Chapter 218: Thirteenth Brother [Seeking Monthly Tickets]
Despite being stared at by so many eyes, Shen Tang showed no fear.
She cupped her hands and said, "Junior Shen Tang greets Master Gu."
Shen Tang was unaware of Gu Ren's position or status, and they had no particular relationship, so she chose the more common and conservative way of addressing him.
Gu Ren smiled and said, "Young friend, you are too polite. Please have a seat."
"Thank you, Master Gu."
Shen Tang glanced at the empty seats in the tent. The young man raised his hand and slightly lifted the hem of his clothes, sitting down to the right of Gu Ren, completely unaware that there was anything wrong with his position.
Qi Shan sat down beside Shen Tang.
Gu Chi raised an eyebrow and followed suit.
Gu Ren remained silent, but one of the two unfamiliar faces spoke up, saying, "You young upstart are quite arrogant and rude—"
Shen Tang looked at him in the direction of the voice, thinking to herself that it was inexplicable. While reflecting on herself, she realized that she hadn't done anything out of line, and casually asked, "How have I been frivolous and rude, junior?"
Gu Chi: "..."
He bet his heart on Qi Shan's heart—
Shen Lang did it on purpose.
This is like beating someone up in the street until they're bruised and crying for their parents, and then the person who was beaten asks Shen Lang why he hit them, and Shen Lang immediately replies with an innocent "Hey, why are you crying?"
Seating arrangements aren't something you can just randomly choose.
When Shen Lang arrived on someone else's turf, he immediately took the second seat, which was second only to the host—judging from the appearance, this second seat should be the second among the thirteen brothers—and with his youthful appearance, he was naturally seen as "arrogant and rude".
The man wanted to argue, but Gu Ren calmed him down with a casual remark: "Guests are guests, Seventh Brother must not be rude."
The seventh brother asked, "Weren't they brought back by the ninth brother?"
Shen Tang was a man who was "simple on the outside but cunning on the inside." He said with an innocent expression, "Yes, we came with your ninth brother. But we came voluntarily, not as prisoners. How can we not be guests? As guests, we should naturally be treated with the courtesy due to guests."
I didn't realize it at first, but I quickly came to my senses.
She's not a captured prisoner...
What's wrong with sitting in the second seat?
The seventh brother simply snorted coldly.
Shen Tang: "..."
Compared to his somewhat hot-tempered "seventh brother," the eldest brother, Gu Ren, was quite gentle and easy to talk to. He didn't show any arrogance because Shen Tang was young; on the contrary, he was approachable like a friendly uncle, without any airs.
Gu Ren asked many questions about the details of Xiaocheng.
Although he already knew from his ninth brother that Xiaocheng had fallen, hearing it from Shen Tang, who had experienced it firsthand, completely changed his feelings. The atmosphere in the main tent was somewhat heavy until the "seventh brother" asked, "What are you worried about?"
Shen Tang: "..."
The "seventh brother" then said in a gruff and matter-of-fact tone, "Just disinfect that bunch of rebels and take back Xiaocheng, isn't that enough?"
Gu Ren sighed helplessly and gently scolded, "Seventh Brother, don't let our distinguished guests laugh at us. Conquering cities and seizing territory is not such a simple matter. Especially that young man named Gong Xichou, who is as brave as ten thousand men. With him around, those rebels are fearless."
The "seventh brother" curled his lip and muttered disdainfully.
"He's just a mid-level thirteenth-rank official..."
Upon hearing this, Shen Tang and the other two reacted in different ways.
Thirteenth Rank, Middle...
Is it only fit to be described as "nothing special"?
Shen Tang couldn't help but defend Gong Xi Chou—he was a kindred spirit she could hardly find, and outsiders looking down on him was indirectly looking down on her, Shen Tang's, taste! She said, "Gong Xi Chou broke through on the battlefield and should be on the fourteenth right watch now."
There are only twenty levels of martial arts masters in total.
How old is Gong Xichou?
Even calling him a genius among geniuses wouldn't be enough.
It even deserves the title of "monster"!
I wonder what kind of resources this "Seventh Brother" has to say such things to a fourteenth-rank Right Attendant? Hmph, his skills are lacking, but his verbal skills are quite impressive. Shen Tang's face remained harmless, as if he had said something completely ordinary.
As for one's inner thoughts—
Gu Chi listened with great interest.
Upon hearing Shen Tang's words, the "Seventh Brother's" expression changed slightly, but he still stubbornly retorted, "Hmph! So what if he's a Fourteenth-Rank Right Attendant? We brothers, united, can cut through gold and jade. Even if a Fourteenth-Rank Right Attendant comes, we'll make sure he doesn't return! Several other forces have also responded to the imperial edict. Taking down the rebels and restoring order, what's so difficult about that? Don't you agree?"
No one else agreed.
The seventh brother added, "We also have a thirteenth brother."
Shen Tang asked doubtfully, "Does this general mean he plans to send a dozen or so men at once? Or perhaps a series of attacks?"
The "seventh brother" turned pale when asked the question.
