Chapter 16: Enlightenment and Decision

Gu Guan fell asleep almost as soon as he touched the pillow, but Xie Ci couldn't sleep.

It's not just because of this dilemma.

With smoke curling up, he stood in the small hall for a long time, gazing at the tablet inscribed with "Xie Men Xin Zhong Gong, Zi Xian, Zi Yan, and Zi Bian" before returning to the east wing, taking off his clothes, and lying down.

But after a long time, he still couldn't sleep.

Since the family changes, Xie Ci has not been sleeping well. For many days and nights, he was tormented by pain and could not fall asleep.

Today too.

He simply stood up and changed into his shirt.

Unconsciously, night had fallen. The night was as cold as water and the courtyard was silent. He drew out his long sword, the scabbard fell to the ground, the hilt tightened, and the sword was as white as snow, deep as the abyss, and as cold as frost and snow.

There was a close combat with fine knives and the broadsword opened and closed wildly. Finally, he threw away the long knife, picked up a solid wooden pole leaning against the courtyard wall, practiced with the spear, shook his arm, and stabbed out with the long pole, "bang bang bang bang bang", leaving five deep plum blossom marks on the yellow wall!

The force is tremendous and the momentum is like a rainbow.

Xie Ci was always afraid that his skills were not good enough, so he kept practicing hard for more than half a year and never slacked off.

As I stepped into Suzhou City, the resentment in my heart became more substantial, and I vented it all between these arms with a sword and a gun.

Hot sweat flowed down his back, soaking his thin shirt. He didn't feel cold even when the cold wind blew. He only stopped panting when he noticed movement in Gu Wan's room.

The moon was already at its zenith, and the cold silver moonlight fell silently on the courtyard. The young man's breathing was like fire, and his eyes were filled with hatred.

Gu Guan pretended not to see it and smiled at him. She went to the kitchen to take out the steamed buns in the pot, ate one herself, and threw the rest to him.

"I'm going to sleep, you should go to sleep too."

"Um."

This was not the first time Xie Ci practiced martial arts at night. Gu Wan could understand him, but it was okay. At this age, the stomach was a bottomless pit, so she prepared a midnight snack for him.

With a "creak", the door of the west wing closed, followed by the sounds of footsteps and someone lying down and covering themselves with a quilt.

Xie Ci took the cotton bag and finally put down the long pole in his hand.

The night wind was cold, but he was very hot. He breathed heavily and slowly raised his head to look around at the familiar yet unfamiliar environment.

The scenery in the northwest is rugged. The windowsills, brick walls and tiled roofs of the courtyard are always covered with a layer of sand and dust. The city wall can be seen from here. He knows that standing on the top of the city wall in this season, all he can see is endless yellow earth.

He was a rare talent born and raised in the capital, and was born during the best period of the Xie family's life. His father always felt that he was infected by the extravagant and arrogant atmosphere of the capital and wanted to scold him. Xie Ci had been to the border three times.

The shortest was five or six months, and the longest was three years.

When he first came, his father taught him a lesson, making him run circles around the training ground. He ran so fast that he became angry and resentful. His father pointed a thin bamboo whip at him and said sternly, "General! Remember to control your anger!"

"Calm down. Never let anger affect your emotions or mind at any time on the battlefield!"

Xie Ci thought, if it were at this moment, the old man would probably say: "Don't let hatred affect your emotions and mind!"

After a while, he reached out and touched his chest, where there used to be a small jade ring in the shape of a peach. He had always had a bad temper since he was a child, often talking back to his father, and he loved eating peaches. His eldest brother smiled and hung the cool little peach on his chest, touched his head, and said with a smile, "Little Four, little Four, touch this when you're angry."

Before leaving, his mother stroked his hair again and again and asked him to take care of himself.

Xie Ci felt a tightness in his chest. He thought about it over and over again, and the blood that was rushing and roaring as if it was about to burst through his blood vessels finally slowly calmed down.

When he felt better and regained his composure, Xie Ci swept the yard clean, scooped some cold water and poured it over his body before entering the room carrying the cotton bag and the long knife.

Just before entering the door, he caught a glimpse of the darkened west wing out of the corner of his eye. He stood there for a moment and couldn't help but think of Gu Wan.

He and Gu Wan were not very familiar with each other before, but now they have become the closest people.

Recalling the orders of my parents and the words of the matchmaker.

Red lanterns are hung high, half the city is in joy, young couples and their parents are bowing to each other.

And that time when he got married was the last time he met his father.

I have heard that parents love their children and plan for them in the long run.

Today, Xie Ci finally understood it deeply.

Unfortunately it's too late.

My father is no longer here.

