FBC – Chapter 84 Secret Meeting with Yinzhi

Gu Hua was led by Chiyan from a quiet path behind Guanshan Tower to a small side gate, where an unremarkable little carriage was waiting outside.

They boarded the carriage, and after riding for less than a quarter of an hour, it came to a stop.

Upon getting off, they arrived at a secluded courtyard hidden within a deep alley.

Chiyan knocked on the door in a rhythmic pattern. With a creak, the small door opened.

Gu Hua quickly slipped inside.

Seeing the physician from the Sun residence waiting there didn’t surprise her. She lowered her voice and asked, “How are her injuries?”

“The guards were skilled and restrained. They’re all superficial wounds, though some flesh tears are deep and will take time to heal.”

Gu Hua felt relieved upon hearing this. “Thank you, Physician Sun.”

“It’s the Lord’s command. I dare not be negligent. But the scars on her back may be difficult to remove.”

Gu Hua nodded to show she understood.

Chiyan pointed to a room inside. “She’s in this one.”

Then he added in a low voice, “Her cousin has been found, but he’s not yet aware of what happened to her.”

“Thank you.”

Gu Hua sincerely thanked him and gave him a formal curtsey. Startled, he quickly stepped aside, not daring to accept the gesture.

Calming herself, Gu Hua pushed open the door.

Yinzhi was lying face down in the dimly lit room, the air thick with the smell of medicine.

A stern-faced older maid lit a candle, and the room instantly brightened.

The sudden light made Yinzhi blink open her eyes with effort. When she saw Gu Hua standing before her, she immediately shut them again.

Gu Hua stood silently, watching her, unable to guess what she was thinking at that moment.

But she could imagine—Yinzhi must be utterly disillusioned with Gu Wanru by now.

The old maid brought in a chair. “Please sit, Miss.”

Then she quietly left and stood guard outside, just like Chiyan.

Gu Hua sat down, said nothing, and pulled out the blood-written letter from Yinzhi’s mother. She unfolded it in front of her.

“Your mother hanged herself.”

Yinzhi’s eyes snapped open. She opened her mouth and rasped in a weak, hoarse voice, “W-What did you say?”

“Do you recognize this handwriting?”

Yinzhi’s bloodshot eyes locked onto the five characters written at the top: Avenge your parents’ death.

She opened her mouth again, but no sound came out.

Gu Hua folded the letter and tucked it under Yinzhi’s pillow.

She slowly said, “Your mother grew up alongside Concubine Pei and married into the Marquis of Wenchang’s household as her dowry maid. For Concubine Pei, she gave up her childhood sweetheart and married the steward in charge of Gu Mansion’s procurement, all at Concubine Pei’s instruction. She was loyal and devoted, did everything in her power to support her. You could say she gave her life for her.”

“She gave birth to you and became a maid to Gu Wanru, just like you. You mother and daughter served Gu Wanru and her mother—do you like how it all turned out?”

Yinzhi lay weakly on the bed, trembling all over, her tears falling uncontrollably.

Seeing the woman who had once been Gu Wanru’s loyal lapdog, who had done everything in her power to torment her in the past life—even helping Mu An kill her—Gu Hua was filled with grief and rage.

In this life, she would turn the weapons once used against her into blades that pierced her enemies’ hearts.

Gu Hua sighed. “Before your mother died, she lived in utter misery. No medicine when she was sick, no food, no water. They wanted her to die slowly. When I heard about it, I was so shocked I couldn’t believe it. I remembered how Sister Yinzhi cared most about her mother. You agreed to follow Gu Wanru into the Duke’s household and delay your marriage only because Concubine Pei promised to give your mother a proper burial.”

“And you were betrothed to your cousin since childhood. I used to see him sneaking your favorite pastries into the mansion. You two would share them and laugh together—I was genuinely envious of that.”

“Stop it!” Yinzhi couldn’t take it anymore and let out a strained scream.

But her voice sounded like something being dragged across the ground.

“Truthfully, I used to hate you.” Gu Hua smiled faintly.

