The Villain Loaded My System

Chapter 74

“Madam, this is the medicinal soup that the kitchen has made for you today.”

Gu Xiyu had just gotten up and opened the door when someone thoughtfully brought him medicine. It was just that this matter had somehow changed from being Xia Qiu’s responsibility to Chen Wei’s.

‘The “dignified second master” of the fortress had personally come to bring him medicine, probably because the fortress master’s orders were more important than anything else,’ Gu Xiyu thought.

He looked at the dark brown soup on the table, and his heart went from being repulsed at first to being unruffled.

In fact, Gu Xiyu liked the sweet and sour taste more than the bitter one, which was particularly uncomfortable when he first came to this world.

When he first came to this world, he was particularly unaccustomed to it. Now—his taste buds were probably immune to the word bitter.

The medicine he drank could have been lighter, but a few days ago, he felt better and accidentally stayed out too long and woke up the next day with a headache and cough.

He could still remember the way the doctor looked at him as if he were a rebellious child, chanting, “Madam, you must take good care of your health, if the Lord finds that your health has not improved, he will suspect that my medical skills are incompetent.”

Gu Xiyu didn’t touch the bowl of medicinal soup right away but said to Chen Wei, “There must be a lot of things to deal with in the fortress, right? It’s too much trouble to bring me medicine from the east courtyard every day. Just leave it to Xia Qiu and the others.”

But Chen Wei smiled, like a sunny young man: “We are just a small fortress, and we don’t like to get involved in outside matters regularly, so our affairs are not as complicated as you think.”

Gu Xiyu didn’t say anything else.

It was good that he could spend more time with Chen Wei, so he could learn more about him. The others had no doubt about his orders and arrangements, which showed how much trust they had in him.

One thing was for sure: Chen Wei was quite considerate, at least more than the fortress master called Ah Wen. Perhaps it was because he subconsciously thought that ‘girls’ didn’t like bitter things, so Chen Wei would bring him some kind of candied fruit or sugar when he brought him medicine. He silently lamented why the spy he needed to deal with was Chen Wei instead of Ah Wen.

Gu Xiyu picked up the bowl and drank the bitter medicine without changing his expression, but his eyes, which were slightly hidden by his eyelids, were heavy with thoughts.

It had been a little more than half a month since the fortress master had left the fortress, which, according to the people here, was normal and not something to worry about. Given his status, the people of the fortress bore him little ill will, and instead took advantage of this time to get on slightly better terms with him. He tried to find out from their mouths, including his observations of Chen Wei’s daily routine, where he could strike.

However, he could not find anything.

Chen Wei disguised himself so well, or perhaps he hadn’t made much of a point of disguising himself, as his personality made it easy for him to get along with people and they wouldn’t be on their guard against him.

If it weren’t for the system’s mission, Gu Xiyu felt that he might have become one of them.

It was so easy to get along with someone like Chen Wei.

He had spent several days pondering over the reason why Chen Wei was lurking in this fortress on behalf of the First Prince.

He finished the bowl of medicine and had just stuffed the candy Chen Wei gave him into his mouth when he heard the man who was skillfully cleaning up his empty bowl speak, “Speaking of which, I heard something from my brothers when I was wandering around the fortress yesterday.”

Gu Xiyu paused and raised his eyes toward Chen Wei, who was standing at the table.

Chen Wei had a troubled look on his face, “When I was out earlier, I happened to receive the news that the Dayan Kingdom was marrying their princess to the Third Prince of our Yao Kingdom in exchange for peace, but the bridal party escorting the young princess met some trouble when they entered the territory of the Yao Kingdom. They are all saying that it was the bandits of Tianyun Zhai who made the move, but the princess escaped without being caught.”

At these words, he got up and walked to the screen to put on his coat, turning his back to Chen Wei and asking in a light voice, “I’ve heard about this too; what’s wrong?”

A moment later, Chen Wei’s uncertain voice with a slightly gossipy tone came over, “Nothing, I just remembered that you seemed to have been captured by …… at that exact same time, and you were wearing wedding clothes as well. Everyone said that you were a runaway bride.”

