threaten

Gu Youan opened her eyes slightly, then gently closed them again. Her stomach was full of water, which she vomited out mouthful by mouthful. Madam Wang held her head and sobbed.

She struggled to open her eyes, then drifted back into unconsciousness.

Madam Wang stood guard by the bedside. Her fingers twitched slightly. The room was filled with women. Gu Youan looked up slightly, and Madam Wang took his hand, covering her face, and asked, "Do you still have any discomfort?"

Gu Youan let out a long sigh, "Don't worry, Mother!"

Madam Wang hugged her and cried again, while Wang Yu'an stood behind her, hesitant to speak.

Looking at the room full of women, Gu Youan had already guessed seven or eight parts of the story.

Madam Wang only had a vague understanding of her situation; in the entire mansion, only Gu Sheng knew about her circumstances.

"What's going on? Why is everyone here?"

Tears welled up in Wang Yu'an's eyes, and Madam Wang pulled her back, saying, "Yu'an, you should take care of yourself first."

Gu Youan held Madam Wang's hand and said, "When I fell down the steps, I vaguely bumped into someone. How is that person?"

As she spoke, Madam Wang could no longer hide her sorrow.

"How could you..." Madam Wang sobbed. Gu Youan stroked her head. She hadn't spent much time with Madam Wang, but she could clearly feel that her biological mother was weak and unable to take care of herself.

Madam Wang truly loved her daughter, and Gu Youan, fearing she might say something, quickly stopped her.

She desperately wanted to know Jiannan's fate. Zhao Huai was already dead, but Jiannan had not shown up. Had something happened to Jiannan?

Just as she was thinking, the door was pushed open forcefully. "Madam, You'an needs to rest. You've been guarding here for several days now. You should go back to your room."

Lady Wang had never disobeyed her husband in her life, and even though she knew that this matter was not simple, she dared not speak.

She held Gu Sheng's hand, "Master, we only have this one biological daughter left. I don't ask her to bring glory to the family, I only ask that she live a peaceful life for the rest of her days."

“Womanly compassion, Yu’an, take your aunt down with you.”

"Yes!" Wang Yu'an lowered his head and grabbed Madam Wang's arm. She was terrified of her uncle.

The crying stopped, the door closed gently, and Gu Sheng sat in front of the dressing table, Gu Youan's pale face reflected in the mirror.

Gu Sheng sighed softly, "When you fell down the steps, Xie Daoqing, the only son of the Xie family, was standing at the bottom. He has now broken his leg, and the Xie family is demanding that you marry him."

Gu Youan paused for a moment, then asked, "Daddy agreed?"

Gu Sheng lowered his head. "Did you kill Zhao Huai?"

"Yes." Gu Youan did not hide anything.

"Dad, I have a friend named Jing Che who has gone missing. Can you help me find him?"

Gu Sheng sighed, "You should take care of your health first. Now that the Minister of War is dead, the court is in a state of panic and everyone is on edge."

Her heart sank. Jiannan was likely in grave danger. Recalling what Zhao Huai had told her, could it be that Jiannan had been exposed all along?

Gu Sheng looked at her expression and said, "You'an, the Xie family is a prestigious family with a long history and deep roots in the court. If this matter cannot be resolved, Changming may be affected."

Gu Youan leaned against the headboard, "Father, I hurt him. I'm willing to get engaged to him."

She's already entered the main storyline; since she can't avoid it, she might as well accept it.

Gu Sheng's eyes widened slightly in shock. He looked up at his daughter and said, "You'an, you've been away from home for several years. The political landscape in the court has changed. The Xie family has been promoted to high-ranking positions, and Xie's only son and your brother are the twin stars of Biancheng. I'm sorry to have wronged you in this matter."

Gu Sheng was unwilling to seek out Jian Nan, so Gu Youan had to find another way.

He took off his waist badge and said, "Please ask Father to go to the Emperor's Mansion and find a man named Qingyang."

Now that the Minister of War has been assassinated, and Gu Youan and Xie Daoqing are injured, the whole city is on high alert. Qingyang senses Gu Youan's physical condition but has yet to appear.

Gu Sheng suddenly stood up and looked angrily at Gu You'an. "You've made too much of a fuss this time. Who is that Minister of War? He was killed at home. You'an, don't go out for now. Just stay home and recover from your injuries. Once the Xie family sends the betrothal gifts, you can focus on embroidering your wedding dress."

"Father!" Gu Youan shouted. She suddenly struggled to get up, but fell to the ground again. Gu Sheng quickly helped her up. "What are you doing? Do you know how big the impact of this matter is? Zhao Huai is a man close to the emperor. How could you assassinate him? Youan, the reason I sent you to the Emperor's Mansion that day was because I didn't want you to follow the path of your three older brothers, not to make you an assassin."

"Father, I know you're in a difficult position, but I beg you, please send a message to the Emperor's Ship." Their operation was exposed from the very beginning. There was a traitor on the Emperor's Ship. Jiannan has disappeared. She cannot stay in the Gu family.

"Father, only Qingyang can save my body. Please save me just this once." Gu Youan knelt down and begged Gu Sheng.

"As long as Father can agree, I am willing to enter the Xie family to take care of Xie Daoqing." She gritted her teeth, tears welling in her eyes.

Gu Sheng felt guilty about his daughter who had left home. He glanced at her leg and said, "When you were injured, I sent a message to the Emperor's Ship. Qingyang is on his way. You'an, Xie Daoqing is injured and unconscious. You should stay at the Gu family for the time being."

