When Su Zirong entered, the guards on the ground were dismissed. It was quite smooth for Gu Qianying to escape from underground.
However, upon exiting the cave, she still had to alert those outside.
Seeing that it was Gu Qianying who ran out, the guards quickly tried to stop her, but her martial arts had recovered, and she broke free from the guards' interception within a few moves.
"You chase quickly, you can't let her escape all over the palace. I will report to His Majesty."
One of them instructed the others, while he hurried towards the imperial study.
To select top-tier sorcerers, one must pass through layers of assessment. In the early stages, the Empress did not need to participate. Currently, she was reclining on a couch in the study with Grand Tutor Su.
A sound of window movement came, and Grand Tutor Su immediately sat up alertly, while the guard stood by the window with his head bowed.
To guard Gu Qianying and to avoid alerting the enemy, the guards of the dungeon were carefully selected secret guards.
And the one standing by the window was the leader of the secret guards.
"What happened?"
He sneaked in, and it was bound to be that something had happened in the dungeon. Grand Tutor Su's face was displeased, and the secret guard dared not raise his head.
"Reporting to the Grand Tutor, Your Majesty, Gu Qianying has escaped."
He closed his eyes tightly as he said this.
To imprison that woman, Su Ye had already imposed strict supervision on the heavenly prison. To prevent collusion from within and without, only the secret guards were guarding inside and out. How could that woman escape?
Grand Tutor Su suddenly stood up and walked to the window, looking sharply at the secret guard's head.
"Escaped? Are you that incompetent?"
He naturally did not know the current situation and only thought that the secret guards had not guarded properly.
Although he could not shirk responsibility, he was still confused about what had happened.
"It is my subordinate's dereliction of duty, but before Gu Qianying escaped, only the second young lady of the Su family had entered. Now the secret guards are pursuing Gu Qianying."
Upon hearing this, Grand Tutor Su raised his head. He had guarded against everything, but he never expected that foolish woman to ruin things.
"It's her. Hmph, useless person, no need to keep her. Get rid of her."
Originally, he kept Su Zirong because he thought she still had some connection with the Su family, and the Su clan had some status in the Nan Yi Kingdom. Su Yuxi was already dead, and Su Xiuer was a good-for-nothing. Only this woman was still somewhat useful.
He did not expect that after giving her a way to survive, she herself would not be able to seize the opportunity. What an incompetent person, useless to keep.
Thinking that if it were not for that woman, Gu Qianying would not have escaped, the master decided to take Su Zirong's life, and the secret guards were happy to act.
As the sky gradually darkened, Gu Qianying's whereabouts became increasingly difficult to find.
Listening to the retreating footsteps, Gu Qianying's figure emerged from behind a rockery in the imperial garden.
In fact, with her skills, escaping the imperial palace was as easy as flipping a hand. However, considering that the Empress and Grand Tutor Su had their fingers in every pie, turning the Nan Yi Kingdom into a mess, if she wanted lasting peace, she had to stay and find evidence of their collusion.
With this thought, Gu Qianying's gaze fell on the nearby pavilion.
This place was close to the imperial kitchen, and palace maids were moving back and forth, preparing meals.
Gu Qianying carefully moved behind the pavilion corridor connected to the imperial kitchen. Taking advantage of the approaching palace maid's unpreparedness, she struck her unconscious with a palm.
She naturally changed into the palace maid's attire.
If she wanted to stay in the palace, she could only disguise herself and infiltrate.
The dark corners of the palace were bustling, and the Su family was also "lively" to the extreme.
Mother Su was overjoyed to know that her eldest daughter had secretly returned. However, when she saw that the person accompanying her was not her sister but a man, her face immediately turned grim.
Seeing her mother like this, Su Yuxi quickly stepped forward to explain.
"Mother, this is the benefactor who saved me. He said that my return this time was also dangerous, so he wanted to escort me to the Su family. Moreover, since the benefactor is here, we should at least host a banquet to thank him."
Seeing a table of food for only one man, Mother Su could not accept it at all.
"Daughter, he is a man. Even if he saved you, a verbal thank you is enough. Moreover, it is his honor to have saved a daughter of the Su family. He dares to take the main seat, truly audacious."
Mother Su and Su Yuxi naturally could not agree. She only felt that men were inherently humble and unworthy of the title of benefactor.
Hearing this, Su Yuxi awkwardly turned her head to look at Meng Qinghua, who was seated.
"Although it is for concealment, it is against the rules for a junior to visit without notifying you. You are right to reprimand me."
Meng Qinghua naturally knew the system of the Nan Yi Kingdom and would not argue with her here. He changed the subject and invited Mother Su to the table.
Seeing his politeness, Su Yuxi felt even more apologetic. It was her mother's thoughts that were too ignorant. Meng Qinghua, knowing that she was wrong, was still willing to give her face. Her admiration for this man deepened.
"Let me tell you, boy, I'm not going to argue with you because of Xi'er. She also told me that in your so-called Pavilion, you took good care of her. In that case, I won't drive you away from the table."
Mother Su naturally sat in the main seat and drove Meng Qinghua to the lower seat.
The people at this banquet each harbored their own thoughts, but the most difficult one was Su Yuxi. She had to consider her mother's face and not anger her, yet she did not want Meng Qinghua to be too wronged.
For a full half an hour, she was like sitting on pins and needles.
Finally, after the banquet was cleared and Mother Su left after a few instructions, Su Yuxi hurriedly apologized to Meng Qinghua.
"Our Nan Yi Kingdom has always been male-inferior and female-superior. My mother is old, and these outdated concepts are difficult to change. I apologize for the offense you suffered."
Seeing that she was actually explaining to him, Meng Qinghua blushed and quickly shook his head with a smile.
"It's alright. Since I'm here, I naturally follow the host's lead and adapt to local customs."
He knew that as long as he did not see the Su family matriarch, he could do whatever he wanted in this city without anyone stopping him.
Meng Qinghua's words warmed Su Yuxi's heart. Thinking that they had just finished dinner, she invited him to stroll in the courtyard together.
"Although our Su family cannot compare to the grandeur of the palace, it is still a large household. The moonlight tonight is quite pleasant. Why don't you admire it with me?"
Although it was already deep winter, due to the approaching festival, the red plum blossoms and colorful lanterns in the courtyard were exceptionally beautiful.
Meng Qinghua nodded, and the maidservant also wisely retreated to the side, not following the two on their tour.
"Although our Su family has been physicians for generations, our ancestors were very elegant people. The red plum blossoms here and the green pines in the backyard were planted and left behind by our ancestors."
The two walked side by side, and Su Yuxi introduced her family history to Meng Qinghua.
Unlike the eternal spring of the Yi Jing Pavilion, the white snow against the red plum blossoms here was more artistic.
Meng Qinghua had his hands behind his back, but his body unconsciously moved closer to Su Yuxi.
"The ancestors of the Su family must have been exquisite people."
His eyes looked at Su Yuxi, and at this moment, a petal fell on her head.
The two looked at each other, and Meng Qinghua reached out to remove the petal from Su Yuxi's head.
But at this very moment, a soft whisper came to his ear.
"Eldest sister."