Chapter 117. What about yours?

Exile and enslavement were the most severe punishments after the death penalty. They were generally used for rebellions or failed political struggles, and rarely implicated the entire family due to the criminal's moral failings.

Most importantly, Zhou Ao and the Tian family were essentially one entity, yet he didn't even think about how to plead for leniency for the Tian family and reduce their punishment.

Shang Yuji felt ashamed of himself for his ruthless and opportunistic behavior.

Compared to him, even uttering a few trash words in prison seems extremely kind.

She killed him out of his spirit, but the Second Prince was ungrateful, heartless, and ruthless, turning against his own side at will.

Isn't he afraid that by discarding his former allies after they've served him, they'll lose heart and no longer be willing to work for him?

Zhou Ao naturally knew that his actions were unacceptable by common sense, but this was a test from the emperor. He could not let the emperor think that he was blind to the fact that his subordinates were ruthless and utterly devoid of conscience.

As for the punishments imposed on the Tian family, it was merely a convenient way to establish his image of fairness and impartiality in front of the emperor, and these people were just stepping stones on his road to success.

The stone used for tiptoeing should be aware of its function as a tool, and should be used even at the cost of one's life when the master needs it.

Tools don't complain; tools are just tools and can't climb over their owners' heads and act presumptuously.

Zhou Ao thought he had fooled the emperor, but that was not the case.

Such a decisive act of crossing the river and then dismantling the bridge must have terrified the emperor.

If he were to relinquish the throne, would Zhou Ao still allow him to live? Zhou Ao would probably rather find any excuse to kill him and then seize power for himself.

To make killing him seem justified, they would find an excuse to smear him and make him infamous for eternity.

Even Tian Mu, who was allied with Zhou Ao and devoted himself to him, did not have a good ending in his hands, let alone himself.

…

After several days of rain, the clouds had not yet dispersed. Sunlight pierced through the thick clouds, casting only a faint glow. The air was misty, and rainwater remained on the stone slabs. The damp and oppressive weather could not dampen the enthusiasm of the people, and the capital was as bustling as ever.

It was like the stillness before the mountain rain arrived.

The matter of the Tian family's relatives drew a lot of attention, especially to the Second Prince's residence, which conveniently made it easier for the Beggars' Gang to infiltrate.

Putting aside everything else, the Beggars' Sect has an extraordinary number of talented individuals, each with their own skills and eloquence. They operate in the gray area where various sects of the martial arts world meet, bringing together sects with little connection into a unified whole. They serve as both a buffer zone and a lubricant for the operation of the martial arts world.

The members of the gang come from diverse backgrounds and come from various places, making them easy to overlook. They are skilled at gathering all kinds of information.

After the rain stopped, Tang Xiliu brought the information he had found.

Mo Wuhen was indeed in the Second Prince's residence, but the man in black was not a corpse driver. He was being moved by tough, thin threads, which appeared to be the weapon of a puppeteer.

Yanshi...

“Guan Tong?” Speaking of Yanshi, one can’t help but think of him.

Unexpectedly, Tang Xiliu suddenly said in a deep voice, "There are rumors that Elder Guan has already died."

Xiang Fengyun asked in confusion, "But his whereabouts have still been observed in the martial arts world recently."

"One theory is that it was actually his apprentice who traveled the martial arts world in his name."

Even Yi Sha found it strange: "Why hide it, and why work for the Second Prince's residence?"

The group was puzzled, but Shang Yuji probably guessed the reason.

Rather than doing things for Zhou Yun, it's more accurate to say that he suspects his master's death is related to him and is using the guise of doing something to investigate the cause of his master's death.

If that's true, it's likely that Guan Tong recalled his memories of killing monsters with Wu Yue before he died, and that recalling past secrets was the cause of his death, as well as the contingency plan Zhou Yun left for them.

While it's uncertain whether this is correct, it seems best not to mention the Wuyue relics to the three elders before the poison is neutralized.

