Chapter 47: Grasping Hands, Clear Suspicion, and the Truth Revealed
Xun Xiao and Gu Guan looked at each other. They had thought that she would hesitate for a while, but unexpectedly she agreed so readily.
Qin Ying sighed, hooked her arm around Gu Wan's shoulder and patted him, "We're going to do something bad without telling Xiao Si."
But she quickly regained her spirits, "I'll take care of my brother!"
Qin Guan has the power to dispatch Qin Xian's people.
Xun Xiao's eyes lit up: "I will go and investigate and send a letter to the Tuo'edun tribe."
"Then..." Gu Wan said, "I'll be responsible for getting Xie Jiawei out of the way when the time comes."
Oh, I didn't expect that the first order would be like this. Isn't it a bit of a betrayal of his trust?
I can only hope that Xie Ci won’t be too angry when the time comes.
......
At daybreak, birds chirped in the forest, creating a quiet yet noisy atmosphere.
Xie Ci and his group quickly packed up their tent and left this small, secluded valley.
It was still dark outside, and the forest was gloomy. I pushed aside the thatch and branches on both sides of the stream, waded out on horseback, and returned to the mountain path.
The hills here are undulating and the terrain is higher than the plains. Looking south from here, you can see the Wei camp stretching for dozens of miles. In the dawn light, the huge dark area is boundless and the light of torches is dotted.
In the early morning mist, Xie Ci stopped his horse and stood for a long moment, gazing intently. He said softly, "Of course I know that now is the most urgent task. It's the best and most appropriate time to find out who's behind this."
It turned out that before Xun Xiao went to see Qin Ying and Gu Wan privately, he had already told Xie Ci about his idea.
Can't you think of a thank you?
Of course, Xie Ci couldn't be unaware of this direction.
But he never had such an idea in his mind. He was furious and rejected Xun Xiao flatly.
The two had already parted ways once.
Although Xie Ci and Xun Xiao disliked each other, last night was the first time they had a heated argument.
Finally, Xun Xiao yelled angrily, "You are so stubborn," and walked away in anger.
Thank you for a sleepless night.
But the next morning, he had calmed down. The cool morning breeze blew gently, bringing with it the quiet fragrance of the mountains and forests. He gazed at the vast Wei main camp for a long time and said softly, "But we can't be like them."
"If we also trade with Beirong out of selfish desires, then is there a big difference between us and those people?!"
You have no choice, and I have no choice too. We do what we should do and what we shouldn't do. We are strong-willed and stick to the bottom line and never cross it.
Xie Ci let out a long breath.
Gu Wan: “…”
Fuck, Xun Xiao is such a liar. Before he came to find her and Qin Ying, he had already told Xie Ci about it.
Gu Guan didn't dare to say anything. When Xie Ci looked over and smiled at her, she quickly smiled back.
However, apart from cursing Xun Xiao in his heart, Gu Guan did not regret anything.
Before agreeing, she knew of course that Xie Ci would never agree.
Xie Ci hated the Northern Rong, and his father and brother were framed for smuggling with the Northern Rong and were eventually beheaded for treason.
The Xie family has been fighting bloody battles with the Northern Rong for generations, so there is no way he would agree to this.
The unyielding spirit of the Xie family's sons is deeply rooted in their blood. A man who was able to struggle for this and give up his family feud when the country was in turmoil, the three views formed since childhood gave him an insurmountable bottom line in his heart.
This is a minefield of thank you notes.
Gu Wan knew all of this, but after weighing the pros and cons, she still did it. The dead were dead, and Xie Ci had to live. Xun Xiao's words hit home with her: who knows what the next situation will be like? Now was the most critical juncture in unveiling the mask of the person behind the scenes.
There is something more important than death.
But she and Qin Ying hope that Xie Ci can live well, the less crises the better, and get over this hurdle as soon as possible, so that everyone can be fine.
He is the male lead, but what if the male lead's halo doesn't work? The plot has now changed beyond recognition.
