Chapter 151 Chapter 151 is the only genuine version...
Prince Jin's heart was in turmoil.
Ultimately, the extravagant hope for his son's survival outweighed the party struggles and the fight for power, and he began to hope that Gu Zhizhuo could really bring the Duke of Wei back to life.
He didn't know how long he stood there. The Wucheng Bingmasi finished their work and took Jiang Chao's body back. Even the Shuilong Bureau put out the fire.
Finally, the word "OK" came into my ears like the sound of nature.
"Uncle Wang, I'll go take a look."
Prince Jin couldn't wait to speak, and without waiting for Prince Li's response, he ran over first.
Xiangyang stopped him ten steps away, but this time, there was no one blocking him, and he could clearly see what was happening inside.
Gu Zhizhuo half-knelt in front of Duke Weiguo, concentrating on taking his pulse.
A white cloth was tied around the Duke of Wei's neck, its edges rough, as if hastily torn. A fragment of jade tube was faintly visible where his throat had been slit. It looked a bit scary at first glance, but even so, the amount of blood on his body was surprisingly minimal, as if his throat had been slit and no blood had flowed.
Moreover, he is really alive!
The King of Jin swallowed his saliva. That day, Master Changfeng had said that Miss Gu possessed some Taoist skills and was a highly skilled doctor, but he had been skeptical. Now, could this be the Taoist art of resurrection?
"Duke Wei?"
Gu Zhizhuo let go of the hand that was taking the pulse and called out in a low voice.
This method was taught by the master. In the last month of his previous life, the young master was unable to breathe and could die at any time.
The young master had been struggling for so long and was now extremely skinny. Even if she was unwilling to admit it, she knew that there was no way to save him.
The young master asked her if she could hold on for another month as he still had some unfinished work to do.
She asked her master.
Gu Zhizhuo closed her eyes. At that time, she picked up the knife and cut the wound, extending the young master's life by another forty days.
She calmed herself down and focused all her attention on Duke Weiguo.
His pulse has stabilized and his life is not in danger for the time being.
As to whether he can survive, we have to wait a few more days.
Duke Wei pulled the corners of his mouth and gave a forced smile.
"I'm… out of breath."
The feeling of impending death just now made Duke Weiguo extremely scared.
"Are you feeling any worse?"
“No, no.”
Duke Weiguo shook his head. Perhaps because he had been holding his breath for too long, his mind was confused and he didn't even feel any pain in his throat.
If he hadn't seen Miss Gu pick up the knife with his own eyes, he would have thought she was trying to scare him.
He said weakly, "Thank you."
This "thank you" came from the bottom of his heart.
The Duke of Wei knew very well that they could just stand by and watch.
"Thanks……"
Duke Wei couldn't say much, he didn't even dare to touch his neck.
As he spoke, Gu Zhizhuo finally stood up from his half-squatting position.
She had been squatting for a long time and her hands and feet were numb. Fortunately, Xie Yingchen helped her up and she finally stood up.
She held his warm hand lovingly, thinking how good it was to be reborn.
Gu Zhizhuo turned his head and smiled sweetly at him, then asked, "Duke, do you have a doctor in your house?"
"have……"
That's good.
"I'll go back to the mansion with you, and I have to talk to the Duke's wife about how to raise her."
Xie Yingchen asked someone to prepare a carriage, which was driven directly into Tianxi Tower, and he signaled the Duke of Weiguo's attendant to carry the person onto the carriage.
"Granduncle, Yaoyao and I will see the Duke of Wei off."
"Hey hey."
Prince Li responded repeatedly. He looked left and right at the jade tube on Duke Weiguo's neck, his heart beating fast.
"He's like this," Prince Li asked, "will he always be like this?"
"No, if it's well maintained, it can be removed in three to five days and it will be the same as before."
Prince Li was relieved. When Gu Zhizhuo got on the carriage, Prince Li remembered something and quickly pulled the window and said, "By the way, girl, don't be angry. Give me a few days, okay?"
Gu Zhizhuo turned his head away and ignored him.
Prince Li puffed his beard and glared: "Five days... three days is okay?"
Xie Yingchen smiled and said, "Thank you for your hard work, great uncle."
“Not bitter, not bitter.”
Gu Zhizhuo smiled innocently: "Your Highness, I will check your pulse again when I visit your house in a few days."
This girl has a really good heart. Prince Li said goodbye to them cheerfully. Originally, he had planned to ask Gu Zhizhuo to go to Hanzhang Palace with him, but now, he thought, Duke Wei was more important. With an extra jade tube around her neck, the girl would definitely have a lot to explain to the Wei family.
The carriage left quickly.
Prince Li also left, and Prince Jin hurriedly called him, "Uncle Prince Li, are you going into the palace?"
Before Prince Li could reply, he smiled and said, "I will go with you. It has been a while since I have greeted the Emperor."
As he spoke, he glanced back inadvertently. The entertainers were led away by someone, and his eyes fell on a slender and graceful figure.
Seeing Prince Li raise an eyebrow at him, Prince Jin hurriedly said with a smile, "Uncle Li, that is Lady Gui. Her pipa skills are unrivaled among the courtesans in the capital. I think she is not inferior to the former Master Qiu."
