Peerless Physician: The Path of a Foolish Eldest Daughter's Rise to Power

Gu Xinyue brought Shaoyao and Xia Ke to Pear Blossom Lane.

In the study, Gu An gave Gu Xinyue a detailed report of all the findings he had made.

They conducted another search together with the men sent out by the Marquis. Nothing unusual was found in the mansions of the powerful and wealthy, nor in the estates outside the city or south of the capital.

However, there was a person imprisoned in the innermost part of the Dali Temple. After he went in, no one interrogated him. This person was imprisoned three months before the general disappeared.

Gu Xinyue rested her chin on her left hand and slowly tapped the table with the index finger of her right hand.

Gu An waited quietly, knowing that his young mistress was deep in thought, and time slowly passed.

Gu Xinyue reorganized her thoughts.

My father was a military general, and any trouble he caused was related to his military power. Five years ago, less than a month after my father's incident, Prince Rui, the war god of the Great Leap Dynasty, and 3000 elite soldiers perished on the battlefield of Qingqiu in Xiling. The emperor was furious. Someone reported that Prince Rui was raising a private army and was planning to rebel. All the evidence was presented to the emperor, but not a single private soldier could be found.

Some people suspected that the soldiers were under the command of the father, Gu Siming, because the father was a general under Prince Rui. However, the father disappeared, and the Changning Marquis's Mansion suddenly became the target of everyone's criticism. It was the grandfather who endured the pressure and guaranteed that such a thing would never happen. In the end, the emperor and the grandfather each investigated and found that Prince Rui had not rebelled at all, and the father had no private soldiers.

Who exactly kidnapped my father? And what powerful force is hiding behind this? What are they planning to do? Can't they rescue my father without them showing up?

No, no, no, let's try a different approach.

The place where people are imprisoned is in the capital, so even if powerful and influential people are involved, it won't be easy for anyone to find fault with them.

Where can you find an inconspicuous place that can still get things done?

“Brother Gu, let’s shift our focus to two groups of people. First, we should investigate the residences, villas, and estates of officials with lower ranks, and not let go of those who are honest and upright. Second, we should investigate the residences, villas, and estates of merchants, and not let go of those philanthropic Confucian merchants, as well as their caravans.”

"The checks on young ladies entering the capital have been very strict these past few years, especially for merchant caravans."

"Whether or not to save this person from Marble, I'll think about it some more. What else do you have to say?"

“The little beggars we found are very clever; they can do things that we can’t do ourselves.”

"Yes, don't mistreat them."

"Okay, I'll do it right away."

As Gu Xinyue emerged from Pear Blossom Lane, her heart heavy. Five years of imprisonment would drive a normal person insane. The lack of proper food and sleep, coupled with constant torture, weighed heavily on her mind. The thought of her father enduring such a life made her feel suffocated, as if she could barely breathe.

Seeing Gu Xinyue's heavy mood, Peony asked weakly, "Miss, where are we going?"

Gu Xinrou invited Gu Xinyue to dine in private room number 3 of Tianxianglou.

"Let's go straight to Tianxianglou and have tea while we wait for Second Sister."

The waiter at Tianxianglou was very welcoming to Gu Xinyue. Soon the manager arrived and led Gu Xinyue up to the third-floor stairwell.

Gu Xinyue asked, "Shopkeeper, we booked room number 3."

The shopkeeper smiled and said, "Miss Gu, the master instructed me that I am only following orders. The top-tier service will definitely satisfy you."

Gu Xinyue thought for a moment and decided not to make things difficult for anyone, so she followed them upstairs.

Stepping into the Tianzi room of Tianxiang Tower, one finds exquisitely carved and smoothly flowing huanghuali wood tables, chairs, and stools.

Several landscape paintings hang on the wall, their ink fragrance subtle and their style simple and elegant, adding a touch of poetry to the room.

A guqin sits by the window, its strings taut, as if ready to play a refined melody at any moment.

The brocade quilts and embroidered mattresses on the bed are soft and exquisitely patterned, making one feel as if they are in a palace.

The room is exquisitely and elegantly decorated, showcasing the owner's unique charm.

"Miss, this room is so big and luxurious. Is that bed for people to rest on?"

