Very few people noticed that Gong Xichou had a private army.
This private army was small in scale, something he had started building when he was young and under Tang Guo's command. Most of the soldiers were orphans he had adopted or desperate young men who had nowhere else to turn. At the time, he didn't have any intention of using the army to his advantage; he simply wanted to find a pretext to embezzle Tang Guo's salary—as Tang Guo's nominally trusted adopted son, shouldn't he also provide financial support for the army his adopted son was raising?
It's so satisfying to use your enemy's money to support your own troops!
Gongxi Chou was inherently arrogant and overconfident in his martial prowess, looking down on ordinary enemies and engaging in indiscriminate frontal battles. Therefore, he didn't value his private army much. In the following years, he led his army to fight for others, expanding its size from a few hundred to over a thousand. When he left to visit his brother and nephew, he didn't want to lead the army and left it to Gongxi.
With this elite force by his side and Mama looking after him, Gong Xilai's life will be quite comfortable, barring any unforeseen circumstances. This is one of the reasons why he can be so at ease as a hands-off manager—Gong Xilai is a capable adult who doesn't need his constant supervision.
"Is Young Master Gongxi looking for General Xun?"
Lin Feng didn't think of that aspect at the moment; she only thought of Xun Ding.
Upon closer examination, Xun Ding can also be considered a member of the old subordinates.
"Xun Yong'an? Hmph, I'll find trouble with him again tomorrow. I'm going to find my old subordinates now and find out what happened over the years." Gong Xichou didn't want to mention Xun Ding. Then he thought that Lin Feng was a civil official and probably not familiar with the military officers, so he mentioned a few of his old subordinates that he remembered and tried his luck.
Coincidentally, Lin Feng also knew one of them.
Yang Ying, Yang Shengmei.
"Coincidentally, Shengmei just returned to report on her work recently."
Lin Feng called someone over to escort Gong Xichou to Yang Ying's house.
Yang Ying lived with her father, Yang Gong.
When Gong Xichou arrived, Yang Ying was personally seeing off a young man dressed as a physician: "...My father's health was severely depleted in his early years. Is there still a chance to make up for it?"
The physician said, "The damage has been severed; we can only treat it slowly with proper care."
A hint of worry crept into Yang Ying's eyes, and shadows covered half of her face: "Alas, there's nothing we can do. Please, doctor, take good care of her. Use any good medicine that works."
Without sufficient martial energy to suppress and regulate the hidden injuries accumulated during cultivation, they will erupt at a certain point, and the body will age faster than ordinary people. Although my father has seemed relatively healthy in recent years, he falls ill every time the seasons change.
The recovery speed was slower each time.
Yang Ying regularly channeled her Qi to nourish his meridians, but his meridians were riddled with holes, like a sieve, so the effect was minimal.
The physician nodded: "That's natural."
He hesitated, seemingly unsure: "I heard that the Imperial Physician of the Medical Bureau has made a breakthrough in limb regeneration. Master Yang had a spontaneous burst of martial courage in his early years. I wonder if it's possible to repair it through this method. If the Commandant has any connections, you can try it. Perhaps it will work."
The Danfu (丹府) is not, after all, one of the organs of the human body.
Whether the power of words to regenerate severed limbs will work is also uncertain.
The doctor's words were merely giving her hope.
Yang Ying silently wrote it down: "Okay, thank you."
After seeing the doctor off, he was about to turn and go home when he stopped, glancing back at the shadows. He secretly placed his hand on the hilt of his sword at his waist, gathering his inner energy and asking warily, "Who is it? Come out!"
"It's me." Gongxi Chou stepped out from the shadows.
Yang Ying breathed a sigh of relief: "When did the general return?"
Compared to the elegance of Lin Feng's residence, the decoration in Yang Ying's home is much simpler, with everything focused on comfort and practicality.
She led Gong Xiqiu to the main hall.
The two had not seen each other for several years.
From Yang Ying, Gong Xiqiu learned about the situation of his former subordinates over the years—some of them were released from their old wounds and old age, and Gong Xilai took it upon himself to return them to their original social status and find them a way out. Some of the more experienced ones went to various military prefectures to train new recruits, while the more talented ones chose to fight in the army and lived a decent life.
Yang Ying paused at this point.
"These were all Alai's ideas."
