Chapter 1935: Chapter 964: Mu Qingchen Learns the Truth (Part 2)
“Are they from the Tang Sect?” Gu Jiao, considering the day’s events, arrived at this conclusion.
A trace of cold light flashed in Nanshiniang’s eyes: “Yes, they are from the Tang Sect! I forced quite a bit of information out of that person’s mouth. Only then did I realize that the Tang Sect had always been resentful about my departure. Like Qun Xuan, they all believed that I secretly comprehended some extraordinary martial arts, which allowed me to master the highest martial arts of our sect. They have always wanted to capture me back.”
Gu Jiao did not ask Nanshiniang why she didn’t speak earlier; she understood Nanshiniang’s nature and her unwillingness to trouble them.
She looked at Nanshiniang and said earnestly, “Nanshiniang, leave the Tang Sect matters to me.”
Nanshiniang was taken aback as she looked at her: “What do you intend to do?”
Gu Jiao said calmly, “Level the Tang Sect to the ground!”
The Jianghu sects and the court have always stayed out of each other’s business. Even people like Qun Xuan left the Tang Sect before joining the Han Family.
Gu Jiao had no intention of troubling Jianghu sects, but the Tang Sect had overstepped by bullying Nanshiniang. They shouldn’t blame Hei Fengqi for trampling their mountain down.
“Jiaojiao…” Nanshiniang didn’t want to trouble Gu Jiao.
Gu Jiao gazed into her eyes, “Nanshiniang, the Gu Family sought me for twenty years, buying out their connection to Gu Xiaoshun. Gu Xiaoshun’s parents personally accepted two silver ingots. They were very happy. To be able to sell an incapable son for twenty years, they found it quite worthwhile.”
Nanshiniang never expected the truth behind Gu Xiaoshun’s estrangement from the Gu Family to be so unpleasant.
“You and Master Lu regard Xiaoshun as your own son. I don’t want Xiaoshun to lose such loving parents.”
Nanshiniang was silent.
Gu Jiao continued, “Moreover, when Ayan was injured back then, didn’t you both risk everything to come to Yan Country?”
Nanshiniang and Master Lu’s kindness towards the two brothers couldn’t be summed up in a few words.
Gu Jiao would not allow anyone to harm Nanshiniang.
The two sat for a while longer, and Master Lu hurried over.
Nanshiniang waved to him from the second floor, and he looked up to see his wife without a doubt. But who’s the girl opposite her?
He entered the private room.
“Are you hurt?” Nanshiniang asked.
“I’m fine, how about you?” Master Lu replied.
“I’m fine too. Take a look at who’s here?” Nanshiniang glanced at Gu Jiao and smiled, “You probably won’t recognize her.”
Master Lu gazed at Gu Jiao’s perfect and flawless face, stumbling over his words after a while: “C-could it be Jiaojiao?”
“Master Lu.” Gu Jiao greeted him with a smile.
Master Lu stumbled, bumping into the wall beside him.
It really is Jiaojiao?
Is this a new face?
No, when you look closely, the features are not much different than before. But without that birthmark, she’s like a whole new person.
“Jiaojiao’s face has healed.” Nanshiniang didn’t mention the vermillion mark.
Master Lu simply thought Gu Jiao’s medical skills were impressive and that she healed herself, which reassured him.
He doesn’t judge based on appearance, and neither does Gu Jiao, but as an elder, he still doesn’t want those unkind gazes on Gu Jiao.
Gu Jiao asked, “Master Lu, Nanshiniang, where are you living now? Is it still the previous courtyard?”
Nanshiniang said gently, “We’ve moved to the inner city, in Liucui Lane.”
Gu Jiao happily said, “That’s in the same direction as the Duke Residence; if you don’t mind, come to the Duke Residence for dinner tonight. Jingkong will surely be delighted to see you.”
The two couldn’t refuse the enthusiastic invitation. They rented a carriage nearby and went to the Duke Residence with Gu Jiao.
The three first went to Duke An’s courtyard. They didn’t see Little Jingkong, but encountered another familiar figure.
Dressed in white, a tall and handsome figure, with unparalleled elegance.
Who else could it be but the long-absent Mu Qingchen?
Mu Qingchen heard that Duke An had returned to Shengdu and immediately put aside his work to visit first.
He had just come out of Duke An’s courtyard and didn’t expect to run into…Gu Jiao at the door.
Even Nanshiniang had heard of the Hei Fengqi young commander actually being a woman, so how could someone from one of the top ten families not know?
Gu Jiao was dressed in a form-fitting long blue dress with narrow sleeves. Her figure was lithe, her waist slender, and the material was top-quality Jiaosha smokey gauze. Under the sunlight, it reflected a faint veil of light.
This smokey gauze was a specialty of Jin Country, tribute given to Her Majesty the Empress by Jin Country.
Her Majesty didn’t keep a single bolt for herself, sending it all to the Duke Residence.
