The rain outside the window was getting heavier. In autumn, the coming of rains was always accompanied by dropping temperatures. Gu Qiang knew it would get colder once the rain stopped.

She walked over to the wardrobe and found herself a thick coat, ignoring Gu Zhihua and Ye who were still sitting in her room with grim faces.

They were watching Gu Qiang’s movement, as though wishing to kill her with their stare. Behind the changing of their expressions lay the raging storms that neither of them dared to vent out.

Just like what Gu Qiang had said, they knew what kind of person she was.

More heartless and cruel, she would speak whatever she liked and didn’t give a damn about the Gu Family.

Putting on the coat, she turned her head and smiled, “Where are you still not leaving? Waiting for me to ask you out?”

Gu Zhihua dragged Ye’s clothes, motioning to leave.

If Shen Zhongbai became the Emperor, she would become the imperial consort, and enjoy a much higher position than Gu Qiang, who was only a duchess. Then she would let Gu Qiang pay for what she had done today.

The mother and daughter stood up, opening their umbrellas and walking into the rain. There was a sedan passing by, the white flowers on which looked really scary.

A eunuch came; he helped Gu Qiang, Ting Feng, and Gusu Liang into the sedan, and then headed for the imperial palace.

When they were still hundreds of meters away from the palace, they found everything coming into their sight were covered in white, including all the lanterns and hangings, solemn and reverent.

Before they passed through the gate, the sound of sobbing and wailing reached their ears, as well as the music of lament, which were so stifling that anyone who heard it suddenly felt his heart sunk.

Climbing the stairs, Gu Qiang saw many people on their knees on both sides, wiping their tears in quietness, most of them women.

In the center of the circle lay a crystal coffin; the pouring rain hadn’t stopped, but the female mourners were all as still as statues.

Having got changed already, Gu Qiang quickly kneeled and joined them.

As Infanta, she got a place right next to Ziyan and Changning. A bit closer to the coffin were imperial consorts, whose faces were pale, and eyes were glassy, as though they had lost their souls.

“You are finally here. Did you see the women who were kneeling the closest? They will be buried with the late Emperor as well.”

Froze up at her words, Gu Qiang sensed something odd.

One day ago at the banquet held by the Gu Family to celebrate her upcoming marriage with the Ninth Duke, Ziyan ran into the man she liked, Ye Mu. Gu Qiang thought their next meeting would be quite awkward, but Ziyan appeared as though she had forgotten everything.

Indeed, things would be easier for both of them this way, but it was littered with hidden troubles, which might explode at any moment in the future and push them toward the edge of no return.

Gu Qiang forced out an awkward smile; she didn’t know who would be buried alive with the late Emperor, who must haven’t expected that he would die one day without leaving any children behind.

Holding up the white hood over her head, Gu Qiang tried to take a look at those unfortunate women. They were all young and good-looking, with hair tied at their back; some were wearing hollow looks on their faces, while some were crying. Clearly, what they were mourning for might not be the late Emperor, but their own tragic fates.

They would soon bid their farewells to the world that they hadn’t enjoyed much.

The funeral music was ringing above the imperial palace, covering it with deep sorrow and despair. Lowing her head, Gu Qiang felt grass growing in her heart. She wanted to find out where her brother was and how to save him, but she could do nothing except for serving the mourning ceremony here for the late Emperor.

Someone put a white cloak around her shoulder, the smell of pear flower on it let her instantly know who that was. Turning backward, she saw Shen Qianshan was also on his knees, looking at her in quietness.

He seemed to have rushed here in the rain, the sound of which eclipsed that of the funeral music a little. “This will last for a long time. Are you strong enough to make it?” said Shen Qianshan softly.

Gu Qiang didn’t say anything. She was fine with the kneeling, no matter how long it would take. Shen Qianshan should have known that this was not the thing she worried about.

Knowing what she was thinking, Shen Qianshan continued, “The Empress was also kneeling in the very front with all the consorts. As she hasn’t got time to deal with your brother, we have a chance to save your brother out if you like.”

Gu Qiang’s eyes brightened, but she instantly learned how risky the task would be. Things would be fine if they succeeded, but what if they failed?

Had she taken the risk, many people she held dear would be dragged into this and suffer the consequences with her. She wanted to save her brother, but she also wanted these people to be safe.

