111 Bloodline
There was no need for him to be tactful in front of his sister.
Gu Yanfei answered even more directly, "He's providing for an actress."
"…" Gu Yuan was stunned. He suddenly felt that he could not look at his sister directly.
His face turned visibly red, no longer as cold and arrogant as usual.
!
"A-Actress?" Gu Yuan stammered. His gaze shifted as he thought to himself, 'My sister is only 14 years old and is still young. She definitely doesn't know what it means to provide for an actress, so she must have heard it from others.'
Which bastard said such dirty words in front of his sister? The next time he saw him, he would definitely teach that bastard a lesson!
Gu Yuan quickly patted his chest and said, "Leave this to me."
"Then I'll leave it to you, Big Brother." Gu Yanfei smiled brightly, making Gu Yuan's heart almost melt.
Only when Hongyu rubbed against Gu Yuan's sleeve did he come back to his senses. He took out a piece of malt candy from his pouch and fed it to Hongyu, then said, "Actually, I've also asked around about Murong Yong in the past…"
Gu Yunzhen was his cousin, and his Third Uncle had died young like his father. Gu Yuan felt that as the eldest brother, he should take care of his sister. Therefore, when he found out that his family had arranged this marriage for Gu Yunzhen, he had asked his friends to find out.
"Those bastards even said that Murong Yong has a good character and is loyal… Hmph, they must not have asked around properly."
"In a few days, I'll beat them up!"
The corners of Gu Yuan's mouth twitched slightly as he flexed the joints of his fists, making cracking sounds. His expression was unruly.
In Gu Yanfei's eyes, her brother now had the quickness of a young man, making her feel a little closer to him.
"Are they Big Brother's friends?" Gu Yanfei asked. Her smile widened, and her eyes curved into crescents.
"I guess they can be counted as… bad friends. If there's a chance, I'll bring them to see you." Gu Yuan could not help but raise his hand and rub the top of Gu Yanfei's soft head. The soft and warm touch from his palm reached his heart.
His sister's closeness made Gu Yuan's heart as soft as honey. It was sweet and made his suspended heart feel at ease.
Gu Jian, who was not far away, saw the siblings' intimate and smiling expressions.
He stood at the entrance of the martial arts arena for a moment, motionless as a statue.
The setting sun shone on him, leaving a long shadow on the ground that pointed straight at Gu Yuan and Gu Yanfei.
Under the backlight, Gu Jian's eyes were as dark as a cold swamp.
"Ahem."
Gu Jian cleared his throat to attract their attention before walking towards them with a gentle smile.
All the men in the Gu family were tall, and Gu Jian was no exception. However, he was middle-aged and a little fat, though his figure was still tall.
"Yuan'er, Yanfei," Gu Jian called out lovingly. "I heard that the two of you were at the martial arts arena, so I came over to take a look."
As he spoke, his deep gaze fixed on Gu Yuan's face. He patted his shoulder in relief. "Yuan'er, you've grown up. In the past, when you first came here to practice martial arts, you weren't even at my chest. You're a small person, but you're stubborn. You haven't learned a set of fist techniques and refuse to rest for a moment."
"In the blink of an eye, so many years have passed."
Gu Jian stood with his hands behind his back and sighed. As he spoke, he had the dignity of an elder.
"Thank you for your guidance all these years, Second Uncle," Gu Yuan said calmly. His words were concise, and he clearly did not want to say anything else.
Gu Yuan had always been a man of few words, so Gu Jian did not mind. He walked closer to a long table beside him with his hands behind his back and picked up Gu Yanfei's longbow.
Gu Jian weighed the bow in his hand and tried to raise his arm to pull the bowstring. However, he was unable to pull it halfway.
He pretended to let go and said in a lecturing tone, "You're about to be transferred to the Divine Arms Battalion. You have to remember your homework at all times in the future!"
Gu Yuan stood against the wind, his figure as straight as a cold pine in the snow. He said proudly, "The descendants of the Gu family are unyielding."
"Alright!" Gu Jian clapped and laughed loudly. "It's good that you still remember your father's teachings."
"Today, I'll test your martial arts on behalf of your father and see if you've deteriorated in the military these days."
"Catch!"
Gu Jian casually threw the longbow at Gu Yuan.
Gu Yuan caught the bow with his hand. The bowstring was still buzzing.
"However, this one-stone bow is still a little light." Gu Jian stroked his beard in dissatisfaction and sat down on a high-backed chair. He instructed a green-robed servant, "Go to the armory and get two more heavy bows."
As he spoke, he tapped his hand idly on the arm of his chair.
"Yes, Marquis." The green-robed servant hurriedly accepted the order and ran to the weapons warehouse.
Gu Yanfei stared at Gu Jian for a while before turning away and lowering her head to feed the red horse sugar.
It wolfed down the sugar cube with a crunch.
Gu Yuan took an arrow from the quiver and walked a hundred steps away from the target.
Gu Yanfei sent Hongyu away to play by itself and looked at Gu Yuan in the middle of the martial arts arena with a burning gaze. She saw the thin, blue-robed young man standing under the setting sun, his figure looking especially tall and straight.
Gu Yuan skillfully nocked an arrow, pulled the string, and drew the bow.
"Swoosh!"
He decisively released the bowstring. The arrow streaked across the sky like lightning with a cold sound…
In the next moment, an arrow appeared on the target.
The arrow easily hit the bullseye!
Gu Jian frowned. When he turned to look at Gu Yuan again, the light of the setting sun happened to shine into his eyes, reflecting the daze in them.
Suddenly, he seemed to see Gu Yuan overlapping with another familiar tall figure.
Big Brother had made a huge mistake. Big Brother owed the Gu family.
As his son, he was just paying his father's debt.
...
At the thought of this, the little hesitation in Gu Jian's heart was swept away.
112 Inheritance
"Pa, pa!" Gu Yanfei clapped for his arrow with a smile.
Gu Yuan handed the bow in his hand to Gu Yanfei and explained with a smile, "Sister, this bow of yours is a stone bow, so it's a little light for a martial artist. However, for most women, this stone bow is still a little difficult."
"Have you tried it before?"
"Yes." Gu Yanfei nodded. "It's quite light."
!
