and pleasant man¡¯s voice sounded in her ear. ¡°the aristocratic families aren¡¯t reliable.¡± ¡°even if i promised baili yin, i don¡¯t have anyone i can use now.¡± ¡°i have a special weapon left behind by the previous emperor, but that¡¯s not enough¡­¡± hearing the defeat in his voice, li yunrong couldn¡¯t help but look up at him. the young man¡¯s hard face looked confused in the light, and there was some hesitation in his eyes. the late emperor died of illness too suddenly. the late emperor originally had the intention of handing over the divine arms battalion to him. if he had the 50,000 soldiers of the divine arms battalion, he wouldn¡¯t have fallen into an isolated and helpless situation. chu you took a deep breath and said in a low voice, ¡°if this matter succeeds, there¡¯s naturally no need to talk about the benefits, but the risk is too high.¡± he raised his hand and rubbed his eyebrows. ¡°i want to consider it carefully again.¡± success and failure. he couldn¡¯t be anxious. although he said that, it was difficult to hide the frustration and unwillingness between his eyebrows. his temples even twitched like a trapped beast.. Chapter 644 - Chapter 644: Offer (1) chapter 644: offer (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°bang!¡± chu you¡¯s heart was filled with unwillingness and anger, but he couldn¡¯t say it out loud. he could only smash his fist heavily on the tea table, and the teacup jumped. li yunrong saw that the tea had splashed on his fist and was afraid that he would be scalded. she hurriedly wiped the tea off his hand with a handkerchief. seeing that he wasn¡¯t burned, she was relieved. she gently rubbed his big hand again and said, ¡°your highness, i have something to give you. it¡¯s a prescription.¡± ¡°green mold powder.¡± she slowly spat out these three words. chu you knew that the myriad herb hall had been opened by li yunrong. he also knew that the ministry of war had once purchased a batch of green mold powder from the myriad herb hall. chu you was also proud that the myriad herb hall opened by li yunrong could have such a prominent reputation. li yunrong held chu you¡¯s hand with both hands and said, ¡°this is my dowry.¡± even if she changed her surname and her sect, she couldn¡¯t take the gu family¡¯s dowry. later on, her dowry was prepared for her by kang wang. now, she had nothing. chu you said with heartache, ¡°i don¡¯t need your dowry¡­¡± being able to marry him was the best dowry. ¡°your highness, have you heard what i said?¡± li yunrong interrupted chu you. ¡°it¡¯s not just the green mold powder. i have other things.¡± chu you was stunned. li yunrong took out a folded silk paper from his sleeve pocket and handed it to him. chu you slowly unfolded it. the silk paper was densely written in small calligraphy. the more he read, the wider his eyes became, revealing an incredulous expression. he pinched the silk paper tightly with one hand. ¡°this¡­¡± chu you looked at li yunrong¡¯s shining eyes in surprise. gu yunrong said slowly, ¡°although these can¡¯t compare to emperor taizu¡¯s notebook, they¡¯re enough to make others think that this is from emperor taizu¡¯s notebook.¡± ¡°your highness, the ¡®now¡¯ of the aristocratic family is still very important.¡± she raised her voice at the word ¡°now¡±. before kang wang sat in that supreme position, aristocratic families were very important. chu you turned his face sideways and listened quietly. the light bounced on the tip of his tall nose, but the warm light made people feel cold. li yunrong analyzed calmly. ¡°the aristocratic families arc hateful, but actually, the aristocratic families don¡¯t have any other choice, unless they¡¯re willing to lower their heads to the emperor. arc they willing?¡± not necessarily. chu you knew that if those aristocratic families didn¡¯t have any hope, they would lie low and wait for the right time. there were many learned talents in the aristocratic families. they would let three to five young disciples from the collateral branches of the family enter the court through the imperial examination. this way, they wouldn¡¯t be far from the court, nor would they ruin the reputation of the aristocratic families. the aristocratic families had been dormant for 30 years. from emperor taizu to the previous emperor, they waited for the opportunity for the aristocratic families to rise again. most of these families lasted for hundreds of years. they didn¡¯t look at the immediate benefits, but in the long term, they were cautious and wouldn¡¯t easily bet everything. therefore, chu you also knew in his heart that if this continued, it was very likely that the aristocratic families would give up on him and wait for the next opportunity. but even so, he had never regretted it. chu you¡¯s fervent gaze landed on the paper given by li yunrong. two clusters of flames ignited in his eyes, and his blood boiled in his chest. he knew that if the aristocratic families thought that emperor taizu¡¯s notebook was in his hands, they might change their minds. the aristocratic families were unreliable, but they were a usable weapon. ¡°rong¡¯er, fortunately, i have you.¡± chu you¡¯s eyes became bright and sharp again, and a high-spirited smile slowly bloomed on his lips. ¡°you¡¯re really my lucky star.¡± it was still the same nine years later. li yunrong smiled. chu you stared deeply at li yunrong, lowered his head, and sucked on her lips. li yunrong¡¯s face flushed red under the light. he whispered in her ear, ¡°rong¡¯er, you¡¯re so good!¡± the candle flame swayed gently in the light cover of the palace lamp, and the candle oil emitted a light crackling sound. the two of them lingered around each other¡¯s necks. the silk paper fell from the man¡¯s fingers and fluttered¡­ an even louder sound came from outside the window. it was getting late¡­ after the topic of kang wang¡¯s marriage became lively in the capital for a few days, it gradually faded and was replaced by a new topic. in the eyes of everyone in the capital, kang wang had become much more obedient after the big marriage. he was like an ordinary prince of the second rank of the royal family taking on an errand, neither anxious nor impatient. most of the adult brothers of the emperor and kang wang went to the fief after marriage, but no one in the court mentioned letting kang wang go to the fief. be it the aristocratic families, nobles, or the royal family, they all forgot about this. the days passed peacefully for another seven to eight days. on the 15th of march, kang wang, chu you, handed over a recipe called green mold powder in public in the morning court.. Chapter 645 - Chapter 645: Offer (2) chapter 645: offer (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°the green mold scattered on external injuries has miraculous effects such as high fever, tuberculosis, and pus ears. i present this on behalf of the princess consort. i hope this can be used in the army and greatly reduce the casualties of our soldiers in the great jin dynasty. it will be known for hundreds of years.¡± ¡°this is a token of my sincerity to the princess consort. please accept it, brother, for the benefit of the world!¡± chu you¡¯s impassioned words caused an uproar. the green mold powder had long been popular in the capital after the new year. everyone knew that this was life-saving divine medicine. the ministry of war had once purchased a batch of green mold powder and tested it in the army. it indeed had a miraculous effect. the ministry of war and the imperial hospital praised it endlessly and were in the limelight for a while, but very few people knew who the owner of the myriad herb hall was. during this period of time, there were many speculations and discussions about the myriad herb hall. most people didn¡¯t associate the green mold powder with ¡°emperor taizu¡¯s notebook¡±. after all, to them, ¡°emperor taizu¡¯s notebook¡± was only a legendary thing. there were also very few people like the emperor, feng yang, and kang wang who knew a little about ¡°emperor taizu¡¯s notebook¡±. they had long secretly suspected that the owner of the myriad herb hall had obtained ¡°emperor taizu¡¯s notebook¡±. however, they didn¡¯t expect that the owner of the myriad herb hall was actually the new princess consort kang, li yunrong. in the throne room, the civil and military officials were shocked. the ministers whispered to each other and discussed. words such as ¡°green mold powder¡±, ¡°penicillin¡±, ¡°emperor taizu¡¯s note¡±, and ¡°princess consort kang¡± floated out of the boiling crowd. everyone was shocked, pleasantly surprised, speculating, and even excited. only chu you, who was standing in the center of the throne room, stood there motionless like a tall spear. chu you¡¯s lips curled into an imperceptible smile. his entire body emitted a high and mighty arrogance, valiant, noble, and extraordinary. a strange glint flashed in xiao shoufu¡¯s eyes as he stood at the front of the civil servants¡¯ line. he calmly gave a look to a certain person in the line. then, a middle-aged official asked in court, ¡°your highness, how did princess consort kang get it?¡± he seemed to only be asking about the green mold powder, but most people knew that he had an ulterior motive. the other courtiers fell silent again. everyone¡¯s gazes locked onto chu you. it was difficult to hide the anticipation in their eyes, and they were more in deep thought. chu you maintained the posture of cupping his fists and turned to the middle-aged official who asked the question. he said calmly, ¡°the princess consort was lucky and accidentally obtained the formula.¡± the ministers looked at chu you, waiting for him to continue, but he pursed his thin lips and stopped talking. he was clearly holding back from saying this, making people wonder what else he was hiding. those officials and nobles who were familiar with each other secretly exchanged looks in the queue and guessed. the emperor on the golden throne instructed the eldest eunuch, zhao rang, calmly, ¡°bring it up and let me take a look.¡± zhao rang bowed and received the order, walking down to chu you. the atmosphere in the hall became a little strange. it looked calm, but there were dark waves surging. everyone¡¯s gaze wandered between the emperor and kang wang. it had only been a year since he ascended the throne, and the enke examination was imminent. now, more than half of the officials and nobles in the court were old ministers of the previous emperor. the current grand secretary of the hanlin academy was still an elder of the three dynasties and was over 70 years old. almost all the officials knew that the previous emperor had been searching for ¡°emperor taizu¡¯s notebook¡± for the past 20 years after the death of emperor taizu. emperor taizu was an outstanding person and often had various strange ideas. when he was alive, not only did he invent the mercury mirror, soap, glass, windmill, and so on, but he also improved firearms and looms. it wasn¡¯t too much to say that his merits would last for thousands of years. when he was old, emperor taizu recorded some thoughts that he couldn¡¯t achieve in time in his notebook. however, after emperor taizu died, the letter disappeared. there were rumors that emperor taizu personally burned the letter before he died. there were also rumors that the letter was in the hands of the eldest princess, feng yang. there were different opinions. if the ¡°emperor taizu¡¯s note¡± was really in the hands of princess consort kang, li yunrong, then apart from penicillin, were the other things recorded in it also in the hands of princess consort kang, or rather, kang wang? for the officials, it didn¡¯t matter if princess consort kang was really lucky enough to have the ¡°emperor taizu¡¯s notebook¡±, or if kang wang used princess consort kang¡¯s name for some reason. most importantly, it was the emperor taizu¡¯s notebook itself. some of the excited courtiers revealed thoughtful expressions. the value of emperor taizu¡¯s notebook was immeasurable. it could allow the great scene to reach a new level, allow the great scene to thrive, and even suppress the state of yue.. Chapter 646 - Chapter 646: Offer (3) chapter 646: offer (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios under a burning gaze, zhao rang took the formula from chu you and personally handed it to the emperor on the golden throne. the emperor looked at the silk paper, and his pupils constricted slightly. he subconsciously tightened his grip on the silk paper. even if he didn¡¯t say a word, he couldn¡¯t hide his emotions. just this little loss of composure was enough to make the civil and military officials below, who were good at reading someone from their body language, let their imagination run wild. the emperor tried his best to say calmly, ¡°seventh brother and sister-in-law are selfless and have hearts for everyone in the world. it¡¯s really a righteous thing and a blessing in disguise. i¡¯m also gratified¡­¡± the emperor casually said a dignified sentence and rewarded chu you and the princess consort, li yunrong, with a thousand taels of gold. chu you thanked him on behalf of the princess consort, feeling a little like a monarch and a minister. the ministers below had their own thoughts and weren¡¯t in the mood to discuss other court matters. after that, the emperor left early. after the emperor left, chu you became the center of everyone¡¯s encirclement. even xiao shoufu and the other cabinet elders went forward to exchange pleasantries with him. at first glance, the hall was filled with joy. in the blue sky outside the hall, the sun was hidden behind thick clouds. a breeze blew into the hall, and there seemed to be a faint salty smell in the air. the sky seemed to be about to change. as soon as the emperor came to court, he immediately sent someone to summon feng yang into the palace and personally handed the formula chu you handed to feng yang. ¡°aunt, take a look.¡± the emperor had a lot on his mind. he walked around the room with a complicated expression, as if he was thinking about something or venting some emotions. after a while, he heard feng yang¡¯s affirmative voice behind him. ¡°this is real.¡± feng yang could conclude this. her understanding of the green mold powder was told to her by emperor taizu with her own cars. although she had a long memory, she still remembered some key points. for example, what she had told gu yanfei previously was that the green mold powder was extracted from green mold. it had to be cultivated, filtered, and processed in other ways before it could be extracted. it shouldn¡¯t be ingested due to certain prohibitions. the emperor turned around when he heard that. his old eyes were a little shaken, and he couldn¡¯t hide his excitement. when he was young, he served emperor taizu. one time, he accidentally knocked over the medicine bowl and flipped through a few pages of ¡°emperor taizu¡¯s notebook¡±. those few pages happened to mention the green mold powder. at that time, he was busy wiping the medicine on the paper and only took a cursory look. his memories weren¡¯t deep, so he couldn¡¯t write it down. he only knew that the formula li yunrong handed over looked very much like what was written in the letter. feng yang pointed at the end of the formula and said, ¡°emperor taizu once said that the green mold powder isn¡¯t perfect. it¡¯s fatal to some people and incurable.¡± ¡°this prescription mentions an allergic reaction. at best, it¡¯s a skin rash. at worst, it¡¯s an asthma attack. at worst, it¡¯s a fast heart rate, convulsions, a coma, or even cardiac arrest. but very few people will have an allergic reaction.¡± the two theories were similar. the emperor walked over and sat down beside feng yang. there was only a small, square coffee table between them. the emperor took a sip of tea and calmed down a little. ¡°aunt, what do you think? could it really be in princess consort kang¡¯s possession?¡± feng yang didn¡¯t directly answer yes or no. after a moment of silence, she changed the topic. ¡°everyone says that emperor taizu was talented. the content recorded in that notebook can allow the great jin dynasty to reach a higher level. one day, my great jin dynasty will definitely be able to mobilize troops south and unify the north and south.¡± although feng yang said ¡°everyone¡±, she was thinking about the previous emperor. that was what the previous emperor thought, which was why he was so obsessed with the ¡°emperor taizu¡¯s notebook¡±. in his opinion, the reason why the state of yue attacked the north 15 years ago and nine years ago was because emperor taizu didn¡¯t leave the ¡°emperor taizu¡¯s notebook¡± to him. otherwise, why would he be afraid of a mere state of yue? after the previous emperor was angry or drunk a few times, he said similar things more than once. feng yang sighed faintly and continued, ¡°when emperor taizu was old, he once asked me if it was more dangerous to hand a kitchen knife and a flintlock to two five or six-year-old children.¡± the answer was obvious. there was a high chance that a five or six-year-old child couldn¡¯t kill an adult with a kitchen knife, but they could do so with a flintlock! ¡°emperor taizu said that the great jin dynasty is like a young child of five or six years old. leaving the letter to the previous emperor is equivalent to handing the flintlock and a priceless, rare treasure to a young child. having a jade is a sin, and it will definitely attract the covetous eyes of jackals. if you¡¯re not careful, not only will you hurt people, but you will also hurt yourself.¡± ¡°he spent his life figuring this out.¡± in fact, emperor taizu had also told the previous emperor these words, but the previous emperor had gone to a dead end and couldn¡¯t listen to anything at all. the previous emperor was certain that emperor taizu had left the letter for her. feng yang closed her eyes and tried her best to calm the emotions rising in her body. she looked at the formula in her hand and read it word by word, as if she wanted to chew every word carefully. the emperor looked at the continuous clouds outside the window in a daze. he was also thinking about emperor taizu, his glorious achievements, his sincere guidance, and his love for him¡­ feng yang¡¯s hand suddenly trembled. she felt her heart twitch violently, and a dull pain that felt like it had been crushed by a heavy object came from her chest. her face instantly turned pale, and even her lips lost color. the jade bracelet on her left hand heated up slightly. a stream of light quickly flashed and disappeared. ¡°your highness, eldest prince.¡± a sharp and gentle greeting came from outside. soon, the curtain was lifted from the other side. chu yi, who was wearing an apricot-yellow prince python robe, entered from the outside at a slow pace. feng yang¡¯s hand was still holding the silk paper, and she couldn¡¯t care less about chu yi. she only felt intense pain all over her body, from the outside to the inside. it was as if her bones had been cramped, and her body was weak and frail. her vision darkened, and her body fell forward weakly¡­ Chapter 647 - Chapter 647: Poison Oath (1) chapter 647: poison oath (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°grandaunt!¡± chu yi happened to see the scene of feng yang falling from the wooden chair and exclaimed. the usually elegant, serious, and calm young man¡¯s expression revealed a rare change. he took three steps forward and quickly caught feng yang¡¯s quickly falling body. his strong arms held her steadily. the emperor, who was in deep thought, returned to his senses and saw feng yang lying in chu yi¡¯s arms with sweat all over his face. his eyes were closed and he didn¡¯t move. her face was so pale that there was no color at all. bean-sized sweat rolled down her forehead, and she gritted her teeth. the white-haired old woman usually looked energetic, but at this moment, she was picked up by the young man with ease. in contrast to his tall figure, she looked so thin and weak. ¡°aunt! aunt!¡± the emperor cried out twice. however, feng yang closed her eyes tightly and didn¡¯t react at all. the unconscious woman looked extremely weak and on the verge of death. the emperor¡¯s white eyebrows knitted deeply, and he hurriedly shouted, ¡°someone, quickly call the imperial physician.¡± eunuch zhao rang also heard the commotion outside and came over. he was just about to accept the order and leave when he heard chu yi say again, ¡°go and fetch second lady gu into the palace.¡± the emperor nodded hurriedly, and a trace of light flashed in his panicked eyes. ¡°yes, yes, yes, fetch yanfei!¡± compared to those imperial physicians, gu yanfei definitely had more methods. zhao rang retreated quickly. on one hand, he got the inner servant to call the imperial physician, and on the other hand, he personally left the palace to fetch someone from the gu residence. about an hour passed when gu yanfei rushed to the south study at her fastest speed. ¡°second lady gu, the eldest princess is inside.¡± ¡°she¡¯s been unconscious for an hour.¡± ¡°a few imperial physicians from the imperial hospital have also treated her highness, but they can¡¯t tell what illness it is.¡± gu yanfei was led for a short while by a middle-aged eunuch. feng yang was lying on a beautiful bed, still unconscious. the emperor, chu yi, and the imperial physicians surrounded her. gu yanfei¡¯s arrival made the imperial physicians secretly heave a sigh of relief. the imperial physicians, who were covered in cold sweat, were quickly invited out. since it was an emergency, gu yanfei wasn¡¯t in a hurry to bow to the emperor. she went to check on feng yang first. she sat down on a stool beside the bed and stretched out three fingers to gently place them on feng yang¡¯s wrist. she checked her pulse and lowered her eyes. three breaths later, gu yanfei retracted her hand and sighed slightly. her expression was mixed with understanding and helplessness. ¡°i¡¯ll give her acupuncture.¡± as gu yanfei spoke, she took out a needle bag. after burning the silver needles with the candle flame, she started to apply the needles to feng yang. the first needle pierced the philtrum acupoint, the second needle landed on the acupoint in the middle of the eye, and the third needle¡­ seven silver needles sealed feng yang¡¯s seven apertures. gu yanfei finally stuck a talisman on the top of her head. the entire process was only a short cup of tea. even the emperor didn¡¯t dare disturb her. he only watched quietly from the side with a frown. soon, some color returned to feng yang¡¯s face. her originally weak breathing became stable, and her chest rose and fell. even people who didn¡¯t know medicine could tell that feng yang¡¯s ¡°condition¡± had temporarily stabilized. feng yang¡¯s personal nanny and the main palace maid heaved a sigh of relief. chu yi took a few steps forward and naturally held gu yanfei¡¯s hand. he made a gesture with his other hand and the two of them followed the emperor out, leaving the nanny and the palace maid to take care of the unconscious feng yang. the emperor brought chu yi and gu yanfei out of the south study and to the qianqing palace. the dark clouds in the sky were even thicker, and even the sky darkened a little, as if the entire palace was filled with a serious atmosphere. after arriving at the east warm pavilion of the qianqing palace, the emperor couldn¡¯t wait to ask, ¡°yanfei, how¡¯s eldest princess feng yang¡¯s condition?¡± the worry between the emperor¡¯s eyebrows couldn¡¯t disappear. chu yi waved his hand silently, and a few eunuchs retreated, including eunuch zhao rang. there were only the three of them in the empty pavilion. the room was silent. the window was open, and the breeze that blew into the room carried some floral fragrance. the kirin-striped green jade incense burner in the corner emitted faint green smoke. gu yanfei stared at the worried emperor in front of her and said slowly, ¡°your majesty, the eldest princess isn¡¯t sick. her lifespan is about to end.¡± ¡°¡­¡± the emperor¡¯s thin body trembled. he staggered and held the small square coffee table beside him to stabilize his body. the emperor looked at chu yi anxiously. chu yi nodded gently. he had heard gu yanfei mention this.. Chapter 648 - Chapter 648: Poison Oath (2) chapter 648: poison oath (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios the emperor slowly sat down while supporting his weight on the coffee table. a bitter taste spread from his mouth to his heart. feng yang was already 68 years old. she was close to 70 years old, even older than the previous emperor. it was actually not very sudden for her lifespan to be at its end. the emperor was already mentally prepared. however¡­ the emperor rubbed the space between his eyebrows and recalled the scene of feng yang fainting just now. he asked in a hoarse voice, ¡°yanfei, why did she suddenly faint today?¡± ¡°is she sick?¡± after asking, the emperor immediately rejected it himself. ¡°no, she¡¯s not sick.¡± gu yanfei had just checked feng yang¡¯s pulse and given her acupuncture. if she was sick, the next step would be to talk about feng yang¡¯s illness and the treatment plan for her, not a simple sentence: her lifespan is coming to an end. if feng yang were to live a life without illness or calamity, she should peacefully pass away in her dreams when her time came. why was she now enduring such pain, as if undergoing excruciating torment that gnawed at her very bones?! the emperor¡¯s expression became serious. gu yanfei glanced in the direction where feng yang was and said, ¡°her highness¡¯s soul is imprisoned. after death, her soul will dissipate, and she won¡¯t be able to enter reincarnation. when i just checked her highness¡¯s pulse, 1 discovered that her highness¡¯s soul has already been injured¡­¡± feng yang didn¡¯t have much time left. ¡°what?¡± the emperor blurted it out in disbelief. his face was pale, and his weak body swayed again, on the verge of collapse. obviously, gu yanfei¡¯s words dealt him a huge blow. the emperor muttered dejectedly, ¡°her soul will dissipate and she won¡¯t be able to enter reincarnation¡­¡± as a person, the destruction of one¡¯s soul was probably the crudest outcome. it meant that a person would never have another life and that this life was the end. there was nothing to look forward to anymore. the temperature suddenly plummeted, and the air was dyed with the coldness of autumn frost. ¡°emperor, i once asked her highness why she was like this, but she refused to say.¡± as gu yanfei spoke, she felt a warmth on her cold fingertips. chu yi¡¯s long fingers hooked onto hers. the emperor sat there as if he didn¡¯t hear anything. he lowered his eyes and didn¡¯t say anything for a long time, his body trembling and hunched. after a long silence, he looked up. his eyes were filled with blood vessels as he said in a hoarse voice, ¡°i might know.¡± the emperor rubbed the space between his eyebrows tiredly and signaled for the two of them to sit. chu yi held gu yanfei¡¯s hand and led her to the east window to sit down. his right hand gently caressed her black hair and the back of her neck. he then took out the teacup and tested the temperature of the tea before handing it to her. gu yanfei smiled at him. her smile was shallow, and even her willow eyebrows rippled gently. the emperor composed himself. when he looked up, he happened to see the scene of the two children smiling at each other. his heart couldn¡¯t help but warm, and his entire body perked up. the fatigue and helplessness in his heart also dissipated a little. the emperor coughed dryly, cleared his throat, and asked seriously, ¡°yanfei, you might be able to tell when my aunt¡¯s soul was injured?¡± ¡°about 20 years ago.¡± gu yanfei roughly estimated. ¡°i can¡¯t determine the exact date.¡± the emperor grabbed the armrest of the chair with one hand and widened his eyes. the wrinkles between his eyebrows seemed to have become deeper. he nodded heavily and said, ¡°that¡¯s roughly right.¡± 20 years ago? chu yi¡¯s handsome face revealed a thoughtful expression as he handed a plate of candied plums to gu yanfei. gu yanfei picked up a candied crabapple and put it in her mouth. the emperor organized his thoughts and explained this long-ago incident tirelessly. ¡°this was 21 years ago. at that time, emperor taizu had just died and the previous emperor had yet to officially ascend the throne¡­¡± ¡°after 49 days of mourning, the former emperor, aunt, and the officials escorted emperor taizu¡¯s coffin to the imperial mausoleum to bury it.¡± ¡°that night, everyone spent the night in the palace near the imperial mausoleum. the late emperor guarded the night in the imperial mausoleum and also prepared for the ritual the next day. who knew that in the middle of the night, the late emperor led thousands of vanguard soldiers of the prefecture army to surround the palace and force aunt to hand over emperor taizu¡¯s notebook?¡± at this point, the emperor paused, and his eyes grew darker. he gritted his teeth tightly, and the lines on his entire face tightened. chu yi immediately saw some clues in the subtle change in the emperor¡¯s expression. he asked acutely, ¡°father, is there something else going on?¡± many people had heard of the previous emperor forcing feng yang to hand over ¡°emperor taizu¡¯s notebook¡± after emperor taizu died. in the end, it was left unsettled, but that was all. the emperor smiled bitterly and nodded slightly. only then did he talk about the unknown inside story hidden behind this matter.. Chapter 649 - Chapter 649: Poison Oath (3) chapter 649: poison oath (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°back then, not only did the previous emperor want ¡®emperor taizu¡¯s notebook¡¯, but he also wanted the life of my imperial aunt! however, he never expected that my imperial aunt was long prepared. her personal guard, shang yangjun, was already on standby and killed those advance soldiers of the prefecture army.¡± ¡°that night, blood dyed the palace.¡± ¡°imperial aunt led the army to the imperial mausoleum and pointed her long saber at the previous emperor in front of emperor taizu¡¯s coffin¡­¡± upon hearing this, gu yanfei narrowed her eyes slightly and roughly guessed the subsequent outcome. in the end, feng yang wasn¡¯t ruthless enough. if she had been ruthless enough and killed the previous emperor, this wouldn¡¯t have happened. the emperor continued, ¡°the previous emperor and the few trusted ministers at that time begged the imperial aunt bitterly. on one hand, they were moved by love, and on the other hand, they understood reason. they talked about the internal and external problems of the scene at that time, the internal strife in yi province, the army of xirong that attacked liang province, the northeast mountain bandits, and the people of the state of yue eyeing them covetously¡­ at that time, if the royal family of the great jin dynasty started a battle for the throne, the nation would be in danger.¡± ¡°at that time, the previous emperor knelt in front of emperor taizu¡¯s coffin and swore that he would never kill my imperial aunt in this life. if he went against his heart, his soul would be imprisoned forever. after he died, his soul would dissipate, and he would never be able to reincarnate.¡± ¡°after the previous emperor swore a poison oath, he asked my imperial aunt for ¡®emperor taizu¡¯s notebook¡¯. he even kept saying that if my imperial aunt hadn¡¯t hidden the note, he wouldn¡¯t have wanted to go astray. he accused her of forcing him¡­¡± ¡°for the sake of the empire and for the sake of emperor taizu¡¯s spirit in heaven, i didn¡¯t want to continue fighting with the previous emperor. 1 also swore the same oath in front of emperor taizu¡¯s spirit to ensure that emperor taizu¡¯s notebook isn¡¯t in her hands.¡± the emperor sighed deeply, and his voice became even more hoarse, as if it had been tempered by sand and gravel. ¡°when 1 rushed to the imperial mausoleum, i only heard my imperial aunt¡¯s oath and didn¡¯t take it to heart too much. after all, ¡®emperor taizu¡¯s notebook* was indeed not in her hands, which means that it was impossible for her to break the oath. this oath is just to make the previous emperor feel at ease, in case he keeps suspecting that my imperial aunt was hiding the notebook.¡± until today, when gu yanfei mentioned the three points of soul imprisonment, soul dissipation, and not being able to enter reincarnation after death, the emperor recalled this old matter that he had almost forgotten 21 years ago. the emperor¡¯s intuition told him that this shouldn¡¯t be a coincidence. a son shouldn¡¯t talk about his father, but even if the emperor had any feelings for the previous emperor, their relationship had long been worn down in the past few decades. the previous emperor was neither a qualified father or brother nor a qualified emperor. 21 years ago, this so-called ¡°oath¡± should have been a backup move left behind by the late emperor because he couldn¡¯t kill feng yang. and because feng yang cared about the big picture, he fell into the trap set by the late emperor. the emperor closed his eyes and scratched the armrest of the chair again. his palm was covered in damp, cold sweat as he asked, ¡°yanfei, do you think this matter is related to my aunt¡¯s ¡®sickness¡¯?¡± his gaze was complicated. even if he was already 80 to 90% confident, he still hoped to get a clear answer from gu yanfei. gu yanfei nodded slightly. oaths were similar to words. ordinary people casually swearing wouldn¡¯t have the effect of words, but if someone who was proficient in dao did it, the oath would no longer be ordinary words. it could even become a curse. the oath feng yang made 21 years ago was a curse. it wrapped around feng yang¡¯s soul like a chain and imprisoned and injured her soul over the long years. gu yanfei didn¡¯t say a word, but the emperor and chu yi were both smart people. from her eyes, it was enough for them to guess a lot. the air was almost frozen, oppressive, and solemn. the emperor¡¯s pale lips moved slightly, and his chest heaved violently. his expression was sorrowful, and he was even filled with righteous anger towards the previous emperor. just as he was about to say something, he heard the sharp report of the eunuch, zhao rang, coming from outside. ¡°emperor, kang wang requests an audience!¡± the moment the emperor and chu yi¡¯s gazes met, they had already understood each other¡¯s thoughts. they both knew very well why chu you had come. ¡°xuan.¡± the emperor let go of his right hand and tightened it again, spitting out this word. soon, zhao rang brought chu you in. chu you was still wearing the previous court suit. the red leather vest made him look high-spirited. chu you¡¯s deep and sharp gaze gently swept across gu yanfei and chu yi, and finally landed on the emperor sitting on a high-back chair. he walked straight to the emperor and cupped his fists. ¡°imperial brother, 1 just heard that imperial aunt feng yang is seriously ill and specially came to visit. my princess consort li also has some medical skills. do you want to invite her into the palace to take a look at imperial aunt?¡± chu you looked at the emperor with deep eyes and met the emperor¡¯s eyes not far away.. Chapter 650 - Chapter 650: Test (1) chapter 650: test (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios the emperor had already restrained his emotions, but his face was slightly pale and he was panting slightly. he said calmly, ¡°the royal aunt is already fine. she just rested. seventh brother, don¡¯t disturb her rest. when she wakes up, you can go and see her.¡± what the emperor said was reasonable, and chu you couldn¡¯t persist. he nodded and said, ¡°brother is right. imperial aunt is fine, and i¡¯m half relieved.¡± ¡°brother, what illness is imperial aunt suffering from?¡± chu you asked with a concerned expression. the emperor didn¡¯t mind chu you¡¯s probing. he sighed softly and said, ¡°imperial aunt isn¡¯t young anymore. she¡¯s old and weak. she¡¯s been plagued by old illnesses these years. she¡¯s most afraid of others worrying about her and always hides it. this time, i must let her recuperate well.¡± the emperor said a few words casually and didn¡¯t go into details. ¡°imperial aunt¡¯s personality has always been like this.¡± a faint light flashed in chu you¡¯s eyes. ¡°when father was alive, he often advised her not to be too headstrong and to take care of her body. my aunt is a good person. she¡¯ll definitely be fine.¡± the emperor¡¯s knuckles casually knocked on the coffee table without saying a word. gu yanfei, who was sitting in the corner, held a pink enamel teacup and silently tasted the tea in the teacup. after a pause, chu you sighed and changed the topic. ¡°it¡¯s been almost a year since father passed away. if brother plans to go to the imperial mausoleum to pay respects to father, i also want to go with you so that father can see my princess consort.¡± ¡°unknowingly, it¡¯s been a year.¡± the emperor sighed with emotion. he didn¡¯t say that he was going, nor did he say that he wasn¡¯t going. the corners of chu you¡¯s mouth secretly tightened imperceptibly. his gaze deepened as he said, ¡°after paying my respects to father, 1 plan to bring the princess consort back to the fief. please allow me to, brother.¡± when the last word fell, chu you lowered his head and still cupped his fists, respectfully submitting. the emperor sitting by the window looked at chu you quietly. under the light, his expression seemed a little deep, and no one could tell if he was happy or angry. chu you didn¡¯t mind and continued, ¡°in the past, i was also insensible. if i was disrespectful to you, i hope you can forgive me. now that i¡¯m already married, according to tradition, it¡¯s time to bring the princess consort to the fief.¡± the emperor¡¯s knuckles were still gently knocking on the coffee table, as if he was thinking. the room fell silent, and only the sound of wind blowing against the flowers and trees came from the window. after a moment of silence, chu yi put down the teacup and suddenly asked, ¡°i remember that seventh imperial uncle¡¯s fief should be in yangzhou, right?¡± the late emperor favored his youngest son, chu you, and gave the rich land of yangzhou to chu you as a fief. on the other hand, it was also because yangzhou was far from the capital. when one was far away from the authorities that wouldn¡¯t intervene, the late emperor had always considered chu you, his youngest son. when he was alive, he thought that if he couldn¡¯t support his youngest son to succeed the throne, he had to leave a way out for his youngest son. yangzhou was the escape route that the late emperor had prepared for chu you. even if the previous emperor didn¡¯t say it explicitly, the others, including the emperor, could understand this. chu you¡¯s gaze slowly moved from the emperor to chu yi. he was silent as he guessed in his heart, ¡°i wonder what chu yi means by asking the obvious.¡± chu yi didn¡¯t plan to wait for the other party to answer either. he continued, ¡°speaking of which, nine years ago, seventh imperial uncle went to yangzhou to take a look at his fief, right?¡± ¡°i remembered wrongly. at that time, i went to yangzhou to visit my grandfather¡¯s family in linchuan city on behalf of the empress dowager.¡± chu you¡¯s long and narrow eagle eyes narrowed, and a sharp light flashed across them. his cold gaze swept across chu you¡¯s face. this was only a reason to outsiders. in fact, everyone knew that kang wang¡¯s greatest goal in going to yangzhou was to choose a location to build kang wang¡¯s manor. chu you thought that chu yi was going to use the topic of yangzhou to mention gu ce¡¯s case again. unexpectedly, chu yi asked casually, ¡°seventh imperial uncle, what do you think of yangzhou?¡± the uncle and nephew stared at each other for a moment. chu you said calmly, ¡°there are 38 counties and 195 counties under yangzhou. the land is wide, the people are honest, and there¡¯s a big canal that leads directly to the north and south. it¡¯s a good place with beautiful scenery and prosperity.¡± his answer was standard, and there was nothing strange about it. in the end, he even threw a question at chu yi. ¡°when i returned from the state of yue last year, didn¡¯t i also go to yangzhou?¡± ¡°seventh imperial uncle is really¡­¡± chu yi opened a folding fan with a whoosh and shook it gently. ¡°back then, yangzhou was in chaos, and countless citizens and soldiers died. seventh imperial uncle paid more attention to the scenery of mountains and rivers..¡± Chapter 651 - Chapter 651: Test (2) chapter 651: test (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios on the folding fan was a flying vermillion bird. when the folding fan gently flapped, it attracted people¡¯s gazes to the red vermillion bird. the flying vermillion bird was like fire and blood, so bright that it was almost dazzling. what did he mean?! chu you¡¯s pupils moved slightly. chu yi turned around and looked at the emperor faintly. ¡°father, 1 recently obtained a new dossier. it¡¯s about the yangzhou case from nine years ago.¡± ¡°this dossier came from the state of yue. it was given to me by the current heavenly palace lord, xia houqing.¡± ¡°oh?¡± the emperor¡¯s knocking finger stopped. xia houqing? chu you raised his thick black eyebrows slightly, and the corners of his mouth curled imperceptibly. he sized up chu yi. ¡°could it be that you¡¯re very familiar with xia houqing?¡± chu yi smiled like a spring breeze and looked at chu you calmly. ¡°when i was in the state of yue, i had a few encounters with lord xia.¡± ¡°back then, it was the people of the state of yue who claimed that gu ce opened the city gate to subdue the enemy. this case still has to be investigated starting from the state of yue.¡± the folding fan in his hand stopped, and he asked chu you, ¡°isn¡¯t that so?¡± the vermillion bird drawn on the white folding fan raised its sharp beak and seemed to be letting out a long cry, but also seemed to be sneering disdainfully. ¡°¡­¡± the corners of chu you¡¯s eyes twitched. he felt that chu yi was really despicable. regarding chu yi¡¯s question, chu you avoided answering and said in a sincere tone, ¡°nephew, you¡¯ve only seen lord xia in the state of yue and have only met him a few times. as the saying goes, you can¡¯t judge a book by its cover. no one knows if this dossier is real or fake.¡± ¡°it can¡¯t be whatever he says, right?¡± chu you¡¯s expression froze without any change. his tone was cold and arrogant. as he spoke, the wind outside became stronger, blowing the branches noisily. the messy willow catkins and petals danced with the wind, and occasionally, a few willow catkins floated into the house through the window. chu yi casually brushed away a small cluster of willow catkins floating on his shoulder and said calmly as before, ¡°father, xia houqing has already sent someone to send the dossier over from the capital of the state of yue at full speed.¡± ¡°as for the truth of what happened back then, 1 believe the truth will be revealed soon.¡± he was speaking to the emperor, but his gaze looked at chu you on the other side. his dark, phoenix eyes were as clear as water, and the red tear mole at the corner of his eye was bright. ¡°in lord xia¡¯s letter, seventh imperial uncle contributed a lot to the battle between the two countries back then.¡± he didn¡¯t say how kang wang ¡°contributed¡±. at first glance, it seemed to be praising that kang wang had also helped defend the city in tailing city back then. ¡°¡­¡± chu you¡¯s handsome face tensed up, and the pinky of his hand twitched slightly. he glanced at chu yi with the corners of his eyes and thought coldly: he¡¯s really lying through his teeth! if baili yin didn¡¯t lie to him, then there¡¯s a high chance that xia houqing has been in the capital recently. and baili yin had no reason to lie to him about this. after all, where xia houqing was concerned, the power struggle in the state of yue¡¯s royal court had nothing to do with his state of jin. chu you¡¯s twitching little finger relaxed again. with a calm expression, he said to the emperor, ¡°brother, xia houqing is ruthless and murderous. not only did he commit the atrocity of killing ten races, but he also killed the censor on the spot in the heavenly hall. it¡¯s heinous.¡± ¡°i think such a ferocious person can¡¯t be trusted!¡± ¡°recently, the sage of the state of yue has been seriously ill, and the country is filled with worries. xia houqing is sinister and cunning. he must have deliberately provoked internal strife in our country. firstly, he wants to avoid external trouble for the state of yue, and secondly, he wants to sit back and reap the benefits.¡± chu you¡¯s words were righteous and impassioned, making it impossible to find any fault with him. gu yanfei had a sweet candied crabapple in her mouth and thought to herself: he¡¯s so good at sophistry. its a pity that he didn¡¯t go to the capital to be a censor. chu yi chuckled. ¡°internal strife?¡± chu yi raised his eyebrows and smiled warmly, looking confused. ¡°why does seventh imperial uncle think that lord xia wants to sow discord in our state of jin?¡± ¡°or¡­¡± ¡°seventh imperial uncle already knows what¡¯s written in the dossier sent by lord xia?