Chapter 402

Qin Tuo Temple was originally very secluded, and the meditation courtyard in the temple was even more located on the westernmost side near the pine forest, making it exceptionally tranquil.

Gu Jiu Ling lay on the bed in the meditation courtyard, and could even hear the howls of wild beasts in the mountains and forests, which sounded especially piercing in this silent night.

Jiu Yue beside her listened with a pounding heart and looked toward her master leaning against the bolster, but seeing Gu Jiu Ling's calm and composed demeanor, she felt somewhat relieved.

No one knew when it started, but the usually unreliable young lady had become the mainstay of everyone, and the more trouble they faced, the more composed she became.

"Jiu Yue, how long has Yun Duo been gone?"

Gu Jiu Ling suddenly opened her slightly closed eyes—how could she possibly sleep?

If she didn't root out those traitors this time, her two children would never find peace afterward.

This time, when striking a snake, either don't strike at all, or if you do, strike at the seventh inch.

Jiu Yue hurriedly replied, "In response to my lady, Yun Duo has already been gone for about an hour."

Gu Jiu Ling nodded and asked, "How are the two masters over there?"

Jiu Yue hurriedly said, "Our people have already gone over."

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Gu Jiu Ling nodded, then looked up at the dust-covered canopy above the bed, which had several holes and was draped with spiderwebs.

Gu Jiu Ling didn't mind these; tonight she had come to fish, which was better than sleeping outdoors.

While the master and servant were speaking, suddenly a hurried footsteps sounded from outside.

Immediately afterward, the entire Qin Tuo Temple was engulfed in a blaze of firelight, and in an instant the clamor surged like a dark tide, instantly sealing off the side courtyard where Gu Jiu Ling was located.

Right after, the wooden door of the room where Gu Jiu Ling was staying was kicked open from outside, and a gust of cold night wind rushed in.

Then several men in sturdy attire rushed in, followed by a woman in red clothing with a silver soft sword at her waist—who else could it be but Princess Yuan Qing?

Princess Yuan Qing stared fixedly at Gu Jiu Ling as she slowly sat up from the bed, her eyes icy cold like a blade, wishing she could pierce Gu Jiu Ling straight through.

Jiu Yue was about to resist, but the Bei Di guards who had entered tightly bound her and dragged her away.

The atmosphere inside the room instantly dropped to freezing point.

Princess Yuan Qing's eyes gradually narrowed as she looked at Gu Jiu Ling, and she couldn't help but let out a cold laugh.

"Gu Jiu Ling, long time no see!"

"I heard you were dead earlier, and I thought we at least had some affinity, so I should have burned some paper money for you—I didn't expect it to be in vain."

"Not in vain," Gu Jiu Ling said as she slowly sat up, lifted her gaze, and smiled at Princess Yuan Qing.

Although surrounded by so many people brought by Princess Yuan Qing, she showed not the slightest panic.

She glanced at Princess Yuan Qing and lightly smiled, saying, "Your Highness might actually need it soon, after all your mind works in wondrous ways and your actions often defy convention—burning paper money for yourself would seem quite fitting coming from you."

"Wench! You're about to die tonight, yet you still dare to talk tough?"

"If you're so eager to die, why not die thoroughly? Let Xiao Yin completely lose any longing for you—wouldn't that be better?"

Princess Yuan Qing had hated Gu Jiu Ling for so long; having finally awaited this opportunity, how could she let her go?

"If I don't strip a layer of skin off Gu Jiu Ling tonight, I'll take her surname!"

Gu Jiu Ling was already seated properly on the bed, even reaching for the cup of warm tea left on the bedside table, lifting it and taking a few sips to quench her thirst.

Princess Yuan Qing was further provoked by Gu Jiu Ling's demeanor—she was about to die, yet remained so calm?

Who gave her this confidence, allowing her to be so composed?

Yuan Qing had already waited too long.

These days, she had, through that mysterious green-clothed woman, directly opened up Xiao Yin's arrangements outside Gu Jiu Ling's residence.

Her people had been hiding near Gu Jiu Ling's residence for several days, scouting, and discovered that aside from strolling in the tightly guarded small grove, Gu Jiu Ling never went out.

Even they, wanting to make a move, had no chance at all.

These days, Yuan Qing's inner anxiety had become uncontrollable; this time she came to Southern Qi to seek a marriage alliance with Xiao Yin, originally thinking that removing Gu Jiu Ling, that stumbling block, would suffice, but she didn't expect Gu Jiu Ling to still be alive.

Yuan Qing understood that because of Gu Jiu Ling, there was no longer any possibility between her and Xiao Yin.

The urgent priority was to kill Gu Jiu Ling, to eliminate future troubles once and for all.

But she had waited so long, and Gu Jiu Ling was extremely cautious, never showing her face.

Until this time, when Gu Jiu Ling actually brought people and secretly went to the suburbs of the capital to offer incense and pray for blessings.

She probably also didn't want the people of Shang Jing to see her appearance, after all she wasn't dead, and the Chongwen Tower had been burned to that state.

If Gu Jiu Ling didn't want to cause trouble, she could only pretend to be dead for now.

Ha! This time she wants Gu Jiu Ling to really die!

At that moment, Yuan Qing said no more, unfastened the soft sword at her waist, gave it a fierce shake in midair, and thrust it toward Gu Jiu Ling's face.

Her sword strike was steady, precise, and ruthless—first she knocked the tea cup Gu Jiu Ling was holding away with a flick of the blade.

Then the sword edge thrust straight toward Gu Jiu Ling's neck.

At that critical moment, a piercing whiz of arrows rang out from the doorway, followed by screams, and a strong smell of blood surged in.

This startled Princess Yuan Qing, who quickly turned to look.

Unexpectedly, a burst of sound came from the window, a strong earthy scent blew in, and several people dressed in dark clothing wearing red raptor masks rushed in through the window.

By then the doorway was already in chaos, and all the people Yuan Qing had brought were completely slain.

Those people all wore red raptor masks, attacked with extraordinary cruelty, and every strike drew blood.

"Red Scorpion!" Princess Yuan Qing exclaimed.

She quickly shouted, calling for the guards outside to come in for reinforcement, never expecting that more and more people would gather around from all sides.

Not to mention seeing those dense crowds of people, even just hearing those hurried footsteps made Princess Yuan Qing's scalp go numb.

She thought Gu Jiu Ling had secretly come to this secluded temple to pray for the poisoned Xiao Yin, and had only brought a few people.

After all, she was feigning death, daring not to appear before the common folk of Shang Jing, so she could only hide in such a small temple—yet still fulfill her own wish.

She had brought several dozen guards, which already showed enough regard for Gu Jiu Ling, but she didn't expect to see the crowd around them growing ever denser.

Obviously this was the trap Gu Jiu Ling had set for her, and her face instantly turned deathly pale.

Impossible! How could this be? When did she see through it? How did she know that these days, she had been secretly scheming against her?

Yuan Qing no longer dared to think further, turned and fled toward the door, not wanting to be blocked back by Gu Jiu Ling's people outside.

"Hah! Not bad, you're somewhat well-informed, Princess—you weren't trying to kill me, were you?"

Gu Jiu Ling stood up, tilted her head and smiled at Yuan Qing before her: "Come on!"

At this point, the people Yuan Qing had brought with her were already nearly dead; she dared not confront her head-on, and just as she was about to leave, she was firmly blocked at the doorway.

She instantly Ren Ao Nu Xu, turned and stabbed towards Gu Jiu Ling.

"You wretch! I'll kill you!"