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"Xiao Wangshu, how about we slaughter a black pig today? Black pork is delicious, Grandma will definitely like it."

Gu Jinning ran all over the mountain, searching for traces of the black pig.

"Ever since we came, Grandma has been smiling all the time, and she looks younger."

Her grandmother's happiness is her happiness. As long as her grandmother is alive, she will always be a child.

Xiao Heng'an, dressed in a tight-fitting black martial arts uniform, with a quiver on his back and a bow in his hand, followed Gu Jinning at a leisurely pace.

Suddenly, the grass in the woods rustled. Gu Jinning stopped and hid behind a big tree, nodding to Xiao Heng'an.

Xiao Heng'an drew an arrow, nocked it, aimed at the unusual movement, and released an arrow with a "whoosh." Before he could see what was behind the grass, Xiao Heng'an raised his bow and shot again.

The arrow pierced through the lush foliage and struck the treetop.

A dark figure darted out from behind the tree.

Gu Jinning yelled, "Hey, thief!"

Xiao Heng'an fired two arrows simultaneously with incredible speed. The black shadow swiftly flew out and cut them off with a blade. In the blink of an eye, Xiao Heng'an was already standing in front of him.

"You've been looking around for so long, where are you in such a hurry to go?"

The man in black, masked and silent, revealed his identity through the way he used the flying blades.

The flying knife master is ruthless; even if Gu Jinning were reduced to ashes, she would still recognize him.

“Xiao Heng’an, he was spying on us, kill him.”

Dao Wuqing fled upon hearing the sound, but Xiao Heng'an's long arrow hooked up a blade on the ground, which spun in mid-air and flew out, grazing Dao Wuqing's shoulder.

As Dao Wuqing landed and tried to escape, a long sword cleaved in front of him. Dao Wuqing rolled to dodge, but another sword slashed across and was placed against his neck.

The blades of the two swords hung suspended from his neck, and the merciless sword lay motionless on the ground.

The man with the knife looked down at him and said, "Your Highness, you are a man of the King of Qin."

"Deputy General Yang!" Gu Jinning came running over, lifting her skirt, and slapped his shoulder. "Not bad, your skills are too good. Why don't you come with me from now on? The treatment is guaranteed to be better than that of the Prince of Jin's mansion."

Yang Yu ignored her and asked Xiao Heng'an, "Should we kill him?"

Xiao Heng'an asked, "Have they arrived?"

"yes."

"Then let's deal with it."

Xiao Heng'an glanced at the person on the ground, then took Gu Jinning's hand and went down the mountain.

Gu Jinning turned to Yang and instructed, "Deputy General Yang, remember to loot the place."

Those who roam the martial world, especially swordsmen who risk their lives for others, live and die in constant danger, and their valuable possessions are mostly hidden on their person.

The tranquility of the mountain village was broken by a group of uninvited guests, and even the wind became a bit irritating.

A group of people surrounded Gu Jinning and her companion on the hillside.

"Uncle Wang."

Xiao Liao strode over arrogantly, his gaze falling on the two's tightly clasped hands. He smiled meaningfully and said, "My cousin, the princess, is here too. When did you leave the city? How come I didn't know?"

Gu Jinning said, "I ran away from home, how could I let you know?"

"King Qin, look at this commotion! You've come to arrest someone? Who? Me? Did I break the law by running away from home, or did I break the law by having an affair with His Highness the Prince of Jin?"

A secret rendezvous is shameful enough, but she dared to announce it in public; she truly knows nothing of shame.

Xiao Liao sneered, "Cousin, you kept saying you wanted to break off the engagement, how come you've already become involved with Uncle Wang so quickly?"

Gu Jinning said, "Since we can't back down anyway, we'll just have to see how things go. Are you jealous?"

Xiao Liao's face darkened, and he gestured to the people behind him to get to work. Wu Da led the group into the mountains.

"I heard that someone brought Zuo Wenzhong here, so I came to take a look."

Gu Jinning teased, "Who told you that? Are you blind? We've been here for days and haven't seen anything. Prince Qin, don't be so easily fooled."

At this moment, Wu Da on the mountain called out, "Your Highness."

Xiao Liao rushed over and saw Dao Wuqing lying in a pool of blood, while Yang Yu stood upright to the side, slowly wiping the blood off the knife.

He said, "Your Highness, this thief just now attacked Your Highness Prince Jin and Princess Jin Ning. I have already brought him to justice."

Xiao Liao was furious but unable to retaliate. He glared at Yang Yu as if he wanted to tear him to pieces.

