Chapter 32: What Lady Du Gave Birth To Was a Wild Dog

Gu Jiu Ling raised her eyebrows, coldly looking at Gu Cheng: "Well then! Let's talk!"

That look was extraordinarily arrogant; even the deeply scheming Gu Cheng could barely suppress the hateful expression on his face, his voice turning colder. He took out several deeds from his bosom and threw them in front of Gu Jiu Ling: "These are the deeds for those two shops; from now on they are yours."

Gu Jiu Ling looked at the newly forged deed in disbelief and couldn't help but laugh angrily: "Gu Cheng, I thought you had studied for a few years and still had some sense, but I didn't expect you to be this shameless."

"The shop on Zhu Que Jie was originally my mother's dowry left to me; how did it become your charity to me?"

"This deed is forged, isn't it?"

Gu Cheng's face darkened: "Gu Jiu Ling, enough is enough. Lin Wancai, that dog, colluded with petty thugs to lend money at interest, harming the poor; I have already petitioned the Ministry of Punishments for a severe sentence, to be executed immediately!"

"What do you mean?"

Gu Jiu Ling coldly stared at him: "This matter isn't judged like that. If it weren't for your greedy mother meddling from behind, where would Lin Wancai get the nerve?"

"Moreover, the Emperor already knows about this; where do you get the ability to suppress it?"

Gu Cheng sneered: "It's not that my father and I want to suppress it; it's the Emperor who wants to suppress it, because too many aristocratic clans are involved."

"Lending money for profit, exploiting the people, harming the populace—our Gu family doesn't take the lion's share. And ask your good husband: are his people's hands clean?"

Gu Jiu Ling fell silent at once. Could it be that Xiao Yin also lent money for profit? No, Gu Cheng said it was Xiao Yin's subordinates. She hadn't expected that her casting a brick to attract jade would draw out this thread, that the fire she set would even burn Xiao Yin. No wonder yesterday he slept in her warm chamber with that strange, ambiguous attitude. Thinking of this, Gu Jiu Ling felt a chill at her neck; she had unintentionally offended Xiao Yin and brought him trouble. Gu Cheng looked at her silent, coldly laughing: "From top to bottom, Southern Qi is dark now; you, a lady of the inner quarters, should just mind your own household affairs."

"Still the same words: the matter ends here. Father told me to tell you to stop stirring trouble, otherwise he won't acknowledge you as his unfilial daughter."

Gu Jiu Ling slowly rose, staring fixedly at Gu Cheng: "When has he ever regarded me as his daughter? In the Gu family, only children born of the Lin clan count as children; my mother Du gave birth to what is called a wild dog, right?"

Gu Cheng frowned deeply; Gu Jiu Ling gave a light laugh, lifted her teacup as a gesture to see him out: "Gu Cheng, when you were raised outside with your mother, unseen by the world, your days must have been terrible, right?"

Gu Cheng's face changed slightly, he let out a cold snort: "Do as you please!"

He turned and strode out of the front hall, feeling a faint chill down his spine—no, the woman behind him definitely wasn't Gu Jiu Ling, couldn't be! She had changed! She simply wasn't Gu Jiu Ling! Gu Jiu Ling didn't have such a icy gaze, like a she-wolf lurking in the dark night, ready to pounce and bite his throat. She must die! After seeing Gu Cheng off, Jiu Yue came in from outside, seeing her master's grim expression, feeling uneasy—clearly the eldest miss had already gained the upper hand in taking back the shops? "Jiu Yue!"

"Master!"

Gu Jiu Ling said slowly: "Tomorrow, take Li Qiaoer and the group I arranged for her to take over those two shops."

"Not a single person previously used by the Lin clan will be kept; I'll replace everyone, inside and out."

"Yes!"

"Go help me scout a few more shop fronts; I want to take over these two shops' businesses and transfer them there. That jewelry shop's premises could actually be turned into a clinic."

"The master wants to open a clinic?"

Jiu Yue was now a bit dazed. It's fine for the ladies of aristocratic families to invest in a shop or two outside to earn some pocket money, but to openly open a clinic and see patients? That truly doesn't suit the identity of the Princess Consort of Rui Wang Fu. Gu Jiu Ling nodded: "You don't need to worry so much about me; first get these things going, take it slow."

In the east city, in Canglong Lane, a three-entry, three-exit residence, as usual, peaceful. Nearby neighbors only knew the owner was a wealthy silk merchant living here with his two sons, no different from other middle-class trader families. This time, the hidden compartment behind the main hall's portrait opened, revealing an extremely deep passage; going down from here for quite a distance leads to an underground secret prison. Xiao Yin leaned back in his chair, two kneeling persons before him trembling, begging tearfully: "Prince! Prince! Your subordinates dare not again! Prince, spare our lives!"

Xiao Yin slightly lowered his eyes; the flickering candlelight cast shifting shadows on his sharp-angled side profile. He slowly turned the black jade ring on his thumb, speaking in a deep voice: "My silver is not for you to lend money at interest and oppress the people."

"I see you two have some talent; I'm currently short of help around me, so I'll tentatively employ you two—I didn't expect you to do this behind my back?"

"Prince! Prince! Your subordinates are greedy, craving wealth! In the early years following you to the Bei Di borderlands, we saw nothing of the world… now… now looking at this flashy world… this heap of silver…" "Want to see silver?"

Xiao Yin curled the corner of his lip in mockery: "Why didn't you say so earlier?"

He gave a light laugh, suddenly drawing his Longquan Sword; frost and snow fell, a bloody head rolled to his feet— the dead man's eyes still wide open, facing the silver ingot Xiao Yin had tossed down. The other, terrified out of his wits, Xiao Yin coldly stared: "Follow me in service, want rewards? Yes! Want beauties? Yes! Want to achieve fame and success? Even more! But you must never be caught with a handle! Nor may you do things in private behind my back! Do you understand?"

"The vengeful spirits of Qi Sha Gu are watching you!"

Xiao Yin slowly wiped the blood from his Longquan Sword, walked out of the secret prison toward the faint light not far down the path; behind him came wailing cries, like a song from hell. Gu Jiu Ling had been uneasy all day; she hadn't expected this matter to involve Xiao Yin, previously thinking him merely a poor soul short of money and a little lacking affection. But Gu Cheng's words made it clear: Xiao Yin is not simple; she should be careful, investigate further toward his head. She hissed, feeling a toothache. She didn't want to touch that person's secret, after all she still wanted to live. "Master, the Prince has returned, over at the East Garden."

Jiu Yue hurried in. Gu Jiu Ling quickly rose, putting the prepared tofu balls soup, the pancakes she herself had fried, and the pickled cucumber strips and other side dishes into the food box. She needed to go and soften her attitude toward Xiao Yin; otherwise any misunderstanding could get her killed in an instant. She was mainly sparring with the Lin clan, having gotten the better of them, and didn't want to implicate the innocent. Xiao Yin had just washed his face, the bloody scent still not gone, when Ling Feng's voice came from outside: "Princess Consort, are you well?"

"Is the Prince inside?"

Gu Jiu Ling's laughter was bright, with a hint of sunny dryness. Ling Feng didn't know whether to let the Princess Consort in, given the Prince liked quiet. "Come in!"

Xiao Yin's clear, cold voice came over; Gu Jiu Ling took a breath, carrying the food box, and walked in.