Chapter 47 With Me Here, She Didn't Want Him to Suffer.

This is Yu Wenxue's first return since she ran away from the Gu family last time.

She touched the amulet around her neck, hoping that her grandparents in heaven could protect her and those she wanted to protect.

"Snow Girl, it's been a long time."

The old lady, leaning on her cane, moved extremely slowly. She walked leisurely, gestured for Yu Wenxue to sit down, and asked, "I heard you were abducted by kidnappers. Were you injured?"

Yu Wenxue wasn't good at dealing with this kind of person, so she shook her head and said dismissively, "It's alright, I'm lucky."

The old lady suppressed her smile and couldn't help but sneer, "These days the world is not peaceful. For a girl like you to be abducted... it will inevitably damage your reputation. No good young man would ever look at you."

Yu Wenxue laughed and said, "If you don't like him, then find a son-in-law to live with you?"

"You child, how could you tell a joke..." The old lady took a sip of tea, her shrewd triangular eyes unable to stop her from looking him up and down.

That face, if it belonged to someone obedient, could truly be used by her, but alas…

"Why don't you go back to your hometown with your parents and marry a wealthy widower?"

Yu Wenxue decided to play dumb: "What is 'jarred tofu'? Is it edible? Is it similar to fermented bean curd? Is it fermented bean curd in a jar?"

A barrage of questions, like a string of pearls, caught the old lady off guard, and she nearly spat out her tea: "This..."

Seeing this, the old woman beside her quickly handed her a handkerchief and tried to cover for her, saying, "The old lady is only doing this for the young lady's own good. Those farmers are strong and capable, and they already have children to call them 'mother,' saving the hardship of childbirth. The young lady is sure to enjoy a life of ease after marrying into their families!"

Yu Wenxue suddenly realized, slapping her thigh: "So the old lady is lovesick! It's already summer, how come she's only starting to have feelings now..."

"..."

"However, if you want to get married, that's fine too. You've been a widow for so many years, it's time to find a companion. You'll look good in your old age, and a farmer will definitely take good care of you!"

"...I'm tired, Xue'er, please make yourself at home." The old lady's face flushed red, and she was furious. She made a move to get up and leave.

Yu Wenxue continued, "You're getting old, and you won't have to bear the hardships of childbirth after you marry into the family. After all, you might want to... but you're not strong enough..."

The old lady gritted her teeth, almost dropping her cane. As she stepped out the door, she gave the old woman beside her a look.

The old woman understood immediately and turned to go to another room.

A wisp of warm incense burned in the incense burner, making one feel drowsy.

Yu Wenxue propped her chin up, yawned, thought for a moment, and then got up to put out the incense.

Even so, her eyelids remained heavy, she was so sleepy she could barely keep her eyes open, and gradually lost her strength, slumping onto the table and drifting into a daze...

*

The main hall of the Marquis's residence.

Gu Rongting stood solemnly to the side, watching the palace eunuch, who was all smiles and fawning, deliver wave after wave of rewards.

Having just been angered, the old lady's expression was not very good, but she still managed a smile when receiving the imperial decree, saying, "This old lady thanks Your Majesty."

The eunuch whispered in her ear, "Madam, don't forget the Emperor's things..."

The old lady understood immediately.

After the palace staff left, she immediately changed her tune and said coldly, "Rong Ting, today is your birthday and also the anniversary of your father's death. Why isn't your brother here?"

Gu Rongting said without much emotion, "Xun Han is busy with official duties, so it's understandable that he can't spare the time."

The old lady clicked her tongue and said, "You're quite something. You resigned from your official post without saying a word, and now you don't even call me 'Grandmother' anymore."

“Once the anniversary of your father’s death has passed, your grandson will continue to send you back to the estate to recuperate.”

Just as the old lady was about to say something more, several highly respected elders from the Gu family's collateral branches arrived to visit.

Inside the Gu family ancestral hall, Gu Rongting knelt on the ground with his back straight.

The old lady chatted and laughed with several elders beside her. In her youth, she was a famous opera singer with excellent eloquence. In the blink of an eye, she poured out her bitterness, openly and subtly accusing the Gu family of having two ungrateful wretches.

“My beloved grandson, Sanlang, died young, and Silang is now bedridden. There is no place for me in the Marquis’s mansion anymore…”

Standing beside him was an elderly man with a white beard, the younger brother of the deceased patriarch and the current head of the Gu family.

