Chapter 90: Is he so angry that he wants to choke her to death?
"Don't yell like that!"
Who is his mother-in-law?!
She didn't agree to be with him!
"Get up!" Gu Xi tried to pull Xiao Heng's sleeve upwards, but he didn't budge.
Xiao Heng raised his other hand and gently placed it on her misbehaving hand. He looked up at her with a hint of nervousness in his eyes, "Don't move around, be careful not to hurt the baby."
The people inside the room also came to their senses during the tug-of-war between the two. Gu Chengzhong looked at the emperor kneeling in front of his wife and suddenly trembled. He immediately knelt down as well.
As a father, he would do everything in his power to protect his daughter, even if it meant confiscating his property and exterminating his entire clan.
However, the Gu family had taught for generations that the ruler was like heaven and the subject was like earth. As a subject, he dared not disrupt this hierarchical relationship between ruler and subject, and would not do anything as presumptuous as kneeling before the ruler and standing before the subject.
Gu Xiao had already knelt down, but the coldness in his heart did not diminish in the slightest.
Gu Xi stared blankly at the three men kneeling on the ground, completely bewildered.
Su Jinhe had already realized what was happening and guessed that the man in front of her was the current emperor.
At the previous coronation ceremony, she only watched from afar in the procession. In fact, this was the first time she had seen this man who was once her daughter's husband.
After a moment's consideration, she gently helped Xiao Heng up and said, "Child, get up quickly." Her tone was gentle.
She knew he was of noble status, but since he was now addressing her as a junior, she dared to overstep her bounds, though she dared not accept the title of "mother-in-law."
Xiao Heng paused slightly, then pushed himself up with his hands on the ground. His robes brushed against the blue bricks as he glanced at the two people still kneeling on the ground and said, "Rise."
With a wave of his hand, Zhao Fuquan, who had been hiding somewhere, suddenly appeared and directed a group of palace servants to move box after box of jewels and rare treasures into the main hall. Soon, the main hall was filled with stacks of boxes, and it seemed that the work would never stop.
Xiao Heng looked at Su Jinhe and said respectfully, "I wish to welcome your daughter back to the palace. This is all my sincere offer. Please accept it, Mother-in-law."
Su Jinhe glanced at Gu Xi, then presented the imperial edict with both hands, saying solemnly, "Your Majesty, I am ashamed to accept this, and I humbly request that Your Majesty withdraw it." She paused, then said firmly, "My son's affairs are entirely up to her to decide." Even if she were to punish her for disobeying the imperial edict, she would not go against Gu Xi's wishes.
Gu Xi looked at Su Jinhe, her eyes slightly red.
Xiao Heng hesitated for a moment before explaining, "I had no intention of coercing you." He knew she always cherished her family, and he simply wanted her family to accept him. "I was in the wrong first, and this is to ask for your forgiveness."
Gu Xi turned her head and stared at him intently, her heart suddenly trembling.
At this moment, he seemed not to be the high and mighty monarch, but an ordinary man who desperately wanted to be forgiven by his wife and her family.
She lowered her eyes to hide her expression, bowed slightly, and said, "Father, Mother, Brother, please excuse me." Then she tugged at Xiao Heng's sleeve and whispered, "Come with me." After saying that, she turned and walked out of the main hall.
Watching the two figures leave, Su Jinhe said to Gu Chengzhong, "Master, let the children handle their own affairs."
No one knows a daughter better than her mother. She knows her daughter's thoughts and will support her no matter what decision she makes.
Gu Chengzhong gently put his arm around her shoulder, hummed in agreement, and replied, "As you wish, Madam."
Gu Xiao's gaze fell on the two people in the courtyard in the distance, and he seemed to be thinking about something.
Gu Xi led Xiao Heng to the pavilion in the courtyard, and the servants who had been surrounding them quietly withdrew.
She lowered her head, gently bit her lower lip, and whispered, "You don't have to do this."
