The carriage began to jolt.
In order to shake off the people following behind, the coachman outside obeyed Xie Shiyan's instructions and began to run faster.
Gu Jiangli gripped the handle inside the carriage tightly and said in surprise:
"It's unlikely that he would immediately resort to underhanded tactics against you just because you offended the emperor."
A ruthless glint flashed in Xie Shiyan's eyes. "He wouldn't dare if he weren't the emperor."
"Do you have other enemies?"
Xie Shiyan turned around and smiled:
How do you know it's aimed at me and not at you?
"Me? Am I worthy?"
Xie Shiyan did not answer her.
The carriage gradually slowed down and came to a stop.
"You shook them off so quickly?"
In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, it seems the coachman's horse-riding skills are quite good.
Xie Shiyan dismounted first and glanced back.
Then, quite naturally, he reached out to welcome Gu Jiangli down, saying:
"We've shaken them off. The people who were tracking us don't seem to be very good at this job."
Gu Jiangli stood firmly on the ground.
They then realized they had already arrived at the gate of the General's Mansion.
"That's strange. If they intended to harm us, why would they send someone who's not good at surveillance to do this job?"
As soon as she asked that question, she turned her head and saw a familiar figure outside the alley.
She couldn't see clearly because it was too far away.
However, after spending so much time together, even just a blurry glimpse of his back was enough for Gu Jiangli to recognize that person's identity.
The woman looked around, clearly searching for something.
“It’s a lotus flower…” she murmured with satisfaction.
Lotus is still there. Although she arrived a little late, she always felt safe wherever Lotus was.
I just don't know what role lotus flowers play here.
The clothes she was wearing clearly indicated that she was a maid from a wealthy household.
Was the person who was following me just now Lotus?
Hearing her murmur, Xie Shiyan asked in confusion, "Who?"
Gu Jiangli dodged the question and didn't say it directly.
"It's alright, I admitted my mistake. Go inside, I've been watching plays all day and I'm exhausted."
She pulled Xie Shiyan into the general's mansion.
Upon entering the house, several elders of the Xie family sat upright in the main room as if they had been waiting for a long time, looking like they were about to interrogate him.
Upon seeing Gu Jiangli, General Xie was the first to stand up.
Before Xie Shiyan and Gu Jiangli could even enter the main room, he spoke impatiently:
"You entered the palace today? Why didn't you consult with us before proceeding?!"
This was clearly in a questioning tone, and Gu Jiangli did not answer, but instead focused her gaze on Xie Shiyan.
Xie Shiyan said dismissively, "It's just entering the palace, what's there to say?"
"Let me tell you, the whole capital knows what the princess is thinking! This banquet clearly shows that she didn't take your disobedience to heart."
"If you understood, you should have accepted the princess's kindness and shouldn't have brought Gu Jiangli along!"
Xie Shiyan was about to speak when he was interrupted by his grandmother:
"Shi Yan has no feelings for the princess, what's the point of forcing it?"
General Xie originally thought his mother was on his side, but her words greatly shocked him.
"Mother...why?"
"The fact that Shi Yan has a sweetheart is already common knowledge throughout the city. If he were to accept the princess's advances, wouldn't he become a laughingstock?"
"But......"
"You're not a child anymore, why are you always arguing with a young girl? Since Shi Yan likes her, and we've already agreed on the terms with Miss Gu, do you think you can make Shi Yan give up on Miss Gu with just a few words?"
General Xie shut his mouth.
Seeing her mother speaking up for Gu Jiangli like that, she stared wide-eyed, unable to understand why, her face filled with shock and confusion.
At the very beginning, everyone had the same opinion about Gu Jiangli!
Gu Jiangli smiled sweetly.
General Xie didn't know the reason, but she knew it very well.
"The old lady is very wise and understanding; General Xie still has much to learn from her."
General Xie's face turned red, but he couldn't refute her because of his mother.
Xie Shiyan disliked this kind of occasion and took his leave with Gu Jiangli.
On the way back to his room, Xie Shiyan took another serious look at Gu Jiangli.
"Grandma actually helped you."
"Yes, I told you, the old lady likes me very much, she likes me to death. No matter what happens, she will always stand by my side and speak up for me. General, you can believe me now."
She gave a charming smile, and Xie Shiyan fell silent again.
————
Gu Jiangli stayed in the general's mansion and did not go out for several days.
But she didn't miss a thing about the commotion outside.
The news of the princess conspiring with Xie Shiyan's deputy general to slander Gu Jiangli's reputation spread like wildfire.
Almost everyone on the streets and alleys can bring this up and talk about it.
Although the emperor ordered that people not to talk about it, the people could talk, and it was impossible to control them.
Gu Jiangli also heard that Princess Jinghe hid in her palace every day and did not go out.
She often throws tantrums and cries incessantly.
But her anger stemmed from the failure of her scheme, not from what others were saying.
Because it seems no one told her that she had become the talk of the town.
She was also very confident that with her father, the emperor, around, those rumors would not spread.
Gu Jiangli took this opportunity to spend a few peaceful days in the General's Mansion.
Neither General Xie nor Lady Liu came to cause her any trouble.
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