Chapter 239: Chapter 144: I’m Willing, Even If I Lose My Voice

The Emperor showed no sign of displeasure when Lu Yuan refused his reward.

’A sovereign can easily hide the look in his eyes when he wants someone dead.’

Lu Yuan, however, was not intimidated. He had never heard of anyone losing their head for refusing a reward.

The Emperor, for his part, was quite frustrated. Lu Yuan’s medical skills were truly extraordinary. Empress Ma had already recovered splendidly after just one day of taking the medicine, a far cry from the predicted seven days.

Lu Yuan’s courage, medical prowess, and the novel gadgets he created were proof enough of his immense talent.

Yet this man before him kept his distance, avoiding him, the Emperor. He would rather have a grand old time with his own rascally grandson, Gu Gaoxu, than accept a promotion to serve at his side.

Seeing Lu Yuan’s refusal, the Emperor didn’t press the matter.

’I am the revered sovereign. Must I beg someone to accept a post?’

’If he only wants to return to Taiping City to be a County Magistrate, then let him return to his post as a Seventh Grade county magistrate.’

Taking this opportunity, Gu Gaochi and Gu Gaoxu expressed their desire to return to Yandu, a request the Emperor naturally granted.

The next day, the King of Yan’s two Crown Princes and Lu Yuan arranged to depart from the Imperial Capital together, planning to part ways midway to return to their respective homes.

Not long after Lu Yuan’s party had left the Imperial City, several figures darted out from the roadside woods, blocking their convoy.

Gu Gaoxu, who was riding at the head of the convoy, recognized the person at once and blurted out, "Yue’Er?"

Among them was a slender young woman wearing a white gauze veil. Beneath the veil was a fair, doll-like face, still holding a bit of baby fat, with large, round eyes and long lashes.

Hearing Gu Gaoxu, the young woman tore off her veil. Feigning anger, she stomped her foot, put her hands on her hips, and declared, "Hmph! Such disrespect! You will call me Auntie!"

Everyone was left speechless. This little girl was Gu Gaoxu’s aunt?

Gu Gaoxu was in his early twenties, yet the young lady before them looked to be eighteen at most.

Her name was Gu Ziye!

The Emperor had nearly forty children, and this young lady was his thirteenth daughter, only two years younger than Gu Gaoxu.

Her baby fat and playful, lively personality made her seem even more like a little girl.

Gu Ziye disliked life in the Imperial Capital, yearning for a life of freedom.

Hearing Gu Gaoxu’s stories about battling the Beast Race and the strange wonders he’d encountered across the land had only strengthened her resolve to run away.

Sensing the convoy had stopped, Lu Yuan lifted the carriage curtain and peered outside. "What’s happening?"

A Zhao Family Guard clasped his hands and reported, "There are a few people blocking the road. One of them claims to be Crown Prince Gu’s aunt."

As soon as Lu Yuan heard this, he understood. ’The person blocking the road must be one of the Emperor’s daughters.’

’In terms of generation, the only person who could be Gu Gaoxu’s aunt would be a daughter of the Emperor.’

’The current Emperor had no surviving siblings.’

Gu Gaochi disembarked from his carriage and walked to the front of the convoy. He took a deep breath and said, "Thirteenth Princess, what are you doing here?"

Gu Gaoxu roared with laughter. "Big Brother, I bet Yue’Er snuck out this time."

"Hmph! The last time you came to the Capital City for your studies, you promised you’d take me out of the Imperial Capital to see the world. But in the end, you all snuck off without me!"

The little princess pouted, her lips sticking out so far you could have hung a small bucket from them.

Gu Gaoxu chimed in, "Last time, I really did want to bring you along, Yue’Er, but we got into trouble and had to make a run for it. Come on, since you’ve already made it out here on your own, you might as well join us."

Hearing this, Gu Gaochi grabbed Gu Gaoxu. "Second Brother, that’s out of the question! We can’t take the Thirteenth Princess gallivanting around without the Emperor’s permission."

"What are you afraid of, Big Brother? If the old man Emperor has a problem with it, he can take it up with me, Gu Gaoxu," he said with a look of complete indifference.

"Exactly, exactly," Gu Ziye said, nodding furiously in agreement.

"Let’s go! Mount up! We’re taking Yue’Er to roam the Northern territories!" Gu Gaoxu declared.

Gu Ziye refused, "Who wants to ride a horse? I want a carriage."

Seeing how things were, Gu Gaochi could only relent.

Gu Gaochi pointed to a more lavishly decorated carriage behind him. "Thirteenth Princess, that carriage is mine. Would you like to ride with me?"

Gu Ziye replied, "No, it looks a bit crowded... I’ll take the second one."

With that, she dashed over, her twin pigtails bouncing playfully as she ran.

As she ran, Gu Ziye called out to her Personal Guards, "You four, go get the horses from the woods and fall in at the rear of the convoy."

The four Personal Guards who had accompanied Gu Ziye acknowledged her order and went to fetch their horses.

With a single leap, Gu Ziye hopped into the second carriage—the very one occupied by Lu Yuan and Su Liyan.

"Hehe, hello there," she chirped, not at all like she was meeting strangers.

This threw Lu Yuan for a loop.

’She certainly wasn’t shy. She’d just waltzed into his carriage and interrupted their private moment.’

Su Liyan offered a polite smile and a nod.

Before Lu Yuan could respond, Gu Ziye looked at him and said, "I know you. You’re the physician who treated my mother, the Empress, a few days ago. I saw you."

"Is that so? I don’t recall seeing Your Highness," Lu Yuan replied.

"You don’t have to ’Your Highness’ me. My nephew told me that when you’re out adventuring, you should try to keep your identity a secret. Just call me Yue’Er," Gu Ziye said, putting on the airs of a seasoned traveler.

Lu Yuan and Su Liyan exchanged a smile. Dropping the stiff formalities, the three of them began to chat.