Mysterious

"The wine is here!"

After five jugs of wine, Qi Guanlan's handsome face flushed red. Wen Ruo held up three fingers and waved them in front of his eyes. "How many is this?"

"Three."

Wen Ruo clenched her fists inwardly, somewhat surprised that he wasn't drunk yet, and that his alcohol tolerance had become so good.

Qi Guanlan swayed as he examined her hand again and again. "It's true!" He held her tightly, his eyes glazed over, a hint of doubt in them. "You deliberately got me drunk?"

"Why?"

"Are you going to run away?"

Wen Ruo took a deep breath and brought out the reason she had prepared in advance, "You look especially handsome when you're drunk, and I want to see it again."

She answered all questions and was very well-behaved.

Qi Guanlan relaxed and placed her hand on his chest. "What do you want to see?"

Wen Ruo was forced to act like a rogue, and felt increasingly confused. This was different from what she had heard recently. This guy's body was so strong that he didn't seem to need a Yuan-replenishing pill.

Where do you live?

North Street.

Are Qi Guanlan and Gu Ying really that close?

Wen Ruo bid farewell to Cao Xi and hired a carriage to take him to the Gu residence. Yang Shen appeared silently, without making a sound.

"Sorry to bother you!"

"I'll take him there."

"That won't do," Wen Ruo said, supporting his arm with one hand and wrapping her arms around his waist with the other. "He's not drunk, he knows the way, I'll take him home."

Yang Shen opened his mouth slightly, but put his hands down and said dryly, "Call me if you need anything."

The two dawdled until they finally arrived at the room. Wen Ruo helped him to the bed, put pillows under him, and shifted him to a more comfortable position. She nudged him gently, saying, "Qi Guanlan!"

Where is the medicine?

Qi Guanlan shook her head gently, her eyes misty. She blinked, her gaze clearing slightly. "In the cabinet!"

Wen Ruo looked around his room. On a table not far away was an incense burner with small pieces of incense still burning inside.

On the table was a palm-sized, three-tiered sandalwood cabinet, the middle tier of which was slightly pulled out, as if the owner hadn't closed it properly.

Wen Ruo opened it and found a small bottle. She glanced at the bed, poured out a pill, and immediately squatted down, exclaiming, "Oops, one fell!"

Qi Guanlan sat up gently and leaned against the headboard. "Never mind it."

Wen Ruo poured out another pill and put it in his mouth. She then poured him a cup of hot tea, checked the temperature, and asked, "Are you dizzy? Is the alcohol taking effect?"

Qi Guanlan paused for a moment, then clutched his chest. "It seems like my heart is pounding."

"Then lie down, I'll go light incense."

The fragrance is wonderful, calming and soothing!

Qi Guanlan's expression quickly softened. Once his breathing had stabilized, Wen Ruo tucked him in before leaving the house.

Yang Shen was standing at the door, his gray robe radiating a chill. It was unclear how long he had been waiting. "Did you need something?"

Yang Shen: "How did you know the code words of Lanzhou?"

When asked this question, Wen Ruo chuckled, "Of course I have. Now that I've taken it down, it's a form of revenge."

Do you still remember your family?

"They're all dead. They were beaten to death by them."

It's ridiculous. I don't know where this affection came from. Perhaps she was too capable. Her first buyer was reluctant to let her go, which angered the human traffickers. He beat her to death, and the government handled the matter hastily.

When she was released from prison, her new buyer was waiting outside, tears welling in his eyes, just like a biological daughter.

This is the most ridiculous thing in the world.

Wen Ruo's lips curled into a mocking smile, then she came to her senses and looked around curiously. "It's almost New Year's Eve, and Lord Gu is still so busy?"

"You need to see him for something?"

Wen Ruo hesitated for a moment, then spoke up, "Is it easy to investigate the Sun family's affairs in Linlong?"

They are mother and son, bound by blood. Is it because Princess Rongjing is so righteous and decisive that she is so desperate?

Sun Hao may have been bewitched, but he wasn't completely brainless. His arrogance suggests he must have powerful backers. If it were just Sun Xuerong, he would definitely be taught a lesson.

