The princess was ambushed at 1:19, and Yun Xi encountered obstacles.

  With a loud crash, Gu Yunxi burst open the door and was met with a fierce gust of wind that swept across her face. She ducked down to let it pass, but its momentum didn't dissipate quickly, and a piercing cold light flashed by, leaving Gu Yunxi feeling a stinging pain in her arm. Before she could react, a dark figure had already vanished into thin air.

  "Halt!"

  A stern shout was of no use, Gu Yunxi turned her head to look inside the house, and saw that in the corner a few clothes were scattered on the ground, behind the curtain hanging down to the floor, a figure was curled up.

  The guards who followed Gu Yunxi in were now pale with fear, their mouths agape as they stared in the direction where the black shadow had disappeared. Gu Yunxi turned back, her eyes cold, "Did you see it clearly, little brother?"

  The guard stuttered and turned his head, "De... De Wang Fu..."

  Gu Yunxi's voice became solemn, "Please trouble the young master to inform the Crown Prince and Taifu, the princess was attacked in the East Palace, this matter is not trivial!"

  The guard hesitated for a moment, then turned and ran quickly.

  Gu Yunxi took a deep breath, slowing her footsteps as she walked towards the curtain, "Princess... Princess... Don't be afraid, I've come to escort you..."

  The torn clothes fell to the ground, and Gu Yunxi suddenly remembered the girl who was still lying in the snow with no one to collect her. She clenched her fists slightly, then slowly turned around the curtain, and within her line of sight, the small girl was trembling all over, hugging her own knees, with a pair of bright eyes full of tears. Seeing her appearance, she suddenly gasped and shrank back for a moment.

  "Princess, don't be afraid, I am a maid sent by Concubine Ya to escort you back to the palace—"

  Gu Yunxi's soft voice came out, and upon hearing the two words "Ya Gui", Gong Sun Ci seemed to be stunned for a moment. She slowly lifted her head, her disheveled hair trembling slightly, and tears rolled down like pearls that had fallen off a broken string.

  Gu Yunxi crouched down, and on Gong Sun Ci's body was left only a thin undergarment. She searched up and down, finally letting out a sigh of relief. She took off the white fox fur cloak from her own body and wrapped it around Gong Sun Ci, leaning in to hold her in her arms. "Princess, don't be afraid, I'm here."

  The faint sobbing grew louder and eventually turned into loud wailing, Gong Sun Ci tightly nestled in Gu Yun Xi's arms, the words tumbling out of her mouth incoherently, "I thought... it was Second Brother's side... but... but... how dare they... kill him kill him..."

  Gu Yunxi gently stroked the back of Gong Sun Ci, and a chill gradually emerged in her eyes. "They are so bold, Princess, just remember his appearance, as long as you report it to the Emperor, the Emperor will definitely have that murderer cut into pieces for the Princess!"

  Gu Yunxi looked around, helped Gong Sun Ci onto a low couch inside the house, then closed the doors and windows. She comforted Gong Sun Ci with kind words while waiting for the person who was supposed to arrive.

  The Crown Prince's Junior Guardian, Wei Zhong, arrived quickly. Perhaps it was because something like this had happened at the Crown Prince's wedding banquet and was a serious matter. He brought more than ten guards with him, just as he was about to push open the door, Gu Yun Xi suddenly spoke up to stop him, "Junior Guardian, please wait."

  Wei Zhong paused, and then heard Gu Yunxi say, "Tonight's matter is of great importance. The princess was frightened, and it would be best for the Lord to hurry up and invite Ya Concubine to come over. Moreover, the princess said that the person who attacked her was wearing a De Wang Fu guard uniform. Please, sir, immediately order the East Palace Guard to search for this person."

  Wei Zhong's brow furrowed, and he hesitated for a moment before saying, "The princess is pardoned, Wei Zhong arrived late to save the situation. Please don't be afraid, Your Highness. I will go invite Concubine Ya to come here immediately."

  Gu Yunxi only heard the sound of footsteps leaving, she leaned forward and looked at Gong Sun Ci's fearful expression and said, "Tonight's matter, Princess, you can't let it go. When Ziyun Concubine comes, you just go to the Emperor's face and ask for justice, tell him everything you saw."

