No one spoke.
Yet, she could clearly hear the steady breathing become tense.
Gu Qianying waved her hand.
A powerful inner force struck the tree.
Leaves rustled and fell. She spoke at this moment, "Your master ordered you to monitor my every move, but he didn't say I couldn't see you."
Still, no one spoke.
Gu Qianying continued, "Since you refuse to come down, I shall pay a visit and ask the Ninth Prince himself why he sent people to spy on me."
Suddenly, a dark guard, dressed in black with his face covered by a black cloth, leaped down from the tree.
Seeing him descend, Gu Qianying turned and flew towards a desolate backyard rarely frequented.
The dark guard followed closely.
Upon landing, he knelt on one knee, "Your subordinate greets the eldest miss."
Gu Qianying wasted no words. She handed a letter from her embrace to the dark guard and said, "Give this to your master."
"Yes!"
The dark guard accepted the order.
Gu Qianying then departed, leaving behind a faint remark before she left, "If you're going to hide and rest on trees next time, don't snore. You'll be discovered by enemies. However, I am not an enemy."
The dark guard: "..."
Ninth Prince's Estate.
The Third Prince, Nangong Li, had been frequently hiding and resting at the Ninth Prince's Estate recently.
On the surface, he always claimed he wanted to spend more time with his Ninth Imperial Uncle to show filial piety.
In reality, he was more enamored with the rare treasures displayed in Nangong Mo's room.
What was particularly vexing was that these treasures, which Nangong Mo himself disdained, were sent by various parties who had toiled and begged to offer them.
Most importantly, he, who was outwardly known as "the Ninth Imperial Uncle's most favored nephew," had to pay silver to claim any favorite trinkets from the Ninth Prince's Estate!
In the main hall.
Nangong Li, holding a luminous pearl that could illuminate the night like day, said pitifully, "Ninth Imperial Uncle, please bestow this treasure upon your nephew. Your nephew is out of silver."
Nangong Mo toyed with his teacup and slightly raised his eyes, "I will not give it. If you want it, it's one hundred thousand taels of silver."
The luminous pearl in Nangong Li's hand was priceless. While one hundred thousand taels could be considered a low price, Nangong Li was on the verge of tears, "Ninth Imperial Uncle, you are being unfair to your nephew..."
At this moment, Bai Qi arrived, accompanied by a dark guard dressed in black.
"Master, your subordinate has failed in his duty. I beg for your punishment."
The dark guard knelt on one knee.
Nangong Mo glanced at him indifferently, "Were you discovered?"
Ever since he realized that girl Gu Qianying possessed profound inner strength, he knew that the dark guards' movements would eventually be discovered by her.
The dark guard lowered his head, implicitly admitting it.
"Did she say anything?"
The dark guard handed the letter from his embrace to Bai Qi. Bai Qi approached Nangong Mo and presented it with both hands.
Nangong Mo was slightly surprised.
That girl had written him a letter?
He opened the letter.
"A grand show at the Gu Estate today. Qianying sincerely invites Ninth Imperial Uncle. Your presence is requested."
This simple sentence immediately piqued Nangong Mo's interest.
A grand show?
"What happened at the Gu Estate yesterday?" Nangong Mo asked the dark guard.
The dark guard recounted the events that transpired in the Garden Pavilion yesterday. Upon learning of them, Nangong Mo's expression darkened instantly.
As far as he knew, the second concubine, Meng Shi, beside Gu Kun, was extremely favored. Recently, due to her pregnancy, she held absolute sway in the Gu Estate.
Although the Old General Gu was just and upright, he would, after all, consider the child in the womb of Concubine Meng Shi of the Gu Estate.
It would be difficult to overthrow Meng Shi at this juncture. However, if external forces were employed, that would be another matter.
Therefore, he was acting as the "external force."
With him, the Ninth Prince, present, Gu Kun would have to think twice before protecting his concubine, and Old General Gu would certainly not break his long-held principles in front of outsiders.
Thinking of this, Nangong Mo felt extremely frustrated. In the eyes of that girl Gu Qianying, he was merely an "external force"!
Bai Qi glanced at the writing on the envelope and immediately rejoiced, "Master, your subordinate will prepare your travel attire."
Nangong Mo looked at him, "Who said I was going?"
"Ah? Master isn't going? Then your subordinate will return and say that Master is busy with official duties and cannot attend."
Nangong Mo gave him another look, "Do you wish to be punished again?"
Bai Qi chuckled, revealing a row of white teeth.
He knew his master was saying one thing and meaning another.
This was excellent, truly excellent.
This way, he wouldn't have to worry about his master's preference for men anymore.
Beside them, Nangong Li watched Nangong Mo and his subordinate chatting and laughing, and his interest was piqued.
"What's making you so happy?"
Nangong Li carefully hid the luminous pearl in his embrace, leaned forward, and asked.
Nangong Mo had already tucked the letter with the message into his embrace, so Nangong Li saw nothing.
However, he heard Nangong Mo say lightly, "My mood is quite good today, so I shall give you the luminous pearl. However, you need to do something for me."
Nangong Li was overjoyed. He had never expected his Ninth Imperial Uncle to be so generous to him all of a sudden, "Good, good, good. Ninth Imperial Uncle, tell me, no matter what it is, your nephew will agree."
A moment later.
Outside the Gu Estate.
Nangong Li pushed Nangong Mo, who stood at the main gate of the Gu Estate.
Bai Qi, along with ten guards who had changed into plain clothes, stood behind Nangong Li.
Each guard carried a heavy box in their hands.
Bai Qi's exquisitely crafted box was the most conspicuous among them.
At this moment, the area outside the gate was crowded with people.
"Wow! Isn't that the Ninth Prince and the Third Prince? What are they doing?"
"Ah, the Ninth Prince is so handsome."
"The Third Prince is also handsome, but he's not quite as good as the Ninth Prince."
"Look, what are they holding? They seem very valuable."
Amidst the crowd, discussions buzzed.
Nangong Li, standing behind Nangong Mo, cast a pained glance at the items in the hands of Bai Qi and the ten guards. He then bent down and leaned towards Nangong Mo, covering his face with his fan, and whispered, "Ninth Imperial Uncle, are you really going to give so many treasures to the eldest miss of the Gu family? Won't you feel pained?"
He was unwilling to give away so many priceless items for free.
"I am willing!"
These simple four words made the Third Prince almost spit blood.
When had his Ninth Imperial Uncle ever been so generous to him?
At the same time.
Inside the main hall of the Gu Estate.
Old General Gu sat on the high seat.
Gu Kun sat beside him.
Gu Kun appeared anxious, as if afraid of any abnormality with the Second Concubine Meng Shi, who was kneeling on the ground.
The First Madam and Gu Qianying knelt to the right of Meng Shi.
To the far left knelt Gu Mingyue and her servant.
In the early morning,
The First Madam, on the grounds of Meng Shi poisoning her, knelt outside Old General Gu's door, crying and pleading with him to uphold justice for her.
Upon hearing of Meng Shi's attempt to poison the First Madam, Old General Gu was enraged and immediately had Meng Shi brought over for an interrogation.
Meng Shi cried out in protest, "Old Master, this servant is wrongly accused. Even if this servant had the courage of a celestial being, she would not dare to poison her elder sister."