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

Love?

Love?

This absurd thought had barely crossed her mind when Zhu Qingyu promptly banished it from her thoughts.

To fall in love with a member of a powerful family from a feudal society—she's clearly been in this world for too long; she's gone mad.

Zhu Qingyu lay on the bed, looking up at the man who seemed to have everything.

He possesses the world's most powerful influence, the most impeccable family background, and even the most outstanding appearance and physique. For such a person, romantic love is merely an insignificant diversion in his life, and he has no need for love.

The love she presumptuously imagined might be something like possessiveness or a desire to conquer, such as not allowing anyone else to touch what he has his eye on, even if that other person is her rightful husband.

As Zhu Qingyu remained silent, Gu Zhao's eyes gleamed with an undisguised murderous intent that seemed to be brewing a storm.

"Qingyu, answer me, what if he isn't?"

He said, what if he wasn't?

She and Zhang Shen were a legally registered couple in the government. They had exchanged marriage certificates, bowed to heaven and earth, and their marriage was perfectly legitimate.

What is Gu Zhao planning to do to make Zhang Shen not...?

This is an imperial society, where Gu Zhao can do whatever he wants with ease, even taking Zhang Shen's life openly and legitimately.

It's only natural that someone who enters the Jinyiwei prison might succumb to torture and die, or commit suicide out of fear of punishment.

At this moment, Zhu Qingyu believed that Gu Zhao was truly determined to kill.

She had to say or do something to distract him and dispel this terrible thought.

Zhu Qingyu supported herself on the bed with her palms, slowly got up, and sat on the edge of the bed.

She hadn't had a chance to treat the injury she sustained when she fell at the Xue family's house. As she stood up, the pressure on the wound caused her to naturally furrow her brow.

Gu Zhao finally recovered from his dazed state and noticed the injuries on her body.

He grasped her wrist, opened her palm, and saw the abrasions on her hand that were still bleeding. He then half-squatted down and lifted the hem of her torn skirt.

As Gu Zhao pulled up her trousers, which were also torn inside her skirt, he glanced up at her. Seeing that she had no objection with her eyes downcast, he continued to pull the trousers up to her knees, where he saw the shocking redness and swelling on her knees.

Gu Zhao was both angry and heartbroken. He didn't know how she could run so fast with such serious injuries. When he pinned her down, she must have been in a lot of pain, but she didn't make a sound. Was she afraid of offending him?

He was determined not to frighten her, and when he reached out his hand to her at the bow of the ship, he was still thinking of taking things slowly and giving her time and patience.

But the moment she threw herself into his arms, all talk of taking things slowly and waiting for the flowers to bloom vanished into thin air.

He lost his mind; he wanted it immediately, without wanting to wait even a moment longer.

He had already broken his vows due to his inability to control himself, resorting to both physical force and verbal coercion. In the end, he became a despicable villain who bullied others in front of her.

She is probably terrified now, but she has no choice but to obey him because of his power.

After he finished examining the injury, Zhu Qingyu pulled down her trouser leg and skirt to cover him from prying eyes.

Gu Zhao stood up and asked:

"How did it get like this?"

Zhu Qingyu kept her eyes lowered:

"I was running too fast and I fell."

For whom and for what reason are they running so fast? It's obvious.

I'm afraid she's been running around all morning and hasn't even had a sip of water or breakfast.

Knowing full well that she would do this, and precisely because he knew she would do this, he was certain that she would come.

Gu Zhao understood that his jealousy was unreasonable; before, he couldn't control it, but now he didn't want to.

Finally, Gu Zhao sighed and said:

"I'll get you your medicine. After you've applied it, come have dinner with me."

Zhu Qingyu finally looked up at him. At this hour, it was too late to eat breakfast and too early to eat lunch. She wondered what kind of food Master Gu was eating.

But he finally stopped insisting that Zhang Shen wasn't that terrible topic, and she hadn't eaten or drunk anything since she got up this morning, so it was indeed time for her to eat.

So Zhu Qingyu didn't ask any more questions and nodded:

"Yes, sir."

Gu Zhao corrected her:

"I told you, call me by my name."

Zhu Qingyu readily accepts good advice:

"Yes, Shouming."

Gu Zhao patiently continued to correct him:

"Don't say yes to me, just say okay."

Zhu Qingyu was completely obedient to him:

"Okay, Shouming, I understand."

Gu Zhao brought out military-grade medicine for treating falls and injuries. Zhu Qingyu reached out to take it, but Gu Zhao didn't give it to her, instead saying:

"Sit down, I'll apply it for you."

Zhu Qingyu didn't insist on applying it herself. She and Gu Zhao had never been so close in private, and she didn't know what kind of person he was in private when he was dating a woman.

The key to saving Zhang Shen lies with Lord Gu. The more she knows about Lord Gu, the greater the chance of saving Zhang Shen.

Therefore, she was prepared to seize every opportunity to spend time with him and learn as much as possible about him.

So what does Lord Gu really think of her now?

She had assumed he only wanted sex, but then he stopped, seemingly wanting more.

This was even more challenging for Zhu Qingyu, who could only try to tackle them one by one.

If his feelings for her stem from a desire to conquer her because she rejected him in the past, then perhaps her constant obedience would bore him, causing him to lose interest and choose to let go.

Zhu Qingyu sat on the bed, and before he could speak, she took the initiative to lift her skirt to her waist, revealing the underpants underneath. She then lifted the wide cuffs of the underpants and rolled them up above her knees, openly displaying her swollen knees and smooth legs.

Perhaps surprised by her proactive attitude and lack of any of the shyness a woman should have, Gu Zhao glanced at her again, but ultimately said nothing. He simply applied the medicine and bandaged the wound on her hand with gauze.

Throughout the entire treatment process, Gu Zhao did not touch her inappropriately. He applied the medicine directly, just like a doctor would treat a patient with openness and honesty.

Just as Zhu Qingyu was thinking, "As expected, what Lord Gu wants is the process of conquest," Gu Zhao suddenly leaned down, pressed down on her shoulders, and kissed her again.

Just now, Zhu Qingyu was prepared, but now she was completely unprepared and hurriedly turned her head to avoid it.

A kiss that should have landed on her lips landed on her cheek, then slid down her cheek to her ear.

Lord Gu's breathing was heavy near her ear, and his desire was undisguised in his tone:

"Qingyu, I know what you're up to, but you really don't understand me. Your initiative only makes me want you more."

Since the precept has already been broken, then so be it.

He had lost patience and wanted more.