Suddenly, an explosion rang out, followed by a series of crackling sounds that filled the entire inn, and smoke filled the air.

The pale-faced man's hands went numb from the explosion, and Gu Nanjiao seized the opportunity to kick him before jumping out of the window and escaping.

Ignoring the pain in his hand, the pale-faced man helped Consort Yue up, asking with concern, "Your Highness, are you alright?"

Consort Yue's face was covered in black and white marks as she coughed incessantly. After recovering, she roared angrily, "Hurry up and chase after them!"

She absolutely cannot be soft-hearted; this time bomb could explode at any moment and shatter her into pieces.

As she watched Prince Cheng grow up and become the most favored concubine, she was only one step away from that position. She absolutely could not let this daughter ruin him.

Even blood relatives, even one's own flesh and blood, cannot compare to the importance of power.

I didn't expect this girl to be so cunning, just like her back then. It's a pity though.

Since she, as a mother, gave her life, then let her end it.

...

After Gu Nanjiao jumped out of the window, she landed unsteadily and twisted her ankle.

She ran incredibly fast despite having a limp.

That woman was indeed Consort Yue. The so-called illegitimate second daughter who eloped with the scholar and gave birth to an illegitimate child was probably just her own secret pregnancy with another man.

And this person was her father, but poor father was still clueless as to why the person from back then was Consort Yue.

Now that Consort Yue has become desperate and utterly disregarded familial ties, even going so far as to kill her own daughter, she absolutely cannot sit idly by and wait to die.

She had to come up with a foolproof plan to escape this calamity and severely suppress the Imperial Concubine.

Gu Nanjiao limped back to the inn and saw Lu Yanzhao being carried back by a group of people dressed in court attire.

Father Gu asked the eunuch with concern, "Sir, what's wrong with my son-in-law? Is he in any danger?"

The eunuch, making a delicate gesture with his fingers, said, "The Imperial Medical Academy has diagnosed that Lord Lu is out of danger and will wake up after a few hours of rest. Lord Lu has rendered meritorious service in saving the Emperor, and the imperial edict of reward will arrive soon. You should prepare to receive the edict and the reward!"

"Thank you, sir!" Gu Qingyan hurriedly and eagerly handed over a packet of loose silver. The eunuch weighed it in his hand with satisfaction and praised, "You really know how to do things. Please take care of it!"

"Respectfully seeing off Your Excellency!" Gu Qingyan bowed and scraped as he saw the eunuch off.

Only then did he notice Gu Nanjiao's disheveled appearance: "You...who did you fight with?"

Gu Nanjiao scratched her messy hair, limping as she leaned on Gu Qingyan's arm: "Don't even mention it, my own mother wants to kill me!"

"What? Your own mother wants to kill you?" Gu Qingyan stared wide-eyed at Gu Nanjiao in disbelief.

Her own mother has been dead for many years. Could she possibly crawl out of her grave and kill her?

"Come inside and talk!" Gu Nanjiao frowned and asked, "What happened to Lu Yanzhao?" She had seen Lu Yanzhao being carried in earlier.

Unconscious?

Gu Nanjiao snapped back to reality, ignoring the pain in her foot, and rushed into the inn.

"Lu Yanzhao, what's wrong?"

Hearing Gu Nanjiao's anxious shouts, Lu Yanzhao twitched his eyelashes and continued to pretend to faint.

The man in front of me was deathly pale, his eyes were tightly closed, a trace of blood hung from the corner of his mouth, and his luxurious robes had several obvious hoof prints. He looked utterly disheveled.

Gu Nanjiao closed her eyes, took a few deep breaths, and reached out to check Lu Yanzhao's breathing.

Upon sensing the soft touch, Lu Yanzhao immediately held his breath, startling Gu Nanjiao.

He's... he's not breathing anymore!

She had just overheard the eunuch at the door saying that she would wake up in less than two hours.

this?

She then brought her head close to Lu Yanzhao's chest, pressing her ear tightly against his chest to listen to his heartbeat.

Lu Yanzhao tightened his grip on his fingers, his heart pounding faster and faster, each beat clear and powerful.

Huh? The heartbeat is strong and powerful, not at all like that of a weak person.