In modern times, the two countries have been engaged in economic battles, but when necessary, they can still laugh and benefit each other.
They were just exchanging personal information privately, and what they got in return was just a mediocre teenager, not a famous general.
I just hope Xie Ci won’t be too angry when the time comes.
The dawn in the east grew brighter and brighter. Xie Ci's brows were filled with calm solemnity. "The barbarians from the north are slaughtering and plundering the people of Wei and invading our Central Plains. Every generation of our Xie family ancestors has sacrificed their lives to resist these invaders. My father and brothers died for this. Even in their graves, they would never want to see me act like this!"
There was a determination in Xie Ci's eyes that never changed.
He looked at Gu Wan from the side, the faint golden morning light climbed up his eyebrows and eyes inch by inch, and his young face was so handsome at this moment that it was impossible to look at it directly.
Because he has a strong character.
Gu Wan blinked, "...Yes."
She didn't know what to say. At that moment, Xie Ci perfectly matched the image of a hero in her mind. She stared at his face, which seemed to glow in the morning light, without blinking, and a myriad of emotions welled up in her heart. But she felt a little guilty, and the saddle felt like it had several nails, making her feel a little uneasy. Fortunately, this topic didn't last long. Xie Ci's expression softened, and he raised his eyebrows and smiled at her, "Let's go!"
With her by his side, he would not feel overwhelmed no matter how difficult it was, and he would be happy to endure any hardship.
The tall and handsome young man stretched out his hand, and Gu Guan quickly took it, and the two of them raised their whips.
The two riders took the lead and galloped towards the dawn light.
......
Xie Ci and his entourage rode back to the Wei army camp at high speed. After arriving, he said to Gu Guan in a slow voice, "You should go and rest first."
Gu Wan hesitated for a moment, but Xie Ci urged her again and again. She thought it wouldn't be so soon, so she went.
Gu Wan had been running around for days and was very tired, and Xie Ci knew it.
But after she went to rest, he continued to work non-stop.
After returning to Dongying and entering the tent, Xie Ci directly removed the stuff on his face.
In the past few days, the Wei camp has been in turmoil with many post-war matters and the affairs of Major General Black Armor. The Xie family army took this opportunity to eliminate the last few spies in their own department. At Xie Ci's suggestion, Qin Xian and others tried their best to merge Guiyizhou into Dongying. Now the core area of Dongying is impregnable.
Despite the chaos of foreign affairs, both open and secret, post-war Dongying was orderly and quiet.
After Xie Ci returned, he sat down behind the main chair at the table. Xie Yun immediately stepped forward and whispered, "Master, we've contacted our covert informants, and the information is roughly the same as what General Qin and the others know. However, we've discovered another fact: before the Lantian case, several prefectures and departments frequently moved in and out of military supplies such as weapons, salt, and iron. Master, this is the amount they've taken in and out over the past six months."
Xie Ci took it and looked at it. Huo Can, Lu Xinyi, Zheng Shoufang were among them, as well as Duke He Xin of Lu, Governor Xiang Boqian of Xiazhou and Governor Wang Guang of Guide. Below was the detailed throughput of their subordinates.
Xie Yun said, "After a closer look, it turns out that Lu Xinyi has been acting strangely in recent years. Also, Zheng Shoufang and his men have always viewed our government as a thorn in their side."
Zheng Shoufang would never give up the opportunity if he had the chance to kill someone.
Xie Yun said, "I think we can't rule out the possibility of the two of them joining forces."
The Xie family also has secret services and spies. While Xie Yun and his team were searching for people, they were also trying their best to investigate, but their investigation was in a slightly different direction. They had noticed that something was wrong with Lu Xinyi, and they had changed their previous respectful tone.
Xie Ci now finally has his own personal channel of information besides Qin Xian and others.
With the information from several parties combined, many things have become more three-dimensional.
The focus has basically been on Lu Xinyi and Zheng Shoufang.
Now, Qin Xian and others are all following Xie Ci's instructions for the deployment and arrangements of the entire Dongying, forming a close whole.
