Published at 25th of June 2025 7:33 am

Chapter 1606: 774 Auntie Came

This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl

In the dead of night, a crescent moon hung high, and the Renshou Palace was enveloped in silence.

"Jiaojiao—"

On the Phoenix Bed, Empress Dowager Zhuang woke up with a start from a nightmare. She opened her eyes and saw the familiar canopy above her, feeling momentarily disoriented.

"Empress Dowager, what happened to you?" Qin Gonggong, who was on duty outside the door, heard the commotion and quickly pushed the door open, coming to the Empress Dowager’s side.

He pulled apart the bed curtains and hooked them with the curtain hooks.

This summer was not as stifling as previous years, and with ice basins placed in the Sleeping Palace, Qin Gonggong felt a burst of coolness as he entered. But looking at the Empress Dowager, she was drenched in sweat.

The Empress Dowager was gasping for breath, still in shock.

Qin Gonggong looked at her with concern: "Empress Dowager, did you have a nightmare again? Was it... about Miss Gu again? Just now, it seemed like you called her name."

The Empress Dowager lifted the silk quilt off her body. Knowing she wanted to get out of bed, Qin Gonggong quickly helped her up.

The Empress Dowager sat up with his help. When Qin Gonggong knelt to put shoes on her, she waved her hand: "It’s fine."

In Bishui Alley, no one served her, and she had to work herself; she was used to it.

The Empress Dowager put on her shoes and walked to the window.

Qin Gonggong released the bed curtains, walked over to open the casement, and lit the incense Gu Jiao had prepared before her departure.

The Empress Dowager looked at the myriad stars and the solitary crescent moon, letting out a sigh: "They’ve been gone for so long. I wonder how things are over there. Did that child Gu Yan survive?"

Qin Gonggong smiled and said: "Young Master Gu is blessed. He will surely turn danger into safety. Besides, Miss Gu and Lord Xiao are with him. Isn’t the Empress Dowager assured of their abilities?"

The Empress Dowager’s eyes were distant: "The Yan Country is an immovable mountain. Individual abilities are insignificant and laughable in front of it. But even so, these two children wouldn’t give up, would they?"

The Empress Dowager... what was she talking about? He couldn’t quite understand.

Empress Dowager Zhuang faintly said: "A mayfly shaking a tree, how laughable?"

Qin Gonggong became increasingly confused.

The Empress Dowager looked towards the Yan Country: "Recently, I’ve often dreamt of bad things."

Qin Gonggong dutifully asked: "What... did you dream about?"

Empress Dowager Zhuang apprehensively said: "I dreamt of Jiaojiao lying in a pool of blood, on the soil of the Yan Country, unable to return to my side."

Qin Gonggong hurriedly said: "You’re just too worried about Miss Gu. One thinks by day and dreams by night! Besides, dreams are reversed; seeing blood in dreams means wealth in reality!"

The Empress Dowager nodded thoughtfully: "It seems there’s such a saying."

Qin Gonggong smiled broadly: "How could this servant deceive you?"

The Empress Dowager continued to gaze into the distance: "I was a Zhuang family legitimate daughter before sixteen, the Empress of Zhan Country after sixteen, and the Regent Empress Dowager at forty. I’ve lived my whole life for the Zhuang family, the court, and the land of Zhan Country. At this age, I don’t have many years left. I want to live for myself."

Qin Gonggong was so startled by these words that he shivered, quickly saying: "Empress Dowager, you will live a long life!"

Empress Dowager Zhuang calmly said: "I don’t want to live a thousand years; I just want my Jiaojiao back."

...

Bishui Alley.

The old wine ritualist finished writing the last memorial, pressed it with the inkstone on the table.

He took a deep breath: "It should be done, right? I’ve clarified everything... But even if I didn’t, it probably doesn’t matter much. The court never entirely relied on me."

He excelled at the black arts of officialdom, orchestrating people and events. He alone could outmaneuver a thousand troops, but when it came to assisting the emperor in governing the realm, someone like Yuan Shuofu was needed.

"If I overlook anything, Old Yuan will naturally think it through for His Majesty. I don’t need to worry here."

Saying this, the old wine ritualist took a pre-packed bundle from the cabinet.

Finally, he picked up a document that had taken over a month to forge successfully, and with a resolute heart, said: "Ahen, I’m coming for you, Master."

He shouldered his pack and stepped out of the house.

Thunder rumbled in the sky, indicating imminent rain.

He had to hurry to the post station, where horses and carriage were already prepared.

Removing the door latch, he cautiously opened the courtyard gate.

A flash of lightning revealed the eerie silhouette of the old lady at the doorway.

The old wine ritualist was so frightened he nearly dropped dead on the spot to join the late emperor!

He quickly gathered his wits, his hairs standing on end: "Zhuang Jinse! What are you up to?"

