Most of the people left in this garden were women, their faces pale with fright, constantly exclaiming. In the distance, the hurried and synchronized footsteps of the guards could still be heard.
Gu Jianli slightly furrowed her brows in surprise but soon relaxed. She had anticipated that something would happen today, so she wasn’t too shocked.
She looked at Ji Wujing again and saw his pale face, with his right hand clenched into a fist, coughing lightly into it.
Gu Jianli was startled; Ji Wujing hadn’t coughed blood for a long time! She hurriedly walked over to him and asked anxiously, “What’s wrong?”
Ji Wujing coughed twice more before speaking in a hoarse voice, “Help me sit down.”
Gu Jianli quickly helped him take a few steps to sit on a stone bench on one side. Just as she was about to straighten up, Ji Wujing gently but firmly squeezed her wrist. Gu Jianli looked up at him. Ji Wujing gave her a reassuring look.
Gu Jianli was momentarily stunned.
He was pretending!
The guards surrounded the rear garden tightly, not allowing anyone to leave. Naturally, the women trapped inside had no idea what was happening outside and were too scared to venture out. However, they worried about their fathers, husbands, or sons in the front yard.
At first, there were small groups of people whispering, but before long, everyone fell silent. Despite the large number of people, the garden became eerily quiet.
Time seemed to drag on painfully.
No one knew how long had passed when suddenly a loud shout came from the front yard, “Ji Lan murdered his father and brother, forged the imperial edict to seize the throne! The Second Prince is still alive, wait for the Second Prince… Ah—”
The shout was abruptly cut off.
The women in the garden were even more tense.
After a long time, well past the time for the banquet, Chen He personally led people to the rear courtyard. Those in the garden, unaware of the outside situation, all looked towards Chen He.
“By imperial decree, a few madams and young masters are requested to go to the front yard,” Chen He said indifferently.
A young eunuch standing beside him unfolded a decree and read out the names in a high-pitched voice. Those whose names were called were instantly filled with anxiety, not knowing what it was about.
“Supervisor Chen, how is His Majesty? Why are we being summoned?”
Chen He merely replied, “You will know once you reach the front yard.”
Chen He’s refusal to explain only heightened their fear.
After the eunuch finished reading the names, the old and young ones, filled with trepidation, began to walk out. Suddenly, an eleven or twelve-year-old boy burst into tears, shouting as he ran away, “You’re going to kill me! I won’t go with you! I heard my father say yesterday…”
A hidden weapon flew from Chen He’s hand, hitting the boy at the back of his head. The boy’s body stiffened, and his pupils quickly dilated.
His mother screamed and rushed over, crying.
Chen He showed a trace of disdain in his eyes and said, “Madam Wu, don’t worry, the young master isn’t dead.”
He stepped to the side, raised his hand, and said, “Everyone, please.”
Gu Jianli sat next to Ji Wujing. Under the stone table, she quietly took Ji Wujing’s hand, spreading his palm on her lap and writing one stroke at a time.
— “Collapse?”
After she finished, Gu Jianli obediently placed her hand back on top of Ji Wujing’s, waiting for his response.
Ji Wujing barely smiled, turned his palm over, and his fingers slowly wrote the character “No” on the inside of Gu Jianli’s thigh.
Gu Jianli was startled.
She quickly looked around and saw that everyone was tense and not paying attention to them, which made her feel somewhat relieved. She glared fiercely at Ji Wujing and, not caring about Ji Lan’s collapse or not, held Ji Wujing’s hand tightly to stop his mischief.
Ji Wujing’s hand was tightly held by Gu Jianli’s soft, smooth hands, and the strength she used to grip him was just right, making him feel very comfortable.
After about half an hour, Gu Jianli led the servants of the prince’s mansion to rush over. With a smile on her face, she apologized to the guests and invited them to take their seats.
“Princess Sheng’an, how is His Majesty…” Princess Guangxian tentatively asked.
“There were a few assassins over there, but they have been captured. Everyone, please don’t worry.”
The guests took their seats, and the banquet officially began. However, despite the table full of delicacies, everyone was somewhat distracted because… those taken away by Chen He had not returned. Those with better information had already received news from the front yard.
The assassins were either executed on the spot or captured alive. Chen He used some interrogation methods to extract information from the assassins, revealing Ji Yan’s faction. Thus, Chen He came to the rear courtyard to “invite” the families of the traitors.
Is that really the case? Gu Jianli had doubts in her heart. She felt it was more like a trap set by Ji Lan. Gu Jingyuan had arranged a grand banquet, and all the influential people in the capital were present. What day would be better than today to catch them all in one go?
However, Gu Jianli also had some confusion. Even if Ji Lan wanted to catch them all, he wouldn’t have someone shouting accusations of patricide, fratricide, and forgery of the edict.
Unless… Ji Yan indeed had a plan to assassinate Ji Lan today, and Ji Lan, being more skillful, used this to his advantage. If Ji Yan truly plotted to assassinate Ji Lan, then…
Gu Jianli turned her head, looking at Ji Wujing, who was eating fish, and asked, “Do you want to add some rock?”
Ji Wujing lifted his eyelids and looked at her deeply, suddenly smiling, “Too lazy to add.”
Gu Jianli thought for a moment and responded with an “Oh.”
As the traitors were taken away, Ji Lan immediately returned to the palace. Sun Yinzhu, somewhat disappointed, boarded the dragon carriage and looked back.
