Jiangshan Fengwuzhi

Chapter 59 The golden cicada escapes from its shell
Gu Jingnian was lying on a stretcher, looking weak, and was brought to Wei Chen again.

This time, the atmosphere of the conversation was very different from before. Wei Chen's eyes revealed deep suspicion when he looked at Gu Jingnian.

"It turns out that His Highness has been cooperating with that great pharmacist."

Gu Jingnian spoke first and added, "If that's the case, I'm afraid Your Highness is not immune from the incident at Wanchun Palace. No wonder Metis suspects Your Highness."

This was a test. If Wei Xie already knew that Kui Xin was with Ying Yao, then these words would be meaningless. However, Gu Jingnian guessed that the great pharmacist would not tell Wei Xie everything, and it was more likely that he was just using Wei Xie.

really.

"How can there be any cooperation?" Wei Yu said, "I didn't know that the thief had sneaked into the camp."

"I see. Metis said that this case would end with Chao Juzhi. I will tell him that Your Highness has nothing to do with the Great Pharmacist and will never investigate Your Highness again."

Wei Xie sneered in his heart.

This scheme was set up by the great pharmacist who persuaded him to do so.

He did not know the great pharmacist before. It was only a few days ago that the other party suddenly found him and said that the viper heart was obtained by Gu Jingnian and Huang Hu, and he would prove it to him, so this hunt took place.

As a result, the great pharmacist was killed, and although Gu Jingnian and Huang Hu seemed to be seriously injured, their physical conditions were abnormally good, which was enough to explain some problems.

Now, Gu Jingnian is still using Kaipingsi to pressure him.

Wei Xi said, "You said that the Kaiping Division asked Huang Hu to pretend to be poisoned by a leech to lure the thief out. I'm afraid that doesn't make sense. From all the signs, I think he was looking for something."

Gu Jingnian broke the window paper and said, "Your Highness is suspicious that we have captured the Viper Heart, so he came to find us?"

Wei Yu didn't expect him to be so straightforward. He paused for a moment and simply nodded, "We can't rule out this possibility."

"But in my opinion, what happened tonight was a trap set by the Great Pharmacist."

Gu Jingnian pondered for a moment before uttering a word.

"The great pharmacist who died tonight was a fake."

Wei Yu raised his eyebrows and asked, "What do you mean?"

"It's all too deliberate. From the moment I found him, everything seemed to be carefully planned. I have a hunch that this is another trick of him faking his own death to get away. He knew I was ordered to track him down, so he arranged for a fake him to come find the Viper Heart and die in front of us. From then on, he was at large and hid somewhere to refine the Viper Heart."

Wei Xie didn't believe all of what Gu Jingnian said, but he realized that most of what Gu Jingnian said was probably right.

He was fooled by the pharmacist again and became a complete object of exploitation.

The situation before us is very simple. On one side is the mysterious pharmacist who is very resourceful and able to escape; on the other side is the bastard who has suffered repeated setbacks and has no power or influence. Who is more likely to have the evil heart and is hiding?

Thinking of this, and remembering that he almost got charged with colluding with traitors, he lost interest. He waved his hand and ordered people to carry Gu Jingnian away to rest, and told them not to make anything that happened tonight known.

For this hunting camp, the small storm just passed.

Including Liang Caixing, Wei Xie also told them personally that the whole thing was just as Pei Nian said, a plan by Kaiping Division to lure the snake out of its hole.

"I see."

Liang Caixing didn't disbelieve it. Based on what he saw tonight, he didn't think of any more possibilities. He just insisted, "Even if that's the case, I don't know clearly what happened between Gu Jingnian and Pei Nian."

So, after leaving the main tent, Liang Caixing heard that Shen Lingshu had gone to visit Gu Jingnian's injuries, and he became very anxious and hurried over.

When I arrived outside the tent where Gu Jingnian lived, I saw the guards from the Marquis' Mansion standing outside.

--------

There were only a few candles in the tent, and the light was dim.

Shen Lingshu took a small stool and sat down next to the stretcher. He propped his head up with both hands and looked at Gu Jingnian for a while, then asked, "Is he seriously injured?"

"It wasn't serious. I was just tied up, and then I fell down, and a branch scratched my belly."

"I think being a hook... I think being a clerk in Kaipingsi is pretty dangerous. Why don't I let my dad help you transfer to the Imperial Army?"

Gu Jingnian didn't understand why Shen Lingshu had tested his injuries and wanted to transfer him out of Kaiping Division. He pondered and said, "Do you think I shouldn't investigate further?"

"What use do I think your business is?"

Shen Lingshu thought about the fact that their engagement had not been renewed yet, and suddenly felt that she was meddling in other people's business, so she stood up.

"Think about it yourself. It's just that you were injured again. I came to visit you out of friendship and reminded you of everything I should have."

After saying that, she took A Yuan and was about to leave.

Someone outside the tent shouted, "Miss Shen, why are you still paying attention to this shameless and reckless guy? I saw him being intimate with the other woman with my own eyes."

It was Liang Caixing who was outside, but unfortunately he failed to catch her in adultery, so in the end he could only use the word "behaving intimately".

Shen Lingshu was about to leave, but after being blocked like this, she didn't want to go out anymore. She told the guards outside to get Liang Caixing out first.

