Chapter 97

Chapter 97: It Was Actually Lihua! Sima Rui felt a sharp object pressed against his groin. To prevent him from kicking her, Gan Qiongying even wrapped her arms around his injured leg, her fingers digging unceremoniously into the wound. Even though the bandages on his leg allowed him to stand and walk like a normal person, an injury was still an injury. Applying pressure like this would inevitably cause bleeding. Sima Rui hissed in pain. Furious, he lowered his head to look at Gan Qiongying and placed a hand on her head, almost as if he wanted to crush her skull. But his most vital area was under her control, and Sima Rui dared not make any rash moves. Moreover, Sima Rui truly couldn’t do anything to Gan Qiongying because she was the only connection the puppet emperor in the palace had. That young emperor would even drink poison as if it were water for her sake. If anything happened to Gan Qiongying, even if the emperor couldn’t cause much trouble, he would undoubtedly fight to the death. No matter how powerful the Empress Dowager’s Kou family was, and no matter how much authority the Regent held, their positions were ultimately illegitimate. The emperor had no heirs, and the imperial clan was not easy to control. They needed a compliant, manipulable puppet to slowly plan their next moves. Gan Lin was undoubtedly the best choice—weak and incompetent, his only piece of armor, connected to his very life, concealed Gan Qiongying’s existence beneath it. And wasn’t Gan Qiongying the same? Her only vulnerable spot now was also Gan Lin. It was for his sake that she had stepped into the Regent’s trap without hesitation, just as she was doing now, resorting to every means possible, much like the former Princess Duanrong. But Gan Qiongying wasn’t merely influenced by Princess Duanrong. During her last visit to the palace, she had nearly been fooled by that old witch. At the very least, it was Gan Lin who had drunk the poison in that bowl of Yibu Decoction she had almost consumed. In her two lifetimes, no one had ever drunk poison for her. Gan Lin, trembling and drenched in cold sweat from the poison’s effects, had ordered her not to enter the palace without summons. His determination to protect her life, even refusing to see her, was the reason Gan Qiongying had promised Princess Duanrong that she would protect Gan Lin. Inside and outside the palace, two people who had only met once, who were merely “siblings” brought together by circumstance, now seemed bound by an invisible thread. Pulling this thread, they groped their way forward with difficulty, yet no matter which direction they took, their paths ultimately converged. Seeing this, Sima Rui’s guards drew their swords and moved to assist, but Sima Rui immediately raised his hand, stopping everyone. Because Gan Qiongying was applying force without holding back, and Sima Rui could already feel the pain. He had no doubt that Gan Qiongying truly dared to stab him. Just as she had been fearless that night, draped in blazing flames, shooting arrows at him. However, Gan Qiongying’s method was undeniably despicable. Everyone present was a man, and seeing the Regent’s vital area threatened, they all felt a chill run down their spines. How could a princess act like this! Sima Rui stopped his men from acting. Although Chen Wa was also stunned by Gan Qiongying, he quickly realized that his side now had the upper hand and no longer needed to hold back. He immediately led his men into the room. However, while Sima Rui's subordinates dared not touch Princess Duanrong, they certainly had no qualms about targeting Chen Wa. Chen Wa was quickly surrounded, as the men he had brought were limited in number. He had even sent two of them to fetch reinforcements, but it was nearly impossible to gather people in such a short time. "Princess..." Chen Wa looked at Gan Qiongying. He couldn't save her, and to force a woman to resort to such measures—Chen Wa wished he could slit his own throat in atonement. But Gan Qiongying didn't care in the slightest. No matter what method it was, as long as it worked, it was the best method. And Sima Rui, with his life now in her hands, remained surprisingly composed—at least, there was no trace of anxiety in his tone. He pointed at Chen Wa, then at the four shadow guards, and asked Gan Qiongying, "You can choose between these two sides. Who will you save?" "Only one," the Regent's tone carried a subtle hint of temptation. It was a verbal trap, a very common one. Just like the promotional tactics often seen in the 21st century—when people are faced with a choice, they aren't asked whether they want something or not, but rather