Chapter 119

Everyone on the Guan Jing Tai of the pavilion, except for Lin Jingyuan whose forehead kept breaking out in cold sweat, had no intention of leaving.

Yuan Qing had wanted to speak a few words alone with Xiao Yin, but instead found herself in such an embarrassing situation.

She pursed her lips, sat on Xiao Yin's other side, close to him, and together with Gu Jiu Ling she seemed like Xiao Yin's left wife and right concubine.

A flicker of coldness passed over Xiao Yin's lowered brows and eyes, but since this was the Lin family's territory, he couldn't act on it.

Yuan Qing gave Gu Jiu Ling a cold glance, her eyes full of contempt, then turned to Xiao Yin and said gently, "Prince, my earlier words were ignorant of etiquette; please forgive me, Prince."

Xiao Yin smiled lightly and said, "Princess Yuan Qing, you flatter me; it's fine."

Yuan Qing could see nothing from Xiao Yin's expression, she breathed a sigh of relief, yet she took a curved blade from her waist, its hilt inlaid with gems, gleaming brightly.

She deliberately, in front of everyone, drew the blade from the hilt; instantly a cold light burst out, dazzling and blinding.

"Fine blade!" Xiao Wei, a martial practitioner who had seen many weapons, couldn't help exclaiming, his face full of approval.

A hint of smugness crossed Yuan Qing's expression; she lifted her alluring gaze to Xiao Yin and said, "Prince, this is a precious blade I previously found; it cuts iron like mud, quite rare, I present it to you as compensation."

Xiao Yin's brows furrowed as he was about to speak, when Gu Jiu Ling, who had been munching melon seeds, clapped her hands, slowly drew a kitchen knife from her sleeve, and slapped it onto the table with a crack.

"Prince, I also have a gift to present to you!"

"If one is to use a blade, then use mine—no fancy frills; it can chop vegetables daily and cut down enemies in battle, an essential tool for self-defense."

Everyone around was instantly dumbfounded.

Yuan Qing's face darkened; was Gu Jiu Ling doing this on purpose?

She snorted coldly, produced a golden bamboo tube, gave it a light tap, and a cluster of poisoned silver needles shimmering with pale blue light shot out in unison.

"This is the Storm Pear Flower Needle, a top-grade hidden weapon crafted by jianghu secret-weapon families; great power, unexpected, I give it to the Prince for self-defense when needed."

"Tch," Gu Jiu Ling produced a paper packet, placed it on the table before Xiao Yin, "Your boasts are useless; this packet of lime powder confuses the eyes and bewilders the heart; when scattered at a critical moment, it is the premier escape aid in jianghu."

"Hmph! Uncultured! My soft sword has drunk countless blood; let the Princess Consort open her eyes!" Yuan Qing unsheathed a soft sword from her waist; the moment it left the sheath, brilliant light burst forth, filling the room with radiance.

Those seated in the room, more or less, were sword practitioners; they had seen many famous blades, but rarely such a waist-wound soft sword; at a glance it was top-notch.

Gu Jiu Ling slowly rose to her feet, yet from her sleeve she produced a half brick, placing it on the table in that instant.

The tea in Xiao Yin's mouth sprayed out instantly; he stared incredulously at his beloved consort.

Gu Jiu Ling picked up the brick, weighed it, and sneered, "Today I'll let the Princess see—this world's ultimate killing tool is often obtained by the simplest means."

"This object can be used for sneak attacks, surprise attacks, salting, sweetening—whatever you like; it can fell an unsuspecting foe, unexpected, tricky and hard to discern, a must-have for home and travel."

The Crown Prince and others stared at Gu Jiu Ling's antics, unable to utter a word.

Even Yuan Qing was left speechless by Gu Jiu Ling's spiel, standing there stunned.

For a moment, the atmosphere on the Guan Jing Tai became eerily strange to the extreme.

After a while, Xiao Yin coughed, slowly rose, took the half brick from Gu Jiu Ling's hand, together with the kitchen knife and lime powder on the table, carefully gathered them, and smiled indulgently: "Consort, you're mischievous; such fine treasures should simply be left for me to keep—why bring them out?"

Those around simply couldn't bear to watch—one feigned madness, the other pretended ignorance.

They left Yuan Qing's treasures untouched, yet insisted on taking a heap of junk.

"Come, let's accompany the Prince to view the flowers!"

Xiao Yin led Gu Jiu Ling out of the pavilion; the others, having sat long enough, also filed out.

Only Yuan Qing remained seated alone, her expression stiff, her hands clenched into fists; she suddenly rose and swept all the treasures on the table onto the floor, her face turning blue with rage.

Her eyes gradually narrowed, a hint of killing intent flickering in her gaze.

"Gu Jiu Ling! I will have you die!"

Here Xiao Yin took Gu Jiu Ling's hand and wound along the flower-lined path; those behind didn't want to follow the couple and invite annoyance.

Only Xiao Ting, unwilling, glanced over here, then strode away; thereafter no one else remained nearby.

Xiao Yin chuckled softly: "How did you think up this little scene?"

Gu Jiu Ling lifted her eyes, smiling at him: "Heh! When Yuan Qing sticks out her butt, I know exactly what kind of fart she's letting loose!"

Xiao Yin stroked Gu Jiu Ling's head and laughed low: "Consort, speak more elegantly."

Gu Jiu Ling said: "I can predict events like a deity; I know what she says and does, I've already guessed eighty or ninety percent. Her sudden appearance at the Lin household must be to find you; having offended you with her words earlier, she surely wants to give you some trinket to win your favor; I'm merely disgusted with her."

Xiao Yin laughed: "You did well."

Gu Jiu Ling hurriedly checked Xiao Yin's sleeves: "Right, those miscellaneous things should be thrown away quickly; they're awfully heavy."

"No need," Xiao Yin seized Gu Jiu Ling's hand, "Since it's a gift from my beloved consort, it's naturally precious; I, the Prince, will keep it."

Gu Jiu Ling stood there, about to speak, when suddenly a hurried footsteps came from the bushes.

Gu Jiu Ling and Xiao Yin exchanged a glance, then walked together toward the outside of the path.

Just as they stepped out of this side path, they bumped into the backs of several princes, already heading toward the distant flower pavilion.

Gu Jiu Ling and Xiao Yin hurried over, only to see several people already standing in the flower hall.

Everyone who had been on the Guan Jing Tai of the pavilion earlier, except for Yuan Qing who had disappeared somewhere, was now here.

Even Gu Cheng and Princess Changping were present; Gu Cheng's face looked somewhat unpleasant, Princess Changping's expression was likewise gloomy, and from the flower pavilion came a clear female rebuke and another woman's sobbing.

Gu Jiu Ling's brows knotted tightly—it was Gu Nanxiang crying.

Could it be that Gu Nanxiang had stirred up some trouble again?

She took a few steps forward, Xiao Yin following; among this group, Xiao Yin's status, position, and seniority were the highest, so those ahead made way for them.

Gu Jiu Ling fixed her gaze and saw Gu Nanxiang in the center of the flower pavilion, soaked through, slumped on a stool, covering her mouth as she wept.

On the other side stood Lin Jingyuan, helpless, also drenched through, looking especially disheveled, his cheeks slightly pale.

At the outermost side stood a gorgeous maiden in a canary-yellow dress, pointing at the weakly weeping Gu Nanxiang and shouting: "Gu Nanxiang, you shameless wretch! To resort to such despicable tactics!"