Xiao Heng raised his hand and lifted her face, making her look at him: "Gu Xi, I want your family to accept me," he said, his fingertips gently caressing her cheek. "I know I haven't done enough, and I will learn how to treat you better in the future."
Gu Xi stared at him blankly for a while before taking his hand away and lowering her head again.
She dared not look into the deep affection in his eyes, afraid that she would not be able to hold her own.
Can she still trust him?
Xiao Heng pulled her to sit down on the bench, took her hand and placed it on his lap. This time, Gu Xi did not struggle and let him hold her hand.
A gentle breeze caressed their faces, and neither of them spoke, seemingly unwilling to break the moment of tranquility.
After a long while, Gu Xi suddenly remembered something and looked at him suspiciously, "How did you get in?"
Xiao Heng paused, his eyes flickered slightly, but he remained silent.
Gu Xi recalled her time in the palace and asked almost definitively, "Did you tear down my front door?!" Her voice rose slightly.
“It wasn’t me,” Xiao Heng cleared his throat twice and argued, “it was Lu Xiao and his men who demolished it; I didn’t give the order.”
Gu Xi looked at him incredulously.
This person is shameless, daring to say such shameless things. Even if he didn't instruct them, he tacitly approved of it.
“They know you’re still alive,” Xiao Heng’s grip on her hand suddenly tightened, his voice devoid of emotion, “They all said they wanted to see you, so I granted their request.”
Gu Xi was taken aback for a moment upon hearing this, then lowered her head and hummed in agreement. She thought she had just seen them.
She was about to say something when Zhu Yin suddenly came to deliver a message: "Miss, the young master says he has something to tell you and wants you to go back to the inner courtyard."
Gu Xi nodded and replied, "Okay."
She turned to Xiao Heng and muttered softly, "Now that you've seen him, you should go back to the palace." She tried to pull her hand away, but Xiao Heng held it tightly and refused to let go.
Zhu Yin's urging voice rang out again.
Gu Xi frowned as she looked at him, and only then did he release her.
She took a few steps out of the pavilion and looked back at him. She saw that he had already stood up and was looking at her.
She muttered to herself, "Is he planning to stay here and not leave?"
Back in the courtyard, Gu Xiao was waiting there.
My senior brother is coming to the capital today. We'll have a small gathering at the flower hall later tonight. This is what Gu Xiao wants to talk to her about.
"Is Yao Yao coming too?" Gu Xi's eyes lit up as she asked with a grin.
Gu Xiao cleared his throat, hummed in agreement, pulled Zhu Yin aside to give her some instructions, and then left Gu Xi's courtyard.
Gu Xi returned to her room, and Zhu Yin began to dress her up. She combed her hair, revealing her smooth forehead and showcasing her captivating eyes. The kingfisher feather hairpins in her hair made her skin appear even whiter. Finally, she applied a light touch of rouge and dabbed her lips.
Zhu Yin stared at Gu Xi in the mirror and thought that her young mistress was so beautiful that it was breathtaking. She would be mesmerized by her beauty several times a day.
Gu Xi was still wondering if Xiao Heng had returned home, and didn't notice that Zhu Yin had dressed her up exceptionally carefully today.
On her way to the flower hall, Gu Xi circled around to the pavilion in the courtyard and found that Xiao Heng was no longer there, thinking that he must have gone back.
Gu Xiao told her to go directly to the flower hall while he went to the front yard to meet her. However, when they arrived at the flower hall, they found no one there. It seemed she had arrived too early.
In the center of the flower hall, there was a long table, on which were set out cups, plates, and goblets.
Gu Xigang had just found a seat when the others arrived one after another, and Yu Xinyao sat down next to her.
At first, everything was normal. In addition to Shen Qingchen, Xiao Che and the Mu siblings also came.
But for some reason, Xiao Heng and Bai Xingzhi also arrived later, and now one of them is sitting on her left and the other on her right, while Xiao Che and Mu Yunqi are sitting opposite her.
Bai Xingzhi was the last to arrive. The seat to his left was given to him by Yu Xinyao, who had also invited him.
