Rebirth of the Excellent Daughter of the Marquis Household (REDMH) - Chapter 183

All she saw were yellow and red flames, weaving together into a fiery net before her eyes, baring their ferocious tongues as they loomed towards her step by step.

Gu Yu Qi closed her eyes, a faint smile of relief on her face.

She had never felt so exhausted in her life, as if all her efforts had already turned into ashes along with the ever rising flames.

She could feel the scorching heat surging towards her, at once so strange yet also familiar.

A dance in red robes so stunning that could topple a city. In her previous life, she had turned into ashes amidst the blazing fire. And now?

Yun Ke ran as though throwing away his very life, exerting the full strength of his body, his steps as swift and quick as lightning. Yet even so, when he reached the door of the small wooden hut, the entire place was already engulfed in a sea of flames.

“Gu Yu Qi!” Yun Ke shouted as he charged towards the raging inferno.

You are not allowed to die. You are not allowed to be harmed. You must wait for me… wait for me! Yun Ke roared endlessly in his heart, striking the burning wooden door with his hands to force it open.

The fire stung his eyes scarlet. He fixed his gaze ahead. In the middle of the hut, she was chained to a wooden stake and the flames seemed to have completely surrounded her.

Pain pierced both his eyes and his heart.

No! It must not end like this! He would not allow it!

Flying forward to Gu Yu Qi’s side, he saw with her eyes closed peacefully, the smile at the corner of her lips nearly tearing Yun Ke’s heart to pieces.

He had seen this smile before. It was the same smile she had worn at the very moment she turned into ashes in her previous life.

“Gu Yu Qi!” Yun Ke roared. He raised his hand to undo the chain, but the chain was fastened to the wooden stake and the fire had already burned it scorching hot.

Ignoring the searing pain in his hands, Yun Ke grabbed the chain and tried to break it apart.

“You should go,” Gu Yu Qi’s faint voice sounded softly in his ears.

“No!” Yun Ke shook his head, continuing to pour all his strength into his arms.

“While there’s still time,” Gu Yu Qi said slowly. “I’m already a cripple. All the accounts are with Run Ying. If you need anything, just ask her. I’ll hand all my wealth to you, only begging that you ensure my mother’s safety for her lifetime!”

“Don’t even think of it!” Yun Ke snarled fiercely. Why was this chain so strong?! If it had been an ordinary chain, it would have broken long ago under his strength!

Yun Ke had no idea that Xia Shuang Cheng had prepared this chain especially for Gu Yu Qi because her martial strength was so high. How could he bind her without something so sturdy?!

“You’re unwilling?” Gu Yu Qi was startled for a moment, then slowly closed her eyes again. “Then forget it.”

“Don’t think about getting away so easily!” Yun Ke’s eyes were already bloodshot. Just then, a cracking sound came from the beam above. Instinctively, Yun Ke shielded Gu Yu Qi beneath him. A burning rafter broke and fell, striking heavily upon Yun Ke’s back. He groaned, shook off the rafter, patted out the flames on his robe, and continued to pull at the chain.

“Why are you doing this?” Gu Yu Qi looked at his near-mad expression, and for a moment could not help but feel a trace of pity. “It’s not as if you owe me anything.”

“But you owe me!” Yun Ke said fiercely. “I won’t allow you to die! I won’t allow you to leave me! You are my princess consort, you bowed to Heaven and Earth with me, you must grow old with me! You owe me a lifetime!”

“There’s no one as domineering as you in this world.” Gu Yu Qi laughed lightly. “Whether what you say is true or not, I am actually a little moved.”

Yun Ke pursed his lips together, fixing his bloodshot eyes on Gu Yu Qi, “Have you forgiven me?” he asked while pulling at the chains.

Gu Yu Qi was slightly startled. “No.” She slowly shook her head.

Stubborn woman! At a time like this! No matter, if she would not forgive him, then so be it. As long as he rescued her, he had an entire lifetime to earn her forgiveness. Yun Ke did not reply. With all his strength he finally pulled the wooden stake out by its roots. He could not break the chains, but uprooting the stake was not too difficult.

He lifted Gu Yu Qi into his arms. “If you won’t forgive me, then so be it, but you’re not allowed to leave me!” he said as he walked out.

“Your Highness!” Only then did the palace guards rush over. Imperial Prince An had moved so swiftly that none of them had been able to catch up.

The moment Yun Ke carried Gu Yu Qi out of the small wooden cabin, there was a resounding boom and the entire cabin collapsed in a sea of crimson flames.

Clutching Gu Yu Qi in his arms, Yun Ke glanced back in shock, then down at the person in his arms as though in a dream.

Just now in the fire, he had been so focused on the chains around Gu Yu Qi and had not noticed the wounds on her body.

Only now did he feel his palms slick with bl00d where he held Gu Yu Qi. This woman in his arms was growing even paler from the strain on her injuries.

“What’s wrong with you?” Yun Ke asked in a low voice, “Bring a torch over.” Yun Ke could already smell the scorched flesh mixed with the thick stench of bl00d. The guards hurriedly brought a torch, lighting the space around Yun Ke.

