Chapter 425 Slap in the Face (Two Updates)
The middle-aged man beside him said, "What? The Crown Prince? Wen Yang is his brother-in-law, why would he kill him?"
The young man chuckled and said, "You don't know this, do you? The Crown Princess has always disapproved of what her family has done and has almost cut off all contact with them. Do you remember the incident on the first day of the Lunar New Year when the suspension bridge collapsed? It was the Wen family who used the Crown Princess's name to block the bridge and roads, which caused people who came to offer incense to have nowhere to go and had to squeeze onto the suspension bridge, which resulted in the bridge collapsing."
Another scholar spoke up: "I remember this matter. His Majesty also punished the Crown Princess."
The young man said, "Yes, after that, the Crown Princess stopped having contact with her family. But this Wen Yang was incorrigible. He even went to the palace to demand money from the Crown Princess. When he couldn't get it, he even cursed the Crown Princess as a hen that couldn't lay eggs!"
That's not how it was originally said, but it has become quite harsh due to misinterpretation and hearsay among the people.
"In a fit of rage, the Crown Prince had Wen Yang..."
The young man made a throat-slitting gesture.
Gu Jiao heard the news at the clinic, where the second boss was gossiping with her.
"Everyone says he's the crown prince," said the second landlord.
He secured a spot for joint ventures with major shops at the Chamber of Commerce, completely crushing Huichuntang. He was so proud and confident that he walked with an air of superiority, let alone spoke with arrogance.
Gu Jiao said "oh" but didn't say anything.
"Don't you think so?" the second landlord continued gossiping.
Of course not.
Based on her understanding of the Crown Prince, she knew he wouldn't do something like murdering his brother-in-law.
The identity of the murderer is obvious.
It's truly eye-opening that Prince Ning could come up with such a roundabout way to save the country.
That's right. It's hard to find a mistress with a legitimate status, but isn't a blood brother readily available?
Both are things that can't be brought to light, and the good-for-nothing older brother can be used as a scapegoat.
Gu Jiao hadn't expected Prince Ning to be so ruthless. He was Wen Linlang's brother, yet he killed him without hesitation.
This ruthlessness and decisiveness are somewhat similar to those of the late emperor in legend. Even if the Crown Prince were to cultivate for another ten or eight years, he still wouldn't be as decisive as Prince Ning.
If such a person were born in a chaotic era, he would surely be a hegemon.
"Oh dear! Second Master! Miss Gu! Something terrible has happened!"
As the two were talking, Manager Wang rushed in, covered in sweat, shouting, "Something's happened in the workshop!"
The workshop that Manager Wang mentioned was the medicine factory of Miaoshoutang, located in an open area in the western suburbs of the capital. It used to be a small winery, but after it went bankrupt, it was taken over by the second owner.
The largest production line inside was for wound medicine, which occupied two large courtyards. Next were the production lines for snow cream and some tonics, each occupying one courtyard.
By the time Gu Jiao and the second boss arrived at the scene, the fire had been brought under control, but the stock of wound medicine had also been burned.
"Oh dear, that's over a thousand bottles of wound medicine! The delivery is due at the end of the month!" Manager Wang said with great distress.
Are there any casualties?
This was Gu Jiao's first question.
Manager Wang called over the workshop manager, who said, "Everyone was busy working at the time, no one went to the warehouse, and no one was injured."
"Okay." Gu Jiao nodded as she looked at the warehouse that had been burned to ruins. "I'll talk to the military camp and ask them to deliver the goods a few days later. Second boss, you should contact them and see if you can buy a new batch of medicinal herbs as soon as possible."
"Okay, sure." The second landlord agreed, then asked about the cause of the fire, "How did the fire start? Didn't I tell you to be careful and not to bring any embers near the warehouse?"
The steward said sadly and nervously, "I don't know what happened either! I patrol every day, once an hour during the day and twice at night! I haven't found anything wrong... This fire seems to have started suddenly!"
Gu Jiao went to check the ruins. The open flames had been extinguished, but a little black smoke was still rising from the ruins.
Gu Jiao dipped her fingertip in the ground, smelled it, and said calmly, "Someone set fire to it, and palm oil was poured on the back wall."
"What? Arson? Who did it! An inside job or—" The second boss's face darkened. "Call everyone over here. I need to get to the bottom of this!"
Gu Jiao stood up calmly, dusted off her hands, and said, "No need to ask anymore, they didn't set the fire."
It is Prince Ning.
It seems that my visit to Princess Ning has angered Prince Ning.
In fact, she didn't reveal much to Princess Ning, only saying that Princess Rui had offended someone she shouldn't have, and that the person might be harmful to Princess Rui. As for who that person was or what they did, Gu Jiao didn't say a word.
Whether Princess Ning had guessed that Prince Ning was behind it, or how Princess Ning had managed to save Princess Rui from Prince Ning's clutches, Gu Jiao had no idea.
Prince Ning was giving her a warning.
Gu Jiao tugged at the corners of her lips.