He asked gruffly, "Which side are you standing on, young master?"
Gu Ren had no choice but to step in and smooth things over again.
This sworn brother is good in every way—loyal, righteous, and warm-hearted—but he has a bad temper and hates it when people argue with him. If he gets angry, he might even hit someone regardless of the situation.
Back then, in a fit of anger, my seventh brother killed a local thug with three punches and fled for several years, hiding in various places, until he finally became an outlaw. Gu Ren was also robbed by him, but coincidentally, Gu Ren unintentionally helped the widowed mother of this sworn brother's family.
The old woman kept praising Gu Ren.
The seventh brother, a filial son, secretly went back to visit his family. Each time, he heard his elderly mother talking about how kind Gu Ren had been to their family, and he naturally remembered it. Upon suddenly learning that the person he had robbed was his benefactor, he felt both ashamed and guilty, and immediately knelt down to atone for his sins.
After that, Gu Ren gave him a fake identity.
He used this false identity to work for Gu Ren, so he didn't have to hide from XZ, and he could even take care of his elderly mother until her death...
Gu Ren was genuinely worried that his seventh brother would go berserk on the spot.
After calming him down, he asked Shen Tang about Gong Xi Chou's intelligence—knowing yourself and your enemy is the key to victory; the more you know about him, the better you'll be at dealing with Gong Xi Chou. After hearing about Commandant Yang's story, he sighed, "It's a lifelong regret that I never had the chance to meet such a hero."
From an angle unnoticed by anyone, Gu Chi frowned slightly.
His gaze would occasionally sweep over Gu Ren.
One glance, two glances, three glances...
No, there is one exception.
Qi Shan glanced subtly between Gu Chi and Gu Ren, then lowered her eyelids, concealing the suspicion that welled up in her eyes.
His intuition told him that this Gu Ren was no ordinary person.
Otherwise, Gu Wangchao wouldn't have reacted this way.
question--
Yes, there really are some, and they're quite large.
Gu Ren truly deserves his reputation as a "benevolent person".
When he learned that Shen Tang and his companions were carrying a seriously injured and unconscious "martial arts master" and were unable to move easily, he offered to let them stay at the camp for a few days to recuperate. He wouldn't claim his sixth brother's medical skills were unparalleled, but he was certainly a rare and excellent physician; with his care, the "martial arts master" would recover faster. Shen Tang, oblivious to the concept of politeness, even considered borrowing the man from Gu Ren.
What do you need someone for?
Naturally, it was to inform the raccoon dogs on the mountain.
Not only the fox spirit, but also the bandits she captured, the retainers and servants she specially went down the mountain to buy, and the wealth she robbed from the bandits. Apart from the tax silver, this was all her possessions. Shen Tang naturally couldn't afford to lose these.
Borrow someone from Gu Ren to deliver the letter.
Xiaocheng is no longer safe; we need to move to a new location.
Gu Ren naturally wouldn't refuse such a small request.
For a time, both host and guests enjoyed themselves immensely.
Just then, a series of hurried, chaotic footsteps approached the main tent. The messenger, still breathless, shouted, "My lord, something terrible has happened—"
Gu Ren did not scold him, but asked gently, "When is it not good?"
The messenger reported, "It's General Shao Chong—"
Before he could finish speaking, the expressions of the people present all changed.
One after another, they hurriedly got up and rushed out of the main tent.
The sixth one directly used the incantation "Chasing the wind and darting the shadows".
Shen Tang and the other two followed, citing "worry" as their reason.
Before even reaching their destination, they heard an extremely shrill and chilling scream. The scream also carried a powerful and imposing sound. Those who were weaker were directly stunned, while those who were not stunned felt their eardrums throbbing, felt nauseous, and even bled from their seven orifices.
Qi Shan and Gu Chi were secretly shocked: "Such a strong sense of malevolence!"
It seemed as if thousands of fierce ghosts were howling and struggling.
The first to arrive, "Sixth Brother," immediately attacked without holding back, unleashing several incantations. The intertwined black and white spiritual energy completely enveloped the source of the malevolent energy, but this only lasted a moment before being violently blasted away. Gu Ren caught his sixth brother, who had been blasted away.
He said calmly, "Leave it to me."
Seeing Gu Ren make his move, Gu Chi whispered, "Just as I thought."
Qi Shan asked, "What do you mean by 'it is indeed so'?"
Gu Chi deployed a small-scale anti-eavesdropping spell.
He said, "Gu Ren's way of being a scholar is very special."
As a seasoned veteran with extensive experience traveling, this was the first time Gu Chi had encountered someone who could completely shield him from the ways of the scholar.
He couldn't hear Gu Ren's inner thoughts.
Moreover, he was certain that Gu Ren also possessed a very unique way of being a scholar, which was mostly related to his unusual affability.
Qi Shan quickly guessed part of it.
He said, "It's merely the way of the scholar..."
The unspoken meaning—
However, the "way of the scholar" is not the "way of the feudal lords".
