The man appeared even more flustered by this remark, "I... I misspoke. No one informed me; I had seen it long before..."
Gu Qianying turned around, interrupting the middle-aged man's words. Instead, she addressed Old General Gu, "Grandfather, the matter is clear. Arrest this person and interrogate him severely. We will surely uncover who the mastermind is."
Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man's legs turned to jelly. He collapsed onto the ground, kowtowing repeatedly and begging for mercy, "I beg your noble selves to spare my life. I... I was wrong..."
Before the middle-aged man could finish his plea, Nangong Xuanning lashed out with her whip.
"Crack!" Several times.
Red welts quickly appeared on the middle-aged man's face and body.
Screams immediately erupted.
"Good! You lowly wretch, how dare you deceive this princess! Watch as this princess beats you to death!"
Nangong Xuanning thoroughly punished the middle-aged man, leaving his skin torn and bleeding, his cries of pain incessant.
Just as he was about to pass out from the agony, Gu Qianying stepped forward to intervene, "Your Highness Princess, you're about to beat this man to death."
Nangong Xuanning glared angrily at Gu Qianying, "This lowly wretch deceived this princess and made me lose face completely. It is not an exaggeration for this princess to beat him to death, hmph!"
Nangong Xuanning was about to whip the middle-aged man again, but Gu Qianying grabbed her whip and refused to let go, "Your Highness Princess, if you beat this person to death, how will we find out who instructed him, who caused Your Highness Princess to be embarrassed?"
Nangong Xuanning withdrew her whip, "How do we investigate?"
Gu Qianying looked towards Gu Yefeng, "Brother, this person is yours."
When it came to interrogation techniques, no one could surpass her brother.
Gu Yefeng nodded, gestured, and called two servants to drag the middle-aged man away. In less than the time it takes for half an incense stick to burn, the middle-aged man confessed everything.
The middle-aged man said that a veiled girl had found him on the street and given him money to provide false testimony. He had initially refused, but the girl promised him that if the matter succeeded, her son would be allowed to join the army as a second-rank general.
Such a tempting offer, and the middle-aged man immediately agreed.
His family were farmers for generations; having a general among them would be excellent.
Fearing that the other party might deceive him, the middle-aged man specifically asked the girl who made the promise to use an item she wore as collateral, to be used to fulfill the promise later.
A moment later.
Gu Qianying frowned as she examined a very ordinary wooden hairpin in her hand and asked the middle-aged man, "Are you sure this is an item used by the girl who bribed you?"
The middle-aged man had no good flesh on his body, blood trickled from his mouth, and several teeth were missing. He clutched one eye and knelt on the ground, nodding heavily, "Miss, spare my life. Everything I say is true, and I dare not deceive you, Miss."
"Besides this, did the woman have any other distinguishing features?"
An ordinary wooden hairpin revealed nothing.
Even if she had a suspect in mind, a simple wooden hairpin was not enough to prove that person was the one who bribed the middle-aged man.
The middle-aged man shook his head, kowtowed heavily on the ground, and begged for mercy.
At this moment, the First Madam walked over and reminded him, "Qianying, today is your grandfather's birthday. Let's put this aside for now and accompany your grandfather for his birthday."
"Yes, Mother."
Dealing with such trivial matters during her grandfather's birthday banquet was indeed disheartening and unpleasant.
With that, Gu Qianying looked at Gu Yefeng again, "Brother, send people to guard this person well. Little sister still has questions to ask."
Although no solid evidence was obtained, if this person were used to "lure the snake out of its hole," it was likely that the other party would reveal a flaw.
"Alright."
Gu Yefeng understood what Gu Qianying intended to do. He did not object and directly sent people to drag the middle-aged man away again, ensuring he was well-guarded.
The fact that the Eldest Miss of the Gu Mansion had occupied a man and caused a death had already shocked everyone. They had intended to gossip about it after the meal, but Gu Qianying's actions, which dispelled the rumors, silenced them all.
