Chapter 479 The Beauty Trap (First Update)
The night was dark and the wind was high.
The capital was in a tense and vigilant state due to the successive battles. Yuan Tang had been hiding in the capital for several days, like a rat crossing the street. He had never been so miserable in all his years of life.
When Gu Jiao told him that his uncle, Prince Bo, was plotting a rebellion, he did not believe it. After all, his uncle, Prince Bo, was the late emperor's most beloved eldest son. When his father was still the crown prince of Chen, he had committed a serious crime. It was Prince Bo who did everything he could to clear his father's name and save his father's position as crown prince.
How can one not trust such a prince, the imperial uncle?
As for his maternal grandfather's family, the Rong family.
The Rong family's daughter, who is also his mother, is the Noble Consort of Chen, second only to the emperor, and awaits the day when she will be made empress and rule the world.
Prince Bo, the imperial uncle, has no kinship ties with the Rong family. Has the Rong family lost their minds? Why are they siding with an outsider instead of helping their own daughter and grandson?
He felt that Gu Jiao must have made a mistake, or she was maliciously trying to sow discord between him and his uncle, Prince Bo.
However, he was still wary and kept people watching the movements of the Zhao Kingdom's royal family until the emperor ordered people to arrest him, at which point he realized the seriousness of the matter.
He escaped first.
Just a few days after fleeing for their lives, news came from the border that the Chen army was pressing in and that the Zhao state had lost three cities in succession.
It was at that moment that he finally realized Gu Jiao hadn't lied to him; his Prince Bo, his uncle, had truly rebelled!
The emperor was still ordering his men to arrest him, probably thinking that capturing him would give him leverage over the Chen Kingdom. But Gu Jiao was right; it wasn't his father who wanted to break the alliance between the two countries, but his uncle, Prince Bo.
So even if he were killed, his royal uncle wouldn't even blink.
For him right now, it's a dead end.
I wonder how my father is doing.
For Prince Bo, the imperial uncle, to dare to do such a thing, he must have taken control of the court, and may even have placed his father, the emperor, under house arrest.
Thinking of this, Yuan Tang's face turned cold.
"Go look over there!"
The voices of the Imperial Guards could be heard from not far away.
This situation, where exposure could occur at any moment, has happened countless times before. Yuan Tang has gradually become numb to the initial indignation.
But he dared not let his guard down.
Otherwise, once he is captured, he will be dead. His uncle will not protect him, and the Zhao Kingdom will not let him go. He is someone that both sides want to get rid of as soon as possible.
Yuan Tang slipped through a side alley and was blocked by Liu Yisheng as soon as she reached a main street.
Liu Yisheng hired a carriage. He lifted the curtain and said to him, "Come with me!"
Yuan Tang did not step forward, but looked at Liu Yisheng with a complicated expression. The footsteps behind him gradually approached, and he disappeared into the night without turning his head.
He couldn't let his cousin be implicated.
Even if I die, I want to die alone in the Zhao Kingdom.
Meanwhile, news of the loss of three border cities and the capture of the old Marquis reached the Ding'an Marquis's residence.
"What did you say! The old man was arrested at the border!"
In the study, Lord Gu looked at Huang Zhong in disbelief, "Did you hear that right? Didn't the old man go sightseeing? How could he have gone all the way to the frontier? That's a harsh and cold place!"
Huang Zhong said helplessly, "It's absolutely true, my lord! The remnants of the previous dynasty are colluding with the Chen army on the border, willing to cede territory and betray the country to help Chen advance towards the border. The news of the old man's arrest has already spread throughout the palace!"
"How could this happen?" Lord Gu slumped into his chair, utterly dejected.
Huang Zhong said worriedly, "The Empress Dowager is furious and has issued an edict ordering the Crown Prince to return to the capital immediately, saying that she wants to... to reorganize the Gu Family Army and have the Crown Prince lead the Gu Family Army north to fight the enemy!"
Lord Gu's expression changed again: "Is Changqing also going to the frontier? He..."
He's only twenty-one years old!
He had never been to such a distant battlefield, nor had he experienced such a fierce war. With 100,000 Gu family soldiers marching north together, it was bound to be a tough battle!
Outside the study, Gu Chengfeng, who had overheard something, felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar.
He knew that his grandfather had secretly gone to the border on the emperor's orders, but he never expected that his grandfather would not only fail to save Princess Ning'an, but also get himself killed.
He didn't know who the remnants of the previous dynasty were, but based on the Empress Dowager Jing, he could roughly deduce that they were ruthless and would stop at nothing. He feared that his grandfather's life would be in danger if he fell into their hands.
My elder brother is far away near Fengdu Mountain. It will take time for him to return to the capital, and it will take time to rebuild the Gu family army. If he then heads north to the border, I don't even know if my grandfather will live to see him again...
Grandfather would not allow himself to become a bargaining chip to hinder his elder brother and the Gu family army.
If the remnants of the previous dynasty use him to blackmail my elder brother, my grandfather will definitely die rather than submit!
Gu Chengfeng returned to his own courtyard.
He found his night clothes and changed into them, then put on a mask and picked out a few hidden weapons he had bought from Qianji Pavilion.
After he finished doing all that, he went to the next room.
Gu Chenglin had already rested. Gu Chengfeng came to the bedside, looked at the sleeping Gu Chenglin, tucked him in, touched his slightly longer hair, and took out the silver notes from his body and stuffed them under his pillow.
"From now on, you'll have to buy hair growth products yourself."
After saying that, he took one last reluctant look at his younger brother. At this moment, he envied Gu Yan and the newborn baby. At least those two had so many people doting on them, while Gu Chenglin only had him left.
