Stubborn
The report submitted by the Prefect of Jingzhao was reasonable and justified.
Furthermore, her offer to "do dirty work" for the prince when she was angry was defused by Xiao Chengyan's clever twist of the facts. If Gu Jinghong were to hold onto Xiao Chengyan's condescending attitude for too long, she would only appear petty.
A sharp pain shot through her left rib again. Gu Jinghong frowned slightly, sensing that something was wrong, but unable to pinpoint the exact cause.
Seeing Gu Jinghong looking confused like a kitten tilting its head, Xiao Chengyan suddenly felt a sweet warmth in his heart and held another spoonful of medicine to her lips, "Drink the medicine."
Looking at the dark, murky liquid, and recalling its nauseating bitterness, Gu Jinghong instinctively shrank back, her face filled with resistance: "...It's too bitter."
Looking at her rare, childlike expression of resistance, Xiao Chengyan raised an eyebrow and a barely perceptible, almost mocking smile curved his lips: "You dared to break into the dungeon, you're not afraid of dragon's dens or tiger's groin, and now... you complain that the medicine is bitter?"
The teasing made Gu Jinghong's face flush slightly. She took a deep breath, snatched the medicine bowl from his hand—the movement aggravated her wound, causing her to grimace again—then held her breath, tilted her head back, and gulped down the thick, bitter medicine in one go.
"Cough cough..."
The coughing tugged at Gu Jinghong's chest again, and she instinctively flinched. Xiao Chengyan felt a pang of heartache.
He handed the empty bowl to Zhixin, then naturally took the warm, damp towel from the side and gently wiped away the remaining medicine stains from the corners of her mouth.
"Sleep peacefully, someone is guarding outside." He carefully helped Gu Jinghong lie down again, moving as gently as possible to avoid aggravating her wounds.
Gu Jinghong was indeed exhausted. The effects of the medicine and the pain made her eyelids heavy. She looked at Xiao Chengyan's profile, which was so close to hers, showing weariness but still cold and stern. Feeling the warmth and comfort of the blankets, her tense nerves finally relaxed a little, and she slowly closed her eyes.
The sleeping quarters returned to silence.
Xiao Chengyan sat on the edge of the bed, quietly watching her breathing gradually become steady.
It was at this moment that Changfeng, enduring the excruciating pain in his back and buttocks, limped in.
When he carried Gu Jinghong back to the Prince Jin's mansion that day, he already had a premonition that something was wrong.
The prince's order was to "protect her," but now he's brought back a person coughing up blood and barely breathing. Is this "protecting her"? This is clearly a failure to protect her!
Seeing Xiao Chengyan's face, colder than a thousand-year-old ice, Changfeng obediently went to receive forty strokes of the rod, the pain keeping this grown man bedridden for days... No one knew how aggrieved this grown man was while lying in bed recovering from his injuries—the job with the prince was becoming increasingly difficult.
Changfeng slowly walked to Xiao Chengyan's side, trying to keep his steps steady so as not to make any noise that might disturb the young lady lying on the bed. Then he leaned close to Xiao Chengyan's ear, lowered his voice, and said in a serious tone, "Your Highness, there is the latest news from the Jingzhao Prefecture... Something has happened at the water dungeon."
Xiao Chengyan turned to look at Gu Jinghong, and seeing that her expression had not changed, he gestured for Changfeng to continue.
Changfeng paused for a moment upon seeing Xiao Chengyan's reaction, then lowered his voice further: "Xie Yan... has been kidnapped. Seven people in the dungeon died; the kidnappers were extremely ruthless, leaving no survivors. Our people tracked them down and discovered that the kidnappers disappeared at the 'Yuelai Inn' in the west of the city."
After listening, Xiao Chengyan remained silent for a moment. Then he slowly stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the sky outside, which was not yet fully bright. His back was straight, but he exuded a coldness.
He shook his head slightly, letting out a very low, ambiguous sigh, his tone revealing a coldness that seemed to understand the ways of the world: "Xie Yan's martial arts are not bad. Although his actions are unconventional, he would be a figure of some importance in the martial arts world. It's just that it seems that his master doesn't value his life much."
