Chapter 165: The Fierce Old Xu

“Hearing that a Dutou was involved, the Prince of Linping was uneasy, so he sent me here. Little did I expect to arrive a step later than Prince Anping.”

It was already the hour of Yin.

On both sides of the long street, a squad of Soldiers marched in column formation.

Ding Suian, the ‘prime suspect,’ and the victims walked in the middle, appearing like both prisoners and protected guests.

But the guard was not strict.

As an outsider who certainly wouldn’t be allowed into the West Yamen, the son of Prince Leyang seized the opportunity to approach Ding Suian and curry favor on behalf of the Prince of Linping.

Whether or not he helped tonight was beside the point; he had at least expressed that he was ‘giving face.’

Before long, they arrived at the West Yamen.

The West Yamen had been around for many years; ancient trees towered inside, making it naturally cool.

Added to the coldness of the early morning, it appeared even more ominous.

Commander Hou, who had been groaning on the stretcher the whole way, had not dared to make a sound since entering the West Yamen.

Ding Suian also instantly became much more alert. This day and night had truly been fulfilling.

Having returned to the capital yesterday, the fatigue of over a month of traveling had not yet dissipated, and he had been thoroughly squeezed by his sister at the Ji Pavilion in the night.

After a whim in the middle of the night to leave the city and return, he had fought another battle.

Being a person is tiring.

Being a man is tiring.

Being the man behind a Princess Consort is even more tiring.

However, it was not yet time to relax. Although he guessed that Princess Xingguo had been moved to come out and help his side by Lin Hansu.

But Zheng Jinsan and the others had all seen a woman riding with him tonight.

It was fortunate they hadn’t been caught in the act, but during the questioning later, there had to be an explanation.

At this moment, Chen Duan and Chen Yi had already been summoned into the hall by Princess Xingguo for questioning.

After all, they were aunt and nephew; they certainly had to communicate first.

Outside, in the gloomy courtyard, Li Baicheng, Ding Suian, and Old Ding stood on the left.

Zheng Jinsan, Commander Hou, and the others stood on the right.

The newly arrived Chief Clerk Jin from Prince Anping’s Estate was weaving between them, whispering instructions from time to time.

He must have known that Martial Artists of the Hua Gang Realm had keen senses, so he was extremely careful, keeping his voice very, very low.

Ding Suian strained his ears, but could not hear clearly.

“Head Ding, Commander Zheng, Commander Hou, come in.”

A eunuch stepped out of the hall and called out.

Ding Suian, Zheng Jinsan, and the others walked in together.

Normally, enemies meeting should be extremely jealous, but several people subconsciously stayed further away from him.

The inner hall was not large.

Princess Xingguo sat in the seat of honor, with Chen Duan and Chen Yi sitting on the left and right below her.

Only the three of them had seats; even Sun Tiewu, one of the four prestigious heads of the West Yamen, stood behind Princess Xingguo like a house servant.

“Head Ding, you speak first.”

Sun Tiewu spoke on behalf of Princess Xingguo.

“Yes.”

Ding Suian bowed his hands and then recounted the events of the night.

He mentioned that Zheng Jinsan and the others were drinking in the break room, and Commander Hou hurriedly said: “No rice, no rice, we didn’t eat anything.”

Having lost seven or eight teeth, he spoke with a lisp and was unintelligible.

He understood the principle that some things “don’t weigh four ounces on the scale, but once on the scale, a thousand pounds won’t hold it down.”

Drinking on duty, if seen by a superior on a normal day, one might be scolded, or if one met a better superior like Zheng Jinsan, they might even sit down and eat together.

But now they were facing the Princess Xingguo of Great Wu; if she really pursued it, the crime would be quite serious.

Princess Xingguo, sitting above, frowned slightly, and Sun Tiewu behind her scolded: “Shut up! You are not allowed to make noise if you haven’t been asked!”

“…”

Commander Hou quickly shut his mouth and secretly glanced at Zheng Jinsan.

Zheng Jinsan, whose head was wrapped like a zongzi, returned a look, signaling him not to panic.

“Head Ding, continue.”

“…I was returning to the city with a female companion when I was harassed by them.”

Ding Suian began to explain the cause of the conflict.

This matter could not be hidden; he felt that with Lin Hansu’s intelligence, she must have made arrangements in advance.

She had indeed made arrangements, but not to find someone to stand in for her, but rather, after telling Princess Xingguo everything, Princess Xingguo gave her a legitimate identity and reason.

Even so, Lin Hansu, hiding in the back room, still had palms full of sweat.

After Ding Suian finished his account, Sun Tiewu turned to Zheng Jinsan and the others, “Commander Zheng, you speak.”