On every lonely night, Xie Ci felt regretful. This was the wife his parents had arranged for him, but because of his own shortcomings, he failed to keep her.

He felt guilty towards his parents, especially his father who had passed away.

I feel even more guilty towards Gu Wan because of those nonsense I said back then.

She supported him without hesitation, and the two of them traveled thousands of miles together. Now, when he recalled the foolish words he said when he was young, he felt ashamed.

…

He closed the door and lay back on the bed. He heard rustling sounds in the yard and Gu Guan sighed inwardly.

From reading the book, I only know that Xie Ci is a representative figure of "Thirty years in the east, thirty years in the west of the river, don't bully the young and poor."

But only by experiencing these things can you understand how difficult the hardships he is going through at the moment are, which are unimaginable for ordinary people.

Eh.

…

When I woke up early the next day, the morning light had already covered the branches, and the entire Suzhou City was bathed in the autumn sun.

Gu Guan didn’t know whether Xie Ci slept last night, but he couldn’t tell what was wrong with his expression.

But his expression was a little more gloomy than before.

The closer he got to Suzhou City, the worse his mood became.

But when the two of them were together, his grief, hatred and indignation faded away, leaving only sadness.

The two of them locked the door and went to the street to have breakfast.

Gu Wan didn't ask anything, but Xie Ci took the initiative to say, "Yuan Niang, I'm sorry."

He looked up at her, his eyes like frosted roses filled with an apology that was difficult to express in words. He apologized for the nonsense he had said in the bridal chamber.

Only after experiencing all kinds of things in life can one understand how precious the hand reaching out from prison is.

Gu Wan was a little surprised, but she quickly said, "It's okay, don't worry about it."

The original owner never blamed him.

She never regretted marrying him until the moment of her death.

Let her have the identity of a housewife as her home.

The stall owner brought two bowls of steaming noodles. She broke the wooden chopsticks and gave him a pair. After eating half a bowl of noodles, she thought for a moment: "Xie Ci, what kind of person is your uncle?"

Refer to the past and make another judgment. After all, it is unlikely that one person can pretend to be an expert for more than ten years.

At this point, Xie Ci showed a bit of astonishment. After a while, he slowly said, "My uncle has been very kind to us since we were young."

How good is it?

"Like half a father."

According to the rules of this dynasty, border generals were transferred back to Beijing in turn, and border troops and Beijing troops took turns serving. Before Xie Xinzhong took charge of the entire Jingsui Defense Line and served as the commander-in-chief of the northern border, he and Xun Rongbi happened to be one in the border and one in Beijing.

When Xie Xinzhong was away, Xun Rongbi took over the role of uncle. He would be so angry with Xie Ci that he would jump up and down and scramble to clean up the mess, but he would also speak sincerely and teach Xie Ci many principles of life.

Find a martial arts master for him, who will teach him how to make great achievements on the battlefield in the future, step by step with sword and gun.

He is called half-father, which shows his importance.

Gu Wan was a little surprised.

She looked at Xie Ci. The boy's brows were gloomy, as if he was carrying a lot of heavy things, which made her feel a little heavy.

Gu Wan sighed.

No wonder he couldn't sleep last night.

However, she didn't dwell on this topic any further, and pondered in her mind: "How about we prepare the makeup powder first, and then find two suitable deputy generals tonight?"

Xun Rongbi doesn't have much time left.

The ancients knew how to avoid taboos. They could hint in their reports that something would not be long, which meant that it would really happen in the next few days.

Xie Ci didn't have much time to think, and they had to start their preparations in advance.

Whether it will be used or not will be discussed later.

Gu Wan finished his noodles in two mouthfuls, threw down a few large coins and stood up to say thank you, "Let's go!"

Gu Guan walked like the wind, pulling Xie Ci straight to the North-South Street. They first took advantage of the morning market to survey the current state of the outer defense of the Governor's Mansion. When the crowds thinned out at noon, they went to the market to look for the makeup and other items that Gu Guan needed.

After that, the two of them returned directly to the small courtyard.

At this time, a day had passed and dusk was falling. Gu Guan listened attentively and could hear the faint sounds of string music and laughter from next door, as well as the faint fragrance of cosmetics.

She whispered, "Let's go over there."

…

The so-called deputy army.

A type of military force without an organizational structure, mainly responsible for logistical support work. During wartime, the civilians who transport food are also deputy soldiers.

The Governor's Office also has deputy soldiers who are responsible for assisting the Governor's Office guards, filling in absences when necessary, and serving as backup personnel. Their barracks are located in the back alley of the Governor's Office, and they have badges that allow them to enter and exit the perimeter of the Governor's Office on a daily basis.