Dao Wuqing's martial arts skills are not low, how could he possibly lose his life so easily?

He hadn't expected that Dao Wuqing, a assassin only suited for ranged combat, was most afraid of close-quarters attacks.

Now that there are no witnesses to corroborate the crime, Xiao Liao has no way to hold anyone accountable, so he ordered his men to search the entire villa and even the reed slope inside and out.

He must find Zuo Wenzhong and bring these people to justice!

Gu Jinning then poured cold water on the idea, saying, "Your Highness, is it possible that if Zuo Wenzhong escapes the city, he will surely flee far away?"

"Shut up!"

This was the first time Xiao Liao had lost his temper; he couldn't keep up the act anymore.

"I have already set up roadblocks along the way, and I will know as soon as we leave the capital."

This is also why he was certain that Gu Jinning and Xiao Heng'an were behind it all.

That day, Xiao Heng'an left the capital, and his men chased him to the Ji family's old residence, where only Ji Lin was left to mourn at the ancestral graves.

That evening, the Prince of Jin's carriage returned to the capital, and the next day it went out of the city again to send Ji Lin's wet nurse to the Ji family's ancestral home.

The carriage took a detour to the villa at night, bringing plenty of food and medicine.

If it weren't for Zuo Wenzhong, would Gu Jinning and Xiao Heng'an really be here for a secret rendezvous?

Gu Jinning and Xiao Heng'an weren't annoyed and let him turn over the soil. They thought it would be best to turn over all the soil on the mountain so that the plants would grow even better next year.

After searching the mountains, traversing the village, and questioning everyone, they still couldn't get a single piece of information about Zuo Wenzhong.

Xiao Liao returned home disappointed.

Gu Jinning and Xiao Heng'an followed closely back to the capital and immediately filed a lawsuit against Xiao Liao.

Even in its most dilapidated state, the manor was still a royal residence, and many of the elderly residents had some connection to the royal family.

Xiao Liao's blatant disrespect was a disgrace to the emperor. Furthermore, his repeated rudeness towards Xiao Heng'an drew considerable discontent from the court, especially from civil officials who valued formalities. They impeached Xiao Liao, demanding that Xiao Juebai severely punish him.

Xiao Juebai had already heard some rumors, but he turned a blind eye to them.

When the civil officials protested, he had no choice but to put on a show, publicly berating Xiao Liao, confiscating three years' salary, and stripping him of his position as the chief administrator. He then appointed Crown Prince Xiao Yi to take full charge, with Xiao Liao assisting him. He gave Xiao Liao a month to locate Zuo Wenzhong, after which Xiao Liao would be stripped of his title and forced to leave the capital, forbidden from returning without a summons. Xiao Yi, in turn, was stripped of his position as Crown Prince.

These words caused an uproar in the court.

Why should the Crown Prince be implicated in the King of Qin's mistake? The Emperor's bias is far too obvious.

Xiao Juebai simply said, "What, my dear ministers, do you have no confidence in the Crown Prince?"

Silence fell over the room for a moment.

Xiao Yi took the initiative to accept the imperial decree and take over the case of Zuo Wenzhong.

Meanwhile, the news of Gu Jinning leaving home without permission to meet with Xiao Heng'an spread like wildfire.

The Gu family didn't care. The person they were going to marry was a restless soul. As long as she didn't do anything immoral, they would let her be.

Gu Shuhe became anxious and summoned Gu Jinning to the palace that very day to question her about the situation.

Gu Jinning explained, "The manor is where Xiao Heng'an and I lived for ten years. Is there any problem with us going back to visit Grandma?"

“Auntie, you don’t know, Grandma is old and has no one to talk to. She’s so pitiful. She’s so happy when we go to stay with her for a few days.”

“We are all children raised by her.” Gu Jinning looked at Gu Shuhe cautiously and said, “You are one too.”

Gu Shuhe was stunned. A soft spot in her heart was touched, and her nose tingled with emotion.

Yes, once upon a time, she was also a little girl who was cared for in every way. She also had a loving wet nurse, two obedient younger brothers, and parents who gave her all their love.

But later, this love became her shackles. From the day she married Xiao Juebai, she became a woman who had to continue the prosperity of her family.

Gu Jinning sat down beside Gu Shuhe and gently massaged her legs, saying softly, "Aunt, Grandfather has come to terms with it. The Gu family is prosperous enough and there is no need to fight anymore. He only hopes that the children of the Gu family can be safe and happy."

Gu Shuhe shook her head and smiled bitterly, the phoenix hairpin on her head making it hard for her to breathe.