Upon hearing this, we immediately pressed Gu Rongting for an answer: "Resigning from your official post is your business, and we as elders should not interfere. However, you have taken it upon yourself to divide the family property and sent the old lady to live on the estate. This is unkind, unjust, and unfilial!"

Upon hearing this, Gu Rongting simply smiled faintly: "If my younger brother can stay here, why can't my grandmother?"

"In fact, my brother and I are closer. Even an eight-year-old child can adapt to that environment. Are you not even as good as a child?"

The clan chief had never heard Gu Rongting speak in such a sarcastic tone before. He was so angry that his eyes went blurry. He slammed his cane on the ground and roared, "You!"

"It's so lively here."

The young man arrived as the sun set, his handsome face backlit by the sunlight, exuding an undeniable aura of pressure.

Gu Rongting smiled with relief, then, as if remembering something, his smile froze on his lips as he called out, "Xunhan, you've come."

Gu Yun Shen didn't answer, but raised an eyebrow slightly and walked straight into the ancestral hall under the astonished gazes of the crowd.

The ancestral hall was solemn and dignified, and although it was bathed in sunlight, it exuded a chilling coldness.

He bowed and offered three sticks of incense to the memorial tablet of the deceased Lord Gu, his movements meticulous and flawless.

The old lady's lips twitched, and her face turned ashen.

Gu Rongting clenched his fists, stood up and said to the elders of the Gu family, "I have something I want to say to Xun Han alone. Please excuse me, uncles."

The clan chief hesitated for a moment, then simply shook his head and led the others away.

The ancestral hall fell silent.

Gu Yunshen asked first, "What do you want to say?"

Gu Rongting held a dagger and slashed his own arm: "Today, in front of the ancestors of the Gu family, I am willing to apologize for everything my mother did to you."

Gu Yun Shen became interested. Looking at the blood flowing continuously from Gu Rong Ting's arm, he smiled and said, "Alright."

"In that case, why not just cut off the other arm as well?"

Gu Rongting's face turned pale with pain, and sweat poured from his forehead. "As long as it can atone for my sins, I..."

“My lord, there was a familiar-looking girl outside just now who claimed to be your cousin.”

Gu Rongting stopped what he was doing, his lips almost completely white, and turned to look at Gu Yunshen, asking weakly, "Did my cousin come with you?"

Gu Yun Shen neither confirmed nor denied it, "Where is she now?"

His fingers kept turning the sword tassel in his hand, which Yu Wenxue had made for him.

He thought about it for a moment, then took it off and put it inside his chest.

It wouldn't be good if it got dirty later.

The gatekeeper replied, "The old lady took her to the front hall... However, I noticed that the young lady wasn't with her just now, and I was afraid she might have something important to discuss with you, so I came to inform her."

Gu Rongting leaned against a pillar, looking weak and powerless, and said, "Go find her first."

No sooner had he finished speaking than a heavy thud was heard as Gu Rongting coughed up blood and collapsed to the ground.

The gatekeeper cried out in alarm, "Help! The Marquis has vomited blood!"

Just then, the old lady suddenly appeared and pounced on him, shouting, "It's you again, you jinx! You poisoned him, didn't you!"

More than a dozen servants rushed over from all directions and surrounded Gu Yun Shen.

"interesting."

The technique was as clumsy as ever.

Gu Yun Shen chuckled softly: "Instead of checking if he's dead or not, you're blaming me first?"

The old lady roared, "What are you all standing there for? Arrest this madman who killed his brother and father!"

A gust of wind swept by, and the ancestral hall's main gate was suddenly slammed shut, revealing a faint orange-red glow.

...

Back in her room, the old lady leaned against the chaise lounge, her brow furrowed slightly: "Success or failure hinges on this moment; now it all depends on the abilities of these good-for-nothings."

"Madam, those servants were all desperados picked up from the mass grave. Even if this second young master has extraordinary abilities, he can't fight against so many people."

"Are you really planning to kill him?"

"Ha, he deserves to die! If it weren't for him, how could my grandson have become a cripple!" Having vented her anger, the old lady narrowed her eyes, carefully pondering the words the emperor had sent to the eunuch.

"The fire at the villa was started by the Emperor himself. If he really cared about this child, why would he be so ruthless?"

The old lady snorted coldly: "He clearly doesn't want to leave a stain on his record and just wants to eliminate any potential problems. Why don't we grant his wish?"

"It's all because of him that Huaisheng has become this inhuman, ghostly figure!"

