FBC – Chapter 143 An Unexpected Incident

“The intruder sneaked into the pond. The guards searched around it and found water traces leading to Zuimo Pavilion. When they followed the trail, they were told the young master had just left. We searched the entire residence and still couldn’t find anyone. So, I suspect the young master took him away.”

Zhou Zhilan’s expression turned grim. “The intruder was brought in by the young master? Who was it? Was he trying to kill Madam?”

“There’s no evidence yet, so we don’t know. I’ll ask the young master once he returns.”

Gu Hua cut in, “There’s no need to ask. Even if you did, he wouldn’t tell you. You just need to confirm whether Wu Yuan is still here or not.”

“Wu Yuan? Right, check if that bastard’s still around—we’ll know then.”

Zhou Chunyu’s eyes widened. He exchanged a glance with Zhou Zhilan, then immediately led a group to investigate in person.

Zhou Zhilan frowned and lowered her voice. “We’ve already secretly placed Zuimo Pavilion under surveillance. How did he manage to get to you without making a sound? His skills are terrifying.”

The more she thought about it, the more worried she became.

“There’s something strange about him.”

Gu Hua recalled that familiar voice calling out to her.

Could it be…

No. Impossible.

She shook her head, dismissing her own assumption.

“What’s strange about him? Did you notice something?”

“He didn’t seem like he was trying to kill me. Even though it was too dark to see his face, I could sense there was no murderous intent from him. He knocked us out to avoid being discovered, so what was he here for? There’s nothing valuable or important in my room.”

If it were a spy trying to steal something, the study would’ve been the logical target.

The more Gu Hua thought about it, the more confused she became.

Zhou Zhilan grew increasingly anxious as she listened. “No, I need to assign a few maids skilled in martial arts to guard you.”

Saying so, she hurried off in a fluster.

Not long after, Dong Hua and Dong Qing were fully awake. The two of them were shaken with fear just thinking about what had happened.

If something had happened to the Madam, they would’ve had no choice but to take their own lives in apology.

“Madam, please sleep a bit more. We’ll watch over you.”

Gu Hua’s mind was in chaos. She nodded vaguely and lay back down.

Her body was sore from the earlier tension, and in a daze, she drifted off to sleep.

The next day.

Gu Hua slept well into the late morning.

Zhou Chunyu and Zhou Zhilan were already waiting for her in the east wing.

“The man last night was definitely not ordinary. He came and went without a trace. The young master denied taking anyone out, and coincidentally, Wu Yuan claimed to have left the residence a few days ago. Without evidence, we can’t say for sure that he was the intruder.”

“In any case, we’ve increased security. All the maids in the residence trained in martial arts have been transferred here to guard you and the old madam.”

Gu Hua listened silently.

The sound of that gentle voice calling out to her still lingered in her mind.

It was the voice of someone meeting again after a long, painful parting—a voice full of longing.

Every time she thought of it, her heart ached.

Brother Ji, was that you?

If it was him, then she had actually stabbed him herself…

She didn’t dare think any further.

Zhou Zhilan suddenly remembered something. “Right, didn’t you injure him? Where did you stab him? We can alert our people and the patrol bureau to be on the lookout.”

Seeing Gu Hua lost in thought, she lightly patted her thigh. “What’s wrong?”

Gu Hua snapped out of it. “Nothing, what did you just say?”

“I asked where you injured him last night?”

“The thigh.”

Zhou Zhilan looked to Zhou Chunyu. “Brother, the thigh.”

“Got it.”

After that, things settled down.

The intruder was never caught, and Wu Yuan never returned to the residence.

Three days passed.

Gu Hua remembered that something significant was supposed to happen today.

She hadn’t had a proper confrontation with Yaoyao yet. This would be a good chance to test her out.

After dinner, Gu Hua took Dong Hua and Dong Qing for a walk in the garden to help digest.

Strolling along, they eventually reached the pond beside Xuan Yun Hall.

There, they saw Yaoyao sitting in the pavilion by the water, feeding the fish.

Gu Hua walked over and stood beside her, watching as dozens of koi competed joyfully for food.

Yaoyao turned her head and glanced at her. “Madam, please forgive me. My belly is too big—I’m not able to bow properly.”

Dong Hua got angry and was just about to speak when Gu Hua raised her hand to stop her.

“No matter. The child is more important.”

Gu Hua sat down across from her, took a small handful of fish food from her hand, and scattered it into the water.

“You drink tonic medicine every day, don’t you, Concubine Yao?”

Yaoyao’s hand, just about to scatter more fish food, paused. She looked at her in surprise. “Yes, I do. Why?”

Gu Hua waved at Dong Hua and the others. Dong Qing led away the maidservants who had been with Yaoyao, but Dong Hua refused to go far, glaring intensely at Yaoyao, afraid she might do something shady.

“It’s nothing. Just reminding you to be careful.”

Yaoyao raised an eyebrow. “You’re concerned about me?”

“The child is innocent,” Gu Hua said calmly, looking at her.

