Chapter 675: Gazing at the River Tide from a Pool of Water [Part Two]
Gu Chi thought Tao Yan would ask to meet him.
The result was not so.
The person who came was a woman, and she had an unfamiliar face.
He swore, with his exceptional memory as a scholar, that he had never seen this person before, and the two were certainly not "old acquaintances." But one thing Gu Chi was certain of: "Are you Tao Shenyu's man? Did he send you to find me?"
From the moment Gu Chi appeared until he spoke, the woman remained silent, staring at him. As an ordinary person, her eyesight wasn't as good as that of a martial artist, but fortunately, the moonlight was bright tonight, allowing her to clearly see Gu Chi in person, a figure she had only ever heard of in rumors. His once slightly rounded features had become angular, and due to his chronic illness, he even appeared thin and bony.
But with that kind of temperament, one could call him a graceful and slender man.
The woman said, "So this is what you look like."
His tone seemed wistful, yet also carried a hint of familiarity.
Gu Chi was completely bewildered by her, and her thoughts were disorganized and offered no useful information. Just as he was about to guide her to reveal her true feelings, the woman said, "I am indeed his person, but I came to see you this time not at his behest, but on my own. I really wanted to see you."
Gu Chi: "..."
Honestly, he really didn't know this woman.
Unexpectedly, the woman raised her hand to wipe away tears, and when she spoke again, her voice trembled slightly: "I know you're wondering about my identity, but I can assure you that I have no ill intentions in seeing you. My surname is Feng, does Young Master Gu still remember this surname..."
Gu Chi's calm and composed expression rippled slightly.
The woman he was once engaged to was surnamed Feng.
The person in front of me matches the description in both appearance and age, could it be...?
"Of course I remember, but we have nothing to do with each other now, and we've long since gone our separate ways." Gu Chi didn't understand why his former fiancée had suddenly come to see him, and why she was acting so strangely. Something was definitely amiss, so he became wary. "I wonder what important matter you have for me? It's getting late, so if it's not something important, please leave as soon as possible. If word gets out, it will damage your reputation."
Upon hearing this, the woman smiled and said, "Young Master Gu has misunderstood."
Gu Chi was embarrassed: "A misunderstanding? Then who are you?"
"The one who is engaged to Mr. Gu is my elder sister."
Gu Chi: "..."
He had no connection with the eldest daughter of the Feng family, let alone the other daughters of the Feng family. The Feng family had only added fuel to the fire of his Gu family's misfortune. Thinking of this, Gu Chi's gaze toward the woman became more impatient, and his voice suddenly turned cold: "You have seen the person. If there is nothing else, I will go back first."
"Gu Guanchao, I..."
Upon hearing this address, Gu Chi's expression instantly changed, revealing a fierce look: "It's Gu Wangchao! Who are you calling?"
His emotions were so intense that he couldn't even control his writing style.
A sudden gust of wind arose, catching the woman off guard and forcing her back several steps.
This detail sparked Bai Su's curiosity, who was hiding in the shadows.
For someone of Gu Chi's level of strength, controlling his literary energy is as natural and simple as breathing; only extreme emotional fluctuations could cause it to become slightly disordered. Yet, his literary energy just now completely spiraled out of control, suggesting that this "Gu Guanchao" is truly a bombshell.
The woman's face was deathly pale, and her eyes, as she looked at Gu Chi, still held a lingering fear—the kind of dread that ordinary people feel when faced with a force they cannot resist. Thankfully, it only lasted a moment. She calmed her breathing and said, "I'm sorry, no offense intended. I've come to see you on behalf of my elder sister to apologize. What happened back then has been a constant source of distress for her."
Gu Chi composed himself and said indifferently, "She has never wronged me, so why should she apologize? If it's because of your Feng family kicking me when I'm down, then the person who should apologize is your father, not a weak woman raised in seclusion like her."
Seeing Gu Chi take a step to leave, the woman blurted out.
"My elder sister is dead!"
Gu Chi paused, surprised, and asked, "What?"
"Returning it to its rightful owner." The woman stepped forward, opened her tightly clenched hand, and a lustrous jade pendant lay quietly in her palm.
Looking at the jade pendant, a long-lost warmth rekindled in Gu Chi's eyes.
His grandfather loved collecting jade and other precious stones. In his youth, he apprenticed to learn jade carving. The year his father was born, he stumbled upon a rough stone, which turned out to be a rare and beautiful piece of jade. His grandfather was overjoyed, believing this jade was destined for his father. He meticulously carved it over several years, presenting it as a gift to his father, a token of his refined taste. His father then gave it to his mother as a token of their betrothal, and his mother later gave it to the Feng family as a marriage certificate, hoping for a union between the two families. It remained in the possession of the Feng family's eldest daughter-in-law until, after many twists and turns, it returned to him.
Gu Chi accepted the jade pendant.
He asked, "How did your older sister get there?"
