Chapter 150 [VIP]
A moment of silence fell over the surroundings.
Soldiers from the Water Dragon Bureau came and went, pushing in two water dragons. Long cannons mounted in front of the water dragons sprayed water at the small building.
The waiter led the guests away one by one, leaving only a few musicians and singers standing there, looking anxious and uneasy.
The sounds of water and cracking could not drown out the wheezing in the Duke of Wei's throat.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh...
"no."
The first to oppose it was the Prince of Jin.
The Duke of Wei came to Tianxi Tower with the Prince of Jin.
It was Duke Cheng'en who asked him to act as a mediator and discuss with Prince Jin the matter of dissolving the marriage agreement between the two families.
Before the Duke of Wei could say anything, the Prince of Jin pulled him aside and wept for a long, long time. The Prince of Jin kept drinking in silence, talking about Xie Qiyun's illness, then about how the Duke of Chengen was too arrogant, and finally even about how Xie Yingchen interfered in county affairs for Xie Qiyun's sake and ordered a joint trial by the three judicial departments.
Duke Wei didn't want to engage in any conversation, so he pretended to drink with him in silence, one cup after another.
“Miss Gu,” Prince Jin said coldly, his face stern, “you wouldn’t be deliberately trying to use this opportunity to kill the Duke of Wei, would you?”
He flicked his sleeve and snorted, "Cutting open the neck to cure an illness? I've never heard of such a thing."
"Are you going to say next time that cutting off someone's head can cure an illness? That's absurd."
Gu Zhizhuo ignored him and said to Prince Li, "Cut open his trachea. This will relieve his current acute symptoms and allow him to breathe again."
“His illness progressed too rapidly and severely. Even if I prescribe medication now, he won’t be able to hold on until he can take it.”
Gu Zhizhuo took out his needle kit and quickly inserted a needle near the Duke of Wei's Adam's apple. The Duke's spasming throat relaxed slightly, and his breathing clearly eased.
Prince Li was both surprised and delighted: "Isn't this all right? Miss Gu, are you trying to scare me on purpose?"
He wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve: "You little rascal..." He smiled, trying to ease his tension, but he found that Gu Zhizhuo's face showed no smile or composure, but instead looked increasingly serious.
In just a few breaths, the Duke of Wei's breathing became rapid again. Amidst the wheezing, his lips turned pale, and his consciousness became increasingly blurred.
Gu Zhizhuo had no choice but to continue inserting the needles, saying without looking up, "The smoke is blocking the Duke of Wei's airways. Acupuncture can only make him feel a little better, and he won't be able to hold on for long."
Gu Zhizhuo spoke frankly: "At most, one cup of tea."
This was even with acupuncture.
Prince Li's smile froze on his face. He wanted to ask a few more questions, but Xie Yingchen had already made up his mind: "Cut it off."
Prince Li's mouth was half-open, his neck stiff as he turned to look at him: "Chen'er, this, this..."
"Prince Chen," Prince Jin coldly rebuked, "You think you can just cut it off like that?! If anything happens to the Duke of Wei, can you bear the responsibility?"
Prince Li subtly pinched Xie Yingchen's arm and gave him a disapproving look.
To put it bluntly, the Duke of Wei died because of a relapse of his old illness, and no one would blame Xie Yingchen. But if, because of a single word from Xie Yingchen, his neck had been severed and he couldn't be saved, many would likely believe that Xie Yingchen was using the opportunity to eliminate his political opponents.
Xie Yingchen is currently only regent and has not yet secured his position in the court. There is no need for him to take this risk and invite criticism.
Moreover, Duke Wei wholeheartedly supports the Third Prince, making Xie Yingchen a political enemy!
This kid used to be quite smart, how come he doesn't understand?
The Duke of Wei's pupils dimmed. Although Prince Li hadn't said these words directly, he could guess what they meant.
If it were him, he would surely have stood by and watched. But now, he was not the one making the choice; it was he lying here. The Duke of Wei closed his eyes and silently wiped away a tear.
He was speechless, unable even to nod to decide his own life or death.
I will never drink alcohol again.
