It's different now.
Gongsun Lie stroked his beard: "What do you mean?"
"It's broken, so it's broken, but why does it seem as if it was burned for a moment, like..."
Gongsun Lie stared at the plaque, his brows furrowing deeply: "What does it look like?"
Gongsun Cheyuan was taken aback by his father's appearance and blurted out subconsciously, "It looks like it was exploded by a thunderbolt."
As soon as he said it, he realized how absurd it was, and he shrugged and laughed: "I was just saying it casually, Father, please don't take offense. That thunderbolt is all bark and no bite, it's just a loud noise to scare people. This fine century-old nanmu plaque is thick and heavy, it can't be broken by a single blow."
This unintentional remark sent a chill down Gongsun Lie's spine.
Yes, ordinary thunderbolts wouldn't be able to destroy this nanmu wood plaque, but what if it were modified...?
...
A few days later, the weather grew even colder.
Wen Linchuan was bound hand and foot, blindfolded, and gagged, and thrown into a dark corner, making intermittent "woo-woo, woo-woo" sounds.
Qingwu sat to one side, carefully peeling an apple with a dagger.
After the apple was peeled, Qingwu took a big bite.
Sweet juice slid down his throat. Qingwu slowly walked up to Wen Linchuan and used a dagger to pry open the rag in his mouth.
"Water, I want to drink water..."
Qingwu said, "Minister Wen, you should rest. Minister Gu only ordered me to arrest you, not to give you anything to eat."
The aroma of apples and the sound of them being chewed greatly aroused Wen Linchuan. He coughed, his voice hoarse, and said, "Qingwu, tell me, what are you trying to do? If this continues, I'll be dead..."
Qingwu ignored him and continued eating her apple.
About an incense stick later.
With a creak, the door was pushed open, and Gu Jinghong appeared in the doorway dressed in a dark blue outfit.
Wen Linchuan slowly raised his head and then slowly turned his face toward the direction of the voice.
"Jinghong, is it Jinghong?"
Gu Jinghong did not answer, but slowly walked towards Wen Linchuan, helped him to sit upright against the wall, and then reached out and pulled off the cloth strip covering his eyes.
Suddenly exposed to light, Wen Linchuan's vision became blurry.
Gu Jinghong stood against the candlelight, resembling a demon from hell, which instilled fear in Wen Linchuan.
"Senior Brother Wen, it's been a long time."
Hearing her relatively calm tone, Wen Linchuan's mood seemed to ease somewhat.
“Junior sister, Qingwu is so insensible! She betrayed you like that back then, and she still doesn’t follow your wishes now. I have never done anything to wrong you, and you would never allow her to humiliate me like this… I haven’t eaten or drunk anything for seven days. If I weren’t a martial artist, I’m afraid I would not have seen you again.”
This was a well-considered statement, both accusing herself of being treated inhumanely and leaving room for Gu Jinghong to maneuver, while also emphasizing the relationship between the two once again.
If it were an ordinary junior sister, her senior brother would give her a way out, and she would accept it.
But……
Gu Jinghong remained unmoved, replying calmly, "Senior brother, please don't be offended. Qingwu was merely following orders."
She obeyed orders... Qingwu betrayed her, yet she still helped Qingwu?!
Wen Linchuan's gaze gradually focused, the gloom dissipated, and Gu Jinghong's figure became clearer inch by inch. In his eyes, it gave rise to a somewhat unfamiliar and startling scrutiny.
In just a few months, her figure seemed to have grown a bit, becoming more and more slender and graceful. Her originally pale skin had become delicate and moisturized, like the finest mutton fat jade, radiating a faint glow.
But these are far less impactful than the charisma she exudes.
The Gu Jinghong of the past had a sharp edge hidden in his eyes and a decisiveness in his actions, like a sharp blade sheathed in its sheath. Although he tried his best to restrain himself, his eagerness to break free of his sheath could not be concealed no matter what.
Now, that sharp edge seemed to have been quietly melted down by something, weighed down heavily, and transformed into something deeper and more unsettling.
It is not eliminated, but rather tightly enveloped by a calm and composed demeanor, like the deep waters of an ancient pool, calm on the surface but containing a whirlpool capable of swallowing everything within.
Wen Linchuan had only ever seen this kind of demeanor in those who truly held power and had the power of life and death. They were aloof, noble, and imposing. They didn't need to speak harshly or make a fuss; they were enough to inspire awe and make people dare not look them in the eye.
Gu Jinghong noticed the change in Wen Linchuan's eyes and simply said, "Senior Brother Wen, I wonder how strong the aftereffects of 'Hanxiao' are? Oh, right, I forgot to tell you, among those hundred kinds of petals, there are a few kinds of 'Bewitching Inducer' unique to the Southwest. It is colorless and odorless and is specifically used to deal with people with profound internal strength. It seems to be quite effective."
Wen Linchuan suddenly realized what he had been afraid of.
Yes, the demeanor of those who wield the power of life and death is naturally frightening, but they are often born into noble families and act with rules or principles.
But Gu Jinghong was different; she possessed both an imposing aura and ruthless methods...
Comparing the two, Gu Jinghong is the most terrifying person!
After much deliberation, Wen Linchuan finally resigned himself to the fate of death and suddenly sneered, "Gu Jinghong! How dare you instruct Qingwu to use such despicable means against me! Kidnapping the Grand Secretary of Qianyuan, do you know what a crime that is? The Grand Secretary will never let you off!"
"Sect Master?" Gu Jinghong sneered. "Senior Brother, even at a time like this, you still want to use the Sect Master title to intimidate me? Why do you think I would dare to touch you?"
She stood up, walked over to Wen Linchuan, and looked down at him.
