Chapter 194 [VIP]
Xie Yingchen chuckled.
He didn't need to say anything; her thoughts were always in line with his.
Xie Yingchen's eyes seemed to linger on Gu Zhizhuo with a soft glow.
Duo Leng's pupils contracted sharply as he squinted at Gu Zhizhuo, unaware that Xie Yingchen had been holding a black musket in his hand until Gu Zhizhuo spoke, at which point he placed the musket on the table.
The Liang Kingdom had planted many spies in the capital, and Duo Leng already knew that Xie Yingchen's fiancée was Gu Taotao's daughter.
Her appearance was extremely similar to Gu Yican's, and Duo Leng recognized her as soon as she entered the capital.
He also heard that this Miss Gu was quite flamboyant in the capital.
"Miss Gu."
He called out, meaning he knew her identity.
"You also want to have a drink with me?"
His sword-like eyebrows were raised, and his braid hung down to his chest, making him appear extremely unrestrained and frivolous.
During certain seasons in Xiliang, if a woman invites a man to drink with her, they will go into the tent together to spend the night after one cup.
Xie Yingchen's eyes darkened, and he stroked the barrel of the musket with his fingertips.
Gu Zhizhu scoffed, and said in a similarly cold tone, "I mean, I'm going to smash your head in."
She smiled, but her words were sharp and cutting.
"As for the wine, you can drink it slowly on your way to the underworld."
Gu Zhizhu stepped over the table, dressed in a long red dress and adorned with pearl hairpins. Although she was dressed as a wealthy and beautiful noblewoman, she exuded a heroic and dashing air in every gesture.
Few people at the table understood the sarcastic remarks, and most listened with some confusion.
However, the Prince of Jin had been to the Western Frontier and had negotiated peace and war with the Liang people, so he could understand a few words.
Who would have thought that these two, seemingly chatting and laughing, were actually harboring murderous intent?
Duolen smiled, his dismissive gaze sweeping over her: "You?"
Those arms, those slender shoulders, that tiny waist—even an ordinary horse-herding woman in Liang Kingdom would be stronger than her; she could lift her up with one hand.
Duo Leng laughed loudly, then took a large bowl and poured all the wine from the pot into it.
Liangren loves wine; this pot of his is full of strong liquor, and a bowl of it weighs a pound.
He slammed the bowl down, the spilled wine filling the entire hall with its rich aroma.
“Gu Taotao’s daughter, the loser has to drink this bowl.”
"If you drink, I'll play with you."
"I won't take advantage of you. Even if I lose, I'll still drink. Hahahaha."
With his hands behind his back, he glanced sideways, his eyes filled with arrogance.
It's a deal.
After Gu Zhizhuo finished speaking, he clasped his hands in a fist salute towards the emperor and said, "Your Majesty."
She was not performing a woman's curtsy, but rather a soldier's salute.
She said, "Prince Duoling said he wanted to see the might of the Great Qi Kingdom even if his head was blown off."
Multifaceted: ?
Something about what he said doesn't seem quite right. Perhaps he didn't learn Mandarin properly?
"He asked His Majesty to grant him permission to smash his head in."
The emperor couldn't see clearly, so Li Deshun leaned down and spoke to him in a low voice.
Everyone was shocked by these words.
Despite her military background, Gu Zhizhuo was still a woman and could not compare to Duo Leng's tall and strong build. Not to mention anything else, his arms were much thicker than hers, and his shoulders were even broader and thicker. The two were not comparable in strength.
Is Miss Gu implying that she intends to fight Prince Duo Leng by force?!
Xie Jing: !
Xie Danling shuddered, sobering up instantly, and quickly tugged at Gu Yican's sleeve: "Cousin Can, you go!"
Gu Yican and Xie Yingchen exchanged a glance, and he said, "Cousin, you just watch."
That's what he said, but he picked up the wine cup, weighed it in his hand, and his sharp phoenix eyes revealed their ruthlessness.
