Huang Rong from The Return of the Condor Heroes: Brother Jing, let's get a divorce.

In the back garden of the Guo family mansion, Wu Dunru and Wu Xiuwen were leisurely drinking tea while sitting on a stone bench.

Both of them had changed into brand-new silk robes, and their belts were adorned with newly purchased jade pendants.

With five hundred taels of silver in his pocket, he stood up straighter than usual.

Guo Fu carried over a plate of pastries and gently placed it on the stone table.

"Brother Da Wu, Brother Xiao Wu, please try this osmanthus cake. It was just made in the kitchen," Guo Fu said with a smile.

Wu Xiuwen reached out, picked up a piece, put it in his mouth, chewed it a couple of times, and praised it repeatedly.

"The pastries that Fu-mei brought are so delicious!"

"When the jewelry shops on the street open tomorrow, my brother and I will take you to pick out two fine beaded flowers."

"We have money on hand now, you can choose whatever you want!" Wu Xiuwen said loudly, patting his chest.

Guo Fu sat down on the stone bench next to her with a happy expression.

"You are now the greatest heroes of the city. When I went out this morning, I heard the whole city praising you."

Wu Dunru picked up his teacup, took a sip, and waved his hand dismissively.

"What's that? Just three hundred Mongol Tartars."

"You didn't see what happened last night. In the middle of the night, the Tartars charged at us with gleaming scimitars."

"My brother and I didn't even blink before leading our men in and charging in. I didn't stop until my sword was completely worn down."

Wu Dunru spoke without changing his expression or skipping a beat.

Wu Xiuwen echoed his sentiments from the side.

"That's right. If those carts of gunpowder hadn't suddenly exploded, we brothers could have captured all the Tartars' weapons."

"Sister Fu, when it comes to something as important as fighting a war, we still have to rely on our own brothers. We can't trust outsiders at all."

Guo Fu sensed something was off about his words and asked him a question out of curiosity.

"Brother Xiaowu, who are you referring to as an outsider?"

Wu Xiuwen pursed his lips and gave a heavy snort.

"Who else could it be but Yang Guo, of course?"

"He was full of wicked ideas when he was on Peach Blossom Island, and he was always finding ways to slack off."

"He's still the same now that he's in Xiangyang, hiding in the city all day and never seen, not doing anything worthwhile."

"If he had dared to come out of the city with us last night and seen so many bloodstained sabers, he probably would have been so scared that his legs would have gone weak on the spot, and he might have even been hiding behind us and begging for help."

Wu Dunru burst into laughter.

"Xiuwen is absolutely right. Yang Guo is just a smooth talker."

"Fu-mei, think about it. He spends all his time with Cheng Ying and Lu Wushuang. What kind of trouble can those three sickly people possibly get together with?"

"Killing the enemy on the battlefield depends on real skill, not on a clean-skinned face."

Guo Fu sat on the stone bench, listening to these words, and felt inexplicably uneasy.

The image of Yang Guo on Zhongnan Mountain flashed involuntarily through her mind.

Although Yang Guo was usually sarcastic and often teased her, he didn't seem like a coward at all.

"Yang Guo's martial arts skills are actually quite high; even the Taoists of the Quanzhen Sect can't beat him," Guo Fu couldn't help but whisper in defense of Yang Guo.

Upon hearing this, Wu Xiuwen felt a surge of anger. He couldn't stand Guo Fu praising Yang Guo in front of him.

"What are those old Taoist priests from the Quanzhen Sect? They meditate and chant scriptures on the mountain every day. If they really encountered Mongol soldiers, they'd run faster than anyone else!"

"Fu-mei, you're just too naive and easily fooled by his sweet talk."

"Yang Guo is all talk and no action. If he were truly capable, why doesn't he go to the city walls to fight and earn merit?"

"Why is he afraid to go to Black Wind Valley with us brothers? To put it bluntly, he's a coward!"

Guo Fu was rendered speechless by Wu Xiuwen's rapid-fire remarks.

She bit her lip, thought about it carefully, and felt that what Da Wu and Xiao Wu said seemed to make some sense.