But she also heard that sentence. Who else could be the "other woman" in this camp? It could only be Pei Nian, so she asked Gu Jingnian, "Why did he say that about you?"

Gu Jingnian didn't dislike Liang Caixing. He thought that his words "caught him" had helped him a lot tonight, so he replied, "He is an honest person and speaks frankly."

"So, what he said is true?"

"Ah."

Gu Jingnian had to admit that he and Pei Nian were sometimes a little close.

He responded casually, but found Shen Lingshu's expression subtle and couldn't help feeling strange.

The last time I heard from Shen Jichi, the Shen family agreed to this marriage for his bloodline. This time Shen Lingshu invited him here, and his words several times also implied that he wanted to find Qi Xin. If that was the case, why would she care about whether he and Pei Nian were intimate or not?
It seems that the Shen family does not want him to get too close to the Southern Court. No wonder they want to transfer him to the Imperial Army.

Shen Lingshu saw Gu Jingnian in deep thought and realized that he was in trouble. Before, Gu Jingnian really liked her and was willing to protect her at the risk of his life, change for her, and go to Kaiping to seek an official position. But in the process, he lived and died with Pei Nian, and he probably fell in love with someone else.

Well, the engagement has been cancelled anyway. It’s better to recognize this fickle person as soon as possible, and then we can settle all grudges and no longer have to contact each other.

Thinking of this, Shen Lingshu walked out immediately without caring that Liang Caixing was still outside.

Before leaving the tent, he bumped into Pei Nian head-on.

"Hey."

Shen Lingshu almost fell, but was caught by Pei Nian's strong hand.

"Be careful, why are you still in such a hurry?"

Pei Nian's words reminded Shen Lingshu of the time when they were playing by the pond together when they were children. She almost fell into the water and was pulled back by Pei Nian. He said something similar at that time.

Although they have interacted less frequently over the years, she still considers Pei Nian a good friend.

Shen Lingshu didn't feel sad about Gu Jingnian's love for someone else, but when she thought that Pei Nian didn't care about her feelings at all, she felt very disappointed, so she pulled Pei Nian's hand away.

"I'm not in a hurry. You can talk about business slowly."

Pei Nian understood Shen Lingshu's thoughts immediately and refused to let go. He took her two steps away and asked directly, "Do you believe me? Or do you believe that fool outside?"

With just these one sentence between the two, the misunderstanding was cleared up.

Shen Lingshu took Pei Nian's arm in turn and said with a smile: "Of course I believe you."

"That's good."

Pei Nian wanted to pull away, but Shen Lingshu stuck to him. He pushed her away helplessly. He turned around and saw the joy in her eyes. He couldn't help but ask, "Are you so happy?"

"of course."

Shen Lingshu felt that since Pei Nian still regarded her as a good friend, she was in a very good mood. She responded crisply, then she realized something was wrong.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm not doing this because of him."

After explaining this to Pei Nian, Shen Lingshu finally let go of her hand and said, "You guys talk about business, I'm leaving."

Gu Jingnian had no idea what they were doing with all the clinging and chattering, so he simply turned his back and lay on his side. He didn't lie down again until Shen Lingshu left and Liang Caixing's voice outside calling out "Miss Shen, please listen to my explanation" gradually faded away.

Pei Nian's face was a little serious. He didn't talk about the business first, but said something in a low voice.

"If you dare to let Lingshu know about what happened between us, I will kill you."

"I don't remember anything."

"good."

Pei Nian nodded, very satisfied with Gu Jingnian's reaction, and then said: "I saw Gu Jizu take away a person who was caught in the net. Who is that?"

"A medicine boy, maybe."

"What are you taking him for?"

"Healing."

"Can it be cured?"

Gu Jingnian was silent for a long time.

He thought that without Master Ma by his side, it would be difficult for Yingyao to hide alone.

And after this time, there must be many people watching him and Gu Jizu. Once Ying Yao tries to get close, he may be caught at any time and become a good medicine.

Mei Chengzong is unreliable in this matter, and he needs Pei Nian's help. In this case, he has to give Pei Nian some information.

"Have you ever thought that when refining medicine, the leech is just a medicine furnace..."

When Gu Jingnian told Pei Nian about the new knowledge he had acquired tonight, Pei Nian was incredulous at first, but after thinking about the cause and effect, he had to believe it.

"You mean, they killed so many people just to let the leech swallow a 'medicine' when it grows a heart."

"Yes, this time, I am the 'medicinal material', so Huang Hu got the 'medicinal effect'."

"Gu Jizu also wants to do this?"

"No, I will stop him." Gu Jingnian said.

"How could those people... think of such a refining method?"

"To be strong."

Gu Jingnian recalled Gu Jizu's private madness and murmured, "You ordinary people really want the abilities of aliens, don't you?"

Pei Nian has indeed been feeling more and more weak lately, which makes her hate herself deeply because of it.

But she still said word by word: "No matter what, I will not allow this evil practice to continue."

"The Great Pharmacist is backed by the Prime Minister's Mansion, who is very powerful. The Kaiping Division will not let us investigate further, and may even order us to help find the 'herbal medicine'."

"I'll investigate." Pei Nian said with almost no hesitation.

She didn't know how to check for a moment, so she stood up and paced for a few steps, thinking about it, and said, "We can ask someone about this matter first. He may know something."

(End of this chapter)