“But after seeing your mother’s miserable death, after watching you be used as my stand-in and tormented by Mu An, after seeing your love torn apart, after seeing your master—whom you protected with your life—betray you and nearly cost you your own, I no longer feel that way.”

“They say pitiful people often have hateful qualities. You were hateful—but also pitiful.”

Yinzhi glared at her furiously. If she could stand up, she would’ve lunged at her.

Gu Hua leaned down, her eyes glinting with a devilish light, as if she had climbed out of hell.

She spoke slowly: “I spared your life because your mother told me a secret before she died.”

Yinzhi’s pupils shrank.

Gu Hua caught the flicker of fear in her eyes.

Just as she thought—Yinzhi knew.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have trampled her so viciously for Gu Wanru.

Gu Hua’s voice lowered into a tempting whisper. “You know I’m the legitimate daughter, and Gu Wanru is actually Concubine Pei’s biological child, don’t you?”

Yinzhi’s gaze shifted evasively.

Gu Hua didn’t press her. She straightened and softened her tone: “Your cousin is still waiting for you. To the world, you’re already dead. If you want to escape this hell, I can help you. If you still want to return to Gu Wanru’s side, I can grant you that loyalty too.”

Yinzhi struggled to turn her head toward Gu Hua. The wounds on her back, barely scabbed over, tore open again and bled.

But she didn’t feel a thing. “Please… Second Miss…”

It was the first time Gu Hua had heard Yinzhi plead with her. For some reason, it made her want to laugh.

So it turns out—being kind gets you trampled. But when you’re strong, others crumble.

“You want to run away with your cousin, don’t you?”

Yinzhi nodded desperately, tears falling uncontrollably.

Gu Hua dragged a sharp fingernail across her scabbed, mangled back, causing Yinzhi to twitch in agony.

“I wonder if your cousin would accept this ruined, defiled body?”

Yinzhi trembled all over and broke down into sobs.

Gu Hua withdrew her hand, pulled out a handkerchief, wiped her nails clean, then suddenly stuffed the cloth into Yinzhi’s mouth, muffling her cries into whimpers.

Her tone turned icy: “After all the torment I endured at your hands, I’m no saint. If you want a new life, then you’ll have to reveal everything you know in front of everyone.”

Yinzhi sobbed in silence.

“Look closely at your mother’s letter. She was murdered. And your father? What happened to him? Now it’s your turn.”

Gu Hua dusted off her sleeves. “Think it over. Should I say you craved wealth and climbed into the master’s bed, only to be discarded like trash? Or should I say you were forced? It’s up to you.”

Without waiting for her response, without another glance, Gu Hua turned and walked out, quietly closing the door behind her—shutting out the sound of Yinzhi’s wretched sobbing.

Chiyan stepped forward and asked respectfully, “Second Miss Gu, do you have any instructions?”

“I want to meet her cousin.”

Chiyan hesitated.

“Is that not allowed?” Gu Hua hadn’t shaken off Yinzhi’s emotional state. Her eyes were still cold.

Chiyan quickly replied, “It requires the Lord’s permission.”

Gu Hua nodded. “Very well. Please report to the Duke on my behalf.”

“Yes.”

Suddenly, a sharp, stabbing pain came from Gu Hua’s lower abdomen.

Her heart sank. Something was wrong.

She gritted her teeth, forced herself back into the carriage, and curled up on the seat, clutching her belly as the pain worsened with every bump in the road. Her forehead was drenched in cold sweat.

The carriage stopped again at the side gate. Seeing no movement inside, Chiyan frowned slightly and cautiously lifted a corner of the curtain—

Only to find Gu Hua pale as paper, curled up and unconscious inside.

Startled, he leapt onto the wall and disappeared into the mansion.

Moments later, Dong Hua came rushing out with Shen Li’s medicine kit on her back, followed by Dongqing and Shen Li herself.

Shen Li checked her pulse and was startled to find it incredibly faint.

“This won’t do. We need to get her inside immediately!”