Father is busy fighting against the Mongol army every day, but Yang Guo has been in Xiangyang for so long and has not been seen doing anything serious.

Thinking of this, Guo Fu felt inexplicably irritated and stood up.

"I'm going to see my mother. You guys take your time eating."

After saying that, she walked out of the back garden without looking back.

Wu Dunru and Wu Xiuwen watched Guo Fu's departing figure, exchanged a glance, and both revealed a smug expression on their faces.

Outside the front gate at this time.

Guo Jing was wearing a somewhat worn suit of armor and holding his little red horse by the hand.

Thirty fully armed guards stood quietly at the bottom of the steps, leading their warhorses and waiting to depart.

Huang Rong, holding a blue cloak, slowly walked out from the threshold.

She handed the cloak to Li Erniu, the lieutenant who was standing by, and gestured for him to drape it over Guo Jing's horse.

"Brother Jing, are you leaving already? Why not rest for another day?" Huang Rong asked softly, her eyes full of concern.

Guo Jing's face was extremely gloomy, and he shook his head in a muffled voice.

"I'm not resting anymore. Staying in the mansion just makes me feel suffocated."

"I was passing by the back garden just now when I heard those two wicked disciples shouting and bragging inside. I almost slapped them several times."

"I'm afraid if I stay any longer, I might really lose my temper and beat them both to death."

Huang Rong sighed softly, walked up to Guo Jing, and gently reached out to straighten the edges of his armor.

"The city needs this victory to stabilize morale; just bear with it and it will pass."

"Once things calm down, I'll find a reason to send them to manage the grain supplies, so they won't be hanging around in front of you."

Guo Jing gripped the horse's reins tightly, his brows furrowed into a knot.

"Rong'er, we defend Xiangyang based on the four words: uprightness and integrity."

"The soldiers defending the city are risking their lives on the city walls, but we, as the commanders-in-chief, have such absurd and fraudulent things happening at home. I really can't get over this."

"I'm going out to inspect several camps in the surrounding area, and I'll also go to Fancheng to discuss some matters with General Wang Jian. Please keep a close eye on the city's defenses."

Huang Rong knew Guo Jing's temperament well.

Once he's made up his mind, not even nine oxen could pull him back.

This incident has truly wronged him.

"Are thirty personal guards enough for you? The Mongols suffered a great loss this time, and they might set up ambushes around the area."

"Be careful on your journey, and never rush forward alone," Huang Rong gently advised.

Guo Jing mounted his horse, sat steadily in the saddle, and looked down at Huang Rong.

"Don't worry, I can walk around this area of ​​several hundred miles with my eyes closed."

"If the Tartars really dare to provoke me, I'll take my anger out on them. You stay in the city and take good care of yourself."

After saying that, Guo Jing squeezed the horse's belly with both legs.

"drive!"

With a neigh, the red horse reared up and galloped away along the long bluestone street.

Upon seeing this, the thirty guards immediately mounted their horses and followed closely behind.

Huang Rong stood on the steps outside the mansion gate, silently watching Guo Jing's figure disappear completely around the street corner.

She gently rubbed her slightly sore eyes before turning and walking towards the door.

Now she has a lot of worries on her mind.

The mysterious deaths of the Mongol soldiers, Yang Guo's whereabouts, and Guo Jing's safety on this journey...

All these variables combined to make her feel a throbbing pain in her temples.

Huang Rong walked straight back to the front hall.

She walked to the armchair, sat down, and took a sip of the tea that had long since gone cold.

The cool tea flowed down her throat and into her stomach, finally calming her agitated mind a little.

She had just put down her teacup when Guo Fu burst in from outside.

Seeing her daughter's unhappy face, Huang Rong's brows furrowed even more.

"Mother! What exactly happened between you and Father?" Guo Fu walked up to Huang Rong in a few steps.

"Brother Dawu and the others have made such great contributions, yet not only do you not hold a banquet to celebrate, Father even left the city with a dark face just now."

"Are you deliberately trying to make yourselves dislike them?"

Huang Rong already had a splitting headache, and when she heard Guo Fu's loud and boisterous questioning, her voice turned cold.