After Bai Xingzhi appeared, besides Xiao Heng, Gu Xiao also had a displeased expression.
He was not happy to see Yu Xinyao, his former husband in name only, and even less happy to see Yu Xinyao.
Sitting next to Gu Xiao, Yu Xinyao noticed his mood and turned to him in a low voice, "Don't misunderstand, I just think that if we're going to find someone, we have to find someone with substance. Xiao Che and Mu Yunqi alone aren't enough."
Gu Xiao was taken aback at first, then looked at her intently: "Ayao, are you trying to explain this to me?"
Yu Xinyao touched her nose. "Don't overthink it. I was just saying." She cleared her throat twice, looking eager to try. "Watch me later."
If she doesn't stand up for the little girl today, she won't be able to sleep tonight!
Seeing that she had no affection for Bai Xingzhi and only a burning desire for justice in her eyes, Gu Xiao was in a great mood and even found Bai Xingzhi more pleasing to the eye.
On the other side, Gu Xi was unaware of the two people's conspiracy. She was trying her best to sit upright and ignore the two burning gazes on her left and right.
Finally, the food was served. Gu Xi felt like she had been granted a pardon, thinking that she could just focus on eating from now on.
But things don't always go as planned.
Zhu Yin, who was standing nearby, began to serve Gu Xi food and brought her a bowl of dessert. "Miss, this Osmanthus Pastry is specially prepared for you by the Sixth Prince. I'm sure you'll like it."
In her opinion, of all these men, only the Sixth Prince was a good match for Miss. He had treated her very well since childhood and knew what she liked and wanted.
Gu Xi looked up and smiled at Xiao Che opposite her to express her gratitude.
She lowered her head and took a bite. Without saying a word, the curve of her eyes revealed how much she loved the dessert.
Shen Qingchen, who was watching the show from a distance, sighed, "Xiao Che really understands my junior sister's thoughts. This emperor is a bit lacking compared to that Bai guy. Childhood sweethearts are definitely different."
Sitting next to him, Yun Ke nudged him with her elbow and said angrily, "Whose side are you on anyway?"
Shen Qingchen composed herself, almost forgetting that her future brother-in-law also liked her junior sister. She quickly handed Yun Ke a bowl of su lao luo (a type of cheese), saying, "Of course I'm on your side." Seeing that Yun Ke didn't seem annoyed, she turned to look at Gu Xi.
He shook his head, sighing inwardly at how popular his junior sister was, which put him, as her senior brother, in a difficult position.
But the smug smile on his lips showed no sign of difficulty; on the contrary, it was full of pride.
Shen Qingchen, who was happy to watch the show, suddenly raised an eyebrow and laughed even more unrestrainedly, thinking that someone was about to lose their temper.
Xiao Heng's face darkened, and he began to keep piling food into Gu Xi's bowl. In no time, the bowl was piled high like a small mountain.
Bai Xingzhi slowly and deliberately placed small dishes of food in front of her, and her table was already full.
Xiao Che wasn't idle either. After serving Osmanthus Pastry, he had Zhu Yin bring her various other snacks.
Didn't he say he no longer liked her and only saw her as a younger sister? Why is he joining in this fun?
Gu Xi was truly at a loss for words, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
What kind of casual gathering did my brother arrange?
Are you trying to choke her to death?
In the end, it was Mu Yunqi who saved her. He ladled out a bowl of soup and handed it to her, saying, "This will help you recover."
Gu Xi glanced at him gratefully, then lowered her head to drink the soup; she didn't want to eat any of the soup the three people had offered her.
The three men all turned to look at Mu Yunqi, their eyes gleaming with a dark light. Mu Yunqi pretended not to notice and continued to ask Gu Xi if she wanted anything else.
The meal was finally over, and after the dishes were cleared away, some tea and fruit were served.
Gu Xi looked at Mu Yunqi and Yun Ke, then suddenly remembered something and said, "Brother Mu, I haven't properly thanked you for the 'Ten Thousand Letters' matter yet." She raised her cup, "Today, I'll use tea instead of wine to thank you for your help!"
