Chapter 59 A Dying Man’s Words Are Honest

Chapter 59: Deathbed Confessions Are Usually Truthful

"A high-ranking official?"

Gu Minglan raised an eyebrow. "How high?"

It was no wonder he seemed so nonchalant. Given the current political landscape, who could possibly contend with Marquis Gu?

A Yina clutched his sleeves with both hands, her deep blue eyes wide. "I'm not joking. If you can help me, I will be eternally grateful. If not, please keep your promise and let me go."

"I'll find him myself."

She was usually playful and free-spirited, but now, for once, her charming face was set in a rare expression of stubborn resolve. Minglan's heart stirred, and he said in a low voice, "Tell me."

The dungeon guards were tight-lipped, and with the recent turmoil, little attention had been paid to these foreigners. Their identities were unclear, and Minglan had already labeled A Yina as a "suspected spy," maintaining a wary distance.

A Yina was straightforward and outspoken, unaware of the Great Zhou people's circuitous way of speaking. Assuming Minglan had agreed, she blurted out, "Marquis Gu, I'm looking for the Marquis of Jingyuan from Great Zhou, Gu Yan."

Minglan choked on his tea, coughing uncontrollably in a rare display of discomposure.

"Young master, what's wrong?"

A Yina stepped forward with concern to pat his back. Being a martial artist, her hands were surprisingly strong, completely unlike the gentle and demure image Minglan had imagined.

He grasped her wrist, looked up, his stern face a mask of complex emotions. "You... want to find Gu..." He couldn't bring himself to utter his own father's full name. "You want to find Marquis Gu?"

"Do you know who I am?"

Influenced by his father's arrogant and suspicious nature, Minglan didn't truly care if she was a spy. If she had been exposed before even reaching the capital, she couldn't have achieved much anyway. Now he began to wonder if this was a honey trap set by Western Rong specifically for him.

Had he already fallen for it?

A Yina was momentarily stunned, then said blankly, "But you're my young master."

Things had started badly. Before she could even meet the legendary Marquis Gu, she had been inexplicably captured. A Yina, with her exceptional skills, had hidden weapons in her hair, ready to "make a big splash," but then she encountered such a handsome young man.

If her father hadn't been injured, she might have been selecting a prince consort in the royal court by now, but none would have been as good-looking as the man before her.

Young men and women experiencing love for the first time found it left them craving more. Minglan was constantly busy, arriving after dark and leaving before dawn. Until now, A Yina only knew his name, Gu Minglan, and nothing else.

Minglan didn't beat around the bush and reminded her, "My surname is Gu."

Anyone with a bit of knowledge or who followed court affairs would know that Gu Minglan was Gu Yan's eldest legitimate son.

Coincidentally, A Yina truly didn't know.

She had traveled thousands of miles to find Gu Yan on an urgent mission and genuinely had no time to prepare.

The king of Western Rong was gravely ill, leaving the country leaderless. Two princes, each with their own armies, were fiercely contending for the throne. A Yina's father was one of them. When she set out from Western Rong, her father was already severely injured. Her elder brother was holding the fort for their father, and her younger brothers were too young. Left with no other choice, they sent the innocent and lively A Yina to seek reinforcements.

—Back when Gu Yan was just twenty, he defeated Prince Qi's hundreds of thousands of troops with only thirty thousand men. A Yina's father, with his foresight, recognized that this man was destined for greatness and had secretly provided assistance to Gu Yan.

After Prince Qi's defeat, Gu Yan returned to the capital, and Gu Yuan took over the Black Armor Army to guard the northwest. Although Great Zhou and Western Rong were generally on friendly terms, there were constant minor conflicts at the border. Thus, they did not exchange letters and gradually lost contact.

This time, A Yina came to Great Zhou with promises from her father and the lingering sentiment of their old friendship, hoping to ask Marquis Gu for help.

...

