Chapter 964 Mu Qingchen Reveals the Truth (Second Update)
"Are they from the Tang Clan?" Gu Jiao came to this conclusion based on what had happened that day.
A cold glint flashed in Nan Shi Niang's eyes: "That's right, it's someone from the Tang Clan! I extracted a lot of information from that person and learned that the Tang Clan has always been resentful about my departure. Like Qi Xuan, they all believe that I secretly comprehended some extraordinary technique, which is why I learned the sect's highest martial arts. They have always wanted to capture me and bring me back."
Gu Jiao didn't ask why Nan Shi Niang hadn't said so earlier. She understood Nan Shi Niang's personality and didn't want to cause them any trouble.
She looked at Madam Nan and said solemnly, "Madam Nan, leave the affairs of the Tang Clan to me."
Nan Shi Niang looked at her in astonishment: "What do you want to do?"
Gu Jiao said calmly, "Crush the Tang Clan!"
The martial arts sects and the imperial court have always kept to themselves. Even people like Qi Xuan left the Tang Sect before joining the Han family.
Gu Jiao had no intention of making things difficult for the martial arts sects, but the Tang Clan had messed with the Dragon King Temple and dared to bully Nan Shi Niang. So, they shouldn't blame the Black Wind Camp's iron cavalry for flattening the Tang Clan's mountain.
“Jiaojiao…” Nan Shi Niang didn’t want to trouble Gu Jiao.
Gu Jiao looked into her eyes: "Mrs. Nan, the Gu family asked me for twenty taels of silver back then to sever their connection with Gu Xiaoshun. Gu Xiaoshun's parents personally accepted the two silver ingots, and they were very happy. They thought it was a good deal to sell a useless son for twenty taels of silver."
Nan Shi Niang never expected that there was such a sordid truth behind Gu Xiaoshun's break with the Gu family.
“You and Master Lu treat Xiao Shun like your own son. I don’t want Xiao Shun to lose his parents who love him so much.”
Nan Shi's wife fell silent.
Gu Jiao continued, "Besides, when A-Yan was injured, didn't you all come to Yan without hesitation?"
The kindness that Mrs. Nan and Master Lu showed to their two younger brothers cannot be fully expressed in a few words.
Gu Jiao would not allow anyone to harm Nan Shi Niang.
The two sat for a while longer before Master Lu came over in a hurry.
Nan Shi Niang waved to him from the second floor. He looked up and saw his wife first, without a doubt, but who was that girl opposite her?
He went to the side room.
"Are you alright?" Nan Shi Niang asked.
“I don’t have any, what about you?” Master Lu asked.
"I'm fine too. Come and see who's here!" Madam Nan smiled and glanced at Gu Jiao. "You definitely won't recognize her."
Master Lu's gaze fell on Gu Jiao's flawless face, and after a long while, he stammered, "Could it be... could it be Jiao Jiao?"
"Master Lu," Gu Jiao greeted him with a smile.
Master Lu stumbled and bumped into the wall beside him.
She really is a delicate beauty.
Is this a new face?
No, if you look closely at her facial features individually, she looks the same as before, but without that birthmark, she looks like she's been reborn.
"Jiaojiao's face is all better." Madam Nan didn't mention the virginity mark.
Master Lu simply assumed that Gu Jiao's medical skills were superb and that she had cured him, which made him quite gratified.
He doesn't judge people by their appearance, and neither does Gu Jiao. However, as an elder, he still doesn't want those negative gazes to fall on Gu Jiao.
Gu Jiao asked, "Master Lu, Madam Nan, where are you living now? Is it still the same courtyard as before?"
Nan Shi Niang said gently, "We've moved to the inner city, to Liu Cui Lane."
Gu Jiao said happily, "It's in the same direction as the Duke's Mansion. If you don't mind, let's have a simple meal at the Duke's Mansion tonight. Jingkong will be very happy to see you."
Unable to refuse their hospitality, the two rented a carriage from a nearby car dealership and went to the Duke's mansion with Gu Jiao.
The three of them went to the Duke of Anguo's courtyard first, but did not see Xiao Jingkong. Instead, they encountered another familiar figure.
He was dressed in white, tall and slender, with handsome features and an unparalleled noble air.
Who else could it be but the long-lost Mu Qingchen?
Upon hearing that Duke Anguo had returned to Shengdu, Mu Qingchen immediately put aside his official duties and came to visit him.
He had just come out of the Duke of Anguo's courtyard when he never expected to run into... Gu Jiao at the gate.
Even Nan Shi Niang had heard that the Black Wind Cavalry's young commander was actually a woman, so how could he, as a member of one of the ten great families, not know?
Gu Jiao wore a light blue, narrow-sleeved, belted long dress. She was graceful and slender. The dress was made of the finest silk gauze, which reflected a thin, hazy glow when the sunlight shone on it.
This soft gauze was a specialty of the Jin state, and it was presented as tribute to Her Majesty the Empress by the Jin state.
Her Majesty the Empress didn't keep a single horse for herself; she sent them all to the Duke of Anguo's mansion.
