131 Guilty
He was the older brother and could not rely on his sister to stand up for him in everything.
His sister was right, this rhinoceros horn bow should belong to him.
Back then, his grandfather had given this rhinoceros horn bow to his father, who had drawn it when he was 16 years old.
As a descendant of the Gu family, if he could draw this bow today, it would naturally be his.
!
Gu Yuan slowly said to Madam Gu, "Emperor Taizu said that a good bow is covered in dust, and it's a pity to not meet someone with talent. A good bow should be given to a hero, and only those who are capable can take it."
Back then, when Emperor Taizu gave the bow to his great-grandfather, Gu Qin, he said this. He meant that this bow should be given to someone who could use it, not be covered in dust in the box.
"Second Uncle hid a good bow and covered it in dust. He's not a 'capable person'."
Gu Yuan's every word was extremely sharp, as if he had stabbed Madam Gu in the heart.
With that, he flicked his sleeve and left without hesitation.
"…" Madam Gu's face turned red, and she was speechless.
This time, she didn't give chase.
She stared blankly at Gu Yuan's back that was as straight as a bamboo. Her vision blurred for a moment, and there seemed to be a dark surge in her old eyes that was about to burst. Some anger flashed across her eyes, some surprise, some uneasiness, some powerlessness… and more than that, exhaustion.
She swayed and took two slow steps, her steps unsteady.
"Madam, be careful." Granny Li quickly supported Madam Gu.
The sunny day after the snow was even colder, and the wind was bone-chilling.
The howling cold wind was like a wild beast roaring in demonstration, lingering.
"He…" Suddenly, Madam Gu asked in a hoarse voice, "Don't tell me he knows?"
Did he know that she was not his father's, Gu Ce's, birth mother?
The leaves of the parasol tree with the yellow leaves above her head swayed with the cold wind. A few rays of sunlight shone through the gaps in the leaves and cast mottled shadows on Madam Gu's face, making her expression a little gloomy, obscure, and frustrated.
The rustling sound of leaves echoed in the courtyard.
Granny Li looked around warily. After confirming that there was no one else around, she advised in a low voice, "Madam, don't think too much."
Even the late Marquis, Gu Ce, did not know about this. How could Gu Yuan know?!
"…" Madam Gu looked straight in the direction Gu Yuan had left without blinking. Her turbid and bloodshot eyes seemed to want to engrave his figure.
Granny Li gently stroked Madam Gu's arm and continued to persuade her. "Besides, even in the Gu family's ancestral hall, there's no memorial tablet for her. It's impossible for Eldest Young Master to know."
As she spoke, Granny Li lowered her voice even more, so that only the two of them could hear her in the cold wind.
Madam Gu seemed to be muttering to herself. "I personally raised Ah Ce and treated him as my own. I raised him carefully and watched him get married and have children… Even the title of Marquis Mansion was inherited by him. I only hope Ah Jian can be a rich and idle person."
"I know that I didn't let Ah Ce down… I didn't let my eldest sister down either. I have a clear conscience."
Madam Gu's gaze slowly moved up, and she looked up at the blue sky, as if she was saying this for some old friend.
"Madam is right." Granny Li nodded in agreement. "Madam, it really hasn't been easy for you all these years."
She said this from the bottom of her heart.
After a pause, Granny Li continued, "Besides, so many years have passed. Those old people in the Western State are long gone. No one has mentioned that incident again."
"Madam, don't worry. It's impossible for the Eldest Young Master to know."
Another bone-chilling wind blew, cutting into Granny Li's collar like a knife. She shivered unconsciously from the cold.
"Besides, even if the Eldest Young Master knows, what right does he have to blame you, Madam? Madam, you personally raised the late Marquis. Raising him is better than giving birth to him."
Madam Gu still stood motionless under the tree, her chest heaving. There seemed to be two forces fighting and colliding in her eyes.
After a moment of silence, she said, "But I keep feeling that Yuan'er doesn't treat me like before…" It was as if he was guarding against her, as if he had… resentment towards her.
Thinking of this, Madam Gu gripped the prayer beads in her hand tightly, almost crushing them.
In the past, Gu Yuan was not like this.
Granny Li hesitated for a moment before reminding her, "Madam, Eldest Young Master should know about the memorial yesterday… Could it be that he's angry because of this?"
Madam Gu's expression froze. She stroked her sleeve and said indifferently, "I did it for his own good."
"This child has been stubborn since he was young and won't listen to the advice of his elders. I asked him to learn literature and painstakingly found the best academy in the capital for him. However, he insisted on abandoning literature to join the martial arts and was determined to march forward with the reputation of being the son of a sinner."
"As long as he's in the army, there'll always be talk of his father surrendering. It'll never be over."
Granny Li quickly comforted her. "Eldest Young Master is still young and inexperienced. He doesn't understand your painstaking efforts, Madam."
Hearing Granny Li's soft words, Madam Gu also felt pleased, and her expression softened.
As if just remembering the guests in the hall, she looked at them and said, "Forget it, let's not talk about the past."
"He's an imperial guard now, it's a good job. He doesn't have to go to the battlefield and can lead the army."
Even if an imperial guard of the Emperor was not of a high grade, it would still make people look at him differently.
In the future, Gu Yuan's future will be bright.
Madam Gu sighed again and said in a low voice, "Yuan'er's future is promising. In the future, even if I die in the netherworld, I'll be letting the Old Marquis down."
She looked at the western sky again, her eyes deep. Her heart was as stable as a rock after many ups and downs.
That's right, the Marquis Household did not owe Gu Yuan anything.
She did not owe Gu Yuan anything.
She hadn't let down her eldest sister, Gu Ce, nor his son.
...
132 Not Allowed
Thinking of some past events, Madam Gu looked a little dazed. Her eyes seemed to be covered by a thin veil, and her thoughts went to a distant place.
The tree shadows swayed again, and a few dried leaves fell, along with some residual snow from the branches.
Madam Gu felt her forehead turn cold. She raised her hand to wipe away the snowflakes there and said in a low voice, "Since he wants it, just give him the bow."
The snow melted quickly into a crystalline drop on her finger.
Madam Gu casually flicked away the water droplets on her fingertips, her eyes cold.
However, while the bow could be given, the title could not.
"Get someone to inform the Marquis," Madam Gu instructed, planning to get Gu Jian to treat the guests.
Hence, after 10 minutes, the Marquis of Dingyuan, Gu Jian, appeared "belatedly" with a broken right arm.
