FBC – Chapter 168 Heart Knot

Mu Junyan was extremely busy—even during lunch, there was no sign of him.

It wasn’t until the sun was about to set that he hurriedly returned.

He saw the young girl sitting at the entrance of the main tent, perched on a rock, staring blankly into the distance. She sat all alone, looking pitiful and forlorn.

As Gu Hua saw the silhouette of his tall and upright figure outlined by the golden glow of the setting sun, she immediately leapt to her feet, lifted her skirt, and ran toward him.

The ground was uneven, and the young girl stumbled as she ran.

Mu Junyan had no choice but to ignore the scorching gazes of the soldiers nearby, who were enjoying the show, and opened his arms to catch her.

“You’re back.”

Gu Hua was as joyful as a bird taking flight.

He couldn’t show too much affection in public, so he held her shoulders to steady her.

With a stern face, he scolded, “Why are you running around like that? What if you fell?”

Gu Hua’s cheeks flushed red, her eyes curved in delight. In a soft murmur, she said, “But I have you, don’t I?”

Mu Junyan’s heart completely melted, yet his face remained stern.

“Nonsense.”

The reprimand instantly dampened Gu Hua’s joy. She suddenly realized they were being watched, and her face turned red with embarrassment.

So he was mindful of appearances.

She quickly straightened up and gave Mu Junyan a formal salute. “This humble commoner greets the Duke.”

Mu Junyan raised an eyebrow. Seeing the flush at the tips of her ears, he knew she had realized the impropriety of their earlier closeness. But he had liked the way she had thrown herself into his arms.

He couldn’t help but soften.

In a gentler tone, he asked, “I heard you’ve been learning to ride?”

Gu Hua lowered her head. “Yes. I’m not very good yet, but I can manage.”

“Before dinner, shall I take you for a round?”

Gu Hua’s head shot up, her eyes sparkling. “Really?”

Seeing how easy it was to coax her, Mu Junyan couldn’t help but laugh. “When have I ever lied to you?”

Gu Hua was so excited she nearly jumped. She grabbed his large hand. “Let’s go, right now!”

A soft warmth came from her palm to his, their hands clasped, heat passing between them.

They exchanged a smile, both feeling the stirrings of emotion in their hearts.

At that moment, Gu Hua suddenly felt as though she might truly be falling in love with him.

It was no longer just about survival. No longer a simple plan to leave freely once he died in battle.

If he really were to die…

At the thought, her heart felt like it had been pecked by something sharp—it ached and twisted.

Gu Hua unconsciously tightened her grip on his hand, and the two of them, under the distant, envious gazes of the soldiers, walked hand in hand toward the stables.

Winter.

Dry grass blanketed the ground.

A withered, lonely tree stood tall on the edge of the Gobi.

Everywhere the eye could see was a desolate landscape.

As Gu Hua walked, a deep sadness began to rise in her heart again.

She suddenly stopped in her tracks and mustered the courage to look up at him.

“What’s wrong?” Mu Junyan halted, noticing the unease on her face.

“Did I hurt your wound?” he quickly turned her hand over to check.

“No. That little scrape doesn’t matter anymore, it’s here…”

Gu Hua pointed at her chest, but her voice abruptly caught in her throat, and her tone turned choked. “Why are you crying all of a sudden?”

Mu Junyan, always calm and composed, suddenly found himself flustered. Holding her shoulders, he lowered his head and asked softly, “Whatever it is, just say it. If something’s troubling you, you must tell me. Trust me.”

Gu Hua tilted her head up, listening to his gentle voice, and thought of how he might die from Brother Ji’s schemes.

The tightness in her chest surged like a breached riverbank, and tears came streaming down uncontrollably.

She couldn’t say a single word. She simply threw herself into his arms and held him tightly around the waist, crying in silence.

Mu Junyan was confused by her sudden tears. Ignoring the surrounding eyes, he wrapped his arms around her tightly, no longer pressing her for answers, just gently stroking her back to soothe her silently.

After crying for a long while, Gu Hua finally let go of the heavy feelings of heartbreak and disappointment she’d felt upon seeing Brother Ji again.

When her sobs gradually subsided, Mu Junyan pulled out a silk handkerchief and gently wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes.

Sigh, little girls really were hard to care for.

So delicate—one small bump and the heart shatters.

Looking into her teary, glistening eyes, Mu Junyan felt both helpless and distressed.