He thought she would die in childbirth, since childbirth is the most dangerous hurdle for adult women. But the woman said, "My sister, my sister was eaten by someone."
Gu Chi was so startled that he almost let go.
Bai Su, who was secretly watching the gossip, was almost exposed.
What does it mean to...?
It was eaten up?
Is this the kind of food he/she wants to eat?
“My sister has had a hard life. I often think that if I could marry you, perhaps I could escape this calamity.” The woman looked at Gu Chi’s reaction and looked into his eyes. “Young Master Gu probably doesn’t know that my sister has disguised herself as a pageboy many times to try her luck at the tavern you frequent. She met you three times. The first time, she said, ‘This eldest son of the Gu family has a cheerful appearance, but he’s an annoying wandering knight.’ The second time, she said, ‘Although he’s a bit reckless, he’s not without a chivalrous heart.’ The third time, she didn’t say anything…”
But it's obvious that the older sister is experiencing the first stirrings of young love.
She began to have some longing for her future husband and life.
Having met Gu Chi three times, she stopped disguising herself to ambush people. Instead, she seriously learned needlework and picked up books she used to dislike. She seemed to have become quieter, but in fact, she was more energetic.
The woman couldn't understand why a boy she'd only met three times could have such a change in her. Her elder sister explained: "Because life in the inner chambers is as dull as stagnant water. We're all human, yet others can laugh, shout, and joke freely, while we can't laugh or make a scene. We have to be reserved all the time, always mindful of what we're doing… But Gu Guanchao is full of vitality, like a free-spirited crow on the horizon."
Living with someone like that must be very lively.
But no one expected that as the wedding date approached, a sudden change would occur.
The Gu family suffered a disaster, and Gu Chi disappeared.
Their father arranged another marriage for the older sister, but she disagreed. Gu Chi's body had not yet been found, so how could they easily conclude that he was not alive? Even if Gu Chi was really dead, the Feng family did not need to rush to find a new son-in-law.
Given the relationship between the Feng and Gu families, even setting aside the question of investigating the truth and seeking revenge for the Gu family, such a reaction would be inappropriate and makes the Feng family appear heartless and ungrateful. The eldest daughter of the Feng family, having unintentionally struck a nerve with the patriarch, unsurprisingly received a slap from her own father and a cold warning: "Marriage is an arranged marriage! You have no right to interfere in matters of the heart! Go back to your room!"
Neither of the sisters knew why this was happening.
Until the older sister accidentally discovered that her father's whereabouts were suspicious.
She was handed over to a noble family in her homeland by her own father, and was made to work tirelessly for the so-called restoration of the country. Only then did her older sister slowly realize who was responsible for the massacre of the Gu family. But what frightened her was that her own biological father had also been involved.
The elder sister, straightforward and unable to contain her feelings, finally went to the head of the Feng family for an answer, only to be utterly disappointed. Although the Feng family wasn't the mastermind, they were accomplices: "Father, setting aside your long-standing friendship with Young Master Gu, and the kindness and support you showed to your grandfather back then, how could you be so ungrateful… poisoning the entire Gu family…"
Unsurprisingly, I got slapped again.
My sister's husband also assumed she was still hung up on her ex-fiancé. Coupled with his philandering ways and my sister's lackluster appearance, once the initial excitement wore off, he neglected her. It wasn't until my sister unexpectedly became pregnant that he began to treat her somewhat better…
The woman looked at Gu Chi, seemingly trying to find some lingering affection in his face, but there was none—her elder sister knew Gu Chi, but Gu Chi had never seen her. The woman continued, "...Thanks to my father's efforts, we finally found a safe place to settle down, accumulating strength while waiting for the best opportunity. In the end, before the Xin Kingdom could bring about its own destruction, we were met with the Zheng Qiao army. Although the main force of the Zheng Qiao army was elsewhere, this pass was of paramount importance, and they launched more than thirty sieges..."
Both the defenders and the attackers left behind countless corpses.
The two sides fought fiercely, resulting in a bloodbath.
Zheng Qiao had ample provisions, but the city could not sustain itself for long.
Gu Chi had already guessed the ending after hearing this.
As the woman spoke, her eyes welled up with tears.
"...Zheng Qiao's troops are ferocious; once the city falls, the consequences will be unimaginable. The Xin general chose to defend to the death, but for some reason, supplies couldn't be replenished. The city's food supplies dwindled day by day, and eventually even the warhorses were slaughtered for food. Seeing that they were about to reach the end of their rope, someone suggested a surprise attack, which might turn the tide of the battle. Before setting out, to boost morale..."
Gu Chi interrupted her: "Don't say anymore."
It's so painful, don't force yourself to remember anymore.
But he wanted to know: "Did the Feng family elders give permission?"
For the sake of his so-called restoration of the nation, he bore the reputation of being ungrateful and heartless, sacrificing his daughter to prove his loyalty, only to see her suffer such a fate. Did he even know this? Or did he feel even a sliver of regret?