In short, Chen Wei suspected that he was the missing princess.

Although Gu Xiyu was not the princess, he thought about it and calmly turned to Chen Wei after putting on his outer cloak and said, “You are right in thinking.”

“I am indeed the princess of the Dayan Kingdom that the imperial palace is looking for.” With that, he sneered, his tone sounding a little bitter as he said, “So what?”

“There is no way that the fortress master would let me leave, nor would he allow the people of the palace to come to look for me here. Even if they did find me, I have been wearing a red veil from the moment we set off, and no one in the Yao Kingdom can prove that I am really that princess.”

Although Chen Wei was talkative, he could not be said to be a very gossipy person. Moreover, no one else knew about his identity except the fortress master and Liu Ping. Chen Wei’s attitude of suddenly bringing up this matter and desperately wanting to confirm the answer was a bit strange.

Gu Xiyu wasn’t sure if he was overthinking it, but he intended to hook Chen Wei in.

“Are you …… really that princess of the Dayan Kingdom?” Chen Wei’s shock was a little greater than he expected. He confirmed it several times before finally sitting at the table with his head in his hands and sighing, “Oh my god.”

Gu Xiyu was confused, “You look even more distressed than I am.”

Chen Wei said solemnly, “Of course, this matter is too serious! Let’s not mention the fact that the Third Prince, Wei Chiyan, is a terrible man. The fact that the fortress master has kidnapped you is like offending the palace, just like giving a letter of war. If the Third Prince were to pursue the matter, everyone in the fortress would be in danger.”

This was true, and it was something that confused Gu Xiyu.

Ah Wen obviously attached great importance to Luohe fortress, so how could he put the fortress before the sword simply because of a whim?

After a short silence, he heard Chen Wei lower his voice and say, “Of course, another point is that I personally disagree with the fortress master’s decision.”

“Although most marriages are arranged by parents and matchmakers, there is no room for choice, and very few couples are truly in love with each other. But it is not wise for the fortress master to hold you against your will …….”

“This is very unfair to you.”

Gu Xiyu felt that Chen Wei was quite eloquent. If he were Murong Qingwan, he would definitely feel that his words spoke to his heart and resonated with him, as if he had found someone in the same camp as himself in the midst of confusion.

He pursed his lips, and only after a long time did he respond, “This world is inherently unfair.”

“People like me, who are not capable, do not have the power to choose.”

As if he had made much deliberation and had made up his mind, Chen Wei lowered his voice and said to him, “…… Miss Gu, if you don’t mind and are willing to trust me, perhaps I can help you escape the fortress.”

Gu Xiyu was surprised, “You mean, you want to help me?”

After a pause, he asked again, “Why? You are from the Luohe Fortress, the most loyal deputy of the fortress master. You are betraying him by doing so.”

“I am only putting the fortress first.” Chen Wei replied reasonably, and seemed to be struggling inwardly: “The fortress master was a bit too capricious this time, he has so many things to deal with so it is not impossible for him to occasionally get carried away and make a wrong decision. Apart from thinking that this matter is wrong, I don’t want the fortress to be pushed into the storm.”

The matter had not yet come to a conclusion, but Chen Wei already had the expression of a warrior determined to die for the greater good.

If not for Gu Xiyu’s system and God’s perspective, he would have believed Chen Wei’s ‘heartfelt words’. With his identity as a spy, surely he wouldn’t really think that much about Luohe Fortress, which meant he was trying to help him get away for other purposes.

…… But, for what reason?

Could it be for the sake of Tianyun Zhai? The only people who were so desperate to catch him recently would be the Tianyun Zhai bandits. But Chen Wei was the First Prince’s man, and Tianyun Zhai had been at war with the palace for many years, so it should not have anything to do with the First Prince, who had just become the Crown Prince.

Gu Xiyu was still thinking about the relationship between the two when Chen Wei, who thought he was worried for himself, turned to him and said, “Don’t worry, I will bear the consequences and also explain to the fortress master my reasons for doing so.”

“I have seen the way your fortress master handles the people he detains, aren’t you afraid he will punish you?” Gu Xiyu asked.

