She is my wife
The two men who pushed open the gate did not go in directly, but stepped aside to make way for the six big men who were coming from behind.
The six people were arranged in a V-shape. The man in the lead had thick eyebrows and big eyes, and was tall and strong. Standing among the crowd, he had a majestic aura that stood out from the crowd.
Song Tiaotiao handed the lard residue in her hand to Zhao.
She never thought that the plot point where Gu Chengjue was slandered would be suddenly moved forward by several days, and she didn't know why the number of people who showed up was double the original number.
Song Tiaotiao felt a pang of anger when she thought of Gu Chengjue in the book who endured it for the sake of his family and was eventually manipulated by others and had his reputation ruined.
She looked up at Gu Chengjue beside her, only to see his long eyelashes drooping in his eyes, his expression gloomy and unclear. Thinking he would repeat his mistakes, she whispered to him, "Gu Chengjue, don't worry, I'll go meet them first."
Then, Song Tiaotiao, not noticing Gu Chengjue's hesitation, calmed down and turned directly to the leader, asking, "You said he stole something? What evidence do you have? And why are you the ones arresting him? Is it possible that the Jin family is so powerful that they even take on government jobs?"
Someone in the crowd shouted, "You're just a little girl. Why do you have so many questions about this?"
Hearing this, Gu Chengjue frowned, and the murderous intent that he had suppressed in his eyes continued to surge.
Song Tiaotiao suddenly changed the subject, as if suddenly realizing something, and chuckled, "I understand. Could it be that the person who sent you here has a grudge against you?"
Upon hearing this, the leader waved his arm to stop the people behind him and said in a deep voice, "Why do you say that, young lady?"
Song Tiaotiao chuckled lightly: "They say people die for money. May I ask this big brother, how much silver did the Jin family give you?"
Seeing that Song Tiaotiao was calm and composed, and she was a woman, the leader softened his tone and patiently advised, "Young lady, the word 'death' is too unlucky, don't keep it on your lips. As for the silver, I won't take it, but for the rest of you, I'll give you thirty coins each."
Song Tiaotiao shook her head repeatedly, as if in disbelief, "They actually regard your lives as so worthless."
The leader frowned slightly, puzzled: "Girl, why are all your words so strange?"
Song Tiaotiao chuckled and said, "In the past, Prince Ning led his troops to guard the northern border, protecting the people and bringing blessings to the region, saving countless families from separation and displacement. You should always remember his kindness, right?"
The leader's eyes flickered when he heard this, and his voice became a little softer. "General Gu fought bravely and lived a life of integrity. He has indeed done us a favor. But why did you bring this up, young lady?"
Seeing his expression, Song Tiaotiao knew they were on the right track. She feigned surprise and intensified her attack: "Didn't the Jin family's shopkeeper tell you? The person you're taking away is his biological son, Gu Chengjue?"
The leader frowned, "How could this be! Your Excellency should be enjoying his old age in peace in the capital..."
But he soon remembered the Jin family shopkeeper's smug muttering behind him as he left the shop: "Humph, he really thinks he's the master's son-in-law, yet he's always trying to make excuses when getting things done. He's really courting death. Even that so-called Ning Wang, the Dog King, ended up dead after offending the master..."
Thinking of this, the leader's pupils trembled, and he looked carefully at Gu Chengjue's eyebrows and expression.
From time to time, he avoided Gu Chengjue's cold gaze in disbelief. After pondering for a long time, he said bitterly, "I really deserve to die... I almost failed my benefactor! If it weren't for General Gu's bloody battles, I would never have been able to return to Songbai Village with my mother safely."
A man from the Jin family behind him said angrily, "Brother Zhao, how could you believe their one-sided story? The head shopkeeper clearly said that their family was exiled as criminals!"
Hearing this, the leader turned around and shouted, "We were the ones who believed the shopkeeper's one-sided story and let them fool us! Look at General Gu, he's so imposing, how could we possibly challenge him? Not to mention the way he grips his staff, that's something he'd have to have slain countless enemies on the battlefield, fighting one against a thousand!"
The restless crowd suddenly quieted down after hearing this. They asked in surprise, "Brother Zhao, is this true?"