Xiao Chengyan turned around, his gaze sweeping over the sleeping Gu Jinghong on the bed before returning to Changfeng. His tone was tinged with sarcasm, “So badly injured, yet you don’t seek refuge in your own stronghold, but instead hide in a chaotic inn. Such strict rules, once injured, you’re discarded. Ha, what a shrewd move.”
His gaze lingered for a moment on that pale, peaceful sleeping face, his eyes filled with an unfathomable emotion—his movements were ruthless, each move designed to kill, leaving no survivors; his methods were professional, cold-blooded, and efficient.
Xiao Chengyan suddenly remembered the day Changfeng was ordered to clear out the hawks.
So, the one wrestling with Changfeng was—Xie Yan?
From this perspective, Gu Jinghong and Xie Yan seem more like members of a powerful dark organization...
Changfeng didn't think that much about it, but a complex emotion flashed in his eyes as he thought about himself and then about Xie Yan. They both worked for others, but the difference between them was enormous.
While pretending to be asleep, Gu Jinghong's fingers, hidden under the covers, curled up almost imperceptibly.
Xiao Chengyan's words were like cold needles, piercing her deepest worries—she and Xie Yan had known each other since childhood, were raised together by the Pavilion Master, and were now both Grand Secretaries. It seemed that in the Pavilion Master's eyes, the two were no different.
The rule that "if the mission fails, do not return to the building" has been followed by the two for many years. They never thought it was wrong before. It is also because of this rule that Zhuoyue Tower has not been exposed in the martial arts world.
If it weren't for Xiao Chengyan's casual comment today, Gu Jinghong wouldn't have even realized that there seemed to be a problem here.
However, the Lord of the Tower saved Gu Jinghong's life and spurred her on until she became the Grand Secretary she is today. He really doesn't seem like a treacherous, cunning, and ruthless person.
Gu Jinghong suddenly remembered the password to the Lord of the Tower that Qingwu had brought before, which had never appeared before, and that he could not open the secret box without permission.
So... she has to drive.
...
Gu Jinghong remained bedridden for ten days.
The soft morning light filtered through the delicate window frames, casting dappled patterns of light on the ground.
The pain in my left shoulder has changed from a burning, intense pain to a dull, aching ache, and my body no longer feels as heavy as it did two days ago.
She gently moved her uninjured right arm, feeling the power slowly returning.
In the past few days, Xiao Chengyan has appeared every few days while she is awake. Sometimes he personally watches her take her medicine, and sometimes he just sits silently to the side dealing with official documents. His crisp pine needle scent and steady presence are like an invisible net, making her uneasy.
It's time to go.
If you continue to indulge in this, the secret will fester and your bones will weaken.
"Your Highness," Gu Jinghong said, her voice slightly hoarse and clear from illness.
Xiao Chengyan paused, his hand holding the pen stilled, and looked up: "Hmm?"
His Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and he felt a subtle tension within himself.
“Jinghong’s injuries have mostly healed, and she can move around without any problems.” She spoke in a steady, deliberately distant manner. “I am deeply grateful for Your Highness’s care. However… Jinghong is of lowly status and has been staying in the main hall for too long. This is presumptuous and impolite, and has only caused controversy and disturbed Your Highness’s peace. I humbly request Your Highness’s permission to move back to the side room of Chun Shen Garden to recuperate.”
The air suddenly froze.
Xiao Chengyan put down his pen and leaned back slowly, the chair back making a slight sound.
His deep gaze scrutinized the determination beneath her calm exterior; he knew what she was thinking—space, secrets, that damned independence.
He knew how stubborn she was!
Even with blood gushing from her mouth and broken ribs in the water dungeon, she was like a dying beast, recklessly lunging at Xie Yan, willing to injure herself to tear a piece of his flesh! That ruthless determination to destroy everything, that unwavering stubbornness once she set her sights on a target…
He had no doubt that if he forcefully rejected her now, this seemingly calm woman would, in the next moment, drag her still-healing injuries, do something even more resolute and self-destructive.
