Forced to be a concubine? I turned around and married the scumbag's father.

Gu Wanru led Biyu into the Yichun Courtyard, gave the madam two taels of silver, and ordered people to redo their makeup and give them new clothes.

Biyu frowned: "Young Madam, aren't you planning to send someone to rescue the Second Miss?"

"Didn't the patrol officers go to rescue him? My lord has important business tonight, and I can't let personal matters delay him."

As Biyu watched Gu Wanru head towards the VIP room, she felt a pang of unease in her conscience.

When they entered, Mu An, Prince Jiang, and the young master in brocade robes were drinking with a handsome man in an ambiguous and sensual manner, which was quite indecent to look at.

Gu Wanru and Biyu were both stunned. They had never seen Mu An socializing before, and they never expected that he would be interested in men.

When Prince Jiang saw Gu Wanru standing there unharmed, he was slightly taken aback, but then continued eating and drinking as if nothing had happened.

When Mu An saw them come in, she quickly let go of the handsome man and came over with a grin to pull Gu Wanru along.

"Why are you late?"

Gu Wanru forced a smile: "The carriage broke down on the way."

"Brother Mu, who are these two beauties?" The young man in brocade robes walked over with a smirk, glanced at Gu Wanru with great disappointment, and then looked at Biyu without much emotion.

She's at best pretty, not stunningly beautiful, and her figure is just average.

When Mu An saw that Master Guo was asking, he fawned over him and introduced, "Master Guo, this is my wife, Gu Wanru."

Ji Xuanyu, who was being held in Jiang Shizi's arms, suddenly pushed Jiang Shizi away, stood up abruptly, rushed to Gu Wanru, and stared at her intently.

Gu Wanru was startled when she was confronted by a handsome and refined face.

Mu An was displeased upon seeing this: "Gui Chen, what are you doing?"

Ji Xuanyu, who was using the pseudonym Guichen, suddenly came to his senses and smiled: "I have long heard that Madam Jiang is a famous talented woman in Bianjing, so I admire her and would like to get to know her."

Gu Wanru felt a warmth in her heart after being praised in public, and glanced at the person who had been suppressed.

Ji Xuanyu didn't say anything more, turned around and returned to Prince Jiang's side: "Prince, Young Madam Mu has arrived, this servant will take his leave."

"Ah."

Today is a gathering of Mu An, and I need to discuss matters with Master Guo, so it's inconvenient for me to stay and return to my hometown.

Ji Xuanyu went downstairs with a gloomy face, changed his clothes, and quietly left through the secret passage.

A military report, delivered by express courier, arrived at the palace, stating that the allied forces of the southern border states had launched a surprise attack on the southern border city. Mu Junyan entered the palace at the same time to urgently discuss the matter with the Emperor.

Due to the urgency of the situation, the Emperor ordered Mu Junyan to marry a concubine and immediately return to the Southern Frontier.

As soon as Mu Junyan left the palace, he saw Chi Yu waiting anxiously with a pale face.

Something serious must have happened: "What happened?"

Chi Yu spoke rapidly: "Miss Hua has been kidnapped. Chi Yan and his men were waiting at Yi Chun Courtyard when they overheard the concubine ordering the young mistress to be kidnapped. They then learned that Miss Hua had also been taken to Yi Chun Courtyard by the young mistress. They were worried about Miss Hua, so they had been waiting at Yi Chun Courtyard. They never expected that the young mistress would appear there instead. Moreover, the young mistress did not mention that Miss Hua had been kidnapped, and the concubine had somehow left Yi Chun Courtyard and disappeared. The concubine must be connected to spies from the Western Regions!"

Mu Junyan felt as if he had been stabbed in the heart. His eyes darkened, and a chilling aura rose around him: "Send men to take control of Yichun Courtyard. Do not let any word get out. After Mu An and his wife return to the manor, they are not allowed to leave. The entire manor is under martial law."

Akabane understood that if word got out, Miss Hua's reputation would be ruined.

Mu Junyan had an important matter to attend to during his return to the capital: there was a spy from the Western Regions in Bianjing.

