Chapter 493: Cooperative Assistant - Chen Lin

After receiving the message, Leng Jun nodded and performed a bow before leaving.
Leng Jun quickly returned to the Wang Mansion and easily met with Xuan Yuan Zhe. Upon seeing him return, Xuan Yuan Zhe was not surprised; instead, he continued to do his work as usual and casually asked a question.
"What happened?"
“The princess asked her subordinates to help her find two people, one is Zhu'er and the other is Su Xianxiang. Also, the princess instructed her subordinates to tell you to remember to wear more clothes as it’s getting cold.” Cold and stern, he conveyed Gu Qingyi's instructions, then secretly glanced at his royal master, hoping to see something reflected on his face.
During the report, Xuanyuan Zhe maintained a rather indifferent demeanor. It wasn't until he heard the last sentence from Gu Qingyi expressing her concern for him that he revealed a smile, but quickly returned to his cold, icy demeanor.
“Well, you did a great job. Just follow what she says next, and do your best to help her with whatever she wants,” Xuan Yuan Zhe instructed Leng Jun.
Leng Jun had seen the rapid change in his expression long ago, and once again he was witnessing it. As expected of a prince, his control over his expressions is truly remarkable.
Xuan Yuan Zhe finished speaking, and Leng Jun immediately bowed to him before withdrawing to find the person Gu Qing Yi wanted.
After searching for a little while, Leng Jun found Zhu Er and Su Xian Xi at the inn that Gu Qing Yi had mentioned. The two of them had been staying at this inn, rarely going out, worried that they wouldn't be able to find Gu Qing Yi when she came. Now that they saw Leng Jun approach, they were a bit surprised.
“I am sent by the princess; she requests your presence. Please, both of you, come with me.”
Leng Jun's sudden appearance startled Zhu'er, and Su Xianxiang looked at Leng Jun with eyes full of apprehension.
They both don't know Gu Qingyi's identity; they only know she is a young miss of the General's residence. They haven't even heard about the recent buzz regarding the General's residence intending to marry into the Ghost King’s residence.
Seeing their expressions, Leng Jun guessed their thoughts. "The princess is Miss Gu Qingyi of the General's Mansion. May I ask if the two young ladies would come with me?"
The two quickly regained their composure. Since it was Gu Qingyi, that was a good sign. Gu Qingyi must have sent someone to find them to discuss a potential collaboration, especially for Zhu'er. She had already calmed down, waiting just for Gu Qingyi. Her face was disfigured, and Gu Qingyi was known for her medical skills, so perhaps she could help her. Thinking of this, Zhu'er’s eyes sparkled as she immediately looked towards the cold and stern figure.
Su Xianxiang has now also realized, and after looking at the stern man for a while, she finally remembered that he was the guard she had seen before. It seems that this man is the prince. She then said, "Since it was Qingyi who asked us to come over, let's go take a trip."
After that, the two followed Leng Jun onto the carriage, and the three set off to find Gu Qingyi. Meanwhile, Gu Qingyi was discussing with Chen Lin how to give Zhu'er a makeover, as this kind of thing is quite challenging. Even Chen Lin, a highly respected doctor, wouldn't dare say he could accomplish it.
However, Chen Lin knew Gu Qingyi's strength, so he was not worried about her. Since she had brought it up, there must be a way. However, they were faced with many options, and choosing the right one was very important because once a wrong choice was made, it could lead to serious consequences.
While they were discussing, Leng Jun brought Zhu Er and Su Xuanxiang over.
As soon as she entered the room, Su Xuanxiang looked at Gu Qingyi with gleaming eyes, eager to rush over and embrace her.
“It’s been such a long time since we last met. I heard that you are about to become the Ghost King’s consort. Congratulations! I really didn’t expect that the last time I saw you was actually with the Ghost King. It’s quite impressive that you both have mutual feelings for each other, but after you become the Ghost King’s consort, you’ll definitely have a lot of troubles to deal with. Do you think you can handle it? Will you still have opportunities to go out and have fun? I really can’t bear to part with you, so… how about you don’t get married?”
Su Xianxiang first hugged Gu Qingyi and then immediately got to the point. Su Xianxiang understood some of the situation, which was why she said so; she didn't mean anything else. First, it was because she was worried about Gu Qingyi, after all, this identity was very rare and also dangerous. Second, she truly couldn't bear to part with her; she didn't have many friends, and now that she finally had a good one, how could she just say give up? Sigh...
Leng Jun was sweating nervously; this woman really seemed to be courting death. If the prince heard her, wouldn't he just kill her? The prince values the princess so much, and that’s something everyone knows. This woman was saying that just because she doesn't want the princess to marry, it doesn't mean she won't marry. What would happen to their prince then? No way, this girl must not be allowed to come and cause trouble.
Leng Jun was just about to step forward when he heard Gu Qingyi start to speak.
“Don't worry, I can handle these small issues, after all, if I can’t deal with these things, how could I possibly become the wife of the former War God Prince? However, you mentioned that I shouldn't marry, but I'm afraid I can't agree to that; I've already promised to marry him, and there's no turning back on that. In the future, if you miss me, just come to the royal palace to find me; it should be easier to find me there than here.”
