Chapter 349: Why Do You Look So Familiar (Part Two) [Two-in-One]
"puff--"
Seeing that the other person could still hold back, Gu Chi completely lost his composure, nearly spitting out the half-eaten mouthful of tea. Fortunately, she lowered her head at the crucial moment, preventing Gu Chi from being affected.
"Cough cough cough, cough cough—"
Shen Tang coughed for a long time before she recovered.
Worried about being overheard, she internally screamed: [Holy crap—how did Gong Xichou end up here???]
It turned out that a young man, whom Shen Tang was very familiar with, appeared on the official road next to the teahouse. This person had an excellent hairline, a full forehead, delicate and deep features, clean and smooth skin, and thick, black hair tied into many small braids.
Her long hair was gathered at the back of her head and tied up with a snake-shaped silver ornament.
His attire was sharp and efficient, with a pair of menacing snake-patterned iron gauntlets on his wrists, a shoulder armor on one side, a skirt armor draped over his waist, and a lithe warhorse almost as tall as him in his hand.
He was followed by about a dozen attendants of varying ages.
Isn't that Gong Xi Chou, Shen Tang's musical confidant?
Gu Chi was almost deafened by Shen Tang's suddenly elevated sentiment, and subconsciously tilted his head back, furrowing his brows.
My lord is perfect in every way...
However, this sentiment was too unrestrained and unconventional.
"If even the Lord doesn't know, how could I?"
Shen Tang wiped the tea stains from the corner of her mouth with a handkerchief, slumped her shoulders, and tried to minimize her presence. In her mind, she thought: [Isn't Gong Xi Chou under the command of the Pig King? This is Zheng Qiao's territory. Isn't he afraid of being surrounded and beaten to death for swaggering around like this?]
Gu Chi recalled how Gong Xi Chou fought one after another on the battlefield, growing stronger with each battle, possessing an almost superhuman level of endurance and combat prowess, and couldn't help but remark, "If they really fought, to be frank, it's not certain who would kill whom..."
Shen Tang's imagination ran wild: [Was he here to assassinate me?]
Seeing that he might not be able to deal with Zheng Qiao on the front lines, the King of Pigs decided to send out his strongest fighting force to carry out an assassination.
But Gongxi Chou was really not cut out to be an assassin.
As they were talking, the group had already passed by Shen Tang and the others' tea table, and Shen Tang quickly pricked up his ears to eavesdrop.
Gong Xichou waved to the teahouse owner.
"Bring me a few bowls of strong tea."
Gong Xichou was tall and imposing, giving him a powerful presence, but his appearance was charming, with a touch of youthful wildness and handsomeness in his brows, which added to his approachability. Gu Chi heard the proprietress's introverted thoughts go from startled to appreciative, and she praised him generously: "What a handsome young man!"
The proprietress greeted him with a smile, saying, "Sorry, sir, it's crowded at this time, and there are no seats inside. Would you like to set up a table outside?"
Gong Xiqiu said, "Of course."
Just then, a customer next to Shen Tang got up and made room for them, so the proprietress settled them there.
Quickly wipe the table clean.
After Gong Xichou took his seat, a slender, short servant from his entourage came out and laid out a stack of exquisite pastries. Despite being dressed in men's clothing, the servant's graceful and slender figure was still undeniable; this was truly a woman disguised as a man.
Shen Tang watched the spectacle with great interest out of the corner of his eye.
Speculate on the identity of this "servant".
"No need to bother anymore, sit down and rest."
The servant boy said he dared not, and the proprietress came to serve tea. Gong Xiqiu asked her, "Shopkeeper, how far is this place from He Yin?"
As he spoke, he even took out a small piece of silver as payment. Who wouldn't like a handsome, polite, and generous young man?
The proprietress answered immediately.
"Not far, not far, a two or three-day walk."
“Two or three days…” Gongxi Chou murmured.
"Parents—"
Gong Xiqiu's subordinate, who had met Shen Tang once, sat to Gong Xiqiu's right, looking at the sky, hesitant to speak.
Gong Xiqiu raised his hand to signal him to be quiet, and picked up the earthenware bowl with his other hand: "No need for words, just drink the tea. Once you've rested enough, we can continue on our way. I know what I'm doing and won't delay our business."
Upon hearing this, the subordinate official could only reply, "Yes."
Tsk tsk tsk—
Who would have thought that such a handsome and dashing young man as Gong Xichou would be so unrestrained and romantic in private! Hearing him ask about "He Yin," Shen Tang felt a little relieved—his friend hadn't forgotten him; he truly was a confidant!
Watching the interaction between the two, Shen Tang instantly imagined a dramatic love story between a wild and unruly young general and a seemingly beautiful but actually innocent maid, a tale of melodramatic love, hate, and revenge.
Shen Tang is a fan of her friends' romantic pairings.
Gu Chi's imagination is sparked by Chen Tang's story _(:з)∠)_
Although Shen Tang only cautiously peeked out of the corner of her eye, Gong Xi Chou, as a martial arts expert, was no pushover.
When Shen Tang noticed him, he also noticed Shen Tang and his group. At first, he didn't think much of it, because their group stood out like cranes among chickens among ordinary people, attracting attention wherever they went.
