Chapter 87
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Chapter 87: Title
When Gu Hengbo returned, she saw this scene: the person on the bed was only wearing inner clothing, the collar slightly open, revealing a glimpse of white skin below the collarbone, her long black hair scattered on her shoulders. Upon seeing Gu Hengbo enter, the person, who was lying on her side, shifted slightly, causing the white inner clothing to slide down her smooth shoulder, setting aside the book she had been holding.
This was Gu Hengbo’s first time seeing Lian Rong in anything other than red or black clothing. Although it was just inner clothing, the white on her made it feel strange. Speaking of which, this outfit must be hers, right?
"Are you feeling better?" After a few days away, she hurried over to check on her.
I’m a good person! Gu Hengbo concluded.
Lian Rong was about to speak when Gu Hengbo set down what she was holding on the table. "This is some tonic I brought back from the capital. Have Wuyang make it into porridge for you, drink it a few times, and you’ll recover quickly." She thought to leave quickly!
"Ah Heng, I—" Lian Rong began to speak, but suddenly darkness clouded her vision. She clutched the edge of the bed and closed her eyes. "Ah Heng, thank you."
Noticing Lian Rong’s pale face, Gu Hengbo quickly came over to support her as she tried to sit up. "What’s wrong? If you’re not feeling well, I can call Wuyang."
Lian Rong felt a storm brewing in her chest. Usually calm, she still managed to hold Gu Hengbo’s hand firmly and smiled, as if everything was just a bad dream. "It’s been so many days; how could I not feel better? Besides, it’s just a skin injury."
Gu Hengbo frowned in uncertainty, questioning whether she was seeing things. "Regardless of whether you’re better, since you’re lying in bed, you should rest well. What are you reading?" As she spoke, she seriously picked up the book still by the bed. "What are you reading, a romance novel?"
Lian Rong, not knowing what that meant, adjusted her collar and smiled. "It’s a military strategy book, just browsing it out of boredom."
Gu Hengbo was surprised and stared wide-eyed, flipping through the book. "A book like that must be extraordinary! I didn’t know you were into such things. What does it say about military tactics?"
Lian Rong looked at her and replied with a smile in her eyes, "You understand military tactics?"
Gu Hengbo quickly waved her hands. "You overestimate me; I’m not interested in Sun Tzu’s Art of War at all."
Lian Rong blinked, realizing she hadn’t heard of this book despite living so many years. She looked innocent, like a good student. "What is Sun Tzu’s Art of War? Is it a book?"
Gu Hengbo tilted her head to think. "Yes, it’s a book."
Lian Rong smiled and looked at her hair, which reached only to her shoulders. "I heard you went to the Northern Region’s palace. Is that okay?"
Gu Hengbo, realizing, touched her short hair. "We’re all in business, not going into the palace to work. Who cares?"
Meanwhile, Qing Feng was pacing in the big tent, knowing Gu Hengbo had returned. Wuyang was annoyed and suddenly spoke, "If you don’t want the crown princess to find out, just do as the master said. Leave the villa and stay by her side. When the crown princess goes back with the master, won’t you be serving the master anyway?"
Qing Feng paused and turned to her. "Why didn’t you say that sooner?"
Wuyang took a sip of tea and replied, "Right now, I have some news. If you subtly pass it to the crown princess, that would be a big achievement. The master will understand your true feelings, and it’ll save her a lot of trouble. Why not do it?" Although both she and Lian Rong knew this, Qing Feng’s actions could show Lian Rong that her subordinate held no inappropriate feelings for her crown princess. Even if the girl was wrongfully accused, the master certainly knew better; not everyone shared her peculiar tastes.
Qing Feng thought for a moment. "Wait, if I leave the villa, it would be like betraying the master, wouldn’t it?"
Wuyang shot her a cold glance. "From the moment you left without saying goodbye with the crown princess, you already betrayed her. You know the master’s temper. The crown princess is someone she spent a fortune on to marry officially, and yet you not only took her away but even managed to run off with her mother as well. Qing Feng, if I hadn’t spoken up for you, do you think you’d still be standing here talking to me like this?"
