Do not touch each other

Three years later, with the overall situation settled, the Flying Phoenix Guards retired after their mission was accomplished, and Xie Lang then made Li Lanxiu a Consort, in charge of all affairs of the three palaces and six courtyards.

With no empress in the harem, Consort Chen is effectively the person with the highest power. Since the abandoned Qiwu Palace is located within the inner palace, any unusual occurrence there should rightfully be the concern of Consort Chen.

Furthermore, Gu Yi adhered strictly to etiquette and was mindful of distinguishing between internal and external affairs and avoiding suspicion. Although his real power in the court was no less than that of the emperor, he would not overstep his bounds in front of the head of the harem, who was personally appointed by the emperor.

But……

After saying goodbye, Consort Chen left. She made it clear to him that she was not there to act as a concubine.

A fierce battle between experts broke out in the palace, alarming even the head of the six palaces. This was no joke.

She pretended not to see it.

Is this to give him face, or to protect Chu Yuanyi in Qiwu Palace and prevent Emperor Xie Lang from remembering the name "Qiwu" again, or perhaps both?

In short, although Consort Chen did not mention it, the task of escorting A Qiu back to Tangli Garden undoubtedly fell to him.

If he were to let A-Qiu wander around the palace again and cause trouble for someone... he was starting to get a headache.

Then, we saw A-Qiu, wounded after the fight, walk out of the abandoned palace, looking completely bewildered...

It was obvious at a glance that the fight was so dangerous that she was disoriented.

He originally only intended to follow silently and make sure the person returned to Tangli Garden.

Now, all he could do was cautiously ask, "You...you probably don't know how to get back, do you?"

If you don't know, just tell the truth. He can lead the way, but the key is to make sure you don't end up in any inappropriate places.

What a joke, of course she knows!

She has an excellent sense of direction!

As an assassin, if you get lost in the mansion or military camp where you're supposed to assassinate someone, and can't find your target, or even can't get out by dawn, your senior brothers, colleagues, and even all of humanity will laugh you to death.

Therefore, even if you don't know, you absolutely cannot admit it.

Ah Qiu now understood why Consort Chen hadn't personally escorted her away. These nobles spoke and acted with hidden meanings; their words were not spoken lightly. Consort Chen must have sensed it too; Junior Tutor Gu was waiting nearby to escort her away.

A Qiu didn't dare to talk back to Gu Yi, and besides, she didn't have the stamina to fight again tonight. Therefore, despite her thousand grievances, she could only reply in the most obedient voice, "I know how to get there."

"Oh." Gu Yi's voice was flat. "Then you can leave."

So, A-Qiu took a step and walked away.

But after taking a few steps, she realized something was wrong.

Gu Yi stayed close to her, about two feet behind, showing no intention of leaving.

Are they waiting to see her make a fool of herself? A-Qiu was extremely indignant.

So she quickly gathered her strength, stretched out her foot, and swiftly stepped across the water, crossing a pond and several corridors. Finally, she gracefully soared into the air and landed on a flowering tree, just in time to avoid a group of palace patrolling soldiers passing by below the wall.

Once the soldiers had gone some distance, she heard Gu Yi's voice above her head: "So, you think this is the way to Tangli Garden?"

When A Qiu looked up, she saw Gu Yi sitting upright on a branch at the top of the tree, looking at her with a deep and worried gaze.

His handsome, deep-set face was framed by the starry sky, adding a layer of mystery and ethereal beauty.

A Qiu stepped into thin air and fell.

Of course, she didn't damage the ground.

It seems that Master Gu cherishes the lawn inside the palace.

Before she even landed, she had already firmly settled into someone's arms.

so……?

Before A Qiu could react, she heard Gu Yi cough softly, and a gentle force supported her from behind, then Gu Yi took a step back. She was now standing on her own two feet again.

"Take care."

Gu Yi said, "Men and women should not touch each other."

For the rest of the journey, Gu Yi naturally led the way, with A Qiu following behind. The two maintained a certain distance, neither too close nor too far.

A Qiu felt dizzy, as if her feet were on clouds, and her mind was almost unable to function properly.

She wondered what Gu Yi meant by "men and women should not touch each other."

Was he reminding her not to be so shameless and to keep clinging to him?

In all honesty, he was the one who insisted on catching her. ...Although, he meant well, after all.

We should take care of public property and avoid damaging the lawn.

But he turned around and implied that she had taken advantage of him, making A-Qiu feel that she had been cheated.

Gu Yi also felt unwell. He stopped and glanced at her forehead.

There still hangs a floral ornament there, unlike the golden-green cat's-eye ornament I saw the first time, it is a silver crescent tassel with simple carving.

One moment she felt her blood surging, the next she felt dizzy, and then she seemed to be filled with rage.

What exactly was she "thinking" about him?

He shook his head, deciding to remind himself once again: men and women should not touch each other.

She is no longer a child; unless it is a matter of life and death, it is best to avoid touching her in the future.

As A Qiu was walking unsteadily, as if ascending through clouds and mist, she suddenly heard Gu Yi say, "The Pear Blossom Garden is just ahead. You may go there yourself."

She suddenly realized, as if waking from a dream, that Tangli Garden and Qiwu Palace were actually so close together.

The shadows of the trees sway gently, and the moonlight shines faintly. The ancient wooden pavilions and bridges of the Pear Blossom Garden appear and disappear in the mist.

Occasionally, a bird would take flight and cross the water to go.

Should we thank him? After all, Master Gu had accompanied her for most of the night while she strolled around the palace, his clothes disheveled, and even had to escort her back.