"Sister is indeed a daughter of the Gu family!" Gu Yuan smiled happily. "The aunts in the family are also good at riding and archery."
At the side, Gu Jian finally knew that this bow actually belonged to Gu Yanfei. His expression froze. He felt that this pair of siblings seemed to be mocking him for not being able to draw a stone bow.
Gu Yuan had his back facing Gu Jian and was only focused on talking to Gu Yanfei. "Sister, although my archery skills are not as good as when my father was alive, I've already mastered 70 to 80% of his skills. I'm always the best at archery in the military. If you want to learn, I can teach you."
He was high-spirited when he said this, his description smug and showing off.
Not far away, when Gu Jian heard him mention Gu Ce, the teacup in his hand trembled slightly.
Gu Yanfei was amused by Gu Yuan and smiled. Just as she was about to agree, she saw that the hair tie behind Gu Yuan's head had loosened a little, so she waved at him. "Sit down and lower your head."
Gu Yuan sat down on a chair and lowered his head slightly.
Gu Yanfei helped him smooth his slightly loose hair and tie the hair tie tightly again.
Gu Yuan did not move as Gu Yanfei tied his hair and just stared at the girl in front of him.
Deep in his heart, a voice said that this was his biological sister. She was different.
Ever since he was young, Gu Yuan had been very good to his only sister, Gu Yunrong. Gu Yunrong was also close to him. However, for some reason, there was always an invisible barrier between him and Gu Yunrong in the depths of his heart that also seemed to be surrounded by an indescribable fog.
Sometimes, he felt that there was something wrong with him. Both his and Gu Yunrong's parents had died, and they were each other's only family, so he should treat her better. He had also blamed himself for this and felt lost because of it.
Only when he found his real sister did the fog lift from his mind.
When he was with Gu Yanfei, there was no strange estrangement. Instead, there was an inexplicable tacit understanding and intimacy between them.
They had only known each other for a short time, and they had only spent so little time together. It was as if an invisible bond in the depths of his blood connected him to his sister.
This was his sister!
The person closest to his bloodline in this world.
Gu Yuan's heart settled and felt warm, like a traveler who had been wandering outside for many years had finally found his home.
Gu Yanfei slowly tied a knot in her headband. From the corner of her eye, she saw the green-robed servant running over alone with two heavy bows.
Gu Yanfei's gaze fixed on one of the bows for a moment, and a faint sneer appeared on her lips.
Without batting an eyelid, she raised her hand and drew a strange, winding curve on his forehead. She drew it all the way down. When she was done, she touched his forehead with her fingertips.
A faint white light flashed.
Gu Yanfei retracted her hand in satisfaction and said, "Done."
Only then did Gu Yuan stand up from his chair. He touched the headband that Gu Yanfei had tied again lovingly and was in high spirits.
While the siblings were talking, the green-robed servant was already sweating profusely as he carried the two bows to the long table and carefully lowered them.
These two big bows were heavy and were far heavier than Gu Yanfei's stone bow.
Gu Jian put down the teacup and cleared his throat before saying, "Yuan'er, I remember that you were able to draw the two-stone bow a year ago. The stone bow just now is now at ease. Let Second Uncle see how many stones you can draw now."
The two bows the servant had just brought were a three-stone bow and a five-stone bow.
Without another word, Gu Yuan picked up the bow and held it.
The three-stone bow was clearly heavier than the one-stone bow, and the bowstring was thicker. It shone coldly in the sunlight.
Gu Yuan nocked an arrow unhurriedly and pulled the bowstring taut in one go. His movements were as smooth as flowing water, as if they were already a reflex action of his body.
In the past two years, the bow he had commonly used in the military was a three-stone bow. To him, it had long been nothing.
113 Inheritance
The arrow shot out quickly, faster and colder than the first arrow, falling like a meteor.
The second arrow hit the bull's-eye again.
The distant target trembled violently from the impact of the arrow. It rustled as if it was clapping for Gu Yuan.
Clap, clap, clap… Gu Yanfei clapped happily again, her eyes bright.
"Good!" Gu Jian also clapped his hands and praised him in high spirits. "Yuan'er has really improved this year."
"This is a five-stone bow. Your father used it when he was young—"
Gu Jian said it casually, but the corners of his lips curled up with a hint of smugness.
This rhinoceros horn bow had extraordinary meaning to the Dingyuan Marquis Household. It represented the former glory and honor of the Marquis Household.
When Emperor Taizu conferred the title of Marquis on his grandfather, Gu Qin, he personally bestowed this rhinoceros horn bow on his grandfather, who was a divine archer born with divine strength. No one could compare to him in a hundred years. He said that a good bow was a gift to a hero.
His grandfather was grateful for Emperor Taizu's appreciation and swore that this rhinoceros horn bow would be passed down to the descendants of the Gu family to open up the territory for the Great Jin.
Gu Yuan looked at the five-stone bow with a burning gaze. He picked it up eagerly, his eyes shining.
He still remembered that it was his grandfather who had personally passed the bow to his father. He had watched his father draw the bow and shoot with great precision. At that time, his father had smiled and said that he would pass the bow to him in the future. He should practice riding and archery well so that when he was older, he would be able to draw the bow.
At that time, he was weak and small, but he always secretly went to his father's study to play with the bowstring.
Later, after his father passed, his second uncle took the rhinoceros horn bow.
Gu Yuan held the heavy rhinoceros horn bow in his hand, fondling it admiringly.
Gradually, a trace of sorrow and reluctance appeared in his eyes.
That emotion was quickly replaced by another wave of eager excitement.
He held the rhinoceros horn bow tightly and pulled the string step by step with increasing strength. After testing the feel of it, he slowly and firmly pulled the heavy empty bow full on the third time.
The muscles in his shoulders and arms tensed as he drew the bow. His firm muscles bulged slightly under his robe, and his posture as he drew the bow was heroic.
However, anyone could tell that it was already difficult for him to draw the empty bow.
"Not bad, not bad at all." Gu Jian stood up from his chair and clapped his hands again. "You have your father's bearing!"
After a while, Gu Yuan put the bowstring back, bit by bit.
Gu Jian stroked his beard again with a nostalgic expression. "I still remember that back then, when your grandfather gave this bow to your father, your father was also your age. This bow once followed him to the battlefield…"
As he spoke, his index finger brushed the corner of his eye, and his voice was a little hoarse.