I was planning to keep this pot of chives and harvest them slowly, but who told you to owe me this?
The night was dark and the wind was high.
Gu Chengfeng finally paid off all his debts and slept soundly, feeling triumphant.
Unexpectedly, in the middle of the night, he felt something scratching his face.
He thought it was Gu Chenglin, so he turned over and went back to sleep.
To his surprise, the thing crawled directly into his blanket.
Gu Chengfeng woke up with a start and jumped out of bed: "Who are you!"
Little Nine, with the blanket over its head, flapped its wings, looking completely bewildered: "Chirp?"
Upon seeing the gyrfalcon before him, Gu Chengfeng's lips twitched violently.
Having visited Bishui Hutong so many times, it's impossible not to recognize this eagle.
Xiao Jiu hopped in front of Gu Chengfeng and arrogantly stretched out its bird claws.
Gu Chengfeng looked closely and, good heavens, there was a note tied to it!
Gu Chengfeng took the note apart and unfolded it.
The only words on it were "chaos and turmoil"—Ning Prince's Mansion.
A bloody knife was drawn in the background.
Gu Chengfeng: "..."
These days, people don't come to your door in person anymore; they've switched to having birds run errands, haven't they?
Dissatisfaction with Gu Jiao's perfunctory attitude caused Gu Chengfeng to overlook the significance of the three words "Ning Prince's Mansion".
It wasn't until he followed Xiao Jiu to the wall of the Ning Prince's mansion that he suddenly woke up from a dream and his eyes widened in surprise!
Where did this girl ask him to come?
Prince Ning's Mansion?
Gu Chengfeng turned and left!
He must be crazy to go with her to storm the Prince Ning's mansion!
Unfortunately, Gu Chengfeng left too late. A small hand reached out and grabbed him, pulling him into the Ning Prince's mansion.
Gu Chengfeng again: "..."
As soon as the two landed, a patrol of guards passed by. Gu Chengfeng quickly used his lightness skill to pull her behind a big tree!
Once the guards had gone far away, Gu Chengfeng looked at Gu Jiao with a surge of anger: "What's going on this time? How did this commotion end up at the Prince Ning's residence?"
The Prince Ning's Mansion is the largest prince's mansion in the capital. Although it does not have the Dragon Shadow Guards, it is heavily guarded and has many traps, making it not easy to break in!
"Don't you understand what it means to be part of a powerful organization?!"
He gritted his teeth.
Gu Jiao: "Oh."
Gu Chengfeng closed his eyes; he desperately wanted to die!
After a long pause, he finally calmed down: "You still haven't answered my question. What are you doing at the Prince Ning's residence?"
Gu Jiao said matter-of-factly, "Robbery."
Gu Chengfeng looked at her night clothes with a chilling gaze: "Are you sure it wasn't theft?"
Gu Jiao hummed in agreement: "More or less."
"How did Prince Ning offend you?" Gu Chengfeng knew this girl all too well; she usually didn't steal for money—
Gu Jiao: "Quickly find out where the Ning Prince's mansion is hiding all the gold?"
Gu Chengfeng: Is it really okay to be proven wrong so quickly?
Prince Ning was a very wealthy prince, and Gu Chengfeng, with his exceptional skills, easily discovered Prince Ning's secret stash of money.
"How much do you want?" Gu Chengfeng asked.
"How much can the two of us take?" Gu Jiao took two large sacks out of her small basket. "Empty them."
Gu Chengfeng: "...!!"
In the end, the two left the Prince Ning's mansion carrying two full sacks of gold bars. There was one more gold bar that couldn't fit in the sacks, which Xiao Jiu carried back with him.
The two men and one bird successfully emptied Prince Ning's private treasury.
Prince Ning learned of this the following afternoon.
He had just left the palace when his trusted guard rushed over in a panic: "It's terrible, Master! The treasury has been robbed!"
"Which storeroom?" The Ning Prince's residence has several storerooms, some for him and some for the Ning Princess.
The trusted guard forced a smile and said, "...your secret stash."
Prince Ning frowned slightly!
He clenched his fist and asked, "How much was stolen?"
The confidant said guiltily, "All...all of it."
Prince Ning's gaze suddenly darkened: "The Prince's mansion is heavily guarded. How could so much gold have been moved out? Especially with the traps! Is the person dead, or are the traps broken?"
The confidant lowered his voice and said, "N-nothing."
Even his trusted confidants are wronged.
The guards of the Prince's Palace patrolled as usual without any mishaps, and the mechanisms were functioning normally.
Does anyone know how Prince Ning's private treasury was stolen?
Prince Ning felt that this matter was not simple. Rather than who had the ability to empty his treasury, he should be more concerned about who dared to touch his treasury.
As the eldest son of the emperor, he was not only loved by the emperor, but also valued by the empress dowager and supported by the Zhuang family. Even Empress Xiao and the crown prince dared not touch him easily.
I don't know why.
A slender little figure suddenly flashed through Prince Ning's mind.
Could it be her?
