Sworn Little Sister, Secured

"Lord Gu, this is a fine wine from Shuzhou. Allow me to offer you a cup."

Inside the Bureau of Music, Ciyue tugged down her neckline and leaned against Gu Yuan.

"B-benefactor, let me offer you a cup too..." Meixiang held up her wine, her cheeks flushed and her peach-blossom-shaped almond eyes constantly darting toward Gu Yuan's face.

Gu Yuan smiled faintly.

"Miss Meixiang, is your ancestral home in Shuzhou?"

"Oh!" Meixiang's cheeks grew even redder. "Yes, Benefactor. My ancestral home is Yaohe Commandery in Shuzhou."

"What a coincidence! My Gu family's ancestral home is in Shuzhou too!" Gu Yuan made it up on the spot.

"Miss Meixiang, it seems we really were fated to meet."

Ciyue: ...

Wasn't Marquis Pingxiang's ancestral home in Ruzhou?

"Really? You're from Shuzhou too, Benefactor?" Meixiang was delighted. Her meeting with her benefactor really had been destined by heaven.

"Since fate has brought us together, Miss Meixiang, would you be willing to become my sworn little sister?"

As soon as he said that, everyone fell silent.

Meixiang froze on the spot, then hurriedly bowed.

"No, I couldn't, Benefactor. You are a person of noble standing, while I am merely a woman of lowly status. How could I become your sister?"

Gu Yuan helped Meixiang up and said slowly:

"Heaven and earth made no ranks; distinctions of high and low come from people's hearts."

"In my heart, everyone is equal. There is no distinction between high and low, noble and humble."

"Miss Meixiang, are you willing?"

Gasp-!

Everyone turned pale.

Everyone was equal? Was that something he could say?

If someone with ulterior motives overheard such offensive words and reported them to the empress... the consequences would be unthinkable!

Meixiang's pretty face went pale with fright.

"Benefactor, you've had too much to drink. Let me help you inside to rest..."

Gu Yuan slowly rose, swirled the wine in his cup, and poured it onto the table. His fingertip danced across the surface, writing the words "everyone is equal."

"No living being is noble or lowly."

"These words came from my mouth, and they are also what I truly believe."

"In my eyes, even the empress is nothing more than an ordinary woman."

Gasp-!

He was mad, mad!

This lord really had gone mad!

He dared say something so treasonous. Wasn't he afraid his entire clan would be exterminated?

Gu Yuan swept his gaze across the room.

Someone had already taken out a little notebook and was writing it down.

"Write it down, write it down. Hurry and report it to the empress. I refuse to believe she can still tolerate such treasonous words."

"Then she'll strip me of my commandant's post and my father of his position as minister of revenue, and my whole family can go live free and easy!"

"System, get ready. We'll slip away as soon as the empress issues her decree."

[All right, Host.]

"Miss Meixiang, you still haven't answered me."

Meixiang's face was full of panic. She had no idea what to do.

"Don't worry about anything else. Just follow your heart."

"I... I'm willing..."

Her soft, delicate voice rang out. Meixiang herself didn't know what she was thinking; in her confusion, she had simply spoken what was in her heart.

"Settled."

"Send all my sister's belongings to the Gu residence. You'll get every silver tael you're owed."

"Come on, let's go home."

With that, Gu Yuan took Meixiang's hand and walked openly out of the Bureau of Music.

Everyone stared in disbelief.

"He just took her away like that?"

"He cut down a criminal with his saber and shocked the world with his wild words. What Heir Gu has done can be described in just two words."

"Which two words?"

"Fucking awesome!"

The Gu residence.

Gu Ming, Mother Gu, and Gu Shu stared at the young girl kneeling before them, too stunned to react for a long time.

"Father, Mother, Sis, I just took her as my sworn little sister. What do you think? She's cute, isn't she?"

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Say something, at least...!"

Meixiang trembled, her eyes lowered. She didn't know what to do.

