The daughter of the first wife grew up in the countryside and was extremely powerful

Shanyuan's usually cold heart softened, and he suddenly felt his eyes getting a little sore. He turned his head away uncomfortably and sniffed.

Gu Fanchu enthusiastically held the two masters and asked about their well-being with concern.

She carefully inquired about the masters' recent physical condition and living conditions, and also told them all about her experiences after returning to Beijing.

Time passed quickly, and night fell in the blink of an eye, but the three masters and apprentices were still chatting happily. It was not until late at night that Gu Fanchu said goodbye to his masters and returned to his own yard to rest.

The next morning, before daybreak, Gu Fanchu got up early, carefully washed and dressed, and made all preparations.

Sure enough, Shi Jinyan arrived on time as agreed.

When Gu Fanchu saw this, he quickly ordered someone to lead him to the main hall and arranged for people to guard around to prevent others from disturbing him.

After everyone had left and walked away, Gu Fanchu took a deep breath and looked at the man in front of him with a serious expression.

Today, Shi Jinyan was wearing a gorgeous purple straight-stitched court robe with fluttering sleeves, like an immortal descending to earth.

He wore a gold spider-patterned belt of the same color around his waist, which made his figure look even more majestic.

His long, shiny black hair was neatly tied up and held firmly in place by a emerald-inlaid and gilded crown, which made his face look even more handsome and radiant.

His figure is slender and upright, and his every move naturally reveals an innate noble temperament, which makes people feel intimidated and feel that this person is high above and unattainable.

However, at this moment, when his gaze turned to her, his eyes seemed to sparkle with ripples, bright and deep, like a pool of spring water being blown by a breeze, rippling layers of water.

This look went straight into her heart, and before she knew it, it was like an invisible hand gently plucking the softest strings deep in her heart, causing her heart to beat faster involuntarily.

It felt like countless little ants were crawling and biting inside her heart, bringing waves of indescribable numbness and itching, making her feel weak all over.

Gu Fanchu's thoughts drifted very far away at this moment. The man in front of her seemed to gradually overlap with a figure in her memory, making her a little dazed.

Until a deep and gentle voice sounded like the sound of nature:

"You specifically asked me to come here today, but is there something important you want to tell me?"

This sentence was like a heavy hammer, suddenly pulling Gu Fanchu back to reality from his detached state.

She quickly averted her gaze as if waking from a dream, a barely perceptible shyness appeared on her face, and even her ears turned slightly red.

In order to hide the embarrassment, she subconsciously turned her head away, not daring to look at the other person, secretly regretting how she could have lost her composure like this.

After a slight adjustment, Gu Fanchu took a deep breath, tried to calm himself down, and tried to make his tone sound more natural:

"Well...I do have something I want to ask you, and it's very serious."

After saying that, she shook her head gently, as if trying to get rid of all the chaotic and complicated thoughts in her mind.

Then, she straightened her expression, looked at the man in front of her seriously, and asked:

"You...are acquainted with the prince, right?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the man's originally gentle face instantly became solemn and serious, his sword-like eyebrows slightly wrinkled, and a hint of alertness flashed in his eyes.

Gu Fanchu's heart tightened when he saw this, fearing that it would cause misunderstandings, and he hurriedly explained:

"Don't worry, I have absolutely no intention of prying into your mind or finding out your secrets.

It's just that because we will eventually become husband and wife, I think we should keep pace with each other on some major issues to avoid unnecessary trouble and conflicts."

Although his heart is not with himself, he is at least bound by worldly ties, and honor and disgrace are one, so naturally he cannot have two hearts.

Shi Jinyan pondered for a while. He naturally knew that there must be a deep meaning behind Gu Fanchu's question. He must have noticed some clues.

He took a deep breath and said solemnly:

"The General's Mansion has always maintained a neutral stance and never participated in the conflicts between the various factions in the court. This is precisely the important reason why His Majesty has been able to tolerate our existence.

It was for this reason that General Gu pretended to be sick and voluntarily handed over a large part of his military power to show his loyalty.

If you and I both choose to support one side, it will most likely bring disaster to the entire General's Mansion!"

After hearing Shi Jinyan's words, Gu Fanchu already understood the interests involved.

She just smiled slightly, with the corners of her mouth slightly raised, revealing a barely perceptible cunning.

"I don't know the Crown Prince, nor do I want to stand above any particular faction, but if Your Majesty... then the Crown Prince is also the legitimate heir to the throne, isn't he?"

Shi Jinyan's eyes were deep, like a clear blue lake, alluring and dangerous. He stared at the delicate face of the woman in front of him without blinking, and said slowly:

"The Crown Prince... is intelligent and humble, with great ambitions to govern the country. Unfortunately, he is frail. Even if he were to ascend to that position, I'm afraid others would not accept him with open arms."

Gu Fanchu knew that he was talking about the fifth prince.

After all, a favored prince will have greater ambitions.

"I am a woman and do not understand the ambition of governing a country, but I know that if the country is stable, the people can live in peace, and if the people live in peace, the world will be at peace."

She restrained the smile on her face, and her eyes showed a little sadness:

"My grandfather and my eldest uncle have been fighting outside to protect our country, but their forces have grown stronger and stronger, and people are jealous and wary of them. So my grandfather had to step down and hand over some of his military power."

"However, I know that my grandfather has regrets in his heart, but I can't help him make up for this regret. Shi Jinyan, you are a good person, and you must know who will be the emperor and it will be a blessing for the people of the world."

Gu Fanchu suddenly stood up and regained her bright appearance. She turned her head and looked directly at Shi Jinyan beside her. She spoke softly:

"Let me show you something."

The sound is clear and pleasant, as if it carries an irresistible magic.

When Shi Jinyan heard this, a myriad of thoughts surged in his mind.

He hesitated for a moment, but still stood up slowly and followed Gu Fanchu towards the back mountain.

The two walked side by side, no one spoke along the way, only the sound of light footsteps echoed in the silent air.

As they continued to go deeper into the back mountain, Shi Jinyan keenly noticed that the surrounding defenses were becoming increasingly strict.

With every step forward, the doubts and anxieties in his heart grew a little more.

However, when he turned his gaze to the woman beside him, he was surprised to find that her face was still as calm as water, without any fluctuations at all.