"You want to take a concubine?"
Prince Li looked at him suspiciously.
"Uncle Wang, you're joking. I was just complimenting you." He laughed dryly twice. "Alas, Yun'er is so ill now, how can I have the heart to take a concubine? Uncle Li, can you please do me a favor? Chen'er has been listening to you since he was a child..."
Prince Li knew immediately that he wanted the girl from the Gu family to treat Xie Qiyun. No, no, that girl was very determined. If he said a few words to her, she would definitely slam the table and threaten him again.
"Ouch."
Prince Li interrupted him with a shout: "My old waist hurts so much after standing for a while. Why are you standing there? Come and help your prince."
The guards hurried over to support him. When they heard him muttering about having someone to rub his waist when he got back, Prince Jin's face turned cold for a moment, but he followed as if nothing had happened.
Tianxi Tower was unusually empty. All the guests had evacuated, the officers and soldiers from the Shuilong Bureau had also left, and the waiters and helpers were cleaning up the mess after the fire.
At dusk, a steward came to the Prince of Jin's mansion and looked for the shopkeeper.
After a while, the shopkeeper personally led him to the courtyard at the back.
This courtyard is specially prepared for the courtesans to rest, and they can even live here if they want.
For example, Gui Niangzi would come to Tianxi Tower every couple of days, and this small courtyard would be used as her temporary resting place.
When the shopkeeper and his companions arrived, Madam Gui had just put down the pipa. When she heard the knock on the door, she got up and opened it.
"Gui Niang," the shopkeeper politely introduced, "This is Manager Zheng from the Prince of Jin's Mansion."
"Manager Zheng."
Madam Gui bowed slightly, her attitude humble.
"Madam Gui. Our prince is celebrating his fiftieth birthday next month, and he wants to invite Madam Gui to come to our palace to play music."
Manager Zheng's tone was quite polite, but his attitude was a bit arrogant. He didn't care whether she was willing or not. After all, a lowly prostitute had no right to say "no".
Lady Gui smiled, her clear eyes seemed to contain a pool of clear water: "Yes."
"Where is Madam Gui from?" asked Manager Zheng.
"Yongzhou."
"Where is Yongzhou?"
Madam Gui's eyes flickered as she looked at the shopkeeper hesitantly.
The shopkeeper spoke up for her and asked, "I wonder what Manager Zheng meant by asking this?"
Manager Zheng thought about his prince's instructions and said in a friendly tone, "My prince has invited the recently retired Yongzhou General Qi. Madam Gui is from Yongzhou, so she must be able to speak the Yongzhou dialect, right?"
Are they planning to ask Gui Niang to accompany the guests? Their Tian Xi Lou isn't a brothel or a prostitute! The shopkeeper frowned. Tian Xi Lou was owned by the eldest daughter of the Zhenguo Duke's Mansion, so he wasn't too afraid of these powerful people. He refused, saying, "Gui Niang won't accompany guests. If the prince is inviting someone for more than just music at the banquet, then we'd better not do it."
You! Manager Zheng was a little annoyed.
He then thought, the prince always summoned singing girls and musicians for his birthday banquet every year, and the princess would take care of it. Why would the prince need to give instructions personally? He even specifically asked him to find out where Lady Gui was from and told him not to neglect her. Looking at these words, the prince must have taken a fancy to her and might even marry her off.
A prostitute is always fond of fighting. If she wins my favor for a while, it would be a shame if she sues me for being disrespectful to her.
So, he said in a friendly manner, "I just want to ask Madam Gui about the customs in Yongzhou. If you have time, please ask the maid in the palace to ask for some advice. Hey, shopkeeper, you don't know that General Qi has been very kind to my prince, and my prince doesn't want to neglect him."
Just make it clear. The shopkeeper felt relieved and looked at Madam Gui.
Madam Gui said gently, "Blackwater Castle."
Everything that happened back then was like a nightmare. Gui Niang had an excellent memory, so she remembered everything that happened after she was captured by those people, and she even remembered that they pushed her off the cliff.
She thought she was dead, but after being unconscious for an unknown amount of time, she was awakened by a rainstorm.
Her whole body ached, so much so that she even wanted to die, but she couldn't die. She had to find her brother, and they had to go to the capital together to file a complaint. The Yin family wasn't bandits, and her parents couldn't die under the accusation of being bandits.
She climbed down slowly, her nails broke and her hands were covered in blood. She finally climbed down the cliff, but she was exhausted. When she woke up again, several days later, she was sold to a brothel.
Lady Gui's hands were hidden in her sleeves, her fingers as tight as strings.
She wants to live.
She and her brother had agreed that both of them had to survive. Only by living could they take revenge. If they died, there would be nothing left.
She survived.
My brother will definitely survive.
Manager Zheng: "Madam, do you have any relatives?"
"My parents died young, and my younger brother died young." She shook her head with tears in her eyes, "I've been displaced and have no family left."
"I've said too much." Manager Zheng politely handed over a purse. "This is the deposit."
