Unrepentant

Chapter 13:She was not his most special person for those past 10 years

The second prince's death really brought about a stir not small in size. Reportedly, Shu guifei had cried all night and had still not recovered. It was said that the emperor was furious and had demanded a thorough investigation into the culprits. All of the second prince's subordinates who were guarding him, even those working the night shift at Vermillion Bird Gate that night, were beheaded. All the servants were interrogated one by one. Even the princes, princesses, and imperial concubines were questioned in turn.

For a while, the palace was panicked.

Learning about how the second prince had dragged numerous people to the grave with him, Gu Hong Jian momentarily became a bit despondent.

I didn't kill Boren, but Boren died because of me...1

She had not anticipated that her assassination would be calamitous to so many innocent people.

Seeing her somewhat depressed, Lin Si Ze comforted her, saying, "This is an imperial degree my Imperial Father set down. It has no relation to you."

"Yes, your heavenly family's lives are quite valuable... We all have lowly lives, where if we die—we die. If a member of your family dies, you also drag in countless others to their deaths. The second prince himself refused to allow those Imperial bodyguards to shadow him, and when he died, it was, on the contrary, those bodyguards in the wrong."

Lin Si Ze scowled. "What's going on with you? That day, you have been acting odd from sun up to sun down. Talking about how lowly your life is...be at ease, if you suffer a sudden death in the future, I will certainly make all those you did not like to follow you to the grave."

"Then you'll be the first to die!" Gu Hong Jian coldly sneered.

Lin Si Ze, not knowing whether to laugh or cry, said, "What is the matter with you? Even if you are not feeling happy, why are you venting your anger at me?"

Gu Hong Jian thought for a moment. She hadn't been venting her anger at Lin Si Ze; rather, she was angry at Lin Si Ze.

She didn't know how this started, but she ultimately said, despite her thoughts and feelings being numerous and disorderly, "If...what would happen, if one day, Zuo Ning Yan died?"

Lin Si Ze's expression minutely changed. He stated, "She's perfectly all right; how could she die?"

"Then wasn't I, who am also perfectly all right, just cursed to die by you?!" Gu Hong Jian fell just short of flipping the table.

Lin Si Ze helplessly appeased, "You...okay, okay, you will also not die. I simply wanted to amuse you and make you happy earlier."

No, this absolutely was not like that.

Gu Hong Jian slightly tightened her fists.

Because in Lin Si Ze's mind, Gu Hong Jian was the same as him. The edge of a knife licking blood, groping, crawling, rolling about in the treacherous palace to seek survival...if inattentive for but a moment, one would inevitably die without even an intact corpse left behind. Meanwhile, Zuo Ning Yan was different. She stayed far away from this filthy imperial palace and was refreshingly pure and clean. Thus, she was 'perfectly all right' and not likely to die as a result.

Gu Hong Jiang could finally no longer bear it and haltingly said, "Lin Si Ze...do you...like Zuo Ning Yan?"

Lin Si Ze blanked. A trace of a smile touched his lips when he answered, "I am also uncertain about this. But I do admit there is some fondness."

He unexpectedly admitted this.

He unexpectedly, without any awkwardness or shyness, admitted this so calmly?!