Gu Hua steadied her emotions, tugged gently at his robe, and whispered, “There’s something I need to confess to you.”

Confess?

Mu Junyan’s heart tightened.

Gu Hua leaned in a little closer and lowered her voice. “You know Ji Xuanyu, right?”

Her childhood friend—Brother Ji?

Mu Junyan’s face turned serious at once. He looked at her little face and nodded. “I know.”

Zhou Zhilian had already sent him a letter by carrier pigeon revealing that the young master of Yifeng Hall was Ji Xuanyu. She hadn’t said much, only that Gu Hua didn’t seem to care much about him.

But how could that be possible?

Due to the tense war situation, he hadn’t had the time to dwell on it.

Now hearing her bring it up herself, he felt an inexplicable discomfort.

What must come will come. If the person is truly hers, she won’t lose him. If not, no amount of grasping will hold him.

Mu Junyan had already arranged several exit plans for Gu Hua, but the moment she’d traveled thousands of miles to find him, he decided he would never let her go again.

“H-he… he’s the young master of Yifeng Hall who captured me,” Gu Hua said, eyes brimming with tears.

“H-he betrayed the country…”

As she spoke, tears rolled down her cheeks like beads.

Mu Junyan finally relaxed a little. “What do you think?”

What did she think?

From the moment she found out, every time she thought about it, her heart twisted in pain.

To this day, she still couldn’t believe that Brother Ji had changed so completely—how someone once so kind, gentle, and eager to learn had become the ringleader of ruthless criminals.

If she hadn’t heard him with her own ears ordering them to destroy her chastity, she would never have believed Ji Xuanyu and the young master were the same person.

Yet, thinking of him still made her heart ache.

“I-I don’t know. But betraying the country and harming the people of Daliang is wrong, no matter what. He also tried to assassinate court officials and caused chaos in the court. He tampered with your army’s winter supplies and food, trying to make you freeze and starve so you’d lose the will to fight. Even if he didn’t directly take part, he’s still beyond redemption. But… but what if he had no choice? I haven’t been thinking about him, really, please believe me.”

“I-I-I just… I just can’t bear it. He was the only one who was good to me in the past. Brother Ji… no, Ji Xuanyu—could he have been threatened, forced into it, or…?”

Mu Junyan looked at her anxious and incoherent state and felt a heavy weight in his chest.

Could it be that she’d come all this way, risking danger not just to deliver supplies—but hoping to use this merit to save Ji Xuanyu’s life?

Mu Junyan gently patted her head. “I’ve never met him, so I don’t know the truth. But I can promise you this—if we capture him, you can question him yourself. If there are extenuating circumstances, we’ll consider it. If he hasn’t committed unforgivable crimes, sparing his life isn’t impossible.”

Gu Hua opened her mouth, clearly not expecting him to say that.

“Really?”

Her earnest gaze made Mu Junyan a little uncomfortable, but he didn’t show it on his face.

He nodded. “I always keep my word.”

Yifeng Hall must be completely eradicated.

The Chiyan unit had already received his secret order: to root out every single member of Yifeng Hall in Daliang.

If the poison wasn’t fully removed, it would be an endless threat.

But when the time came, he could give her the chance to end it personally.

Right and wrong, life or death—no one else could decide it.

It would be the consequence of his own actions.

There’s a saying: He who brings trouble upon himself cannot live.

Gu Hua stood there in a daze for a moment. It seemed like this was the only way.

Still uneasy, she added, “Be careful with the army’s rations. They’ll probably tamper with them again.”

Mu Junyan pinched her tear-reddened nose. “Yes, by order of my lady.”

Gu Hua blushed, sniffled, and nodded. “Mm, let’s go horseback riding then.”

Seeing her still low-spirited, Mu Junyan took her hand and led her to the stables.

A young soldier saw them and quickly approached. “Commander, you want to ride?”

He was dying to get a proper look at the favored concubine everyone gossiped about, but with Mu Junyan right there, he didn’t dare sneak a glance.

“Mm, bring over that young mare.”

“Yes, sir!”

Gu Hua curiously watched the soldier lead over a tall chestnut-red horse and pointed in surprise. “This is the young one?”

Mu Junyan chuckled and rubbed her head. “Southern border warhorses are all tall. This one counts as a small one.”

The soldier quickly set up the saddle, and Mu Junyan lifted her up onto the horse.