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For Xiao Heng, today was a day of promotion and celebration. For Yuan Tang, who had finally escaped the capital, it was also a joyful day.
Marquis Gu in the capital wasn’t so lucky. He felt a sudden chill down his spine in the middle of the night, sensing that something significant was about to happen. As expected, he was arrested early in the morning, even before he had fully awakened.
He was utterly confused. What happened? Why was he arrested without any apparent reason?
His father had been captured on the border, and now he was being arrested in the capital. What on earth was going on?
"Marquis Gu."
The one who arrested him was none other than Xiao Heng's new superior, Minister Xing.
Minister Xing said solemnly, "You are suspected of deceiving the monarch. This official needs you to come to the Ministry of Justice."
Marquis Gu was still bewildered, "Wait a moment, explain yourself! Who deceived the monarch?"
Minister Xing had anticipated his response and brought in the city guards who had been on duty at the northern city gate last night. He asked their leader, "Tell me in detail what happened while you were on duty last night."
The city guard leader replied, "Last night, Marquis Gu faked an imperial decree and used the secret passage of the northern city gate to leave the capital."
Marquis Gu was furious, "This Marquis was in my residence all night. When did this Marquis leave the city? When did this Marquis faked an imperial decree?"
Minister Xing looked at the city guard leader and asked, "Are you sure you didn't make a mistake? Are you certain it was Marquis Gu?"
The city guard leader replied seriously, "That person was holding Marquis Ding'an's token, and his voice was identical to Marquis Gu's voice."
Marquis Gu's gaze turned cold, "Don't falsely accuse people!"
"What about his appearance?" Minister Xing inquired.
The city guard leader, intimidated by Marquis Gu's demeanor, glanced at Minister Xing before saying, "He was wearing a bamboo hat, and this humble one couldn't see his face clearly."
Marquis Gu, growing increasingly frustrated, said, "Investigate in my residence! This Marquis never left the Marquis Estate! Someone must be impersonating me! That token is fake! My token is right——" Marquis Gu reached for the token inside his wide sleeve but was surprised to find it missing.
Huh? His token, where was it?
"Lord Marquis! Lord Marquis! Something terrible has happened! Second Young Master is missing!" It was Huang Zhong's voice.
Gu Chengfeng was missing. Marquis Gu's token had vanished as well.
If Marquis Gu still couldn't figure out what had happened, it wouldn't make sense.
"Lord Marquis! Your horse is gone too!"
Marquis Gu clenched his fists, making a crackling noise.
Unfilial son!
That unfilial son!
He had silently stolen his horse and token, faked an imperial decree, and left the capital!
Why did he leave the capital?
For Heaven’s sake!
After a thorough interrogation by Minister Xing, it was confirmed that the height and physique of the "Marquis Gu" from last night matched Gu Chengfeng's, and all the features of the horse corresponded to Marquis Gu's horse.
The fact that it was Gu Chengfeng was irrefutable.
Although it wasn’t Marquis Gu himself who committed the act of deceiving the monarch, his son's deception of the monarch reflected poorly on him as a father.
The Minister of Justice reported the investigation results to the Emperor.
As Gu Chengfeng had expected, his father was severely punished by the Emperor, receiving a hundred lashes. The debt of the father was repaid by the son, and the debt of the son was repaid by the father. The Emperor showed no mercy, and Marquis Gu suffered unjustly, screaming in agony.
Huang Zhong had regained his calm. He didn’t know when it started, but his Lord Marquis had already embarked on a path of continuous beatings.
Once again, he expertly lifted the injured man onto the carriage.
……
The border was a thousand miles away, and Gu Jiao and Gu Chengfeng were practically racing without stopping to get there. In order to reach the border as quickly as possible, they would change to a fresh, high-quality horse at almost every post station.
They traveled day and night, but due to the weather and road conditions, it still took them nearly twenty days to reach the border.
At the end of the tenth month, the border was bitterly cold, with howling winds and frozen landscapes.
Beiyang City, Lingguan City, and Ye City had all fallen. Gu Jiao and Gu Chengfeng were currently in Yuegu City, and unless something unexpected happened, Yuegu City would be the next target for the State of Chen’s army and remnants of the previous dynasty.
Perhaps sensing the impending war, Yuegu City was filled with a sense of foreboding. The streets were mostly empty, and many shops had closed down.
Dressed in thick fox fur, Gu Jiao and Gu Chengfeng walked down the somewhat desolate streets, leading their spirited horses. They had noticed that the farther north they traveled, the more desolate the cities became. Many people had abandoned their homes and were fleeing south, either by themselves or with their families.
"Ah!"
A seven or eight-year-old girl, being hurried along by her family, tripped and fell right by Gu Jiao's feet. Gu Jiao reached out and helped the little girl up.
The girl's family didn't even have time to say thank you as they hurriedly continued on their way. They were afraid that if they waited too long, the city gates would close, and they wouldn't be able to leave tonight.
Yuegu City was going to war. They didn't know exactly when it would happen, but leaving early was always a safe bet.
"Hey, you dropped this!" Gu Chengfeng picked up an old rattle-drum lying on the ground.
The little girl looked back at the rattle-drum, her eyes filled with longing and reluctance. However, her family didn't look back and continued to pull her away.
"Alas, really." Gu Chengfeng muttered, unsure of what to do with the rattle-drum. Since they didn't want it, he had no choice but to discard it.
The situation in Yuegu City was more dire than he had imagined.
He sighed and said, "If it's like this before the war even starts, I can't even imagine what it'll be like when the fighting truly begins."
Gu Jiao knew what it would be like. In her dreams, there was a river of blood, widespread famine, a shattered land, displaced people, slaughtered young men, oppressed women and children. The border had turned into a living hell.
"Tonight, should we stay at an inn or a post station?" Gu Chengfeng asked.
"Neither.” Gu Jiao answered.
"Then where will we stay? We can't sleep on the streets, can we?" Gu Chengfeng glanced at the darkening sky above. "I have a feeling the weather isn't right. There might be a heavy snowstorm tonight. Sleeping on the streets would freeze us to death."
Gu Jiao had no intention of sleeping on the streets either. She stopped in her tracks, standing on the icy street.
She felt like she had been here before.
But this street she was on wasn’t in her dreams.
After a moment of contemplation, she turned to the right while leading the horse.
"Hey, where are you going?" Gu Chengfeng asked.
"To the Prefect's Mansion." Gu Jiao replied.
"Why are you going there?" Gu Chengfeng asked in confusion.
"To stay." Gu Jiao said, choosing her words carefully.
Gu Chengfeng furrowed his brow, "Stay... at the Prefect's Mansion? Why would you want to stay there?"
Gu Jiao walked ahead as she continued leading the horse, "It's free."
Gu Chengfeng: “...”
He didn't ask Gu Jiao how she knew the direction to the Prefect's Mansion. On this journey, she seemed to have an innate sense of direction, as if she were a living map.
But thinking that there were actually things called maps in this world, Gu Chengfeng found it understandable and felt more at ease.
Soon, the two arrived at the Prefect's Mansion.
Raz P.'s Thoughts
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