At high noon.

The Gu residence had laid out the midday meal.

Being New Year’s Eve, the dishes were exceptionally lavish.

Gu Yi finally got her wish of enjoying a hot pot of lamb.

White steam rose, the broth bubbled, and the aroma wafted in all directions.

Men and women sat at separate tables, with Gu Zhao remaining in the inner quarters due to his young age.

He sat beside Gu Yi, dressed in red clothing just like her.

Gu Yi secretly avoided others’ attention and gave him a red envelope.

Gu Zhao accepted it, his eyes darting about as he smilingly tucked it into his bosom, “Thank you, Elder Sister…”

Gu Yi smiled, her eyes curving into crescents, and made a wish, “Study well in the future, and Elder Sister will give you other novel playthings.”

But Gu Zhao shook his head and spoke with unexpected maturity: “Studying is not for material gain, but to be without shame. The teacher says that according to Confucius and Mencius, those who seek the great way should not be ashamed before heaven, nor embarrassed before men. Even knowing something cannot be achieved, still striving for it—that is being true to oneself and one’s nature.”

Fine then…

Gu Yi laughed softly and urged him, “Eat, eat.”

The feast in the front hall continued until midnight, when the moon was bright and stars were sparse.

The Gu family servants lit firecrackers outside the gate, with red fragments dancing and exploding across the sky.

The servants began offering auspicious phrases, and Madam Gu rewarded them one by one, smiling so broadly she couldn’t close her mouth, busily saying, “Great fortune, great profit, peace and safety.”

Zhao Wan stood half a step behind Gu Yi and said softly, “Congratulations, Jieyu, Happy New Year.”

Gu Yi turned around and replied with a smile, “Happy New Year to you too.”

As midnight approached, Gu Yi returned to her chamber.

Tao Jia brought a bowl of sleeping medicine, “Madam has had a tiring day. Master Gu and the young master are still drinking in the front hall, enjoying themselves. They instructed that Madam need not wait up. Drink this medicine and retire to bed…”

This medicine was a prescription Tao Jia had obtained from the Imperial Physicians. Throughout their journey south, she had slept well thanks to this medicine.

Gu Yi accepted it and drank. The medicine wasn’t strong or bitter, with lingering sweetness from the licorice.

After washing up, she fell asleep immediately.

And so the year passed by in her sleep.

When the Hour of the Dragon arrived.

In the Gu residence, the smell of firecrackers had not yet dissipated, and the first sunrise of the New Year had not yet emerged.

Tao Jia, wearing a chestnut-colored cloak, avoided the servants who were cleaning and tiptoed into Gu Yi’s chamber.

The silver charcoal had burned down to its end, with faint embers glowing. Gu Yi lay on the wooden couch, her arm exposed outside the brocade quilt, breathing deeply, sound asleep.

Tao Jia gently placed her arm back under the covers, then bowed and retreated outside the curtain, kneeling on both knees.

She whispered, “This servant bows in gratitude for Jieyu’s kindness. This servant… has lived half a life in strict propriety… and only wants… for His Highness’s sake, to be reckless just this once…” Tao Jia made a deep bow, “This servant is leaving… Jieyu, take care…”

At exactly the Hour of the Snake.

Xiaoyan and Wang Zibai met outside the Gu residence and rode together toward the Zhou family tea garden outside the city.

The sky was high and clear, and the warm sun faintly spread over the six-foot official road outside the city gate.

Gu Yi was awakened by a knife-twisting shock of pain.

She opened her eyes, feeling as if her head would split open. A familiar white light flashed in her mind, seeming both distant and near.

The pill!

Why had this plot’s death signal come again?!

Had some part of the plot collapsed?

Enduring the throbbing pain in her head, Gu Yi hurriedly rolled out of bed.

She haphazardly put on a plain moon-white cross-collared dress, casually threw on a black fur cloak that lay beside the bed, slipped on leather boots, and rushed out the door.

By now, daylight was bright. She ran to the courtyard, grabbed a servant, and urgently asked, “Where is Madam Wan at this moment?”