Although Gong Xiqiu handed over these private soldiers to Gong Xilai, he was the true leader of these troops. Gong Xilai hesitated for a long time before making this decision, feeling uneasy. Her choice was tantamount to disbanding Gong Xiqiu's old troops.
If we don't do this, we'll be ruining their future.
“Ah Lai did a great job; he was much more responsible than me.”
Gong Xichou showed no displeasure on his face; in fact, he was quite pleased.
He never thought he would stay in the secular world forever. He originally planned to return to his ancestral home and live a simple life after finding his relatives. He also did not think he was a potential commander. He was only responsible for leading troops into battle. Therefore, he only took care of these old subordinates and did not support them.
As a ruler, this behavior is extremely irresponsible.
Gong Xilai helped him clean up the mess, which saved him a lot of trouble.
Yang Ying added, "Xun Yong'an also contributed a lot."
Yang Ying knew that Xun Yong'an was in for a beating when Gong Xi Chou returned at this critical juncture. It was understandable that Gong Xi Chou disliked Xun Ding. If he hadn't arrived in time back then, given Xun Ding's bandit-like behavior, even if he had kept his men from harming women and children, she and Gong Xi Lai would have suffered.
Who could have imagined that Xun Ding and Gong Xilai would succeed?
These experiences could be turned into a storybook and sung for quite some time.
Gong Xiqiu's expression changed slightly, but he remained noncommittal.
Yang Ying: "Have you gone to see Alai?"
Gong Xichou hesitated, "I plan to ask Xun Yong'an before seeing her. She's pregnant now, she should be asleep by now. Childbirth is extremely dangerous for a woman, and she's not young anymore... I don't know how much suffering she'll have to endure..."
Yang Ying was secretly somewhat surprised.
She and Gong Xilai were close friends, and she had heard the latter confide in her—Gong Xichou and Gong Xilai were siblings who only became sworn siblings later in life. The reason they became sworn siblings was because Gong Xichou was worried that he would not be able to return after taking revenge, so he entrusted the future of the clan to her. Under such circumstances, how much true affection could there be? Gong Xilai was somewhat timid and insecure at heart, and she did not dare to be unrestrained towards Gong Xichou.
Gong Xichou's feelings for her were perhaps more about responsibility.
Yang Ying comforted her, saying, "Don't think so much. There are many siblings in this world who are born of the same mother but are still distant and estranged. At least, not many brothers are willing to give their private army and all their wealth to their sister. Gongxi Chou treats you differently."
While saying this, he secretly agreed with Gong Xilai.
But now, looking back, I realize I was wrong.
He was not as indifferent to Gong Xilai as he appeared on the surface.
Yang Ying: "You don't blame her?"
Gong Xichou was baffled: "Why blame her?"
It's naturally her fault for acting on her own initiative.
Yang Ying said carefully, "Her child with Xun Yong'an... is what A Lai wanted. Originally, she wanted you to come back and preside over the wedding, but she is, after all, an ordinary person, different from you, and different from Xun Yong'an. Xun Yong'an can stay young for many years, but she can't wait much longer. I remember a few months ago, she wrote to me saying that she had developed gray hair, I guess it's because of this..."
Which family doesn't prepare for their wedding a year or two in advance?
Gong Xichou was still Gong Xilai's only relative. His whereabouts had been uncertain for years, roaming the entire continent, making it difficult to send him letters; it required time. Otherwise, her wedding would be over before the letter even arrived. Worried about her age making it difficult to conceive, she didn't hide it after deciding to marry and setting the wedding date. Who knew the child would come so quickly, catching her completely off guard.
“Alai and Xun Yong’an set their wedding date first, and she got pregnant afterward… Strictly speaking, it can’t be considered too outrageous,” Yang Ying said, trying to salvage the situation for the soon-to-be-married couple.
Gong Xichou blinked, his eyes somewhat confused.
He seemed to only realize this now.
Gong Xilai is different from him.
only--
“Alai definitely didn’t read the clan’s documents properly.”
Gong Xiqiu suddenly said something that puzzled Yang Ying: "What does this have to do with the clan's records?"
However, Gongxi Chou refused to say more.
He left only one sentence: "Tell Xun Ding to wait for me in the suburbs. If he doesn't come, I'll break all his legs! Doesn't the Medical Bureau have the ability to regenerate limbs? Hmph, it doesn't matter if they're all broken."
Gong Xiqiu did not specify the exact time.
Half an hour later—
Xun Ding held onto the servant who delivered the message and refused to let go.
