“What’s this? You don’t want me to accompany you? Then go tell Father.”
After saying that, Gu Yue folded her arms and stood aside, looking at Gu Heng leisurely.
Gu Heng knew her father was still furious. If she offended him again, the consequences could be dire. In the end, she nodded and allowed Gu Yue to tag along.
Before long, Ziyun and Qin Momo finished packing her things.
Though Fu Yiniang had once been favored, the County Magistrate’s household was ultimately controlled by the official wife.
In his youth, the magistrate was poor. It was only thanks to the support of the richest family in Changle County—the Qin family—that he could take the imperial exams and rise in rank.
Later, the Qin family’s legitimate daughter, Qin Rou, married him, and they became husband and wife.
Qin Rou had always been proud and domineering. After marrying into the Gu family, she believed the Qin family had done Gu Changfan a great favor. She took complete control of the inner household, forbidding any maid from sharing his bed, let alone letting him take a concubine.
Perhaps her control was too strict, resulting in rebellion. Three years after their marriage, Gu Changfan brought home a stunning beauty from Qianchun Brothel—Shen Fu. Despite the risk of a major falling-out with the Qin family, he insisted on making her a concubine.
Later, Shen Fu adopted Gu Heng. In Qin Rou’s eyes, that mother-daughter pair was like a poisonous thorn.
Though Qin Rou never publicly tore into Shen Fu, her private criticisms were relentless.
So to this day, the rooms of Gu Heng and her auntie had very few valuables.
Eventually, Gu Heng’s gaze fell on a pure white jade pendant.
It was made of top-grade mutton-fat jade, glowing faintly with a clear luster. It was clearly precious. On its back, in a hidden spot, the character “Heng” was carved.
Yiniang once said this pendant had been with Gu Heng ever since she was found wrapped in swaddling clothes.
Thinking of this, Gu Heng carefully packed it away, placing it close to her body.
***
They set off before night fully fell.
Gu Heng, still unwell, leaned against the carriage, drowsy the whole way.
When the carriage reached a slope, a sudden screeching sound rang out, and it jolted violently.
Startled by the abrupt movement, Gu Heng couldn’t steady herself and hit her forehead against the carriage wall, which soon turned red.
Seeing this, Ziyun quickly covered the wound and scolded angrily, “What’s going on up front? The carriage jostled so hard—it hurt my lady!”
Soon after, the driver lifted the curtain and apologized. “I’m terribly sorry, Second Miss. The carriage has broken down. I’m afraid it can’t be fixed anytime soon.”
“What? Didn’t you check it before leaving?”
The driver was speechless under Ziyun’s scolding and could only keep apologizing.
Beside them, Qin Momo looked up at the darkening sky, her expression grim.
“It’s almost night, and it’s snowing heavily. What now? We can’t just stay here freezing!”
Just then, Gu Yue’s voice came from behind.
“In that case, why doesn’t little sister ride with me?”
Gu Heng frowned and looked back to see Gu Yue stepping down from her far more luxurious carriage, holding a hand warmer.
Her carriage was clearly hundreds of times better.
As the County Magistrate’s legitimate daughter, backed by one of the wealthiest families in Changle County, she had always lived in luxury. Even her hand warmer was worth a commoner’s annual expenses.
Strangely, though Gu Yue seemed kind, Gu Heng couldn’t shake off the unease.
Kindness without reason is either treachery or theft.
Let alone, their relationship had never been good—one could say they had always been rivals.
When Gu Heng didn’t reply, Gu Yue came up to her and held her hand.
Alarm bells rang in Gu Heng’s mind. She instinctively pulled away.
“No need. I wouldn’t dare burden you with your carriage. I’ll just wait here while the driver reports back for a replacement.”
Seeing her refusal, a flicker of malice flashed in Gu Yue’s eyes, though she quickly hid it.
Undeterred, she placed a hand on Gu Heng’s shoulder and led her toward the edge. “What are you saying? It’s just a carriage. Even if I gave it to you, it’d be no big deal.”
Unknowingly, they had reached the edge of the slope. Gu Heng suddenly had a bad feeling. Looking down, she saw a sheer cliff, unfathomably deep.
Just as she tried to step back, a force struck her from behind. Spinning around, she saw Gu Yue’s face twisted with hatred.
“If you won’t ride with me, then go to h*ll!”
Gu Heng lost balance and plummeted toward the cliff, grabbing a patch of grass at the edge just in time, clinging on desperately.
Gu Yue crouched above, looking down smugly. “This is your fate. Who told you to live under the same roof as me? Next life, pick a better family!”
Ziyun and Qin Momo, seeing what was happening, rushed forward in horror—but were blocked by the coachman.
“This is the young ladies’ business. Don’t interfere.”
Ziyun panicked, stomping hard on the coachman’s foot and trying to rush past him. But he shoved her to the ground, leaving her in pain and unable to move.
Tears streamed down Ziyun’s face as she struggled.
“Eldest Miss, no matter what, Second Miss is still your sister! You can’t do this!”
Hearing Ziyun’s desperate cries, Gu Heng’s nose burned, tears threatening to fall. Meanwhile, Gu Yue’s disgust grew stronger.
