Chapter 253: Father and Son Meeting?

Su Wan found the name unfamiliar and didn’t think much of it.

The surname Gu was common in Guangling Prefecture.

“You’ve heard this name before?” Qi Min noticed Ji Xuan deep in thought and dismissed it casually. “Prince Changxing is considered the War God of Xiliang and is greatly admired by the people. It’s normal for you to have heard of him.”

Ji Xuan shook his head, dismissing the thought, and gazed at Qi Min with eyes full of tenderness.

A faint smile appeared in Qi Min’s eyes, softening her expression.

Seeing the affectionate atmosphere between the two, Su Wan quietly retreated to her own room.

Qi Min watched Su Wan’s departing figure with a hint of sadness. “I didn’t get to see her marry, nor spend much time with her. The New Year is just a few days away, and I heard they’ll be departing for the Great Zhou on the fifth. Who knows when we’ll see her again?”

The closed door suddenly reopened, and Su Wan poked her head out. “The two of you could still have another child, a younger brother or sister, who could always stay by your side and make up for the regret of not being there to see a child grow. When they grow up, they could protect you in my stead.”

Qi Min was both surprised and sorrowful. “The companionship we can give would belong to another child, but the absence in your life during your growing years—nothing can ever make up for that in this lifetime.”

“Zhao’er, it’s not that we want to experience the joy and process of being parents; we simply don’t want to miss out on any child’s growth,” Qi Min said with heartfelt emotion.

Ji Xuan added earnestly, “Every child is unique and irreplaceable.”

With a sharp “bang,” Su Wan closed the door and replied, “It’s me who wants a younger brother and sister.”

Qi Min and Ji Xuan exchanged glances, their eyes filled with helplessness.

Su Wan assumed they would stay in Xiliang while she had to return to the Great Zhou. That was why she suggested they have another child, to avoid them feeling lonely in their later years.

She also worried that, out of guilt toward her, they might refuse to have another child, which was why she deliberately expressed her desire for a younger sibling.

With such a large age gap, Su Wan could practically become a mother herself. Why would she need a younger brother or sister?

“Your mother and I aren’t in the best health and are getting on in years. We’d be better suited to helping you raise a child,” Ji Xuan quipped.

Su Wan went completely silent.

Qi Min couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

—

Lady Liu returned to the residence with a radiant smile, all her earlier panic and unease completely gone.

With Gu Huaizhi now in Xiliang, she no longer felt afraid; she had already devised a countermeasure.

After reviewing Gu Yunzhen’s schoolwork, Lady Liu rubbed her aching waist, silently cursing Xu Chou for being rough and uncivilized. Yet, it was precisely this wildness that left her unable to resist.

She knew she shouldn’t entangle herself too deeply, to avoid inviting disaster, but she couldn’t help it. After all, she had never been able to have Gu Qingsong, never managed to truly make him hers.

Xu Chou was the man she had found who resembled Gu Qingsong the most.

When Lady Liu returned to her courtyard, a maid handed her a letter. “Princess Consort, someone left this at the gatehouse.”

Lady Liu opened the letter, and after reading its contents, her expression suddenly changed.

Someone had sent Xu Chou wine? Could it be that someone had discovered the secret between them?

Lady Liu gritted her teeth hard and threw the letter into the brazier, watching it burn to ashes.

The longer she waited, the greater the risk.

Lady Liu decided to act in advance.

—

The next morning, Gu Qingsong left for the military camp.

After Lady Liu gave Gu Yunzhen breakfast, he suddenly started vomiting. Anxious, she sent someone to the palace to ask Su Wan to save Gu Yunzhen’s life.

Initially, Su Wan had no intention of interacting much with Lady Liu and had planned to discuss Gu Yunzhen’s condition with Master Mingjue. However, with the sudden emergency, saving a life took priority.

Su Wan grabbed her medicine kit and headed to the General’s Residence, accompanied by Gu Huaizhi, who offered to escort her there.

The carriage sped along the road until suddenly, the horses neighed sharply and came to an abrupt halt.

“What’s going on?” Gu Huaizhi lifted the curtain and looked outside, immediately spotting a man on horseback.

The man’s appearance aligned with a hazy memory from Gu Huaizhi’s mind.