He held his son and apologized repeatedly to the esteemed guests, saying that he was late because he was unwell. As long as the other party asked why Gu Yuan had left, he would chuckle helplessly.
"My apologies. Yuan'er has never been able to sit still. He just said that he's going to practice martial arts."
"He's a young man with a child's temperament. It's normal that he can't talk to us."
"Everyone, please forgive me."
Gu Jian's words were really not beautiful enough. He was referring to Gu Yuan's youthful temperament and eccentric personality.
The nobles present had been in the royal court for decades, and all of them were old foxes. At a glance, they could tell that the Gu family's eldest branch and the second branch were not on good terms.
Everyone knew very well how the second branch of the Gu family got its title.
At this moment, everyone could not help but think of those old matters. They exchanged meaningful glances in twos and threes.
Eight years ago, after the "accident" of the Marquis of Dingyuan, Gu Ce, Madam Gu immediately personally abandoned the eldest branch for the late Emperor. Some people praised Madam Gu for being decisive, some felt that Madam Gu was cutting off her tail to survive, but most people felt a little disappointed.
After the second branch took over, on the surface, the Gu family had also taken care of the eldest branch's children in the past eight years.
As Gu Ce's eldest son, Gu Yuan could have enjoyed the blessings of the Marquis Household and directly served as a fifth-grade general in the military. However, Gu Yuan had no choice but to start from a small soldier step by step… After training in the military for so many years and making a lot of military contributions, he has come to this day.
Gu Yuan clearly had the temperament of a father and was a natural talent. At such a young age, he had become the Divine Arms Battalion's imperial guard. After obtaining the favor of the Emperor and Imperial Duke Wei, it was obvious that he was going to make a name for himself.
As for Gu Jian…
Gu Jian was mediocre and far inferior to his brother. After inheriting the title of Marquis for so many years, he had not done much. Only this title could fool people. In the next generation, it was time to lower his status to "Uncle".
Everyone present knew who to befriend.
Earl Yan'an was the first to stand up and cup his hands at Gu Jian. "Uncle, I still have an errand to do today. I'll take my leave first."
Marquis Pingjin quickly added, "Brother, you're injured and still have to recuperate. I won't disturb you today."
Gu Jian quickly tried to persuade them to stay. "My injuries are fine. Brother, it's rare for you to come. At least have a few drinks with me before leaving."
His right arm was still in a cast and bandaged, but it wasn't very convincing. The other party laughed and said, "Let's drink another day," and left.
Not only the two of them, but the other guests also found a perfunctory excuse to leave without giving Gu Jian any face. In less than half an hour, the hall was empty.
Gu Jian's face alternated between green, white, and red. He looked at Madam Gu awkwardly and was speechless for a long time.
Initially, Madam Gu thought that it would be the same if Gu Jian entertained the guests.
However…
Looking at the guests leaving in front of her, Madam Gu's heart skipped a beat.
From the moment Gu Yuan received the transfer order from the Divine Arms Battalion yesterday, some things seemed to have begun to change. Today, they were no longer in control.
Gu Xiao's young face seemed to be dyed with ink as he took his leave stiffly.
Gu Jian was forcing himself to entertain his guests. Coupled with the fire in his heart, he was distracted and tripped on the threshold with his right foot when leaving.
This fall added to his injuries. His right arm hit the ground, and his shout of pain echoed through the Marquis Mansion.
That day, the main courtyard invited famous doctors from the capital to treat him. The doctors invited one after another and it took them half a night to stop. As a result, the entire Marquis Mansion fell into a state of unrest.
133 Not Giving In
"Eldest Young Master, I heard that Madam originally wanted to invite Old Physician Li, but he was angry and refused to come again. In the end, he could only settle for the next best thing and hire other doctors in the capital who are good at treating external injuries."
"Those doctors all said that the Marquis has yet to recover from his old injuries and has new injuries. If this continues, I'm afraid he won't be able to hold a brush."
Gu Yuan had a good night's sleep and slept peacefully until dawn. When he heard this news from the servant, Wu Tong, it was already the next morning.
In the end, Wu Tong asked hesitantly, "Eldest Young Master, Madam wants you to see the Marquis…"
!
"There's no need."
Gu Yuan left after saying this.
Today was the first day he officially took office as the imperial guard. The first thing he did was accompany the Eldest Prince, Chu Yi, out of the capital.
This was the first time in eight years that the State of Yue had sent an envoy to visit Great Jin.
The envoy was the Third Prince of the State of Yue and was born by the State of Yue's noble consort. His brother, the Eldest Prince of the State of Yue, had just been appointed as the Crown Prince this year.
This time, the Third Prince of the State of Yue had come to visit. Of course, the person in charge of welcoming the envoy could not be too casual, lest the State of Yue feel that Great Jin was being disrespectful.
Therefore, half a month ago, the royal court had already decided that Kang Wang, Chu You, would welcome the Third Prince of the State of Yue and the others.
However, because Kang Wang had stabbed the British Crown Prince Fang Mingfeng for no reason not long ago, this had caused public anger among the nobles.
The Emperor immediately issued a decree appointing the Eldest Prince, Chu Yi, to be in charge of this matter.
Kang Wang's faction had just suffered a huge setback, but with the protection of Imperial Duke Wei and the others, this matter went exceptionally smoothly.
This was also the first job the Eldest Prince had done after returning to the country.
With so many eyes on him in the capital, Gu Yuan was also very serious. Ever since then, he hasn't returned to the Marquis Mansion. He only sent someone back to tell Gu Yanfei that he had accompanied the Eldest Prince to temporarily stay in the Ministry of War.
Anyway, Gu Yuan had never been at home, so Gu Yanfei was already used to it.
In the following days, she almost did not leave the house. She spent all her energy on the flintlock that Gu Yuan had left with her.
Gu Yanfei planned to draw an array formation on this flintlock.
The last time she had casually drawn it in the garden, it had been a one-time temporary array that doubled the power of the flintlock.
At that time, even Gu Yuan was dumbfounded. He took the flintlock and looked at it again and again. It even attracted the attention of half of the Marquis Mansion. After testing it with these two shots and roughly judging its power, Gu Yanfei did not continue.
It was not difficult to draw an array formation. What was rare was that there was no spiritual energy to borrow in this small world.
The spiritual energy in the phoenix-patterned jade pendant was ultimately too little. It was not even enough for her to draw spiritual energy into her body. Every time the spiritual energy in her body was exhausted, it would take a long time to "recover" her blood.
