Chapter 99 [VIP]

It's an eyesore.

Gu Yican frowned, looking at their clasped hands, his face clearly showing two words: an eyesore.

In four words: an eyesore, an eyesore!

It was an eyesore before, and it's even more of an eyesore now.

This feeling was like a sudden, inexplicable bond between the two of them, making him feel uneasy about being excluded.

Gu Yican deliberately cleared his throat a few times, walked over with a stern face, and before he could speak, his sister said happily, "Gu Yican, I'm getting married, and the young master has agreed."

Gu Yican's expression froze, and he forgot to lower his raised eyebrows.

He recognizes all these characters, so why can't they be put together?

Why should Xie Yingchen agree to my sister's marriage?

No. That's not the point.

The key question should be: Does Xie Yingchen still dare to refuse?

No, no, that's not the point!

Gu Yican's mind was in chaos, like a tangled mess. He held his head in his hands and shook it vigorously, finally managing to untangle the messy threads.

"marriage?"

That's right. That's the important point.

"No……"

The word "no" had barely left her lips when the particularly annoying person leaned down and whispered to her younger sister, "You go ahead and do your work. Can Can and I are on good terms."

Gu Yican's clenched teeth and murderous look clearly indicated a strained relationship. However, there was nothing to worry about; as long as the young master was willing, he could get along well with anyone. Gu Zhizhuo took the bamboo basket, waved with a smile, and left first.

"What did you do?" Gu Yican gritted his teeth at the culprit.

I just went out to gather some herbs, how can I be getting married already? No, no, no!

Xie Yingchen suppressed his smile, met his gaze without flinching from his scrutiny and displeasure, and said earnestly, "The imperial edict is invalid."

Gu Yican: "..."

"It was I, Xie Yingchen, who proposed to marry Yaoyao, not an imperial decree that granted the marriage."

"Three letters and six rites, three matchmakers and six witnesses, eight wedding processions, phoenix coronet and embroidered robe."

He spoke each word carefully, with every word filled with sincerity.

Regardless, his statement that "the imperial edict is invalid" made Gu Yican feel a little better. After all, why should his sister, Gu Cancan's sister, be given to whomever he wanted, like an object?

Whoever it is, whether it's the crown prince or the emperor.

If you want to marry your sister, you have to lower your stance and "beg" for her!

Gu Zhizhuo glanced back and, seeing that his elder brother hadn't hit anyone, he lifted the curtain and entered the military doctor's tent, asking, "How are the others?"

When she left the camp, several people with severe burns still had a slight fever.

Doctor Zhao hurriedly said, "He still has a low-grade fever, but his spirits are quite good. The wound is not as red and swollen after applying the talisman ash. All the medicinal materials you requested have been prepared. As for the mortar and pestle, would this work?"

Gu Zhizhu handed the long-leaved iron horn fern he had picked to his apprentice to wash it. After inspecting the medicinal material, he picked up the mortar and pestle. The mortar and pestle had been used for a long time, and dark brown spots had appeared on it from the medicinal juice.

"This formula is also very effective for sword and knife wounds. Why are you turning your back to me? Hurry up and watch carefully!"

Those who study medicine know that any prescription not recorded in medical books is a closely guarded secret and cannot be learned by stealing. Therefore, Dr. Zhao consciously avoided the topic, but upon hearing this, he was overjoyed and quickly turned around.

"The order in which these medicinal herbs are placed is important; it cannot be done incorrectly..."

Gu Zhizhuo put the herbs into a mortar and pestle, pounded them to extract the juice, and then added the next herb. The long-leaved iron-horned fern was the last herb added. After crushing all the herbs, he tied a white cotton cloth to a ceramic bowl and slowly filtered out the juice.

"Wash the wound with the juice, then apply these crushed herbs."

"Change the dressing every day, and it will be fine in three days. Do you remember that?"

Dr. Zhao thought it over carefully: "I've got it!"

"Come on in."

Gu Zhizhuo turned to the side and handed him the mortar and pestle. He watched as the man repeated the process in order without making a single mistake before nodding.

