Chapter 59

The next day

"Xiaolingzi! Get up quickly, something big has happened!" Linglingfa ended the door's lifespan with a classic textbook flying kick.

"What's the fuss about! It's only noon." Ling Xiao rubbed his eyes and said with a bitter expression. The greatest enjoyment in life is to be able to sleep until one naturally wakes up, which means good health and no worries! The most depressing thing is to be woken up when one could have slept until natural wakefulness.

"You also say it's noon! By the way, what did you do last night? Did you go to Huixianyasu or Zuie Lou? How many days are left until the Emperor's deadline! Aren't you worried about it!" Linglingfa said with a look of frustration.

Ling Xiao, slightly more awake, said weakly, "I went to investigate the case! By the way, what big thing did you say?"

Linglingfa, with a smug look, smiled and said, "This morning, Ye Gucheng single-handedly and with a sword overturned the Six Fans Gate!"

"So fast!" Ling Xiao was stunned but not surprised.

Linglingfa, seeing this, asked curiously, "You know? Could it be that you did it! How did you manage it?"

Ling Xiao tilted his head and thought for a moment, "A bit of intrigue, a bit of probing, plus a bit of self-inflicted disaster by the Six Fans Gate!"

Linglingfa nodded in understanding, "I don't understand, but it doesn't matter! Well done, worthy of being my disciple, Linglingfa. You've already made your move, so I should think about it too!" He patted Ling Xiao's shoulder and left thoughtfully.

Ling Xiao blinked and pouted, "Is he telling me that one move is enough? Tch, it's a bit too easy on the Six Fans Gate, but I'm looking forward to how Linglingfa will retaliate!"

Ye Gucheng's actions pleased Ling Xiao greatly. It was more appropriate to call it a yang plot rather than a yin plot. Ling Xiao was racking his brains over how to retaliate against the Six Fans Gate, and then the celestial fairy actually switched the goods at the Six Fans Gate! What else could this be but self-inflicted disaster?

As long as Princess Feifeng handed over the sword manual to Ye Gucheng, he would definitely find out that it wasn't the original one. Everyone knew that Ling Xiao had a grudge against the Six Fans Gate, and such an obvious attempt to use someone else to kill would be impossible for Ye Gucheng to miss. But he still went, whether out of the dignity of a sword saint or for some other reason, how could he tolerate his sword technique being learned by a thief!

Ye Gucheng was a proud man, and the Capture God not handing over the sword manual naturally required no explanation. Apart from a beating, Ling Xiao couldn't think of any other outcome.

At the same time, this was also a test, to see if Ye Gucheng still had feelings in his heart! To test how important the sword was to him!

If he had no feelings, Princess Feifeng would never find him. Ling Xiao had heard that Princess Feifeng looked very much like Princess Wuyou! And if the sword wasn't that important to him, he wouldn't have acted, because such a big conspiracy to usurp the throne was about to be implemented, and this was the time to be low-key. Picking a fight with the Six Fans Gate would attract everyone's attention, like Lu Xiaofeng and others, causing him many unnecessary troubles!

The test results were out, Ye Gucheng had feelings in his heart, and the sword was equally important to him, perhaps even more important than usurping the throne! Then why did he play such a plot? Wouldn't it be better to practice at home?

Thinking about this, his mind seemed to enter a dead end again. He shook his head like a rattle drum and immersed his head in the water basin to clear his mind. It was also time to go to the palace!

...

"Idiots! Idiots! Uncle almost demolished the Six Fans Gate, and you don't even know why!" The Emperor, pulling his voice, pointed at the trembling ministers and scolded.

"Your Majesty, please calm down. Fortunately, Ye Gucheng still has reason and only seriously injured the constables. Once the Capture God wakes up from his coma, the truth will be revealed." Grand Tutor Zhao Shenyan bowed and said.

The Emperor, hearing this, calmed his anger and coldly snorted, "That's all we can do! Hmph, I don't know what you're good for, not knowing this or that, do you only know how to count money! This month's salary will be confiscated! Court dismissed!"

The ministers, with dejected faces, left the hall. Ling Xiao, who had just arrived at the palace gate, looked at the ministers' miserable expressions and couldn't help but marvel!

"Your Majesty, Ling Xiao requests an audience."

Hearing the eunuch's announcement, the Emperor was surprised, "So fast! It's only the second day! Could it be that my sister has been won over so quickly! Bring him in." The Emperor sat on the dragon throne, his mind still imagining the scenario.

Entering the hall, Ling Xiao's heart trembled, "What's wrong with the Emperor? Has he gone crazy? Why is his face changing so strangely, could it be that the art of replenishment can also lead to madness? Could he have been scared by a beautiful woman!" He thought maliciously, and his face naturally showed a lecherous expression.

"Ling Xiao! What are you thinking about? Such a despicable smile!" The Emperor, having finished his imagination, shouted.

"Your Majesty's expression isn't much better!" He thought sarcastically but respectfully replied, "Your Majesty, after great hardship and traveling through mountains and rivers, I have finally, without disappointing Your Majesty's favor, uncovered the identity of the murderer."

At this, the entire hall was shocked, and the Emperor felt dizzy, "Why isn't he following the script! What about the proposal?" Ling Xiao was completely unaware that in the Emperor's imagination, he had already progressed to the stage of discussing marriage with Princess Feifeng. Ignoring the astonished crowd, he continued, "The murderer is the capital's postman, Jiang Asheng, and the motive is for revenge!"