A permanent "sharp array", even if it was the lowest level, would take her a lot of time now. After drawing a part, she would have to wait for her spiritual power to recover before continuing…
Fortunately, with the plum blossom jade hairpin Chu Yi had given her, she could continuously nourish her sea of consciousness and speed up the recovery of spiritual energy.
Gu Yanfei, who had been locked in the study room, meditated every day, drawing array formations, meditating, and continuing to draw array formations.
As the days repeated monotonously, seven days passed in the blink of an eye, and the 23rd of December came quickly.
It had taken so long, but the results had not been satisfactory.
Looking at the crooked and intermittent array formation on the flintlock, Gu Yanfei sighed deeply.
It was so ugly that she couldn't bear to look at it.
If her master saw this, not only would she be laughed at, but she would also be punished to draw 300 more of the same array formations.
Thinking of the years when she first learned array formations from her master, Gu Yanfei smiled.
The kitten rolled around on its belly carefreely, rubbing its back against the ground one moment and grinding its teeth with a plum blossom the next.
Caught off guard, Gu Yanfei reached out and grabbed the kitten. She pressed a front paw on the cinnabar and pressed a bright red "Plum Blossom Mark" on the gun.
Yes, it looks much better now!
Gu Yanfei thought calmly.
"My Lady, the Eldest Young Master is here." Juan Bi came in beaming, her hair wrapped in a headscarf and a feather duster in her hand.
The Marquis Mansion had already begun to prepare for the new year. On New Year's Day, they had to offer sacrifices to the gods and sweep the dust. The maidservants in the courtyard were all holding brooms, feather dusters, dusting horsetail whisks, sweeping the courtyard, and dredging ditches… All of them were happily sweeping up the dust.
It was already New Year's Eve. Only then did Gu Yanfei slowly realize the passage of time.
She pursed her lips and smiled. She casually threw the flintlock aside and picked up the rhinoceros horn bow on the table.
It was a good sign to say goodbye to the past and welcome the new.
Gu Yanfei carried the newly repaired rhinoceros horn bow and left the small study happily.
She was not afraid of the cold, so there was no charcoal brazier burning in the house. The afternoon sun shone through the open window into the secondary room, bright and clear.
Gu Yuan was already sitting on the arhat bed and drinking tea.
He wore a straight green robe with dark patterns. It was tied around his waist with a silver silk sash, and he had a sword at his waist.
His sitting posture was upright, like bamboo or pine, and he had the bearing of a soldier. His expression also exuded the arrogance of a young man.
"Sister!"
When Gu Yuan heard the commotion, he put down the teacup and looked up at Gu Yanfei, his eyes as clear as stars.
Gu Yanfei also smiled.
It had only been a few days since they last met, but Gu Yuan had changed a lot. He looked more energetic than before, even when he wasn't smiling.
It seemed that he was doing well as an imperial guard.
"Big Brother." Gu Yanfei sat down beside Gu Yuan, took an orange from the fruit pot, and casually threw it at him. "Try this orange, it's very sweet. It was sent from the manor."
Gu Yuan caught the orange his sister gave him and smiled happily and contentedly.
Then he stopped smiling and said, "Murong Yong was just transferred to the Divine Arms Battalion yesterday."
...
It was to replace his previous transfer order.
134 Think It Through
"Second Uncle went to the Ministry of War personally."
Gu Yuan looked up. As he spoke, he looked at the rhinoceros horn bow.
The broken string on the bow had been repaired and was intact.
However, Gu Yuan knew that once some things were broken, they would never recover.
!
At this point, there was nothing Gu Yuan did not understand, and he knew that Gu Jian's goal should be for this to happen. He wanted him to be "accidentally" injured so that he could vacate the battalion commander position in the Divine Arms Battalion for Murong Yong.
Gu Yuan had known for a long time that Gu Jian was wary of him. However, he did not expect Gu Jian to break his arm and ruin his future and all his hopes for Murong Yong.
Gu Jian was his biological uncle after all. All of this made Gu Yuan a little sad and disappointed.
Gu Yanfei smiled and casually flicked her finger on the new bowstring.
The new bowstring was taut, emitting a rapid buzzing sound. Just from the sound of the bowstring, Gu Yuan could tell that the new bowstring was better than the previous one.
"A bowstring made of rhinoceros tendon?" Gu Yuan said firmly.
"Big Brother has good taste. I personally repaired this," Gu Yanfei said with a smile and a nod.
Initially, Gu Yanfei wanted to send it out to find someone to repair it, but on second thought, weapons were actually not much different from spirit artifacts. It should be said that weapons were just about mechanics and were much easier to cultivate than spirit artifacts.
She had specially quenched this new bowstring with potion, so it was far stronger than ordinary bowstrings. In the future, no one would be able to scheme against her brother in the same way.
Gu Yanfei handed the rhinoceros horn bow to Gu Yuan and said coquettishly, "Big Brother, you have to remember your promise to shoot ferrets for me!"
"Don't worry, I remember everything." The smile in Gu Yuan's eyes deepened. He took the bow and focused again.
Since he had retrieved the bow, he would not let it be covered in dust again.
Gu Yanfei looked at the high-spirited Gu Yuan and smiled brightly.
The beautiful girl was like a red plum swaying gently in the cold wind. The fragrance of the plum blossoms was striking and tantalizing. She was both bright and elegant, with an indescribable charm.
Seeing how his sister was so beautiful, just like his mother, Gu Yuan also smiled.
Oh yes!
Gu Yuan suddenly stiffened and gave half of the peeled orange to Gu Yanfei. He asked nervously, "Sister, are you going to the Upper Forest Garden with Miss Wei tomorrow?"
Upper Forest Garden was 20 miles from the capital. It was a royal garden surrounded by mountains and forests. The royal family had also carved out a piece of land nearby as a royal hunting ground.
Gu Yanfei took it casually, broke off a piece of orange, and put it into her mouth. She nodded and said,
"That's right."
That's right, Wei Jiaoniang was indeed talking about the Upper Forest Garden.
Gu Yuan frowned, his eyebrows slightly raised, as he pondered. He finished half of the orange in two or three bites, but he could not focus on the taste.
Gu Yanfei felt that something was wrong with Gu Yuan and looked at him strangely.
Gu Yuan's Adam's apple bobbed. After hesitating for a long time, he said, "The Eldest Prince will also go to the Upper Forest Garden tomorrow."
He hesitated and gritted his teeth again. In the end, he made up his mind and said, in one breath, "… If that guy with the last name Baili dares to disturb you, you must tell me. I'll beat him up."