Gu Yuan was still holding the rhinoceros horn bow. Beads of sweat appeared on his forehead and temples, but his eyes were very bright, as if he were saying that he could do it!
He casually drew another arrow from the quiver. The meaning of this action was clear. He planned to use the five-stone bow to shoot a third arrow.
"Yuan'er, forget it," Gu Jian advised with a sigh. "You've already worked very hard. It's already quite good that you can draw this bow at your age. I'm afraid no one else can do it at your age…"
"One has to know their limits. Don't force yourself."
"I can do it," Gu Yuan said confidently. He was in high spirits, and his sweat shone like crystals under the sun, making the young man look even more unrestrained.
His archery skills were personally enlightened and taught by his father.
Her father said that martial arts could not be practiced with just brute force. One had to be persistent and learn to use their brains.
His father had taught him a technique called "meticulous thinking". Every day, in addition to practicing martial arts, he also had to rehearse the process of practicing martial arts during the day in his mind when no one was around at night.
He had done this kind of "meticulous thinking" training thousands of times and was familiar with it.
When he'd tested the bow earlier, he'd rehearsed it several times in his mind. It was so subtle that he'd gone through every step of nocking an arrow, cocking the bow, pre-drawing the bow, drawing the bow, aiming, and releasing the string.
Although he had yet to use it, he was certain that he could do it!
Gu Jian did not persuade Gu Yuan anymore and picked up the teacup again.
Under half-lowered lids, his gaze shifted, and a cold smile appeared on his lips.
Eight years ago, the title of Duke of Dingyuan was almost lost because of his brother, Gu Ce. It was he who had worked hard to protect the title. It was also he who had hidden his strength and bided his time all these years, which allowed the Gu family to have its current stable days.
He would not let Gu Yuan take advantage of this for nothing!
Gu Jian seemed to be drinking tea, but he was actually still paying attention to Gu Yuan's every move. He saw Gu Yuan calmly place the third arrow on the five-stone rhinoceros horn bow with a solemn expression.
His phoenix eyes emitted an abnormally bright light under the sun, as if he had crossed that distant time and space to look at a tall and handsome back.
His father's blood flowed through him. If his father could do it, so could he!
Gu Yuan took a deep breath with a focused expression and pulled the string again.
This time, the strength of his draw was as he had rehearsed it in his mind. It was stronger and faster, and he used the strength of his back to draw the bow firmly.
The drawn bowstring made a faint sizzling sound.
The sound was as soft as a mosquito's buzz, barely audible in the shivering, cold wind of the martial arts arena.
The teacup in Gu Jian's hand stopped in front of his chest. His eyes subconsciously widened as he stared at the five-stone bow in Gu Yuan's hand. He stared at the bowstring being pulled taut bit by bit.
He knew that the bowstring of this bow would break when pulled to the limit.
In other words, the moment Gu Yuan released the arrow, the bowstring would break…
He was certain that Gu Yuan would not be able to escape unharmed. His arm might break!
Gu Jian's eyes became more and more sinister and dark, like a demon from the endless hell.
This injury would not kill Gu Yuan, but once the bone in his hand was broken, it would be fatal to a general, and Gu Yuan could only stop here.
114 Backlash
Gu Jian clenched his right fist, cracking his knuckles.
Gu Yuan's appointment was given by the soldiers. Under normal circumstances, they naturally could not change people casually.
However, if Gu Yuan was accidentally injured and could no longer dance with his bow and sword, he would naturally not be able to do the job of the Divine Arms Battalion.
At that time, as Gu Yuan's uncle, he would take the initiative to ask for a replacement from the Ministry of War and go to the Divine Arms Battalion to "deal with it". This matter would be 80 to 90% successful. After all, Murong Yong was a lower-class fifth-grade general like Gu Yuan and was also in the Divine Arms Battalion.
It was not easy to be promoted in the military. One had to rely on military merit, but transferring was not so difficult. As long as both parties were willing and the higher-ups turned a blind eye, the matter would be settled.
Gu Jian's lips moved slightly as he muttered to himself, "This is for the Gu family."
Because of Gu Ce's mistake, the Gu family had almost been destroyed. This was what the eldest branch owed the Gu family.
Gu Jian repeated silently. It was unknown if this sentence was meant for him or for someone who was not here.
Gu Yuan, who was in front, was focused on this arrow.
When the bowstring was pulled to the limit, Gu Yuan also felt a little strained and tensed up.
His body seemed to be one with the bow and arrow. His instincts as a martial artist told him that the bowstring was about to break…
But—
The arrow was already nocked.
If he released the arrow like this, the moment the arrow was fired, the string would break. If the power accumulated in the bow could not be fully used on the arrow, it would definitely reflect back to the person holding the bow.
The power accumulated by the five-stone bow was equivalent to 300 pounds. This force was enough to hurt the muscles and bones in his shoulders and arms. Moreover, the broken bowstring was like a sharp sword that would cut his hand…
Now, even if he wanted to retract the bowstring, it was also too late.
The bowstring had been pulled to the limit, as if a person was walking on a wire high in the sky. As long as he deviated slightly, the original balance would be broken.
In other words, the string would also break.
Worse, he couldn't stay in this position forever, not moving…
More beads of sweat could be seen on Gu Yuan's wheat-colored forehead. Even the lines of his neck were stretched to the limit.
A line of cold sweat slowly trickled down Gu Yuan's cheek. The small drop of sweat dripped down his chin and fell towards the bowstring…
At this moment, time seemed to slow down infinitely.
Suddenly, on Gu Yuan's forehead, a faint white light emitted from the spot where Gu Yanfei had drawn the talisman.
Under the afterglow of the setting sun, the specks of white light were not obvious.
The white light quickly flowed from his forehead to his right hand that was pulling the bowstring, and then from his fingertips to the entire bowstring. The bowstring glowed slightly, and light overflowed…
Gu Yuan's eyes widened slightly. He felt as if a subtle electric current was flowing between his fingertips and the bowstring. A spiritual intuition was telling him to shoot.
In the next moment, the bowstring was released from his fingers. The arrow left the bow at the same time, making a sharp sound.
