In ancient times, the powerful and wealthy seized power step by step.

If what Gu Zhao said could come true, it would be almost a perfect ending for Zhu Qingyu.

Every gain comes with a loss. She never expected to rescue Zhang Shen from the imperial prison without paying any price.

Her purpose in coming to the capital has remained unchanged since the moment she boarded Gu Zhao's ship: to rescue Zhang Shen and extricate herself from the situation.

So, as soon as Gu Zhao finished speaking, Zhu Qingyu immediately replied:

"Okay, I agree. Shouming, I'm really grateful that you're still willing to help me now."

She was forced to comply with his demands by being physically assaulted and then threatened with her husband's life.

Even so, faced with this combination of soft and hard coercion, she actually smiled and calmly thanked herself.

It was as if he had pinned down someone else's hands, rendering them unable to move.

In this situation, Gu Zhao felt only irony.

It seems that ever since that morning in Yangzhou, from the moment she woke up in his bed, from the moment he made his intentions toward her, the word she spoke to herself most often was "thank you."

Compared to her ease and composure, my own pain and depravity seem so ridiculous.

After that one time, will she disappear like a bird in the clouds, vanishing into the vast world, leaving no trace, or even a trace of herself in her heart?

Because of her nonchalant attitude towards the matter, Gu Zhao felt pain in his heart once again.

If we're going to cut ties completely, then let's cut ties completely.

Pain breeds malice. Gu Zhao could not bear the pain alone. Since he could not get her love, he would get hatred instead.

He had given up on the hope of getting her; if he couldn't have her, he would destroy her. He could no longer tolerate her insincerity; he wanted her truth, even if that truth was hatred towards him.

An uncontrollable malice grew wildly in Gu Zhao's heart. He wanted to drag her into the abyss, to humiliate her with words, to torture her with force, to make her struggle helplessly and cry in despair beneath him, so that she would remember everything he had done to her that day, and hate him for the rest of her life, carrying this unforgettable pain and hatred.

While unbuttoning Zhu Qingyu's clothes with one hand, Gu Zhao coldly uttered harsh words:

"Thank you? Zhu Qingyu, what, am I your patron today? Why are you saying thank you to me?"

Since it was early winter, the weather in the capital was getting colder day by day. Without a brazier in the morning and evening, even indoors would be icy cold.

Therefore, Zhu Qingyu wore a light green satin vest over her outer jacket today.

The jacket had an unusually large number of buttons, and Gu Zhao was particularly impatient today. Taking advantage of her inability to resist, he let go of her hand and roughly tore open the buttons on the vest with both hands, and then even more roughly tore open the diagonal opening of the pine-colored outer jacket.

A patch of skin as smooth as jade was faintly visible on her chest, peeking out from between her white inner garment and her half-hidden crimson undergarment.

Upon seeing that jade-like skin, Gu Zhao suddenly stopped, his breathing becoming heavy, and he looked at Zhu Qingyu with a deep expression:

"Why aren't you saying anything? Do you really think of me as a patron who's doing your business? Or have you treated other people this way before? Shen Chongshu? Xie Ze? Or both? Which one am I?"

More than Gu Zhao's physical brutality, Zhu Qingyu was worried about his emotional instability.

He was clearly provoked. Even though he wanted to have sex with her, he looked like he had suffered a great injustice and wanted to humiliate her to get justice.

Zhu Qingyu hoped he would calm down instead of suppressing his anger.

Because if his anger gets out of control, she will be the one who ultimately suffers the consequences.

With his hand no longer restraining her, Zhu Qingyu reached out and, to his astonishment, cupped his face, saying:

"Shouming, I've never entertained anyone before. Do you expect me to serve you like a patron? Is this the first time you've wanted me to?"

To entertain, to entertain a guest.

These hurtful words, spoken by him to inflict pain on her, only intensified Gu Zhao's suffering when uttered by her.

How could she say such things so recklessly?

Didn't she feel angry? Didn't she feel humiliated to be treated so disrespectfully?

Seeing that Gu Zhao did not answer, Zhu Qingyu moved her hand down his cheek to his neck, wrapped it around his neck, and kissed his chin.

While he was distracted, Zhu Qingyu moved her hand to his shoulder, gave him a gentle push, and flipped him over, pinning Gu Zhao beneath her.

Gu Zhao lay on his back on the bed, looking at Zhu Qingyu sitting on him with a shocked expression.

What exactly happened?

So shocked was Gu Zhao that she didn't even know how to react.

Gu Zhao came directly from Wenyuan Pavilion today, still wearing his crimson court robes.

The belt on the official robes was more decorative than practical. In the short time that Gu Zhao was shocked, Zhu Qingyu had already taken off the belt for him and put it aside.

Gu Zhao finally realized what was happening and grabbed her hand:

"you!"

After uttering the first word, I didn't know how to continue.

Zhu Qingyu grasped his hand in return, and said with a sincere expression:

"Shouming, I told you I was very grateful to you, but did you not believe me? But I have always meant it sincerely. I am truly, truly fortunate that it was you who came to Yangzhou to investigate the case. If it were someone else, where would I be now? I would certainly be in prison, a slave to the government, or perhaps even in a brothel, welcoming and seeing off countless patrons every day. It's hard to say whether I would be alive today. Fortunately, I met you."

She said, "I am so, so lucky that I met you."

She said, "I am very grateful to you, truly."

Gu Zhao felt a little dizzy, not knowing whether it was because she was sitting on him or because he was too angry with her today and his mind was not clear.

Suddenly, he couldn't tell whether she was telling the truth or lying.

These words sounded so genuine that Gu Zhao's icy anger and his malice to harm her at all costs vanished like water in spring, all dissolved by her few words.

Zhu Qingyu then reached under his neck, unbuttoning his official robes as she spoke:

"Shouming, I can serve you like a patron, but I think you might not be happy. How about I treat you like a husband? That way I'll repay your kindness to me. After he's released, as you wish, we'll be even. From then on, I'll never set foot in the capital again, and we'll forget each other in the world. Don't be angry. This might be our last meeting. I hope you can be happy, so that if you ever think of this day in the future, you won't be sad."

The spring water melted away Gu Zhao's fighting spirit to do evil. His eyes followed her as she unbuttoned his official robes and tore open his inner garment.

Zhu Qingyu placed her hand on Gu Zhao's chest, and Gu Zhao's gaze towards her was so intense it felt like he was melting.

Just then, a hesitant voice came from the doorway:

"Sister-in-law, sister-in-law?"