¡± the smile in chu yi¡¯s eyes deepened, but the meaning in his words was extremely sharp. he was just short of directly questioning what exactly kang wang was feeling guilty about! ¡°¡­¡± chu you realized that he had misspoken. the muscles on his cheek twitched, and his face was as stiff as cold iron. the room was silent. one could only hear the emperor slowly covering the teacup with tea and casually stirring it. the subtle sound of porcelain colliding made the surroundings look even quieter.. Chapter 652 - Chapter 652: Test (3) chapter 652: test (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios chu you¡¯s expression darkened. he gritted his teeth fiercely and said in a low voice, ¡°you¡¯re overthinking. how would 1 know what¡¯s written in the dossier sent by xia houqing? 1 just don¡¯t believe in the people of the state of yue.¡± ¡°i¡¯ve been in the state of yue for eight years. you should know best how treacherous the people of the state of yue are, right?¡± his deliberately raised voice sounded sharp and ear-piercing at this moment. he looked at chu yi coldly. if chu yi can dig a hole forme, i can do it for him too! in the face of the provocation that chu you thought was a counterattack, chu yi smiled and didn¡¯t say anything. the folding fan in his hand fluttered gently again with his usual elegance. his gentle smile was clearly like a spring breeze turning into rain, but together with his movements, it inexplicably revealed an indescribable mockery. chu you¡¯s little finger couldn¡¯t help but twitch again. his chest rolled, and his eyes were cold. on the other side, gu yanfei was also looking at chu yi. however, she was looking at the jade ring on chu yi¡¯s thumb. the jade thumb ring was engraved with simple kirin patterns. the warm jade material made his fingers fair and delicate, and his bamboo-like fingers became even longer. this jade thumb ring is really beautiful on him! gu yanfei praised in her heart smugly. she knew that the jade material she chose was suitable for him. she carved it well too! what should 1 give him next? gu yanfei was thinking about it when, suddenly, her half-closed eyebrows and eyelashes trembled. she looked in the direction of the door curtain. in the next moment, the door curtain was lifted from the outside. a middle-aged eunuch hurriedly lifted the curtain and entered. he reported, ¡°your majesty, her highness just woke up.¡± chu you, who originally wanted to say something, shut his mouth. the topic of xia houqing and the dossier ended here. the emperor stood up first. chu yi, gu yanfei, and chu you also followed the emperor to visit feng yang. the two imperial physicians from the imperial hospital were also inside. the imperial physician gave an endless report, saying that they had just checked feng yang¡¯s pulse again. feng yang¡¯s vital energy and blood were deficient, and there was stagnation of qi and stasis of blood. both yin and yang aspects were depleted. in chu you¡¯s ears, what imperial physician ling said was all nonsense. there was no main point. it went into chu you¡¯s left ear and out of his right ear. he didn¡¯t take it to heart at all. he didn¡¯t say a word and only looked at feng yang, who was lying on the bed, with a dark gaze. although feng yang had woken up, she was still very weak. she forced a smile and only said to the emperor, ¡°sorry to have made you worry, your majesty.¡± then, she fell asleep again. the sleeping feng yang¡¯s face was as pale as paper, and her lips were slightly green. since his goal for this trip had been achieved, chu you didn¡¯t stay in the room for long. after a while, he excused himself with the excuse of ¡°not disturbing feng yang¡¯s recuperation¡±. chu yi personally sent chu you out of the room. after stepping across the high threshold, chu you stepped down the white marble stone steps step by step. when he reached the last step, he heard chu yi¡¯s indifferent voice suddenly come from behind. ¡°does seventh imperial uncle really plan to return to the fief?¡± chu you stopped in his tracks. he neither turned around nor answered chu yi¡¯s question. his broad shoulders were slightly stiff in the shadow cast by the eaves above. as for chu yi, he didn¡¯t seem to care if chu you replied or not. his tone was neither light nor heavy as he said again, ¡°tens of thousands of people have been buried in yangzhou and are lingering around. when seventh imperial uncle returns to the fief in the future, you have to remember to ask the few daoist masters to do a good ritual to exort those people who died in vain, lest their souls wander the world.¡± chu you¡¯s hands, which were placed beside him, couldn¡¯t help but clench into fists. this time, he couldn¡¯t help but turn around. the young man standing in front of the threshold had handsome facial features, bright eyes, and a meaningful smile. he seemed to be reminding her out of goodwill, but also seemed to be hinting at something. thud! chu you¡¯s heart skipped a beat uncontrollably. he felt a little scared, and his eyes were dark. he looked at the young man with picturesque eyebrows under the roof and couldn¡¯t help but think back to yangzhou¡¯s tailing city nine years ago. it returned to the day engraved in his memories. the battle cries in the city lingered. the air was filled with the thick smell of blood, making one want to vomit. everywhere they looked, there were corpses strewn everywhere, and blood flowed like rivers. this was the first time in chu you¡¯s life that he understood what the words ¡°blood mountain and sea of corpses¡± meant. thinking about it now, chu you felt the lingering smell of blood in his nose again. his gaze on chu yi instantly froze. chu yi smiled slightly and cupped his hands elegantly. ¡°seventh imperial uncle, i¡¯ll send you here.¡± after saying that, he turned around without any reluctance and crossed the high threshold again to walk back.. Chapter 653 - Chapter 653: Test (4) chapter 653: test (4) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios only chu you was left standing on the last step, watching chu yi¡¯s slender figure disappear from the curtain in front. only when his personal eunuch called him ¡°your highness¡± did chu you return to his senses. he turned around and continued walking in the direction of the palace door, taking big steps forward. chu you didn¡¯t say a word. his mind was filled with what chu yi had just said. he flipped and turned, thinking carefully and chewing. the more he thought about it, the more shocked he became. the more he thought about it, the more he felt that chu yi¡¯s every word just now had a deeper meaning. ¡°rumble!¡± a soul-stirring spring thunder suddenly sounded in the sky. a bolt of lightning suddenly struck down from the sky. for a moment, the surroundings were illuminated, and it also cast a treacherous shadow on chu you¡¯s handsome and cold face, making his expression abnormally cold. the light brought by the lightning flashed, and the surroundings immediately darkened again. it was dark. chu you couldn¡¯t help but think of tailing city from nine years ago. memories that had been sealed for a long time appeared in his mind. when the city was broken into, the dark state of yue army surged into the city like a tide. the soldiers of the great jin dynasty in the city had no leader. they were suppressed by the aura of the enemy and retreated step by step. the state of yue army entered the city to burn, kill, and plunder, committing all kinds of evil. countless commoners also died in this battle. in front of the wolf-like state of yue army, the commoners became hunted lambs. they could only constantly escape, wail, and beg for mercy¡­ but they still couldn¡¯t avoid death. some had their arms, heads, and calves cut off. some had their heads smashed beyond recognition, and red and white bodily fluids stuck to the city wall. some had their bodies pierced by a saber¡­ almost all the people he knew in tailing city were dead¡­ another deafening blast of spring thunder exploded in his ears, waking chu you up. chu you continued walking forward and went out of the door without stopping. he got on the horse. when the man and horse galloped out, there was a dripping sound on the ground. spring rain fell from the sky, and the rain became heavier and heavier. passers-by ran around. soon, there were no longer any pedestrians on the street. ¡°hua hua hua¡­¡± the heavy rain poured down, forming a dense rain curtain. chu you didn¡¯t mind at all. he let the rain drench his clothes and hair. the rain landed on his eyelashes, and his vision was blurry. chu you galloped on his horse without stopping. wherever the hooves passed, water splashed. after an incense¡¯s time, he returned to his manor. the gatekeeper was already looking up and shouting, ¡°his highness is back, his highness is back!¡± chu you, who was drenched, turned a deaf ear and saw a beautiful figure walking out of the corner door at a glance. li yunrong held the oil-paper umbrella and stood in the rain, smiling at him. the big red oil paper umbrella made her face seem to be dyed red. her face was like the morning sun, and her small chin was gentle and elegant, outlining the beautiful arc of a jade statue. just looking at her like this, chu you¡¯s heart felt soft and sweet. at this moment, the first encounter between him and her nine years ago in yangzhou appeared in his mind. it was also such a drizzling spring day. at that time, she was also holding an umbrella in her hand, and he was also riding a horse. she was shocked by the horse, and the umbrella fell from her hand. he was the one who grabbed the umbrella for her. when she was young, she was like a delicate water lotus, making people feel pity for her. ¡°rong¡¯er.¡± chu you smiled brightly, got off the horse, and walked quickly towards her in the heavy rain. along the way, his body was long drenched. his hair and clothes were wet, and a few strands of hair stuck to his cheek, making him look a little miserable. but when he looked at her, his eyes were surprisingly bright and dazzling, as if she was the only one in his eyes.. Chapter 654 - Chapter 654: Establishment (1) chapter 654: establishment (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios large raindrops fell from the sky and covered the earth, and the heavy rain kept falling. ¡°your highness.¡± li yunrong raised the oil paper umbrella high and tried to block the rain for him. chu you took the oil paper umbrella smoothly and carefully prevented the rain from drenching her. with his free hand, he held her hand and walked into the prince¡¯s residence. her gentle and concerned voice sounded in his ears. ¡°it¡¯s raining so heavily, why isn¡¯t your highness wearing a rain cape?¡± ¡°xia lian, quickly get someone to boil water and a cup of ginger soup.¡± ¡°your highness, i¡¯ll serve you to bathe in case you catch a cold.¡± seeing that she only had eyes for him, chu you felt especially good and hummed softly. his large palm held her soft little hand even tighter, and a malicious cold light flashed in his eyes. he thought to himself, back then, it was gu ce who didn¡¯t knowhow to appreciate favors. otherwise, why would he be in this state! the rain was pouring, and the umbrella was like a barrier that isolated everything around it from the two people under the umbrella as if they were the only two left in this world. as li yunrong walked, she used a handkerchief to wipe the rain off his body. she gently wiped his forehead, cheeks, and ears and asked in a low voice, ¡°your highness, how¡¯s the eldest princess, feng yang? what did the imperial physician say?¡± ¡°she woke up for a while, but she was still very weak. she fell asleep after saying a few words. the imperial physician was helpless.¡± thinking of feng yang¡¯s extremely weak sleeping face, chu you¡¯s eyes flickered. ¡°i don¡¯t think she can last this month.¡± ¡°it¡¯s similar to what the previous emperor said¡­¡± his last sentence was very, very soft. the last few words were suppressed by the sound of the surrounding rain, as if there was a faint sigh. ¡°¡­¡± li yunrong looked at chu you¡¯s cold side profile in confusion, and the hand holding the handkerchief stopped. chu you looked up at the dark sky that was raining heavily and sighed again. he couldn¡¯t hide his pity and said again, ¡°sigh, father didn¡¯t survive longer than my imperial aunt in the end.¡± ¡°it was just one year left.¡± when he raised his head, the line of his chin became clearer and clearer. a few strands of wet hair scattered messily on his cheeks, making him look sad. li yunrong understood his last sentence. li yunrong¡¯s eyes flickered, and he couldn¡¯t help but think: if feng yang died before the previous emperor, the current royal court might be in a different situation. without feng yang, there would be one less obstacle for the late emperor to cripple the crown prince. perhaps he would be 70 to 80% confident of crippling the crown prince today. sigh, this was only a hypothesis in the end. at this point, it was useless to think too much. li yunrong composed herself and looked at chu you beside her with heartache. just as she was about to comfort him, she saw him stop and suddenly call out, ¡°peng zhi.¡± it was a simple word, but there was a determined tone in its tone, as if it had made a difficult decision. the eunuch, peng zhi, who was about ten feet behind the two of them, quickly walked up and lowered his head to listen. ¡°your highness.¡± chu you directly instructed in front of li yunrong, ¡°tell baili yin¡¯s personal aide, bai xing, to let him go¡­¡± his voice was softer, and the rain was even louder, smashing the oil-paper umbrella above, as if countless icicles had landed on the umbrella. chu you¡¯s rain-washed eyes were especially cold, and a trace of determination flashed in his eyes. he had already made a decision. the previous emperor spent a full 20 years arranging everything for him. feng yang, the aristocratic families, the fiefdom¡­ and this unique opportunity. opportunities couldn¡¯t be missed. time didn¡¯t come anymore. just as the previous emperor said, once a person made a decision, they couldn¡¯t be swayed anymore! he couldn¡¯t disappoint the previous emperor¡¯s love for him, his son! after giving the instructions, chu you held li yunrong¡¯s hand and continued walking. peng zhi stayed on the spot and bowed respectfully at chu you¡¯s back. then, he turned and left. his figure quickly disappeared in the dense rain curtain. chu you and li yunrong arrived at the main courtyard of the inner courtyard not long after. the maids and palace maids serving in the main courtyard immediately welcomed them. someone took the oil-paper umbrella from chu you¡¯s hand, someone reported that hot water and bath buckets were already prepared, and someone handed over a few clean white handkerchiefs. li yunrong wiped the rain from her face with a white handkerchief and hurriedly instructed, ¡°xia lian, get someone to choose some good supplements from the warehouse and send them to the eldest princess feng yang¡¯s residence as soon as possible.¡± chu you raised his sharp eyebrows and looked at li yunrong tacitly. he understood what she meant and added, ¡°listen to the princess consort..¡± Chapter 655 - Chapter 655: Establishment (2) chapter 655: establishment (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios with chu you¡¯s support, xia lian felt more confident. since his highness had instructed so, she would naturally send as many supplements as possible. there was no need to feel heartache. li yunrong hurriedly pulled chu you¡¯s hand and walked towards the inner room. ¡°your highness, quickly go take a shower.¡± the couple lifted the curtain and entered the house, while xia lian rushed into the rain with the oil-paper umbrella. ¡°hualala¡­¡± on this day, the spring rain kept falling. occasionally, there would be a few spring lightning explosions, and even until the afternoon, the rain showed no signs of stopping. that afternoon, kang wang¡¯s manor sent a car full of supplements to the eldest princess¡¯s residence. they were all precious supplements, such as ginseng, bird¡¯s nest, gelatin, deer antlers, and so on. this morning, news of kang wang presenting a prescription on behalf of the princess consort during the morning court session had already spread throughout half of the capital city. at this moment, every action of kang wang¡¯s manor was under the scrutiny of various government offices. immediately, some astute individuals began inquiring about what had happened to feng yang. with just a little investigation, they learned about feng yang¡¯s severe illness within the palace. many people gossiped with each other, and there were even people who went to the imperial hospital to get information. when they learned that imperial physician ling and a few imperial physicians had been urgently summoned into the palace, they knew that there was a high chance of this matter. this news was like a stone that caused a thousand waves. for a few days, some honorable officials also followed kang wang¡¯s manor to send gifts and medicine to the eldest princess¡¯s manor. for a moment, the threshold of the eldest princess¡¯s manor was almost flattened. however, feng yang had been living in the palace since she fell ill that day and had never returned to the princess¡¯s residence. the gatekeeper of the princess¡¯s residence didn¡¯t dare to make any decisions on his own. apart from some gifts from the royal family, the other heavy gifts were all returned. in the past few days, so many eyes in the capital had been staring at the commotion in the palace and the princess¡¯s residence. it was inevitable that they would make guesses. most people didn¡¯t live long. the 68-year-old feng yang could be said to be old and had already lived longer than many people in the world. moreover, feng yang had some old injuries when she fought on the battlefield in her early years. in the past two years, her phoenix body was no longer as strong as before. once an old person was seriously ill, it was naturally more difficult to pass than those young people. if feng yang hadn¡¯t recovered from her illness for so many days, it would probably be bad. it was just like how it had only been five to six days since the previous emperor was seriously ill and couldn¡¯t wake up before he died. the spring rain lasted for three to four days. on this day, after the morning court meeting, the emperor went to wuliang temple incognito to pray for feng yang. accompanied by him were chu yi, an le, prince li, prince jing, and the other royal relatives. the prayer ceremony was personally presided over by the temple master, and it attracted many visitors to the foot of wuliang mountain to see the emperor. in the afternoon, yuan zhe, who had never entered kang wang¡¯s manor since national day, walked into it again. the cousins locked in the study and chatted secretly for a long time. yuan zhe stayed until it was almost curfew before leaving. the next morning, the spring rain that had been falling for five days finally stopped. the sky was bright. feng yang, who was wearing the princess attire, dragged her weak sick body and appeared in the morning court. she personally handed a memorial in front of all the court officials and officials and said impassionedly, ¡°your majesty, the establishment of the heir is related to the safety of the world. your majesty, you¡¯re already in the year of knowing the fate of the world. for the sake of the country, your future will be eternal. please appoint the eldest prince as the heir as soon as possible to calm the hearts of the people and stabilize the country.¡± feng yang held the big red memorial with both hands and stood proudly in the center of the golden hall, his back straight. after being seriously ill, she looked much thinner, but her expression was firm, and her tone was as arrogant as the wind. all the civil and military officials in the court were men, and only she, a woman, could appear in the court as a matter of course, like a burning flame. the entire hall was silent as the ministers looked at each other. a middle-aged official with a white face and a long beard glanced at xiao shoufu in front of him. xiao shoufu nodded imperceptibly. the white-faced and long-bearded official swallowed his saliva and quickly walked out of the line of civil officials. he raised his arm and bowed to the emperor in front of him. ¡°your majesty, the appointment of the heir is very important. it concerns the foundation of the country. i think we have to consider it carefully and discuss it carefully.¡± as soon as he finished speaking, another white-haired old official hurriedly echoed, ¡°lord liu is right.¡± ¡°your majesty, his highness, the eldest prince, once asked to marry gu ce¡¯s daughter as his main concubine in public, but now that the truth of the gu ce case isn¡¯t known, if gu ce really did commit treason, may i ask what do you think about his highness, the eldest prince?¡± he looked up at the emperor on the throne in front of him and questioned him righteously. many civil servants, generals, and nobles in the court felt that what he said made sense and nodded repeatedly. in their opinion, if gu yanfei was really the daughter of a sinner, she couldn¡¯t be the crown prince¡¯s consort.. Chapter 656 - Chapter 656: Establishment (3) chapter 656: establishment (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°his a/iajesty is at the peak of spring and autumn.¡± a dark-faced general stood out with his chest puffed out and cupped his fists. ¡°i think there¡¯s no hurry to establish an heir. the commoners rely on the monarch of a country. it¡¯s my blessing to have his majesty¡¯s dragon body safe and sound.¡± as soon as these words were spoken, many people agreed. ever since the eldest prince returned to the country, his majesty¡¯s dragon body had indeed improved. imperial duke wei¡¯s sharp gaze swept across the surrounding ministers with different thoughts. he also walked out of the line of generals with large strides and cupped his fists like a huge bell. ¡°i think it¡¯s too early and too late to choose an heir.¡± ¡°his majesty only has one son, the eldest prince, and he¡¯s the legitimate son. in just half a year after the eldest prince returned to the country last year, he has already made some achievements. not only is he an upright person, but he¡¯s also knowledgeable and good at using people. he definitely can afford to be the heir.¡± as soon as imperial duke wei expressed his position, right on the heels of that, the british duke, chang anbo, and the other honorables also expressed their support for the opposing heir. all the civil and military officials in the dynasty had their own opinions. they believed that each side believed it was correct, and both sides had their merits. this wasn¡¯t a rare thing. in all the dynasties, as long as a crown prince was appointed, all the civil and military officials in the dynasty would have to fight. even back then, when emperor taizu appointed the previous emperor as the crown prince, the officials also argued endlessly to establish a first wife or a virtuous heir. they argued for more than two years before establishing a crown prince. the white-haired old official said seriously, ¡°his highness, the eldest prince, is still young and hasn¡¯t reached his prime. he has only returned to the capital for half a year. there¡¯s no need to be too anxious about establishing an heir.¡± ¡°lord li¡¯s words make sense.¡± someone slapped his thigh and shouted, ¡°there¡¯s no public opinion on gu ce¡¯s case yet. it¡¯s not too late to discuss the heir after this case is investigated.¡± ¡°as the heir of the country, it¡¯s better to be cautious. if you act rashly, there will only be endless future trouble.¡± the ministers had their own thoughts and became more and more excited. soon, their faces turned red. ¡°enough!¡± a powerful shout sounded. the ministers hurriedly turned around and saw feng yang, who was standing in the center of the throne room, sweeping her icicle-like gaze across the ministers. feng yang said loudly, ¡°i¡¯m not seeking your opinion, but telling you that it¡¯s time to appoint a candidate.¡± her gaze was extremely fierce, like a sword or a saber. wherever her gaze swept, it emitted a terrifying aura, like a raging fire. her expression was vigorous, and no one in the court could suppress her aura. under the deterrence of feng yang, the ministers fell silent together. the entire hall fell so silent that one could hear a pin drop. feng yang slowly looked at the ministers around her with bright eyes. she asked in a sonorous voice, ¡°what¡¯s wrong with establishing the eldest prince?¡± ¡°or do you have other candidates?¡± ¡°in the prime of his majesty¡¯s reign, you are competing over trivial matters!¡± ¡°come, tell me. who do you fancy?¡± feng yang¡¯s tone wasn¡¯t high, but it was imposing. she had the dignified aura of a dragon and tiger, suppressing the ministers until they couldn¡¯t raise their heads. on the golden throne, the emperor looked down at the ministers below calmly and smiled faintly without saying a word. imperial duke wei and the other old ministers sighed in their hearts that the eldest princess, feng yang, was really as elegant as before. as for lord li and the other ministers, they felt that feng yang was still as domineering as ever. they secretly cursed: isn¡¯t it only right to fight over who takes the position of crown prince? feng yang made it sound like they were all supporting kang wang¡¯s advancement. the white-haired lord li held his breath, his expression dark. he felt extremely wronged. what he said came from his heart. for the country and the people, he believed that he had a clear conscience, but he was given such a big title by feng yang. lord li looked up at feng yang and retorted righteously, ¡°your highness, your words are too general! i¡¯m wholeheartedly devoted to the country and have no selfishness, let alone any intention of competing for merit¡­¡± ¡°lord li,¡± feng yang interrupted lord li mockingly and said confidently, ¡°didn¡¯t you often say that ¡®to enjoy the ruler¡¯s benefits is to bear the ruler¡¯s concerns¡±? in that case, you should share the burden of his majesty and support the establishment of an heir as soon as possible!¡± ¡°¡­¡± lord li immediately choked, and his white goatee trembled. imperial duke wei almost laughed out loud and tried his best to suppress his laughter. the eldest princess, feng yang, was a veteran of three dynasties, so she knew these old ministers who relied on their seniority the best. for example, lord li, who bragged about being knowledgeable and often said those dignified empty words, actually had no achievements at all. he was like a paper tiger that could be broken with a poke. with feng yang¡¯s eloquence, even if a few more ignorant court officials came, she could still fight the ministers with ease, blocking them until they couldn¡¯t say a word. several officials secretly exchanged looks. they originally had a stomach full of words to say, but they couldn¡¯t help but hesitate. feng yang didn¡¯t care what they thought. she looked at the emperor again and smiled. ¡°what do you think, emperor?¡± these words made the officials look at the emperor again. ¡°what imperial aunt said is exactly what 1 want.¡± a smile slowly appeared on the emperor¡¯s lips. ¡°it¡¯s time to appoint an heir as soon as possible.¡± the emperor¡¯s voice was neither light nor heavy, clearly ringing through the entire throne room, not hiding the joy in his words at all. anyone could guess that feng yang¡¯s memorial today was most likely discussed between her and the emperor long ago. the emperor naturally wanted to appoint the eldest prince as the crown prince as soon as possible. once again, the entire court, both civil and military officials, began to stir restlessly, whispering and exchanging glances. for a moment, they were uncertain whether to oppose or offer their enthusiastic support. lord liu looked at xiao shoufu, who was standing at the front of the civil servants¡¯ line again. he saw xiao shoufu smooth his sleeves and cup his hands calmly. ¡°your majesty, establishing the crown prince is a big matter in the country. the eldest prince is both civil and military, and he has both virtue and talent. it¡¯s not wrong to establish him as the crown prince.¡± the ministers were stunned when they heard that. although xiao shoufu didn¡¯t directly say that the eldest prince was qualified to be the crown prince, and what he said was even more complicated, everyone understood what he meant. xiao shoufu actually didn¡¯t object to the establishment of the crown prince! this was the first time xiao shoufu had openly expressed his position on the matter of establishing an heir. many officials secretly pinched themselves. the pain told them that this wasn¡¯t a dream. the expressions of the ministers immediately became very strange, filled with suspicion and shock. could it be that xiao shoufu was also afraid of feng yang¡¯s might, or was he only retreating for the time being?! at the end of the line, an official couldn¡¯t help but tug at the sleeve of his colleague and ask silently with his eyes, ¡°could it be that because of princess consort kang, li yunrong, kang wang completely angered the aristocratic families, and they gave up on kang wang because of this?¡± his colleague nodded slightly and sighed. as everyone knew, aristocratic families valued bloodlines the most and had no eyes. they rarely even married into families other than aristocratic families. with the aloofness and arrogance of aristocratic families, they probably wouldn¡¯t want to kneel down to a person with the bloodline of a family¡¯s child and treat him as an empress in the future. thinking about it this way, what the aristocratic families did today seemed normal. therefore, the aristocratic families led by xiao shoufu most likely wanted to use the appointment of the heir to express goodwill to the emperor and the eldest prince. lord li couldn¡¯t help but look at the officials of the aristocratic families in the queue. seeing that none of them said anything, it was obvious that they followed xiao shoufu¡¯s lead. the ministers in the throne room couldn¡¯t help but have complicated feelings. they suddenly felt the heaviness of the royal court that was about to change completely.. Chapter 657 - Chapter 657: Marriage (1) chapter 657: marriage (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°does the cabinet grand secretary really think so?¡± the emperor asked with a smile, staring steadily at xiao shoufu below. his usually gentle eyes were especially deep at this moment, as if he was probing or just asking casually. xiao shoufu maintained the posture of holding his hands in front of him. his every move seemed to have been measured with a ruler. he said steadily, ¡°the eldest prince is the eldest son and is also a talented person, making him the legitimate heir without a doubt.¡± he lowered his head slightly, his posture revealing respect. his tone was unprecedentedly firm, but his half-closed eyes made it impossible to see his gaze clearly. seeing this, lord liu and the others, who were still full of fighting spirit previously, completely deflated like a pierced leather bag. they no longer had any fighting spirit. ¡°alright!¡± the emperor slapped the armrest of the throne heavily. he was in a good mood and seemed to have become several years younger. at this point, everyone was convinced of how they should express themselves. they bowed in unison and stepped out to second the suggestion one after another. ¡°i second that!¡± ¡°i think it¡¯s time to appoint a crown prince as soon as possible. please allow it, your majesty.¡± ¡°her highness and the lords are right.¡± these voices were all loud and powerful, a united scene. looking down at the ministers below, the emperor¡¯s mood was even better. a deep smile appeared in the corners of his old eyes. he instructed in high spirits, ¡°pei wenrui, then let the ministry of rites prepare the matter of the crown prince as soon as possible.¡± ¡°imperial astronomer, find an auspicious day as soon as possible.¡± the minister of rites, pei wenrui, and the imperial astronomers immediately stood out and bowed respectfully. the dust had settled. feng yang smiled and looked around again. she was seriously ill this time, and her cheeks were so thin that they were slightly sunken, but her eyes were abnormally bright and abnormally determined. to her, it was most important for emperor taizu to have a successor. the establishment of a reserve was a national matter in all dynasties. it couldn¡¯t be decided with just an imperial decree. after the emperor issued the decree, the minister of rites, pei wenrui, and the officials of the ceremonies department spent a full three days reading ancient books and formulating the rules for the crown prince. ¡°the imperial astronomer has calculated three auspicious days. your majesty, please choose.¡± ¡°the ministry of rites has already drafted an edict to appoint the crown prince. please take a look at it, your majesty, before sending it to the various states.¡± ¡°the various gowns and crowns of the crown prince have been arranged by the ceremony director.¡± ¡°before establishing the crown prince, he has to pay respects to the ancestors first. coincidentally, the previous emperor passed away a year ago. do you think the eldest prince should pay respects to the previous emperor on behalf of your majesty and pay respects to his ancestors?¡± ¡°on the day of the ceremony, he still has to worship the heavens and the earth and pay respects to the sect temple. only then will the ceremony be completed.¡± ¡°the crown prince is the future monarch. we can¡¯t be sloppy with the ceremony.¡± h 11 the great jin dynasty had only been established for 50 years, and there weren¡¯t many old cases to follow. when the previous emperor was announced as the crown prince, when the dynasty was first established, emperor taizu expressed that there were a hundred things to do and everything was simple. back then, when the previous emperor established the crown prince, the minister of rites at that time was wang zi from a noble family. wang zi roughly organized such a set of rules according to the old cases of the previous dynasty. this time, the rites department only made slight changes. the emperor carefully looked at the memorandum presented by the ministry of rites and was overjoyed. he readily agreed. that day, the emperor issued a decree, ordering the eldest prince chu yi to go to the imperial mausoleum to pay respects to the previous emperor. the sacrifice of the imperial mausoleum was a big deal. the ministry of rites immediately started preparing. they were so busy that the minister of rites, the left and right assistant ministers, and other important officials worked tirelessly for several consecutive days, to the point where they wished they could grow three heads and six arms to get everything done. after the imperial court¡¯s divination, the date of the sacrifice to the imperial mausoleum was set for the eighth of april, which was half a month later. therefore, the ceremonial department became even busier. they had to draw up a list of sacrifices for the imperial mausoleum with the eldest prince, arrange for the ceremonial guard of the sacrifice, coordinate with taichang temple, and even arrange for fasting before the sacrifice. the news that the emperor was about to designate a crown prince quickly spread throughout the capital, and even the commoners felt happy. march seemed to have passed in the blink of an eye. at the start of april, the weather became warmer and warmer, and the wind and sun were beautiful. on the sunny days of april, peonies, peony trees, roses, pomegranate flowers, and others embraced the sunlight and bloomed extravagantly, filling the air with their fragrant scents. a few colorful butterflies spread their wings and flew among the peony flowers. they stopped between the flowers one moment, flew the next, and played with each other the next¡­ ¡°meow-¡± a snow-white cat and a black cat ran past the two of them one after another. the two cats chased after the butterflies in the garden happily, their cries soft and excited.. Chapter 658 - Chapter 658: Marriage (2) chapter 658: marriage (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios one of the butterflies landed on the girl¡¯s slender index finger, its thin butterfly wings flapping shakily under the sun. the corners of gu yanfei¡¯s mouth curled up. she looked at the cats running, sleeping, or squatting in the garden and couldn¡¯t help but have a thought in her mind: qing guang would definitely like this place. crack. a thin branch and leaf were simply cut off by the shears. the subtle sound alarmed the butterfly that stopped on gu yanfei¡¯s finger. the butterfly flapped its wings and flew away. feng yang, who was beside her, didn¡¯t mind. as she pruned the branches and leaves of a basin of peony flowers, she explained, ¡°if you want the peony to grow well, you have to trim the dense branches and side sprouts. the side branches have to be refined but not dense. only then can the other branches grow stronger.¡± ¡®¡±we have to cut off the long and broken flower buds too. this is to reduce the consumption of nutrients.¡± ¡°not only do we have to trim the sick branches and dead branches, but some long branches also have to be cut appropriately.¡± feng yang spoke confidently, her tone rather happy. gu yanfei, who was at the side, felt her head hurt. she liked to make herbs to refine pills and medicine, but she wasn¡¯t interested in tending to these flowers and plants. however, in the bright spirit realm, the sect¡¯s third senior sister liked to fiddle with these plants and always liked to nag at her junior sisters and junior brothers. therefore, gu yanfei more or less knew a little. she smiled and said, ¡°pruning peony requires one to cut one foot and leave eight inches, right?¡± her words summarized the essence of pruning peonies. feng yang raised her eyebrows and asked with a smile, ¡°yanfei, you also know how to plant peonies?¡± feng yang carefully sized up this pot of peony to see if there was anything else that needed to be trimmed. ¡°i¡¯m not as experienced as you.¡± gu yanfei smiled obediently. her smile was very cute. her coquettish and obedient skills were learned under the love and care of so many senior brothers and sisters in the bright spirit realm. she had long trained them to perfection, and feng yang liked her. she was naturally happy and laughed. the two of them chatted happily. the old granny beside them moved away this pot of pruned peonies and moved another pot of big red peonies. more than ten flower buds had already grown on the branches, and the flower buds were young. feng yang wasn¡¯t in a hurry to get the shears. she stretched out her finger and gently plucked one of the flower buds. ¡°unfortunately, this flower bud is a few days late this year. i¡¯m afraid it won¡¯t be able to make it in time for this year¡¯s peony festival¡­¡± feng yang lowered her eyelashes and looked at the pot of red peonies with faint disappointment. a few rays of sunlight danced on her white eyelashes, dyeing them white gold, and making her look a little distant. gu yanfei¡¯s gaze froze. she knew that feng yang wasn¡¯t talking about the peony festival at all. what feng yang really wanted to say was that she probably wouldn¡¯t live to see this pot of peony bloom. there was a faint sadness in the atmosphere. when the wind blew, the red flower buds on the branch swayed gently. with a thought, gu yanfei guided the spiritual aura on the white jade red plum hairpin to the fingertip of her right hand bit by bit, forming a white light that couldn¡¯t be seen with the naked eye. ¡°slap!¡± she gently snapped her fingers at the pot of peonies. in the next moment, the flower buds on the pot of peonies trembled slightly and bloomed bit by bit. layers of petals stretched out¡­ red peony flowers bloomed miraculously at an unbelievable speed. a faint fragrance of peony flowers assailed her nose. even the butterflies around her were attracted over and circled the pot of peonies. this scene was dreamy and beautiful. feng yang looked at the scene of the flowers blooming in surprise. her eyes instantly lit up, and her entire body glowed. feng yang was looking at flowers, but the old granny beside her was looking at her without blinking. her vision was blurry, and it was as if she could see feng yang¡¯s young and oppressive appearance. she had served the eldest princess of feng yang for most of her life. in the past few years, her highness¡¯s phoenix body and spirit became worse and worse. she knew that her highness no longer had any reluctance to leave this world. it had been a long time since she had seen her highness so energetic. how nice. the old granny quietly lowered her head and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes with her sleeve. seeing feng yang smile, gu yanfei raised her little chin smugly. she was impressive, right? receiving the little girl¡¯s proud gaze, feng yang¡¯s smile became even brighter. ¡°meow!¡± the black cat leaped in front of them and turned into a black shadow. it quickly ran towards a woman in green at the entrance of the garden. the clingy black cat circled around the green-robed woman¡¯s skirt intimately and kept meowing.. Chapter 659 - Chapter 659: Marriage (3) chapter 659: marriage (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios the green-robed woman walked in front of the two of them without looking sideways. she generously cupped her fists at feng yang and reported, ¡°your highness, a new envoy has come to the state of yue. he just mentioned the marriage between the two countries to the emperor.¡± the green-robed woman¡¯s body was tall and straight, like a cluster of green bamboo. she made simple movements and had a valiant aura. feng yang nodded faintly. the green-robed woman immediately continued, ¡°then the envoy from the state of yue said that the sage of the state of yue heard that kang wang is young and promising. he¡¯s a good man who¡¯s accomplished in both civil and military affairs, and he¡¯s brave and resourceful. he wants to ask kang wang to be his son-in-law for the eighth princess, princess ximing. the two countries will have a good relationship.¡± feng yang didn¡¯t even raise her head. her gaze was still on the beautiful peony flower in front of her. as she spun the flower pot, she asked, ¡°who came from the state of yue?¡± ¡°it¡¯s the eldest brother of the crown princess of the state of yue, dou zixiang,¡± the green-robed woman replied. ¡°dou zixiang said that the state of yue is willing to use the yellow water ocean as the dowry for the princess.¡± this matter should have already spread to the various prefectures in the capital. perhaps the people from the various prefectures were guessing if this marriage was the intention of the sage of the state of yue or the intention of the crown prince of the state of yue, baili zhao. crack. feng yang picked up the shears and cut two broken leaves in a row. the incomparably sharp shears reflected a dazzling light under the sun. feng yang asked calmly again, ¡°where¡¯s kang wang?¡± ¡°his majesty has just summoned kang wang into the palace,¡± the green-robed woman replied. feng yang chuckled. there was no emotion in this calm smile. there was no joy, anger, or sorrow. ¡°meow!¡± the white cat rubbed against her side and rubbed its cheek intimately against her calf. feng yang was just about to bend down to hug the cat when she suddenly felt that her vision was a little dark. she straightened her body again and couldn¡¯t hide the fatigue on her face. she took two steps back and planned to sit down on a circular chair beside her. gu yanfei quickly held feng yang¡¯s arm and helped her sit on the chair. feng yang¡¯s face turned three times paler, and her aura was weak. the old granny also walked over quickly and asked worriedly, ¡°your highness, how are you?¡± feng yang waved her hand silently, indicating that she was fine. gu yanfei looked at feng yang steadily. she could tell that feng yang¡¯s soul fire was erratic, like a cluster of candles that were about to be extinguished by the wind. feng yang didn¡¯t have much time. if everything went smoothly¡­ feng yang sat for a while and recovered. when she met gu yanfei¡¯s clear eyes and saw her meaning, she smiled. ¡°ruo su, you can leave us.¡± feng yang waved her hand again. after the green-robed woman who came to report bowed, she retreated. the black cat chased after her with a meow. feng yang examined the incomparably beautiful peony flower in front of her in satisfaction and asked with a smile, ¡°yanfei, you also contributed to this flower. how about 1 give it to you?¡± however, gu yanfei rejected it without hesitation. ¡°no, you can raise it yourself.¡± the little girl¡¯s tone was too firm, making feng yang laugh. gu yanfei picked up the mandarin duck-eyed white cat on the ground and placed it on her knee. she touched the cat¡¯s back gently and smiled teasingly. ¡°you know how to train cats. i think these cats in your residence are all very obedient.¡± ¡°you don¡¯t know, but my cat at home is stupid and naughty. it specializes in ruining the best flowers in the house!¡± gu yanfei¡¯s little face tilted, and a pair of shallow dimples appeared on her face. her bright eyes were kind. ¡°therefore, your highness, you¡¯re the one who raised this pot of peony better.¡± the last sentence was meaningful. feng yang looked at the man and cat and smiled gently. ¡°i¡¯m serious!