The tip of the third arrow still firmly hit the bullseye of the target and even split the shaft of the second arrow in half from the end.
"Smash!"
The teacup in Gu Jian's hand slipped out of his hand and fell to the ground.
The teacup shattered into pieces. Hot tea and scattered porcelain shards flew in all directions, splattering his shoes and his robe, and even a fragment of porcelain scratched the back of his hand, leaving an inch-long trail of blood.
The floor was a mess, with tea scattered all over.
"…" Gu Jian was dumbfounded and could not believe his eyes. How was this possible?!
The effect of the amulet she had drawn for her eldest brother was naturally extraordinary. Gu Yanfei glanced at Gu Jian with a faint smile. She took a candy from Gu Yuan's pouch and stuffed it into her mouth, the corners of her lips curling up.
Oh, how sweet!
As for Gu Yuan, he did not notice the commotion on Gu Jian's side at all.
He heaved a sigh of relief and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with one hand. He thought to himself that he was really lucky not to have broken the bow. Otherwise, he would have embarrassed himself in front of his sister just now.
In the next moment, Gu Yuan hurriedly looked at Gu Yanfei. His sparkling phoenix eyes were just short of the words, "Big Brother is great, right?"
"Big Brother, you're amazing!" Gu Yanfei smiled and clapped again. The applause was crisp and warm, congratulating Gu Yuan for hitting the bullseye.
115 Backlash
She walked briskly to Gu Yuan's side and naturally took the rhinoceros horn bow from him. She weighed it in her hand for a moment, then looked at it carefully and rubbed it. "This rhinoceros horn bow is not bad, but it's too heavy."
Being held in the hands of a girl like Gu Yanfei, it looked even heavier and clumsier.
"This bow is indeed not suitable for a girl." Looking at his smiling sister, Gu Yuan's thin lips curled into a doting smile. "This is also my first time trying this five-stone bow."
"When my father was alive, he could draw a six-stone bow!"
His father had yet to reach his prime, but he could already draw a five-stone bow. At his peak, he could even draw a six-stone bow.
Since his father could do it, he would do it sooner or later. He would follow in his father's footsteps and be indomitable.
Gu Yuan's eyes were brighter and more determined, like the brightest morning star in the sky.
Gu Yanfei reached out and plucked the bowstring of the rhinoceros horn bow with interest. The silver bowstring hummed.
Gu Jian, who was in a daze, finally came back to his senses. His gaze could not help but be attracted. He looked at the intact rhinoceros horn bow in Gu Yanfei's hand for a while… Then he suddenly turned around and glared sharply at the green-robed servant, who had just gone to get the bow.
The green-robed servant shrank back and nodded quickly, still in shock.
He was certain that he had smeared the potion the Marquis had given him on the bowstring of the rhinoceros horn bow. There was no mistake.
Unless it was a problem with the potion!
"Marquis, since this rhinoceros horn bow was once used by my father, can you give me the bow?" Gu Yanfei said with a smile. "In a few days, I want to go hunting with Miss Wei Jiu and the others…"
"Nonsense!" Gu Jian frowned tightly and quickly walked towards Gu Yanfei. He said in a dignified voice, "This was given by Emperor Taizu, it's not something for a child."
This rhinoceros horn bow was a gift from the Emperor. He had revealed this bow today to let Gu Yuan understand that the noble title of Marquis was his and had nothing to do with the eldest branch.
How could he give the bow to Gu Yuan!
Gu Yanfei shrugged casually and said, "Since it's a gift from the Emperor, the Marquis will naturally keep it well."
"Here, it's back to the Zhao family. Marquis, you have to watch carefully. Don't turn around and say that we siblings broke the bow!"
As she spoke, she smiled and casually threw the rhinoceros horn bow at Gu Jian, as if she was throwing a hot potato.
Wasn't it hot?!
The effect of the talisman on the bowstring was already dangerous. Now, the bow was no different from a fire mine that could explode at any moment.
"…" Gu Jian took half a step forward in shock and quickly raised his hand to catch the bow.
The momentum of the heavy bow made his arms go numb.
Gu Jian's expression froze, and a hint of guilt flashed across his eyes. He really could not figure out why the bowstring did not break when Gu Yuan pulled the string and shot the arrow!
His nose did not move, and he smelled an extremely faint fragrance.
Yes, the bowstring smelled of potion.
Gu Jian held the rhinoceros horn bow in one hand and touched the straight silver bowstring with the other. Then, he casually pulled the bowstring.
He did not intend to draw the bow fully and just wanted to see if this bowstring would work…
However, this action was like the last straw that broke the camel's back. As he pulled, it was as if an invisible layer of armor on the bowstring shattered in an instant.
Clunk!
The bowstring suddenly broke. The power accumulated on the bowstring erupted at the same time, overlapping to form a huge and oppressive force that directly acted on Gu Jian.
Gu Jian let out a muffled groan as his burly body flew back…
Thud!
His right shoulder and right arm hit the hard stone floor of the arena first.
With a crack, his right arm made a bone-breaking sound that made one's scalp tingle.
Gu Jian leaned on the ground in a strange posture and let out a sharp and terrifying cry that shot into the sky.
"Marquis!" The green-robed servant shouted with a pale face, "How are you?!"
The martial arts field was in chaos.
The surrounding servants and maids were like ants on a hot pan as they surrounded Gu Jian.
Gu Jian fell to the ground and wailed in pain. The servant did not dare to touch him at all. He watched in fear as Gu Jian's right forearm twisted at a terrifying angle.
Even without taking a closer look at the wound on his arm, anyone could tell that his bones were definitely broken.
The servant watched in fear.
"…" Gu Yuan raised his eyebrows in confusion.
He felt his cuff tighten and turned to see Gu Yanfei pinching it with two fingers and tugging gently.
Gu Yanfei quickly winked at Gu Yuan with her right eye.
Gu Yuan understood and took a few steps forward with his hands behind his back. He pretended to shout, "Men, hurry up and get a doctor. Can't you see that the Marquis fell?!"
With his shout, the green-robed servant finally returned to his senses. In shock, he ordered the other servants around, "Quick, find a doctor!"
"You and you, hurry up and report to Madam Gu and Madam Hou."
"You, find a stretcher."