She said, "Go and apply it to them."

Most of the wounded soldiers were burned by the lingering heat while covering themselves with fire-resistant cloth and carrying arrows. The wounds were mostly on their hands, and the cool herbal medicine applied immediately relieved the pain.

"You need to come every day to change the dressing. Don't lift heavy objects or let it get wet. It will be fine in three to five days."

The soldiers readily agreed.

They had all heard that the eldest daughter had specially gone out to collect this medicine, and that the few who had suffered from severe stomach upset and vomiting last time were now perfectly fine the next day, thanks to the eldest daughter's treatment!

"Young lady."

Qi Fu's voice came from outside the tent. Gu Zhizhuo told the military doctor Zhao to continue pounding and applying medicine, and then went out first.

Qi Fu immediately reported to her, "Li Qing bit her tongue and committed suicide."

Gu Zhizhuo was startled and followed him while asking, "Where is my older brother?"

"The young master instructed me to inform you that he has taken some men to move the arrows and will also take Young Master Xie to have a look. Please feel free to do as you see fit."

Gu Zhizhuo hurried along: "Go on."

"The young master has met with Li Qing, but Li Qing refuses to say anything, which makes the young master very angry."

“This humble general, Jiang Zizhou, and Li Qing were all promoted by the young master.” Qi Fu was also present during the interrogation.

Unlike Li Qing and Jiang Zizhou, Qi Fu was not a military officer by training; he was transferred from the Northern Frontier Army to the Thousand Machine Battalion. However, they had been comrades in the Thousand Machine Battalion for nearly six years. Li Qing's betrayal had deeply affected him, and he imagined it would affect the Crown Prince as well.

"Not long after the young master left, Li Qing suddenly bit his tongue. The guard noticed in time, but it was too late. His tongue was almost bitten off, and he bled a lot."

Gu Zhizhuo nodded.

Upon entering the tent, Li Qing's hands were bound tightly behind his back, blood continuously flowing from the corner of his mouth, and his entire chin and clothes were stained red with blood.

Biting your tongue alone won't kill you, but if the bleeding can't be stopped, things could get complicated.

Gu Zhizhuo quickly stepped forward, grabbed his chin with one hand, and used a clever force to force him to open his mouth.

She glanced at the wound and then relaxed, pulling up a chair to sit opposite him. Wiping the blood from her hands with a handkerchief, a sneer on her lips said, "Looks like you don't really want to die."

He only bit the tip of his tongue. Even if the guard noticed in time, if he really wanted to die, he would at least have bitten off the tip of his tongue.

Li Qing's eyes were fixed, and the muscles on her face were tense.

Gu Zhizhuo was still slowly wiping his fingers, making sure each finger was clean, then casually tossed the handkerchief aside. The blood-stained handkerchief floated down in front of him, reflecting a crimson hue in his pupils.

"If you don't want to talk about it, then don't."

Gu Zhizhu crossed his arms and placed them leisurely on his knees, his tone indifferent: "Anyway, it's nothing more than for the future, for gold and silver, for wealth and status."

She could almost imagine that in her previous life, Gu Cancan was surrounded and framed, and Li Qing suddenly turned against her. Such a situation could almost cut off all avenues of survival.

"I have absolutely no interest in the idea of ​​a traitor."

“My elder brother, out of consideration for our comradeship, wanted to see if you had any difficulties. Even if you were doomed, he wanted to at least take care of your family. But I am different.”

Gu Zhizhuo's tone was as if it contained shards of ice as he coldly said, "I've only met you a few times. Whether you live or die, I don't care. Since you're so eager to die, then go ahead and die. Stop dawdling. When my elder brother comes back, I will tell him that you're only looking for death and there's no point in you staying."

Qi Fu moved her lips reluctantly, but did not utter a word in rebuttal.

"Let him go."

These words were spoken to the soldiers in the tent, who readily agreed and untied the ropes binding Li Qing.

Gu Zhizhuo slightly raised her hand, and Qi Fu was stunned for a moment before presenting her with his waist knife.

