Chapter 186
“Gu Jing, do you want to live?”
Gu Jing was lost in thought when suddenly the person in white spoke, their voice deep and guiding, as if a divine being was questioning him about life and death.
Feeling helpless, Gu Jing wondered, could answering really make it happen?
“Of course… I want to live.”
“I’ll tell you what will happen in the future. Soon, someone will ask you to do things in the name of the Third Prince. The tasks may seem like framing Empress Cheng or the Crown Prince, or maybe framing Imperial Concubine Huang and the Eldest Prince, but in the end, the unlucky ones will definitely be Concubine Huang and the Eldest Prince.”
Gu Jing slowly lifted his head, still unable to see the person in front of him clearly, but it seemed like he could see the path ahead…
“If you successfully carry out the first task, they will then use you to do things to frame Empress Cheng and the Crown Prince. But that time, you will definitely slip up and get caught. Under severe torture, you will confess about the Third Prince and also about the previous task. This jade pendant will be the evidence. By then, the truth will be revealed. Imperial Concubine Huang and the Eldest Prince may be beyond redemption. The Third Prince and Concubine Pei will also pay the price for framing Concubine Huang.”
Gu Jing felt a chill creeping up from beneath him.
“And you will not escape the charge of treason. Unfortunately, even in death, you will believe that everything was orchestrated by the Third Prince. But in reality, everything was orchestrated by the Cheng family.”
Chu Lishu spoke slowly, as if giving Gu Jing time to digest each word, but the revelations shocked Gu Jing’s thoughts. The intricacies and manipulations involved were beyond what a low-ranking official like him, who had always been in the Qintian Observatory, could have imagined.
Every person involved in this could easily end his life with a single hand. Gu Jing felt like he had already lost thirty percent of his lifespan.
Although he had always known that meddling in the power struggles of the imperial court through the Qintian Observatory could cost him his life with a single misstep, he had not anticipated, as the white-clothed person claimed, that his life was actually destined to be sacrificed, calculated from the beginning.
He wanted to climb up, but he definitely didn’t want to die. His mentor had shown him that there was a possibility of great success in his future. Was it all for this fleeting position as a supervisor?
Gu Jing’s mind was filled with sweat as he pondered, and finally, trembling, he said, “How… can I trust that what you’re saying is true? What is the purpose behind telling me all this?”
“My purpose is naturally to have you work for me in the future because only by obeying me can you live peacefully. Of course, if you don’t obey me, I won’t kill you. You don’t even know who I am, so I don’t need to take action myself. After all, you are destined to die.”
Chu Lishu’s voice carried a low chuckle, as if he truly didn’t care about Gu Jing’s life or death. “Whether what I’m saying is true or not, won’t it be verified soon enough with the first task? Barring any surprises, it will happen in just a month.”
In a month, the Crown Prince and the Third Prince would be released from their house arrest at the Imperial Tomb. They wouldn’t tolerate watching the Eldest Prince continue to flaunt his power. They would surely act promptly.
Gu Jing’s expression turned grim. Indeed, at that time, the truthfulness of the person before him could be judged. “If… if what you say turns out to be true in a month, I’m willing to try to believe you. Will you help me escape from this struggle then?”
Chu Lishu chuckled. “What are you joking about? You’ll still have to do what they ask of you, or you’ll die even faster. I’ll just try to ensure your survival in the aftermath.”
Gu Jing gritted his teeth and fell silent.
Chu Lishu tossed the jade pendant back to Gu Jing directly. “In a few days, my people will come to find you. If you want to submit to me, then reveal the tasks they’ve ordered you to do. If you don’t want to, my people won’t bother you anymore. However, if you run into trouble later on, we won’t show up either. So, you only have one chance. Whether you take the risk or not, it’s entirely up to you.”
Gu Jing couldn’t help but tremble all over. This was putting the decision of life and death in his hands, and he found it even more frightening than being threatened by someone else.
But if everything turned out as this person had predicted, it would prove that this person’s abilities were even stronger than those of the previous group. Following someone even more powerful naturally offered a better chance of survival.
After some consideration, Gu Jing decided to wait and see. “Alright, I understand.”
Chu Lishu stood up with a gesture. “By the way, let me remind you, don’t act recklessly and take the evidence to the emperor to plead your case.”
Gu Jing’s face instantly changed color. In fact, he already knew he couldn’t handle the current situation. Even if he had ambitions, he was aware of his limited abilities. Subconsciously, he thought about giving up everything and seeking help from the emperor. Perhaps that would better ensure his survival. However, he didn’t expect the white-clothed person in front of him to see through his thoughts at a glance.
