Chapter 293: Can't Let the Character Design Collapse

Li Quan hadn't even had a chance to speak before Xiao Ting ordered men to drag him out and beat him with more than twenty hard board strikes, each drawing blood.

In fact, Xiao Ting's heart was like Ming Jing Er's.

After Gu Jiu Ling set a trap at Nan Shan Shu Yuan and hauled the big fish Zhang Cheng in, Xiao Ting already realized that Gu Kang had been framed this time.

He wasn't even sympathizing with Gu Kang; what could Gu Kang be that Xiao Ting cared about so much?

He only hated those who wanted to deal with Gu Kang and used his teacher as a wager, which he could not tolerate.

Anyone involved was dragged out by Xiao Ting to be beaten with boards, and only after the beating could they speak.

After enduring that barrage of board strikes, Li Quan trembled all over as he was forcibly dragged from the outer hall into the Ministry of Justice's main hall.

Li Quan dared not hide anything further; the truth was exposed—he was merely a little beggar scraping by in the jianghu.

Gu Kang had taken pity on him and let him follow back, but Gu Kang was aloof and pretentious; although his sister was a Princess Consort, he never asked her for silver.

His own money, aside from buying books, was spent on a simple life.

Li Quan had originally thought that following this rich young master would let him live a life of luxury, but he never expected that when Gu Kang immersed himself in study, he wouldn't even provide a single meal for us servants, which only increased Li Quan's displeasure toward Gu Kang.

Li Quan was already bold, but he didn't expect that at this moment the Gu family's third young master sent someone to find him, gave him a large sum of silver, and asked him to help eliminate a person.

At first Li Quan was unwilling to help the Gu family harm his own master.

Li Quan couldn't resist the silver, nor the moist hand of the beautiful maiden on the flower boat.

He wished he could instantly become rich, no longer penniless, wandering the jianghu, eating one meal and missing the next.

Moreover, the one who bribed him was Gu San Ye of Gu Xiangfu, a standout in the Shang Jing spring examination, as wooden as his own master; it seems Gu Kang cannot keep up with his younger brother academically.

Everyone loves to step on the low to rise high, and Li Quan was no exception; he secretly threw his lot with Gu San Ye, thinking that if the smooth plan killed his master, since he wasn't involved, the worst would be exile for a year or two.

By then he would have the silver in hand and could use it to find a woman to live with.

He didn't expect that at this critical juncture, Gu Jiu Ling would appear again, further muddling the situation.

Li Quan, now beaten with over twenty board strikes until his skin split open, dared not hide anything and cried out, "I confess! I confess everything! It was Gu San Ye who made me do it."

As soon as Li Quan finished speaking, the crowd outside erupted like a raging storm; heavens, could it be the Gu family behind this? Yet it made no sense.

The Gu family has always prized literature; Gu Shangshu himself came from the imperial examinations, and the eldest son was the third-ranked jinshi of that year's new exams.

The Gu family suddenly enjoyed unrivaled fame, but ever since Gu Shijie's wife, Du Shi, died, the family began to decline, though after all they are a Prime Minister's household; a skinny camel is still larger than a horse.

And Gu Kang is a scion expelled by the Gu family; Gu San Ye shouldn't commit such a grave crime over a son abandoned by the clan.

Gu Jiu Ling's expression also darkened; she clenched both hands into fists, but her cold fists were gently wrapped by a warm large hand beside her, giving her a slight reassurance.

Although Gu Jiu Ling's heart wasn't as sorrowful as before, she was still furious.

She guessed it was that Gu Huai brat who did it, after all that brat gave off a weak, rotten vibe.

But hearing Li Quan say it himself—that Gu Huai ordered him to burn Wen Xiansheng to death and frame Gu Kang, not only barring Gu Kang from next year's spring examination but also demanding Gu Kang's life.

This time, thanks to Gu Jiu Ling arriving in time, otherwise her brother would have become a scapegoat.

Gu Jiu Ling lowly bit her teeth and cursed, "Sure enough, that bastard's child, each thought more poisonous than the last."

"They have already driven my brother out of the Gu family, even erased his name from the genealogy, what more do they want from him?"

After Li Quan shouted Gu Huai's name, a look of difficulty crossed Xiao Ting's face, for Gu Cheng—Gu Huai's elder brother—also worked under him and was one of his confidants.

This time Xiao Ting also had to steel himself, since this was a case the Emperor personally ordered to investigate and could not be brushed aside.

Since Gu Huai's name was mentioned, Xiao Ting promptly ordered the Jin Wu Wei to go to the Gu residence, seize Gu San Ye, and bring him to the Ministry of Justice.

Gu Huai at this moment no longer exuded the composed noble aura; when he saw Gu Jiu Ling sitting aside, his face twitched slightly, and he silently regretted, even feeling a hint of fear.

Originally the plan was flawless; every step was well designed, and as long as Wen Xiansheng died, Gu Kang could not escape.

But now Wen Xiansheng had been revived by that scoundrel; where did she learn such medical skill?

When she was in the Gu family she was stupid and clumsy, always listening to her second sister; now she seemed a different person, but Gu Huai could no longer bother with these, knowing he had caused a massive disaster this time.

By now the news had already spread, and with Gu Huai came the eldest son of Gu Xiangfu, Gu Cheng.

Gu Cheng entered slowly in his official robe.

First he looked at Xiao Yin and Gu Jiu Ling sitting aside; Gu Jiu Ling didn't look at any of the Gu family members at all, and she increasingly believed a fact: some traits are truly innate from birth.

The three children born to Lin Qingxue were each more scheming than the last, each more wicked.

She had thought Gu Huai and the eldest brother and Gu Nanxiang were different, but didn't expect them to act even more ruthless, without any bottom line, and even bolder.

If this little brat survived this time, he would inevitably become Gu Jiu Ling's personal trouble.

She lowered her brows, not even glancing at the Gu brothers.

"I, the minister, salute the Crown Prince! I salute the Prince!"

Gu Cheng slowly knelt before Xiao Ting and Xiao Yin, bowed, then stood up, his face unchanged, showing no ripple.

This time he must protect his third younger brother; he hadn't expected that both his sister Gu Nanxiang and his brother Gu Huai, whose courage was almost boundless, were taught by their mother in some way.

He had repeatedly warned his mother and siblings that they must stay steady, not let Gu Jiu Ling find a loophole.

Alright, this time the third younger brother caused such a huge disaster behind his back; if Gu Huai's matter is not resolved well, it will damage the Gu family's reputation and affect his future.

Thinking of this, Gu Cheng even wished his brother to die; his bright official career had been held back by the Gu family.

Gu Cheng's face turned the darkest it could.

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