"Gongxi Chou, do you really say that?"
To outsiders, the seemingly calm and collected General of Yaoguang Guard was now pacing anxiously back and forth in the room. The more he walked, the more his legs ached. Despite repeated inquiries, he received the same answer. Xun Ding scratched his disheveled hair and muttered, "Tsk, why didn't they come back sooner or later..."
She just happened to come back right when he was about to get married.
Gong Xi Chou doesn't know his own strength. If Xun Ding gets a good beating, it's normal for him to be bedridden for ten days or half a month. What a disgrace it would be for A Lai to be the laughingstock of all the guests!
No matter how unwilling I am, I still have to go see them.
He dared to hide, but Gongxi Chou truly dared to kill.
The moonlight was bright and clear tonight, but Xun Ding had no mood for moon-viewing. He dawdled his way to the agreed-upon location and saw two people from afar. One was sitting on the ground, and the other was standing upright beside him, both with their backs to Xun Ding.
Xun Ding's face was grim.
It's one thing for Gong Xi Chou to beat me up in private to vent his anger, but why did he also hire thugs? Or is Gong Xi Chou judging me by his own petty standards, thinking that I was afraid of being beaten up and thus gathered reinforcements?
"Your cultivation has improved rapidly in just a few years."
Gong Xichou sensed Xun Ding's presence shortly after arriving.
The man standing there turned around, revealing a somewhat familiar face. Xun Ding looked at the two similar faces, and his muscles, though not yet bruised from the beating, were already throbbing with pain. Looking at the unfathomable Gong Xi Chou, Xun Ding felt an even deeper bitterness. He knew he was in a bind; whether he faced the danger or not, he would suffer the consequences. He took a deep breath and said in one breath, "Let's not beat around the bush, brother, please make your move!"
Gong Xichou: "..."
Xun Ding hasn't really grown up in the last few years. Before I've even explicitly said I want to beat him up, this kid is already asking for it.
"Xun Yong'an, you—"
He raised his hand and conjured a long halberd out of thin air.
The halberd gleamed with a faint green light under the moonlight.
"Commendable courage!"
Gong Xichou took a step.
Seemingly strolling leisurely, he actually approached Xun Ding in an instant like a ghost. His unassuming aura suddenly surged skyward, and he donned full martial armor; the air seemed to freeze the moment the armor appeared. This maneuver wasn't flashy, yet it still made Xun Ding's pupils tremble. Outsiders might not have noticed, but Xun Ding, facing Gong Xi Chou directly, clearly felt the opponent suddenly magnify in his eyes, and even the space around him felt compressed by an irresistible force from all directions, forcing his bones to creak and groan.
Gong Xiqiu's voice was deep, authoritative, and indistinct.
He said, "Shaobai, I don't want to make too much of a fuss."
If things escalate, it will put Mama in an awkward position.
The young man, who looked remarkably like Gong Xichou, made a hand seal with one hand.
"Seal off, activate the formation!"
Buzz—
A gentle breeze suddenly arose!
A transparent barrier, its surface rippling with water patterns, soared into the sky, forming a closed, four-sided space at its highest point. Xun Ding, just before Gong Xi Chou approached, forcefully broke free from the oppressive aura, retreating rapidly to create distance. His toes touched the ground, his armor donned, and his spear touched the earth to halt his movement. Suddenly, he struck Gong Xi Chou's face like a cannonball.
Today's situation is special; even if we can't win, we have to fight head-on!
As a brother-in-law, I absolutely cannot let my brother-in-law look down on me!
only--
He hadn't expected Gongxi Chou to be so ruthless, actually aiming directly at his face with his halberd, which was aimed at his vital points. Enraged, Xun Ding broke down and cried out, "Brother, my brother—my face is all bruised and battered! Isn't this making A Lai lose face?"
Gong Xichou said, "I can't spend it!"
Xun Ding quickly understood what "cannot be spent" meant.
The surrounding area was strange! He clearly felt his bones cracking, yet in an instant he was completely unharmed; only the lingering pain in his body reminded him it wasn't an illusion. Perhaps because of this, Gong Xi Chou had no intention of showing mercy.
This place is remote, but not far from the walls of the capital.
The soldiers guarding the city could vaguely see a light flickering near the dark horizon, but there was nothing unusual about the surrounding atmosphere.
