Chapter 67: Rui'er, Are You Worried About Me?
Before the emperor could turn against him, it was better to strike first.
Their eldest son was about to become a father. Life is short, and it cannot withstand being squandered. He would not allow anyone to tear apart their loving marriage.
…
Gu Yan ordered this matter to be kept secret, not allowing Yan Xuerui to know, but he couldn't stop Gu Yuan from caring for his elder sister-in-law.
"Elder sister-in-law is timid and frail. Why not… tip her off?"
Hearing that she had fallen ill again, he worried that excessive anxiety would worsen her condition.
Gu Yuan said, "Elder sister-in-law cares deeply for Mother and these children. She would never put the Gu residence in danger."
This veiled family letter was proof—between the Marquis's residence and the emperor, she chose the Marquis's residence.
Gu Yan glanced at Gu Yuan, a faint smile playing on his lips. "A Yuan, is my authority slipping?"
Gu Yuan's expression tightened, and he bowed his head. "My apologies, brother."
An elder brother was like a father; he could never defy the brother he respected.
Gu Yan raised his eyes. "That's enough. I'll say this one more time: this matter is confidential. She must not know the slightest detail. Understood?"
The emperor was wary of his arrogance, but if he were truly arrogant, with so many people hating him and wanting to tear him apart, he would have died long ago.
He handled matters with caution, planning three steps ahead for every move. Even when setting the trap to deceive the Virtuous Prince, he had gone over it repeatedly. Gu Yuan, with his impressive combat skills, was confident, but it was only at the final moment that Gu Yan was completely reassured.
Because Gu Yan always understood: he was human, not a god. Humans make mistakes—even him.
This time, he wasn't sure it would work either. He wasn't worried that Yan Xuerui would betray him; rather, he was thinking, what if the worst outcome occurred?
Gu Yan could endure a thousand cuts—to the victor go the spoils; he accepted that. But if she knew nothing, even a tiger doesn't eat its cubs, and she could continue living well as Princess Changle.
Gu Yan rubbed the letter between his fingers, and he thought with a bitter smile. At least she had a conscience, not in vain for all the schemes he had devised for her.
He said, "Bring the map. I want to look at it again."
***
Yan Xuerui waited and waited but never got a response from Gu Yan, growing increasingly anxious. Especially after her parents departed for Yangzhou, her heart felt even emptier.
The canary's chirping beside her ear made her anxious and irritable. She could barely restrain herself from going to find Gu Yan when news shook the court—the emperor's long-lost Realm Painting had been found!
Back then, to suppress the increasingly powerful Qi family, the emperor had used the Realm Painting as a pretext to recall Gu Yuan to the capital. Little did he expect that he had driven out a tiger only to welcome a wolf, fueling the ambitions of the Gu family. Even now, the emperor regretted it when he thought about it late at night.
During the morning court that day, the emperor sat high on the dragon throne, scanning the assembled officials below, his gaze settling on the tall, silent Gu Yuan.
"We have received secret reports that the king of Western Rong has died. Princes Kunmo and Kunxie are fighting for the throne, and the fighting is intense."
"The northwest is the country's first line of defense. Without a general, it is unstable. Minister Gu should set out early and quickly return to guard the northwest border, lest the war of other nations harm our people."
Great Zhou and Western Rong were generally friendly and had not engaged in major wars. However, due to the cold winters, Western Rong often invaded our borders for food and cloth, with minor skirmishes every year. Thus, regarding Western Rong's internal strife, Great Zhou opted to stay out of it, not planning to support either side.
They even wanted to take advantage of Western Rong's weakness to take a big piece of their territory.
If not for all this turmoil, the emperor would certainly not have let this opportunity slip. But now, with Great Zhou also unsettled, the emperor's recall of Gu Yuan to the northwest was meant to weaken the Gu family.
Gu Yuan led three thousand Black Armor Army troops stationed in the outskirts of the capital. Even though he had tight control of the imperial guards, the old emperor still couldn't sleep at night.
Gu Yuan stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "I obey the sacred command."
His face was as calm as water, giving nothing away. The court officials had not yet realized something was amiss—Gu Yuan was a military general who routinely came to the capital each year to receive honors and should have returned long ago. Now that the Virtuous Prince was dead, Senior Tutor Gu was second only to the emperor, and the Gu family was more illustrious than ever. No one wanted the Gu family to fall. The only thing worth gossiping about was the separation between Senior Tutor Gu and Princess Changle.
