Sudden and shocking changes, disasters of imprisonment

  Today, Gu Yunxi left the house without any attendants. Zi Lan's injuries had not healed yet, and since they were going to the Cheng Wang Fu today, she didn't need any servants either. When the Xiang Fu carriage arrived at the entrance of the Cheng Wang Fu, they saw Gong Sun Ci getting down from a white fox fur-lined carriage in front of the palace gate. Gu Yunxi had originally wanted to walk over and greet her, but the young girl's face was full of avoidance. She couldn't help but smile wryly and could only head inside herself.

  Cheng Wang Fu, she had never been here before. The royal courtyards in the Yanjing City were mostly similar, so it wasn't difficult for her to find where the banquet was being held. However, after walking just a couple of steps, a young servant approached her, "Is that Miss Gu Er?"

  Gu Yunxi nodded, "Exactly."

  "Please come with me, young lady. The king requests your presence in the rear hall first."

  Gu Yunxi's mouth curved into a smile, and he followed the young servant up a small path, a quiet stone road. After walking through a corridor, he saw a flower hall, where he heard the gentle sound of conversation coming from inside. Gu Yunxi had already heard Gong Sun Ci's voice from afar, and he walked in without stopping.

  "Yún xī!"

  Gongsun Chenglin was rarely seen wearing formal attire today, and he warmly welcomed her as soon as she arrived. Gu Yunxi sat down, looking around the room to see that apart from herself and Gongsun Ci, there were also Gongsun Mo and unexpectedly, Gu Yingxue.

  "Sister, why are you so late? The banquet is about to start."

  Gu Yunxi took a light sip of the tea on the table, "Leaving late is better than being lazy like sister."

  Gongsun Chenglin coughed lightly twice, "Today I just wanted to have a small gathering, but the Emperor's intention is that I haven't returned to the capital in many years, and I'm not familiar with the officials. This time, who knows when I'll return, it's all just a formality, so don't be too formal later on."

  Gongsun Ci covered her mouth and smiled, "Fourth brother, don't worry, the empress knew you were going to leave the capital again, so she had me bring a pair of knee warmers for you. She said that wearing them while riding horseback will keep you from getting cold."

  "Yahui is usually not a fan of lively scenes, but at times like these, she thinks of others. Gong Sun Chenglin was also deeply moved and had the people around him collect the gifts. 'Ah Ci is becoming more understanding, thank you on my behalf to Lady Yahui.'"

  Gongsun Ci waved her hand, "What's there to thank me for? If Fourth Brother really wants to thank me, then bring back a piece of Kui Prefecture purple jade when you return from the west."

  The Xizhou produced famous jade, among which the purple jade was the most precious and rare. Gong Sun Ci opened his mouth and wanted this one, inevitably making everyone laugh. Gong Sun Chenglin clicked his tongue, "If Ya Niangniang knew you were teasing me like this, would she make you write 'The Female Oath' ten times?"

  Gongsun Ci's face changed, and he stuck out his tongue at Gongsun Chenglin before turning away. Gu Yunxi looked at Gongsun Chenglin and asked, "When will the Crown Prince leave?"

  Gongsun Chenglin sighed, "The emperor's order is urgent, let alone the matter of the national son-in-law, the longer it drags on, the more likely it will change. I'm afraid I'll have to set out in two days."

  Gu Yunxi nodded, "When the time comes, Yunxi will definitely see you off, Your Highness."

  Gongsun Chenglin nodded, "You and Second Brother have come to see me off. This trip will surely be a success!"

  Gu Yunxi's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally relaxed. Gong Sunmo looked at the sky outside and said, "It's getting late, I'm afraid we have to leave first."

  Gongsun Chenglin took a look at the time and indeed it was about right, so he led everyone out together. After walking through a section of the corridor, they arrived at the grand hall where the banquet was being held. Today's banquet was not as formal as those in the palace. The manager of the Cheng Wang Fu had set up a stage in front of the banquet, and it was said that there would be many performances to liven things up.

  The seats for the banquet had already been arranged, and by the time Gong Sun Chenglin and others came out, the outside was almost full of people. There were only four seats left at the main table. Gong Sun Ci sat down without saying a word, Gong Sun Chenglin and Gong Sun Mo naturally stayed behind, leaving only Gu Yingxue and Gu Yunxi with only one seat...

  A young servant who had followed up beside them, unaware of the situation, said, "Please take a seat, Your Highness Duke De and Miss Gu. Second Young Lady, please come this way."