Mu Yunqi raised his glass and said, "No need for thanks, this is what Yunqi wanted to do as well."
After putting down his cup, Mu Yunqi glanced at Bai Xingzhi and thought to himself that he didn't have that much ability; all of this was done by the Left Prime Minister sitting opposite him.
He must have already guessed that she would bring up the matter of the female doctor again after returning to the capital, so he had planned this matter back in Jiangnan, bringing the petition of ten thousand people back to the capital, and presenting it to the emperor as soon as the imperial edict was issued.
He just didn't want her to know, so he kept it a secret for her.
Mu Yunqi's glance was noticed by Xiao Heng, whose hand holding the wine glass suddenly tightened.
Yu Xinyao glanced at Xiao Heng, then pretended not to know and asked, "Gu Xiao, I heard that the little girl is currently discussing marriage, is that true?"
"Well, we were originally planning to host a banquet for her to meet potential partners today..." Gu Xiao glanced at Xiao Heng indifferently, "but something came up and we had to postpone it."
Gu Xidi looked at the two of them with a wry smile. Why did they have to bring this up again? She secretly glanced at Xiao Heng out of the corner of her eye, and at this moment she just wanted them to shut up.
Yu Xinyao pretended not to see Gu Xi's expression and said slowly, "Little girl, what do you think of... the Left Prime Minister?"
Gu Xi was taken aback by her question. What do you mean, "how about?"
Xiao Heng understood, and his face suddenly darkened.
Yu Xinyao looked at Xiao Heng's gloomy face and raised an eyebrow. "If you ask me, instead of looking at someone outside, you should find someone you like. You and the Left Prime Minister are in love with each other. If it weren't for... if it weren't for someone interfering, you two would have been together long ago."
"Yaoyao, don't talk nonsense!" Gu Xi looked embarrassed upon hearing this. How could she say such things in front of so many people?
Xiao Heng is still here!
She glanced quickly at Bai Xingzhi, trying to get him to stop Yu Xinyao from continuing, but he just stared at her intently, as if asking her with his eyes if she was willing.
Gu Xi quickly turned around, not daring to look at him again.
Xiao Heng's lips were pressed into a thin line, his face was extremely ugly, and his eyes seemed to want to kill Yu Xinyao.
Yu Xinyao didn't care at all and continued, "Little girl, I'm serious. You don't need to worry about me. I don't like him. If it weren't for someone arranging our marriage, I would have no relationship with him whatsoever."
She paused, then suddenly stood up and walked to Gu Xi's side, whispering in her ear, "If you agree to him, I will agree to Gu Xiao, how about it?" After saying that, she returned to her seat and glanced at Xiao Heng again.
No one knew what Yu Xinyao said; they only saw Gu Xi freeze in shock.
After regaining her senses, she looked at Gu Xiao, then at Bai Xingzhi, and lowered her head as if she was really considering it.
Bai Xingzhi gripped the cup tightly in his hand, his fingertips turning slightly white, his expression tense, devoid of any composure.
Everyone held their breath, seemingly waiting for Gu Xi's answer.
Xiao Heng, who had been suppressing his anger, finally couldn't help but shout angrily, "Yu Xinyao!" His voice was as deafening as thunder.
Gu Xi flinched in fright, then suddenly looked up and glared at him: "You're not allowed to be mean to Yao Yao!"
Xiao Heng's anger immediately subsided, and the fierce look between his brows vanished in an instant.
He shouldn't have agreed to that imperial decree for divorce in the first place!
Gu Xi glanced at Yu Xinyao and Gu Xiao again, then at Bai Xingzhi, seemingly still deep in thought.
Seeing her troubled expression, Bai Xingzhi said, "You don't have to force yourself."
Gu Xi nodded, her face slightly flushed.
Yao Yao is really something.
Xiao Heng's face was frighteningly dark, but he couldn't lash out; he was about to crush the cup in his hand.
Yu Xinyao was very satisfied with Xiao Heng's reaction, picked up her glass and toasted with Gu Xiao.
