Chapter 251

Jinzhi slowly opened her eyes, meeting Zhao Lang's handsome gaze; at this moment his eyes were filled with intense anxiety.

Seeing Jinzhi wake up, he couldn't help but sigh in relief; Zhao's wife on the side hurriedly snatched Jinzhi from her son's arms and held her tightly, bursting into tears.

"Truly sinful! Sinful!"

"Jinzhi! How are you? Where does it hurt?"

Jinzhi stared fixedly at Zhao's wife; the anxious woman before her and the gentle mother of her memory were utterly different kinds of people, yet now they looked remarkably alike.

She opened her mouth but could not make a sound; this pitiful sight moved Zhao's wife even more.

Zhao's wife clung tightly to Jinzhi, her heart filled with remorse; had she known she almost cost Jinzhi her life, she would never have quarreled with those deranged women.

This is only because she's old; if she were young, she'd surely have come to blows already.

The more she thought about it, the worse she felt, her eyes turning slightly red.

Such a commotion had long since drawn others over.

Gu Jiu Ling had been chatting with Zhao's wife for a while, just finished speaking, preparing to wait for Xiao Yin's return before heading back to the mansion together.

At today's plum blossom banquet there were also many members of the Cheng family army; ever since Cheng Ming risked his life to save Xiao Yin, the Cheng army has aligned with Xiao Yin's faction.

Xiao Yin inevitably had to mediate a bit; he never expected that while Gu Jiu Ling waited for him, a major incident would erupt at the lakeside of the princess's mansion.

Upon hearing Jiu Yue say that Jinzhi had been slapped and nearly fallen into the lake to drown, Gu Jiu Ling could no longer stay seated.

Jiu Yue, while helping Gu Jiu Ling put on her shoes, reported: "By the lake, the Duan family and Junior General Zhao have already fallen into irreconcilable conflict."

"I heard Junior General Zhao flew into a rage and even cut off the hand of the personal maid attending the Duan family's eldest daughter."

"The eldest son of the Duan family has also arrived, and Ling along with the Grand Princess have brought people over."

"At this moment General Zhao seemed mad, choking Duan Qingqing's neck as if to break it."

Jiu Yue had just gone to gather news; speaking of Zhao Lang's appearance now, she felt a tremor of fear.

He is ultimately a martial commander who has slaughtered countless on the battlefield, bearing some resemblance to the prince, and exudes a terrifying, intense killing intent.

Gu Jiu Ling's face also darkened as she gritted her teeth and sneered, "They really think Jinzhi is easy to bully!"

"What is she, Duan Qingqing? At best she's just of higher birth, not an imperial princess—where does she get the arrogance to hold life and death over others?"

"That bunch of blind fools don't even look at Zhao Lang's current status, daring to break ground on Tai Sui's head!"

"Chopping off her hand is already lenient!"

Gu Jiu Ling strode out of the guest courtyard grumbling, but her belly was already large, so she couldn't walk fast; by the time she reached the lakeside, the area was already packed with a dark crowd.

Those people, seeing Gu Jiu Ling approach, all made way for her.

At this moment, not only the ladies but also the men from the front courtyard had come.

After all, the situation was too thorny; the Duan and Zhao families had clashed, and it even involved the Prince Rui mansion behind Jinzhi, while the brawl took place on the Grand Princess's mansion grounds.

In a moment, the faces of those who gathered were grim to the extreme.

Gu Jiu Ling spotted from afar the tall, slender man standing beside Duan Qingqing; he appeared steady, though his expression bore a hint of gloom that sent chills down one's spine.

"Master, the eldest son of the Duan family has arrived."

Gu Jiu Ling's gaze swept briefly over that man, then turned to Xiao Yin standing beside the Grand Princess.

Xiao Yin walked over to Gu Jiu Ling, his face showing a hint of reproach.

"Why did you come over? Hurry back and rest."

Xiao Yin wore a stern face, grumbling as he approached, yet he gently took Gu Jiu Ling's hand, fearing she might suffer another mishap.

Gu Jiu Ling laughed softly: "Your Highness needn't worry; moving about now is actually good for my health—sitting all day at home would be uncomfortable."

Xiao Yin was at a loss for words; he knew Jinzhi held a very important place in this woman's heart.

Now that Jinzhi has encountered this again, how could Gu Jiu Ling stay seated?

After dealing with Gu Jiu Ling for a while, one discovers that this woman is exceptionally protective of her young.

Xiao Yin ordered a stool brought over and helped Gu Jiu Ling sit down.

Ling and the Grand Princess beside her had faces sunk to the depths; today's affair had slipped somewhat out of control—she had originally intended to use the plum blossom banquet to find a few prospective daughters-in-law for her son, but now the Duan family's fool had utterly ruined it.

With this incident, how could the plum blossom banquet continue? It's utterly spoiled.

She sent away part of the guests, leaving only these relevant people standing here to discuss how to resolve the matter.

Jinzhi and Zhao's wife had already been escorted by the Grand Princess to the guest rooms to rest, and even an imperial physician was summoned to examine Jinzhi's condition.

Here Zhao Lang's side sword had not yet been sheathed; the blade was stained with blood, dripping drop by drop onto the ground.

On the other side of the ground lay two maidservants, their hands severed, unknown whether they were dead or alive.

Duan Qingqing's face was already deathly pale, her arm gripped tightly by Zhao Lang, unable to move; upon seeing her elder brother Duan Yun approach, she burst into tears and cries.

"Big brother, save me quickly! Save me, he's going to kill me—hurry and save me!"

Duan Yun's face darkened; he was about to speak when his younger brother Duan Feng had already rushed forward, raising his blade to slash at Zhao Lang's face.

Duan Feng wielded a linked sword; as he swung, the ring collided with the blade's back, emitting a piercing sound that made listeners' hearts tremble.

One can see that Zhao Feng's arm strength is tremendous; an ordinary person struck by this blow, even if not killed outright, would likely have his bones shattered.

Unexpectedly, Zhao Lang raised his sword's edge and barely managed to block it, then stepped back.

Immediately after, the sword tip slipped through the ring, twisted hard, and with a snap sent Duan Feng's sword flying to the ground.

Duan Feng stared in disbelief at Zhao Lang before him—this man had actually caught his blade with one hand and knocked it to the ground.

Meanwhile his other hand remained locked on his sister's arm, its grip unyielding.

The brief exchange lasted only a few moves, after which the onlookers finally understood what true swordsmanship was.

No wonder this person rose rapidly among the ranks in such a short time, even earning Xiao Yin's promotion and praise.

What kind of person is Xiao Yin? Few are worthy of entering his sight.

Even if there is a great misunderstanding between the two families, Xiao Yin still harbors some appreciation for Zhao Lang's talent.

At this moment, seeing Zhao Lang defeat Duan Feng's momentum in just three moves, Xiao Yin couldn't help but silently acclaim him.

The blade wind swept across Duan Qingqing's head, and even the sword tip Zhao Lang had just been holding did not hold back, directly cutting half of her hair away.

Duan Qingqing covered her head and screamed, suddenly regretting having offended Zhao Lang, that lunatic.