Her heart aches whenever she thinks of Gu Huaisheng.

She lost her husband early in life, her son in middle age, and even her grandson couldn't escape tragedy in her later years...

"This old servant disagrees. The current Crown Prince is frail and sickly, and the Prince is notoriously dissolute. What if the Emperor suddenly remembers that he has such a child? I'm afraid..."

Before he could finish speaking, a strange noise came from the bed.

The old lady waved her hand, signaling the others to be quiet.

Suddenly, Chen Yuru, wielding a dagger, angrily lunged at the old lady, shouting, "Old hag, take my life!"

"Someone come here!" The old lady was old and her physical strength was naturally not as good as that of the young Chen Yuru. In the chaos, her arm was chopped several times.

The old lady grabbed Chen Yuru's hand and shoved her to the ground. "You're still alive?"

"Of course I want to live. How can I seek revenge on you if I don't live?"

The two women were fighting, and the old woman, who was standing by trying to break them up, accidentally knocked over the wardrobe and fell to the ground.

The old lady didn't save her. She grabbed Chen Yuru's head and slammed it against the corner of the dressing table. Chen Yuru's head was bleeding profusely, and she fell to the ground unconscious.

The door was quickly kicked open from the outside.

The old lady was overjoyed, but before she could retract her excitement, it turned into fear.

The black-clad youth, his face dripping with blood, was holding a long sword and walking towards her step by step, his sword aimed directly at her throat.

"A bunch of useless trash!"

Even though she was panicking inside, she maintained a calm exterior. "This is the Gu family home. Do you think you can get away unscathed after killing me?"

Gu Yunshen sneered, "From the moment I stepped into this place, I never thought of leaving unscathed."

"Good child, let's talk this out. You... you remember now, don't you?" The old lady swallowed hard, her voice trembling. "I know where your biological father is. Put down your sword, and I'll tell you, okay?"

"Tell me the truth quickly, I really want to know." Gu Yun Shen replied cooperatively, "Did you think I would say that?"

"I……"

"Unfortunately, I have absolutely no interest in that person, after all..." Gu Yun Shen curled his lips, "He's only interested in your pills, isn't he?"

The old lady was stunned: "So you knew everything..."

"The most painful way to destroy a person is not through death, but by making them live without hope." Gu Yunshen turned the sword around and with a light flick, cut off the old lady's hair.

"Ah!" The old lady's hair came undone, and she slumped to the ground, a gushing liquid seeping from her lower body, soaking her dark dress.

“Where should I cut next? Let me think…” Gu Yun Shen turned around in front of her and then cut her chin.

"Words easily lead to trouble, so why not... cut off your tongue?"

"I beg you, I beg you..." The old lady lost control of her bladder, her legs went weak and she couldn't stand up. Tears and snot mingled as she knelt and kowtowed: "I'm sorry to you and your son, I'm sorry to you, but I didn't start that fire back then..."

"Tsk, did I mention arson?" Gu Yunshen said knowingly, "However, I did give you a piece of the pie."

"You're a madman, you're a madman..."

The horrific screams attracted the attention of many people, who rushed towards the sound.

Gu Rongting dragged his ailing body through the door and was greeted by the sight of the old lady being held at swordpoint.

I was so anxious and stressed these past few days that I fainted in a moment of panic. I only came to my senses after hearing about the fire at the ancestral hall.

Memories flooded back like a tide. He rubbed his aching temples and said, "Xun Han, she..."

No matter what I said, I couldn't bring myself to offer any words of persuasion. Just like my cousin once said, no one can forgive another person on their behalf.

Oh, right, my cousin...

He asked, "Where's my cousin? Isn't she with you?"

Gu Yun Shen's arm holding the sword trembled for a moment, but quickly returned to normal.

Although the old lady was startled, she unexpectedly noticed this detail.

She steadied herself and moved closer to Chen Yuru, who had fainted beside her.

"Xun Han, I know I have no right to forgive on your behalf." Gu Rongting lowered his head, his shoulders trembling slightly. "If you can, please let her go and let me take this sword strike, okay?"

What makes you think I'd negotiate with you?

"Just because we're brothers." Gu Rongting's eyes reddened as he tried to find some traces of his past in the boy in front of him, who was much taller than him.

But when he looked around, he discovered that his younger brother, who used to play with crickets with him when he was little, was gone.