Gu Youan knelt down and kowtowed, knowing that this was already the biggest concession Gu Sheng had made.

Gu Sheng looked at her silently. "You probably don't want to marry into the Xie family. The Dali Temple is not a simple place. Only if you get engaged to the Xie family can you escape this calamity."

Gu Youan looked up in shock, "Father!"

Gu Sheng frowned as he looked at her. "Don't blame me for being heartless, but this matter has blown up too much. The Jing family boy is in grave danger. You should stay at home, otherwise I wouldn't mind if the youngest daughter of the Gu family lost her life."

Gu Youan slumped to the ground, her eyes unfocused. Only now did she understand Madam Wang's sorrowful expression and Wang Yu'an's gaze.

Gu Sheng looked down at her and said, "Listen to your father's advice. Xie Daoqing is already paralyzed. If you don't want to stay at home, I will send you to the Taoist temple and announce to the outside world that we are praying for Xie Daoqing's well-being."

Gu Youan remained silent, tears streaming down her face.

Gu Youan stroked her hair, paused for a moment, and said, "You've been away from home for a long time, spend some time with your mother."

All was quiet. Gu Youan sat alone on the bed, thinking that following the original plot would ensure that nothing would happen.

She wiped away her tears. Now was not the time to be sad; she needed to meet up with Qingyang as soon as possible to discuss what was to come.

"System, can you detect Jiannan's whereabouts?"

"Host, Jiannan is currently imprisoned in the Dali Temple. The main storyline has already begun. You are not allowed to interfere with the fate of the supporting characters?"

Gu Youan frowned. "The fate of a supporting character? You mean even if he dies, I can't save him?"

"Please respect the fate of the characters in the story."

Gu Youan snorted coldly, "I'm going to save him anyway."

There was a commotion outside the door. Gu Youan looked towards the door and heard someone calling out "Young Master Xie".

Her eyes flickered; why would Xie Daoqing come at this time?

The door creaked open, and Gu Youan stared at the legs in the wheelchair, her gaze unfocused. "Thank you, Young Master Xie."

After a long while, only the two of them remained in the room. Gu Youan swallowed hard and said, "Young Master Xie, we are both unmarried."

"When Miss Gu fell down the steps, I clearly smelled blood. What is your explanation for that, Miss Gu?"

Gu Youan pressed down on the blanket. "Young Master Xie, the crowd was mixed that day, and I fell to the ground. My arm was bleeding."

"I heard that Miss Gu is not in good health, but I clearly saw that Miss Gu was very healthy that day."

Gu Youan's eyes flickered, then brightened as she looked at him again, "Young Master Xie, are you here to interrogate me?"

"Miss Gu, why are you in such a hurry? Since you have agreed to marry into the Xie family, you are my future wife. I just want to know who my future wife in the Xie family is?"

Xie Daoqing took out a hairpin, which was clear and shiny. Gu Youan recognized it as her hairpin at a glance. Fortunately, the poisonous bead under the hairpin had been removed.

"It's just a hairpin, what can it prove?"

Xie Daoqing tilted his head and played with the hairpin, his fingers stroking it. "Miss Gu, such a hairpin should not be on you. I heard that there is a person imprisoned in Dali Temple. If Miss Gu does not tell the truth, that person may lose his life."

Gu Youan was shocked. "How can you be so sure that I have a connection with that person?"

Where was Miss Gu when Lord Zhao died?

“I am a young lady of the Gu family. Even if it is an interrogation, it should be done by people from the Dali Temple. Young Master Xie, you are not qualified to interrogate me.”

Xie Daoqing looked at her with a sneer, "Interrogation? How could Miss Gu withstand the torture of the Dali Temple?"

Gu Youan leaned against the headboard. "What brings you here today?"

Suddenly, a dart landed beside Gu Youan's bed. She stared at him in shock, "I'm the daughter of the Gu family, how could you commit such a heinous act in broad daylight?"

Xie Daoqing looked up at her slightly, "Miss Gu, if you don't explain your relationship with that person from the Dali Temple, I'll put you in the Dali Temple!"

Gu Youan chuckled lightly, showing no fear of Xie Daoqing. "If you could really send me to the Dali Temple, you wouldn't be here today."

"Young Master Xie, are you here for your leg, or for the future Lord Zhao?"

Xie Daoqing looked out the window. "I just want to know the truth. Why did Miss Gu deliberately fall? What are you hiding?"

Gu Youan breathed a sigh of relief; Xie Daoqing wouldn't leave until he got an answer today.

She pinched herself hard. "That man is the young master of the Jing family. It wasn't him at this moment. It was because we were not in close contact in private. On the day Lord Zhao died, I panicked and fell down the steps."

Two tears rolled down her cheeks as she looked at Xie Daoqing. "Please, young master, rescue him. I will repay you by serving you like a slave."

Xie Daoqing was raised with Confucian and Mencian thought, which held that it was shameful for men and women to not touch each other.

He touched his leg, naturally not believing Gu Youan's words. "Since Miss Gu and Young Master Jing are lovers, Miss Gu should go to Dali Temple to accompany Young Master Jing."

Gu Youan stared at him in astonishment. Why was this person acting so unpredictably? If she were to enter the Dali Temple as well, who would be there to meet her outside?

"Young Master Xie, please tell me exactly what you want me to do."

"Take this pill, and I will rescue Young Master Jing."

Gu Youan reached out and took the medicine. She opened it, smelled it, and was surprised. "This is a Dissolving Power Powder?"

"Miss Gu is indeed a martial arts practitioner."

Gu Youan threw the bottle away. "I will not let you control me."