Chapter 58 Big Argument (They've Made Up): "Yao Ruyi, you can never leave me."

Gu Huizhou was about to move forward when he was stopped by Yao Ruyi's sword sheath. He raised an eyebrow and said after a long while, "Yao Ruyi, I will make sure you can protect yourself."

Without hesitation, Yao Ruyi replied, "I know."

The man smiled again and tried to step forward, but the sword sheath remained firmly in place, and a look of confusion crossed his brow.

"But I'm very angry."

"You haven't paid any attention to me for five days," the emperor said, frowning. This man went back to the Cloud Palace to sleep every day and never looked at him directly, as if the emperor didn't exist in his presence.

Gu Huizhou was so angry he wanted to grind his teeth, but looking at that serious face that was arguing with him, he couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

He cursed inwardly, "What a load of crap!"

The pain was on his body, yet he had become the sinner. Gu Huizhou suddenly stopped smiling, took a step forward forcefully, and pressed the scabbard against his abdomen, where it could touch the wound with the slightest movement.

But the man didn't care; he let the longsword be pressed against his body.

Yao Ruyi shouted sternly, "Gu Huizhou!"

His eyes were fixed on the other man. He didn't know what he wanted, but he just didn't want to make peace with him like this. For several days in a row, he dreamed of those three big men. They asked him why he killed them, and he couldn't utter a single word.

He clearly only wanted to come down from the mountain to repay a debt of gratitude and study...

Growing angrier by the thought, Yao Ruyi's breathing quickened. He looked up at Gu Huizhou, who was approaching, and suddenly sheathed his sword, making Gu Huizhou delighted. "Good boy—"

Before Gu Huizhou could even raise his hand, Yao Ruyi dodged and kicked the man in the chest. She didn't touch the wound, nor did she hold back her strength. Caught off guard, Gu Huizhou was kicked into the hot spring.

With a "plop," it fell into the water.

Water splashed up to half a person's height, and Yao Ruyi finally felt he could catch his breath. He wasn't afraid of Gu Huizhou being angry; he was angry too. At worst, they would both be angry.

Thirteen and Fourteen, standing on a rooftop not far away, stared in disbelief. The two swallowed hard, Fourteen grimacing as he covered his wound. His wound was still tender, let alone His Majesty's.

"hiss--"

I never expected that Little Nineteen would be like this when she's with His Majesty. Thirteen suddenly laughed, lying leisurely on the roof tile, "Alright, stop staring."

Fourteen thought about it and said, "That makes sense."

The ripples on the water gradually subsided, and Yao Ruyi stood by the water's edge, gazing silently at the moonlit surface.

After a while, the man suddenly appeared by the water where Yao Ruyi was. His long robe clung to his body, and the red robe was soaked and turned dark red. The gold thread on it could still be seen in the moonlight. However, the inner garment was soaked through by the water and became semi-transparent, clinging to the man's body.

The front of her dress was tinged with red, appearing hazy in the moonlight.

Gu Huizhou's hair was all plastered to his body, and he reached out and tucked it behind his ear. This was the first time Yao Ruyi had seen the emperor so clearly. Even with his dark hair plastered to his head, he didn't look disheveled. Beneath his thick eyebrows were a pair of delicate, smiling eyes.

What are you laughing at?

Yao Ruyi was about to get up and leave, but the moment she stood up, someone grabbed her ankle. "Ugh—"

He fell into the water in an instant.

"Gu Huizhou—"

"I am here."

A large hand encircled the waist of the woman he had longed for day and night. The man's burning eyes were fixed on Yao Ruyi's lips, which were half-open in panic. He tried to lean in without thinking, but was pushed away by a hand.

Yao Ruyi shouted, "Gu Huizhou! I don't like you anymore!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Yao Ruyi felt the hand around his waist pause, but then tighten immediately. His hand was gripped tightly, and the man's kisses were densely packed on the corners of his mouth, his cheek, and his eyes. "Mmm—"

"Let me go!"

