FBC – Chapter 154 Something Big Is About to Happen

The Old Madam and Zhou Zhilian were gathered around Gu Hua’s bedside. She had been unconscious for over an hour.

Seeing that the Old Madam looked pale and unwell, Zhou Zhilian tried to persuade her. “Old Madam, why don’t you go back and get some rest? I’ll watch over her.”

Yiniang also chimed in gently, “Old Madam, you must take care of your health. If the Madam wakes up and sees you looking so worn out, she’ll only worry more.”

Old Madam’s eyes were red. “It’s my fault. I knew her body was weak and that she frightens easily, yet I still agreed to let her be the bait. But they’re from Yifeng Hall—they’re utterly ruthless.”

Zhou Zhilian knew that Gu Hua hadn’t fainted because of that, but she couldn’t say the truth.

She could only try to comfort her: “The Madam is much stronger now, and she’s become braver too. It’s just that she’s been too exhausted these past few days. Once she gets proper rest, she’ll be fine.”

“Yes, Old Madam. Let the Madam rest and recover, and you do the same. Then you can plan the next step together.”

The Old Madam sighed. “Very well. Report to me the moment she wakes.”

Gu Hua drifted in and out of consciousness, completely unaware of where she was.

“Little Hua.”

A gentle voice sounded from behind her. Gu Hua turned around abruptly.

In front of her was a dense forest shrouded in mist, and within it, the faint outline of a tall, slender figure.

“Brother Ji? Is that you? Brother Ji?”

Gu Hua hurried after the figure.

But just as suddenly, the silhouette vanished.

Gu Hua burst into tears. “Brother Ji, come out! If you didn’t die, then why haven’t you come to find me in the past three years?”

“Little Hua.”

That soft, smiling voice echoed from within the mist.

Gu Hua lifted her skirt and ran toward it without hesitation.

The wind howled past her ears, and tangled branches clawed at her dress, cutting into her skin, but she paid them no mind.

All of a sudden, the mist lifted and the forest disappeared.

There, atop a mountain peak, stood a man with his back to her.

“Brother Ji!” Gu Hua ran so hard she was out of breath, her heart threatening to leap out of her chest.

The man slowly turned around.

That face… wore a half-silver mask.

Gu Hua came to a halt. Her chest tightened, and her hand instinctively clutched her collar. Her lips trembled, but no words came out for a long while.

“Little Hua, you’re here?” His eyes were warm, filled with deep affection.

With a trembling voice and tears choking her throat, Gu Hua asked, “Are you really Brother Ji?”

“I am.”

The man smiled gently, his expression soft and kind.

He slowly reached out his hand. “I’ve come to take you away, to escape this hell that is the Gu Manor. I’ll take you far away, to a place where no one can hurt you.”

“Will you come with me?”

It felt like a sharp blade had pierced Gu Hua’s heart, twisting and tearing until her insides were in knots.

She clutched her chest, the pain so unbearable that she couldn’t even speak.

When the man saw she wasn’t moving, his smile faded, and his voice turned mournful. “You don’t want to anymore? You don’t want me anymore?”

Gu Hua could no longer hold back. She burst into tears, her heart aching so badly she could no longer stand. She bent over, crying and yelling.

“Brother Ji, why are you the Young Master of Yifeng Hall? Why did you betray the nation and become a spy for Nanjing? What happened to you?”

The man’s smile vanished completely. His once gentle eyes turned blood red in an instant.

“So you’ve betrayed me, haven’t you? You’ve fallen for someone else, haven’t you?”

Suddenly, he opened his arms wide. “Then I might as well die!”

“No! Brother Ji, it’s not like that!”

In a panic, Gu Hua forced herself upright and rushed toward him with all her might.

At his feet was a bottomless cliff. Just as she was about to reach him, he turned and leapt into the air like a bird taking flight toward the sky.

Gu Hua lunged wildly, reaching out her hand and screaming, “No!”

“Little Hua!”

Zhou Zhilian was startled when Gu Hua suddenly sat upright in bed.

“Quick! Call the physician!”

Dong Hua turned and ran.

Zhou Zhilian quickly used a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from Gu Hua’s forehead and softly coaxed, “Don’t be scared, sweetheart. You had a nightmare, didn’t you? It’s all over now.”

Gu Hua looked at her in a daze, and it took a while for her to fully come to her senses.

Her eyes brimmed with tears, everything before her blurry and indistinct.

She bit her lip hard, the dream still swirling in her mind.

The last scene—where her Brother Ji jumped off the cliff right in front of her—left her chest clenched in sharp pain.

Zhou Zhilian knew why she was so heartbroken, but didn’t dare to touch that wound too easily.

She too felt conflicted.

Gu Hua’s childhood sweetheart had returned—what would their lord do now?

