The Cloud Feather of the Red Chamber: A Marriage Arranged with Gong Yuanzheng at the Start

Just as Miyazaki had said, their conversation had ended in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.

A servant from the Blade Hall rushed over and handed Gong Shangjiao a secret letter.

"I hope that Young Master Jiao will investigate this matter as soon as possible."

Kim Bok took the secret letter and placed it in front of Gong Sang-gak.

Gong Shangjiao looked at the servant expressionlessly, "Go and report to Zhi Ren, I will set off immediately to investigate this matter."

The attendant was ordered to retreat.

Gong Shangjiao simply threw the secret letter onto the table, without even bothering to open it.

Gong Zishang hesitated, "Shangjiao, aren't you going to open it and take a look?"

"It's not important; it's just an excuse to send me out of the palace." Gong Shangjiao's words were devoid of any emotion.

He stood up calmly, straightened his cuffs, and looked at Gong Yuanzheng, who was eager to try and full of excitement. As if amused by his reaction, Gong Shangjiao's lips curled up slightly, his eyes showing doting affection for his younger brother, as well as the pride of seeing his younger brother grow up.

He glanced again at Gong Zishang, who was fidgeting and trying to appear calm, and finally his gaze fell on Qi Yan'an, who was deep in thought and had a playful look on his face.

"If I am unable to return in time, I hope Your Highness will lend a helping hand."

Although Qi Yan'an only had ten guards, they were all top-notch imperial guards, and some of them were even more skilled than Hongyu.

"Of course." Qi Yan'an readily agreed, as he hoped the palace would stabilize as soon as possible more than anyone else.

Having received Qi Yan'an's promise, Gong Shangjiao looked at Gong Zishang and Gong Yuanzheng again.

"You will act in half an hour."

Gong Yuanzheng laughed excitedly and wildly, "Don't worry, brother, I guarantee that Gong Hongyu will not die before you come back."

Gong Shangjiao nodded. "It's enough to leave him with just a breath."

Although Gong Zishang was a little nervous, he was also determined. "Don't worry, I will definitely bring the three elders and Young Master Yue to the Blade Master Hall."

After everything was explained, Gong Shangjiao led Jin Fuji out of Jiaogong Palace.

Gong Ziyu leaned against the window of Wanhua Tower, drinking the fine wine poured by Ziyi, and looking at the night view of Jiuchen Valley, relieving the depression in his heart.

But then he saw Gong Shangjiao riding past on horseback under the corridor. He involuntarily sat up straight and looked at the procession with a puzzled expression.

Following his gaze, the woman in purple looked up, a glint of light flashing in her eyes. "This is Young Master Jiao. Why did he leave in the middle of the night? Is something urgent?"

Gong Ziyu scoffed disdainfully, "I have no say in the affairs of the Palace Gate, and I have even less say in the affairs of the Horn Palace."

After speaking, he drank a glass of cold wine, but his gaze remained fixed on Miyazaki.

Gong Shangjiao seemed to notice his gaze, turned around and met his eyes, his gaze as cold as water.

Their eyes met briefly before looking away, yet this inexplicably made Gong Ziyu feel uneasy.

He had a vague feeling that something big was going to happen at the palace gates tonight.

Gong Ziyu put down her wine cup and stood up. "No, I have to go back to find my brother."

The woman in purple stopped him and gently advised, "Young Master Jiao, you went out overnight, which shows how serious things are."

"Young Master is probably busy helping Zhi Ren with his affairs. You should hurry back now..."

The rest of the sentence was left unsaid, but it successfully put Gong Ziyu at ease.

He sat back down in his chair, laughing self-deprecatingly, "You're right. They're all busy with palace gate matters. What do palace gate matters have to do with me? Why should I be in such a hurry? Why should I rush back to get scolded?"

A flash of disdain crossed the purple-clad woman's eyes, but her smile grew even gentler. "Let me play a piece for the prince."

We can't let you go back now and disrupt Gong Huanyu's plan. Wouldn't all their efforts over the years be wasted?