She won't make a fuss, but she'll show him through her actions that her will is terrifyingly strong!
A strong sense of irritability and a deeper sense of powerlessness gripped him.
He wanted to keep her by his side, to ensure her safety, and to watch her injuries heal completely. But he also knew perfectly well that Gu Jinghong was not a canary that could be kept in a cage; she was a wild and untamed eagle. Harsh chains would only break her wings, and might even drive her to fight back and suffer serious injuries.
His silence lasted longer than expected, his gaze deep and intense, as if he were engaged in a silent struggle, or struggling to convince himself. Finally, a barely perceptible hint of compromise, a trace of reluctance forcibly suppressed, flashed across his scrutinizing gaze.
“…Chun Shen Yuan is remote and the service here is not as thorough. Your injury is to your bones and muscles and has not yet fully healed.” His voice was low as he tried to persuade you to stay one last time.
"Your Highness's kindness is deeply appreciated." Gu Jinghong nodded slightly, his posture respectful, but his tone was as firm as a rock. "However, Chun Shen Garden is quiet and suitable for recuperation. I have practiced martial arts since childhood, and I can take care of my minor injuries myself. Moreover, the rules of the Prince's Mansion are strict. If I stay in the main courtyard for too long, it may cause controversy and damage Your Highness's reputation."
Xiao Chengyan's fingertips unconsciously tightened on the smooth rosewood armrest.
It's that same old story again! He could almost picture her inner monologue: Let me go, or else... She always found a way to get what she wanted, in her own way, even if it meant getting hurt again.
He stared at her, as if trying to etch her stubborn expression into his eyes.
After a long silence, his Adam's apple bobbed almost imperceptibly, and his thin lips finally managed to utter a single word, tinged with a barely perceptible hoarseness: "Approved."
That one word seemed to suck out a breath of pent-up anger from his chest and sever some secret expectation he had been harboring.
Gu Jinghong felt a sense of relief, and the slight disappointment was quickly suppressed again: "Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness."
“Zhixin,” Xiao Chengyan’s voice returned to its usual coldness, but with a hint of weariness, “escort Miss Gu back to her side room in Chun Shen Garden. Prepare everything she needs as usual, without any negligence.”
His gaze returned to the military report, but he didn't focus on it. "Changfeng, go to the warehouse and get that box of 'Snow Ginseng Nourishing Pills' and send it to Chun Shen Garden."
"Yes, Your Highness."
The move was quiet and swift. Gu Jinghong refused Zhixin's help, enduring the dull pain in her left rib, and steadily stood up and walked on her own. She didn't want to show any weakness in front of him again.
Just before leaving, she paused slightly. Her gaze swept over the potted orchid, but ultimately did not return to the cold, aloof figure behind the desk, seemingly absorbed entirely by the military report. She straightened her back and stepped out of the main hall that had confined her for ten days.
Gu Jinghong looked up at the sky.
Early spring has arrived, and the sunlight is dazzling.
She finally narrowed her eyes, shutting away the heaviness, the warmth, and the deep eyes that had ultimately chosen to compromise behind the heavy door.
The side room of Chun Shen Garden was small and simple, yet strangely familiar.
Zhixin tidied up the items, gave careful instructions, and then left.
The moment the door closed, absolute silence enveloped her. Gu Jinghong stood alone in the center of the small house, taking a deep breath of the air that carried the fresh scent of soapberry, air that belonged only to her.
She walked to the window and pushed it open halfway. A cool spring breeze, carrying the breath of freedom, rushed in, completely dispelling the lingering, crisp, yet suffocating, atmosphere of Chen Anju.
His gaze was calm yet sharp.
This is her battlefield.
Only when she was away from those eyes that could see through people's hearts, yet also forced her to resist with her own stubbornness, could she finally open the South Wind Box with peace of mind, see the true face of the Lord of the Tower, and finally... truly catch her breath.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com