  Gongsun Ci's tears fell again, her eyes fixed on the window with no focus, and she seemed to have lost all vitality. Gu Yunxi's expression was slightly solemn, "Princess, tonight's matter involves too many people, you need to remember that after Consort Zi Ya arrives later, someone will take my place, so please pretend you haven't seen me."

  Gongsun's eyes moved slightly, and she looked at Gu Yunxi slowly. "You want me to say I've never seen you? Why do you want me to say that? You're not someone by the empress dowager's side, are you? Who are you, who exactly are you——"

  Gu Yunxi saw Gong Sun Ci's emotional agitation, her gentle tone suddenly condensed, she stared straight at Gong Sun Ci, "The princess doesn't need to know who I am, you just need to remember that it was me who saved you tonight and not someone else. I didn't force the princess to do anything bad, this matter is complicated and has many twists and turns, when everything settles down, you will naturally understand everything!"

  Gongsun Ci was taken aback by her tone and became somewhat speechless. Gu Yunxi glanced outside, speaking in a very low voice, "The princess should have learned a lesson from this incident. In the future, don't easily trust others, whether it's in the harem or in the imperial court. Open and hidden attacks are not something a young girl like you can withstand. Princess, do you understand?"

  Gongsun Zan nodded dazedly, and from outside came the sound of chaotic footsteps.

  "Pay respects to Ya Fu Niang Niang——"

  "Ah Chi! Ah Chi!"

  "Empress!" Gong Sun Ci heard the woman's voice from outside and immediately jumped off the soft couch. When the gate opened, Gu Yun Xi only saw one person wearing magnificent clothes and brocade leading the way in, followed by four or five palace maids entering the door, and finally more than ten palace maids and eunuchs standing outside the door.

  Gongsun Ci rushed into Ya Pei's arms, tears streaming down her face, pouring out her grievances. Meanwhile, a palace maid in a wind hat and pink clothes walked over to Gu Yunxi.

  "Miss Gu, I have been sent by His Highness the Prince to escort you. The Prince is waiting for you at the eastern palace side gate."

  Gu Yunxi looked at the chaotic scene on that side, and seeing the palace maid in front of her, she felt a strong sense of elegance, with eyebrows and eyes that were somewhat similar to hers. Her heart was put at ease, and after changing into the palace maid's white wind hat and robe, she took another look at Ya Bin and her son from afar before quietly retreating from the doorway.

  Along the way, there were guards and palace maids, each with a suspicious look on their faces. The princess's humiliation was a royal scandal. I don't know what kind of name the Crown Prince's tutor used to invite so many people. Along the way, the Crown Prince's East Palace guard had already begun to patrol and search in small parts. She looked around, feeling only that the wound on her arm hurt badly.

  "Halt!"

  A stern shout came from behind her, and Gu Yunxi's footsteps quickened. Her identity was the greatest burden; if she were discovered, this matter would inevitably be linked to the De Wang Fu. Emperor Yan Gong Sun Lie was notoriously suspicious, and she had heard of it long ago. Even if it could be proven that the De Wang Fu was being framed, there might not be a winner in this affair.

  "Halt!"

  When the second stern shout came over, Gu Yunxi only felt a chill on her neck, and a sword with a piercing cold intent was already placed on her throat. The person behind her slowly turned to face her, "Didn't you hear me telling you to stop? Which palace are you from, where did the bloody smell on your body come from?"

  A cool feeling arose, Gu Yunxi lowered her head with slightly clenched fists, while the person in front of her seemed impatient, a sword flower was about to lift her wind hat, Gu Yunxi's face changed subtly, in a flash of lightning.

  "What are you doing here—"

  A cold and detached sentence fell, the sword flower in mid-air paused for a moment, the man in front sheathed his sword and turned around, looking at the newcomer with a slight bow, "Your Highness Chu!"

  Gu Yunxi's heart skipped a beat, it was him—

  Digression

  I don't know if everyone will think it's slow, but there is a word limit, and I'm afraid of not writing clearly. So... Also, if anyone has trouble understanding something, please point it out.