“I won’t do anything to you, as I’ve said, you’re no threat to me. But have you ever thought about why they were so generous to give you this jade pendant as a token, and why they didn’t send anyone to watch over you?”
Gu Jing finally managed to say, trembling, “They were testing me?”
“Yes, testing whether you’re worth using. If you’re too timid, you’re likely to betray them, which they won’t tolerate. And if they sense even the slightest inclination from you to reveal anything, they’ll kill you immediately and find someone else.”
Gu Jing couldn’t even kneel properly anymore.
“This could be considered as me saving your life in advance,” Chu Lishu sneered, suddenly reminded of the matter concerning destiny calculation. He couldn’t resist taunting, “Aren’t you from the Qintian Observatory? Aren’t you supposed to be good at predictions? Did you ever calculate that you’d end up in such a predicament today? If you really could predict, you should know who you need to ally with to survive.”
Chu Lishu’s mockery elicited cold laughter from Lu Yi and Lu Shi. Someone had previously claimed that His Highness would lead the country to a better future, but look at the outcome now. His Highness was the most unfortunate one. They wondered why the useless Qintian Observatory, which only knew how to speak eloquently, was even allowed to exist under the reign of this emperor.
Gu Jing wasn’t offended by the mockery; instead, he felt a sudden calmness. He spoke up, “Lord, I may not have the authority to know who you are, but please allow me to read your palm. Even if you don’t believe in it, people from the Qintian Observatory do. If I can read it clearly, perhaps I can be even more loyal to you.”
Lu Yi and Lu Shi expressed disdain, while Chu Lishu didn’t want to waste time. However, he suddenly remembered someone eavesdropping in the adjacent room.
So, from the shadows, a hand emerged. Gu Jing dared not look up to see the person, fearing retaliation, and instead focused on examining the hand he held.
As Gu Jing’s gaze lingered on every detail in the palm, the shock he felt surpassed everything he had experienced just moments ago. It even made him briefly doubt the authenticity of their teachings… It seemed exceedingly false.
In fact, regarding the identity of the visitor, although he couldn’t accurately judge, he felt it was likely similar to the previous group, working for someone else. After all, why would a master personally deal with someone like him, a mere small fry?
But the palmistry of this person before him was clearly… blood, tears, hatred, darkness, madness.
It depicted scenes of bloodshed, the return of a malevolent dragon, and ultimately, the rise to absolute power, unparalleled dominance, and the reversal of fortune.
This seemed to be the destiny of a tyrant ruler, how could it possibly be…
“How is it? Seeing something unpleasant?”
Seeing the increasingly trembling Gu Jing, Chu Lishu’s expression gradually changed.
“No… No… Surely lord is a formidable figure, I’m willing to believe in lord.” Gu Jing had never seen such a future in the palm of any member of the royal family. Although divination had its uncertainties, and it was difficult to be precise without considering facial features and the birth chart, this destiny seemed almost certain. If he hadn’t misread it, then dominion over Great Zhou was undoubtedly his. If he didn’t stick with him, who else could he turn to?
Chu Lishu furrowed his brows slightly. He could see that previously Gu Jing had been reluctant to believe, but now he appeared to have solidified some conviction amidst his fear.
Chu Lishu never believed in these things, but out of a strange curiosity, as if he wanted another force to verify something, similar to the day he worshipped the Buddha. Chu Lishu still spoke up, saying, “Since you’re so adept at reading, then read my marriage fate.”
As for Lu Yi and Lu Shi, as well as Huo Luo on the rooftop: ……
Lin Qingyang, who had been eavesdropping all along: !!!!
Just when the political intrigue was getting interesting, why the sudden change in tone? When did the male lead start caring about marriage fate? It felt a little awkward in his heart.
Gu Jing: … We at the Qintian Observatory really aren’t fortune tellers!
“Can’t tell?” Chu Lishu’s tone noticeably soured.
Hastily, Gu Jing continued, “It’s hard to determine the marriage fate of a person of your stature, but one thing is certain—it’s not good news. Would you like to hear it?”
Chu Lishu’s expression instantly darkened, and Lu Yi and Lu Shi both felt the pressure, sneaking glances at their master. They dared to assert that if Gu Jing said something displeasing to Chu Lishu, Gu Jing’s future treatment… wouldn’t be certain.
“Go on,” Chu Lishu commanded.
Gu Jing also felt an invisible pressure bearing down on him, making it difficult for him to lift his head. But he dared not reveal any more sensitive information. He could only say, “It seems… that lord may not have descendants, but if you wish to alter your fate in this regard, it’s actually not difficult.”