Gu Yuan could not help but roll up his sleeves, as if he would rush up with his fists at any moment.
"Baili?" Gu Yanfei raised her eyebrows in confusion.
"Baili" was the national surname of the State of Yue.
Hence, she asked directly, "The Third Prince of the State of Yue?"
Gu Yuan nodded silently and took another orange from the fruit bowl.
He had once heard from a scoundrel friend that the Third Prince of the State of Yue, Baili Yin, was the most cynical. He indulged himself in beauties and was a lover of alcohol too.
This time, after Gu Yuan saw the real person, he realized that the rumors were true.
As soon as Baili Yin arrived in the capital, he told the Eldest Prince, Chu Yi, that he had heard that there were many beauties in the capital who were good at singing and dancing. In the end, they were dismissed by the Eldest Prince with a few words.
After that, Baili Yin simply brought his men to the site of the fireworks. They enjoyed themselves every night and lingered without returning to the posthouse at all.
Gu Yuan looked at Gu Yanfei hesitantly and deliberated over his words. "Sister, you're so good-looking. If that Third Prince Baili sees you…"
What if his sister was targeted by that lecherous ghost…
Just thinking about it made Gu Yuan very unhappy. He accidentally used too much strength and squeezed the poor orange, causing juice to seep out from under the orange skin.
135 Thinking It Through
Gu Yanfei's clear eyes darted around slightly. She understood what Gu Yuan meant and chuckled.
Gu Yanfei took a clean handkerchief and wiped the orange juice off Gu Yuan's fingers. Then she nodded with a smile and said, "Alright, I'll definitely tell Big Brother." She also understood what Gu Yuan meant. Tomorrow, he will also follow Chu Yi to the Upper Forest Garden.
Gu Yuan was coaxed by Gu Yanfei's words. A smile appeared on his handsome face again, and he said seriously, "With Big Brother around, you don't have to worry about anything."
His sister's dependence pleased him more than any rare treasure.
!
Gu Yanfei took over the orange that had been broken by Gu Yuan. She nimbly peeled the orange and gave half to Gu Yuan while keeping the other half for herself.
Gu Yuan stuffed another piece of orange into his mouth and narrowed his eyes.
Well, this orange was indeed as his sister had said. It was very sweet and fragrant.
Thinking of his sister's first time out hunting, Gu Yuan carefully and personally supervised Juan Bi's packing. Apart from the necessary bows, cloaks, and water bags, he also had to bring matchsticks, dry food, ointment for injuries, flares, daggers… and even needlework.
Gu Yanfei realized that Gu Yuan was very good at packing. He had packed so many broken things into a small leather bag and asked her to carry them with her.
Gu Yanfei could carry this small leather bag on her back or hang it on the saddle. It was very convenient.
On the day she left, when Wei Jiaoniang personally came to the Marquis Mansion to pick Gu Yanfei up, Gu Yanfei was still happily touching her small bag.
They rode on, heading in the direction of the west gate.
It was still early, only half past dawn. The sun had just risen, and there were not many passersby on the streets. The two girls galloped along, chatting and laughing. Poor Juan Bi's riding skills were mediocre, and it was extremely difficult for her to follow behind.
"Yanfei, I'll meet everyone at the west gate. It's still early, there's no hurry."
"Later, I'll introduce some of my cousins and a handkerchief to you."
"Their riding and shooting are not bad either, but they're not as good as me!" Wei Jiaoniang said confidently.
That clear, bell-like laugh echoed happily in the cold December wind.
They met up with seven or eight young men and women at the west gate. Then, against the cold wind, they continued to go west along the official road.
On the way to the Upper Forest Garden, they encountered some old friends from time to time, so everyone set off together.
When they arrived at their destination, there were already 30 to 40 people on this team.
Some people had arrived earlier. There were several bamboo sheds in the open space outside the hunting ground. At a glance, it was crowded and noisy.
A girl in pink standing in front of her saw Wei Jiaoniang and waved at her from afar. "Wei Jiaoniang, over here!"
"Lu Qin, I'm coming!" Wei Jiaoniang smiled and pulled Gu Yanfei's wrist, bringing her over.
Five or six young men and women in their prime were sitting around a long table. There was a cup of tea in front of each of them, and the fragrance of the tea curled up in a rather comfortable manner.
They naturally noticed Gu Yanfei, who had come with Wei Jiaoniang. Their gazes stopped on the two of them, and they looked surprised.
The Wei family had a high status. Wei Jiaoniang had a straightforward temper and was lively and outgoing. She was on good terms with everyone, but it was rare for her to be so intimate with others.
To most of them, Gu Yanfei was unfamiliar. The Third Lady of Duke Chang'an's Manor had gone to Prince Jing's Manor to play polo last month and quietly whispered to others that Gu Yanfei was the Second Lady of the Dingyuan Marquis Household.
Everyone could not help but size up Gu Yanfei.
The young girl's eyebrows were as far as the mountains, and her eyes were as bright as the moon. She did not need any makeup or pearl hairpins to decorate her face. Just a faint smile was bright and moving, unable to hide her national beauty.
The young men could not take their eyes off her for a moment. They only felt that the originally barren forest had become gorgeous because of her arrival. It was as if thousands of flowers had suddenly bloomed in the spring breeze, and the branches of the trees swayed.
"This is the Second Lady of the Gu family, Yanfei." Wei Jiaoniang's clear voice woke everyone up.
Hence, everyone greeted each other with smiles and was very cordial.
"Wei Jiaoniang, have you heard?" Lu Qin, who had just waved at Wei Jiaoniang, lowered her voice and said mysteriously, "The Eldest Prince will also come today."
Without waiting for Wei Jiaoniang to speak, the young master in green sitting at the other end of the long table snorted angrily. "You've been keeping us in suspense just now. Was it because of this?"
"What secret is this? Everyone knows."
The young man in green spread his hands in amusement. Several people beside him were nodding, including Gu Yanfei.
Realizing that everyone already knew, Lu Qin wilted like a punctured leather bow.
Her appearance amused everyone at the table. Laughter rose and fell.
The girl in blue beside Lu Qin nudged her chin southeast and added meaningfully, "Why do you think 'some people' are here today?"
Gu Yanfei and Wei Jiaoniang subconsciously looked to the southeast. Not far away, there were two gorgeous eight-treasure carriages and a green carriage.
The two old women nimbly wiped all the tables in a bamboo shed. Then they cleared the original benches, removed several armchairs from the green-canopied carriage, and placed welcome pillows on them.
