Jiangshan Fengwuzhi

Chapter 189 Hostage Exchange (I)

Wanren City stood majestically, and the wind blew through the two high cliffs, making a loud noise.

Gu Jingnian flew above the city, and his flaming wings were deformed by the wind and almost extinguished. This was because he was too tired, and it was also obvious that the terrain here was too steep and also posed a restriction to ordinary people.

He struggled to land on the top of the city wall, and immediately soldiers with knives surrounded him. They found that it was Master Gu Shiyi who returned, and hurried to report to Gu Jize.

When the two brothers met, the first thing Gu Jingnian asked was, "Is he still here?"

"You worry too much." Gu Jize said, "I'm watching very closely."

"I have agreed with Ruiting that we will replace him in Taoling City in ten days."

Gu Jize nodded and said, "Father hasn't shown up for ten days. I'm worried that the army's morale will be unstable. Lu Maoxiu has already returned to Jusai City."

"Have you taken all of father's seals?"

"good."

"I gave an order in my father's name. He went on a tour to the east to guard against the Swiss army." Gu Jingnian said, "Mobilize some troops to the vicinity of Taoling City to exert pressure and provide support."

Gu Jize was thinking the same thing, nodded, and said, "It is also my wish to rescue Si Niang, I will do my best. Have you thought about how to ensure your father's safety when the time comes?"

Gu Jingnian really didn’t think that Rui Ting would kill Gu Beiming. Those people had been hiding for many years, and Gu Beiming obviously still had a lot of important things in his hands.

But he couldn't show that he didn't care about Gu Beiming's life in front of Gu Jize, so he didn't express his opinion and asked, "What do you think, Fourth Brother?"

"You are an expert in disguise. How about disguising yourself as a fake father?"

"If this is feasible, why would I go to so much trouble?" Gu Jingnian said, "I learned the art of disguise from the Swiss country. How could they not see through it?"

"Then we will have no choice but to seize them by force."

Gu Jize motioned Gu Jingnian to go to the tower with him. He pondered for a moment and said slowly, "From a longer-term perspective, what do you think the Gu family should do after this incident?"

Gu Jingnian really hadn't thought about the Gu family. He planned to go to Woye with Yingyao and Fengniang after rescuing Gu Caiwei. But since Gu Jize asked this, it was obvious that he had already made up his mind. So he shook his head and waited for the next step.

"I can't bear to see my father turn Yong into a hell on earth like Yue, and I don't want to abandon the Gu family's ambition to unify Zhongzhou for generations. After thinking about it, there is only one way to have the best of both worlds, which is to support a wise leader who truly shares our ambitions." Gu Jize said, and asked, "Do you know who I'm talking about?"

"Who?"

"How is Yin Jinggeng?"

Gu Jingnian then understood Gu Jize's thoughts and responded, "He is talented and reliable, and is better than the old man who sits on the throne of Yong and Rui. But if Fourth Brother wants to join him, Father will not agree."

Gu Beiming's attitude towards Yin Jinggeng had already been very clear; he wanted to get rid of him as soon as possible.

"If father doesn't agree, we will try to persuade him." Gu Jize said, "Let me be frank. After this incident, I want father to rest. You and I will take care of the Gu family and the Xiaoyi Army. What do you think?"

It was said to be "recuperation", but in fact it was house arrest. After all, Gu Jize was a man who had been fighting in the battlefield for many years. He used to be filial and pedantic, but once he encountered trouble, he would be decisive and murderous.

"I definitely support Fourth Brother's idea." Gu Jingnian said, "I am a free-spirited person and have no intention of staying in the army for a long time. Fourth Brother, just tell me if there is anything I can do to help."

Gu Jize said, "Okay, I plan to get rid of Yin Kuo as a token of my sincerity to the Crown Prince. Can you help me liaise?"

"can."

"By then, there will inevitably be people in the army who will not obey me. You are very powerful. Can you help me suppress them?"

"of course."

"Okay!" Gu Jize said, "I have only one condition. After you rescue Si Niang, you must do your best to help me get my father back."

Gu Jingnian was a little surprised, because when the topic came to this point, he suspected that Gu Jize was planning to send Gu Beiming to death. Once Gu Beiming died, Gu Jize would naturally be able to take control of the Gu family smoothly. What he said just now "taking people by force" meant forcing Ruiting to kill Gu Beiming.

