Chapter Four: Leaving the Manor

Ning Caiyong felt a pang of heartache, and her previously rigid body gradually relaxed. She raised her hand, gently stroking the back of the child she had raised for nineteen years.

Ever since Gu Fangchen’s dantian was destroyed at the age of twelve, his temperament had become increasingly unruly and violent, and his conduct ever more erratic. Over the years, she had often been distressed and heartbroken, harboring an irrepressible disappointment in him. Coming from a prestigious orthodox sect and possessing a gentle and kind nature, how could she truly hold no resentment toward such a thoroughly spoiled and wayward son?

Ning Caiyong had tried to counsel him, but was met only with Gu Fangchen’s annoyance and indifference. In the last two years, the relationship between mother and son had drifted further and further apart. Even with lingering guilt, there would eventually come a day when such endless malicious behavior would exhaust her patience. When she learned that Gu Yuye had acknowledged his biological son in the imperial court, Ning Caiyong found it hard to judge whether or not a flash of relief had crossed her heart.

However, Gu Fangchen’s current show of vulnerability, dependence, and trust brought Ning Caiyong back to that year when he was twelve. She remembered seeing the small child lying on the ground, drenched in blood, with a massive, gaping wound in his abdomen that had nearly severed him in two. The blood that had gushed out then transformed into an overwhelming, doubled sense of guilt now.

She was a mother; how could she abandon her child? Even if he was not born of her own blood, he was a child she had raised with her own hands! Could these nineteen years of affection be a lie? Even a flicker of such a thought would be a failure of her duty.

Ashamed, Ning Caiyong said softly, "Do not be afraid, Chen'er. Mother is here. I will take you away; I will never let anyone hurt you again!"

Hearing this, Gu Fangchen secretly breathed a sigh of relief. As someone who just played games and was no professional actor, he knew that acting in front of someone who knew the original body best would likely reveal his deception at a glance. That was why he had seized the initiative. Firstly, he used the misalignment of the embrace to hide the flaws in his expression. Secondly, he stirred Ning Caiyong’s guilt, allowing her emotions to overwhelm her so that she would not think too deeply.

However, as he spoke, Gu Fangchen felt a surge of complex emotions in his heart, and his nose tingled with a sudden ache. It was, arguably, an eighty-percent genuine display of emotion. It seemed as though the original's feelings had merged with his memories. This put him at ease; after all, this world spoke of souls, and if he were a "possessor," he might have suffered lingering side effects. There was also the risk of being discovered, which would have been a dangerous liability. The current situation was surely for the best.

...

Gu Fangchen stood up with Ning Caiyong’s support. The moment he stood, he couldn't help but bend over and cough up another mouthful of blood. Ning Caiyong’s face turned pale, and she cried out, "Chen'er!"

The old woman who had been watching from the side stepped forward and pressed her fingers against the pulse on Gu Fangchen’s wrist. Gu Fangchen immediately felt a thick, frigid spiritual force enter his body, suppressing the burning sensation in his chest. After a brief assessment, the old woman whispered, "Do not worry, My Lady. The Young Master is unharmed. The Nianhua Seal has not loosened; it is merely that the external impact caused his blood and qi to surge, aggravating the toxins near his heart."

"He will be fine after a few days of rest."

Ning Caiyong, showing no trace of disgust, used her slender, jade-like fingers to wipe the blood from Gu Fangchen’s lips, murmuring, "Mother Cui, how can you expect me not to worry?"

They had only just received the news, and yet these people in the Prince's Mansion already dared to act in defiance of her while appearing compliant, secretly harming her Chen'er. If this continued... how would Chen'er ever find a foothold in this mansion?

Gu Fangchen, however, was not as calm as Mother Cui. Upon hearing this, he clutched his chest, his face deathly pale, and wailed, "Mother, I don't want to die! Is the poison acting up?"

Ning Caiyong tried to comfort him, but Gu Fangchen pulled a long, mournful face, looking even more miserable. "I feel so terrible! It feels like there is fire burning inside my heart!"