As soon as Xie Ci came back, in addition to paying attention to the movements of Beirong, he focused on dealing with the latest news from Xie Jiawei, trying to find further clues through the coordination of several parties.
When Qin Xian and Su Zhen lifted the curtain and entered, they saw a serious-looking young general in black armor sitting upright behind the chief desk. Behind the seat was a folding screen made of nanmu wood with twelve panels depicting a tiger roaring in the mountains. The king of beasts raised his head and roared, shaking the mountains and forests. The black-armored major general's brows were cold and imposing, revealing his military might.
The Hu leaders He Yuan, He Rong, Liu Rongsi and others from Guiyizhou had already put on their armor and were standing solemnly on both sides of the chief seat.
In that instant, the two of them seemed to be dreaming of the past.
——Xie Ci’s elder brother Xie Xian was 32 years old when the incident happened. He had already set up his own family. Xie Xinzhong was not young anymore. Xie Xian began to accept the Xie family army and had handled most of the affairs when he was in his twenties.
Qin Xian and his men had been called in through the curtain countless times to see Major General Xie Qi, dressed in black armor and a red cloak, busy handling various matters.
He behaved calmly and composedly, and sat upright with awe-inspiring military majesty.
Qin Xian was excited for a moment and looked at Chen Yan and others. They were obviously thinking of the same old thing and were quite excited for a moment. Even Kou Wenshao, who thought about it the most, felt that there was hope. Everyone took a deep breath, calmed down their emotions, and quickly walked inside.
Everyone easily found their former positions, dropped to one knee with a "pop", and shouted in unison: "Major General!"
"Get up quickly and sit down. What's going on?"
Qin Xianyi clasped his fists and said, "Report to the Great General! Lu Xinyi, Zheng Shoufang, and the other people's attempts have all been arranged. This matter is no longer a problem."
Many people knew that this was Xie Ci. Out of surprise or some other reason, many people tried to test him. However, many of them only used eye contact and words. But at this point, it became easier. Qin Xian and his companions had already repelled all the tests with their busy work.
Qin Yong has been very busy recently, and he is always worried about being exposed.
But let him ignore these.
Next, Xie Ci and the others discussed Xie Jiawei's news about the Beirong and Lantian cases for almost two hours, and did not disperse until the afternoon.
Xie Yun felt a little distressed: "Fourth Young Master, no, Master, let me remove your armor for you, apply some medicine first and then rest for a while, okay?"
He had practically watched Xie Ci grow up. He'd been doted on, practically the youngest in the family, and everyone loved him the most. Even though Xie Xinzhong scolded him daily, it was because he was naughty and mischievous, and spoiled children have the luxury of mischief. Whenever Xie Ci made significant progress, Xie Xinzhong would appear stern but secretly proud, praising and rewarding him. Even when Xie Ci got so angry that Mr. Wen ran away, Xie Xinzhong, though furious, couldn't help but feel a little proud afterwards.
Xie Ci once thought that he was the happiest man in the world. Although the old man at home made him angry, his biggest worry was that when he grew up, he would go to the northern border to join the army, and he would not see his friends for a long time.
But overnight, all of this was shattered.
Xie Ci had been fighting continuously, wasn't he tired? But he didn't show a trace of fatigue. He put on his armor and never took it off. He sat upright behind the chief case, concentrating on analyzing, dispatching, and issuing every order. His straight spine never relaxed.
After losing his father and brother, he took on everything by himself.
Xie Yun could imagine how Xie Ci was thinking through every word and sentence of the solemn military atmosphere and the strict implementation of orders today.
Xie Yun recalled the Fourth Young Master of the past, and then looked at the young general in front of him, who was sitting upright on the big chair with broad shoulders and back. He had grown up so much in an instant that he could hardly recognize him. In less than two years, his eyes suddenly filled with tears.
But Xie Ci didn't feel tired. Sitting in this position with his armor on, his heart was actually beating fast.
He was looking down in deep thought, but when he heard Xie Yun's words, he came to his senses, nodded, and stood up.