Seeing the doubt in Gu Jingnian's eyes, Gu Jize's face became more serious and he said sincerely: "I really want to get my father back. Whether you believe it or not, I am definitely not a villain who betrays my father for power."

As he spoke, he frowned, showing a hint of pain.

"I have ambitions and persistence, and I want to abide by the principles of loyalty and filial piety, but the world does not go as one wishes. I want to find a way out of all the difficulties, so I decided to do this, but I will never let my father die."

Gu Jize's eyes were full of earnestness.

Gu Jingnian didn't think it was important. People judge deeds, not hearts. No matter what Gu Jize thinks, when he puts Gu Beiming under house arrest and takes charge of the Gu family, no one will care about his filial piety. "What are your plans, Fourth Brother?"

"Within ten days, Lu Maoxiu and others will definitely find out something and suspect that we have put father under house arrest." Gu Jize said, "Then we will tell them where father is..."

Gu Jingnian quickly understood.

Drive away wolves and swallow tigers.

Gu Jize wanted to get rid of Gu Beiming's confidants, cut off the hand of Kaiping Division that was strangling the Gu family, win him over, and then defect to Yin Jinggeng.

If this plan goes well, perhaps the Gu family can get rid of alchemy and return to the right track of loyal ministers and good generals assisting a wise ruler to unify Zhongzhou.

The idea is a bit naive, but Gu Jingnian is willing to accompany Gu Jize to give it a try.

For the next five days, all affairs in Wanren City were arranged by Gu Jize. Gu Jingnian just rested, eating and sleeping every day, in order to restore his strength when exchanging hostages.

Five days later, the troops dispatched by Gu Jize arrived, and they set off for Taoling City on the border between the two countries.

A journey of more than 500 miles was not far for these brave cavalrymen. In less than three days of marching, they had arrived at the border, stationed troops in Beacon City, and looked at Taoling City opposite from afar.

The troops of both sides confronted each other and the atmosphere suddenly became tense.

The hostage exchange was to take place the next day, and on the evening of that day, a cloud of dust rose on the official road in the west. It turned out that Lu Maoxiu had led his men to catch up with them. He questioned Gu Jize why he had led troops to provoke the Rui State without authorization, and asked to see Gu Beiming.

"What a coincidence."

When Gu Jize heard that Lv Maoxiu was coming, he was not panicked, but relieved and said, "I will go and hold Lv Maoxiu back, you take father to pick up Si Niang."

Gu Jingnian asked, "Do you trust me?"

"I believe you will not watch your father die. After all, he is your father."

"What about you? Lu Maoxiu has followed the Gu family for many years. Do you have the heart to get rid of him?"

"When Uncle Geng died, he did nothing and watched him die without helping." Gu Jize nodded first, then shook his head and said, "But I didn't move him just for this."

"what is that."

"I insist that what we are doing is to pull the Gu family back from the abyss."

This sentence made Gu Jingnian understand his fourth brother better, so he said "be careful" and walked out.

He went to the place where Gu Beiming was imprisoned and took off the hat covering Gu Beiming's head, revealing his pale face that had lost all its blood color.

After the blood transfusion, Gu Beiming was much weaker than Gu Jingnian.

Gu Jingnian lost half of his blood, and Gu Beiming's body still needed to adapt to the new blood. Gu Jingnian's blood brought him many pains and diseases that he didn't originally have.

The father and son looked at each other. Gu Beiming stammered and cursed two words.

"The traitor."

"Let's go." Gu Jingnian said, "I'm going to take you back to exchange for my sister and the others. Don't complain. You owe them this."

In his eyes, the whole thing was very fair. Gu Beiming did not consider his family when he committed treason, so his family did not have to consider him either.

"No." Liang Xing said, "The Marshal is still too weak, don't move rashly."

Gu Jingnian turned around, glanced at Liang Xing calmly, and asked, "Guess how many pieces I cut you into before you die?"

Liang Xing's body trembled, and he immediately became silent.

Gu Jingnian then carried Gu Beiming out of the house, but he did not fly immediately. Instead, he rode the carriage prepared by Gu Jize to the east for a distance to make sure that Gu Beiming's subordinates would not see him. Then he ignited his fire wings and took Gu Beiming to Taoling City.

In the air, he saw that the gate of Taoling City had been opened and a group of people were slowly walking out of the city.

The leader was riding a tall horse with a mask on half of his face. It was Min Yuanxiu.

Behind Min Yuanxiu was a carriage. Gu Caiwei and her daughter might be in it...

(End of this chapter)