¡± gu yanfei smiled and moved closer to feng yang. ¡°next time, i¡¯ll bring it to show you. it¡¯s very bad. apart from being beautiful, it¡¯s useless!¡± ¡°you¡¯re wrong.¡± feng yang finally couldn¡¯t help but laugh. tears even flowed out of the corners of her eyes. gu yanfei blinked, at a loss. feng yang pointed at the white cat on gu yanfei¡¯s knee with a smile and said, ¡°this cat is very naughty. it scratches whoever it sees. it¡¯s not that my cat is obedient, it¡¯s just that it likes you.¡± the white cat clearly couldn¡¯t understand what feng yang was saying. it meowed innocently, and tilted its round face. its blue and gold cat eyes were as beautiful as a pair of glass beads. gu yanfei lowered her head to look at the obedient white hair and smiled too. she nodded and said, ¡°yes, i¡¯ve always been liked by cats!¡± just like how qing guang had always been likable. their happy laughter echoed in the garden.. Chapter 660 - Chapter 660: Marriage (4) chapter 660: marriage (4) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios the white cat on gu yanfei¡¯s knee looked at the two of them in confusion. it kicked its hind legs and jumped down from her knee, running happily to chase after the butterflies again. ¡°meow!¡± the two of them sat in the garden and watched as the cat pounced on the butterfly. occasionally, they would even comment. after an unknown period of time, the green-robed woman named ruo su returned with a black cat. ¡°your highness, kang wang has already agreed to the marriage,¡± ruo su reported with a cupped fist. feng yang was drinking tea. when she heard that, her eyebrows twitched. she looked at gu yanfei with a faint smile. the two of them didn¡¯t say a word, except for the white cat that meowed. ruo su organized her thoughts and continued in an orderly manner, ¡°kang wang told his majesty that he already has a main concubine. if princess ximing is willing to be a secondary concubine, he will agree.¡± ¡°then the envoy from the state of yue praised kang wang¡¯s deep feelings and expressed that the third prince of baili had already written to present this matter to the sage. princess ximing feels that kang wang is a person who values trust and promises and is willing to be a secondary concubine.¡± her tone was emotionless. it was just a statement. feng yang put down the teacup and said calmly, ¡°very good.¡± gu yanfei casually played with a peony flower that had been cut off by feng yang. she spun it, and the layers of petals trembled slightly, looking beautiful. she smiled, her eyes shining. it was indeed very good. the news of kang wang agreeing to the marriage between the two countries spread throughout the capital in just half a day. this news shocked the entire capital and made those families heave a sigh of relief. this was really good news that overjoyed them. that evening, yuan zhe, wang kangyin, pei wenrui, and the others gathered in xiao shoufu¡¯s residence, all of them glowing. ¡°kang wang finally listened to our advice this time.¡± xiao shoufu, who was sitting in the front seat, stroked his beard and sighed. it was difficult to hide the smugness in his eyes, and he looked gratified. wang kangyin and the others nodded with smiles on their faces. the gloom that had lingered in their hearts for a month was swept away. the atmosphere in the hall relaxed. previously, kang wang ignored their objections and risked breaking off relations with them to marry li yunrong. this matter made all the aristocratic families hold their breaths, but they didn¡¯t want to lower their heads to kang wang. he didn¡¯t expect that after more than a month, kang wang would actually still admit defeat. the minister of revenue, wang kangyin, shook his sleeves and said tactfully, ¡°kang wang still knows that the big picture is more important¡­ there aren¡¯t many days left.¡± ¡°yeah.¡± another person sighed meaningfully. everyone exchanged tacit looks. in fact, they had long guessed it in private. kang wang probably finally knew to panic. after the imperial mausoleum sacrifice in a few days, the emperor would officially hold the crown prince registration ceremony for the eldest prince. at that time, the eldest prince would be the legitimate crown prince. the crown prince was the heir of the country and also the foundation of the country. he couldn¡¯t be abolished for no reason. back then, after the late emperor ascended the throne, the ministers invited the late emperor to confer him the title of crown prince according to emperor taizu¡¯s will. the late emperor dragged it out for a few years, but in the end, he didn¡¯t dare go against emperor taizu¡¯s will. with reluctance, he issued an edict to designate the heir to the throne. this matter became the greatest regret of the previous emperor for more than ten years. even until his death, the previous emperor didn¡¯t find an opportunity to cripple this crown prince. if he officially appointed a crown prince today, it would be as difficult as ascending to the heavens for kang wang to ascend. unless the emperor and chu yi both died, then the next heir to the throne might land on kang wang. there wasn¡¯t much time left. ¡°it¡¯s all thanks to xiao shoufu¡¯s bitter persuasion.¡± yuan zhe, who was wearing a green shirt, elegantly stroked his sleeve and smiled.. ¡°that¡¯s why kang wang changed his mind!¡± Chapter 661 - Chapter 661: Alliance (1) chapter 661: alliance (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°nephew, you flatter me. it was also kang wang who was willing to accept the remonstrance. he understood it himself.¡± xiao shoufu smiled politely, feeling that it was all thanks to his persuasion. he picked up the teacup and looked at the tea leaves floating in the tea. he smelled the tea fragrance and couldn¡¯t help but think back to that day. that day, he caught a cold and complained of illness to recuperate at home. kang wang personally came to visit. at that time, xiao shoufu knew that kang wang was definitely here to lower his head and express goodwill to him and the aristocratic families. since kang wang had taken this important step, xiao shoufu took the opportunity to give kang wang a way out and persuade him nicely. with history as an example, he experienced several dynasties of prosperity and endless glory from the aristocratic families. he talked about the bloodstorm that alternated between dynasties and the miserable outcomes of the royal descendants who failed to snatch the throne in the previous dynasty. in the past five to six hundred years, the aristocratic families and the royal family had been playing games in various forms. the aristocratic families wouldn¡¯t be destroyed in the change of royal power, but once kang wang was defeated, the outcome would either be death or imprisonment. xiao shoufu asked kang wang at that time, ¡°your highness, are you really willing to let others dictate your fate?¡± at that moment, kang wang was silent for a long time. in the end, he only reminded xiao shoufu to recuperate well and said that the royal court still had to rely on him. from those few words, xiao shoufu had already acutely noticed that kang wang had indeed wavered. they had been cold to kang wang for so long. in the end, it wasn¡¯t in vain. the smile on xiao shoufu¡¯s lips deepened. he added politely, ¡°it¡¯s also thanks to my talented nephew for his involvement in facilitating this with kang wang.¡± ¡°don¡¯t mention it.¡± yuan zhe smiled with a humble smile. his attitude of respecting the old was appropriate. pei wenrui and wang kangyin exchanged looks. among the people present, yuan zhe was the youngest, representing the yuan family. the yuan family was the mother of the empress dowager and the uncle of kang wang. their status was different from other aristocratic families, and they were the bridge between the aristocratic families and the kang wang. it was obvious that once kang wang ascended, the yuan family would naturally benefit the most. the yuan family would naturally stand on kang wang¡¯s side. pei wenrui sighed softly and rubbed the bridge of his nose between his eyes with his fingers. he said slowly, ¡°young people have to fall before they know what real power is.¡± he didn¡¯t name anyone, nor did he say that the ¡°young people¡± referred to chu you or yuan zhe. the few people in the hall smiled in an unspoken mutual understanding and sipped their tea elegantly. to put it bluntly, kang wang¡¯s life was really too smooth-sailing. when the previous emperor was alive, he had always had the previous emperor protecting him. even if the previous emperor died, in the first half a year after ascending the throne, the ministers were still not very optimistic about whether this emperor could sit steadily on the dragon throne today. at that time, everyone thought that the eldest prince couldn¡¯t return safely from the state of yue, and they felt that with his weak and sickly dragon body today, he probably wouldn¡¯t be able to last more than a few years. unexpectedly, ever since the eldest prince returned to the country, the court had undergone a complete change. after this incident, kang wang should know how much he was now. without the protection of the previous emperor, the empress dowager, and the aristocratic family, he was unable to compete with the eldest prince at all. yuan zhe cupped his hands politely at pei wenrui. ¡°it¡¯s been hard on you these days, lord pei.¡± during this period of time, the ministry of rites had been as busy as a spinning top in order to choose a successor. as the minister of the ministry of rites, pei wenrui was naturally quite tired, but he had no choice but to do his best. only in this way could he pressure kang wang to make a choice. in the hall, the fragrance of tea curled up and mixed with the faint incense. the atmosphere looked calm and peaceful, but there were actually undercurrents. xiao shoufu blew on the tea soup and took a few sips of tea. he looked like he was tasting tea, but he was actually observing the reactions of the people in the hall. every move he made carried a little high up in the air unique to the descendants of aristocratic families. xiao shoufu smiled smugly and tried to smooth things over with appropriate words. ¡°speaking of which, kang wang is just young and frivolous. the bloodline of an aristocratic family flows in his body, so he understands the severity.¡± kang wang was already crowned. many people present had long been fathers at his age. how could he be considered young? however, since xiao shoufu had said so, the others wouldn¡¯t continue to pester kang wang about marrying li yunrong. after a pause, xiao shoufu said again, ¡°kang wang indeed did a beautiful job this time and was sufficiently sincere.¡± on the day kang wang came to visit, he told xiao shoufu about the agreement he had secretly made with baili yin, including the marriage alliance between the two countries. the two of them chatted for a full four hours. xiao shoufu explained their family¡¯s expectations for kang wang, while kang wang vented his concerns and his determination to bet everything.. Chapter 662 - Chapter 662: Alliance (2) chapter 662: alliance (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios before kang wang bade farewell, he personally promised him that if he could ascend to the throne one day, he would marry the legitimate daughter of an aristocratic family as the empress of the central palace, just like how the previous emperor married empress dowager yuan back then. he would let the aristocratic families regain their glory! as he thought about it, xiao shoufu slowly put down the teacup and looked at yuan zhe in front of him. he thought about the candidate for the next empress: the next empress couldn¡¯t have the surname yuan anymore. he stared at yuan zhe with a deep gaze for a long time, making yuan zhe feel a little uncomfortable. however, he saw xiao shoufu suddenly raise his hand and make a gesture. his eyes settled and became especially sharp. in the next moment, the servant and the old woman serving tea in the hall retreated silently. they didn¡¯t even dare to breathe loudly, and they cautiously guarded the eaves outside the hall. everyone¡¯s gaze was focused on xiao shoufu. xiao shoufu cleared his throat and said in a sincere tone, ¡°his majesty appointed the heir this time with the status of eldest princess feng yang, but if the heir is certain, it will be difficult to abolish the crown prince in the future.¡± everyone felt sorrow in their hearts, and their hearts sank. they couldn¡¯t help but remember that the previous emperor had fallen into a coma before he died and kept calling kang wang¡¯s name during his illness. it could be seen that the previous emperor had regrets for the rest of his life. it was difficult to establish a crown prince, and even harder to abolish him. it had been like this in all dynasties. wang kangyin sighed faintly and said regretfully, ¡°unfortunately, be it talent, martial arts, personality, or ability to deal with people, kang wang clearly far exceeded his majesty. just because his majesty took the title of eldest brother, the previous emperor never got his wish.¡± ¡°the eldest prince is the only son of his majesty. once he¡¯s conferred the title of crown prince, it¡¯s even harder to cripple him.¡± ¡°sigh, his majesty and the eldest prince have always been afraid of aristocratic families. it¡¯s really difficult to take on such a big responsibility!¡± wang kangyin¡¯s words were also the thoughts of the others present. everyone nodded slightly. disdain appeared on the faces of several people, and unwillingness and anger were hidden in their expressions. during the 20 years of the late emperor¡¯s reign, their influential family put in great effort. it was during this time that the state of jin¡¯s power and influence grew. they had defended this land against the state of yue¡¯s coveting, but as soon as the current emperor ascended to the throne, he seemed eager to discard their past achievements. he repeatedly spoke of the civil service examinations and the appointment of talent regardless of social status, which was clearly intended to suppress their aristocratic families. today, he was bragging about being a benevolent monarch, but he actually wanted to be a monopoly monarch. he was afraid that the aristocratic families would split the power, but he was also afraid that they would restrict him. a cold glint flashed in xiao shoufu¡¯s eyes. he slowly wiped away the foam with the tea cover and suddenly asked, ¡°nephew yuan, what do you think?¡± therefore, everyone¡¯s gaze turned to yuan zhe. everyone present was a powerful minister of the dynasty and came from a famous family. their upbringing was excellent. even if they didn¡¯t say a word, they had a natural noble family aura. under these people¡¯s oppressive gazes, yuan zhe didn¡¯t show any fear. he smiled calmly and said seriously, ¡°lords, 1 think that at this point, we have to make the next decision first. whether we should do our best to help kang wang ascend to the throne and continue the glory of the family¡­¡± ¡°or should we simply lower our heads to his majesty and guard ourselves, hoping that his majesty can tolerate our family?¡± ¡°what do you think?¡± yuan zhe¡¯s calm gaze slowly looked around at everyone, quietly waiting for everyone¡¯s choice. his joystick was as straight as a pine tree, abnormally calm. their aristocratic family¡¯s grudge against emperor taizu couldn¡¯t be finished even if they talked for three days and three nights. the aristocratic family had experienced several dynasties, but they had never suffered the kind of grievance of being suppressed and ignored when emperor taizu was in power. of course, they didn¡¯t want to repeat the same mistake. it was also because of this that they were so against kang wang insisting on marrying li yunrong. they could support kang wang, but kang wang couldn¡¯t trample on the bottom line of the family. this was the consensus of all the families present. an old man with white hair called out his name angrily, ¡°yuan zhe, why are you asking when you already know the answer? if we plan to lower our heads to his majesty, why would we appear here today?!¡± their aristocratic family had the hundred-year-old style of an aristocratic family, so they naturally wouldn¡¯t bow down to the royal power. if there was really no chance, it would be fine. they could lie low and wait, but now that kang wang had the right momentum, the opportunity was right in front of them¡­ wang kangyin simply slapped the coffee table with his palm, causing the teacup and fruit basin on it to tremble. the few loquats in the fruit basin fell to the ground and rolled everywhere. wang kangyin gritted his teeth and said resolutely, ¡°kang wang now has the help of the state of yue.. when it¡¯s time, we still have to fight!¡± Chapter 663 - Chapter 663: Alliance (3) chapter 663: alliance (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°that¡¯s right!¡± another voice echoed excitedly. ¡°it¡¯s now or never.¡± ¡°our family isn¡¯t timid!¡± everyone present felt their blood boil. their eyes burned as they echoed. yuan zhe smiled and looked at xiao shoufu quietly for a while. seeing xiao shoufu nod, he continued, ¡°the envoy of the state of yue, dou zixiang, will invite the eldest prince to the state of yue to welcome his bride.¡± everyone¡¯s pupils were constricted. at this moment, a cool wind suddenly blew into the hall, blowing away the end of the sentence. the sun outside was suddenly half covered by dark clouds. the sky darkened and was dim, adding a little coldness to the hall and outside, revealing an uneasy pressure. the news of kang wang¡¯s marriage alliance with the state of yue¡¯s princess ximing quickly spread throughout the capital. for a moment, it became a topic of conversation after everyone¡¯s meal, but the emperor didn¡¯t respond for a long time. after waiting for two days, everyone really couldn¡¯t take it anymore. therefore, from xiao shoufu, yuan zhe, and wang kangyin to the few royal relatives of the royal family, they entered the palace one after another to persuade him. ¡°your majesty, the state of yue and the state of jin have stopped fighting for nine years. a marriage alliance can definitely turn swords into gifts of jade between the two countries.¡± ¡°your majesty, please consider the big picture and allow kang wang to marry the princess of the state of yue. the two countries will have the best relationship.¡± ¡°your majesty, the country is more important. the marriage between the two countries is beneficial without any harm!¡± ¡°the state of yue is sincere in befriending our state of jin. if we anger the state of yue, it will instead provoke a dispute between the two countries. at that time, it¡¯s too late to regret!¡± the meaning between the lines was that if the emperor didn¡¯t agree to kang wang marrying the princess of the state of yue, the country would fall. after the repeated bombardment of these officials, the emperor finally gave in and reluctantly agreed to this marriage. he summoned the envoy of the state of yue, dou zixiang, who was temporarily staying at the posthouse, and agreed to the marriage between the two countries. dou zixiang was a person who pushed his luck. then, he made a request in front of the officials. ¡°your majesty, the sage of our country is seriously ill now. he only hopes that the marriage of his most beloved princess, princess ximing, can be settled as soon as possible. he can rest assured and smile in the afterlife.¡± ¡°a big matter like proposing a marriage should have been done by his majesty¡¯s brother in his father¡¯s place and gone to the state of yue to propose to princess ximing on behalf of kang wang. however, his majesty is the monarch of a country and can¡¯t leave the country easily. therefore, the sage hopes that the eldest prince will go to the state of yue on his majesty¡¯s behalf to show your country¡¯s sincerity toward this marriage.¡± ¡°princess ximing is the eldest princess of the sage. she has to marry gloriously to appease the people of the state of yue.¡± ¡°your majesty, please allow me!¡± the emperor naturally objected to the eldest prince going to the state of yue and almost left. he was persuaded by xiao shoufu and the other officials. dou zixiang expressed righteously that their state of yue was full of sincerity towards this marriage. they didn¡¯t hesitate to let the noble princess ximing give herself to kang wang as a concubine, just to let the two countries have a good relationship. he also hinted openly and secretly that the sage of the state of yue didn¡¯t have much time left. for this, the sage of the state of yue set a recent auspicious date. it was in 20 days, and he hoped that the eldest prince could immediately set off for the state of yue. the emperor still felt that it was inappropriate, but xiao shoufu and the others advised the emperor again, saying that since the eldest prince was the future heir, he should share the burden of the country as a father. what xiao shoufu and the others said was dignified, but they were actually using the crown prince book to threaten the emperor. their family had cooperated to get the emperor on the throne, so the emperor should repay them. after a verbal battle between the two parties, the emperor could only take another step back and agree unwillingly. after completing the mission, dou zixiang left in satisfaction. the emperor and the ministers had more to discuss. initially, the ministry of rites had decided that the eldest prince would go to the imperial mausoleum to worship the ancestor on behalf of the monarch. if it was changed to the eldest prince going to the state of yue to welcome the bridal party, he wouldn¡¯t be able to go to the imperial mausoleum. therefore, the ministers started arguing again. ¡°the sacrifice of the imperial mausoleum is also a big matter for the country. it has already been announced to the world. it can¡¯t be canceled for no reason.¡± ¡°his highness, the eldest prince, has a noble status, so he can¡¯t just find anyone to replace him. why don¡¯t the prince of the first rank go in his place?¡± ¡°no, the sacrifice of the imperial mausoleum has always been presided over by the son of heaven and the crown prince.¡± after a discussion in the ministry of rites, the emperor finally decided that he would personally go to the imperial mausoleum to offer sacrifices. the various voices completely stopped. the imperial decree was issued that day. the ministry of rites and taichang temple hurriedly went to prepare related matters. after all, the honor guard of the emperor was very different from the honor guard of the prince. fortunately, the royal suit worn by the emperor¡¯s sacrifice didn¡¯t have to be made on the spot. they only had to modify the royal suit worn by the new year¡¯s sacrifice slightly. for two consecutive days, the sky in the capital was a little dark. the sun was always hidden behind thick clouds. even the air in the gu residence was a little oppressive. it was the oppression before a storm. the weather was clearly neither cold nor hot, but the people in the residence felt restless. gu yuan was about to accompany the eldest prince to the state of yue. the state of yue was the sworn enemy of the gu family! Chapter 664 - Chapter 664: Departure (1) chapter 664: departure (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios the others from the gu family were as if they were facing a great enemy for gu yuan¡¯s trip to the state of yue, but gu yuan himself was quite relaxed and smiled calmly. ¡°sister, i¡¯ll set off for the capital with the eldest prince tomorrow morning. don¡¯t worry, i¡¯ll be careful.¡± gu yuan raised his hand and rubbed the soft top of gu yanfei¡¯s head. there was a gentle smile that outsiders usually couldn¡¯t see on his face. the room was in a mess. a few bags were spread out on the luohan bed. the outer robe, inner clothes, shoes, socks, golden silk armor, and so on were almost cleaned up. ¡°i¡¯ll send you off tomorrow morning.¡± gu yanfei leaned lazily against the window, playing with a pair of emei daggers, one long and the other short. the two ends of the emei daggers, which were made of steel, were sharp and looked like a spearhead. there was a ring in the center. she put the ring on the middle finger of both hands and agilely turned the small emei dagger. it glinted in the cold light. this was just given to her by gu yuan today. she was playing with it excitedly, the corners of her mouth curled up slightly. gu yanfei turned the pair of emei daggers two more times. with a slight shake of her hand, the emei daggers hid in her wide sleeves and disappeared like a magic trick. ¡°do you like it?¡± gu yuan asked gu yanfei with a smile. this pair of emei daggers was originally bought by fan beiran by a craftsman for him to play with. yesterday, he came to show off to gu yuan. gu yuan felt that it was small and very suitable for women, so he forcefully bought it with money. gu yanfei nodded and smiled brightly. ¡°i like it!¡± ¡°jiaoniang definitely likes it too. i¡¯ll give it to her to play with next time.¡± she raised her right wrist gently, and the emei dagger appeared in her hand again. the silver light reflected on her face and eyes, making her dark eyes especially bright and watery. the young girl didn¡¯t need makeup or accessories. she just needed to smile, and it would seem like thousands of trees had bloomed. gu yuan¡¯s long and narrow phoenix eyes curved slightly. he knew that his sister would like it! wu tong was packing gu yuan¡¯s luggage, but his expression was complicated. other young masters gave their sisters silk, accessories, zither chess, and so on, but their eldest young master was different! however, the second lady actually liked the gift from the eldest young master. they were really biological siblings! as expected of the gu family bloodline! as for juan bi, who was serving tea and snacks to the siblings, she was already used to it. gu yanfei had so many weapons that she could build a weapon room. there were short swords and firearms given by the eldest prince, whips given by the eldest princess feng yang, bull-horn bow, longsword, and red tassel spear given by the eldest young master¡­ other girls played zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting. her lady played talismans, compasses, tortoise shells, pills, silver needles, weapons, and so on. the eldest young master and the eldest prince spoiled her lady. juan bi smiled happily, feeling a little proud. ¡°by the way.¡± gu yanfei clapped with a smile and said, ¡°jiaoniang just sent a pair of bear paws over in the morning. she said that her third brother hunted two black bears in the mountain this time. i¡¯ve already instructed the kitchen to roast them into honey-steamed bear paws. i¡¯ve never eaten bear paws.¡± ¡°big brother, let¡¯s leave after dinner.¡± ¡°yes,¡± gu yuan replied softly. he liked to hear his sister talk about family matters, and the smile on his face deepened. he had already thought about it in his heart. when he returned, he would also enter the mountain to hunt head bears for his sister. wait for him to come back¡­ a sharp light flashed in gu yuan¡¯s eyes, and he changed the topic. ¡°yanfei, are you really going to the imperial mausoleum?¡± gu yanfei nodded and her long eyelashes fluttered. gu yuan frowned slightly, his thin lips pursed into a straight line, looking worried. when he didn¡¯t smile, his face looked a little cold. he seemed to want to say something but hesitated, and in the end, he didn¡¯t say it. gu yanfei said in a light tone, ¡°the eldest princess, feng yang, will also go. i¡¯ll follow her.¡± outsiders might not know, but gu yanfei knew very well that feng yang¡¯s body was getting worse day by day¡­ wu tong skillfully prepared the luggage she should bring. after checking again, he tied up the bag and said, ¡°young master, i¡¯ve packed everything. do you want to take a look again?¡± gu yuan waved off wu tong with a casual gesture, intending to say a few words to gu yanfei. however, she spoke first, saying, ¡°big brother, there¡¯s one more thing missing from your bundle.¡± meeting his sister¡¯s playful and intelligent eyes, gu yuan raised his eyebrows slightly and asked cooperatively, ¡°what¡¯s missing?¡± gu yanfei dug into her sleeve. this time, she didn¡¯t take out the emei dagger, but a royal blue purse. ¡°this.¡± gu yanfei stuffed the purse into gu yuan¡¯s hand. ¡°there are some common pills, ointments, and so on inside. i¡¯ve written the uses of these medicines on a piece of paper inside..¡± Chapter 665 - Chapter 665: Departure (2) chapter 665: departure (2) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios ¡°i made them myself. they¡¯re very useful!¡± ¡°big brother, you have to keep it close to you.¡± gu yanfei reminded him carefully. her fair face looked a little smug, and her eyes were shining. gu yuan looked down at the purse in his palm. his heart felt like it had been gently tickled by a feather. it was filled with warm emotion, and a smile couldn¡¯t help but overflow from his eyes. he closed his fingers and grabbed the purse in his palm, the joy of being biased appearing between his eyebrows. as expected, his sister was still the closest to him, the big brother. he had her gift, but the eldest prince didn¡¯t! gu yuan rubbed the top of gu yanfei¡¯s head again and said meaningfully, ¡°when i return, 1¡¯11 bring you a big gift. be good and wait for me in the capital.¡± ¡°yes,¡± gu yanfei agreed with a smile. she was as obedient as she could be. the siblings had dinner together. after that, gu yuan left and rushed into the palace before the curfew. originally, gu yuan was already very busy on duty iasn the commandant of the capital. today, he also used the excuse of packing his luggage and returning to the residence to bid farewell to his sister. tonight, he would stay in the maid room in the palace. the capital seemed to be surprisingly quiet and calm that night. the next morning, the eldest prince¡¯s ceremonial guard left the capital with the state of yue¡¯s envoy team. as it concerned the marriage between the two countries, chu yi brought more than ten carriages of betrothal gifts on this trip. he went south to the state of yue to propose to princess ximing. this betrothal gift was naturally quite rich. not only were there gold, silver, gemstones, antique calligraphy, silk, furniture, utensils, and so on, but there were also hundreds of good foals, making it look very powerful. gu yanfei found a restaurant near the south city gate to send chu yi and gu yuan off. apart from her, many commoners also came to the city gate to send them off when they heard that the eldest prince was leaving for the state of yue today. the area around the city gate was extremely lively. after a long time of commotion, the crowd dispersed. during this period of time, the busiest people in the capital were probably the officials of the ministry of rites. just as they sent the eldest prince and the others away, right on the heels of that, the ministry of rites prepared for the sacrifice in the imperial mausoleum. time was really tight, and the ceremonial department was busy. because gu yanfei would also accompany feng yang, the ceremonial department specially sent the ceremonial event to her to see. on april 15, gu yanfei arrived at the princess¡¯s residence in feng yang at dawn. the doorman didn¡¯t need to report and let her in. ¡°second lady gu, her highness hasn¡¯t woken up yet. i¡¯ll bring you to her highness¡¯s room.¡± feng yang¡¯s trusted aide, ruo su, personally came to welcome gu yanfei and led her to the main courtyard. in the past half a month, gu yanfei had been a frequent guest of the princess¡¯s residence. she was already familiar with this place and could come and go as she pleased. there was no place she couldn¡¯t go. everyone in the princess¡¯s residence was very polite to gu yanfei and even respected her. ruo su was a martial arts practitioner, so she had an additional valiant heroic spirit around her compared to the women beside her. when she walked, her footsteps were light and stable. seeing that there was no one in front or behind, ruo su lowered her voice and said to gu yanfei, ¡°second lady gu, her highness didn¡¯t sleep very soundly last night. she only fell asleep after i gave her the calming incense you made for her. i saw that it was still early, so i didn¡¯t dare wake her highness up.¡± ruo su frowned deeply, unable to hide her worry for feng yang. gu yanfei didn¡¯t say a word. he followed ruosu through various doors and arrived at the inner room of the main courtyard. the room was filled with a faint scent of calming incense. after passing by a purple sandalwood five-panel screen, gu yanfei saw feng yang lying quietly on the shelf bed. feng yang, who was covered by a dark red thin blanket, closed her eyes tightly. in the dark bed curtains, her face was a little pale. even when gu yanfei approached, feng yang didn¡¯t move at all and was still sleeping. ¡°your highness, your highness¡­¡± gu yanfei called out softly twice. the sleeping feng yang¡¯s eyelids twitched a few times before she slowly opened her eyes. her turbid eyes were a little confused, but soon, her gaze became sharp again. as she lay down, she looked even thinner than usual. ¡°yanfei,¡± feng yang called out in a low voice. her voice was a little hoarse and weak from just waking up, and she frowned slightly. even without checking feng yang¡¯s pulse, gu yanfei could see with her naked eye that feng yang¡¯s life force was disappearing quickly in a few days¡­ feng yang¡¯s body was getting worse by the day. the sun was setting. a few days ago, when gu yanfei came to the princess¡¯s residence to see her, she could sit, stand, talk, and smile like a normal person. but now, she already¡­ gu yanfei¡¯s half-closed eyes were as deep as a well. ruo su also looked at feng yang from behind, her heart aching. they all knew that feng yang was sick. her illness surged like a dam collapsing.. Chapter 666 - Chapter 666: Departure (3) chapter 666: departure (3) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios feng yang had always been very calm. she said that she had no regrets in life, so why would she be afraid of death? she didn¡¯t want to live or die, didn¡¯t resent the world, and wasn¡¯t afraid of death. ruo su pursed her lips tightly and forcefully restrained the sorrow and helplessness in her heart. seeing that feng yang tried to get up with her elbow, ruo su hurriedly took a step forward and wanted to help her. ¡°don¡¯t get up.¡± gu yanfei quickly pressed feng yang back. ¡°1¡¯11 give you acupuncture first.¡± therefore, feng yang stopped moving. the palace maid quickly prepared the candles for burning the needles. she opened the needle bag and came over to assist gu yanfei. as the candles lit up, the originally dark inner room became much brighter. the silver needles and the earrings on gu yanfei¡¯s earlobe shone in the candle light. gu yanfei skillfully started to apply acupuncture to feng yang. her right hand swept across feng yang¡¯s face, and the first silver needle had already landed between her eyebrows¡­ her movements of taking out the needles, burning the needles, and putting the needles were fast and accurate. she didn¡¯t seem to look much, but the position of the needles was exactly right. a series of movements was as smooth as flowing water without any pause. ruo su had seen it with her own eyes many times, but she would still be amazed every time. it was still seven needles that sealed feng yang¡¯s seven apertures. ruo su counted silently in her heart. when she counted to 21, she saw that feng yang¡¯s pale face gradually regained color, as if time had reversed and the flower that was about to wither had slowly recovered its vitality. after gu yanfei put away the needles, feng yang lifted the blanket and got up from the bed. ruo su and the eldest palace maid hurriedly helped her dress, combed her hair, and put on makeup. they were used to doing this usually and their movements were extremely fast. in just an incense¡¯s time, they had even combed feng yang¡¯s hair into a bun. the hairstyle was dignified and simple. gu yanfei didn¡¯t avoid it either. she sat at the side and watched. she pointed at a jade phoenix hairpin in the box and said, ¡°today, wear this hairpin i gave you.¡± a while ago, gu yanfei was obsessed with carving. not only did she carve a jade hairpin, a small seal, and a jade thumb ring for chu yi, but she also carved some trinkets for gu yuan, feng yang, and the others. she had given feng yang this jade phoenix hairpin. from choosing materials to drawing and carving, she had personally completed them. there were even arrays carved on the hairpin. the eldest palace maid took out the jade hairpin from the box and put it on feng yang. gu yanfei smiled and brought over the mercury mirror for feng yang to see. ¡°it looks good, right?¡± gu yanfei said smugly. feng yang looked at the familiar face in the mirror, raised her hand to adjust the jade hairpin, and touched her cheek. her originally cold cheeks and fingertips had some warmth again. she looked no different from a normal person, completely different from her haggard appearance when she slept just now. ¡°you have good taste and good skills.¡± feng yang looked up and smiled at gu yanfei. gu yanfei was pleased and smiled happily. she also felt that her taste was first-rate. ¡°my taste is indeed good!¡± be it looking at things or people. thinking of a certain someone who wasn¡¯t in the capital at this moment, her smile became more bright and charming. even her cheeks were dyed with light, making her look even more beautiful in the candlelight. at this moment, ruo su, who had just gone out, returned. she smiled and reported, ¡°your highness, breakfast has been prepared. would you like it served?¡± feng yang actually didn¡¯t have a good appetite. she turned around and asked gu yanfei, ¡°you¡¯re here so early. have you eaten breakfast?¡± gu yanfei chuckled. ¡°your highness knows me very well. 1 especially came to freeload on chef zhang¡¯s breakfast.¡± the chefs in charge of the princess¡¯s residence kitchen were royal chefs bestowed by the emperor on feng yang. one was good at cooking, and the other was good at snacks. the snacks made by chef zhang yu were extremely delicious. gu yanfei had eaten them once, so she often came to the princess¡¯s residence to eat snacks. at this moment, ruo su also knew feng yang¡¯s answer and hurriedly got someone to prepare dinner. it wasn¡¯t even dawn yet, but the sun was already rising outside. the morning air was especially fresh, and the chirping sparrows came with the wind from time to time. after breakfast, the two of them immediately went out. gu yanfei rode feng yang¡¯s vermillion wheelbarrow again, and the two of them took the car to the entrance of chengtian gate. because the emperor was going to the imperial mausoleum to worship his ancestors today, the carriages of the officials accompanying him were also waiting in the square in front of the palace. seeing that feng yang¡¯s vermillion carriage had arrived, the royal guards at the entrance of the palace went forward to maintain order. the officials¡¯ carriages dodged to the sides. outside the carriage, an inner servant dragged out his voice and shouted, ¡°her highness has arrived!¡± ruo su helped feng yang down the carriage. under the light of the rising sun, the old woman¡¯s figure was as tall as a pine tree. although she was old, her eyes were wise and sharp, making people look at her and involuntarily ignore the wrinkles on her face. they only paid attention to her especially bright and intimidating eyes and her powerful aura. when her gaze gently swept across the surroundings, she had the dignity of a king, as if she was looking down at the ministers from the clouds, dignified as ever. ¡°greetings, princess feng yang.¡± the ministers couldn¡¯t help but lower their heads in admiration and bow with cupped hands. they had different thoughts. ever since feng yang wrote to the emperor in the court last month to ask him to appoint the eldest prince as the crown prince, many people had associated the appointing of the crown prince with feng yang¡¯s previous serious illness in the palace. they suspected that feng yang didn¡¯t have long to live and wanted to help the emperor appoint a crown prince while she was alive. but now, looking at feng yang¡¯s energetic appearance, everyone was convinced.. Chapter 667 - Chapter 667: Ambition (1) chapter 667: ambition (1) translator: atlas studios editor: atlas studios before long, the emperor¡¯s dragon carriage also appeared at chengtian gate. thunderous shouts sounded near the palace door again. when the auspicious time came, the emperor¡¯s carriage set off from the chengtian gate on time. the bright yellow flag representing the son of heaven swayed with the wind at the front and fluttered. the royal guards in bronze helmets and iron armor had long cleared the path ahead of time. they stood guard every ten steps, blocking the commoners who had come to watch the commotion on both sides of the street. ¡°look, his majesty¡¯s dragon carriage is here!¡± with a shout, the commoners boiled like boiling water. from afar, they could see a huge convoy escorting the dragon carriage at the front forward with illustrious voices. wherever they passed, the commoners in the path cheered for long live, and there was a commotion. accompanied by 2,000 imperial guards, they protected the surroundings of the convoy like an iron bucket. at a glance, what entered their eyes were dense heads and carriages. it was noisy. gu yanfei was still sitting in feng yang¡¯s vermillion carriage. feng yang was the emperor¡¯s aunt, so her status was naturally honorable. her vermillion carriage followed closely behind the dragon carriage, and even the carriage of the prince of the first rank had to be ranked behind her. the emperor¡¯s carriage set off from the west gate of the capital and headed west under the escort of the royal guards to the imperial mausoleum. the imperial mausoleum was located on a plain at the foot of tianxi mountain. it was surrounded by three mountains, and a river snaked past in front of the mausoleum. it could be said to be beside mountains and rivers. this was a treasure land with fengshui. back then, it was personally chosen by spiritual master celestial rectifier spiritual master as the imperial mausoleum. when the holy emperor arrived at the foot of tianxi mountain, the sun was already setting in the west. according to the ritual given by the ministry of rites, this sacrifice needed three days. on the first afternoon, the soil-laying ceremony before the grand ceremony was held. this soil-laying ceremony was like the custom of the common people to nurture soil and repair graves. it was a form of respect for their ancestors. everyone didn¡¯t even have time to rest before rushing to the imperial mausoleum. the tomb guardian minister was already on standby. today, most of the officials accompanying him had to wait outside the mausoleum door and the long¡¯en gate. only a small number of princes and important ministers were allowed to follow the emperor into the mausoleum door. they lined up on the left and right in front, on either side of the square. under the joint auspices of the ministry of rites and the ceremony directorate, the emperor put on yellow cloth protective shoes and personally walked to the high treasure roof. the guardian minister of the mausoleum knelt down and buried himself in the ground. the emperor personally raised and applied the soil, adding pure land bit by bit to the treasure roof. the entire ceremony was rather complicated. it was so quiet that there was no sound at all in a radius of one to two miles. only the rows of pine trees planted in the imperial mausoleum swayed in the mountain wind, and rustling sounds rose and fell. the atmosphere was solemn. the kneeling princes and ministers below either looked at the emperor, who was adding soil to the treasure roof, or at feng yang, who was standing at the front, with some judgment in their eyes. after rushing for most of the day, feng yang, who was bathed in the setting sun, was in high spirits. his determined gaze looked in the direction of the treasure roof, as if he was looking at the emperor, or as if it penetrated the long years¡­ she was like a sword hidden in a sheath. she had clearly restrained her sharpness, but it was impossible to ignore her existence. she looked no different from when she was at the chengtian gate in the morning. she didn¡¯t look sick at all, forming a sharp contrast to the few old officials beside her who were kneeling with sweat all over their faces. xiao shoufu, who was at the front of the officials, stared deeply at every change in feng yang¡¯s expression, his eyes dark and indescribable. he maintained his kneeling posture without moving, but the expression in his eyes was unpredictable. the few ministers behind secretly exchanged looks. some were happy, some were regretful, and some sighed. it looked like the eldest princess feng yang had really recovered from her illness. it wasn¡¯t the legendary end of her lifespan¡­ time slowly passed in the silence, and the sun gradually set in the west. after the emperor applied a total of 13 loads of soil, the ceremony ended. then, the eunuch from the ceremony directorate announced the completion of the ceremony. the ministers sent the emperor away respectfully in unison. following behind the emperor was feng yang and a group of royal relatives. the officials kneeling on the ground got up one after another and turned around to bow in the direction the emperor left. next, it should be the officials who left according to their level, but xiao shoufu, who was standing at the front of the officials, didn¡¯t move. the others naturally didn¡¯t dare move either, so their gazes gathered on xiao shoufu. the left assistant minister of the ministry of rites, who was presiding over the ceremony, coughed dryly and called out neither softly nor heavily. ¡°shoufu!