There was still no news from the Northwest, but the rumor that Lu Jinchen was not the biological son of the Prince of Liang had spread. Even though the emperor had spoken and Gu Junzhe had taken strict precautions, it was of little use. More and more people were privately discussing it.
As soon as Gu Liyue stepped out of the door, she heard others gossiping about Lu Jinchen. She was really annoyed, so she simply stayed at home and didn't go out. Every day, she held the amulet she had obtained during her last visit to the temple. Since she couldn't give the amulet to Lu Jinchen, she could only hold it herself every day.
Tangyuan rushed in, with an overjoyed look on her face. "Miss, miss, the mistress asks you to go quickly."
Gu Liyue was startled and quickly asked, "What happened?"
Tangyuan said, "I heard that there's news from the Northwest. The heavy snow has passed, and they'll be back soon."
Gu Liyue was overjoyed. Without even bothering to dress up, she rushed to the front hall. Sure enough, she saw Gu Junyan, still in his travel clothes, talking to the grandfather with a family letter in his hand.
Grandpa Gu nodded happily. "Your father and younger brother are safe. And the two princes are also safe? That's great."
Gu Liyue also walked over happily. "Grandfather, elder brother, are they really all right?"
Grandpa Gu nodded. "Yes, Liyue. Look, this is the family letter written by your uncle himself. It says that everyone was just trapped and not seriously injured. Moreover, most of the common people were also rescued."
Gu Liyue looked at Gu Junyan. "The common people are all right too? All of them?"
Gu Junyan's eyes were solemn. After hesitating for a moment, he said, "Before the Prince of Qingling went there, there were some casualties, but not too many. After that, there were almost none. The Prince of Qingling and the Prince of Liang worked together and didn't abandon a single commoner. But because the situation lasted for so long and there was so little food, they mostly prioritized the old, the weak, the women, and the children. It was good enough if they could have one meal a day. But now it's all right. The snow has stopped, the roads have been cleared, and the food can be transported in. The surrounding towns have also offered help, so the Northwest area has been rescued."
Gu Liyue couldn't help but mutter a Buddhist saying and sighed, "That's good. That's all good... When will they come back?"
Gu Junyan replied, "The Prince of Liang and the Prince of Qingling have to deal with the post - disaster reconstruction, so they won't be back for a while. My father and third brother were going to come back... Originally it was like this, but the emperor's intention is for the Prince of Liang to come back quickly, and my father will temporarily replace the Prince of Liang to assist the Prince of Qingling..."
Gu Liyue listened and listened but didn't hear her elder brother mention Lu Jinchen. She couldn't help but ask anxiously, "So... Lu Jinchen will come back with the Prince of Liang, right?"
Gu Junyan paused. After a moment of silence, he said, "He... can't come back."
Gu Liyue stared with wide eyes. "What? Didn't you just say that there were no more casualties among the common people later? What's wrong with Lu Jinchen?"
Grandpa Gu supported Gu Liyue and glared at Gu Junyan. "Why are you telling her this now? Can't you wait a while?"
Gu Junyan gritted his teeth. "She'll have to know sooner or later. Why does it matter if it's a little earlier or later?"
Gu Liyue even forgot to cry. She grabbed Gu Junyan's arm. "Elder brother, tell me, you're just joking with me, right?"
Gu Junyan reached out and held her face, saying softly, "Liyue, calm down. I'll tell you slowly..."
Only then did Gu Liyue's tears start to fall. "Okay..."
Gu Junyan helped Gu Liyue to sit on a chair beside him. "Originally, after the snow stopped and most of the follow - up affairs were completed, Lu Jinchen was going to come back with my father. This family letter was sent at that time. There was also another letter with it, a letter he wrote to you."
Gu Liyue looked at the letter Gu Junyan handed over but didn't open it. She only asked in a trembling voice, "And then?"
Gu Junyan took a deep breath. "Then, just now, the palace received an urgent letter from my father, saying that they encountered danger on the way. Lu Jinchen was seriously injured and disappeared without a trace."
Gu Liyue couldn't sit still anymore. She stood up suddenly. "What do you mean by being seriously injured and disappearing without a trace? Weren't Uncle and Third Brother with him? How did they encounter danger? What happened?"
Gu Junyan shook his head. "We don't know for the time being. After the accident, my father wrote the letter back as quickly as possible, and they stayed there to investigate. Liyue, don't worry. Lu Jinchen is a good person and will be blessed. He'll be fine."
Gu Liyue's face was covered with tears. She grabbed Gu Junyan's sleeve. "Elder brother, why did this happen? Lu Jinchen is not a bad person. Why was there a rumor that he was not the biological son of the Prince of Liang first, and then they didn't even spare his life? What do those people want to do?"
Gu Junyan's eyes twitched heavily. He squinted at Gu Liyue. Those people? Right, every one of these things pointed directly at Lu Jinchen. What on earth did they want to do?
Just then, Gu Zhongxian walked over and said, "Junyan, there's an imperial edict from the palace. The emperor summons you to enter the palace immediately."
Gu Junyan nodded, reached out and patted Gu Liyue's shoulder. "Liyue, calm down. Wait for my news."
He walked into the yard. After pausing for a moment, he said to his attendant, "Have you arranged everything I told you to do?"
The attendant quickly replied, "It's all arranged. Don't worry, young master."
Gu Junyan pondered for a moment and then said, "From now on, as long as Liyue leaves the inner courtyard, you must follow her closely. Do you understand?"
The attendant asked, "Young master, what about you?"
Gu Junyan didn't answer directly. He hurriedly left with the others.
Gu Liyue took Lu Jinchen's letter back to her room. When she opened it, she found that the handwriting was a bit scribbled, and it was obvious from the ink that the person who wrote the letter was probably very weak. Had he, just after surviving a disaster and finally managing to live, thought of writing to her as his first thing to do?
After reading the letter, she realized that it wasn't written after the escape. It was probably written a sentence or two every one or two days during that period. It started from when the mountains were blocked by heavy snow, wrote about several close - calls, about being safe, and about how he was about to come back and asking her to wait for him...
Gu Liyue stroked the tattered paper. The old and new handwriting was hasty but full of affection.
He didn't know that something would happen to him. When he sent back the letter together with Uncle's letter, he was probably full of joy, right? But where was he now?
Gu Junyan didn't come back. Only a young servant came back to report that the emperor had asked Gu Junyan and Gu Junzhe to lead the imperial guards to search for Lu Jinchen.
However, this move was dissuaded by most of the royal family and court officials. In the end, the imperial guards didn't move. Gu Junyan and Gu Junzhe led two hundred imperial forest guards to the Northwest.
Gu Liyue sat there in a daze by the window, not in the mood to do anything.
It was Tangyuan who called out softly outside. "Fourth young master? How can you get up? Someone, quickly support the fourth young master."
Gu Liyue came back to her senses and went out to greet him. She found that Gu Chengzhi's left hand and left foot were both bandaged, and he was slowly moving towards here step by step, propping up a walking stick with his right hand.
Two maidservants were about to help him, but he just waved his hand foolishly. "Don't help me. I'm much better. I just want to walk around more."