Chapter 397: Purging the Lord's Side

After saying farewell to Princess Yuan Qing, Ying Gu hurried through the narrow alley of these remote dwellings and arrived in front of an inconspicuous courtyard.

The courtyard was somewhat dilapidated, and the yellow poplar wooden door was already badly mottled.

Ying Gu lifted her hand and gently knocked on the door, rhythmically—two knocks, then after a pause, two more.

Before she could continue knocking, the door suddenly opened, revealing a young man's sincere, honest face.

The man was dressed in a sturdy uniform; from the badge at his waist it was clear he belonged to the Rui Wangfu, and the badge's silver edging indicated he was a higher‑ranked guard of the Rui Wangfu.

He was a junior commander, likely just below Ling Feng in rank.

"Song Ge," Ying Gu greeted the man.

This man had once come from the Li Family Manor; later, while escorting Xiao Yin to Shang Jing, he endured battle after battle, and his outstanding performance led Xiao Yin to bring him directly to his side.

Having earned countless battle merits beside Xiao Yin, he was highly valued by Xiao Yin, who even entrusted the protection of Gu Jiu Ling to these close aides.

At this moment, Yang Song's face flashed with apprehension as he stared at Ying Gu, his complexion shifting slightly as he hurriedly asked, "Didn't you say only you would catch a distant glimpse of the Prince and then leave? Why did you bring an outsider?"

Yang Song now couldn't help but feel deep regret; after all, he had come from Li Family Manor and had been favored by its master, Li Cheng.

He had once enjoyed a happy family, but later his brother fell in battle at Qi Sha Gu, and his parents were slain when Bei Di razed the city.

He became an orphan, and Li Cheng brought him back to tend his wounds, then later led him to escort Xiao Yin to Shang Jing.

Although only a teenager, his quick wit and steady handling of affairs caught Xiao Yin's eye, who promptly recruited him from Li Family Manor to serve by his side.

Unexpectedly, the eldest daughter of the Li family found him, sobbing, and declared that her heart belonged to the Prince, yet the Prince intended to betroth her to someone else.

She told Yang Song that, since the Prince had promised her to another, she could not resist, but she still wanted to catch a distant glimpse of the Prince; otherwise, even marriage would not bring her peace.

Yang Song was originally at a loss; though the Li family had been kind to him, he still did not wish to defy the Prince's wishes, nor have Ying Gu bring up his family.

Ying Gu told Yang Song that the current Princess Consort's maternal grandfather was the mastermind behind the tragic incident at Qi Sha Gu years ago.

Given that connection, she also did not want the Prince to be blinded by that woman.

She only wanted to catch a distant glimpse of the Prince, using the chance to counsel him a few more words, urging him not to be swayed by beauty and forget the brothers' vengeance.

Ying Gu's two reasons were so compelling that Yang Song's mind heated up, leaving him no room for any rebuttal.

Nevertheless, he remained extremely cautious; the Prince and Princess Consort's relationship was excellent, and the Prince had directly assigned these highly skilled secret guards to the forest to guard the Princess Consort's guards.

Still, he should not appear to persuade the Prince to abandon the Princess Consort; he therefore agreed only to let Ying Gu catch a distant glimpse of the Prince.

Yang Song never imagined that Ying Gu would also bring Princess Yuan Qing along.

When Princess Yuan Qing had arrived earlier, Yang Song had already moved the other few people aside, leaving a large gap in the dwellings so that Ying Gu could watch the Prince without leaving.

Yang Song did not expect Ying Gu to cause such a commotion.

"Song Ge, I'm sorry, I'm unwilling to accept it. The Prince was deceived by that woman Gu Jiu Ling; she is the enemy of all of our Azure Dragon Army. How can she get to live peacefully?"

"Moreover, that woman is full of scheming; who knows what mind‑clouding broth she fed the Prince?"

"The Prince can ignore the deep‑seated blood feud of hundreds of thousands of deaths; this shows the woman possesses some cultivation. If so, cutting her off would inevitably harm the Prince."

"I brought Princess Yuan Qing this time for my own reasons, and as I keep saying, I must remove Gu Jiu Ling from the Prince's side."

"Song Ge, you must help me recall how your elder brother met his tragic death in Qi Sha Gu, how his parents were wiped out by the polar troops of Qi Sha Gu—three of the four family members were exterminated by the enemy—and that the mastermind behind it all is Gu Jiu Ling's maternal grandfather, Du Yushan. Now is our chance for revenge. The Prince is too confused by him to act, so we will act in the Prince's stead. I'm not foolish; if I strike directly, it would make the Prince's future difficult. We can broadly borrow Princess Yuanxing's blade. In short, the woman by the Prince's side must be pure, not like Gu Jiu Ling, who carries such a huge stain. Ultimately, the Prince must die at this woman's hands."

Ying Gu mentioned Yang Song's deceased relatives, and Liang Sheng's initially hesitant gaze finally steadied a bit.

These past few days, they have been arguing in secret; they have always worshipped Xiao Yin as a deity, yet now they are filled with anger. How could the clever and capable Prince be swayed by a woman? They already have solid evidence—clearly it was Du Yushan who caused their heavy losses—yet the Prince does not seek revenge, keeps the woman by his side, and even treats the two mysterious children as his own. What is happening?

Yang Song furrowed his brows heavily for a long moment, sighed, lifted his gaze steadily, and said to Ying Gu, "This time the situation is like an adventure, but now that it has come to this, there is no way. I only ask you not to harm the Prince."

Ying Gu's eyes flickered slightly, and she replied, "I won't."

"I only want to avenge the brothers for the Qi Sha Gu grievance; after Gu Jiu Ling's maternal grandfather killed so many, why does he still stand by the Prince? It's disgusting; it's time he pays the price."

Ying Gu sneered coldly; even if a payment were required, Gu Jiu Ling is not the one to be dealt with—she only handles the connections. According to the ruthless schemes of Princess Leqing, this time you are likely doomed.

Gu Jiu Ling returned with the children and attendants to his own estate—

It's unclear whether the long time spent outside or the recent events concerning Xiao Yin have left his mind a bit uneasy; after returning to warmth, he felt extremely fatigued.

Two wet nurses fetched Gu Jiu Ling and the child he had guarded since September, moved them to the back hall to begin caring for the child, and only then did Gu Jiu Ling free himself to sit at his study desk.

Zuo Feichen had returned to the medical hall, but this time he seemed to have vanished without a trace, his whereabouts unknown as he appeared to be investigating something; after all, everyone has private matters, and Gu Jiu Ling found it hard to ask him.

He first dealt with those medicine furnaces, and once Zuo Feichen returns to Shang Jing, he will discuss expanding the operating rooms, planning to open a reputable pharmacy in the southern city and train doctors for basic surgeries. With this in mind, Gu Jiu Ling began drafting the blueprints, already drawing a large pile.

The evening darkened as Sister Zhao's hue faded.

Gu Jiu Ling slowly rose, stretched lazily, and went into the courtyard. Through the floral wall he looked outward; his postpartum room was built at the edge of the forest, and the carved flower wall offered a view of the woods and other scenery.

He lifted his head, took a deep breath, shook his wounded shoulder, and gazed through the carved courtyard wall at the forest, where a faint smile blossomed, and his heart raced wildly.