Before Nian Girl could finish her sentence, a cold laugh echoed from the front of the horse.
"Haha! Are you trying to say, what if Gu Changsheng, that wretch, also died in Xunyang City, right?" Fufeng Tianlan’s gaze was as sharp as a knife, looking intently at Nian Girl standing quietly before the horse, the corners of her mouth curling into a mocking smile beneath the veil, "Dead? If that wretch could die so easily, would I need to make this journey to probe her capabilities? If she were an incapable fool, she wouldn’t have beco the Southern Emperor today! Nian Girl, she wouldn’t die so easily, even if Xunyang City is dood because of her involvent, she would still be able to escape and reach the Divine Demise Land, where I will settle old scores with her!"
"Yes! Miss is right!" Upon hearing this, He Miao’s heart trembled, and she imdiately nodded in agreent.
"Let’s go, we shall slowly head north and await good news from Youming Xiying!" Fufeng Tianlan raised her head, cast a aningful glance in the direction of Xunyang City to the south, then turned her horse around, swung her whip, and led the way northward...
"Bang! Gu Changsheng, I am gifting you the most magnificent sight in the world, hoping you will rejoice! Haha..."
A ghostly procession advanced rapidly under the night sky, leaving only the voice of the leading woman, cold and wantonly murderous, echoing across the night, startling countless birds...
The horses stirred up dust, and in an instant, the road returned to silence, as if they had never passed through...
A patch of dark clouds quietly blood, revealing a sliver of a crescent moon.
Silently, as if peering into the myriad forms of life in the world...
...
Under the sa night sky, in the Capital City of Great Zhou.
The night was deep.
At the entrance of the Heavenly Palace Traveling Palace, there was a bustling crowd. Rows of female officials surrounded an unassuming-looking carriage, each face showing deep worry and concern.
"Wise Brother Gu, are you really leaving? The Southern Country cannot be without your steady hand! Though I have read much of the sages’ teachings, I am inexperienced in managing state affairs. If sothing goes wrong in the Southern Country, how can I explain this to our Changsheng’s Beloved Daughter? Wise Brother Gu, why don’t you stay and oversee everything until Changsheng’s Beloved Daughter returns?" Mr. Ban Shan clung to the edge of the carriage, looking anxiously at the refined middle-aged man sitting on the shaft.
This man was none other than Gu Changsheng’s father, Wuchang Taitian, also known as Gu Taitian!
Gu Taitian sighed as he turned back, his handso, weathered face filled with guilt, looking at Mr. Ban Shan below, he spoke with determination, "Elder Brother Ban Shan, please do not persuade further. Dear brother has resolved to leave, and the affairs of the Southern Country shall be entrusted to you."
"But, dear brother, the Northern Mongolian is in turmoil; heading there, it is hard to predict fortune or disaster. Even if Changsheng and Zhou Mu ran away, they would eventually return. If you leave too, there truly will be no one to guide us here. Dear brother, think carefully before you act; Changsheng and Zhou Mu may not have gone to the Far North Land, perhaps they are just traveling and not heading north at all..." Mr. Ban Shan’s persuasion slowly trailed off.
Truth be told, even he found it hard to believe.
"Elder Brother Ban Shan, do you believe your own words?" Gu Taitian shook his head at Mr. Ban Shan, "You and I know Changsheng’s temperant best. Before she eloped, she stayed by Ruoshui; therefore, I am certain, she must be heading to the Far North Land to seek an opportunity to defy fate for her biological mother. Elder Brother Ban Shan, Ruoshui is my wife, and Changsheng is my beloved daughter. How can I stand by and watch as one of the two most important won in my life goes into danger for the other?"
"Sigh..." Mr. Ban Shan fell silent upon hearing this.
In truth, they both suspected that Changsheng had seized the opportunity to elope to the Far North, but with Gu Taitian set to follow, it left him feeling uncertain...
After all, whoever stayed behind would have to oversee the affairs of the Southern Country, and Mr. Ban Shan knew, despite his scholarly background, he was not a talent for governing!
Mr. Ban Shan’s gaze turned to the carriage, to that protrusion covered by reeds, his face filled with resignation.
He knew better than anyone what lay inside the carriage—a decayed, ancient coffin...
"Alright, I shall no longer persuade you, do as you wish!" Mr. Ban Shan sighed, placing his hand on the reeds covering the coffin, his voice tinged with both envy and solitary sentint, "Dear sister-in-law, to find soone in your life willing to follow you through life and death, is enough for a lifeti! Dear sister-in-law, to have a devoted daughter willing to risk her life for you, is enough for a lifeti! I will take care of the Southern Country and wait for your family reunion. I will be here waiting for your return, each of you alive and well!"
