Jiangshan Fengwuzhi

Chapter 329 Attitude Change
Upon hearing Wei Chan's words, Shen Lingshu immediately recalled Gu Jingnian's words, "Shen Jichi is alright."

Previously, because Wei Zhuang forbade her to tell anyone about Shen Jichi's death, she had kept quiet.

Having sensed something was amiss today, she hesitated for a moment before revealing the news to Wei Chan.

“It’s not that Kaiping Division is using me. I want to kill Gu Jingnian because he killed my father.”

"Has something happened to Marquis Wuding?"

Wei Chan was somewhat surprised. She glanced at the wooden plaque tied to Shen Lingshu's wrist and pondered, "That's unlikely."

"What's impossible?"

“It’s impossible that Marquis Wuding has already met with an accident,” Wei Chan said. “The Yong Kingdom is secretly negotiating with us, and their delegation is on its way to Zhuojing. One of the conditions proposed by the court is to release Marquis Wuding.”

"Really?"

Shen Lingshu was overjoyed, but after thinking for a moment, she asked, "Then did the Yong Kingdom delegation deceive the court? What if my father has already..."

“How dare they?” Wei Chan said, “This is a peace negotiation between two countries, not a child’s play. Emperor Yong has not been on the throne for long, and the country is in turmoil. In recent years, the court has been continuously recovering lost territory and is approaching the border before Gu Beiming’s rebellion. How dare Yong play tricks on the terms of peace negotiations?”

If Pei Nian had told her these things, Shen Lingshu probably wouldn't have believed them, but since Wei Chan had spoken, she immediately felt hopeful.

"So, my father is still alive?"

“He was still alive at the time,” Wei Chan said. “Given Marquis Wuding’s status, keeping him alive would have been more useful than killing him.”

"Then why did the Kaiping Division say he was dead?"

Shen Lingshu asked a question, then lowered her head and looked at the dagger in her hand.

The dagger was pulled out again, the blood on it now a dark brown color.

Wei Chan immediately understood and asked in a low voice, "You used it to stab Gu Jingnian?"

"Ah."

"Therefore, the purpose of the Kaiping Division is obvious: they are using you to kill Gu Jingnian."

Shen Lingshu shivered inexplicably, and the dagger in her hand fell to the floor of the carriage.

"I……"

Wei Chan said, "Gu Jingnian should be killed, but for the time being, he is still of some use to me. If he really dies, it will be troublesome."

Shen Lingshu's face was pale, her eyes were somewhat flustered, and she murmured, "I have to go and find out."

After saying that, she got up and started to walk out.

Wei Chan grabbed her and pressed her down, asking, "Where are you going?"

"I need to ask Xue Juju if my father is still alive."

"ask her?"

Wei Chan was eager to see with her own eyes whether Wei Zhuang could capture Gu Jingnian, but she was also very curious about Xue Juju's answer and insisted on hearing it with her own ears.

She then advised, "Don't rush. Now that we've left the city, it won't be long before we go back. Let me see the results of capturing Gu Jingnian first."

Shen Lingshu, who was anxious to return to the manor just a moment ago, was taken aback upon hearing this, but quickly nodded.

"it is good."

The two then returned to the main hall of the Liang family's villa, where they found the room bustling with activity.

Wei Zhuang then struck the spellcasting pose again. Many people from the Kaiping Division were examining the luminous pearl, compass, and other rare treasures, occasionally calling out the location where Gu Jingnian had fled.

Liang Caixing stood to the side, her fists clenched and her brows furrowed, wishing they would take Gu Jingnian's life immediately.

When he saw Shen Lingshu come over with a pale face, he thought she was frightened and quickly went to comfort her.

"Miss Shen, don't worry, that villain will surely be brought to justice soon!"

What was meant to be a flattering remark unexpectedly turned Shen Lingshu's eyes to displeasure. She turned her face away, no longer wanting to answer Liang Caixing.

suddenly.

"Got him!"

At this shout, Shen Lingshu and Wei Chan tensed up and stared in the direction from which the shout came. They saw two people carrying over a person who was tightly bound by the Immortal-Capturing Rope.

Upon closer inspection, the person bound was indeed Gu Jingnian, his eyes tightly closed, blood flowing continuously from his body, making him appear to be dead.

Wei Chan frowned.

She herself found it strange; she clearly wanted to kill Gu Jingnian to silence him because of that fart, but at this moment she didn't feel happy at all.

On the contrary, just when she was about to find some secrets of alchemy, the clues went cold, which made her quite annoyed.

Shen Lingshu unconsciously covered her mouth with her hand and stared wide-eyed.

