Chapter 208 [VIP]

"Big sister, be careful."

"good."

Gu Zhizhuo ruffled their soft hair and said with a smile, "You two are good."

She took Qingmei with her, led the jade lion out of the stable, and went straight out the door.

The area in front of the Prince of Zhenbei's mansion was a mess, with charred and broken wood scattered haphazardly on the ground. The mansion's plaque hung high, undamaged, though the once gleaming gold characters were now dulled by the black smoke.

The compass readings indicate that the fire calamity is in the north, suggesting that the Liang people intend to use the north wind to intensify the fire.

The wind fanned the flames, and once ignited, it spread like wildfire.

Why.

The capital city is too big; knowing only "Northern China" is clearly not enough.

"Sinking Cat".

"Meow?"

Gu Zhizhuo lifted the cat's two front paws, turning its fluffy little head towards him, and asked with a smile, "Is there anywhere you'd like to go?"

Her voice trailed off in a long, soft, sweet tone, as if she were coaxing an innocent, well-behaved child.

"Meow."

It looked at her blankly, its cat eyes wide open.

The cat twitched its ears, looked left and right with its little head, then tilted its body, as if about to pounce to the left, its tail tip twitching slightly. The message was clear: "The cat's going there!"

Meow! Hurry.

"Can't!"

Gu Zhizhuo coldly and ruthlessly rejected it. — That direction is where they sell fried crispy little white strips.

"Keep thinking."

The cat's ears drooped, and its whiskers hung down.

As Gu Zhizhuo passed through the alley, his gaze lingered for a moment on a broken wall. The bloodstains on the wall were not yet dry, and an iron arrow lay on the ground with a dark red arrowhead.

Gu Zhizhuo deftly wrapped the reins around his hand a few times, and softly called out "Giddy up!" The jade lion moved at the sound, its four hooves kicking up dust, the dense sound of hooves like drumbeats.

The wind whistled past her ears, and Gu Zhizhuo held the compass steadily in her right hand, her fingertips able to clearly feel the subtle vibration of the magnetic needle.

The streets and alleys of Beijing were somewhat deserted.

Shortly after the Liang people besieged the Zhenbei Prince's Mansion, the Empress Dowager issued an imperial edict ordering the city gates to be closed and even mobilizing the imperial guards to stand guard in front of the city gates.

The tense atmosphere in the capital was like a taut string; the people, unaware of what was happening, mostly stayed indoors.

Gu Zhizhuo galloped to the limit without worrying about hitting anyone.

They arrived at the North City in less than half an hour.

As the horse slowed down, the cat in her arms suddenly stirred. It raised its fluffy paw and slammed it onto the compass.

Gu Zhizhuo immediately reined in the horse.

The compass needle suddenly stopped and steadily pointed to the fork in the road on the right.

"Meow."

The tabby cat rubbed against her chin, its golden pupils shrinking into thin vertical lines.

Gu Zhizhuo looked down and asked it, "This way?"

"Meow."

"Okay."

"Qingmei, come this way."

Gu Zhizhuo listened to the cat's words, flicked her wrist, and gently pulled the reins, sending the jade lion rushing into the right fork in the road.

The sound of horses' hooves was rapid and like rain. Gu Zhizhuo held the compass and cast a divination again. She lowered her eyes and muttered incantations.

The capital city is known for its "poor south and lowly north" policy. The northern part of the city has narrow streets and alleys, and is a melting pot of all sorts of people. It is the most populous and chaotic district in the capital. Gu Zhizhuo had to slow down his horse.

Upon reaching the northern part of the city, Shenmao and the compass rotated, guiding her further north. Before long, she arrived at the edge of the northern city. This place was like another realm, with low, dilapidated houses densely packed together, one after another, all haphazardly built with straw and wood.

Everywhere you look, you see people sitting idly on the ground, doing nothing.

Gu Zhizhuo rarely came to Beicheng in both his lifetimes, and his brows were furrowed.

There were too many forks in the road, and alleys crisscrossed one after another. The compass needle spun for a long time without stopping.

