Chapter 72

Chapter 72

The Hengsheng Association extended an invitation to Jiang Heng for its inaugural official gathering, requesting her presence at the Elegant Pavilion. As Jiang Heng prepared to depart, she was intercepted by the restless Gu Qingyue.

Before heading to the government yamen, Gu Yu had deliberately confined Gu Qingyue to prevent her from secretly meeting Li Shiliu again. Though resentful, Gu Qingyue dared not defy Gu Yu and had been cooped up at home for days, visiting Jiang Heng almost daily. Upon seeing Jiang Heng about to leave, she was eager to join.

"Sister-in-law, please take me with you. My third brother isn’t home, so he won’t know."

Jiang Heng hesitated. Considering the gathering would likely be attended by talented young scholars, it might be beneficial for Gu Qingyue to see them. Besides, they weren't going to see Li Shiliu, so it wouldn't violate Gu Yu's instructions.

"I can take you," Jiang Heng cautioned, "but you must not tell your third brother where we went."

Jiang Heng intended to attend only this once. If Gu Yu found out later, he would surely forbid her from such events.

Gu Yu tended to overthink things. If he learned about today’s gathering, who knew what wild assumptions he might make? If he then targeted the attendees, it would be Jiang Heng’s fault. Since she only planned to go this once, it was best to keep it a secret.

Gu Qingyue assured her, "Sister-in-law, of course I won’t tell Third Brother. That would be walking into a trap. He might not punish you, but he wouldn’t hesitate to punish me."

Jiang Heng wanted to argue—how could Gu Yu not punish her? But she swallowed her words. It was better not to say more, lest Gu Qingyue ask how he punished her.

"Anyway, you must keep it a secret."

...

When Jiang Heng arrived at the Elegant Pavilion with Gu Qingyue, almost everyone was already there. Even Jiang Heng was surprised to realize that, over the years, she had intermittently helped nearly thirty aspiring scholars. Rumor had it there were even more—some had dropped out and disappeared, while others were too busy with official duties in the capital to attend.

"Madame Jiang, the ink and brush are ready. Please come to the table."

None of the scholars Jiang Heng had previously assisted had achieved the top rank in the imperial examinations. Many weren't even jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) but had entered officialdom through other subjects. Li Hao was not only the sole top-ranked scholar present but also the only one from a humble background since the imperial exams were established in the previous dynasty. Naturally, he became the most respected person at the gathering and took charge of the event’s arrangements.

After Jiang Heng complied with the request to write a calligraphy piece, Li Hao was the first to applaud. "Madame Jiang, your calligraphy is exquisite!" Once the ink dried, he immediately had it framed and hung prominently on the main wall of the hall.

"Madame Jiang, there’s one more matter. We would like to ask you to manage the accounts for the Hengsheng Association."

The funds raised at today’s gathering alone amounted to nearly two thousand taels of silver, and indeed, someone was needed to keep track of the finances. However, Jiang Heng declined. "Please find someone else. I likely won’t be able to attend frequently in the future."

Li Hao asked, "Does Madame have anyone to recommend?"

Jiang Heng shook her head. One of the attendees suggested, "How about asking the manager of Madame Jiang’s Incense Shop to take charge?"

Jiang Heng thought for a moment and was about to refuse when suddenly, hurried footsteps approached from outside the Elegant Pavilion.

"Why are there so many officers here?" someone wondered aloud, opening the door to look. No sooner had they spoken than the government soldiers swarmed into the pavilion, disregarding the status of those present and roughly apprehending them.

"How dare you form cliques and engage in corruption right under the emperor’s nose? Arrest every one of them! Let no one escape!"

The leading official ordered the arrests while scanning the room. Spotting the calligraphy piece on the wall, he commanded, "Take that down carefully. We’ll investigate who else is behind this."

"Who’s behind this? Don’t make false accusations!" Gu Qingyue could see that Jiang Heng’s calligraphy bore a striking resemblance to Gu Yu’s handwriting. Fearing it would implicate him, she quickly protested.

Jiang Heng also said, "I wrote those words. There’s no one behind it."

The leading official glanced at them impatiently, signaling the government soldiers to bind them. He then inspected the raised silver and ordered, "Seize the illicit silver as well!"

"That’s not illicit silver!" Jiang Heng had begun to suspect that the government soldiers’ arrival was premeditated and malicious.