The woman said with tears in her eyes, "My father was hit by a stray arrow while defending the city. His wound festered, and he had a high fever that wouldn't go down. He passed away a few days later."
Upon hearing this, Gu Chi didn't know whether to sigh or feel regret.
The head of the Feng family died too easily.
"And what about you?" Gu Chi asked. "Where are you?"
Judging from the woman's clothing and demeanor, she was clearly not an ordinary housewife; she must have some skill or shrewdness.
The woman didn't find Gu Chi's questioning offensive. She said, "At that time, Shenyu and I were elsewhere. By the time I learned what had happened to my sister, it was too late. When I was sorting through her belongings, I found that she had treasured that jade pendant very well. I think she did have feelings for you, but more than that, she felt guilty and regretful. I kept it with me as my sister's keepsake, but I never expected you to still be alive. When Shenyu told me you were still alive, I had a strong urge to come and see you one last time for my sister..."
She added, "I had no other intention... I was just a little surprised to see the real person. You are nothing like what my elder sister said."
The elder sister said that Gu Chi was a free spirit full of vitality, but the Gu Chi she met was gloomy and shrouded in an indescribable gloom and weakness. He had none of the dashing and cheerful spirit of a chivalrous knight-errant, but rather seemed like a patient who had been bedridden for many years and was about to die.
"I see."
Gu Chi's expression softened noticeably.
The woman breathed a sigh of relief: "My wish has been fulfilled, so I will not bother you any longer, Mr. Gu. Farewell."
Gu Chi said, "Farewell."
The woman turned and walked towards Tao Yan's camp.
Gu Chi watched her figure shrink into a tiny dot and disappear into the hazy night, until Bai Su suddenly appeared behind him like a ghost. Bai Su felt she should say something to break the awkward silence: "I didn't expect you to have someone who likes you too."
Gu Chi: "...General Bai, there are many things you don't know. When it comes to being liked, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that when I went out in my youth, my carriage was filled with fruit thrown at me. You can't compare to me."
Bai Su retorted, "You said it yourself, it's Girls' Generation."
A child prodigy may not necessarily achieve greatness as an adult.
Now Gu Chi is going to find an admirer?
Gu Chi: "..."
He hated his own scholarly ways and would listen to anything.
Seeing that Gu Chi's complexion had improved considerably, Bai Su asked him, "Strategist Gu, are you in a better mood now?"
Gu Chi: "Your complexion is better, but your mood is worse."
It's unclear who started this bad habit of using jokes to comfort people, but Bai Su's words did indeed improve his mood. Bai Su suggested going back, and Gu Chi nodded. However, after walking for a short while, he noticed that Bai Su's gaze kept falling on his monogram, and she muttered to herself. Gu Chi said, "You're curious why your monogram is 'Wangchao' (望潮, meaning 'watching the tide')?"
Bai Su said, "This humble general just felt that with the strategist's talent, the characters must have been chosen before the literary heart was condensed, and the characters on the literary heart monogram must be... well, the characters on the seals that the strategist usually stamps are not... I am a little curious."
Gu Chi: "Because it's been changed."
Bai Su was even more curious: "Changed? But..."
Didn't the lord say that once the literary signature/martial courage tiger tally is on, it can't be changed? She was scared once back then.
Gu Chi said, "As long as there's a price to pay."
Upon hearing this, Bai Su stopped asking what the price was.
It's unlikely to be a simple method.
Bai Su: "...Since the strategist dislikes the previous words so much, why not change both words completely instead of just changing them?"
Gu Chi looked at the irregularly shaped full moon on the horizon.
"Viewing the river tide from a pool of water" was my name and my former courtesy name. Later, I changed it to "Viewing the river tide from a pool of water", not only to express my determination or ambition, but also because - my blood relatives and loved ones are beneath the river tide.
"I can see them when the tide goes out."
Tao Yan and his group slaughtered Gu Chi's entire family, so why would they be so kind as to spare his life? But in order to survive, he dared not erect a tombstone for his grandfather and father. When Gu Chi was chased and fell off a cliff into the water, the charred corpses and broken bones in that house were never properly buried.
Bai Su heard Gu Chi murmur.
"How can such a deep-seated hatred be resolved?"
Bai Su said, "No one has the right to advise you to let go."
Upon hearing this, Gu Chi's thin lips curled into a sneer.
He asked, "Wasn't that the one from just now?"
_(:з」∠)_
I heard that the Half Lake Green delayed key is available until March 24th, but there's a detail: General Yue was born on the 15th day of the second month of the second year of the Chongning era of the Northern Song Dynasty, which is March 24th, 1103... What was the PR team thinking? They released celebratory posters on the anniversary of his death, made Qin Hui merchandise yesterday, and now they're preparing to wish General Yue a happy birthday on March 24th?
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
