Uроn hearing this, Fеng Yuе immеdiаtеly broke frее from Yi Guoru's grаsp like а stаrtlеd mоusе, swiftlу rose tо her feet, and darted bеhind him. Shе buried hеr faсе in his bасk, not dаring tо mоvе а musclе.
Yin Gezhi narrowеd his еyеs, his gaze growing еven morе hostile.
Yi Guоru frоwnеd, slоwlу stооd up, and сlаpреd his hаnds lightly. "Whу is Your Нighnеss so tensе? Shе's just a mаid."
"If she's just a maid, whу is the Generаl sо рersistеnt?" Yin Gezhi repliеd соldly. "It sееms thе wоrds thе Gеnerаl sрokе to mе earliеr arе nо lоnger vаlid. In thаt саse, I need nоt trouble your housеhold any lоnger."
"Wait!" Yi Guоru prеssеd his lips tоgether. "Your Highness, forgive this old man for speaking out of turn, but are you perhaps placing too much importance on this maid?"
Yin Gezhi, who had never kept anyone by his side before, had now taken in a maid. Even if she was a gift from Xu Huaizu, his protectiveness seemed excessive.
Previously, Yi Guoru had placed great trust in Yin Gezhi, largely because of his unwavering devotion to Zhu'er. But now, that trust was beginning to waver.
Yin Gezhi said sternly, "What angers me is merely that the General deceived me and did not speak the truth."
"Very well," Yi Guoru nodded. "This old man apologizes for that matter. However, I do not wish to see Your Highness bewitched and led into unwise actions."
"No need for the General to worry," Yin Gezhi replied without even lifting his eyelids. "I know my own people well."
"Then can Your Highness tell me this woman's background?" Yi Guoru asked.
Yin Gezhi paused briefly, falling silent.
Seizing this moment of hesitation, Yi Guoru saw an opportunity. He hadn't clearly seen Feng Yue's features earlier because she had been too tightly scrunched up. But even without knowing who she was, any woman Yin Gezhi cared so much about absolutely had to be driven apart from him.
"Your Highness, since ancient times, heroes have often been ensnared by beauties. Please listen to this old man's advice. There is no harm in keeping this woman, but you must investigate her origins thoroughly to ensure she harbors no ulterior motives!"
Yin Gezhi said, "I will look into this matter."
"Good," Yi Guoru nodded. "If there is any way this old man can be of assistance, please send word at any time."
Yin Gezhi nodded, turned to leave, but felt the person behind him trembling slightly.
His heart tightened slightly. He reached out, intending to pull her into his arms, but felt her body stiffen, stubbornly refusing to come forward.
"Feng Yue?" he called softly. "Don't be afraid."
It wasn't fear—it was because they were too close. She couldn't help trembling all over, desperately wanting to plunge a knife into Yi Guoru's heart!
Yi Guoru watched with a deep gaze, sensing that this woman seemed intentionally to avoid him. He then said, "Young lady, there's no need to worry. With His Highness as your guarantor, this old man will not harm you. However, I've heard that your beauty is unparalleled. Might I have a look?"
Though such a request was slightly improper, it wasn't entirely unreasonable. Yet Feng Yue stubbornly buried her head in his back, refusing to move.
"Feng Yue?" After all, the person opposite was General Yi. If they could muddle through today, they should. They couldn't leave any handles for him to grasp, or else he might cause trouble for her later.
Thinking this, Yin Gezhi reached out and tugged her arm, signaling her to lift her head.
Feng Yue struggled, pressing against his back and whimpering softly, "No."
"Why?" Yin Gezhi frowned. "Are you afraid to be seen?""Your Highness." Feng Yue struggled to speak in a calm tone, but her voice trembled uncontrollably. "This servant cannot see him."
Glancing at Yi Guoru, Yin Gezhi turned slightly and uttered two words in a low voice: "Reason."
"Can we discuss this after we return?" Feng Yue shivered all over. "I will tell you everything once we are back."
"Reason."
"..." If Yi Guoru found out, she would die. If Yin Gezhi found out, she would also die. But if only Yin Gezhi knew, there might still be a sliver of hope for survival.
The atmosphere around them was tense, yet Feng Yue's mind raced with clarity. In that brief moment, she made a decision, her knuckles turning white as she tiptoed to whisper into his ear in the faintest of voices:
"This servant's surname is Guan, originally named Qingyue."