Then, they moved down the small red clay stove, the clay teapot, teacups, food boxes, and other items. All the preparations were done quickly and nimbly, showing that they were well-trained.
After they were done, the two covered eight-treasure carriages moved.
Four or five bejeweled and carefully dressed girls alighted from the two covered carriages one after another. Their movements were so elegant, as if every move had been measured by a ruler, and there was a kind of nobility and reserve in their bones.
When one of the girls got out of the carriage, she seemed to have noticed the commotion and turned to look over.
The 15 or 16-year-old girl had thick black hair tied into a bun with a gilded butterfly hairpin studded with rubies. She had beautiful eyebrows and a small nose mole the size of a sesame seed.
Gu Yanfei's gaze paused on the consort-clothed girl. Her right hand held the horse whip by her waist.
It was her!
Yu Chaoyun.
Gu Yanfei tightened her grip on the horse whip in her right hand, her eyes as deep as an abyss.
Her mental demon showed signs of stirring again.
136 Discord
It was the twelfth lunar month in the bitter winter, and even if the rising sun rose, there was no warmth.
These thin sheds could not block the mountain wind at all. The strong cold wind blew Gu Yanfei's hair slightly, and a few strands of hair blew into her eyes.
Gu Yanfei seemed not to notice.
Why was Yu Chaoyun in the capital at this time?!
!
Yu Chaoyun was Fang Mingfeng's cousin and the niece of the British Duchess.
In her previous life, Yu Chaoyun arrived in the capital in February of the following year and specially went to the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion to pay her respects to Madam Gu.
At that time, Yu Chaoyun took the initiative to show goodwill, saying that she had no sisters and felt like Gu Yanfei was her friend at first sight.
Yu Chaoyun's maidservant secretly told Gu Yanfei that Yu Chaoyun had lost her mother when she was a year old, and her father had married her stepmother. Outsiders only thought that her stepmother was virtuous, but she was actually sarcastic and mean to Yu Chaoyun.
Back then, Gu Yanfei felt that she was in the same boat as Yu Chaoyun and treated her as a close friend. Unexpectedly, when she could finally bring her seriously injured brother away from the Gu family's man-eating hell, Yu Chaoyun actually stabbed her ruthlessly in the back and completely cut off her last escape route…
The pain she had experienced in her previous life surged towards her again. Gu Yanfei felt her heart churning like boiling water, and her eyes were stained with blood.
"Miss Yu," someone called out to Yu Chaoyun.
Yu Chaoyun glanced over, and the pearl earrings the size of lotus seed rice on her ears swayed. The pure gold butterfly collar on her neck shone in the sunlight, and the two pairs of butterfly wings embedded with seven treasures, as thin as cicada wings, trembled slightly, like a real pair of colorful butterflies stopping on her shoulder.
Wei Jiaonang, Lu Qin, and the others watched this scene in a daze without moving for a long time.
"Wow!" The girl in blue let out a low exclamation between her lips. She pointed at Yu Chaoyun's hairpin and said, "The hairpin she's wearing is the signature of this season!"
"And the material of her clothes should be brocade!"
"…"
"Look, the tea bowl she's using must be a Jian ware black-glazed hare's fur bowl…"
The girls gathered together and talked non-stop, but none of the young masters could interrupt.
Wei Jiaoniang frowned and whispered into Gu Yanfei's ear disapprovingly, "These so-called noble families love to put on an act!"
"You don't look like you're here to hunt in that outfit."
"Why did you come to the hunting ground if you're not here to hunt?"
"Wait and watch, in a while, they'll definitely despise the smell of blood and say that we're vulgar and cruel."
The blood in Gu Yanfei's eyes had already been suppressed and returned to its original clarity. Her gaze swept across the dignified and elegant noble ladies.
From the beginning to the end, they were talking amongst themselves and did not even look at the others around them, nor did they seem to care about the gazes the others cast on them.
Some people were whispering, some were burning incense, some were sharing tea, and some people complained about the wind and asked the maidservant to quickly move the screen to block the wind…
Against the background of the other young men in fresh clothes, these refined girls looked so outstanding, as if they had accidentally walked onto the wrong stage.
"If they want to share tea, they might as well go home. Why are they so particular in such a deep mountain and old forest?!" Wei Jiaoniang could not help but mutter again.
"Jiaoniang, you don't understand." The girl in blue pulled Wei Jiaoniang over and whispered, "The drinker's mind is not on the cup, they all have ulterior motives."
Several quick-witted people at the side also sensed something from these noble ladies. They exchanged meaningful glances in twos and threes, pursed their lips, and smiled.
"By the way!" Lu Qin, who had wilted for a moment, quickly perked up again. She held up an index finger and said crisply, "There's something else you guys don't know, right?"
"The Third Prince of the State of Yue, Baili Yin, will also come today."
The little girl waited to see everyone's surprised gazes, but she was disappointed again.
The young man in green snorted. He was just short of asking if that was it?
Lu Qin wilted again, and Wei Jiaoniang laughed heartily. "Ignore them. We'll play by ourselves."
"How is it? How do you want to compete this year?"
They would come to the forest park every winter to hunt, and it could be said to be a tradition. It was just that this year, there were suddenly more women from aristocratic families who had not come in the past.
"Shall we hunt wolves?" The young man in the green beard flicked his horse whip with a grin, eager to try.
137 Discord
"Wolf meat is too dry," Lu Qin objected. "How about hunting bears? I want to eat bear paws."
"Hunting bears is too dangerous. No, no."
"Let's hunt a tiger…"
Everyone expressed their opinions one after another, and it was lively.
In the end, it was Wei Jiaoniang who decisively slapped the table and said, "Tigers lead, wolves are second."
In other words, whoever hunted a tiger would be the leader of this winter hunt. If no one hunted a tiger, the wolf hunter would be the leader.
No one had any objections. Then, Lu Qin said excitedly, "Then what's the prize…"
She stopped mid-sentence.
Lu Qin's gaze fell straight ahead. Her eyes darted around as she clapped with a smile and suggested, "Jiaoniang, why don't we let the Eldest Prince set the bet?"
Everyone was stunned when they heard an excited cry from ahead.
"The Eldest Prince is here."
There was a commotion, then silence.
All the voices seemed to be sucked away, and everyone's eyes turned in unison.
From the direction of the rising sun, a team of 17 or 18 people galloped over majestically.
The most eye-catching person in the group was the young master riding a white horse. It was Chu Yi.
The resplendent sunlight poured down, coating him in a faint golden halo, making his temperament look clear and otherworldly, as clear as a breeze and as bright as the moon.