Xie Danling was worried, so she picked up Chen Mao and whispered to Duo Leng, "Cat, if I throw you out later, you scratch him. Understand?"
"Meow!"
The cat revealed its claws.
The emperor let out a cold snort, his tone devoid of joy or anger: "Miss Gu, have you thought this through?"
"yes."
The Emperor: "Prince Duoling, what do you say?"
"Your Majesty the Emperor of Daqi," Duoleng said flippantly, "In our Liang Kingdom, a warrior cannot refuse any beautiful maiden."
"I grant your permission."
Gu Zhizhuo has a multifaceted face. She is considered tall among women, but she is still more than half a head shorter than him.
Both of them were smiling, as if they were just having a friendly conversation, but the tense atmosphere still unconsciously revealed itself.
"Old Song, you can understand Liang language, right? What are they saying?" Duke Wei nudged Chief Minister Song with his elbow and asked in a low voice.
The Grand Secretary Song was well-read and could understand two or three sentences. He then explained it to him by guessing and inferring.
Duke Wei slammed his fist on the table in anger: "How dare these barbarians! But won't Miss Gu suffer a loss?"
"The Crown Prince will not let Miss Gu suffer any loss." Chief Minister Song looked ahead, leaned his shoulder towards the Duke of Wei, and said calmly, "The Crown Prince has not made a move."
“Miss Gu is a bit too impulsive.” Duke Wei was anxious and spoke without thinking, “With the nation’s prestige at stake, isn’t it a case of only being able to win and not being able to lose?”
While Wei Guogong was trying to find a way to ease the tension, Gu Zhizhuo said in official language, "Where is the eldest prince's weapon? Go and fetch it." The last three words were spoken to the eunuch.
Before long, the eunuch brought over a thick and wide broadsword.
Duo Leng raised his broadsword and uttered two words: "You're asking for death."
"Oh dear." The Duke of Wei slapped his thigh. "This eunuch is too honest. He actually went to get it when asked..."
The chief minister, Song, stared intently: "Only because Miss Gu took the initiative to bring up the weapon could she use it."
Duoleng arrived at the center of the hall. He never underestimated his opponents, even if they were women.
His arm, gripping the knife, was taut, his muscles bulging.
Gu Zhizhu walked up to Xie Yingchen, spread her hands, and Xie Yingchen placed the black musket in her hand.
The musket was only slightly larger than a hand, with a peculiar design. She had her back to Duoling, blocking his view. Duoling didn't know what she was doing, nor did he care.
Gu Zhizhuo walked to the middle of the main hall.
Xie Danling held the cat, leaning forward nervously, ready to let the cat scratch her if her little cousin got hurt.
The two stood facing each other.
Thump.
The eunuch struck a flower drum.
Duo Leng raised his hand, held the broadsword horizontally towards her, and as he charged forward, he slashed down with the sword.
Gu Zhizhuo raised his arm, raised his gun, and pulled the trigger.
Bang!
Gu Zhizhuo aimed his shot at Duo Leng's head.
Liang Kingdom had no firearms, and Duo Leng had only heard of them. When he first saw a musket, he thought it was some kind of girl's toy because it was so small that it could be held in one hand.
The moment Gu Zhizhuo pulled the trigger, an inexplicable sense of crisis surged forth.
You'll die!
Ignoring his disheveled state, Duolang raised his knife to shield his face, his muscular body bending backward with incredible flexibility.
His movements were fluid and effortless. He rolled on the ground to release the force, then touched his slightly sore cheek with lingering fear, his fingertips immediately stained with blood.
That was too fast. If he had been even a fraction of a second slower, the injuries wouldn't have been limited to his face.
The bullet pierced his broadsword, which he had used for years, and also pierced the pillar behind him, leaving a small, round bullet hole. He looked up and saw Gu Zhizhuo standing there, white smoke rising from the muzzle of his gun.
Is this a firearm from the Great Qi Dynasty?
The gun barrel was scorching hot. Gu Zhizhuo raised her arm and pointed it at him. This time, she looked down at him.