How did he know all this? Because he was the one who counted and escorted the Jin tributes.
Eventually, his gaze fell on Gu Jiao’s face.
Then he froze hard.
Nanshiniang noticed the unusual atmosphere on the scene. She looked at Gu Jiao, “Jiaojiao, Master Lu and I will first…”
“Nanshiniang!”
From the courtyard suddenly came Little Jingkong’s excited voice.
Madam Nan smiled as she glanced at Gu Jiao and Mu Qingchen, saying, “Let’s go find Jingkong first, you two chat.”
Then, she pulled Master Lu aside, who seemed to want to gossip a bit, to see Jingkong.
Gu Jiao’s reaction was calmer than Mu Qingchen’s. She slightly tilted her head and greeted Mu Qingchen as if everything were normal, “Mu Qingchen.”
She used her original voice.
Mu Qingchen was stunned again.
Gu Jiao had her hands behind her back and thought for a moment, “Hmm… It’s been days since we last met, hope you’ve been well.”
Is this how people exchange pleasantries after a long separation?
Mu Qingchen took a full minute to adapt from accepting her female identity, to her appearance, and then her voice.
Countless emotions flashed in his eyes, which Gu Jiao couldn’t understand. It seemed like disbelief, yet like something else—very complicated.
“Mu Qingchen, what’s wrong?” Gu Jiao asked.
Mu Qingchen’s hand hidden in the wide sleeve gradually tightened. He walked slowly toward Gu Jiao and said in a hoarse voice, “I’m here today not only to visit Duke An, but also to find you for something.”
Gu Jiao raised an eyebrow, “Looking for me? What’s the matter?”
Mu Qingchen looked around, “There are too many people and eyes here, let’s talk privately.”
The shadows of the Duke Residence had already been cleared, leaving only those who could be trusted.
Gu Jiao gave him a curious look, “Alright, wait for me a moment.”
She went into the courtyard, arranged for Madam Nan, Master Lu, and Duke An to meet, and then went with Mu Qingchen to a secluded pavilion in the Duke Residence.
Gu Jiao stood in the pavilion and said to him, “You can speak now.”
Mu Qingchen hesitated for a moment and took out a cloth doll from his wide sleeve.
It was a truly frightening doll, with a bloody mouth, sharp teeth, blind eyes, and bald hair.
Memories that Gu Jiao had put aside flooded back—she had made such dolls in her past life.
“Yinyin gave it to me,” Mu Qingchen said, looking into Gu Jiao’s eyes.
Gu Jiao was stunned for a moment and then knowingly took the doll, “You know everything.”
“The National Master told me,” Mu Qingchen clenched his fist, a layer of bitterness surged in his heart, “You didn’t lie to me, you said you would come back… And you truly did come back…”
Gu Jiao’s memory of Jing Yinyin wasn’t complete. She couldn’t remember what Mu Qingchen was saying, but one thing was certain: If Jing Yinyin could say that sentence, it meant she had mastered the secret of crossing over.
She knew she could return here.
“Yinyin’s health was never good,” Mu Qingchen said, “The purplegrass poison never completely fused with her. Back then, the King sent people to assassinate Yinyin, but actually, her real cause of death was the purplegrass poison.”
Even such things were told to Mu Qingchen by the National Master.
Gu Jiao asked, “About Jing Yinyin, do you know anything else? For example, her other identity?”
“You mean her?” Mu Qingchen looked at her with a complex expression.
It seemed he didn’t know about the Shadow Master’s matters.
Gu Jiao returned the cloth doll to him.
“You won’t take it back?” Mu Qingchen asked.
“It’s a gift to you,” Gu Jiao said.
Mu Qingchen held the doll that had accompanied him for more than ten years, his chest surged with unresolved emotions, “If… I mean, if…”
Before he could finish, Gu Jiao stepped forward and gently hugged him.
Mu Qingchen’s entire body stiffened, his eyes widened in disbelief.
Gu Jiao said, “This is from Yinyin to you.”
Mu Qingchen’s body tensed, but his arms began to tremble slightly, his eyes involuntarily reddened, he raised his head, forcing the tears back.
He raised his arm, wanting to embrace his Yinyin.
But his hand stopped in mid-air, an inch away from her.
After all, he was too late.
Gu Jiao withdrew her hand and looked at him earnestly, “Mu Qingchen, thank you.”
Thank you for protecting Yinyin, and thank you for taking care of Duke An.
Mu Qingchen quickly composed himself and said casually, “I’ve said what I needed to, you should go see Duke An, don’t keep him waiting, I should be going too.”
Gu Jiao said, “I’ll see you off.”
Mu Qingchen said, “No need, you go ahead.”
“Well, alright.”
Gu Jiao bid him farewell and turned to leave the pavilion.
Watching that figure gradually disappear into the twilight, Mu Qingchen finally couldn’t resist, turned around, closed his eyes, and a drop of hot tear fell down.