Perhaps because Chief Clerk Jin had already provided guidance in advance, Zheng Jinsan stood up, bowed to the people in turn, and said with grief and indignation: “Your Highness, Prince, Head Ding is spouting nonsense! We were just performing our duties. That woman riding with Head Ding in the middle of the night was wearing a veil, which made us suspicious. We were just questioning them normally, but Head Ding suddenly attacked!”

“Head Ding, what do you have to say?”

Sun Tiewu asked, and Ding Suian said: “What Commander Zheng said is not true.”

Hearing this, Zheng Jinsan turned back to stare at Ding Suian, his eyes filled with both hatred and a sense of triumph, “Since that’s the case, I ask Head Ding to bring that woman here for a confrontation!”

After speaking, he added: “Head Ding, don’t think about passing off a fish eye for a pearl. Although we didn’t see the woman’s face, we remember her figure and posture!”

He was very confident when he said this. That woman’s figure was very rare, and it would not be easy to find someone similar in a short time.

Just now, after analysis by Chief Clerk Jin, the woman’s figure was top-notch, but she was mysterious, and it was likely she was a concubine of some noble or a canary kept secretly outside, and somehow she got involved with Ding Suian.

Precisely because of this, she fled the scene immediately.

They didn’t believe Ding Suian dared to let the other party appear.

Ding Suian was indeed silent; he was waiting for Lin Hansu’s follow-up arrangement.

In the back room, Lin Hansu was also waiting, waiting for Your Highness to speak.

But she first heard Chen Duan speak slowly, “Head Ding, you are still unmarried, so even if you have a lover, it’s not a big deal. Why don’t you dare to ask her to come?”

Waiting for another two breaths, perhaps feeling that he had pushed Ding Suian into a corner, Chen Duan suddenly sighed and looked at Princess Xingguo, “Paternal Aunt! This person is hiding his head and showing his tail, which shows his words are not true! Last year, this boy made a name for himself by saving his comrades during the Southern Expedition. This year, during the peace talks between the two countries, he made contributions again in Southern Zhao! My nephew heard that he has an affair with the Southern Zhao Imperial Princess, and has made contributions in Southern Zhao repeatedly. Perhaps it is Southern Zhao creating momentum for him so that he can be reused in our Great Wu! My nephew asks Paternal Aunt to thoroughly investigate those people he saved back then…”

“…”

Chen Yi opposite slowly looked over. After all this time, the drunkard’s heart was not in the wine!

Princess Xingguo had already made a plan in her heart. At this moment, she deliberately didn’t speak, just wanting to see the reactions of all parties.

At this time, she couldn’t help but smile faintly, and just as she was about to speak, she saw someone rush in.

“What is it?”

This was Sun Tiewu’s territory, so naturally, it was his place to ask.

The subordinate’s expression was a bit strange, and he reported: “The Central Heaven Sect Leader, Head of the Law Academy, Sect Leader Xu, requests an audience.”

“Hmm?”

Everyone looked over in unison, and even the unflappable Princess Xingguo looked over with suspicion.

Sun Tiewu asked for everyone: “What is she here for?”

“Sect Leader Xu says she… is here to surrender herself.”

“Ah?”

Sun Tiewu looked confused.

Princess Xingguo, however, understood something after a brief moment of astonishment. Her gaze lingered on Ding Suian’s handsome face for a moment, and a very slight smile hooked the corner of her mouth. For the first time, she said: “Please invite her in.”

In the back room, Lin Hansu seemed to have guessed something as well, and her pretty face gradually flushed red.

“Greetings, Your Highness~”

Xu Jiuxi, in a crimson spring dress, walked with a graceful gait.

The gloomy and stern inner hall seemed to brighten up a bit instantly.

Her posture at this moment was both respectful and arrogant. Respectful to Princess Xingguo, but arrogant to the two imperial grandsons.

She only greeted Princess Xingguo, but treated Chen Duan and Chen Yi as if they were air.

It was as if she could take the initiative to show favor to Princess Xingguo not because of the latter’s lineage, but because she possessed the power to dominate the court.

Ding Suian, standing on the side, glanced at Xu Jiuxi with his peripheral vision. Sect Leader Xu’s figure was naturally impeccable.

Her chest was full, and her spring dress could not hide her slender waist and round, firm buttocks.

Like the Princess Consort, she was a practical type with a tall, voluptuous figure, long legs, and a slender waist.

“…”

Could it be that Lin Hansu had actually moved her?

This… went against common sense.

Besides, the two of them didn’t get along.

Just as he was confused, Princess Xingguo above smiled and replied, “Sect Leader visiting late at night, is there something urgent?”

“Aiy~”

Xu Jiuxi sighed slightly, a flash of self-reproach appearing on her charming face, “It’s all my fault for being impulsive, wanting to go out of the city in the middle of the night to see the night scenery, and pulling Dharma Protector Ding along. This caused this unnecessary trouble.”

“…”

The hall was dead silent.