After this trivial matter was put aside, everyone continued to enthusiastically participate in Old General Gu's birthday banquet.
And among the crowd, a pair of eyes, hidden in the throng, watched the village chief being taken away, and a glint of malice quickly flashed within them.
At the banquet, with Nangong Xuanning's presence, the wives and daughters of various households who wished to make a good impression on the most favored princess of the current dynasty became restless.
Flattery and sweet talk filled the air.
However, Nangong Xuanning remained unfazed, only glaring at Gu Qianying, who sat beside the First Madam, eating delicious pastries and quietly sipping tea with an air of great contentment.
Her gaze was like a knife!
"Bang! Bang!"
Nangong Xuanning slammed the table heavily and exclaimed angrily, "Gu Qianying, don't think that just because you haven't done anything wrong to Ninth Imperial Uncle, you can stay by his side with a clear conscience. I'm telling you, you and Ninth Imperial Uncle are not suitable, not suitable at all!"
Although the village chief's flawed testimony was enough to prove that Gu Qianying had done nothing shameless, her dislike for Gu Qianying did not diminish in the slightest.
"Oh, so Your Highness Princess means that you and Ninth Prince are suitable?"
Nangong Xuanning raised her head proudly, "Naturally. Don't you know who this princess is? In the entire capital, I am the princess with the most noble status, and Ninth Imperial Uncle's status is equally noble. We are the most compatible."
As she spoke these words, Nangong Xuanning's face flushed. Gu Qianying could tell that she genuinely liked Nangong Mo.
But if there had been no betrayal, no death of loved ones, no circumstances of her past life, in this life, she might have lived a quiet life free from conflict, scheming, and hatred.
But all those 'ifs' were unrealistic.
For the sake of revenge, to protect her loved ones.
She had firmly decided to cling to Nangong Mo, the only person who could be measured against Nan Rongqi!
"Does Your Highness Princess know that while suitability in status is indeed important, if there is no affection between the two, it is all in vain." Gu Qianying chewed the pastry in her mouth and smiled at Nangong Xuanning.
Since she had been branded as the Ninth Prince's Consort, she naturally intended to solidify that position.
Nangong Xuanning was speechless, her face turning red with anger. After a long moment, she managed to blurt out, "So what? Anyway, I am more suitable for Ninth Imperial Uncle than you. The position of Ninth Prince's Consort is mine, so you should give up on that idea."
"I heard that Your Highness Princess enjoys studying medicine?"
Gu Qianying did not continue to argue with Nangong Xuanning on the topic of "who is more suitable for Nangong Mo," but instead asked abruptly.
Nangong Xuanning was slightly taken aback, then said, "What business is it of yours whether this princess enjoys studying medicine or not?"
Gu Qianying did not respond, but instead asked again, "Does Your Highness Princess know of the most famous Poisonous Doctor Divine Son in the martial world?"
"I know a little. Why do you mention him?"
Nangong Xuanning held the Poisonous Doctor Divine Son's medical skills in high regard, but it was rumored that he was arrogant and aloof, often keeping people at a distance, which she disliked.
"The Poisonous Doctor Divine Son possesses profound medical skills and rarely accepts disciples. To be accepted as a disciple, one must overcome numerous challenges. Furthermore, one will be kept by his side, at his beck and call.
However, as his closed-door disciple, one will undoubtedly learn superior medical skills. If Your Highness Princess were to try this, let's make a bet. Whoever becomes the Poisonous Doctor Divine Son's disciple wins. The loser must stay away from Ninth Prince, and the winner, this humble subject need not say more; Your Highness Princess should understand.
And if we calculate the dates, in just over a month, it will be the Poisonous Doctor's Sacred Hall's triennial disciple recruitment day. Your Highness Princess, do you dare to bet with me?"
As soon as Gu Qianying spoke, everyone's eyes turned towards her.