Chapter 441: Virtuous Talent
Gu Nianting sat upright, waiting for Tao Kangping to arrive.
Lin Mu covered his chest and continued to pretend to be injured. He fell weakly to the side of the seat, exhausted.
Not long after, Wu Yan and others returned home, followed by Tao Kangping and Geng Zhipeng.
"Your Majesty, both Lords Tao and Geng have arrived."
The busy hours were over, and Wu Yan wanted to go back home to rest, but seeing the prince's angry face, he did not dare to ask more questions. He stood respectfully to one side, waiting for the matter to be over.
Tao Kangping and Geng Zhipeng saluted together.
"Your Highness, the Prince of Chen, is here to stay."
Gu Nianting did not signal to stand up, but attacked Wu Yan first.
"I asked you to capture him, but you invited him?"
Wu Yan showed a helpless expression.
"Your Majesty, you are wise. One of them is the Prime Minister and the other is the Vice Chancellor. I am humble and I dare not do that."
Gu Nianting glanced at him sideways with a hint of disgust.
"Kneel down."
Wu Yan was unwilling to kneel again as his knee injury had not yet healed, so he politely declined.
"How can Your Majesty punish me to kneel when it is not a busy time?"
The fake anger in Gu Nianting's eyes now had a little more authenticity.
"Are you reminding me that I am willing to allow you to return home and not delay official duties?"
Wu Yan shook his head in fear.
"My subordinates dare not."
It was just a casual quibble, but unexpectedly he made her angry and Gu Nianting took it seriously.
"Then you are reminding me that you are a son of an aristocratic family and I cannot punish you?"
Wu Yan's momentum completely weakened.
"The prince cannot punish a commoner man."
Hearing his rude words, Gu Nianting became even angrier.
"what?"
Wu Yan was unable to save face and could only explain himself.
"If nobles or officials make mistakes, they should be dealt with by Yin Sitai; if common people make mistakes, they should be dealt with by Tinghetai."
Gu Nianting gnashed his teeth with a murderous expression.
"Isn't this a mockery of me, the king, for being inferior to others?"
Wu Yan was so frightened that he took a few steps back, not daring to look directly at him.
"Your Majesty, calm down. I am only speaking the law. How can I be sarcastic?"
Gu Nianting was furious, his hair was pointed and his eyes were bloodshot.
"This is a mockery of the king."
"Tomorrow morning, when the busy hours arrive, you will be punished to kneel."
Wu Yan asked the question cautiously.
"Tomorrow, I will take a day off. Can I be exempted from punishment?"
Gu Nianting was furious and roared.
"No. The next morning, you will be punished by kneeling for the whole day!"
Wu Yan was helpless and looked miserable.
"Yes, I obey."
Gu Nianting withdrew his gaze, turned to Geng Zhipeng, and slowly returned to the topic.
"Master Geng."
Geng Zhipeng knelt upright and responded respectfully.
"Your Majesty, please give me your instructions."
Gu Nianting calmed down his anger a little and responded seriously.
"Lord Lin was seriously injured and came back to tell me that you, along with a group of Fengzhengtai guards, wanted to get rid of him."
"Excuse me, Master Geng, is there a mastermind behind this?"
Geng Zhipeng answered calmly, neither humble nor arrogant.
"This matter was done by the next person."
Gu Nianting glanced at Tao Kangping with a hint of meaning.
"As long as you reveal the mastermind, I can spare you."
Feeling the prince's intimidating gaze, Tao Kangping couldn't help but panic and was speechless.
Following the prince's gaze, Geng Zhipeng also glanced at Tao Kangping, and then responded resolutely.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, there is indeed no mastermind."
Gu Nianting was unwilling to believe it and pointed it out directly.
"Wasn't it Lord Tao who ordered it?"
Geng Zhipeng denied it flatly in a firm tone.
"Lord Tao is not aware of this, and this matter has nothing to do with him."
Gu Nianting turned to ask.
"That was Lord Qi's order?"
Geng Zhipeng still denied it.
"Lord Qi also knows nothing."
Gu Nianting raised the question with a disdainful tone.