Yi Sha originally wanted to find an opportunity to retrieve the body, but Shang Yuji quickly said that the poison had not been completely neutralized, and to be on the safe side, she should first neutralize the poison before causing trouble at the Second Prince's residence. Before she could explain further, Senior Yi agreed.

The fact that Xiao Shang and Xiao Jiang spoke up to stop them suggests that the poison in these old folks is likely related to that Prince Qi.

King Qi...why doesn't she remember any connection they had with him?

After many attempts by Elder Yan and Aunt Hui, the antidote was finally successfully made after nearly half a month.

After being cured of the poison and confirming with Elder Yan that she was alright, Shang Yuji took out Wu Yue's belongings and told everyone present a story that wasn't too long ago.

As she spoke, the younger generation, who had never experienced this before, were mostly amazed, while the three elders, who were directly involved, suddenly recalled their hazy past. Gradually, the blurry faces in their memories became clear, their voices and smiles, and all sorts of vivid people who had been forgotten for so long finally returned.

For a moment, Yi Sha's eyes widened, her eyes reddened, and a few tears slid down her cheeks. She gritted her teeth and muttered under her breath, "Damn Prince Qi... Wu Yue, she..."

The person is gone, and though there are a thousand words to say, there is no one to tell them.

Yi Sha slowly looked at Jiang Xi. She was once satisfied to have taken a martial arts prodigy as her disciple, but now she was glad that A Yue's child was her disciple.

Yes, such a brilliant and talented person's offspring must also be exceptionally gifted.

"If only I had remembered her sooner..." Yi Sha murmured. If only she knew that A Yue had left behind a child, she would have searched the entire martial world to find him, to raise him as her own child, and to wait until he grew up before seeking revenge on Prince Qi...

The thought of her apprentice's tragic background and treatment, and even the fact that she and Xiao Shang had just cursed the unreasonable Madam Jiang a few days ago, made Yi Sha more and more regretful. Why couldn't she have remembered her past with A Yue sooner?

With an apologetic look in her eyes, Shang Yuji explained, "When I received the relics, I didn't intend to hide them from the seniors. I was worried that the Prince of Qi might have some secrets about his memories, so just in case, I had to first cure the seniors of their poison."

In response, she also explained her speculations about Guan Tong's situation.

Howe sighed, "It's not impossible..."

"I asked Senior Tangxi to contact Elder Guan's apprentice—the very same man in black who works for Prince Qi," Shang Yuji added. "We used the cause of her master's death to lure her into cooperating with us. Elder Yi, could you please tell her about Elder Guan's past battles alongside you?"

The man in black, or rather Guan Yi, was waiting for her to give him an answer. Now that the poison had been cured of Elder Yi and the others, they were just waiting for the right time to have a proper talk with Guan Yi, hoping that this answer would clear up the doubts in her heart.

No matter what, Guan Yi was one of the people persecuted by Zhou Yun.

Now, after talking with Guan Yi, we'll see if she can become a sharp blade planted by their side next to Zhou Yun. Then, we'll find an opportunity to manipulate Mo Wuhen to stab Zhou Yun in the back. I imagine his surprised expression will be quite something.

Elder Yan had told them that the poison hidden in the three elders could be triggered at a critical moment, affecting their cognition and causing memory confusion. He feared that they might not be able to distinguish friend from foe during a major battle and could accidentally injure their own side.

The matter of his secret meeting with Guan Yi was left to Elder Yi. Elder Xiang's emotions had been somewhat unstable since recalling the past, and he needed some time to calm down. He was not suitable to do such a task as explaining things for the time being.

Fortunately, the next day he was seen wielding a large sword and sparring with Howe to warm up. They stopped short of a fight, as he was going to be in top form and skill when he fought the monster and behead the despicable thief!

A white butterfly fluttered its wings, the patterns on them shimmering in the sunlight. It quietly alighted on Jiang Xi's fingertip and offered it to her.

Shang Yuji asked in surprise, "It's tamed?"