Zhao Fuquan finally understood: the Yu family girl was on the Left Prime Minister's side, the Yun Ke girl was on Mu Yunqi's side, and the Zhu Yin girl was on the Sixth Prince's side. He only had his own master and no one else was helping him.
He shook his head. It was truly heartbreaking to see the emperor, so dignified, isolated and helpless.
Just as he was about to fill Xiao Heng's glass with wine, a sudden inspiration struck him!
After a satisfying meal, the group left the flower hall in twos and threes and went to sit in the courtyard.
Zhu Yin helped Gu Xi walk in front, while Xiao Heng followed behind her.
As soon as she stepped into the courtyard, she saw a woman running towards her from a distance. Her face was blurred from crying, but Gu Xi recognized her at a glance and froze on the spot, her eyes instantly turning red.
Hua Yue cautiously stepped forward, rubbing her eyes hard, but tears kept flowing, making it impossible for her to see the person in front of her.
She suddenly hugged Gu Xi tightly, sobbing uncontrollably in her arms: "Waaah... Your Majesty..."
It really is her empress; she didn't die, she's still alive.
She couldn't believe it when Wei Ran told her.
Gu Xi tenderly stroked the top of her head, her eyes filled with guilt.
Zhu Yin wiped away her tears. Afraid that Gu Xi would be upset and it would be bad for her health, she quickly stepped forward, pulled Hua Yue away from Gu Xi's arms, and comforted her.
Hua Yue sobbed as she spoke, "Hua Yue and the Emperor miss Your Highness every day..."
Gu Xi glanced at Xiao Heng, nodded to Hua Yue, and said, "Yes, I know." She wiped away Hua Yue's tears and said, "Don't cry."
After Hua Yue stopped crying, Gu Xi pointed to the pavilion and said, "Let's go sit over there." She was probably feeling a little tired from standing for so long.
With the help of Zhuyin and Huayue, Gu Xi walked towards the pavilion. Just as she was about to go up the steps, she suddenly felt her legs go weak and her hands instinctively gripped Huayue and Zhuyin's sleeves.
Zhu Yin turned her head to look, and was about to remind her to be careful of the steps, but suddenly exclaimed. Gu Xi's eyes were closed at the moment, and she was falling backward uncontrollably.
"Gu Xi!" Xiao Heng, who had been following behind her, panicked instantly. He grabbed her from behind and quickly carried her horizontally towards Gu Xi's courtyard.
The expressions of the people who had been chatting and laughing suddenly froze, and they all followed.
*
In Gu Xi's room.
Xiao Heng sat on the edge of Gu Xi's bed, his expression panicked and his voice trembling slightly, "What happened to her?"
Sitting on the round stool by the bed, Shen Qingchen carefully checked his pulse and said, "It's nothing serious. He was probably just too tired today."
Xiao Heng breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.
Shen Qingchen stared at Xiao Heng for a while, then suddenly shook her head, sighed, and said, "Speaking of which, she's been recuperating in the Medicine Valley for over ten years. Although she's not as healthy as the average person, with proper care, she could easily live to seventy or eighty. What a pity..."
"What a pity?!" Xiao Heng's heart, which had just settled down, jumped again.
Shen Qingchen looked up at him. "It's a pity that the shock after the fall off the cliff restored my memories was too great, causing this old ailment to relapse..." His expression suddenly turned serious. "Now I can only live one year at a time."
Xiao Heng's pupils contracted sharply. What did he mean by living one year at a time?
Shen Qingchen continued, "And the child in her womb will also endanger her life."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Heng abruptly sat up. Gu Xi on the bed suddenly trembled her eyelashes and opened her eyes wide.
She tried to get up by supporting herself with her hands, and Xiao Heng quickly stepped forward to help her sit up.
Gu Xi asked anxiously, "Senior brother, what happened to the child?" She had just heard him mention the child.
“The child is fine, don’t worry,” Shen Qingchen said.
Gu Xi breathed a sigh of relief.