With this remark, the previously quiet room seemed to plunge into an eerie silence.
Huo Luo: Does it mean no offspring? Is it because of Lin Qingyang that there are no offspring?
Lu Yi and Lu Shi: Should we just eliminate Gu Jing? But the fault seems not to lie with him; it’s definitely Lin Qingyang who will misled His Highness in the future, consumed by jealousy, monopolizing His Highness’s favor, and leading to the end of the imperial lineage! Can this… can this be salvaged?
Lin Qingyang: Damn! This fortune teller is spot on! Indeed, there is no mention of descendants in the original plot. After enduring so many hardships, he harbor resentment towards the entire Great Zhou dynasty and have no desire for the Yuan clan to continue its lineage. That’s also part of his revenge. Even if his temperament has changed now, his hatred towards the entire royal family probably remains unchanged. So, in terms of descendants… it’s not something I can interfere with. I’ll just pretend I didn’t hear anything.
Chu Lishu remained silent for a moment. “Is that so?”
The response sounded somewhat ambiguous, but Gu Jing inexplicably breathed a sigh of relief, feeling less tense than before. “Yes… yes, it is.”
Meanwhile, others familiar with Chu Lishu couldn’t help but think: Did he just smile?! He actually smiled!
“Oh, alright then. Let’s call it a night, Lord Gu. Rest well, as there will be plenty more anxious days ahead,” said the white-clad figure as they gradually disappeared into the shadows, followed begrudgingly by the two black-clad individuals. This left Gu Jing alone to ponder over the night’s events.
In truth, he had concealed much of what he had seen just now. For instance, he had observed that this individual should have had many marital prospects, yet they were severed. There was also a karmic bond growing stronger, destined to cause emotional turmoil and disrupt their mental state, potentially affecting the course of their great endeavors. These were difficult fates to change, so he dared not mention them.
As for Lin Qingyang, he waited until they returned before leaving. The events of tonight were successfully completed, but the mission had not yet been marked as completed. It was estimated that they hadn’t completely taken control of the Qintian Observatory.
Their own carriage had already departed, so they got on Yue Chen and Huo Luo’s carriage.
Yue Chen heard about what had happened and analyzed it with Chu Lishu. Under their analysis, it became clear what actions those people would take in the future.
After all, the initial setup was orchestrated by Chu Lishu. He boosted the reputation of the Eldest Prince, while Yuan Ye and the Third Prince faced penalties. Then, a month later, the Eldest Prince naturally decisively distanced himself from the other two. Yuan Ye was particularly anxious, given that there were already voices in the court advocating for a change of Crown Prince. He had no choice but to take action.
Chu Lishu knew they would immediately start a war. The longer it dragged on, the stronger the Eldest Prince’s influence would become. Initially, he hadn’t thought about the specific methods they would use. However, today he learned that they would definitely exploit the Qintian Observatory from the harem. After all, the Qixi Festival was just around the corner, presenting a perfect opportunity. With the right strategists in place, they wouldn’t miss this chance. This coincided with Chu Lishu’s initial idea of using the Qintian Observatory to stir up trouble in the harem, so he was bound to jump on this bandwagon.
Now, as long as Gu Jing cooperates, everything will be fine. If he doesn’t cooperate, it’s actually not a big deal.
After analyzing the situation here, Yue Chen cautioned, “You need to be careful. We won’t be here for the next one or two months, so your movements in the palace won’t be as convenient.”
Chu Lishu and Lin Qingyang nodded together. Chu Lishu spoke up, “During your journey south, someone is bound to target you. Your lives are at stake. Before you leave, I’ll have someone send you some medication for self-defense.”
Yue Chen and Huo Luo both agreed.
Yue Chen couldn’t help but ask, “Are you sure you don’t need us to do anything while we’re heading south?” Such as setting traps for someone.
“You just need to focus on thorough investigation,” Chu Lishu replied with a smirk.
“Are you really sure there’s a problem with the Ministry of Works?” Huo Luo also wondered. After all, their purpose for this trip was to deal with the Ministry of Works.
Chu Lishu gave a faint smile, “The worms have been there for a while now, and they’ve grown big. It’s time to exterminate the pests.”
Yue Chen and Huo Luo instantly understood that His Highness had long harbored intentions regarding the southern affairs.
Yue Chen and Huo Luo first sent both of them back to the other courtyard before leaving.
After getting off the carriage, Lin Qingyang hurried ahead to scout the path, stealthily avoiding any surveillance. He led Chu Lishu all the way back to their courtyard. Normally, it should have been Lu Yi and Lu Shi using their lightness skills to escort them in, but Chu Lishu had sent them off for some other task.
