Chapter 613: Thoughts
Gu Kaiyuan sat on the edge of the bed. This time, he didn’t immediately reach out to hold Gu Xingyang. The little one was at the stage where she needed to slowly learn how to sit, followed soon by standing, so unless absolutely necessary, they tried their best not to carry her.
Gu Xingyang didn’t mind this at all. As long as her mother’s embrace belonged to her, she wouldn’t fuss over much else.
“How do you want to handle this?” Gu Kaiyuan asked, somewhat curious. Gu Xingyang was wise beyond her years, and he suspected she had some wicked plan brewing in her head.
“We should make full use of them, of course. Simply eliminating them would be too easy, and what we lack most right now is manpower.” Gu Xingyang blinked her innocent little eyes, yet the words coming out of her mouth were cold and calculating. “To achieve great things, one cannot be bothered by trivialities. Dad, you don’t want us to just hide away in some obscure corner forever, do you?”
In that moment, Gu Kaiyuan saw raw ambition in his daughter’s eyes. His heart gave a slight jolt. “Don’t worry. Daddy won’t let you or your mother suffer any grievances.”
Gu Xingyang shook her head. “Our family has neither power nor influence right now. If we make a few more maritime shipments and accumulate a certain amount of wealth, do you really think others won’t get jealous?
“Can we truly fend them off relying solely on this ragtag group you’ve cobbled together, Dad?”
The truth was cruel, and speaking it aloud cut right to the bone.
Bai Suihe fell silent as well. Previously, her only thought had been to find an island. She figured that if worse came to worst, they could just hide away and live in their own little utopia.
But it was easier said than done.
There were countless intricate ties involved. Not everyone shared her mindset, and not everyone wanted to leave their homeland behind.
Even if it was just their family of three, would they really be willing to sever all ties with the outside world?
Bai Suihe pressed her lips together. Whether in her past life or this one, she was just an ordinary person. Even with the immense fortune of being reborn and acquiring a heaven-defying spatial domain, it couldn’t change her fundamental nature.
Yes, she was willing to leave, but would the Bai Family be willing to follow?
Such deep bonds were probably something only those who practiced the Dao of Ruthlessness could bear to sever.
Gu Kaiyuan sighed. “Take it one step at a time. We’ll eventually find a path that suits us.”
In this world, it was incredibly difficult for a commoner to climb to a high position and secure a place in the imperial court.
Gu Baijiang was merely a rare, lucky exception. Even if he hadn’t caused trouble and simply taken things step by step until his retirement, the Gu Family lacked the foundation to sustain their status. They would inevitably fade into obscurity, and future generations would slowly revert to commoners.
But Gu Baijiang wasn’t willing to accept that fate. If it weren’t for Gu Kaiyuan and Bai Suihe’s rebirth, the man’s schemes might have actually succeeded in elevating the Gu Family into the aristocracy.
Sometimes, sitting in a certain position inevitably inflated one’s ambitions. It was just like Gu Kaiyuan right now—in the past, he only wanted a peaceful life, but now he wanted to provide the absolute best for his wife and child.
Once wealth was attained, the craving for power naturally followed. A person’s entire life was ruled by desire.
Gu Xingyang wiggled around on her stomach for a bit before noticing that neither of her parents had spoken. They were just quietly watching her. “Have you still not figured it out?” she asked curiously.
Gu Kaiyuan’s expression was complex. “I’ve figured it out. What you said makes sense. Later, Daddy will go out and buy more people. If we don’t have enough power, we’ll break through with sheer wealth. Money talks—who says it can’t buy us a solid backing?”
Gu Xingyang stared speechlessly at Bai Suihe. “This is the extent of my dad’s ideological awareness?”
His conclusion was so far off the mark from what she had in mind. Couldn’t he be just a little bolder?
Bai Suihe didn’t say anything at first. She waited until Gu Kaiyuan left the room before gently chiding her daughter. “Your father’s upbringing is different from ours. No matter how bold you are, you have to consider what he can handle!
“Let him misunderstand for now. Mother doesn’t care what you plan to do or achieve in the future, but that’s for the future. Right now, your only job is to grow up properly.”
“Mother, you don’t think I’m reaching too high, do you?” Gu Xingyang asked.
“Hush, don’t say such unlucky things,” Bai Suihe replied. “Mother believes that where there’s a will, there’s a way. If you don’t try, you’ll never know the outcome.
“But my dear daughter, do you know why Wu Zetian was able to sit on that throne, and how much she had to sacrifice for it?”
Gu Xingyang proudly lifted her little chin. “Mother, you’re underestimating me too much. I’m taking a completely different path from hers. I rely on my brain, and I rely on the unique opportunities we have.”
Bai Suihe sighed. She had guessed right. “Regardless, considering our starting point, that path won’t be easy to walk.”
“How will we know if we don’t try?” Gu Xingyang said. “Besides, Mother, I don’t expect to soar to the heavens overnight. I’ll take it step by step.
“If it truly doesn’t work out, the worst that can happen is I give up halfway. There’s no shame in that.”
Bai Suihe patted her small head. “It’s still too early to talk about all this. Focus on learning to walk first. You’re already trying to fly before you can even walk…”
It was originally a very serious conversation, but Bai Suihe’s words instantly deflated Gu Xingyang. It was true—she didn’t know how to walk yet; she couldn’t even stand steadily.
After confirming that Gu Xingyang didn’t need to use the potty, Bai Suihe asked Zisu to watch over her. She then took her newly developed medicine and headed to the back mountain.
As soon as she took out the medicinal powder, the captives respectfully took it from her. Right in front of her, they poured it all into their mouths and asked curiously, “Madam, what did you give us to eat today?”
Listen to that tone—they were asking as casually as if inquiring about today’s lunch menu. Were these people really that easy to tame?
Gu Kaiyuan had a point. These people were most likely harboring ill intentions. But so what? As long as they were willing to cooperate, Bai Suihe didn’t mind giving them a chance. It just remained to be seen if they actually had the capability to escape from here.
“It’s good stuff, but unfortunately, there’s no way to describe exactly what kind of reactions it will cause. Why don’t you experience it for yourselves first? If you feel anything wrong with your bodies, write it down. I’ll come back tomorrow to check on you.”
Seeing that their expressions remained normal, and ensuring they weren’t hiding anything in their mouths, Bai Suihe finally flicked her sleeves and left.
Ishishita Saburō and the others waited until Bai Suihe was completely gone before wiping the smiles off their faces. Sitting cross-legged against the wall, they huddled together. “That damn venomous woman. Who knows what she fed us today?”
“How much longer do we have to wait?” another grumbled. “Look, it’s been so long, and they still haven’t let their guard down.
“Taking a different poison every day, suffering a different kind of torment… I don’t want to live like this for another second. I don’t want to endure it anymore…”
“What else can we do but endure?” Tanaka Heikun occasionally peeked outside to ensure no one was coming back. “Sure, they aren’t locking us up now, but look at those guards stationed in the distance. Are you confident we can escape them?”
“We took a look around earlier. There’s a cliff on the back mountain. If we can find a chance to flee there, we’ll have a shot at getting out of here,” Chui Shi said in a low voice. “How about you guys keep watch for me, and I go scout the way first?”