Upon hearing this, Feng Yue immediately broke free from Yi Guoru’s grip like a frightened mouse, quickly standing up and darting behind him. She buried her face against his back, not daring to move.
Yin Gezhi narrowed his eyes, his gaze growing even more hostile.
Yi Guoru frowned, slowly rising and dusting off his hands. “Why is Your Highness so tense? She’s just a maid.”
“If she’s just a maid, why is the General so persistent?” Yin Gezhi said coldly. “It seems the General’s earlier words to me were meaningless. If that’s the case, then I needn’t impose on your mansion any longer.”
“Wait!” Yi Guoru pressed his lips together. “Your Highness, forgive my presumption, but aren’t you being overly protective of this maid?”
Yin Gezhi, who had never kept anyone by his side, had taken in a maid. Even if she was sent by Xu Huaizu, this protection seemed excessive.
Previously, he had been particularly at ease with Yin Gezhi, seeing his wholehearted devotion to Zhu’er. But now, that trust seemed to be wavering.
Yin Gezhi said in a deep voice, “I am merely annoyed that the General has been deceiving me and not speaking truthfully.”
“Very well,” Yi Guoru nodded. “I apologize to Your Highness for this matter. But I don’t want Your Highness to be deceived and make unwise decisions.”
“The General’s concern is unnecessary,” Yin Gezhi didn’t even raise his eyelids. “I understand my people.”
“Then can Your Highness explain this woman’s background?” Yi Guoru asked.
Yin Gezhi paused briefly, falling silent.
In that moment of silence, Yi Guoru found his opportunity. He hadn’t seen Feng Yue’s features earlier because her face was too tightly scrunched up. But even without knowing who she was, any woman Yin Gezhi cared about this much absolutely had to be driven away.
“Your Highness, since ancient times, heroes have fallen to beautiful women. Please hear me out. Keeping this woman is fine, but you must investigate her background, lest she harbor ill intentions!”
Yin Gezhi replied, “I will investigate this matter.”
“Good,” Yi Guoru nodded. “If you need my assistance, just send word at any time.”
Yin Gezhi nodded and turned to leave, but felt the person behind him trembling slightly.
His heart tightened. He reached back, wanting to pull her into his embrace, but felt her body stiffen, absolutely refusing to come forward.
“Feng Yue?” he called softly. “Don’t be afraid.”
She wasn’t afraid—she was too close, and couldn’t help but tremble all over, desperately wanting to plunge a knife into Yi Guoru’s heart!
Yi Guoru watched with deep eyes, feeling that this woman seemed to be deliberately avoiding him. He then said, “Miss need not worry. With His Highness’s guarantee, I won’t do anything to you. However, I’ve heard that Miss’s beauty is extraordinary. Might I have a look?”
Though such a request was slightly impolite, it wasn’t excessive. However, Feng Yue kept her head firmly buried against his back, refusing to move.
“Feng Yue?” After all, they were facing the great General Yi. If they could get through today with deception, they should—they couldn’t leave any weaknesses, or it would be terrible if he caused trouble for her later.
Thinking of this, Yin Gezhi tugged at her arm, indicating she should raise her head.
Feng Yue struggled, pressing against his back with a low whimper: “No.”
“What’s this?” Yin Gezhi frowned. “Can’t show your face?”
“Your Highness,” Feng Yue tried to speak calmly, but her voice couldn’t stop trembling. “Your servant cannot face him.”
Looking at Yi Guoru, Yin Gezhi turned slightly and said in a deep voice: “Reason.”
“Can we talk when we return?” Feng Yue’s whole body trembled. “Your servant will tell you everything then.”
“Reason.”
“…” Being discovered by Yi Guoru meant death, and being discovered by Yin Gezhi also meant death, but if only Yin Gezhi knew, she still had a sliver of hope for survival.
The atmosphere around them was tense, but Feng Yue’s mind worked even faster. In an instant, she made her decision. Her knuckles turning white, she stood on tiptoe near his ear and whispered in an extremely soft voice:
“Your servant’s surname is Guan, original name Qingyue.”
