The Attack of the Wastrel

Chapter 299 – Public Opinion

Translator: Coca5156

Editor: Drea

“I shouldn’t have let you take the graduation assessment.” Looking at Gu Lingzhi’s scars on her face, Rong Yuan’s heart ached with pain.

Gu Lingzhi smiled when she heard his words, “If I don’t take the graduation assessment, others will laugh at you for marrying someone useless.”

“Who would dare to make such a joke?!” Rong Yuan glared, “I have not seen anyone more talented than you.”

“Well...” Gu Lingzhi made fun of Rong Yuan’s serious attitude. “No one’s as shameless as you”

“I’m not being shameless, it’s a fact.” This meant that in Gu Lingzhi’s heart, both of them completed each other. However, thinking of the horrible injuries on Gu Lingzhi’s body, that bit of happiness soon turned into deep hurt.

“Where are you hurting? Quick, let me take a look.” After speaking, he reached for Gu Lingzhi’s clothes. His hand was then held down by Gu Lingzhi.

“It just looks bad, but it’s not a problem anymore.” Afraid that Rong Yuan would not believe her, Gu Lingzhi explained, “My internal injuries are almost completely healed, I am really okay.” Besides, there was also a large group of people still outside. If he really did take her clothes off, she would not be able to face anyone anymore.

However, Rong Yuan was obviously not convinced by Gu Lingzhi’s remarks. He thought that her injuries were too serious, and she said those words so that it would not bother him. His eyes were filled with hurt and he said, “Be a good girl, let me see your injuries. Which part of your body have I not seen?”

Gu Lingzhi was speechless.

Under Rong Yuan’s persistence, Gu Lingzhi half undressed her top to let Rong Yuan see. As what she has said, her injuries did seem scary, but her internal injuries have almost healed completely. The healing medicine that was brought from the Spirit Tribe’s Sacred Lands could heal someone on the brink of death. Gu Lingzhi took two pills.

Confirming that Gu Lingzhi was okay, Rong Yuan could finally let go of the heavy weight in his heart. Only then could he ask her what had happened.

Gu Lingzhi did not hesitate to tell him what had happened in the Valley of Beasts. When describing how she had gotten hurt, she only roughly went through the events. Even so, Rong Yuan could tell from Gu Lingzhi’s words the situation then and his heart was filled with hatred he never had before for Empress Wei’s family.

“At the start, we should have already eliminated the Wei family!” Rong Yuan loudly exclaimed. If only he was decisive enough then, to remove the power of the Wei family, Gu LIngzhi would not have gotten this hurt today.

“And that Tianfeng Wei, it seems like the lesson that Lady Jiang gave her was not enough. She should have been killed then!”

Listening to Rong Yuan’s murderous words, Gu Lingzhi could not help but smile. This kind of anger that was for her was really unexpectedly...cute. If Rong Yuan knew that Gu Lingzhi had described him as “cute” in her head, his reaction would have been very interesting, and this made Gu Lingzhi laugh uncontrollably.

Rong Yuan looked at her, puzzled. What did he say that made her laugh?

Seeing Rong Yuan like this, Gu Lingzhi felt like it was funnier and could not help but reach out to pinch his cheek. She tried to hold back her laughter and said, “That’s alright, if you had really killed her then, you might’ve become someone else’s scapegoat. Now, there is no problem. I’ll be waiting for you to take revenge for me.”

Finishing her words, Gu Lingzhi calmly laid back on her bed. Still recovering from her injuries, her spirit was not completely healed and now, she was so tired that she could barely keep her eyes open. Leaning on Rong Yuan’s side, she soon fell asleep.

Rong Yuan’s heart ached as he watched her fall asleep in that short amount of time. His head pondered over Gu Lingzhi’s words, and seeing her face filled with scars, he understood why she insisted on coming back here with her face like this, when she was capable of healing her own injuries.

If Gu Lingzhi had come back in one piece, even if they caught the Empress and used the incident as evidence to kill her, without her being heavily injured, the Wei Family could have written it off as a small incident and pushed the blame onto the few people who were chasing after Gu Lingzhi. If those people had died in the Valley of Beasts, it would have been easier for them to evade the responsibility.

However, Gu Lingzhi came back with a body filled with wounds, stirring up a big commotion, cutting off any intention that the Wei Family had of keeping this incident quiet. The Royal Palace also now had an excuse of prosecuting the Wei Family. Their actions would be the cause of their own demise.

Having figured this out, Rong Yuan started to hate his incompetence once more. If only he was strong enough to not care about the repercussions and eliminated all those who were hidden dangers to Gu Lingzhi before they actually took action so that Gu Lingzhi would not have to suffer so much pain.

Covering Gu Lingzhi with the blanket, Rong Yuan turned to leave the infirmary and headed to Rong Zhisheng’s office.

In the principal’s office, Rong Zhisheng had already received the news of Rong Yuan barging into the Royal School and was waiting for his arrival. Without waiting for Rong Yuan to ask about Gu Lingzhi, he took out Gu Lingzhi’s Recording Crystal, with a face filled with guilt and said, “It was my carelessness that gave those people a chance to hurt Gu Lingzhi.”