"I knew it! Now that Gu Yuye’s own son has returned, he wants me to step aside and is trying to kill me!" He pulled up his sleeve to show Ning Caiyong, speaking with absolute certainty, "Mother, the poison line has definitely darkened!"

Ning Caiyong could see clearly that since the Nianhua Seal set by the Great Master Juehui had not loosened, the poison could not possibly cause any real trouble. But seeing Gu Fangchen looking at her with such desperate longing, she felt a sense of helpless clarity. This child was surely acting out again, trying to prove that his position in his mother’s heart had not changed. In the past, Gu Fangchen would throw tantrums to commit heinous, wicked acts, which only served to damage their bond. But tonight was different; he had truly been harmed—at least, so it appeared.

Ning Caiyong felt it was only natural for Gu Fangchen to seek a sense of security. She thought for a moment and said softly, "In that case, Mother will take you to the residence of the Minister of War to find the monk Shenxiu. He is a direct disciple of the Garan Temple, profound in Buddhist teachings, and also quite accomplished in the art of medicine."

"I have heard he once cured a strange poison for a Western king; perhaps he will have an idea."

Gu Fangchen shook his head firmly, saying, "No! Mother, those bald donkeys only know how to preach, they can't treat illnesses at all!" His eyes flickered, and he whispered, "Mother, I heard that Princess Prajna of the Matriarch Sect is visiting Huangtian in secret and is currently at the White Horse Temple outside the city."

Ning Caiyong was stunned. Princess Prajna had arrived in Huangtian in secret? Even she didn't know; why did Chen'er know?

Gu Fangchen continued, speaking to himself, "In this world, what medical art can compare to the supernatural powers of the Attendant Xiyin of the Matriarch Sect?"

Ning Caiyong was struck speechless. That was indeed a fact, but unfortunately, the Matriarch Sect would never lift a finger for a mere Young Master. And besides... it was all a ruse.

"Very well." Ning Caiyong gently stroked Gu Fangchen’s hair. "Mother will take you." Avoiding the spotlight for now was perhaps for the best.

...

Just as Ning Caiyong led Gu Fangchen out of the room, she looked toward the retainer who had set the barrier earlier and shook her head. She commanded, "The Prince's Mansion has no room for treacherous cowards who act in defiance. Once you have received your punishment, you may leave."

The retainer knelt on the ground, his face ashen. The Princess was kind-hearted to spare his life. But if word of his betrayal got out, how could he ever find a way to earn a living? Without the protection of the mansion, his former enemies would surely descend upon him like flies on blood. Knowing he could not escape his fate, he racked his brain but could not fathom how the barrier he had set had suddenly changed! Gritting his teeth, he lunged toward Gu Fangchen with a venomous glare. "You deserve—"

Before the retainer could finish his words, his head was snatched away by Mother Cui, who had suddenly appeared. Only his body slumped forward. Ning Caiyong turned away, unable to bear the sight, and sighed softly. She took Gu Fangchen’s hand, ordered someone to find the Eldest Princess to handle the aftermath, and walked out of the mansion.

...

Silence soon returned to Xiefang Courtyard, with only the servants left to meticulously scrub away the bloodstains. Inside Gu Fangchen’s chaotic bedroom, a woman in plain clothes, who looked seven parts similar to Ning Caiyong but was even more delicate and charming, stepped lightly inside, her gaze sweeping slowly over the furnishings.

Her eyes held a cold, icy disdain, as if merely being in Gu Fangchen’s bedroom was a great humiliation. This was Gu Fangchen’s older sister, the Eldest Princess of the mansion—Gu Youren. She was a scholar at the Yaoshan Academy and, despite her youth, was already a grandmaster of the Divine Path at the Dianxue Realm, famous throughout the world. She had been praised by the sages as "The elegance of the ages resides here, commanding the talent of three hundred provinces."

Gu Youren’s gaze suddenly paused. She made a gesture, and all the pearl powder scattered on the floor floated up. The bloodstains had already dried, staining the powder brown. With a flick of her mind, a faint blue flash of light flickered and then faded into darkness. The powder fell in a rustle. Her brow twitched, and she whispered to herself:

"A fourth-rank 'Returning Wave' formation... When did a master of formation arts arrive in Huangtian City?"