Time Travel: Pampered by the Aloof Prince
Chapter 179: The Prince is Injured

Chapter 179: Chapter 179: The Prince is Injured

A few days later, when Qi Yu was lounging leisurely in the estate, she suddenly heard a maid report that the two Madams from the Gu Family had come again.

Struggling to rise from the comfort of her reclining chair, Qi Yu waved her hand and said to the maid, "Have them wait for me in the front hall."

The maid responded and hurriedly went to make arrangements.

Seeing that she clearly did not wish to meet those two, yet had to, Shi Zhou was somewhat curious, "Why must you see them?"

Qi Yu sighed, "I don’t want to either, but who made me the Princess."

It was not clear whether she was boasting or complaining.

Shi Zhou did not quite understand and did not ask further.

After all, Qi Yu always had her reasons for what she did.

Ever since she effortlessly resolved the Xie family matter last time, her understanding of Qi Yu had risen to a new level.

Her perception of Qi Yu had gradually shifted from seeing her as a weak and sickly beauty to someone not to be trifled with.

Qi Yu changed into a new outfit and, surrounded by maids, arrived in the front hall, accompanied by Shi Zhou, who carried a sword.

Having already assigned Shen Nanxing to keep an eye on Ling Xiao, she now had a different personal bodyguard.

Although it was somewhat inappropriate to use the young miss from Tuyun Village as a bodyguard, Qi Yu felt entirely justified, considering Shi Zhou’s martial prowess and the fact that she was seeking a favor from her.

After all, to deal with the obtuse blockhead Shen Xiheng, playing it straight was not enough; one had to resort to some clever strategies when it mattered.

"What brings the two Madams here to see this Princess?" Qi Yu, having received a cup of tea from a maid, blew on it and asked leisurely.

The senior and junior Madams exchanged a look and, very in sync, "thump—" knelt down in front of her.

Qi Yu had not yet swallowed her sip of tea and almost sprayed it all over their faces.

What act were they putting on today?

The senior Madam, with a pained expression, spoke first, "Princess, please, ask the Prince to show mercy. My husband does not deserve to die!"

Qi Yu put down her tea and glanced at them with a detached expression.

In just a few days, these two Madams, once dressed in luxurious clothes and adorned with gold and silver, now looked disheveled with faces smeared with ashes, donning coarse clothes, and wearing much simpler makeup, perhaps even deliberately so.

Qi Yu looked at their deliberately dirtied faces with an expression that spoke volumes.

Even if they wanted to win her sympathy, there was no need to go to such lengths.

However, these two were quite determined, knowing that Gu Songhua was doomed, they came running to her.

She stood up and said to the maid, "See the guests out."

As soon as the senior Madam heard this, she understood Qi Yu’s stance and felt utterly despondent.

The junior Madam was much more impetuous, and as a maid came to pull her away, she struggled free and yelled, "Get your dirty hands off me!"

She got up clumsily and, pointing at Qi Yu, cursed, "You heartless thing, wasn’t my husband good enough to you?"

The maids were scared out of their wits by her words and rushed forward, trying to cover her mouth.

Qi Yu’s expression did not change, but she instead chuckled and said, "I’m heartless? Then what about your husband who caused the deaths of tens of thousands, isn’t that utterly inhumane?"

A man like Gu Songhua needed to be executed to appease public anger.

That the rest of the Gu family was spared was the result of Li Mingjue pleading with Li Tianze.

If the Gu family had any sense, they should stay quietly at home instead of causing disturbances at her place every other day.

The junior Madam obviously did not expect Qi Yu to respond this way and was momentarily at a loss for words, repeatedly saying the same thing, "My husband is a good man."

Qi Yu looked at her coldly, "Gu Songhua might be a good husband, but he is certainly not a good official."

Having said that, she was too lazy to waste more words on them and simply had the maids escort them out.

By noon, Li Mingjue and Shen Xiheng returned to the residence, both with stern expressions.

Qi Yu asked, "What’s happened now?"

Li Mingjue shook his head slightly, his voice a bit hoarse, "The Emperor has issued a decree, in three days, Gu Songhua will be beheaded."

Qi Yu also froze.

Although she had known for a long time that Gu Songhua would die, hearing it firsthand felt different.

She sighed and decided to go see Gu Jingping later.

In the afternoon, Qi Yu and Shi Zhou went to the Gu Residence.

Ever since Gu Songhua had been arrested, there had been no shortage of commoners who came to the gate of the Gu Residence to curse.

Qi Yu frowned and entered the Gu Residence through the side door.

Gu Jingping had been hiding in his room for a while now, looking much more dispirited than before.

Seeing this, Qi Yu could only say, "The Prince has done all he could for Lord Gu."

Gu Jingping’s expression was one of despondency as he nodded and said with a bitter smile, "My father brought misfortune upon himself. The Prince and Princess are kind-hearted to have spared my life. I am already deeply grateful."

Patting his shoulder, Qi Yu offered a few words of comfort and then asked, "What do you plan to do next?"

Gu Jingping looked at her with a lost expression and said, "What future do I have?"

Qi Yu, looking at him, was reminded of Song Ling from before; their plights seemed almost identical.

She drank a few cups with him and recounted the ordeal of Song Ling. Gu Jingping, after listening, had wet eyes, uncertain whether for the person in the story or for himself.

"Do I really still have hope?" He looked at Qi Yu with an eager expression.

Qi Yu nodded and forced a smile on her face, "Of course."

Initially, when she had first arrived here, her situation was far worse than Gu Jingping’s is now.

But as long as one breathes, a person will never truly fall.

Gu Jingping closed his eyes and finally said to her, "I understand."

Seeing that he had come to terms with it, Qi Yu felt relieved.

She asked a few more questions about the plans of the two Madams of the Gu Family. Gu Jingping laughed at himself, "What plans could they have? Naturally, they would divide the property and return to their own families."

Luckily, he had no real affection for his stepmothers. Once he divided the money and had someone escort them back to their maternal homes, he owed them nothing.

Moreover, the two Madams of Gu didn’t truly have any attachment to the Gu Family; they were just reluctant to give up the luxurious life here.

With Gu Songhua’s death inevitable, both women dried their tears and began to make plans.

When it came to dividing the property, they fought tooth and nail, nearly coming to blows.

After the squabble, there was hardly anything left in the residence.

Worried that Gu Jingping would be morose on his own, Qi Yu suggested that he move to the eastern city residence. After all, there were plenty of vacant rooms there, and with more people around, it was better than being alone.

Seeing his empty home, Gu Jingping had little left to cling to. He packed a few articles of clothing and left with her.

Three days later, Gu Songhua was executed. Qi Yu didn’t go to watch—not because she feared blood but because she was concerned about Gu Jingping.

The two played chess in the back garden, under the pleasant sun.

As Qi Yu placed a black stone, she looked at Gu Jingping’s complexion and asked, "Do you want to see your father for the last time?"

Gu Jingping’s hand, holding a chess piece, hesitated for a moment before he said indifferently, "There’s no need. I’ve already seen him a couple of days ago; he has settled everything that needed to be said."

Qi Yu let out a soft sigh and didn’t bring up the topic again.

Each played several more moves on the chessboard in a match that was precarious, with neither side giving way.

Just as they were engrossed in the game, a servant hurriedly ran to the doorway, knelt down gasping for air, and said, "Princess, it’s terrible—the Prince has been injured!"