whether they want this one or that one. If Gan Qiongying were truly someone who had grown up in this world, if she were really Princess Duanrong, she might have been misled by the Regent's words, falling into the misconception that she had no other choice. And she might have actually made a choice. But Gan Qiongying wouldn't. After all, she had lived through the explosion of information on the internet. Did the Regent really think he could deceive her with such tricks? Beneath Sima Rui's brocade robe, Gan Qiongying tapped his two "assets" with her hairpin. "Why don't you make a choice too, Prince Rui? Which of these two Descendants' Pouches do you want to keep? I'll help you remove the other one." Joking aside, after falling ill and spending her days in bed scrolling through videos, Gan Qiongying had watched mostly horse hoof trimming, carpet cleaning, and pig castration techniques. Humans and pigs should be pretty similar, right? In fact, humans might even be easier, since their parts are all external. Just cut the skin and squeeze them out, right? Although Gan Qiongying didn't voice her thoughts, Sima Rui could already sense her malicious intent. After hearing her question, the veins on his forehead and hands bulged uncontrollably. "Hurry up and choose. You make your choice first, and then I'll decide who gets to live." Gan Qiongying felt no maidenly shyness, nor was she bound by the shackles this feudal society placed on women. She had no reservations about the male reproductive system. Especially since she didn't even regard the Regent as a man. Sima Rui clenched his fists tightly, glaring fiercely at Gan Qiongying, who raised her head and stared back at him with equal malice. Moreover, Gan Qiongying knew that if this standoff continued, she would lose the advantage the moment she let go. She was already contemplating how to expose some of Sima Rui's secrets to keep him from acting rashly. The knowledge of the subsequent plot developments was Gan Qiongying's biggest trump card, the only "golden finger" she had since crossing over. But now, with the plot already altered, the usefulness of this golden finger was diminishing. Gan Qiongying had originally intended to save it for the final, decisive blow, but it seemed she had to use it now. No matter what, she couldn't let those who had risked their lives to protect her die for her so meaninglessly. Just as Gan Qiongying was about to speak, a series of heavy footsteps suddenly echoed from the staircase on the second floor. The footsteps were extremely heavy and rapid, accompanied by clattering sounds against the stairs, making it sound almost like an army. Everyone paused their actions and turned their gaze toward the entrance. Soon, a group of masked men rushed in, each muscular and powerfully built. These men carried various weapons—knives, spears, clubs, and more—and after storming into the room, they quickly surrounded everyone in the center. Their numbers kept growing, and soon, like sardines in a can, they packed the entire room to the brim. Once inside, they didn’t take action immediately but used their sheer size and numbers to press everyone together. From her kneeling position on the floor, Gan Qiongying had a lower vantage point and could clearly see the straw sandals these men wore, along with the hemp trousers they hadn’t had time to change out of. These people… seemed like dockworkers? Uncertain of their origins, Sima Rui frowned deeply. Seeing his frown, Gan Qiongying’s heart settled with relief! No matter who had gathered so many dockworkers, the enemy of my enemy is a friend! As long as these people weren’t the Regent’s, it didn’t matter who they belonged to! Gan Qiongying’s face instantly lit up with joy. She quickly exchanged a glance with Chen Wa, and the master and servant silently communicated across the room with their eyes. Gan Qiongying realized that even Chen Wa had no idea where these people had come from. But the answer was soon revealed. The densely packed crowd gradually parted to make a narrow pathway. The sound of uneven footsteps—one light, one heavy—approached from the second floor. The newcomer moved through the narrow pathway, trying to maintain a steady pace, but his hurried steps still landed unevenly on the floor. When he finally limped into view, standing among the muscular, brawny men, he stood out like a white crane fallen into a pack of beasts. His anxious gaze searched the room, quickly passing through the crowd until it met Gan Qiongying’s eyes. Gan Qiongying’s jaw dropped in astonishment. She never would have imagined that the imposing figure who had arrived with such force—was actually Lihua!