"Your father has military duties to attend to and has gone out of the city to inspect the camps."

"As for the banquet, I know what I'm doing. You should stay in the backyard and not cause any trouble here."

Guo Fu, however, persisted and grabbed Huang Rong's sleeve.

"Mother! You're clearly showing favoritism!"

"You always complain that Brother Da Wu and the others are not good at martial arts, but now that they have killed three hundred Tartars in one go, you still have this cold attitude."

"If it were Yang Guo who killed three hundred Tartars, wouldn't you be overjoyed and celebrating throughout the city?"

Huang Rong turned her head and looked at her with icy eyes.

"What does this have to do with Yang Guo? Stop talking nonsense."

Seeing her mother so protective of Yang Guo, Guo Fu felt a surge of resentment and anger well up inside her.

"What, it's alright now?"

"Mother, you and Father were discussing betrothing me to Yang Guo, but Yang Guo himself said that Aunt Cheng was his fiancée."

"I'm putting this down right now: I will never marry someone like Yang Guo in my entire life!"

Seeing Guo Fu's unreasonable and argumentative behavior, Huang Rong suppressed her anger and asked in a cold voice:

"What exactly did Yang Guo do to you?"

Guo Fu raised her chin and shouted loudly:

"He's a coward, a useless piece of trash who only knows how to hide behind women!"

"Brother Da Wu is absolutely right. If Yang Guo had led the troops out of the city last night, he probably would have wet his pants in fear!"

"He doesn't even have the courage to go into battle and fight the enemy. He hides in the city every day, too ashamed to face anyone. What kind of hero is he!"

Hearing Guo Fu call her a "coward" and a "useless coward" over and over again, Huang Rong's long-suppressed anger finally exploded.

She slammed her hand on the tea table beside her.

"Bang!"

A dull, loud bang echoed through the hall.

The teacup that had narrowly escaped Guo Jing's attack that morning ultimately could not escape its fate. It was sent flying high into the air by Huang Rong's palm strike, crashing heavily onto the blue brick floor and shattering into countless pieces.

Guo Fu was so frightened by her mother's sudden outburst of anger that she trembled and instinctively took two steps back, staring blankly at Huang Rong.

She had never seen her mother so angry before.

Huang Rong pointed at Guo Fu's nose and scolded her sternly:

"Did you only have a brain to vent your anger on?"

"You believe everything others say? As their teacher's wife, I know their true worth a hundred times better than you do!"

"I can guess with my eyes closed exactly how skilled they are and what they'll be like on the battlefield."

"And you, oblivious to being used as a pawn, come yelling and screaming in front of me!"

Guo Fu's eyes instantly reddened, and tears of grievance welled up inside.

"I'm not making this up! Yang Guo never went to kill the Tartars; he just didn't have the guts!"

"Shut up!" Huang Rong shouted, cutting her off sharply.

Huang Rong was so angry that her chest heaved violently, and her finger pointing at Guo Fu trembled slightly.

"What do you know about killing Tartars?"

"You think killing Tartars is as simple as standing in the back garden and showing off a few fancy moves?"

"You eat the Guo family's food, wear the Guo family's clothes, and have been pampered by everyone since you were little. Besides being jealous and causing trouble, what else can you do?"

"What right do you have to point fingers at others!"

Guo Fu was so scolded that she couldn't lift her head, and tears streamed down her face.

But Huang Rong's anger had clearly not subsided.

"You keep calling Yang Guo a coward, but let me tell you, even if Yang Guo were truly afraid of death, he still had far more backbone than you!"

"If you ever dare to say another bad word about him in front of me, I'll slap you right here and now!"

Guo Fu stared at Huang Rong in disbelief, then burst into tears.

She covered her face tightly with her hands, crying and shouting at Huang Rong:

"You're so biased! You always side with outsiders!"

"You turn a blind eye to the merits of Brother Da Wu and the others, while you protect Yang Guo every day even though he hasn't done anything. You're completely unreasonable!"

"I'm never talking to you again!"

After saying that, Guo Fu turned around and ran out of the front hall crying.

Huang Rong stood alone, watching her daughter's retreating figure, trembling with anger.