¡± however, xiao shoufu suddenly didn¡¯t hear him and muttered to himself, ¡°there¡¯s not much time left.¡± his voice was very soft, so soft that only he could hear it.. Chapter 668 - Chapter 668: Ambition (2) Chapter 668: Ambition (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Xiao Shoufu¡¯s eyes became even deeper. Old things from the past instantly flashed through his mind. One moment, he recalled the old incident that happened in the imperial mausoleum 21 years ago, and the next moment, he recalled the words Kang Wang had told him. His mood was chaotic, and there was more or less a trace of pity in his heart. If only Feng Yang had done it this time¡­ How good would that be! Xiao Shoufu sighed faintly in his heart. He clenched the fist hidden in his sleeve and tried his best to calm down, persuading himself to be patient¡­ His thousands of thoughts turned into a determination to break through the cauldron and sink the boat. He slowly raised his head without any change in expression. His gaze chased after Gu Yanfei and Feng Yang¡¯s departing figures and finally landed on Feng Yang¡¯s thin but tall back. As sharp as Feng Yang was, she could naturally feel the burning gaze behind her, but she didn¡¯t turn around or stop. Just like that, she passed through the mausoleum door and the Long¡¯en Gate with Gu Yanfei at a moderate speed. After arriving at the palace from the imperial mausoleum, the tired Emperor walked in the direction of the Taiji Palace in the center. The others also walked to their palaces under the guidance of the palace maids. ¡°Your Highness, Second Lady Gu, this way.¡± Ruo Su walked at the front calmly and led the way for Feng Yang and Gu Yanfei. At dusk in April, the evening wind was slightly cold. Gu Yanfei and Feng Yang walked forward confidently. Their sleeves and skirts were puffed up by the wind, and their skirts fluttered like butterflies. Even the hair at their temples was messed up by the mountain wind. The old and young moved freely, and the two of them looked surprisingly coordinated when they stood together. Feng Yang had come to this palace many times. She didn¡¯t like to come here. Every time she came here, she would think of that night 21 years ago, when blood dyed the palace. But in order to worship Emperor Taizu, she had no choice but to come every year. As Feng Yang walked forward, she told Gu Yanfei about this past that would never fade in the depths of her memories from 21 years ago. ¡°At that time, Father had just died and left me a will to assist in the government. The previous Emperor was indignant and wanted to kill me¡­¡± At that time, because of the death of Emperor Taizu, she was immersed in grief and couldn¡¯t extricate herself. The previous Emperor thought that he had an opportunity to secretly mobilize his troops, but he didn¡¯t expect that his actions couldn¡¯t be hidden from Feng Yang¡¯s ears at all. At that time, Feng Yang still had some feelings for the previous Emperor. She was also betting that the previous Emperor had ulterior motives but wouldn¡¯t have the guts to do it. However, the previous Emperor still attacked her. He led his troops to surround the palace, but he was so afraid that he didn¡¯t dare face her personally¡­ Feng Yang¡¯s eyes were cold, and there were faint wind and lightning surging, as if she had returned to that night. Gu Yanfei was an obedient listener. She quietly listened to Feng Yang. She couldn¡¯t help but be curious. She leaned over and whispered to Feng Yang, ¡°Your Highness, I heard that Emperor Taizu planned to pass the throne to you when he was in power?¡± Feng Yang could tell that Gu Yanfei was purely curious. She smiled at the little girl, and her white eyebrows raised, but she didn¡¯t comment. Seeing that Feng Yang didn¡¯t look unhappy, Gu Yanfei blinked and asked with a smile, ¡°You didn¡¯t want it?¡± Feng Yang smiled brightly, her eyes gentle, as if this was an extremely interesting question. She raised her chin and looked up at the evening sky with a fierce gaze. She said bluntly, ¡°Of course, I wanted it.¡± ¡°Who wouldn¡¯t want this supreme position?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m just a mortal, not God. I¡¯m greedy and ambitious.¡± Feng Yang¡¯s words were too straightforward, making Ruo Su, who was leading the way in front, extremely shocked. She suppressed the urge to turn around and continued walking forward. ¡°You¡¯re right!¡± Gu Yanfei agreed deeply and nodded. If it were her, she would also find it quite interesting to be an empress. Feng Yang didn¡¯t feel that she had said anything shocking at all. Her expression was very calm, and her eyes seemed to be burning with two burning flames. Ever since she was born and was sensible, Emperor Taizu personally taught her. He taught her to read and write, and taught her martial arts to strengthen her body. He told her that there was nothing about women that was inferior to men. As long as she was capable enough, she could go to the battlefield or stand in the royal court. She didn¡¯t disappoint Emperor Taizu¡¯s expectations. Emperor Taizu often said that she was the daughter he was most proud of. She often heard from the generals and officials beside Emperor Taizu that it was a pity that she wasn¡¯t a man, or else¡­ But Emperor Taizu had never said such a thing. In the 29th year of the Heavenly Calendar, when Emperor Taizu first suggested in the royal court to abolished the Crown Prince and appoint her as the Crown Princess, Feng Yang was tempted. He also thought that she would be an even more outstanding Emperor than the previous Emperor, but the officials objected.. Moreover, at that time, the Great Jin Dynasty was filled with danger, both internal and external¡­ Chapter 669 - Chapter 669: Ambition (3) Chapter 669: Ambition (3) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios After a long time, Feng Yang pursed her lips slightly. The wrinkles between her lips became deeper, as if she had let out a heavy sigh from the depths of her chest. ¡°Compared to the throne, I want the Great Jin Dynasty to prosper and the people to be happy.¡± As he spoke, Feng Yang revealed a sad and nostalgic expression. She thought about the various things that happened when Emperor Taizu was alive and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°This is the empire that Father built with his own hands.¡± Her life was magnificent. When she was young, she had witnessed the corruption and chaos of the previous dynasty; When she was young, she fought with Emperor Taizu, saw chaotic times, and experienced merciless battles on the battlefield. When she was in her prime, she watched as Emperor Taizu made the originally riddled country prosper step by step¡­ She had seen and experienced a lot. She understood best how difficult it was for Emperor Taizu to conquer this world. The world only saw Emperor Taizu¡¯s wisdom and divine might and only remembered the stories of Emperor Taizu¡¯s romantic legends in his life. They didn¡¯t know that Emperor Taizu had made contributions with his flesh and blood. They didn¡¯t know how many life-and-death crises he had experienced on the battlefield. His body was filled with old injuries. In his later years, these old injuries tortured him deeply¡­ But Emperor Taizu had no regrets. Feng Yang¡¯s body was enveloped by a sorrowful aura. Her chest heaved violently, and tears blurred her vision. After walking for a while, she said again, ¡°I once heard from Father that he hopes that the citizens of this country can be fed well and that no one will sell their children anymore. He hopes that the Imperial Physician Department in the government can open in all the states and counties. He hopes that the average lifespan of the citizens can exceed 60 years. He wants to build a cement road between most towns. He wants our country¡¯s sea ship to cross the vast sea to another continent¡­¡± Emperor Taizu still had many dreams that had yet to be fulfilled. In the last few years of his life, he often sighed and said that if only he could have a few more years, he could do more¡­ Feng Yang suddenly stopped and turned to look at Gu Yanfei. Their eyes met. Feng Yang said seriously, ¡°Yanfei, I want the Great Jin Dynasty to become even more prosperous.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want this mere throne. There are endless internal worries and external problems. Repeating the mistakes of the previous dynasty is stepping back, not advancing.¡± For the sake of the future. For the prosperity her father mentioned, she could give everything she had. Feng Yang had always been very determined in her faith. Only nine years ago did she waver. At that time, Gu Ce died in battle, and the State of Yue attacked Yangzhou. Chu Yi had no choice but to be sent to the State of Yue as a hostage. The consecutive changes made the situation dangerous¡­ Fortunately, everything didn¡¯t develop to an irreversible stage. Fortunately, the Great Jin Dynasty could still return to the track she and Emperor Taizu hoped for together. She believed that with the hard work of the two generations of Chu Yi and his son, the Great Jin Dynasty could definitely reach a higher level than when it was Emperor Taizu. Feng Yang¡¯s eyes were extremely determined. They were as firm as a rock and unshakable. Gu Yanfei stared at Feng Yang deeply, convinced by the firm faith released by her at this moment. She was stunned for a moment and widened her eyes slightly. Feng Yang really looked like her sect¡¯s omnipotent senior sister at this moment. Senior Sister¡¯s personality was the same. Her heart was as open as a vast star. She was open-minded and didn¡¯t care about personal gains and losses. Gu Yanfei smiled happily. Her eyes were curved, and her pupils were bright. She held Feng Yang¡¯s arm warmly and quietly pressed on her pulse. Then she continued walking and smiled. ¡°Your Highness, you¡¯re really beautiful!¡± She was as beautiful as her senior sister! Feng Yang looked at the little girl at a loss. She kept feeling that this girl was suddenly a little jumpy. ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯ll accompany you to dinner tonight.¡± Gu Yanfei smiled and walked southeast of the palace with Feng Yang. The two of them passed through doors and walked through long, winding corridors, passing by flower forests¡­ They didn¡¯t know how long they had walked. Before the sunset was completely recorded, they arrived at Feng Yang¡¯s palace. The moment they entered the main hall, Feng Yang staggered and fell forward. Gu Yanfei was already holding Feng Yang¡¯s left arm, and her other hand hurriedly supported her right shoulder. Ruo Su, who was following behind the two of them, also reacted very quickly and held Feng Yang¡¯s right arm. ¡°Your Highness,¡± Ruo Su whispered nervously. Gu Yanfei and Ruo Su hurriedly helped Feng Yang sit on a chair beside them and let her rest against a big pillow. They all knew that the reason Feng Yang could last until now was because Gu Yanfei had been giving her acupuncture all the way in the carriage. Only then did she barely gather a wave of essence energy. Now, this energy had finally dissipated. The palace maid hurriedly served Feng Yang tea. Gu Yanfei pressed a few acupuncture points on Feng Yang¡¯s hand and head. An oppressive atmosphere spread in the palace room.. Chapter 670 - Chapter 670: Cake (1) Chapter 670: Cake (1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios After 10 minutes, Feng Yang recovered slightly, but her lips were still a little pale and she was exhausted. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Feng Yang leaned back in her chair and smiled gently at Gu Yanfei. She patted the back of her hand. Gu Yanfei continued to press Feng Yang¡¯s acupuncture points for a while before letting go. She smiled and said, ¡°Your Highness, let¡¯s have porridge tonight. It¡¯s easy to digest.¡± The palace maid and Ruo Su nodded repeatedly at the side, planning to get the imperial kitchen to send a few more porridge and side dishes. The eldest palace maid hurriedly went out to pass the food. Just as she left, a middle-aged eunuch of medium height walked in from outside the hall. He bowed and reported, ¡°Your Highness, Princess Consort Kang, Princess Consort Jing, Princess Consort Yi, and Princess Consort Jian have come to greet Your Highness.¡± The middle-aged servant bowed and didn¡¯t dare to look up. He heard a casual female voice in front of him. ¡°Eunuch Liu, the eldest princess has rested. Let them come and greet her later.¡± This voice was clean, clear, young, and energetic. Clearly, it didn¡¯t belong to Feng Yang. Outside the hall, the evening wind was blowing, and the voices of a few women could be vaguely heard. The room was silent for a moment. Seeing that Feng Yang didn¡¯t say anything, Eunuch Liu respectfully accepted the order and left to pass the message. However, not long after he went out, the commotion outside the hall became even louder. Accompanied by a flurry of footsteps, someone was walking over. ¡°Your Highness, please wait. Her Highness has already rested.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. We¡¯ll bid farewell to my aunt and leave.¡± ¡°Eunuch Liu, be careful. Don¡¯t offend the princess consorts.¡± Amidst the noisy argument, Li Yunrong, who had on makeup fit for a princess consort, barged in with four to five women, ignoring the obstruction of Eunuch Liu and another eunuch. Outside the main hall, Li Yunrong walked gracefully, bathed in the lingering glow of the setting sun. The crown on her head, adorned with pearls and gemstones, shimmered brilliantly in the fading light. Her attire, consisting of a deep red robe, a flowing veil, and a silk skirt, was both regal and elegant. Behind her, Princess Consort Jing, Princess Consort Yi, and the other consorts were two steps behind her. They looked nervous and a little regretful. According to them, since Feng Yang had rested, it was appropriate for them to come and greet her later. However, Li Yunrong rushed in without stopping. They came with her, and they didn¡¯t know whether to enter or leave. They were in a dilemma. Li Yunrong quickly walked out of the main hall and swept her gaze across the hall. She happened to see Gu Yanfei lift the curtain and walk out of the east side hall. Li Yunrong pursed her red lips slightly and crossed the high threshold. She was one step ahead of Gu Yanfei and said, ¡°I heard that my royal aunt¡¯s phoenix body isn¡¯t feeling well, so I especially came with a few consorts to see my royal aunt.¡± As she spoke, she touched her sleeve. She was wearing a gold-inlaid jade bracelet on her snow-white and slender wrist, making the skin on her wrist look delicate and flawless. Gu Yanfei stopped five to six steps away from Li Yunrong and looked at her with a smile. Li Yunrong sighed. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Second Lady Gu to be here too.¡± She seemed to have mentioned it casually, but the other consorts behind her were a little stunned. They subconsciously slowed down. The news that the eldest princess, Feng Yang, was seriously ill had long spread in the capital, but no one knew if it was true. The princess¡¯s residence had long closed the door to refuse guests. They had only heard that Feng Yang had been recuperating in the palace for a period of time. During the ancestral worship in the imperial mausoleum this year, Empress Dowager Yuan never appeared because of her ¡°sickness¡±. It could be said that the woman with the highest status in this palace was Feng Yang. Just now, when Princess Consort Kang suggested that they come over to greet Feng Yang together, they agreed. This was etiquette. No matter why Princess Consort Kang was here, they definitely didn¡¯t come to the hall to gather information. But now¡­ Princess Consort Jing, Princess Consort Yi, and the others looked at Gu Yanfei and Li Yunrong for a moment and looked at each other. They were more or less uneasy, but at this moment, they could only smile dryly. ¡°Sister-in-law, don¡¯t you think so?¡± Li Yunrong looked at Princess Consort Yi behind her and smiled sweetly. Princess Consort Yi smiled and didn¡¯t say anything. She didn¡¯t plan to get involved in the feud between the two of them. She stood there elegantly, holding a handkerchief, her smile not reaching her eyes. The sky was dim at dusk. The palace servants lit up the palace lights with glass lampshades in the main hall, and the lights were brightly lit. Under the candlelight, the accessories of the few consorts, including Li Yunrong, shone with dazzling light. The pearls were dazzling. In comparison, Gu Yanfei, who was a few steps away, was extremely plain.. Chapter 671 - Chapter 671: Cake (2) Chapter 671: Cake (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Meeting Li Yunrong¡¯s smiling face, Gu Yanfei said calmly, ¡°Her Highness is tired and is resting inside. Princess Consort Kang, please go back.¡± The smile on Li Yunrong¡¯s face deepened a little, and a pair of shallow dimples appeared at the corners of her mouth. There was an additional hint of charm in her gaze. Her faint gaze swept across the door curtain behind Gu Yanfei. There was some thought in her eyes as she said with a smile, ¡°Didn¡¯t the royal aunt¡¯s palace maid go to pass the food just now? Second Lady Gu, has the royal aunt really ¡®already¡¯ rested?¡± She emphasized the word ¡°already¡±. The meaning in her words clearly meant that Gu Yanfei was lying. Gu Yanfei¡¯s smile didn¡¯t change. ¡°The food is for me¡­¡± ¡°Is my royal aunt not eating?¡± Li Yunrong interrupted Gu Yanfei¡¯s words appropriately. ¡°If she isn¡¯t feeling well, it¡¯s better to call the imperial physician. It¡¯s a big taboo to avoid doctors.¡± ¡°Princess Consort Kang, you really know how to joke. Are imperial physicians as powerful as me?¡± Gu Yanfei praised herself calmly, smiling until her eyes curved. The two of them smiled from the beginning to the end, but anyone could tell that there was simply sword light between the two of them. The other princesses were all silent and only watched from the sidelines. Li Yunrong still wanted to say something, but Feng Yang¡¯s old and tired female voice suddenly came from behind the curtain. ¡°Come in, all of you.¡± Therefore, Li Yunrong, Princess Consort Jing, and the others looked towards the door curtain. There was silence in the main hall. When the evening wind blew, the candles swayed in the lamp cover, and light and shadow floated. Li Yunrong¡¯s dark eyes rippled like spring water, and a trace of deep thought appeared on her face. Initially, Gu Yanfei had specially come out to stop them from going in to greet Feng Yang. Li Yunrong was already 70% confident, but now, she was a little hesitant¡­ Could she be wrong? Li Yunrong didn¡¯t show it on her face. She smiled at Princess Consort Jing and the others and said as if nothing had happened, ¡°Then let¡¯s go in.¡± She was here to see Feng Yang, so of course she had to go in. Li Yunrong stretched out her hand to smooth the wrinkles on her sleeves and continued walking forward. She calmly walked around Gu Yanfei and lifted the curtain to enter. At the back, Princess Consort Yi, Princess Consort Jing, and the others looked at each other and saw the same meaning in each other¡¯s eyes. They also followed behind Li Yunrong. Since they had already arrived here, they had to pay their respects before leaving. Gu Yanfei walked at the back unhurriedly, the corners of her lips curled up slightly. After passing by a screen, Li Yunrong smelled a faint sandalwood fragrance. The tip of her nose moved slightly, and there was a faint tea fragrance in the sandalwood fragrance. She was very certain that there was no smell of medicine in the room. There was a beautiful couch against the east wall. Feng Yang lay lazily on the beautiful couch, one hand supporting her elbow, a faint smile on her lips. Her white hair flickered with a faint luster in the candlelight, and her half-closed eyes revealed a little fatigue and laziness. Li Yunrong remained calm and composed. She walked to the bed without stopping and bowed to Feng Yang appropriately. A perfect smile appeared on her face. ¡°Imperial Aunt.¡± Behind her, Princess Consort Yi, Princess Consort Jing, and the others also bowed to Feng Yang. They either called her ¡°Imperial Aunt¡± or ¡°Your Highness¡±. The atmosphere in the room wasn¡¯t warm. Instead, it was a little awkward and stiff. Feng Yang glanced at Li Yunrong and the others indifferently. She didn¡¯t let them sit down and only said calmly, ¡°Since you¡¯ve already paid your respects, if there¡¯s nothing else, you can leave.¡± Feng Yang¡¯s expression and tone were as calm as usual. It was neither cold nor hot, neither happy nor sad. There were no pleasantries or censures. When her gaze swept over, it was high up in the air, as if anyone had to bow down in front of her. It was also as if she wasn¡¯t from the same world as them. She was a god in the sky, and they were only part of thousands of mortals. Princess Consort Yi, Princess Consort Jing, and the others were already used to it. Feng Yang¡¯s status in the Great Jin Dynasty was transcendent and she had always done whatever she wanted. In the past few decades, she had also been like this and didn¡¯t say much to them at all. Princess Consort Yi couldn¡¯t help but turn around and take a look at Gu Yanfei, who was walking slowly behind her. She didn¡¯t know how Second Lady Gu fit Feng Yang¡¯s taste. Princess Consort Jing cleared her throat and said respectfully to Feng Yang, ¡°Your Highness, although it¡¯s warm spring in April now, the night in the mountain is cold. You have to be careful of your phoenix body. Don¡¯t catch a cold.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Princess Consort Shen was considerate as she added, ¡°Tomorrow is the Grand Ceremony. I reckon you have to get up when the rooster crows. It¡¯s better for Imperial Aunt to rest early tonight so that you can recuperate..¡± Chapter 672 - Chapter 672: Cake (3) Chapter 672: Cake (3) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Attas Studios At this moment, Princess Consort Yi also returned to her senses and took her leave with a smile. ¡°Imperial Aunt, then we won¡¯t disturb your rest.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Li Yunrong still wanted to say something, but she felt her sleeve tighten. Princess Consort Yi quietly tugged at Li Yunrong¡¯s sleeve. Her face didn¡¯t change at all. Her smile was gentle and reserved as she bowed again. ¡°We¡¯ll take our leave.¡± She glanced sideways at Li Yunrong without batting an eyelid, warning her not to play any more tricks and to leave quickly. Princess Consort Jing also saw Princess Consort Yi¡¯s small actions, but she pretended not to see it. Prince Yi of the First Rank was the fifth brother of Kang Wang, and Princess Consort Yi was Li Yunrong¡¯s royal sister-in-law. It was most suitable for her to ¡°persuade¡± her sister-in-law. However, Li Yunrong still stood with a smile. She pretended not to have received Princess Consort Yi¡¯s gaze and didn¡¯t understand Feng Yang¡¯s expulsion just now. She smiled sweetly and said, ¡°Imperial Aunt, 1 specially brought some desserts I made myself. They¡¯re very easy to digest. 1 made it for everyone to try.¡± She raised her hand and made a gesture. Xia Lian walked over with a food box. She took out a few plates of desserts from the food box and placed a few pastries on each plate in the shape of a plum blossom. Feng Yang casually glanced at it and widened her eyes slightly. Her dark pupils couldn¡¯t help but light up at this moment. Li Yunrong saw Feng Yang¡¯s expression, and the corners of her lips curled up. Her jade-like finger stretched out of her sleeve and pointed at the few exquisite pastries. ¡°Imperial Aunt, this is a cake.¡± ¡°I specially made a few flavors. One plate is the original flavor, one plate is strawberry flavor, one plate is green tea flavor, and the other plate has raisins.¡± ¡°The cake has a soft texture, so it¡¯s easy to chew and digest.¡± What else Li Yunrong said after that couldn¡¯t reach Feng Yang¡¯s ears anymore. A nostalgic expression appeared in Feng Yang¡¯s turbid eyes as she looked at the few plates of cake in a daze. Tears seemed to well up in her eyes. The cake that had been cut into small pieces was fluffy and soft. The golden color was quite tempting. At first glance, it looked like a corn cake, but it was more delicate and soft. The pastry emitted a faint fragrance of milk that filled the air, lingering in everyone¡¯s noses, tempting them. Princess Consort Yi, Princess Consort Jing, and the others also looked over curiously. They felt that the cakes made by Li Yunrong were very fresh. Li Yunrong picked up a plate of golden original-flavor cake with both hands and personally handed it to Feng Yang. ¡°Imperial Aunt, do you want to give it a try?¡± she said with a smile. Her gaze had been paying attention to Feng Yang¡¯s expression. It slowly moved down from her white hair and swept past her wrinkled forehead, the corners of her eyes, and her turbid eyes¡­ Eh? This was¡­ Li Yunrong¡¯s gaze stopped on Feng Yang¡¯s right ear. Her eyebrows and eyelashes twitched slightly, and her pupils moved. The skin behind Feng Yang¡¯s ears was different from the skin color on her cheek. Although it wasn¡¯t very obvious, there was indeed a dividing line. Li Yunrong looked away imperceptibly. Her gaze moved down and landed on the back of Feng Yang¡¯s hand. The back of her old, bark-like hand was covered in brown spots and wrinkles. Her neatly manicured nails were green and white, without any blood or vitality. It was like a pair of dead hands, the fingertips pale. Li Yunrong¡¯s eyes flashed, and the smile on her face never changed. She secretly heaved a sigh of relief and placed the plate of cake on the coffee table beside the bed as if nothing had happened. She immediately retreated to Princess Consort Yi and the others. ¡°Imperial Aunt, remember to try my cakes.¡± Li Yunrong bent her knee and bowed. ¡°Then I¡¯ll take my leave with my sisters-in-law.¡± Princess Consort Yi, Princess Consort Jing, and the others exchanged looks again and heaved a sigh of relief. If Li Yunrong didn¡¯t leave soon, they planned to leave first. The few princess consorts took their leave again and retreated one after another, their footsteps filled with anticipation. After leaving the east side hall, Princess Consort Yi and the others walked even more briskly. As they walked out, they lowered their voices and spoke at once. ¡°I¡¯ve been sitting in a carriage for most of the day and kneeling for so long. 1 should rest early tonight.¡± ¡°Fortunately, the sacrificial ceremony is only three days. Otherwise, 1 wouldn¡¯t be able to take it.¡± ¡°Yeah, after 30 years old, my body is getting worse and worse.¡± H 11 The few princess consorts chatted non-stop in front as they walked towards the door of the main hall. Only Li Yunrong slowed down and landed at the back. Behind her was a young eunuch. The eunuch smiled and stretched out his hand. ¡°Princess Consort Kang, this way.¡± His expression and movements were no different from directly chasing her away. Li Yunrong turned a deaf ear and walked slowly. A faint smile appeared on her lips, as if she had suddenly thought of something. ¡°Little Eunuch Li, although the cake is easy to digest, it contains fat and sugar. Imperial Aunt shouldn¡¯t eat too much of it. Later, remember to tell Imperial Aunt for me.¡± Eunuch Li only agreed. Li Yunrong looked back again and saw that the door fan behind the curtain was impatiently closed from the inside. The moment the door closed, an anxious voice came from inside. ¡°Your Highness, blood¡­¡± The door closed with a bang, and the voices behind couldn¡¯t be heard. The vibration of the door closing made the curtain tremble continuously. A string of bead chains was broken by the door, and finger-sized crystal beads scattered all over the ground like water droplets. Those beads rolled around on the smooth marble ground, making a mess. Li Yunrong ignored it and quickened her pace to leave the hall. Xia Lian followed closely behind like a shadow. Most of the sun had set outside the hall, and only a smear of color in the west sky was left. It was as red as blood and vaguely emitted an ominous aura. Li Yunrong walked forward without a word. After leaving the hall, she parted ways with the other consorts. After walking to an empty place, Li Yunrong instructed in a low voice, ¡°Xia Lian, send another food box to the Hall of Purity and let Madam Xiao try the snacks 1 made..¡± Chapter 673 - Chapter 673: Collapsed (1) Chapter 673: Collapsed (1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios After an incense¡¯s time, a red and gold food box sent by Li Yunrong was sent to Madam Xiao¡¯s residence at the fastest speed. After the food box was opened, there was only a small plate of golden cake inside. There was nothing else. ¡°Master, what does this mean?¡± Madam Xiao, who was sitting on the bed, was already more than fifty years old. Strands of silver threads were between her hair that was combed into a round bun. She looked at the unfamiliar plate of cake, gently rubbing her fingers over the rosary beads. She furrowed her brows slightly. Xiao Shoufu, who had changed into a green casual suit, sat beside her as if he didn¡¯t hear her words. He lowered his eyes and stared at the plate of cake for a long time, revealing a thoughtful expression. Long before coming to the imperial mausoleum, he had made an agreement with Kang Wang that Princess Consort Kang would test Feng Yang today to see how Feng Yang¡¯s condition was. If Feng Yang was healthy, Princess Consort Kang would send a plate of yam date cakes over. If Feng Yang wasn¡¯t healthy, Princess Consort Kang would send a plate of another cake over. Xiao Shoufu¡¯s right hand formed a fist as he subconsciously knocked gently on the coffee table beside him. The plate of cake in front of him meant that Feng Yang was seriously ill and didn¡¯t have much time left. The sky outside had already completely darkened, and night fell. The night in the forest was especially silent. At this moment, apart from the couple, there was no one else in the room. The servants had long been dismissed. ¡°Master, is there anything wrong?¡± Madam Xiao asked cautiously. She wasn¡¯t young anymore. She had been tired for the whole day today, and it was inevitable that she would look a little tired. Xiao Shoufu slowly shook his head and continued to look at the plate of cake in the food box. It was unknown what he was thinking, but he was in a daze for a long time. The sound of water dripping slowly came from the pot in the corner, gently dripping into the bronze Kirin-patterned water tank, making the room especially quiet. After a while, Xiao Shoufu sighed faintly. His turbid eyes were filled with blood vessels due to fatigue. ¡°Madam, I just feel that things are going a little too smoothly.¡± Everything developed according to their expectations without a trace of deviation. It was really too smooth. Ever since the Eldest Prince returned from the State of Yue, they had never been so smooth. It made Xiao Shoufu involuntarily feel a trace of uneasiness. He kept wanting to carefully consider the details again. ¡°Isn¡¯t it good that it went smoothly?¡± Madam Xiao stared straight at Xiao Shoufu and raised her hand to rub her sore eyebrows. Although Xiao Shoufu¡¯s tone was very calm, they had been married for decades, so she could naturally hear the uneasiness hidden in his master¡¯s tone. This matter was very important, and no mistakes were allowed. The corners of Madam Xiao¡¯s eyes twitched. She took two deep breaths and quickly stabilized her emotions. In just a few words, the atmosphere in the room became solemn. Even their breathing seemed to be a little oppressive. Xiao Shoufu frowned and nodded first. A moment later, he shook his head again and said in a low voice, ¡°To say that it went smoothly, it actually didn¡¯t go smoothly either¡­¡± As he spoke, Xiao Shoufu suddenly stood up from the bed. With his hands behind his back, he slowly walked back and forth in the room a few times, thinking carefully about what had happened in the past month in his mind. As he walked, he muttered to himself, ¡°First, His Majesty repeatedly stopped us from entering the palace to visit the eldest princess, Feng Yang. Then, Feng Yang, who had been ignoring the government for a long time, suddenly went to the court to request the title of Crown Prince for the Eldest Prince¡­¡± ¡°Even when Dou Zixiang suggested a marriage between the two countries, Feng Yang didn¡¯t appear.¡± Apart from the previous request for the title of Crown Prince for Prince Chu Yi and this time¡¯s imperial tomb sacrifice, Feng Yang hadn¡¯t appeared in public for a while. She hadn¡¯t even raised any objections to the marriage alliance between the two countries. She had even allowed the Emperor to send the Eldest Prince in person to the State of Yue. This really didn¡¯t seem like Feng Yang¡¯s usual style. Unless Feng Yang was helpless. Madam Xiao took an elegant sip of tea, her eyes flickering. Only after putting down the teacup did she say, ¡°The temper of the eldest princess, Feng Yang, is like that of Emperor Taizu. She has always been arrogant. Looks like her lifespan is really coming to an end. Master, what do you think?¡± Xiao Shoufu stopped and nodded in agreement. The candle flame was reflected in his eyes. The evening wind blew from the window. The candles were clearly extinguished, making his eyes look sinister and strange. He suddenly turned around and faced the evening wind. When he looked up at the full moon in the night sky outside the window and seemed to have thought of something, his eyes darkened. He snorted coldly. ¡°Back then, the previous Emperor spent a lot of effort to suppress Feng Yang, although he was still one move away¡­ The end of her lifespan shouldn¡¯t be wrong..¡± Chapter 674 - Chapter 674: Collapsed (2) Chapter 674: Collapsed (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Before the late Emperor died, he specially reminded Kang Wang¡­¡± Xiao Shoufu stopped talking and pursed his lips tightly. That was right, there was definitely no mistake about this. Xiao Shoufu retracted his gaze and met Madam Xiao¡¯s eyes. A confident smile appeared on his lips as he continued, ¡°Feng Yang doesn¡¯t have much time left, so she has to establish a Crown Prince before her lifespan ends.¡± ¡°Feng Yang is anxious, and so is the Emperor. They¡¯re even more anxious than us, so we can push the boat step by step¡­ When the conditions are right, everything will fall into place.¡± His tone became more and more certain, and a sharp light shot out of his eyes, showing his ambition. Madam Xiao smiled in relief and leaned against the big pillow behind. The expression on Xiao Shoufu¡¯s face gradually relaxed. He walked back to the bed and sat down, then patted his palm gently on the coffee table twice and sighed with emotion. ¡°I¡¯m still old in the end, that¡¯s why I¡¯m worried about personal gains and losses.¡± When he was in his prime, he was bold and decisive. Only then could his Xiao family return to its current prominent position and have a status side by side with the Yuan family. And last night, he couldn¡¯t sleep. He thought about it repeatedly and didn¡¯t sleep much the whole night. As the person beside her, Madam Xiao naturally knew that it hadn¡¯t been easy for her master. She personally replenished Xiao Shoufu¡¯s tea and even sent the teacup to him. She comforted him gently, ¡°Master, you¡¯re planning before deciding. For the future of the family, this is how it should be.¡± ¡°It¡¯s never wrong to be cautious.¡± To be very disrespectful, the previous Emperor was too rash back then. In order to strike first and take down Feng Yang, he planned the whole thing alone without discussing it with the aristocratic families. In the end, he was restrained by Feng Yang. If the previous Emperor had done it 21 years ago, why would they take the risk again! Xiao Shoufu took two sips of tea and calmed down before covering the red-lacquered wooden food box again. He had already made a decision in his heart. The arrow was on the bow, and it was time to release the bow. Clap! Clap! Xiao Shoufu clapped twice, and Madam Xiao temporarily hid behind the screen. Soon, the door curtain leading to the outer room was lifted from the outside, and a middle-aged man dressed in a plain blue straight robe quickly walked in. His figure was lean, and his face was ordinary. There was a kind of strength in his footsteps. ¡°Master.¡± The middle-aged man cupped his fists respectfully at Xiao Shoufu. Insect cries could be vaguely heard from outside the window. Xiao Shoufu shook his sleeves gently and gritted his teeth secretly. His heart tightened, but on the surface, he pretended to be calm and indifferent. He instructed indifferently, ¡°Ah Fu, return to the capital immediately.¡± As he spoke, he took out a Kirin-shaped bronze token from his sleeve and handed it to the middle-aged man named All Fu with a meaningful gaze. This small token was as heavy as a mountain rock. Ah Fu raised his hands high and took the bronze token relatively cautiously. He looked up and looked at Xiao Shoufu in front of him. His eyes were as sharp as swords as he replied simply, ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Ah Fu put away the token and bowed again before turning to leave decisively. The curtain was raised and lowered. Madam Xiao walked out from behind the screen, and only the couple was left in the room. Looking at the shaking door curtain, a trace of coldness flashed in Xiao Shoufu¡¯s eyes, but there was more determination. Madam Xiao slowly picked up the stream bead bracelet in her hand and looked at the moon in the night sky outside the window. She felt a faint fishy smell lingering in her nose. ¡°Master, I think it¡¯s going to rain tonight?¡± Madam Xiao frowned. Her expression was extremely tired as she pursed her lips and almost sighed. Everything depended on tomorrow! ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Xiao Shoufu picked up his beard elegantly. The tense lines around his body clearly relaxed a little, and a smile slowly appeared on his lips. ¡°The Imperial Astronomy has long been over. The weather has been good these three days!¡± His tone was a little enthusiastic and impatient. Outside the window, a bird flapped its wings and flew past. Its wings inadvertently brushed against the treetops, and the branches swayed gently in the night wind. The night gradually deepened. That night, the huge palace was very calm, but not very calm. The mountain wind was strong, and the sound kept blowing for the entire night. Many people didn¡¯t sleep the whole night. The entire palace was brightly lit, and the lights didn¡¯t go out until dawn. The sun rose slowly among the mountains, and a new day began. Just as the Imperial Astronomer had calculated, today was a sunny day! Chapter 675 - Chapter 675: Collapsed (3) Chapter 675: Collapsed (3) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The sky had just revealed a hint of dawn, and the courtiers once again arrived at the Imperial Mausoleum in the gentle morning breeze. They stood both inside and outside the Long¡¯en Gate, arranged according to their ranks, under the guidance of officials from the Ministry of Rites and the Court of State Ceremonial. When the auspicious time arrived, solemn ceremonial music sounded, and a bright yellow canopy swayed over from afar. A group of important ministers from the royal family surrounded the Emperor as he walked over calmly on the red carpet on the ground. Everyone held their breaths. Under the guidance of the ceremonial officer, the Emperor quickly arrived outside the Long¡¯en Hall. Then, the eunuch of the Ceremony Directorate helped him wash his hands. He entered the main hall and walked straight to the incense table. Not only did the incense table in the Long¡¯en Hall consecrate the tablets of Emperor Taizu, the previous Emperor, and the few empresses, but it also consecrated the tablets of the Chu clan¡¯s ancestors of the previous four generations. After Emperor Taizu ascended the throne, under the suggestion of the civil officials, he conferred the four generations of ancestors as emperors. The incense official knelt down to incense. After the Emperor took the incense, he knelt on the futon and respectfully bowed to the ancestral tablets on the incense table. If it were an ordinary person, after the rite reached this point, they would only be short of burning paper money. However, the royal ceremony was much more complicated and grand. Next, there were three offerings, and the ceremonial official knelt to read the ritual text. For every offering, the Emperor had to kneel three times and bow nine times to the ancestral tablet. If the Emperor knelt down, the nobles and civil and military officials outside naturally couldn¡¯t just stand there. Similarly, under the instructions of the officials of the Ministry of Rites, they knelt and kowtowed time and time again. Everyone¡¯s movements were meticulous, not daring to slack off at all. The people outside the Long¡¯en Hall didn¡¯t have a futon to kneel on. They could only kneel on the cold and rough ground. After kowtowing again, Li Yunrong felt that her knees were hurting from the ground. The crown on her head was heavy, pressing down on her neck until she almost couldn¡¯t straighten it. Li Yunrong quickly straightened her upper body and looked at Feng Yang, who was kneeling behind the Emperor in Long¡¯en Hall again. Feng Yang¡¯s status was transcendent. Even her princess makeup was different from ordinary princesses. Only she could wear the pattern of the five-clawed golden dragon like the Prince of the First Rank. The five-clawed golden dragon embroidered with golden threads shone in the sun and candles. This was a supreme honor. However¡­ An ancient saying appeared in Li Yunrong¡¯s mind: The tallest tree in the forest will be destroyed by the wind. People like Feng Yang shouldn¡¯t belong to this era. A strong shadow flashed in Li Yunrong¡¯s eyes. Her eyes were deep as she lowered her head to see the changes in the shadow below and calculated the time. Soon,soon. She muttered to herself in her heart. Her heart raced, and it was like a drum. The loud voice of the ceremonial officer came from ahead. ¡°Present the torches.¡± As these two words fell, solemn ceremonial music sounded again, resounding through the entire imperial mausoleum. Following that, the ceremonial officer carried the sacrificial text, while the chief silk officer carried the ceremonial silk, and they proceeded to walk out through the central gate of the Long¡¯en Hall to offer them to the braziers for burning. ¡°End of ceremony!¡± When these three words sounded, the people kneeling outside the hall heaved a sigh of relief. The grand ceremony was half completed at this point. Next, they still had to pass through the door of the mausoleum to the Ming Building to mourn. They still had to continue kneeling, but at least their knees could rest for a while. As many officials got up, they couldn¡¯t help but wipe the cold sweat on their foreheads with their sleeves. At this moment, a judge¡¯s cry came from the Long¡¯en Hall in front. ¡°Your Highness!¡± Be it those kneeling or those who had already stood up, the officials outside the hall looked over when they heard the voice. In the main hall, Feng Yang fell forward with a muffled bang¡­ All of this happened too quickly. The ceremonial officer beside her only shouted. He didn¡¯t have time to support Feng Yang at all. She had already fallen to the ground without moving. The exquisite Nine-Phoenix Crown on her head also fell to the ground as she collapsed. Li Yunrong widened her eyes and looked at this scene without blinking. Her pupils constricted into a cold point, and her hands were clenched into fists in her sleeves. The relatives of the royal family beside Feng Yang were all in chaos. They all went to check on Feng Yang, who had fallen to the ground and couldn¡¯t get up. Voices rose and fell. ¡°Imperial Sister fainted!¡± ¡°Imperial Aunt, Imperial Aunt¡­¡± ¡°Is Grandaunt exhausted? Hurry up and call the imperial physician!¡± ¡öI H The Emperor got up with the help of the eldest eunuch. He looked at the unconscious Feng Yang in shock and shouted with a pale face, ¡°Quick¡­ Hurry up and help my Imperial Aunt up! Where¡¯s the imperial physician?