When Gu Yaoniang saw Lu Zhaoan following, she didn't say anything, but urged Bizhu to quickly drive the carriage home.
As darkness fell, Zhao Cai drove out of Le Bao Street and encountered few people along the way, heading straight towards the Gu family's residence. The streets had always been less crowded than usual, and now, with darkness approaching, there were hardly any pedestrians at all.
With Gu Yaoniang's permission, Bizhu took a shortcut and sped towards the Gu family's residence.
The lucky car is wide, and usually only travels on main roads to avoid being blocked by pedestrians in alleys. Now that there are no people on the road, it has switched to a side road, saving about half an incense stick's time.
“Actually, you don’t need to come with me, Jinchuan. This is my own business.”
Gu Yaoniang's somewhat tired voice echoed in the car.
Lu Zhaoan frowned. For some reason, Gu Yaoniang's appearance made him feel uncomfortable. It was as if there was no affection between them whatsoever.
The carriage stopped abruptly, and Lu Zhaoan, as if to escape the stuffiness inside, abruptly lifted the curtain.
They had now arrived at a small alley, which looked like someone's back alley, and Zhao Cai felt a bit cramped walking through it.
By this time, the light was dim, and they could not see clearly what the people coming from the other side were like. They could only see that there were several men dressed in black short-sleeved shirts, looking like guards, escorting a cart of goods toward them.
Seemingly not expecting to encounter someone in the alley, the person opposite was also somewhat taken aback, looking at Gu Yaoniang and her group warily.
Bizhu hurried forward, but the alley was too narrow for two people to pass each other. However, she could vaguely see that there was a fork in the alley where the other person came from, which might allow them to pass each other.
She called out to the people opposite her, "Brothers, could you please step back a little?"
She raised the riding crop in her hand and pointed behind her: "The intersection behind us is really far away, it's really inconvenient for us, I'm sorry."
The person opposite them stared at their carriage without saying a word, but their gaze made people feel uncomfortable for no reason.
Bizhu and Bishuang were both secretly on guard, and even Lu Zhaoan silently shielded Yaoniang behind him.
In the end, the other side retreated to a side path behind them, giving way to Gu Yaoniang and her group.
Bizhu loudly said "Thank you," and whipped the carriage to continue moving forward.
Even after walking a distance, I still felt a haunting gaze from behind, as if it were clinging to me, making me uncomfortable.
-
The doctor had already arrived at the Gu family's residence. Qiao Niang and Gu Pingsheng waited anxiously outside the door. The servants passing by walked very carefully, afraid of making any noise and incurring their masters' wrath.
Uncle Zhong and the others stood anxiously outside the gate, peering out. The messenger had been gone for so long; by now, the young lady should have arrived home before an incense stick had burned.
It's almost curfew time, how come you're still not home?
The red lanterns hanging under the eaves at the Gu family's gate swayed obediently in the occasional breeze. Uncle Zhong grew increasingly impatient, turned and ordered someone to bring out a horse, and prepared to go out and search for it himself.
But then a chaotic commotion came from inside the courtyard, mixed with some sobs.
He immediately jumped off his horse and strode into the courtyard.
-
When Bizhu and Bishuang leaped down the wall carrying Gu Yaoniang, Qiaoniang and Gu Pingsheng were focused on Gu Xingzhi. The sudden appearance of three living people startled them both.
Gu Yaoniang had her eyes tightly closed, and was being held horizontally by Bizhu. Her face was pale and bloodless.
Qiao Niang forcefully suppressed the scream that was about to erupt in her mouth. Her mind went blank, and her lips moved before she managed to squeeze out a sentence: "Why don't you use the door?"
Actually, that wasn't what she really wanted to ask. I want to know what's wrong with Gu Yaoniang. Why does she look so lifeless, with such a pale and ashen face?
But she was too distracted and only asked a trivial question.
At this moment, no one cared about her loss of composure. Gu Pingsheng had already cried out "Sister" and was about to take Gu Yaoniang from him.
Bizhu gently stepped aside, and Qiaoniang suddenly realized what was happening, saying urgently, "Doctor Song is inside! Come in quickly!"
He rushed inside and went in first to call for Doctor Song.
At this point, how the injury occurred is no longer important.
The important thing is how to save them.
Bizhu gently placed Gu Yaoniang on the couch, and Bishuang said anxiously, "Doctor Song! The lady's wound is on her back, not large, but it should be poisonous. I have already given her some basic treatment, please take another look!"
Gu Pingsheng hesitated, then whispered, "Doctor Song is, after all, a man... I'm afraid..."
But Qiao Niang glared at her fiercely: "At a time like this, why bother with those trivial things!"
Seeing Doctor Song and Bishuang examining Gu Yaoniang's wound, Bizhu finally breathed a sigh of relief. Knowing she couldn't help, she whispered, "My lady rushed home after receiving the news, but encountered some strange people on the way. She thought she would just leave, but unexpectedly, they suddenly attacked and injured her after we left. My lady was stabbed in the waist."
At that time, Gu Yaoniang was pulled by Lu Zhaoan. Bizhu and Bishuang were also on guard. They originally only saw a small cut, but they did not expect that Gu Yaoniang would faint after taking only a few steps.
Bi Shuang carefully examined Gu Yaoniang's wound and discovered a bluish-green glow on the torn skin. She immediately knew something was wrong.
She first treated Gu Yaoniang's wounds briefly, then took turns with Bizhu and Bitao, and under Lu Zhaoan's cover, they rushed back to the Gu family.
As for what happened to Lu Zhaoan, they couldn't care less.
Looking at his sister's pale face, and then at his second uncle lying in bed with little hope of survival, and his parents whose fate was now uncertain, Gu Pingsheng was overcome with grief and began to sob softly.
Qiaoniang gripped the boy's still somewhat thin shoulders tightly and said sternly, "Don't cry! In the past, they have all fallen. Now, you are the only one in charge of the Gu family. You must stand up!"
Gu Pingsheng's eyes were filled with sorrow and helplessness: "What can I do? I can't even participate in the imperial examinations now. Our family is nothing more than merchants who can be manipulated at will. Even if my sister exhausts all our wealth, she can't clear our names of these fabricated charges. What can I do?"
Qiaoniang felt a pang of heartache, but she still hardened her heart and said, "That's precisely why you must stand up! Only when they all fall can you protect them! Never cry in your life!"
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