"You want to avenge him? Her father is the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. Don't you know what that means?"

Whether she gets promoted or not is entirely in other people's hands.

“I’m also protective of my own. If I don’t teach Sun Hao a lesson, everyone will be able to bully him. How will he live in the capital?”

Yang Shen's expression suddenly turned strange. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Don't get your hands dirty. I'll help you as a way of returning the favor."

As dusk fell, Wen Ruo, preoccupied with her own thoughts, failed to notice his unusual behavior and politely declined, saying, "It's my duty. Sun Xuerong sees me as a thorn in her side, and I can't escape it no matter what."

Yang Shen replied earnestly, "I will definitely convey your message."

As soon as the gates of the Gu residence closed, the courtyard immediately became dark and quiet. The night was cool and still, and the flame in the lampshade flickered slightly before returning to calm.

The cool moonlight shone on the bluestone, and Qi Guanlan appeared behind Yang Shen like a gentle breeze. His gaze was sharp, and a hint of jealousy lingered in his voice as he spoke, "You care about her a lot?"

I treat her like a younger sister.

Yang Shen never lies, and Qi Guanlan breathed a sigh of relief. "What is she going to do?"

Yang Shen repeated what he had just said, his face showing hesitation, "You plan to keep it from her indefinitely?"

"I didn't expect it to be like this either." Qi Guanlan's brows furrowed unconsciously, but her eyes were full of smiles, sweet with a hint of trouble. "She even took my medicine. She really cares about me."

So you're worried she'll be angry?

Qi Guanlan lowered his eyes, suddenly clutching his wrist and lost in thought. Yang Shen waited a moment, then tactfully left, not hearing his murmur, "She's very smart. If she knew, she would easily guess the reason!"

"However, she is right about one thing."

The tone shifted abruptly, Qi Guanlan's face darkened considerably, a stark contrast to her previous gentle demeanor. "Sun Xuerong, you don't need to hold back anymore."

Within two days, Wen Ruo received news of Sun Xuerong. A quick glance revealed that, apart from various shops and gatherings, the most frequent activity was at the Princess's residence.

"Her father's matter will take some time to resolve."

"As expected of my junior brother, he has truly inherited our master's skills; his movements are incredibly fast!"

Gu Ying chuckled: "As a junior brother, I naturally have to do my best to fulfill my senior sister's orders."

Wen Ruo's smile faded, her brow furrowed, and she advised, "Don't learn everything from Tao Yan. I'm still more used to your carefree attitude."

"If I said that all the life-and-death things I've done were for my senior sister, what would you think?"

Wen Ruo put down the booklet and looked it over from left to right. "You haven't been fed that nonsense about blindly following your master's orders by Tao Yan, have you? Or have you been bewitched by him? Where did you come from? How can you believe this?"

Gu Ying clicked his tongue and shook his head, "Senior Sister is truly as Master said, completely impervious to reason."

"I am too frail to bear such a heavy burden of affection."

Gu Yu was taken aback. "Then Qi Guanlan is the same?"

Wen Ruo chuckled, "You certainly have a wild imagination."

"This Baiyuzhai is indeed peaceful. Master has been talking about you, and even said that Senior Sister likes someone like Gu Yu. I never thought I would succeed, but Qi Guanlan beat me to it!"

There was a hint of sadness in his voice. Wen Ruo was taken aback and looked up. His back, which was always as straight as a bamboo, seemed to have been weathered by time.

Her heart skipped a beat, and her expression became somewhat complicated. "Extend your hand, let me take your pulse."

Gu Ying suddenly stood up and said with a smile, "It was just a joke. I have other things to do."

Wen Ruo: "Are you really not sick?"

"I'm entrusting my brother to you."

Wen Ruo shrugged.

"Shh!"

"Sun Xuerong is here. Are you ready?"

After receiving Gu Dongxuan's letter, based on Gu Ying's investigation, she specifically chose New Year's Eve.

Qi Guanlan nodded, "They're really starting to treat the Princess's residence like a second home."

