“I was forcibly taken from the Xie mansion by Yuqing-ge and brought here. He knows that if I were outside, I would definitely help you. Without my support, you can’t get out or do anything.”
Gu Qingtong didn’t expect Ji Chen to be confined as well. Shen Yuqing was so decisive and thorough, completely blocking her escape routes.
Gu Qingtong had no choice but to sit with Ji Chen, thinking.
Liang Luoxian indeed fell from grace, and with the commotion caused by Shen Yuqing and Yan Mang, and the Empress Dowager’s intention to seek revenge, she was likely to be completely ruined. However, she remembered that Ji Chen had mentioned Fan Xifeng before. Gu Qingtong gently touched Ji Chen’s hand: “Orange, you must still be thinking about Fan Xifeng despite not being at ease with the matter of Liang Luoxian and the Marquis of Weiyuan’s residence?”
Ji Chen was startled by her mention: “Tong’er, what did you say?”
“Orange, I don’t know about the grudge between you and Fan Xifeng. If you don’t want to talk about it, I won’t ask.”
Ji Chen looked at her hesitantly, wanting to speak but holding back.
“Keeping this bottled up inside won’t do you any good. Why not tell me and let me share your burden?”
“Always having been helped by Ji Chen, Gu Qingtong didn’t want to see her worried. Seeing her empty cup, she poured her a cup of tea. Ji Chen took the teacup and suddenly gulped it down: ‘Tong’er, I once served as a matchmaker for Fan Xifeng and the second young lady of the Lin family. Fan Xifeng is a libertine, as you know. He couldn’t violate me, but while sharing a bed, he tied me to the bed, touched and kissed me, and used many bedroom implements to torment me. For an entire night, I was gagged and immobilized, enduring humiliation. When I finally escaped that painful situation, I could do nothing because I was just a qing maiden, at most disrupting his marriage to the Lin family. But this disruption was exactly what he wanted. I always wanted revenge, but later I couldn’t find him, unable to even seek vengeance.’
Gu Qingtong was shocked, her mouth agape. Her intimate friend not only carried family hatred but had also suffered such humiliation. If she had known, she would have castrated him! Ji Chen looked at Gu Qingtong’s shocked expression, crying with swollen red eyes: ‘Although I have shared a bed with many men, I have always remained pure. But he destroyed my innocence and once used the incident to threaten me. He said he had drawn my body and made an album. If I didn’t comply, he would distribute the book, letting everyone know about my situation.'”
Gu Qingtong also shed tears: “My orange, I never thought you had suffered so much. You are actually more miserable than me. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Tong’er, you were once so proud. If I told you, you would surely seek revenge for me. We are both just insignificant qing maidens. How could I harm you?”
Gu Qingtong hugged her tightly, saying hatefully: “Orange, Fan Xifeng is in my adoptive father’s hands. If you want revenge, you can ask my adoptive father. Once we leave here, I’ll go to my adoptive father and have him castrate Fan Xifeng, unable to live or die.”
Ji Chen nodded heavily: “I’ll wait.”
Gu Qingtong took out a silk handkerchief and wiped her tears: “Good orange, don’t cry. Your crying breaks my heart. From now on, we’ll be fine. If anyone bullies you, I’ll teach them a lesson.”
“Mm.” Ji Chen stopped crying, and suddenly burst into laughter.
“Good orange, you look much prettier when you laugh like this.” Gu Qingtong, hearing her laugh, finally felt relieved.
Ji Chen was silent for a moment, then leaned close to her ear: “Tong’er, I have a way to get out.”
At night, Ji Chen and Gu Qingtong shared a bed. After midnight, Ji Chen suddenly suffered severe abdominal pain, breaking out in cold sweat.
Gu Qingtong was terrified, immediately calling for Shen Yuqing.
Shen Yuqing examined her and urgently called a doctor. Even after brewing a large bowl of medicine, she showed no improvement.
Ji Chen asked Shen Yuqing to invite a female doctor from the Huahao Yueyuan Pavilion. After checking her pulse and brewing a new medicine, she finally recovered.
Shen Yuqing, seeing her face gradually return to color, was relieved. But upon going out, he discovered Gu Qingtong was missing. He hurriedly dispatched people to chase the female doctor, only to find the doctor in the carriage, with no trace of Gu Qingtong.
Ji Chen watched him enter in a rage and turned to the inner side of the bed, avoiding his gaze.
“Ji Chen!” Shen Yuqing was so angry he threw his sleeves.
Ji Chen softly laughed, still facing away: “Brother Yuqing, you know Tong’er’s heart is not with you. Keeping her physically won’t keep her heart, and it only makes her sad. You might as well let her go.”
“Ji Chen, how dare you! Don’t think I won’t do anything to you!”
Ji Chen slowly turned, smiling brightly: “Brother Yuqing, what do you want to do to me?”
Shen Yuqing was tough in words but couldn’t actually do anything to her. He angrily swept the cups off the table: “Ji Chen, well done!”
“Brother Yuqing, pursuing someone who doesn’t love you – why not give me a chance?” Ji Chen slowly got up. When she stepped on the ground, she stumbled forward.
Although Shen Yuqing hated her for letting Gu Qingtong go, they had grown up together. Seeing her genuinely weak, he quickly caught her.
But her momentum was strong, and he was unprepared, so she fell on top of him.
Ji Chen, thinking she would fall, instead landed on a soft body, and smiled slightly at Shen Yuqing: “Brother Yuqing, you still care about me.”
Shen Yuqing was helpless, laying her on the bed: “Just rest. If I can’t find Tong’er, you…”
“What?” Ji Chen raised an eyebrow.
Shen Yuqing, though not as deeply connected to Ji Chen as to Gu Qingtong, was still a childhood playmate. He couldn’t respond for a moment, glared at her, and slammed the door.
The door slam startled Ji Chen, but she quickly collected herself, a smile playing on her lips: “By now, Tong’er should have reached the Pavilion Master.”
Han Yue’an heard that Ji Chen wanted to find a female doctor to enter the mansion, and he guessed their strategy. Therefore, after Gu Qingtong quietly left Shen Manor with the female doctor beside Han Yue’an, Han Yue’an arranged another carriage to take her away, leaving only a decoy carriage for Shen Yuqing.
Gu Qingtong arrived at Han Yue’an’s courtyard and saw his worried face, her eyes reddening: “Adoptive father.”
“Tong’tong,” Han Yue’an affectionately stroked the back of her hand, “Come in, the sun is harsh, don’t stay outside.”
“Mm.” Gu Qingtong glanced at the sunlight spreading in colorful hues beneath the tree shadows and lifted her skirt to enter the room.
The conversation continues with Han Yue’an reassuring Gu Qingtong and outlining the necessary precautions for their mission.
“It’s time-sensitive, and we’ll have to act quickly. Shen Yuqing won’t expect your departure to be so soon.”
Gu Qingtong felt a surge of determination. “I won’t let you down. I’ll get the map to Jiang Shangheng and make sure everything remains discreet.”
“Good luck, and remember to stay vigilant,” Han Yue’an replied before they parted ways.
Han Yue’an was silent for a while, his knuckles tapping the table: “I remember General Qia Xi left over ten children with you?”
“Yes, originally meant for me to help educate them, but now I can barely take care of myself. General Qia Xi probably forgot. They seem to be still at the Old Prince’s residence?”
“Mm, I’ll pick a few to accompany you on the road.”
“That might be inconvenient.”
“No, they each have exceptional skills and are small in stature, agile and flexible. Picking three to follow you would be best.”
Gu Qingtong understood Han Yue’an’s concerns and thought his plan was not bad, nodding in agreement.
