Is Gu Yuan Doomed to Die?

The Marquis of Pingxiang's residence.

Gu Ming slumped on the floor, his face full of despair.

"How could this happen...?"

First, Gu Yuan had insulted the late emperor at the imperial mausoleum and been thrown into the imperial prison. The empress had pardoned and released him, and now he was back in again?

Such were the great ups and downs of life...

"Heaven wants to destroy my Gu family! Heaven wants to destroy my Gu family!"

Gu Shu leaned against the corner of a table, her face deathly pale and her eyes lifeless.

"How could my little brother be so impulsive? Prince Duan, the Ministry of Revenue, the Capital Prefecture—which of them can we afford to offend...?"

Mother Gu's eyes brimmed with tears as she lamented.

"Heaven bless him. Yuan'er must be safe and sound..."

The princess's residence.

"Princess, bad news! Something terrible has happened!"

Xiaoyun rushed up to Huai'an, panting and pressing a hand repeatedly to her chest in an effort to calm herself.

Huai'an put away her sword and asked in puzzlement, "What is it? Why are you in such a panic?"

"Young Marquis Gu... Young Marquis Gu killed Prince Duan's heir, the minister of revenue's son, and the Jingzhao prefect's son at the entertainment bureau. The Mystic Shadow Guard has already locked him up in the imperial prison, and Prince Duan and the others are wailing outside Her Majesty's palace gates, demanding that Young Marquis Gu be punished!"

"What did you say?!"

Huai'an's head buzzed.

He had cut down a prince's heir?

"That fellow has far too much nerve!"

"Where's my imperial sister?"

"Her Majesty hasn't summoned Prince Duan and the others yet."

Huai'an knitted her brows.

"Gu Yuan helped me. Now that he's in trouble, I can't just stand by and do nothing. I'm going to find my imperial sister."

"Princess, this matter involves a prince and important court officials. According to the rules, you cannot interfere in government affairs."

"Who said I was going to interfere in government affairs?"

Xiaoyun froze. "Then what are you going to do, Princess?"

"Ask my imperial sister to grant us a marriage!"

"Huh?"

"What do you mean, 'huh'?" Huai'an took a deep breath. "As long as Gu Yuan becomes the imperial son-in-law, could Prince Duan really kill him?"

"But Princess, your happiness for the rest of your life is at stake..."

"Saving his life comes first. I can't worry about all that now!"

Huai'an thought for a moment, then continued, "Xiaoyun, go to the imperial prison and grease a few palms, so no one kills him to silence him."

"Yes, Princess."

Before Xiaoyun had finished speaking, Huai'an was already racing toward the empress's bedchamber.

"Your Majesty, please see that justice is done for this old minister!"

Outside the bedchamber, Prince Duan, the minister of revenue, and the Jingzhao prefect knelt prostrate on the ground, wailing and choking on their sobs.

Shangguan Weiming and the Mystic Shadow Guards stood on either side, saying nothing.

Huai'an lifted her long skirt and ran up to Shangguan Weiming. Without pausing to tidy her disheveled hair, she said in a rush, "I need to see my imperial sister."

"Your Highness, Her Majesty is cultivating and will see no one."

"It's urgent!"

"She will see no one for any reason. Please understand, Your Highness."

Huai'an looked anxious.

"If Your Highness is here about Gu Yuan, you might as well go to the Gu residence first," Shangguan Weiming said quietly.

Hm?

Huai'an's eyes filled with confusion.

"What would I go to the Gu residence for?"

"Tell the Marquis of Pingxiang to stay in his residence without worrying and not act rashly. Her Majesty will surely handle this matter impartially."

"You mean Gu Yuan might be all right?"

"Your Highness had better hurry."

Huai'an glanced toward the imperial palace, then turned and hurried off toward the Gu residence.

Shangguan Weiming sighed softly.

"Well, well, even the princess wants to plead for him. Does being handsome really make someone that popular?"

Having served at the empress's side for years, he naturally knew how she handled affairs.

The fact that the empress kept putting off seeing Prince Duan and the others was enough to show that she did not want Gu Yuan to die.

She simply had not thought of a suitable reason yet.

Who was Gu Yuan? He was a martial arts genius seen only once in a century. How could a few good-for-nothing heirs compare to him?

However...

Prince Duan was no pushover, and he had countless experts under him. His only son was dead, so even if Gu Yuan made it out of the imperial prison alive, he would never escape the attempts on his life...

Shangguan Weiming could think of no way out of the predicament.

No matter how he looked at it, Gu Yuan was doomed to die.

For Gu Yuan, the imperial prison was now the only place that was relatively safe.