Commander Hou and the others didn’t even dare to breathe, shrinking into their chairs, desperately hoping to become transparent so they wouldn’t be seen by Xu Jiuxi.

Just now, he had been loose-lipped, speaking nonsense about wild mating outside the city.

The State Religion Sect Leader seemed… a bit powerful and not easy to mess with.

Chen Duan was suspicious and quickly looked at Zheng Jinsan. He asked with his eyes if the person tonight was really Sect Leader Xu.

But at this moment, Zheng Jinsan was already out of his wits, cold sweat dripping from his forehead.

Even if he gathered the courage to look at Xu Jiuxi, he couldn’t tell for the moment.

To be honest, Xu Jiuxi and Lin Hansu’s figures were indeed a bit similar.

It’s just that Old Xu was a little bit bigger.

But this matter… did not fit logic at all.

You, a State Religion Sect Leader, make an appointment to go out of the city for a night tour with a small Dutou in the middle of the night?

“Ahem~” Chen Duan was still sitting in the chair, but his tone was countless times more polite than before, “Sect Leader Xu, since you and Head Ding were touring at night, why did you suddenly flee when returning to the city…”

Chen Duan felt that using ‘fleeing’ was too harsh, so he changed the word, “Why did the Sect Leader leave without saying goodbye?”

Hearing this, Xu Jiuxi first sighed lightly, then half-turned her body, her gaze drifting stickily towards Ding Suian, with a bit of grievance and helplessness in her voice, “Prince Anping also knows that This Seat is unmarried, and Dharma Protector Ding is unmarried. If the two of us were together late at night, it would be easy to cause controversy and ruin our reputations. Plus, the gate Soldiers spoke rudely, and This Seat was anxious for a moment, which is why I made the reckless move of breaking through the gate.”

Old Xu’s pass was both soft and tricky. Ding Suian knew he had to catch it no matter what, so he had to sigh and say helplessly: “Since the Sect Leader has left, why come back? Even though you and I are innocent, we cannot withstand the gossip of the world.”

In the back room, hearing the two of them tacitly cooperating, Lin Hansu couldn’t help but feel sour and annoyed.

It was clearly her and Young Master who went out for a night tour, but now it had inexplicably become Xu Jiuxi.

And she couldn’t come out to clarify. It was like she had been replaced.

It was simply infuriating!

Outside, the conversation continued.

“It is ultimately my fault, implicating Dharma Protector Ding in being wrongly accused. After I returned to the Law Academy, I felt uneasy and couldn’t sit still. After thinking about it, the only way was to come and surrender.” Speaking of this, Xu Jiuxi slowly raised her white wrists towards Princess Xingguo, her posture soft, “Your Highness, the trouble tonight was all because of me. I am willing to accept punishment. Please, Your Highness, take me into custody.”

Princess Xingguo’s expression remained calm, but there was a smile in her eyes. She said gently: “Sect Leader, you are too serious. The matter tonight was that the gate Soldiers were rude to you first, so it is not your fault.”

On the side, Zheng Jinsan, with one ear, was racking his brains under the pressure of Chen Duan’s gaze.

Finally, a flash of inspiration, “No! Her clothes are wrong! The woman who broke through the gate was not wearing this!”

Xu Jiuxi could still be polite to the Princess, but to Zheng Jinsan…

Her charming face suddenly turned cold, and her peach blossom eyes condensed like a snake, “You filthy, stupid donkey! I was offended by your words first, and then I broke through the gate. I was upset, so I went back to the Law Academy to change my clothes. What’s strange about that? Do you want me to swagger through the city in those clothes?”

Zheng Jinsan was intimidated by her Aura, his lips moving as if he wanted to say something else.

Xu Jiuxi, however, seemed to have the ability to peek into people’s hearts. Not only did she guess what he was thinking, but she also preempted him, saying: “What? Does Commander Zheng want to search my Law Academy?”

After speaking, she didn’t stop, but turned to look directly at Chen Duan, her face like frost, and asked in a questioning tone: “Prince Anping, is this his intention, or is it your intention?”

The words were sharp and pointed.

Chen Duan never expected that Xu Jiuxi would dare to fire directly at him. Although he tried hard to maintain his well-bred demeanor, his face was already flushed with anger, “Sect Leader, what do you mean by that? I am not familiar with Commander Zheng.”

“Not familiar? Isn’t Commander Zheng the distant cousin of Prince Anping’s side consort? You planted him into the Imperial Guard, wasn’t it to gradually gain control of the Imperial Guard’s military power? How can you not be familiar?”

Xu Jiuxi asked with a look of innocence.

Chen Duan stood up with a start. Some things everyone was doing, but this crazy woman brought the shady dealings to the table, which was very embarrassing.

He subconsciously looked at his Paternal Aunt, his face red, “You… you are spouting nonsense!”

Old Xu, you’re so fierce!