Gu Yun Shen laughed, but there was a hint of bitterness in his smile, as if he were being controlled and pulled by an invisible thread. "This is the funniest joke I've ever heard."

The fire at the ancestral hall was extinguished, but none of the ten servants survived. The remaining clansmen arrived one after another and witnessed the tragedy.

Gu Yunshen looked around and, finding no sign of Yu Wenxue, extended his longsword another inch forward and asked, "Where is she?"

"Who is it? I don't know what you're talking about!"

"There's no one in the front hall, where did you hide her?"

The old lady hid the dagger on the ground: "It wasn't me, I didn't know..."

"I'm here!" Yu Wenxue quickly squeezed to the front of the crowd, waved vigorously, and showed that nothing had happened to her.

"Then I'll leave you a whole corpse." Gu Yun Shen swung his sword forcefully, moving it away from the old lady's ear and instead shaving off the other half of her hair.

"Wen Xue, could you go and try to persuade him?" Gu Rongting's lips drooped, and it looked like he had been crying for a long time.

The others present also realized the importance of this girl to Gu Yunshen, and they all echoed, "Girl, saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda."

"Even if the old lady has really done something wrong, please spare her life, considering her advanced age!"

"Yes, young lady..."

The crowd chimed in, practically putting Yu Wenxue on the hot seat. It seemed that if she didn't intervene, she would become an accomplice, finding herself in a dilemma.

Gu Yun Shen didn't look at her, but the slight twitching of his ear tips betrayed his uncertain state of mind.

Yu Wenxue stared at him for a long time before slowly asking, "Has anyone apologized to him?"

The clan chief stroked his white beard and sighed, "Where did this little girl come from, acting so aggressively? I am more than twice the age of both of you combined, and you keep asking us to apologize? It's a joke!"

"Does apology have anything to do with age?" Yu Wenxue looked coldly at the elderly people in the room, feeling extremely ironic: "Can old age be used as a get-out-of-jail-free card? Even if you do something wrong, you won't be willing to admit your mistakes, let alone apologize, is that it?"

"Wen Xue..." Gu Rongting hesitated, opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing.

Yu Wenxue ignored him, pushed through the crowd, and walked step by step to Gu Yunshen's side, facing him.

The old lady looked at her with hope: "Xue'er, if I hadn't brought you to the capital back then, I'm afraid you would have been sold to a brothel by your good-for-nothing parents!"

Yu Wenxue paused in her steps.

The old lady sensed a glimmer of hope and added fuel to the fire, saying, "Do you know why they agreed to sell you? Because you weren't their biological child at all; you were adopted!"

"So they abandoned you on the estate and didn't care whether you lived or died!"

"Tell him to let me go, and I'll take you to find your biological parents, okay? Don't you want to know where your family is..."

But she had no family left.

Yu Wenxue thought.

Gu Yunshen suppressed his intense desire. He knew she hated the smell of blood and didn't want to do anything in front of her.

Now that things have come to this, I have no choice but to go back and beg for her forgiveness...

Thinking of this, he increased the pressure, leaving a long, bloody mark on the old lady's neck.

Seeing that he was distracted, the old lady acted decisively, pulled out a dagger, and stabbed Gu Yunshen in the heart.

Just as everyone's attention was focused on the group, and they were convinced that Yu Wenxue would stop the two of them, Yu Wenxue grabbed Gu Yunshen's hand, then closed her eyes, and with a swift movement, thrust her sword deep into the ground.

...

"Here, a single blow can be fatal."

“If you stab here, the person won’t die, but they will be paralyzed from the waist down, and their life will be worse than death.”

The methods of killing that Gu Yunshen had taught her kept echoing in her ears. Warm, sticky blood stained her clothes. Yu Wenxue withdrew her hand, looked at the old lady lying in a pool of blood, and pulled Gu Yunshen to run outside.

“A fate worse than death is more terrifying than death itself. From the very beginning, I knew you didn’t want her dead.” Yu Wenxue squeezed his hand, trying to hide her panic, and forced a smile: “It’s okay, I’ll avenge you and make sure she lives the rest of her life in pain.”

For the abducted girls, for his deceased mother, for him, and for himself who almost died.

In short, she didn't want him to suffer anymore...

Behind him hung large red lanterns, their warm light covering the ground and highlighting the boy's slightly pale face.

In the dimly lit path, only the girl's figure was infinitely clear and dazzling, like a ray of light in the endless night, breaking into his heart.

Author's note: Two wonderful babies [hugs][hugs]