The wind blew slightly past the twelve men as they approached the foot of the mountain. From their vantage point, they could see the tall manor of the Gu family standing against the sky, a towering monument to power and constraint.
Zhu Mingyang, holding tightly onto Gu Yingjie's hand, deliberately slowed his pace, his grip tightening almost painfully. His hesitation did not escape Gu Yingjie.
"Mingyang," Gu Yingjie said softly, his voice a gentle acknowledgment of the resistance. "It doesn't matter how slow your pace is. Sooner or later, we will reach the doorstep as long as we are moving."
Zhu Mingyang continued walking, his steps heavy, but offered no verbal reply. Deep inside his heart, the defiant, desperate thought formed: Yingjie, then should we turn around and walk the opposite direction? Yet, though he dared to think it, he dared not speak it.
The slow breeze continued to drift past them, and after a difficult hour of walking, Zhu Mingyang, Gu Yingjie, and the ten guards finally arrived at the imposing manor. The door greeter informed them that Gu Xiaowen, Gu Jingjing, and their guards had already arrived. The rivalry had begun.
As they stepped into the entrance hall, Yuan Chaomei rushed out to greet them.
"Jingjie," she said with a bright smile, walking straight toward the couple. Without hesitation, she reached out and took Gu Yingjie's hand directly from Zhu Mingyang's grip, executing a swift, physical maneuver of separation.
She then looked at Zhu Mingyang, her smile polite but firm. "I can take care of him from here. You can go rest now, guard Zhu." The formal address acted as a clear dismissal.
Gu Yingjie smiled at Zhu Mingyang, his expression gentle, agreeing to the public separation. "Mingyang, your wound has not healed yet, so you can rest."
Zhu Mingyang watched as Yuan Chaomei happily took Gu Yingjie's arm and led him toward his master's quarters. He then turned and went back to his own room. He sat down and began to undress, peeling back the cloth from his injury. The sword wound had healed only slightly; when he pressed on it, the sharp pain was still undeniable.
A soft knock came at his door, breaking the silence of his self-care.
"The door is not locked," Zhu Mingyang called out, his voice slightly rough. "You can come in."
Lin Ruchao walked in, a tray of food in his hands, and set it on the small table. The old guard, his face etched with worry, then moved to help Zhu Mingyang cover the sword wound, wrapping the cloth with practiced care before sitting down.
"Mingyang," Lin Ruchao began, his voice low and solemn. "You must remember your role. The young master Yingjie is your master, and you are his guard. Your feelings for him will only hurt you in the future."
He sighed heavily. "Believe me, we may be given the title 'guard,' but in fact we are slaves who only live for today, because we don't know whether we will die for the master tomorrow. You do know that Master Yingjie is the heir of the Gu family, and the relationship between the two of you is utterly unacceptable."
Lin Ruchao paused, ensuring the full weight of his next words landed. "If the relationship between the two of you is revealed, Master Yingjie will receive thirty whips and he will be hook for ten days."
Zhu Mingyang met the older guard's gaze, the knowledge a heavy burden in his eyes. "I know."
Lin Ruchao leaned forward, his voice dropping to a near whisper, detailing the final, devastating consequence. "And you know that his heir title will be taken away. After that, he will be locked for the rest of his life down in the underground prison cell."
Zhu Mingyang let out a weary sigh. "I know."
"If you know, what will you do?" Lin Ruchao pressed.
Zhu Mingyang looked away, defeat heavy in his voice. "I don't know."
"Then listen to me," Lin Ruchao commanded. "Don't walk in the same path as me." He looked intently at the young guard. "Since you were very young until now, the way your eyes looked at young master Yingjie has not changed. This means your feeling for him is still the same."
Zhu Mingyang's gaze snapped up, suddenly understanding the depth of the old guard's knowledge and empathy. "You knew?"
Lin Ruchao offered a sorrowful smile. "I've eaten more salt than you've eaten rice, Mingyang. How could I not figure it out?" He continued, his eyes full of sympathy. "I also know that young master Yingjie feels the same for you, but he knows where he should draw the line. I hope you know it too."
The conversation was abruptly halted when a servant hurried into the room. "Guard Zhu, the young master wants to meet you right away."
Zhu Mingyang looked at Lin Ruchao, the gravity of their discussion temporarily suspended. "I have to go. I will talk to you later."
He followed the servant straight to Gu Yingjie's study room. As Zhu Mingyang entered, Gu Yingjie looked up and smiled, a pure, unmistakable relief washing over his face.
"Mingyang, is that you?" Gu Yingjie reached out across the desk without hesitation and grabbed Zhu Mingyang's hand, reclaiming his anchor in the turbulent Gu Household.
"Yes," Zhu Mingyang confirmed, tightening his grip on Gu Yingjie's hand. He was too relieved to be with him to heed Lin Ruchao's warning just yet. "Why do you call me? Where is your wife?"
Gu Yingjie smiled, a radiant, undisguised joy lighting his face. "I am very happy, Mingyang. That's why I want to share this with you first."