The calligraphy almost identical to Gu Yu’s, the nearly two thousand taels of silver, and the presence of her and Gu’s younger sister—all seemed to form a trap accusing Gu Yu of forming cliques and engaging in corruption.

Had everything been planned from the start?

Jiang Heng looked at Li Hao. He had organized and presided over the event from beginning to end. Was it possible he had intentionally used her to harm Gu Yu?

Was his gratitude fake? Was the kindness of passing on the torch also a lie?

...

"I need to see Prince Qin urgently! It’s an emergency!"

Fortunately, Chun Jin had been waiting outside the Elegant Pavilion and had gone to buy snacks when the government soldiers arrived, thus avoiding capture. She first went to the government yamen to find Gu Yu, but the staff refused to relay her message, citing a newly established rule that Gu Yu and several Ministry of Personnel officials were to be completely isolated from the outside world during this period.

With no other choice, Chun Jin went to the Qin residence for help, but Prince Qin was not home at the time.

"I need to see..." Chun Jin thought for a moment and quickly said, "I need to see the elder sister of the Duchess of Wei! It’s urgent—my lady is in danger!"

Only then was Chun Jin brought before Jiang Wan.

"What’s going on?" Jiang Wan asked.

Chun Jin recounted the government soldiers’ arrests and the events leading up to Jiang Heng’s attendance at the gathering. "Seventh Miss, those government soldiers were ruthless. They arrested officials, scholars, and even the newly top-ranked scholar. Will they harm my lady?"

Jiang Wan understood the urgency of the situation and immediately sent someone to summon Prince Qin back to the residence.

"Your Highness, this matter is targeting Duke Wei and you. Since Duke Wei is confined to the government yamen, only you can step in." Although Jiang Wan urged him this way, she had little confidence in his response.

Accusations of forming cliques and corruption, when leveled against a prince, were far more dangerous than usual—they could easily escalate to charges of treason. Jiang Wan wasn’t sure if Prince Qin would sacrifice Gu Yu to protect himself.

"Your Highness, those people came with clear intent. If we delay, A Heng might be tortured into confessing and signing a false statement. That would make things even worse!"

"Alternatively, you could send a message to Duke Wei and have him handle it."

For now, the priority was to ensure Jiang Heng’s safety in prison. No matter what, someone needed to step forward to protect her.

"I will go to the palace to see my father. Where is the maid who brought the message? She should come with me." After a moment’s thought, Prince Qin made his decision.

Jiang Wan was surprised. She had expected him to either stand by indifferently and push the matter onto Gu Yu or, as she suggested, first secure Jiang Heng’s release to prevent a conviction. Instead, his first instinct was to go to the emperor and bring Chun Jin along.

How could he be so sure the emperor would believe his innocence rather than suspect him of crying thief?

"Your Highness, no matter what, you must go to the prison as soon as possible. They will surely torture A Heng!"

Jiang Wan, now visibly pregnant, supported her belly and attempted to kneel and beg Prince Qin. He stopped her, saying, "Don’t worry," before leaving with Chun Jin for the palace.

After some thought, Jiang Wan still feared that Prince Qin’s palace visit might delay Jiang Heng’s rescue. She decided to personally deliver a message to Gu Yu.

...

"Sister-in-law, what’s happening? How dare they arrest us!"

Since Gu Yu’s rise to prominence, Gu Qingyue had never been mistreated. Previously, only Princess Huyang, relying on her status, had dared to clash with her verbally. After Gu Yu pacified Prince Zhennan, even Princess Huyang had become more respectful, let alone other noblewomen. She never imagined that government soldiers would one day disregard her status and drag her to prison. To her, it was an unjust disaster.

Jiang Heng had no time for complaints. Sitting silently, she carefully pieced together the events surrounding the Hengsheng Association.

When Li Hao asked her to write the calligraphy, he likely hadn’t expected her to imitate Gu Yu’s handwriting. So, whose style the calligraphy resembled or whether it was Gu Yu’s own hand wasn’t the point. What mattered was that she was Gu Yu’s wife, the Duchess of Wei.

The situation had clearly been orchestrated. However, many attendees had genuinely received her help in the past. It was unlikely they had all conspired against her. If impostors had infiltrated the gathering, it would be easier to handle. Although she didn’t have a detailed roster, Uncle Tang kept one, so there was no fear of outsiders causing trouble.

As long as they were not all conspiring to harm her intentionally, there must have been some telling the truth and others lying. With conflicting testimonies, it wouldn’t be easy to convict her.

