TGCFNM -Chapter 539 Is There a Problem?

For some reason, when Gui Wushuang coldly declared “kill them all,” Chu Ling suddenly felt that the person in front of her wasn’t Gui Wushuang, but the already-dead Bai Zhuoxing.

Yet their appearance was still unmistakably that of Gui Wushuang.

“Xiao Ling, watch out!” Bai Su grabbed Chu Ling and pulled her aside, avoiding a long spear.

Chu Ling seized the spear’s handle, lifted her leg, and kicked with all her strength. She wrested the spear away, spun around, blocked the attackers, and created a moment to catch her breath.

“Sir, something’s off with them!” Wan Sanjin called out. “They’re exactly like the people we encountered that night.”

Chu Ling’s gaze darkened. So her previous guess was wrong? The General Gu wasn’t made from Bai Zhuoxing’s leftover insects—it was created by Gui Wushuang?

“We’ve been set up. Act first, think later,” Chu Ling said, immediately retreating and standing back-to-back with Wan Sanjin and Yuan Luo.

As long as anyone attacked, they would meet them head-on—but never separate.

Gui Wushuang’s side did have more people, but crowding together left them with no room. In a battle of rotations, Chu Ling’s group could take turns defending and get moments to recover. For a while, the two sides were deadlocked, and Gui Wushuang’s forces couldn’t gain the upper hand.

Wan Sanjin whispered, “Hold on a bit longer.” Then he suddenly crouched, reaching into his high boots.

Chu Ling was shocked. “You brought multiple packs of medicine into the palace?”

She had thought Wan Sanjin only had the initial pack. After all, this was the palace—if they got caught, it would be over.

“I brought them just in case,” Wan Sanjin said, laboriously pulling out the medicine. “And now, it seems that ‘just in case’ has come true.”

He indicated the direction for the others to guide, clutching the packets tightly.

As they prepared to strike, Wan Sanjin stole a glance at Gui Wushuang. His expression was strange, yet he gave no warning. Chu Ling found it odd, but then heard her own prompting voice.

“Master Wan, the wind—it’s a good chance!” Chu Ling whispered.

Wan Sanjin immediately tore open the five packets of powder. At the same time, all three of them stepped back, letting the wind carry the powder onto their enemies.

Yuan Luo suddenly asked, “If the medicine you use every time is the same, won’t people suspect?”

“Not at all. This one’s different,” Wan Sanjin said confidently. He crumpled the paper packet into a ball and shoved it back into his boot. “This one seems to be heat poison—it makes the head dizzy and people pass out.”

As soon as Wan Sanjin finished speaking, those in front suddenly collapsed—but quickly, more surged forward like vengeful spirits, their eyes blood-red as they charged.

Chu Ling’s face changed drastically. “Master Wan, do we have more medicine?”

“None left. Fight hard,” Wan Sanjin growled, charging forward.

Chu Ling and Yuan Luo immediately moved to assist.

At this moment, Gui Wushuang seemed to snap to attention again, shouting, “Strike now—leave no one alive!”

Hearing this, Yuan Luo instinctively looked toward Gui Wushuang—and a large blade, glinting with cold light, swung down at him.

Chu Ling thrust her spear to deflect the blade, urgently shouting, “Yuan Luo!”

Yuan Luo took a deep breath, punched the assailant, seized the large blade, and tossed it to Wan Sanjin.

With Wan Sanjin wielding the large blade, he coordinated with Chu Ling, carving a path forward.

Yuan Luo stayed behind to cover their retreat, snatching up a pair of blades and cutting through the crowd.

At that moment, a figure flashed right before Chu Ling’s eyes—the mysterious person who had claimed to buy them half an hour.

But the mysterious figure didn’t help them. No sooner had he left than a large contingent of Imperial Guards rushed in, charging toward Chu Ling and the others.

Chu Ling inhaled sharply. “Even if we’re doomed, we can make this mess even bigger… Follow me—rush into the guards, drop your weapons, and shout for the Emperor’s help! Tell them there are Gu insects!”

Wan Sanjin immediately responded, “Understood.”

Yuan Luo nodded as well, charging out alongside Chu Ling and Wan Sanjin.

The soldiers rushing over were unfamiliar faces to Chu Ling, and from their expressions, it was clear they were coming for them. Behind them strode Fu Qingyu.

Chu Ling took a deep breath, rallying his group as they broke through the encirclement. He even turned his horse mid-charge to knock over several more soldiers.

“What audacity—to make a move inside the palace…”

“Guards!” Chu Ling shouted, pointing his spear, “Please convey to His Majesty that your humble servant, true to His trust, has captured those who breed Gu insects within the palace. This person dared deceive the Emperor and commit such vile acts inside! I have taken control of them!”

The soldiers arriving with the reinforcements froze.

Even Yuan Luo was startled—he hadn’t expected it could be handled this way.

At that moment, Wan Sanjin grabbed him, running toward the Imperial Guards while tossing his weapon aside, crying for help, “Sir! Help! They’re using insects to bite people!”

A chill ran down Chu Ling’s spine as she, too, rushed toward the guards seeking refuge.

At the same time, Gu Wushuang let out another whistle. The heavily armed soldiers retreated, leaving only chaos and unconscious troops scattered across the ground.

Fu Qingyu slowly approached, smiling faintly at Chu Ling. “Lord Chu, taking action inside the palace is a serious crime.”

“His Majesty asked me to fully investigate the Gu insects, so I naturally gave it my all,” Chu Ling said solemnly, eyes clouded with memory. “I still remember how furious the Emperor was—because the Empress died from Gu insects, His Majesty ordered me to eliminate anyone breeding them.”

“That wasn’t someone breeding Gu insects; it was for planting rouge sand on new concubines,” said the man.

Fu Qingyu introduced, “This is Commander Ban.”

Chu Ling, however, asked a different question: “Rouge sand… what is that?”

“Something to make them look pretty,” Gu Wushuang said, striding forward, his eyes dark. He gestured for someone to bring forward a person for Chu Ling to see with his own eyes.

Chu Ling then saw an extraordinarily beautiful woman. She held her pale, moon-like arms as she slowly approached.

“Show her,” Gu Wushuang said.

The woman stepped aside as instructed, revealing a slightly raised red camellia on her arm.

“What’s the purpose of planting this?” Chu Ling asked, confused.

“Pleasure… and interest,” Gu Wushuang said coldly. Then, glaring at Chu Ling, he asked, “You suddenly jumped in and struck first, poisoning so many soldiers—are you going to deny it? Commander Ban, this man can be taken away and executed immediately.”

Yuan Luo looked at Gu Wushuang as if meeting him for the first time, stepping forward to ask a question.

Wan Sanjin quickly intercepted him, lifting his chin to signal that he should wait for the lord’s response.

Chu Ling spread her hands innocently. “But I know your father! Isn’t it common knowledge in the Jianghu that your father bred Gu insects? Now that you’ve slipped into the palace, I couldn’t know your intentions, so naturally I was suspicious… I risked my life and shed blood for His Majesty. If there’s a problem, I have to act. Is that a problem? No, it’s not!”