Not only did the common people set up betting pools, but the officials were also curious: was it that Senior Tutor Gu had grand ambitions, or was there another reason?
A peerless beauty like Princess Changle, kept hidden by Gu Yan in his inner chambers for so many years—everyone recalled that fleeting glimpse they had caught of her and felt resentful and frustrated.
How could all the good things in the world be taken by Gu Yan alone? Ah, heaven is unfair!
…
The emperor's recovery of the Realm Painting, coupled with the internal strife in Western Rong, made Gu Yuan's return to the northwest seem reasonable and didn't raise many eyebrows. While the court officials were busy purging the remnants of the Virtuous Prince Faction and the Crown Prince's faction was celebrating, Yan Xuerui sensed something different.
The emperor was moving against the Gu family. Gu Yuan's departure was extremely dangerous.
What about her Ming Lan?
Yan Xuerui could no longer sit still. She immediately traveled light and left the palace to return to the Marquis's residence. Coincidentally, as her carriage passed through the Meridian Gate, she ran into Gu Yuan outside the palace.
"Elder sister-in-law."
Gu Yuan tightened his reins and dismounted. She didn't know that Gu Yuan had been waiting outside the Meridian Gate for a long time, creating what she thought was a "coincidence."
She didn't care about him, but she couldn't let go of Ming Lan.
Sure enough, upon hearing his voice, Yan Xuerui hurriedly lifted the carriage curtain and asked, "Second Master, I heard you are returning to the northwest. Is this true? When will you depart? Will Ming Lan be accompanying you back?"
She asked several questions in a row. Gu Yuan told her everything he knew. "Yes."
"We will set out in about ten days."
"Ming Lan will return with me."
Yan Xuerui's heart sank. Her Ming Lan was only seventeen and had just found someone he loved. She couldn't let Ming Lan go to his death.
"Second Master, do you know—"
"Elder sister-in-law, are you returning to the Marquis's residence?"
Gu Yuan interrupted her. His sharply defined face was stern, and he suppressed the urge to look at her.
He said, "I will escort you, elder sister-in-law."
With that, he leaped onto his horse. His tall figure rode parallel to the carriage. From Yan Xuerui's perspective, she could only see his broad, straight back. The scene was all too familiar, reminding her of that dark night many years ago when she was almost out of the city gate but was caught by Gu Yuan himself.
So almost twenty years had passed.
Yan Xuerui felt dazed. The intense hatred and pain she had felt back then now seemed like a dream when she looked back.
"Gu Yuan."
She called out softly. Gu Yuan stiffened but did not respond, though he tightened the reins and slowed his pace.
Yan Xuerui couldn't help but smile bitterly. He and his brother were equally reserved—Gu Yan's silence carried an elusive depth, while Gu Yuan was truly taciturn. Strong in strength but shallow in strategy, easy to influence—that was her first impression of the second young master of the Marquis's residence when she met him.
She was aware of her beauty. Initially, she had deliberately seduced him, watching as he gradually noticed her and felt sorry for her. Filled with fear and resentment toward Gu Yan, and with the two brothers sharing eighty percent similarity in looks and temperament in their youth, luring Gu Yuan to become infatuated with her gave her a secret sense of satisfaction.
Gu Yan treated her as his personal plaything, but she was determined to turn both brothers against each other for her sake—only then could her hatred be avenged.
If she had simply tried to escape back then, she might have succeeded. But she had been too greedy, obsessed with revenge against Gu Yan, and in the end, everything slipped through her fingers, costing her dearly.
She lowered her eyes and said, "What happened back then was because I was young. I hope Second Master won’t hold it against me."
By now, the passions and hatreds of youth had faded. She always remembered Gu Yuan’s kindness and how he had saved Ming Lan’s life.
She reminded him, "This journey is dangerous. Please take care, Second Master."
Gu Yuan stiffened. He had been stationed at the northwest border for years, and even when he returned to the capital, the two of them maintained strict propriety, exchanging only a few words at most. He had always believed she hated him.
So was that not true?
The blood in his chest seemed to ignite with a fierce fire. Of course, he knew this journey was perilous. At this moment, facing the danger ahead and not wanting to say goodbye, he had so much he wanted to say—but Gu Yuan suppressed his surging emotions and said in a deep voice, "Don’t worry. As long as I’m alive, Ming Lan will be safe."