Just then, a maid from Jiaochun Garden came over with a food box. Seeing Gu Hua, she bowed respectfully.

“Concubine, it’s time for your tonic.”

A trace of nervousness flickered in Gu Hua’s eyes.

Yaoyao looked at her curiously as she took the tonic the maid handed her.

“Madam, do you suspect there’s something wrong with the medicine?”

Gu Hua didn’t want to speak too plainly.

In her past life, on this very day and at this exact hour, Yaoyao drank a bowl of tonic here and lost the child.

She smiled lightly. “I know Gu Wanru’s temperament well. On the surface, she appears composed and gentle, but deep down, she’s very competitive. Lately she’s been taking great care of her health. I just suspect… she wouldn’t want a concubine’s child to be born before hers.”

Yaoyao looked at the medicine bowl, then back at Gu Hua.

“I’ve been drinking this same medicine every day with no problem. Why do you think today’s bowl is different?”

She chuckled. “You two have already torn all pretenses aside. Why should I believe you?”

“It doesn’t matter whether you believe me. You can have the house physician examine it. There’s no rush to drink it until it’s been checked.”

Yaoyao scrutinized Gu Hua with a smile. “Why are you helping me?”

Indeed, the bowl in her hand was an abortifacient—because she had made it herself.

It seemed Gu Hua thought it was Gu Wanru who had drugged it.

But how did she know?

Yaoyao examined Gu Hua closely.

She wasn’t as harmless as she looked. She’d once forced Gu Wanru to kill her own mother and had injured the young master twice.

Definitely a ruthless character.

Gu Hua, unaware of her thoughts, continued speaking calmly, “If a child has chosen to be born from you, that shows you share a mother-child karmic bond. If you abort it, it will turn into a karmic debt.”

Yaoyao sneered, “Then I must be full of karmic debts. This isn’t the first child I’ve gotten rid of. A child born of someone like me would have a harder life than I do. Why should I bring it into the world?”

She suddenly leaned closer to Gu Hua and said softly, “Are you trying to win me over? Form an alliance?”

Gu Hua didn’t answer.

Forming an alliance wasn’t her goal—but letting her misunderstand wouldn’t hurt.

Besides, Yaoyao had already aligned herself with Gu Wanru to bring Wu Yuan into the manor. Gu Hua didn’t believe Yaoyao would really want to ally with her.

To bargain with a tiger, you have to get close first.

The question was—who would outwit whom?

Yaoyao laughed heartily and suddenly stood up.

With her pregnant belly, she gave Gu Hua a seductive smile. “Since you gave me a warning today, I’ll give you a generous gift in return. Sit tight and enjoy the show.”

Gu Hua watched as she walked off with her attendants, quietly breathing a sigh of relief.

Her true aim had been to get close to Yaoyao—but she also didn’t want an innocent child to die.

As for whatever “gift” Yaoyao mentioned—Gu Hua didn’t have any expectations.

As long as it didn’t ruin her greater plans, she could tolerate anything.

Back in her own quarters, Yaoyao took out a white jade bowl from a drawer and poured the abortifacient into it. In front of her maidservants, she drank it all in one gulp.

“Go summon the young master to the Jinxiu Pavilion.”

Holding the jade bowl, she gave instructions as she walked with her trusted maid.

Gu Wanru was busy embroidering when Yaoyao suddenly barged in with her attendants.

“You—”

Yaoyao shoved a small bowl right into her face, her eyes brimming with tears as she stared at Gu Wanru. “Why did you kill my child?!”

Gu Wanru looked completely baffled. “When did I ever… What happened to you?”

Yaoyao suddenly clutched her abdomen, her face turning pale with pain. “Madam, why did you kill the young master’s first child? I’m already five months along! Do you want me dead along with the baby?”

Yaoyao’s maid screamed in panic and rushed to support her, while others ran to fetch the house physician.

Gu Wanru’s face changed drastically. Realization struck, and she pointed at Yaoyao, shouting, “You drugged yourself and are trying to frame me!”

“What’s going on? What happened?!”

Mu An rushed in and saw Yaoyao collapsed on the ground, barely breathing, a pool of blood spreading beneath her skirt.

“Gu Wanru, how dare you do this? Yaoyao is five months pregnant! Are you trying to kill both mother and child?!”

Gu Wanru panicked. “It wasn’t me—it was her! This has nothing to do with me!”

Yaoyao’s trusted maid handed the white jade bowl to Mu An. “Young master, this is Madam’s personal bowl. Our concubine drank the medicine from this and miscarried.”

Mu An looked—and sure enough, it was.

“The evidence is clear. What is there to deny? As the official wife, you couldn’t bear children, so you harmed a concubine’s child instead. Gu Wanru, you’ve broken the Seven Grounds for Dismissal—I can divorce you!”

Gu Wanru was utterly stunned.

“What? Yaoyao miscarried at Jinxiu Pavilion?”

Gu Hua was also stunned when she heard the news.

What on earth was Yaoyao up to?

One thing was clear—Yaoyao never wanted this child in the first place.