Moonlight

The autumn wind was bleak, and the courtyard was deserted. The conflict between Dayong and Shengguo in the western border was increasing, and Xie Daoqing had rarely returned since entering the palace a few days ago.

Ye Qingchen stepped over the threshold and draped the cloak over Gu Youan's shoulders. Gu Youan turned to look at him and said, "The relationship between Dayong and Shengguo is tense. Xie Daoqing and Gu Changming are both in the palace. This is an excellent opportunity for us."

Ye Qingchen sighed, "Miss, don't worry, I will definitely take Gu Changming's head. But now that Dayong and Shengguo are about to go to war, Gu Changming cannot die."

Gu Youan's face darkened, and he loosened his grip. "The Ye family is truly loyal to the emperor and loves their country."

Gu Changming is treacherous and cunning. If he can quell this war, we will be unable to make a move. Xie Daoqing and Gu Changming are classmates and close advisors to the emperor. If they join forces, we will be powerless to fight back.

"Don't you want to avenge your father and brothers, Ye Qingchen? You've been lurking by the Princess's side for years, and the Ye family has been wiped out for years. Don't you want revenge?"

Ye Qingchen looked at her in a panic, "Miss, let me take you out. The maple leaves in the suburbs have turned yellow. Let me take you horseback riding."

Gu Youan pushed Ye Qingchen away, "General Ye died in the Western Frontier, what's the use of peace talks? What will be the result of the peace talks? Does Da Yong want to send a princess over?"

Xie Daoqing had not returned home for many days, causing great anxiety among the noblewomen of Biancheng. The Ye family was gone, and Emperor Zhaoyuan only had one older sister, so he could only choose one from among the noblewomen of a prominent family to marry into the imperial family.

Gu Youan stood up. "If the Ye family were still around, the one going to marry into the family today would most likely be your own sister."

Ye Qingchen looked at her and said, "Let me take you to the countryside to relax."

Gu Youan pushed him away, "Why should women be forced into marriage alliances?"

She overheard Gu Changming suggesting that a princess be appointed for a political marriage when she was standing outside the study early this morning.

Gu Youan looked at Ye Qingchen with disappointment, "If you kill Gu Changming, there will be no princess marriage."

Emperor Zhaoyuan, fearing the Ye family, murdered the entire Ye clan. After General Ye's death, he could not stop the iron cavalry of the Sheng Kingdom. A fallen leaf landed at Gu Youan's feet. "Ye Qingchen, are you content with the death of your entire Ye clan?"

Ye Qingchen shook his head and sighed, "What can I do if I'm not willing? The entire Ye family is gone, and I'm all alone now. You must be tired today, go back."

After returning from Xiangji Temple, Gu Youan was depressed. Her mood was like the gloomy rain that day, which never stopped. Gu Youan stood up in a hurry. Ye Qingchen wanted to help her, but Gu Youan shook off his hand, saying, "Have you forgotten the hatred of the Ye family?"

The night was quiet, and the moonlight poured down like layers of white gauze. Gu Youan looked out the window, and the door creaked open.

Gu Youan looked over at the sound. Xie Daoqing's dark circles hadn't faded yet. In just a few days, his clothes had become somewhat mismatched, revealing a thin body beneath the oversized garments. Gu Youan turned her head away with a cold expression.

Xie Daoqing slowly pushed the wheelchair to her side. "You'an, don't worry, I won't let you get into danger."

Gu Youan pushed him away. "I killed Zhao Wan'er, and Gu Changming made a fake one appear. Xie Daoqing, tell me, why do you still collude with him? You know that Gu Changming's appearance is for my Gu family's inheritance. You also want to plot against my Gu family, right?"

Gu's parents were blinded by the plot, but Gu Changming really wanted to kill her. Her eventual renunciation of worldly life and becoming a nun was inevitably linked to Gu Changming.

Xie Daoqing pulled Gu Youan into his arms and rested his head on her shoulder. "Youan, the Sheng Kingdom has asked the Dayong Kingdom for a marriage proposal, and the person they are asking for is you."

Gu Youan frowned. "His Majesty agreed?"

Xie Daoqing sighed, "Don't worry, I will not let you go on a political marriage."

Gu Youan sneered, "After losing a battle, women are sent to marry foreign rulers. Why isn't it you, Xie Daoqing, who is sent to marry a foreign ruler?"

Gu Youan's hair shone in the moonlight. Xie Daoqing stroked her hair and said, "If men could marry for political reasons, I would want it to be me. I don't want you to suffer."

Sheng Jingche, the youngest son of the Marquis of Dingyuan in the Sheng Kingdom, proposed to Gu Youan. The three of them had a dispute in the Imperial Study, and Emperor Zhaoyuan agreed.

Gu Youan sneered, "I am willing to marry into a foreign power, Xie Daoqing. I want to see how you will send your fiancée away."

Xie Daoqing shook his head, his eyes slightly red and filled with tears. "I will not let you go on a political marriage."

Sheng Jingche is Gu Youan's childhood sweetheart and also a member of the Emperor's Ship. After the Emperor's Ship of Dayong was destroyed, Sheng Jingche wanted to take Gu Youan away from here. He will not let him have his way. He went to great lengths to keep Gu Youan by his side.

Gu Youan pushed him away, and the moonlight poured down on them, like a thin veil.

"Since you chose me for a political marriage, what are you doing here, Xie Daoqing? The monarch you serve sends your fiancée to a political marriage. Are you even a man?"