  Gongsun Cheng's eyes turned cold, and the little servant looked at his master with a trembling body. Gu Yunxi, who was watching from the side with a smile, said, "Alright, alright, where is my seat? Take me there."

  The young servant felt a weight lift off his shoulders and immediately raised his hand in invitation, "Second Miss, this way please."

  Those in the main seat were some of the famous officials, more than a dozen people at a table, one after another, paid homage to the two princes and one princess. When it came to Gu Yingxue, everyone knew that she was the future Princess De, so they slightly bowed their heads, Gu Yingxue politely stepped aside and said in a clear voice, "Everyone, no need to be too polite."

  After the exchange of pleasantries, they finally sat down. The young servant led Gu Yunxue to a side table, "Second Miss, I'm really sorry, today's seating arrangement was done by me."

  Gu Yunxi smiled, "It doesn't matter where I sit, you can rest assured that your master won't punish you."

  As soon as the words fell, her position was already in sight. Gu Yunxi looked at the ink-colored big furrowed brow, and on the other side, Wan Qi Chen's eyes were slightly surprised as he glanced at her.

  To say that the royal banquet's seating arrangement is a delicate matter, those who are enemies cannot be seated together, those with power and influence must be placed in prominent positions, and those favored by their masters cannot offend them. Looking at today's young servant, he seems to be an outsider, Wan Qi Chen should be one of the few people in the capital who has some connection with Gong Sun Cheng Lin, yet he is seated at this corner table, fortunately, there are not many people at this table.

  The several people opposite seemed to be young masters and misses from royal families in the capital. After nodding to each other, they began tonight's banquet.

  "At the time of Jialing Mountain, Wan Qi thought that King De would let the second miss enter the palace first, but he didn't expect that when he came back, the second miss had already become the commander of the Imperial Guard. Does the second miss have any regrets today?"

  Gu Yunxi was somewhat surprised that Mo Qianchen would take the initiative to speak up today. She raised an eyebrow, "If it's because of a position not being arranged properly and Yunxi is going to regret it, then Your Highness is underestimating Yunxi."

  Wan Qi Chen nodded, glancing at the main table. At this moment, Gong Sun Cheng Lin had already raised his wine glass to toast everyone present. The formal and insincere words were not something Qu Yun Xi particularly enjoyed listening to, and when they came from Gong Sun Cheng Lin's mouth, she liked them even less. As a result, she only spoke with Wan Qi Chen, completely ignoring the people at the main table and their conversation. Therefore, she was also unaware that Gong Sun Mo's gaze had been fixed on her the entire time.

  Wan Qi Zhen couldn't drink, and at this time, he was sitting with his hands wrapped around the small purple-golden warmer, looking completely unapproachable. Also because they were sitting close together, Gu Yun Xue once again saw that faint scar on Wan Qi Zhen's hand, and she lightly opened her mouth to ask, "Your Highness, how did you get the scar on your hand?"

  Wan Xi Zhen's eyebrows sank as he lowered his head and took a glance, "The scratch was made by the cat that Wei Shu in the manor had raised."

  Gu Yunxi nodded, and on the other side, Gong Sun Chenglin's polite words had already been spoken. A team of pink-clad maids walked up with trays in hand, and exquisite dishes were placed on the table. Gu Yunxi had eaten dinner earlier, so she wasn't particularly hungry at this moment. Next to her, Wan Qi Chen didn't drink or eat anything, but cast his gaze upwards towards the high platform.

  At this time, a pair of dancers in pink dresses walked onto the stage, each with a slender waist and a beautiful face. Gu Yunxi raised an eyebrow, seemingly bored, "What does Your Highness think of these women?"

  Wan Xi Zhen was taken aback for a moment, then opened his mouth and said, "I originally thought that Second Miss was a calm and composed mistress, but now it seems that she is somewhat nagging. This question shouldn't have been asked to Wan Xi, and it's best not to ask again in the future."

  Gu Yunxi's face changed greatly, if she wasn't mistaken, this was what she had said to Gong Sun Chenglin yesterday at Yi Mei Garden. And now, he almost repeated it verbatim, "When did Your Highness start enjoying eavesdropping?"

  The beautiful dance on stage was mesmerizing, but Wan Xi Zhen's face remained expressionless as he watched. "It's not that I wanted to do it, it's just that the second young lady's voice is too loud."