Chen Wei was optimistic: “We have fought side by side for many years, I think he will understand my painstaking consideration for the fortress.” He said, scratching his head, “If it doesn’t work, I’ll just follow you and escape as well.”

“As long as Luohe Fortress can be safe, I don’t care if I will be heavily punished.”

As he said this, Chen Wei looked up and looked at him solemnly, “The focus is still on you, are you willing to take this risk with me?”

Gu Xiyu had promised Ah Wen that he would be obedient. The other party also promised to send him to Wei Chiyan when he was done with his business. Of course, there was a certain probability that Ah Wen had deceived him and hadn’t actually intended to do so, but Gu Xiyu still decided to believe it.

It just felt as if responding to the ‘straw’ Chen Wei had offered would help expose the other party’s true colors in front of Ah Wen and the people of the fortress. The so-called escape was certainly not that simple, and it sounded a bit risky, but Commander Gu liked the excitement it brought him.

So he gave a slightly grateful look and bowed his head in thanks, “I beg of you.”

“I made this trip just for Wei Chiyan, the only person I want to marry in this world is him. Whether he will dislike me in the future for having been abducted into the mountains, I am willing to at least have the chance to see him once.”

Commander Gu was determined to see this play through to the end.

He didn’t miss the look in Chen Wei’s eyes that he tried hard to suppress but still accidentally showed. HH probably didn’t expect that there would be someone who would love the notorious prince, who already had several dead brides.

Naturally, the escape plan could not be carried out immediately; it required the right time, the right place, and the right people.

And on the evening of the day they had quietly made their agreement, the fortress master, who had disappeared for half a month, returned. With him watching, the escape plan had to be delayed for a while.

Many people went to the gate to greet the fortress master when he returned, but Gu Xiyu was not well and had a good reason to stay waiting in the courtyard. His and the fortress master’s quarters were actually on higher ground, and if he climbed a little higher into the front yard, he could directly see the gate far below.

For example, now that he has not moved for a long time, Gu Xiyu took advantage of his better mental state to climb up to the big tree in the front yard. It took a lot of effort to climb up, and he was so slow, but he took every step steadily.

He sat on the trunk of the tree, hidden by the dense foliage, quietly gazing down at the view below, and his depression at not seeing the great demon seemed to have eased a little.

If this broken body could be healthier, he could probably sit here all day and not have anyone bother him.

Gu Xiyu was hoping to prank this fortress master. He expected the other party to look for him, and then he escaped. It would surely make the other party furious.

But Ah Wen was so observant that before he returned to his courtyard, his eyes had already fallen on him from afar. This stronger insight and a keen mind for certain things reminded him once again of the mission target.

It was mainly the way he looked at him that always made him feel this sense of familiarity.

But Gu Xiyu didn’t think much about it, it was impossible for the system to set the wrong target.

By the time the man returned to the courtyard, Gu Xiyu, who had been spotted, had come down from the tree and was sitting outside at the stone table, waiting. A few dried leaves had fallen on the tabletop, and he didn’t make a move to sweep them away, sitting there in a quiet manner, like a maiden peacefully waiting for her husband to come home.

Wei Chiyan laughed at the idea in his heart, thinking to himself that this ‘maiden’ had just climbed up a tree—where was the peace?

“You’re back.” Perhaps it was an illusion, but Wei Chiyan felt like Gu Xiyu’s tone sounded a little regretful.

But he was in a good mood and did not intend to bother Gu Xiyu over such a trivial matter. He directly put the jade he had brought back from the palace in front of Gu Xiyu, lifted his chin slightly, and said, “Whether you are happy about it or not, your status as the wife of the fortress master is the face of my fortress. Since I said I would bring you something, I will naturally give you the best.”

Gu Xiyu did not expect him to really get something back and was stunned for a while before he raised his hand to hold the white jade table in his hand, the coldness on it slowly melting with the temperature of his palm.

He turned it over, his eyes settling on the engraved mark in the corner of the jade tablet.

The word “Yan” was engraved in a grid smaller than the nail of a pinky finger, with a bit of gold paint on it.

…the Yan in Wei Chiyan?