TGCFNM -Chapter 310 The Way to Stay Alive

After Uncle Hong went downstairs, he saw the two letters on the table. He casually grabbed them and tucked them into his clothes.

“Master, I’ll go deliver the letters first. As for Prefect Xue’s matter, if you need proof, Tianxia Zhi can provide it,” Uncle Hong said, pausing for a moment before continuing, “But there’s a condition, and the condition must be personally stated by the Eldest Young Master.”

Chu Ling nodded. “Understood. Then have Tianxia Zhi prepare it.”

Uncle Hong nodded and was about to leave.

Chu Ling stopped him and said directly, “Uncle Hong, I’ve swapped the contents of the two letters. Deliver the one intended for the army first, and delay the one meant for Young Master Xiao by a couple of days.”

Uncle Hong didn’t ask any questions and simply nodded. “Understood.”

“Thank you, Uncle Hong.” Chu Ling personally escorted him to the back gate.

At the back gate, Uncle Hong paused, looking at Chu Ling, seeming like he wanted to say something but held back. Finally, he said, “Master, you’ve already done very well.”

Chu Ling shook her head. “No, it’s still not good enough.”

Uncle Hong lightly patted Chu Ling on the head and whispered, “Master, just do your best. Some things are not your fault.” With that, he got into the carriage.

After watching Uncle Hong leave, Chu Ling ran into Uncle Wu on her way back.

Uncle Wu waved at him. When Chu Ling approached, he said, “We can’t wait any longer on the matter of Ping’an Village. If someone wants to use this to frame them, then Fuxiang’s death will remain unjust. So I’ll send them away tomorrow.”

Chu Ling was taken aback. “Tomorrow? They’re still so badly injured?”

Uncle Wu’s face was full of helplessness, but there was nothing he could do. “The hemostatic medicine you provided works well. Besides, they insist on seeing Ping’an Village safe with their own eyes, so we’ve decided to leave tomorrow. Don’t worry, though—Old Hong will prepare extra carriages, lined with thick bedding. They’ll be fine.”

Chu Ling nodded. “Thank you for your efforts, Uncle Wu.”

Uncle Wu shook his head and sighed. “It’s not me who’s working hard—you all are. Tomorrow I’ll send them off, and in the future, if there’s anything else, just go directly to your Uncle Hong.”

Chu Ling nodded to show she understood, then helped Uncle Wu back inside and told Su He and Wan Sanjin that they would be leaving tomorrow.

After hearing this, Wan Sanjin became nervous. “Then, Uncle Wu, remember to get a guide from Uncle Hong. I’m worried you might get lost with a few carriages full of patients.”

Uncle Wu: “…There will be a guide.”

Wan Sanjin breathed a sigh of relief and patted his chest. “Good. Uncle Wu, really, at your age, you still make us worry about you getting lost.”

Uncle Wu: Not a shred of reluctance left.

Fuxiang tugged on Chu Ling’s sleeve, looking at her seriously. “Master, I want to follow my bones and go. I want to see Ping’an Village, I want to go to Tianjian City.”

Chu Ling nodded silently. “Rest assured. I will investigate your case. I will restore your innocence. I will bring the murderer to justice!”

Fuxiang bowed deeply, tears hanging at the corners of her eyes. “Master, when my father and I used to travel and perform, the one thing I always remembered was not to meddle in other people’s affairs. Because we were of lowly status, we could easily get ourselves into danger. But since meeting you, Master, you never looked down on us for our lowly status, and always helped and protected us as best you could. So when those soldiers rushed in, my first instinct was to hide the other little girls… Master, did I do well?”

Chu Ling felt a lump in her throat, forcing back her tears, and nodded firmly.

Fuxiang smiled. “Master, I hope that in my next life, I will still remember to be brave, and to protect the weak with all my strength.”

Bai Su couldn’t help but hold Fuxiang in her arms, grief overwhelming her. “But you can’t just save people blindly—you have to protect yourself first.”

Fuxiang nodded seriously. “I will.”

Bai Su gently released Fuxiang. “Go, and may your next life be peaceful and smooth.”

Cui Xi held Fuxiang’s hand. “Miss Bodhisattva, you must believe—believe that my master will seek justice for you.”

Fuxiang nodded earnestly and then looked at Chu Ling.

Turning her back to Wan Sanjin and the others, Chu Ling said softly, “I’ll go to the spirit hall for a moment.” With that, she stepped outside.

Fuxiang’s spirit hall was set up in the courtyard: a coffin and an altar table, on which sat a bowl of rice.

The fire in the brazier before the altar had already died out. Chu Ling crouched slightly, blew on the fire remnants, lit the joss paper, and threw it into the brazier.

After bowing to them once more, Fuxiang smiled faintly. Her form slowly leaned toward the coffin and gradually vanished from sight.

“Miss… Miss Bodhisattva has left,” Cui Xi said sorrowfully.

Chu Ling murmured an acknowledgment and continued burning the joss paper.

The light from the brazier flickered across Chu Ling’s clean face, and in the shifting glow, her eyes gradually hardened with resolve.

“Master, I’m going to the capital.”

It seemed the Ghost Scholar had already guessed. Hearing this, he was not surprised, but calmly said, “Very well, I will accompany you.”

“Aunt Su will also be there.”

“Miss, Cui Xi will be there, and Wangcai too.”

“Woof, woof woof!”

Chu Ling threw all the joss paper into the brazier. The flames leapt high, illuminating her determined gaze.

Rising slowly, Chu Ling looked at them and said, “I’ve realized it. The root of everything lies in the capital, so fleeing is useless.”

The Ghost Scholar sighed. “So you’ve actively involved yourself after all.”

“Yes,” Chu Ling replied calmly. “I’ve stepped in on my own. Even when I reach the capital this time, my head might well end up at the end of my belt—but I still have to go. I need to see those noble families with my own eyes. I need to see that rotten court for myself. I need to witness the change of the dynasty firsthand.”

The Ghost Scholar laughed heartily toward the sky. “A drop of water entering the sea seems insignificant, as if no one notices, and no one cares what change it brings. But I’ll make them see for themselves how I let a single drop enter the whirlpool, then drag everything into it.”

This decayed land needs someone lawless and audacious to uproot it entirely and display it before the world.

Chu Ling’s face was full of confidence. “When it comes to muddying the waters, I excel at it.”

The Ghost Scholar smiled. “Indeed, you do—but muddying the waters must be done skillfully. But since you haven’t gone to the capital yet, we won’t discuss it further. The first step now is to start with Prefect Xue and deliver a sharp blow to Young Master Xiao.”

“Young Master Xiao will probably hold a grudge against me,” Chu Ling sighed, folding her arms, though her expression betrayed no real concern.

The Ghost Scholar shook his head. “No. I’ll teach you. Regarding Prefect Xue, you can judge him directly. Once it’s done, report to Prince Rui. Then go to Yuanzhou to investigate Lian Ci. Once you find Lian Ci, accuse him of secretly raising taxes, judge him directly, and then send a message to Young Master Xiao.”

Chu Ling thought it through carefully. “Lian Ci is troublesome, but I’m removing him, so the Lian family will no longer have anyone for others to use as leverage. And cooperating with the Lian family will be safer… Truly impressive, Master.”

Killing a member of the Lian family would, in fact, make Young Master Xiao even more grateful to her.

The Ghost Scholar raised his folding fan, gesturing for Chu Ling to look at him. “Blindly currying loyalty is for dogs; they can be discarded anytime. But someone capable of action, someone who brings greater benefits, will be valued and courted.”

“This… is your way to preserve one’s life!”