In the purse was a silver note, weighing a full one hundred taels.
"The prince said that he would trouble you to teach the maid in the palace some customs. This will take up a lot of your time, but you deserve it."
Lady Gui took it with a smile.
After finishing his work, Manager Zheng said politely, "I'll take my leave now. Madam, don't forget on the day of your return. The palace will send a carriage to pick you up."
Lady Gui stood up to see her off.
After the shopkeeper led him out, Madam Gui immediately closed the door, and the smile in her eyes disappeared completely in an instant.
She returned to the room, sat down on the beauty bed, and lowered the curtains around her.
Layer upon layer of gauze curtains enveloped her. Madam Gui hugged her knees and curled up into a ball, as if only in this way could she feel a little safe.
She rested her chin on her knees, accidentally pulling at her veil.
The crimson veil slid down onto the beauty bed.
Gui Niang's silky black hair fell on her shoulders, her face was extremely beautiful, her lips were not made up, her skin was as white as cream, and her appearance was stunning...if you ignored the scar on her left cheek that was burned beyond recognition.
The burn scar extended from the cheek to the chin, the bumpy skin was grayish white, while the right half of her face was as delicate and beautiful as a lotus.
The scar made her smile feel awkward, but she didn't care.
She gently stroked the scar on her cheek. The soft touch of her fingertips no longer hurt her cheek, because that pain had long been engraved in her heart.
If she hadn't held on to a glimmer of faith, she would never have been able to survive in that place.
Lady Gui covered her face with her hands, tears streaming down through her fingers.
It took her two full years to escape and return to Blackwater Castle.
At that time, there was nothing left in the entire city.
On the way, she heard that the bandits had massacred the entire city after occupying Blackwater Fort.
The city was covered in blood, which had drawn strange lines on the ground and walls. Even though some time had passed and the blood had long since dried up, one could still smell the blood in the air.
It's creepy.
Walking in the Blackwater Castle where she grew up, she felt a biting cold all over her body, as if her strength would fade away bit by bit with every step she took.
She returned home along the dried blood road.
Gui Niangzi's eyes were dazed for a moment, and she murmured to herself: "Dad, Mom."
She didn't see any corpses along the way, except for her home, which was exactly the same as when they escaped. Her father and mother's bodies, which had rotted into bones, lay at the entrance of the secret passage. The two of them blocked the secret passage with their backs to avoid being discovered, and they also died here.
She held their skeletal hands and spoke to them in many words.
It was clearly spring, but she was freezing cold. Even when she was in the snow, she had never felt so cold.
It was a coldness that penetrated into her bones, as if an ice knife was slowly cutting through her flesh and soul.
When she was about to leave, she heard unfamiliar footsteps outside. She instinctively hid in the secret passage behind her parents. That day, she heard something she would never forget.
Sacrifice.
Change your destiny.
Blackwater Castle was full of deaths.
There were more than a hundred people in the Yin family, all of whom were sacrifices.
She also heard them say that she was the center of the formation.
She recognized the man's voice; it was the guerrilla general her brother had brought back.
The guerrilla general who ordered the massacre of the entire Yin family.
He came here to find her portrait, and took away the portrait that his father had painted for her.
After they left, she burned half of her face with fire.
Lady Gui fell face up on the beauty couch, tears soaking her cheeks.
She took out half of the jade pendant from her bosom and held it tightly in her palm.
Madam Gui moved the corners of her lips, with deep hatred in her eyes: "I finally found you!
Just then, someone knocked on the door outside.
"Gui Niang. Are you there?"
Lady Gui wiped the tears from her cheeks with her palm and replied calmly, "I'm here."
She lifted the veil with her fingertips and put it on. Then she stood up from the bed and opened the door as if nothing had happened. Standing outside was Ting Lian, who lived in the adjacent wing. She said with a smile, "Mrs. Zhang came to ask us to go to the front."
"What's wrong?"
"It seems like the government is here to register prostitutes." Ting Lian was also puzzled. "Could it be that the government's Jiaofangsi is short of people?"
Ting Lian's eyes and eyebrows were extremely beautiful, and her voice was gentle: "The Jiaofangsi is not a good place. It's best for us to sing wherever we like, like we do now."
She took out a clean handkerchief and a small porcelain bottle the size of a knuckle.
After shaking the small porcelain bottle, he poured the medicine inside onto the handkerchief.
"Yes." Ting Lian handed over the handkerchief and said in a soft voice, "Cover your eyes, and they will stop being red in a while."
She didn't ask her why she was crying.
"It would be bad if we went too late and angered the officers and soldiers."
Gui Niang covered her face with a handkerchief, and she pulled her along, leading the way for her.
After passing the still somewhat messy small garden, the officers and soldiers were waiting in the main hall of Tianxi Tower.
Madam Gui put down her handkerchief, and there was no trace of bloodshot or crying in her eyes.
"Flying Fish Clothes." Ting Lian whispered in her ear, "Is it the Jinyiwei?!"
There was a slight tremor in her gentle voice: "...Why did you call the Jinyiwei here too? The one sitting at the table seems to be an eunuch."
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