Gu Yi did not speak, nor did she look at her.
Gu Qianying blocked Gu Yi's path, preventing him from leaving.
When Gu Yi remained silent, she spoke again, "Look at your frail appearance. Even if you were to commit suicide, you'd lack the strength. Such a useless person, living in this world is just a waste. Therefore, from today onwards, your worthless life belongs to me. From now on, wherever I go, you will follow. How about it?"
When he was driven out by the servants, Gu Yi's hair had fallen loose, his robes were wrinkled, and the edges of his clothes were covered in dust from being deliberately pushed around by the servants. Despite his disheveled state, he heard the most venomous yet heartwarming words in the world.
He raised his eyes to look at Gu Qianying.
Meeting her gaze,
Her eyes held no mockery or ridicule that others would have for him.
Under the vast sky, the sunlight shone down, falling on her as if she were gilded with a layer of golden light.
"You... don't mind?"
As Gu Yi spoke, his lips were a little pale, and his voice was slightly hoarse, having not drunk the medicinal soup brewed with precious herbs today.
One moment he was the incomparably noble Third Young Master, and the next he had become a bastard despised by all.
At this moment, the world shunned and abandoned him, and even his death seemed like a stain in people's eyes.
Yet, at this very moment, there was someone who wanted to take him away, and this person happened to be someone he wanted to hate but couldn't.
"If you don't hate me, I won't mind. However, even if you do hate me, you will still only be able to hate."
With that,
Gu Qianying turned around, her back to Gu Yi, and said to him, "Hurry and follow me. If you're late, I, as your sister, won't want you anymore."
Watching Gu Qianying walk away with her maidservant,
Gu Yi's eyes welled up with tears. She was not related to him by blood, yet she still called him brother without disdain.
A long-lost smile appeared on his lips.
He, a useless person on the verge of death, still had a relative he could trust.
He looked up at the blue sky and suddenly felt that the sun was exceptionally bright today.
Upon learning that her Wangfei intended to bring her third elder brother, with whom she had no blood relation, back to the Ninth Prince's Manor, the maidservant Cai Xia was startled.
She quickly tugged at Gu Qianying's sleeve and whispered, "Wangfei, this is perhaps not appropriate, is it?"
Gu Qianying glanced at her, remaining silent.
A pair of eyes as cold as ice looked towards Gu Qianying.
Cai Xia was so frightened that she dared not look up, trembling all over.
Gu Qianying looked in the direction of the gaze.
"Ninth Imperial Uncle, should we be returning to the manor?"
She walked towards him, ignoring his ravenous gaze.
"He has no relation to you."
Nangong Mo looked at Gu Qianying and said, his eyes concealing a deep anger.
Bai Qi had already informed him of the events outside the main gate.
"This concubine knows, but this concubine still regards him as her third elder brother."
Gu Qianying's gaze was firm and composed.
Seeing that Gu Qianying only spoke of a sibling relationship with Gu Yi and nothing more, Nangong Mo's anger subsided considerably.
"But he is an outsider. If necessary, this Prince can arrange for him to stay in an outer residence."
It would be inconvenient to keep an outsider living in the manor with his sister, especially since they were not related by blood, and should avoid suspicion!
"Yes, that would be good. However, please ask Ninth Imperial Uncle to find a competent doctor to personally attend to Third Brother, lest he die alone in his room one day without anyone knowing."
Gu Yi was frail and often ill, requiring more attention.
Gu Qianying, who wanted to keep Gu Yi by her side, naturally felt it would be inconvenient for Gu Yi to stay in the Ninth Prince's Manor.
Keeping Gu Yi in the outer residence would be more convenient for some matters.
Gu Yi was different from Han Shi and her daughters. Even if he was not of the Gu family by blood, if the Gu family were to face disaster in the future, he would likely not stand by idly.
"This Prince is also a person of poor health. What about my wife?"
A sudden remark interrupted Gu Qianying's thoughts.
She paused slightly and looked up at Nangong Mo.
Seeing that he seemed a little jealous, she couldn't make a fuss.
"Isn't this concubine by Ninth Imperial Uncle's side? This concubine's medical skills are passable, and taking care of Ninth Imperial Uncle should be feasible."
Hearing this, Nangong Mo then said, "Hmm, it's just that your husband is too weak and needs personal care. Do you understand?"
Gu Qianying: "..."
Gu Qianying naturally understood the hidden meaning in Nangong Mo's words, but she feigned ignorance and asked, "Too weak? Where is he weak? If that's the case, we need to find an experienced doctor who specializes in impotence to examine him. Ninth Imperial Uncle, what do you think?"
Gu Qianying teased with a smile.
Bai Qi, standing behind Nangong Mo, silently looked at the sky, self-hypnotizing: He heard nothing.
Cai Xia, beside Gu Qianying, kept her head down, her cheeks slightly flushed.
Nangong Mo's face immediately darkened. He gritted his teeth and spat out, "My wife thinks I'm incapable, does she want to try?"
"Try? How to try? Try standing, try sitting, or try running, jumping?"
At this moment, Gu Qianying, in a good mood, found Nangong Mo's reaction amusing and wanted to tease him further.
She reached out, grabbed his wrist, and yanked him forward. With a spin, she landed in his arms, sitting on his lap.
His magnetic, deep voice sounded in her ear, "Try lying down, how about that?"
"..."
Bai Qi, closest to him, continued to gaze at the sky, but the corners of his mouth were almost reaching his ears.
The maidservant Cai Xia continued to stare at her toes, her slightly flushed cheeks becoming even redder.
Nearby, there was no one else, so Gu Qianying and Nangong Mo's amusing conversation could not be overheard.
A figure suddenly barged in,
"What are you doing? Let go of Brother Mo! Let go of him!"
Everyone gasped and looked in the direction of the voice.
It was a woman with a different makeup style than the women in the capital. The woman was dressed in red, and rather than clothes, they were more like two pieces of cloth to cover her shame, exceptionally revealing and bloodcurdling.
On her unadorned face, a plum blossom was painted on her forehead, commonly known as the fallen plum makeup. She wore a crown on her head, thus informing everyone of her noble status.
And unlike her previous attire, she was much more at ease now.
The clothing of Central Plains women was too cumbersome. How could it compare to the beautiful and comfortable clothes of her homeland!
The woman stepped forward, attempting to push Gu Qianying away.
Her maidservant beside her quickly stopped her and said, "Princess, with your noble status, how can you touch such a disgraceful woman? Wait here, and let this servant teach her a lesson."
Saying that,
The maidservant beside the woman turned and walked towards Gu Qianying.
At this moment, Gu Qianying had already gotten down from Nangong Mo.
With outsiders disturbing them, she had lost interest in teasing him further.
However, how disgusting this maidservant approaching her was!
She raised her palm slightly, gathering three parts of her internal energy.
On Nangong Mo's side, although he was surprised by the scantily clad woman standing in front of him, he had already signaled Bai Qi to act.
How dare she try to bully his wife in front of him? She was clearly seeking death!
"Slap!"
Cai Xia was quicker. Before the maidservant could touch Gu Qianying, she rushed forward, raised her hand, and slapped her, "How dare you, you lunatic, disrespect our Wangfei? Who gave you such audacity?"