Gu Zhizhuo weighed it in his hand, then tossed it over.

The waist knife landed in front of Li Qing with a snap, startling him so much that he shuddered.

"Let's get started."

"Biting your tongue is so slow, look, it's still not dead."

“Draw your knife, slit your throat, and you’ll be dead in no time.”

Qi Fu stepped forward and stood in front of her as a guard, his eyes fixed on Li Qing, as if afraid that he would suddenly launch a sneak attack.

"What are you dawdling for?" Gu Zhizhuo's eyes flashed like cold stars as he said sharply, "I told you to draw your sword!"

Her voice suddenly rose, and Li Qing's face turned pale. Her gaze slowly moved down, and she picked up the short knife on the ground. After drawing the knife from its sheath, she held it to her own neck with trembling hands.

Qi Fu couldn't help but look at Gu Zhizhuo. Her eyes were calm and indifferent, showing no concern for whether Li Qing was alive or dead. Thinking about it, the young lady was right. Li Qing was only after money and a promising future. What difference did it make whether she spoke up or not?

Li Qing's hand holding the short knife trembled even more violently, and the sharp blade easily cut through his skin, leaving a bloody gash on his neck, from which blood flowed down the blade.

His shoulders trembled slightly, and his body swayed precariously.

Gu Zhizhuo let out a sneer, the mocking nasal tone breaking down the last line of defense in his heart. The dagger slipped from his hand and fell to the ground.

He collapsed to the ground as if he had lost all his strength.

"I...I'll talk..." His tongue was cut off, his mouth was full of blood, and his speech was slurred. "Can you...can you let me live?"

Gu Zhizhuo took a bottle of hemostatic medicine that he always carried with him from his sleeve pocket and tossed it to Qi Fu.

"Sprinkle some into his mouth."

Looking at his former comrades, Qi Fu felt a mix of emotions he couldn't quite describe.

They should have been the most trusting of each other, the kind of people who could rely on each other on the battlefield. But now, he was kneeling there, a prisoner.

"yes."

Qi Fu responded, walked over, and said expressionlessly, "Open your mouth."

Li Qing raised her head, meeting his gaze with embarrassment and shame.

He opened his mouth, and Qi Fu poured the powder into it, then plugged the bottle and returned to Gu Zhizhuo's side.

"Here you go," Gu Zhizhuo said. "It's very effective at stopping bleeding."

The hemostatic effect was excellent! Qi Fu witnessed it firsthand; as soon as the powder was poured into his mouth, it solidified on the wound on the tip of his tongue, and the bleeding immediately stopped.

"I've struck gold!" Qi Fu happily put away the medicine powder. "Thank you, Miss."

Gu Zhizhuo stood up, dusted off his sleeves, and walked away.

"Young...Young lady," Li Qing mumbled, "I..."

"Think carefully about what you want to say, what you're willing to say. All those excuses and 'impulse' won't save your life." Gu Zhizhuo's gaze was piercing, and every word struck his heart like a heavy hammer. "Whether you live or die, it's up to you."

Li Qing felt a chill run down his spine. He braced himself on the ground with his arms, his eyes filled with fear and helplessness.

When he bit his tongue, he was convinced he was going to die; now, he doesn't even have the courage to do that anymore.

He dared not die.

If you don't dare to die, you have to earn a way to survive.

Gu Zhizhuo lifted the tent flap, stepped out, and returned to the military doctor's tent without looking back.

Dr. Zhao had already prepared all the medicines and applied them to the soldiers one by one, everything was in good order.

"You have a good memory," Gu Zhizhuo said with satisfaction. "There's another prescription you should also remember; it can be used to stop bleeding and heal wounds."

She read it aloud, and he remembered it perfectly. Zhao, the military doctor, was overjoyed. Gu Zhizhuo only repeated it once, and he remembered it perfectly, then excitedly ran off to find the herbs. The steps for making the hemostatic powder were more numerous and slightly more difficult. Gu Zhizhuo stood beside him, watching and guiding him. After he had personally made a batch of the medicine, Gu Yican and the others returned.