The servant, seeing her fierce expression and disheveled hair, said in shock, “Madam… Madam Wan is still in her chamber. This servant just checked on her, and Madam Wan seemed to be embroidering…”

So it’s not the female protagonist!

Gu Yi pressed her hand to her forehead and asked further, “Where is the young master? Where is he?”

The servant tremblingly replied, “The young master… the young master seemingly left early this morning with Official Wang for the Zhou family tea garden at Mount Li outside the city…”

He had left early, and she had slept so deeply that she had no awareness of it…

Zhou family tea garden…

This journey to Fuzhou was originally just a side plot outside the main storyline.

Was Xiaoyan’s tea garden excursion already seriously deviating from the main plot?

As Gu Yi pondered, she quickly walked toward the outer courtyard, “Quickly, send someone to prepare a carriage. I need to go to the Zhou family tea garden outside the city!”

Seeing her anxious expression, the servant immediately obeyed, not forgetting to inform Madam Gu.

As Gu Yi was boarding the carriage, Madam Gu hurriedly approached and stood outside the curtain, asking, “Xiao Yi, what are you going to do? The young master’s party is presumably there on official business. Why do you need to go?”

As she spoke, she instinctively reached out and gripped the carriage window tightly, anxious to detain Gu Yi.

Gu Yi, her head splitting with pain, leaned against the carriage wall, took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and tried to speak as normally as possible, “I’m a bit worried and thinking about the young master. I just want to go take a quiet look at him. I’ll go quickly and return quickly. Mother, please don’t worry.” After speaking, she urged the carriage driver, “Let’s go, quickly to Mount Li and the Zhou family tea garden outside the city!”

Madam Gu stood rooted to the spot, momentarily stunned, and could only watch as the blue cloth carriage gradually receded into the distance.

The carriage sped toward the outskirts of the city.

When the sun began to slant slightly westward, Gu Yi finally saw a low hill: Mount Li.

The Zhou family tea garden was on top of Mount Li.

The driver said with difficulty, “Madam, there’s no road on this low hill. It’s difficult for the carriage to proceed.”

Gu Yi’s headache, upon reaching this point, miraculously eased slightly, and her heart relaxed a bit.

It seemed she had guessed correctly!

She lifted the carriage curtain and saw the small mountain path winding upward, “It doesn’t matter. The mountain’s slope is gentle. Just stop here, and I’ll go up myself.”

The driver reined in the horses and stopped.

After getting out of the carriage, Gu Yi quickly made her way up the mountain.

She needed to see Xiaoyan early to completely set her mind at ease.

Just as she reached the middle of the mountain, the sound of clashing swords suddenly erupted.

Gu Yi’s heart sank heavily, and her steps quickened as she hurriedly ran toward the source of the sound.

A heavy smell of blood came rushing toward her.

Hurried footsteps, bowstring sounds, all in chaotic disorder.

After climbing the last few stone steps, she saw the winter tea garden withered, its greenery reduced, and the yellowish dead branches covered layer upon layer with frost.

Zhou Tinghe, looking at the dozen or so black-clothed masked men who had suddenly appeared from nowhere, immediately became flustered.

The guards brought by the Imperial Guest numbered only twelve. Although they were skilled fighters, the black-masked men were all fierce warriors.

Murderous intent lurked everywhere, with blades dripping blood.

Their target was the Imperial Guest.

No, it was the Emperor.

Zhou Tinghe, escorted by two or three loyal tea garden servants, retreated hurriedly toward the wooden building in the garden.

But glancing up, he spotted a black shadow wielding a long knife, emerging from behind a cluster of bushes, heading straight for the Emperor’s back.

Merchant Gu!

At this moment, the Emperor, holding a short knife, was struggling to deal with the two masked men in front of him.

Zhou Tinghe was about to cry out when he saw a black fur-clad figure running rapidly from the stone steps.

Her leather boots trampled over the dead grass as she moved like the wind toward the Emperor.

When he saw her face, Zhou Tinghe was shocked beyond measure.

Gu Yi!

Gu Yi climbed onto the stone platform and happened to see a large man with a curly beard raising his knife toward Xiaoyan’s back.

