Chapter 556: Should Not Have Harmed Her a Second Time

Xiao Ting's face was ashen, he collapsed on the ground, stared fixedly at the dagger before him, slowly raised his hand, his hand trembling incessantly.

Just as he grasped the dagger's hilt, he paused there, then lifted his eyes and stared steadily at Xiao Yin before him.

"Tell me, where exactly did I lose?"

Xiao Yin's lips curled into a mocking smile: "Self‑righteous!"

"You... what did you say?" Xiao Ting's body trembled slightly, his voice hoarse, as if he hadn't heard Xiao Yin clearly.

Xiao Yin said slowly: "You claim to need soldiers yet have none, need money yet have none, yet you place all your hope on a handful of literate but shallow civil officials."

"If you possessed great strategy, that would be another matter; you're just a straw‑bag, yet you still dare to vie for a place in this world."

"Anyway, a straw‑bag is a straw‑bag; being a bit more of one doesn't matter. At most you cling to a power‑broker like me. The pitiful thing is, as soon as you become regent you already want my life! I must ask whether you even have that capability."

Xiao Yin paused briefly, and in his gaze toward Xiao Ting a hint of sympathy appeared. He sighed and laughed: "Actually... you do have a chance to turn things around."

"What did you say?" Xiao Ting still couldn't accept that he had lost this battle.

He was truly unwilling to accept it, genuinely resentful.

"What are you talking about? What do you mean I have a chance to turn the tide?"

Xiao Yin's expression grew stern; he stared at Xiao Ting: "Even now I can't understand why you helped Gu Nan Xiang frame your own fiancée."

"You could have the powerful backing of Gu Jiu Ling, and the Du family's remaining influence is not as weak as you think. Look at Gu Kang now; whom does he rely on?"

"You..." Xiao Ting clenched his teeth hard, yet had no room to rebut.

Xiao Yin stared at Xiao Ting, slowly shook his head and sneered coldly: "So stupid! Ha!"

Xiao Ting's complexion turned as pale as paper; he slowly seized the dagger on the tray, gripping the hilt tightly, and with a hoarse, bitter laugh whispered: "Indeed! So stupid!"

"She treated me so well, obeyed me in everything, always thought of me. Even when I drugged her and pushed her into an abyss from which she could not return, she still chose to trust me, and in the end her ruin was also thanks to you! Imperial Uncle..."

"Thank you!" Xiao Ting suddenly clenched the dagger and lunged toward Xiao Yin.

His martial skill was inferior to Xiao Yin's; this strike exhausted his whole strength as he thrust toward Xiao Yin's chest.

Bang!

Xiao Ting flung himself straight at the wall; the dagger in his hand fell to the ground. His final desperate counter, spent with all his strength, was lightly deflected by Xiao Yin, turning him into a joke.

Xiao Yin kicked the fallen dagger aside with a foot, leaving a tiny nick on his sleeve.

He stared coldly at Xiao Yin, gasping heavily; now there was no trace of the earlier terror in his eyes, only a dead silence.

His head leaned against the cold wall, a thin line of blood seeped from his lips; earlier a palm from Xiao Yin had slammed him against the wall, damaging his organs.

Xiao Yin lifted a cup of poison wine and handed it to the guard standing nearby: "Force it down on him!"

"Ha! Wanting to die by the dagger your father‑emperor gave you—you're a coward, unworthy!"

"Stop!" Xiao Ting gasped, more blood spilling from his lips, staring intently at Xiao Yin while snatching the poison wine from the guard's hand.

With that single motion, he also exerted all his strength.

Xiao Ting gave Xiao Yin a smile, slowly raised the cup in his hand: "Imperial Uncle! A toast to you! Before I die I have one wish I hope you can grant."

Xiao Yin's brows twitched slightly: "Speak!"

"Cough, cough, cough..." Xiao Ting inhaled and said, "I hope you protect Gu Jiu Ling for a lifetime, I... the person I owe the most in this world is her!"

Xiao Yin's eyes flashed coldly: "You needn't worry about that; I, Xiao Yin, will naturally protect my woman. You should just get on your way!"

Xiao Ting was stunned for a moment; indeed, she was Xiao Yin's woman, not his.

Actually, this... is fine!

Xiao Ting seized the cup without any hesitation, lifted his head and drank it all in one gulp.

The cup clanged and rolled aside, Xiao Yin clutched his sharply aching abdomen and quietly leaned against the wall.

Suddenly footsteps sounded at the doorway, followed by the guard at the gate murmuring a low salute.

"Princess Consort, blessings and safety!"

Xiao Yin turned and saw Gu Jiu Ling pushing open the hall doors and walking in.

He had never wanted this woman to be tainted by murder, to soil her eyes.

He was, after all, a ghost fallen into hell; all the dirty, evil deeds would be his to handle.

"Why are you here?" Xiao Yin adjusted the cloak on Gu Jiu Ling's shoulders.

Gu Jiu Ling glanced at the limp Xiao Ting slumped in the corner, and Xiao Yin's brows furrowed; instinctively he stepped forward to block her view.

"A dying man is not worth looking at, let's go!"

"Prince, I wish to speak privately with him," Gu Jiu Ling persistently looked at Xiao Yin.

Xiao Yin's complexion darkened slightly, then he still cleared the way.

Gu Jiu Ling nodded and walked toward Xiao Ting, but Xiao Ting grabbed her arm.

"Are you really going?"

"Prince, just a few words," Gu Jiu Ling said, looking at Xiao Yin.

Xiao Yin steadied himself, finally released Gu Jiu Ling's arm, bent down to pick up the dagger that had fallen earlier, slipped it into her hand and whispered low: "Take it, be careful of what tricks that brute might use!"

Gu Jiu Ling couldn't help but laugh and cry; Xiao Ting now had barely half a breath left—anyone, even a three‑year‑old child, could take his life.

Gu Jiu Ling, not wanting to lose face before Xiao Yin, gripped the dagger and walked toward Xiao Ting.

Xiao Yin stood outside the door extremely reluctantly, yet closed the door, feeling somewhat uneasy.

After all, back then Gu Jiu Ling's frantic pursuit of Crown Prince Xiao Ting had spread throughout Shang Jing; he had heard those rumors countless times.

Back then he just laughed it off as unrelated, but now recalling it, it feels rather unpleasant, a bit bitter.

This woman was so devoted to other men's hearts, yet with him she is cherished cautiously, fearing any mishap.

Gu Jiu Ling walked to Xiao Ting's side, tossed the dagger aside, and sat down.

Xiao Ting, in pain, his cheek already twitching, slowly turned his face toward Gu Jiu Ling.

Gu Jiu Ling sighed, took out a syringe and injected it into him; the serum could alleviate his bodily pain.

"Thank... thank..." Xiao Ting's voice was hoarse, and his eyes had lost their luster.

Gu Jiu Ling curled his lip in a sneer, coldly staring at Xiao Ting: "You shouldn't have harmed her a second time!"

A flicker of confusion crossed Xiao Ting's eyes as he stared fixedly at Gu Jiu Ling.