The path was difficult to walk.

Since the supply wagons couldn't pass, they had to use the cumbersome method of horse-drawn carts to transport the arrows.

They managed to bring back tens of thousands of guns, but even so, it was enough to give the entire army a jolt and boost morale.

The camp erupted in cheers. Jiang Zizhou also came upon hearing the news, his mouth watering at the tightly wrapped arrows, as if he had been eating coarse food for years and suddenly a delicious roasted pig's leg appeared before him.

Gu Yican, finding him embarrassing, gave him a feint kick. Jiang Zizhou chuckled and took a big step forward to look at the other side.

Gu Yican ignored him and said directly to his sister, "When we arrived, the scouts discovered that the Imperial Guards were searching the nearby mountains. Gong Hai sent out at least tens of thousands of men to search inch by inch. Xie Yingchen was right."

My sister is clever; she ambushed from all sides simultaneously, so the enemy couldn't pinpoint her exact location. They're still searching another mountain.

"If there is no result for a long time, I'm afraid we'll have to mobilize even more Imperial Guards."

It's only the first day now. If there's still no result by the ten-day deadline, Gong Hai's methods will only become more and more drastic.

Gu Yican handed all the arrows he brought back to Jiang Zizhou, and tents had been cleared out in the camp for storage. He continued, "It will take at least dozens of trips to transport all these arrows back. This heartless guy said not to move them for now, so we only brought back this batch and concealed the others."

"Xie Yingchen said that it only needs to last five days, and he will handle the rest." Gu Yican raised an eyebrow and shot his sharp eyes over. "I'll see how you do it. My sister went through so much trouble to get back. If you lose her, hehehe."

They still call him by his full name; their relationship is really bad. Gu Zhizhuo tugged at him and said, "Li Qing has confessed. But I'm too lazy to listen; you can go by yourself."

She pushed his back and abruptly turned a corner.

"Wait, wait, I haven't finished speaking yet."

Gu Zhizhuo pushed him away and ran back to Xie Yingchen, her eyes crinkling with laughter: "Young Master, what will happen if Gong Hai can't be found?"

"Burning the mountain".

Xie Yingchen said affirmatively.

Ten million arrows cannot be transported without supply wagons.

The supply wagons were too conspicuous. If they were used, there would be no way to avoid the patrolling imperial guards of the capital region. After calming down, Gong Hai should have realized that the arrows were still nearby and that the Thousand Machine Battalion would quietly come to move them.

If things are going more peacefully, then we can wait and see.

If you want to be really aggressive, you could set the mountain on fire.

“We just tried it out, but moving the arrows was too noisy. I think it would be better to leave it alone for now. I told Can Can to hold out for five days. Only after five days can we completely consume this batch of arrows and provisions.”

Only five days?

Gu Zhizhu tilted her head to look at him. Xie Yingchen touched her lips with his finger. He had already lit the fuse, and all the chess pieces were placed on the chessboard...

That's right!

Gu Zhizhuo said with great interest, "If I can snatch it, of course I can eat it too!"

The bugle sounded.

Gu Zhizhuo is now very familiar with the meanings represented by these different rhythms.

"Dinner's ready! We've got something delicious to eat today."

Xie Yingchen gazed at her smiling face and followed her with light steps. Being in the army, she was like a fish swimming freely, full of vitality.

After they finished eating, Gu Yican also finished his interrogation.

That evening, Gu Yican personally released a carrier pigeon. The message inside the letterbox was in Li Qing's handwriting and stamped with only one sentence: "The arrows have been delivered to the Thousand Machine Camp."

So, before dawn, an entire Imperial Guard appeared around the Thousand Machine Camp. They initially tried to force their way in, but when that failed, they surrounded the camp, and the two sides were locked in a standoff, ready to clash at any moment.

Gu Yican would occasionally make some noise, big or small, to grab Gong Hai's attention.

After three days of unsuccessful attempts to force his way in, Gong Hai hurriedly returned to the capital to seek imperial approval.

This time, he couldn't even get into the Imperial Study.

A note from the author: