Jiang Wan chuckled, "That was then, this is now."
They had faced life and death together, what secrets could there be that couldn't be shared?
Gu Chenzhou smiled, "You little girl, you're as sharp as a monkey."
However, the smile on his face quickly vanished as he thought of the burdens he carried.
After a long silence, Gu Chenzhou slowly began, "My father, Gu Xun, was the Zhenguo General of the Great Liang Dynasty..."
The Gu family was a noble house with a century of prestige, but they had not always been so. Over a hundred years ago, the Gu family's ancestor had gone to war, carving out a noble title, Marquis of Dingbei, with his own flesh and blood.
The sons of the Gu family had served in the military for generations, all brave and skilled warriors with hearts dedicated to serving the country, loyal and upright. Because of the Gu family's loyalty, the Great Liang Dynasty had enjoyed over a hundred years of peace.
This continued until the current struggle for the throne, when the situation changed. During the succession struggle, the current emperor had repeatedly tried to bribe Gu Xun, Gu Chenzhou's father, to bring him into his faction. But the Gu family was loyal to the sovereign, not to any prince. Moreover, the current emperor was not a ruler worth supporting.
Yet, the current emperor eventually succeeded in the succession and became the Son of Heaven.
This emperor, naturally suspicious and narrow-minded, harbored resentment due to Gu Xun's past refusal and began to deliberately target Gu Xun and the Gu family's descendants.
The Gu family, loyal to the sovereign for generations, bore no complaints even when they knew the emperor was targeting them, remaining steadfast and loyal, guarding the borders for the Great Liang.
But who could have imagined that the dog emperor, in league with other military officials, would cut off their grain supply while Gu Xun was leading his troops into battle? The Great Liang suffered its first devastating defeat since the Gu family began guarding the borders, and Gu Xun died in battle, sacrificing himself.
Immediately after, the emperor's men falsely accused the Gu family of colluding with the enemy and treason, listing numerous "pieces of evidence."
All the male members of the Gu family were sentenced to immediate execution, not even sparing infants a few months old. The female members of the Gu family were sentenced to be sent to the Jiaofangsi, to become official courtesans.
Gu Chenzhou's sisters-in-law were all from prestigious families and, unwilling to suffer such humiliation, chose to hang themselves along with Madam Gu. The married daughters of the Gu family also committed suicide alongside them.
Under the crushing weight of imperial power, the families who had once sought to marry Gu family daughters by any means necessary, in order to protect themselves, all divorced their wives. The daughters of the Gu family were not the sort to cling to life in disgrace.
The collective defiance of the female members through suicide enraged the emperor, who ordered their bodies to be dismembered.
Gu Chenzhou would never forget that scene.
He hid among the crowd, watching his mother, aunts, sisters-in-law, and sisters' bodies being cut open, piece by piece...
His illness stemmed from that very moment.
Recalling the scene, Gu Chenzhou's eyes turned bloodshot, and his emotions began to spiral out of control.
Jiang Wan was startled and quickly reached out to grab him, channeling some of her power into him.
"Brother Chenzhou, stop talking, please stop. I don't want to hear it. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked."
If she had known how brutal the events of that year were, she would never have asked. It was too cruel for a thirteen-year-old child.
Although the power soothed Gu Chenzhou, he kept his eyes tightly shut.
After a long while, two lines of clear tears slid down his cheeks.
"Five years. Every time I think of their horrific state, I can't sleep. For years, I haven't dared to slacken even for a moment. I must seek justice for my more than three hundred Gu family members!"
Gu Chenzhou's voice was filled with suppressed emotion, and Jiang Wan felt a pang of sorrow.
Five years ago, Gu Chenzhou was only eight years old. Such a young child had to endure the reality of all his family members dying overnight, not to mention witnessing such a horrific scene firsthand.
It was truly difficult for him to survive.
Many adults would collapse and choose suicide after experiencing such events.
Yet, Gu Chenzhou had gritted his teeth and persisted in living, because he wanted to avenge his more than three hundred relatives!
Therefore, no matter how painful or difficult life was, he endured.
Those who live are always the most tormented.
She had seen him have episodes more than once, and he was in terrible pain.
"Do you know? Every time I have an episode, I see them being torn to shreds... I want to save them, but I can never save them..."
Jiang Wan's tears began to flow uncontrollably. She quickly pulled Gu Chenzhou, saying, "Don't think about it anymore, wake up. Gu Chenzhou! Stop thinking about it!"
But Gu Chenzhou was unable to truly wake up; the scene from that year replayed in his mind.
Jiang Wan deeply regretted her curiosity. He had just had an episode yesterday, and now he was being stimulated again. This was not good for him.
So, she made a decisive move and quickly used her power to forcefully knock him unconscious.
Gu Chenzhou leaned back, and Jiang Wan quickly caught him.
It was then that she noticed Gu Chenzhou had bitten his lower lip through from enduring, and blood was trickling down his chin.
Jiang Wan felt a pang of pain in her heart and quickly used her power to mend the wound on his lip.
She continued to repent in her heart, regretting her previous assumptions.
Before, when she saw Gu Chenzhou lose control upon being stimulated by the sight of blood, she had even teased him, calling him too weak. She had even encouraged him to use desensitization therapy through stimulation.
Now, she just wanted to slap herself.
She had spoken so carelessly without knowing anything, and it was truly detestable.
When Chen Yuezhi came out looking for them, she saw Jiang Wan supporting Gu Chenzhou while slapping herself, and she quickly asked, "Wanwan, what are you doing?"
Jiang Wan turned her head, her eyes teary, and said, "Mother, I was so awful before."
Seeing her cry, Chen Yuezhi became even more worried, "What happened? Did Chenzhou bully you?"
Jiang Wan shook her head, "Mother, from now on, let's treat Brother Chenzhou better, treat him like family."
Seeing Gu Chenzhou unconscious, Chen Yuezhi hurried forward to take his pulse.
Jiang Wan stopped her and quickly recounted Gu Chenzhou's life story.
After listening, Chen Yuezhi's face turned pale. She clutched her chest tightly, "Heavens, this child has truly had a difficult life. How old was he to have to bear all this."
"Regarding General Gu, we common folk also heard some rumors back then. Everyone knew the Gu family died tragically, and they believed the Gu family could never have done such a thing. That was the Gu family! The Gu family that had protected the Great Liang for over a hundred years. Even if the emperor committed treason, the Gu family wouldn't!"
It was because of the Gu family's sacrifice that they, the common people, had lived in peace for so many years.
After the fall of the Gu family, the Great Liang declined day by day. Now, the people were suffering, and the emperor himself was about to be overthrown.
Although retribution was inevitable, how regrettable it was for the Gu family!
But what no one could have imagined was that the sole bloodline of the Gu family was right before her eyes!