If it weren't for that old scoundrel, Prince Jin, saying things he didn't want to talk to, he wouldn't have been drinking cup after cup in one go, nor would he have gone out to the bathroom after drinking too much.
Duke Wei felt extremely aggrieved. He opened his mouth wide and tried his best to breathe, but he could only barely inhale a faint breath.
He knew he was going to die.
“Chen’er,” Prince Li said vaguely, “What Prince Jin said makes some sense.”
The Prince of Jin is a man who is very good at judging the situation. The Duke of Wei came out with him, and now he is repeatedly questioning and saying "no," because he is afraid of taking responsibility! Prince Li advised, "Don't be impulsive. I will send someone to find a few more doctors."
He said this to absolve Gu Zhizhuo of responsibility, so that no one would say that Gu Zhizhuo deliberately refused to save people.
Prince Jin frowned, thinking to himself: Prince Li is getting old, and his fussing and meddling are really too much.
Xie Yingchen only asked one question: "Yaoyao, is this the only way?"
“Yes,” Gu Zhizhuo said with certainty, “Without cutting the trachea, you’re just waiting to die.”
And they would suffocate to death.
There was no hesitation or confusion in Xie Yingchen's eyes; he simply said, "Then cut it."
"Chen'er!" Prince Li tugged at his sleeves. The young couple were so alike; they did whatever they wanted, and no amount of persuasion could dissuade them.
“Grand Uncle, the Duke of Wei has served in the court for thirty years and has rendered meritorious service to the Great Qi. Now that his life is in danger, since he can still be saved, how can we just watch him die because of some insignificant suspicions and factionalism?”
"I imagine the Duke of Wei would be willing to take the gamble."
Duke of Wei: ...
Yes, yes. He wants to live, even if the chance of survival is less than 10%, he doesn't want to suffocate to death.
Xie Yingchen said solemnly, "Yaoyao, you do it."
"good."
After she finished speaking, she took out the waist knife she always carried with her in front of them.
"Chen'er!"
Prince Li looked at the Duke of Wei on the ground. He was barely breathing and blinked with his last bit of strength.
"Sigh." He pulled Xie Yingchen aside, stood in front, and said, "Miss Gu, you cut it. This is my decision. If anything happens, I will take full responsibility."
Xie Yingchen has even won over the usually upright Prince Li? Prince Jin narrowed his eyes in displeasure. He took a step forward, pointed at Jiang Chao's corpse, and sneered, "Cut his throat? Is that how you cut it? Uncle Li, Xie Yingchen is just using this opportunity to eliminate dissidents. Don't let them use you as a shield."
"Cut your throat and you'll live. Hahahaha, that's hilarious."
“Of course he can live if his throat is cut open.” Gu Zhizhu looked up at him and said slowly, “Not only can he live if his throat is cut open, but even if his skin is peeled off, I can still make him live if I want him to.”
She curled her lips into a smirk, her smile unrestrained and arrogant: "It all depends on whether Your Highness believes it or not."
"Qingmei, come and lend a hand."
"Chongjiu, find someone to get you some strong liquor, and also find a bamboo tube, about the thickness of a finger and the length of a finger joint. If you don't have a bamboo tube, a jade tube will do."
"Young master, please don't let them get close."
Gu Zhizhu didn't care about anything else; if the young master asked her to save him, she would save him!
"Even if all the skin is peeled off... can he still live?" The Prince of Jin's heart skipped a beat. He wanted to ask for clarification, but his voice trailed off.
He suddenly noticed that the blood flowing from Jiang Chao's neck wasn't flowing around the corpse, but all heading in the same direction. The Prince of Jin's gaze followed the blood, moving slowly.
"Gui Niangzi?"
The blood flowed all over Gui Niangzi's feet.
Gui Niangzi, holding her pipa, silently lowered her head and stared at the blood at her feet.
Her eyelids were lowered, and her face was covered by a veil, perfectly concealing all her overflowing emotions.
The courtesan traveling with them exclaimed in surprise, "Gui Niang, look, why is there so much blood?"
"Oh!" Lady Gui exclaimed as if she had just noticed, and she retreated in surprise, her embroidered shoes leaving a trail of bloody footprints on the ground.
