Chapter 42 Will the Mother Gu be on him? ...

Chunnan was inherently afraid of Lu Yuan, or rather, there was no one in the entire Song Dynasty who wasn't afraid of him. Just hearing the name "Prime Minister Lu" was enough to terrify anyone.

When that cold gaze fell upon her, Chunnan felt as if the blood in her body had frozen.

She trembled uncontrollably, her teeth chattering softly. Her intact hand dug desperately into the wound on her severed arm.

She cannot betray the lady... she cannot...

Lu Yuan's patience ran out.

He slowly crouched down, his gaze level with Chun Nan's. His gaze was devoid of any warmth, as if he were examining an inanimate object.

"Wear her clothes to draw attention away. Create an opportunity for her to escape." His tone was calm, yet every word was piercing.

Chun Nan's pupils suddenly contracted.

How could he know?

Despair was like a bucket of ice water poured over her head in the dead of winter, completely extinguishing her last shred of hope.

A barely perceptible shift crossed Lu Yuan's eyes.

I'm glad she's safe and sound.

But then, the gloom deepened and settled down again.

If she didn't encounter any trouble, then she was deliberately trying to escape.

Is she so eager to escape from him?

But, Ah Wu, you can't escape. Every inch of this mountain is covered with spies; you can't fly away even if you grow wings.

Lu Yuan slowly stood up, and Xu Ming brought out a grand chair from somewhere.

Lu Yuan sat down calmly, his slender fingers gently turning the black jade thumb ring on his thumb, his tone nonchalant.

"Drag him away and beat him to death. Execute him right here."

Two guards stepped forward and dragged Chunnan onto the torture bench like a dead dog.

Chun Nan struggled to lift her head and gazed at the temple, now hidden among the lush green trees, with only a corner of its eaves visible.

Madam, I can no longer serve you...

The heavy rod was raised high, about to fall.

"stop!"

A clear, crisp female voice pierced the air.

Lu Yuan's lips curled up almost imperceptibly.

In the end, she still came out.

He lazily raised his eyes, his gaze precisely capturing the slender figure hurrying down the mountain path.

She was dressed in the coarse cloth clothes of a maid, her hair disheveled, and her cheeks flushed from running. Those eyes, always brimming with a deep, clear light, were now fixed intently on the maid on the torture bench.

It was filled with shock and anger.

She never once looked at him.

Lu Yuan felt a tightness in his chest.

She could pour such deep affection into a lowly maid, yet she wouldn't even spare a glance for him, her rightful husband.

Violent thoughts grew wildly like poisonous weeds, and he almost blurted them out—

Execute!

That eyesore of a maidservant was beaten to death on the spot.

The executioner's guards froze in mid-air, anxiously awaiting instructions.

Seeing that Lu Yuan remained silent for a long time, Ming Wu finally turned her head and glared at him angrily.

Just then, a mountain breeze swept through the treetops, rustling through the lush greenery, and in that instant, she turned her head.

Those beautiful eyes burned with a fierce flame, even more dazzling than the rising sun on the horizon.

Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the leaves, gilding her with a dazzling golden edge, making her look like a phoenix rising from the ashes.

Even the shadows cast on the ground possess a breathtaking beauty.

Lu Yuan's breath hitched.

His phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, and he leaned back in the armchair with an appreciative air. His left hand rested casually on the armrest.

"Knock knock knock".

The index finger tapped on the rosewood, producing a dull sound.

The executioner's heart skipped a beat. He glanced with pity at Chunnan, who was lying on the bench with tears streaming down her face, and raised his rod again.

Mingwu was so shocked that her face turned pale.

She no longer cared about cursing the scoundrel in her heart.

Lifting her skirt, she rushed towards Chunnan without hesitation, wanting to use her slender body to create a protective barrier for Chunnan.

Everyone was shocked.

Lu Yuan's expression changed instantly, and he stood up abruptly. Only after seeing the guards remove the cane in time did he finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Realizing that her emotions were fluctuating too much, her expression stiffened.

He sat down again, his face grim.

Chunnan was so anxious she was almost crying: "Madam...you...go quickly..."

Mingwu choked up.

That silly girl, even in his condition, she's still only thinking about her.

Mingwu patted Chunnan's hand reassuringly and looked up at Lu Yuan.

"Chunnan was merely following my orders. If Your Excellency wishes to punish someone, please punish me instead."

Lu Yuan's face turned ashen.

Does this woman realize how dangerous things were just now? If the guards hadn't stopped in time...

A sudden, sharp pain in his chest abruptly cut off his thoughts, preventing him from delving deeper into the thought of that heavy rod truly falling upon her...

