Chapter 40 Without You (Major Revision Required) "Gu Xi, you are..."
Gu Xi immediately spoke up, "Your Majesty, I have investigated the matter of that night." She paused and continued, "The person who drugged me that night was Su Hong, a young apprentice from the Imperial Hospital. They threw me at the gate of Weiyang Palace. Imperial Physician Mu is innocent, and he did not come looking for me on his own." As she spoke, she presented him with the evidence that Bai Xingzhi had given her.
Xiao Heng took the so-called evidence from her hand and casually placed it on the table without looking at it.
He narrowed his eyes and stared at her intently for a moment.
He only learned of the investigation results after the morning court session, which is why he arrived a little late. How did she find out so quickly? Who is helping her?
Gu Xiao and Xiao Che have just returned to the capital, so it's impossible for them to act so quickly. Then who could it be?
Xiao Heng calmly withdrew his gaze and hummed in acknowledgment.
Seeing his indifferent expression, Gu Xi became anxious: "Your Majesty, can we release Physician Mu now?"
"The matter of the drugging has been investigated, but there's also the matter of who stole your belongings. I'll investigate both of those before making a decision." Those were things from her room, so this must have been done by someone close to her. If he finds out who's been up to this under his nose, he'll make them wish they were dead.
The ruthlessness in his eyes terrified Gu Xi. She couldn't let him investigate any further; the matter had to end here.
"Your Majesty, that item is mine..." Gu Xi carefully chose her words. She had thought of many reasons, but none of them were believable. She couldn't even convince herself, and she didn't want to lie to him.
She was flustered and tried to pick up the teacup on the table to take a sip, but as soon as her fingertips touched the teacup, her wrist trembled and she knocked it over with a "crash," splashing the green tea all over the table and wetting her sleeve as well.
Xiao Heng immediately grabbed the back of her hand and asked with slight anxiety, "Did you burn yourself?"
Gu Xi shook her head: "It's not hot."
"Go back to your room and change your clothes first." With that, he led the person back to their room.
Xiao Heng knew she was shy, and was about to go out to wait for her to change when she suddenly grabbed him and asked, "Your Majesty, can we stop the investigation?"
"The reason?" Xiao Heng pursed his lips and asked.
"No reason." Gu Xi stared at the ground and only said these few words. She didn't want to lie to him, but she couldn't tell him the truth either.
"Did those maids in your room make it?" Xiao Heng asked with certainty.
Gu Xi was startled and looked up abruptly.
Seeing her reaction, Xiao Heng knew he had guessed correctly. He asked with a dark face, "Which one?" His eyes were filled with a terrifying murderous intent.
Gu Xi said anxiously, "Your Majesty, please don't ask anymore. She was forced into it. Please let her go, okay?"
"Gu Xi, have you considered the consequences of keeping someone like this by your side?" Xiao Heng asked in a deep voice, his gaze fixed on her.
"I know..." But if she didn't do this, she knew that Xiao Heng would definitely kill her, even if he didn't, those who had ordered her wouldn't let her go.
"Don't regret your decision today." Now that she wants to protect that person, he can't just kill him. He'll have someone keep a close eye on him; this kind of thing must never happen again.
Gu Xi lowered her head and replied, "Your Majesty, I have no regrets..." She could tell that Cai Lian had been sincere to her before, and she would consider saving her once as fulfilling their friendship.
Gu Xi continued, "Your Majesty, now that the matter has been investigated, can we let Physician Mu go?"
Xiao Heng pursed his lips and remained silent.
Gu Xi immediately panicked: "Your Majesty!" She pondered for a moment, then looked at Xiao Heng in shock: "Your Majesty, do you have no intention of letting him go?!"
"So what if it is?" He had no intention of letting him go. Although it was not his own choice, the way he looked at her in prison clearly showed that he had feelings for her!
Anyone who dares to covet him right under his nose, he never intended to let them live!
"You promised me you would let him go!"
Xiao Heng glanced down at her and said casually, "I can release him from prison..." But what will happen after he gets out is uncertain.
Gu Xi saw the murderous intent flash in his eyes and her eyes immediately turned red with anger: "Your Majesty, you cannot kill innocent people!"
Xiao Heng remained noncommittal.
Gu Xi suddenly grabbed Xiao Heng's hand, held up three of his fingers, and said, "Your Majesty, swear!"
Xiao Heng was amused by her childish behavior. Perhaps the pleading in her eyes was too sincere, for he inexplicably followed her and said, "I swear."
Gu Xi then released his hand and breathed a sigh of relief.
After realizing what had happened, Xiao Heng said with an unnatural expression, "I can release him, but he will never be allowed to set foot in the capital again!"
Gu Xi hesitated for a moment before saying "okay".
She knew she had no right to decide anything for Mu Yunqi, but this was the best outcome; being alive was better than anything else.
Gu Xi was still lost in her thoughts when Xiao Heng suddenly pulled her into his arms and asked, "Gu Xi, are you hiding something from me?"
Gu Xi looked up in confusion, not knowing what he was talking about.
Xiao Heng fixed his gaze on her eyes and continued, "Tell me, who was the one who helped you uncover the truth?"
Gu Xi's heart skipped a beat upon hearing this. How did he know someone was helping her?!
No! Xiao Heng can't know it was Bai Xingzhi. He's a man, he shouldn't know these palace secrets. He's already risked his life to help her, she can't drag him into this.
Gu Xi unconsciously tightened her grip on Xiao Heng. She looked up and tried to remain calm as she said, "Your Majesty, it was Yun Ke who found out and informed me. There was no one else."
Xiao Heng didn't speak, stared at her for a moment, then looked away and hummed in agreement.
Gu Xi felt uneasy, wondering if he had believed her.
