The moment Gu Fei dragged Xu Hui up from the water, Ye Anlan immediately spotted him and said, “Lord Gu is still alive!”
At that instant, a single tear slipped down the corner of her eye, and a faint smile appeared at the edge of her lips as she silently cursed, “This damned man really has a strong life.”
Everyone stirred at once and rushed toward the riverside.
Da Ya and Er Ya had already cried their eyes red. When they saw Gu Fei’s figure, they were so emotional they nearly knelt down. “My Lord! My Lord is still alive, that’s wonderful!”
The water beneath was bone-chilling. Gu Fei, dragging Xu Hui by the arm, swam with all his strength toward the shore.
Ye Anlan caught a rope thrown to her by someone and hurled it forcefully. It landed accurately beside Gu Fei.
Gu Fei grabbed the rope with one hand while the other arm held tightly onto Xu Hui, pulling her to the shore.
As soon as he reached land, Gu Fei quickly checked Xu Hui’s breathing and found she was unconscious.
“This is bad, no breath!” His heart sank, and without hesitation, he began chest compressions and artificial respiration.
Xiao Lingshuang, who had been hiding nearby, witnessed the entire scene. But as Gu Fei pressed on Xu Hui’s chest, her gaze suddenly sharpened. A strange feeling surged within her.
Moments later, an overwhelming killing intent erupted from her body—wasn’t this the same move Gu Fei used to save her back then? At that time, there hadn’t even been a veil between their lips.
Thinking of this, Xiao Lingshuang’s expression became complicated. She clenched her delicate fists, suppressing a restless and inexplicable emotion that welled up inside her.
Gu Fei remained focused on the rescue. Each chest compression was precise and powerful. Xu Hui’s chest heaved intensely under the pressure.
This technique had been taught by Gu Fei at Shangyuan Academy, so the students weren’t surprised. If it had been anyone else, Xu Hui might not have even agreed. Gu Fei feared someone else might mishandle it and miss the chance to save her.
After a few compressions, he blew into her mouth through the silk veil.
Moments later, Xu Hui coughed a few times, and water gushed out of her mouth. She slowly opened her eyes and saw Gu Fei crouched beside her, his eyes filled with concern.
Her face flushed as she choked up and said, “My Lord, I just felt like I couldn’t do anything right… What’s the point of living?”
Seeing that she had come back to life, Gu Fei finally let the suppressed anger surface and said coldly, “Dying doesn’t feel good, does it? Tomorrow, bring your father to the county office to see me!” This chapter was taken from g.com without permission.
After speaking, he stood up and faced the crowd, announcing loudly, “From today onward, Shangyuan County will hold a ‘Creative Crafting Competition’ every three months. First place gets 300 taels of silver, second place gets 200 taels, and so on. The top ten will all receive rewards.”
Participation requirements: there are no restrictions on background or the type of entry. As long as it serves the people, improves work efficiency, or is a new invention or creation—anything useful to society—can be entered.
Additionally, any entry that is determined by this official to be of major innovative value will receive an extra reward. The prize money has no upper limit.
As soon as he finished speaking, the crowd burst into an uproar, with many eyes lighting up with excitement. This sudden announcement had clearly ignited everyone’s enthusiasm.
Especially some young people who enjoyed tinkering in their spare time—now they could make things they liked and even earn money. And the prize money had no cap? Heavens, wasn’t this the chance to get rich overnight?
Those who liked to create and had ideas were grinning from ear to ear. The county magistrate was clearly handing them free money again.
Xiao Lingshuang stood to the side, listening to Gu Fei’s announcement, deep in thought. Was this guy just speaking nonsense, or did he have some hidden agenda?
Her gaze fell on Gu Fei’s slightly disheveled figure, and an unnoticeable flutter stirred in her heart. This man, clearly from a vastly different background, with a status worlds apart from hers—why did his words always feel so refreshing to hear?
Her thoughts involuntarily returned to the moment she fell off the cliff. In that hopeless moment, she thought it was all over. But this street-level fake magistrate had snatched her from the hands of death. The chest compressions and artificial respiration he performed were disrespectful to her imperial status, yet he had given her a second chance at life.
“Gu Fei… just what does this man have in his head?” she murmured in her heart.
In Beiheng Nation, scholars were valued over warriors. On the imperial court, scholars talked endlessly, vying for power and gain, with few genuinely considering the people.
But Gu Fei had launched a ‘Creative Crafting Competition’ in this nonexistent Shangyuan County, using the power of the common people to drive reform. If such thinking was applied at court, the potential impact would be unimaginable.
As Xiao Lingshuang watched Gu Fei walk toward the gate of Qingfeng Garden, she pushed aside the distracting thoughts and quickly followed him.
In the carriage, Gu Fei sat across from Xiao Lingshuang, his clothes still soaking wet.
His expression was serious and solemn, giving no hint of what was going on in his mind.
Meanwhile, Gu Fei was also carefully observing the woman in front of him, thinking to himself—who exactly is this woman? Her demeanor was elegant and poised, clearly the kind of lady raised in a noble household. Judging by her tone, she seemed to be familiar with the Empress. The source of this chapter is novelping dot com.
With that thought, he suddenly asked, “Miss Leng, who exactly are you? Your words and behavior don’t seem like those of an ordinary person.”
This brat’s starting to suspect my identity, Xiao Lingshuang’s heart thumped wildly. Ah… what identity should I make up?
Suddenly, she thought of Marquis Juluhou Leng Hongyi and quickly said, “There are only a few people in Beiheng Nation with the surname Leng. Can’t you guess?”
Hearing this, Gu Fei recalled that in all of Beiheng, with its population of four to five million, there really was only one prominent noble family with the surname Leng—the family of Marquis Juluhou Leng Hongyi. He raised an eyebrow. “You’re a relative of Marquis Juluhou Leng Hongyi?”
When Gu Fei said this, Xiao Lingshuang thought, it’s not me lying, it’s you guessing yourself.
So, she nodded slightly.
“I didn’t expect you to be part of the noble family of Marquis Juluhou… Shouldn’t you be rewarding your life-saving benefactor?” Gu Fei said, rubbing his hands together as if counting money. “Hehe… not too much, just give me 1 to 1.8 million taels of silver, that’ll do!”
Though Xiao Lingshuang didn’t understand the hand gesture, she nearly fainted from hearing those words.
“Damn it… 1 to 1.8 million taels of silver, and he says that’s not too much? Does he know I once cried all night just for 100 taels of silver?”
“Our Beiheng Nation only has about five million people! How can you ask for that much… and say it with a straight face?” Xiao Lingshuang’s cheeks puffed up in anger.
Seeing her reaction, Gu Fei chuckled internally. “Ah, unwilling to give? Then how about offering yourself in marriage instead!”
“Impudent! You’re just a lowly little county magistrate, and yet you dare speak of marrying… me!” Xiao Lingshuang said with a cold snort.
“Sigh… truly an ungrateful person. You nobles are really something,” Gu Fei said mockingly.
Xiao Lingshuang snorted and retorted with a touch of sarcasm, “Don’t say I’m ungrateful. I will repay you for saving my life—but not right now. Wait until I return to the capital. But this Shangyuan County and you, this magistrate… I’ve never heard of either in the capital.”
“Could it be you’re just a fake?”