Seeing that they were surrounded, Gu Qianying really didn't want to cause a scene. But just as she was about to leave, she happened to see Su Cheng there out of the corner of her eye.
It turned out that behind the third young lady of the Su family were the three young masters who had been bullied by them. It seemed they had been brought in as male servants.
This was truly pathetic, being ordered around wherever they went.
Seeing her gaze fixed behind her, Su Yuxi gave a sheepish smile.
"Oh my, it seems you've really taken a liking to him. What, after saving him last time, it was love at first sight?" she said sarcastically, causing those around to cover their mouths and giggle.
Gu Qianying curved her lips and let out a snort.
"Miss Su, you speak as if we are strangers. It was you who was beaten black and blue by me last time. If anyone should not be able to forget, it should be you."
The words were quite provoking, but Duan Xifeng, standing behind, found them immensely satisfying.
The confused gazes of the crowd turned towards Miss Su. Seeing their eldest sister at a disadvantage, the second Miss Su wanted to step forward.
"Oh, right, I wonder if Second Miss's teeth have grown back yet. Tsk, tsk, it's a real shame I hit too hard. I heard you lost two front teeth?"
Before Su Zirong could speak, Gu Qianying had already struck a nerve.
"You, you venom-tongued woman." The second Miss Su pointed, stammering, but the unclear words that came out indeed confirmed the reason for her lisp.
The onlookers standing nearby saw clearly that the second young lady was indeed missing two front teeth.
The people who had gathered could no longer contain themselves and began to laugh, turning their heads aside.
Seeing that both her elder and second sisters had their shortcomings exposed by this woman, Su Xiuer wanted to step forward to argue, but was stopped by Su Zirong.
"Second Sister, what are you doing? Are we still afraid of her?" Seeing her sister misunderstand her intention, the second Miss Su whispered in her ear.
With that, their gazes fixed on Gu Qianying. After some scrutiny, the second Miss Su suddenly spoke loudly.
"They, aren't they the man and the little boy who were with this woman that day?"
Reminded by her, the eldest Miss Su looked closely.
"Good heavens, men are not allowed to enter the palace casually. You actually disguised yourselves as women and snuck in. This is truly a crime of deceiving the emperor."
After being beaten last time and then publicly humiliated by Gu Qianying today, now that she had found a good opportunity for revenge, taking advantage of her eldest sister's momentum, the second Miss Su quickly walked behind Gu Qianying, intending to pull off the fake topknots on their heads to reveal their identities to everyone.
Seeing her preparing to step forward, Su Cheng, who had been standing humbly behind, quickly moved in front of her.
In fact, the moment he saw Gu Qianying and the other two, he had immediately recognized Duan Xifeng and Xiao Yihao, who were disguised as women.
He had intended to avoid any entanglement and prevent these two from being exposed, but unfortunately, his second sister had discovered them.
They were the ones who had saved his life. Once exposed now, their lives would be in danger.
At this moment, Su Cheng had no time to think further, his only concern being to protect his saviors. In his agitation, he grabbed the second Miss Su's hand and violently threw her aside.
The crashing sound attracted the attention of others. Looking at Su Cheng, who was still standing there with his hand outstretched, everyone exclaimed in shock.
"Heavens, he, a man, dares to lay hands on a woman, and moreover, the second young lady of the Su family!" Instantly, onlookers crowded around, and the palace patrol guards hurried over.
Upon seeing that it was a young lady from the Su family who had been thrown about in confusion, the captain of the guards immediately waved his hand. Several guards rushed forward and pinned Su Cheng to the ground.
"Bold Su Cheng, daring to assault your own sister in broad daylight. You are truly lawless! Quickly report to the Emperor. You, escort him away."
With this action, all eyes were focused on the captured Su Cheng.
The women in the crowd whispered amongst themselves.
"How did he become so audacious? He even dares to strike his own sister, and he's a low-class person at that."
"Indeed. This is the imperial palace. Laying hands on a woman is tantamount to disrespecting imperial authority. Tsk, tsk, his life is truly forfeit now."
The words of the two gossiping women reached Gu Qianying's ears.
Would he really be executed? Although the superiority of women over men was a fact, he had merely pushed a woman, not injured her. How could it lead to losing his life?
She naturally did not understand, but the subsequent decree confirmed the conversation of the two.
"The Emperor decrees that Su Cheng, for his rebellion in the palace and his audacious act of laying hands on a woman, is of a cruel disposition and may endanger His Majesty. Therefore, he is to be executed by the chariot-laceration method at the city gate execution ground at the hour of the horse."
In such a short time, the Empress Dowager knew of this matter. It was evident that a man striking a woman was indeed a grave offense.
Gu Qianying followed the crowd, their direction being towards the execution ground.
"The palace hasn't used such cruel torture in a long time. You still dare to watch?" A woman walking ahead was stopped by another woman. The chariot-laceration method was incredibly brutal. Such a scene, let alone for women, would make men close their eyes and clench their fists.
Looking at the sundial in the square, there were still two quarters of an hour until the hour of the horse. Then, a loud shout drew the attention of the crowd towards a distant, vast procession.
"It's the Emperor! The Emperor has personally come to oversee the execution!" A woman who had seen more of the world exclaimed. And that vast procession was indeed the Emperor and some officials.
It seemed that Su Cheng's matter had attracted the attention of many, with officials also rushing over.
"Long live Your Majesty, long live, long live, long live!"
After a round of salutations, the Empress was escorted by her female attendants onto the high platform of the execution ground.
She did not speak, but her gaze was extremely commanding. Below the platform, the third young lady of the Su family sneered.
"Hmph, he always seemed so timid, I never expected him to be so bold. Oh dear, it's truly a pity for someone to have protected him, only for it to be in vain in the end."
These words were truly provoking, but regardless, they were her own brothers. This behavior of the three sisters kicking someone when they were down was rather petty.
The other two young masters were also brought over. Perhaps the intention was for these two to witness the consequences of defying women.
The execution carriage had arrived. Su Jie and Su Ming, terrified, knelt behind the three Su sisters, not daring to look up.
With the Emperor personally overseeing the execution, everyone, including Su Cheng himself, knew that he was beyond saving this time.
But it was precisely at this moment that Gu Qianying slowly walked up to Su Cheng.
Everyone stood to the side, but her action was particularly conspicuous.
Looking at this woman who had appeared from nowhere and seemed to have no regard for her own life, the Empress leisurely spoke.
"Who is that person below the platform, daring to stand in front of the condemned prisoner?"
Gu Qianying turned around to face the person on the platform and said with determination.
"I want to save him."