After a few quick footsteps, Shen Zhongbai walked up to Gu Qiang. He sized her up and then put her into his arms.

The familiar smell made Gu Qiang absent-minded for a second. It seemed that she knew this hug. But how could that be possible? This mighty guy before her was actually her sister Gu Zhihua’s husband, and he was a dangerous figure according to the note left by Shen Qianshan.

“What are you doing here?” asked Gu Qiang coldly after she got out of Shen Zhongbai’s arms.

If Shen Zhongbai were here to look for her at someone’s request, it meant Su Shuangning’s case must have been well settled.

“Looking for you, of course. They say you were abducted by Su Shuangning. Considering it a great insult upon the royal family, Empress Dowager and His Majesty confiscated the entire Su Family. I am here to look for you.” Shen Zhongbai wanted to hold Gu Qiang back into his arms, but she cast her eyesight away as if he was infected with some disease.

“Thank you for coming to my rescue. As you can see, I could walk out of the mountain even without your help. I don’t want to owe you this favor. Besides, I would like to kindly remind you, brother-in-law, that staying loyal to my sister is the right thing to do,” said Gu Qiang in an icy voice.

“Why are you saying this? You know that I don’t like Gu Zhihua. Are you blaming me for not marrying you? Don’t you know that you are truly the one I love?” said Shen Zhongbai. He made two steps forward, trying to confess his love for her. As Gu Qiang had lost her memories of the past, this would be a good chance for him to make her his woman. Although he had never been serious with women, he believed he at least had some feelings for Gu Qiang.

After all, he lusted for her, which was no different from true love.

“So what? Why does it have anything to do with me?” Gu Qiang walked past Shen Zhongbai, her face was as calm as ever. She was grateful that she had gotten a position equal to Shen Zhongbai. As Infanta, she didn’t need to grovel to him.

Shen Zhongbai started to breathe quickly. He seemed unbelieve with what he had heard, which only made his face look more awkward. He wanted to seize Gu Qiang with his hands but was stopped by the expression on her face. She couldn’t hate him more.

Did she still hate him even without her memories of the past?

“Do you still want to mess up with Shen Qianshan? I am telling you. That’s not possible! Because he is now dying,” shouted Shen Zhongbai at Gu Qiang’s back as she gradually disappeared in the rays of the morning sun.

Like he had expected, she stopped, and looked back from distance, her voice came across the morning fog, which was very clear.

“What had happened to him?”

Gu Qiang stopped there. When she was trapped in the water dungeon with wounds all over her body, she had hoped that Shen Qianshan would come to her rescue.

She had kept hoping for that for a long time until it gradually died out.

Was it all because he was dying?

Of course, she wouldn’t forgive him simply for this. She had given him a chance before, but he missed it as a lot of things had happened later.

“You are still worried about him, right?” asked Shen Zhongbai, the complacent smile on his was gradually wearing off. Did he still lose to Shen Qianshan?

“If you want to know the answer, find it out yourself,” added Shen Zhongbai after he received no response from Gu Qiang, then he took his men and left.

Like they had received some kind of order, all men over the hill started to trek down the mountain. They walked very fast, but stiff, like they were all puppets.

Then, in a blink of an eye, all the soldiers vanished. The sun had risen, casting its light upon Gu Qiang’s face, which was not very clean. She looked up but found that she couldn’t open her eyes in the shining sun. But still, she turned away her eyes calmly.

Was Shen Qianshan all right?

It was nearly noon when Gu Qiang returned to the Prime Minister Mansion. It was very quiet inside as if nothing had happened.

In Qingshui House, Ting Feng and Chui Xue were standing quietly at the door, and there was a man under the tree, very prominent.

Before she could get changed, she saw that black-dressed man turn around and smile.

She had seen that man before. It was in his own palace on a mountain, the name of which she couldn’t recall. There were a lot of women in his palace, all wishing to be his wife.

“Qiang, long time no see. I heard that you are having a hard time these days,” said the man as he approached to her, his eyes smiling.

Gu Qiang stepped back. Even though the man was smiling, the sense of danger around him was something she couldn’t easily ignore.