Qing Feng’s eyes widened. "What do you mean, you took her mother? They clearly took me away, okay? Besides, Madam Dou treats me well."
"Does the master want you to die? Qingfeng, you should have understood more than ten years ago that our lives belong to her. Even if she orders us to die, we don’t have the right to refuse. Was the Zeng family’s wrongful case truly unjust? The master has to bear the cruel reputation for you; it is because of you. The second son of the Zeng family did something terrible to your brother and harmed your parents. I understand how you feel, but he was the one who should have died. The master knows that if you follow her in the future, you will not let things rest. Although the Zeng family was not a righteous household, there were over a hundred lives involved." Wuyang believed she was not a good person, and she had never participated in anything close to slaughter.
Qingfeng felt a little dazed; it had been many years since anyone mentioned these matters to her. Hearing it now, she felt numb. "You said it yourself, the Zeng family was not innocent. Even if the second son of the Zeng family did something to our family, the others did not deserve death. The whole Zeng family was wiped out, and it was not simply because of me. Can’t you see that we know far too little? Qian Yue is older than us; she has been with the master the longest, and perhaps she knows the reasons from back then. Like you said, our lives belong to the master. Whether she uses us or orders us to die, we cannot refuse. However, the crown princess and Madam Dou have genuinely treated me well. At the time, I even thought they wouldn’t say a word to me, but I was wrong." Faced with too much indifference, Gu Hengbo’s attitude towards her now felt unreal. For a moment, she truly felt at home.
Wuyang silently looked at her, wanting to say a few comforting words, but unexpectedly…
"Maybe I should just die; that way, everything would be settled." Qingfeng clenched her fists, her face set with determination.
Wuyang’s mouth twitched. "I really don’t know what the master was thinking, taking you as a half-disciple and half-subordinate."
"Oh, Wuyang looks really beautiful today, like a golden phoenix," Gu Hengbo said as she walked in, blinded by Wuyang’s ‘golden phoenix’ outfit. But she quickly spotted Qingfeng sitting by the bed with red eyes and silently cursed herself for the trouble.
"Qingfeng, why are you here? Where is my mom? Where is she?" Gu Hengbo rushed outside.
"Miss…" came a soft, trembling voice.
Gu Hengbo turned back, grabbed Qingfeng’s hand, and looked her up and down before glancing at Wuyang. "Did you bully her?"
Wuyang still couldn’t process the ‘golden phoenix’ thing and instinctively mumbled an agreement.
Gu Hengbo’s expression changed, and she looked at Qingfeng again. "Did she touch you? Wuyang looks perfectly normal usually."
Wuyang facepalmed, wanting to explain that her outfit was not some phoenix costume when the crown princess waved her hand impatiently. "You’re just as bad as your royal lord. Qingfeng’s small frame can’t handle your antics."
Now Wuyang understood, and Qingfeng widened her eyes, looking at her lady. "Lady, you mean… the lord often bullies you?"
Hey! That’s not the main point! What kind of logic is that?
Wuyang facepalmed again. "Crown princess, Wuyang needs to check on the lord."
Gu Hengbo nodded but then realized something was off. "Wait, stop right there! I am now Boss Gu, not related to the Prime Minister’s residence or your royal lord. You are dependent on others now; do you understand what that means?"
Wuyang nodded expressionlessly.
Gu Hengbo walked over and patted her shoulder. "Now that’s good! You’re different from Lian Rong; I was in a different relationship with her. Ahem, you understand, it was a bit awkward. But we’re friends now, so just call me Ah Heng from now on," she added before looking at Qingfeng again. "From now on, don’t call me ‘miss.’ I’m not selling anything. Call me ‘sister’ understood?"
Qingfeng nodded with tear-filled eyes. She resolved to stay by her lady’s side, thinking the master was too fierce; why was there such a difference between women? Sigh, if her lady went back with the master, her good days would be over.
Wuyang’s heart was filled with confusion. If she really started calling her that, wouldn’t she be leaning in to be slaughtered? Thinking this, she threw a complex look at someone who resembled a little pug. However, not long after, an unexpected guest arrived. As for the nature of the surprise, just this business of "Ah Heng" was enough.
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