Unrepentant

Chapter 19:In the end

The time for the imperial examination drew close. Lin Si Ze had found the time to look through the examination papers for the top three candidates; among the papers, Zhao Yun Yuan's left a rather deep impression, but another candidate also left him a profound impression——when he seen that person's penmanship, he had frozen and felt that it was an extremely familiar.

This was absolutely Gu Hong Jian's penmanship.

The exact same brush strokes, merely appearing to be more unhurried and fluid than before...it unexpectedly exuded the faint air of a great scholar.

Lin Si Ze contemplated this for a short period of time and then glanced at the candidate's name—and saw the neatly written 'Gu Hong.'2

Lin Si Ze: "..."

Ridiculous...!

Simply ridiculous.

Lin Si Ze immediately sent someone to find this 'Gu Hong.' The name was so obvious; Gu Hong Jian, she did not even think of covering it up!

Gu Hong Jian had arrived honestly, dressed as a man in a cyan chang pao and her hair completely combed back and held in place with a jade silk ribbon. Unexpectedly, she truly looked like a somewhat young noble exuding a distinguished, accomplished, elegant aura.

Nearly a year had passed without seeing each other. Lin Si Ze, when he saw Gu Hong Jian, decided to not reveal the heavy concern in his heart for some reason and simply looked at her with a calm face.

Gu Hong Jian raised her brows and chuckled, slowly making her salutations. "Long live your majesty, the emperor."

Lin Si Ze helplessly stated, "Be seated."

Gu Hong Jian immediately plopped her bottom onto the seat, crossing one leg over the other as she said, "Thank you, your majesty."

Lin Si Ze said, "You are indeed making trouble."

"What is wrong?" Gu Hong Jian revealed an innocent look. "It is your majesty who is allowing me to sit."

"Gu Hong Jian!" Lin Si Ze angrily rebuked.

Gu Hong Jian scoffed and then said even more innocently, "Your majesty, this grass root3 does not know where your majesty has been offended. Why is your majesty scolding this lowly person without rhyme or reason?"

Lin Si Ze blanked and immediately recalled that this person before him was now using the alias 'Gu Hong,' so when he had called her 'Gu Hong Jian'...

"Why did you suddenly leave that day?" Lin Si Ze did not feel like making small talk with her and directly got to the point.

Gu Hong Jian smiled minutely and then said, "If I did not take advantage of that time to run, I am afraid that in that year, I would have been stuck living under your majesty's control and surveillance."

Lin Si Ze said with a cold face, "Zhèn... I have no desire to control or monitor you."

Gu Hong Jian put on an innocent demeanor and said, "Even if so, that is not the only method available. In your heart, have you not assumed that I will sooner or later return to the palace as Gu zhǎngshì? Hey, don't say it won't be like that. If not that, then what else? Enter the palace, as your concubine? And then watch as you unceasingly expand the harem, striving against others for your favor and later killing all your imperial concubines one by one when I grow displeased...then earning your loathing and thus being required to flee once more...?"

"..."

Lin Si Ze stared at Gu Hong Jin, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. "Ultimately, what are you thinking about."