Chapter 152: Offense

Gu Huaizhi gazed at the towering pavilions that loomed faintly in the distance, his expression composed and serious. The Regent’s reluctance to see Su Wan left him wondering if she would face any difficulties or if the Regent might vent his anger on her.

Today, by personally bringing Su Wan to the Regent, Gu Huaizhi intended to reveal his true identity in front of her.

A slight frown formed between Gu Huaizhi’s brows, and a hint of unease surfacing in his heart. Would she blame him for hiding the truth, for not being open and honest enough?

This hurdle was one he would have to cross sooner or later.

Gu Huaizhi’s steps were steady, showing not the slightest hint of hesitation.

In no time, they arrived at the main courtyard entrance.

Luo Cheng arrived belatedly.

He cleared his throat. “Are you… not going in?”

“Shouldn’t we be announced?” Su Wan asked, her eyes full of confusion.

Luo Cheng cleared his throat again, glanced guiltily at Gu Huaizhi, and shook his head. “No need for an announcement. The Regent wants to see you; just go right in.”

After all, he didn’t believe the Regent would punish Su Wan.

At most… at most, the Regent might vent his anger on him afterward. Anyway, Gu Huaizhi would be there to share the burden.

Su Wan looked up at the three-story pavilion, adorned with jade railings and intricate carvings, each detail exquisitely crafted. It appeared grand and magnificent, much taller than ordinary pavilions.

“The feng shui here is excellent. From the third floor, you can take in the entire view of the capital,” Luo Cheng chuckled. “Young lady Su, if you have time another day, you can go up to the third floor and take a look.”

Su Wan had no such intention. The Regent was lenient with her because of her mother’s influence, and she didn’t want to overstep her bounds.

“Should we go in together?” Su Wan recalled the rumors about the Regent’s unpredictable temper and hesitated. “Or maybe you should wait outside?”

If she were to anger the Regent and be punished, Gu Huaizhi could still come to her rescue.

If they both went in, they would suffer together.

Luo Cheng was suddenly alarmed. “You both have to go in together!”

If Su Wan went in alone, and he had gone against the Regent’s wishes, all the blame would fall on him.

“The Regent is not in good health. If you don’t go in quickly, he might rest soon and won’t see any guests,” Luo Cheng urged them.

Gu Huaizhi gave Luo Cheng a meaningful glance. “Let’s go.”

“Is this really okay… Hey? Slow down.” Su Wan was pulled to the entrance by Gu Huaizhi.

Knock, knock.

Gu Huaizhi raised his hand and knocked on the door.

A low, hoarse voice came from inside: “Enter.”

Gu Huaizhi pushed open the door, and the outside light instantly flooded the room, dispelling the cold and somber atmosphere.

The two of them walked slowly toward the inner chamber.

The Regent, with his back to the doorway, simply sat on the couch, exuding an imposing presence like that of towering ancient pines reaching into the sky—majestic and formidable.

Perhaps because he was surrounded by familiar people, or due to his illness, his reactions were slightly sluggish. It wasn’t until the footsteps were close to his ears that he noticed there were two sets of footsteps, one of them belonging to a woman.

The Regent glanced sideways, his cold, sharp eyes like a blade cutting through a snowy night, radiating a powerful and solemn aura of severity and menace.

Su Wan paused, nervously squeezing Gu Huaizhi’s hand, and respectfully greeted, “Junior Su Wan pays respects to The Regent.”

The Regent’s gaze was piercing, firmly fixed on Su Wan. If not for the distinct aura and attire, in a fleeting moment, he might have mistaken her for Qi Min.

The same brows and eyes, almost as if carved from the same mold; on this youthful and radiant face, there was no trace of resemblance to Su Jihong.

After so many years, this was the second time he had seen Su Wan.

The first time was shortly after Qi Min had given birth. He had heard that the child was born prematurely, just over eight months.

In that moment, his blood boiled, and his heart raced with a thought that leapt vividly to mind. He had rushed back to the capital, driven by an overwhelming urge to ask if she was his child.

