FBC – Chapter 86 A Failed Endeavor

Gu Hua’s body went rigid in an instant.

She steeled herself and spoke at a rapid pace: “Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, I’ve long heard the people sing your praises and speak of their deep admiration. But now that I have seen you in person, what I witness is completely unlike what the people say.

Your Majesty did not even investigate and immediately assumed I was at fault. Being wrongly punished is a small matter for me—but what of my father’s honor, the dignity of the Duke Yong, and the fairness of the world? Are these things Your Majesty no longer considers important?”

The Empress Dowager had once helped an emperor who wasn’t her own son ascend to the throne, and had ruled from behind the curtains. Even after the emperor assumed power, the two continued to vie for control in secret—a well-known fact in Bianjing.

The Marquis of Wenchang’s estate, though in decline, had once led the civil officials.

The Duke Yong stood as the highest-ranking among military officials.

The Empress Dowager could punish a powerless girl on Jiang Ruoxi’s behalf, but she couldn’t afford to overlook the influence this would have on the imperial court.

The Empress Dowager raised an eyebrow and looked at Jiang Ruoxi. “So that sharp tongue of hers explains why you always lose to her.”

Jiang Ruoxi looked aggrieved. “Ruoxi only holds back for the sake of the royal family’s dignity. I wouldn’t stoop to bickering like some common merchant girl.”

Gu Hua heavily kowtowed, her forehead soon swelling red.

She had no time to care about appearances anymore.

Fifty slaps could knock her unconscious on the spot—and then any excuse could be fabricated to have her quietly killed.

“Your Majesty, the conflict between the County Princess and me had a cause. Please permit me to explain. If I am wrongfully beaten to death, that’s a small matter—but tarnishing Your Majesty’s virtuous name would be a grave one.”

The Empress Dowager glanced at her, then at Jiang Ruoxi, whose eyes quickly darted away.

“It’s nothing. That day, Ruoxi just accidentally broke her hairpin…”

Gu Hua immediately interrupted, “The County Princess is not telling the truth. That hairpin was a gift I intended to pass on to my cousin-sister. The County Princess snatched it without cause and smashed it. I only asked her to pay for the damages, which she refused. To this day, no compensation has been made. There were many witnesses present.”

“You’re spewing slander! You filthy wench, how dare you defame me!”

Jiang Ruoxi was so furious she jumped up and pointed right at Gu Hua’s face.

Gu Hua was in so much pain that she could hardly sit upright. One hand clutched her abdomen while the other supported her on the floor as she forced herself to respond.

“As a County Princess, bestowed the blessings of the imperial family and nurtured with great care, your crude language shames the Empress Dowager’s name. Do you think this is how you repay Her Majesty’s teachings?”

“You—!”

Jiang Ruoxi’s face turned scarlet with rage.

The Empress Dowager, who had wielded power for many years, naturally understood the weight of things.

She looked at the young girl, clearly at her limit but still standing her ground, and her tone finally softened: “It seems I have wrongly blamed you. Quickly, help Second Miss Gu up. Give her a seat.”

Gu Hua’s tension instantly dissolved, and she nearly collapsed to the ground.

The palace maid helped her up. Her legs trembled and her vision blurred, and she quickly sat down on the embroidered stool handed to her.

“Grand-aunt…”

Jiang Ruoxi anxiously stomped her foot when she saw how easily Gu Hua was let off.

The Empress Dowager shot her a glare. “Compose yourself.”

“The Duke Yong has arrived,” the eunuch announced.

Jiang Ruoxi lit up. “So Grand-aunt already—”

The Empress Dowager’s glance silenced her. She really couldn’t keep calm.

Then she looked at the seemingly frail Gu Hua—clearly shrewd and courageous. In comparison, Jiang Ruoxi, despite all her careful grooming, was falling short.

She even began to worry if Jiang Ruoxi could handle Mu Junyan at all.

Gu Hua looked up and saw a tall, familiar figure approaching from the opposite corridor.

An inexplicable sense of calm settled over her. With him here, she might just live.

Their eyes met briefly. Before they could exchange glances, Jiang Ruoxi leapt up excitedly and ran over.

“Brother-in-law, you’re here!”

Mu Junyan subtly dodged her hand and quickly looked toward Gu Hua.

He saw that her face was pale, her clothes soaked in sweat.

Chi Yan had reported that she fainted in the carriage. He was just about to go check on her when the Emperor summoned him to the palace. After barely two exchanges, the Empress Dowager had sent for him, claiming there was an urgent matter to discuss.

The Emperor didn’t stop him and let him go.

He hadn’t expected that Gu Hua would be summoned too.

From the looks of it, she could barely hold on.

Mu Junyan withdrew his gaze and cupped his hands in salute. “Your Majesty, this subject greets you.”

