Silence permeated the room, broken only by the clear voice of young Master Yuan, who peeked out from his grandmother’s embrace and called out, “Uncle Gu!”
Gu Yu raised his head, his eyes red and slightly moist. “Young Master Yuan!” He forced a smile. “It’s Uncle Gu who has let you down…” As he spoke, tears welled up in the corners of his eyes.
Dou Zhao exchanged a glance with Duan Gongyi and said, “What are you saying? We’re already grateful that you rushed here from Tianjin. This matter wasn’t under your control, so why take all the responsibility upon yourself? Stand up quickly! If you keep crouching like this, your nephew will laugh at you.”
Duan Gongyi and Chen Xiaofeng moved to help him up, one on each side. Duan Gongyi spoke directly, “Since Master Gu knows about our situation here, has he notified the Crown Prince? Is it true that the King of Liao has entered the palace as they say?”
Gu Yu let them pull him up, seeming a bit dazed. He addressed Dou Zhao, “It was the two scoundrels Aunt assigned to accompany me who gave themselves away. I only learned about Cousin’s situation yesterday. I immediately found a reason to detain them and rushed towards the capital, but I was too late—the city gates were closed. Even with the imperial token the Emperor gave me, I couldn’t enter. Remembering that my Sister-in-law and my nephew were staying at the summer villa in Xiangshan, I decided to come and check on them, but I didn’t expect…”
He lowered his head in anguish.
This meant that Gu Yu hadn’t had the chance to warn Song Mo at all!
Everyone’s hearts sank.
Young Master Yuan called out “Mother” uneasily.
Dou Zhao went over and picked up her son.
Chen Xiaofeng pressed his lips together and stepped forward to bow to her. “Madam, please entrust the young master to us without worry! As long as we draw breath, we won’t let anyone harm a hair on the young master’s head.”
Dawn was approaching. If they could delay until daybreak, they might have a chance to break through the encirclement and find a way to enter the city to contact Song Mo.
Only by contacting Song Mo could they lift the siege on the Xiangshan villa.
But the thought of separating from her son filled Dou Zhao with pain.
She hesitated for a moment before kissing her son’s little face with tears in her eyes and handing Yuan over to Chen Xiaofeng.
Gu Yu immediately understood what they planned to do.
He stood up straight and stepped forward. “Sister-in-law, let me escort Yuan into the city?”
“No!” Dou Zhao shook her head without thinking. “You’re too conspicuous! You should find a way to escape from the villa quickly and send a message to your cousin instead.”
Even sending a message might be too late now, Gu Yu thought to himself, but he dared not say it to Dou Zhao.
“Then I’ll stay here with Sister-in-law!” he said, his eyes flashing with anger. “If they want to take Sister-in-law to the King of Liao’s mansion, they’ll have to step over my dead body first.”
“Things aren’t as bad as you think!” Dou Zhao felt a surge of emotion and gently tried to persuade him. “They just want to capture me and Yuan to threaten your cousin…”
Before she could finish her sentence, screams and roars suddenly erupted outside.
Everyone looked at each other in confusion.
Young Master Yuan twisted in fear, wanting Dou Zhao to hold him.
As Dou Zhao took her son, Gu Yu had already lifted the curtain to look outside.
“Sister-in-law,” he exclaimed with joy, “someone has come to rescue us!”
Who could be rescuing them at this time?
“Ah!” Dou Zhao ran over to look, half doubting, half hopeful.
They saw that all the bows and crossbows that had been aimed at them were now pointing in a different direction. Arrows were flying towards their attackers, and occasionally one of the King of Liao’s men would fall from the roof, landing motionless in the courtyard.
“This…” Dou Zhao was both surprised and delighted.
“I don’t know who it is,” Gu Yu’s eyes shone, “but it must be someone sent by Cousin to save us… No, it might even be Cousin himself!”
Dou Zhao hoped for the same.
Someone called out to the courtyard: “Sister-in-law, I am Chen Zanzi, here on the Crown Prince’s orders to suppress these rebels. Don’t worry, I’ve brought men from the Divine Machine Battalion with me, and we have firearms too.”
“Amitabha!” Dou Zhao couldn’t help but utter a Buddhist prayer.
Although she didn’t know how Chen Jia had learned of their predicament, the fact that he had brought the Divine Machine Battalion meant that the situation was still under Song Mo’s control.
A loud explosion rang out in the air, accompanied by flashes of light. Several men fell from the rooftops.
Gu Yu’s spirits lifted. He ran back to pick up his sword, eager for action. “Sister-in-law, you and Yuan should hide quickly. They’ll surely make a desperate last stand and attack us fiercely…”
Before he could finish, Duan Gongyi, Chen Xiaofeng, and the other guards stepped forward, saying, “We’ll go with you!”
Gu Yu nodded and resolutely opened the door.
Dou Zhao hurried after them: “Uncle, two fists can’t match four hands. You’d better use the side rooms for cover. As long as we don’t go out, they can’t do anything to us…”
“Without their bows and crossbows, it’s anyone’s game!” Gu Yu’s gaze was determined. “Hiding in the room is too stifling!”
Duan Gongyi, who usually didn’t think much of Gu Yu, now looked at him with newfound respect.
He patted Gu Yu’s shoulder with his large hand. “Well said! That’s the talk of a man with true spirit. There’s no reason for the son-in-law to be fighting outside while we hide indoors. Young Master, I’ll go with you. Even if we die, they won’t take a single step into this side room!”
By staying outside, they could form a line of defense. If they were to face the enemy inside the side room, once the King of Liao’s men broke in, Dou Zhao and Yuan would be directly confronted by the traitors.
Gu Yu laughed heartily and led the few remaining guards out of the side room with Duan Gongyi, carefully closing the door behind them, and leaving Dou Zhao, Yuan, and Grandmother inside.
Grandmother’s eyes were filled with tears.
Yuan anxiously asked his mother in a small voice, “Why didn’t Uncle Gu hug me?”
Dou Zhao couldn’t help but shed tears, choking as she said, “Uncle Gu needs to drive away those bandits for Yuan. When Uncle Gu has chased away the bandits, he’ll come and play with Yuan.”
Yuan nodded obediently, saying, “I’ll be good and not disturb Uncle Gu!”
Dou Zhao held Yuan tightly.