Chu Yi was dressed in a moon-white riding outfit embroidered with silver patterns. As he rode his horse, his shimmering clothes fluttered in the wind, making him look like an immortal who had arrived on a cloud.
At Chu Yi's side was a handsome young man in his early 20s. He had dark skin, broad shoulders, and a narrow waist. He was dressed in a sapphire blue lapel narrow-sleeved beard robe and rode a strong black horse with snow-white hooves.
The sound of hooves echoed in the forest, startling a group of birds. Occasionally, a few feathers would fall.
Everyone in the clearing stood up to welcome him.
Under everyone's burning gazes, Chu Yi's group drew closer and closer. Finally, they tightened the reins a hundred feet away. The horses stopped and whinnied.
Behind him, Kang Wang Chu You stopped his horse half a body away from Chu Yi.
Chu You had been watching Chu Yi. His face was calm, cold, and solemn, but it was obvious from the back of his hand that he was not as calm as he appeared.
The black horse under him seemed to sense its master's emotions and panted heavily.
"Greetings, Your Highness."
The people in front bowed respectfully to Chu Yi. Their shouts were uniform, startling three to five more birds.
One of the sparrows spread its wings and flew quickly over Gu Yanfei's head. One wing seemed to brush gently against her bun.
Chu Yi immediately saw Gu Yanfei in the crowd and smiled.
Today, Gu Yanfei was wearing a lilac-colored riding outfit with a narrow sleeve collar and wisteria embroidery on it. She was wearing deerskin boots, and her thick and fluffy black hair was combed into a simple bun. There was only a white jade plum blossom hairpin stuck diagonally into her bun and no other jewelry. The two red plums at the end of the hairpin shone beautifully under the sunlight.
When Chu Yi's gentle gaze landed on the plum blossom hairpin, it lingered, and his eyes became even gentler.
Gu Yanfei gave Chu Yi a bright smile as a greeting.
Chu Yi raised his right hand as if in response to something. Then he said calmly to everyone, "At ease."
Chu You followed Chu Yi's gaze and saw Gu Yanfei. He narrowed his narrow eagle eyes and fixed his eagle-like gaze on the white jade plum blossom hairpin on Gu Yanfei's head.
This was…
Chu You's pupils constricted slightly, and his eyes darkened.
Others might not recognize this plum blossom jade hairpin, but Chu You did.
This jade hairpin was called the "Plum Blossom Hairpin". It was personally carved by Emperor Taizu and given to Empress Taizu. Back then, after the late Emperor married Madam Liu, Empress Taizu gave this plum hairpin to her.
When Chu You was six years old, he once saw a portrait of Empress Taizu in Cining Palace. In the portrait, Empress Taizu was wearing this plum hairpin. At that time, the lost expression on his mother's face was deeply engraved in Chu You's heart, ever since he was still young.
Chu You knew that his mother also wanted that plum hairpin. However, the plum hairpin had been given to his eldest brother, Chu Qi, before Madam Liu passed away.
Obviously, Chu Qi had passed it on to Chu Yi.
And Chu Yi actually gave it to Gu Yanfei?!
Chu You's eyebrows jumped, and he tugged unconsciously at the reins.
The horse whinnied lowly as it paced its iron hooves.
Chu You couldn't help but think of the last time he was with Yuan Zhe. He had seen Chu Yi and Gu Yanfei in the private room of Qiongfang Shop on the street.
He originally thought that the relationship between Chu Yi and her was at most "a beautiful sight to behold", but Chu Yi actually gave away Empress Taizu's things.
Could it be that things between the two of them were not that simple?!
Chu You looked deeply at the girl in front of him, whom he had once disdained.
After a while, his gaze shifted from Gu Yanfei to Chu Yi. His gaze was different again, filled with understanding, disdain, and thoughtfulness.
At this moment, thinking about what Rong'er had told him, Chu You suddenly felt enlightened, as if some scattered beads had finally been connected…
A storm brewed in his eyes. Veins popped on the back of his hand, and his body tensed.
"Your Highness, you came at the right time." Wei Jiaoniang took a step forward with a smile and cupped her hands at Chu Yi.
As a daughter of a general, she was still generous and unabashed even in front of so many people.
Beside Chu Yi, Baili Yin casually glanced at Wei Jiaoniang.
When his gaze swept past the beautiful girl beside Wei Jiaoniang and settled on Gu Yanfei, his brown eyes lit up. His originally cold and boring gaze instantly became as hot as fire.
...
Wei Jiaoniang said in high spirits, "I just agreed that whoever catches the tiger will be the champion today. It's rare that Your Highness is also here, so we want to invite Your Highness to set a bet…"
"I have other thoughts." Chu You suddenly interrupted Wei Jiaoniang and rode his horse to Chu Yi's side. An ambiguous smile appeared on his handsome face as he suggested, "Nephew, the bet should be decided by our guest, Third Prince Baili."
138 Not Killing
Chu Yi smiled without saying anything. The white horse under him let out a rough breath and whinnied twice.
Chu You turned to look at Baili Yin and smiled. "What do you think, Third Prince Baili?"
Baili Yin looked at Gu Yanfei without blinking, his burning gaze lingering on her beautiful face.
Her skin was snow-white, her lips were red, and her eyes were watery. She was beautiful and otherworldly, elegant beyond comparison.
!
What a beauty! Baili Yin sighed in his heart.
He took a moment to react and laughed loudly before replying to Chu You. "Kang Wang, then I'll join in the fun and give this scimitar to the champion of today's hunt."
As he spoke, he looked in Gu Yanfei's direction. At the same time, he raised a scimitar to his waist. The scabbard of this scimitar was embedded with seven-colored gems that were each the size of a finger and were eye-catching.
Casually, he pulled the scimitar from its sheath. It glinted silver in the sunlight.
A strand of hair fell lightly toward the blade and was cut in half.
Without a doubt, this was a treasured scimitar that could even cut hair.
Baili Yin's move was considered generous, causing the surrounding crowd to cheer.
For this priceless treasure, many young masters were already rubbing their palms together and eager to try.
Gu Yuan, who was mixed in with the imperial guards behind, also noticed the way Baili Yin looked at his sister. He frowned, and a cold glint appeared in his eyes. His knuckles cracked as he tightened his grip on his scabbard.
Hmph, how dare he look at his sister like that? Later, he would call some friends and beat this bastard up!
Baili Yin inexplicably felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up, but his smile did not fade. He deliberately looked at Chu Yi and asked, "Young Master Yi, what do you think of my bet?"