Gu Qingyi raised an eyebrow at Su Xianxiang, as if to say, "Listen to me, it's definitely the right choice."
Fortunately, Gu Qingyi said these things; otherwise, Leng Jun would really have gone back to report this matter. If the master knew, he would surely find a way to resolve it. He absolutely wouldn't allow the princess to run away from the wedding. The prince valued this wedding so much, and he had seen it all with his own eyes. Therefore, this time, nothing could be allowed to happen, not a single thing.
Everyone here didn't care about what Leng Jun was thinking, but directly started their day. "By the way, you called us both over today. Have you thought of a solution?" Hearing Su Xianxiang's question, Gu Qingyi naturally nodded.
“Well, you're right. The reason I called you two over is that I have something to discuss. Zhu'er, you agreed to something before, and now we can fulfill it. Moreover, you must choose to trust me and listen to me. I can help you, but I can also destroy you. You have to understand that betraying me will lead to a fate worse than your current situation. However, if you are wholeheartedly with me, I will help you. Not only will I help you defeat the people you want to defeat, but I will also make sure you can do what you most want to do and get the people you desire.”
After hearing that, Zhu Er let out a cold laugh. Did she have any other options now? With her face having turned into this, if she didn't rely on Gu Qingyi, she might ruin her life.
“Just tell me what you want me to do.” Zhu Er had no way out and no choices left; she had to choose Gu Qingyi.
“I like to make deals with straightforward people. It's actually quite simple: I will help you change your appearance, and you will go back and pull Gu Qingzhao down. Once you ascend to the position of side consort, you must consult me before making any decisions. This way, I can ensure you stay securely in that position. I believe you must hate Gu Qingzhao even more than I do right now. So think carefully about whether you want to cooperate with me. Also, while you're cooperating with me, if I find out you do anything inappropriate, I won’t show any mercy. If your head rolls at that time, don't say I didn't warn you.”
Gu Qingyi lazily fiddled with the hairpin in her hand. Originally, Gu Qingyi's tone was very flat, but for some reason, Zhu Er felt a chill running down her spine.
“I can help you, but can you guarantee to exchange my face? I really can't stand looking like this anymore.”
Zhu'er is still quite concerned about her current appearance; her looks have been ruined, and even if she wanted to marry a beggar, the beggar would still find her undesirable.
Before, she didn't feel so, but these days staying in the inn, she increasingly feels ugly and unattractive. Moreover, the area scratched by the hairpin is very itchy. She can't help but want to touch it, but each time she manages to hold back, torturing herself for so long. She must change.
“What I've said can’t be taken back, so you don't need to worry about it being false. Besides, you must have heard about my medical skills, right? Trust me, I can help you change your face and return you to your former appearance and glory. Perhaps... it might even surpass what you had before.”
After hearing what Gu Qingyi said, Zhu'er looked over at Chen Lin, whom she knew. A figure as remarkable as Chen Lin being by Gu Qingyi's side clearly indicated that Gu Qingyi indeed possessed extraordinary abilities, as she had claimed.
Just when Gu Qingyi thought that Zhu'er would think for a while, Zhu'er suddenly knelt down in front of her, saying, "Zhu'er is willing to do everything for you, my lady, no, for the princess, so I hope to change my appearance with your help."
```htmlAfter hearing this, Gu Qingyi showed a satisfied smile. Just as she thought, Zhu'er wouldn’t refuse such a great temptation.
“Alright, since you’ve agreed to do things for me, that means you are now my person. Remember every word I just said; otherwise, it might lead to your demise. Also, after I send you back, you must not expose your identity, or else all previous efforts will be in vain and I won't take the blame for that.”```
Gu Qingyi advised Zhu-er again, emphasizing that it was quite important, after all, Zhu-er had made such a grave mistake that she was driven out. If she returned and was discovered, she would undoubtedly face severe consequences.
Zhu Er quickly nodded, and afterward, Gu Qingyi did not bother with him anymore, but instead started chatting with Chen Lin.
Su Xianxiang had been watching them talk from the side, unable to join in the conversation, as she knew nothing about the topics they were discussing, so she could only look at Zhu Er.
“Master, I once read a book that recorded a secret method to change a person's face, and absolutely no one would find out. After the change, it would be just like their own face, and some people couldn't even tell whether their face had always been like that or had changed later. However, I also read about the consequences: there are risks involved, and those who change their faces will inevitably meet their demise in a few years.”
As soon as Gu Qingyi finished speaking, Zhu Er's entire complexion changed. She wanted to seek revenge by changing her face, but she didn't want to die.
“No! Absolutely not! I can't use this method; I don't want to die at such a young age. Let's find another way. Your Highness, I'm begging you, please don't use this method!”
Zhu'er knelt and walked up to Gu Qingyi, shaking Gu Qingyi's sleeve frantically, hoping that Gu Qingyi could change her mind. After all, she didn't want to waste her entire future just for a face.