Of course, no matter how naive A Yina was, she wouldn't reveal such life-and-death matters just because Minglan asked. She only insisted on seeing Gu Yan.

"Otherwise, just let me out!"

Gu Minglan spoke indirectly, while A Yina was straightforward and candid but stubbornly refused to explain. The two talked past each other, unable to understand one another. As they spoke, they ended up entangled together just like before.

Early the next morning, Minglan straightened his clothes and came out, sternly instructing the guards at the door, "Keep a close eye on her. If she escapes, you will be held responsible."

"Have you interrogated the tail from last night?"

The guard looked troubled. He had indeed gotten some information, but it concerned the reputation of that "Princess Changle," and he didn't dare speak.

After hesitating for a long time, the guard said with difficulty, "Young master, last night... it was said to be an old acquaintance of yours. Perhaps you... should go see for yourself?"

Minglan glanced at the sky. He was on duty today and was about to refuse when the guard added, "It also involves the First Madam. I dare not make a judgment."

Although Yan Xuerui had regained her status, the guards of the marquis' household were still accustomed to calling her "First Madam."

Hearing that it concerned his mother, Minglan paused and turned to see Yao'er.

***

The night had been peaceful, but Yan Xuerui had not slept well, faint dark circles visible under her eyes. She had to apply a layer of pearl powder to cover them.

As the palace maid styled Yan Xuerui's hair, she stared at her reflection in the bronze mirror and suddenly said, "I have a loyal servant in the marquis' household named Bi He."

"She is well-behaved, sensible, clever, and thorough. Take my token to the marquis' household and bring Bi He here."

She was a light sleeper and couldn't sleep if it was too bright, but she was also afraid of the dark. When she got up in the middle of the night, she needed a faint candlelight. It had been like this for years in the marquis' household.

On her second night in the palace, she slept worse than on the night Gu Yan had surprised her.

Yan Xuerui thought she might just not be used to it yet. Perhaps it would be better once Bi He arrived.

After so long, her injuries should have healed. New clothes are best, but old friends are better. Old acquaintances still suited her best.

Learning from yesterday's lesson, Yan Xuerui calculated the time and specifically waited until the emperor was awake to join him for the meal. After the meal, the emperor wiped the corners of his mouth with a silk handkerchief and said, "You don't have to keep me company for meals every day."

To serve the emperor is to live with a tiger. Even the crown prince and the other favored princesses did not come to show filial piety to the emperor every day.

Yan Xuerui lowered her head and smiled faintly. "The other imperial siblings have enjoyed your favor since childhood. I’ve only just found my father, so naturally I must take good care of you and cherish our family time."

Imperial Consort Chen had deceived the emperor so thoroughly back then. Now that she was gone, the emperor in his twilight years no longer dwelled on it. But Yan Xuerui, with her resemblance to Imperial Consort Chen and her soothing words, moved the emperor.

"If only they were all as filial as you," the emperor sighed softly, thinking again of the Virtuous Prince and the crown prince. They were both his good sons. He only wanted them to compete, not to die. Sensing the emperor's dislike for Gu Yan, Yan Xuerui seized the moment and tactfully found an excuse to leave.

Before leaving, she asked the emperor for several skilled imperial physicians. She had already sent word to Mrs. Wu and ordered the physician who originally made the ointment to come along.

Unlike the day before, she did not ride in a phoenix carriage this time. The guards she brought were all dressed in plain clothes as she discreetly entered Fang Zhixu's courtyard.

...

A familiar faint fragrance drifted into his nostrils, and Fang Zhixu slowly opened his eyes.

"Cousin Rui—"

He was in such agony, the pain radiating from his knees, that he once thought he was dying. Was this a final rally before the end?

If that were truly the case, he would accept it.

Fang Zhixu had been reserved and restrained his entire life, but only now did he dare to reach out and caress her cheek.