Xiao Heng sat down beside her, stared at her intently for a moment, and said seriously, "Gu Xi, who is the father of this child? Tell him you don't want the child."
Gu Xi pursed her lips and looked at him without saying a word.
Shen Qingchen was taken aback upon hearing this, then gave Xiao Heng a strange look and said, "Whose child could this be but yours?"
Xiao Heng turned to look at Shen Qingchen in a daze: "She said no."
Shen Qingchen did not reply, but his eyebrows were furrowed, as if he were looking at a fool.
Xiao Heng was momentarily bewildered, his gaze lingering for a moment before he turned to look at Gu Xi.
He never doubted what she said. After he learned the whole truth about the past, he swore that from then on, he would never doubt anything she said.
He had hurt her a lot because he didn't trust her before, so when she told him that the child wasn't his, he believed her without a doubt and never even thought about whose child it was.
"Gu Xi, is this our child?"
Gu Xi bit her lip, not answering, but the answer was self-evident.
Xiao Heng suddenly gripped her hand tightly, his chin resting on the back of her hand, his eyes reddening, his voice slightly hoarse: "Gu Xi, let's not keep this child, okay?"
Nothing was more important than her life, and he could not bear to lose her again.
Gu Xi choked back tears, "Aheng, but I want him..."
He will be born in a few months, and she will give him everything she has, just like her parents.
Xiao Heng continued to persuade her, "Gu Xi, listen to me, you can't keep this child..."
Shen Qingchen suddenly said quietly, "Now that the baby is too far along, it won't be any better if we don't keep it now, it will still..." She didn't finish her sentence, but everyone who heard it understood what she meant.
Xiao Heng tightened his grip on Gu Xi's hand abruptly, his face turning deathly pale.
"Besides, didn't you start to distance yourself from her in the first place because she didn't want children? Now you're willing to give them up?"
His junior sister is good in every way, except that she is too soft-hearted and never speaks up when she is wronged. If it weren't for Zhuyin by their side, they would not know anything at all.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Heng stiffened, his face turning deathly pale.
"Senior brother..." Gu Xi quickly stopped Shen Qingchen, not wanting him to continue. Looking at Xiao Heng's appearance, she also felt very sad.
Standing beside Shen Qingchen, Gu Xiao had remained silent until now, when he suddenly spoke up: "I'm afraid His Majesty cannot make a decision for my sister regarding this child. This child's surname is Gu, not Xiao."
“Brother…” Gu Xi’s expression became anxious, worried that Gu Xiao would say something else that would provoke Xiao Heng.
Yu Xinyao's eyes darted back and forth between Gu Xiao and Shen Qingchen. These two older brothers of hers were ruthless and cutting, while she was still lacking in experience.
Actually, everyone was angry. Gu Xi had indeed suffered a lot of harm, both physically and mentally, because of Xiao Heng.
Xiao Heng's hand holding Gu Xi gradually grew cold, and the chill traveled through her fingertips to her, causing her heart to suddenly ache.
She looked up at Gu Xiao. "Brother, I want to talk to him."
Gu Xiao glanced down at Xiao Heng before leaving Gu Xi's room with Shen Qingchen and the others. Yu Xinyao closed the door for her.
Looking into her eyes, Gu Xi comforted her, "Aheng, don't worry... Master said he would definitely save me, and look at me now, I'm perfectly fine."
My master has recently gone into seclusion, probably to find a solution.
Xiao Heng didn't speak, but held her hand tightly against his face, but his face was deathly pale and his eyes were frighteningly red.
Seeing him like this, Gu Xi's eyes also reddened. She broke free from his hand and gently hugged him.
"Don't be afraid, Master never breaks his word..."
Xiao Heng hummed in response, opened his arms and hugged her tightly, but the panic in his heart did not diminish in the slightest.
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Author's note: This chapter wasn't handled very well. I kept getting stuck. I spent all of Sunday writing and still haven't figured it out today. This draft is rather rough, so please bear with it for now.
This chapter was revised on November 10, 2025, and the detailed descriptions are much smoother now.
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