Gu Xinyue nodded, confirming the question about the peony.

"Xiahe, go to the door on the first floor and tell the waiter that Second Sister has arrived and that she should go directly to the top-class room on the third floor."

After Xia He came in again, she whispered in Gu Xinyue's ear, "Miss, someone wants to see you and has something important to say."

She wouldn't let anything concerning her father go unnoticed, especially if what he said was related to her father.

"Let him in. You two stand guard at the door."

A man in his early forties entered. He was tall and muscular, as straight as a pine tree. His face had strong features and a square jaw, revealing determination and decisiveness. His sharp eyes, like those of a hawk, scanned his surroundings, not missing a single movement.

He strode up to Gu Xinyue, knelt on one knee, and said, "Your subordinate Zhang Peng greets Your Majesty."

Gu Xinyue was startled and quickly stood up, asking, "You've mistaken me for someone else, haven't you?"

Zhang Peng said, "I would never mistake someone for someone else. The person who holds the Blue Crimson Blood Token is the commander of our Red Guards, our master."

"Why didn't you contact me before? Why are you only contacting me now? Where's the keepsake?"

"I couldn't find you before, so the only token I had was your blue pendant, which shone with a dazzling seven-colored light in the sunlight. Our people found your trail in Panxian, and they found me, which is why I rushed to the capital. You haven't left the house these past few days, so I haven't had a chance to see you."

Gu Xinyue touched her neck. She had kept the pendant hidden until she was in Shihu Town, when she wore it around her neck because it was a gift from her father.

"Do you know why my father disappeared? Stand up and answer me."

"We only learned that the general was missing after the prince died."

"You say you are the Red Guards, how many of you are there now?"

"Master, we have men now."

Gu Xinyue's mind went blank for a moment, and she almost fainted. She held onto the table and tried her best to calm herself down.

This was a bombshell that would kill everyone in the Gu family. The Emperor investigated for over three years, and my grandfather investigated for nearly three years, before confirming that Prince Rui had not plotted rebellion and that the Gu family did not harbor a private army. The Great Leap Dynasty stipulated that a family's soldiers could not exceed 500. How many times would it take to behead everyone in the family if there were 2?

She still dreamed of living a happy life, thinking that finding her father would bring her eternal happiness, but little did she know that a huge pit awaited everyone in the Gu family, who would risk their lives to fill it.

Gu Xinyue's internal organs churned violently in her chest. She hadn't transmigrated here to have the Emperor execute the entire Gu family.

She would never allow the Emperor to execute the entire Gu family. Calm down, calm down, Gu Xinyue slowly composed herself.

She almost lost her temper just now; it was only by calming down that she was able to make the right judgment.

Zhang Peng watched as the girl in front of him quickly regained her composure, and he was secretly pleased. Prince Rui's judgment was truly remarkable.

Does anyone know anything about this blue pendant?

"Only Prince Rui, the person who made the pendant, and I have seen it. No one else has seen it, but the Red Guards know that the one that emits seven colors of light under sunlight is their Crimson Blood Token."

How was the Red Guards formed?

"Five years ago, before the Battle of Qingqiu in Xiling, Prince Rui sent me to lead 5000 men as a reserve pursuit force. Before we parted, the prince gave me a letter, which I was to open five days after our agreed time."

Zhang Peng handed a letter to Gu Xinyue: "My lady, this is a letter from Prince Rui to me."

The letter instructed Zhang Peng not to act rashly, to preserve his strength and conserve his energy, and to wait for the Crimson Blood Token to appear. The person holding the Crimson Blood Token would be their leader and master, and they would be ordered to follow the leader for life. The last sentence was "This is a military order." The letter also bore the seal of Prince Rui.

Looking at the strong and powerful characters, one can see that this was a measure taken by Prince Rui to prevent them from dying in their quest for revenge and to stop them from acting rashly. If she hadn't worn this blue pendant around her neck, they would never have found the Crimson Blood Token.

Zhang Peng briefly explained the situation of the Red Guards. Gu Xinyue wanted to see their capabilities and whether it was worth taking such a big risk.

"I'm giving you a task. If you complete it within three days, we'll discuss the follow-up."

"Your subordinate guarantees to complete the mission."