When she left, she took neither the hundred taels of gold bestowed upon her by the lady nor the small treasury hidden in the dressing table in her room. She only took the jade bracelet, white porcelain doll, amulet, jade rabbit, and a good dog named Ayao that the empress had given her.
Wei Pingxi was waiting for her to say goodbye, but she left without saying a word.
This feels so strange.
Although she didn't take much with her when she left, it was as if she emptied out her Jingzhe Courtyard.
It feels empty.
I also felt a little lost.
Her expression visibly became irritable.
Li Le followed Yu Zhi out of Jingzhe Courtyard. After a short while, Wei Pingxi asked, "Has the letter been delivered?"
"It's been sent."
The question was asked three times, and Agate answered three times.
As Yu Zhi stepped out of the Marquis's mansion, she glanced back and saw a cold smile in Li Le's eyes.
Yu Zhi carried a small bundle on her back in one hand and led a large black dog on a leash in the other. A Yao barked fiercely at Li Le a few times, scaring Li Le so much that her face turned pale and she hurriedly entered the mansion.
The long street was bustling with people, and the beautiful woman carrying a small bundle became the focus of attention, sparking much discussion.
"What happened? Was he kicked away by the Fourth Miss?"
"Don't you know that man's temperament? He's happy one moment and angry the next. How many women who become concubines have a good ending?"
"Speaking of which, that fourth young lady has a really strange personality... Back then, taking a concubine caused quite a stir in the city, and now..."
Yuzhi couldn't hear clearly what was happening now.
The ten senior swordsmen sent by the eldest princess stood guard beside Yu Zhi, displaying their masterful skills.
Once the ten people around her were clearly seen, the surrounding chatter gradually faded away.
Yu Zhi said "thank you for your trouble" to her senior, while Gu Chenzi, who was hiding in the shadows, rubbed his sore neck and prepared to kill someone in the street.
A murderous aura spread out.
The ten swordsmen stopped in their tracks.
Yu Zhi was locked onto by that murderous aura, her body stiffened, and she couldn't move her legs.
A bead of cold sweat rolled down his forehead.
Gu Chenzi sneered.
But her laughter lasted only two breaths before she could no longer laugh.
A grand procession of imperial guards escorted the imperial carriage.
The Empress stepped down from her phoenix carriage and extended her hand to her prospective daughter-in-law.
"Come."
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Author's Note:
Zhizhi's departure was another test by Xixi of Yan Qing. If Zhizhi wasn't followed by Gu Chenzi after leaving the manor, it was likely that Gu Chenzi and Yan Qing had no connection. However, if she encountered an ambush after leaving the manor, this would be further evidence that Gu Chenzi was Yan Qing's man.
Alas, the Empress has come to personally fetch her future daughter-in-law after receiving the letter.
Chapter 67 Good and Bad
Everyone in the world is worthy of being killed.
This is the 'life motto' that Gu Chenzi often says.
It sounds impressive and domineering, but it's just bullshit.
When killing martial arts practitioners, one must consider their respective martial arts styles and combat strength, but when it comes to killing the Empress, who is the mother of the nation…
It cannot be described by the phrase "as difficult as ascending to heaven".
As is widely known, the Emperor of the Great Yan Dynasty abolished the three palaces and six courtyards for the sake of his Empress alone. As an emperor, he believed in loving only one person in his life.
So devoted to her love, Ji Ying never took the pressure from ministers to select concubines for over a decade seriously.
He was indeed a gentle and wise emperor, but more importantly, he was a truly absolute ruler.
In a sense, Ji Ying is an absolute Casanova.
Gu Chenzi remained hidden in the shadows, while the Imperial Guards visible in the open were a vast, bustling mass of people.
In places unseen by the public, Yan Xiu was protected by at least a hundred martial arts masters.
What kind of woman goes out with so many thugs, openly or secretly?
That's outrageous!
She was so angry that her teeth ached.
However outrageous it may be, this is the unshakeable nature of imperial power.
Ordinary women would at most take two maids with them when they went out, but the Empress Dowager always had a grand procession wherever she went.
Ji Ying treated her like her own life.
At that moment, Yan Xiu risked her life to shield Yu Zhi.
The opportunity is fleeting.
Missing the best opportunity to strike, even with Gu Chenzi's unparalleled martial arts skills, he could not take someone's life in public.
With Yan Xiu around, killing that concubine would require overcoming thousands of imperial guards, hundreds of martial arts masters, and the ten renowned swordsmen who had long been by her side.
