Chapter 263.1: The Truth Revealed

Arrows tipped with flames tore through the air, heading straight for the carriage.

Qi Sixteenth, who was driving the carriage, drew his sword and deflected the fiery arrows. Quickly, he pulled two pellets from his chest pocket and hurled them toward the tops of the walls on either side of the alley. With a loud “bang,” they exploded, releasing a thick cloud of smoke. Those lying in ambush atop the walls inhaled the poisonous fumes and fell one after another.

Su Wan lifted the curtain and glanced at the walltops, which were now emitting white smoke. “Sixteenth, go and see who they are.”

“Yes,” Qi Sixteenth responded, his movements agile as he leapt up the wall.

He grabbed the people hanging on the wall and casually tossed them down.

Gu Huaizhi examined them briefly, confirming that these were merely ordinary hired guards.

Su Wan drew an arrow from the quiver and inspected the arrowhead, discovering it was coated with deadly poison.

Su Wan let out a cold laugh. “Lady Liu is clearly ensuring we don’t leave here alive.”

At that moment, Mo Yuan arrived, driving a carriage.

“Master, Liu Mao hasn’t left Prince Changxing’s residence. I’ve already stationed people at the gate. Liu Rongran has been captured. How do you plan to deal with him?”

“Detain him for interrogation,” Gu Huaizhi said, casting a glance at the guards sprawled on the ground. “Send these men to Prince Changxing.”

“Understood.” Mo Yuan hoisted the men onto the carriage.

Qi Sixteenth followed to assist.

After finishing, Mo Yuan headed back toward Prince Changxing’s residence.

Su Wan thought of Gu Yunzhen and asked, “How will Prince Changxing deal with Lady Liu?”

She worried he might be softhearted.

“How Prince Changxing deals with Lady Liu is his concern. However, since Lady Liu has crossed me, their fate is already sealed.” Gu Huaizhi’s eyes darkened; he had no intention of sparing Lady Liu.

Su Wan felt relieved. “Let’s not wait until after the new year to return to the Great Zhou. Shall we set out tomorrow? Second Brother and Third Sister are secluded with Elder Jiang for their studies, leaving only Mother in the capital. She must be feeling lonely.”

What she worried about most was Lady Liu causing trouble, sending people to the Great Zhou to harm Mother Gu.

Although there were people protecting Mother Gu, Lady Liu’s underhanded methods were difficult to guard against completely.

“Alright,” Gu Huaizhi agreed.

——

Prince Changxing’s Residence

In the eerie and gloomy dark prison, the walls were lined with torture instruments, stained with dried blood.

Xu Chou and Lady Liu were confined in one of the cells.

Prince Changxing stood at the doorway, listening to the muffled groans of pain from within. His face remained emotionless, the flickering orange firelight casting shadows on his features, unable to melt the icy coldness that seemed to envelop him.

A small square window in the door allowed him a clear view of the scene inside. Xu Chou’s body was covered in whip marks of varying depths, yet his lips remained tightly sealed, refusing to utter a word.

And Lady Liu lay slumped on the ground, her face deathly pale, one of her small fingers severed.

“Your Highness,” a guard stepped forward and asked, “What are your orders?”

Prince Changxing pondered for a moment before saying, “Interrogate them separately.”

The guard, though inwardly surprised, asked no questions and went inside to instruct the torturers to separate the two prisoners.

Before long, Xu Chou was dragged out.

Gasping heavily to ease the pain, Xu Chou was drenched in cold sweat. The veins on his forehead bulged visibly, and his eyes, brimming with hatred, locked fiercely onto Gu Qingsong, who stood at the doorway.

With a loud “clang,” Xu Chou was locked into a separate dark cell.

Gu Qingsong waited for two full minutes before entering Xu Chou’s interrogation room.

Xu Chou’s hands were shackled and suspended by iron chains, his body covered in injuries with no unscathed area left. A guard held a red-hot branding iron, ready to press it onto his chest. The moment he saw Gu Qingsong enter, the guard immediately stepped aside.

“Your Highness.”

Gu Qingsong waved his hand, signaling them to step back.

Xu Chou glared fiercely at Gu Qingsong, his eyes bulging with fury.

“Xu Chou.” Gu Qingsong’s gaze fell on his face, noting the fake scar on the bridge of his nose. Even he could barely distinguish what was real and what wasn’t on that face. “Lady Liu couldn’t withstand the punishment and has confessed everything. Seven years ago, you all…”

He deliberately paused, carefully observing Xu Chou. Noticing Xu Chou’s pupils contract and his sudden tension, Gu Qingsong’s expression remained calm and composed.

“This prince will give you a chance,” Gu Qingsong said evenly. “If you confess truthfully, and if Lady Liu hasn’t lied to deceive me, I will grant you what you desire.”

Xu Chou stared intently at Gu Qingsong, trying to discern any clues from his expression. Had Lady Liu truly confessed everything?

What did she confess? Did she reveal anything about Zhen’er? Or perhaps Lady Liu hadn’t said a word, and Gu Qingsong was merely trying to trick him?

Gu Qingsong’s expression suddenly turned icy, his voice ruthless. “If she still dares to deceive me, I’ll send both of you down the Yellow Springs to keep each other company.”

Xu Chou forced himself to stay calm, carefully analyzing Gu Qingsong’s words. Lady Liu was cowardly and desperate to survive; there was no way she would confess Gu Yunzhen’s true parentage!

No one understood better than him that Gu Qingsong had never cared for Lady Liu and hadn’t touched her in all these years. If Gu Qingsong found out about her affair, he would only see it as a blow to his pride as a man.

The fact that Gu Yunzhen wasn’t his son made the situation exceptionally grave. If Gu Qingsong already knew the truth about Gu Yunzhen’s parentage, he wouldn’t be interrogating him so calmly. He would have executed both of them with a single sword stroke on the spot, rather than going through the trouble of extracting a confession.

Lady Liu knew this well—she could admit to anything else, but this secret had to stay buried forever.

“Seven years ago, I met Lady Liu. She told me I resembled her lover and helped me several times. She was beautiful, gentle, and considerate, always resolving my troubles. It was hard not to fall for her.

At the time, I didn’t know she was already married. I only knew she had lost a man. Later, I found out she was the wife of none other than Prince Changxing. I was terrified and wanted to back away, but she refused to let me go. She kept me under her control, and if I dared to escape, she had countless means to deal with me. That’s how this shameful relationship was maintained.”

“Yesterday, she came to see me and told me about what happened between her and you. She begged me to impersonate you and sow discord between you and Gu Huaizhi, promising that if I succeeded, she would grant me my freedom. In a moment of weakness, I agreed.”

Xu Chou gritted his teeth and said, “I didn’t expect Gu Huaizhi to be so sharp. He quickly noticed something was off and had me captured. That’s all there is, nothing more.”