"Yunshuang! Yunshuang!" Nangong Yan jolted awake from a dream, her first instinct to look toward the woman on the bed. She was still there, not yet awake. Reaching out to touch her forehead, Nangong Yan felt a wave of relief; the fever that had persisted since last night seemed to have finally broken. The unconscious woman’s lips moved slightly, murmuring indecipherable syllables, though they sounded faintly like the name "Yan'er."
"Yunshuang..."
"Yan'er," Yin Liuli and Duan Ning entered the room, carrying a bowl of porridge. "She’s unconscious and can’t eat, but you must. We can’t have one waking up only for the other to collapse."
Nangong Yan gave a weary smile. "It’s not that I’m not eating at all; I just truly have no appetite. Don’t worry, I know my own body."
Yin Liuli took the unconscious woman’s pulse. "Her pulse is steady, and the fever has subsided. It seems she has made it through the worst of it. It’s just a matter of when she will wake."
"Everyone’s constitution is different," Duan Ning added. "She lost an arm this time. The Old Palace Master’s martial arts were so formidable that surviving at all is a stroke of luck. Yan'er, you have to take care of yourself, or how will you look after her?"
"She did it for me," Nangong Yan said, her voice heavy with guilt. "If not for me, she wouldn't have committed so many wrongs. It all started because of me. Once she wakes, I will go to Muxue and take my own life to give an account to all the innocent people who suffered because of me."
Duan Ning grew frantic. "What nonsense are you talking about? How can you blame yourself for those things? I used to think she served the Old Palace Master out of a hunger for power, but now we know she had her reasons. Besides, she lost her right arm—that is punishment enough..."
Nangong Yan’s smile was bitter as she shook her head. "No. For years, she allowed herself to be controlled for my sake, but how many innocent lives did she take? During the sect’s schism, so many souls were lost—how can a single arm appease them? There is no need to hide it from me; I may be confined here, but I know the others want her dead. Whether it’s the Hundred Flowers Palace or the other sects, she has offended nearly the entire martial world over the years. It all began with me. She failed everyone else, but she never failed me. I owe her, so I will pay that debt with my life."
"You—"
Yin Liuli pulled Duan Ning back before she could argue further. "Let’s not debate this for now. Your priority is to care for her, isn't it? You haven't touched a drop of water or a grain of rice all day. Even if you wish to offer your life as atonement, now is not the time. Do you want to pass away before she even opens her eyes? Yan'er, eat something. If you truly owe her, you must stay alive at least until she wakes. As you said, so many people want Yunshuang dead. If you fall, who will protect her?"
Nangong Yan looked at the person on the bed and reached out to cover the woman's hand with her own. *You have always protected me. This time, let me be the one to keep you safe.*
About the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, another person in the room fell into a deep slumber. Duan Ning looked at Nangong Yan, who was slumped over the table, and asked in confusion, "Liuli, did you...?"
"I added a bit of sedative to her porridge. I heard she hasn't closed her eyes in days. In her state, she needs rest even more than food."
"What now? Just let her sleep there on the table?"
"Isn't there a spare cot in the corner? Clear off the dust and help her over. She’ll want to see Yunshuang the moment she wakes."
"Fine, I’ll do the dusting, you bring her over," Duan Ning teased as she moved. "Liuli, you’re quite the matchmaker, aren't you? Thinking of everything so thoroughly."
Yin Liuli shook her head with a smile. "You talk too much. When will you ever fix that habit?"
"What, do you find me annoying? This is just my personality, and I’m not changing it in this lifetime. Hmph!"
"You really are something..."
The two worked efficiently. Between the exhaustion of recent days and the sedative, Nangong Yan slept soundly. After kindly covering her with a thin quilt, the two quietly withdrew.
"Things are mostly settled now. Where are Muxue and her precious disciple? They’re nowhere to be found. Honestly, Muxue used to be so diligent, but ever since she got together with that fool, she’s either out playing or sleeping. Look at the Palace now—everything is dumped on the two of us. I think we should just run away ourselves one of these days."