"Hmph," Gu Huizhou sneered, his voice low and hoarse, his gaze carrying a dangerous aura, "Then my lord, you might as well poison me unconscious!"

After saying that, to Yao Ruyi's shocked expression, he pressed his lips directly against hers. The taste of blood spread between their lips and teeth. The man stared at Yao Ruyi with his eyes wide open, as if to say, "Why haven't you made your move yet, sir?"

The next second, Yao Ruyi bit his lips hard, splitting his lower lip open. Blood dripped into the hot spring and instantly dissolved. Yao Ruyi's eyes reddened. He gasped for breath and pushed him away, slapping the emperor across the face with a loud "smack!"

The hot spring was so quiet that only the sound of water could be heard.

The man bit his lower lip, stunned, but then overjoyed. He loved seeing Yao Ruyi so open with him, whether she was adoring him or angry at him. The man smiled happily, his joy undisguised.

He asked, "Does the hand hurt when you attend the 19th Party Congress?"

"I'll rub it for you."

Her hand was gently held in someone's palm, and the man's large hand soothed the redness on her palm again and again.

Yao Ruyi's pent-up grievances of the past few days crumbled in an instant. Tears streamed down his face like raindrops from the eaves, falling to the corner of his mouth, where he swallowed them along with saliva tinged with the taste of blood. "Gu Huizhou! I won't—"

Gu Huizhou didn't want to hear those words a second time. He forcefully kissed her, tasting the bitterness in her mouth. The heartache in his eyes was undisguised. He softened his movements, kissing her from the corner of her mouth to her cheek, and finally gently kissed Yao Ruyi's eyes.

"Don't cry, I love you."

He pulled her into a tight embrace and kept kissing Yao Ruyi's earlobe, which made her struggle again. Only then did he chuckle and let go.

Held in someone's arms, surrounded by the sandalwood scent she hadn't smelled for days, Yao Ruyi's tears flowed faster and faster, turning from sobs into unrestrained weeping.

He was absolutely fed up with Gu Huizhou.

After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the crying gradually subsided.

Gu Huizhou pressed the head against his chest, "Did you hear that? My heart aches."

Yao Ruyi was punched hard again, and his eyes were red and swollen. He wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes with his hands, but the two of them were soaked in the hot spring and their hands were useless.

Gu Huizhou chuckled, "I'll help you."

After he finished speaking, he bent down and carefully licked away the tears from the corners of the person's eyes, one by one.

Holding the person who was still sobbing, Gu Huizhou explained softly, "Those three are death row inmates in prison. I asked them to help me this time so that their families would no longer have to suffer."

"We're all going to die anyway, so why not make this deal with me?"

"Yao Ruyi, you did not kill innocent people indiscriminately."

Feeling the person in his arms stiffen, Gu Huizhou felt a little helpless, afraid that he would still hear the words "I don't like it".

The man clenched his fists, his lips pressed together, the blood-stained lips filled with obsession; he never wanted to hear those three words again in his life.

Feeling the Yao Ruyi on his chest nod gently, Gu Huizhou breathed a sigh of relief. "You're not wrong, it's I who was wrong."

"I am afraid. I am afraid you will get hurt. I am afraid I cannot protect you."

The man's words sounded like an apology, but also like he was tearing his heart out to show the other person.

The air was silent for a few seconds. Gu Huizhou's tone became serious as he leaned close to the other's ear and said, "Yao Ruyi, you can never leave me."

Yao Ruyi trembled upon hearing this. He lifted his head from the man's chest and sealed the man's mouth with his own. This time, neither of them pushed the other away. Yao Ruyi tentatively explored with the tip of his tongue, but was quickly overtaken.

Gu Huizhou turned around and pressed the person against the jade wall. He kissed him fiercely, their breaths mingling and intertwining, their rapid breathing carrying the bloody smell from their mouths.

Gu Huizhou sneered. He didn't even know when the wound on his lower lip had healed. His deep, dark gaze fixed on Yao Ruyi. "Yao Ruyi, you can never leave me."

