Chapter 58 [VIP]
Gu Zhizhuo stepped across the threshold.
After performing a proper curtsy, she said directly, "Your Highness, please speak plainly and don't waste time. I'm very busy."
For some reason, Xie Jing always felt a little numb when facing Gu Zhizhuo.
The wound on my forehead, which had long since healed, seems to be hurting again.
Xie Jing subconsciously covered his forehead and asked, "Where is Third Master Gu?"
“I’m in charge of the Gu family now.” Gu Zhizhu smoothed her skirt and sat down at the head of the table. Seeing that he remained silent for a while, she said, “If Your Highness has nothing else, then we’ll see you out.”
Gu Zhizhuo clapped his hands lightly, and two guards entered through the door, gesturing for Xie Jing to enter.
Xie Jing knew all too well how ruthless she could be to him; when she said she wanted to kick someone out, she really meant it.
"Wait. I haven't finished speaking."
Gu Zhizhu made a gesture, and the guards retreated again. She fiddled with the forbidden step in her fingers and said with a smile, "Please speak."
"Ke'er, she..."
Xie Jing observed her expression and said, "She has nowhere to go now and has suffered such a huge blow. As her younger sister, you should take good care of her."
He spoke with increasing self-righteousness: "You two grew up together, didn't you?"
"so what?"
"Just treat her well, and tell everyone in the manor not to neglect her because of Ji Shi's matter. Also, don't skimp on her food, clothing, or other necessities. Ke'er is kind-hearted, and she will definitely remember your kindness in the future."
Gu Zhizhuo held out her hand to him, and seeing Xie Jing's confused expression, she kindly reminded him, "Silver."
ah?
“Raising your Ke’er will cost money, Your Highness the Third Prince.”
"You wouldn't just give away a single penny and be generous with other people's money, would you?"
Xie Jing stared intently at her, as if trying to see through her veil to see just how dark her heart was, that she could even say such things.
He said, "My father gave instructions..."
Gu Zhizhuo raised a finger, shook it lightly, and said coldly, "The Emperor only instructed that she stay in the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion."
“I didn’t kick her out.”
"As for the rest," Gu Zhizhuo said slowly, "that's none of your business."
A sharp glint flashed in Xie Jing's eyes: "Miss Gu, don't go too far..."
He looked at Gu Zhizhuo with a threatening gaze.
Snap!
Gu Zhizhu slammed his hand on the table, startling Xie Jing so much that he almost jumped off his chair.
"see a visitor out."
The guards came in again.
She wouldn't budge, no matter what! Xie Jing was so angry he was gasping for breath, but he was genuinely worried about Ke'er.
Ke'er had never suffered since she was a child. Now that Ji Shi had been demoted to a concubine, what would the servants in the mansion think of her? Would the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion hold a grudge against her because of the Ji family's affairs? Would they cut back on her food, clothing, and daily necessities? Would she be bullied? Just thinking about these things kept him awake all night.
He originally wanted to find Gu Baibai, hoping she would promise not to mistreat Ke'er...
Xie Jing's gaze deepened, and he said coldly, "How much do you want?"
Gu Zhizhuo held up one finger.
"one thousand?"
"Is your beloved so worthless? Do you even know how much silver a Yunyanluo dress costs?"
How could he possibly know! "Ten thousand?"
"Okay." Before Xie Jing could breathe a sigh of relief, Gu Zhizhuo added, "Ten thousand taels of silver a month."
Xie Jing slammed his hand on the table and stood up: "Are you robbing me?!"
"see a visitor out."
She's absolutely despicable for sending guests away without a second thought. Xie Jing steeled his resolve: "Fine, I'll pay!"
He actually pulled out a 10,000-tael silver note from his purse and slammed it onto the coffee table with a thud.
Hey. The God of Wealth?
Gu Zhizhuo gestured for Qiongfang to accept the money. With silver coming in, his attitude immediately improved: "Remember to send 10,000 taels of silver on the first day of each month from now on."
Xie Jing glared at her, almost laughing in anger.