The imperial prison.

Gu Yuan lay on the familiar wooden plank, looking calm and showing no sign that disaster was upon him.

"You're certainly taking it easy."

!!!

"Senior Sister, you're finally here!"

What a perfect thigh to hug. I really want to hug it...

Qi Yueli gave a soft snort. "How did you know I'd come?"

The corners of Gu Yuan's lips rose as he smiled. "Senior Sister, you're beautiful and kind. How could you bear to let your dearest junior brother suffer in prison?"

"Smooth talker."

"I heard Prince Duan, the minister of revenue, and the Jingzhao prefect have entered the palace to see Her Majesty. It won't be long before you lose your head. Was it really worth causing such a disaster over a girl of lowly status?"

Gu Yuan shook his head.

"In the eyes of the world, she's a lowly girl of base status, too insignificant to matter. But in my heart, I've never made distinctions between high and low, noble and base. All people are born equal, and she's just a child... If no one else will protect her, then I will."

Qi Yueli was lost in thought for a moment.

All people are born equal...? So that's what he believes. No wonder he acts as though he fears neither heaven nor earth.

"Even so, she clearly has nothing to do with you, yet you killed people for her. Could it be that you've taken a fancy to her?"

"Senior Sister, don't joke about things like that. That's against the law!" Gu Yuan said hurriedly. "Besides, I prefer someone with long legs like yours, Senior Sister!"

Bang!

"Ow!"

"If you keep talking nonsense, I won't help you anymore."

Gu Yuan rubbed his head and said, "Don't be angry, Senior Sister. I was only joking."

"What are you planning to do next?"

"Break out of prison and go to Qingzhou."

(ꐦ -᷅ ⤙ -᷄)!

Qi Yueli was somewhat annoyed.

She treated him so well, yet he still thought about going to Qingzhou every day!

How infuriating!

"Senior Sister, what's wrong? You look so serious. Is something bothering you?"

"It's nothing."

Qi Yueli composed herself. "Breaking out of prison isn't the best course. The empress of Great Qi has attained a godlike level in martial arts. Even I wouldn't get far from her."

"Don't worry, Senior Sister. No matter how formidable the empress of Great Qi is, she won't be able to find me. I'll just have to trouble you to take my parents and elder sister out of the city..."

Qi Yueli was a little surprised.

"You're confident you can escape the empress?"

"Of course."

"The empress's cultivation may be high, but she isn't an immortal, after all. Besides, people with high cultivation are often arrogant and tend to overlook many details... Anyway, don't worry, Senior Sister. For me to escape Qi Capital alone would be as easy as anything."

Qi Yueli: ...

"It's a good plan, but there's something else you didn't anticipate."

Gu Yuan: ?

"What is it?"

"Princess Huai'an heard you were in trouble and went to the Gu residence specially. She took the Marquis of Pingxiang, his wife, and your sister to the princess's residence."

What?

Isn't that just making things worse?!

Gu Yuan sighed.

Huai'an had naturally meant well, taking the Gu family into the princess's residence to keep Prince Duan's people from secretly harming them.

But... the princess's residence was inside the imperial palace!

Anywhere else would have been manageable, but going into the imperial palace to take the Gu family away? The empress was no pushover...!

And just like that, the princess's sudden idea had ruined his escape plan.

Not only that, once he got out, he would have to thank her...

What a calamity!

The corners of Qi Yueli's lips rose as she watched Gu Yuan's troubled expression, feeling a little pleased with herself.

Still thinking of running?

Can you escape from the palm of this emperor's hand?!

"Senior Sister, my parents and elder sister have been taken to the princess's residence. I'm afraid the escape plan can't be carried out."

"What are you going to do? Break out of prison by yourself?"

Gu Yuan shook his head.

"My parents and elder sister are all in Qi Capital. I can't run away alone and bring trouble down on them."

"If you don't leave, are you just going to wait here to die?"

Qi Yueli was puzzled and wanted to know what other solution Gu Yuan could possibly have.

He had also put off seeing Prince Duan and the others because he was trying to think of a solution that would satisfy both sides, one that could stabilize the court and protect Gu Yuan.

Unfortunately, he still had not thought of one.

"Don't worry, Senior Sister. I won't die."

"Prince Duan, the minister of revenue, and the Jingzhao prefect won't let you off, even if you get out. You should know that an open attack is easy to dodge, but a hidden arrow is hard to guard against..."

The corners of Gu Yuan's lips lifted slightly.

"If I can't guard against hidden arrows, I'll just kill the ones shooting them!"

Qi Yueli froze.

"Senior Sister, help me with something..."