FBC – Chapter 190 Missing

Min Dongsheng changed into the new robe that Zhou Zhilan had brought him. Chi Yu quickly finished the paperwork, and Gu Hua escorted him out.

Once Min Dongsheng got into the carriage, Gu Hua asked Chi Yu, “Does the Lord have a private residence in Juzhou City? It’s inconvenient for Mr. Min to stay in the official residence for now.”

She wanted to avoid drawing too much attention. If someone with ulterior motives recognized Min Dongsheng, they might start spreading rumors.

Chi Yu nodded. “Yes, Madam. I’ll arrange it immediately.”

“You take Mr. Min there directly. I’ll return to the residence first.”

“Yes.”

Chi Yu at once ordered the prefect’s office to prepare another carriage for Gu Hua.

After he was done, Gu Hua asked, “Where is Yuan Zhongyong now?”

“He’s still in the Luodian military camp. He was punished by military law and is badly injured. I fear it’ll take another two or three days before he can leave the camp.”

Gu Hua nodded. “Two or three days, that’s enough.”

Two or three days would be enough for her to sort out the power structure of Great Liang and find an entry point to act.

Two or three days, and Mu Junyan should be back as well.

She had never longed for him as much as she did now.

Gu Hua gently stroked her belly and murmured, “Baby, you must be as strong as your mother. Because your father is the God of War, Mu Junyan. We’ll wait for him to return in triumph.”

For two whole days, Gu Hua went to Mu Junyan’s private residence in the east of the city before dawn and only returned to the official residence after dark.

Dong Hua had also mostly recovered and served Gu Hua alongside Dong Qing.

Min Dongsheng worked diligently too. On the very first night, he drew up a royal family tree and a matrix diagram of the political factions, analyzing one by one the officials from the list Chi Yu provided.

Two days of immersion, and it felt as if Gu Hua had exchanged her mind for another.

Her eyes no longer saw just the inner courtyard—she now perceived the world, and she could better understand Mu Junyan’s grand ambition of carrying the fate of both family and country in his heart.

“Madam, at present we only have account books. Without witnesses, we cannot definitively convict the Jiang clan. As for Prince Ping’an’s letter, it lacks a seal, the handwriting can be forged, and the recipient is already dead. Our evidence is very insufficient.”

Gu Hua nodded.

She knew.

But she already had a general understanding of the situation.

Even after being imprisoned for five years, Min Dongsheng had not wasted his time. With Mu Junyan allowing him access to outside information, he had kept himself clear about court affairs.

The Jiang clan and the old ministers they led represented generations of Great Liang’s entrenched bureaucracy: bloated ranks, endless corruption, noble families acting like parasites, countless officials taking bribes.

This was why, at the start of his career, Min Dongsheng had boldly demanded the emperor abolish hereditary titles and privileges.

Meanwhile, the Mu family’s territory contained large portions of the empire’s mines, and the greatest outlet for smuggling national resources was the southern frontier.

The Jiang clan had always advocated peace.

Without war, the southern border would be left under court management, the troops stationed merely as guards, while the Jiang clan could act lawlessly.

Their so-called peace talks relied on marriage alliances and supplying grain and money as tributes—essentially flattering the southern kingdoms.

Yet for more than a decade, those southern kingdoms had shamelessly harassed Great Liang’s border people—burning, killing, and looting. That was precisely why the Mu family advocated war.

If the enemy was not beaten into fear, peace talks would only be feeding meat to tigers.

They were violent and greedy, never satisfied, and this had become a carnival for the Jiang clan’s insatiable corruption.

When Gu Hua returned to the official residence that evening, the sky was already dark.

As soon as she entered the courtyard, she saw a black carriage parked there, with several red-clad, black-armored Tianwu soldiers standing guard.

Yuan Zhongyong had returned?

As she was thinking, the captain of his guards came over, cupped his hands politely, and greeted, “Greetings, Lady Mu.”

So polite?

He must be here with an agenda.

Gu Hua nodded and asked with feigned concern, “How is Lord Yuan’s injury?”

“Reporting to Madam, the military camp’s conditions were not suitable for recovery, so the lord returned.”

“That’s good. He should rest well.”

