Chарtеr 6 (5/20)
А blurrу sсеne cаmе intо viеw. Gоng Ziyu gropеd аround and fоund Yun Weishan оn thе grоund, аlrеаdy uncоnscious. He gently liftеd hеr heаd, plасеd а pill in hеr mоuth, thеn rеmоved thе fox tail hаnging frоm his waist аnd tucked it under hеr cheеk as a сushiоn.
Аt thаt mоmеnt, Jin Fаn descеndеd from thе rаftеrs. Gong Ziуu loоkеd at him and suddеnlу thought оf something. Hе turned back tоwаrd thе Eldеrs’ direction: “Оh nо, thе Eldеrs!”
Insidе thе hаll, а hаnd suddenlу struсk out frоm within the thiсk fog. Gong Shаngjue’s Innеr Fоrсe surgеd, аnd whitе smоke instantly billоwed out from the main еntrance. Тhe hall сleаrеd.
Bеhind Gong Shangjue, the three Elders were unharmed.
Everyone rushed out of the hall and saw Steward Jia lying motionless on the courtyard steps. Three gleaming hidden weapons were embedded in his back. His lips were purple, and blood trickled from his seven orifices—he was already dead.
Yun Weishan gradually regained consciousness. She opened her eyes and reached out to touch the object cushioning her head. The soft, downy fur seemed to gently brush against her heart.
Outside the hall door, beside Steward Jia’s corpse, Gong Yuanzhi stood quietly.
Seeing everyone approach, Gong Yuanzhi shrugged nonchalantly. “I was afraid he would escape, so I struck a bit too hard.”
He excelled at hidden weapons—swift, ruthless, and precise. Steward Jia had no chance of survival.
Shangguan Qian also awoke by now. From her vantage point near the door, her gaze fell upon the Hidden Weapon Pouch at Gong Yuanzhi’s waist.
Gong Ziyu glared fiercely at Gong Yuanzhi. “I think you deliberately took advantage of the chaos to strike so heavily, trying to silence the witness!”
Gong Yuanzhi: “You’re still a member of the Gong family. Aren’t you afraid of being ridiculed for saying such things? The poison on my hidden weapon is a paralyzing agent—it only stiffened his meridians and immobilized him. He bit through the poison capsule between his teeth and died by his own hand.”
“That’s just your side of the story.”
“Send the body to the medical hall for examination, and you’ll know.”
“I will naturally have it examined. But until the truth is uncovered, you cannot escape suspicion.”
“He just fled in fear of his crime—isn’t that enough to prove my innocence?”
The three Elders still wanted to deliberate, but Gong Shangjue spoke directly: “Since Gong Yuanzhi is now the prime suspect, let him be detained first…”
Gong Yuanzhi froze. “Brother—”
Gong Shangjue raised a hand to stop Gong Yuanzhi from continuing. Instead, he bowed to the three Elders. “I request that the Elders dispatch Yellow Jade Guards to investigate further. If it is truly proven to be Gong Yuanzhi’s doing, he will not be spared lightly.” He took two steps forward and placed a hand on Gong Yuanzhi’s shoulder. “But if it is discovered that someone framed my younger brother Yuanzhi, or used torture or poison to persecute him, then I will make sure that person pays with their life—no matter who it is.”
His tone was neither heavy nor light, seemingly impartial, yet filled with intimidation.
Gong Yuanzhi’s voice softened. He spoke quietly but firmly: “Brother, I’ll listen to you.”
Gong Ziyu: “Take him away.”
Jin Fan stepped forward, but Gong Yuanzhi shook him off and said arrogantly, “I know the way to the dungeon. I’ll go myself.” As he passed Gong Ziyu, his eyes were full of provocation. “Need any medicine? I’ll have someone send it to you.”
After everyone left, the great hall stood empty and silent.
Only Gong Ziyu remained, sitting on the steps before the hall, staring blankly at the spot where Steward Jia had fallen. Some bloodstains, still wet, lingered on the steps, filling the air with a metallic scent.
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