Chapter 132: Are You Trying to Overturn the Case?

In the Eastern Garden of Rui Wang Fu, the atmosphere in Xiao Yin's study was even more tense to the extreme.

Although only three people were seated in the study, the posture felt as if they were overturning an entire court.

Xiao Yin and Gu Jiu Ling sat in the principal seats.

Xiao Yin coldly looked at Zuo Feichen, who sat on the guest seat; Jiu Yue had already poured a second round of tea, yet Zuo Feichen remained tight‑lipped, showing no intention of speaking.

Ling Feng, wounded, led his brothers to encircle the study; Zuo Feichen's martial skill was not weak—there were few in the world who could hold their own against Tuoba Heng.

Gu Jiu Ling furrowed her brows; at the last poetry gathering, she had won the landscape scroll that her maternal grandfather had hidden, only to find it was a plain, unremarkable ledger.

She suspected someone had swapped the landscape scroll, and that this ledger might involve deeper secrets.

But no matter how much Gu Jiu Ling calculated, she hadn't anticipated that the swapper was Zuo Feichen.

Zuo Feichen always gave her the impression of a banished immortal—destined to be admired—yet she hadn't expected him to be a deep‑lying white‑masked villain.

Zuo Feichen changed into a plain white gauze robe, sat upright on the chair, his posture as straight as a sturdy pine, displaying impeccable breeding.

His slender fingers lifted the tea cup, taking a shallow sip, neither hurried nor restless.

Swish! Xiao Yin suddenly drew the sword at his waist, the blade slowly pointing at Zuo Feichen; the Longquan sword, seasoned by countless battles, emitted a low hum, cloaking the surroundings in chill.

Xiao Yin gave a faint smile: "It seems Young Master Zuo is not going to speak. Fine, I won't hold back and will spar with you; when I pry your mouth open, you won't blame me, will you?"

That fellow had originally, as the young master of Bao Zhi Hall, voluntarily gone to Gu Jiu Ling's clinic to play a supporting role and help; Xiao Yin thought he was not a good ally and must be hiding some scheme.

Now he produced the landscape scroll again, indicating that this kid had countless ties with the Du family.

Since he refuses to speak, then we shall kill him.

Xiao Yin has always favored the simplest, brute method: kill him, and Gu Jiu Ling will have no lingering worries.

When Xiao Yin's Longquan sword was drawn, Gu Jiu Ling startled, instinctively pressing Xiao Yin's arm.

She thought it better to leave Zuo Feichen alive; killing him didn't feel right, especially since he had helped a great deal this time—she couldn't bring herself to discard him after all.

"Prince, calm down!"

Moreover, Gu Jiu Ling's clinic and Bao Zhi Hall are still in a cooperative relationship, both benefiting, which feels quite good.

Zuo Feichen let out a light laugh, set down his cup, showing no panic, and lifted his eyes toward Xiao Yin.

He rose slowly; Xiao Yin's peach‑blossom eyes narrowed a bit, about to stand and give the sullen mouth‑ful a beating, when Zuo Feichen thumped to the ground and knelt.

Splash!

The tea cup in Gu Jiu Ling's hand fell to the floor—so unexpected.

How… how is he still kneeling?

Xiao Yin's brows also furrowed; he was not accustomed to this new mode of interaction between rivals.

He thought every man gathered around his wife was coveting his woman.

But now this lord seemed to be eyeing Xiao Yin himself?

"Ha! Young Master Zuo, such a grand gift—I dare not accept it," he said.

Zuo Feichen lifted his gaze, focusing on Xiao Yin: "Indeed, it was I who swapped the landscape scroll at the poetry gathering."

"What do you mean?" Xiao Yin's eyes turned slightly cold. His woman had spent so long composing poems at the gathering—was it easy for her?

It was just for the Du family's item, and this scoundrel swapped it.

He thought it better to cut him a few times first, to vent his anger.

Zuo Feichen did not answer Xiao Yin, but instead lifted his gaze and stared at him, as if appraising him.

"A humble commoner dares to ask the Prince a question."

Xiao Yin's brows twisted into a furrow; when interrogating such lowly folk, he always led, never letting others pull his strings.

He hadn't had time to say anything when Zuo Feichen stared at him word by word, saying: "Prince, a humble commoner dares to ask—has the Prince already begun investigating the wrongful case of Qi Sha Gu?"

"Are you courting death?" Xiao Yin sprang up, took a few strides forward, kicked Zuo Feichen down, and the sword tip in his hand instantly pressed against his neck.

Gu Jiu Ling also stood, wanting to say something but unable to.

No one knew better than Gu Jiu Ling that Qi Sha Gu was a deep red line in Xiao Yin's heart; even she was unwilling to mention it before him.

Qi Sha Gu—those three words are taboo, pain, an unspeakable nightmare.

It is Xiao Yin's eternal weak spot!

Is Zuo Feichen mad?

He's just a physician; bringing up Qi Sha Gu so bluntly—now there's no way to save his life.

Zuo Feichen was struck squarely by Xiao Yin's kick; Xiao Yin's genuine anger made the force huge.

Zuo Feichen's originally handsome white face grew even paler, showing a sickly frailty, yet his gaze remained very resolute.

He lifted his gaze and, pausing between words, asked: "Prince, are you going to thoroughly investigate the wrongful case of Qi Sha Gu?"

Xiao Yin's sword tip pressed against his neck, and Zuo Feichen's slender neck began to ooze blood.

He gave no ground, asking repeatedly: "Prince, are you going to investigate the Qi Sha Gu case?"

Xiao Yin's brows twisted fiercely; it was true he would investigate the Qi Sha Gu case, but he knew the stakes were huge—if the injustice wasn't rectified, their surviving brothers would die.

Only a handful knew of this matter, and even Gu Jiu Ling was unclear on the details; yet this person asked so bluntly.

When Gu Jiu Ling heard the Qi Sha Gu case mentioned, she carefully raised her hand: "Prince, I'll step aside."

"Sit down, no need to step aside," Xiao Yin told Gu Jiu Ling, letting her remain seated.

Having gone through so much, he had long regarded Gu Jiu Ling as a crucial person in his life; his secrets need not be hidden from her.

Sweat beads formed on Gu Jiu Ling's forehead, yet she harbored other schemes; she didn't want to know too much—curiosity kills the cat, and the more one knows, the heavier the burden.

In truth she was a woman with no ambition, merely seeking shelter in the perilous Shang Jing, to safely bear a child, then uncover the child's scummy father, settle the feud, and flee.

She had thought that finding Xiao Yin meant finding an airtight backing, only to discover he was a leaky bamboo basket.

Every crisis she'd faced these days was tied to Xiao Yin.

Yet, though her heart resisted being bound to Xiao Yin, her body honestly sat down and kept watching the drama.

Gu Jiu Ling would never admit that she had already taken a liking to this mad, flirtatious man who was like the wind.

Xiao Yin withdrew his sword from Zuo Feichen's neck, coldly staring at him and said, "Indeed! How could this Prince be someone who endures injustice?"

"Whoever wrongs this Prince, the Prince will repay a hundredfold!"

Zuo Feichen's eyes brightened; he ignored the cut on his neck from the sword's edge, suddenly sprang up and knelt before Xiao Yin: "Your Highness, this commoner wishes to make a deal with Your Highness!"

Xiao Yin froze for a moment, unable to restrain a cold laugh.

"Making a deal with this Prince, do you think you're worthy?"