Speaking of this, Gu Changsheng looked at Zhou Zongbao with a particularly sympathetic gaze, shrugged, and said, "Well, I think you should know Yhan Ting better than I do, right? He’s like a judge presiding over death sentences, and he’s been fond of my Xiao Cui for more than just a day or two. If he finds out you suggested letting Xiao Cui keep night watch for my son, you might not fare well. He has many ways to secretly mess with people..."

Gu Changsheng absolutely wasn’t bluffing Zhou Zongbao!

Yhan Ting, this person, once managed the Punishment Hall for his own evildoer, and he’s someone who plays with herbs. If we truly discuss cold-blooded killings, Gu Changsheng admits, even if it’s himself and his own evildoer, they’re no match for him!

Moreover, it seems this Yhan Ting has extraordinarily high standards. In this world, besides himself and his own evildoer, there’s Xiao Cui, and not many others can catch his eye...

And Zhou Zongbao is one of those whom Yhan Ting, the great iceberg, doesn’t find appealing...

Sure enough, Zhou Zongbao shook his head decisively upon hearing Yhan Ting’s name!

"No! Xiao Cui is unsuitable! Young Master doesn’t want to deal with Yhan Ting, that cold-blooded guy! Let’s choose someone else, that Shuang Jiang you recently recruited. Young Master thinks she looks just fine and is suitable for keeping night watch for the little meat bun!"

Zhou Zongbao quickly changed the subject, immediately thinking of a suitable choice.

However, Gu Changsheng shrugged again, started to speak awkwardly, "Perhaps you still don’t know Shuang Jiang’s background. She’s the legitimate granddaughter of the Ninth Prince of Liaodong. Letting her keep night watch for my son could be fine, but her grand-aunt is currently helping me manage matters related to the Southern Country. If there’s any friction..."

Shuang Jiang’s grand-aunt is none other than Dowager Empress Xiao.

Letting Shuang Jiang be a nanny, if Dowager Empress Xiao gets upset and throws obstacles their way, that would be enough to trouble them!

Obviously, Gu Changsheng is bluffing Zhou Zongbao!

But Zhou Zongbao, relatively speaking, is quite easy to fool!

Therefore, he immediately felt frustrated...

After considering various candidates, Zhou Zongbao truly cares for the little meat bun and can’t bear to see anything happen to him!

So, Zhou Zongbao gave up, with a dejected face, and walked away without waiting for Gu Changsheng to send him off...

Moreover, he really didn’t glance at the bed from start to finish, showing no concern for Zhou Mu even for a moment...

"Ah!"

Gu Changsheng watched Zhou Zongbao’s departing figure with a sigh, returned to the bedside, sat down again, and looked at his sleeping evildoer with closed eyes. He couldn’t help but smirk and jokingly said, "Evildoer, you’re so unpopular now that even Hetian ignores you. You should wake up soon; otherwise, they might forget who you are altogether..."

The figure lying on the bed naturally didn’t answer Gu Changsheng’s question.

What answered Gu Changsheng was the sound of the window being pushed open from outside...

"My lady?"

Han Qiu’s head peeked in from outside the window, his cold little face filled with gratitude as he looked at Gu Changsheng by the bed, speaking with some embarrassment, "My lady, thank you for taking care of me, it’s my fault for dragging you into this!"

Upon hearing this, Gu Changsheng withdrew his gaze from his own evildoer, turned his head, looked outside the window at Han Qiu, and sighed, "Han Qiu..."

"This maid is here!" Han Qiu lowered his head.

"Don’t mention dragging anyone down, Han Qiu, you’ve been by my side for a long time. I won’t force you to do something you don’t want to do. Even if you drag me and my son down to cover for you, it’s not a problem; Hetian, he may be domineering, but he can’t do anything to me..."

At this point, Gu Changsheng paused, and when he looked at Han Qiu again, his gaze became deeper, his voice couldn’t help but become more distant, "But Han Qiu, in the end, can’t you let go of what happened back then?"

Back then, the Han family suffered the consequences of failing to defend the city, and except for Han Qiu and Xiao Han Mo, the entire clan perished under Emperor Zhoulin’s imperial edict!

And Zhou Zongbao is none other than Emperor Zhoulin’s most beloved brother!

This vendetta against the annihilation of the clan...

"Mistress, I..." Upon hearing these words from Gu Changsheng, Han Qiu’s face immediately showed a hint of sorrow, and her head drooped.

