Chapter Nine, The Killing Game

Shen appeared to be mad, continuously tearing at something, and under the illumination of the torch, Yun Shi saw that the white garment had been stained with blood for the most part

No longer suppressing herself, the dizziness and annoyance within her surged up, and her vision gradually became hazy

The Shen family has become increasingly unrestrained; in addition to throwing tantrums and crying, they also seem to be subtly criticizing others.

The corners of Baojin's lips were almost dripping with blood as she cornered Xu Ji against the wall, quietly watching him panic and nearly scream.

The Prime Minister Xu Ji was unexpectedly murdered after his own birthday banquet

Perhaps this is a great opportunity for a smooth ascent to success

It is of no use; it is you who have tightly closed the study, isolating yourself from the outside world, thus weaving a cocoon for yourself, which can also be considered fate

So it turns out you are here to solicit clients

He gazed at the quietly bowed Baojin, carefully considering his words as he said: "If the noble ladies in the palace are willing to show you compassion, what would your thoughts be, young lady?"

What is going on

He reluctantly defended himself, saying: "Emperor Jingyuan disguised herself as a man to usurp the throne, which is fundamentally a reversal of yin and yang. Her rule was tyrannical, provoking widespread resentment among the people. I am merely acting in accordance with the principles of heaven"

The Chief Minister Xu Ji furrowed his brow, thought of her background, and then forced a smile, saying: "Truly remarkable skills..."

Xu Ji gazed at her, trembling like a sieve, at that moment a forgotten name suddenly flashed in his mind

The candlelight in the room flickered and swayed in the next moment, stirred by a powerful gust of wind. The crimson wick trembled slightly, a few drops of blood splattered, merging into the thick darkness, and finally disappeared without a trace

You are bold ... ... !

Shen, upon seeing him, let out a cold laugh and began to cry while berating: "The enchantress you recommended has actually killed the master in the study!"

My family's territory, which has lasted for over 300 years, has been utterly destroyed by you, a despicable person

Only then did the Jade-dyed Princess of Gumo receive a slap across the face from the concubine Shen, leaving five red marks on her snow-white skin

She murmured softly, sinking contentedly into a sea of crimson.

The only son of the Xu family, after being pinched by his mother, stood up and asked

At this moment, there were many servants gathered in the courtyard, and upon hearing the conversation involving the mistress, Madam Yun, not a single person dared to step forward to offer advice

Baojin replied softly, her dark hair falling down to conceal the cold smile in her eyes

Lord Xu is unable to provide assistance and has already departed

It is destined to be this way, what can be done!

Yun was furious and, disregarding everyone's objections, pulled Yun Shi and entered the study.

Baojin slowly rose, step by step approaching, as if Xu Ji was drawn into an infinite nightmare by those heavy eyes, trembling incessantly.

"Shut your mouth! For your own selfish desires, you betray your lord, and you dare to speak of justice!"

"Little wretch, what kind of charm did you use to bring harm to my master!"

Xu Ji could not help but feel a surge of anger, yet he was met with the cold, mocking gaze of Bao Jin. Instantly, he felt a jolt through his body, "You... who exactly are you"

Yun Shi only felt his sister's hand tighten, gripping him painfully. He hurried in, only to see such a scene in the courtyard

Xu Ji let out a long sigh, glanced at the white-clad woman below, and seeing her with her head bowed in silence, he tentatively asked, "Does the young lady not wish to escape from that pit of fire?"

It must be said that the young lady is also of noble descent from the Wang family... To have fallen to a place like the teaching office, it truly is a great injustice to you

Baojin carefully wiped the strings of the zither with her sleeve and deliberately made herself gaze directly at the pool of blood

Yun Shi carefully examined the scene, particularly the shattered window frame, and pondered: "It seems to have been penetrated by someone or something heavy."

As the joyous banquet reached midnight, the guests had become quite inebriated, and the crowd began to thin out. Xu Ji glanced to either side and noticed that the main wife, Lady Yun, wore a gloomy expression and said nothing, while the secondary wife, Lady Shen, was charmingly giggling, turning her head to whisper something to the wife of the Duke of Lu.