She had never encountered a situation like this before.

"Uh... having a little sister is nice. I like little sisters. The sister my little brother takes is my sister too."

Seeing this, Mother Gu spoke up as well. "This child is adorable, and I was just thinking I'd like another child. Husband, what do you say?"

Gu Ming: "Hmph!"

"How can a woman of lowly status become a member of the Gu family?"

"I won't agree to it!"

Hey!

This old geezer!

Gu Yuan clapped his hands. "I only brought Meixiang back to show her the house. Who said I needed your agreement?"

"What did you say?" Gu Ming bristled and glared.

"Meixiang is my sister. Nobody asked her to take you as her father."

"What?! You're my son! You need my agreement to take a sister!"

"Mother's agreement is just as good. Sister, hurry and call her sworn mother."

Meixiang was at a complete loss.

"I... I..."

"Be bold!"

"Sworn... Mother?"

"Yes!" Mother Gu smiled. "Since Yuan'er has taken you as his sister, you're my daughter now too."

"I haven't agreed yet!" Gu Ming snapped.

Mother Gu rolled her eyes. "What does it matter to me whether you agree? My surname isn't Gu."

Gu Ming: ???

"Xiang'er, come inside with your sworn mother. Just look at you, you're so lovely."

Meixiang stared blankly at Gu Yuan.

Gu Yuan nodded.

"Go on."

Mother Gu and Gu Shu took Meixiang into the inner courtyard.

Gu Ming sighed. "Yuan'er, although we have received imperial favor, you must still act with care and caution. Otherwise, I fear you'll bring disaster upon the Gu family!"

Disaster?

Staying in the Qi Capital was the greatest disaster of all!

"Father, don't be so serious. Trust me. As long as I'm here, nothing will happen to the Gu family."

"Listen to you brag!"

Gu Ming sighed. "Ever since you stopped being a fool, I can no longer understand what you do... But no matter what you plan to do, you must give plenty of thought to your mother and sister. You mustn't let it affect them."

"You're right, Father."

"By the way, besides redeeming her, did you do anything else at the Bureau of Music?" Gu Ming was worried, afraid that Gu Yuan had killed someone again.

"Oh, nothing much. I just said a few unimportant things."

"Phew..." Gu Ming breathed a sigh of relief. "A few words? That's not so bad..."

Thump, thump, thump!

Qi Yueli held a memorial in her hand, and the gold-and-jade teacup before her trembled incessantly.

"Your Majesty, Gu Yuan actually dared make such treasonous remarks as 'everyone is equal.' He holds Your Majesty in no regard and shows contempt for the imperial family. He must be severely punished without leniency..."

Several ministers spoke at length, listing Gu Yuan's monstrous crimes.

Qi Yueli, however, wasn't listening at all.

Her eyes remained fixed on the name Meixiang.

Hmph!

He had used her money to redeem someone?

How dare he!

He had even dared say such treasonous things at the Bureau of Music.

Didn't she, the empress, deserve some dignity?

She had to give him a proper lesson tonight to vent her anger!

"Your Majesty?"

Qi Yueli came back to her senses. "What did you say, ministers?"

"Your Majesty, please punish Gu-"

"Never mind. Whatever you said isn't important. I'm tired. You may return home for now."

"Your Majesty!"

The ministers wanted to say more, but Qi Yueli had already vanished.

Night fell.

The Gu residence.

"Senior Sister, you're finally here. What are we learning tonight?"

Qi Yueli's lips curved slightly:

"Today, let's test your Vajra Indestructibility Body and see how well you've mastered it."

Gu Yuan was brimming with confidence. "Come on, Senior Sister. I'm ready."

Vajra Indestructibility!

His skin turned gold.

"Very good."

Qi Yueli gave a soft huff, and her true qi surged forward like a raging wave.

???

Gu Yuan's heart skipped a beat.

With an attack like that, was she really just testing him?