Chapter 253

No one expected that a woman from the countryside would be so stubborn, even willing to use her own life to compensate for Duan Qingqing's hair.

Her move caught everyone off guard; even when Zhao Lang tried to grab his mother's arm, he only grazed it, and watching Zhao Madame plunge into the lake with a splash.

Zhao Lang's voice was already hoarse; he let out a furious roar and jumped in after her.

Gu Jiu Ling hurriedly said, 'Someone! Get in the water! Quickly pull them out!'

Princess Ling was also frightened out of her wits—are the Zhao family really this stubborn?

She intends to fight the Duan family to the death with her life; today's plum-blossom banquet has truly been a bloody misfortune.

Originally she wanted to arrange a marriage for her son, but now one or two people are jumping into the lake at her mansion; if even one dies, her princess residence would surely have its doorstep kicked to pieces.

The attendants of Princess Ling also rushed over to rescue; in an instant the lakeside looked like dumplings being dropped, as groups of guards plunged into the lake and hauled the Zhao mother and son out.

Gu Jiu Ling could no longer stay seated; she walked over to Zhao Madame herself, raised her hand to take her pulse.

It was just a convulsion; she had fainted, but it was nothing serious.

This time Zhao Lang held his unconscious mother, his eyes reddened.

He reached for the sword at his waist, but Gu Jiu Ling pressed him down; Zhao Lang stared fixedly at Gu Jiu Ling.

Meeting Zhao Lang's eyes full of killing intent, Gu Jiu Ling's heart gave a sudden jolt.

She saw in Zhao Lang the same sharpness as Xiao Yin; at this moment the boy might lose his mind, and if the Duan family drives his mother to death today, Zhao Lang could likely exterminate the Duan clan.

"Stay calm!" Gu Jiu Ling whispered.

Zhao Lang certainly wouldn't heed Gu Jiu Ling's words; he gripped his sword and tried to rise, whereupon Gu Jiu Ling urged anxiously, "How? General Zhao, do you really intend to bury yourself with your Zhao family's young and old?"

"No matter what, the Duan family is still the Duan family; if you kill one or two of them, just wait and see—if the Duan Noble Consort doesn't skin you alive, I, Gu Jiu Ling, will consider myself defeated!"

"Think of your mother! If you keep this up, she may be smashed to pieces, and even then she couldn't atone for much of your guilt!"

Gu Jiu Ling scolded him in a low voice; Zhao Lang's mind instantly cleared, he clenched his teeth, and his handsome brows and eyes were full of hostility.

Princess Ling hurriedly stepped in to smooth things over; if this continued, her princess residence would descend into utter chaos.

"General Zhao, the urgent matter is to have Madame Zhao go to the rear courtyard to change clothes; in this cold weather, if she catches a chill and falls ill, what then?"

Zhao Lang didn't even think of himself; he carried his mother toward the rear hall.

Soon he returned; at this moment Duan Yun's expression grew slightly solemn.

He had truly sensed the murderous aura on Zhao Lang just moments before.

His hand instinctively gripped the sword hilt; his younger brother had just been driven back by Zhao Lang.

Zhao Lang's martial arts are unfathomable; facing him, I cannot be sure of victory.

Moreover, if we really drive his mother to death, the Duan family would have created a formidable enemy, a feud to the death.

One Xiao Yin is already enough to be arrogant; adding a Zhao Lang from the army, Duan Yun thought of this and broke out in a cold sweat.

Just when everyone was at a loss, Xiao Yin slowly rose to his feet.

"Let this prince say a few words."

"Now that things have come to this, General Duan, do you still want to keep causing trouble?"

"If we continue to make a fuss, it will no longer be a matter of face but of human lives."

"Can the Duan family withstand the reputation of having driven General Zhao's mother to death? If this spreads through the army, how will those brothers who fight for country and people think?"

"They risk life and limb to protect their families, only to see them easily driven to death by the capital's nobles—who would then still lay down their lives for Southern Qi?"

