Jiangshan Fengwuzhi

Chapter 195 The survivors
At night, crying sounds were heard again in the Marshal's Mansion in Jusai City.

The temporary wet nurse quickly picked up the half-year-old Lu Anran and fed him milk, but after just a short while, the child started crying again. It was not until Gu Jingnian reached out to take the baby that the crying suddenly stopped.

"This child has recognized his uncle."

The nurse said this angrily, and retreated. When she reached the door, she saw someone coming and quickly bowed and said, "Madam, the eldest young master."

"I came to see Si Niang's child. My late husband and Si Niang were siblings, so we were very close. But now, given the situation, I, as her aunt, am here too late."

"Yes, Madam, please."

The person who came was Miao Chunniang. Today she was finally not wearing her mourning clothes anymore. She had returned to her normal attire, and she looked even more stunning.

As soon as she entered the door, she saw Gu Jingnian yawning.

"What's wrong? Are you sleepy?" Miao Chunniang said, "You are also a sleepyhead. Let me hold you."

"She recognizes people, and will cry if someone hugs her."

Although Gu Jingnian was sleepy, he shook his head.

He knew that Miao Chunniang was Zhao Boheng's spy to find out about the Gu family's misfortune, so he said calmly, "If you have something to say, just say it."

"I guess you don't trust me." Miao Chunniang said, "I guess she doesn't like the smell of the maid's milk, so make some rice porridge for her."

Seeing that Lu Anran was unwilling to sleep, Gu Jingnian ordered his servants to make some rice porridge to try.

After a while, a large bowl of rice porridge was brought up. Gu Jingnian scooped a spoonful and ate it himself. After making sure it was not poisonous, he prepared to feed it to the child.

"How can you feed her like this? You'll burn her." Miao Chunniang said, "Let me do it."

She took the spoon, told Gu Jingnian to hold the child well, scooped a small spoonful, and fed it to Lu Anran after it cooled down.

Under the night light, the two of them took care of the child in this way. The atmosphere was quiet, with occasional "ah" sounds from the adults coaxing the child, and occasional children's laughter.

"I have fed the child before. Do you know who it was?" Miao Chunniang said.

"Who?"

"You." Miao Chunniang said, "You were about this age when we were in the prisoner-of-war camp. I was three or four years old, and I watched them feed you vegetable soup."

Gu Jingnian asked, "You remember everything? Or did you make it up?"

"I have an exceptionally good memory, better than most people."

"Why don't you just tell me what your purpose is?"

"At least I have no hostility towards you. I said, you are also half Vietnamese."

"My mother is a traitor to the Kingdom of Yue."

Miao Chunniang smiled bitterly and said, "The country has been destroyed, and there are only a few people of the same origin and race left. Why should we distinguish between rebels? I heard that year, your mother and the princess were both captured by the Rui army, and they helped each other. After all, after knowing that the demise of Yue was a conspiracy of the Rui country, they realized that they should unite to fight against the outside world."

Gu Jingnian sneered and said, "When I met Wei Li in Yongjing, her first reaction was to kill me."

"Gu Beiming hurt the princess too deeply."

"So, you want to win me over?"

"I've been trying to win you over for a long time."

Miao Chunniang looked into Gu Jingnian's eyes with her autumn-watery eyes, and he instantly understood what kind of lingering situation the "winning over" she was talking about was.

Gu Jingnian turned his head and said calmly, "I'm not interested in your affairs."

"In fact, I deliberately let Gu Jizu come up with the idea of having a child with you."

"what?"

"I wanted to have a child with you, to inherit your self-healing power, and to let him call on the remaining members of the 'Undead Army'. Perhaps, I could influence you and let you inherit your mother's legacy. Unfortunately, I never got pregnant."

"What is my mother's last wish?"

"Protect the Yue people."

“It’s all gone to ashes.”

Miao Chunniang did not continue to persuade him. She just glanced at Gu Jingnian, smiled slightly, and whispered: "No matter what, I have never regretted it."

As they were talking, they finished feeding the rice porridge.

"Let me hold you." Miao Chunniang said, "Trust me, I have no hostility towards you."

She finally picked up Lu Anran and patted her back to coax her to sleep. Strangely, Lu Anran didn't make any noise and fell asleep quickly with her eyes closed.

Gu Jingnian yawned again and sat there watching, not daring to relax his eyes.

"Can you tell me what you did to Gu Beiming?" Miao Chunniang asked.

“Under house arrest.”

"Things have changed in the Gu family. Now that the princess has found her daughter, and my identity has been exposed by you, it's time for me to leave."

"Well." Gu Jingnian said, "Even if you didn't come today, I wouldn't let you stay to inquire about the Gu family."

