Chapter 179 [VIP]
Gu Zhizhuo seemed lost in thought, but didn't dwell on it.
She braced herself against the windowsill, about to climb out of the window, when Xie Yingchen grabbed her. He pressed down on her shoulders, turning her around to face the door to the private room.
"Go that way."
"It's too late!"
"There's still time."
Qingping craned her neck to look outside and urged, "Junior Sister, hurry, hurry! He's about to run away after he cut the purse."
Jumping out the window was out of the question, so Gu Zhizhuo had no choice but to obediently run up the stairs. By the time he got out of Tianxi Building, the little beggar was already gone.
Xie Danling leaned on the windowsill and pointed, "He turned left ahead and went into the alley."
Okay.
Gu Zhizhuo rushed out and strode straight into the alley ahead.
The alley was somewhat dark, with walls on both sides. As soon as you turned in, you saw the little beggar tearing open a blue purse and dumping all the contents onto the ground.
With only a few small pieces of silver in his purse, the little beggar clicked his tongue, stuffed the silver into his pocket, and was about to get up when he suddenly noticed the approaching shadow, its slender reflection enveloping him.
The little beggar pretended not to notice and continued to fiddle with the odds and ends on the ground, secretly concentrating his strength on his calves.
He pushed off the ground with his hand, using the momentum to run wildly into the alley.
This kid is quick-witted. Gu Zhizhuo shouted, "Stop!"
Clearly, the other party ignored her.
She picked up two small stones, weighed them in her hand, and then threw them forward with force.
Her aim was superb; *thud!* The pebble struck the little beggar right behind his knee. The little beggar's knees buckled, and he collapsed to his knees with a thud.
Gu Zhizhuo walked at a leisurely pace, looking down at him, toying with another small stone in her hand: "Aren't you supposed to be a fast runner? Look at how fast you run, but I, your grandma, have more stones. Hmm?"
"Grandma, spare my life!"
The little beggar was perceptive; he immediately knelt down and kowtowed.
He felt around his body and pulled out a few pieces of silver, a handful of copper coins, and some other odds and ends, which he put on the ground.
"They're all here."
He hunched his shoulders cautiously and glanced at Gu Zhizhuo's expression. In the capital, one must not offend anyone; even a little beggar like him knew this.
This young lady was dressed in fine clothes and had an imposing presence; he would never dare to provoke her.
There are many nobles in the capital, and also many fools.
If you're going to steal, steal from those dull-witted scholars or foolish Taoist priests, like that foolish Taoist priest from a few days ago. He looks shabby and silly, but his money bag is full of silver.
The little beggar's eyes darted around. He thought for a long time but couldn't figure out how he had offended such a noble person, until a voice came from above: "Did you touch a Taoist priest's money bag?"
ah?
It turns out they were standing up for that foolish Taoist priest!
The little beggar was stunned. He lowered his head and stammered, "Yes, yes."
"Grandma, please spare me! Don't send me to the authorities! I know I was wrong!"
The little beggar sobbed as he wiped his face with his dirty hands. As he touched his cheeks, he rubbed the chili seeds he had hidden in his hand onto his eyelids, and tears streamed down his face.
"I'll never dare to do it again."
He kowtowed repeatedly, then looked up at her fearfully, tears streaming down his face, leaving dark streaks.
Blood was still seeping from his forehead, and his small body was curled up, looking extremely pitiful.
"Please forgive me, Grandma."
Gu Zhizhuo held out his hand to him: "Here you go again."
The little beggar pleaded for a long time, but she wasn't moved at all. His lips twitched, and he rubbed his eyes with chili seeds, crying even more bitterly: "I...I've used it all up."
"oh?"
Brother Qingping said that he had more than a hundred taels of silver in his purse, which he had saved up for several months by performing rituals, consulting feng shui masters, and giving guidance on good and bad fortune.
Having learned his lesson from last time, he never left his precious purse unattended, but it was gone again.