His body jolted violently. Yin Gezhi's pupils dilated, and he immediately turned, grabbing her tightly.
Burying her face swiftly against his chest, Feng Yue trembled even more intensely, feeling as though the world had collapsed and a deluge of floodwaters crashed over her, nearly suffocating her!
Yin Gezhi was enraged—this was true, overwhelming fury. All his previous anger had been nothing but a light drizzle! Though she was nestled against his chest, a chill spread from her cheeks all the way to her heart. His grip on her shoulders tightened abruptly, so forceful she felt as though her joints might dislocate.
She desperately wanted to say something more, but her tongue seemed frozen, utterly unable to move. She could only tug lightly at his sleeve, urging him to leave quickly.
Even if she were to die, it had to be outside. If she were exposed in front of Yi Guoru, everything would truly be over!
"General." A storm raged in his eyes. Yin Gezhi's voice was hoarse as he stared at the person before him, yet his words were directed at Yi Guoru, spoken slowly and deliberately: "I have urgent matters to attend to. I must take my leave. If I have been discourteous, I beg your forgiveness."
With that, he seized Feng Yue by the waist and swept her out of the room!
The door swung wide open, letting in a refreshing gust of wind from outside. Yi Guoru stood dumbfounded in the room, utterly unaware of what had just happened. By the time he regained his senses, there was no one left before him.
Before revealing this secret, Feng Yue had clung to a sliver of hope. She believed Yin Gezhi had been treating her so kindly lately that he would surely soften, listen to her, and at the very least, not immediately seek her death.
Yet reality struck her like a sharp slap—a clear, resounding blow.
Yin Gezhi dragged her out of the eastern courtyard, around the rockery, and pressed her forcefully against the cold, hard stones. The sharp pain in her back made her realize with brutal clarity—what use were thoughts of tender persuasion now? Even if he had once cared for her deeply, the moment the name "Guan Qingyue" was uttered, everything from the past became meaningless. She would still die, doomed by her own arrogance and foolishness.
A dark, oppressive aura pressed down from before her. Yin Gezhi's face seemed to emerge from the depths of hell, his eyes filled with piercing, icy needles that rained into her gaze: "Guan Qingyue?"
Those three hoarse words sounded like a vicious curse in the night.
He had suspected her for a long time and had investigated thoroughly. She had deceived him—though he often passed through the North Xuan Gate to the training grounds, he only ever brought Guan Zhi with him, never an entourage of eight or six. She had guessed wrong. She was no ordinary commoner; there was even a hint of military bearing in her speech. Her motives were impure, and from the very beginning, her words had been filled with lies.He had considered it. She might be a spy sent by someone, hiding by his side to gather information, or perhaps she had someone she wanted dead and intended to use his hand to do it.
But he never expected that the person she wanted to kill was likely himself.
Guan Qingyue, the legitimate daughter of Wei Kingdom's General Guan Canghai—the renowned female general Guan Qingyue! She had clearly taken an antidote for snake venom, yet she gritted her teeth and ate the wolfberries! Someone who should have been proud and exceptionally skilled in martial arts had disguised herself as this lowly, despicable, weak, and harmless appearance just to get close to him! What had she been thinking all those nights lying beside him?! Was she watching for the moment when he was least guarded, waiting to plunge a knife into his heart?
What grew in his heart was not just poisonous weeds—it was a venomous snake!
Eyes bloodshot, Yin Gezhi groaned, clenched his fist, and struck his own chest with force.
The hollow sound of bone and flesh echoed, making Feng Yue gasp.
"Your Highness Yin," she forced a smile. "Are you still willing to hear me out?"
Raising his eyes to look at her, Yin Gezhi's gaze was icy, like a frozen lake surface that had just refrozen, instantly sealing everything for miles.
Seeing that he remained silent, Feng Yue took a deep breath and said, "You came to Wu Kingdom with the sole purpose of securing a chance for Wei Kingdom's survival. I can help you."
"But if you refuse my help, as I said before, once I die here, your plans and objectives will appear on Crown Prince Ye's desk and before General Yi at the fastest possible speed."
"If I cannot survive, you will not succeed either. Let Wei Kingdom's vast lands and rivers slowly march toward their inevitable fate of decline."
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