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"Alright, I've said what I needed to say. I should go now. Remember to have my cousin think of me." Yuan Tang remarked before taking his leave.
Upon hearing this, Gu Changqing finally sheathed his drawn sword.
Yuan Tang spurred his horse away from Yuegu City.
Watching him depart, General Zhang Shen asked, "General, are you really letting him go just like that? The State of Chen now has a force of 140,000 soldiers. If he were to start another war with us now..."
"He won't." Gu Changqing asserted.
JiaoJiao trusted him, so he also trusted him.
Gu Jiao emerged from the infirmary tent and spotted Gu Changqing waiting at the entrance.
"Are you here to change the dressing?" Gu Jiao inquired.
Gu Changqing replied solemnly, "Mm."
Gu Jiao led him to the neighboring tent, where she used scissors to remove the bandages from his hands.
These weren’t the injuries from grabbing the red-tasseled spear to protect Gu Jiao who almost lost control from that day he arrived at Yuegu City. They were wounds he had sustained when he went searching for Gu Jiao in the remnants of the previous dynasty's stronghold.
Gu Changqing glossed over the events of that day, but in reality, the process was much more difficult and complicated than he let on.
It was true that he had learned about the location of the previous dynasty's stronghold and the map of the secret passage from Huangfu Zheng’s advisor. However, the map was incomplete, and the wooden bridge leading to the stronghold had been destroyed by Huangfu Zheng.
Gu Changqing stood on the cliff for a long time, realizing that without wings, it was impossible to cross over with just qinggong.
He decided to descend the mountain first, circle around from the foot of the mountain, and then climb up to the top of the opposite mountain.
The hardships he faced were self-evident.
Fortunately, although the map was incomplete, the general direction was accurate. He perilously climbed the cliff's edge, nearly slipping into the abyss several times.
At that moment, he had one thought in his mind: he must stay alive and find his sister.
The wounds on his hands were a result of scaling the cliff and had yet to heal. Despite that, he continued to lead the soldiers into battle, repeatedly aggravating the wound.
In Gu Changqing's perspective, these injuries were trivial. If it weren't for Gu Jiao being here, he wouldn't even bother changing the bandages.
"Don’t get hurt again. Otherwise, your hands will be wasted." Gu Jiao said solemnly while changing the bandages.
Gu Changqing chuckled softly, "Alright, no more getting hurt. The war is over."
"The stitches here can be removed." Gu Jiao said, looking at the wound on the back of his left hand.
Gu Changqing obediently extended his hand.
Gu Jiao took out disinfected scissors and said, "It might sting a bit."
Gu Changqing replied, "It won't hurt. Your needlework doesn't hurt."
There was no anesthesia involved, so it would definitely sting.
At his remark, Gu Jiao's hand paused.
After returning from the mountains, she had stitched up Gu Changqing's wounds. At that time, coincidentally, another wounded soldier urgently needed suturing.
However, there was only one dose of anesthetic in the little medicine chest.
Gu Changqing gave the anesthetic to the soldier, reasoning that he didn't need it. Being a martial artist, he often got injured, and occasionally, when the injuries were very severe, he drank a bit of anesthetic soup. However, no matter what type of anesthetic soup it was, it was ineffective on him.
Gu Jiao couldn't help but recall when she first arrived in the capital and stitched up Gu Changqing's wounds for the first time. There was no anesthetic in the little medicine chest back then either.
At that time, she hadn't paid it much mind, but now, upon reflection, perhaps the little medicine chest had already detected that the patient was intolerant to anesthesia.
So, were all the major and minor injuries he sustained stitched up without any anesthesia at all?
Gu Changqing gazed at Gu Jiao, gently smiling, "It doesn't hurt, really."
"Mm." Gu Jiao replied solemnly, although her movements became gentler.
The war was over, the plague victims had recovered, and now it was time for Gu Jiao's group to return to the capital.
Tang Yueshan had left some troops behind, and Gu Changqing had also left twenty thousand Gu Family soldiers to assist in the post-disaster reconstruction of the three cities.
The Prefects of Beiyang City and Ye City were killed, and the imperial court immediately issued decrees appointing new Prefects.
Once the new Prefects arrived at their respective official residences, the Gu Family soldiers and the court army were already prepared for departure.
Princess Ning'an was going to return to the capital with them.
Rescuing Princess Ning'an and returning her to the capital was Old Marquis's task. As Old Marquis was still bedridden with injuries, Gu Changqing took it upon himself to request Princess Ning'an's presence.
In the side chamber of the Prefect's Mansion, Gu Changqing met with Princess Ning'an.
Ever since she came down from the mountain, Princess Ning'an had stayed in her room, refusing to go out or talk to anyone.
Gu Changqing understood the immense impact of the incidents involving the remnants of the previous dynasty on Princess Ning'an. Thus, he never brought up matters of warfare or the Imperial Son-in-law in her presence.
After saluting respectfully, Gu Changqing said in a serious tone, "We will depart for the capital tomorrow morning. Is there anything else the princess wishes to command?"
Princess Ning'an, staring blankly at the snowy scenery outside the window, murmured after a long pause, "On the way back to the capital, can we stop by Ji City... to pick up someone?"
Seemingly afraid of inconveniencing Gu Changqing, she added, "Not too many people, just a few will do. He won't be difficult to retrieve."
Gu Changqing roughly understood whom she wanted to pick up. He replied, "This humble subject will personally handle it."
……
"I want to go too!"
In another chamber of the Prefect's Mansion, Gu Chengfeng, having recovered and removed the splint from his arm, bounced around energetically.
He had finally recovered from his injuries and was eager to have a good fight on the battlefield, only to be informed that the State of Chen had surrendered!
He had just become part of the Gu Family Army, and now his title was meaningless!
Mainly, he wanted his eldest brother to witness his strength.
"Alright." Gu Changqing agreed.
Gu Chengfeng had been excited all night, eagerly anticipating the chance to go on a mission with his eldest brother. However, as he emerged fully geared up from the camp, he noticed Gu Jiao by his eldest brother's side.
Gu Chengfeng's face darkened instantly, "Is she coming too?"
Wasn't it just supposed to be him?
Why add another girl to this special honor of fighting side by side with his eldest brother?
"Mount up." Gu Changqing patted his own horse and said.
Humph, that's more like it.
Gu Chengfeng hooked up the corner of his lips and walked towards his eldest brother's horse. He had long been envious of his eldest brother's horse. Apart from his grandfather's mount, his eldest brother's horse was the best in their family.
Better than the horse snatched from the Imperial Son-in-law!
"Not you." Gu Changqing blocked him ruthlessly, scooped up Gu Jiao, and gently placed her on his horse, saying softly, "Hold on tight."
Gu Jiao nodded vigorously.
Gu Changqing then went to mount Gu Jiao's horse.
And then the two of them left!
Leaving behind a thoroughly bewildered Gu Chengfeng.
“...|
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