FBC – Chapter 186 Pregnant

Gu Hua didn’t know how to respond.

Ji Xuanyu’s gaze locked tightly onto her face, as though he wanted to carve her into the depths of his heart.

“When this war is over, you two will have children, won’t you?”

He smiled. “You are as beautiful as a celestial fairy. You looked breathtaking in the phoenix crown and red wedding robes. What a pity… after today, I will never see you again.”

Gu Hua choked up. “There’s still a chance! If you confess your crimes, there’s still hope.”

Ji Xuanyu chuckled. “Little girl, you’re still so soft-hearted.”

For him, living in disgrace was worse than dying in glory.

Moreover, if he died in front of her, at least she would remember him.

He leaned closer, lowering his voice so only she could hear. “On my underclothes, I’ve written the antidote method for the Gu poison. Also, in my residence, there’s an account book. Take it and submit it to the court—it records all the dealings between the Jiang family and Yifeng Hall. You must fetch it yourself.”

“Brother Ji!” Gu Hua called softly.

It felt like he was giving his last words.

Mu Junyan frowned, eyes fixed firmly on Gu Hua, afraid Ji Xuanyu would suddenly strike.

At the same time, he strained to listen, but he couldn’t catch a word.

“Actually, my plan was to let the Gu poison spread, then hand you the antidote recipe. That way, you wouldn’t be dragged down with me, and you could even earn merit, rise in status, and no longer be looked down upon in the Duke Yong’s household.”

Gu Hua burst into tears.

Ji Xuanyu’s eyes were red as he smiled. “Can I touch your head? Like before—I always loved ruffling your hair and teasing you for being silly.”

Gu Hua nodded.

Ji Xuanyu extended his bound hands. “Can you untie me?”

Her heart ached bitterly. Without thinking, she began to undo the ropes. Her own hands were injured, so it was difficult and slow. As she worked, her tears fell uncontrollably.

He lowered his eyes, watching her weak hands. Her tears fell onto his skin—burning hot, like fire.

Her palms were also cut from the dagger.

In a hoarse murmur, he said, “I’m sorry, Hua’er.”

She shook her head. Finally, she managed to undo the ropes.

Ji Xuanyu reached out to stroke her hair, but suddenly, with one hand, he seized her wrist, and with the other, drew the dagger from her waist. Forcing it into her grip, he drove her hand—and the blade—straight into his chest.

Gu Hua screamed, “Brother Ji!”

“I just want to die by your hand…”

She struggled to pull back, but he clamped tightly on her hand. The harder she resisted, the deeper the wound tore.

Earlier, one self-inflicted stab had already left the ground slick with blood. Now, blood gushed like a fountain.

His face turned deathly pale, his body swaying.

Gu Hua panicked, trying to press the wound with her free hand, but the blood spurted through her fingers—impossible to stop.

She sobbed desperately. “Ziyuan, Ziyuan, the bleeding won’t stop—help me, please!”

Ji Xuanyu suddenly looked at Mu Junyan. “Don’t come closer. I still have words for Hua’er.”

Mu Junyan didn’t move.

Everyone could see Ji Xuanyu had no will to live.

No one wished to save him.

Ji Xuanyu lifted his hand, caressing Gu Hua’s face, wanting to wipe away her tears. But his bloodstained fingers only smeared her cheeks red.

“Hua’er, I truly like you. These years apart, I’ve thought of you nearly every day. I imagined how you would look when grown, dreamed that when you could marry, you’d marry me. I would cherish you. But I was always useless—unable to give you safety or anything of worth.”

“I don’t care about that. Brother Ji, don’t speak!”

She cried helplessly, fumbling, watching the blood gush endlessly.

She knew his crimes were unforgivable, but when he was truly dying before her, her heart twisted with unbearable pain.

His lips were ashen, his eyelids too heavy to lift.

Struggling to speak, his throat filled with the metallic taste of blood. Afraid to frighten her, he forced himself to swallow it back.

“Hua’er, if I could do it again, I would never join Yifeng Hall. I would have gone to find you immediately, to take you away from the Gu family’s hell. I could have earned silver teaching books, supported you. We would have lived as an ordinary couple…”

Gu Hua wept endlessly.

“But alas, life has no ‘if’…”

His voice grew weaker, his body softening as he slumped onto her shoulder.

With his last strength, he forced a smile.

“Hua’er… forgive me.”

His grip on her hand suddenly loosened, his arm falling lifelessly to the ground.

“No! No, Brother Ji! Brother Ji!” Gu Hua cried hysterically, shaking him.

His eyes never opened again. Blood poured from his eyes, nose, and mouth.

Holding his corpse, she sobbed so hard she could barely breathe.

In the distance, dawn broke, rays of light piercing through the clouds.

But their fate had already burned out.

In the bitter cold, his body quickly grew stiff, his blood clotted.

Gu Hua wiped her tears and gently closed his eyes.

Mu Junyan stepped forward, unfastened his cloak, and draped it over her shoulders.

“Let’s give him a proper burial.”

Chi Yu hurried over, moving Ji Xuanyu’s body and laying it flat on the ground.

Gu Hua collapsed into Mu Junyan’s arms, crying once more.

Ji Xuanyu was her lost youth, her memory of a past life.

But in this life, she had been reborn.

This time, there would be no Brother Ji.

Her mind was filled with the image of him clutching her hand, driving the dagger into his own heart.

…

It felt like a long, chaotic dream—her elder sister’s bullying, Mu An’s humiliation, Concubine Pei’s cruelty, Brother Ji’s hand forcing the blade…

Her head throbbed unbearably.

When she opened her eyes, she saw Shen Li’s lazy face. She was sitting by the bed, propped on her hand, dozing off.

Gu Hua stirred slightly, and Shen Li woke at once.

“You’re awake!”

She quickly pulled Gu Hua’s wrist from under the quilt, took her pulse, then tucked her hand back.

“You stay put. I’ll brew medicine. Honestly, none of you ever give me peace of mind.”

Gu Hua’s eyes reddened, and she nodded obediently.

Shen Li left, but a startled cry soon sounded. Zhou Zhilan rushed in like the wind, followed by Dong Hua and Dong Qing.

“You’re awake? Wonderful! If you’d slept any longer, Shen Li would have lost her temper.”

“Sister Zhilan, you’re here? Dong Qing, you too?”

Dong Qing nodded, eyes red.

“You were unconscious for three days and two nights—you scared us to death.” Zhou Zhilan grinned.

“Three days and two nights?” Gu Hua was shocked.

“Of course. And we weren’t even worrying about you—we were worrying about the child in your belly. This is the lord’s very first child, after all.”

Child?

Gu Hua’s eyes widened. “Ch-child?”

“Yes! Heavens above, you’re carrying a child yet still running about recklessly. Luckily, it’s the lord’s strong seed. Otherwise, you might have frightened the baby away.”

Gu Hua instinctively touched her belly. “You mean… I’m pregnant?”

“Yes, absolutely.” Zhou Zhilan nodded firmly.

Gu Hua was stunned.

She quickly wrapped her arms protectively over her abdomen.

No wonder Shen Li had said none of them gave her peace of mind.

Heavens… if her actions had harmed the baby, she would never forgive herself.

“Does he know?”

“The lord doesn’t know yet.” Zhou Zhilan hesitated.

Gu Hua’s heart tightened. “What’s wrong with him?”

Surely nothing had happened to him?

He mustn’t die—she couldn’t let her child grow up without a father!