“Were… any of them caught?” Gu Hua asked, eyes still teary as she looked at Zhou Zhilian.

She had been there earlier—she knew who Ji Xuanyu was.

“A few were caught,” Zhou Zhilian replied, “but unfortunately, they all committed suicide on the spot.”

Seeing Gu Hua’s nervous expression, she hesitated for a moment.

“The young master wasn’t caught.”

Gu Hua’s tense heart eased a little, but the moment she thought about him being her Brother Ji, it clenched tightly again.

Zhou Zhilian tried to comfort her. “Sister Hua, it’s been so many years since you last saw each other. People can change.”

Gu Hua wanted to respond, but the pain in her chest felt like something was blocking her throat—she couldn’t speak at all.

When she finally calmed down and thought more carefully, she said, “Actually… I’m not sure if Yaoyao was lying to me. Because that face didn’t look quite like Brother Ji’s.”

Zhou Zhilian considered it. “It’s possible Yaoyao was trying to sow discord.”

“But how did she know?” Gu Hua asked.

“Could it be Gu Wanru told her?”

Just as Gu Hua was pondering this, she heard footsteps outside.

“I have urgent matters to discuss with Madam—why won’t you let me in?”

It was Dong Hua’s voice: “Madam isn’t feeling well. Come back tomorrow if you have something to say.”

Gu Hua wiped away her tears. “It’s Biyu.”

Zhou Zhilian peeked out the window. “It is Biyu.”

Biyu wouldn’t have come unless it was something important.

Gu Hua and Old Madam’s plan to lure the snake out of its hole had been kept extremely secret—no one not involved knew a thing.

The moment Biyu arrived and saw the heavy guard presence outside, with Dong Hua, Dong Qing, and several other maids posted at the door with serious faces, she immediately sensed something was wrong.

Her face went pale, and she asked in a low voice, “What’s happened? Is Madam alright?”

Without direct instructions from Madam, Dong Hua and the others wouldn’t say a single word.

“Biyu, come in,” Zhou Zhilian called from the window.

Only then did Dong Hua open the door to let her in.

Once inside, Biyu saw Gu Hua’s red, swollen eyes and was startled. “What’s happened? What’s going on?”

Gu Hua steadied herself and hoarsely said, “It’s nothing. What did you come here for—hurry and tell me.”

Biyu approached the bedside and lowered her voice. “This morning, I overheard the young master and Yaoyao talking about intercepting military rations meant for the Mu family army.”

Gu Hua immediately grabbed her hand, her own trembling with tension. “Mu An said that?!”

That heartless, ungrateful bastard—how dare he try to harm Mu Junyan, the very person who raised him?

Biyu gave a cold snort.

“Yaoyao was saying something about how the young master needed to do something big. She said he messed up the winter supplies, so now he had to atone by intercepting the army’s food. Then Mu An gave her the supply route.”

Gu Hua’s face turned white with fury.

Tampering with the winter supplies wasn’t enough—they were targeting the rations now?

They were trying to utterly destroy the Mu family army.

No wonder…

Gu Hua’s eyes widened in shock.

Could it be that Mu Junyan’s death in battle was connected to the lack of winter clothing and food supplies?

Winter was approaching, and the southern border was colder than here.

If the soldiers were cold and starving, of course their combat effectiveness would plummet!

Zhou Zhilian was stunned. “Why didn’t you say anything sooner?”

“I couldn’t get away,” Biyu replied. “Yaoyao angered the young master, and he threw her out of his room. Then he started pestering me instead. He didn’t let me go until just now.”

Her eyes turned red.

Gu Hua suddenly noticed bruises on the back of her hand. She quickly let go and pulled up Biyu’s sleeve.

Her whole arm was covered in burns and bruises.

She had hurt her when she grabbed her just now.

Gu Hua cursed in anger. “That beast!”

Zhou Zhilian, feeling distressed, quickly ordered Dong Hua to fetch the family doctor.

Biyu quickly objected, “No, don’t! If the young master finds out, I’ll be in trouble. I’ll just apply some medicine when I get back.”

She got up in a hurry. “I’m fine—I need to go back before I’m discovered.”

“Biyu,” Gu Hua called out anxiously, “don’t go back!”

Biyu glanced back at her. “It’s alright. The military rations matter is too serious—I’ll keep an eye on it.”

Gu Hua watched her frail figure stagger off into the night, fists clenched in anger.

“Sister Zhilian, can you think of a way to protect her? We can’t let her keep getting hurt.”

Zhou Zhilian patted her gently. “Don’t worry—I’ll take care of it.”

Gu Hua threw off her blanket and tried to get out of bed, but Zhou Zhilian stopped her.

“Where are you going?”

“I need to talk to Mother—this matter is far too serious!”