Her clothes were luxurious and her demeanor extraordinary; she was clearly the daughter of an official, attracting the attention of many.

"Young lady," Qingmei said softly, pulling the horse's reins closer, "The North City is in chaos, and this is an enclave of the North City, even more chaotic. Please don't separate from me."

“Look over there.”

Qingmei gestured for her to look to the left. In a corner of the alley, four or five men with fierce faces sat, staring intently at Gu Zhizhuo. When they saw her looking over, they pretended to whisper among themselves.

“These are human traffickers, they specialize in sending girls to second- or third-class private kilns.” After Qingmei finished speaking, she added, “They’re the kind of human traffickers who knock girls unconscious and kidnap them on the road.”

As one of the spies trained by the Eastern Depot, Qingmei knew far more about these clandestine affairs than Gu Zhizhuo.

"Oh."

Perhaps noticing they were watching, one of the men stood up, swaying unsteadily, and said in a sleazy tone, "Girls, just the two of you? Looking for someone? My name is Wang Xiaosi, I know this place very well. If you're looking for someone, just ask me..."

As he spoke, he suddenly raised his hand, and a cloud of powder swirled in the air, carrying the strong smell of cheap sleeping potion. Gu Zhizhuo's eyes turned cold, and he drew a repeating crossbow from his waist with his right hand.

Without the slightest hesitation, she raised her hand, aimed, and pulled the trigger.

Whoosh!

The iron arrow shot through the air and pierced Wang Xiaosi's shoulder, blood gushing from his wound.

The iron arrow was very powerful; as the tip grazed past, it broke his ribs. He curled up in pain, spitting out mouthfuls of blood, but it was not yet fatal.

The group of men who had been gathered together were startled and scattered like birds.

Gu Zhizhuo tossed a pill to Qingmei and then put one in his own mouth. The drowsiness brought on by the sleeping potion quickly dissipated.

“Recognize the person.” She said to Qingmei, “After today’s matter is over, tell the Prefect of the Capital that if he’s taking a salary but not working properly, then he should be fired.”

There are priorities, and she couldn't afford to pay attention to them right now.

"yes!"

Suddenly, Gu Zhizhuo had an idea. She dismounted and walked up to Wang Xiaosi, who was wailing and shouting. She grabbed his collar and lifted him up.

“I’m asking you.”

Wang Xiaosi's face was contorted in pain, but he forced himself to shout, "You...you don't even know who I am! If you dare touch me, I'll kill you, you bitch!"

Gu Zhizhuo gripped the iron arrow stuck in his shoulder with his left hand and asked softly, "Is that so?" Then he twisted his arm forcefully.

"Aaaaaaah!"

Wang Xiaosi screamed in agony, tears and snot streaming down his face, his expression full of pleading.

The cat meowed excitedly, its tail brushing against her wrist.

"Can't you speak properly now?"

Yes, yes.

"You say you're familiar with this place?"

Yes, yes.

"I'm asking you, did any strangers pass by just now, the kind who don't look like they belong to Beicheng?"

"without……"

Gu Zhizhuo held the exposed part of the iron arrow loosely: "Think carefully before you answer."

A small smile curved her lips, startling Wang Xiaosi so much that he shuddered. He racked his brains, thinking hard, and exclaimed, "Yes, yes!"

"Yes, there were five or six men, two of whom were carrying a large bucket each."

Wang Xiaosi just wanted to get rid of this wretch as soon as possible, his voice trembling and out of tune: "I don't know what's in the bucket, it's rattling and sounds like water, and it's very heavy."

"I even secretly felt around and found this."

He pulled a wolf fang necklace from his sleeve. Wang Xiaosi thought he could sell it for a few dollars, so he kept it. Gu Zhizhuo recognized it as a wolf fang amulet from the Liang Kingdom.

You've found the right one!

So, the contents of the bucket must be kerosene.

Where did they go?

"First turn left, then right, then left again, then turn into the second alley..."

"Is everything you said true?" Gu Zhizhuo asked, counting on his fingers.

Wang Xiaosi clutched his shoulder and cried repeatedly, "Yes, yes! Grandma, I wouldn't dare lie to you."