  Gu Yunxi originally had no appetite, and now she had even less. She turned her head to take a look, and Wan Xi Chen's profile was slanted in the light, which made her feel a familiar feeling at first glance. This feeling was quite strange and unfamiliar, so she stared carefully at his facial features, imagining what he would look like if he wore a mask.

  "Does Wan Qi's face have words on it?"

  Gu Yunxi came back to her senses, suddenly feeling a slight burning sensation on her face. Wan Xi Chen's eyes narrowed slightly, and at this moment, with their backs to the light, it was impossible to see whether the fleeting expression at the corner of his mouth was a smile or something else. All that could be heard was Wan Xi Chen saying, "Second Miss has forgotten one thing."

  Gu Yunxi raised her eyes, "What?"

  Wan Xiuren still had an expressionless face, with the tight corners of her eyes looking even colder from her angle. Gu Yunxi only heard him say, "At Jialing Mountain's arena, Second Miss owes me more than just Duke De's matter."

  Gu Yunxi's body shook violently, her gaze sweeping across the people around her. Fortunately, they were all chatting and drinking as usual. Even now, Emperor Lie had ordered a thorough search of the entire city for Jiu Dan people. If it was discovered at this time that she had let a Jiu Dan assassin go in Jialing Mountain, the consequences would be unimaginable.

  Gu Yunxi took a deep breath, "I'm really sorry, I forgot about this matter. I don't know what Your Highness means by now..."

  Wan Xi's mouth twitched slightly, "Just so that Miss doesn't forget, perhaps it will come in handy someday."

  Gu Yunxi only felt that the people around her had undergone some subtle changes. She glanced at him sideways, but he hadn't changed; he was still as inscrutable and unpredictable as before. Nevertheless, this was something she owed him, so it was fortunate that he brought it up. Otherwise, if she suddenly remembered it on a certain day in the future, she might have been unable to sleep, her heart filled with anxiety. So at this moment, Gu Yunxi took another deep breath and said, "Alright, Yunxi will remember. As long as it's within my capabilities, I'll definitely do my best."

  Wan Xi Zhen nodded slightly, and with a faint shadow behind him, he lowered his head again.

  At this time, Gu Yunxi still didn't know about Wan Xi Chen's shamelessness. However, when she found out one day, she could only cover her face and smile bitterly. There are indeed people in this world who can silently use you from the inside out, making you feel like they just helped you wholeheartedly during your time of need, while in reality, they were taking advantage of you with ease, leaving you feeling guilty and self-reproachful.

  Gongsun Mo's gaze kept sweeping past Gu Yingxue's back, and Gu Yingxue finally couldn't help but cover her mouth with a smile. "Does the prince need me and my sister to switch tables?"

  Gongsun Mo furrowed his brow, "Miss Gu is worrying too much."

  Gu Yingxue's expression turned serious, "Your Highness, don't you think that if you had stopped your sister from accepting the position of Commander of the Imperial Guard at the banquet that day, what you need to do now would be much easier?"

  Gongsun Mo's mouth curved into a smile as he gazed at the clear liquid in his cup, saying slowly, "Miss Gu is wrong. Whether or not I did anything back then is unimportant, because it won't affect my intentions. Even if she isn't an official female general now, I would still look at her like this."

  With a slight pause, Gong Sun Mo's eyes deepened, "Because I think that the current De Wang is simply not worthy of her!"

  Gu Yingxue's breath tightened, and her hand, which was hidden in her sleeve, unconsciously grasped the edge of the table. Gong Sun Mo seemed to think it wasn't enough, so he turned around and stared at Gu Yingxue with piercing eyes, "Miss Gu, what do you think is the origin of the so-called ancestral family rules?"

  Gu Yingxue remained silent, Gong Sun Mo Duan picked up the wine on the table and drank it all in one gulp. "Since ancient times, only monarchs have had the right to speak, with a turn of their hand they can conquer the people, and with a cover of their hand they can save the common people. When I hold great power, this world is mine to write, let alone those outdated laws."

  Gu Yingxue's face had turned pale, her eyes glanced at the high platform where the music and dance were flourishing, "The prince is right, Yingxue is indeed happy for her sister, however..."

  Pausing for a moment, Gu Yingxue's lips curled up into a faint smile. "However, this play is still quite long, Your Highness should watch the rest of it before deciding what to do next..."

