outside the city gate

Gu Youan, dressed in a red wedding gown embroidered with gold thread, bowed gracefully and said with her red lips, "May Your Majesty live a long and prosperous life."

A palace maid played a musical instrument. She held a fan to half-cover her face, her eyes slightly slanted. She saw Xie Daoqing watching her from behind a pillar. Gu Changming stepped forward to support her, her hand resting on his arm. She didn't know when she would be able to return to Dayong after this journey.

Gu Youan walked out of the main hall, and Gu Sheng stood to the side watching her. She turned around, knelt down, kowtowed and bid farewell, and Gu Sheng gently helped her up.

Gu Changming helped her down the steps one by one. Ye Qingchen stood beside the bridal sedan chair and watched her. She walked so slowly up the twelve steps. Gu Changming helped her into the sedan chair.

The wedding procession slowly walked out of the capital. Gu Sheng was filled with mixed emotions as he watched this scene. Xie Daoqing walked out from behind him. His eyes had been restored, but on the very first day of his restored sight, he saw his fiancée getting married.

Looking at Xie Daoqing's expression, Li Yi sighed and said, "If you don't want her to leave, why let her go? Let her go to the Western Border, to guard the vast land of Dayong, and to guard her as well."

Li Yi ceded Liangzhou to Princess Hezheng, which was also the border between Dayong and Shengguo.

Looking at Xie Daoqing's dejected appearance, Li Yi said, "I thought this marriage was just a temporary measure, but I didn't expect that you had fallen in love with her."

He placed his hand on Xie Daoqing's shoulder and remained silent for a long time.

"Let the imperial physicians in the palace examine your leg."

Xie Daoqing touched his leg and shook his head: "She won't be coming back."

Gu Youan no longer felt sorry for these disabled legs.

Li Yi watched the departing person, crossed his arms, and rested his chin on his hand, asking, "This Miss Gu isn't exactly a great beauty, so why are you so deeply in love with her?"

Xie Daoqing smiled but didn't say anything. Perhaps their fate was already sealed from the first moment they met.

Long-term companionship is more important than anything else, just like Li Yi and Xie Wanqing, Xie Daoqing and Li Lingyue.

His words that night woke him up. Gu Youan was not a caged bird; he could not keep her by his side.

Gu Changming glanced down at Xie Daoqing and simply advised, "If You'an wants to leave you, then let her leave."

Xie Daoqing chuckled and said, "Her roots are in Dayong. I believe she will return."

Gu Changming looked at him with slight surprise and said, "What do you want to do, Daoqing? She has lost her memory. She is going to Sheng Kingdom to find her lost memories. Daoqing, you must not push her to the brink."

Xie Daoqing smiled slightly. "I don't care who's by her side, but Sheng Jingche absolutely cannot be by her side."

Gu Changming's eyes flickered slightly as he said, "What have you done, Xie Daoqing? Sheng Jingche is the young marquis of Sheng Kingdom. Do you intend to kill him?"

Gu Changming said angrily, "You've really gone mad."

Xie Daoqing looked up at Gu Youan and said, "I went crazy when she went to Sheng Kingdom. We are a match made in heaven. She was captivated by Sheng Jingche at first sight. It was because I let Sheng Jingche go back then that things have turned out this way."

Gu Changming glared angrily at Xie Daoqing, then turned and left. If Sheng Jingche were to have an accident within Dayong's territory, Sheng Kingdom and Dayong would inevitably go to war.

"Wait, Gu Changming, I won't set up an ambush outside the city. Today is You'an's big day, and I don't want her to be sad." Xie Daoqing's eyes were filled with tears. Gu You'an's words that day had been deafening. Sheng Jingche was Jiannan. When they returned to Sheng Kingdom, she would marry Sheng Jingche. This was something he absolutely could not tolerate.

Gu Changming looked back at him. There was blood at the corner of his mouth. Gu Changming was stunned for a moment, then quickly stepped forward to support him and said, "What are you doing, Xie Daoqing? Do you think she will turn back just because you've used this self-inflicted injury trick?"

Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. Xie Daoqing's eyes were unfocused. He looked at Gu Changming and said calmly, "I just don't want to lose him, and I don't want to lose him."

Gu Changming pressed the acupoint on his chest and comforted him, "Gu Youan helped Zhao Wan'er leave me. I knew she wanted to leave, but I still let her go. Daoqing, this was Zhao Wan'er's choice. Now that Gu Youan wants to leave you, why not let yourself and her go?"

Xie Daoqing's hand fell limply to his side. His eyes were slightly red, as if he had used up all his strength. He said in a low voice, "Zhao Wan'er is different from Gu You'an. Zhao Wan'er only has her brother Zhao Huai by her side, but You'an doesn't only have me by her side."

Gu Changming squatted down and looked at Xie Daoqing, saying, "She is Gu Youan. She left home at a young age and went elsewhere. She is an independent individual. She is not just your Gu Youan."

"Her life goal was not to become a member of the Xie family, nor to become someone's wife, but to become herself."

Gu Changming sighed and said, "Don't do anything to hurt your body anymore, she won't care."

Li Yi glanced at the two of them, his eyes flickered, and then he turned to look at his younger sister, Li Lingyue. He paused, his eyes seemingly filled with stars, and looked tenderly at his only older sister, saying, "Sister, stop."

