After Xiao Fubao's life was stolen, he became the favorite of everyone in the capital

Chapter 440 No Hatred in the Past

But even though Li Ziqin cursed harshly, his heart sank.

Xie Xingchuan is worthy of being the Xie family's talented son. He is now relying on his rich experience to support himself. He is old and has lived a life of luxury for many years. His energy and blood are far less vigorous than Xie Xingchuan's. If the fight continues, he will definitely lose.

Li Ziqin had already started to think about retreating. He thought about running away and waiting for the next day...

But just as he had this thought, a large group of people holding torches appeared not far away.

It's the city guard.

This place is remote, and the city guards don't like to come here even for patrol. Li Ziqin couldn't understand how this group of people came so quickly.

He fought and retreated, wanting to leave, but Xie Xingchuan keenly perceived his intention and shouted, "He wants to run!"

The city guards quickened their pace.

After a stick of incense, the battlefield became quiet.

The people brought by Li Ziqin were killed or injured. He wanted to run, but the sword in his hand had already been knocked down by Xie Xingchuan's spear, and he was forced to kneel on the ground.

"Tear off the mask on his face!" said Xie Xingchuan.

A soldier guarding the city immediately took action. His mask slipped off, and in the light of the fire, a face that most people present knew was seen.

Gu Mingda knew that the Li family and the imperial teacher were the masterminds behind the incident, but he did not expect that Li Ziqin would actually do it himself.

"Lord Li, we didn't seem to have any hatred in the past. Why do you target me again and again?" Gu Mingda couldn't help but speak.

Gu Mingda did not know about the so-called exchange of fate. He did not understand the motives of the Li family from beginning to end. Before he found out that the national teacher had sacrificed blood to young boys and girls, the Li family had already taken action against him.

Li Ziqin said nothing, but just stared at the Gu father and daughter fiercely.

Gu Mingda thought about eliminating all the impossibilities, and the remaining ones, no matter how outrageous they were, were the truth. He couldn't help but asked, "You hate me because I didn't go to that banquet? Just because of a banquet?"

The guards around the city were all listening attentively to the story of the two men. When they heard what Gu Mingda said, they all looked at Li Ziqin.

Li Ziqin did not refute. He did not want Gu Mingda to know the truth, but it seemed embarrassing to admit that he was a person who held a grudge because of a banquet.

The city guards watched Li Ziqin fall into a strange silence. Many of them couldn't help but open their eyes wide, thinking to themselves, could it really be this little thing that caused such a desperate pursuit? They couldn't help but mutter in their hearts, this Lord Li is too stingy.

"Gu Mingda, the winner will be the king and the loser will be the bandit. Stop talking nonsense. You can kill me or chop me up. It's all up to you!" Li Ziqin said.

Gu Mingda looked at him in surprise and said to the city guards, "Lord Li is a third-rank official of the court. This matter is of great importance. Please lock him up in the Jingzhao Prefecture jail first. I will submit a petition to the palace to see Your Majesty and discuss how to deal with him. Maybe we can find the whereabouts of the criminal Xin Yuanming from him."

When Li Ziqin heard the words "third rank", his eyes were full of hatred when he looked at Gu Mingda. He was originally a third rank official. If it weren't for the fact that he and Gu Mingda were at odds with each other, Gu Mingda was promoted and he was demoted. He didn't think that he was wrong to steal other people's luck, but instead felt that it was hateful that others took his things back.

"Gu Mingda, you are worthy enough to interrogate me!" Li Ziqin said viciously, and then he rushed headfirst into his own sword.

The sword is coated with a deadly poison, and any contact with it can be fatal.

Gu Mingda was unable to stop him. Li Ziqin already had a scar on his face. The poison took effect quickly. He spat out a mouthful of blood and closed his eyes without leaving any last words.

No one present had expected that Li Ziqin, who was once one of the most powerful people in the capital, had saved the emperor and had stirred up the capital for several years, would die in such a small alley that didn't even have a name, and in such a miserable state.

Niu Niu raised her head and only had time to say to Gu Mingda, "I want to sleep." Then the little girl's head tilted and she lost consciousness, and was hugged by Gu Mingda who was prepared.

Gu Mingda first asked several city guards to help send Qi Dashan's body back to Gu's home. When the assassins attacked, Qi Dashan, the attendant and coachman, was the first to be shot by an arrow and died of poison.

His horse was also shot and poisoned to death.

A group of people walked to the Gu family. The Gu family had been worried because the father and daughter had not returned home for a long time. When they saw Qi Dashan's body coming back, they grabbed Gu Mingda, Niu Niu and Xie Xingchuan and looked them up and down for a long time.

"Niuniu was frightened and fainted." Gu Mingda was not in a position to tell her parents about Niuniu's special abilities, so he could only give this reason.

Old Mrs. Gu was so distressed that tears kept streaming down her face. She said, "This Li family is really hateful. We didn't provoke them, but they actually did such a cruel thing to us!"

It was getting late, so Gu Mingda asked Xie Xingchuan to stay at Gu's house.

He also comforted Qi Dashan's wife and daughter.

"Dashan is loyal to the Lord. Tomorrow I will send people to free you from slavery, and in the future I will marry your daughter off as the goddaughter of the Gu family." Gu Mingda promised Madam Qi.

Madam Qi knew that this was an accident. Although she was heartbroken by her husband's sudden death, she thought the Gu family's handling of the matter was fair. Her daughter was freed from slavery, and as long as the Gu family prospered, she would be able to find a good family in the future, and she and her daughter would have a lifelong support.

What happened outside the palace was also reported to the palace in the shortest possible time.

"Li Ziqin personally carried out the assassination, and now he has committed suicide to apologize for his crime?"

When the emperor and the empress dowager heard the news, they both felt like they had just heard some huge joke.

When the empress dowager heard that Niu Niu was frightened and fainted, she arranged for the imperial physician to leave the palace for treatment overnight. She did not go to bed until she learned that the imperial physician had returned to the palace and reported that Niu Niu was not seriously injured.

Gu Mingda and his wife were both on the list of people entering the palace the next day.

Gu Mingda went to report to the Emperor, and Zhang Yuniang accepted the summons from the Empress Dowager.

"Don't worry, Empress Dowager. Niu Niu had already woken up before I entered the palace. The imperial physician also said that she would recover after a few days of rest. You don't have to worry too much." Zhang Yunniang said softly.

The worry on the faces of the Empress Dowager and Concubine Shun did not fade away at this time.

"It's good that she's okay. When she gets better, let her stay in the palace for a few days. I will take good care of her." The Queen Mother took the opportunity to let Niu Niu stay in the palace for a while.

Zhang Yunniang didn't dare to refuse.

The emperor's questions to Gu Mingda were much more detailed than those to the harem.

"Did Li Ziqin really not explain anything?" asked the emperor.

Gu Mingda said: "Li Ziqin did not want to be tried and did not want to expose the whereabouts of the criminal Xin Yuanming, so he chose to commit suicide."

In fact, this kind of non-explanation is also a kind of explanation. At least it proves that Xin Yuanming has been with Li Ziqin during this period of time. If we follow Li Ziqin to investigate, we may be able to find out where they have been hiding during this period.

In a dilapidated temple on the outskirts of the capital, Taoist Zhang walked in with a compass and a sullen face.

He looked at the dilapidated statue above the ruined temple and said, "Come out."

After a moment, the statue moved away and a slender figure walked out from it.