Yao Ruyi swallowed hard. "No, it won't happen."

"Can't do what?"

"I will not leave you."

A cold laugh rang out. "So, do you still like me?"

Yao Ruyi didn't speak, but in an instant she saw the man's face darken. He looked serious and said, "If you lie to me again in the future, I won't like it—hmm."

"I understand."

The man persisted, "Do you still like me?"

Gu Huizhou's hand was still covering Yao Ruyi's mouth. Mushroom frowned and snorted softly. How could he explain himself like this? The redness in the corner of his eyes hadn't faded yet, and this commotion made it worse.

Yao Ruyi hummed, "Hmm—"

like.

A wicked smile curled at the corner of the man's lips. "What?"

"Mmm—"

"like."

Finally revealing a smug expression, Gu Huizhou hugged the person in his arms with satisfaction, "My dear, I like you too."

"Splash—" Water streamed down their bodies. Yao Ruyi blushed as he looked at the man's clothes and asked, "Your injury..."

"As I said, thanks to the proper handling by the Nineteenth Prince, I don't feel any pain at all."

Yao Ruyi, impatient with his teasing manner, said, "Gu Huizhou!"

The man paused, then said, "I am in excruciating pain. I need Your Majesty to heal me."

Outside the Warm Jade Pavilion, Cui Xiangzhu smiled. These past few days, following the Emperor's side, felt like stepping back into the time before the Nineteenth Prince arrived. Now, all was well. The two had reconciled, and he could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Xiao Dezi, holding a tray of tea and snacks he had just retrieved from the kitchen, hesitated. "Eunuch Cui, should we send these over?"

Cui Xiangzhu watched as the two walked to Wangyun Palace and remained silent for a long while. "Have the imperial kitchen prepare it first, and wait for my instructions."

"Yes, Father-in-law."

It was midnight at the Liang residence. All was quiet, but almost no one in the mansion was asleep. Liang Chengfeng's eyes were red as he looked at the person who pushed open the door and said, "Sit."

The voice was hoarse and deep, startling Pang Qiying. "Young Master Liang, what is this...?"

"Ha, Gu Huai'an has been arrested."

"Your Highness!" Pang Qiying exclaimed in surprise. He changed out of the armor he usually wore in the army at home. The coarse cloth clothes made him look bulky and muscular. His muscles were hidden by the cloth clothes, and from a distance he looked like a butcher who slaughtered pigs.

His pupils dilated, and he hurriedly asked, "Has Your Majesty discovered it?"

Hearing the words "Your Majesty" now made Liang Chengfeng feel a surge of fire rising in his chest. He raised his hand and slammed a teacup down on the table. "Damn it! Who knows how he found out!"

Pang Qiying frowned and sighed, "You're impulsive, which inevitably leaves clues for others to discover. The shadowy figure beside Gu Huizhou is nowhere to be seen all day. Do you think he's sleeping soundly in the palace?"

"Pang Qiying!"

"When did it become your place to lecture me?" Liang Chengfeng shouted, his anger intensifying. The ferocious expression on his face would frighten an ordinary person, but Pang Qiying didn't care about that.

Having spent so many years in the military, he'd seen plenty of these greenhorns. Especially the sons of wealthy families—they were all good-for-nothings who could only boast.

He had originally thought he could get a good job under their command, but now that Gu Huai'an had been arrested, what was the point of scheming? With a determined look, he said loudly, "Hmph! Since that's the case, I, Pang, will not entertain you. Young Master Liang, please find someone else!"

"stop!"

Pang Qiying stopped at the door, frowned, and asked, "Is there anything else, Young Master Liang?"

Liang Chengfeng's sinister voice rang out behind him, "Pang Qiying, do you think you can still get away unscathed and go back to being your general?" He sneered, "The letter in my hand alone is enough for Gu Huizhou to kill you eight hundred times over!"

Liang Chengfeng actually kept those letters!

Pang Qiying's pupils constricted, and he was furious. "Liang Chengfeng, you despicable scoundrel!"