In the State of Yue, everyone called Chu Yi "Young Master Yi".
"We'll do as the Third Prince says." Chu Yi smiled gently.
Then, he looked around at everyone again and said gently, "Everyone, don't hold back today. It's rare for you to come out, so just hunt to your heart's content. Let me see the charm of the children of the Great Jin."
The young masters of the noble families responded in unison, their spirits rising.
Soon, the sound of hooves resounded through the forest. Young men with heroic bearing rode their horses into the hunting ground like the wind, fighting to be first. Some noble ladies from the general's family also carried their bows and followed in twos and threes into the forest.
"Yanfei, let's go hunt."
Wei Jiaoniang carried a bow and a long saber at her waist. After urging Gu Yanfei, she clamped her horse's abdomen and rode ahead.
Gu Yanfei rode on Hongyu and followed closely behind. She rode her horse to her heart's content and rushed into the depths of the forest.
Although the winter forest was not as energetic as spring, summer, and autumn, it was still a lush scene.
The forest was quiet, and the whistling wind swayed the surrounding trees. Occasionally, some magpies, sparrows, black-headed birds, and so on flew past, adding a hint of vitality to this place.
The deeper they went into the forest, the more rugged and narrow the mountain path became.
Wei Jiaoniang was afraid that Gu Yanfei would not be able to catch up, so she cautiously slowed down. She looked back and saw Gu Yanfei perfectly following a horse's body away from her, with a relaxed posture and a faint smile.
She looked like she was at ease.
Wei Jiaonang waited for Gu Yanfei to walk side by side with her. She looked at her with a smile, then at the obedient red horse she was riding. "Yanfei, you're better at training horses. Hongyu has only been in your hands for a few days, but it seems to have been reborn."
Hongyu was an Akhal-Teke horse, and such a good steed often had its own pride. In the past, when it was in the Wei Manor, it was not so cooperative when others rode it.
Gu Yanfei's eyes sparkled as she stroked Hongyu's slender horse neck in satisfaction. She praised generously, "Hongyu is very smart."
Hongyu neighed twice, as if echoing Gu Yanfei's words. Its footsteps were light, and it walked on the rugged mountain path as if it was walking on flat ground.
"That's right, that's right. Our Hongyu is very smart." A bright smile bloomed on Wei Jiaoniang's face as she said with some emotion, "Grandpa said that good horses will choose their own masters."
"Hongyu is fated with you!"
Hongyu seemed to understand and neighed a few more times. It swung its tail happily and rushed forward, taking the lead.
Wei Jiaoniang smiled and was about to chase when her gaze suddenly turned cold and she looked to her right. At the same time, her hand moved, and she quickly drew her bow to release an arrow at a bush to the southeast. This series of movements was as smooth as flowing water.
139 Not Killing
The arrow whooshed into the bushes and hit a pheasant.
From the moment she pulled out the arrow, Wei Jiaoniang's horse never stopped. When the horse galloped past the bushes, she bent down and casually picked up the pheasant, whose throat had been pierced by the arrow. Her movements were elegant and nimble.
She worked perfectly with her horse and gained a hunt in the blink of an eye without even catching her breath.
After hunting the pheasant, the two of them did not stop. They continued forward, looking at the scenery along the way, admiring the flowers and trees, talking and laughing.
After another hour, Wei Jiaoniang hunted another badger. However, Gu Yanfei had never drawn her bow, so she naturally found nothing.
Wei Jiaoniang put the badger in the game basket and casually asked, "Yanfei, have you never hunted hares, pheasants, or anything like that before?"
"No." Gu Yanfei shook her head honestly.
She had indeed never killed hares, pheasants, or badgers.
She had only killed black fire wolves, nine-tailed foxes, eagles, and flying snakes…
As a medical cultivator, Gu Yanfei had to learn alchemy, talismans, divination, and curse techniques… These often required the bones, blood, and teeth of spirit beasts as materials.
Her master always pushed her to learn array formations because these could save her life. He said that medical cultivators were so weak and were not those sword cultivators who liked to fight and kill.
Medical cultivators had to learn to protect themselves.
Thinking of that period in the Bright Spirit Realm, Gu Yanfei's eyes curved slightly. Her black eyes were like the blue sky above the forest, clean, transparent, and bright.
Wei Jiaonang looked at Gu Yanfei's child-like flawless eyes and smiled knowingly. She thought to herself, 'This is how people who have never killed are. No matter how good they are at riding and shooting, no matter how accurate their targets are, they won't dare to draw their bows at their prey. It was just like the first time I entered the hunting ground when I was young!'
Wei Jiaoniang said excitedly, "Yanfei, I'll teach you. Don't be afraid!"
"The key to the path of hunting is to have eyes and ears in all directions. Your judgment has to be accurate, and you have to be steady and ruthless."
As she spoke, she looked around. Her eyes narrowed as she aimed at something 200 feet to the southwest.
She stopped talking and patted Gu Yanfei's shoulder gently with her hand. With her other finger, she pointed at the prey she had her eye on and mouthed, "This will do."
Wei Jiaoniang was referring to a doe standing under a tree. Its brown-red fur was glossy, and its back was covered in white spots. The doe faced them with its tail, lowered its head, and quietly grazed, as if it did not notice their gaze.
Wei Jiaoniang silently gestured for Gu Yanfei to try shooting this doe.
Gu Yanfei did not move.
She stared at the doe for a moment without blinking, then shook her head.
Wei Jiaonang thought that Gu Yanfei's heart had softened. Just as she was about to speak, Gu Yanfei raised her hand and pointed at the deer's abdomen. She whispered to Wei Jiaoniang, "Let's not hunt a pregnant mother deer."
This was one of the rules of her sect: Spirit beasts that were pregnant and had babies should not be killed.
This rule was for the sake of continuing the race and maintaining a balance between heaven and earth.
"…" Stunned, Wei Jiaoniang narrowed her eyes and focused on the doe.
The doe's chest and abdomen sagged slightly, but it was half hidden by the lush grass around it and didn't look obvious…
Wei Jiaonang had loved to follow Imperial Duke Wei everywhere since she was young. She had been to the hunting ground many times and had seen countless wild beasts. At this moment, upon closer inspection, she came to a realization.
Just as Gu Yanfei had said, this female deer still had its cubs!
"Your eyes are really bright, and your heart is meticulous," Wei Jiaoniang praised in a low voice, afraid that she would alarm the female deer. "In the past, when Grandpa took me out hunting, he told me the same thing."
