Chapter 384: 384. First teach him how to make a fire

Translator: 549690339

Early in the morning, Su Liang recalled last night’s events and wanted to ask Lao Mu what had happened after Gu Ling left.

Lao Mu took the initiative to come over, without even looking at Su Liang and Gu Ling, went straight to the crib with a big smile on his face, and his voice was upbeat, “Nuannuan, master is here!”

Su Liang watched Lao Mu pick up Nuannuan, raise her high, and spin around, having a great time.

It wasn’t until Nuannuan wailed and was taken away by Gu Ling to change her diaper that Lao Mu remembered he was here to discuss serious matters with Su Liang.

“I brought back Shaoyao’s corpse,” Lao Mu said. “I didn’t think too much last night, but when I woke up this morning, I realized that Nian Ruting could have just stabbed her twice, but the additional two stabs seemed like it was meant to silence her.”

After the successful sneak attack, Nian Ruting had completely controlled the situation, and Shaoyao was injured and unable to counterattack or escape.

Nian Ruting plunging the knife through Shaoyao’s neck was the fatal blow. If she was innocent, why was she so eager to kill Shaoyao?

Hearing this, Su Liang felt that she and Gu Ling were right in their suspicions. Nian Ruting tried to use the rescue of Grandma Xing by killing Shaoyao to clear her own name. After all the previous events, Nian Ruting finally realized where Su Liang and Gu Ling’s real “weakness” lay.

Whether or not she was really being controlled by Shaoyao, at least this time, from the outcome, it was clear that Nian Ruting had calculated against Shaoyao.

After hearing Lao Mu’s detailed account of Nian Ruting’s behavior and her words, Su Liang shook her head, “A poor performance.”

“Will you go to Heavenly Prison to interrogate her again? Maybe she knows some useful information,” Lao Mu was still cautious.

Su Liang nodded, “I have been meaning to.”

Nian Ruting had been calculating last night, and now that her face has been exposed, she can finally be forced to tell the truth. Since she followed Shaoyao and cast her lot with Situ Xie, she might be aware of some of Situ Xie’s secret plans.

Su Liang didn’t expect Situ Xie to send people to steal the secret scroll at this time. What they had originally guarded against was that Situ Xie would send assassins. They were the biggest obstacles for Situ Xie’s upcoming great plans.

It was already February, and next month, it was the time for Situ Xie and Ji Yuebai’s “agreed” alliance to attack Qian Country.

Su Liang asked Gu Ling, “Do you want to go, or should I?”

Gu Ling, avoiding Lao Mu’s reaching hand and turning a circle, handed Nuannuan to Lao Mu.

Lao Mu was delighted, and Nuannuan laughed.

Su Liang:… How adorable this childish Great God is! Gu Xiaonuan really loved spinning around, laughing nonstop as she twirled.

Today was a sunny day. Hearing Zhengzheng calling for Nuannuan from outside, Lao Mu went downstairs with Nuannuan.

Gu Ling sat down and answered Su Liang’s question, “You go.” He was extremely disgusted by people like Nian Ruting who went mad for so-called love, and didn’t want to see her again.

“Okay,” Su Liang nodded, “It’s hard to say who among us would make her more upset.”

When Su Liang was ready and leaving the mansion with Qi Yan, Gu Ling was already fishing by the lake. Nuannuan was in the pavilion on the opposite shore, where he could see her at any time.

Before the morning court session in the palace, Duanmu Chen received a report that the Heavenly Prison death-row prisoner, Nian Ruting, who had been abducted earlier, was captured by Marquis Chang Xin’s master last night and returned to the Heavenly Prison.

Duanmu Chen saw Gu Ling yesterday, not surprisingly, but was curious about what had happened in between.

Su Liang took out the token given by Duanmu Chen and smoothly entered the Heavenly Prison.

It was in the death-row cell at the deepest part of the Heavenly Prison that Su Liang finally saw Nian Ruting.

Nian Ruting had woken up just after midnight after being locked up in Heavenly Prison, then madly screamed and yelled until daybreak before stopping, because her originally damaged throat could hardly make any sound.

The officer who brought Su Liang to the prison cell left after opening the door.

Nian Ruting was tied to a Zhuzi with iron chains. She hadn’t been tortured, but her hair was disheveled, and her injured eyes were bleeding again, drawing several red lines on her face. One red line twisted across her nose bridge, making it seem as if her entire face had cracks.

Su Liang stopped one meter away and Qi Yan spoke, “Nian Ruting, my wife has come to see you!”

My wife is definitely something Qi Yan said deliberately after understanding the relationship between Nian Ruting and Gu Ling.

Nian Ruting was conscious, and after hearing Qi Yan’s words, she slowly raised her head after a moment. Her remaining eye was covered by her hair, so she twisted her neck and shook her head to see a figure that was both familiar and unfamiliar to her.

