Gu Jiangyue took the flower and looked at Hua Qianqian in confusion. She didn't understand why Hua Qianqian would risk her life to do this when she got nothing in return.
Hua Qianqian seemed to just come to her senses at this moment. She slumped into the chair and began to tell her story.
"I was just a peasant girl and wasn't valued. But I met my Li Lang. He said he'd marry me after he got the official title. I believed him, but he didn't have the money to go to the capital for the imperial examination. So I came to this brothel and used my body to earn some money for him. He did come to me on the day he passed the exam, but the news he brought was that he was already engaged to the daughter of a wealthy merchant. And... he even introduced a landlord to me and told me to serve him well so that I could enjoy wealth and honor someday."
At this point, Hua Qianqian's eyes were bloodshot. She paused slightly and then continued.
"This Mu Ling Yue Orchid and the hairpin were the tokens of love from Li Lang. Since that day, I've never believed any man in this world. All men are the same! Every time on that suspension bridge, those men would always push the women around them down as fast as they could and then save their own skins..."
As she was speaking, Hua Qianqian saw Xie Jiuan, and her words stopped abruptly. Everyone was like that, but Xie Jiuan was an exception. He jumped down by himself.
"Forget it. I was wrong. You can take this flower. You've passed the test."
Hua Qianqian gave a self - mocking smile and then wiped away the tears that hadn't fallen from the corner of her eye.
"Aren't you going to ask me for the antidote?"
Xie Jiuan's voice was cold, and there was no emotion on his face. But his words made Hua Qianqian freeze.
"Now that I've let it go, it was my mistake. Whether I stay in this world or not doesn't matter."
Hua Qianqian's tone was casual, as if she was talking about a trivial matter. She entered this brothel in her teens and gradually became the top courtesan. Now she had nothing to ask for.
"The medicine I gave you is non - toxic."
Xie Jiuan's tone was calm, but Hua Qianqian was completely stunned. The pill from Xie Jiuan was just to scare her.
"After you get out, live a good life. What you've seen is not the whole truth."
After hearing Hua Qianqian's story, Gu Jiangyue didn't want to pursue it anymore. She was just born in the wrong era and met the wrong man. Gu Jiangyue took out some silver from her pocket and gave it to Hua Qianqian. Without waiting for Hua Qianqian to react, Gu Jiangyue put away the Mu Ling Yue Orchid, grabbed Xie Jiuan's hand and was about to leave.
"This money is enough for you to leave here. Whether you want to live a good life or not depends on you."
Gu Jiangyue left after saying this last sentence. What Hua Qianqian had experienced wasn't caused by Gu Jiangyue. Gu Jiangyue had no loss and even got the flower. Now she just pitied Hua Qianqian and left her a way out. She decided to let go of the urge to help and respect everyone's fate. It was none of her business how Hua Qianqian chose.
Gu Jiangyue didn't dare to stay in Liangzhou for long. She and Xie Jiuan took a carriage and left the capital city at night. It was late at night, and the moon was hanging high in the sky. Gu Jiangyue sat in the carriage and gently leaned her head on Xie Jiuan's shoulder.
Xie Jiuan spoke first. "When we get back to the capital, I'll marry you as soon as possible. How about that?"
Gu Jiangyue closed her eyes slightly but wasn't asleep. A smile appeared on her lips as she replied.
"Okay."
If their initial engagement was just to get rid of Xie Chengrui, then this time, Gu Jiangyue really wanted to marry Xie Jiuan.
"Were the words you said today true?"
He was referring to the words Gu Jiangyue shouted at the edge of the valley. Xie Jiuan already had the answer in his heart, but he still wanted to hear it from Gu Jiangyue's mouth.
Gu Jiangyue lowered her head. It seemed that she had made up her mind. Then she raised her head directly and pressed her lips against Xie Jiuan's thin lips, using her actions to tell Xie Jiuan her answer.
Xie Jiuan's gentle eyes turned surprised. Then he reluctantly hugged Gu Jiangyue tightly, pressed her head with his hand and kissed her deeply.
In fact, at the moment when he jumped, Xie Jiuan was also afraid. He was afraid that he would never see Gu Jiangyue again. He hadn't married her yet. This time, he had another chance.
After another two - day journey, they finally returned to the capital. Gu Jiangyue hugged the flower tightly all the way, afraid that it would get damaged. Xie Jiuan just let her be. When they arrived in the capital, they went straight to the Gu Mansion.
Gu Jiangyue stood in front of the Gu Mansion, looking at everything in front of her with mixed feelings. The next moment, the door of the Gu Mansion opened. Ji Yunsheng was smiling as he watched Gu Yi run towards Gu Jiangyue.
"Sister, you're finally back!"
Gu Yi didn't intend to be so excited at first, but when he saw Gu Jiangyue, he just couldn't hold it back. Gu Jiangyue just let Gu Yi throw himself into her arms and then hugged him.
Ji Yunsheng stood aside, raising his eyebrows proudly at Xie Jiuan, as if showing off that he had taken good care of Gu Yi.
"Sister, where did you go? I thought, I thought I'd be separated from you again. Wuwu..."
Gu Yi hugged Gu Jiangyue. The cold look on his face when they first met had completely disappeared. He really didn't want to cry, but when he saw Gu Jiangyue, he just couldn't help it. They had been separated for too long, so Gu Yi cherished every meeting.
Gu Yi didn't care about pretending anymore. He buried his face in Gu Jiangyue's body, and his sobs seemed to never stop. Ten years' worth of tears poured out at this moment.
"I went to find medicine for you."
Seeing Gu Yi cry, Gu Jiangyue's voice also trembled. Since she had found the medicine, Gu Jiangyue didn't want to hide it from Gu Yi anymore.
"Sister, wuwu..."
When Gu Yi heard that Gu Jiangyue had gone to find medicine for him, his tears flowed even more. As the only son of the family, he had been suffering from a serious illness. Although no one had ever said anything to him, in Gu Yi's eyes, it was a shame. He could only pretend not to care. There was nothing else he could do. But unexpectedly, Gu Jiangyue cared so much about him.
"Come on, your sister is tired. Let her rest well."
Seeing that the siblings had cried enough, Ji Yunsheng bent down, picked Gu Yi up from Gu Jiangyue's body, hung him on his shoulder and walked away directly.
Gu Jiangyue hadn't had a good rest in the past few days. After experiencing all these things, her body really couldn't take it. Xie Jiuan helped Gu Jiangyue into the Gu Mansion and handed the Mu Ling Yue Orchid to Song Zhong.
"Check it carefully. Don't let anything go wrong."
After giving this order, Xie Jiuan took Gu Jiangyue into the courtyard.
Looking at his ninth prince's usually clean white robe, which was now gray and dirty, Song Zhong decided that he must take good care of this hard - won Mu Ling Yue Orchid.