  As the voice fell, the steward of the mansion came onto the stage. "Thank you all for coming to see off our King today. Today we have specially invited from Chu Hui's troupe the famous qin master 'Qing Yi', who has been missing from the Jianghu scene for twenty years, to play a piece for our King!"

  The words fell, and many people present did not react until a moment later, when the lively discussion gradually rose. Wan Qi Chen raised an eyebrow, "Qing Yi —"

  Gu Yunxi listened to the name and only felt that it was surprisingly the same as her mother's, with all sorts of discussions big and small in her ears. It wasn't until now that she knew that this young man had been famous throughout the land twenty years ago, his piano skills unparalleled among pianists at the time. Unfortunately, no one knew why he suddenly disappeared twenty years ago.

  Those younger ones present may not know, but all the young nobles have learned to play the piano, chess, books and paintings. Every time they learn to play the piano, their teacher will mention the name "Qing Yi". So even if they haven't seen her in person, there are few people here who don't know her great name.

  Gu Yunxi really didn't know this person, but apparently, Wan Xi Chen did. He furrowed his brow and stared at the high platform. After a moment, a white-clad woman with a veil over her face emerged, carrying a guqin. The crowd erupted in cheers as they saw the female guqin master from twenty years ago still walking elegantly onto the stage.

  When Gu Yunxi saw that figure, she was already stunned and stood still like being struck by lightning. In her eyes was a mixture of shock, confusion, and uncertainty, as if trying to discern what it was. Wan Qi Chen immediately noticed her abnormality, his eyes fixed tightly on her body.

  Until the moment those hands lightly plucked and pressed down on the strings, producing a melodious sound, Gu Yun Xi suddenly stood up. Wan Qi Chen's expression changed slightly, and just as Gu Yun Xi was about to take a step forward, he pulled her back. Except for those who were close by and looked at each other in dismay, everyone else's attention was focused on the high platform. For a moment, no one noticed anything unusual here, and they all thought she was just overcome with emotion upon hearing the famous zither player's performance, and it passed with a smile.

  Gu Yunxi had no idea that Wan Zhen would have such great strength, her hands struggled to break free, but no matter how hard she struggled under the table, Wan Zhen was able to lock her hand in his palm. "What are you doing?!"

  Gu Yunxi's eyes were filled with cold air, and she bit her lower lip, whispering two words, "Mother!"

  Mom?!

  No, Gu Yunxi was very certain that the person standing on the high platform wearing a white dress with a veil was none other than her mother, Luo Qingyi. No wonder, no wonder she also called herself Qingyi, but it turned out to be the same person!

  In Gu Yunxi's mind, countless scenes flashed by, yet she still had a huge question - why did she appear on stage playing the piano, and as the pianist "Qingyi" from 20 years ago?

  Wan Xi Zhen suddenly placed a hand on her waist, and in an instant, Gu Yun Xue was unable to move. She only felt a low, husky voice whispering in her ear, "Are you certain she is your mother?"

  Gu Yunxi was somewhat incoherent, "Certain, I'm certain, the servants at the mansion said she went to Jing'an Temple, went to Jing'an Temple, but why is she now appearing here? It's really her, I won't mistake it. But why do I want to go pull her and ask clearly——"

  Wan Xi's eyes narrowed slightly, "It's already too late."

  Gu Yunxue still didn't know what Wan Xi meant by his words, but at this moment, a group of people in black clothes rushed into the banquet hall from the entrance. Everyone was intoxicated by the sound of the woman's zither on stage, and suddenly something unexpected happened, not knowing what it was for. Gong Sun Chenglin's eyes changed greatly, "Stop, who are you?!"

  A group of people in black clothes, dressed in official attire, even if they didn't notice at first glance, would definitely recognize them by the second glance. The leader stepped forward with a bow, "Greetings to both princes, I am Tie Ying, the captain of the Metropolitan Procuratorate's police department. Sorry to disturb your banquet, but we need to take away the person on stage!"

  Everyone's face changed in shock, and Gong Sun Chenglin was also extremely surprised. "She is the zither player I invited to liven up the party, what crime has she committed that you want to take her away?"

  Tie Ying, now over 40 years old, pointed at the woman still playing the zither on stage and said, "She is the orphan of the guilty official Yi Xing from twenty years ago. Yi Xing was sentenced for corruption and his whole family should have been executed, but as Yi Xing's daughter, 'Yi Qingluo' escaped before the execution. For so many years, I've been searching for her."

  "Easy green, Luo green clothes, easy green, Luo green clothes......"