Zhuang Jinse said emotionlessly: "I’m coming too."

The old wine ritualist’s eyes flickered, hiding his bundle behind his back: "Go where? It’s the middle of the night, I don’t understand what you’re saying!"

Zhuang Jinse, carrying a bundle in one hand, raised a cleaver in the other, eyes filled with killing intent: "Will you take me or not? If not, I’ll kill you."

The old wine ritualist: "..."

-

Dayan, National Master Hall.

The king was infuriated by the prince, worsening his headache. The National Master had his disciple prepare a bowl of calming and pain-relieving decoction, which the king drank before falling into a drug-induced sleep.

Having removed his disguise, Gu Chengfeng paced up and down the corridor outside the secret room.

He didn’t say anything, but he was so nervous that he ended up biting his finger.

Xiao Hen stood quietly opposite the secret room. Everyone from the National Master Hall had already left, even the two death warriors guarding the secret room stood outside the main entrance of the Qilin Palace.

Xiao Hen appeared calm on the surface, but inside he was very worried about the situation with Gu Changqing.

However, the King arrived earlier than expected, and the rescue for Gu Changqing started earlier too. There should... be hope for his recovery, right?

"My big brother will be okay, won’t he?" Gu Chengfeng asked.

This was the thirty-seventh time he’d asked this.

Xiao Hen patiently answered him as he did the previous thirty-six times: "Trust your big brother, and trust her."

Gu Chengfeng murmured while biting his finger, "Yeah, right, that girl may not be good at anything else, but her medical skills are okay. She must be able to cure my big brother. My big brother can pull through this... he can... he’s not even married yet... he can’t just die like this..."

Xiao Hen didn’t interrupt his self-talking.

He looked up at the dark clouds on the horizon.

The path they were on was extremely perilous, filled with unknown dangers, and everyone was at risk of sacrifice at any moment.

They were already very weak, and the incident with Gu Changqing undoubtedly added to their already fragile situation.

Just bringing down the Crown Prince had cost them so much. It was foreseeable how treacherous the road ahead would be.

But even so, they still had to proceed with full determination.

Even if it meant fighting to the last person.

Three whole hours had passed. The two little pipsqueaks fell asleep while playing inside the house, and finally, Gu Jiao emerged from the secret room.

The moment the iron door opened, Gu Chengfeng rushed in like an arrow: "How is my big brother!"

Xiao Hen followed closely behind.

Gu Jiao took away the small first aid kit, closed the channel to another dimension, and the secret room appeared empty again at first glance.

However, Xiao Hen and Gu Chengfeng had seen the operating room when they brought Gu Changqing in.

It existed for real.

And yet, it disappeared without a trace.

This was the first time they felt so keenly the secrets possessed by Gu Jiao.

Gu Jiao said, "He’s in the intensive care unit; he’s still not out of life-threatening danger."

Strangely enough, she had only seen the operating room upon entering before. The operating room had several doors, and previously, only the one connecting to the secret room could be opened.

But today, another door opened, and behind it was an intensive care unit.

She guessed that as her abilities recovered, the damaged brainwaves also got partially repaired. This allowed her to connect more with the first aid kit, thus opening more dimensional spaces.

"My big brother will get better, won’t he?" Gu Chengfeng had never looked at Gu Jiao with such pleading eyes.

Gu Jiao replied, "I will do everything to save him."

Even if there is the slightest hope, she would not give up.

Gu Changqing, you must not give up yourself either.

I don’t want you to be just a brick under my feet, I want to fight alongside you.

Xiao Hen carried the sleeping Shangguan Yun out of the secret room.

Gu Jiao returned to her room to change clothes before coming back in.

Gu Chengfeng was the last one to leave.

He watched Gu Jiao’s seemingly fragile yet endlessly powerful silhouette and thought of the secrets he couldn’t comprehend.

He opened his mouth and called her.

"Are you a deity from the heavens?"

Gu Jiao paused, half-turning to look at the shadow on the ground: "Or maybe just a demon."

Gu Chengfeng was stunned.

This road is very dangerous; I can go it alone, you guys don’t need to come closer or make any more sacrifices.

"Doesn’t matter!"

Gu Chengfeng clenched his fists and looked at her silhouette, saying, "Whether you are human, ghost, god, or demon... it doesn’t matter."

"Aren’t you afraid?" Gu Jiao stopped walking and asked.

Her skills and knowledge were beyond what the people of this time could understand, and it was easy for them to regard her as a monster.

Gu Chengfeng felt really scared inside but refused to admit it: "How can demons get hurt? They bleed just like us."

Gu Jiao said, "Is that so?"

Gu Chengfeng coughed lightly: "Hey, Big Brother is hurt, I’ll protect you from now on."

Gu Jiao continued walking forward, her lips curling faintly: "Fight me first and then talk."

Gu Chengfeng’s face turned black.

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