She said coldly, "Even if you're as weak as a chicken, I can still smash your head in!"
Multifaceted:!
This is no joke; that shot was indeed aimed at her own head. She intended to kill her.
The hall was completely silent.
The emperor couldn't see, but the gunshot made his heart pound. Li Deshun quickly whispered what had happened in his ear.
Everyone was stunned by the power of the musket.
Kasyapa's hand holding the cup trembled slightly, and the corners of his mouth curved into a slight smile.
The Minister of War was dumbfounded. The size of this musket was large enough for a young woman to hold in one hand, and its rate of fire and power were astonishing, far surpassing the matchlock guns of the musket battalion.
Has the Crown Prince already acquired such powerful firearms? If the musketeer battalion were equipped with them, let's see if these barbarians would still dare to act arrogantly in front of the Great Qi!
Thinking this way, the Minister of War felt a surge of excitement, believing he could serve for another ten years and witness the glorious era of foreign powers paying tribute.
"The eldest prince."
"I've heard that in Liang Kingdom, if one side doesn't admit defeat, it's a fight to the death."
This was in official parlance; as he spoke, Gu Zhizhuo raised his gun again.
Dolen thought she was just putting on an act. As far as he knew, it was quite time-consuming to reload a musket with gunpowder and bullets after it had been used once, which was far less efficient than using a bow and arrow.
Bang!
The gunshot disrupted his thoughts.
Duo Leng was startled.
His movements were faster than his brain could process, and he dodged backward, landing awkwardly on the ground as the bullet grazed his shoulder.
Two shots were fired in quick succession! Duke Wei was so excited he almost jumped up. He had seen it clearly: Miss Gu hadn't placed any bullets or gunpowder, nor had she lit the fuse. Only a few breaths had passed since the first shot.
It has it all: power, rate of fire, and portability. It's simply a deadly weapon.
The Crown Prince possessed such a fine item, yet he hadn't uttered a single word about it. He couldn't wait to snatch it away and examine it closely.
Duo Leng's chest heaved violently; beyond shock, his eyes revealed even more greed.
Bang!
The third shot.
This time, he didn't dodge in time and barely avoided a fatal head injury; the bullet pierced his shoulder.
Unlike being shot by an arrow, the pain burst forth from his flesh, with the tearing of bone and flesh and the scalding heat attacking him simultaneously. Even though he was a true warrior of Xiliang who had earned his reputation through military exploits, he couldn't help but cry out in pain.
"I surrender!" Duo Leng shouted quickly.
Gu Zhizhuo reluctantly put down the musket.
This improved flintlock musket can fire five shots in quick succession, but there must be a ten-breath interval between each shot, otherwise the barrel will overheat and explode.
If you can land a combo, you can definitely blow his head off.
Senior brother is absolutely right; this person has excellent luck.
All three of my shots were aimed at his head, but I missed them all. What a pity.
Duo Leng stared straight at her.
"So what if you're strong? A girl can beat you to your knees and beg for mercy. You're just a piece of trash. Trash should stay where trash belongs."
Gu Zhizhuo coldly returned all of his words to him.
She spoke with a smile, as if it were just a casual greeting.
"Your Highness, don't you think so?"
Duo Leng, clutching his injured shoulder, also laughed, his smile as sinister as a wolf's.
Gu Zhizhuo: "If the eldest prince continues to speak recklessly in the future, he may not even know how he died."
After she finished speaking, she clapped her hands twice, and immediately a eunuch brought over a large bowl of strong liquor.
"Since I have lost, of course I will admit defeat."
Duo Leng took the large bowl and drank it all in one gulp. His hands were still trembling and he couldn't hold it steady. Some of the spilled wine accidentally splashed onto his wound, causing another sharp pain.
He wiped the wine from the corner of his mouth.
“Miss Gu…very good, I will remember this.”
"Good alcohol tolerance."
Gu Zhizhuo clapped his hands lightly, returned the musket to Xie Yingchen, and the two looked at each other.
