What? Poison Gu? The emperor was startled and looked up. The small black figure was already close at hand. It was too late for him to dodge or kill it.
Am I destined to die here?!
Amidst his rage, a flash of silver light suddenly appeared in the corner of his eye, and the black Gu worm instantly snapped in two and fell to the ground.
Half a meter away, Lin Yan, dressed in a dark blue brocade robe, stood quietly with a long sword in his hand. The blade gleamed faintly in the night, and his slender figure stood proudly upright, like a majestic general.
Amidst the shocked gazes of the crowd, Lin Yan sheathed his sword and bowed respectfully: "Your Majesty has been frightened!"
The emperor gave a nonchalant reply, a thoughtful look flashing in his sharp eyes as he looked at Lin Yan. His swordsmanship was fast, accurate, and fierce. The moment the Gu worm was cut down, he almost thought that the Duke of Wu had come back to life!
Standing behind the emperor, the War King glanced at Lin Yan indifferently. His martial arts were quite good, and his moves were fast enough. He did not disappoint him!
The guards around them snapped out of their daze and all knelt down, their voices trembling with apology: "We failed in our duty to protect our master and deserve to die!"
The emperor glanced at them coldly, frowned, and said nothing!
"Your Majesty!" Nangong Xiao flew to the emperor's side and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that the emperor was safe and sound.
"What exactly happened?" the emperor asked angrily, his sharp gaze falling on Minister Zhuang Weicheng, who had been brought in.
"Your Majesty, I am innocent! Please investigate!" Minister Zhuang knelt on the ground, his head pounding loudly.
"With witnesses and physical evidence, you still claim innocence!" Nangong Xiao waved his hand dismissively. Several guards carried over several jars and gently placed them on the ground. The Gu worms had already crawled out, and although the jars were empty, a foul stench continued to emanate from them...
"Your Majesty, the princess's 'fireflies' drifted into the woodshed and landed on these jars. Deputy Commander Zhuang opened all the jar lids, and then the Gu worms scurried out..." Nangong Xiao glared at Minister Zhuang, pointed to the woodshed and the empty jars, and briefly recounted what had happened.
The Emperor gazed at Minister Zhuang, his sharp eyes narrowing slightly, a storm of fury gathering in the depths of his pupils: "Minister Zhuang, is what the Crown Prince Nangong said true?"
“Your Majesty, Prince Nangong did not lie. However, Your Majesty, my ancestors have lived in the capital for generations, and I have served as an official in the court for decades. I have never left the capital, nor have I ever had any contact with the people of the Southern Frontier. I have no knowledge of raising Gu poison!”
Minister Zhuang's gaze was firm. He spoke slowly and deliberately, his voice choked with tears as he recounted the injustice done to his family: "This dilapidated woodshed has been abandoned for many years. If it weren't for today's events, this old minister would never have stepped into this place. These Gu worms were clearly deliberately placed in the woodshed to frame this old minister. I beg Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly!"
The emperor's eyes narrowed, and he remained silent, his gaze towards Minister Zhuang filled with doubt.
"Minister Zhuang, you claim you are innocent, but I will not force you to testify. Let the facts speak for themselves!" Nangong Xiao snapped his folding fan shut, his peach-blossom-like phoenix eyes turning to the Southern Border Princess:
"Princess, there are six Gu worms here. One was smashed by Prince An, two were killed by the guards, two were cut in half, and one has burrowed into the body of Deputy Commander Zhuang. Can the princess find out whether these Gu worms have always been growing in the woodshed or were moved here by someone?"
"Yes!" The princess of Southern Xinjiang, dressed in white, stepped out from the crowd. Her white robes fluttered gently, and the flowers on the hem seemed to come alive, swaying lightly in the breeze. The rich fragrance of the flowers quickly spread in the air, masking all other smells, even the stench of the exploding Gu worms. Only the strong fragrance of flowers lingered in the air.
Shen Lixue frowned. The princess was dressed in white with light floral patterns, and the veil on her head was also white. She was a person who liked simplicity and elegance. She should have a fresh and elegant fragrance on her body. Why was it this strong floral scent?
The fragrance is floral, but mixed; it must have been blended with many strongly scented flowers, resulting in an extremely rich and overpowering aroma that is difficult to get used to…
"What's wrong with you?" Shen Lixue's emotions were not very volatile, but Dongfang Heng, who was beside her, still noticed.
"The fragrance is too strong!" Shen Lixue frowned. Dongfang Heng also liked light and elegant fragrances. If she couldn't stand the smell, he certainly wouldn't like it either.
Following the fragrance, Dongfang Heng spotted the princess of Southern Xinjiang in white: "Southern Xinjiang is located in a wetland with many jungles and mosquitoes. Perhaps the fragrance on her body is to ward off or repel mosquitoes."
“That’s right!” Shen Lixue nodded. The Southern Frontier and the Azure Flame Kingdom are different, and the environment is completely different. We cannot judge the attire of the people of the Southern Frontier based on the habits of the people of the Azure Flame Kingdom.
Princess Qin Ruoyan of the Southern Frontier walked gracefully to the front of the woodshed and gazed inside. The woodshed was covered with cobwebs and a thick layer of dust. Several clear footprints stretched from inside the house to outside. In the corner of the house, there were two jars. She gently lifted them up and found that the area beneath the jars was clean and tidy, completely different from the dusty ground.
