Yushu said softly, “Madam was injured quite seriously. She’s already delegated all household affairs for you to temporarily manage. First Young Master’s words still carry weight—Madam truly hasn’t thought of divorcing you anymore.”

Shen Guiya snorted lightly, crossed her legs, and said smugly, “Ancient people are just ancient people, bound by all these rules and regulations. They’re so easy to manipulate.”

“Yes, Miss is clever.” Yushu smiled and bowed. “But has Miss considered what to do about the physician in the residence? If we keep him and one day he lets something slip…”

“How much silver do I still have available?” Shen Guiya asked.

Yushu ran to fetch the cosmetics box, opened it and counted. “Over three hundred taels.”

“Mm, give him fifty taels and have him take his useless son back to the countryside to live out his years in peace.” Shen Guiya covered her belly. “If I ever see him in the capital again, it won’t be this easy to talk.”

“Yes.” Yushu acknowledged and withdrew to handle the matter.

Shen Guiya hummed a little tune and continued eating fruit. As she ate, she felt somewhat dejected. Had she transmigrated just to be shut up in this courtyard? Although the Gu family brothers were all easy on the eyes, with the troublesome Shen Guiyan around, she couldn’t stretch her wings at all.

At least she was a modern person—shouldn’t she activate her golden finger and make some things that didn’t exist here to earn money?

Imagining a future of sitting atop a mountain of gold surrounded by handsome men, Shen Guiya finally felt somewhat more comfortable and began taking paper to make plans.

When Gu Chaobei returned, he went straight to Shen Guiyan’s bedside. The fever had broken, and she looked much better overall—at least she could sit up clearly to eat.

“My lord, why have you returned at this hour?” Jiang Shi looked at him curiously. “Is there nothing more at the Ministry of Justice?”

“Mm, you may leave first. I’ll handle things here.” Gu Chaobei took the bowl from her hands and sat down very naturally, looking at Shen Guiyan. “Yan’er, I have something to discuss with you.”

Shen Guiyan’s complexion was still rather pale. She nodded and looked toward Jiang Shi. Only after Jiang Shi withdrew did she ask, “What is it?”

“I’ve already begun investigating the case. I keep feeling that having you here isn’t very secure.” Gu Chaobei said with rare seriousness, “I want to send you to Liuzhou first, far from this place of troubles in the capital. After I handle matters here, I’ll bring you back. What do you think?”

This was within expectations. Although she was ill, her brain wasn’t burned out. Shen Guiyan smiled slightly. “It’s rare for you to regard me so importantly. But is the Prime Minister’s residence really not safe enough?”

Gu Chaobei shook his head. “Completely unsafe. Just look at what happened on Mother’s side—thieves come and go as if there were no one around.”

“Then if I leave, what about everyone else?”

Gu Chaobei very much wanted to say, as long as you’re settled it’s fine, why worry about others? But he couldn’t actually say this. He could only touch his nose. “You’re seriously injured and inconvenient. If others encounter danger, at least they can still run and jump.”

Shen Guiyan hesitated for a while.

This case involved people who were too important, so naturally those investigating wouldn’t be very safe. Right now Gu Chaobei hadn’t obtained any evidence yet, so he was temporarily safe and wanted to send her away while it was still safe. After obtaining evidence, he’d have no worries. She could understand and also felt it would be better for her to leave the capital temporarily.

But she was a woman—going out alone not knowing how long she’d have to stay, just thinking about it made her uncomfortable. They hadn’t even consummated the marriage yet. If something happened, how regrettable that would be.

“When do we depart?” Shen Guiyan asked this with her mouth, but had other ideas in her heart.

Gu Chaobei said, “Naturally the sooner the better. Tomorrow I’ll have people prepare a carriage. To Father and Mother, we’ll just say you’re going out to recover from your injuries. Act first, report later—even if they don’t agree, there’s nothing they can do.”

Shen Guiyan laughed softly. This man was truly as rule-breaking as always. “Alright.”

She agreed more readily than he’d imagined. Gu Chaobei felt slightly disappointed. After being together this long, having to leave him for so long—and she didn’t hesitate at all?

Previously, women around him would willingly snuggle up with just one glance from him. Of course, he couldn’t rule out that some did it for the silver, but he, Gu Chaobei, was romantic and elegant, graceful as jade among trees—no matter what, he could capture countless hearts. Why didn’t it work at all with her?

Somewhat deflated, he left the main house and immediately ran into the white-bearded physician he’d dragged back.

“You’re still here?” Gu Chaobei said glumly. “I was quite offensive yesterday. Today I’ll reward you with silver and send you back—how about that?”

The white-bearded physician smiled genially. “This old man’s surname is Liu.”

“Mm, Physician Liu.” Gu Chaobei looked at him, somewhat puzzled. Why suddenly mention his name?

“Just now I went to your residence’s pharmacy. The steward said the old physician in the residence had left to return home to live out his years in peace. Seeing this old man also carried a medicine box and asking where I came from, he said he wanted to keep me.” The white-bearded physician said, “From now on, this old man will practice medicine in your residence.”

Gu Chaobei raised his eyebrows. The previous physician was perfectly fine—why did he suddenly go home? But such trivial matters—he was too lazy to ask. He nodded. “Then Physician, please take good care of everyone in the residence.”