The King of Jin's pupils suddenly contracted.
That attempt to borrow fortune back then successfully deceived the Heavenly Dao and defied fate. However, because the array's core was lost and the array was incomplete, Master Changfeng also suffered from karmic entanglements. In recent years, in order to avoid the backlash from the Heavenly Dao, Master Changfeng has almost always stayed at Shangxu Temple and has never left the temple.
This time, it was because of his repeated requests that he agreed to come to the capital.
However, once he left the temple, someone had to deceive the heavens and share the karma of the past year. Jiang Chao was one of them, and the talismans he gave to these people actually contained hidden secrets.
When the Prince of Jin was in Blackwater Fortress, he also asked why a formation eye was necessary. He remembered Changfeng's words vividly: the formation eye could bear the consequences and backlash for him.
Blood is the soul of a person. If there is a core to the formation, the karma of the entire city will flow into the core along with the blood.
The core of the formation will be completely destroyed and never reincarnated. However, in return, the caster will not have to bear the consequences.
Unfortunately, the fate of the key figure in the formation is unknown, which is why the ritual was incomplete.
The Prince of Jin stared intently at the blood on the ground.
The terrain was quite flat, and the water from the water dragon only formed small puddles nearby, except for the blood.
The Prince of Jin's heart was pounding faster and faster, almost as if it were about to jump out of his throat.
He slowly lowered his head, a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth, as if he wanted to laugh, yet also as if he was desperately trying to hold it back. Could his luck really be that good? Was Lady Gui the key figure in the formation back then?
"Wait a minute." Prince Jin stopped a passing waiter. "Do you know where Lady Gui is from?"
This was no secret; Lady Gui had never hidden her origins from Yongzhou from anyone. The waiter respectfully replied, "Yes, it's Yongzhou. Lady Gui is from Yongzhou."
"Found it!" The Prince of Jin was overjoyed and clenched his fists excitedly.
He pressed on impatiently, asking, "Which city is it from?"
"Then I don't know," the waiter said with a fawning smile. "Should I go and ask?"
The Prince of Jin was about to say yes, but then abruptly stopped himself.
No, if she really is the daughter of the Yin family, mentioning Blackwater Fortress rashly would only alert them.
Wait a minute. Wait a little longer.
If you misjudge the key point of the formation, you will be doomed.
Even with these thoughts, he couldn't stop his emotions from running high, and he kept glancing in the direction of Gui Niangzi.
The Yin siblings from back then, the older sister was only twelve or thirteen years old, so the age matches up. If it really is her, that would be wonderful; Yun'er is saved.
"Gui Niang, it seems the Prince of Jin has been watching you." The courtesan holding a zither whispered to Gui Niang.
"Stop joking." Lady Gui raised her eyes, her peach blossom eyes shimmering, and the corners of her lips turned up slightly, the veil concealing this ambiguous smile.
She raised her chin, indicating, "I'm not joking. Look at Prince Jin, he must be asking the waiter about you."
The courtesan's name was Tinglian, and she was in her early twenties, just like Gui Niang. In her youth, she was the top courtesan on the pleasure boats of the Qinhuai River. Before her beauty faded, she redeemed herself.
Tinglian was very perceptive. She noticed that while Prince Jin was talking to the waiter, he kept glancing over here, his greed undisguised. Tinglian immediately knew what he was talking about.
Gui Niangzi's slender, jade-like fingers stroked the pipa strings, but there was no response. Her slightly trembling eyelashes cast faint shadows beneath her eyes, concealing the hatred that was almost overflowing in her eyes.
“Gui Niang.” Ting Lian hesitated for a moment, but still whispered her advice, “Don’t look down on us because we are of lowly status. People like us actually live a good life if we don’t get married.”
When she looked up, Gui Niangzi's eyes slanted upwards, exuding charm.
“Among us on the pleasure boat, I am not the only one who has redeemed myself, but I am the only one who has not married. I have seen with my own eyes the lives of my sisters. Those who marry into wealthy families become concubines, and their beauty fades and their love diminishes. We who have no children, how we live depends on whether the first wife can tolerate us. Those who live poorly can't even fill their stomachs.”