It is generally used to place those who were sacrificed as lieutenant generals and non-commissioned officers and are no longer suitable for military service. It is a lucrative but idle position, but the heads of each department will usually put some relatives in it.

Gu Wan and Xie Ci discussed on the way how they could sneak into the Governor's Mansion or the army if necessary.

Xie Ci was very familiar with the military structure and immediately mentioned this deputy army general.

As long as he enters the Governor's Mansion, he will have a way.

"Whether we want to go in or not, let's open up this channel first!"

She had previously seen from afar how heavily guarded the Governor's Mansion was.

It was an emergency, and fortunately Xie Ci knew of the loophole that I could exploit, otherwise it would have been really difficult.

There was not much time left to choose Xie Ci, but Gu Wan did not ask.

After standing under the wall and eating two buns to fill her stomach, she leaned against the wall with her hands and pulled Xie Ci over to the next door.

They rented this small courtyard specially. Next door is a high-end brothel.

Several large mansions, each with its own entrance, were decorated with pavilions and towers reminiscent of the Jiangnan water towns. Red gauze lanterns, nine-curved covered bridges, and prostitutes, each dressed as a respectable young woman, were enjoying the flowers or the water, playing the zither and painting, as if at home. Clients wandered through the mansions, and if they caught their eye, they could approach. Of course, those who didn't fancy the formalities could just go for it, but in this border town of Suzhou, many military commanders didn't have the patience for that.

Normally, military discipline forbids visiting prostitutes, but this does not apply to deputy generals.

After entering, Xie Ci was in trouble. The method was fine, but it was difficult to figure out how to take the person down, because apart from the office, the Nine-Curve Corridor Bridge was in plain sight and he couldn't do it.

Gu Wan couldn't help but smile, "Just look at mine!"

Xie Ci followed her into a water pavilion. He was keeping watch while Gu Wan was fiddling with his face and body. He heard the rustling of clothes. He was suddenly struck by lightning and for some reason, he suddenly remembered the scene in prison - she applied medicine to him and checked his wounds, and stripped him naked, including his underwear.

Even though Xie Ci was in a heavy mood, his whole body felt as if it was on fire, and blood rushed straight to his crown. It took a lot of effort for him not to cover up a certain part with his hand.

"...Alright, someone's coming!"

It was exactly the target. Several deputy soldiers, holding their helmets in one hand, walked in from the moon gate with laughter, and walked along this corridor.

Gu Wan leaned over Xie Ci's back and looked over, "Fuck, there's only one left!"

She pulled Xie Ci away and spun around to get out.

Only then did Xie Ci see her appearance clearly. She was wearing a red gauze half-sleeve dress, with the thin red gauze draped over her fair collarbone. Her hair was in a Japanese bun on the side of her temples. Her wine-red makeup was delicate and charming, and she had a red rose in her mouth. At first glance, she looked so charming that she seemed like a different person.

Xie Ci couldn't help but be stunned.

But Gu Wan wanted to use him as a prop and put one hand around his waist, and Xie Ci immediately froze.

The young man in his twenties, who had obviously gotten into the deputy army through the backdoor, glanced at her and was immediately stunned. His expression changed to boredom, and he immediately pushed the blue-shirted prostitute next to him and said, "Go away!"

He ran over and was then hugged by Gu Wan and turned into the house. The woman in green clothes and pink hair made a "Pooh" sound and ran towards other targets with her slender waist twisted.

Gu Guan, who suddenly appeared, pushed the young man into the house and closed the door. In the dark room, there were faint noises. The man realized something was wrong and struggled violently. Xie Ci and Gu Guan held him tightly from the front and back. Gu Guan quickly took out a handkerchief with something added to it and covered the man's mouth and nose for about a minute, and finally knocked him down unharmed.

Xie Ci loosened his grip and slowly placed the person on the ground.

The faint sound of lovemaking could be heard from the small hall next door. It was the true owner of this waterside pavilion. The moonlight shone dimly into the narrow dressing room. The young man lay there silently. Xie Ci looked coldly at the familiar yet unfamiliar Suzhou military uniform on his body, and finally revealed a bone-chilling hatred.

He always remained calm. Even though Gu Wan knew that he was in a bad mood, he tried his best to control himself and did not show it in front of her at all.

But at this moment, he heard Gu Guan sigh softly and put a hand on his shoulder.

He looked up, trying his best to suppress the violent emotions surging in his body, his cold, star-like eyes were bloodshot.

Gu Guan's almond-shaped eyes were still painted with bright red eye makeup, and peony flowers bloomed in the corners of her eyes, but her eyes were clear and bright. "I want to tell you that even if I die in Tieling, I will not regret it."

