As Zhou Shao listened to Zhou Zifang's words, a hundred different ideas for beating him up came to mind.
He pointed at Qiu Dayu: "Zifang, tell him, who am I?"
Zhou Zifang spread his hands, "I don't know him."
"You...unfilial son!" Zhou Shao was so angry at Zhou Zifang's behavior that he was speechless. He reached out and hit Zhou Zifang, who was startled and ran away.
Zhou Shao raised his foot to chase after him, but Qiu Dayu grabbed his arm directly, "Sir, pay the money before you leave."
Zhou Shao kept a close eye on the direction Zhou Zifang had left in, and had no choice but to toss Qiu Dayu a money pouch before chasing after him again.
Qiu Dayu received the money and smiled with satisfaction.
Zhou Zifang couldn't outrun his father, so he quickly turned back to seek Qiu Dayu's help.
"Qiu Dayu, please help me get rid of this person who ate and dashed..."
"Don't run, or I'll break your legs!"
Qiu Dayu stared in shock at the scene before him, wondering if this man was really Zhou Zifang's biological father.
He just thoroughly offended this person. If that's the case, can he still work here with peace of mind?
Who cares? The young master is in trouble, we can't not help.
Qiu Dayu stepped in front of Zhou Shao, shouting, "Young Master, run!"
"Thank you!" Zhou Zifang bowed slightly to Qiu Dayu and quickly left.
"You brat, you dare to act so disrespectfully in front of me when you're just a worker hired by Xingyue Tower? Get out of my way..." Zhou Shao clutched his chest in anger. He wanted to bypass Qiu Dayu to chase after Zhou Zifang, but he failed.
The two pushed and shoved each other, getting into a tug-of-war.
Qiu Dayu only turned to leave after Zhou Zifang disappeared into a small alley.
However, it won't be easy for him to leave now.
Zhou Shao couldn't catch up with his son, and all his anger was directed at Qiu Dayu.
"Take me to him!"
"You saw it yourself, he ran into the alley, but how would I know which direction he went?"
After Qiu Dayu finished speaking, he immediately found an opening, turned around and ran, with Zhou Shao in hot pursuit. On the streets of Baiyang City, a scene of chasing each other unfolded, attracting frequent onlookers.
At the Tang residence, Tang Yi was having dinner with Hu Ying when suddenly a subordinate came to report, "Lord Tang, General Gu has arrived."
"What is he doing here at this time?"
"I do not know."
Tang Yixin had doubts, but he couldn't be negligent in his visit to Gu Qian.
He strode out of the house and saw Gu Qian and his group of six, looking travel-worn, approaching him.
There were six people: Gu Qian, Ling Yun, Ling Zhi, Ling Qi, and Ling Ba.
There's another one who's currently being carried by Ling Yun with one hand.
The man's hands were bound, his face was deathly pale, and he looked like he was on the verge of death. Clearly, he was starving.
Tang Yi first greeted Gu Qian, then frowned as he looked at the disheveled man.
This person is clad in golden armor; he doesn't look like an ordinary person at all.
"I wonder why General Gu has brought this prisoner to my residence?"
"Wrong, he's not a criminal, he's our benefactor. Lord Tang, this man is staying here temporarily. I'll come to pick him up early the day after tomorrow."
After Gu Qian finished speaking, Ling Yun casually tossed the man to the ground.
Tang Yi was furious. Asking him to help guard the prisoners was just asking for trouble.
He pressed further, "Who is he?"
Even if Tang Yi didn't ask, Gu Qian would still tell someone who is so important.
He can't afford to make the slightest mistake.
He whispered in Tang Yi's ear, "Crown Prince of Northern Qi."
"What?" Tang Yi was so shocked he almost fell over.
"General Gu, why did you spare his life? Killing him would have prevented any future trouble."
"Kill him? You mean, Baiyang can now provide enough military rations and soldiers."
"Well... going to war isn't out of the question. Didn't we win this battle?"
"If it's going to war, you'll go?"
Tang Yi shrugged. He was just a county magistrate; how could he possibly know anything about fighting?
Gu Qian knew that war between the two countries was inevitable.
He didn't want to talk to Tang Yi anymore; as far as he knew, there was more than one prince in the Northern Qi Kingdom.
Killing this man will inevitably trigger an even bloodier war.
Seeing that Gu Qian was about to leave, Tang Yi quickly stopped him, "General Gu, you should take this person with you."
If someone with good intentions tries to secretly help, but this person escapes and something goes wrong, he cannot bear the responsibility.
Just as he was thinking this, he heard Gu Qian say the next sentence:
"If anyone causes trouble, you'll be held responsible!"
Gu Qian left with a single sentence, leaving Tang Yi so angry he wanted to curse.
Left with no other option, he ordered his men to guard the man around the clock.
To avoid unnecessary trouble, Gu Qian didn't want to take the person to Qiu Yan's courtyard.