That's definitely not a lie.

Qingmei: "Young lady, should we wait for the others to arrive?"

Gu Zhizhuo tilted his head slightly, feeling the direction of the wind brushing against his cheek.

"It's too late."

The alley is narrow and winding, and the houses are all close together. There are at least a thousand people crammed into this alley alone.

Once a fire starts, the wind will quickly spread along these thatched and dilapidated houses, engulfing them completely. Then there will be no saving them.

"Let's go take a look first."

Gu Zhizhuo spurred his horse forward and reassured Qingmei, who was following closely behind, "If it really can't be done, I won't force myself."

Qingmei: "..."

Won't be stubborn? I don't believe it! Hmph, if something is impossible, this girl will definitely make it "achievable"! Her eyes crinkled with a smile; this was the kind of girl she liked the most.

The cat crawled out of Gu Zhizhuo's arms and lay on the horse's head of the jade lion, its little paws scratching at the mane, its tail tip twitching excitedly.

The jade lion turned its head and snorted at it unhappily.

Meow meow!

"Jade Lion, don't look around carelessly, or you'll bump into it."

"Cat, hold on tight."

Gu Zhizhuo spurred the horse, and the horse sped up a bit.

They sped through the narrow alleyway in the direction Wang Xiaosi pointed out. The further they went, the more excited the cat became, its ears standing straight up, as if there was something it was eagerly anticipating ahead.

"Meow!"

Jade Lion leaped out of the alley ahead of everyone, and her vision suddenly brightened. Gu Zhizhu subconsciously squinted her eyes, and then a strong smell of kerosene hit her nose, making her throat tight.

Her gaze swept across the area and settled on a familiar figure not far away—

Multifaceted.

Not far from Duoleng, there was a carriage parked. The carriage was covered by a curtain, so it was impossible to tell if anyone was inside.

Four or five men lay sprawled around them, all dressed in coarse cloth, with gruesome knife wounds on their chests or backs, killed with a single blow.

The surrounding ground and walls were mostly wet, and the strong smell in the air indicated that kerosene had been spilled. One of Duo Leng's men held a lit tinderbox, about to throw it.

"Multifaceted!"

Gu Zhizhuo shouted in a cold voice.

Duoleng turned around and looked over: "It's you?"

"Your Highness," Gu Zhizhuo greeted with a smile, as if they were old friends, "Shall we talk?"

She jumped off the horse while holding the cat.

Duo Leng knew her intentions as soon as he saw her. This Miss Gu was a tough nut to crack, and she had repeatedly thwarted his plans.

I don't know where they got the information from, but they actually tracked us down here!

Duo Leng deliberately said in a flippant tone, "Miss Gu, you can speak slowly and calmly later. Perhaps Miss Gu... would like to have our conversation in my tent, just the two of us?"

"What if we're talking about your life or death, Your Highness?" Gu Zhizhuo's smile didn't reach his eyes. "For example, why did Your Highness come to the capital this time?"

"Let me guess, you probably didn't intend to send someone off as a bride at first. You just overheard the Prince of Liang talking to someone about how fierce the internal strife was in the Great Qi Dynasty, so you volunteered to go on this trip, right?"

His sharp eyes suddenly turned cold.

His first thought was that she had planted someone in his inner circle.

Gu Zhizhuo, observing the situation, smiled and said, "That's right, it's just a wedding procession, why bother the eldest prince?"

Gu Zhizhuo's arm holding the crossbow was tense.

A direct attack is the least safe option. There's oil everywhere. Even if she can kill someone with one arrow, once the tinderbox falls, the fire will immediately flare up, and with a gust of wind, everyone will be doomed.

"Miss Gu, if you're trying to stall for time, you're in for a disappointment."

The tinderbox was still burning, and the sparks that flew up landed on the kerosene, instantly igniting a small flame.

The flame flickered a few times before turning into wisps of smoke and dissipating into the air.

Gu Zhizhuo's breath hitched, but his face remained expressionless: "Delaying time? So the eldest prince is planning to run away."

