Shen Qianshan stood up, walked to the Empress, and made a bow with hands folded in front, “I was attacked when strolling in the palace with my guard, so we chased after the person to this place. We entered your room for fear that the assassin would put you in danger.”
Shen Qianshan winked at Su Ge. He moved close to Shen Qianshan. Then Shen Qianshan said to the Empress, “There is nothing wrong with your room. I’m leaving now.”
When Shen Qianshan walked past the Empress, she grabbed his arm at once and stared at him with sharp eyes. Shen Qianshan met her eyes and squinted. The woman was completely different from the one before. He had no idea why she changed so much.
“Hunt an assassin?” The Empress repeated. Then she turned around to look at Shen Qianshan, lifted her eyebrows, and sneered, “You’d better find a better excuse if you want to investigate me again.”
Then she threw away his arm with force and walked past him.
Sha was still prepared to attack and stared at the two uninvited guests. If it was not for that the Emperor suspected the Empress of having an affair with the Ninth Duke and the Empress couldn’t explain his appearance here, she would certainly have the duke and his guard caught.
Shen Qianshan brushed the dirt off his shoulder without saying anything and then disappeared in the darkness with Su Ge.
The Empress sat before the diary. Looking at the Chinese characters in it, she was confused and disconcerted. She neither knew Shen Qianshan’s aim nor what would happen after he found the secret.
She was not afraid that Shen Qianshan would inform Shen Zhongbai of her secret. The two men were not as harmonious as they used to be. Shen Zhongbai didn’t force him to commit suicide again only because he failed to find a chance and excuse. If he killed Shen Qianshan rashly, it would not be accepted by the public. Shen Zhongbai might have another try.
So long as Shen Zhongbai didn’t know what happened, it wouldn’t be too terrible.
The Empress started to write. It was a long paragraph.
In the long silence, Gu Qiang guessed something might happen to the Empress in the other world. While waiting impatiently, she made blind and disorderly conjectures. When she decided to close the diary, Chinese characters appeared one by one. The handwriting was different from the earlier one. Obviously, the Empress came back.
But who was that one asking her identity? Though his handwriting was remarkably different from that of the Empress, Gu Qiang felt it was familiar. She must have seen it.
She thought of Shen Zhongbai first, which made her break out in a cold sweat. If it was really him, that would be terrible.
However, after she recalled Shen Zhongbai’s handwriting, she sighed with relief. It was not him.
Then the Empress’s handwriting appeared in the diary clearly. When Gu Qiang read the Chinese Characters one by one, her heart sank. It was about the reason for Gu Huaian’s death. The Empress had found it out.
The story was full of surprise twists and involved several people. Gu Qiang even could hear her rapid heartbeat. She thought she could and had to change it.
It was for the sake of her brother and herself.
Gu Qiang closed the diary and was fully awake. She told Gusu Liang who was outside the room, “Liang, let’s go to see my brother tomorrow.”
She received no response. Soon the door opened and Gusu Liang entered in black. She rubbed her sleepy eyes and pouted with a grievance, “My Lady, you just met your brother today, didn’t you? Do you have more to talk with him?”
If she did, she could write to him. But she was pressed for time and had to put all her energy to protect her brother.
Gu Qiang didn’t reply. She turned around to wink at Gusu Liang in the candlelight. The latter nodded at once, “I will obey your order.”
The next morning, Gu Qiang mounted the horse and went out of the Prime Minister Mansion with Gusu Liang. Ye and Prime Minister Gu kept waiting in vain for Gu Qiang to greet them.
Raising her cup slowly, Ye said to Prime Minister Gu with feigned indifference and a grievance, “A grown girl can’t be kept at home. Zhihua will marry the Third Prince. I’m not bored even if I stay with her for a whole day.”
Prime Minister kept silent.
Ye continued, “Qiang don’t show up in the early morning. We will miss her even more if she gets married, won’t we?”
Prime Minister Gu sighed and took a sip of tea in silence. He knew what Ye implied. They waited for Gu Qiang to greet them. What happened yesterday made all of them embarrassed, and one of them needed to compromise. After all, as a family, they had to pretend to be harmonious even though they held a grudge.
Prime Minister Gu and Ye had a tacit expectancy, but Gu Qiang didn’t come. Ye was annoyed but tried to look for a good excuse to prove that she waited for Gu Qiang’s greeting because she missed Gu Qiang instead of etiquette.
