Chapter 8: Death of the Princess Consort

Gu Jiu Ling stared fixedly at the teacup in her hand; before she transmigrated, she had thoroughly studied the properties of various medicines, and could tell a thing or two just by smelling it.

Something had been mixed into the tea, but it was certainly nothing good.

Soon they would go to the imperial manor; the capital was full of dignitaries and nobles, and if she really drank this bowl of tea, who knew how she might embarrass herself then?

Gu Jiu Ling's mind stirred, and she suddenly realized a more serious problem.

Xiao Yin had married six princess consorts in a row, the shortest lasting three months, the longest seven or eight months, and all died mysteriously in the Wangfu.

At first, Gu Jiu Ling, like everyone else, guessed that Xiao Yin might have tortured those women to death.

Now…

She curled the corner of her lip in a sneer; it probably wasn't that simple—I wonder if Xiao Yin knows?

This time she must not lose her composure; this woman looks soft and delicate, but she is a man-eating beauty.

Su Wanrou saw Gu Jiu Ling holding the teacup without drinking, her eyes instantly reddened, and she looked at Xiao Yin with a hint of grievance.

"Prince, Rou'er spoke a few extra words just now, which made the princess consort unhappy."

"Rou'er really didn't mean much; she just thought of the reputation of the Rui Wang Fu."

"If the princess consort is angry, don't be angry at the prince—just be angry at Rou'er……"

Gu Jiu Ling suddenly dropped the teacup in her hand onto the floor, startling both Xiao Yin and Su Wanrou.

"Prince! Prince! I feel something's off with my stomach……" She hurriedly stood up, staggered, and grabbed Su Wanrou's arm.

She pinched hard; Su Wanrou's brows furrowed, feeling her arm ache from the pinch.

She was desperately restraining herself; otherwise she really wanted to slap that lowly person to death.

Gu Jiu Ling lowered her head, her eyes flickered, she released Su Wanrou; the thumb-sized needle tube, its medicine already emptied, vanished instantly into her palm.

"What's wrong?" Xiao Yin frowned slightly.

"It's fine, it's fine—I feel the baby in our belly kicking me!"

Gu Jiu Ling smiled sweetly at Xiao Yin.

Xiao Yin snorted coldly, "How big is the child, still able to kick someone?"

"Are you carrying two monkeys?"

"Since it's fine, let's go; it's not early anymore," Xiao Yin slowly rose.

Gu Jiu Ling hurried to follow, but Su Wanrou behind her shouted, "Prince, Rou'er also wants to go to the hunting grounds to see the world."

Gu Jiu Ling looked at Su Wanrou in disbelief, feeling that this girl was indeed somewhat arrogant due to favor.

The emperor's hunting grounds are not an ordinary aristocratic family banquet; one needs to be a lady of rank or the legitimate daughter/son of a prominent clan to attend.

Under what name would she go? Could it really be that she goes as Xiao Yin's young lady?

Xiao Yin's face also looked somewhat displeased; Su Wanrou, afraid he wouldn't take her, hurried forward and said, "Prince, Rou'er lived in the countryside before, she's never seen the world, and her father never took her……"

Her calling out "father" made Xiao Yin sigh instantly, he glanced at the maid standing nearby and said, "Go help Miss Wanrou with her makeup."

"Thank you, Prince!" Su Wanrou's eyes faintly lit up; she hurriedly turned and went into the inner hall to prepare.

Gu Jiu Ling secretly shrugged her shoulders; Xiao Yin beside her seemed to notice something and laughed softly, "What? Are you jealous?"

Gu Jiu Ling widened her eyes in disbelief at Xiao Yin: "Ha! Prince, you really know how to joke—a little girl, what kind of jealousy could I have?"

Xiao Yin slowly bent over to look at her; Gu Jiu Ling couldn't stand his stooping pose—it had quite a lingering effect.

He leaned close to Gu Jiu Ling's face: "Gu Jiu Ling, how about this—try to find out who the father of the baby in your belly is, exactly who is he?"

Gu Jiu Ling didn't know what nonsense he was spouting again.

Xiao Yin slowly said, "If you can't find out, I'll help you investigate—but you need to give me some silver."

"And then?" Gu Jiu Ling looked at him cautiously.

Xiao Yin gave a light snort: "Of course, kill him!"

"Only then can we truly be husband and wife!"

His smile was very wicked, also cold.

Gu Jiu Ling shivered and hurriedly avoided his cannibalistic gaze.

Hearing these words, only a pervert could say something like that!

