Marrying a playboy? She turned the tables and used a magical talisman to become famous throughout th

Gu Jinyan unconsciously narrowed his eyes, a moment of distraction appearing in his deep gaze.

Suddenly, steady footsteps echoed in the courtyard.

He put the letter back somewhere in the distance and walked out of the house without making a sound.

"Is the Crown Prince looking for me?"

Chu Lingyun looked at him quietly.

"Hmm, Ruri..."

A complex look flashed in Gu Jinyan's eyes. He raised his hand to cover his lips to hide his expression. "His Majesty bestowed upon her a mansion. She has hosted a banquet and invited Brother Chu to come and reunite with her."

Chu Lingyun raised his hand in a gesture of respect and said in a hoarse voice,

"Thank you for your hospitality over the past few days, Your Highness."

Gu Jinyan raised his hand and said calmly.

"Brother Chu, you're too kind. You should have someone pack your things first. Carriages and horses are already prepared outside, and someone will take you to the Princess's residence."

Chu Lingyun nodded and walked towards her room.

He seemed to have thought of something, suddenly stopped, turned around and asked Gu Jinyan.

"Your Highness, won't you go?"

Gu Jinyan took a very light breath and forced a smile.

"I... I have some things to do, so it's uncertain..."

After saying that, he left in a hurry.

Back in her room, Chu Lingyun gently picked up the letter from the table.

The handwritten letter delivered by the crane messenger caused his usually cold eyes to fall into deep thought once again.

Master had previously foreseen a heavenly secret: Liuli would face a calamity.

Only by marrying someone whose destiny is marked by the Seven Killings can one safely overcome this obstacle.

However, he kept it a secret from Liuli: after the marriage, the person whose fate she had borrowed was very likely to be unable to withstand the heavenly lightning and die on the spot.

In his letter, the master said that he did not want to do it at the time.

Given Liuli's personality, she would rather bear the heavenly lightning herself than implicate an innocent person.

But she was the child he had raised himself and loved like his own daughter. How could his master bear to let her face the heavenly lightning alone?

After much hesitation, the master had a selfish motive and lied to Liuli, saying that the person who borrowed her destiny would be safe.

Only then did Liuli agree to descend the mountain.

With his wedding date approaching, the master, who had never done anything wrong in his life, tossed and turned every night, unable to sleep, feeling uneasy.

Only then did he write to Chu Lingyun to tell her the truth.

Chu Lingyun stared blankly at the letter, a complex mix of emotions welling up inside her.

If he were a person with the Seven Killings destiny, he would not hesitate to shield Liuli from the heavenly tribulation.

But what Gu Jinyan would do, he didn't know.

The master's words were filled with helplessness, and he concluded by saying that whether or not to give the letter to Liuli was up to Chu Lingyun to decide.

This difficult choice is now in his hands.

Chu Lingyun frowned slightly, lost in thought.

If he were to hand this letter to Liuli, what decision would she make?

He grew up with his junior sister, yet he still doesn't know her personality?

She's not the kind of person who would rather implicate innocent people just to save her own life!

If Gu Jinyan knew, would he abandon his noble status, worldly riches and honors, and even his own life for Liuli?

The letter, like a tangled mess, became an unsolvable knot in Chu Lingyun's hands.

"Young Master Chu..."

A maidservant asked softly from outside the door, "May we depart now?"

"Oh... okay."

Chu Lingyun responded, then suddenly clenched her fist, gripping the letter tightly in her palm.

……

The plaque bestowed by the emperor upon the residence of Princess Anle hangs high in front of the gate.

This place was originally the residence of a prince, who was demoted by the emperor for participating in the struggle for the throne, reduced to a commoner, and exiled to a harsh and cold place.

The mansion was magnificent, complete with pavilions and towers, and the palace always sent people to guard and clean it.

So that the emperor might one day, in a moment of inspiration, bestow this upon any general who has rendered meritorious service.

Unexpectedly, the reward was given to Yin Liuli.

Yin Liuli craned her neck and waited for almost half an hour before a servant came to report that Chu Lingyun's carriage had arrived.

"Senior Brother, why are you so late? I've been waiting for you!"

Yin Liuli ran out to greet him as if she were flying, her clear, dark eyes filled with joy as she looked at him.

"Mother cooked a lot of delicious food herself! I also had someone buy a jar of good wine, just waiting for you to come..."

"Huh? Where's Gu Jinyan? Didn't he come with you?"

"The young master said he has some matters to attend to and may not be able to come."

Chu Lingyun's clear eyes held a smile, concealing the myriad thoughts in her heart.

Yin Liuli complained with a dissatisfied expression.

"He's not coming? This is my new residence, how can he not come?"

If he comes again, I won't ask Mom to cook anything delicious for him!

"They'll probably be here soon..."

Chu Lingyun echoed a few words, feeling as if something was stuck in her chest, with indescribable emotions surging within her.

"Never mind him! Senior Brother, this will be our home from now on. I've arranged rooms for Master and my fellow disciples, and we're just waiting for them to arrive!"

Let's have a big drink tonight and celebrate!

Yin Liuli grabbed his sleeve, acting as coquettishly as she had at Xuanqing Temple, "I'll take you to see my mother... Gu Jinyan is so unlucky, my mother's cooking is amazing!"

Chu Lingyun was led by her to the hall.

Several refreshing cold dishes, seasoned with sesame oil, were already laid out in the hall, their aroma filling the air.

Chu Lingyun stepped forward to greet Madam Zhen.

"Ling Yun greets Madam."

When Madam Zhen saw him, her eyes reddened, and she smiled,

"Yun'er, please rise! We're all family, there's no need for such a grand gesture."

"If it weren't for you taking care of Liuli all these years, I don't know if my daughter and I would ever have seen each other again..."

As she spoke, she wiped her eyes and glanced back.

"Where's Yan'er? Didn't he come with you?"

He stood me up, I don't know where he went!

Yin Liuli wrinkled her nose playfully and pulled Chu Lingyun to sit down.

"Mother, Eldest Brother, let's ignore him and eat by ourselves!"

Granny Jin hurriedly smiled and said, "Now that everyone is here, this old servant will instruct the servants to serve the dishes."

Today is a day of double celebration! This old servant will pour fine wine for Miss, Young Miss, and Young Master Chu to celebrate properly.

As she was about to leave, Yin Liuli grabbed her arm.

"Granny Jin, don't leave. Sit down and let's eat together."

Granny Jin waved her hands frantically.

"Absolutely not, absolutely not! How dare this old servant overstep his bounds?"

"Granny, let's listen to Liuli!"

Madam Zhen looked at her with a smile, tears welling in her eyes, and said, "You yourself said you treat me like half a daughter, right? Now that we've finally escaped that place and are reunited as a family, what's wrong with you, Madam?"

Yin Liuli tugged at Granny Jin's sleeve, forcefully pressing her back into a seat, and said with a grin,

"Mother is right, our family is reunited!"

"Then this old servant will apologize to my master and take a seat?"

Looking at the mother and son, Granny Jin couldn't help but burst into tears.

……

Even as the banquet began, Chu Lingyun's mind was still wandering.

His master's letter was hidden in his sleeve, but he never had the courage to decide whether to give it to Yin Liuli.

His junior sister's every smile and frown seemed to float before his eyes, her laughter as clear and melodious as a morning bell. He couldn't help but recall every moment he had spent with his junior sister over the past twelve years.

"Senior Brother, you look very tired. Is something the matter?"

Yin Liuli seemed to sense his preoccupation and couldn't help but ask, "By the way, has Master written to you yet?"