Upon opening the box for inspection (1)

In the quiet room of Zhuoyue Tower, the sandalwood incense was so strong it was almost suffocating. The sunlight filtering through the carved window lattices was dimmed by the heavy curtains, and an invisible pressure permeated the air.

The host sat upright behind a large sandalwood desk, dressed in a plain brocade robe, which made his face appear even more slender. A familiar, gentle smile played on his lips, but his eyes were like a bottomless, icy pool. His hands rested on the table, displaying a delicate, youthful appearance that seemed completely out of place for his age.

Gu Jinghong stood respectfully at the lower end of the table. The old wound on his left side began to ache again after he stepped into the room filled with invisible pressure.

She took the South Wind Secret Box from Qingwu's hand, lowered her eyes, and presented it to the Lord of the Pavilion with both hands: "Lord of the Pavilion, the secret box has been retrieved."

"Alright, Jinghong, you've worked hard." The host's voice was gentle and mellow. He gave a wink to the maid beside him, who then went to Gu Jinghong to take the box and presented it to the host.

The master extended his well-maintained hand, his fingertips gently brushing across the cool surface of the sealed box, lingering for a moment on the intricate and mysterious patterns, before a more benevolent smile bloomed on his face: "As expected of the Grand Secretary of my Zhuangmu Pavilion, you act with prudence and have never disappointed your master."

Gu Jinghong looked at the landlord's smile in a daze, and unconsciously recalled Xiao Chengyan's words.

"Xie Yan's martial arts skills are not bad. Although his actions are unconventional, he would be quite a figure in the martial arts world. However, it seems that his master does not value his life much."

In an instant, Gu Jinghong lowered his eyes, concealing the coldness deep within them, and said respectfully, "Master is too kind."

"That's good, that's good." The host nodded with satisfaction, withdrew his gaze, and casually pressed his finger on an extremely subtle fake path node on the box surface. Then, he released it with a "helpless" sigh: "Alas, the mechanical arts of the Southern Wind Kingdom are indeed exquisite and live up to their reputation. Even I, your teacher, find it difficult to grasp their essence."

He smiled and looked up, handing the box to Gu Jinghong with encouraging and expectant eyes. "Jinghong, you've always been quick-witted, and you even retrieved it yourself. Have you ever had a moment to study it? Perhaps... you have some unique insights? Why not give it another try?"

Gu Jinghong stepped forward as instructed, carefully taking the cold, sealed box with both hands, and asked in confusion, "Didn't Master order us to retrieve it 'untouched'? Can Jinghong take a look?"

The poster smiled, his eyes filled with understanding: "Jinghong, you still don't understand your master's intentions. Your master ordered 'untouched' not only to protect the secret box, but also to protect you! Think about it, this secret box is being watched like a treasure by that 'hawk,' so there must be a secret inside. And whoever sees such a secret will easily be targeted."

Gu Jinghong nodded in agreement, then pretended to be extremely serious about studying the matter. Her fingertips slowly moved along a seemingly crucial line, secretly and cautiously injecting a very weak trace of internal energy into an insignificant node.

The internal force was like a mud ox entering the sea, producing no reaction whatsoever.

Gu Jinghong frowned and "tried" several different places, all of which ended in failure.

Finally, she shook her head dejectedly, gently placed the box back on the table, and said with just the right amount of disappointment and self-reproach: "This disciple is dull-witted. The structure of this box is too profound. I have racked my brains but have not been able to find even a clue. These patterns are unpredictable and unheard of. I really... cannot find a way to open it. Even injecting my inner strength... is futile."

The poster watched her with a smile, as if looking at a child struggling to solve a problem but failing. His fingers brushed over the box again, and his tone was comforting: "Well, some things are better left unknown."

Just then!

"Your Excellency is wise!" A cold, hard, and slightly urgent female voice suddenly rang out behind Gu Jinghong, breaking the superficial tranquility of the "deep master-disciple relationship".

Qingwu stepped out from a few steps behind Gu Jinghong, bowing slightly with a rigid respect. Her voice was clear and sharp, like a dagger drawn from its sheath: "Master, this disciple has something to report!"

Gu Jinghong turned to look at Qingwu, her eyes filled with disbelief and doubt, but her voice was unusually cold and hard towards Qingwu: "Qingwu."

Qingwu's expression remained unchanged, but his eyes were fixed on his toes: "Grand Secretary, that day at the Prince Jin's residence, you were carrying the 'Southern Wind Secret Box'..."

"You'd better think carefully about what you're going to say next," Gu Jinghong interrupted Qingwu.

Qingwu remained cold and unyielding: "Is the Grand Secretary unwilling to let me speak?"

Gu Jinghong stared intently at Gu Jinghong: "I'm afraid you don't know what you're doing."

Everyone present was taken aback, and the sect leader frowned slightly: "What does Qingwu have to report? Perhaps we should wait a moment..."

"Why later?" A slightly hoarse voice suddenly appeared in the quiet room.

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw Xie Yan appear, dressed in a red robe with black embroidery. His right hand was covered by a piece of cloth hanging around his neck, indicating that his injury had not yet healed. His eyes were sharp and cold.

"To appeal to the higher authorities requires immense courage in our Zhuoyue Pavilion. I believe that for that very reason, we should give Qingwu a chance. Do you, Master and fellow disciples, think Xie Yan's words make sense?"

