Chapter 227: Gu Qingzhou Appears, A Top-Level Understanding of the Aggrieved (3)
Gu Hanyan had watched her nephew cultivate—yet in the end... she still had a nephew.
So here was the question: why was there now a niece too?
There were no records of such a side effect—were the previous cultivators just too embarrassed to mention it?
Transforming into a woman—wasn't that a bit too extreme?
"Auntie... what's done is done. Maybe... try to be more open-minded about it."
The tall woman spoke gently, her tone delicate.
"This side effect doesn't make sense. If it really existed, it would've been recorded."
"Qingzhou, answer me honestly. Can you think of anyone who might have tampered with it?"
Gu Hanyan asked, clearly still in disbelief.
This technique was absurd—why hadn't anyone mentioned this?
"...No."
The woman shook her head firmly after some thought.
She did remember who had helped—but she didn't suspect him.
"Sigh, Zhou'er, you've really suffered."
Gu Hanyan didn't know what to say. All she could do was shake her head.
"Auntie, I think... this isn't so bad."
The tall beauty spun gently in place, her eyes filled with strange brilliance.
Compared to Gu Hanyan, she had adapted quickly to her new body.
For some reason, her thoughts felt clearer than ever before.
Maybe... her personality had always been better suited to being a woman.
"Well, so be it. At least your strength really has improved."
"From now on... you're my niece. Your name will be Gu Qingzhou."
"When the Nine Deaths Silkworm Art breaks through again, maybe things will change."
Gu Hanyan spoke softly.
She felt helpless in the face of this situation.
But despite the gender change, the power boost was undeniable.
After experiencing death and rebirth, she now radiated the aura of a Grandmaster—a meteoric rise.
Gu Qingzhou nodded.
"What are your plans going forward?"
Gu Hanyan asked.
"I... I've already entrusted Xueyi to him. I believe he'll take care of her."
"So for now, I don't plan to meet him again. It just feels too awkward."
"But I can help him from the shadows—eliminate obstacles and make his path smoother."
Gu Qingzhou thought deeply, and her eyes lit with fierce determination.
Not long ago, she had faced off against Tang Xuan in a deadly duel.
Two main characters clashing—triggering a resonance of fate.
She didn't know his origin, but she could feel the threat he posed.
And he wanted nothing more than to see Su Qing dead.
Su Qing's future would be full of danger.
And as someone who had once been his good bro... or now, his good sis... good friend—it was only right to protect him!
She never had the chance before, but now she could finally repay him.
Gu Hanyan looked at her niece, unsure what to say.
Wasn't it obvious? Her niece was determined to act as Su Qing's shadow!
Should she... should she say they were a very loving pair?
It just felt so weird!
After setting things up, Su Qing was ready to depart.
At the gate, a stoic palace guard was already waiting as the carriage driver.
As soon as he saw the Su estate's gates open, he prepared to salute.
But the moment he saw who stepped out, his legs gave out and he dropped to his knees.
Clearly, this palace guard had been scared half to death.
"No need for that. She... she's my concubine."
Su Qing said with an awkward look at the figure beside him.
He had been ready to leave, only to run into the disguised Empress, who insisted on coming along.
Not only that—she had even given herself a title.
As a loyal subject, what else could Su Qing do but go along with it?
The guard buried his head even lower, completely forgetting who he had just seen.
Su Qing helplessly shook his head and helped the Empress into the carriage.
Only then did the guard get up, wipe the cold sweat from his brow, and drive the carriage forward.
Even for a secret excursion—why did Her Majesty have to pick that identity?
He didn't understand. Didn't want to. Didn't dare guess.
"Qinglan-jie, if you'd told me earlier you were coming, I wouldn't have bothered finding other helpers."
Su Qing looked helplessly at the dignified Empress beside him.
This last-minute surprise was really something.
No exaggeration—this journey was now almost guaranteed to succeed.
"What, do you see me as your hired muscle now?"
The Empress pulled down her hood, a faint smirk on her face.
Though she wasn't in imperial robes, her fitted outfit made her look even more formidable.
"Of course not! Don't worry, Qinglan-jie—I'll show you what I'm made of!"
Su Qing patted his chest, swearing loyalty.
As they chatted, the carriage made stops to pick up more people.
Princess Consort from Prince Qi's estate, Yun Rong who had just finished business at her shop…
With more people in the carriage, the atmosphere grew more tense.
The Empress scanned them, her gaze sharp and assessing.
Even without referencing her past peeks, this was effectively their first formal meeting.
The Empress's overwhelming pressure instantly silenced the space.
Su Qing glanced at Princess Consort and couldn't help but chuckle internally.
This venomous beauty, who normally stayed calm in any situation, was now utterly docile.
When he picked her up from the Prince Qi estate, she had been poised and regal, queenly to the core.
Now she looked timid, like a little white rabbit. A total transformation.
The contrast between before and after boarding the carriage was stark—it was like seeing two different people.
Yun Rong wasn't nearly as tense.
After all, her husband was right beside her—no reason to be afraid.
She didn't notice Su Qing's expression but was instead puzzled inside.
This older sister slightly lowered her head, but her eyes subtly observed the Empress.
The Empress joining this trip came as a big surprise.
Was the matter so serious that she had to personally step in?
That explanation didn't quite hold up—everything was already well-prepared.
Still, this big sister who only ever cared about Su Qing gave off a strange sense of familiarity.
"It just feels like... Her Majesty came to declare ownership."
"Your Majesty, is it really okay for you to leave the capital unattended?"
Su Qing asked, trying to break the awkward silence.