Upon hearing this, Lian Yue rubbed her thumb along the rim of the cup and smiled awkwardly: “I was just speaking casually. Marquis Gu need not take it to heart. How would I understand such matters?”
She didn’t believe for a moment that Gu Quan would actually heed advice.
The other had gained power at a young age and achieved uninterrupted success on the battlefield. At this vigorous age, who would allow others to imply their incompetence?
Lian Yue had just been offering apparent praise while secretly criticizing, deliberately trying to provoke Gu Quan’s anger.
As long as she planted this suggestion in his mind, whether Xiang City could be captured this time or not, as long as he remained alive, Xiang City would never know peace.
Simultaneously, her words were also testing Gu Quan’s attitude toward her. From the current situation, his tolerance toward her was surprisingly high.
Almost excessively amiable.
Yet the other clearly didn’t appear to be a benevolent type, making his attitude toward her quite peculiar.
Gu Quan looked down at her and merely said: “Madam is truly skilled at self-deprecation.”
Lian Yue smiled.
He changed the subject: “I’ll have someone bring you some food.”
Lian Yue nodded: “Thank you.”
After Gu Quan left and the door closed, the room turned dark, appearing somewhat gloomy.
With difficulty, she rose to her feet. Still injured in the leg, she hobbled toward the windowsill and opened the window.
The wind outside was strong, whipping through her hair and clothes, stinging her face with its force.
Before long, Madam Cheng brought food. Having little appetite, Lian Yue picked at it briefly before asking Madam Cheng to bring the bamboo slips from her room, intending to read to pass the time.
Noticing the room’s darkness, Madam Cheng lit a lamp before stepping outside to wait.
About half a day later, Gu Quan returned, his clothes stained with blood.
Seeing her reading, he said nothing. Taking fresh clothes, he went out, apparently to bathe and change in the side chamber, returning to the room a while later.
Night had fallen.
After bathing, Gu Quan wore crimson robes. Sitting under the lamplight, he cleaned his sword. In the flickering light, his skin appeared even paler.
He was naturally handsome, and like this, he truly resembled a beauty under the lamplight.
Lian Yue coughed lightly twice.
Gu Quan looked up: “What is it?”
She turned, pointing at the bamboo slips in her hand: “I’m not very literate. There are many characters here I don’t recognize, so I can’t quite understand it.”
Gu Quan sheathed his sword and approached, eyebrows slightly raised: “You’re reading the geographical records of Jiangdong?”
Lian Yue nodded: “It says Jiangdong is a place endowed with talented people and heroic figures, not only prosperous in culture but also skilled in warfare, particularly naval battles.”
She looked at him: “Marquis Gu appears to be from Jiangdong as well.”
Gu Quan took the bamboo slips from Lian Yue’s hands, glanced at them, and said: “Then what do you think of me?”
Lian Yue replied: “You are a hero.”
Gu Quan’s eyebrows lifted, clearly in good spirits: “Madam certainly knows how to speak.”
He inquired: “Which characters don’t you recognize?”
Lian Yue blinked, countering: “Is Marquis Gu going to teach me to read?”
Gu Quan: “Don’t you want me to?”
Lian Yue quickly said: “I do.”
Gu Quan brought the candle holder over and spread the bamboo slips on the desk: “Go ahead, which characters don’t you recognize?”
Lian Yue pursed her lips, pointing at one spot: “I don’t know this character.”
“That’s ‘sang’ as in mulberry tree.”
“And this one?”
“‘Ce’.”
“And this, and this…”
Gu Quan raised an eyebrow: “In my opinion, if Madam truly wishes to learn characters, you should start with children’s copybooks.”
Lian Yue’s face stiffened. Withdrawing her hand, she lowered her head and said: “I’ve embarrassed myself before Marquis Gu.”
“Hmph, it’s precisely because I don’t recognize many characters that I need to learn to read.”
Just as she was about to roll up the bamboo slips, she accidentally knocked over the candlestick beside her.
She quickly steadied it, but the scalding wax dripped onto the young woman’s arm, making her gasp involuntarily.