"Jiang Heng, come out. It's your turn for interrogation." The jailer opened the cell door and dragged her directly to the interrogation chamber.

"Jiang Heng, you have formed cliques for personal gain and accepted bribes. Confess now!" The chief interrogator, with a grim expression, bellowed threateningly at Jiang Heng as soon as she entered.

Torture instruments lay nearby, still stained with blood, likely used recently on others. Confronted by the fierce official, Jiang Heng couldn’t suppress a shudder, her lips trembling. She forced herself to stay calm and said, "I have not formed cliques for personal gain. It was merely a regular gathering. I have witnesses and evidence..."

"Li Hao has already admitted that he gathered others to bribe you in order to curry favor with you. Jiang Heng, you keep denying any wrongdoing, but what kind of incense does your Incense Shop sell that could cost a hundred taels? Clearly, you are selling cheap goods at exorbitant prices, using business as a pretext for bribery!"

It was only then that Jiang Heng realized the extra hundred taels paid at the Incense Shop that day had been a trap.

"The prices of all the incense in my shop are clearly marked and fair to all, young and old. None are worth a hundred taels. Who bought such expensive incense? Bring them here to confront me."

The chief interrogator, seeing Jiang Heng’s frail appearance, had not expected her to withstand his aggressive pressure. To crush her spirit, he actually summoned a man to confront her.

"Your surname is Wu?" Jiang Heng remembered the shopkeeper saying the man had claimed to be surnamed Wu.

The man nodded. Jiang Heng then asked, "Did you truly receive help from me?"

The man nodded again.

"When you left the hundred taels, what did you say to the shopkeeper? Did you say it was to repay me or to donate to the Hengsheng Association?" Jiang Heng asked calmly, without anger.

The man continued to nod.

Jiang Heng turned to the chief interrogator. "Did you hear that? He was repaying me. When did he ever say he was spending a hundred taels to buy my incense? How does this constitute selling cheap goods at high prices or using trade as a cover for bribery?"

"Repaying your money? Then why didn’t he repay it earlier or later, but precisely then? If it was a legitimate repayment, why not do it openly at your residence instead of using the Incense Shop as an excuse?"

The chief interrogator spoke with equal conviction, ignoring Jiang Heng’s arguments, and sternly said, "Everyone else has confessed. How can you remain so stubborn? Do you think your status as Duchess of Wei allows you to do as you please?"

With that, he ordered two jailers to enter and torture Jiang Heng.

"How dare you!" Jiang Heng exclaimed loudly. "This case is full of doubts. I’ve told you I have evidence and witnesses, yet you ignore them and resort to torture based on biased testimony!"

The chief interrogator paid no heed and ordered the jailers to apply the torture instruments.

Jiang Heng was tied to the torture rack, her feet locked in foot stocks, her shoes and socks removed, revealing her pale and smooth feet.

Then, one jailer gripped her foot while another lightly brushed a feather across the soles of her feet.

This form of torture drew no blood and left no visible marks, but no one could endure it for more than half an hour. Continuous laughter, sustained for hours, could prove fatal, and even a medical examiner would be unable to determine the cause of death.

It was a method of killing without leaving evidence.

Jiang Heng laughed until tears streamed down her face, her cheeks flushed pink from the relentless laughter. The chief interrogator, however, asked no further questions nor pressed her to confess. He simply let the jailers continue the torture, watching as Jiang Heng gasped for air.

Perhaps because Jiang Heng’s laughter drowned out the noise outside, no one in the interrogation room noticed Gu Yu approaching with a sword. The moment he smashed the door open, the jailer and the chief interrogator were still transfixed at Jiang Heng’s flushed, helpless face.

Before either could react, both were cut down by Gu Yu’s sword. The chief interrogator’s body remained seated upright, but his head had rolled from his shoulders, tumbling into the corner of the room. The jailer met the same fate, his head hitting the ground before the feather in his hand.

As the tickling sensation on her feet ceased, Jiang Heng, lightheaded from laughing, felt a sense of relief upon seeing Gu Yu but couldn’t hold back her tears.

"I’m sorry."

This time, she had gotten into trouble that implicated Gu Yu.

The charges of forming cliques for personal gain and accepting bribes were fabricated and couldn’t harm him, but Gu Yu’s act of breaking into the prison and killing officials was an unpardonable offense.

"Don’t speak. Rest for a while."

