I have suffered enough in my previous life, my cousin will never marry me

Chapter 168 The great traitor
During the sweltering summer heat, the cool water in the carriage was changed countless times along the way. After traveling for more than ten days, Ye Wanshu finally returned to Lin'an City.

Looking at the familiar city gate and recalling the scene when she left, Ye Wanshu was filled with many emotions.

She knew that if she couldn't bring down Empress Dowager Gu this time she returned, Lin'an City would become her permanent prison, just like in her previous life.

"Father, take Chu Lin back to the manor first."

After lowering the carriage curtain, Ye Wanshu instructed, "Father, please take good care of Chu Lin, considering that Aunt Qin has served you for many years and gave birth to Ning Yue for you."

Thinking of Ning Yue's death, Ji Yuan felt a pang of sadness and slowly nodded, saying, "Wanwan, don't worry, your father will arrange for someone to take good care of him."

Thinking about returning to the Ji family again, Qin Chulin grabbed Ye Wanshu's arm with some fear.

Ye Wanshu smiled and patted the little guy's head: "Big sister will be going back in a few days. You promised big sister that you would become the top scholar in the imperial examination. Father will arrange the best teacher for you."

Ji Yuan patted his shoulder lightly and said in a deep voice, "Your older sister loves you, and I will treat you as my own son from now on. You just need to listen to your older sister."

"Thank you, sir. I will remember this." Qin Chulin replied obediently, but then looked at Ye Wanshu anxiously: "Elder sister, if you go to the Rongguo Duke's mansion, will that young master let you go home?"

This matter also gave Ji Yuan a headache, and he looked at his daughter with great anxiety.

Ye Wanshu smiled calmly: "Father, you and Chu Lin don't need to worry. Father, you just need to do what I asked you to do, and Gu Tingchen will have no choice but to let me go back to the manor."

Ji Yuan pondered for a moment and nodded. Once the marriage alliance was settled, that scoundrel would indeed have no reason to force his daughter to stay.

Ye Wanshu bid farewell to the two men and was about to get off the carriage when Ji Yuan suddenly called her back.

Carefully pulling a red folded document from his robes, Ji Yuan gestured, "This is the marriage certificate from the Yongning Prince's Mansion. Take a look..."

Ye Wanshu felt a warmth in her heart, but also a bit amused and exasperated. Her cheap father hadn't taken a single dowry from the courtyard full of gifts in Taowu, but he was still thinking about this marriage certificate.

"Father, please keep this safe for your daughter."

As soon as Ye Wanshu finished speaking, she heard a warm and urgent low voice calling out.

"Where is Wanwan? Why didn't Father arrange a separate carriage for her? How could he let her ride in the same carriage as that treacherous person from the Ji family?"

Upon recognizing Gu Tingchen's voice, Ye Wanshu's expression turned cold, and she immediately lifted the curtain and went out.

After two months apart, Gu Tingchen couldn't hide his smile as he excitedly greeted his cousin upon seeing her again.

"Wanwan, you're finally back in Lin'an." Gu Tingchen happily reached out to help her down from the carriage, but Ye Wanshu lifted her skirt and jumped down herself.

Gu Tingchen's eyes darkened. Noticing the strange looks around him, he followed without making a sound and kept explaining, "Wanwan, you have to believe that your cousin has no ill intentions. He's just worried that if you stay in Yuezhou alone, you'll be targeted by villains."

Ye Wanshu gave him a cold glare: "Gu Tingchen, in your eyes, what kind of person qualifies as a villain?"

"Anyone who dares to plot against you is a truly wicked and evil person," Gu Tingchen said indignantly.

Having said that, he frowned and hurriedly ordered Caiju and Qiuli, "What are you standing there for? Send Miss Biao back to her residence."

Seeing that he was about to forcibly take her away, Ji Yunze's heart tightened, and he hurriedly stepped forward to stop him, saying, "Young Master Gu, the princess should decide where she wants to go. You have no right to interfere."

