Chapter 150: No Evidence of Murder

Tuo Ba Heng coldly looked at Gu Jiu Ling: "Princess Consort of Rui, the public court is not a place for you to act wilfully and show off your cleverness. Where do you think this is?"

"Heh! He's just a Bei Di barbarian! Yet he can speak out and cause a ruckus in front of my Southern Qi sovereign, in the public court. Where do you think this is?"

Xiao Yin gently twirled the black‑jade thumb ring, slightly raised his eyebrows and coldly looked at Tuo Ba Heng.

Tuo Ba Heng's face stiffened as he was about to erupt; beside him, Princess Yuan Qing gave a faint smile and said, "Prince, your words aren't correct, are they?"

"What's this about us causing a ruckus? It's not that Princess Consort of Rui said her brother didn't kill anyone; the dead person is my servant girl. Am I now forbidden to speak?"

"Heh!" Xiao Yin chuckled lightly, "So it was a servant girl who died; I thought it was your father!"

"Xiao Yin! What do you mean?" Tuo Ba Heng finally couldn't hold back.

Xiao Yin slowly rose, gradually drawing the Longquan sword at his waist, and Tuo Ba Heng instinctively leaned his body backward.

Previously on the battlefield, he had several times nearly died by this very sword; had he not been lucky, he would have been buried in dust long ago.

Even though seven years had passed, seeing the treasured sword in Xiao Yin's hand still made him uneasy.

Xiao Yin, however, produced a cloth and gently wiped the drawn sword, his brows and eyes cold as frost, a mocking smile at the corner of his mouth, "What are you afraid of? This Longquan sword kills dogs, not people!"

Tuo Ba Heng's complexion instantly darkened to the bottom, and beside him Emperor Longqing slowly said, "Old Nine! Shut up!"

Xiao Yin swished, sending the blade back into its scabbard with a sound, the Bei Di side's momentum was forcefully suppressed, and the great hall finally quieted down.

Gu Jiu Ling, seeing the chance, stepped forward, bowed and saluted Emperor Longqing, saying, "Your Majesty, my actions are not a momentary impulse; I do not wish to see my dignified Southern Qi with unclear punishments, chaotic rules, and wrongful cases that invite criticism."

Emperor Longqing's expression darkened slightly, "If so, what is your evidence?"

"If today you are running around this big a circle just to amuse me, I will punish you for the crime of betraying the throne!"

As soon as Emperor Longqing finished speaking, Princess Yuan Qing proudly laughed.

She acknowledged that Gu Jiu Ling possessed some cleverness, but in the public court, no matter how clever Gu Jiu Ling is, she cannot act recklessly here.

Gu Jiu Ling slowly said, "I would never dare to joke about a life‑and‑death case, but the evidence I will present shortly may be rather disgusting; I ask Your Majesty to be more tolerant."

Emperor Longqing chuckled lightly, "I am rather curious!"

Gu Jiu Ling turned, called out to several guards from the Rui Wang Fu, clapped her hands and said, "Men! Bring it in!"

The guards outside responded, and a few carried a stretcher inside; what lay on the stretcher was unknown, the outermost layer covered with a heavy canvas.

The guards placed the stretcher at the central spot; Gu Jiu Ling ordered Jiu Yue to hold a box, opened it to reveal a mask sewn by Jinzhi, and presented it to the watching aristocratic lords.

Xiao Yin was the first to take it, smoothly covering his mouth and nose, revealing only his bright peach‑blossom eyes.

At first he didn't believe the superstition and refused to wear it, but when carrying the corpse on his back he nearly vomited himself to death.

Tuo Ba Heng and the others' faces showed a slight surprise; as royalty, they could not wear such a thing in the public court, they snorted coldly and did not take the mask Jiu Yue offered.

It was the Ministry of Justice's Lord Ruan and his men, who often handle cases; seeing the brought‑in item, they immediately guessed its purpose and all put on the masks.

Lord Ruan was slightly startled, "This gadget is nice; in the future we should prepare a few for the junior officers handling cases in the Ministry of Justice."

Gu Jiu Ling would not dare let Emperor Longqing cover his mouth and nose; after all he is the emperor of a nation. She ordered Ling Feng and others to bring in a glazed screen, which is similar to glass, fired thinly so that even when separated one can see clearly through it.

The back of this screen has a gauze compartment for ventilation, which can block the unpleasant odors.

Emperor Longqing felt a spark of interest, wondering where such a plethora of strange curiosities came from.

Jiu Yue saw Tuo Ba Heng and Princess Yuan Qing disdain the mask she held, so she forced herself to carry it back.

Gu Jiu Ling put on a double‑layer mask, added a glazed face shield for herself, then slowly sat on the round stool beside the stretcher, steadied herself, and lifted the canvas covering in one swift motion.

The lift revealed nothing alarming, but a wave of rotting corpse stench rushed out; everyone stepped back in unison, but the masks prevented any trouble.

Tuo Ba Heng and Princess Yuan Qing were both caught off guard; Tuo Ba Heng was fine, but Yuan Qing, in a disheveled manner, turned and fled to the back hall, vomiting.

She then, still angry, gestured to Jiu Yue, put on the mask herself, and didn't forget to take one for her brother.

Emperor Longqing finally understood what Gu Jiu Ling's so‑called evidence referred to.

"This… is more than just disgusting; it's downright mortifying!"

Beneath the canvas on the stretcher lay a layer of white cloth, speckled with bloodstains.

Gu Jiu Ling lifted her hand, grabbed a corner of the white cloth, glanced around, and lifted it again.

This time everyone was prepared, not as uncomfortable as before; each person looked at the female corpse and collectively shouted in surprise.

Upon seeing it was that female corpse, Yuan Qing could no longer sit; she stood up immediately, staring unblinkingly at the corpse's direction in disbelief.

The corpse was still wearing a Bei Di attendant's attire; it was the maid who had previously been "killed" by Gu Kang, who served beside Yuan Qing.

"How could this be?" Princess Yuan Qing's face turned white with fright.

She knew that the scheme she set up was not flawless; there were still some loopholes that could be discovered.

To cover them up, she placed the corpse in the rear courtyard of the Bei Di Yi Guan, planning to burn it at midnight, and would claim it was a Bei Di custom when questioned.

Princess Yuan Qing, fearing exposure, even ordered her confidant to personally watch the corpse being burned to ash.

But now how did the maid's corpse end up in Gu Jiu Ling's hands?

Who was the person burned last night, after all?

How did Gu Jiu Ling evade the numerous guards to swap the corpse?

Princess Yuan Qing suddenly turned her face toward the leisurely Xiao Yin sitting there; it must be him—no one else in the world possesses Xiao Yin's unparalleled lightness skill.

Such a remarkably talented and striking man as Xiao Yin, yet he would carry a corpse for Gu Jiu Ling?

These are deeds only the lowest scum would do, and he actually…

Gu Jiu Ling produced a prepared scalpel, swiftly tore off the corpse's clothing; her technique was deft, making even Xiao Yin feel uneasy, though the act of stripping was very skillful.

In front of everyone, Gu Jiu Ling sliced layer by layer into the deceased's neck skin, exposing the stark white bone within.

Everyone around felt disgusted, yet Princess Consort of Rui seemed unfazed, remaining calm.

Gu Jiu Ling moved swiftly, then rose and looked at Emperor Longqing: "Your Majesty, this is the evidence that Gu Kang did not kill anyone!"