"Tudego has been captured?"
Shen Tang rushed to Tu Rong's side in one stride.
Tu Rong subconsciously straightened his chest, his pride and smugness almost overflowing, as if he had the words "My lord praises me, my teacher praises me too" etched on his face. He unilaterally decided that this was the pinnacle of his life, achieving remarkable military exploits at such a young age.
His name will be etched in history, and when future historians mention the Battle of the Northern Desert, the name Tu Xianrong will surely appear! The Tu family's ancestral graves are truly blessed! Tu Rong even wanted to commission a storyteller named "Five Elements Lacking Morality" to write a tale about him as the protagonist, detailing his heroic performance in the Battle of the Northern Desert, so he could burn it for his father and the others when he visited their graves.
Tu Rong could barely suppress the smile on his face, and it took him a while to stop himself from grinning: "Yes, to prevent him from committing suicide, I have ordered his men to tie him up tightly, awaiting the master's judgment."
He didn't deliberately lower his voice.
Gong Cheng could naturally hear it as well.
Gong Shuwu escorted Gong Cheng away, and Lin Feng brought "Brother Tude" over. The two passed each other. When Gong Cheng first heard that Brother Tude had been captured alive, he was somewhat surprised, but when he saw "Brother Tude" being escorted up, he was only left with a strange feeling.
"Tudege" has been reduced to a prisoner, his former arrogance completely gone.
Upon seeing Gong Cheng, who was unrestrained and obediently following behind Gong Shuwu, the numbness on "Brother Tude's" face was replaced by an outburst of rage. With his hands bound behind his back, "Brother Tude" shook his shoulders, broke free of his restraints, and strode towards Gong Cheng.
The soldiers reacted quickly and subdued him. "Tudege" struggled several times but could not break free, so he spat and cursed at Gong Cheng.
"Gong Yunchi, you coward, you traitor!"
"You ungrateful wretch!"
"When exactly did you collude with Kangguo...?"
Gong Cheng stopped in his tracks and looked coldly at "Brother Tude".
"Tudege" gasped, "Can't answer?"
His struggle had been too forceful, causing his hastily bandaged and stitched wound to reopen in seven or eight places, with bright red blood seeping through the gauze and flowing continuously. Gong Cheng didn't want to answer; he walked straight past "Brother Tude," and before he had taken two steps, he heard "Brother Tude's" whisper behind him: "Gong Yunchi, you'll regret this. With the Northern Desert suffering such a crushing defeat and the various tribes in chaos, those old and weak members of the Gong family who are holding us back won't have an easy time..."
This time, even Gong Shuwu stopped in his tracks.
Before Gong Cheng could react, a translucent pink palm bone gripped "Brother Tude's" neck and lifted him up: "What nonsense were you spouting just now?"
"Tudege" naturally did not answer.
He even wished that Gong Shuwu would strangle him to death.
Despite his anger, Gong Shuwu still retained some rationality.
He turned to Gong Cheng and asked, "Is this what you call thorough protection? It's one thing for the Eighteenth Rank Grand Chancellor to be threatened with favors, but to be held hostage is another matter entirely! You, you, you—are you trying to drive me crazy again? How could someone as smart as my elder brother have such a dim-witted son like you?"
Gongshu Wu, the general "Tudege", was left aside.
He said coldly, "This war is not over yet. If anything happens to the old or weak members of the Gong clan, don't blame me for finding a chance to slaughter your entire tribe from head to toe! Let alone an infant, if I leave even one person alive in your tribe, I will atone with my death!"
As the Grand General of the Tianxuan Guard of Kang State, Gong Shuwu naturally couldn't do that, but he could choose not to if he wanted revenge!
Once he regained his identity as a commoner wandering knight, could the laws of Kangguo stop him from killing and massacring clans in enemy countries? Gong Shuwu made no attempt to conceal his intentions. "Tudege" was already severely injured, and now, with the murderous aura and death energy erupting from him, his meridians were invaded. His pale lips turned bluish-purple and even black within a few breaths, and his entire body was trembling and shaking. His hair and eyebrows were covered with large patches of gray ice crystals.
