C19 A Cunning Little Fox!

Before long, a modestly dressed woman was led into the room. While she wasn't particularly striking, the young maid accompanying her had a certain charm. Master Zhang and Duke Lin exchanged a surprised glance. Gu Zhuohua cast a cold look at Duke Lin, ignored the formalities, and sat directly on a wooden chair nearby, with Xi'er standing quietly behind her.

"How dare you, insolent woman! You don't bow before Duke Lin," the steward scolded.

Gu Zhuohua didn't even glance at the steward, her calm, sea-green eyes meeting Rong Lin's gaze. "Duke Lin, I'm sure you know why I'm here, so let's skip the pleasantries," she said bluntly, not interested in wasting words.

Rong Lin's face flushed slightly, his fingers gripping the armrest tightly. It was humiliating to be treated this way by an unknown woman.

Master Zhang stroked his sparse beard, thoughtfully observing the woman before him.

Rong Lin slammed a token onto the table, his voice tinged with suppressed anger. "Where did you get this token? Speak up!"

Gu Zhuohua raised an eyebrow, her gaze on Rong Lin filled with amusement, like a predator eyeing its prey. "Duke Lin, it seems you have a short memory. Shouldn't you remember what you did last night? Naturally, this token came from one of your men."

Rong Lin was baffled, unable to recall what he had done to leave himself so vulnerable.

"Insolent! How dare you lie!" he sputtered.

"Whether it's a lie, Duke Lin, you know best. If this evidence isn't enough, I have a few witnesses. Would you like to see them?" Gu Zhuohua's voice was cold and deliberate.

Rong Lin was so furious he nearly passed out upon hearing those words! Master Zhang squinted his small eyes, noticing Rong Lin's struggle to control his emotions, and quickly cleared his throat softly.

Rong Lin got the hint and slowly suppressed his anger. He let out a cold snort and tossed the badge to the ground. "It's just a little badge. What exactly is your intention in bringing it to the Duke Lin Mansion? Trying to frame me?"

Rong Lin's rapid composure impressed Gu Zhuohua. She had to admit, he had some brains. Twirling her slender fingers, her expression remained inscrutable. "It seems His Highness Duke Lin isn't interested in this deal. Very well, I suppose I'll have to pay a visit to the Prime Minister's residence. I've heard there's been quite a bit of tension between the Prime Minister and Duke Lin lately. I'm sure Prime Minister Gu would find this very intriguing."

Gu Zhuohua finished with a bright smile, and her maid, Xi'er, promptly stepped forward to assist her in standing up.

Seeing this, Master Zhang raised his withered hand. "Miss, hold on. Though I don't know how you discovered this item came from Duke Lin Mansion, I must warn you not to be used as a pawn without realizing it."

Hmm, trying to sow discord? Too bad, Gu Zhuohua always worked alone, leaving no room for manipulation.

She leaned slightly forward and said, "There's no need for Master Zhang to worry about this matter."

Master Zhang was taken aback. As someone from the inner circle of Duke Lin Mansion, many knew of him, but only a handful knew his surname. He couldn't help but wonder about this woman's background.

Gu Zhuohua smiled serenely. "I wonder if the Prime Minister's residence would be interested in those audacious enough to impersonate Duke Lin Mansion's guards to attack Miss Gu."

Her ability to instantly recognize the badge of Duke Lin Mansion's Dark Guard and her thorough understanding of the mansion's affairs were all thanks to the original Gu Zhuohua's admiration for Duke Lin.

Because she was interested, the Gu brothers naturally gathered all the essential information about Duke Lin, giving her the upper hand.

Upon hearing this, the two were a bit flustered. The Prime Minister was constantly finding fault with Duke Lin at court, and now it seemed like they were just handing him the opportunity on a silver platter.

Master Zhang glanced at Rong Lin, who pondered for a moment before speaking up, "What exactly does this young lady want? As long as it's within the capabilities of Duke Lin's estate, we will ensure her satisfaction."

Gu Zhuohua raised an eyebrow, acknowledging his understanding.

"Alright then, I appreciate straightforwardness. Five hundred thousand gold coins, and I'll pretend this never happened."

"What?!" Rong Lin exclaimed, slamming the table as he stood up abruptly.

Five hundred thousand gold coins! Did she think money just fell from the sky? Half a million!

Master Zhang's expression darkened as well. "Five hundred thousand gold coins—is that something you can even handle?"

Gu Zhuohua shook her head calmly. "If Duke Lin isn't interested in this deal, then I'll just have to find someone else."