TGCFNM -Chapter 109 Let’s Die Together

“Bang!”

At that moment, a loud crash echoed through the hall, and Chu Ling fell off her chair.

Wan Sanjin immediately rushed to help, only to find Chu Ling gripping her own neck so tightly that she could barely breathe—and she wouldn’t let go.

“Master? Master!” Wan Sanjin was shocked.

Zhen Mingzhu, her face twisted with rage, was fiercely strangling Chu Ling. “Why did you harm him? Why did you hurt him? I’ll kill you, you damned official! I’ll kill you!”

Bai Su immediately sprang into action, grabbing Zhen Mingzhu and yanking her back forcefully, holding her tightly.

Chu Ling began coughing violently, her face flushed bright red as she gasped for air, eyes bloodshot.

“Master? Master?” Wan Sanjin helped her upright, panicked. “What’s wrong with you?”

“I… asthma,” Chu Ling wheezed harshly, gripping the table for support as she forced herself to stand. Then she looked toward Ma Yuansheng and deliberately spoke, “Cough… cough… cough… After you die, how about I bury you together with Zhen Mingzhu?”

“Who’d want to be buried with that ugly woman?!” Ma Yuansheng shouted in terror.

Zhen Mingzhu’s claw-like hands froze midair, and she turned, stunned, to look at Ma Yuansheng.

Chu Ling chuckled hoarsely. “Cough… cough… cough… You’ve agreed.”

“And what if I do? What can you do to me?” Ma Yuansheng struggled free from the constables, a smug grin spreading across his face. “I am the proud disciple of Grand Tutor Sun; I am a Jinshi. Everything you say is just your guesswork. As long as I don’t confess, what can you do? What can you do?”

“He actually seems like he can do something,” Ye Bisi murmured softly.

The surrounding students and townspeople immediately agreed: “Seems like he really can.”

“Isn’t Grand Tutor Sun’s relative, the Sun family, already driven out?”

“They even emptied their house.”

“The night the master came, he said it himself: if you can summon Grand Tutor Sun here, fine. If not… here, he is the highest authority.”

Ma Yuansheng began to feel nervous. “Officials of the court should act according to the law.”

“They are,” Chu Ling said, holding her neck and glancing at Su He rushing over.

Su He handed over a book and looked at Ma Yuansheng.

Ma Yuansheng turned pale, about to charge forward, but Wang Wei and Wang Yan pinned him firmly to the ground. Enraged, he shouted, “How… how did you get that?!”

Chu Ling raised Ma Yuansheng’s diary in her hand. “Of course, I smashed open the secret room’s door and got it. By the way, Jinshi Ma had hidden quite a bit of silver too, and he kept his diary with the silver.”

One method opens all.

Ever since they discovered the secret room in the study, they realized a pattern: everyone hides their secret rooms the same way—either in a tabletop ornament or among the bookshelves. Didn’t find the key? Didn’t find the mechanism? Doesn’t matter—just find the general area, swing a hammer, and it’s yours.

“Fifteenth day of the twelfth month, Lu Jinyao sent me a pair of boots, but what I really needed was a winter coat—how foolish.”

“Seventeenth day of the second month, Lu Jinyao sent three taels of silver. Not enough for buying books, unfortunately. I had to copy the books myself, wasting my study time.”

“Sixth day of the fifth month, Zhen Yao, that idiot—so ridiculous. He actually wants to be a live-in son-in-law.”

“Seventh day of the sixth month, I saw that ugly woman. Her maid said I should be embarrassed. I felt so disgusted I couldn’t eat at all.”

Chu Ling flipped through the diary and continued reading: “That one who mocked me as the first Jinshi live-in son-in-law of a century in Dazhou—I will definitely find a chance to kill him.”

“Zhen Mingzhu, that idiot, actually killed Zhen Yuanshan! Hahaha, what a ruthless move—truly a deranged woman with an ugly face.”

“Zhen Mingzhu even killed her own mother. That madwoman is terrifying. Her health is so poor—how is she still alive?”

“Today I ran into Lu Jinyao. That husband-cursing woman even dares to fancy me—disgusting beyond belief.”

Chu Ling rolled her eyes and shook the diary in her hand. “I’m not going to read any further. But judging by the handwriting, this is indeed Ma Yuansheng’s writing. Everything written here is a direct reflection of his thoughts.”

“I hereby pronounce judgment!”

“Ma Yuansheng lured Zhen Mingzhu into poisoning Master Zhen and Madam Zhen, and used Lu Jinyao to kill Zhen Mingzhu. Multiple crimes are proven, with witnesses and evidence in full. His crimes are unforgivable—he is sentenced to death.”

After speaking, Chu Ling smiled at him. “I’ll make sure you and Zhen Mingzhu are buried together. Beware—the madwoman won’t let you rest even as a ghost.”

“Court dismissed!”

“Your Excellency… what should I do?” Lu Jinyao cried anxiously.

“The poison was Ma Yuansheng’s doing—you’ll have to get the antidote from him.” Chu Ling shrugged; there was nothing she could do about the antidote.

Lu Jinyao stepped forward, tearing at Ma Yuansheng’s clothes. “It’s you! You tricked me into harming Zhen Mingzhu! Give me the antidote! Give me the antidote!”

“You killed someone, so you must pay with your life. What does that have to do with me?” Ma Yuansheng shouted. “Master Chu, Master Chu! I am the student of Grand Tutor Sun—you cannot kill me! Cannot kill me!”

Chu Ling didn’t even look at him and turned back toward the yamen.

Zhen Mingzhu’s legs wavered as she slowly walked to Ma Yuansheng’s side. Looking at his contorted face, she could barely remember what he had looked like when they first met.

“No, I can’t die. I’ve worked so hard for so long—I’ve risked everything. I can’t die… can’t die!” Ma Yuansheng struggled violently, teetering on the edge of madness.

Zhen Mingzhu slowly embraced him, resting her head on his shoulder, and whispered softly: “Let’s… die together.”

“Ah—who’s speaking? That madwoman! The madwoman is going to kill me! Help! Help!”

Chu Ling reached the rear yamen and couldn’t help coughing several times.

Xiao Hua looked closely, concerned. “Is Your Excellency’s illness that severe? Your neck is so red.”

Cui Xi cried, “It’s all my fault! I didn’t expect a ghost could touch you—and naturally, it could harm someone.”

Chu Ling waved her hand, then spoke calmly once she recovered slightly: “It’s alright. This was my mistake—won’t happen again.”

“Zhen Mingzhu didn’t follow up, so she should dissipate soon,” Ghost Scholar said, frowning at Chu Ling. “This time it succeeded because we were unprepared. Next time, it definitely won’t happen.”

“Your Excellency, should I call a doctor?” Wan Sanjin asked anxiously.

Chu Ling shook her head with a smile. “I’m fine. By the way, is the silk thread ready?”

Su He nodded. “It’s ready. Are we going to stitch up that Qinglong’s wound?”

Chu Ling nodded. “His injuries are healing slowly. Even if he’s not bleeding anymore, his body is still weak. It’d take too much rice to keep him going. We should stitch it to help him recover faster so he can leave quickly.”

Su He agreed. “Alright. After lunch, I’ll stitch him up.”

Wan Sanjin imagined it and gasped. “Oof… stitching must be excruciating. Won’t he scream and struggle?”

Su He looked puzzled. “I don’t know. The dead never struggle—they’re cooperative, quiet.”

Everyone—including the ghost—paused: “……”