If this affability is the "way of the feudal lords," then it's a truly formidable asset; everyone who meets him will feel a sense of goodwill, and his success rate in recruiting people far surpasses that of others. However, even so, it's still terrifying—
Gu Renbai's twelve sworn brothers are a good example.
While the two were distracted, Gu Ren had already calmed down the source of the anger. Shen Tang, who was closer, could clearly see that it was a young man locked in a fine iron cage that was ten feet long, tall, and wide.
It wouldn't be accurate to call him a young man; he was tall and robust like an adult, but his eyes were dark and clear, like those of a five or six-year-old child.
He should be an eighteen or nineteen-year-old boy.
Now he was covered in blood, writhing in pain and clutching his head.
Gu Ren felt a pang of heartache. He took the key from his waist, opened the iron cage, and, ignoring the attempts of his sworn brothers to stop him, went inside and embraced the struggling, rough boy, muttering something under his breath. Even as the boy scratched and broke his arms and cheeks, he did not let go.
Finally, the boy calmed down.
His chest was still heaving rapidly.
The boy regained consciousness and looked at his sworn brother, whose face was almost scratched black and blue. He was at a loss, his eyes reddening, and he lowered his head, like a frightened child afraid of being scolded by the patriarch. Only after Gu Ren repeatedly assured him that nothing would happen did he calm down a little.
Shen Tang asked curiously, "This is—"
Chao Lian's attention was focused on the iron cage. Seeing that his crazed sworn brother had calmed down, he breathed a sigh of relief. Hearing Shen Tang's curiosity, he sighed and said, "The one in the iron cage is the youngest, the thirteenth brother. Every time he kills someone, his madness flares up—"
Once it starts, it doesn't distinguish between friend and foe.
They can only be confined in an iron cage for restraint.
Let him out after he's calmed down.
Shen Tang asked in bewilderment, "He goes mad at the sight of blood? Then why make him kill? Doesn't that just make his madness worse?"
"But if he doesn't see blood, his madness will still flare up, and it will be more frequent, longer-lasting, and more severe..."
Shen Tang: "..."
There were some things that Chao Lian didn't say directly.
The thirteenth brother was rescued from a pile of corpses by his eldest brother, Gu Ren.
At first, Gu Ren guessed that it was bandits who killed and robbed, resulting in mutual casualties and leaving only an eleven or twelve-year-old child. However, the examination revealed that each corpse had its neck broken by force, its heart ripped out by a palm strike, or its skull smashed by a palm strike, with the force being uniform.
It was only later that they discovered the murderer was none other than this child, who had gone mad after witnessing bandits committing murder, killing not only the bandits but also his entire family, and to make matters worse, he was just a mentally challenged child. After much deliberation, Gu Ren realized he could calm the child down, so he chose to stay.
Before and after the onset of madness, the patient was kept in a cage and comforted.
Let it out after the crazy phase has passed.
And you know what—
When he goes crazy, he's like a demon, but once the madness subsides, he's just a simple-minded kid. When bullied, he'll just pout and look pitiful with tears in his eyes, making people feel sorry for him.
Shen Tang asked, "What's his name?"
Chao Lian said, "His surname is Shao, his given name is Chong, and his courtesy name is Jingping."
Shaochong is his real name; the name "Jingping" was given to him by Gu Ren.
Shen Tang: "..."
Although... why did she feel that Gu Ren and his sworn brothers possessed a certain "evil" about them? But everyone said there was no problem; Shen Tang's objection was seen as heresy. She simply echoed, "This child's background is truly pitiful..."
Chao Lian: "..."
The tone sounded fine, but—
Looking at the young man, who might not even reach the thirteenth brother's chest, who really is the "child"? Chao Lian's lips twitched, but he didn't voice his complaint. Gu Ren was taken away to have his wounds treated, and Shao Chong's "cage confinement" was lifted, restoring his freedom.
Before leaving, Gu Ren gave Chao Lian some instructions.
"Qingzhi, you take care of Point Thirteen."
Chao Lian said, "Don't worry, elder brother."
As the crowd dispersed, Shao Chong followed closely behind Chao Lian.
Chao Lian had a soldier bring him clean water, which he used to wet a cloth and wipe away the blood and grime from his face, revealing a handsome face that was so fair it was almost bloodless. His features were deep and three-dimensional, with a touch of exoticism, long eyes, a straight nose, and thin lips.
Qi Shan examined it carefully.
He joked, "She actually bears a striking resemblance to the young master."
Shen Tang became curious upon hearing this.
She looked over and noticed that the simple-minded boy named Shao Chong was also looking at her curiously. Upon hearing this, Chao Lian looked left and right, then exclaimed in surprise, "You don't really notice it when they're separate, but standing together, they do look somewhat alike..."
People who don't know the situation might think they're brothers!
However, he knew his sworn brother's identity and background; he didn't have a younger brother as young as Shen Tang in his family, and he marveled at the coincidences. Shen Tang also thought it was a coincidence, but before she could speak, she saw the young man who had just been fine suddenly attack her—
His right hand formed a claw, reaching for her throat!
(End of this chapter)
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