After leaving the Tang residence, he instructed Ling Yun and Ling Zhi to secretly keep an eye on the Crown Prince of Northern Qi, and to have Ling Qi and Ling Ba continue to follow him.
With the border temporarily stabilized, Ling Qi and Ling Ba returned here without the previous pressure.
The two of them went back but didn't help much. They were ignored by Gu Qian for many days. Now, they dare not object to anything Gu Qian says.
Inside the small courtyard, Qiu Yan and her second uncle had just returned from the south of the city when they discovered that there were three more people in their courtyard.
In the courtyard, Gu Qian and Gu Xiaoran were playing with wooden swords, having a great time.
Gu Qian pinched Gu Xiaoran's chubby little face.
"Xiao Ran, it's only been a few days since I last saw you, and Daddy can't even carry you anymore."
Qiu Yan really did raise this child to be a little chubby.
"Xiao Ran is all grown up now and doesn't need anyone to hold her."
Gu Xiaoran slapped Gu Qian's arm aside and continued playing with his wooden sword.
The puppy that Qiu Yan brought from the village has grown up and is now eagerly following Gu Xiaoran, practicing swordplay with him.
Gu Qian turned around and saw Qiu Yan and his second uncle. He stepped forward and bowed to his second uncle, saying, "Second Uncle, Yan Yan, you're back."
Qiu Dafu returned the greeting, "Is the war over?"
"It's over." Gu Qian was unaware of the refugee situation and thought to himself, "Nothing can be kept from my second uncle."
Seeing that Gu Qian was safe and sound, Qiu Yan felt a little better.
She said, "Is it really that simple?"
Gu Qian: "I used a little trick."
His trip was specifically to escort the Crown Prince of Northern Qi to Shangjin as a hostage. He stopped in Baiyang on his way to see Qiu Yan.
Because Qi Heng was arrested and General Chu went missing, the Emperor of Northern Qi has been vomiting terribly these past few days and is already trying to rescue them.
After Gu Qian finished speaking, he handed Qiu Dafu a dagger, saying, "Second Uncle, this dagger can cut through iron like mud; you can use it for self-defense."
Qiu Dafu declined, but Gu Qian insisted on giving it to him. "Second Uncle, please don't stand on ceremony with me."
Qiu Dafu didn't say much, leaving the two of them alone.
Looking at the woman in front of him, Gu Qian took something out of his pocket as if presenting a treasure and handed it to Qiu Yan.
Qiu Yan looked at the tiny bow and arrow in her hand, so small and exquisitely crafted. "Is this a hidden arrow?"
"Crossbow." Gu Qian saw Qiu Yan smile slightly and knew that the gift he had given her was exactly what she wanted.
He gently grasped Qiu Yan's right hand and slipped the hidden arrow onto her right arm.
"So, do you like it?"
Qiu Yan didn't just like it, she absolutely loved it.
She was a female soldier and loved weapons.
That's right, Gu Qian always gives her things, but she doesn't have the habit of giving gifts back. She's thinking about what to give in return.
Thinking that she wished she could make a musket, Qiu Yan asked Gu Qian:
"Do you use gunpowder in your battles?"
"You mean fireworks?" That was all the gunpowder Gu Qian knew.
"Gunpowder is much more powerful. If it were used for military purposes, this battle would be much easier to win."
"For military use?" Gu Qian's interest was immediately piqued. "How would it be used?"
"Come in with me." Qiu Yan turned her eyes slightly and pulled Gu Qian into the house.
"Huh?" Gu Qian's body stiffened slightly, then he smiled and his beautiful peach blossom eyes were pulled into the house by Qiu Yan.
Ling Qi and Ling Ba, standing not far away, froze on the spot. In this era, a man and a woman alone in a room... it was impossible for them not to have impure thoughts.
To avoid disturbing Gu Qian and Qiu Yan, they stood in front of the door, acting as attentive guards.
Ling Qi grinned mischievously at Ling Ba and lowered his voice to say, "Do you think the general's insistence on having the two of us stay to protect Miss Qiu last time was because..."
Ling Ba: "Could it be something?"
Ling Qi: "Could Miss Qiu be pregnant?"
Ling Ba's lips twitched slightly, "You mean, Miss Qiu, she..."
"Shh!" Upon hearing this, Ling Qi quickly covered Ling Ba's mouth and nose. "Keep your voice down. If the General hears us, we'll be punished. Don't forget, the General has an illegitimate son outside. His private life has always been chaotic."
Ling Ba shook his head: "That shouldn't be possible." Miss Qiu didn't seem like... Just as he thought this, he turned his head and saw the two people inside the room very close together. "Dry wood igniting a raging fire!"
Ling Qi: "Yes, anything is possible." He knew that before, their general had never cared about anyone so much.