“He has come to terms with it, but what about me? What am I supposed to do if I’m stuck here for the rest of my life? Jin Ning, your grandfather is old and scared, but you can’t be scared. You have your aunt to support you, and your parents to give you glory. You were born for the throne, and you can’t forget your mission as the eldest daughter of the Gu family.”

Gu Shuhe gripped Gu Jinning's hand tightly, her eyes fixed on the vibrant, youthful face before her.

"Your brother is still unmarried, and your sister is still young. Their lives are all in your hands. And your cousin, the Crown Prince, needs you."

Gu Jinning forcefully pulled her hand away.

“Aunt, nobody needs me. I’ve figured it out. This isn’t about breaking off the engagement, it’s about how we get through this difficult time.”

The sandalwood incense on the jade platform was filled with swirling smoke, and its delicate fragrance permeated the entire Phoenix Palace.

Gu Shuhe felt a little dizzy and lightheaded from the smell.

"What do you mean?" She looked at her empty hand, somewhat disappointed.

Gu Jinning said, "You want your cousin to ascend the throne, but your uncle doesn't. He's wary of the Gu family and will never let me marry your cousin. If I don't marry him, and he still ascends the throne, then your uncle will be helpless, won't he?"

Gu Shuhe shook her head and said firmly, "There is absolutely no such possibility."

"aunt……"

Gu Jinning was about to argue her point when Gu Shuhe stopped her, saying, "Jinning, don't let your imagination run wild, and don't listen to what others say. Go back to the manor and stay there peacefully. I will handle your marriage."

"aunt."

"Let's go back."

Gu Shuhe waved her hand, ordering the nanny to come forward and see the guest out.

Knowing that Gu Shuhe was difficult to persuade, Gu Jinning curtsied and took her leave.

The Gu family's daughters were stripped of their intellectual freedom from a young age, left only with the knowledge of etiquette and diligent study, striving to become the mother of the nation.

The phoenix crown belongs to the Gu family; it is absolutely forbidden for it to fall into the wrong hands.

Gu Jinning lacked such upbringing, so she was spoiled and ignorant of manners. But she was also naive and easily taken advantage of.

Gu Shuhe suspected that Gu Jinning was being misled, which was why she was saying such irrelevant things.

The following day, she requested permission to leave the palace to visit her relatives and launched a surprise attack on the Prince of Jin's residence.

This nominal sister-in-law only remained in Xiao Heng'an's childhood memories; Xiao Heng'an had almost forgotten what she looked like.

Inside the hall, Gu Shuhe had shed her heavy palace attire and was now dressed in a purple brocade robe, her hair styled in a woman's bun, no longer as aloof as she had been in the palace.

"Royal sister-in-law."

Xiao Heng'an bowed respectfully and greeted him.

"No need for such formalities."

Gu Shuhe spoke up, waved her hand, and the old woman led the servants out.

The door slowly closed.

Xiao Heng'an asked, "May I ask what brings you here today, my sister-in-law?"

Gu Shuhe turned around and carefully examined him, her eyes filled with affection, like an elder caring for a younger person.

"It's been a long time since I've seen you. You've really grown up and are much more outstanding than I imagined."

Xiao Heng'an said distantly, "You flatter me, Your Majesty."

Gu Shuhe shook her head, sighed, and sat down, saying, "You're still blaming me, blaming me for driving you out of the city."

Xiao Heng'an replied, "I wouldn't dare."

"You're still saying things out of anger."

Gu Shuhe gave a bitter smile and recalled, "Back then, it wasn't me who complained to the Emperor. It was just a baby crying; why make such a fuss over such a trivial matter? But who could possibly guess what the Emperor was thinking?"

That year, Gu Jinning was frightened and cried. Xiao Juebai was furious and wanted to give Xiao Heng'an five severe beatings and send him out of the capital to reflect on his actions.

How could a three-year-old child withstand the beating? She pleaded with Xiao Juebai overnight, which resulted in the abdication of the beating punishment, but being sent to the manor for admonishment was unavoidable.

Everyone knew that the Empress had sought out the Emperor overnight, and they all assumed it was to lodge a complaint. No one knew how much effort she had put in.

The vivid stories told by palace women, once they reached Xiao Heng'an's ears, would surely be even more vicious.

Gu Shuhe looked up at him with the same tenderness one would show to a child, "Whether you believe it or not, I've always valued you and the Crown Prince equally. I've always been sincere towards you. You're the Crown Prince's lucky star, how could I possibly harm you?"