Left with no choice, they had to evade in such a manner, considering it best not to be seen in their male disguises.
Upon reaching the study, they remembered this was where they had changed clothes and applied makeup earlier.
“You change first, I’ll call Nanny Ding over to help you remove those things…” Lin Qingyang’s eyes couldn’t help but sneak a few glances again.
Chu Lishu chuckled, “If cousin wants to see, feel free to look openly. You could look all night long.”
“Huh? No, I think you look better in your original appearance, really,” Lin Qingyang quickly swore.
“Is that so? But I feel like cousin has been especially kind and gentle to me tonight compared to before,” Chu Lishu teased.
Lin Qingyang’s cheeks gradually flushed. “I’m usually… kind to you too.”
Chu Lishu shook his head with a light chuckle, deciding not to tease him further. “Go on, go find Nanny Ding.”
As he spoke, Chu Lishu began to untie the complex knots of his female attire.
Lin Qingyang hurriedly went out to find Nanny Ding. However, as soon as he opened the door to the study, he was shocked. “You all…”
Standing at the door were three people: County Princess Yawen, Lin Qinglan, and Aunt Liu.
Lin Qinglan looked flustered as she spoke, “It’s hot tonight, and Auntie heard that you have a unique way to cool down. Knowing you’re out tonight, she came to see if we could implement it at the Liu residence. But then… we saw you bringing a woman back, and this…”
“It’s a misunderstanding!” Lin Qingyang hurriedly interjected, but County Princess Yawen had already regained her composure from the shock. She forcefully pushed Lin Qingyang aside. “Step aside, let me see with my own eyes what you’re up to. You’re becoming more and more unruly. Do you want us to worry about you endlessly?”
County Princess Yawen and Lin Qinglan had put in a lot of effort to come to terms with their family member being a homosexual person. And even initiated a relationship with his cousin. They had mentally prepared themselves to face the prospect of no heirs to continue the family line, no household mistress to oversee affairs, and to live out their lives with only two sons, amidst rumors and gossip.
They had even come to accept the idea that Chu Lishu was a better and more suitable match than others had envisioned.
And now, in the dead of night, Lin Qingyang brought a woman home. Previously, Xinyue had been escorted directly to her guest room, but now she was being led into their courtyard, dressed in what seemed like fine clothing from a reputable family. This was too much to bear.
On one hand, there was the sudden realization that Lin Qingyang seemed to be interested in women as well, raising hopes for the possibility of bearing children and continuing the family line. On the other hand, there was the act of pulling down someone as good as Chu Lishu, taking advantage of him, deceiving his feelings, and quickly turning into an unfaithful lover.
County Princess Yawen and Lin Qinglan were inherently righteous, so they leaned more towards the second line of thought. They wanted to see who had bewitched Lin Qingyang and how they should face Chu Lishu afterward.
As for Aunt Liu, she was purely driven by gossip. In her eyes, it wasn’t such a bad thing if the child didn’t solely belong to her nephew. Wasn’t this a bit of good fortune?
With these thoughts in mind, they rushed in to join the commotion.
Despite Lin Qingyang’s frantic attempts to stop them, he couldn’t do much. All he could manage was to shout, “Chu Lishu!” as a warning to those inside. However, County Princess Yawen grabbed him by the ear and scolded, “You dare to do such things while he’re not home and still have the nerve to shout!”
With Lin Qingyang in tow, County Princess Yawen maintained her grip on his ear as they stumbled into the room.
Hearing the commotion, Chu Lishu was puzzled. Originally, he thought it was Nanny Ding who had come by herself, but now, upon hearing Lin Qingyang’s shouts, he thought something serious had happened. Concerned and confused, he quickly adjusted his hastily donned women’s clothing and rushed out to see what was going on.
To their surprise, as soon as they saw the person, there was no woman at all. It turned out that the person in white just now was…
In the eyes of the three women, Chu Lishu appeared disheveled, with his clothes and hair in disarray, and makeup smeared on his face, but unmistakably dressed in women’s attire.
His clothes were half-stripped, his makeup smudged, and his hair disheveled—it was clear he had been up to something in the study… AHHHHHH! It was one thing for a normal man (non-homosexual) to sacrifice himself for love, but to have Lin Qingyang make Chu Lishu wear women’s clothing and play around with him?
The worldview of the three women was severely shaken, and their cheeks flushed red.
Lin Qingyang’s immediate reaction was to protect Chu Lishu’s dignity, so he quickly pushed him back into the innermost part of the room, out of sight. Frantically, he explained, “No… it’s not what you think! There’s a misunderstanding. We had a reason for this—it was to… save someone! It was a role-play… no, no, it was an investigation.” Oh no! How was he supposed to explain this?!
