As soon as these words were spoken, Lu Yunxi immediately cowered. She obediently let the female doctor examine her and re - fix her hand. Then she asked, "Liyue, how is your fourth brother?"
Gu Liyue deliberately said, "How else could he be? Didn't you see him last night? He was half - dead. Thanks to the doctor, he was saved and won't die."
Cheng Yinyin was greatly shocked and desperately tugged at Gu Liyue, telling her not to talk nonsense.
But the more Gu Liyue talked, the more energetic she became. "Although he knows kung fu, in that situation, he had to protect you, so he had to sacrifice himself. Maybe you didn't see it in the dark, but I did. His whole body was covered in blood, and there wasn't a single unblemished piece of skin on his face or hands. He's my elder brother. I was so heart - broken that I couldn't sleep well all night."
Hearing this, Lu Yunxi couldn't hold back her tears any longer and burst into sobs.
While comforting Lu Yunxi, Cheng Yinyin looked at Gu Liyue and said, "Liyue, why are you saying these things? Even if you feel sorry for your elder brother, it's... it's my daughter's fault after all. It has nothing to do with Yunxi."
Gu Liyue sighed and sat down on the chair beside her. "I'm not blaming her. Can't I say a few words out of my love for my elder brother? Seeing my elder brother in such a state, his injuries are not light. He's already twenty. It's time for him to get married. But now, it might be difficult for him to find a bride. Just thinking about it makes me heart - broken."
Hearing this, Lu Yunxi stopped crying. She wiped away her tears and said, "Liyue, don't worry. He got injured because of me. Of course, I can't let him live a lonely life. Don't worry. I'll go to the emperor right now and ask him to make the decision for me!"
She was in a hurry. After saying that, she stood up and rushed out in a flash.
"Alas, Yunxi. The emperor is busy with state affairs. Don't act recklessly. Yunxi, come back to me..." Cheng Yinyin shouted twice, but she couldn't catch up with Lu Yunxi. She could only let her go.
Then she looked back at Gu Liyue and saw that Gu Liyue looked calm.
Cheng Yinyin was stunned. "Sister Liyue, you... did you do this on purpose?"
Gu Liyue nodded. "Yes. Although she didn't say it explicitly, it's easy to guess that she probably wants to go out of the palace to see my fourth brother. So, I might as well fulfill her wish."
Cheng Yinyin hesitated. "But, will Fourth Brother Gu agree? I think Fourth Brother Gu treats everyone the same. He doesn't seem to treat her specially... What if Fourth Brother Gu is not willing and the emperor bestows the marriage? Won't they become a mismatched couple?"
Hearing what Cheng Yinyin said, Gu Liyue understood that Lu Yunxi might have told Cheng Yinyin about her feelings. She said indifferently, "That won't happen. The princess is very clear - headed. She might impulsively ask the emperor for the marriage, but she will first ask my fourth brother's opinion. You don't have to worry."
Since the mistress had left, Gu Liyue and Cheng Yinyin didn't stay in the palace for too long and left first.
When they got home, they heard that Xu Nian had been found. The emperor ordered him to be locked up in the imperial prison, and no one was allowed to visit him.
The fact that Xu Nian was really alive seemed to add more credibility to the rumor that the former princess had an affair with him.
Gu Liyue was worried. As soon as she found Gu Junyan free, she quickly stopped him and asked, "Brother, what about that Xu Nian?"
Gu Junyan stroked her head. "This is not something you should worry about. He has been locked up by the emperor in the imperial prison. The guards there are all the emperor's personal guards, the imperial guards. Ordinary people can't get in touch with him."
Gu Liyue was silent for a while and whispered, "Others say that the emperor wants to investigate strictly. But brother, is it possible that the emperor doesn't allow others to get in touch with Xu Nian because he is protecting him?"
Gu Junyan's eyes twitched. He reached out and flicked her forehead. "How can we speculate on the emperor's will?"
Gu Liyue refused to give up and followed him. "Brother, just tell me. I think even if Xu Nian is alive, it doesn't mean that Lu Jinchen is his child. How can we determine the truth just based on others' words?"
Gu Junyan looked at her deeply and continued, "Do you know what Xu Nian's current identity is?"
Gu Liyue was stunned. "Didn't they say... he was just an ordinary farmer hiding on the estate?"
Gu Junyan shook his head. "He is Lu Jinchen's adoptive father."
An adoptive father is equivalent to a biological father. Gu Liyue looked at Gu Junyan in surprise. She quickly said, "Since he is an adoptive father, it even more proves that Lu Jinchen is the son of the Prince of Liang. Only when the biological father is alive will someone recognize another as an adoptive father, right?"
Gu Junyan sighed. "Who can tell clearly about these things? But Lu Jinchen took in Xu Nian even though he knew that Xu Nian was a wanted criminal of the court, and even recognized him as his adoptive father. Just for this, Lu Jinchen can't escape this time."
Gu Liyue stood still blankly, shivering as if she had been splashed with a ladle of cold water.
Gu Junyan noticed her abnormality and quickly turned back to support her. "Liyue, it's my fault. I spoke too seriously. Actually, you're right. There's a great possibility that the emperor locked up Xu Nian to keep him alive. Not to protect him, but to prevent any changes in this matter. We have to wait for the Prince of Liang and Lu Jinchen to come back to find out the truth."
Gu Liyue lowered her head, and big tears fell.
Gu Junyan felt heart - broken. He put his arm around her and whispered, "Liyue, don't be in a hurry. This matter..."
Gu Liyue looked up and said, "I trust him."
Gu Junyan was stunned. "You trust him?"
Gu Liyue nodded. "I trust him because I know that he doesn't care about his identity. Even the title of the heir of the Prince of Liang is a burden to him. If he really isn't the son of the Prince of Liang, I think he will leave without hesitation and never be greedy for wealth."
Gu Junyan didn't expect Gu Liyue to say so. For a moment, he couldn't even think of how to comfort her.
Gu Liyue wiped away her tears and smiled. "Moreover, even if he isn't the heir of the Prince of Liang, I'm willing to wait for him. Brother, before I came back, I was just an embroidery girl from the countryside. He never looked down on me. He even wanted to elope with me. I... will never let him down."
Gu Junyan felt his heart blocked. He looked at his sister lovingly. His sister had been home for more than a year. He watched as she grew from a timid little girl into a graceful young lady, and her character had become much stronger than before.
He really wanted to persuade his sister to give up, but looking at her determined eyes, he couldn't say a single word.
Gu Liyue's mood improved a little. She let go of Gu Junyan's sleeve, looked up and said, "But I don't want him to suffer an unjust accusation. I want to ask brother to help me find out the truth for him."
Gu Junyan nodded seriously. "Don't worry, sister. No matter who it is, I will definitely find a way to clear his name."
Gu Liyue stood there, watching Gu Junyan leave. Then she hurriedly shouted, "Brother!"
"He will come back... and Uncle and the others will all return safely, won't they?"