"To punish you?"

He suddenly stood up, his dark blue robes drawing sharp arcs in the air.

With each step he drew closer, his tall figure compressed the air around her, until he completely enveloped her in his shadow.

His gaze was fixed on her.

“When your master goes astray, your servant does not only fail to advise him but also aids and abets his evil deeds. This is a path to certain death.”

"Today I can help you deceive me, but tomorrow I can lead you to an abyss of no return."

Before he finished speaking, he suddenly leaned down, gently lifted her chin with his fingertips, and his voice suddenly softened.

"Awu, I'm doing this for your own good."

What's best for her?

It was clearly an attempt to break all her wings, to annihilate every bit of her resistance, until she willingly remained trapped in the golden cage, becoming a bird only for him to play with.

Beneath her sleeves, Mingwu's fingers gripped the hem of her robe tightly, the embroidery on the fabric grotesquely cutting into the tender flesh of her palms.

She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and when she opened them again, all that remained in her eyes was a weary, dejected look.

"It was my fault. Please, Your Excellency, show mercy."

Lu Yuan corrected him, "Madam should call me husband."

Mingwu's eyelashes trembled: "Please, my husband, spare Chunnan."

Lu Yuan reached out and encircled Ming Wu's slender waist, his palms radiating an astonishing heat through the thin fabric of her clothes.

With a little effort, he lifted the person up.

Before Mingwu could even stand up straight, he had already pulled her firmly into his arms.

His well-defined knuckles gripped her waist tightly. His other hand gently stroked her disheveled hair, his fingertips lingering on the sensitive spot behind her ear.

Mingwu's body stiffened almost imperceptibly, then she forced herself to relax and let him hold her.

They didn't dodge.

Such gentleness and obedience should have pleased him.

But Lu Yuan felt as if countless tiny claws were scratching at his heart, and an inexplicable irritation churned in his chest.

He unconsciously tightened his grip, almost pulling her into his arms, but his voice remained calm:

"Take him away and find a doctor to examine him."

These words fell lightly.

Chunnan's life was saved. The maid slumped on the torture bench, too weak to even cry, and let the guards drag her away.

The stagnant air around us finally started to flow again.

Mingwu kept her eyes downcast, her long eyelashes casting two faint shadows on her pale face.

She was in his arms, as docile as a cat with its claws retracted. But Lu Yuan clearly sensed that something was subtly changing between them.

A mountain breeze swept by, and a few stray strands of hair brushed against Lu Yuan's chin.

The touch was extremely light, like being tickled by a feather, which stirred a flutter in his heart.

Lu Yuan's Adam's apple bobbed.

"Awu, where did you go just now?"

They've arrived.

Mingwu secretly mustered all her strength to deal with the situation.

Her eyelashes fluttered, and she lifted her small face, trying to force a smile.

"I went to seek out Zen Master Shanhui and obtained a peace talisman for my husband."

With a touch of just the right amount of grievance.

"I sent the guards away to prevent them from disturbing the tranquility of the Buddhist temple. I never expected... that my husband would misunderstand."

As she spoke, she took out a bright yellow amulet from her sleeve; the Sanskrit characters embroidered in gold thread on the brocade shimmered in the sunlight.

Just then, Zen Master Shanhui walked slowly over, put his hands together in prayer.

"Amitabha. The lady did indeed offer sincere prayers before the Buddha, praying for the Prime Minister's well-being."

Lu Yuan's gaze lingered on the amulet, his eyes growing deeper.

She is lying.

There was only a very faint sandalwood scent in her hair, and her clothes were as clean and fresh as ever, hardly resembling someone who had been kneeling and praying before the Buddha.

Furthermore, she made no mention of the fact that she exchanged clothes with her maid.

It was clearly an excuse made up on the spot after the plan was exposed.

A surge of violence suddenly welled up inside him, and he almost grabbed her chin to force her to reveal the truth.

But seeing her slightly trembling fingertips, he ultimately suppressed the impulse.

The violent impulse within him suddenly surged up again.

So what if it's fake? At least for now, she's still in his arms.

Lu Yuan suddenly tightened his arms, pressing her even deeper into his embrace. Only when he heard her gasp in pain did he loosen his grip slightly.

He took the amulet and repeatedly stroked the two characters for "peace" with his fingertips.

"I see, Ah Wu...you're so thoughtful."

Mingwu's tense shoulders relaxed slightly, still catching her breath.

"I thought..."

Lu Yuan suddenly leaned down, his thin lips almost touching the tip of her ear.

"Ah Wu is trying to take this opportunity to escape."