“可是，除了这换脸之术以外，你还有别的方法吗？”
陈林也陷入了沉思，毕竟除了这个方法之外，他还真的想不到别的了。顾清漪的医术高超，而且她使用的全部都是他从未见过的。他的医术虽然不错，却也从未有过这方面的研究啊，就算是考虑再多，没有实践过，这也都是白费功夫。
Just as she said, if there are only a few years left to live, it's better not to do it and think of other ways.
“Actually, I do have another method, which is plastic surgery. This so-called plastic surgery involves making cuts on the face to change its appearance, like our faces. The bone structure on both sides of the cheek can be filed down to become narrower, and the bridge of the nose can be raised or flattened through filling or smoothing. Additionally, the corners of the eyes can also be altered by cutting to achieve double eyelids or to make the eyes appear wider.” Gu Qingyi mentioned a lot all at once. These are all modern concepts, and she presented them in a simplified way to her master, Su Xianxiang, and Zhu'er in this ancient context.
This set is something that only professionally trained individuals can handle. Now that Su Xinyan has brought it up, it's simply…
Gu Qingyi spoke nonchalantly, but Chen Lin felt a chill run down his spine. After all, performing surgery on someone's face is an extremely dangerous task, and if something goes wrong, it could truly be the end, with severe consequences possibly leading to loss of life.
“Disciple, are you sure? Do you really want to operate on her face? I've never learned this kind of thing, so I might need you as the lead surgeon. Are you confident about this? What if something goes wrong and someone gets hurt?”
Chen Lin was actually quite excited inside, as this was his first time witnessing such an exciting treatment method. Indeed, choosing Gu Qingyi back then was the right decision. He and Gu Qingyi have many differences and many similarities. Their mentor-student relationship has been able to progress to this point thanks to their continual learning from each other's strengths. For example, there are some things that Gu Qingyi has that he had never seen before. After learning about them, he realized that, in fact, it was just that simple, yet very effective.
“Master, you can rest assured, this kind of plastic surgery is just a small matter. After all, the area she wants to cosmetically alter isn’t large; it just looks a bit unsightly. We just need to remove this part and redo it, and it’ll be fine.”
Zhu'er was listening on the side, horrified at the thought of having a knife moved across her face, trembling all over. However, it seemed there was no other option at the moment. Even Chen Lin had complete faith in Gu Qingyi, and for someone like her, it was better to trust Gu Qingyi.
“Your Highness, I hope you can be a little more careful. After all, I don't want to lose my life over something like this,” Zhu Er said with a gaze full of pleading.
Before the operation, Zhu Er cautiously told Gu Qingyi that she was truly scared of losing her life, especially since she felt she hadn't lived enough yet.
“Don't worry, since you've promised to help me with this, you're now one of my people. How could I possibly let anything happen to my people in my hands? Alright, you can leave here for now. In a few days, I will send someone to find you. At that time, just come over. I need to prepare some things in the meantime.”
Gu Qingyi gave Zhu'er a pat on the shoulder and directly allowed her to leave. Before leaving, Zhu'er kept looking back at Gu Qingyi because she was truly scared. However, in the end, she still left the General's residence.
Su Xuanxiang looked at Gu Qingyi, also frowning, feeling hesitant to speak or ask. It was indeed a bit dangerous. However, she had also heard a saying: "Fortune favors the bold." If this succeeded, there would be future wealth and glory, but if it failed, there would be no future at all. Since Zhu'er had chosen to agree, what could she, as an outsider, do?
After talking to Su Xinyan for a few more sentences, she finally left with Zhu'er.
After the two left, Leng Jun also withdrew, leaving only Gu Qingqi and Chen Lin in the room, discussing how to proceed with the surgery in a few days. Although cosmetic surgery used to be a piece of cake for Gu Qingqi, what should she do now without the necessary tools?
Chen Lin really doesn't understand this area at all and can only rely on Su Xinyan to handle it herself. Especially for certain items, they must be prepared thoroughly; this is ancient times, and everything needs to be managed by her own hands. It's so difficult, sigh...
“Master, can you see if there's a way to help me get a set of finer knives? I’ll draw the shape for you in a bit. If it's really not possible, we can make it based on that design. It would be best to get it sorted out in the next few days.”
After finishing, Gu Qingyi took a piece of paper nearby, quickly sketched a few strokes, and handed it to Chen Lin. As soon as Chen Lin saw it, his eyes lit up.
“This is truly wonderful! Such a detailed knife is definitely suitable for use on the face. How did I never think of this before? I didn't expect my disciple to be so capable. Master has a whole new level of admiration for you! From now on, I estimate that Master will learn even more knowledge from you.”
Chen Lin is quite older, yet he is still keen on learning. Chen Lin truly has a passion for medicine, and Gu Qingyi can see the fervor in his eyes. If there’s an opportunity in the future, Gu Qingyi will surely teach Chen Lin a thing or two.
This person is not only her mentor but also someone she respects. Furthermore, they are likely to become great partners in the future. She needs an assistant who knows a lot, and Chen Lin is a good candidate.