She crossed her arms over her chest, leaned back against the jade lion's horse, and held the tabby cat in her arms to prevent it from jumping off in its excitement.

She raised her eyes and smiled faintly: "That's right. The emperor was defeated, so you, the eldest prince, had no choice but to flee. Otherwise, would you really think you could take over the capital with just a few thousand men under your command?"

"Oh dear, I almost forgot, your men can't even take over the Zhenbei Prince's Mansion."

Gu Zhizhuo's voice was light and airy, yet each word was like a knife. Duo Leng's face darkened upon hearing it, and his men's eyes flashed with malice.

The emperor was defeated, and even Duoleng suffered a complete defeat.

He could set the capital ablaze, not only to vent his anger but also to escape in the chaos, where no one would care about him.

Duo Leng was angered by her words and said coldly, "Miss Gu is indeed sharp-tongued."

He gestured: "Since Miss Gu wants to 'see me off,' she might as well stay."

Three or five men with fierce expressions, brandishing their knives, surrounded Gu Zhizhuo, with Qingmei standing guard nearby, watching him intently.

"Whether you leave or not is fine." Gu Zhizhuo showed no fear and laughed, "Your Highness, even if you escape the capital, it's hard to say whether you can return to your royal city alive."

"Are you really ignorant, or are you pretending?" Her fingers brushed across the cat's glossy fur as she sneered, "Your king has given your life to my Great Qi."

"Impossible!" Duoleng flung his hand away, his voice filled with barely suppressed anger. "The people of Daqi are cunning; don't even think about sowing discord among them."

Why is it impossible?

Gu Zhizhuo's expression instantly turned cold. Facing the knife in Liang Ren's hand, he took a step forward, his aura imposing: "How is it any different that the King of Liang dislikes and hates you, just as the Emperor dislikes and hates my father?"

"Four years ago, how did you discuss things with the Emperor? Four years later... my brother discussed things with the Prince of Liang in the same way."

Duo Leng narrowed his eyes, staring intently at her.

Four years ago, Gu Taotao often had to stop his campaigns because his supplies and provisions were cut off from the rear. Duo Leng could tell at the time that the Emperor of Daqi was jealous of him and disliked him.

Duo Leng wrote a letter proposing that if Da Qi gave Gu Taotao's life to Da Liang, Da Liang would withdraw its troops and sign a peace treaty.

The Emperor of Daqi actually agreed and personally crippled Daqi's power.

Gu Zhizhuo met his gaze without backing down, shattering his illusions word by word: "The King of Liang also gave your life, the eldest prince, to the Great Qi! In exchange, the Great Qi will not tear up the peace treaty for five years."

Multifaceted: "..."

His fist clenched suddenly.

Gu Zhizhuo's tone was seductive as he pressed on, "By the way, according to the traditions of your Liang Kingdom, if you die, will the Liang King or the Liang King's second prince inherit your wives, concubines, and children?"

The second prince was the biological son of the King of Liang.

She had heard from the young master that the King of Liang wanted to pass the throne to his own son, but the first heir was Duo Leng.

Duoleng's princess was abducted from another tribe. She was known as the most beautiful woman on the grassland. Back then, Duoleng and the second prince fought fiercely over who could have her. In the end, Duoleng won by relying on the power of his mother's tribe.

If he dies, his wives, concubines, and children will all be inherited by the second prince, including the beloved beauty.

Gu Zhizhu raised a phoenix eyebrow: "You tore off the mask of Daqi here, lost all your men, and died in a foreign country. In the end, the King of Liang and your second prince brother benefited. One of them got rid of you, their greatest threat, and the other got your beloved wife and concubines."

"You are so generous."

Enraged, Duo Leng instinctively took two steps forward, wanting to grab her by the neck and tear her apart.

His steps abruptly stopped, and his hand froze in mid-air.

She smiled faintly, without the slightest fear, and even with a hint of provocation.

Duo Leng slowly lowered his hand, clapped his hands twice, and laughed angrily: "Miss Gu, you really are..."

"Good tactic."

A note from the author: