Chapter 489: with translation of chapter title

Gu Jiu Ling did not see Xiao Yin all night; as usual, Xiao Yin would come to her room before bed to chat.

These days, he was constantly by her side, for danger lurked everywhere and killing intent awaited them at any moment.

Having waited a long time and grown tired, Gu Jiu Ling told Yun Duo to close the door, then lay down and fell asleep.

These days, she helped treat the plague in the town's people, from Shang Jing to Yangzhou along the way being hunted, with hardly any time to catch her breath.

Gu Jiu Ling fell asleep the moment her head hit the pillow, and only the next morning, when she opened her eyes, did she discover Xiao Yin sitting at the head of her bed, seemingly having not slept all night.

Xiao Yin's peach-blossom eyes were slightly reddened; Gu Jiu Ling instinctively raised her hand to his face and whispered, "Prince, what's wrong? Could you have been crying?"

A flicker of embarrassment crossed Xiao Yin's face; he turned away, lifted his hand to grasp Gu Jiu Ling's, steadied himself, and still spoke.

"That bastard from yesterday has already confessed!"

Gu Jiu Ling nodded; of course she knew that person had already confessed.

They even fed him a centipede—how could he not confess?

Xiao Yin drew a breath: "He also confessed to what happened back in Qi Sha Gu."

Gu Jiu Ling's expression froze instantly.

Xiao Yin said slowly: "The plague currently spreading in the town and the one we and our brothers suffered in Qi Sha Gu are almost identical."

"Back in Qi Sha Gu, the Cao Clan also took advantage of the merchants transporting grain to slip dead rats into the supplies, and even tampered with the soldiers' drinking wine and water."

"That son of a bitch from yesterday said he was one of those who poisoned Qi Sha Gu back then, and I've already made him write a confession."

Gu Jiu Ling hurriedly sat up: "The Cao Clan truly is no good; back then the eight great houses feared your land‑clearance policy, so of course they didn't want you alive."

"I never expected such vile tactics, even aiding the Bei Di to harm our own people."

Xiao Yin stared at Gu Jiu Ling: "That person said the merchants who transported grain to Qi Sha Gu back then were……"

He paused, then said: "They belonged to the Du family."

Gu Jiu Ling's face changed several shades: "Xiao Yin, what do you mean?"

Xiao Yin seized Gu Jiu Ling's hand, gazed intently at her, and said, "Don't misunderstand."

"It appears that the problem lay with your maternal grandfather's Du family in transporting the grain."

"If they had been more covert, I might believe it, but since everyone knows grain transport must not go wrong, yet the Du family's grain went awry—such an obvious frame‑up—I'm not blind to see it."

"No matter how stupid your maternal grandfather is, he wouldn't pour dirty water on himself; clearly the Cao Clan is framing the Du family."

Gu Jiu Ling's heart gave a slight twitch; she stared at Xiao Yin before her, her throat tightening as she wanted to cry but could not, and she clung tightly to his arm.

"Do you truly trust my maternal grandfather?"

Xiao Yin nodded: "That man has been frightened silly by you; his confession must be true."

"Back then, people from the Du family's merchant corps colluded with the Cao Clan to tamper with the grain, showing the Cao Clan wanted the Du family dead."

"Only by capturing those few old fogeys of the Cao Clan and interrogating them can we learn why, back then, the Cao and Duan families pointed their spears at the Du family."

"The eight great houses' actions clearly aim to make the Du family take the blame—but what could be the reason behind this?"

Gu Jiu Ling drew a breath: "In this world there is no hatred without cause, nor love without reason."

"What exactly did my maternal grandfather do to provoke the eight great houses' persecution, to arouse the emperor's suspicion, and to be worth any cost to kill him? Actually……"

Gu Jiu Ling gripped Xiao Yin's arm tightly; because she pressed too hard, his brow twitched slightly, and he lightly stroked her thin back.

"I understand what you mean," Xiao Yin said slowly, "if my guess is correct, the Longqing Emperor who created the Qi Sha Gu massacre wasn't only after me; he wanted to kill two birds with one stone—besides me, he also intended to deal with your maternal grandfather."

Gu Jiu Ling's brows knitted tightly: "Back when the Longqing Emperor rose among the princes, one factor was his mother consort, another was you, Prince, supporting him militarily step by step, and the third was my maternal grandfather, whose steady flow of silver helped him recruit troops and buy horses."

"If he were targeting you, Prince, that would be tolerable."

"Your military achievements have already aroused the emperor's suspicion, after all no one wants those close to him to hold military power."

"But my maternal grandfather is different—he has no military authority, no political power; he is merely a merchant of the court."

"Moreover, my maternal grandfather being alive brings the Longqing Emperor only benefits and no harm."

"He earns so much silver each year, part of which he offers as tribute to the Longqing Emperor; why would the emperor order his death? It simply makes no sense."

"Unless my maternal grandfather holds something that makes him wary, the Longqing Emperor must have him killed."

"This scheme hides something too deep; for now we need to topple the Cao Clan and seize the crucial clues from their hands."

"Back then, when the Cao Clan poisoned the Du family's grain, there must have been some key figures involved."

Xiao Yin and the others lingered in that small town for a full half month, waiting until the plague was completely contained and no new deaths occurred, after which Gu Jiu Ling and they finally boarded a ship and set off for Yangzhou.

By then, it was already lamp‑lighting time in Yangzhou City.

Beneath the riverbank corridors, lanterns were strung everywhere, bustling extraordinarily.

A punt boat carrying visitors glided to a dock, where a towering gatehouse had been built leading straight to the main courtyard.

This is the residence of the wealthiest family in Yangzhou, the Cao Clan; passing through the gatehouse leads straight to their main house.

Although they are merchants, their compound has running water and is quite large.

Carved beams and painted pillars, layer upon layer, courtyards abutting courtyards, gardens big and small dotting the spaces between.

Even the white walls and blue tiles are adorned with precious glazed tiles, shining brilliantly under the lamp light.

At this moment, however, the atmosphere in the eastern courtyard of the Cao Clan's rear garden was somewhat chilly and stern.

With a clatter, the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone fell to the ground; the servants inside and outside the courtyard were startled and all dropped to their knees.

In the warm pavilion, Cao Mao Lin's fat, greasy face had darkened to the extreme.

Beside him, kneeling and prostrate, Gu Nan Xiang also trembled, her face bearing a crimson palm print at this moment.

She lay sprawled there, her hands clenched tight in the cracks of the blue‑stone tiles, a cold, stern light flickering in her eyes.

I never expected Gu Jiu Ling to still be alive, having escaped from that small town.

That was a plague—ordinary people simply cannot withstand it.

Even back in Qi Sha Gu, the mighty soldiers of the Azure Dragon Army—didn't they too perish in the plague?

How could Gu Jiu Ling survive, and why is this so?

Why is it like this?!