Chapter 40: Leaving the Estate III

"Have you heard? The Prince of Qi has voluntarily requested an imperial decree to return to his fiefdom!"
"Let him go back, what does that have to do with us?"
"Tsk, you think he really wants to go back of his own accord?"
"Then what?"
"He angered the Emperor, which is why he is forced to leave. I heard he isn't even allowed to take his personal bodyguards. Tsk tsk, the imperial family..."
"You shouldn't talk nonsense like this!"
"I'm not saying anything else, let's drink."
……
Hearing the conversation from the neighboring table, Yu Qingyan looked at the person opposite her and asked, unable to help herself upon seeing his indifferent demeanor, "Did you know?"
"About what?"
"The Prince of Qi, didn't you hear what they were just saying?"
"No."
"..."
"What happened to the Prince of Qi?"
"He's returning to his fiefdom."
Gu Jinshi paused slightly. Yu Qingyan raised her eyes to look at him. "What do you know?"
Gu Jinshi couldn't help finding it a bit amusing. "Are you interested in this?"
Yu Qingyan's mind raced through many thoughts instantly. This person had clearly come to assist the Leisure Prince, and very few people in the estate even knew of his existence. He was like a sharp blade deeply concealed by the Leisure Prince.

"If it's inconvenient to say, then never mind."
Gu Jinshi looked somewhat troubled. "Why do you want to know?"
Without answering, Yu Qingyan asked instead, "Why did you teach me martial arts?"
"My master said that only by becoming strong can one master one's own destiny. With your current skills, self-preservation is no longer a problem."
"Jinshi, it was the Emperor who ordered the execution of the entire Yu family. Do you think I can just remain indifferent?"
Gu Jinshi's expression changed. "So you learned martial arts for this reason?"
"Your master was right; I want to be able to master my own destiny."
"It will be very dangerous."
"I know." Yu Qingyan frowned, but this was the price she had to pay to survive.
"Is that why you married the Leisure Prince?"
Yu Qingyan was startled, not expecting him to think along those lines.
"Is the Leisure Prince trying to avenge the Second Prince?"
Gu Jinshi watched her for a long time before letting out a sigh.
"So be it. Since this is what you want, I will help you."
Yu Qingyan was somewhat puzzled. "Why have you been helping me all this time?"
Gu Jinshi suddenly looked somewhat wistful. "Actually... we met when we were children, though you might have forgotten... Of course, too much time has passed, and I didn't recognize you when I first saw you! My sect has some connections with the Yu family, and I came here precisely for the sake of the Yu family. Before the tragedy occurred, I went to see Master Yu, and his only request was for me to save your young brother, to leave a root for the Yu family. He was also concerned about you, blaming himself for failing to see through Chu Yuheng's true nature and bringing such suffering upon you."
Yu Qingyan listened quietly until he finished. "Then... did you save him?"
"I have already taken him back and handed him over to my master, so you can rest assured. If you wish to see him, I can take you there."

"No need, he is doing well there."
Gu Jinshi looked at her and continued, "As for the matter of the Prince of Qi, it was the Prince who did it."
"It was him?"
"I don't know the details. I am merely following my master's orders to help out, and he wouldn't tell me other matters."
Yu Qingyan lowered her gaze, her reflection mirrored in the wine within her cup.
It actually turned out to be him.
She hadn't expected that he had already started making his moves. Since that was the case, she would simply wait and watch how the situation unfolded.
"Qingyan."
"Hmm?"
"Are you worried about him?"
Yu Qingyan didn't react immediately. "You mean Chu Yuchuan?"
"Mm."
"Why on earth would I worry about him?"
Gu Jinshi asked strangely, "He is your husband."
"..." Yu Qingyan looked at him. "Is Chu Yuheng doing a good job as Emperor?"
"The new Emperor ascended the throne not long ago; it is still too early to judge whether he is doing well or not."