Unfamiliar, because Nian Ruting and Su Liang had few past interactions. They met during the Military Exam, and the only time they met in person was when Nian Ruting’s identity was exposed and she was locked up in prison, while Su Liang simultaneously earned the greatest glory in the Military Exam with her real ability.

Familiar, because during the days and nights after Gu Ling reclaimed her identity and had interactions with Su Liang, Nian Ruting always mentioned this name with jealousy and unwillingness. As her life kept falling into despair, Su Liang’s life took the opposite trajectory – she kept climbing higher and living better.

“You… came… to… laugh at me…” Nian Ruting’s voice was hoarse, almost unrecognizable.

But standing close, Su Liang knew what she was saying, and then replied, “Yes. It’s quite funny.”

Qi Yan turned his head away to keep from laughing.

Nian Ruting didn’t laugh, but shook with anger, “You… bitch… it’s you… you stole everything from me!”

Su Liang replied indifferently, “Are you referring to… things like luck? If you insist on discussing such a mysterious matter, I could only say your luck was stolen by Nian Ruxue. Even if I hadn’t received the Martial Arts Champion title, it wouldn’t have been yours, but possibly Nian Ruxue’s. Including the position of being engaged to my husband, that was hers too. If you think these should originally belong to you, I won’t deny it, but the former was something you willingly gave up. Have you ever thought that it was your own foolishness that destroyed your life? Of course, I’m not saying you’re kind either, as you seemingly lack that as well.”

Qi Yan silently gave Su Liang a thumbs-up: So reasonable! So satisfying! This is how you should deal with such people! It’s not even scolding, it’s just the iron truth!

Nian Ruting spat out a mouthful of blood in a rage.

Su Liang stepped back to dodge it, “I have a few questions for you.”

Nian Ruting suddenly laughed, her blind eye, the “red lines” on her face, and her disheveled hair combined to form a gloomy and ghost-like face, “Let Gu Ling come to see me… if he comes, I’ll speak…”

Su Liang shook her head, “Impossible. My first question: you said that on the Lantern Festival night, Shaoyao sent two people to capture Zhengzheng? Why did Shaoyao later choose to capture Lady Xing?”

Nian Ruting’s eyes bulged, staring at Su Liang intently, but she didn’t say anything.

“The two assassins who died in the Lantern Festival night weren’t strong enough to be associated with Situ Xie. Knowing Shaoyao, she wouldn’t team up with such people, nor could she find a reason for their loyalty. If she really wanted to catch Zhengzheng during the well-covered Lantern Festival, Shaoyao should have done it herself, or even asked you to help instead of those two useless people. So I guess, those two were your people, right?”

As Su Liang finished speaking, she heard Nian Ruting grinding her teeth.

“You, of course, won’t admit it. But that doesn’t matter anymore.” Su Liang’s face remained calm, “Choosing to kidnap Old Lady Xing later was your idea, wasn’t it? Did you plan to kill Shaoyao afterwards to clear your name? Old Lady Xing was a good choice, relatively easy to get hold of.”

“Only two questions. Second question, Situ Xie must have arranged for a master to assassinate Gu Ling. Who was it? When?” Su Liang continued to ask.

Nian Ruting laughed again, “If you want to know… kneel down and beg me, and I’ll tell you.”

Qi Yan frowned, “Master, do you want me to pull out all her fingernails?”

“Don’t dirty your hands.” Su Liang shook her head and turned around, “Let’s go. She doesn’t know anything. Don’t waste time anymore. Gu Ling is still at home waiting for me to come back.”

Su Liang once again heard Nian Ruting’s teeth grinding. She walked towards the cell door, counting silently: one, two…

When Su Liang counted to three, she heard the sound of chains shaking, and Nian Ruting gritted her teeth, “I know!”

Qi Yan looked at Su Liang, but saw that Su Liang didn’t stop and had already walked out of the cell.

“Come back! I’ll tell you!” Nian Ruting’s hoarse voice echoed through the Heavenly Prison.

Only then did Su Liang turn around and walk back, her cold eyes staring at Nian Ruting, “My patience for you is very limited. It’s impossible for you to see Gu Ling. You can talk now.”

“The condition is, let me go.” Nian Ruting no longer mentioned seeing Gu Ling. She recalled that last night, Su Liang didn’t go to the riverside, and it was Gu Ling who had let Old Mu send her to the Heavenly Prison. The most urgent task now was survival.

Su Liang’s face remained expressionless, “That depends on how valuable the information you provide is.”

“Situ Xie said someone wants Gu Ling alive,” This was a sentence Nian Ruting had always remembered Shaoyao saying. This must be important.

Su Liang’s eyes narrowed slightly, immediately thinking of the mysterious “fellow townsman” who had come to the capital city to secretly investigate them. Could it be that the mysterious “townsman” was in collusion with Situ Xie? Following that, she recalled the recent discussions about how Yin Country’s grain supplies would reach Liang Country while avoiding Qian Country’s surveillance. Was there such a mythical thing as Storage Space?

