Before I could answer, Gu Yuan had already come downstairs. When he saw this person, he was also quite surprised, but he quickly regained his composure.
"Aunt Liu, how did you find this place?"
Seeing Gu Yuan, Aunt Liu first bowed respectfully, then replied, "I heard from my master before."
"What do you want from me?" Gu Yuan's way of receiving guests showed no intention of inviting her in to sit down.
However, Aunt Liu was not polite. Instead of answering Gu Yuan's question in a hurry, she asked, "May I come in for a glass of water?"
Her meaning was clear. She just wanted to come in. But it didn't matter. I stepped aside to make way, and Aunt Liu stepped in without hesitation.
Aunt Liu turned around and seemingly amiably said to me, "I'll just sit for a while and then leave. If you need to go out, feel free."
The tone of her words made it seem as if I was the guest in her house.
But it didn't matter. When the two of them met, they would no doubt talk about those things related to Xi Nv. If she wanted me to listen, I would be too lazy to.
I picked up my bag and was about to leave when Gu Yuan directly grabbed my hand and said, "Aunt Liu, she's not an outsider. There's nothing she can't hear. So just say what you have to say."
After saying that, he closed the door, regardless of whether I agreed or not. He pulled my hand and led me to sit on the sofa.
Aunt Liu folded her arms and moved her feet to sit opposite us. Then she smiled at me.
I don't know why, whether she was smiling or not, she and her master gave people the same feeling, a kind of slyness with a fake smile and a hidden dagger.
"Prince Yuan..." As soon as she started speaking, Gu Yuan interrupted her.
"Aunt Liu, I'm no longer a prince. Just call me Third Master."
Aunt Liu was obviously a bit embarrassed to be so rudely interrupted by Gu Yuan. She paused for two seconds and continued, "I came this time with no other intention. I just want to give this to you."
Aunt Liu lowered her head and took out something like a jade token from her wide sleeve. She placed it on the tea table. This jade token had tiger patterns on it, looking very majestic.
Gu Yuan looked at the jade token on the table and asked, "What is this?"
Aunt Liu said, "This is your mother's tiger tally. Over the years, she has planned carefully, and her purpose was to give this to you."
Gu Yuan didn't say a word. He listened as Aunt Liu continued, "Many years ago, your mother supported the Heavenly Emperor to ascend the throne. She also had a plan of her own. After the Heavenly Emperor ascended the throne, she didn't hand over all her power. Instead, she secretly kept an army in the Nine Netherworlds."
"The Nine Nether Demon City. Then when Gu Yuan was being hunted down and Gu Qingcheng was killed, why didn't she deploy the army to stop it? Do you know how many common people in the Netherworld died in that war?" I couldn't help but blurt out.
Aunt Liu gave me an impatient look but didn't say anything. She replied, "The timing wasn't right back then, so we couldn't act rashly and alert the enemy."
"So she could just ignore the life of her friend Gu Qingcheng and let her die so miserably? After that, she even took in Xue Liang and let him assist the evildoers." Just thinking about this made me grind my teeth in hatred.
I really couldn't imagine what else this Xi Nv could do for power.
"Since ancient times, in the struggle for the throne, there must be sacrifices. This is an unchanging reality."
But at least they should ask Gu Yuan if he really wants to be the king. I've known him for so long. He didn't even want to be a prince, and he has no desire for the throne of the Heavenly Emperor at all.
But it's useless to say more. I didn't want to argue with her anymore. So I just kept quiet and listened to her finish.
The purpose of her coming this time was to give this tiger tally to Gu Yuan because Xi Nv had already gone to the underworld and definitely wouldn't come back.
So Xi Nv gave the tiger tally to Aunt Liu and asked her to pass it on to Gu Yuan. When the time was right, they could rebel against the Heavenly Emperor. In this way, it wouldn't be a waste of Xi Nv's long - term planning over the past thousand years.
Aunt Liu left the tiger tally and conveyed Xi Nv's words. Then she considered her mission accomplished.
She stood up from the sofa, bowed deeply to Gu Yuan and said, "This old servant has served for a lifetime. Finally, I can retire with merits. This old servant takes her leave. Third Master, please take good care of yourself."
After Aunt Liu finished speaking, her figure gradually became transparent until it disappeared.
I looked at the tiger tally on the table and didn't know what to say to Gu Yuan.
Now he seemed to need to be alone and think about the way forward.
I sensibly took a deep breath and said, "I still have something to do. You can think slowly by yourself."
Then I turned around and was about to leave.
"No need to think. This thing has never been useful to me." Gu Yuan now seemed very afraid that I would leave. As long as I wanted to go, he would find a way to stop me.
"But it was your mother's lifelong wish." I said.
"A wish that can't be fulfilled is a wish. So there's no need to fulfill it." Gu Yuan stood up from the sofa. His body tilted slightly, and he almost couldn't stand still.
I quickly supported him and asked worriedly, "Your injury still hasn't healed?"
"The skin injury has long since healed. It's the injury here that hasn't healed. It hurts so much." Gu Yuan drew a cross on his chest.
"This injury is your own fault. You can't blame others." I just gently pushed him, but I didn't expect him to be so weak. He directly fell onto the sofa.
At first, I thought he was just pretending to gain my sympathy. But when a mouthful of fresh blood spurted out of his mouth, I panicked.
"Gu Yuan... You... What's wrong with you? Why did you suddenly vomit blood?"
I quickly grabbed his wrist to check his pulse. His pulse was very weak. Obviously, this guy had been being brave.
I quickly took out a pill that could strengthen the body and vitality from my bag and stuffed it into his mouth. Then I took off his upper - body clothes to check his injury.
This wound was obviously starting to heal last night. Why did it split open again?
"Why are you so careless? Don't you have the ability to heal injuries? Why did the wound split open again?"
I took out a cotton ball and helped him treat the wound again. I was really angry with him.
Seeing the worried look on my face, Gu Yuan smiled at me with relief.
"I did it on purpose." His voice was weak.
I paused with the cotton ball in my hand. I didn't understand what he was up to.
"As long as my injury doesn't heal, you'll stay by my side to take care of me."
After saying that, he raised his hand and placed it on the back of my hand and said, "Lan Lan... Don't leave me, okay?"
My hand stopped in mid - air, and my eyes stayed on his pale and bloodless face.
I felt indescribable. I didn't answer him directly but instead asked him, "At this point, how long are you still going to hide it from me?"