Chapter 37

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In her past life, Gu Yun Zhen, who had originally been an uninvolved bystander, was most likely dragged into the chaos caused by Gu Yun Rong and the rivalry between the two men. Amid the confusion, the Moonlight Pavilion had collapsed, sending Gu Yun Zhen into the rose garden. The countless sharp thorns had scarred half her face, leaving her permanently disfigured.

Meanwhile, Gu Yun Rong had emerged from the ordeal entirely unscathed and had even been rewarded with an imperial edict granting her marriage.

Gu Yan Fei sighed silently. As expected, Gu Yun Rong truly is the “daughter of heaven.”

In her previous life, she had lived in a haze of confusion and resentment, feeling helplessly wronged by fate’s unfairness, unable to understand why everyone seemed to favor Gu Yun Rong.

After cultivating in the Yaoling Realm for two hundred years, Gu Yan Fei gradually came to understand some of the laws governing smaller worlds. For example, every small world has a “child of fortune.”

Gu Yun Rong was precisely the one most favored by the Heavenly Dao in this world, the one who embodied the culmination of all fortune.

To put it nicely, Gu Yun Rong was a “lucky koi,” blessed with incredible fortune and able to turn danger into safety with the help of influential benefactors.

To put it bluntly, whenever Gu Yun Rong encountered danger, someone else always bore the brunt of it for her.

Gu Yan Fei turned her gaze to Gu Yun Zhen and gently clasped her hand. Mistaking the gesture for a sign of unease, Gu Yun Zhen responded with a comforting squeeze, offering silent reassurance.

In her past life, it was Gu Yun Zhen who bore the disaster for Gu Yun Rong.

But in this life, the one to take the fall for Gu Yun Rong was Fang Ming Feng.

Gu Yan Fei’s pupils contracted as realization struck her like a thunderbolt. In that instant, clarity washed over her, accompanied by an indescribable sensation that coursed through her body.

It was as if some unseen force whispered to her, affirming her suspicions.

A bright, triumphant smile graced Gu Yan Fei’s lips. With quiet composure, she tucked her pouch back into her sleeve.

Outside the small tower, more and more people gathered at the rose garden, forming a dense crowd. Their chatter grew louder, filling the air with chaotic noise.

Gu Yan Fei gave a light shake to the hand she was holding and said with a smile, “Elder Sister, let’s head back.” Her goal was accomplished, and she saw no reason to stay any longer.

Gu Yun Zhen nodded, her emotions a tangled web she couldn’t put into words. Her gaze lingered on Gu Yun Rong, whose disheveled state was all too evident as Kang Wang forcefully pulled her away.

From the moment Kang Wang and Fang Ming Feng started fighting to now, everything had happened far too quickly. So quickly, in fact, that Gu Yun Zhen hadn’t even had time to process it all before things spiraled to a point beyond repair.

Gu Yun Zhen said nothing as she and Gu Yan Fei descended the stairs together. After exiting the Moonlight Tower, they turned left, hand in hand, and walked away.

Neither of them noticed the intrigued gaze from the third floor of the tower, following their retreating figures.

“Master, do you think that mysterious ‘fire’ at the pavilion might have something to do with Miss Gu?”

The speaker, Xiao Shi, spoke in a coarse, raspy voice, his excitement evident. His beady eyes darted back and forth—glancing at Gu Yan Fei, then at Fang Ming Feng, before craning his neck to peer at the now-empty Moonlight Pavilion. The ashes of the talisman atop the pavilion roof had long been scattered by the wind, leaving no trace behind.

Reclining on a chaise nearby was a strikingly handsome man dressed in white. A strand of dark hair grazed the crimson mole at the corner of his eye, enhancing his air of languid elegance.

“What do you think?” he asked lazily, his voice smooth and indifferent. He toyed absentmindedly with a delicate porcelain teacup in his hand, his long, slender fingers even fairer than the white ceramic. The wide sleeves of his robe shifted slightly, revealing a glimpse of his wrist, which was as flawless and translucent as finely carved jade.

Xiao Shi scratched his nose, replaying every detail of the “fire” in his mind. Earlier, while brewing tea for his master, he’d noticed smoke rising outside the window, which had prompted him to lean out for a closer look…

“Master, that smoke was very odd—it came quickly and dispersed just as fast. I looked carefully, and there was only smoke, no fire,” Xiao Shi said, his raspy voice tinged with certainty.