Gu Yan had warned him not to reveal even a hint in front of Yan Xuerui. Gu Yuan kept his elder brother’s words firmly in mind, but there she stood before him—her faintly furrowed brows, her eyes, which had once captivated him, now clouded with tears. Having just recovered from a serious illness, her face, no larger than a palm, was pale as snow. Gu Yuan’s heart ached.
He comforted her, "The Marquis’s estate has a hundred-year foundation; its roots run deep—it won’t fall so easily. The rumors circulating outside… don’t pay them any mind."
Yan Xuerui, too anxious at the moment, didn’t immediately grasp Gu Yuan’s meaning. Lost in thought, she returned to the Marquis’s estate and went straight to the main courtyard.
Gu Yan didn’t seem surprised by her arrival. He sat upright on a red sandalwood armchair, legs crossed, his slender fingers turning a page of a military strategy book.
"Princess Changle honors us with her presence. I failed to welcome you properly."
He slightly raised an eyebrow and set the book down on the table. Though his words were polite, his gaze boldly swept over Yan Xuerui from head to toe.
Yan Xuerui froze. Bearing his intrusive stare, she said, "You received my letter."
"Why didn’t you reply?"
Gu Yan chuckled. "What difference would it make? Would the emperor then stop fearing my Gu family?"
"You—" Yan Xuerui was furious. He knew perfectly well! At first, though the emperor was wary of the Gu family, it was nowhere near the point of wanting to eliminate them. It was Gu Yan’s arrogance and reckless actions that poured oil on the fire.
Wait?
Now calmer, Yan Xuerui suddenly had an epiphany. Gu Yuan’s words echoed in her mind.
Outside, Grand Tutor Gu was praised everywhere—where did these rumors come from? Surely not about their separation.
She looked at him suspiciously. "Did you do this on purpose?"
Gu Yan was always scheming. She had already warned him; he shouldn’t have been unprepared.
Gu Yan’s eyes darkened, and his expression turned serious.
"This is none of your concern."
"How can it not be? Ming Lan is my son!"
Yan Xuerui raised her voice, her beautiful eyes blazing with anger. "It’s so dangerous, yet you’re sending him to the northwest with Gu Yuan. Do you even understand—do you even realize—"
—that the emperor was highly likely to set an ambush along the way, ensuring they would never return alive to the northwest.
A general in the field does not always obey the emperor’s orders. The emperor hadn’t moved against the Gu family yet because Gu Yuan commanded the Black Armor Army, which was vital to the stability of the northwest. If anything happened to Gu Yuan, the next step would be to strike at the Marquis’s estate in the capital.
She had sent word to Gu Yan in advance to buy time—at least until Gu Yuan returned safely to the northwest, so the emperor would hesitate to act rashly. Who would have thought Gu Yan would remain so arrogant, pushing the emperor past his breaking point?
"Gu Yan, what are you really thinking?"
Yan Xuerui kept pressing him. Gu Yan’s expression remained unchanged, but suddenly, he let out a soft laugh, looked up, and said, "Rui'er."
"You’re worried about me."
Yan Xuerui’s chest rose and fell. She turned her face away. "I’m worried about Ming Lan."
And her Ming Wei, the gentle elderly lady, her delicate sisters-in-law… she couldn’t remain indifferent.
Hearing this, Gu Yan stood up and slowly approached her. Yan Xuerui took a step back, her eyes wary.
She couldn’t forget Gu Yan’s madness that night. For days afterward, she still felt a dull ache in her back.
"Stay where you are. I brought guards."
Ignoring her empty threat, Gu Yan stepped forward and seized her slender wrist. Yan Xuerui stumbled and fell into a familiar, firm embrace.
"Then call your guards to arrest me."
Gu Yan was unafraid. He snorted. "Perfect. The emperor can’t find anything to use against me—I’ll give him one."
Enraged, Yan Xuerui’s eyes reddened. She bit down hard on Gu Yan’s shoulder and pushed and struck him in fury. Gu Yan grunted and slapped her backside, making it tremble.
"Behave."
A Yina’s appearance had changed his plans. He had once vowed, "I’d never leave you," but now, leaving her a way out might mean breaking that promise.
Since she had entered the palace, he had gone without for a long time.
And in the days to come, he would have to go even longer.
Gu Yan thought grimly. These slender arms and legs, so capable of causing trouble—her body must have fully recovered. First, she sent a letter to warn him, and now she showed up at his door. How could he disappoint her thoughtful gesture?
He pressed her down onto the bed, his knee pinning her legs, looking down at her as he began to unbutton her clothes.