He had heard her laughter from afar. Her face was flushed, and her breathing was ragged. She needed to rest and recover, not talk.

Gu Yu broke the foot stocks restraining her and personally crouched to put her shoes and socks back on.

"Gu Chengzhou, you have some nerve!"

Prince Qin had brought the Emperor himself to the prison to observe the proceedings, confident of success. He never expected Gu Yu to disregard imperial authority, not only leaving his post as chief examiner without permission but also killing court officials.

The Emperor glanced at the two heads on the floor, then at Jiang Heng, whose tear-streaked face was unusually red and whose clothes were disheveled. Gu Yu, kneeling to put on her shoes, wore a calm yet terrifyingly cold expression. The Emperor couldn’t help but ponder.

For a man, insulting his wife was more hateful than threatening his life.

Gu Yu, a military man with a fierce temperament, would naturally be even less tolerant.

The Emperor refrained from reprimanding him and turned to leave the bloody interrogation room. He said to Prince Qin, "Bring them both to the hall for questioning."

Prince Qin glared at Gu Yu once more before following the Emperor to the main hall. He ordered the officials to submit the case documents, but the officials replied, "This case was handled entirely by Minister Feng. As the trial is not yet concluded, there are no case records. We... have no knowledge of the details."

Minister Feng was the chief interrogator Gu Yu had killed.

Prince Qin angrily retorted, "Unaware? How dare you assist him in making arrests without knowing the details? Evading responsibility deserves punishment!"

The officials hurriedly knelt and begged for mercy, saying, "Minister Feng informed us that he had received a secret report about someone openly forming cliques for personal gain. He ordered us to accompany him to make arrests, and we did confiscate a sizable sum of illicit silver. After returning, Minister Feng took charge of the interrogations and did not allow us to intervene further."

Though Prince Qin did not reprimand them further, he maintained an angry demeanor and remained silent, deliberately refraining from ordering the officials to compile and present the existing case files to the Emperor.

The Emperor gave Prince Qin a disappointed look and patiently advised, "Do not be so impatient. If such a minor matter agitates you so, there will be many more things to anger you in the future."

With that, he turned to the officials and calmly ordered them to present the existing case files. He also summoned the Minister of Justice to personally reinvestigate the case from the beginning.

The case itself was not complicated. Although some had previously signed confessions admitting to bribing the Duchess of Wei, they now recanted their statements, claiming they had been forced to confess under torture. They insisted they had never intended to bribe her but merely wished to express gratitude.

However, the large number of people involved, along with the fact that the implicated officials—though low-ranking—were distributed across various government offices, including the Six Ministries, Nine Courts, and Five Directorates, surprised Emperor Qi.

"Did all of you receive help from Jiang Heng during your studies?" the Emperor asked thoughtfully, looking at the group of minor officials.

They all confirmed it.

The Emperor then turned his gaze to Jiang Heng, making mental calculations.

She had begun these activities even before marrying Gu Yu, and based on the timeline, she had helped far more people in the early years. After marrying Gu Yu, the number had decreased significantly. If she had been trying to cultivate supporters for Gu Yu, it didn’t seem to fit.

Prince Qin, noticing the Emperor’s contemplation, asked Jiang Heng, "How did you come to know these scholars, and why did you decide to help them?"

Many of those Jiang Heng had helped early on were somehow connected to Yan Hui, while those she assisted later were people she had encountered while searching for Yan Hui. But how could she explain these motivations?

Yet, without a legitimate explanation, the Emperor might suspect her of forming cliques with hidden agendas.

Should she tell the truth? If she did, how would that preserve Gu Yu’s dignity?

Jiang Heng dared not lie, especially now when she couldn’t fabricate a plausible explanation that would both avoid mentioning the past to protect Gu Yu’s pride and sufficiently allay the Emperor’s suspicions.

"I know why," Gu Yu suddenly spoke.

Both the Emperor and Prince Qin turned to look at him, but he did not continue, and said, "This matter, I will only speak of it to Your Majesty alone."

Prince Qin frowned.

After a moment’s thought, the Emperor, as requested, dismissed everyone, even had Jiang Heng leave, leaving only Gu Yu behind.

"My wife has a distant cousin who once studied at the Imperial College but came from a poor family. My wife has been giving him money all along. The other scholars were all close friends of that distant cousin, and it was he who begged my wife to help them. If Your Majesty does not believe me, you may ask those low-ranking officials whether they know a man named Yan Hui."

