Chapter 530

Gu Jiu Ling hadn't expected Crown Prince Xiao Ting to come looking for her; she hastily set down her teacup, only to see a purple-robed figure, head adorned with a seven-beam crown, the Southern Qi Crown Prince walking toward her along the flower-shaded path.

Xiao Ting ordered his attendants to stand at the second gate, and he entered alone.

Gu Jiu Ling also rose to her feet.

One inside the door, one outside; light and shadow from the outer room fell in mottled patterns upon the two of them, giving them a feeling as if separated by ages, a sense of vicissitude.

Gu Jiu Ling furrowed her brows, her tone lacking warmth as she said lightly, "Crown Prince, you are a rare visitor! I don't know what brings you here today."

Gu Jiu Ling's aloofness made Xiao Ting's hand, hidden in his sleeve, clench into a fist; he drew a breath and said, "I, the Prince, have come to see a doctor."

That answer left Gu Jiu Ling momentarily stunned, then she said, "Please go register at the front hall, Your Highness, and wait in line."

Xiao Ting hadn't expected Gu Jiu Ling to make him wait in line; his eyes turned slightly cold, he stepped forward to grab her hand, but she shook him off and stepped back, staring at him coldly.

"Please conduct yourself properly, Your Highness—I am your elder!"

"Although you are now the Regent Prince, holding great power, you are only a regent."

Xiao Ting was shaken by Gu Jiu Ling's demeanor and reprimand, daring not to advance further.

He gazed at Gu Jiu Ling, a hint of bitterness in her eyes, then strode to the chair, lifted his robe, and sat down.

Gu Jiu Ling was utterly speechless; she had never seen such a shameless person.

"Gu Jiu Ling," Xiao Ting lifted his gaze to the woman before him, "I have come today to ask a few things."

Gu Jiu Ling snorted coldly; this time Xiao Ting was the Regent Prince, so she couldn't just beat him out.

She suppressed the killing intent rising in her heart and took the seat of honor.

Seeing Gu Jiu Ling also sit down, Xiao Ting's tone softened somewhat as he stared at her: "You weren't like this before."

"Hah!" Gu Jiu Ling turned her face away, sneering, "Then according to Your Highness, what should I have been like before?"

"Like a dog trailing behind you, even knowing you were secretly up to something sordid with my concubine sister, I still had to greet you with a smile?"

"And I had to spend the silver my maternal grandfather left me on you, Xiao Ting—I'm not that low!"

A flicker of guilt crossed Xiao Ting's face as he drew a breath: "You've misunderstood my meaning; I wasn't…… Well, no matter how I explain it, you won't believe me."

"But I want you to know one thing: at first I was deluded by Consort Nanxiang, taking you as my disgrace; now I regret it deeply, and I feel you are my……"

"Stop! Crown Prince, as a junior you sit before your aunt the Princess Consort, speaking all about love affairs—you have no shame, but I still do!"

"Still regretting? What do you regret? You don't deserve those two words—'regret'!"

"When you drugged me back then, did you ever consider that I would be ruined and disgraced, unable to remain in Shang Jing?"

"When you colluded with Consort Nanxiang, did you ever think I would be heartbroken?"

"When you teamed up with Consort Nanxiang to plot my death, you are unworthy and have no right to sit here!"

"And yet you speak of deep feeling before me—late-arriving affection is worse than a dog's; Crown Prince, please leave!"

Gu Jiu Ling's sentence after sentence of reproach left Xiao Ting utterly ashamed.

Xiao Ting's heart also hardened; these past few days as Regent Prince he had already tasted the flavor of power.

So many people flattered and fawned over him, none daring to defy his will—except this woman before him, who thinks clinging to Xiao Yin will make her invincible?

Xiao Ting gritted his teeth and sneered, "Gu Jiu Ling, Xiao Yin won't live many more days; following him will only bring you suffering."

"You're full of shit!"

Gu Jiu Ling's face changed drastically; she would not allow anyone to slander Xiao Yin.

Xiao Ting hadn't expected Gu Jiu Ling to swear; his heart sank even further.

Gu Jiu Ling looked at him coldly: "The Regent Prince has been in office only a few days, and already so arrogant?"

"No matter what, Xiao Yin is the war god of Southern Qi; for years he shielded you, and even when you were still wearing open-crotch pants, he, in his youthful vigor, set up a barrier on the battlefield to keep you safe."

"He harbored no second thought toward you father and son; it is you who are wolf-hearted and dog-lunged, who have betrayed him!"

"Show some shame, get out!"

Never having been shouted at like this, Xiao Ting sprang to his feet, glaring at Gu Jiu Ling: "Gu Jiu Ling! Don't refuse a toast only to drink a penalty!"

Then he softened his tone a bit, looking at Gu Jiu Ling: "I have always held a place for you in my heart; think carefully—do you wish to be the future empress, or a displaced prisoner?"

Gu Jiu Ling simply didn't know what to say, and laughed: "Crown Prince, you are too full of yourself; although you are now Regent Prince, the imperial court is in flux, with many variables."

As if confirming Gu Jiu Ling's words, the attendants guarding the prince outside the door, this time disregarding that it was someone else's inner quarters, rushed in hastily; even the medicine slaves could not stop them.

"How rude! What are you doing?" Xiao Ting shouted angrily; the attendants he had brought from his own palace were so reckless, they were throwing away his face.

That guard's expression was abnormal; he stepped forward a few paces, leaned close to Xiao Ting's ear, and whispered a few words.

Xiao Ting's face suddenly changed drastically; he abruptly lifted his head to look at Gu Jiu Ling before him.

Seeing his expression, Gu Jiu Ling realized that something must have happened in the palace.

Recalling last night's events, he already had a rough idea; he glanced lightly at Xiao Ting and said, "Your Highness seems to have some urgent matter; then I won't see you off—go slowly, turn left at the door, take care."

Xiao Ting's brows knotted tightly as he stared at Gu Jiu Ling: "Yesterday, who did you bring into the palace?"

Gu Jiu Ling gave a light laugh: "Of course, good people."

Xiao Ting now had no time to wrangle with Gu Jiu Ling; he snorted coldly, turned, and walked out.

He had originally wanted to ask Gu Jiu Ling about his father's illness, but before he could get to the point, he had already swallowed a bellyful of anger.

Moreover, he now heard that in the palace the emperor had actually found another prince who had been lost among the common folk for many years.

This prince is even older than he; if ranked by seniority, this newly found commoner prince would likely be the emperor's eldest son.

Although this rustic trinket of a prince could not pose a threat to him in the short term, it is like a fly swallowed in the throat—somewhat nauseating.

Some say this new prince was brought into the palace by the Princess Consort of Rui, which makes Xiao Ting feel as if sitting on pins and needles.

Anything involving the Rui Wang Fu is bound to end badly; he must hurry into the palace to see what's going on.

After the Third and Sixth Princes ran into trouble, the remaining princes are all mere babes.

Xiao Ting thought he had securely occupied the throne, but now another prince has appeared, instantly heightening his sense of crisis.

He hurried out of Gu Jiu Ling's clinic and boarded the carriage of the Tai Zi Fu.

The trusted aide beside him whispered: "Your Highness, I heard that just now the Emperor has summoned the Vice Minister of Rites into the palace to draft an edict, to be announced to the world tomorrow."

Xiao Ting's face turned slightly pale, his hand clenched tightly into a fist: "Enter the palace!"