"Brother!" As soon as Gong Ziyu entered the Feather Palace, he headed towards where Gong Huanyu was.
He encountered someone blocking his way, but didn't notice what the guards who stopped him said. As soon as he pushed open the door, Gong Ziyu stopped in his tracks and stood there stunned.
At that moment, Gong Hongyu and Gong Huanyu were engrossed in discussing an important matter when Gong Ziyu suddenly barged into the room, rudely interrupting their conversation. Looking at his impetuous and ill-mannered son, Gong Hongyu felt a surge of anger and disappointment.
He glared at Gong Ziyu, his eyes wide with anger, and demanded in a stern tone, "How have you become so rude? You don't even know the basic rules!" Faced with his father's reprimand, Gong Ziyu did not show the slightest resistance or attempt to defend himself.
Instead, he approached the two men with his head bowed and eyes lowered, calling out timidly, "Father, elder brother..."
Hearing Gong Ziyu still address him as "father" and "brother," Gong Hongyu's dissatisfaction grew even stronger.
He frowned and corrected him stiffly, "Call him Zhiren...and Young Master!" After saying that, he paused for a moment, as if he was thinking about how to teach this troublesome son.
Gong Ziyu extended his hand in a salute to them and said, "Zhi Ren, Young Master."
"Ziyu, you're injured. Why is there blood on your hands?"
Gong Huanyu noticed the blood on Gong Ziyu's hand with her sharp eyes. Gong Ziyu realized that it was probably from when she fed Baicaocui.
"On my way back, I rescued someone from an outpost. This is his blood. He also said... he also said..." Gong Ziyu stopped, glancing at Gong Hongyu beside him, then didn't know how to begin.
"What else is there to say?"
"Tell me, among this group of brides entering the palace, there is a hidden assassin." Gong Ziyu lowered his head, not daring to look up and meet his father's gaze.
"Ziyu, do you realize the weight of your words?"
"Of course I know."
"That's why I came to find you, brother... to find the young master, as soon as I knew."
"Did he say who hurt him? What was their purpose?" Gong Huanyu knew this matter was of utmost importance. If it wasn't handled properly, the Gongmen would be in constant danger. However, they couldn't just deal with these brides arbitrarily.
Gong Ziyu shook his head. "I didn't even have a chance to ask before he fainted."
Where is that guard now?
"Medical clinic"
The three of them rushed anxiously toward the clinic, covered in dust from their journey. When they finally arrived, they saw Jin Fan standing quietly at the entrance, bowing to them and saying in a heavy tone, "He's dead."
On the way back, Jin Fan realized something was wrong; the person was already dead.
The guards in the room quickly opened the door, and there lay the body of the deceased guard on the bed. Gong Hongyu glanced at him indifferently, then looked away without a trace of regret.
"We must find the assassin Wufeng who is lurking among the brides." Gong Huanyu said expressionlessly as he stood at the door, his hand unconsciously clenching in his sleeve.
Upon hearing that Gong Huanyu intended to find the assassin Wufeng hiding among the brides, Gong Ziyu anxiously asked, "Brother, there are so many brides here, do you have any clues? And where should we begin our investigation?"
Gong Hongyu's face was ashen, and he coldly replied, "No need to investigate, just execute them all."
Before he finished speaking, Gong Hongyu resolutely turned and left, leaving behind a stunned and silent Gong Ziyu.
Gong Ziyu frowned, lost in thought. He knew his father deeply hated Wufeng, but to kill all the brides just to find one Wufeng assassin made their Gong family no different from Wufeng.
Upon hearing the news from the guards, Gong Yuanzheng's lips curled into a barely perceptible smile. He gently stroked Gong Ruanruan, who was dressed in new clothes, in his arms, his eyes filled with doting affection. He wasn't that good-for-nothing Gong Ziyu; these brides weren't people you could just kill at will. Anyone with a brain...
Everyone could see the stakes involved. After all, these women were no ordinary people; they each had different backgrounds and purposes. Of the ten brides, excluding the three assassins, some wanted to build connections, while others had influence in the martial arts world.
No matter how powerful the palace is, it can't fight against overwhelming odds. Only Gong Ziyu would believe this statement without a doubt.
Returning to his senses, Gong Yuanzheng watched Gong Ziyu from afar, unable to bear the sight, and used his mask to cover his eyes. He never imagined that Zhi Ren would scheme against even his own son.
The arrows shot at the brides were all blunt, and their impacts were limited to pressure points on their bodies, causing no fatal damage. Before long, the poor brides collapsed one after another, then were helped up by a group of maids and carried in pairs towards the dungeon.
Watching the brides faint one by one and then be helped by their maids to the dungeon, Gong Yuanzheng, seeing that everyone had left, also went to his palace, where a thrilling drama was about to unfold.
In the dungeon
In the dark and damp dungeon, the brides gradually awoke from their unconsciousness. They were surprised to find that they had truly been doomed just moments before.
"Stop touching it. The arrows were all blunt; they just hit our pressure points and knocked us unconscious." Suddenly hearing a voice from another cell, he hesitated to touch the spot where the arrow had hit him, then withdrew his hand.
"Is this how your Gong family treats brides who marry into the valley? You made all sorts of promises when you were betrothed, but now I've only been away from home for a few hours and I'm locked up in this stinking, dilapidated dungeon. It's absurd!"
"If my father finds out, he will definitely not let you off!" The bride in another cell said angrily. When had she ever suffered such injustice!
“Yes, yes!” The bride on the other side nodded in agreement.
However, no guards in the dungeon answered their questions. These guards were merely following orders.
The dungeon was unusually quiet at this moment, with only a faint firelight flickering on the walls, barely illuminating the eerie surroundings.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com