Reason told Prince Ning that it was unlikely. After all, even if she had gained some favor from the Empress Dowager and the Emperor, she was still an outsider and a woman.
The confidant asked, "Master, should we report this to the authorities?"
Prince Ning's eyes were icy cold: "You want to kill me?"
The confidant lowered his head: "Your subordinate wouldn't dare!"
With so much gold, if the authorities were to report it, he would be the one investigated.
Prince Ning narrowed his eyes.
Very well, you've really swallowed this bitter pill!
Prince Ning did eventually visit the medical clinic.
One of the pharmacy staff members took the day off today, and Xiao Jiangli and another staff member were too busy, so Gu Jiao came to help out.
She had just finished dispensing medicine to a patient when Prince Ning appeared in the main hall, exuding an air of imperial nobility.
Among the princes, Prince Ning was the most outstanding in appearance and demeanor. He possessed the bearing of an emperor and the beauty of a captivating woman. Every gesture he made exuded unparalleled elegance and nobility.
The lobby fell silent for a moment.
For his appearance.
Apart from Gu Jiao, no one present knew his identity, but the noble air emanating from his very bones still made everyone hold their breath.
"This one costs three qian..." Gu Jiao finished instructing Xiao Jiangli and slowly walked over.
Prince Ning was standing in front of the counter, with Manager Wang behind it.
Manager Wang was already stunned by Prince Ning's demeanor and appearance, and remained silent for a long time.
It was Prince Ning who spoke first, not to Manager Wang, but to Gu Jiao: "Doctor Gu."
"Is something the matter?" Gu Jiao asked.
Prince Ning smiled and said, "It's nothing serious. I just happened to be passing by and wanted to ask about Su Xin's condition. I heard that Doctor Gu has already gone to examine Su Xin again."
Gu Jiao said frankly, "Ah, yes, there's no major problem for now. Just keep taking your medicine."
Despite her appalling acting skills, Gu Jiao has one thing she's never ashamed of:
Prince Ning looked at her intently: "Where was Doctor Gu last night?"
Gu Jiao raised an eyebrow and asked, "Renshou Palace, why is His Highness Prince Ning inquiring about this?"
thump!
Manager Wang, who was behind the counter, knelt down.
Prince Ning's expression remained unchanged, his smile still warm, but his eyes revealed a hint of sharpness.
He leaned closer to Gu Jiao, lowering his noble head slightly, a gesture that appeared somewhat intimate to onlookers.
Gu Jiao looked at him without flinching.
Prince Ning chuckled faintly: "Doctor Gu, there was no need for things to turn out this way between us. The Empress Dowager dotes on you, and we are all in the same boat."
Gu Jiao: Oh, so people on the same boat can kill each other and set things on fire.
Prince Ning leaned closer and whispered in her ear, "You're still young and don't know how dangerous the world is. For the sake of the Empress Dowager, I'll give you a few pieces of advice—you must know your own limitations. Don't overestimate yourself or be too greedy. The waters of the capital are deep. Just take a casual stroll and don't get too addicted, or you might not be able to swim anymore."
Gu Jiao also whispered, "Don't worry, Prince Ning, I'm a very good swimmer."
Prince Ning narrowed his eyes slightly at her arrogant words. He straightened up and said meaningfully, "Doctor Gu, take care."
Gu Jiao crossed her arms and said, "Take care, and don't bother seeing me off."
After Prince Ning left, Manager Wang broke out in a cold sweat and stood up, leaning on the counter for support: "Was that Prince Ning just now?"
"Hmm." Gu Jiao hummed in agreement and took out two gold bars from her purse, placing them on the table.
Shopkeeper Wang was taken aback: "What is this now?"
Gu Jiao glanced at the angry figure of Prince Ning as he walked away and said calmly, "The compensation was given by the arsonist."
Shopkeeper Wang: "..."
After leaving the clinic, Prince Ning immediately went to the palace.
He naturally wanted to check whether Gu Jiao had stayed at Renshou Palace last night. However, not long after he entered the palace, he saw the Crown Princess looking dazed near the Golden Palace.
The Crown Princess only had Chunying by her side.
When Chunying saw Prince Ning approaching, she quickly and tactfully stepped aside.
The Crown Princess was still in shock and had no idea that someone else had taken her side.
"How could this be... It really is... Why..."
She gazed in the direction of the Golden Palace and grabbed Chunying's hand, stammering.
When the man's touch came through her fingertips and palm, she jolted and turned her head away, then quickly withdrew her hand.
There was no one around at the moment, and besides, she was standing behind a big tree, which provided excellent cover.
Prince Ning approached her without any hesitation, his broad chest almost touching her slightly trembling back: "What did you see that made you so flustered?"
The Crown Princess turned her face away, avoiding his presence, her expression seemingly tinged with revenge and resentment: "Aheng is back."
Prince Ning frowned: "What did you say?"
The Crown Princess turned around calmly, looking at him with a mocking expression: "Aheng is back... Xiao Heng, whom you killed, is back!"
(End of this chapter)
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