  Gu Yunxi's eyes welled up with tears as she gazed at the person on stage who didn't even glance at her, their eyes reddening. "No wonder she knew about the Thousand Riders Army, no wonder she knew about the crimes committed by the Imperial Father-in-law, no wonder..."

  Gu Yunxi muttered softly, and others might not have noticed this point, but Wan Xi Chen had heard it all in his ears. He took a look at the determined Jingzhao Yicaptain, then looked at the behavior of the people in the mansion, and was certain that there was no room for recovery today. And Gu Yunxi could not be associated with anyone on stage at this moment.

  Gongsun Chenglin glanced at Gongsun Mo behind him, and Gongsun Mo looked up at the people on stage with a glance. The nearly forty-year-old man was still stroking the guqin with a calm expression, the sound of the guqin was gentle and lingering. She seemed to know that her own ending was only to finish playing the last piece of music, Gongsun Mo nodded slightly. At this moment, how could they let an escaped prisoner affect Gongsun Chenglin's plan to go west, nor could they let this drag both of them down.

  Watching Gong Sun Mo nod, Gong Sun Chenglin also waved his hand. After Tie Ying went through the courtesy, he immediately went on stage, pulled up the woman on the stage with one hand, and almost pushed and dragged her out.

  As she watched the white figure walk out step by step in front of her, Gu Yunxi almost bit through her lower lip. Wan Xi Chen whispered a sentence in her ear, "If you shout out loud, you will never know the mystery behind this matter, those who harmed you are watching you at this moment!"

  Perhaps this sentence gave Gu Yunxi a jolt, her mind which was on the verge of collapse suddenly tightened, her gaze swept towards the main table, coincidentally meeting Gu Yingxue's profound eyes, Gu Yunxi's heart stirred greatly, while on this side, Wan Kuangchen turned Gu Yunxi around entirely.

  Facing Wan Qiuchen, Gu Yunxue's whole body was filled with uncontrollable anger. Her eyes were bloodshot as she stared at Wan Qiuchen, "Take me away, please."

  Everywhere was a mixture of laughter and applause, under the comfort of Gong Sun Chenglin and Gong Sun Mo, people's emotions quickly recovered. At this moment, Gu Yunxi, whether it was anger or pain, could no longer pretend to be happy in this place. She had to go and make amends, she had to figure out what was going on, even if everything was already too late, she couldn't enjoy the feast in front of her.

  Thinking of Gu Yingxue's gaze, Gu Yunxi suddenly realized that what she had said about Luo Qingyi in Meiyuan yesterday was actually her doing! She gritted her teeth, wanting to tear her apart, her anger surging like a mountain flood, and perhaps would erupt at any moment.

  I want to leave here.

  The second time the sentence sounded, Mo Xi's figure leaned towards Gu Yunxi and pressed down on her. His thin and weak-looking arms wrapped around her waist, and he picked her up at the waist. Then, under the stunned gaze of those nearby, his eyes shone as he walked directly from his table to a small path in the corner, hurrying along the way. Finally, they stopped outside a pavilion. It wasn't until then that he released Gu Yunxi's acupoints and put her down on the ground.

  A low growl like a small beast burst out of her delicate body, Gu Yunxi's fists clenched tightly as she stood up straight, turning around to rush out of the banquet hall. "What do you want to do?"

  Wan Xi Chen held her back, Gu Yun Xue gave Wan Xi Chen a fierce look, "It was her who did it, I know!"

  Wan Xi's eyes sank, "I brought you out just to keep you from getting involved, go back now, maybe this is what Miss Gu wants."

  Gu Yunxi stopped in her tracks, panting heavily for a long time. Eventually, she turned around and walked away, with Wan Qi following behind her, "Going back to the manor?"

  Gu Yunxi nodded, and Wan Qi this time did not object, "I'll send you back."

  Gu Yunxi looked at him with gratitude, quickly walked out and got into Wan Qi's carriage. With a command, the carriage sped towards the Prime Minister's residence. Wan Qi didn't say a word in the carriage, only watching Gu Yunxi's expression change from anger to calmness, and her eyes transform from fiery rage to icy indifference. Wan Qi's gaze deepened slightly, and when he came back to himself, he realized that the small hand warmer in his hand had disappeared without him noticing.

  "Gu Yunxi, you owe me one again."

  When getting off the car, Wan Qi said this sentence, Gu Yunxi's quick footsteps paused, "I will remember."