Although Gu Yu referred to him as a "distant cousin," how could the Emperor fail to read between the lines?

How could a distant cousin with a tenuous relationship get a young woman to give him money in secret so wholeheartedly, and even extend help to his friends out of affection for him?

"Where is that distant cousin of hers now?" the Emperor pressed further.

"He passed away from illness four years ago," Gu Yu replied.

The Emperor let out a meaningful "Oh," finally understanding why Jiang Heng had remained silent about the matter.

"Your Majesty," Gu Yu's expression remained stern and unreadable, making it impossible to tell whether he was angered by the current situation or displeased by the thought of his wife's past with that distant cousin. "The Jiang family does not have the audacity to engage in factionalism."

After a brief pause, without shielding the implicated officials and scholars, he stated bluntly, "The newly appointed top scholar, along with the other low-ranking officials, may not merely be grateful to my wife. It is likely they intended to curry favor and establish connections. However, my wife certainly had no such intentions. Had she considered this possibility, she would not have so publicly accepted the invitation."

The Emperor, having seen it all, though surprised by Jiang Heng's broad philanthropy, was not so easily alarmed as to suspect the young woman of harboring rebellious intentions.

"What do you think is the appropriate way to deal with this situation?" The Emperor did not indicate whether he believed Gu Yu or not. Given the circumstances, based on the available evidence, it was indeed impossible to convict Jiang Heng and the group of officials and scholars. However, to issue no warning and let it go unchecked was also unacceptable.

The Emperor was known for his benevolence and tolerance. He could not punish anyone without cause, especially when the person in question was a family member of Gu Yu, who had just returned to court after a major victory. He did not want to gain a reputation for suppressing meritorious officials or being petty-minded.

The resolution of this matter now depended on how Gu Yu would handle it.

"Since the Hengsheng Association has already been established, and those low-ranking officials are intent on helping other impoverished scholars, I believe it should not be dissolved."

"Oh?" Emperor Qi chuckled, giving no indication of whether he agreed or not.

"The Hengsheng Association was established to aid impoverished scholars and should naturally fall under the management of the Imperial College. If it can be made a permanent institution and serve as a guiding light for struggling scholars, they will surely remember Your Majesty's benevolence and eye for talent."

"Your Majesty intends to reform the imperial examinations to promote fairness and justice. The establishment of the Hengsheng Association at this time can be seen as a natural and timely development, serving as a precursor to the reforms."

Emperor Qi's ambiguous smile finally revealed a hint of clear approval. "Minister Gu's concern for the world is truly a blessing for the nation."

Gu Yu, however, understood the weight of this praise and added, "Regardless of the initial reasons behind my wife's acts of kindness, I am willing to carry on this spirit by donating ten thousand taels of silver to the Hengsheng Association to expand its influence."

Emperor Qi laughed heartily. "Minister Gu, your resourcefulness is admirable. This plan is excellent. We shall follow your suggestion. I will appoint a suitable person to take charge of the Hengsheng Association to assist students and aid the poor, as you proposed."

After a moment's thought, he continued with a smile, "If the top scholars of previous years had Minister Gu's magnanimity, the expansion of the Hengsheng Association would be just around the corner."

The top scholars of previous years all came from influential noble families. This was a hint for Gu Yu to take the lead in soliciting donations from them.

"I accept Your Majesty's decree," Gu Yu agreed.

Emperor Qi praised him again with a smile and ordered the waiting attendees to return to the hall. He first instructed the Minister of Justice to announce the verdict, clearly stating that Jiang Heng and the others were acquitted and released. Finally, he specially commended them, saying, "Madame Jiang is compassionate and kind, sparing no effort to help others in distress with her modest means. Those who gather firewood for others should not be left to freeze in the storm. Such acts of kindness should not be slandered by malicious individuals. I decree that from this day forward, the Hengsheng Association is established. Henceforth, Madame Jiang may carry out her charitable deeds without any worries."

He then turned his gaze to the group of officials who had raised funds and swept his eyes over the assembled officials, still speaking kindly. "The same applies to all of you."

"Sister-in-law, such a major matter, and you actually hid it from my brother. Look at the trouble you've caused!" Back at home, Gu Qingyue complained with the relief of someone who'd narrowly escaped disaster.

Jiang Heng also felt she was at fault and did not argue back, lowering her head in silence.

"Are you ignoring what I said?" Gu Yu rebuked coldly.