"If His Highness the Crown Prince were still alive, we would have a legitimate claim! But now that even Gu Huai'an has been arrested, how can the two of us command respect? Do you really think the soldiers in the army are all fools who only know how to eat their fill and then go to the battlefield?!"

"I don't care if you want to die, but don't drag me down with you!"

“Pang Qiying, you’re the one begging me now. You have no right to speak!” Liang Chengfeng shouted, his expression becoming somewhat obsessive. “Now you can’t get away; you can only continue to follow me.”

"Liang Chengfeng!"

Pang Qiying's robust body trembled with rage. He must have been out of his mind to agree to their rebellion. His face was taut, and he gritted his teeth, wishing he could kill the man in front of him with a single blow. "Liang Chengfeng, you fucking wake up! Gu—"

"Master! Master!"

The servant outside kept banging on the door, and Liang Chengfeng shouted, "Get in here!"

The door was suddenly pushed open. "Master! News has come from the side courtyard. Young Master Gu has been sent back!"

"What!"

Liang Chengfeng and Pang Qiying exchanged glances, both of them thinking in an instant, "Has Gu Huizhou gone mad?"

Who sent it back?

"Yes, it's Lord Thirteen." The servant gasped for breath. He had rushed to the study to deliver the message as soon as he received it, afraid of delaying important matters.

The two, who had just been arguing heatedly, suddenly calmed down. Pang Qiying, panting heavily, frowned and said, "Go to the side courtyard."

"Prepare the carriage!"

The carriage was rushed, and what should have been an hour's journey was completed in just over half an hour and a quarter of an hour. Liang Chengfeng jumped off the carriage and rushed into the mansion, with Pang Qiying following closely behind. The further they went in, the more they felt something was wrong.

The mansion was eerily quiet; even the maids who served Gu Huai'an stood in a row in the courtyard, not daring to utter a sound.

"What's going on!" Liang Chengfeng demanded, but no one answered.

He was about to step forward and interrogate a maid when he heard a scream come from the room, "Ah—"

A servant carrying a basin of bloody water came out of the room. In the moonlight, it was difficult to see the way, and he almost bumped into Liang Chengfeng. He hurriedly apologized, "Young Master Liang! It was my fault for being so blind. Please forgive me!"

"What's going on!"

Pang Qiying stepped forward from behind Liang Chengfeng and asked, "Is His Highness the Crown Prince being tortured in the palace?"

The servant's face was deathly pale. He nodded, then shook his head. "Yes, he was tortured, but..." The servant choked, "But His Highness the Crown Prince was also—"

Explain yourself!

"His Highness the Crown Prince has been castrated in the palace! He's done, he's become a eunuch!" The servant said, standing there trembling. He was still holding a basin full of blood in his hand. He listened to the screams from inside the room while keeping an eye on the expressions of the two people in front of him.

Liang Chengfeng was stunned, and Pang Qiying was equally speechless.

Liang Chengfeng clenched his fist and bit his lip until it bled, the taste of blood instantly filling his nostrils.

Gu Huizhou, you're really ruthless!

The man has been released, but what difference is there between that and being killed? How can a eunuch be fit to be emperor? What will happen to the soldiers who originally followed Gu Huai'an if they find out this news…

Liang Chengfeng dared not think about it. He pushed the servant aside, opened the door, and strode inside.

"Young Master Liang, Young Master—"

The physician had just finished treating Gu Huai'an's wounds when he fainted from the pain. The physician bowed tremblingly to Liang Chengfeng and Pang Qiying, saying, "Young Master Gu... has suffered a fatal injury and will never have any children."

After he finished speaking, he saw Liang Chengfeng close his eyes tightly, so he quickly shut up, turned around, and left.

Liang Chengfeng and Pang Qiying stood there, clenching their fists in anger. With a loud "bang," one of them slammed his fist into a pillar. His eyes were bloodshot as he gritted his teeth and shouted, "Gu Huizhou!"