But ordinary people usually only glance at something and then stop, while Shen Tang glanced at it again and again, and kept looking!
The subordinate officials were not as insightful as Gongxi Chou.
But they soon noticed something was wrong.
A sense of unease crept into his heart, and he stealthily reached for the hilt of the short blade at his waist, but before he could draw it, Gongxi Chou pressed it back down.
What are you doing?
The subordinate official said, "But that person..."
Gong Xichou said in a low voice, "He doesn't seem to have any ill intentions."
If there is truly malicious intent, Gong Xichou will be the first to strike.
Upon hearing this, the subordinate had no choice but to withdraw his hand.
Outside the teahouse, the two groups of people were clearly separated, keeping to themselves, but there was a subtle tension between them.
Shen Tang chuckled inwardly: [Hehe, I've been found out.]
Gu Chi was speechless.
If Gong Xichou couldn't even notice this, the Four Treasures Alliance Army would have already cut him off his horse. How could he still be wandering around like this?
He was more curious about Gong Xichou's purpose.
Assassination is impossible.
Not to mention that Zheng Qiao was protected by skilled warriors and protected by the Imperial Seal, making it difficult for ordinary martial artists to take his life. Even if he were truly there to assassinate him, the route he took shouldn't have passed through Lingzhou Yiru. Furthermore, he had even inquired about the River Governor from the landlady.
Assassination requires speed, accuracy, and ruthlessness.
Why would someone run around like him?
Gu Chi leans more towards another guess—Gong Xi Chou's destination is Yi Ru! The reasoning is also sound: Gong Xi Chou himself carries the Gu Mother, and Zhang He of Yi Ru is suspected of dealing with Gu worms, so it's hard to say whether there is a direct or indirect connection between the two.
Thinking of this, Gu Chi became wary.
Our lord and Gongxi Chou are kindred spirits in music, but this does not prove that Gongxi Chou is a "good person". None of those who can serve under the King of Zhi are simple-minded, nor does it prove that Gongxi Chou is friendly to them.
He hadn't forgotten how fiercely those two generals fought on the battlefield, a life-or-death struggle where they wished they could tear each other to pieces.
As his mind raced, guesses popped into his head one after another. Then Gu Chi noticed that Gong Xi Chou at the next table was leaning towards Shen Tang and asked, "Why have you been spying on me?"
Shen Tang said, "That's the question I should be asking."
Gong Xichou raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised that Shen Tang was not only not guilty, but also had a strong argument, and was at a loss for words.
He then said, "I wasn't peeking at you."
Shen Tang asked, "If you didn't peek at me, how do you know I peeked at you? Even if you did, everyone has an appreciation for beauty. This young man is tall and handsome, and he doesn't cover his face when he goes out. Isn't that what people want to see? How can you accuse me of peeking?"
Gong Xichou touched his face: "Am I tall and handsome?"
Shen Tang said, "Absolutely!"
Gong Xichou carefully examined the boy's features.
Qi Shan disguised Shen Tang's original features, reducing their vibrancy and making them appear much more plain. Combined with her increased height over the past six months, she was practically unrecognizable. Shen Tang was confident that Gong Xi Chou wouldn't recognize her.
I thought Gongxi Chou would say something polite, but after looking at it, he honestly said, "It's indeed not as good-looking as mine."
Shen Tang: "..."
"But, young man, you look somewhat familiar, as if I've seen you somewhere before." He couldn't quite place it right away, but Shen Tang's fearless conversation with him, and his daring teasing, only amplified the sense of familiarity. "It's as if I know you."
"Meeting you for the first time feels like meeting an old friend. The bright moon shines anew across the horizon, and my longing for you is strongest day and night. Is this what you mean by 'familiar face'?"
Gong Xiqiu's subordinate almost choked on his tea, and the servant next to him was also terrified.
They've seen people who don't value their lives.
But I've never seen anyone so blatantly courting death.
Is this some kind of flirting with Gong Xi Chou?
Unexpectedly, Gongxi Chou did not fly into a rage.
Think carefully: "What does it mean?"
His understanding of the power of words was not very high.
It means that we hit it off immediately.
Gong Xichou pursed his lips slightly, offering no response.
He disliked Shen Tang's overly familiar manner, but he didn't reject the boy's overly familiar manner either. Looking into those familiar eyes, a figure seemed to float into his mind. Gong Xiqiu had a flash of inspiration, and carefully examined Shen Tang again, then looked at the people beside her.
Question: "Where does the young man live?"
Shen Tang smiled and said, "He Yin Fugu."
Gong Xichou's expression stiffened slightly, his pupils contracted sharply, and he tentatively asked, "He Yin Fugu... that's truly a wonderful place. I heard that last year, a new prefect arrived in He Yin, who was quite young, only about eleven or twelve at the time. I also heard that after Prefect Shen took office, he was swift and decisive, governed effectively, and was diligent and loved the people. Is this... true?"
Shen Tang patted his chest, boasting, "Of course it's all true. My lord, you don't know, but I am an official under Lord Shen. The rumors outside can only describe one-tenth of Lord Shen's goodness. Let me tell you, Lord Shen, she is...&*￥#%..."