But thinking about his statement "men and women should not touch each other," A Qiu was really angry.

No need to thank me, lest he think she's throwing herself at him.

A Qiu stopped thinking about it, leaped into the air, as light as a swallow, and flew towards the ancient, tree-lined water corridor.

Gu Yi stood still, the night wind blowing his clothes, watching her white figure disappear into the distance.

Ah Qiu had only reached halfway up the water corridor when she sensed something was amiss.

She instantly stopped on the veranda, glancing warily to the side and looking around.

The moonlight was bright, and the water and sky merged into one azure. A waterbird, startled, took flight from the reeds and soared across the sky. On the water plants, glistening dewdrops sparkled.

Everything is perfectly normal.

But she just felt that something was wrong.

"Thump, thump thump".

The sound of wooden clogs landing on the ground, one step at a time, came from ahead.

It looked like someone was dragging their feet, and walking with great difficulty.

"Thump, thump thump".

Amidst the mist of the water corridor ahead, a figure with long sleeves hanging down and loose black hair appeared indistinctly.

It was coming straight towards her.

A-Qiu suddenly remembered the curfew that the geisha had mentioned during their late-night conversation the previous night.

There is a curfew at Tangli Courtyard, and nighttime travel is prohibited in Tangli Garden.

The figures ahead became clearer and clearer.

Suddenly, A Qiu's hair stood on end.

Could this be the "ghostly night tour" that the dancers and musicians have been talking about?

"Thump, thump thump".

The footsteps grew closer.

The figure of a woman with long, flowing hair, wearing wooden clogs and a black and white swallowtail dance costume gradually became clearer in A-Qiu's sight.

A snow-white face, furrowed brows, and crimson lips in a smile.

The makeup is exactly the same as that of the Tangliyuan dancers; it looks comical during the day, but at night it appears as a startlingly eerie and terrifying sight.

The woman's clothes and hair were soaking wet.

Wherever it went, it left a long trail of water.

A-Qiu was truly impressed with himself for being able to calmly analyze so much.

Her scalp was tingling, and her hands were trembling inside the sleeves of her dress.

Five zhang (approximately 10 meters).

Three zhang (approximately 10 meters).

Two feet.

She admired her own courage.

The Lanling Assassin is one of the strongest warriors in the world, so of course he wouldn't be afraid of ghosts.

The premise is that no one has ever seen a ghost, not that a living ghost is walking towards her.

Within a zhang (approximately 3.3 meters), the female ghost stared at her, showing no intention of retreating, and continued to advance.

A Qiu was terrified and turned around quickly, running back as fast as she could.

In her imagination, the female ghost was already following her back, getting closer and closer.

Even the sound of the wind in my ears was terrifying.

She ran for her life until she bumped into someone who hadn't yet left.

Gu Yi had just watched her figure disappear from sight and was about to leave when he saw A Qiu running towards him in a panic, looking more anxious and helpless than ever before, filled with fear and dread.

He wanted to stop her and ask her what was going on.

Judging from the current situation, the only way to stop her is to use ourselves as a shield, block her path, and ask her questions.

So, he selflessly stood in the middle of the road, blocking A Qiu's way.

She successfully bumped into him.

Moreover, she completely forgot his earlier statement that "men and women should not be too intimate," and trembling all over, she hugged him tightly with both hands and feet.

Gu Yi's body was stiff; he was completely stunned.

No one could get close to him.

He doesn't touch women or men, not even cats or dogs.

...except for her when she was a child.

He could certainly have used his internal energy to shake it off, but for some reason he didn't.

He thought for a while and came to the answer: because he didn't want to.

Gu Yi maintained his composure, freeing one hand to carefully pat her shoulder.

"Are you... able to get up now?"

The answer is concise and decisive.

"No!" A-Qiu buried her head in his chest, unwavering.

She had just seen such a huge living ghost, and she had finally managed to grab a living person to calm her nerves. There was no way she could get her up.

Gu Yi's face twitched; he didn't know whether to cry or laugh.

It's still the same as when I was a child.

Once I held him, I didn't want to let go.

Once you latch onto him, you can't get rid of him.

But just holding her quietly like this doesn't seem so bad.

It was as if the world had become quiet, and even the night breeze blowing across the lake had a touch of warmth.

I gradually sensed some subtle changes.

At first, it was a long-lost feeling of familiarity and warmth.

Then, why did his own heart rate increase?

He couldn't believe that he was experiencing the same symptoms as A-Qiu: overwhelming emotions, absent-mindedness, and dizziness.

But Gu Yi was ultimately much more composed than A Qiu.

If A-Qiu needs to hold him all the time, he can endure it.

He just stood there quietly, letting her hold him.

At the same time, out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of a black and white dancer in costume moving slowly across the water corridor, each step accompanied by a soft thud.

The shadow seemed to pause for a moment when it saw him.

To be precise, I was stunned when I saw him holding someone.

The woman, her face powdered with lead powder, stood there with a wide-open, blood-red grin, as if she had stumbled upon something embarrassing and didn't know whether to go forward or retreat.

Gu Yi was about to convulse.

He tried his best to comfort A-Qiu: "It's alright, you... get up."

After tonight, he really won't have to live in the palace anymore.

A Qiu, oblivious to Gu Yi's sacrifice, reluctantly raised her head and left Gu Yi's shoulder.

Then, what is that?

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of the ghostly performer who was struggling to move forward or backward at the end of the water corridor. She couldn't help but scream "Ah!" and hugged Gu Yi even tighter, refusing to look up this time no matter what.

Gu Yi helplessly made a hand gesture in the direction of the ghost performer.