The subordinate continued his report, detailing everything from the moment the Black Armored Guards appeared with the convoy, the fight they had with two groups of people outside the old forest, to the arrival of the mysterious cloaked figure.
"That cloaked figure sided with one of the parties. When they found themselves outmatched, they tossed out something like a smoke bomb — it had a pungent, stinging fume that burned everyone's eyes and left no one able to see clearly. My men and I were caught up in it too.
When the haze cleared enough for us to see, the Black Armored Guards were being cut down by the cloaked figure's side, and in the end, every last one of them was killed. That cloaked person moves so unpredictably, they can teleport, and I could not even catch a glimpse of their trail. But from what I could make out of their figure, they looked extremely similar to Cheng Yao.
These past few days, she has been leading her clansmen up the mountains to pick wild grapes to sell to the Delicacy Studio, then splitting the earnings to buy grain. The breadth of her knowledge and the boldness of her courage put even most men to shame. I suspected she was the mysterious person who stole the Seven-Leaf Flower, so I brought her here first to wait for the Valley Master's ruling."
The subordinate's report was clear and concise, listing every single oddity about Cheng Yao one by one.
Each word was like a pebble tossed into a still lake, sending ripples spreading across Gu Wangchuan's heart.
His eyes glinted with the bright, intrigued light of someone who had just stumbled upon a fascinating new prey, and he posed two questions.
"Smoke bombs are extraordinarily difficult to manufacture, and only the Martial Alliance Leader has access to them. How could a banished convict woman have one in her possession?"
"Furthermore, if her skills are truly that formidable, why was she so easily captured by your men?"
The cloaked subordinate weighed his words carefully before replying, "From what I saw, Lady Cheng does not know martial arts. She relies on some sort of magical artifact to vanish and reappear out of nowhere."
He paused for a moment, lowering his voice further. "In fact, I suspect the shocking grand theft of the imperial treasury is linked to her. Even if she did not commit the crime herself, she must have a backer or accomplices who did."
Stole the Seven-Leaf Flower!
Stole the imperial treasury!
Shao Yutong's heart clenched tight all of a sudden, and she found it hard to draw a full breath.
If Cheng Yao was truly this capable, what a terrifying figure she had provoked!
Gu Wangchuan raised his eyebrows in surprise too.
A rare exotic treasure?
A secret mystic art?
Tied to the annihilation of the Black Armored Guards?
This lowly woman was hiding so many mysteries!
How interesting.
He set down his soup spoon and spoke gently to Shao Yutong in his arms. "Yutong, there are some trivial matters in the valley I need to handle. I will come back to keep you company shortly."
Shao Yutong had been so startled by the news that her mind had wandered far off, but the moment she heard Gu Wangchuan's words, a sharp sense of crisis seized her. Cheng Yao!
That woman who could stir up storms and draw everyone's attention no matter where she went, who was so mysterious and powerful, had just been dragged to the Valley of Unfeeling, and Gu Wangchuan was already growing interested in her. There was no telling when he might even grow to like her!
All the affection and status she had worked so painstakingly to build up would be teetering on the edge of ruin.
Shao Yutong's mind raced at top speed. She pretended to be obedient and murmured a soft assent, then lifted her wrist, immediately furrowing her brows and letting out a pained little gasp. "Sss... it hurts so much..."
Her other hand reached out limply to grab Gu Wangchuan's sleeve, and her whole body leaned weakly against him, her voice thick with tears and utter dependence. "Valley Master, for some reason my hand hurts, and my head is getting dizzy too... Won't you stay with me for a little while? Just a moment."
She tilted her face up, tears glistening in her eyes in a way that made anyone who saw her feel instantly protective.
Gu Wangchuan froze mid-movement.
He looked down at the woman in his arms, whose features bore a striking resemblance to the person he remembered, now looking up at him with such a pitiful, pleading expression. A twinge of pain pricked his heart, and his gaze softened unconsciously.
"Fine, I won't leave." Gu Wangchuan sat back down, his tone laced with helpless indulgence.