Xiaoyan’s black robe was layered with blood, his hair crown had long fallen off, but she recognized his silhouette.

“Damn… it!”

Gu Yi flung herself forward.

The long knife tore through cloth and pierced flesh.

Xiaoyan heard the commotion behind him and immediately understood.

Blades and swords are blind, life and death are fated.

Today in this tea garden, they were outnumbered, and the imperial guards lived and died for him.

Those who died in his place would have their clans well treated and would receive generous burials in the future.

Xiaoyan, wielding his sword against the enemy, had already killed until his eyes were red. He had no heart to look back.

Until Zhou Tinghe’s heart-wrenching cry reached his ears.

“A Yi!”

Xiaoyan swung the short knife in his hand, slitting the throat of the person in front of him.

Only then did he turn to look.

Blood soaked the plain clothes, and the person before him was like a tattered snow-white kite, falling limply and silently.

Gu Yi.

Xiaoyan’s heartbeat and breathing both paused, and an endless, desolate emptiness arose from his chest.

He was stunned for a brief moment before reaching out to catch Gu Yi’s falling body, himself sinking to his knees on the muddy ground.

At this moment, Xiaoyan felt it was absurdly ridiculous.

Why would Gu Yi be here…

Wasn’t Gu Yi always the most delicate…

The most afraid of pain…

Gu Yi, in his arms, had soft limbs, but her chest seemed light and thin, with only the iron sword piercing her chest feeling heavy.

So heavy… he almost couldn’t hold her.

Gu Yi felt intense pain in her chest and a sweet metallic taste in her throat.

The white light in her mind grew more intense, and her eyelids became heavier and heavier.

She summoned all her strength to barely open her eyes.

Before her, Xiaoyan’s face was half-covered in blood, yet he showed no expression, staring at her almost numbly.

Indeed, he didn’t cry, she knew it!

She was dying, and Xiao Gouzi wouldn’t even cry!

Gu Yi suddenly felt so angry!

Why was it that when Zhao Wan took a sword for Xiaoyan in the book, the blade beautifully grazed her right shoulder, she recovered in half a month, and then jumped several ranks, getting promoted with a raise, advancing to Concubine Wan.

But damn it, when it came to her, it was like a kebab skewer piercing through her heart and his, running them both through with one sword!

Unfair! Is this the risk of crossing over into a different story?!

Gu Yi’s lips moved slightly. She took a deep breath, about to speak.

The white light in her mind suddenly blazed, dazzling and blinding, forcing her to close her eyes.

In her heart, she thought bitterly, it’s just as well he doesn’t cry!

Goodnight, Xiao Gouzi!

The body in his hands suddenly sank, her shallow breathing abruptly stopped, and then there was nothing.

Around them, swords clashed, and the wind howled like cranes.

Xiaoyan only felt a buzzing in his ears, and his temples slowly began to throb with pain, as if a fine needle was being inserted inch by inch.

His Adam’s apple moved slightly, and his cheek gently pressed against her cheek.

Still warm.

He said softly, as if afraid to disturb her good dream, “Gu… Yi…”

But Gu Yi, as if asleep, did not answer him.

All along his journey, his hands had been stained with blood, his sins of killing growing heavier.

He had finally met with retribution.

Gu Yi took a sharp breath.

She opened her eyes immediately, and the heavy feeling in her chest gradually dissipated.

Hot, her whole body felt hot.

Her back was pressed against the wooden couch, already damp with a layer of sweat.

On a summer morning, daylight was just breaking, and the hazy sunlight filtered through the carved windows into the green gauze embroidered bed curtains.

She smelled a familiar floral fragrance.

This was the west wing of Xiu Yidian.

Gu Yi let out a long sigh, her heart filled with mixed emotions, unable to describe exactly what she felt.

Tao Jia, standing by the curtain, noticed that the beauty on the couch had awakened. She reached out to lift the bed curtain and asked, “Has the beauty awakened?”

Gu Yi softly responded with an “Mm.”

Tao Jia was silent for a moment, then smiled and said, “Today is the fifteenth of the sixth month, the day for the selection. Does the mistress want to prepare something?”