Gong Cheng didn't speak for a while.
"I've already asked a friend to help me transfer it."
It was customary for military officers to settle their families in the rear areas while they were away fighting.
Firstly, the safety of the rear area would put the military officers at ease; secondly, the families would also act as hostages, which would put the monarch at ease as well.
Gong Cheng is a special case among them.
Tudege never deliberately demanded hostages from Gong Cheng, nor did he imprison the elderly and weak members of the Gong family. Apart from using the excuse of "the chaotic and unsafe situation in the outside world" to prevent them from leaving the Northern Desert, he allowed them to live wherever they wanted, giving them sufficient freedom within the designated area.
The elderly and infirm of the Gong family also disliked contact with the Northern Desert, so they all moved to an uninhabited area to rebuild their settlement, raising chickens, ducks, cattle, sheep, and horses, and cultivating wasteland to try to be self-sufficient. Only those things that were beyond their ability to solve would be brought back by Gong Cheng.
Over the years, the two sides have lived in relative peace. Tudege knew very well that Gong Cheng helped him because of the two times Xiaocheng had saved his life and the kindness of rescuing the remaining elderly and weak of the Gong family. The oath given to him by the 20th-rank Marquis was only a small part of the reason.
Gong Cheng's personality meant that manipulating him with emotions was far more effective than threatening him with hostages. The latter might lead to enmity and even break a tooth, but the former could devour someone without even having to remove the bones.
This delicate balance is maintained in this way.
Until the last time Gong Cheng and Liu Guan had a falling out.
Tudege also realized that Gong Cheng was becoming increasingly out of control. In addition, Gong Cheng's eccentric behavior based on his strength over the years had attracted more and more dissatisfaction and complaints. The dissatisfaction accumulated little by little until it broke through the critical point and exploded, so he wanted to give him a secret warning.
However, he did not do it himself.
If Gong Cheng finds out, the rift in their relationship will be difficult to repair.
Therefore, he tacitly approved Liu Guan's relocation of the Gong family's elderly and weak. As long as Gong Cheng didn't betray them, he guaranteed that the Gong family's elderly and weak would eat and drink well, and that not a single hair on their head would be missing! All of this was done behind Gong Cheng's back, without fear of Gong Cheng finding out. The Gong family's elderly and weak harbored resentment towards Gong Cheng for helping the Northern Desert, but they also understood Gong Cheng's difficulties.
To avoid awkwardness, the two rarely contact each other.
Without contact, how could Gong Cheng know about the plight of the elderly and infirm?
Upon hearing that the elderly and infirm Gong were safe, Gong Shuwu's imposing aura suddenly subsided, and the chill that had surrounded "Brother Tude" receded like a receding tide.
He collapsed to the ground, utterly exhausted. The ice crystals melted into sweat as his rapidly recovering body heat trickled down his skin.
Before long, "Tudege" looked as if he had been pulled out of the water, and his bright red blood had been diluted to light pink.
"Tudege" no longer cared about this.
"Gong Yunchi—"
His eyes were fierce, as if he wished he could devour his flesh and drink his blood.
"You actually knew all along!"
Gong Cheng left only one sentence.
"You'd better watch yourself."
The soldiers dragged "Tudege" to see the Lord.
Gong Cheng followed behind Gong Shuwu, the uncle and nephew walking one after the other through the cleared battlefield. The Kang soldiers were busy working; the wounded were all carried onto makeshift stretchers to the wounded soldiers' camp, and the dead were dug up, their original body parts pieced together as best they could, wrapped in long cloths, and also sent to the wounded soldiers' camp, so that the medics could sew up their bodies for a proper burial. The treatment of the enemy was less friendly: those barely clinging to life were finished off, those too badly wounded were finished off, and those stubbornly refusing to surrender were finished off…
The number of enemy deaths is just a number in their eyes, but the loss of their comrades-in-arms is a tremendous blow.