Mingwu's blood froze instantly. She instinctively clenched her sleeve, her knuckles turning white, and even her breath caught in her throat.

...

In fact, Mingwu had considered running away.

One hour ago.

In the backyard of Lingyin Temple, Mingwu checked the "equipment" sewn into her clothes once again. She was still frightened by her hasty escape last time, which left her penniless.

If she hadn't run into Lu Cang, she probably wouldn't have been able to escape that street, let alone hire a carriage.

As the saying goes, "a fall into a pit, a gain in your wit," and experience is accumulated little by little by identifying and addressing shortcomings.

Mingwu suppressed her unease and looked at Chunnan, whose eyes were red-rimmed, beside her.

"Chunnan, listen. To protect you and to avoid arousing their suspicion, I will knock you unconscious later. When you wake up, just say you know nothing, understand?"

"lady……"

Tears welled up in Chunnan's eyes as she reached out and grabbed Mingwu's sleeve, her voice pleading.

"Can't you take me with you? I can't bear to leave you."

Seeing her expression, Mingwu's heart softened, and she almost nodded in agreement.

But she couldn't.

This time, Lu Yuan brought many people with him, and she wasn't confident they could escape. But she was unwilling to give up just like that.

Whether it works out or not, she wants to give it a try.

She knew that even if she failed, Lu Yuan wouldn't take her life; at most, she would just be imprisoned for a longer period.

But Chunnan is different... He will definitely make an example of someone to scare others, without any mercy.

She couldn't afford to take that risk.

"Chunnan, I..."

Just as Mingwu was about to speak again, she suddenly felt a dull pain in the back of her neck.

Consciousness dissipated before plunging into darkness.

She felt Chunnan forcefully support her as she slid down, and warm tears dripped onto her face.

“Madam, I know you mean well. But the area down the mountain is full of the Prime Minister’s men; you can’t escape.”

"Let me wear your clothes and go in your place. If I can distract them, when you wake up, perhaps... perhaps there will be a way out."

Chunnan, don't do anything foolish.

Mingwu tried hard to open her eyes, but her eyelids felt like they were filled with lead and wouldn't move.

In a daze, she felt her clothes being gently removed and then carefully hidden in a cool corner.

The door creaked softly, the sound of Chunnan's footsteps as she left.

Then Mingwu's consciousness gradually blurred, and she sank completely into darkness.

...

"Chunnan!"

Mingwu suddenly opened her eyes and found herself hidden in a secluded corner, wearing Chunnan's coarse cloth dress.

Oh no!

That silly girl actually went into danger for her.

Mingwu struggled to get up, ignoring her still sore body, and staggered to the door.

Passing through the quiet Zen temple, under the corridor leading to the back mountain, I encountered Zen Master Shanhui walking towards me.

After a hurried bow, they were about to pass each other.

Zen Master Shanhui paused slightly in his gaze on Mingwu, then sighed softly, with a hint of pity in his voice.

“Amitabha. Female benefactor, do you know that you have been afflicted with a strange poison?”

Mingwu froze, turning around in astonishment.

"You have been afflicted with the Child Gu."

"Once you are more than a certain distance away from the mother Gu, you will feel as if you are being burned by fire, and the pain will cause you to faint."

"...The mother Gu can easily find your location by relying on the connection between Gu worms."

"To remove the curse, we need to find the mother curse... perhaps there is still a glimmer of hope..."

Even now, when she thinks back on it, every word Master Shanhui said still feels like a heavy hammer blow, leaving her dizzy and disoriented.

She recalled her last escape.

A sudden, sharp, burning pain shot through the inside of my left arm, as if a red-hot iron were being branded directly onto my bone.

Before she could even cry for help, everything went black and she lost consciousness.

When he woke up again, he was back at the Prime Minister's residence.

She had always believed that it was her brother who had informed Lu Yuan of the news, and she was heartbroken for a long time because of it.

Looking back now, the location and timing of that strange burning pain correspond exactly to the symptoms of the Mother-Child Gu attack.

That's why he can always find her so accurately.

So when he took the initiative to bring her to Lingyin Temple today, it was like watching a play whose ending he already knew from beginning to end.

Because he was certain that she couldn't escape.

A chill ran down Mingwu's spine, and her fingertips instantly turned icy cold.

"Awu, what's wrong? Are you cold?"

Lu Yuan's deep voice rang in my ears.

He took off his dark cloak and naturally enveloped her completely.

The cloak still retained the warmth of his body, carrying his unique, chilling aura. This warmth, which should have brought comfort, now chilled her to the bone.

Mingwu lowered her eyes, watching his slender fingers awkwardly tie her ribbon.

Will the mother Gu be on him?