¡± The originally solemn atmosphere outside the hall disappeared. The civil and military officials whispered to each other, and the surroundings were in chaos. Li Yunrong, who was outside the hall, slowly stood up. She even brushed her dress and smiled. The morning sun cast a faint halo on her face, making her smile especially dazzling, and her eyes were as bright as the sun.. Chapter 676 - Chapter 676: Forced Abdication (1) Chapter 676: Forced Abdication (1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The civil and military officials outside the hall looked at each other. It happened so suddenly that many people had yet to react. Some looked in the direction of Long¡¯en Hall, some whispered to each other, and some looked at Xiao Shoufu at the front. A little green-robed inner servant ran out of the hall in a hurry. He was ordered to call the imperial physician and passed by Li Yunrong in a hurry. ¡°Imperial Aunt!¡± Li Yunrong rushed into the Long¡¯en Hall in three steps. Her crown was shaking, and she looked anxious and worried. She said anxiously, ¡°I know first aid.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take a look at Imperial Aunt!¡± Without waiting for the others to react, she rushed in front of the unconscious Feng Yang at the fastest speed. She squatted down and quickly reached out to check the breathing under Feng Yang¡¯s nose with one hand, while her other hand pressed the other party¡¯s wrist. From Li Yunrong¡¯s angle, she could see that Feng Yang, who was lying on the ground, had his eyes closed. His face that was covered in powder looked normal, but the skin on his wrist and the back of his hand was pale, and there was even a faint green color. The surroundings were noisy. The discussions and disputes of the royal family entered Li Yunrong¡¯s ears in a mess. ¡°Does Princess Consort Kang know medicine?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t Princess Consort Kang offer the divine medicine, green mold powder, not long ago? She should more or less know some medical skills.¡± ¡°I think we should wait for the imperial physician to come!¡± H H Li Yunrong didn¡¯t care about the surrounding voices at all. Her burning gaze only landed on Feng Yang. She held her breath nervously and carefully felt the area under her finger¡­ There was no longer any breath under Feng Yang¡¯s nose. The skin on her wrist was even colder than frost. Li Yunrong couldn¡¯t feel any pulse on her fingers. There was no life force! Li Yunrong¡¯s finger stopped on Feng Yang¡¯s wrist for a few seconds. She wanted to confirm Feng Yang¡¯s heartbeat again, but a few Embroidered Uniform Guards had already surrounded her. He Lie, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guards, said in a calm voice, ¡°Princess Consort Kang, please move aside. Otherwise, don¡¯t blame us for offending you.¡± As he spoke, the two Embroidered Uniform Guards approached Li Yunrong with large strides. Their tall bodies cast a shadow on her slender figure. One of them grabbed Li Yunrong¡¯s slender right arm bluntly. Li Yunrong got up without struggling. She lowered her head and retreated. Her face revealed deep worry, but she felt relieved in her heart. The corners of her mouth curled up at an angle that others couldn¡¯t see. Feng Yang¡¯s lifespan would stop at around half past nine this morning. This was what Kang Wang had told her. Kang Wang also said that 20 years ago, the late Wmperor invited an expert to take action and cast the Soul Devouring Technique on Feng Yang. Those who were affected by the Soul Devouring Technique would have their true essence damaged and would no longer have any heirs. Moreover, when their lives ended, it would be the day their souls broke. After death, their souls would dissipate and they would be unable to enter reincarnation. The day Feng Yang¡¯s soul would break had also been calculated by that expert. In fact, at that time, the previous Emperor had even gotten that expert to predict the day of his death. Unfortunately, he was politely rejected by the expert with the excuse that ¡°the fate of an emperor can¡¯t be told¡±. From the looks of it, that expert probably knew that the previous Emperor couldn¡¯t live past Feng Yang. The more he said, the more mistakes he would make. If he angered the previous Emperor, he might become the second person to die in the hands of the Emperor. Li Yunrong¡¯s eyes flashed. She bowed to the Emperor appropriately and admitted her mistake. ¡°I was worried about Imperial Aunt¡¯s phoenix body and was in a state of worry for a moment. Please forgive me, Your Majesty.¡± With that said, she glanced at Feng Yang, who had fallen to the ground, and obediently left Long¡¯en Hall under the escort of the Embroidered Uniform Guards. Kang Wang¡¯s voice sounded in his ears again. ¡°The Shangyang Army left behind by Emperor Taizu for Imperial Aunt Feng Yang is the elite of the elites. It¡¯s a sharp blade of the Great Jin Dynasty, and is invincible.¡± ¡°Only my Imperial Aunt can mobilize the Shangyang Army. The Shangyang Army has always been loyal to her. They followed her through life and death and made outstanding battle merits for the Great Jin Dynasty.¡± It could be said that only with the Shangyang Army could Feng Yang have her current status. With Feng Yang, the Shangyang Army could be tempered into a killing weapon. Both parties achieved something. Since Feng Yang knew that she didn¡¯t have long to live, she should entrust the Shangyang Army to the Emperor in advance. However, time was tight. Even if the Emperor obtained the commander¡¯s seal, it would take a certain amount of time to completely take over the Shangyang Army. This was the opportunity they were waiting for! As he was thinking, Li Yunrong stepped out of the high threshold of the main hall. Five to six Embroidered Uniform Guards stood guard at the main door with embroidered spring sabers, not letting anyone enter the hall casually. As Li Yunrong walked to the place where she was originally standing, she nodded at Xiao Shoufu imperceptibly. The corners of her mouth curled up again, and a pair of dimples appeared. Feng Yang was dead! Xiao Shoufu curled his lower lip and stood with his sleeves folded. He looked calm and composed, looking like a crane among chickens in the surrounding noisy crowd.. Chapter 677 - Chapter 677: Forced Abdication (2) Chapter 677: Forced Abdication (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The civil and military officials behind looked at Long¡¯en Hall in a daze. They saw that the ¡°unconscious¡± Feng Yang was helped up by an inner servant on the ground and sat on a futon. Several royal princes went to test Feng Yang¡¯s breathing and pulse. They shook their heads repeatedly, unable to hide their sorrow. Wordless sorrow flowed in the hall. Princess Consort Yi, who was standing in front of Li Yunrong, couldn¡¯t help but turn around and ask in a low voice, ¡°Seventh Sister-in-law, you saw Imperial Aunt just now. Imperial Aunt, she¡­¡± The other princesses in front and behind pricked up their ears, their thoughts chaotic. If anything happened to the Eldest Princess Feng Yang, it would be like breaking an arm of the Emperor. It would definitely have an unimaginable impact on the court. The court would probably not be peaceful again! Li Yunrong smiled bitterly and sighed. She shook her head. ¡°I didn¡¯t have time¡­¡± She frowned, her face filled with worry. The princess concorts in front and behind looked at each other. There were also people who were familiar with each other quietly exchanging glances. Most of them frowned deeply, as if something was stuck in their throats. ¡°The imperial physician isn¡¯t here yet?!¡± the Emperor asked anxiously, his expression extremely ugly. He barely stood with the help of the eldest eunuch, Zhao Rang. His thin figure looked a little hunched. ¡°I¡¯ll order someone to rush the imperial physician now.¡± Zhao Rang gave the order, and another eunuch hurriedly ran out of Long¡¯en Gate. Everyone outside the hall couldn¡¯t help but have a bad feeling. The sun was clearly shining brightly, but the surroundings were filled with the oppression and nervousness of a storm about to happen. The Emperor¡¯s pale lips trembled, and the corners of his eyes turned red. He gritted his teeth in grief and said, ¡°Today¡¯s grand ceremony ends here¡­¡± His voice was hoarse and he choked. ¡°Your Majesty, you mustn¡¯t.¡± The Minister of Rites, Pei Wenrui, immediately stood out of the line and walked to the main door of the Long¡¯en Hall. He bowed solemnly to the Emperor inside and said, ¡°The great ceremony is only halfway through. If we end it rashly, it will be unfilial to our ancestors. It will only cause the heavens to be angry and the people to resent us. This will damage the fate of the country.¡± ¡°Lord Pei is right.¡± The Left Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Rites also stood out and followed closely to Pei Wenrui¡¯s side. He also bowed and tried to persuade the Emperor. ¡°Your Majesty, the etiquette can¡¯t be abandoned!¡± ¡°Our Great Jin Dynasty rules the world with filial piety. This precedent can¡¯t be set!¡± Every word was powerful. The Emperor¡¯s cold gaze swept across Pei Wenrui, who was standing outside the hall. He shouted sternly, ¡°How dare you!¡± The Emperor had always been gentle and elegant. At this moment, his face darkened. The twelve five-colored jade beads hanging from his crown swayed continuously, and his entire body emitted a terrifying emperor¡¯s might. In the face of the imposing Emperor, Pei Wenrui and the Left Assistant Minister didn¡¯t change their expressions. Not only did they not kneel, but they also straightened their backs. Pei Wenrui looked at the Emperor with his head raised and raised his voice slightly. He said righteously, ¡°We are wholeheartedly doing this for Your Majesty and for the Great Jin Dynasty Please consider the big picture first, Your Majesty!¡± He blocked the door of the main hall and raised his head and chest, showing no intention of backing down. No matter how righteous his words and expression were, the other civil and military officials beside him weren¡¯t fools. Everyone could tell that something was wrong with Pei Wenrui. Even the slowest person had an ominous feeling. The rustling crowd became restless like a pot of boiling hot water. There was an additional uneasy aura in the oppressive air. The Emperor took a step closer to Pei Wenrui outside the hall. His eyes narrowed, and his tone increased by three degrees. He said angrily, ¡°Pei Wenrui, what are you doing? Hurry up and retreat!¡± The cold gazes of the Embroidered Uniform Guards beside him landed on Pei Wenrui. Pei Wenrui maintained his bowed posture and didn¡¯t care about the Embroidered Uniform Guards, who were eyeing him covetously. He looked at the Emperor calmly, and his eyes and expression were so stable, as if he was wearing a mask. He said seriously, ¡°Your Majesty, good words are offensive! I¡¯m a minister and a loyal subject of the Great Jin Dynasty. I can¡¯t watch helplessly as Your Majesty does something wrong without offering advice¡­ This would be an act of disloyalty.¡± His words were dignified, but at first, no one could find anything wrong with them. Instead, they wanted to praise him for being honest. The expressions of the few people beside him darkened, and the bad feeling in their hearts became even stronger. The mountain wind in the imperial mausoleum suddenly howled, stronger and stronger than before, causing the pine trees to sway crazily. It also extinguished the two rows of candles on the left and right of the main hall, and the hall darkened. The atmosphere inside and outside the hall immediately became tense. The other officials fell silent, most of their gazes landing on the emperor and Pei Wenrui, but there were also people secretly glancing at Xiao Shoufu and the other cabinet elders.. Chapter 678 - Chapter 678: Forced Abdication (3) Chapter 678: Forced Abdication (3) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios In this strange atmosphere, Xiao Shoufu, who had been standing quietly for a long time, moved. He gently stroked his wrinkleless sleeve and slowly walked forward. Under countless gazes behind him, he walked to Pei Wenrui¡¯s side. He also bowed and sighed faintly. ¡°Your Majesty, Lord Pei is bold and loyal. Every word is for Your Majesty and for our Great Jin Dynasty! However, Your Majesty isn¡¯t willing to listen to the loyal ministers¡¯ advice. I¡¯m really disappointed!¡± When Xiao Shoufu spat out the word ¡°disappointed¡±, the eyes of the other civil and military officials behind instantly widened, and their expressions changed. Most people¡¯s hearts sank even more. Even cold sweat began to seep out of their foreheads and backs. The wind blew and dried their cold sweat. Everyone¡¯s bodies were cold. Compared to everyone¡¯s tenseness, Xiao Shoufu, who was in front, looked relaxed. He shook his head and placed his hands behind his back. His back was straight, as if he didn¡¯t think much of the Emperor¡¯s actions. He said loudly again, ¡°It¡¯s been more than a year since Your A/lajesty ascended the throne last year. We¡¯ve assisted with all our might. We only hope for a stable court and the peace of the people.¡± ¡°However, Your Majesty is muddle-headed, violent, incompetent, and disrespectful to the previous Emperor. In the past year, natural disasters and man-made disasters have been continuous. The Danyang City was in flames, the Liaodong faced a snow disaster, the Huaibei had a massive flood, and the Western Region was in chaos¡­ All of these are ominous signs. It can be seen that Your Majesty is immoral and angered the heavens.¡± ¡°The first reason for this sacrifice is to worship the ancestors, and the second is to worship the heavens. The Son of Heaven should have used this to apologize to the heavens and the ancestors, but Your Majesty, you have no intention of reflecting. The ancestors¡¯ punishment will implicate the Eldest Princess Feng Yang as a warning!¡± Xiao Shoufu¡¯s voice was high and clear, ringing clearly near Long¡¯en Gate. Even the officials standing outside Long¡¯en Gate heard what he said intermittently. The cold sweat on the foreheads of many officials became even denser, and their hearts felt heavy. This was what it meant to not hesitate to frame someone! The so-called disasters Xiao Shoufu mentioned were all the truth. However, there were scattered natural and man-made disasters like floods, droughts, and snow disasters every year. As long as the imperial court sent disaster relief appropriately and settled the affected citizens, and as long as this didn¡¯t cause the local citizens to be displaced and the people to suffer, it was controllable. However, Xiao Shoufu blamed these on the Emperor. His sinister thoughts were obvious. Many officials felt their mouths go dry and subconsciously swallowed their saliva. Their complicated gazes moved from Xiao Shoufu to the Emperor in the hall. The candles in the hall had just been extinguished by the mountain wind, and the light inside was much dimmer. White smoke curled up from the few incense sticks inserted in the incense burner. The Emperor¡¯s facial features and expression were slightly blurry as he stood there quietly. The hall was dark, and the outside was bright. Just through the threshold, it seemed like two worlds separated by Yin and Yang. The officials froze on the spot. Shock was written on their faces. Their bodies tensed up, and their feet froze on the spot as if they had been poured cement. Even those princesses and princess consorts who didn¡¯t understand politics clearly realized something¡­ Xiao Shoufu, Pei Wenrui, and the others were clearly forcing the Emperor to abdicate! This thought flashed across everyone¡¯s hearts like lightning. Many women trembled slightly and swayed, but they tried their best to hold on. At this moment, no one dared to move rashly, afraid that they would attract some unnecessary attention and become an example to others. The Emperor¡¯s gaze locked onto Xiao Shoufu¡¯s gaze tightly. He called him by his name and questioned him. ¡°Xiao Shoufu, are you forcing me to abdicate?¡± The Emperor¡¯s voice was low and sharp, stabbing into the hearts of many people like a sharp arrow, as if an invisible layer of window paper had suddenly been pierced. The surroundings became even quieter. At this moment, time seemed to have frozen. Grand Secretary Xiao Shoufu chuckled and shook his head again. Then, he restrained his smile and said seriously, ¡°Your Majesty is wrong!¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t forced abdication, it¡¯s justice!¡± ¡°Meng Zi said that the one who gains the Dao will receive more help, and the one who loses the Dao will receive less help. When there¡¯s little help, the relatives will turn against them. When there¡¯s more help, all will follow.¡± ¡°In order to protect our empire for thousands of years, please abdicate and give up your position, Your Majesty!¡± After he finished speaking, the Minister of Revenue, Wang Kangyin, also stood out resolutely and echoed loudly, ¡°With virtue rising, the world will go smoothly. The ancestors of the Chu family can rest in peace in heaven.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, please abdicate!¡± More and more officials stood out of the queue outside the hall and shouted in unison, ¡°Your Majesty, please abdicate and give up your position.¡± These voices gradually gathered together and resounded in unison, as if everyone was united. Even the air trembled.. Chapter 679 - Chapter 679: Death Knell (1) Chapter 679: Death Knell (1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The other officials looked around and looked at the officials gathered behind Xiao Shoufu. Cold sweat kept dripping from their foreheads. They were either indignant, angry, shocked, timid, or tense¡­ Xiao Shoufu and his men continued repeating the words, their voices like thunder. At the same time, two rows of imperial guards in bronze helmets and iron armor surged into Long¡¯en Gate like a tide, their footsteps rumbling. The surrounding air was so heavy that it was almost suffocating. ¡°Abdicate and give up my position?¡± The Emperor seemed to have seen through his schemes. He glanced at Xiao Shoufu, Pei Wenrui, and the others standing outside the hall, and the corners of his mouth curled into a cold smile. ¡°Who do 1 give up my position to then?¡± As soon as these words were spoken, a certain name appeared in the hearts of the civil and military officials and the princess consorts outside the hall. Xiao Shoufu raised his hand, and the voices behind instantly stopped. There was dead silence outside the hall. Xiao Shoufu smiled and said clearly, ¡°If one¡¯s virtue doesn¡¯t match his position, there will definitely be disaster. Good talent is used well, and the capable should take it. Your Majesty, I¡¯m willing to imitate the predecessors to depose the dark and ascend to the holy level to correct the chaos.¡± ¡°Kang Wang is the legitimate son of the previous Emperor, the bloodline of the Chu family. He has the style of an ancestor, is wise and divine, and has great talent and strategy. He can be said to be what everyone wants!¡± Xiao Shoufu¡¯s words were impassioned. His eyes were bright and sharp, like an unsheathed blade, as if it could cut flesh. When the words ¡°Kang Wang¡± came out of his mouth, everyone present felt that it was as expected, and their hearts felt even heavier. There were clearly no weapons here, but they all felt that there seemed to be a faint smell of blood lingering in the air, unable to be eliminated. In the past dynasties, forcing the throne was often accompanied by bloodshed. Either one of them would die, and in history, which crippled emperor had a good outcome? Since Xiao Shoufu dared to lead a group of officials to force the throne, he naturally wouldn¡¯t be unprepared. Today¡¯s matter probably couldn¡¯t be resolved peacefully! They could almost predict that blood would flow like a river in this imperial mausoleum today! The Emperor¡¯s expression was still very calm. He stared deeply at Xiao Shoufu and said calmly, ¡°What if 1 don¡¯t agree?¡± Xiao Shoufu snorted softly. The corners of his eyes and eyebrows didn¡¯t move at all, but his eyes were as cold as a cold lake. He said again, ¡°Your Majesty, please abdicate and give up your position!¡± These words were almost enunciated word by word, and there was no warmth in his voice. As soon as he finished speaking, the imperial guards behind pulled out the long sabers in their sheaths in unison. The long sabers flickered with a cold light under the sun, adding a murderous aura to the howling mountain wind. General Wang Nan of Jianwei took a big step forward and walked to the right behind Xiao Shoufu with his head held high. He first cupped his fists at the Emperor in the hall and said, ¡°Your Majesty, please forgive me!¡± Although he said that, he pulled out the saber at his waist in the next moment. The tip of the long saber was pointed at the Emperor. Wang Nan¡¯s rough, red face was filled with righteous indignation. He said in a hoarse voice, ¡°Gu Ge betrayed the country and killed tens of thousands of people. Even if we cut him into a thousand pieces, it won¡¯t be able to absolve his sin!¡± ¡°Your Majesty¡¯s intention to overturn the case for Gu Ge is really going against the rules, disappointing me and the hundreds of thousands of soldiers in Great Jin!¡± Wang Nan¡¯s voice was high-pitched, indignant, and filled with surging anger. His voice seemed to have erupted from the depths of his chest. The biting mountain wind sent out his words clearly. The mountain wind howled continuously. Not only the foot of Tianxi Mountain, but even the wind in the capital today was a little strong. Under the strong wind, the flowers and trees in the garden creaked. The remaining flowers of a tree were blown off their branches by the wind, and the ground was filled with broken flowers. Empress Dowager Yuan, dressed in a black robe with an embroidered silk lining, sat by the window, quietly gazing at the withered flowers outside. Under her half-lowered eyelashes, her gaze held a profound and inscrutable depth. The eldest eunuch lifted the curtain and walked in silently. He bowed and reported, ¡°Your Majesty, the people have already been arranged.¡± The eunuch lowered his head and couldn¡¯t help but swallow his saliva, his eyes dark. Early this morning, Empress Dowager Yuan issued an imperial decree with the excuse that she wasn¡¯t feeling well. She summoned all the madams, princesses, county lords, and other female relatives in the capital to the palace. Without the Emperor and the Eldest Prince around, the person with the highest status in the palace was Empress Dowager Yuan. With Empress Dowager Yuan¡¯s command, the royal guards in the palace temporarily placed those women under house arrest in the Spring Jubilee Hall. As he thought about it, the eldest eunuch¡¯s heart beat faster. He asked with a little anxiety, ¡°Your Highness, do you want to go to the Spring Jubilee Hall to take a look?¡± Empress Dowager Yuan didn¡¯t even look at the eunuch. She lowered her eyes and looked at her fair and delicate fingers. The nails of her ten fingers were neatly trimmed. Her hands were well maintained, exquisite, and beautiful, like Chapter 680 - Chapter 680: Death Knell (2) Chapter 680: Death Knell (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios She shook her head indifferently. ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary.¡± She placed these women under house arrest simply to keep the influential officials in check, making sure they didn¡¯t dare to act recklessly. The women around her were nothing more than powerless ladies, nothing worth paying attention to. Empress Dowager Yuan stroked the cloud patterns embroidered on her sleeves and ordered calmly, ¡°Ring the bell.¡± Her tone was very calm, and her mood was also very calm. She was like a lake without any ripples, clear and calm. The eldest eunuch hurriedly received the order and retreated, passing by the eldest palace maid who was walking over with a teacup. The old tea was changed and new tea was served. Empress Dowager Yuan elegantly picked up the teacup, lifted the lid, and gently stirred the tea leaves floating in the teacup. She drank her tea slowly. The fresh tea fragrance filled the room with rising heat. When Empress Dowager Yuan was almost done drinking the cup of tea, the eldest palace maid rushed over again and reported, ¡°Your Majesty, Eldest Madam Yuan is here.¡± Empress Dowager Yuan put down the teacup and said firmly, ¡°Come in!¡± Almost at the same time that she finished speaking, a loud bell sound came from outside. ¡°Bang!¡± Right on the heels of that, a second bell hit, a third, an a fourth¡­ The bell resounded through the palace like a thunderclap. With this as the center, it spread throughout most of the capital. The commoners in the capital walked out of their houses when they heard the commotion. They all looked in the direction of the palace. ¡°Boom! Boom! Boom!¡± The bell rang continuously, making one¡¯s ears ring. Soon, more and more people gathered on the street, bustling with activity. In the crowd, a withered old scholar looked up at the sky and listened carefully. His mouth moved slightly as he silently counted. When he counted to 28 rings, his expression suddenly changed drastically. He muttered to himself, ¡°A death knell, this is a death knell!¡± The 27th ring signalled the death of the empress dowager and the empress. However, the funeral bell still didn¡¯t stop. It had already exceeded 30 times, but it was still ringing The old scholar wasn¡¯t the only one counting. The others on the street were also counting. ¡°¡­43, 44, 45.¡± At first, the counting sounds were a little messy, but slowly, these voices became uniform. After the bell rang for a full 45 times, it fell silent. The streets and alleys in the capital, even the residences, were silent. All the officials and commoners who heard the bell trembled in their hearts and couldn¡¯t help but reveal sorrowful expressions. The bell rang 45 times, a number associated with the death of an emperor, signifying that the Emperor had passed away! Most people might only experience a big event like the death of the Emperor once in their lives, but the thousands of citizens in the capital had already experienced it once a year ago. They immediately reacted and knew that it was a funeral bell just now. Everyone¡¯s hearts sank. Although this Emperor had only succeeded the throne for a year, he was kind-hearted and loved the people as his son. In just a year, he gave benevolent governance widely, issued an edict to reduce taxes and conscription for the people, vigorously repaired farmland water conservation, reduced penalties, and so on. The people were also grateful. ¡°His Majesty died!¡± In the crowd, someone shouted. The old scholar looked in the direction of the palace sadly and slowly knelt down. The two scholars beside him also kneeled down with him. The surrounding people seemed to have been infected by this emotion. One spread to ten, ten spread to a hundred, a hundred spread to a thousand, a thousand spread to ten thousand¡­ The citizens on the street all kneeled down. The atmosphere was solemn and sad. Suddenly, messy hoofbeats came from the street in the distance. They approached quickly, gradually approaching, and also woke the citizens up from their sorrow. A team of bronze-armored royal guards galloped past, their hooves flying. ¡°All of you commoners, go home. You¡¯re not allowed to stay outside.¡± ¡°Anyone who wanders around as a wanderer will be taken down as a troublemaker.¡± n 11 The commoners kneeling on the ground were shocked when they heard that. They got up one after another and returned to their homes, afraid that they would be captured and sent to prison. The entire capital was in a state of panic. Soon, there were no passers-by on the street. It became empty and lifeless. Soldiers of the imperial guards rode their horses through the streets and alleys of the capital. One by one, they shouted or waved their horse whips, forcefully expelling the citizens on the street and not allowing them to wander outside. Not only that, but there were also teams of soldiers surrounding the residences of the imperial capital, the Five Cities Military Department, the Northern Town Bureau, and the various noble generals.. Chapter 681 - Chapter 681: Death Knell (3) Chapter 681: Death Knell (3) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios These rumbling hooves were like drums that had been beaten, hitting everyone¡¯s hearts. ¡°T-t-t-t¡­¡± One of the teams quickly approached the west gate with the galloping of horses. At the forefront, General Hong, the Dragon and Tiger Grand General, produced a golden token and announced loudly to the soldiers guarding the city gates, ¡°Upon His Majesty¡¯s passing and by decree of Her Majesty, the city gates are to be sealed, and all individuals are strictly prohibited from entering or exiting until His Majesty¡¯s funeral procession!¡± The citizens who were waiting to enter and leave the city outside the city gate also heard these words and were momentarily stunned. Many people stood on the spot, not knowing if they should continue to leave the city or just go home. On the city wall, a round-faced general hurriedly walked down the stone steps. He frowned and looked at General Hong, who had a short beard on his horse. He asked hesitantly, ¡°Seal the city gate?¡± The capital was an important place. The time to open and close the city gates had always been fixed. In the past 50 years of the Great Jin Dynasty, the number of times the city gates of the capital had been closed in advance could be counted on one hand. Every time, it was personally issued by the current Emperor. General Hong pulled the reins, and the horse under him spewed white gas. He held the token engraved with the phoenix pattern in his hand and leaned closer to the round-faced general. He said, ¡°Her Majesty¡¯s phoenix token is here!¡± ¡°His Majesty just died and everything is still reasonable. In order to prevent the people from being unstable, Her Majesty gave the order to seal the city gate!¡± General Hong said righteously. He frowned tightly and felt impatient. ¡°His Majesty died?¡± The round-faced general casually pushed up the helmet on his head and asked with a crooked face, ¡°Who said that?¡± General Hong frowned even more. He originally thought that this errand was very simple, but he didn¡¯t expect this kid to dawdle. He waved his horse and rode two steps closer to the little general. He said condescendingly, ¡°The death knell just rang 45 times. This is the sound of a funeral. Didn¡¯t you hear it?¡± ¡°Funeral?¡± The round-faced little general leaned lazily on the city wall, but he had a heroic aura. He said casually, ¡°I didn¡¯t count the number of bells just now. Perhaps Her Majesty died.¡± As he spoke, he casually threw the two loquats to a bearded city guard beside him and asked with a smile, ¡°Right?¡± The bearded man caught the two loquats with a smile and jeered, ¡°Commander Fan, I didn¡¯t count just now¡­ Third Brother, did you count?¡± The bearded man threw one of the loquats to another city guard with triangular eyes. That person also shook his head seriously and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t count either.¡± ¡°I reckon the death knell just now should have exceeded 20 rings. Perhaps Her Majesty really died!¡± General Hong was extremely angry. He gritted his teeth, and his face turned green and white. It was quite ugly. He had long heard that the Commandant of the Capital guarding the city gate was the same as the army division of the five cities. There were many ignorant and incompetent rich heirs in the families of noble generals. Seeing it today, it was indeed so! General Hong tightened his grip on the reins and said fiercely in anger, ¡°If you disobey the decree, you¡¯ll be killed without mercy!¡± ¡°You guys better think carefully!¡± He raised his hand and made a gesture. The dozens of imperial guards he brought swarmed forward aggressively. They all took out their personal sabers in a show of force, their intimidation obvious, as if they would bleed on the spot if they disagreed. ¡°Who are you going to kill?¡± A cold male voice suddenly sounded from behind. It seemed to be snorting or sneering. General Hong felt that this voice was a little familiar. Who was it? He subconsciously looked up at the city wall and saw another young general looking down at him high up in the air from the city wall. Under the backlight, the little general¡¯s face looked a little blurry under the helmet. He was tall and slender. He casually took off the heavy helmet, revealing his smooth forehead and a handsome and somewhat sharp face. His long and narrow eyes shot out cold light. Under the blue sky, the sunlight behind the young man was dazzling. General Hong subconsciously narrowed his eyes. This person seemed to have just been standing on the city wall, and yet also not there. General Hong¡¯s pupils moved quickly, and his body seemed to have frozen. He couldn¡¯t move and looked at the little general in disbelief. Gu Yuan! Why was Gu Yuan here?! General Hong¡¯s mind was buzzing, as if countless bees were charging around in his mind. He couldn¡¯t think calmly at all. Shouldn¡¯t Gu Yuan have gone to the State of Yue to welcome the marriage with the Eldest Prince?! If Gu Yuan was here¡­ Then, did that mean¡­ General Hong¡¯s heart beat faster, and his heart was about to jump out of his chest. He almost didn¡¯t dare to think about it.. Chapter 682 - Chapter 682: Trap (1) Chapter 682: Trap (1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Ta-da-da¡­¡± A flurry of footsteps came from the front and back. Some came from outside the city, some from the alley at the back, and some came from the city wall and the city tower. In the blink of an eye, General Hong was already surrounded by dozens of tall and mighty Commandant of the Capital guards. On the high city wall, a row of Commandant of the Capital guards pulled up their longbows at him. The cold arrows were all aimed at General Hong and the others below. Their aura was oppressive, and their killing intent was revealed. This was a trap! This thought clearly appeared in General Hong¡¯s heart. He only felt a ball of cold air shoot up from the bottom of his feet. His entire body was cold, as if he had fallen into an icehouse. The tall black horse under him let out an uneasy neigh, and its long ponytail swung continuously. The dozens of soldiers he brought held the long saber in their hands tightly and prepared for battle. The air at the city gate suddenly became tense, ready to explode at any moment. Originally, the ordinary citizens in front and behind the city gate were scared away in panic. Even the shops and restaurants near the city gate closed their doors, afraid that they would be implicated. The sun was clearly bright and warm at noon, but a thin layer of cold sweat seeped out of General Hong¡¯s forehead. General Hong gritted his teeth fiercely and immediately gave the order, ¡°Break out!¡± His expression was as dark as water. He had already guessed that the other people who went to the east, south, and north gates to pass the Empress Dowager¡¯s decree would probably encounter the same predicament. The situation wasn¡¯t good! General Hong¡¯s heart was filled with dark clouds. He decisively pulled out his saber, and a bloodthirsty fierce light flashed in his eyes. He thought to himself, ¡°Today, one of us has to die¡­¡± ¡°Bang!¡± Suddenly, a thunderous gunshot resounded through the city gate, deafening. In the next moment, a bloody hole the size of a dragon¡¯s eye appeared in the center of General Hong¡¯s forehead. ¡°General!¡± The soldiers behind him cried out involuntarily. They watched helplessly as General Hong fell off his horse. His heavy body fell to the ground, causing the dust on the ground to tremble. Blinding blood gurgled out of the blood hole in the center of his forehead, quickly forming a dark red blood stain on the ground. On General Hong¡¯s corpse, his wide eyes were turbid and dim, and he died with grievances. In just the blink of an eye, General Hong was dead. Even if they didn¡¯t test his pulse, everyone clearly realized this. On the city wall, Gu Yuan held a flintlock, and white smoke rose from the black muzzle. When the wind blew, a faint smell of gunpowder filled the air, even more pungent than the smell of blood. Gu Yuan looked down at General Hong¡¯s corpse below and said coldly to the soldiers brought by General Hong, word for word, ¡°Kang Wang has rebelled. All of you, surrender immediately. Those who disobey will be killed without mercy.¡± His long and narrow phoenix eyes were dignified without being angry, and a sword-like sharpness lingered between his eyebrows. The surrounding Commandant of the Capital soldiers, including Fan Beiran, shouted in unison, ¡°Anyone who disobeys will be killed without mercy!¡± Behind the city gate, General Hong¡¯s corpse lay on the ground with widened eyes, making this sentence very intimidating. Killing intent was biting cold. However, the team of soldiers brought by General Hong didn¡¯t surrender. One of them raised his saber and shouted, ¡°Hurry up and break out of the siege.¡± He squeezed the horse¡¯s abdomen and swung his saber fiercely at the Commandant of the Capital closest to him. The saber light flickered¡­ The others also brandished their sabers at each other, revealing determination without any hesitation. Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! A silver rain of arrows quickly fell from the city wall like a meteor. Some arrows ruthlessly pierced through people¡¯s flesh, some arrows were swung away by a saber, and some arrows missed¡­ Shouts, screams, and the sound of weapons colliding sounded. ¡°End the battle quickly.¡± Gu Yuan only threw down these four words succinctly and handed the battlefield at the city gate to Fan Beiran. He took out a clairvoyant and looked in the direction of the east, south, and north city gates. He turned a deaf ear to the various sounds around him and was calm. The smell of blood in the air was getting stronger and stronger, making one want to vomit. A moment later, the sound of weapons colliding behind stopped. A series of rapid footsteps came. ¡°All Yuan, catch!¡± As Fan Beiran shouted, he casually threw a candle-sized signal flare to Gu Yuan. Gu Yuan raised his hand to catch the signal flare without looking. There was still some blood on the signal flare. But Gu Yuan didn¡¯t care at all. He immediately ignited the signal flare. ¡°Xiu!¡± Chapter 683 - Chapter 683: Trap (2) Chapter 683: Trap (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Soon, an orange-red light shot into the sky and suddenly exploded in the sky with a bang, as if another sun had appeared in the blue sky. Almost everyone in the capital could see the signal flare in the sky. However, those ordinary citizens thought that it was some kind of firework, and those officials knew at a glance that it was a signal flare. They associated it with the funeral bell and the teams of royal guards surrounding the various prefectures. An uneasy feeling rose in everyone¡¯s hearts. At this moment, Chu You, who were at the foot of Tianxi Mountain, also saw this signal flare that looked like a rising sun from afar. He subconsciously tightened the reins, and the black horse under him raised its front hooves excitedly. ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s a signal flare!¡± His servant pointed in the direction of the capital in the east and shouted excitedly, his voice trembling from excitement. ¡°The time is right!¡± Chu You took out a pocket watch and looked at the time. His thin lips curled up, and a relieved expression appeared on his face. It was the time they had calculated in advance. This year¡¯s imperial mausoleum sacrifice, Empress Dowager Yuan, who was placed under house arrest in Shou¡¯an Palace, had never come with him. This was actually within Empress Dowager Yuan and Chu You¡¯s expectations, and it was also something they couldn¡¯t ask for more. Chu You specially arranged for Empress Dowager Yuan to preside over the overall situation in the capital. Empress Dowager Yuan would appear to summon the female servants of those honorable officials into the palace and place them under house arrest as hostages. Next, as long as the funeral bell representing the collapse of the Emperor sounded, the capital would definitely be in chaos. Moreover, the Emperor and Chu Yi weren¡¯t in the capital. Empress Dowager Yuan was the most honorable person in the capital. As long as she gave the order, a portion of the army he left in the capital could take advantage of the chaos to attack and take down the capital without any bloodshed. Now, since General Hong had issued a signal flare, it meant that everything was going smoothly in the capital. The capital was already under their control. It was now his turn. As long as he could take down the Emperor, everything would be completed. He could replace the Emperor right away. This throne should have belonged to him in the first place. He was the heir to the throne of the previous Emperor! At the thought of this, Chu You¡¯s heart burned. His long and narrow eagle eyes burned even more, making the black horse under him turn around. He faced the soldiers behind and said loudly, ¡°Tiger Army, listen up!¡± Behind him, the 3,000 armored troops stood in a neat phalanx, waiting for orders. Their bodies were tall and straight, and their swords and spears stood tall. Pairs of bright eyes looked at Chu You. The soldiers knelt on one knee and cupped their fists, shouting in unison, ¡°Yes!¡± This kneeling and shouting were domineering. Their voices rumbled like drums, and their sharpness shot in all directions with killing intent. The golden sunlight landed on Chu You. The tall young man had a dignified aura and a sharp gaze. From the tall horse¡¯s back, he looked at the thousands of soldiers in front of him, looking disdainful like a monarch descending to the world. He had already endured it for a year. In just a year, it felt like half his life had passed! He still clearly remembered that half a year before the late Emperor died, he felt that he was old and weak, so he secretly told him everything. He talked about the ¡°Emperor Taizu¡¯s Notebook¡±, Feng Yang¡¯s lifespan, and the invincible Shangyang Army left behind by Emperor Taizu for Feng Yang. ¡°Ning Zhi, Feng Yang used this Shangyang Army to restrict me for the rest of my life. She even forced me to swear a poisonous oath in front of Emperor Taizu¡¯s spirit that I can¡¯t attack her in this lifetime. I¡¯ve learned from my mistakes. I¡¯ve secretly raised the Tiger Army all these years. It¡¯s an elite army.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve tried to cripple the Crown Prince a few times for you. Your eldest brother is narrow-minded, so he¡¯ll probably bear a grudge. After he takes over, it¡¯s time to settle old scores. You have to be careful of him.¡± ¡°Today, 1¡¯11 hand this elite army to you. You have to remember at all times that the Tiger Army is your trump card. You can¡¯t use it unless you have no other choice.¡± The previous Emperor was right. His eldest brother, Chu Qi, had always been wary of him. Ever since he ascended the throne last year, he hasn¡¯t let him come into contact with military affairs. In just a year, he had reduced him from the Prince of the First Rank to the Prince of the Second Rank. Since Chu Qi was driving him to a dead end, he couldn¡¯t wait for death! Chu You waved his arm and shouted with high fighting spirit, ¡°Let¡¯s set off for the imperial mausoleum!¡± With this Tiger Army, it was as if he had a divine weapon and something to rely on to fight Chu Qi. ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡± The thousands of soldiers of the Tiger Army cupped their fists and accepted the order. Their auras became even higher, and their eyes lit up. Kang Wang was only a step away from the throne. As long as today¡¯s plan went smoothly, they would all have meritorious service.. Their futures would be immeasurable! Chapter 684 - Chapter 684: Trap (3) Chapter 684: Trap (3) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Chu You squeezed his legs around the horse¡¯s stomach and leaned forward. The black horse under him flew out. He took the lead and galloped to the front in high spirits. A cold and arrogant smile appeared on his lips, as if the shackles that had been on him for more than a year were about to be completely broken. Thousands of soldiers followed aggressively, sweeping all the way in the direction of the imperial mausoleum, stepping on the ground until it rumbled, and dust flew into the sky. ¡°Slap!¡± Chu You swung his whip on the horse¡¯s buttocks, and the strong horse galloped even faster. Its four hooves turned, and its long mane fluttered. Chu You rushed forward for two miles and saw the glazed roof and red wall of the imperial mausoleum appear in front of him. The solemn and majestic imperial mausoleum was very eye-catching in the green mountains and rivers. ¡°Huff!