Jiang Heng remained silent, head still lowered, accepting his words. Unexpectedly, his next sentence was: "Look at me, I'm talking to you."

Jiang Heng looked up and realized that Gu Yu was not actually speaking to her but was scolding Gu's younger sister.

Gu Qingyue, still sulking with her head turned away, hadn't realized Gu Yu was reprimanding her.

"Don't you know you're under house arrest?" Gu Yu said sternly.

Only then did Gu Qingyue realize Gu Yu was speaking to her. She turned her head in surprise, her mouth agape, full of resentment.

"You put me under house arrest for no reason! Sister-in-law caused such a mess, yet you don't blame her—instead, you come to scold me!"

"What trouble did your sister-in-law cause? Didn't you hear the Emperor praising her?" Gu Yu said. "Have you ever received praise from the Emperor?"

Gu Qingyue felt indignant but had nothing to say in response.

"I'm not talking to you!"

Stomping her foot angrily, Gu Qingyue ran off.

Jiang Heng glanced at Gu Yu, then lowered her head again and sighed softly.

She knew that for the matter to be resolved so quickly and peacefully, Gu Yu must have been pulling strings.

The loss of ten thousand taels of silver to avert disaster was secondary; he must have taken on some difficult task as well.

Moreover, although the case seemed resolved, many ambiguities remained. For instance, who had informed against them? Why was Lord Feng so eager to pin charges of forming cliques and corruption on her? Was there someone else pulling the strings? Were the officials who attended the gathering and the new top graduate truly innocent?

But with so many doubts, the Emperor had not mentioned them nor shown any intention to investigate further, likely due to other concerns.

The Emperor had acquitted her and even praised her, while effortlessly bringing the Hengsheng Association under state control. In doing so, he gained tangible benefits while also earning a reputation as a wise ruler who treated his officials well.

Regardless of Li Hao's original intentions in founding the Hengsheng Association, and regardless of the motives of those who accused her of forming cliques, in the end, it was the Emperor who came out on top.

"Why aren't you blaming me?" Jiang Heng asked guiltily, keeping her head lowered, too embarrassed to meet his eyes.

Why hadn't she realized earlier that these actions could be seen as forming cliques? Why had she so gladly agreed to write the inscription?

"You did nothing wrong. I don't blame you."

Gu Yu repeated the same words.

Jiang Heng looked up at him, full of self-reproach. "I was at fault. I shouldn't have hidden it from you. If I had told you earlier, perhaps you could have foreseen how serious the situation would become, and it wouldn't have come to this. I knew you had just been transferred to the Ministry of Personnel and were overseeing the examinations, yet it never occurred to me that the new top graduate was using me to curry favor with you. I thought as long as I maintained my integrity and didn't help the new top graduate seek any information, I wouldn't be at fault. But how could others see it that way…"

Gu Yu drew her into an embrace. "This matter wasn't aimed at you—it was aimed at me."

He had not risen through the imperial examinations yet was appointed to oversee them in the Ministry of Personnel, which in itself was already controversial. If he were caught forming cliques or engaging in corruption, even if it didn't lead to his complete downfall, it would at least provide grounds to remove him from the Ministry of Personnel.

This ordeal of Jiang Heng's had actually been caused by him.

"Husband, is the Emperor truly not going to investigate your killing of that person?"

Although Emperor Qi repeatedly claimed vicious villains were slandering her, seemingly providing a justifiable excuse for Gu Yu's killing, Jiang Heng still felt uneasy.

Gu Yu lowered his gaze to look at her, looking into her eyes, and asked, "Worried about me?"

Jiang Heng nodded slightly.

"Is it out of guilt, or out of care and concern?" he asked again.

Jiang Heng was stunned—how could she analyze it so carefully at a time like this?

Moreover, at such a critical moment, how could Gu Yu still care about such distinctions?

"Tell me, which is it—guilt, or care and concern?" he asked. The man showed no trace of worry over the impending disaster and continued to press her.

The more serious Jiang Heng was, the less she could bring herself to lie. After gazing at Gu Yu for a long moment, she lowered her eyes, wrapped her arms around his waist, leaned into his embrace, and said solemnly, "I don’t know, but I truly don’t want anything to happen to you."

Gu Yu's eyebrows lifted slightly. "I understand—this means you care about me."

He told her this: regardless of her true feelings, he wanted her to believe that she had him in her heart and that she cared deeply for him.