Gu Youan picked up the vase next to her and smashed it heavily on the ground, just like their broken relationship at this moment.

The shards bounced to Xie Daoqing's feet. He bent down to pick them up, but the shards cut his hand, and blood gushed out. She kicked the shards away, saying, "Stop pretending. Even if it wasn't me, it was someone else who was going to be married off. Xie Daoqing, wasn't this something you and Gu Changming had planned?"

Xie Daoqing grabbed her dress, "You'an, Gu Changming will not hurt you again."

Gu Youan gently tugged at her satin dress, "Don't pretend to be a good person here, it disgusts me."

She strode out, but as she reached the door, she suddenly turned back. "Let's break off the engagement. Since you chose me to go for the political marriage, how can you, as the patriarch of the Xie family, simply hand over your fiancée?"

She appeared distressed but was secretly delighted. She didn't care who from Sheng Kingdom was proposing marriage; she could use this opportunity to fake her death and escape. Becoming a nun? She had lost her memories and her system; her journey home was uncertain, and who knew what would happen next? Surrounded by Xie Daoqing's people, she had hoped to find her lost memories through the Princess, but the Princess wanted her to enter the palace as a concubine. Wasn't this like going from a dragon's den to a tiger's lair?

Xie Daoqing waved her hand, and the door slammed shut. Her head hit the door, and she rubbed her forehead. "Xie Daoqing, don't use martial arts in front of me again."

Do you want to leave me?

Gu Youan frowned as she looked at him. "Xie Daoqing, what's wrong with you tonight?!"

She lowered her voice and said, "I'm tired, I want to rest."

This entire mansion is his spy network. Gu Youan's every move is under Xie Daoqing's surveillance. She hasn't gone mad yet.

She turned around, leaned down, placed her hands on the armrest, and looked into his eyes. "Xie Daoqing, from beginning to end, the one who should be sad and heartbroken is me, not you. Why are you pouring your heart out to me tonight, telling me that you've all agreed to send me to a marriage alliance?"

Xie Daoqing stroked her head, "I won't let you marry into a foreign land."

Gu Youan pursed her lips. "What are you sad about tonight? It's me who's going to a political marriage, not you. It's me who's leaving my homeland to have a child for someone else, not you. What's there to cry about?"

After saying these words, Gu Youan was stunned. Wasn't this a classic case of "chasing after one's wife"? The woman endured all the suffering, while the men only shed a few tears.

She grabbed his neck. "What's there to be sad about? You should use this energy to kill Gu Changming. He suggested that your fiancée be married off to a foreign power!"

Gu Youan couldn't bear to see such a tearful scene, so she turned and left. Now that she had a reason to leave the Xie family and Biancheng, she didn't want to live under Xie Daoqing's surveillance anymore.

She needs to find out who proposed to her, and she also needs to find a way to assassinate Gu Changming, pin Gu Changming's death on Xie Daoqing, and then use the marriage alliance as an excuse to fake her death and escape. She needs to find the Emperor's Sword and find her way home.

Xie Daoqing held Gu Youan's arm and said, "Don't worry, Gu Changming won't see the sun tomorrow."

"I thought you wouldn't kill him."

He gently pulled her into his arms, and Gu Youan bumped into his chest. He stroked her hair and said, "Now is not the time to take action, but if you want to kill him, I will grant your wish."

Gu Youan brought back a maid. He could tell at a glance that the maid was no ordinary person, but he didn't say much. After returning from the Gu family, he could tell that Gu Youan was hiding something. He only regretted that he couldn't make her feel at ease.

Gu Youan felt the breath on her head. She nudged Xie Daoqing and said, "Gu Changming is ambitious. My parents trust him completely. I just want him dead."

Gu Changming later seized the Gu family's assets and drove the original owner out. Gu's parents hoped that Gu Changming could bring glory to the family, but in the end, he caused their own daughter to become homeless.

Xie Daoqing placed her hand on his chest. "Please believe me, and believe me one more time."

Gu Youan pulled out a dagger and slashed Xie Daoqing's wrist. "Come see me again after you kill Gu Changming."

Xie Daoqing suddenly let go of her hand and reached for her sleeve with his other hand. The sleeve brushed against his hand. "You'an, I won't stop you from doing whatever you want. I only beg you not to leave the Xie family and not to leave me."

Sheng Jingche will soon be entering Biancheng. If the two meet, Gu Youan will surely remember the past, the title of Emperor, and everything that happened before.

Gu Youan suddenly turned to look at him and said, "You're going to imprison me!"

Xie Daoqing shook his head, his eyes glistening with tears in the moonlight. His face was sharply defined in the moonlight, with light and shadow interplaying, and a hint of tenderness in his brows.

She reached out and touched his face. What a handsome face it was! But what good was it? In the original story, Gu Youan had been Xie Daoqing's fiancée for many years. When Ye Qingchen and Gu Youan's affair was exposed, Xie Daoqing chose to remain silent. Fortunately, the author had some conscience. If the author had some quirks, would the original owner have committed suicide?

Gu Youan sighed, "If you imprison me, I will die in the Xie family." Xie Daoqing's people are everywhere, and her activities cannot be restricted.

She closed her eyes slightly, then opened them again, and left the study without looking back.

Gu Youan's face revealed a resolute expression. Xie Daoqing lowered his hands, his exhausted body could no longer support him, and he curled up in the chair. "Do you despise me for not being a normal person? As long as you agree to stay by my side and agree to marry me, the person by your side can stay forever."

She paused for a moment, then turned and left without looking back.