His wrist bone protruded slightly beneath the plain white sleeve, his fingers pale and cold, sickly white, carrying a faint chill. As his fingertips were just inches from her skin, Yan Xuerui’s pupils contracted sharply, and she instinctively pulled back.

Gu Yan disliked others touching her, especially men. Over the years, this rule seemed ingrained in her—some things could be negotiated, but this one was absolutely non-negotiable.

"Cousin Zhixu."

Her heart pounding, she glanced around nervously. Gu Yan was not here; only Fang Zhixu, pale-faced, lay in the sickbed.

With difficulty, she said, "I’ve called for the best imperial physicians. Don’t worry, you’ll be alright."

"Someone, quick, someone—"

Fang Zhixu shook his head. She didn’t want him to die, but as he reflected on his past, he found little worth living for.

"No physicians, Cousin Rui. I… I’d like to talk with you."

He struggled to sit up, raised his hand to touch the cold mask on his face, and a faint smile touched his pale lips.

"I thought I had frightened you. Good thing I didn’t."

Fang Zhixu coughed weakly a couple of times. He looked into Yan Xuerui’s panicked eyes, wanting to hold her hand to comfort her, but remembering how she had pulled away before, he ultimately held back.

"Cousin… no, I can’t call you cousin anymore."

His voice, usually gentle, was hoarse as Fang Zhixu spoke slowly, "Through some twist of fate, you truly are of royal blood."

"That marriage back then… it was always me reaching above my station."

His body wracked with pain, Fang Zhixu stared unblinkingly at Yan Xuerui, as if trying to brand her face into his memory.

"Thinking back now, perhaps it was the heavens’ will. I… I am unworthy of Your Highness."

He was truly happy for her becoming a princess. Yet, at the same time, the belief that had sustained him for so many years completely crumbled, not a trace left.

She told him to forget.

That engagement back then was also a joke.

It turned out only he was trapped in the past twenty years.

The ointment she sent was problematic—Fang Zhixu realized it after the fact. He knew the culprit must be Gu Yan.

Fang Zhixu had once darkly thought that he would expose Gu Yan for what he really is in front of her. Even at the cost of his life, he would make Gu Yan’s life difficult. Cousin Rui was deeply loyal; she would never forgive Gu Yan.

But upon seeing Yan Xuerui, he suddenly felt none of that mattered anymore.

He asked, "Cousin Rui, are you happy now?"

Yan Xuerui nodded, her throat tight, aching, too choked up to speak.

"That’s good."

Fang Zhixu asked again, "I heard you’re splitting from Gu Yan. I guess it’s not true. It’s for balancing the court’s factions, right?"

Yan Xuerui nodded, then suddenly shook her head.

She had specifically had someone bring the physician found by Mrs. Wu to study the ointment alongside the imperial doctors, but Mrs. Wu said those physicians had suddenly disappeared.

She knew Mrs. Wu’s character—she bore her no grudge, so she wouldn’t lie. Suddenly, she recalled what Mrs. Wu had said during their private conversation, something Gu Yan had once hinted at.

Now it all made sense!

It was Gu Yan, and it was also her.

She had harmed Cousin Zhixu.

Yan Xuerui felt she owed Fang Zhixu more than anyone in her life. Choking back tears, she said, "Save your strength—don’t talk. Those are the best imperial physicians; they’ll surely cure you."

"I’m not as kind-hearted as you think."

Not wanting her to grieve, Fang Zhixu said, "Look at the adopted sons and daughters around me—every one of them is more sensible and knows their place better than Yao’er."

"Back then, I specifically sent her to your side. Though impulsive, she is the most loyal. I… I am actually just a coward who never dared speak the truth. In this, I am inferior to Gu Yan."

Fang Zhixu understood the saying, "When facing death, a man speaks from the heart." He had hated Gu Yan all his life and was even dying by his hand, yet now that hatred dissipated like smoke and dust.

Perhaps only someone as ruthless and unscrupulous as Gu Yan could protect Cousin Rui.