It stung sharply.
Frowning, the young woman pushed up the sleeve of her right arm and saw that the skin was slightly reddened, though it wasn’t serious.
Near the reddened skin, on her wrist, the Red Lotus Mark stood out prominently.
She silently pulled her sleeve back down.
Gu Quan grabbed her hand, his expression instantly darkening. “A slave mark? Who did this?”
Lian Yue was taken aback. “You’re hurting me.”
Gu Quan loosened his grip but didn’t let go, asking again, “Tell me, who did this?”
Seeing that she couldn’t break free from his restraint, she stopped struggling and looked up to meet the young man’s gaze. “It happened half a year ago. I was captured by a group of people. They were afraid I would escape, so they branded me with this mark using a hot iron.”
Gu Quan asked, “Who were they?”
“It doesn’t matter anymore.” Lian Yue lowered her eyes. “It was the rainy season then. They were resting at a farmhouse when a landslide buried them all. I was lucky to survive and escape, and that’s when I met Lu Xun.”
Her voice tightened slightly. “It’s all in the past. I’d rather not talk about it.”
Gu Quan stared at Lian Yue.
The candlelight fell on her face, her long eyelashes casting shadows below her eyes, her expression somewhat weary.
He said, “I’ll get you some scar-removing medicine.”
As he turned away, Lian Yue watched Gu Quan’s back, lost in thought.
Then, her gaze shifted to her right wrist, looking at the lotus brand, and she couldn’t help but sneer inwardly.
Seeing that Gu Quan had found the medicine, Lian Yue quickly changed her expression and said, “The mark is deep. It might not fade. There’s no need to waste—”
Gu Quan held her arm, opened the medicine bottle, and applied the ointment to the scar, calmly stating, “This is a secret formula that can regenerate skin and improve complexion. As for whether it will work or not, let’s just try it.”
Lian Yue didn’t refuse again.
She lowered her head, watching his hand, feeling the warmth of his palm slowly seep into her skin, the heat spreading straight to her heart.
The young woman withdrew her hand. “Thank you.”
Gu Quan replied, “You’re welcome.”
Noticing how late it was, he said, “It’s getting late, and you’re still injured. You should rest in bed.”
Lian Yue murmured an “oh” and slowly stood up to walk toward the bed.
After taking just two steps, his gaze fell on her injured leg, and he directly scooped her up in his arms.
Lian Yue instinctively grabbed Gu Quan’s arm and looked up to see his calm expression, as if this gesture was merely helpful and held no other meaning.
But this wasn’t the first time.
As Marquis Gu, born into a noble family, could he be unaware of the boundaries between men and women?
She raised her eyebrows slightly and lowered her gaze.
Only after leaving Gu Quan’s embrace did the young woman say, somewhat embarrassed, “There’s only one bed in the room. If I take it, how will Marquis Gu rest? I should sleep on the floor.”
Gu Quan said, “I can meditate and practice my martial arts anywhere. It’s fine.”
He nodded. “Sleep.”
After saying this, Gu Quan walked around the screen and returned to the desk, sitting with his back to Lian Yue, giving her no chance to speak further.
The candle burned out, plunging the surroundings into darkness. Through the carved screen, she could only see his silhouette.
Gu Quan’s attitude toward her was truly too strange.
Lian Yue withdrew her gaze, lay down on the bed, covered herself with the quilt, and rested with her eyes closed while touching the lotus brand on her hand.
It had been a long time since she last had a nightmare.
Her wounds ached, the cold night was chilling, yet she was drenched in sweat under the covers.
When Lian Yue first transmigrated, she didn’t immediately meet Lu Xun. Instead, she first encountered a group of bandits.
The decline of a dynasty was not only due to corrupt officials but also external factors like natural disasters.
At that time, droughts plagued many regions, and refugees flooded the outskirts of the city. With little to eat, people resorted to cannibalism.
Women and children were merely rations.
The bandits, finding her attractive, spared her from being eaten, intending to sell her to nobles in exchange for more food.