As Mr. Ban Shan spoke, a mist of tears welled up in his aged eyes. He blinked rapidly, collecting his emotions.
"Elder Brother Ban Shan..." Gu Taitian watched with a deep sense of guilt, words on the tip of his tongue, yet unsure how to express them, "Everything, I entrust to you, Elder Brother!"
"Alright, alright! Just take good care of yourselves." Mr. Ban Shan nodded, his face filled with sorrow, as he slowly stepped away from the carriage.
As Mr. Ban Shan retreated, several elderly female officials around him anxiously stepped forward, each expressing deep concern.
"The Lord, your and the Sovereign Highness’s safety is of utmost importance, you cannot treat it as a trivial matter!"
"Indeed, my Lord, without His Majesty here, if anything happens to you and the Sovereign Highness, how will we old ministers explain to His Majesty? My Lord, please reconsider!"
"My Lord, if you are worried about His Majesty heading north and encountering unforeseen events, you could send us instead. With five hundred thousand of the Southern Emperor’s guards, surely we can guarantee His Majesty’s safety? But you, my Lord, you should stay behind with the Sovereign Highness. If anything were to happen to you, we would truly be unforgivable!"
"The Lord..."
"..."
The old ministers of the Witch and Gu Tribes, beca increasingly anxious in their attempts to persuade him, hoping Gu Taitian would change his mind.
But Gu Taitian remained unmoved, looking at them, he slowly and decisively shook his head, speaking, "With you old ministers guarding the Southern Country, I have no concerns. This departure, be it for Ruoshui, or for Changsheng’s daughter, is imperative. There’s no need for further persuasion."
"The Lord!"
"The Lord..."
"..."
The ministers beca even more anxious, wanting to persuade further, but were interrupted by Gu Taitian raising his hand, "Enough, you are rely worried about my safety. But with Han Qiu and Xiao Cui accompanying , both of whom were personally trained by Changsheng, and besides, I’m not a helpless lamb waiting to be slaughtered. Once we reach Linyuan City and et up with the Nian Girl and wait for Changsheng’s daughter, even if we encounter people with ill intentions, we can handle it. Don’t worry about , just focus on managing the important affairs of the Southern Country."
Upon hearing his words, they couldn’t help but turn to look at the two solemn-looking won standing by the carriage, their faces showing admiration, alongside worry and unease...
"The Lord! Take with you, my Lord! My lady loves the als I cook, and my sword skills were taught by soone she hired specifically, they’re really strong. My Lord, I can cook for you and protect you too! Please take with you, I miss my lady so dearly!" A plump yet stunningly beautiful girl exclaid loudly as she struggled against those restraining her, shouting at Gu Taitian.
"Child, don’t be reckless, your flashy skills cannot be taken lightly, just behave..."
"Lei’er, don’t cause trouble, co, go ho with your auntie, I got you a new sumr dress, go and see if you like it..."
"Sister, just behave yourself. With your few skills, what else can you do besides wield a kitchen knife? Listen, don’t add to the chaos..."
The person calling out loudly was Dong Lei, Xiao Leizi!
At this mont, Elder Du, his old wife, and Fat Du, Du Chenzhi, were holding her arms and waist, looking extrely tense.
"Hmph! Xiao Leizi, you really don’t know how good you have it. This lousy errand, only soone as foolish as you would be eager to take it on. The Young Master is more than happy for you to go, take my Xiao Qiu off the hook!" Nearby, Prince Bao, Zhou Zongbao, rolled his eyes at the sight of the pulling family, then turned and rushed towards Han Qiu by the carriage, crying loudly, "Xiao Qiu, don’t go! The wind in the North is strong, it will crack your face, making it less beautiful. Stay here, where I can see you all the ti..."
Han Qiu looked at the man clinging to her, crying wolfishly, her cold face almost cracking into a smile.
"Xiao Qiu, how can you bear to leave to go north alone? Are you trying to make pine for you endlessly? Xiao Qiu, if you really must go, take with you, I don’t take up much space, you can pack in a sack... Xiao Qiu..."
"The Lord, take with you too, I won’t take up space, I can cook as well! You can’t go without eating, right? How can you manage without ?"
Zhou Zongbao shalessly pleaded, and Xiao Leizi, not to be outdone, loudly begged alongside him. Their intentions were simple: one wanted to stay with his beloved, the other wanted to see his lady...
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