  Watching the figure disappear at the gate, another rapid horseshoe sound came over, and the person who came was Gongsun Mo. Wan Xi Zhen walked out of the carriage, Gongsun Mo tightened the reins, his eyes cold and stern, "Where is she?"

  Being looked down upon, Wan Qi Chen slightly raised her head, with a calm and indifferent expression on her face. Under Gong Sun's straight gaze, she pursed the corner of her mouth and said, "Let's go into the mansion."

  Gongsun Mo immediately dismounted his horse, followed by Sun Zhe and Sun Lu who were slightly slower. They also dismounted their horses and bowed to Wan Qiu before following closely behind. As the three figures disappeared beyond the gate, Wan Qiu's mouth curved into a slight smile, and she gently smoothed out the wrinkled sleeve of her robe that had been rumpled when she was carried out. With a flick of her sleeve, she turned and got back onto her own carriage.

  "Admire words, go check, the woman on stage today."

  A heavy sentence fell, and the sound of the wheels rolling started again.

  Inside the mansion, there was an unprecedented calmness. However, this calmness now seemed like a huge irony to Gu Yun Xie. The little servant who opened the door had been too scared to ask questions when he saw Gu Ying Xue's appearance. Gu Yun Xie took a step back, "Has Father returned?"

  The little boy shook his head, "Master Xiang has entered the palace and hasn't returned yet."

  Gu Yun Xi suddenly closed her eyes tightly, and when she opened them again, she headed straight for Su Yue Xuan. As soon as she approached the gate, she saw a figure standing upright, Gu Yun Xi was shocked, it was actually Yue Niang!

  "More!"

  Gu Yunxi rushed over a few steps, "What's going on? Zilan said you accompanied Mother to Jing'an Temple, why did she appear at Cheng Wang's night banquet and was taken away by Jingzhao Yi, and why are you here!"

  The wrinkles on her face seemed to have deepened, she knelt down with a thud, "Miss, I'm sorry, it's the young lady, I don't know what she said to the madam, but after we left the mansion, they didn't take us to Jing'an Temple as promised. They kept me and the madam under surveillance, not letting us leave, but this afternoon, they took the madam away alone, telling me to return to the mansion. I came back only to find that you weren't here, Miss..."

  The sound of wailing was like a dull knife scraping against Gu Yunxi's body, she couldn't stop shaking with each tremor, she bent down to help Yu'e get up, "Get up."

  Yu's hair was slightly disheveled, perhaps from a sleepless night with deep eye sockets. At this time, she felt guilty and didn't dare to look into Gu Yunxi's eyes. Gu Yunxi took a deep breath, "Yu, go in first."

  At this moment, a very fast footsteps came from behind, Gu Yunxi turned around and saw that it was Gong Sunmo who had caught up. She frowned, "Wangye?"

  Gongsun Mo followed up and stood in front of her, "What's going on?"

  Gu Yunxi lowered her head, and Gong Sun's gaze stared straight at her, "What happened exactly?"

  Gu Yunxi slightly composed herself, lifted her head and said, "The zither player who was taken away at the prince's banquet earlier, she is my mother. She has lived in this mansion for 16 years..."

  Gongsun Mo's eyebrows furrowed deeply as he looked at Gu Yunxi and knew that what she said was true, but why was there such an absurd thing?

  "It's definitely not a coincidence that she's here today. Let's not mention her identity, but how did she manage to live in the Marquis' residence for 16 years and suddenly appear at the Prince's banquet as a zither player?"

  Gu Yunxi's eyes suddenly dimmed, and she quickly looked in another direction. In the small garden path in front of her courtyard, several lanterns were moving at this moment. Gu Yunxi rushed over with extremely fast footsteps, and only when she got closer did she see that it was indeed Gu Yingxue who had returned.

  Looking at the person who suddenly appeared in front of her, Gu Yingxue furrowed her brow, "Hey, what's wrong that you're so heartbroken and looking at your sister with such anger?"

  "Gu Yunxi's eyes were filled with a chilling light, 'Gu Yingxue, why did you have to do this?'"

  Gu Yingxue heard her words and curled up the corner of her mouth, "Little sister, what are you talking about? What did big sister do to make you look at me like that?"

  As soon as Gong Sun Mo followed her from behind, Gu Yingxue's eyebrows unconsciously furrowed, and Gu Yunxi saw her expression with tightly clenched teeth. "Yuemother has already returned, Gu Yingxue, you sent my mother to the great prison of Jingzhao Yi like this, aren't you afraid that she will say something wrong and let the entire Xiangfu accompany her in burial? At that time, your position as Wangfei may also be gone!"