A few servants rushed out of the martial arts arena in a hurry.
The martial arts field was in chaos, and people were restless.
Compared to the impetuousness of the others, Gu Yuan and Gu Yanfei looked calm and composed, like cranes among chickens.
Gu Yuan looked at the rhinoceros horn bow with a broken bowstring beside Gu Jian and muttered to himself in confusion, "Why did this bow suddenly break? It even injured Second Uncle?!"
"Perhaps it's been too long since it was used." Gu Yanfei also looked down at the rhinoceros horn bow on the ground and said, "Fortunately, when Big Brother used it just now, the bowstring… didn't break."
...
On the ground, Gu Jian felt a sharp pain in his right arm. It was so painful that the color completely drained from his face. He was as pale as paper, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead.
116 Biased
The siblings' conversation was like a thorn in Gu Jian's ears. Gu Jian's expression darkened, and his gaze wandered.
Gu Yuan looked down at Gu Jian and took in the subtle changes in his expression.
Even if he didn't understand it at first, he understood it now.
A sharp light flashed across Gu Yuan's dark phoenix eyes, cold and deep.
"They're here, the stretcher is here!" someone shouted. Not far away, two guards from the Marquis Mansion hurried over with the empty stretcher.
They could not be bothered to bow to their masters anymore. As they carefully lifted Gu Jian, who was on the ground, onto a stretcher, Gu Jian let out a low moan. It was so painful that cold sweat almost soaked his temples, like a fish pulled out of the water.
The servants kept talking.
"Be careful."
"Don't bump the Marquis."
"Marquis, endure a little longer. The doctor will be here soon."
"…"
Amidst the commotion, Gu Jian was carried away. A group of servants surrounded the stretcher. Even the broken rhinoceros horn bow was picked up from the ground by the servant.
Gu Yuan and Gu Yanfei followed slowly at the back.
"Has the bowstring been tampered with?" Gu Yuan asked Gu Yanfei softly. His voice was so low that only the siblings could hear him.
Gu Yanfei gently stroked her sleeve and nodded imperceptibly. The corners of her lips curled up slightly.
Gu Yuan pointed at himself, then at Gu Yanfei, and then at Gu Jian. He did not say anything, but it was as if he had asked everything and guessed everything.
Gu Yanfei gently pressed an index finger on her cherry lips and made a shushing gesture. A faint smile appeared on her lips.
Gu Yuan understood and made the same "shh" gesture. A warm feeling flowed through his heart.
As if they had a small secret in common, the siblings looked at each other and smiled, their eyes slightly curved.
The sun set a little more, and the December wind became colder, fluttering their robes, hair ribbons, and broken bowstrings.
Gu Yanfei looked at the rhinoceros horn bow in the green-robed servant's hand and touched the bowstring of her own horn bow. She flicked it gently, and the bowstring emitted a gentle buzzing sound like the strings of a zither.
From the moment the servant brought the rhinoceros horn bow, she could tell that there was a faint black gas lingering on the bow, but in this small world, there was a limit to what she could do.
Fortunately, the jade pendant she had obtained last time gave her some spiritual energy. She used her spiritual energy to draw an amulet on Gu Yuan's forehead to protect him.
At the critical moment, the amulet sensed danger and protected the bowstring.
However, her spiritual power was limited after all. The bowstring would break eventually… She just had to grasp the opportunity.
The result was perfect!
Gu Yanfei smiled slightly and walked casually.
Gu Jian was carried all the way to the main courtyard of the Marquis Mansion. Madam Wang had already gotten someone to prepare a soft couch, hot water, new clothes, and so on.
As soon as Gu Jian and the others arrived, Madam Gu also arrived.
The main courtyard was in chaos.
When she saw Gu Jian's pained expression and his twisted and strange right arm, Madam Gu gasped. Her legs went limp, and she staggered.
"Madam!" Bai Lu and the other maidservants quickly supported Madam Gu and helped her sit down on the chair by the soft couch.
"Ah Jian, how do you feel…?" Madam Gu looked at Gu Jian, her voice trembling.
The hurt was in her son's body, but the pain was in her heart.
She could not help but think of how Gu Jian had injured his leg a few days ago. He had just recovered from his injury when he broke his arm again. Why was his second son so unlucky?!
"…" Gu Jian's lips were pale. The cold sweat from before had long been dried by the cold wind. Now, more sweat continued to seep out. It was so painful that he could not even say a polite word, and his whole body was trembling.
Madam Gu's heart ached when she saw her son like this. Her red eyes were filled with tears.
As she wiped her tears with a handkerchief, she comforted him. "Ah Jian, bear with it a little longer. Mother knows you're in pain."
"It's fine, it's fine. When the doctor comes and fixes your broken bone, you'll be fine."
"If you're really in pain, grab my hand…"
Gu Yanfei watched coldly, as if it had nothing to do with her. She put another candy in her mouth and stuffed another one into Gu Yuan's mouth.
In her previous life, she knew that, compared to her father, Gu Ce, whom she had never met, Madam Gu obviously treated her second son, Gu Jian, better.
117 Biased
She treated him so well that she almost bared her soul for him.
"Old Physician Li, this way."
The female voice from outside perked everyone up.
An old granny anxiously led a gray-haired old doctor into the room.
After a simple exchange of pleasantries, Old Physician Li sent the other unrelated people out of the room. He said that he wanted to set the Marquis's bones right, and only Madam Wang could stay inside.
Madam Gu, Gu Yuan, and Gu Yanfei were all waiting in the second left room outside the green gauze cabinet.
"Crack."
The bone-cracking sound and Gu Jian's sharp scream sounded at the same time.
This was only the beginning. After that, screams sounded one after another, as if they wanted to overturn the roof or stab Madam Gu's heart with thousands of needles.
Madam Gu's heart ached. She craned her neck worriedly to look into the room a few more times and hurriedly sent Granny Li in to see how Gu Jian was doing.
She could barely sit still. When her gaze swept past Gu Yuan, who was a few steps away, her worried eyes were filled with anger. "Yuan'er, what exactly is going on?"
"Didn't your Second Uncle go to the martial arts arena to test your martial arts? How did he get injured?!"
She was just short of directly questioning if Gu Yuan had accidentally hurt Gu Jian?!
