CHAPTER 681: CHAPTER 563

Gongsun Yanming didn’t move.

Lu Yuan said, "Pavilion Master Gongsun, if you are still uneasy, there are so many men in this room, you can try it on each of us! Who should be the next one to start?"

Duke Jiang rolled up his sleeves: "Come, come, stab me! Stab me!"

Prince Ming nudged Prince Fu: "If not enough, there’s my fifth brother here."

Prince Fu: ...You truly are an old trickster.

Emperor Liang’s gaze pierced through everything sharply, like a treasure sword drawn from its sheath, directly aiming at Gongsun Yanming’s brow.

Gongsun Yanming asked unhurriedly: "Is it that if the Heart-devouring Gu does not react to my blood, it will prove my innocence?"

Meng Qianqian said, "Yes."

Gongsun Yanming extended his hand.

Meng Qianqian took out a silver needle, "Apologies, Pavilion Master."

Gongsun Yanming said, "I’ll do it myself."

"Oh."

Meng Qianqian withdrew the silver needle.

Gongsun Yanming swiped his fingertip, and a string of blood beads flew forth, dripping onto the Heart-devouring Gu.

Everyone stared at him, without seeing even a hint of panic in his eyes.

Prince Ming quietly frowned, tugging on Lu Zhaoyan’s sleeve, whispering, "Second brother, isn’t this strange? Why did he follow through just like that? Without any struggle? Or is the evidence so solid that he’s resigned to his fate?"

Lu Zhaoyan said, "If he were resigned to fate, he would not be Gongsun Yanming."

"Fifth brother, what do you think?"

Prince Ming tugged on Prince Fu again.

Fortunately, he’s the old trickster, or else with his knack for this kind of roundabout talk, it really wouldn’t be easy for the brothers to humor him.

Prince Fu thought for a moment and said, "I heard there’s a kind of medicine that can temporarily suppress the blood’s attraction to Gu Worms, don’t know if it’s true."

Prince Ming was stunned, "There’s such a medicine? Wouldn’t that... let this old scoundrel escape again?"

Duke Jiang angrily stared at the Heart-devouring Gu in the brocade box, "What’s happening... how is there no reaction... was it too little?"

Gongsun Yanming looked up, meeting Emperor Liang’s piercing scrutiny with a face of integrity, "Your Majesty, is this enough to prove my innocence now?"

"It moved!"

Duke Jiang shouted excitedly.

Prince Ming stretched his neck quickly; that Heart-devouring Gu was very weak, it moved ever so slightly, but upon smelling the blood beads, it greedily began to absorb.

Gongsun Yanming’s eternally unchanged expression showed a slight change.

Meng Qianqian discreetly wiped away the blood beads from her fingertip.

It didn’t matter whether Gongsun Yanming tampered in advance or not, her blood was also a great supplement to the Heart-devouring Gu.

However, hiding the truth before Emperor Liang was not easy.

It was when Lu Yuan took the silver needle from her that drew Emperor Liang’s attention, allowing her to act discreetly.

Duke Jiang was overwhelmed with excitement, jumping up and pointing at Gongsun Yanming’s nose, cursing fiercely, "Ha! Gongsun, you old scoundrel! You can’t argue your way out of this now! It’s your Heart-devouring Gu! You tried to enspell the emperor and control him, absolutely unforgivable!"

Emperor Liang’s murderous intent fell, "Gongsun Yanming!"

Gongsun Yanming said solemnly, "Your Majesty, I have something to report!"

Emperor Liang said coldly, "I would like to see how you justify yourself."

Gongsun Yanming calmly said, "Your Majesty, I have never been to Miaojiang, nor do I understand the art of Gu magic. But I suddenly remembered an event, on the day of Commandery Prince and my daughter’s wedding, I encountered a master from Miaojiang who injured me severely, and I lost a lot of blood. Though my martial arts cannot compare to yours, Your Majesty, only the Miao King could have injured me so deeply."