He waved his hand to dismiss the subordinate, then gently took Shao Yutong's hand. He pulled an exquisitely carved jade bottle from his robes, poured out a bit of cool, glossy medicinal salve, and spread it on her hand with such gentle care that he might have been handling a priceless, one-of-a-kind treasure.
"Does it still hurt?" he asked in a low voice as he smoothed the salve over her skin.
"Mm... just a little bit..." Shao Yutong bit her lower lip softly, acting coquettish.
Gu Wangchuan blew gently on her injured hand, then pulled her into his embrace. He picked up the bowl himself and fed her bite by bite, with endless patience and tenderness.
After they finished the meal, he held her like one would soothe a small child, patting her back softly and humming a little unknown tune, until her breathing evened out and she drifted into a deep sleep.
Once he was certain Shao Yutong was fully asleep, he lifted her carefully, laid her down on the soft bed, and tucked the covers in around her with great care.
He gazed at her peaceful sleeping face for a long moment, his expression too complex to read, before he finally turned and left the room without making a sound.
The very second the door clicked shut, Shao Yutong, who was supposed to be fast asleep, slowly opened her eyes. There was not a trace of drowsiness in them, only icy calculation and thick, unmasked wariness.
She deeply regretted ever bringing Cheng Yao up to Gu Wangchuan.
That woman was so skilled at getting what she wanted, and now she was in the Valley of Unfeeling too. There was no telling what kind of chaos she would stir up.
No matter what, she could never let Cheng Yao threaten her position.
But if Cheng Yao really had emptied out the entire imperial treasury, then her abilities and her wealth were beyond measure.
The Valley of Unfeeling's spies said she was tied to the destruction of the Black Armored Guards and the imperial treasury theft. She had to find a way to pass that news on to Gu Li.
Whether Gu Li chose to turn her in for a reward or use the information to threaten and win her over, that would be his call.
...
Meanwhile, Cheng Yao, locked in the empty room of the "Meditation Pavilion," had been sitting quietly for most of the day. The world outside was completely silent, as if she had been forgotten by everyone.
Wait around doing nothing? No way.
She slipped into her personal space, where she indulged in delicious food, poured herself a little wine, took a bath, binge-watched shows, put on a facial mask, and played games. She was making the most of her stolen leisure time, having a wonderful time.
But she knew she could not fall asleep inside her space.
If someone came to check on her suddenly and she did not sense their arrival in time, they would find her room empty, and that would spell huge trouble.
She waited until the middle of the night, when all was quiet and even the chirping of crickets had grown sparse. Then Cheng Yao's sharp, keen senses picked up a powerful, hidden presence, making its way straight toward where she was.
Here they come!
Cheng Yao's heart stirred, and she immediately stepped out of her space.
She quickly rolled across the floor to cover her clothes in dust, messed up her hair a little, then curled up in a corner, lay face down on the ground, closed her eyes, and adjusted her breathing to pretend she had fallen asleep from exhaustion and fear. She left only the tiniest sliver of a crack under her eyelids to peer out.
"Squeak —" The door was pushed open gently.
Two maids carrying lanterns walked in first, their soft lantern light chasing away the darkness in the room.
The sudden burst of light made Cheng Yao's eyelids twitch uncontrollably for a split second.
Oh no, she thought to herself, my cover's almost blown!
She squeezed her eyes shut as tight as she could, slowing her breathing even further to make it seem as if she was sunk in the deepest, heaviest sleep.
But the next second, she felt that powerful presence move silently right to her side.
A faint scent, a mix of crisp medicinal herbs and a faint, overwhelming air of authority, wrapped around her.
Then a cool finger, with an almost playful, teasing quality, reached out and poked her gently right on the eyelid.
Cheng Yao: "!!! "
This was the last thing she had expected!
Who on earth was this crazy person?
She could not keep up the act anymore. Her eyes flew wide open, and she found herself staring straight into a pair of eyes only inches from her own.
Gu Wangchuan was squatting right in front of her, looking at her with undisguised amusement.