"…" Gu Yuan felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over him. His heart was a little cold and heavy.
Images from the past flashed past his eyes like lanterns.
He was the eldest grandson, and his grandmother had doted on him since he was young.
After his mother passed away, he lived in the capital for several years. It was his grandmother who personally enlightened him.
In the next few years, he and Gu Yunrong traveled between the capital and Yangzhou. Every year, they lived in the capital for three to four months, and his grandmother had always treated them intimately.
However, everything had changed since her father's death eight years ago.
His grandmother's attitude toward him softened instantly. She was always polite, as if separated by a layer, or wary of him.
Five years ago, he wanted to enter the military camp, but his grandmother was furious and reprimanded him for not taking the imperial examination to become an official. He insisted on learning from his father!
He also knew that his grandmother blamed his father for almost causing the Marquis Household to lose its title.
In the blink of an eye, eight years had passed.
Gu Yuan's eyes were dark and turbulent, but they became calm, indifferent, cold, and deep.
"Madam, you can't say that." Gu Yanfei raised her hand and snapped her fingers gently, looking relaxed. "I said last time that the Marquis has been facing a calamity."
Madam Gu frowned slightly as Gu Yanfei's words from last month sounded in her ears again. "You've killed too many people. Looks like retribution is going to befall your descendants."
Thinking of how her son had been injured twice in less than a month, Madam Gu's heart skipped a beat. Her heart was in turmoil as she said, "But didn't you resolve it last time?"
Meeting Madam Gu's frightened gaze, Gu Yanfei asked with a smile, "Madam, think about it carefully. How many sins have you committed?"
"As the saying goes, these are two separate matters. This retribution has to be paid slowly."
Gu Yanfei's small face was still smiling playfully, making Madam Gu speechless.
Madam Gu pinched the prayer beads uneasily, but she could not be sure if Gu Yanfei was pretending to scare her.
This girl was too wild!
"Ah!"
Another heart-wrenching scream sounded in the jade cabinet.
Madam Gu's face turned a little pale. She felt as if her soul had been dealt a heavy blow and was so shocked that she almost jumped up. She was flustered, terrified, and uneasy. It was as if pairs of invisible eyes were staring at her from a dark corner, wanting her to pay with her life.
Seeing that Madam Gu's expression was not good, Bai Lu quickly served her tea, but she waved it away impatiently. Bai Lu's hand trembled, and hot tea spilled out of the cup and splattered on the back of her hand.
Bai Lu's face turned pale, but Madam Gu was oblivious.
"As the saying goes, the emperor loves his eldest son, and the people love their youngest son. These common sayings still make sense, don't you think so, Madam?" Gu Yanfei's faint voice resounded in the house again. Against the screams in the green silk cabinet, it looked even colder.
Madam Gu's heart skipped a beat. She looked at Gu Yanfei expressionlessly, her eyes filled with embarrassment.
What was this girl hinting at?! Was she accusing him of being biased towards his second son and not liking his eldest son?!
Meeting the other party's sharp and turbid old eyes, Gu Yanfei was unmoved. She said slowly, "The Marquis only broke his hand, but Madam was already crying until she was about to faint. Eight years ago, Father died in Yangzhou in battle and his head was hung high by the enemy. Did Madam react in the same way?"
Madam Gu's pale face darkened and turned green.
Gu Yanfei did not need her to answer at all and continued, "I heard that Madam didn't even shed a tear, right?"
Gu Yuan pursed his lips into a straight line and clenched his fists. His entire body was as cold as ice.
"…" Madam Gu seemed to have been slapped by Gu Yanfei. Her anger surged, and her aura was cold. This girl really dared to run her mouth. How dare she, as a junior, condemn the elders for being biased?!
Gu Yanfei chuckled, tilted her head, and sighed slowly. "If someone didn't know better, they would think that Madam only has one son."
Gu Yuan's body trembled slightly.
Gu Yanfei's words repeatedly lingered in his ears. "If someone didn't know better, they would think that Madam only has one son."
This was also the question he had once asked his grandmother when he was dreaming at night, but he had never told anyone.
His body was as tense as a drawn bow.
Gu Yanfei noticed Gu Yuan's abnormality and quietly reached out to grab his sleeve and shake it gently.
Gu Yanfei knew that this had always been a knot in her brother's heart.
118 Noble Rank
In her two lives, Gu Yanfei had never seen Gu Ce. Her brother had personally told her about her father in her previous life.
Eight years ago, his father's head was placed in a box as a spoil of war by the State of Yue. It was sent all the way to the capital to demonstrate to the late Emperor.
The tragic death of his father was no different from a heavy blow to the young Gu Yuan. He was extremely sad. What angered him even more was that his father had suffered such humiliation after his death and that his bones were incomplete.
After that, an even greater blow came.
After Madam Gu heard the news, she immediately personally wrote a memorial to apologize. She righteously reprimanded her eldest son, Gu Ce, for being disloyal to the country, unfilial to his parents, and violating the teachings of the ancestors. She requested the late Emperor to remove the eldest branch from the Gu family.
Even after the incident, Madam Gu had once privately explained to the young Gu Yuan that the reason why she went to the memorial was to abandon the carriage to protect the general and prevent the Marquis Mansion from being confiscated.
Back then, Gu Yuan was only nine years old. To him, Madam Gu's actions were like abandoning the eldest branch, and had also engraved an eternal scar in his heart.
Perhaps eight years ago, Madam Gu was Gu Yuan's good grandmother, but with Gu Ce's death, everything had changed.
With Gu Ce gone, the Marquis Mansion was no longer Gu Yuan's home, and his former relatives had all changed beyond recognition.
Gu Yuan lowered his eyes and looked at his sister's fingers holding his cuff. His heart rippled with the swaying cuff.
He smiled at his sister, feeling much calmer.
His father was gone, but he now had a sister. They could help each other now.
A cold wind suddenly blew open the loosely closed western window, making a creaking sound. The little maidservant was shocked and quickly closed the window, then secretly looked at Madam Gu's expression.
Madam Gu's face was as black as the bottom of a pot, as if she did not notice.
She felt as if her throat was being strangled. She wanted to say that Gu Yanfei was presumptuous, but she could not say a word. She was so angry that she was trembling.