He hadn't yet established his own residence and was receiving a monthly stipend of one hundred taels of silver, with the Empress Dowager providing a small subsidy at most. This was all the cash he had on him; he had brought it all with him before leaving the palace, intending to secretly give it to Ke'er. If Ke'er suffered any injustice, he could help her out, and if all else failed, he could buy her a house or something.
It disappeared in an instant.
And it costs 10,000 taels every month.
That's outrageous!
Gu Zhizhuo looked completely innocent: "You gave it to me willingly. If you don't want it, then..."
Before Gu Zhizhuo could even utter the words "send the guest out," Xie Jing quickly compromised: "I'll give it to you, I'll give it to you, okay? But today is already the middle of the month..." He meant, could he get half back?
"Your Highness," Gu Zhizhuo brushed the embroidery off his sleeve and said earnestly, "What's the point of arguing with me like this? Why don't you persuade the Emperor to grant you a marriage and marry her? Wouldn't that solve everything once and for all? Don't you think so?"
Listening to her earnest urging him to marry Ke'er as soon as possible, Xie Jing felt an inexplicable sense of irritation.
It was clearly his long-cherished wish to marry Ke'er.
"I will ask my father to grant us the marriage as soon as possible," Xie Jing said, staring into her eyes.
Gu Zhizhu smiled knowingly and said, "Oh, right, there's one more thing."
For some reason, a sense of anticipation welled up in Xie Jing's heart, but the next moment, that anticipation shattered into pieces.
"Please remember to prepare all of Ke'er's dowry and send it to the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion. This ten thousand taels does not include her dowry!"
Xie Jing: !
He was trembling with anger, his lips twitching repeatedly before he finally flung his sleeve and stormed off in a huff.
Gu Zhizhu shrugged: "You have a really bad temper."
Qingmei was speechless; to put it another way, the young lady was incredibly infuriating.
"Let's go, Uncle is getting impatient."
As Qiongfang followed, she asked, "What about Miss Ji's expenses?"
"Pass on the instructions." Gu Zhizhuo said without thinking, "Auntie's niece is not a proper relative, so there's no need to address her as 'Miss.' Her allowance will be the same as Aunt Ji's, but since she is a junior, she will be one grade lower than Aunt Ji."
Qiongfang agreed.
In the past, because of the Ji family, Miss Ji's rations were no different from those of the eldest daughter.
However, a concubine's relatives cannot really be considered relatives.
"Also, don't neglect your cousin Xu."
Gu Zhizhuo didn't have a deep impression of Xu Ying'er. In her previous life, Xu Ying'er was also a timid and submissive person, with almost no presence. However, she protected Weiwei, so she was a good girl.
Hearing her daughter say that Xu Ying'er was a "good girl", Qiongfang covered her mouth and laughed: "Miss, you forgot, the cousin of the Xu family is only one year younger than you."
"is that so?"
"Yes!" Qiongfang has a very good memory.
Gu Zhizhuo counted on his fingers, but still couldn't figure it out.
"Anyway, the allowance is the same as Weiwei's."
She said lazily, "As for Ji Nanke, we can get 10,000 taels a month while she's staying. If we can't afford to stay any longer, someone will ask the Emperor to grant us a marriage."
"We're not at a loss."
Heaven only wanted Ji Nanke to become the Third Prince's consort; it didn't say she couldn't accept money.
"Right?"
Yes, yes, yes!
Qingmei saw that the Third Prince was about to cry.
Who's about to cry?
Gu Liaoliao waited for a long time but didn't see her come. Fearing that she would suffer a loss, she specially came out to meet her.
Gu Zhizhuo affectionately took her arm and, in a very good mood, told her about how he had made a fortune of ten thousand taels of silver. He talked all the way until they entered Gu Baibai's study.
Gu Yique was also there, and Gu Zhizhuo also saw a young man she didn't know.
He was about twenty years old, with a tall and straight figure, and striking features.
When Gu Zhizhuo came in, he also turned around and looked her over.
"This is Qi Fu, a captain in the Thousand Machine Battalion."
Qi Fu clasped his hands in greeting: "Young Miss."
Gu Zhizhuo stepped aside and returned the salute: "Commander Qi".