"First of all, as the chief steward of the Qianyuan Pavilion, the only one who is knowledgeable about all accounts, you actually tampered with the funds for the Southwest epidemic that year. Did you really think it was foolproof? There are already more than one secret report on the Pavilion Master's desk about your embezzlement and the failure to fight the epidemic."
Gu Jinghong paused, glanced at Wen Linchuan, and then continued.
"...Senior brother, think back to the way he's looked at you lately. Didn't you notice something? If my intelligence is correct, he's already looking for a new candidate for the position of Grand Secretary. Once you lose your usefulness, given the Grand Secretary's methods, what do you think will happen to you?"
Wen Linchuan's expression changed slightly, but he forced himself to remain calm: "Hmph, don't try to fool me without any evidence!"
"You want evidence?" Gu Jinghong raised an eyebrow, pulled out a thin roll of paper from his sleeve, and slowly unfolded it in front of him. "This is the path you used to launder money through underground banks, this is the purchase list you forged, and these are the 'accidental' deaths of those minor officials you pushed out to take the blame... Senior brother, you're not being clean enough."
Wen Linchuan's pupils contracted sharply as he stared intently at the contents of the note, veins throbbing on his forehead.
He never expected that Gu Jinghong could investigate so thoroughly!
Gu Jinghong: "You said, if I hand it over to the Pavilion Master..."
Wen Linchuan's expression suddenly relaxed a bit, and he grinned: "Give it to the Pavilion Master? Haha, Gu Jinghong, you probably don't know, the Pavilion Master is looking for you all over Dayong right now!"
Unexpectedly, Gu Jinghong's expression became even more subtle: "It seems that these things are all real... Thank you for reminding me, Senior Brother. I will hand them over directly to the Jingzhao Prefecture, or the Ministry of Justice, or the Censorate... either is fine."
Wen Linchuan gritted his teeth in hatred, his eyes flashing with a fierce light, but fear also flickered in his eyes.
"The rules of Qianyuan Pavilion dictate that internal affairs must be resolved internally, and the imperial court must never be involved! Gu Jinghong, how dare you violate these rules?!"
"Pavilion rules?" Gu Jinghong laughed heartily, his laughter filled with endless desolation and mockery.
"When has the Qianyuan Pavilion ever considered me, Gu Jinghong, one of their own? The Pavilion Master sees me as a pawn, someone to be used or discarded at will; you see me as a competitor, ostracizing and suppressing me. Since the Qianyuan Pavilion doesn't consider me human, why should I cling to its rules and act as its dog?"
She abruptly folded the note, leaned down, and stared intently into Wen Linchuan's eyes. Her tone became low and seductive, yet concealed a murderous intent: "Senior Brother Wen, how about we make a deal?"
"You help me bring down the Pavilion Master. After it's done, firstly, I can let your crimes of withholding information and embezzling public funds disappear; secondly, if I take power, the Qianyuan Pavilion needs a true strategist who is skilled in management and can control the purse strings, and the Accounting Pavilion and even greater power are all yours, so I will rely on you; thirdly, and most importantly, you will survive and continue to enjoy your wealth and glory."
Wen Linchuan's heart pounded, and his eyes flickered uncertainly.
After struggling for a moment, he still had doubts: "...Why should I believe you?"
“Because you have no choice.” Gu Jinghong straightened up, her tone turning icy again. “Besides believing me, you only have one path left—to be utterly disgraced and die a gruesome death.”
She paused for a moment, then nodded slightly to Qingwu.
Qingwu silently carried over a heavy wooden box and opened it.
Inside were not gold and silver jewelry, but stacks of yellowed old files, as well as some women's old belongings and letters.
Gu Jinghong picked up a document at random and read aloud: "In the seventh year of Chengqian, Shen Yingying, the daughter of Shen Wansan, a silk merchant from Huzhou, devoted all her family wealth to help you open up channels for grain transport. Later, you absconded with the money, and Shen Yingying hanged herself."
He then picked up a gold bracelet: "In the ninth year of the Chengqian reign, Li Yuru, the younger sister of Li Baiwan, a salt merchant from Yangzhou, sold all the land and shops under your name to fund your so-called 'overseas trade.' After that, you disappeared without a trace, and Miss Li has been insane ever since, confined to a nunnery."
She read and presented each item, one by one, in a slow and deliberate manner.
Wen Linchuan's face grew paler and paler, cold sweat pouring down his face. These were secrets he had buried deep in his heart, secrets he thought no one knew! Secrets he had climbed over the corpses of countless devoted women!
"Where...where did you come from..." His voice was dry and hoarse.
"If you don't want anyone to know, then don't do it in the first place. Wen Linchuan, guess what the result would be if I sent this evidence, along with the evidence of your embezzlement of pandemic funds, to the Criminal Investigation Department?"
Wen Linchuan's eyes were wide open. He had not eaten or drunk anything for days, and he was already thin and weak. When he opened his eyes like this, it revealed an instinct to struggle for survival.
Gu Jinghong curled her lips into a smile: "Qianyuan Pavilion might cut its losses and push you out to take the blame. At that time, what awaits you will not be as simple as the punishment according to the pavilion rules. Confiscating your property and exterminating your clan might not be an exaggeration."
Wen Linchuan collapsed completely, his face ashen.
He's finished.
Gu Jinghong had all his trump cards and escape routes firmly in her grasp.
Looking at his expression, Gu Jinghong softened her tone: "Senior brother, will you choose to cooperate with me and enjoy power and wealth in the future, or will you choose to resist to the end and watch everything you have painstakingly built, along with your life, vanish into thin air?"
The cellar fell into a deathly silence.
Wen Linchuan closed his eyes, his heart filled with a struggle between heaven and man.
Finally, he spoke in a hoarse voice: "...What do you want me to do?"
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