Corner Palace

Gong Zishang's body trembled slightly. She couldn't help but stand up and pace back and forth in the room. She didn't know if she was nervous or excited.

She kept rehearsing in her mind how to persuade the elders to go to the Blade Hall when she met them—whether to cheat and deceive them, or to coerce and entice them.

I looked up, wanting to ask someone for advice.

Sitting opposite her, Qi Yan'an had his eyes lowered, holding a folding fan and tapping his palm repeatedly, seemingly lost in thought.

His gaze shifted to his side, and what he saw was Gong Yuanzheng's arrogant and ruthless smile.

That smile seemed to contain endless madness, sending chills down one's spine.

The candlelight flickered on his face, casting an eerie glow.

He held Lin Qingyue's hand tightly with one hand, and stroked the small conch shell at his waist with the other.

Noticing Gong Zishang's gaze, her clear black and white eyes looked at her, but Gong Zishang immediately looked away.

For some reason, Gong Zishang felt fear towards Gong Yuanzheng for the first time and dared not look him in the eye.

Gong Yuanzheng calmly withdrew his gaze. He didn't care about Gong Zishang's thoughts. Right now, he only had anticipation and excitement for what was about to happen.

Seriously, I haven't been this excited in a long time.

Noticing that Lin Qingyue's hands were getting colder and colder, Gong Yuanzheng frowned, a look of worry appearing in his eyes.

Releasing the conch shell, Gong Yuanzheng cupped her hands in his, and a surge of internal energy flowed into Lin Qingyue's body.

Lin Qingyue immediately stopped him: "Don't waste your inner strength!"

Gong Yuanzheng dismissed it, saying, "Such a little internal energy will be recovered in no time."

He glanced at the time and pulled Lin Qingyue up. "We don't know when this will end. You shouldn't be too tired right now. I'll take you back to your room to rest."

Without giving Lin Qingyue a chance to refuse, he pulled her towards his room.

Just as she reached the door, Lin Qingyue suddenly stopped.

Her face was deathly pale, her fear and panic evident. In her memory, Gong Huanyu's martial arts were the highest in the Gong family. Several people from the front and back mountains combined were no match for him. If she was not careful, the Shang, Jiao, and Zheng Gong families might be wiped out.

Under Gong Yuanzheng's puzzled and worried gaze, she gripped his arm tightly, turned to look at Qi Yan'an with nervous anxiety, and asked in a pleading tone, "Your Highness, may your men go to the Blade-Wielding Hall with Yuanzheng later?"

Before Qi Yan'an could speak, Gong Yuanzheng flatly refused, confident and arrogant, "No need, Yue'er, don't worry, my latest poison can't be cured by Baicao Cui, and Gong Huanyu is no match for me!"

Lin Qingyue tightened her grip on Gong Yuanzheng's hand. She didn't look at Gong Yuanzheng, but instead gazed earnestly at Qi Yan'an.

Qi Yan'an stood up calmly, looking at the two people standing very close to him. One looked panicked and frightened, while the other was full of pride and arrogance.

Qi Yan'an smiled slightly and said, "Yuanzheng is also my brother. I will protect him and never let him suffer any harm."

After saying that, he unfolded his folding fan and instructed the guards behind him: "Leave two people with me, the rest of you go with Yuanzheng to the Blade Hall."

"Yes." The black-clad guard acknowledged the order and withdrew.

"Thank you, Your Highness." Lin Qingyue finally breathed a sigh of relief, sincerely thanked Qi Yan'an, and slowly released her grip on Gong Yuanzheng's hand.

Gong Yuanzheng grabbed Lin Qingyue's hand tightly. The young man's face was full of sweetness and joy, and his eyes shone like stars, filled with nothing but her.

He knew that Yue'er also had feelings for him, which was why she was so worried about his safety.

Overjoyed but unsure how to express it, Gong Yuanzheng simply picked up the girl in front of him and carried her quickly to his room.

Qi Yan'an raised an eyebrow in surprise and chuckled at Gong Zishang: "It seems that Yuanzheng's coming-of-age ceremony and wedding might be held together."