In the left room, no one spoke for a while. Gradually, even the screams in the green gauze cabinet became weaker. Finally, there was complete silence.
There was dead silence inside and outside the house. It was so quiet that Madam Gu could almost hear her heartbeat.
The curtain of the green gauze cabinet was knocked back as Granny Li came out with the decrepit Old Physician Li. He wiped the sweat from his forehead with his cuff and smelled strongly of medicine.
Not wanting outsiders to see her as a joke, Madam Gu quickly composed herself. When she faced Old Physician Li, she had the high and mighty air of an old consort.
"Doctor, how's the Marquis's injured arm?" When her voice came out, Madam Gu realized that her voice was so hoarse, rough, and old.
Old Physician Li bowed respectfully to Madam Gu and said, "Madam, the Marquis's right shoulder is fine, but it's dislocated. I've already reattached it."
Madam Gu had just heaved a sigh of relief when she heard Old Physician Li say another "but" after taking a deep breath.
Madam Gu's heart skipped a beat again.
"But," Old Physician Li said with a sigh, "the bone in the Marquis's right forearm is completely broken. Just now, I also reattached the broken bone for the Marquis. As the saying goes, it takes 100 days to break a bone. If this bone wants to grow back, it will probably take three to four months to recover. Even if it recovers, I'm afraid it won't be able to hold a knife in the future."
In fact, Old Physician Li was still a little tactful. He only said that Gu Jian's right hand could not dance with knives and swords in the future. In fact, according to his decades of medical experience, Gu Jian's right hand would probably not be able to exert any strength in the future, and it would even be difficult for him to write.
"What did you say?!" Madam Gu subconsciously raised her voice, as if she had been struck by lightning.
Their Dingyuan Marquis Household was established by martial law.
Gu Jian was now the deputy commander-in-chief. Now that his hand was broken and he could not hold a knife, he was equivalent to a cripple. How could he stay in the army?!
Once Gu Jian left the army, their Dingyuan Marquis Household would only have an empty title and a pretentious front.
Madam Gu's heart skipped a beat. Her heart ached for her second son, but she also felt as cold as ice.
Before Old Physician Li could say anything, Madam Wang's sharp voice was the first to ring out. "Mother, that quack actually said that the Marquis's hand is… crippled."
Madam Wang walked out of the jade cabinet with red eyes. She could not see anyone else at all and cried sadly at Madam Gu, no longer as graceful and dignified as usual.
119 Peerage
Old Physician Li's face darkened. He was furious at the word "quack."
He said unhappily, "If Madam Hou doesn't believe me, just find another famous doctor. I'll take my leave first."
Old Physician Li was secretly angry. He casually bowed to Madam Gu again and left with a flick of his sleeve. His medicine boy hurriedly followed with the medicine box.
Madam Gu wanted to stop him, but she felt embarrassed and did not say anything. She rubbed her temples with a headache.
!
The Li Medical Hall was a century-old medical hall. From the previous dynasty until now, their ancestors had been praised by Emperor Taizu.
Not only that, but Emperor Taizu also taught the Li family's ancestors a way to use plaster to stabilize bone injuries, increasing the medical skills and reputation of the Li Medical Hall.
It could be said that Old Physician Li was the best doctor in the capital and was good at treating bone injuries.
Everyone said that there was really no hope for external injuries that the Li family could not treat.
Madam Gu was flustered, and her head hurt even more. Her temples throbbed, but Madam Wang was still crying loudly. "Mother, there are countless famous doctors in the capital. I don't believe they can't treat the Marquis's hand…"
Madam Wang's wet nurse comforted her gently and instructed the maidservants to quickly invite all the famous doctors in the capital back.
There was a commotion in the house.
Madam Gu also knew that she could not count on Madam Wang. She turned to look at Gu Yanfei and asked desperately, "Yanfei, you previously said that you have the true teachings of Spiritual Master Lingxiao and know medical skills. Why don't you take a look at your Second Uncle's injuries…"
She was always a little skeptical about Gu Yanfei's medical skills. If this girl really saved Imperial Duke Wei, she should be able to cure her second uncle.
Madam Wang still did not know about this. She looked at the two of them in confusion and wiped her tears with a handkerchief. There were still a few tears hanging from her eyelashes.
"Do you trust me, Madam?" Gu Yanfei smiled happily. Her face tilted, and she leaned closer to Madam Gu, glancing in the direction of the green gauze cabinet.
What she meant was, did Madam Gu trust her enough to hand her son to her for treatment?
"…" Madam Gu's expression froze slightly, not knowing what this girl was up to.
"What Spiritual Master Lingxiao taught me is the blessing technique." Gu Yanfei's smile widened. Her voice was neither fast nor slow, with a unique rhythm. "Madam, do you know what the blessing technique is?"
"As the saying goes, 'If you believe it, it will come true. If you don't believe it, it won't."
"It will come true if you trust it."
"Otherwise, not only will this blessing be ineffective, but it will also backfire."
"Madam, do you and the Marquis… trust me?"
As she spoke, she casually rolled a red hair band around her shoulder with her index finger, as if it were stained with a drop of blood.
The blessing technique had existed for a long time, and Madam Gu also knew about it. She had also heard this saying, "If you believe it, it will come true. If you don't believe it, it won't."
Madam Gu stared straight at Gu Yanfei. Gu Yanfei kept smiling. As the young girl chatted and laughed, there was always a kind of frivolity that made people feel uncertain.
Madam Gu hesitated, her expression changing. Her hand, hidden in her wide sleeve, gripped the prayer beads tightly.
Her second son, Gu Jian, was suddenly seriously injured for no reason. Perhaps it was the siblings who did it. If that was the case, why would Gu Yanfei really save him? She might even deliberately do something bad and say that it was a backlash from the blessing technique…
"If you don't want me to save you, I'll leave first. It won't stop Madam from crying for her son." How could Gu Yanfei not see the other party's dilemma? Her lips curled into a mocking smile.
As she spoke, Gu Yanfei stroked the pendant on her waist and stood up, not forgetting to call Gu Yuan over.
"Big Brother, Madam probably isn't in the mood to welcome you today. Let's go out to eat."