"Because the Xie family is the best family in the world. The green mountains are lucky to bury their loyal bones, and all the men in Tanlang are good men."

She told him what the original owner was thinking.

Not for love, but for sincere admiration.

In this world, even if they die, even if they die with a crime on their shoulders, there are always people who remember them, and not everyone will be deceived.

She said softly, "They have protected the country and the dynasty for thirty years. Someone will remember them!"

This moment.

It was as if he was hit by something, and his heart felt suffocating and painful. Xie Ci knelt on the ground. He tried his best to endure it, covering his face with his hands, but tears flowed like rain.

He burst into tears.

…

Xie Ci finally burst into tears.

A hoarse cry came from the trembling body.

But after crying, Xie Ci quickly stood up: "Yuan Niang, I have decided, I want to enter the Governor's Mansion."

His voice was hoarse but his eyes were very determined: "I want to see whether it is him or not?!"

Xie Ci was still on guard, but he really wanted to know whether his uncle, who had been like a half-father to him since he was a child, had deliberately framed their Xie family to death!

That loving heart from childhood to adulthood, coming thousands of miles to visit Madam Xun, that kind and expectant brotherly love, is it true or false?

Moreover, the most important point is that Suzhou is where he had stayed for three years. Not only is he most familiar with it, but it is also the starting point of the "Lantian Collaboration Case". If he cannot find a gap here, it will only be more difficult to find another place.

Since he has come, he is not afraid of death.

Even if this Governor's Mansion is filled with dangers, he must break in today!

The dressing room was dark, the moonlight was silent, and the rippling water was reflected on Xie Ci's nose and cheekbones. His eyes were still bloodshot, but his gaze and expression had become firm.

Just like a tightly stretched bowstring, it has returned to its proper tension level.

Tight, but not overloaded.

After saying thank you.

Gu Wan immediately said, "Okay!"

In the past few days, she saw Xie Ci becoming more and more tense, reading the note in his purse over and over again, suppressing his emotions. This was not good, something would happen sooner or later.

Many times, people are not defeated by others, but crushed by themselves.

Seeing that he finally came out of his tense state, Gu Wan smiled. It was really worth it for her to choose the right opportunity.

Gu Wan was also very happy for him. Xie Ci's choice was the same as hers. She took out an exquisite buckle with a silver spherical pendant. She took out two slips of paper from his purse, folded them into a star shape, and put them into the buckle. She closed it and said, "Wear it. Don't look at it anymore. You're already seeing the hair."

Xie Ci nodded vigorously.

Gu Wan said, "If he is a good person, we should save him and not let him down, nor ourselves."

"If not, there's nothing to regret."

A narrow path where many difficulties and obstacles can be foreseen.

How could it be so easy for one person, not two people, to overturn a national case that would be the final word?

She finally put the necklace on him and said, "My uncle and cousin will bless us!"

She said this with a smile, the moonlight and the water reflected in each other, her eyebrows and eyes were as clear and bright as water. At this moment, she was like a pioneer teacher and a close friend, smiling and speaking in a slow and earnest tone.

Just like the gurgling river water under the moon, it is calm, heavy and natural.

Xie Ci held the silver ball buckle under his neck. He looked at the face in front of him with a faint smile. For a moment, he felt the blood rushing up and the heat flowing from his limbs to his heart.

Xie Ci nodded heavily: “Yes!”

He clenched the knife in his hand: "If he lies to me, I will kill him!!"

His heart was pounding and he couldn't help but hug Gu Wan tightly. Some things really don't fit to be said over and over again, but, thank you.

real.

Xie Ci restrained himself from hugging too tightly, and clenched his hands into fists.

Gu Wan smiled and patted his back.

Young man, stand up!

The author has something to say:

The feeling of regret was because he had let his parents down and had not cherished Gu Wan, who was so good to him.

The latter type is when people discover that someone around them is a very loyal or very good friend or relative to them, and they will feel a similar emotion of guilt and self-blame.

Xie Ci couldn't say that he had no feelings for Gu Wan, but this feeling was not love.

The wife can be anyone else, but there is only one Gu Wan.

If the two had not agreed to divorce and continued to be husband and wife, it would be a story of brewing fine wine.

But now, it is destined to take the path of Cupid's arrow piercing the heart or sudden enlightenment.

(Whispering, the girl has a boyfriend in modern times, a good fiancé.)

But don't worry, the love story will be super sweet in the end! Ah Xiu's favorite thing to write is the one and only fairy couple (shock!!)

…

Finally, the heart is launched! See you tomorrow, babies~ (/≧▽≦)/