Chapter 712: Empress of the Northern Di

Yun Duo has indeed suffered a lot these past days; her body has been completely drained.

After all, being locked in that lightless dungeon and staging a hunger strike, just being alive is already a miracle.

Gu Jiu Ling urged Yun Duo to eat more these days and take good care of her body, because in a few days they will pull off a big job—any mistake cannot be afforded.

After comforting Yun Duo to sleep, Gu Jiu Ling walked out of the Warm Pavilion and lifted her gaze to the pitch‑black night sky.

Tonight's moonlight is not very bright; it's a crescent moon.

She merely stood in the courtyard for a short while when the sound of clothes brushing against leaves—soft rustling—came from all around.

Gu Jiu Ling couldn't help but wryly smile; Bai Xiaosheng really had sent quite a few people to watch them.

They had surrounded this courtyard like an iron barrel, making it hard to breathe.

When facing Yun Duo, Gu Jiu Ling tried to stay calm, but standing alone here her heart felt like it was being fried in oil, painful enough that she could barely catch her breath.

Her son and daughter must have run into something on the road; if it really was a trap set by Tuo Ba Yu and Bai Xiaosheng, there's no way they'd be delayed this long.

After all, her children are definitely Xiao Yin's weak point; if someone wanted to use them to do something to Xiao Yin, those people would have shown some movement by now.

There's only one possibility: the children have met with misfortune.

Thinking of this, Gu Jiu Ling wished she could fly out to look for her children, pursuing even the faintest hope of finding them.

Gu Jiu Ling drew a deep breath, forcing the tears welling in her eyes back down.

She knew she must not panic now; the more she panicked, the less she could accomplish.

Suddenly, faint, chaotic footsteps came from outside, along with people's shouts.

Gu Jiu Ling frowned, hurried toward the courtyard gate, and just as she was about to open it, the guards stationed outside stopped her.

"My lady, please stay!"

Gu Jiu Ling let out a cold laugh: 'I'm just feeling suffocated; I want to go out for some fresh air.'

The guards were utterly unmoved by Gu Jiu Ling's words, clasping their fists in salute: 'My lady, please forgive us; without the Sect Leader's order, neither you nor Miss Yun Duo may step outside the courtyard even a little; please do not make things difficult for me.'

These people would never let her leave; she lifted her head to look at the nearby woods and saw a faint firelight in the northwest direction, so bright it even illuminated the horizon.

'Has there been a fire?' Gu Jiu Ling feigned panic: 'Then is this compound still safe? Should we move elsewhere under cover of night?'

The gate guard's eyes twitched; how could the Empress have such eyes?

The site of the fire is so far away; how could it possibly reach this place?

Moreover, who knows how many people the Sect Leader has stationed inside and outside this courtyard; if this place could also catch fire, then aren't they all just eating for free?

No sooner had Gu Jiu Ling finished speaking than the fire in the distance really began to blaze toward them.

The on‑duty guards panicked at once and hurriedly escorted Gu Jiu Ling back into the courtyard.

'My lady, please return to your room first; we'll assess the situation. As always, without the Sect Leader's order you cannot leave, so please excuse us.'

That person also hadn't expected the fire to spread this way, and wondered whether the Sect Leader knew about it.

At this moment he also had no time for pleasantries with Gu Jiu Ling, roughly shoving her back and slamming the courtyard gate shut with a bang.

Gu Jiu Ling turned and walked toward the door of the Warm Pavilion, but then heard faint sounds coming from all around.

Those secret guards must have rushed off to fight the fire, and she also had no idea how this blaze had started.

Recently Bai Xiaosheng's luck hasn't been good—first she set a small fire, causing a minor disturbance.

Now she hadn't expected another fire to break out; Gu Jiu Ling had no time to worry about these things and prepared to go rest.

In a few days, when Bai Xiaosheng and Yun Duo get married, the main show will only just be beginning.

Unexpectedly, just as she was about to push open the Warm Pavilion's door, a strong gust of wind came from behind; Gu Jiu Ling hastily turned and found herself staring into a pair of purple eyes.

Those eyes were all too familiar to Gu Jiu Ling—originally, Tuo Ba Yu's mother was a Semitic person.

Tuo Ba Yu had fully inherited his mother's appearance; the only pity is that, being a man, this face made him look somewhat feminine.

Yet no one would have guessed that the gentle‑looking Tuo Ba Yu is absolutely a ruthless, vicious character.

'Gu Jiu Ling?' Tuo Ba Yu called out softly; he had guessed she was placed on this island, but he hadn't expected to actually find her.

In that instant a flash of ecstasy crossed Tuo Ba Yu's eyes; he instinctively seized Gu Jiu Ling's hand: 'Come! Follow me! I'll take you away!'

Tuo Ba Yu had just grabbed Gu Jiu Ling's hand when she broke free and immediately slapped him hard across the face.

That slap, delivered with all of Gu Jiu Ling's strength, turned Tuo Ba Yu's face slightly to the side.

For a moment neither spoke; Tuo Ba Yu's expression twitched in surprise, then he pressed his tongue against the burning, painful cheek and looked at Gu Jiu Ling.

At this moment, only boundless hatred remained in Gu Jiu Ling's eyes.

'Tuo Ba Yu, you're truly not a human being.'

'Where are my children? What have you done with them?'

Tuo Ba Yu understood that Gu Jiu Ling knew everything—and rightly so; how could such a clever woman fail to grasp the crux of this?

'Tuo Ba Yu, I consider that I have not treated you poorly.'

'Back then, when you were ambushed and badly wounded in the hunting grounds of Southern Qi, it was I who rescued you.'

'Yet you personally came to this island and lured my son and daughter out—what is your motive?'

'What motive?' Tuo Ba Yu suddenly gave a bitter laugh, his eyes gradually reddening as he clenched Gu Jiu Ling's wrist tightly.

Gu Jiu Ling tried to break free but couldn't; moreover, Tuo Ba Yu is a pig who dares to eat a tiger—a man who pretends to be weak and loves to put on a show.

He looks powerless to truss a chicken, yet in reality he is the notorious leader of the Jianghu's most infamous murderous organization, the Red Scorpion—no one knows how many have died at his hands.

She also blames her former blindness for not seeing him clearly; she had thought he was a righteous Jianghu brother, never imagining that Tuo Ba Yu would betray her at this crucial moment.

Tuo Ba Yu seemed even more aggrieved than Gu Jiu Ling; he kept gripping her hand and couldn't help letting out a cold laugh, though it carried a hint of bitterness.

Tuo Ba Yu snorted coldly: 'Yes, I am ungrateful and treacherous, but Gu Jiu Ling, you should know that I, Tuo Ba Yu, have never been a good person.'

'On what grounds can you forgive Xiao Yin for treating you that way, even bearing him children, while I cannot?'

'Back then he ruined your reputation, almost getting you expelled from the Gu clan and even costing you your life.'

'Later, to protect one of his own subordinates, he pushed you away from his side, forcing you to travel the Jianghu with a big belly; if it weren't for me, you would probably have died on the road.'

Gu Jiu Ling, what I have given for you in this world is no less than what I have given for him; on what grounds did you choose him rather than me?

I am not willing!

You wanted to become empress, didn't you? The empress of Southern Qi can, so why can't the empress of Bei Di?