He knew all this because he was the one who inventoried the tribute goods from the State of Jin that he was escorting.
His gaze finally settled on Gu Jiao's face.
Then, he was completely stunned.
Nan Shi Niang sensed that something was wrong and looked at Gu Jiao: "Jiao Jiao, your Master Lu and I will talk first..."
"Mother Nan!"
Suddenly, a delighted little voice came from the courtyard.
Nan Shi Niang smiled and glanced at Gu Jiao and Mu Qingchen, saying, "Let's go find Jing Kong first, you two can chat."
After saying that, she pulled Master Lu, who was somewhat eager to gossip, to see Master Jingkong.
Gu Jiao's reaction was calmer than Mu Qingchen's. She tilted her head slightly and greeted Mu Qingchen as usual: "Mu Qingchen."
It uses my own original voice.
Mu Qingchen was stunned again.
Gu Jiao put her hands behind her back and thought for a moment: "Hmm... It's been a long time. Hope you've been well."
Is this how you greet someone you haven't seen in a long time?
It took Mu Qingchen a full minute to get used to her female identity, then to her appearance, and finally to her voice.
Countless emotions flashed in his eyes that Gu Jiao couldn't decipher, like disbelief, or something else entirely—in short, very complex.
"Mu Qingchen, what's wrong?" Gu Jiao asked.
Mu Qingchen's hands, hidden beneath his wide sleeves, clenched tighter and tighter. He walked slowly toward Gu Jiao and said in a low, hoarse voice, "I've come today not only to visit the Duke of Anguo, but also to discuss something with you."
Gu Jiao raised an eyebrow: "Looking for me? What's up?"
Mu Qingchen looked around and said, "There are too many people around here, let's talk in private."
The spies in the Duke's mansion have long been eliminated, and those who remain are all trustworthy.
Gu Jiao gave him a strange look: "Okay, wait for me."
She entered the courtyard and arranged for Nan Shi Niang, Master Lu, and Duke Anguo to meet. Only then did she and Mu Qingchen go to a secluded pavilion in the Duke's mansion.
Gu Jiao stood in the pavilion and said to him, "You can speak now."
Mu Qingchen hesitated for a moment, then took out a rag doll from her wide sleeve.
It was an extremely terrifying doll with a gaping maw, sharp teeth, blind eyes, and bald hair.
Memories that Gu Jiao had once put aside resurfaced in her mind—she had made such rag dolls in her past life.
"Yinyin gave it to me," Mu Qingchen said, looking into Gu Jiao's eyes.
Gu Jiao was stunned for a moment, then took the doll knowingly: "You know everything."
"The Imperial Advisor told me." Mu Qingchen clenched her fists, a bitter feeling welling up in her heart. "So you weren't lying to me. You said you would come back... and you really did come back..."
Gu Jiao's memories of Jing Yinyin were incomplete; she didn't remember any of what Mu Qingchen had said. The only thing she was certain of was that Jing Yinyin's ability to say those words meant that she had grasped the secret of time travel.
She knew she could come back here.
“Yinyin’s health has never been good,” Mu Qingchen said. “The purple gromwell poison could never fully integrate with her. Back then, the king sent someone to assassinate Yinyin, but in fact, the real cause of Yinyin’s death was the purple gromwell poison.”
The Imperial Advisor even told Mu Qingchen these things.
Gu Jiao asked, "What else do you know about Jing Yinyin? For example, her other identities?"
"You?" Mu Qingchen looked at her with a complicated expression.
It seems they are unaware of the Lord of Shadows.
Gu Jiao returned the little doll to him.
"Aren't you going to take it back?" Mu Qingchen asked.
"It's a gift for you," Gu Jiao said.
Holding the plush toy that had been with her for over ten years, Mu Qingchen felt a surge of overwhelming resentment welling up inside her: "If... I mean, if..."
Before he could finish speaking, Gu Jiao stepped forward and gently hugged him.
Mu Qingchen froze, her eyes widening in disbelief.
Gu Jiao said, "This is from Yinyin."
Mu Qingchen's body stiffened, but his arms trembled slightly. His eyes involuntarily reddened, and he tilted his head back, forcing the tears back into his eyes.
He raised his arms, wanting to hug his Yinyin.
But his hand froze in mid-air, stopping just an inch away from her.
In the end, he was too late.
Gu Jiao withdrew her hand, looked up at him, and said earnestly, "Mu Qingchen, thank you."
Thank you for protecting Yinyin, and thank you for taking care of Duke Anguo.
Mu Qingchen quickly composed herself and said calmly, "I've finished speaking. You should go see Duke Anguo now and not keep him waiting. I should also go back now."
Gu Jiao said, "I'll take you."
Mu Qingchen said, "No need, you go first."
"Oh well."
Gu Jiao said goodbye to him and turned to walk down from the pavilion.
Watching that graceful figure gradually disappear into the twilight, Mu Qingchen finally couldn't hold back any longer. She turned around, closed her eyes, and a hot tear fell down her cheek.
Wow, I updated so early today!
Fangfang is also very diligent in the extra chapters!
(End of this chapter)
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