The leader nodded and said solemnly, "I had the honor of meeting General Gu in the army, and I have never forgotten him. Now that I have seen the appearance and demeanor of General Gu, I truly understand the saying that a tiger father will have a dog son... Brothers, if our benefactor is in trouble and we don't repay his kindness, are we going to bite him back?" After speaking, he sighed softly and clasped his fists in apology: "I am Zhao Huaian. I have offended you all greatly. I beg for your forgiveness."
Zhao Huaian, who had served in the army during the war, was quite prestigious in Songbai Village. Seeing him like this, everyone was convinced and apologized one after another.
But among the two Jin family guards who pushed the door open, one of them had a murderous look in his eyes. He walked forward with a stick in his hand, and pointed the tip of the stick directly at Gu Chengjue's eyebrows: "I don't believe that!"
Gu Chengjue simply glanced at him indifferently, then flexed his two long fingers for a moment and quietly snatched the wooden stick into his hand. Then, he wielded the stick like a spear, using a single move to dislodge a heavy object, throwing the man directly into the snow.
There were inevitably some tough guys among the Han people, and now when they saw Gu Chengjue defeat the enemy with one move, they realized that they had almost shown off their skills in front of Guan Gong. They felt a little scared, and their doubts disappeared in an instant.
They all turned and spat at the man, "For thirty cents, you turned your back on your benefactor! We really misjudged you."
Gu Chengjue blinked, pointed the stick at the man's throat, and said coldly, "Do you believe it now?"
The man's legs trembled, but he didn't forget to stand up and kowtow, tears streaming down his face. "Young General, I'm convinced this time. Brother Zhao really didn't recognize the wrong person. I just, I just can't believe that General Gu and his family have fallen to this point. It's all that bastard surnamed Jin's fabrications. I'll go and settle the score with him later!"
Upon hearing this, the strong men present were all indignant and felt that they were being used by the Jin family. They turned around and wanted to ask for an explanation.
Zhao Huaian stopped them, helped the man up, and said in a deep voice: "The Jin family is powerful and vengeful. Let's just pretend that what happened today never happened and don't cause any more trouble for our benefactor."
The strong men nodded after careful consideration.
Zhao Huaian saw them softening and walked towards the row of wooden stakes: "It will snow heavily in two days. I'm afraid this thatched cottage won't be able to bear the weight."
The men looked towards the thatched cottage where their benefactor lived, and saw that it looked so frail that they felt sorry for it.
At this time, Zhao Huaian said earnestly, "I am willing to stay here and help the young general with his work. Please do not despise me for acting on my own initiative. It is just that the kindness of General Gu is so unforgettable to me. In the past, due to my lack of luck, I did not have the opportunity to meet the general again, and I have no way to repay his kindness. Although I don't know where General Gu is now, I have met you by chance, and I must repay your kindness no matter what. Please do not refuse."
The strong men were all moved by Zhao Huaian's words and responded one after another.
Even the two men who had just entered the door blushed and said they wanted to stay and repair the fence for them to make up for their previous mistake.
Seeing that there were signs of turning enemies into friends, Song Tiaotiao walked up and shared some lard scraps with each of them.
The freshly baked lard residue is golden in color, and the sugar and salt coated on the surface have been melted by the temperature, just like a layer of fine frost.
It was the first time for the men to eat the sweet and salty lard residue. Now, when they tasted it, their eyes lit up and they chewed it carefully.
The lard residue is crispy when put into the mouth, and the sweet and salty flavors combined with the oil are so fragrant that they make people salivate.
The men thanked her repeatedly and praised Song Tiaotiao's excellent craftsmanship. Then they became indignant and cursed the Jin family for being a villain in power and harming good people.
Zhao Huaian held up a wooden stake for Gu Chengjue and apologized, "I've only heard of the two generals' titles in the army before, so I don't know the young general's name. Please don't blame me, young general."
Gu Chengjue shook his head: "It's nothing. If my father knew that someone as loyal and righteous as you was thinking about him, he would be very relieved."
Zhao Huaian smiled and looked at Song Tiaotiao who came to deliver the lard residue: "Thank you for letting bygones be bygones. I really admire your courage and strategy. Forgive me for asking, but are you the young general's sister?"
Song Tiaotiao didn't know how to explain.
Then he saw Gu Chengjuefeng's eyes flickering, he looked up at her and said, "She is my wife, her name is Song Tiaotiao."
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