Chapter 1944: Chapter 968: Stunning Beauty (Part 2)
Isn’t it a bit exaggerated to send fifty thousand troops just to attack a secret clan?
Gu Jiao blinked and asked, “Do all of you want to attack the Tang Sect?”
“Yes!”
Everyone straightened their backs, speaking in unison, their morale resounding to the heavens!
Gu Jiao oh-ed and said, “Alright then, since you all want to go, go ahead. On the way, you can also eliminate bandits; I heard that area is plagued by bandits, so it’s also doing something good for the common people.”
Cheng Fugui got promoted. He’s Black Wind Camp’s Tiger General, ranking the highest below Gu Jiao and Xuanyuan Qi.
He asked righteously, “Young Commander, when will we set out?”
Gu Jiao said, “The exact departure time needs to be confirmed with the Grand Marshal.”
Cheng Fugui hesitated, “Why… do we need to ask the Grand Marshal? Isn’t Young Commander you going?”
Gu Jiao said seriously, “I’m not going. I have another important task that requires me to go to Dark Night Island. I originally wanted to choose a cavalry to accompany me, but since you all want to eliminate bandits, I’ll just mobilize troops from the Shadow Division.”
Cheng Fugui was tongue-tied.
Are you kidding me—they’re not going to war with the Young Commander?
What’s so good about the Grand Marshal?
Young Commander is soft and adorable!
The fifty thousand troops were inwardly crying a storm, their intestines regretting it to the core!
…
Gu Jiao and Xiao Hen stayed in Shengdu for a month.
During that time, they visited all the acquaintances and mentors they knew in Shengdu, including the president and martial teachers of Tianqiong Academy, and also old classmates and teammates.
No one could believe that the brave Xiao Liulang was actually a girl and even born beautiful as a flower.
“The birthmark from before was intentionally drawn, right? To disguise as a man?” In the pavilion of the Academy, Mu Chuan looked at Gu Jiao’s face and said.
Opposite Gu Jiao sat Yuan Xiao and Zhao Wei.
Except for Mu Qingchen, all members of the former five-member polo team were here.
Gu Jiao smiled, “If you say so, then yes.”
No point in telling you that it was cinnabar.
Yuan Xiao and Zhao Wei were somewhat embarrassed, not for anything else but for those times they had Xiao Liulang take them to the brothel.
Thinking about it now, they were really silly.
“Ahem.” To cut the awkwardness, Zhao Wei brought up a new topic, “I heard Zhong Ding returned to Zhao Country, Zhou Tong transferred, and since you left Academy, Young Master Qingchen hasn’t come to class anymore.”
“My fourth brother went to war! Right, Liulang!” Mu Chuan smiled at Gu Jiao, still accustomed to calling her Xiao Liulang.
Gu Jiao didn’t mind the nickname; she nodded, “That’s right, we’ve been at the border pass for a long time.”
“But after the war ended, he didn’t come back to class.” Zhao Wei sighed, “I occasionally pass by Mingxin Hall and see the seats you both used to occupy remain vacant, left by our classmates for you two. However, you probably… won’t return to class anymore, right?”
A sense of melancholy arose in everyone’s hearts.
Yuan Xiao reminisced, “Thinking about our polo matches, it feels like yesterday. Remember those Shaolin Warrior Monks? Didn’t they break Mu Chuan’s arm? Thank goodness for Liulang, or winning or losing would be minor, becoming crippled as a group would be major. Actually, back then we should’ve seen that Liulang was not someone ordinary.”
Mu Chuan suddenly laughed, “Liulang deliberately threw the match against Jianan Academy for the second place prize of a thousand taels of gold. Later, when Liulang wasn’t around, our academy naturally took second place, but unfortunately, I got nosy and traded the reward for an audience with the Emperor with Jianan Academy students.”
Zhao Wei looked at him disdainfully, “You knew Liulang wanted gold?”
Mu Chuan sighed, “I found out later.”
Yuan Xiao corrected, “It wasn’t ten thousand taels, it was a thousand taels. When did it start getting misreported, making everyone think the prize was ten thousand taels?”
Gu Jiao crossed her arms, darkened her face looking at Mu Chuan, “I still very much want to hit you right now.”
Mu Chuan: “…”
“Wine’s here! Wine’s here!”
Martial Teacher energetically walked over carrying two large jugs of top-grade liquor.
He squeezed Yuan Xiao aside and sat next to Gu Jiao with a thump, smiling at the others, “I’ve been saving this daughter’s red wine for twenty years; didn’t even bring it out when my daughter got married! Today, we drink without stopping!”
…
“Are you really not going to join in for a drink?”
Near the pavilion, beside a fake mountain, Tianqiong Academy’s Cen President asked Mu Qingchen who was standing next to him.
In the pavilion, the others were drinking and enjoying their camaraderie.
Mu Qingchen quietly watched, speaking calmly, “No.”
Since he missed it, he shouldn’t disturb her again.
Mu Chuan drank heavily, monopolizing a large jug, afraid of being chased; he paced around the pavilion drunkenly saying, “Liulang, you know? My sister… Su Xue… Su Family’s third miss… she’s gotten married!”
“She thought you were a man… she said she’d only marry you… but my fourth brother also… also likes you… you said you… clearly a man… how did it come to both siblings… falling for you…”
“Ah… no… you’re a woman… Su Xue found out… she cried so hard… cried and then married…”
“You, you, you… have you drunk enough? No… don’t take the jug away…” Zhao Wei, equally drunk, chased after Mu Chuan.
Mu Chuan stuck his tongue out at him, “I won’t share with you… Not gonna share… If you have what it takes, take it…”
The group drank until they were swaying.
Martial Teacher lay on the ground, and Yuan Xiao’s head rested on his belly.
Gu Jiao was long gone; she lay on the table, her cheeks red, sleeping peacefully.
Cen President had already left.
Mu Qingchen stood alone in the moonlight, his gaze never wavering from Gu Jiao for even a moment.
Seeing Mu Chuan about to wake Gu Jiao for another drink, Mu Qingchen couldn’t hold back anymore.
He clenched his fists and walked out from behind the fake mountain, heading towards the pavilion.
Unexpectedly, after just a few steps, a moonlit figure came out from another direction.
The person walked into the pavilion, stopping Mu Chuan from urging more drinks, causing Mu Chuan to fall backward, clutching the jug and falling asleep.
He bent down softly and whispered in Gu Jiao’s ear, “Jiaojiao.”
“Hmm?” Gu Jiao drowsily opened her eyes, first the left then the right, a handsome face like jade appeared in view.
She smiled, “Ahen…”
“Let’s go home,” Xiao Hen said softly.
“Carry me,” Gu Jiao said tipsily.
“Alright.” Xiao Hen extended his strong arms around her back and legs, gently lifting her up.
Gu Jiao nestled against his firm chest, quiet like a gentle kitten.
Mu Qingchen’s fist clenched tightly.
On the ground, Mu Chuan murmured indistinctly, “Liulang… this might be… my last time… drinking with you… Mu Family…”
The Mu Family is falling.
He would no longer be a prestigious Young Master of Shengdu.
Back then, she was an unknown student from a lesser country, looked down upon by everyone, while he was an exalted Mu Family disciple, flattered by everyone.
In two years, he was about to become a prisoner, while she had become the noble Young Commander and Prince Consort.
He looked at the bright moon in the sky, tears of laughter, “Life… is really unpredictable… we probably… can’t be friends anymore…”
Xiao Hen paused, glanced at the already asleep-in-his-arms Gu Jiao who hadn’t heard any of what Mu Chuan said, and walked into the night without looking back.