Wei Jiaonang's eyes sparkled like gems. She felt that she and Gu Yanfei really hit it off. No wonder she felt a sense of familiarity with her at first glance.
Her grandfather had also said that all things had spirits and had continuous growth.
He had repeatedly warned them not to kill young beasts, pregnant beasts, and mother and son beasts when hunting.
In fact, many people knew these principles, but once they arrived at the hunting ground, they often had the intention to kill or the desire to win, so they abandoned these most basic principles.
However, Gu Yanfei was different from those people!
Thinking of this, Wei Jiaoniang felt even closer to Gu Yanfei. Her smile was bright and clear as she said with a smile, "Then let's find other prey." In any case, there were many prey in the forest.
"Don't worry, I won't let you return empty-handed."
Wei Jiaoniang patted her chest proudly and was filled with confidence. She was just short of saying "I'm fond of teaching others" on her face, making Gu Yanfei laugh.
"Let's…"
Before she could say 'go', Gu Yanfei's ears twitched. She turned around warily and looked behind her right. Her eyes turned cold, and her aura was different from its relaxed state just now.
Between the trees, a gleaming white-feathered arrow was nocked to the bow. The tip was aimed at the doe, who was grazing.
The bone-chilling mountain wind sent a man's cold and heartless whisper over.
"This doe seems to have cubs…"
"That's good too. The cub must be nearby. Let's take it down together and make a set of mother and son pads."
As the man muttered to himself, his fingers casually released the bowstring.
"Swoosh!"
The white-feathered arrow tore through the air and shot quickly at the female deer under the tree.
This arrow carried a cold killing intent, colder than the winter wind.
Without thinking, Gu Yanfei took off the bull-horn bow on her back and drew a black feather arrow with her other hand. She nocked an arrow, drew the bow, and released it without hesitation.
The series of actions happened in an instant, impossibly fast, smooth, and coherent.
Her black-feathered arrow was as fast as lightning and as sharp as a blade. The arrow was extremely accurate and hit the white-feathered arrow that the man had shot.
140 Can Be Saved
Clunk!
Sparks flew as the tip of the arrow struck the tip. The white-feathered arrow was knocked an inch askew and shot into the big tree beside the doe.
The tree trembled violently, and countless fallen leaves rustled.
The female deer was frightened by the sound and bounced up like a spring.
It rushed into the forest ahead in a panic and was drowned by the bushes in the blink of an eye…
It was unknown where it had gone.
"Amazing!" Wei Jiaoniang naturally saw this scene. Her eyes lit up, and she was in high spirits.
If not for the fact that she was still riding a horse, she would have rushed over and hugged Gu Yanfei to cheer.
The arrow Gu Yanfei shot just now was simply amazing!
For a moment, Wei Jiaoniang seemed to see a majestic female general shoot down the enemy's head from hundreds of steps away.
She clapped heavily and exclaimed in her heart. Gu Yanfei's riding and shooting skills are indeed very good! I've not analyzed her wrongly. It's precisely because she has never hunted in the past that she hasn't taken action yet.
As long as I give Gu Yanfei some pointers, she will definitely surpass me. Just the two of us are enough to smile proudly at the hunting ground!
Gu Yanfei quietly looked in the direction the female deer had left. The bowstring in her hand was still buzzing slightly.
She stroked the bowstring but smiled without saying anything.
Medical cultivators were not Buddhist cultivators with a Bodhisattva's heart. They could kill and save.
Medical cultivators killed spirit beasts to obtain beast blood, animal bones, and inner cores for medicine. It was taboo to drain the pond to get at the fish. Therefore, medical cultivators didn't always kill in order to maintain the balance of the spirit beast race in the world.
A mother beast with cubs had to be saved.
The sound of hooves came from the direction of the white-feathered arrow.
Baili Yin, who was dressed in a sapphire blue robe, was the first to ride his horse out of the forest. Behind him were seven or eight guards of the State of Yue.
As these people arrived, the sounds of hooves, horse cries, human voices, and all kinds of rustling intertwined. The originally quiet forest suddenly became much noisier.
"Who is it?!" A guard from the State of Yue raised his voice unhappily and shouted with an unfriendly gaze, "Hey, the two of you…"
Baili Yin saw Gu Yanfei at a glance and only raised his hand slightly. The guard immediately fell silent, shut up, and retreated.
"Who shot my arrow away?" There was no anger on Baili Yin's slightly rough face. Instead, there was a smile on his lips, and his eyes were burning.
He was asking Gu Yanfei and Wei Jiaoniang, but his gaze was only on Gu Yanfei, as if Wei Jiaoniang did not exist.
Unable to stand these people who wanted to kill the mother beast, Wei Jiaoniang tugged at Gu Yanfei's sleeve, urging her to go.
Baili Yin's gaze slowly moved down from Gu Yanfei's beautiful face to the bow in her hand.
"Was it you?" Baili Yin rode his horse two steps closer to Gu Yanfei. His thin lips curled up even higher with a hint of interest and amazement. "You're very bold!"
A beauty with thorns was also beautiful.
Gu Yanfei was also not interested in talking to him. She only raised the bow in her hand, and the bowstring hummed again.
The intention to show off was obvious.
This action meant that if she was annoyed, she would even hit him!
Baili Yin let out a low laugh. He was still smiling, even more happily.
The guards he brought along from the State of Yue were furious.
They had long heard that these noble ladies of the Northern State of Jin were all arrogant by nature, unlike the women of the State of Yue, who were gentle, virtuous, and respectful.
Seeing them today, it was indeed the case. These two noble women were very fierce!
"Jiaoniang, let's go." Gu Yanfei carried the bow back. When she faced Wei Jiaoniang, her smile was like a spring breeze blowing through the flowers. She was a completely different person from her cold and impatient attitude towards Baili Yin.
Baili Yin widened his eyes slightly and looked at the beauty in front of him in shock. This little beauty was really a rose with thorns.
Their horses had just turned when they heard a loud, mournful whine from behind, startling a flurry of birds and rustling the distant leaves.
It was… the whine of a deer.
Gu Yanfei immediately heard it and turned to look in the direction of the voice. It was in the direction that the female deer had escaped.
"It's that deer!" Wei Jiaoniang also heard it and frowned.
The sorrow in this deer's cry was obvious, making one's imagination run wild. It was probably because the female deer had encountered something unexpected again.
"Yanfei, let's go take a look." Worried about the female deer, Wei Jiaoniang pulled the reins and steered the horse to change direction again.