Water Reflects Peach Blossoms

"Auntie?" Gong Ziyu stood up in surprise, "Why are you..."

"Get out of the way!" Ming Wuji waved away the yellow jade guards blocking her way and looked at Gong Ziyu: "Ziyu! Hurry..."

"How dare you!" Elder Hua looked at Ming Wuji and shouted, "How dare you barge into the Elders' Council while they're in session? Do you have any rules?!"

Elder Hua's rebuke quieted the lively atmosphere in the hall. The guards who had tried to stop Ming Wuji bowed and retreated. Gong Ziyu showed worry on his face, Gong Shangjiao watched the farce like a bystander, and Gong Yuanzheng's expression was even more sarcastic.

Gong Ziyu walked down the stairs and came to Ming Wuji: "Aunt, what happened?"

"Madam Wuji," Elder Xue said gently, "If there is anything important, please report it to Zhiren. If not, please leave immediately."

This is not the place for her, an old swordsman's concubine, or a bladeless assassin.

Although she should be kept out of the palace to call Yu, she cannot be too tolerant of her.

"Yes." Ming Wuji calmed down and saluted Gong Ziyu: "Zhi Ren, Miss Yun has her own reasons for doing so. Please withdraw your order."

"Aunt." Gong Ziyu whispered.

What Ayun wanted was freedom, and although it was uncomfortable for him, he was willing to give it to her.

"I will tell you the reason later. If you still believe in me," Ming Wuji looked at Gong Ziyu eagerly, with true feelings, "then go and stop it quickly."

Under everyone's gaze, Gong Ziyu nodded slowly: "I believe my aunt."

……

Returning to Yu Palace from the Elders' Council, Ming Wu Ji was followed closely by two topaz guards.

She saw the young man standing with his arms folded at the door of her room.

The young man was handsome, tall, and graceful in his behavior. There was a mocking smile on his lips when he looked at her.

"Master Zheng." Ming Wuji stopped and said, "Are you waiting for me?"

"I'm not the one waiting for you." Gong Yuanzheng looked at the two topaz guards who followed Wu Ji closely, and said with a hint of amusement, "It seems that Madam Wu Ji being left alone by the elders is not a good thing."

Ming Wuji's long experience allowed her to remain calm at this moment: "Good or bad, it doesn't matter."

"Sometimes good things can turn into bad things, and bad things can turn into good things. Didn't Master Zheng just experience that?"

Gong Yuanzheng's expression changed. "You dare to plot against my brother? You don't know your own limitations."

Not wanting to say more to him, Ming Wuji pushed open the door and saw a woman sitting at the table in her room, making tea with a calm and relaxed look on her face.

"It's you." Ming Wuji looked calm as she walked to the opposite side of the woman and sat down.

"If there's anyone within the palace who can see through my scheme, I'm afraid it's only you."

Gong Yunzheng continued to brew tea, his demeanor calm, "Madam Wu Ji took action first, so don't blame me for breaking the deadlock later."

The gentleness on Ming Wuji's face disappeared: "But you didn't just break the situation."

She wanted Yun Weishan's life and wanted the rift between Zi Yu and her to be irreparable.

"What about Madam Wu Ji?" Gong Yunzheng met the woman's deep, ancient eyes and asked her, "Madam Wu Ji doesn't just want to clear Brother Zi Yu's name, right?"

"As a family member, I absolutely cannot sit idly by and watch someone exploit the weakness of their closest relatives to severely attack Brother Shang Jiao."

"Are all the Gong clan members your family?" Ming Wuji found it amusing. "Or are only Gong Yuanzheng and Gong Shangjiao the second young lady's family members?"

Gong Yunzheng lowered his eyes and poured tea: "Sister Zishang, brother Ziyu, brother Jingshang, they are all my family."

After she finished speaking, she placed the teacup in front of Madam Wu Ji and said, "And...Brother Lang Jiao."

Looking at the tea in front of her, Ming Wuji couldn't describe the feeling in her heart: "Zi Yu's background is suspected, Madam Lan has been slandered for many years, and Gong Shangjiao found me and put pressure on me. I have no other choice."

Gong Yunzheng paused as he withdrew his hand: "I don't believe it."

"With Madam Wuji's intelligence, she must have figured it out. Brother Shangjiao just wants the truth. Otherwise, he would have fabricated evidence. Why would she even ask Madam Wuji to hand over the evidence?"

"Given Master Jiao's cold and hard personality and his desire to hold the position of Blade Master, I don't believe his so-called pressure. He just wants the truth." Ming Wuji sipped her tea. "Second Miss's words are like this cup of tea: sweet at first, but bitter aftertaste."

"Whether it's bitter or sweet depends on one's personality." Following her words, Gong Yunzheng hinted, "The state of mind is naturally different."

Ming Wuji didn't take it seriously: "No wonder the elders confined me to my room for three days as a warning."

Gong Yunzheng: "You choose your own path. From the very beginning, you should think about whether the end of the road is good or bad. It is your choice."

"But what if some people never had a choice from the start?" Ming Wuji's tone was filled with sadness, as if she was recalling something from a long time ago. "You know, there are many people in this world who have lost the right to choose from the moment they are born."

"The Second Miss is not one of them, so it must be difficult for her to understand."

"You never lose the right to choose in life," Gong Yunzheng's eyes became sharp, which was completely inconsistent with her usual dignity and gentleness, but her voice remained gentle. "It just depends on whether the matter is more important than life."

"Whether it's for survival or for some other reason, if you've chosen the wrong path, you don't deserve other people's sympathy or understanding."

"Pity is not a reason to commit murder."

After these words were spoken, the room fell into silence.

Ignoring Ming Wu Ji, whose face looked gloomy and seemed lost in memories, Gong Yunzheng got up and left her room.

Outside, the sky was full of rosy clouds, and the red sunset glow seemed to be burning, just like the hem of a bride's wedding dress dragging on the ground.

"Sister." Seeing his sister come out, Gong Yuanzheng released his hand on the hilt of the knife.

Ever since Ming Wu Ji entered, he has been on alert, always keeping his knife in hand. If Ming Wu Ji dares to make any movement, he will rush in instantly!

Under the rosy sky, he looked in the direction his sister was looking.

Gong Ziyu was followed by Yun Weishan, Gong Zishang and Jin Fan, and the four of them were walking towards Ming Wuji's room.

unlucky!

The boy frowned and couldn't help rolling his eyes.

"Sister Zi Shang, Brother Zi Yu." Gong Yunzheng's voice was soft as she walked down the stairs.

"Sister Ayun." Gong Ziyu looked at the two topaz guards standing outside Ming Wuji's room, frowning in confusion: "What's going on?"