FBC – Chapter 129 A Heartfelt Connection

Mu Junyan led the two hundred Black Armored Guards who had accompanied him back to the capital, galloping all the way until nightfall before stopping.

They chose a secluded mountain village to set up camp and rest.

Inside his tent, Mu Junyan was reading the message brought by carrier pigeon from Chiyan. After finishing, his brows furrowed slightly.

“Chiyu, did we previously discover traces of spies from the Southern Frontier in Yichun Courtyard?”

“Yes.” Chiyu, who was helping him tidy up his armor, stopped what he was doing and walked over upon hearing this.

“Chiyan found out that the man with the silver mask is the adopted son of the Master of Yifeng Hall in the Southern Frontier. They all call him Young Master.”

Chiyu was shocked. “Then that group from Xinghua Teahouse are all spies from the Southern Frontier?”

Mu Junyan narrowed his eyes slightly, an ominous feeling rising in his heart.

“This time, with the allied states of the Southern Frontier attacking our borders, their spies have already infiltrated Bianjing. It doesn’t seem simple.”

Chiyu’s expression turned serious. “You mean they’re feinting in the east while attacking in the west?”

“That’s a possibility.” Mu Junyan placed the letter into the candle flame and burned it.

He stared at the ashes in the bronze basin, contemplated for a moment, then summoned Chiyu to whisper instructions.

Chiyu immediately shook his head. “That’s not acceptable. Neither I nor Chiyan will be by your side, my lord.”

“Military order.”

Mu Junyan cast him a cold glance, and Chiyu quickly left.

After a moment of thought, Mu Junyan walked to the desk, picked up a brush, and wrote a letter to Gu Hua. He sealed it with wax and handed it to a guard.

Gu Hua awoke from her afternoon nap around the beginning of the Shen hour (3–5 PM).

She quickly jumped out of bed. Hearing the noise, Dong Qing came in. “Madam, you’re awake?”

“Mm. Has Chiyan returned yet?”

“He has. He’s been waiting at the Lanyue Pavilion.”

Gu Hua was delighted. “Did he return alone?”

“He brought a whole group with him.” Dong Qing began combing her hair and applying makeup.

Before long, the grooming was finished, and Dong Hua came in with a bowl of medicine. “Madam is awake. Perfect timing—Miss Shen brewed this medicine especially for you.”

Gu Hua wrinkled her nose at the herbal scent. “I’m not sick.”

“Miss Shen said your body needs some conditioning. Once the Lord returns, the entire household is looking forward to a little young master.”

Gu Hua hadn’t expected her to say that and blushed instantly, reaching out to tickle her.

“You cheeky girl, how shameless!”

Dong Hua quickly put down the medicine bowl and burst into giggles. “What’s shameful about it? You’re the lady of our Duke’s household, after all.”

Gu Hua’s face was burning, but…

Mu Junyan was about to die in battle.

At that thought, her eyes turned red.

Was there a way to change the course of her past life?

But in her previous life, she was like a caged bird—she knew nothing, especially about court affairs and warfare.

Gu Hua was troubled.

“Drink it while it’s hot. Or else Miss Shen will come feed you herself.”

Gu Hua was threatened into submission and gulped the medicine down in one go.

Hmm, it wasn’t too bad—slightly sweet, even.

In a pitch-black room at the back of the compound, Granny Lu was tied up like a bundle and gagged with cloth.

Gu Hua was surrounded by servants and attendants, walking in gracefully like the moon among stars.

The door was pushed open, and the guards hauled the woman out of the dark room.

Gu Hua sat upright on the chair, staring at her.

Granny Lu knew she couldn’t escape death, so she hardened herself and refused to look at Gu Hua, chin raised defiantly.

Gu Hua said nothing. With a wave of her hand, Dong Hua led a group of maids and older women to bring in a table, followed by a full spread of dishes.

Granny Lu hadn’t eaten in a day and a night. The aroma made her involuntarily turn her head to look.

“Hungry?” Gu Hua asked softly.

Granny Lu glared at her viciously.

Gu Hua smiled. “Mm, seems Granny Lu has something to say. I happen to have something to ask.”

A guard pulled the cloth from her mouth. It took a while before Granny Lu could close her mouth again.

“Granny Lu, what kind of poison did you and Concubine Pei use on my mother? Tell me, and you can enjoy this table full of delicacies.”

“It was me alone, it has nothing to do with Madam.”

Gu Hua sneered coldly. “Oh? What a loyal dog.”

She nodded at Chiyan.

Chiyan brought in a group of old and young people from outside the door.

When Granny Lu saw the people entering, her guts nearly burst from fear. She struggled desperately, but the guards holding her were strong and didn’t let her move an inch.

“Fu’er! Douhua! Old man—old man, you, you all…”

The group of old and young were all visibly terrified. The younger ones burst into tears upon seeing Granny Lu.

“Mother, Mother, save us!”

All of Granny Lu’s earlier bravado vanished as she cried and begged, “Second Young Lady, Second Young Lady, why have you arrested them? I was the one who poisoned, it has nothing to do with them!”

“You did the poisoning, and Concubine Pei gave the order.”