Gu Baibai said, "Commander Qi will go to the Western Frontier with you."
ah?
“I will transfer three hundred men from the Thousand Machine Battalion to you, along with one hundred guards from the prefecture, for a total of four hundred men.”
When Gu Zhizhu heard that her third uncle had gone to the military camp, she guessed that he was going to transfer the Thousand Machine Battalion to her service. And she was right!
"Then I won't bring any guards."
The Duke of Zhenguo's mansion only has two hundred guards in the capital, who take turns on duty. One hundred people is only half of the manpower.
"One hundred is enough," Gu Baibai said decisively. "One hundred people are enough to stay in the manor. Listen to me."
“You’ve never been to the border. People from Liang often come to plunder the Western Frontier. It’s not safe for a girl like you to travel alone with too few people,” Gu Baibai added. “The Thousand Machine Battalion can’t be mobilized too much, or it might offend the person in charge.”
"Qi Fu will lead the 300 Thousand Machine Battalion. They will go to Youzhou first and meet up with you there."
Let alone three hundred, even if Gu Zhizhuo brought the entire camp, Gu Baibai would still be worried.
However, the palace was heavily guarded, and Gu Baibai estimated that at most three hundred people could be mobilized without anyone noticing.
"yes. "
Gu Zhizhuo didn't argue anymore, nor did he mention that he had actually been to the border.
In her previous life, the young master had taken her across the vast lands of the Great Qi Dynasty.
"Also, take Queque with you."
Gu Yique was twelve years old. He was born to his second aunt, Madam Lu, and was the third son among the boys in the household.
"Big sister."
Gu Yique had a bright smile, her black hair tied into a high ponytail, radiating sunshine.
"Second Aunt, won't you be worried?"
Gu Zhizhuo hesitated for a moment.
Madam Lu had four children, two of whom died young. Her eldest son died at the age of eight, and her eldest daughter died at birth.
Later, her second uncle also died in battle. She doted on her only son and daughter like the apple of her eye. Gu Yique had never been to the northern frontier even at the age of twelve.
“My mother agreed.” Gu Yique blinked at her, and if Gu Baibai hadn’t been watching, she would have almost started to whine. “Big sister, please take me with you. Even Acheng has been to the border, but I haven’t.”
“Your second aunt agreed.” Gu Liaoliao sighed. “Qieqie has never left the capital before. This trip is not dangerous, so let’s treat it as a training experience. It’s better than going directly to the military camp and not knowing anything in the future.”
It's not that they're heartless towards the children, but in the military, the more pampered a child is, the more likely they are to die.
"Oh well."
Gu Zhizhuo nodded.
Wow! Gu Yique was so excited he almost jumped up.
"About the city of Aur..."
Gu Baibai wanted to tell them to delay their departure by two days because he needed to check on the current situation in Aur City, but his niece handed him a piece of silk paper instead.
Gu Baibai was slightly taken aback after unfolding it. He quickly finished reading it and then handed it to Gu Liaoliao.
"Given by Young Master Chen?"
"Uh-huh."
Gu Baibai pondered for a moment. Xie Yingchen had only just returned to the country, yet he knew even these seemingly insignificant people and events perfectly well.
Indeed, he has a grand vision and is unwilling to be confined to a small space.
He must have had some plans for this country.
Gu Baibai curled his fingers and tapped lightly on the desk. After Yaoyao left, he needed to see Gongzi Chen for Yaoyao's marriage and for the future of the Gu family.
My grandfather once made a solemn oath to Emperor Taizu that the Gu family would never betray the Great Qi Dynasty or the Xie family for generations to come.
The Gu family has kept its promise to this day. Some have died, some have been crippled, and some have been reduced to ashes, but they have always stood firm as the northern border barrier of Daqi and have never retreated a single step.
However, the one on the dragon throne is surnamed Xie.
Xie Yingchen also has the surname Xie!
Gu Baibai frowned slightly, and a hint of sternness appeared on her originally gentle face.
If we replace it with someone surnamed Xie, it shouldn't be considered a breach of oath, right?
The only thing Gu Baibai cares about now is whether Xie Yingchen's purpose in approaching Yaoyao is pure or not.
