Gu Zhi Xiao was so shocked that she flinched and her tears were instantly forced back. Tilting her head back to stare up at Gu Nan Yi blankly, Gu Zhi Xiao didn’t dare to throw a tantrum anymore. 

“You stay.” Master Gu’s words were short and concise as he immediately turned to walk away.  

Seeing that things have taken a turn for the worse now that Master Gu has gotten angry, Feng Zhi Wei knew she had to go and take care of other people. (This sentence doesn’t make sense to me but that’s what the sentence said.) When Master Gu is angry, it is difficult to predict what will happen. Considering Gu Zhi Xiao’s personality, it is not a bad thing for her to stay since Zong Chen would take care of her anyway so she left an order “take care of her” and followed after Master Gu. 

“No….” 

With a sharp cry, Gu Zhi Xiao threw away her beloved big pillow that no one was allowed to touch. She ran over and tried to jump on Gu Nan Yi’s shoulder. Gu Nan Yi moved his shoulder and Gu Zhi Xiao missed her target by a hair’s breadth and fell to the ground. Feng Zhi Wei who was behind her quickly caught her. 

Without even turning his head, Gu Nan Yi got into the carriage, waved his hand to lower the curtain, and said, “Keep an eye on her.” 

Two maids came up to stop Gu Zhi Xiao. 

With his whip raised mid-air, the coachman looked around awkwardly, unsure if he should let the whip fall. Gu Zhi Xiao’s eyes turned blue as she watched the carriage getting ready to leave. Suddenly, she lowered her head and bit the maid’s hand that was holding onto her. (Not sure why Zhi Xiao’s eyes turned blue here…)

With a yelp, the maid let go, and in a flash, Gu Zhi Xiao had already charged forward and climbed onto the carriage. 

A hand stretched out from the carriage curtain and unemotionally brushed her off. 

Gu Zhi Xiao rolled on the ground, stood up from the mud, and climbed up the carriage again. 

Gu Nan Yi brushed her off again. 

Gu Zhi Xiao rolled off, and hit the carriage wheel with a bang. A big bump immediately appeared on her forehead, but she did not cry or fuss, just touched her head and kept on climbing. 

Gu Nan Yi brushed her off yet again. 

Everyone stood there stunned, watching the hard-hearted father and daughter argue in public for the first time. Even their argument was so different from others. They were silent and stubborn, each showing their fierce stubbornness, shocking all who witnessed it. 

Feng Zhi Wei stood there dazed. She knew that Gu Nan Yi was a very stubborn person but she also knew how much Gu Nan Yi doted on and cherished this adopted daughter. Most of the time, Gu Zhi Xiao was even more important than himself. She never expected that just because Zhi Xiao almost hurt her by mistake, he would treat his most precious little daughter like this. 

“Nan Yi…” She couldn’t bear to watch it any longer and abruptly reached out to block Gu Nan Yi’s hand that was brushing Gu Zhi Xiao off for the seventh time, “Don’t be like this, she is still a child.” 

Gu Nan Yi also brushed her hand away. 

“Hurting you, no forgiveness.” He spoke each word simply with determination, “No matter who it is.” 

Gu Zhi Xiao, after climbing up from the dusty ground for the seventh time suddenly stopped. 

She raised her head, her face covered with dust and tears, looked at the corner of the veil that could be seen through the light of the curtains, and suddenly stopped climbing. 

She walked over to the carriage wheel, hugged it, and lay down. 

There were sounds of gasps from all sides. 

The crowd stared in disbelief as the determined three-year-old placed her own body in front of the carriage wheel so that if the carriage took even a single step forward, then it would roll over her. 

The panicked coachman hurriedly jumped down from the carriage, and grabbed the horse’s reins, fearing that if the horse accidentally took a step then the carriage would roll over that tiny body. 

In silence, Feng Zhi Wei stared at the child. Of course it would be easy for her to just pull Gu Zhi Xiao out. Her little strength could not threaten anyone but what was truly frightening was her determination and her fierceness— if you take me, then I die. 

If they really leave her behind, then they would have to face tragic consequences. 

“Nan Yi.” She took a deep breath, and patted his hand, “Zhi Xiao didn’t do it on purpose. I will have a good talk with her about it. We can’t delay anymore. If I miss the appointed time, I will lose my head.” 

Gu Nan Yi remained silent in the shadows behind the curtain. After a while, he said dryly, “Gu Zhi Xiao.” 

Feng Zhi Wei thought Gu Zhi Xiao would insist on lying under the wheel, but surprisingly, she got right up after hearing Gu Nan Yi’s voice, walked obediently to the carriage door, and listened with her head down. 

Gu Nan Yi lifted the carriage curtain slightly and pointed at Feng Zhi Wei. 

“I am hers.” He said, “You are also hers. Either you protect with your life, or you leave me.” 

Feng Zhi Wei wanted to laugh, thinking it was a bit much to ask a three-year-old child to protect her with her life. However, after that moment of absurdity, she suddenly felt sad. 

Gu Zhi Xiao, however, was very attentive as she listened and turned her head to look at Feng Zhi Wei. The child’s clear eyes unabashedly looked over in her direction, Feng Zhi Wei felt for the first time that this proud, obstinate, and often indifferent noble child, had finally put her in her eyes.  

After a while, Gu Zhi Xiao said slowly, “Alright.” 

Gu Nan Yi was silent for a moment before he picked up Gu Zhi Xiao. The child broke into a smile and hugged him tightly around the neck, sticking her little face full of mud and dust next to his veil, and whispered, “I got a bump, you rub it for me.” 

Master Gu didn’t move. Feng Zhi Wei immediately lowered the carriage curtain so Master Gu could coax his little precious daughter in private. 

The carriage rumbled away. Gu Zhi Xiao poked her head out of the carriage and said loudly, “Bring the cage, I am going to fix it!” 

Feng Zhi Wei passed the broken cage through the window. As Gu Zhi Xiao grabbed it, Feng Zhi Wei asked, “Why must you bring this with you?” 

Gu Zhi Xiao fumbled around with the cage and said with a sigh, “To protect daddy.” 

Feng Zhi Wei’s hand stiffened, suddenly remembering the reed pond and the sobbing child who hugged Gu Nan Yi while he was pretending to be dead. She was scared so badly that she is now fixated on the thought of “protecting daddy.”

Powerful as Gu Nan Yi, his whole life burdened with the responsibility of protecting others, no one had ever thought of protecting him. 

Only this child. 

Only this child who was nearly abandoned, who rolled in the mud in order to be brought along. The child who wanted to protect her daddy. 

Feng Zhi Wei’s hand that was frozen in mid-air finally fell and slowly stroked Gu Zhi Xiao’s head. Gu Zhi Xiao dodged away, her eyes still as distant and indifferent when she looked at her. 

“Yes, protect daddy.” Feng Zhi Wei sighed and said to her, “He deserves everyone to give everything to protect him.” 

Inside the carriage, Gu Nan Yi remained silent, thinking everything this woman just said was nonsense. 

Outside, Feng Zhi Wei entered into another carriage. Before lifting the carriage curtain, she turned back and glanced at the far corner across the street. 

There, the body of a black horse could vaguely be seen, and a corner of a moon-white robe with a silver dragon pattern was flapping slowly in the wind. 

Despite his busy schedule, Ning Yi, still came. 

He should have been on his way to Luo County by this time. His Majesty did not order him to send off the Xiliang envoy, so it would not be good for him to appear in crowded places. Therefore, he could only hide in the street corner, and see them off with his silent presence. 


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