“Yes.” Physician Liu acknowledged, carrying his medicine box outside. Today was his first day on duty, so naturally he needed to check pulses in each courtyard. He’d heard there were many sick people in this residence—he’d have plenty to keep him busy.

Gu Chaobei went out to arrange tomorrow’s carriage. Shen Guiyan, however, endured the pain in her back and called Baoshan over for some whispered instructions.

Early the next morning, as soon as Gu Chaobei rose, he heard crows cawing outside. His brows couldn’t help furrowing into a knot.

“There’s movement from above. I don’t know what’s happening, but I saw the commander of the secret guards go to the Empress’s palace.” Yuwen Changqing had come yesterday afternoon to give him a warning. “You’d better be careful.”

Gu Chaobei thought over his arrangements and felt there shouldn’t be any problems. No matter how abnormal the Empress was, she shouldn’t make a move when he hadn’t done anything yet.

“Yan’er, let’s go.” He entered the room to carry her, but Shen Guiyan had a pained expression. “Husband, don’t carry me on your back—it pulls at my injuries. Just have four maids come in to carry me.”

Thinking about it, Gu Chaobei didn’t suspect anything. He went out to find four strong maids to come in. The person on the bed had already wrapped herself tightly in the quilt and said in a muffled voice, “Let’s go.”

The four maids carried her onto the carriage.

Gu Chaobei very much wanted to escort her personally, but thinking of Yuwen Changqing’s reminder—if he went along, it might make Yan’er even more dangerous—he reconsidered and decided against it, having Zhuiyun take along the most reliable warriors instead.

Then he sat in the main house waiting for people.

When Baoshan was wrapped in the quilt and placed on the carriage, she struggled out by herself, wrapped the quilt back into its original shape and left it in the carriage, then openly walked to sit on the carriage shaft.

“Miss Baoshan, I was just wondering where you’d gone.” Zhuiyun, driving the carriage, was very surprised and looked back at her. “Were you in the carriage all along?”

“I was already in the carriage waiting for Miss.” Baoshan smiled. “You fool, hurry up and drive.”

“Mm.” Zhuiyun’s face was somewhat red. He turned to look ahead and galloped all the way.

Shen Guiyan lay under the bed, having even taken spare pillows and mattress padding to lay out. Brocade hung down from the bed frame covering the space beneath—it was actually quite comfortable and carefree.

She didn’t want to leave, but to avoid burdening Gu Chaobei, she could only resort to this stratagem. Baoshan had already arranged for the most reliable maid to bring her meals and medicine daily. At least she wouldn’t die.

Outside, Gu Chaobei was still sitting. Shen Guiyan was very curious what he was waiting for. After half an hour, she suddenly heard an unfamiliar, cold and hard voice outside. “Master, the palace assassins’ corpses are all palace guards registered on the rolls. Half are under General Yuwen’s command.”

Gu Chaobei was silent for a while, then asked, “And the other half?”

“The palace’s Imperial Forest Army.”

“How interesting.” Gu Chaobei laughed lightly. “How is your training going?”

That voice answered with great determination, “It’s complete. We’re also familiar with the palace layout. As long as we find the right opportunity, one strike will suffice.”

“Good.” Gu Chaobei’s voice sounded very different from usual. It took Shen Guiyan great effort thinking for a long time to confirm it was indeed him.

“Then you’ll act tonight. If you succeed, you’ll have no regrets even in death.”

“Yes.”

The unfamiliar voice disappeared. Shen Guiyan didn’t even dare breathe loudly, lying completely motionless under the bed. Fortunately, Gu Chaobei didn’t stay long. Jiang Shi’s voice sounded outside. “My lord, it’s time for your meal.”

His voice instantly returned to its usual state, carrying some teasing, quite improper. “Coming. Biyue, now that Madam has left, are you very happy?”

Jiang Shi’s voice at the door was somewhat small. “What is my lord saying…”

Gu Chaobei laughed heartily. The door closed and all sounds ceased.

Shen Guiyan was somewhat bewildered. Where had that unfamiliar voice just come from? She’d never heard it before—it definitely wasn’t anyone by Gu Chaobei’s side in the residence.

No wonder he said the Prime Minister’s residence wasn’t safe.

Shen Guiyan suddenly felt a bit regretful. If she’d known, she should have obediently left. Some things—the less you knew, the safer you were.

Originally she’d thought that by deceiving even Gu Chaobei, she’d definitely be able to deceive others better. She hadn’t expected to put herself in a difficult position.

A maid came to clean and stuffed food under the bed. Shen Guiyan ate some and continued resting.

After the midday meal, Gu Chaobei seemed to return to sleep, but this fellow brought Jiang Shi in with him.

Shen Guiyan frowned. What did these two want to do? Couldn’t they go to Jiang Shi’s room? Why did they have to be here?

“My lord, this concubine was thinking that in a few more years, you’ll reach the age of capping.” Jiang Shi’s voice was much softer and more delicate than when serving her, saying coquettishly, “Originally when Madam sent Biyue here, it was to teach my lord the rules. But who knew my lord would rather self-study than let this concubine teach? This concubine is still even now…”

“Biyue.” Gu Chaobei laughed. “You don’t understand men yet? What you want to teach, I already know, so it’s not necessary. As for what you want to ask—I’ll answer you directly. How can home flowers be as fragrant as wild ones? Don’t you agree?”

“Then what about Madam?” Jiang Biyue frowned.