"Han Qiu, although hatred cannot be erased, human hearts are made of flesh. Hetian has deeply loved you, a dignified Prince of the Great Zhou, for you, he has laid down his status and dignity, pursuing you with all his effort!" Gu Changsheng looked at Han Qiu and said earnestly, "The anger of Emperor Zhoulin in the past resulted in the regret of your Han family. However, being in the Imperial Court, it is hard to protect oneself among deceptions. Your father died on the city wall, implicating the entire family, it is inevitable. As an Emperor, when the city falls, he must provide an explanation to Everyone in the world. Your Han family was punished, but in the Emperor’s balance, they became sacrificial victims! The so-called Imperial Court is essentially a large vortex. Your Han family rose due to military merits and fell due to defeat. It’s nothing but Xiao He created and destroyed it. Emperor Zhoulin indeed made mistakes, but his mistake was being a qualified Emperor. Your Han family was indeed wronged, but as a subject, struggling in the sea of officialdom means betting your future with your life, who can truly be blamed? You consider the Zhou Family as the adversary that annihilated your clan, but you forget that if Emperor Zhoulin had not appreciated you, your father would not have risen in the Imperial Court, and your Han family would not have emerged from obscurity. If you were ordinary civilians, wishing for the Emperor to issue an imperial edict of punishment, that’s impossible... So, Han Qiu, from start to finish, your Han family’s calamity cannot truly discern who is right or wrong..."

Saying this, Gu Changsheng paused and sighed, then continued, "Han Qiu, life offers only few moments of joy, when it’s time to let go, try to release it. With the burden of hatred on your back, you will never know how beautiful the scenery around really is, and you will miss out on those who truly care for you! If you can let go, when Zhou Mu awakes, you should return to the Capital City with Hetian to marry..."

"Mistress!" Upon hearing this, Han Qiu immediately lifted her head in shock, her hand on the window frame slowly tightened, and she spoke nervously, "Mistress, it’s not that I can’t see through, nor that I can’t let go, but for you to ask me to return to the Capital City with him now, that’s definitely impossible!"

"Mistress, everything he has done for me, I’ve seen with my own eyes. My mother, before her death, also said the same words to me, regretting letting her husband seek glory. Actually, when I knew about Dong Lei’s mother’s affair, I had already seen through it; I just don’t know how to face him yet..."

At this point, Han Qiu paused, looked into Gu Changsheng’s eyes with determination and continued, "Mistress, I won’t leave your side now. If I don’t see you fulfill your wish, how can I go and become that Princess Consort Taiping enjoying luxury? Mistress, I want to follow you north!"

"Han Qiu..." Hearing this, Gu Changsheng couldn’t help but sigh, her gaze stopping in a void, her expression slightly desolate as she spoke, "The journey is long and uncertain, even I am unsure of the path ahead, why would you follow me to take risks? In fact, even if Hetian did not intend to come along, I was thinking of sending you and Xiao Cui back..."

"Mistress, Xiao Cui and I will absolutely not leave you! Mistress, you can put out that thought!" By the window, hearing this, Han Qiu immediately shook her head, her typically cold face revealed a smile as she looked at her master, slowly saying, "Mistress, being able to journey with you is already a lifelong fortune for us! To see you fulfill your wish gives us peace of mind! You needn’t calculate an escape route for us anymore; whether we live or die, we will accompany you!"

At this, Han Qiu, not waiting for Gu Changsheng’s reaction, directly bowed to Gu Changsheng outside the window, saying, "As night falls, I won’t disturb anymore, I’ll go to watch over the Young Master for the night!"

Gu Changsheng seeing this, curled her lips into a slight smile, and couldn’t help but say, "Are you really going to keep watch?"

Wasn’t it just an excuse to ward off Zhou Zongbao’s obsessions?

Already turning to leave, Han Qiu heard this, turned back, and gave Gu Changsheng a light smile. In an instant, her usually cold face revealed a subtle beauty, "Of course, I truly need to keep watch, do you think he’s easy to dismiss? I’ve discussed with the Young Master!"

Upon hearing this, Gu Changsheng was instantly helpless and waved her hand at Han Qiu, signaling her to leave.

Already discussed with her young bun?

Clearly, her son who fears no unrest in the world also enjoys watching Zhou Zongbao’s frantic display!

This child is truly getting more mischievous!

However...

Han Qiu is unwilling to depart...

Gu Changsheng looked at the slender figure lying on the bed, couldn’t help but extend her hand, her thin and white fingers slowly covering Zhou Mu’s tightly closed eyes, slowly speaking, softly murmuring, "But, having you all with me feels really good..."

She wants those around her to distance themselves from that unknown journey...

Yet, she also covets the warmth they bring...

People are always like this, this selfish...

Knowing well enough that arranging a safe path for them is what she should be doing at this moment, but Gu Changsheng just can’t stop relying on...

Relying on the warmth brought by those around her, as if only in this way, she feels alive...

As if only in this way, she feels not abandoned, not lonely...

The coffin placed next door is so cold, the warmth brought by those around is all Gu Changsheng can feel...

"It’s good you don’t wish to leave, if you don’t, then keep accompanying us forward! Evildoer, you wake up quickly, so that the two of us can protect them, protect all those around us..." Sighing softly, Gu Changsheng slowly leaned down, reaching out to embrace the waist of the person whose eyes were tightly shut...