Zhou Gu and the Nanchu King ate roasted rabbit meat as they began to walk out of the slope.
Zhang Yun silently followed them. He felt it was inappropriate to enjoy an entire rabbit by himself, so he tore off half of it and handed it over.
The Nanchu King waved his hand, "This half of it is enough for me. As one gets older, one’s appetite is not so great. You eat it!"
Hearing this, Zhang Yun retracted his hand, shared his half again, and gave a portion to Zhou Gu.
Zhou Gu took it cheerfully, "Thank you."
The Nanchu King turned to look at them and remarked, "It’s good to be young. When I was young, my appetite was just like yours."
Zhou Gu responded: "Xiaoqi can eat a lot too."
"Oh? She also has a big appetite?" the Nanchu King was very eager to see his daughter, curious about everything related to her. After all, in the past five years, the messages sent back by the secret guards were brief, never too detailed.
Zhou Gu nodded, "Yes, when she roasts rabbits for me, she can eat a whole one by herself."
The Nanchu King smiled, "That’s good."
He looked at Zhou Gu, "I was informed that she was too skinny. I thought she was weak and a picky eater."
"No, it’s just that no matter how much she eats, she doesn’t gain weight." Zhou Gu grumbled, "If someone were to raise pigs on her diet, they would surely lose money."
The Nanchu King laughed heartily.
The three of them finished the roast rabbit while walking, and they reached the outer slope where a common carriage was parked.
The three of them wiped their hands with kerchiefs, boarded the carriage, and let the curtains down to block the cold wind. Zhou Gu said to the Nanchu King, "Let’s head towards the border of Dawei."
The Nanchu King queried in surprise, "Why?"
"Currently, the Nangong Family and the Liu’an Prince faction are keeping their eyes on the Royal Capital and the border between Nanchu and Daliang. The news of your departure from the palace could be concealed for at most one day, maybe even half a day. So, we can’t head towards the Daliang border. Instead, it’s best to do the opposite in order to elude them," Zhou explained.
The Nanchu King nodded and sighed, "In that case, when will I be able to see my daughter?"
"You’ve endured for five years already, a few more months won’t make a difference." Zhou Gu said: "Since I’ve managed to smuggle you out of the capital, I’ll ensure you remain safe. Just follow us, and I can guarantee that one day, you will be able to meet her safely."
"Alright!" The Nanchu King had no other choice. He had never imagined that one day he, the King of Nanchu, would also become a fugitive.
So, according to the plan laid out by Zhou Gu and Zhang Yun, the two of them led the Nanchu King towards Dawei.
After traveling for a while, the Nanchu King seemed to remember something and said to Zhou Gu, "Show me your marriage certificate."
Zhou Gu looked at him warily, "You’re not going to tear it up in anger after reading it, and then refuse to acknowledge this marriage certificate, are you? Let me tell you, Xiaoqi is not easy to provoke. Her temper isn’t good. If you tear up the marriage certificate, it won’t matter, and it won’t make any difference if you don’t acknowledge me. But if she becomes angry and refuses to acknowledge you or accept the throne from you, things will definitely backfire."
The Nanchu King laughed, "Do you think I am someone who would do such a thing?"
"It’s hard to tell." Zhou Gu was uncertain, "After all, I am engaged based on the arrangement set by my mother-in-law. If you don’t respect her and refuse to observe the arrangement, it’s hard to trust you."
The Nanchu King was annoyed, "That was then! At that time, I thought that you two weren’t suitable. You were a companion reader in the Eastern Palace of the Crown Prince of Daliang, your future prospects were set in stone. As for Xiaoqi, she is the princess of Nanchu and will eventually return to Nanchu. Who knew you would willingly abandon your future prospects to follow Xiaoqi to Nanchu, insisting on becoming her King?"
"So, if you knew beforehand, would you have arranged for Ye Guixue?" Zhou Gu asked.
"No." The Nanchu King shook his head, "I always want to provide my daughter with more options for her future."
Zhou Gu thought about it and realized it made sense.
The Nanchu King looked at him, "Admit it or not, Ye Guixue is exceptionally good in both character and appearance. Isn’t he worth Xiaoqi?"
Zhou Gu didn’t want to admit it, but it was true, he graciously nodded, "I admit it." Then, before the Nanchu King could respond, he retorted, "But I’m not much worse off."
The Nanchu King looked at him with mixed surprise and expectation and showed a joyful smile, "Indeed, you’re not much worse off. I heard through the grapevine in the Nanchu Palace about your formidable double-handed sword skills."
Zhou Gu smiled proudly, "I wasn’t expecting that I would gain fame from Zhang Ping’s rebellion. Isn’t that right, Brother Zhang Yun?" He nudged Zhang Yun with his elbow.
Zhang Yun didn’t want to answer him. He was well aware of Zhou Gu’s abilities from his verbal duel with Ye Guixue the night before. And today, he was showing off in front of the Nanchu King again.
He really couldn’t stand him anymore.
He slowly nodded, "Indeed, Brother Zhou’s double-handed sword skills are extraordinary. I was fortunate enough to have experienced it personally; I nearly died under his sword. It’s a memory I will never forget."
Zhou Gu laughed heartily, "That’s right, I didn’t kill you at that time. You were lucky to dodge in time."
Zhang Yun rolled his eyes and decided to ignore him.
The Nanchu King was curious and interjected, "I only heard a vague story. Tell me more."
Zhou Gu, seeing the Nanchu King’s interest, didn’t hesitate to retell how he defended Nanping City. In his recounting, he unabashedly praised himself.
He normally wasn’t one to praise himself, but in front of his future father-in-law, he needed to. Yet he maintained a certain elegance in his bragging; it wasn’t exaggerated or boastful, but subtly, every word and sentence was all about praising himself.
Zhang Yun listened and marveled. Even though the facts were the same, hearing them from Zhou Gu’s mouth painted him in an overwhelmingly positive light. He thought to himself, ’No wonder he came out on top in the Imperial Examination among countless scholars in Daliang.’
The Nanchu King listened, nodding repeatedly and saying ’very good’ several times.
After Zhou Gu finished, the Nanchu King understood, "So, Xiaoqi was held up because the political situation in Daliang had not yet stabilized. She needed to negotiate and cooperate with the Crown Prince. That’s why she let you come first?"
"Yes, she wanted to say goodbye to her closest friends and companions. After all, the journey from Daliang to Nanchu is thousands of miles. Once she leaves Daliang, who knows when she will be able to return?" Zhou Gu explained, "As you know, all the members of the Su Family are very good to her, especially her adoptive parents. In her heart, she doesn’t feel that she’s not their real child. Her older brothers have also taken care of her since she was little. It is hard for her to let go."
The Nanchu King suggested, "We can bring them all to Nanchu in the future."
Zhou Gu sighed, "The roots of the Su Family are in Daliang. Moreover, she plans to maintain an alliance with the Crown Prince for life. This relationship is something neither side wants to break. Therefore, having the Su Family stay in Daliang acts as a continuous bridge."
The Nanchu King nodded and also sighed, "She’s had a hard time."
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