"Who set off fireworks over there?" the soldier wondered to himself. Just as he was about to call his superior to investigate, the "fireworks" disappeared. Quietly, without any sign of anything amiss.
Gong Xichou squatted down and patted Xun Ding's face.
Raising an eyebrow: "That's it?"
Xun Ding sat up angrily: "What do you mean, 'that's all'?"
Gong Xichou said, "I haven't used my full strength yet."
"You're going all out to kill me and make Ah Lai a widow? Don't you understand that if the sky wants to rain, or a sister wants to get married, can you stop her?"
Gong Xichou rolled his eyes: "That's why I didn't kill you."
Since the marriage between Gong Xilai and Xun Ding is irreversible, and the two are destined to be relatives, and it's not a matter of life and death, there's no need to make a real fuss and cause the situation to spiral out of control. Gong Xilai will let Xun Ding suffer a little physical pain, and Xun Ding will let him vent his anger.
Xun Ding laughed so hard his eyes disappeared when he heard this.
"Brother, please entrust Ah Lai to me."
Gong Xiqiu glanced at him sideways without saying a word.
The boy who resembled Gong Xiqiu remained silent.
Stared at by the two men, Xun Ding felt immense pressure and forced himself to say, "Brother, you can allow me to entrust this to your sister."
Gongxi Chou then slowly spoke: "You are the only son of your family, and both you and your father hold high positions in the court. It's unrealistic to force you to marry into the family, and I have no such intention. It depends on what Alai decides. But—it's not allowed for Alai to marry into your family like in the secular world, to serve her father-in-law and son-in-law, to cook and clean. Even if Alai agrees, it's not allowed! You need to be careful. Xun Yong'an, remember this: until the Gongxi clan is completely wiped out, I will be her support in the secular world, the kind of person who can take your life at any time."
Xun Ding opened his mouth, taken aback.
Gong Xichou said impatiently, "What's with that expression?"
Xun Ding pounded the ground: "My father has already tacitly approved of my marriage into his family, and now you're telling me I don't need to? Gong Xi Chou, you're playing me!"
Gong Xiqiu: "...Xun Hanzhang is very magnanimous."
Xun Ding stood up, supporting his back. Although he was unharmed, Gong Xi Chou had somehow managed to inflict considerable pain on him. "What kind of person is my father? He only hopes to make a name for himself in history, never expecting me to bring glory to the family! The other day I told him that A Lai was pregnant, and he left me with the comment, 'There are plenty of people with the surname Xun in the world.' He really cherishes this surname. Instead of hoping that A Lai and I would have children, he should learn from Qi Zhongshu, who already has over a hundred grandchildren at such a young age..."
In an era when paternal lineage was unclear, surnames were, to some extent, more important than bloodlines. Anyone who bore one's surname was considered one's child or grandchild, and adopted children were treated as biological offspring. Xun Zhen wanted several grandchildren with his surname, hoping to expedite the adoption process.
He had no objection to his son being allegedly adopted in order to get married.
Who wasn't a love-struck fool when they were young?
Young people should make their own decisions.
Gong Xichou: "..."
He was almost completely bewildered by the Xun family father and son.
After Ji Moqiu dispelled the barrier and came over, Gong Xichou remembered the important matter: "Xun Yong'an, if you are willing to marry into Alai's family, you certainly won't mind helping her through the ordeal of childbirth, right?"
Xun Ding's forehead was filled with three question marks. After he finished digesting Gong Xi Chou's words, his handsome face twisted as if he had eaten a mushroom: "No, don't tell me that your clan has such a horrifying method of making men pregnant and giving birth?"
Gong Xichou had no idea what Xun Ding was thinking. Before dawn, he was already daydreaming and indulging in wild fantasies: "No, that's not true. Childbirth is a means of creation, how can it be arbitrarily changed? This would also violate the principles of Yin and Yang, so you have no right to even think about it. However—there are some clan secret techniques that will allow you to temporarily take A Lai's pain. A true warrior wouldn't utter a sound even if he were disemboweled, wouldn't you say?"
Xun Ding asked again and again, "That's it? Really?"
Gong Xichou nodded: "That's it, really!"
Xun Ding couldn't help but touch his face.
Gongxi Chou's trial was far too easy.
He just beat me up and then I agreed to take on the pain of Ah Lai's childbirth, and that's it? Is he dreaming?
|ω`)
Gongxi Chou: There was nothing we could do before, but now we have the High Priest, right...?
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