As Lin Qingyang was still trying to calm down, the others were even more flustered when they realized it wasn’t another woman in the study, but Chu Lishu himself. That changed everything.
“No… no, it’s our fault… Um, Lishu, we’re sorry.” County Princess Yawen was both shocked and embarrassed. She shouldn’t have intruded into her son and daughter-in-law’s private matters. Realizing her mistake, she quickly ushered everyone out.
Lin Qingyang: … Why did he feel like things just got even more complicated?
At that moment, Nanny Ding arrived and was equally dumbfounded by the scene. Lin Qingyang hurriedly asked Nanny Ding to help Chu Lishu remove his makeup while he rushed outside to explain.
Coming up with a hasty excuse about a rescue mission, Lin Qingyang found that Aunt Liu had already left in embarrassment. Left with only his mother and eldest sister, both of them avoided further inquiries, preferring to leave the awkward situation behind. In response to Lin Qingyang’s explanations, they showed only bashful compliance, eager to depart.
It wasn’t until Nanny Ding and Chu Lishu emerged and inquired about the situation that they saw Lin Qingyang, alone in the courtyard, looking up with a face devoid of tears. Nanny Ding cleared her throat a couple of times before quickly slipping away. Lin Qingyang could only look at Chu Lishu with a face full of grievances.
“The bad news is that I seem to be suspected of having some strange hobbies, but the good news is that no one misunderstands you for having strange hobbies.”
Chu Lishu patted Lin Qingyang on the shoulder. “It’s unavoidable, after all, the matter with Concubine Liu cannot be revealed. I’m sorry for dragging you into this.”
“I’m not afraid. I’ve gotten used to misunderstandings, as for my innocence….” Is it still intact?
Chu Lishu chuckled and patted Lin Qingyang’s head reassuringly. “Don’t worry. If your innocence is ever in doubt, I’ll take responsibility.”
“You’re still being sarcastic,” Lin Qingyang said, speechless and choked up, glaring at Chu Lishu.
Not sure if it was because his makeup wasn’t completely removed, but why… did Chu Lishu still look so handsome in men’s clothing? He was still dressed in white, and as the night breeze blew, his black hair, just released, fluttered in the wind, while Chu Lishu’s smile was bathed in moonlight.
That was the third kind of beauty, between the moonlight and the snow-white.
The next morning, during breakfast with the family, both the younger uncle and the eldest cousin were present. Lin Qingyang thought he might receive some comfort, but their gazes towards him were also very strange.
He didn’t know what Aunt Liu had told them when she got home, but after finishing the meal, the eldest cousin stepped forward and patted his shoulder, saying, “I helped you like that, and you still… it’s not very good. After all, you’re a man, dressing up as a woman is always unwilling.”
The younger uncle added, “I was initially worried he would bully you. It seems I was overly concerned.”
Lin Qingyang: No, I’m being bullied by your rich imagination.
Before leaving, his mother and eldest sister pulled him aside again to talk. “Lishu has a soft temper and always accommodates you. Be good to him in the palace, don’t bully him like this. It would be troublesome if others saw, you understand?”
“I swear we are really innocent…” Lin Qingyang struggled desperately.
Both Yawen and Lin Qinglan looked at him disapprovingly.
Lin Qingyang boarded the carriage with a numb expression, looking at Chu Lishu who was quietly reading. He sighed heavily, “What should we do? After last night, it seems like everyone misunderstands us as a couple. Now it’s really impossible to explain.”
Chu Lishu blinked, seeming indifferent.
Lin Qingyang frowned with a headache. “Aren’t you angry? I feel like I’ve wronged you.”
Chu Lishu’s eyes twinkled with a hint of amusement, saying cryptically, “It’s not a big deal, don’t worry about it. Don’t take it to heart, with time, misunderstandings will naturally fade away.”
Lin Qingyang felt deeply grateful once again for the magnanimity of the male lead. What a generous and understanding protagonist he was! He resolved to assist him with all his heart and effort. Of course, he hoped that when he ascended the throne in the future, he wouldn’t hold these incidents against him.
Meanwhile, Chu Lishu was thinking about how much face he had lost by cross-dressing this time, and he mentally recorded it on Lin Qingyang’s account. He vowed to make sure he behaved herself in the future…
Author’s note: In the story, “孽缘” (niè yuán) refers to a destined relationship between a man and a woman in ancient times. When applied to two men, it simply means an ill-fated relationship without any other connotations, so there’s no need to worry.
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