Chapter 24: No Mercy

"Yi'er," Chi's father looked at her thoughtful expression and said softly, "Following us, you may endure hardship, but Father promises you, our whole family will treat you well."

Chi Nan Yi could see that Chi's father was somewhat restrained, knowing he still hadn't adjusted to her being the daughter of the Minister's Residence's young lady, and said with a smile, "Father, I know. I know everything."

"Little sister! Big brother will treat you well too!"

After so many years, this was the first time she had been this relaxed. She looked at the scenery outside the carriage, and the smile at the corners of her lips could not be suppressed no matter how she tried.

At this time, inside a wine shop in Jingcheng.

Gu Shaozhi held up his wine cup and kept looking out toward the street.

"Why isn't A'yan here yet?"

"What's the rush? Since A'yan told us to come, he naturally won't fail to show," Mo Ruishan looked with a half-smile at the woman sitting opposite him. "A'yan told us to come, but never said to bring you along. What are you doing here?"

"Exactly." Gu Shaozhi curled his lips. "Shameless. Since you agreed to marry into the Crown Prince's Residence as a side consort, what are you doing here?"

Mo Ruishan glanced at Gu Shaozhi. "This person was the one you brought. When A'yan gets here later, if he loses his temper, it has nothing to do with this heir."

Hearing this, Gu Shaozhi felt every hair on his head stand on end. He glared at Su Yuqing. "What are you looking at? You, a woman who's about to be married, coming to this wine shop and sitting with us grown men—you may not care about your face, but we still care about ours! I truly never expected that the Left Minister's granddaughter would be so lacking in propriety. I always thought the Left Minister was a man of great refinement! How does he have a granddaughter like you?"

Su Yuqing's eyes turned red, and she grabbed her veiled hat, about to leave.

Just then, the door of the private room was opened, and with the sound of wheels, Mo Junyan's figure slowly appeared before everyone's eyes.

Su Yuqing looked at Mo Junyan sitting in the wheelchair, and tears instantly fell. "A'yan, your legs!"

Saying this, she quickly stepped forward and reached out to touch his legs.

Before Su Yuqing's hand could get close, a long sword was held horizontally in front of her fingertips. "Miss Su, please conduct yourself with dignity."

"A'yan..."

"What are you doing here?" Mo Junyan still wore his golden mask, and his ink-black pupils reflected a cold, sharp light. With just one glance, he pinned Su Yuqing to the spot, not daring to take another step forward.

"A'yan, I heard you'd returned, so I wanted to come see you." Su Yuqing looked at his legs, tears shimmering in her eyes. "Your legs, really..."

Mo Junyan's gaze remained cold. The sight of Su Yuqing crying stirred not a single ripple in his eyes.

"What does it have to do with you?" Mo Junyan said in a low voice. "You are not close to This Prince. Is Miss Su trying to give the Crown Prince a green hat with such behavior?"

Hearing him say this, Su Yuqing's expression froze. "A'yan, how... how can you say that? I'm worried about you! You know full well, you know full well that marrying the Crown Prince was never what I wanted. Why must you mock me like this? We grew up together, we..."

"Miss Su, did you not hear our Prince's words?" Yun Shui said coldly. "Miss Su, please conduct yourself with dignity."

"A'yan, we grew up together. How can you let your guard humiliate me like this?"

"Miss Su." Mo Junyan's tone was cold, his ink-black eyes falling on her. "Are you deaf? Did you not hear what This Prince's guard said?"

"A'yan, I know you're angry—angry that I decided to marry the Crown Prince without telling you. But believe me, this truly was not what I wanted!"

Hearing her chattering incessantly in his ear, Mo Junyan only felt annoyed.

"Noisy!"

As the words fell, the long sword at Yun Shui's waist was already drawn from its sheath. Sword qi swept past, and several strands of black hair drifted down. Su Yuqing jumped in fright and stood frozen in place.

Gu Shaozhi and Mo Ruishan were also startled.

He never in his wildest dreams expected that Mo Junyan would actually harbor killing intent toward her.

Gu Shaozhi patted Mo Ruishan on the shoulder. "What's wrong with A'yan? Love unfulfilled, love turned to hate?"

Mo Ruishan shifted to the side with some distaste.

This fool's eyes were truly useless. Where on earth did he see that A'yan's love for Su Yuqing was unfulfilled?

It was clearly a case of wanting to avoid her at all costs, while Su Yuqing stuck to him like a dog-skin plaster, constantly pressing herself forward.

He had better stay far away from this idiot, or else if he provoked A'yan's displeasure later and splattered blood all over him—this outfit was this year's most fashionable style, and it was expensive!

"A'yan..."

"This Prince does not recall being so familiar with Miss Su. Even if you are the Left Minister's granddaughter, you should still address This Prince as His Highness Prince Li. If you overstep again, that hair will be your fate. Understood?"

Su Yuqing shivered and slowly nodded. "Yes, this humble daughter... this humble daughter understands."

"Then get lost."

Su Yuqing stumbled a few steps and left the wine shop supported by her maid.

Gu Shaozhi stood by the window and watched Su Yuqing, wearing her veiled hat, board the carriage. He couldn't help clicking his tongue. "She really can't see sense! A perfectly good principal consort she won't be, running off to be the Crown Prince's side consort instead." He counted on his fingers. "If I remember correctly, the Crown Prince already has three side consorts."

Hearing this, Mo Junyan's brows furrowed tightly. "What did you say?"

"The Crown Prince already has three side consorts."

"The previous sentence."

"I said she won't be a perfectly good principal consort, insisting on running off to be the Crown Prince's side consort."

Mo Junyan said in a low voice, "Principal consort to whom?"

"Who else? Naturally, His Highness Prince Li, whom everyone in Qi Guo reveres!"

"Who spread such a rumor?"

"Rumor?" Gu Shaozhi rested his hand on Mo Ruishan's shoulder. "This kind of rumor—have you heard it?"

Mo Ruishan nodded. "A'yan, the rumors among the common folk are indeed as such."

"Whichever quarter spreads it, then destroy that quarter."

Hiss—

Gu Shaozhi and Mo Ruishan exchanged a glance. They didn't believe Mo Junyan didn't know what "rumors among the common folk" meant—it meant that all of Jingcheng thought so. Could it be that he wanted to overturn this entire Jingcheng?

"Um... Your Highness Prince Li..."

"This woman—was she brought by you?" Hearing this, Gu Shaozhi's face stiffened for a moment.

"Well... not exactly. Mainly, when the servant came to tell me, I was at Elder Su's place, and she happened to overhear. She insisted on coming, saying she wanted to explain to you in person, so..."

"A'yan, this matter truly wasn't Shaozhi's fault."

"Mm, I know." Mo Junyan nodded. But before the smile on Gu Shaozhi's face could widen, he heard him say plainly, "There are some important matters in Mobei that need handling. Since you're so idle, you go!"

Hearing this, Gu Shaozhi's face stiffened. "Mo... Mobei?"

Mo Junyan paid no attention to the deathly pale Gu Shaozhi; Yun Shui pushed the wheelchair and wheeled him to the window.

After a long while, Gu Shaozhi's wailing came from the private room: "I was wrong, I really know I was wrong! I'll never dare bring that idiot again! Please spare me!"

"Bang!"

A white figure flew out of the private room and landed heavily on the corridor outside.

Gu Shaozhi got up from the ground, brushed off the dust on his body, and limped downstairs.

The people on the first floor all cast curious glances.

"What are you looking at? What are you looking at? You've never seen a young master so debonair and handsome, a gentleman as graceful as a jade tree in the wind!"