Only after taking off his armor did he feel a deep fatigue. However, after applying the medicine, everyone left and closed the tent curtain. It was so quiet inside that he couldn't fall asleep.
Xie Ci tossed and turned, thinking a lot, and finally thought of Gu Wan. The longing in his heart was like a huge tide. He immediately turned over and jumped to the ground. After thinking for a while, he put on his boots and went straight to her.
She should be awake, right?
......
Gu Guan also had trouble sleeping this morning.
She tossed and turned her mind, firstly because she was thinking about Xun Xiao, and secondly because... she thought of Xie Ci.
In fact, Gu Guan felt something was different.
But this feeling was fleeting, and she had no definite evidence, so she complained about herself, saying that people should not be too narcissistic.
Don't make a fuss about it if it's not happening.
But there is always a faint shadow that lingers and makes people suspicious.
That’s right, Gu Wan already had some doubts.
But she was indeed very tired, and after thinking for a while, she fell into a deep sleep.
She slept until mid-afternoon and woke up hungry. She quickly got up and put on her clothes, while asking someone to bring her food. She was almost starving to death.
Then she ate two big steamed buns. Before she was full, she received a message from Xun Xiao: It went very smoothly and the transaction could be completed tonight.
But Xie Ci's group had already dispersed, and he finally had some free time. Xun Xiao asked Gu Wan to make sure to hold him back and not let him go to the valley before dawn.
Gu Wan: "...Fuck, so fast!"
"Can you guarantee the accuracy of the transaction information?"
She quickly put down the steamed bun and wiped her mouth. Luo Qian said, "Don't worry, Miss Gu. My master said there will be absolutely no problem."
"Then shall I go and tell Madam Xie?"
"Okay, then go quickly."
Gu Wan quickly put on her boots, and at this moment all the messy thoughts were thrown out of her mind. She hurriedly packed up and wanted to go to Xie Ci.
Unexpectedly, just as Luo Qian was leaving and she had only half put on her boots, she heard a familiar voice, "Wan Niang, Wan Wan?"
Gu Wan: “???”
But she couldn't think of anything else. Damn, Xie Ci is here! Didn't he see Luo Qian? She quickly jumped up, rushed to the door in two or three steps, and pulled back the curtain.
Xie Ci was wearing a snow-white undergarment and a black cloak. He smelled of medicinal fragrance. His hair was a little wet, having just been washed.
Xie Ci had not told her before that he also had some injuries, mainly from the battle with the Northern Rong King Hu Yande. This grassland wolf king who had boldly recovered the eighteen tribes of Northern Rong was indeed as powerful as his reputation said.
Both of them were injured. In addition to the cracks in each other's knuckles, Xie Ci left him with serious injuries, and Xie Ci was also cut on the back by the opponent's scimitar.
It's not deep, but quite long. This kind of wound is the most difficult to bandage. The military doctor burned it with a flint patch and advised the patient to keep it as dry as possible. After applying the medicine, it's best to lie down with the wound exposed if possible.
When Gu Wan saw him, his eyes widened immediately: "Fuck, what are you doing here?"
If you don't bandage your wound when it's exposed to the sun, it's most likely to break, okay?
She quickly pulled Xie Ci in and rolled her eyes, "You don't want to sleep? Uh, how about... you sleep on my bed!"
Ahhh, go to sleep quickly, it’s just right for her to watch him and not run around.
Xie Ci held his breath and quickly looked at her bed. She had obviously just gotten up. The blanket was lifted up and the pillow had made a dent, making it a bit messy.
"I...I slept here?"
"yes."
Gu Wan blinked. What's wrong? Actually, this bed wasn't hers. I don't know which man slept on it last night, and his feet were a little sweaty. But that's how camp beds are during wartime. You sleep today, I sleep tomorrow. Especially since she couldn't reveal her identity, she slept in a different bed every day.
So it’s not easy to look down on others and I don’t take this seriously at all.
She said, "What's wrong? Do you think it's too narrow?"