Praising oneself?
Shen Tang could talk for an hour without repeating himself.
Gong Xichou didn't even care that the tea had gone cold.
“Mama is truly talented! Young man, you may not know, but your master Shen and I are sworn brothers, kindred spirits who have found each other like the meeting of kindred spirits! Young man, are you going to Yiru? What a coincidence!” Gongxi Chou ignored his subordinate who was about to cramp up from giving him a meaningful look and said to himself, “Since we are destined to meet today, why don’t we travel together and look after each other?”
Shen Tang said, "That's exactly what I was thinking."
Gu Chi: "..."
Gongxi Chou's subordinate official: "..."
The anticipated tense standoff did not materialize.
These two oddballs have endless things to talk about when they meet. Shen Tang directly asked Gong Xi Chou about his purpose in coming to Yi Ru. His subordinates were so anxious that they turned red in the face, but their general simply ignored them.
Gong Xichou and Shen Tang sat at the same table.
The proprietress served fresh tea.
"Naturally, we've come to see Zhang He."
Shen Tang frowned: "You've come to see Zhang Yongqing too?"
"Also?" Gongxi Chou noticed this word.
Shen Tang didn't hide anything, saying, "A while ago, an epidemic broke out in Tianhai, Heyin, Shangnan and other places. After careful investigation, we found that it was caused by Gu worms. If it hadn't been discovered in time, we don't know how far the epidemic would have spread or how much impact it would have had. I heard that Zhang He of Yiru has done a lot of research on this, so Lord Shen sent us to Yiru to consult on the relevant medical principles, so as to benefit the common people under his rule..."
Gong Xichou had never heard of this matter.
only--
He bluntly exposed Shen Tang's euphemistic excuse, getting straight to the point: "Does the young master suspect Zhang He is the murderer?"
Shen Tang took a sip of tea and remained silent.
Gong Xiqiu said, "It shouldn't be him."
Shen Tang asked in surprise, "No?"
Gong Xichou: "Zhang He is a man with a conscience."
The implication was that it was unlikely Zhang He was responsible for deliberately using witchcraft to cause epidemics in multiple locations, or rather, that wasn't his true purpose. He didn't elaborate further. Gong Xichou added, "However, that was in the past. People change. Seeing is believing. Ma... Young Master, you'll only know for sure after seeing it for yourself. My words are just one person's opinion and shouldn't be taken as definitive."
Shen Tang remained noncommittal.
After we finished our tea, a thick cloud drifted in from the horizon and blocked out the blazing sun, finally making the sun less scorching.
Shen Tang and his group prepared to continue their journey.
Gong Xichou glanced at the motorcycle that was running towards him with the reins in its mouth and gave Chen Tang a smiling look.
Shen Tang: "..."
They climbed onto the back of the motorcycle and rode side by side.
"With war raging and chaos everywhere, why has my lord come to Yiru to find Zhang He? Could he be your enemy?"
Shen Tang did not hide her purpose.
Gongxi Chou reciprocated.
“I wouldn’t call him an enemy, just someone with some old ties,” Gongxi Chou said. “I finally found out where he was, so I came to see him during the off-season. After a while, I have to train the troops and prepare for war, so I won’t have so much time to run around.”
The subordinate official behind him listened with veins throbbing on his forehead.
Our general really dares to say anything.
Shen Tang did not delve into the specifics of the "origins".
After a while, Gong Xichou brought it up on his own initiative.
"How are your injuries?"
Shen Tang was stunned for a moment, almost unable to react.
He laughed and said, "I'm all better now, and my skills have improved as well."
Gong Xichou's expression was full of suspicion.
As far as he knew, after leaving the Alliance Army, Mama spent all her time sitting in her office, neglecting her martial arts skills, and her strength definitely regressed rather than improved.
Just like himself.
If one neglects cultivation, one will also fall into ruin.
The path of martial arts is like rowing against the current.
"If you don't believe me, let's have a friendly competition later."
Gongxi Chou said, "Good!"
They entered the city before nightfall and found lodging. Luckily, the inn had many empty rooms. Shen Tang handed the motorcycle to the waiter and heard the sound of chains dragging on the ground. Turning her head, she saw a raggedly dressed young man leading Gong Xi Chou's horse away.
Although he is called a teenager, he is actually somewhere between adolescence and youth.
He was about eighteen or nineteen years old.
Barefoot, with large feet, and only half of his trousers remaining.
Shen Tang asked, "What is this?"
"The person we rescued on the road was said to have killed someone in his hometown and was exiled. He suffered a lot along the way."
Gongxi Chou took off his water bag and drank a big gulp.
Shen Tang said, "He looks like a good seedling. If we nurture him properly, he might become a good right-hand man."
Unexpectedly, Gongxi Chou said, "He is not mine."
"Um?"
“He seemed to be looking for you,” Gong Xichou said. “I had asked the shopkeeper about He Yin Fugu earlier, and I had promised to take him to your place. I told him I knew you, and he followed me. Who knew Mama was at the next table, so I made an extra trip.”
|ω`)
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