If, suppose there really were other transmigrators, and there really was a Storage Space, and that person was helping Situ Xie, some things would make sense.

However, this speculation was an absolute bad news for Su Liang.

Seeing Su Liang’s silence, Nian Ruting continued, “If you want to know more, let me go!”

“If I let you out now, how far can you go?” Su Liang asked coldly.

Nian Ruting gritted her teeth, “You…You swear a poisonous oath that you won’t deceive me! Swear on your daughter’s life!”

Upon hearing the last sentence, Qi Yan’s face turned cold, and he drew his sword. How dare she try to curse his little lady! She was seeking death!

Su Liang remained silent, not getting angry, not cursing or beating Nian Ruting. She simply turned around and walked out, not stopping or looking back, no matter how Nian Ruting raged.

The prison officer locked the cell door again, and Nian Ruting’s voice was completely ruined. She was screaming, but no sound could be heard.

As soon as they left the Heavenly Prison, the bright sunlight was a bit dazzling for a moment. Su Liang raised her hand to cover her forehead and walked towards the carriage.

After Su Liang got on the carriage, Qi Yan drove off back to the mansion, unable to help but ask, “Master, aren’t you going to interrogate her about that matter anymore?”

Su Liang let out a slight sigh, “She’s just a small minion under Shaoyao. Shaoyao still needs to find the secret scroll to prove her loyalty, but Nian Ruting is nothing to Situ Xie. What she said may not be true, but if it is, it’s probably what Shaoyao told her.”

If it really was as Su Liang guessed, the identity of that mysterious transmigrator must be extremely secret. How could Situ Xie possibly let servants like Shaoyao and Nian Ruting know about it casually? Su Liang even doubted whether Situ Xie really knew that person’s identity and strength.

Halfway through, Su Liang asked Qi Yan to change direction. She wanted to go to the palace and talk to Duanmu Chen about the situation.

The matter about the transmigrator could never be casually disclosed to a third person. Su Liang only said that there seemed to be a mysterious power in collaboration with Situ Xie.

On hearing this, Duanmu Chen pondered, “There has always been a rumor that there is a mysterious power on the sea, very powerful.”

It was a legend about the Immortal Island on the sea. Many people had heard of it, but few believed it.

Duanmu Chen was skeptical, “A few years ago, Father Emperor sent ships to investigate. Of the three ships that went out, two returned without success and one disappeared, never returning. But it could have been due to bad weather.”

Su Liang shook her head, “I don’t think Nian Ruting would know about everything else. His Majesty can continue interrogating her; we won’t see her again.”

When Nian Ruting wanted Su Liang to swear a poisonous oath with her daughter’s life, she was already a dead person in Su Liang’s eyes. The difference only lies in whether she dies earlier or is subjected to torture by Duanmu Chen during interrogation before dying. The latter isn’t bad either. Although Su Liang tends to think that interrogation would be of no use.

“Let’s interrogate her again,” Duanmu Chen said.

Su Liang also had a purpose in entering the palace, suggesting that they send more troops to Xuanbei City.

Duanmu Chen frowned, “Are you sure nothing will happen in the south? You trust Ji Yuebai so much?”

“Nothing will happen for the time being. Ji Yuebai’s son is going to be Gu Ling’s disciple. We received a letter recently saying he would send his son to our house, and he should be arriving soon,” Su Liang said.

Duanmu Chen was surprised, “Is this… sending his son as a hostage to show sincerity in cooperating?”

Su Liang smiled, “I don’t know Ji Yuebai, but according to what Gu Ling said, his character should be rather quirky. I think he just simply feels that his son is mischievous and wants to send him to us for discipline, maybe to make his son a peerless master? But considering the outcome, His Majesty’s opinion is not wrong.”

Duanmu Chen also couldn’t help laughing, “If that’s the case, then I have nothing to worry about. I’ll listen to you and issue a secret order as soon as possible to send more troops to the north.”

When Su Liang returned home, Gu Ling had already caught two fat fish and was cooking fish soup with an apron tied around his waist.

After greeting each other, Su Liang went to feed Gu Xiaonuan first, then went to the kitchen to be Gu Ling’s assistant.

After telling about her encounter with Nian Ruting, Gu Ling shared the same view as Su Liang: Nian Ruting couldn’t know more, especially about the protagonist of the matter “someone wants Gu Ling alive.” However, their overt and covert enemies may have joined forces.

“If there really is Storage Space, we can take it for ourselves.” Gu Ling said.

Su Liang laughed, “It may not necessarily be an object. By the way, is Ji Xiaobai arriving soon? Are you going to teach him martial arts?”

Gu Ling shook his head, “There’s no hurry, let’s teach him how to light a fire first. In our house, if you don’t work, you don’t eat.”

Su Liang: …She already felt sorry for Ji Xiaobai, but she would definitely support her Great God at home…