"I'll go with you, okay?"

"Why?" "We can cooperate." Miao Chunniang said, "I can help you with anything you want to do."

As if jokingly, she added, "At least I can help you take care of the children."

Gu Jingnian asked: "What are the conditions?"

"What we want is very simple. As Qiu Funan's son, you will help us win the support of the remaining Undead Army at a certain time."

Gu Jingnian asked: "Is this really useful?"

"It's useful, because your ability is very strong, and the strong can always convince others."

After hearing these words, Gu Jingnian realized that he had become strong enough to be wooed by various forces.

He did not comment on Miao Chunniang's proposal, but he did not object either. He was still observing the positions and attitudes of these Yue survivors.

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Two days later, Gu Jize returned to Jusai City and submitted a petition stating that his father was ill, but in fact he was asking the court to reward him with the title and military power.

Gu Jingnian was preparing to return to Beijing with Dong Cailiang's team.

On this trip, their apparent mission was successfully completed, stopping Gu Beiming from holding Yin Kuo hostage in rebellion.

As to whether there are actually any unfulfilled regrets, everyone knows it in their hearts.

Dong Cailiang did not forget the trouble he had caused, and soon after leaving the city, he reminded him, "Marquis Chengye, an emperor has also escaped."

"I know where the people who were escorting them were."

"It's at Huguanyi."

"Let me ask a few questions."

Although Gu Jingnian said this, he did not ask the question himself, but asked Miao Chunniang to do it for him.

It was also the first time he saw how Miao Chunniang pried into other people's memories.

Perhaps Miao Chunniang's supernatural power was not strong, and she could not make people enter a trance state with just her eyes, but she did it with a gentle shaking of her fingers.

After the person was in a trance, the method of prying into the memory was not particularly magical. She just asked one question at a time, and the other party answered everything.

At that time, the soldier who was escorting Yin Kuo said something that caught Gu Jingnian's attention.

"We were cut by the Princess's wind blade, and the Emperor sucked the blood of two of us."

Salamanders do not usually feed on human blood. If they do, it is probably for one purpose: to produce more mucus so that they can be resurrected by splitting into two.

Gu Jingnian then pondered and said, "It seems that he may have become two or even more."

Dong Cailiang was panicked when he heard this and asked, "What should we do then?"

"If this is the case, we may never be able to catch him."

Dong Cailiang was worried that he would have to bear the consequences of this matter, so he pulled Gu Jingnian aside and whispered, "Marquis Chengye, if the emperor is out there... and reproduces outside, the court will inevitably find out that the person was lost in my hands. What should we do?"

Gu Jingnian thought for a moment and said, "Don't worry, His Majesty won't blame you."

Dong Cailiang stroked his beard and thought carefully. He was able to understand a little bit, but he couldn't help feeling uneasy.

They took a flying carriage from Huguanyi and arrived in Yongjing a few days later.

Dong Cailiang first went into the palace to report to Yin Yuhe what he had seen and heard during this trip. He did not dare to say that he had lost Yin Kuo, but only told about Gu Jingnian's massacre in the refining field. Finally, he prostrated himself on the ground, waiting for Yin Yuhe to speak.

"Please stand up, Lord Dong." Yin Yuhe seemed very generous and said gently, "The results of your work are far beyond my expectations. You did a great job."

"I feel ashamed of my failure to help Your Majesty achieve your wish." Dong Cailiang said.

"What kind of wish is that? I am just compromising with Gu Beiming for the sake of the overall situation." Yin Yuhe said, "You and Cheng Yehou did a good job. You destroyed the refining field so that I don't have to compromise. Good!"

After saying that, a relieved smile appeared on his face.

Dong Cailiang looked up and saw the situation. He breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Your Majesty is wise."

"My dear minister, you have been exhausted from the journey. Please go back and rest. I will give you a banquet later."

"Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty."

As Yin Yuhe watched Dong Cailiang retreat, the smile on his face gradually faded and his expression became ugly.

He stood up and walked to the back of the hall. He raised his hand to stop the palace servants who wanted to follow him, changed into black clothes by himself, opened the secret passage in the bedroom, and walked into the underground palace.

The underground palace has been abandoned, but there is still a door made of obsidian standing at the stone steps.

Yin Yuhe walked through the door and entered a small courtyard.

The courtyard was quiet and deserted. There was a pavilion at the back. Climbing the stairs to the pavilion, a beautiful woman was sitting by the railing making tea.

"I was thinking maybe you wouldn't dare to come again." The beautiful woman said slowly, "Last time, Gu Jingnian and your daughter brought people to search here."

After saying that, she raised her head and it was Wei Li.

(End of this chapter)