Gong Cheng saw someone holding half a corpse and burst into tears.
Going to war between the two armies is tantamount to turning on a meat grinder.
Those who are buried with their entire body intact are the lucky ones.
Many were reduced to a severed arm, a leg, or a head... The mud beneath their feet seemed to have absorbed all the blood, the flesh of friend and foe mingled together, making it impossible to distinguish who was who in life. Gong Cheng also saw a soldier break down, grab a knife, and charge at a group of prisoners. If it weren't for the quick reflexes of the soldiers escorting the prisoners, the underworld's KPI would have gone up several more numbers.
Gong Cheng remained silent throughout.
The Kang soldiers were efficient; the makeshift tents had already been set up.
Gong Shuwu pointed to one of the buildings and said, "Go in."
Gong Cheng raised his hand to lift the curtain, and was about to bend down to go in when he stopped. He asked, "Second Uncle, will I be in the ancestral grave?"
Gong Shuwu retorted, "Aren't you afraid of being punished by our ancestors?"
Gong Cheng sighed, "That's true."
These ancestors all had explosive tempers, and if he shamelessly entered their ancestral graves, they would be so angry they'd come back to life from the underworld: "There's something I forgot to tell you, Uncle. You're a great-uncle now, and I have a daughter, but you might not like her..."
Gong Shuwu was quite surprised by this: "The sins of the child should not be visited upon the offspring. Just because you are a scoundrel does not mean she is a scoundrel. In any case, this child is a member of the Gong family. As long as she doesn't grow up to be as infuriating as you, that's fine. You don't need to talk nonsense about being buried in the ancestral grave. For the sake of the greater plan, the lord will not easily kill those who surrender. You can live as a commoner in the future and quietly guard the tombs of your ancestors."
Gong Cheng is the eldest brother's only bloodline.
For his elder brother's sake, he also hoped that Gong Cheng could live.
I'd be happy to support this bastard for the rest of my life.
Gong Cheng chuckled: "Her mother is a woman from the Northern Desert."
Gong Shuwu's anger, which had just subsided, flared up again. He suppressed the urge to give Gong Cheng a good beating, and the flames in his eyes twitched rapidly. It took him a long time to calm down: "...You bastard!"
If I could, I'd strangle this kid.
Gong Shuwu's teeth were grinding together, making a grinding sound.
Finally, he gritted his teeth and said, "...Children are innocent, women and children are innocent. No matter what, your second uncle would never kill the old and weak. Can you just say everything you have to say at once?"
Gong Cheng asked with a smile, "Which direction do the ancestral graves face?"
Gong Shuwu said, "Southeast."
Gong Cheng nodded thoughtfully.
Gong Shuwu, annoyed by his dawdling, kicked him into his tent and locked him up, saying, "Deal with your former master, and I'll deal with you later!"
at the same time.
Shen Tang also met his old friend again.
Her connection with Tudego dates back to when she was twelve years old.
We met a few times during that period due to various opportunities.
Now we meet again, but only now.
She was the victor, and he was the vanquished.
Shen Tang greeted him.
"After many years apart, Wu Yuanlang is still as charming as ever."
Upon hearing Shen Tang address him as "Lord Wuyuan," Tudege reacted slowly, only realizing a beat later that "Wuyuan" was a pseudonym he had given himself during his time as a hostage. He had abandoned it since returning to the Northern Desert.
"It can't compare to the king of Shen's triumphant reign."
Shen Tang ignored "Brother Tude's" sarcastic remarks, staring thoughtfully into his eyes as if pondering and confirming something. Her gaze was too direct; even "Brother Tude," a prisoner, felt uncomfortable under her gaze. He glanced sideways, his expression arrogant, and said, "You, surnamed Shen, a scholar can be killed but not humiliated! Kill me or torture me, it's all up to you!"