Gu Yanfei held Gu Yuan's arm and walked out affectionately, ignoring Madam Gu and Madam Wang's reactions.
"Wait…" Madam Gu wanted to call the siblings, but just as she spat out a word, Gu Jian's painful screams sounded from the jade cabinet again. His voice was a little hoarse.
Madam Gu subconsciously looked at the jade cabinet again. In just a short moment, the siblings had already left through the curtain.
Only a swaying brocade curtain was left. The big red peony embroidered on the curtain was extremely dazzling.
After leaving Mingyi Courtyard, the cold wind blew against their faces. The siblings could no longer hear the screams behind them.
Only then did Gu Yanfei say in a low voice, "The bowstring has been tampered with. It should be the juice of the purple grass."
When Gu Yanfei was previously weighing the rhinoceros horn bow, she could smell the scent of purple grass from the string. The juice of this purple grass was transparent and colorless. After smearing on the bowstring, it would destroy the toughness of the string. When someone pulled the bowstring hard, the bowstring would break the moment it was pulled to the limit.
By now, the sun was halfway down. The clouds in the western sky were dyed a dazzling, fiery red by the setting sun.
Gu Yuan was silent. He had already thought about many things in the past hour.
Not only did she think about the martial arts arena, but she also thought about the past eight years.
His thin chin lifted slightly against the stinging wind. "For the title," he said slowly.
Gu Yuan was not stupid. He knew what was at stake.
Back then, he did not object to his grandmother's decision to give the title to his second uncle.
At that time, he was only nine years old. He knew that once he lost the protection of his family, both Gu Yunrong and himself would die.
His title was not a blessing.
He couldn't keep the title, so he gave it up.
Since he had given in, he would no longer keep an eye on the title.
The cold wind blew his robe, making it dance in the wind. His straight and tall figure revealed a look of arrogance and confidence.
However, although he did not care, his second uncle did and was constantly on guard against him.
120 Unworthy
Gu Yuan still remembered that seven years ago, Madam Gu had sent him to the academy, hoping that he would take the imperial examination and obtain a good reputation. Many people had also told him that his grandmother did it for his own good.
However, Gu Yuan would never forget that his father had once told him to learn how to ride and shoot well. In the future, they would be father and son.
When his father was 13 years old, he abandoned his status as the heir of the Dingyuan Marquis Household and entered the army incognito. Step by step, he rose from a small soldier to the youngest commander of the guards.
He had also joined the army early to follow his father's footsteps and show his family that he could make a name for himself.
Gu Yanfei looked at his clear side profile, her eyes dark and deep.
In fact, she knew more about her second uncle's thoughts than Gu Yuan at this moment.
In her previous life, Gu Jian had always looked down on the eldest branch, except for Gu Yunrong, who was under the eldest branch's name at that time.
Gu Jian had been wary of Gu Yuan.
In her previous life, Gu Yuan had not been transferred to the Divine Arms Battalion. He would make a great contribution at the end of the following year and could have smoothly advanced, but Gu Jian had set him up and broken one of his legs… completely blocking Gu Yuan's future!
In this life, because she had saved Imperial Duke Wei, Gu Yuan's future had changed.
However, even if Gu Yuan was transferred to the Divine Arms Battalion, he was only a fifth-grade battalion commander. He should not be able to stop Gu Jian. Why was Gu Jian so anxious?
Just thinking about it made Gu Yanfei's heart ache for her eldest brother. She raised her hand and brushed away a fallen leaf on his shoulder, then gently stroked it.
Gu Yuan turned to look at her. The moment his gaze met hers, it was as gentle as spring water.
"Sister, don't worry. I'll protect you!" Gu Yuan raised his hand and gently rubbed the top of Gu Yanfei's head, his heart softening.
As the eldest brother, he should shelter his sister and protect her!
"Yes." Gu Yanfei smiled brightly at him. "I'll protect Big Brother too."
The surrounding trees and red plums trembled in the slightly tipsy evening wind, but they were eclipsed by the bright young girl.
Gu Yuan was pleased by his sister's words. His smile deepened and he rubbed her hair dotingly.
As the siblings spoke, they walked forward and left Mingyi Courtyard.
Gu Yuan smiled and said, "Sister, I've already been transferred to the capital. When we find an opportunity, let's split up, okay?"
Separating from the family was not as simple as it sounded. In fact, ever since Gu Yuan found out about the real and fake daughter, he had been completely disappointed in Madam Gu and had the thought of separating from the family.
However, he also knew that Madam Gu and Gu Jian would not agree easily, and the family would not agree either.
Since they were going to split up, they had to have a "reason" to be divided beautifully.
Besides, he had to think of his sister.
Now that he had been transferred back to the capital, he did not have to stay in the military all year round and had the strength to take care of his sister.
"Okay." Gu Yanfei smiled and nodded.
Separation was necessary, but not now.
Most of her mental demons in her previous life came from the Gu family and Gu Yunrong. Of course, she could not just leave.
Her master had said that the greatest enemy of cultivators was not the world or anyone else, but himself. On the path of cultivation, cultivators had been fighting with themselves their entire lives. If their mental fortitude was weak, their Tao hearts would retreat and they would be dominated by mental demons.
Escaping, suppressing, forgetting, or taking radical killing would not help the mental demons.
What she had to do was sail against the current in a storm, ride the waves, and stabilize her heart at the helm.
As they spoke, the siblings arrived at the outer gate.
Juan Bi and Gu Yuan's servant, Wu Tong, had already prepared the horses. Gu Yuan's black horse and Hongyu seemed to know that they could go out and were both extremely eager.
The siblings went out happily and went to the Wind Cloud Restaurant for dinner. They walked around happily before returning to the residence.
However, just as she arrived outside the Marquis Mansion, she saw the servant, Wu Tong, shrinking in the cold wind and waiting anxiously outside the corner door.
"Young Master!" Seeing that the siblings had finally returned, Wu Tong hurriedly ran over and said anxiously to Gu Yuan, "The Marquis has written a memorial to impeach Young Master…"
Gu Yuan did not say a word. He only held the reins tightly, his dark phoenix eyes darkening bit by bit. The black horse under him breathed white air from its mouth and nose as it neighed and paced.
The sun was setting with a last glimmer, and the sky was as dark as the deep sea.