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

Zhu Qingyu went over the matter in her mind several times, weighed the pros and cons, and made a decision: she would try to say that Zhang Shen was her cousin to see if she could add an extra layer of insurance for Zhang Shen's life.

Of course, Lord Gu may or may not believe it, but even if there is only a one in ten thousand chance that he will believe it, we should still give it a try.

No, given Lord Gu's current somewhat impulsive attitude, it's quite possible.

Zhu Qingyu lowered her head, paused for a moment, and spoke with a hint of sadness:

"Shouming, I am truly grateful that you are thinking of me like this. But my second cousin has just had an accident. If I bring my parents to the capital, I really don't know how I will face them. My aunt and eldest cousin had accidents one after another, and my mother is already devastated. If my second cousin also has an accident, I am worried that my mother will not be able to bear it. It is better not to let them know for now."

Gu Zhao didn't quite understand Zhu Qingyu's sudden words, but she still grasped the key words:

"Don't worry, who is your second cousin? What happened to him?"

Zhu Qingyu raised her head, tears streaming down her face:

"Shouming, Zhang Shen is my husband and also my second cousin. Our two families are related by marriage, and his mother is my aunt."

Seeing the beautiful woman opposite him suddenly burst into tears, her tears falling like pearls, such a pitiful scene would surely move even the most cold-blooded person to pity.

But Gu Zhao, a man of stone's heart, put down his chopsticks, his tone cold, and said indifferently:

"Zhu Qingyu, if you dare to deceive me with such nonsense again for his sake, I will take his life immediately."

It's really hard on her. In such a short time, she managed to seize such a tiny opportunity and concoct such a long string of nonsense. Gu Zhao didn't believe a single word of what she said, such as Zhang Shen being her second cousin or the two families being cousins.

He even suspected that her claim of being from Sichuan and that her parents and elder brother were all doctors might have been a lie.

He had gone to great lengths to consider her needs and elevate her, wholeheartedly offering his sincere intentions for her, only to have her use him as a stepping stone to save her husband.

The stark contrast in how the two women were treated by her enraged Gu Zhao, who felt that the woman opposite him was truly despicable, so despicable that he wished he could take her right there and then.

How dare she! How dare she deceive him like this!

Zhu Qingyu was prepared for the possibility that Gu Zhao might not believe her or even get angry.

It is indeed difficult to gain people's trust with just a few words.

But as long as she doesn't admit it, he can't prove that what she said is definitely a lie.

Zhu Qingyu wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes with her fingers and said:

"Everything I've said is true. I'm just an ordinary person, not a saint. When disaster strikes, I'm afraid too, and I should flee. If he weren't my blood relative, why would I have boarded this ship and gotten myself into trouble? Shouming, what I fear is that I won't be able to face Mother in the future. If you don't believe me, then just consider it nonsense. His life is in your hands anyway. Whether you kill him or torture him, there's really nothing I can do. I can only beg you, no matter how big his mistake is, give him a chance, show leniency, and spare my cousin's life. I will do my best to repay your kindness. Otherwise, I truly will have no face to face Mother in the future."

He knew she was always clever and quick-witted, but he never expected that today she would use all that cleverness and quick-wittedness to fool him.

He still didn't believe her at all, but when he saw her tears, he couldn't help but wonder, what if?

If something were to happen, Zhang Shenzhen would be her cousin, and the presence of a blood relative between them would ultimately be a hidden danger.

He still held high hopes for their future, wishing that they could be mutually in love and live in harmony, and did not want things to end in a bitter feud where they could only resort to force and bloodshed.

Zhu Qingyu, as if made of water, couldn't stop her tears from flowing down her face, which she wiped away more and more.

Even though he knew she was just putting on an act and deceiving him, he still couldn't bear to see her shed tears like that.

The seemingly heartless Lord Gu finally softened:

"Try your best to repay me? How can I repay you? Do you know what I want, Qingyu?"

The last time Lord Gu came to the Zhang family to inquire about the fake account books, he also asked this question.

At the time, Zhu Qingyu did not understand his meaning. What she wanted to repay him with was a century-old ginseng and Jiangning brocade, but Lord Gu refused.

Now, however, she wouldn't give the wrong answer; what Lord Gu wanted was herself.

This answer went against her values ​​and made her feel very ashamed.

But now that things have come to this, she can no longer pretend to be deaf and dumb.

Zhu Qingyu, suppressing her shame, answered softly:

"You want me, and I will repay you with myself, however I want, however you wish."

Finally receiving her clear and unambiguous answer, Gu Zhao felt completely relaxed, her limbs and bones filled with a sense of ease, even more comfortable than if she had taken an elixir. She took out a handkerchief and handed it to her, saying:

"You must remember what you said. If you dare to forget, I will make you remember every single word. But you'd better not forget. There are some methods I don't want to use on you, so you'd better remember what you said today. Don't cry. Write down the address in Sichuan for me. Whether it's true or not, we'll find out by asking."

Zhu Qingyu stared blankly at the overly familiar handkerchief in his hand. If she wasn't mistaken, this light blue handkerchief was hers, and she didn't know when it had ended up in his hands.

Gu Zhao noticed her hesitation, but he didn't take back the handkerchief. Now that his true intentions were out in the open, his feelings for her were clear. A handkerchief was all she needed to know.

He had been plotting against her for a long time, determined to have her, and he wasn't afraid of her knowing; what he feared was her not knowing.

Seeing that she wouldn't answer, Gu Zhao stood up, personally wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, and coaxed her:

"Let's eat first. After you finish eating, write down your parents' address for me."

It actually works!

Zhu Qingyu knew when to stop, and obediently tilted her head back to let him wipe her tears. Although she didn't say a word, her eyes were sparkling with tenderness.

As the meal drew to a close, silence spoke volumes.

Although the boat couldn't compare to the shore in terms of spaciousness, Gu Zhao's official boat had everything he needed, including a study.

After dinner, Gu Zhao took her to the study to write down her address in Sichuan.

Zhu Qingyu immediately noticed the pile of official documents on his desk.

While laying out the paper and grinding the ink, although she tried her best to control her gaze from looking at his official documents, Zhu Qingyu couldn't help but think to herself:

"Could there be any official documents related to Zhang Shen's case here?"

She still has no idea why Zhang Shen was arrested. If she could find the official documents and follow the clues, wouldn't that give her another chance to save him?