A hundred taels of silver is enough to support a family for several years in ordinary households. Even if things are expensive in the capital, it should last for a year without any problems, right?
He spent it all in just half a month?
"Oh."
The little beggar shuddered at the cold laugh.
He glanced up and saw her standing right in front of him, arms crossed, looking completely unmoved. He couldn't help but grit his teeth inwardly.
How infuriating! How can they be so stubborn and have no compassion whatsoever! He was furious inside, but his expression only became more pitiful. He sobbed, "My mother is sick."
The little beggar had told this story to many people countless times. In the past, his skills were poor, and he would often be caught red-handed. Fortunately, he was young, and after shedding a few tears and pleading his case, most people would let him go. If he was lucky, he could even get a few copper coins.
His eyes were red from crying: "My father died when I was young, and my mother and I depended on each other for survival. My mother got tuberculosis, and we really didn't have any money to buy medicine, so I had to steal."
“I used all the money from that Taoist priest to buy medicine for my mother. The doctor said it needed a hundred-year-old ginseng, but we really don’t have any now.” He crawled forward a few steps, knelt down in front of Gu Zhizhuo, and cried, “Grandma, please forgive me. I will repay your kindness even if I have to be your ox or horse in my next life.”
After saying that, he wiped his eyes with his hand.
Gu Zhizhu stared at his hand and immediately noticed that he was hiding something in it.
Gu Zhizhu chuckled and was about to call him out for pretending when suddenly, her eyes lit up and she noticed an inconspicuous piece of black iron on the ground.
The piece of iron is round, about two fingers wide when held together, and has a single character on it: "顾" (Gu).
The character “顾” is flanked by a spear and a sword, their blades touching, in a state of confrontation.
This is……
The insignia of the Northern Frontier Army.
Gu Zhizhuo's heart tightened. She bent down to pick it up, wiped the dust off with a handkerchief, and saw that the embroidery on it was mottled and looked like it had been there for some time.
Gu Zhizhuo had never been involved in the military affairs of the Northern Frontier Army before. She only vaguely remembered that after her father died in battle, this military emblem was no longer used.
The little beggar, kneeling on the ground with his head bowed, felt the shadow above him pressing down on him, making it hard for him to breathe.
Then he heard her ask, "Where did this come from?"
ah?
The little beggar looked up and recognized the round plaque she was holding.
His eyes darted left and right, and he wiped away his tears, crying, "This is the keepsake my father left me."
"Your father was in the Northern Frontier Army?"
The little beggar paused for a moment, then quickly said, "Yes, yes, Grandma, do you also know about the Northern Frontier Army?"
"I'll ask, you answer."
"Yes, yes!"
Gu Zhizhuo stared at the round token in his palm and asked, "Who is your father under?"
"My lord."
Gu Zhizhuo's heart suddenly raced. She remembered what her master had said when she chased after him, and her gaze sharpened slightly.
The little beggar was only eleven or twelve years old. He was thin, and his clothes were patched in several layers. His exposed skin was covered in mud, making it impossible to see his face clearly. However, his eyes were shifty and looked like he was telling a lot of lies.
Her phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, and her voice remained calm as she pressed on, "What is your father's military rank?"
"One hundred households."
The little beggar didn't know why she was asking these questions.
Without realizing it, my initial confidence had turned into tension.
"Little aunt, I really didn't steal this plaque." The little beggar wiped his face, his eyes red and bloodshot from crying. "It's the only thing my father left to me and my mother."
Suppressing the pain in his voice, he cried as he spoke, “My father went to fight in the western frontier with the Duke of Zhenguo, and later died in the swamp along with the Duke, leaving only my mother and me to depend on each other. The uncles and elders in the clan seized our land, and they cursed my mother as a jinx, a curse that brings misfortune to her husband, and they also cursed me as a curse that brings misfortune to my father. We have nowhere to go, and my mother is sick and has not gotten better…” He seemed to have thought of something, and his crying now was much more genuine than before.
