Chapter 86

Jiu Yue hearing Gu Jiu Ling say that, she immediately panicked; if anything happened to the young marquis, that would be a huge trouble.

Although the Princess's residence has always been guarded by the widowed Grand Princess, who also has a sick son, naturally people would look down on it.

But the Princess married the renowned Dingbei Marquis Cheng Kun of the previous generation, whose military achievements could match Xiao Yin's.

Almost half of the generals currently in Southern Qi come from Cheng Kun's command, promoted by him personally.

Every year during festivals, Cheng Kun's old subordinates come to visit the widowed Princess and her son, and precisely because of their support, the Princess can live peacefully in Shang Jing with her son.

Even when aristocratic youths bullied the fatherless child, beating him once or twice, Cheng Ming would fiercely strike back.

Even though those people were wary of the influence of those military officers, they could not really do anything to Cheng Ming.

Cheng Ming is like a little leopard that grew up wild; whoever touches his reverse scale will be torn and bitten, and he bites viciously.

If Cheng Ming cannot come out of this room alive this time, then Gu Jiu Ling will be in huge trouble.

"Master!" Jiu Yue lifted her head to look at Gu Jiu Ling, a hint of determination flashing in her eyes as she said softly, "If… if something happens to the young marquis later, you must push all the blame onto me."

"I have been fatherless and motherless since childhood, first sheltered by the Du family, and later I have followed you for many years, Master; to receive such sincere treatment from you is already enough for me."

"You said that I, resenting the people of the Princess's residence who hit me, poisoned the young marquis to death, and that it has nothing to do with you, Master."

"What are you saying?" Gu Jiu Ling felt a stir in her heart, looked up at the nonsensical maid before her, and couldn't help but laugh angrily.

"Do you think I, your master, am the kind of person who goes back on promises and sells servants to survive?"

"Pull yourself together, prepare for the second surgery; come, stuff the blood ginseng pill into his mouth to keep him alive."

Gu Jiu Ling suppressed her panic, focused her gaze on Cheng Ming's wound; a large amount of poisonous blood had accumulated in his abdominal cavity, feeling as if someone had cut open his belly and poured the poisonous blood directly in.

Gu Jiu Ling also knew it wasn't done by those imperial physicians; with so many people watching, not one of them would dare to poison him, so the only possibility is that this kid himself carries fetal toxin.

The fetal toxin had been accumulating in that tumor; this time the tumor was removed, the poisonous blood spilled out, causing the current difficult situation.

Even with the support of modern medical technology, Gu Jiu Ling dares not guarantee whether this surgery can save Cheng Ming; the survival rate is probably only about fifty percent.

Gu Jiu Ling increasingly regretted agreeing to treat the Princess's son back then, but at that time the circumstances left her no choice.

Forget it! We can only grit our teeth and endure!

Her gaze became even more determined; her orders to Jiu Yue were clear and unmistakable, and the two of them strove desperately to snatch a person from King Yama.

The night grew darker; Gu Cheng, wearing a black cloak, rode his horse toward the banks of the Imperial River.

Tonight Xiao Yin returned, and the plot to kill Gu Jiu Ling was thwarted once again.

Gu Cheng has never been one to underestimate any opponent; he rarely sets traps for others, but once he sets a scheme, it is a deadly one, leaving the opponent no chance to survive.

This time he could have easily killed Gu Jiu Ling, yet she still managed to escape; her escape means the Chen family people must be eliminated, otherwise there will be big trouble later.

Actually he originally didn't want to let that family of three… no, make that four… survive alive.

Gu Cheng had been paying attention to Gu Jiu Ling all along; seeing how closely she was in touch with the Grand Princess's residence naturally made him keep a close watch on the Princess's residence, where he discovered the Chen family's secret.

Just after the Chen family members were taken away by people from the Princess's residence, the Chen family's unmarried sole son, Chen Dazhu, was taken away by Gu Cheng.

Later, through threats and inducements, the Chen family members indeed gave in, but this matter has always been a leverage from start to finish.

Once Xiao Yin returns, it will be impossible to kill Gu Jiu Ling again, so the Chen family cannot be left.

Gu Cheng rode his horse to the banks of the Imperial River when suddenly two tight-fitting guards rushed toward him head-on; they were precisely the men Gu Cheng had left behind here.

Gu Cheng was clever; he hid the Chen family of four beneath the deck of the flower boat, where above deck there was music and dance, peace and prosperity, while below it was a den of filth and corruption.

"What's wrong?" Gu Cheng's heart suddenly sank; he hurriedly tightened the horse reins.

"Eldest Young Master! The people on the boat… the people on the boat have been abducted! Our side lost many people, yet we still couldn't stop that group! We also don't know who it is!"

"The cabins where the Chen family members were hidden were set ablaze; the Chen family members, unable to endure, rushed up onto the deck—just a moment…"

"Trash!" Gu Cheng flew into a rage, raised his horsewhip, and lashed the subordinate who had spoken, making him stagger.

Gu Cheng trembled with rage; who else could it be? It must be Xiao Yin who abducted the Chen family members—otherwise who would go mad and burn a flower boat full of singing girls? Isn't that sick?

A great panic surged; in their eyes, Xiao Yin had always been a discarded waste, a useless snack; these few promotions were merely his luck, fortunately gaining the Sixth Prince's attention.

But now it looks otherwise; Xiao Yin managed to find out the Chen family's whereabouts in such a short time, showing that his influence has already permeated all sorts of people in Shang Jing—upon reflection, it's truly terrifying.

Gu Cheng actually felt some regret; he should have persuaded his mother and sisters early on not to let their relationship with Gu Jiu Ling become so strained.

His sisters were all paving the way for his official career; his father was already the Prime Minister, and what he wanted was to be ennobled as a prince and receive a dukedom.

Only by supporting the Crown Prince to ascend the throne could he achieve that goal.

Initially he also considered the Third Prince Xiao Wei, but he saw that Xiao Wei was merely a martial man who could not go far.

Moreover, the Third Prince had the Duan family behind him, and his entourage was full of strategists; even if he tried to cozy up, he wouldn't catch the Third Prince's eye, nor would he get a turn.

The Sixth Prince is narrow-minded; he appears tolerant and accommodating, but is actually petty and stingy, worried that if he ever ascended the throne he would kill off these aides who know too many secrets.

Only the Crown Prince is somewhat decent as a person, though his mind isn't very sharp; he appears shrewd but is actually muddle-headed.

He is sharp on small matters but soft-hearted on big ones; such an heir apparent is the easiest to manipulate in his hands.

Moreover, the Crown Prince lacks personnel; if he went there, he would become the chief strategist, with a lofty position.

Therefore he has already prepared to offer his second sister to the Crown Prince, and in the process kill Gu Jiu Ling, swallow her dowry, firmly grasp it in his own hand, as a foundation for future schemes.

Gu Cheng calculated everything but failed to anticipate that his sister Gu Jiu Ling's temperament would suddenly change, making the later situation uncontrollable.

Had he known Xiao Yin also harbored such ambition, he should have earlier attached himself to Xiao Yin's side using his brother-in-law status.

Relying on his elder sister Gu Jiu Ling's abilities and Xiao Yin's ruthlessness, would he still worry about becoming a prince and receiving a title?

But now everything is completely in chaos.

Gu Cheng suddenly slapped himself in the face, his intestines turning green with regret.

"The deed is done… the deed is done…" came a low, anguished moan from the desolate riverbank, the Gu family's eldest son wailing in despair.