"Without their orders, how dare you, a newly promoted Prime Minister, go against the favorites around me?"
"Then tell me, what is your motive?"
Geng Zhipeng's face was calm.
"I have a personal grudge against Lord Lin."
Gu Nianting asked questions from a deep perspective.
"What personal grudge?"
Geng Zhipeng replied briefly and to the point.
"It's hard to talk about something you love so much."
Gu Nianting understood what he meant and continued to ask questions.
"You mean, you also admire the secret servant Gao Lord?"
Geng Zhipeng was vague and did not give a direct answer.
"Your Majesty is wise."
Gu Nianting pondered for a moment and found the suspicious point.
"As far as I know, you don't know each other at all."
Geng Zhipeng quickly gave an explanation.
"It was love at first sight. Even though she didn't know me, I couldn't help myself and couldn't let go."
Gu Nianting took a sip of tea and pretended to be nonchalant.
"In order to protect Master Tao, Master Geng did not hesitate to lie. This is not sincerity, but blind loyalty."
Geng Zhipeng did not fall into the trap and remained steadfast.
"Your Majesty, there is no need to provoke me with words. I do not know how to make things up, and I will never give in."
Tao Kangping was moved even more.
This child is persistent and persevering.
Virtuous people are rare.
He was just thinking about it when he heard Gu Nianting say something.
"I will handle this impartially and will definitely hand you over to Yin Sitai. Do you know the consequences?"
Geng Zhipeng was not afraid at all.
"I know."
Tao Kangping couldn't believe it and was shocked.
Your Majesty, are you serious about this for Lin Mu?
Gu Nianting called his men without hesitation.
"Someone is coming."
The two killers stepped forward as instructed.
"The slave is here."
Tao Kangping didn't have time to think and spoke quickly.
"Your Majesty, please think twice!"
Geng Zhipeng stopped him from speaking, shook his head gently at him, and signaled him not to be impulsive.
"Master Tao."
Tao Kangping felt uneasy.
For many years, he has always been the one protecting the younger generation. Today, he experienced for the first time the feeling of being protected by a younger generation.
"Master Geng, why do you have to..."
Geng Zhipeng was tenacious and unwavering.
"I am guilty and should be punished. Lord Tao is honest and upright and should not be tolerated."
Tao Kangping felt extremely guilty and was in a hurry.
"But you..."
Geng Zhipeng smiled, full of righteousness.
"Although I was promoted not long ago, I have received careful instruction from the two adults. I wish for the best in my life and will be able to smile even in my grave."
Tao Kangping was so anxious that he was about to cry.
"Master Geng, you..."
Seeing that the atmosphere was just right, Gu Nianting gave an order.
"Drag him out and hand him over to Yin Sitai!"
Tao Kangping did everything he could to stop it.
"Wait! Wait! Your Majesty, I have something to say."
Gu Nianting didn't give any explanation and instead sneered.
"Shut up, I know what you want to say."
"You push and shove, trying to show that the upper and lower classes are in harmony, but in fact you are just pretending, right? Humph, I disdain your hypocrisy, and leave it to Lord Qi to enjoy slowly."
Tao Kangping was old and exhausted, and was unable to stop the young and strong killer.
He had no other choice but to kowtow repeatedly and beg the prince.
"That is not my intention. I beg Your Highness to show some leniency and let Lord Geng go."
Seeing him show weakness, Gu Nianting's mood improved and he smiled leisurely.
"Let him go, who will I punish?"
Tao Kangping was extremely confused and didn't know what to do.
"This……"
Gu Nianting found it interesting and started to tease him casually.
"Just pretend nothing happened?"
Tao Kangping believed it to be true and immediately expressed his gratitude.
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your generosity."
Gu Nianting raised one corner of his mouth, not hesitating to show his contempt.
"Oh, you thanked me so quickly. You didn't hesitate when you sent people to get rid of Lord Lin, right?"
His face was gloomy, and every word he spoke was colder than frost and snow.
"Lord Lin almost lost his life, why should I let him go? This time, take it as a warning. If you dare to have any thoughts again, the next people I will deal with will be you and Qi Lei."
"Did you hear that?"