“We are all family here. No need for such formality. Come, have a seat,” the Empress Dowager said warmly.

Mu Junyan remained standing, calm and firm. “This subject has important matters to report to the Emperor. May I ask what Your Majesty summoned me for?”

The Empress Dowager was used to his attitude and didn’t mind, smiling: “Ruoxi mentioned your valor and victories, and we were all deeply moved. Upon hearing you were in the palace, I summoned you to tell us more stories.”

Mu Junyan frowned. “This subject has only been discussing urgent national and military matters with His Majesty. There was no time to entertain.”

The Empress Dowager’s expression froze.

But she couldn’t lash out.

“Then may I ask why Your Majesty summoned Gu Hua to the palace?”

The Empress Dowager smiled. “Ruoxi said your daughter-in-law’s younger sister is temporarily staying at the Duke’s residence. She praised her so highly that I got curious and called her in for a look.”

Mu Junyan didn’t want to waste time. “Gu Hua fainted at the estate today. As the younger sister of this subject’s daughter-in-law, if anything were to happen to her, it would be hard to explain to the Marquis of Wenchang. I request Your Majesty’s permission to take her back.”

The Empress Dowager’s expression changed briefly but quickly returned to normal. “I was just thinking her complexion looks poor. I was about to have someone escort her back.”

Mu Junyan immediately strode toward Gu Hua.

She made an effort to stand up, but before she could move—screams rang out. Splash!

Gu Hua turned her head and saw Jiang Ruoxi had fallen into the pond and was flailing about.

Palace maids scrambled, searching for poles and ways to pull her out.

The Empress Dowager jumped up in alarm. “Junyan, quickly! Save Ruoxi! None of us here can swim!”

Mu Junyan frowned.

Gu Hua suddenly lifted her skirt and rushed over. As she stared at the deep, dark waters, her heart trembled.

Every time she saw water, she instinctively recalled the suffocating terror before her death.

Early autumn had already chilled the air, and the water was even colder.

But if Mu Junyan jumped in to save Jiang Ruoxi, he would fall right into the Empress Dowager’s trap—forced to marry her.

Her life wasn’t worth much. If she saved Jiang Ruoxi, the Empress Dowager would feel too guilty to trouble her again, and she would also be helping Mu Junyan.

One risk, two rewards—worth it.

Everyone stood stunned, not yet reacting when splash!—Gu Hua had already jumped in. She quickly grabbed Jiang Ruoxi’s hand.

Mu Junyan’s eyes darkened, and he dove in immediately after.

Jiang Ruoxi had been pushed and blindly clung to the first hand she found, flailing and kicking.

The Empress Dowager and the crowd were stunned.

“Someone! Save them, quickly!” she cried in panic.

Gu Hua, already freezing, was immediately wrapped up by Jiang Ruoxi like an octopus. Her waist took a hard kick—pain burst through her body.

She couldn’t hold on anymore and sank—but at the last moment, she pushed Jiang Ruoxi upward with all her might.

That push, however, sent her deeper into the water.

The rescuers arrived, flailing to grab Jiang Ruoxi who had been pushed toward the edge, while chaos erupted above.

The icy lake enveloped Gu Hua, freezing her to the core. Her limbs were numb, her mouth and ears filled with water—she couldn’t breathe.

Her body, senses, and the memory of drowning all conspired to drag her down. She was limp, sinking.

Mu Junyan swam swiftly, surfaced—and found no sign of Gu Hua. Panic and fury surged in his chest.

Then he saw ripples not far away and dove toward them—he spotted her arm reaching out, desperately flailing.

In that final moment of lost consciousness, the bitterness of two lifetimes—struggling to live, only to fall again—filled Gu Hua’s mind. She had finally been reborn; she wasn’t willing to give up.

She bit her lip hard, and the pain brought back a sliver of clarity. She reached up with all her strength.

Suddenly, strong arms wrapped around her waist, and soon her head broke the surface. She gasped for breath, choking, coughing.

Her freezing body was pulled into a warm embrace. She hazily opened her eyes.

Mu Junyan.

It was him…

He carried her ashore. A palace maid brought over a blanket, wanting to take her, but he pulled the blanket over her himself, turned, and gently patted her back.

She coughed up a mouthful of water and finally felt like she was alive again.

“Bring dry blankets,” Mu Junyan ordered calmly.

No one dared object. Soon, dry blankets were brought.

He swiftly removed the soaked one, rewrapped her tightly in a dry one like a dumpling, ignored the Empress Dowager’s expression and didn’t even glance at Jiang Ruoxi, then carried Gu Hua off.

The Empress Dowager stared in a daze, then looked at the sobbing Jiang Ruoxi and sighed heavily.

“Useless thing!”

In the end, it was all for nothing.