Isn't it good to dry the wound?
There were three more beds in the room, but they were all the same size. Gu Wan just wanted to quickly catch him up. "How about I push the one over there over here?"
"No, no, no, one is enough for me."
Xie Ci tried his best to remain calm and nodded, indicating that this was fine. He wouldn't take up much space lying down anyway.
Obviously, they had never been like this before when they shared a bed, but now he was so embarrassed that he almost lost his balance. He turned and hurried to her bed. He stretched himself out and lay down. The blanket and mattress were still warm. He buried his face in the pillow and could clearly smell her scent. His whole body trembled as if it had been electrocuted. The blood rushed to his ears and turned red on the spot.
He quickly lay down on the pillow, not daring to look up.
Gu Wan diligently shook out the velvet pad and covered his lower body below the waist. "Are you cold? Do you want to cover yourself with it?"
In fact, she thought it would be better not to do so. The clothes here had been washed and ironed repeatedly and were specially provided for the wounded. Anyway, the weather was not very cold, so it was no big deal if she didn't cover herself with them.
Xie Ci tried his best to suppress the corners of his lips that curled up, "No, no, I'm not cold."
"Then go to sleep!"
Gu Wan curled his lips and smiled, looking at him.
Xie Ci nodded, even the corners of his eyes felt hot. He didn't dare to look up anymore, and just lay down and nodded vigorously.
After waiting for about a quarter of an hour, Xie Ci's breathing finally became slow and long, and he fell asleep happily.
Only then did Gu Wan breathe a sigh of relief.
Oh my god, it’s finally done.
......
Gu Guan looked at the sky. Damn, it was only the afternoon. He wondered if it would last until dawn.
But never mind, I’ll talk about it when I wake up.
Gu Guan had a good sleep and was full of energy. After practicing the palm techniques taught by Xie Ci along the way, she finally asked Xie Yun to bring some trivial matters from Xie Ci's side and she helped to deal with them.
Xie Ci has now truly stood up. Gu Wan can see the obvious change in mentality of Qin Xian and other generals, from being Xie Xinzhong's confidant to following Xie Ci to the death. As a result, the burden on Xie Ci's shoulders has suddenly sunk.
Let her help lighten the burden. Look, she has woken up from a nap, so he has time to rest.
Gu Guan was there and no one else came to rest in the barracks. The tent was quiet for a while. Only the occasional sounds of Xie Ping and others coming in and out quietly and the rustling sound of writing could be heard.
Xie Yun had read what Gu Guan had written. His writing was free and unrestrained, not at all like that of a woman, yet accurate and well-organized. He nodded secretly.
Master, no, the wife chosen by the old master for the fourth young master was absolutely the right one.
Everyone in the Xie family was extremely grateful and respectful to Gu Wan because she saved Xie Ci and other members of the Xie family.
Xie Ci said, "Her words are like my orders," and they accepted it easily. After all, there is a difference between speaking from the heart and following orders.
......
And what a coincidence, Xie Ci and Gu Wan also mentioned this matter today.
In the middle of the night, Xie Ci woke up.
As soon as he moved, Gu Wan dropped his pen and stood up. He looked at the clock and was shocked. Damn, there were still more than two hours before dawn.
"Are you hungry?"
Xie Ci's face was numb from being pressed down, and he was sitting up to rub it. Gu Guan hurried over with a bandage, put a dressing on him, and wrapped the bandage around him in circles.
Her fingertips carelessly brushed against his skin, and as she rose and fell from behind him and moved in circles, Xie Ci's heart was pounding.
When it was finally done, Gu Wan had an idea: "Don't you want to learn disguise? I have some free time, how about I teach you?"
Xie Ci has been learning this for quite some time, but it's not something that can be mastered in one go. Xie Ci can put on makeup to look different from himself, but his eyebrows are not symmetrical, and the shadows and highlights are different on one side of his face. Fortunately, he can still hold up the makeup after wearing a helmet.
