Chapter 38: He's Gone Mad

+Tuo Ba Yu smiled at Gu Jiu Ling: "Since it's something the Princess Consort wants, I won't take a single coin."

Gu Jiu Ling was stunned for a moment, then took out five thousand taels of silver notes from her bosom and stuffed them into Tuo Ba Yu's bosom. "I don't know how much I gave, either; favors are favors, business is business—just take it."

"Living in Shang Jing hasn't been easy for you, and you're short on silver—I won't take advantage of you."

Tuo Ba Yu's violet pupils flickered slightly, and he felt a bit uneasy; wondering if he appeared too weak in front of this woman, he had no way to explain, so he accepted the silver notes—not taking them would have put her in a difficult spot. Gu Jiu Ling didn't want to get too involved with the Bei Di people, after all, being charged with treason would be no laughing matter. Now she bears Xiao Yin's name and carries a couple of children; she doesn't know how many people in Shang Jing wish to kill her, so it's best not to hand over such leverage lightly. Gu Jiu Ling slowly rose and said, "Your Highness, eat these dishes slowly; I don't know what you like, so I just ordered some at random—please take your time. I have affairs to attend to in my manor, so I'll take my leave."

Tuo Ba Yu's gaze flashed, sensing she was desperately trying to avoid him—but who could escape once he had set his sights on someone? He pulled a jade box from his bosom; it didn't look like a Central Plains object, and the carved patterns on the outside resembled talismans. "I'll give this to the Princess Consort to play with."

Gu Jiu Ling took it over and carefully opened the lid; suddenly a red butterfly flew out—it was a living creature. However, the butterfly circled once and returned to the box, obediently landing inside. Gu Jiu Ling was dumbstruck, and Tuo Ba Yu laughed: "Just feed it flower nectar and morning dew each day; the tracking butterfly can trace a person or object a thousand li away."

Gu Jiu Ling hurriedly put the butterfly back, having heard the legend of the scarlet-leaf butterfly in the jianghu—there are only three in the whole world, a heavenly price! Impossible to obtain! Such a thing is extremely useful; sometimes it can be used to save one's life. She never expected Tuo Ba Yu to be so generous; this meeting gift is a bit too weighty. "I can't accept it! It's too precious!"

"Princess Consort, you're being overly solemn," Tuo Ba Yu said, slowly rising. Gu Jiu Ling then noticed that this youth who looked frail was actually quite tall when he stood, giving off a slight sense of pressure. He placed the butterfly before Gu Jiu Ling and smiled lightly: "Please accept it, Princess Consort; you saved my life, so I owe you a favor."

"Keep the Princess Consort's trinket for leisure; it might come in handy at a critical moment."

Gu Jiu Ling steadied herself; the latter half of Tuo Ba Yu's words moved her, and she accepted it with a thanks. A soft light shimmered in Tuo Ba Yu's clear violet eyes as he nodded and smiled: "If the Princess Consort ever needs my help, just contact me at the Fu Sheng Pawnshop."

Gu Jiu Ling agreed, not wanting to linger any longer. Next door, Li Qiao'er also settled the negotiation details with Ghost Hand Seven, then followed Gu Jiu Ling out of Jiangxian Lou. Master and servant boarded the carriage and departed directly. Tuo Ba Yu stood by the window, gazing intently as Gu Jiu Ling's carriage gradually faded from his sight, his eyes softening with warmth. She wants to avoid him, but how easy could that be? Having finally found a ray of light in life, how could I let her slip away? The scarlet-leaf butterfly is merely a greeting gift; there will be plenty of opportunities for future interactions. "Your Highness!"

Gu Lv entered, stood before Tuo Ba Yu and bowed. "How's the investigation going?"

Gu Lv whispered: "When the eldest Miss Gu had her incident in the palace, Prince Rui was still in Chengzhou; logically, that child couldn't be his."

"But..." "But what?"

Gu Lv hurriedly said: "Your Highness, two months ago our informant inside the palace discovered that Prince Rui was indeed in the palace that day, but he seemed like a different person—his mind was muddled, and he smashed things in Cuiyu Palace; afterward, we don't know where he stumbled off to."

"What did you say?"

Tuo Ba Yu's pupils instantly turned cold. Gu Lv also didn't know why Your Highness cared so much about the eldest Miss Gu's affair, and hurriedly said: "This matter was only witnessed by Eunuch Feng back then; he said that at that time Prince Rui felt like a madman, or rather, suffering from hysteria."

"He was just unlucky that time—accidentally bumping into Prince Rui's madness, he got choked unconscious, and even now his neck still hurts; but afterward Prince Rui seems to have forgotten the incident, and never sent anyone into the palace to investigate his whereabouts."

"He was so frightened he took sick leave and hid for several days; later, when he saw Prince Rui again, he didn't even recognize him, which is why he left the palace to contact his subordinates."

Tuo Ba Yu's brows knotted tightly, a layer of frost forming over his handsome brows and eyes. "Have him come out of the palace these few days to think of a way to see me."

"Yes!"

Gu Lv withdrew. The last time the imperial hunting grounds had an incident, many people didn't get to enjoy themselves fully; this time the Empress Dowager led a crowd to Long Dragon Mountain to pay respects to the Buddha, and the daughters of noble families were especially enthusiastic. Although they went out to pay respects to the Buddha, they could take the opportunity to tour the mountains and waters, which was quite delightful. The best season in Shang Jing of Southern Qi is spring and summer—there are many festivals, the climate is pleasant, and the scenery beyond the city is breathtaking. Gu Jiu Ling and Xiao Yin sat in the carriage; this time they first went to the monastery at the foot of Long Dragon Mountain, which was said to be a monastery but actually a set of private temporary residences. It was convenient for royalty and nobles to stay overnight when they came to pay respects to the Buddha. The courtyards of the aristocratic families were all adjacent, making it lively nonetheless. Earlier a heavy rain had fallen; Zhu Que Jie was all right, but the road all the way through the southern part of the city was truly difficult to traverse. It felt as if the entire southern city had sunk into mire, the smell was foul, and Gu Jiu Ling looked out of the carriage, her brows furrowing: "Is the Official Ditch clogged? All this dirty water is surging upward!"

Gu Jiu Ling watched the few children playing in the mire. Xiao Yin followed her gaze outward, a flicker of mockery crossing his eyes: "The Empress Dowager pays homage to the Buddha, gilding the statue's body—who cares about the life or death of ants?"

"But now it's the rainy season—aren't you afraid of urban flooding? Look how densely packed the residents are; once something happens, it's fatal!"

Xiao Yin stared steadily at Gu Jiu Ling, his eyes deepening considerably, then he curled his lips into a smile: "My wife the Princess Consort is still quite patriotic and people‑oriented."

Gu Jiu Ling was speechless; in this era, the common folk are like ants, with no civil rights to speak of, and life and death are merely a word from those in power. She felt a slight blockage in her chest, not wanting Xiao Yin to raise his hand and ruffle her hair as he laughed: "After this Buddha‑paying trip, I'll mention it to my imperial brother."

Gu Jiu Ling startled, not expecting him to say that, she waved her hand and smiled: "Forget it; I was just chatting casually."

Gu Jiu Ling knew Xiao Yin had no real authority; at court his words carried no weight, nobody listened to him, and even if he spoke, no one would heed him—if he spoke urgently, it might even arouse Emperor Longqing's suspicion. Seeing her concern, Xiao Yin gave a light smile: "Are you worried about this prince?"