Chapter 60 [VIP]
"Young lady, this is..."
Qingmei was also startled and speechless.
Even though she didn't understand what the talisman meant, the sight of such a talisman mixed with black blood being secretly pasted on the wooden box containing the human head sent a chill down her spine.
Without a doubt, this talisman was created with malicious intent.
Gu Zhizhu remained motionless, sustaining her belief like a crumbling city wall, breaking and collapsing.
"Miss Gu, I know nothing."
Jiang Youzheng looked up in shock and hurriedly explained, "When it arrived, there was only a wooden box. I didn't move the coffin at will. I just set up a mourning hall for the Duke. I really don't know how this could have happened..."
"The Liang people are absolutely despicable."
Jiang Youzheng thought it was just returned by the Liang people, and he clenched his teeth, wishing he could devour its flesh and blood.
"My lord!"
Overwhelmed with grief, tears streamed down his remaining eye. He collapsed to his knees, buried his head in his hands, and screamed in anguish.
The Duke fought to the death for the sake of the Great Qi Dynasty, so why is he treated like this even after his death!
Why!
Gu Zhizhuo didn't cry. She held her head in her hands, tore the talisman off with a blank expression, and clutched it tightly in her palm.
“Commander Jiang,” she asked, “who brought my father’s remains?”
Her voice was as cold as ice. Commander Jiang replied immediately, "It was delivered by the Crown Prince of Jin, personally by the Crown Prince of Jin."
"The Crown Prince of Jin..."
Gu Zhizhuo pondered the name.
The prince said that back then, King Jin negotiated peace with the State of Liang on behalf of his father. After the State of Liang returned his father's remains, King Jin sent the remains to a Taoist temple.
During the reign of the late emperor, the Prince of Jin was only a prince of the commandery. After his father died in battle, the Prince of Jin was ordered to come to the western frontier. Later, he was granted the title of prince for his meritorious service in negotiating peace with the Liang Kingdom and ending the war in the western frontier.
The heir apparent of the Prince of Jin also arrived in the western frontier three years ago and has been stationed there ever since.
Gu Zhizhuo nodded, his voice flat and even: "Let's go!"
She didn't even want the wooden box; she held the head in her arms, turned around, and walked outside.
She hadn't walked more than a few steps when she stumbled and almost fell on flat ground. Gu Yique quickly caught her.
"Big sister, let me... Give me Uncle, I'll hold him."
“Miss Gu.” Jiang Youzheng caught up with her in three steps and advised, “Stay at the government office for one night, and I will immediately have someone prepare a coffin.”
He was truly heartbroken.
Three years ago, he held out in Baleh City for a whole month, without food or water. Nearly 80% of his soldiers were killed or wounded. He was prepared to die for the city. When the Duke of Zhenguo arrived with his troops, he was like a god descending. With a long spear, he charged in and killed three times, breaking through the Liang people who surrounded them.
He will always remember that day.
Who would have thought that after the Duke died, not only would he not be able to keep his body intact, but he would also suffer such a curse.
"Miss Gu!"
"Need not."
Gu Zhizhuo walked outside, and the others followed closely behind.
“Miss Gu, it’s already dark. If you leave now, you won’t make it to the next city in time,” Jiang Youzheng urged desperately. “Why don’t you rest for the night first?”
Gu Zhizhuo didn't even turn his head, and said the same two words: "No need."
Oh dear, how can the Duke's daughter be so stubborn!
Gu Zhizhuo led his horse and walked out of the garrison's mansion gate.
The afterglow of the setting sun illuminated the sky, and it was still quite bright. Gu Zhizhuo calmly instructed, "Old Dan, go and find out where the coffin shops in the city are, and buy a coffin."
Old Dan wiped away his tears, accepted the order, and left.
Jiang Youzheng sighed softly.
He's not stupid; there's nothing he can't see through. Gu Zhizhuo doesn't trust him.
Therefore, he was unwilling to stay in the garrison headquarters for even a moment, and would rather go out and inquire about coffin shops himself than accept his own suggestion.
Indeed, if it were him, he wouldn't easily trust any stranger in such a situation.