Most importantly, she sensed another powerful aura enveloping her head, like a sword about to be drawn.
That sword must have been forged from the blood and corpses, and the person who can wield it must be an outstanding figure of the time.
The most skilled martial artist on the leaderboard has passed away, the number one in the world has been buried, and the number two in the world has disappeared without a trace.
She guessed that this powerful aura belonged to the mysterious 'Sword Master' on the list of experts.
The essence of being a 'sword master' is that the sword and the person are one.
In this context, Gu Chenzi would be considered a truly despicable person.
They didn't come early or late; they came just when she was about to go on a killing spree.
Gu Chenzi left reluctantly, becoming increasingly convinced that this was a feint by Wei Pingxi.
On the surface, he agreed to let the second young lady get rid of the concubine, but secretly he sought out his own mother for protection.
The thought crossed her mind, and she thought to herself that this boy was cunning and treacherous.
What's worse, the entire cheek is sore because Miss Yan has complete faith in her daughter whom she has raised and controlled for eighteen years.
She stared hatefully in that direction, watching helplessly as Yu Zhi, flattered and overwhelmed, boarded the carriage reserved for the Empress. The next instant, the Daoist's figure vanished in the chilly spring breeze.
A concubine, a concubine who had been 'swept out' of the Marquis's mansion, was taken to the Empress's side and taken to the palace the moment she left.
In this prosperous and thriving Great Yan Dynasty, is there any place safer than the imperial palace?
If so, it's someone from the Empress's side.
Before Yu Zhi could even feel sad after leaving the Fourth Miss, she was first frightened by the murderous aura of the Old Ancestor of Suspended Yin, and then speechless by the Empress's 'favor'.
As she stepped into the Gan Ning Palace, her palms began to sweat.
Worried that the sweat would dirty the Empress's hands, he tried to pull his hand away, but Yan Xiu gave him a reproachful glance: "What a coward."
The Empress's smile deepened as she thought of her audacious daughter falling for a timid woman—she was still waiting for this girl to properly discipline her 'good daughter'.
"Don't be afraid, coming here is just like coming home."
Home front?
Looking at the fairy-tale-like Ganning Palace, and then at the empress who seemed like an immortal, Yu Zhi suddenly blushed, as if struck by a sudden thought.
Her face was rosy like the evening glow, and she looked quite well, so she must be taking good care of herself.
However, Yan Xiu still called on Physician Song to examine Yu Zhi's pulse and prescribe some medicinal diets to nourish her body—Xi Xi is a troublemaker, and who knows how much suffering Zhi Zhi might have endured because of her.
"Your Majesty..."
"Relax."
Yan Xiu stood by her side and called for a palace maid to bring over a cat from somewhere, which was then placed in Yu Zhi's arms.
Petting the fluffy things is very relaxing, and she didn't want Yuzhi to feel uncomfortable here.
She even considers such small details; anyone who receives her meticulous care will feel at ease.
Soon, a smile appeared on Yu Zhi's face.
When taking a patient's pulse, Physician Song was serious. After writing down a medicinal diet prescription, she teased, "Miss Yu is weak; she'll have to be more careful in the future..."
She practically had the words "excessive indulgence harms the body" plastered on her forehead. Yu Zhi blushed crimson, remembering that the fairy-like lady before her was the fourth young lady's birth mother, and was too ashamed to look up.
Yan Xiu helplessly rebuked Doctor Song, who, knowing that the Empress was not angry, added a few more medical instructions in a serious manner.
Yu Zhi blushed and wrote down: "Thank you for your help, Doctor."
She was very polite and courteous, clearly well-mannered from a young age.
But this thoughtfulness and caution did not escape the Empress's notice. She smiled and patted her future daughter-in-law's head: "I have sent someone to inform your mother. You can stay in Gan Ning Palace with peace of mind. If the sky falls, His Majesty will hold it up."
"..."
Yu Zhi was touched for a moment, but then she suddenly felt that the Empress was 'showing off' the harmony between husband and wife.
Her intuition was absolutely correct.
Yan Xiu finally "found" her daughter, but now her daughter is in dire straits in the Wei family and is about to "go to war" with someone. Since she can't see her daughter, she can only indulge in being a mother to her daughter and daughter-in-law for now.
The relationship between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law was harmonious. After the female doctor Song left, Yuzhi talked to the Empress about the Wei family.
She had barely begun to speak when Yan Xiu said softly, "I know everything you're saying."
Yuzhi was shocked, but then she was relieved.