TGCFNM -Chapter 185 The Bet

Chu Ling seized the brief moment of hesitation in Xuanyuan Shou and immediately struck, shooting a silver needle. She then forcefully stepped on his foot, twisted it hard, and only then released it.

Xuanyuan Shou yelped in pain, glaring angrily at Chu Ling. “Do you even know who I am—”

Before he could finish, Chu Ling pulled the needle out from the center of his brow. “I don’t care who you are. I’m a government official, and you’re a civilian. You fail to show me proper respect, I can take you back to the office.”

Xuanyuan Shou instinctively held his forehead, feeling a dull ache from the tiny puncture, though he wasn’t sure if it was just his imagination.

Chu Ling sat down decisively, her expression grim as she looked at the group. “You don’t even handle your own reports and expect me to run around for you? You really have some nerve.”

“Sir, as a magistrate, you should protect the people,” Xuanyuan Shou sneered maliciously.

Chu Ling considered for a moment. “What you say makes sense… but are you from the Fan family? I’m questioning the Fan family. Since when do you get to interrupt?”

“Fan Mingzhu is my friend,” Xuanyuan Shou stated outright.

Chu Ling pursed her lips, eyes shifting deliberately. “So you fancy Fan Mingzhu, planning to propose, making you half a member of the Fan family. Now you’re here observing the questioning—it makes sense.”

“Nonsense! My Xuanyuan family would never marry into some lowly commoner family!” Xuanyuan Shou barked coldly.

Chu Ling crossed her legs. “So you have nothing to do with the Fan family. Then why are you still here?”

Xuanyuan Shou composed himself and said bluntly, “A friend died tragically. I filed a report because I want justice for them. I want to see firsthand how you, sir, investigate cases and find the murderer.”

Chu Ling glanced at him. The man stood confidently as if certain she would make a fool of herself.

She was about to speak when a woman drifted over like a wandering spirit. At a glance, Chu Ling recognized her—it must be the female ghost who had hanged herself: Fan Mingzhu.

Cui Xi brought Wangcai over. After the woman tried to leap at Xuanyuan Shou, Cui Xi forcibly pulled her to Chu Ling’s side.

The ghostly scholar asked her, “How did you die?”

Fan Mingzhu froze. She glanced at the other spirits, then turned pale as she looked at Chu Ling. Seeing Chu Ling deliberately meet her gaze, she immediately rushed toward Xuanyuan Shou. “Quick! Run, Lord Shou! This… this person is Yama himself!”

Only Yama could command the lesser spirits. Her Lord Shou had offended Yama!

Bai Su directly restrained her. Earlier, listening from outside, she had felt a surge of anger in her chest, and now she finally had the chance. “I ask you, why did you harm people?”

“Harm people? What are you talking about?” Fan Mingzhu struggled.

Bai Su dragged her to the doorway to let her hear the villagers’ gossip outside. But Fan Mingzhu not only showed no remorse, she tried to rush forward to curse them.

“Just a bunch of lowly commoners. What are they? They offended me, so I taught them a lesson. And yet you still speak nonsense!”

Bai Su fumed. “By your logic, then what are you? Some noble lady?”

“One day I will soar to the top like a phoenix. Lord Shou was supposed to take me as his concubine!” Fan Mingzhu shouted.

Bai Su raised an eyebrow. “Too bad… you’re dead.”

Fan Mingzhu ground her teeth in frustration. “Is there no way to return to the living? Or… or to find a young woman and kill her for me?”

Bai Su grabbed her arm tightly and grit her teeth. “I think you’ve lost your mind!” She had read too many twisted stories; her mind was maliciously warped.

Fan Mingzhu screamed sharply in pain, but Bai Su remained unmoved.

At that moment, Su He finally arrived.

Chu Ling glanced at him and said directly, “Go to the back and examine the corpse. I’m giving Xiao Hua to you. If anyone disturbs you, have Xiao Hua break their legs.”

Su He nodded in agreement and led Xiao Hua to the backyard.

Xuanyuan Shou cast a cold glance at Chu Ling, then vented his frustration by kicking Fan Yao. “Bring me a chair, now!”

Fan Yao hurriedly complied, fetching a chair and politely wiping it down with some effort.

After Xuanyuan Shou sat down, he looked at Chu Ling and asked, “How does the great lord plan to investigate this case?” He then had Fan Yao pour another cup of tea, speaking in a leisurely, almost challenging tone.

Chu Ling gave him a cold stare. “What exactly are you trying to do?”

Holding his teacup and blowing lightly across the surface, Xuanyuan Shou smirked provocatively. “How about we make a bet?”

Chu Ling shook her head.

“Afraid, great lord?” Xuanyuan Shou teased deliberately.

Chu Ling appraised him from head to toe, wearing an expression of utter disdain. She spoke slowly, “You? How do you even qualify?”

Xuanyuan Shou suddenly stood up, pointing at her. “You!”

Chu Ling smiled faintly, but her eyes were sharp. “If that tea spills and stains my clothes, I’ll have Xiao Hua break one of your legs. Even if the Xuanyuan family seeks revenge and smashes the government office, a broken leg is truly broken… and I guarantee, it won’t heal properly.”

“The audacity of Great Lord Chu! Do you think my Xuanyuan family would only do something as simple as smashing an office?” Xuanyuan Shou ground his teeth, his voice full of rage.

Chu Ling raised an eyebrow. “Oh? So you’d dare kill a court official? According to the laws of the Great Zhou, only the emperor can execute a court official. Tell me, does your Xuanyuan family have an emperor among you?”

Xuanyuan Shou’s face changed. He ground his teeth and muttered, “Great Lord Chu must be mad, speaking such blasphemy.”

Chu Ling’s lips curved. “I’m only saying it. You, however, seem ready to act on it.”

Xuanyuan Shou clenched his molars, flung his sleeve, sending the teacup at Fan Yao, and strode toward the door.

Fan Yao cried out in pain but didn’t dare yell loudly.

At that moment, Su He came out and nodded at Chu Ling.

Chu Ling understood immediately and called toward the door, “Wait! What exactly are we betting on?”

Xuanyuan Shou’s face was dark as iron. “If you lose, you lose an arm. If I lose, I lose a leg. Do you dare?”

“I dare!” Chu Ling said with a laugh, then strode outside and grabbed a curious scholar. “Do you know how to draft a contract?”

The scholar panicked. “Great lord, this… this kind of gambling isn’t allowed!”

“It’s fine, it’s fine. You draft it. Make it clear and detailed, so when the time comes, we’ll both press our handprints on it in front of you,” Chu Ling said with a smile.

Xuanyuan Shou also came over. “You’ll draft it.”

The scholar was torn and afraid to refuse. Shaking, he carefully drafted the contract and handed it to both of them for review.

After both parties checked it and agreed, they took ink and pressed their handprints.

Xuanyuan Shou suddenly smirked coldly. “Our Great Zhou surely doesn’t need a disabled lord… I wonder what you’d do then.”

Chu Ling also smiled. “And I suppose the Xuanyuan family wouldn’t want a cripple either—it would be humiliating.” Saying that, she calmly returned and sat down.

Xuanyuan Shou also returned to his seat.

The witnessing scholar, not daring to leave, stepped forward a few paces and stood cautiously to the side.