Gong Yuanzheng's antics eased Gong Zishang's tension considerably, and she couldn't help but tease him, "Maybe Yuanzheng will be the first of us siblings to get married."

The bedroom and the main room were not close, but Gong Yuanzheng carried Lin Qingyue all the way there without breaking a sweat or getting out of breath.

Gong Yuanzheng gently placed Lin Qingyue on the bed, removed her shoes and socks, and quickly covered her with the quilt, giving Lin Qingyue no chance to refuse.

Looking at Lin Qingyue, whose head was the only part of her body showing, Gong Yuanzheng's excitement remained undiminished, and his clear eyes shone with the purest joy.

He couldn't help but gently touch Lin Qingyue's cheek. "Yue'er, you're worried about me, aren't you?"

Lin Qingyue tried to dodge, but couldn't, so she smiled and said, "Be careful."

"Okay, I promise you." The rising tone at the end of his voice carried the boy's barely concealed joy.

Seeing that Gong Yuanzheng showed no intention of leaving, Lin Qingyue asked curiously, "Yuanzheng, aren't you going to keep Sister Zishang and His Highness company?"

Gong Yuanzheng curled his lip in disdain, "With my brother not here, I can't be bothered to stay with them."

Then, he smiled and said to Lin Qingyue, "It's late, you should go to sleep first, I'll stay with you."

Lin Qingyue really wanted to say, "I can't sleep if you keep looking at me like that."

But he couldn't bring himself to say those words to Shanggong Yuanzheng's clear eyes, and could only close his eyes to rest.

Perhaps due to the fatigue of the journey, or perhaps because the poison had not yet been completely cleared, Lin Qingyue soon became sleepy.

In a daze, I felt something warm touch my forehead and heard Gong Yuanzheng's extremely gentle voice in my ear.

"Be good, don't go anywhere, wait for me to come back."

Half an hour had passed when Gong Yuanzheng appeared in the main hall on time.

His body was tense, like an arrow ready to be released, and the corners of his mouth were turned up high, his smile revealing undisguised arrogance.

He looked at Gong Zishang: "I'm going to the Blade-Holding Hall now, you go to the Elders' Council immediately!"

Without waiting for their response, he walked out of the Corner Palace first, followed closely by the guards of the Corner Palace.

Qi Yan'an's attendants only went out to chase after Gong Yuanzheng after he nodded.

Apart from a few guards who remained, only Qi Yan'an and Gong Zishang were left in the vast Corner Palace.

Now that things have come to this, Gong Zishang's previous tension and anxiety have long since vanished.

She looked at Qi Yan'an with a radiant smile, "Thirteenth Master, please come with me."

"If I cannot persuade the elders, I will have to borrow your status and act as a figurehead."

Qi Yan'an closed his folding fan, his smile deepening. "Miss Zi Shang, please."

Before Gong Yuanzheng even reached the Zhiren Hall, he saw Mingwu Ji rushing out of the hall.

Upon seeing Gong Yuanzheng approaching with a large number of guards, Mingwu Ji's expression changed slightly, and she stepped in front of Gong Yuanzheng.

"Yuanzheng, what are you planning to do with so many people at the Blade Master's Palace in the dead of night?"

Gong Yuanzheng's smile was ruthless. "Naturally, we've come to capture Wufeng."

Mingwu Ji's expression changed slightly, but she quickly regained her smile. "Wufeng? Isn't that in the dungeon? You don't have it here."

Gong Yuanzheng's smile grew increasingly wicked and cruel. "What do you mean, 'no'? Aren't you one? Nameless!"

The polite smile on Mingwu Ji's face vanished instantly, and a flash of killing intent crossed her eyes.

With so many people, this wasn't a good time to silence them. Mingwu Ji put on a serious face, feigning anger, and was about to reprimand them.

Gong Yuanzheng didn't give her a chance to speak, drew his long sword from his waist and slashed at Mingwu Ji.

Myo-hime reacted instinctively, spinning around to dodge the attack.

Gong Yuanzheng laughed heartily, as if a cat was teasing a mouse, "Nameless, excellent skills."