But if he was asked to portray a person exactly as he did, such as Zhu Jun, who is often used today, he would not be able to do it.
Gu Wan glanced at Xie Ci, who nodded immediately, "Okay!
Gu Guan was delighted and quickly rummaged through the drawers and took out her spare tools. He pulled the table over and the two of them spread out several rows of things in an orderly manner. One taught and the other learned, stealing glances at each other from time to time.
“You need to loosen your hands a little and be steady when you draw the eyebrow pencil, making sure to draw it all the way through.
"Is that so?"
"No, you're using too much pressure, and the color is too thick. It has to be like this...right! Try it yourself."
As Gu Guan taught, he became more serious.
She held Xie Ci's hand several times, but Xie Ci held Luo Dai's hand tighter and tighter. Suddenly, he couldn't help it. His heart trembled, and he flipped his hand and grabbed Gu Wan's hand!
With a "pop", Luo Dai fell to the ground and broke into several pieces.
——This Luodai was made by Gu Guan herself. It has a certain waterproof function. She should be very sad that it broke like this.
Gu Wan glanced down, then looked up at his grabbed hand with wide eyes, "...Why are you grabbing my hand?"
Xie Ci argued, "But, you also grabbed my hand."
At this moment, his eyes were particularly bright.
Gu Wan was startled. She vaguely sensed something. Damn it! She subconsciously said, "...It's already April."
Xie Ci almost confessed his feelings, but his joy suddenly froze, and he jumped up, "...Yes, it's only April, it's still a long way to go until June! Don't you want to observe the mourning period?"
Damn, take off this big hat.
Gu Wan also jumped up, "Fuck, are you talking nonsense? Am I not guarding this?"
Xie Ci's attack failed, so he quickly took the initiative to divert attention. As the military manual says, one should fight in a roundabout way, with both offense and defense.
He coughed lightly and nodded seriously: "That's fine."
"I have something else to do over there, so I'll go back first."
Xie Ci quickly picked up the Luodai on the ground and put it on the table, grabbed the black cloak, put it on himself, and left like a gust of wind.
Gu Wan: “…”
Oh shit, oh shit, what she thinks can’t be true, right?
…
A thought flashed through his mind, and Gu Guan stood there with his eyes wide open. Xie Ci lifted the curtain and walked out.
Then, before she could continue thinking.
Suddenly, I heard a burst of rapid horse hooves, followed by a horse turning over and running straight towards this side.
It was Xie Yun's voice.
"Master! Young Master Xun has taken the Yehe Ancient Chime away to exchange information with the Beirong people!"
Xie Ci suddenly stopped in his tracks, the rare lighthearted look on his face suddenly vanishing, and he snapped, "What did you say?!"
Xie Ci's face suddenly darkened. The night wind lifted his big black cloak. He stood still, his face gloomy and his brows sharp to the extreme.
Xie Ping and others were shocked and knelt on the ground in an instant.
Damn it, the truth is out!
How come it’s so fast?
Gu Wan was so frightened that he didn't care about anything else and rushed out.
The author has something to say:
It was past midnight and Xun Xiao was on his way back, the outcome was already a foregone conclusion.
Gu Wan: No one will be killed...right? Xie Ci and Xun Xiao have been at odds for a long time, and now these two can fight again!
Even if it's just a private matter, it's still a secret communication with the Northern Rong. The male protagonist is a person who can fight for this and give up his family feud when the original trajectory country is in turmoil. There are clear boundaries that cannot be violated. (Just like when it comes to national affairs, even the smallest matter is a big deal)
Thank you family, thank you family soul.
Here I come, giving you a big kiss! See you tomorrow, haha~ It's been so long since Children's Day, and I only just remembered it today. So, let's all have a happy Children's Day! (A forever happy child's heart, haha) For those of you with babies at home, add a little "happy every day, little one!"
Hahaha, see you tomorrow! (*^▽^*)
Finally, I also want to thank "sasa" for throwing the mine, jiu mi jiu mi~
.
And to all the big babies who have watered Wenwen, pen refills!!
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