"That’s a bit unfair," Yin Liuli replied. "It’s true Chu Ruo loves to play, but she has matured a lot. She handles the Palace affairs promptly without negligence. It’s only because Muxue is pregnant that she wants to keep her happy. Otherwise, with her old personality, she’d have dragged Muxue down the mountain long ago. At most, they’re just idling away at the Icy Frost Cave. Let them have some peace for a few days. They’ve been through too much. Even though the Old Palace Master is dealt with, Muxue’s pregnancy... the Old Palace Master was truly terrifying. Muxue is pregnant, Yunshuang lost an arm... even in the end, she refused to let anyone be at peace."
"I know, but the more I think about it, the more I fear. They’ve all met with misfortune. Liuli, will you and I...?"
"We won't." Yin Liuli took the woman’s hand. With Nan Menghua—that great taboo—gone, the Palace seemed to have come alive again. This simple gesture was something they wouldn't have dared dream of before. "I will always be by your side."
"Seeing Muxue and Yan'er makes me so anxious. I’m afraid we’re next..."
"You’re just borrowing trouble. I may not be as skilled in martial arts as Muxue or Yan'er, but I will do everything in my power to protect you. Trust me."
Duan Ning finally relaxed a little at those words. She asked, half-joking, "Then... what exactly are we?"
...
When Nangong Yan woke again, it was dark outside. As the Fourth Protector, she knew she shouldn't have slept that long. Casting aside the quilt, she felt a flicker of warmth at the kindness of her friends, but in the next second, her expression paled. "Yunshuang?!"
The bed was empty. Everything had been fine when she fell asleep—why was she gone? She stumbled toward the door, frantic to find her.
Just as she was about to trip, a hand caught her firmly. Nangong Yan’s face was a mix of joy and shock. "You—where did you go!"
Nan Yunshuang’s face was still pale, her voice weak from exhaustion. "Now that you're awake..."
"Nan Yunshuang!" Nangong Yan roared in a fit of pique. "What do you take me for? You wake up and just leave without a word? You bastard! I was so worried, all these days..."
Her voice trailed off into a whisper as tears began to fall. The same hand that had caught her reached out to wipe them away. "I saw how tired you were. You stayed by my side all those days; even while unconscious, I could feel it. You needed rest."
"Go away! Do you have any idea how worried I was? Do you?! And then you just vanish the moment you wake up. What do you want from me!"
Nan Yunshuang poured a cup of hot tea and pushed it toward her. "Have you scolded me enough? Drink some tea, rest a moment, and then you can continue."
"I’m not drinking it. Since the Great Protector is fine, there’s no reason for me to stay..."
"Yan'er," the other woman caught her with her remaining hand. Nangong Yan’s heart softened the moment she saw the empty right sleeve. That arm was lost for her sake. "Sit with me for a while."
Nangong Yan didn't answer but helped her sit down, pushing the tea back toward her. "Your hand..."
"It is just an arm. It won't stop me from wielding a sword."
Such a casual dismissal, yet Nangong Yan felt a bitter ache in her heart. "Why did you do it? You were controlled by her because of me, because of all of us."
"She used you and Liuli to threaten me. I am not that noble. My only strength was used to protect the people I care about."
"Where did you go?"
"Just to the doorway. After sleeping for so many days, the room felt stifling. You were asleep and I didn't want to wake you. I had something to discuss with Muxue and was going to look for her, but then you woke up, so I came back in."
The atmosphere wasn't exactly romantic, but it was better than before. It had been a long time since such a beautiful blush had graced Nangong Yan’s face. she lowered her head to look at the teacup, but before she could speak, a voice from outside interrupted. "What did you want to discuss with me?"
"Muxue is here." The two inside rose. Ever since the day Nan Menghua fell from the cliff, there was always another figure by Nan Muxue’s side. "Quick, sit."
"I’m here too! Why didn't you ask me to sit?"
Nangong Yan rolled her eyes. "Do I need to ask? You’re more at home here than anyone."
"I’m telling you, you are seriously un-cute."