Before anyone could react, Xie Yan gave Qingwu a look, and Qingwu continued, "While Gu was recuperating at the Prince Jin's residence, he placed this secret box on his desk in his study and studied it repeatedly, even attempting to use his internal energy to find a way to open it! I witnessed this with my own eyes!"

Gu Jinghong abruptly turned to look at Qingwu, her eyes flashing with shock and disbelief before settling into a cold, lifeless silence. The person she had personally trained... had betrayed her right now, in front of the Pavilion Master and all the Pavilion Masters!

Qingwu seemed oblivious to Gu Jinghong's gaze, continuing to address the Master with a resolute tone and a coldly clear logic: "That day, I was ordered by the Master to verify whether Minister Gu had indeed complied with the Master's instruction 'not to open it,' but Minister Gu insisted that the box had been retrieved and was intact, and that I had no need to interfere. He also forcibly expelled me from the study on the grounds that 'the more you know, the more dangerous it is'!"

She paused, her gaze finally turning to Gu Jinghong, but only for a moment, before quickly returning to the host, carrying a stern air of "duty dictated by what I have to do."

"As a disciple, I have a duty to fulfill and dare not slacken in the slightest. Since I cannot directly examine the secret box, in order to seek the truth, I can only... resort to extraordinary methods. I pretended to be concerned about Gu Gefu's injuries, and took the opportunity to grasp her right hand, applying the special medicine 'Ink Mark Guide' given by the Master to her palm! This medicine is colorless and odorless, and it instantly penetrates the skin, leaving only an 'ink mark' that is extremely difficult to see with the naked eye. Only a special medicine can activate its color, making it appear dark green!"

Qingwu's voice suddenly rose: "If Minister Gu truly did not open the box, the 'Ink Trace Guide' on her hands would not have come into contact with the contents, and all the items inside should be perfectly normal. However, if Minister Gu did open the secret box, the 'Ink Trace Guide' on her hands would inevitably have come into contact with the contents. Therefore, at this moment, we only need to activate it with the potion. If the contents of the box turn dark green, it will be irrefutable evidence that she disobeyed the Tower's orders and opened the secret box without permission! I request the Tower Master to investigate immediately to uphold the Tower's rules and cleanse the sect's reputation!"

Qingwu's accusations were like poisoned ice picks, precise, deadly, and leaving no room for maneuver. The air in the quiet room seemed to freeze instantly, with only the sandalwood incense still wafting in the air.

The kind smile on the poster's face gradually faded when Qingwu made the accusation, and was now replaced by a deep expression of heartache and disbelief.

He looked at Gu Jinghong, leaning slightly forward, his deep, pool-like eyes fixed on her, his voice low and imposing, carrying a heavy sense of disappointment.

"Jinghong...you, you're someone I've watched grow up. When you were ten, you were like a stubborn and courageous little wolf cub. To uncover the secret network of Master Wang, you were willing to get yourself covered in dirt and grime, and spent three days and three nights without eating or drinking by the filthy garbage heap in the back alley of his house, enduring hardship until you were emaciated but refusing to give up...I knew then that you, child, might not be the most outstanding in the Pavilion in terms of martial arts talent, but in terms of perseverance, persistence, and focus on your goal, no one in the Pavilion could match you. It is precisely because of this that you were able to rise from the lowest-ranking scout to Inspector, and even to the position of Grand Secretary, in just one year! I...have always been proud of you."

His tone suddenly shifted, becoming incredibly heavy: "Your stubbornness has made you who you are, but it could also destroy you! Jinghong! I... will give you one last chance. Tell me the truth, did you lose control of your curiosity and open it? You are young after all, and it's only natural to want to explore such a wondrous object. As long as you admit your mistake, I will consider your years of loyalty and the great contributions you have made in the past, and I can be lenient. For example, I can spare only your eyes, or your hands. As for your life, I will guarantee it! What do you say?"

"...Once injured, they become expendable. Ha, what a tactic."

Xiao Chengyan's words echoed in Gu Jinghong's mind once more. Gu Jinghong couldn't help but scoff inwardly—was she already a pawn to be discarded at this moment?

The room was deathly silent.

The other two Grand Secretaries didn't utter a single word in defense of Gu Jinghong from beginning to end, and Xie Yan even gave Gu Jinghong a vicious look that seemed to wish he could be killed immediately.

Three words suddenly popped into Gu Jinghong's mind—"boring"—this was the first time in so many years that she felt bored at Zhuoyue Tower.

Her hands, which had been trembling slightly with anger and hanging by her sides, became as still as stagnant water because of those three words.

After a moment, Gu Jinghong slowly raised his head, his gaze meeting the deep, unfathomable eyes of the Sect Leader. He spoke each word clearly and coldly, like shattered jade thrown into ice: "This disciple has a clear conscience! I have never opened this box! I know nothing of the 'Ink Trace Medicine Guide' that Qingwu mentioned! This disciple has never disobeyed the Sect Leader's orders in the slightest!"

"Since someone has gone to such lengths to frame me, I beg you, Master, to open the box and examine it! I am willing to accept any method of inspection! If the contents of the box are unusually colored, I am willing to be torn to pieces! If they are not unusually colored... I beg you, Master, to give me justice and severely punish the person who made the false accusation!"