"What's the matter?" Zhu Mingyang asked, fear and hope warring in his chest.
Gu Yingjie's smile broadened, sealing his fate and Zhu Mingyang's doom in the same breath. "Chaomie is pregnant." He beamed at his guard. "I'm going to be a father."
Zhu Mingyang's face went dark, the blood draining from his features. His heart did not just sink; it trembled, physically recoiling from the blow. He remained gripping Gu Yingjie's hand, yet said nothing.
The broken promise. Gu Yingjie had once assured him that even if he married Yuan Chaomei for the family, he would never let her become pregnant. Over the years, Yingjie had done many things that had broken Zhu Mingyang's heart, but he had always endured it, his love for his master greater than any pain or broken vow. But this time, his heart was completely, irreparably shattered. This was not just a heartbreak; it was the end of their impossible dream.
Gu Yingjie's radiant smile slowly faded as he noticed the chilling silence and the dead look in his guard's eyes. He squeezed the hand he held, his voice suddenly laced with fear and confusion.
"Mingyang..." he asked. "Are you unhappy?"
Zhu Mingyang met the question with a single, devastating word. "Congratulations."
The cold formality failed to register immediately on Gu Yingjie's joyful face. "I want to celebrate," he said, still beaming. "Tonight, let us celebrate."
Zhu Mingyang's heart clenched, and the words that followed were laced with profound pain. "You do what you have to do," he stated, the warmth gone from his voice. "I have no objection, because I am simply just your guard."
Gu Yingjie's face finally lost its joy. The hurt in Zhu Mingyang's voice had hit him like a physical blow, forcing him to address the reason for the silence. He defended himself, invoking the same duty that had just shattered his lover. "Mingyang, I am not you. I have responsibility."
"I know," Zhu Mingyang said, cutting him off, his voice flat and empty. "Is there anything else?"
Gu Yingjie leaned forward, desperate to prevent the chasm from opening completely. "Mingyang, you knew how I treat you..."
Zhu Mingyang cut him off, his voice flat and empty, accepting the full burden of their impossible situation. "I know, you don't need to say anything. I know my role."
At that precise moment, Yuan Chaomei and her maid walked through the study door. Yuan Chaomei's gaze fixed on Zhu Mingyang—cold and assessing—before she turned sweetly to her husband.
"Yingjie, I have prepared dinner." She then looked back at Zhu Mingyang, issuing a public challenge veiled as courtesy. "Guard Zhu, please join us."
Zhu Mingyang offered no emotion in return. "Madam, Guard Lin brought me food already. I am taking my leave." He looked once at Gu Yingjie, whose hands were now happily wrapped around his wife's, and the sight was the final, defining heartbreak. Zhu Mingyang turned sharply and walked out, offering neither Gu Yingjie nor Yuan Chaomei the courtesy of waiting for their consent.
Zhu Mingyang returned to his room, finding Lin Ruchao still seated, patiently waiting.
The moment the older guard looked at Zhu Mingyang's face—the dark eyes and the rigid line of his jaw—he knew the news was devastating.
"What is it?" Lin Ruchao asked softly.
Zhu Mingyang sank onto his cushion, his mind racing past the pain to the only solution left. "Senior Lin, as a guard of the Gu family, can we redeem our freedom and walk away?"
Lin Ruchao let out a slow breath, confirming the possibility with a grave warning. "Yes, but maybe not worth it."
"How?" Zhu Mingyang demanded, his gaze intense with a desperate new purpose.
Lin Ruchao confirmed the rules with grim finality. "If your master chooses a new guard, you can ask to leave." He paused, his expression solemn. "However, for every year you lived in the Gu's house, you will receive one whip on your back."
He continued, delivering the lethal part of the contract. "After that, you will drink the poison of 'forgetfulness'. The poison works slow, but within three months you will begin to lose your memory and will die within a year." Lin Ruchao looked at Zhu Mingyang, his own pain evident. "Did young master Yingjie say something that upset you?"
Zhu Mingyang's eyes were fixed on the wall, the pain too deep for tears. "Yingjie is going to be a father," he stated, the words devoid of emotion. "He is going to throw a celebratory dinner tonight."
Lin Ruchao looked at the young man with deep empathy. "Mingyang, maybe this is for the best."
"Senior Lin," Zhu Mingyang countered, his voice heavy. "Why don't you leave?"
"My master has never chosen another guard," Lin Ruchao replied, a tragedy in his voice. "I cannot leave because this is part of the contract I signed when I sought protection from the Gu. Look at me. I have spent my whole life here. If I decided to leave the Gu Household, I will not be able to withstand the sixty-two whips on my back."
Zhu Mingyang looked at the old guard, then straightened, his mind suddenly clear. "Senior Lin, I want to leave Gu's house."
"Are you sure?" Lin Ruchao asked, the finality of the choice weighing on him.
Zhu Mingyang's gaze was steady, resolute in his despair. "I would rather die somewhere watching the sunrise," he vowed, speaking his truth for the first time, "than die here watching Yingjie love another person. I have enough pain."