si-mexico Chapter 247 came up with such a compromise.
Chapter 247 came up with such a compromise.
"King Yong."
The Emperor's gaze toward Prince Yong was too sharp.
"Your subject is here," Prince Yong replied hastily.
"Uncle, you are getting old. Stay in the capital and help me oversee the rear."
The Emperor spoke calmly, his tone carrying an undeniable air of authority.
Prince Yong's heart sank, knowing that the emperor was wary of him.
But he dared not raise any objections and could only respectfully reply, "Your subject obeys."
As Gu Junze left the Pilgrimage Hall, the blinding light made him subconsciously squint his eyes.
He raised his hand to shield his eyes from the light, lowered his gaze, and stepped down the stairs.
There were several times more palace guards than usual.
He hurried through the palace path, out of the palace gate, and rode at full speed back to the Marquis's residence. For some reason, a sense of unease grew stronger in his heart.
He had barely stepped through the gates of the Marquis's residence, and before he could even steady himself, he saw Ying Qing rushing toward him with an unusually grave expression.
"Your Highness, something terrible has happened! The young mistress has gone missing!" Ying Qing knelt on one knee, her voice filled with self-reproach.
Gu Junze's body stiffened instantly, his aura turning icy cold as he demanded sharply, "Didn't I order you to protect her? How could you let her disappear?"
His voice rose unconsciously due to his anxiety, echoing in the courtyard of the Marquis's residence.
His hands were clenched tightly, his knuckles white, and he had completely lost his usual composure.
Ying Qing lowered her head, feeling extremely guilty: "It was my carelessness. The young mistress ordered me to deliver the message, but Ying Wu and Ying Liu were deliberately lured away."
Gu Junze's heart sank suddenly, and countless terrifying thoughts flashed through his mind.
"Find him! Even if you have to turn the entire capital upside down, find him!"
His eyes were filled with murderous intent. He turned to leave, but after taking only a few steps, he was blocked by a group of soldiers holding long guns.
The leading officer clasped his hands in salute, saying, "Your Highness, the Emperor commands you to rest well, as he will be going to the palace to keep vigil soon."
Gu Junze stared at him, his expression sinister, his gaze as cold as a thin blade.
That look sent chills down your spine.
"Go away!"
The officers and soldiers at the head of the group felt a chill run down their spines under Gu Junze's gaze, which seemed capable of tearing people to pieces.
He could only grit his teeth and clasp his hands in a fist salute again, maintaining a respectful posture, but his words now carried a hint of pleading.
“Your Highness, we are only acting under orders. We hope you will understand. Keeping vigil in the palace is a major matter. We dare not disobey the Emperor’s decree.”
Upon seeing this, Yingqing instantly drew his sword from his waist, the blade gleaming coldly, as if he were ready to fight the soldiers.
Gu Junze quickly reached out to stop him, took a deep breath, and tried to calm himself down.
He knew in his heart that all of this was the scheme of that despicable man, and that the emperor had broken his promise again and would not let him leave easily.
With the Eastern Jin and Zheng Kingdoms about to go to war, he had clearly become an important bargaining chip in the negotiations.
Gu Junze urgently shouted to Ying Qing, "Go find someone quickly, you must find the young mistress as soon as possible!"
While remaining completely still, they made hand gestures that only they could understand.
Ying Qing nodded slightly, a hint of understanding flashing in her eyes, and quickly sheathed her sword.
The officers and soldiers looked at each other, unsure whether they should stop Yingqing.
Seeing this, Gu Junze coldly said, "The Emperor ordered you to keep an eye on me. He's just my guard. Are you afraid he'll run away?"
After saying that, he waved to signal Yingqing to leave quickly.
After Ying Qing left, Gu Junze suppressed his anxiety and returned to Hongmeng Academy, pretending to be calm.
He paced back and forth inside the room, his heart filled with anxiety, his eyes constantly glancing towards the door.
Finally, a series of hurried footsteps approached, and Ying Qing's tall figure appeared at the door, carrying someone on his shoulder.
This person's physique bears an uncanny resemblance to Gu Junze.
Gu Junze quickly stepped forward and saw that the person being carried in had a finely crafted human skin mask on his face, which at first glance looked exactly like his own.
"Your Highness, the person has been found." Yingqing gently put the person down.
Gu Junze nodded slightly, a hint of urgency flashing in his eyes, and immediately ordered, "From now on, you are me, and you must pretend to be seriously ill."
The man obediently lay down on the bed, and Yingqing quickly brought a blanket to cover him.
Ying Qing said, "Your Highness, rest assured, Doctor Qian has already given him the medicine, and even the imperial physicians in the palace will not be able to detect it."
Gu Junze nodded and gave a few more instructions.
Upon receiving the news, the officers and soldiers quickly arrived to investigate.
They stood by the bed, watching "Gu Junze" lying there, pale-faced and weak. Although they had doubts, they dared not rush forward to confirm.
One of the leading soldiers frowned, looked him over suspiciously, and asked, "What's going on? Why did the young master suddenly become so ill?"
The fake Gu Junze coughed a few times, "This young master doesn't know either. I probably caught a chill last night. My body is weak to begin with, cough cough..."
The officers and soldiers exchanged glances, finding the matter quite strange, but unable to see any flaws. Helpless, they could only send someone to the palace to report to the emperor.
Taking advantage of the soldiers' absence, Gu Junze and Ying Qing quickly disguised themselves, leaped onto the outer wall, and quietly left.
These officers and soldiers were no match for them at all. If they tried to force their way in, the officers and soldiers would be able to escape easily with their skills.
Gu Junze was worried that forcing his way in would implicate innocent people, so he came up with this compromise.
As soon as Gu Junze left the Marquis's residence, he immediately urged his shadow guards to find someone.
Over the years, the Shadow Guards had been hiding among the common people, accumulating a considerable network of connections and intelligence, and were searching everywhere for Chu Ruohan's whereabouts.
Gu Junze was extremely anxious, wishing he could find Chu Ruohan immediately and bring her safely to his side.
But this is like finding a needle in a haystack...
Meanwhile, Chu Ruohan slowly woke up.
She felt dizzy and had a sharp pain in her temples.
She slowly opened her eyes, and what came into view was an unfamiliar room.
Above are beams and pillars carved with exquisite cloud patterns, and on the walls hang valuable calligraphy and paintings.
Beneath her was a carved wooden bed with dragons coiled on the bedposts, and the bed curtains were made of fine brocade, embroidered with lifelike peacock patterns.
Chu Ruohan sat up, looked around, and her mind was in complete chaos.
"Where is this? Why am I here?"
She tried hard to recall what happened before she lost consciousness. She only remembered ordering Yingqing to deliver a letter, and then going to the study of the Marquis of Anyang. After that, she was knocked unconscious from behind and lost consciousness.
Chu Ruohan realized with a start that she had overlooked one person: Gu Chengyan.
Just then, the door was pushed open, and a man dressed in a magnificent brocade robe walked in slowly. It was Gu Chengyan.
"You're awake." Gu Chengyan's voice was gentle, a smile playing on his lips.
Chu Ruohan looked at him warily and involuntarily retreated a few steps towards the head of the bed.
"What do you want to do?" she asked coldly, her eyes full of wariness.