Gu Hua didn’t want to speak further and turned to leave.

The captain quickly stepped forward. “Lady Mu, we heard that you have a divine physician by your side. May I trouble you to have her treat our lord’s injuries?”

Gu Hua sneered inwardly.

“Miss Shen is not my attendant. I can’t order her around. Besides, she doesn’t specialize in external injuries. She’s been busy detoxifying the people of Juzhou. I doubt she has the time.”

The captain’s face darkened. “Madam, our lord is the imperial envoy. The Duke only beat him to vent your anger. That was personal revenge.”

Ha, trouble already.

Gu Hua was no longer the meek housewife. She wasn’t afraid.

Her expression changed abruptly, her voice cold as ice. “Wasn’t he punished for violating military law? How is that personal revenge? Are you slandering the Duke Yong?”

The captain hurriedly said, “I dare not.”

Gu Hua didn’t bother to spare them any face. “There are physicians in the residence. If that’s not enough, you’re free to summon every doctor in Juzhou.”

The Tianwu soldiers standing nearby watched her leave with resentment.

“Captain, she’s just a concubine. Why give her face?”

The captain’s expression was grim. “Lord Yuan’s injuries are serious. The medicine and doctors here aren’t effective. Our army’s wound medicine is good, but it leaves scars. If he’s scarred, he won’t keep his post.”

They were all at a loss.

Suddenly, one shifty-looking soldier said, “Isn’t that divine physician a woman? Why don’t we just grab her? If she resists, we’ll have our way with her. That’ll make her obedient.”

The captain’s eyes lit up. “Good idea. Brothers, tonight we’ll hide in the dark. When that woman returns, we’ll take her!”

“Good!”

He picked one man and whispered, “You stay at the main gate. If news comes that Duke Yong has died, report to Lord Yuan immediately. Don’t make a mistake.”

“Yes.”

…

Dong Hua and Dong Qing were serving Gu Hua while she bathed, changed, and was having dinner, when Chi Yu suddenly rushed in.

Gu Hua saw his bloodshot eyes and trembling body, and her heart sank. She shot to her feet. “What happened?”

“The Lord…”

“What about him? Speak quickly!” Gu Hua cried out, her voice breaking.

Chi Yu thought of Gu Hua’s pregnancy, fearing to frighten her. He tried hard to suppress his grief and soften his tone.

“Madam, don’t worry. A report has come from the front… saying the Lord has been missing since last night.”

“Missing?” Gu Hua’s heart stopped.

Not dead—missing.

She forced herself to hold back her panic. “Has the news spread along the official routes yet?”

“It was sent by carrier pigeon. Only I know.”

Gu Hua steadied her breathing. “Don’t let this leak.”

If word got out, Juzhou could fall into chaos.

“Hurry, prepare the carriage. I must see Mr. Min.”

She reached for her cloak, but suddenly a dull pain spread through her belly. She froze and pressed her abdomen carefully, not daring to move.

Zhou Zhilan noticed her pallor and quickly supported her. “Why not have Mr. Min come in disguise? You shouldn’t go.”

Worried about the child, Gu Hua nodded. “Chi Yu, go invite Mr. Min. Have him come through the back door. Make sure he doesn’t run into Yuan Zhongyong.”

“Yes.”

Dong Hua brought her a bowl of calming, warming soup prepared by Shen Li.

Though her chest felt heavy with dread, for the child’s sake—for the worst that might yet come—Gu Hua forced herself to drink the entire bowl.

She vomited immediately after.

After rinsing her mouth, she ordered, “Bring me another bowl.”

Dong Hua, teary-eyed, fetched it again. This time, Gu Hua managed to keep it down.

“Don’t worry too much,” Zhou Zhilan comforted her tenderly. “On the battlefield, information is slow. By now, the Lord might already be back at camp.”

Gu Hua, pale-faced, nodded. “I’m fine. I know. I’m just afraid that if word leaks, someone will use it to stir trouble and shake the army’s morale.”

Zhou Zhilan understood the gravity. “I’ll go arrange the guards’ defenses.”

“Good.”

“Dong Hua, Dong Qing, take good care of Madam.”

“Don’t worry, Miss Zhou,” the two maids replied.