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Outside the window, willow catkins drifted in the air, portraying a picturesque spring scene of the Jiangnan region. At this moment, within an ancient small town in Jiangnan, a mysterious event unfolded in the search for the “Child of the Night Curtain.” Under the ancient pavilion in the town center, many practitioners had gathered, and the atmosphere was tense.
“Ruo Ruo, I know there were some conflicts between you and Wang Jinhe before. However, regardless of any disagreements between you, and whatever your intentions may be, you must show some restraint,” Gu Sheng said sternly, looking at his daughter.
Gu Sheng’s words made Gu Xiruo’s expression even more unpleasant. “Dad, why?”
“Su Yu’s identity as the prince was already announced on New Year’s Eve. Now, Wang Jinhe is not just a county lord; she is also the Princess of an empire. The Xie family was beheaded recently because they made a move on Wang Jinhe prematurely. They advocated for Wang Jinhe to marry the Ling Empire’s Crown Prince, but Su Yu found evidence, leading to their execution,” Gu Sheng explained solemnly.
Gu Xiruo couldn’t believe what she was hearing from her father. “Dad, you’re saying Su Yu is a prince? Wang Jinhe is a princess?”
“That’s correct.”
Gu Xiruo was stunned by the successive revelations. Xie Yang had also died.
She had only been away from the capital for a short time, and so much had happened.
And the person she wanted to eliminate had transformed into a real Princess.
If the profit-centric individuals in the Gu family were to find out that Wang Jinhe was the true Miss of the Gu family, their daughter…
Gu Xiruo didn’t even dare to contemplate this matter. Once Gu Sheng and the others knew about Wang Jinhe’s identity, her position in the Gu family would likely cease to exist.
No, she couldn’t let such a thing happen. She had to ensure that Wang Jinhe would never return to the capital.
Seeing Gu Xiruo remain silent, Gu Sheng furrowed his brow and asked, “Did you hear what I said?”
“Dad, I understand,” Gu Xiruo responded obediently, but deep inside, she harbored resentment toward Gu Sheng.
Was she still his beloved daughter? Just because of Wang Jinhe’s identity, he could do such things—truly disgusting.
“It’s good that you understand. Ruo Ruo, you must realize that our family is just a merchant family. We can’t compete with the imperial relatives. A small mistake could lead to irreversible consequences,” Gu Sheng said, looking at his daughter’s insincere expression, knowing he was putting her in a difficult position.
But what could be done now? She was a princess, a status they could only dream of.
Taking a deep breath, Gu Xiruo meekly said, “Dad, I don’t have any major conflicts with her. Why would I stir up trouble at a time like this?”
Seeing his daughter’s obedient demeanor, Gu Sheng finally felt relieved. “If you can think like that, I’m reassured.”
After discussing Wang Jinhe’s matter, Gu Xiruo shifted the topic, “Dad, why did the Qing family suddenly want us to marry into their family?”
As soon as this matter was brought up, Gu Sheng’s expression turned somewhat unpleasant.
“Ruo Ruo, I know the reason you’ve been unwilling to marry. But because of what happened to Qing Yukong before. He got injured because of you, and he still hasn’t fully recovered. You’ve been refusing marriage all this time, always finding excuses to evade it. This has angered Qing Yukong’s parents, and now they insist that you marry Qing Yukong,” Gu Sheng said, watching his daughter with concern, fearing she wouldn’t be able to accept it.
Gu Xiruo truly couldn’t accept it. She even expressed impatience, saying, “Is the Qing family out of their minds?”
It was Qing Yukong who had chosen to help, and if he got hurt, it only indicated his own lack of capability. What did it have to do with her?
The more she thought about it, the more upset Gu Xiruo became. Her frown deepened, and her expression became increasingly unpleasant.
“Is there really nothing you can do now, Dad?” Gu Xiruo asked, looking at Gu Sheng.
She wouldn’t allow herself to get married directly at this moment. She hadn’t achieved everything she wanted yet. If she got married and left the Gu family now, everything would end up in her brother’s hands, and that was something she couldn’t accept.
Gu Sheng shook his head. “The Qing family has made this demand, and the date is already set.”
Gu Xiruo’s expression became even more unpleasant. If only she hadn’t recovered, then this marriage wouldn’t be appropriate. What could the Qing family do then?
Now, Gu Xiruo dared not casually consume such things. The divine physician had already warned her that he would save her only this once, and there wouldn’t be another chance.
The opportunity for this round of treatment had been arranged by Lu Lingfeng. Compared to Qing Yukong, Lu Lingfeng was more useful to her.
As for Qing Yukong, he was nothing but a waste; incapable of doing anything right.
“Dad, I’m a bit tired from just coming back. I’ll go rest.”
“Alright, go ahead.”
However, after returning to the courtyard, Gu Xiruo didn’t rest. Instead, she sought out Lu Lingfeng to inquire about what had happened during her absence.
“Wang Jinhe’s business acumen is much better than I imagined. If we hadn’t prepared in advance this time, there would have been no chance for us in the Xie family matter,” Lu Lingfeng informed Gu Xiruo about the incident of seizing shops from Wang Jinhe.
Gu Xiruo’s expression turned somewhat unpleasant after hearing this. “Wang Jinhe is really persistent. I wonder what benefits she thinks she’ll gain from doing this.”
Seeing Gu Xiruo’s displeased expression, Lu Lingfeng reassured her, “Ruo Ruo, this matter has settled. Don’t trouble yourself with Wang Jinhe over these things.”
“Why?” Gu Xiruo was somewhat displeased. Did Lu Lingfeng also want to stand in her way?
Just the possibility of it made Gu Xiruo’s tone very unpleasant.
“I know you don’t like Wang Jinhe, but what we need to do now is to avoid any confrontation. Currently, Su Yu and Wang Jinhe have gained the emperor’s favor. If you do anything to harm them, once the emperor finds out, you won’t get away unscathed. You can deal with Wang Jinhe whenever you want, but you must be patient,” Lu Lingfeng explained, feeling helpless about Gu Xiruo’s dissatisfaction.
Why couldn’t she consider Wang Jinhe’s current status? Wang Jinhe was no longer someone ordinary people like them could offend. Lu Lingfeng wondered what Gu Xiruo was thinking.
Moreover, what was the grudge between Gu Xiruo and Wang Jinhe that made Gu Xiruo so averse to her, to the point of feeling displeased even at the mention of her name?
“Don’t remind me one by one of Wang Jinhe’s current status. It’s so annoying.” Gu Xiruo was getting tired of Wang Jinhe’s identity as a princess, and it seemed like everyone around her was reminding her of it.
Lu Lingfeng reached out and lightly tapped Gu Xiruo’s forehead. Irritated, he said, “Who am I doing this for? If it weren’t for your own good, would I bother telling you all this?”
After spending so much time together, could Lu Lingfeng not understand Gu Xiruo’s thoughts?
Gu Xiruo felt a bit impatient, though she said unhappily, “I know you’re doing it for my good, but I just don’t like Wang Jinhe. We have a grudge.”
As for the details of the grudge, Gu Xiruo didn’t disclose them to Lu Lingfeng. She didn’t say, and Lu Lingfeng didn’t ask. Looking at Gu Xiruo, Lu Lingfeng inquired, “How is your health, Ruo Ruo?”