Chapter 747 I think they will be 'grateful'.
Zhao Heng leaned on Commander Li's shoulder, turned his head, made a face at Gu Qingchen, and whispered two words in a low voice, "Bad guy."
Gu Qingchen couldn't help laughing at his little appearance and waved at him.
Only after the group of people completely disappeared behind the hill did the lake bay return to tranquility.
All that was left was the dying bonfire and the roasted rabbit leg lying alone in the snow.
"The Fifth Prince and the Seventh Prince," Gu Qingchen picked up a branch and poked the last embers in the fire, "When did they become so close that they could wear the same pants?"
"It's never been good," Qian Zhenyun sat back down beside her, tore off a piece of the half-eaten roasted rabbit, and began to eat it slowly. "It's just that we have a common enemy, so we've formed a temporary alliance."
Gu Qingchen curled his lips: "Crown Prince?"
"Who else could it be?" Qian Zhenyun handed her a piece of roasted meat. "Regarding the affairs of the Western Garden, the Crown Prince has a firmer hold on the powerful tree of the Zhenguo Mansion. The Third and Seventh Princes are naturally anxious."
Gu Qingchen took the meat but didn't eat it. He just stared at the flickering sparks in the fire, a little absent-minded.
"So, they deliberately brought the twelfth prince out and then deliberately lost him?"
"Perhaps it wasn't intentional, but it was definitely an oversight." Qian Zhenyun's tone was very calm. "The twelfth prince, Zhao Heng, his mother, Concubine Shu, has no foundation in the palace. He himself has always been timid and has not won the favor of the emperor."
"Bringing him along won't steal the spotlight, and if anything does happen, it won't be a major incident. It can also be used as an opportunity to criticize the Crown Prince for not supervising his subordinates properly and governing them poorly. Killing several birds with one stone, why not?"
His words were calm, yet they vividly dissected the cold calculations between the royal brothers.
Gu Qingchen suddenly felt that the meat in his mouth had a bad taste.
She remembered Zhao Heng's clear yet somewhat timid eyes, how he could cry so hard for a rabbit, and how he hid behind her because he was scared by the guard's knife.
"He's only five," she whispered.
"In the royal family, age has never been a criterion for judgment." Qian Zhenyun looked at her. "From the moment they were born, they were chess pieces."
Gu Qingchen was silent.
She suddenly understood Qian Zhenyun's intention of bringing her here.
He didn't want her to escape, but to see clearly.
She saw clearly the complexity of the world, the methods of her opponents, and her own position.
The irritability and confusion disappeared, replaced by an unprecedented clarity and determination.
"Go away," she raised her head and looked at him with burning eyes, "I understand."
Qian Zhenyun smiled slightly, took the meat from her hand, took a bite himself, and then put it back into her hand.
"Then eat. Only when you are full will you have the strength to fight those blind jackals."
Gu Qingchen looked at him and suddenly smiled. That smile was bright and flamboyant, like sunshine that dispelled all the haze.
She took a big bite of the rabbit meat and chewed it vigorously, as if she was venting something, or as if she was accumulating strength.
"You're right," she said vaguely, "this rabbit meat is really delicious."
Qian Zhenyun looked at her regained spirits, and the smile in his eyes became more gentle. He stood up and picked up the water bag and the remaining things on the ground.
"It's getting late, we should go back."
Gu Qingchen stood up, brushed off the grass debris on his body, stretched his body, and his muscles and bones made a crackling sound.
"Let's go."
She turned around and started walking towards the carriage. Her steps were more steady and determined than when she came.
The sunlight stretched her shadow very long. Qian Zhenyun followed behind her, looking at her straight back, with a faint smile on his lips.
Some roads have to be walked alone.
And all he could do was to light a lamp for her when she was lost, and to build a fire for her when she was tired.
That's enough.
The two walked side by side, stepping on the snow, making a "crunching" sound, which was the only melody in this quiet lake bay.
Returning to the carriage, Qian Zhenyun lifted the curtain first, held the door frame, and motioned Gu Qingchen to get in first.
Gu Qingchen didn't hesitate and stepped on the footstool to get in swiftly.
The carriage was covered with thick cushions, and a small heater in the corner was still emitting warmth, isolating it from the freezing cold outside, creating two completely different worlds.
Qian Zhenyun then got on the carriage, lowered the curtain, and whispered to the driver waiting outside, "Go back to the city."
The carriage started slowly, and the wheels made a dull rolling sound as they rolled over the snow.
The carriage was quiet for a moment, with only the silver charcoal in the stove occasionally making a slight crackling sound.
"That little guy, Zhao Heng," Gu Qingchen was the first to break the silence. She leaned back on the cushions, gazing out the window at the rapidly receding snow scene. "What will happen to him?"
Qian Zhenyun picked up the teapot and poured a cup of hot tea for her and himself. The fragrance of tea instantly filled the small space.
"Commander Li, I dare not be unfaithful." He handed her the teacup. "By tonight, His Majesty will know that the Twelfth Prince was lost in the icy lake and rescued by the eldest daughter of the Zhenguogong Mansion."
"As for the Fifth and Seventh Princes, they will undoubtedly receive a reprimand."
"Just a scolding?" Gu Qingchen took the teacup and felt warm warmth at his fingertips.
"What else?" Qian Zhenyun said calmly, "His Majesty is safe and sound after all. The royal family values their reputation above all else. As long as there's no actual harm done, His Majesty won't delve into this petty quarrel between brothers."
"But what happened today will eventually plant a thorn in your Majesty's heart."
A thorn in the flesh who acted excessively and was narrow-minded towards the Third, Fifth, and Seventh Princes.
Gu Qingchen stroked the warm wall of the cup and whispered, "One thorn is far from enough."
She raised her eyes and looked at Qian Zhenyun opposite her. There was no more confusion in those bright eyes, only a clear cold light.
"I used to think that as long as I stayed within my proper place and did what I was supposed to do, I would be fine. But now I understand that if I don't seek trouble, trouble will find me. Giving in and being patient will only make people think I'm weak and vulnerable."
Her voice was not loud, but every word was clear and decisive.
Qian Zhenyun listened quietly without interrupting her.
He knew that this was the truth she had figured out on her own, and it was more effective than anyone preaching a hundred times.
Qian Zhenyun raised his eyebrows slightly, with a hint of approval in his eyes: "What do you want to do?"
"I have no idea."
Gu Qingchen shook his head calmly, then laughed again, with a hint of cunning and arrogance in his smile.
"But I know I can no longer passively wait for things to happen and for others to solve them, as I did before."
She leaned closer and lowered her voice, as if sharing a secret.
"GunGun, tell me, if I give the Fifth and Seventh Princes a 'big gift', will they like it?"
Qian Zhenyun looked at the clever light flashing in her eyes, as if he saw the spirited girl in his childhood again.
But now she has lost some of her youthfulness and gained a more restrained edge.
The smile on his lips deepened, and he drank the hot tea in the cup in one gulp.
"I think they'll be grateful."
Gu Qingchen burst into laughter, his clear laughter echoing in the small carriage.
The depression that had been accumulating in my heart was now completely swept away.
She is no longer the girl who is confused about the future. She is Gu Qingchen, the eldest daughter of the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion who holds a sharp blade and knows how to protect herself and her family.
The carriage passed through the suburbs and drove towards the tall and majestic city gate of the capital.
Gu Qingchen lifted a corner of the car window curtain and watched the familiar outline of the city wall getting closer and closer, his eyes becoming extremely firm.
Now that the game of chess has begun, she will no longer be a chess piece, but the person playing the chess.
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