Let's take a look.
Ah, well, Xie Yingchen is just so pleasing to Yaoyao!
“Yaoyao,” Gu Baibai said without showing any emotion, gesturing for her to push him against the wall.
A map was rolled up on the wall. Pulling the string, the map unfolded with a snap, revealing the landscape of the Great Qi Dynasty.
"This is the capital city."
"The city of Aur is here."
He pointed to each area, then pointed further west and said, "This is the Liang Kingdom."
"After you leave the capital..."
Gu Baibai carefully explained to them how to travel along the way and where bandits might appear. She talked for more than an hour. Seeing that Gu Zhizhuo had memorized everything, she said, "You will leave in three days. I will arrange everything else."
Gu Zhizhuo nodded in agreement and led Gu Yique out first.
As soon as they stepped outside, Gu Yique eagerly asked, "Big sister, what should we take with us?"
Gu Zhizhuo thought for a moment and said, "We'll travel light. Just prepare two sets of clothes and bring your usual bow and horse weapons."
“Big sister, could you please go and talk to my mother for me?” Gu Yique said exaggeratedly. “I secretly glanced at the list she gave me, and it’s this long! It’s probably enough to fill two or three carriages.”
He didn't dare say anything just now, for fear that his third uncle would simply not let him go.
In this generation of the Gu family, there are only two men, him and his elder brother. His elder brother has been to the northern frontier and the western frontier, while he has never even left the capital. He has seriously learned archery and horsemanship, and he is definitely not just a show-off.
Gu Zhizhu smiled and said, "I'll go with you."
Gu Yique was overjoyed and said in a very sweet tone, "I like big sister the most! Ache said that his sister would think he was stupid."
His own older sister has never looked down on him!
He kept calling her "big sister," which almost made Gu Zhizhuo agree to wait for him to come back and persuade her third uncle to let her go to the Thousand Machine Camp to train with the soldiers.
Thankfully, I managed to hold back!
The second branch's Han Hui Courtyard is located west of the central axis of the Zhenguo Duke's Mansion. Just before stepping into the courtyard, Gu Yique, who was still acting coquettishly, immediately stood up straight, straightened his clothes and hem, and neatly pulled the purse at his waist, hung up the jade pendant. His movements were as smooth as flowing water, and it was clear that he had done this countless times.
He put away his playful smile and adopted the demeanor of a refined young nobleman, obediently following Gu Zhizhuo to his side.
Completely different from his previous chatter, he didn't say a word from the moment he entered through the hanging flower gate all the way to the corridor of the main hall. Every step he took seemed to have been measured with a ruler.
A military officer's wife would certainly know what to bring when traveling.
Gu Zhizhuo put it tactfully, and Xu Shi remained silent for a while. She then took out the prepared travel list and crossed out each item on it, each stroke reflecting a mother's worry for her son.
In the end, only two or three changes of clothes, some commonly used medicines, and a small bag of dried meat were left.
Gu Zhizhuo promised, "Don't worry, I'll bring him back to you the same way I took him out."
"Yaoyao".
Madam Xu moved her lips and said with difficulty, "Take care on your journey."
"If we really encounter danger, you are a girl and you can't afford to make any mistakes."
If something happens to a girl, it's more terrifying than death.
She beckoned her son over.
"Queque, when you're out and about, you must protect your older sister. I know you're very good at riding and archery."
She handed Gu Yique over to Gu Zhizhuo herself without giving him any further instructions, and she didn't even come out to see him off on the day he left.
Gu Zhizhuo left the capital with a hundred guards, traveling light.
They met up with the Thousand Machine Battalion, disguised as ordinary guards, in Youzhou.
Before setting off, Qi Fu was worried that the young lady might be too delicate and unable to endure the long journey, and might throw a tantrum halfway through.
To his surprise, the eldest daughter never uttered a single word of complaint. She accepted whatever came her way – resting when needed, continuing on her way, staying at inns when available, and sleeping in the wilderness when none existed. Even the second young master, who had never set foot in a military camp, never complained.
Gu Yique gritted his teeth the whole way.
