In the pitch-black night, unknown to them, a figure clad in black traversed the copper walls and iron ramparts of the Ninth Prince's estate.
The next day,
Due to the pursuit of the imperial court's fugitive, Gu Qianying, the esteemed daughter of the Gu family, and Yan Kuan, the Junior Secretary of the Dali Temple, the city was under strict martial law. The city gates were heavily guarded, and anyone attempting to leave had to undergo thorough inspection.
Despite these measures, considerable commotion erupted in various parts of the city. Gu Yi, residing in the outer residence of the Ninth Prince's estate, had mysteriously disappeared. Prior to his vanishing, he had received a secret letter.
Similar secret letters had appeared in multiple locations on this very day.
Within the palace, at temples, in inconspicuous medical halls, at the Hundred Flowers Pavilion, and elsewhere, those who received these missives had, by day's end, vanished without a trace.
Furthermore, the Sixth Prince, Nangong Li, who had been frequently seen guarding the Ninth Prince's estate in recent days, also changed into civilian clothes and, with a few trusted attendants, slipped out of the city under the cover of darkness.
Shortly after his departure, a figure began to follow his trail.
Another day passed.
As the sun began to set, casting a blood-red hue across the sky,
Outside the city, at the Jade Garden Pavilion,
A woman stood with her hands behind her back. She was dressed in a dark, ink-black gown, resembling the moon, her wrists as delicate as frosted snow. Her black hair was tied up, and in her hand, she held a newly acquired sword, the Seven Star Sword, sharp enough to cleave iron.
A gust of wind stirred, causing the hem of her gown to flutter. Not far away, a horse of excellent breeding was tethered to a tree.
From a distance,
The sound of hooves echoed, approaching from various directions, galloping closer.
From the west, south, east, and north, four figures appeared.
Among the four, one was clad in a purple robe embroidered with green patterns, a piece of white jade adorning his waist, and white deerskin boots. He held a sword in one hand and reined in his horse with the other. His handsome face was framed by eyes as bright and clear as obsidian, radiating a sharp, resolute aura.
Another wore ink-colored attire, his hair tied with a bamboo hairpin. He carried a satchel on his back, his demeanor handsome and leisurely, his mount matching his relaxed gait, though he had arrived with considerable speed.
A third man, dressed in white robes, possessed white hair but an exceptionally refined appearance. Beneath his subtly arched eyebrows lay a pair of dazzling black eyes that seemed capable of seeing through all the sorrows of past and present lives. His expression was as cold as a star, his nose straight, his demeanor silent and as unyielding as ice. He carried no weapons, only his specialized, narrow treasure chest.
The last figure was attired in an ice-silk blue satin robe, with silver filigree peeking from the inner lining. A jade belt cinched his waist, and he rode towards the sun. In the soft sunlight, his features were as picturesque as a painting, his lips the color of cherries, his skin as white as snow. A few strands of hair danced around his forehead in the breeze as he rode, idly playing with a short sword in one hand while holding the reins with the other.
The four appeared simultaneously. Upon seeing each other, all four were momentarily taken aback. However, without exchanging a word, they all dismounted their horses.
"Qianying!"
"Eldest Miss Gu!"
"Ninth Princess Consort!"
"Little Ying, I'm back."
Each of the four addressed Gu Qianying with a different title.
Gu Qianying turned, facing the four men approaching her. A genuine smile curved her lips. "You've arrived."
Her confidence, as if she had already foreseen their arrival, prompted Duan Xifeng, who held a short sword, to playfully remark, "Little Ying, isn't it enough to have your handsome martial uncle here to accompany you? You've even found others. What's your intention? Could it be that you want to take us all in?"
Duan Xifeng chuckled as he spoke, walking up to Gu Qianying, sitting beside her, and crossing his legs with a smug air.
Gu Qianying ignored him and glanced at the man in the purple robe, asking in a language only he would understand, "Lord Yang, are you well?"
Brother, are you well?
"Very well," the purple-robed man replied with a smile.
Gu Qianying then turned to another man. "Physician Du, I merely made a casual suggestion, yet I never expected you to actually come. You should think carefully. I am no longer the Ninth Princess Consort; I am a fugitive, a woman audacious enough to write a letter of divorce to the current Ninth Prince. If you travel with me, you will be implicated."
She spoke these words with sincerity, though her tone was overly casual.
Du Chun, with his white hair, suddenly chuckled. "If I can discuss medical arts with you along the way and advance further in medicine, what does it matter if I am implicated? It is I who stands to gain."
Hearing this, Gu Qianying also smiled.
She knew well that with Du Chun's current medical skills, he needed no guidance from her. This was merely his way of easing her burden.
After all, favors were easy to incur but difficult to repay.
With that, Gu Qianying finally looked at Gu Yi, who was carrying a satchel. He took out a white jade bottle from it, opened it, and swallowed a black pill. "The journey has been arduous. Is your health up to it, Third Brother?"
"Rest assured, Third Brother can manage."
This concise sentence conveyed Gu Yi's resolve.
At this moment, Gu Yi no longer appeared as frail as before. This significant improvement was entirely due to the medicinal pills Gu Qianying had specifically formulated for him.
Simultaneously, he understood that by accompanying her, Gu Qianying had already given him the option to refuse.
The secret letter delivered to him that day was actually one of two. The first was an invitation to accompany her and become her accomplice, regardless of whether she was in dire straits or staging a comeback. Having made his choice, he had no turning back, even if it meant facing the executioner's block. He would accompany her as the third son of the Gu family!
The second letter, however, offered Gu Qianying's prepared escape route for him: a new identity, a new path. Under this new identity, he could still live a life of luxury and comfort, perhaps even a very good one, and his health would allow him to live to a hundred. But under these circumstances, he would no longer be the third son of the Gu estate, Gu Qianying's third brother, and would have no further connection to her.
Logically, he should have chosen to forge a new path with a new identity, enjoying good health and not worrying about collapsing at any moment. Such a good life had once been his dream.
But at this very moment, he had abandoned that dream, for no other reason than Gu Qianying's simple address: "Third Brother!"
"Good, then it's good." Gu Qianying understood Gu Yi's meaning.
After reuniting with Gu Yefeng, Gu Yi, Duan Xifeng, and Du Chun, Gu Qianying did not immediately depart but waited at the original spot.
This prompted Duan Xifeng, who was lounging nearby, on the verge of sleep, to ask, "Little Ying, it's getting late. Shouldn't we be setting off?"
Treasure, treasure, here I come!
Gu Qianying glanced at him, not moving, and simply said, "No rush, someone else hasn't arrived yet."
"Who?"
Gu Qianying smiled and remained silent.