Everyone was puzzled, "Who is this Jiang Asheng? It sounds like a random name. You wouldn't have found a scapegoat! Besides, what grudge could a postman have with the Black Stone assassin organization!" the Emperor asked.

Ling Xiao, knowing this question would come, smiled and answered, "Your Majesty, Jiang Asheng is just an alias. His real name is Zhang Renfeng!"

"Zhang Renfeng? That's a better name, but why did he kill?" The Emperor clearly had no memory of this name.

"Your Majesty may not remember Zhang Renfeng, but do you remember the former chief minister Zhang Haiduan, who was assassinated by the Black Stone assassins?" Ling Xiao continued to remind.

The Emperor suddenly stood up, incredulous, "Zhang Renfeng, Zhang Haiduan! Could he be the descendant of a loyal minister!"

"Indeed, the former chief minister Zhang Haiduan was assassinated by the Black Stone assassins, and Zhang Renfeng survived by chance. To avoid being hunted by the Black Stone, he sought a quack doctor to change his appearance and lived under the name Jiang Asheng. Previously, I retaliated and severely injured the magician, and was then caught up by Jiang Asheng, who killed him to avenge his father." Ling Xiao explained slowly, the strangeness of the story making everyone look at each other in surprise.

Wei Zhongxian, with a serious expression, asked, "Where is this person now, and has he been arrested?"

Ling Xiao looked at Wei Zhongxian, a flash of insight in his eyes, and casually answered, "He is on a street not far from the clinic, the house is not small and easy to find, but I don't want to alert him."

"Oh? What do you have in mind?" The Emperor asked, unsurprised. If Ling Xiao had no plan, he would have already arrested him without needing to consult the Emperor.

"I want to give Jiang Asheng a chance to atone for his crimes!" Ling Xiao knelt and pleaded.

"Hmm, go on!" The Emperor said solemnly.

Ling Xiao, hearing this, was delighted, "The Black Stone assassins are rampant, daring to repeatedly assassinate officials! This is a cancer in our great Ming dynasty, and Jiang Asheng is the only survivor in many cases. The three major killers and the Wheel King of the Black Stone have all shown their faces to him. With his help, I am confident I can destroy the Black Stone organization!"

"Good! Since you are so confident, I will give him a chance. If he can indeed eliminate this cancer, I will not only forgive his crime but also restore his status as a descendant of a loyal minister!" The Emperor, excited, said, slapping the dragon throne.

"I will speak on behalf of Jiang Asheng and thank Your Majesty. I believe this is the best for him."

"Very well, if there's nothing else, Xiaolingzi, accompany me to the imperial garden for a walk!" The Emperor, clearly pleased that Ling Xiao had solved the case so quickly, dismissed the attendants and strolled in the garden with Ling Xiao.

"Xiaolingzi, how is the Huixianyasu matter?" The Emperor threw fish food into the lotus pond, and a group of golden and red koi swam over. The bait was cast, waiting to catch a big fish.

"The Emperor's martial arts are mysterious and unpredictable, and we cannot alarm the enemy unless absolutely necessary. My master is actively preparing for this!" Ling Xiao answered solemnly.

The Emperor nodded, looking at the lively koi in the pond, sighed, and pointed to a beautiful peony flower in the distance, "Do you see that peony? It is the peony king personally bestowed by me. The other day, those jealous women dared to show their colors to my sister! Some even wanted to pick the peony king!" The Emperor grew angrier as he spoke, finally throwing the fish food angrily, scaring the fish away, and said coldly, "If they weren't daughters of officials, I would strangle them!"

"Your Majesty, please calm down. Women have always been jealous, and it's not worth getting angry over. If Your Majesty is concerned about the officials, a small punishment will suffice, and they won't make a fuss over a small matter." Ling Xiao suggested cautiously.

The Emperor smiled bitterly and shook his head, "You still don't understand! Never mind, after Uncle and Ximen Chuixue's duel, I'll let Linglingfa tell you."

Ling Xiao didn't say anything more, but became more interested in the unknown. The Emperor, though not particularly accomplished, was not afraid of any officials!

"Did you hear that this morning, Uncle went to the Six Fans Gate?" the Emperor suddenly asked.

"It's not related to me!"

"… I didn't say it was related to you, but are you admitting it?" The Emperor suddenly hesitated, if Princess Feifeng really married him, would he be worried to death in the future?

Ling Xiao thought seriously and said, "Not admitting it!"

"Then do you know why Uncle went to the Six Fans Gate?"

"The Six Fans Gate took his things, so he went to retrieve them. They didn't give it back, so he had to fight!" Ling Xiao said matter-of-factly, but the Emperor felt it was awkward.

Thinking for a moment, he asked, "How do you know he couldn't get it back?"

Ling Xiao shrugged and said regretfully, "The thing is quite valuable, so the person who took it wouldn't want to return it."

The Emperor didn't ask what the thing was, though he knew that if he asked, Ling Xiao would tell him. But he didn't ask. Because it didn't matter, what mattered was that the Six Fans Gate took Ye Gucheng's things without telling him!

The Emperor only docked the salaries of the Four Great Captains as a punishment for their misconduct. He had given the Six Fans Gate enough trust, but they had clearly betrayed that trust. In comparison, Ling Xiao's honesty was so precious!

(I admit this book is a bit slow to heat up, but don't just keep it, give it some recommendations too!)

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