His spies discovered that the brothel was suspicious, and that the madam was from the Western Regions, while the owner behind it was still unknown.

I didn't intend to alert them too early, but this unexpected turn of events occurred.

Mu Junyan leaped onto his horse and galloped towards Yichun Courtyard.

No sooner had he arrived than Akabane had already gathered men to surround the brothel, preventing anyone from entering or leaving.

Mu An and Gu Wanru were accompanying Prince Jiang out of the covered walkway with fawning expressions when they were suddenly greeted by Mu Junyan, who appeared as if riding on wheels of fire.

When Gu Wanru saw him, she was so frightened that she took two steps back. Her back foot tripped on a bench in the corridor, and she sat down with a thud, bouncing up in pain.

When Mu An saw his father's ashen face, his heart pounded in his chest, and he quickly distanced himself from Prince Jiang.

He forced a smile and went to greet him: "Father, what brings you here?"

A flicker of tension crossed Jiang Shizi's eyes, but it quickly dissipated, and he smiled and bowed to Mu Junyan.

"Greetings, Duke Yong."

Mu Junyan glanced at her coldly, his gaze settling on Gu Wanru. He suppressed his anxiety and anger and said indifferently, "You must return to the manor immediately and are not allowed to leave."

As soon as Mu An and Gu Wanru stepped out, they were surrounded by a dense mass of black-armored guards, and the two were immediately terrified.

Akabane stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Young Master, Young Madam, please get into the carriage."

A black carriage, completely covered up, drove up, and Mu An and Gu Wanru boarded it with trepidation.

Mu Junyan grabbed Jiang Shizi by the collar and pushed him into an empty room behind him, then slammed the door shut.

Prince Jiang's composure crumbled, and he cried out in alarm, "Duke Yong, let's talk this out, please don't resort to violence!"

Mu Junyan stared coldly at him: "I will not discuss with you what you conspired with others tonight, but if you reveal even a single word about what happened today, I will lose my patience!"

"Tonight is for your son..." Prince Jiang tried to argue, but his neck was grabbed by a hand as strong as an iron clamp.

He was so frightened that his face turned pale. Did he know about the kidnapping of the Gu sisters?

No, he didn't catch those people, so he definitely doesn't know who ordered them.

He quickly and obediently replied, "Okay, okay, I wasn't here, and I didn't see or hear anything."

Mu Junyan's cold face drew closer: "I've heard that you have shares in Yichun Courtyard. If you spend too much time in the world of pleasure, be careful not to damage the foundation of your descendants."

Prince Jiang instinctively covered his crotch.

Mu Junyan released him and went straight inside.

Pushing open the door to the private room, one finds the young man in brocade gagled and bound hand and foot.

On the ground lay a barbed leather whip and a broken incense stick as thick as a finger.

The disheveled Biyu wept uncontrollably, huddled in a corner trembling, two bloody welts from the whip on her body, and several burns on her bare arms.

Upon seeing his lord arrive, Chi Yan cupped his hands and said, "My lord."

Mu Junyan approached step by step and squatted down on Guo Ye, who had just been knocked into the air: "Little Guo Ye, as an eunuch, you colluded with nobles and humiliated women. Your crime deserves death."

The little fruit was so frightened that it shook its head vigorously and made whimpering sounds.

Mu Junyan, too lazy to listen to such foul language, said indifferently, "Send him to the Inner Palace for a thorough investigation!"

Just moments ago, Guo Ye was shouting and yelling, but now he was being dragged away like a dog.

Chi Yan tossed a blanket to Bi Yu.

Mu Junyan gave her a cold glance. Biyu, clutching a blanket, crawled over crying: "My lord, it was the young mistress who pushed Miss Hua out to be a scapegoat. The young mistress also killed Jin Kui, who tried to save Miss Hua. I was scared and dared not speak."

"So, you're going to be abused."

Biyu's crying stopped abruptly. She stared blankly at her majestic lord, then began to cry again.

"Take him back to the manor."

Mu Junyan didn't want to delay any longer and turned away angrily.