Seeing Gu Hanxun in such a state, Zhao Shuning was utterly confused.
Was it that in his eyes, she was the one in the wrong?
Or was he angry because she had taken her grandfather away?
How could Gu Hanxun be so unreasonable?
Facing the furious Gu Hanxun, Zhao Shuning cleared her throat. She decided to strike first.
"Gu Hanxun, you've known that I'm Luo Feiyan for a long time, haven't you?"
Seeing Zhao Shuning so angry, Gu Hanxun unconsciously softened his tone. "Yes, I was wrong about this, but—"
"Gu Hanxun, since you knew I was Luo Feiyan, you should also know that he's my grandfather. You also knew that I went to your Chengxun Hall just to get your help in finding him. But you've been lying to me all along, haven't you?"
"Yes, but—"
"Gu Hanxun, you're really a despicable person."
None of the hundreds of cavalry dared to say a word. It was the first time they had ever seen a young girl dare to confront their master like this.
"Ningning—"
"Gu Hanxun, I've never wronged you. It was you who used me first. Now that you've got what you wanted, let me take my grandfather away. Consider it your repayment for all the benefits I've brought you. Is that okay?"
Gu Hanxun stared straight at Zhao Shuning. Even though there was a distance between them, Zhao Shuning felt as if there were thorns on her back.
"Why are you staring at me like this?"
"Ningning, the master can leave, but you can't."
"It's fine as long as my grandfather can leave. Wait, what did you say? I can't leave? Why can't I leave? I've done everything I should. Now that you can stand up, why won't you let me go? I haven't done anything immoral, and I haven't blocked your path to success either."
Ye Feng was watching from inside the cabin. His granddaughter was smart in every way, but she always seemed a bit slow when it came to matters of the heart.
"Because you're my wife."
Wife? What wife?
As soon as Zhao Shuning heard this, she quickly denied it.
"Gu Hanxun, get it straight. We've already made it clear before. You and I have nothing to do with each other. After our cooperation is over, we'll go our separate ways. The title of Second Imperial Consort was just a guise for others. You can't go back on your word. At this point, do you still want to renege?"
Gu Hanxun's eyes narrowed slightly, revealing a dangerous glint.
"Today, I'll go back on my word. What can you do about it?"
Zhao Shuning cried with a long face.
"Gu Hanxun, you can't play with me like this. I've been magnanimous enough not to hold your mistakes against you. Why are you still chasing after me? Even if you take me back, it won't do any good. Yes, I have a good-looking face, but it's useless."
Hearing this, Ye Feng couldn't help but let out a soft laugh. This girl still didn't forget to praise her good looks at this time.
Seeing that Gu Hanxun didn't respond, Zhao Shuning said again, "Gu Hanxun, you're the king of Cangwu now. You've got everything you wanted. Why can't you just let us go? We won't come back to take revenge on you."
Suddenly, Gu Hanxun asked, "Ningning, aren't you angry with me?"
This sudden question made Zhao Shuning stunned.
"Angry? Why should I be angry?"
"I lied to you. You know I lied to you and used you. I've regarded you as a pawn from the very beginning. You should be angry with me. You should question me. You should come to me and ask me why I treated you like this."
Zhao Shuning looked back at Ye Feng. Ye Feng shook his head at her.
What on earth was Gu Hanxun up to?
"Gu Hanxun, what do you mean?"
"Ningning, you should be angry with me. Do you care about me? Otherwise, you wouldn't have left the Jing Hall and left me after you learned what I had done to you. Ningning, after you left, I've been looking for you. I care about you. Can all these prove my feelings for you?"
Zhao Shuning found it even more inexplicable.
"Gu Hanxun, what do your feelings have to do with me?"
"Aren't you angry with me?"
Zhao Shuning nodded. Then she said, "You had a tragic childhood. It's normal for you to do such things after going through what you did. Although you used me, you didn't hurt me. I'm quite open-minded. There's no reason for me to be angry with you."
Gu Hanxun said, "Then why did you leave the Jing Hall overnight before? Weren't you angry with me? Weren't you annoyed that I used you?"
"Of course not. Gu Hanxun, if you knew that the friend who had been by your side was actually a wolf in sheep's clothing, would you still stay there obediently? I'm not stupid. Since I've seen your true face, of course, I'll run as far away as possible."
There was a look of disappointment on Gu Hanxun's face.
"Why don't you care about me?"
Suddenly, his voice grew louder.
"If you don't care about me, why did you help me up during the sacrifice ceremony even though you might be punished by Qin Anxin and have your family executed?"
"She treated you like that. I'm at least a descendant of the Ye family. I can't be so cold-blooded. It's normal to help when seeing injustice. It has nothing to do with other feelings."
"What about the wooden crutch?"
Zhao Shuning explained, "That's because I promised you from the beginning that if you helped me find out about my grandfather, I would help you with your rehabilitation."
Who would have thought that you were so shameless. You locked my grandfather up by yourself and lied to me into doing so many things for you.
With such a deep scheme, I was completely deceived by you.
Gu Hanxun said, "From beginning to end, you've never cared about me at all?"
Zhao Shuning replied word by word, "No, not at all from beginning to end."
Gu Hanxun burst into laughter. There was full of disappointment in his laughter.
For the past three months when she was missing, he had been thinking about her day and night, wondering if she was angry with him, if she had been captured by Qin Anxin, and how she was doing.
But Gu Hanxun never thought that the result he would get would be like this.
Now, hearing this answer, he felt a sharp pain in his heart. His illness seemed to be acting up again.
There was not a trace of nostalgia for him on her face.
"Ningning, if you stay, I'll make you the queen of Cangwu. How about that?"
Zhao Shuning covered her forehead. She had a headache.
How many times had she said it? Didn't Gu Hanxun understand what she meant?
Not to mention being the queen of Cangwu, even if he offered her the throne, she wouldn't be interested.
She was going to stay chaste for her master.
"I can promise you to be your one and only for life."