She clasped her hands in a fist salute towards the emperor and said, "Your Majesty, I will not fail in my duty."
The emperor was filled with doubt and unease; the three gunshots made his chest ache.
With Xie Yingchen possessing such a powerful weapon, if he were to use it to recruit soldiers, could his own Imperial Guards withstand him?
He's already under house arrest. His next step will be to get rid of him and seize the throne, right?
The more he thought about it, the more frightened he became. He couldn't delay any longer! The emperor was extremely flustered and terrified. His legs were trembling uncontrollably. Ever since he lost his sight, the slightest sound or movement would make him panic.
Moreover, he was the person he feared most.
After exchanging greetings, Gu Zhizhuo stood up and instructed, "Summon the imperial physician. Give the eldest prince a proper check-up; do not neglect our 'distinguished guest.'"
Duo Jiang's brow twitched.
From the moment before, it was this Miss Gu who was in control and in charge. Now, the Great Qi Dynasty is ruled by Xie Yingchen, the grandson of the crown prince.
Gu Zhizhuo turned around and went back to his seat.
"Am I amazing?"
She raised an eyebrow at Gu Yican.
Gu Yican clapped enthusiastically, "Little sister is amazing. Little sister is the best in the world! She beat him so badly his head was split open."
"I was terrified," Xie Danling pouted. "The cat was too."
The three gunshots terrified the cat, which huddled its head under Xie Danling's armpit.
Gu Zhizhu poked it with his finger.
"Mmm?"
The cat poked its head out, looking left and right, meowing pitifully.
Duo Leng was led away by the eunuch. The bullet was embedded in the flesh and needed to be cut open and removed by the imperial physician with a small knife.
The music and dance resumed, but no one in the hall was in the mood to appreciate the performance. The civil and military officials were all preoccupied with their own thoughts, seemingly still immersed in the aftermath of the three gunshots.
Duke Wei, looking excited, stepped forward and asked Xie Yingchen for a musket to see. He held it in his hand and touched it, wishing he could try it out himself.
The Prince of Jin picked up the wine cup in front of him and drank it all in one gulp, then shook his head with a wry smile.
The purpose of those three shots was to expel the pent-up anger.
The purpose of the crown prince was to intimidate his son.
He intimidated Xiliang, intimidated the court officials, and intimidated the emperor... He was pressuring the emperor to take action as soon as possible.
Xie Yingchen is meticulous, which is one thing, but there's also Gu Zhizhuo who is on the same wavelength as him. Even though it was just a sudden incident, the two of them didn't communicate at all.
Gu Zhizhuo, however, took the intimidation to the extreme.
"Destiny..."
The Prince of Jin drank another cup and muttered to himself.
He arrogantly believed that he could control destiny.
He asked Changfeng what would happen if fate were changed back again.
At that time, Changfeng used the blood of the entire Blackwater Fortress to draw talismans, which horrified him, filling his nostrils with the strong smell of blood. As a military general, he was not afraid of blood, but that one time, he almost vomited.
He wanted to distract himself, so he asked that question.
"When that day really comes..." Changfeng said at the time, "If any descendants of the Crown Prince's lineage are lucky enough to survive, he will surely become the Lord of Heaven, with his fortune overwhelming the heavens and unstoppable."
"His fortune is overwhelming."
The altered destiny has returned to the right path and into the hands of the only bloodline of the deposed crown prince.
I knew I had no way out.
“Your Majesty,” Prince Jin stood up and couldn’t help but say, “I see that you look a little tired. Would you like to go back and rest for a while?”
He meant that if the emperor stayed put, Xie Yingchen would have no legitimate reason to launch his attack, and the emperor could live out his remaining years in peace.
Xie Yingchen knew his intention, smiled lightly, and ignored him.
The emperor, already annoyed, said impatiently, "Does the Prince of Jin also wish to choose a new ruler?"
At that moment, the King of Jin's heart died completely.
A note from the author:
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