In the firelight, Yun Ke finally saw how grievous Gu Yu Qi’s wounds were. Even Du Xia and the others who were accustomed to the sight of bl00d could not help but lower their heads at the sight of Gu Yu Qi’s body, torn into shreds.

Hatred blazed in the eyes of every man from Imperial Prince An’s residence!

Yet, Yun Ke’s eyes were not filled with hatred, only veiled with tears.

Her long black hair had been singed to a scorched yellow by the fire. Her body was covered with countless wounds, her skin torn open and her flesh exposed. In some places, her flesh had been turned outwards. Her hands hung loosely at a strange angle.

“I’ll take you back to the palace!” Yun Ke swiftly pressed two acupoints on her body, sending her into sudden deep sleep. Then he carefully gathered her up, murmuring softly into her ear.

“Your Highness, the princess consort must not be jostled. Should we carry her back?” Du Xia asked.

“No need.” Yun Ke lowered his gaze to the woman still bound by chains in his arms, and said coldly, “This prince will carry his princess consort home personally.” He turned to Du Xia. “Work together and see if you can force the chains open!”

“Yes.” Du Xia, Li Sheng, and two other secret guards came forward. Each seized one end of the chains, and with all four pulling together, they finally tore a gap in the specially forged shackles.

Yun Ke carefully removed the iron chains from Gu Yu Qi, then took off his own outer robe to cover her, holding her tightly as he strode swiftly towards the prince’s palace. His steps were both fast and steady, though his heart was burning with anxiety.

“Summon the imperial physicians!” Yun Ke called out loudly as he entered the palace.

“The imperial physicians are already here,” Eldest Princess Ping Hu emerged from the palace to meet him with Yan Zhi following behind, her face equally stricken with worry.

Yun Ke had ordered Du Xia to take his token and borrow men from the princess’ palace, but the more Princess Ping Hu thought about it, the more uneasy she felt. She could not sit still any longer and seeing Yan Zhi crying so desperately, she simply went to summon several attending imperial physicians from the palace, bringing them all to Imperial Prince An’s palace.

She thought that if Gu Yu Qi was found and injured, the physicians would surely be needed.

Indeed, her concern proved correct.

When Yan Zhi caught sight of Gu Yu Qi’s pale face shrouded beneath Yun Ke’s robe, her body swayed and nearly collapsed if not for Princess Ping Hu reaching out a hand to steady her.

“The princess…” Yan Zhi wanted to rush forward but was held back by Princess Ping Hu.

Princess Ping Hu said gently to her, “Don’t worry, since she’s in Imperial Prince An’s arms, there should be no grave danger. Let the physicians examine her and decide what must be done. If you rush in like this, not only will it be of no help, it will harm her instead. If you hinder the physicians’ treatment, that would be far worse!”

Hearing the princess’ words, Yan Zhi finally nodded, following her into Tong Xin Courtyard.

Yun Ke laid Gu Yu Qi carefully upon the bed, as though he were placing down a one-of-a-kind treasure.

“Please!” Yun Ke said to the group of imperial physicians who were kneeling in the chamber.

The physicians rose and as they removed Yun Ke’s robe from Gu Yu Qi’s body, every one of them gasped sharply.

Had this woman been tortured or what?

Everyone looked at each other in bewilderment but dared not meddle in the affairs of the imperial family. Since Yun Ke ordered them to treat her, they would do their utmost.

“Your Highness, her injuries are severe. We fear we may offend in treating them,” one physician apologised to Yun Ke

“Treat her at once,” Yun Ke forced himself to steady his wildly pounding heart, his voice low and firm.

“Yes.”

The physicians examined Gu Yu Qi. “Your Highness, her injuries are mostly external wounds. However, the tendons in her hands have been severed.”

“What?” Yun Ke drew in a sharp breath, seizing the nearest physician by the collar. “Say that again!”

Feeling oppressed by the chill radiating from Yun Ke, the physician could scarcely breathe. Trembling, he stammered, “Your Highness, her hand tendons have been severed… Even if they were reattached, we fear…”

“Do not speak of the future, reattach them now!” Yun Ke spoke coldly. He felt his vision darken. He released the physician, suppressing the murderous rage boiling in his chest.

“Yes, yes, yes.” The physicians hurriedly opened their medicine boxes.

“Your Highness, may we ask that you wait outside?” one of them said nervously.

“This prince is staying right here.” Yun Ke seated himself heavily on a chair, his tone sharp. “Just treat her!”

Yun Ke sat staring blankly at the busy figures of the physicians, his mind almost entirely void.

If Gu Yu Qi’s hands were truly crippled… Could she bear such a blow?

No wonder her hands had hung at such a strange angle earlier. In his haste to carry her back, he had not even checked.

He had heard Wang Yan describe Gu Yu Qi’s dashingly heroic figure as she wielded a spear and deep down in his heart, he had yearned endlessly, always wishing he might one day see Gu Yu Qi’s beauty and valour that Wang Yan had described so beautifully with his own eyes.

If she were to learn that she would never again be able to hold a spear, what then?