¡±¡± Chu You stopped his horse at the dismounting tablet. The soldiers of the Tiger Army following behind also stopped in their tracks. Chu You¡¯s long follower jogged forward and knocked on the new red door at the entrance of the imperial mausoleum. Chu You looked at the vermillion new red door in front of him. His eyes were a little absent-minded, and his eyes were sore. The coffin of the previous Emperor was buried in this imperial mausoleum, and he had seen the previous Emperor buried with his own eyes. At this moment, Chu You heard the previous Emperor¡¯s reminder to him before he died. ¡°Ning Zhi, if your eldest brother is heartless, you don¡¯t have to be afraid of any brotherly feelings. Don¡¯t suffer for nothing! If it weren¡¯t for your Aunt Feng Yang, this throne would have belonged to you in the first place.¡± ¡°However, remember to be ¡®cautious¡¯!¡± Thinking of the previous Emperor¡¯s love for him, the sorrow in Chu You¡¯s heart was swept away, and he felt refreshed. He wanted to complete the late Emperor¡¯s last wish. This was his greatest filial piety to the late Emperor. Seeing him ascend to the throne, the late Emperor¡¯s spirit in heaven would also rest in peace! As he was thinking, Chu You¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Yiya!¡± The middle door of the new red door quickly opened from the inside. Two tall guards walked out and cupped their fists at Chu You. ¡°Greetings, Your Highness!¡± It was silent inside and outside the imperial mausoleum. Facing Chu You on the horse, the two guards lowered their heads respectfully. Chu You smiled and realized that everything was going smoothly. He got off the horse and strode into the new red door. He looked ahead with a bright gaze, full of energy. With Feng Yang dead, and all the civil and military officials determined to force the current Emperor to abdicate, Chu Qi was weak and useless. It was difficult for him to control the overall situation, and he couldn¡¯t mobilize troops in the short term. For him, having Xiao Shoufu and the others cooperate with him from the inside was the best opportunity. In addition, the capital was already under his control. He would definitely win this battle. Without needing Chu You to give any further instructions, the three thousand soldiers of the Tiger Army behind him immediately followed in large strides, walking forward in an orderly manner, forming a black line. The originally silent imperial mausoleum immediately became noisy. The mountain wind was cold, and rows of pine trees on both sides of the road swayed in the wind. Chu You walked faster and faster with his head held high. He had lofty ambitions and was only focused on the Emperor in Long¡¯en Hall. He completely didn¡¯t notice that after the last few soldiers of the Tiger Army entered the new red door, the two vermillion doors behind slowly closed. The sound of the door closing was suppressed by the rumbling footsteps of the soldiers, and no one sensed it. The path ahead was empty. Apart from their footsteps, there was no sound. The quieter it was in front, the more certain Chu You was. He knew that Xiao Shoufu and the others had already controlled the overall situation and that most of the matter had been completed. He had long made an agreement with the Third Prince of the State of Yue, Baili Yin. Baili Yin would deal with Chu Yi for him. Then, as long as he captured Chu Qi in the imperial mausoleum today, the Great Jin Dynasty could change hands. Just as Rong¡¯er had said, no matter how long the night was, day would always come! Chu You walked straight ahead and stopped in front of the red door. He waved his hand and ordered, ¡°Divide into five groups and seal the imperial mausoleum.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± The soldiers of the Tiger Army immediately received the order. These soldiers were well-trained and divided into five teams. They agilely headed in various directions toward the imperial mausoleum. In the end, there were still 500 soldiers who stayed behind Chu You. Chu You continued to walk in the direction of the Long¡¯en Hall, directly passing through the Ruigong Holy Virtue Stele Pavilion and Dragon Wind Gate before finally arriving outside the Long¡¯en Gate. On the other side of the door was Long¡¯en Flail, which worshiped the memorial tablets of the Chu clan¡¯s ancestors. At this moment, there were no imperial guards guarding outside the Long¡¯en Gate, nor were there any Embroidered Uniform Guards. Chu You¡¯s footsteps stopped, and the five hundred soldiers behind him also stopped. When the footsteps stopped, the surroundings instantly fell silent, leaving only the sound of wind brushing the leaves. The surroundings were really too quiet. Chu You secretly felt that it was a little strange. Could it be that the others were all at the Dragon Gate?! Thud! Thud! Chu You¡¯s heart beat faster, suppressed by the joy of victory.. He strode forward and directly pushed open the middle door of the Long¡¯en Gate, stepping in! Chapter 685 - Chapter 685: Counterattack (1) Chapter 685: Counterattack (1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Squeak¡ª¡± The middle door of the Long¡¯en Gate was suddenly pushed open. Chu You saw Long¡¯en Hall in front of him at a glance. There were many officials outside the hall, facing the Emperor in the hall. There were only a few Embroidered Uniform Guards protecting the Emperor. Compared to the officials and a team of guards outside the hall, they seemed to be alone and weak. Even if there was no conflict of words and weapons between the two parties for the time being, the tension in the air that was like lightning and thunder could be seen. The ear-piercing sound of the door opening attracted everyone inside to look at Chu You. Hundreds of gazes focused on Chu You alone. Several people in the crowd shouted ¡°Your Highness¡± with complicated voices. Xiao Shoufu and Li Yunrong also turned their heads and looked over. Xiao Shoufu had his head held high in pride, while Li Yunrong¡¯s smile was bright and happy. When their gazes met, Li Yunrong gently nodded at Chu You. Success! It really succeeded! Chu You curled his lips and smiled, a sharp gaze shooting out of his eagle eyes. Last night, he didn¡¯t sleep all night. On the way here, he was actually a little nervous. He was worried that something uncontrollable would happen to their plan like 21 years ago, and he was worried that Li Yunrong would take the risk herself. If she was accidentally injured¡­ As the saying went, a wise man wouldn¡¯t stand under a dangerous wall. He had advised Li Yunrong to simply report sick and not come to the imperial mausoleum, but Li Yunrong insisted on coming, saying that only with her here would the Emperor not be suspicious. She said that if he wanted to achieve big things, he had to take risks. He knew that everything his Rong¡¯er did was for him! Only at this moment, when he saw that Li Yunrong was safe and sound, did Chu You¡¯s heart really calm down. It was good that she was fine! The two of them exchanged lingering gazes in midair. Chu You¡¯s cold and hard eyebrows became as gentle as water as he stared at Li Yunrong. The smile on Li Yunrong¡¯s lips deepened, revealing a pair of familiar dimples, as if she was saying that she didn¡¯t disappoint him. Chu You also nodded slightly at her. Then, he shifted his gaze to the Emperor in the Long¡¯en Hall. He stared at the Emperor steadily and approached the Dragon Grace Hall with a slow, firm, and oppressive pace. As he walked, a noble and dignified aura naturally erupted. This was the posture of a winner. Wherever he passed, the civil and military officials outside the hall automatically retreated to the sides, making way for him. Silence fell inside and outside the Long¡¯en Hall. Everyone was silent for a long time. Chu You walked straight to a place only ten feet away from the Emperor in the hall before stopping. He announced with a smile, ¡°Big Brother, you lost.¡± He said these six words extremely slowly, neither light nor heavy, but it clearly reached everyone¡¯s ears. It was as if his words were not only for the Emperor to hear, but also to announce a fact to the ministers present. The officials outside the hall couldn¡¯t help but look back and forth at this pair of brothers with different appearances. The Emperor was already past the age of knowing his fate. He was thin, had gray hair at his temples, and had wrinkles on his face. It was difficult to hide his old appearance. As for the Kang Wang, Chu You, he had just become a crown prince. He had an imposing aura, and his tall and straight figure revealed an unshakable proud aura. The former was old and weak, while the latter was energetic and aggressive. At the side, Xiao Shoufu, the first advisor, stared at Chu You¡¯s cold side profile and frowned slightly. In his opinion, Kang Wang was still a little too radical. It involved the overlapping of imperial power. He should do it more dignifiedly so that outsiders couldn¡¯t find any fault on the surface. For example, Emperor Taizong of the previous dynasty was also a brother. He left behind the phrase ¡°the sound of axes and the light of candles¡± in historical records, and many people questioned whether he had killed his brother to seize the throne. If Chu You were to ascend to the throne through illegitimate means, even his loyal subjects who supported him would be considered traitors and villains by the people, subject to condemnation and punishment. Xiao Shoufu, Wang Kangyin, and Pei Wenrui exchanged a look. They were all unhappy, but at this moment, it wasn¡¯t convenient for them to criticize Chu You in public. Behind him, Li Yunrong acutely noticed the expressions of Xiao Fengyuan and the others. Her feather eyelashes trembled, and her nails dug into her palms in her wide sleeves. She thought to herself, These aristocratic families and gentry clans that are enough to challenge the royal power indeed shouldn¡¯t exist. ¡°Brother.¡± Chu You saw that the Emperor¡¯s gaze hadn¡¯t shifted for a moment. He smiled coldly and continued saying, ¡°For the sake of our brotherhood, 1 can bestow upon you the title of ¡®Carefree King,¡¯ allowing you to live a carefree life for the rest of your days.¡± ¡°Brother, quickly write the abdication edict.¡± Chu You urged him mockingly and thought to himself, Chu Qi is more than 50 years old. In the past few years, not only has he not been energetic, but he has also been weak and sickly. He can¡¯t deal with political matters at all. The Great Jin Dynasty will only deteriorate in his hands.. Chapter 686 - Chapter 686: Counterattack (2) Chapter 686: Counterattack (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios After he ascended the throne, Xu Chuqi would be a carefree king. Perhaps Chu Qi could live a few more years and fulfill the title of brotherly respect. The Great Jin Dynasty would thrive in Chu You¡¯s hands! The Emperor raised his eyebrows noncommittally. His gaze faintly passed through Chu You and landed on the 500 soldiers of the Tiger Army he brought behind, revealing a deep and serious expression. The 500 soldiers temporarily stopped outside Long¡¯en Gate and waited for orders. They looked at the Emperor and Chu You with burning gazes, blocking Long¡¯en Gate like an iron bucket. The Emperor slowly put his hands behind his back, his face expressionless. He called Chu You by his name indifferently and said, ¡°Chu You, this is the army left to you by the previous emperor?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Chu You nodded calmly. From the moment he was born, he knew that the late Emperor¡¯s preference for him far exceeded that of his other brothers. The previous Emperor personally enlightened him, personally taught him how to ride and shoot, taught him how to judge people, taught him how to scheme¡­ These were all preferential treatment that his brothers didn¡¯t have. In fact, the previous Emperor had given him far more than what was on the surface. This hidden Tiger Army was the most precious wealth left behind by the previous Emperor. He had hidden it for so many years, and today, he could finally tell the Emperor this secret personally! Chu You¡¯s thin lips curled up as he looked at the Emperor proudly. He deliberately said in a slow tone, ¡°This is the Tiger Army left to me by my father!¡± He didn¡¯t mind letting the Emperor know this. He wanted the Emperor to be jealous, to feel indignant, and to show defeat on his face from failing to get what he wanted. He only wanted to hit the Emperor fiercely and destroy his will. The Emperor in the hall looked at Chu You steadily with a faint expression. He let out a long sigh and asked, ¡°Nine years ago, your real goal in going to Yangzhou was to accept this Tiger Army, right?¡± The Emperor¡¯s expression looked very calm. Even in the current situation of swords facing each other, he was still neither anxious nor impatient. He was neither sad nor angry, as if he had given up struggling, or as if he had seen through the mortal world. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Chu You nodded again. He smiled smugly, not thinking about why the Emperor would ask this at all. He only wanted to vent the suppressed depression and frustration of the past year. No¡­ No, it was the depression that had been suppressed for nine years. Nine years ago, the previous Emperor issued a decree to give Yangzhou to him as a fiefdom and let him personally take over the fiefdom in Yangzhou and choose a place to build his residence. In fact, it was also to let him start to gradually take over the Tiger Army and let the Tiger Army recognize him as its master. At that time, he was only an eleven or twelve-year-old young man. He was young and energetic. He traveled thousands of miles south and wholeheartedly wanted to lead the Tiger Army to contribute. Sometimes, he felt that what happened back then seemed very far away and very vague. Sometimes, he felt that everything was still yesterday. Under the blowing of the mountain wind, emerald green ripples appeared on the pine trees on both sides. The fragrance of the pine needles in the mountain wind blew over. The Emperor raised his hand and brushed away a few pine needles that had landed on his sleeve. He sighed again and suddenly changed the topic. ¡°So, the previous Emperor couldn¡¯t tolerate Gu Ce?¡± With just a short sentence, Chu You¡¯s expression changed. His pupils constricted, and he blurted out, ¡°How dare you! The previous Emperor was your father!¡± The outside of the hall exploded like a drop of cold water falling into boiling oil. The expressions of the civil and military officials also changed drastically, and there was an uproar. The Emperor¡¯s words just now were pointed at the previous Emperor, as if he was saying that Gu Ce¡¯s crime of ¡°submitting to the enemy¡± was the previous Emperor¡¯s crime, making people not dare think further! The Emperor didn¡¯t care about the reactions of the surrounding people at all. His dark eyes darkened, and his gaze nailed onto Chu You¡¯s face like a nail. His usually gentle eyes were so sharp at this moment, as if he wanted to see through Chu You from the outside to the interior. He continued, ¡°After thinking about it, it¡¯s really a little strange for Gu Ce to surrender in the battle of Tailing City in Yangzhou back then.¡± ¡°According to Yu Cunzheng, although the situation in Tailing City was difficult, it wasn¡¯t to the point where we had to open the city gate to defeat the enemy.¡± Chu You¡¯s face was ashen. He said angrily in a low voice, ¡°What¡¯s so strange!! It was clearly Gu Ce himself who was timid and afraid of battle, forgetting the respect of monarchs and ministers, the righteousness of his country¡­¡± Chu You¡¯s voice subconsciously raised a little. His whole body tensed up, and he almost shouted in a hoarse voice. His loss of composure was obvious. ¡°So, Gu Ce¡¯s death was actually because the previous Emperor wanted to cover up something for you?¡± The Emperor interrupted Chu You coldly. He used a questioning tone, but his expression was quite certain.. Chapter 687 - Chapter 687: Counterattack (3) Chapter 687: Counterattack (3) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°¡­¡± The corners of Chu You¡¯s eyes twitched. His heart felt like it had been stabbed by a needle, and he felt a sharp pain. Memories that he had almost forgotten appeared in his mind again. His handsome face seemed to be covered in a layer of frost. His thin lips were pursed tightly, and he didn¡¯t answer the Emperor¡¯s question. Nine years ago, he went to Yangzhou to take over the Tiger Army and quietly trained in Yangzhou. He hoped that the former Emperor and the Empress Dowager could be proud of him. At that time, Yangzhou was Gu Ge¡¯s territory. The young Chu You thought that he had hidden it well, but he didn¡¯t expect that the training couldn¡¯t be hidden from Gu Ce¡¯s eyes. Gu Ce came to him, wanting to borrow troops from him to resist the State of Yue army. But he rejected it decisively. The Tiger Army was his trump card and couldn¡¯t be leaked¡­ Every time he thought of this incident from nine years ago, Chu You felt annoyed, and his gaze darkened. Seeing Chu You like this, Li Yunrong¡¯s heart ached. She bit her lower lip slightly. Everything was clearly Gu Ce¡¯s fault! She wanted to walk to Chu You¡¯s side, but just as she took a step out, she retracted her foot when she glanced at Xiao Shoufu and the others. Chu You still needed the aristocratic families for the time being, and these aristocratic families couldn¡¯t tolerate her. At this critical moment, she couldn¡¯t let those aristocratic families be even more unhappy with him. In ancient times, the king endured hardships. When Chu You successfully ascended the throne and grew stronger, he and her would finally have the ability to fight against the aristocratic families! ¡°This is the end.¡± Chu You¡¯s cold and hard voice seemed to have squeezed out of his crown with difficulty. His voice was like ice. Only he knew that these four words weren¡¯t only for the Emperor to hear, but also for himself to hear. What happened nine years ago had already been publicized at that time. The past was in the past, so it was useless to think too much. Chu You clenched his fists tightly and said to the Emperor with a determined tone, ¡°Brother, hurry, hurry up and write the abdication edict.¡± Chu You¡¯s cold gaze quickly swept across the surrounding officials. His eyes were deep and cold, emitting a faint cold aura. He didn¡¯t hide the threat in his expression at all. Xiao Shoufu closed his eyes expressionlessly. No emotions could be seen. The officials following behind him couldn¡¯t hide their anticipation, their gazes burning. As for the Embroidered Uniform Guards, they still stood motionless in front of the threshold of the Long¡¯en Hall, forming a human wall to protect the Emperor without retreating. Meeting Chu You¡¯s cold and heartless gaze, the Emperor sighed softly again. In the surrounding mountain wind, his sigh was drowned in the blink of an eye. The mountain wind became stronger and stronger, as if it was roaring. The wind blew up the black embroidered golden dragon coronet suit on the emperor¡¯s body, and the sleeves and robes fluttered. The string of jade beads on the crown swayed continuously, reflecting his face and eyes. ¡°Chu You, I didn¡¯t want to come to this either.¡± The Emperor¡¯s slightly hoarse voice sounded slowly with a hint of helplessness, disappointment, and an indescribable complicated emotion. Chu You only thought that the Emperor didn¡¯t want to abdicate, and his expression instantly turned cold. ¡°Chu Qi, do you want to do this the hard way?!¡± Chu You called the Emperor¡¯s name coldly. He pulled out the sword at his waist and pointed it at the hall. The sharp sword light was cold under the sun. Xiao Shoufu suddenly opened his eyes, and this time, his expression finally changed. He exclaimed, ¡°Your Highness!¡± He definitely couldn¡¯t see blood today. Otherwise, it would be difficult to understand in the history books in the future. ¡°Bang!¡± The gunshot that resounded through the sky interrupted Xiao Shoufu¡¯s words. It was like a heavy hammer hitting everyone¡¯s hearts, making everyone¡¯s hearts tremble. With a bang, the longsword fell to the ground. Two to three women screamed, ¡°Ah¡­¡± The hysterical shouts almost overturned the roof. A bloody hole appeared in Chu You¡¯s right palm. His palm was penetrated, and blood quickly flowed out of the bloody hole. Blood dripped to the ground. Chu You¡¯s painful face was reflected on the silver longsword on the ground like a mirror¡­ The 500 Tiger Troops guarding outside the door pulled out their sabers in unison. In Long¡¯en Hall, on the roof, and on both sides of the hall, imperial guards holding flintlocks and wearing royal blue flying fish clothes rushed out like ghosts. These people were extremely skilled. In the blink of an eye, they surrounded the people outside the hall. Those black muzzles were all aimed at Xiao Shoufu, Wang Kangyin, Wang Nan, and the other ministers of Chu You¡¯s party. In the hall, Chu Yi had appeared beside the Emperor at some point in time. He was wearing a royal blue flying fish suit and had a flintlock in his right hand. The young man, who was like a clear moon and a breeze, smiled faintly. He had a clean, elegant, and noble aura that was incompatible with this bloody scene. But the muzzle of the flintlock in his hand emitted a wisp of white smoke. Without a doubt, the shot that just shot through Chu You¡¯s palm was fired by Chu Yi. The wind blew, and the smoke dissipated.. Chapter 688 - Chapter 688: Revival (1) Chapter 688: Revival (1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Chu Yi!¡± Chu You widened his eyes and looked at Chu Yi in the hall, shouting in shock. The wound on his right palm kept bleeding. The heart-wrenching pain made his facial features almost distorted, and his expression was a little ferocious. Not only Chu You, but the others outside the hall were also shocked when they saw Chu Yi beside the Emperor. Various cries of surprise, gasps, and panting sounded around him. ¡°Your Highness, the Eldest Prince!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t the Eldest Prince go to the State of Yue with the State of Yue envoy?¡± ¡°Why is he here?!¡± H H In the commotion, the expressions of Xiao Shoufu, Wang Kangyin, Pei Wenrui, and the other officials surrounding Chu You were extremely ugly. The others were relieved. Because of Chu Yi¡¯s sudden appearance, the originally one-sided situation instantly changed drastically, and the atmosphere also produced a subtle change. Li Yunrong only felt that everyone¡¯s voices were like the buzzing of mosquitoes in her ears. Chu Yi, it was really Chu Yi! Li Yunrong looked straight at Chu Yi, and her pupils constricted. She couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. Her breathing became rapid, and her mood was extremely chaotic. According to the private agreement between Chu You and Baili Yin, Baili Yin would let the envoy of the State of Yue, Dou Zixiang, restrain Chu Yi and definitely not let him return to the capital. As the saying went, those who weren¡¯t of the same race would definitely have different thoughts. They had never really trusted Baili Yin and had long imagined the worst possibility. However, even if Baili Yin broke the contract and didn¡¯t assassinate Chu Yi, the people of the State of Yue shouldn¡¯t let Chu Yi return to the capital at this time. Chu You had the same thought, so his eyes were bloodshot upon seeing Chu Yi. According to the pigeon letter sent by the courier station in Yuzhou, Chu Yi, Dou Zixiang, and the others had already gone south to Yuzhou the day before yesterday. How could Chu Yi rush back to the capital from Yuzhou in a day or two?! It shouldn¡¯t be like this! Chu You almost said this, but he still gritted his teeth tightly, and his eyes darkened again. Just in case, he even secretly sent people to monitor the movements of the three major camps of the imperial guard, the top 12 guards, and the few guards around the capital. After confirming that no one had mobilized their troops, he resolutely activated today¡¯s forced resignation. But Chu Yi, who should have been thousands of miles away, actually appeared here with this strange army with a flintlock beside him! Where did this strange army come from?! It was impossible for the previous Emperor to leave these strange armies for Chu Qi. Chu Qi had only ascended the throne for a year, and his every move was under the noses of the ministers in the court. The trusted aides he could use were only the Embroidered Uniform Guards and the Divine Arms Battalion. It was definitely impossible for Chu Qi to raise such a trusted secret guard in a year, unless¡­ The muscles on Chu You¡¯s cheek twitched twice. He couldn¡¯t help but look at Feng Yang, who was ¡°unconscious¡± on the futon. His eyelids twitched, and a possibility appeared in his heart. ¡°She, could it be her¡­¡± Chu You muttered almost silently. He happened to see Gu Yanfei walking briskly to Feng Yang¡¯s side. Gu Yanfei squatted down and patted the back of Feng Yang¡¯s hand gently. ¡°Slap!¡± The pat was very soft, but at this moment, it was abnormally ear-piercing in Chu You¡¯s ears. ¡°Drip, drip!¡± The blood flowing out of the wound on Chu You¡¯s right palm was still dripping down, drop by drop¡­ Soon, Feng Yang, who was originally motionless like a corpse, moved. The fingers on her right hand moved slightly. ¡°Your Highness!¡± The eldest palace maid beside him looked at Feng Yang and exclaimed softly, her voice trembling. The others around also saw this scene and widened their eyes. Could it be that Feng Yang wasn¡¯t dead?! The hall fell into a strange silence. ¡°She¡¯s not dead¡­¡± Chu You¡¯s eyes widened to the extreme, and veins popped up on his forehead. Yes. The soldiers Chu Yi brought must be the Shangyang Army, Feng Yang¡¯s personal army. It was Feng Yang again. Feng Yang was actually not dead! 21 years ago, the previous Emperor lost to Feng Yang. Today, 21 years later, Chu Qi and Feng Yang joined forces to plot against him! This thought clearly appeared in Chu You¡¯s heart. At this moment, he felt his entire body turn cold. The coldness simply seeped into his bones. Gu Yanfei didn¡¯t even look at Chu You. Her attention was all focused on Feng Yang. The eldest palace maid asked with a trembling voice, ¡°Second Lady Gu, how¡¯s Her Highness?¡± The palace maid¡¯s face was as pale as paper, and her face even turned slightly green. She had tested Feng Yang¡¯s breathing and pulse previously. There was no pulse, and Feng Yang¡¯s skin was even colder. She was clearly a dead person.. Chapter 689 - Chapter 689: Revival (2) Chapter 689: Revival (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios But now, Feng Yang¡¯s body was hot again, and she was breathing weakly. Gu Yanfei suddenly ignored it and took out a small red brocade bag from Feng Yang¡¯s slightly hot chest. The protective talisman in this brocade bag was personally given to Feng Yang by Gu Yanfei on the day of the banquet. She had also reminded Feng Yang to keep this protective talisman with him at all times. Gu Yanfei shook the brocade bag gently, and a trace of ashes floated out of the brocade bag. With a breeze, the ashes were blown away by the wind. Feng Yang¡¯s lifespan had indeed only lasted until today, but the protective talisman Gu Yanfei gave her could protect Feng Yang¡¯s soul and extend her life for a day. chu You knew that Feng Yang would die, and Gu Yanfei could also predict it. Feng Yang said that Kang Wang was waiting for her death. It was better to use her death to lure the snake out of its hole. From the suggestion of the Ministry of Rites that today be the day to worship the imperial mausoleum, Gu Yanfei knew that Kang Wang had taken the bait. ¡°Help me help Her Highness to the back,¡± Gu Yanfei said softly. The eldest palace maid hurriedly agreed. The two of them supported the still unconscious Feng Yang to the back hall of the Long¡¯en Hall. Chu You glared at Feng Yang. At this moment, he really wanted to kill Feng Yang with his own hands. After the initial shock passed, Chu You¡¯s expression turned from shock to anger, and more of it was unwillingness and dissatisfaction. He hadn¡¯t lost yet! Chu You¡¯s gaze was as malicious as an owl. Since he had already come to this point, how could he be willing to give up just like that? He raised his right hand, which was covered in blood, touched his index finger and his middle finger together, and made a gesture to move forward. ¡ªAttack! A murderous aura lingered around him, as if he was a wild beast that had been forced into a desperate situation and planned to fight to the death. Behind him, the 500 soldiers of the Tiger Army who were on standby outside the Long¡¯en Hall waved the long sabers and spears in their hands and approached the civil and military officials in the Long¡¯en Hall like a tide, filled with killing intent. They didn¡¯t want to kill, but they wanted to use the civil and military officials present as hostages. As long as he placed the saber on the necks of these officials, Chu You¡¯s side would have a bargaining chip. Even the Emperor had to consider the lives of these close officials. In the face of the surging Tiger Army, the women and civil officials fled to the two sides of the Long¡¯en Hall. The women were so scared that their faces turned pale. Chu Yi, who was in the hall, was relatively calm. He calmly spat out, ¡°Attack.¡± Even at this moment, his expression and voice were still like a spring breeze turning into rain. ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang!¡± The deafening gunshots rose and fell like a storm. The soldiers of the Shangyang Army in black armor and holding flintlocks knocked on the triggers one by one in an orderly manner. After the front row fired the bullets, the soldiers in the back row immediately replaced them and switched freely. This solemn imperial mausoleum instantly turned into a cruel battlefield. Life and death on the battlefield were often in a short instant! With every gunshot, soldiers of the Tiger Army fell with a bang, or bloody holes appeared in the vital points between the eyebrows, neck, or chest. Blood quickly spewed out of the wounds of these dead people, dyeing the ground red. Blood flowed like rivers, and corpses were everywhere. Not only were there gunshots nearby, but there were also gunshots constantly coming from afar. An ominous and oppressive aura spread, and the surroundings were in chaos. Chu You¡¯s expression turned even uglier. Obviously, the other soldiers of the Tiger Army in the imperial mausoleum were also besieged by the Shangyang Army. Chu Yi said calmly, ¡°Emperor Taizu once said that a flintlock 60 feet away is faster than a saber.¡± A calm sentence was very intimidating. These corpses lying on the ground proved his words. Gunshots kept coming, and the air was filled with the thick smell of blood and gunpowder. The expressions of the Tiger Army soldiers present changed drastically. The lethality of this new flintlock far exceeded that of the old flintlock, and the shooting speed was even faster. In front of such a terrifying divine weapon, the sabers, spears, and arrows they had were completely unable to withstand a single blow, as if they were as slow and weak as young children. ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang!¡± The deafening gunshots seemed to be endless. At this moment, Gu Yanfei, who was in the back hall, was completely unaffected by the gunshot. She gently patted Feng Yang¡¯s back and mobilized the spiritual power in her body to forcefully press it onto her palm, transferring some into Feng Yang¡¯s body. The palace maid held her breath and looked at the two of them. Gradually, Feng Yang¡¯s aura recovered a little. Although her breathing was weak, it began to stabilize. Gu Yanfei took out another talisman and gently patted Feng Yang¡¯s chest. She then started to command the royal maid to massage some acupuncture points on Feng Yang¡¯s body. After an unknown period of time, Feng Yang¡¯s closed eyes trembled.. Chapter 690 - Chapter 690: Revival (3) Chapter 690: Revival (3) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Your Highness, Your Highness!¡± Seeing this, the eldest palace maid called out excitedly again. At this moment, the gunshots outside finally began to quieten down. Only sporadic gunshots sounded intermittently. Feng Yang slowly opened her eyes under the excited cry of the palace maid. After blinking, her absent-minded eyes quickly became clear. ¡°Yanfei.¡± Feng Yang curled her lips and smiled. Her lips were still pale, and her breathing was weak. It was quite difficult to say just a few words. ¡°Don¡¯t feel sad for me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already reached the end of my life and can still contribute to the great dynasty established by Emperor Taizu himself. Even if I die, 1 can rest in peace,¡± Feng Yang said casually. Her eyes, which were slightly dim because of her illness, were so determined. It was a kind of wisdom and transparency that saw through the troubles of the mortal world. Gu Yanfei held Feng Yang¡¯s old and rough hand tightly and said softly, ¡°1 understand.¡± What didn¡¯t she understand? Of course, she understood¡­ ¡°Your Highness¡­¡± Two streams of tears flowed down the palace maid¡¯s eyes like rain. She knew that the eldest princess was right, but her heart still ached for Her Highness. The eldest princess had sacrificed so much for the Great Jin Dynasty, but she had to end up with her soul dissipating after death and never entering reincarnation. It was really unfair of Heaven¡¯s Will! As the woman sobbed softly, the Emperor in a royal suit quickly walked in from outside. He also heard Feng Yang¡¯s words just now and looked at the weak Feng Yang with a heavy expression. ¡°Yanfei?¡± The Emperor looked at Gu Yanfei with a sad gaze. Gu Yanfei shook her head gently. Even though he was already mentally prepared, the Emperor¡¯s heart still sank. His heart felt like a mountain was pressing down on it. The Emperor closed his eyes. When he opened them again, his expression was much calmer. The outcome had clearly been decided, but there was no joy on the Emperor¡¯s face. He said in a low voice, ¡°Imperial Aunt, the culprits have all been taken down. Chu Yi returned to the capital to preside over the situation first.¡± Next, regardless of whether they were dead or alive, they had to be convicted by the three divisions. Forcing the palace to rebel was a huge crime that affected the nine clans. There was still a commotion outside the hall from time to time. Chu Yi had left, but some of the soldiers left behind still had to clean up the battlefield, count the casualties, settle the shocked officials and female relatives, and so on. Feng Yang nodded weakly at the Emperor and looked out the window. In the dark blue sky, there were no clouds for ten thousand miles, not a trace of gloom. The golden sun hung high in the sky. The sun was dazzling and a little dazzling, but the smile on Feng Yang¡¯s face deepened. How nice. Feng Yang closed her eyes again. The palace maid lost her composure and called out ¡°Your Highness¡± again. Gu Yanfei put down her hand that was pressing Feng Yang¡¯s pulse and said softly, ¡°It¡¯s alright, Her Highness just fell asleep¡­¡± By the time the Shangyang Army and the guards outside finished cleaning up the battlefield and settling the injured, it was already two hours later. Everyone was still in shock. After experiencing the forced resignation just now, the remaining officials naturally wouldn¡¯t suggest that the Emperor continue tomorrow¡¯s sacrificial ceremony. A convoy ended the sacrificial ceremony a day earlier and hurriedly set off for the capital. Along the way, they didn¡¯t stop. When the Emperor¡¯s carriage returned to the capital, the sun set in the west and colorful clouds filled the sky, like silk. Everything in the capital had already been settled. The deputy commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guards, Tang Wuji, personally went out of the city to the Three Li Pavilion to welcome the emperor back to the capital and roughly reported the situation in the capital. ¡°Your Majesty, the Tiger Army hidden in the capital has all been taken down by the Commandant of the Capital.¡± ¡°The prefectures surrounded by the Tiger Army are safe and sound.¡± ¡°The female officials who are under house arrest in the Spring Jubilee Hall have already been released back to their residences.¡± H ii In just half a day, the situation in the capital was already completely controlled. This was because most of Chu You¡¯s troops had been brought to the imperial mausoleum. He only left less than a thousand troops in the capital for Empress Dowager Yuan to mobilize. Empress Dowager Yuan was just a woman in the palace and didn¡¯t know how to mobilize troops. Apart from her identity as the empress dowager who could suppress people, she was actually the weakest and easiest segment to break through. Because of this, no big trouble occurred in the capital. Under the arrangements of Gu Yuan, Tang Wuji, and the others, they resolved this storm at the smallest cost. ¡°We¡¯re in the capital!¡± The people accompanying him looked at the capital not far ahead and were about to cry from joy. At this moment, there was a sea of people near the west gate, just like yesterday when the Emperor left the capital. Because the death bell in the palace had spread throughout the entire capital previously, everyone in the capital was paying attention to this matter. Later on, when the commoners knew that the Emperor was fine, but that Chu You had plotted a rebellion, they immediately felt relieved and gathered here spontaneously. ¡°Long live Your Majesty!¡± ¡°May my Great Jin Dynasty last for thousands of years and be eternal!¡± The commoners gathered at the city gate to welcome the Emperor¡¯s return. They kneeled down and shouted in unison, again and again. Their shouts were as powerful as waves, higher and higher than the previous wave. Wave after wave spread in the surroundings. Even the other citizens in the distance heard it and shouted. This loud shout seemed to have spread throughout the entire capital, sweeping away the previous gloom.. Chapter 691 - Chapter 691: Proposal (1) Chapter 691: Proposal (1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios In the next few days, the streets and alleys were discussing the matter of Kang Wang forcing him to leave the throne. They treated this matter as a topic after tea. The citizens of the capital were still in an extremely excited mood. The servants of the Gu Mansion were no exception. For a moment, they criticized Kang Wang for being bold, and for a moment, they praised the Emperor for being wise and mighty. For a moment, they were glad that Li Yunrong had long changed her surname back to Li. They praised their Eldest Young Master for being neutral in this incident. Gu Yuan had been following beside Chu Yi these days. Only seven days later did he have the time to return to the residence. The residence was in an uproar, and he couldn¡¯t wait to release firecrackers at the entrance to celebrate. The first thing Gu Yunzhen said when she saw Gu Yuan was, ¡°Big Brother, you¡­ have grown taller!¡± Gu Yunzhen sized up Gu Yuan. She had clearly not seen Gu Yuan for more than ten days, but the young man in front of her made her feel a strange sense of unfamiliarity. He was unfamiliar and familiar. Today, Gu Yuan was wearing a lake-blue willow leaf with dark patterns. There was a black silk sash around his waist. He was tall and thin, and his cold face was less sharp than a young man¡¯s, but more tenacious. Compared to last year, Gu Yuan had indeed grown taller, but in fact, what Gu Yunzhen really wanted to say just now was that Gu Yuan looked more like Gu Ce, be it his appearance or aura. How good! The corners of Gu Yunzhen¡¯s eyes turned slightly sour. She felt a little absent-minded, as if she had seen her dead uncle again. ¡°Big Brother has indeed grown taller!¡± Gu Yanfei nodded seriously, her eyes shining. Compared to Gu Yuan, who was unable to move freely in his previous life, the current Gu Yuan was too good! Gu Yanfei turned around with a smile and asked Gu Yunzhen, ¡°Sister, should we measure the size of Big Brother¡¯s summer shirt again?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Gu Yunzhen nodded and hurriedly instructed the maidservant to find someone from the sewing room to take Gu Yuan¡¯s measurements. ¡°¡­¡± Gu Yuan actually felt that the robe could be half an inch long or half an inch short, but he tactfully shut his mouth. In the past, when his mother was handling the butler¡¯s internal affairs, his father never interrupted. Gu Yuan thought of something, and his expression turned serious. He asked Gu Yunzhen with concern, ¡°Zhen¡¯er, I heard that Third Uncle¡¯s mother contracted a cold a few days ago. Is she feeling better?¡± ¡°She¡¯s fine.¡± Gu Yunzhen hurriedly said, ¡°My mother just didn¡¯t sleep well the past few nights, so she felt a little cold. Yanfei prescribed some medicine for her. I¡¯ve also given her some calming incense these two nights. She¡¯s fine now.¡± For Madam Yan and Gu Yunzhen, the incident on the day of the forced abdication, or the day the 45 funeral bells sounded, made them nervous for a while. After that, Gu Yuan sent someone to guard the Gu Mansion and let them stay in the residence in peace. When the news of Kang Wang forcing him to leave the imperial mausoleum came in the afternoon, everything had already been settled. The capital was also under Gu Yuan¡¯s control. For Gu Yunzhen, what happened that day was actually not urgent or real. It was as if a storm had suddenly attacked and ended¡­ Third Madam Yan was a heavy-hearted person. After that, she was awakened by nightmares for a few nights consecutively, which was why she accidentally caught a cold. Compared to them, the ones who were really in danger were Gu Yuan and Gu Yanfei. Gu Yunzhen pursed her lips and couldn¡¯t help but ask curiously, ¡°Big Brother, everyone is saying that you and the Eldest Prince used a spell to shrink the ground and rush back to the capital from Yuzhou that day. Is that true?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Gu Yuan raised his eyebrows in shock. Gu Yanfei laughed out loud. Her laughter was clear. Gu Yunzhen also knew the answer after hearing Gu Yanfei laugh. She raised the teacup in embarrassment and used the tea to hide her embarrassment. Gu Yuan smiled in amusement. In any case, the dust had already settled, so there was nothing he couldn¡¯t tell Gu Yunzhen. He organized his thoughts and said concisely, ¡°The Eldest Prince and 1 didn¡¯t go to Yuzhou. After leaving the capital for 200 miles, we came back in disguise¡­¡± Gu Yuan roughly explained the entire incident. After the battle in Yangzhou nine years ago, Chu You used nine years to dismantle the Huben Army and hide it bit by bit in the three major camps and the top 12 guards. Apart from himself, no one knew where the Tiger Army was. The Tiger Army was Chu You¡¯s trump card. It wasn¡¯t until this forced abdication that Chu You mobilized the Tiger Army from various places and turned it into a whole. After Gu Yuan and Chu Yi secretly returned to the capital, they had been paying attention to Chu You¡¯s movements. On April 15, the two of them separated. Chu Yi secretly followed the emperor to the imperial mausoleum, while Gu Yuan stayed in the capital. Chu You¡¯s target was the Emperor. The majority of the Tiger Army followed beside him. He felt that there was nothing to be afraid of in the capital, so he only left a thousand soldiers of the Tiger Army for Empress Dowager Yuan to command.. Chapter 692 - Chapter 692: Proposal (2) Chapter 692: Proposal (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Seven days ago, when the sound of a funeral resounded through the capital, Gu Yuan knew that Empress Dowager Yuan had started to take action. He immediately mobilized the Commandant of the Capital and the 2,000 Shangyang Army soldiers to take down the 1,000 Tiger Army soldiers in the capital in one go and quickly controlled the four city gates. As for Empress Dowager Yuan, she was trapped in the deep palace. Gu Yuan had cut off her ears and eyes. She didn¡¯t know what was going on outside at all. Only when Chu Yi escorted a group of criminals back to the capital from the imperial mausoleum did Empress Dowager Yuan know that she and Chu You had failed. ¡°The empress dowager was stimulated and is seriously ill. The imperial physician said that it¡¯s probably not good,¡± Gu Yuan said in the end. When he mentioned the empress dowager¡¯s serious illness, his expression was cold. Gu Yunzhen listened quietly. Sometimes she was shocked, and sometimes she heaved a sigh of relief. The changes in her expression were quite exciting. After a while, Gu Yunzhen composed herself and asked slowly, ¡°Big Brother, about the marriage between the two countries¡­¡± Gu Yuan didn¡¯t answer. He raised his eyebrows slightly and turned to look at Gu Yanfei, who was sitting on his right. Gu Yanfei calculated with her fingers and said calmly, ¡°The Sage of the State of Yue is about to die, right?¡± Gu Yuan smiled but didn¡¯t say anything. He also picked up the teacup. Although Chu Yi had never said it explicitly, Gu Yuan could roughly guess that there was something wrong with ¡°Dou Zixiang¡±. Otherwise, why would he help them hide their whereabouts? ¡°Dou Zixiang¡¯¡±s appearance was probably inextricably linked to the powerful Sage of the State of Yue. Gu Yunzhen didn¡¯t notice the conflict between the siblings. She lowered her eyes and looked at the tea leaves floating in the teacup. She muttered to herself, ¡°If the Sage of the State of Yue dies, then the marriage alliance between the two countries should be abandoned.