Familiar footsteps sounded behind him, but Gu Zhizhuo did not turn around.
The little beggar heard it too, and was so frightened he almost lost his soul.
Gu Zhizhuo gripped the round plaque.
Only soldiers with the rank of centurion or higher could receive this small round plaque. Apart from the Northern Frontier Army, probably no one else knew about this.
She asked, "What's your father's name?"
The little beggar was staring at Gu Zhizhuo's back when he heard this, and hurriedly said, "Jiang, Jiang Wu. It was the name given by the Duke."
Gu Zhizhuo's gaze fell on him, and the little beggar felt a chill run down his spine. His heart was in his throat for a long time before he finally heard her merciful voice: "In that case, you may leave."
The little beggar breathed a sigh of relief, and his thin shoulders slumped.
He kowtowed deeply and said ingratiatingly, "Thank you, young lady. I will never steal again."
After he finished speaking, he turned and ran away, not daring to pick up the silver on the ground, nor asking her to return the round token. He disappeared at the end of the alley in no time.
"Young master."
Gu Zhizhuo turned his head to look at Xie Yingchen, raised his chin, and snorted, "This kid doesn't tell a single truth."
She said, "Chongjiu, go and take a look."
Chongjiu silently chased after him.
Gu Zhizhuo showed him the small round plaque and pondered, "This must be from the Northern Frontier Army. I saw it at my father's place. It's rusted like this, so it must be at least several years old."
Xie Yingchen took it.
He had seen similar round plaques before; back in the Liang Kingdom, the people of Liang used to regard them as spoils of war to show off.
“Master said you have great fortune.” Gu Zhizhuo tugged at his sleeve and walked out of the alley, skipping along. “This kid will definitely be useful.”
He's a complete liar.
At least nine out of ten of his statements are false. Instead of wasting her energy interrogating him, she should let him slip up on his own.
"Let's go take a look."
Xie Yingchen always listened to her. The two left the alley, and not long after, Chongjiu returned: "Young lady, he ran away and went back to his home, it's just ahead."
Chongjiu led the way.
Actually, it's quite close. Just walk to the end of the street and turn into an alley.
This alley is similar to Yanziwei Alley, or even dirtier and more chaotic. The ground is covered with unknown liquids, and children are running around everywhere. Many people look at them with curiosity, and some children quietly follow behind.
After wandering through the alleyways for a while, Chongjiu pointed to a low house ahead: "This is it."
The house was extremely dilapidated, with only a tattered bamboo mat blocking the doorway. Before you could even get close, you could hear the little beggar's shouting from inside: "...I've been caught, I have no money today! Don't ask me for any."
"Useless thing, what use are you to me!"
A shout followed by the sound of a rattan cane striking flesh.
The little beggar cried out in pain and said bitterly, "Then you might as well sell me. I'm useless? If I were useless, you would have been hacked to death by those people in the casino long ago, and you would still have the strength to beat people here."
Her voice was completely different from when she was feigning helplessness; it carried a stubbornness and hatred.
Gu Zhizhuo glanced at Xie Yingchen and stepped inside.
The ground was filthy, with almost no place to step.
On the Double Ninth Festival, the curtain was lifted.
The moment the tattered curtain was lifted, the sunlight streaming into the room caused the two people arguing inside to simultaneously raise their hands to shield their eyes and look towards the doorway.
When the little beggar saw Gu Zhizhuo, he was startled and instinctively shrank back.
A deep red mark appeared on his face, still oozing blood, while the man held a rattan cane in his hand.
The man froze. He quickly looked at his son, and seeing his guilty look, he immediately guessed what had happened.
"You bastard, you actually let someone follow you home! I'll kick you to death!"
She then reached out and grabbed his arm.
The little beggar pushed the man away, raised his hand to wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth, and his face, which had been cautious just now, was now full of resentment.