  Gu Ying's eyes flashed with a hint of darkness, "Oh, so sister was talking about this matter. An escaped convict has been hiding in our mansion for many years and I, as the eldest miss, didn't even know. But now that I do, I won't just sit back and do nothing. Don't worry, Luo Qingyi... no, Yi Qingluo, she won't say another word because from start to finish, it's all been to protect you, this daughter of yours. Don't forget, you are now the second miss of the mansion."

  Gu Yingxue looked at Gu Yunxue's pale face, seemingly satisfied. At this moment, she glanced at Gong Sunmo behind her and slightly bowed, "Since that's the case, I won't disturb Your Highness anymore, I'll withdraw now."

  Looking at Gu Yunxi's stiff figure standing in the distance, Gong Sun Mo furrowed his brow and took a step forward, "Yunxi."

  "Please help Yunxue, Your Highness."

  Gu Yunxi's words fell heavily, and Gong Sunmo nodded, "Good."

  The night grew darker, Gu Yunxi sat in the main hall of Su Yue Xuan without a word, Gong Sun Mo accompanied her by the window, also with a deep gaze. Zi Lan and Yue Niang stood on one side, their faces pale, they knew what had happened. Time passed minute by minute, they were waiting.

  A moment later, a heavy footstep sounded, and the two of them looked at each other with a sudden gleam in their eyes. However, it was Gu Zhongzheng who had arrived. He seemed to have just returned from the palace and had hurried over as soon as he heard that Gong Sunmo was here. As soon as he entered the Shuiyue Pavilion, he felt that the atmosphere was not right. When he saw the faces of Gong Sunmo and Gu Yunxi, his heart tightened even more. "Your Highness, I don't know what's going on..."

  Gu Yun Xi's eyes turned cold as she gazed at Gu Zhong Zheng, "Father doesn't know what happened, why not go ask sister now?"

  Gu Zhong Zheng furrowed his brow, looking at Gu Yun Xue's cold expression and not knowing what to say. He looked at Gong Sun Mo again, who was also icy and didn't seem to want to say anything. Gu Zhong Zheng looked left and right, then beckoned Yue Niang over. Gu Yun Xue only heard him ask in a low voice, and Yue Niang hesitantly told him about Luo Qing Yi's situation. Gu Zhong Zheng's face instantly turned pale.

  "This, this, this——"

  Before the words had fallen, Gu Zhongzheng turned and walked out of the door, without knowing where he was going. Gu Yunxi watched him leave with a chill in her heart, this matter was far from being as simple as hiding an escaped prisoner on the surface. Luo Qingyi had been living in the manor for sixteen years, treated by the servants as a concubine, and she was also the second miss of the Xiang family. But today's incident made it clear that Gu Zhongzheng could not have possibly not known about Luo Qingyi's identity, and yet he allowed her to live in seclusion within the manor for so many years, with some protective intentions.

  But why should Gu Zhongzheng harbor a fugitive?

  Also, is she really Gu Zhong Zheng's daughter? As Yu Niang said, when she entered the manor that year, she was already one year old, which means that Luo Qing Yi had been living with her outside the manor for at least a year before entering the manor.

  If it's true what Jing Zuo Yi said, Luo Qingyi was the daughter of Yi Xing back then. After that big case happened, she escaped, but why did she come back to Yanjing? This place is clearly the most dangerous for her, and she has a child now. Did she have an affair with Gu Shao Ye, who was still the only son of the Gu family back then?

  Gu Yunxi inwardly denied such words, for so many years, she had never seen any emotional connection between them. Gu Yunxi's heart sank a little deeper, if it wasn't affection, then it must be benefits. What did Luo Qingyi give him that he could shelter her, a fugitive, in the Luo manor for sixteen years?

  Her thoughts were like entwining vines that wrapped her entire being, Gu Yunxi felt as if a suffocating net had tightened around her, making it hard for her to breathe. Gong Sunmo walked up to her and gently patted her shoulder, "Yunxi."

  Gu Yunxi raised her eyes to look at him, and her consciousness finally had a hint of warmth.

