Lessons Still Need to Be Taught

......

"Little Aunt, once we return to the Divine Capital, just follow the normal procedures and escort me into the Heavenly Master Mansion as a prisoner."

Gu Chengyin sat upright, beginning to discuss the arrangements with Lin Qingyan beside him for when they returned to the Divine Capital.

His voice was calm, devoid of any fluctuation.

It was as if he were discussing the weather, rather than the fact that he was about to be escorted into the Heavenly Master Mansion as a state criminal.

Lin Qingyan turned her head to look at him, her gaze shifting slightly.

Gu Chengyin continued, "Unless a new imperial decree is issued, we will close our doors to all guests, regardless of who they are."

This was the temporary strategy Gu Chengyin had formulated.

No matter what the current situation in the Divine Capital was, he was now an imperial criminal, the person being personally escorted by Lin Qingyan.

This meant that he could remain entirely under Lin Qingyan's protection.

Furthermore, no matter who came, they could use the very imperial decree originally directed at him to turn them away.

This would also give Gu Chengyin ample time to ascertain the true state of affairs in the Divine Capital.

And as long as Emperor Luo issued a new imperial decree, no matter its contents.

It would point out a direction, a direction that would clarify their objective in this fog-shrouded situation.

Listening, Lin Qingyan's gaze fell on Gu Chengyin's profile.

His features were sharply defined, and his brow carried a composure that belied his age.

When he spoke, his eyes narrowed slightly, as if he were pondering something, or perhaps calculating something.

Lin Qingyan had no objections to these instructions.

After all, in these matters, Gu Chengyin was clearly more than a level above her.

If it hadn't been for her and Shangguan Yunying causing trouble, they probably would have already found the mastermind behind the scenes by now.

It was just that...

While Gu Chengyin was speaking, although Lin Qingyan was listening, her gaze would unconsciously drift downward.

Drifting down a little, and then a little more.

Drifting toward the figure sitting on the other side of Gu Chengyin.

Shangguan Yunying had her head lowered, revealing a stretch of fair nape.

Her hair was somewhat disheveled, with a few dark strands slipping from her temples to hang by her cheeks.

From Lin Qingyan's angle, she couldn't see her expression.

She could only see that the base of her ears was so red it looked ready to bleed, the flush spreading from her earlobes all the way down to her neck.

Even that exposed stretch of her nape was tinged with a faint pink.

Shangguan Yunying, who was usually very noisy, hadn't said a single word up until now.

But Lin Qingyan knew this wasn't because she didn't want to speak, but because she couldn't.

After all...

Lin Qingyan's own ears were turning red.

She tried hard to look away, forcing herself to look elsewhere—at the carriage curtains, at the roof, at her own fingers.

But after only a moment, her gaze would uncontrollably drift back.

Drifting to Shangguan Yunying's slightly trembling shoulders, drifting to...

"Little Aunt?"

Gu Chengyin's voice suddenly rang out.

Lin Qingyan snapped back to reality, meeting Gu Chengyin's gaze.

His eyes were deep and dark, looking steadily at her; it seemed he had already called her several times.

"Hmm?"

Lin Qingyan tried her best to make her voice sound calm. "What is it?"

"Little Aunt zoned out just now."

Gu Chengyin's tone was light, devoid of emotion. "Did Little Aunt hear everything I just said?"

Lin Qingyan's ears reddened a few degrees more.

She nodded slightly, trying hard to keep her eyes on Gu Chengyin's eyes rather than letting them drift down again.

"Yes, I've memorized it."

"Unless there's a new imperial decree, no one is allowed to see you, right?"

Gu Chengyin nodded in confirmation. "Yes. We will counter all changes by remaining unchanged."

"Acting rashly when we've just returned and know nothing is a grave taboo."

Lin Qingyan nodded again, using her peripheral vision to quickly glance at Shangguan Yunying.

Yes, indeed a grave 'taboo'.

Lin Qingyan raised her hand, tucking a fallen strand of hair behind her ear, revealing an earlobe that was already flushed completely red.

She tried hard to make her voice sound normal.

"Chengcheng."

Lin Qingyan paused, her gaze unable to resist drifting over again before quickly snapping back.

"Sister Yunying already knows she was wrong. Just let her go."

She knew Shangguan Yunying could hear her.

In fact, from the moment Gu Chengyin started discussing serious matters until now, Shangguan Yunying had been able to hear everything.

Gu Chengyin looked at Lin Qingyan, then at Shangguan Yunying, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.

"Little Aunt."

His voice remained calm. "That won't do."

"It's not like you don't know—if we let Yunying spout nonsense again, who knows what she might say."

"So, she must be taught a lesson when a lesson is due."

As he spoke, Gu Chengyin's hand fell onto Shangguan Yunying's head, gently rubbing it.

His movements were very gentle, as if he were soothing a grooming kitten.

Lin Qingyan's face grew even redder. She opened her mouth to speak, but didn't know what to say.

Teaching her a lesson was fine, but surely not like this?

And doing it right in front of her, no less.

Lin Qingyan's thoughts drifted again.

She recalled the scene from just moments ago.

Shangguan Yunying had been laughing so hard she was trembling, right in the midst of her smugness, and then Gu Chengyin suddenly moved.

He didn't say a word; he merely raised his hand and pinched the back of Shangguan Yunying's neck.

The movement was very light, but Shangguan Yunying's laughter came to an abrupt halt.

Lin Qingyan had frozen completely at the time, her mind going blank.

She watched as Shangguan Yunying's expression shifted from shock to flustered embarrassment, and then to begging for mercy.

Watched as Shangguan Yunying's face went from flushed to bright red, to almost bleeding red.

Watched as Shangguan Yunying's hands went from trying to push him away, to dropping powerlessly, to actively cooperating.

She saw it all clearly.

From beginning to end, entirely clearly.

And Gu Chengyin?

He had remained calm the entire time, expressionless, but the movements of his hands brooked no resistance.

He even had the time to raise his eyes and give Lin Qingyan a look—a profoundly meaningful look.

Lin Qingyan had wanted to flee right then and there.

But she couldn't flee, nor could she hide.

The Heavenly Master Mansion's carriage was only so big; where could she run?

Moreover, Gu Chengyin was sitting right beside her; where could she look?

Close her eyes?

But even if she closed her eyes, the sounds were still there.

Lin Qingyan had never felt time pass so agonizingly slow.

When Gu Chengyin finally began discussing serious matters, she thought she could finally heave a sigh of relief.

But the result?

The result was that her gaze kept uncontrollably drifting downward.

"Little Aunt."

Gu Chengyin's voice rang out again.

Lin Qingyan snapped back to reality, realizing her eyes had once again drifted to a place they shouldn't have.

She quickly averted her gaze, meeting Gu Chengyin's half-smiling eyes, and her heart skipped a beat.

"What is Little Aunt looking at?"

Gu Chengyin's tone was utterly ordinary, as if asking what they were having for dinner.

But Lin Qingyan's face was flushed completely red.

She pursed her lips, trying hard to make her voice sound composed.

"I wasn't looking at anything."

"Oh?"

Gu Chengyin raised an eyebrow, his hand still resting on Shangguan Yunying's head.

"Little Aunt kept looking over here just now; I thought Little Aunt had something she wanted to say."

Lin Qingyan's breath hitched, her eyes uncontrollably darting around once more.