While the Duke of Qi was directing his men to clean up the battlefield, Gu Yufan, accompanied by several advisors, secretly slipped into the mountains, intending to travel south along the mountain path to Lingnan.

When Fan Qiu served as the prefect of Lingnan, Gu Yufan hid a lot of gold, silver and valuables in Lingnan.

He knew that with Gu Yuzhi's arrival in Jiangnan, the things in the Chu Prince's mansion would be lost.

But it doesn't matter, the things of Lingnan are still there, he can make a comeback!

Gu Yufan bent over and coughed violently. Ling Jinhua, who was standing beside him, quickly stepped forward and gently patted his back: "Your Highness, it will be fine once we leave the Jiangnan region. I still have some jewelry on me. If I pawn it for travel expenses, it will surely ensure that Your Highness arrives in Lingnan safely."

Gu Yufan held Ling Jinhua's hand, his eyes filled with emotion: "Thanks to you. Don't worry, once I've accomplished my mission, you will be my empress."

Ling Jinhua smiled slightly, pulled the hairpin from her hair, stroked it in her hand as if she was very reluctant to part with it, looked up at Gu Yufan, and saw that he was about to speak with his mouth open, but Ling Jinhua did not hesitate to pierce the hairpin into Gu Yufan's heart.

"Your Highness!"

Several staff members stared in disbelief, but none of them made any move to help him up.

The advisors exchanged glances, thinking to themselves that it was better that His Highness was dead. They probably knew where the treasure was hidden in Lingnan. If they took the treasure and changed their identities, wouldn't they live with more dignity than when they were by the side of the Prince of Chu?

"Ling Jinhua!"

Gu Yufan coughed up a mouthful of blood, staggered back two steps, and leaned weakly against the tree trunk, feeling that he could not breathe and that all his strength was draining away.

He strained to look up at Ling Jinhua, and for a moment he felt as if he had never known this woman before.

He forced a couple of light coughs, but a sharp pain shot through his wound: "Why?"

The love, worry, and unease on Ling Jinhua's face all disappeared, replaced by hatred.

Overwhelming hatred made Ling Jinhua incredibly calm at this moment.

She pointed back at the hesitant advisors and said, "You've already been defeated, and now you're about to die. And how have these advisors you trusted treated you?"

Gu Yufan's gaze unconsciously drifted towards his advisors, only to find that his vision was already somewhat blurred.

He opened his mouth, only to find that he had difficulty speaking.

He knew he was going to die here today, so he turned his gaze to Ling Jinhua and said in a low voice, "I have never thought of treating you badly. You entered the manor as a concubine, and your food, clothing and daily necessities are even comparable to those of a princess. What do you have to complain about?"

Looking at his pale, bloodless face, Ling Jinhua suddenly burst into laughter.

Back when Ling Jinhua attempted to assassinate Gu Yufan, these advisors had already guessed that Ling Jinhua must have known the real reason for Ling Changshi's death.

He came to the battlefield this time perhaps to find an opportunity to personally avenge Chief Secretary Ling.

At this moment, her hearty laughter, showing no fear of being overheard by the pursuers, finally made the staff members unable to stay any longer. They helped each other and headed towards Lingnan.

But they hadn't gone far when Shen Yanci blocked their path with his sword. To everyone's astonishment and confusion, Shen Yanci attacked without hesitation and soon came back covered in blood.

The moment Gu Yufan saw Shen Yanci, his eyes lit up, and he quickly realized, "It's you, it's all of you!"

Shen Yanci gritted his teeth and said fiercely, "That's right, it's me! Jin Hua and I grew up together, and I'm just waiting to pass the imperial examinations so I can come and propose marriage!"

Who would have thought that during the time he was away studying abroad, Gu Yufan would take Ling Jinhua as his concubine!

Shen Yanci, an alcoholic, went to the Ling family to cause trouble. Ling Changshi's wife, unable to bear seeing Ling Jinhua's reputation ruined, finally revealed the truth.

At that time, Shen Yanci hated himself immensely.

Why wait until you've achieved fame and success?

This wait turned into an eternal impossibility for the two of them!

Shen Yanci was despondent for a long time. After Ling Jinhua learned of this, she secretly arranged for the two to meet and persuaded Shen Yanci to take the imperial examination again.

He finally made it onto the list, but then Ling Changshi disappeared.

After learning about Ling Jinhua's plan, Shen Yanci quickly acted as a go-between, standing by Gu Yufan's side.

Upon hearing his voice, Ling Jinhua slowly turned her head to look at him. Even though the young man in her eyes was covered in blood, he was still the one she loved.

She recalled what Shen Yanci had said when he secretly entered her room last night: "Jinhua, the King of Chu has been defeated, and the King of Wen has already occupied Jiangzhou. Neither of us can go back. After this is over, come with me."

"The world is vast, and everywhere is good."

But Ling Jinhua knew she couldn't go anywhere, and she didn't want to escape!

Even the excruciating pain in his chest could not quell Gu Yufan's anger at being betrayed.

He pointed at Ling Jinhua and Shen Yanci and said, "Adulterous couple! What a pair of adulterous couple!"

"I, Gu Yufan, have been wise all my life, yet I have been defeated by the two of you!"

Ling Jinhua raised an eyebrow slightly, clearly not expecting that even at this point, Gu Yufan would still blame others for his failure.

She scoffed, "Failed because of us?"

"Gu Yufan, do you want to see just how pathetic you are as a person?!"

As Ling Jinhua spoke, her voice turned completely somber: "My elder brother became famous at a young age. If he hadn't been appointed as your chief secretary, he would definitely have a place in the imperial court!"

"Over the years, my brother has constantly advised and guided you, but you not only failed to appreciate his hard work, but also kicked him to death in front of all your staff!"

Ling Jinhua was in tears, her voice choked with sobs: "Besides my brother, there are so many servants in the manor. You can hit them and kill them as you please. You are violent, arrogant, insidious, and selfish. Now, you are only reaping what you sowed!"

Ling Jinhua scoffed, "Do you think the actions of the naval and private army commanders on the battlefield are merely attempts to vent their dissatisfaction with each other?"

"You're wrong, they're dissatisfied with you! You schemed and plotted to get the navy under your control, yet you suppress and distrust them at every turn. You tried every means to train your own private army, but you made them hide and never let them experience a proper war."

Ling Jinhua chuckled lightly, "My brother, my brother actually lost his life because of someone like you."

She looked down at Gu Yufan. Even in this situation, Gu Yufan showed no remorse whatsoever. She suddenly felt that none of it was necessary.

Gu Yufan is the kind of person who would never know remorse!

Ling Jinhua slowly squatted down, expressionless, and pulled out the hairpin. Then she plunged it back in hard until Gu Yufan was dead beyond any doubt. Only then did she stand up, her face full of a bleak smile.

“Jin Hua…”

Ling Jinhua smiled slightly: "I am a registered concubine of the Chu Prince's mansion, and I have been accepted into the Jade Tablet. I cannot leave, but you can..."