Chapter 295

Xiao Yin asked, after coming out, whether it looked good; Gu Jiu Ling almost couldn't hold back, but still seriously nodded: "Looks good! Prince is the most handsome person in this world!"

Xiao Yin nodded satisfactorily, then began to undo the sash of his inner robe.

He is originally the most unorthodox person in Shang Jing of Southern Qi; trying to bind him with rules and etiquette is just asking for trouble.

This time, Xiao Ting was entrusted by the Emperor with an important task to investigate the case of Mr. Wen; if he makes a joke of it now, it will become Xiao Ting's joke later.

But unfortunately this person is his Imperial Uncle, and he has no way to deal with this old rascal at all.

He hurriedly bowed and stepped up to Xiao Yin, grabbing his hand that was undoing his sash, and lowered his voice: "Imperial Uncle, Gu Second Master is badly injured; if you keep draining him like this, he might not endure, and in the end Imperial Aunt will resent you even more."

Xiao Ting didn't go on with the rest of his words; Gu Jiu Ling is Xiao Yin's bottom line, so he could only use this to provoke him.

Sure enough, the three words "Gu Jiu Ling" were effective; Xiao Yin's hand undoing his sash stopped immediately.

Xiao Ting secretly breathed a sigh of relief, bent down, picked up the outer robe from the ground, and handed it to Xiao Yin.

Xiao Yin took it, put it on, and walked over to Gu Jiu Ling.

Gu Jiu Ling rose, gave him an annoyed glance, and helped him tie his sash slowly.

On the side, Xiao Ting watched the loving couple before him, his pupils flickering slightly, his eyes turning icy, his gaze bitterly cold.

He slowly turned back and sat again in the main seat, glancing at Official Qian.

At this moment, Official Qian's forehead had already broken out in a fine layer of sweat; he slowly rose and looked at the constables on either side, saying: "Someone! Dress Lord Gu!"

Soon after, the constables brought over a clean cotton robe from somewhere and put it on Gu Kang.

Gu Kang nodded in thanks, enduring the sharp pain in his body, and with the constables' support barely managed to stand there.

At this moment, the constables in the hall dared not be rough with Gu Kang anymore; instead they became careful and cautious.

Obviously today Rui Wangfu is going to shelter Gu Second Master; anyone with eyes can see that.

Now Rui Wangfu is not what it used to be; its influence is rising, and they cannot afford to offend it.

Xiao Ting coldly looked at the kneeling Li Quan: "You just said that Gu Huai spent money to instruct you to frame your master Gu Second Master and Mr. Wen—is that true?"

Li Quan now regretted deeply; if he had not taken Gu Huai's money back then and instead faithfully served his master Gu Kang.

If Gu Kang achieved official rank and became a senior lord, serving beside him, when would he ever not stand out?

But earlier, Gu Huai's lackeys had taken him to wander the pleasure streets, teahouses, and gambling houses, after which his heart could no longer be restrained.

He was a refugee from the countryside who had fled to Shang Jing; he had never seen such a flashy world, and not only was his vision dazzled, but his mind was lost.

"Your Highness! It was Gu Huai who ordered me to set fire to the Cang Shu Ge, saying that as long as Mr. Wen died, there would be no one to contradict."

"At that point Gu Second Master will surely come forward to take the blame; I am merely a slave beside Gu Second Master, unaware of anything."

"Perhaps it's also because I voluntarily exposed Gu Second Master's crimes, and the Imperial Court will look favorably on me; then he will naturally step forward to protect me."

"He also gave me five hundred taels of silver!"

Gu Jiu Ling's eyes grew a bit colder, feeling that this world was truly absurd.

Just a mere five hundred taels of silver, and they want to kill the current generation's great scholar Mr. Wen.

Is Mr. Wen's life worth only five hundred taels?

Indeed, in this world, the most unfathomable thing is the human heart, and the most impossible to test is human nature!

