Chapter 321: His Motive

Su Wan furrowed her brows, her loathing for Ji Wufeng growing deeper.

She began to doubt his intentions just now.

Back when they were at the Regent’s Residence, the two had already torn all pretenses aside.

“I warned you before—show some self-respect. If you throw yourself at me just to get hit, then don’t blame me for showing no mercy.”

Su Wan looked at the utterly humiliated Ji Wufeng, writhing in pain, and a mocking smile curled at the corners of her lips. “If you’re not afraid of dying, then by all means, come wait for me here tomorrow.”

She met the twisted hatred in his eyes and swept her leg out in a low arc.

With a loud thud, Ji Wufeng was sent crashing to the ground. A sharp pain struck the back of his head, and the breath caught in his throat. He passed out on the spot.

Su Wan narrowed her eyes. He actually fainted just like that?

That weak?

She grew suspicious, thinking it might be a trick. Crouching down, she checked Ji Wufeng’s pulse—he really had fainted.

“What did he do to you?” Gu Huaizhi’s gaze was cold and menacing as it fixed on Ji Wufeng, as if ready to chop off the hand that had touched Su Wan.

Su Wan shook her head, then glanced at the palace maids and attendants nearby who were frozen in shock. She calmly lied with a straight face, “He tried to harass me just now. I didn’t react in time and struck him on instinct. I only meant to scare him off and didn’t use much force. He fell on his own, probably trying to frame me.”

The attendant: “……”

The palace maid: “……”

That fierce and powerful kick didn’t look like a mere scare tactic at all.

Especially the attendant—his eyes drifted toward Ji Wufeng’s lower half, and instantly, a chill swept through his own. He couldn’t help but clench his buttocks tightly.

Too fierce. Too terrifying.

Gu Huaizhi glanced at everyone’s reactions, then seemed to remember his own status. His thin lips pressed into a line, clearly displeased. He pulled out a handkerchief from his sleeve and handed it to her, tapping his own chin to signal that she should wipe hers again.

Su Wan saw his expression, and whatever joy she had felt instantly vanished.

So close, yet untouchable. How tragic.

Dissatisfied, Su Wan wiped her chin with the handkerchief. Just then, he suddenly reached out and took the handkerchief back. His fingers brushed against her chin, and he tucked the cloth back into his sleeve. When he looked up, his gaze met Su Wan’s eyes, which were curved into a smiling crescent.

“Take him back,” Gu Huaizhi instructed the attendants.

The attendants responded and carried Ji Wufeng away.

Gu Huaizhi shot her a sidelong glance, then turned and walked back.

Su Wan happily followed after him. Because of their identities, they couldn’t be alone together, so she had to find chances to speak with him along the way.

The palace maids and attendants had fallen far behind, so he slowed his pace to let Su Wan catch up. “Tomorrow won’t be peaceful. Don’t come to the palace.”

“Everyone else will be there. If I don’t show up, I’m afraid people will seize on it and start rumors. Should I leave Mother and Baozhu under the guard of the Qi Family Army and Mo Yuan?” Su Wan said uneasily. “Ji Wufeng showed up out of nowhere and pulled that stunt—was he trying to sow discord between us?”

“It’s possible,” Gu Huaizhi replied, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly in a cold sneer. “He knows martial arts.”

So why was he that weak?

So, did Ji Wufeng deliberately let Su Wan strike him so easily?

What was he trying to do?

Su Wan couldn’t figure it out. Ji Wufeng was working with the Empress Dowager, and judging by her recent movements, there was no way she would let tomorrow’s opportunity slip by. But now that he was injured like this, how could he possibly stir up trouble tomorrow?

“Don’t worry about him,” Gu Huaizhi was about to say more when an attendant came hurrying over. “My Lord, the Grand Secretary Xu is looking for you.”

“I’ll head over right away,” Gu Huaizhi said, motioning for the attendant to go on ahead. He then turned back and met Su Wan’s pitiful expression. With a soft sigh, he coaxed gently, “I’ll come back tonight.”

Seeing the red veins in his eyes, Su Wan felt a pang of heartache. “Don’t tire yourself running back and forth. Get some rest if you can—there’s a tough battle to fight tomorrow.”

Gu Huaizhi stared at her for a moment, then replied, “Alright.” As he turned, the motion of his hand was just a bit wider than usual. The two of them were standing close, and beneath the cover of his wide sleeves, their fingers briefly brushed and entwined.

Su Wan looked down at her pinky finger, her heart pounding. The unease brought by Ji Wufeng completely vanished.

The next day, before dawn had even broken, Su Wan entered the palace along with the other noblewomen.

Ji Wufeng did not appear. An attendant came to deliver a message—after yesterday’s fall, he had lost consciousness, and the injury to his head was severe. He had yet to wake up.

When Su Wan heard the news, her brows furrowed tightly. She looked up at the ink-black sky, a sense of impending storm hanging in the air, a pressing tension looming over the entire palace.