Chapter 508: with translation of chapter title

Gu Jiu Ling looked at the oil-paper parcel held in Xiao Yin's hand; inside was wrapped a sheepskin map, and upon opening the map it turned out to be a secret letter.

During the late emperor's reign, he firmly kept control of both local and central authorities in his own hands, thus establishing the memorial system.

That is to say, local officials could directly submit memorials to the emperor, truthfully reporting local conditions in the letters.

Such memorials were supposed to be sealed in a box, but this letter before us is not sealed in a box; it is merely a single sheet of paper.

Although the paper quality is good, after so many years it has also become slightly yellowed.

Gu Jiu Ling hastily opened the letter; in fact, it contained little content, just two simple sentences.

It was precisely these two simple sentences that made Gu Jiu Ling feel a chill run down her spine.

"Surround and slaughter the Azure Dragon Army at Qi Sha Gu, lure the Du clan's merchant caravan to Qi Sha Gu, steal the beam and replace the pillar, and you all go straight to Mang Shan."

Upon seeing the two characters "Mang Shan", Gu Jiu Ling hastily lifted her head to look at Xiao Yin, whose brows furrowed tightly.

Gu Jiu Ling couldn't help but sneer: "What a splendid art of stealing heaven and replacing the sun! It seems all the blame is being dumped on our Du family, isn't it?"

Xiao Yin's brows furrowed tightly; now the truth is fully revealed, he initially thought it was the Du clan patriarch who had acted against his Azure Dragon Army, never expecting that it was actually the Cao clan who had secretly swapped the Du patriarch's merchant caravan, and somehow forced him to go to Qi Sha Gu to deliver military provisions.

Meanwhile, the Cao clan diverted their route to Mang Shan.

"Mang Shan?" Xiao Yin drew a breath, hastily pushing the map toward Gu Jiu Ling's face; the two of them put their heads together and looked at it, simultaneously inhaling.

Earlier, she and Xiao Yin had obtained the map of Mang Shan from Zuo Feichen, as well as from her mother's cosmetics box.

In the border region where Bei Di, Xi Rong, and Southern Qi meet, amidst the vast endless mountains, this Mang Shan is indeed hard to find.

It lies within the three realms, and its geographical environment is extremely complex.

Even with the map they had previously pieced together, they could only get a rough idea.

This time, looking at the new map Xiao Yin had just obtained, they had already reached the foot of Mang Shan.

Moreover, this map twists and turns, appearing to be a small path deep in the waist of Mang Shan, whose end leads to a structure that looks like a heavenly temple nestled in clouds and mist.

The palace complex is extraordinarily grand, yet hidden within the clouds and mist; the path's end vanishes into the fog, becoming indistinguishable.

That's all there is; beyond that, nothing else.

Gu Jiu Ling looked at Xiao Yin: "It seems we must make a trip to Mang Shan; though we have roughly gathered the maps we hold, Mang Shan surely holds the answers we seek."

"The place the Du clan originally intended to go, and where the Cao clan stood in for them, might conceal a tremendous secret."

"Your Highness, regardless, you know that the poison mixed into the provisions of your Azure Dragon Army at Qi Sha Gu was not our Du family's doing, but the Cao clan's."

"The Cao clan's kill-two-birds-with-one-stone scheme framed your Azure Dragon Army and smeared my Du family's elders and children with filth; all the blame fell on us Du family, but now the truth is fully revealed."

Xiao Yin drew a harsh breath, raised his hand and tightly grasped Gu Jiu Ling's hand, whispering: "I'm sorry; it was my fault before."

This apology came from Xiao Yin's heart.

The more he did so, the more he felt guilty toward the woman before him.

Earlier, he himself didn't know what had come over him; perhaps it was because he had investigated this case for too long, and together with the evidence fabricated by those people, it was simply too perfect.

All the evidence pointed to the Du patriarch; if not for Gu Jiu Ling's insistence on clearing up the misunderstanding, who knows when it would have been resolved.

At this moment, Xiao Yin clenched the map in his hand, his hatred for the Cao clan burning hot enough to draw blood.

Adding this memorial before him, it was clear that it would be used to have the Cao clan deal with the Du family.

Every map points to Mang Shan; it seems he must send people to follow the route pieced together from these three maps and go to Mang Shan for a trip.

Xiao Yin stared fixedly at Gu Jiu Ling before him, then suddenly thumped down and knelt before her.

Gu Jiu Ling was greatly startled, hastily bending to lift him from the ground, but unexpectedly Xiao Yin seemed to have used a thousand‑catty weight technique, sticking to the ground without moving; Gu Jiu Ling tried to pull him but couldn't budge him.

Xiao Yin lifted his head and looked at Gu Jiu Ling, speaking slowly: "It's my fault; I shouldn't have… I shouldn't have blamed your maternal grandfather."

All along, my misjudgment… and I even treated you as if you were dead.

"It's my fault, Xiao Yin; I will certainly admit it, let me kowtow to you."

Gu Jiu Ling was both laughing and crying; she had no idea what this man was thinking, yet he actually began kowtowing before her.

Gu Jiu Ling couldn't help but laugh angrily: "Are you trying to shorten my lifespan? Get up quickly."

"Forget it; you too were deceived, but your earlier actions truly earned hatred; the few kowtows you gave me, I, as your elder sister, accept without resentment."

Ling Feng, standing outside, slowly turned his face away; it was simply unbearable to watch.

After all, he is a Prince of Southern Qi; even if he made a mistake, why would he lower his posture so much before a woman?

But this is the Prince's affair; Ling Feng dare not say anything.

Having obtained the evidence, Xiao Yin took Gu Jiu Ling, boarded a carriage again, left the Zheng household, headed straight for the riverbank outside Yangzhou City, and boarded the pleasure boat moored at the shore.

"Aren't we going back to the office?"

"No," Xiao Yin said, a deep hue flashing in his eyes, "now every step must be unexpected; we must swiftly deliver the ledger back to the capital to settle accounts with the Cao clan completely."

Xiao Yin's brows furrowed tightly; his deep peach‑blossom eyes slowly narrowed: "Only when the Cao clan are all dead will this debt be settled; we must reckon with them slowly."

"Now only a little brat has died, but there is also a duke; we must include him in the reckoning as well."

Gu Jiu Ling nodded: "Let's wait for Gu Kang."

Xiao Yin had already sent a messenger with a note to Gu Kang; shortly, Gu Kang will rush over to find them.

Soon after, Gu Kang rode his horse toward the riverbank.

Gu Jiu Ling ordered the boatmen to rig the ship's dinghy, letting Gu Kang step aboard to come over; unexpectedly, Gu Kang stood on the shore and waved at Gu Jiu Ling?

Gu Jiu Ling hurried after him; it seemed Gu Kang had something to say.

Gu Jiu Ling walked to the bank, raised her head, and looked at her younger brother.

Yet she saw that Gu Kang's face was somewhat pallid; on his back he carried a bundle that appeared to wrap a box.

Moreover, Gu Kang's person even smelled of smoke and scorching.

Gu Jiu Ling frowned slightly: "What's the matter?"

Gu Kang took down the bundle from his back, held it in his hand, and looked at Gu Jiu Ling: "I burned her, reducing her to ashes."

Gu Jiu Ling froze on the spot, unable to utter a word.

It took a long while before she drew a breath; she realized who was on Gu Kang's back.