Rong Yuan shook his head. “It isn’t your fault, uncle. After all, no one wanted Lingzhi to be hurt.”

After speaking, Rong Yuan lowered his head and started to watch the contents of the Recording Crystal. Seeing how Gu Lingzhi used all kinds of battle skills to fight those demon beasts, spilling their blood and turning the white school flag scarlet red, he could not help but feel proud.

This was the woman that he, Rong Yuan, fell in love with – someone so outstanding.

The images gradually played until she was met with Shao Weiming and his companions, and Rong Yuan’s expression started to turn dark. As he finished watching the entire contents of the Recording crystal, his expression could no longer be described as just dark. His expression was twisted, his eyes red with hatred, his entire self seemed as though he was a ghost from hell. He was out for blood. This made Rong Zhisheng take two steps back subconsciously, as he re-assessed the weight that Gu Lingzhi held in his nephew’s heart.

“I will take this Recording Crystal with me.” Resisting the urge to crush the Recording Crystal that recorded the entire process of Gu Lingzhi getting hurt, Rong Yuan took it with him and rushed back to Gu Lingzhi.

Seeing Rong Yuan come back again, Tianfeng Jin and the others no longer stood outside the door, and returned to their own dormitories.

Gu Lingzhi did not sleep very well, as though she was still anxious about the events two days ago. Her brows furrowing pitifully, body crunched up in a fetal position. Rong Yuan’s heart hurt even more after seeing this. Quickly taking off his shoes and socks, he laid on his side, beside Gu Lingzhi, against her back. Only then did Gu Lingzhi calm down, leaning on him, her brows relaxing, and unconsciously called out, “Rong Yuan...”

“Yes, I’m here.” Rong Yuan softly whispered, laying a kiss on her forehead.

The next day, under Rong Yuan’s instructions, the contents of the Recording Crystal were quickly spread across the Royal School, and at an even higher speed outside of the Royal School. In less than a day, almost everyone knew the truth behind Gu Lingzhi’s injuries.

In the same period of time, the Royal School had also announced the end of this year’s graduation assessment. Gu Lingzhi performed exceptionally well in this graduation assessment and her school flag cloth stained with the blood of the beasts will be hung at the entrance of the Royal School next year.

Once this news was announced, there was an uproar. Those who were previously skeptical of the news that was circulated, were no longer skeptical anymore. Although the Royal School was run by the Royal Family, it was known for its fairness, and would never falsify facts just because she was a Princess Consort. Therefore, Gu Lingzhi’s ability to kill so many demon beasts had to be true.

At the same time, a voice came from the crowd, “His Highness has always been at the frontline of fighting the North Qiu Kingdom, yet the Princess Consort was almost killed by the demon beasts because of some people’s greed. We have to find justice for her!”

Following this voice, those who knew of the truth also acted on their emotions, joining the discussion. More and more of such voices were aimed at the Wei Family. There were even a few that took it directly to the Wei Family’s house, spilling buckets filled with feces at the front gate to express their anger.

Gu Lingzhi was shocked to hear Yuan Zheng’s report, half turning her head and stared blankly at Rong Yuan. “It’s you who did it, right?” She spoke confidently. Apart from Rong Yuan, Gu Lingzhi could not think of anyone else who could rouse the public to fight for justice for her.

Rong Yuan smiled, acknowledging her guess, kissed her scar-filled face and explained, “They’ve been too bored, there must be someone to give them some enthusiasm. The person who started the rumors at Wei Family’s door was sent by me, but what happened after had nothing to do with me.”

Gossip was always the most enjoyable thing for people.

The horror of public opinion was that not a lot of evidence was required for people to start judging and sentencing someone to a death penalty. Much less had to be said about what would happen when they actually had the evidence.

Wei Shenglan had been the Empress for decades, and the power she had solicited was entangled in the lower tiers of society. Based on the contents of Gu Lingzhi’s Recording Crystal and her injuries, it was not quite enough to move the Wei Family’s power. However, coupled with the public’s opinions and their sentiments, it was not the same. Just based on the public’s discussion, instigated by the masses, it was enough to shake their power.

At the same time, in the secret basement of the Wei Family, Wei Shenglan angrily looked at her own brother who had taken the risk to come through the newly excavated secret passage, after hearing the news.

“How do you even handle things? You can’t even handle a little girl. Not catching her is one thing, but letting her return with evidence on hand, what should we do now?”

In face of Wei Shenglan’s scolding, Wei Guoping also had a belly filled with anger. “Shao Weiming works for you, how could I have known that he was so useless, unable to handle even a mere Martial Teacher?”

“A mere Martial Teacher?” Wei Shenglan laughed. “When I was instructing you what to do, I told you not to underestimate this girl and yet you did not listen. What do we do now?”

With her retaliation, Wei Guoping was speechless, his eyes sweeping to Gu Rong who was sitting in a corner. He then found his target to vent his anger on, angrily saying, “Isn’t it the fault of this useless thing who can’t even control his own daughter? If not for him who said that Gu Lingzhi’s abilities were only boosted by the Spiritual Medicine, and that there was no need to worry at all, would I have sent so little people?”