"You bookworm, you've certainly grown some guts." Gu Tingchen shook his head with disdain, casually walked up to Ji Yunze, and said provocatively with a half-smile, "What, I didn't come looking for you, but you came to my door to die?"

Ji Yunze stared at him coldly, his brows furrowed tightly. Having suffered a setback from him once, Ji Yunze was now much more wary of him and no longer afraid of him using any underhanded tactics.

“Young Master Gu, even though the Empress Dowager favors you, our Great Ye Dynasty still has its rules and regulations. If you continue to disrespect the Princess, I will kneel before the Cining Palace and beg the Empress Dowager to punish you,” Ji Yunze solemnly warned.

Ye Wanshu had already figured out that her uncle was planning to use Ji Yunze to quell the current turmoil.

Now that things have escalated to this point, both Empress Dowager Gu and the Emperor are in a difficult position and need a way out to give an explanation to the entire court.

And Ji Yunze is the best stepping stone.

Ye Wanshu could roughly guess what this person was thinking. He stirred up conflict between the court and the Yongning Prince's Mansion in order to eliminate the two major forces of the Gu family and the Yongning Prince's Mansion for the emperor. However, he forgot the principle of mutual dependence.

If the Gu family and the Yuezhou army fight to the death, and the northern invaders march south, the Great Ye Dynasty will only face destruction.

She admired Ji Yunze's talent and character. If he had been born in a peaceful and prosperous era, he would surely have become a wise and virtuous minister. It was just a pity that the current world could not tolerate such an upright person as him.

Looking at Caiju and Qiuli, Ye Wanshu first instructed, "Wait for me by the carriage. I will say a few words to Young Master Ji and then return to the manor."

It seemed like she was speaking to the maids, but in reality, she was telling Gu Tingchen.

"Wanwan, what else is there to say between you and him?" Gu Tingchen asked, frowning.

"Gu Tingchen, don't go too far."

Ye Wanshu shouted angrily and walked directly towards the moat.

Chunhong and Xingtao led Ji Yunze away, while Gu Tingchen watched silently. He wanted to forcibly stop them, but thinking that his cousin had just returned to Lin'an, he didn't want to upset her over such a small matter. He just clenched his fists and sat back on his horse with a gloomy face.

As Ji Yunze stepped forward, Ye Wanshu said directly, "Young Master Ji, there are some things I should have made clear to you in Yuzhou. I know you have always harbored resentment about our relationship."

Upon hearing this, Ji Yunze hurriedly shook his head: "Princess, I have never resented you. I know that I have let you down and almost implicated you."

Then, he solemnly promised, "Please give me some more time, and I will definitely give you a peaceful and stable life, and I will never let you suffer any more grievances."

Ye Wanshu shook her head: "Young Master Ji, I didn't rescue you because I wanted any promises from you. I just hoped that you would live peacefully."

“But I…” Ji Yunze hesitated before saying, “But I want Princess Xu to have a peaceful life.”

"Does the 'peace and tranquility' that Young Master Ji speaks of mean framing Prince Yongning and causing chaos throughout the land?" Ye Wanshu raised an eyebrow: "Just for you and me, are countless lives lost?"

"I did not frame Prince Yongning," Ji Yunze said righteously. "He is merely a member of the imperial family from a distant domain. He killed a court official without authorization. Shouldn't he be punished? If all officials were like him, what justice and law would there be in this world?"

Ye Wanshu scoffed coldly: "With treacherous and stingy in power, how can one maintain peace in a chaotic world without an iron fist?"

These words stunned Ji Yunze.

Those people in the Zhenfu Division certainly deserve to be killed, but unfortunately the imperial power is weak now, and Empress Dowager Gu lets them do as they please, causing great suffering to the people.

Looking across the entire Great Ye Dynasty, Fu Mingchi is probably the only member of the imperial family who still thinks about the well-being of the people.

The law is impartial; even if he is a regional king, killing a court official should be punished the same as a commoner.