Emperor Liang looked at him skeptically, "Miao King?"

Everyone’s hearts skipped a beat.

Prince Ming tightly grasped Prince Fu’s sleeve, "Could it be that this has been exposed?"

No, the old scoundrel knew about the identity of Master Liu from the start, but he chose to reveal it neither sooner nor later, but just at this moment—

Prince Ming quickly realized the crucial point.

At the edge of life and death, not revealing it wouldn’t work.

If you’re going to die anyway, you might as well fight.

"Second brother! What should we do? Will Father believe him?"

Prince Ming asked quietly.

Lu Zhaoyan didn’t speak.

His gaze roamed back and forth between Emperor Liang and Gongsun Yanming’s faces, not missing any expression.

Gongsun Yanming continued, "Originally, I wasn’t quite sure, but with the Gu magic incident today, I boldly speculate that the Miao King took my blood that day, raised the Heart-devouring Gu, and then used it to ensorcel Your Majesty, further framing me."

Emperor Liang gazed intently into Gongsun Yanming’s eyes: "How did the Miao King enspell me?"

"Simple." Gongsun Yanming looked at the Miao King and the Crown Prince Mansion members, "Your Majesty has long been surrounded by the Miao King’s men. Your most beloved Imperial Grandson is the Miao King’s grandson, and this person who claims to be Master Liu, taking advantage of the Crown Prince’s father-in-law status, freely enters the Imperial Palace and Jin Prince Mansion. Your Majesty, may I boldly ask, have you ever crossed hands with Master Liu?"

"Or, has Master Liu ever approached Your Majesty closely?"

The Imperial Study Room fell into a deathly silence.

Not to mention approaching closely, Master Liu was the first person Emperor Liang saw when he opened his eyes, he was so weak that Master Liu even brought the Dragon Robe for him to change into.

Duke Jiang said to Gongsun Yanming, "Don’t fabricate things! How could Master Liu be the Miao King?"

Gongsun Yanming said solemnly, "I have evidence."

The Miao King’s leg-shaking stopped.

Duke Jiang was no fool, Master Liu was his sworn brother, he observed every word and deed.

He leaned toward the Miao King and whispered, "You, you...could you really be the Miao King?"

Gongsun Yanming said loudly, "Please allow me to present a witness to Your Majesty."

Meng Qianqian murmured, "Old fox, so this was your waiting move."

The relationship between Miaojiang and the two countries was as hostile as fire and water, Emperor Liang and the Miao King had personal grudges that couldn’t be easily resolved.

Falsifying identity back then was out of necessity; the plan was to reveal everything to His Majesty once everything settled, but in the end, it was Gongsun Yanming who broke it.

Could it be that the witnesses brought by Great General Hu from the Prime Minister’s Mansion were just Blinding Techniques, deliberately caught to make them believe the crisis was resolved and let their guard down?

The real witnesses were secretly brought into the Imperial City by Gongsun Yanming long ago.

Meng Qianqian looked at Gongsun Yanming.

Gongsun Yanming sensed her gaze and looked back at her.

The moment their eyes met.

Meng Qianqian understood everything.

It seems the truth is exactly so.

The relationship between Miaojiang and the two countries was as hostile as fire and water, Emperor Liang and the Miao King had personal grudges that couldn’t be easily resolved.

Falsifying identity back then was out of necessity; the plan was to reveal everything to His Majesty once everything settled, but in the end, it was Gongsun Yanming who broke it.

Could it be that the witnesses brought by Great General Hu from the Prime Minister’s Mansion were just Blinding Techniques, deliberately caught to make them believe the crisis was resolved and let their guard down?

The real witnesses were secretly brought into the Imperial City by Gongsun Yanming long ago.

Meng Qianqian looked at Gongsun Yanming.

Gongsun Yanming sensed her gaze and looked back at her.

The moment their eyes met.

Meng Qianqian understood everything.

It seems the truth is exactly so.