Jiang Youzheng said nothing and followed silently behind.
On the main street in front of the garrison's mansion, some people were peering out. A woman walked a few steps and was about to speak when Liu Nuo came out from inside and angrily scolded, "Stop! Who told you to leave like this?"
Liu Nuo waited in the main hall for a long time but they didn't come. When he asked, he found out that they had actually left.
They didn't even say hello; they were completely arrogant.
Gu Zhizhuo turned to look at him. She was holding a head in her arms, and her dark eyes were staring at him. Liu Nuo suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.
It was broad daylight; even if there were vengeful ghosts, they wouldn't dare come out. Liu Nuo comforted herself for a moment, then thought disdainfully: What kind of family is the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion anyway! The daughter they raised is such a character.
“Miss Gu,” Liu Nuo said in a trembling voice, “how dare you treat your father like this! You are utterly unfilial!”
What normal family would allow a girl to carry a human head around like that? Such behavior deserves to be drowned in a pig cage.
No wonder he's so sharp-tongued and loves to argue; he clearly lacks manners.
"So you're Miss Gu, aren't you?" Liu Nuo raised his chin and said condescendingly, "I advise you, a woman should be virtuous and gentle in order to be a good wife and mother. Be careful, someone like you might never get married."
After saying that, Liu Nuo looked around and asked, "Where's the wooden box?"
He added, "Commander Jiang, Miss Gu is ignorant and doesn't know any better. How can you let her run wild like this? Someone, go and bring the wooden box over."
Gu Zhizhuo asked calmly, "I heard that Lord Liu is a follower of the Prince of Jin?"
Liu Nuo arrogantly replied, "Exactly."
He joined Prince Jin's faction three years ago. With Prince Jin's guarantee, he was sent here as a fifth-rank military supervisor. After three years, he will be transferred back to the capital and will at least be promoted to the fourth rank.
His classmates are probably still holed up in some rural area.
The wooden box was personally delivered by the Prince of Jin's heir. The heir had specifically instructed the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion to take the wooden box with them.
The head was placed in a wooden box, not attached to the box strap. How could you carry it by hand if you couldn't? So, Liu Nuo didn't pay attention when Gu Zhizhuo and the others went to the back. Who would have thought, who would have thought, that they really did carry it by hand!
"Does Lord Liu recognize this?"
Gu Zhizhuo opened her hand, and in her palm was the blood-stained talisman. The black and red bloodstains were mixed with cinnabar, making it look terrifying.
When the Prince of Jin brought the wooden box, Commander Jiang was patrolling the city, accompanied by Liu Nuo. When the cloth bundle was opened, the wooden box was covered with over a dozen talismans, which were later all peeled off.
I can't believe there's another one!
This thing looks creepy. Liu Nuo looked away and dusted off the hem of his official robe: "Of course I know."
He deliberately gave Gu Zhizhuo a cold look: "Duke Zhenguo Gu Taotao has committed too many killings. The talisman is to remove the evil aura from him so that he will be punished by heaven and unable to enter the cycle of reincarnation."
The long black whip moved like a snake, snap! The tip of the whip wrapped around Liu Nuo's arm. He was furious and looked up. The whip was pitch black, and the handle was inlaid with rubies, reflecting the sunlight and stinging his eyes.
My first thought was: How much silver does this whip cost?
He swallowed hard: "Extravagant!"
He tried to shake off the whip wrapped around his hand, saying, "That's how military generals are; they love to fight and kill for their own wealth and power."
Gu Zhizhuo originally planned to find a coffin first and settle her father in a proper place before thinking about anything else.
She is now holding a head in her arms, which will make her father restless even in death.
However, this person was someone she could no longer tolerate.
"Lord Liu, what did you say?" Gu Zhizhuo's eyes were icy cold.
Liu Nuo couldn't pull the whip away and said angrily, "How could I have said anything wrong?"
He was born into two different classes and was a disciple of the emperor, so he had the utmost contempt for these brutes who wielded swords and spears.
"Everyone knows that scholars are poor and warriors are rich. In war, the empty pay alone can make a fortune. Even the whip you use can be inlaid with such a large circle of gems."