¡± Although Gu Yunzhen said that it was a marriage alliance between the two countries, she was thinking about Li Yunrong. Gu Yunrong really had mixed feelings about her sister, Li Yunrong, whom she had grown up with. Previously, when the news that Chu You had agreed to marry the Princess of the State of Yue came, Gu Yunzhen had more or less sympathized with Li Yunrong. She knew that Li Yunrong had a deep love for Chu You. Li Yunrong had once said that Chu You had promised her that he would be with her for the rest of his life. But later on, Gu Yunzhen learned about Chu You and Li Yunrong¡¯s forced abdication at the imperial mausoleum and felt that it was ridiculous. There must be something hateful about a pitiful person. Li Yunrong had never needed to pity herself. Gu Yunzhen¡¯s eyelashes trembled slightly. She drank her tea silently and tried her best to forget about Li Yunrong. Li Yunrong¡¯s surname was Li, so they were no longer related! Juan Bi, who was serving them tea at the side, also listened attentively. Her eyes lit up, and she sighed in her heart that what Gu Yuan said was simply more exciting than a drama script. Seeing that the tea was about to run out, she quickly served the three masters more tea. Gu Yunzhen smelled the fragrance of the tea and put down the teacup she had just raised. She asked in a low voice, ¡°Where¡¯s the Eldest Princess Feng Yang?¡± This time, Gu Yunzhen was asking Gu Yanfei. Gu Yanfei sighed softly and said with a faint gaze, ¡°Eldest Princess Feng Yang has been affected by the Soul Devouring Technique for 21 years.¡± ¡°The Soul Devouring Technique is corroding her soul bit by bit, like water droplets penetrating a stone. Now, her soul has long been riddled with holes, like a tree trunk that has been hollowed out by termites.¡± ¡°If it were ten years earlier, I might have had a way, but now¡­¡± Gu Yanfei stopped halfway and didn¡¯t continue. She didn¡¯t mention to Gu Yunzhen that Feng Yang¡¯s soul would dissipate and she wouldn¡¯t be able to enter reincarnation. She didn¡¯t want to add to Gu Yunzhen¡¯s troubles. If it were in the Bright Spirit Realm, she might be able to think of a way, but this small world was a land of extinction. All she could do was use the spiritual aura in various jade stones to barely extend Feng Yang¡¯s life for a few days. ¡°¡­¡± Gu Yunzhen opened her mouth. Her throat tightened, and she didn¡¯t ask further. The room fell silent, and the atmosphere suddenly changed. The expressions of the three siblings were solemn, and even Juan Bi¡¯s eyes turned a little red. ¡°Meow!¡± When the cat¡¯s cry from outside the house broke the silence, Qing Guang ran around the courtyard outside heartlessly. One moment, she pounced on butterflies, and the next moment, she scratched trees, causing the courtyard to be filled with broken flowers. It was a mess. Gu Yunzhen stared at Qing Guang for a long time before suddenly letting out a low cry. ¡°All!¡± Gu Yunzhen suddenly stood up from her chair. She was too excited and accidentally hit the chair behind her, making a thumping sound, causing the others in the room to look at her. ¡°Yanfei.¡± Gu Yunzhen hurriedly grabbed Gu Yanfei¡¯s hand and urged anxiously, ¡°Stop sitting here. Hurry up and get dressed. The auspicious time is almost here.¡± As Gu Yunzhen spoke, she glanced at the pot not far away. There was less than an hour until the auspicious time. There was still time.. Chapter 693 - Chapter 693: Proposal (3) Chapter 693: Proposal (3) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Oh yes! Gu Yunzhen thought of something again and turned to Gu Yuan. ¡°Big Brother, go change your clothes and dress up more formally. Today is Yanfei¡¯s big day!¡± Gu Yunzhen sized up Gu Yuan with some disdain and felt that Gu Yuan was wearing too plain a shirt. Not only was his robe considerably old, but he didn¡¯t even have a jade pendant on him. Looking at Gu Yanfei, who didn¡¯t have any accessories on him, Gu Yunzhen couldn¡¯t help but sigh. They were really a biological pair of siblings! Gu Yunzhen hurriedly pulled Gu Yanfei towards the inner room and muttered, ¡°Yanfei, you have to change your clothes and hairstyle. There¡¯s also jewelry¡­¡± Gu Yunzhen calculated the time in her mind. The more she calculated, the more she felt that the time was a little tight. ¡°¡­¡± Gu Yanfei actually felt that there was nothing bad about her and Gu Yuan¡¯s current state, but looking at Gu Yunzhen¡¯s energetic appearance, she didn¡¯t dare to say anything. She smiled obediently. Big Sister was in charge, so of course Big Sister had the final say! Nanny Pang, who was running around anxiously at the side, had long wanted to remind them. When she heard them talking about forcing the throne and the Eldest Princess Feng Yang, she didn¡¯t dare interrupt. She could only prepare clothes and accessories for Gu Yanfei first. Nanny Pang welcomed her with a smile and said happily, ¡°Eldest Miss, I¡¯ve chosen several clothes for the Second Lady. Come and take a look and choose one.¡± After a few months of interaction, Nanny Pang also understood her Second Lady. If there were any big matters in the residence, she would listen to the Second Lady. As for these trivial matters, she would listen to the eldest daughter. ¡°1 also chose a few sets of noodles. One of them was made at the Zhen family¡¯s silver house last month. I think it¡¯s very suitable for the Second Lady.¡± As they spoke, they escorted Gu Yanfei in. Gu Yanfei was like a doll, letting them do whatever they wanted. The maids surrounded Gu Yanfei and busied themselves. After spending a full incense¡¯s time, they finally dressed Gu Yanfei up. Gu Yanfei put on a new azure-blue broidered silk pinafore, paired with a water-red threaded long skirt, the vivid azure-blue setting off her delicate figure. Her thick black hair was tied into an elegant crescent hair bun. She was wearing a red gold dot that was filled with emerald green dots. It was embedded with colorful gems that were overflowing with light, reflecting her eyes that were as dazzling as the stars. The girl, who usually had light makeup, was now bright and moving. However, Gu Yunzhen still felt dissatisfied. She muttered, ¡°I think it¡¯s still lacking something.¡± She sized up Gu Yanfei repeatedly and clapped excitedly. ¡°I know!¡± Gu Yunzhen chose another pair of gold-threaded pearl earrings from the box and personally put them on Gu Yanfei. Gu Yanfei turned her head slightly. The pearl swayed under her earlobe with the golden thread, revealing a trace of charm that belonged to a young girl. ¡°Just add this pair of earrings! Perfect!¡± Gu Yunzhen finally smiled in satisfaction, as if she had completed a masterpiece. Juan Bi and Nanny Pang also echoed in high spirits. ¡°Coming! Coming¡­¡± The little maid¡¯s panting voice and hurried footsteps came from outside the house. A blue-robed little maidservant lifted the curtain and entered. Her cheeks were red as she reported excitedly, ¡°Eldest Miss, Second Lady, the Ministry of Rites and the Court of Rites have come to propose marriage!¡± After Chu You¡¯s forced abdication of the throne, the Emperor used three days to stabilize the court. He imprisoned those who should be imprisoned, confiscated things that should be confiscated, and rewarded those who should be rewarded. He again chose officials to replace Xiao Fengyuan, Wang Kangyin, and the others. Three days ago, the Emperor issued a decree for Chu Yi and Gu Yanfei¡¯s marriage. This time, no minister objected to this marriage. Even if Chu You didn¡¯t admit it, the ministers in the imperial mausoleum that day were 70 to 80% confident. There was indeed a secret behind Gu Yuan¡¯s plan to subdue the enemy nine years ago, and it was inextricably linked to Chu You and even the previous Emperor. Originally, it would take at least two to three months to prepare, from the Emperor¡¯s betrothal to the marriage proposal, but according to the imperial astronomy, today was the best day in the first half of the year. In addition¡­ ¡°Third Madam and Eldest Young Master also know. They¡¯re already heading to the Yi Gate,¡± the blue-robed maidservant hurriedly added. Gu Yunzhen waved away the maid who had come to report and adjusted the silk flower in Gu Yanfei¡¯s hair. She smiled. ¡°Yanfei, let¡¯s go too.¡± Gu Yanfei grunted and got up from the dressing table smoothly. Surrounded by everyone, she walked out of the house. The courtyard outside was decorated with lights and colorful flowers. Along the way, the maids and old maids were also overjoyed and in high spirits. Today was a good day in the residence. Gu Yanfei walked unhurriedly from the Yuheng Garden to the gate. She passed through doors with familiarity and walked through long corridors and paths¡­ From afar, she saw a familiar red car parked outside the door. Feng Yang, who had a head of white hair, got out of the red car. She was wearing princess makeup and had a graceful and noble aura. The bright sunlight coated Feng Yang¡¯s body with a golden halo. Today, it was Feng Yang who came to propose a marriage for the Eldest Prince on behalf of the Emperor. Feng Yang, who was beside the red car, also saw Gu Yanfei walking towards her and smiled brightly. Gu Yanfei pursed her lips and smiled at Feng Yang. In addition¡­ Feng Yang said that she wanted to personally bear witness to Chu Yi and Gu Yanfei¡¯s marriage. She didn¡¯t have much time left. She definitely wouldn¡¯t be able to wait for their wedding. Be it the Emperor, Chu Yi, or Gu Yanfei, they all wanted Feng Yang to get what she wanted. ¡°Your Highness!¡± Gu Yanfei quickened her pace and walked towards Feng Yang, her eyes shining. The sky was clear blue, and the sun was dazzling.. Chapter 694 - Chapter 694: Supporting Spirit (1) Chapter 694: Supporting Spirit (1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios In the golden autumn of October, the leaves were withered, and broken leaves were everywhere. The weather was a little gloomy that day. In a small tea shop beside the official road, the seats were full today. A middle-aged merchant who passed by was a little thirsty, so he stopped the carriage and planned to go to the tea shop to rest and drink some tea to quench his thirst. ¡°Sir.¡± The dark-skinned tea shop owner nodded and bowed as he welcomed him. ¡°There¡¯s only one seat inside. Do you mind sharing a table with others?¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± the middle-aged merchant said generously. As he followed the boss in, he looked around at the various tea customers in the tea shop. ¡°Boss, your tea shop¡¯s business is pretty good.¡± ¡°No, no. It¡¯s just that business is better today.¡± The boss led the middle-aged merchant to a table in the corner. At the table sat a man and two women. They both had outstanding looks and were as handsome as people in a painting. The traveling merchant¡¯s eyes immediately lit up. The three tea guests in front of him were dressed very simply. They were wearing plain cotton clothes and didn¡¯t have any gorgeous jewelry on their bodies. They only wore one or two silver accessories. Even so, it couldn¡¯t hide the noble aura of the three of them. Just sitting there quietly made four words appear in the middle-aged merchant¡¯s mind: dragons and phoenixes among men. He suddenly recalled that he had heard people say that there were crouching tigers and hidden dragons in the capital. Perhaps if he accidentally bumped into someone, it would be a noble from the Marquis Mansion. This thought only flashed across his mind. After all, which noble would appear in such a tea shed beside the official road? The middle-aged merchant sat down in the only empty seat. The boss smiled and served him a cup of fragrant and hot barley tea. The middle-aged merchant blew at the tea and asked, ¡°Boss, how far is this place from the capital? I think it¡¯s about to rain.¡± He frowned and looked at the gloomy sky outside. He had a carriage, so he wasn¡¯t afraid of the rain, but on a rainy day, the road was muddy, so it was inevitable that it would be inconvenient to travel. ¡°It¡¯s not far. It¡¯s only five miles,¡± the boss said with a smile. The middle-aged merchant couldn¡¯t help but be stunned. He saw that there were many tea guests resting here, so he completely didn¡¯t expect this place to be so close to the capital. He thought to himself that the people in the capital were indeed particular! ¡°It won¡¯t rain today.¡± A gentle female voice suddenly sounded. The tone was gentle and gentle, like a spring breeze blowing in this slightly noisy tea shop. The middle-aged man went to look for prestige. The person who spoke was a white-robed girl sitting on his left. The oval-faced girl had a gentle appearance. She smiled at him and emphasized again, ¡°It won¡¯t rain today or tomorrow.¡± ¡°Second Sister, right?¡± She asked the other white-robed girl on her right. The girl¡¯s eyes were dark and big, and she looked beautiful. She nodded without saying a word, as if she was a little uneasy. The middle-aged merchant didn¡¯t take it seriously either. He only treated it as a casual comment from the little girl. In the next moment, the boss beside him sighed and said, ¡°It¡¯s good that it won¡¯t rain, in case it gets wet¡­ the coffin.¡± A coffin?! The middle-aged merchant¡¯s eyelids twitched, and his heart skipped a beat. He suddenly felt that the tea shop had become gloomy. He subconsciously pricked up his ears and heard the tea customers in the tea shop talking in twos and threes. From time to time, words such as ¡°spirit coffin¡±, ¡°paper money¡±, and ¡°incense candle¡± floated over. A strong autumn wind carried a few scattered golden leaves into the tea shop and blew on the middle-aged merchant. He felt cold sweat break out on the back of his neck, and the coldness seeped into his bone marrow. He¡­ He¡­ Could he have encountered a ghost?! The middle-aged merchant looked out of the tea shop again. The sky seemed to have darkened even more. Thick clouds piled in the sky, and it was so heavy that it seemed like it would fall. On both sides of the official road, more and more people gathered. There were men, women, old, and young, but they looked in the same direction. In the eyes of the middle-aged merchant, this scene became even more strange. His neck seemed to have rusted as he slowly turned into the tea shop again and scanned the group of tea customers inside stiffly. His gaze met the ¡°second sister¡± sitting opposite him. The girl looked a year or two younger than the oval-faced girl. Her dark eyes were like a deep pool, bottomless, so dark that no one dared look straight at them. This pair of eyes didn¡¯t seem to belong to this filthy world. The middle-aged merchant¡¯s heart turned cold. He didn¡¯t even dare to blink. The other party took a look at him and looked away, talking to the peerlessly handsome white-robed young master beside him.. Chapter 695 - Chapter 695: Supporting Spirit (2) Chapter 695: Supporting Spirit (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The middle-aged merchant almost knelt down. He had clearly never done anything wrong in his life. Why did he encounter a ghost!! Just as he was conflicted about whether to kneel and beg for mercy or pretend that he didn¡¯t know anything and see if he could muddle through, he heard an excited shout from outside the tea shop. ¡°Coming, coming!¡± The men and women by the roadside raised their heads in anticipation. Countless shouts rose and fell at different volumes. In this gloomy weather, the entire official road revealed an inexplicable seriousness. The middle-aged merchant was stunned. His entire body seemed to have frozen and he couldn¡¯t move. He saw the surrounding tea customers fighting to walk out of the tea shop and talk at once. ¡°It¡¯s Marquis Gu¡¯s coffin, right?¡± ¡°It must be.¡± ¡°Marquis Gu¡¯s achievements are great. Now, he can finally return home.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to report it, but the time hasn¡¯t come!¡± ¡°Marquis Gu?¡± The middle-aged merchant couldn¡¯t help but mutter. He realized that something was wrong. The boss, who was clearing the table beside him, continued, ¡°Sir, you still don¡¯t know, right? Today is the day Young Master Gu returns to the capital with his spirit.¡± ¡°Back then, Marquis Gu was wronged, and his bones were incomplete. Last month, Eldest Young Master Gu went south to Yangzhou to find the remaining bones of Marquis Gu. He planned to collect the bones again and bury them in the Gu family¡¯s ancestral grave.¡± ¡°The commoners outside are all here to welcome Marquis Gu back to the capital!¡± There was a sigh in the boss¡¯s tone, and it was even harder to hide his admiration. The middle-aged merchant slowly blinked and finally completely reacted. He blurted out, ¡°Could it be that you¡¯re talking about Marquis Gu Ce?¡± The boss also looked outside the tea shop and said faintly, ¡°There¡¯s no other Marquis Gu in Great Jin!¡± In the past, when others mentioned the Marquis of Ding Yuan, the first thing they thought of was the first generation of the Ding Yuan Marquis, Gu Yao, who had established the Great Jin Dynasty with Emperor Taizu, and now it was Gu Ce. With Gu Ce¡¯s merits for the Great Jin, it was enough to surpass his ancestor, but he had been wronged for nine years. The middle-aged merchant hurriedly stood up and said excitedly, ¡°I¡¯ll go out and welcome Marquis Gu too.¡± He quickly rushed out of the tea shop and came to the side of the official road. He squeezed through the crowd and looked south. At the end of the official road, a white figure swayed. White banners surged over like snow waves and gradually approached. ¡°Marquis Gu, the soul has returned!¡± In the crowd, a young man shouted at the top of his voice, dragging his voice. Right on the heels of that, the others also shouted, ¡°Marquis Gu, the soul has returned!¡± The shouts of the commoners gradually overlapped in unison. That loud and sorrowful voice seemed to even shake the world! Ever since the forced abdication in April, the unjust case of the first Marquis of Yuan, Gu Ce, had spread throughout the entire Great Jin. After Chu You was captured for treason, the three divisions judged him and sentenced him to death. Then, the Emperor issued an edict to tell the public the truth about Gu Ce¡¯s surrender to the enemy back then. Only then did the people know that nine years ago, Gu Ce defeated many with fewer numbers and set up an ambush 15 miles away from Tailing City. He defeated the State of Yue army and killed nearly 20,000 enemies. Back then, Gu Ce could have beaten the State of Yue¡¯s army out of the territory and returned triumphantly. However, Chu You opened the city gate of Tailing City for his own selfish reasons. Not only did he cause the citizens of the city to die in the hands of the State of Yue army, but he also caused Gu Ce to be attacked from both sides and make a heroic sacrifice. After that, in order to calm the people and encourage the soldiers, the Sage of the State of Yue hid the defeat of the State of Yue Army on the upper mountain and only announced to the public that Gu Ce had opened the city gate to defeat the enemy. And in order to protect Chu You, the previous Emperor took advantage of the situation. After the truth spread, the entire country was shocked. Gu Ce had only lived for a short 30 years, but his battle merits were prominent and his talent was outstanding. It was enough to be recorded in the history books. Be it 15 years ago or nine years ago, he had protected the national gate of Yangzhou for the Great Jin. Without back-up, he defeated many with fewer numbers and defeated the State of Yue. If it weren¡¯t for the selfishness of the previous Emperor, Yangzhou wouldn¡¯t have lost nine years ago. The Eldest Prince wouldn¡¯t have been sent to the State of Yue to be hostaged for eight years. Gu Ce sacrificed his life for the great scene, but he bore the injustice for a full nine years. It was really a pity that he was reviled by the world. It was also because of this that the citizens¡¯ moods were very complicated. They respected Gu Ce, felt guilty, and felt more pity. If Gu Ce was still alive, the Great Jin would have another divine general that was enough to shock everyone. ¡°Marquis Gu, the soul has returned!¡± Amidst the shout, a handsome young man in a frost-white robe with a hemp rope around his waist rode a white banner over. From afar, no one could see the young man¡¯s eyebrows clearly. They only felt that his body emitted a cold and sorrowful aura.. Chapter 696 - Chapter 696: Supporting Spirit (3) Chapter 696: Supporting Spirit (3) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Behind him were more than ten men in white clothes, protecting a carriage covered in white cloth. On the carriage was a coffin. Anyone could guess that this coffin was definitely Gu Ce¡¯s coffin. The convoy escorting the coffin was getting closer and closer. The teams on both sides who welcomed Gu Ce back to the capital all spontaneously followed behind the convoy. As this team kept growing, the white banners surged like clouds, and paper money rained down continuously. The entire official road was tragically white¡­ Suddenly, Gu Yuan, who was carrying a white banner, pulled the reins, and the horse stopped in front of the tea shop. Then, the carriage carrying the coffin behind Gu Yuan also stopped. After that, the spirit support team behind the carriage also stopped one after another¡­ Time seemed to have stopped. The citizens on both sides were at a loss and looked at each other. Everyone fell silent. Before long, the originally noisy official road became silent. Two women and a man in white walked out of the crowd by the official road unhurriedly. They walked to the front of the spirit support team and blocked the path of Gu Yuan and the others. The commoners by the roadside frowned. Someone shouted unhappily, ¡°Hey¡­¡± In the next moment, the white-robed girl standing at the front bent her knees and bowed to the coffin. Her eyes were red as she said, ¡°I¡¯m here to welcome Daddy home.¡± Gu Yunzhen, who was on Gu Yanfei¡¯s right, also bent her knees and bowed. Chu Yi, who was on the other side, bowed deeply. ¡°Welcome home, Uncle!¡± ¡°Chu Yi welcomes Marquis Gu back to the capital on behalf of my father!¡± On the horse, Gu Yuan¡¯s eyes were also red, and it was difficult to hide the haggard expression on his face. He looked at Gu Yanfei in a daze and choked with a hoarse voice. ¡°Sister, Daddy is back!¡± Their voices weren¡¯t especially loud, but in this quiet environment, many surrounding citizens could hear them clearly. The middle-aged merchant naturally recognized that Gu Yanfei and the other two were the tea guests who had just shared a table with him. He was stunned again and was momentarily speechless. The owner of the tea shop shouted in shock, ¡°Second Lady Gu!¡± Everyone in the capital knew Second Lady Gu¡¯s ability. Since the exoneration of Gu Ce, people were even more amazed, saying that the daughter had inherited the talents of her father! Looking at the brother and sister, Gu Yuan and Gu Yanfei, someone sighed and said, ¡°Sigh, it¡¯s really pitiful. When Marquis Gu died in battle, Young Master Gu and Second Lady Gu were only a few years old. They lost their parents at such a young age¡­¡± ¡°Yes, yes. Like father like son, like mother like daughter. Fortunately, Marquis Gu has these two children to clear his name. He should rest in peace.¡± Under everyone¡¯s discussion, the spirit support team continued on their way. The huge team continued to walk north along the official road. After an incense¡¯s time, they finally passed through the South City Gate. Behind the city gate, the commoners who welcomed them were even more spectacular. Most of them were here to mourn Gu Ce. Those commoners spontaneously threw paper money and burned ingots. Some even threw handfuls of white chrysanthemums at the coffin¡­ Along the way, there were sorrowful citizens. There was no need for the imperial guards to clear the way. Those people stood on both sides of the road in an orderly manner, and the team that supported the spirits was unimpeded. Gu Yuan, Gu Yanfei, and the others didn¡¯t directly bring the coffin back to the Gu Manor. Instead, they went to the Chengtian Gate first. The commoners who sent them off were stopped outside the Chengtian Gate by the royal guards guarding the palace door. Only the team that supported the spirits passed through the Chengtian Gate and reached Wumen Square. The Emperor appeared on the city tower of the Meridian Gate. Below him, the civil and military officials stood in two rows. Gu Yuan, Gu Yanfei, and the others bowed to the Emperor first. The Emperor expressed his grief for Gu Ce¡¯s death before changing the topic to business. ¡°First, the Marquis of Dingyuan, Gu Ce, swore to protect Yangzhou with his life. His battle merits were prominent, and his merits were in the country. Every time 1 remember him sacrificing his life for the country, 1 feel very sad. I decree to posthumously bestow the title of Duke of Xinguo upon Gu Ce and grant him the honor of being remembered in the ancestral temple.¡± ¡°The title shall be inherited by his son, Gu Yuan.¡± After the Emperor¡¯s last word fell, the ministers couldn¡¯t help but be in an uproar. Not only because the Emperor had conferred on Gu Ce the fifth duke other than the four great dukes, but also because he was granted ¡°the honor of being remembered in the ancestral temple¡±. To be honored in the ancestral temple was the highest form of recognition for a non-imperial subject after their death. To achieve this honor, one must have made significant contributions to the state and the well-being of the nation. Even the current four grand dukes might not necessarily qualify for this distinction. ¡°On behalf of my late father, 1 thank Your Majesty for your kindness. Long live Your Majesty! Gu Yuan bowed respectfully to the Emperor on the city tower. Gu Yanfei and Gu Yunzhen stood with him and also bowed in unison to thank him. The Emperor instructed again to let Gu Yuan and Gu Yanfei bury Gu Ce well before leaving under the respectful escort of the ministers. After the Emperor left, the surrounding atmosphere relaxed. Some of the civil and military officials left directly, while others went forward to exchange pleasantries with Gu Yuan to let him feel sorry for his loss. They also asked about stopping and paying their respects before leaving. Soon, Wumen Square was much more empty. The strong autumn wind fluttered the white banner. At this moment, Gu Yuan¡¯s emotions had already stabilized a lot. He turned around and smiled at Gu Yanfei. ¡°Yanfei, Father and Mother can finally be buried together.¡± His mother had been waiting for his father in the Gu family¡¯s ancestral grave for a long, long time. They could finally be reunited and guard each other underground. ¡°Yes.¡± Gu Yanfei nodded and looked deeply at her brother, whom she had not seen for two months. Gu Yunzhen tugged at Gu Yanfei¡¯s sleeve and said in a low voice, ¡°Yanfei, Big Brother, look.¡± She signaled Gu Yanfei and Gu Yuan to look behind with her eyes. In the direction of the Chengtian Gate, the Gu clansmen led by the patriarch stood outside, looking at them with a fawning expression. Gu Yuan was expressionless, not even moving the corners of his eyes. In the past, they said that Gu Ce had betrayed the country and was a disgrace to the Gu family. They didn¡¯t allow Gu Ce to enter the ancestral grave. And now, they had to beg. Gu Ce was now the greatest honor of the Gu family. ¡°Big Brother, let¡¯s go,¡± Gu Yanfei said calmly. Gu Yuan nodded, his eyes bright and sharp. The brother and sister ignored the Gu family. Gu Ce¡¯s business was outstanding, his battle merits were dazzling, and he was glorious. And now, he would continue his father¡¯s glory!! Chapter 697 - Chapter 697: Five Years (1) Chapter 697: Five Years (1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios In the seventh year of the Mingde era, during the summer. On the second day of June, Emperor Chu Qi, who had just turned fifty-seven, made an official decree on the day of the Longevity Festival. He expressed his intention in no uncertain terms to follow the example of Yao Shun by abdicating the throne in favor of Crown Prince Chu Yi. The current Grand Secretary, Mu Sheng, represented the ministers and respectfully asked the Emperor to retract his decree. He delivered a grandiose speech praising the Emperor¡¯s diligent rule, suggesting that, given the Emperor¡¯s age, consideration of abdication could wait until his later years. However, the Emperor responded with unwavering determination. ¡°My resolve is set, and it is difficult to go against the will of the people.¡± All the court officials knelt down and collectively shouted, ¡°Long live the Emperor!¡± Three days later, the Ministry of Rites and the imperial astronomy drafted three dates for the throne ceremony for the Emperor and the Crown Prince to choose. Finally, the abdication ceremony was scheduled for the golden autumn month of October. When the news spread, the country celebrated. Not only the Great Jin, but even the other countries in the surroundings also learned this good news. The various countries sent envoys to the capital to participate in the meditation ceremony on the first of October. From mid-September, the envoys of the various countries gradually arrived at the capital. The excited citizens of the capital spontaneously ran to the city gate to welcome these envoys. The capital hadn¡¯t been so lively for many years. On this day, many commoners gathered at the city gate. Heads were gathered, and it was bustling with activity. Noisy voices were everywhere. ¡°Brother, why are there so many people today?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know? An envoy from the State of Yue came today!¡± ¡°What¡¯s so rare about the envoys of the State of Yue?! It¡¯s not like the envoys of the State of Yue have never come to the capital in the past!¡± ¡°It¡¯s different this time! 1 heard that the person who came this time is the Regent of the State of Yue!¡± ¡°That Regent and Heavenly Palace Lord, Xia Houqing?¡± ¡°I heard that even His Highness the Crown Prince will personally come to welcome the Regent of the State of Yue today.¡± H ii At the mention of the Regent of the State of Yue, the crowd near the city gate immediately erupted. The Regent of the State of Yue, Xia Houqing, was a legendary figure. Back then, when the Sage of the State of Yue, Baili Hong, was in power, Xia Houqing held the reins of power, effectively dominating the political landscape of the State of Yue. He was second to none, surpassing tens of thousands. Five years ago, when Baili Hong was seriously ill, he made Xia Houqing supervise the country. The Crown Prince, Baili Zhao, was equivalent to being taken over by Xia Houqing. From then on, Baili Hong fell sick and died in less than a year. After that, Xia Houqing drafted an edict to cripple the Crown Prince, Baili Zhao, with the excuse that the Crown Prince was unfilial and unscrupulous. He replaced him with the sixteenth prince of the State of Yue, Baili Wu, who was only three months old at that time. From then on, Xia Houqing became the Regent of the State of Yue. He used the Son of Heaven to order the vassals and completely controlled the authority of the State of Yue. Xia Houqing¡¯s reputation had also spread around the world. Many shows featured Xia Houqing. ¡°Coming, coming, the envoy team of the State of Yue is here!¡± Excited shouts came wave after wave from outside the South City Gate. The eyes of the citizens on the street lit up. They stretched out their necks curiously and looked in the direction of the city gate. Soon, the rumbling of hooves came from outside the city gate, getting louder and louder. Before the person arrived, the flowers arrived first. In the autumn wind, big red petals were blown over by the wind. They fell like fairies scattering flowers, as if a rain of petals was falling. The commoners watching the commotion by the roadside let out gasps of surprise. Outside the city, hundreds of horses galloped over at a moderate speed. In the lead was a beautiful young man in red who didn¡¯t look like a spiritual master. The young man¡¯s red clothes were like fire, and there was a red jade hairpin stuck in his half-dressed bun. He was described as beautiful, and a dangerous and demonic aura lingered around him. The bright red clothes of unknown materials flowed with light under the sun. When the wind blew, the clothes fluttered gently, producing water-like ripples. Behind the young man was a group of personal guards in black light armor and riding black horses. Several personal guards in black clothes held a flower basket in their hands and scattered big red petals in the air, spreading a petal carpet on the street. The air was filled with the fragrance of flowers, and golden horse bells sounded crisp and pleasant. At the end of the line were several gorgeous golden carved carriages. Under the sunlight, the carriages flashed with golden light, looking abnormally luxurious. The commoners all looked at Xia Houqing in shock. They couldn¡¯t believe that this beautiful young man was actually the legendary, fierce, and ruthless Regent of the State of Yue. Soon, another climax occurred on the street. ¡°His Highness the Crown Prince is here!¡± ¡°His Highness the Crown Prince really came to welcome that envoy.¡± The commoners looked in the direction of the palace excitedly and saw a handsome young man in an apricot-yellow python robe leading dozens of royal guards to gallop towards the South City Gate.. Chapter 698 - Chapter 698: Five Years (2) Chapter 698: Five Years (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The commoners shouted enthusiastically in unison, ¡°Long live His Highness the Crown Prince!¡± Countless voices gathered and resounded through the sky. Chu Yi¡¯s horse stopped four to five feet away from Xia Houqing. He looked at Xia Houqing from afar and smiled. The two of them cupped their hands at each other and galloped side by side in the direction of the palace. The aura of the two young men was completely different. Chu Yi was elegant and noble, like a bright moon, like an intoxicating spring breeze. Xia Houqing was as enchanting and flamboyant as the Red Spider Lily. The two of them walked side by side, the horse under them galloping at a leisurely pace. Everyone who welcomed them followed Chu Yi and Xia Houqing with their gazes and watched them walk further and further away. In the crowd, someone said slowly, ¡°Why do I feel that His Highness the Crown Prince seems to know the Regent of the State of Yue?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this very normal?¡± Another person beside him shouted, ¡°Our His Highness the Crown Prince once stayed in the State of Yue for eight years. Isn¡¯t it natural for him to know Xia Houqing?¡± ¡°Then the States of Jin and Yue shouldn¡¯t fight anymore, right?¡± Amidst various speculations, Chu Yi and Xia Houqing rode their horses and walked far away. Their figures disappeared from the palace door. Chu Yi and Xia Houqing passed through Great Jin¡¯s gate, Chengtian Gate, and Meridian Gate. They got off at Taihe Gate and changed to walking. This wasn¡¯t the first time Xia Houqing had come to the capital, but it was the first time he had come to the palace of the Great Jin. The rising sun sprinkled warm sunlight. The surrounding palaces had red walls and yellow tiles, carved railings and painted buildings, flying eaves, and horns. The golden glass tiles above the roof shone, gorgeous and magnificent, giving off the solemnity and might of a royal family. Xia Houqing walked forward leisurely, his demonic phoenix eyes dark and mysterious. The palace of the Great Jin was left behind by the previous dynasty. 57 years ago, after Emperor Taizu, Emperor Chu Jing, established the Great Jin Dynasty, he set the capital as the capital. He didn¡¯t build another palace, but directly used the Forbidden City of the previous dynasty. His father and grandfather dreamed of returning to this forbidden city. They all felt that this place should belong to their Wei family. ¡°Heli¡­¡± Xia Houqing¡¯s demonic red lips curled into a treacherous smile. With a light flick of his sleeve, he took out something from his wide sleeve and threw it to Chu Yi beside him without any reluctance¡­ ¡°Catch!¡± The fist-sized jade seal drew a curve in midair. Chu Yi smiled calmly and raised his hand to take the jade seal. Even the corners of his eyes and eyebrows didn¡¯t move. A few steps behind, Xia Houqing¡¯s relative, Jing Shan, saw this scene. The corners of his eyes twitched slightly. This was the jade seal of the Son of Heaven of the State of Yue. Xia Houqing smiled faintly and said, ¡°What you wanted.¡± As he spoke, he continued walking forward. His deep gaze looked at the throne room in front of him, and the demonic smile on his face deepened. ¡°Chu Yi, you kept the agreement, and 1 fulfilled my promise.¡± ¡°But¡­ whether you can get it depends on yourself.¡± ¡°What are your plans?¡± Xia Houqing casually raised his hand and brushed away a petal floating on his shoulder. He straightened his sleeves, which were embroidered with dark patterns. The meaning of his words just now seemed to be saying that he wouldn¡¯t help Chu Yi. Chu Yi casually played with the Horned Dragon New Jade Seal. This casual action was done by him, elegant and natural. It was naturally impossible to say that Chu Yi had already taken down the State of Yue with just this jade seal. This thing was just a symbol, representing Xia Houqing¡¯s attitude. Chu Yi curled his lips and smiled. He only spat out a few words calmly, ¡°One force defeats ten.¡± The words were extremely domineering. Xia Houqing was first stunned before laughing out loud. His smile was enchanting, crazy, and wanton. His red clothes fluttered in the wind like a raging fire. ¡°Pa! Pa!¡± He clapped his hands happily and couldn¡¯t help but laugh for a long time. His smile revealed a gloating feeling. ¡°I don¡¯t know what those people in the State of Yue were thinking back then, those who believed that Prince Yi had a pure heart and returning him to the country would cause chaos within the State of Jin, leading to mutual destruction of the State of Jin¡¯s royal family. Were those who thought that the State of Yue could seize the opportunity to take down the State of Jin just blind¡­¡± Xia Houqing seemed to be praising Chu Yi while also undermining him. ¡°Sure, sure,¡± Chu Yi said with a smile. His smile was like a spring breeze caressing his face, only treating these as praises from Xia Houqing. As they spoke, the two of them arrived outside Yangxin Hall. How boring. Xia Houqing curled his lips and thought to himself, ¡°This Prince Yi is really scheming.¡± The two of them arrived at the west side hall of Yangxin Hall and sat down. An inner servant immediately served the two of them wine.. Chapter 699 - Chapter 699: Five Years (3) Chapter 699: Five Years (3) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios However, Xia Houqing only glanced at the wine pot in disdain. Jing Shan naturally knew his master. He quickly took out his wine from the food box and filled most of the wine with a nightlight cup, handing it to Xia Houqing with both hands. Xia Houqing shook the luminous cup and the fragrance of the wine spread. He smiled and asked meaningfully, Tve given you the ¡®thing*. When do you plan to use it?¡± Chu Yi understood that the other party was asking him when he planned to take over the State of Yue. He smiled and said, ¡°That depends on when Lord Xia returns to the State of Yue.¡± ¡°Shall we return together?¡± Xia Houqing raised his eyebrows slightly, as if he was asking casually but also with a hint of provocation. Chu Yi nodded slightly calmly. Xia Houqing smiled again, and a slight ripple appeared in his dark eyes. He deliberately said, ¡°You left right after ascending the throne. Aren¡¯t you afraid that someone will take advantage of your absence¡­¡± It was impossible for Xia Houqing to stay in the capital for long. He planned to leave the capital and return to the State of Yue after the meditation ceremony on the first of October. ¡°What about you?¡± Chu Yi asked calmly. What he meant was that Xia Houqing had also abandoned the State of Yue and come to the Great Jin. Wasn¡¯t Xia Houqing afraid that after he left the State of Yue, the royal court of the State of Yue would do something strange? Their gazes met quietly. When the wind blew, the two of them chuckled at the same time. They all understood each other s meaning. If they left for a few days and the royal court could be turned upside down, it meant that they weren¡¯t capable. It took Chu Yi a full five years to completely control the situation in his hands. Now, he was confident that even if he left for a while, the royal court wouldn¡¯t be in chaos. ¡°Have a drink?¡± Chu Yi slowly picked up the wine pot on the table and personally poured a cup of pear blossom white for Xia Houqing. The wine fragrance was clear. Xia Houqing frowned slightly and revealed a disdainful expression. He lowered his eyes and stared at the cup of pear blossom white for a long time. Finally, he put down the half cup of wine in his hand and picked up the cup of pear blossom white. He smelled the fragrance of the wine and raised his glass to Chu Yi in a toast. Then, he raised his head and finished the wine in one gulp. Chu Yi finished the wine in his cup unhurriedly and then poured himself another cup. Amidst the sound of wine being poured, the greetings of the inner servants sounded outside. ¡°Your Highness.¡± ¡°Meow!¡± At the same time, a soft cat cry sounded. Xia Houqing had just picked up the glass of wine again when his hand couldn¡¯t help but tremble. Some wine spilled out of the cup, and a few drops of red wine splashed on the back of the hand. His fair skin was a sharp contrast to the red wine. Xia Houqing frowned. He took out a white handkerchief and slowly wiped the back of his hand and fingers, wiping every finger clean. Then, he casually threw the handkerchief stained with wine to the side. The door curtain was lifted from the outside. Gu Yanfei leisurely walked in with a long-haired three-flowered cat. Gu Yanfei was already in her twenties. Her figure was slender and graceful, and she was two inches taller than five years ago. Today, she was wearing a lavender silk jacket embroidered with intricate wisteria and hibiscus patterns. Underneath, there was a frost-white undershirt with a small stand-up collar, paired with a long aqua-colored pleated skirt. A golden phoenix inlaid with southern pearls was inserted in her fluffy bun. As she walked, the string of tassels spat out by the golden phoenix swayed gently. The calico cat in her arms was no longer a milk cat. Its size had doubled, and the fur on its body was as lustrious and smooth as before. ¡°Lord Xia, long time no see.¡± Gu Yanfei smiled. Her eyes were curved like a new moon, and her smile was satisfied. It had been five years since they last met. But in Xia Houqing¡¯s opinion, nothing good happened every time he encountered Gu Yanfei. ¡°Long time no see.¡± Xia Houqing glanced at Gu Yanfei lazily. He felt that even if this woman married into a family, she still didn¡¯t look gentle and virtuous. ¡°Meow, meow, meow-¡± Why haven¡¯t you come to play with me for so many years! Qing Guang also knew Xia Houqing and remembered that this human and his subordinates had served it very well. It happily flew towards Xia Houqing¡¯s arms. The cat leaped up, and its furry and soft body stretched in midair. Its posture was extremely beautiful. However, Xia Houqing raised his hand and his sleeve flew up. His right hand grabbed the back of the cat¡¯s neck and grabbed the cat. Qing Guang¡¯s four meaty paws instantly exploded into the shape of a plum blossom in midair, and its hooked sharp claws stretched out. ¡°Get lost!¡± Xia Houqing threw the cat out in disdain. His gaze seemed to be saying that it was so dirty. The cat adjusted its posture in midair and landed lightly on the ground. jing Shan looked at the cat eagerly and felt that the cat was really too beautiful. Compared to before¡­ No, it was even more beautiful than before! ¡°Meow!