"Sir, I'm the Prince Cheng of Cangwu. If you become my retainer, when I ascend to the throne of Cangwu in the future, you can choose to be either the prime minister or the national master."
Hearing this, the old man burst into hearty laughter.
Gu Zhiruo could hardly conceal the smile on her face.
"What are you laughing at?"
"Your Highness, if Master Banyue Chencan could be swayed by titles and power, he wouldn't have chosen to come to my mansion in the first place."
Among Sister Ling's friends, few were cowardly.
Gu Liang turned to the old man and said seriously, "Senior, I have no feud with you."
"That's true. But this child was entrusted to me by an old friend. That friend did me a great favor, and I must fulfill this entrusted task. So, if any losses are caused to your mansion because of this, I'd like to apologize to Your Highness the Prince Cheng in advance."
"Gu Zhiruo, you're just the child of a concubine. The throne was never meant for you."
"Your Highness seems to have forgotten. Last time, in order to uphold your so - called righteousness and perform the etiquette between the monarch and his subjects, you asked me to pay homage to the imperial mausoleum in the name of the new monarch. You gained quite a bit of fame from that. I didn't want to fight you for the throne, but if you insist on it, I won't let you succeed."
"You, hahaha—Do you think you and this old man from Changbai Mountain can stop me? I underestimated you and shouldn't have walked into your trap so easily. But Gu Zhiruo, the gap between you and me was determined at birth. I'm the legitimate son, while you're just the child of a concubine. It was because Father was not in his right mind when he died that he passed the throne to you."
Gu Zhiruo had heard these words from Gu Liang more than once.
When he first returned to Cangwu, Gu Liang had kept saying that he was of lowly birth and had a seductive face. He even slandered that Gu Zhiruo had done many dirty things with his body to reach his current position.
In the past, Gu Zhiruo had endured it time and time again.
When he bid farewell to Sister Ling, he had promised that unless it was absolutely necessary, he would never use his spiritual power to cause destruction.
Gu Liang never regarded him as a younger brother but instead pressed on step by step. There had been so many assassination attempts. If Gu Zhiruo hadn't been capable himself, he wouldn't be standing here talking to everyone now.
"I know, Your Highness thinks highly of yourself and is a seven - realm spiritual pharmacist."
"I also know that outside my Prince's Mansion, it's surrounded by the elite guards of your mansion."
"I also know that even if I hand over the steward of my mansion as they wish tonight, I won't be able to escape death. Will it be by fire, by arrow, or by drowning? In any case, as long as there's a hint of news, Your Highness will never let me live, right?"
Gu Liang didn't say a word. But everyone knew what his answer was.
"I've been planning this for twenty - two years. From the moment I returned, I've been thinking that if Your Highness was diligent and kind to my mother in the imperial mausoleum, I could give up the throne of Cangwu."
"The throne was never yours."
"I'm the heir to the throne as personally appointed by Father in his edict. Is it useful for Your Highness to argue about this now?"
"Gu Zhiruo, do you think you can get out of the Prince's Mansion?"
"I couldn't before, but from now on, I can go wherever I want."
Sister Ling had been dead for eighteen years. Gu Zhiruo had originally planned to go back to the Eastern Wilderness to pay homage to Ye Ling. But not long after he left the imperial city, he saw Shi Jiu fainting by the roadside. He couldn't bear it and gave up this rare opportunity. He took her back to the mansion and took good care of her.
Or rather, he had wanted to leave at first, but Shi Jiu was emitting a strange light, which piqued his curiosity. And since Gu Zhiruo was kind - hearted by nature, he chose to save her.
After missing that chance to escape, he thought that the next year, he would walk out of the Prince's Mansion openly.
He was Gu Zhiruo, the future monarch of Cangwu. He would use the grandest ceremony to pay homage to his deceased father and mother and to visit Ye Ling, who had raised him like a child.
So, this trap was not a spur - of - the - moment decision but a long - planned one.
"Gu Zhiruo, I'm your elder brother. You'd better think clearly. If I can't live, everyone in your Prince's Mansion will have to be buried with me."
"Oh, really?"
The man exhaled leisurely.
Seeing this, Gu Liang planned to signal the elite guards outside the wall to start shooting. If he had to die, he would take everyone with him. He wouldn't let Gu Zhiruo get what he wanted.
But before his whistle sounded.
The figure of the young man in blue on the seat had already disappeared.
The next moment.
A fair and slender hand was on Gu Liang's neck.
This hand couldn't even hold a knife steadily before, but now it could end Gu Liang's life.
It was Gu Zhiruo!
Gu Liang was greatly shocked.
Gu Zhiruo said to the old man behind Gu Liang, "Please assist my secret guards to deal with those people outside. I can handle things here."
What Gu Liang owed Gu Zhiruo was far more than what everyone could see now.
"Boy, be careful."
"Don't worry, Senior."
The old man leaped lightly and landed outside the city wall.
Gu Liang was at least a seven - realm spiritual pharmacist. Although he had underestimated Gu Zhiruo for a moment and given him an opportunity, once he reacted, he quickly formed a magic seal with one hand and forcibly dispelled the spiritual power on Gu Zhiruo's hand.
When his feet touched the ground, Gu Liang quickly took a deep breath, feeling a sense of security.
"Cough, cough, cough..."
The cold wind rushed into his mouth, and Gu Liang coughed continuously.
Gu Zhiruo sneered coldly and attacked again.
Every move of his was aimed at Gu Liang's vital points.
Although Gu Zhiruo looked weak on the outside, his speed was now terrifyingly fast.
In just a short moment, they had exchanged more than a hundred moves.
Both of them were masters, so the servants had no chance and didn't dare to intervene in their fight.
Finally, the two stopped.
Gu Liang's face had turned pale.
He never thought that the weak and useless Prince Gu Zhiruo would be able to launch an offensive and cause destruction that was no less than his own when using his mental method and spiritual power.
"Gu Zhiruo, you've hidden yourself well. You have vile ambitions. Over the years, the Gu royal family has probably raised a terrifying python."
A python was greedy and insatiable, always trying to swallow an elephant.
"Whether I'm a python or a king, it's too early for Your Highness to say this."