As for them, they studied diligently for decades, yet they could barely make ends meet.
They've already embezzled so much, yet when they come to his territory they don't even bother to show him any respect; they don't understand any rules at all.
He grew angrier the more he thought about it: "If everything could be based on harmony, how could there be constant wars and countless deaths among the common people? Isn't this all caused by these scoundrels who, in their momentary bravado, disregarded the country and its people for the sake of wealth, and indiscriminately committed massacres?"
Even Jiang Youzheng was too ashamed to listen to these words.
It's only because the emperor was too indulgent and life was too easy that he would say something like "Why don't they eat meat porridge?"
Qi Fu was filled with resentment. He couldn't help but look at Gu Zhizhuo. She had been insulted so harshly, how could Miss Gu not even dare to talk back?!
"As the ancients said, 'Be kind to the people and good to your neighbors, for they are the treasures of a nation.' (Note)" Liu Nuo raised his chin and said with righteous indignation, "The Duke of Zhenguo has sent troops to fight on all sides. What he calls 'for the country and the people' is just empty talk. But if you ask me, it's nothing more than for titles, for gold and silver, for which he has caused the country to be stained with blood. This is something that cannot be redeemed even by ten thousand deaths."
He flicked his sleeve and said matter-of-factly, "If these sins are not atoned for, one will surely be condemned to eternal damnation... Ahhh!"
Before he could finish speaking, Liu Nuo was suddenly pulled by the whip wrapped around his hand, staggering and crashing into Gu Zhizhuo.
Gu Zhizhuo kicked him in the stomach.
Liu Nuo had no time to dodge and was thrown out like a flying object, his tailbone hitting the ground with a throbbing pain.
Qi Fu: ! He took back what he just said.
Gu Zhizhuo stepped forward and stomped on Liu Nuo's chest, drawing his curved sword from his waist and pressing it against Liu Nuo's neck.
Gu Zhizhuo said in a pitiful voice, "Our Gu family has guarded the Great Qi Dynasty with the blood and flesh of generations of descendants, all for wealth and glory. Very well, very well indeed."
"grown ups!"
Liu Nuo's guards drew their swords and rushed forward. Before they could get close, there was a series of cracking sounds as their wrists were bleeding profusely and their swords were knocked to the ground.
Chong Jiu, dressed in black, twirled his sword and stood expressionless beside her.
Gu Yique held a longbow, several arrows already nocked, positioned to protect Gu Zhizhuo on the other side. His eyes were filled with piercing hatred.
Gu Zhizhu didn't even lift her eyelids. She pressed the waist knife down an inch, and some blood lines appeared on Liu Nuo's neck. Fresh blood flowed down the blood groove of the waist knife, soaking his neck.
"Help! Help! Murder!"
Liu Nuo was so frightened that his face turned ashen, his crotch was completely wet, and a strong, fishy stench filled the air.
Jiang Youzheng touched his nose, thinking to himself: That's great! As expected of the Duke's daughter, she's truly decisive and ruthless.
Gu Zhizhuo's eyes flashed with murderous intent. Liu Nuo's neck was bleeding more and more blood. Jiang Youzheng had no choice but to step forward. He had just taken half a step when Chong Jiu's sword was placed in front of him. The blade reflected Chong Jiu's calm eyes.
Jiang Youzheng dared not offend him any further and could only cry out, "Miss Gu, please have mercy! To kill an official of the imperial court on the border is a crime punishable by treason!"
The Duke had been kind to him and had rendered meritorious service to the Great Qi Dynasty. He could not watch Miss Gu commit a serious crime in a moment of anger.
"Young lady, the Duke is waiting for you to take him home!"
Gu Zhizhuo finally put away his sword.
Jiang Youzheng breathed a sigh of relief, as long as no one was killed.
Liu Nuo touched his neck with trembling hands, his palms wet with blood.
Blood!
It was all his blood. He was dying, dying!
"Someone, go quickly and fetch a doctor!"
He tried to shout, but when he raised his voice, his neck started to hurt. He was so scared that he thought his neck had been pierced, so he quickly covered it with both hands, his face turning as white as paper.