How can you be so sure I will execute you?
"Because I will not surrender."
Being captured does not mean that one is willing to surrender and admit defeat.
Shen Tang finally realized that something was wrong.
"After several years, Wu Yuanlang has become much more assertive."
Shen Tang knew Tu Dege somewhat; he was always a man who could bend and stretch, ambitious but also extremely afraid of death.
Back then, in order to return to the Northern Desert, he fled the war-torn capital as a hostage, hiding here and there. He only managed to survive by using the identity of a male prostitute at the Yuehua Tower in Xiaocheng. Fame, status, glory... all of these were things he could give up compared to his life.
The "Tudege" in front of us is clearly not like that.
Shen Tang had clearly hinted that he could spare Tu De's life—of course, this "spare the life" opportunity was hard to come by; Shen Tang was asking for an exorbitant sum, demanding ten or even a hundred times the amount in return—though the price was high and humiliating, at least it left him a way out. Given Tu De's reputation for valuing his life, he would definitely take the opportunity without hesitation.
And what was the result?
This guy actually dared to beg for death?
Her public image has collapsed!
The person below, "Tudege," closed his eyes and remained silent, refusing to communicate.
At that moment, Chu Yao's voice came from outside the tent.
"He's tough because he's a fake."
All eyes in the tent fell on "Brother Tude," and Tu Rong, who was planning to buy an autobiography, jumped up and shouted, "Fake? How could it be fake? This guy is leading the vanguard in battle, and his guards are all elite..."
The large flag that this person draped over himself during the charge was also genuine.
How did a person become fake?
Tu Rong lashed out at "Brother Tude" but dared not question the newcomer's words, because the newcomer was none other than his teacher, Chu Yao, and the person escorting Chu Yao behind him looked exactly like "Brother Tude."
However, "Tudege" was covered in battle-damaged armor, while the one brought by the teacher was disheveled and dressed in tattered soldier's clothes... He looked timid and hesitant, and did not resemble the lord of the Northern Desert at all.
He pouted, "Teacher—"
The two were standing together, and it was clear that he was the one who was actually grabbing the real thing.
Shen Tang glanced at the two of them and made a brief assessment.
He nodded: "Yes, that's more like it."
She said that Tudege didn't have such a tough temperament.
Although the one Tu Rong captured seemed to better fit the public's image of the Lord of the Northern Desert, a fake is a fake. It's like a high-end sneaker brand whose quality and workmanship are far inferior to a counterfeit, but even the worst quality is still considered genuine…
Who says that genuine products are necessarily of better quality?
Tudege, the person in question, is very flexible and adaptable.
So here's the question—
Shen Tang looked at the fake Tudege with curiosity.
"May I show you my true face?"
The fake one sneered and said arrogantly, "Why not?"
Once the disguise was removed, a deathly pale face was revealed.
The imposter was actually a woman.
This was beyond Shen Tang's expectations.
It wasn't that she had a stereotypical viewpoint, but rather that there was an invisible hierarchy of contempt within the Northern Desert: pure bloodline > mixed bloodline > those without Northern Desert tribe blood. The people of the northwestern kingdoms were at the very bottom of this hierarchy, and Shen Tang didn't believe that Liu Guan, whose appearance lacked any Northern Desert features, could be a noblewoman of the Northern Desert… let alone cover Tudege's escape and act as a substitute in battle…
＿|￣|●
My cousin got married today. I went to help out and was busy from morning till night; I'm so tired I feel like I'm floating. The 30th is supposed to be a big day, right? There were five couples having their wedding banquets at the hotel at the same time; I almost went to the wrong hall…
Wow, time flies!
P.S.: It's almost the end of the month, please vote for me! (^_^)
P.S.: The title doesn't matter. Around the time Liu Guan's identity is revealed, Gong Cheng will probably be offline as well.
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