Qi Min adamantly denied it, saying that the child was born prematurely and weak due to an accident.

“If it were your child, it would have been full-term. How could it be so frail, like a little kitten, barely clinging to life?”

She also said, “I am married to Su Jihong; I am his wife. Even if I had your child, I would not let it be born.”

To dispel his doubts, Qi Min arranged an engagement between Su Wan and the Crown Prince.

A tidal wave of disappointment and pain overwhelmed him. The Regent felt as if he had been enchanted, allowing Qi Min to treat him with such disregard.

He left the capital that very night, and not long after, he heard the news of Qi Min’s death.

Every year on Su Wan’s birthday, he sent her a gift, yet he never once saw her in person.

What he feared was seeing Su Jihong’s shadow in her face.

The Regent stared fixedly at her face for a long moment, then found himself ridiculous. Even if she didn’t resemble Su Jihong, so what? The blood flowing in her veins was still Su Jihong’s.

He coldly withdrew his gaze and shifted his focus to Gu Huaizhi. His left hand loosely clenched into a fist, pressed against his lips as he coughed a few times. “Tingyuan^[1]Tingyuan (庭淵) is the courtesy name of Gu Huaizhi. In traditional Chinese culture, a courtesy name, also known as a “zi” (字), is a name given to a person at adulthood in addition to … Continue reading, having come first in the provincial examination, is there anything you wish for?”

“Godfather, Tingyuan only wishes for your good health; I have no other desires.” Gu Huaizhi clasped his hands in a gesture of respect and bowed.

Su Wan, shocked, looked at Gu Huaizhi, then at the Regent, whose expression remained unchanged, her mind struggling to process what she had just learned.

Gu Huaizhi is the Regent’s adopted son? The prodigy in the book, as renowned as Zhao Wei, the young man who also died young and was never seen in public with his true appearance—could he be the Regent’s adopted son?

Su Wan had long expected that Gu Huaizhi had a distinguished background, perhaps something not simple, but she never imagined he would be so deeply concealed!

When contending with the Crown Prince and Jiu Yu, he clearly could have leveraged his identity as the Regent’s adopted son, which would have given him a much greater chance of success. Why, then, did he fake his death and sever ties with the Regent’s influence?

Could it be that Gu Huaizhi’s relationship with the Regent is just a superficial one?

Or perhaps something has happened to the Regent, making this identity a liability rather than a benefit to Gu Huaizhi.

Suddenly, a thought struck Su Wan—could it be related to the Regent’s current illness?

Following the timeline, could it be that the Regent died from his illness?

Su Wan pinched her finger with her nail, trying to maintain a calm exterior despite the storm of thoughts raging within her.

“Regent, I have some knowledge of medicine. How about I check your pulse?”

Su Wan suppressed her emotions, wanting to first examine the Regent’s pulse to determine what illness he might have.

The Regent responded with indifference, “There’s no need.”

Su Wan’s presence brought back many unpleasant memories for the Regent, filling him with frustration. A hint of impatience appeared between his brows, and his deep voice carried a trace of anger: “Luo Cheng, see the guest out!”

“Godfather!” In her urgency, Su Wan addressed him as godfather along with Gu Huaizhi.

She recalled how the Regent had clearly been annoyed and displeased when he first saw her. A thought suddenly struck her: the Regent didn’t want to see her; he wanted to see Gu Huaizhi.

Otherwise, why had Luo Cheng reacted so strongly outside the courtyard, insisting that both of them go in together when she suggested Gu Huaizhi stay behind?

Although she had entered against the Regent’s wishes, he hadn’t shown anger or blamed her. Su Wan speculated that as long as she didn’t overstep her bounds, the Regent might tolerate her presence.

As she gaining some courage, Su Wan braced herself and stepped forward. Noticing the Regent’s momentary daze when she addressed him, she felt even more certain of her guess.

“Forgive my offense.” Swiftly, Su Wan grabbed the Regent’s wrist, pressing her fingers against his pulse.

The Regent, shocked and enraged, raised his hand. Su Wan cried out, “That hurts!”