They even followed him just for that money pouch. Are all these important people so idle?
The pearls on her embroidered shoes must be worth several hundred taels of silver. Aren't she afraid of ruining them by stepping on this dirty place?
The little beggar remained silent.
The man rubbed his hands together, then approached in a humble tone and said with a smile, "My lord, this brat has offended you. I will certainly teach him a lesson... You brat, come and kowtow to my lord!"
His face was sallow, even the whites of his eyes were yellow, and he reeked of cheap liquor. His belly was unusually large, and his face wore an obsequious and fawning expression, but when facing his son, he was a fierce and murderous monster.
Could this person be under my father's command in the Northern Frontier Army? Gu Zhizhuo instinctively didn't want to believe it.
"Is this your father?"
"yes."
"Didn't you say your father was dead?"
The little beggar turned his head away, showing no remorse for having his lie exposed, and said coldly, "What difference is there between him and someone who is dead?"
"How dare you curse me to death in public?!"
Enraged, the man raised the rattan cane to strike again, but Chongjiu grabbed him, causing him to stumble and nearly fall face-first to the ground.
Seeing his drunken state, Gu Zhizhuo didn't hold out much hope. If it weren't for her master's words, she might have stormed off.
Xie Yingchen said in a low voice, "Yaoyao, look at his wrist."
Gu Zhizhuo looked in the direction of the sound and saw a circular scar on the lower part of his forearm. The shape of the scar was all too familiar; it was an arrow scar.
The skin around the scar was not neat and had some tears, indicating that the arrowhead had a barb, which was typical of the arrows used by the Liang Kingdom.
"Let's go."
Gu Zhizhuo's long eyelashes trembled slightly, and she pulled Xie Yingchen around as if to leave.
The man stared intently at his son, waiting for them to leave so he could drag him over and give him a severe beating.
Gu Zhizhuo walked to the door, then suddenly stopped, turned around and called out: "Jiang Wu, the centurion of the Northern Frontier Army, listen to my command!"
Her voice was clear and resonant, and the man instinctively straightened up, replying loudly, "Yes!"
It's an instinctive reaction, as if I've done it countless times, time and time again, deeply imprinted in the deepest part of my soul.
He stood up straight and finally realized what was happening; his face turned completely pale in an instant.
He forced a stiff smile, "My lord, is this kid spouting nonsense...? He's not telling the truth in a single word..."
Before he could finish speaking, Gu Zhizhuo had already drawn his short sword and pressed it against his neck.
"Jiang Baihu. Jiang Wu."
Gu Zhizhuo lowered her voice and tossed the round card into the air, catching it steadily in her palm.
She said, slowly and deliberately, "My surname is Gu."
Upon hearing these three words, Jiang Wu's pupils widened suddenly, and a flash of fear and horror crossed his eyes.
The little beggar looked at Gu Zhizhuo, then at Jiang Wu, and laughed gleefully.
"Miss, young lady... please, please don't believe this boy."
The short knife was pressed down.
Jiang Wu suddenly felt a sharp pain in his neck. He was so frightened that his legs trembled, and he forced a dry laugh, saying, "I don't know what you're talking about."
"You, a deserter."
"I'm not!"
He blurted out the words instinctively, which, without a doubt, confirmed that he was Jiang Wu.
Gu Zhizhuo took a step closer to him, and Jiang Wu was so frightened that he retreated repeatedly, shouting, "I'm not a deserter, I'm not a deserter."
"oh?"
Jiang Wu was so frightened that his legs trembled and he sat down on the ground with a thud.
Three years ago, we won a great victory in the Western Frontier. My father, the Duke of Zhenguo, was ordered to pursue the enemy while we were ahead. As a result, he and the elite troops of the Northern Frontier Army perished in the swamp.
The reason is unknown.
Why are you alive?
"Not a deserter? Then he must be a spy!"
"no!"
A note from the author:
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