  Just then, the two of them had been waiting for half a day finally returned. Sun Zhe's face was dark, and when he came back, he looked at the two people in the house and whispered, "Master, I used the excuse that I was going to understand the situation to ask Liu Zhong, the prefect of Jingzhao, about it. The 'green clothes' who were taken away earlier have been confirmed to be the daughter of Yi Xing back then. She has admitted her identity and also confessed that she had been a musician in various Jianghu gangs for many years, wandering around, and this time she came back to Yanjing with a lucky psychology, but didn't expect to be discovered."

  Gu Yunxi's heart had already sunk to the bottom of the valley, and Luo Qingyi had woven a complete narrative about herself, even acknowledging her own identity. As a result, it became very easy to convict her, and she indeed did not involve the Xiangfu in the slightest, just as Gu Yingxue had said.

  "Did Liu Zhong say how the case was settled?"

  Gongsun Mo asked, Sun Zhe glanced at Yun Xi and hesitated before answering, "In the past, Yi Xing's corruption case implicated many people, and in the end, he was sentenced to death with his entire family. However, Yi Xing didn't have many relatives, so it's likely that no one from the Yi family survived back then. Qingyi is actually Yi Xing's biological daughter, and at the time, she was sentenced to beheading. Later, she escaped, and after all these years, her punishment will probably be even heavier. Liu Zhong also said that this matter needs to be reported to the Ministry of Punishment for a final decision."

  Gu Yunxi had long felt a chill run down her spine, and at this moment, the corners of her mouth twitched slightly, but she didn't know what to say. Gong Sunmo naturally knew her thoughts, his eyes softened as he turned around to look at her, "Yunxi, since we're reporting to the Ministry of Justice, we can ask for Lord Yu's help, don't worry."

  Gu Yunxi shook her head, "This matter is not simple, if this identity is exposed, Mother will be very difficult to escape punishment. Even if it's not a death sentence, I won't be able to bear the thought of Mother spending the rest of her life in prison. Mother told me that the Ye family was framed back then, and only by clearing their name can we truly rescue Mother."

  Gongsun Mo nodded, how could he not know this principle? However, the case had already passed for twenty years, and at that time it was the Emperor Li who had just ascended to the throne for five years and made the judgment personally. Now if you want to overturn the case, it would be pointing out that the emperor did something wrong back then. Overturning the case is a small matter, but making the emperor admit his mistake is difficult. Moreover, there was also a Guozhang in between!

  "It's the national uncle!"

  Gu Yun's eyes shone like a torch, "It was he who framed General Yi back then. Afterwards, relying on the merit of solving the case at that time, he gained the emperor's trust and not only made his daughter the empress but also let him rise to power all the way. Now is exactly the best time for us to overthrow the Duke."

  "Gongsun Mo sank into thought for a moment, 'Yun Xi, this matter needs to be carefully considered. You can rest assured that Madame Luo will not suffer in prison. I will naturally make arrangements here.'"

  Gu Yunxi looked at Gong Sunmo with gratitude and said, "Thank you, Your Highness."

  Gongsun Mo shook his head and gazed at her with deep, profound eyes. "It's already late, you should get some rest earlier. Tomorrow I will send someone to pick you up."

  Gu Yunxi nodded, watching Gong Sunmo turn around and leave. Until the figure in white disappeared from view, she finally lost all her strength and collapsed onto the long chair. Yue Niang walked over with a sorrowful tone, "Miss, as long as there is Wangye, everything will have a turning point."

  Gu Yun Xi's eyes gleamed with a hint of coldness, and she glanced at Yue Niang before clenching her fists tightly. "Don't worry, Mother is still in prison, I won't fall down. Not only do I want to rescue Mother, but I also want those who harmed her and me to pay back in blood!"

  Inside the snow pavilion, a lamp lit up brightly. When Gu Zhongzheng kicked open the courtyard door and walked in with an angry face, the servants inside Snow Pavilion were startled, "Master?"

  A little maid came up to test and ask, Gu Zhong Zheng's eyes were furious, "Get out!"

  At this shout, the people around were shocked and no one dared to ask or stop him again. When Gu Zhongzheng pushed open the door, Gu Yingxue was sitting on a soft couch, reading a book with a calm expression. Gu Zhongzheng rushed over in anger, raised his hand and slapped her, "Unfilial daughter!"

  ——

  Digression

  You guys think how to deal with Gu Yingxue is good, or directly drag her out and roast her ~ Cough cough ~ Please everyone calm down, the vicious female supporting role will definitely be cleaned up, don't worry ~ By the way, why are subscriptions getting fewer and fewer ~