But now even he is leaving.
This time, he wasn't just doing a simple mission; he was going to the borderlands, infiltrate the enemy camp, and face an unknown fate. If he didn't return—
"If I don't come back, you'll have to take care of yourself from now on, understand?"
The fast-sleeping Gu Chenglin was completely unaware of his brother's departure. He turned over, his sleeping appearance peaceful and serene.
Gu Chengfeng eventually left.
He gently closed the door for his younger brother and secretly rode away from the stables on his father's Akhal-Teke horse.
Bishui Hutong.
After a busy day, the family members went back to their rooms to rest.
Gu Jiao went to the east room to check on the little one. The baby's neonatal jaundice had subsided, and the wrinkles on his face were gradually smoothing out. He was a fair-skinned and tender little cutie.
"Jiaojiao." Xiao Jingkong appeared behind her, holding a pillow.
"Aren't you asleep yet?" Gu Jiao turned to look at him.
"Hmm, I miss you a little," Xiao Jingkong said earnestly.
Gu Jiao smiled and nudged his little head: "I'll take you there."
"Mmm!" Xiao Jingkong hugged his little pillow with one hand and held Gu Jiao's hand with the other, skipping and hopping to the next room.
He lay on the soft bed, opened his big, round eyes wide, and obediently said, "Jiaojiao."
"Um?"
"I've covered myself with the blanket."
"Good boy." Gu Jiao touched his forehead. "Go to sleep."
Little Jingkong obediently closed his eyes.
She opened her eyes again after a short while: "Jiaojiao?"
"I am here."
He closed his eyes again, feeling at ease.
Her small hand grasped Gu Jiao's hand, making no attempt to hide her dependence and need.
Gu Jiao stayed by his side until he fell asleep and began to snore evenly. Only then did she get up and return to the backyard through the small passageway.
She went to Gu Yan and Gu Xiaoshun's room. The two little boys had already fallen asleep. Gu Yan slept very well, probably because he was always bullied by his older sister in the womb. Gu Xiaoshun slept poorly, with half of his leg hanging off the bed.
Gu Jiao tucked Gu Xiaoshun's legs under the blanket and touched their foreheads.
Of the children, Gu Xiaoshun is the least worrisome, while Gu Yan is the most worrisome.
Gu Yan's heart ailment has always been a problem that Gu Jiao wants to solve, but unfortunately, the surgical conditions in the small medicine box are not met.
Gu Jiao opened the bedside table and put the heart failure medication inside.
After doing all that, she returned to the west room and found a few clean clothes.
"Huh?"
She rummaged through drawers and cabinets, a look of confusion on her face.
Are you looking for this?
Xiao Heng's voice suddenly came from the doorway.
Gu Jiao turned around and saw Xiao Heng walking towards her with a mask inlaid with peacock feathers.
She blinked and shifted the blame, saying, "It's cleared out!"
Xiao Heng smiled, somewhat helplessly, but also unable to suppress a smile. He didn't expose her, but instead opened the cabinet door and took out a bundle from inside.
"There's dried meat and some dry rations in here."
She used to pack his things, but this time it was his turn to see her off on her journey.
“You…” Gu Jiao opened her mouth and looked at him.
"Aren't you going to leave the capital?" Xiao Heng asked casually, and then gave her a few more things.
Hmm, I thought I hid it well.
"Planning to leave without saying goodbye?"
Gu Jiao shook her head like a rattle-drum: "I wrote you a letter, it's in your study."
Xiao Heng's expression softened slightly. He handed her the bundle and gazed at her intently: "Will you bring it back?"
That's a rather intriguing question.
If she were the real Gu Jiaoniang, she would have no choice but to come back.
Gu Jiao always believed that only Gu Chengfeng was convinced that she was not the real Gu Jiaoniang.
Gu Chengfeng probably thought that she killed the real Gu Jiaoniang and took her place under someone else's identity.
Xiao Heng, however, clearly understood that this body originally belonged to Gu Jiaoniang.
So why did he ask that question?
As if he saw the doubt in Gu Jiao's eyes, or as if he felt that if he didn't say something today, he might not have the courage to say it later, he said, "You've changed a lot since you fell into the water two years ago. I know you are Gu Jiao Niang, but sometimes I feel like you're not Gu Jiao Niang."
She is not, but she is.
This is a very contradictory topic.
"Are you coming back?"
He asked her again.
Gu Jiao paused, looked at him, and said, "Whether I am Gu Jiao Niang or not?"
Xiao Heng nodded seriously: "Yes, regardless of whether you are Gu Jiaoniang or not."
"Of course—"
Gu Jiao's eyes darted around, she swallowed the words she was about to say, raised an eyebrow and said, "You're back. Can I watch you take a bath?"
Xiao Heng never expected that at the moment of parting, she would be thinking about this matter.
He was stunned, yet also somewhat amused and exasperated.
What kind of girl is she...?
He chuckled softly, took a few steps closer to her, and gently wrapped his strong arm around her waist, seemingly domineering yet restrained.
He hadn't touched her, yet Gu Jiao felt as if her waist, which he had encircled, was on fire. This fire burned all the way to her heart, making her head spin.
This feeling is very unfamiliar.
Hmm.
I want to do something.
That's strange.
Xiao Heng stared intently at her, taking in her stunned yet drooling expression. He smirked, his voice slightly seductive, and said, "Fine, come back. I'll let you see. Remember, come back safely. If you're missing even a single hair... I'll wear an extra layer of clothing."
Aaaaaaah!
(End of this chapter)
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