“Why are you here? Was it for Fu Ling? It was done by me. I admit it. What are you going to do with me?” asked Gu Qiang. She didn’t move, and her face was calm. She knew this day would come.

If the master wanted to get rid of her sooner or later, then let him do it. The time it happened would make no difference.

The man rose and gave her a slight smile. “How could I be hardhearted enough to do anything to you? I just learned that you had had a narrow escape this time. When you felt helpless, have you ever thought about learning something? Like what I told you last time?”

He indeed had suggested her learning martial arts before, saying that would make her a match for him.

“No, I haven’t. My answer is still no,” replied Gu Qiang. She shook her head, looking very determined.

“Please leave if you have nothing else to say. I don’t feel safe while you are here,” added Gu Qiang. Hearing her words, Ting Feng and Chui Xue stepped forward and tried to force the man out of the house.

They knew he was no good since the moment he showed up. Some people were indeed good-looking, but that didn’t mean they were good people.

However, Gu Qiang waved her hand and stopped them. Although she didn’t know how capable this man was, she was perfectly aware that he could kill someone in a split second as long as he meant to. But her maids didn’t know this, and she didn’t want them to risk their lives for her.

“Qiang, you have got a pleasing personality. But keep going your own way will make you look arrogant. After all, you don’t know how dangerous the world is,” said the man disappointedly as he tidied up his clothes.

“So what? It’s much safer than being watched by your sources.” Gu Qiang didn’t want to play nice with him at all.

She still had many things to do. What’s the end of Su Shuangning? Had the Su Family truly failed? There were many things involved in this, which all required time and patience. And now the man showed up saying he wanted to teach her martial arts? Sorry, she didn’t have the time.

The man wanted Gu Qiang to serve him. But what she wanted was a loyal team.

She was fully aware that her pursuit was not in line with his. Then there was no need for them to keep in touch with each other.

“Aren’t you curious about why I chose you?” The man didn’t want to give up; he tried to talk her through with this last chance.

“No, I am not,” said Gu Qiang with her hand waving again. Ting Feng and Chui Xue moved forward, looking steeling at the man.

The man grinned. The woman before him was so lovely that he couldn’t help falling in love with her again and again. He knew that he was only attempting to use her but couldn’t help wanting more.

But he uttered no more words as if he knew Gu Qiang would not change her mind. Then he got up and made a swift jump to the outside.

However, he was not quick enough. Before he disappeared, Ye slowly walked into the yard, with Gu Zhihua followed behind her.

“Who is he? How did he get in? Are you hiding a man in your room, Qiang?” asked Ye with her eyes wide open.

It was true that Gu Qiang had lost her memories, but she still got her wits. She knew that Ye had never given up suppressing her. This woman wouldn’t let go any chance to make a fuss about her doings.

“What are you talking about, my lady? How could you slander your family by saying she is hiding a man in her room?” retorted Gu Qiang impatiently.

Ye didn’t care about how Gu Qiang thought of her at all. How could she compromise when it was not her fault?

“Then please tell me, Qiang. Who is that man? What’s his relationship with you?” Ye moved a few steps forward, with an obvious self-satisfied smirk on her face, which, for a moment, made Gu Qiang want to smash her head. Why was this worth feeling complacent? They were now in her house, surrounded by her people. Were they going to force her to admit it when she didn’t want to?

She wanted to know what kind of person she had been. As an Infanta, how could she possibly put up with being found at fault by others in such a condescending way?

“Neither that man’s identity nor his relationship with me is for you to know. Besides, this is my place. How could you just come and go as you please? That’s very unbridled of you. It seems that you haven’t learned enough lessons from my father. Once he comes back, I don’t mind reporting to him and asking him to teach you a few more!”

Ye’s face became grim. What did Gu Qiang say? Asking Prime Minister Gu to teach her lessons? She was the hostess of this family, the one who had the right to teach Gu Qiang lessons. Was she making a false countercharge?

Gu Qiang had only become haughtier after she lost her memories. She used to be in awe of her a little bit before, but now there was nothing left.

She even didn’t want to put up any pretending.

Gu Zhihua had been staying in the Prime Minister Mansion these days. She thought Shen Zhongbai would come and ask her back to save his reputation. Who would have known that he did nothing like she didn’t exist at all?