“Even if we marry someone else, it’s the same. No matter how nice they say, they will still look down on us for being prostitutes. When I first came to the pleasure boat, I brought my sister with me. After she was redeemed, she married a peddler and even used her own money to buy him a small shop. She thought she could live a peaceful life for the rest of her days, but she died the following year.”
Even if they redeemed themselves, they would still be considered of low social status unless they married into a respectable family and their husbands were registered there. To escape this status, the women would try to marry as soon as they left the pleasure boat. Tinglian, on the other hand, was quite open-minded.
So what if she's of low social status? As long as she doesn't get married, no one can control her. She can spend the money she earns herself, and she can afford even the most expensive cosmetics if she grits her teeth.
She said, "For a nobleman like Prince Jin, it's at most a passing fancy."
“Sister Lian, you’re right.” Lady Gui chuckled, linking her arm with hers. “I won’t do anything foolish.”
Ting Lian stopped there, and the two leaned their heads together. Ting Lian changed the subject and said affectionately, "I just heard that they're going to cut the Duke's neck. Do you think he can survive?"
"Yes," Gui Niangzi replied, her eyes bright and clear.
She had only met this Miss Gu twice, but each time, it surprised her.
Especially on that day, she stood by the window and witnessed Miss Gu save the little girl who had already died.
Her fingertips tightened, resisting the urge to touch her throat.
Ting Lian craned her neck, but couldn't see anything. She sighed, "If you could live after cutting your throat, that would be too miraculous..."
"Old Xiang! Duke of Wei, Old Xiang!"
A gasp suddenly rang out from the other end. Ting Lian gripped her hand tightly, whispering, "Look, Prince Jin is over there too. Is his neck already cut? Is he alive, or... or dead?"
To live or to die.
The Prince of Jin also wanted to know, so he hurried over, only to be stopped by Xiang Yang more than ten steps away, unable to see what was happening inside.
For a moment, he didn't know whether he hoped the Duke of Wei would live or die.
If the Duke of Wei dies, the Third Prince will lose a major ally, but Xie Yingchen will inevitably be branded as a faction leader who eliminates dissidents and deliberately caused the Duke of Wei's death. Xie Yingchen can then seize the opportunity to consolidate the Duke of Wei's power and influence.
But, if you can survive even with your neck cut open...
He was filled with anxiety and asked impatiently, "Let me in."
Xiang Yang didn't care who he was; his baby face beamed with a smile brighter than the sun, and he wouldn't budge an inch.
"Uncle Li!"
Prince Li was so nervous that his hands were sweating, and he had no time to pay attention to him.
The Duke of Wei's neck had already been slashed. The young maid of the Gu family, worthy of a daughter of a military family, moved with astonishing steadiness, raising the knife and slashing as if she were cutting a chicken's neck rather than a human's. The swift movement of the knife nearly stopped his heart.
As a result, the Duke of Wei, who was on the verge of death, regained his breath, and his face, which had turned pale from holding his breath, regained some color.
They actually managed to pull him back from the brink of death.
That's amazing!
The knife wound on the Duke of Wei's neck was gruesome, but in reality, only a little blood had flowed from the surface of his skin, and there were only a few specks of blood on his clothes.
Just as Prince Li was about to ask a few questions, he saw Gu Zhizhu flip his hand, revealing a small jade tube on his finger, which he then deftly plunged into the neck of the Duke of Wei.
Prince Li was so frightened that he dared not look. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and asked his attendant to help him to the side to rest. His legs were so weak that he could hardly walk.
His old bones really couldn't withstand the shock.
“Uncle Li. The Duke of Wei, he…”
Upon seeing that it was Prince Jin, Prince Li nodded and said, "He's alive."
"It's really alive?!"
Prince Li glanced at it from afar and said, "Yes. It's alive."
“Not only can he live with his throat cut open, he can live even with all his skin peeled off.” Gu Zhizhuo’s words echoed in Prince Jin’s ears. Yun’er’s illness was getting worse every day, and Prince Jin was really afraid that he wouldn’t be able to hold on until the formation was completed.
If Miss Gu could save...
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