Nan Muxue ignored the bickering pair, her eyes fixed solely on Nan Yunshuang. She asked again, "You have something for me?"
"Yes."
"I hope it is the news I want to hear."
Both were among the top figures of the Hundred Flowers Palace. To an outsider, they might have seemed to be speaking in riddles, but they shared a rare understanding. "Yes. That belly of yours... it is fake."
Chu Ruo and Nangong Yan were overjoyed—this was something they could understand. But before they could celebrate, Nan Yunshuang’s expression remained grim. She added, "And yet, it is not."
Chu Ruo was stunned. "Is it or isn't it? You’re being very cryptic." Her impression of this woman was... complicated. It had been terrible, then softened slightly after learning her circumstances, but it still wasn't great. After all, this woman had tried to kill her several times. They weren't close, and Chu Ruo felt she still resembled that old viper, Nan Menghua, in some ways.
Nan Yunshuang actually glanced at Chu Ruo and laughed quite rudely. "You really have no patience."
"I—"
Nan Muxue pressed a hand on Chu Ruo’s. "Let Yunshuang finish."
"It is true there is no real pregnancy," Nan Yunshuang continued. "But it is a 'False Gestation'."
"False Gestation?" Chu Ruo and Nangong Yan asked in unison. Nangong Yan continued, "Yunshuang, explain. If there’s no pregnancy, why is Muxue’s belly growing?"
"What is inside her is not a child, but a Gu parasite."
"What?!" Chu Ruo bolted upright. "Muxue was poisoned with a Gu?"
"Originally, the Palace Master did intend for Muxue to be truly pregnant. she had even chosen the man. However, she later changed her mind. She once asked me which was better: a real pregnancy or a Gu toxin. I answered the latter..."
"Why would you choose a Gu?! You caused Muxue to end up like this, you—"
Nan Yunshuang interrupted her with a sharp look. "If it were your choice, would you rather the woman you love be defiled, or be infected with a Gu?"
"I... why would I choose? I wouldn't choose either!" It was true—no one would want either option. But when Nan Menghua forced a decision, what choice was there? Still, Chu Ruo’s heart burned with resentment.
Nan Yunshuang shook her head. "Once the Palace Master decided something, do you think there was any room for negotiation? She asked me only to test me; she already had her answer. Besides, this outcome was the best for you both. At least you won't be plunged into agony because of a child. You know Muxue’s nature; she is proud. She would never have accepted her body being desecrated."
Nan Muxue, who had remained silent, spoke calmly. She was always composed, colder than thousand-year-old ice—except when she was with Chu Ruo. "Yunshuang is right. This is my mother’s style. Everything was within her plan. She simply didn't expect to fail."
Nangong Yan asked, "But why did she change her mind?"
Nan Yunshuang took over. "We all know the Palace Master’s methods. She always delighted in psychological torture. The mere mention of the Hundred Flowers Palace Master makes people shudder. She loved to play simple tricks to fool her enemies, watching them fly into a rage before revealing the truth. She used this to break countless people, trampling their dignity until it was worthless. The more you cherish something, the more she must destroy it, making life worse than death by crushing you from within. Muxue was no exception. She didn't need a real pregnancy; a tiny Gu was enough to destroy your relationship. She wanted to ruin what you thought was indestructible, then reveal the truth bit by bit as you suffered in agony, savoring the feeling of playing with your lives. She just didn't expect to lose. Had she won, this secret would have remained hidden until it drove Chu Ruo mad."
"The Old Palace Master... she was truly terrifying," Nangong Yan said, a chill running through her. Nan Yunshuang poured her more hot tea.
Chu Ruo had always known Nan Menghua was a pervert, but hearing this made her blood run cold. It was a close call! They had almost fallen for it. The woman had lied to Muxue, to her, to the Palace, and to the whole world. She was willing to sacrifice the century-old reputation of the Palace and her own daughter’s honor just to punish them. Chu Ruo could handle it, but how could she do that to her own flesh and blood?