After a moment of silence, Xiao Heng took her hand and was about to sit down when she suddenly broke free from him.
He turned around and saw her looking at him with red eyes. He immediately panicked: "What's wrong?"
Gu Xi was immediately a little angry. He actually asked her what was wrong?
She was framed, but he didn't believe her and even imprisoned and humiliated her. Now that the truth has come out, he not only refuses to apologize to her, but also demands that she beg him before he will release her.
Gu Xi grew angrier and more aggrieved. She forcefully pushed the man out of the room and said coldly, "Your Majesty, I need to change my clothes. Please excuse me!"
Then, with a "bang," the door slammed shut, leaving Xiao Heng standing outside in a daze.
He turned to Zhao Fuquan and instructed him, "Go and find out who has been in contact with her girls recently. Investigate carefully."
One is the person who harmed her, and the other is the person who helped her. Who are they?
Could the person who helped her be the one she has feelings for?
Xiao Heng waited a moment, thinking that she should have changed her clothes by now, and knocked on the door, saying, "Gu Xi, open the door."
There was no response from inside the house.
"Gu Xi..." Xiao Heng called out again with patience.
There has still been no response.
Xiao Heng asked in a puzzled voice, "What's wrong with her?" It was unclear whether he was asking himself or someone else.
Zhao Fuquan couldn't help but remind him, "Your Majesty, Consort Gu is feeling wronged..." Your Majesty usually knows even when Consort Gu loses a single hair, so how come you can't see it now!
Xiao Heng was stunned for a moment. He had been so focused on finding out who that person was that he had completely overlooked her feelings.
He recalled her heartbroken and sorrowful expression that night, and how he had taken her under those circumstances, and he was filled with immense guilt.
"Gu Xi, it was my fault, open the door..."
"Gu Xi, it's my fault. Please forgive me."
Zhao Fuquan thought to himself, only Consort Gu could make the Emperor so humble.
Gu Xi, standing inside the room with her neck stiff, said, "Your Majesty, please go back. I need to rest."
Xiao Heng smiled bitterly to himself. How could she possibly suggest resting at this hour?
For the next three days, Xiao Heng was turned away at the door.
After the morning court session, he brought Zhao Fuquan over again.
Hua Yue whispered to herself, "Sister Zhu Yin, do you think Her Majesty will open the gate today?"
Zhu Yin shook her head: "I don't know either." She was a little worried that if her mistress continued like this, she would anger the emperor.
"Gu Xi, it's me." Xiao Heng knocked on the door as usual, but there was no response from inside. He sighed and said, "Gu Xiao will be leaving the capital soon. Would you like to see him one last time?"
After court today, Gu Xiao requested an audience in the Imperial Study, saying he hoped to see Gu Xi one last time before leaving the capital. He neither agreed nor objected. Actually, he didn't want them to meet; she feared that if he saw Gu Xiao, he would again cause trouble and return to the Gu family. But she was avoiding him, and he had no other choice. He knew she was wronged, but he didn't know how to comfort her. He could only use Gu Xiao as a pretext; perhaps if she was happy, she would forgive him as well.
Gu Xi, who was inside the room, stood up in surprise upon hearing this. In fact, she had already forgiven him, but she still didn't want to see him. Just thinking about how he had treated her those past few days, and the cold look in his eyes when he looked at her, made her extremely sad.
But she really wanted to see her brother, and if she didn't see him now, she didn't know how many years she would have to wait to see him again.
She stood in front of the door and asked through the door, "Is it okay?" Her voice was muffled.
“Okay, you can open the door first,” Xiao Heng replied.
The door finally opened.
The moment the door opened, Xiao Heng couldn't help but wonder, if Gu Xiao angered her again after leaving the capital, who should he turn to?
Gu Xiyuan opened the door calmly, but for some reason, as soon as she saw Xiao Heng, her nose tingled and her eyes welled up with tears.
Xiao Heng looked at Gu Xi inside the room, who was looking at him with a wronged expression, tears welling up in her eyes but refusing to fall. His heart clenched.
He was anxious and wanted to hug her, but she dodged away and sat down on the couch herself.
Xiao Heng closed the door, sat down beside her, and put his arm around her, saying, "I was wrong. Please forgive me."
Gu Xi choked back tears and said, "No."
"What do you want in return for your forgiveness? Just tell me, and I will do it."
Gu Xi struggled out of his arms, glaring at him with anger and grievance: "Why didn't Your Majesty believe me that day?"
"I..." Xiao Heng was stunned for a moment. He didn't know how to explain. When he saw her fall into another man's arms, the fear and jealousy in his heart made him lose his mind.
"Am I a bad person? Why does Your Majesty think of me that way?" Why does Your Majesty think she has an affair with someone else? She likes him so much.
Gu Xi sobbed, tears streaming down her face.
Xiao Heng raised his hand to wipe away her tears, then lowered his head to kiss the top of her head, saying, "No, you are a very good person, it's my fault..."
Because you are so wonderful, I am so afraid of losing you.
Sometimes I think, how wonderful it would be if you weren't so good, then you would only have me by your side, and no one else.
Without you, I might have died long ago, on that snowy winter day.
But Gu Xi, how could you forget about me?
"Then why did you treat me like that..." Gu Xi felt extremely wronged and threw herself into Xiao Heng's arms, crying uncontrollably.
Feeling the dampness in his arms, he felt bad too, and could only continue to coax, "Don't cry. I'll arrange a family banquet tonight so you can meet Gu Xiao. Do you want to see him with swollen, red eyes?"
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Author's Note: Chapters 40-42 have been completely revised. Both the author and the male lead were possessed in the previous chapters, almost causing their characters to collapse. For those who have read them, just consider it a dream the female lead had. [Laughing and crying with facepalm]
I apologize to my readers; the author's skill is limited, please forgive me.
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