"Reporting to the Azure Emperor, the cultivation of Gu worms takes anywhere from one to two or three years. These Gu worms have already taken shape and have been in the woodshed for at least a year. The room is covered in dust, and there are no signs that they have been moved in the short term..."
Minister Zhuang turned sharply to Qin Ruoyan, his eyes flashing with a fierce light: "Does the princess mean that I've been raising Gu in the woodshed for a year?"
"I am merely stating the facts. As for whether you are raising Gu poison, I have no idea!" Qin Ruoyan replied calmly, her shrill voice revealing a hint of arrogance and impatience.
"Minister Zhuang, to be honest, the princess's decision to use magic to find the Gu was made suddenly. Everyone only found out an hour ago. Even if she had that idea, she didn't have time to frame you..." Nangong Xiao lightly shook his folding fan, looking at Minister Zhuang with a half-smile. The evidence was conclusive, yet he still wanted to deny it!
"Your Majesty, I truly do not understand the art of raising Gu worms. The appearance of Gu worms in the woodshed must be a setup by someone else!" Minister Zhuang said with grief and indignation, his words resounding and his arguments logical.
The emperor remained silent, his sharp gaze fixed on the empty altar of Gu worms, lost in thought.
The emperor ignored him, and Minister Zhuang looked anxiously at the ministers behind the emperor, pleading for help: "Grand Commandant Lei, we have served in the court for many years and you know me very well. Please speak a fair word for me!"
"Minister Zhuang, His Majesty is a wise ruler. He will surely be able to judge right and wrong clearly. If you are innocent, His Majesty will definitely clear your name!" Grand Commandant Lei stroked his beard, smoothly playing the game of tai chi.
Shen Lixue raised an eyebrow. Grand Commandant Lei's words were just a perfunctory response, as if he had said nothing at all. Secretly raising Gu poison to harm people behind the emperor's back was a serious crime that would result in the execution of the entire family. Grand Commandant Lei was an old fox who had been in officialdom for a long time. Seeing that Minister Zhuang was facing a serious crime with conclusive evidence, he would naturally choose to distance himself from the matter. Why would he speak up for Minister Zhuang and get into trouble?
"Prime Minister Shen." Minister Zhuang looked earnestly at Shen Minghui.
"Minister Zhuang, I believe that Grand Commandant Lei is right. If you did not raise poisonous insects, His Majesty will surely clear your name." Shen Minghui declined, trying to protect himself.
The other ministers echoed Shen Minghui's words. The emperor had witnessed it with his own eyes, and the evidence was conclusive. How could they dare to speak up for Minister Zhuang?
"Hahaha, the world is cold and indifferent, the world is cold and indifferent!" He glanced around and saw that the ministers who used to be on good terms with him were all avoiding his gaze, giving him the same excuses. No one was willing to help him, and no one even spoke a word of justice for him. Minister Zhuang raised his head and looked up at the sky, his desolate laughter echoing throughout most of the Prime Minister's residence.
The emperor's sharp gaze fell on the nearly insane Minister Zhuang. What he said did make some sense. His ancestors had been born and raised in the capital, and he had never had any contact with the people of the southern border. It was impossible for him to know about Gu. Could it be that he was really wronged?
"Ahhh, you dog emperor, give me your life!" Zhuang Weicheng, who was under the influence of the poison, suddenly broke free from the guards. As if he had gone mad, his eyes were bloodshot and the veins on his forehead were bulging. He picked up a long sword and stabbed at the emperor with lightning speed.
The emperor stared coldly at Zhuang Weicheng, neither dodging nor avoiding. Just as his long sword was about to pierce him, another long sword appeared out of thin air. With a clang, the sword was deflected, and Zhuang Weicheng was jolted back several steps before he could regain his footing. His hands were numb, his arms were trembling slightly, and he could barely hold the sword, which he had been wielding at will.
Looking at Lin Yan, who was holding a long sword, with a serious expression, and standing in front of the emperor, Shen Lixue raised the corners of her mouth. Cousin Yan's martial arts skills are truly unfathomable!
Several guards snapped out of their daze and swarmed forward to capture Zhuang Weicheng. Zhuang Weicheng had just failed in his sneak attack and was nearly injured by the shockwave. He was in a rage and his attacks were vicious and ruthless. In the blink of an eye, the guards were injured and lying on the ground.
"Cheng'er, what are you doing? Stop! Stop it now!" Minister Zhuang shouted anxiously, calmly explaining to the Emperor that his family still had a chance to escape punishment. If they resorted to violence, it would solidify their guilt, and there would be no possibility of clearing their name.
Zhuang Weicheng ignored Minister Zhuang's advice, brandishing his long sword and hacking and slashing, cutting down several Imperial Guards who bled profusely...
Nangong Xiao frowned, slammed his folding fan shut, and the hard handle, imbued with ten layers of internal force, struck Zhuang Weicheng squarely on the back of the neck. Zhuang Weicheng didn't even utter a sound before collapsing to the ground, unconscious.
Two imperial guards stepped forward and tied Zhuang Weicheng up with ropes. Madam Zhuang was so frightened that she collapsed to the ground, trembling and pale, and didn't come to her senses for a long time.