¡± Qing Guang never gave up easily. It pounced at Xia Houqing again, its green cat eyes shining. The red headband with golden threads in this human¡¯s hair was really beautiful! Qing Guang jumped onto the coffee table beside Xia Houqing briskly and rubbed its furry head intimately on his sleeve, leaving traces of cat hair on his sleeve, especially eye-catching on his red clothes. Qing Guang narrowed its eyes happily and let out a meow that sounded as gentle as ever. Play with me! ¡°¡­¡± Xia Houqing looked at the cat expressionlessly. His eyelashes were half-closed, and his gaze gradually became gentle. ¡°Meow, meow-1¡® ¡°Meow, meow-¡± The cry of a cat rose and fell in Yangxin Hall, drifting away with the autumn wind¡­ (End of Side Chapter 2) Chapter 700 - Chapter 700: Notebook (1) Chapter 700: Notebook (1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios It was her! At the entrance of the bookshop, a young woman in her twenties was dressed in a snow-blue pleated skirt with embroidered purple wisteria patterns. Her glossy black hair was loosely gathered into a bun, adorned with an elegant silver hairpin featuring two lifelike white jade magnolias carved from creamy white jade, set upon a silver body. That peerlessly beautiful face seemed to suffuse light under the sun, like a red lotus facing the water, especially bright and gorgeous. Yu Chaoyun looked at Gu Yanfei on the street in a daze from the second floor of the bookstore with mixed feelings. She hadn¡¯t changed at all! Suddenly, Yu Chaoyun recalled the scenes from eight years ago when she first saw Gu Yanfei in the hunting ground. What happened that day felt like yesterday or a dream. After eight years, Gu Yanfei was still so beautiful¡­ No, she was even more beautiful than before! She was like a delicate flower. With bright and discerning eyes, Gu Yanfei possessed exquisite beauty and grace. Her beauty was so dazzling, especially her eyes, which shone brighter than stars, as if they could steal a person¡¯s soul. Some passers-by passing by involuntarily cast their gazes on Gu Yanfei and took a few more looks at her. A sentence appeared in Yu Chaoyun¡¯s mind: Beauty lies in the bones, not the skin. What about me? Yu Chaoyun subconsciously raised her hand to touch her face. The feeling was extremely rough. She was clearly only a year or two older than Gu Yanfei, but now, she looked more than ten years older than her actual age. Her skin was sallow, and she looked haggard. There were wrinkles on her forehead, eyes, and cheeks. Not only was her cheek swollen, but there were also many yellow-brown spots on her face. After being punished, her fate completely changed, and she fell to the bottom. She and the other female members of the Yu clan survived. They were sent 3,000 miles away and worked hard on the northwest border. Three years ago, the former Emperor Chu Qi abdicated the throne in favor of the current Emperor Chu Yi, and with the new Emperor¡¯s ascension came a general amnesty. Yu Chaoyun and the surviving female members of the Yu clan were finally granted clemency. Her uncle, the British Duke, picked her up from the northwest and arranged a marriage for her. The surname ¡°Yu¡± had long become a target everyone despised. The marriage arranged for her by the British Duke was, naturally, not much better. Her husband was just an ordinary merchant in Yuzhou. Yu Chaoyun had also tried to resist, but the British Duke said that if she didn¡¯t marry, she would be sent to a nunnery, where she would spend her life as a recluse, away from the secular world. Therefore, she had no choice but to marry a crude and vulgar merchant who was over a decade older than her, becoming his second wife. She came to the capital this time to greet the British Duke with her husband. The day after tomorrow, they would leave the capital and return to Yuzhou. She wanted to buy a few books for her son before leaving the capital, but she didn¡¯t expect to bump into Gu Yanfei here. Now, she was already worlds apart from Gu Yanfei. Gu Yanfei was in the clouds, the descendant of a dignified country. She was the most honorable woman in the Great Jin Dynasty, while she, Yu Chaoyun, was just mud trampled on by the previous dynasty. Yu Chaoyun couldn¡¯t help but clench her fists tightly, her eyes so dry that they hurt. In the next moment, a six to seven-year-old purple-robed boy walked out of the green carriage beside Gu Yanfei. He had white skin, a clear outline of the nose, beautiful, auspicious phoenix eyes, and beautiful and exquisite facial features. The little person¡¯s movements were elegant and self-controlled, and even the posture of getting out of the carriage seemed to be measured by a ruler. After the boy landed, he turned around and shouted into the carriage, ¡°Sister!¡± A girl in a purple jacket dress placed a hand on the boy¡¯s hand and slowly got out of the carriage on a stool. The young girl and the young boy were of similar height, with nearly identical appearances. The only differences were their hairstyles and clothing styles. When the two children stood hand in hand, they resembled two heavenly children beneath the Goddess of Mercy, exquisitely crafted and resembling carved jade. The appearance of the two children immediately attracted the gazes of more passers-by. ¡°Yun¡¯er!¡± ¡°Zhen¡¯er!¡± Wei Jiaoniang rushed out of the restaurant opposite the bookstore like a gust of wind. Her eyes lit up as she stared at the twins, unable to see Gu Yanfei at all. Wei Jiaoniang¡¯s heart was about to melt. This pair of twins was simply a combination of the merits of Chu Yi and Gu Yanfei. They were beautiful and perfect. ¡°Aunt.¡± The two children bowed to Wei Jiaoniang appropriately and smiled obediently at Gu Yanfei, as if they were saying, ¡®Mother, did we do very well?¡¯ Gu Yanfei smiled in satisfaction and nodded slightly. She and the two children had agreed in advance that when they left the palace to play, they would bow to their elders however they wanted, regardless of whether they were monarchs or subjects. ¡°Be good!¡± Wei Jiaoniang bent down and touched the top of Chu Yun¡¯s head. Then, she touched the top of Chu Zhen¡¯s head and smiled from ear to ear.. Chapter 701 - Chapter 701: Notebook (2) Chapter 701: Notebook (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios At this moment, the waiter from the bookstore quickly walked out and greeted the few of them happily. ¡°Madams, Little Master, Little Miss, do you want to buy books? Please come in.¡± ¡°In our shop, we have a comprehensive collection of books. This includes the Confucian classics, historical and astronomical texts, geography and hydrology materials, Buddhist scriptures, Taoist classics, agricultural and medical books, music scores, and various other works. We have everything you could need.¡± As the waiter spoke confidently, Gu Yanfei and the other three entered the bookstore. On the first floor of the bookstore, four to five scholars were choosing books and reading. The waiter was afraid that the scholars would offend the women, so he hurriedly said, ¡°Madams, you have to go to the second floor. There are few people on the second floor.¡± Wei Jiaoniang also felt that this idea was good and immediately echoed, ¡°Let¡¯s go to the second floor.¡± When the group walked to the stairs, Wei Jiaoniang bent down to carry little Chu Zhen and suggested warmly, ¡°Zhen¡¯er, I¡¯ll carry you up, alright?¡± ¡°Aunt, I¡¯ll walk myself.¡± Chu Zhen shook her head obediently. She pursed her pink petal-like lips and smiled. The jade statue-like little person blinked her black eyes, making one¡¯s heart tremble. Chu Yun hurriedly said, ¡°Aunt, Sister and 1 will walk ourselves.¡± When the two children smiled and looked at Wei Jiaoniang, they were as obedient and cute as they could be. Wei Jiaoniang felt like a little person was screaming in her heart. She really wanted to hug the two children left and right. Wei Jiaoniang sighed in her heart. They were both other people¡¯s children! Her eldest son was a brat that even dogs despised. Every day, he flew into the sky and entered the ground. He was extremely energetic, making her have a headache. She wished she could stuff him back into her stomach and never have a second son again. ¡°Alright, alright, you guys walk yourselves.¡± Wei Jiaoniang let the two children hold the railing of the stairs and slowly went upstairs. She then cast an envious look at Gu Yanfei. Gu Yanfei and Wei Jiaoniang followed behind the twins. The second floor was very spacious. Apart from rows of bookshelves, there were also a few small private rooms. Some people were reading in the private rooms, some were copying books, and some were drinking tea to rest. The twins happily went to look for books themselves. Wei Jiaoniang¡¯s gaze glanced at the twins from time to time, and her gaze was extremely gentle. ¡°Yanfei, why don¡¯t we bring them to the flower and bird market and the horse farm to play after shopping?¡± Wei Jiaoniang thought, ¡®What¡¯s so fun about a bookstore? Its boring: ¡°Next time.¡± Gu Yanfei couldn¡¯t help but laugh. She casually took out a book from the bookshelf and flipped through it. ¡°Once the two of them enter the bookstore, how can they still be willing to come out? It¡¯s not a problem to be here for a day.¡± ¡°Yanfei, your two children are too obedient!¡± Wei Jiaoniang sighed. ¡°My eldest son isn¡¯t good. He¡¯s been hit in the palm by Mister every day in the clan school¡­ My mother even said that he¡¯s like me in this aspect! Hmph, when was 1 so disobedient when I was young?¡± The two of them chatted happily, and their voices clearly reached Yu Chaoyun, who was hiding behind a certain bookshelf. Yu Chaoyun¡¯s nails sank deeply into her soft palm, and her eyes were dark. When Gu Yanfei and the others went upstairs just now, she subconsciously hid, not wanting Gu Yanfei and Wei Jiaoniang to see her. She was afraid to see disdain, sympathy, and even disgust on their faces. She inexplicably remembered the golden necklace inlaid with seven gems that had been crushed by Gu Yanfei. Now, she felt like that crushed golden necklace. Even if she had once shone brightly, she could never return to the past. Yu Chaoyun pinched her palm even harder. Her entire body was cold and numb, and her heart felt like it was soaking in a cold quagmire. It was impossible for her to make a comeback again! Looking at Chu Yun, who was 60 to 70% similar to Chu Yi, and thinking of her three-year-old son¡¯s fat and stupid appearance, a thought clearly and cruelly appeared in Yu Chaoyun¡¯s heart. A dragon gives birth to a dragon, a phoenix gives birth to a phoenix¡­ the child of a snake and a rat was still a snake and rat. A line of hot tears suddenly fell from the corners of her eyes, blurring her vision. Yu Chaoyun¡¯s plump body trembled continuously. She heard the little girl¡¯s soft voice coming from ahead. ¡°Mother.¡± She wiped her tears with her finger and secretly stuck half of her face out from behind the bookshelf. She saw the little Chu Zhen holding an old book with both hands and walking towards Gu Yanfei, smiling like a flower. Chu Yun followed behind the twin sister like a shadow, as if she was her most loyal guardian. ¡°Mother, 1 found a very interesting old book.¡± Little Chu Zhen handed a blue-covered book to Gu Yanfei, her black and white eyes shining.. Chapter 702 - Chapter 702: Notebook (3) Chapter 702: Notebook (3) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Mother, look. This book is very interesting.¡± The six-year-old girl was at an age where she liked to share everything with her mother. If she saw anything beautiful, interesting, or annoying, she had to tell her mother. This scene made Wei Jiaoniang envious and jealous. Her brat was constantly saying ¡°Mother wouldn¡¯t understand.¡± Wei Jiaoniang couldn¡¯t help but think: Perhaps it¡¯s not bad to give my eldest son another sister Then he will have a considerate heart. Wei Jiaoniang chuckled and leaned over to talk to the little girl. ¡°Zhen¡¯er, can 1 take a look too?¡± Chu Zhen smiled shyly and nodded. Her little finger moved on the open page and she said excitedly, ¡°Mother, Aunt, the method written in this book is very interesting. It says that it can brew the purest and strongest wine. Mother, can we go back and try?¡± Gu Yanfei smiled and nodded. Chu Zhen not only liked reading but had a particular fondness for mechanical arts. At her young age, she had already pored over ¡°Heavenly Works¡± multiple times and even crafted items like wooden oxen and flowing horses, sleeve arrows, repeating crossbows, and more with her own hands. Gu Yanfei and Chu Yi had always indulged their children. Apart from the necessary homework, they could learn whatever they wanted. There was even less of a need to talk about the former Emperor, Chu Qi. He couldn¡¯t wait to pluck the moon in the sky for his grandchildren. ¡°Mother, this book also has the method to make sugar¡­¡± Chu Zhen happily flipped to another page. At first, Gu Yanfei didn¡¯t care too much about this book, but when she saw the words in the book clearly, her heart skipped a beat. It was a very familiar handwriting. She had seen the words many times. Gu Yanfei¡¯s pupils moved slightly. With a complicated expression, she said, ¡°Is this book called ¡®Tingzhi Diary¡¯?¡± Chu Zhen blinked in surprise and blurted out, ¡°Mother, how do you know?¡± Gu Yanfei slowly closed the book. The blue book skin was extremely worn out. As expected, the words ¡°Tingzhi Diary¡± were written on it. However, because the book had been around for a long time, the title was slightly damaged. This book actually appeared ¡°again¡± in this way! In her previous life, she accidentally found this ¡°Tingzhi Diary¡± after becoming an adult, but not in this bookstore. At that time, she couldn¡¯t understand what was written in the ¡°Tingzhi Diary¡± until her brother, Gu Yuan, injured his leg and couldn¡¯t walk. Even the imperial physician said that Gu Yuan¡¯s leg was hopeless, but she didn¡¯t give up and tried to go to various bookshops to buy various medical books, medicine books, and miscellaneous books She accidentally discovered the method to brew wine and make sugar in this ¡°Tingzhi Diary¡± and felt that she might be able to use the secret recipe to make a living. She thought that as long as she had the ability to settle down, she could completely leave the Marquis Mansion with her big brother. In her previous life, she was too lonely and easily trusted others. She thought that Yu Chaoyun was her only friend and could be trusted. However, Yu Chaoyun betrayed her and stole the ¡°Tingzhi Diary¡±. Yu Chaoyun even gave the method to make sugar to the British Duchess. The British Duchess opened several shops in the capital in a row and started to sell a large amount of white sugar and cotton candy. These two types of sugar swept through the entire scene. The British Duchess earned a lot of money, but it cut off Gu Yanfei¡¯s only way out. In her previous life, Gu Yanfei hated Yu Chaoyun for betraying her and stabbing her in the back. Deng deng deng¡­ Suddenly, there was the sound of rushing downstairs from the right. Gu Yanfei and Wei Jiaoniang subconsciously looked in the direction of the voice and saw an uneasy back view. A woman in a green coat skirt that was neither new nor old walked down the stairs hurriedly. A wooden hairpin was inserted in her neatly combed round bun. The waiter downstairs shouted nervously, ¡°Madam, be careful downstairs and walk slowly.¡± Yu Chaoyun didn¡¯t dare slow down at all. Instead, she walked even faster, as if she was fleeing. ¡°Eh? This person seems a little familiar¡­¡± Wei Jiaoniang muttered softly, ¡°Have 1 seen her somewhere?¡± She frowned and thought for a moment. She couldn¡¯t remember for a moment, so she gave up. She had seen many people. Wei Jiaoniang retracted her gaze and looked at the ¡°Tingzhi Diary¡± in Gu Yanfei¡¯s hand. Gu Yanfei stared at the staircase steadily. A stream of light flashed in her eyes until the green figure disappeared from her vision. ¡°Mother.¡± Chu Yun stood straight beside Chu Zhen and asked acutely, ¡°You know this book?¡± Chu Zhen¡¯s red face was tilted with curiosity. Even Wei Jiaoniang¡¯s curiosity was aroused. Gu Yanfei swept her gaze across the three curious faces. It was rare for her to leave them hanging. ¡°You¡¯ve also heard of this book.¡± Wei Jiaoniang was at a loss. She repeated ¡°Tingzhi Diary¡± several times, but she still couldn¡¯t remember it. Chu Zhen took the book from her mother and flipped through it page by page, thinking seriously. Chu Yun¡¯s brows twitched as he touched his chin. When Gu Yanfei saw her son¡¯s small action, she smiled in amusement. In the next moment, Chu Yun¡¯s clear gaze met hers. He probed, ¡°Mother, could it be¡­¡± Gu Yanfei nodded with a smile. Wei Jiaoniang was about to scratch her ears and cheeks. She felt that Gu Yanfei had really been led astray by Chu Yi. After obtaining his mother¡¯s affirmation, Chu Yun confidently placed his hands behind her back and said, ¡°Great-great-grandfather Chu Jing wrote it.¡± Wei Jiaoniang blinked and blinked again. She felt as if a bolt of lightning had struck her heart. Not many people knew about Emperor Taizu¡¯s writing. Even Gu Yanfei only knew about it after she married Chu Yi in this lifetime and saw some scribbles left behind by Emperor Taizu in the palace. Wei Jiaoniang immediately felt that the broken book in front of her suddenly became dazzling. This was actually the legendary ¡°Emperor Taizu¡¯s Notebook¡±! Chapter 703 - Chapter 703: Daily Life (1) Chapter 703: Daily Life (1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Because of the appearance of the ¡°Emperor Taizu¡¯s Notebook¡±, Gu Yanfei ended today¡¯s plan in advance. After bidding farewell to Wei Jiaoniang, she brought the twins back to the palace. The two of them didn¡¯t get out of the car either. They sat in the green carriage and went straight to Ningshou Palace on the east road of the palace. Since the abdication ceremony three years ago, the former Emperor, Chu Qi, relocated from the Qianqing Palace to the Ningshou Palace, living a life focused on indulging in sweets and playing with his grandchildren, with no involvement in state affairs. In the first two years, when the ministers occasionally went against the new Emperor¡¯s opinion, they would run to Ningshou Palace to ask the former Emperor to persuade the new Emperor, but the former Emperor didn¡¯t see any of them and didn¡¯t care about power at all. ¡°Father.¡± ¡°Grandpa!¡± After greeting the elders, little Chu Zhen handed the ¡°Emperor Taizu¡¯s Notebook¡± to th former Emperor as if it was a treasure. ¡°This is a gift for you!¡± The little girl looked at their grandfather with admiration. The corners of her mouth curled up, revealing a smile very similar to her mother¡¯s. The former Emperor was old after all. He was already 59 years old this year and was approaching the age of 60. His hair was half black and half white, and there were more wrinkles at the corners of his eyes. However, his face was flushed and he was in high spirits. He even looked better than the two years when he first ascended the throne. ¡°Good child!¡± The former Emperor praised without thinking. Various praises were already on his lips. At this moment, he saw the familiar words on the blue book cover and his hand trembled. The white piece he had just picked up flew out of his hand and landed in the chess box, emitting a clear sound of chess pieces colliding. ¡°This is¡­¡± The former Emperor hurriedly took the book from Chu Zhen¡¯s hand. In his anxiety, his elbow hit the Torreya Wood Chessboard, and the black and white chess pieces on the chessboard were immediately messed up. His eyes were a little wet, and his old hand trembled slightly. His fingers rubbed the book skin repeatedly. A moment later, he took a deep breath and slowly flipped through a few pages. He saw a yellowish-brown medicine stain on a certain page. This was left behind by him when he accidentally knocked over the medicine bowl back then. 30 years ago, when Emperor Taizu was seriously ill, the palace was very chaotic. It was only when Emperor Taizu died that the former Emperor realized that the ¡°Emperor Taizu¡¯s Notebook¡± had disappeared. Along with it was an inner servant serving Emperor Taizu. The former Emperor and Feng Yang immediately sent people to find the eunuch and the letter. The Embroidered Uniform Guards searched the capital for a day and night before finally finding the eunuch, but when the eunuch realized that he couldn¡¯t escape even if he had wings, he took poison and committed suicide. The letter wasn¡¯t found on his corpse. From then on, ¡°Emperor Taizu¡¯s Notebook¡± disappeared. The late Emperor had always felt that Feng Yang was deliberately mystifying things. He thought that Feng Yang had taken away ¡°Emperor Taizu¡¯s Note¡± because she was coveting the throne. And now, the late Emperor and Feng Yang were no longer around. The former Emperor¡¯s heart tightened. ¡°Grandpa, are you very sad?¡± As the little girl¡¯s soft voice entered his ears, a snow-white handkerchief was handed to him. Chu Zhen tiptoed and gently wiped the tears from the corners of the former Emperor¡¯s eyes with a handkerchief. Meeting the little girl¡¯s clean and pure eyes, the sorrow in the former Emperor¡¯s heart was swept away, leaving only a sweet feeling. His granddaughter was really too considerate! ¡°Grandpa isn¡¯t sad,¡± the former Emperor comforted his granddaughter gently. ¡°Grandpa is happy.¡± ¡°I know!¡± Chu Zhen smiled and said, ¡°You¡¯re crying from joy, right?¡± The former Emperor was amused by his granddaughter and laughed out loud. ¡°Slam.¡± At this moment, the crisp sound of a piece being placed sounded. The former Emperor subconsciously looked at the chessboard and saw Chu Yun quickly place the two black pieces on the chessboard without hesitation. ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯ve restored the messy chess game,¡± Chu Yun said meticulously and smiled at the former Emperor. The chess game that had just been accidentally knocked over by the former Emperor was restored to its original appearance by Chu Yun. The former Emperor:¡±¡­¡± The emotions in the former Emperor¡¯s heart were complicated beyond words. There was a trace of pride in them. His eldest grandson was as intelligent as his son when he was young. He had a photographic memory, and the father and son¡¯s personalities were similar. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± The former Emperor cleared his throat dryly and rubbed his grandson¡¯s head. He praised, ¡°Yun¡¯er¡¯s memory is so good.¡± Little Chu Zhen glanced at the chessboard excitedly and said innocently, ¡°Grandpa, you¡¯re about to lose.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The former Emperor nodded helplessly and simply admitted defeat. Chu Yi, who was wearing a moon-white straight shirt, was sitting on the other side of the chessboard. His eyebrows were as black as ink, his eyes were like bright stars, his nose was high, and there was a hint of nobility in his elegance. The facial features of the young man who was 26 or 27 years old were clear. He was extremely handsome, and he looked more heroic and stable than when he was 17 or 18 years old.. Chapter 704 - Chapter 704: Daily Life (2) Chapter 704: Daily Life (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The light of the setting sun gently shone on him, and his black hair reflected a layer of light. ¡°I can¡¯t win against Father either.¡± The glutinous rice ball-like girl looked at Chu Yi and then at the former Emperor. She said with sorrow, ¡°1 can¡¯t even win against Brother.¡± She patted the former Emperor¡¯s hand comfortingly and stuffed a piece of her favorite preserved fruit into his mouth. ¡°Grandpa, eat the preserved fruit. You won¡¯t be sad after eating the preserved fruit.¡± The former Emperor smiled in satisfaction and asked about what the little girl was going to play today. The little girl happily talked about how they searched for books in the bookstore and how they found this ¡°Tingzhi Diary¡±. In the end, she said, ¡°Grandpa, Mother promised to use the method written inside to make wine with me. When I¡¯m done, 1¡¯11 treat you to a drink, alright?¡± ¡°Alright, alright, alright!¡± The former Emperor replied repeatedly. He was extremely pampered by his granddaughter and thought to himself that the little girl was really filial. She thought of him first when she had good things. He openly showed off to Chu Yi. The grandfather and granddaughter laughed continuously, having endless things to say. In the end, the little girl was still young. She went out to play again today and didn¡¯t talk for a while before getting tired. She covered her mouth and yawned continuously, her eyes sleepy. ¡°Yun¡¯er, accompany your sister to the green gauze cabinet to rest. During dinner, Grandpa will wake you up to eat together, alright?¡± The former Emperor coaxed the two children. Chu Yun was actually also tired, but he forced himself to hold on. After hearing what his grandfather said, he agreed like a responsible elder brother. That little adult look made the adults present unable to help but laugh. After the two children fell asleep, the former Emperor also went to his chambers with the excuse that he was tired. Chu Yi and Gu Yanfei looked at each other and smiled. They knew very well that the former Emperor just wanted them to be alone. ¡°Let¡¯s take a walk in the back garden.¡± Under Chu Yi¡¯s suggestion, the couple went for a walk in the backyard of Ningshou Palace. This backyard was specially constructed for the former Emperor. It might not be as extensive as the imperial garden, but it can be considered a small yet complete oasis. The sun was setting in the west, and a breeze slowly blew. Clusters of beautiful summer flowers bloomed into clusters, and the fragrance of flowers floated. A few dragonflies lit the lotus leaves. The surroundings were silent. Apart from the two of them, there didn¡¯t seem to be anyone else in the huge garden. Chu Yi pulled Gu Yanfei to a pavilion. Gu Yanfei sat down, but she wasn¡¯t in a hurry to sit. She took out a pair of silver earrings from her sleeve and personally put it on her earlobe. The white jade orchid earring carved from goat fat white jade was exactly the same as Gu Yanfei¡¯s white jade silver hairpin. The two were clearly a set. ¡°Is it beautiful?¡± Gu Yanfei touched the exquisite earring on her earlobe. Her little face tilted and she looked at him with a smile. It was unknown if she was talking about people or accessories. ¡°Yes!¡± Chu Yi nodded with a smile. He sat down and hugged her in his arms. Gu Yanfei naturally snuggled against his broad chest and rubbed her cheek on his shoulder like a cat, her gaze as bright as stars. Even though he was busy with government affairs now, he still made accessories for her from time to time. She liked to wear the accessories he made the most every day. He was really very good. Gu Yanfei raised her head, and her cherry lips landed gently on his eyelids, expressing her love with her actions. Chu Yi quickly turned the tables¡­ The warm evening wind at dusk was a little cold. It gently blew their hair and intertwined with each other. After an unknown period of time, his burning lips left hers. He gently kissed the top of her head and said in a low voice, ¡°Yesterday, Yun¡¯er and Zhen¡¯er said that they wanted to personally polish a set of chess pieces and give them to you on their birthday.¡± ¡°If you see them polishing chess pieces recently, pretend you don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Gu Yanfei was slightly stunned. Every year, on the birthday of the twins, Chu Yi would not only prepare a birthday gift for the children, but also a gift for her. Later, the twins saw how heart-pounding it was when their aunt gave birth, so from then on, each year, they would send her a handmade gift on their birthdays, just like Chu Yi did. Last year, it was a compass, and the year before, they made four clay figurines¡­ As Gu Yanfei thought about it, her heart softened, as if it was filled with honey. Before meeting Chu Yi, she had never enjoyed the joy of family. In this small world, she had never seen Gu Ce and Madam Xie. In the lifetime of the Bright Spirit Realm, she also had no parents.. Chapter 705 - Chapter 705: Daily Life (3) Chapter 705: Daily Life (3) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Attas Studios When she was pregnant with this pair of twins, she was very afraid for a period of time. She was afraid that she wouldn¡¯t be a good mother. Even when she encountered the lightning tribulation in the Bright Spirit Realm, she had never been so afraid. He told her that he had a good father, so he knew how to be a good father. That was enough. At that time, she felt that it was both funny and seemed to make sense. Chu Yi¡¯s father was undoubtedly a good father. He had taught Chu Yi and An Le very well. After the twins were born, Chu Yi also fulfilled his original promise with his actions. He looked gentle and elegant on the surface, but he was actually quite arrogant deep down. He had always been self-centered. He never cared about the saying ¡°A wise man holds his grandchild, not his child,¡± and he paid no attention to etiquette and rules. When Gu yYanfei was giving birth, he disregarded the impurities and taboos and stayed with her in the delivery room, and he was the one who held the twins as they grew up. No matter how busy he was, he would take time every day to play and talk to the two children. He personally enlightened the two children and liked to play with them. He would even whisper to them. After a few years, even the ministers were used to the twins appearing in the morning court and the imperial study from time to time. Day after day, the twins learned to imitate their father, including being good to her. ¡°Mother, this pastry is delicious, fragrant, and sweet.¡± ¡°Mother, the lotus flowers in the pond have bloomed. Let¡¯s go take a look.¡± ¡°Mother, do you want me to massage your shoulders?¡± ¡°Mother, 1¡¯11 play chess with you!¡± H H Gu Yanfei had already resolved the inner demon of her previous life eight years ago, but she still had some regrets in her heart. Her father, Gu Ce, was an eternal regret in her heart. As the twins grew up little by little, she was really relieved. If she had grown up beside her father, she, Big Brother, and her father¡¯s family would be like them, right? Her father would personally enlighten her, teach her martial arts, teach her how to conduct herself, and set an example for her to learn how to raise her child¡­ ¡°Chu Yi.¡± She gently called Chu Yi¡¯s baby name, stared into his eyes, and said sincerely, ¡°You¡¯re so good.¡± Humans were always greedy. She wasn¡¯t as carefree as she usually was. When she had just been reborn, she only wanted to resolve her inner demons, change her brother¡¯s fate, and avenge her father. But now, she hoped that she could be with Chu Yi for the rest of her life. She was becoming more and more greedy. Chu Yi lowered his eyes and stared at her. His brows relaxed, and his gaze was gentle. Gu Yanfei had clearly said it without rhyme or reason, but he seemed to have understood. There was unconcealable joy and smugness between his eyebrows. Joy overflowed from the corners of his eyes, impossible to contain. He chuckled softly and kissed Gu Yanfei¡¯s slightly swollen cherry lips. He said with a hint of mockery, ¡°Am I that good?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She buried her face in his arms, her voice sounding low. She hugged his thin waist tightly and listened to his strong heartbeat. This was her third life, and she had only encountered him. It was her good fortune to be able to meet him! In a long, long time, at the moment before his death, she would tell him all of this. There was no hurry now. They still had the next 50 years. Gu Yanfei curled her lips and hid in his arms as she chuckled. After a while, she felt his lips kiss the top of her head lovingly. His lips gradually moved down from her forehead, cheek, lips, chin, and neck¡­ She felt a burning sensation in the base of her neck, spreading like a warm fire, slowly spreading to her entire body. His breathing gradually became heavier, and she couldn¡¯t tell if it was hers or his. ¡°Yan Fei, we¡­¡± Hot air brushed past her ears. His voice was a little hoarse, low, and hot. Before he could finish speaking, a familiar cat cry came from afar. ¡°Meow¡­¡± A long-haired calico cat leaped over the flowers and quickly rushed towards them. Qing Guang rushed in front of them and even tried its best to bite Gu Yanfei¡¯s skirt with its sharp teeth, as if it wanted to take her somewhere. ¡°Meow, meow, meow, meow!¡± The cat kept meowing at them excitedly, its green cat eyes wide open, as if it was complaining or righteously angry. Chu Yi calmed his breathing and raised his head from her neck, looking down at the cat. Gu Yanfei also looked down at the cat. ¡°I don¡¯t understand!¡± the two of them said in unison. The cat exploded in anger and howled. The two of them quickly knew what was going on. Not far away, a middle-aged eunuch panted as he chased after the cat and ran over, shouting, ¡°Your Majesty, Her Majesty.¡± ¡°The Eldest Princess just woke up. She seems to be in a nightmare. After waking up, she kept crying and calling for Your Majesty. The former Emperor and His Highness Qing Guang couldn¡¯t coax her no matter what.¡± As the eunuch reported, Qing Guang continued to meow. It felt that it, a cat, was really worried about this family. ¡°¡­¡± Chu Yi sighed helplessly. He felt that his plan tonight wouldn¡¯t work. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He held Gu Yanfei¡¯s hand and stood up, his palm burning. The cat followed them like a shadow. Under the setting sun, the two of them and the cat walked leisurely in the direction of Ningshou Palace. The afterglow of the setting sun filled the sky with colorful clouds. It was soul-stirringly beautiful. (End of Side Chapter 4) Chapter 706 - Chapter 706: Sober (1) Chapter 706: Sober (1) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios In the third year of Chu Yi¡¯s rule, in the northwest region of Liangzhou. The northwestern sun in August was hot, and the rolling heat waves in the air made it difficult to breathe. The strong wind howled continuously, sweeping up countless broken leaves and sand. The air in the northwest seemed to be gray. The wind and sand accidentally blinded him. Li Yunrong felt a sharp pain in his finger. She looked down and saw a half-inch-long wound on the finger of her left middle finger. Dazzling blood flowed out of the wound and dripped to the ground. ¡°Madam.¡± The maidservant, Xia Lian, exclaimed nervously. She hurriedly pressed a handkerchief on the wound on Li Yunrong¡¯s finger. After the bleeding stopped, Xia Lian asked with a complicated expression, ¡°Madam, is there something on your mind recently?¡± For the past few days, Li Yunrong had been rather unlucky. The day before yesterday, the flower rack in the garden collapsed and hit her shoulder. Yesterday, she sprained her foot. Today, she cut her finger again. Xia Lian had served Li Yunrong for many years and knew that Li Yunrong¡¯s luck had always been very good. She could always turn danger into safety. Things only started to change about nine years ago. For half a month, she was also as unlucky as recently. One moment, she fell, the next, she was shocked, and the next, she was accidentally injured¡­ Xia Lian still remembered that, at that time, Li Yunrong was still living in the Dingyuan Marquis Household of the Marquis Mansion. At that time, she had a big fight with the Eldest Lady and the Second Lady. Thinking about the capital now, Xia Lian felt like she was in a dream, as if it was something from her previous life. Li Yunrong looked at the blood on the ground as if she had heard nothing. Her thoughts returned to the scenes of blood dyeing the imperial mausoleum eight years ago¡­ At this moment, the old woman¡¯s report came from outside the curtain. ¡°Madam, Master is back. He¡¯s waiting for you in the front courtyard. He wants to talk to you.¡± Li Yunrong recovered from her memories and hurriedly stood up. Xia Lian smiled and reminded her, ¡°Madam, it¡¯s Young Master Fang¡¯s birthday in two days.¡± Every time she thought of Fang Mingfeng, Xia Lian sighed in her heart. Fang Mingfeng was really too good to Madam. Back then, when Chu You rebelled, he was captured by the former Emperor and his son in the imperial mausoleum. In the end, Chu You was sentenced to death by the former Emperor. As for Xiao Fengyuan, Wang Kangyin, Yuan Zhe, and the other masterminds who rebelled with Chu You, they were all sentenced to be beheaded. The former Emperor was benevolent and only sentenced the families of those guilty officials to exile 3,000 miles away. Li Yunrong¡¯s title as the Princess Consort was taken away, but she survived. On the way to Liaodong, Fang Mingfeng saved her from the officer. For the sake of Li Yunrong, Fang Mingfeng gave up his identity as the heir of the British Duke and came to the northwest with her incognito. The two of them pretended to be a married couple in this small town. In the blink of an eye, eight years passed. Fang Mingfeng had waited for Li Yunrong for eight years and had always adhered to etiquette. Xia Lian had tactfully persuaded Li Yunrong many times, hoping that she could forget about Chu You and start over¡­ Time is a soothing balm for healing wounds, and it was only recently that Li Yunrong began to show signs of softening. This time, she even embroidered a purse as a birthday gift for Fang Mingfeng. Everything would be fine. Xia Lian thought happily in her heart. When Madam gave birth to a son and a daughter for Young Master Fang in the future, the past in the capital would be completely over. Li Yunrong grunted softly. He had waited for her for eight years. Of course, she was also touched¡­ Li Yunrong slowly walked out of the room. The corners of her mouth curled up slightly, and her eyes were bright. This was a two-in-one courtyard. It was naturally incomparable to the Marquis Mansion and Kang Wang¡¯s residence in the past, but after living here for eight years, she gradually became used to it. She had never been a pampered person. In the courtyard, a few golden cinnamon trees were planted. At this moment, the osmanthus flowers were in full bloom, and the air was filled with the fragrance of osmanthus flowers. The fragrance was strong, and when one walked too close, it made one feel stuffy. After passing through the flower door, Li Yunrong saw Fang Mingfeng standing quietly under a golden laurel tree. He was wearing a sky-green straight shirt that was neither new nor old. His facial features were deep, and his tanned skin was slightly rough. He couldn¡¯t hide the fatigue in his body. He was like a different person from the once noble and proud son of the British Duke. The shadow under the tree crown above covered his face, making his expression a little deep. ¡°Mingfeng.¡± Li Yunrong called out softly. She looked at Fang Mingfeng, who was 20 to 30 feet away, and frowned slightly, resisting the pain in her ankle. Last night, she accidentally twisted her ankle. Her right ankle was still a little red and swollen. Fang Mingfeng stared intently at Li Yunrong, who was walking over from the flower door. He pursed his thin lips and didn¡¯t say anything for a long time.. Chapter 707 - Chapter 707: Sober (2) Chapter 707: Sober (2) Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios His gaze went from her curved eyebrows to her long feather eyelashes, to her shallow dimples, to her full cherry lips. He looked at her without blinking, his eyes as deep as the night. She was very beautiful. He had always known this, but now, he felt that the woman in front of him gave him a familiar but unfamiliar feeling. Fang Mingfeng covered his chest, and his dark eyes darkened. ¡°Mingfeng, why are you looking for me?¡± Li Yunrong walked slowly toward Fang Mingfeng with a faint smile on her lips. Fang Mingfeng clenched his fists tightly in his sleeves and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°1 received a letter from the capital this morning. My father has officially designated the heir.¡± Eight years ago, from the moment he brought Li Yunrong away, Fang Mingfeng knew that this moment would come sooner or later. After the Yu family¡¯s case, his father, the British Duke, Fang Huairui, divorced his wife and remarried seven years ago. Now, his legitimate second son, Fang Mingxing, was already six years old. Since Fang Huairui had changed his behavior, it also meant that he had completely given up on his eldest son, Fang Mingfeng. There was no room for negotiation. ¡°Mingfeng.¡± Li Yunrong took two steps closer to Fang Mingfeng, unable to hide the guilt on her beautiful face. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to look for you today.¡± Fang Mingfeng reached out and interrupted Li Yunrong. He said indifferently, ¡°I¡¯m here to bid you farewell.¡± There was silence. Li Yunrong:¡±¡­¡± Li Yunrong was stunned for a moment. She immediately thought of the change in the heir of the British Duke and said, ¡°Mingfeng, you want to go to the capital¡­¡± However, Fang Mingfeng shook his head and smiled bitterly in his heart. He said bitterly, ¡°How can I have the face to return to the capital? 1 plan to go to Jiangnan and start over.¡± Back then, he didn¡¯t want Li Yunrong to go to the border to suffer, and he had snatched her away during the exile. The mistake had been made, and he couldn¡¯t turn back. Fang Mingfeng walked slowly under the tree with his hands behind his back. Then, he stopped in front of Li Yunrong and said, ¡°In the future, take care.¡± The meaning of the last five words was obvious. He was here to bid farewell to Li Yunrong. After he left this time, he would never return. Li Yunrong looked at Fang Mingfeng in disbelief. Her pupils dilated, as if something had ruthlessly stabbed into her heart, and the blood in her body stopped flowing. She panicked. Fang Mingfeng and her were childhood sweethearts. For so many years, no matter what happened, he had always been by her side, but now, he was actually going to leave her¡­ Xia Lian, who was beside him, also heard this conversation. She asked nervously, ¡°Young Master Fang, are you leaving our lady here alone?¡± Li Yunrong¡¯s mouth opened and closed a few times, but her throat and hair were tight, and she couldn¡¯t say a word. The fragrance of cinnamon lingering on the tip of her nose was so strong that it made her suffocate. At this moment, Li Yunrong¡¯s mind was in a mess, and her emotions were even more complicated. Even she didn¡¯t know if she was reluctant, shocked, or uneasy. ¡°Mingfeng.¡± She tried to call his name calmly and wanted to pull his sleeve, but Fang Mingfeng agilely dodged. The panic in Li Yunrong¡¯s eyes was taken in by him. Fang Mingfeng looked at the girl who had grown up with him in front of him and felt calm. In the past, as long as he looked at her like this, his heart would beat faster. He only wanted to pull her into his arms and protect her for the rest of his life. The thought of losing her made his heart hurt. He loved her, treasured her like a treasure, and loved her like his life. But in the past few days, he seemed to have woken up from a long dream bit by bit. He was suddenly enlightened. At this moment, he looked at her and no longer felt tempted. How could he be willing to admit that he was stupid? But over the years, what he had done was indeed extremely stupid. Li Yunrong had clearly chosen Chu You long ago and married him as his wife, but Fang Mingfeng was stubborn. He even didn¡¯t hesitate to abandon his family and give up the position of heir for Li Yunrong, leaving him alone and solitary. He felt that he seemed to have been bewitched by something, or that he was being played by some power. Back then, his father had advised him many times to give up on Li Yunrong, using both soft and hard methods. He said that Li Yunrong was restless and selfish, but he was stubborn. He defended Li Yunrong time and time again and told his father that he did everything for Li Yunrong willingly¡­ How could he still have the face to go back and see his father? What exactly had he been doing all these years? Fang Mingfeng smiled self-deprecatingly. He closed his eyes. When he opened them again, there was no emotion in them. The depths of his eyes were like an empty lake, devoid of liking or disgust. He only said calmly, ¡°I¡¯ll leave this house to you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Li Yunrong¡¯s face turned pale, and her entire body turned cold. She wanted to say that she didn¡¯t need this house, but she couldn¡¯t say it. She knew that she needed a safe place to stay. After Chu You died, she had nothing. The Li family wasn¡¯t her family at all. She only had Fang Mingfeng. And now, even Fang Mingfeng was leaving her. Li Yunrong bit her lower lip so hard that it almost bled. Her fingers began to bleed again, dyeing the bandage red. Her life had once been like that blooming peony flower, beautiful and fragrant, but from a certain day onwards, her life suddenly took a sharp turn, as if the flowering period had ended early. Now, there was only loneliness after it withered. She lost everything bit by bit¡­ Xia Lian was so anxious that she was covered in sweat. She kneeled down and took two steps forward. She hurriedly said, ¡°Young Master Fang, Madam¡­¡± Xia Lian wanted to tell Fang Mingfeng that Li Yunrong had prepared a birthday gift for him, but she was interrupted by Li Yunrong. ¡°Xia Lian!¡± Li Yunrong stared at Xia Lian with red eyes. Her body tensed up, indicating for her to stop talking. In order to persuade men to stay, many women in this world kneeled and begged, thinking that tears could be exchanged for men¡¯s pity. However, she refused to do it, and she disdained such actions. She was a transmigrator like Emperor Taizu. She had her pride. ¡°Take care.¡± After saying this, Fang Mingfeng quickly walked past Li Yunrong, pushed open the door of the house, and walked out without looking back. A dazzling sun hung in the sky, and the sunlight stretched his determined shadow. There was a suffocating silence inside and outside the house. (End of story)