Ji Lan glanced at her and said, “The Empress seems to have some thoughts, reluctant to leave?”
Sun Yinzhu was taken aback and then immediately wore a dejected expression, “The palace is so boring. I haven’t seen such a lively scene in a long time. Your Majesty, can’t we stay a bit longer?”
She grabbed Ji Lan’s sleeve, looking pitiful like a child.
Ji Lan, with a blank expression, pushed her hand away.
Until the dragon carriage was out of sight, Lin Shaotang returned to the prince’s mansion in disappointment. With such an incident today, as soon as Ji Lan left, the guests hurriedly took their leave. Amid the chaos, Lin Shaotang slipped into the rear courtyard and found Ji Wujing in a secluded corner. With too many guests, Gu Jianli was busy seeing them off, leaving Ji Wujing alone, resting with his head propped on one hand in a pavilion by the lake, his eyes closed.
Lin Shaotang asked, “Why didn’t the Sect Master lend a hand?”
Ji Wujing didn’t even lift his eyes, replying casually, “I can’t beat Chen He right now.”
“You!” Lin Shaotang’s chest tightened. Softening his tone slightly, he continued, “Is this the extent of the Sect Master’s sincerity?”
Ji Wujing yawned before speaking again, “I’m barely hanging on by a thread here; how can I fight Chen He to the death? All his skills were taught by me, and he knows my weaknesses well.”
Lin Shaotang asked, “If next time Chen He is not by Ji Lan’s side, will you take action? Don’t forget, Ji Lan is our common enemy. Do you want to endure the pain of losing your wife? If you agree, I’ll plan to keep Chen He away next time.”
“Keep Chen He away?” Ji Wujing chuckled.
“Chen He has weaknesses too, and they’re fatal,” Lin Shaotang’s eyes darkened.
That cat.
Ji Wujing’s smile faded, and he finally lifted his eyes to look at Lin Shaotang. After a moment, he suddenly twisted his lips into a strange smile and said, “You and Chen He are quite similar. If you really can’t kill Ji Lan, why not learn from Chen He and enter the palace to keep the beauties company?”
Lin Shaotang was irritated by Ji Wujing’s frivolous tone and was about to speak when Ji Wujing cut him off, “Give me a few days; I’ll try to persuade Chen He.”
Lin Shaotang hesitated for a moment before saying, “If you can convince Chen He to work for us, that would be excellent.”
A servant approached from a distance, and Lin Shaotang knew he shouldn’t linger. Without saying more, he left in a hurry. After he was gone, Ji Wujing’s lazy demeanor vanished. He narrowed his eyes, placing his thumb on his pulse.
Only twelve days left.
In the carriage home, Ji Pinglian and Ji Pingjuan sat silently, both lost in thought, their eyes filled with hatred and anger.
The carriage jolted, and Ji Pinglian steadied herself, looking at her younger half-sister with some reluctance, “Don’t blame Mother for hitting you today.”
Ji Pingjuan smiled self-deprecatingly, “Hearing you say that makes me feel better. Everything I did was to make you happy.”
Ji Pinglian, seeing Ji Pingjuan’s swollen face from the beating, softened and said, “Don’t worry, I understand your intentions. When we get home, Mother will surely punish you, and I can’t plead for you. But this matter won’t end here.”
Ji Pingjuan looked at her in surprise, “What do you mean? Gu Jianli is not in a position to be easily dealt with right now.”
“You fear her, but I do not,” Ji Pinglian sneered. “The New Year is approaching, and envoys from various clans are on their way. His Majesty’s throne is unstable, and the clans have always been ambitious. This year, His Majesty will surely entertain the envoys well. If those barbarians ask for a woman…”
Ji Pingjuan’s mouth hung open in shock, staring at her elder sister. She suddenly realized she had never truly understood her sister, who was more formidable than she had imagined.
Unaware of Ji Pinglian and Ji Pingjuan’s scheming, Gu Jianli was staring at Madam Tao in shock, asking, “Did I hear correctly? Who? Lady Rong proposed a marriage to whom?”
Madam Tao was equally flustered, saying, “She didn’t explicitly propose, but Lady Rong’s words implied it! She wants to arrange a marriage between her young master and your sister. Both mother and son are still in the side hall!”
The young master of the Rong family? Rong Yuanyou?
Gu Jianli’s mind was filled with images of the little boy who used to follow her around. Rong Yuanyou had been a weak and sickly child, smaller than his peers, with a quiet and delicate demeanor.
When Gu Zaili received the news, she was stunned. She had been busy all day, had just taken a bath to relax, and changed into soft, clean clothes. Sitting lazily in front of the bronze mirror, she was drawing her eyebrows. Upon hearing the maid Jichun’s report, her hand paused, and she accidentally drew her eyebrow crooked.
“Miss, the young master of the Rong family wants to see you. Should I let him in?” Jichun asked.
Gu Zaili carefully wiped away the crooked eyebrow with a cloth and gently said, “Let him in. Invite him in.”
“What?” Jichun doubted her ears. “You want to see him in your boudoir? This… this is not proper. Shouldn’t we go to the front hall?”
Gu Zaili slowly revealed a smile to her reflection in the bronze mirror. Her voice was soft and lazy, “It’s alright. He used to come into my boudoir when he was a child.”
Although Jichun felt it was improper, she had to obey her lady’s instructions.