“Miss Gu…it is my fault.”
"Spare me."
Gu Zhizhuo's right foot was still on his chest. He once again presented the talisman to him with a half-smile and said, "I see that Lord Liu has quite a bit of malevolent energy. It will have to be suppressed."
She crumpled the talisman into a ball and held it to his mouth: "Open your mouth."
Liu Nuo's face was filled with horror: "No, no..."
"If the evil energy is not suppressed, not only will your life be in danger, but you will also be condemned to eternal damnation in the underworld."
Her eyes were icy cold, and her words sounded both like a threat and a statement of fact—eat or die.
"One, two..."
Liu Nuo opened his mouth tremblingly, and Gu Zhizhuo stuffed the talisman into his mouth.
"swallow."
Tears streamed down Liu Nuo's face, all traces of his previous arrogance and haughtiness vanished, replaced by a pleading expression on his relaxed skin.
His throat moved, and he swallowed the talisman whole.
Gu Zhizhuo moved her foot away from his chest.
Liu Nuo rolled and crawled to his feet, hunched over and gagged, then desperately stuck his fingers down his throat, trying to pry the talisman out.
“Miss Gu, I won’t let him file a complaint in the imperial edict.” Jiang Youzheng lowered his voice.
He still had the ability to quietly intercept memorials, but he was just too lazy to cause trouble.
Jiang Youzheng looked at Liu Nuo, who was vomiting sour water, with disgust and advised, "Don't ruin yourself and the Duke's Mansion for such trash."
These words came from the bottom of my heart.
Gu Zhizhuo understood and appreciated it: "Thank you, Commander Jiang."
A fervent light flashed in Qi Fu's eyes, and he was filled with excitement.
Old Dan went to inquire about the coffin shop but hadn't returned yet, so Gu Zhizhuo and his men waited at the spot.
Liu Nuo vomited as he crawled into the mansion, but he tripped and fell after only a couple of steps. In the end, the guards carried him in with trepidation.
Gu Zhizhuo's face was somber, his dark eyes unfathomable.
"Are you from the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, young lady?"
An old man carrying a load on a shoulder pole walked over. He had been observing the area from the end of the street for a long time, and only now did he muster the courage to come up and ask.
Gu Zhizhuo nodded and said calmly, "The Duke of Zhenguo was my late father. I am here to help bring his remains back to the capital."
"It really is the Duke!"
"It's the Duke's family."
The old man suddenly threw down the carrying pole and shouted loudly.
"Come quick!"
Gu Zhizhuo: ?
"My lord!"
They shouted, and from one to two, three, and more and more gathered together, their voices seemingly carrying an indescribable infectious power, echoing outwards. In no time, many people gathered from all directions.
Gu Zhizhuo was momentarily stunned.
"Is she the Duke's daughter?"
"The Duke's remains have been found!?"
"I have erected a memorial tablet for the Duke and offer incense to him every day."
"Our entire family was saved by the Duke."
"Miss Gu, please come and sit at our home."
Some people cried, some people laughed.
Gu Zhizhuo looked at these unfamiliar faces, their skin dark and rough, covered in dust and hardship, but now all of them were filled with tears and gratitude. In a short time, the area in front of the garrison's gate was packed with people, talking all at once, and then someone, I don't know who, first saw the head in Gu Zhizhuo's arms.
The surrounding sounds seemed to be sucked away by an unknown force in an instant, and someone knelt down.
They all knelt down.
Low sobs and whimpers echoed throughout the city of Aur.
Gu Yique's lips parted slightly; at that moment, he seemed to understand something.
No wonder, my grandfather, uncle, and father were willing to die to defend the northern border... those who were once protected by their blood and flesh have truly not forgotten them.
The anger and hatred in Gu Zhizhuo's chest gradually faded away with each cry, and the lingering killing intent in his eyes subsided.
"Please rise!"
Gu Zhizhuo returned the gesture with great respect. An old man stared at the head in Gu Zhizhuo's arms and asked in a trembling, mournful voice, "The Duke... he doesn't even have a coffin?"
A note from the author:
Note: From *Zuo Zhuan*
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
