"This Prince also heard that you, a vicious woman, have been making things difficult for the First Madam in the manor. Guards, today, let this Prince see for himself how this poisonous woman, Madam Han, usually bullies the First Madam!"
As soon as these words fell, guards holding long whips entered.
Madam Han's mouth let out muffled sounds of fear, twisting her body to hide behind Gu Kun. She wanted Gu Kun to plead for her and protect her, but at this moment, Gu Kun, though his face was full of rage, had waited for so long and still hadn't seen the Crown Prince Nan Rong Qi appear. At this point, no matter how foolish he was, he quickly understood that the Crown Prince did not wish to interfere in this matter today.
In other words, the Crown Prince would not oppose the Ninth Prince Nan Gong Mo for his sake!
Thinking of this, the anger deep in Gu Kun's eyes gradually dissipated.
Turning his head, he raised his walking stick and fiercely struck Madam Han, who was hiding behind him, on the head.
"Ah!"
A scream pierced the air.
Madam Han clutched her bleeding head, looking at Gu Kun in utter shock: "Master...!"
"You deserved to die, you slut, for angering the Ninth Prince!"
Gu Kun's cold and heartless words cut off what Madam Han was about to say.
"Ninth Prince, if your concubine has displeased you, you may deal with this slut as you see fit. Today, I implore the Ninth Prince to show mercy and spare everyone else in this humble minister's manor."
"Oh! Is the sun going to rise from the west? Old Master Gu, who has always been selfish, has actually learned to plead for others in the manor? Huh? This is truly strange!"
Nan Gong Li's sarcastic remark caused Gu Kun's expression to change slightly.
However, Gu Kun was also very patient at this moment.
"Third Prince is joking. It is only right and proper that whoever causes trouble should bear the consequences. As for the rest, everything can be discussed. Oh, yes, a few days ago, some fine horses arrived at my manor. I heard that the Third Prince and the Ninth Prince are fond of horses. After lunch today, please take those horses with you, alright?"
Gu Kun's words were filled with flattery and a desire to appease.
"What, what? Where are the fine horses? Hurry and take this Prince to see them."
Nan Gong Li rubbed his hands together, his eyes lighting up at the mention of good horses.
Nan Gong Mo, sitting in his wheelchair beside him, looked up at him but said nothing.
"Steward, quickly take the Third Prince to see the horses. Also, prepare a table full of good wine and dishes to entertain the Ninth Prince and the Third Prince."
Seeing that the Third Prince Nan Gong Li had taken the bait, Gu Kun's disdain for this uncouth Third Prince grew.
A few horses could bribe this fool Nan Gong Li. It seemed that Nan Gong Li was indeed as the rumors said, a greedy and useless wretch.
"Oh, right, you all shouldn't be idle either. Teach this woman a lesson, and as for other places in this manor, including where Gu Dai and his people live, and those warehouses filled with money and silver, break into them and move them as you see fit. My Ninth Imperial Uncle said that before Lord Gu and others are dealt with, this Prince can take possession of everything here, hehe."
With that, Nan Gong Li tapped the stunned steward with his closed fan: "What are you waiting for? Hurry and take this Prince to see the horses!"
"Ah, ah, ah!"
The long whip fell, lashing down, and blood stained the skirts of the women.
Madam Han, covered in wounds, finally fainted from the pain.
This was followed by the crashing sounds of bookshelves, jade ornaments, tables, and chairs being overturned.
The servants of the manor who had been hiding far away to watch the spectacle were all stunned. When they reacted and tried to flee in panic, they were stopped by guards with swords at their necks.
Soon, the illegitimate daughters, young ladies, concubines, and maids who had been hiding in their chambers and dared not appear were all brought out by the guards.
"Mother!"
The illegitimate daughter, Third Miss Gu Zi Ran, after being brought out by the guards, saw Madam Han lying about two meters away, unconscious from the whipping.
She cried out, pushed away the guards, and ran over.
The guards glanced timidly at Nan Gong Mo and did not stop Gu Zi Ran.
At this moment, Gu Kun, looking at the boxes of gold and silver treasures being carried out of the warehouse by the guards, panicked.
"Ninth Prince, I am a minister of the court, how can you..."
At this point, Nan Gong Mo stroked the seven-colored silver snake on his hand, not even looking at Gu Kun, and said coldly: "Arrest everyone here for me!"
The seven-colored silver snake, after being stroked by Nan Gong Mo and rubbing against his palm twice, left his hand and crawled rapidly forward.
After searching around, it crawled back onto Nan Gong Mo's hand.
Nan Gong Mo glanced at it, frowned, and his eyes grew colder.
He gently patted the head of the seven-colored silver snake with his fingers again.
The seven-colored silver snake turned, crawled down, and quickly crawled towards the door.
As the coldness hidden in his eyes deepened, Nan Gong Mo changed his previous decision: "Kill them all, leave only the Third Miss. Kill everyone else for me!"
He remembered that Gu Qian Ying had once told him that in this manor, apart from the First Madam and Granny Wang, the only person who had treated her well was the Third Miss Gu Zi Ran.
This person, he could spare, simply because she had treated Gu Qian Ying well.
From a distance, Gu Zi Ran, kneeling beside Madam Han, stood there in a daze.
At this moment, she seemed unable to believe her ears.
What had she heard?
Except for her? Why?
The Ninth Prince had never looked at her directly, yet now he wanted to spare her life?
She cautiously raised her head and looked towards Nan Gong Mo.
His cold and aloof gaze did not fall on her face.
But at this moment, Gu Zi Ran's cheeks turned red and felt a little hot.
It was a face of unparalleled beauty that dared not be profaned, a pair of eyes that looked down on no one, cold and aloof, coupled with an aura of noble dominance emanating from his entire being, which was imprinted in her mind and could not be dispelled.
Nan Gong Li, who had gone to the horse stables in the backyard with the steward to see the horses, returned and immediately ordered all the horses in the Gu residence's stables to be taken away.
By the time he returned, the guards had almost finished moving the goods.
Just then, from outside the main gate, several guards and a young eunuch carrying a sedan chair walked quickly towards them.
The gate was naturally guarded by Nan Gong Mo's men.
But under the glint of swords and the flash of blades.
The guards at the gate were quickly replaced by another group of people.
"Ninth Imperial Uncle, you have quite a presence. What are you doing? Are you confiscating Lord Gu's manor?"
Nan Rong Qi, dressed in splendid robes, descended from the sedan chair, stepping on the back of the young eunuch.
As soon as he arrived, Gu Kun, as if finding his backbone, immediately turned and walked towards Nan Rong Qi, leaning on his walking stick.
"Crown Prince, you have arrived. If you hadn't come, this old minister's head would have been removed."
Gu Kun hid behind Nan Rong Qi, looking weak and wronged.
Nan Rong Qi did not look at him, but only at Nan Gong Mo. Their eyes met, and a sneer played on his lips: "Oh? Ninth Imperial Uncle, are you going to act against a minister of the court behind my father's back? Is this action meant to tell the world that Ninth Imperial Uncle, you are going to rebel?"
The label of "rebellion" caused the people peeking from afar outside the manor to start whispering.
"No way? Although the Ninth Prince holds immense power, he has never properly participated in court affairs for many years. Could this time he truly have other intentions?"
"Is this possible? Before the Ninth Prince's legs were paralyzed, he was the invincible King of Hell General. With him around, how would foreign enemies dare to invade?"
"Hush! What nonsense are you talking about? Don't you want your head?"
"It's true, I..."
The murmurs subsided slightly.
Then another voice said: "What do you know? Do you know why the Ninth Prince is making such a big fuss today?"