The guards who had accompanied Gong Yuanzheng had already surrounded the two of them, and all their longswords were drawn, their blades pointing directly at Mingwu Ji.

Mingwu Ji no longer pretended; her face was no longer amiable, but instead showed the cold ruthlessness of an assassin.

"After all these years, I never imagined that Gong Shangjiao would be able to find out my identity. When did you first suspect me?"

Gong Yuanzheng had no patience to answer her questions. He split his long sword in two and attacked Mingwu Ji.

Mingwu Ji no longer concealed her strength, her moves were ruthless and deadly.

After only a few moves, Mingwu Ji felt her limbs growing heavier and heavier, and her internal energy seemed to be imprisoned and unable to be mobilized. Her body became increasingly stiff, and in the end, she could no longer move.

"You...you poisoned me!"

"Yes!" Gong Yuanzheng combined his longswords into one, walked to Mingwu Ji's side, looked at Mingwu Ji who was pale, slumped on the ground, her limbs stiff and unable to move, and laughed proudly and arrogantly.

"This is a new poison that I just developed a few days ago. Even herbal extracts can't stop it."

As he spoke, he swiftly severed the tendons in Mingwu Ji's hands and feet.

Mingwu Ji let out a muffled groan, cold sweat appearing on her forehead.

"Oh, by the way, you have a younger brother, right? He's in the Zheng Palace right now."

A deep-seated hatred flashed in Mingwu Ji's eyes. She gritted her teeth and said, "If you dare to touch him, I'll kill you!"

With an innocent and naive expression, Gong Yuanzheng asked, feigning curiosity, "How can you kill me like this?"

Before he finished speaking, he instantly crippled Mingwu Ji's martial arts.

A mouthful of blood slowly flowed from the corner of Mingwu Ji's mouth.

Gong Yuanzheng's smile grew even brighter. He ignored Mingwu Ji on the ground and turned to walk towards the Zhiren Hall.

The guards of the Horn Palace dragged the fallen Princess Myo-mu behind the procession.

Inside the Hall of Blade Master, Gong Hongyu lay on the ground, watching in disbelief as Gong Huanyu approached him step by step.

He never expected that the child he had raised from childhood would one day turn against him with swords.

Gong Huanyu looked at Gong Hongyu on the ground, the ripples in her eyes vanishing in an instant.

"I didn't want to either, you forced me to."

After saying this, he closed his eyes and raised the longsword in his hand.

"Oh!"

The gate was kicked open, and broken wood flew everywhere.

Three hidden weapons flew straight toward Gong Huanyu's face.

Gong Huanyu's eyes darkened, and he swung his knife to deflect three hidden weapons.

A short knife followed closely behind, striking the blade heavily and forcing Gong Huanyu to take several steps back.

Seeing the boy leap in from behind the door, Gong Huanyu called out in a low voice, "Brother Yuanzheng, I didn't expect it would be you who stopped me."

Gong Yuanzheng held up his long sword at Gong Huanyu, his brows furrowed with disdain and ruthlessness. "There are many things you can't imagine."

As the guards entered one after another, Gong Huanyu let out a low laugh, "You think you can stop me?"

"Then let's give it a try."

After saying this, Gong Yuanzheng suppressed his smile and lunged at Gong Huanyu.

As soon as they started fighting, Gong Yuanzheng felt a chill run down his spine. Gong Huanyu's strength far exceeded what he had shown.

Gong Huanyu forced Gong Yuanzheng to retreat with just one move. He sighed, "Brother Yuanzheng, I really don't want to be your enemy, Monk Jiao."

Knowing he was no match for him, Gong Yuanzheng stopped trying to be brave and looked at Qi Yan'an's eight guards, saying, "None of us are his match. It's up to you now."

These eight guards naturally did not retreat; each armed themselves, they launched an attack on Gong Huanyu.

Gong Huanyu's expression was no longer calm. These eight people were too strong, and their martial arts style was completely different from that of the Gong family.

He immediately thought of the person Gong Shangjiao had brought into the palace.

What kind of big patron is he? He must be a high-ranking official in the imperial court. These eight people must be imperial guards.

Miyazaki, I really underestimated you!