"Surely the emperor sees this more clearly than you Duan folks do."

Zhao Lang and Duan Yun both glanced at Xiao Yin; after all, among this crowd, Xiao Yin's words still carry some weight.

Previously, the Zhao family's relations with the Prince Rui's mansion were not good either.

Zhao Lang never expected Xiao Yin to step forward and speak up for him; for a moment he was somewhat taken aback.

Because of the Wuzhou incident, when he recently attended court he had seen Xiao Yin as rather disrespectful; he never imagined that at this critical juncture Xiao Yin would stand up to speak for him—could it be because of Jinzhi's face?

For a moment Zhao Lang's expression became somewhat complex.

Meanwhile, Duan Yun's complexion also turned unpleasant; Xiao Yin was using his military influence to pressure the Duan family.

Now the Duan family is already in utter chaos; the matter of the Third Prince has become a dead end, and we cannot let the Duan Noble Consort bear another imperial son.

Moreover, even if the Duan Noble Consort gains favor and bears another prince, after ten months of pregnancy and a year's wait, the situation in the capital remains unknown.

At this point, if we fail to gain the army's support, the Duan family would be ostracized by other forces in the military—a deadly blow.

After all, on the battlefield swords have no eyes; if allied troops trip us up, that's more than the Duan family can bear.

The Duan family now fears no mere Zhao Lang; if the Duan Noble Consort acts, Zhao Lang will surely die—but the Duan family cannot bear such a heinous reputation.

Indeed, Xiao Yin, no matter what he says or does, always manages to strike the Duan family's most painful spot; Duan Yun's gaze toward Xiao Yin turned slightly chilly.

Now Xiao Yin also steps forward to speak for the Zhao family—could it not be that the two houses are suspected of colluding?

Before, wasn't the Zhao family hostile toward the Prince Rui's mansion? When did they come together?

If these two families join forces, where in the army would the Duan family have any room to survive? The Duan family cannot but swallow this indignity, and he too must swallow it.

Duan Yun gave a cold laugh and looked at Xiao Yin: "Since the Prince has stepped forward, our Duan family cannot refuse to give him face; this matter ends here, and there's no need to bring it up again."

Duan Yun turned and walked toward the mansion's gate; his younger brother Duan Feng, unwilling, was about to speak but was driven back by Duan Yun's icy stare.

Behind them, Duan Qingqing never expected things to turn out this way; she has been bullied by the Zhao family to this extent, a living slap to the Duan family's face, and her elder brother just walked away without a word?

How will she survive in the capital's noble ladies' circles? She hurriedly grabbed her elder brother's sleeve.

"Are we really just going to let it go? This is a blow to the Duan family's face, elder brother."

Duan Yun roughly shook off his sister's hand, turned away, and coldly glared at her: "The Duan family's interior? Hah, do you still have any sense of the Duan family's face in your heart?"

"You've thrown away all the Duan family's face—hurry back!"

Duan Qingqing stared dumbfounded; this time she was so frightened she couldn't even cry.

Clearly it was the mute and the old hag's fault—how did it end up being her fault instead?

Duan Qingqing had no choice but to keep her head down and follow Duan Yun out of the mansion.

The Grand Princess finally breathed a sigh of relief, ordered the surrounding guests to be sent away, and then turned her gaze to Zhao Lang and Xiao Yin,

"Would you two like to go sit in the front front hall? Have some tea and snacks."

Xiao Yin smiled and said, "Princess Elder Sister, no need, today's affairs have troubled you; another day I will set a banquet at the Rui Wangfu to make amends."

Having said that, he turned and took Gu Jiu Ling's hand, walking toward the door; not expecting to have just walked a short distance, hurried footsteps came from behind, along with Zhao Lang's somewhat muffled voice.

"Thank you, Prince, for your help!"

Xiao Yin's steps paused, he did not turn back, and he said slowly, "In the future, treat Jinzhi better; if not, I will personally abolish you in a month."