Not long after, Su Wanrou came out from the inner courtyard with her maids, wearing a bright pink dress, her makeup splendid, a set of ruby headpieces shining exceptionally bright—actually a few points more gorgeous than Gu Jiu Ling.

She clearly intended to outshine Gu Jiu Ling in beauty; Gu Jiu Ling couldn't help but smirk wryly.

With such a lovely person kept in the Wangfu, Xiao Yin might never marry a wife in this lifetime.

If Su Wanrou really stood there in such finery at the imperial hunting grounds, the onlookers would view Xiao Yin as nothing short of a joke.

Being neither wife nor concubine, neither servant nor slave, appearing improperly at such an important occasion would only get Xiao Yin scolded bloody by Emperor Longqing.

It just feels odd; if Xiao Yin dotes on her so much, why not take a concubine? If he doesn't like her, this doting has no bounds.

"Prince, Rou'er is ready, let's go," Su Wanrou laughed and threw her arms around Xiao Yin's arm.

Xiao Yin's brows furrowed slightly; he subtly pulled his arm away, glanced at Gu Jiu Ling, and said, "Let's go!"

"Yes, Prince!" Gu Jiu Ling followed at Xiao Yin's side; Su Wanrou's face darkened behind her, and she could only hurry a few steps to catch up.

Xiao Yin brought Gu Jiu Ling onto the first carriage of Prince Rui; though the carriage's decoration was plain, it still carried a certain solemn grandeur.

Gu Jiu Ling sat carefully beside him; Xiao Yin leaned against the carriage wall and took out a bottle from his bosom.

Exactly the vitamin tablets Gu Jiu Ling had given him before; he slowly unscrewed the cap and looked at her.

Gu Jiu Ling inexplicably felt a bit guilty: "One tablet a day! One bottle…… a course."

"Hmm," Xiao Yin tipped his head back and shoved the tablet into his mouth; Gu Jiu Ling hurriedly picked up the teacup from the small table and handed it to him.

Xiao Yin gave a light laugh and swallowed it.

These medicines had already been checked by Master Nian Yuan; they were non-toxic, although they looked a bit strange.

Master Nian Yuan personally tested the medicine, with no adverse reactions; still, he kept a few tablets to investigate further.

These years, Xiao Yin had been tormented by this poison to the point of feeling unwell; even though he thought what Gu Jiu Ling gave him was strange, he could only take it.

He summoned famous doctors from everywhere, but none could save him; he placed his hope on the woman beside him.

Sometimes thinking, he felt this was a grand gamble.

Xiao Yin turned his face to look at Gu Jiu Ling; Gu Jiu Ling rarely saw a flash of weakness in his eyes, and she sighed.

"Prince, let me take your pulse again! A daily check-up, for eternity!"

"Heh!" Xiao Yin laughed; for some reason his mood brightened. Looking at her intently taking his pulse, he found he was somewhat reluctant to kill her.

If his poison truly cannot be cured, and he's been deceived, tying him up with a rope nearby to pass the time wouldn't be bad either.

Gu Jiu Ling placed her hand on his pulse again; her heart fluttered. The lesion appeared again, still located beneath Xiao Yin's left rib.

She frowned slightly; the poison in Xiao Yin was too strange.

Probably need to cut open the area under his left rib, remove it via surgery, or open the abdominal cavity to see exactly what it is.

She glanced at the handsome, cold man beside her; the problem is, he needs to cooperate!

In this era, cutting open the abdomen is no different from killing someone.

He probably still doesn't trust her yet; this matter should be planned slowly.

After the time it takes to burn an incense stick, the carriage from Rui Wang Fu stopped in front of the Imperial Manor.

At the gate, many luxurious carriages of aristocratic families were already parked, crowded together, very lively.

Xiao Yin slowly got off the carriage, raised his hand and helped Gu Jiu Ling down as well.

Gu Jiu Ling looked up at the Imperial Manor before her, situated on the mountainside, with continuous mountains and hunting grounds behind it.

Bright yellow flags fluttered all around; imperial guards wearing dark armor patrolled back and forth.

Through the gate of the Imperial Manor, one could see the buildings layered upon each other, splendid and magnificent, displaying the imperial grandeur.

Gu Jiu Ling followed beside Xiao Yin, about to enter, when suddenly a clear, elegant voice came from behind.

"Imperial Uncle, greetings!"

Gu Jiu Ling's body trembled instantly, and she froze there.

Even though the original owner's soul had dissipated, this body honestly trembled slightly upon hearing that voice.