Chapter 1103: Chapter 939: Clinging to Life in Disgrace
Xue Miao widened his eyes, emitting muffled sounds from his cloth-stuffed mouth.
Gu Chengyu glanced at Ming Yan, "Bring him down!"
Xue Miao looked at Gu Chengyu with disbelief and confusion; what did Gu Chengyu mean by this?
If it was because of his abilities and they wanted to bring him along to work, they could have simply told him. Even though he would definitely refuse, tying him up seemed odd.
Could it be that Gu Chengyu, like those people, discovered his true identity and wanted what he had?
Thinking this, Xue Miao couldn’t help but feel anxious.
"Untie him!" Gu Chengyu felt the gentle breeze, lifted the tea bowl, and took a sip.
He knew that Xue Miao was probably wondering why he was brought here, but in truth, he was brought here because of a portrait.
Based on Man Niu’s description, he drew a portrait, feeling it was very familiar at first. Later, he realized it was Xue Miao’s younger self.
But at that time, Lu Chen was present, and to prevent him from noticing anything, Gu Chengyu held back from sending people to find Xue Miao while in Yingnan Mansion.
This time upon returning to the Capital, because Lu Chen was rushing back to report, Gu Chengyu purposely let him go on ahead while he followed slowly.
The reason was to separate from Lu Chen, and for this, he assigned Lu Chen the task of escorting Min Feng and Man Niu.
After all, Lu Chen was a military general, accompanied by skilled people; plus, it was also mentioned in the letter from the Crown Prince, saving Gu Chengyu a lot of trouble.
Gu Chengyu didn’t mind if Lu Chen shared in his credit.
Since he wouldn’t be promoted anytime soon, giving Lu Chen a favor or offering Marquis Zhan’s Mansion a favor was also a way to explain their alliance.
The main point is, without giving these benefits, Lu Chen wouldn’t leave him alone.
As soon as Xue Miao’s mouth was free, he began to shout.
"Mr. Gu, what are you doing? If you need the old man to do something, just give the order. Why the roughness, it’s quite undignified."
While untying Xue Miao, Ming Yan retorted, "The lord has his reasons. You just deal with it!"
Ming Yan couldn’t tolerate this old man’s disrespect to his master. What kind of person was his master? How dare this old man complain?
Gu Chengyu raised an eyebrow, the language was rather ornate.
"An old man? I think Uncle Xue isn’t that old!" Gu Chengyu responded with a smile.
Xue Miao, faced with Gu Chengyu’s half-smiling expression, felt a panic rising within.
"Ahem! The old man is not young anymore." Xue Miao dared not meet Gu Chengyu’s eyes, looking instead at the grass before him.
"Should I call you Xue Miao, or Xue Haogui?" Gu Chengyu tilted his head with an innocuous smile, but his words chilled Xue Miao to the bones.
Xue Miao barely kept his composure, then asked with feigned surprise, "What does Mr. Gu mean? Who is this Xue Haogui?"
Gu Chengyu studied him for a moment and, just as Xue Miao was about to falter, spoke again.
"Seventh Brother Xue, is it? After all these years, do you still lack the courage to acknowledge your past? You’ve hidden your name but couldn’t bear to change your surname; have you truly let go of your past?"
Gu Chengyu was satisfied to see a fleeting struggle on Xue Miao’s face, convinced he was indeed Xue Haogui.
"Why is Mr. Gu speaking such incomprehensible things to the old man? I am, since childhood, a man of Changtian Prefecture. During my youth, I studied for a few years and then traveled for more. My parents both died from illness while I was away. Later, I left for distant lands, abandoning this sad place, only returning in old age."
Xue Miao looked forward, tears glistening in his eyes, as if lost in his own memories.
Gu Chengyu nodded, "A child wishes to care, but the parent no longer waits—indeed, a great regret in life."
"When I returned to the village, the old village chief had passed, and I took his position." Xue Miao refocused himself and directed his gaze back to Gu Chengyu.
"Repeat a lie often enough, and you come to believe it yourself?" Gu Chengyu found it amusing, like a play in a TV drama.
Such an act might last five episodes, no more, he thought.
The aged skin on Xue Miao’s face twitched, "Mr. Gu, you’re joking. These are merely the old man’s life experiences; where is the lie?"
Gu Chengyu shook his head with a faint smile, "Seventh Brother Xue, you might not know that someone is looking for you to take your head."
Xue Miao lifted his head, shocked. Seeing Gu Chengyu observing his expression intently, he quickly lowered his head.
"Sir, you jest. I owe no debts, nor have I ever killed or set fires. No creditor nor avenger could trace back to the old man."
Xue Miao dodged Gu Chengyu’s oppressive gaze, continuing his futile struggle.
"It’s because you took something extremely important, or rather know some deeply hidden secrets they want buried."
Gu Chengyu leaned back against a tree, signaling Ming Mo to set out the bowls and chopsticks.
Food comes first, even if the Dynasty falls, one must eat, no?
"Sir, why do you trouble the old man?"
"Why indeed do you persist? The Xue family is wiped out, yet you alone survived. Xue Haozhen surely entrusted you with something crucial before his death, did he not? After all these years, have you honored that promise? Do your clandestine living and betrayal weigh on your conscience? Can you face the Xue family and Xue Haozhen’s trust?"
Gu Chengyu’s harsh gaze pierced Xue Miao, his barrage of questions leaving Xue Miao ashen-faced, trembling uncontrollably.
He covered his face, weeping, "I can’t say, I cannot speak of this. Please, I beg you to stop pressing me."
Falling to his knees, he sobbed.
"Can’t say? You’ve evaded responsibility for years, living in obscurity. Doesn’t your conscience gnaw at you? As a Xue family member, you watched them slaughtered, heads rolling from the scaffold, blood soaking the Meridian Gate’s moat and land. That was all your family’s blood."
Gu Chengyu’s rebuke made Xue Miao weep bitterly, trembling all over.
The memories were too distant, so buried that he never wished to recall them.
Yet he remembered that day; though autumn, the sun was still high. The scorching sun shone, but no warmth touched him, only piercing cold.
The vivid red blinded him; the profuse, intense red pained his eyes. He stumbled back into hiding, feverish for days.