“It’s not in a hurry. Now that the Emperor died, the Empress won’t be in charge for long,” whispered Gu Qiang. As the rain was still pattering, no one could hear her voice, even Ziyan who was kneeling next to her. “Who is the successor?” she continued.

Shen Qianshan’s face turned grim. Even in the darkness of this rainy night, she could notice that this was not the issue he would like to talk about.

But she still got the answer from his silence and realized that she might have asked the wrong question. But shortly afterward, Shen Qianshan spoke up, “Shen Zhongbai.”

Then he fell back in silence. Gu Qiang’s heart sank; she even didn’t know why there was suddenly a rising panic inside her, nor could she resist it.

Then, a voice appeared in her head: so it was still him.

That was her voice. She recognized it the moment she heard it; it was from that Gu Qiang appeared in her dream, who claimed that she was a monster.

Was she… speaking in her mind again?

Feeling cold all over her body, she thought she was like a joke. But the next minute, she seemed to have discovered something new.

Was there another Gu Qiang living in her body? Who was just standing by watching, and taunting at her doings that she considered wrong?

In which position could she do that? She witnessed everything like a god and thought Gu Qiang was a fool. But it was not her fault, as she didn’t remember anything.

Patting her head, Shen Qianshan smiled, “What are you thinking? Are you not satisfied?”

“How could I not be satisfied? It has nothing to do with me.” Gu Qiang replied with a bitter smile.

Shen Qianshan’s heart sank; he knew he would never be the Emperor, as he was a duke.

Always trying to find peace with others, he had never laid his eyes upon the things that didn’t belong to him.

Even at the outer circle, he could occasionally learn some secrets about the imperial family. How could he not know that the Emperor’s health was already beyond help? And who his successor would be? He just had never cared about them.

But Gu Qiang seemed very disappointed. Had he made the wrong choice?

Would Gu Qiang react the same hadn’t he been a duke?

Was there a moment when she felt like she would rather have Shen Zhongbai as fiance?

Shen Qianshan had never felt so frustrated about himself like this before. He had changed so much since he made Gu Qiang’s acquaintance.

“Good, if that is what you truly think. Everyone under heaven knows that Shen Zhongbai likes you,” said Shen Qianshan, smiling.

The three days passed quickly. Perhaps it was because Shen Qianshan had always been by her side, Gu Qiang felt quite calm in the waiting.

Everyone was exhausted after the mourning ceremony and went back to the side halls for rest. Gu Qiang rubbed her knees; she couldn’t feel them anymore. Sneezing her nose, she learned that she had got a cold and it would take days to recover.

She was now in a yard near the Empress Dowager’s palace. Heartbroken, Empress Dowager hadn’t got off her bed for three days since the Emperor passed away, as he had been her proudest son and she just couldn’t accept it.

As the granddaughter named by the Empress Dowager herself, Gu Qiang had to serve her with all her heart, especially in a moment like this.

Ziyan was nodding off on a bed beside her. She hadn’t mentioned anything about Ye Mu so far, as though this man had never existed.

Finding her quite cute, Gu Qiang smiled. She didn’t like to see her relationship with Ziyan soured because of a man, as Ye Mu was not a good man for whom was worth fighting.

The rain had stopped two days ago. But her clothes remained wet.

She tried to dry her clothes up by the fire. When she raised her eyes, she saw a man standing in front of her, with his hand tied behind his back.

It was Shen Zhongbai, also wearing white but looking quite tired. He glanced over Gu Qiang and curled his lips, keeping standing there in silence as if he didn’t exist.

She didn’t utter any words either. Although she had known Shen Zhongbai would be the future Emperor, she felt it was not the right time to congratulate him on it.

Finally, Shen Zhongbai gave in; he squatted, and asked Gu Qiang as if she were a kid, “Can you marry me?”

Gu Qiang looked up at him, her eyes were cold. “Why? Why can’t you leave me alone after such a long time?” she said in a helpless tone.

Shen Zhongbai acted as if he had been struck by a lightning, starring at Gu Qiang.

For her, his love was only like burden, and it made her feel suffocated.

“Let go? What do you mean by that? Have you ever thought about me when you were with Shen Qianshan? You are now a happy couple! But I can’t fall asleep every night!” Shen Zhongbai shouted slowly; his eyes were gleaming red.