Now he understood why his father always said that being good at riding and archery alone wasn't enough; his small frame would be finished after a day of running on the road. And it really would have been finished…
On the first day, when it was finally time to rest, he practically rolled off the horse, walking with a hunched back, almost crawling. Gu Zhizhuo wasn't much better off; not only was her whole body sore, but her hands and feet were also stiff, making it difficult for her to walk without her hands and feet moving in unison, and she couldn't even bend her knees and elbows.
The two siblings looked at each other and laughed together.
After settling the horse, Lao Dan came over and said, "Third Young Master, anyone would feel like this the first time they ride a horse for such a long time."
Gu Zhizhuo tossed him a bottle of medicated oil: "Put this on Queque. He should be fine after a night's rest."
"Tell him again how to adjust his posture when sprinting."
Gu Zhizhuo actually understood all of this, but now that he has lost some of his physical memory, he is a little slow to react.
She made the medicated oil herself, and it really worked. After sleeping on it, she was almost fully recovered.
As their bodies gradually adapted to this intensity of driving, their rest periods became shorter day by day, and it took them less than ten days to travel from the capital to Luoxia Pass.
There are thirteen cities along the western border of Xinjiang. Aur is one of the cities closest to the border, and it takes at least a day to get there from Luoxia Pass.
In his previous life, Gu Zhizhuo had come to the Western Frontier with Xie Yingchen and still had some memories of some of the cities.
She glanced at the sky and said, "Let's rest for the night before heading to Aur City."
Despite the imperial decree, their group numbered several hundred, and the border cities would be on high alert whenever they saw them. Qi Fu suggested that they set up camp on the spot and then go to the city to buy some supplies.
"Alright. Queque, would you like to come with me to take a look?"
"Yes, yes!"
Gu Yique's eyes lit up, and he nodded repeatedly.
Gu Zhizhuo took Qingmei, Chongjiu, and Adan with him to the nearest city, Balehai.
Baleh City has never experienced a massacre and is now the most bustling and prosperous of the thirteen cities in western Xinjiang. It is also close to Luoxia Pass, so there are many traveling merchants coming and going, and the city gates are always crowded with people.
"The city walls are so high."
Gu Yique looked up at the city wall.
The city wall was a dull gray, covered with countless marks, as if splashed with ink. Some were large patches, others small, scattered, all without any discernible pattern. At first glance, these marks appeared pitch black, but upon closer inspection, they revealed hints of dark red. Did the people of Western Xinjiang really paint on city walls?
Just as he was about to go over and touch it, Gu Zhizhuo said coolly from behind him, "That's blood."
ah? !
Gu Yique jumped three feet high, her eyes wide open, as if to say: Big sister, don't scare me.
“The population of Western Xinjiang was reduced by nearly half back then.” Gu Zhizhuo led his horse and followed the people entering the city. “This land is soaked in human blood.”
Gu Yique fell silent. After a while, he murmured to himself, "This entire territory was reclaimed by my uncle..."
When it was their turn, Lao Dan handed over their travel permits, which the city guards carefully checked.
"Master Liu, you've finally come down the mountain. How is Master Changfeng?"
A stout middle-aged man, with a fawning expression, led a Taoist priest past Gu Zhizhuo and his group, heading into the city ahead of them.
"Who doesn't recognize you? No need to check."
As expected, the city guards didn't investigate and even greeted the Taoist priest with smiles.
"Master Liu, where have you been traveling for so long?"
Gu Zhizhuo glanced at the Taoist priest, who waved his hand, appearing quite approachable and friendly: "I didn't go anywhere; I was helping my senior brother with his rituals at the temple."
"What kind of ritual takes so long?"
“I don’t know who gave my senior brother a set of remains. They said that this person had committed too many killings in his life and was full of evil energy. They asked my senior brother to perform a ritual to suppress it. It has been in our temple for two or three years. They just came to take it away not long ago.”
"They must be some kind of villain."
Gu Zhizhuo's heart felt as if it were being pulled by something, and it suddenly clenched inexplicably, the pain like being stabbed with a knife.
It was fine again quickly, leaving only a dense layer of cold sweat on my forehead.
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