Ling Ba: "If what you're saying is true, then our general is too... Even Miss Qiu knows he has an illegitimate child outside. How could a woman like her..."
Before he could even utter the word "mind," Gu Qian inside the room demanded sharply:
"What are you two whispering about?" The two were startled.
Ling Ba pulled Ling Qi away from the door.
As soon as Qiu Yan entered the room, she picked up a pen and began writing down the gunpowder formula. She also wrote down the method for making bullets and drew some blueprints.
"Sulfur-containing charcoal is the raw material for black powder and is mostly used to make firecrackers."
You can keep an eye out for sulfur ore in our Dongjin Kingdom, and collect some saltpeter from the saline-alkali lands, then refine some sulfur saltpeter. If we have these things, making gunpowder will be much simpler.”
Qiu Yan made it sound simple, but Gu Qian fell into deep thought after hearing it.
In this era of cold weapons, gunpowder was never used in warfare.
Gu Qian looked at Qiu Yan again and felt that she was really too smart, that she could even think of this.
"Yan Yan, where did you get all this knowledge from?"
Qiu Yan had only lived one more lifetime than Gu Qian, which she considered perfectly normal.
"My great-grandfather told me."
She then pinned the blame on Old Man Zhao, since her great-grandfather was quite famous and knowledgeable in his youth, and she just needed an excuse.
Gu Qian thought Qiu Yan had called him in to spend time with him, but to his surprise, she started discussing gunpowder as soon as she came in.
However, he was interested in both things.
Seeing Qiu Yan's serious expression, he leaned closer to her and carefully examined what she had written. After reading it, he... was speechless!
"Yan Yan, you're quite pretty, but why is your handwriting like this..."
Qiu Yan turned to look at him, "How's your handwriting?"
"Her handwriting... is so good too." Gu Qian wanted to say that Qiu Yan's handwriting was like scribbles, and he couldn't understand a single word of it.
Qiu Yan rolled her eyes at him. "That sounds like something you're saying against your will." Qiu Yan thought her calligraphy was quite good.
Gu Qian shook his head, "No, I promise, every word is the truth!"
Qiu Yan stopped talking about the topic and continued writing.
She decided not to write about overly complex high explosives; their power was too great, and even if she did, Gu Qian might not be able to understand them.
A short while later, Qiu Yan finished writing.
She stood up and stretched. "Gu Qian, this is a military secret. Don't tell anyone."
Seeing Qiu Yan's serious expression, Gu Qian nodded in agreement.
Even if Qiu Yan didn't say it, he wouldn't be foolish enough to reveal the formula.
"Yan Yan, I'll listen to you."
Gu Qian gazed at her rosy profile and couldn't resist planting a kiss on her cheek.
Qiu Yan felt slightly awkward. She turned her head to the side and gently touched her burning cheeks. "Gu Qian..."
Before she could finish speaking, Gu Qian pulled her into a tight embrace. "Yan Yan, it's so good to have you."
The warm touch and Qiu Yan's unique fragrance made Gu Qian unable to resist.
Since meeting her, and being destined to be together, his once empty heart has been gradually filled.
Qiu Yan felt a little breathless from his embrace, so she reached out and pushed him away.
"Gu Qian, let's go outside. Let me test how well your hidden blade works."
With the beauty in his arms, Gu Qian was reluctant to let go.
He gently kissed her lips, Qiu Yan...
She pushed Gu Qian away again, turned to look outside, and found Ling Qi and the other person staring at them. "Your two subordinates are still outside."
Gu Qian released her and then glared at the two of them.
Why haven't those two left yet?
Ling Ba, pulling Ling Qi along, awkwardly retreated to the courtyard gate, distancing themselves from the two of them.
Gu Qian rarely saw Qiu Yan with such a girlish side, and he smiled slightly.
He grew to like his wife more and more the more he looked at her, and he longed to marry her as soon as possible.
Qiu Yan ignored the man who might take advantage of her at any moment, stepped out of the house, and began to carefully examine the hidden arrow that Gu Qian had given her.
Gu Qian stood beside her, feeling incredibly happy.
"Yan Yan, if you like it, I'll..."
The conversation ended abruptly there.
Because he discovered that his Yan Yan was doing something extraordinary...
She was disassembling the crossbow he had given her, piece by piece.
"Yan Yan, do you not like it?" Could it be that Qiu Yan was angry because of his actions just now?
It seems he didn't do anything.
Qiu Yan: "How can you tell I don't like it?" She clearly likes it a lot.
"If you like it, why take it apart?"
"I want to see how it's made." She was simply interested in the crossbow.
She's dismantled quite a few guns before.
"Sure, just ask me if you want to know."
Qiu Yan reinstalled the crossbow she had just disassembled and was about to put it on her arm when Gu Qian said, "Let me do it," and put the crossbow on her arm again.
Qiu Yan circled the courtyard once, then gave a mischievous smile.
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