Chapter 175 - 175: Humiliated? (2)
“Cheng Shilu’s reputation in Jianghu was average, but he relied on connections to be arrogant and wild. It was only a matter of time before he was killed. But Cheng Shilu is related to Minister Li after all. He was also in-laws with the vice-minister of the Ministry of Works and helped the Imperial Court manage the mines in the Iron Buddha Ridge. Young Master Ye killed him for no reason. If Your Highness doesn’t give the order to arrest him, it won’t be easy to explain to the Imperial Court.”
Dongfang Liren naturally knew that it would be difficult to explain, but she had to protect her general. She thought for a moment and said, “Ye Jingtang is a man of great chivalry. Ever since he entered the capital, he has fought several private battles, but he has always known his limits. He wouldn’t kill innocent people without reason… I’ll wait for him to return and ask him. Reply to the Ministry of Justice first that Cheng Shilu died of suicide.”
?
The white-haired old woman had a complicated look in her eyes. “Your Highness, he was stabbed fourteen times but died of suicide. I’m afraid this is a little blatant…”
“Cheng Shilu died of suicide. Say that Cheng Shilu used poison to launch a sneak attack. After Ye Silang saw through it and taught him a lesson, he was so ashamed that he committed suicide. I will definitely investigate this matter to the end. Although it has something to do with Ye Jingtang, at least there’s no need to order his arrest.”
The white-haired old woman nodded and accepted the order. After some thought, she said, “There’s news from the Baoyuan School as well.”
Dongfang Liren sat up straighter. “Did he kill Li Hunyuan too?”
“No. Li Hunyuan was clever. He set up an arena and called a bunch of Jianghu people to watch. If Young Master Ye had beat him to death, he would have ruined his reputation. He only beat him half to death and demolished half of the Baoyuan School.”
Dongfang Liren breathed a sigh of relief. “Fortunately. If he killed Li Hunyuan too, he would never be able to go out in the name of Ye Silang in the future.”
The white-haired old woman was a little puzzled. “According to the rumors, Li Hunyuan was knocked down by Young Master Ye with a single punch. It’s true that the Eight Extremities of Thunder is extremely powerful, but with Li Hunyuan’s ability, he shouldn’t have lost so miserably.”
“Maybe Li Hunyuan is too old, and his flaw was taken advantage of. Beware the fists of the young and fit…”
While the two of them chatted, voices came from outside the carriage.
“Young Master Ye, when did you come back?”
“I just got back early this morning. I wonder if Her Highness has time now?”
Outside the carriage…
After Ye Jingtang showed the guards his waist token, he carried the bird and jumped onto the carriage. He cupped his hands at the white-haired old woman who came out and lowered his head to enter the carriage.
Because of the rain, the windows of the large carriage were closed. The noble princess was sitting on the small couch with a dignified posture.
“Chirp-” When the bird saw Sister Fat-Headed Dragon, it hurriedly jumped off Ye Jingtang’s shoulder, ran in front of her, tilted its head, and sized up the loose court attire.
Dongfang Liren’s expression was rather serious. After gesturing for Ye Jingtang to take a seat, she said in a deep voice, “Ye Jingtang, do you know what your crime is?”
Ye Jingtang knew this would happen. He sat down by the carriage window. “When I went to the Iron Buddha Ridge, I wanted to knock him down. However, Cheng Shilu wanted to kill me and ambushed me with bone-burning hemp, but he accidentally got some of it on himself. He couldn’t stand it anymore, so he jumped off the cliff. I wanted to stop him, but I was also drugged, so I could only retreat first.”
Dongfang Liren frowned and carefully sized up Ye Jingtang. “Bone-burning hemp is a strange poison from Northern Liang. Although it’s not fatal and the medicinal effect has a short duration, the victim will have a slim chance of survival. How did you survive it?”
“The Red Flower Pavilion had followed to help. They tied me up and made me resist it forcefully. The medicine Cheng Shilu used was quite special. I don’t know what it is, but after the incident, my skills have improved a little.”
“Medicine can save lives if used well. But if not, it can kill people. It’s the same for poison. Bone-burning hemp itself has the effect of tempering the meridians and forging the body. It’s just that the medicinal properties are too strong for people to withstand.”
Dongfang Liren stood up, sat in front of Ye Jingtang, raised her hand, and pressed her fingers on his wrist. “Even if you were tied up and couldn’t commit suicide, you still had to endure the pain of your bones burning. You…”
Ye Jingtang felt Dumdum’s heartache and smiled. “I may have high poison resistance, and Ning’er helped me divert my attention. At the time, I didn’t feel particularly uncomfortable.”
Dongfang Liren carefully checked his pulse and found that his pulse was normal and his qi and blood was strong. Only then did she retract her fingers and ask curiously, “The pain of burning bones and cutting skin can even wake you up when you faint. How can she divert your attention?”
Ye Jingtang couldn’t say it out loud, so he lowered his gaze and took it back quickly.
Dongfang Liren lowered her head to look. Then a murderous look flashed across her eyes. She raised her hand to touch Ye Jingtang’s Hornless Dragon Saber.
Ye Jingtang quickly held down the saber. “I’m just telling the truth.”
“I don’t believe it!” Dongfang Liren felt that Ye Jingtang was trying to take advantage of her with his words. She held the saber hilt and stared fiercely. “Can’t you rely on taking advantage of women to suppress the pain of cutting skin? Let me try and see if you really have the ability.”
Let you try? Ye Jingtang looked Dumdum up and down. “How does Your Highness want to try? Your Highness will cut me, but there’s nothing to distract me. 1 definitely won’t be able to withstand it.”
Dongfang Liren originally wanted Ye Jingtang to look at her, but this idea was obviously wrong. She turned around, took a book from the side of the small couch, and threw it into his arms. “Look at this. If you dare to frown today, you’ll be deceiving me. You know the consequences.”
Ye Jingtang picked up the book and flipped it open. It was an older version of Tears of a Heroine. The content was the same, but the illustration style was completely different. The previous book emphasized expression and freehand brushwork, while this one was realism…
When Ye Jingtang flipped to the first page of the illustrations, his eyes turned solemn.. He even wiped his hands before carefully checking the old page…