Pang Qiying, panting heavily, remained silent. He was already on a sinking ship; there was no way to get off now, but…

His brows furrowed tightly. "Young Master Liang, what do you intend to do?"

The two remained silent as they looked at the unconscious Gu Huai'an.

After a long while, the two sat down at the stone table under the tree in the courtyard. Liang Chengfeng thought about how the two of them had been discussing the future here during the day, and now it had turned out like this!

The rage in his heart was about to consume him, and he slammed his bleeding fist on the stone table.

The two sat in silence until dawn. They had placed all their hopes on Gu Huai'an, but now he was a cripple! What difference was there between him and being dead?

Pang Qiying said slowly in a hoarse voice, "Now that you can come out, His Highness the Crown Prince's pardon must have been given out."

Liang Chengfeng was taken aback, his face suddenly darkening. "He's still not awake?"

The question was asked by the servant standing nearby, who shook his head upon seeing this, "Not yet, but Young Master Liang need not worry, the physician has already examined him and there is nothing seriously wrong."

Liang Chengfeng replied coldly, "Hmm."

The sky was about to brighten, but it still carried the gloom of night, and the cold wind blowing on them was nothing compared to the chill in their hearts.

"Brother!" A delicate figure rushed in from outside the gate with a sob in his voice. Liang Pingxia's eyes were filled with tears, and he looked like a pear blossom in the rain.

The girl's charming appearance startled Pang Qiying. "Miss Liang."

"Greetings, General." Liang Pingxia rose gracefully, turned and threw herself into Liang Chengfeng's arms, calling out, "Brother! Pingxia, Pingxia heard that Brother Huai'an, Brother Huai'an, he..."

The little girl cried bitterly, but the rest of the words wouldn't come out. She quickly asked, "Is it true?"

Liang Chengfeng's eyes widened. He met Pang Qiying's gaze and saw the other shake his head. He looked at Liang Pingxia and asked urgently, "Who told you that!"

Liang Pingxia flinched at the shout, "People in the capital are all talking about it. It seems to have come from the palace."

"The palace?!" Pang Qiying exclaimed suddenly, startling Liang Pingxia again.

"Yes, it's from the palace."

Liang Chengfeng's face turned pale instantly. If everyone in the capital knew about this, then their people must know as well. How could they still regard Gu Huai'an as the emperor?

"Let's go!" Liang Chengfeng looked at Pang Qiying. "To the camp outside the city."

Their people are now gathered outside the city, and who knows how chaotic things have become.

The two turned to leave, but Liang Pingxia hesitated for a long time, her fingers twirling the handkerchief, before finally calling out to the two who were about to leave, "Brother!"

"What is it?"

A blush crept across the girl's face. She turned to look at the bedroom behind her, then stepped forward and stood in front of Liang Chengfeng. "Brother, Pingxia is half a month pregnant."

Pang Qiying's pupils constricted sharply, unable to believe what he had just heard. "It's... His Highness the Crown Prince?"

Liang Pingxia blushed and her voice was barely audible, "Yes."

When did this happen?

Liang Chengfeng was unsure whether to be angry or delighted. At this moment, the news that someone was pregnant with Gu Huai'an's child was undoubtedly the best news, but this person just happened to be his sister!

Liang Chengfeng felt as if a heavy stone was pressing on his chest. He suddenly remembered the look of annoyance in Gu Huai'an's eyes when he was about to take Liang Pingxia away yesterday.

Good! Very good!

Liang Chengfeng had grievances he couldn't express. His heart was pounding, and he gritted his teeth, "Stay here. You're not allowed to go anywhere without my permission!"

"elder brother--"

Liang Pingxia wanted to say something more, but he had already left.

She sighed dejectedly, turned to look at the silent courtyard, and the bitterness in her eyes gradually dissipated. She put on a pitiful expression, put her hand on her belly, and walked lightly into the room.

Her ambition was hidden by her delicate appearance; if this matter succeeded, she would be the only empress.

No one can shake her position.

