"...This, this is Third Brother's favorite food?"
Gu Baozhu was so captivated by Qin Yuan's smile that she completely forgot about the fact that Old Madam Gu's little dog had never broken a leg.
"That's right, Sixteen told me. Every time I have someone buy some, your third brother really likes it. I can tell even if he doesn't say it."
Gu Baozhu couldn't help but burst into laughter.
As a result, his joy turned to sorrow; he swallowed the apricot pit in a fit of rage, followed by a violent coughing fit.
Hongye quickly brought over some tea.
Lan Jie'er patted her back anxiously.
Cui Ming looked at her with a complicated expression.
Gu Baozhu coughed until tears came to her eyes, but thankfully she was alright.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
Qin Yuan scolded, "Why aren't you careful when you eat? I knew I shouldn't have told you."
“Good sister-in-law, just say it, I love to hear it.”
Ignoring her still-injured throat, Gu Baozhu hurriedly begged.
Third Brother's affairs are not so easy to hear about; we can't let them go.
Outside the carriage, Gu Shiba carefully tied the hunter's legs as instructed, before asking again, "Madam, may we depart now?"
"Let's go," Qin Yuan instructed.
The hunter secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
He was upside down, his stomach was bound to the saddle, his hands and feet were tied, and a smelly, muddy cloth was stuffed in his mouth.
It was truly agonizing.
I couldn't wait to get to the clinic in the city.
An hour later, the carriage finally arrived at the city gate. The soldiers could not enter the city, so they stopped.
The young officer in charge came over to say goodbye.
Qin Yuan instructed, "Thank you for escorting us today. It's past lunchtime, and we didn't bring any food. So please find us a place to stop for a bite and some tea."
Cuiming then gave the young general a sum of silver.
The young man blushed and declined, "How can I accept the lady's money? We... we can't accept this..."
Cuiming handed it to him, saying, "It's alright, just take it. The temple can't possibly cook for so many people, and you've all worked hard all day. You need to have some tea and rest. This amount of money looks like a lot, but how much food and supplies can you buy if you divide it among so many people?"
The young general then accepted it and said, "Thank you, Madam."
They turned their horses around and headed towards the main camp outside the city.
The Gu family's carriage did not leave immediately, but waited for Gu Shiliu and the others at the city gate for a while.
About half an hour later, Gu Shiliufang arrived with another team of guards. He first spoke to Qin Yuan's carriage for a while before walking up to Gu Shiba. He glanced meaningfully at the burly man on the saddle and laughed, "What, did you pick up someone on the road?"
Gu Shiba said, "That's right, Madam wants to take him back to the city to see a doctor. It's really uncomfortable to be squeezed in with me."
Gu Shiliu laughed and said, "We were much more uncomfortable in the northern frontier than this. That time, when I followed the Marquis to chase Yelü Guzha, I didn't sleep for several days. We killed that kid until he cried for his father and ran back to his den to ask his father for milk."
"Ha ha ha ha."
Everyone burst into laughter.
"Sixteenth Brother, none of us have ever been to the battlefield with the Marquis. Can you tell us about it?"
Gu Shiliu smiled, whistled a few lines, and then sang a few lines of a folk song with a desolate northern flavor, full of ups and downs.
"This is a folk song we used to sing in the north. The Marquis sang it well too. It's already cold now, and it's starting to snow. When we're off duty, we sit together, eat lamb legs, drink strong liquor, and sing folk songs. It's very comfortable. You'll like it if you go there."
Gu Shiba smiled but didn't say anything.
Gu Shiliu added, "Madam's carriage hasn't entered the city yet. We'll talk slowly once it does."
"Okay. Just don't forget," everyone said.
Gu Shiliu mounted his horse, flicked his whip, and struck the hunter's pert buttocks, laughing loudly, "Just bear with it a little longer, don't roll your eyes, we'll be there soon."
Gu Shiba said, "I need to tie you up again, so that you won't get jostled around when you run around."
He then carefully examined the horse's hands and feet again, and before he was satisfied, he tied a line on the horse's belly. He then said, "Alright, I'll take a good look at you when we get into the city. I won't let your legs become lame like our old lady's dog's legs."
The hunter was carried into the city in this way.
The guards, seeing that it was the carriage of the Marquis of Dingbei and recognizing Gu Shiliu, Gu Shiba, and the others, let them pass without asking any questions.
Once you enter the main road, there are more shops on both sides, and the place is bustling with people.
The hunter made a whimpering sound, signaling to put himself down.
Gu Shiba patted his butt and laughed, "I'll find you a good clinic, don't rush."
The hunter struggled to lift his head, his eyes fixed on the signs lining both sides of the street.
"Stop looking, you don't know the way."
Gu Shiba patted his head again.
He had been upside down the whole way, and his head was throbbing with blood. When he was hit like that, his head started buzzing, and everything went black.
Fortunately, he got into the city. Once these people put him down, he would be free.
The hunter could only swallow his anger and console himself.
But Gu Shiba and the others seemed to have forgotten to call a doctor for him, and carried him straight to the Marquis's residence.
After entering the Marquis's residence, passing through the main gate, and then entering the outer courtyard, we arrived at the Marquis'
The escorting servants and guards led the horses into the stables.
Gu Shiba, holding the horse, stood in the center of the courtyard, put his hand to his mouth, and gave a loud whistle, the sound like tearing silk.
Suddenly, a crowd of people gathered from all directions.
The hunter then realized something was wrong.
But it was too late.
His feet were suddenly gripped by a pair of large, eagle-claw-like hands, and he was slammed face down onto the bluestone slab.
A sharp pain struck, and then everything went black.
Blood flowed into my mouth, tasting bitter and metallic.
His nose must be broken.
The hunter saw stars and struggled to sit up.
Then Gu Shiliu chuckled:
"Yelü Xianyong, you really are brave. It was one thing to let you escape last night, but you dared to run into our cavalry during the day. Should we call you stupid or just incredibly audacious? Hmm?"
Then, Gu Shiliu stomped heavily on his leg.
The hunter used his tongue to forcefully push out the cloth stuffed in his mouth, but he couldn't break free from the ropes binding his hands and feet.
Gu Shiba casually remarked from the side, "I'm using the Gu Family Army's fighting style. You're standing with your hands behind your back, how are you going to counter that? Don't waste your energy. Since you've come uninvited, stay a few more days."
The hunter struggled to roll over and spat out blood and mud with all his might. Once he had emptied his bladder, he said in a hoarse voice, "So that's why you insisted on sending a mountain hunter like me to the doctor. I thought your lady was being kind, but it turns out you mistook me for an enemy. Nobles are different indeed; you went to so much trouble to capture a hunter with a broken leg like me. With so many of you, should I say you're cautious or cowardly?"
Gu Shiliu laughed, "We wouldn't have needed to go to such lengths to capture you, but since you insisted on putting on an act, don't blame our lady for using a little trick to deal with you. This is what we Central Plains people like to say: 'It is impolite not to reciprocate.' Yelü Xianyong, have you learned it?"
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