Chapter 14: Zhao Qiuming is Here Again
“If they weren’t severed by a sword, then what did it?” Yu Xiaoxiao asked, ignoring Gu Xinglang’s gaping expression.
“Torture,” Gu Xinglang didn’t want to recall his experiences in the prison, so he only answered simply.
“I saw it,” Gu Xun raised his chubby hand, the fingers waving back and fro in front of Yu Xiaoxiao’s face. “Third Uncle was hurt by that eunuch Jing Zhong!”
“Xun’er!” Gu Xinglang said sternly to shut his nephew up.
“Keep talking,” Yu Xiaoxiao scooped up both meatbuns and plopped them in a seat. “What happened?”
“They tied my Third Uncle to a rack.” Despite being only six-years-old, Gu Xun had an excellent memory. He remembered every detail of Gu Xinglang’s torture and even used his hands to describe the shape of the rack. “They tied rope around Third Uncle’s feet and keep pulling at them.”
Yu Xiaoxiao imagined the scene and asked, “Like drawing and quartering?”
Gu Xun asked, “Third Auntie, what’s ‘drawing and quartering?’”
“My Third Uncle didn’t cry out once,” four-year-old Gu Jin spoke while biting his thumb. “Third Uncle’s a real man!”
Yu Xiaoxiao jabbed at Gu Xinglang’s legs with her finger, causing him to hiss.
“Does it hurt?” Yu Xiaoxiao asked.
Gu Xinglang nodded.
If it hurts, that means the nerves are still alive, Yu Xiaoxiao speculated. Maybe a single surgery will be enough to fix it. How come the doctors here told him it was incurable? Do the medical skills of this world suck as much as their martial arts? Well shoot, Yu Xiaoxiao shook her head, That’s no fun at all.
Her Royal Highness had a lively inner world, but the trio only saw her expressionless face and couldn’t begin to guess at her thoughts.
“I think…” Yu Xiaoxiao was about to tell Gu Xinglang he still had hope when someone crashed into the bridal chambers. It was Wang momo, who ran towards them with a panicked cry.
“Bad news!” Wang momo shouted, “Your Royal Highness, the Gu Clan is done for!”
The two meatbuns were still alright upon hearing the news because they didn’t fully understand, but Gu Xinglang’s body jerked as he asked, “What happened?”
“Imperial guards, Lord Zhao’s brought imperial guards here,” Wang momo ignored him to look at Yu Xiaoxiao with a hopeless expression. “They–they want to search the premises!”
“Is your house hiding something?” Yu Xiaoxiao asked Gu Xinglang.
Before he could reply, Wang momo said, “Lord Zhao said he received a secret tip-off that the Gu Clan was hiding evidence of their betrayal to the country!”
Gu Xinglang’s eyes reddened with fury. Betraying the country? Zhao Qiuming’s using the same old excuse again?
“I’ll take a look,” Yu Xiaoxiao stood up. It was impossible for the Gu Clan to be traitors, or else she would have saw it in her vision beforehand. “I believe in your innocence. Don’t be afraid, you still have me,” she added towards her husband.
Gu Xinglang only felt that something was off about her phrasing.
Wang momo said, “But it’s Lord Zhao, Your Royal Highness.”
Yu Xiaoxiao was already heading for the exit. She could put Consort Zhao to death, so why should she fear Consort Zhao’s father?
“And there’s also 1,000 imperial guards,” Wang momo shouted as she followed after her.
1,000 humans can die all the same from a few lightning strikes. That too, was no problem for Princess Linglong.
Wang momo ran in front of Yu Xiaoxiao to block her. Consort Zhao had to have a hand in this, which meant they couldn’t hope to count on Xiaozong. She suggested, “Princess, let’s run away. This servant hid a lot of silver drafts on me!”
“Then what about them?” Yu Xiaoxiao pointed at the trio behind her.
Wang momo was left speechless. That’s right. If we run away, what will happen to the Gu Clan? “Then,” Wang momo steeled her heart. “We’ll take them with us.”
“Xinglang!” Right after her words, Gu Xingyan ran over from where he’d been drinking wedding wine with the guests. He gave a start at the sight of Yu Xiaoxiao and Wang momo outside, before saying, “Your Royal Highness, I’ll send you and Xinglang away from here first.”
“Second Brother, what’s going on?” Gu Xinglang saw that his brother was tense and sensed that things were bad. He even forgot about his legs in his urgency and ended up tumbling off the bed.
Gu Xingyan hurried forward to catch him. “How are you doing?”
Wang momo grew impatient with Yu Xiaoxiao. “Princess, we need to run away quickly!”
The two meatbuns saw the grown-ups starting to panic and burst into frightened tears.
As Gu Jin sobbed, he shouted, “What do we do? Zhao Qiuming is here again!”
The red wedding candles were still burning, the bedcovers were still red. Yet inside the bridal chamber was only chaos between the shouting adults and crying children. Yu Xiaoxiao shook her head and strode straight out of the room. She’d like to see what kind of man this Zhao Qiuming was. Did he look like a zombie? How could he scare the Gu children so much?
—
“Search the premises thoroughly,” Lord Zhao was currently standing in the front courtyard of the Gu Estate and ordering around the guards. “Don’t leave a single corner unturned. I’ll kill you without mercy if you miss anything!”
Currently, Jing Zhong was still playing the part of innocent good guy amongst the guests. He said, “My lord, today is the eldest princess’s wedding day. It’s not very good for you to come charging in like this, is it?”
Lord Zhao adopted a stern countenance and replied, “This concerns matters of state. This lord dares not disappoint His Majesty’s patronage just for the sake of respecting Her Royal Highness.”
Gu Chen wanted to kick this wicked official to death!
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