Gu Hua smiled harmlessly. “Every grievance has a culprit, every debt a debtor. Concubine Pei deserves to die a hundred times over for her crimes, and you’re her greatest accomplice. So tell me—how many times do you think you deserve to die?”

To Granny Lu, the woman before her was no longer the second young lady—but a vengeful demon.

“All the blame is mine. I accept any beating or punishment. Second Young Lady, whatever you want to do to vent your anger is fine.”

“If I beat you to death, that’s just one life. But you’ve committed so many sins—how can you possibly repay them all?”

Gu Hua smiled, but her eyes held no warmth.

And yet, with such a pure and harmless-looking face, her cold words only became more terrifying.

Granny Lu stared at her in a daze, unable to guess what she was planning.

Gu Hua gestured toward the table laden with food and wine. “Today, I specially prepared a feast for your entire family—rare and exquisite delicacies. Even I don’t get to eat this well normally.”

Granny Lu couldn’t figure out what kind of trick she was playing, but there was nothing she could do.

She could only watch as the guards forced her entire family to sit at the table. None of them dared resist, and so they began to eat.

After all, the food was indeed top-quality delicacies. The children quickly forgot their fear and started eating happily.

Granny Lu, who had done all manner of evil, was terrified to her core.

Before she could cry out Don’t eat, it’s poisoned!, Gu Hua’s voice drifted over.

“Mm, it’s poisoned.”

The adults at the table immediately turned pale with fright. They didn’t dare spit it out or swallow.

The children, unaware, kept gobbling it down—only to be slapped by their terrified parents. The parents couldn’t scold them too harshly, only glare. The children, now frightened, stopped eating but still didn’t understand what was going on.

In both her lifetimes, Gu Hua had never done something so cruel.

This trick had been taught to her by Chiyan.

Gu Hua smiled. “I just want you to tell me—what poison did you give my mother? In these dishes, hmm… there are probably seven or eight kinds of poison, all found by my guards—they’re very skilled.”

Granny Lu was almost scared mad. She wept as she slammed her head onto the floor.

“I’ll tell you! I’ll tell you! Please, Second Young Lady, save my family first—they’re innocent!”

“Innocent?” Gu Hua’s smile disappeared.

“You get two taels of silver a month. Your husband and two sons work at Concubine Pei’s dowry shops. Altogether, your family earns no more than four or five taels a month. Yet you’ve bought two farms and three large courtyard residences—better than most official families. Don’t tell me all that silver didn’t come from helping Concubine Pei commit her crimes?”

“Do you want to go to hell alone—or drag your whole family with you? Make your choice.”

Granny Lu’s forehead was already bleeding from kowtowing. She looked at her family—all of them pale and trembling with fear.

“I’ll tell you. It was me who bought Drunken Crimson from the Yichun House.”

Gu Hua turned to Chiyan. “Have you heard of it?”

Chiyan nodded. “It’s often used in brothels to control disobedient girls. At first, it causes fatigue and severe headaches. Taken over time or in high doses, it causes rapid organ failure and bleeding from the seven orifices. It’s similar to Crane’s Red Crown, but because it’s highly concentrated and brewed with strong liquor, it’s often mistaken for accidental poisoning by potent medicinal wine.”

Gu Hua felt a chill in her heart.

Too vicious!

She pressed her lips together and smiled. “Where are the detailed ledgers of Concubine Pei’s dowry businesses and the personnel records of each shop?”

How could Granny Lu dare keep anything hidden now? She spilled everything like beans from a broken sack.

Gu Hua glanced at Chiyan, who instantly understood.

These records were the foundation of the Wenchang Marquis household.

“Do you still have any Drunken Crimson left?”

Granny Lu cried, “Yes. I didn’t use enough on the madam the first time. After it was discovered, I didn’t dare use it again. It’s still hidden in a secret compartment at the bottom of my wardrobe. There’s a whole bottle left.”

“Good.”

Gu Hua stood up, smiling sweetly. “There’s no poison in today’s food—don’t waste it.”

Granny Lu was untied, and her whole family wept bitterly as they hugged each other.

Gu Hua stepped out the side door, the smile vanishing from her face.

“Can you retrieve everything tonight?” she asked Chiyan.

“Rest assured, Madam.”

For Chiyan, this sort of task was a piece of cake.

Just as Gu Hua walked out of the rear house, Dong Mo ran over.

“Found you at last!”

Seeing his forehead drenched with sweat, Gu Hua instinctively tensed. “What happened? Did something happen to the Lord?”

Dong Mo blinked. “Huh? How did you know the Lord sent you a letter?”

“Just a little… connection of the heart, heehee,” Dong Hua giggled, shaking her head.

Dong Qing slapped her on the forehead. “It’s connection of hearts, not what water stream. You’re all over the place.”

Dong Hua rubbed her forehead and chuckled. “Same thing! The Lord only has Madam in his heart.”

Gu Hua felt a weight lift off her chest. Realizing what they meant, her face lit up with joy. “A letter? So soon? Have they arrived in Southern Xinjiang?”

Dong Mo grinned as he handed her the letter. “Not yet—still on the road.”

Gu Hua blushed as everyone looked at her. She took the letter and mock-scolded, “Sending a letter before arriving? How scary!”