Jiang Xi smiled and said, "Yes, it won't run away or hurt people. It's very obedient, and Changtian can take it out."

"?" She thought that if she could observe it up close, the most she could do was keep it in her hand, but Jiang Xi seemed to mean that she could use this Gu King at will?

"What about the poison in its body?"

“It has been retracted into the body and can be taken out when needed. Changtian will be fine if he touches it,” Jiang Xi continued. “It is very smart and can recognize people, so it can protect Changtian if he encounters danger.”

Shang Yuji exclaimed, "Qiushui, you are truly my good Qiushui! No one in all of Da'an is more reliable than you!"

Jiang Xi beamed, her fox-like eyes crinkling: "Changtian is also my good Changtian, no one can compare to Changtian!"

After exchanging a few flattering words, Shang Yuji stared at the white butterfly for a while, then pointed to the back of her head: "Can I leave it where the hairband is tied? As for using it as an accessory, let it be."

Nominal as a hair ornament, but in reality a bodyguard. If anyone dares to offend us, they'll get a big slap from our White Butterfly Gu King's wings!

"sure."

As soon as the words were spoken, the white butterfly, having received the instruction, gracefully took flight, its feet grasping the hairband and a few strands of hair.

Since she couldn't see it herself, she turned around and asked Jiang Xi to help her see it. She jumped and ran around to make sure that the white butterfly wouldn't fall off because of her sudden big movements.

A magnificent butterfly landed steadily on her hair; if it didn't flutter its wings, anyone would think it was an exquisite butterfly hair ornament.

Jiang Xi took out a bag of round balls whose ingredients were not discernible and a small cylindrical container filled with sugar water: "Changtian only needs to be fed twice a day. The round balls and sugar water are its food."

As a reminder of his own mistakes, he added, "Don't feed them too much, because if they're too fat, they'll fly slower."

He hung the small pouch embroidered with colorful butterflies and the short, lightweight cylinder on her belt. After they were hung, she asked, "What about yours?"

"What?" He had just put his hand down and hadn't gotten up yet when he heard the voice and looked up.

"I've been infected with Aunt Yue's Gu, so shouldn't you be too?"

Shang Yuji never showed favoritism and always treated everyone equally. Since she allowed Wu Yue's Gu worms to take root in her body, Jiang Xiaoxi's should naturally be included as well.

He froze for a moment, hesitatingly looking away, but she stared at him: "You are my husband! The only two Gu I have now belong to Aunt Yue. Why don't you hurry up and hand over your Gu!"

Upon closer examination, the Gu King on the back of her head and the Tongxin Gu on her right cheek were both created by Wu Yue.

Although she doesn't carry many Gu worms on her body like A-Cuo, having two or three occasionally is acceptable, provided that she doesn't discover them or that the Gu worms are good-looking.

They can't all be average-looking; they have to be good-looking for her to tolerate their existence.

Feeling closely watched, Jiang Xi grabbed her fingertips and said dejectedly, "They're neither rare nor powerful..."

Unlike the Heart-Binding Gu, which is a rare and precious gu that is nurtured by feeding it with ten kinds of rare treasures and a hundred kinds of rare and precious items, this one is a different kind of gu that can prolong life.

Unlike the White Jade Glass Butterfly, which became the king of witchcraft, appearing only twice in the thousand-year history of witchcraft, it is not a legend among witchcraft.

Compared to those two, the Gu worms he refined were far inferior in both quality and strength.

What's wrong with that?

Shang Yuji said matter-of-factly, "I value you as a person, not your Gu. I only allowed them to stay on my body because of you."

-----------------------

Author's Note: Hehe, let's try a different cover.

Xiao Jiang's sarcastic remarks about Tian were actually a reiteration of Xiao Shang's statement. He personally preferred to quietly squat in a corner and wait for someone, too lazy to talk to "bad people."

Before the incident, Xiao Shang posted a task, and Xiao Jiang accepted it. [Dog head holding a rose][Dog head holding a rose][Dog head holding a rose]