The lotus brand on her arm was seared there by the bandits.
It was excruciating.
At night, she huddled in a corner, half-asleep and half-awake, witnessing the bandits kill someone and place the flesh into a steamer…
Lian Yue’s fingers clenched the bedding, her body soaked in sweat. She shuddered, sat up abruptly, and gasped for air.
The room was pitch black.
Outside, the cold wind battered against the windows, thumping loudly like ghosts knocking.
Lian Yue pressed a hand to her chest, regaining her composure. Remembering that she had just killed someone not long ago, a chill ran down her spine, and her entire body tensed.
Right.
There was still someone else in the room.
She took a deep breath, climbed out of bed, and slowly padded barefoot around the screen to Gu Quan’s side.
He sat cross-legged, eyes closed, his long eyelashes visible in the faint light.
Even in the darkness, his striking beauty was undeniable.
Recalling how decisively Gu Quan had killed and his earlier order to have the assassins chopped up and fed to the dogs sent a shiver down her spine.
But one thing was beyond doubt.
He was formidable.
Lian Yue stared at him quietly, feeling the chill on her back gradually fade.
“Seen enough?” Gu Quan opened his eyes, pinched her cheek, and spoke coldly, “What are you doing awake so late, Madam?”
She hurriedly explained, “I couldn’t sleep.”
“Couldn’t sleep?” He narrowed his eyes, a cold smirk playing on his lips. “Could it be that Madam has mistaken me for someone else again, seeking solace in a substitute?”
Lian Yue waved her hands. “No, I just had a nightmare. I dreamed I was almost boiled and eaten. I was terrified, and knowing Marquis Gu was here, I wanted to be closer to you so I wouldn’t be afraid.”
Her eyes were red, traces of fear still lingering in her gaze.
Yet her tone was full of trust.
Gu Quan released her cheek and fell silent.
The room was quiet, their breathing rising and falling in turn, unsettling the atmosphere.
Lian Yue bit her lip. “Marquis Gu, did you think I mistook you for Lu Xun again?”
He replied, “Madam has a precedent.”
Lian Yue asked, puzzled, “Were you angry because of that?”
Gu Quan said, “No.”
Lian Yue lowered her head, feeling she should explain properly. After all, their relationship was somewhat peculiar. “I clearly remember that last time I mistook you for someone else and accidentally hugged you, you were very displeased. I truly didn’t mean to do it, nor was I trying to seduce you.”
She paused, then continued, “Marquis Gu is a hero, so young and with a boundless future. Surely, you have no shortage of women throwing themselves at you to cling to your power. I was born lowly and know my place; I dare not entertain any illusions about you. Moreover, you already warned me last time not to mistake you for someone else. I’ve kept that in mind and would never confuse you with Lu Xun again.”
As she spoke, Lian Yue sensed the atmosphere growing heavy around them. She lifted her gaze to glance at the other person and noticed Gu Quan’s gloomy expression.
Feeling awkward, the young woman asked softly, “Did I say something wrong just now?”
Instead of answering, Gu Quan stared into Lian Yue’s eyes and countered, “If that’s the case, then why were you staring at me earlier?”
She choked on her words.
For a moment, she didn’t know how to respond.
Lian Yue cleared her throat and had no choice but to confess honestly, “I just had a nightmare earlier, so I couldn’t help but move closer to Marquis Gu. After all, you’re a god of slaughter with heavy killing intent around you—I figured evil spirits wouldn’t dare approach. But when I glanced at Marquis Gu just now, I suddenly realized how handsome you are and couldn’t resist looking a few more times. And you caught me red-handed.”
Gu Quan’s expression softened slightly.
She added, “But please rest assured, Marquis Gu, I have absolutely no other intentions toward you. Once this matter is over, I will definitely explain to everyone that you and I are completely innocent and that it won’t affect your future marriage and children.”
Gu Quan: “…”
Hah.
That last part would have been better left unsaid.
He scoffed lightly and said, “You’ve already explained this to me before. There’s no need to emphasize it again.”