So Yinzhu took the deer and walked ahead of the two with a heart full of doubts, calculating the time while walking.
Su Huanfeng followed Gu Ying closely with some anxiety showing on his handsome face, occasionally glancing back at the man behind him.
Seeing the man's gloomy expression, Su Huanfeng's heart thumped wildly, having an ominous premonition.
In his heart he tearfully called for his dad one moment and mom the next, afraid that something might go wrong with LiWang Bow, and then the dark Yama behind him would surely mercilessly cut him into pieces, or even have his old man personally punish him by banishing him to the border troops without allowing him to return!
He swallowed, looked around nervously, and kept chanting to himself as he walked.
As a faithful man, Su Huanfeng is here to sincerely pray to the gods and immortals in the sky, please protect LiWang Bow from any mishaps, but if something does happen... Don't make me kneel down and beg you!
Unfortunately, man proposes, God disposes.
Before he could finish his mumbling, as soon as they approached Gu Ying's camp, a commotion of maidservants arguing and scuffling was heard from inside.
"Sister Qingfeng, why are you framing me!"
"When did I frame you? Who told you I framed you?"
"If Sister Mingyue hadn't told me, I wouldn't have known it was you who deliberately broke the bowstring and waited for me to go touch it, just so the young miss would get angry at me and lose hope in me, in order to drive me out! I knew it, I hadn't even touched the bowstring yet it broke! It must have been you!"
"Mingyue, you cheap slut—" Someone was infuriated and a crisp slap rang out.
Someone cried again, "Sister Qingfeng, you did it so just admit it, why bother denying it?!"
Another sobbed, "It wasn't me who broke LiWang Bow's bowstring, I must tell the young miss right now!"
As soon as this was uttered, it was like a clap of thunder exploding above Su Huanfeng's head.
He staggered on the spot, forcing an awkward smile as he looked at Zhao Changdu, "Brother Du...Did I just hear that right?"
Did he hear it wrong?
LiWang Bow's bowstring broke?
That LiWang Bow that Brother Du risked his life fighting the enemy generals to snatch back?
Zhao Changdu knitted his cold eyebrows without a word, slightly turning to the side to look at the ashen-faced girl, his tone icy cold, "Miss Gu the Second, what is going on?"
Gu Ying's fingers trembled as she said, "I..."
The few quarreling maidservants rushed out from the tent and ran right into their masters, instantly freezing in place.
"Young miss...young lord...eldest young lord?"
Everyone in the Gu manor knew that LiWang Bow was sent by the young marquis.
Seeing the huge young Marquis Su now, the maidservants were so frightened they couldn't utter a word.
Gu Ying glanced at Su Huanfeng and Zhao Changdu expressionlessly. Her eyes slightly red, she said angrily yet anxiously, "Explain clearly to the young marquis and eldest young lord, what exactly happened to LiWang Bow's bowstring!"
Yanzhi immediately knelt on the snowy ground upon hearing this, crying and complaining, "Replying to the eldest young lord, young marquis and young miss! A few days ago, Sister Qingfeng falsely accused me of breaking LiWang Bow's bowstring. I didn't know the truth then, which made the young miss disappointed and upset, but today I've learnt that I was framed! The bowstring was broken by Sister Qingfeng early on, she wanted me driven out of Twilight Snow Studio! Sister Mingyue can testify for me!"
Now, Mingyue had no way back. She could only kneel beside Yanzhi and admit to conspiring with Qingfeng to frame Yanzhi, bowing her head in trepidation.
"Oh?" Zhao Changdu's brows and eyes were slightly raised, with indistinguishable mirth swirling at the corners. "So you're saying LiWang Bow was indeed damaged?"
The chill emanating from his smile could freeze the surroundings.
The kneeling maids couldn't help but shudder violently. The eldest young lord's smile was colder than the blizzard around them.
Su Huanfeng was so anxious he cursed aloud, "You silly girls, do you know how precious LiWang Bow is?! That bow... was personally snatched back from the enemy troops by the eldest young lord... He was injured by a knife during the fight for this bow, do you understand?!"
Gu Ying was puzzled. She frowned and looked sharply at Zhao Changdu, "Eldest young lord, wasn't this bow given by the young marquis..."
"Sorry...Gu Ying." Su Huanfeng scratched his head awkwardly and explained, "Actually this bow wasn't from me, it was Brother Du's idea, to send the bow to the Gu family in the name of the marquisate—"
"Is now the time to talk about this?"
Su Huanfeng obediently shrank back when Zhao Changdu interrupted him coldly, shooting Gu Ying a look wishing her good luck.
Gu Ying didn't expect LiWang Bow to be from Zhao Changdu. She was greatly shocked and her thoughts turned chaotic.
She had mentally prepared her excuses to explain to the young marquis over the past two days. But now the target had suddenly changed to the infamously ruthless and vicious eldest young lord of the Duke's manor... She instantly panicked, almost losing her composure.
"Eldest young lord, it's all my fault... I didn't discipline my maids strictly, which led to their outrageous behavior in damaging LiWang Bow... I, I'm willing to compensate the eldest young lord for any loss... if I can afford it..." She was on the verge of tears, really quite flustered now, "that is..."
Zhao Changdu lifted his long lashes slightly, just looking at her act with a calm expression.
The young girl was very composed and steady for her age, also an expert at pretending and acting.
Gu Ying bit her red lips and said earnestly, "Eldest young lord, please believe me, no matter how high the price, I will find a way to repair LiWang Bow's bowstring."
Zhao Changdu's mouth curved ever so slightly.
No matter how high the price?
It was just a bow, no matter how precious. If she was willing to marry him... he wouldn't care about this lifeless object.
The clamor here finally attracted Mrs. Liu over.
She first saw the maids from Twilight Snow Studio kneeling all over the ground, then looked up to see the eldest young lord from the Duke's manor and the young marquis of the Marquisate of Yong'an. Not understanding what was happening, she greeted them and asked, "Eldest young lord, young marquis, what...what's going on here?"
Su Huanfeng glared at Mrs. Liu. Unable to contain his anger, he said, "Madame Gu, how can you still ask what's going on! You should be asking your maids here!"
Mrs. Liu was still confused. How did things become like this in just an afternoon?
It was Zhao Changdu who calmly said, "This matter is of great importance, let's talk inside the camp."
Only then did Mrs. Liu calm herself down and lead everyone into the main Gu tent.
Zhao Changdu leisurely sat in the main seat of the Gu family.
Gu Ying clenched her palms tightly, feeling anxious standing below, secretly glancing up at him from time to time, wondering if he was thinking of how to punish her later...
After all, it was LiWang Bow. She still felt guilty deep down.
For now, she had completely forgotten her own plans, only hoping that he would let her off this time.