"Utter nonsense!" Gu Cheng shouted in rebuke.

"You master-servant affair, who knows what's really going on? Yet you drag others into it randomly—do you not know how your master fell to such a state?"

"He hates the Gu family."

As soon as Gu Cheng finished speaking, everyone's gaze fell on Gu Kang standing to the side.

Wasn't Gu Kang originally kicked out by the Gu family, and his reputation was terrible?

Now, with Gu Cheng saying that, Gu Kang became the alleged murderer who failed to kill his teacher and also framed Gu Third Master.

Li Quan panicked at once: "No! I had no intention of framing the Gu family; it was truly Gu Third Master who gave me the money!"

"What audacity! In the high hall, without honorifics, you keep saying 'I', Official Qian..."

"Has this scoundrel ever placed the Crown Prince in his eyes?"

The Crown Prince Xiao Ting's face sank.

"Slap his mouth!" Official Qian said in a deep voice.

The constables on both sides stepped forward and struck Li Quan's mouth and face hard with the board.

Instantly Li Quan was beaten until he wailed miserably, blood streaming, and he had no strength left to speak.

Gu Jiu Ling's eyes flashed; damn it, Official Qian is clearly on Gu Cheng's side.

The Ministry of Punishment is Xiao Ting's sphere of influence, and Official Qian and Gu Cheng are his close aides.

This lawsuit will not be easy to win.

Gu Huai, who had lifted the corner of his robe and knelt on the ground, raised his eyes to look at Xiao Ting; although the matter had come to this point, his expression remained calm, only the faint clenching of his fist hidden in his sleeve revealed his fear at this moment.

This time they actually let Mr. Wen survive, and it's still that scoundrel Gu Jiu Ling; if he manages to escape alive, he will surely kill that scoundrel later.

He kowtowed again to Xiao Ting and said: "Your Highness, this commoner has been studying in the mansion these days preparing for the spring imperial examination, and has never even seen the person named Li Quan."

"As for why he would drag this commoner into it, I really have no idea!"

"Your Highness," Gu Cheng stepped forward, bowed, and said: "Based solely on a confidant beside Gu Kang, they claim that my younger brother instructed him to do such heinous acts; my younger brother is truly wronged!"

"Wronged?" Xiao Ting glanced at the grim-faced Gu Jiu Ling.

"Someone go investigate who Li Quan has been associating with for pleasure these days, and whether they have any ties to the Gu family."

The constables had already searched the whole city before; this time they hurriedly brought in several innkeepers.

Those innkeepers all knelt down and paid their respects to Xiao Ting.

"Your Highness! Those people are merchants! They have all left now!"

"Yes, the people staying in this commoner's inn are all merchants, without fixed abode."

"Some commoners still recall that they used to follow Old Master Du, then later went out on their own."

Old Master Du?

Everyone's gaze turned toward Gu Jiu Ling again.

The more they try to cover it up, the darker this matter gets.

Isn't Old Master Du the maternal grandfather of Gu Jiu Ling and Gu Huai?

How did the investigation end up pointing to Gu Kang himself?

"Your Highness! There are also banknotes found in the house where Li Quan lives!"

Official Qian smiled as he presented the newly found evidence by the constables to Xiao Ting.

These were the dirty silver hidden by Li Quan, but when Xiao Ting took the silver and examined it closely, the banknotes turned out to be from the Prosperous Money House.

The Prosperous Money House was opened by Old Master Du; later, after Old Master Du encountered trouble, he handed the money house over to his trusted aide.

Nowadays, most of Gu Jiu Ling's silver is also deposited in this money house.

Now even Xiao Ting suspects Gu Jiu Ling and Gu Huai, the brother and sister.

Gu Jiu Ling's hands clenched tightly into fists; just as she was about to speak, Gu Kang, who had been silent all along, suddenly let out a hoarse laugh.

That laugh sounded like an evil ghost from hell, coming to claim a life.