Li Lingyue smiled slightly, the corners of her mouth turned up, and said, "You are able to sit in this position today because of my and the Xie family's joint support in helping you to rise to power. My good brother, if you can do this job, why can't I?"

“Sister, there has never been a woman who has ascended the throne, and besides, your abilities are not as good as mine.”

Li Lingyue smiled contemptuously, then turned and left. Li Yi watched her departing figure, thinking how the throne could turn even the closest people into unrecognizable figures.

Once outside the city gate, the carriage stopped. Gu Youan lifted the curtain, and Gu Changming stood in front.

Gu Youan frowned and asked, "What are you doing?"

Sheng Jingche dismounted and helped Gu Youan down. Gu Youan looked at him calmly and said, "If you came here for Xie Daoqing, I have nothing to say."

She knew Xie Daoqing was unwilling to let her leave. Gu Changming and Xie Daoqing were good friends. He didn't care about his younger sister at all, but he cared about Xie Daoqing in everything. She drew her sword and pointed it at him, saying, "I am Princess Hezheng. Are you going to stop me?"

Gu Changming deflected her sword and walked towards her step by step, saying, "You'an, I'm not here to stop you, I'm here to see you off. You don't need to be wary of me. Compared to Sheng Jingche by your side, I, your brother, should be more trustworthy."

Gu Youan shook her head and said, "I can't trust you, Gu Changming. You have too many people in your heart, but not me, your sister."

In the original book, Gu Youan became a nun and left Dayong for Shengguo, which filled in the ending of the book. Gu Youan looked calmly at the branches in the distance, which had sprouted new buds and shone brightly in the sunlight.

She took out a purse and handed it to Gu Changming, saying, "Give this purse to Daoqing; it has the effect of calming the mind and spirit."

Gu Changming glanced at the purse and chuckled, "You are his only antidote. The journey is long, and I don't know when we will meet again. You'an, take care."

He bowed to Gu Youan, who looked at him silently and said, "I have forgotten everything before. Whatever you say is only one side of the story. I am going to Sheng Kingdom to find out the truth."

Gu Changming's lips twitched. He glanced at Sheng Jingche beside him and said softly, "Let's go to the Emperor's Ship. The truth you want to know is there."

She tilted her head and looked at Gu Changming, saying, "You know what happened, right?"

Gu Changming shook his head and said, "Only you can find out the answer to all of this. Even Sheng Jingche, who is by your side, doesn't want to know what happened."

Seeing Gu Youan's expression, Sheng Jingche stepped forward to support her and said, "Don't worry, I will definitely help you find your memories."

Gu Changming stroked her hair, hesitated, and said, "Come back if you find the answer, Dayong."

Gu Youan remained silent. He knew she was still bothered by Xie Daoqing's affair and believed that the Xie family was untrustworthy, and the Gu family even less so.

He looked at the two men calmly, then mounted his horse. "Take care, it's goodbye for today!"

After Gu Changming left, Gu Youan looked into Sheng Jingche's eyes and said, "Young Marquis Sheng, the scenery outside the city is beautiful. I would like to take one more look at the scenery of my hometown."

Sheng Jingche understood perfectly. He followed closely behind Gu Youan. When they were alone, Gu Youan turned to look at him. Suddenly, a golden thread emerged from her sleeve and shot straight at Sheng Jingche. Sheng Jingche ducked to avoid it, but the golden thread struck a tree branch, knocking down wood chips. Sheng Jingche turned to look at her and said, "You want to kill me."

Gu Youan smiled and said, "Isn't it your idea that Gu Changming is here? You were afraid I would run away, so you specially arranged for Gu Changming to appear here."

Sheng Jingche strode forward and pinned down Gu Youan's vital points. "If you have the guts to kill me, why don't you just run away?"

Gu Youan's gold thread wrapped tightly around his neck, creating a tense atmosphere that was about to erupt, with the two of them on the verge of exploding.

Blood seeped through the gold thread. Gu Youan loosened her grip slightly, and she staggered back, saying, "Why didn't you dodge?"

Sheng Jingche touched the blood on his neck, gave a wicked smile, and said, "I know you wouldn't dare to hurt me."

This body wouldn't harm Gu Youan; he knew Jian Nan wouldn't harm Gu Youan. Gu Youan was taken aback, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes.

Seeing him bleeding, Gu Youan gently stroked the bloodstains on his neck and said, "Why don't I want to see you bleed? What happened between us?"

She cared more about the body in front of her than about herself; blood seeped through her fingers and seeped between them.

Gu Youan gently leaned in and kissed the bloodstains on his neck. Sheng Jingche held the back of her head and gently turned his head away.

The distant woods trembled, and someone in the shadows gently snapped off a jade thumb ring from their hand.

Much later, Gu Youan gently released Sheng Jingche's neck. She paused for a moment and said, "I didn't mean to, it's just that I've been enjoying drinking blood more lately."

The woman's fragrance lingered in his nostrils. Sheng Jingche looked down into her eyes and said, "I will find a renowned doctor to treat you."

He took her arm to check her pulse, his eyes flickering slightly. After Qingyang's death, there was no one left to heal her wounds in time.