Chu Ruo clenched her fists, her eyes blazing with fury. "She’s insane! How could she do this to Muxue!" To ruin her daughter’s reputation in an era where a woman’s honor was everything... it was despicable. If Nan Muxue hadn't been so calculating, if Nan Menghua had been the one laughing at the end, she would have slowly tortured them, separating them forever. She almost succeeded. She knew her daughter; she knew the pride in her bones. When Muxue thought she had been defiled, the pain was so great Chu Ruo had almost lost her. And in the end, that viperous woman would have mocked them, calling it all a lie and calling Chu Ruo a fool. Chu Ruo didn't even want to imagine that day. Thank god they were the ones who won.
*Thud!* The table cracked under Chu Ruo’s hand. Nan Muxue took her hand. "It’s over. Nothing more will happen."
"No," Nan Yunshuang shook her head. "Do you know why I came to find you the moment I woke up?"
Nan Muxue’s expression turned grave. "It seems you don't have the cure for this Gu."
"I don't."
"What?!"
Chu Ruo and Nangong Yan stood up again, panic in their eyes. "How... how can that be..."
"This is called a 'Pregnancy Gu.' As the name suggests, your pulse, your body shape, and your physical reactions are identical to a real pregnancy. I’m sure the girl from the Divine Physician’s family found nothing amiss when she checked your pulse. But while others carry a child, you carry a parasite—one that will slowly grow and consume everything within you. Its growth cycle is the same as a human gestation, and your symptoms will match. But as the 'birth' approaches, it will grow larger and larger, devouring your internal energy, your blood, and your flesh, before finally bursting from your abdomen. You must find the cure before that happens."
"Where do we find it?"
"This is a Gu from the Miao Territory. It is never shared with outsiders. I don't know how the Palace Master obtained it. While the Gu is still young, its consumption rate is tied to its size. For now, it won't harm you, and the Frigid Ice Sword Qi in your body can slow its growth. But you must act quickly."
Nangong Yan looked worried. "But I’ve heard the people of the Miao Territory are eccentric and hostile. Their lands in the southwest are isolated from the world. Few who go there ever return. They set up layers of barriers, traps, poisonous flora, and strange beasts..."
"No matter how dangerous, we must go. I won't let anything happen to Muxue." Chu Ruo’s gaze was as steady as steel. "I’ll set out tomorrow."
"I am going with you."
"Muxue, you—"
"There is no debate. I told you, I will not be separated from you. I will not watch you leave my sight again."
"It’s too dangerous."
Muxue smiled. "Which is why your Master must go. Besides, if you go alone and have to come back for me, the travel time alone would be a waste."
Nangong Yan spoke up. "We should all go together. There’s safety in numbers."
"No. the four of you must stay and manage the Palace. Yunshuang just woke up, and she needs to adapt to... her arm. Keep searching the area where my mother fell. I hope my intuition is wrong, but I feel she might still be alive."
"That’s impossible," Nangong Yan argued. "From that height? There’s no way up from down there. The disciples are guarding it in shifts; nothing will happen. Even if she survived the fall, she’d be severely crippled."
"Enough of that. The four of you come to the study tonight. I will hand over the Palace affairs. This time, only Ruo'er and I are going. No one else."
Late that night...
"Ruo'er."
"Hmm? Not asleep yet?"
Nan Muxue caressed her. "Is it too dull, following me?"
"Why would you ask that?"
"I have always preferred quiet, and the Hundred Flowers Palace isn't exactly an exciting place..."
Chu Ruo pulled her into a tight embrace. "It is very quiet, yes. But I like any place where you are."
Muxue kissed her. "If you hadn't had experience coaxing other girls before, how could you say such sweet things now?"
"Look at that mouth of yours—you’re so sharp when you’re teasing me, my Little Scorpion... mmph..."
*Sigh. I can kiss her, but I can't touch her.* Chu Ruo thought. She had hoped the "fake pregnancy" meant they were in the clear, but this was an even bigger headache. Still, no matter what, she had to protect her Little Scorpion. After all, she was the "Gong"—she had to look after her wife.
***
