Chapter 178

Xiao Yin glanced at Su Wanrou in surprise; as per Southern Qi custom, indeed when a maiden from an aristocratic family marries, she must first pay respects to the groom's ancestral hall, then go through all the formalities of entering the mansion.

However, most of the ancestral halls of the great clans in the capital are located in the suburbs, and even some wealthy families have built theirs on every inch of precious land in the capital.

The Zhao family had just moved to the capital, belonging to the new nobility of Southern Qi, and they had no ancestral hall; this was also to give Su Wanrou an explanation, so they found Wuzhou.

They planned to marry first, then go to Wuzhou to pay respects after the wedding; this also wasn't a strict rule or requirement.

Some families even have their ancestral halls in Jiangnan, and they only bring the new bride back to worship the ancestors one or two years after marriage.

The Zhao family had also considered this issue; although Wuzhou is close to the capital, just a day's journey away, why trouble the lady with the fatigue of travel?

They also planned to wait until Su Wanrou married into the family, then find time for their son Zhao Lang to take his wife to Wuzhou to pay respects to the ancestors and enter Su Wanrou into the Zhao genealogy.

It was the Zhao family who first proposed this matter; Xiao Yin naturally agreed, which also counts as the Zhao family showing consideration for his sister.

Unexpectedly, Su Wanrou herself proposed to go to Wuzhou first to pay respects; Xiao Yin thought the Zhao family would surely agree, after all it would give them face, but making a round‑trip of a day would be a bit tiring.

Su Wanrou lifted her gaze to Xiao Yin, her expression turning solemn as she said softly, "Lord Brother, although I have been raised under your patronage, I ultimately hold no official rank, and I differ from the daughters of other great clans."

"General Zhao now enjoys the emperor's favor; if I did not visit the Zhao ancestral hall on my wedding day, I would inevitably give Lord Brother cause for gossip, making it seem that the Prince Rui's mansion bullies others with its influence, putting the Zhao family in a difficult position and showing disrespect to their ancestors."

"I am no different from ordinary women and do not wish to bear such a reputation; moreover, the Zhao family cares for me, and I cannot take their concern and let the capital point fingers at both the Prince Rui's mansion and the Zhao family—I would feel deeply ashamed."

Su Wanrou paused, a faint redness appearing in her eyes as if tears were welling up, and she stared steadily at Xiao Yin, saying, "I respect Lord Brother and am pleased with General Zhao the Younger; let us follow the rules—wouldn't it be better for everyone to be happy and content?"

"I lost my father when I was young, and my elder brother has been like a father to me; I cannot allow people to gossip about me in public, and my father's spirit would not wish me to be so foolish as to bring trouble upon the Prince Rui's mansion."

Xiao Yin let out a deep sigh, rose, stepped forward, and personally helped Su Wanrou sit in a chair, then said gently, "Just do as you say; on your wedding day, bring out the old general's spirit tablet! Kneel and kowtow to him!"

"I will surely avenge your father's enmity! Just live peacefully in the Zhao household; Zhao Lang is a fine young man—though he is a warrior and you may not favor him, he is utterly sincere, his character beyond reproach! Live happily with him."

Su Wanrou lowered her head and replied, "Thank you, Lord Brother!"

The discussion of the dowry and pre‑wedding matters went smoothly, and Xiao Yin ordered someone to send Su Wanrou back to Tanchun Garden.

Gu Jiu Ling observed the whole proceedings, unable to interject and not wishing to.

She was also preparing to rise and bid farewell to Xiao Yin when she suddenly noticed his whole body stiffening there, his face deathly pale.

"My lord!" Gu Jiu Ling sprang forward in a single stride, grabbed Xiao Yin, and saw large beads of sweat rolling down his forehead, his brows knotted tightly.

She hurriedly helped Xiao Yin sit in a nearby chair, and just as she was about to call for help, he seized her wrist in a grip.

Xiao Yin seemed to be in extreme pain; his gaze changed, his lips trembled as he could not speak, his eyes showing genuine anguish, yet that look was frightening, even somewhat manic—he had become completely another person, not the smiling, kind Prince Rui who had been friendly to her, but as if someone else had taken his place.

Gu Jiu Ling quickly raised her hand to feel Xiao Yin's pulse; his entire pulse was completely disordered, as if all the meridians in his body were tangled.

Such a phenomenon was utterly unheard of to Gu Jiu Ling; seeing it for the first time, she did not hesitate, reaching out to tear open his collar to examine his ribcage.

She felt the source of the illness had shifted again—not located in the spleen and stomach, but wandering wildly through his whole body like a raging beast, utterly uncontrollable.

As Gu Jiu Ling's hand touched the collar embroidered with chi patterns, Xiao Yin suddenly seized her hand and then violently flung her away.

"My lord?" Gu Jiu Ling, who had spent half a year with Xiao Yin, had never seen his poison erupt; this was her first experience of what true gu poison torment feels like.

Xiao Yin's eyes were now completely blood‑red; the last glimmer of lucidity in his depths compelled him to frantically wave his hands at Gu Jiu Ling.

"Go… go away! You must leave! Don't… don't bother with me!"

"How could I not care?" Gu Jiu Ling felt she was about to go mad; as a doctor, how could she abandon a patient and flee? She hurriedly leaned on the chair and rose to examine him, wanting to see what was wrong.

"Get lost! Are you deaf?" Xiao Yin suddenly snarled; though he seemed to want to push her away, he lifted his hand and clenched her throat, slamming her hard into the chair beneath him.

Gu Jiu Ling stared fixedly at the mad face before her; the turmoil in his eyes had already turned him into another person.

Yet he struggled, raising his other hand to cover her eyes, his hoarse voice even carrying a hint of pleading: "Go… go…"

While saying "go," he kept tightening his grip on her neck, applying ever more force.

A wave of terror struck; Gu Jiu Ling suddenly felt the scene was eerily similar, and this fear did not come from herself but from the original host's memories.

In that dim room, she had been flung violently onto the bed, her neck choked mercilessly, her clothes torn to shreds…

Gu Jiu Ling drew a hard breath, took the strongest sedative from her space, and with all her strength plunged the needle into Xiao Yin's neck.

In that instant, Xiao Yin seemed to regain consciousness; the panic in his depths had not yet shown, but he collapsed limp to the floor, knocking the teacup off the table with him.

With a crash! It shattered into a large piece!

"My lord?" Ling Feng, who had been guarding the door, hurried inside, but his steps froze there.

He stared in disbelief at the prince lying on the floor; the princess consort had also slipped onto the cold ground her hand gripping a strange object, pressing it hard against the prince's neck, and because so much force was used, blood seeped out.

"My lord!" Ling Feng rushed over.

At that moment he was truly dumbfounded; the two usually loved each other deeply, yet now it seemed they were each trying to kill the other.

He hurried forward, disregarding master and servant, and shoved Gu Jiu Ling to one side; the syringe in her hand remained stuck in Xiao Yin's neck, a somewhat comical sight, yet Ling Feng felt like crying as he watched.

"Princess Consort! What have you done to the prince?"

Gu Jiu Ling gritted her teeth: "He won't die; help him onto the bed—honestly, I'm about to be strangled to death!"