Gu Nanjiao looked up at the person on the bed, her fingertips tracing his handsome eyebrows, high nose, and thin, jade-like lips.

The dappled light filtering through the window frame accentuated his deathly pale face and the blood at the corner of his mouth, creating a heart-wrenching beauty.

Lu Yanzhao waited for a long time, but Gu Nanjiao didn't make any further moves, so he couldn't help but open his eyes.

He looked over leisurely and found Gu Nanjiao looking at him with a half-smile: "You're awake!"

Lu Yanzhao gave a soft "hmm" and slowly got up. Suddenly, he pulled at the wound on his chest, and the pain made him gasp.

"Lie down quickly!" Gu Nanjiao grabbed him and put a soft pillow behind his back.

Lu Yanzhao smiled, enjoying her tenderness, a rare treat for him.

Would you like some water?

Lu Yanzhao frowned deeply, coughed a few times in pain, and then nodded.

Gu Nanjiao forgot that she had twisted her ankle, and when she got up, she accidentally fell to the ground because of the pain.

Lu Yanzhao suddenly stood up, ignoring his own pain, and helped Gu Nanjiao up: "What's wrong with you?"

Only then did he notice that Gu Nanjiao's hair was messy, her fair cheeks were stained with something black, and her skirt had dirt marks.

"Go lie down quickly, I just twisted my ankle."

The two helped each other sit on the bed when Gu's father knocked on the door.

"The imperial edict has arrived. Has Yanzhao woken up?"

Gu Nanjiao quickly opened the door and, together with her father, helped Lu Yanzhao kneel down to receive the imperial decree.

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Lu Yanzhao, the newly appointed top scholar, is exceptionally talented in literature and has rendered meritorious service in saving the Emperor. He is hereby granted a mansion for the top scholar and promoted to the first rank, serving as a fifth-rank Hanlin Academy Reader. This is the imperial decree!"

"Thank you for your great favor, Your Majesty." Lu Yanzhao remained calm and composed, which earned him the respect of the eunuch.

"Don't underestimate the promotion of just one rank. This is a height that many people would kill for. Lord Lu is so young, yet he has already reached the fifth rank. As long as you serve His Majesty well, a bright future awaits you." Seeing that Lu Yanzhao was so sensible, the eunuch gave him some advice in a high-pitched voice.

After the eunuch left, Lu Yanzhao pondered his words repeatedly. He had said that as long as one served His Majesty well, a bright future lay ahead. The eunuch's meaning was essentially the Emperor's meaning; what was the Emperor trying to tell him indirectly?

Currently, the court is divided into two factions: one supports Prince Cheng, and the other supports the Crown Prince. The two are secretly vying for power, and the Emperor, who has long held a high position, could not possibly be unaware of this, especially with Minister Zhou having been immersed in the court for many years, and Consort Yue controlling the harem, their influence spreading throughout the court and the country.

The Crown Prince's tutor, Zheng Shanchang, was a protégé of the former Grand Secretary. Since ancient times, the eldest son of the legitimate wife has been chosen as heir, giving the Crown Prince a significant advantage. However, the Emperor has noticed the Crown Prince's recent tendency to be impatient and opportunistic.

At his age, he would not allow anyone to covet his throne, not even the crown prince whom he had personally appointed.

However, the old ministers in the court have already chosen their sides, and the emperor is eager to cultivate some fresh blood.

Lu Yanzhao curled his lips; everything was going according to his plan.

Now that we understand the emperor's intentions, we need not worry about what we do in the future.

But what about Gu Nanjiao... her background?

Thinking of this, Lu Yanzhao suddenly asked Gu Nanjiao, "How did you twist your ankle?"

Gu Nanjiao quickly replied, "I accidentally rolled down the steps and twisted my ankle."

She did not intend to tell Lu Yanzhao about Consort Yue's attempt to kill her. Now that he was injured, he should take good care of himself and not be troubled by her affairs.

Lu Yanzhao narrowed his eyes, clearly not believing her words.

Gu Nanjiao is always careful, how could she possibly have rolled down the steps and gotten her face all black?

"Oh dear, you... go lie down, you're still injured!" Ignoring Lu Yanzhao's gaze, Gu Nanjiao stepped forward to support him.