She lowered her head and slowly stepped up the stairs, reaching out to push open the door. "Brother Huai'an—"

The capital city was temporarily quiet for a few days because of the matter concerning the late emperor's crown prince, and almost everyone was talking about it.

Most people think the emperor is still the same emperor who is ruthless and indiscriminate in his killings, but surprisingly many people think the emperor did the right thing. If the deposed crown prince, who was banished from the capital, can enter the capital without an imperial edict, what use are the laws?

Yao Ruyi thought so too. After all, they all knew why Gu Huai'an had come to the capital. If he was going to rebel, why should they show him mercy? Thinking this, Yao Ruyi lay on the dragon bed and took out the gold medal that the emperor had given him a few days ago and played with it.

Everything was golden and had a faint sandalwood scent, probably from being used for incense. Just like the scent on Gu Huizhou, Yao Ruyi chuckled to himself, then carefully wiped it with his sleeve.

Just as he finished packing his things, he heard the sound of the door being pushed open.

"What are you doing in my bed?"

Gu Huizhou's voice was tinged with laughter. He saw Yao Ruyi lying on the bed in her undergarments, and his heart softened. He strode over and hugged her, then buried his face in her neck and took a deep breath. "Yao Ruyi, you smell so good."

"Ugh—it itches." Yao Ruyi tried to back away, but the man's large hand grabbed him from behind, and he could only retreat into Gu Huizhou's arms.

After the man had finished kissing her, Yao Ruyi's clothes were in complete disarray. A large hand had somehow slipped under her lower back, caressing her slender waist. Gu Huizhou's eyes were deep and unfathomable, and his warm breath brushed against Yao Ruyi's neck. "Yao Ruyi, look at me."

In his panic, Yao Ruyi looked up and saw that the emperor had taken off his clothes at some point. The muscular lines on his body made him blush. Gu Huizhou smiled, raised an eyebrow at him, and then slowly leaned down.

A light kiss on the collarbone, the chest... all the way down.

“Hmm—Gu Huizhou.”

His slender waist arched repeatedly, the redness at the corners of his eyes intensified, and the soft sounds in his throat were interrupted by the movements of the person beneath him, "Gu...Gu Huizhou—"

A soft chuckle.

The candlelight flickered and burned for two hours.

Yao Ruyi changed into a dry undergarment. He was still half asleep, but kept complaining to Gu Huizhou, "My hand..."

"Good boy, I'll massage you."

Gu Huizhou kept rubbing Yao Ruyi's hand with ointment. Her hands were fair and slender, with two or three calluses on her palms from practicing swordsmanship. The man looked at that spot and chuckled, his eyes darkening.

Only when he heard the person on the bed breathing evenly did Gu Huizhou quietly get up, put on his outer robe, and go out.

The emperor, accompanied by two secret guards, was making a nighttime walk in the palace when he stopped in front of the prison gates. Gu Huizhou raised his hand and said, "Wait."

Thirteen or fourteen, “Yes, Your Majesty.”

The man, dressed in a black robe, almost blended into the night. He descended the steps, the dark and damp air instantly enveloping him. The summer heat made the place even more unbearable. Gu Huizhou remained expressionless as he walked straight into the deepest part of the empty prison.

The footsteps grew fainter and fainter, echoing throughout the entire prison.

There was only one prisoner in the large prison. Gu Huizhou slowly stopped in his tracks. The person in front of him was much thinner than before. But his spirits were still good. The only light in the prison shone from the wall to this spot, and even a little moonlight was enough to illuminate this small area.

The old man's clothes were clean and tidy, and even though they were just tattered clothes, he still exuded the air of a scholar.

On a small wooden table beside him lay a pen and ink, and the empty food box sat cleanly beside it. On the wall behind him were many elegant, calligraphic characters, the same as those on the table.

The old man bowed respectfully and humbly, saying, "This humble subject greets Your Majesty."

Gu Huizhou raised his eyes slightly, scrutinizing the person in front of him. After a long while, he asked softly, "Mr. Li, do you still intend to remain uninvolved?"

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[Qingxin]