TGCFNM -Chapter 490 The Poisoned Black-Clad Men

Late at night.

A few dark figures silently crept up the building. One of them, taking the lead, gave a hand signal, and the others scattered. They drew the daggers at their waists and slid them into the door cracks, slowly moving the wooden bolts.

Bai Su watched the tips of the knives inch forward, and the masked black-clad faces drawing ever closer.

Finally, the door opened.

The black-clad man cautiously pushed it and stepped inside. In that instant, Bai Su noticed the powder on the door had been wiped clean. She raised her hand and counted: “One, two, three—fall!”

The black-clad man’s knees buckled. As he stepped forward, he triggered a mechanism, and a small poisoned arrow shot out, striking him squarely in the chest.

He fell backward to the ground and soon lay motionless.

Chu Ling calmly stepped out from inside, leaning against the table. In the faint moonlight, she looked at the figure on the floor and let out a faint snort: “How is it that these people always pick the worst time—just when we happen to be resting?”

Bai Su smiled: “Who would’ve thought? But that poison only lasted a quarter of an hour before it was neutralized. Su He is quite something.”

A while later, Xiao Hua came over. Seeing the fallen black-clad man, she reached out and effortlessly lifted him, then tossed him off the second floor. The tables and chairs below were smashed and scattered, creating a chaotic clatter.

By this point, that chaotic noise had already occurred four times.

Xiao Hua clapped her hands, glanced down with mild disdain, greeted Chu Ling, and then returned to rest.

After Chu Ling reapplied the poison, she closed the door, reset the traps, and went back to rest.

“Can we finally rest in peace?” Ghost Scholar asked Bai Su.

Bai Su nodded. “The second application of the poison is stronger—anyone who touches it won’t survive long. And those previously poisoned, as long as someone cares for them, the toxins on their bodies will inevitably spread to others.”

Ghost Scholar still looked uneasy, so he simply sat on a chair to keep watch.

Bai Su passed through walls and checked the other rooms, then made a round downstairs. Watching the inn’s staff struggle to move the fallen black-clad men without making a sound made her want to laugh.

Soon, a new batch of black-clad men approached the second-floor rooms.

The moment they reached the doors, an intense aura hit them. Just as a warning hiss reached their throats, they all collapsed.

The first batch of poison had been Su He’s precaution for self-protection. The second batch was lethal—only timely treatment could allow anyone to survive.

So when another group tried sneaking in to carry away the black-clad men, Bai Su predicted that by tomorrow, everyone in the inn—top to bottom—would likely fall victim to Su He’s poison.

And just as Bai Su had expected, the next day, when the five of them woke after a night of restful sleep, not even a single servant could be roused.

Zhang Dong went to the backyard to wake the feigning Zhuifeng, pulling plenty of quality fodder and leading him out.

Xiao Hua used safe ingredients from the back kitchen to cook a simple pot of noodles.

Wan Sanjin went behind the counter to retrieve his silver, Chu Ling casually wrote a threatening note, and Su He, as everyone finished eating and preparing to leave, laced their water jars with emetic and laxative powder.

After everything was settled, the five of them got back onto the carriage, preparing to look for the next place to stay.

Su He leaned against the carriage wall and said lightly, “Since this is the second night attack, it’s not just about rifling through our bags—it’s a matter of life and death. I suspect they all know who we are.”

Wan Sanjin glanced at Chu Ling. “They probably saw the portrait. After all, Chu Yue is pretty good at painting.”

Chu Ling, however, smiled. “So what? Could they really contact Chu Yue? Ah, they probably don’t know that Chu Yue also fell into the trap.”

Wan Sanjin laughed uncontrollably. “Serves her right.”

Su He spoke with a hint of regret, “If I had known, the poison could have been stronger… though from what I can see, it’s probably enough for now.”

Just as Su He finished speaking, Zhang Dong led them to a new inn. After carefully observing the innkeeper and the waiter, they went inside and completed the check-in.

After a brief rest, Chu Ling and Wan Sanjin, who had removed his disguise, went out together.

Zhang Dong went to buy some supplies and gather information, while Su He and Xiao Hua stayed behind at the inn.

Wan Sanjin and Chu Ling found a teahouse and, after requesting a window seat on the second floor, opened the map drawn by Wan Xing.

“Follow this street all the way to the end, that’s where the grain merchant Wang is,” Wan Sanjin said in a low voice. “It’s also the place Chu Yue wanted us to investigate.”

Chu Ling scanned the street as they walked. People came and went; nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

“For now, we can be certain that Chu Yue’s target is Young Master Xiao. So the ‘rebels’ must also be connected to him,” Chu Ling said, looking at Wan Sanjin. “But I don’t understand—how would they make contact? Would the ‘rebels’ voluntarily step out and admit they are with Young Master Xiao?”

Wan Sanjin looked at Chu Ling. “Sir, Chu Yue is betrothed to Young Master Xiao.”

Chu Ling nodded. She knew that, but that didn’t mean much afterward—they each married others, and it was no longer relevant, right?

The Ghost Scholar seemed to understand. “In the capital, a betrothal isn’t treated as an ordinary engagement. Especially when it’s the heir of the Prince Qi’s mansion and the legitimate daughter of the Grand General’s household—it’s an important pact.”

Chu Ling suddenly straightened her back. In an instant, many thoughts flashed through her mind, finally settling on the day in the original book when they had stormed the capital together, bolstered by numerous troops, almost divinely aided.

So it was… the Chu family army?

Chu Ling pressed her chin and furrowed her brow. “If the betrothal is a binding pact, then by giving his granddaughter to Young Master Xiao, General Chu—who commands the military forces of the Great Zhou—was essentially pledging to support Xiao’s succession to the throne. Chu Yue would then become Empress!”

But no one could have predicted that the Chu family would collapse overnight.

There was, of course, General Chu’s intention to rebel, but in the end, it was Chu Yue’s single strike that ended the pact.

Wan Sanjin looked at Chu Ling, suddenly realizing. “So the seemingly honest and loyal appearance of the Prince Qi was all fake—he always wanted power. Otherwise, why would he ally with the Chu General’s household through marriage?”

A spark lit up in Chu Ling’s mind. Young Master Xiao didn’t know about the rebels, but the Prince Qi did!

“Yes! How could I keep looking at Young Master Xiao and the Prince Qi separately? They’re father and son. An honest, power-averse father could not have a son who craves the throne!” Chu Ling said, her expression gradually growing serious. “So what Chu Yue truly wanted us to investigate was the Prince Qi’s rebellion.”

Wan Sanjin said in a daze, “So… the ‘rebels’ are the Prince Qi?”

Chu Ling nodded. “Yes. The Prince Qi is the rebels!”