“She’s just a maid. If you care so much, then go die with your lady. I won’t stop you.”
Then, Gu Yue stomped on Gu Heng’s hand, trying to force her to let go.
Perhaps it was the instinct for survival, but Gu Heng suddenly found strength. She dragged herself back up the cliff—and in one motion, shoved Gu Yue down.
In the midst of their struggle, she clutched Gu Yue’s clothes tightly—if she was going to die today, she would drag someone down with her!
Gu Yue was further enraged by the tug and fought back with even more force.
In her panic, Gu Heng grabbed Gu Yue’s clothes, trying to drag her down with her. But the fabric couldn’t withstand such tearing, and with a loud rip, it split apart.
Seeing the vicious look on Gu Heng’s face, Gu Yue’s heart skipped a beat.
If she didn’t get rid of this wretch today, the consequences could be endless.
Seeing Gu Heng lose her strength and tumble back a few steps, Gu Yue rushed forward and gave her a fierce push!
The next moment, under everyone’s watchful eyes, Gu Heng suddenly fell off the cliff—
“Second Miss, no—!”
***
For a moment, the howling wind screamed past her ears.
The cries of Ziyun and Qin Momo became more and more distant.
It was the middle of winter—she should have felt cold, but for some reason, it was as if time had frozen.
No one knew how long had passed before she seemed to land squarely on a tree. The branches tore her back, but at least helped cushion her fall a bit.
Eventually, the branches couldn’t bear the weight either. Despite struggling, Gu Heng still slipped and fell again.
She had thought death was certain—but unexpectedly, beneath the cliff was a deep pond. Though it had been frozen, something heavy had clearly shattered the ice.
By sheer luck, Gu Heng survived.
Driven by a powerful survival instinct, she swam with all her might to the shore, finally collapsing in exhaustion and losing consciousness.
Unexpectedly, in that moment of unconsciousness, she had a strange dream—a dream that seemed like a past life replayed.
It turned out she wasn’t an orphan abandoned by her parents, but the lost daughter of the Yongning Marquis’s household in the capital.
She had people who loved her and cherished her. After she went missing, her parents cried day and night in sorrow.
Though raised in Changle County, she would eventually be recognized and brought back to the capital. All the riches and honor she missed out on would be repaid a hundredfold.
What’s more, she had a fiancé—an engagement arranged since childhood. The young master of the Xie family was handsome and elegant, an excellent candidate for a husband.
Unfortunately, the good fortune in the dream ended there.
After marrying, she was once noticed by the Crown Prince during a banquet. Her weak-willed husband, intimidated by the prince’s power, gave her up willingly.
Gu Heng refused to comply. In the dream, she tried to escape the palace, a gilded prison, countless times—only to be dragged back.
Every failed escape brought harsher punishment.
Many times, she thought she might as well die in bed—anything would be better than enduring such humiliation day and night.
At one point, her parents and brother tried to rescue her. But the Crown Prince imprisoned the entire Yongning Marquis’s family, cutting off all her escape routes.
In utter despair, only her childhood companion was willing to save her.
Shen Zhengyu had just passed the imperial exam and had little power, but he still risked his life to pull her from the fire.
Yet, before she could escape, a liangdi from the Eastern Palace handed her a poisoned cup and forced her to drink.
With searing pain, the dream dissolved into nothingness.
Gu Heng jolted awake, drenched in cold sweat.
It was a pity—the dream was too blurry, and she couldn’t remember anyone’s face clearly.
If only she had seen the Crown Prince’s appearance, she could have guarded against that enemy in advance.
The next moment, Gu Heng felt freezing cold. Looking up, she saw the moon had long since risen high.
It must be the middle of the night.
Though the snow had stopped, the cold remained piercing.
Gu Heng forced herself to get up. Today’s ordeal had been full of twists and turns, but thankfully she was still alive and whole.
She had only walked a few steps when she felt like she stepped on something.
Looking down—there was a person!
The sight shocked Gu Heng so much she fell backward.
To find an unknown person in the wilderness at midnight—dead or alive—it was terrifying.
Even someone as bold as Gu Heng was frightened.
“Hey… are you alive?”
She picked up a tree branch and poked at the figure.
No response.
Left with no choice, Gu Heng mustered her courage and placed a finger under the person’s nose.
In the bitter cold, the breath was faint—but there.
“…Good, still breathing.”
She patted her chest in relief.
Then she wiped the snow from the person’s face—and froze in shock.
“…Ah Zheng?”
In the dream just now, she hadn’t remembered anyone’s face—except for Shen Zhengyu’s.
From ages three to twelve, she had lived next door to Ah Zheng. Though not related by blood, they were like siblings.
Even though he had left without a word, Gu Heng had never blamed him.
Especially after the dream—he had been the only one willing to save her, no matter the cost.
Gu Heng bit her lip, finally making up her mind.
She had to save him.
But… it had been years. Why did he now have a red mole under the corner of his right eye?
Before she could think further, the man beneath her suddenly stirred—then in a flash, leapt up and tackled her to the ground.
He grabbed her throat tightly, choking off her breath.
Gu Heng looked up and saw the man’s eyes were blood-red. Through clenched teeth, he demanded:
“Who… are you?!”