His body jolted violently, Yin Gezhi’s pupils dilated, and he immediately turned around, grabbing her.
Quickly burying her head against his chest, Feng Yue trembled even more violently, feeling as if heaven and earth had been destroyed, a great flood crashing over her face. She could barely breathe!
Yin Gezhi was truly enraged now—this was genuine fury, making his previous irritations seem like mere drizzle! Though she was leaning against his embrace, a chill spread from his cheeks to his heart. Her shoulders were suddenly gripped tight, with such force that she felt they might dislocate.
She wanted to say more, but her tongue seemed frozen stiff, unable to move. She could only lightly tug at his sleeve, indicating he should leave quickly.
Even if she had to die, it should be after they left. If she were exposed in front of Yi Guoru, then everything would truly be over!
“General,” A storm raged in his eyes as Yin Gezhi spoke hoarsely, his eyes fixed on the person before him while addressing Yi Guoru word by word: “I have matters to attend to. I’ll take my leave first. Please forgive any discourtesy.”
With that, he grabbed Feng Yue’s waist and swept her away!
The doors were thrown wide open, wind gusting in from outside, bringing a wave of coolness. Yi Guoru stood stunned in the room, having no idea what had just happened. By the time he reacted, no one was left before him.
Before revealing this secret, Feng Yue had held onto hope, thinking that since Yin Gezhi had been so good to her lately, he would surely soften his heart and be willing to listen to her, at least not wanting to kill her right away.
However, reality gave her a sharp slap across the face.
Yin Gezhi gripped her, left the east courtyard, circled behind the artificial mountain, and directly pinned her against the rocks. The cold, hard pain against her back made her realize—what was she thinking about using tenderness? Even if he had loved her deeply before, once the name Guan Qingyue came out, everything from before meant nothing. She still had to die, die from her arrogance and foolishness.
A gloomy aura pressed forward. Yin Gezhi’s face seemed to come from the depths of hell, his eyes full of bone-chilling needles, piercing into her eyes like rain: “Guan Qingyue?”
The three hoarse syllables sounded like a vicious curse in the night.
He had suspected her for a long time and had investigated for a long time. She had deceived him—though he often went to the training grounds from the North Xuan Gate, he only ever took Guanzhi with him, never an eight-person or even six-person escort. She had guessed wrong. She wasn’t an ordinary civilian; her speech even carried the flavor of someone from the military. Her intentions weren’t pure; from the very beginning, she had been full of lies.
He had thought she might be a spy sent by someone, hiding by his side to gather information, or perhaps there was someone she wanted to kill, using his hand to do it.
But he hadn’t imagined that the person she wanted to kill might be himself.
Guan Qingyue, the legitimate daughter of Wei’s Great General Guan Canghai, the renowned female general Guan Qingyue! She had taken the antidote to snake venom, yet still deliberately ate the wolfberry! Someone who should have been proud and martially exceptional, yet disguised herself as this lowly, despicable, weak, and harmless figure, just to get close to him! During all those nights lying by his side, what had she been thinking?! Was she watching for when he would be most off guard, ready to plunge a knife into his heart?
What grew in his heart was not merely a poisonous plant, but a venomous snake!
His eyes bloodshot, Yin Gezhi let out a muffled groan and clenched his fist, violently striking his chest.
The hollow sound of flesh and bone made Feng Yue’s breath catch.
“Great Prince Yin,” she managed a slight smile. “Are you still willing to hear me out?”
Raising his eyes to look at her, Yin Gezhi’s gaze was ice-cold, like a freshly frozen surface, instantly sealing thousands of miles.
Seeing he didn’t respond, Feng Yue took a deep breath and said: “Your purpose in coming to Wu was nothing more than to win Wei a chance at survival. I can help you.”
“But, if you don’t want my help, as I said before, once I die here, your plans and purposes will appear with the utmost speed on Crown Prince Ye’s desk, as well as before General Yi.”
“If I can’t survive, you won’t be able to succeed either. Then let Wei’s ten thousand li of mountains and rivers slowly march toward their destined fate of decline.”