Not long after the two arrived, Sun Xuerong's sedan chair slowly came up. When the maid saw the two, her mouth moved slightly, and the sedan chair bearers slowly lowered the sedan chair.

As soon as the curtain was lifted, an invisible hostility shot out from the other side.

As soon as Yun Qing came out, she saw the two whispering to each other without any attempt to hide their conversation. Her expression changed slightly, and she turned to the side, her gaze immediately becoming deep and serious.

"Xue Rong greets Aunt. How is Your Highness's health? Xue Rong brought some medicine."

Qi Guanlan's face turned cold. "Since Her Highness has someone who cares, I won't bother them."

“Brother Guanlan, the princess must want to see you.”

Before Wen Ruo could react, a malicious gaze pierced her directly, and her words carried a hint of smugness and familiarity, "She was just angry, and she might have spoken a little harshly to others."

"I told you, don't call me by my name. The word 'brother' makes me want to vomit."

Sun Xuerong sighed, "Young Master Qi is so heartless."

"Even if you get married, our childhood friendship means we should still be considered brothers, right? Or is it that Sister Wen can't tolerate me?"

Qi Guanlan shook his index finger and denied it, saying, "You're wrong, it's me who can't tolerate you."

"If you hadn't encouraged your cousin to teach this good-for-nothing a lesson, I would have forgotten that you've always loved to pretend since you were little."

He looked at Yun Qing and said with a hint of self-deprecation, "I can only choose one: my good-for-nothing son or my sweet little daughter. Please inform Aunt Yun."

"I shamelessly asked her one last time, who did she choose? It was either her or me, I had to choose one."

"From now on, we won't need to trouble General Gu anymore; running back and forth is too tiring."

Sun Xuerong's face turned pale instantly. "I was only concerned about the princess, I had no other thoughts."

"I don't care what you think, I just don't like you."

"Who are you trying to impress by putting on this sentimental act while stepping on me?"

"They actually went too far, daring to take advantage of her guilt."

"It must feel good to stab her in the heart and enjoy the glory of it all."

Sun Xuerong's teeth chattered slightly, "Do you really have to do this?"

Qi Guanlan's face showed a sneer, and his voice was a few decibels lower than usual, "What, are you sober now? Aren't you just wallowing in self-pity and fooling yourself?"

"Just because I am detached from worldly affairs doesn't mean I don't know them."

Sun Xuerong fell silent, looking at the tightly closed vermilion door. Her long fingernails dug into her gauze skirt, revealing a sinister side to her usually gentle face.

The voices grew colder with each one, as if a storm was brewing in the air, chilling to the bone. "Did Gu Ying tell you?"

Qi Guanlan lost interest. He suddenly turned his head and asked in a low voice, "Do you know now?"

A chill crept up her back involuntarily, and the seemingly random question only added to her confusion. Wen Ruo looked at him in bewilderment, "What?"

"I'm exhausted from dealing with this."

"Why are descendants so important!"

"I don't understand why they agreed to my face but changed their minds afterward."

"No matter where I go, these people follow me like a shadow. They are ugly and disgusting."

"That's why I didn't go looking for you. If it's not mutual, there's no point in pestering you."

“She changed her mind at the last minute, and you immediately condemned me, showing me no kindness whatsoever.”

“I went to ask for the imperial edict out of spite, and also to completely give up any hope.”

Wen Ruo raised her head and listened quietly, her expression gradually becoming serious, with a hint of heartache in her eyes. She had been somewhat cold towards him a few days ago.

"nausea?"

"ugly?"

"So this is how you see me!"

Sun Xuerong staggered slightly, her right hand slowly brushing across her cheek. The pearl powder, worth a hundred taels, crumbled like snowflakes, causing her exquisite makeup to crack little by little.

"Appearance is a gift from God, and a repulsive face is a reflection of one's heart, which cannot be changed."

She raised her hand unwillingly, "How is she any better than me? Getting into Honghu Academy and staying at Dali Temple, wasn't it all because she used you!"

Wen Ruo stepped forward and saw this outfit again, as if from another world. "I don't recognize the Dali Temple."

If He An can stay, why can't she?