“Besides, I didn’t smell kerosene, nor did I catch the scent of anything burning.”

“Ten out of ten—no, it’s absolutely related to Miss Gu!” Xiao Shi declared with conviction, his excitement shining as he recalled the peculiar incidents in Danyang City.

Chu Yi’s lips curled into a faint, enigmatic smile as he put down his teacup. The motion caused his wide sleeve to slip further, emphasizing his slender, almost frail frame.

Xiao Shi’s instincts screamed that his master knew something, and he leaned closer with curiosity practically radiating off him. “Master, did you see something?”

“A talisman,” Chu Yi replied, his tone as casual as if discussing the weather. As he spoke, his right hand dipped into his sleeve, his fingers gently brushing against the empty red silk pouch hidden within.

“Master, why didn’t you tell me?!” Xiao Shi’s eyes widened in disbelief, his tone half accusing. He felt deeply wronged—his master had let him miss the most critical part of the show!

Xiao Shi’s excited chatter buzzed in Chu Yi’s ears, but his attention was elsewhere. His gaze pierced through the third-floor window, landing precisely on the graceful figure stepping onto the stone bridge outside.

Beyond the small tower, the autumn wind swept through, scattering the clouds above, rippling the surface of the emerald lake below, and dislodging delicate petals from the branches. The petals drifted downward in a rain of blossoms, creating a scene of poetic beauty.

Gu Yan Fei paused at the entrance of the Zhuoxin Pavilion, brushing a petal off her shoulder with a casual motion.

She seemed to sense something and turned her head slightly, scanning her surroundings in a half-circle sweep. The area near the pavilion wasn’t crowded—just a dozen or so people gathered in small groups of two or three. Among them, a few faces looked vaguely familiar.

“Second Sister?” Gu Yun Zhen’s voice called out, puzzled as she noticed Gu Yan Fei had stopped.

Gu Yan Fei turned back with a radiant smile. “It’s nothing. I’m just a bit hungry.”

In a nearby bamboo pavilion, a young man excitedly pointed toward Gu Yan Fei, who stood at the entrance of Zhuoxin Pavilion. With his other hand, he slapped the shoulder of the taller man in a green robe beside him. His voice trembled with excitement. “She’s back… Cousin, look, the beauty has returned!”

The man in green froze, his gaze locked onto Gu Yan Fei. At that moment, the bustling crowd around him faded into mere background noise—his eyes could only see her.

The young woman, radiant in her youth, had clear eyes and bright teeth, her expression calm and serene. Bathed in the golden sunlight, her elegant profile was sharp and distinct. Dressed in a simple snow-lavender robe, she exuded a transcendent grace, as if she were a celestial maiden descended into the mortal realm, ethereal and breathtaking, untouched by the dust of the world.

Just looking at her was enough to brighten one’s view, like the pure bloom of pear blossoms in snow or the glow of moonlight flooding a hall.

It wasn’t until the sisters disappeared into Zhuoxin Pavilion that the man in green snapped out of his trance, his eyes gleaming with a newfound intensity.

Earlier that morning, when he had first arrived at Jing Wang Manor, he had been struck by the unparalleled beauty of the young woman accompanying Gu Yun Zhen. She had left him utterly captivated, though he hadn’t had the chance to speak to her.

He and his cousin had searched the area earlier, assuming she had already left.

But now, to his relief—the beauty was still here!

The man in the green robe straightened his posture, smoothing out his sleeves and the hem of his robe. With a gesture to his cousin, he urged, “Let’s go!”

The two cousins each picked up a tray—one red, one blue—and entered the Zhuoxin Pavilion side by side.

Inside, the pavilion was relatively quiet, with only seven or eight people scattered about.

The pair made their way directly toward the window-side table where Gu Yan Fei and Gu Yun Zhen were seated.

Li Zhulang, dressed in a dashing sky-blue riding outfit, casually flicked open his folding fan. Flashing the sisters a confident smile, he spoke in a friendly and familiar tone. “The Princess has set up a wager for today’s match, and everyone’s placing their bets. Would the two young ladies like to join in?”

As he spoke, his gaze naturally shifted to the other side of the table, landing on Gu Yan Fei.

The moment his eyes met her calm, radiant face, his breath caught, and his heart pounded like a drum. Try as he might to compose himself, the awe and admiration lighting up his expression were impossible to hide.