Yun Shi supported her elder sister and, before entering the inner courtyard, saw the Jingzhaoyin hastily approaching, his face as solemn as water

Sister Jinyuan is exceptionally talented and astute, with no oversight in her calculations. If it were not for your decision to transfer the garrison from the capital, how could she have fallen into such an unforeseen predicament

The window paper, adorned with the ink charm of the lotus pond, is gently stirred by a delicate hand, and what follows is a sharp object swiftly shooting through the trees

Firstly, no one would linger too long beside a corpse after committing a crime, as this is common sense. Secondly, this sword is a hundred paces away from the study, and it is impossible for one person to throw it that far.

She was furious, her long hair wildly billowing in the night wind, as if a ghostly hand reaching out from the netherworld sought to drag this traitor down into the bottomless abyss

Bao Jinqiang suppressed the turmoil in his chest, moving gracefully with light steps, carefully avoiding the winding stream of blood, and arrived at the window

The guests have not yet dispersed, and the hall is filled with a chaotic array of cups and plates. Some are still entangled with the songstress, their hands roaming. The opulence of the late night rises ever higher, intensified by the thick fragrance of incense.

She plucked a string from the pipa, and a dim light flashed, swift and agile like a swimming dragon

With heavy-lidded eyes reflecting the cold gleam of swords, her frail figure is bound and restrained, while a voluptuous woman beside her shakes her desperately, as if a candle flickering in the wind

As the master has passed away, the one who will take charge of the household in the future is the young master born of the Shen family. At this moment, no one dares to go against her wishes.

He called for the servant and searched carefully in the woods outside the window, finally finding a slender sword stained with blood on the stone slope of the bamboo forest

I have long said that I am squeamish about blood

Suddenly, the clear sound of armor rang out, shattering the tranquility. The courtyard was unexpectedly surrounded by the Imperial Guard, forming a tight encirclement. Swords, spears, and halberds glimmered with a faint light in the dark night

The analysis of the cloud is clean and neat, yet it whispers with suspicion: "What kind of physique could the murderer have to make such a large hole in the window frame?"

He cleared his throat, unwilling to concern himself with these overt and covert struggles, yet his mind was filled with that gentle applause from just now

He ordered someone to bring the rewards, then called over another dancer. After "Green Waist," she performed "Rainbow Skirt," and the atmosphere in the hall became lively once again

He examined the injuries on the corpse again; the throat had been severed by a sharp instrument, resulting in instantaneous death

Who else could it be if not her? Return my master's life to me!

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of the swaying shadows of the trees on the window paper, and a surge of delight filled her heart

Bao Jin suddenly looked up, interrupting his unfinished persuasion. Her gaze was cold and ethereal, with a faint shimmer, as she coldly remarked: "As for the matters of the Gu Mo Kingdom, there is no need for you, my lord, to worry. However, you, my lord, have blood on your hands from your lord and colleagues. In the dark of night, when dreams return, do you not feel guilty before the spirits?"

He lightly flicked the blade, slender as a willow twig, and although doubts lingered in his heart, he addressed everyone, saying: "The identity of the murderer is still unclear, but it is absolutely unrelated to Miss Yu Ran"

You do not take the path to heaven, yet you insist on entering hell without a door

Among the guests who had not yet dispersed, a message was conveyed that struck like a bolt from the blue, startling these inebriated nobles into a cold sweat

Baojin gritted her teeth, each word spoken with a piercing clarity, as mournful as the cry of a cuckoo shedding tears of blood

He recalled the queen's magnificent presence, and his heart was immediately thrown into chaos. After a long while, he quietly resolved: no matter what, it is always better to be prepared than to be caught unawares

The captain of the imperial guards, unable to bear it any longer, reminded, "Madam, this young lady has merely fainted at the scene; whether she is the culprit is still uncertain!"

Xu Ji then said: "The current emperor is benevolent, and the Duke of Mo harbors sentiments for the previous dynasty, unwilling to submit. This has led to the difficulties of the city being breached and the nation being destroyed. You must consider this carefully."

Could it be that "he" is also interested in this deposed princess?

He stepped forward and inquired

He got up and walked towards the study in the inner courtyard, while instructing the butler, "Please ask Miss Yu Ran to come over."

With a loud bang, the window frame was shattered into pieces, and the silence in the courtyard was instantly broken, as voices clamored and rushed towards this direction

How can His Highness the King Jing be so certain

However, observing this woman's words and actions, she is by no means a gentle and submissive person

Princess Baojin ... ... !