In fact, Prime Minister was annoyed, too.
“Since Qiang was honored the title of an infanta, she has become more and more unruly. She even doesn’t greet me in the morning. Does she still respect me as her father?” He put the cup on the table with a lot of force and crossed his arms angrily.
Ye heard that, and an idea occurred to her. She moved close to Prime Minister Gu and whispered, “Now Qiang is an infanta, and it is inconvenient for you to control and educate her. Why not request the Emperor to replace her title with another award, such as granting a marriage? If so, you can educate her as you like, and she can have a good husband.”
Prime Minister Gu was staring into the distance. Hearing what Ye said, he looked at her in astonishment and then asked with a spurious smile, “What did you say?”
Ye’s trick was obvious to Prime Minister Gu.
Seeing Prime Minister Gu’s facial expression, Ye realized she showed her aim too obviously. She said, “Please don’t misunderstand me. I come up with the idea for the sake of Qiang. What’s the good of the infanta title? She will be forced to marry a man from another nation and make sacrifices for our country, won’t she? The title is just pleasant to hear. If Qiang is married to the border area, can we see her again in the future decades of years?”
Gu Huaian smiled and intended to pull Gu Qiang away. At this moment, Gu Qiang walked over and told Shen Meng, “Miss Shen, please beware of Li Cangsi. He is not a good guy.”
Shen Meng was surprised, but she was cultured and was good at controlling her facial expression. She asked quietly, “Why?”
Why? If she had known her life would be changed because of the man, she wouldn’t have been so calm.
Gu Qiang parted her lips, but she hesitated for quite a while and then said, “Just remember to beware of him.”
Then Gusu Liang walked over and took her away. Gusu Liang smiled at Shen Meng to greet her.
The three persons got into the carriage in the darkness. It would be midnight when they arrived at the capital. After Gu Huaian sat down, he stared at Gu Qiang and asked seriously, “What’s the matter?”
Why did she arrive in Hongzhou suddenly? Why did she know Shen Meng’s name? Why did she say something strange to Shen Meng when she was leaving? He was eager to know the answers. After all, Gu Qiang’s safety was very important to him. Shen Meng was innocent, and he didn’t want anyone around him to be hurt.
“Brother, what do you want to know?” Gu Qiang asked faintly.
She knew too much and couldn’t explain them clearly, and she knew it would do no good to Gu Huaian. No one hopes to die in a while.
“Qiang, Miss Shen is an important friend to me. I don’t want anything unpleasant to happen to her. If you can stop her, please do it.” Gu Huaian said slowly after a long hesitation. He looked calm, and it seemed that he had thought clearly about it.
Gu Qiang had changed a lot. Gu Huaian was clear about it. She was stronger, calmer, and wiser, but it was not what Gu Huaian wanted.
As a man, he should protect his sister, but she was so strong that he had no opportunity.
He kept hesitating and gave up finally.
No matter what Gu Qiang did or how she did it, it was OK so long as she could be happier.
However, Gu Qiang knew the person she had to stop was Gu Huaian instead of Shen Meng, who had nothing to do with her. She wanted to prevent Gu Huaian from being hurt indirectly by the woman. Gu Qiang was clear about Helen of Troy.
After arriving at the medicine shop, Gu Huaian told Gu Qiang, “It’s too late. Stay here tonight and go back tomorrow. Be careful.”
He sounded like saying goodbye. Gu Qiang asked instantly, “Brother, are you going anywhere?”
Without saying anything, Gu Huaian turned around and was ready to go. Gu Qiang caught up with him and asked worriedly, “Be sure to remember what I told you. Don’t go on a long journey…”
He had gone far when she was finished.
She stood there and stared blankly into space. Her eyes were dry and seemed to be close to tears. Gusu Liang walked over and patted her shoulder to comfort her.
The next morning, Gu Huaian saw Gu Qiang off on her carriage, patted her hand, and said smilingly, “Take care after you go back. Don’t submit yourself to anything unpleasant. You have a different status now and no one can bully you. Understand?”
Gu Qiang nodded. Gu Huaian waved, and the carriage moved slowly.
Though she was still worried, she said nothing at last. In the afternoon, she returned to the Prime Minister Mansion.
Everyone in the mansion seemed to have something on their mind. They glanced at Gu Qiang from time to time as if they knew something secret.
In the main hall, Prime Minister Gu felt restless after returning from the morning meeting.