She should have been enjoying the joy of avenging her father, but one thought kept popping into her mind.

What if I misunderstand him?
The image of him resolutely standing in front of her at the pharmacy kept replaying in her mind, causing a strange sense of fear and unease to fill her heart. "It's fake!"

Wei Zhuang suddenly shouted, "Aren't you going to keep chasing?!"

As everyone stared blankly at Gu Jingnian's corpse, they turned around upon hearing this and saw that the last wisp of blood in the luminous pearl on the table had also dissipated.

"Tess, perhaps it's because he's dead that this bead..."

"Shut up!"

Wei Zhuang shrieked angrily and raised his hand, saying, "Rub his face."

Immediately, a subordinate stepped forward, took out a small porcelain bottle, and poured some liquid onto the corpse's face. Soon, the handsome face dissipated like flowing water, becoming ordinary.

It wasn't Gu Jingnian who died, but a hook that was hunting him down.

"Damn!"

Liang Caixing was initially excited, but upon hearing this, she couldn't help but curse in annoyance. Then, she turned to Shen Lingshu and comforted her, "Don't worry, Miss Shen, he can't escape."

Shen Lingshu wiped her eyes, glanced at the luminous pearl that had completely lost its color, and turned to walk out.

Wei Chan also judged that the Kaiping Division would not be able to capture Gu Jingnian today, and quickly followed Shen Lingshu.

"Miss Shen, Princess, where are you going?"

"How can we stay here any longer?!" Wei Chan said discontentedly. "Why don't you prepare a carriage and horses to send us back to the capital?"

"Yes."

Soon, the carriages that had only been out of the city for a short time hurriedly returned to Zhuojing and headed straight for the Marquis of Wuding's residence.

Shen Lingshu got off the carriage and ran towards Xue Juju's courtyard without saying a word.

"and many more."

Wei Chan wanted to hear what they had to say, but she also instructed her servants to bring the yellow banner.

Upon entering the side courtyard, Shen Lingshu kicked the door open.

The door was kicked open, and Xue Juju was sitting behind the screen trying on new clothes. Startled, she quickly used the clothes to cover herself and said in a disgruntled tone, "Is it Miss who's here? Even if the Marquis isn't here, you can't be so rude to me, can you?"

Shen Lingshu ignored all of that and stepped forward to ask, "Tell me, what does Gu Jingnian want with you?"

Xue Juju immediately put on a pitiful, tearful expression, looking at Shen Lingshu in disbelief, and said, "You don't really believe those rumors, that he broke off the engagement because of me... because of me..."

"Alright, stop acting in front of me!"

Wei Chan gave a shout, ordering someone to carry the yellow banner forward. She then dismissed her attendants and looked at Xue Juju, saying, "Can you speak now?"

Upon seeing that someone knowledgeable had arrived, Xue Juju's aggrieved expression turned into a faint smile, and she curtsied, saying, "Greetings, Princess Yushu."

"I ask you, is Marquis Wuding still alive?"

"Of course I'm alive," Xue Juju replied.

Shen Lingshu was overjoyed upon hearing this.

After the initial joy, he recalled the stab he had given Gu Jingnian and asked, "Why didn't you tell me sooner?!"

Xue Juju said, "What are you saying? You've never asked me before. Could it be that your recent melancholy stemmed from the belief that the Marquis has met with misfortune?"

"I……"

Wei Chan asked, "How can you be sure that Marquis Wuding is still alive?"

"Princess, please wait a moment." Xue Juju bowed, then found the jade pendant and handwritten letter that Gu Jingnian had handed over, and said, "Since the Marquis has asked Gu Jingnian to deliver this token, it means that he can ensure his own safety."

After saying that, she picked up the clothes she had been trying on again.

“I have already agreed to Gu Jingnian’s conditions. I’m sure the Marquis will return safely soon. Otherwise, why would I need to make this new outfit?”

"Can you guarantee that?"

Xue Juju said, "If the princess doesn't believe me, then just consider me a lovesick fool."

She put on her new clothes without a second thought, posed in front of the mirror, swayed her slender waist, and began to sing.

"The willows by the roadside are green, I regret letting my love travel so far. If I had known spring would fade so easily, I would not envy Chengdu..."

The song was ethereal, and Shen Lingshu was stunned as she listened, but Wei Chan pulled her out of the side courtyard.

"Ling Shu, it's time to make a decision."

After leaving the house, Wei Chan's gaze seemed to casually sweep over Shen Lingshu's wrist.

"I want to see what Gu Jingnian is trying so hard to find out. What about you? Aren't you curious?"

(End of this chapter)